Am I always catching up?

Yes. Yes I am.

That is the way it will be, I suppose.
So busy lately with the close of summer, into fall.... school starting (so much homework for 1st grade!), getting into new routines, I've been oh-so-busy at work... and then of course just the normal living of this life.

A few things we are starting or trying to keep up doing around here--
keeping on routine! This means bedtimes, and uptimes.... this is hard for this family!
I'm trying to do a 'No Spend Challenge' of sorts. I know everyone has heard of this in some form or another.  Well, with birthdays, Christmas, school expenses, clothes for kids, and my bills jumping up a bunch starting in October.... well, I'm trying to cut corners and save wherever I can. I have really been feeling the financial hit of being a single parent lately.

So, I am going to try to keep up, and blog every day this month... even if just a photo. I think that it will help me be accountable :-)

Here are a few 'catch up photos' from an outing in Athens a few months ago. Yes, I know... I'm very behind ;-)

the lamb

Happiness is::

Chocolate chunk Belgian waffles.
Breakfast outside.
A smiling, funny boy.

ketchup

Hello from Jenny-Land!

Yes, I'm still here. I've just been veeerrrryyyy busy. 

Kids and their things.

Me and my things. 

All combined make for a very busy life. 

I've been taking more pictures lately, though, and have been so happy. Happier than I've been in a long time. And I'm excited to share some of those pictures, and to try to keep up with this blog....

Everytime I have the urge to post I'm reminded of what a good record keeping tool it is, and how much taking photos, and sitting down to jot a few words about my life, makes me realize how truly lucky I am. 

So here, just a few photos as of late. 

Farm visits 

(farm with a ZEBRA! As a PET! So stinkin' fun)

Lake trips. 

Family fun.

Getting Ready

 The kids are getting ready to go on vacation with their daddy, to the beach.

Much fuss is being made....

By them, by grandparents,

But mostly by me.

What will I do?  I'm used to going a couple days, three maybe, without them.

This is 9. Maybe 10. Whole.Days.

Maybe a list tomorrow of things I can do without kids that I'm looking forward to? I'll work on that.

lovely

I had the kind of day I really needed. 

A morning full of surprise visits and connection.

An afternoon of laughs.

And an evening of surprise indulgences.

I had ordered these lovely Marble and Milkweed items a little while ago, and thought they would take much longer to reach me. These handmade, organic, beauty/bath products are made to order, from local honey and beeswax, organic flower extracts, organic oils, and organic essential oils. 

All of them are just so.... magical. 

My day was so surprisingly good, that it is almost making me forget that my children won't stop fighting with each other, and they are very shortly going on vacation with their dad, and will be gone for 10 days. 

Blink

Blink.

And a moments gone.

Life is going by so fast lately.... and then it seems like the things I want most are very slow coming.

I'm trying to ebb with the tide more and more lately. Sometimes life goes easy on me, sometimes it doesn't.

I find myself excited at new possibilities:: a new chance at a relationship, new projects milling around in my mind, time spent with friends over glasses of wine, and of course at the ever exciting and new world of the kids.

There seems to always be a lingering concern I carry --- the knowing that things can change in a moment. I just can't seem to shake it. I need to learn how to shake it.

Do you feel it?

When a change is coming?

Sometimes I do. Right now I feel it.....
A shift of sorts.

Winter and Spring brought me complete stress and hustle.
Summer is feeling... slower.
I have ideas again.
A few life - ways changes to make......
Things I need to make happen.

We shall see.