What are you doing to replenish yourself?

[PrincessFiona]

I checked in with my shrink this week and caught her up-to-date on the last couple weeks of getting two college students ready and started at college, the 6 hours of open houses I've endured for the three other kids and then my plunge into the start of my own academic semester. After she laughed with me about the insanity, she asked me one key question: What are you doing to replenish yourself. I'd like to answer and also pose that question to the rest of you.

My answer:

I ordered a dumpster and I'm purging my house. I know I'm living your dream! I actually started the purge process during the worst of the going-back-to-school stress for Andrew and Amanda. I've filled my empty 3rd garage stall with a broken christmas tree, two cracked mirrors, cabinets with mold on the back from our unfortunate water heater disaster, a broken Ikea sleeper chair ... you name it, it's being tossed. I've given myself permission not to have to set something aside to freecycle/sell if I don't want to. I'm just getting rid of crap. We have 3 bedroom sets that are either 1. broken or 2. crap. They are all going. As a financial compromise to get Andrew in the dorms sooner, I've demanded that we not replace them right away but offer blow up mattresses for the kids and replace a bedroom set every other month or so as we can afford it. Thomas agreed. We have a leather office chair that the dog chewed through, outdoor christmas deocorations (big plastic ones) that I haven't put out in 5 years....it's all going. I might have mentioned it someplace else here, but I recently (to destress) cleaned out the closet under our stairs. It was packed to the gills with junk. We haven't even been able to get into it for 1-2 years. It is now a giant open space. The only things in there are my wedding gown, Amanda's old cello that we're selling to help pay for the cost of the dumpster, and Thomas' old medical journals (lots of them) that I have demanded that he purge. I have also put my foot down on new stuff entering this house. No more crap. No more shopping. My kids are starting to catch the fever. Today Amanda talked about cleaning out her closet to toss stuff once the dumpster is here. From now on, I'm going to be very particular about what I buy (no more Ikea crap).

So enough about me and my destressing dumpster. How are you replenishing yourself lately?

Kris

[Phoebe]

Purging sounds great, Kris! My replenishing comes in the form of daily naps. I am so exhausted lately with workers in and out of our house and dealing with the stress of my husband freaking out about our punch list. We have no where to sit in our house except my bed and our dining room table that is partially blocked by an armoire. Until the painters get into to fix some stuff we can't move anything. Our living room furniture was ordered in May and won't be here for another couple weeks. I am also purging as much as possible. It is a good feeling. Send your dumpster over here!

[PrincessFiona]

Sleep sounds like a great replenisher! I'd share my dumpster with you any time. It came and it's huge. We'll never fill it. I de-stressed by walking a bunch of crap into it. It feels good.

[PrincessFiona]

Conversations in my neighborhood this afternoon: "Are you throwing that away? (finger pointed to dumpster)" I've been giving stuff away from my dumpster! LOL

Anyway, you all are sick of hearing about my dumpster. I won't make it about the dumpster....it really is something that feels replenishing to me. It's a total act of self-care to finally rid myself of clutter, etc. Feel free to ignore my dumpster talk and focus on other replenishing activities!

[SoonerTexan]

https://www.etsy.com/listing/9975141...art-yall-gonna

I posted this elsewhere, but I bought the stuff to make this over the weekend.

Also, when I say, "Y'all gonna make me lose me mind" my toddler responds "Up in here. Up in here"

[SoonerTexan]

Make it and hang it in your office. The first one goes in my kitchen, next one is for work

[MrsK]

*sigh* I barely have time to pee nonetheless replenish myself.

Between the boys' school schedules, schlepping a 7mo baby everywhere and being woken at least twice nightly, trying to budget/plan for a home purchase, and my husband preparing for the boards....I'm drinking a triple espresso every day, trying to get caught up with my doctors' appointments, not answering the phone if I don't want to, attempting to socialize more often (it recharges me) but my friends are just as busy as I am. I've started 4 books but have only read a couple pages of each. I'm trying to think about crafting so now I have little bits of things cluttering up my kitchen and ideas cluttering up my mind. My babysitter has gone back to school and she's awfully busy. Smooching on the baby and tossing her around is fun; she's got the yummiest little rolls and she smiles all the time. I really should be getting more sleep, eating healthier, and getting into a swimming/yoga routine to build up my flexibility and core strength. I ache all over and I'm so damn tired. Sorry, exhausting stream of conscious.

[Chrisada]

What are you doing to replenish yourself?

My 12 month old had Mother's Day out for the first time from 9-2. She was a rock star. I should have signed her up for twice a week, but had slight mom guilt. I went to the Aveda Spa and Panera alone. I think I'm going to enjoy Thursday time alone. All though of course I feel like I should be cleaning during that time. House is a mess, so guess whose cleaning when the kids go to bed... But I sure did enjoy my pedi. while reading a book.

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[mommax3]

Nothing, as usual. But I feel replenished after the summer off (of teaching, that is) and will be fine until our fall break in mid-October. We have a week off then, so that will be nice! I am looking forward to the upcoming three day weekend, too. Sleeping in is always my favorite, although I am lucky if I sleep until 7:30. Just not having to set the alarm is wonderful!