Okay, July and August are now past tense, and I’m quite pleased with what we accomplished from our family summer bucket list (more on that very soon). As far as I’m concerned, though, it wasn’t truly back to school for us today because the kids went to school for 1 hour; I don’t really count that as school, that is just all the kids (& parents) seeing each other and reacquainting themselves with school life again. The teachers and school staff are fully launched back to work, oh yes! But myself and my kids? We are very slowly wading into the “back-to-school” waters, which is actually just how I like it: nice and slow.
My kids are starting grade 2 and grade 6 this year, with my daughter entering a brand new school for the grade 6 late-entry French Immersion program -we are all holding our breath to see how another location and different language works out for her, but I have a good feeling about it. So, tomorrow will be the first full day of school, and that’s where my brain is going now…
It’s time to make a new list just for ME! I work part-time teaching my baby sign language classes 3.5 days a week, and have 1.5 days to manage our home and work lives, as well as some volunteering. I want to make what little time I have work for me, not the other way around. Making a list has become a terrific way to remind myself of what’s important in life.
I’ve been thinking hard about what kinds of things fill me up so I don’t get run down while I fulfill my passion towards my family and my work.
These are some of the things I’m looking forward to doing once my kids are back in school:
My Mommy Back-to-School List
• Drinking my morning cup of tea while it’s still hot, in one sitting (no microwave warm-ups)
• Riding my bike, by myself with no kids attached to mine or wavering ahead of me in
traffic:
• Listening to CBC Radio 2 as I do the breakfast dishes
• Walking once a week in the forest trails with a BFF (Best Fitness Friend):
• Creating my new wellness plan: a proper fitness schedule actually booked into my schedule, so no excuses
• Painting my summer-scraped toenails a fun, fall pattern like this:
• Opening up my Pinterest “Recipes to Try” board and actually trying some of the recipes I’ve pinned
• Visiting the public library and leisurely perusing the brand new books shelf for ideas
• Looking over my own favourite cookbooks to get ideas
• Organizing some meal plans and recipes with shopping lists
• Making homemade soup like this Celery Potato with Blue Cheese recipe:
• Going to my favourite yoga class and practicing at home
• Reading a novel I’ve been dying to read with a (hot) cup of tea
• Tackling some fall home projects like organizing my pantry & switching over the closets from summer to fall
• Booking some Mommy playdates & catching up with my friends
Fall is a good time to switch gears and think about a list for just you. Here’s a hot-cuppa-tea toast to all the things that “fill us up” so we can live & work better this fall!
Lee Ann
Growing Signs 