checking in- life lately

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rainbow of sodasA couple of weeks ago, I stumbled on a kojo post from a few years ago, in the days before Pinterest, before many of the ‘bigger’ features that really grew our readership, before the blog became my actual job… And as I read it, I realized that I hardly ever do just checking in posts anymore (and that I miss those posts!).

It is hard to pinpoint why I stopped- I’m sure part of it is my realization that whatever I publish is on the internet forever, for whoever to read, which is a little unnerving. I mean, will I really want to have a written reminder of all of the things. to look back on someday? Part of me says, ย “Absolutely,” and the other part kind of likes the way my memory softens the edges of reality a little over time- haha!

I think the other contributing factor towards the loss of those random-daily-life posts is the shift from a smaller, more daily community of readers (primarily people who checked in regularly) to a much broader audience that have found just one of our posts and are popping over to check on it. Don’t get me wrong, I love that there are all sorts of people with varied interests checking in and stopping by, but miss the community feel that we had once upon a time.

life latelyThat said, I’m endeavoring to return to writing those posts every once in awhile- updates and silly lists and snapshots of daily life. I miss connecting with y’all and hope to remedy that! So, a short (and jumbled) synopsis of life lately-

mondays with josie1. We move around the world in less than a month. We’re down to our last-playgroup-at-Katie’s this week, our last CBS (Community Bible Study) next week, three more Mondays with Josie (my niece), three more Sunday dinners with my parents/brother/sister-in-law/niece, etc. I am still feeling a steady mix of excitement and trepidation, but with a decent dose of sadness mixed in. We love our life here and are sad to leave the people that make it so great.

reese's eggs2. Reese’s Eggs are killing me. Well, more accurately, killing my efforts to lose the couple of pounds that I acquired in Mexico. I just. can’t. say. no. Both luckily and tragically, there are only four more left. Typing this makes me wonder if I should go eat one of them even though I already brushed my teeth. See? Killing me.

lego gumball machine3. I threw two birthday parties last weekend- a completely over-the-top, last hurrah Lego birthday fiesta for Burke and a much-more-low-key thirtieth birthday party for my brother. Even with the low-key-ness of the second party, I am still exhaustedย and it’s four days later.

4. I realized a couple days ago that the only time available for packing the rest of our stuff and shlepping it to storage before we close on our house are the evening of Mother’s Day and the afternoon of Burke’s actual birthday (his party was a couple weeks early this year). This made me cry, and also made me think that we might need to do some schedule rearranging. See points #1 and #3.

chopped kale salad5. There is a chopped kale side salad at Mad Greens that I die for and keep trying to replicate. I’m getting close.

6. Not only do I miss sharing random bits of daily life, I miss hearing about your daily lives even more! What did you do last weekend? What is coming up for you? What random thing made you cry (or laugh!) today? Is anyone else going through the roller coaster that is moving right now? Or are you working on a party right now? Is Easter candy thwarting anyone else’s best intentions? Anyone out there doing a Whole 30 (I keep considering it, but now it not the season.. I’d love to hear about it if you’re trying it though!)? Do share, friends!

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18 Comments

  1. Love these posts! I’m excited to follow along on your BIG move ๐Ÿ˜‰
    I have a total weakness for chocolate Easter candy….not helping me lose baby weight!
    We are getting close to finished on a house remodel that was started in October. Added master bed, bath & closet plus new laundry room & mud room plus redid a bunch of other stuff. I was 8 mos preggers with baby 4 when we started and now she’s 5 mos old. It is time to be done!
    My 2 oldest boys started baseball….so busy! I’m so not a sports mom, but I’m trying!
    I also need to have a giant garage sale! All this remodeling & moving my junk around has made me want to purge ;))

    1. Leigh Anne, I am totally with you on so many of these points! Especially the chocolate!
      But, friend, I have SO been there in the done-with-remodeling. And in the need-to-have-a-garage sale. HAHAHA. ๐Ÿ™‚
      So fun to have your boys in baseball too! I am not a sports mom either, I don’t think… though, I loved Burke’s soccer games last fall. That feels like a whole new stage to me- glad you are going ahead of me. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  2. I love these posts! It can be easy to forget that bloggers are “real people” too! I’m busily planning my daughter’s birthday party in August. It’s NEVER too early to party plan right??

    1. Never.
      Piper’s birthday is in August too, and I shipped a bunch of party stuff to Saipan already for it. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Love!

  3. Aww, I feel you!! Sometimes I worry if my sewing friends are annoyed when I only post family stuff, but then I’ll be surprised that they comment on the more personal stuff instead of the projects. Such an odd balance. I still think that this is YOUR blog, not just a miscellaneous blog with a collection of DIYs (and there are plenty of those blogs for people who want them) so feel free to voice whatever you feel like talking about, whether it’s paper flowers or packing. People will still read along happily.

    I know for me I comment less across the board because I do so much of my blog reading on my phone via Bloglovin’, where it isn’t as easy to comment as when I was sitting at my computer. There are so many times that I think to myself that I will comment whenever I get around to the computer, and then I forget. Bleh.

    I’m not surprised to hear that Burke’s party was an over the top bash!! I can’t blame you! Did you feel a little bit like you needed to make the most of all of the stuff that you have available to you now, for one last big hurrah? I can’t tell you the amount of times in the last few weeks of party prep that I’ve wanted something that I used to have. I was cutting stencils by hand this week thinking “I have a Silhouette in storage for crying out loud!!” But it’s fine. One good thing about being a DIY-er is that it seems to make you a solution-based thinker, and you will see that come out in so many different ways in your new home and location. Like, we can’t put holes in the walls in our flat, so I have binder clips white tacked to the walls that hold up curtains in my living room, and wooden spools hot glued to walls in the kids room that they hang their goodies on. I feel like my “make it work” face is on firmly. ๐Ÿ™‚

    You guys are going to do great!! Good luck with these last few weeks, the wrapping up, and the goodbyes! Just one day at a time.

    And no remorse on those peanut butter eggs my friend! You need those right now. And I have a small supply (3!) Cadbury Cream Eggs that I’m trying to stretch out a little bit and feeling the same way.

    1. I love this comment Erin! Thanks so much for all of the encouragement- I am feeling a bit panicky that I’m not actually as much of a trooper as I think I am and that the lack of ‘stuff’ is going to be harder than I imagine. Since we gave two thirds of our stuff away over the last month, and I miss things that were in those loads every. single. day. I am pretty sure I am in for it.
      However, I didn’t ever really think of ‘surviving without access to a big box store’ (and still creating) as DIY, but it totally is. You’ve given me hope. ๐Ÿ™‚
      Also, loved your reese’s egg encouragement. No joke, I just ate one! HAHA. Even better, I went to the gym and THEN came home and ate one. Funny how this little brain of mine works. ๐Ÿ™‚
      I hope your Lego Party crafting is going great sweet friend! Thanks again for all of the encouragement!

  4. Reese’s peanut butter eggs are killing me too! They’re soooo good! Now I’m on a chocolate and peanut butter kick. Maybe it would be healthier if I just dipped apples in them? Haha!

    1. Amy, not kidding, I read this comment WHILE EATING ANOTHER ONE. HAHAHAHA.
      Maybe I will try apples with you??? ๐Ÿ˜‰

  5. These are my favorite kind of posts that you guys do! While all your parties are AMAZING and so fun to get ideas from, its refreshing to see the ‘real life’ of people who seem to have it all together ๐Ÿ™‚ Can’t wait to see and read all about your crazy new adventure coming up! Good luck, Love!

    1. What a sweet comment, friend. I love it that you still check in!
      And maybe I should throw in a few messy-house, cereal-dinner pictures next time so you can see for sure how un-together things are around here. ๐Ÿ˜‰

      1. And thanks for Saipan encouragement! We will try to be more regular about ‘normal life’ posts as we get adjusted to the new digs.

  6. Since I am actually on my computer this morning I decided it was high time I leave a comment. I think you hit it right on the head, I miss the community of what the blogging world once was. In fact I rarely comment now as I’m typically on my phone. I miss the more personal posts of bygone days. I miss the connection I once felt with friends whom I’ve never met in person but still consider friends… partly due to the nature of the beast and partly due to the fact that our life has changed so much. But I am trying to rectify that with real mail, e-mail and more commenting.

    The Sean graduates from high school June 7th and then leaves for Army bootcamp 2 weeks later…. I am NOT ready! The eldest is all the way across the country working in his dream job…. another Army boy. Ugh why do they insist on growing up and moving away!!! Thats the issue of raising independent world travelers… its exciting on one hand but crazy sad on the other. Then Evan, my baby, is now a freshman… in 4 weeks he will finish up and be a sophomore.

    So if graduation isn’t a crazy enough time I decided to finish the kitchen update… new stove, new countertops, new light fixture (blasted thing killed our time line by causing a pulled muscle in Chris’ back)… check. New range hood… Chris couldn’t get it done before he left… for 6 weeks (he gets home 3 days before graduation) as he pulled a muscle putting in the new light fixture (cursed thing!) plus there was a delay with its arrival. Now we can’t find a contractor as there are still people having repair work done from the tornado we had the week before Thanksgiving. Did I mention converting the “studio” back into a guest room as my mom is coming out for the graduation? And my in-laws are coming in as well… yes I am a glutton for punishment apparently! ha ha! but the kitchen will be spectacular once its done. It already is looking great. I also bought tile to tile the backsplash but am now kinda freaked out about that… so I may just use chalkboard paint and draw outlines of where everything is supposed to hang. we shall see…

    oh and we aren’t going to make it out to denver… ๐Ÿ™ so sad but the timing just isn’t working and middle one kinda freaked when he realized how little time there was after graduation. poor boy!

    i owe you an e-mail too… kinda slow on those right now but am working at it. praying for your move! it will be spectacular. trying to rack my brain for tips… need caffeine in large quantities right now. 3 2-hour naps do not make a restful full night’s sleep. i’ll sleep in tomorrow. ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Peggy, hearing updates about your boys just about did me in. How can they be so old? How did that go so fast???
      And you know that I completely relate to taking on WA-AY too much with timelines that are completely impractical and ridiculous. So glad I’m not the only one.
      Good luck with finishing all of your projects (plus squeezing in as many minutes with Sean as you can before the middle of June!!!)! Also, praying that you get some actual rest, friend. Hugs and more hugs!

  7. As one of the original followers/blog stalkers, I have always loved these posts. And since we’d totally be bffs, (you know if we actually knew each other & lived in the same time zone!), I love hearing about what’s going on in your lives. I also used to love the Friday link party too!

    We’re (finally!) moving too. But just about 10 minutes east, so it’s not quite as a big deal as your adventure. HA! We’ve been living with my parents since right before Christmas. Our market was not kind to us (it took us almost 2 years to sell our condo and we took a rather impressive hit) so we didn’t have much choice. We’ve been looking, and looking, and looking and just found the most adorably, quarky house. AND if I stand in the backyard & squint, I can see my daughter’s bffs house. Plus one of my husband’s childhood friends lives two streets over. It’s exactly where we want to be, in the exact town, and the house layout I wanted. My personality is still waiting for it to all fall through, but I’m trying really hard to not worry!

    I’m currently super obsessed with picmonkey. I am trying to decide if Royale is worth the money. I *may* be playing around with invitations for my daughters’ birthdays (cause July & November are closing in quickly!) and toying with the idea of a Christmas card.

    Last weekend we gave the baby rice cereal for the first time. I had it in my head we were going to wait until 6 months to the day but girlfriend wanted to eat. We laughed so hard. That little nugget ate like she’s been eating solids all along. Quite a change from her sister who had reflux and was pretty much force fed her first year. Those two loves like to keep me on my toes!

    And speaking of Reeses eggs, my three year old was playing with the (empty) Easter eggs the other day. And that little stinker found not one but TWO pieces of missed chocolate. I tried with all my might but she wasn’t giving them up. She got a mini Reeses egg AND a dark chocolate solid egg. That was so wrong on so many levels.

    1. I love this comment so much Dayna.
      LOVE that you guys found a house that’ll be a good fit for you! Moving stinks, though, right??? I’ve been packing all weekend and feel like stabbing myself in the eye with a chopstick or something similarly dramatic- haha. ๐Ÿ˜‰
      And you know that neither November nor July sounds too far off to start planning a party for to me, right?
      So sweet about the rice cereal- LOVE.
      And do. not. love. about the chocolate eggs. Lucky girl, but unlucky mama- haha. This comment reminds me that I still have a couple of those downstairs and that I haven’t brushed my teeth. We’ll see if they’re still there in the morning. ๐Ÿ˜‰
      Love hearing about your life lately, friend!

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