Oh Hi. What am I Doing Here?
Hey there! I took this blog (and its lovely Insta-sistah, @maintaining_mama) public last night so I thought now would be a good time for a proper introduction.Like so many other women on the cusp between Gen X and Gen Y, my name is Jen. I actually just Googled what generation I am and apparently those of us on the cusp are technically Xennials now? Not sure how I feel about that.I'm a stay-at-home mom (or SAHM, as we hashtag it these days) burbin' it up outside NYC. My kiddos are six and four and like every other parent, I believe that they are the greatest human beings to ever grace this planet. Also like every other parent (whether you admit it or not, you know it's true) there are times that my children are maniacal devil spawn who break me down into a sobbing ball of rage. They're the best though. Seriously.I also have a husband and two dogs to round out my chock-full-o-love but chaotic existence. Oh, and I try my best to balance three volunteer gigs: colon cancer non-profit, local ambulance corps, and PTA (obv).In other words, WTF am I thinking starting a blog?! Ain't got time for that!Oh but I must. This is what I'm learning. Writing makes me happy. Thinking thoughts - both big and small - about my diet, exercise, relationship with booze, and general existence as a 37-year-old-25-lbs-lighter mama on the cusp of having some semblance of a life again now that my kids are older - and taking the time to write some of these thoughts down, IS IMPORTANT. Maybe even vital.I need this time right now. I need this outlet. It is going to make me happier, more fulfilled, a better mom and wife and person. (This is me trying to convince myself that taking this time for ME, to do something I enjoy, is OK. Mom guilt, begone!)But enough about me. What are YOU doing here?Seriously if anyone on the interwebs besides my mom has read this far, I am sending you a big ol' hug. I honestly don't know what this blog will become, if or how it will resonate with anyone else. But if you're here, welcome. And thank you. And I really, really hope you find some comfort here. Maybe some inspiration, maybe a much-needed smile.I promise to be real. I don't have time to be anything else, y'all. I am far from Pinterest-perfect and I hope I stay that way. Because real life can be pretty darn exquisite, when you're not scooping dog poop or covered in your kid's puke. And some of the time, I am neither of those things.Some of the time, I am strong. I am energized. I am motivated. I am eating clean. I am working out five times a week. I am balanced.And some of the time, I'm raiding my pantry. I'm PMSing. I'm crying. I'm dropping F-bombs in front of my kids. I'm drinking too much wine. I'm in a dismal slump.I hope that this blog will help me spend more time on the living-my-best-life side of the spectrum and less time on the tortilla-chip-and-sauvignon-blanc-binging side. And who knows. As this little project makes its way in the crazy congested blogosphere, maybe I won't be the only one.