Social Life

[Sugar Magnolia]

Ya only live once so why not??!

I love that you do sand sculpting. I've never heard of such a thing before


(Puzzles + wine = lovethis Even a 500 piecer can become quite an adventure under such circumstances )

Shameless bragging: I have won and placed in local contests.
I spent my childhood in New England, so I can appreciate the outdoor stuff you do and use of change of season. No such change of season here. 70 today. That's "winter".

[Sugar Magnolia]

I do quads with the hubs and although we don't hunt (hubs has never had an interest in it) we do share a love of fire arms and the shooting range. We each have two handguns and an AR-15 . I'm glad I'm not the only one that shares their husband's love of "boy toys" ::.

Sounds like you and Willow and I could have a good time. Hunting or just plain shooting, quads, motorcycles, sand, etc. Too bad we live on like totally opposite ends of the country.
Edited to add: I like to shoot the 'ol .22 Ruger, yes, despite my super lefty-ness on the gun control thread ::

[LK5kids]

I have joined a gym

I am part of a scrap booking /card making group.

I go out to lunch with a good friend.

I used to belong to a book club.

Eventually when I fill with kids I am hiring my sister-in- law to work one afternoon so I can get out.

I socialize at church.

My husband and I go out every weekend.

[countrymom]

Sounds like you and Willow and I could have a good time. Hunting or just plain shooting, quads, motorcycles, sand, etc. Too bad we live on like totally opposite ends of the country.
Edited to add: I like to shoot the 'ol .22 Ruger, yes, despite my super lefty-ness on the gun control thread ::

so are you going to bike week in march. My dh can't wait to go, we will be the only canadians who are either really pale or really burnt. He's so excited to go (he's the motorcycle freak, born and raised in the field)

[Starburst]

A provider I used to work for would go out dancing every thursday night (country night at a local dance club) and she would always take mini weekend vacations during 3 day holidays (like labor day weekend)- but she also had assistants who could fill in on that Friday so she could get ready and leave by nap time.

Things that can be done on weekends/after hours:
You can also look into seeing if your city/county has a local FCC association/ coalition where they have meetings and you can network with other local providers. Or take some classes at a local community college- look into getting a certificate/degree, learning a new skill, or just brushing up on some ECE basics (they tend to be more fun than other classes). Take up yoga, kickboxing, Zumba or training for a 5k. Maybe look into volunteering: Red Cross, animal shelter, hospital, local church fundraisers.... If you have kids of your own you can look into joining a PTA.

[HomeMADE]

Popular thread! While I have not been doing this long, I started at the beginning of 2013, I am determined to keep a life.

I went to the gym after my last pick up today for a night aerobics class, 3 classes a week. I found that it is easier to meet people in the group fitness classes than in the individual work out rooms. I attend church and make a point to go to mid week women's bible study. When I take the kids out for walks or to play I go out with another SAHM that has twins. We talk while the kids burn off energy.

I have a master plan, I just hope it works. This job has crazy long hours, but I wouldn't trade being able to stay home with my little one for anything in the world. But I know that I have to take care of me or there is little left to care for anyone else.

[CedarCreek]

I don't have much of one but honestly i'm okay with that. I'm a little obsessed with my husband and sons so usually i'm perfectly happy at home and too tired to do anything else!

But..every wed I go have dinner with 3 of my girlfriends that I used to work with. I missed them terribly when I left so we all still get together.

I hang out with my mother who lives down the road a lot. Haha, that sounds pathetic. We go get pedicures when we can. Maybe once a month.

I also feel like its really hard to keep up a friendship. I always feel like its my fault when we don't talk for a while.

[My3cents]

I don't have much of one but honestly i'm okay with that. I'm a little obsessed with my husband and sons so usually i'm perfectly happy at home and too tired to do anything else!

But..every wed I go have dinner with 3 of my girlfriends that I used to work with. I missed them terribly when I left so we all still get together.

I hang out with my mother who lives down the road a lot. Haha, that sounds pathetic. We go get pedicures when we can. Maybe once a month.

I also feel like its really hard to keep up a friendship. I always feel like its my fault when we don't talk for a while.

Doesn't sound pathetic at all. I would do anything to have my mother alive and able to hang out with again. She was my best friend. Your lucky to have that, embrace it don't look down upon it, doesn't matter what other people think, enjoy your time with your mother-

[coolconfidentme]

Just wondering how do you manage to have a social life? I am @ home all day every day no co-workers, weekends use to either visit family and clean plus one day of weekend do grocery for DC, house seems to never be the way I like it so even when DC is closed during weekends I find myself cleaning and putting things together. Don't have time to make friends or spend time with others, sometimes I try to convince myself I don't really need it but truth is I sometimes do feel the need of having other people in my life, grown ups I mean

I am not from here, I moved here about 7 years ago and started working, did not focused on making lots of friends, then I started the DC and now I see that I have no time to spend with other adults. How do you manage your social life :confused:

My daycare is open day/night Mon-Fri & not in my home. I do not take a call/text on the weekends unless it is a parent saying they will not be bringing a child. Otherwise I simple say, “We can talk on Monday. I do not work on the weekends, I’m sure you can understand.” (I own rental properties & say the same thing to them.) I do take laundry home, but I have everything else is cleaned before I leave on Friday. I’m in a running/fitness group & enjoy that on my down time. I totally need ME time!!!

[Meeko]

I hang out with my mother who lives down the road a lot. Haha, that sounds pathetic.

Not at all! My parents and my only brother live on the other side of the world. In the past 32 years, I have seen my parents about a dozen times and I have not seen my brother in 28 years. I would do ANYTHING to be able to see them on a regular basis.

You enjoy hanging out with your mom...you are very blessed.

[laundrymom]

Gives me an idea...anybody on here from sw part of MI, between Kalamazoo and St. Joseph?

Would love to meet locals face to face...just remember I'm a little older than the average provider but I really don't act or feel my age (ok, maybe if I have to shovel snow or carry a heavy 3 year old across the ice from her bus)

Ok, meet you in Kalamazoo in October for http://www.lightthenight.org/mi/

I'm 3 hours south.

[Blackcat31]

I spend almost every minute I am not at work with my DH. He was my high school sweetheart and is my best friend.

We are new empty nesters (about 15 months now). We travel. ALOT.

We take looooong road trips anywhere we feel like going. Sometimes we have no idea where we will end up or which direction we are heading...we just get in the truck, turn on the XM Radio to the Canadian comedy channel (they are WAAAAAY funnier than U.S. comics ) and we drive and talk and drive and talk.

The journey IS the destination.

We also snowmobile (when there is snow) and have a group of friends that snowmobile as well

In the summer months we spend every waking moment that we are not at work on our houseboat. There is a little island in the middle of the lake here and LOTS of houseboaters park on that island and hang out. One side of the island is usually families and the other side is usually those without kids. It's is super fun and it's neat to see each generation continue the practice.

As far as personal hobbies go, I am a BIG reader and read more than one book at a time.

I also scrapbook, make jewelry, take nature and B&W photos, garden (both veggies and flowers) and I stay up really late watching lots of trashy TV in the evenings when DH is in bed. I am a night owl and sleep VERY little so my DVR is always recording something.

[CedarCreek]

Thanks guys My Mom living down the road has been pretty awesome. We have a great relationship and she adores dh. Sometimes she let's herself in during some awkward moments but i'm still blessed to have her so close. My sister lives four hours north and I know she would switch with me in a heart beat.

[Texasjeepgirl]

well I debated about jumping in on this thread.. but I guess I may as well..
I see things from all spectrums...
church... gym... puzzles... reading... sand sculpture... so.. I'll throw me in there also...

I'll say this to begin.. just remember that life changes.. evolves...as your children grow up..

When I started home daycare in 1992 my oldest daughter was 2 years old..my husband and I were extreme HOME BODIES.. cooked dinner at home..church on Sunday morning... dinner and television every night of the week... NO HOBBIES... we raised our little girl.. and that was IT...

At some point we started bowling on a league.. and although we struggled to keep a reliable babysitter for our girls.. and then the cost of sitter... bowling fees... eating out..it was several hundred per month..but.. we NEEDED something to do... so we made it work...for a few years... but.. after 15 years.. we divorced...
Our girls were 6 and 10 . .. After divorce life was so different..
I began dating my NOW husband.. a year later we married.... (11th wedding anniversary will be May 25) He has 3 daughters.. oldest is a stepdaughter ..but he is the only daddy she's ever known.. and then his two daughters... at the time they were 4, 5 and 10.. now they are 15, 16 and 22.... my girls were 7 and 11 at wedding... now 18 and 22...

Life began to revolve around visitation weekends... visitation week nights.. and.. KID FREE nights and weekends..
His girls lived with their mom... my girls with their dad....about two blocks from me..
. we were BOTH child support paying/visiting parents....that is a huge adjustment...some of it WONDERFUL.. and some if it heartbreaking... (First Christmas Eve was the other parents turn to have both sets of kids... that's a rough night)
In the beginnging we ate out allot... later we bought a jeep.. joined a jeep club.. husband later became PRESIDENT of club... I became Membership Secretary for a REGIONAL 4 wheel drive association... .. we made trips to East Texas... Kansas.. Colorado... with our jeep... tent camped most of the time... with and without our kids...

AND THEN... we started playing POOL..

Our girls were getting older... and.. most of the time we played on weeknights so our girls weren't with us...
My husband had played all his life... and although I grew up with a pool table in my grandfather's basement.. and.. and pool table at my aunt's house.. I never played much.. the boys always played..
8 years ago.. my husband and I are out with friends for dinner.. the place has a pool table...
the other couple insist that we play couple against couple..
I fell in LOVE..
We came home and I told Hubby... we need a pool table..
.. he thought so too.
He bought us a used 'bar box' off of Ebay...
We started playing local pool tournaments.. leagues...
2,3, 4 nights per week..
sometimes it was really hard for me..
On a weeknight a tournament can run really late... and if we were playing well.. then I was OUT LATE...then up early to run daycare.. then OUT LATE again the next night... There were weeks that we were out 3-4 weeknights.. but.. WE LOVED IT...!!!
Then 2 years ago my husband took a second shift job...
Our pool playing came to a SCREECHING HALT...
We were on a league.. we quit... All the team members begged me to continue even though Mark would be at work..but I said no..
NO WAY am I hanging out in a bar/tavern/pool hall .. without my husband...
We were ALWAYS together.. ALWAYS...
I went through about 9 months of almost constant sadness and depression..
By then my oldest daughter was out of the home.. married.. and had just given birth to my now 2 year old granddaughter...
My other daughter had moved to live with us.. but she was 16.. in high school.. driving.. and working...
I was home alone...EVERY NIGHT..
you want to talk about a life style adjustment!!!!!
No pool..
No socialization except for daycare clients..
plus my husband was working tons of overtime...and allot of weekends..
It was an UGLY UGLY TIME in my life.. I cried all the time..
sadness and uselessness...
Then I slowly started shaking out of it..
Time goes on.. people adapt..
I started meeting friends for dinner several nights per week..
My husband and I have a joke about it now.. he asks who is your 'date' tonight.? I start texting him as soon as the last daycare child leaves.. if not before... I keep him constantly informed of where I am.. who I'm having dinner with.. I take pictures of my friends at the table.. of our food... and tell him what is going on... what our conversations are about.. etc... he messages me as he is able.. on breaks..
Wednesdays it's David and Robin.. a married couple we've been friends with for years... we meet at the same place .. eat dinner... hang out awhile.. home by 8:30 or 9 p.m.
Thursday nights I have a group of about 6 women.. we meet at the same place each week.. We call it our MENSA meeting...
we sit at same table..have the same waitress... One of my girlfriends comes here to my home to pick me up... we ride together.. she drops me off on her way home...
Friday's is 'open'.. but I seem to always have someone text me to see what I'm doing..
It's either girlfriends... single or married.. with or with out spouse..most of the time we end up with a fairly large group...
We go to local places.. sit and visit.. catch up on each other's lives...
Saturday is my night with my husband.. we eat out.. we have or go to parties ... cards.. pool... etc...
Sunday afternoon... 4 p.m.. pool tournament at the VFW...
We started going about 1 year ago... and..
It is usually the same people each week... about 8-12 of us.. people we've known and played with for years... we have a blast... Most weeks I win LAST LADY in tournament... My husband frequently wins 1st or 2nd place... which.. doesn't pay much.. $15 for me .. last lady... but.. it only costs us $5 each to play.. so .. I usually make our money back plus $5

My youngest daughter still lives with me..
she is 18 now.. graduated last year.. works.. and sleeps.. I seldom see her.. but she stays in touch by text and is home everynight safe in her bed..

We also travel several times per year..
Last year we went to Mexico in late May and again in mid June..
In December we took a 4 day cruise to Mexico..(5th cruise since we married)...
We just booked a trip to Playa del Carmen for end of May with another couple...

It's a good life...

https://www.texasjeepgirl.shutterfly.com

[MarinaVanessa]

can you share pictures of your doll houses- neat hobby

I've been trying since yesterday to upload pictures but for some reason the pictures don't load properly. I tried taking them with my camera and then with my phone and tried uploading them to my computer but only part of the picture shows up :confused:. I can only assume it's something to do with my computer not downloading them properly. I even tried emailing the pics to myself with my phone ... wahhh. I'll try a few more things but for now here are examples I found on the internet.

This is sort of like what the smaller one that I'm working on looks like:




I couldn't find an exact example of it online but it's close. The only difference is that mine has the roof tapering off into the other direction so the upside down V faces the same direction as the front and back of my dollhouse instead of the sides. It also has a balcony and a doorway above the porch area. The inside is also different in the sense that both the 1st and 2nd floors have hallway areas in the center of the floors where my stairs go and doorways/walls to separate the rooms on each floor. My attic is also one full space and doesn't have dividers.

Oh and mine isn't anywhere finished. I only have the shell made and I primed it and then painted it with white paint. My daughter and I were working on it but we haven't since before the holidays. We both started this one because I bought a larger queen anne style kit and realized that I bit more than I could chew ::. I decided to practice more on a smaller one first before I took on the larger one again.

Here's what my queen anne one looks like:


Okay so it doesn't look like that yet ::. Mine is still the shell and has the same steps completed as my smaller one. When I got to the next step which was wiring the dollhouse for electricity that's when I realized that I needed to practice on a smaller one first as I have never wired a dollhouse before.

After I get my taxes all in order I plan on working on the smaller one again. Maybe I can post my progress (if I can figure out what I'm doing wrong with my photos ).