Where do you spend your time?

Lately, I have been trying to focus my efforts to be more efficient. I don't want to spend 2 hours talking on the phone with someone before I figure out what it is they are really asking for. I do not want to start something unless I am going to finish it, laundry. I don't want to spend hours upon hours a day looking through multiple websites to find the info I want! In our digital media obsessed world, can't we just get it together?!?

So I thought I would share a couple of sites I visit A LOT, outside of facebook. I am looking for practicality, susinct points, and thought provokers. Yes, Kardashian sisters we know you are loaded with money and can do anything you want, but how does that help me, exactly?!???

Funny thing about that last sentence, I loved Kourtney's mommy blog months ago!

Ok as usual, looking for suggestions and comments. Would love to know what sites everyone uses for inspiration, helpful tips, etc.:

www.people.com/people I ONLY spend time reading the baby bloggers. They have some cool insites that even celebrities have trouble parenting sometimes!

www.allrecipes.com they have recipes for EVERYTHING! You can look up stuff from diabetic desserts to vegan main dishes. You can get lost in the long lists of recipes, so what I do is only look at 5 star dishes. Everyone reviews and has tips with each recipe, so if it truly got 5 stars, it HAS to be good!

www.alisonsweeney.com I love that she spends time where time is needed. Her site has practical notes and advice. In this day, every celebrity has their own site, but most kinda live in celeb-world. I mean, hello! If she is asking for playlists recommendations for her new years workout, she is not out of touch in my book.

www.hulu.com Has most TV shows, not all offered on there. No need to pay for cable tv, when you can watch FREE the next day. It's not immediately on there, and I am ok with that! Fewer commercials. And you can build a queue so it saves your episodes for when you are ready to watch. LOVE it.

www.brainyquote.com In need of a little push? a feel good thought? humor? This site has it, and then some!

As always, your comments are loved!
Many prayers and blessings this weekend.

xo, Scattered :)

trying...

many of you read that title and thought... for a baby? no, s-i-l. :)

Sometimes, I, as everyone else (no soapbox here), have to take a moment and think about where I need improvements. Although I am AWESOME already, I have many moments and years to grow and mature, and change, and improve.

For example:

I sometimes forget that not everyone is like me. I, am strong willed where others hesitate. I make decisions quickly while others take longer. Sometimes, I recognize, it is to a fault that I care so much. I don't mean to sound like a marter (spelling?).

I simply mean that, I call people or message them in emails or on FB too much. I, intend it as caring and checking in. I forget that to other people, even though they care too, I may be over the top.

Also, the decision maker in me, knows that when I find something I think is great, I jump on it. Done, the end. Kind of an "act now, apologize later" type. Yes, it makes my husband frustrated... a lot. It is hard for me to relate to or understand or even have patience for people unlike me a lot of times.

So, I pose this question, and yes I WANT, BEG FOR, answers!:
If you found something that sounded FANTASTIC, life changing, why do you say no?

Rather: What holds you back?

Or even, scratch the whole previous intro,:

In YOUR life, why do you hold back? What is it that keeps you from saying yes, from being who you are meant to be, from achieving your goals?
Let me rephrase:
Why would you say NO?

Help me, because I just do not understand at this moment and I find myself frustrated, not for me, but for others!

Patience?

I read a post on Faceboook earlier about a checklist if you THINK you are ready to have a kid. It totally cracked me up! Because, of course it is an exaggerated version... but not really. And once you are a parent you will realize there is so much truth in that statement!
The one that stuck with me the most:
Find a friend that has kids and berate them as much as possible over their methods of discipline, lack of tolerance, etc. THATIS THE LAST TIME YOU WILL EVER HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS! duh...
Then it occured to me: And I feel like a broken record, but we as parents might only be "fake" supportive of one another? I mean how many of us walk around passing judgement of other parents and their children?!?? While instead, we should be lending an ear of listening or a shoulder to cry on. Because isn't that what we all need from time to time? A safety net from our networks? I would love to hear feed back on this because I know I am not the only with these thoughts!

Balance in the World

This is a terrible title. In fact, I know it doesn't fit what is on my mind today. But, I couldn't think of anything else.
In the past couple of days or so, a lot of happy things are adding up. I have a LOT of friends who are about to have new babies. What an exciting time! For my child, I was freaking out and kinda scared because I had no idea what to expect. But now I look back and think "ahhh calm before the storm". :) So, people are about to have babies, or are announcing new pregnancies, or are getting ready to start trying to be pregnant. People are buying homes, cars, getting jobs, losing weight. And all of this is so exciting and happy! And I am happy for everyone.
But, do you ever feel like, every time something good happens that you then hear about something bad happening? Some days, not every day, I feel an uneasiness in the air. People are getting ready to have babies, while another friend's 3 year old child has been in and out of ICU for the past week or so fighting for life. (Prayer request there please!) People are buying new homes, while another friend's sisters home burned to the ground the week before Christmas. They have nothing now except for donations people were able to give. I feel like for every 2 good announcements, there is something not good out there too. It is very discouraging to me. It makes me incredibly sad.
So, not only do I pray for my friend to have a healthy newborn baby who sleeps well, but I pray for the family living out of the ICU right now that they may have peace, health, and happy news today. I don't know why I am just now writing about this family either. I guess they are weighing heavily on my heart in this moment. Like I am being told to do it right now.

Too long

I feel like I have forgotten about this blog. Somehow day to day life took over! And the funniest part about that is that I had created this blog to have an outlet to vent, to sort my thoughts, to network. I totally let my reason become my excuses! Eeeek!

So, let's catch up!
Tonight, after my daughter goes to bed, I will spend some time reading everyone's blogs that I have missed out on.
Hmmmm, let's see.... what have I not shared??

Within the past couple of months, our daughter fell and broke her leg. She is only 2 1/2 and has already needed stitches and a cast! Ugh! I hate to think how many more times we will go through something like this with her, if this was just a preview! My husband, for the first time in 6 years, was able to take time off from work around a holiday. We traveled to Illinois to visit his side of the family for Thanksgiving and his birthday. It was so nice to get out of town and have some time to relax! Very appreciative...

The other day, I was having some "look at yourself in the mirror time". A couple of things occured to me:

1) Maybe I haven't changed THAT much on the outside, as I would like to believe. (disappointing) But I am happy to announce that on Saturday, I am going to start a program for 60 DAYS to a 6 PACK! I am so excited and incredibly nervous about this! One, it is to showcase that even on some of the basic, core products that Advocare has to offer, everyone can get amazing results at home, without a gym. I am nervous because I have a tendency to procrastinate and be inconsistent sometimes. I know if I do my part, then the results will be there, though.

2) I feel like I have changed so much in the past 4-6 months on the inside. But I am one of those people who tends to keep things on the inside and bottle up. So, I have no idea if even my husband can see any changes! I really want him to. And I should share more. Because even the thoughts and feelings that are in my heart are different. Actually, that's exactly it! My heart is different. And that is such a good thing that I feel swollen with pride for myself! But, again, I think I am the only one who sees it and knows it. And I have no idea how to change that circumstance.

3) My final thought. For years I have felt like I was just surviving the day to day blues. I mean, I had stuff that I dreamed about for our future, but the future is so far away! I was happy, but not overflowing. For the first time, ever- I think, I looked at myself and the past couple of months and realized Dang! I am enjoying this ride. I am smiling thinking about it right now. Everybody has pivotal moments in their lives. Some you can see when they are coming, and some you realize afterwards. I look back on some extremely important, shaping moments in my life and now realize just how much of a crossroads I was at, and I can hold my head up high and know I made decisions that were right for me and our family. And I am liking looking at myself in the mirror!

HAH! so, there world, now you have been caught up!

why not?

I am looking for ideas:
1- ways of making new friends. I want some that are not just online friends, but ones that I actually want to hang out with and visa versa.
2- activities to do with my chilc on a regular basis.
3- BABYSITTERS. ones I can trust, rely on, and are fairly flexible in schedules!

Anyway just thought I would put it out there, see what happens...

Bandwagon

I remember being pregnant and wanting to do everything "right". I read as many books as I could handle, did tons of research on products, and I asked as many questions as I could think of to everyone who would listen. I thought I had a great birth plan. And that all went down the toilet when it came time. Then we brought her home, and I eventually got everything down to a crazy art. We had a schedule, we had the sanitizers, I did what I thought was the best that I could for being a first time parent. Actually, I knew we did great for first timers!

But yall, something has swicthed off in my parenting brain. I have energy to do the things that I want to do. I do not want to give her a bath, or have a schedule, or structure anything, good meal set up, (yeah right),NOTHING! I want to do nothing. I feel like I am having post partum depression, without the post partum.

The thing is, I know I should. The logical part of me knows it. My child responds to a schedule, to routine, to structure. If left to herself, she would go crazy. I have known this about my child since day one. I know that I do well with structure and scheduling. In fact, I thrive with schedules. But the emotional side of me has checked out, does not care.

I feel like I am 2 different people, two totally different personalities feuding. HELP!!! I feel like no matter what I do it isnt right anymore. I am sinking. and letting myself do it. and i dont care.

I know I have to get back on the bandwagon of good parenting. Of trying, of being an advocate of my child to myself, of giving her my best. I know it is one step at a time. But isn't the first step of anything always the hardest?

It upsets me that I feel this way. So disconnected and removed. But I am not sure that I am upset enough to go for the change. That worries me. When it really comes down to it, will I get out of my funk? Time will tell.