Getting Real

So again... I have been missing for a month!

I got to thinking about it this evening and I really have no reason other then I am exhausted!!

I have time to blog in the evening and (sometimes) at nap time. But honestly I am exhausted.

Being a mom of 4 young kids is not easy work.

It is:

2am feedings

5:30 wake up calls

Breakfast for a mini army

Cleaning, dressing and grooming everyone

2hrs & over 80 miles in the car for drop off/pick ups

A dozen or so diaper changes

Correcting, encouraging, teaching in everything we do

Attempting to keep my cool

Rocking, nursing, praying for nap time

Never ending cleaning, sweeping, picking up

Laundry and laundry

Kissing boo boos, wiping noses, breathing treatments

Entertaining and story time

Preparing lunch, snacks and treats

Discipline, time outs, frustration

Homework, puzzle making, swing pushing

NOISY

Evening melt downs

Double recipe dinners

Assembly line baths

Snuggle rotations

And if I am lucky, a few minutes with Daddy before we both pass out.

Let me be clear... I am NOT complaining. I love staying home with my kids, we make a lot of sacrifices so that I can be the one to raise them. But it is an exhausting job. And the sleep deprivation and consistent mental and physical exertion is finally catching up to me!

So in my "free time", I try to recoup and reenergize for whatever is coming next. And even then my mind goes to the million worries and thoughts of the day.

But, I miss blogging. I remember it being therapeutic to look back on the day. Blogging brings out the good parts of our days and reminds me that there is a bigger picture. It also helps me remember our days... Yes, it's sad that I have to be reminded of our days. But honestly, our life is racing by in a blur lately!

So here I go again... No promises and no plans. Just a single statement.

I am going to blog again:)

Have You Missed Us?

3 Month!! 

That's how long its been since my last post...

Life has been flying by us and I haven't had much time to sit and think, let alone blog.

But I have missed blogging and I have missed putting our memories down somewhere I can look back at one day.

So I am back!  And I have a lot of catching up to do... so hold on:)

To kick things off, how about 3 months worth of phone pics!

 

 

SunShine Blogger Award

 

Yay, my very first blogger award:)

This was given to me by the lovely Miss Angela over at The Harmon Baby Farm. 

Funny story... Angela and I met over 3 years ago at a play group, she ended up moving across country and we reconnected randomly in this bloggy universe!  Such a small world, even on the Internet!!

Anyways, she has a super cute blog and shares about her family and all their happenings... Go check her out!

 

So here are the award "rules":

1. Include this award logo in either your acceptance post or somewhere in your acceptance.
2. Answer 10 questions about yourself.
3. Pass the award onto 10-12 deserving bloggers.
4. Add a link on your post to all the talented winners and comment on their page to let them know they've been deemed amazing.
5. Thank the brilliant soul that recognized your talent and bestowed this wonderful award on you...and of course link back to them as well!
   

Here it goes:

 

1. If you could live anywhere, where would you live?

I don't know if there is a place like this out there, but here is my fantasy:)

A couple hundred acres of rolling hills somewhat close to the beach (pacific ocean... you can't take me away from the west coast).  I would want an old farm house as a home.  Cattle, barns, horses, gardens, ect.

So basically I just want more of what we already have!  Haha.  I love what we have going on already:)

 

2. If you could vacation anywhere, where would you go?

I guess it depends.

  If I was going to relax, I would want to go back to Maui.

If I was going to learn/explore, I would want to go on a very long European road trip.

 

3. What's your favorite part of blogging?

Sharing our lives with family and friends!

Also, it's nice to have our happenings all written down.  Then I will *hopefully* be able to look back and remember them better:)

 

4. Coffee or Hot Chocolate?

Coffee for sure!

 

5. What kind of coffee & what do you put in it?

At home ~ Any type of K-Cups with a splash of hazelnut creamer

At Starbucks ~ Hazelnut Latte

 

6. What do you do to relax?

Relax??  What's that?... I have 4 kids, there is not relaxing!

BUT, I do enjoy sewing and reading.

I also and really enjoying my runs!  I am crabby on the days I don't get to run:)

 

7. How do you keep calm in a stressful situation?

I don't!  Haha, I am a hot headed person!  I really should learn to relax, but usually someone gets an ear full:(

 

8. Beautiful skies or clear skies with stars?

I love overcast days and clear starry nights.

 

9. Dog, cat or fish?

Dogs!  Cats are stuck up and fish are pointless.

 

10. Which last name do you like better, your married or maiden?

Married for sure!  My maiden was hard to pronounce and long.

Plus, I am forever connected to Daddy and my kids with my married name!!

 

 

Passing it along:

1. Life on M Avenue

2. My Name is Momma

3. Don't Call Me Crunchy!

4. Mrs. Ringmaster

5. Boys, Toys, Chaos & Joys

6. I Wanna Feel That Fire...

7. My {Kind of} Life

8. Grits & Giggles

9. The Seeley Family

10. Life Is Good

 

Thanks again for this awesome award and I hope you all keep passing it along:)

 

 

Giveaway!

This is our very first giveaway!

So excited:)

Anyways, I mentioned last week that I have started making bows.

I thought it would be fun to give one away:)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Make Over~

The blog got a little make over today!

I updated some pictures and have a new button:)

Do you like the new look?

If you haven't already, can you like us on Facebook?

Also, if you are interested in swapping buttons, let me know!

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New Day ~ New Look ~ New Button

Here in Northern California, we have been having some VERY nice weather!  Our summer was mild and now our winter is too. 

Except for a storm that came through last weekend, we have had 65 degree and sunny days. 

It has made the "winter blues" easier to bear, and the short days go fast!

Today we spent the day playing outside on literally every inch of our property.  It was fun to just be outside with nothing to worry about or tend to.

I realized after uploading all these pictures, that I took NO pictures of Bubba Love or Buddy Boy.  They are always off doing there own thing, while Baby C follows me around.

I haven't introduced her yet... but here is the newest member of our animal family!

Xina...  She is a 2 year old Great Dane that needed a home.  She is super sweet and a perfect fit for our family.

Baby C is so pathetic!  And so cute!

If you didn't notice, I took made a few changes to the blog.  What do you think??

Have you grabbed my button yet?? 

If you do, let me know and I will be sure to grab yours:)

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First Year of Blogging

I have officially been blogging for a year, but if you haven't noticed already... I have been missing for the last 5 months!!!

Where have I been?? 

Well for starters, my laptop took a dump in June and I was without a computer for over 8 weeks.  Then I just got out of my blogging groove. 

I'm back though:)

I find that when I blog, I make everyday a little more special (so I have something to write about).  And I remember all the little special daily moments that makes being a stay-at-home-mom seem worth all the hard times.  

Yay!  I am looking forward to sharing our lives with you all again!