Friday, January 4, 2008

Down with Frazzled Fridays, Up with Slow Fridays


Sometimes getting dinner on the table in my house can look like a Friday night pit stop at Talladega. We are all so tired by Friday. Brian has typically driven to Alabama and back and I have juggled working part time and being at home part time. Friday is a day that I work, so by the time I walk in the door I am eager to get my hands back into homemaking and often that equates to lofty schemes of elaborate meals.

On many Fridays, in the attempt to hit the kitchen chopping, I don't slow down to connect with the very thing that is driving me to cook - my family. Sizzles and Sticky-butt are also tired from the week's escapades but they are also eager to pick up on our Thursday adventures. This frantic energy creates frazzled Fridays and they are no fun.

Over the holidays, in addition to gorging on cookies, chocolates and a disturbing variety of meats, I also gorged on books. Several books I have been consuming are about slowing down and prioritizing family life. One of the books, entitled, Mitten Strings from God - for mom's in a hurry, was recommended at a blog I have been visiting, titled Happy at Home. Although this mom and I seem different in many ways, we both long for a simpler approach to our lives. Even better, today there was a challenge posted about Slow Fridays. This challenge was issued at Boys Rule My Life and it was perfectly timed with this Friday when our home successfully slowed down. Here is how we did it.

I picked up a pizza, clementines, and cookies from Whole Foods on my way home. I walked in the door, gobbled up my hugs and we sat down for pizza. While we all ate, Sizzles told me about her day with daddy, and Sticky-butt signed "more" over and over while shoving pizza hunks into her plump little cheeks. We were covered with pepperoni grease and smiles. Then Brian opened his anniversary gift one day early (a Star Wars t-shirt), and slipped off to take a nap (the girls were up a lot last night for some reason). I then piled the girls into the bathtub and we sang while I washed hair and pizza off most of their bodies. Then we read books and put Sticky-butt to bed.

The best part was that Sizzles picked up the playroom and then asked if we could do art! ( I have been introducing art time to her for a couple of weeks in an attempt to escape the lure of the television). We painted Popsicle sticks with paint and glitter glue and then traced our hands on the back of wrapping paper while listening to Nora Jones. By this time, Brian was back up and just in time to read her a book and take her off to bed. A successful (although a bit unusual) slow Friday. FINALLY.

7 comments:

Becky @ BoysRuleMyLife said...

So glad you popped into my blog for a moment, but happier that you've had a wonderful, slow Friday!

Totally off the slow subject, but more in ways of introducing myself, I noticed you mentioned that you are a little different from the mom at Happy at Home (Laurel). Laurel is actually a real friend (not just bloggy friend) of mine. She and I are very different in several ways, but she is one of my very best friends. She makes slowing down look so easy, don't you think? I love her blog, but she is LIGHT YEARS ahead of me on the simple life! :)

I also read that you are signing with your youngest. We sign around our house, too... for fun. I haven't had a chance to delve into your blog and find out if you sign for fun or for circumstance. We didn't sign with our oldest as an infant, but he certainly has picked up a lot. Our two year old is the signer and we'll probably sign with the baby when he gets a little bit older.

Last thing, I promise! :) You commented about Thomas the Train on my post. We LOVE Thomas around here. In fact, I would almost say that my oldest worships trains! I have really enjoyed the Thomas videos and books. Lots of good stories and one of the things I really appreciate is the usage of correct grammar! My 5 year old speaks like a grown man thanks to Thomas and friends!

Anyway, I hope to meet up with you again in the blogosphere! I enjoyed your post and it was so nice to meet you!

Becky @ BoysRuleMyLife said...

Ok, so I broke my promise... I have one more thing I really wanted to tell you! Since your oldest is getting interested in art, you might like to join us for a weekly "unplugged" project at

www.unplugyourkids.blogspot.com

This week's assignment is "puzzle". However you want to interpret that and whatever you want to do puzzle wise with your kids. Then on Monday we post about it and link up at Unplug your Kids. I've really enjoyed having a suggested assignment to keep me motivated. If you stop in, tell her I sent ya! Maybe I'll see you there Monday!

laurel said...

Thank you so much for the kind shout-out on your post. I just found you from Becky's Friday Carnival. It sounds like you had a wonderful Friday evening. I am super-impressed with the popcicle painting...wow! My 5-year old loves crafts, and I really struggle to incorporate them regularly. I am so glad to have found you! :)
P.S. Isn't Nora Jones the perfect Friday Evening mellowing out music? Sooo good!

Anonymous said...

Glad you had a Simple Friday -- I wish every day and every moment were simple - wouldn't that be great!

Nicole said...

Holy cow I just saw all these comments and I don't even know what do to with myself I am so excited! These are my first real comments from people other than my local friends who have taken pity on me twice and posted a comment. It is Monday night and yes, I was rereading my own post because I am new to this blogging thing and sometimes I am so tired when I blog that the next morning I find all kinds of grammatical errors in my post so I am trying to go back and edit them. Okay well, I need to go visit all of your websites now and thank you personally. Hooray!!!

laurel said...

Nicole-
I loved your comment here...I know, I get so excited every time someone leaves me a comment...then I go back and reread my post each time someone leaves me a comment. I am such a dork. It sounds like I have nothing but time on my hands, doesn't it? :)
Anyway, I just wanted to thank you so much for your thoughts on the homeschool issue. I really appreciate your perspective. This is such a hard issue for me and I really want to do what is best for our family. It seems like it would be so hard to lead a simple life if you don't homeschool...but I am sure it is possible, with work. Would you mind sharing the blog of the homeschool mom you were telling me about? I would love to have a peek at it. Thanks!

Mary@notbefore7 said...

BEAUTIFUL! What a perfect way to simplify your Friday!

I just got that book - can't wait to start. I am totally going to have to check out Happy at Home since you and Becky like it.

"see" you again soon!