On my mind

My friend Jen, who was my BFF from ages 4-13 or so, had a great post recently that inspired me to record a few of my thoughts.  Her blog is private but it is a darn shame that you can't have a peek because she is a true blogging artist, is way good at photoshop, so beautiful, and has an amazing family.  So anyway, I wanted to just jot down a few things that have been on my mind lately.  Nothing spectacular but I need to be better about recording the mundane happenings as well as our travels and big events.

* I have begun to learn about empathy.  Back when I had just had my first child, I had a friend that I worked with in a church calling.  She had four kids at the time, a nice house, and I really looked up to her.  But I always noticed that every time I went to see her, it was mostly clean....... all except for her wood floors.  They were always in need of some attention from a broom and mop.  I naively wondered why this was always the only thing left undone in her seemingly perfect life.  Now, I SO get it.  Now that we have had our fourth, I have just realized that there are some things that I just have to let go and not think about.  And guess what, usually the thing that I can't quite get to is..........drumroll please,  my floors.  So, if you visit our home and are wondering the same thing that I used to, just know that for my sanity and good health, I am not worried about the floor.  But, if you have four kids too and your house is perfect and shiny (I am talking to you, Tonya) then just don't judge me, OK?  

*  Another thing I have learned about empathy.  I used to not understand how people could not make time to exercise at some point during the day.  I prided myself on waking up early to go running or squeezing a quick workout in during naptime.  Now, I still care about how I look and I am looking forward to losing these last 15 lbs but I am learning about priorities.  I used to insist on a little "me" time every day but now there doesn't seem to be enough of "me" to even go around to each of my kids, my house, bills, laundry, sleep, much less to take off and actually go on a run by myself when I have so many things to do.  I am actually proud of myself for being patient this time around and not feeling bad for not getting back to normal as quickly as I have before.  

*  I LOVE fall.  It is by far my favorite season of the year.  I love the cool crisp weather, the colors of the changing leaves, and I love to decorate my home for this season.  I put everything up the first week of September and don't take it down until after Thanksgiving.  After that, Christmas decor just stresses me out because by the time you get it up, it is almost time to take it down.  Also, I love pumpkins and the color orange.  Every year I am consumed with the desire to paint my kitchen orange to go with my fall decorations.  Help me! 

 I found this fabric and might just have to do something with it.  Seriously.  Will I hate it by the time April comes around?

*  I am trying to be more disciplined with the time I spend blogging.  For me, it is almost like having a bowl of chocolates sitting on the counter.  Always tempting to have just one or read just one craft/friend blog but before I know it, I have had five or spent an hour reading about people I don't know or checking out cool projects instead of working on my own.

*  I have put off getting my food storage in order for far too long.  It stresses me out.  Where do I start?  How do I organize it?  What do I buy first?  It is one of those things that I just need to make a plan and stick to it because it is so overwhelming to try to think of all the details.

*  We have a nice piano.  My kids have had lessons and have shown a lot of promise musically but they have also gone through 3 teachers in the last two years due to moves and other stuff.  Now we are again without a teacher and I don't know what to do.  Have I sabotaged their musical future?  How on earth do I fit in music lessons and daily practice with homework, sports, daily conditioning and just being a kid?   And how do I justify paying for lessons if we don't have time to practice and it becomes a big guilt trip every time I have to tell the teacher why their scales and songs aren't up to par?

*  Is it OK that I am letting my 9 year old son read Harry Potter?  I know everyone says that it is harmless but I freak myself out imagining him suddenly going goth or getting into weird magic stuff.  I am reading them with him but I am already behind and need to catch up so that I know what he is reading.  

*  Why are little girls so catty?  I don't remember being catty until at least junior high and the things Emma tells me about the other girls at school are making me nervous.  Serious attitude issues going on.  It makes me want to encourage her to be a tomboy, not comb her hair, and never care about boys.  

*  Why didn't anyone ever tell me about Project Runway?  It is my new favorite show.  I am tivoing it and have no idea what season I am even watching but it rocks.  

*  There is this new Yoplait smoothie mix at Costco that I am addicted to.  I have had one everyday so far this week.

*  I ran into a friend at the grocery store yesterday with my cart full of um, bad food.  I would just like to clarify that the bottom half of my cart was full of healthy produce and whole grains.  And all that bad packaged stuff is for my kids' lunches.......more specifically, Jordan's lunches.  That sounds bad, I know but we are trying to fatten him up.  Like I would EVER be eating Cheetos, Halloween candy, and donut holes.  As if!

*  Having my little meatball, Eli, around makes me so happy.  He is so chill and happy all of the time that I don't want him to grow up.  He started rolling over this week and as exciting as it is, it just moves him one step closer to talking back and throwing temper tantrums.  I always thought I would feel a sense of relief when I had my last baby but I feel sad that these things are firsts for him and lasts for me.  Silly, I know.  Maybe if he had colic or was really fussy I would feel differently and want him to grow up.

*  I am feeling a little apathetic about this upcoming election.  So many empty promises for change and so many jabs at candidates, their views, their pasts, their families, etc.  I just get tired of hearing all of it.

*  I need to go to bed earlier.  I haven't been to bed before midnight in a very long time.  I know I would be a lot more productive if I could even push it back to 11 or 11:30.  I am not 18 anymore but it is a habit I haven't ever been able to break.

So that's it.  Nothing very exciting or interesting but its what I have been thinking about today.