Shoes, cereal, and more...

After having lived with my in-laws for a few weeks (which was really more pleasant than I'm about to make it sound), I had a few realizations.  Not the least of which is...being a grown up really is okay.  Seriously.

While the occasional desire to curl up into fetal position and suck my thumb will hit during a bad day; like when your business fails, your child gets broken and you come down with pneumonia all at once, I can still accept that generally speaking. grown-up is good.  To prove my point I have created a list of the reasons why.  Feel free to steal them as needed:

1. Parking in the garage.  It is a royal blessing to have your car stay cooler/safer/ice-free and to not have to walk through the rain/snow/apocalyptic Fresno heat to get into it.  While we were teenagers mom and dad always got to park in the garage.  Guess who's the mom now!
2. Sugar cereal.  As I continue to divert my children from the joys breakfast induced sugar comas to start the day, I myself am not opposed to partaking of the occasional gritty bowl of mouth shredding deliciousness that is Froot Loops.  I'm an adult, I know EXACTLY what this stuff is doing to my internal organs.  I just don't care.
3. Buying candy at the check out counter.  Every time I went with my mom to the grocery store, I lived with the vain hope that she would one day take pity on me and notice how desperately I wanted one of those super tasty Hersheys chocolate bars staring at me right over the conveyor belt.  Now it's my money, my shopping trip, my cholesterol that is paying the bill, and when no one is around to see me it's MY candy bar. Any... Kind... I... Want.
4. Watching T.V.  While watching tv was allowed with the in-laws here, when the tv was on EvErYbOdY was watching it together.  All Of Us.  As an adult in my own home I cherish the time I have after the kids are in bed to sink myself in the guilty pleasures of prime time tv.  Vampire Diaries, Project Runway, Bones, New Girl, Big Bang Theory...Some are stupid, some are nerdy, some are gross, and some can really be inappropriate, and no one can say a thing about them.  My time, my decision, my guilty pleasure.
5. No P.E.  I'm sorry, but that alone is worth growing up for.  If you don't understand what I mean by this then you obviously weren't an awkward, overly tall, uncoordinated mess of a girl with no discernible athletic skills.  Even kickball was beyond my ability.
6. Shoe Shopping.  Enough said.

The ups and downs of life...and pretty dresses.

It's been awhile.

The fact that I am blogging means that things are changing for me.  In a good way I hope.

For 5 years now I have worked at a real live paying job while simultaneously working at a time eating, zombie creating, mom-reducing, money sucking small business.  The business was so small that not enough people came.  And now it is over.

I'd like to say I'm devastated.  I'm not.  I feel like that is wrong somehow?  After investing blood, sweat and tears into this endeavor for 5 long years you would think I'd be sadder to see it go.  I am sad to not be able to provide a much needed service in our area, and I'm sad that I won't be meeting more of the amazingly wonderful people that have come into my life through this business.  But that's all.  I am not sad that I'm no longer spending every Saturday in servitude, I am not sad that I'm killing my back and working until 9:00 at night, and I am definitely not sad that I am continuing to do these things while not earning a dime.

I did it for the love.  For the love of beautiful dresses, and of happy brides, and of being told I was a blessing to these girls and their families.  I wanted to help, I wanted to be an answer to somebody's prayers and I did my absolute best to achieve that.  Now however, it's time for me to try to be a blessing in my families lives.  It's been a long time since I have been able to do that, I'm not sure if I remember how.

MoMs...

My babies

I am surrounded everyday by so many fabulous moms (many of whom I try despeartely to emulate) and I got to thinking that some of you may not be aware of the qualities that I see in you and love you so much for. So here is a little Mothers Day love note from me to you:

Steffie- My dear sister became the crafty mom that I always thought I'D be! She has outshown me in craftiness and I love her children like they are my own.

Kimmie- Auntie Ki...With Peeps came a side of you I'm not sure I ever expected to see. We've found common ground with kids in a way that we didn't quite achieve with teaching. Now we talk Disneyland, Kids Boutiques, illnesses, lessons, AND all the regular stuff too. I feel like in motherhood we found each other, we have the same genetics, I'm not alone in my passions. :)

Tracy B- You work 100 hours a week and STILL find time to sword fight and bike ride and play dress up and bake and volunteer AND be a World-Class entrepreneur! I feel inadequate every time I read you FB posts. I'm just sayin'.

Keri B- YAY! a RELAXED mom! You make me feel like I can just be ME!!! You do the things that you are able to do and don't stress yourself over the things you aren't. And your children are exceptionally well-balanced and independent because of it! I LOVE that you know who you are as a mother and you don't try to be anyone else.

Carrie P- You are one of the SWEETEST women I know! You are infinitely patient...like, beyond words, patient. I know you don't think so, but you are. I always feel like you like me for who I am, not who I try to be.

Kim D- Is there anyone who constantly does so much for her children, and the community, as you do. You see a need and you don't just tell somebody about it...you walk right in and fix it. You provide so much love for your boys by your actions. You make the world a better place for them and for the rest of us.

Diane- MOM! All I can say is, you were right.

About everything.

It kills me.

Happy Mothers Day Ladies!