I survived last week by skipping the choir rehearsal/party and I'm not even sorry. Then I skipped Sunday's last choir Mass, too! (Related: I read an article recently that made me mad about the church in general. It will take me a long time to process my feelings about it, but it aligned with what I already think/feel about the current, and centuries-old, situation; it made me want to skip church anyway, never mind about the singing. But that's another topic.)
Today I got some stuff for Care Packages for the kids at camp next week. It gets harder every year! I found: Haribo gummy bears; packs of gum; small crossword books; glow bracelets for Kate, a football finger game for Alex (he's 14 - too old for crappy toys but what else goes in a care package??)... no nuts, of course, so that rules out most everything yummy.
On Saturday Kate and I went to the outlets and found a couple of good Memorial Day deals. The one and only store I got to shop in just for me, was the Maidenform store, and if that didn't make me feel OLD, jeez! I have needed new bras forever, so it was a must-do errand. I found some bras in a new size that do fit me; however. HOWEVER. Once I got home and wore one, I realized exactly HOW old-lady they are. They're very high coverage and while I don't normally bare cleavage, I do have a few v-neck and scoop-neck t-shirts and these bras will not work. I feel like the center front comes all the way up to my neck! I'm going to have to take half of them back. The other half will just have to be my winter sweater bras, and I'll have to keep looking. You'd think a girl who worked AT a bra company would do better about wearing the correct bras, but you would be wrong.
Other than that, we shopped at Vineyard Vines and Palmetto Moon, where I bought my first Simply Southern t-shirt. That brand is so uber-popular here right now, I couldn't stand to not have one -- Kate already has 2 or 3 -- and the one we found is cute (Kate picked it). I plan to wear it all summer.
I was in a mood most of the weekend. It was partly because I am not sleeping well. Carpal tunnel wrists are no joke, and have been really achy lately in bed. Would a new mattress and pillows help? Maybe, and we will be investigating that soon. Would working out help? Probably. And it helps sleep in general, which ought to be a clue to me. I've let working out slide again, with the busy-ness of the last couple of weeks of school. Those weeks are just impossible.
So it's summer! It's so HOT, already, in May! What is that going to mean for June and July?! I'm scared to find out, and scared to send Alex to Band Camp in that heat. Yikes. He won't like it, I fear. But maybe they find ways to cool off, who knows. We've been swimming once, all of us, next door at our very generous neighbors' house, and we did an impromptu backyard hot dog dinner that night. Here's hoping for more of those.
The kids leave Sunday for camp. I know we're going to breathe a little sigh of relief once they're settled in, and we will enjoy our two weeks of nightly news, late dinners on the couch, whatever we want to do, and no whining. It'll be lovely! (And then I'll miss them like crazy and want them home.) I do keep wondering if Alex will want to go again next year... especially if he enjoys Band, and/or wants to get a job next year, or or or.... guess we'll just have to see.
I've been making summer treats. We got a new popsicle mold so we've made juice pops, the best one being a fresh strawberry-watermelon pop that I plan to repeat frequently. YUM. I haven't tried the grape juice pop yet. Also pulled out the old ice cream maker, and made a batch of Reese's peanut butter ice cream. Delicious! I'd have that kind of stuff for dinner every night if I could get away with it. Instead, here's the menu:
S - we had our Hamburgers/baked beans/chips Memorial Day meal on Sunday
M - Creamy One-Pan Chicken and Rice, with steamed broccoli on the side
T - Dinner Salads with (Tyson) oven baked chicken tenders
W - Spaghetti
Th - Crock pot BBQ shredded chicken sandwiches with pasta salad
F - Quesadillas and cheese dip/chips
Wednesday, May 29
Tuesday, May 21
What is May if not a huge To-Do List?
- Buy graduation cards and write checks for M. in P'cola and B. in Alpharetta.
- Get Emissions tested
- Tag used uniforms for Friday sale DONE*
- Prep Kate's textbooks to sell to the 4th grader we always sell to
- Help with 8th grade graduation night refreshments/clean-up**
- Choir rehearsal (last one!) and get fruit to take to the party***
- 7:30 a.m. dentist appointment Thursday morning
- Noon dismissal Friday and Work From Home - email boss DONE
- Start buying Care Package stuff and writing out cards for kids' summer camp
- Do kids need anything else for camp? Shoes? Sunscreen? Duffle bags? DUFFLE BAGS
- Get something nice for baby C. who is our godson and who will be baptized June 1!!
- Buy myself a swimsuit since I haven't had a new one in a couple of years
- Buy Alex khakis and black dress shoes since he's growing^
- Make my annual doctor's appointment because I've run out of Singulair
- Fix W4s because we need more money coming in, less being withheld
- Send first marching band payment DONE
- Help dust and vacuum upstairs hahaha
There is a reason I can't focus on work-work, JEEZ.
* I have tagged about 30 uniforms already, and have another full bin of uniforms to sell next time, and then after the last day of school (Friday) I will have even MORE, because Kate is moving up to middle school and it's an entirely new uniform. Gah! I hope I make some money. Well, I hope I break even.
** Last year I was so touched by the moms who served refreshments after Alex's 8th grade graduation - I didn't realize there was a reception, and they worked so hard getting the food set up - it was beautiful and we were very hungry so I was super grateful. Even though it means driving all the way (25 minutes) back to school tonight, I'm happy to volunteer for this.
*** Again, I'll be going all the way back to school/church after dropping Kate off at home at 5:30, but this is our last choir rehearsal of the school year and my last for a while. I've decided to back out of the church choir for next year -- I simply can't dedicate the time and besides that, I have not enjoyed the new/old director. "For that reason, I'm OUT." No guilt. (Maybe a little guilt.)
^ Remembering all those old posts about Alex's height and weight being in the 1st percentile, or the 3rd, and visiting the endocrinologist. He's almost as tall as me (5'2"), which is still not tall, but much taller, and one doctor doubted he could ever reach 5 feet. Anyway, whenever there's an event he needs to dress up for, he has to dig for nice-enough pants (we just don't buy them that often). Whoops.
Thursday, May 9
Summer in 3 weeks
We couldn't do summer without our college-age nanny. I know the kids would hate me calling her a "nanny," but that's how she functions. I've just learned she's available and I'm so relieved. Last year, she had already lined up another babysitting job several days a week. How could she?! She helped us a little, but not as much as I might have liked.
I only need her a couple days a week, for a scattered week here and there, but Kate just does not like being home "alone" (=with Alex) for long days while I'm at work. I guess I don't blame her -- staying in the house all day for days on end probably isn't ideal. Hopefully when the nanny is there they can go out exploring/shopping a little bit. My next-door neighbor also offered her backyard pool on some of those summer days. AND I'm going to try to work out having 1 day a week to work from home during those weeks.*
I only need her a couple days a week, for a scattered week here and there, but Kate just does not like being home "alone" (=with Alex) for long days while I'm at work. I guess I don't blame her -- staying in the house all day for days on end probably isn't ideal. Hopefully when the nanny is there they can go out exploring/shopping a little bit. My next-door neighbor also offered her backyard pool on some of those summer days. AND I'm going to try to work out having 1 day a week to work from home during those weeks.*
It'll be great. Can you believe it's already almost summer??
That reminds me: We've had some really lovely weather lately -- cool spring mornings, very warm in the afternoons but not yet humid and miserable, which is how our summers feel to me. My plants, so far, are hanging in there and doing quite well (no jinxes!!). I still should have put more petunias in each container (they seem a little sparse) but they are flowering, I'm remembering to water and dead-head them, and I'm even rotating the hanging baskets -- which are full-sun plants but hanging in mostly shade -- to the driveway every few days to get a good dose of light. I'm super proud of myself. My Mom gave me the Grumpy Gardener's A to Z book for an early birthday gift, and I just love it.
Back to summer: Not long from now, the kids will be off on their 2-week camp adventure. Kate has a couple of classmates joining her this year, and yesterday after Girl Scouts she was so happy to be the "expert," telling them what to pack. She had a moment, earlier in the year, where she didn't want these school friends encroaching on "her" summer experience (and I can totally sympathize with that), but she is managing to be gracious about it. She told me now she wants to tell them everything, but also doesn't want to ruin the experience for them, which is sweet of her.
Instead of typing up my menu plan for the week (which was a good one, but a lot of the usuals), let's talk about summer food. The one meal we do in the summer that we don't during other times of the year is grilled chicken kabobs over rice. Peppers and onions, too.
I would like to have more meals that are specific to summer. Not necessarily grilled ones, because we still don't have a great grill. Someday. Someday when we have extra money to spend. For now our little Weber is going to have to do. But besides the grill, what feels "summery" to you? Oh, here is one that we do, because it's very spicy so we have to save it for when the kids are away:
Shrimp Durango - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18130/shrimp-durango/ - I love it. Love love love. Cilantro, white wine, and butter. It's like I've died and gone to heaven.
And here are some that I'd like to try, with the kids:
Lobster Rolls - https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/easy-classic-lobster-rolls/ - since we are not New Englanders, we don't eat this very often but I know I would love it
Cowboy Pasta Salad - https://bellyfull.net/2017/06/05/cowboy-pasta-salad/ - My Dad might argue that cowboys don't eat salad, but it sounds delicious!
Crunchy Asain Ramen Salad - https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/crunchy-asian-ramen-noodle-salad/ - I already love this and have made it once or twice for myself or for parties. Might add some shrimp or even grilled chicken for the boys in my house who need their meat.
I need to get to my real work, I guess, boo. Hope you're having a good week, Internet friends!
*I really wish I had been called to teaching. You'd have thought, after all the time I spent playing teacher when I was little, there'd have been some inkling toward that career path. But no. I think I was looking for the glamour of the business world. (haha!) I also played "office" when I was little. Probably I thought corporate work was somehow better than teaching --more polished, or more professional. I am sure I thought it paid more (but guess what...?) Office work certainly has a few perks, like travel (international travel in my case) and not being on my feet all day and not working with other peoples' snot-nosed kids. Heh. But seriously, Kate and Alex, when you're planning your careers, THINK OF THE SUMMERS.
That reminds me: We've had some really lovely weather lately -- cool spring mornings, very warm in the afternoons but not yet humid and miserable, which is how our summers feel to me. My plants, so far, are hanging in there and doing quite well (no jinxes!!). I still should have put more petunias in each container (they seem a little sparse) but they are flowering, I'm remembering to water and dead-head them, and I'm even rotating the hanging baskets -- which are full-sun plants but hanging in mostly shade -- to the driveway every few days to get a good dose of light. I'm super proud of myself. My Mom gave me the Grumpy Gardener's A to Z book for an early birthday gift, and I just love it.
Back to summer: Not long from now, the kids will be off on their 2-week camp adventure. Kate has a couple of classmates joining her this year, and yesterday after Girl Scouts she was so happy to be the "expert," telling them what to pack. She had a moment, earlier in the year, where she didn't want these school friends encroaching on "her" summer experience (and I can totally sympathize with that), but she is managing to be gracious about it. She told me now she wants to tell them everything, but also doesn't want to ruin the experience for them, which is sweet of her.
Instead of typing up my menu plan for the week (which was a good one, but a lot of the usuals), let's talk about summer food. The one meal we do in the summer that we don't during other times of the year is grilled chicken kabobs over rice. Peppers and onions, too.
I would like to have more meals that are specific to summer. Not necessarily grilled ones, because we still don't have a great grill. Someday. Someday when we have extra money to spend. For now our little Weber is going to have to do. But besides the grill, what feels "summery" to you? Oh, here is one that we do, because it's very spicy so we have to save it for when the kids are away:
Shrimp Durango - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18130/shrimp-durango/ - I love it. Love love love. Cilantro, white wine, and butter. It's like I've died and gone to heaven.
And here are some that I'd like to try, with the kids:
Lobster Rolls - https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/easy-classic-lobster-rolls/ - since we are not New Englanders, we don't eat this very often but I know I would love it
Cowboy Pasta Salad - https://bellyfull.net/2017/06/05/cowboy-pasta-salad/ - My Dad might argue that cowboys don't eat salad, but it sounds delicious!
Crunchy Asain Ramen Salad - https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/crunchy-asian-ramen-noodle-salad/ - I already love this and have made it once or twice for myself or for parties. Might add some shrimp or even grilled chicken for the boys in my house who need their meat.
I need to get to my real work, I guess, boo. Hope you're having a good week, Internet friends!
*I really wish I had been called to teaching. You'd have thought, after all the time I spent playing teacher when I was little, there'd have been some inkling toward that career path. But no. I think I was looking for the glamour of the business world. (haha!) I also played "office" when I was little. Probably I thought corporate work was somehow better than teaching --more polished, or more professional. I am sure I thought it paid more (but guess what...?) Office work certainly has a few perks, like travel (international travel in my case) and not being on my feet all day and not working with other peoples' snot-nosed kids. Heh. But seriously, Kate and Alex, when you're planning your careers, THINK OF THE SUMMERS.
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