Let it Be

Hi! Okay, so I'm back after my first day of making my blog more public. It was a lot of fun yesterday to read all the supportive comments! So much so that now I don't really know what to follow up with. Ha! I know a blog doesn't have to go in a sequence or anything, and believe me, mine probably won't. However, I was thinking about the sentences I wrote yesterday of someone who does it all, and that I may work towards achieving that for someday. Well, that just got me to thinking of how much pressure we put on ourselves to do it all. "We" as in women. Don't get me wrong, guys do their part too. I am not going to man bash on here or anything. It's just in general, women tend to juggle more and then analyze their juggling. I don't hear many men say "I feel I can't keep up with everything". I really don't see men give much thought into analyzing anything they do for that matter. They just do something or they don't. It's probably why men and women balance each other out nicely. Before I go all Carrie Bradshaw on you, let me continue...

So I decided I am going to post something as I said I would. I am not a Type "A" personality. I am not going to stress over what to write today....just keep my word in posting something. So often I hear people brag if they or someone they know is a Type A personality. Then, I hear people say....well, like I myself just did...."I am not a Type A personality" or "so-and-so is not an A personality". Since when does everything have to be compared to the "A's"? I really thought I was going to get on here and just write that here is my post and I am proud to be a Type B personality. So I looked up the definition to give my post some oomph. Haha! Here is what answers.com defined a Type B personality as......"A form of behavior associated with people who appear free of hostility and aggression and who lack a compulsion to meet deadlines, are not highly competitive at work or play, and have a lower risk of heart attack." Well, good, I thought! Digging further I read that B types are also major socializers and need to be the center of attention and not spend time alone. This is so not me! I like to hang out with people, but I would not say I am a go out and do stuff with others all the time kind of person. Anyways, in my research (starting to sound a little "A" here), I found that there are Type C people as well. They are detail oriented. Also, Type D people who seem to always be distressed. What the heck! I don't think anyone is defined solely by these traits. I think I'm just going to wrap this one up today and let it b! :)

One Thing at a Time

Awesome. Day two in my week back into blogging and I'm a no-show. Ha! I should have known better. I challenged myself to write at least something each day, and I already goofed that up. Oh well! I was too busy yesterday. Too busy taking a trip down memory lane! I posted a ton of old dance pics on Facebook. Memories started coming back throughout the day as people starting commenting on them. I've got to say Facebook can be fun. I know some people think it's silly or a little self centered. I guess the same can be true for a blog, huh? Although, I think it is really all just in the way you look at it. Who says we can't be silly and fill people in on what we've been up to? The only thing that bugs me about others on Facebook is when all they do is post complaints or display only glamour shots of themselves as profile pics all the time. Occasional glamour shots are okay with me. ;) Other than those things, it's one of the greatest inventions ever. I know I really enjoy keeping up with all those I have met over the years. It would be impossible to pick up the phone and/or visit everyone and still keep up with my very own life! I have laundry to do people! Along with a house to clean and a toddler to chase, I can't even even keep up on my own blog. Haha! Well, truth be told, again that is because I was on Facebook. However, my child was napping and it was something fun for me to do in my spare time.

Okay, so enough with the excuses of what I was doing yesterday. Today I am back. Back on the old blog. Something that has been on my mind lately....how do you (meaning anyone) keep up with it all? I don't think anyone ever truly can. If your house is spotless and every article of clothing is clean.....you either are paying someone to do it for you or some other area in your life is not getting as much of your time. I seriously would love to know how some people do their daily routine. You know the ones. The mothers of 3 or 4 kids who have clean houses, in-shape bodies, well-adjusted socially and active children, fabulous dinners on the table, while working a full-time job outside the home along with being a full-time mother (every mother is), and obtaining that extra degree in something on the side when they are not tending to their hobby. I should add while keeping all their relationships with others and sanity intact. Oh, there are some out there who seem to pull it off. I am not there...yet. Maybe someday, right? It is something to work towards. That is something I love about reading others' blogs. It gives you insight into their lives. Other ways of doing things. New ideas. I pick up everything from recipes, to websites to check out, parenting ideas, funny stories, a little venting to see that people are still normal, to the "latest thing" which is apparently laundry balls. Yes, laundry balls. Thanks Stacia! I'm going to check it out! Apparently you never have to buy dryer sheets again, etc.

Okay, back on track! You get where I'm going with this. We can all learn a lot from one another. I feel like I am rambling again a bit. Where I am going with all this is....we all have a lot to do... and a lot we want to do. Not only are we trying to get it all done, we try to record it too, right? Scrapbooking, photo albums, journals.....it can all be overwhelming. Well, I found this "new thing" myself. It's a little journal called "One Line a Day". A journal where there is one calendar day on each page with 5 sections of lines. You write down one line for the day. Now, I'm using this a kid memento thing. Something Blake did, said, etc. When you fill your year, you start over. Thus, having 5 years of what occurred on that same date on each page. Cool, huh? I got mine on Amazon.com. I also got one for Chad too in a more simple manly color. I figure he can do the same...from the dad's viewpoint. He can then take it with him when he leaves for work. Maybe he can say what he did that day, or a letter he will get from Blake, a video he will see of her, etc. Ta-da!!! I am blogging and letting you all know of something new and cool myself! Oh, and you don't have to have kids to do this one. I figure everyone can jot down an "up" or something from their day. Okay, enough plugging a product. I really do have laundry (pre-laundry balls) and stuff like that to tend to. No one gets it all done while living on the computer! Toodles! Oh, and I really plan on being back tomorrow...even if it's just one line for the day! ;)

The Secret of Life

Alright, it's Monday, and here I go back to blogging! I'll admit I was a little stumped on what to write, and also overwhelmed with lots of topics as possibilities. Do I recap what we've been doing lately? Do I just pick up from here? Well, these days have been a mix of both ups and downs. I guess life has a funny way of doing that, huh? I've decided I am going to highlight the "ups". Yesterday was a wonderful "up" day for our family. We started out with pancakes for breakfast. Always an up. I love lazy Sunday mornings. No rush to be anywhere, and a whole day to spend as a family.

In the the afternoon, we went to the Fresno zoo. Wow! We all had so much fun! It was a sunny day and still cool enough to see active animals in each exhibit. No animal was just laying there trying to beat the heat. It was like a little show was being put on for just us wherever we went. We saw the the whole sha-bang of zoo animals. There was a mommy orangutan with her baby clutching onto her. We got to feed little branches to a big giraffe. Sea lions met us on the other side of their fence and had a few things to say to us. This was by far our favorite moment of the day...not Blake's though. She did not like their barking or the way they looked. Chad tried to tell her "Mr. Seal is nice. He is just saying hi." However, Blake shook her head in a "no" and wanted away from him, saying "no, sorry, Mister Seal". Adorable!

We came home to a great dinner (I must say I occasionally impress myself). Blake went right to sleep after an eventful day. Chad and I finished our 4 day game of Axis and Allies. Yes, I said 4 day. He wanted me to learn this board game. I am not great at it. I would not say I love the game. However, it was something new for us to do together. Last night we also figured out how to listen to a playlist on our TV while it displayed random pics from our photo library. While finishing the game and sipping wine, we watched everything roll up the screen. Everything including us before we were parents, to life with baby, to moments with a toddler, relative visits with those still with us and those no longer here, vacations, lazy mornings in our pj's, different houses, different cities, puppy pics, dog pics, car pics, flying jet pics, snow falling, flowers blooming, and the list goes on.

It totally reminded me of one of my favorite James Taylor songs called "The Secret O' Life".
"......The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time . Any fool can do it. There ain't nothing to it. Nobody knows how we got to the top of the hill, but since we're on our way down, we might as well enjoy the ride......Isn't it a lovely ride. Oh, my my yes. See me sliding down and gliding down. Oh. Try not to try too hard. It's just a lovely ride....."

While reflecting over the pics of our life together, and taking the time to enjoy the moments of the day, I felt I was enjoying the secret of life indeed. Blog post complete. Maybe a little rambling....maybe a little deep....but first blog post back complete.
A full cup today. :)

Wait for the Whistle....

Okay, so the thought of becoming more of a "blogger" has been stirring around in my head. I started and then stopped so quickly last summer. I love reading my friends' blogs, so why not jump back into it? I have a voice too. It's great to read others thoughts, opinions, happenings, ideas......but I think I am ready to do this again myself. Yes, life is busy. Always. So I am putting my "T kettle" back on the stove people!:) I'm just warming it up right now. I'm easing back in. No need to make promises I can't keep. So starting Monday, the kettle will start to whistle....for one week I am going to post something. Even if it is just during five minutes of Blake's nap. Something will be on "my blog". Serving up my daily cup of "T"....whether it's a full cup, a half cup, or simply a drop. This is one challenge I think I can do. See you on Monday!