balancing act

hello.  here i am.  we didn't perish, nor run away during one of the last, late snowstorms of the winter.  i'm still here...we're all still here.

i'm having a hard time managing this thing called my life.  originally this blog was born to help me focus on my blessings.  it was created months after the devastating loss of my pregnancy with baby girl Clementine, and allowed me to focus my attention on all the good things going on.  it's easy to get sucked into the sorrow and i couldn't let that happen.  this blog saved me then, and has been a bit of a history book for our family.  so, why have i left many, many chapters unwritten?  good question.  it's one i've been asking myself for months, but i think i have the answer...

  

as much as i love to blog about my family, it was starting to feel like a job.  it was starting to be a source of guilt.  i was not enjoying it anymore.  and, in some ways, it was keeping me from being present with my kids.  also, let me be honest, it's frustrating to feel like you're writing into thin air.  the only people reading my blog are the ones we see almost daily, comments were becoming scarce, i started to feel like what i had to say wasn't good enough...my inner critic was ripping me apart.

not a good feeling.

so, i've taken a break.  i'm still self-evaluating.  i'm still deciding if this blog still has a place in my life.

we're incredibly busy, as one might assume, with 3 energetic, inquisitive kids.  we're running a lot.  we've had a busy summer with lots of trips to the pool, a road trip (here and there), sports camps (for some), friends, and house projects...always house projects...

the most important thing, however, is that we're all still here.  together.  healthy.  (most the time) happy.

school starts in 8 days.  8. days. (((((sigh)))))

back to routine.  back to reality.  back to blogging?  we shall see...

Dear Mother Nature,

Uncle.  I give up.  Enough already.

I'm not sure you know this, but I'm fairly certain that I have Seasonal Affective Disorder.  Are you trying to put me over the edge?  Do you want me to gag and lock my children in the dog kennel? (just kidding.)

 

It is mid-March.  Are you aware of that?  This kind of weather is more than acceptable to me in December, even January, but March?!  I'm not happy.  I'm unable to find any humor in these last few weeks.  Our kids will be on Spring Break next week.  This is not the kind of spring break I like...snow and cold.  Easter is on the 31st!  I have a little girl...are you going to deny me a darling spring dress!?

I guess what I'm saying is this....you're not making any friends pulling this crap.  Clearly you aren't concerned about that, because you must know how much people dislike this much snow and ice in February and March!  Maybe, just maybe, you'll listen to me now.  We want spring.  We want sunshine.  We are dying for some color!   Please....I'm on my knees begging you...

Sincerely,
{a very disgruntled} Rebecca

hi

I was reading one of my many favorite blogs the other day.  It had been a while since she had posted last (like, a week) and she started out by saying, "Remember when I used to blog every day"?

I laughed because that's how I feel, although I don't think I've ever blogged once a day...and my lapses are more like months than weeks...
Oh well, I can relate anyway.

So, remember when I used to blog more regularly?  Me either....  :)

I am FINALLY getting into a routine again since Christmas.  I know that sounds pathetic, but as much as I love Christmas it sucks the life out of me.  And this year we had sickness...blah!
Anyway, I've finally gotten on a cleaning routine again (the chores have yet to make a comeback, I'm afraid, but I'm working on it), we have a Basketball tournament on Saturday and then it's OVER, I finally feel like meal planning again....

perhaps I have seasonal mood disorder?!  :)

I'm ready to tell you the real reason I haven't been blogging.  It's dog hair.  I've been doing nothing but vacuuming dog hair since I blogged last!  I'm kidding, of course...but I have been doing a lot of vacuuming due to dog hair.  I do love Terra, but this dog's hair is OUT. OF. CONTROL.
Our first dog, Mazzy, was a Weimaraner.  She shed, but NOTHING like this lab!  Holy moly!  I've decided that vacuuming once a day is a must, but that's not happening so I'm trying to get to it twice a week...and then accepting that we're probably ingesting a certain amount of dog hair and that it's just helping us with our immunities in some way.  That's the only way I can sleep at night.

We also have birthdays coming out our ears!  Eden's was Feb. 5, Ty's is the 22nd and then Colin's is March 7th.  I'm beyond broke!  And, almost sick of cake!!!  I do promise to post their birthday interviews...I'm trying to do that once a year with them...we'll see when I get around to that!  I'm making no promises!!!

I will post a few pics taken recently as I have been shamed for not putting more pics on the blog.  IF I still have readers, here they are...

He's slouching a bit in this picture and look how tall he is!
Not close to 7ft, but close enough to my height that I want to cry!!

And this guy, 4 ft.  Why did I take these pictures?  I'm a masochist, of course!

Eden's birthday outing with Miss Kimmy (her BFF)...Build-a-Bear, or as I like to call it Empty-a-Wallet!
The little angel had fun, so it was worth it...I guess :)

Next time birthday interviews!  Funny to think that I started this blog 4 years ago blogging about Ty turning 3!  Time sure flies....

Peace.

xoxo

ordinary, average, everyday

I need more pictures on this blog, eh?

I agree.

Today is one of my 2 days off.  I was supposed to have an acupuncture appointment, but Eden is feverish yet again! *sigh*  I was up before the sun, made school lunches, scrambled around the house to find $6 for Colin's Recorder order for music, drove the boys to school and came right home.  Wrote a very long, kinda disgruntled letter to the school principal, sorted laundry and washed some blue jeans so Ty wouldn't have to wear sweatpants to school again tomorrow (NOT in the running for Mom of the year today), and let the dog in/out for the 1000 time.

I know that these days will be long gone before I know it, and that I'll wish I had them back.  But, I'm just really tired of the mundane right now.  What I need is a vacation...somewhere warm and sunny with my family EVERY January.  Is that too much to ask for?  :)

I resolve to do better about posting pictures...

Happy Tuesday!

2013

Happy New Year!

We enjoyed a busy, but sick, holiday season.  It must have been intuition to use the quote from "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" on our Christmas card this year...

"Welcome Christmas!  Bring your cheer!  Cheer to all Who's far and near!  Christmas day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp.

Christmas day will always be, just as long as we have we".

And, We had We...We spent a lot of time alone this holiday due to one sick person, or another.  Eden, Ty and I missed the Forcht Christmas get-together on the 23rd because those two were sick.  That was a huge bummer! Thankfully my Mom and Dad still came out to our house on the 24th and spent the night with us even though Eden was sick.  Unfortunately my Dad and I both got sick on Christmas day!  Then we had a small break from illness until New Year's Eve, when Colin got sick, cancelling out our plans for the evening.  

Regardless, it was still a nice holiday.  We had the opportunity to spend the last night of Hanukkah with my sister and her family, and got to see my niece, Lillian, in the Rose Theatre's production "Madeline's Christmas".  I'm glad we didn't miss that!

So... things can only get better from here, right?  We at least started 2013 all healthy! {Colin's fever gradually went down on New Year's Eve and was gone on New Year's Day}.  The kids are back in school, and now I can start my very cliche January cleanse...fresh slate!

Hope you holidays were happy!  I'm off to continue my purge!