Time For Us Week – Pampering Ourselves

One of the books I intend to read while snuggling a dog in front of the fireplace in the evenings this week

For the last few weeks, we’ve been working very hard to clean, beautify and organize our homes for our families and to welcome guests. Now it’s time to think about ourselves, turn inward a bit, to pamper ourselves and to enrich our own lives.

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

Long winter nights are approaching. Consider joining an online book club or book reading group if that’s something you’d enjoy.
Make yourself a manicure, pedicure or hair appointment for this week, or just go get a walk-in service. (Or whatever would make you feel pampered!) If your budget is tight, just make room in your schedule to give yourself a manicure or pedicure at home using your own nail polish.
Can you make plans to have lunch with a friend this week? Or perhaps you two can go to a movie some evening. Working on a tight budget? Re-watch an old favorite DVD or find something intriguing on cable. Then pop in a tasty but high calorie frozen dinner or pizza you already own and have been storing in your freezer. Also, how about ice cream for dessert?
Make a list of fun things you’d enjoy doing this week. Definitely take your budget into consideration, but spoil yourself a bit if you can.

TODAY’S PROJECT: Pampering

Mango Bubble Bath, at Sephora

Whatever pampering means to you, see if you can treat yourself to some of it tonight. Get your partner to give you a massage or foot rub maybe (or something more fun, if you aren’t too tired!) Take a long, hot bath with iced lemon water to sip and a book or a magazine. Watch a TV show that isn’t very good for your brain but is deliciously fun to watch. (I recommend “Below Deck” on Tuesday nights).

Go out to dinner, or grab fast food (something I try not to do too often) for a one-time treat. Think just about yourself, doing the bare minimum you can do tonight to keep your house in order and your family happy and fed. Then go off by yourself for some YOU time. Remember that a happy wife and a happy mom makes for a happy household.

Let’s be a little selfish. Make time for yourself. Demand it, you deserve it! Ask your partner to spend time with the children while you get a manicure – or drop the little ones off at a grandparents’ or friend’s house for a few hours. You can always trade babysitting with a neighbor mom nearby.

Encourage your spouse/partner/boyfriend/girlfriend to go out with their friends, so you can go out with the girls or just have a few quiet hours at home alone. Read that book you’ve been dying to finish (uninterrupted! Imagine that!); lazily leaf through magazines enjoying the pretty and unrealistic pictures; take an extra long bath. Linger just a bit longer over your morning hot beverage of choice. Play dress up with your closet, makeup, hair and jewelry, and take selfies just for you!

LOVELY BLOGS: Eat Cake for Dinner

Here are Jenn’s recipes for baked goods as well as entrees and savory dishes. Recently she’s shared a cute spider web dessert pizza, Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken, white chocolate pumpkin bread with a streusel topping, and Pumpkin Molasses sandwich cookies.

http://www.eatcakefordinner.net/

LOVELY KITCHEN: Autumn Wreath Bundt Pan

Here’s an example of me displaying some self control and not buying something I want (for a change). I really, really want this Nordic Ware pan. Imagine all the wonderful cakes (and maybe Jell-os?) you could make with this! Envision the festive ice ring you could make with this, to float in a larger punch bowl! I have to face the reality though – I don’t bake Bundt cakes all that often (despite no shortage of molded pans for them) and I don’t have a large family to feed treats to any more. (My neighbors, I suspect, are wearying of my proffered baked goods). While I could afford the $26 or so this costs (though that takes away from my manicure or movies budget), I can’t afford the shelf or cupboard space. Alas, I have to move on and let it go!

Autumn Wreath Bundt Pan, on Amazon

LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:

Breakfast Sandwich Stackers (Amy’s Cooking Adventures)

Carrot Cake with Cider and Olive Oil (Smitten Kitchen)

Cream Cheese Apple Coffee Cake (Yammie’s Noshery)

Creamy Broccoli Chicken Shells and CheesE (The Comfort of Cooking)

Crispy Baked Butternut Squash Fries (Foodess)

Cute Pumpkin Cookies (The Bearfoot Baker)

Fall Gourd Cake Pops (Pint Sized Baker)

Grilled Tomatillo Guacamole (A Spoonful of Thyme)

Kahlua Holiday Fudge (Worth the Whisk)

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Bread (Love From the Oven)