Why I Blog....

Today's Blog Dare asks us why we blog...

A couple of years back I joined a Mom Group in my area through meetup.com. As I was browsing some of the member's profiles I found one had a personal blog. I thought that was pretty neat. I honestly had never seen anything like it before and I thought it was the coolest thing! So I clicked on some of the blogs she read on her side and found Baby Bangs, then Hello from Housper and finally KellysKorner. I would check up on each of them every few days and began feeling like I was getting to "know" these people. It was weird and fun all at the same time.
THEN something strange happened... as I would make my way through each day I would find little things happen that would make me say, "That would be good to put on a blog!" or "I could just see that being discussed on a blog..." Finally I gave in a started my own blog. I wasn't very regular on updates at first, mainly because I had such trouble downloading photos. Then, once I got the hang of it..forget about it!! I was hooked!
My husband often tells me I shouldn't put private details about our life online...and I don't. I guess that shows you how much he actually reads my blog! I look at my blog as an online diary of our life... what we did, what we cooked, current events that are happening and our reactions to it....things like this. And a huge plus is that our family and friends that live far away from us can stay updated with whats happening. I don't divulge street names or school names. I try to not even speak very much about areas of town I visit or the one I live in. I do keep that private. I feel better doing that.
One thing that I love more than anything is being able to look back and say, "Oh..this is where we were a year ago today.." or six months ago today.....
That is fun! If it weren't for my blog I would have forgotten lots of those details. Sometimes I just post pictures of my girls in everyday life..sleeping, playing on the computer, doing homework, etc. I want to be able to look back and not only remember those normal events, but also see those events. So many times it's the big memorable events that we retain. I want to be able to look back and see it all!
The fabulous blogging community has also allowed me to meet such wonderful, sweet ladies from all over the country. Ladies that I feel are real friends. Ladies I have something in common with and those who inspire me. It's fun.... it's bonding! I love it!!
I also have found new recipes, different twists, decorating ideas on the cheap, easy DIY projects...honestly, if it wasn't for blogger I would have never ever even imagined such a thing as a coffee filter wreath!!
Blogging is a perfect outlet for me that combines many of my favorite things in life....friendship, love, memories. Writing has always been something I love to do and blogging allows me to do that while meeting wonderful people, finding new ideas and creating memories for my family to look back and share. What could be more wonderful than that?

My Morning Routine

Today's prompt for the 2011 Blog Dare is to write about our morning routine. Now that I am not working my morning routine is MUCH different than it used to be. I used to wake up at 4:30 in the morning, drag myself out of bed, brush teeth, throw my hair in a ponytail, grab a pair of jeans from the dirty clothes because I was too tired to wash the day before, pull on one of Papa Bear's t-shirts because they were usually cleaned and slide in flip-flops. Thank goodness the department of the bank I worked in allowed casual dress!! I then either drove through Starbucks or if I was really on a roll I would make coffee at home and then go to work. Nothing special....
Now that I'm not working I am able to sleep in until around 7 a.m. Not super late but it's a heck of a lot better than 4:30!! I make myself coffee or hot tea and fire up the computer. The first thing I LOVE to do is pull up my blogger dashboard and read any new posts that come up. I try to leave a comment for each blog post I read, it feels nice to see comments on our blog...to know someone enjoyed reading our post.
I also check up on my emails...
I feel that I am most productive in the morning. There is something about a still quiet house that makes me feel good. I love to hear the faint breathing coming from all rooms or hear them moving around in their beds ....sometimes I hear birds outside or kids walking by on their way to the bus stop. Some mornings I wake up before the sun rises and I love to sit at the kitchen table and watch the sky change colors of blue. When the weather is nice I will take my coffee/tea outside and watch the day begin while enjoing my roses!
IF I am in a good mood I will make some kind of breakfast so that when the house wakes up there will be something good to fill their tummies. However, breakfast is the one meal of the day that really gets me. There just aren't alot of options out there. Or at least I haven't found very many. I am desperately looking for a breakfast recipe exchange or link-up on blogger but haven't found any. If you know of any...please let me know!! I usually end up making a different meal for each person in the house!!
The animals are all following me around by this time so I let Luigi out to potty and fill his food and water bowls up outside. The kitties are also fed and given water. Charlie refuses to drink from a bowl so I have to stand and wait for him to finish drinking from my sink!
I like to get the girls up around 8:30- 9, get them fed and then start on homeschooling lessons. I also like them to break for about an hour around 11 - 11:30. By this time Papa Bear is usually up or has been up for a while. Once he is up it is non-stop go go go for me.
During these two weeks of winter break I've been waking up at 7, staying awake until around 8 and then falling back asleep until 10. NOT GOOD!!!
I tried so hard to break that habit today but failed and didn't wake back up til 10:30.... tomorrow I just won't lay back down!!

Resolution and Want to Accomplish List

Ok.. so over at BloggyMoms.com we are given some prompts for the Blog Dare of 2011. I am so going to try to keep up with this!! It seems like a lot of fun!

Yesterday we were supposed to list our resolution for the year. Last year I resoluted to return phone calls quicker, well honestly, just to return phone calls. And to answer my phone. I seriously have voice mails on my phone that go back a couple of months!! Sometimes with homeschooling and helping Papa Bear out I get so behind and checking voice mails is the LAST thing I think about. However, I think I did much better. I checked my voicemail about once a month, I answered my phone AND I returned phone calls. I think it made me a better friend!

So this year I am going to try to get better organized. Will I ever be perfect? No way!! I'm not evening going to try for it. But I need to start daily lists, or who am I kidding..weekly lists and go from there. I hope it helps.

Today we are asked to list things we want to accomplish. I have a few in mind.
1. Get organized. Enough said..see above.
2. Get my girls back on a nighttime routine. Just because they are home schooled they think they have no bedtime. Girls...you are sorely mistaken.
3. Try to devote at least one day a week with my mom. She devoted her life to me...can't I find one day to devote to her.
4. Learn at least two new healthy recipes a month. This way we will have variety and it will be easier to learn what to shop for at the grocery store.
5. Finish my last math and AP courses needed to enter nursing school. This will be my third time taking this math course, but my first time to actually really have a shot at passing. When I worked I had to try to do it online or in an afternoon course that was too rushed. Now I honestly have the best professor (I've had her before and maintained an 101 avg in her class) and I don't have to work so I can really concentrate on passing!!! Yes.. I am beyond excited!
6. Have a date night with my Papa Bear at least twice a month. I truly believe to be a better parent you need one-on-one time with your spouse where you don't have to be on mom-mode. You can just "be." I always come back relaxed and refreshed and happier...and more patient!

I think that's about it... I want to leave it on an even number..because I'm weird like that! What would you like to see yourself accomplish this year?