Coffee Date & Light Blogging

Happy, Monday Friends!

I had intended to tell you about our weekend, but apparently, I only took two pictures.

One of the little man on the swing:

And one of us in the pool: 

That’s it. We might have failed at documenting Mr. Hungry’s first Father’s Day, but we sure enjoyed our weekend together. 

• Friday night was spent finishing up errands and chores, so then we could relax all weekend. 
• Saturday we had some friends over to barbecue which was awesome. 
• Sunday we went to church, hung out by the pool, grilled, and watched TV when Little Man was napping.  

What did you guys do?  

This week is going to be a somewhat weird week.  For the last couple of years, I’ve tried to take a legitimate break from the blog at least one week each summer.  Since my sitter is headed to Europe for ten days, I figured I might as well take it as an opportunity to spend more time with Little Man.

I probably won’t post again until Friday, which will not be the usual Friday Favorites, it will be a recipe! More on that on Friday.  

If I’m honest, this break couldn’t come at a better time because I’ve been feeling a little uninspired.  I think a lot of it has to do with that big special (secret) project I finished I can’t tell you guys much about yet.  Let’s say there was a lot of recipe development and cooking involved — a LOT.  

If we were having coffee this morning, I’d tell you that when I think about cooking anything now, I don’t want to.  I’m burned out, it’s hot outside, and I just want to make a sandwich and call it done, ya know?  Since I love recipe creating, photographing, and eating, I know I need a break so that I can get the creative juices flowing. 

My favorite and most popular recipes always come to me when I’m not trying too hard to “make a recipe.”.  Right now, what I want to is to take a break from cooking for work and take the pressure off.  Who knows, maybe I’ll come up with a fantastic sandwich recipe or perhaps I won’t, but I know inspiration will hit me when I take a step back.  

If we were having coffee this morning, I’d tell you that this secret project also required me to use my sitter a lot more than I had planned.  I never expect a constant work-life balance in my life.  When you work from home, running your own business or freelancing (so no defined hours) the idea of balance is simply unattainable.  Some days, weeks, or months, my work will need me more than my child, and some days, my baby will need me more.  I’ll always be switching back and forth. It is what it is.  

What I realized in the last month of working more and moming less (aka using more childcare) is that I want one day a week that’s it’s just him and me hanging out.  Doesn’t mean I won’t meet up with friends, but it does mean that no one like a sitter or family member will be “watching him” for me so that I can get work done.  Again, not looking for any balance, just finding the groove that makes us the happiest.  

If we were “mom friends” I’d ask you why you didn’t warn me about sitters?!  Finding a good one is like getting the Willie Wonka golden ticket, and if you got that, good for you but you still need a backup.  I love my current sitter. God bless her she probably knows more about babies at the ripe age of 20  then I do (and let’s not forget that I have one.)  The problem is, she’s so good that I’m dragging my heels on finding backups. But I have to because I lose her to her senior year student teaching at the end of July.  Back. To. Square. One. 

I’m lucky I also have family nearby to help out, but still, I’ve got to be able to work more frequently then free help comes along.  Someone told me the other day to find all the sitters you can and herd them in a corner and keep them there. Before being a parent, that would have sounded weird to me.  Herd sitters in a corner?  Now that statement makes perfect sense.  #hoardthesitters It’s probably already a real hashtag.  

If we were having coffee, I’m sure we’d talk about the weather. It’s Arizona, it’s hot, and we like to talk about it in every interaction.  Pregnancy, though, that will give you some perspective.  I keep thinking,” it’s hot, but it’s not nearly as bad as last summer.” Pregnant with 40 additional pounds on you will make it harder to survive the summer, so my perspective has changed haha.  I used to DESPISE the heat and bitch about it all the time, and now I’m like it’s whatever, I don’t hate it.  I can’t help but appreciate how much more comfortable I am this summer. 

Kal and I also hang out under the shad in the pool where it’s cool, so that helps as well. He loves to kick and splash. He is a water baby!  Unfortunately, all that kicking and splashing may have resulted in an ear infection. We will find out this evening after I take him to the doctor.  Oh the joys of parenthood, damned if you do and damned if you don’t.  #hoardthesitters

If we were having coffee this morning, what would you tell me?  What’s going on in your life?  Kids on vacay driving you nuts yet?  Anything fun planned?