Blogger's Block

Not sure what has taken place, other than to say this past week I just haven't felt like blogging. I've had some time to do it, but simply no desire. And so, because I blog for pleasure, for the therapy of it, for the memory bank it will be when in 10 years Maddie says, "What was I like as an 8 year old?" and I'll have no clue.

I decided when I first started that this wouldn't be something I "had" to do. But rather something I enjoyed doing and loved doing.

Soap Box: {And since this week I didn't want to, I didn't. No guilt. Healthy boundaries. I'm always amazed by people who scrapbook but hate it but out of some twisted guilt thing think they have to scrap in order to be a good mom. That's crap people. Crap. Don't do creative things if you don't enjoy them. Lose the guilt.} Not sure where that came from. Sort of swooped in and took over.

Okay, good.

I have a million self-inflicted photo challenge photos to post about. We'll see if that happens.

In the meantime, I'm gonna tell you all about my sweet Maddie Mae and her first couple of weeks of school. {All pictures in this post are SOOC; didn't feel like editing, so I didn't.}

This year is com.PLETE.ly different than last. There have been no massive amounts of tears going to and coming home from school. There have been no major fits of anger and frustration when she gets in the car after school. There has been no 'I hate school' verbage flung all over our home.

There's only been one major meltdown with math homework. Not pleasant. Hated it. But it only happened once. {so far} And speaking of homework, Maddie has been on the back porch right after school each day, faithfully working out her math problems on the white board. Love that white board. Why just today she asked if she could have a bigger white board and quite frankly, if it makes homework go this smooth, I'd consider siding our house with the stuff. Seriously, she's like a new girl.

So all in all, things are humming right along. {Now watch, the MINUTE I post this, we'll plummet. How's that for some serious positive talk.}

Okay, next. Maddie got the best little package in the mail last week. My sweet friend, Ailie, all the way from Idaho, sent a bunch of delightful little hair clips and doo-dads. And I love every one of them. She knew Maddie loved horses and so voila, she made two little clips with horses. Who does that? How? Amazing. {Right now, Ailie's etsy shop is sold out, but when it's stocked again I'll let you know so that you can do some shopping. Seriously, you'll love her stuff!}

And you know one of the many things that amazes me about Ailie? She's a fancy nurse (that simply means she's more than an RN but I'm not sure exactly what her title is - she's very good at what she does) AND she's totally crafty, too. A wonderful combo of the right and left brain. I'm always amazed by those types. And I "wish upon a star" that I could handle blood because I think the best thing in the world would be to be a nurse. Serious. I wish I could do it. So now I'm pushing Maddie to be either a nurse or a pilot. The pilot more for the free flights she could give her ma and pa. The nurse thing because of, well, compassion for people.

Okay this next picture. Hilarious. We've been watching Anne of Green Gables and as I was taking pictures of her hair clip she said, "Wait, Mom. I need to be dramatic." And so she ran inside, grabbed her Bible, came back out and leaned against the tree, in her foo-foo dress." I love that she's caught the "Anne with an E" fever.

And the last week I've been a busy little beeve, painting our guest room slash my scrap room. Woot, woot. It's coming right along. Hopefully the grand reveal will be next week. Stay tuned.
And so, I go to bed.