*Afloat* (and a giveaway if you make it to the end of the post)

a·float   

adv. & adj. 

1. In a floating position or condition. 

2. On a boat or ship away from the shore; at sea. 

3. In circulation; prevailing: Rumors are afloat. 

4. Awash; flooded. 

5. Drifting about; moving without guidance. 

6. Free or out of difficulty, especially financial difficulty: couldn't keep the business afloat.

 

(definition from thefreedictionary.com)

None of those quite define how I feel when I say "I'm afloat" but there you go.  To me, afloat means surviving although drastically weighed down.  :)

This has been a week.

Everything is good-but wow.  I haven't had a week this *hard* in months.  Nothing in particular, just pressure coming at us from all sorts of directions.  

The other night in particular, the kids had taken some sort of "guaranteed to make your child a monster" pill.  :)  (Said in a completely loving mother manner.)  Everything was a fight and by the time dinner came about, I was almost in tears.  During dinner, Ethan was literally jumping up and down in his chair and slipped and landed face down on the table.  After clearing the blood and ensuring he was ok, I realized I was at *that* point.  Break down or laugh.  So thankfully, I laughed.  We left the dishes on the table and took off.

On the way out the door, I decided to grab my camera.  From the window of my studio, I looked out and saw this:

That would be Ethan, picking up rocks to throw at the car.  I'm happy to report that I laughed at this. 

So off we went-we got ice cream for the kids even though it was raining outside and drove.  Away.  To the next town.  And all of a sudden, there were smiles in the car.

 

When we came home, I am proud to say that the night ended in a story and everyone went to bed happily.  That truly was an accomplishment for the day.

Still, each day has met us with crazy complications and situations.  Please don't get the idea that anything is truly wrong, everything has been small, just piled on top of each other it has made for a hard week.  But I have so much to be grateful for!  

So what do you do when you have reached the end of a truly blah week?  Today, the radio is cranked, the windows are open and I'm having a giveaway.  I've found that the fastest way to feel a little joy is to do something for someone else.  SO.  Here we are.

Today's booty includes a full sized bottle of Soak Wash, provided by my friends at, Soak Wash.  I love this stuff and included a little write up of it in my patterns and they wrote a couple weeks ago to thank me and offer a couple bottles for my readers!  I got my favorite, Flora and one other that is equally happy smelling, Aquae.  

And my friends at Hullabaloo, (the gift company that I am working with) are sending me a set of the entire collection to use for giveaways on my blog.  So today, I'm doing two prizes.  A bottle of Soak wash with an assortment of my home storage line and gift line. The two winners will get some of both.  We'll give the rest of the home storage and gift line away over the next little bit, so stay tuned.

(Those links will take you to the collection in my store, we have a few more items to get listed, which I will do tonight but most of them are up!  We're having some strange glitch with the shipping calculator, so if you order them before it's fixed, the shipping for the larger home dec items will be calculated as if they are patterns so you'll get a happy discount on shipping for a bit.  :)  But, of course, enter for the freebies here!

To enter, just leave a comment.  Tell us what you do to get out of a funk, or leave a happy thought or..  a good healthy recipe?  Just something nice and happy.

There now.  I do feel better.  I'm going to go do some laundry now-that does always make me happy.  (really!)

xo

Sandi

Comments

[Melissa]

I'm in a funk today for sure. My kids must have gotten those "monster pills" from yours. :) There have been numerous messes today, unusually gross messes (won't go into details, if you're a mom, you can imagine) and lots of fighting. Thankfully, they are napping now.

to get out of a funk I usually call my friend or my mom and clean the kitchen. Something about a sparkly clean kitchen boosts my mood. So, well, that's what I'm headed to do. :)

Hope all of have smiles on our faces soon.
-Melissa

[Jenn]

I know how those days go! On those tough days with my kids I try to channel my Mom or Grandma. Both of those ladies have an ability to be sweet and calm in the face of 4 year old tantrums. I close my eyes and I think of the happy times with the women of my life. And instead of thinking how I am failing their example I try to think of how I want my children to remember me years from now. A smiling face, a laughing heart, and always a gentle touch with sweet words. I calm myself with the knowledge that I'm learning to be that mom, just as they learned how to be that mom, and that no one is perfect. I take joy in the idea that I always have the chance to change my frown to a smile.
Doesn't always work, but it sure can help!

[Katie]

Hmm, I would say craft, read, or listen to uplifting music, but sometimes that just doesn't help. If I were able to just take off at the drop of the hat, a drive out to the beach and a trip down the coast would be wonderful!

[Kristin]

Doesn't it feel good when you do manage the laugh instead of the yelling! When I'm in a funk, I usually only manage to have time to pray. But if I can actually get away for a minute, I read, sew, or take a bath!

[jennyy]

I go stand in the sun, preferably with a cold beer. ;-)

[Sarah]

well I have twins who are almost 2 and a 6 and 9 year old.. all girls, so theres a lot of drama ;-) I love them dearly but have moments where I am ready to cry and sometimes I do and sometimes I feel better after. I love a long bubble bath, some dave matthews or amos lee.. sometimes I lock myself in a room and sew for a bit after the kids are in bed... turn on some episodes of oprah that have been stacking up in the DvR ;-) and cookies.. those always make me feel better (but then guilty later)

[Doreen B]

Nice giveaway. Please enter my name!
To unwind and getaway from it all - I just enter my studio and fondle some fabric!!!
look over my books and magazines, put on a Jane Austen movie and get lost in it all :)

[Libby]

Well, I'd love to say that exercise, prayer or cleaning house makes me feel better (ok Prayer does help)but I'm going to say an ice cream sundae with hot fudge, a hot, steamy book and a long bubble bath!! and the house to myself for awhile! Hope you have a great week!

[angela]

Thank Goodness it's FRIDAY!!!! Your storage line and gift boxes look fantastic!

[Brandi Ginn]

I'm all about the cleaner more organized enviornment. Even if it's just making my bed, cleaning my room and opening the curtains. Sometimes it involves an organizational project...currently, that's the garage. And the weather is not cooperating. So we have removed EVERYTHING from the garage. We're building over head storage and I've been priming all the walls, getting ready for paint....but seriously, today it's 35 degrees and snowing...so the paint won't exactly dry. In the mean time all the power tools are in my office and laudry room...not a pretty sight so I just picture the beautiful garage in my mind...it's about all I can do to maintain sanity right now.

....and then this time of year...there's always Cadbury Mini Eggs...hard shell with chocolate center (NOT the gooey kind). Mini eggs are best eaten after warmed in the microwave for about 20 seconds...just enough to melt the center.

[Ellyn Z]

when I'm in a funk, I just lock myself in my sewing room, hook my ipod up to my awesome shop radio & listen to happy music! Works every time....

[Lindsey R.]

Ice cream does make any bad day better! Hope next week is much better. *hugs*

[Ren]

It´s nice to see and read about such friendly and warm families like yours.

[Mary Ann]

Oh, yes, those are good memories from years gone by! Now, I can and watch my sweet grandkids giving it all back to their parents!!! Anyways, when I'm in a funk, a garden or quilt shop can always perk me up!! Or a paddle in my kayak!!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mary Ann in Denmark

[Courtney]

My funk seems to be tied to my baby's funk, so usually I just need to get her smiling. Sitting outside pulling up grass or taking a bath are her favorite things.

[Amber]

You can fly to Hawaii and be happy here with my laundry if you want to :-)
Putting on happy music is always a good plan (I like the song playing right now as I type this)...and it's wonderful that you were able to laugh through all that. I probably would have snapped! Hope you have a wonderful, happy weekend.

[Lisa]

Chocolate is a sure thing around here. But, sometimes it;s just finding something, anything to laugh about. Ta-da, all better. Not always though...

[Valerie]

Ooh, love this giveaway! To get out of a funk, I've learned this recently, it's the perfect time for me to jump on the treadmill with my beloved Gilmore Girls. I'm not saying I LOVE the treadmill, nope, it's a battle every day to get on it, but it is starting to pay off, and usually after 45 minutes I feel energized and ready to tackle the world.

But I would bet that painting that piano RED would take the funk off of anyone...:)

[Lindsay]

Oh, the dreaded witching hour...you handled it so well, I wish I could handle it so well. So I'll give you an easy and healthy recipe. Take chicken, sprinkle taco seasoning over, cover in your favorite salsa, add beans if desired (black or pinto or refried) and bake until chicken is cooked through, serve with rice. YUM! Hope you have a great weekend. I wish I had as much creative brilliance in my pinkie as you do!

[Lisa]

Glad you are able to get up today! I usually escape into a book, or a nap. Sewing, Crafting and some gardening can help to lift my mood too, but when it's been one of THOSE days, it's usually because Mommy needs a time out!

[Joyce Davies]

What a fun gift! Love your storage line! It makes me so Happy!! To get out of a funk.....I leave the house for an hour in the evening to run errands, curl up with a good book, or sew. In the middle of the day, sometimes, I just step outside and enjoy the outdoors for just a few minutes! Enjoy your weekend!!

Joyce

[joscelyne]

wow, how great that you took such a great attitude! I know some days it feels like everything is just piling on.

[Heidi]

Lovely! Truely lovely. I'd love to win!

[Trisha]

I have been having the same sort of day (S) lately!! Life is just going full steam ahead and I am running as fast as I can to keep up! I think what you already did is the best way to get out of a funk! Talk about it, get out of the house, laugh, and serve others!! That's what I try to do!! My new simple and healthy snack is...roasted carrots. Wash, peel and slice carrots in 1/2 pieces. Then place them on a cookie sheet drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes then drop temp to 350 for about 60 more minutes. They are so sweet and yummy!!!

[Rochelle]

Lock myself in the craft room. Turn on some music and ignore the pleas and screams for help from the other side of the door. So having new toys to play with would be wonderful.