Where I'm at in Life

Wow, you guys. It's been almost an entire year since I've posted.

Writing is something that helps me feel content. It helps me get my thoughts straight during stressful, trying times. It also helps me to take it all in. To realize everything we have going for us in this life. And to write it down means to experience it again. And to read it brings it all back yet again. If I don't document something, my awful memory loses details. Details are important. And I want these details down in writing so that we can look back on our days whenever we'd like. So our kids can look back on things and get a brighter picture of how life was. This is why I'm blogging again.

I've written on and off throughout this last year. I just haven't made it public. And I really didn't do enough of it.

My New Years Resolution was to read more and write more. Just do it MORE. It helps me relax, slow down and de-stress. So yes, I just needed to do it MORE. Which I've been doing, so go me!

Switching gears..

At the end of February I decided to drop my side gig with Dove Chocolate Discoveries and focus solely on my role of mama and wife.

Let's be honest here, I really hadn't done much of anything with it since June of 2016. When cabin season came around I really let up on my business to spend time up north and with my family. It was a great summer but I always had this nagging guilt inside of me. I should have been working my biz. But I really just wanted to be present and enjoy every day with my family. I told myself that once the cabin closed I would hit it hard again with DCD.. Ha. Yeah, right!

Since I had built up a little customer base I was still getting orders here and there and that's really what kept me from calling it quits a while ago.

At the end of February DCD became The Cocoa Exchange. A new company. I opted to not buy into it and felt this was a good time to part ways.

As of March 1st my title solely became SAHM and Wife. So what do I do with my time?!

I'm involved with the ECFE and volunteer on their Parent Advisory Council. I spend my days during the week keeping up on chores so that our nights and weekends can be dedicated to fun stuff and family. I get to the gym a few times a week to workout and I've actually been cooking! Home cooked dinners! Practically every night! If you know me, you'll realize how huge this is. I've ALWAYS hated cooking. And even just a few months ago I would still end up cursing and crying or both after trying to cook dinner for my family. But not anymore! The key thing is: PLANNING AHEAD!

I feel like we really have a handle on life right now. We're healthy, we're happy and we're having fun. And that's all I could ever want.

#incrediblygrateful

Silver Slide : The best spur of the moment decision

Levi has been asking for a cat lately. I don't do cats. But I'd be willing to get one if he agreed to take care of it and there were ground rules in place.

I'm an animals-in-cages person. It's been in the back of my head ever since our snake Frankenstein escaped (story for some other time?) to get a hamster. A couple weeks ago though Levi captured a baby Frog that we took in and made a home for in Frankenstein's old cage. We couldn't get it to eat and it passed away a few days ago. I found myself enjoying having that frog to check up on and entertain us. I was bummed he didn't make it.

Andy was working from home yesterday so I decided to find some "errands" to run to get us out of the apartment for a while so it would be easier for him to work. First stop: Petsmart! The plan was to look. Just look. And to also price things out because I knew I wanted us to have a hamster sometime in the near future. I went there thinking it would cost around $100. Once we were there and checked out all of the things we would need for one I discovered we could get everything (including the hamster) for almost half of what I thought!

I gave Andy a call and he said "Do whatever you want. It's up to you." I talked it over with Levi and made a deal. I told him that I know he wants a cat so if we get this hamster and he helps me clean the cage, feed, water and play with him then once the hamster is no longer with us we can talk seriously about getting a cat. That is if he proves that he can help take care of one. Levi loved that idea!

We looked over all the different types of hamsters they had. All but two of them were sleeping. Levi fell in love with the most active one. This hamster was filling his mouth up with bedding and bringing it into his house. He thought this was absolutely hilarious! It was then that I was completely sold on the idea of taking home a hamster today. Seeing Levi light up like that was the best!

It was so fun picking out the different things we needed for our hamster, getting home and setting it all up. Once he was in his cage Levi sat watching him for the longest time and found everything that this hamster did incredibly funny! When I asked Levi what we should name him he said "Silver Slide". Who knows where it came from or how he came up with it!

I see many great memories ahead with Silver Slide and I'm sure Levi will remember him for the rest of his life like I remember my first hamster at his age, "Elmo".