To send the best sentiment you can manage when life throws you a very bizarre curve ball.
I didn’t know it was possible, but you really can find a card to send to someone who is…
Sick… (no brainer)
And in the hospital… (hmm, ok, doable).
And likely terminally ill… (a little tougher… “so I hear you’re dying…”)
And whom you haven’t heard a word from in 14 years… (um, well, that’s a bit strange)
And is your “birth” father. (*whump* there’s the curve ball, right to the head).
Yeah, life’s kinda funny like that sometimes. Oy. (hence, the processing…) I can't say this was a card I ever though I'd be shopping for, but there you go.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Rainbows
I have so much to say and not really a lot of time to process things enough to be able to articulate things well enough. Soon, I hope.
However, quickly…. Tonight, as I was tucking Baboo into bed, we were chatting for quite a while. She talked about the book we read tonight, the girl at gymnastics the other day who hit her and playing outside tonight.
I raised my eyebrows at something she said and her face lit up! She said “Mama! You have RAINBOWS on your face!”
At my confused expression, she said “When your eyebrows go up, you have rainbows on your head. Wow! ” and then she traced her finger on the wrinkles that appear on my forehead when I frown or lift my eyebrows.
So, I guess there *IS* a way to view your wrinkles positively. Frankly, I could use a few rainbows over my head right now, and here I had them all along. Go figure.
However, quickly…. Tonight, as I was tucking Baboo into bed, we were chatting for quite a while. She talked about the book we read tonight, the girl at gymnastics the other day who hit her and playing outside tonight.
I raised my eyebrows at something she said and her face lit up! She said “Mama! You have RAINBOWS on your face!”
At my confused expression, she said “When your eyebrows go up, you have rainbows on your head. Wow! ” and then she traced her finger on the wrinkles that appear on my forehead when I frown or lift my eyebrows.
So, I guess there *IS* a way to view your wrinkles positively. Frankly, I could use a few rainbows over my head right now, and here I had them all along. Go figure.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Why
“Why” is a word I hear often these days, a little too often for my personal taste, to be honest.
Baboo is going through the “why” phase, that time in a toddler's existence when the answer to each and every request, statement, fart is “why”. For example:
It's time for dinner.
Why?
Because we all need to eat.
Why?
So you can grow up bigger.
Why?
Burp.
Why?
Sniff
Why?
You get the picture.
Sometimes I do actually try to answer some of the “why” questions, to show that I do take her seriously when she asks questions, but after about 22, my head explodes and I say “Well, why do you think…?”. Generally, that ends the endless, mindless series of “why”.
However, the one that gets me every time is the “why are we stopping” when we’re in the car and have to stop at stop signs and red lights. We’re spending a lot more time in the car now with Mouse in school. There are about 10 stop lights/signs between our house and the school and on a GOOD day we’ll only get ½ of them, more likely than not though, we’re getting almost all of them. And we drive that route 4 times a day, 5 days a week. EVERY SINGLE TIME we stop, Baboo asks WHY we are stopping. And for a while I would explain that we have to stop because it’s the other driver’s turn to go (why) and if we all drove at the same time from different directions, we would end up in an accident (why), and that we could get hurt (why) and that would make us sad (why)... yada, yada, yada.
This went on for several weeks. However, now, when she asks WHY we are stopping, I try not to snarl, “Baboo, why do YOU think we are STOPPING?” and she happily pipes up “Because it’s not our turn, Mama! And Mama, you need to WAIT your turn. Even grownups have to wait. There’s lots of red lights. I LIKE red.” And I grimace smile and nod in the rearview mirror and agree with her. And repeat, repeat, repeat.
The last few days, though, she stopped asking so often and I thought we had this licked, I really did. I was almost hoping that it was going to end, but … the other day, when the light turned green and she asked “Why are we GOING?”
Why, indeed.
Baboo is going through the “why” phase, that time in a toddler's existence when the answer to each and every request, statement, fart is “why”. For example:
It's time for dinner.
Why?
Because we all need to eat.
Why?
So you can grow up bigger.
Why?
Burp.
Why?
Sniff
Why?
You get the picture.
Sometimes I do actually try to answer some of the “why” questions, to show that I do take her seriously when she asks questions, but after about 22, my head explodes and I say “Well, why do you think…?”. Generally, that ends the endless, mindless series of “why”.
However, the one that gets me every time is the “why are we stopping” when we’re in the car and have to stop at stop signs and red lights. We’re spending a lot more time in the car now with Mouse in school. There are about 10 stop lights/signs between our house and the school and on a GOOD day we’ll only get ½ of them, more likely than not though, we’re getting almost all of them. And we drive that route 4 times a day, 5 days a week. EVERY SINGLE TIME we stop, Baboo asks WHY we are stopping. And for a while I would explain that we have to stop because it’s the other driver’s turn to go (why) and if we all drove at the same time from different directions, we would end up in an accident (why), and that we could get hurt (why) and that would make us sad (why)... yada, yada, yada.
This went on for several weeks. However, now, when she asks WHY we are stopping, I try not to snarl, “Baboo, why do YOU think we are STOPPING?” and she happily pipes up “Because it’s not our turn, Mama! And Mama, you need to WAIT your turn. Even grownups have to wait. There’s lots of red lights. I LIKE red.” And I grimace smile and nod in the rearview mirror and agree with her. And repeat, repeat, repeat.
The last few days, though, she stopped asking so often and I thought we had this licked, I really did. I was almost hoping that it was going to end, but … the other day, when the light turned green and she asked “Why are we GOING?”
Why, indeed.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Swimming Butterflies
It’s been HOT here, as in 85 F today. We had sweaters and jeans on this morning on our way out the door to school and were stripping down to bathing suits to stew in the kiddie pool in the backyard by noon.
The girls decided to have a “beach party” in the back yard after lunch, so we filled the pool, opened the sandbox and set up the beach umbrellas and laid towels on the lawn. We invited our neighbors over to enjoy the fun.
At one point, Mouse came running to me yelling “Mom! I RESCUED a butterfly from the POOL!”. As soon as I saw her tightly closed, dripping fist, I knew it wasn’t so much a rescue as a recovery. She opened her fingers to show me a little gray moth, sopping wet and not moving. She tried to get it to fly away, but well, it wasn’t really going anywhere. She flicked her hand and kind of plopped on the deck. My neighbor and I watched it, wondering what to say. Mouse said “It’ll dry out and then be ok” and since we didn’t really want to get into a indepth “death” conversation over a moth in 85F weather, we agreed that that just *might* be a possibility, as she skipped back to the pool.
Baboo wandered over to hover over the moth for a while. She noted that it was not moving. My friend, trying to smooth things over said “Well, butterflies aren’t very good swimmers. They should probably stay out of the pool.”
Baboo stood up like she had the answer from the universe, put her hands on her little bathing suit clad hips and said “She just needs to get her BATHING suit on and THEN she’ll be able to swim. Silly butterfly trying to swim without a bathing suit on!” and then proceeded to show us how a butterfly would flap her wings and swim at the same time.
Feeling very proud of herself, she also skipped off to join the other girls at the pool.
My neighbor looked at me with wide eyes and asked if Baboo really said that and then proceeded to keel over laughing.
The girls decided to have a “beach party” in the back yard after lunch, so we filled the pool, opened the sandbox and set up the beach umbrellas and laid towels on the lawn. We invited our neighbors over to enjoy the fun.
At one point, Mouse came running to me yelling “Mom! I RESCUED a butterfly from the POOL!”. As soon as I saw her tightly closed, dripping fist, I knew it wasn’t so much a rescue as a recovery. She opened her fingers to show me a little gray moth, sopping wet and not moving. She tried to get it to fly away, but well, it wasn’t really going anywhere. She flicked her hand and kind of plopped on the deck. My neighbor and I watched it, wondering what to say. Mouse said “It’ll dry out and then be ok” and since we didn’t really want to get into a indepth “death” conversation over a moth in 85F weather, we agreed that that just *might* be a possibility, as she skipped back to the pool.
Baboo wandered over to hover over the moth for a while. She noted that it was not moving. My friend, trying to smooth things over said “Well, butterflies aren’t very good swimmers. They should probably stay out of the pool.”
Baboo stood up like she had the answer from the universe, put her hands on her little bathing suit clad hips and said “She just needs to get her BATHING suit on and THEN she’ll be able to swim. Silly butterfly trying to swim without a bathing suit on!” and then proceeded to show us how a butterfly would flap her wings and swim at the same time.
Feeling very proud of herself, she also skipped off to join the other girls at the pool.
My neighbor looked at me with wide eyes and asked if Baboo really said that and then proceeded to keel over laughing.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
It All Adds Up To a Hill of Beans
No, really, it does. A hill of beans and a mountain of apples.
And you’re wondering what the HECK I’m talking about. I know you are. It’s ok, it’ll all become clear in a moment. Clear as mud.
Yesterday, we rounded up the neighbours (or rather, they rounded us up) and we headed out to a local apple orchard for their “kick off fall” festival. We met early, grabbed a wagon with 2 bushel baskets and headed down the rows to pick sweet galas, tender cortlands and tangy jonathans. It was sunny and pretty and warm. Not overly “fall like”, but still lovely regardless. We picked a peck of pretty apples. (haha) And tasted a few as well.
The kids did really well selecting some of the nicest apples, and of course loved being lifted to reach the highest branches. At one point, I lifted Mouse up to reach a particularly pretty red jonathan, and we came eye-to-eye with a “golden ticket” for a free caramel apple. Jackpot!
Of course, then the hunt was on to find enough for all the kids. We found enough and more to share, which was a super bonus. After we almost filled 1.5 bushels of apples, we moved on to play in the haystacks and corn maze. The girls rode the toy tractor and swung on the swings, surrounded by apple trees, farm houses and corn fields. It was idyllic.
We learned that the orchard offered u-pick green beans, and since us Lefty girls love us some green beans, (Hubster despises them with a passion), we loaded up with a ½ bushel basket and headed down the dirt road to where there is a pond surrounded by cattails and a tree. Seriously, those were the directions. The girl who was directing me told me it was about ½ a mile walk. She suggested we drive with the kids because it was so far away. And then she asked me if I knew what cattails looked like. And what green beans looked like. Oy.
Despite thinking it might be a bit of a distance, it was a lovely day and we decided to walk. We had 4 adults, a 5 year old, 4 year old and 2 year old. We were expecting a bit of a trek, and already had Baboo on our shoulders in anticipation of the ½ mile walk, when we rounded a corner, oh, 100 meters from the store. In the distance, about ½ mile away, we saw a green house and figured that the green bean field would be there. But then Hubster stops and says “Hey, cattails and a pond!” We looked to our left and there they were, with a tree and a hand painted sign pointing to “Green Beans” just past the pond. It took us all of 3 minutes to get there. Certainly way less than ½ a mile. We all laughed in relief as we realized that a) we didn’t have to walk any further in the hot sun and b) we did NOT go through the hassle of trudging back to the car, putting kids in and out of car seats and crossing traffic to go 100 meters.
The beans were plentiful and delicious. I felt like I could have taken more home, but didn’t. But now I’m wondering if I should have. Was 5 lbs REALLY enough?? It only cost $4. Seriously. We came home with an enormous bag of perfect green beans. I think we ate a pound of them in the field too.
After that, we had lunch at the orchard. How we had room after apples and green beans, I have no idea. But the brats were yummy and had had been cooked in fresh apple cider before being grilled. Then we had desert by tasting the contest apple pies, while sitting under the shade of an enormous oak tree in front of a pretty little farm house.
I know, it sounds like some weird country-bumpkin fantasy world, but it’s all true.
On the way out, we stopped and traded in our tickets for our fresh caramel apples. They were pretty tasty. And sticky.
We came home dusty, dirty, hot (it was over 80F), sneezy (from the hay), sticky and a bit sun-kissed, but satisfied with a beautiful and fun day spent with family and friends.
Today, the girls and I washed, sorted, chopped, blanched and steamed a bunch of beans for freezing. Then we sorted out our apples and made a pie that turned out pretty well. I felt like homesteader Suzy homemaker with all my homey “puttin’ up”. We had fresh steamed beans with our BBQ chicken and baked potatoes tonight. Divine. The girls and I vowed to put in beans in our little garden next summer. Maybe not a whole field worth, but definitely some.
I know that later this winter, when it’s cold and nasty, we can pull out some of these delicious beans just waiting to be devoured in our freezer, to have with our dinner and remember the fun day we had picking them.
And you’re wondering what the HECK I’m talking about. I know you are. It’s ok, it’ll all become clear in a moment. Clear as mud.
Yesterday, we rounded up the neighbours (or rather, they rounded us up) and we headed out to a local apple orchard for their “kick off fall” festival. We met early, grabbed a wagon with 2 bushel baskets and headed down the rows to pick sweet galas, tender cortlands and tangy jonathans. It was sunny and pretty and warm. Not overly “fall like”, but still lovely regardless. We picked a peck of pretty apples. (haha) And tasted a few as well.
The kids did really well selecting some of the nicest apples, and of course loved being lifted to reach the highest branches. At one point, I lifted Mouse up to reach a particularly pretty red jonathan, and we came eye-to-eye with a “golden ticket” for a free caramel apple. Jackpot!
Of course, then the hunt was on to find enough for all the kids. We found enough and more to share, which was a super bonus. After we almost filled 1.5 bushels of apples, we moved on to play in the haystacks and corn maze. The girls rode the toy tractor and swung on the swings, surrounded by apple trees, farm houses and corn fields. It was idyllic.
We learned that the orchard offered u-pick green beans, and since us Lefty girls love us some green beans, (Hubster despises them with a passion), we loaded up with a ½ bushel basket and headed down the dirt road to where there is a pond surrounded by cattails and a tree. Seriously, those were the directions. The girl who was directing me told me it was about ½ a mile walk. She suggested we drive with the kids because it was so far away. And then she asked me if I knew what cattails looked like. And what green beans looked like. Oy.
Despite thinking it might be a bit of a distance, it was a lovely day and we decided to walk. We had 4 adults, a 5 year old, 4 year old and 2 year old. We were expecting a bit of a trek, and already had Baboo on our shoulders in anticipation of the ½ mile walk, when we rounded a corner, oh, 100 meters from the store. In the distance, about ½ mile away, we saw a green house and figured that the green bean field would be there. But then Hubster stops and says “Hey, cattails and a pond!” We looked to our left and there they were, with a tree and a hand painted sign pointing to “Green Beans” just past the pond. It took us all of 3 minutes to get there. Certainly way less than ½ a mile. We all laughed in relief as we realized that a) we didn’t have to walk any further in the hot sun and b) we did NOT go through the hassle of trudging back to the car, putting kids in and out of car seats and crossing traffic to go 100 meters.
The beans were plentiful and delicious. I felt like I could have taken more home, but didn’t. But now I’m wondering if I should have. Was 5 lbs REALLY enough?? It only cost $4. Seriously. We came home with an enormous bag of perfect green beans. I think we ate a pound of them in the field too.
After that, we had lunch at the orchard. How we had room after apples and green beans, I have no idea. But the brats were yummy and had had been cooked in fresh apple cider before being grilled. Then we had desert by tasting the contest apple pies, while sitting under the shade of an enormous oak tree in front of a pretty little farm house.
I know, it sounds like some weird country-bumpkin fantasy world, but it’s all true.
On the way out, we stopped and traded in our tickets for our fresh caramel apples. They were pretty tasty. And sticky.
We came home dusty, dirty, hot (it was over 80F), sneezy (from the hay), sticky and a bit sun-kissed, but satisfied with a beautiful and fun day spent with family and friends.
Today, the girls and I washed, sorted, chopped, blanched and steamed a bunch of beans for freezing. Then we sorted out our apples and made a pie that turned out pretty well. I felt like homesteader Suzy homemaker with all my homey “puttin’ up”. We had fresh steamed beans with our BBQ chicken and baked potatoes tonight. Divine. The girls and I vowed to put in beans in our little garden next summer. Maybe not a whole field worth, but definitely some.
I know that later this winter, when it’s cold and nasty, we can pull out some of these delicious beans just waiting to be devoured in our freezer, to have with our dinner and remember the fun day we had picking them.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
The First Days of School - The Recap
It’s been an interesting transition to full time school for us this week. I’ve really not had much of a chance in my day or head for putting together any kind of literate post, and I can’t make any guarantees for this one either. However, considering that the girls have gone to bed early, the plants are watered and things are generally picked up, I seem to have a few minutes to be able to sit down and write.
Both girls’ first day was great. Mouse, as expected, happily trotted into her classroom, signed her name on the white board and ran off to find her friends with barely a backward glance to say goodbye to me.
Baboo, was apprehensive in the hallway while waiting for her teacher to open the door; daunted by all the parents and new kids, but once the classroom door opened, she was the first one in and I had to go and interrupt her cooking up an imaginary feast in the play kitchen to give her a hug and a kiss goodbye.
One of the nice things about our school is that we host a “breakfast” every day during the first week of school. The board (which I am a part of), supplies the coffee/food and it’s a good place to hang out close by if your child needs you or if YOU need to see your child and it’s also a great way to mingle with the other families in our cooperative. We’re not above spying on other people’s children by peeking through windows etc to report back on transitory progress. Overall, most of the kids have done very, very well. So despite having many new families this year, not many have stayed to mingle, and so, our breakfasts, have been attended mostly by veteran members happy to have some grown-up conversation. Yes, yes, I admit that have been there every day. (But it’s my BOARD DUTY to stay for, at least, PART of the time. Right?)
In the post first day chatter on the way home from school, Baboo reported that she did NOT play in the sand table (even though I saw her there), made a placemat with all Nemo stickers, but no Dory’s, had “no hax-sidents” and loved going potty on a real toilet and washing her hands all by herself in the child sized bathroom. She proclaimed that the best part of school was the slides, and went on to mention that she now “owns” all the slides. I’m grateful to know that I did spy on her a bit when she played outside and she did indeed share “her” slides well.
Mouse was thrilled to be with her friends again this year. Of the 14 in her class, 12 moved on from her class last year and there’s a perfect 50/50 mix of girls and boys. She’s loved wearing certain colors every day as a color review, is so excited to be journaling daily and writing “REAL WORDS, MOM!” (as opposed to the “fake” words I’ve been helping her write for the last 2 years) and is just eating up the routine. She did ask how far away the weekend was this morning as she was getting dressed, in a very tired kind of voice. When I told her it was only 2 school days away, counting today, she gave me the resigned “I can make it through 2 more classes” sigh. I think the getting up EVERY day and having to be out the door at the SAME time EVERY day is wearing her down a bit. But it’s good for all of us.
On top of that, this week we’ve had impromptu play dates in the afternoon to burn off the excess school excitement, a piano lesson, and a 1.5 hour session of heavy gymnastics. To say that my girls are wiped is a bit of an understatement. Bedtime is 7 pm these days, ½ an hour earlier than normal and no one is complaining about it. Heck, I’m wiped and I’m just the chaperone/chauffeur/cook/planner/time keeper/house keeper/maid… uh, never mind. I’m busy too, but in a different way.
But, despite it all, I’m thrilled to be back at a place that was our welcome wagon last year, to meet up the friends that *I* made and to witness my girls comfort and happiness in a truly nurturing place. The routine feels like it’s going to work and though we’re still working on hitting our stride, we’re all in the right groove.
And like the “omen” that announces that THIS is where we are supposed to be in our life; when I walk into my kitchen I see mounted on the art wall, Mouse’s name traced in glue on purple construction and outlined with beans. It’s a kindergarten classic and you just can’t beat that.
Both girls’ first day was great. Mouse, as expected, happily trotted into her classroom, signed her name on the white board and ran off to find her friends with barely a backward glance to say goodbye to me.
Baboo, was apprehensive in the hallway while waiting for her teacher to open the door; daunted by all the parents and new kids, but once the classroom door opened, she was the first one in and I had to go and interrupt her cooking up an imaginary feast in the play kitchen to give her a hug and a kiss goodbye.
One of the nice things about our school is that we host a “breakfast” every day during the first week of school. The board (which I am a part of), supplies the coffee/food and it’s a good place to hang out close by if your child needs you or if YOU need to see your child and it’s also a great way to mingle with the other families in our cooperative. We’re not above spying on other people’s children by peeking through windows etc to report back on transitory progress. Overall, most of the kids have done very, very well. So despite having many new families this year, not many have stayed to mingle, and so, our breakfasts, have been attended mostly by veteran members happy to have some grown-up conversation. Yes, yes, I admit that have been there every day. (But it’s my BOARD DUTY to stay for, at least, PART of the time. Right?)
In the post first day chatter on the way home from school, Baboo reported that she did NOT play in the sand table (even though I saw her there), made a placemat with all Nemo stickers, but no Dory’s, had “no hax-sidents” and loved going potty on a real toilet and washing her hands all by herself in the child sized bathroom. She proclaimed that the best part of school was the slides, and went on to mention that she now “owns” all the slides. I’m grateful to know that I did spy on her a bit when she played outside and she did indeed share “her” slides well.
Mouse was thrilled to be with her friends again this year. Of the 14 in her class, 12 moved on from her class last year and there’s a perfect 50/50 mix of girls and boys. She’s loved wearing certain colors every day as a color review, is so excited to be journaling daily and writing “REAL WORDS, MOM!” (as opposed to the “fake” words I’ve been helping her write for the last 2 years) and is just eating up the routine. She did ask how far away the weekend was this morning as she was getting dressed, in a very tired kind of voice. When I told her it was only 2 school days away, counting today, she gave me the resigned “I can make it through 2 more classes” sigh. I think the getting up EVERY day and having to be out the door at the SAME time EVERY day is wearing her down a bit. But it’s good for all of us.
On top of that, this week we’ve had impromptu play dates in the afternoon to burn off the excess school excitement, a piano lesson, and a 1.5 hour session of heavy gymnastics. To say that my girls are wiped is a bit of an understatement. Bedtime is 7 pm these days, ½ an hour earlier than normal and no one is complaining about it. Heck, I’m wiped and I’m just the chaperone/chauffeur/cook/planner/time keeper/house keeper/maid… uh, never mind. I’m busy too, but in a different way.
But, despite it all, I’m thrilled to be back at a place that was our welcome wagon last year, to meet up the friends that *I* made and to witness my girls comfort and happiness in a truly nurturing place. The routine feels like it’s going to work and though we’re still working on hitting our stride, we’re all in the right groove.
And like the “omen” that announces that THIS is where we are supposed to be in our life; when I walk into my kitchen I see mounted on the art wall, Mouse’s name traced in glue on purple construction and outlined with beans. It’s a kindergarten classic and you just can’t beat that.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Stuff...
The good news is that I didn’t get sick, at least not yet and hoping it doesn’t happen. Hubster is much better and so are the girls. So, all that said, what the heck have I been SOOO busy doing for almost a week that I couldn’t bother to post. Well, the answer is … stuff. Almost literally.
Hubster was home all last week because he was so sick. He tried to go to work and they sent him home. Yeah, pretty bad.
I had 3 school meetings, took the girls to the zoo, piano lesson and gymnastics and then in between all that I’ve been bustin’ on my house.
I cleaned out both girls rooms, big time. Then my neighbor offered me her toddler bed and bedding, so I took down Baboo’s crib (she cried, even though she loves her big girl bed) and rearranged her room. I found a cute valance that works really well.
Then I took on the playroom. Oh my. THAT was an adventure. Nasty.
Then I finished cleaning up my desk space. Again. Oh my.
Friday, I broke down and went to get some clothes for fall so I don’t freeze in December in the 2 pairs of capris that fit me right now (see rant about that here). I cleaned up at Goodwill then hit Kohls with Kohls cash, a gift card and power hour sales. Yay me.
Saturday, Hubster and I cleaned out the garage. That meant taking EVERYTHING out, spreading it all over the lawn and driveway, turning away 100 people who wanted to buy everything we owned, insulating a wall at the last minute (of course, AFTER I ran to Lowes to buy insulation we found several rolls of it in our garage attic left by the previous owners. Gah! And thanks!), sorting everything out and then, well, putting it all back in. We’re having a garage sale with our neighbours in 3 weeks, so all the junk we decided to get rid of … is back in the garage. So, we spent an entire day sweating away and it looks like we did nothing at all.
So, I’m making some progress on the house, which is good. It needed a good clean out and to have a garage sale soon, is also a relief. I’ve got a few little details to finish up and 2 rooms to do and I will have tackled every room in the house. Yay me. Whew.
And yesterday, just for kicks, we decided to have a kind of impromptu barbeque with some friends and neighbours. We actually had a really nice time and though the weather was crummy allll day, by the BBQ, it was sunny and warm. The kids played nicely together and once again, Hubster and I marveled and how fortunate and grateful we are to have made such good friends less than a year after moving into our house.
Tomorrow is the first day of school for both of my girls. I’m excited and nervous for them, as they are for themselves. We are definitely ready. It’ll be a while before the girls being in school will actually be a BREAK for me, but that’s ok. Right now, it’s more about getting them settled and I’m ok with that.
So yeah, that’s what I’ve crammed into this past week. It’s been a busy but productive one.
Hubster was home all last week because he was so sick. He tried to go to work and they sent him home. Yeah, pretty bad.
I had 3 school meetings, took the girls to the zoo, piano lesson and gymnastics and then in between all that I’ve been bustin’ on my house.
I cleaned out both girls rooms, big time. Then my neighbor offered me her toddler bed and bedding, so I took down Baboo’s crib (she cried, even though she loves her big girl bed) and rearranged her room. I found a cute valance that works really well.
Then I took on the playroom. Oh my. THAT was an adventure. Nasty.
Then I finished cleaning up my desk space. Again. Oh my.
Friday, I broke down and went to get some clothes for fall so I don’t freeze in December in the 2 pairs of capris that fit me right now (see rant about that here). I cleaned up at Goodwill then hit Kohls with Kohls cash, a gift card and power hour sales. Yay me.
Saturday, Hubster and I cleaned out the garage. That meant taking EVERYTHING out, spreading it all over the lawn and driveway, turning away 100 people who wanted to buy everything we owned, insulating a wall at the last minute (of course, AFTER I ran to Lowes to buy insulation we found several rolls of it in our garage attic left by the previous owners. Gah! And thanks!), sorting everything out and then, well, putting it all back in. We’re having a garage sale with our neighbours in 3 weeks, so all the junk we decided to get rid of … is back in the garage. So, we spent an entire day sweating away and it looks like we did nothing at all.
So, I’m making some progress on the house, which is good. It needed a good clean out and to have a garage sale soon, is also a relief. I’ve got a few little details to finish up and 2 rooms to do and I will have tackled every room in the house. Yay me. Whew.
And yesterday, just for kicks, we decided to have a kind of impromptu barbeque with some friends and neighbours. We actually had a really nice time and though the weather was crummy allll day, by the BBQ, it was sunny and warm. The kids played nicely together and once again, Hubster and I marveled and how fortunate and grateful we are to have made such good friends less than a year after moving into our house.
Tomorrow is the first day of school for both of my girls. I’m excited and nervous for them, as they are for themselves. We are definitely ready. It’ll be a while before the girls being in school will actually be a BREAK for me, but that’s ok. Right now, it’s more about getting them settled and I’m ok with that.
So yeah, that’s what I’ve crammed into this past week. It’s been a busy but productive one.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
The Universe Conspires
So, it’s T minus 5 days until the first day of school. The girls are just getting over a mild cold. Both had low fevers, runny noses and are still working on coughs. But overall, they’re much better.
Hubster has been sick for a few days with a fever, head cold and now bronchitis. He’s on heavy antibiotics and cough syrup and lots of rest.
Baboo has had 3 bad nights in a row, leaving me with just a few hours of passable sleep (not night terrors, but night ANGER. Yikes.) And of course, this has been one of the busiest weeks we’ve had in a while. No rest for the very weary, especially one whose backup (Hubster) is out of commission.
How can I not feel like my little world here is conspiring against me and trying to take me out at the knees? I CAN. NOT. Get sick. I just can’t. Not that there is ever a good time, but especially right NOW, I can’t go there. However, being surrounded by nasty cold germs 24/7, driven into the ground with school coming up and all that being a co-op parent on the board entails (meetings and so forth) all with very little sleep makes me wonder how on earth I’ll make it.
Though I’m trying to think positively and just WILL myself to stay healthy, I hope that I’ve got SUPER Zicam in my back pocket.
Hubster has been sick for a few days with a fever, head cold and now bronchitis. He’s on heavy antibiotics and cough syrup and lots of rest.
Baboo has had 3 bad nights in a row, leaving me with just a few hours of passable sleep (not night terrors, but night ANGER. Yikes.) And of course, this has been one of the busiest weeks we’ve had in a while. No rest for the very weary, especially one whose backup (Hubster) is out of commission.
How can I not feel like my little world here is conspiring against me and trying to take me out at the knees? I CAN. NOT. Get sick. I just can’t. Not that there is ever a good time, but especially right NOW, I can’t go there. However, being surrounded by nasty cold germs 24/7, driven into the ground with school coming up and all that being a co-op parent on the board entails (meetings and so forth) all with very little sleep makes me wonder how on earth I’ll make it.
Though I’m trying to think positively and just WILL myself to stay healthy, I hope that I’ve got SUPER Zicam in my back pocket.
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