We lost Internet for a good couple of weeks when we first moved last November. It was a nightmare for me as there was work to be done and I couldn't do them without visiting the local cafe. During that time I busy myself with the unpacking, and actually managed to spend some quality time with the kids. When Abby said: "I'm so happy that there is no Internet because mummy finally get to spend time with us!", it hit me quite hard, and I had a good look back at the past few years.
Since Clay was born and Abby started pre-school, I started using my spare time to blog. Blogging itself doesn't take up much time really, and you can do it whenever you are free or when you feel like it. But when you start writing reviews and gift guides, you'll mentally set a deadline for yourself to finish the pictures taking, reviewing (this can vary from an instant taste testing to using a good amount of time to try out the product), more pictures taking, photo editing and finally typing the post out. During the months when it's slightly more quiet (ie non seasonal periods), it's fairly easy to keep it up, and it's fun too. But each year we have Valentine's Day, Easter, Summer/ Back to School, Halloween, Christmas, and as I write gift guides, although still fun, there were times when I had to work (enjoyable work obviously) past midnights through the week while trying to look after the kids and keep up the (minimal) housework.
It was when Abby voiced out her thoughts that I realised it was taking over our family life. Children don't stay as children forever. Soon they will be teenagers when they stop talking to you and start hiding in their bedrooms, and before you know it, they will be in University (for their future's sake, hopefully they will) and leaving home. I want to spend more time with them before all that happens. I also want to spend more time doing up our new beautiful home. It is quite high maintenance, but when you love it so much, you really don't mind.
Yesterday I spent most of my day decorating Abby's bedroom. As the kids are still young, we decided to let them sleep in the same room for now, and use Clay's room as a play room. Although the kids have been coming back to us at night (too used to co-sleeping), they do love their room and their smiles when they first saw the room were priceless.
All that has made me re-think of the way I blog. I will still keep my baby (blog) up, but with a different variety of posts in between. I'm not quite sure what my main posts will be, and I rather not set a category for it as it is meant to be about our life (ie family lifestyle). What I can tell you now though, is that I had cancelled this year's Valentine's Day gift guide and giveaway as I've spent a lot of time this month doing up our house. It will also be the first time we are holding Abby's birthday party at home (fingers crossed), so that is my priority at the moment.
No matter how this blog will turn out like, I still hope that you'll enjoy reading it, and still enjoy entering the occasional giveaways I'm hoping to continue hosting, to give back something to my dearest readers.
Have a lovely day wherever you are!
Angela x