Mom’s have hobbies?

I’m still linking up with Jenna! I’ll be back to my regular posts soon! I know most of you read hoping for pictures of the kids, so I included some at the end!

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Tell us about your hobbies! What do you do in your free time? What are your favorite books, movies, music etc?
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Hobbies?? Free time?? What are those?? Haha. Just kidding. Somewhere beyond the yoga-pants, ponytail, and t-shirt with kid snot lies an actual person with hobbies, interests, and a life! :)  

And actually, I’ve found quite a bit of extra free time lately. Back during my crazy semester, we hired a babysitter to come on Thursday afternoons and I allocated that time to do all my school work for the week. My hubby has graciously offered to keep having her come over even when I don’t have school. Seriously, it’s amazing. Just four hours a week just makes me feel so human again! Awesome, right!?

My biggest “free time” opportunities are after the kids go to bed and my Thursday afternoons. Derek and I watch shows or movies together a night or two each week in the evenings. I love that time together. I blog sometimes and every once in awhile I’ll get him to play a game with me. I do like to be crafty and do some DIY projects from time to time! One of my favorite things to do on a Thursday afternoon is to find myself at Starbucks {for a smoothie because I do NOT like coffee} and completely veg out—after I run some kid-less errands of course! I’ll read a book, blogs, play a game on my tablet, text, or whatever.

I also find myself spending time reading/planning/working on things to do with the kids or around the house. Because the truth is… is that my favorite hobby is being a wife and mom, even if that sounds really cheesy. But I spent an hour at the library trying to figure out the Dewey decimal system in order to pick out a dinosaur book for Jackson and I like planning ahead for meals to provide healthy and yummy food! And I also find myself reading and doing research for my grad school stuff—not even for a grade {gasp!} but just because I enjoy it. Crazy, right!?

And because I haven’t even really addressed my hobbies yet, here they are {no particular order!}

• Movies—going to the theater is my favorite!
• Reading—my last book, Outlaw Platoon. GREAT BOOK! It’s a true story of a platoon in Afghanistan that takes place in 2006.
• Bargain shopping—garage sales, thrift stores, craigslist, Oh my!!
• Socializing—and my favorite activities include having people over for dinner and my once a month book club.
• Music—I enjoy live music and am trying to incorporate it more into my life!
• Blogging—it’d be silly not to include it, because, seriously. I spend a lot of time doing it! I enjoying writing and I love reading blogs!

So anyway, that was kind of a long post for a pretty short question. I also like to talk… and type! :)

Here are my latest Instagram pics!

We had a dinner time picnic last week!

Seriously, her blue eyes just make me melt!

“Hey, Mom! I’m jammin’!” {yes with my pot and pan lids}

We went to a local spray ground earlier this week! So much fun!

Aunt Ashley came to play yesterday!
 

And Jackson is becoming a pro at snapping green beans from Grandpa’s garden! I know this will make you proud, Grandma Trickel! :)