I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaack....

oh man.

I don't know what happened to me.

I wish I could say that I was marooned on a deserted island near Hawaii...that John and I decided to paddle out into the Pacific and were captured by happy pirates....but no. Didn't happen.

Instead, I just got. really. really. really. overwhelmingly. busy.

I had a bittersweet summer. Sweet, because the time we spent away was amazingly refreshing and put new perspective on life and the future. Bitter because we had to come home and back to reality.

As someone who thrives on change and innovation, it's hard to be stuck in a rut, and to be stuck in a big rut for 4 years is beyond difficult. There are so many changes I want to make, that I am desperate to make, but I don't have control over these situations that need fixing...so rut, rut, rut.

All of this feeling "stuck" and "busy" and "overwhelmed" and "trapped" does not make for very happy or pleasant blog chats- so I stayed far away for as long as I could.

I know YOU, friends and blog readers, understand.

It hasn't been all bad, not by any means...it's just 1 step forward, 2 steps back. For example, last week: I made the KI Memories Design Team- Something that I have wanted FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!! I love KI!!! Major KI Fan!!! I was jumping up and down excited!!!!!....and then we got a phone call rushing us off to Silverdale because FIL was in the Hospital. Obviously we wanted to be near our family, but the trip was right in the middle one of the busiest months of work I've had all year, and returning home left me multiple days behind a fast approaching deadline, and even farther behind on the projects I was already behind on. And then we got some additional bad news...and well...it's just been like that. 1 step forward, 2 steps back.

Enough is enough. I don't want to deal with it anymore, so I am going to pretend that life isn't a big shitpile right now, and dive back into "business as usual" and focus on the things that DO make me happy and the things I CAN control. And maybe, just maybe, things will get better. I mean, hey, at least I still have my crafts. They are a good thing.

So, now that I have broken my month long silence, I think it's time to say... let's get on with the show!!

Comments

[Cheryl]

Glad to see you back! I was beginning to feel like a creepy stalker awaiting your return! LOL! Sorry things have been difficult, but congrats on being selected for the KI design team!!! Hope things get easier for you very soon.

[Lulu]

WooHoo!!! Glad to have you back!!! :) & a HUGE congrats on the KI! Can't wait to see what you do with all their yummy stuff!!

[nicole]

SooOOooo HAPPY to have you back! You have been missed! HUGE Congrats on the KI gig!

[Heather]

Oh I missed you.. Hope life gets back to moving forward for you and your family. So glad to have you back!

[Heathyr]

Congrats on the KI DT team! That is so awesome and not only good news for you but great news for everyone who LOVES your scrapbooking (which is so many). You have such a bold talent and are easily one of my favorite scrappers.

PS - Are you making new hoop.de.doo's? I want one so badly and your Etsy shop has been bare for too long :(

[Abbie]

I'm so glad to see you back to blogging! I hope things settle down for you soon (in a good yet still busy way). I hope all is well now with your FIL. Hang in there!

[Julie Hickey]

Yay! Jen is baaaaaaaccccckkkkk! Missed your posts.

[elizabeth]

it's so fantastic to have you back :)

[jennifer pebbles]

Heather- YES!! The hoop.dee.do's will be back! I am hoping to have to shop stocked up with new stuff really soon! I will keep you posted! :)

[Tisha]

Glad to see you back in blogland! Congrats on KI, and I hope that all the steps are forward from here on out!!

[kristina]

SO happy that you're back bloggin, Jennifer! Congrats on the KI gig! SO cool and I'm so happy and excited for you! Sorry to hear about your FIL and your other bad news. Thinking good thoughts and praying for you, my friend! HUGS!!!

[Kim]

HAte the "two steps back". :( Hope you're having a good weekend despite it all! Glad you're back!!

[alison]

AAAAAHHHHHH - I am so glad you are back. One step forward can be knowing how happy you can make other people with your crafts and inspirations!

[Lyndsay Breid]

HUGE congrats on the DT gig, Pebbles! So happy for you - you are going to rock their socks off!

[Sandra]

Yay! I'm doing the happy dance that you're back! I can understand the reason behind the absence too. BTDT.

[travelingmama]

Girl, I SO appreciate your honesty! It is so refreshing! I hate that you've had those two step back moments... hopefully your FIL is better? I know these times make us stronger and make us appreciate the good things, but it sure does suck along the way! Here's to lots more steps forward! Congrats on your Design Team position... no surprise! Love your latest post too!
Hugs from Spain!
Tina

[Rhonda Palmer]

I am so glad you are back! Congrats on the KI team. I can't wait to see what is in store!

[Gaylyn]

Major Congrats! Sorry about all the life chaos/junk so glad to see you back-making something lovely out of all that frustration! wonderful work! Can't wait to see what else you come up with! Vacation looked so fun.......(stuck with 4 kids and no vacation in sight)sigh-living vicariously through someone elses photos helps!

[amy]

have missed you. congrats on KI!

[Kia Gregory]

Jennifer, I seriously almost started crying that you had made a new post. YAY for KI Design Team. Boo on your FIL hospitalization. Yay on you being back in action. Boo on shitpiles. Thanks. Back in to lurking mode again!

[kerry lynn]

she's baaaaaaaaaaaack!!
yay-hOO!
xo

[maggie Holmes]

Congrats Jennifer! I hope that all will be better soon! Big Hugs!!

[moi]

"When all is breaking up, something new is breaking through."
I read this quote the other day and as I am in my own personal little rut - it brightened my day a bit-
thought I would share.

p.s. LOVE LOVE the holiday card! I HAVE to do that for my cards this year!