The Pursuit of Normal

Raising Two Kids While Still Growing Up Myself

I’m movin’ on up!

By 22 Comments

 

Welcome to the new and improved The Pursuit of Normal!

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smallgirlI may not be movin’ on up to the East Side, but I am definitely moving on up to my OWN SITE!

Like any young(ish) woman, I was no longer content to rent. It was time to buy.  And buy I did.  For the first time in the almost 6 years that The Pursuit of Normal has been alive, I invested some money in my little hobby and I bought my domain,  worked on some re-branding and  hired the AMAZING Julie at Fabulous Blogging to head-up my site migration and redesign.

So here I am. New site. New logo. New design. Welcome!

As I write this, my 350th post, I am proud to say that while I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going when I began this journey in 2009, I think I have ended up exactly where I wanted to be.

In the last 5+ years I’ve been published 3 times*, had my articles posted on amazing sites such as Scary Mommy, Mamalode, Mamapedia, and BlogHer, and even had one post go viral’ish.  And once some stole one of my posts and translated it to Romanian and used it on an online magazine! I’ve launched a successful Facebook Fan Page that continues to grow and has allowed me to get to know many of my readers as they share their hilarious life and parenting experiences. I figured out how to Tweet like a tween, Instagram like a pro and even succumbed to the pressure and joined Pinterest where I pin recipes I’ll never make and parenting advice I will probably never read.

But most importantly, through writing, I finally realize that I. AM. NORMAL. We all have kids who leave their stuff everywhere and say ridiculous things. We all experience over and over and over the differences between men and women… How we think, how we act, how we communicate, how we pick up wet towels… or not. We all have naughty pets who end up on the roof. Wait… That’s just me, isn’t it? Each of us continues to evolve and learn as we make our way through this crazy life.

Writing has allowed me to take a step back from my life and view it from a new perspective and see the whole picture, rather than the moment I wrestling with.I think Cher Horowitz, the wiser-than-her-years teen  from Clueless said it best:

“Oh, she’s a total Monet. She’s OK from a distance but close-up she’s a big old mess.”

Up close, raising kids, being a wife and growing old can be a big old mess.  But from a distance… it’s OK.  Writing, narrating my life, gives me that distance and allows me to see that my life, in all its crazy-messy-awkward-funny moments, is a beautiful piece of art.

Thanks to those of you who have ridden this crazy train for the last 5+ years and welcome to those who recently boarded.

I hope you enjoy this ride in The Pursuit of Normal as much as I do.

That’s just my normal.

 

* Scary Mommy’s Guide to Surviving the Holidays

*The HerStories Project

*The HerStoriesProject: My Other Ex

Comments

  2. Congrats on the new website! Big move = big success and it couldn’t happen to a better person! Best of luck & welcome to a new normal!

    Reply

    • Terrie you are always so sweet and encouraging! Thank you for that;)
      Here’s hoping I figure out how to use my new normal!
      Haha!
      V

      Reply

    • Thank you, Robin! I’m pretty excited. Now I just need to read “WordPress for Complete Morons” so I can figure out how to use the dang site! haha!
      V

      Reply

  5. So happy for you and this big bloggy step.
    Big love!!!
    Carrie, the Just Mildly Medicated gal
    JustMildlyMedicated.com

    Reply

    • Thank you, Carrie! I miss you friend!
      Don’t forget to tell Rob that California is a wonderful place to move to 😉
      V

      Reply

  7. LOVE your new home!!! And wouldya LOOK at all your amazing accomplishments!! You should be so proud of all your hard work and I wish you the very best for 2015!!!

    Reply

    • Thanks, Mike!! I appreciate your kind words and support more than you know. Looking forward to pimping out the Papa in 2015!
      V

      Reply

  9. Oh, Vicky!! I just love it! So clean and cute. Just like you! Tee hee – you still look a little naked in your picture though but hey, if you got it, flaunt it right?

    All kidding aside, I’m so proud of you and happy for you. I absolutely LOVE your blog posts (I promise to be a more avid reader), your Facebook updates and your Instagram photos. Keep ’em comin’ sister! And you’re published in books…like real turn the pages books.

    So proud! Glad to call you my friend! Congratulations and here’s to even more success!! Muah!!

    Reply

    • You’re not the first person to tell me I look naked in that picture, Penny. And yet I still use it….
      I just like it because the sunglasses hide the wrinkles! haha! Thank you for always being such a wise and encouraging friend. I’m so happy you’re back and I can’t wait to see what 2015 brings you. You deserve it!
      V

      Reply

  10. Congrats on the big move and the new site! It looks fantastic!

    There are times I question whether blogging is for me and whether I want to continue doing it. Then I slap myself back to reality and remember that it’s a hobby I love even when times are a bit rough. I’ve been doing for 4+ years (5 in August) and I still greatly enjoy it.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Kim! And I TOTALLY get you about the blogging thing. When I’m doing it I LOVE it! But when it’s been a long time between posts or my creative juices are not only not flowing, but as dry as the Sahara, it totally stresses me out. But like you said, I remind myself it’s a hobby and that definitely takes the pressure off! That is so awesome that you’ve been blogging so long! Thank you for stopping by over here and I will definitely check your blog out as well.
      Happy New Year!
      V

      Reply

    • Thanks, Natasha!! It is very exciting to see this little hobby of my evolve. Thank you for the support and for dropping by! Happy New Year!
      V

      Reply

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