Settle Down Time

I was reading Simple Mom blog and I just loved this quote...

"If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live." 

-Lin Yutang

The blog post, Productivity and Quality Down Time, talks about quality down time.  I call it down time.  I love "down time."  I always tell my friends, if you want to learn how to relax, I can teach you.  And this is true.  I believe people should relax and enjoy life.  I have so many friends that just work and work and work and they don't take the time to just enjoy....life.

Everyone should learn how to slow down and enjoy nature...the wind, tress, sun, moon, sky, etc...all of these things are free to everyone, but how many times do we stop to enjoy them?

For some, to stop and do "nothing" when there is so much to do is (as my husband says), 'just crazy!'  My husband is one of these people.  He always has to be doing something, but not me.  I'm totally opposite. 

And yes, I'm glad you asked, yes, we have kids and yes, I work full time.  My kids are teenagers.  Although they can 'fend' for themselves in some cases, when they were younger, we had "settle down time."  Settle down time was always one hour before bedtime.  The kids could read or watch television, but they rule was...you had to be quiet.  I came up with settle down time because I wanted the kids to have a good nights sleep and I beleive you have to calm your brain before your body will rest.  Even though I don't enforce settle down time anymore, the kids continue to do it on their own.

Here are a few ways I like to settle down:

• 
  
  Turn off the television, computer, cell phone
• 
  
  Watch the sunset
• 
  
  Read a book
• 
  
  Take a nap
• 
  
  Take a bubble bath (I do this every night)
• 
  
  Knit
• 
  
  Drink coffee or tea
• 
  
  Sitting on the porch on a cool night

A few things about me in: Three's

Three names I go by:
1. Risa
2. Ri
3. mom

Three jobs I have had:
1. receptionist
2. coordinator
3. trainer

Three places I have lived:
1. Austin, Texas
2. Houston [near Houston]
3. Italy, Texas

Three favorite drinks:
1. coffee
2. Coke Zero
3. water

Three TV shows I watch:
1. Grey's Antonmy
2. Monk
3. CSI

Three places I have been:
1. Arkansas
2. Louisiana
3. Missouri

Three places I would like to visit:
1. Chicago
2. Washington State - Seattle
3. Spain

Three favorite old TV shows:
1. Good Times
2. Martin
3. 90210

Three favorite dishes:
1. Shelby's Chicken
2. Paula Deen's Creamy Spicy Chicken
3. Southwest Eggrolls

Three makeup/beauty products I cannot live without:
1. lip gloss
2. mascara
3. flat iron

Three things I’m looking forward to:
1. the next chapter...
2. Houston with hubby's family [September]
3. seeing my family again

Can't [Won't] Leave Home...

Things I won't leave the house without:
1. iPhone
2. small knitting project
3. iPad
4. chap stick
5. coffee [but only in the morning]

Somethings about me...

1. I like to read, but I never have the time.
2. I just finished a masters degree (I should have time now).
3. I love a good cup of coffee, even before bed (coffee always makes me feel better).
4. I always have a knitting project with me.
5. I love a clean house.
6. My house is not clean most of the time.
7. I like to color. Crayons are great, but Sharpies are the best.
8. I love rainy day (when I don't have to leave the house).
9. I love to watch the sun set.
10. I'm a homebody -- I love being at home.
11. Sometime I am very bored at home.
12. I don't like surprises.
13. I hate eating off of paper plates.
14. I listen to NPR daily (my kids think I'm crazy).
15. I hate wearing shoes, but I can't stand walking around my house without flip flops.
16. I put pj's on as soon as I get home from work.
17. I hate having my finger nails painted; and I love them short.
18. I love having my toe nails painted (most of the time a red color).
19. I love reading blogs.
20. I have a hard time saving money, but I'm getting better.

May 20 - A New 40 Days

On May 20, another 40 days will start.

I have slacked on the last two 40 days, but I have to report...I'm a college graduate again....with a masters degree this time. And it feels good, but now what. Yes that the question not only do I continue to ask myself, but other people are asking also. Now that others are asking, I'm really starting to question if I am supposed to be doing something else...something more. {pondering here.}

So on May 20, another great 40 days will start. May 20 is a great day because it's my youngest son's birthday. He is a neat (did I just say neat...yep, I did) little ball of power. He is the one who has taught me about setting goals and more importantly, how to make a plan to reach them.