The Quiet Season

The hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year's are behind us, bringing in a quieter, calmer season.  I love January because we settle in, burrow deeper into our den, and enjoy the peace and quiet that comes with this time of year.

It's a time to clean out the clutter, get rid of the things that no longer serve us, and create a warm, enticing home.  I find this time of year, I want to declutter - after the busyness of the holidays, the gifts, the wrappings, the decorations; I want my home to reflect a cleaner, more organized place to be.  Or at least I try!  When you have kids and a husband in the house that leave things on the counter, on the table, in the bathroom; it's a bit more difficult to keep the house clean and organized.  Oh well, time enough to be super organized when the kids have left the house.  Or so I think.......

It's also a great time of year to create in the kitchen. 

• comfort food:  a baked pasta, French Onion Soup, Chili.....
• the enticing aroma of a soup bubbling on the stovetop......
• a hearty stew, ready when you are......
• the lingering smell of chocolate chip cookies or blueberry muffins.....

It's makes me want to spend long, leisurely Sundays in the kitchen, creating wonderful culinary gifts for my family.

The winter months are also a great time of year to do those in-house projects: finish those built-in bookshelves, reorganize that closet, renovate your bathroom, paint your bedroom.....  Take your time, finish things, and don't get overwhelmed.  After all, none of those projects are going anywhere. They will still be there when you're ready!

Stack your end tables with books, crossword puzzles, and boardgames.  There's no where else to be....  There's nothing more important than nurturing your body and feeding your soul.  It's a time for a break in the action and a time to refuel.  Don't you feel the least bit guilty!  We all need some downtime to revitalize and this is the perfect time of year to do so.  Look at it this way - when you're rested and energized, you have more to give and are happier in the process.

May 2012 be a year of learning, of trying new things, pushing past your comfort zone.... May the year ahead be full of blessings, "snapshot" moments, and happiness.

Be yourself, everyone else is already taken!