Hi friends! I’m back with a little life update. I felt compelled to explain where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to. Our family has been taking full advantage of summer! And I’ve also been working on my self care and doing things that I truly enjoy in my alone time. Keep reading if you want to know how I find time for myself!
Summer Fun
Since my last blog post (Amelia’s first birthday party) I’ve been loving summer and these warmer days. The girls and I have been busy with a lot of fun activities. Most days I prefer to leave the house with the kids than stay home all day. We’ve been enjoying the park, the zoo, splash pads, the pool, library story time, going for evening walks, birthday parties, and going on play dates with friends.
Camping
Recently, my husband had a week off of work and we went to the mountains for a camping adventure! We have another one coming up soon and plan to blog about our trip. We love camping and spending time in the mountains. If you’re curious how we manage a 1 and 2 year old while camping, let me know in the comment section below!
Self Care
Now that I’m a year postpartum, I felt like I needed to start working on my mental health and allowing myself to enjoy hobbies in my free time. I realized that I was pouring all of my energy into my kids all day long and started to feel anxious and moody. Since my husband works the night shift, I’m responsible for taking care of the girls most of the time. I’m very grateful he’s able to support our family while I stay home, but some days are tough! I knew it was time to make a change and start to make small changes to help me feel better mentally and physically.
Reading
One hobby that I started doing again was reading! I haven’t read consistently since I’ve had my kids and I knew that I wanted to start back up again. I rent all of my books from the local library since I prefer reading physical books. So far I’ve read 19 books in the last few months!
My favorite genres are romance, thriller & suspense, mysteries, historical fiction, romance comedy, and young adult. It’s been so relaxing reading for a few hours each night. If you’re curious which books I’ve been loving, I have a highlight called “Books” on my Instagram page where I show which books I’m loving! @_cathyjune
Gardening
Another thing that I’ve been doing in my free time is gardening. I’ve been gardening for 3 years now and this is the first year that I think I’ve finally figured it out! After lots of research and reading gardening books, my garden has never looked better.
I’ll water my plants in the morning and then go outside and tend to my garden when the sun is going down. It’s so peaceful and therapeutic for me! I’ve grown all of my vegetables from seedlings, it’s so fun to watch them grow and thrive. I also love that Sophia helps me water my plants everyday, she is a little gardener in the making!
Fitness
And the final change is working out again! This has been the hardest change if I’m being honest. I‘m still currently breastfeeding which I think has helped my lose the baby weight but I’m still not as strong and fit as before having kids. Some days I’m so physically exhausted from being a solo parent. I haven’t been very consistent with my fitness this year so I’ve been making it a priority.
My goal is to hike a fourteener (mountain that is higher than 14,000 ft in elevation) next summer. My husband and I used to hike fourteeners before we had the girls and I truly miss it! I miss the scenery and the challenge. I’m going to work hard at my fitness goals so that I’m stronger and healthier for my girls!
How To Make Time For Yourself As A Mom
If you’re a mom then you know that one of the hardest things about being a parent is not having a lot of time for yourself. We put ourselves last on our list of priorities.
It takes time and balance of prioritizing your health and creating a self care routine. My girls are at the perfect age that I’m finally able to have “me” time everyday.
In the morning if the girls are playing together or independently playing then that is my time to quickly brush my teeth, get ready for the day, or get some things done around the house. Also, nap time is another perfect time to do what I need to do. Or sometimes I just take a breather and relax on the couch. This is my time to recharge my batteries!
I believe it’s so important to find time to improve our minds and bodies. I’ve been happier and overall a better mom because of these changes in my everyday routine. Even though I only have a few hours to myself after the girls go to sleep, it’s much needed and goes a long way.
A few other self care things I enjoy doing is taking a warm bubble bath, plan out my week in my planner, listen to a podcast, spend time with my husband, catch up on my favorite shows, paint my nails, put on a face mask, call my family or friends, or enjoy a glass of wine.
Now that I’m back, I plan to blog more consistently. I have some fun blog posts coming your way!
Thank you for reading! I hope you have a wonderful week!
