Sharing my story {without photos}

Well, I did it! I'm skipping catching up our family memories in a post for my remembrance and jumping ahead to get this blog on a roll. I feel like I'm running to catch up with life and I almost grasp it, just to close my fingers a bit too soon, or if I actually get a good grip, it's too weak and I lose it.

I keep waiting for everything to slow down, but life is not cooperating.

So, I am jumping a hurdle of fear and getting totally out of my comfort zone. I'm going to link to another blog for the first time {taking slow, deep breaths}. I have enjoyed Donna's blog Funky Junk Interiors for quite a while now. This month she has posted '31 days Blog to Biz' and the information has all been so timely. I knew many of the steps that I needed to take or do, but life kept pushing it from the top of the priority list. My list of to-do's is very long, and I struggle with keeping things flowing smoothly and in order like my obsessive, paper/office supply loving, organized side really wants. Donna's post on Day 24 really struck me though - love your mess - I realized that while I really want a place for everything and everything in its place, it pretty much isn't possible for me to pull off. I have to embrace my creative messy side and not ruin my creativity with my organized, check all details side. This doesn't mean I live in filth, but I live in a 1 bedroom apartment with 2 children, I work from home, we home school, and for the last 2 years I've been a full-time student - there is a lot of living that goes on in our space. To top it off all three of us like to create things; unfortunately I am the only one who cares if it's clean :-). Our house is rarely as clean as I would like, and if it gets there it only lasts about an hour tops....'cause once it's clean I can't resist pulling out a project or two.

October is a bittersweet month to me for multiple reasons. I will only state a couple of them: I love the coming of fall (in Alaska it's usually over by October); but I miss the long bright, summer days. October is dark. We usually don't have leaves or snow - so everything living is brown, as in dead, and the snow isn't around to reflect light. This October has been packed!

I won't even go down a list of all that has happened in the last week or this month - but I will list what I've actually accomplished/thought about/planned out regarding this 'new' blog. For a point of reference I am also going to list how long these things have been on my to-do list...it makes me feel better :-D (I'm a list maker and like to cross them off):

New blog name (January 2011)

Went through old blog posts and moved over the ones that weren't too, too personal (Jan 2011)

Get ads listed on blog and start reviewing product (January 2011) ... still not done, obviously

Start blogging consistently again (May 2011) ... haven't done so well

Get watermarking figured out for my photos (May 2011) ... still not done

Started and almost finished several house projects (ah...ongoing, for last several years)

Got my new camera - a real dslr, not a point and shoot (7 or 8 years)

made a decision on a sewing machine and put it on layaway (at least 5 years)

been in a personal debate about going back to school (since finishing my AA in April 2011)

What I am challenging myself to do (or at least start) before next Monday:

write posts on above mentioned house projects

work on getting ads and set up with reviewing some product

get watermark figured out

work on new header/clean up blog

start learning how to take pictures with my new camera (or at least register it)

go pick up sewing machine (appointment on Wednesday)

sew something (or lots of somethings)

enroll in school. it doesn't start until January - family & holidays will be gone.

So, while those are really short lists (a joke for a list really) those of you who also blog know and understand the significance of some of those listings. Thank you for not judging me for posting before I really have all my ducks in a row (or even editing this post first). I just need to do it and not allow myself to over think it and as a result talk myself out of doing it at all. I want to make it a priority. Thank you Donna, for all the wisdom you so freely shared and giving others of us the opportunity to just start. Okay, so now to figure out how to link up....