Friday, January 3, 2014

Hello, 2014!

It is looking like it will be off to a slow, calm start. It's so nice to think that we have a month with NO plans coming up though. I love to be busy. I am a planner and I tend to sometimes overbook us. Our summers, even though we're off, are usually booked with camping trips, a day or two at the beach, a family vacation, trips to MO and PA, swim parties, bbqs, and I pretty much fill every single weekend. I hate the thought of wasted time. I like to be sure to find time to catch friends it'd be so easy to lose touch with and visit our families that live far away and spend our weekends doing family fun activities. Life's too short to waste a moment always been my philosophy.

The fall with going back to school is always crazy whether I plan it or not because there is so much extra stuff it seems that has to be done to settle back into the school year. On top of the return to work, with all the fall holidays there's apple picking, pumpkin patch, fall festivals and carnivals to attend, then it's all the Christmas prep and activities. We've traveled to Fredericksburg, VA; Erie, PA; and Kansas City, Mo in the span of the last six weeks so to think we're pretty homebound for the next month. It's going to be movie and popcorn nights and hopefully lots of sled riding and snowman making if the winter keeps up with the way it's started in the last month. We spent our NYE playing princess Candyland and Doc McStuffins memory game.

We're all ready for some down time I think. We're ready to bunker down for the winter over here. As I said in my Good Bye 2013 post I'm excited for 2014. I hope it's filled with joy, health, and happiness for everyone.

My Good Bye 2013 Post also included the first 10 of the Top 20 A & N Posts of 2013. The top ten are as follows. Thanks for reading in 2013 and hope you'll be back to share in the joy and chaos of motherhood with us in 2014.

#10 is Sometimes I'm Superwoman but Most of the time I'm Just Nuts . I like to think I'm not alone in thinking some days I'm barely half a step ahead of crazy even though it feels like as mothers we need superwoman powers to conquer everything.

#9 is Top 5 on My Motherhood Hell List . We all love motherhood but let s be honest. There are just some things we could do without. What would you add to the list?

#8 is The Clown of this Circus Show Called Motherhood . Motherhood is a balancing act like no other and even though I'd like to think I'm the graceful trapeze artist I feel the goofy clown most of the time. Part of this post will also be published in a story I wrote for the spring release of Chicken Soup: The Survival Guide for the Multitasking Mom.

#7 The Battle of Time with my Little Girl . A sad mommy moment looking back at how fast my girl is growing. I'm sure I'll have a freakout moment in 2014 when she starts kindergarten.

#6  My Letter to God. Motherhood is a whole new search for self journey in itself and I feel that my relationship with God is a big part of that journey but here's my internal struggle with spirituality and religion as a mother.

#5 is Wal Mart: My frienemy . We all have a love/hate relationship with the local Wal Mart.

#4 is Time is What Makes Great Parents . A look back at how my own upbringing influences what I think matters in my own parenting journey. This was one of six posts selected to be featured out of over 100 for the Show Off Blog Post Weekend in October.

#3 The Working vs Stay at Home Mom Debate . Neither is a walk in the park but my look at this debate of today's motherhood world. This was also one of five posts selected to be featured out of  100 for this Momma's Meandering Mondays in November.

#2 The Damn Elf on the Shelf is the Last Straw, Moms! Guess everyone loves a funny rant. Good thing everyone knows not to take me too seriously.

And the #1 post of 2013 that still gets lots of hits for some reason is Moms, Get Ready to be Judged!
Unfortunately, I guess we all feel the harsh stares of judgment at some point.

Now to close out 2013 here are a few of my favorite pictures of 2013:

                          Winter:




                                                                      Spring



                                                                        Summer








                                                                      Fall


                                                            
                                                                 December


 

2 comments:

  1. All of your photos are beautiful! Angela, I hope you and your family have a beautiful year.

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  2. they are adorable! Totally hear ya on the #5 and how fast they grow up!

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