Sabrinaquilts: My life long dream was quilting and here I am quilting anything my heart desires, thanks to books, dvd's and this quilting board. I also had a dream to play the piano and God and I accomplished that too, along with the guitar, banjo and a little mandolin. The harmonica is the very easiest instrument to play for anyone probably. Every quilter on this board especially for relaxation should try the harmonica. It is really good for your lungs, especially if you have breathing problems.

I am not good at sight reading either. I just sight read when I see a song on sheet music just simple notes to get the tune if I don't know how a song goes. I play by ear, and I 'm not the greatest at that. My husband and I both love to play music. I am trying to teach my grandkids all that I know, that goes for quilting and knitting too.

So stick in there with your dream Sabrinaquilts. Just practice everytime you walk by your piano even if it just standing up and for a minute. Don't get burned out, keep it fun. ;)

Well guess what? I just sit down and tried knitting the dishcloth that Tuesay posted and it came back to me. I didn't know if I even remembered how to cast on. Thanks Tuesay, I made a couple of mistakes, but it'll do. They are the best dishclothes in the world to use. I am gonna make another one now. (My longarm is sick at the moment, another part is on the way.) Love you guys! :)

I have this problem too. I think mine is having to work on customer's quilts all the time and not on something for my family or myself.

Sabrina, I think part of your problem is that you have four little boys to cope with all of the time. I raised 3 children (full time mom for a good part of it, too) and rarely had time to do anything for myself. Maybe, the issue is being just tired of doing all of the "have to's" in your life and that there just isn't enough quality time left right now to do something for yourself.

Just my thoughts......for what it's worth

(that and I would check with your therapist to see if any meds would be helpful....)

This made me laugh for a long time. Thanks!

No, you are right. I need to get out. I just don't have the opportunity. Nobody wants to watch 4 boys for free not even our own family and friends. They are not hard to babysit except for the 3 year old. It is just the number of kids. If you add my kids on top of the number they have their own, it is like the "Sound of Music." It is my 3 year old that I really need to get away from. He is very needy and must be watched like a hawk. He is good at problem solving and he is mechanically inclined that he is too smart for his own good. He is getting better but you still don't want to leave him alone too long. I was reading "Winn-Dixie" book to two of my kids when I realized the house is uncannily silent. We found my 3 year old stuffing paper towels into the toilet just to see if it will look just like toilet paper. Luckily he has not flushed. :|

Sabrina,
I really feel for you having to always be the care giver to your children and not having time for anything else. I have three kids that are now old enough and on there own but when they were little my husband worked during the week so I was home all the time with the kids. My youngest was like your 3 year old and I had to know at all times were he was at the same age your son is. He decided to take the headlights out of car and he was to smart for his age. It was so hard not to be able to go places that I wanted to. My husband was always doing what he wanted even on weekends. I finely told him that he was being so unfair and we talked and agreed that we would take turns every other saturday to go do things. Maybe talk with your husband to see if he would help you out and watch the kids for a day.

What about asking your husband to take the boys to the park for several hours and then to lunch? By the time they get home, they will be ready for a nap. But you have to make sure that you actually quilt, not pick up or do laundry. You need and deserve some time to yourself.

I have four too and I remember when they were little. It was overwhelming at times and I felt like I was just disappearing into everyone else's needs. You need to remember that your needs are just as important. It's not selfish - it's necessary.

Go to a quilt show if you can, me I look on the internet, as quilt shows are not a option for me. God bless. Penny

There is no doubt that being a mom is very difficult. Anyone who has raised kids knows that. It is even more difficult when you don't have much money to spend, or much help.

That was the story of my life. I had my young children, my husband traveled with his work, when he was home he was in college and in the Navy reserve. I struggled at home alone most of the time because even if he was at home he was busy doing the things he needed to do.. Study.. go away on a drill weekend.. go to class.. and go to work. We had no grandparents, no aunts or uncles.. no family around us at all. There was no help.. ever! So I really do know what you are facing.

The truth of the matter is that you are your children's mother.. the only one they have. They are children, and you must take care of them. That's the bottom line.. but you already know that..

This is the good news, that time passes. Everything in our lives is for a season. Seasons come and they go. Not many of us really know what we're signing up for when we have our children.... I know at times it can be a burden. But when it is remember this. That time while they're young passes by.. it is only one season of many.. Most of us with grown children will tell you it passes too quickly.

Decide to make the most of it, enjoy them everyday. Put aside the things you can't do right now, without regret.. Raising a family is the very best thing you can spend your time on right now. Tomorrow will be here in just a few hours.. The time will pass. I can promise, you will never look back and wish you had done less of a job when it comes to raising your children right.

It really won't be that long until they will move on and if you spend this time well, you'll have lots of happy times to look back on. If you mourn over the things you can't do right now, you may miss the biggest joy of all.. Raising boys into loving, caring men.

Our country and our families need men that know how to be men, who know what's right, who can stand on their own two feet, who can be loyal and trustworthy and honest... You are the biggest influence in their life. What you do every day will make a difference in what kind of people those boys grow to be.

Don't waste your energy worrying about what you have to set aside, what you have to do now is the most important job of your life. I know the days get long, but they are only long while you're in them.. When they are past you'll look back and feel like a lot of us do.. that they went too fast!

There will be plenty of time to quilt and scrapbook and play your piano.. but the time with your boys is limited.. make the most of it. Spend your time and energy finding what you can do with them right now. If you do that, then tomorrow will take care of itself.