Peaceful🌺Mum

[peacefulmum]

POA daughter duties today, Mom is braving some heavy dental work. Thankfully she was approved for IV sedation and won’t feel it, but I’m thinking her recovery will be rough. She’s having 12 teeth extracted, the rest cleaned and a few fillings done. The plan after healing is to make a partial and hope that it was all worth it for her future health. Reading and signing off on the consent forms had me a bit nervous, but we often have to just do hard things and see how it goes. She is the one doing the actual hard things, I hope it goes well for her and am glad she’s willing to get it done.

[peacefulmum]

Let’s talk cars!

We’ve had great success with two Nissan Muranos, bought both used, drove the first for 9 years and now this one for almost 8 years. I am good with brand loyalty but my husband wants something different for our next car. We looked at an Outback, which was okay and both my BILs have one, but are also thinking an SUV with a third row seat sounds nice.

Currently considering a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander. Haven’t test drove any yet, just doing internet research. Anyone own one of these?

[peacefulmum]

Kids got to ride roller coasters for the first time yesterday, we finally took them to Kings Island. They had ridden one small indoor ride before and only this year started to like fair rides, which was why we waited. The weather was so lovely and we were there ten hours! Crazy. But they had a blast and were real troopers. A few times I waited and rested with my younger son while my husband rode things with our oldest. We also rode the train around just as a restful activity.

Tonight they’re at a friends birthday at a trampoline place, and my husband does a euchre thing every other Wednesday, so I’ve got some time to myself. I had Indian food for dinner and browsed a couple shops but didn’t buy anything. Just thought I’d check in here and say hello friends. Summer is starting off well! :)

[peacefulmum]

Anyone used to be a loud mouth in their youth but turned into a quiet, boring adult? I struggle with this a lot and need to dig into it more in therapy.

This brought to you by a lovely but still a bit taxing neighborly cookout in which I probably spoke the least out of anyone. It’s a little bit sobriety but also just not having much to say?? Idk, weird girl is weird at times.

[peacefulmum]

Booo we are supposed to go camping this weekend and now the forecast is looking stormy! Will give it another day or two and see what it looks like.

[peacefulmum]

We had to cancel, yesterday it was practically monsooning and who wants a super soggy camping experience? Not I, said the cat. :p

Oh well, we are catching up on things around the house, I’m not mad about it.

[peacefulmum]

Booo we are supposed to go camping this weekend and now the forecast is looking stormy! Will give it another day or two and see what it looks like.

[peacefulmum]

Our Easter tree and now Patriotic tree (Memorial Day thru Labor Day at this point bc I don’t have another summer one planned) I only have a fall/Halloween left until Xmas again. I need to do some thrifting for ornaments and ideas, as I’m done with the Menard’s clearance and dollar store finds. One good thing is with only 5 themes and some items being reused everything for this fits in one large rubbermaid tub.

[peacefulmum]

Look at this adorable cotton candy, that was made by a robot in a vending machine, and is shaped like a flower! For all that sucks in 2026, at least there are things like this. 🌸🍭😋 Happy Mother’s Day all!

[peacefulmum]

You guys, the tilework my husband did is finally finished and looks so great! I’m super happy. Here’s the before and after (without our microwave and other stuff on the counters). Yay yay yay! 😁

[peacefulmum]

Today’s activities are going to the nursing home to further discuss Mom’s dentist appt she had this week and what we should do about it. Then hanging out there for a “Ladies Tea” social. An early, quick dinner at home and then a school activity for Bebop’s gifted program. It’s all seeming random and grown up over here in my sandwich generation life. I’m still often wondering how I got here and trying to accept it for what it is. Things are good, just weird at times.

And as I reread this, I don’t know that it’s all that weird, I guess it’s just self reflection on where I thought I might be at this age. In some ways I’ve surpassed my own ideas as far as how much I’ve been able to do for others in my life and how willingly I’ve taken things on. In other ways I thought I’d have a career too by now or at least a start of one and that still seems uncertain. But all in all, still a wonderful life that I’m grateful for.

[peacefulmum]

Tea comparison, just to leave this note somewhere. I got both of these recently to try ashwagandha. Not sure if it’s particularly doing anything, but I’ll try anything these days to help my body have natural relaxation abilities and also just wanted more flavors of herbal tea to experiment with. Overall they’re pretty similar tasting. The one on left has honeybush in it and it’s a lighter sweeter flavor. The one on right is a little deeper/richer flavor and has ginger root so a touch warming and spicy. If I buy again, R is the winner.

[peacefulmum]

We walked a 5k today and I got the cheapest wigs ever from Amazon, 2 for $12. They were super thin and you could see the wig cap, so I combined the lighter one with a tie dyed hat. Kids needed a distraction toward the end, so I switched and let Bebop wear the bright one. Silly fun! One of my besties was supposed to come to town for the half marathon but got a bad cold and was too sick for traveling and running, but maybe she’ll make it in future. It’s one of the biggest events in our city, I didn’t look up the number of participants for the other races but the 5k had over 7400 people in it!!We walked it in an hour and six minutes.

[peacefulmum]

Yesterday was my birthday and I found a new to us park with a giant pond/wetland area. The nature did not disappoint! Here’s me on my first bday too, I’ve come a long way. Happy to be 44!

[peacefulmum]

This just in, we are now gerbil owners!

I found this pair of roughly a year old males being rehomed by a local pet store. We’ve tentatively named them Spaghetti and Meatball. My only concern so far was the wheel they had was on a plastic base which was pretty chewed up and presumably eaten by them. So I’ll assume a little neglect from prior owners but they were at least in a nice large tank. Gonna do more observing and learning about health signs and get more supplies like a sand bowl for dust baths.

[peacefulmum]

Yesterday I was definitely having increased anxiety. It didn’t help that the HS had a bomb threat so there were a ton of first responders all around here, the school sent email updates every 20 mins, determining it to be a “swatting incident” after an hour and a half. I did yard work after school even though I’m a little discouraged with all that needs doing out there.

Then I unfortunately let the kids stay up a little too late, which resulted in my oldest crying about how he wants a pet. It kinda broke my heart, and I then stayed up too late reading about gerbils. Hubby never could get on board for a bearded dragon and we’re not ready for a dog yet, so maybe a few tiny friends will suffice.

[peacefulmum]

Clothes shopping doesn’t give me decision fatigue the same way as comparing features on cars or electronics… but I still try not to buy anything I don’t REALLY love. I want to buy things I’ll wear all the time.

Except for special occasion things, and this time I needed a dress. The Amazon one was decent but I ordered it in a medium, when I am usually a small. After the fact I wish I had exchanged it for the smaller size and called it a day. Instead what happened was I went to Macy’s for two hours on a school day, didn’t love anything and left empty handed. Went to TJ Maxx later that evening and found a cute dress that was cheaper but a little loose on top. Was out of time to look more and it seemed like the best thing I’d found.

I’m sure I’ll wear it again, it was comfortable too. But I’m still overthinking it because of that mental desire to LOVE all my purchases. Sort of the Marie Kondo, does it spark joy thing, but now I just get disappointments about things that are almost perfect. Seems a bit like I need to chill out. Sigh.

Upon more reflection and a look again at the pics of me in the dress, it’s partly just self consciousness over having a small chest. If the top was a little more fitted I wouldn’t have looked so flat in it. I almost wore a second bra for more padding but that seemed like overkill at the time. I’m too hard on myself and know that more acceptance is the answer.

[peacefulmum]

I wanna complain, but I’m not entirely sure what it’s about. I dislike shopping bc everything is expensive and it always seems hard to find the right items (clothing specifically). But then I get lazy and order stuff on Amazon, even though I know it may be poorly made and not fit well. Occasionally I have luck ordering things online so I guess that’s why I tried again.

But I did this twice recently, when we had an event to go to and when I wanted a few new items for myself. Out of 8 things I’m keeping only one, and now I’ve gotta drive back to Whole Foods again. I already returned a dress and two pairs of kids pants and now two pairs of shorts, a pair of pants and a t-shirt. I generally have better luck buying secondhand but don’t always have time for the hunt. I complain about how I feel basic and not stylish, but then get scared of vintage things thinking they look too bold.

I guess I’m just not great at making myself happy when it comes to clothing. I’m also distressed by the environmental impacts of clothing production, which doesn’t help either.