So you know how I told you last week that I was having technical difficulties? I’m happy to report that they have been resolved, thanks to my sassy new laptop. (A PC, by the way, despite the strong Mac lobby that emerged in the comments section of my last post and on Twitter. What can I say? Once a PC, always a PC?) So I’m back up and running and online and ready to blog.
But the thing is…I kind of don’t want to be.
I don’t know if it’s that old summer vacation feeling setting in after years of practice as a student and then as a teacher. Or maybe it’s the “summer blog syndrome” Kelly referred to in a recent comment. Whatever it is, I know that I enjoyed those days of being off the computer. I really did.
And I’ve got some projects I’m working on.
One is those boys up there. Big Boy and his pile of curls and his impossible questions and his last few weeks at home before starting preschool. Tiny Baby and his inconceivable eyelashes (I swear that kid could do an advertisement for Latisse…) and his walking and his first words.
And then there’s their dad, my beloved husband. My guy. My man. My one and only.
And there’s that pile of books on my bedside table and that Adirondack chair on our deck.
And there’s a pile of visitors and vacations and day trips and nights out.
And some juicy new projects. Personal and professional. Hatching, evolving, buffering.
So I’m going to grant myself a little summer vacation.
But instead of pulling a typical Kristen and declaring my intentions for exactly how often I’ll post or setting a deadline for when I’ll get back on schedule, I’m not going to set any expectations for myself. I’m going to give myself some time to do what so many of you seem to do so gracefully: blog when it works for me. And leave it at that.
So – I guess – I’ll see you when I see you.
{ 67 comments… read them below or add one }
Enjoy your summer and thise kids. They are only young once.
That’s awesome. Cute little boys too – oh how I miss those days. I am in your camp – blogging when I want to. I don’t have many readers anyway so I doubt anyone will even know I’ve been missing!
I must say, I have noticed your absence though!
That is such a cute picture :)
I’ve missed you… for what it’s worth! But enjoy using your time as you see fit!
Enjoy! We will be here when you come back!
Oh how I’ve missed you! But I understand and good for you for finding the discipline to do it as you need to. Enjoy my friend and let it unfold as it will.
Sounds perfectly fine. Life unfolds each day and we only have so many hours to enjoy. Three cheers for summertime and projects!
By jove, I think she’s found it–that elusive blogging balance….the “blog when it works for me” attitude. That’s it, my friend!
I’ll see ya when I see ya!
Yes! I couldn’t agree with you and Kelly more about this odd summer blog syndrome. But you know what? I think it’s okay. I think we’re all in the same boat, trying to soak up the beautiful weather and moments of relaxation, not wanting to feel tied to schedules and commitments. Maybe it goes back to the days of summer vacation during our youth? I think we all deserve a summer vacation!!
I’m glad you don’t have deadlines or pressure to do anything but just be. Good to see you back, and when you decide to post, I’ll be here!
Yay! Glad you’re back. But I’m also glad that you are giving yourself a break. Blogging has sometimes taken up so much of my time that I think I need to slow down myself. Enjoy this glorious summer. Less of the absorption of life through words. More of the living.
Good for you for making this decision.
In the words of my mother: Bully for you! Enjoy the time off!!
In my house, if you want mommy tech support, you go Mac.
If you get a PC, you have to grovel for 19 yo tech support. So it’s sorta up to you—who you gonna trust?
Kristen, your boys are adorable!
Enjoy your relaxed blogging schedule. I think most of us have succumbed to the summer syndrome. See ya around!
What a lovely photo Kristen – I would want to just pick up those two and run away with them for the summer too :-)
I took the 4th of July long weekend off from blogging and really did not miss it at all. So I am doing a little less blogging, more time playing and in the pool and evening time with my husband too. I think a lot of fellow bloggers have the same idea as it is definitely a lot less busy right now.
So here’s to a relaxed, carefree summer of less blogging and having fun while the sun shines.
That’s my attitude as well! I love summer.
Good for you! Looking forward to surprise posts!
Sounds very “life in pencil of you, Kristen ;)
Glad you are back up and running. I like the no deadline approach–I can be pleasantly surprised later then.
Enjoy your warm summer days.
Enjoy- it is supposed to be fun.
I was just about to drive west and start hunting you down! I’ve missed you too but totally know how you feel. I’ve been taking it slow this summer too. Not feeling pressured to write more than I feel like it. We do this for US. We have to remind ourselves of that. Enjoy my friend and I’ll see you SOOOOON!
And, the way your little guy is gripping onto Big Boy? Precious. It says so much with so little.
Wahooooo! Happy practicing on projecting! So fabulous.
Have a good summer break. I am looking forward to meeting you in a few weeks.
It’s lovely to hear from you in just this way. I know that while I love being part of this community, my reduced blogging and increased movie watching, reading, swimming, cooking, hanging out and the like is a summer sweeter than one I can remember since summer vacation really was just that.
Here’s to really enjoying it all and writing when it suits us.
I find that if I just don’t look at my stats it doesn’t bother me so much! Actually, I should probably disconnect the sitemeter completely so I could go back to blogging for what it really is: conversation and connections, not some crazy competition with myself to beat the last month (which I haven’t done in a while!)
But I too have had the summer bloggy malaise, though I feel great and energized about other projects. I just feel like I can’t devote all my writing time to this. I do what I can, that’s it.
Good for you. I am going on a much needed and secluded island vaction next week. (not a tropical island but a quaint historical place where they still speak Elizabethan English!), and am hoping I come home relaxed and with a new perspective and ability to follow through such as that…blogging as I feel the need. I think I have set more expectations upon myself than anyone. I’m glad you enjoyed your beautiful family. Best wishes, and I will check in on you from time to time.
I thin I have caught it too! And you are right not to tie yourself down with a preconceived notion of what you should be done.
I have taken a small step back, focus on what I felt needed my direct attention and I feel SO much better for having done it.
Hope you unwind and take the road less traveled. I will be here when you are read to share!
I mean think!!
Enjoy those books and that deck chair…sounds lovely.
You’ve been missed, and we’re glad you’ve got that sassy new computer! But those Latisse lashes and delicious moments before pre-school begins, not to mention a wonderful man and a pile of books – those sound like pretty important priorities to me.
Enjoy them!
I’m so in the same place. My computer crashed and I just couldn’t find the heart to start writing again. Take the time. We will all be here when you get back.
Summer and children. Sigh. That is totally enough.
XO
Rachel
ps: I think when you allow yourself a break (without parameters) this when you can actually *hear* your own desire to write.
Amen! Enjoy your summer vacation!
I’m inspired to slow down…thank you!
See ya when I see ya!
Enjoy Kristen! I’ve missed your words, but understand that it is important to spend your time doing what you want to do. Give yourself a break girl! We will be here!
Kristen, good for you! Take your time. Happy summer.
Amen to leaving the expectations not so defined! Glad the new PC is up and running.
I agree – - blog when you feel you want to blog, not when you feel obligated. Have a wonderful vacation!
First of all, I just want to let you know that I read your posts in my email inbox. I don’t have time always to comment and don’t have access to proper Internet bandwidth to be able to comment, but I read and enjoy every single one of them! You are definitely not alone in feeling this way, esp. since you have two young children. I often wonder whether you manage to find the time! Enjoy your summer break and all the “projects”!
This is what summer’s for! Enjoy your time away!
Being off the computer can be a blessing. The Adirondack chair is calling, although ours are more white wrought iron (wears better in the 115 degrees summer sun!).
Happy summer, every day.
I agree. Once a PC always a PC.
Glad you are back! I would have missed you, but I’ve been on the vacation thing as well. Nothing wrong with that at all. ENJOY your vacation! See you when I see you ;)
Isn’t it great to think you’d miss being online, only to realize you maybe didn’t so much? Enjoy your summer how you see fit.
Nell
Enjoy your time. I have had trouble keeping up with reading and writing blogs lately too. There seems to be a summer lull in the blogging world, and I think we all deserve a little break :)
I have been off blogging since June. Way too many other mom activities like being a swim team mother and full time mom to three ladies home from school all summer. I do not send my kids to camps and such, we spend the summers doing activities together. G(my 1o yo daughter) is training for a 10k with me, F(6yo) has learned to master the butterfly, and E (8yo) is learning to sew. I love the dog daze of summer. ENJOY!!
p.s. I have missed the blogging but the missing will make my heart all the more fonder when I return.
Oh, those curls! I’d much rather spend time looking at those instead of an eye-straining computer screen. =>
Enjoy your hiatus, and know you will be missed. Hope you’ll pop in every now and again.
I had some time off, too, when we traveled, and it was heavenly. I came back with writing ideas galore, projects just bursting from my head. It was awesome!
So enjoy your time off and enjoy those BOYS!
This post has summer written all over it. It’s about time you just sat back and let the sunshine take over. Enjoy your days!
Hello long lost! I, too, have missed your words but know that I will come back for them when you come back. I, too, have been taking long breaks from writing/posting/visiting. And, like someone said above, it’s made my heart fonder.
Will I see you at BlogHer? xo
good for you, girl.
I’m right there with you. And one of the reasons I’m even on line today is because I’m sick. So I’m on a self-imposed couch sabbatical. And it’s nice to click for a bit, and to know that it’s just for now. Enjoy your boys. And their dad. And yourself. Summer goes way way way too fast.
Just stopping by to say: I miss you. I love reading what you have to say. But I totally get needing a vacation. You enjoy this summer and when you come back I’ll eagerly read every post, as always.
First off, that is the cutest picture. Ever.
Secondly, WHEW! Here I am, gone from the blogging world for weeks now, due to my own summer mental vacation, and I come back for a bit to visit, fretting that no one will understand, and then, lo and behold!, you do. Yeah. Whew. I don’t know what it is either, Kristen, but I have not missed it. My brain has been pretty much on “off.” I don’t draft posts in my head these days. It’s like my brain is wired on sunblock, beer, and laziness. So believe me, I get it. Enjoy the lack of a schedule. It’s niiiiiice.
Hey, Kristen, you enjoy your life! I have been reading less and running more or watching the Tour when it was on. I have been writing more but not on my blog.
Have a great summer!!
I hear ya! Have a great break, and we’ll see you when you get back. :)
Good for you! Go and enjoy those little boys – that photo is so sweet. It makes me miss when my boys were little (they’re now 10 & 13).
I just stumbled across your blog. I love it! I’m going to poke around, I promise to put everything back where I found it!
Hey, just checking in for a moment.
I just wanted to say – good for you. For following your intuition and your heart. A blogging break is often quite necessary. Hope your summer has been fantastic and full of love.
Thanks so much for visiting Motherese, Lucy.
I just returned to blogging today after taking the whole summer off. It was indeed filled with love and I appreciated the perspective I gained from the time away.
Kristen–I hope you’re enjoying the summer break. Good for you for listening to yourself. And thanks for the well wishes at LiP:)
I did the same thing this summer, and it was great! There were times when I missed blogging, but most of the time it felt good to be away. I have been getting back into the flow of things, but I feel better about it and I’m not as hard on myself. Enjoy your break!!
I just returned to blogging today after taking the whole summer off. I hope that my return to blogging is as successful as yours – and that I too manage to go easier on myself.
I totally understand what you are saying about staying away from the computer… as much as I enjoy blogging etc. at times I feel I put too much pressure on myself to do it… That picture is super cute by the way!
Thanks so much for stopping by Motherese and for taking the time to leave a comment!
I actually just returned to blogging today after about three months away and I can relate completely to what you say about putting too much pressure on yourself. Isn’t it interesting how we turn something that’s supposed to be fun into another form of pressure in our lives?
Oh, I so love when I happen upon other bloggers who do it when it works for them. Though I’m sure your words will be missed, they will be all the more precious when you are back!!
Thanks, Shawna. I just returned to blogging today after about three months off. There were days when I missed it, but the break was well worth it!