Category Archives: Family Life

As I shared on Twitter earlier, today was day one of being a real SAHM (Stay-At-Home-Mom).  Normally I am a Work-At-Home-and-Homeschooling-Mom which, fortunately for me, is at home, but keeps me very busy and I often feel I’m not doing any of the parts (Work, Homeschool, and Mom) well.

But this week, my homeschooler is in Arizona doing cool things like going to Tombstone, Arizona and hiking to ancient cave dwellings!  Yeah, I’m jealous! But I’ll get there someday!   This is his turn!

So, once I get the Hubs and younger kids off to their daily destinations – I’m alone. And, yes, I’m still working. In fact, a project I thought I had a month to complete is now due now…or yesterday! Yikes! But I’ll do what I can do and it will get done…soon I hope! 😉

Last night I was feeling a bit lost when I considered 6 whole hours of alone time each day but then I decided to stay busy and make the most of it!  So today I cleaned two of the kids’ rooms. I had NO idea it would take so long, but their rooms are so clean that they are excited to spend time in them!!  LOL

Tomorrow I plan to organize my desk (again! constantly!) with special attention to the 6 in stack of papers from Sissy’s first 4 mos of school! I will scan a few and then toss, toss, toss!    After that, well, I’m not sure.  I do have 5 new knitting projects on my agenda as I did a pay it forward offer on Facebook so I could get started on those.

One thing I’ve noticed about being a real SAHM today:  it’s quiet.  And, it’s not the peaceful, my whole family is quietly busy or sleeping quiet that I enjoy from time to time.  But the quiet so if there is a sound I’m sure someone is trying to break in or there was an earthquake. lol    Let’s just hope I get over that!

So, I did it! I am not planning to spend every Saturday morning scrap booking, but if we are home, I will definitely try to do it!

I use Creative Memories’ products. I keep wondering about using Photoshop, but I don’t know that I have time/energy to learn something new.

Today, I started the 2013 album (three pages), started a general 2012 album (four pages) and Eric and I worked to finish our vacation/reunion album from a few years ago.

I am happy with this start and hope I can keep it up!

Today my oldest turns 18. I am simply amazed by this fact. I think he is too. lol

I was thinking about our 16+ years together and realized that thanks to J1, I’ve had several firsts:

• He was the first person to call me Mama
• He was the first child I potty trained (well, I tried! Thankfully Grammy finished the job while we were camping at the Cabin!)
• He was the first child I tried to homeschool.
• He was the first child to leave our homeschool and go to school.
• He was the first child I had to let leave the house for a sleepover.
• He was the first child I had to let leave the house for a week at camp.
• He was the first child to graduate.
• And, now he is my first adult child.

Last night, Grandma and Grandpa O (freshly returned from Texas) and Aunt Annie joined us to eat pizza and watch movies. We started with family movies that Eric’s Grandma O took over the years. That was quite a treat!

While we were waiting for the movie, Sissy and Gpa O got pretty silly!

Big brother and Sissy really enjoyed themselves too!

I don’t really do New Year’s Eve well.  I’m more of a stay-at-home-go-to-bed-early kind of girl.  So, I’m sure you can see why I don’t really like NYE.  However, I do love fresh starts and new beginnings!  🙂

Tonight because most of us are half sick, I think it’s going to be a Papa Murphy’s pizza and Redbox movie night.  Just my kind of night! AND, I’m giving myself permission to celebrate East Coast style (midnight at 9pm) though I think my kids might prevail on me to stay up with them.  We’ll see.

What is your family doing tonight?