Isn't it supposed to be spring?

So, thanks to The Creative Family, by Amanda Soule (of Soulemama) I've been trying to find a few more activities to keep us occupied while we endure the always fabulous: Chicago Spring. Aaaahhhh...spring in Chicago. It's snowing right now, and it's been grey and cloudy all weekend. When I grew up (in Kansas) we wore sweet little Polly Flinder dresses for Easter Sunday. Not here. Here, we have to wear sweaters and pants for Easter. So, anyway, I digress. The idea for this little embroidery activity is to just put a t-shirt or pillowcase in an embroidery hoop and then let your child draw a picture. Then, they just stitch over it! Claire and her buddy have spent days working on this activity.

But...it's still not all-creativity all-the-time around here. I'm still drained. I can't figure out how to entertain these crazy kids for 12 hours every day and preserve my sanity. The problem is, I want to be a mom of children that are perfect. And my kids aren't. They fight every second right now!!! So much so that Matt and I threw them in the car for a drive last night. No real destination, but I just couldn't fill one more hour of the day trying to entertain them....so we drove.

We drove south. I brought coffee. And we drove. We ended up at the 31st street beach, just so that the kids could get out and blow off some steam. But that didn't last long because it was so cold.

It was really just not warm. Sammy is the kind that asks to wear a t-shirt with no jacket as soon as it's 50 degrees outside, but even he was chilly.

Even the birds were cold.

Marriage counseling last week was good. I told her that I think a lot of our problems come from my need for a "something else" outside of the family. And all the guilt that comes with wanting any kind of "something else".

But she said it was okay. She said that it's okay to need something "life giving" outside of your family to keep you going. Something else to plan for. Something else to work on. I'm not sure. I mean, I think it's okay to have some amount of hobbies and all, but to need "something else" almost daily...that seems like I'm not willing to "do what it takes" to me....

The thing is that I'm kinda high-energy. I'm a lot like Samuel in that people and activities are what give me energy. So, every time he says "where are we GOING today?" I know what he's thinking! He's as bored as I am! So we go sometimes. And sometimes we stay home and sew like Claire likes. She's so peaceful....just like Matt. I know we need those types in our life, (meaning Sammy and I need the Claire/Matt types) but sometimes it just seems like we're all butting heads all the time. So...we figure it out...one day at a time.

Sometimes we sew, and sometimes we go to the gym. And sometimes Sammy and I figure out that we LIKE sewing (he actually does!) and sometimes Claire realizes that she likes socializing! So....we do figure it out. Which is why I wonder what my "something else" would be. What else would it be but these funny/fighting/crazy kids? Well, who knows....