Why Start ANOTHER Blog??

I realized that when I made my New Year's Resolutions, that one of the best ways for me to stick to them would be to write about them.  Writing is definitely a creative outlet for me.  It provides me with a sense of 'realness' to my thoughts.  A way to sort through the various things that constantly swirl through my brain...and more importantly a way to get them out of my brain and onto (virtual) paper.  Writing provides me with a sense of accountability.  I like finding my voice, and I like sharing my stories.  Even if no one reads my words, writing is a form of relaxation for me.  

** A quick back story - I started a personal blog (Life at the Arbaugh Inn) in 2005 after my oldest, for this blog I shall call her Bean (as in she's skinny like a string bean, and passionately hates green beans), was born.  When Bean was born, I started sending out weekly emails to my family and close friends giving them a recount of what we were up to and I included a few pictures to show off my baby girl.  One night when I realized my emails were turning into huge files, I commented to my husband that I wish I knew how to design websites so I could just put my text and pictures up there and have people come look at them when they felt like it.  He says "you should blog".  My response?  "What the heck is a blog?"  Well, a mere 6+ years and 1,339 entries later, I am now well acquainted with exactly what a blog is.  And I have to say that I'm so glad I have become a dedicated blogger.  I honestly feel like I am truly documenting my family's history.  Capturing the big events of course, but more importantly documenting the little things about our days that despite the fact we swear we will never forget, we of course forget about them.  I am also proud of how my writing has evolved - from just the facts and only the facts, to a little bit of humor, a little bit of me shining through.  It's not always grammatically correct, but I write like I think.  Like I talk.  So I feel like my writing is accurately capturing what I want to say.  I hope 30 years from now when my girls have families of their own, that my 'Life at the Arbaugh Inn' will be a treasure for them, and that it will be proof of how much fun I am having being their mama. **

OK, so we're caught up to today.  If I'm so happy with my first blog, why in the heck write another blog??  I'm not sure I have an answer for that question other than, this seems to be a different side of my life.  Something that for now is all about ME.  Cooking better and eating better are MY goals for this year.  (Of course, this will all filter down to my family since I do all the cooking and food shopping, but we won't go there yet.)  I like the idea of keeping my personal blog, mostly about my kids.  Their milestones.  Their adventures.  Their shenanigans.  And this blog, well honestly, I can be selfish and write about me.  Food - healthy food, real food - is quickly becoming a passion for me.  (And I think that's different than an obsession, but more on that later.)  This blog is going to be my outlet to talk about my new passion.  To share my cooking (mis)adventures.  To link to other blogs that I couldn't live without.  And hopefully to learn from my readers. 

So here we go...blog #2 on its way.  I hope you'll come along on this journey with me!