Like Riding a Bike

I'm hoping it's that simple. Any time you stop doing something and then start trying, everyone always says "It's easy, it's like riding a bike." When's the last time you rode a bike? For me it's been longer than this blog has existed, and that's four years. So let me tell you that I'm nervous. I have thought about starting up numerous times. I sit and think about what I want to post and things I'd like to share my opinion on. I've been putting off starting again and I don't know why. Fear of not keeping up with it, again. Fear of no one ever reading it. Fear of having my thoughts and experiences out there for the world to see. Fear of people telling me to shut up. I can never seem to get out of my own head sometimes. I have great ideas, big projects and grand dreams that I'd love to complete but then like a goldfish with a shiny new rock, I lose focus. I've been told before that I have great work ethic, leadership and do good work but I struggle with time management. Duh! Have you met me?! Add "socializes too much" and that would be every report card I ever got in school. Always a problem with tons of solutions, none that work for me because they're not mine. It's time to fix that. You'd think that by early 30's there'd be certain aspects in life that I'd improve on. Time management in not one of those. I still wait til the night before Christmas to wrap gifts, the hour before leaving town to pack a bag or start vacuuming 10 minutes before people show up. Some might say that I have a case of "procrastination" but I don't like that word so I don't use it. "Time Management Avoidance" sounds a little better so that's what we;re going with.

My vow: To be better. To leave a better trail of advice and antics that come from living my life. To have something to look back and laugh at, enjoy and remember.

So here it goes....

The First Step

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I want my blog to be. I started it with the intentions of just being a way to keep friends and family updated on our lives without having to write or call everyone individually. Three and half years ago I thought I'd update it every week with wonderful stories about how it was being a new mom with a perfect baby and a fairytale life. And then the next day came. And the next. And the next.
What no one told me was that life gets in the way, EVERY DAY! Being married was hard and when I finally got that one figured out I threw motherhood into the mix. That's when I learned what "hard" really was. I LOVE my life, as you will all learn to know, but there are days when I want to quit, throw in the towel and walk away. Be honest, you probably have too! Is it all worth it in the end? ABSOLUTELY! Every bit of hard work that goes into everything I do is always worth it whether I know it in that moment or not.
So I've realized, I don't want this blog to just be an update on my family every week, or month. I want it to be a chronicle of my journey through my family, my life and the experience I have of learning who I am. With that, we'll take the first step...

New Season, New Changes

I absolutely LOVE the fall! With the chznging of the season I'm going to be changing a lot in our life as well. New look to the blog, back on twitter, new home changes, maybe even a new look! I'm excited for the chance to be able to shake things up a bit. Hope you continue to love me along the way. If not, maybe you can check back in around winter...we all know my OCD/ADD habits will change by then!

Summer Fun

Wow...a month already? It's amazing how life can go by so fast at some times and so slow at others. The past month has been full of hot summer weather, stuffy noses, sleepless nights and yet we still have found time to have great times with wonderful friends!One of the things I have loved about living in the Willamette Valley and especially in Yamhill County is that there is always something to do. Sometimes you just have to find it. Lately our saving grace has been a wonderful swimming hole that is locally called The Donkey Ponds. We love this place! The waters are slow moving and shallow enough that both of the Things can play in the waters edge with no worries. We have enjoyed this little oasis so much that we wanted to share our fun times with good friends. It the days that we have together, watching our kids play that makes leaving here so much harder.... 

Normal boys eat rocks right?

These are not our dogs, Marley just makes random friends!

Friendships that will withstand the distance!

Kid Corral

Friends Are NOT a Dime a Dozen

 It's not as easy to make friends as an adult as it was as a kid. The girl can walk up to another kid on the playground and say "I like the slide" and the next thing you know, they're chasing each other around and laughing like crazy. As a grown woman, I can't exactly walk up to another lady at the grocery store and say "I like tomatoes, want to be my friend?" Or can I? Before I had kids I had great friends, great hobbies and a great figure. Then my time started to slowly get consumed by the baby. Then there were 2 babies. I still have great friends, I forgot my hobbies and my figure....that's another place at another time!
Since moving to McMinnville, I've made some great friends and learned some great lessons. Not only about gardening, organic foods, and different parenting styles but about who I am, the kind of mother I want to be and to forgive myself for not being perfect. I've learned how to slow down and relax. Being able to step back and see life from a new view point has given me the ability to fall in love with my kids all over again. Not that I didn't love them already, but I think that there are times in life when focus isn't always in the right place.  
I've been super lucky to be a part of a great community of people who are supportive parents, friends and neighbors. There's been many of times that I have been helped and helped others with things that most would take for granted. Whether it be a ride, garden veggies, clothes, or just a ear to listen...I will never forget the wonderful group of women that have come into my life this past 18 months!

XO to you all!

A Beautiful Mind...ala Marley

Daddy

Mommy

 I love that Marley is learning so much so fast. Well, not everything. I hate that she can get past the freezer and cabinet locks, that she knows how to get out a DVD, put it in the Xbox and turn it on. I hate that she tries to help me do the laundry by getting everyone's socks out of the drawers and puts them in the washer as it's filling up. What I do love is that her speech is clearer and in more complete sentences, she can dress herself from head to toe (sometimes very interestingly) and that she's drawing pictures of everyone she loves. Man I love this girl!

Snazzy Outfit! I love the striped socks with clear sandals

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Lions & Tigers & Bears? Nope, try Draft Horses, Goats & Bunnies

We did it. We braved our first fair since having the Things. As we climbed into the truck for a long journey home from the Washington County fair Matt looked at me and said "Thank God that's over!" Really? I was tickled pink with glee, and sun, that it went so well. He was shocked at my happiness. Yeah lunch was $30 for 2 sandwiches, 2 hot dogs and 2 drinks BUT no one got hurt, no big fits were thrown, we avoided all rides (the boy is three inches too short), and we never lost a child. I'd say that's a success! The longest part of our fair visit, other that trying to convince both kids to eat without bothering the couple at the end of our shared picnic bench, was the livestock. Man I LOVE the 4H and FFA kids! Marley was in heaven looking at all the animals and wanted to touch every one of them. With the exception of sheep, apparently they're scary. Cows, goats, pigs, bunnies...you name it and my kids were hands on. When we came to the Draft Horses I was quickly thrown into a panic as my 39" daughter took off running for the legs of one of the largest horses I've ever seen. Ever. She was quickly scooped up by a 4H teen boy and put back outside of the rope that clearly said "Stay Behind". (Two thoughts: Shouldn't a 3yo be able to read?, and Man, where are that kid's parents!) That young man was my hero for the day. I hope that the Things' passion and love for animals will continue to grow and I love that my kids are so in love with most animals but unfortunately in order to accommodate all their requests, I'm going to have to buy a zoo. Or move in with Jack Hannah.