A Bad Post...

To be honest, lately I haven't been in a good place.

I feel sort of invisible. Even when people see me. Even when they talk to me.  I feel like my opinions and my knowledge don't matter. Like I have nothing to bring to the table. 

I feel like I'm clinging to friendships I lost years ago.  I feel like if I didn't make an effort on my end, communication with many people would be non-existent. 

I feel unimportant, and sort of lame.

I feel like it's showing in everything I do now.  In the way I approach situations. In the way I approach friends.

I feel like my stress level is way up from where it should be, and that I snap way too often.

I feel like I want to do something about it, but the harder I try, the more invisible I become. The less people notice.

Thank you to the few who do notice me, and what I have to bring to the table.

Thank you for valuing my opinions and ideas.

Thank you for noticing what I do right, instead of only what I do poorly.

Sorry it's not a happy post.  Sorry it's not poetic.


Sorry it's the first post of the month on a flat note.


It's just something I needed to get off my chest.

How Do I Do it All?

Wow, it's been two weeks since my last post.  Well, so much for that goal of writing at least twice a week.  That lasted...uhh...a week?

These days, I keep finding myself thinking of that part in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.  You know the part where Hermione breaks out the necklace that let's her be in multiple places at once and travel backwards in time?  I so need one of those.  Maybe then I would write more.

You see, I want to blog.  Really and truly.  I've blogged in my head so many times the last few weeks and then written on my mental checklist, remember to blog.  The only thing is, I forget what I wanted to write by the time I get a chance to really sit down and think.

I get very few "free" hours in my day.  More than some, less than others. Unfortunately, during those few "free" hours, I have so many things I want and need to get done that I've had to prioritize way more than I'd like.  I mean, really.  Addie falls asleep and Willie runs off to work and I feel like my brain is going to explode with the to-do list that pops into it at that very moment:

I've got to get as much stock pumped out as humanly possible before August 21st, but oh wait I have all of these new ideas in my head that I want to make, don't forget you really need to blog.  Oh but your etsy team blog is being neglected as well, and you still haven't made a team treasury for this month. Don't forget Mom's birthday! Weren't you going to make her some booties? Mt. Fold-Me is starting to rumble...I fear it will explode off the couch any day now, but what's that smell in the kitchen? Man, I guess I need to do the dishes.  If I'm going to do the dishes I should really give the kitchen a really thorough cleaning.  I mean, then I could go ahead and vacuum too...oh wait...I'd have to clean up all of these toys first. Where is the cat? I hope he didn't get out again. Oh boy speaking of getting out, we've got to get groceries I should probably make a list.  It looks nice out today, it would be a great day for Addie to wear that dress that I never made.  Screw it. Nap time's over now anyway.

A lot of people ask me how I do it all.  You know, the blog, the pictures, the house, the kid, the cooking, the cleaning, the baking, the business, the play dates, the social life, the entertaining, the hiking trips, the marriage....

Truth is...I don't.  I don't even make a dent in it all.  Most days it's just priorities and what my mom calls the "flight of the bumblebee" when I realize company is coming over.  I take care of the priorities; my daughter, my husband, my business, and living our lives.  The rest of it I usually just hope will fall into place on it's own.  Usually it does...at least somewhat.  Just...don't surprise me with a spontaneous visit.  That would just be embarrassing.

What Do You Do With a Cling-On Toddler?

*Disclaimer: this is a totally random post. It probably does not make much sense, but my brain is mush today. Don't read it if you don't want to hear me vent about my week!*

I'd really love to know!  What do you do when your toddler won't let you walk two steps away? When she won't eat, or sleep, or play, or watch TV?

This past week has been insane over here!  Must be another regression of sorts.

Maybe it's her teeth. I don't know.  I honestly can't even think clearly anymore! When she's awake, 100% of my attention is devoted to her. Carrying her. Reading to her. Cuddling with her. Talking to her. Feeding her.  Yes.  Spoon feeding my 18 month old daughter. 

She's not sick. We just had her 18-month check up yesterday morning and she's totally fine.  She is teething.  She also just went through a growth spurt a week and a half ago. 





So, what do you do when your toddler turns into a cling-on? First off, you get really good at walking around stores with an extra 25 pounds trying to escape from your body.  Second, you find anything and everything to entertain them.  Today Addie got to try her hand at photography.

Not bad, right?

She's also been helping me cook.  A lot.  Spending time with her BFF (Best Friend Forever) has been a lifesaver, but now they are out of town for two whole weeks!

We're going to try some new crafts this afternoon.  I'm thinking home-made play-doh!  Anything to distract her from whatever it is that's bothering her.

We're also working on a new routine to hopefully make our days a bit easier.  So far it has definitely helped with her new strategy of fighting bed time (screaming and hollering to let me know she's angry). 

The thing is, I know there's nothing wrong with her.  Absolutely nothing.  She might be teething.  I know a lot of them have been moving under the surface recently, and I thought she cut at least one last week but it still hasn't come through!  She won't let me look in her mouth though, so I don't know what's going on in there.

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent.  If you read this, you're a saint!