Well! It’s been a hot minute since I posted here, hasn’t it? Life with kids is always a wild ride, but November and December seem to make things just a little more extra-special crazy.
So, just to keep myself accountable and you in the loop, here’s a brief summary of the last few weeks here in Crazy Town.
First, there was Thanksgiving.
Our family alternates holiday travel times. One year, we’ll stay here for Thanksgiving and then travel for Christmas. The next year, vice versa. Well, this year, we found ourselves at my parents’ home outside of Nashville. We had lots of fun with my sister and brother and their families, but sure did miss our fourth sibling and her family. (Being stationed with the Marine Corps in Hawaii has its perks. Not being able to come home for Thanksgiving isn’t one of them.)
Our few days up north included playing with little cousins, jumping in leaves, tossing the football, and guys’ nights around the fire pit while the ladies hung out inside. My mom totally outdid herself with a wonderful dinner. There’s just something about those traditional family recipes, you know? And my brother-in-law took a great picture of our crew…even though I look like a floating head. Seriously! Look closely. Where are my legs, man?
Then we add in sports & activities.
After Thanksgiving, it seemed like everything kicked into high gear.
All of a sudden our son has flag football practice and games! Our older daughter has Christmas dance team performances! Our youngest daughter had basketball tryouts! Our oldest son has extra band practices and performances!
In order to keep myself sane, we limit our kids to one extracurricular activity apiece. But when football, band, and dance for three kids means at least eight obligations a week, that makes this one mom a bit bananas!
And don’t even get me started on the school projects, exams, special requests from teachers about parties and gift exchanges. We also had two different concerts at two different schools on the same night! Oy. Somebody hold me.
And we’ve had a sacrament.
Being that we send our kids to public school, we also have to add in weekly religious ed for the three young ones. And this year is pretty special in that we will celebrate three sacraments! We kicked off the fun (if you want to call it that) last week when our baby made her First Reconciliation.
She did a great job, too! Wasn’t scared a bit and even said that she thinks going back won’t be so bad. I’d call that a win!
Oh, and did I mention it’s Advent?
Yep. It’s Advent and I’m holding onto the hope and preparation and quiet mornings spent in reflection with everything I’ve got. This devotional from Blessed is She (affiliate link to the shop right there) has been a game changer to my Advent. We are literally only 10 days in at this point, but there have been so many aha moments and ideas that I need to keep chewing on. It’s truly been a blessing.
Meanwhile, I am not sure the last time we haven’t had the Christmas decorations up by now. And I promise I’m not just being a Grinch. We just haven’t had the time to devote to it! Fingers crossed, they’ll all be up and the house will be beautiful by the end of this weekend. If not…? Well, maybe my parents can help when they come down to visit…on the 22nd. HA!!
Oh, and let’s not forget that I am awful with technology.
Y’all. I am a writer, not a tech person. I have no idea how the nuts and bolts of blogging or websites work and, frankly, I don’t care.
Until it doesn’t work.
And then I lose my mind.
Which is exactly what has been happening for the last few days.
I have had so many blog ideas bouncing around in this brain of mine, but precisely zero of them have made it out of my head and onto the interwebs. You know, if I were smarter and more organized, I’d keep a running list written down somewhere. Or even write them out in Word or Google Docs and transfer them later. But who are we kidding, huh?
There’ve been major changes to the editor at WordPress (the site I use to write this blog), security issues with the web hosting company, and all manner of other things you certainly don’t give two hoots about. And I don’t know about you, but not knowing things isn’t really my strong suit. When things get hard and I get stretched beyond my comfort zone in an area where I already feel inept? Well, I go into major shutdown mode.
I’ve just been consoling myself with the (probable) lie that if I’m too busy to write then you, dear friend, are too busy to read. Yes? I just hope that you truly are standing by, as it were, and are waiting for me whenever I get my act together and figure all this shizz out.
So, to paraphrase the great Al Roker…That’s what’s been happening around this country. What’s been happening in your neck of the woods?
