currently {vol. 8}

t h i n k i n g  a b o u t ...  how much I miss this space. I so wish I had just two more hours in the day so that I could spend more time editing/organizing pictures and writing blog posts. I have so many ideas and things that I want to write about and they just seem to fall to the wayside as the days and weeks pass in a blink. I'm working on setting up one day a week where I have childcare for two-four hours so that I can work on personal projects, but it's also the worst time of year to try and add one more thing to our schedule.

l i s t e n i n g  t o ... the washing machine run. Other than that there is purposeful silence so that I can listen for Raina waking up. Both babies are sleeping in their room for naptime now and so far it has worked out pretty seamlessly. Even when Raina has woken up sooner than Riggs I've managed to sneak in and pluck her out of her crib before he wakes up.

I did (finally) order a video monitor for their room because I want to be able to go in my room or even outside to do chores during their nap without worrying about them. And it makes me feel better safety-wise once they share the room during the night too. Riggs wouldn't mean to hurt her but I have these awful scenarios pop up in my head from time to time, like stuffed animals or blankets being tossed into her crib and covering her face while she sleeps. So...video monitor it is.

w o r k i n g  o n ... editing pictures from a 'session' I did for my bff and her new little family of four. I'm trying to work on my photography and editing skills (the latter needs the most work, editing is sooo time consuming and I become a mega-perfectionist and I have no actual training whatsoever, I'm just sort of learning as I go) and taking pictures for friends is a great start. I'm loving the pictures so far, the lighting was just gorgeous, as evidenced by the photo I included above - and for those of you non-Alaskan's that was taken at about 11am. We have barely any daylight this time of year, which can be challenging for taking natural-light photos, especially inside.

h o p i n g ... that I can keep up on eating better and running 2-3 times a week. I've done a pretty good job over the last two weeks but every day it's like a giant test of self-control (convincing myself I really don't need to eat and entire bag of peanut butter m&ms) and will-power (convincing myself it will be worth it to bundle up both kids, pack them in the stroller, get cold weather gear on and the dog leashed up, to run for 30 minutes while also praying I won't have to pee five minutes into the run or worse - you other mamas probably know what I'm talking about...). Luckily it has been worth it every single time I've forced myself to get out there.

This weekend Steve and I hiked in Girdwood on the Winner Creek trail (which is four miles round trip) during most of which both kids were in packs. Riggs walked about a mile combined on the way there and back but Steve and I were really wanting to go at our own pace to get an actual work out in. We talked a lot about wishing we could have run the trail and how we want to make it a priority to get out and hike every weekend.