We have moved around the country so many times that whenever I thought of going to a blogging conference, I realized I couldn’t make plans that far in advance. We are now living close to my Mom and though I hadn’t planned on attending any conferences due to soccer, work, school and having a baby but the chance to win a pass to The Creative Connection conference in September is something I’m not passing up!

I would love to win this. The past couple of years I have really slacked on being active online. I had JW, went back to school to finish up my degree (in person and online), my older kids played sports, and this year I started working outside our home. All while my husband was deployed or simply not able to live with us. So my activity on twitter really died down, as did the posting on my blog. I sew and quilt and work on different projects with my kids, I just don’t seem to find the time to document it and post for my online friends to see. I would love to attend The Creative Connection and BlogHer Handmade. I would love to be surrounded by those who get what being online in a creative way means and see how their are thriving. I would also love to meet some of my online friends!

Somedays I love getting up and sitting outside first thing. Today was one of those days.

It is quiet and calm, the only noise is chirping birds (and one bee but I can’t see her so its okay). We are packing for yet another move, living among boxes for way too long, and this quiet is needed. Soon enough the kids will all be awake and wanting to play outside.

Summer has been good to us, Chris is on leave in between duty stations and has been a big help with the kids. He added chauffeur to his long list of titles around here, which I was more then happy to hand over.

I only wish there was a breeze. We are no where hear “hot” like the rest of the country, but if we don’t open windows at the right times the house is stuffy and unbearable.

Me, JW, Ree, Alice

I got to meet Ree Drummond, AKA the Pioneer Woman! I was reading what others experiences were on facebook, under PW’s fan page, about how they wanted to say something but when they finally got through the line all intelligent thought left their head. Well, the same thing happened to me.

All of us went, the three kids, Chris and myself, and the wait was LONG. We got to Third Place Books for her cookbook signing at about 3:30PM and didn’t get to Ree until 9pm! I knew it was going to be a popular signing, but honestly didn’t think it would be nearly as crowded. I got a ticket for the “F” line – and they started with A. Luckily for us (I mean Chris and the kids) there were five restaurants to pick from and a lot of tables for space. The bookstore was great, the kids area had a large chair that JW and I sat in while the kids read or played.

Jake on the maze mat showing me the route he would take, if he had thought to bring cars inside with him.

We read books, ate dinner and visited with others who were also there for the signing. I was sort of surprised at how many people were talking about their favorite recipes or how the cookbook stayed out all the time. I mean sure I’m a fan, I think Ree’s hilarious, but I don’t keep my cookbooks out on the counter (I don’t have much space) and I generally don’t use a cookbook unless I’m baking, otherwise I’ve memorized my favorites. Okay, I suppose these recipes are basically new to many, many people so of course they would be out. Maybe its that I was caught off guard by people asking what my favorite recipe was, they all knew what theirs was and what their kids liked, what others said was good, etc.

The long wait – totally worth it. I love author signings. Ree was nice, Alice and JW were the only ones with me because Chris went to buy our books so we could leave right after I was done (we did have a two hour drive to come home) and Jake went with him. Alice was eating an ice cream and asked what she should do with the very bottom part because we were next. I said just eat it – I didn’t mean immediately, I just meant don’t throw it away. But what does Alice do, she shoves the entire thing in her mouth. So she’s standing on the other side of Ree not talking because her mouth is full. Ree talked to JW, who just stared at her, admired Alice’s soccer jersey and asked how to say my name.

I wanted to take a few minutes and tell her how much I enjoy her writing, how funny she is, how I know so many people living her life but not writing about it. I grew up on the plains, surrounded by cowboys, heck I thought I’d marry a cowboy someday. I wanted to say more then how to say my name and where it comes from. But I didn’t.

I can’t imagine having conversations like that with everyone either. I was in “F”, 50 people were in each letter, and the last letter I knew someone was in was J. That’s 500 people! The signing was supposed to go til 9 and I’m not sure how long she stayed, but wow, that was a very long night for her. Oh and I saw her daughter walk by – I’m not sure how old she is but she was a good five or six inches taller then me! It’s not hard to be taller then me, but I was still surprised.

I loved seeing her daughter too, tall, hair in  ponytail, and she looked like a country girl. It’s something easy to describe but even easier if you just saw. She looks like some of the girls I grew up with.

The cookbook is great – its full of stories and pictures – and I made the cinnamon rolls. SO good! They were great. I made half a batch and ended up doing it a little wrong – I put them in a cake pan, spread apart like cookies, so they spread like cookies – but they still tasted delicious! I’m going to make another batch this weekend. I highly recommend her cookbook! I also grabbed a copy for my friend Holly, now if I can find my way to the post office sooner then later…

When JW sleeps, I run around like a chicken with my head cut off.

Sweet, sleeping baby

I should check twitter on tweetdeck – instead of my blackberry. I should play on facebook – instead of playing on my blackberry with limited access to everything on fb. I should check my email in a place I’m way more comfortable checking it (ie other then my blackberry). Don’t get me wrong, without my BB, I’d be LOST. I’d have nothing.

I’d have a phone sure, but the amount of time I’d have to stay in contact with the outside world would drop drastically. When JW is nursing, I’m on fb or texting or on twitter. And sure maybe I’m only there for five minutes of however long the nursing lasts, but at least I was there. I have way too many favorites saved on twitter – I’ve taken to saving them so I can look again later. Isn’t twitter supposed to be a now and in the moment thing? Not exactly for me.

Or I should do laundry or dishes or put clothes away from the laundry I already did.

So I rush around the house doing seventeen things at once. Luckily starting the laundry and dishes is super easy, so getting to my email is do-able. Blogging, fallen to the sidelines, revamping a few websites, not even close to having time for that.

I have no idea what I was thinking! My older kids are older – 8 and 6 years right now – and they basically take care of themselves. They are in school now so gone most of the day. They help clean up, have chores, have things to do, etc. But a newborn – they require you 24/7 – unless they are sleeping. And even when they are sleeping you are (more then likely) checking them every 15-20 minutes, unless they are right next to you, so you know they are still breathing. Even with my third baby, I’m still checking him when he naps.

He likes to visit with his friends, the butterfly, ladybug, and snail.

Oh and I haven’t mentioned that he’s a napper. So he usually sleeps for 15-20 minutes, while I run around doing whatever. Lately he’s a napper because he’s teething – not a surprise since Alice and Jake both got teeth early, a surprise because neither of them had teething issues. I just looked and all of a sudden they had teeth!

I should be lucky he likes the bouncy chair, and talking to his friends – as well as the sling I have for him and a bumbo chair a friend recently sent. I do get more time then, but it seems I enjoy just sitting on the couch. Yes, I’m also amazed at how tired I can be at the end of the day. I know, I know, quit being amazed with all of this right! Not like it should be new.

But I have a lot planned, I have been able to do a bit of sewing, and even made a rosary for my step-dad’s mom. Soccer season started and the weather is getting nicer every day. But blog posting, well I started this post yesterday at lunch time…so we can see how quick I’m able to be! Maybe I need to get back to just blurting things out. 🙂