Okay ladies here we go, I wanted to give everyone an update to my day because I am so happy, relaxed...and now tired!

After getting off of the computer and having my little 'pitty party.'  I jumped in the shower...yep, was still in my jammies!...and then got the kids dressed and took them outside.  The kids ran around and played and I took some pictures of projects that I have been needing to finish for a while, cleaned up some of my projects and then started the painting!  I got my mail holder partially painted, a bowl with cupids on it painted and have my eye on some other things that I think I can tear apart and do something with!  So it turned out to be an ok day any way!

Now, for later...

Not sure how much energy I will have but the hubby will be home in an hour or so and I thought I would kick everyone out of the kitchen, pull out some material I found in a basket this morning and whip up some garden aprons for myself!  I have lots of gardening to get done and some seeds to get started...the veggies and the flowers...yikes!  I really don't want to wear my kitchen aprons, laundry aprons or cleaning aprons outside so I think it's time to do something for me and get to work on some gardening aprons!  It will cost me zero dollars because I already have everything I need!  Yeah for me!!

Okay, just had to give the update since I created such a mess.  Thanks to everyone who responded and it helped me out so very much to get through this day.  Had I not found this group I would still be in my jammies, still crying, yelling at the kids and probably eating a bowl of ice cream!  lol

Hey Terri,

You DIDN'T create such a mess.  So glad to hear you're feeling better.  I have days like yours and have made it a policy that there are a couple of things I need every day to feel human:  A shower, a cup of coffee, and 15 minutes of the news or NPR.  Of course I would prefer to have more but those are my minimums.  Over the last six years I've figured out my strategies for getting those even when the kids are determined to deny me and I have only missed once.  :)

Don't give up on other moms.  There is no way you are the only one who is older and somewhere out there are like-minded moms.  Church group, preschool moms, SOMETHING, it's out there.  I found a lot of my current friends when I was new to the area and pregnant with my third -- they were just fellow preschool-parents who were interested in being helpful to the pregnant lady.  When they found out how lonely I was they rose to the occasion and turned out to be people I like.  Something like that can happen for you too.

In the meantime, keep kicking yourself in the pants when you need to and venting here when you need to -- we've all been there!

are the kids old enough to get a square of their own to garden? I can't wait till my daughter gets to be old enough.... did you read about the "sunflower" shade play area for kids?

(you pick a sunny spot like 3x3 or 4x4 square and plant sunflowers 4 inches apart along two sides and about 6-8 on the other 2 sides and in the middle whe they grow the kids have a shady are ato play in that is like a fort)

Love that idea!  Thanks for posting!

Terri Lynn, you have motivated me to do the same thing. I am a crafter at heart but have given it up since I had my son.   Thanks for posting oddly enough you made me feel better!!!  I am also glad to hear that I am not the only one who wears aprons LOL  I just wish I were better at sewing, I only quilt but want to sew things like aprons.   Stay well and thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No problem Jackie, glad I could help.  I didn't get around to making the aprons but got some stuff around the house done...and some of my long lost projects.  As for sewing, I don't really know how to sew...I taught myself.  I mean I can sew but I suck at using patterns so I usually do stuff by sight.  My aprons, well, I do those by sight as well.  It's a guessing game but I can usually get pretty close to the size I'm looking for...I guess that's why I don't do clothes and mainly things like aprons, curtains, pillows, blankets, cloth napkins and stuff of that sort.

I also do lots of other crafts; crochet, embroider, polymer clay, paint, refinish furniture, etc.  I'm in the process of redecorating my entire home and doing it all on free or nearly free stuff.  I won't pay a lot for anything because I know I can refinish it myself.  I bought this cherub holder thing...paid .97 cents for it.  I just cleaned it up, painted it, distressed it and now I'm using it as a mail holder!  I like to put single flowers in different stuff too, so when I cut flowers from my yard I will put a single flower in each bottle and display them in a group...the bottles I use are bottles I have found for a quarter or repurposed clear bottles.

I will have to think of other things that I do and let you in on some of my little secrets.  I can take a whole lot of nothing and turn it into something.  When I hit garage sales or thrift stores...I'm an addict...I hate to pay more than $1 for anything!!!  I'm a cheapy but I can turn it into something pretty cute!  I once bought an ugly gold chandalier for $5.00, rewired it, painted it and hung it on a birdcage stand and it's in my living room!  My husband thought I was nuts but when he saw the finished project he was pretty amazed.

Wish I could find some moms in my area that like to do stuff like this, I would have a blast!  My mom tells me all the time I need to sell the stuff I make but I'm so afraid of rejection that I won't give it a shot.  Crazy, I know, but oh well.

All your projects remind me a lot of my mom, and me, pre-kids.  I used to do a lot of that sort of thing too.  Now I live in an area that doesn't really support thrift stores or yard sales so I'll have to wait till I'm back in the real world to get back to it. 

You know Decorating Cents has a section for a "House done on a budget" -- you should think about getting yourself on there.  And give yourself a little more credit, I'm sure you won't be rejected!  My mother-in-law and sister-in-law in Georgia have rented little stalls at local antique malls (I know they have them near Omaha, too) to sell their craft stuff, so they can do as little or as much as they can manage.  Give it a try, you'll become known as a local artist!  :)