Mommy, can I playonyourphone? and other QTs

1. Every day, someone or other asks me this question: "Mommy, can I playonyourphone?" Playonyourphone being one word, a word about which the inquirer KNOWS Mommy will likely roll her eyes, so it has to be said really fast so she barely understands it. On the days when I say no -- and this usually happens in the car, on the way home from school, which is a 20-minute drive at the most -- and it's not every day, only once or twice a week -- I get a lot of negative feedback. "But what am I supposed to DOOOOOO?" OMG. I love answering that question. "Sit there and look out the window! Let your mind REST! ....THINK! Sleep! Tell me about your classroom!" I fear for this generation, honestly. Think about your 8 or 9 year-old in a few years, out on his first date (charming ice cream parlor) with the girl of his dreams. Will he even know how to sit with her quietly and have a conversation? Or will both their heads be bowed down over individual LED screens? The texts will read, "How's it going?" from her BFF, and she'll type back, "I don't know, we're both texting about it but nothing has happened so far."

I'm being completely serious. They have to learn somehow that every moment of the day doesn't have to  enteratin them electronically. And I take it one step further: I want my kids to learn that silence is NICE. Restorative. I don't even play the radio in my car these days, my desire for them to understand this is so great. Come On, Kids! Rise Above the Tech Culture Standard, I want to say to them!

In related news, I am still actively trying to make sure my own iPhone is put away at least 90% of the time when we are at home, and it's a very hard goal to achieve. :-/


2. I have a Dunkin Donuts iced coffee this morning and it tastes exactly like a Coffee Nip.


3. We heard back from AJ's bone age scan. The lab tech said to me, "It's not abnormal, but it's a little, (pause) off." WTH? I guess I'm glad it's not abnormal? So we're waiting on an appointment time from the pediatric endocrinologist. Just to see. We certainly haven't decided anything one way or the other and I'm still not convinced he needs growth hormone. I'm only 5'1", his dad is 6' tall... my dad's 5'6"... I just really hope if we give him time (like some of you suggested in the comments, THANK YOU) that maybe he'll have his spurt. I simply do not know. We'll see if he's deficient and just go from there.



4. This weekend is our parish picnic. For years I longed to attend. It's always a free event, I wanted desperately to make friends in our community, and what's more glorious than a picnic, amirite? I imagined us sitting on the grass somewhere and saying hello to nice people. We went last year and it was.... okay. It was fine. (It was really windy, if I recall.) This year, there are definitely a few "friends" that I'm not especially wanting to run into; I know exactly what to expect of the food and the setup (i.e., there's no idyllic grass, I don't know where I dreamed that up); and... meh. It's got some fun things for the kids, like games and face painting... but I'm not overly enthused. Funny, I think, because no joke, this was something on my list of PERSONAL GOALS at one time.


5. Don't ask, about the friends I don't want to run into. Drama is not something I need in my life so I am going to ignore it and move on. (Ugh! There is a bit of Drama!)


6.  I put together some webstats this morning at work. It was sort-of fun to be able to draw conclusions.


7.  There has been very little morning-rush drama at our house the last 3 days. KT has put on her uniforms, let me do her hair, and generally cooperated. It's a miracle. Shhhhhhh.


quick takes every week plus really thought-provoking posts on the other days at conversiondiary.com

Check and check

• Starbucks this Monday morning: Fat-free Peppermint Mocha!
• Good mood music on the way in. (Air-drummed at the stop-light.)
• Quick morning walk around the building in the 9:00 hour! (another favorite tactic: Make sure to see/breathe the Morning, OUTDOORS)
• Everything bagel thin with cream cheese for breakfast!
• Already imagining my lunch outside...
• And my afternoon dark chocolate and coffee cooler treat...
• And my red wine this evening.

So except for the walk, it's all about food treats. I won't feel weird about that - it's all good so far. Haven't done any real work yet, but eh. Who cares about that nonsense. ;)

7 Quick Takes before Fall's First Day

1. Last night I decided I wanted to chat for a minute on Twitter about AJ's latest news (so I typed it in, and then promptly crashed on the couch). He had his hand X-rayed for bone age yesterday. He's 8 years old, 3'9" and 41.5 pounds, and hasn't yet lost any teeth, so the pediatrician advised we should see if his skeletal age is on par. The teeth-thing was the kicker, although our dentist has remained unconcerned all this time. AJ's fallen below the growth curve, after being in the 3-5th percentile since he was born. I feel nervous-tummy about it; growth hormone has been mentioned as a possibility. "Under five feet at fully grown" has also been mentioned as a possibility. (That was when my stomach sank.) There is a lot to talk and think about but I feel like I shouldn't even go there until the X-ray results are given to us. I'm so thankful that he's healthy, and happy. He (so far) has a great attitude about his size; we've always told him that people come in all shapes and sizes. And he says, "I can get into small spaces!"

2. Yesterday at work the whole Internet connection went down around noon, and wasn't back up and running until after 4:30. Can you believe they didn't even TRY to send people home?? Criminal. What were we supposed to do? File things?

3. We're going to a football-watching party Sunday afternoon. That will feel like fall. :) My husband is an Atlanta Falcons fan and I guess I've become one, too, especially after the arrival of Matt Ryan as our QB. But it's funny, I like a lot of the teams -- mostly because my friends or family members do. I like Seattle (my sister, and a co-worker); I like Denver (my BIL and of course because of Peyton Manning); I like Green Bay (college friend was from there and a huge fan); and I still like Tampa Bay. We're considered so odd around here because we don't really follow any one college team. I mean, we'll turn it on, and watch the score reports, but Saturday's not our Football day; it's Sunday/Monday. Who do you like?

4. In a similar vein, what fall recipes are you most looking forward to right now? Name three: 1 appetizer, 1 meal (a soup or casserole, perhaps??), and 1 dessert or sweet thing. Mine are: Rotel dip -- the one with crumbled sausage and cream cheese zomg; Baked Potato Soup in the crock pot with bacon on top; and pumpkin bread. YUMMY! I do love a good gumbo in the fall, too. I sincerely wish I could make mine as thick and hearty as I want it to be. I guess it's a lifelong pursuit and I'm willing to KEEP WORKING. ;)

5. Choir's started back up and I'm having my perennial angst about it. I love making music. I don't like spending so much time in rehearsals. I would like to do some other things, like take a regular yoga class (or a tap class!), but I don't feel like I can claim TWO weeknights for me-time. We're about to hit the "divide and conquer" years with two kids in school and activities. I'd hate to leave the choir again, but on the other hand I'd love to not have this argument with myself (and my blog) again. Sorry.

6. I've come to the conclusion that Mondays must be handled in a very specific way:

• Starbucks or DD treat in the morning (instead of Friday)
• Lunch at home on the deck if it's nice outside (or with DH or a friend if they're avail.)
• Dark chocolate at some point in the day
• Read this at some point in the day (I love this)
• Wine when I get home

It's the only way. I can't wait to try my new plan next week. See? "Can't wait" re: a Monday? Already working.

7. Does anyone watch Parks & Recreation? What'd you think of last night's episode? John McCain! Hee hee! That was funny. I think Amy Poehler looks great but I'm not very interested in a plot line of her long-distance relationship with Ben. I love Ben, but LDRs? Depressing. I need more Tom, more Donna, and more Chris Traeger + Ann Perkins. PLEASE get those two back together, I say. :)

happy friday, friends. Visit the quick takes hub.

Belle

My KT baby read her first sentences tonight. I have to mark the occasion because her reaction to the fact she could do it was so adorable.

She's been "reading" a few sight words here and there, but I've been wondering if she was ever going to catch the bookworm bug, because she often chooses to color or watch a show instead of a nightly story, and I usually let her. I'd rather force her to read, of course, but I know forcing it isn't going to help anyone, and i dont want to rev it up at bedtime. So tonight she chose coloring, and we had a great time with an under-the-sea scene and some markers. (I like coloring too!)

At 8:25, wayyyy too far past time, she asked if we could read one story. I almost refused, but I'm so glad I didn't. I got her to clean up and hop into bed and I grabbed the shortest book I could find: a Disney princesses "Beautiful Brides." I think we'd only read it once before, a couple of weeks ago.

Well, she opened that sucker up and just blew her own little mind (and filled my heart) with, "Belle... is going ...to ...marry ...the ...Prince. She (likes?...) loves ...her ...wedding ...gown."

She couldn't stop giggling.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Life, lived and listed!

Had a very busy day on Tuesday, and managed to keep my cool.

7:20 drop AJ off
7:30 Room Moms' meeting
8:15 PTA meeting
9:15 arrive at work
work work work
4:30 leave to pick up kids
4:45 was supposed to meet my latest Mary Kay source -- called her and asked if we could push it back to 5:15. She said yes. Texted DH so he could pick up KT instead of me.
5:15 makeup party. :) brief. Just eye shadows. I bought an Orange one! Risky!
6:30 leave for Cub Scout meeting at 7.
8:30 return home! bedtime routine for kids
9:00 laundry in! (It got dried but not folded, obvs)

All of that, but I just felt the goodness of a full, happy day.

I think the weather has SO much to do with it. I've long said that Fall is best season because it's such a RELIEF. Everyone I know has been visibly lighter, happier, and more pleasant since we've had 80 degrees and zero humidity this last week or so. It's remarkable.

And listen to this past weekend's lineup - again, busy but filled with sweetness.

Friday night: AJ had his best friend spend the night. There was Pizza and Ninjago and I think they watched a show they weren't supposed to (King of the Hill)! I let them get away with it.
Sat morning: Cub Scout activity for the boys and DH; Farmers' Market for KT and me!
Sat afternoon: leisurely cleaning, kids playing, mommy coloring
Sat night: Girls Night Out with my favorite moms from school. :) Sadly, DH had to deal with a somewhat grumpy/weepy KT. I may have more to say about this later.
Sunday morn: 10:00 am Mass, then brunch at Waffle House! KT's request! She said it was the best restaurant evar!
Sunday pm: Grocery shopping and apple pie baking! AJ invited to another friend's house around the corner. Dinner eaten outside on the porch. Football on the TV.

Man, things can be SO GOOD.

Labor Day and the Lutherans

"Pig," by Dave Matthews Band, is another song that puts me in the right frame of mind for Project Default: Happy.

And it helps to have "Monday" actually already be a Tuesday! Hooray for long weekends and short weeks!

---

We celebrated the christening of our very first niece this weekend, at a sweet little Lutheran church. It was lovely; she is 2 weeks old and cried and cried, and the ceremony was pretty long, much to the chagrin of her first-time mommy, who was stressing out about the crying. But baby's a little Christian now, in the loving arms of a church family. I love baptisms so much.

As for me, I was excited to attend a Lutheran service. I find it hard to believe that I've never known anyone who was Lutheran and I'm certain that until this weekend I'd never been inside a Lutheran church before. I LOVE visiting other denominations, and it has been a really long time. (When I was about three, I attended a music class at the Presbyterian church -- I still remember the off-brand chocolate sandwich cookies; we did quite a bit at the Methodist church in town -- children's choir, Sunday School, and hearing their handbell choir are some distinct memories; our violin teacher was LDS so we performed recitals at their church (? building? temple?) a few times; and then as a teen I was friends with a Prebyterian minister's daughter so I made lots of memories with their youth group. Oh, and don't forget the Nazarenes - they had a very vibrant youth group, too, that I visited a couple of times with my cousin. And the Episcopalians - love them, too. Was invited to sing with their choir once after college, and was so challenged and inspired by the very academic sermon that day!)

We were greeted very nicely by members of the parish in the front lobby area, and made to feel welcome. They had the very handy "kids' supplies" bags available to keep the KT entertained (a bag with crayons and Bible coloring sheets, for those who don't know -- I had heard of these before). The pastor spoke well, and aside from it feeling a bit rushed (and I bet it was, with both the Baptism and Communion to get through that day), I was able to follow along with the program. Nicene Creed: check, just like us. "Thanks be to God:" check. There were quite a few similarities that made me feel comfortable, and a couple of hymns I recognized.

This might be a stretch, but I liked thinking about how close it brought me to the first real Questions ever raised in Christendom; THE Martin Luther! A Christian celebrity of sorts. :) His questions that allowed for my own questions and study about Christianity, in my own time, hundreds of years later. I told my Mom in a email, "I love the Protestants." And I do! (Well, except the unreasonable, uber-evangelical, mean ones. I get twitchy around them.) The Reformation may have divided Christians for good, but it also gifted us with a rich diversity of understanding about faith, and good works, and tradition, and the Bible, and all those things. It helped Catholicism, I think, by making us sure of what we really believe. History would be much more boring indeed, if it hadn't happened.