It was tough to narrow down all my Blissdom photos to just one per day. I wish I could say that about the rest of the week. I completely, totally missed Monday—I was still in mourning. I questioned myself all week about how to order the photos after that. Do I skip number 39 or just keep number until I get to 365? I decided to go with good enough—otherwise, this project could last forever.
Day 33: Indiana (Yes, I forgot to take a picture again.)
Day 34: Road Trip to Bliss
Day 35: My Roomie at Blissful Bites & Bubbles
Day 36: HCJ’s smile is pure bliss!
Day 37: I love this gal!
Day 38: Go Colts!
Day 40: The girls’ poor, little snowman
Day 41: Yet another pet pic because everyone was sleeping.
Day 42: My Personal Bliss (Subtitle: Depth of field experiment – my 1st manual mode photo)
Okay, so we’re 2 weeks into the year and I’m already forgetting to take pictures. This week’s Project 365 turned into Sokol Family Nightlife since I would panic somewhere between 8 and 10 pm that I forgot to take a picture!
Day 6: You’re growing up, girl.
Day 7: Someone is way too excited about the cold, wet stuff.
Day 8: New jammies for her big, birthday slumber party.
Day 9: Next year? A baker’s dozen!
Day 10: Crap – the kids are all asleep. Where’s the dog?
Day 11: Quick – I need a picture before midnight!
Day 12: *Who’s* not a cat person?!
Day 13: I’m going to be a Brownie girl when I grow up!
I was going to do a 2009 Recap for Wordless Wednesday. I wanted to share an awesome picture that captured each month. It fits into the 365 Challenge I’ve accepted for 2010, though, so it will have to wait until next year. In sifting through our photo archives, I realized this year will go down in history as the year of the hats (and other impressive head wear). I present to you my photographic evidence:
The first time I saw Red Chair Confessions was over at Chic Shopper Chick. Erika was convinced her first confession was about shopping. I mean, she looked good—very high fashion (but I’m absolutely sure it was done on a budget; she looks smart, right?)! By the second video, I was starting to think the same thing—this chick has a serious shopping problem. I hope she lets us in on her great scores soon.
We will finally get the big reveal next week, but until then it’s fun to speculate! And, even more fun to reveal a few confessions of your own. Confessing is good for the soul so here goes…
Confession #1: I shared this dirty little secret yesterday on Twitter. I don’t do it all the time. We all know that rampant misuse and abuse of anything is bad. I try to keep it in its proper place. I only do it when I can find just the right circumstance. I <3 Comic Sans. There, I said it.
Confession #2: This one is probably no secret, but admitting you have a problem is the first step. Hi, my name is Heather and I am addicted to Reese’s peanut butter holiday shapes. The eggs are by far the best, but it’s been a long hard 6 months since Easter. I snatched the first bag of pumpkins I could find. Without checking the price! And they are amazing! In fact, I’m thinking about having my next fix right now.
Confession #3: I watch a lot of television. A lot. That probably isn’t a unique confession, but my problem is that I am addicted to the DVR. I don’t watch anything live. Ever. This year, we don’t have cable. It will be interesting to see what place t.v. can play in my life now that I have to pay attention to schedules. I’m used to letting my shows fit into my own schedule and I’m seriously thinking about how to fit my schedule into my favorites. I think Hulu may just be my next addiction.
Okay, your turn! Fess up—what are your true confessions? What do you think the Red Chair mom is confessing?
My friend Liz participates in Friday Fragments hosted by Mrs.4444—it sounds a lot like an old school backlog bulletfest, but I’m giving it a try today. I started out with the intention of random bullet points, but it turned into more of a free write a la Ordinary & Awesome. I’m going with it, partly because I’m too sick to think of anything better and partly because it gives me something to do while I procrastinate the laundry.
We leave today for 3 days in my hometown. I’m part excited, part ambivalent and part dreading it. It will be a tight squeeze at my parents’ house with all the sibs in town, but that’s the part I’m excited about—it’s been awhile since all 4 of us were in town at the same time. There’s a big extended family shindig, though, and I’m not so excited about that. I think there comes a time when you have to realize your extended family is now your siblings, their spouses and children—not the aunts, uncles, cousins and numerous other people you barely recognize anymore. Those are better relegated to a once per year family reunion.
On the other hand, I couldn’t be more excited about the family reunion I’m planning for my other extended family. Maybe that’s because I really haven’t seen some of them in yeas (love you, girl—can’t wait to meet your kids!) or maybe it’s just because I like them better. Or, maybe I like them better because I’m not forced to give up my rare weekends home to spend time with the whole lot every visit. Regardless, the family reunion will be fun and my brother, who claimed he wasn’t coming, is being forced to attend my his wife (loving my SIL more and more each year!).
It is apparently the season for extended family get togethers. In October, we’ll be heading to North Carolina for a weekend wedding. My in-law issues are no secret so I’m sure it is not surprise to anyone that I am dreading this trip. Not only do I have to stay the weekend in my mother-in-law’s town, but I have to spend a fortune for a trip that won’t be the least bit enjoyable. If I’m going to get in a car, drive 8 hours with 3 kids and spend money on a hotel, there should be some semblance of vacation. Instead, we’ll arrive at our hotel just in time for bedtime, spend Saturday dealing with the wedding and—Lord help me—his mother, then spend Sunday at yet another family thing before heading home because Spencer has crappy vacation time.
I dream of a family vacation that I know will never happen. We don’t have the money, we don’t have the time and we don’t have the same goals if we ever crossed those two barriers. I want to see my little girls face light up at Cinderella’s castle before she’s too old to appreciate the magic. I want to see my princess decked out for a dinner inside that same castle. I want to spend some time with my preteen before she’s too cool to enjoy family vacations. I worry the time has already passed us by. Our last vacation was 5 years and 1 kid ago, spent with my family and paid for by my mother. The one before that was split half at Disney and half with my parents at the beach—because it was all we could afford. Never have we taken off, just the 5 of us, and enjoyed even a weekend away.
This free write took a much different turn than I had anticipated and I now sit here in tears. It’s all slipping by me faster than I can enjoy it. We’re always so caught up in getting through the days that there seem to be very few memories to catalog in the scrapbook. Where is the extraordinary for my children to look back on and say “Remember when we…?” Will they understand and appreciate that we gave it all up to pay for their education instead? Or will they resent us for working so hard that they have no summer vacation stories to report on the first day of school?
I don’t regret my decision in the least. There are no other educational options for my girls. The public school isn’t healthy for them, I would not make a good teacher to them and parochial options are just not something we’d consider. They are where they need to be, but the sacrifice is great. We don’t take vacations, we don’t eat out and can barely afford the month date night needed to maintain our marriage. Part of it is a lack of planning. We weren’t so good with money when we first got together and we still pay for our mistakes. We’re learning to budget better, making hard choices about what is and isn’t important and trying to establish some actual financial goals.
I’m also building a business, making an effort to increase our income but spending money along the way. I think we’re doing fabulous things there. It has great potential. It’s just going to take time to build the traffic we need for people to see how truly awesome it is. Time—isn’t that what everything needs? Just a little more time, a little more patience. Patience is not one of my virtues!
Laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, carpool…Life is often about to-do lists and mundane tasks, but everyone has another list. A list in the back of their minds of things they would do someday, if only they had the time. Or, if money weren’t so tight. Or, when the kids get older. Yet, someday never comes. The excuses continue, and the things on our most important list never get accomplished.
Life is passing us by while we make the list of chores and obligations. I am excited to announce the launch of my latest project! Someday I Want is about experiences, not tasks. This site is permission to think about your own personal to-do list. Write down the things you’ve always wanted to do and start crossing them off. We’ll be there, encouraging you along the way.
At Someday I Want, you have the opportunity to connect with others who share your dreams. Pair your talents, skills and resources with those who need your help to attain their life goals. Learn about people who have already accomplished things you’ve always wanted to try. Make a list, make some friends and start making memories.
It’s your life and it’s time to enjoy it, one list at a time.
Yesterday, my oldest daughter entered into the world of double digits! We celebrated her birthday with a Webkinz gaming party and sleepover, which were both pretty kick ass if I do say so myself. I did, however, learn that my party planning skills have suddenly morphed from awesome to dorky & lame. I don’t know what happened to me. I used to be so cool.
Yesterday was also the day that my girls and I officially became a story problem. I am 3 times older than Stacia who is twice as old as Brenia and 5 times older than Lorelai. I’m guessing the fact that I figured all that out and found it entertaining has something to do with my dork quotient.
