Procrastination with a capital P

Ok, honestly...I really would love to know how I am so "busy" that I can't find time to sit and write a post!  I think procrastination is more of a description.  I'm just going to blame it on the fact that my office has been a total disaster since 'tax time' has set in motion and I couldn't even begin to find the top of my desk tops.  Therefore, sitting to the computer meant that I'd turn it on, and while waiting for it to slowly boot up, I'd get sidetracked by the mess of my desk and would end up attempting to file away papers, put art projects away, rifle through magazines...that sort of thing.  Then it'd be time to start supper or go pick the dog up from the neighbors...see? Procrastination.  But I'm slowly losing my excuses now.  Although the office is more of a mess than normal, I have a brand new desk/hutch combo that I picked up from Office Depot for a score of $99...and although it's nothing fancy by any means, its' sturdier than most cheap desks and it's got way more room than what I was attempting to work with before!  Only now I'm sitting surrounded by my old desk,  my new desk, Trav's old drafting desk, and Tucker's little school desk...and boxes and boxes and boxes of stuff.  Now do you see why a lot of times I would just close the door and pretend this room didn't exist?!

On a sad note, the cattle world lost a very ambitious, young cattle producer on Wednesday afternoon.  Although I only knew him from cattle shows, as did Travis, it still breaks our hearts to hear about someone young being taken from us so soon.  Nathan James Adkins died from injuries received in a car accident on February 13 just before 4 in the afternoon.  He was such a sweet, kind-hearted guy, always helping others out, and always all smiles.  I know he'll be missed by many, and that smile of his will be missed around the cattle barns.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends as they cope with the grief of losing him so early.  As my sister and I relayed information about his death back and forth as we were finding details, it made me want to hold the ones I love dearly that much closer.  

As the end of another work week nears, it puts us a week away from one of my most favorite shows of the year...Illinois Beef Expo!  As long as it doesn't rain, this show is by far the best in my book.  I'd take cold weather at cattle shows over the heat any day!  Plus, the cattle producers literally have the run of the fairgrounds, so it makes driving/parking/stalling that much easier.  Unless you go to the Denver Stock Show (that's on my bucket list...I'm hoping that within the next two years Travis and I are able to go out west for it), this is typically one of the first major shows in Illinois, and kicks off the 2013 show season.  I'll be honest, there are really two reasons why I always get excited to go to Beef Expo...ok, three actually. 
#1, I get to see a lot of show/fair friends that I don't get to see all that often. 
#2, Sister-time!  My older sister and her family lives in southern Illinois...I love them dearly, but we don't get to see each other all that often.  Since they do the "cattle-thing" too (as my mom calls it), we get a weekend of hanging out together!
#3, SHOPPING! I'll admit, I don't shop well.  I know what I want, I go in, get it, and get out of there. End of story.  But in my area we don't have very many "western" boutiques.  But at the Expo part, there is a growing number of booths that cater to us women shoppers and give me my jewelry/clothing/house decor fix for a good six months or so.  Plus, this year we're looking into a couple of other options for here at the farm, so we actually have business to tend to down there...along with a few necklaces and probably a couple shirts...maybe a new coat if I'm lucky!  
This year will be Tuck's first ever Beef Expo...I'm excited for him, but I'm nervous too.  This is really a test for him, because it's not like the county fair where I can bring him home for awhile and the head back that evening.  It's a much bigger show than what he's used to, but I imagine having my niece and nephew there will be a huge help to him.  He's already jabbering about wanting to help Brayden comb his steer and lead the steer around.  

Still waiting patiently for momma cows to start popping.  We have about three weeks left before we have to begin worrying, but it doesn't hurt to be ready for anything.  We still are betting that even though it'll be mid-March before the first one drops, we'll be dealing with snow....happens every year.  

Be safe this weekend, and I know as I attempt to figure out this mess in this office this weekend, I'll be brainstorming more ideas for posts.  I'm still figuring out this whole process, and I do have a stack of ideas for posts and pictures to go with them.....now I just need to make time to sit and do it! 

Timing is everything...after it happens.

Sometimes timing is everything...sometimes we get it right, sometimes we get it wrong. And then there are times where you look around, shrug your shoulders, and say "Why not?" and just go with it. I'll be honest, the first two tend to be a pretty consistent theme around this house, and the third,  in thought, just gives me an anxiety attack just thinking about it.  A lot of times, it's not until after something happens and we reflect back on it do we understand that maybe the timing was right or wrong...after all, hindsight is 20/20 if you take the time to reflect.

With that said, the timing of this post has NOTHING to do with resolutions (I really, honestly don't believe in resolutions except that they discourage more than anything).  I simply believe that when I attempted this before, my timing wasn't exactly grand. Rocky ground had to be crossed, and quite frankly, I wasn't up for opening my thoughts to an audience.  But I really believe that the time has come to try this again.  I've had people ask why I've only done one post and encouraged for more. I've learned to take a step away and enjoy what's happening, and reflecting on it later (ok, this is a work in progress, but I really am getting better!). I feel confident in myself that I'll have material to write about and constant inspirations.  It took some quiet nights and a lot of reflecting on the past six+ months, possibly longer, to help ease myself into a more settled spot.  And with that, I shrugged my shoulders tonight while laying here, listening to my husband peel the paint from the ceiling, that I shrugged my shoulders and said "why not?" to restarting my blog.  I'm ready for this...my family is ready for this. 

So, as 2013 is starting up, I've decided I don't want to make resolutions...I want to implement change.  In theory, same concept, yes. But the play of different words tells a different story.  "Implementing change" helps me remember change is gradual...and set backs can happen. I want to get back to my love of the written word...making time to read and write (well, blog). I love that Tucker is so interested in books and reading just as I was, and still am. I want to make it a priority so he will see and hopefully follow suite as he grows up that reading and writing are important everywhere, not just school.  I also want us as a family to go back to our healthier eating habits. We've strayed away from healthy, well-rounded, home-cooked meals to anything that can be done quickly in a pinch, and a lot more fast-food and carryout per month than we used to.  That equals unhealthy choices, eating at all times of night, and spending more money than we should on "outside food".  Which also ended up with cranky supper times, and weight gain for both Travis and I.  Not acceptable. I don't do super health food, nor do I search out "all organic". Instead I keep the meals balanced, colorful, and tasteful. Back to making an effort in the kitchen for me.  With the healthy eating comes me just wanting to be healthy...aka, exercising. I don't want to be skinny or have this obsession to run a marathon. I just want to be in shape and feel good. I'm not the one to go to the gym to "workout".  I couldn't think of anything less motivating. Instead, I Jazzercise. Its fun, I dance and jump and attempt to make my hands and legs and feet move together...not always pretty, but fun nonetheless. I feel good and recharged when I'm done,and it's time e for just me...no one hanging on me or yelling...just me shaking my butt and not caring.  I love it. 

As this season of new beginnings gets under way, just remember...timing is everything. Sometimes we know when the time is right. Sometimes we don't have the slightest clue. Just remember when you close your mouth and open your heart, the answers are less likely to be missed. Just keep in mind, there has to be time to think back on events and ask yourself "why did this work? why did this happen? why did things turn out this way?" It's only then that you can learn from what has happened to make help make your decisions for today and tomorrow.