Time for a change

Lately I haven't felt much like blogging, which you've probably noticed from the lack of posts.  I actually had to force myself to sit down and blog about our birthdays, because I knew I would want to look back at those posts later.  The last few weeks have been kind of tough for me, with a lot going on, terrible weather (so thankful that it's finally starting to warm up!), fighting children, sicknesses (nothing serious, but enough to make everyone a little crabby) and just general "blah" feelings.  The last thing that I've felt like doing is writing.  And I still don't feel much like writing.  So I've decided to make a bit of a change to my blog.  So I'm going to try (key word - try) doing a photo-a-day blog for a while, and see if that suits me better for the time being.  Now with my iPhone it should be much easier to take pictures and quickly upload them and just write a few words.  I thought about starting a new blog for it, but honestly, I'm too lazy for that, so I'm just going to keep using this blog.  I may still write other blog posts from time to time, but I'm going to focus mainly on pictures (and I'll try to make sure they're not just the same pictures that I put on Facebook and Instagram).
Here's the picture for today.

 

Annika has her nightgown on because it's "pajama day" at preschool today.

A look back at 2012

Here's a little review of 2012 - I've picked a favorite or memorable post from each month of the past year.  I'm sure that most people won't click on all of them (and I don't expect you to answer the questions, unless you really want to), but it was fun for me to look back!

January: inevitably every mom will get unsolicited advice from a stranger - do you recall what an old lady said to me at the doctor's office?

February: Emmett took his first steps!  How old was he when he hit this milestone?

March: It's show and tell time at preschool - what did Annika bring in for the letter "U"?

April: I made a decision that I don't regret - what did I decide to hang on to?

May: I discovered a new hobby!  What have I been up to?

June: A day of family fun at the Children's Museum - what was Annika's favorite thing there?

July: July long weekend at my parents' cabin - do you remember who we met that weekend?

August: remembering an anniversary - what happened on this day?

September: Carey and I get away for a few days without the kids - where did we go?

October: Love this picture of the kids enjoying one of their favorite foods.

November: Annika and I have fun outside, despite the fact that I've been going through a rough time.  What have I been dealing with?

December: Emmett turns 2!  What was the theme of his birthday party?

Thanks!

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone who took the time to comment on my blogoversary post!  You really made my day with your encouraging words.  :)  I know everyone who read it didn't comment (Blogger keeps track of pageviews, and it was viewed a lot more than 12 times - which was the number of comments), so there's still some "lurkers" out there.  That's okay.  I was a blog lurker for a long time too (always read but never commented).  I still really appreciate that you take the time to read my blog, even if you don't comment.  Maybe one day... 
;)

Happy blogoversary to me!

One year ago today I started this blog with this post.  So how am I celebrating my "blogoversary"?  Well, I'm sorry to say that there's no giveaway or anything special for you, the readers.  Instead, I'd like you to give me a little something (it is my blogoversary, after all). ;)  It won't cost you anything but a minute or two of your time - I'd like everyone who reads this post to leave me a comment. 

Like most bloggers, I love getting comments and I really appreciate those who take the time to comment on a regular basis.  But I know there are a lot of people out there who read and never comment.  So, take the plunge today and do it!  And please, comment here and not on Facebook (not that I don't appreciate the FB comments as well, but I prefer having comments on the blog, so I can look back and read them together).  So what should you say in your comment?  Well, you can just say hi, or if you're really adventurous, I'd love it if you told me how long you've been reading my blog and how you came across it.  If you've never commented before and you're not sure how to do it, here's how...

At the bottom of this post, click on the link to "comments" (it may say "post a comment" or "2 comments" or something like that).  A pop-up window will appear.  Type your comment in the box where it says "leave your comment".  Beneath that it says "choose an identity".  You can sign in with a Google or OpenID account if you have one, or you can just leave your name/URL (don't worry if you don't have a URL, you can just leave your name).  You could also select "anonymous" and include your name in the comment box (please leave a name!).  After you put in your name, you can click preview or publish.  After that you may have to prove you're a human by typing some letters into a box (I can't recall whether I have that function on or not), and that's it! 

"Easy peasy" as Annika would say. :)

Blogging question

Since I'm still a relatively new blogger, I have a question for you veteran bloggers.  It's actually a question about questions.  What do you do when someone asks you a question in the comments?  Do you just post your reply in the comments as well (and hope that they check back for your response) or do you email them your reply so you know they see it (assuming you have their email address)?  Or both??  I'd like to hear what other people do, so I know if I'm doing things "right".  Thanks!

To blog or not to blog: part II

Thanks for the feedback on my post about whether I should keep blogging.  I started this blog mostly just to document our life as it is - to share pictures and record the funny little stories and adventures we have that are too quickly forgotten if we're not careful.  I'm a fairly private person, so I didn't really intend for this to be a place for me to spill my deepest, darkest thoughts and feelings, but I guess it could happen from time to time.  Also, I was a little worried that I might not have that many deep thoughts that would be worth sharing, as often my mind is most preoccupied with things like "what's for dinner" or "are there any clean diapers" (sad, but true).  I've tried to write a few posts are about stuff I've been thinking about, but I find they take a lot more time to compose (I've got a few half-written drafts waiting to be finished and posted), as it tends to be more difficult to get those thoughts down into words, at least compared to writing about day-to-day stuff.

I didn't anticipate, though, that in writing this blog I would be "spoiling" my own stories for when I wanted to tell them in person.  However, I'm not going to throw in the towel.  I just may not blog as often, or perhaps only blog about something after I've had a chance to tell the story in person a few times.  I think I was a bit over-zealous at first, trying to blog every day, because I wanted to have lots of interesting stuff on my blog to keep readers coming back (even though I said this was mostly just for me, let's be honest - it's nice to have other people read and comment).  I'm sure though, that people will still come back, even there's only a new post every other day or a few times a week.  I may also try to do different kinds of posts from time to time (about stuff other than the kids!), although I think that will be a bit of a challenge for me.  But it's probably a good challenge - it'll keep my mind from turning into a wad of Play Doh!  And perhaps, over time, I'll become more accustomed to hearing "I read that on your blog" and it won't feel so weird. :)

To blog or not to blog?

I haven't posted anything for a few days now because I'm actually considering stopping my blog.  I'm on the fence about it still.  I enjoy blogging and sharing pictures and stories with everyone (and having a record of our life "as it is" to look back on), but I've found that it creates a bit of a problem - when I actually talk to people in real life, they've already heard all my stories.  I start to tell someone about something that happened about me and they reply, "oh yeah, I read about it on your blog."  Then I don't know if I should continue talking about it, or if that would just be redundant.  Like I said, I enjoy blogging, but I don't want it to take away from my real-life interactions, which I think are far more important.  Any thoughts or advice?

Welcome to my blog

So, I'm not really sure where to begin.  I'm a long-time blog reader, and I thought perhaps it was time to start my own blog - a place to share my thoughts and pictures, as well as a record to look back on later.  Growing up I often kept a journal, but usually I would faithfully write in it for a few months, and then abandon it for a few months, and then pick it up again... and so on.  So I can't promise that I'll have regular posts, but I'll try my best.  Here's a little bit about how I chose the name of my blog...

"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott is my favorite book.  I got my first copy for Christmas when I was a teenager, and I've probably read it at least 15-20 times since then (I'm on my second copy already).  I read it once a year, usually every summer at the lake.  I've been asked how I can read the same book over and over, but it doesn't get old for me.  And almost each time I read it, I pick up on something new, something I hadn't noticed or thought of before.  This is my favorite passage from the book:

"I want my daughters to be beautiful, accomplished, and good. To be admired, loved, and respected. To have a happy youth, to be well and wisely married, and to lead useful, pleasant lives, with as little care and sorrow to try them as God sees fit to send. To be loved and chosen by a good man is the best and sweetest thing which can happen to a woman, and I sincerely hope my girls may know this beautiful experience. It is natural to think of it, Meg, right to hope and wait for it, and wise to prepare for it, so that when the happy time comes, you may feel ready for the duties and worthy of the joy. My dear girls, I am ambitious for you, but not to have you make a dash in the world, marry rich men merely because they are rich, or have splendid houses, which are not homes because love is wanting. Money is a needful and precious thing, and when well used, a noble thing, but I never want you to think it is the first or only prize to strive for. I'd rather see you poor men's wives, if you were happy, beloved, contented, than queens on thrones, without self-respect and peace."

This was my desire growing up, and still even now - to be admired, loved and respected, to be well married, to lead a useful life, to be content, to have self-respect and peace.  I'm very blessed to be "loved and chosen by a good man" named Carey and we've been married for just over 7 years now.  We have 2 children - Annika, our little woman, who is almost 3, and Emmett, our little man, who is 3 months. 

There's also a second meaning to the name of my blog - I am just one little woman, but I believe that I can make a difference (forgive me for sounding a bit cliche, but it's true).  I believe I can make a difference in the environment, in my kids, in my marriage, in the people around me...  Every choice I make has the potential to make a difference, and even though it may seem small at times, it still counts.  Sometimes I may not be able to see it right away.  Sometimes I may never see it.  But I still trust that I can make a difference, and God will use this one little woman.