(A very cool logo for a school bus company in Brenham, Texas.)
This week literally threw me for a loop and I spent half of it just trying to figure out what day it was! The holidays were so much fun, but it always feels good to get back to a routine, and ours will officially start next week when the boys return to school. Here are a few things that caught my attention this past (crazy) week.
This story is originally from 2007, but it aired again over the holidays, and I can definitely relate! I am the “Designated Celebrator” in my house, and my head is still spinning.
An interesting study that reaffirms the uselessness of comparing yourself to a model.
And you might have noticed that I’m a bit of a public radio junkie (see the above articles). Well, my local radio station split in half this week, sending its iconic music hosts to another “all music” station while the current one is devoted to news. This is a travesty in my mind, since KUT helped cultivate Austin’s local music scene, and I might have tweeted about it on Wednesday. A passive-aggressive move, I realize, but one that got noticed by a reporter from the station. He listened to my concerns and said he hopes I’ll come around. We’ll see, Mr. Bernier, but thank you so much for listening to me vent!
Have a wonderful weekend!
This post is a little late, coming after the New Year, but we had a wonderful holiday break, and it was nice to take a little time off from blogging. (I might have snuck in a bit of writing time, but just a little!) Ryan is back to work, but James and Rhys don’t start school again until next Tuesday, so we’re still enjoying the last few days of vacation. Here’s a photo recap of our holiday break.
We celebrated Christmas a few days early in San Antonio with my parents, and the boys were spoiled, as always.
(James waiting patiently to open presents.)
(Riding their new trucks to eat lunch.)
Then, after what seemed like an eternity, it was finally Christmas!
(Taking down the felt board on the fireplace, so Santa could visit Christmas Eve.)
(James wearing his new helmet and playing with his new toys on Christmas morning.)
Both boys got bikes from Santa, but Rhys still prefers his old tricycle.
(James is already a pro on four wheels.)
(Taking a much-needed break with Grandpa.)
A few days after Christmas, we headed to Brenham, Texas, the home of Blue Bell Ice Cream, for a day trip. We didn’t take the ice cream tour this time, but maybe we’ll try it when the boys are older and more patient.
(A cool sign in town.)
(The Blue Bell Factory.)
And the next day, we met up with Papa on the family farm. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and took a nice walk. Rhys was cold and preferred to stay inside, but James had a blast checking out old farm equipment.
(Taking a walk with Papa.)
(James and Papa driving the tractor, the same one I used to drive with my grandpa.)
And that’s our holiday recap in ten pictures. Our break was nice and long, and on Christmas night, we finally got some cold weather for the holidays. I always feel a bit sad when the season is over, but summer will be here before we know it, so I’m enjoying winter while it lasts.
(James trying out his new bike on Christmas morning.)
I’ve never been big on New Year’s resolutions, and, to be perfectly honest, I don’t really see the point of them. I don’t mean that to sound condescending, especially when everyone is writing about their goals for the year, and I’ve been thinking a lot about why I feel this way. It finally occurred to me this week that, because I was a student for so many years, and then subsequently, a teacher, I’ve become used to the idea of the new year starting in late August/early September, so that seems like a natural time to plan and prepare, for me at least.
August First of last year marked the day I moved to my self-hosted blog here, and it felt like the right time to start something new. I started 2012 with a major home renovation that was lovely when completed, but left me without a project to focus upon, so I soon found myself in a rut. When I ran across the opportunity to take a blogging class last summer, I shrugged my shoulders and thought, “Why not?”
It wasn’t planned at all, and I felt afraid that I was getting in way over my head. But that experience lit a fire within me that had grown cold long ago, and six months later, here I am. Regularly writing a blog, making friends and connections across the world, contributing to other blogs, and attending a major blog conference in just a few short weeks. I didn’t expect any of that last January, and I couldn’t even see beyond all the dust and paint chips filling my head then. But I guess that’s how things go.
Sure, I’ve got big hopes and dreams for my tiny blog, but I’m so thrilled with the way things are now that I’m content to just keep peddling along, like James on his new bike. I might try growing out my hair this year (maybe, we’ll see…), and I know I need to get more exercise. I can’t decide if I should add texture to the white space on my blog (you wouldn’t believe how much time I spend thinking about this!), and maybe I’ll bug Shayla for a new header one day down the road.
But for now, I like the way things are, and I hope to keep coasting for a while longer.
