One of "Them"

I spent some time scrubbing down my kitchen today and clearing the clutter and came to a realization. I'm now one of them! You see, there was a time (pre-children) that I would go to friends' homes and see cupboards with seven or eight open boxes of cereal and think "why in the world does anyone need that many boxes of cereal?" I thought that it was ridiculous and vowed that I would never be one of "those" mothers.

I started out really well. When my kids were small, I would buy one box of cereal and we would eat that until it was gone and I would buy another. Very sensible of me, right? Well, this went on for a while but, as the kids got a little bigger, they started developing their own likes and dislikes. I held out for a while, making them agree on just one cereal to buy. Eventually though, the bickering got to be too much and I thought to myself "it wouldn't hurt to let them each choose one, would it?". Yes, I talk to myself all the time; it helps the thought process.

Well, my friends, that was the on-ramp to the slippery slope to becoming one of "those" mothers. As you can see in the pic above, I found six open boxes of cereal today, four boxes of which only had about two inches each of cereal in them! After a bit of consolidation, I brought them down to two boxes. I should hear a good amount of squawking from the young ones the next time they pour from those boxes!

My one consolation is the knowledge that I'm not alone. I'm sure that there are many of us; one big, happy, cereal hoarding club. LOL

Kat

Time for Reflection and Change

Since starting this blog last August, I haven't really shown a knack for posting regularly. You can just call me Ms. Procrastination. You know, "I should really do this but, well, maybe I'll do it tomorrow". I am a master at this; not just with my blog but in all aspects of my life.

The fact that I am hitting the big 4-0 in a couple of weeks is really making me stop and take a look at my life and how I manage it. Usually, I see age as just a number and don't pay much attention but this milestone is really hitting me in a way that I never expected it to. Taking a good hard look at my life, I can't say that I really like what I see. Don't get me wrong, I have two wonderful, healthy children that I wouldn't trade for anything and a solid job that allows me to give my children a decent life and I am thankful for these things. The part that I don't like is far more personal; something within myself.

I always put off or run away from anything remotely uncomfortable be it dealing with a financial problem, an issue with a family member, or something more mundane like housecleaning (dusting is the bane of my existence). I have a tendancy to take the easier path which explains why I have too many pounds on my booty, clutter in my path and stay home far too much rather than put myself out there meeting new people. Heaven forbid I risk rejection!

On a positive note, I have been making some effort at getting out of my shell. Joining up with Twitter and actually interacting with people that I've never met is a huge step for me. The impact of the positive feedback that I feel there has been immense. Look at me, I even started a blog! For someone as intensely private as I am, that is pretty damn amazing! Who knows, I may even go out and meet new people face to face next ;) Will wonders never cease?!

I have never been one to make New Year's resolutions but I think that it's time to make a "life" resolution this year, the year of my fortieth birthday. It's time to get my life in order; improve my finances, strengthen the friendships in my life, clean out the clutter, spend more quality time with my kids....maybe even find someone to fill the empty side of my bed. I also resolve to post on this blog at least once a week. Maybe I'll use it to chronicle this "year of self-improvement".

It'll be interesting to see where these lofty goals take me. For now, I think that I'll start slowly by washing the dishes and getting my son moving on that project he has due at school. Baby steps......

Kat