In case you haven’t noticed, I haven’t been blogging much lately.
Or tweeting. Or facebooking.
I haven’t logged into Google Reader in months.
After Christmas vacation, I started getting serious about homeschooling Olivia. We needed a set slot in our schedule for school instead of trying to fit it in around “Mommy’s Computer Time.” So as school improved, the blog… did not.
Also after Christmas, Levi was a lot more mobile. I couldn’t even leave the laptop open. As soon as I got up from the couch (the laptop lives on the coffee table), I had to close the computer. (I left it open briefly one time last week. Now I don’t have an Enter key.)
And on top of all that, I started training for a marathon in January. Getting up at 5:30 three times a week (and 7:30 on Saturdays) means going to bed a lot earlier. And my main blogging/tweeting/facebooking/blog reading time is at night.
Oh, and then there’s the minor issue of Josh’s laptop breaking somewhere around that time as well. As all our shows are watched through Hulu, my laptop’s main function after 9 p.m. became Entertainment Center.
All these things came together and pulled me away from my online community.
But also, around this time, I became close with some In Real Life friends, so, and don’t be offended, I didn’t really even miss my online community that much.
But lately, I’ve really been in a funk. It’s definitely multi-faceted, but I think part of it is that I’m missing you guys.
I miss being surrounded (virtually) by like-minded mommas. Attachment parenting, cooking from scratch, naturally-minded, homeschooling, God-fearing, frugal mommas of many small children.
You guys just don’t exist In Real Life.
As my funk depended, I started to doubt whether it’s even possible to be an attachment parenting, cooking from scratch, naturally-minded, homeschooling, God-fearing, frugal momma of many small children. And I got frustrated with the expectations I’d put on my own head. But I’m too stubborn to give any of it up; how do you choose which belief you want to un-believe due to time constraints? Stress grew rampant and I found myself coping with sarcasm.
Negative, degrading, mean sarcasm.
And the atmosphere thickened. Sparks flew. Thunder crashed.
So I want to come back. I want to plug back in. I want to be encouraged.
I miss you guys.
The first order of business will be to give Google Reader an overhaul. And then to, you know, log in once in a while. What are your favorite natural, attachment parenting, homeschooling, frugal, Christian moms-of-many blogs? Instead of wasting my NAK (nursing at keyboard) time away on Hulu, I need to be refueling with these ladies’ posts!
The second, and harder, task will be to set aside some blogging time so that I can reconnect with you all. I have (had?) the best readers. I want you all back in my life again!
Here’s hoping, as I click “Publish” that this isn’t the last time I blog all week…
Welcome back! I have sure missed reading your adventures in natural mommyhood.
.-= Molly´s last blog ..Battle of the Bulge – Week 7 – Doing a Happy Dance =-.
Glad to have you back! I know I need to hear from attachment parenting, cooking from scratch, naturally-minded, God-fearing, frugal mommas as that is what I hope to be in t-4 weeks. (Not that I’m anxious to be done being pregnant or anything 🙂
But I agree with you, so often I hear about how blogging takes away from real community and I do agree that you have to be careful to prevent blog friends from pushing out real-life friends, but I also know that I get a lot of encouragement from the blogs I read (like yours!).
Glad to have you back! 🙂
.-= Kelly ´s last blog ..Centralia =-.
Hi Beth,
This is Ben from the WAPF group (Josiah told me about your website). Anyway, in my perusing of the internet, I came a across a site that might be of interest to you or your readers:
http://traditionalmarriage.wordpress.com/
I don’t read it often since it’s not applicable to me, but I thought you might find it interesting.
Ben
Hi. I’m Jes. I’m not sure where I fit in. I’m a half real friend half internet friend. But I’ve missed you. and once you get your google reader updated with good blogs, share them with me, cuz I need them too. In the rare instances I get to sit down longer than 2 seconds between screams.
.-= Jes´s last blog ..a secret =-.
I for one will be glad to see you update more =) I do the same thing – some periods I blog nonstop and others I can’t manage to get in once every 10 days. I think for me it’s balance and I just can’t manage to balance things so well.
Not sure of any blogs to recommend that cover all those topics – so if you find some, please share them with us!!
.-= Brandie´s last blog ..My Fabulous Weekend!! Part 3 =-.
I’ve missed you! 🙂
YEA! welcome back 🙂
i have just emereged from my own blogging hiatus (w/ a new blog name, i used to be secrets of orual). i am officially off facebook tho b/cs it just sucked me in too badly. we are also trying to get sort of homeschool minded over here so that takes up more time. but i love not being on the computer all the time.. i actually can spend intentional time /w the kids, and now b/cs they stopped watching excessive tv b/cs i was exessively computering, we are doing more, making more, and just BEIng more. love it.
Totally understand.
We’re pregnant with our third boy, having a 3 year old and an 18 month old, and my husband starts his PhD in August. We have little money, and most of my friends are definitely NOT in the frugal boat.
Do you read Owlhaven? She’s my fav. She and you and Momtothescreamingmasses are the only blogs I still read that aren’t people I know in real life (because I had a real problem reading too many blogs there for a while). And thepioneerwoman’s homeschooling section of her blog. It’s full of quizzes and contests, which I don’t care for, but when there’s a homeschooling post it’s usually well done.
Anyway, I don’t have any answers, but I know what you mean about needing support from like-minded women. Even if they don’t know you read their blogs.
I loved getting your comment on my blog a little while back. The Britax carseat was really inspired by you in the first place. I’ve come a long way since I stumbled across your blog looking for information about cloth diapering–or maybe it was the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival? Anyway, as soon as I started reading, I knew that you were someone I wanted to learn more from. I’m glad you’ve had good things happening in the real world, and I’m glad you’re back to share more.
I’ve not been blogging much either (not that I ever do much), but you may have inspired me to try again. There is just only so much nap time in a day!
Some of the other blogs I glean encouragement from are www. PassionateHomemaking.com and http://www.HeavenlyHomemakers.com. Laura (at Heavenly Homemakers) feels like a personal mentor with so many wonderful and attainable recipes that are good for you. You may know these already, but I thought I’d share them anyway.
I’m having fun catching up on your blog! 🙂