Do you all like to make New Year's Resolutions? I do. There's nothing I like more than writing out a list of goals.
How do you all feel about keeping them? Um, yeah. I'm not so good either.
I came into 2011 gung ho with my new resolution. Blog more, write more, clean more, and then relax more. Oh, and there's all those resolutions for my full-time job, too.
With one+ week down, I'm not doing so well. Oh yeah, and the gaining weight thing. Not so much.
What I'm trying to learn is that you can start or restart resolutions any time of the year - and that just because they haven't worked in the past doesn't mean they won't take this time.
So I'm going to try to restart today. Won't you join me on this journey?
Kids and Church
Published on
Sunday, January 09, 2011
in:
0 to Mom
,
Magic Moments
Six point five days per week, Big Girl is a little devil - she understands the word "no," but believes that if she looks away and can't see me, I can't see her either.
And on Sundays, we go to church. For a long time, Big Girl thought church was a fun place to see people and then spout off during more quiet parts of the sermon, as if thinking that it was her turn to liven things up.
That seemed to change at the Christmas Eve service. Big Girl loveloveloved the music and actually paid more attention than usual. Now, she's only 27 months old - there's definitely a limit to how much she'll get. But she was far more engaged than usual.
Today, she started Sunday school. I was a little worried. She doesn't know any of the other kids in her class, and the morning started off with two of the other Big Girls freaking out.
But she did GREAT! The teacher said she danced and sang and was happy and had a great time. YAHOO!
Coincidentally, on the day when we were alone with Bubba Boy in the church service for the first time, he was HYPER AWARE of what was going on. Cooing and gaaing and checking everyone out. We go to a large church but a very small service...so with only 30 people there, they were also HYPER AWARE of each of his noises. But that's ok! I love that he was interactive instead of simply a passive little baby.
The kids exemplified Christian behavior this morning, both in their interactions in church and also with each other at home. Bubba Boy was crying before we left and Big Girl leaned over to comfort him: "It's ok. It'll be alright." What a nice girl to try to comfort her brother!
Maybe those devil-can-catch me moments the other 6.5 days of the week will start to recede a bit, now. (Then again, maybe not!)
And on Sundays, we go to church. For a long time, Big Girl thought church was a fun place to see people and then spout off during more quiet parts of the sermon, as if thinking that it was her turn to liven things up.
That seemed to change at the Christmas Eve service. Big Girl loveloveloved the music and actually paid more attention than usual. Now, she's only 27 months old - there's definitely a limit to how much she'll get. But she was far more engaged than usual.
Today, she started Sunday school. I was a little worried. She doesn't know any of the other kids in her class, and the morning started off with two of the other Big Girls freaking out.
But she did GREAT! The teacher said she danced and sang and was happy and had a great time. YAHOO!
Coincidentally, on the day when we were alone with Bubba Boy in the church service for the first time, he was HYPER AWARE of what was going on. Cooing and gaaing and checking everyone out. We go to a large church but a very small service...so with only 30 people there, they were also HYPER AWARE of each of his noises. But that's ok! I love that he was interactive instead of simply a passive little baby.
The kids exemplified Christian behavior this morning, both in their interactions in church and also with each other at home. Bubba Boy was crying before we left and Big Girl leaned over to comfort him: "It's ok. It'll be alright." What a nice girl to try to comfort her brother!
Maybe those devil-can-catch me moments the other 6.5 days of the week will start to recede a bit, now. (Then again, maybe not!)
The Part-Time Single Mom
Published on
Friday, January 07, 2011
in:
0 to Mom
,
Police Family Life
,
Time Management
,
Working Moms
Ever since Big Girl was born 27 months ago, I have joked that I was a part-time single mom.
Afterall, with me working days and Funny Daddy working nights, we didn't always actually meet in the middle...especially when you throw in our "extra" involvements like security work (FD) or writing (me). So whenever I was with my kids, I was likely alone with my kids, doing whatever comes with being alone with the kids: making decisions regarding spending, health, punishment, and more.
So why the name? I felt like this experience was more in line than what single parents face, versus what other moms might. In fact, I still feel like this experience is so unique that I'm about to start a whole other blog about it. (*Want details?)
When I felt overwhelmed as a new mom - and who doesn't? - I started to feel like it was unfair that I was always alone with the kids, always dealing with problems on my own.
But with that thought process, I lacked two things: perspective and self-assurance.
Perspective: I sure as heck wasn't alone with my kids all of the time. In his old job, FD worked 4 of every 7 days. In his new job, FD works 5 of every 10 days. And even when he's at home and sleeping (working nights can be tough!) or at work and busy, I can still count on him for advice and support when I need it.
Self-Assurance: I'm independent. Long before I met FD, I maintained my own household. Since marrying and having children, I've done any number of things on my own with the kids, including lots of balancing and lots of decisions. And I've done just fine, TYVM.
When I finally worked my way around to a better understanding of out-of-the-norm parenting (ok, it only took a few months, not forever! I'm a smart cookie!), I felt totally empowered. I'll bet that's how actual single moms feel when they work their way around to knowing that they *can* handle things on their own, and quite well at that.
What say you, actually and part-time single moms?
*New blog project: Called "The Officer's Wife", it will deal with issues unique to families of police officers and other emergency service workers. I'm targeting it to fill a perceived gap - there are a million billion resources (much needed!! bravo!!) for military families who deal with year-long deployments 3-4-5 times in a 20 year career, but pretty near to zero resources for emergency service works who spend half their days of the year, every year, working in the service of others and often in dangerous situations. I'll announce a "Grand Posting" soon!
Afterall, with me working days and Funny Daddy working nights, we didn't always actually meet in the middle...especially when you throw in our "extra" involvements like security work (FD) or writing (me). So whenever I was with my kids, I was likely alone with my kids, doing whatever comes with being alone with the kids: making decisions regarding spending, health, punishment, and more.
So why the name? I felt like this experience was more in line than what single parents face, versus what other moms might. In fact, I still feel like this experience is so unique that I'm about to start a whole other blog about it. (*Want details?)
When I felt overwhelmed as a new mom - and who doesn't? - I started to feel like it was unfair that I was always alone with the kids, always dealing with problems on my own.
But with that thought process, I lacked two things: perspective and self-assurance.
Perspective: I sure as heck wasn't alone with my kids all of the time. In his old job, FD worked 4 of every 7 days. In his new job, FD works 5 of every 10 days. And even when he's at home and sleeping (working nights can be tough!) or at work and busy, I can still count on him for advice and support when I need it.
Self-Assurance: I'm independent. Long before I met FD, I maintained my own household. Since marrying and having children, I've done any number of things on my own with the kids, including lots of balancing and lots of decisions. And I've done just fine, TYVM.
When I finally worked my way around to a better understanding of out-of-the-norm parenting (ok, it only took a few months, not forever! I'm a smart cookie!), I felt totally empowered. I'll bet that's how actual single moms feel when they work their way around to knowing that they *can* handle things on their own, and quite well at that.
What say you, actually and part-time single moms?
*New blog project: Called "The Officer's Wife", it will deal with issues unique to families of police officers and other emergency service workers. I'm targeting it to fill a perceived gap - there are a million billion resources (much needed!! bravo!!) for military families who deal with year-long deployments 3-4-5 times in a 20 year career, but pretty near to zero resources for emergency service works who spend half their days of the year, every year, working in the service of others and often in dangerous situations. I'll announce a "Grand Posting" soon!
New Year, New Blog Resolve
Published on
Saturday, January 01, 2011
in:
0 to Mom
,
Blog Business
Have you ever started a project and then after awhile, it just...fizzles?
Happens to me all the time.
I don't know, maybe having multiple kids, multiple lines of work, and more interests than brain cells causes that.
For some reason, it seems like I get tunnel-vision on projects. One year, I'll attack blogging gung-ho-get-out-the-way.
Another, I'll focus on other projects, still writing, but somewhere else.
I *hate* that.
And I *love* blogging.
So in 2011, you'll be seeing a lot more of me, and I hope to reconnect with a lot more of you parents who were my bloggy buddies for so long!
Happy New Year,
Frazzled Mommy
Happens to me all the time.
I don't know, maybe having multiple kids, multiple lines of work, and more interests than brain cells causes that.
For some reason, it seems like I get tunnel-vision on projects. One year, I'll attack blogging gung-ho-get-out-the-way.
Another, I'll focus on other projects, still writing, but somewhere else.
I *hate* that.
And I *love* blogging.
So in 2011, you'll be seeing a lot more of me, and I hope to reconnect with a lot more of you parents who were my bloggy buddies for so long!
Happy New Year,
Frazzled Mommy
Just Go Vote!
Published on
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
in:
Politics
,
Tiffany Takes On
*Sniff* Can you smell it in the air? Ahhh...the refreshing smell of freedom, when Americans can go to the voting booth and select men and women to represent their interests at the local, state and national level. I make no secret of my political leanings on this blog, but on this election day, I think it far more important to urge all of my prospective fellow voters to cast an informed vote based on the issues and the stances supported by various candidates for office, than to urge you to cast a ballot for a particular person or party.
Just go vote!
Just go vote!
