X-STITCH OUR LIVES WITH BOOKS AND GREEN THUMBS

It's easy to have hobbies when we are young.  My parents signed me up for swimming lessons and took me to piano lessons weekly.  I participated in science camps and sang in choirs.  Even in college, it was easy to find time to read and I attended every live performing event I could.  Sometime when I grew up (getting married, having children, working full time) it became more difficult to pursue hobbies.  But I'm realizing that it is still really important to make time for hobbies and interests.  Spending time playing duets on the piano with my dear friend, or cross-stitching a design I created myself is so much more rewarding than vegging in front of the TV.  So I'm trying to do more "good" with my time.  And I'm encouraging my children to do likewise.

Kotten Kandy loves gardening!  (That's not a hobby I've been excited about... but she is!)  She truly enjoys cultivating her green thumb!  And this year she's had to do most of it since Scott is injured.  She looks so happy in her "element!"  (She also writes books and sings like an angel.  She's also learning to play the uke and plays it almost every night!)

And my eldest is continuing to develop her hobbies and talents too!  She still plays the violin, reads and continues to crochet!  Check out what she's doing on her lunch break today.

Here is the cross-stitch I finished for Scott today:

And I created this one for myself about a month ago:

I mentioned above that I LOVED playing piano duets with my good friend, Maeva, last week.  And I'm working on some writing!  And this blog, too, is kinda a hobby!

I also finished reading two books:

I read The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason because Kiara has to read it for her math class.  Scott said it was a good book with a story.  Well... I'm not sure what he meant by a story - because there is absolutely NO plot.  It's a decent book with a lot of common sense about finances.  I actually really liked the chapter about "good luck."  I was able to relate that principle to lots of different aspects of my own life.  Good luck is taking advantage of opportunities without procrastinating.

I also read Shane by Jack Schaefer.  I went through a Zane Grey reading phase when I was a teenager.  I loved his westerns, but I haven't read a western in a loooooong time.  And I was hesitant to read this one.  I was immediately sucked into the mystery of Shane.  And I loved that the story was told by a young boy.  I wasn't as fond of the relationship between Shane and "mother."  It was innocent, but I still felt it was awkward.  All in all, I thought Shane was/is a good role model for a young man.  And I loved the themes that people can change and we shouldn't judge others too quickly.  I'm glad I read this classic!

My advice:  Develop your hobbies and keep doing them - no matter what!  They really do bring joy!