Aloha.

Its been a few years.

I have been writing a talk for our church meeting.  And I went searching for a blog post a friend wrote years ago (like 6 years ago).  And its like connecting with an old friend.  I miss seeing pictures of my friends and their growing families. Feeling connected in more than 150 characters.

I have been working on myself lately.  I've been having a hard time with PPD this time around.  I think I'm through the worst of it, but I have bad days and weeks occasionally.  I have to really focus on getting enough sleep, eating healthy and getting some exercise.  And doing something else besides being a mom constantly. 

That something is the hard part. 

We have had a few years that have required so much.  Taking care of young kids, a young business, keeping house, doing everything for everybody and somehow I feel like I lost myself.

Someone asked me what I like to do when I don't have to "mom"  I honestly didn't know what to say.  There are things I use to like to do.  I don't do them anymore.  I don't know if I like to do them anymore.

Everything feels like a task.  Some days it is hard to enjoy getting through them.  If I don't get them done, I have a hard time getting to a point when I can unwind a little and focus on something I enjoy.

So I set myself a few goals. 
And the best way to be accountable to those goals is to send them out into the e-universe and pretend like someone is depending on me to do them.

I want to write more.  I use to love to write. About anything. Journaling, blogging, SEO, anything at all.  Just write.  To prove it, I bought my kids journals and we are journaling everyday for school. If they think they have to do it, then they will make me.

Also, Pictures.  I have a massive organize pictures and print photobooks project in my future.  We decluttered all the physical goods a person can possible afford to get rid of, its time to work on some digital clutter.   New computer, new habits for pictures, right? 

And that, my friends, rounds up today's blogging session. 

Summer

Well... It's been awhile. We're busy. Super so.   My house is so rarely clean anymore, blogging hardly seems a priority.  We've been bad at taking pictures lately too. 

But I did take some while the kids played in their pool. It's finally warming up, getting lots of summer work and taking a break to play for the two crazy monsters.  

Cabin Fever

The weather is finally starting to be less wintry and we are SO ready to be outside.

We went to the WalMart today for our monthly trip. I decided the kids needed something to do, we bought a foam princess kit and a paint your own airplane kit. I could probably come up with something via Pinterest, but WalMart won me over for just over $5.

Can I say big hit?

I got a super mom award today!

January

Well January came and went.
Here's what we did:

 We went bowling for FHE when it was freezing cold.  My kids were getting cabin fever and driving me bananas.  So they drove the bowling alley man bananas, running around and setting off the foul line.   They were actually pretty good, just very energetic. 

 Maggie loved running up and down the ramp almost as much as she liked throwing the ball.

 

It finally warmed up enough to build a snow man. 

 

 

Then we taught Alessa to mush.  My dad had a harness, we were hoping it might fit Bossil.  It fit Aless.  Aless is 4 1/2 months old.  She had fun pulling Landen around,  then we switched and Maggie rode in the sled.  She did get tired, but she had lots of fun. It was a great way to great rid of extra puppy energy.

And that about includes our January. It was a super cold first half the month, so we didn't so much more than hang out indoors.  We did hit up the Idaho Ag Show, but we didn't take any pictures this year...  the tractors are becoming less cool I suppose.

Almost There!

Maggie woke up New Years Day and decided to start on her resolution first thing in the morning.  She went potty and then insisted on wearing her  'Dora's'.  We (meaning Michael, Landen and I) were all sick, and didn't feel like much....Other than death hungover, have you had this bug? I'm not sure I've been that sick with a cold, except maybe when Michael was in Hawaii.  I don't think I've ever seen Michael that sick either. Somehow, Maggie managed to stay well when the rest of us were down. She kept insisting and did pretty good considering she was getting very little help being reminded to go, or had anyone that felt like taking her potty every hour.

So, we've been at it 10 days.  She really only has an accident when she throws a temper-tantrum!! WaHoo!  And she has done most of the work.  No bribes, no consequence, just a high five when she goes!  I'm not sure I've heard of anyone that easy to potty train.

  P.S. This is only days after I spent $100 on diapers...  So if you need size 4 diapers, I have a few boxes.   

P.S.

Landen informed me that I forgot to mention that we got a cat.

I don't really like cats. I'm quite allergic to cats, probably the reason I don't like them.   That being said, Michael has been keeping feed in the garage. Which means we have way too many mice in the garage, which has a door to the house. 

I don't like mice in my house more than I don't like cats.

So, we came home with Kitty.  Landen named her that, Kitty.  We're way original around.  He has made her into his best friend.  He plays with her in the garage for a few hours almost everyday. And he's in charge of feeding and watering her.  Kitty pretty much loves him right back.  Which is totally fine with me because the less I have to touch her the better.

Bossil isn't as okay with the situation.  He doesn't like cats either.  When she leaves the garage, he trees her.  Then she meows and Michael has to get her down.  He's starting to be less aggressive with her and she made it out to the barn. 

1 more animal on our farm. Phew. That list is getting long.  Landen thinks there's a song written after us....E I E I O!

First November Weekend

We've been enjoying a few days of some nice weather!  We've been working really hard to get things winterized for all the animals.  Besides that, we took a little break and raked some leaves. 

 Landen really liked jumping in them, Maggie wasn't so sure and wouldn't get it.  Her bangs are in desperate need of a trim. In my defense, I have been pulling them back lately, just not Friday.

 Saturday, Landen went fishing with Papa.  He caught a pretty good sized fish. We were trying to get him to pose with it, but he kept saying it smelled bad and made faces.  It's was pretty funny.

We fried up the fish today and ate fish tacos.  At first Landen wouldn't try it, we coaxed him into and he loved it.  He ate almost half the fish in his taco!  We couldn't get him on the cabbage, but we got him on the fish!