For now...

I don't know if anyone is still around, but I'm going to have to extend the blogging break. I may post the occasional post and I'll post sometimes over at my homesteading blog, but for right now I need to focus on my family and writing.

Thanks for understanding.

Um....

I'm not going to lie. Between a 7 month old, my six year old regressing, cold and flu season, a mess of a kitchen, and being so, so tired, and so far behind I have to simplify. I'll be taking a blogging break through March and April. Hopefully by then I'll be caught up, or at least dealing with it.

Have a wonderful spring, go outside and enjoy and I'll see you in May!

bait and click

I've posted over at my other blog today so if you want to see what's been happening in my life lately you'll have to click on over. 

Hope you're all having a nice day!

Only be me

Recently my wonderful and beloved mother made a comment. She had heard of a family tradition another family had around Christmas. She apologized that she had never done anything ‘creative’ like that. Then she said “I guess I can only be me.”

I can easily dispute the first part of her comment. We may not have had that same family tradition as the other family but my mother has always encouraged creativity. She baked with us. Bread, cookies, dinners. I was cooking by myself in grade school. Every Christmas-eve morning we made Christmas tarts as a family. As a parent I can’t imagine it was pleasant or fun for my mom and dad as we all ran around hopped up on sugar and adrenaline and ‘helped’ them.

She taught us to sew. Crochet, knitting, tatting, cross stitch and quilting. I designed and made my own outfit and wore it to church when I was 10. All because she taught and encouraged me.

We always had papers, crayons, pencils, and even markers and paint, which I won’t let my kids touch, with which to draw and write. Every Halloween our masterpieces of haunted houses and spooky cats hung all over the house. Not only did she encourage it, she celebrated it. She let us find our own talents, our own preferences, then let us loose to do our own thing.

Regarding the second part, in her infinite wisdom, my mom got down to what was most important. We can only be ourselves. It’s so easy for us to compare to others. I had hoped I’d grow out of it someday but it appears we may always be doing it. The thing is, I can’t imagine my mother being different. There’s no way she could be better, and if she had been different, I would be different.

Like my mom, I, too, need to accept that I can only be me, and be happy about that. Stop worrying that I’m not enough, that I should be doing more, different.

Because all I can be is me, and that is plenty good. 

waiting

I thought I would have an announcement (not writing related) last week, but we're still waiting.

Waiting is more a part of my life than I ever could have expected. I remmeber as a child, waiting on my parents to stop talking/shopping/looking/whatever; and thinking, I'll never wait when I grow up. I'll be in charge.

I'll pause so you can all laugh.

How to wait was one of the most important skills my parent's taught me. I hope I'm passing it on to my children. There is so much of life that we have no control over. So much we have to 'wait and see'. There's a lot of living to be done while we're waiting on things, but the waiting is always there, hanging over us. 

Hopefully, answers will be given soon, but, until then, I'll be here at my computer, writing and waiting.

Happy New Year!

I know I'm a little late but I hope your new year is kicking of to a great start.

I'm not one for new years resolutions. I have goals I'm working on continually and don't need added pressure to come up with something else to feel guilty over, but I hope that everyone's year will be a productive and happy one. 

Kids finally went back to school today. Since my computer is in the middle (literally) of the main living space it’s just easier to blog when they’re gone. We had a great break but I’m looking forward to a regular schedule again.  My writing mojo is high, I love my book, and I’m ready to work. 

How was your break? Did you get some rest and are ready to work or did you come back needing a vacation?

Happy Holidays

I hope all of you are having a wonderful end of the year season. We had a great Thanksgiving with family and are now hunkering down for our first Christmas in our new home. I've already picked out the tree we'll cut down. In order to make this month all about family I'm taking a blogging break through the end of the year.

I hope you all have happy holidays!