I’ve been quite here on my blog, though not intentionally! You see it’s simply been crazy around here more so than usual, combined with me trying to rework, well, how I work!
What does that have to do with this tiny ice cream sundae? (Oh and it is tiny – that is a very small appetizer cup!) Well one of the things I’ve been working on is celebrating the everyday a bit more, and finding ways to keep my teen/tween girls talking and interacting more with each other and me too. We are super close – but it’s not quite the same as when they’re little, is it?
So last Friday I put a movie on, set up the table with (semi healthy) avocado & cucumber sandwiches, fruit, and a few treat items too and it worked. Food is definitely a motivator as far as sitting/gathering which doesn’t surprise me – we do love our treats here in the Flaum house!
I am reminded how hard (but also SHORT – they fly by!) the teen years are, and how knowing there’s a happy space and people who support you is so important. I’m also reminded that if I don’t meet my own expectations in some way – that’s ok! (Example: not blogging for almost a month! whoops!) My personal goal right now is pretty simple: be my best self. Day to day that’s going to look different, and my schedule is going to look wildly different tomorrow vs 5 years ago. The one constant is change, right?
The dogs are well – they are a lovely constant and one thing that hasn’t gone haywire – KNOCK ON WOOD! Above you see Scrappy and Ranger watching as I work with Bandit on stay/heel/etc out front while they were told to sit/stay at the door. Good dogs!
Creatively I haven’t had a lot of luck making time for things I can share – but I definitely have projects in progress or in my mind that you’ll be seeing soon! A big part of my “go quiet” on the blog while not intentional for so long, was a part of my bigger plan to revamp how I’m spending my time, and how I’m sharing with you. I dropped off too much with my fitness goals and it has cost me – but I’m working on it.
You’ll be seeing more video content that doesn’t have a blog post attached (most videos in past did!) over on YouTube. Likewise you’ll see more blog posts that are in depth/longer and slightly less frequently than in past because of their in depth nature. If you follow me on social media – well you won’t see much change. LOL! I always try to keep it real, and “real time” over there as well.
I hope you’re finding a good life balance or that you’re content with what you’re up to. If you aren’t, I’d love to talk to you about how you’re finding your creative time or what you’re changing up. I’m working to adapt a “my best today” strategy and being flexible in what exactly that looks like day to day. I’m excited for what I have been (slowly!) implementing and I’m excited to share more with you scrapbooks to costume accessories!
Hi may. Yes, the teen yrs are rough. My daughter is 14. My boys are 19, they’ll be 20 during the summer, and are away at school, young men, really. And that relationship has changed, too. Nothing bad, they are adults now. Just changed. But I’m surprised, and happy, my daughter is talking to me more than she ever has. I remember how hard it was to be a teen girl, and that was all before social media. So I get worried about all that.
I’m really behind in my scrapbooking. I’m hoping to get the drive to get back to it. I’ve been painting with watercolors mostly. Trying to get past being afraid to put it on paper. Getting there…
Have a great weekend. Michelle t
Happy to see you posting again. 🙂 But real life comes first. Enjoy your girls, because these years will fly by.
And it happens! Do I have any creative time right now…NOPE! It is OK, it will come. Sometimes you have to {FOCUS} on what is important. {focus} is my word of the year. So, continue to build that relationship with your daughters through the teen years, it will make them so much better as twenty-somethings and your best friends too!
Hugs and Happy April. (Your Life SHOULD be different from 5 years ago). Because nothing is the same as 5 years ago!
You are such a great mum May, creating opportunities for your daughters to know they can always talk to you
My daughter will be 12 in June and I’m finding it a bit difficult to know where I fit in. MIddle school has been going really well, I’m proud of how she’s adjusted, but I miss the opportunities elementary school provided me to see other mom friends. Now everyone seems too busy to meet up. My crafting has been on hold for a while now – I don’t want to give up entirely, but I’m having trouble deciding what to focus on going forward. As you said, the only constant is change so I’m sure new ideas will come. Thank you for your posts and your classes I do really enjoy them.