Thursday, December 16, 2010

....but really, I'm BUSY!

So it's been pointed out that I haven't posted since before Halloween. Sigh. All true. When I began this blog, it was to keep track of memories that I didn't want to forget in all the myriad duties of having four little kids. I have always told myself I should write daily, but honestly, you know how it is. Busy, busy, busy. Some of the busyness is true--home schooling, field trips, social engagements, errands, ferrying around four children. Some of it is more like laziness. I admit, I love Facebook. I love IMing with friends. I love watching movies or TV shows with Matt or as a family. I love reading. I love writing too and I should do it more. There are also all the chores involved with a family such as housework, cooking, pet care, laundry and yard chores, and I try to get to the gym or jog or work out in the house 5 days a week....the days just don't contain enough hours for all I need to do and like to do and want to get done.

We lost the last of our former batch of hens in June, and we gave ourselves some time before getting more. Part of that was that Matt needed to build a raccoon-proof chicken run--after 4+ years of free ranging, I fenced them in halfheartedly because they were ruining my newly restored perennial garden--and almost instantly we had a slaughter. Poor girls. I think that Matt took a long time to build the run because he was waiting to see if we'd lose interest in having chickens--but on the contrary, as annoyed as I'd gotten with them wrecking plants and dirtying up my flagstone patio, I truly missed seeing them, and I was really dismayed at going back to store bought eggs! The kids begged and begged for chicks, and finally in August we got 8 of the sweetest babies ever...only to lose 6 to those devilishly clever raccoons! When at last Matt had turned the run into a fortress, we reordered 6 more chicks...and lost 3 of THOSE to illness! All's well now, though--we now have 5 sassy little hens who have learned to flock together. We miss the babies we lost and are determined to keep the raccoon away from our girls now. Buffy, Faith, Daisy, Penelope and Sirius Black are here and we hope for eggs in just 2 or 3 months.

The end of the year flies by so quickly. We start the school year and spend September working up a head of steam in all our subjects. Everything's new and the kids are excited to begin, and so am I, mostly. October arrives, the leaves start turning and then we have to focus on Halloween. Deciding and getting our costumes together--another thing I have gradually moved over to the easy way with, mostly buying instead of mostly making as I used to--and then there are parties and trick or treating and in between we have leaves to rake and still school to do. Once Halloween is done we get a bit of a breather, but I usually begin my Christmas shopping, thinking that for ONCE I will finish early. That never happens, because before I know it Thanksgiving arrives and we leave for our family celebration and then our annual week in Boston.

Boston is always fun. The week flies by with plenty of museums, walking the city, seeing friends from Matt's office and even one my best friends from grade school. We have nice dinners out, and this year instead of staying at a hotel (cramped for us even with a pricey upgrade to a "junior suite," as Matt's office will only pay for the regular room for him) we used an online apartment service and stayed in a Victorian brownstone apartment. The kids bemoaned the loss of the pool, but I am completely hooked and would far rather do that than ever sleep in another hotel room. It also has the huge benefit of being the same price as a regular Westin room--meaning we don't have to pay one cent!

When we return from Boston, there's the holiday decorating to do, because we always have the tree up for Rachel's birthday on the 8th. This year she turned fifteen, which is just completely insane. I simply do not believe that my little girl, who was just born really, is fifteen. Impossible! The shopping kicks into high gear as I realize I have nothing accomplished, as does baking. We include cookies and candies with our holiday gifts to faraway family, and we give treats to neighbors and Matt's office. Then of course there's our wedding anniversary on the 19th (this year we're celebrating 18 years!) and right afterwards the Christmas holiday fun begins. The new year turns before we know it and then time stands practically still until spring. None of this is a good excuse, I know, but I just want to explain (again) how it happens. (I think I do a variation of this post every year.)

Anyway, as always, I resolve to post more. Julia just discovered felting and has learned how to make stuffed animals from wool and roving. I am starting to felt soaps, which basically turns a bar into a loofah, and looks beautiful, too. Rachel takes wonderful photos, although she has her own photography blog, which means my putting her pictures in are a bit redundant. I have been cooking and baking new things too, such as candies for the holidays--I've made peppermints dipped in chocolate, bonbons and truffles, and now vanilla and chocolate bark with dried fruits and nuts. The kids are constantly drawing and saying cute things and writing poems--all things that would make sweet (and quick!) blog posts.

I'll just have to remember that a blog post doesn't have to be long and that I am missing memories if I don't post! You can all feel free to remind me to blog on Facebook, too! (Already I'm thinking I could regret that....)