Getting sucked in the computer

I am realizing that this dag'on computer is just stealing my time away . . . oh wait, it's more like the operator who is stealing her own time away.

Case in point: I needed to renew my library book, online. I hop on here . . . oh, I need to check my email real quick . . . oh I have no email. You know why? Because I just checked it half an hour ago! OK, so now that I don't have email, I get on the internet and the home page loads up, but then somehow my brain got distracted and I forgot that I needed to renew my library book, and I have the sudden aversion to go to my most popular social networking site. FACEBOOK. It's like my hand automatically logins there. WOW. Someone please stop me.

So I'm reading all the new posts, looking at pictures, commenting here, there, everywhere.

The next thing I know, 30 minutes have gone by.

WOW.

I shut the computer down.

OH WAIT. I forgot to renew my library books.

Turn the computer back on.

And now I'm blogging about it. More time . . . .

But seriously . . . there were a few days that I actually took to stay away from the computer and it felt weird, but good. It's really strange how that social networking thing can pull you in. I sooooo love connecting with old friends and making new friends and catching up, though. So it's really something that I struggle with. I even have friends on there that I'd like to see come to my church on a regular basis . . . so I keep the communication open. A phone call can be so hard these days because my timing might not be the best for their perfect timing. Enter the world of instant messages, emails, etc. I know that at first it doesn't seem "personal", but I feel that it can lead to personal friendships if you are intentional about it.

OK, and now I have to get off of here!!

Gray has been washed out!

Good-bye 35, Hello 36.

Today is my BIRTHday. My mom reminded me this morning that I was born a week early. I wonder if that means anything in life? :-) Like maybe I can't wait to get where I'm going!! Like maybe I don't have patience!! Hmmmm. One can ponder.

I believe God chose this day for His perfect time to come into His world. He formed me, He gave me life, He gave me the freedom to make all those decisions for the past 36 years -- well ok, I probably didn't make some basic decisions for the first few years . . . . but you know what I mean. Life sure is interesting when you really start to ponder your journey.

I know many people use the New Year to make resolutions, but I tend to use my birthday to set goals.

This year I would like to go outside of myself - make more friends. I'm rather shy, so this is a bit of a leap. I believe we all need more fellowship in our lives. I want to connect more with those in my community - reach out!

I would like to be in my music more. I would like to be more creative - basically spend time in my hobbies that I've abandoned for quite a while. Somewhere I lost motivation over the past few years. Taking baby steps (like in the scrapbooking arena where my pictures are in such disarray that it scares me to no end!) might be the best way to approach this. But I also must know when to stop! I can get sooo caught up in creativity, that I can't stop; then I get grouchy, and self-centered and snap at the kids! And it's not their fault. Perhaps that's why these hobbies have been abandoned. I know the cost. I haven't found the balance.

And spiritually speaking, I could always improve my relationship with Jesus. I think I should be grounded in scripture more than I am.

So there you have it, a few birthday resolutions for this new 36 year old! (Oh, and in honor of my new age, of course I had to color my hair yesterday to get the gray out . . . story of my life . . . . thanks to my mom's side!)

Heading to the Kitchen

A fun Apron giveaway is happening right here! I'm spreading the news!

It's a cute blog that I came across and you should check it out!

July?

I only have a few more days to be 35 years old. But I think I'll just consider myself to be mid-30's even after my birthday! I'll hang onto that as long as possible! I don't want tangible birthday presents. I just want time: time to spend on my hobbies, because in the throws of motherhood, I have forgotten what they are.

Let there be music

It's JULY already!!

We are just cruising along here at the ranch. It's a mundane life, but it's mine.

I wrote a song this week at the piano. I've never done that before. Well, okay, we HAD to do it when we were in theory class in college, but that doesn't count because there were all kinds of RULES surrounding that assignment. Besides, technically it was a "piece" and not a "song". I can't say it's really done yet because I sort of have the music part done in my head and my fingers on the piano, but the words come and go . . . . and I can't get the music out of my head and I can't get the first lines out of my head. But it's been really uplifting for me to be able to do something like this. I just let go, and it happened. I can't really articulate how I've always wanted to do it . . . . but never really tried, never thought I could. I cannot play by ear, but I have been told that one can develop a little bit of talent in that area. My first song is nothing that someone will really applaud, by it is just rewarding personally to me. And that's all that matters. It will stay personal. Sometimes that's all that music has to be.

Perfect Timing Turning 6 Years Old!

Big J had "Safety Town" last week. He learned all kinds of things about being safe from bicycle safety, fire safety, pedestrian safety, stranger safety (non-safety!), poisonous hazards, gun safety, bus safety and the list goes on. The parents are invited to stay each day for the 2-hour class. I usually stayed and most of the time I had Little L with me. It was really cool to get to see some of his fellow Kindergarteners, since the only ones who are invited to Safety Town are the ones who will be entering Kindergarten in the fall. On the day that they learned about fire safety, they got to visit the Fire Station. Big J LOVES fire trucks and such . . . . and it was perfect timing that this day actually was his BIRTHDAY! So, I made a firetruck cake to commemorate the day. I don't know if he'll remember it forever, but I know I will. It was surely one of the cutest things to see his class and some of the firemen sing Happy Birthday to him as he stood up when "Officer Rick" called his name. My son is so shy in a group. Oh the smile on his face that day!!

Let's Go Camping

I had no idea that when I mentioned "camping trip sometime" in my prior post, that it would come sooooo soon. My husband came home early on Friday afternoon and said "Hey, let's go camping!" What????? I personally have not been camping since before the kids have been born . . . . way over 6 or more years ago. In fact, I would say it may go as far back as 8 years. WOW. It's not that I don't like camping, but I have put it off because I figured it would not be fun with little ones to chase around in a public outdoor, cramped up setting. Plus there is the whole sleeping thing with the little tikes. They are used to sleeping in their own beds and how do I explain that sleeping under the stars is much more relaxing? Ha! So, I knew it would mean alot to my husband if I would just go on this last-minute adventure . . . . and it did. On the way, he said "I've just fallen in love with you all over again." WOAH!! That was a pretty sweet sentiment. I didn't know that it would mean THAT much ;-) OK, mushiness aside. . . . our little 2-year old enjoyed walking all over the place and being outdoors, just as we expected. However, he did wake up at 2:30 a.m. and was out of his element, of course. He had a lot of difficulty getting back to sleep; and my husband went in the truck with him and got him back to sleep, off and on . . . . for the rest of the night until daybreak. Then we pretty much came back home. Soooo, it was a one-night adventure. But it was family time and it was an experiment I guess. I can now say that I've been camping with the four of us, in a tent, and sleeping bag!

My camera decided to break just at the start of this entire adventure! I think it's broken for good. :-( Getting a new camera is definitely not in our budget . . . but oh well, maybe we can find a good deal soon. So now I don't have any pictures to share with you of our camping trip. Just imagine wilderness, tent, and dirty kids!