Life Online

As a work-at-home-mom, I never know what the summer will bring. Depending on our activities and the ages of my girls, each summer is different.

I have to say that I am totally loving this summer! We planned in advance a good variety of things for the girls to do–a couple of weeks of summer camp, a week with my in-laws, a week here with my mom, some parties and social events, etc. We take a weekly trip to the library for both books and movies. In addition, a sitter comes and teaches them swimming a couple of afternoons a week.

Although every day is different, we are really enjoying family time. Sometimes it is something simple like a craft. Today it was a movie. It’s just nice to be relaxing and enjoying the kids.

That’s not to say that there are not challenges. I work even stranger hours than before because I have less dedicated work time. But the girls have even started helping me out a bit with my work by making videos for my websites and giving me contest ideas. This week they will help me stuff envelopes full of Disney gift cards.

I’m sure by August 10 I will be completely ready for them to go back to school. But for now, I am enjoying the time that we have and the opportunities in front of us.

I was on a blog this morning and notived them using Disqus for their comments. I’m curious as to how it works because I am new to it. I went ahead and signed up for it and added it to this blog, but I am not sure whether the Disqus plugin will work with Wordpress Mu. I guess we will see!

Do you Disqus? What has your experience been with it? You can learn more about it at www.disqus.com.

It was only a matter of time before one of our family members ended up on YouTube and not because we put ourselves there. We found out the other day from my husband’s mom that his uncle (I think actually his great uncle) was found on YouTube singing Old Man River on an airplane. It’s totally in character from what I know of his uncle. Apparently someone just found him amusing and started recording him. A family member stumbled upon the video months later and recognized him. Since then, the video has been passed along from family member to family members.

It’s actually kind of funny. And definitely a warning that we all need to be careful what we do in public because we have no idea who might be recording us and putting us on the internet! As small as video cameras are these days (not to mention video capability on cell phones), any one of us may unknowingly become a “star.” Here’s Uncle Allen!

My younger daughter, Cassie, graduated from preschool tonight. While a preschool graduation doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, this really was a huge milestone for our family. Cassie had attended a private school/daycare part-time for the last 3 years. Tonight was the end of an era for our family.

For Cassie, it means moving from the school that she has known for 3 years and the “family” that has surrounded her there to a public school with all new friends and teachers. It means no more nap or snacks in the afternoon. It means getting up early every day of the week instead of 3 days. It also means more independence and structure.

For me, it is the last day that I make the choice to be a working mom with a child in daycare. This has been a huge struggle for me since I started sending my older daughter to a babysitter part-time when she was a year old. The guilt and the feeling of inadequacy have been a much heavier price for me than the money that it has cost to send them. Honestly, I’ve just been holding it all in and waiting for this day with all the patience I could muster.

As a surprise to their teachers, the kids performed “Landslide” tonight. I’ve never really thought much of the song before until I heard my five year old singing “Well, I’ve been afraid of changing, cause I’ve built my life around you. But time makes you bolder
Children get older, I’m getting older too.” She could have been singing about either her or me just as easily.

Here’s a little video the solo performance she gave for us when she got home. I’ve watched it 5 times now and cry everytime. This is one of those days that is going to stay in my heart forever.

I let myself fall off the wagon again. But I had so many “good excuses”–my birthday, Mother’s Day, events for the kids, etc. And in the next couple of weeks, I have my anniversary, Father’s day, and a trip to California. How will I get myself back on my Weight Watcher point counting and exercise routine?

The answer that I have learned (thankfully) over the past couple of years is that it is just one day at a time. Yes, I screwed up. I ate birthday cake for breakfast twice last week. And I ate cookies until I made myself sick. Oh, and we ate fast food multiple times instead of me cooking. But you know what? I’m okay with that. Because I didn’t “go off my diet.” I just didn’t make good decisions for a little while. I didn’t forget how to eat right. I didn’t forget to exercise. I just made bad choices. And I can start making good choices again. I don’t have to wait until after vacation. Or until the first of the month. Or even until Monday to “start back up.” I can start making good choices again today–on a Tuesday, in the middle of the day. (Especially since I finished off the last of the birthday cake at lunch)

While I’ll always hate that I have to watch what I eat every minute of the day not to gain weight quickly, I love that I now understand how to eat healthy and how not to beat myself up over screwing up anymore. Eating right and exercising is a true lifestyle change. Not one that I enjoy most of the time, but one that I am committed to over the long run.