changes 'round here

big new my friends! We are moving back to Titusville! After much thought and consideration, we've made the decision. On top of that, we're moving in with my folks. I know, most people would think that is a disaster but we're THAT family who is always together. We're basically combining incomes into 1 household. When the economy sucks, you can get creative so that life isn't as hard.

Financially, it has been rough for the whole family. My brother moved to Arkansas for a job and my aunt/uncle moved to Georgia for the same reason. At one point, my brother, mom, and dad were laid off at the same time. None of us have ever been fired or asked to leave, it is merely the sucky economy.

Condensing households makes sense and its been a growing trend across the country. In previous times, this was the norm. What we're doing isn't new, it is just different from the thought of having independent houses.

I definitely don't think this could work for everyone and the personalities have to be able to compromise. Hmm sounds like marriage?!

still my baby

As I hold my sleeping boy, I see both baby and toddler. It is such an overwhelming feeling to think about how small he used to be. I still feel lucky to be his mommy!

ps- he calls nursing mam-man! Lol!

much less facebook makes me happier

I can't handle reading everyone's thoughts on facebook. Unlike blogs, it is a hodgepodge of people I've met throughout my life. I'm not ditching facebook, but I'm not going to keep constantly checking my newsfeed.

I'm not sure if I stuck to 30min of internet usage but I logged off when Neal got home last night and focused on my family. It was good. We walked 2 miles, hung out with the neighbor, made dinner, and watched tv together. Turning off technology created more time instead of complaining that time ran way from me. I also realized that i'm never truly bored! Every time I feel like I have a minute, I'm on my smartphone checking facebook. Ugh.

signing off.....

harmless fun?

I think I have an internet problem- in fact, I think most of us do! I remember when AIM, the LiveJournal, the MySpace, facebook, blogger all became popular. I look around me and our constantly plugged in society. While it can be a great way to share, inspire, relate, whatever... It also accounts for countless hours of my time. I've spent more time on facebook and blog hopping than I should have. I keep up with strangers' lives and know their family intimately. I feel creepy but mostly guilty.

I have many neighbors and nearby friends that I should see in the flesh. The interesting thing is that even when we try not to, we end up appearing different virtually than in reality. Whether its the spotless house or the angled camera, we aren't as perfect as we try to seem. We also aren't as interesting.

I contemplated being crazy and deleted all online accounts to focus on real-life relationships but that seems drastic. Events are planned online, births/deaths are announced online. I don't want to limit my ability to connect, I just don't want it consuming or over-powering my day. I'm going to start by limiting my time online to 30 minutes/day.