It is January 2nd, 2017, and I have a lot of thoughts running around in my head that need out. I've tried writing these things out in an organized fashion but it is not working. I've decided just to spew them all out at once.
It's a brain dump!
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I am SO glad I'm not throwing up any more. Yesterday was possibly the longest day of my life. I think I felt every single minute of the day. The 3 hour car ride was definitely the longest car ride I've ever been on. Thank the Lord for the wonderful Emergency Room with its kind nurses and bags of fluids and free pants and anti-nausea medications. So, so grateful.
I have been wanting to write a post about NaNoWriMo but I haven't been able to get it just the way I want it. I have several drafts just about NaNo, which is crazy. I don't know if I'll ever get one finished. In short, I LOVED NaNo and I think I'll continue giving it a try each year. What a wonderful experience. And no, you can't read my book yet. I still haven't read it. I'm a little afraid to.
One thing I learned about writing this year is that it doesn't have to be for a purpose. Writing for the sake of the writing process is a completely valid hobby. Writing needs to be practiced just like other hobbies and abilities. Writing can become a habit, as it did for me during the month of November. I love writing, so very much, and I hope to continue growing as a writer simply by writing more. Will I ever have a book published? Maybe. Maybe not. I need to keep working at it.
I am so, so grateful that we moved into this house. I am so glad we found it. I am so glad that all of our other offers were rejected. This house is just what we need right now and I am looking forward to loving it and living in it and making it ours as the year(s) continue. Hopefully we can figure out how to do that without exceeding our budget.
2017 sounds kind of futuristic to me. Tim will be 30 this year. I'll be 31. That's how old my parents were when I was born. The kids will be 6 and 9 by the year's end. That sounds crazy!
I love being 30. Something about turning 30 has given me the confidence to be who I am with less fear about what others think about it. It's great and powerful. I am great and powerful.
I have wonderful people in my life. I am grateful for friends who do puzzles with me and send me random pictures of cats and babies and their faces throughout the day. God bless Snapchat. I love you, friends. I love that I can have hour long phone chats with my sister. I'm grateful for all the people who listen and laugh and love me and play games with me and stay up late talking to me. It takes a village to raise an adult too, y'know.
I love our church and our Life Group especially. I didn't realize I needed to see all your faces every Wednesday night, but I do.
I have had four giant bottles of Powerade today and I finally cut myself off and switched to water. Rehydration, people. It's a serious matter. I ate a bowl of chicken soup for dinner and longingly looked at Lydia's pizza while she longingly looked at my soup. I think Lexi would be jealous of how many Saltines I ate today. I can't wait to eat more food tomorrow.
Life is all about ups and downs. Ups and downs. I mention them in just about every reflective piece of writing I create, and I finally GET it. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE UPS AND DOWNS! Downs suck, but they make ups more beautiful. Ups are great, but you wouldn't appreciate them without the downs. I am a very optimistic and positive person and I have grown through the ups and downs that 2016 brought my way.
The beginning of the year 2016 was kind of hard. There were some challenges There were some really hard moments where I wondered if I would make it through, and how I would make it through. There were some scary times that haunted me. I watched a LOT of TV. Like, a LOT. It was kind of my way of dealing with hard things. My brain attempted to sabotage me, but I got the better of it. HA! I'm forever grateful for my amazing therapist who pointed me toward the medical professional I needed to get things sorted out. Brain health needs to be talked about without stigma. The brain is an organ that needs care just like like all the other organs in the body. My brain requires some medication to work properly, and that is OK. I feel so much better now than I did a year ago.
The middle of the year was characterized by transition. Changes. The end of the year was good and busy and full of people and love. I got into the habit of writing regularly and now I struggle to stay current on my TV. Yeah, Trump got elected, but I think we will be OK. At least we know SNL will have a lot of material to work with, huh? Gotta look on the bright side. Gotta keep fighting.
Kate McKinnon and John Oliver crack me up. New Girl and Brooklyn 99 are my favorite shows. I'm not current on This Is Us, but I'm loving it. Thank you, entertaining people, for entertaining me.
I have a gym membership and I know how to use it.
I'm really enjoying teaching again.
I love Spotify. When my 3 months of Premium end, I am going to be really disappointed. 90s music makes me so happy.
We are going to get that hole in the kitchen floor taken care of, folks. Sooner rather than later.
I put up multi-colored Christmas lights in my puzzle room and I am excited about it. Christmas lights make me happy and I don't care if they are tacky, Tim. Love you.
I am apparently in a very grateful and positive mood. I guess feeling better after feeling bad will do that to you.
2016 is over and done, 2017 is fresh and new and full of possibility. I mean, starting off the year violently ill was not how I pictured it, but that violent illness has already made me appreciate being able to keep liquids down, something I take for granted daily.
Ups and downs, my friends. Ups and downs.
I blog because there's no way I could finish anything longer.
Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts
Monday, January 2, 2017
Sunday, August 28, 2016
35 Thoughts on Moving
We've been in our new house since last Tuesday and I am loving it! Moving is a huge pain, but I did end up getting over 22,000 steps on moving day, so that's something to celebrate I suppose. We're still getting things organized and figuring out how to arrange the rooms, but I feel like we've made a lot of progress. I love having more space. I haven't had to clean it yet so we will see if that feeling holds. I think we are going to be happy here for a long time to come.
I haven't been blogging as much but I have been working on some short stories (actually managed to finish one, which is something I struggle with!) but I wanted to take the opportunity to record my feelings about moving. No pictures this time but I think I'll take some good ones once things are a little more settled.
For now, here are some random thoughts I've had since moving...
1. It is nice to not be able to hear every word everyone says from any location in the house.
2. I don't have easy access to a Super Walmart or neighborhood market anymore.
3. I need more bathroom stuff.
4. There are somehow fewer cabinets than we had before.
5. Walking into a closet is cool!
6. There are many more places to hide from the children than before.
7. I should have purged a LOT more stuff before packing it up...
8. I use the computer a lot more now that it's on the main level.
9. The basement is virtually empty because we don't have enough stuff to fill it.
10. Paying movers was expensive but totally worth it.
11. I really miss my old (new) dishwasher. Might need another new one.
12. What if we traded in two crappy fridges for one good one?
13. This location makes it a lot quicker to get to church!
14. I thought I might cry when we left but I definitely did not.
15. I do miss having my own bathroom. Now I have to share with Tim...
16. This microwave is a different wattage from the old one and that makes a difference.
17. With all these neighbors how is it that there's only one kid close by?!
18. It seems that the patio is going to be a bigger pain to fix than we originally thought.
19. Music makes everything better. I tip my hat to YouTube and Spotify.
20. I have a puzzle going and it is not interrupting dinner!!!
21. I hope we live here for a long long time.
22. I learned more about our highway system yesterday than I have in my entire life combined.
23. I think it's going to be much easier and faster to get to work now.
24. Except for Tim, it'll take him much longer.
25. Furniture is expensive.
26. I have no idea where to put the homeschooling stuff and I can see myself moving it a lot.
27. I wish I had more money to make the place perfect!
28. Hiccup is completely insane. (OK, that's not related to moving but it is definitely true)
29. There is carpet under the table and that makes me uncomfortable.
30. More ceiling fans would be cool! Haha.
31. I find myself shopping at the same stores as before despite the fact that they are far away now.
32. There are tons of boxes in my in-laws' garage and I do not want to deal with them.
33. It's amazing to think that the idea of moving popped into our heads on Mother's Day and here we are, in a new house!
34. I definitely feel my life coming full circle as I'm now down the street from my elementary school and my high school workplace. I'm not fancy enough to actually live at Lakeview but it would be interesting if I ended up there somehow.
35. More space means more places to stow junk that should be confronted and dealt with.
I haven't been blogging as much but I have been working on some short stories (actually managed to finish one, which is something I struggle with!) but I wanted to take the opportunity to record my feelings about moving. No pictures this time but I think I'll take some good ones once things are a little more settled.
For now, here are some random thoughts I've had since moving...
1. It is nice to not be able to hear every word everyone says from any location in the house.
2. I don't have easy access to a Super Walmart or neighborhood market anymore.
3. I need more bathroom stuff.
4. There are somehow fewer cabinets than we had before.
5. Walking into a closet is cool!
6. There are many more places to hide from the children than before.
7. I should have purged a LOT more stuff before packing it up...
8. I use the computer a lot more now that it's on the main level.
9. The basement is virtually empty because we don't have enough stuff to fill it.
10. Paying movers was expensive but totally worth it.
11. I really miss my old (new) dishwasher. Might need another new one.
12. What if we traded in two crappy fridges for one good one?
13. This location makes it a lot quicker to get to church!
14. I thought I might cry when we left but I definitely did not.
15. I do miss having my own bathroom. Now I have to share with Tim...
16. This microwave is a different wattage from the old one and that makes a difference.
17. With all these neighbors how is it that there's only one kid close by?!
18. It seems that the patio is going to be a bigger pain to fix than we originally thought.
19. Music makes everything better. I tip my hat to YouTube and Spotify.
20. I have a puzzle going and it is not interrupting dinner!!!
21. I hope we live here for a long long time.
22. I learned more about our highway system yesterday than I have in my entire life combined.
23. I think it's going to be much easier and faster to get to work now.
24. Except for Tim, it'll take him much longer.
25. Furniture is expensive.
26. I have no idea where to put the homeschooling stuff and I can see myself moving it a lot.
27. I wish I had more money to make the place perfect!
28. Hiccup is completely insane. (OK, that's not related to moving but it is definitely true)
29. There is carpet under the table and that makes me uncomfortable.
30. More ceiling fans would be cool! Haha.
31. I find myself shopping at the same stores as before despite the fact that they are far away now.
32. There are tons of boxes in my in-laws' garage and I do not want to deal with them.
33. It's amazing to think that the idea of moving popped into our heads on Mother's Day and here we are, in a new house!
34. I definitely feel my life coming full circle as I'm now down the street from my elementary school and my high school workplace. I'm not fancy enough to actually live at Lakeview but it would be interesting if I ended up there somehow.
35. More space means more places to stow junk that should be confronted and dealt with.
Friday, August 5, 2016
Thoughts about 30
I've been in a very reflective mood lately. I've felt the need to examine and evaluate the different areas of my life. The past ten years of my life were busy and tumultuous. I know the next ten will probably be the same story with different details. At this point of transition between my 20s and 30s, I decided to take the time to reflect upon some revelations I've had and how I see them affecting my journey forward.
1. I appreciate coffee and wine now. I entered my 20s with an upturned nose toward both. Coffee? Ew. Wine? Why? My appreciation for coffee began when Lydia was a baby and my dear friend delivered Starbucks to my doorstep one day. Coffee is a magical substance that decreases my hatred for mornings (and humans) and I can't imagine life without it now. If coffee and I are married, wine and I are casually dating, sometimes seeing other people. We're still feeling each other out, trying to see where the relationship is going. So far I've learned that one glass of wine results in the loss of filters as well as lots of giggling. After a particularly long day, it can be a great way to unwind.
2. I am me. At age 20, I was working at Lakeview Village, going to class at JCCC and hanging out with my new boyfriend Tim. Now I've got two degrees, a part time job, two kids, and eight years of marriage to said boyfriend under my belt. Basically, I've spent the past ten years developing. As a student, wife, parent, friend, woman, and American. My experiences have shaped me into the person that I am today. I know what's important to me and I'm figuring out that I don't need to apologize for it. I'm learning that it's fine if I think differently than the people I care about and that rather than trying to stuff down parts of who I am that may seem off-color, I should embrace them and even celebrate them.
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| I'm a nerd. |
3. I have finite energy. I can only truly care about so many things. I'm learning to prioritize what these things are. For instance, I don't have the desire to care about organic food, and I probably never will. I'd rather spend that time caring about women's rights, watching hilarious YouTube videos, or reading a book. And there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone has different priorities. What matters to me is different than what matters to the next person and maybe we don't need to spend a lot of time trying to convince others to join our team. I can't do all the things and do them well. So I have to pick which things matter most and go from there.
4. I need to think outside the four walls of my home. The past decade has been a pretty self focused one for me. My priorities were education and raising my family. That's fine, but now the kids are older and more independent, and I have completed my formal education and am living a somewhat stable life. It's time for me to spend more time becoming informed about what's going on in our country and our world, and what I can do to make a positive impact. I'm starting by simply turning up the volume of the outside world and I hope that will lead me in a direction that allows me to get busy doing something valuable.
5. I need to laugh more. If you've known me for any length of time, you'll probably agree that I am a pretty silly and lighthearted person. Parenting and navigating anxiety sobered me up for a while. Which is fine and even normal to an extent, because being completely responsible for tiny humans is exhausting and anxiety sucks. But I've come to the realization that I allowed these circumstances to wind me up a little too much. I became more worried and serious than is really necessary. I need to undo that. I want to make time to figure out what I find funny and intentionally experience it so I can lighten up in my 30s. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that laughter is good for you, so I'm going with that. I'm on a quest to relax and laugh more, and I invite you to join me. Kate McKinnon and John Oliver, I'm counting on you guys.
6. I have a team. I have resigned myself to the fact that it's unrealistic to do life alone and do a very good job at it. I have called in the reinforcements. For the first time since middle school, I have a primary care doctor. And unlike the doctor I had in middle school, I actually like him and trust him with the bumps and bruises that pop up now and then. I also found several specialists as well that I like and trust. I now know who to call when I'm not feeling like myself, which is an important step in staying healthy. In addition to professionals, I have a team of friends and family who not only support me through difficult times but also make daily life much more enjoyable.
7. I'm not done yet. Yes, I've finished school and raised my children out of the baby stage and into the kid stage, and that was important, but there are still other important things for me to do. I love teaching and I love writing and I am excited to see where these passions take me. I feel that I've crossed a finish line or two in some regards and am preparing for another race altogether. I'm certain that I have a lot left to do with my time on earth.
7. I'm not done yet. Yes, I've finished school and raised my children out of the baby stage and into the kid stage, and that was important, but there are still other important things for me to do. I love teaching and I love writing and I am excited to see where these passions take me. I feel that I've crossed a finish line or two in some regards and am preparing for another race altogether. I'm certain that I have a lot left to do with my time on earth.
GOODBYE!
Apologizing for being me
Unnecessary worry
Analysis paralysis
Self absorption
Raising babies
Caring too much about what others think
Avoiding medical professionals
People who make me feel crummy
Excessive guilt and shame
Skirting around conversations that need to take place
Clothes I don't like
Living in my comfort zone
20s
Living in my comfort zone
20s
HELLO!
Embracing who I am
Laughing regularly
Laughing regularly
Caring about issues outside my bubble
Raising kids
Standing up for what I believe in
Standing up for what I believe in
Taking better care of myself
People who make me feel good
Forgiveness
Being frank when necessary
T-shirts that make me smile
Taking risks
30s
I think it's going to be a good decade.
30s
I think it's going to be a good decade.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Transitions
Transitions kinda suck. I don't have any living room furniture. The only chairs to sit in are at the kitchen table. My butt misses the recliner. There's no good place to read to the girls. Blaaaaaah.
I am ready to be moved into my new house, with furniture and space. I am so excited to start a new journey. The waiting in between this house and the new house is hard. Transitions are hard.
It's been a while since I've lived in a season of transitions. In the 8 years we've been married, we've had a lot of them. Transitioning from a couple to parents. Transitioning from being students to being "adults". Transitioning from being renters in Lawrence to homeowners in Overland Park. Tim transitioning from one job to the next. Me transitioning from a full time student with a toddler at home to a full time, stay at home mom of two.
There were several periods in the past 8 years where I had no idea what my day to day life would look like in 6 months or a year. I didn't know where we would live. Then I didn't know where I would student teach, or whether I would teach in my own classroom. Tim didn't know where he would work. It was a season of upheaval. There was a lot of wondering and uncertainty and worry about what was to come. And while there have been some hard patches, there have been a lot of very good times. Overall, I feel very blessed.
So, I feel very certain that things will be OK. I do believe it will all work out, like it has in the past. I believe that there are good things in store for me and for my family. The waiting is hard. It's hard to have a lot of my belongings packed up. I went to watch Ghostbusters (my favorite movie, the one I've historically watched for comfort) the other night only to discover that I have no idea where it is. I made do. I'm sure it's somewhere.
I've spent too much time worrying about small, trivial things. What will our new neighbors be like? What if there are kids who are bad influences on ours? What if a table won't actually fit in our kitchen? Where am I going to put two litter boxes? Will we have enough money? Will I buy an Overland Park or a Lenexa pool pass next summer? What if our buyers back out on closing day? What if we end up homeless? Blah, I can't wait to worry about more important things.
Despite all these (pretty ridiculous) questions without answers, I do feel peace. This time of transition is hard, but it is fleeting. It won't last forever. Before long, we'll be in a new home figuring out what our new normal looks like. I know there will be bumps along the way. But I think it will all be OK.
I'll have shelves to put books on, my comfy bed to sleep in, and a recliner of some kind to sit on. I'll make sure of it! A couch for reading books to the children. My kids will be able to ride their bikes. We'll have space to invite people over. Lexi will have a real bed instead of just a mattress on the floor. I will spent some time helping Lydia purge even more stuff and organize what's left so she doesn't cry every time I ask her to clean her toys up. We'll get our new homeschool room unpacked and ready and we will get into a routine again. We will get there. We can survive this weird time, and we will. We've done it before. We've done way worse before, if I'm being honest. We'll be just fine.
Only 38 days to go! I'm ready.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
January & February Goals
I can't believe it is already February! I am very glad. I am sick and tired of winter and each month that goes by brings us a little closer to spring. Thank goodness. The sun is staying out longer every day and that makes me happy. I can't wait til I can start walking in the evening again.
Blogger has been doing really weird things, so excuse any weird formatting that pops up. Also, I thought about making more graphics and adding more pictures to this...but it's already a week late and I just need to post it ;) Maybe I'll be snazzier in March!
January had its ups and downs, but ended on a positive note. I'm feeling a lot better and feel really blessed to have such supportive friends in my life. Thanks friends, I love ya!
Here's a look at how I did with my monthly goals in January.
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Read five books this month - Check. Finished three Harry Potters and a couple others. I knew that I would binge the HP books which is why I made my reading goal so high ;)
Watch at least one Star Wars movie - Tim and I watched Episodes IV, V and VI. SO much better than Episode I, that's for sure. Harrison Ford is a hottie and Princess Leia is a badass. I'm glad I finally watched them! We're planning to go see Episode VII soon.
Take Lexi on a Mother/Daughter date - We went out to lunch and shopping.
Figure out a way to better organize the girls' rooms - Got them some storage tubs at Ikea, and now, before they are allowed screen time, they must pick up their rooms, the kitchen, living room, and basement. Works great.
Figure out something consistent to do with Lydia - We started Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. She can do it! Her attention span is short, but she's managed to read a couple of Bob Books and she is excited about that! We've gotten into a bit of a routine most days now that Lexi can work independently on some things. I also found some fun learning apps for her to play on her Kindle when Lexi and I work one on one.
Talk to the vet about the stupid cats pooping in the basement - Had a conversation with him and we're pretty sure it's behavioral. He ordered a pheromone diffuser for us and suggested a carpet cleaner. I am glad we at least have a plan!
Talk to the vet about the stupid cats pooping in the basement - Had a conversation with him and we're pretty sure it's behavioral. He ordered a pheromone diffuser for us and suggested a carpet cleaner. I am glad we at least have a plan!
Eat a nutritious lunch most days - I started eating salads again. Not every day, but frequently. Good for me.
Walk with a friend at least once per week - I think I managed this most weeks.
Be more diligent about Lexi practicing piano - I've been better at reminding her. I'm introducing a daily checklist for her so that I'm not constantly nagging.
Write, in some form, every day - I have been writing nearly every day! I've started a story, which is why there haven't been as many blog posts. Also, I get distracted easily.
Invite people over for dinner and/or games - It was on the calendar than needed to be rescheduled. But we'll get there! Got two dinner plans on the calendar for Feb so far.
Invite people over for dinner and/or games - It was on the calendar than needed to be rescheduled. But we'll get there! Got two dinner plans on the calendar for Feb so far.
Come up with some way to connect with God regularly - I've been reading and doing devotions/answering questions out of my Busy Mom's Bible now and then. We've been attending some classes/Bible studies that have been good. I don't have an exact routine. It's a start though.
Do an Art Lesson each week - I think we did 2 or 3. They enjoyed them!
Finish & publish the Faces of Homeschooling posts I have lined up - Blogger has been giving me formatting issues, so I am just now getting those finished. One has been posted and the other is nearly ready.
Go on a date with my husband - Sorry Tim. Got two dates on the calendar this week, so that sorta makes up for it ;)
Do a Walk at Home DVD or play Just Dance each week - I think I did this once. Oops.
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I've been mulling over my goals for February and it's been a little tricky, because I've been trying to decided what my priorities are first, rather than just setting random goals. I did much better reaching goals in January than I did in previous months, probably because I set fewer goals overall.
I'm going to be light on wellness goals for a while. I kind of needed to focus on just feeling better mentally, since everything else stems from that. I saw my doctors and we are trying different supplements to keep my hormones and feelings, well, less insane. It's a bit of trial and error. First thing we tried didn't work but the supplement I'm trying now (lithium orotate) seems to be working really well. Time will tell if it's what I need!
I have also started a long term substitute teaching job at a homeschool enrichment center. I am excited about it! The girls get to come with me, which is great because we probably couldn't afford something like this if I weren't teaching there. I get to use my creative teaching brain in a classroom setting, which is going to be fun. I get paid, which rocks. I think it'll be great. We still need to adjust to going to bed and waking up earlier. For those of you who are unfamiliar, this is a one day per week program that provides Art, Music, Sign Language, PE and other classes to groups of kids who are homeschooled. They are grouped by age level and get to have lunch and recess together and have fun doing activities that easier to do in groups.
Anywho, These goals are kind of random, but that's kind of who I am.
Personal
Read three books
Pray more - Consider a routine for this
Pray more - Consider a routine for this
Attend a Bible Study/Church Class
Go to bed by 11pm on weeknights
Finish Season 4 of Grey's Anatomy (I take my TV watching seriously!)
Put on new Jamberries instead of biting my nails
Family
Go see Star Wars for Tim's Birthday
Play more games - Consider a routine or regular family game time
Analyze the budget and set some $$$ goals
Take Lydia on a date
Go to bed by 11pm on weeknights
Finish Season 4 of Grey's Anatomy (I take my TV watching seriously!)
Put on new Jamberries instead of biting my nails
Family
Go see Star Wars for Tim's Birthday
Play more games - Consider a routine or regular family game time
Analyze the budget and set some $$$ goals
Take Lydia on a date
Wellness
Go on a walk every week
Find recipes for and try 2 new meals
Find recipes for and try 2 new meals
Social
Go on two coffee/dessert/whatever dates with friends
Homeschool
Use the weekend to plan each upcoming school week
Consider implementing some kind of "Centers" for Lydia
Tentatively decide on Science topics for the rest of the semester
Consider implementing some kind of "Centers" for Lydia
Tentatively decide on Science topics for the rest of the semester
Writing
Write every day
Take myself on a writing date where I can work quietly for a while
Finish Chapter 1 of my story
Finish Chapter 1 of my story
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Crossroads
I haven't written in a while!
Well, that's not entirely true. I haven't written in the blog in a while. I've been writing regularly in a journal though. I got new pens and a new notebook and a new writing game for Christmas. That should explain things ;)
I have been meaning to write about my December and January goals...but I haven't. Mostly because I can't decide what I want my January goals to be. I feel quite up in the air. I don't want to make arbitrary fitness or writing goals that I can't keep up with. I feel like I need to be more purposeful. I don't like doing things for the sake of doing things.
I'm at a point where I'm feeling a little motivated to make a change to my eating and exercise, but I can't decide how to go about it. I want to find something I can stick to.
Same with writing. I enjoyed the 30 Day Challenge, but then I fell off in December. I enjoyed the Faces of Homeschooling posts, but then I started running low on unique people willing to share their stories. I got a little tired. I'm not feeling particularly creative or inspired. I've been contemplating lots of thoughts and ideas that are private, so I've been journaling. Plus, like I said, new pens.
I think I want to write every day, in some way, shape or form. I know I don't want my blog to be strictly homeschooling, and that's kind of where it started leaning. I need to write to process thoughts, but I don't necessarily need to publicize each thought that I have either.
I'm feeling very contemplative. I'm in kind of a limbo. How to proceed? Where do I want to go? What will 2016 look like for me?
I know a few things. I want to read voraciously. I want to write passionately. I want to feel God in my life again. I don't want to be fat. I know that's blunt, but it is what it is. I'm not even saying I want to eat super healthfully or exercise regularly. Right now I'm not sure which one I want to adjust first- diet or exercise. But I know that sitting on my butt eating Christmas cookies is not the way to proceed ;)
So, I guess that's where I am right now. At a crossroads. I feel like I'm perhaps setting out on a journey at the start of this new year. There are definitely plenty of pathways I can take. I'm just a little uncertain where to go, and how to get there.
Well, that's not entirely true. I haven't written in the blog in a while. I've been writing regularly in a journal though. I got new pens and a new notebook and a new writing game for Christmas. That should explain things ;)
I have been meaning to write about my December and January goals...but I haven't. Mostly because I can't decide what I want my January goals to be. I feel quite up in the air. I don't want to make arbitrary fitness or writing goals that I can't keep up with. I feel like I need to be more purposeful. I don't like doing things for the sake of doing things.
I'm at a point where I'm feeling a little motivated to make a change to my eating and exercise, but I can't decide how to go about it. I want to find something I can stick to.
Same with writing. I enjoyed the 30 Day Challenge, but then I fell off in December. I enjoyed the Faces of Homeschooling posts, but then I started running low on unique people willing to share their stories. I got a little tired. I'm not feeling particularly creative or inspired. I've been contemplating lots of thoughts and ideas that are private, so I've been journaling. Plus, like I said, new pens.
I think I want to write every day, in some way, shape or form. I know I don't want my blog to be strictly homeschooling, and that's kind of where it started leaning. I need to write to process thoughts, but I don't necessarily need to publicize each thought that I have either.
I'm feeling very contemplative. I'm in kind of a limbo. How to proceed? Where do I want to go? What will 2016 look like for me?
I know a few things. I want to read voraciously. I want to write passionately. I want to feel God in my life again. I don't want to be fat. I know that's blunt, but it is what it is. I'm not even saying I want to eat super healthfully or exercise regularly. Right now I'm not sure which one I want to adjust first- diet or exercise. But I know that sitting on my butt eating Christmas cookies is not the way to proceed ;)
So, I guess that's where I am right now. At a crossroads. I feel like I'm perhaps setting out on a journey at the start of this new year. There are definitely plenty of pathways I can take. I'm just a little uncertain where to go, and how to get there.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Peace Out, 2015
I like 2015, as a number. I like that it ends in a nice 5. It's crisp.
I am not sure if the events of the year have reflected the crispness of the number. It's been quite a year. It had a lot of ups and downs. I think that's how I would best categorize 2015: up and downy.
We started the year with water backing up in the basement that led us to thinking about home repairs and the possibility of moving. We started the year house shopping. We even made an offer on a house! I'm glad someone beat us to the punch. We decided to hold off moving until we've got the means to make a more significant jump. No sense going through the hassle of buying, selling, and packing if we aren't moving into a place we really love.
We had our kitchen walls and cabinets painted. We had to strip down 50 year old wallpaper to do this. Please, humans, STOP layering wallpaper on top of wallpaper. In fact, just stop with the wallpaper in general. It's not cool. We also did a lot of rearranging and shuffling of people and things. I honestly feel quite content with our house now. I like being here. I know Tim is a bit restless, so who knows where we will end up.
I ran a couple of 5Ks this year. I went to the gym regularly for a while. I ran a lot. I did weights. I felt strong. I tried a few different fitness programs and lost 15lb before crashing and burning and putting it back on. Ah, well. I started karate, which I love, and I am hoping to continue in my quest for fitness next year. Maybe something will stick better. I am going to keep searching out ways to stay active. Maybe I'll even learn to make healthy eating a habit.
The girls continued to grow and change. Lexi learned a lot this year. How to swim, ride a bike, tie her shoes. She played softball and piano and did karate and grew three inches. Lydia came into her own as well. One of the biggest changes I noticed was with her speech. She came into the year talking like a cute toddler and is going out of the year pronouncing and enunciating like a big girl. They're clever and energetic little people with explosive imaginations, that's for sure. They aren't babies any more. They're kids. I love that.
We got another cat this year. I almost forgot that Luna has only been with us since April, it seems like she's been around forever. She's gotten huge. Arya does not like her, and it is kind of funny to watch. But I still can't get them to stop pooping in the basement, which is driving me crazy. Overall, they are worth the hassle. They sure are snuggly.
We got a new niece this year as well, and she is great! Such a happy and sweet baby. It's weird to think I didn't even know about her existence at the beginning of the year! My other niece is 2 and a half and growing like a weed as well. Her speech is exploding. She's quickly becoming more of a kid and less of a toddler. I really love them. Being an aunt is a special kind of awesome, it's a role I embrace wholeheartedly. I look forward to watching them grow and inviting them over to bake cupcakes and watch Harry Potter movies.
Speaking of him, Harry Potter rejoined my life this year, which was a welcome diversion. I began reading the first book to the girls in October and we made it through the first four books and movies before I decided to stop them for now. It's definitely going over Lydia's head and is getting a bit intense for Lexi as well. They were NOT happy with me, they love Harry. Lydia tried to get me to start re-reading them again last night. I understand. There are no other books out there that have ever made me feel the way these books do. So, of course, I've re-watched all the movies myself and am currently 300 pages into the 5th book. Y'know, so I can better determine when the girls will be ready for it.
I read a lot of books. Over 30 grown up books, and I read thousands of pages out loud. I've made time for reading again. I love it. I'm still watching my shows (I just discovered Grey's Anatomy, so excuse me while I binge watch 11 seasons of that) but I am reading more and writing too. And now I have a friend to come over and watch TV with me and I love that! It's fun to share that with another person.
I've been writing a lot. I enjoy blogging. I am trying to keep something of a handwritten journal again. I'm not as consistent as I should be. I should probably work on that in the upcoming year. Perhaps I will buy myself a nice new journal. I received a cool writing game for Christmas that has been a fun way to flex those writing muscles.
Tim and I took our first solo trip this year. It was nice. We flew to Reading, Pennsylvania for friend's wedding. It was weird and nice to be without the kids for several days. I liked it. I did miss them. I'm glad we went. It's always fun to visit a new place. I hope we get the opportunity for a family trip next year.
Tim ended the year accepting a new job within his company that will hopefully provide new challenges, build new skills, and start him on a pathway with potential for advancing. He welcomes the changes. It should be exciting. I'm really proud of him.
The more I write, the more I realize that this was a rather good year. There were more ups than downs, honestly. Nothing gigantic and overwhelming, as we've had in years past. It was a pretty steady year.
The most prominent ups and downs, for me, have been in the way I've felt. It's weird, but I finally found the words to describe it. For much of this year, the way I feel upon waking up has determined my day rather than my day determining how I feel. It's like I'm overcome by these moods and feelings that seem to weasel deep into my brain without cause. It's frustrating, because that means I can feel super angry or super sad for no reason. I'm tired of it. I've been to several different doctors and tried several things, looking for causes and solutions. Yesterday, I spent a total of 3 hours at my doctor's office. I waited for nearly 2, then spent some time hashing things out with my doctor. He was worth the wait. We've got a plan, and I'm hoping it works.
2015.
It's been a good year. We are very blessed. I can't believe it is nearly over.
2016.
I don't like the number as much as the nice solid 2015, but I think I will like the year.
I hope it will be full of family adventures, books, laughter, travel, and challenges. I want to grow. I want to maintain a healthier lifestyle. I hope I will feel more consistent. I hope Tim finds satisfaction in his job. And more money, to tell the truth. That never hurts! Perhaps in a year we will even be in a new house.
So, peace out, 2015.
Bring it on, 2016.
I'm ready.
I am not sure if the events of the year have reflected the crispness of the number. It's been quite a year. It had a lot of ups and downs. I think that's how I would best categorize 2015: up and downy.
We started the year with water backing up in the basement that led us to thinking about home repairs and the possibility of moving. We started the year house shopping. We even made an offer on a house! I'm glad someone beat us to the punch. We decided to hold off moving until we've got the means to make a more significant jump. No sense going through the hassle of buying, selling, and packing if we aren't moving into a place we really love.
We had our kitchen walls and cabinets painted. We had to strip down 50 year old wallpaper to do this. Please, humans, STOP layering wallpaper on top of wallpaper. In fact, just stop with the wallpaper in general. It's not cool. We also did a lot of rearranging and shuffling of people and things. I honestly feel quite content with our house now. I like being here. I know Tim is a bit restless, so who knows where we will end up.
I ran a couple of 5Ks this year. I went to the gym regularly for a while. I ran a lot. I did weights. I felt strong. I tried a few different fitness programs and lost 15lb before crashing and burning and putting it back on. Ah, well. I started karate, which I love, and I am hoping to continue in my quest for fitness next year. Maybe something will stick better. I am going to keep searching out ways to stay active. Maybe I'll even learn to make healthy eating a habit.
The girls continued to grow and change. Lexi learned a lot this year. How to swim, ride a bike, tie her shoes. She played softball and piano and did karate and grew three inches. Lydia came into her own as well. One of the biggest changes I noticed was with her speech. She came into the year talking like a cute toddler and is going out of the year pronouncing and enunciating like a big girl. They're clever and energetic little people with explosive imaginations, that's for sure. They aren't babies any more. They're kids. I love that.
We got another cat this year. I almost forgot that Luna has only been with us since April, it seems like she's been around forever. She's gotten huge. Arya does not like her, and it is kind of funny to watch. But I still can't get them to stop pooping in the basement, which is driving me crazy. Overall, they are worth the hassle. They sure are snuggly.
We got a new niece this year as well, and she is great! Such a happy and sweet baby. It's weird to think I didn't even know about her existence at the beginning of the year! My other niece is 2 and a half and growing like a weed as well. Her speech is exploding. She's quickly becoming more of a kid and less of a toddler. I really love them. Being an aunt is a special kind of awesome, it's a role I embrace wholeheartedly. I look forward to watching them grow and inviting them over to bake cupcakes and watch Harry Potter movies.
Speaking of him, Harry Potter rejoined my life this year, which was a welcome diversion. I began reading the first book to the girls in October and we made it through the first four books and movies before I decided to stop them for now. It's definitely going over Lydia's head and is getting a bit intense for Lexi as well. They were NOT happy with me, they love Harry. Lydia tried to get me to start re-reading them again last night. I understand. There are no other books out there that have ever made me feel the way these books do. So, of course, I've re-watched all the movies myself and am currently 300 pages into the 5th book. Y'know, so I can better determine when the girls will be ready for it.
I read a lot of books. Over 30 grown up books, and I read thousands of pages out loud. I've made time for reading again. I love it. I'm still watching my shows (I just discovered Grey's Anatomy, so excuse me while I binge watch 11 seasons of that) but I am reading more and writing too. And now I have a friend to come over and watch TV with me and I love that! It's fun to share that with another person.
I've been writing a lot. I enjoy blogging. I am trying to keep something of a handwritten journal again. I'm not as consistent as I should be. I should probably work on that in the upcoming year. Perhaps I will buy myself a nice new journal. I received a cool writing game for Christmas that has been a fun way to flex those writing muscles.
Tim and I took our first solo trip this year. It was nice. We flew to Reading, Pennsylvania for friend's wedding. It was weird and nice to be without the kids for several days. I liked it. I did miss them. I'm glad we went. It's always fun to visit a new place. I hope we get the opportunity for a family trip next year.
Tim ended the year accepting a new job within his company that will hopefully provide new challenges, build new skills, and start him on a pathway with potential for advancing. He welcomes the changes. It should be exciting. I'm really proud of him.
The more I write, the more I realize that this was a rather good year. There were more ups than downs, honestly. Nothing gigantic and overwhelming, as we've had in years past. It was a pretty steady year.
The most prominent ups and downs, for me, have been in the way I've felt. It's weird, but I finally found the words to describe it. For much of this year, the way I feel upon waking up has determined my day rather than my day determining how I feel. It's like I'm overcome by these moods and feelings that seem to weasel deep into my brain without cause. It's frustrating, because that means I can feel super angry or super sad for no reason. I'm tired of it. I've been to several different doctors and tried several things, looking for causes and solutions. Yesterday, I spent a total of 3 hours at my doctor's office. I waited for nearly 2, then spent some time hashing things out with my doctor. He was worth the wait. We've got a plan, and I'm hoping it works.
2015.
It's been a good year. We are very blessed. I can't believe it is nearly over.
2016.
I don't like the number as much as the nice solid 2015, but I think I will like the year.
I hope it will be full of family adventures, books, laughter, travel, and challenges. I want to grow. I want to maintain a healthier lifestyle. I hope I will feel more consistent. I hope Tim finds satisfaction in his job. And more money, to tell the truth. That never hurts! Perhaps in a year we will even be in a new house.
So, peace out, 2015.
Bring it on, 2016.
I'm ready.
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Night Wonderings
It is 5:24AM and I am awake.
I am not a morning person, so this is not intentional.
I went to bed shortly before midnight. Around 3:45, I woke up and heard some scuttling noises indicating that a child was up and using the bathroom. For some reason, I could not get back to sleep.
I got up and saw that a crack of light under Lexi's door, so I went into her room. She was sitting on her bed, examining her toe by the light of her reading lamp. Apparently she got up to go to the bathroom but her toe was hurting a lot.
It looked like a hangnail/someone possibly biting their toenails (ew) situation, so I got her a bandaid and wrapped it around the offending toe. She then told me that she is too cold with the fan on but too hot with the fan off. I helped her change out of the Christmas sweater she decided to wear to bed and into a t-shirt instead. Then I tucked her back in and made a mild threat about how I do not want to see light under her door in the middle of the night anymore.
She went back to sleep and I proceeded to lay in bed and think all of the things.
I guess I am not going to sleep any more tonight, or should I say this morning.
So here I am.
I threw a load of hand towels and napkins into the washing machine, sent an email I've been meaning to write for a while, and turned on the lights on the Christmas tree.
Since the middle of the night/early morning is the perfect time for insomnia-induced self-reflection, here goes.
I haven't been doing well with my goals this month.
My goal was to write five posts per week, and I have written about one per week.
My goal was to do a work out video two days per week and a walking video three days per week.
I have not done a work out all month and it has been weeks since I have done a walking video at all.
Normally, I would just cut myself some slack. It's December. Christmas is nearly here. It's a busy time.
But.
I haven't been feeling great. I've been feeling kind of slumpy and irritable still.
I wonder if it's because I have not gotten enough (any) real exercise.
I wonder if it is because I haven't taken the time to write and process my feelings as much as I need to.
Perhaps I need to start eating meals that include more nutritious items than ramen noodles.
I need to take better care of myself. I do!
There have been a few times that I have wanted to write, but I've not had the time to create or edit graphics, so I have refrained.
Pictures are nice, but writing is good for me, and I need to do it even when it looks raw and messy and without an accompanying photo.
I'm going to write more.
I need to exercise more. I think it would do me good to get outside and walk, even if it is a little cold. It's been tricky to do this because I don't like walking in the dark and it is dark by the time Tim gets home from work.
Too bad.
I need to move anyway.
I am going to exercise more.
I need to find some warm, filling, nutritious meals that I can look forward to this winter. Easy things, that I will actually make and eat.
I am going to look up some recipes. If you have any, please share them in the comments.
When I was a kid, I could not sleep at all on Christmas Eve. I was up most of the night, my stomach a ball of excited nerves. I couldn't wait to get downstairs and open presents.
When I heard Lexi stirring a few hours ago, I was afraid that she was having the same problem I used to have. Excitement induced, holiday-specific insomnia. It would only be fair.
I once woke my parents up at 2AM on Christmas morning because I was too excited to sleep.
Sorry Mom and Dad.
Lexi's night waking and toe injury seem like no big thing compared to what I used to put my parents through.
Plus, it gave me the opportunity to reflect and get some laundry done.
I am going to try to take better care of myself.
Perhaps I will start by going back to bed.
I am not a morning person, so this is not intentional.
I went to bed shortly before midnight. Around 3:45, I woke up and heard some scuttling noises indicating that a child was up and using the bathroom. For some reason, I could not get back to sleep.
I got up and saw that a crack of light under Lexi's door, so I went into her room. She was sitting on her bed, examining her toe by the light of her reading lamp. Apparently she got up to go to the bathroom but her toe was hurting a lot.
It looked like a hangnail/someone possibly biting their toenails (ew) situation, so I got her a bandaid and wrapped it around the offending toe. She then told me that she is too cold with the fan on but too hot with the fan off. I helped her change out of the Christmas sweater she decided to wear to bed and into a t-shirt instead. Then I tucked her back in and made a mild threat about how I do not want to see light under her door in the middle of the night anymore.
She went back to sleep and I proceeded to lay in bed and think all of the things.
I guess I am not going to sleep any more tonight, or should I say this morning.
So here I am.
I threw a load of hand towels and napkins into the washing machine, sent an email I've been meaning to write for a while, and turned on the lights on the Christmas tree.
Since the middle of the night/early morning is the perfect time for insomnia-induced self-reflection, here goes.
I haven't been doing well with my goals this month.
My goal was to write five posts per week, and I have written about one per week.
My goal was to do a work out video two days per week and a walking video three days per week.
I have not done a work out all month and it has been weeks since I have done a walking video at all.
Normally, I would just cut myself some slack. It's December. Christmas is nearly here. It's a busy time.
But.
I haven't been feeling great. I've been feeling kind of slumpy and irritable still.
I wonder if it's because I have not gotten enough (any) real exercise.
I wonder if it is because I haven't taken the time to write and process my feelings as much as I need to.
Perhaps I need to start eating meals that include more nutritious items than ramen noodles.
I need to take better care of myself. I do!
There have been a few times that I have wanted to write, but I've not had the time to create or edit graphics, so I have refrained.
Pictures are nice, but writing is good for me, and I need to do it even when it looks raw and messy and without an accompanying photo.
I'm going to write more.
I need to exercise more. I think it would do me good to get outside and walk, even if it is a little cold. It's been tricky to do this because I don't like walking in the dark and it is dark by the time Tim gets home from work.
Too bad.
I need to move anyway.
I am going to exercise more.
I need to find some warm, filling, nutritious meals that I can look forward to this winter. Easy things, that I will actually make and eat.
I am going to look up some recipes. If you have any, please share them in the comments.
When I was a kid, I could not sleep at all on Christmas Eve. I was up most of the night, my stomach a ball of excited nerves. I couldn't wait to get downstairs and open presents.
When I heard Lexi stirring a few hours ago, I was afraid that she was having the same problem I used to have. Excitement induced, holiday-specific insomnia. It would only be fair.
I once woke my parents up at 2AM on Christmas morning because I was too excited to sleep.
Sorry Mom and Dad.
Lexi's night waking and toe injury seem like no big thing compared to what I used to put my parents through.
Plus, it gave me the opportunity to reflect and get some laundry done.
I am going to try to take better care of myself.
Perhaps I will start by going back to bed.
Monday, November 30, 2015
November & December Goals
 |
| Here's how I kept track of my progress this month. I also had a checklist on the wall. |
It's the last day of the month and I've got goals on my mind. It's time to reflect on what I managed to accomplish this month and what I hope to accomplish next month. I wasn't initially sure how to organize this, but I think I'll sort them by how well I did. So, here's my analysis of how I did achieving the goals I set for November.
Read four books this month - Did it! I read two entire Harry Potter books aloud to the kids, as well as two books to myself, and began several others, as well as an audiobook.
Go on a good date with my husband - We managed to go on TWO dates this month! We went to dinner and out shopping for the first and saw a movie for the second.
Attend karate lessons each Monday - Did it, and loved it!
Do something one-on-one with each child - Did it! I had a date with each girl, and they loved it.
Print out one more of the Spielgaben guides to keep handy - Did it! I printed just the pages we were planning to use.
Figure out a way to make Social Studies more of a priority and study it each week - We ditched our old curriculum, bought something new, and are enjoying it so far!
Encourage Lexi to read independently every day - Turns out, she's already doing this each night before bed! I encouraged her by allowing her to stay up a bit late.
Publish at least two posts that get over 100 views - Blew this one out of the water. Ten posts had over 100 views and one had over two hundred. I was pleasantly surprised!
Write a "throw back" post using one of my old journals as inspiration - Check!
Submit one article to Scary Mommy - I submitted two. Both were rejected, but I am glad that I tried.
Reach Fit Bit goal at least five days per week - I averaged four days per week of reaching my goal.
Complete a video work out two days per week - I missed two work outs but otherwise completed this goal.
Do a hands-on lesson with Lydia twice per week - We did one activity per week. She asked to do a different set of activities so we started that up.
Blog every day during the month of November - I only missed two days!
Narrow down the focus of my blog and find my voice - I want to be able to write about whatever, but I did find that my homeschooling and parenting posts were the most popular. So perhaps my voice is "Weird Homeschooling Lady with Strange Ideas".
Figure out how to organize Lexi's room so it's not a huge mess - We rearranged and dejunked the room, added a new cart/night stand by her bed for her things, and added a reading chair. It's still kind of a mess.
Complete the "Live Abundantly" Bible study five days per week. - Abandoned. I started this, but I honestly felt like I was going through the motions and not getting anything out of it, so I stopped. I didn't want to spend time doing something just to check it off the list.
Complete two pages in my 2014 photo book. - Abandoned this after I discovered I did not have any blue ink in my printer and could not print photos.
Paint/decorate Lexi's room so it is no longer so pink and girly - Abandoned. After I took a closer look and realized she still draws on the wlls/furniture sometimes (when does that end?!) I decided it was NOT worth putting in the money yet. Maybe when she is older.
Visit the zoo before it gets too cold to go - Did not get there :( We were busy on the days that were nice. Maybe we'll have a nice day in December?
Take a day trip to Lawrence together - Did not get there this month. We'd planned to go back because Lydia saw something she REALLY wanted to buy in one of the shops, buuuut I found it at Walmart.
All in all, I had a productive month! I managed to make a large amount of cake, I finished a quilt, hosted two birthday parties at our house, read WAY more than normal, wrote a lot, and watched quite a bit less TV. It was a good month. I liked having monthly goals rather than daily goals, and I used my planner to keep track of each day. I really liked this system, so I will continue for December.
Here's what I am hoping to accomplish this coming month. As you can see, I've already started to pencil (pen actually, which is kind of risky!) some in on my calendar!
Personal
Go on a date with my husband
Wellness
Family & Friends
Complete one audiobook
Complete five pages in my gratitude journal each week
Participate in some kind of service project before Christmas
Participate in some kind of service project before Christmas
Earn my orange belt in karate
Reach Fit Bit goal four days per week
Complete Metabolic Aftershock two days per week
Complete Walking at Home DVD three days per week (while listening to an audiobook! two birds, one stone!)
Take each girl on another Mother/Daughter date
Host a family game night and invite siblings to come
Get the cats to STOP pooping in the basement!!
Take a drive with the kids to go see Christmas lights
Have a movie night with a friend
Get the cats to STOP pooping in the basement!!
Take a drive with the kids to go see Christmas lights
Have a movie night with a friend
Homeschool
Complete one Spielgaben activity with Lydia each week
Finish Lexi's 2nd Grade Reading program
Help Lexi learn her music notes
Finish Lexi's 2nd Grade Reading program
Help Lexi learn her music notes
Writing
Write an average of 5 posts per week
Publish a Faces of Homeschooling post each week
Write one Homeschooling is for Crazy People post
Write one Homeschooling is for Crazy People post
Look for other places to submit my work
So that's what I am hoping to accomplish this month.
What about you?
This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge.
So that's what I am hoping to accomplish this month.
What about you?
This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Too long, DID write - Week 3
I can't believe it is Day 22 of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge. I am almost finished! Wow.
This week, it was very hard to stay on top of my writing. We celebrated Thanksgiving with my family, my daughter turned 7 and my husband took the day off work to celebrate, I subbed at a Homeschool Enrichment Center, I had a sore throat and cold, and we still had all the regular activities- karate, gymnastics, Awana, park day, piano lessons. It was a pretty intense week until Friday.
Friday was funny. We were all exhausted from the busy week. I thought we might just lounge about some, but it turned out to be the most productive school day of the week! We did all our regular subjects and added in a new Geography curriculum, tried out a new History book, and Lydia asked if we could do a page from her previous Letter of the Day curriculum. We had a lot of fun. It's funny how it feels good to get back into the old routine after a busy week. We even went to Ikea where we purchased some utility carts for the girls to use in their rooms.
One of the biggest accomplishments of the week was finishing Dragonfly in Amber, a book I've been reading for months. It was over 900 pages long.
I did manage to write each day this week, and only one day was a cop out :) I even got to work on my Faces of Homeschooling project and have several interesting interviews in the works. I'm hoping to get one published this week, but I know my families are busy with the holiday, so we will see. I think it'll be worth the wait.
Here's what you missed this week!
Day 1: Why do I buy my kids toys? - Toys. Everywhere. Why do I keep doing this to myself?!
Day 2: Faces of Homeschooling: The Franzen Family - I start out my Faces of Homeschooling project by giving you a look at my own family and how we approach school!
Day 3: Questions and Answers - I ask for feedback on a few things and give an update after a busy week.
Day 4: You can be good at some things and you can not be good at some things - I share an insightful interview with my 4-year-old daughter.
Day 5: A haiku - A bit of a poetic cop out ;)
Day 6: In which I struggle to use photo editing software - I receive an early Christmas gift that will hopefully snazz up my blog and reflect on my very first website.
Despite the fact that we've got a holiday this week and my husband has two and a half days off, I've got lots of exciting ideas to write about! Be sure not to miss any- sign up to follow my blog. Email and feed options are located on the sidebar! Click here to find me on Facebook.
This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Too long, DID write - Week One
As you probably know, I am currently taking part in the 30 Day Blogging Challenge. The challenge is to write in your blog every day for 30 consecutive days and the idea is that you will grow as a blogger! So far, I have found that to be very true. What's cool about this particular challenge is that I signed up with Sark e Media and I receive daily emails with encouragement, inspiration and ideas for developing my blog. Each email includes some sort of "challenge" that will help me on this quest.
Today's challenge was to create a recap of the past seven days' blog entries. I never would have thought to try this, but I like a challenge, so here goes! If I like it, I'm going to call it "Too long, DID write" (in honor of all the words I managed to get down despite the chaos of my life) and share a recap each week :) I'll probably choose to do this on Sundays.
Here are the posts you may have missed this week:
Day 1: In which I attempt to get paid for writing - I describe what happens the first time I submit an article online with the hopes of being published!
Day 2: Who am I? - Here I describe myself using a series of "I am" statements that help you get to know me, the gal on the other side of the screen.
Day 3: Goals for November - I decide that setting annual goals for myself is a daunting and ineffective tasks and decide to set monthly goals instead.
Day 4: 5 Times Being a Parent Pays Off - I describe five parenting situations that balance out all the sleepless nights, giant messes, and whining.
Day 5: The mini fridge shall set you free - I tell the embarrassing story of a time that inflexibility during a trip made everything much worse than it needed to be! Say hello to vulnerability ;)
Day 6: Jamberry Nail Wraps - My Honest Review - I take the time to review a unique product that adds a little flair and fun to my sometimes mundane life.
Day 7: 6 Keys to Making Beautiful Cupcakes at Home - I give away some cake decorating secrets that I've learned over the years to help you snazz up cupcakes for your next celebration.
Day 8: Reflections on 8 Consecutive Days of Writing - I reflect on what I've learned so far from this writing challenge.
Never miss out on another blog post! Get my ramblings sent straight to your inbox by signing up in the "Follow by Email" section on the right hand side of the page. Happy Monday!
Today's challenge was to create a recap of the past seven days' blog entries. I never would have thought to try this, but I like a challenge, so here goes! If I like it, I'm going to call it "Too long, DID write" (in honor of all the words I managed to get down despite the chaos of my life) and share a recap each week :) I'll probably choose to do this on Sundays.
Here are the posts you may have missed this week:
Day 1: In which I attempt to get paid for writing - I describe what happens the first time I submit an article online with the hopes of being published!
Day 2: Who am I? - Here I describe myself using a series of "I am" statements that help you get to know me, the gal on the other side of the screen.
Day 3: Goals for November - I decide that setting annual goals for myself is a daunting and ineffective tasks and decide to set monthly goals instead.
Day 4: 5 Times Being a Parent Pays Off - I describe five parenting situations that balance out all the sleepless nights, giant messes, and whining.
Day 5: The mini fridge shall set you free - I tell the embarrassing story of a time that inflexibility during a trip made everything much worse than it needed to be! Say hello to vulnerability ;)
Day 6: Jamberry Nail Wraps - My Honest Review - I take the time to review a unique product that adds a little flair and fun to my sometimes mundane life.
Day 7: 6 Keys to Making Beautiful Cupcakes at Home - I give away some cake decorating secrets that I've learned over the years to help you snazz up cupcakes for your next celebration.
Day 8: Reflections on 8 Consecutive Days of Writing - I reflect on what I've learned so far from this writing challenge.
Never miss out on another blog post! Get my ramblings sent straight to your inbox by signing up in the "Follow by Email" section on the right hand side of the page. Happy Monday!
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| My name is Melissa and I approve this message. |
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Reflections on 8 Consecutive Days of Writing
This is the 8th consecutive day that I have written in my blog. I have never attempted to write in my blog for this many days in a row, on the contrary, I used to avoid blogging on consecutive days. I thought that doing so would be irritating to my readers. I've learned that that's not the case.
The more I write, the more people read my writing. I have over 1,000 hits this month. Considering my previous blog was live for over two years and only reached 4,000 hits...well, I think I'm doing something better this time around! This week I have also tried to put myself in the reader's shoes. If I were following a blog that I enjoyed, I would not be irritated if they started writing more often, instead, I'd be happy to have more to read. I've stopped worrying about writing too much. In the grand scheme of things, my one blog post per day is just a drop in the bucket of what people are reading online.
I've enjoyed the opportunity to explore different writing topics. I've discovered that ideas come to me at the most random times, especially when I am trying to fall asleep. I've started keeping my phone on so I can quickly save drafts of whatever ideas I come up with. Some of them are going nowhere, but others have potential. It's exciting to be able to use my brain creatively!
I am still trying to find my voice. As a part of that journey, I am trying to find out more about my audience. I'd love for you to take the poll in the right hand column of this page.
As a stay-at-home-mom (I think "momming" is my full time job) I tend to write about topics that I think appeal most to women, mothers especially. I don't know if I have tons of brand new ideas about parenting, but I do have my unique perspective. That being said, I don't particularly want to write about parenting all the time. Just like I don't believe that moms want to read about parenting all the time. So I am thinking I might be blogging for moms who enjoy distractions from the daily grind of wiping butts, breaking up fights over cartoon shows, and listening to the incessant, sometimes irrelevant chatter of children.
This makes me wonder if I should rebrand my blog. I don't particularly want to since I just started this new blog. While we might not all be writers, I think most busy moms can relate to the concept of "Too long, didn't ________" as a play on not having time to do all the things one wants to do. So that's something to think about. I've got time. There are still plenty of days left in November!
It's been a good week. I'm having fun writing and editing and experimenting with blogging. I've got birthday parties for my kiddo this week so I'm sure that will provide some fodder for my writing. I'm also cooking up another article to submit to Scary Mommy, and I'm excited about this one.
We'll have to see where time takes me!
The more I write, the more people read my writing. I have over 1,000 hits this month. Considering my previous blog was live for over two years and only reached 4,000 hits...well, I think I'm doing something better this time around! This week I have also tried to put myself in the reader's shoes. If I were following a blog that I enjoyed, I would not be irritated if they started writing more often, instead, I'd be happy to have more to read. I've stopped worrying about writing too much. In the grand scheme of things, my one blog post per day is just a drop in the bucket of what people are reading online.
I've enjoyed the opportunity to explore different writing topics. I've discovered that ideas come to me at the most random times, especially when I am trying to fall asleep. I've started keeping my phone on so I can quickly save drafts of whatever ideas I come up with. Some of them are going nowhere, but others have potential. It's exciting to be able to use my brain creatively!
I am still trying to find my voice. As a part of that journey, I am trying to find out more about my audience. I'd love for you to take the poll in the right hand column of this page.
As a stay-at-home-mom (I think "momming" is my full time job) I tend to write about topics that I think appeal most to women, mothers especially. I don't know if I have tons of brand new ideas about parenting, but I do have my unique perspective. That being said, I don't particularly want to write about parenting all the time. Just like I don't believe that moms want to read about parenting all the time. So I am thinking I might be blogging for moms who enjoy distractions from the daily grind of wiping butts, breaking up fights over cartoon shows, and listening to the incessant, sometimes irrelevant chatter of children.
This makes me wonder if I should rebrand my blog. I don't particularly want to since I just started this new blog. While we might not all be writers, I think most busy moms can relate to the concept of "Too long, didn't ________" as a play on not having time to do all the things one wants to do. So that's something to think about. I've got time. There are still plenty of days left in November!
It's been a good week. I'm having fun writing and editing and experimenting with blogging. I've got birthday parties for my kiddo this week so I'm sure that will provide some fodder for my writing. I'm also cooking up another article to submit to Scary Mommy, and I'm excited about this one.
We'll have to see where time takes me!
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| This post was brought to you by a squirrel eating a pumpkin. |
This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
The mini fridge shall set you free
I have a story that I need to get off my chest.
About a year ago, Tim's company invited him to a leadership conference in Chicago. Staying home alone with the kids for several days sounded like a bummer, so I decided it would be fun to join him in Chicago. And instead of spending hundreds of dollars on airfare, I decided that driving the 7 + hours with the kids was the way to get there. Naturally.
I really planned well for this trip. I mean that sincerely. I mapped out where we were going to stop along the way. I convinced my aunt and uncle to let us crash with them for a couple of nights to save money and add fun. I packed a cooler to the gills with all the fixings for sandwiches and healthy snacks that anyone could possibly want. I purchased head phones and personal sized CD players for the kids and checked out a stack of audiobooks and CDs from the library for them. I took the van in and spent several hundred dollars getting it fixed up and ready. I bought new tires for the dang thing. I purchased a membership to a local museum in order to receive free reciprocal entry to Chicago's museums. I was that good.
The road trip went very well. The kids were excellent in the car and the driving went by quickly on the way there. We stopped at my aunt and uncle's house and had a joyous reunion complete with delicious food and great conversation.
I felt pumped and confident to drive the final leg of the journey to the hotel that Tim's company booked. We planned to visit the Field Museum the following day. I was patting myself on the back for being such a thoughtful planner.
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| It was wonderful to be with my cousins again. |
I felt pumped and confident to drive the final leg of the journey to the hotel that Tim's company booked. We planned to visit the Field Museum the following day. I was patting myself on the back for being such a thoughtful planner.
That's when things started to derail.
See, I had some expectations for this hotel.
I expected there would be a mini fridge in which I could store the contents of my cooler.
I expected there would be free WiFi that I could use to further plan transportation around the city.
I expected that there would be a continental breakfast or at least room service.
I expected that everything would go according to plan because I had planned really well, after all.
Needless to say, things did not go according to plan.
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| All things considered, it did have a nice view. |
We arrived and discovered that there was no mini fridge in the room. Our lunch meat, coffee creamer, string cheese and other snacks needed to be refrigerated. I started to panic a little. I quickly scavenged through the variety of brochures laying about until I saw that you could pay $30 to have a small mini fridge brought up to your room. Pay for a mini fridge?! This was a NICE hotel! We'd stayed in a crappy hotel in Omaha a month earlier and it had a mini fridge in the room. I was furious. I didn't want to do it.
So, I did what any idiot would do. Nothing. I let all the food sit out and become sketchy because I was angry and disappointed that things weren't going my way. Real mature, huh?
I tried to hop on the WiFi to look at public transportation plans for the next morning but alas, there was a fee for using WiFi. What the?! Again, the cheapo hotel in Omaha had free WiFi. Heck, McDonald's had free WiFi. (This fact didn't dawn on me until much, much later and would have possibly helped the situation greatly). I wasn't going to pay for WiFi. I attempted to access the public transportation website using Sprint's spotty service on my phone. It didn't go well.
I managed to speak to someone in the front office and arranged to have a shuttle pick us up and take us to the subway station the next morning at 10.
I found a menu among the brochures and decided to splurge and order a nice breakfast for us as I quickly discovered that this hotel also lacked a continental breakfast. I was irritated about this but the food sounded great so I circled the items that I wanted and checked the box indicating that I wanted to arrive between 8 and 9am. I attached the menu to the doorknob and went to bed, frustrated but determined.
When our food had not arrived at 9:15 the next morning, I began to grow anxious. The menu had disappeared from the doorknob so I knew they had my order. Around 9:30, I decided to call downstairs and see what was taking so long.
Nothing was taking so long, as they had not received my order and were not preparing any food or planning to deliver anything to us. The menu had apparently been lost or had never arrived. I still wonder what happened to it.
I began to cry. Everything was out of my control. The spoiled food. The lack of internet access. The missing breakfast. The kids were complaining that they were hungry. The shuttle was leaving soon and I had no idea what we were going to eat. If we missed the shuttle, how would we get to the city? Would the whole trip be a bust? Maybe I just wasn't cut out for a single parent road trip.
I became completely overwhelmed by the loss of control. I convinced myself that I was failing. Rather than using my head to think smart (McDonald's drive thru, anyone? Maybe eat some of the bread that hadn't been lost to spoilage?) I sank into panic and despair that affected me for the rest of our stay at the hotel.
I ended up crying at the front door of the hotel restaurant. We were able to run in and grab some pastries and I begged the hostess to let us just take them and go without paying, to which she obliged, probably because I looked a little psychotic. Even after that lucky turn of events, I had a hard time pulling it together.
In the end, the hotel was the worst part of the trip. No, my attitude toward it was. We had a wonderful time in the city, visiting the Field Museum as well as Shedd Aquarium.
After paying a ridiculous amount for a cab to the museum, I got brave and even drove us into the city the next day, where we could park in a garage and came out ahead in terms of money spent. But my nasty, wimpy attitude seriously marred the trip. I was grumpy with the kids and took out my frustration on them several times. I withdrew and sort of shut down instead of throwing myself into the moments that we drove so far to have.
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| Who doesn't love dinosaurs? |
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| Jellyfish are my fave. |
After paying a ridiculous amount for a cab to the museum, I got brave and even drove us into the city the next day, where we could park in a garage and came out ahead in terms of money spent. But my nasty, wimpy attitude seriously marred the trip. I was grumpy with the kids and took out my frustration on them several times. I withdrew and sort of shut down instead of throwing myself into the moments that we drove so far to have.
Looking back, I know where I went wrong. I was inflexible. I was unwilling to make last minute changes. I let fear of failure paralyze me.
I should have forked over the $30 for the stupid mini fridge. In the grand scheme of things, that would have solved a lot of issues. Then we would have had something decent to eat the next morning when breakfast didn't arrive. I would have had something to feed the kids for dinner instead of taking them out to an expensive restaurant where they ate nothing. In that way I would have been modeling some much better behaviors for my girls. Instead they learned that mommy melts down when things don't go her way. Exactly the opposite of how I expect them to behave.
I could have called room service earlier to see what was up with breakfast. We may have been able to order something that morning and eat it before we went on our way.
I don't remember how much the WiFi cost, but I'm sure I could have paid for it. Or, I could have asked the helpful people at the front desk for advice in navigating the city.
Sometimes, flexibility is simply a positive personality trait. Other times, it is an absolute necessity. It isn't always easy to roll with the punches or admit that things aren't going to go your way and cut your losses. But if you are going to be happy in life, it is essential to be flexible and to not give up when life throws you curve balls. You're better than that.
After all, the mini fridge has the power to set you free. But first, you have to let it.
How would you rank your flexibility on a scale of one to five, one being you pulled a Melissa, five being you bought the mini fridge, no questions asked?
This post is part of the 30 Day Challenge.
Monday, November 2, 2015
Who am I?
I bring 12 answers to the question, "Who am I?"
1. I was chosen. I was adopted as an infant by the most loving parents a person could ask for. I'm very grateful they chose me and raised me with unconditional love and support, even when I made dumb mistakes. I continue to be close to them and lean on them in times of need...like when I have questions about what our insurance policies mean or when I need advice about curtains. I had the opportunity to meet my birth mom before she passed away and I am grateful for that chance as well. I know many adopted people don't get it.
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| Family means a lot to me. |
2. I am a reader. I enjoy reading fiction and nonfiction alike. If I can't put it down, I won't. I've been known to read during important events such as the World Series. If a book is good enough, I'll stay up all night until I've read it through. I tend to be in one of two categories at any given time: I have nothing at all to read, or I have a giant stack of books due back to the library and not enough time to read them all. (Check me out on Good Reads.)
3. I am a writer. Ever since I learned how to form the letters, I've taken pen to page and written in journals. I plan to share some excerpts from my earlier writing. I think you'll find it humorous. As a kid, I had plenty of ideas for books that I would write. In high school, I won a free prom package (dress, dinner, everything) when I entered an essay contest. My writing has changed as I've grown up, but my love of words has always been there.
4. I am a sister. My brother Matt is the most loyal person I know. He's been my friend and protector since I was a kid. We're both weird, in different ways, but we make it work. Family is a fluid thing for me. I also inherited his little brother, and discovered two sisters, in the past few years, thanks to the wonders of adoption. There are two more brothers out there that I have yet to meet. Maybe one day I will.
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| Sometimes he dresses as a pirate and goes to convenience stores. |
5. I am uncoordinated. My spatial reasoning is terrible too. For these reasons I did not enjoy sports much growing up (except volleyball) and I was able to hit a tree, mailbox, and several other things with my car as a teen. I have never in my life backed into a parking spot. Sometimes, I ask my husband to back the car out of the garage for me so I don't hit anything.
6. I am a nerd. I was an anime nerd as a teen. I have the Sailor Moon dolls in my basement to prove it. I wish I could transport my 14-year-old self to today so she could enjoy the library's wide selection if manga. I'm not really into anime anymore, but I think I still fit the nerd label pretty well. I know every word to both Ghostbusters movies. I was a school-loving straight A student through high school and college (until that summer Sociology course where I apparently bombed a test and got a B in the class). I become obsessed with book and TV characters and I am pretty anti-sports.
7. I am a person of faith. I was raised Catholic, attended Catholic schools and was married in the Catholic church. Now my family and I attend a Methodist church and I love it. We randomly started attending because it was across the street from our house (among other reasons) but the more I learn about Methodism, the more I realize how much sense it makes for our family. I'm grateful to have a church family that helps me grow in faith.
8. I am a wife. I married the love of my life when I was 21. We met in high school and I knew he was perfect for me before we were even dating. I am grateful to that sweet little baby who helped us to see that we belonged together, even if things weren't going to unfold according to our plans. Tim is my weirdly perfect best friend and I look forward to spending the next 75 years by his side, enjoying/making fun of his quirks.
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| The only day in my life that I've ever worn a tiara. |
9. I am a mom. I became a parent at the tender age of 22 and have spent the past seven years growing and embracing that role. I stay home with my two daughters and I love our time together.
10. I am a teacher. I've always loved teaching. I've worked at after school care programs and as a substitute. Sometimes, kids are just cooler than adults. I went to school to become a teacher. I even got a Masters degree in Curriculum & Instruction. I never thought I'd be a homeschooling parent, but here I am.
11. I am silly. I love to laugh. I tend to look at everyday things in an obscure way. I aspire to bring laughter into my life and the lives of those I care about. I love sitcoms. I love ridiculous internet memes. I love Buzzfeed Quizzes that can tell me which Hogwarts professor would be my drinking buddy. Sometimes I laugh at farts. I am immature and tend to giggle when no other adult would dare.
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| We are kind of a weird bunch. |
12. I am human. I've had some struggles in my life, but, looking back, I have grown from every single one of them. I am not perfect. I make mistakes. I say stupid things. I can be selfish. I tend to err on the side of saying too much. But that's okay because if I were perfect, I wouldn't be any fun. I wouldn't be me.
So that's me, in a nutshell. Who are you?
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