Sugar Bowl Mix: Tackling relaxation

Lately, I've had very little time for relaxing, for de-stressing.

I like to read before going to sleep but the books on the bedside table haven't been touched in a long time. But I make sure the girls have time for reading every evening.

Horses are a big passion of mine, but I haven't ridden in two years. I take the girls to their riding lesson every week, though.

When I'm really tired I like to sit down with a blanket around me and read magazines that don't require any brainpower like Martha Stewart Living, something I ordered with my airline miles to prevent them from expiring. But I've got two issues that I haven't yet opened.

Last year I walked my local hiking trail every day. This year I'm in the car driving the girls to school every day.

Baking is relaxing for me and I have been doing that weekly. My Monday recipe posts serve as a deadline for that. I must bake every week. That's the one item I can check off on the list.

Oh and I've been watching American Idol every week. Does that count?

I don't want to sound self-pitying. But there's a pattern in this picture. I need to make a better effort to take care of myself, to carve out some me time, to exercise, to read for pleasure, to get back in the saddle.

The truth is I'm not very good at "relaxing." I like to be productive, get things done - maybe this is why baking is one of my "me" time activities.

So in the interest of keeping this blog post short and simple so I can get started on my book, Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken, I'm not including any pictures.

How do you rejuvenate? Relax? Please give me some tips!

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