I was reading this article: http://mommysavers.com/moms-coffee-b...anced-moms.htm and it did occur to me that we moms need to take more time out for ourselves and not feel guilty about it

I have definitely tapped into #1, 3 and 4. It's important to have interests outside of our kids and to tap into our personal relationships with friends and our spouse. While dh is home we actually made arrangements with our sitter to watch the kids once a week for the month of November. I love having that uninterupted time with dh and knowing my kids are in safe hands having fun with our sitter. Aside from going to the gym every day, I don't really take any time out for just me...and I really need to work on that. Quiet time / Down time is what my mind needs to just relax and regroup.

How often do you take time out for yourself? Is there something you consciously do just for yourself every day?

__________________
Come Black Friday and Cyber Monday Shopping With Me In ONLINE BARGAINS

Great article! I actually have plans to go out with the "girls" tomorrow night, we are going to see "The Secret Life of Bees". We read that book for our Book Club, so are going to see the movie. Book Club is also a "me time" get together once a month with the "girls".

We try to do date night once a week, but it doesn't always work out that way, but we definitely go every other week.

And the other thing that I do for myself is Scrapbooking. That is relaxing for me.

I could probably work on the pampering one...LOL.

__________________
I've grown certain that the root of all fear is that we've been forced to deny who we are. ~ Frances Moore Lappe

I take the time that I'm at work for myself. As of right now I don't have a lot of "work" to do and I'm gone from the house for about 10 hours a day so when I'm at home I have a lot to do and I want to spend that time with my DS & DH (When he's home.)

There are other times when I'm able to get away for a few hours and have dinner with a friend or run out to the store alone but since I am gone so much during the day I feel quilty about doing anything for myself.

__________________

I don't make time for myself at all. I'm always thinking of what needs to get done and such. And then when I do happen to make the time for myself (like scrapbooking or reading) I feel guilty and feel like things are not going the way they are suppose to go (with a sitter or hubby with the kids).
I need to get over my "guilty" feeling and just do things for myself - I would be a much more content person!

Did you read the article? I think you would benefit a lot from it...and I think that by you tapping back into scrapbooking you will be more content (You're very good by the way, I've seen your pages and cards you posted!)

__________________
Come Black Friday and Cyber Monday Shopping With Me In ONLINE BARGAINS

Yes I did read the article and I agree with everything it said, but it is easier said than done. For example, a bunch of my girlfriends are getting together tonight for pizza & cake for a friend's bday. And while I really want to go I'm coming up with all excuses as to why I can't. I do have a meeting at 6 for 1 hour and then have the kids to pick up from my sister's house. So I told the friend who is coordinating this about my meeting and she said for me to come right afterwards and she'll wait to do the cake then. But I'm worrying about the kids, keeping them on their bedtime routine, etc. I can't just ever say "heck with it" and I'm doing this.

I definitely don't get enough "me time". I've started walking on my treadmill for a half hour each day, so that is leaning towards it, but not quite there yet. As for the girlfriends time, I don't really have any friends. I have lots of work friends, but no one that I see outside of work. I would love to have girlfriends, but after working all day and taking care of errands and cleaning on the weekends, I don't even know how to go about trying to make friends.
And I would love the pampering thing, but I have no money for those kinds of things. I do like painting my nails at home though, so I guess that counts.