Why Do I Blog?

This online diary of mine started back in 2010. I didn’t post often, but it was a way for my family in Florida to keep up with what my parents and I were doing. At the time, my parents were living with Mr. JCrew and I, my dad had gone into the hospital for a while, and I was praying to become a mother.

When I was blessed to become a mom, it was my goal that my family in Florida would feel like they were here experiencing all the milestones that I get to experience. Technology is the best thing for long distance. My sisters and Mr. JCrew’s family get to see my boys at least once a week (here on the blog, Family Friday). There will never be a surprise growth spurt they don’t see! We also try to Skype often so the boys know who their Aunts are. The relationship can’t be one way!

The house stuff on the blog is more for me! I would love for my house to look like one straight out of a magazine, but I have a family and we make a mess! I love the messes. I look at them and smile (after I grunt) and tell myself it means my family is happy!

My house never looks like it does on the blog. Definitely not all the rooms at once! I love cleaning a room, then snapping a picture. For 5 minutes (maybe only one minute), that room is perfect! Whenever I want to see that room clean again, I can go look on the blog!

For the sake of the blog, to make one room pretty, another suffers. I move the kid things out of the room and into another while I take the picture.

While Mr. JCrew is in school full-time and working full-time, we make the most of our two hours together a night as a family. House chores get done when the kids go to bed. That's IF we can stay up. My mom has been a huge help lately. With her help, it encourages me to do little things to keep the house straight. I'm not a messy person, and it actually gets under my skin to see a mess, but for this phase in our life, I appreciate the time with family most. 

The “House Tour” Page is not a “Hey, look at me!” page. It’s for ME to look at. If you haven’t ventured off the main page in a while, the house tour page has been updated… four months ago!

It’s okay. If you’re a blog reader like me, you have enough time to read the new post and then you have to do your chores before the kids wake up.

You know me, I like lists. On the House Tour Page, I’ve been keeping track of all the changes I’ve done to the house and most of those changes have posts to document them. 

As you can see, there is not much left on my to-do lists for the house. I don’t want to over-update my house. I’ve always remembered the saying, “Don’t be the most expensive house in your neighborhood.” Our house was right in the middle of our section of the neighborhood when we bought it, and I think it’s still there.

Becoming a mom, I really think my memory has suffered. I’ll say to myself that I need something at the grocery store, get to the grocery store 15 minutes later, and forget!! Ugh. I write down my posts minutes after I do the project. Otherwise, you’d get a post rambling about unrelated topics because I can’t remember the details of the project. Plus, sometimes I learn things during my projects that I want to share. If I can help anyone save time, money and sanity, then I’m happy.

Now, I will go back to “living” in my house. I will say that my time “off” in between projects is refreshing. I pile on a bunch of projects to meet a deadline and it can be chaos. But the time off with my family is rewarding. I won’t get that time back and I am so glad I have not missed a thing. 

Our friends are getting the short end of the stick a lot. Everyone has at least two kids. Coordinating nap times with free time is challenging. Add in Mr. JCrew's school schedule, and time with our friends is impossible. 

This blog is my attempt at being outgoing and starting conversation. I do not claim to be perfect or have a perfect house. I have a happy family that is centered around God, and that is all I need. 

Thanks for being a part of my blog!