Hello, Blog. My name is Meagan.

I really miss blogging. I mean I seriously miss it. I think about it on a regular basis and find myself pre-writing posts in my head. But yet time passes and nothing goes from thought to blog.

So here goes the explanation on where I went…1. Well, life just got busy. Having a full-time job that I do part-time at work and part-time at home, a very active and heavy (33 pounds as of the last time we checked) toddler, and trying to keep all the things together in between have just worn me out. 2. I received some negative feedback from family about posting my life details on the internet (no matter how mundane and the fact that no one reads it anyway). 3. In the meantime of not being fully supported on my blog, I was informed that someone was reading my facebook posts and reporting on them to someone I work with. Apparently, a joke I made about getting the mail (a duty usually highly guarded by my father) was exaggerated into making fun of my father and working at the family business. It’s so nice when you can trust the people you go to church with (*sarcasm*). Hence, it put a damper on my thoughts of social media for a while. 4. And lastly, I have written numerous posts which have never been posted. I reread them prior to posting and think, “Why would anyone be interested in this???” So I guess I find myself rather boring sometimes and assume others will too.

So, as I sit here and wonder how I am going to get my house in order…and, oh yeah, furnish and decorate a second nursery (By the way, #2 is on the way and it’s a boy.), I will go ahead and add ‘be a better blogger' to the list to the list.

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live.love.laugh.blog?

I have been completely slacking in the blog department.  Truthfully, I got on a blogging roll and Phillip decided that it was a good idea to point out that I was on the computer too much rather than attending to him…  Well, that’s a blog post for another day, but let’s just say that I decided that was completely stupid.  I like blogging.  Its my therapy.  And it’s free.  It’s a weird concept that people want to read about the ongoings of my life, but all 8 of you actually do…Plus, my mom.  So here I go again.  I am back!  I promise. 

So if you love me and/or love my blog, then please follow me!  It makes me feel loved.

Fine. Here it is. Don’t pee in your pants from excitement.

Do you know how many posts I have in the “draft” section of Windows Live Writer?  I have been writing them since January, but then never get around to adding pictures or finalizing them.  Oh well.  If I only had the time.  Here are some of my new favorites things (besides Emerson, of course!):

1.  Tricia Robinson.  I have written a blog post on the Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival that I promise to post soon.  I promise!  Her art is my inspiration for changing a lot of things lately.  It reminds me not to take things so seriously.  If anyone wants to buy me a gift anytime soon…Please buy me some art…Just sayin’…

2.  Etsy.  My creative side’s eBay.  This was my first Etsy purchase (a bow holder if you haven’t figured it out yet).  Of course, it will say ‘Emerson’ once it’s made and I receive it.  So cute!  I already have so many sellers saved as “favorites” that it’s ridiculous.

3.  I’m Alive by Kenny Chesney.  A little song to remind me that some things in life just aren’t so important after all.  I downloaded it onto my iPod and find it to be a great way to wind down when stressed.  *If you want to watch the video, don’t hit play until it is completely downloaded (noted by the reddish line to the right of the play button) so you can watch the entire thing at once.  It’s a lot better that way! 

4.  Giving away all my clothes.  I know this is a  very odd “favorite”, but it means that I can start over.  I didn’t realize how attached I was to material items, especially clothes that I haven’t worn in years.  It’s been a great learning process.  And it helps that I started cleaning out my closet fat and then finished cleaning skinnier than I have been in a long while.

5.  Appliqué t-shirts.  Why can’t they make them in my size?  I want one too!  Emerson has the cutest clothes with all these appliqués.  Why does adult clothing have to be so serious?  (I love this one from Boden USA.)

5.  New dog.  Awesome.  His name is was Davis.  And now…It’s…Well, I don’t know yet.  But it will start with a ‘T’.  And it won’t be ‘Tavis’ either so don’t even bother to suggest such a silly thing.  Most likely “Toby” is the winner, but I am noncommittal about most everything so this isn’t any different. 

I have made some new resolutions in the recent weeks.  Sticking to them all the time is not my strong suit.  But I am working on that.  Here are just a few:

1.  Making lists.  It helps me keep organized and reminds me what’s left to do.  It’s a love-hate relationship. 

2.  At work means work.  No exceptions.  It’s a constant juggle, but nothing I can’t conquer.

3.  Emerson time means Emerson time.  She’s needy.  And she has a temper.  I’m afraid to make her mad. 

4.  I am refusing to buy anything black for a long while.  I own way too much of it!  Plus, in the midst of giving away all of my clothes to various people and organizations, I kept getting the same comment - “Wow.  You have a lot of black shirts.”  So no more black. 

5.  Wine.  And more of it.  Let me preface that with I am not a big drinker.  But a night or two per week with a small glass isn’t bad…right?  I run around like a crazy person all day and have found that I need my 20 minutes of relaxation and sanity too.  If you aren’t impressed by this resolution, then…move on to the next one and forget that I said that.

6.  Just taking a step back and letting go.  I cannot save the world.  I need to remember that.

The world on my shoulders…

Not that anyone is probably reading this…But I have been one busy girl these last few weeks. Lately, I find myself with an aching pain in my neck that runs down into my shoulders and then down my back. I literally feel like I am carrying the weight of the world. Although I have been making huge strides in certain aspects of my life, I find that all the others are holding me back. My never ending to-do list is only getting longer and I find less and less time to accomplish the simplest of tasks. It’s extremely hard to juggle all that we have going on right now when all I want to do is crawl in bed and take a nap.

So let me start with a quick “what’s been going on” update…We hopped on a plane to LA with baby in hand. We spent a few days exploring and one big fun-filled day at the BCS National Championship game. Roll Tide! Then I came home to a crazy busy pile of work. All those things that I probably should have started before we left, but ran out of time. And then Mardi Gras, and then baby dedication, and then in-laws. Anyway, I will devote a blog post to the biggies as I find time to write them…but I promise…SOON! And with pictures!

I was driving down the road (by myself! which doesn’t happen often anymore) and thinking about updating my blog after Emerson went to bed tonight. I was thinking through everything that has been going on lately (as in the last 2 months) and what I needed to include in the post). I realized that the post I was writing in my head was really negative and focused on all the things that I was completely failing at. So I stopped and thought about my “accomplishments”.

1. I lost weight! (And still losing…) Such a feat. More to come on that in a bit.

2. I finished my filing at work 100%. I think there was actually more to be filed than actually in the filing cabinet.

3. I gave away over half of my wardrobe (nice stuff to a friend and other things to a good organization). It was really hard, but at the same time very freeing.

In conclusion…I have been a very bad blogger. But I promise to do better. Seriously, I promise.

I’ve missed you, Mr. Blog.

I read a lot of  different blogs by people that “I know”…which means that I knew at some point in life (high school, college, whatever)…and I read a lot of blogs by people that I don’t know, but peaked my interest for whatever reason.  (So if you have a blog and I am not following…then please leave a comment with your address so I can check it out!)

I love my blogs.  I love peeking into someone else’s world if just for a small bit of time every once in a while.  They are filled with ideas and inspiration…Some are themed (cooking, decorating, family, etc.) and some are just general “whatever I am thinking at the moment” blogs.  I love it when I find something so interesting that I start dreaming about how to somehow make it work for me.  It’s fabulous. 

I highly encourage all that are reading to start a blog.  But I realize that some of you may only be able to take baby steps when it comes to major life decisions.  So maybe you should start with creating a blogger account (if you have Gmail then you are already 99% there) and starting a “reading list” (you know…blogs you like to read).  It’s all very easy and I will be right here ready to hold your hand if you need me. 

Make sure to send me your blog address if you have one (and I am not already following).  And if you find a few new blogs along the way that I might be interested in, then please send me those too!

Where I have been.

Sorry I haven’t posted lately.  I was doing so well too.  Life has been a bit busy these days.  Between decorating for Christmas, working, taking care of Emerson, and all the other joys of life, I am exhausted.  Which leaves very little energy to blog. 

I will be doing better over the holidays I promise! 

Converting one friend at a time…

Finally, Katherine Blake started and, more importantly, posted to her new blog! 

http://katherineablake.spaces.live.com/

Now…Only a few more friends to convert to the blog side.  (LOL – Some Star Wars humor just in case Phillip ever decides to read my blog.) 

A NEW blog???

I am thinking about starting a new blog.  You can read my Happy Blogging post below and see why this one has to be more “positive”.  So that is why I have to start a completely new and separate blog.  I just have so many “experiences” that I want to share with a select few.  (Of course, this one would be private and only accessible by those who ask to read it.)  Hummm…I can’t decide if this is a good idea or not.  Any opinions? 

My Daily Blog Posts

So after dinner tonight, I told Phillip that I needed to work on my blog before going to bed because “I promised myself that I would have a new blog post every day to attract new readers”. You know what he said? “Well, I told myself that I would work out each day to attract weight loss.” Gotta love honesty.

I know there are going to be days like this…Where I have nothing original to say. So I am going to go ahead and pass along another blog that I read and draw inspiration from there.

This is Rachel’s blog (one of my good friends from college). I love that she has a collection…even better a terrier collection. Check it out…(although not all pictures seen here are hers).

http://pilstonpapers.blogspot.com/2009/09/ever-feel-like.html

I have often thought it would be fun to collect something. I used to collect miniature tea sets when I was much much younger. I am not sure why actually. And I don’t collect them any longer (so please do not give me any!). But collections are one of those things that people tend to give you tons of if they find you like it. For instance, my mother-in-law likes/collects red birds (I say they’re cardinals, but she says red birds). She must have a billion of them. And Phillip and I are partially to blame, we know she likes them so we have given her everything from Christmas ornaments to unnecessary knick knacky dust collecting stand alone versions to a framed painting.

Maybe my collection should be purses and jewelry…

Signature

So here's my new signature! (But I have yet to figure out how to fix the publishing error that I get from Windows Live Writer...arghhh!)

Windows Live Writer

These are some pictures that we took in Orange Beach back in September (trying out the picture upload process). My genius friend, Rachel, advised me on Windows Live Writer and blogging. This is great! My posts will be way more exciting now that pictures are easier to upload. (I highly recommend downloading this program if you plan to start/continue blogging!)