Owning 2012. LIKE A BOSS.

I rebel against New Year's resolutions.

If my only reason for making change in my life is a somewhat arbitrary day on the calendar, I will likely fail. Then I will feel like a flake. Then I will be mad at myself. Then I will resist change, because trying and failing is exhausting and embarrassing. Then I will become a stereotype of myself, feeling awkward and acting in bizarre ways to maintain what I think is/should be "me," instead of continuing to grow into truer and truer versions of myself.


When I discovered I was carrying my little surprise baby in August of 2010, I only had to think for three-point-seven seconds before I decided our life, our home, our space needed an overhaul if I was going to successfully parent two babies pretty much on my own. (Speaking of which--the end is in sight! My hubby's going to graduate in May. We'll be a two-parent team again!)

I sat in my bed feeling miserable and hormone-y and drew up a list of every part of our messy apartment that needed a good restructure. It mostly had to do with organization and creating systems to help life flow well, but all began with a huge clean sweep of every room. I assigned a major task to each of the eight months in front of me, and broke it down into four weeks of smaller tasks to add up to the main job. My closet, my bedroom, my girls' bedroom, their closet, the hall storage, the living room; they all needed furniture rearranged, junk tossed, new dressers & shelves & other storage pieces; everything taken out and cleaned and given away, or trashed, or put back in a new way that made more sense. I pulled hard on myself and the people around me to get it done. We finished about a week before my due date.

Then Miss Ezra was born at home. She arrived straight into into my little organized, peaceful, settled space. When she got here, even though we couldn't have known how fast she'd come, our process of come-on-Gentrys-let's-get-shit-done-already, cleaning the crap out of ALL THE THINGS (yeah for nesting), had made us ready for her unusual arrival. On my bed.

So here's the deal, 2012. I have a feeling that some pretty awesome and important things are on their way as you run your course. I'm not sure what they'll be or how fast they'll arrive, but one thing I do know is how to make a plan that I can tackle, month by month, that will settle the spaces in my head and heart that need to be ready for radical, beautiful changes arriving more swiftly than I or anyone imagines.

I'm not preparing any New Year's Resolutions. I'm preparing for a year-long-get-even-more-shit-done overhaul. Stay tuned.

moniker

Trying to decide how to describe the event that just took place, and I've narrowed it down to three options:

1. I survived Poosplosion 2011 and all I got was feces on my t-shirt.
2. Poopmageddon.
3. Occupy Diaper. And baby torso. And mom lap. And mom sweater. And couch.

I'll have a shirt made if necessary.

Eight rotations later...

"Ten years from now, you won't know my name."
Sheesh, Roper. Now we'll NEVER KNOW, WILL WE?

My past just collided with my future.

Source: bing.com via Krisann on Pinterest

So. Freaking. Awesome.

Style Tips for the Time-Challenged

You're a modern, busy woman. Between child-bearing and rearing, workin hard for the money, self-defense and yoga classes, bank deposits and errand trips, learning photography and painting, summiting Mt. Laundry, and reading Yelp two hours a day, you have a lot on your plate, and you're expected to look good getting it all done. It sounds impossible, but lucky for you, I've got a few simple tips.


1. Side-swept Bangs
The next time you change up your hairstyle, acquire some versatile, side-sweeping bangs. They should be just long enough to cover one eyebrow, and therefore negating the need to regularly keep both eyebrows plucked. Just do the one that shows and catch up on the other when you have time.

2. Buy a Wide Belt
Bloaty days. Ugh. Defeat them by defiantly wearing oversized t-shirts for maximum comfort. Keep a wide belt in your car and snap in on over your near dress-proportion of a shirt the moment just before you step out of the vehicle. Mess your hair a bit and throw on a 3XL cardigan to add to the irony, and you're set.

3. Closed-toed Shoes
Pedicures take forever. I'm pretty sure my last pedicure was over six years ago. Once my children are all in school, I'll look into it again. Until then, flat slip-on shoes with closed toes are the daily necessity.

4. Baby Wipes
Just keep packs of baby wipes everywhere. Things in your life are crazy, you will get spilled on, you will forget to put on deodorant, you will apply mascara to your lips, thinking you grabbed the gloss. Buy cases of wipes and never have to rock the 'Accidental Goth' again.

5. Carry a Travel Mug
If you really look terrible, holding a travel mug in your hand sends a strong statement. "I know, but look--I'm on my way to take care of it. Right. Now."

6. Blame it on Your Children/Work/Pet/The Alcohol
You'll get the most sympathy if you go with 'pet' here.

Fall back

Dear End-of-Daylight-Savings-Time-Extra-Sleep-I-was-Promised,

I wish we could know each other better, but you seem to have forgotten to introduce yourself to my children. I should like you to make their acquaintance as quickly as possible so as to avoid this lack of familiarity in the future.

Yours affectionately,
Krisann