It Takes A Village

Where has Tiffany been these past few months?  I thought this blog was Toot Sweet 4 Two.  If you have asked these questions or anything similar, I’m back and ready to give a brief explanation as to my absence…

Life has changed quite a bit for  my family and me in the past year.  To say that I was glad to see 2013 come to an end is a major understatement.  2013 was a HARD year.  Hard is very vague, I get this and it would be a bit unfair to not give a few of the details about why I was on a blogging hiatus for the past six months or so.

When Carole and I started this blogging adventure a year and a half ago, I was already spread pretty thin, wearing too many hats and always overextending myself.

As the economy began to really catch up with my family, this struggle became more of a battle, as I was trying to find ways to contribute to the household income while still being present for my Princesses P as well as carrying out all my commitments.  What was the result?  I burned out…I felt like a failure and I never was able to accomplish much unless corners were cut.  Usually the corner cut was my sleep, resulting in me not being my best for anyone.

Something had to change.

So I put on another hat.  I started working  at a bar over the summer.  As this last hat was placed on my head, it was time to really evaluate what I could realistically fit into my life with limited time.  I needed to be able to give my ALL to the things and people that needed me most.

My family and I have been trying to adjust to this new life as we know it over these last several months.  In the midst of this adjustment, Chris got a new job too! (This is a good thing).

We went from being a family with a stay at home mom, a working dad with a very flexible schedule to a new reality…mom works part-time as a waitress at night, dad works full-time downtown in an office, leaving at 7:30 a.m. and arriving home at 6:30 p.m., five days a week.

I have been beyond fortunate that I’ve been able to stay at home with my kids for the first six years of their lives, so now onto this new chapter.

We are blessed.  It takes a village to make this life work.  We are so lucky to have found a supportive “village” to help us transition into this new way of life;  a village to help make sure the Princesses P are taken care of  and a village just to get through each day with the love and support we need to keep us going.

 

Going back to work has been a major change especially since it’s work that I haven’t done since I was 21.  I love being a waitress.  It’s an interesting job.  It’s almost like I  have two separate lives.  I’m a mom and a wife by day, cocktail waitress at a bar by night.  As you can imagine, these two different worlds don’t quite match up most of the time.  What I can say is that I finally have my adult time, my social time and I’m getting paid for it.  It’s a win-win.  When I am at work, I’m happy, having fun and making money.  My kids are just as happy as ever and have adjusted beautifully.  My husband is in a job where he feels valuable and appreciated, so even though the weekdays seem long, they also feel worth it.

We are just doing our best.  On most days our house is a mess, the laundry is always behind and we have so many projects that we would love to get to, but for now we are doing our best.  We couldn’t be our best without asking for help, without our village of family and friends behind us.

 

Thank you all who have helped through these times; we are forever grateful for our village and we couldn’t do it without you!

With all that said, I am back to the blog and I am renewed and excited.  A HUGE thank you to Carole for keeping this blog going on her own and being patient with me during this hiatus.

I hope you all will enjoy all that I will have to share here on Toot Sweet 4 Two.  Here’s to a new year!  2014 is going to be a good one…I can feel it!

Tootles,