Life-Saving List

My best friend is what I would call a "professional reader". She reads a new book every week (I'm not exaggerating) and she is constantly reading blogs, listening to podcasts, etc. It has always been her thing (literally, since we were very little people). And I wonder why she was always the smart one...?! 😏

She sent me a link from a post of one of her favorite bloggers the other day and thought it might be a fun Thursday blog activity for me! And I agreed (I told you she was the smart one)!

This particular blogger had joined together with fellow bloggers at the halfway point of winter (which happens to be on the first Thursday of February this year) for the last three years and they all shared lists of things that were helping them through the winter blues.

Things that were "saving their lives". Though I love winter, for many, it's just a cold and dreary time. And can be a little depressing! Usually by the time February rolls around, you are ready for Spring and just the feel of the warm sun. Oddly enough in northwest Arkansas, we got just that two days ago with 70 degree temperatures!

So I'm making a list. A list of things that might be small, simple, hell - they may even be petty, BUT they are, to me, ways I stay sane during this time of year. And pretty much all year long.

My list...

1. McDonald's Cokes.
   -- I order it, they put it in my hand, I take my swig and then a deep exhale because life is going to be OK!
   
   
2. Dropping my kids off at school.
   -- This is a 2'fer: Yes, I am sending my kids away for the day which can be glorious but more importantly, it is the smiles on their faces when they are walking into school (Sloane) and I watch her - she is always in her own world because everyone else in our carpool as sprinted inside, but she just takes her time, like she's soaking it in (she's probably not)! And then when I take Reece into his classroom, he walks right in, very rarely gives me a hug or tells me bye beacuse he's already working on a project, or writing his name... too busy for me! I love it.
   
3. Tess's snuggle right before she goes to bed.
    -- This girl knows when it is bedtime and nap time and she is always ready for it! The clue? You walk up to her bed, she snuggles in for a hug for about three seconds, then pushes herself away so she can lay down. I love it. I seriously love it and am savoring it. It's not forever!
   
4. My Dyson Stick Vacuum.
   -- This has been a complete game changer in my household. Before this, I was dragging out my huge vacuum every single day, maybe 3-5 times a day to clean up crumbs, dog hair that was left as Wrigley walked through the house from the garage to the backyard every day in the winter. Now, I unplug this lightweight stick, and attach whichever floor attachment I want to use (carpet or tile/hardwood) and off I go, very quickly vacuuming what I need to, then plug it back in. And that's it. My sister actually said these words to me at Christmas when I asked her when she was getting hers (because she needs one): "Well... I read some negative reviews blah blah blah." The girl is talking to the Vacuum Queen and she actually told me she read reviews when the only review she needs is from moi! And I say it's the greatest invention ever and you all need to go get one ASAP!
   
5. A Clean Car.
   -- A total Allyson thing to say. But over the last few weeks, my car has been as filthy as it has ever been since I have owned it. And I'm NEVER OK with it. But I haven't had extra minutes in the day to go clean it! Until yesterday, when I couldn't take it any longer. Since Wrigley sleeps in the garage in the winter time, our garage floor is just full of dog hair. Even if you can't see it. So when you step in the van, all of that dog hair that you don't see ends up on the carpet floors. And getting dog hair out of car carpet is almost impossible. Hence the hour car cleaning!
   
6. A Hot Bath.
   -- I don't care if you think baths are gross. Because I LOVE them! I really only take them in the winter time and if the bath isn't hot, the point of the bath goes down the drain (pun intended). If I would put my phone away and just relax, it would be even better!
   
7. The Moment When All the Clothes are Washed and Put Away.
   -- This feeling only lasts for an hour usually because clothes just seem to appear in my kid's clothes hampers even if they were never on their bodies.
   
8. A Compliment From my Husband.
   -- The man is a complimenter, yet I am not accepting of them! I don't know why I can't just politely say "Thank you!", but I have to give him a reason for his compliment to be untrue! "You look nice today!" "Oh, well I had to go to the dentist so..." Just say "Thanks, you're right!" and move on, Allyson.
   
9. Peach LipSense.
   -- People, I know you're going to get sick of my constant LipSense talk. But I'm going to talk about it. And I'm going to tell you that my new favorite color is Peach. And if a pretty lip color is going to be on my life-saving list, so be it! :)
   
10. Sitting Down.
    -- I don't know if you all think about how often you sit down during the day, but I think about it often. Because sometimes, it doesn't happen until 8 pm at night. And that is no lie! I don't even think I sit down to eat lunch, I'm usually feeding Tess and trying to find something I can shove in my mouth really quickly. But when I sit down, it usually means my schedule is clear, I have nothing else I need to be doing. And I can park it and enjoy some relaxation. For 30 whole seconds.

Well... I think that's a pretty good list! I mean, could I go on without any of these?

Maybe.

Do I WANT to go on without any of these?

Nope. Not one bit.

And as the Modern Mrs. Darcy said, " Winter is hard, but by pausing at its halfway point to share the things that are helping us through it, we'll lighten the load."

Amen.

What's on your list? I'm excited to hear it -- I'm sure it will put my list to shame!


XXOO,
Allyson