I Need More Hours

I'm not special. Every mommy, working or non-working, in the history of the universe wishes they had more hours in the day. Juggling what needs to be done for my family and what I need to do for myself is a tough balancing act, for me and all mothers.

An amazing sky on our drive home from gymnastics. 

                               {And some people in my life have the nerve to ask what it is I do all day long.}

I have so many things I have to do to care for my family --- endless dishes, dusting, vacuuming and sweeping mounds of dog hair, laundry, meal planning, dinner making, bill paying, and grocery shopping. I have so many things I choose to do --- help Addison with music practice, sell my knitting, enjoy special alone time with Landon, bake goodies, take Addi to gymnastics, continue to pursue photography, read, keep my private journal, write my blog, go to yoga and take and edit photos. I have many, many more things on my to-do list and it seems I may never get to them --- regularly volunteering at the animal shelter, attend a photography class, plan a vacation, get into the field on a wildlife biology project, endless DIY craft and home projects, Landon's first year scrapbook and our family 2012 digital scrapbook, etc. etc.  There just isn't enough hours in the day. There may be a part time job in the works also (I am very excited and very, very nervous!), so when will I get it all done? Never, probably! But I continue to chip away a little bit at a time.

I have been really missing my blog. I have several half finished Christmas posts that may sit undone for a while longer. There are only a couple hours each day that Landon naps and I have been spending that time fulfilling Etsy orders. I have been getting about one order per week. It feels really good creating things that make other people happy. I hope to start concentrating on nature-inspired pieces. But that takes time to create, uninterrupted, alone time and I rarely get that. Someday!
                                                                         
                                                                                       :::

Addi continues to work very hard in gymnastics. She loves her coaches. She practices constantly at home, eager to show them each week how well she is doing. She watches the USA gymnastics team on YouTube, she watches TV in the splits, she does more handstands in a day than anyone else, ever!, she uses the edge of our bathtub as her balance beam and my new couches as her tumbling mats. In class she often works out with the older, more advanced kids.

She continues to love preschool and music class. At the first of the year she moved up a level in music class. She is now a Blue Bug! 

Back to school in her new boots and backpack that is half her size!

Blue Bug! Yay!

Landon is marching all over the place, exploring and discovering. He loves walking around outside and goes out of his way to find snow to walk on.