Categories: Christmas

Slowing Down: Getting Old or Just Exhausted???

Happy New Year!!!
So is 2014 off to a good start for ya?
Our day wasn’t too bad.  For starters, I slept until after 9am this morning.  Whoot!!
That kind of made me feel behind from the get-go, though.  Isn’t that ridiculous?  Remember when you could sleep in with no guilt whatsoever???  Nope.  No, I actually don’t.  Even when I was a kid, if I slept later than my dad felt was appropriate, I would be teased mercilessly for sleeping so late when I did get up.  Thanks, Dad.  I still have a complex.  ; )
As I mentioned before, my goal for 2014 is to CHILL.  That sounds pretty easy, right?
Ha!
It’s kind of hard to chill when you’re still playing catch-up from the holidays while also managing three boys on the move + one baby.  I got off to a very rocky start on the “chillin'”.
One hour after I woke up, I rushed into the living room and–with my hands on my cheeks and my eyes all bugging– said to Alan, “I have no where to put all this new stuff, the boys won’t leave me alone, I want to go jogging, I’ll never catch up on the laundry, and the hot water heater is dripping so bad.  I need to call the land lord.  I don’t know where my phone is.  I’m a wreck–total wreck.”
Alan said, “You’re not doing a very good job on your New Year’s Resolution.”
….So I pulled it together, got the chores done, notified my land lord, and even went jogging.
Well, that’s not really true, about the jogging.  About two years ago I was all about the jogging, but that is OVER.  I had a nice, exhilarating WALK, though.
What is that?  I used to start out walking, then once I was warmed up I’d just have to break into a jog, and it felt wonderful.
Now I have this battle in my head,
“I should really run.  It would torch way more calories.”
 “Eh.  I don’t want to.  That’s exhausting.
 “Maybe in a minute or two.”
“Nope.  Not feeling it.”
“I’ll just walk a little faster…..”
I am just slowing down in general!!  Even on the highways.  We were on the Christmas road trip, and Alan kept saying things like, “Don’t you want to set the cruise control??  You are going 55 in a 65.”
…..and I would reply, “Nope.  I like to feel in control, and that is as fast as I feel up to going right now.”
Is this me getting older, or do I just need to get more sleep???  Does anyone else have this problem??  Please share.
 I guess going slow does fit in with my goal of being calmer….
Tonight Alan was doing a P90X work out, and he asked if I wanted to join him.  I totally could have, the kids were all in bed, and I would have been ALL ABOUT it a year ago, pregnant and all, but tonight I just said, “Ehh.  I’d rather just blog.”
Yep, I’m slowing down all right.  I guess it’s a good thing this year’s goal was not “lose a bunch of weight.”
Okay, I’m going to bed.  But I’ll leave you with the last photos of 2013.  Some cuties from Christmas:
Santa Clause found the boys in Alabama.

 

 

 

happy baby with his Nonna
sleepy baby with his Aunt Karen
Joe, Ellen, Janet, and Ben
Green on the left.  Red on the right!

 

 

Every single picture of the great-grands was a total disaster.  LOL.  If you knew how many adults were shouting directions during this picture, you could fully appreciate the full level of confusion for the photographed!!!
This family photo was not much more successful.  The funny thing was that Nonna and I messed up more photos than the kids by opening our mouths.  Lesson learned.  Just smile.  If the kids mess up, it’s cute and usable, if the adults mess up it’s just bad.

 

the red-headed cousin photo
Okay, and 2 more of these because I couldn’t resist:

 

Quote of the day:
yesterday
Caleb:  My worst nightmare ever was that Joshua was Drake’s brother, and I only had 2 brothers.  That was bad, but that was my last nightmare.  I don’t have bad dreams anymore.
this morning
Caleb:  *eyes wide open*  Mom!  I did not have my last nightmare!  I had another one last night!
Me:  I’m so sorry, Caleb, what was it about?
Caleb:  I was being chased by a dog!!
Oh, well, here’s wishing you all “no bad dreams ever!”

aprilmomoffour

April is an upbeat, Christian, blog-obsessed, military wife, and home schooling mom of four little boys. She writes about education, travel, and humorous adventures in parenting. Follow along if you’d like a little bit of encouragement and a whole lot of crazy.

View Comments

  • Here's my theory - you are not getting older. You have figured out how to work smarter, not harder. There's no need to run anymore unless you are in serious danger. Your knees will thank you later. GREAT Christmas pictures. You are right about all the instructions for Anniston pictures - with all the photographers shouting, it's hard for anyone to smile! Love the picture of you and JD.

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