The Real Reason(s) I Haven't Been Blogging.

Goodbye Wyoming

So you know how I promised an overload of blog posts?  Yeah... that didn't happen, and now our Summer in Jackson is over. Seriously, where did the time go?!

I've got a TON of pictures from the Summer and to be honest, it's a little overwhelming when I think of catching up now, so I'm just going to give excuses instead.

Biggest excuse:  I'm pregnant!

That's a sufficient excuse don't you think?  I went through my whole first trimester and then some during the summer. If I had any down time I was sleeping or eating and trying not to be sick.

Of course, I was still able to read a few books... so next excuse: The hard drive on my husband's laptop was too full to download many pictures, or else he had it with him at work so I had no way to blog... yeah.

Okay, my excuses are getting lamer.

Last but not least, the lamest one of all:  I just wasn't feeling it.

Do you ever feel that way? Maybe I'll start feeling like blogging more now that we're back in Idaho (oh yeah, did I mention this was move number 17 for us?), although I still have the problem that the laptop is still unavailable most of the day (that's why there's no pictures of the ultrasound --that and they were terrible pictures that made the baby look like an alien.  Did I mention it's another BOY? Oh, and I'm due mid-January).

Anyway, you didn't really want to hear about how sick and boring I was all Summer, and how I have placenta previa so I'm not allowed to lift more than 10 lbs (including the two-year-old who apparently doesn't agree with the Dr.'s advice), and then my husband hurt his back two weeks ago and could barely bend over, and how horrible those two things made the move this time around, and how when we did move in we had no electricity and had to rely on the goodness of nearby family members and friends help us and take us in for a few days...  But then again, maybe you DID want to hear about how blessed we were to have friends and family members nearby to help us, and how we got to learn a little humility, and when we asked for help help came, and how despite some complications the baby is fine and healthy, and the boys still think they had a stellar Summer despite my lack of energy and oversight (actually that's probably why they had a great time, they got away with murder this Summer because I was too busy lying on the couch to make sure they stayed out of trouble), and how, miraculously, we were still able to get out and do a few really fun things as a family.

Perhaps I will get around to posting a few top pictures from this Summer after all, and maybe even a few lists of their shenanigans, but no promises --I know myself too well.

Well, I guess that's it. I just thought I'd let you all know that I'm still alive.

Stuff

You know, stuff happens. 

It may be of our own causing, it may be someone else's fault.  Sometimes it's not anyone's fault at all.

With the very best of intentions, we try to fix it --attempting to put things right;  

yet often, despite our greatest efforts, the results are just not good enough.

C'mon though, we're all just doing the best we know how.  

Let's give each other a break.

What I would do if I had 5 hours to myself, ...and the house was already clean:

... oh yeah, and I had gotten a full night's sleep. (Is that too much to ask?)

(stipulations include things like, no use of technological devices except maybe  for "how to"s and recipes (--aka no social stuff or blog browsing), this is all stuff I could do without having to leave the house (except for the DI run) --we're just assuming that I already have all the ingredients/materials on hand, and finally that I am not allowed to feel any guilt about neglecting my family.

What I should do:

-Cook freezer meals for the next two weeks.
-File the important documents into a easy to carry folder to be put near our 72 hour kits.
-Assemble 72 hour kits.
-Sort the kid's 'too-small' clothes into boxes for storage (and actually put them in storage, not a heaping pile of boxes in my room).
-Make homemade laundry detergent and homemade baby wipes.
-Organize the closets/garage/drawers and make a DI run.
-Make a quiet-activity bag to keep my kids happy at church/on Sundays/during quiet time.
-Make more lists and plans.

What I would like to do:

-Play the piano, perhaps make another CD for my parents.
-Write in my journal.
-Read a book from beginning to end.
-Soak in a hot bath, give myself a facial, cucumbers and all, and top it off with a pedicure and perhaps a manicure as well.
-Try something new, like painting with watercolors, or making jewelry or something.
-Get crafty, and try a bunch of things I've seen on pinterest.

What I would do if I ever followed through with my good intentions:

-Write thank you notes to people.
-Email each of my siblings separately -not a form letter.
-Print out pictures of my family and frame them to hang on the wall (and to give copies to the grandparents).
-Make birthday cards for all my extended family for the rest of the year (and actually mail them)


Okay, so if I thought about it long enough, I could probably come up with more amazing things, but I can't, so there you have it.

Gosh I'm boring.

By the way, we lost our camera, so no picture today (we won't mention the fact that I could use an old photo from my computer... I'm feeling lazy).    Luckily our tax return will furnish us with a new one, and I am super excited. More about that later.