Hi there! {crickets..chirping..} You all still there? I know I've sort of been MIA lately, and not being able to update daily like before. For awhile there, it was stressing me out - maintaining daily posts while doing everything else I needed to do - actually what stressed me out the most was that it started to be a race.. - I know I did it to myself. A race to gain numbers, linking up to everything out there and by doing so, I really feel I lost what my blog was all about - my family, my life, my journey, our journey, you and me.

I started tailoring my writing to keep up with everyone else. Because everyone else is just awesome (seriously, have you read what is out there?). But, I'm not everyone else and this isn't everyone else's blog, it's mine. And while gaining more and more readers and more and more exposure is great - it's not what this blog is about. And obviously that kind of blog success doesn't happen overnight or within this month or even next year. If it is meant to happen, it will just happen - although I know that putting in the work will get me there much faster than saying - hey, it'll just happen let me just wait it out - it doesn't work like that either.

Anyway, I haven't been able to do all the things I want to do, but I am able to do the things I need to do. When I was posting daily and reading the blogs I love daily, I was taking time away from my family. And that's just not cool. So something had to give. I know I need to manage my time better and wiser, that much is true. Charlie has been taking the kids on the weekends to the park to give me a few hours to work on stuff. Like, my business and just time to myself. I'm still pretty bad at the time management though because when he texts me that he's on his way back, I still feel like I haven't gotten to all the things on my to do list. But hey, I'm not superwoman. I just can't keep up with everything. And it's not about lowering your expectations or lowering your standards - I hear that a lot. I actually started to believe it too. I think, and this is just my opinion, it's really about letting go. It's ok to have high expectations, but learning to live with the fact that sometimes, those expectations aren't going to be met (and or at least met in the way you would like them to be), is the more difficult part.

I have found that if my kids are happy, there's food on the table, a roof over our heads, bills are able to be paid, then heck life is good, right? The other stuff is just icing on the cake. So whatever..I'm going to let go more, do less so I can be less stressed, and or want more and be ok with not getting it - ha!

Any hoot.. what am I up to, let's see. Aside from "shooting" everyday, practicing my photography (& design) skills and being an awesome all around mom and wife (ha), I am hoping to work with a local organization to provide families in need with family portraits for free. I was absolutely excited to see an email from them in my inbox today, actually =D

Happy Friday! What are you all up to?