It’s Easter Monday and I have what can only be described as a holiday hangover. But not from alcohol – I only had one peach Bellini yesterday, tossed back in between flipping Easter egg-shaped pancakes and stirring pesto gnocchi. Hardly hangover-inducing.
No, I have a hangover that only results from the pursuit of too much FUN. Too many activities crammed into one weekend. Too many Pinterest projects for too many celebrations. Not enough sleep.
But this is my life as a mom, a legacy I inherited from my own mother (who knows how to inject fun into every minute of every day and has taught me well). I am on an endless quest as a mother to find magic in the big moments and magic in the little moments too.
The result: I’m #NeverDoneWithFun.
I know I have a tendency to overdo it, a tendency that’s never more apparent than on big “event” weekends like Easter. But for me, a holiday or other special event is an opportunity to bring together alllllll of the things I love: Baking, cooking, getting creative in the kitchen. Getting my hands messy with arts and crafts. Introducing my boys to cherished experiences I remember from my childhood. Establishing new traditions for our little family of 4, and sharing old traditions with extended family and friends. Creating, nourishing, celebrating, exploring. Together.
I suppose I think of all of my projects as my own “love language” – how I show those people who matter the most to me exactly how important they are.
Is it silly to think that a robin egg malted coconut layer cake can communicate all that? Probably. But it didn’t stop me this weekend from speckling the entire kitchen with chocolate flecks to make that cake look just like a robin’s egg. Or from covering white chocolate-dipped Oreos in pretty springtime sprinkles so I could send treat bags home to my hubby’s parents and grandma.
In my soul, I’m a nurturer, mothering all those around me long before I had kids of my own. I’m happiest when I can find outlets for my creativity that bring a smile to someone else’s face or a little bit of sunshine in their day.
So, yes, I may be exhausted after a long weekend of creating, nourishing and celebrating, but I also feel fulfilled. The memories we’re making together are worth the efforts.
#NeverDoneWithFun is my chronicle of finding creativity amid the chaos of mom life. Come along on this rollercoaster journey with me. Draw inspiration from my projects or take caution from my excess … or maybe, just maybe, find a balance between the two.
I can’t promise you won’t be tired. But I hope that once you get started, you’ll want to be #NeverDoneWithFun too.
