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stellamaris
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| Posted: Feb 01 2011 at 5:35pm | IP Logged
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I always call January the "bottom of the year". I used to think I would get something done in what is, relatively, a slow month. But, I find I have very little energy this time of year. I'm sort of stuck in the "doldrums".  I'm sure I have SAD, but I also know you ladies are a wealth of helpful information! Better than Google, even  !
What are your strategies for keeping up your energy and (sometimes) flagging spirits during January? How do you get back on track after the holiday breaks?
I find, too, a lot more complaining from the ranks (and maybe from me, too  ) in this dark month. A combination of being cooped up, lack of sunlight, and a busy dh (January is a big month to be sick in, apparently) combine to make our usually pretty cheerful group kind of down-in-the-dumps. 
I'd love to get outside more, but it has been pretty cold and my special needs ds can't walk very fast or very far, so we all end up freezing! What to do??? 
Any tips?
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to  dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 01 2011 at 5:42pm | IP Logged
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Well first I have good news for you..
It's February
candles, fire in a fireplace or woodstove if you have them.. they provide a cheery effect of natural light.
I like scented candles (or other ways of adding scents to the air) cinnamon tends to be a good scent.. seems to keep things "up" but calm and focused.
Occationally having a "summer day" by boosting the heat up in the house, putting on lively summer music, having a summery drink/snack/meal..
When I have kids that move faster than others.. I have them run ahead to a certain point and then back. Since we're in town it's usually the next corner.. and they'll oscillate between where I'm at and the corner until we're all at the corner.. then we cross the street together and to the same thing until we reach the next corner. If you have an older child able to help you.. you can even take a turn running ahead and back. That is if the slower one won't get too cold.
Mine are slow from age/size so I pile them into the stroller and add lots of blankets.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
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Mimip
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| Posted: Feb 01 2011 at 5:54pm | IP Logged
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Caroline,
I am no one to talk since we have sun and great weather year round BUT I did lived in MN for a while and one way we really livened things up was inside picnics.
Once a week, maybe more if needed, we would eat a picnic in our living room. We would pack picnic things like cold cut sandwiches, sliced apples, chips and juice boxes and then eat on the floor of our living room. Open up the blinds and let in all the natural light you possibly can!
When things got really cooped up, I would do something really crazy and open all the windows for 1 hour. Okay yeah it took a while to warm back up but that was our CRAZY hour! For one hour, I set the timer, we would do all sorts of crazy things, bring out the parachute and use a balls inside, do jumping jacks, marched around, played follow the leader, simon says. Anything to get the blood circulating. I usually did this after nap time around 2:30 p.m. when everything was heading downhill and the kids were at their worst. Then we would time ourselves to close all the windows and then have a snack. At least it was something to break up the day.
Hope that helps start things off!
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In Christ,
Mimi
Wife of 16 years to Tom, Mom of DD'00, DD'02, '04(in heaven) DS'05, DS'08 and DS '12
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stellamaris
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| Posted: Feb 01 2011 at 6:00pm | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
Well first I have good news for you..
It's February |
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See how out of it I am!!!
The summer day is a good idea...I used to do that with Beach Boys music, but I had forgotten about it! Maybe we need a beach blanket party....
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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stellamaris
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| Posted: Feb 01 2011 at 6:03pm | IP Logged
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Quote:
| I usually did this after nap time around 2:30 p.m. when everything was heading downhill and the kids were at their worst. Then we would time ourselves to close all the windows and then have a snack. At least it was something to break up the day. |
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That's a great idea, too, Mimi! Thanks. Afternoons are definitely times when I find myself really getting tired and reaching for another cup of coffee, which is not a great solution. Maybe an exercise time in the p.m. would perk us all up (I usually try to exercise before breakfast just because if I don't I tend to not exercise at all).
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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Servant2theKing
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| Posted: Feb 01 2011 at 6:34pm | IP Logged
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I notice that the days I force myself to get outside, I tend to feel more energetic and my mood is always lifted....usually that simply involves a walk up our very longgggggg, winding, uphill driveway to get the mail. Today, I went a little further, down the road apiece, then back home again...even though it was bitter cold, I definitely felt invigorated and more uplifted when I came inside!
We keep one string of icicle lights in the window of our dining area year round...when we light those I always feel more cheerful! Of course, candles are another thing that brings joy to our home...we even have some in our bathroom! I love to take a late afternoon bath with the candles lit, sometimes with pleasant music or something nice to read. Lately, I've been lighting a set of 8 red hobnail votives (a Goodwill find)...I kept them as a centerpiece on our dining table, lined up in a long, narrow wooden trencher...even when we put all the rest of the Christmas decor away....they add such a happy glow to the table, I couldn't bear to pack them away. I think it's important to lift our hearts and souls when everything around us seems grey and gloomy!
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Mackfam
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I feel super blessed - we have the cold of winter here (and this year the snow as well!), but I have wonderful light in our home, and it is cheering. Having offered my caveat so you can take my ideas with a grain of salt (or sunshine)....
:: Take every shred of drapery/blinds/window coverings off your windows. At least minimize it. Nothing heavy.
:: Add simple strings of white Christmas lights around your windows, behind books in an open shelving unit, across the mantle, on top of a tall bookshelf/tv cabinet....in unexpected places. I really love them atop a window, acting almost as a valance. I think we're wired to expect light to be coming from our windows, and if it's gray outside, it's somehow comforting to see warm, cheery light emanating from a window's general direction. The soft glow of these lights are so warm and cheery to me!!!!
:: Grab a basket or a bin and gather some tools to do some winter nature watching from the windows. Put your sketch books in there, some color pencils, a few field guides, binoculars and watch from the windows!
:: Re-arrange furniture in totally unexpected ways - to face out of doors! What is your favorite window in the house? With your favorite view? (Please tell me it's not in your bathroom????) Drape some lights, turn the furniture around, and do your nature walking with hot chocolate in hand...from your couch!!!
:: Have a regular popcorn movie Friday feature! We really enjoy the slower time of winter that allows us this time to sit together and enjoy some great old movies on Friday afternoons! We just watched the 1931 adaptation of Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court with Will Rogers. Wonderful, light movie that had us all in stitches!
:: Start some garden planning - even if it's just a simple little window garden. It's always so hopeful to begin thinking of spring potential! Maybe plan a Mary Garden if you don't have one.
:: Make sure you're getting your vitamins, especially in light of the fact that you may not be getting enough sunshine. Jodie is really the expert on this subject, but getting my vitamins would be a priority for me.
...and...when all else fails...let me tell you what makes me happy!!!
A NEW PURSE! 
Aren't you glad to have this little window into my psyche??
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 01 2011 at 10:27pm | IP Logged
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oh yes.. vitamins are a good thing.. I would look especially to D and B-complex.. winter you're likely short on D's and B's are your stress vitamins and if you're low on them you may feel depression or depression-like symptoms.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
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stellamaris
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| Posted: Feb 02 2011 at 4:09am | IP Logged
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Mackfam wrote:
| What is your favorite window in the house? With your favorite view? (Please tell me it's not in your bathroom????) |
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Too funny, Jennifer!! You know how I love to soak in a hot tub! Humm...maybe the bathroom is my favorite room??
Mackfam wrote:
...and...when all else fails...let me tell you what makes me happy!!!
A NEW PURSE!
Aren't you glad to have this little window into my psyche??
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Now that I think of it, I could sure use one of those!
One suggestion of yours really hit home and that is to allow light to come in through the windows. In VA, I don't even have draperies on my kitchen or family room window and I love how the morning light comes in through these east-facing rooms. Here, it's all these vertical blinds and for some reason I don't take the trouble to open them. My daughter walked in when she was visiting and said, "Welcome to the Bat Cave!" That's how bad it is! And it's weird, too, because I have always hated dark rooms with drawn shades. It is the very first thing I do in the morning in VA...open the bedroom curtains. But not here. And it's having a very negative effect.
JodieLyn wrote:
| I would look especially to D and B-complex.. winter you're likely short on D's and B's are your stress vitamins and if you're low on them you may feel depression or depression-like symptoms. |
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Another great reminder! Thanks, Jodie. I was taking D regularly before Christmas and have just kind of stopped, what with all of our going back and forth plus a trip to Colorado. I'll take some this morning; I do think it helps a lot. I wish I could figure out a way to be more consistent with vitamins; I'm always starting, then stopping and just forgetting about them, then realizing I'm feeling less than great, then starting up again. If only I just never stopped in the first place, it would be helpful!
I'm going to add in some high doses of Vitamin B's, too. I have suffered in the past from severe adrenal fatigue and that is one treatment the dr. recommended--high doses of B5 and Vitamin C (just got a replacement pack of Emergen-C) That might help me now, too, as the adrenal trouble is not fully resolved.
OK!! I'm going to write myself a note and put these ideas on my refrigerator so I DO THEM and don't forget what I'm about! Maybe I'll stick a copy in my NEW PURSE , too!
Seriously, I really appreciate everyone's ideas. Thanks againn 
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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Mimip
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stellamaris wrote:
One suggestion of yours really hit home and that is to allow light to come in through the windows. In VA, I don't even have draperies on my kitchen or family room window and I love how the morning light comes in through these east-facing rooms. Here, it's all these vertical blinds and for some reason I don't take the trouble to open them. My daughter walked in when she was visiting and said, "Welcome to the Bat Cave!" That's how bad it is! And it's weird, too, because I have always hated dark rooms with drawn shades. It is the very first thing I do in the morning in VA...open the bedroom curtains. But not here. And it's having a very negative effect.
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You know my kids do this as a morning and evening chore. I tell them to pray while they do it. They open up every single blind/curtain in the whole house. In the morning they pray that we will let God into our hearts like the sun into the house and in the evening they pray to keep our family safe and secure in our home. It helps as a reminder, since I asked if they've prayed for us in the morning and at night instead of nagging them to open and close the blinds
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In Christ,
Mimi
Wife of 16 years to Tom, Mom of DD'00, DD'02, '04(in heaven) DS'05, DS'08 and DS '12
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Marcia
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look through seed catalogs to make your list...and then go ahead and order those purple bean and yellow carrot seeds!
we organized a checkers tournament. It was SO fun!
I'm gonna try the moving the furniture thing today....It's blizzardy and cold here and a fire in the fireplace is not cutting it (yet) for me!
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Marcia
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Marcia
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oh...and lighting the "beach" scented candle right now!
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Marcia
Mom to six and wife to one
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JamieCarin
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I am LOLing about the January/February mix up. But I always feel like February is the month of doom. It is always a difficult month I feel....for real and imagined reasons!
Most importantly I remind myself over and over that it is a SHORT MONTH!!!
Give yourself a special treat daily....with the kids. So bake and have some afternoon tea.
Other than that just cross the days off the calendar as they go!! LOL
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asplendidtime
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Thank you for this thread. I can so relate. I just got so excited the other day, when I said to dh "Hey, it's 4:30 and it's not dark outside!!!!!!!!", we were so excited! The children asked why, of course it's because the worst is over and the days are getting longer again. It's so lovely to be able to watch the sun setting at 5:30! 
I don't know how more Northern ladies do it.
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mamaslearning
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I didn't have time to read all the replies, but I recently made a summer lunch that perked me up for awhile. It was salmon (in a pouch), cucumbers, onions, mayo, dill weed, salt, pepper, and carrots. I cut everything up, mixed it with the salmon and enjoyed my taste of summer! 
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Lara
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hylabrook1
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It seems to me that January and February feel especially dreary because all the brightly colored Christmas decorations have disappeared. I love to bring some new color into my house by having flowers. Grocery store bouquets are bright and cheering or, if you splurge at Costco, you can break up the bouquet and have several smaller vases around the house. Another thing I love is to plant amarylis (wrong spelling, but I trust you know what I mean ) bulbs or to force other spring bulbs.
Peace,
Nancy
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Servant2theKing
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Nancy, you just reminded me of the year we planted "Phyllis, the Amarylis"....it was a very difficult winter in some ways, but in others it was truly blessed & grace-filled. Our friendly amarylis sat in our bay window, cheering us through it all. Forcing bulbs is a lovely way to bring joy to dreary winter days.
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: January Doldrums!
