My Quote for the Year

This last weekend, we went on a ski trip to the mountains with my husband's company. We had a great time but I came home sick with a bad cough. I am starting to feel better now and want to catch up on blogging. There are so many things I would like to share on this blog when things quiet down here including my favorite books and ideas for teaching a child to read, my thoughts on inspiring beginner writers, our favorite gluten free foods that have gotten us through the transition of going gluten free, and lots more.

I recently read this quote and thought it was very inspiring and something great to share. “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming, ‘Wow, what a ride!’” I can definitely relate to this quote. I seem to have a very hard time living a dull life which is both a curse and a blessing. I want to embrace my adventure loving side along with the part of me that needs to take the time to relax and recharge. Since I was fourteen years old, I have been dealing with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety runs on both sides of my family and it is not something I enjoy dealing with but it does help me to maintain a balance of activity and rest. If I don't maintain the right balance, my body tells me right away.

My Dad recently installed a wood pellet stove in our basement family room which has served as our bedroom since Rosa arrived. This pellet stove has been a wonderful addition to our house this winter and I have spent many hours reading on my bed in front of it. My bedroom is now cozy warm all the time and a place where I can truly relax after a long day with my children. It is also the cats favorite spot as you can see in the picture above. I never really put a priority on having a warm comfortable place of my own to recharge, but now that I have one I can see what a difference it makes in my attitude. My overall anxiety level is much lower now too. Well those are some of my personal ramblings for this month. I highly recommend planning some adventures for this next year. We have some of our own planned already! I would also recommend buying a wood pellet stove if you live in the north and can afford one.

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