Selfish

Three years of parenting will take it out of you, if you don't take some quality time for yourself.  At least, that's what I am finding.  T is really great about making time to workout every day, surf when the opportunity presents itself, and he does watch the occasional Dodger game... by occasional we are clearly talking 160 plus.  In short, he does man things.  Frequently.  And, you know what?  He still excels in his career, as a father, and certainly as a husband.

As he often is, T has been my inspiration in this - to force myself not to lose... well, myself.  I sometimes become so deeply immersed in taking care of our family or in making sure the home is clean or that dinner is cooked that I forget to work on bettering ME.  Let's be honest here, sometimes the biggest problem is that I am too damn lazy.

I took a minute to write down some things that bring me joy and make me who I am (aside from "Mom" and "Wife")

1) Looking feminine (makeup, hair, nails... but not heels)

2) Getting a little dirty in my garden
3) Interior Design / Refinishing and restoring old pieces

Refinished that stool, grew those plants, and that cute baby

4) Run

5) Practice Yoga
6) Write
7) Read something

8) Scrapbook

9) Travel

10) Bike (like beach cruisin'... you know, actual 8 year old bike riding)

Yes, my bike has a name - Elwood Blues

11) Museum browsing (embarrasing, I know)

I might not be able to do every single one of these each day, but a lot of them (individually) I can get done in under an hour.  I have at least an hour (or 2) for ME every.single.day.

What is on your list?  Do you try to cross a few of them off that list every day?

Cheers to the moms

She's ALIVEEEEEEE!  No really, I am.  Life is just too fast moving for me.  Most days I think, "Oh maybe I'll drop a line on the ole blog today," and then, suddenly, the day is gone, T is home and he so good looking and distracting, and then it's 9:30pm and I can't keep my eyes open for another second... ok, maybe 8:30.

Anyway, good thing you have missed next to nothing in this mundane moma's domestically joyous life.  Baby Shane's mobility is certainly the most exciting this that has happened around here.

BabyButt

MOBILITY!

Also, there was this hilarious dance party.

Other than that nothing too exciting.

I have, however, come to the conclusion that we momas sometimes have a thankless job.  Being  mother to two crazies of my own, I know my own poor mother was horrifically under-appreciated by yours truly.  I mean seriously, those spiral peeled, cored apples are a labor of love.  Also, clean floors in the bathroom - I really took those for granted, let me tell you.  R-doggie might be potty trained, but damn that kid needs to work on his aim.  Or how about dinner?  Warm, nutritious meals in the dining room every night (**almost), that is how you should know that I love you.   But you would have preferred pizza?!  EAT.THAT.DAMN.BROCCOLI... Oh, oh and how about that bedtime story (or 20) when all a woman wants to do is fall face flat onto her pillow?  Moms do a lot and usually pretty happily.  After all, this is a chosen profession.

#worthit

So, even though I know you were happy to do it (**mostly) and even though it is, perhaps, over due by 30 years or so, thank you Barbara Alyce Terkelsen.  Thank you to all you momas out there loving your crazy kids and annoying significant others.

You kick ass.