Blogging Again

So I've been away awhile.  I just took a break.  It was needed. With Polite Society Magazine, getting ready for a trip 5,350 miles (or something like that) away, and wrapping up the festivities of Christmas and a really important family event two days after Christmas, blogging fell WAY down on the priority list.

Once we got here, things were crazy.  I was anticipating a trip to Utah as well, but it was clear this year that it was better if we opted out of doing it this year. I think Brian was pretty disappointed because his parents and sister live there and Brian really loves it there as well. But because his parents were already traveling down to California for said-important-family-event-mentioned-above, we decided that it was just too expensive to make the trip.  We didn't have a car to travel in (which meant spending the money on a rental), as well as gas and other expenditures... the $1,500 would have been better not racking up in debt (cuz let's be honest, right now we're putting everything on credit cards and paying it off slowly through the months.  Our states trips end up costing about $8,000 total so that's not money we just have laying around).

I think Brian still really would have liked to have gone, but wasn't too bent out of shape.  Except the night before his parents were supposed to leave, he got this grand idea for us all to hop in his parents' van and fly back.  Well, after checking flight prices, it wasn't looking like a good idea until he asked if I would be offended if he just took Spencer to Utah and I stayed here. I just blank-stared.


Are you kidding me?!  

The girls would be gone at the same time and I'd have days away by myself.

Are you kidding me?!  

So, this morning he did it!  We packed up Spencer, packed up the girls and this morning at about 7:30 a.m. I stood waving to a van full of my family driving off for five days (which in a way I was a little nervous that my whole.family.was.driving.off.in.a.van. But I got over it quickly cuz I just knew they'd be alright).

I haven't known what to do with myself.  My initial thoughts were to start tackling my "to do list," but thanks to my friend Jessica, she reminded me that I needed to take some serious "me" time.  This is what she said:

Take yourself out to lunch. Go to Nordstrom and try on fancy shoes. Go for a walk. Find a bike. Take a bath. Go to a movie. Craft something. All by yourself.  Remember when we went to Cafe Harmonie recently? I'll never forget how you sat down, exhaled, looked around and said, "I need to do this more often. It feels good to just sit down."  And go to Sprinkles for me.

How awesome is she?  I had a few others suggest Pinkberry, sleeping, lunch with friends and going to movies.  The flood gates just opened and I had a slew of ideas, a bucket list, if you will, come pouring out so I set to work making a list (in true Christy-style) of all I wanted to accomplish.

Lots of fun things, and lots of "responsible" things were on my list.  I started stressing where and what to do first! I just sat there.  Then I realized that I didn't want to waste my time worried that I was wasting time.

I decided that today I would clean up and get ready for my fun days, but I did a few fun things too.   I went out to lunch with my mom to an amazing little place called Alicia's (and ran into an old friend as well), took a guilt-free two-hour nap, helped my mom clean her house and secure tilted pictures (that bug me when I walk into her rooms), had an extended conversation with my sister without being constantly interrupted, watched episodes of Modern Family, and was able to read blogs and leave comments (something I haven't done in a loooong time).

I'm currently trying to find new blog templates for Brian to change since Halloween is a bit outdated. :) But it overwhelmed me so I am stopping.

The night is young. Maybe a movie?

Oh, and did I mention the two hour nap? That was amazing!

Tomorrow?  Not sure.

But one thing on my list is to start posting on my blog.  I can't promise that they'll be in any semblance. I just want to get them done!

Crossing things off right?

This sounds like a good Sunday activity.

Do I even have readers anymore?