Finding My Groove

I'm finally getting a little better at blogging again. Man, I was a lazy bum this past winter. Parenting really does change everything. Still, I am slowly working towards a balance in my life with all my daily activities, responsibilities, and rest. Starting next week I will have Hunter in daycare all day, twice a week. This was a mixed deal for me. On one hand it's really needed so I can take some time each week to really focus on my bloodsugars and health as well as indulge in some of my hobbies to fend off stress. I love my little man, he's a funny guy to be around but he is a lot of work and often his needs get put before my own. I also take the stay at home mom thing pretty seriously. There are too many well documented benefits to moms who stay home with their kids until 5 or 6. While I totally agree with that I think that kids also need time to socialize with others when they are ready. Hunter is definately ready. He's never one to shy away from new people and seems to get really bored hanging around the house lately. While I am always going to be here for him I think it's time for him to take an independent step forward and have a couple days out of the house and with other kids to learn some new social skills. He's definately got some interesting social skills from the dog but I think human interaction would be more of a benefit for him right now.

Once I get the little man out of the house I want to start really attacking my scrapbooks. Ugh, how the years get away from you! I have pictures everywhere and no final resting home! I remember growing up how my mother never finished my baby book and had a coffin box full of 30 years of family photos that would hide in the closet. I dread that outcome. Although my box is not coffin sized it is dog sized and really must stop now, so my goal for the summer, before we move is to get totally caught up with my scrapbooking. Afterwards I am really thinking about going to digital scrapbooking. I have a friend on base who does it and have found other bogs where the bloggers are raving about it. I did sign up for Inkubook and like the service. I'm hoping to have all photos from 2009 on forward done digitally so I don't have to deal with the box guilt.

I'm also becoming more and more active with my knitting. This is great because I own a semi-truck full of yarn. I've been blasting through my Peaches & Cream cotton yarn these past few weeks. I joined a weekly knit along group on Ravelry that does just dish cloths. God bless them! They have an archive of free patterns that go back several years. I've been able to try a few and really master some. Right now I'm building up my supply of cloths for baby births, welcome baskets and emergency whatever gifts. I've gotten up to doing two a day! It's tough with Hunter around and the dog laying on my lap but I'm getting faster and I think everyone is more tolerant now of my knitting -- at first Hunter would throw fits if I sat and didn't pay attention to him but now he can play alone with little direct attention from me for an hour or so.

For the rest of this month the family will keep it chilled. We were going to try to go to an air show at Langley AFB this weekend but the 4 hour drive up there and another 4 hours back was a little too much for us at this time. Luckily I just found out about a wool fair this weekend at Cestari Farms -- they make several forms of yarn are fairly popular around the US. They are also just over the mountain from us near Staunton -- about an hour drive one way. The fair will have a petting zoo, pony rides, and tractor rides just to name a few. We're thinking this would be right up Hunter's alley... and mine because they have a mill shop on site.... MORE YARN!

That's it for now, it's almost time to feed the man and then put him down for an afternoon nap.