Sunday, November 23, 2008

The Future of MY Blogosphere

Ah, the beauty of a clean sink. I just finished washing this evening's dinner dishes. I put it off for a few hours, telling Jason I would just do them tomorrow. But then I thought "I have no idea what is going to happen tomorrow. I could have to go to Tyner's school again (that's a whole 'nother story), or Zeke could have a bad night tonight and I could need a nap in the morning." I already have a job planned for morning nap time, so I decided I would just do the dishes tonight. Why put off until tomorrow what you could do today, right?


Anyway. I didn't come to write about my dishes. I came to write about my blog. Hmm... blogging about my blog. Is that redundant?


A long time ago, I started a Live Journal account. I enjoyed writing on there, because that's really what I did. I wrote about my life and my feelings. When I started on there, you couldn't post pictures. I wanted to, but it was probably a good thing that I couldn't. It made me really write about what was going on. The other thing I liked about Live Journal was that you could lock certain posts. You could either make them so that only the people on your friends list could read them, or only you could read them. I liked the idea of having privacy to vent my worst thoughts. I was able to get them out without having to worry about someone reading them. ***SIDENOTE: I got distracted. I just spent the last half hour reading all my old posts on Live Journal. It's a good thing I'm not typing this post in real time!***


The last time I posted on my Live Journal was sometime in 2006. My first post on Blogger was in March of 2006. ***OOPS! Getting distracted reading old Blogger posts too!*** I started this blog thinking that I would share pictures and life updates, but also that I would continue really writing about things that were important to me or about random thoughts that were running through my head. And I did that for a while.

I shared weird thoughts like The Preschooler's Theme Song, The REAL reality TV, and The Big Purple Dinosaur. I shared deep and meaningful things like Motivation vs. Motivated, Too Many Hats, and The Little Green Cup. I wrote, just for the sheer joy of writing.

I know there are only about four people who read my blog on a regular basis. And that is okay. I don't want to be one of the mega-blogs that averages 357 comments a day. I do, however, have dreams of having 10 or so regular readers. I want to know that what I have to say is interesting to people.

But, really, what am I giving you all to read? Pictures of my kids, recipes, and To Do lists? Those things aren't bad, in and of themselves. But when that's all there is? It makes for kind of a boring blog.

I have a long list of blogs that I read (you can see my list in my sidebar). I try to check them out at least every few days. I love seeing my sisters' blogs. It is a great way to keep up with them and to see what is going on in their lives. But the ones I love to read? Cultivating Home, The Queen B, Small Town Blessings, Beachy Mimi, Nobody Called Today. These are the blogs where I keep clicking "Older Posts." I love reading what these women are writing. I like reading about their lives. I like hearing their thoughts. I like laughing at their humor. I like learning from their wisdom. These blogs are what I aspire to. The frequency of the posts, the tone of blogs, the humor and wit and wisdom contained throughout.

I'm not sure what all this means for the future of my blog. One of the reasons I don't post very much is time. The un-kid-filled hours of my days are usually filled with housework (or naps...). And my nighttime hours are filled with my list of TV shows. It all comes down to priorities. Obviously, hearth and home take precedence. But I guess I need to decide if TV or blogging is more important. Or how to fit both into my evenings without being up past midnight.

So what do you think, my four faithful blog readers? What would you like to see more or less of on my blog? Leave me a comment and let me know. And if there are more than four of you out there? Feel free to de-lurk and leave a comment as well.

New Recipe

Basic Corn Muffins

Friday, November 21, 2008

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Thursday Night Dinner

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Baked Brown Rice

To Do on Thursday

I haven't gotten much done the last few days. I spent Tuesday morning taking a nap, and I spent yesterday morning in Yreka. A lot of things that started on my list on Tuesday are still on my list. I don't like that. So I'm going to try really hard today to get a lot of stuff crossed off. Which means I need to avoid this darned computer all day long. Shoot, maybe I should just turn it off. Then I really wouldn't be able to get on it. Anyway. Here is my To Do list for today:

*Chop and freeze bell peppers
*Process pumpkin
*Lunch?Pasta wheels w/ sauce, pineapple
*Dinner? Sweet and Sour Chicken, Brown Rice, Salad
*Clean sink/counter in kids' bathroom
*Clean tub/shower in our bathroom
*Watch Bones online
*Watch The Office online
*Take stuff out to garage
*Sweep
-Kitchen
-Kids' bathroom
-Our bathroom
*Mop
-Kitchen
-Kids' bathroom
-Our bathroom
*Vacuum
-Living room
-Our bedroom
-Sierra' bedroom
-Boys' bedroom
*Dishes
*Make dessert for Bible Study
*Sort laundry
*Laundry
-Diapers
-Whites
-Colors
-Darks
*Put pasta away
*Take recycling in
*Empty dish drainer
*Go to bank
*Call EES about bag fundraiser

Well, that's it for now. I will be back later on to cross stuff off and to add more if I need to.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Tuesdays are for Napping

Tuesday's To Do list:

*Take a nap ALL MORNING LONG
*Chop up green bell peppers
*Dinner?Sweet and Sour Chicken, Brown Rice, Salad, Rolls
*Fold towels
*Dishes
*Kids' bathroom (sink/counter) I just need to make Sierra do this.
*Our bathroom (tub/shower)
*Watch Bones online
*Watch The Office online
*Floors (tomorrow....)
*Do a load of colored clothes

Well, that's it for today. A lot of it will probably get moved to tomorrow's list.

I really did take a nap all morning. From about 9:30 until 11:30. Zeke has decided he needs to wake up at about 5:00 every morning, and I don't get much sleep after that. I was so tired that I was really cranky and barely able to keep my eyes open. I feel much better now, although I could use some caffeine. Hopefully I will be able to sleep tonight.

I will be back tomorrow with a list that's a little more crossed off. Hopefully...

Monday, November 17, 2008

New recipe

Pumpkin Muffins

A NEW RECIPE BLOG

Hey y'all.

So....I decided to steal my sister's idea and post all my recipes on a separate blog.

'Cause the recipes take up too much room on this blog. And I need more room to post my To Do lists and cute pictures of my kids.

So, GO CHECK IT OUT! I hope you enjoy what I have to share.

http://the-beth-recipes.blogspot.com/

To Do for To Day

Here is Monday's To Do list:

*Read Bible in the morning
*Wash diapers
*Fold diapers
*Get Tyner from school
*Take milk to LennyAnn
*Walk to get Sierra from school
*Go to library
*Menu Plan Monday blog post
*Take stuff out to garage
*Chop up and freeze bell peppers
*Dinner? Stovetop Meatloaf, Scalloped Potatoes, Salad, Rolls
*Make pumpkin muffins
*Refill All-Purpose flour container
*Sort dirty laundry
*Wash towels
*Fold towels
*Empty garbage
*Dishes
*Empty dishwasher
*Clean sink/counter in kids' bathroom
*Clean tub/shower in our bathroom
*Watch Bones online
*Watch The Office online
*Check online for soap nuts and diaper covers

Menu Plan Monday - week of 11/17/08 - UPDATED

Here is my menu for this week. I'm not assigning days to anything, since I never know what plans are until about mid-way through each day.

--Stovetop Meatloaf, Scalloped Potatoes, Salad, Rolls (This didn't get made last week. My mother-in-law is coming to dinner tonight, so we are having it tonight.)
--Sweet and Sour Chicken, Brown Rice, Salad, Rolls
--Hawaiian-style Pizza, Salad
--Rice Lasagna, Green Beans, Breadsticks
--Pork Chops, Stuffing, Mixed Veggies

**ADDED: A couple of you asked me to let you know how the rice lasagna turns out. So, I thought I'd just tell you now. I have made it before. I actually cut the recipe in half and made an 8x8-inch pan for the four of us. It is really good. Sierra says it tastes just like spaghetti. Might that be because of the spaghetti sauce? Anyway. It was really good, and I highly recommend it.**

For more meal and menu ideas, check out Menu Plan Monday on OrgJunkie.com.