Thanks out to You

My great friend, Becca, who has gone AMAZING places with her blog, gave me, little ol me, for getting her started on her AMAZING blog…but you’d never guess it based on my postings here lately. I do indeed have another blog, a family one, I’ve fallen behind on too, to simply be a mom. Motherhood is wonderful, as is being a career woman, and finding time for myself in all of that gets more challenging every year.

But I’m happy, really happy, to be where I am in my life, with my wonderful friends and family, even though I can’t post about it as much as I’d like.

I am thankful, truly thankful today, for everyone who is a part of my life. You are wonderful to me and make my days and life so great.

Truth Be Told

Isn’t that a funny saying? Shouldn’t we just tell the truth anyway?

Well, here’s my truth lately. I am really feeling like I can’t keep with  reading the blogs I love to read and can’t even keep with with regular postings to the two blogs I have.

I have a family-focus blog where I usually post updates about my son and our family for our relatives who live far away, trying to post 2-3 times a week, and lately, I can’t keep those up. It needs to take priority, and I really need to focus there.

Work is really busy and I can’t seem to find moments to even jot down notes to blog about later. Later, my priority needs to be my family and then my own responsibilities for myself and our house, and I feel like I am falling  behind on those responsibilities. It may just be that time of year, or it may just be a time in my life that is harder to stay on top of.

In any case, truth be told, I may have to take a blogging hiatus from this blog for awhile, and from staying on top of my wonderful friends’ blogs. I’m so sorry if I can’t be “there” for your blog, but I am there in spirit and there for you in person.

I need to focus on my wonderful little boy, my husband, and myself for awhile. I’m sure I’ll be back soon or from time to time.

Easter is ‘a comin’

So, after getting a great little Easter gift from my brother and sister-in-law yesterday, of eggs filled with chocolate and coins, and A Tisket, a Tasket book, along with an activity they played, I am beginning to think about Easter a little more and what I can do for my three-year-old.

Here he is with his gifts.

He is so into colors, matching, and even hatching! He’s been “hatching” the eggs this morning and looking at what’s inside. It’s great too, that he’s not even really interested in eating the candy as of yet!

As a child, we got a big chocolate bunny in our basket, then went to look for plastic and the eggs we dyed. We didn’t get much more in our basket, but I know more families do little gifts, like books or toys. Do you do that?

Did you dye eggs and hide those too? Is that sanitary to eat those eggs after sitting out overnight? Did your family make an Easter cake? (We never did, but it sounds cool!) My birthday is the week before, however, so would that be too much cake?

I’m looking for some great and fun ideas. I’m thinking maybe some Matchbox cars, craft supplies, ABC stickers, some healthy snacks (along with sweets too), and a rainbow theme to do some color matching. It will be a lot of fun this year and I’d love to hear some new ideas!

Works For Me Wednesday: Scrapbook Planning

As I worked on a scrapbook page last night from my son’s birthday back in November,

I realized what my contribution could be to What Works For Me Wednesday!

I love to scrapbook, and while I might not be as good as a lot of people out there, as I keep it pretty simple, it is something I really want to find time to do for those special occasions in my son’s and our lives. Most recently, it was for his birthday and Halloween.

As a busy working mom, I try to organize the photos I want to scrap, along with any paper or stickers I want to include (even ticket stubs and so on), inside one of the plastic sleeves in my scrapbook, so that when the time comes and I have some time to sit down and do the pages, I am pretty much ready to go. It also helps to keep me focused and keep pages from piling up on me.

What do you do that helps you save time scrapbooking?

What do you like to do on a day off?

I always struggle when I have a day off, even with my son.

Do I pack it with things I need to do? Do I plan all fun stuff and have a mini-vacation from home/in town?

Oh, the struggles of days off.

What I am learning most of all is that I think I’ll appreciate planning the fun stuff, the memorable stuff. I won’t remember the “to-do’s” that can get “to-done” another day, right?

That’s my tomorrow. I have some fun stuff planned, but grocery shopping and Target shopping are sitting on the burner too. Do I push them to the back burner for another day and just truly enjoy the day with my son? I would SOOOO love that, and at age three, it is soooo fun!

How do YOU decide?

What I Learned This Week

Another week of learning. I guess that is good when one aspires to be a lifelong learner, right?

So, as I am two weeks away from being a bridesmaid in a wedding (only my second time), here are some things I’ve learned about that:

1. I think I’m spending more time thinking about my nails and accessories for my friend’s wedding than I did my own 8 years ago. (We did a simple, in the park, close friends and family thing.) Though stressful, it is kind of fun to have the excuse too.

2. I’m definitely spending more money dressing for, sleeping in a hotel for, attending parties for this wedding than my own. I even bought special undergarments for two different outfits for this wedding, and I sure didn’t for my own cute dress I wore for my wedding.

3. Preparing a “Here’s everything you need to know for 24-36 hours with our son” list, while we’re gone, will be an adventure.

4. I’m not sure if this will be a learning experience or not, but when a party says, “Wear your little black dress,” will people really be wearing their little black dresses or will they all show up in jeans, a cool shirt, and heels, and I’ll be overdressed?

5. Again, maybe not a learning experience yet, but could use advice, if getting a French mani/pedi done for a wedding, should you do gel wraps for both to protect and pay the extra price? I think what I’ll learn from that is that I’ll have to pay the extra $ to have it removed in the shop. Thoughts anyone?

Be sure to check out Julie’s post this week!

Do You Have a Little Black Dress?

So, I’m one of those people who have NEVER owned a little black dress. I’ve always wanted one, and next weekend, a great friend of mine is having a bachelorette party, and that is the required attire. I’ve borrowed a few dresses from friends to try, to see if I can get by without buying one, but I’m also feeling the “Maybe this is my opportunity to try to find just the right one for myself,” urge.

So, Grandma is coming over to watch my son this morning, while Daddy is busy with some other plans, as I go on my search. I think I’d really like spaghetti straps, a halter style, or at the very least sleeveless, and it must fit well!

Do you have a little black dress, and what do you love about yours?

 

Running Around

So I competed in my first 5K a few weeks and had such a great time it has inspired me to really keep running, and trying harder. I even just registered for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure April 10th, 5K run with some colleagues. There’s another 5K on April 23rd in my neighborhood I’d also like to do. Crazy, right?

Even crazier, my running buddy hurt her foot this week and I’ve had to run alone two days.

Day One: So sad I was. I didn’t even bring my iPod to occupy my brain. I hate that because I can hear myself breathing. Okay, more like panting at times, and it makes me more tired than I really am. I ran/walked 2.62 miles though! I did a combo of running 6 minutes and walking 1, 4 times.

Day Two: (Today). Running buddy still needing to take time off. Had iPod strapped on my arm. Went to push play, and no more battery! I even had my new Blackberry and was using the timer to track my progress, hoping to do better than Day One. In my second cycle of my six minutes, I looked down at one point to see my timer had stopped. Arghh! So, instead of feeling sad, I pushed myself to run two additional streets. How’s that for punishment? Anyhow, it was good. I went 2.92 miles this time.

The craziest thing? I never planned to ever run. I used to always say, “I’d love to be a runner, I’m just not.” I’ve always loved other activities like rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking…even my husband has been surprised. Am I good at running? I can’t say I am, but I’m doing it, darn it, because it feels good to reach goals, it is fun to do with friends, and it is such a great workout in such a short amount of time. I am anxious to see what I can do next.

Have you ever surprised yourself like that?

Manic Monday

Are Mondays always manic? Not always, but sometimes they seem just harder to get started…or they get started too early.

Here’s a quick snapshot of mine. I’d love to hear yours!

Many, many things to do!

Overloaded “to-do” list with too little time to get everything done.

Naughty girl, for forgetting a colleague’s birthday today.

Desperate for some extra hours today.

Absolutely in a good mood though.

Yodeling (not really, but that’s a tough letter) that I am at least happy to have a great job I love in this crazy economy!

 

No Internet?

What do you do when you don’t have internet?

Well, you certainly can’t do any posting! This has been the oddest week for me, and one that I’ve had to be patient through. You see, I usually do this fun WILTW (What I Learned This Week) post Monday night or Tuesday mornings, and link up with Julie. It is always a fun, fun post.

DAY ONE: Well, I was able to comment on hers, and get my title started on mine. I realized how late I was running for work (really, my son taking his time eating breakfast), so I thought I’d do it later in the day, during my lunch, when I was testing some students.

Well, I get to that room, and guess what? No wireless…not working. So not only couldn’t I do my post (what’s more important than that?) but I couldn’t do anything for work related to needing the internet either.

DAY TWO: Sure, I could have posted Tuesday night, but it was a long night, and I figured I’d do it Wednesday. Wednesday as I start my attempt, my computer is taken from me at work to be replaced with a much better one (fantastic, right?) leaving me with NO computer at all while my tech guy transfers everything over from my old computer. 3 1/2 hours later (no joke) it is handed to me through my car window after picking up my sick son to take him to the doctor…lucky I even got it before I went home! Then, I get home, and of course, my wireless security at home doesn’t allow me on. Later that night, my husband hooks me up and I can catch up with a few email. I go to sleep hearing him fuss that now he can’t connect and has to do something with our network.

DAY THREE: I sit down with breakfast as I do every morning and try to access my email. No internet. My computer can’t find our wireless. I putter around during breakfast and after, not knowing with to do with myself without internet! Fortunately my husband is home, just not up yet, and it is our day off together, so he’s able to hook it up later, but we have so many plans I don’t really get anything done. I DO order my new smartphone though!

DAY FOUR: That’s today. Day off with son home and we get on “his” computer (an old one) to play a Mickey Mouse game. No internet there, because all the security codes (or whatever…I don’t understand all this network stuff) have been changed. I can (don’t tell anyone) connect to a neighbor’s open internet though! It is also certainly too late to do that Tuesday post, so I’m just venting about the silly week instead. Ah…and as I start day one, my husband wants to interrupt my post writing to connect the other computer-wow, huh? And now….my son is awake and guess who wants to be on my lap as I write and “see the cursor”? I just can’t get to posting without interruptions. It is just one of those weeks, isn’t it? He’s in tears now because I said, “I need some Mommy time.” I NEVER ask for that, really. (That’s true.)

So I’m publishing now, before anything else stops me!

You won’t believe this. I can’t post because I’m not connecting to our wireless. Really.

Have you ever had any crazy “no internet” moments?