Behind the Times

At the close of a wonderful 2011 holiday season, I told myself it was time to starting thinking about the year ahead.  Now over 30 and married three and a half years, Ben and I could hardly keep our heads in the sand about living solidly in the realm of adulthood, no matter how much we tried to pretend it wasn't so. We also woke up one day and found a toddler living with us, eating our food, and bossing us around. We realized we couldn't blame our lack of motivation on a newborn or infant like we'd been doing for the last two years.  Yup, it was time for a nice swift kick in the derriere. Time for us to live life to the fullest.  Time to strap up our boots and get to work.  It was time to grow up.   Say it ain't so!!!

We made some family New Years resolutions (my first in many years) and started having weekly meetings about what things we needed or wanted to do to better ourselves and the well being of our family of three.  After countless phone calls to the many Agents of the World (life insurance, health insurance, auto insurance, financial planning, etc), we are feeling much more in control and on top of things.

After reading a blog where the author gushed with excitement over the arrival of her 2011 Blog Book, I decided I needed to get on with the business of cataloging our family's many stories and that the beginning of the year was as good a time to start as any.   A few years ago, I was introduced to scrapbooking.  I loved the creative outlet, the delightful way to chronicle important events and memories, the flattering response of friends and family, and the fact that I needn't be skilled at drawing or painting to be able to construct something beautiful and appealing (which was key, b/c I don't posses the slightest inclination of either!).  The only drawback is that its VERY time-consuming, and not very high on the Need To Do list (at least not mine).  So you find yourself months behind, on even the big events like birthdays, holidays and "firsts", and it becomes overwhelming to think about trying to catch up.  I've almost resigned myself to the notion that I will have time to go back and actualize these big beautiful books I've conceived in my mind's eye....YEARS after the fact.  Like, when Jack goes to college.  In the meantime, I need an outlet to jot down a quick note, a funny experience, a proud moment and a few pictures in a simple, pressure-free manner.  Enter: blogging.

Yes, I'm hopping on the bandwagon.  I am setting off on the journey into cyberspace journaling.  And I hope it doesn't let me down.  More importantly, I hope I don't let me down.  I've never been great at writing in a journal with any consistency. Except for that year in junior high when I wanted to think of myself as a writer and kept an amazing 332 day writing streak alive before it all came crashing down around me when I went on vacation and forgot my journal at home. Even then, I felt like I failed myself b/c I didn't make it a whole year.  Its true, I have a tendency to be hard on myself.  But I think I'm now at a place in my life where I will be happy to just do BETTER.  I don't have to be the best.  What I create doesn't have to be the prettiest, or perfect. It just has to get done.  Amazing how marriage and motherhood have lowered my personal expectations ;)

As it stands, the first month of 2012 will draw to a close tomorrow.  And this is my first post.  Better late than never?  I guess so.  Wish me luck!  Here's to my big fat 2012 Family Blog Book!!  May it be everything I hoped for :)