Looking back to move forward

I have been hoping to come here and write for nearly two weeks now. Perhaps even longer, but for the last two weeks have I most certainly been thinking a great deal about it.

Which naturally doesn't mean that I know what I want to say, just that there is something that needs to be said. Mind you one could possibly argue that there is always something that needs to be said...

When I first started this blog back in April '12 I harped on about ten things I needed to make matter. It was a bit of a rehash from a post I had posted a few months earlier over on A Parenting Life. Not that I usually republish posts from one blog onto another but this time I made an exception. After all I was talking about things that matter, so rule breaking was totally ok.

Only here I am September '13, more months on than I would like to count and not necessarily sure I managed to make any of my list items matter any more than what they did pre post.

So in a bid to move forward once more, I am taking the time to look back and see just how far I have come. Hopefully this will then help me see where it is I need to go next.

1. Write regularly.  And by that I mean every day.  Like anything it improves with practise.  If I am going to be serious about being a famous writer I really need to put pen to paper, of fingertips to keys or something other than the current levels of procrastination and self doubt.
   
   Well I am still trying to write as much as possible and while the whole every day thing hasn't happened I have managed write more than what I possibly ever have before. So I guess that counts for something right? I mean sure I haven't written enough to get me that book deal yet but I have been writing.
   
   
2. Being present for the children.  Making sure I disconnect from the electric world and spend time living.
   
   Hmmmmm. Well I have had large slots of disconnected time from the electric world, but I am pretty sure that this still needs some work. The incessant whining that I am sometimes faced with leaves me no choice but to retreat to the likes of Candy Crush some days.
   
   
3. Ensuring that I am well rested and suitable fueled to tackle anything the treasures might spontaneously throw at me.
   
   Tick, tick, tick. I have been doing great guns at trying to regulate some regular sleeping patterns and it really has made the world of difference. Gone (mostly) are the ridiculous late nights I once  kept. I may still need to work on the fuel (food) aspect but it's all about small steps right?
   
   
4. Providing interesting and nutritious food on a regular basis.  It is important to be aware of what works best for our bodies and provide it that, as much as possible.  Plus since eating is a part of life it only makes sense to get the most out of it.
   
   Oh gosh, maybe this looking back thing is not such a crash hot idea after all. Providing interesting AND nutritious food is bloody hard work and in my book possibly overrated. If I could hire any sort of help I am thinking a chef would be my best bet.
   
   
5. Leading an active life.  Getting out and about in the great outdoors and making the most of the land that surrounds us.
   
   Ah yep. Well I did do this for a bit. I may not be doing it too much at the moment but I did do this well for a while so I guess that means I can do it again.
   
   
6. Remaining true to what I believe in.
   
   Ok seriously? What was I thinking when I wrote this list??? Somedays I can barely remember what it is I believe in let alone remain true to it. Possibly need to do some serious work on this one.
   
   
7. Letting others know they are cared for and loved.
   
   Yes I am sure I have this one under control. Please let me have at least one thing under control.
   
   
8. Being on time.  Being late is rude.  Plain and simple.  Sounds harsh I know but as someone trying to curb a terrible (and I mean give her a half hour head start kind of terrible) habit of always being excessively late I need to be harsh.  I have little to no concept of time.  Never have.  But I want to.  I don't want my girls to grow up thinking it is alright to keep people waiting for you.  All. The. TIME.
   
   I have made great improvement in this area. I am still occassionally late, but generally speaking not as late as what I once was and not nearly as often.
   
   
9. The housework.  I can't believe I got this far without mentioning the housework.  Maintaining a clean and tidy house matters more than anything.  It is the cornerstone of happiness for the modern family.
   
   Cornerstone of happiness for the modern family I said. Right. The less said the better perhaps?
   
   
10. The washing.  Similar but not quite the same as the housework.  It is such a mammoth part of life it gets a point all of it's own.  (That and it's late and I am really struggling to think of anything else right now)
    
    Do you know why this one was so important? Simple really if the washing is done and under control, all put away properly and all that jazz mornings at our house are so much nicer. There is no shouting or screaming as we search high and low for the ever elusive missing sock. Which of course in turn means our chances of running late are greatly lessened and I am less likely to retreat to the online world due to the pressures of getting everyone out the door on time.

Sigh. Deep, deep, deep, sigh.

Of course now it is time to take the children to school. Or rather it is time to get the children ready to take to school because that is not yet done and the time to take children to school is just around the corner. Sitting here typing this post null and voids at least three things on this list I am sure.