Kristen Blog

Let's start with the canopy...which really begins with the budget: Recently, Matt has taken over the family budget.   It was my decision, to be honest.  He tends to be the party pooper when it comes to all of my exceptionally good ideas, often revolving around some of my purchasing.  (Secretly, the most likely reason I hoarded the  budgeting responsibility.  But I never once lied about my purchases!  I just eased him in on my decisions.  😬) Well...now he sees everything directly - live action style.  And he doesn't always happen to see the value in the things I value.  Like...the canopy. Ok.  To his credit, I was getting a little out of control with my spending.  I bought a bunch of things for the office, some things for the great nephews, some things from my friend's AMAZING business (Insert plug for KC Pallet Hunters - 50% off or more.  Check them out on FB!). Also to his credit, he has learned that most of my ideas really A...

😂😂😂😂😂  💞  😚 -K We are coming to the end, and I don't happen to like endings.  It reminds me of other endings I don't (and didn't) want to face.. My precious little guy in his special little nook. 💕 I couldn't drop out neglecting one of the best parts of the trip: Evan's little nook. Oh, he is slowly coming into that in-between phase, and I can feel myself losing my last baby's childhood.  Ugh!!!  It's inevitable, and it is good.  Still, I cry. And I cherished this potential "last." We had a bit of an awkward balance in the rooms, and I had to work out the problem of where Evan could sleep.  He spends time with the teens/twenties half of the family, but he has too much little in him to hang 100%.  We didn't have enough rooms to give him his own, so I had to be smart and think quickly.  (Fortunately, making the kids happy tends to be my forte.)   I didn't want him to even know we didn't, naturally, have a plan for his room.  S...

Or pm...what does it matter?  I just don't like leaving things undone.  It may be the last you hear from me, but it will be finished!  So, the next day...June 16... All my children... ...was the day I've been looking forward to all along.  I got to see my lifetime friend!  (Oh darn!  I already shared the photo.  I get excited and jump the gun like that...💁)  We got to be alone together for like 30 whole minutes, and I'm pretty sure we picked up right about junior high. It was sooooooo good for my heart!   There are some friends that just click and you know they love you and you know you love them.  And then she started talking about having a girls' reunion and all the fun we would have, and I started to freeze up and said I would bring my family...and she said no I wouldn't and I finally felt safe to be honest (about a LOT of things!!), "Oh, Stacy...I don't do well in groups." And she had me at, "I know." Like Sands Through the Hourglas...

Because I need this right now, and I might as well share.  I don't know when I will have time again, to be honest. Kerri came along with us on our family trip.  (I joked that I brought myself a "busy bag."). I know I need to fix her right eye.  I had to wing that part, because it came out on the pattern as brown.  MY Sister Golden Hair's eyes were not brown!  (God, I still can't.  So much trauma, and my cookie jar is over-flowing right now.) On the morning of our first full day in Fort Morgan, I woke up early.  I was alone.  This is a rare moment for me.  (Less rare now that my favorite doctor in the world has given me the gift of authentic sleep...maybe we will come back to that.  Maybe not.) I decided to walk to the beach.  It was a special time. I wanted to scope things out, so I would have an idea of the place before I had all the others (and all the gear) with me.  It just makes everything easier if I know what I'm doing i...

Actually, today is one of the lesser of my manic days...but oh, my oh, you guys.  It has been a WHIRLWIND.  I don't even know where to begin.  So, I will just begin with "vacation."     Couldn't miss the opportunity to visit one of my very few childhood friends! Of course, we all know there is no vacation for a mom traveling with 6 other people.  So, let’s just refer to it here as our “family trip.” [I find I survive a little better if I go into things with adjusted expectations.  (THAT revelation took awhile!) Had I gone into the whole thing believing I would be “vacationing,” my reactions would have been much more reactive.  As it was, I did not collapse in an adult tantrum at any point in the trip, and I consider that enough to call my performance a success.) My in-laws blessed us with a WONDERFUL place to stay together…despite the fact that there were 7 of us and 2 of them.  How's that for generosity?   I, especially, appreciated the...

 I call this one "The Big Fiasco."  Trust me, it's an understatement. I'm thinking of Lemony Snicket . Meet Goliath.  Or Leviathan.  Or Cthulhu.  I can’t decide.  Let me know what you think. I was looking forward to Thursday ALL WEEK LONG!  I was going to have the day off (with Matt) and the evening free from appointments, so I could go and enjoy my son's first Big, Big Show (it's a wiggles reference - a very appropriate one at that.  You'll only get it if you've been around awhile.) Unfortunately, my big, big ideas connected with a whole week of chaos and my circumstances got way out of control...again.  (You guys...I don't know what I'm going to do with me!!)  Where do I begin? It started with a stench - a stench, which has been brewing for awhile.  On occasion, of late, I have been caught off guard by a slight odor - I call it  "eau de dog and dudes" - as I entered my (not very private) chambers.   What the heck??!! ...

It's been awhile.  Business is picking up, and I am working HARD to be sure I do not get overwhelmed again.  It's so easy to lose the line between can and can't.  I've never been one for setting the best boundaries, after all.   Me too, little guy!  Pushing boundaries and thriving outside the box. I was comparing myself to "other moms" the other day (a task I do NOT recommend EVER).  I came across several situations where I realize I give my kids a lot more leeway than most.  For example, some 8th grade mom's were talking about submitting photos for the graduation video, and I commented that I was waiting for Dillon to choose some.  They were shocked, "Oh I will be choosing those photos." I couldn't imagine how they get away with that..   It happened again at prom pictures.  I was talking about how I won't post (generally) any pictures unless Eden approves them first.  They didn't seem to understand my reasoning.  Like..."It'...