Happy Holidays...and Other Ramblings

It was brought to my attention (Thanks Carol!) that I've been neglecting this old blog, and well, I guess I have! So here I am getting in a post right before the end of 2011.
Doesn't it always seem like life seemed simpler when looking back on it? Be it last week, last month, last year or even last decade...things just seemed easier. I know it's not true but our minds have a way of filtering out the hectic-ness of life as time goes on even though if I think hard enough...it has always been there, just in different forms.
Since my last post at the end of July, my oldest sone turned 9 in August, we took our longest and farthest road trip to date in our trailer in early Sept (will blog about it at some point), we started another year of homeschooling that has been the most challenging one thus far (1st and 3rd grade) and finally, the boys are neck deep in hockey (ice and roller).
Anybody that is a mom will know that most of the time, when life with kids gets busy, our needs get put on the back burner and there they stay until we have that ever-elusive moment to ourselves. I haven't picked up a crochet hook since August, haven't browsed a scrapbooking sight or forum since long before that, have a stack of magazines collecting dust, house hasn't had a deep cleaning since...well, too long! About a month ago, I picked up a little cross stitching project and carved out a little piece a time each night to work on it before my eyelids got heavy and I'm actually almost done with it! Oh how I miss having time to craft!
Unfortunately, one of the things I let slip out of my life recently is my daily walk on the greenbelt. I have made time just about everyday for the last 16 years to take my dog(s) for a walk because they loved it so. I used to tell myself I walked everyday because my dog needed the exercise and I was doing it for them and my kids needed exercise. I told myself after losing Kayla that I would continue to walk everyday but lo-and-behold once life got busy, the walks stopped. I realize now that I need those walks. They are my sanity, my therapy...they keep me grounded and allow time to take a deep breath and appreciate how lucky I am. I need to find a way to fit those walks back into my life. They aren't the same without my Kayla and the ache is still there when I walk the path that I shared with her for 13 years but it's also soothing in a way.
As the end of the year approaches, it is time once again to reflect on our current lives and make changes to improve the areas that need it. New year resolutions....here I come!