It's the last one!

It is ten o'clock at night on November 30.  That means that NaBloPoMo has come to an end.

This has been challenging and a few of my posts this month have been "cheats"; pictures, video, a short note.  I can live with that.

The fact that I have posted at least something each and every day is an accomplishment that I am proud of.  I honestly had some serious doubts as to whether or not I would make it but I think that the fact that I told you all I was doing this and committed to it made me accountable to you and gave me the push that I needed.

All I can say is thank goodness for the writing prompts that they gave us!  I'm not sure that I would have made it past the first week without them.  They helped me stretch my boundaries and write about things that I may not have otherwise touched on.

NaBloPoMo for November 2013 seems to have been a huge success.  Each day, when participants put up their post, they put a link on the Blogher page (check it out) and right now there are almost 5000 links.  As of tonight, thirty of them are mine.  I'm honoured to have been involved in this with so many talented bloggers.  So far, I haven't checked out nearly as many of them as I wanted to but I intend to continue going back to visit as many blogs as I can.  I've had new readers visit me since I've been posting there and I love it!

I don't see myself being able to keep up the daily pace but I'd like to post at least a couple of times a week instead of going back to once a week.  Hopefully I can keep some of this momentum going  :)

Kat

Post #100

Instead of spending time coming up with a proper, big post tonight, I am spending time with my girl and my cat watching a Bugs Bunny and then Grimm at nine o'clock.  What better way is there to spend an evening?

I would like to take a moment, though, to point out that this is my 100th blog post.  I feel like I should do something to celebrate since that's quite a milestone but, again, a night with my baby is calling to me.

We love this show and never miss an episode!  Any more fans out there?

Kat

The starting post

November 28th prompt for the NaBloPoMo challenge – How do you feel about the first blog post you ever wrote? 

My first blog entry happened August 11, 2009.   (here it is)

I had joined Twitter not too long before that and was on it constantly.  I made some new friends there who I am still in touch with today through Twitter as well as on Facebook.  I also discovered the world of blogging and was hooked instantly.  A lot of them were “mommy” blogs and humor blogs and, of course some humorous mommy blogs.  One thing they all have in common is that these were people just like me writing about their experiences in parenting, relationships and the workplace and I could relate to so many of them. 

It took me a little while to work up the courage to “put myself out there”.  I’m pretty shy person have never really had the courage to stand in front of

a crowd and speak up.  I think that connecting up with new people on Twitter, and being accepted, gave me the boost that I needed.  I probably never would have started this blog without it.  I can really see the lack of confidence in my own ability in my first post and like to think that I’ve gotten better. 

Reading my introduction, I have to admit that it’s a little sad how little has changed in a couple of parts of my life.  I’m still in the same very solid but uninspiring job.  Please don’t think that I’m ungrateful; this job pays my rent and feeds my kids and, for that, I am eternally grateful.  I just wish that it left me feeling a little more fulfilled.  The boyfriend front is still pretty sad.  It’s so hard to find a decent guy with the same goals as mine. 

On the other hand, my kids’ nicknames had to change since they have evolved from the eleven and nine year olds that they were then.  I’m in a far better place financially since I have managed to get my budget under control.  I’m far from rich but definitely less stressed about money than I was several years ago.  I also like to think that my confidence has grown too.  I don’t have a huge readership but nobody has outright booed me so I call that a win. 

I haven’t always been consistent about posting and there are couple of gaps where I just didn’t seem to have a lot to say but I have been working on that this year and hope to keep the momentum going.  This month’s NaBloPoMo has certainly been an exercise in that!  Blogging is something that I have come to enjoy and really like the connections that I have made because of it. 

I guess that I’ll end this post on the same note that I ended the first one on.  I’ve let a few people who I know outside of the internet in on my blog and the world hasn’t ended.  Who knows, maybe I’ll introduce some more people to it soon. 

Kat

My proudest accomplishment

November 27th prompt for the NaBloPoMo challenge – What accomplishment are you most proud of? 

Well, really, there is only one answer to that:  my kids!   

They are not only good kids but are growing up to be people who I genuinely like as people.  Sure there is a bit of teenage attitude happening and I wish The Boy would make a little more effort to be nice to his sister but nobody is perfect.  He and his father have been butting heads a bit mostly because they are so damned much alike and neither one knows how to back down but that is something that they need to figure out between them.  I, for one, have a great relationship with him. 

We received the kids’ report cards last week and they are definitely something to be proud of (except one Geography grade…..).  I am so grateful that my kids do well in school with little struggle.  I’m not saying that they are geniuses or anything (ok, maybe a little) but their efforts are often rewarded in their grades. 

The Girl is smart, artistic and a kind soul.  I don’t think that I have ever heard a harsh word come out of her mouth.  She’ll never be one of the “mean girls”; instead she’s the one who will make sure that everyone is included and will do so with a smile.  She has her own sense of style that isn’t necessarily the current trend but, instead, what makes her happy.  My girl will not let me be touchy-feely in public as is normal for a thirteen-year old but is not above cuddling up with me at home to watch a movie.   I’ll take that! 

The Boy is smart and always soaking up more knowledge as he goes along.  Aside from not always being nice to his sister, he’s a pretty easy-going kid and makes friends easily.  When I went to meet-the-teacher night this year, his homeroom teacher literally GUSHED about him.  That does a momma’s heart good!  Best of all?  Even at fifteen, when a boy has the most need to be “cool”, he loves his mom and doesn’t mind showing it   

I could go on and on but that would be a bit braggy and nobody wants that (yes, braggy is a word even if autocorrect doesn’t agree!) 

Can you feel the love, lol?

Kat