So I went to my doctor today and found out that I still have laryngitis. Apparently, rest is the best cure for laryngitis. I guess that is why I still have it.
My doctor actually asked me if I could arrange to lay down and rest two hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon and two hours in the evening for awhile. She asked if my dh could take off work. She asked if family members could watch my kids. Uhhhh .... No.
She even offered to write me an Rx for my dh saying just these things ... and to include that he should bring home dinner for the next several nights to help out.
I do get her message. However, it isn't possible to do the things she mentions unless I am in dire need. Heck, dh just found out on Monday that he will be losing all of his sick days from now on ... beginning January '10. Not sure how that will work, but dh never takes sick days anyway.
I mentioned to my mom that the doctor suggested someone take my kids for several days. My mother is wonderful and I was not really asking this of her. But, her response was that she swallowed a piece of glass this morning and she had been worried all day about internal bleeding. (What a way to say Fat Chance, huh? LOL!)
Then, my father lost one of his front teeth while at my house today. The poor man looks like a Jack-o-lantern! So, dental work for him starts tomorrow. It makes me sad that he doesn't have dental insurance; that is actually why he has the problems he has. He worked hard during his lifetime and deserves to have been treated better as a retiree.
So, needless to say, my problems are NOT that high on other peoples' lists.
It's o.k. I think her Rx was a bit out there.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Ickies
Today marks the beginning of Week 4 for this Upper Respiratory illness. It is a bit exasperating, but I think I got what I paid for by going only to a drug store clinic for diagnosis and treatment. I do not feel one ounce better since Monday night. Mucinex over the counter is just not powerful enough I guess.
Of course I am no doctor; but, I just wish they had given me an antibiotic. I really feel a need to be better by Friday to enjoy my daughter's birthday and Halloween activities. Come on, more than three weeks of this junk is looong enough already!!!!
Perhaps I should be more patient, but what feels to me like labored breathing has just taken its toll. I think I am going to have to go back to the doctor again today ... my actual doctor if possible. But her schedule is always quite full and she doesn't work that many hours in a day ... so I will sit here and wait until 9 a.m. to call and hope her schedule has at least one opening for me.
Otherwise, I think I will just have to go back to Walgreen's again today. Because my doctor doesn't work on Thursday.
Of course I am no doctor; but, I just wish they had given me an antibiotic. I really feel a need to be better by Friday to enjoy my daughter's birthday and Halloween activities. Come on, more than three weeks of this junk is looong enough already!!!!
Perhaps I should be more patient, but what feels to me like labored breathing has just taken its toll. I think I am going to have to go back to the doctor again today ... my actual doctor if possible. But her schedule is always quite full and she doesn't work that many hours in a day ... so I will sit here and wait until 9 a.m. to call and hope her schedule has at least one opening for me.
Otherwise, I think I will just have to go back to Walgreen's again today. Because my doctor doesn't work on Thursday.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Tantrums
My youngest child is in a very ugly tantrum stage. I know this happened with my almost four year old about a year ago as well, but dd#2 has some real power behind her tantrums. She has the worst tantrums of any of my children thus far.
Typically, our MO for a tantrum is to have it in your room. It is a good solution, except that dd is one strong little gal and I have to carry her VERY strong, squirming, screaming body up the stairs to her room over and over and over again when these moments occur. It's the only way to get her there. (Sometimes I hate living in a tri-level.)
Recently I have had this nasty upper respiratory icky thing. It tires me out more easily having such trouble breathing and the continued coughing; I am beginning week 4 (yes, I have been to the doctor again). Anyway, this upper respiratory thing is getting as old as the tantrums :( The two together are a bad mixture.
I am hoping that at least one or the other of these challenges improves soon ... the mix of these two things right now is very difficult.
Typically, our MO for a tantrum is to have it in your room. It is a good solution, except that dd is one strong little gal and I have to carry her VERY strong, squirming, screaming body up the stairs to her room over and over and over again when these moments occur. It's the only way to get her there. (Sometimes I hate living in a tri-level.)
Recently I have had this nasty upper respiratory icky thing. It tires me out more easily having such trouble breathing and the continued coughing; I am beginning week 4 (yes, I have been to the doctor again). Anyway, this upper respiratory thing is getting as old as the tantrums :( The two together are a bad mixture.
I am hoping that at least one or the other of these challenges improves soon ... the mix of these two things right now is very difficult.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
I am beautiful!!!
I almost forgot to add the other wonderful thing that happened today.
My younger dd climbed up on my lap and gave me a hug and then looked at me:
"Mommy, you're boo-tee-full!" she said, with much enthusiasm and sincerity.
Just sweet, sweet!
My younger dd climbed up on my lap and gave me a hug and then looked at me:
"Mommy, you're boo-tee-full!" she said, with much enthusiasm and sincerity.
Just sweet, sweet!
Sweet Happenings ....
Today was a fun day. Some sweet things happened.
One thing I enjoyed was staying awhile with my oldest dd at her preschool for awhile before heading off to run some errands.
Because the preschool is a co-op, parents can come and go as they please. So, this mommy hung out with her oldest dd for awhile, who was thrilled to show mommy around the classroom. It was like being three again along with her :)
Dd rushed straight to a puzzle upon entering the room and showed me the puzzle and we sat together in little chairs and laughed together while she changed different pieces around to make a teddy bear's pants different colors, his head various facial expressions, his torso various shirt colors ....
Then, she ran over to another part of the room and showed me a selection of very cute and colorful magnifying glasses. We spent some time examining various things on the floor and in the room. She was so excited! I loved her excitement. I love how she can be so free in this classroom to learn and discover.
Soon, it was time for circle time. We did the calendar and the weather and we learned about beavers. DD called out an answer about beavers that was correct and I didn't even know the answer to the question .... something about beavers and ponds ... perhaps she learned this from television? The kids made beaver lodges/houses for the craft later, using yeast/dough balls and sticks and leaves from the outdoors. I love the variety in crafts this school offers. I left when the craft began.
Then I had to get my TB test done so that I can participate in her class soon as an official parent helper. Then, off for a bagel and diet coke .... alone .... heavenly! Then to the dollar store, where I found some cheap and fun goods ... stickers, pipe cleaners, glitter, picture frames that kids can color, plastic forks, antibacterial hand gel, cheap and useful things ....
It was also fun to pick up my younger dd at her preschool later in the morning. The extended day teacher told me that my younger dd was just sweet and so bright and articulate. Yep, that is her! I am proud of my girls. They are great together and they thrive on their own as well. Just sweet, sweet times!
One thing I enjoyed was staying awhile with my oldest dd at her preschool for awhile before heading off to run some errands.
Because the preschool is a co-op, parents can come and go as they please. So, this mommy hung out with her oldest dd for awhile, who was thrilled to show mommy around the classroom. It was like being three again along with her :)
Dd rushed straight to a puzzle upon entering the room and showed me the puzzle and we sat together in little chairs and laughed together while she changed different pieces around to make a teddy bear's pants different colors, his head various facial expressions, his torso various shirt colors ....
Then, she ran over to another part of the room and showed me a selection of very cute and colorful magnifying glasses. We spent some time examining various things on the floor and in the room. She was so excited! I loved her excitement. I love how she can be so free in this classroom to learn and discover.
Soon, it was time for circle time. We did the calendar and the weather and we learned about beavers. DD called out an answer about beavers that was correct and I didn't even know the answer to the question .... something about beavers and ponds ... perhaps she learned this from television? The kids made beaver lodges/houses for the craft later, using yeast/dough balls and sticks and leaves from the outdoors. I love the variety in crafts this school offers. I left when the craft began.
Then I had to get my TB test done so that I can participate in her class soon as an official parent helper. Then, off for a bagel and diet coke .... alone .... heavenly! Then to the dollar store, where I found some cheap and fun goods ... stickers, pipe cleaners, glitter, picture frames that kids can color, plastic forks, antibacterial hand gel, cheap and useful things ....
It was also fun to pick up my younger dd at her preschool later in the morning. The extended day teacher told me that my younger dd was just sweet and so bright and articulate. Yep, that is her! I am proud of my girls. They are great together and they thrive on their own as well. Just sweet, sweet times!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Preschool Update
Overall, the new preschool situation is going well. When I explain it to people, I know it sounds confusing. But the schedule is working out just perfectly for us so far.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I drop my youngest off at her preschool first and then drop off my oldest at her preschool (the schools are a 12-minute drive apart). School #1 begins at 9 a.m. and School #2 begins at 9:30 a.m.
Later, I can pick my youngest dd up anytime between 11:15 a.m. and Noon. And my oldest daughter must be picked up by 11:30 a.m. (When I participate in the Co-op, I will pick my youngest up at Noon to give me all of the necessary time to participate in class that day).
So, on a day when I am not participating in the Co-0p, I can get nearly a full two hours to myself (two hours if you count driving time, which I don't).
On Fridays, only my oldest dd goes to school, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
I love both of these schools. And all of the involved teachers have taught my ds also at some point, which is kind of neat.
I like the shorter hours but more frequent times per week for the girls. I feel that works better for them. It offers just enough fun and learning, and then off back home we go! I also like how we aren't going to a preschool every day of the week. Mondays and Wednesdays are preschool free and open to do as we choose in the mornings.
The girls don't mind at all being separated for preschool and I am over that issue myself. I love how my younger dd will have a chance to develop her leadership skills among her peers, since she is always in the "younger" seat here at home.
And I love how my older dd will have a chance to play and learn independently of her sister for a few hours a day three times per week. (Her class tends to be on the young side, so I don't know if her leadership role will be challenged there too much ... but, it is always good to gain experience interacting with other children.)
I do worry some about the differences in the art offered at the preschools. One school is hands-off with the art .... children do all their own art and it's all about the process. The other school assists the children more closely. So, the art that comes home with each girl is dramatically different looking.
My youngest dd is bringing home realistic-looking squirrels and a replica of a Clifford dog complete with moving ears, while my oldest brings home sheets of painted blobs and scribbles, etc. I just hope one child won't get jealous of the other child's art. I do like how both schools treat the art. They don't do the art for the kids or expect perfection. I am actually partial to the art that is not aided in any way by the adults. I always know at the Co-op that my child did it all by him/herself!
Also, one school has a swing set and the other school doesn't. I hope this does not pose a problem in the future. But, I am hoping the frequent swing set exposure will have my oldest dd pumping her feet on the swings soon. That is all it will take to have both girls pumping their legs by next Summer! (My youngest will do everything in her power to keep up with her sister, so I am not worried about her learning later.)
Next year, my plan is to put both girls in the Co-op. The only negative with that is going everday to school. But, that is a whole year away and not something to be decided for sure any time soon.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I drop my youngest off at her preschool first and then drop off my oldest at her preschool (the schools are a 12-minute drive apart). School #1 begins at 9 a.m. and School #2 begins at 9:30 a.m.
Later, I can pick my youngest dd up anytime between 11:15 a.m. and Noon. And my oldest daughter must be picked up by 11:30 a.m. (When I participate in the Co-op, I will pick my youngest up at Noon to give me all of the necessary time to participate in class that day).
So, on a day when I am not participating in the Co-0p, I can get nearly a full two hours to myself (two hours if you count driving time, which I don't).
On Fridays, only my oldest dd goes to school, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
I love both of these schools. And all of the involved teachers have taught my ds also at some point, which is kind of neat.
I like the shorter hours but more frequent times per week for the girls. I feel that works better for them. It offers just enough fun and learning, and then off back home we go! I also like how we aren't going to a preschool every day of the week. Mondays and Wednesdays are preschool free and open to do as we choose in the mornings.
The girls don't mind at all being separated for preschool and I am over that issue myself. I love how my younger dd will have a chance to develop her leadership skills among her peers, since she is always in the "younger" seat here at home.
And I love how my older dd will have a chance to play and learn independently of her sister for a few hours a day three times per week. (Her class tends to be on the young side, so I don't know if her leadership role will be challenged there too much ... but, it is always good to gain experience interacting with other children.)
I do worry some about the differences in the art offered at the preschools. One school is hands-off with the art .... children do all their own art and it's all about the process. The other school assists the children more closely. So, the art that comes home with each girl is dramatically different looking.
My youngest dd is bringing home realistic-looking squirrels and a replica of a Clifford dog complete with moving ears, while my oldest brings home sheets of painted blobs and scribbles, etc. I just hope one child won't get jealous of the other child's art. I do like how both schools treat the art. They don't do the art for the kids or expect perfection. I am actually partial to the art that is not aided in any way by the adults. I always know at the Co-op that my child did it all by him/herself!
Also, one school has a swing set and the other school doesn't. I hope this does not pose a problem in the future. But, I am hoping the frequent swing set exposure will have my oldest dd pumping her feet on the swings soon. That is all it will take to have both girls pumping their legs by next Summer! (My youngest will do everything in her power to keep up with her sister, so I am not worried about her learning later.)
Next year, my plan is to put both girls in the Co-op. The only negative with that is going everday to school. But, that is a whole year away and not something to be decided for sure any time soon.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
It's about ME!
"The real magic wand is the child's own mind."—Jose Ortega Y Gasset
I have decided that my feelings about the Co-op are something I must listen to ... and follow. I was hearing the message, but I wasn't getting it quite clearly enough to know what to do with it. Now, I am going to go with it ...
There are many synchronicities, coincidences and nudges (God Winks) involved in this decision for me ... it's not just about preschool for my child/children.
* It's about ME getting involved again in something I am passionate about (AND about the way I think my oldest dd enjoys learning best.)
* It's about ME needing more like-minded adults, in real life, to spend time with and/or build relationships with (while still hanging out with our children). Many Co-op moms are stay-at-home moms or moms who have some time off during the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. work week.
* It's about ME not wanting to look back at my dds' preschool years and feel like I missed this opportunity with them that I will never be able to get back. The time I spent with my ds in the Co-op years ago was very special to me, even though it was not easy street by any means. No other year of parental school involvement since then has been anywhere close to that same experience. PTO involvement is just not the same thing.
* It's about ME needing a life outside of this house, but one that also includes my full-time role with my children.
Sometimes, it's about ME. Once I figured that part out, the rest made perfect sense =)
I have decided that my feelings about the Co-op are something I must listen to ... and follow. I was hearing the message, but I wasn't getting it quite clearly enough to know what to do with it. Now, I am going to go with it ...
There are many synchronicities, coincidences and nudges (God Winks) involved in this decision for me ... it's not just about preschool for my child/children.
* It's about ME getting involved again in something I am passionate about (AND about the way I think my oldest dd enjoys learning best.)
* It's about ME needing more like-minded adults, in real life, to spend time with and/or build relationships with (while still hanging out with our children). Many Co-op moms are stay-at-home moms or moms who have some time off during the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. work week.
* It's about ME not wanting to look back at my dds' preschool years and feel like I missed this opportunity with them that I will never be able to get back. The time I spent with my ds in the Co-op years ago was very special to me, even though it was not easy street by any means. No other year of parental school involvement since then has been anywhere close to that same experience. PTO involvement is just not the same thing.
* It's about ME needing a life outside of this house, but one that also includes my full-time role with my children.
Sometimes, it's about ME. Once I figured that part out, the rest made perfect sense =)
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
OCD or something ....
I have to wonder if I have extreme OCD or something ....
I know I mentioned that in the past, I did Co-op preschool with my son, who is nearly 12 now. It was a big part of our lives back in those early days of his life. I was even the president of the Co-op for the last year he attended. I feel certain that I must have been a different person back then. My needs are so different now. My level of parenting experience is also certainly different. And I know better now than to sign up for a Co-op!
But my heart is hurting that I am not doing this with dd#1. I cannot get it out of my mind and I wish I knew why I was not able to let this go. Is this some sort of message? A God Wink? Or am I just obsessed about this one issue because of some unknown strange quirk in my persona?! Am I a loon in need of a trip to the crazy bin?!
Co-op preschool is A LOT of work for the parents, even if only one child is in the school. Co-op preschool would offer me ZERO break to speak of seeing as both of my little ones cannot be in the same class for reasons I don't agree with personally. And WHY would I want two children in the Co-op at the same time is especially insane anyway.... because I DON'T!
But I keep thinking about it and even strategizing the idea of it. There are no openings there for my youngest child right now anyway. There IS a place she could go when dd#1 is in the Co-op and while I work there twice per month though. The girls don't mind being separated ... but my heart also wants them together .... it is a war within the heart ....
I don't want to do all that work the Co-op requires ... the garage sale, playground safety day, whatever job I get assigned (always a lot of work), yard work, information fairs ....
And dd#1 does not even need any of this because she plays really well right here at home with her sister and with others who occasionally come over. So, I do not understand what my issue is here .... but it is annoying me almost to the point of just wanting to put dd#1 into the school to just get it out of my system!
I am not going to do this. I am not going to do this. I am not going to do this. Yes, I am a nutcase!
I know I mentioned that in the past, I did Co-op preschool with my son, who is nearly 12 now. It was a big part of our lives back in those early days of his life. I was even the president of the Co-op for the last year he attended. I feel certain that I must have been a different person back then. My needs are so different now. My level of parenting experience is also certainly different. And I know better now than to sign up for a Co-op!
But my heart is hurting that I am not doing this with dd#1. I cannot get it out of my mind and I wish I knew why I was not able to let this go. Is this some sort of message? A God Wink? Or am I just obsessed about this one issue because of some unknown strange quirk in my persona?! Am I a loon in need of a trip to the crazy bin?!
Co-op preschool is A LOT of work for the parents, even if only one child is in the school. Co-op preschool would offer me ZERO break to speak of seeing as both of my little ones cannot be in the same class for reasons I don't agree with personally. And WHY would I want two children in the Co-op at the same time is especially insane anyway.... because I DON'T!
But I keep thinking about it and even strategizing the idea of it. There are no openings there for my youngest child right now anyway. There IS a place she could go when dd#1 is in the Co-op and while I work there twice per month though. The girls don't mind being separated ... but my heart also wants them together .... it is a war within the heart ....
I don't want to do all that work the Co-op requires ... the garage sale, playground safety day, whatever job I get assigned (always a lot of work), yard work, information fairs ....
And dd#1 does not even need any of this because she plays really well right here at home with her sister and with others who occasionally come over. So, I do not understand what my issue is here .... but it is annoying me almost to the point of just wanting to put dd#1 into the school to just get it out of my system!
I am not going to do this. I am not going to do this. I am not going to do this. Yes, I am a nutcase!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Random Thoughts
Today was the first day of school for my oldest. It was a great first day and I look forward to finding out more about 6th grade.
I found a new preschool for both girls and they will start next week and go together! This makes my heart smile and was at the root of my issue with not being able to settle into a solid decision about preschool. It is a bit of a budget stretch, but I have decided that our sanity is well worth it.
With school starting, I keep finding myself thinking about Christmas for some reason. I want to make and decorate Christmas cookies right now for some reason!
I must go to bed soon. Tomorrow will be a happier day if I get my rear end in bed soon!
Good Night!
I found a new preschool for both girls and they will start next week and go together! This makes my heart smile and was at the root of my issue with not being able to settle into a solid decision about preschool. It is a bit of a budget stretch, but I have decided that our sanity is well worth it.
With school starting, I keep finding myself thinking about Christmas for some reason. I want to make and decorate Christmas cookies right now for some reason!
I must go to bed soon. Tomorrow will be a happier day if I get my rear end in bed soon!
Good Night!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Ladies of Grace Blog Update
On Sunday, I was at Walmart trying to find the Post-it notes for my ds's school supply list. (I don't know why Walmart doesn't put the Post-it notes with the other school supplies, but they don't in that particular store and I was sort of hurrying around trying to find the "stationery" department where these Post-its where kept (turns out way back in the store.) It was frustrating because I just could not find this department in a timely manner .... I had to ask two times where it was.
During this search, I rolled my cart down one isle kind of at a moderate speed. An older lady had a 5-6 year old child in her cart and it was positioned right in the middle of the isle while she was slowly concentrating on some type of item on the shelve she was looking at.
I felt annoyed that she just had her child in the middle of the isle because I just wanted to roll on by. But I cheerily said, "excuse me." She seemed to ignore me, did not look up or anything. I didn't feel I could move her cart since the child was in it.
A few seconds later I said again, cheerily (thinking she had not heard me), "excuse me."
She looked at me very nasty and said, "Just give me a minute already!!!" (Really nasty tone, acting as if I am being rude, etc.)
This really annoyed me. I said to her kindly and cheerily, "I just thought you didn't hear me."
Then I waited and then she moved slowly.
I told myself she was not the b***ch she seemed to be acting like ... that she probably had a lot on her mind, was at her wits' end or was having a hard or bad day. I fought off the urge to dwell on this woman's nastiness. It was a choice to just not go negative about that one. It was hard due to my own mood and the degree of nastiness of this woman.
For more information about this blog carnival, visit http://walkamile-beth.blogspot.com/
During this search, I rolled my cart down one isle kind of at a moderate speed. An older lady had a 5-6 year old child in her cart and it was positioned right in the middle of the isle while she was slowly concentrating on some type of item on the shelve she was looking at.
I felt annoyed that she just had her child in the middle of the isle because I just wanted to roll on by. But I cheerily said, "excuse me." She seemed to ignore me, did not look up or anything. I didn't feel I could move her cart since the child was in it.
A few seconds later I said again, cheerily (thinking she had not heard me), "excuse me."
She looked at me very nasty and said, "Just give me a minute already!!!" (Really nasty tone, acting as if I am being rude, etc.)
This really annoyed me. I said to her kindly and cheerily, "I just thought you didn't hear me."
Then I waited and then she moved slowly.
I told myself she was not the b***ch she seemed to be acting like ... that she probably had a lot on her mind, was at her wits' end or was having a hard or bad day. I fought off the urge to dwell on this woman's nastiness. It was a choice to just not go negative about that one. It was hard due to my own mood and the degree of nastiness of this woman.
For more information about this blog carnival, visit http://walkamile-beth.blogspot.com/
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Ladies of Grace Blog Carnival!!!
My friend Beth over at http://walkamile-beth.blogspot.com is kicking off a blog carnival on August 5 ... it is way cool and I encourage everyone to check out Beth's blog and join in the good grace!
The following is the premise of the carnival --
Taken from A Heart Like His:
1. To be more aware of the condition of our hearts and with that awareness to keep them more open toward others
2. To do this in the normal course of our lives , in other words , not put any extra activities into our day--no extra visits, no preparing of casse
eople should not become "projects" and our lives should not to be filled with more things to do.
3. Notice the Spirit and be willing to blog and honestly report what did or did not happen.More explanation: This experiment is meant to help us explore and experiment with the simple concept of opening our hearts-simply making space for the Lord and others. Because this experiment is more about becoming than doing , it is simple, doesn't consume time, actually creates energy and therefore self- perpetuating ... This should be easy to do, but I believe the results will be more profound...because we are in search of a new heart...a heart like His!
Please join the fun over at http://walkamile-beth.blogspot.com.
What a great way to grace the world in our everyday doings!
The following is the premise of the carnival --
Taken from A Heart Like His:
1. To be more aware of the condition of our hearts and with that awareness to keep them more open toward others
2. To do this in the normal course of our lives , in other words , not put any extra activities into our day--no extra visits, no preparing of casse
eople should not become "projects" and our lives should not to be filled with more things to do.
3. Notice the Spirit and be willing to blog and honestly report what did or did not happen.More explanation: This experiment is meant to help us explore and experiment with the simple concept of opening our hearts-simply making space for the Lord and others. Because this experiment is more about becoming than doing , it is simple, doesn't consume time, actually creates energy and therefore self- perpetuating ... This should be easy to do, but I believe the results will be more profound...because we are in search of a new heart...a heart like His!
Please join the fun over at http://walkamile-beth.blogspot.com.
What a great way to grace the world in our everyday doings!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Deciding Factors ....
I have been tossing around an issue in my mind for a few months now and have been wondering about my feelings and reactions to my ideas around this issue for several weeks. It has been a bit puzzling to me because the solution to my little decision-making dilemma (or issue) was just not clear to me. I had decided to take the Summer to listen for God Winks surrounding the issue and just see what came of it ....
Over the last weeks, I found that there were some interesting synchroncities that popped up related to this issue, a continued feeling I kept having of not being fully at peace about this issue, and a few moments that I experienced almost as if they were epiphanies, in the form of energy bursts actually ... that just weren't fully making sense to me ....
I continued to spend some time thinking about this issue during quiet moments, trying to see if I could put the pieces of the puzzle together. It was kind of a neat process and recently I think I may have completed this little puzzle for myself. This is really exciting to me, but I am still sitting on this "conclusion" just a bit ... sort of waiting and seeing what comes up for me with this at this particular point on this little journey I have undertaken ...
I feel that I am listening to God and loving his guidance here .... I feel that I am seeing into my heart a bit more clearly lately ..... an interesting journey ....
Over the last weeks, I found that there were some interesting synchroncities that popped up related to this issue, a continued feeling I kept having of not being fully at peace about this issue, and a few moments that I experienced almost as if they were epiphanies, in the form of energy bursts actually ... that just weren't fully making sense to me ....
I continued to spend some time thinking about this issue during quiet moments, trying to see if I could put the pieces of the puzzle together. It was kind of a neat process and recently I think I may have completed this little puzzle for myself. This is really exciting to me, but I am still sitting on this "conclusion" just a bit ... sort of waiting and seeing what comes up for me with this at this particular point on this little journey I have undertaken ...
I feel that I am listening to God and loving his guidance here .... I feel that I am seeing into my heart a bit more clearly lately ..... an interesting journey ....
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Some simple things I love ....
1.) Hanging out at home with my family.
2.) Reading great books
3.) Staying up late
4.) Sleeping in
5.) Watching my kids have a good time
6.) Going out to eat
7.) Talking with friends
8.) Taking a shower with no sight or sound of my children
9.) Swimming
10.) Night swimming
2.) Reading great books
3.) Staying up late
4.) Sleeping in
5.) Watching my kids have a good time
6.) Going out to eat
7.) Talking with friends
8.) Taking a shower with no sight or sound of my children
9.) Swimming
10.) Night swimming
Sunday, June 14, 2009
To Do List
Every now and then it inspires me to type out a to-do list and post it here on my blog. Here is what I plan to get done this week:
1. All of my laundry
2. Cook at least four dinners
3. Pack 6 kids lunches for their activities this week
4. Clean both bathrooms
5. Help ds purge his room of toys he is done with
6. Figure out how to close the co-sleeper and get it out of here once and for all!
7. Toy purge in living room and basement
8. Toy pick-up in living room and basement
9. At least one lunch out with no kids
10. Attend coaching class
11. Swim a lot
12. Get to library
13. Pay off all bills and complete medical paperwork
14. Mail stuff in that needs to get out of here!
15. Wash and change sheets
16. Clear clutter out of master bedroom
17. Clear off island
1. All of my laundry
2. Cook at least four dinners
3. Pack 6 kids lunches for their activities this week
4. Clean both bathrooms
5. Help ds purge his room of toys he is done with
6. Figure out how to close the co-sleeper and get it out of here once and for all!
7. Toy purge in living room and basement
8. Toy pick-up in living room and basement
9. At least one lunch out with no kids
10. Attend coaching class
11. Swim a lot
12. Get to library
13. Pay off all bills and complete medical paperwork
14. Mail stuff in that needs to get out of here!
15. Wash and change sheets
16. Clear clutter out of master bedroom
17. Clear off island
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Busy days versus slow-paced days ...
Today was a busy day ... from swimming lessons, back home, to VBS, to lunch at the world's busiest McDonald's I have ever been to in my entire life, back to VBS, to cousin's house to drop off cousin and pick up ds's overnight gear, to McDonald's once again (this time the drive-tru), to the eyeglass shop for a repair, to the shoe store and back home again ...
I kind of like a busy, active day anymore. But, I think I am yearning a bit for some more of the do-nothing types of days we normally have had in the past .... maybe a mixture of both is what I am seeking ....
Anyway, it is all about balance and I think the key for me is just to keep an ongoing awareness of our needs, feelings and level of enjoyment in all we are doing this Summer. Plus, I need to get some "me" time in at some point here soon. Why is it so hard for me to ask for babysitting just for me to go out and get time to myself?
It is easy for me to ask for babysitting for a doctor's appt., for help with transportation when I have kids to get two places at once or for something "important" (like a school meeting.) But when it comes to just a date night out with my dh or time away for me to just chill ... I struggle to ask.
Anyone have a good swift kick in the rear they can give me to get over this issue once and for all?
I kind of like a busy, active day anymore. But, I think I am yearning a bit for some more of the do-nothing types of days we normally have had in the past .... maybe a mixture of both is what I am seeking ....
Anyway, it is all about balance and I think the key for me is just to keep an ongoing awareness of our needs, feelings and level of enjoyment in all we are doing this Summer. Plus, I need to get some "me" time in at some point here soon. Why is it so hard for me to ask for babysitting just for me to go out and get time to myself?
It is easy for me to ask for babysitting for a doctor's appt., for help with transportation when I have kids to get two places at once or for something "important" (like a school meeting.) But when it comes to just a date night out with my dh or time away for me to just chill ... I struggle to ask.
Anyone have a good swift kick in the rear they can give me to get over this issue once and for all?
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
A New Me?
I have been happy lately and I am so grateful. To be honest, since the birth of my two youngest children, I have been in a fog. I thank God with all of my heart and soul for all of my children and I feel so blessed to be given the job of loving and raising them on this earth.
But even still, I entered a fog when I had two back-to-back babies. I really didn't even realize what it was exactly ... I had hunches from time to time that I was depressed. But I never wanted to seriously admit it.
Recently, I have admitted this finally in my life and taken some actions to address my "rut." And now, for the first time in a few years, I have experienced many moments of pure and real joy. I can hardly believe that I am admitting that I went that long without experiencing pure joy. But, it was not until I began to experience these feelings once again that I realized what exactly had been missing from the me I used to be.
This, in no way, reflects on my children. I have put my all into them and they have gotten the best of me even when I had to plaster a smile on my face due to my own internal struggles. But, I cannot tell you how much easier and exciting life is to have moments of pure happiness and even a playful, crazy, loving feeling in one's heart just because of life's simple things once again.
I believe that my depression has been chemical to some degree; but also, I attribute this depression to circumstances. Two young children less than one year apart are a lot of work. My husband works long hours and the work of raising our kids has been mainly my role in our family. My husband is a wonderful dad, but the majority of the grunt work with our children is mine while all of the bread-winning grunt work in recent years has been dh's.
We have also faced some big challenges in recent years ... a move, a few floods, an employment scare, extremely tight finances; those types of things take time and energy to deal with as well. It's no wonder that I put myself on the backburner and sort of just let myself french fry inside.
But now I am clearing out that smoke (that fog) and I can see life more clearly in recent days. And while I can now see how I basically sacrificed myself for the needs of my family; I can also now see that there is a better way to do things now moving forward.
I thank God for the gift of being able to be home with my children at this time in all of our lives. It is a true blessing. I have taken many actions to set up my life (and my childrens' lives) a bit differently this Summer and life has just been sweet lately and I am loving the moments.
As a few wise people have stated recently: Depression is real. I have known this intellectually for many years; but, for some reason, I was just certain that I was somehow "different" and that such a thing as depression would never likely happen to me. Silly, I know.
Now, I am just so glad to be finding myself once again ....
But even still, I entered a fog when I had two back-to-back babies. I really didn't even realize what it was exactly ... I had hunches from time to time that I was depressed. But I never wanted to seriously admit it.
Recently, I have admitted this finally in my life and taken some actions to address my "rut." And now, for the first time in a few years, I have experienced many moments of pure and real joy. I can hardly believe that I am admitting that I went that long without experiencing pure joy. But, it was not until I began to experience these feelings once again that I realized what exactly had been missing from the me I used to be.
This, in no way, reflects on my children. I have put my all into them and they have gotten the best of me even when I had to plaster a smile on my face due to my own internal struggles. But, I cannot tell you how much easier and exciting life is to have moments of pure happiness and even a playful, crazy, loving feeling in one's heart just because of life's simple things once again.
I believe that my depression has been chemical to some degree; but also, I attribute this depression to circumstances. Two young children less than one year apart are a lot of work. My husband works long hours and the work of raising our kids has been mainly my role in our family. My husband is a wonderful dad, but the majority of the grunt work with our children is mine while all of the bread-winning grunt work in recent years has been dh's.
We have also faced some big challenges in recent years ... a move, a few floods, an employment scare, extremely tight finances; those types of things take time and energy to deal with as well. It's no wonder that I put myself on the backburner and sort of just let myself french fry inside.
But now I am clearing out that smoke (that fog) and I can see life more clearly in recent days. And while I can now see how I basically sacrificed myself for the needs of my family; I can also now see that there is a better way to do things now moving forward.
I thank God for the gift of being able to be home with my children at this time in all of our lives. It is a true blessing. I have taken many actions to set up my life (and my childrens' lives) a bit differently this Summer and life has just been sweet lately and I am loving the moments.
As a few wise people have stated recently: Depression is real. I have known this intellectually for many years; but, for some reason, I was just certain that I was somehow "different" and that such a thing as depression would never likely happen to me. Silly, I know.
Now, I am just so glad to be finding myself once again ....
Sunday, May 31, 2009
My baby bunched life ....
Ever since I became a Baby Buncher (http://www.babybunching.com/baby_bunching/), I have just not been the same person that I was pre-baby bunch.
One thing that has suffered immensely is my brain (and my level of patience for situations that challenge my patience = my sanity) when my children are with me.
Tonight was one of those times.
Picture this .... soccer party and awards ceremony with inflatable activities, foods, drink, hot sun, little shade and a stage where awards were to be given out at 6 p.m.
At 6 p.m., a very long speech began, given by an associate minister, and my 2.5 and 3.5 year old began to fidget in their seats within minutes (all inflatables had been deflated mind you and the audience was relatively quiet.) My youngest child crawled under the table and got cookie pieces mixed up with loose black top and I became unsure of what she had in her mouth ... and bent under the table to investigate.
We were asked during the speech to consider Jesus in our lives and our commitment to him all the while that I began to pray that my children and I would make it through this ceremony peacefully and successfully. After all, dh could not attend due to the need to spend 20 hours this weekend (yes, 20) working on my mini-van, 2-3 hours this weekend working on work he had to bring home from his place of employment (for which he will get no additional pay), and the 1.5 hours of lawn mowing that needed to be done before he returned to work on Monday.
Of course I wanted my oldest child to shine in the honor that was his for completing this soccer season, but I was also mindful that this was a set-up for potential disaster for myself and my kiddos (aka baby bunch) at this awards ceremony/party.
I picked my youngest child up from the ground just as my 3.5 year old spoke out loudly and clearly, "Mommy, I HAVE to make poopy!" At the same time, my youngest child became agitated because of no longer having the cookie (or the loose black top that I was no longer allowing her to put into her mouth.)
So, I had little choice but to leave my 11 year old in his seat and take my baby bunch to the bathroom (whispering as we walked that we would pick up a cookie for my youngest on the way back to our seats and hoping I wouldn't miss the awards part of this program for my ds.)
It took forever for us to reach the bathroom, where both girls delighted in seeing the sink and the little step stool this bathroom had that allowed them to reach the sink easily on their own. Quickly, they began to turn on the water and wash their hands .... I hurried my 3.5 year old into the stall to do her #2 ....
Then my youngest said "Pee Pee is coming!" So, I let her finish washing her hands in the sink while my oldest finished her duty in the potty. Then the girls traded places .... one still at the sink and one still at the potty who would then need to return once again to the sink when done .... and all of this felt like it is was taking forever and I felt sure that I would miss something important that would disappoint my 11 year old ....
We finished up with hand washing and throwing paper towels into the trash. Then we left the bathroom only to find there was a water fountain directly in front of the bathroom. And of course both girls were "REALLY thirsty mommy!!!"
So, one at a time, they each got two turns at the water fountain ... then ....
"It is TIME to go out to see your brother now girls!" I said (feeling anxious and tired inside of all the chaos thus far and wishing we were home already and hoping not to have to make another trip to the bathroom later.)
Of course, we had to pass the playground to get back out to the awards ceremony (the playground is by both doors that lead into the building where the bathroom is) and my 2.5 year old began to scream "I want to SWING! I want to SWING!"
Nobody was swinging and I know from many, many weeks of spending hours on this playground during soccer practices that once the swinging begins, it is very hard to get my little ones away from there .... plus, my 11 year old was sitting alone at his award ceremony .... my little ones were too young to swing alone, unsupervised ...
So, I picked up my wriggly 2.5 year old and heard the associate minister STILL giving his speech! Inside I sighed and I prayed and I thought to myself that I was really good with God, personally, and could we PLEASE just get on with this because we might not make it to actually see this award take place and my ds might feel slighted from missing this big moment since so many things are about his sisters these days .....
I grabbed cookies and water and we returned to our seats. It was hot and my 2.5 year old crawled back under the table. (I began to wonder why I never noticed before how much the loose black top looked like Oreo cookie pieces ...) I thought to myself how much I was really wanting this "ceremony" to end before my 2.5 year old had a meltdown or began to choke on concrete. I felt like I must be crazy to see so many other families with their children sitting perfectly sanely through this. And I wondered to myself why anyone would ever want to listen to anything so long ever really and what were the people thinking who scheduled this lengthy ceremony?
We were told by the speaking minister that our relationship with Jesus Christ crosses denominations and does not have to do with what we wear or what church we attend and that it was personal and I was thinking 'yes, yes, yes, I know, know, know, know ... and Lord, I do totally know this because I do have a relationship with God and I do NOT attend a church weekly right now and I know the Lord does not want or need me to wear special clothing to have a relationship with him, etc.' I thought to myself that I know where I stand with the Lord and PLEASE could we just move on to the award part of this ceremony ....
Finally, the coaches were called up to present the awards and ..... would you believe? They had something very special planned:
Starting with the youngest team, each child was to be called up to the stage area and something about exactly how they were special and how they played on the team would be said about each child ....
'Oh my!' I thought to myself as this began. I totally felt like I wanted to cry inside. It was very special and thoughtful and wonderful to say these nice things about each child, but COME ON already .... this was going to take F-O-R-E-V-E-R! (What were these very kind and thoughtful people who scheduled this thinking?!!)
My 2.5 year old decided at that point to try to head on over to the playground on her own ... she giggled with delight and ran off ...
I left my seat to chase her but grabbed my purse before I left the table and knocked over my paper dishes .... cups, plates, napkins and food began to blow off with the light breeze that must have been at ankle level since I had been unable to feel it on this hot day while sitting there in the audience doing chair aerobics ....
I retrieved my 2.5 year old and .... needless to go on at this point as you are getting the scenario, right?
The whole thing lasted one hour and 15 minutes ....
The nice thing is that just before the last 15 minutes, I finally found new seats for myself and my three children. We were able to obtain these seats because people who had previously sat in this area (shaded by a large van) had left (escaped?) and I somehow managed to get my motley crew moved just in time for ds's team (oldest age group) to go to the stage.
WHEN, a pregnant woman sat down next to me and began to converse with me.
"A little bit too long for the young ones," she remarked.
I said, "my little ones were done when it started and it has been VERY long."
(The new seats gave my youngest child an area to run a bit where she was not disruptive and I was still able to see and hear the microphone and speaker.) My oldest child was about to have nice things said about him and I had been waiting this long and listening to so much other stuff and dealing with so much chaos while waiting that I was NOT going to miss this .....
The pregnant woman looked at my youngest child running in circles with her daughter of similar age and asked "how old is your daughter?"
Inside, I thought for a moment, 'I have two daughters and this question is not simple and I do not wish to talk at this point because I am trying to listen to what is happening on stage and watch all three of my kids at the same time who are currently located at 12, 3 and 9 if you were to put them on a clock as to their current locations and God did not give me three eyeballs that move freely in three different directions.'
Ds's coach began to speak.
I just said to the pregnant woman, "I am sorry, I want to listen to this." (Yes, it felt like I was being unfriendly, but what could I do?!)
And I did feel bad inside a bit, but this is my job, ya know? These are my kids and this is what I do (I am a parent and my job right now is to be a stay-at-home mom). I love my kids. I want what is best for all of them. But sometimes this means I just can't make small talk or chit chat or appreciate pastoral speeches or the intricacies of long, drawn out ceremonies. My brain just can't get a handle on all of it and I lack the outward grace of being a mixture of both June Cleaver and Mary freakin' Poppins at this time in my life ... it's just a balancing act and my children have to come first.
To conclude this blog entry, I won't even go into the tantrum my youngest had that happened when the award ceremony finally ended and it was time to leave.
I will also leave out the part where I had to wrestle my two year old into her car seat twice and had to remove both of her shoes because the back seat of our newest car is much smaller than my minivan (being worked on still), and my daughter's shoes were hurting me during this wresting match ...
I will also leave out the part where I handed the shoes to my sweet and understanding ds and told him to put them "somewhere, anywhere" and he looked at me like 'o.k, strange, but this is my life and it's normal, whatever, o.k.'
And I won't mention how I then began to drive the car as my two year old released herself one last time from the car seat and practically threw herself into the front seat of the car sobbing ...
And I will certainly leave out my feelings about this really wonderful ceremony and party that I am sure so many wonderful volunteers so carefully planned but that I HATED with every piece of my body and soul at that point ...
I also won't go into how I had to stop the car one last time and replace my two year old's shoes in return for her sitting nicely and safely in her car seat, but how the car next to me had its passenger door half opened and the person holding it open was totally unaware that I needed to OPEN my freakin' door and was having some kind of discussion with her head pointed in a completely different direction ...
And I will REALLY leave out the park about what I was thinking during that moment ....
FINALLY, in the car, I recited out loud (for myself and my sanity) the Lord's Prayer and the Serenity Prayer. I turned up the radio and I prayed silently that we would make it home quickly. Ds just looked out the window calmly as if this was all just perfectly normal.
Halfway home, I began to talk to ds and told him how proud I was of him and how nice the awards party and food had been (because this really was for him and not about me, and people with good intentions and good hearts planned and executed this event that was actually a very thoughtful event in many ways.) Ds agreed the event was very nice and smiled while looking through the bag of goodies his coach had given him before we had gotten into the car.
When we arrived home, I felt like I was dizzy and had been mauled by a dog ... dh was exhausted from all of his work during the weekend too ... but all three of our children were happy and we all smiled and went for a family swim ... and somehow I felt like it was a successful outing after all.
A-men!
One thing that has suffered immensely is my brain (and my level of patience for situations that challenge my patience = my sanity) when my children are with me.
Tonight was one of those times.
Picture this .... soccer party and awards ceremony with inflatable activities, foods, drink, hot sun, little shade and a stage where awards were to be given out at 6 p.m.
At 6 p.m., a very long speech began, given by an associate minister, and my 2.5 and 3.5 year old began to fidget in their seats within minutes (all inflatables had been deflated mind you and the audience was relatively quiet.) My youngest child crawled under the table and got cookie pieces mixed up with loose black top and I became unsure of what she had in her mouth ... and bent under the table to investigate.
We were asked during the speech to consider Jesus in our lives and our commitment to him all the while that I began to pray that my children and I would make it through this ceremony peacefully and successfully. After all, dh could not attend due to the need to spend 20 hours this weekend (yes, 20) working on my mini-van, 2-3 hours this weekend working on work he had to bring home from his place of employment (for which he will get no additional pay), and the 1.5 hours of lawn mowing that needed to be done before he returned to work on Monday.
Of course I wanted my oldest child to shine in the honor that was his for completing this soccer season, but I was also mindful that this was a set-up for potential disaster for myself and my kiddos (aka baby bunch) at this awards ceremony/party.
I picked my youngest child up from the ground just as my 3.5 year old spoke out loudly and clearly, "Mommy, I HAVE to make poopy!" At the same time, my youngest child became agitated because of no longer having the cookie (or the loose black top that I was no longer allowing her to put into her mouth.)
So, I had little choice but to leave my 11 year old in his seat and take my baby bunch to the bathroom (whispering as we walked that we would pick up a cookie for my youngest on the way back to our seats and hoping I wouldn't miss the awards part of this program for my ds.)
It took forever for us to reach the bathroom, where both girls delighted in seeing the sink and the little step stool this bathroom had that allowed them to reach the sink easily on their own. Quickly, they began to turn on the water and wash their hands .... I hurried my 3.5 year old into the stall to do her #2 ....
Then my youngest said "Pee Pee is coming!" So, I let her finish washing her hands in the sink while my oldest finished her duty in the potty. Then the girls traded places .... one still at the sink and one still at the potty who would then need to return once again to the sink when done .... and all of this felt like it is was taking forever and I felt sure that I would miss something important that would disappoint my 11 year old ....
We finished up with hand washing and throwing paper towels into the trash. Then we left the bathroom only to find there was a water fountain directly in front of the bathroom. And of course both girls were "REALLY thirsty mommy!!!"
So, one at a time, they each got two turns at the water fountain ... then ....
"It is TIME to go out to see your brother now girls!" I said (feeling anxious and tired inside of all the chaos thus far and wishing we were home already and hoping not to have to make another trip to the bathroom later.)
Of course, we had to pass the playground to get back out to the awards ceremony (the playground is by both doors that lead into the building where the bathroom is) and my 2.5 year old began to scream "I want to SWING! I want to SWING!"
Nobody was swinging and I know from many, many weeks of spending hours on this playground during soccer practices that once the swinging begins, it is very hard to get my little ones away from there .... plus, my 11 year old was sitting alone at his award ceremony .... my little ones were too young to swing alone, unsupervised ...
So, I picked up my wriggly 2.5 year old and heard the associate minister STILL giving his speech! Inside I sighed and I prayed and I thought to myself that I was really good with God, personally, and could we PLEASE just get on with this because we might not make it to actually see this award take place and my ds might feel slighted from missing this big moment since so many things are about his sisters these days .....
I grabbed cookies and water and we returned to our seats. It was hot and my 2.5 year old crawled back under the table. (I began to wonder why I never noticed before how much the loose black top looked like Oreo cookie pieces ...) I thought to myself how much I was really wanting this "ceremony" to end before my 2.5 year old had a meltdown or began to choke on concrete. I felt like I must be crazy to see so many other families with their children sitting perfectly sanely through this. And I wondered to myself why anyone would ever want to listen to anything so long ever really and what were the people thinking who scheduled this lengthy ceremony?
We were told by the speaking minister that our relationship with Jesus Christ crosses denominations and does not have to do with what we wear or what church we attend and that it was personal and I was thinking 'yes, yes, yes, I know, know, know, know ... and Lord, I do totally know this because I do have a relationship with God and I do NOT attend a church weekly right now and I know the Lord does not want or need me to wear special clothing to have a relationship with him, etc.' I thought to myself that I know where I stand with the Lord and PLEASE could we just move on to the award part of this ceremony ....
Finally, the coaches were called up to present the awards and ..... would you believe? They had something very special planned:
Starting with the youngest team, each child was to be called up to the stage area and something about exactly how they were special and how they played on the team would be said about each child ....
'Oh my!' I thought to myself as this began. I totally felt like I wanted to cry inside. It was very special and thoughtful and wonderful to say these nice things about each child, but COME ON already .... this was going to take F-O-R-E-V-E-R! (What were these very kind and thoughtful people who scheduled this thinking?!!)
My 2.5 year old decided at that point to try to head on over to the playground on her own ... she giggled with delight and ran off ...
I left my seat to chase her but grabbed my purse before I left the table and knocked over my paper dishes .... cups, plates, napkins and food began to blow off with the light breeze that must have been at ankle level since I had been unable to feel it on this hot day while sitting there in the audience doing chair aerobics ....
I retrieved my 2.5 year old and .... needless to go on at this point as you are getting the scenario, right?
The whole thing lasted one hour and 15 minutes ....
The nice thing is that just before the last 15 minutes, I finally found new seats for myself and my three children. We were able to obtain these seats because people who had previously sat in this area (shaded by a large van) had left (escaped?) and I somehow managed to get my motley crew moved just in time for ds's team (oldest age group) to go to the stage.
WHEN, a pregnant woman sat down next to me and began to converse with me.
"A little bit too long for the young ones," she remarked.
I said, "my little ones were done when it started and it has been VERY long."
(The new seats gave my youngest child an area to run a bit where she was not disruptive and I was still able to see and hear the microphone and speaker.) My oldest child was about to have nice things said about him and I had been waiting this long and listening to so much other stuff and dealing with so much chaos while waiting that I was NOT going to miss this .....
The pregnant woman looked at my youngest child running in circles with her daughter of similar age and asked "how old is your daughter?"
Inside, I thought for a moment, 'I have two daughters and this question is not simple and I do not wish to talk at this point because I am trying to listen to what is happening on stage and watch all three of my kids at the same time who are currently located at 12, 3 and 9 if you were to put them on a clock as to their current locations and God did not give me three eyeballs that move freely in three different directions.'
Ds's coach began to speak.
I just said to the pregnant woman, "I am sorry, I want to listen to this." (Yes, it felt like I was being unfriendly, but what could I do?!)
And I did feel bad inside a bit, but this is my job, ya know? These are my kids and this is what I do (I am a parent and my job right now is to be a stay-at-home mom). I love my kids. I want what is best for all of them. But sometimes this means I just can't make small talk or chit chat or appreciate pastoral speeches or the intricacies of long, drawn out ceremonies. My brain just can't get a handle on all of it and I lack the outward grace of being a mixture of both June Cleaver and Mary freakin' Poppins at this time in my life ... it's just a balancing act and my children have to come first.
To conclude this blog entry, I won't even go into the tantrum my youngest had that happened when the award ceremony finally ended and it was time to leave.
I will also leave out the part where I had to wrestle my two year old into her car seat twice and had to remove both of her shoes because the back seat of our newest car is much smaller than my minivan (being worked on still), and my daughter's shoes were hurting me during this wresting match ...
I will also leave out the part where I handed the shoes to my sweet and understanding ds and told him to put them "somewhere, anywhere" and he looked at me like 'o.k, strange, but this is my life and it's normal, whatever, o.k.'
And I won't mention how I then began to drive the car as my two year old released herself one last time from the car seat and practically threw herself into the front seat of the car sobbing ...
And I will certainly leave out my feelings about this really wonderful ceremony and party that I am sure so many wonderful volunteers so carefully planned but that I HATED with every piece of my body and soul at that point ...
I also won't go into how I had to stop the car one last time and replace my two year old's shoes in return for her sitting nicely and safely in her car seat, but how the car next to me had its passenger door half opened and the person holding it open was totally unaware that I needed to OPEN my freakin' door and was having some kind of discussion with her head pointed in a completely different direction ...
And I will REALLY leave out the park about what I was thinking during that moment ....
FINALLY, in the car, I recited out loud (for myself and my sanity) the Lord's Prayer and the Serenity Prayer. I turned up the radio and I prayed silently that we would make it home quickly. Ds just looked out the window calmly as if this was all just perfectly normal.
Halfway home, I began to talk to ds and told him how proud I was of him and how nice the awards party and food had been (because this really was for him and not about me, and people with good intentions and good hearts planned and executed this event that was actually a very thoughtful event in many ways.) Ds agreed the event was very nice and smiled while looking through the bag of goodies his coach had given him before we had gotten into the car.
When we arrived home, I felt like I was dizzy and had been mauled by a dog ... dh was exhausted from all of his work during the weekend too ... but all three of our children were happy and we all smiled and went for a family swim ... and somehow I felt like it was a successful outing after all.
A-men!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Making Decisions
Why are some decisions super easy to make even though they are huge, whereas other decisions may be much smaller, but seem to consume much more time and energy?
Sometimes decisions come to me quickly and I feel certain about them ... like the times I moved my son to different schools. Other decisions I just labor over and over and over about and drive myself nuts about ....
Soooo, I make a list of pros and cons about some things and that doesn't even clarify the answer sometimes. Sometimes it isn't about logic; but you think, what is this decision really about, ya know?
Other people sometimes seem like they make certain decisions much easier than I do. I think that is probably just my view though of them and not necessarily their reality. I really do believe that we all have different things that might take more thought to decide than others and that not everyone is the same when it comes to which decisions come most quickly.
What is decision making like for you?
Sometimes decisions come to me quickly and I feel certain about them ... like the times I moved my son to different schools. Other decisions I just labor over and over and over about and drive myself nuts about ....
Soooo, I make a list of pros and cons about some things and that doesn't even clarify the answer sometimes. Sometimes it isn't about logic; but you think, what is this decision really about, ya know?
Other people sometimes seem like they make certain decisions much easier than I do. I think that is probably just my view though of them and not necessarily their reality. I really do believe that we all have different things that might take more thought to decide than others and that not everyone is the same when it comes to which decisions come most quickly.
What is decision making like for you?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Just one more day!
Just one more day of school to go for my ds! I honestly don't know why I am so excited about this ... it isn't like I will get to sleep in for at least four weeks due to the schedule we are now on (early a.m. swimming lessons, then 9 a.m. Summer camp for ds for a week).
But, I am excited nonetheless!
One of my biggest challenges with ds in the past during a school break is giving him too much freedom ... such as allowing 3 a.m. bedtimes simply because, I too, am a night owl. This honestly did not used to be a problem until last year when he began pushing beyond that bedtime limit and then became backwards in his daily schedule. Any bed time after 3 a.m. for him works out very badly. This backwards schedule he acquired last Summer was hard to fix, so we are starting out with an early schedule this Summer and I hope to keep it fairly regular like that. (It doesn't always have to be really early, but by 10 a.m., I would like for us all to be heading somewhere or at least dressed and doing something most days of the week this Summer ... this probably sounds easy to many of you who may be reading this, but it just has not been our typical MO in the past ... so we begin fresh with a newly energized way of doing things this year ....) Gotta keep my preteen from getting lazy, ya know?
So, here's to Summer! I hope everyone has a great one, regardless of whether or not yours starts right now, or much later. I do like how the days won't be chopped up by the bus bringing ds home at 2:45 p.m., and then having to be sure he gets his homework done and is in bed by a certain time, with certain papers signed, etc. ... the days seem more leisurely in the Summer due to having more freedom over our daily schedule. They also have the potential to become long as I deal with three people needing things from me all day, every day, all Summer long.
We'll see how it goes!
But, I am excited nonetheless!
One of my biggest challenges with ds in the past during a school break is giving him too much freedom ... such as allowing 3 a.m. bedtimes simply because, I too, am a night owl. This honestly did not used to be a problem until last year when he began pushing beyond that bedtime limit and then became backwards in his daily schedule. Any bed time after 3 a.m. for him works out very badly. This backwards schedule he acquired last Summer was hard to fix, so we are starting out with an early schedule this Summer and I hope to keep it fairly regular like that. (It doesn't always have to be really early, but by 10 a.m., I would like for us all to be heading somewhere or at least dressed and doing something most days of the week this Summer ... this probably sounds easy to many of you who may be reading this, but it just has not been our typical MO in the past ... so we begin fresh with a newly energized way of doing things this year ....) Gotta keep my preteen from getting lazy, ya know?
So, here's to Summer! I hope everyone has a great one, regardless of whether or not yours starts right now, or much later. I do like how the days won't be chopped up by the bus bringing ds home at 2:45 p.m., and then having to be sure he gets his homework done and is in bed by a certain time, with certain papers signed, etc. ... the days seem more leisurely in the Summer due to having more freedom over our daily schedule. They also have the potential to become long as I deal with three people needing things from me all day, every day, all Summer long.
We'll see how it goes!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
When surgery is a vacation
I had to have some wisdom teeth removed. I had been told 1.5 weeks ago that I had an infection in the bone and that at least one tooth needed to be removed pronto. I am a big baby when it comes to surgery (like most people probably are) and I tried and tried to strategize my way out of having to do this. But the day drew near and then it was the night before. I did the six hours with no food or drink thing, slept, and then off dh and I went for the big day.
The oral surgeon showed us the x-rays and pointed out how close two of my teeth were to the nerve tissue. This posed greater risk than if they were not and he recommended that only one of the bottom wisdom teeth come out at this time (fine by me as I wanted to keep them all!) But, I admit I was scared. The oral surgeon spoke of possible numbness there for the rest of my life and such things should the nerve be damaged during surgery.
So, I let dh make the final call (since I was apt to back out of the whole thing) and two of the scheduled three teeth were to be removed in moments. Terrified, I allowed the nurse to put the gas mask on me and within minutes I have no recollection of what occurred. The next thing I knew, I was awake and somewhat dizzy, in no pain, with dh at my side. Within moments we were back in the car and off we went back home.
I had no pain, some amazing medicine and the opportunity to spend the entire day (until 9 p.m. that evening) fulfilling no demands from anybody. Nobody expected anything from me and I slept and I just recovered and ate jello four times that dh made and served to me at appropriate intervals. It was just heavenly, gals, to be able to rest and recover and serve no one. It was so nice to have someone bring me medicine on schedule and be sure I was taken care of.
Not that I want to have surgery of any kind again, but what does it mean that this was just a wonderful and restful experience for me? How does it get to be that surgery feels like a vacation?
The oral surgeon showed us the x-rays and pointed out how close two of my teeth were to the nerve tissue. This posed greater risk than if they were not and he recommended that only one of the bottom wisdom teeth come out at this time (fine by me as I wanted to keep them all!) But, I admit I was scared. The oral surgeon spoke of possible numbness there for the rest of my life and such things should the nerve be damaged during surgery.
So, I let dh make the final call (since I was apt to back out of the whole thing) and two of the scheduled three teeth were to be removed in moments. Terrified, I allowed the nurse to put the gas mask on me and within minutes I have no recollection of what occurred. The next thing I knew, I was awake and somewhat dizzy, in no pain, with dh at my side. Within moments we were back in the car and off we went back home.
I had no pain, some amazing medicine and the opportunity to spend the entire day (until 9 p.m. that evening) fulfilling no demands from anybody. Nobody expected anything from me and I slept and I just recovered and ate jello four times that dh made and served to me at appropriate intervals. It was just heavenly, gals, to be able to rest and recover and serve no one. It was so nice to have someone bring me medicine on schedule and be sure I was taken care of.
Not that I want to have surgery of any kind again, but what does it mean that this was just a wonderful and restful experience for me? How does it get to be that surgery feels like a vacation?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Update
DD#2 will also play T-ball and dh will be their coach! Yay! This will make for some cute photos! The girls are sooo excited. They watch their big brother play soccer and want so much to be on a sports team too :)
Monday, May 18, 2009
Summer Plans
I am getting excited! Slowly but surely I am pulling together our Summer activities. Here is what we have so far --
DS is going to Camp Invention for a week.
Family Trip to Kings Island
Both DD's will play T-ball and are sooo excited (and dh will be the coach!)
SEVEN Kid's Day Outs scheduled for the girls (Or maybe these are scheduled for me, but 7 Wednesdays this Summer!!!) with DS's former preschool teacher who runs an awesome Summer program ... this one is lucky for us that DD#2 is potty trained .... and the girls get to be together (always makes me just feel better) and they get to practice being away from ME (to get ready for preschool AND to help me work toward sanity!)
Family swimming in our backyard (often)
Maybe a Summer Kindermusik class for the girls (just 30 minutes of music and instruments and singing and movement) .... this one is cost depending and age depending ..... it is just SO hard to take one girl somewhere cool and have the other one sit something out. So, I am hoping this works out because we need to stay busy or I will surely perish this Summer at home all day with these three adorable kidlinks of mine!
Family cookouts (at least 2 with extended family)
Duckpin Bowling (this is just on my idea list for dh's two weeks off this Summer) ... since the balls are small, I thought the girls could do this fairly easily ....
Picnics (at least 2)
Check out small playground nearest to our house (maybe take a short hike)
Roller skating? (As a family maybe during dh's two weeks off .... )
At least two visits to Jump-N-Play
At least five visits to McDonald's Play Place
Possible Jr. Lifeguarding class for ds (if I can find one that works for his age and our schedule)
Friends over to play for DS
Cousin sleepovers (at least two)
Evening Canoe Trip with ds ($5 per person!)
Insect program at city park (attend at least one and visit the playground afterwards ... might be a good picnic site).
Complete last two coaching classes (me)
Lots of walks
Children's Museum (at least once)
Still working on this list ..... but what do you think? Does it seem too busy? Does it seem balanced enough between activities for all of my kids? Am I missing anything really cool that you would like to suggest for my list? What are your Summer plans?
DS is going to Camp Invention for a week.
Family Trip to Kings Island
Both DD's will play T-ball and are sooo excited (and dh will be the coach!)
SEVEN Kid's Day Outs scheduled for the girls (Or maybe these are scheduled for me, but 7 Wednesdays this Summer!!!) with DS's former preschool teacher who runs an awesome Summer program ... this one is lucky for us that DD#2 is potty trained .... and the girls get to be together (always makes me just feel better) and they get to practice being away from ME (to get ready for preschool AND to help me work toward sanity!)
Family swimming in our backyard (often)
Maybe a Summer Kindermusik class for the girls (just 30 minutes of music and instruments and singing and movement) .... this one is cost depending and age depending ..... it is just SO hard to take one girl somewhere cool and have the other one sit something out. So, I am hoping this works out because we need to stay busy or I will surely perish this Summer at home all day with these three adorable kidlinks of mine!
Family cookouts (at least 2 with extended family)
Duckpin Bowling (this is just on my idea list for dh's two weeks off this Summer) ... since the balls are small, I thought the girls could do this fairly easily ....
Picnics (at least 2)
Check out small playground nearest to our house (maybe take a short hike)
Roller skating? (As a family maybe during dh's two weeks off .... )
At least two visits to Jump-N-Play
At least five visits to McDonald's Play Place
Possible Jr. Lifeguarding class for ds (if I can find one that works for his age and our schedule)
Friends over to play for DS
Cousin sleepovers (at least two)
Evening Canoe Trip with ds ($5 per person!)
Insect program at city park (attend at least one and visit the playground afterwards ... might be a good picnic site).
Complete last two coaching classes (me)
Lots of walks
Children's Museum (at least once)
Still working on this list ..... but what do you think? Does it seem too busy? Does it seem balanced enough between activities for all of my kids? Am I missing anything really cool that you would like to suggest for my list? What are your Summer plans?
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Infant Swim Resource
It has been a tough road having two little ones and a back yard pool. I don't really recommend the combination in general. It's dangerous and scary, even with a fence around the pool.
However, many of you know that I first signed the girls up for special swimming lessons when Katie was only just 9 months and Ellie was just 1.75 years old. They have gone back annually for updates and I consider their skills to still be a work in progress since they don't normally demontrate them in our pool.
But tonight, my 3.5 year old was helping her father fish bugs out of the pool (getting it ready for Summer). Dh and I were both out there and both girls were fishing bugs out of the pool. Neither dh or I saw it happen, but we heard the splash. DD#1 fell in the pool fully clothed, including her shoes.
I rushed to where she was when suddenly up pops her head and her hand grabs the side of the pool! This exact skill has been practiced repeatedly at her swimming lessons at ever lesson update. The kids are tested at the end of their sessions to swim to survival fully clothed in attire for every season. It is important to not get over confident, but I am so thankful that my dd has learned this skill enough to rescue herself at age 3.5!
Here is the link for information about Infant Swim Resource http://infantswim.com/. This program is just incredible.
However, many of you know that I first signed the girls up for special swimming lessons when Katie was only just 9 months and Ellie was just 1.75 years old. They have gone back annually for updates and I consider their skills to still be a work in progress since they don't normally demontrate them in our pool.
But tonight, my 3.5 year old was helping her father fish bugs out of the pool (getting it ready for Summer). Dh and I were both out there and both girls were fishing bugs out of the pool. Neither dh or I saw it happen, but we heard the splash. DD#1 fell in the pool fully clothed, including her shoes.
I rushed to where she was when suddenly up pops her head and her hand grabs the side of the pool! This exact skill has been practiced repeatedly at her swimming lessons at ever lesson update. The kids are tested at the end of their sessions to swim to survival fully clothed in attire for every season. It is important to not get over confident, but I am so thankful that my dd has learned this skill enough to rescue herself at age 3.5!
Here is the link for information about Infant Swim Resource http://infantswim.com/. This program is just incredible.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
The Smoke Is Clearing
I have been in a fog, maybe a funk ... and it is clearing now. I feel so blessed. It is way past time, but here are five today for my gratitude list --
1.) I am thankful for quality children's programs that meet our needs
2.) I am thankful for my kids and my family ... they are everything to me
3.) I am thankful for neighbors and a wonderful backyard
4.) I am thankful that when I do get time to myself, I truly cherish it
5.) I am thankful for good friends who love me even though I am a nutcase :)
1.) I am thankful for quality children's programs that meet our needs
2.) I am thankful for my kids and my family ... they are everything to me
3.) I am thankful for neighbors and a wonderful backyard
4.) I am thankful that when I do get time to myself, I truly cherish it
5.) I am thankful for good friends who love me even though I am a nutcase :)
Friday, May 8, 2009
Found One!
I did it! I found one! I found a preschool that will take both girls next year at the same time! It is affordable and it is of amazing quality. It is a bit further away than I wanted it to be, but I am hardly going to argue with a 17 minute drive for a 4-hour preschool day!
The school is designed to be 1-4 times per week depending on openings, the needs of the parents/family and the age groups of the children. My girls could technically go twice per week, but right now there is only an opening for both to go at the same time once per week. This is actually a good thing for my budget.
Now, Dd#1 could go twice per week if we choose to sign her up for that at a later time, but I decided to keep this at one day per week for now. If the girls love it and another day opens up and works out for one or both girls, then we may add it .... but always, always, always we have to think about our budget ... ugh! Right now I am not exactly sure what that will look like in August for taking on additional preschool days.
(I am sooooo not used to making educational decisions about my kids in any way related to budgeting or monetary control, but it must be done because now we are living the Dave Ramsey way, and though we aren't perfect about it, we do live within our monthly means now and that feels pretty good from a security mindset, although it is also sometimes just a bit stifling... lol!)
Let's see, to find this lovely little preschool gem of a place, the girls and I have looked at a total of 7 different preschool programs! Whew!
But yikes, we are now signed up with four of these schools! (Since I had wanted to keep our options open; now, we are like signed up everywhere!) Oh well.
And yes, I am a bit nutty about preschools. But I just think it is the best learning fun of all the school years and I was looking for something very exact. This is not to say that all of the other programs I looked at lacked in some big way, but there were just so many factors at play here with having the two girls just less than one year apart (and then crazy me who needs a break desperately). Ah sigh ... crazy stuff! (And then that budget stuff too complicated it all ... ick! No fun!)
But I finally found it and this one is sure to work out very nicely! Whoo Hoo!
The school is designed to be 1-4 times per week depending on openings, the needs of the parents/family and the age groups of the children. My girls could technically go twice per week, but right now there is only an opening for both to go at the same time once per week. This is actually a good thing for my budget.
Now, Dd#1 could go twice per week if we choose to sign her up for that at a later time, but I decided to keep this at one day per week for now. If the girls love it and another day opens up and works out for one or both girls, then we may add it .... but always, always, always we have to think about our budget ... ugh! Right now I am not exactly sure what that will look like in August for taking on additional preschool days.
(I am sooooo not used to making educational decisions about my kids in any way related to budgeting or monetary control, but it must be done because now we are living the Dave Ramsey way, and though we aren't perfect about it, we do live within our monthly means now and that feels pretty good from a security mindset, although it is also sometimes just a bit stifling... lol!)
Let's see, to find this lovely little preschool gem of a place, the girls and I have looked at a total of 7 different preschool programs! Whew!
But yikes, we are now signed up with four of these schools! (Since I had wanted to keep our options open; now, we are like signed up everywhere!) Oh well.
And yes, I am a bit nutty about preschools. But I just think it is the best learning fun of all the school years and I was looking for something very exact. This is not to say that all of the other programs I looked at lacked in some big way, but there were just so many factors at play here with having the two girls just less than one year apart (and then crazy me who needs a break desperately). Ah sigh ... crazy stuff! (And then that budget stuff too complicated it all ... ick! No fun!)
But I finally found it and this one is sure to work out very nicely! Whoo Hoo!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Preschool
I have gone back to do more research on local preschools. It probably has something to do with a friend of mine reminding me how preschools can be good for moms too. I began to think once again that perhaps I can find a preschool for both girls that is both affordable and convenient after all.
Plus, the elementary school sent home another flyer about their new preschool program. So, I had to check it out.
And in the last week I have found several new preschools that I did not even know existed before. Today the girls and I visited three new ones. There are many options; however, there are few affordable ones that offer something for both girls during the same time frame.
But I found two more and I checked one out today. The other two we looked at today were for dd#1 only (one was cheaper than where I currently have her signed up and the other was the new public school preschool that I mentioned above). I will check out the other preschool option for both girls soon and see what it offers. Hopefully tomorrow we can check it out. There are so many factors to consider and they go far beyond just having a time slot for both girls in one preschool. The school has to fit our budget, cannot be too far away and must fit into a time frame that makes sense for our lives. Also, the girls seem to be attracted to the schools with the most interesting playgrounds, so I think that is pretty important as well too.
Anyway, it has been fun to see all the new and latest options out there for preschools in this day and age. It honestly makes ME want to go to preschool!
Plus, the elementary school sent home another flyer about their new preschool program. So, I had to check it out.
And in the last week I have found several new preschools that I did not even know existed before. Today the girls and I visited three new ones. There are many options; however, there are few affordable ones that offer something for both girls during the same time frame.
But I found two more and I checked one out today. The other two we looked at today were for dd#1 only (one was cheaper than where I currently have her signed up and the other was the new public school preschool that I mentioned above). I will check out the other preschool option for both girls soon and see what it offers. Hopefully tomorrow we can check it out. There are so many factors to consider and they go far beyond just having a time slot for both girls in one preschool. The school has to fit our budget, cannot be too far away and must fit into a time frame that makes sense for our lives. Also, the girls seem to be attracted to the schools with the most interesting playgrounds, so I think that is pretty important as well too.
Anyway, it has been fun to see all the new and latest options out there for preschools in this day and age. It honestly makes ME want to go to preschool!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
It's getting easier!
With the weather turning warmer and the need for excessive layers of clothing having ended, life seems to be getting a little easier with two little ones less than one year apart.
I think it is more than that though. I think it is their ages too. My youngest is 2 1/2 now and she is eating less things in the house. She and my older daughter, who is 3 1/2, are playing together now and not just fighting or playing only side by side.
The two girls are also much more confident and steady on their feet and tend to be very independent by nature. While this has been a bit painful to allow to develop due to all the messes that have been created by their desire to do things "myself," I can see the payoffs. DD#1 actually cut up a banana and divided it into two bowls of cereal the other day for she and her sister! Later in the day, she poured her own milk from a half gallon jug while I stood ready for a terrible mess that didn't happen (I think this one was luck). But, wow, it is amazing what these two can do already.
I still think early potty training is overrated. DD#2 potty-trained a whole year earlier than DD#1 because she simply was not going to be the only one left in diapers. But with the two girls out of diapers, the bathroom just gets soooo messy. DD#2 is capable but much messier than DD#1 in the bathroom, so that gets a bit old. But I guess I am saving money on diapers, although I still buy them for nighttime and they are still costly!
The best part of having two children close in age like this has been that they have been able to build a friendship and I don't have to arrange play dates for them to have fun with another little one during the days.
But then I also loved raising my son for eight years before they were born and I totally enjoyed the ease with which he and I could hook up with other mothers and their kids .... and I adored the daily one-on-one with him too for all those years. That was pretty special in and of itself and something much, much harder to accomplish with two little ones close in age.
My youngest dd is my cuddle bundle. I guess I am especially thankful for her because she is my little hug baby. DD#1 is 3 1/2 but she thinks she is as old as my DS, who is 11. She doesn't tend to be a cuddle type by nature so if DD#2 had not come along, I might be missing the cuddles big time.
Do you find traits in your different children that tend to be more like you or more like other family members? I find this particularly fascinating. DD#1 tends to be a lot like me by nature. This has been interesting to watch develop. My DS tends to be a blend of both my husband and myself. But I think he tends to be most like my dad, his grandfather, for whom he was named. That makes me smile.
DD#2 is a combination of her dad and her Nana, my mother. This little spirited child is full of energy and will not be left behind. She is active and unafraid of most anything, full of bounce and physical activity. Yet, lovable and cuddly at the same time ... an odd thing to say about someone who never stops moving, ya know? Both of my two girls have traits of their other grandma, my MIL also.
Anyway, I am totally glad that I had these two younger ones so close in age. It has been harder than raising only one child so far. Much, much harder. They do fight and that is hard for me too as I tend to like a more peaceful household. But, they also play and are the best of friends too. And they play with their older brother quite a bit too which really makes me smile.
Probably the hardest thing of all though is having the wide age spacing while also having the close in age spacing between my kids. This makes thinking about being at home with them all for the entire Summer more difficult. It would be easier to plan activities around either an older age child or younger age children. It is hard to plan things for the wider range in ages and makes the Summers much more difficult to plan.
But, Summer is coming soon, so we will see how it goes this year. The nice thing is that everyone shares a love for the pool and we do have one in our backyard. I hope that continues for many years, although DS doesn't tend to enjoy swimming with just anybody in the pool. He prefers to swim with just our family members in there or if he has a friend over, he enjoys it. But he tends to want to go inside when the pool is full of others who are friends of mine or friends of the girls ... so this might be a challenge as well .... ahhh kids .... it can be tough even when it gets easier!
I think it is more than that though. I think it is their ages too. My youngest is 2 1/2 now and she is eating less things in the house. She and my older daughter, who is 3 1/2, are playing together now and not just fighting or playing only side by side.
The two girls are also much more confident and steady on their feet and tend to be very independent by nature. While this has been a bit painful to allow to develop due to all the messes that have been created by their desire to do things "myself," I can see the payoffs. DD#1 actually cut up a banana and divided it into two bowls of cereal the other day for she and her sister! Later in the day, she poured her own milk from a half gallon jug while I stood ready for a terrible mess that didn't happen (I think this one was luck). But, wow, it is amazing what these two can do already.
I still think early potty training is overrated. DD#2 potty-trained a whole year earlier than DD#1 because she simply was not going to be the only one left in diapers. But with the two girls out of diapers, the bathroom just gets soooo messy. DD#2 is capable but much messier than DD#1 in the bathroom, so that gets a bit old. But I guess I am saving money on diapers, although I still buy them for nighttime and they are still costly!
The best part of having two children close in age like this has been that they have been able to build a friendship and I don't have to arrange play dates for them to have fun with another little one during the days.
But then I also loved raising my son for eight years before they were born and I totally enjoyed the ease with which he and I could hook up with other mothers and their kids .... and I adored the daily one-on-one with him too for all those years. That was pretty special in and of itself and something much, much harder to accomplish with two little ones close in age.
My youngest dd is my cuddle bundle. I guess I am especially thankful for her because she is my little hug baby. DD#1 is 3 1/2 but she thinks she is as old as my DS, who is 11. She doesn't tend to be a cuddle type by nature so if DD#2 had not come along, I might be missing the cuddles big time.
Do you find traits in your different children that tend to be more like you or more like other family members? I find this particularly fascinating. DD#1 tends to be a lot like me by nature. This has been interesting to watch develop. My DS tends to be a blend of both my husband and myself. But I think he tends to be most like my dad, his grandfather, for whom he was named. That makes me smile.
DD#2 is a combination of her dad and her Nana, my mother. This little spirited child is full of energy and will not be left behind. She is active and unafraid of most anything, full of bounce and physical activity. Yet, lovable and cuddly at the same time ... an odd thing to say about someone who never stops moving, ya know? Both of my two girls have traits of their other grandma, my MIL also.
Anyway, I am totally glad that I had these two younger ones so close in age. It has been harder than raising only one child so far. Much, much harder. They do fight and that is hard for me too as I tend to like a more peaceful household. But, they also play and are the best of friends too. And they play with their older brother quite a bit too which really makes me smile.
Probably the hardest thing of all though is having the wide age spacing while also having the close in age spacing between my kids. This makes thinking about being at home with them all for the entire Summer more difficult. It would be easier to plan activities around either an older age child or younger age children. It is hard to plan things for the wider range in ages and makes the Summers much more difficult to plan.
But, Summer is coming soon, so we will see how it goes this year. The nice thing is that everyone shares a love for the pool and we do have one in our backyard. I hope that continues for many years, although DS doesn't tend to enjoy swimming with just anybody in the pool. He prefers to swim with just our family members in there or if he has a friend over, he enjoys it. But he tends to want to go inside when the pool is full of others who are friends of mine or friends of the girls ... so this might be a challenge as well .... ahhh kids .... it can be tough even when it gets easier!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Ahh, the movies with little ones ....
I am still not sure if it was a good idea, or a bad idea, (since we spent $25.50 tonight just to get into the movie theatre.) But, tonight we took all three kids to to see Monsters Vs. Aliens.
It was dd #3's first movie and dd #2's third movie .
And let's just say that I barely remember the movie .....
BECAUSE .....
I spent most of my time in the bathroom! (Or, at least it felt like it.)
Four potty trips in all during the short 1.5 hour movie. And, let's just say that trips to the potty with girls make trips to the potty with boys feel like a cake walk in the park, or a ride on a cloud, or maybe a sunset in paradise .... o.k., o.k., never mind .... I digress ...
Between dh and I, I think we spent at least 25 full minutes out of the theater. I am glad the theater let my girls in for free. I wonder if they knew what it was going to be like for us and didn't want to charge us to use their restroom facilities continuously for 1.5 hours.
On a highly positive note, Ds loved the movie and hardly noticed all this was going on, which was kind of cute.
I am glad ds enjoyed the movie and that I won't be too bummed that I missed most of the details in this movie, (since animation is typically not a must-see for me unless it involves my children.)
Anyway, Monsters Vs. Aliens in the Potty was really about one mommy and two girls who battled against each other in a quest to peacefully survive 1.5 hours in the movie theater.
And when we weren't in the potty, the girls were discussing it.
Right out loud, Dd #3 states boldly "The POOPY is coming!" And that was after three trips to the potty already.
Thank goodness for my dh who finally stepped in on the fourth potty trip and let the girls have a good long 10-13 minute stretch to try and get those poopies out that we all became so tired of hearing about.
Not one poopy came out during these bathroom adventures but we parents were sure worn out!
It was dd #3's first movie and dd #2's third movie .
And let's just say that I barely remember the movie .....
BECAUSE .....
I spent most of my time in the bathroom! (Or, at least it felt like it.)
Four potty trips in all during the short 1.5 hour movie. And, let's just say that trips to the potty with girls make trips to the potty with boys feel like a cake walk in the park, or a ride on a cloud, or maybe a sunset in paradise .... o.k., o.k., never mind .... I digress ...
Between dh and I, I think we spent at least 25 full minutes out of the theater. I am glad the theater let my girls in for free. I wonder if they knew what it was going to be like for us and didn't want to charge us to use their restroom facilities continuously for 1.5 hours.
On a highly positive note, Ds loved the movie and hardly noticed all this was going on, which was kind of cute.
I am glad ds enjoyed the movie and that I won't be too bummed that I missed most of the details in this movie, (since animation is typically not a must-see for me unless it involves my children.)
Anyway, Monsters Vs. Aliens in the Potty was really about one mommy and two girls who battled against each other in a quest to peacefully survive 1.5 hours in the movie theater.
And when we weren't in the potty, the girls were discussing it.
Right out loud, Dd #3 states boldly "The POOPY is coming!" And that was after three trips to the potty already.
Thank goodness for my dh who finally stepped in on the fourth potty trip and let the girls have a good long 10-13 minute stretch to try and get those poopies out that we all became so tired of hearing about.
Not one poopy came out during these bathroom adventures but we parents were sure worn out!
Friday, April 3, 2009
Crazy Mom Calms Down
This crazy mom is finally feeling some peace after months of worry. Is there still risk and things to worry over? Well, yes, of course. But, I feel like maybe the world is not completely upside down for once in many months. I think it is because logic prevailed in my recent three property appraisals; and when logic prevails, I feel there is hope and that peace is just maybe around the corner.
When things don't make sense and come out upside down again and again as a result of that, I just can't get my bearings. I just don't feel secure in the world. I feel that I am grasping and clawing my way to secure pastures or some type of new understanding in a world where it so often lately feels like someone is screaming that "A yellow lemon is PURPLE and that will be that!"
The Momma Bear in me, is, indeed, fierce when her family is threatened. Am I super smart that I just know yellow really is yellow when it seems like it takes a great number of people in the world sometimes to reach that same conclusion? I doubt it. Some people are color blind and that is not their fault. There bodies were just made to see the world that way. Other people might say that yellow is actually "amarillo" (the name yellow in a different language). And they aren't bad people. But, extreme frustrations can and do often occur when this Momma Bear needs the yellow to be accepted for what it truly is.
When things don't make sense and come out upside down again and again as a result of that, I just can't get my bearings. I just don't feel secure in the world. I feel that I am grasping and clawing my way to secure pastures or some type of new understanding in a world where it so often lately feels like someone is screaming that "A yellow lemon is PURPLE and that will be that!"
The Momma Bear in me, is, indeed, fierce when her family is threatened. Am I super smart that I just know yellow really is yellow when it seems like it takes a great number of people in the world sometimes to reach that same conclusion? I doubt it. Some people are color blind and that is not their fault. There bodies were just made to see the world that way. Other people might say that yellow is actually "amarillo" (the name yellow in a different language). And they aren't bad people. But, extreme frustrations can and do often occur when this Momma Bear needs the yellow to be accepted for what it truly is.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Book Giveaway!
I wanted to share with everyone about a book giveaway that Anita is doing over at her blog site:
http://anita-womanwifemom.blogspot.com/2009/03/book-review-and-my-first-give-way.html
Anita is giving away TWO books which will each include some chocolates (my personal Rx of choice!) If you are a blogger, you can enter two times to win (see details by clicking on the above link). There is a video by the author of the books over on Anita's site that is very powerful also. It really speaks to womanhood and it made me cry!
The book is called "The Middle Place" and it is a memoir. So link on over and check it out!
http://anita-womanwifemom.blogspot.com/2009/03/book-review-and-my-first-give-way.html
Anita is giving away TWO books which will each include some chocolates (my personal Rx of choice!) If you are a blogger, you can enter two times to win (see details by clicking on the above link). There is a video by the author of the books over on Anita's site that is very powerful also. It really speaks to womanhood and it made me cry!
The book is called "The Middle Place" and it is a memoir. So link on over and check it out!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Friday Fifteen!!!
This has been a wicked, wicked week. I am attempting to pull myself out of a personal pit of worry and anxiety. Lord, please help me to be a vessel of your love ... thank you for all of my blessings.
1.) My children
2.) My parents
3.) Dh's family
4.) Family, family and family again (isn't family everything? I personally think so!)
5.) My friends in real life (life's ICING .... love ya Amy, Bridgett, Janet, Jennifer and others I see less often!)
6.) My friends online (some of the finest people I know in my life ... here's to Anita, Beth, Jennifer, Valerie, Nicki and others I talk to less often these days but I know are out there!)
7.) Good people out in the world who hold themselves to strong standards of character and stay the course through storms and whatever life brings their way. (Example: Short of survival for their family, NOTHING would keep these fine people from paying their share of American taxes ... Go Good People, Go!! You Rock and I am PROUD to play on YOUR team!)
8.) Dh's job
8.) The roof over our heads
9.) Good medical care
10.) Dave Ramsey (I just love him, what can I say?! Looooooove Dave!!!!!! Hugs to Dave!!!!!)
11.) Honest Abe (You are my inspiration!)
12.) Public School (It is free and the kids learn, AND they send a bus!)
13.) Daylight savings time (it has enhanced my life although I would never have guessed I would feel that way.)
14.) High Speed Internet (it is just GOOD!)
15.) Gardens (where food sprouts free from the earth for little cost.)
Amen!
1.) My children
2.) My parents
3.) Dh's family
4.) Family, family and family again (isn't family everything? I personally think so!)
5.) My friends in real life (life's ICING .... love ya Amy, Bridgett, Janet, Jennifer and others I see less often!)
6.) My friends online (some of the finest people I know in my life ... here's to Anita, Beth, Jennifer, Valerie, Nicki and others I talk to less often these days but I know are out there!)
7.) Good people out in the world who hold themselves to strong standards of character and stay the course through storms and whatever life brings their way. (Example: Short of survival for their family, NOTHING would keep these fine people from paying their share of American taxes ... Go Good People, Go!! You Rock and I am PROUD to play on YOUR team!)
8.) Dh's job
8.) The roof over our heads
9.) Good medical care
10.) Dave Ramsey (I just love him, what can I say?! Looooooove Dave!!!!!! Hugs to Dave!!!!!)
11.) Honest Abe (You are my inspiration!)
12.) Public School (It is free and the kids learn, AND they send a bus!)
13.) Daylight savings time (it has enhanced my life although I would never have guessed I would feel that way.)
14.) High Speed Internet (it is just GOOD!)
15.) Gardens (where food sprouts free from the earth for little cost.)
Amen!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Dinner Conversations
I really need to write out more of our dinner conversations with the girls. They are just so darn cute and here I am writing about politics and saving money and pay cuts and job losses .... such heavy, heavy stuff goes on in my mind during a given day while I empty little potties and repeatedly clear off the dining room table ...
But last night's dinner converation with the girls was cute and went like this --
Scene: Ellie is being three and decides she doesn't want her milk so she shoves it across the table at me, causing some to spill out on the table. (Has big scowl on her face.)
"Ellie, don't do that; that makes a mess and is not nice!!" I say.
Katie looks at Ellie. "YOU are a bad girl!" she tells Ellie.
"No I'm not!" Ellie said, looking back at Katie.
Katie said, "Yes YOU are!"
Ellie said, "Everybody (looks around to all of us at the table) I am NOT a bad girl!"
Guess she set the record straight, huh?! I am proud of her little self. She is so outspoken and I love how she doesn't take junk from others but goes right back at them and sets the record straight :)
But last night's dinner converation with the girls was cute and went like this --
Scene: Ellie is being three and decides she doesn't want her milk so she shoves it across the table at me, causing some to spill out on the table. (Has big scowl on her face.)
"Ellie, don't do that; that makes a mess and is not nice!!" I say.
Katie looks at Ellie. "YOU are a bad girl!" she tells Ellie.
"No I'm not!" Ellie said, looking back at Katie.
Katie said, "Yes YOU are!"
Ellie said, "Everybody (looks around to all of us at the table) I am NOT a bad girl!"
Guess she set the record straight, huh?! I am proud of her little self. She is so outspoken and I love how she doesn't take junk from others but goes right back at them and sets the record straight :)
Monday, March 9, 2009
Bets
O.K. I am betting that the Big O won't say no the Omnibus bill if it lands on his desk with the pork still in it.
I don't think he is enough of a leader to stand up to his campaign promises. I am not being critical. It is behavior totally expected of someone who has always voted present and not had any executive experience before becoming the leader of our entire country. The big O hasn't had to make those kinds of tough decisions and reap the necessary consequences that a leader must face when often standing up alone for what needs to be done in a leadership position.
I don't think the big O can stand the pressure of standing up TO his party and FOR his country. I hope I am wrong and I hope every single American holds him accountable if he doesn't not take this stand.
I don't think he is enough of a leader to stand up to his campaign promises. I am not being critical. It is behavior totally expected of someone who has always voted present and not had any executive experience before becoming the leader of our entire country. The big O hasn't had to make those kinds of tough decisions and reap the necessary consequences that a leader must face when often standing up alone for what needs to be done in a leadership position.
I don't think the big O can stand the pressure of standing up TO his party and FOR his country. I hope I am wrong and I hope every single American holds him accountable if he doesn't not take this stand.
Idea for Congress
I have an idea for Congress. Let's take the issue of pig manure smells being a problem in a Congressperson's State during a national depression (Yes, I said National Depression because I believe we are in a Depression and not a Recession .... and if you read my blog, perhaps you will one day say that you heard it first here!)
So anyway, the Congress person wants trillions of national dollars to buy pig deodorant and wants the entire nation to foot the bill.
So I say this to the Congressperson: Have a state vote about it and see if the people in your own state want to ban together to sacrifice and pay (through state taxes) for their own pig deodorant!
Or maybe the fatter pigs can just take care of earning deodorant dollars for the smaller swine!
I am talking crazy tonight. It is just that I am so happy to finally feel some sense of hope and change that I finally believe in!
So anyway, the Congress person wants trillions of national dollars to buy pig deodorant and wants the entire nation to foot the bill.
So I say this to the Congressperson: Have a state vote about it and see if the people in your own state want to ban together to sacrifice and pay (through state taxes) for their own pig deodorant!
Or maybe the fatter pigs can just take care of earning deodorant dollars for the smaller swine!
I am talking crazy tonight. It is just that I am so happy to finally feel some sense of hope and change that I finally believe in!
There is hope!!
I must admit that prior to just very recently, I haven't been feeling the hope and change that was supposedly elected into office in January 2009. But I watched Evan Bayh, an Indiana Senator (Democrat) being interviewed tonight on Fox News and I am soooo proud of him. With even just this one Democratic leader talking some sense out in the world, there is hope for a better economy ahead. Luckily there are a few other high ranking Dems with Evan Bayh on this. Bayh says to the big O, either cut the pork or veto the Omnibus bill. If the big O does either of these, then I think consumer confidence will begin to turn (begin I said.)
Did I ever mention that I used to work for Evan Bayh? I know, it is a bit of a stretch, but I did actually work for Evan Bayh for about seven weeks in late 1996 when Indiana's Adoption Initiative was born. The Adoption Initiative was an outreach program that brought many adoptive parents and special needs children together over several years after Bayh left the office of Governor here in Indiana. I was the program director and it was my dream job. Bayh made it happen and he made it happen fast for a government contract program. WE (Bayh's office and the agency I worked for) put it together seven weeks before he left office.
If Evan Bayh runs for the office of president someday, watch him and vote for him! He is the kind of Democrat I used to see myself as being. He can get things done without being fiscally fat, yet he cares about social issues and people too. I am thinking the Big O needs to stand up and show some leadership here. I hope he has it in him. He is a newbie so it might be tough. But I hope and pray the big O will fight for America in this way for us! Don't vote "Present" again Big O man!! Just say no big O!!!! It isn't hard. We teach kids to say no to drugs. Show us your stuff big man! No Omnibus bill! No Omnibus bill! No Omnibus bill!!! Oh where is the tea party? I want to be there! Jobs everywhere are at stake! Congress must Stop. Spending. Our. Children's. Future.
Btw, I love how Bayh said Congress was basically wrong for trying to push this bill on the big O. Congress just is a problem and I love to hear a high level Democrat admit this since Congress is made up of way too many Democrats, and many crazy ones at that. Oh, and Congress is also made up of some really dumb Republicans too. George Bush was a wimp and not a leader either.
Btw, if Evan Bayh ever runs for office, I will change my tune about being a Republican. Did I mention that I am probably more of a very outspoken Independent. (Did you realize that I am outspoken and opinionated?) Yeah, I am. And politically Independent. Those lawmakers aren't going to put me in a box as long as freedom of speech still lives here in America. If only my vote would ever really make a difference .... as if Congress cares what I think .... LOL!
Did I ever mention that I used to work for Evan Bayh? I know, it is a bit of a stretch, but I did actually work for Evan Bayh for about seven weeks in late 1996 when Indiana's Adoption Initiative was born. The Adoption Initiative was an outreach program that brought many adoptive parents and special needs children together over several years after Bayh left the office of Governor here in Indiana. I was the program director and it was my dream job. Bayh made it happen and he made it happen fast for a government contract program. WE (Bayh's office and the agency I worked for) put it together seven weeks before he left office.
If Evan Bayh runs for the office of president someday, watch him and vote for him! He is the kind of Democrat I used to see myself as being. He can get things done without being fiscally fat, yet he cares about social issues and people too. I am thinking the Big O needs to stand up and show some leadership here. I hope he has it in him. He is a newbie so it might be tough. But I hope and pray the big O will fight for America in this way for us! Don't vote "Present" again Big O man!! Just say no big O!!!! It isn't hard. We teach kids to say no to drugs. Show us your stuff big man! No Omnibus bill! No Omnibus bill! No Omnibus bill!!! Oh where is the tea party? I want to be there! Jobs everywhere are at stake! Congress must Stop. Spending. Our. Children's. Future.
Btw, I love how Bayh said Congress was basically wrong for trying to push this bill on the big O. Congress just is a problem and I love to hear a high level Democrat admit this since Congress is made up of way too many Democrats, and many crazy ones at that. Oh, and Congress is also made up of some really dumb Republicans too. George Bush was a wimp and not a leader either.
Btw, if Evan Bayh ever runs for office, I will change my tune about being a Republican. Did I mention that I am probably more of a very outspoken Independent. (Did you realize that I am outspoken and opinionated?) Yeah, I am. And politically Independent. Those lawmakers aren't going to put me in a box as long as freedom of speech still lives here in America. If only my vote would ever really make a difference .... as if Congress cares what I think .... LOL!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
It's that time of the year ... hurray!!!
I love this time of the year ... the weekend we "Spring Forward."
I admit that I am tired today due to my girls' not sleeping well last night (it is no longer possible for my youngest to have a nap in any form during the day if I want to get any sleep at night,) but Springing Forward is so worth the lost hour of sleep in my opinion. I never thought I would love observing Daylight Savings Time as much as I do.
For one thing, changing our clocks once again means Spring is practically here. And, oh how I love the longer evenings of daylight outside.
It is time to dust off my walking shoes, because Spring is on the way!!!!! Hurray!!!
I admit that I am tired today due to my girls' not sleeping well last night (it is no longer possible for my youngest to have a nap in any form during the day if I want to get any sleep at night,) but Springing Forward is so worth the lost hour of sleep in my opinion. I never thought I would love observing Daylight Savings Time as much as I do.
For one thing, changing our clocks once again means Spring is practically here. And, oh how I love the longer evenings of daylight outside.
It is time to dust off my walking shoes, because Spring is on the way!!!!! Hurray!!!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Awful
Has anyone been watching the news? It is just awful. America is losing its wealth. And it is not new news that "the borrower is the slave to the lender." What will this mean for America?
From the day BO stepped into office, the U.S. stock market has done nothing but drop. Anytime BO speaks, mortgage rates go up or the stock market goes down ... or both.
Finally, three key Democratic Senators are standing up for what is right against Obama's spendulous madness. I am proud to say that Evan Bayh of Indiana seems to be finally getting a clue. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that when times are tough, you don't drive the country further and further into debt without end.
I mean, if dh and I lose all of our income, should we just compile a collection of new credit cards and get charge happy? NO! We should stop spending. It is a novel idea that Congress just can't get a handle on. I don't know about you, but I think the study of pig manure odors can wait until our nation gets out of this mess. But the BO thinks it is important right now?????! Whatever.
So much for the idea of having a president with character. That died with good 'ol Honest Abe. BO has barely been president two months and has already looked out of my television set and lied to me. Is this a special Democratic technique? Who does it impress? Thoughts of Bill Clinton flooded back to me. All of BO's spendulous plans have pork and earmark spending in them, yet he claims there have been none? Lies, lies, and more lies.
How am I supposed to teach my children to be good people when this is what our leaders are made of? It is becoming clear to me that those who lie and steal and deceive others clearly rise to the top. I refuse to take part in it and condone it myself. I will teach my children the same and pray for their future.
I said it before BO was elected and I will say it again ... BO's election just might have been the most carefully crafted terrorist attack on our nation of all.
From the day BO stepped into office, the U.S. stock market has done nothing but drop. Anytime BO speaks, mortgage rates go up or the stock market goes down ... or both.
Finally, three key Democratic Senators are standing up for what is right against Obama's spendulous madness. I am proud to say that Evan Bayh of Indiana seems to be finally getting a clue. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that when times are tough, you don't drive the country further and further into debt without end.
I mean, if dh and I lose all of our income, should we just compile a collection of new credit cards and get charge happy? NO! We should stop spending. It is a novel idea that Congress just can't get a handle on. I don't know about you, but I think the study of pig manure odors can wait until our nation gets out of this mess. But the BO thinks it is important right now?????! Whatever.
So much for the idea of having a president with character. That died with good 'ol Honest Abe. BO has barely been president two months and has already looked out of my television set and lied to me. Is this a special Democratic technique? Who does it impress? Thoughts of Bill Clinton flooded back to me. All of BO's spendulous plans have pork and earmark spending in them, yet he claims there have been none? Lies, lies, and more lies.
How am I supposed to teach my children to be good people when this is what our leaders are made of? It is becoming clear to me that those who lie and steal and deceive others clearly rise to the top. I refuse to take part in it and condone it myself. I will teach my children the same and pray for their future.
I said it before BO was elected and I will say it again ... BO's election just might have been the most carefully crafted terrorist attack on our nation of all.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Words for today
I am tired to write too much right now, but here are some words to describe my day today --
Tired
Relief
Blessed
Sleep
Prayer
Tired
Relief
Blessed
Sleep
Prayer
Sunday, March 1, 2009
To Do!!!
I am procrastinating from doing some things I need to do around my house today (and tomorrow). I thought I would stop working and make a list to keep me focused. These tasks are things I want to accomplish before our house appraisal on Tuesday. Why do these things seem to sit on my list for all of eternity?
The nice thing is that when they are done, they will finally be off my mental list of things that need to be done.
Updated 3/2/09:
1.) Declutter all surface areas in my bedroom and girls bedroom.
2.) Clean bathrooms.
3.) Clean crayon off remaining surface areas (fireplace, check walls)
4.) Wash all bath mats and floor carpets
5.) Wash ds's sheets and make up both of his beds (bunk beds)
6.) Get clothes put away and finish girls' laundry.
7.) Talk to dh about what to do about totes; deal with totes
8.) Clean up computer and basement area
9.) Clear basement shelving clutter
10.) Floors -- clear, clean, whatever is needed!
Ten things are plenty. That wasn't so bad. O.k., getting back in gear now ....!
The nice thing is that when they are done, they will finally be off my mental list of things that need to be done.
Updated 3/2/09:
1.) Declutter all surface areas in my bedroom and girls bedroom.
2.) Clean bathrooms.
3.) Clean crayon off remaining surface areas (fireplace, check walls)
4.) Wash all bath mats and floor carpets
5.) Wash ds's sheets and make up both of his beds (bunk beds)
6.) Get clothes put away and finish girls' laundry.
7.) Talk to dh about what to do about totes; deal with totes
8.) Clean up computer and basement area
9.) Clear basement shelving clutter
10.) Floors -- clear, clean, whatever is needed!
Ten things are plenty. That wasn't so bad. O.k., getting back in gear now ....!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Powerful Video
Dave Ramsey changed my life. I was never completely stupid about money in my life, really. When it has come to money, Dh and I did some things right actually. But we also did plenty of things dumb. I admit that. I take a small amount of pride in the things we did do right even though there has been some pain and consequences for dealing with the things we did terribly wrong.
But, I would not change our life lessons in this regard. It has been our own journey. Learning is empowering.
This video (see link below) was posted on another blog and it just spoke to me on so many different levels. It spoke to me as a parent for one thing. But it also spoke to me as a person who has been very, very anxious about the outcomes of some upcoming things. If you know me well or have read my blog recently, you know that I have been worried about dh's job. I have been worried about our upcoming home appraisal in this economy. And I have been worried about our upcoming property tax bills.
After watching this video, I somehow feel at peace. Whatever these outcomes are for us in our lives right now, they certainly aren't setting our future in stone. We (dh and I and our kids) are going to be better off because we WILL pull ourselves to a better place no matter what these outcomes are for us ... fair or unfair ... for better or for worse. Nobody is going to knock us down and then train us to wait to get picked up off the ground. We are still in the game and we will keep on kicking! There is nothing like a good, swift kick in the rear end from Dave Ramsey in my opinion. He isn't for everyone I guess, but I just love him! This man has changed so many lives. Thank God for his failure! (See video to understand.)
In this video Dave talks about failure. It is a good Dave "rant" if you are familiar with Dave "rants."
http://www.petpeeving.com/2009/02/freedom-to-fail.html
But, I would not change our life lessons in this regard. It has been our own journey. Learning is empowering.
This video (see link below) was posted on another blog and it just spoke to me on so many different levels. It spoke to me as a parent for one thing. But it also spoke to me as a person who has been very, very anxious about the outcomes of some upcoming things. If you know me well or have read my blog recently, you know that I have been worried about dh's job. I have been worried about our upcoming home appraisal in this economy. And I have been worried about our upcoming property tax bills.
After watching this video, I somehow feel at peace. Whatever these outcomes are for us in our lives right now, they certainly aren't setting our future in stone. We (dh and I and our kids) are going to be better off because we WILL pull ourselves to a better place no matter what these outcomes are for us ... fair or unfair ... for better or for worse. Nobody is going to knock us down and then train us to wait to get picked up off the ground. We are still in the game and we will keep on kicking! There is nothing like a good, swift kick in the rear end from Dave Ramsey in my opinion. He isn't for everyone I guess, but I just love him! This man has changed so many lives. Thank God for his failure! (See video to understand.)
In this video Dave talks about failure. It is a good Dave "rant" if you are familiar with Dave "rants."
http://www.petpeeving.com/2009/02/freedom-to-fail.html
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Waiting
I feel that I am in a waiting game. Things are up in the air and I like them much more settled. I can't stand the waiting. We are waiting for several things --
1.) To find out what the outcome will be with dh's job situation. While some things about the changes look promising enough (he won't be laid off this round), there are things of concern still with what his job will be and whether or not his pay will change. I just want it to be decided. Every day that this remains open and undecided brings anxious thoughts. It appears there will be a whole weekend of waiting after this Friday, if not longer :( Weekend waiting is sometimes harder than weekday waiting .... because nothing happens at all over the weekends with these types of things.
2.) To get a move on with this refinance process. I am so anxious about our home appraisal. I don't see how there can be a problem with it based on all of the information I have been able to gather about comparable area home sales, but there was a problem last time we tried this and I am still baffled by this. Sometimes I feel like I am living in an odd, upside down world where it is perfectly normal for nothing to make sense anymore ... even though my mind still insists that things must make sense.
3.) Waiting for our property tax bills. We are "supposed" to receive one more 2007 bill this year and two 2008 bills by year's end. This inability of the property tax assessor's office to do their jobs leaves so much in limbo. We don't know how much to save; it is all up in the air. If we undersave, that can cause problems because last time they finally did send a bill (after a whole year of waiting), they wanted it paid within two weeks (just before Christmas). If we oversave, we are cutting ourselves short on money needed in so many other areas.
4.) I also find myself waiting to see if the economy will improve at some point here sooner rather than later. Mostly I am optimistic. But again, these are unusual times .....
1.) To find out what the outcome will be with dh's job situation. While some things about the changes look promising enough (he won't be laid off this round), there are things of concern still with what his job will be and whether or not his pay will change. I just want it to be decided. Every day that this remains open and undecided brings anxious thoughts. It appears there will be a whole weekend of waiting after this Friday, if not longer :( Weekend waiting is sometimes harder than weekday waiting .... because nothing happens at all over the weekends with these types of things.
2.) To get a move on with this refinance process. I am so anxious about our home appraisal. I don't see how there can be a problem with it based on all of the information I have been able to gather about comparable area home sales, but there was a problem last time we tried this and I am still baffled by this. Sometimes I feel like I am living in an odd, upside down world where it is perfectly normal for nothing to make sense anymore ... even though my mind still insists that things must make sense.
3.) Waiting for our property tax bills. We are "supposed" to receive one more 2007 bill this year and two 2008 bills by year's end. This inability of the property tax assessor's office to do their jobs leaves so much in limbo. We don't know how much to save; it is all up in the air. If we undersave, that can cause problems because last time they finally did send a bill (after a whole year of waiting), they wanted it paid within two weeks (just before Christmas). If we oversave, we are cutting ourselves short on money needed in so many other areas.
4.) I also find myself waiting to see if the economy will improve at some point here sooner rather than later. Mostly I am optimistic. But again, these are unusual times .....
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Economic Woes
"In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem."
Ronald Reagan, Inaugural Address
The next 2-3 weeks here are going to be stressful. There is something going on at dh's job that could be good or it could be bad. I don't want to post about it on my blog, but I will share details individually if anyone wants to know. I hate that the economy is like this; it is much better to be an employee in demand in a good economy rather than someone who has to be thankful to just have a job. I am going to try to focus on gratitude and pray everyday. The most important thing is to have a job right now. That, in itself, is a blessing right now.
Sometimes when I think about going back to work, it just seems so complicated. I can't imagine how much I could make right now if we had two kids in full-time child care and a school-age child needing after-school care. I would love some outside adult stimulation that would bring in some money, but it would be traumatic for me to have to put my girls in full-time child care at this point. I am not suggesting that I think dh will lose his job. But, if I had a job, it might feel like we had more options.
I wish I felt better about the stimulus package that was just passed. Of course I don't know for sure if it will turn the economy around at some point. But when I look at it as logically as possible, it is not a solution that makes sense to me in any way. Honestly, I think it is just an excuse for the Democrats to pass their spending agenda in a bad economy. I honestly used to think I was a Democrat, but I wasn't paying close enough attention back then to what was going on. I have always been a fiscal conservative and this is just hard for me to watch right now while the economy is collapsing.
I can think of so many very simple solutions that I wish Congress would have at least tried first, before committing our nation to such extreme and ridiculous debt. One of these potential solutions being the four percent mortgage for everyone. If everyone had a chance to refinance to a four percent mortgage, think of all the extra money everyone would have in their pockets on a regular and planned basis to stimulate the economy? Think of the number of people who would be motivated to buy a first-time home. Renters would benefit because rents would be able to go down as well. People in corrupt mortgages could refinance out of them to a great rate and keep their homes. This would prevent additional foreclosures, etc.
I mean, if you know you will save $100-$300 per month for the next thirty years, you can make some bigger money decisions, etc. You could actually do something to truly stimulate the economy. Although, I will be using my Obama money to stimulate the preschool industry next school year (employment pending); $100-$300 extra dollars in our pockets each month could really rock our world if every American had this in their pockets at the same time on a monthly basis! At the very least, I could stimulate the preschool industry times two and maybe even buy a new car.
The housing industry seems to be at the core of this mess and what better way to fix it than to take a simple approach that does not put our nation at greater risk (large debt and it's a gamble)? I wish I had more faith in our government. I am not meaning to bash government on my blog. But, I don't feel good about things in the hands of government. None of it makes sense to me. Some of the most complacent and ineffective people I have ever known worked in state government. We worked hand and hand in a public-private partnership and I assure you, these people were unmotivated and completely clueless ... and just a pain to work with because of that.
Part of me thinks I should seek a government job someday. That seems to be where you can collect so many sick days that people in those jobs would disappear for weeks on end, giving me absolutely no notice that they were leaving for months on end, right in the middle of important deadlines or very meaningful projects impacting children and families. But, I could not stomach working in a place that just encourages that level of complaceny. I take more pride in my work than I have seen those individuals ever do. I have seen so many taxpayer dollars wasted. It is like I can see too much and I wish it wasn't true what I see.
I pray I am wrong. I pray for better times for all.
Oh, btw, I figured out that the Barack Obama stimulus will help some people more than just the $32 per month. If you pay NO taxes at all, Barack Obama will have the IRS send you a much bigger check. Wow! I guess we will see how that stimulates the economy. I can already think of some people who will refrain from trying to better their own lives if given what truly is a handout. I mean, if they aren't paying any taxes at all; it is welfare. Not that welfare is bad, but I think people are better served when inspired to do better for themselves.
Ronald Reagan, Inaugural Address
The next 2-3 weeks here are going to be stressful. There is something going on at dh's job that could be good or it could be bad. I don't want to post about it on my blog, but I will share details individually if anyone wants to know. I hate that the economy is like this; it is much better to be an employee in demand in a good economy rather than someone who has to be thankful to just have a job. I am going to try to focus on gratitude and pray everyday. The most important thing is to have a job right now. That, in itself, is a blessing right now.
Sometimes when I think about going back to work, it just seems so complicated. I can't imagine how much I could make right now if we had two kids in full-time child care and a school-age child needing after-school care. I would love some outside adult stimulation that would bring in some money, but it would be traumatic for me to have to put my girls in full-time child care at this point. I am not suggesting that I think dh will lose his job. But, if I had a job, it might feel like we had more options.
I wish I felt better about the stimulus package that was just passed. Of course I don't know for sure if it will turn the economy around at some point. But when I look at it as logically as possible, it is not a solution that makes sense to me in any way. Honestly, I think it is just an excuse for the Democrats to pass their spending agenda in a bad economy. I honestly used to think I was a Democrat, but I wasn't paying close enough attention back then to what was going on. I have always been a fiscal conservative and this is just hard for me to watch right now while the economy is collapsing.
I can think of so many very simple solutions that I wish Congress would have at least tried first, before committing our nation to such extreme and ridiculous debt. One of these potential solutions being the four percent mortgage for everyone. If everyone had a chance to refinance to a four percent mortgage, think of all the extra money everyone would have in their pockets on a regular and planned basis to stimulate the economy? Think of the number of people who would be motivated to buy a first-time home. Renters would benefit because rents would be able to go down as well. People in corrupt mortgages could refinance out of them to a great rate and keep their homes. This would prevent additional foreclosures, etc.
I mean, if you know you will save $100-$300 per month for the next thirty years, you can make some bigger money decisions, etc. You could actually do something to truly stimulate the economy. Although, I will be using my Obama money to stimulate the preschool industry next school year (employment pending); $100-$300 extra dollars in our pockets each month could really rock our world if every American had this in their pockets at the same time on a monthly basis! At the very least, I could stimulate the preschool industry times two and maybe even buy a new car.
The housing industry seems to be at the core of this mess and what better way to fix it than to take a simple approach that does not put our nation at greater risk (large debt and it's a gamble)? I wish I had more faith in our government. I am not meaning to bash government on my blog. But, I don't feel good about things in the hands of government. None of it makes sense to me. Some of the most complacent and ineffective people I have ever known worked in state government. We worked hand and hand in a public-private partnership and I assure you, these people were unmotivated and completely clueless ... and just a pain to work with because of that.
Part of me thinks I should seek a government job someday. That seems to be where you can collect so many sick days that people in those jobs would disappear for weeks on end, giving me absolutely no notice that they were leaving for months on end, right in the middle of important deadlines or very meaningful projects impacting children and families. But, I could not stomach working in a place that just encourages that level of complaceny. I take more pride in my work than I have seen those individuals ever do. I have seen so many taxpayer dollars wasted. It is like I can see too much and I wish it wasn't true what I see.
I pray I am wrong. I pray for better times for all.
Oh, btw, I figured out that the Barack Obama stimulus will help some people more than just the $32 per month. If you pay NO taxes at all, Barack Obama will have the IRS send you a much bigger check. Wow! I guess we will see how that stimulates the economy. I can already think of some people who will refrain from trying to better their own lives if given what truly is a handout. I mean, if they aren't paying any taxes at all; it is welfare. Not that welfare is bad, but I think people are better served when inspired to do better for themselves.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Preschool ... a solution maybe?
I still keep thinking about preschool. I think it is because dd#1 is such a "school-y" kind of girl. She is just the kind of little person to love all things school-like. She is so smart and a little leader. I want her to have the preschool fun my ds had.
I want both of my girls to play with shaving cream and make cloud pictures out of cotton balls and hear imaginative thematic stories that spark their creativity and their broader world knowledge. I want them to paint with apples, and marbles, and on an easel with messy colors flying. I want them to learn new little songs and games.
And I don't feel that I am the best person to provide these special little experiences on a regular basis.
Mostly, I want them to play and learn cool stuff that they might not be learning at home, get used to socializing with a variety of other little people and build a basic love of learning.
From my experience parenting my 11-year-old, grade school can get boring and feel hard and even kind of dry on many an occasion.
This is the time in my girls lives to really have a ball at school. A time when grades still make no difference and the topic to be learned for the day is dinosaur bones!
Not just any preschool can provide exactly what I am looking for though and I know this. Just because a preschool has openings for both girls, it does not mean that they will get the kind of experience I am describing here (the kind of experience I most want for them to have in a preschool). All preschool environments are different.
Oh, and the school also must be affordable and within an easy drive from my house.
With two young kids close in age, I am just not going to Co-op again. So, that is out of the question.
So, tonight I took dd#1 with me to a preschool open house at a place we had never been before; just she and I (a really special little outing being only the two of us ... what fun it was!). The school will only take her age group next year (and older), and dd#2 cannot go. DD#1 was just so happy. She practically melted into this classroom she loved it so much. She played so contently and busily and just adored it. She did not want to leave.
This preschool is affordable if only dd#1 goes. It is an easy drive and meets my two day per week only requirement. It is three hours per session, which is nice because if I am going to have dd#2 with me at drop off and pick up, we need time to do more than just head home only to turn back around and head back to the school again (which is what two hours of preschool feels like).
It can work if I commit to it. I know of the other option where both girls can go. So, in a way, I have a choice (money pending). But, that school is twice the price and not as convenient in so many ways.
When I think only of dd#1, it is the perfect thing for next school year. I want this experience for her. I will continue to search preschool options, but I think I am sold on this one at the moment. Dd#2 can wait a year and they can both go the following year (I have 1.5 years to save up for that.)
I would like the preschool thing to be about me a bit more .... I would love the free time away from both girls while knowing they were both getting a great experience, etc. But a compromise has to be made here because I don't have that extra money each month and it doesn't even look like dh is going to get his whole salary back anytime real soon. (I still just pray his job is safe. They are doing voluntary buyouts at his company this week, which feels scary.)
So, no, they don't need preschool. But, to me, preschool learning is some of the best school fun out there. They don't spend nearly as much time doing all of these fun types of things in 5th grade; this I know for certain.
So, I signed dd#1 up for this school we found tonight. And yes, I might change my mind if I find something better. If I do, we will lose our deposit. But, so what. Right now, it feels right.
I want both of my girls to play with shaving cream and make cloud pictures out of cotton balls and hear imaginative thematic stories that spark their creativity and their broader world knowledge. I want them to paint with apples, and marbles, and on an easel with messy colors flying. I want them to learn new little songs and games.
And I don't feel that I am the best person to provide these special little experiences on a regular basis.
Mostly, I want them to play and learn cool stuff that they might not be learning at home, get used to socializing with a variety of other little people and build a basic love of learning.
From my experience parenting my 11-year-old, grade school can get boring and feel hard and even kind of dry on many an occasion.
This is the time in my girls lives to really have a ball at school. A time when grades still make no difference and the topic to be learned for the day is dinosaur bones!
Not just any preschool can provide exactly what I am looking for though and I know this. Just because a preschool has openings for both girls, it does not mean that they will get the kind of experience I am describing here (the kind of experience I most want for them to have in a preschool). All preschool environments are different.
Oh, and the school also must be affordable and within an easy drive from my house.
With two young kids close in age, I am just not going to Co-op again. So, that is out of the question.
So, tonight I took dd#1 with me to a preschool open house at a place we had never been before; just she and I (a really special little outing being only the two of us ... what fun it was!). The school will only take her age group next year (and older), and dd#2 cannot go. DD#1 was just so happy. She practically melted into this classroom she loved it so much. She played so contently and busily and just adored it. She did not want to leave.
This preschool is affordable if only dd#1 goes. It is an easy drive and meets my two day per week only requirement. It is three hours per session, which is nice because if I am going to have dd#2 with me at drop off and pick up, we need time to do more than just head home only to turn back around and head back to the school again (which is what two hours of preschool feels like).
It can work if I commit to it. I know of the other option where both girls can go. So, in a way, I have a choice (money pending). But, that school is twice the price and not as convenient in so many ways.
When I think only of dd#1, it is the perfect thing for next school year. I want this experience for her. I will continue to search preschool options, but I think I am sold on this one at the moment. Dd#2 can wait a year and they can both go the following year (I have 1.5 years to save up for that.)
I would like the preschool thing to be about me a bit more .... I would love the free time away from both girls while knowing they were both getting a great experience, etc. But a compromise has to be made here because I don't have that extra money each month and it doesn't even look like dh is going to get his whole salary back anytime real soon. (I still just pray his job is safe. They are doing voluntary buyouts at his company this week, which feels scary.)
So, no, they don't need preschool. But, to me, preschool learning is some of the best school fun out there. They don't spend nearly as much time doing all of these fun types of things in 5th grade; this I know for certain.
So, I signed dd#1 up for this school we found tonight. And yes, I might change my mind if I find something better. If I do, we will lose our deposit. But, so what. Right now, it feels right.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Preschool
I have been thinking again about preschool. Preschool can be a good thing.
The big issue I have with preschool is, basically, that I can't afford it. It is costly for two kids to go, and my job here at home, (the one where I bring in no paycheck), makes it more of an option than a need.
I should stop thinking about it.
Whatever happened to all those sibling discounts they used to have out in the world when I was raising only one child???
The big issue I have with preschool is, basically, that I can't afford it. It is costly for two kids to go, and my job here at home, (the one where I bring in no paycheck), makes it more of an option than a need.
I should stop thinking about it.
Whatever happened to all those sibling discounts they used to have out in the world when I was raising only one child???
Friday Five
1.) I am thankful for child care at the health club.
2.) I am thankful for the chance to go out this weekend without children ... I am really needing it!
3.) I am thankful for my marriage of 16 years (16 years today, wow!)
4.) I am thankful for the computer and my friends who live inside it ... lol! (Just kidding!)
5.) I am thankful for well-spoken talk media. They say it all in just the way I would prefer to say it and make me feel better to know that I am not alone in my thoughts.
2.) I am thankful for the chance to go out this weekend without children ... I am really needing it!
3.) I am thankful for my marriage of 16 years (16 years today, wow!)
4.) I am thankful for the computer and my friends who live inside it ... lol! (Just kidding!)
5.) I am thankful for well-spoken talk media. They say it all in just the way I would prefer to say it and make me feel better to know that I am not alone in my thoughts.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
This is going to help us?
Just in case anyone who reads this blog is missing out on the big news, the "Making Work Pay" tax credit for 95 percent of workers has passed along with the big stimulus package.
Negotiators agreed to trim the credit to $400 a year instead of $500 -- or $800 for married couples, cut from Obama's original proposal of $1,000.
Now, here is what this means folks ... don't get too excited because I am having to get out my microscope to actually see what this will look like in my own pocket.
BUT, here it is ... in all its glory ............ and I quote directly from the Associated Press --
"It would begin showing up in most workers' paychecks in June as an extra $13 a week in take-home pay, falling to about $8 a week next January.
Is anyone else out there just ROFLMAO as hard as I am?!!! OMG!!! LMAO!!!!
In 2010, this means we are going to get $32 extra bucks per month!!!!
SO, warning to those on tight budgets: Do not get used to your new $52/month pay raise that begins this June ... because it is only $32.00 per month. Budget and save accordingly or it is going to be a tad painful to readjust again six months later ;)
O.K., so what do you think? Are you excited? My thoughts are "whatever!"
Personally I liked the Bush tax cut better when my family walked away with $2,100 in one big chunk last year!
Negotiators agreed to trim the credit to $400 a year instead of $500 -- or $800 for married couples, cut from Obama's original proposal of $1,000.
Now, here is what this means folks ... don't get too excited because I am having to get out my microscope to actually see what this will look like in my own pocket.
BUT, here it is ... in all its glory ............ and I quote directly from the Associated Press --
"It would begin showing up in most workers' paychecks in June as an extra $13 a week in take-home pay, falling to about $8 a week next January.
Is anyone else out there just ROFLMAO as hard as I am?!!! OMG!!! LMAO!!!!
In 2010, this means we are going to get $32 extra bucks per month!!!!
SO, warning to those on tight budgets: Do not get used to your new $52/month pay raise that begins this June ... because it is only $32.00 per month. Budget and save accordingly or it is going to be a tad painful to readjust again six months later ;)
O.K., so what do you think? Are you excited? My thoughts are "whatever!"
Personally I liked the Bush tax cut better when my family walked away with $2,100 in one big chunk last year!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Politics
I have decided that politics are what they are.
Ultimately, everything is in God's hands anyway.
I have decided to refrain from blogging about politics again on this blog.
I just think the topic can get heated and politics are such a controversial subject.
I think the best approach to politics is knowing in one's heart what is right for oneself ... mixed with a lot of prayers that our leaders will do their best to take the high road in their work on our behalf.
Ultimately, everything is in God's hands anyway.
I have decided to refrain from blogging about politics again on this blog.
I just think the topic can get heated and politics are such a controversial subject.
I think the best approach to politics is knowing in one's heart what is right for oneself ... mixed with a lot of prayers that our leaders will do their best to take the high road in their work on our behalf.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Today's Accomplishments
1.) Exercised
2.) Fed kids numerous times
3.) Cleaned dog poo off floor four times.
4.) Cleaned dog pee pee off floor one time.
5.) Cleaned 2-year-old's pee pee off kitchen chair two times.
6.) Did two loads of laundry.
7.) Fed dog two times
8.) Let dog in and out of house several times.
9.) Cleaned strawberry syrup off floor and from inside refrigerator door
10.) Emptied little potties numerous times
11.) Put sheets back on 3-year-old's crib
12.) Put sheets back on 3-year-old's crib after 2-year old removed them for 2nd time today
13.) Picked up random candy conversation hearts from every floor level of my three-level house
14.) Did two loads of dishes
15.) Hunted for and found both cordless phone handsets jammed in basement chair, underneath chair cushions
16.) Reviewed 5th grade homework
17.) Picked up random toys
Just another successful day here in my household. It's all good :)
2.) Fed kids numerous times
3.) Cleaned dog poo off floor four times.
4.) Cleaned dog pee pee off floor one time.
5.) Cleaned 2-year-old's pee pee off kitchen chair two times.
6.) Did two loads of laundry.
7.) Fed dog two times
8.) Let dog in and out of house several times.
9.) Cleaned strawberry syrup off floor and from inside refrigerator door
10.) Emptied little potties numerous times
11.) Put sheets back on 3-year-old's crib
12.) Put sheets back on 3-year-old's crib after 2-year old removed them for 2nd time today
13.) Picked up random candy conversation hearts from every floor level of my three-level house
14.) Did two loads of dishes
15.) Hunted for and found both cordless phone handsets jammed in basement chair, underneath chair cushions
16.) Reviewed 5th grade homework
17.) Picked up random toys
Just another successful day here in my household. It's all good :)
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Regrets
I have been thinking about regrets. Years ago I vowed to do my best to live my life with no regrets. Of course this is a tall goal. And, for the most part, I don't have anything huge I regret. But, sometimes I wonder about roads not traveled.
I do believe that it would be awful hard to live a life complete without one single regret. I think our lives are exactly as they should be though. And, whatever we might feel we now regret ... well, how are we to know how that other choice would really have turned out for us?
I do know that hindsight sure helps with the 20/20 vision on regrets though. It is impossible to know how different decisions will turn out ... no matter how hard we research each choice, etc. I guess we just have to do our best with each decision and life choice we make along the way and it is also very important to know that we don't really control our own little life boats anyway.
I do believe that it would be awful hard to live a life complete without one single regret. I think our lives are exactly as they should be though. And, whatever we might feel we now regret ... well, how are we to know how that other choice would really have turned out for us?
I do know that hindsight sure helps with the 20/20 vision on regrets though. It is impossible to know how different decisions will turn out ... no matter how hard we research each choice, etc. I guess we just have to do our best with each decision and life choice we make along the way and it is also very important to know that we don't really control our own little life boats anyway.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Odds and Ends & Friday Five
Well, not everyday can be a power day. Today I am more tired. When I get tired, the edginess in my childrens' persistent demanding and whining hurts my head and makes me sigh loudly.
I adore my children, but I need to take a shower. So, I am not taking care of me again by procrastinating this today. I want to take a shower in my bathroom; but, I can't because of a plumbing issue. I just don't like to take a shower in the main bathroom, otherwise known as grand central station. There is nothing wrong with it; but that room is so busy each day it feels like a train station. I want peace and relaxation.
I found out an old high school buddy of mine is the father of seven children. It is pretty neat. His wife homeschools and also works part-time as a nurse. They live very frugally and are very Christian in all aspects of their lives. I am going to add his wife's blog to my list of favorite blogs in a few days (just because I am tired right now and don't feel like doing it.) In fact, I am tired today because I stayed up too late last night reading her blog. It is all just so interesting to me. Here I complain about my chaos with raising three kids and they have seven children to raise... just wow!
I am beginning to feel a strong sense of cabin fever. I am ready for the cold weather to break and to get out alone some this weekend. We have actually had a good week here, but I need some air!
Friday Five --
1.) I am thankful for the school bus and for two-hour delays on bad weather days.
2.) I am excited that my house is finally coming together again. This feels big because I was so disheartened after the last water disaster that it has been almost a year since I had any energy to work to get this organized once again.
3.) I am thankful for my past and for those who touch, or have touched my life, in various ways.
4.) I am thankful for the Flylady. She has really changed my life. I recently signed up with her to once again receive her FlyLifeLines and I can tell such a difference already. I just love when the Flylady wants me to reboot my laundry =)
5.) I am thankful for my family. They give me joy while they make me crazy, and that is what life is all about, right? LOL
I adore my children, but I need to take a shower. So, I am not taking care of me again by procrastinating this today. I want to take a shower in my bathroom; but, I can't because of a plumbing issue. I just don't like to take a shower in the main bathroom, otherwise known as grand central station. There is nothing wrong with it; but that room is so busy each day it feels like a train station. I want peace and relaxation.
I found out an old high school buddy of mine is the father of seven children. It is pretty neat. His wife homeschools and also works part-time as a nurse. They live very frugally and are very Christian in all aspects of their lives. I am going to add his wife's blog to my list of favorite blogs in a few days (just because I am tired right now and don't feel like doing it.) In fact, I am tired today because I stayed up too late last night reading her blog. It is all just so interesting to me. Here I complain about my chaos with raising three kids and they have seven children to raise... just wow!
I am beginning to feel a strong sense of cabin fever. I am ready for the cold weather to break and to get out alone some this weekend. We have actually had a good week here, but I need some air!
Friday Five --
1.) I am thankful for the school bus and for two-hour delays on bad weather days.
2.) I am excited that my house is finally coming together again. This feels big because I was so disheartened after the last water disaster that it has been almost a year since I had any energy to work to get this organized once again.
3.) I am thankful for my past and for those who touch, or have touched my life, in various ways.
4.) I am thankful for the Flylady. She has really changed my life. I recently signed up with her to once again receive her FlyLifeLines and I can tell such a difference already. I just love when the Flylady wants me to reboot my laundry =)
5.) I am thankful for my family. They give me joy while they make me crazy, and that is what life is all about, right? LOL
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Why I like to blog
I just posted about friendship drama and I felt sad when I started writing. Now I feel better. That is one of the best things about blogging.
So here are some really cool things I have accomplished recently. I feel great about them:
1.) I organized all the girls' toys and picked them all up in all main living areas.
2.) I did a thorough vacuum today in my basement, basement stairwell, laundry room, living room, kitchen and dining area ... whew! I even got down on my hands and knees and vacuumed the crevices. I am exhausted from it! But my house is looking good!
3.) I have kept the dishes up and have been walking into this extremely clean kitchen everday (I do Flylady.net and I think I might be finally flying with the kitchen sink goal after 3 1/2 years!)
4.) I have boxed up the clothes the girls aren't using or no longer need.
5.) I have made a charity box.
6.) I have thrown a lot of trash away. Bye, bye ... gone forever!
7.) I have worked some on my bathrooms.
8.) I have cleared a lot of stuff away from the dresser tops in my bedroom.
9.) I have begun to fly with my laundry also (this one is a beginning.) But I am not working off of any large laundry piles any longer.
10.) I have made two different homemade desserts this week .. yum!
My motivation is an upcoming appraisal to possibly refinance our house. We do have the paperwork filled out already; but, we haven't applied yet. Our goal is to make our house look almost as nice as if it was up for sale so that when the appraiser comes in, they truly see our actual house ... and not just our junk. We are going to need all the help we can get to get a decent appraisal in this economy. We tried to go down this road a year ago, so we know what is at stake. We just want to get the best bang for our appraisal dollars this time and truly get a fair shake.
So here are some really cool things I have accomplished recently. I feel great about them:
1.) I organized all the girls' toys and picked them all up in all main living areas.
2.) I did a thorough vacuum today in my basement, basement stairwell, laundry room, living room, kitchen and dining area ... whew! I even got down on my hands and knees and vacuumed the crevices. I am exhausted from it! But my house is looking good!
3.) I have kept the dishes up and have been walking into this extremely clean kitchen everday (I do Flylady.net and I think I might be finally flying with the kitchen sink goal after 3 1/2 years!)
4.) I have boxed up the clothes the girls aren't using or no longer need.
5.) I have made a charity box.
6.) I have thrown a lot of trash away. Bye, bye ... gone forever!
7.) I have worked some on my bathrooms.
8.) I have cleared a lot of stuff away from the dresser tops in my bedroom.
9.) I have begun to fly with my laundry also (this one is a beginning.) But I am not working off of any large laundry piles any longer.
10.) I have made two different homemade desserts this week .. yum!
My motivation is an upcoming appraisal to possibly refinance our house. We do have the paperwork filled out already; but, we haven't applied yet. Our goal is to make our house look almost as nice as if it was up for sale so that when the appraiser comes in, they truly see our actual house ... and not just our junk. We are going to need all the help we can get to get a decent appraisal in this economy. We tried to go down this road a year ago, so we know what is at stake. We just want to get the best bang for our appraisal dollars this time and truly get a fair shake.
Friendship Drama
I am sad tonight for some reason. I guess it has to do with friendship drama. I don't like friendship drama. It is just too tiring.
For a reason I won't name, the word drama has been in my head all day long. I won't go into exactly what that reason is, but I will reflect on one reason I find friendship drama so tiring ....
Here is the reason -- plain and simple:
There is already way too much drama going on in my house all day long between my two girls!! One of them accidentally hurts the other and the "victim" howls loudly as if persecuted. Then, the victim later "accidentally" hurts the other girl, and she howls loudly as if persecuted. During their dramatic howls, they each "need" things ... "where is my sucky Mommy?!!!" one dd demands! The other dd wants me to stop what I am doing and hold her and then kiss the bottom of her foot, or something of that sort.
Friendship is supposed to be a happy thing, a supportive thing ... so when drama arises, it just feels like it doesn't belong there and it needs to get out.
For a reason I won't name, the word drama has been in my head all day long. I won't go into exactly what that reason is, but I will reflect on one reason I find friendship drama so tiring ....
Here is the reason -- plain and simple:
There is already way too much drama going on in my house all day long between my two girls!! One of them accidentally hurts the other and the "victim" howls loudly as if persecuted. Then, the victim later "accidentally" hurts the other girl, and she howls loudly as if persecuted. During their dramatic howls, they each "need" things ... "where is my sucky Mommy?!!!" one dd demands! The other dd wants me to stop what I am doing and hold her and then kiss the bottom of her foot, or something of that sort.
Friendship is supposed to be a happy thing, a supportive thing ... so when drama arises, it just feels like it doesn't belong there and it needs to get out.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Prayers for Darren
Today my prayers and thoughts are with Darren, my friend Valerie's husband. Darren is having brain surgery today. May God be with Darren, Valerie and their family as they get through this very difficult day and may good news be just around the corner for them.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Old Friends
I recently connected with some old friends and former co-workers on Facebook. What an interesting experience to see pictures of and hear about the lives of old friends. I really do appreciate all of the people in my life -- past and present -- for being a part of my own life path. I feel honored to know and to have known such wonderful, intriguing and fun people.
It is interesting to think that there are people out there in the world who have a shared history with me. We are not family and our lives may have taken many different directions. Yet our history ties us together in a unique and special way. Perhaps it is even through an unheard thought put out to the universe? I know that I have thought of different pals, peers and school chums over the years. But I was just shocked to find out that a former school mate said she had thought of me just two days before I connected with her on Facebook! How wow is that?!
I don't know if I would have a lot in common with my former peers and friends today if we were friends in real life. But I do know that I cherish them all and would open my doors and my life to them as if we were children once again and our friendship never missed a beat. It is fun to connect with yesterday ... and the memories of my youth.
"Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold." Do you remember that song? I am just reminded of it today because two of the former friends I connected with used to be Girl Scouts with me. It makes me want to be sure and get my girls involved in scouts someday :) I really don't like to camp at all as an adult, but I wouldn't trade those childhood memories for anything!
It is interesting to think that there are people out there in the world who have a shared history with me. We are not family and our lives may have taken many different directions. Yet our history ties us together in a unique and special way. Perhaps it is even through an unheard thought put out to the universe? I know that I have thought of different pals, peers and school chums over the years. But I was just shocked to find out that a former school mate said she had thought of me just two days before I connected with her on Facebook! How wow is that?!
I don't know if I would have a lot in common with my former peers and friends today if we were friends in real life. But I do know that I cherish them all and would open my doors and my life to them as if we were children once again and our friendship never missed a beat. It is fun to connect with yesterday ... and the memories of my youth.
"Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold." Do you remember that song? I am just reminded of it today because two of the former friends I connected with used to be Girl Scouts with me. It makes me want to be sure and get my girls involved in scouts someday :) I really don't like to camp at all as an adult, but I wouldn't trade those childhood memories for anything!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Friday Five
I am borrowing this title from the blogs of some great people I know. I thought it would be a great way to get organized with my thoughts and goals today.
Here are Five things on my mind this Friday --
1.) It is time to get back on track with my healthy breakfast and daily water drinking and health goals. How hard is it to choose water over milk?!!! For goodness' sake!!! But, I haven't been doing it.
2.) I want to bake peanut butter pies, an oreo cookie pie and some brownies sometime soon because I am loving my "new" stand mixer that now sits on my counter. (Note: This might cause some challenges for goal #1.)
3.) Declutter, declutter, declutter -- why is it such a slow process?
4.) Money, money, money ... some thoughts I have are: Are we, in my family, experiencing deflation with the 5 percent pay cut we have had to take recently? Will everything (prices and salaries for others too) continue to deflate and not go back to normal rates for a good long while? Are we on our way back to the 25 cent candy bar? Is this just a sign ... one step down the ladder, then another and another?
5.) I am excited about my new toy, a Reynold's Handi-Vac! http://www.reynoldspkg.com/reynoldskitchens/handi_vac/en/home.asp
(Yes, I splurged today... but it is payday and it was only $10 and included a box of bags too!) I am excited because I like to freeze foods and I hate to squeeze air out of the freezer bags. It's going to be a blast!!! (Maybe there is a bit of Betty Crocker in me after all!)
Here are Five things on my mind this Friday --
1.) It is time to get back on track with my healthy breakfast and daily water drinking and health goals. How hard is it to choose water over milk?!!! For goodness' sake!!! But, I haven't been doing it.
2.) I want to bake peanut butter pies, an oreo cookie pie and some brownies sometime soon because I am loving my "new" stand mixer that now sits on my counter. (Note: This might cause some challenges for goal #1.)
3.) Declutter, declutter, declutter -- why is it such a slow process?
4.) Money, money, money ... some thoughts I have are: Are we, in my family, experiencing deflation with the 5 percent pay cut we have had to take recently? Will everything (prices and salaries for others too) continue to deflate and not go back to normal rates for a good long while? Are we on our way back to the 25 cent candy bar? Is this just a sign ... one step down the ladder, then another and another?
5.) I am excited about my new toy, a Reynold's Handi-Vac! http://www.reynoldspkg.com/reynoldskitchens/handi_vac/en/home.asp
(Yes, I splurged today... but it is payday and it was only $10 and included a box of bags too!) I am excited because I like to freeze foods and I hate to squeeze air out of the freezer bags. It's going to be a blast!!! (Maybe there is a bit of Betty Crocker in me after all!)
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