Saturday Takeover: Happiest Camper

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Hello, Friends of Bonnie! Have you seen those popular television shows and documentaries that glorify tiny living? The ones where couples or families live in 300 square feet debt free with the world at their doorstep? Yeah, we watch them too and think those people found the key to simplicity and real happiness, so we tried it for ourselves. How do you think that's going? When we were faced with making our next domicile move back in January 2015, we carefully weighed the pros and cons of buying a traditional home, continuing to rent a house or apartment, or hitting the road. As a couple of thirty-somethings without kids and some employment flexibility, we decided it was a good time to give full-time RV living a whirl. Don't we look happy?


Within six weeks we gave away our cat and chickens, sold a vehicle and bought a truck, moved the vast majority of our belongings into storage, and purchased a 1987 Kountry Aire 5th Wheel RV, our new-to-us home, which needed a mile-long list of renovations. My husband, Dave (a handsome ginger), is a handy guy who welds and fixes just about anything himself. I love to decorate and sew,
so renovating a tiny space appealed to us...for the first week.



We gutted the entire camper that was covered in 80's fabulous rose-colored carpet and flowers. Thinking about the smell still makes me gag a little.



Every inch of the space was covered in primer and three coats of paint just before the clock ran out on our lease, and it was time to Move. That. Bus! (I've always wanted to say that.) Initially, we only moved 5 miles, but they weren't easy! You can read about that night here.



Three months later, we are still working out A LOT of kinks and adjusting to tiny living. The flooring is not installed. I have no idea where to put our shoes, and the dogs have yet to learn that cacti are inedible. (We're in Arizona.)



I received the following text message from Dave while writing this post: "Our house smells like a nursing home. We have a toilet situation." Ugh.



In spite of all the downsides, we named our blog Happiest Camper for a reason; We seek the positive in every situation. In the last three months we have met the nicest people, both virtually and in real life, who have extraordinary stories. We have seen beautiful, unique places, and wake up to stunning views each morning. Our relationship has grown closer despite the limited space. That was a real concern for this introvert who MUST have alone time on a regular basis. Of course there have been disagreements. It is a marriage, after all.




If you are looking for a blog that is all sunshine and rainbows with Pinterest perfect photos, Happiest Camper isn't it. I share real life experiences including the good, the bad and the ugly because all three exist in any chosen lifestyle. We have big plans for posting DIY projects, sewing patterns, travel reviews, camper modifications, adorable dog photos and more. We hope you'll join us on our bumpy, yet entertaining, ride. Stay connected by signing up for our mailing list or following on Instagram (@HappiestCamperH). Facebook and Twitter links are available, but truthfully we don't use them much. Keeping it real!

  

One Word

Guys.

I just spent an hour writing, editing and linking up a post for this month's discussion on Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.  I was all set to publish when something dinged in my head.

Isn't book club the last Thursday of the month?

Yes.  Yes it is.

And isn't today only April 22?

Yes. Yes it is.

So wouldn't that mean that this post shouldn't go up until next Thursday, April 30?

Yes.  Yes, Bonnie.  That's what that means.

So I wasted all my time and energy on that post and now it is 12:02 am and I've got no blog post.

The good news is that next week's discussion on Unbroken is going to be killer.  You have one week to finish the book if you haven't already.  ONE WEEK.

Now that I'm here writing the blog post that isn't, I feel like I should say something to you all.  I mean, as long as I've got your attention and all.  There are seven weeks left of school.  The finish line is in sight and then it's SUMMMMMMMMMMMER Olaf style.  I have never had two and a half months where both my husband and I didn't have to work.  This could go one of two ways:

1) Absolutely amazing, pure family bliss.  We spend the summer swimming, camping out, going on vacation, barbecuing, sleeping in, and enjoying all of the best things in life together.  It is a summer of pure heaven and with no responsibilities, demands, or pressures on our family we flourish in perfect three person family harmony.

OR

2) We go crazy with so much time together and kill each other.

Only time will tell, friends.

On another note, I'm having trouble with my fourth period class.  I mean, not capital trouble.  Just lowercase trouble.  They are all such good kids and sweet as can be, but they just don't participate for nothing.  I ask them to share their prompt with me.  Nothing back.  I ask them to share their thoughts on a quote from the book.  Blank stares.  I tell them I was kidnapped, beaten and left for dead in the Sahara desert and they just look at me with big lamb eyes.  No reaction whatsoever. It's almost kind of awkward because everyone is just so silent all the time.  Every class day I have to get myself all pumped up to teach the class and I build all this energy for them, and then within 20 minutes we're all just kind of in there wilting away, like flowers on a 100 degree day.  I can't keep putting on the teacher Bonnie show when they all just sit there and stare.  Suggestions por favor?!

In other news, Greg popped in the last five minutes of class today to demand what one word I thought most accurately described him.  Yes, working at the same school as my husband is the best thing that ever happened to me.  I thought about it for a minute and then replied, "passionate."

He was disappointed that I hadn't chosen "clever."  Apparently my husband wants to be clever more than anything else in the world?  We all have our dreams.

I asked him for one word to describe me and he said without a second's hesitancy, "sexy."  So I guess that's a compliment?

I kept thinking about it this afternoon and tonight that because I'm the type that thinks about stupid things for way too long.  I decided that I stick to my decision to call my husband passionate above all else. That man is passionate about everything- even my decision to call him passionate.  The word I would choose for myself is determined.  Basically a nicer way of saying I'm a stubborn son of a gun.  One day I hope that word is changed to kind, but I'm not there yet.

What word would you choose for yourself?  Is it the same word that your significant other or closest friend would choose for you?  And what word do you want for yourself?

And how about that?  I didn't have a blog post for today and now I do.  The time is now 12:20 and I'm going to bed because June is the alarm clock that never snoozes.

June Bug: Nine Months

I have constant internal debates with myself when it comes to posting "updates" about June.  Do people really care what small toy my child is attempting to put in her mouth today?  Do folks really want to know how much she sleeps at night?  And who in their right mind actually cares if my daughter likes broccoli or not? (She doesn't!)

But then I feel like I would miss it if I didn't post the appropriate important month updates.  You know, how some months are important and some aren't?  Like nine months feels really important, but ten months does not.  So I'll post a nine month update.  And if it bores you to know that my little baby hates broccoli (she does!) or that she sticks her tongue out all day long, I completely understand and I do not hold it against you.  Be free, blog readers, be free!  Ain't nobody gonna force you to read this!

For those of you who are still hanging around, let's update the crap out of this baby!

At nine months old, June is still barely 14 pounds.  (She'll have her official weigh in next week.)  She wears six month clothes and even some 3-6 months, and only if we're feeling very brave to we venture in to the nine month clothes.  The romper she is wearing in these pictures is nine months and you can see that it just about drowns her. She wears size two diapers and size one shoe because she just ain't very big and that's alright!

June rolls and scoots all over the carpet, having mastered the oh-so-important army crawl.  Every day we say, "Oh my gosh, she's going to start crawling any minute!"  But she doesn't.  She also does not pull herself up or sit up from a laying position.  Part of me worries that she's behind physically but then I remember something my favorite teacher at my school told me, "Don't borrow trouble."  So I won't borrow no trouble and I'll trust that my petite little baby will hit all her milestones in due time.  The fact that she can't crawl yet is actually awesome. That little girl can sit on her blanket and play with her toys all day long, and I don't much have to worry about what she's getting in to.

June LOVES being outside.  She can be cranky in the car, cranky inside, fussing like a crazy banshee and then the second we walk outside, she just calms right down.  She loved going to the beach last month and playing in the sand.  She just sat there and held onto those little grain sands with all the energy in her fourteen pound body.

June also loves people!  Her favorite people are: (in this order) mama, dada, other babies, kids, adults.  She will watch anyone for hours.  When we were at the beach in California she went all day long without her naps because she was just so darn happy being outside and so busy watching all the people come and go.  She was especially happy to be surrounded by my friends' children.  The four kids absolutely adored June and she basked in the awesomeness of being surrounded by four little people all day.

Generally June takes two naps- one in the morning around 10 and one in the afternoon around 2.  Her naps range anywhere from an hour to three hours.  If she has a long nap, generally the second nap is much shorter.  If it gets past 4:00 pm there ain't no hope in the world of June taking an afternoon nap and we have to just power through to bedtime.  Bedtime is at 7, and with the aid of her magic sleep suit, June generally sleeps through the night.  Also, "through the night" is kind of a relative term, but basically she sleeps until 5 or 6 in the morning when I pull her in to bed with me and feed her while we both fall back asleep.  Days when we don't have to go to work she wakes up for good anywhere between 7:30 - 9:00 am.  Days where I have to work she's up by 6:30.

This past month June has been eating all sorts of new foods.  My friend gave me a baby bullet and I LOVE it!  I also read French Kids Eat Everything and am now on a mission to introduce June to as many types of foods as possible before it's too late.  She loves pretty much all fruit, with a special place in her heart for oranges.  She tolerates vegetables, but they are more than anything a necessary evil- something that must be eaten in order to get to her precious fruits.  She also loves oatmeal and chicken.  She does not like broccoli.  REPEAT.  MY CHILD DOES NOT LIKE BROCCOLI.  IS ANYONE OUT THERE CONFUSED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT BY CHILD LIKE BROCCOLI?!?  She still nurses three or four times a day- generally at breakfast, lunch, dinner and before bed.  Homegirl loves her milk straight from the source.

June has no teeth yet, but a very adorable gummy smile.  She throws her head back and flashes her gums like, "Hey!  Don't I have beautiful pearly white gums?!  Admire me!"  And so, of course, we admire her.  What else are a couple of smitten parents to do?

June is the absolute light of our lives.  Nothing has ever made us so happy or made us so grateful to be alive.  I know most parents are stupidly crazy about their children and it's very cliche to say we had no idea how our lives would change for the better when this little five pound bomb came exploding on to the scene.  I know it's also cliche to say I never knew I could love someone like this, never understood how my heart would grow and expand, or be so absolutely amazed by her every little action.  You've heard it all before, so I won't say any of that.

Just know that it's all true.  

Making the Hard Decision

Five months ago, we took a foreign exchange student, Agathe, into our home. (See post here.)

On Wednesday, I drove Agathe and her suitcases to a new home for the remaining two months of the foreign exchange year.  It is a fabulous family with five daughters and a beautiful, big home.  Agathe, lucky duck, will have the whole basement to herself.

It was not an easy decision to make, to have Agathe live with another family.  We wrestled with it and prayed over it and stressed about it for weeks.

But in the end, it was the right decision.  A hard decision, but the right one.

We just didn't have the strength to keep up with everything in our lives. Greg and I took on too many responsibilities this year.  We were unrealistic about our own strengths and our own abilities.  We went from having no children to having two children in the blink of an eye.  We said yes to everything, and then we were surprised when we couldn't do everything.  We were going 100 mph all day every day, and that left no time or energy for the things that are most important to us- our marriage and our family.

Part of me feels like a failure.  Like we should have been able to stick it out, to do it for just two more months.  But we couldn't.  At an AP Literature conference I attended a year ago, the presenter encouraged us, as teachers, to strongly encourage all students to take the AP test at the end of the year, even if we knew certain kids were going to fail. The rationale behind that is that colleges are more impressed if a student takes an AP class, takes the AP test, and fails the AP test then if the student takes the class for a year and doesn't even attempt the AP test.  To attempt the test, even when the student feels unprepared or inadequate shows character.  It shows that the student is a fighter, that the student is tenacious, that the student is not afraid to do hard things- regardless of the likelihood of failure.  To take an AP test and fail it is really not failure at all, it is a manifestation of strength and determination. This past week whenever I have felt disappointed in myself for not being able to host Agathe until June I have remembered that AP presenter's speech.  I hope that maybe I am like that unprepared AP student- someone who has absolutely no business taking the AP test, but gosh darn it, attempted it anyway.

We love Agathe and will continue to love her and see her often. I will still be her teacher. Tomorrow, in fact, I'll pick her up to play tennis after school. We want our relationship to continue, in spite of her not living with us. The truth is I think it will be much easier for me to be her best friend than her mom.  She was sad when we told her that we couldn't keep her until June, but she is a smart and mature teenager, as well as a very sensitive and kind person.  She understood.

Sometimes I wonder if we were stupid to say yes to hosting Agathe in the first place.  We probably were.  But I'm proud of us for trying our hardest, for loving that girl with everything we had, for attempting to do something that we clearly had no business doing.  When we had Agathe move in with us I felt strongly that it was the right decision for us.  And then when we decided last week to have her live in a different home, I felt very strongly that that was the right decision too.  I don't know the answer to everything, and I don't know why we needed to have her in our home for that period of time, but I trust that there was a reason, and I trust that all of our lives are better because of it.

If not, well... then we're just a couple of idiots.

The Cling

Greg and I are beside ourselves.

Ya see, our independent, will-go-to-anyone, always- happy baby has turned clingy.  And maybe a little fussy?  Tell me how did this happen, internet friends?!

I suspect it had something to do with the four straights days she spent with me in California.  I never left her side.  I held her all the time.  She was literally attached to my hip.

LITERALLY.

Well, not literally.

 But you catch my drift.

Now, after a week back at home, she cries when we set her down, cries when I walk out of the room, cries when I pass her off to someone else.  June, this ain't cool.

It has always been really important to me to have a baby who is willing to go to other people- who shares herself, (And by always, I mean the nine months that June's been alive.  But always sounds so much more dramatic.)  I will love my baby no matter what, but it's important to me that other people love my baby, too. And that happens when she allows others to hold her, to love her to play with her. I want her to have lots of time with all sorts of people.

Up until last week, I'd say we were doing pretty good with it.  But four days of no one but mom and it looks like we've ruined all of our non-clingy hard work.

Sunday at church I sat next to one of my good friends, Latisha.  She wanted to hold June, and I gladly plopped June down in her lap.  June started to immediately cry and so Latisha gave her right back to me.  I don't blame her.  Most people don't enjoy holding crying babies.  I was determined, though, to get June to sit happily with Latisha.  I distracted June with a book and then quickly whispered to Latisha, "Here.  Let's try again!" before sneakily sliding June over to her lap. This is where the weird circus act began.  I tried to hide behind Latisha so June couldn't see me, I stupidly tried to wave books and toys in front of June's face to distract her, I stubbornly believed that if I willed it hard enough I could make June not want me to hold her.

And guess what?  It kind of worked.

For about two minutes.

She started fussing again and as Sunday school isn't really the best place for baby training so I took her back.  She sat on my lap for the remainder of the lesson, happy as a lark in a meadow- just as long as I wasn't trying to pass her off on anyone.

I realize that a lot of this might just be the age, but tell me oh wise internet friends, is there anyway to uncling a baby?

Spring Break 2015: California Style.

Last week was spring break and I flew the coup and headed to California for four days to hang with two of my best friends.  (They live a mile away from each other and minutes from the beach.  This is the part where I try my best to not get stupidly jealous.)  Originally I was supposed to drive out with Greg, but then plans changed last minute.  I found a relatively inexpensive flight at the eleventh hour, and so it was Junebug, Agathe and me on our way to sunny California.  

I was a little worried about how much Agathe would enjoy the break.  She was to spend the first couple days with me and then she was going to stay with a family friend in the same area starting Wednesday. I warned her that hanging with three women (two of whom are pregnant, one who is nursing) and their combined five kids might not exactly be the "spring break" a seventeen year old French girl envisions.  She said she was fine with it, though, so she came along for the madness. We basked in the sun for four straight days, skipped naps any time we could, and played for hours on the beach.  At the end of the two days I asked Agathe if she was bored with all the kid stuff/ mommy conversation.  She replied she enjoyed it all except for the conversations about childbirth, which absolutely terrified her.  OOPS.

And now, a bajazillion pictures.  I shall narrate as we go, whaddya say?

DAY ONE:  RELAXED BEACH DAY.  I stayed most of the time with Akasha.  She has three (going on four) kids.  The kiddos adored June and June adored them right back.  It became alarmingly clear to me that June needs siblings stat.   Here are Akasha's kids entertaining June with the best, biggest baby toy they could find.  Naturally, June did not oppose.  I mean, who would?!

Yes, we are quite the crew!  We went to the beach three days in a row (including a day of surfing) with all five kids (ages six and under) and no men around.  I'm right proud of us. NO excuses for missing out.

This is Amy- expecting her baby in June.  She has more confidence than the rest of the world combined.  I love her with all my soul.

June LOVED the beach.  Blew right through her nap time like it was nothing.  She watched the other kids play (I hate to tell Greg, but he's got another hardcore extrovert/ wants to be outside all the time family member on his hands) and dug her hands in the sand over and over and over.

Day 2:  SURFING.  Agathe had never tried it so we pretty much forced her into the wet suit and out to sea.  16 week pregnant Akasha showed her the ropes while Amy and I manned the army of children on the beach.  Also, children are SO easy to watch on the beach.  I think if I lived close the beach like Amy and Akasha I would go every darn day because the kids just entertain themselves.  For hours!  They are so content.  No screaming no fighting no crying- they just want to play in the sand and water.  I am investigating a theory that the key to successful child rearing is living close to the beach.

All the kids were CRAZY about June in the most adorable way.

After Agathe and Akasha came back from surfing it was mine and Amy's turn to give it a go.  Amy is 28 weeks pregnant but she doesn't believe in slowing down for fetuses so she took me on out.  I am kind of a whoos/ terribly uncoordinated so I didn't have a lot of hope in myself. (SIDENOTE:  HOW DO YOU SPELL WHOOS?  WOOS?)  Plus I have tried surfing several times and I always biff it for every time I try it.  But Amy was bound and determined to get me up on a board so out we went.  First we had to pose, because you know, if you went surfing but didn't take pictures did you even go surfing at all?!?

I lasted about twenty minutes out on the surfboard.  June was crying back at shore and I couldn't quite enjoy myself knowing that my baby wanted her milk/ needed her nap.  So I went in early and Amy took Aspen out for a minute.  Yes, Aspen is six, and yes Aspen likes to surf.  (Notice all the A names in our crew?  Akasha Amy Aspen Agathe.  It's madness!)

After surfing I promptly took a nap.

And so did June.

She then woke up from her nap NOT PLEASED.  June's crying face is about as cute as it gets.

"ALL HOPE IS LOST" says Baby June.  It's rough being a baby.

Of course, it seemed fitting that we take some jumping pictures.  The "almost jumping" pictures are always better than the successful jumping pictures, dontcha think?

ALMOST.

Success!

Not pictured Day two activities:  The best fish and shrimp tacos I've ever eaten.  I could live on a straight diet of shrimp tacos and die a happy woman


DAY THREE:  HUNTINGTON BEACH.  I was the one that suggested we give Huntington Beach a shot even though Amy and Akasha warned me that it is way too touristy and kind of a drive.  They were gracious enough to take me anyway and we found it to be... well, way too touristy and kind of a drive.  It was also windy and a tad bit cold (cold in California = 65 degrees.)  Also, I think two straight days of no schedule and weird naps had June acting fussy and me acting a bit fussy too.  So it was awesome, but not as awesome as day 1 + day 2.  Not everything can be perfect all the time, guys, and that's okay.

At night we went to watch the sunset over the ocean.  You know, typical Wednesday night stuff.  I swear, these two girls live on vacation!

DAY FOUR:  
Time for me to head home.  But first we hit up the park in the morning and played a round of cards before Amy took me to the airport at 2:00 to catch my 4:00 flight. (Poor Akasha was stuck teaching preschool.)  By now I had said goodbye to Agathe and was embarking on the flight by myself with June.  I'm not usually that scared of doing things by myself, but flying with June without another adult had me shaking in my britches.  What if I need help!?!?  We had a layover in Las Vegas and the Vegas flight was delayed five hours, so instead we went to Phoenix in a futile attempt to get home a little bit sooner.  But the Phoenix flight was also delayed and by the time we were home in our own beds in Utah it was 2 am.  Twelve hours in airports and planes.  I would've been faster to just drive home, sheesh!  Luckily, June pulled out her best baby behavior and the twelve hours was pretty seamless.  Sometimes I think this child really gets me.  Like she knows when I really need her to just be chill and so she chills.  I swear, she senses my stress and anxiety and turns into an angel baby.  Where did this child come from and how is she mine?!

Airport chilling.

I attempted to get some reading done for Bon's book club that is coming up next week.  I am about 200 pages into Unbroken.  This is my second time reading it and I love it just as much as the first.  (Although I might add that my best idea was not to read about planes crashing while waiting to board a plane.) Hillenbrand's attention to detail and to getting the story "right" is unsurpassed.  My fingers are crossed that she will write another book.  (Her other book that I absolutely loved is Seabiscuit).

My best travel buddy.

Wendy's picnic in the Phoenix airport.

Other California things that were not pictured:
+ The most amazing maple bacon donut I have ever had at a little donut shop in Newport.  It was $4 for that donut and I declare it was the best $4 I have ever spent.
+ Swimming and hot tubbing- Akasha lives ACROSS THE STREET from a pool and hot tub and Amy has one in her apartment complex.  There is so much that is unfair about this whole set up.
+ Akasha made me the most killer orange smoothie I have ever had in my life.  She dropped an orange right in the blender, threw in some concentrate and ice, and voila, it was absolute perfection.  I need to get a better blender.  Anyone want to spot me $500?
+ We played a rousing game of Bang! one night.  I love playing that game so much, but gosh it brings out competetive, mean Bonnie. KILL THE SHERIFF.

Alright, that's a wrap.  It sure was good to get home to Greg.  It was good to be away and good to come home.  Sometimes I think relationships need oxygen, and whenever I spend a few days without Greg I am always giddily excited to see him again.  Friday we were both still off for spring break and we relaxed and cuddled our sweet baby and soaked up that time together.  Spring break always goes too fast, doesn't it?  Also I know a lot of teachers complain about low pay, ungrateful students, ever changing curriculum, ETC, but after a week in California in the middle of April I have to think to myself, geez oh man, I chose the right profession.

Over and out.

On blogging and voice and writing about real life

Easter Sunday with my two favorite redheads and the parents/grandparents of those redheads.  June was like "Oh no, please stop this madness" and we were like, "Oh but we have to show the world how happy we are on Easter Sunday" and this picture was the result.  You're welcome!


Tonight is the last night of our "spring break." I spent the better part of the week in California (all the details tomorrow), but now it's back to real life.  Tomorrow Greg will head back to work (I don't have to go until Tuesday.  Boo-yah!) while I will attempt to restore some order in our home and lives.  Laundry, grocery shopping and meal planning, grading research papers, tackling my blog, and buying dirt to lay in our back yard are all on the ever exciting to do list.  Hashtag I hate Mondays.

Speaking of hashtags... I noticed my friend Helene hashtagging up a storm on all of her instagram pictures.  It was confusing to me so I said, "Yo, what's up with all the hashtags?"  She said it was strategy- to use popular hashtags to connect with more people and gain more followers.  I was and still am dumbfounded by the whole thing, but I decided to give it a try.  I downloaded the app (YES, there is an app to tell you what all the popular hashtags are.  It's called Tags for Likes and I hate myself for knowing that and using it.) and then started pasting hashtags like it was nobody's business to my instagram photos.  And you know what?  More random people have started following me.  So it works!   But it's a lot of hassle.  And I don't know that the kind of people I want following me are instagram are the kind of people who look up popular tags and then follow those people in hopes of a follow back.  You know what I'm saying?  That whole paragraph basically to say I don't know what is going on in the world, but that is why my pictures have so many hashtags as of late.  (Also, before we're done talking about it, I want to tell you all that I hate that instagram is taking over blogs.  An instagram pic is awesome, yes, but it will never be as good for me as the real deal on your own personal little website.  LONG LIVE BLOGS.)

Next subject!  Spring break was really good for me.  I feel like my head has been cleared and I have realigned some priorities.  I think I am finally ready to give this blog a little more love again.  Here's the thing with my blog.  For a long time I wrote whatever I wanted and I had a lot of fun with it.  Some people started reading and it felt real and authentic and it was easy.  Then more people started reading it and some people told me they didn't like what I was writing.  Then I got in trouble at work for talking about work.  I hurt some people's feelings.  And all of a sudden I didn't want to write- really write- anymore on this blog.  So I did a lot of sponsorships, made a couple bucks, and struggled mightily to figure out how to write about my life without writing about my life.  You still with me?

At the same time I started to feel this pressure that all my posts had to be "pinnable".  9 ways to make your house a home.  17 things never to say to a pregnant woman. 4 ways to load your dishwasher.  ETCETERA.  I basically blame buzzfeed and pinterest for all these problems.  But suddenly my day to day happenings didn't seem interesting enough to write about on my blog anymore... to merit a blog post something had to be shareable, viral-able, relatable-to-the-world-able.  And most of the stuff I had to say was none of those things.  And so then I felt very uninteresting.  Boring.  I had major writer's block.  The blog became a huge chore instead of an outlet for me to really enjoy writing.

None of this means anything except to say that I think maybe possibly I am past all of that, and that I'm excited to get back to the writing that was when I began this blog.  The writing about nothing and the writing about everything.  I want to get my voice back, the voice that somehow got lost in all of the business and chaos.

I don't know how this blog will evolve with time.  Once upon a time I wanted a full time living off of this blog.  I don't want that anymore, because I love teaching and because I know if my career was hanging out with people on the internet all day, I'd kill myself.  No offense, internet peeps.  But real life people are so much better than internet people. (Disclaimer:  I've met some really really awesome internet people that I hope one day become real life people.  But there are also lots of anonymous mean people and this is the part of the internet that makes me know I could never be a full time internet person.)   (Tangent: Internet people I most want to meet: Elizabeth Ivie (who stopped blogging.  BOO), Kelsey, and Taylor.  ONE DAY.)

Now feels like an appropriate time to end this blog post.  Mostly because everyone in the house is asleep except for me and that means that I get to pop popcorn and watch Kardashians without anyone to bother me.  It's the little things.

Around the Web Spring Break Edition

If you follow me on Instagram, you may notice that I am spending a few days in California with my best friends.  We're on spring break and I needed a break in a bad way so I am enjoying some beach best friend therapy.  It is everything you imagine it to be.  Maybe the answer to all of life's problems is to live near a beach?

While here, however, my computer totally crapped out.  It's been on its last legs for several months now- I have to jam a metal stick in it to get it to turn on- but apparently the journey to California was really the last straw.  So now I'm hijacking my friend's computer and saying silent prayers that my computer will magically turn on the next time I try.  It won't, but I'm allowed to think whatever I want.

Because of my injured computer, I have no pictures to share with you.  Next time, friends.  You'll forgive me, won't you.

And now, while I take naps on the beach, I share with you the best things I've been reading on the web lately.


Around the Web

+ Soaking it up on the beach the past couple of days has made me realize that I am in desperate need of a new swimsuit that fits.  (Hello nursing boobs!)  I LOVE this post for highlighting the best modest and affordable (Under $40!) swimsuits.  I might just have to buy the navy polka dot one piece.

+Speaking of nursing, for all your breast feeding moms (or soon to be breastfeeding), Sonya is doing an awesome giveaway right now for milkies milk savers and milkies freeze. (Basically a way to save and store your milk.)  There aren't many entries meaning your chances of winning are so much higher!

+ I got sucked into this quiz after a friend posted it on facebook.  What color is your soul?  I'm orange.  I could have guessed that.

+I work with some very talented, thoughtful, and hard working people.  My co-worker, Stephanie, posted this essay earlier in the week about responding to disagreements/ arguments on facebook.  It has made me think so much about my discourses online and how I respond to people with whom I disagree.  Her opening point is a zinger,  "A conversation is not a selfie. There are more reasons to talk to someone beyond "winning" or making someone think like you. It's incredibly narcissistic to believe that a conversation only has worth if the other person leaves with a matching brain." 

Diaper Changing Stations: How to Regain Sanity

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. 

All opinions are mine alone. #SamsClubMag #CollectiveBias

Having a baby is one of the coolest things in the world.

Having your house taken over by everything baby is not one of the coolest things in the world.

Ever since we had June it has been so hard for me to keep track of everything.  There are diapers in the master bathroom, headbands in the washing room, little baby spoons popping up somehow in the car.  Keeping track of everything baby make me feel like someone has pulled my head off, attached it to a pinata, and let hundreds of screaming toddlers take a swing at it.  

Perhaps what it the hardest is keeping track of diapers and wipes.  Diapers, those elusive little suckers, are everywhere when you don't need them and nowhere when you do need them.  The only thing more frustrating than finding diapers in your grading bag, your kitchen cupboard and your lingerie drawer is not being able to find a single diaper when you need it most.

My original idea was to only keep diapers and wipes in June's closet and in the diaper bag.  They were never to leave those two spots.  That's a lot harder than it sounds.  Because sometimes I'm not in June's room, I'm downstairs making dinner.  Having to run up to get all the diaper gear and then take it all back up to put it away was seriously wearing on me.

Last month, I finally got smart.  After reading this article in the Healthy Living Made Simple magazine about organizing beauty care items, I decided what I really needed to do was organize my baby care items.  Instead of having one place to keep my diapers, I would have three places- all the main areas of the house.  Diapers would no longer be kept in drawers or cupboards, but out in the open, in baskets.  Diapers and wipes needed to be easily accessible and easily visible so that I could finally quit answering Greg's ever constant question, "WHERE ARE THE DIAPERS!?!?"

First stop in my genius plan was to hit up Sam's Club.  Three separate stations around the house were going to require a lot of diapers and a lot of wipes.  There's no place like Sam's Club to stock up on massive amounts of baby stuff. (And they always have everything I need. Nothing is more frustrating than having to make several stops for your baby needs. Sam's Club has got it all.)  Also the idea of not having to buy a new pack of diapers in a week was very alluring to me- bulk buying for the win!

The second step was to determine the best places for said "diaper stations."  We definitely needed one in June's room, by the changing pad.  One on the main living floor was a must, and lastly, one in Greg's and my room seemed crucial to maintaining our sanity.

I got to work on my diaper stations.  I found baskets in my downstairs storage.  Each basket was loaded up with as many diapers as it would hold and a big pack of wipes.  Easy as pie.

DIAPER STATION #1: 

JUNE'S ROOM- NEXT TO THE CHANGING PAD

DIAPER STATION #2: 
MAIN LIVING AREA- ON OUR BOOK SHELF

DIAPER STATION #3:
MASTER BEDROOM- ON OUR NIGHTSTAND

Having these bad boys all around our home has seriously made changing diapers SO much easier. (Disclaimer: every diaper station needs a diaper waste basket right next to it- that makes life even easier!)  It is so nice to have a little diaper station so close at hand that I never have to go far to get my little girl cleaned up.  And maybe, just maybe, I won't lose my head after all?

Now it's your turn!  Take a look at this Healthy Living Made Simple magazine and tell me how you are inspired to simplify and organize your life this spring.

Sick Baby// Around the Web

This is what a sick baby looks like.  

It came on Friday night and by Saturday we knew something was definitely off.  She was sniffling, coughing, and wanting to be held every stinking minute.  Our pleasant baby was suddenly the fussiest and her independent spirit refused to be taken off mommy and daddy's chest.

Monday I stayed home from work where she spent the day snoozing on me.  Anytime I tried to put her down, she raised her little voice in protest.  She cried, she fussed, she nursed about a million times.

Finally Tuesday morning I took her into the doctor.  "It's an ear infection!" the doctor declared in half a minute and sent me off with a prescription for an antibiotic.  Why oh why didn't I take her in sooner?!  When will this stubborn mom learn?  (I always tell myself it will just clear up and to give it a little bit of time.  I am now declaring that while I can use that strategy for myself, I am not to use it for my child!)

So now she's got some medicine in her tummy, and for the first time in three days is taking a long nap all by herself in her crib. (She's been down for almost two hours!)  And for the first time in three days I can think about cleaning the house/ folding the laundry/ grading papers/ attending to my blog.  My mother in law is going to come tomorrow and watch her so that I can go back to work and so that June doesn't have to go back to daycare quite yet.  I love our daycare so much, but it is no place for sick little babes.

MEANWHILE, I've been spending a lot of time around my home- reading books, watching reality TV, and catching up on so many many blogs.  Here's the best stuff I've been reading on the web the past few days.  You're welcome!

AROUND THE WEB:
+ For all you breastfeeding moms out there (or soon to be nursing mamas), I loved this comprehensive guide for all things breast feeding related that you may need (And who said breast feeding was free?!)  I was given the nipple cream from a friend and really loved it.  Next baby I'm totally trying out that breast friend pillow!

+ For blogging fans, Erin's post on "blogging is hard" hit close to home for me.  Blogging balance is tricky and sometimes blogging doesn't love you back the same way you love it.  Or, as Erin says, "sometimes this space can feel pretty dang empty and lonely. It's a weird mix of too much noise and not enough feelings."

+ I'm trying to put a little extra love in to my blog this month and hoping it repays me.  I've referenced Elisabeth's guide on making money from blogging again and again.  Not only is she brilliant, but in real life she's the sweetest I know.

+ My go to place for easy, yummy recipes has been cookingclassy.com.  Maybe the best recipes on the whole world wide web?  Greg and Agathe both LOVE this slow cooker beef and broccoli (and it's SO easy).  Tomorrow I'm making this lemon alfredo chick fettucine diddy.

+ I'm so proud of my friend, Taylor, and her "I just want to hang with my dog" shirts.  She is such an idea person and the best part is she goes through with all her great ideas which is why she's so successful.  She's also hilarious.  And also so so kind.  20% of proceeds on the shirts go to animal shelters.  She's the best kind of people there are.  Order her shirts here.   Read her hilarious blog here.