Rest & Relaxation

Ah, the summer break is in full effect.  And I feel that truly I have had some restful moments.  I resonated with a blog I read the other day called Ways to Find Personal Rest, which offers great ideas on how to relax and take some moments for yourself during the summer.

Besides a little traveling to see some family, a few of my favorite ways to chill out this summer include:

- Making time to read some good books.  Less TV & computer, more reading = relaxation!  So far, I have read "Scarlet Nights" by Jude Deveraux (mystery/romance) and "The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven" by Kevin Malarkey (LOVED this book).  I registered for the local library's summer reading program along with my kids, and I've already won a prize!  I won a book (surprise, surprise) but hey...I'm a winner! :)  Maybe I'll win the grand prize of having my birthday party at the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame!  Yes, prizes motivate me.  And yes, I really am 35 yrs old & not a 2nd grader.

- Eating dinner with the family/friends outside on the patio.  I love summers in Cleveland.  The temperature feels just right in the evening & the sky looks amazing as the sun begins to set.  The kids usually end up playing in the backyard after eating.  I have loved those "after dinner" conversations with my husband while we relax on the patio with the kids playing nearby.  Sometimes we take walks too.  Even though there's nothing fancy, nothing planned, these evenings are some of my favorite family memories.

- Borrowing some cookbooks from the library to get some new ideas (even if I don't cook them, I like to drool over the recipes - I'm weird).  I've been looking at a few vegetarian cookbooks, which has been fun and different.  At the moment, I'm going through Gwyneth Paltrow's new book called "My Father's Daughter."  If I find a recipe that looks easy enough, I actually enjoy the whole process of creating deliciousness :)  We tried a Greek Tortellini recipe last week - a perfect, easy dish for summer. YUM.

- Rest from Facebook.  I miss Facebook, but it has been a good break.  I plan to log back in at some point, but it's been a good two months of rest and quiet for my mind.


How have you relaxed this summer?