The Nest

My babes come home today!! I made them muffins. Muffins are the answer to almost everything, especially on a jadeite cake plate. Swoon.

The best thing that ever happened to this little birdie was a week off of work for October Break. I was tired and broke so the plan was to stay home. I came home to a messy, unorganized house with dishes in the sink that may or may not have had pond scum growing across the top of a few. I'm not kidding. Piles and piles of laundry, like Mount Everest had settled in my room in the form of dirty clothes. A floor that made me CRINGE every time I looked at it. Bathrooms that were just as gross, dry cleaning that was a week over due in being picked up, and a pile of unpaid bills. I came home after work on Friday, after grading, cleaning, and organizing my classroom and the guinea pig cage to another mess. Yuck.

An older man from Croatia gave me some excellent advice once. He said, "If you are tired when you come home from work, the first day you rest. Then you work." So that is what I did I sat down when I got home for ten seconds and promptly fell asleep on the couch. The next several days were peppered with fun activities with friends, cleaning, and sleep. I finally felt like myself again by Wednesday. I had decided over break that I would:

1. Get back to running consistently, this was today...man it is HARD to get back into running especially when you are out of shape. I have to keep reminding myself that the three mile hump won't get any easier until I get over the four mile hump. So I have been working on that I ran about three miles today. It is such a mental game.

2. I would take care of myself. That meant many different things from attending the temple, dinner with friends, going to four movies, watching endless hours of Fixer Upper, running, taking care of finances, and I had a great meeting with a life coach where I realized why I was so exhausted all of the time. I have been neglecting the feminine.  So to balance that I bought myself flowers, I set the table pretty, my friend got Chinese take-out and I had a girls night in sesh. It is amazing to me how much nesting and taking care of my home and JUST being home completes me. Oh, and I bought a big old fat piece of carrot cake for my friends and I to share from AJ's. It was so good and we couldn't even eat it all. 

3. I counted my blessings. I have spent so much quality time with my friends this week. Whether it was going to dinners, or movies, or a long walk and talking. I fell rich for sure. Rich with the most precious of gifts, friends. I went to my Mom and Dad's one night to visit and watch Survivor. I stopped over at The Old Brick House sale with my sister and then we perused the antique store. I am feeling blessed and rested with a clean house!

4. Each day I tackled a new task in my house. Whether it was laundry (still doing it, I seriously told you Mount Everest) or cleaning. Little by little the inside of my house began to sparkle and feel like my nest again. 

5. I got a manicure and pedicure and a massage. I have learned it is important to paper yourself too. The house wasn't the only thing that needed a little spruce up. 

6. I went to my favorite store. Last Chance. Look what I found....to die for, they were LITERALLY calling my NAME!!! However, I could NOT justify spending $100 on shoes even if they WERE Christian Dior AND my exact size. Yes, shed a small tear right here for me. Where is the new apple update digital touch broken heart when you need it. I settled for a CUTE pair of flats that WAS in my price range...$10 and I am super happy about it. 

Week at a Glance:

Friday..nap, shower, two movies in a row with one of my BFF's and a super weird food ordering experience at Rubios I wish I could act it out for you right now on a video. 

Saturday-sleep in, clean dishes/kitchen, watch seven hours of Fixer Upper...OK slight exaggeration maybe it was only six hours, met another BFF Laura for dinner and a movie. See isn't this shaping up to be a great break? 

Sunday- Woke up early, church, taught a lesson about our commitment vs. a contribution in Relief Society, I love the women in my ward. I love their thoughts and comments and every time I teach I marvel at how WISE everyone is. Came home...FOUR HOUR GLORIOUS NAP..do you hear angels singing? You should, that was some nap. I woke up, ate left overs and headed to the sad, lonely, single people like myself fireside, where I had a lot of fun actually because I saw ANOTHER BFF there and was so happy to visit. Then I came home watched several more hours of Fixer Upper and went to bed. 

Monday- Cleaned, groceries, finally picked up that dry cleaning, and then went to The Yard for a friends birthday dinner. It was  a lot of fun...granted I WAS fighting a bit of my social anxiety but I ran into the life coach here and set up a meeting for Wednesday. 

Tuesday- Slept in, until like 9. DREAMY. Went to the temple and ran into two of my favorite women from my ward. I just felt so happy and loved and had such a special experience in the temple. I also noticed that I had washed my dress and there is now GUM mashed to the shoulder of my dress. Nice. I got a mani/pedi, flowers for my table, cake and two of my BFFs came over. Just Delightful. Then decided to meet up with more friends and walk four miles, I had to work off that carrot cake. 

Wednesday-Woke up, cleaned the bathrooms, laundry, went running, saw the life coach, went to Last Chance, visited with my Mom and Dad, started a puzzle because I really like puzzles. Then saw another late movie with one of my BFFs. 

Thursday-Slept in..this is the best pattern ever. Cleaned, watched more Fixer Upper, I am nearly through season two and have decided it is necessary that I visit Waco, Texas. I worked on the puzzle, got a massage, cancelled my gym and massage envy memberships and then met my sister in down town Mesa to the Old Brick House shop. There are so many cute things there. I didn't buy anything though, it was fun to look. I came home and cleaned a bit and went to bed early. 

Today is Friday. I ran, cleaned, baked muffins, ran to the store to get milk for the kids. I planned dinner the meat is defrosting and I just can't help but think how lovely and good life is. I can't wait for the next two days! 

XOXO- Nesting is the key to my sanity. Home really is where the heart is. Sometimes a vacation isn't the answer but a REST is.  The Sunny D.