Managing That Little Thing Called Time

Today I've spent my time thinking about blog post ideas. What the heck do I write about?! I scoured pinterest for ideas and though I found a few things, none really seemed to fit my "blog identity." And then I'm like, what the heck is my identity as a blogger??

Hobby Hopping Housewife is what I use to identify myself as a blogger, but I'm beginning to think that I use that as more of an excuse. In all honesty, I burn myself out on things. I find something that I really enjoy, become obsessed with it and then do it until I can't do it anymore. So I literally have to hop between hobbies because I burnt myself on the last one. And this continues until I've gone through all my current hobbies, then picked up a new one, before I circle back through them again.

Since I've written my last blog post, I've really tried hard with prioritizing things. Problem is, not all things I "consider" a priority. For example, doing the dishes or laundry. Do those things need to be done? Yes. Is it on my list of things I would like to get done? Of course. Will it be a priority above editing the photos from the wedding on Saturday? Definitely not.

I think the issue at hand is not just prioritizing, but also time management. And knowing that sometimes things need to be more of a priority (like the dishes that are still in the sink as I'm writing this), but if I manage my time, I can get through the things I really don't enjoy (but really need to get done because who really wants their house to be mess?) and get on to the things that I really do enjoy. But not just that, but also being able to blog and craft and watercolor and do photoshoots and sew, all in the same week.... all along with having a clean house... and doing my bible studies and devotions... and not feeling pressed for time.

I guess that all entails having some sort of schedule too.

And being adaptable.

And flexible.

Shoot, life is tough.

How do you guys prioritize, schedule and manage your time?

Getting My Priorities Straight

MI have not blogged a while a month. It's not that I didn't want to blog, but honestly, it just wasn't a priority.I started working longer days at work, eight hours to be exact. (and I'm not trying to make excuses, seriously, just trying to explain why it wasn't a priority...) And most of you are probably like eight hours?! That's what grownups work! Did I mention I work with kids with autism? (Also not an excuse) 

Anyways, my hours got bumped up (thanks to my own self), I figured I was already going to be there all day, why not be on the clock? Well, that was dumb. For a lot of reasons. Now don't get me wrong, I love my job. Seriously, the best and most rewarding job I have ever had. 

Just a little side note: I have always struggled with what I want to be when I "grow up". Problem being that I want to do everything and schooling just takes way too much time. Especially because I don't care about math or history or whatever. I just want to learn about the job and all it entails. And not even just learn, but do. Sometimes too much time is spent in the classroom and not enough actually doing the job. Also, school is a lot of money that I have never been able to afford and the idea of loans stress me out. I don't want to borrow money and then spend the rest of my life paying it off just to want to go to school for something else later. The list of things I've wanted to do is ridiculously long and I've been fortunate enough to have been able to try out most of them to some degree.

So because I haven't known what I wanted to do, I've done and tried lots of things. Though thing I seemed to love most was working with kids. And thanks to my husband and friend Casey, I got a job with the school district (have I told this story before? Oh well...) 

I'm currently employed as an IBIA, Intensive Behavioral Instruction Assistant. I work with kids who have developmental delays. Basically helping students with autism learn to learn. Their behaviors (and developmental delays) often interfere with their ability to learn and I help by targeting those behaviors and working with the student to reduce them.

Not gonna lie, it's a tough job. Not only is it physically exhausting but also emotionally. Which brings me to the eight hour days... There are a lot of people who work those hours and I honestly don't know how they do it! It was hard, because I love my job so much. And I just want to learn more and do more and because of that, I started to over work myself a little bit. I'd come home and be so exhausted! And just sit on the couch. And do nothing the rest of the night.

But I love working! Most of the people are just amazing and have hearts so big and the kids are awesome too (also not so awesome, but that comes with the job. I can't even tell you how many times I've been hit, kicked, pinched, spit on, had stuff thrown at me, diapers to change, clothes to change, running, some days are just filled with running and even hit with a stupid tennis ball.) There's just so many more things that make it rewarding though. Like when a student hasn't had a "tantrum" in over a month! Or another one who is non verbal tells you "No!" because he doesn't want his grapes. There is nothing as awesome and sweet and amazing as when those things, progress, happens. That's why I do what I do. And it may not seem like much to you, but it truly is.

And then there was the fact that Justin was getting off work earlier. Which meant that he had time to come home and relax and then I'd get off work and be way to tired. I was giving too much at work and not enough at home. And since I was tired all time, blogging was definitely not a priority. Neither were the dishes or vacuuming or making dinner. So we decided that I was working too much. And now that I've less hours to work, more time with my husband, and just about back to complete health after having the worst week of sickness of my life. I'm back at it again.

Weekend Getaway

 As a lot of you may know, this Friday we  headed out for the beautiful Julian, Ca. Just to get away for a night/day. We both have been working really hard and lot lately, so it was a nice weekend just for the two of us to spend some time together, relax and reconnect. And what a better way than a small town at 4200 feet!

Since Julian is a small town, we figured everything would be closed for dinner before we got there (because we left in the evening) so we stopped in Ramona for something to eat. We tried our luck at a place called Amerient (it was the only place that looked open still). Its and american and oriental place... it wasn't that great. Kinda actually not that good. Everything tasted the same. Well, the american food did anyways. Hahaha.

We got into Julian at a quarter to ten at a cute bed & breakfast. Our room was super tiny! But cozy nonetheless.  Saturday we spent the the morning checking out all the antique, trinket and crafter stores. Okay, that made it sound like there was a lot of them. I assure you, there was not. Hahaha. Justin bought a corncob pipe (literally) and I bought a cast iron mouse. There was a llama being walked by a young girl, a "ton" of people for some music festival, a little boy selling lemonade for 75 cents, the smell of apples literally everywhere, everyone was friendly, some hipsters showed up (that was a bummer), warm weather with a cool breeze, and the company of my handsome husband.

Then, after lunch, the real fun started! Not really. We were supposed to go to the California Wolf Center just outside Julian where you get to learn about wolves and then see them! How cool is that! Unfortunately, we didn't get that far. Actually, we were REALLY close, but didn't get to make it there. 

Ya see, when I called on the phone to ask for the directions, the lady said make a left at kcjfgvaufng and I was like cool thanks! Honestly, I didn't know exactly what she said, but it sounded like kcjfgvaufng. How could I miss that street?! Well folks, I did. I was looking for a street that looked like what she said, aaaaaaaaaand we passed it. Totally my fault. (It was a nice detour though!) 

Realizing we probably passed it, I looked up the place and found that the street we were looking for was called K Q Ranch.  If you say K Q fast enough, it sounds like kcjfgvaufng (autocorrect wants to change this to Kanchenjunga, which I learned is a place in the Himalayas, and not what I'm talking about lolol) . Try it. Well, not exactly, but you get what I mean right?! Oh well. We find the street and we drive up it and then the truck shuts off. Umm okay, he restarts it and things are fine. Psych. It shuts off again. So not only is my husband upset that I made us miss our street and caused us to be late, but now the truck is like eff this. 

Long story short... Jus rolls the truck back down the hill to the main road, there was an hour fight with AAA on how to get us back home (we lost, they were jerks). Then the tow truck driver showed up earlier than expected and was really super nice and then a two hour and something/120 mile ride home in the tow truck.

I'd say it was all bittersweet. On the plus side, neither of us had to drive home. So I guess there's always a silver lining right? Hahha. 

I still had a lot of fun though! Even with the sucky parts. Honestly, for me, the only "sucky" part was still the Amerient restaurant. And even with the truck breaking down, at least I was with Justin. And though AAA were some poop heads, we made it home safely and I still had time to make some chicken and pasta and watch Emperor's New Groove with Jus.

Any crazy happenings this weekend for you guys??