Let’s treat ourselves to just a little special something material today, as well as some time alone or time to do something we enjoy. Even if you only have as little as $5, you can pick up a delicious beverage, a naughty snack, a new nail polish, a scented votive candle, or a simple, pretty bouquet of flowers from Trader Joe’s.
And we’ll take a break from housekeeping – the mess will always be there this weekend after our Time for Us week is over!
QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:
- Need to run the vacuum really quickly through a couple rooms? We can pamper and treat ourselves this week, but we can also certainly spare five minutes to vacuum or sweep our homes so they don’t get out of control.
- Any trash cans need emptying?
- Dishwasher need to be filled, or emptied?
- When’s the last time you snuck a truffle or a caramel? Livened up your morning coffee with a dash or two of flavoring from your pantry?
TODAY’S PROJECT: Treat Yourself
As part of “Time for Us Week”, do something nice for yourself today.
It doesn’t have to involve spending money, but it does have to involve spending time on yourself. If you do have a little room in your budget though, splurge on a tasty hot drink at Starbucks, a new lipstick at the drugstore, a fall candle at Pier 1, a new shower gel at Bath & Body Works, or perhaps a potted plant at Trader Joe’s?
Maybe you’d like to buy a used paperback at your local bookstore, or spend just $6 on a couple new magazines to peruse, or load your Kindle with a new ebook. You might stop by Redbox and pick up a $1 DVD rental?
No room in the budget? Make your partner take care of the kids this evening (if you have any). Treat yourself to a Lifetime movie today, re-watch a favorite DVD, or play around with your crafts supplies. Perhaps you’ll spend the hour you would have spent housecleaning doing something much more fun: reading a book, experimenting in the kitchen, or knitting while listening to music instead.
Take a long bath, treat your hair to a special conditioning treatment, give yourself a manicure or pedicure, scrub and moisturize your skin. Go through old photos, if that’s fun, or get out old children’s books to enjoy re-reading for yourself. Write in your journal or diary, or work on a short story or poem you’ve been creating. Paint, or do something else creative that you enjoy doing. Write a letter to someone, go through old letters people have sent you, or try on some goofy makeup and hair styles.
Make someone else cook dinner, whether that be your partner, one of the kids, the microwave, a takeout restaurant or fast food place. (I’m personally hearing the siren call of Taco Bell!) You’ll have plenty of time to cook for your family and friends in the upcoming busy holiday season.
LOVELY BEVERAGES: Dragon Jasmine Tea
Jasmine tea is one of my favorites, though not what I immediately turn to in the mornings (That would be Earl Grey or English Breakfast). This week, since it’s “Time for Us Week” I treated myself to a lovely tin canister of this hand-rolled tea. I’m taking care to brew it properly and drink it out of a beautiful antique teacup, not just slopping it into a mug of water that’s been microwaved.
Dragon Jasmine Tea, by Harney & Sons, on Amazon
LOVELY BEVERAGES: Jim Beam Maple
I decided to treat myself to a small bottle of Jim Beam’s seasonal bourbon for “Time for Us Week.” I won’t drink it all by myself in just a week, don’t worry! I’m finding it overly sweet, but that was expected. You probably wouldn’t want to drink it with a sugary mixer like a soda. It’s best straight up, on the rocks, or with club soda if you can’t handle it straight. I didn’t get tired of the nice maple flavor, but the sweetness made me worried about a hangover if I had more than one drink of this.
LOVELY BLOGS: Va-Voom Vintage
Here is Brittany’s fabulous blog on recreating vintage hair styles and wearing vintage style fashions. Check out her fun recent posts on V for Victory, “This is Halloween,” Little Quirks, and How to Cut a Pineapple from 1950s Hawaii. I ended up reading way more posts here and spending more time than I had allotted myself tonight, because I was having so much fun!
http://www.vavoomvintageblog.com/
LOVELY BOOKS: Amy Vanderbilt’s Complete Book of Etiquette
“A Guide to Gracious Living” is the subtitle of this quaint 1957 book. Her advice covers weddings and ceremonies, honeymoons, anniversaries, courtships, engagements, funerals, dress and manners, home entertaining, household management, correspondence, family and children, public life, and travel etiquette. I feel like I am fairly polite but have room for improvement, so I should pay a lot of attention to this book. Reading it sounds like both fun and work, though, so I will set it aside for next week when it’s no longer “Time for Us Week.”
Amy Vanderbilt’s Complete Book of Etiquette, at The Internet Archive
LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:
Apple Slab Pie (Brown Eyed Baker)
Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup (House of Yumm)
Cornbread Tamale Pie (Bon Appetit)
Cranberry Sauce Mini Cheesecakes (Sweet Peas and Saffron)
DIY Faux Halloween Lantern Light (Real Housemoms)
The Lost Art of Making Popcorn From Scratch (Maria’s Farm Country Kitchen)
Maple Pecan Apple Crisp with Bourbon (Ambitious Kitchen)
Pumpkin Spiked Horchata (Slim Pickins Kitchen)
Savory Spaghetti Squash Cakes with Harissa Eggs (The Bojon Gourmet)
Simple DIY Skull Garland For Halloween (The Kitchn)
Simple Sundays – Parsnip Apple Soup (Kitchen Confidante)
