A new year of potential

It’s a new year!  It’s a time for new beginnings, releasing old habits and generally, shaking off the dust.  And if you live in my house, there is plenty of that because the way my schedule is set up, there is very little time for “frivolous” chores like dusting.  Something like cleaning a toilet, well, that needs to get done but dust, well, I know that is pretty gross too.  I could make a bunch of excuses as to why I can’t get everything done but just envision yourself working and parenting without 2 people.  As in, all on your own.  I love when friends or people in general complain about how hard it is to be a parent and I see their husband at the ball field, at the grocery store and let’s say, lending 2 additional hands to the parenting role.  I am like a human octopus….truly, all hands on deck.

Now that I think of it, since dust is made up of sloughed-off skin cells (among other vile things like mites and other dead insect parts), I should dust and I could create an assistant to help me multi-task.  My dust assistant could go grocery shopping, while I assist with homework.  That would be a cost-effective way to secure some help.

And I am not complaining.  I am generally happy and I make time every day, no matter what the weather is, to get out for a walk in nature.  The things l don’t like to do – cooking, laundry and scrubbing floors, I would have to do with or without children.  To me, the parenting stuff is easy – challenging, at times, and time consuming for sure but immensely enjoyable.  The daily chore stuff…not so much.

Truth be told, when I looked out my slider today while drinking a coffee, I realized the 5 pumpkins I bought for the fall were rotting beside the “Welcome to the pumpkin patch” placard.  It should say, “Welcome to my world – procrastination sprinkled with exhaustion”.

No dust here. Nothing but blue skies.

Countdown to a new year…5..4..3..2..

If ever there was a perfect time to do a counting exercise, it is right before New Year’s Day, right?  Everyone is counting down something.  My favorites are:  the top ten songs of the year, maxim.com/hot100/2013 (guess who is number #79?  No, sadly, it is not me!) and the top 10 celebrity feuds (always hilarious).  2013 has been a decent year.  My two children are happy and healthy.  I am blessed to have my two parents and one sister which equals family solidarity.  I launched one website and managed to post weekly blogs despite the countless things I had to put on the backburner to complete them.

So far, I have two resolutions for 2014 but I am not sharing either one of them.  I completed two resolutions last year (one was this blog) but somehow resolutions are too private to share.  Sorry, readers but I think you will agree.  I asked many people to share their New Year’s decrees and overall, people are seriously secretive about their resolutions. While I am not revealing some things, I will admit, this has been the hardest blog to write.  I don’t know why that is.  My best guess is because it is the last one of the year.  I feel I should say something infinitely profound so that you will continue to come back next year.  That is way too much pressure for me.  So even if you don’t think so, please come back anyway.

Speaking of resolutions, my daughter doesn’t have one yet.  At the time of this posting, she will have only 14 hours left to make one.  I hope she will consider the option of replacing eye rolls with egg rolls.  Who doesn’t want an egg roll or two on New Year’s Eve, right?  My son is planning to see more movies.  He didn’t give it a number but it will be more than 10, if we do it.  Ah, 10 more cartoons in 3D with those cool glasses.  How much will that cost?  About $198 without buttered popcorn.  Oh, who cares?  You can’t put a price on fun, right?  Tonight, we will have one bottle of sparking apple cider, eat at least a dozen pastries (don’t judge, they are the bite size ones!) and watch the ball drop from our 24 inch television.  Which way do you measure a TV?  Anyway, when Auld Lang Syne (bet you didn’t know how to spell it-me either!) is playing, I will tear up at least a few times when I think of how much I would like to stop the clock and relish each moment just a little longer.  I wish you all a Happy and Blessed New Year and I look forward to countless adventures together in 2014.

The Storyland clock contains an important message for all of us.

The Storyland clock contains an important message for all of us.  Enjoy yourself.  It is later than you think.