Stop and Smell the Candycanes

Sometimes I forget. I get so engulfed in projects and deadlines that I forget what is really important-- the people in my life. Last night was wonderful! Even though I could think of a million things that needed to cleaned or organized or wrapped I stopped. I just stopped. Instead, I enjoyed the evening snuggling with my handsome husband and watching one of our all time favorite Christmas movies.

And today? Today Lauren, Ava, and I have played all day long. I will get to the wrapping, the organizing, the writing, the mailing, the baking, and the parties......another day.

I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No...

Anyone remember the musical "Oklahoma"? There is an adorably annoying character named Ado Annie, who just can't say "N0" (to men that is). Now I don't have Ado Annie's specific problem, but I do have a hard time saying "NO". Why is this? Why do I sometimes stretch myself out so thin with projects/commitments when I know that I am the one who will end up suffering when it's crunch time?

I do love to keep busy and be involved in a million different activities, but this is getting ridiculous! I have come to this realization as I am looking at the mountains of laundry waiting to be folded and put away, and the dishes that are overflowing out of my sink and on to the counter tops. And the sad reality is that I have no idea when I will get to them.

So farewell my dear friend sleep, I'll catch up with you in November!!

Blog Stalking Anyone?

For the last several years I have unintentionally been a blog stalker. I just recently had this epiphany (with the help of a dear friend and fellow kindred spirit....yes, K.K. I am talking about you. :) Not once did it occur to me that my innocent browsing and non-commenting mode of one-sided cyber communication was doing any harm.

It wasn't until I started my own blog that I realized how much I look forward to comments on my posts. Even a few words makes my day. It is nice to know that others can relate to what I am posting or care enough to keep up with my family through reading about our daily happenings.

So....here's to commenting instead of stalking! You can expect to hear a lot more from me from now on and I hope to hear from you too. Cheers!

Now if I can only figure out how to set up a Google Reader Account...

What is a Blog Anyway?

I want to be real. When we are real, we give others permission to be who they truly are. Real people have bad days sometimes. Real people on occasion let their children watch more than 1 hour of television a day. Real people sometimes eat cold cereal for dinner and secretly bask in the joy of not having a kitchenful of dishes to wash afterwards. Real people sometimes polish off an entire pint of ice cream at 7:00 a.m. (don't they?) Real people have been known to wear their pajamas all day once in awhile. Real people also sometimes stay up all night long totally immersed in a great book only to suddenly realize that everyone else will be waking up in two hours. Real people sometimes pretend to be asleep-- especially when their oldest child wakes them up at 5 a.m. every morning. Real people sometimes can't remember the last time they cleaned the bathroom. Real people sometimes pretend not to notice when their one-year old is eating Cherios off the floor. Real people laugh, cry, love, rejoice, and live.

So what is a blog? I want my blog to be real. I want it to be an accurate account of the thoughts and feelings and events of all the people in my life. Life is beautiful, and I generally truly try to be upbeat and have a positive outlook on life. I have been blessed with more than I ever thought possible. However, we need to be real to support each other, so....beware! In this blog, you will read things that will make you laugh until you cry, that will make you turn your head in disgust, that will make you wonder if anyone in my home is sane. The answer to the afore mentioned is YES; but we are real people, living a real life, and loving every minute of it.