Rite of Passage

Our news this week is interesting, at least: AJ has fractured his right arm. Years from now I might want to remember it (I guess?) and it probably deserves a spot in the proverbial online “baby book,” though I think the pages in traditional baby books run out before age 7. Anyway, he was playing, at home – he loves to try to do “frog-stand,” and maybe this was what he was attempting to do – and he fell off KT’s bed, catching himself with two hands and two stiff arms… one of which went, “Pop.” Auditorally, it was a small pop, like cracking a knuckle. But already in my memory of it (2 short days ago), it’s gotten louder and…crunchier. How does the brain do that?


I am leaving the office in 20 minutes to take him to the Children’s Orthopaedics. I am anxious to finally hear from a doctor myself, since DH is the one who got to take him to Urgent Care the other night, and he has taken the follow-up calls (“Yes, it’s a fracture, now commence with the appointment-making and referral-getting. Have fun!”). I hope we get some actual details. Remind me to ask for doctor’s notes for Jiu Jitsu (we’ll get a little money back) and what he can and cannot do.


AJ, himself, is mostly handling it well. His mean mommy and daddy have made him go to school anyway. He hasn’t said we’re mean, but I feel – surprise –guilty about it. But yesterday he managed, and his friends took good care of him. I went to the school at noon and saw them on the playground, playing “Walk-Tag,” a game I think they made up in his honor. The four of them came walking up to me in a posse, and his buddies took turns telling what he had needed help with. So cute. Of course my main worry was had he gone to the restroom??! How is a kid supposed to unbuckle a belt and unfasten hook-and-eye pants with one (left) hand, I ask you? (He told me later he just didn’t go… all day.) I guess we’ll all figure out a way.


At dinner and bedtime last night, he was kinda weepy. He doesn’t like the splint, of course, and wants it OFF. (He won’t like a cast, either, if that’s what he gets today.) And I suspect he’s a little worried about how he’ll have ANY fun for the next 6 weeks, if it takes that long. The prospect of not playing his DS or Wii (hard to do with only one hand), no regular tag at recess, no trampoline jumping at the neighbors’ (ever again!!! Says Mean Mommy), no jiu jitsu, no bouncing on beds (ever again), no Daddy-wrestling…. I mean, I understand for a 7-year-old boy, this is pretty devastating. He had JUST learned a front flip on the trampoline, too.


On the other hand (heh), we’ve already promised to buy him a new set of Pokemon cards, and… there will probably be extra trips to get ice cream in his immediate future.

Rain last night

It poured rain during the night. Enough to wake both kids and bring them, shivering, to our room. I don't mind so much when they come in during a storm. It makes me smile, almost; I think it's one of the blessings of parenthood to be considered the safest and most comforting person/place, when thunder makes the house shake. And it comforts ME to have to comfort them, you know? It's the one time I kind-of do wish we had a king-sized bed.

I've always liked storms -- not that they don't sometimes scare me, too. But since I was a child, I've sort-of enjoyed being awake, even if it's 2:00 in the morning. I think the unexpectedness of them is what makes them interesting. You just don't know when the next crack! is going to happen -- not even when the lightning gives warning. Could be 7 seconds later, could be right away. And Jennifer once wrote about how she prays in thanksgiving for her home, however modest, when it's coming down cats and dogs outside. YES. What a comfort to also hear the hum of the fridge or the AC cutting on, when outside all the "hum" is loudly interrupted with unpredictable fury (or even gentle drizzle). How thankful I am for our solid shelter. For a warm bed.

And for extra bodies sharing my pillow.

----------------------------------

(Of course, after a while I did have to move myself to AJ's room. There was a 3-year-old leg thrown over my neck.)

Grateful!@3

^ Current password to get into my work computer, in case you ever find yourself in my cube.

Yes, I'm making a concentrated effort to count my blessings for the next few days. Yes, I'm feeling better. But gratefulness is gooooood medicine, and you can never have too much.

• I made a roast in the crock pot (2-3 lb frozen roast, 1 onion cut up, 3/4c water + 1 envelope Onion Soup Mix. High for 6 hrs or Low for 8). It tasted just like my Grandmother used to make, and I made onion gravy and lima beans with rice to go with it. The only thing I forgot was spiced peaches. No one loved it but me (DH ate it willingly and said it was better than his Mom's), but I DON'T CARE. I am very grateful for Comfort Food.
• It's almost fall. I love the cooler weather, football, sweaters, the rain. It's coming soon and I'm going to revel in it.
• I'm grateful for my Integrated Management System. Ha! No, really, I've been reading a productivity book at work, and it, along with MS Outlook, is helping me organize my days a little more thoughtfully, which is obviously something I need. (Avoid Stress! Plan! You can Do It!)
• I'm grateful for a job. Like the Desiderata says, "It is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time." (No matter how grumpy it sometimes makes me.)
• I'm grateful for a husband who loves and accepts me, warts and all.
• I'm grateful for fun and cuddles last night with KT (Alice in Wonderland, playing mermaids in the bathtub, and Alexander & the Terrible...Day), even while she's being a 3.5-year-old pill these days. It will pass; I'm holding on to that and trying not to wish time away.

Some Pleasantries

After I wrote that post Friday, and all of you were so kind, commenting, I had a hard time getting the little silent tears to stop falling. I would think I was all finished, but then another note would start me right up again, and back to the ladies' room I would go. I don't blame you. ;) I thank you, enormously, for all your sweet words and virtual hugs. As I told my Dad, us writers/bloggers/journal-keepers rarely feel the need to spew words all over a page when things are exceptionally good. It's harder, even, to FIND those words, I think. I've said before, I seem to remember the great days in soft-focus visuals, in a "feeling." People always say they want to "bottle it up." But somehow, when the emotions are painful, the words fall all over themselves to get out, to be said. I guess that's where poetry comes from.

We went out on Friday night; I decided without consulting anyone that Mexican Food Was Happening, and I guess everyone knew better than to complain, after my outburst. Well, that's not entirely true, KT complained a little, and pretty much refused to eat, but too bad for her. Margarita? Check. Spinach quesedilla? My new favorite. And otherwise, we had a normal weekend, both productive and relaxing. The weather was gorgeous, which is a renewal in itself. I laid down to read and essentially that turned into "went to bed," at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night. We went for a walk on Sunday.

I still feel like I want to take a Personal Day from work, but it looks like I have called a meeting for this Friday (damn). The following Friday, AJ has the day off school. So I don't know what will happen, but I'd like to figure it out. I think I've only ever just played hooky one time in my 15 years of working; I mean, taking a day that wasn't a planned vacation or Christmas holidays, just a day for me. I'm picturing a leisurely morning with my coffee, a leisurely shopping trip by myself, a day free of cleaning or chores (unless I feel like it - sometimes cleaning is good for the soul), maybe a haircut. I suppose it doesn't have to be a Friday. Tonight is Book Club, and although I still don't really feel like being jolly, I am hopeful that by osmosis, the good friendships in front of me will fill me up.

Please, please pardon this extreme brain dump.

It's been a couple of rough days for me. I'm feeling underappreciated and under-loved, I guess, and I melted down about it this morning when KT fought every choice I gave her over what to wear. Normally I wouldn't bother with that battle -- I often let her go to school as the raggedy child in plain jeans and a stained t-shirt, because I simply don't have time to argue with her -- but today is school picture day and since I thought it was yesterday, and sent her in her ONE cute outfit yesterday, and had fewer options for cute outfits today, AND since I don't have time nor money to take her to the expensive studio for a three-year-old photo, this is going to HAVE TO DO, and she NEEDS TO LOOK CUTE. I envy the women whose girls are always dressed in AN OUTFIT that actually matches and was bought together, and always with the big, adorable grosgrain ribbons in their hair and cute shoes. KT never has the exact right shoes. Anyway, this morning I had a meltdown.

Times like THIS are how I simpley cannot fathom a single-parent-situation, because all I had to do was quiver like I was about to meltdown, and DH swooped in, shut KT's door, and took care of the situation while I childishly cried into a towel in my bathroom. I guess we all have our breaking point. AJ had been giving me the business earlier in the morning, because we didn't have his favorite breakfast item. "WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO THE STORE???!" he shouted at me. And that set me off.

IWORKSOHARDFORYOUANDALLIEVERGETISATTITUDE!ICANNOTGOTOTHESTOREEVERYDAYIWILLGIVEYOUAPIECEOFWHITEBREADANDSOMETEPIDWATERFORBREAKFAST,HOWWILLTHATBE????

Not to mention the dog crapping in the house TWICE in the morning, once AFTER I took him outside and he just doodled around sniffing things. Old dog, bless his heart. BUT OH MY LORD WITH THE POOPING.

Some of this started yesterday on Sparkpeople, when someone commented to me (because I was saying I haven't had time to workout) that my schedule is "insane." I've sometimes thought that, myself, on particularly busy weeks, but it kinda threw me for a loop to have someone else say it, because isn't my schedule just a NORMAL working mom with two kids kind of schedule? It has made me question nearly everything, and I guess that's what taken my emotions right off the rails. But I mean, what do you think about this kind of schedule? Objectively.

Monday
7:00 leave the house, drop off AJ
7:30 - 12 work
12 noon lunch with a friend (a rarity, I assure you)
1:30 - 4:30 work
5:00 pick up AJ, take him to his annual checkup
6:00 do homework, make dinner, etc... kids to bed, make lunches, watch TV and bed.

Tuesday
6:15 leave the house for my early day
6:30 - 11 work
11 - 11:30 drop off volunteer-job stuff at AJ's school; pop in to tell him he'll have to go to Aftercare b/c of an unexpected meeting
12-4 work (lunch was provided at work that day)
4:30 pick up AJ, homework, dinner...
6:30 boys leave for Cub Scouts
hang out with KT, etc. nighttime stuff

Wednesday
7:00 leave the house, drop off AJ
7:30 - 12 work
12 noon lunch out with my team (ran by the bank too)
1:30 - 4:30 work
5:00 pick up AJ, change his clothes, go to his jiu jitsu class
6:30 home, DH made dinner....

Thursday
6:15 leave the house for my early day
6:30 - 3:15 work (lunch at my desk, which I hate, but sometimes I have a lot of work to do, too)
3:30 pick up AJ, take him to school skating party, have no friends there, no one talks to me... (this was also a bit of an emotional glitch - when the skating rink feels the same at 37 as it did at 13... hrm.)
5:00 home, feeling guilty because KT isn't picked up yet but I need to get AJ home to do his homework before she's there to interrupt him
6:00 make dinner, listen to KT scream in complaint about not wanting what I'm making... eat my own dinner quickly because...
6:40 leave for choir practice -- which I can't decide if is another committment to stress me out, or "me-time" (I lean toward calling it me-time, but some days, especially Sundays, it feels like the opposite)
9:00 practice ends, go home, watch Project Runway, maybe help DH fold a few items from laundry... crash on the couch around 10....

I just... I don't know. It seems pretty normal to me. Maybe minus the choir thing. Is it not?

KT's in a phase of complaining and screaming. It's normal 3.5-yr-old stuff, we went through it with AJ. But it is wearing on me at the moment and I'm not handling her very well. (Can't wait 'til she's thirteen.)

I need some new clothes. That's one thing that always adds to a bad mood, when I don't feel like I have anything to wear, and no time to go shopping, and I'm always worried about spending too much money. I need a haircut and I haven't had time for that. I don't like to complain about it all, because DH will say, "Please go take some time for yourself, go shopping, get a pedicure." And then I'll feel bad for leaving him with the kids YET AGAIN, and I know HE needs some time off as well (not to mention clothes shopping), but he doesn't ever whine about it like I do... and I need a girlfriend that I LIKE to invite me to lunch or something, because I feel like I don't have any friends at the moment, and that makes it worse. I'm not even PMS-y, although this post sure sounds like it.

I'm so grateful for my beautiful kids, my wonderful husband who does the laundry and the yardwork despite how crappy he feels at the end of a work day, and all the good gifts I have. Most people think, I suspect, that I have it all together. But sometimes I have NOTHING together, nothing at all. I get tired and cranky and I don't want to DEAL with it all anymore. I would like to take a three-week vacation. Maybe by myself. At my mom's house.

Just Write: Right Now

I'm going to try this free writing exercise with Extraordinary Ordinary. Thanks to Nicole for pointing it out to me! Warning: This could end up being a very boring entry!

AJ, age 7, is sitting behind me at the kitchen table. I hear his pencils, coloring a West Virginia flag picture (drawn with much angst and crying last night from a picture we found online), working so hard I can almost also hear his tounge sticking out.

The dog is under the table. I hear him breathing, snoring (a good thing for a 15-year-old lab).

I poured us Cokes, a rare treat, but I left mine over there, on the counter. I can still taste its yummy sugar in my mouth. AJ has only drunk a little of his and I'm glad he's not a Coke guzzler. Last time I gave him Coke, he was enthusiastic in telling me, "Mom, Coke is REALLY GOOD." Rare treat, rare treat.

Next we'll have to cut out a construction paper cover for this state report. But I'm supposed to be talking about right now.

I see snacks waiting by the back door, to be taken to the boys' Den meeting tonight. DH's first as a Leader; I know he's slightly nervous. It makes me smile. I see a load of recycling that needs to be taken out (and I'm glad we finally signed up with a trash service that separates recycling, because I think it's a good lesson for the kids). The kids looooooove to take out the recycling, by the way.

Now I hear the dog clicking around the wood floor on his nails (we rarely cut them). And AJ wants to show me his finished flag. Have you ever drawn the West Virginia flag? It's really a tough one, as state flags go.

I get up to look, and I'm really proud of him. I will probably shuffle off to begin the nightly stroll through the pantry/fridge, to figure out something for dinner. I'm thinking chicken.

Monday is a letdown

After our exciting weekend, today is such a letdown. Between our Friday night dinner outing to Li's Asian Cuisine, where KT was adventurous, trying lo mein noodles and gyoza, and smiling after every bite, knowing how proud we were of her for being! So! Big!... and Saturday's trip to the dancewear store to buy Tap Shoes! And real leather ballet shoes! (because the cheap knock-off brand at Target simply won't do for 3-year-old ballet [apparently])... and happening upon the city's Saturday Farmer's Market (fresh! flowers!)... and then having an unknown (to us) 14-year-old babysitter come over to watch our 2 kids and our friends' 1... and driving far away to a smallish wedding and drinking 2 lovely glasses of wine... and eating red velvet cake with icing that tasted like liquid-soft marshmallows... and then... then!!! watching my sister's Ironman results on the computer, clicking Refresh every few minutes, even though I knew it was going to take more than a few minutes for her to run 4.7 miles to the next split (why do they do them at such random intervals?)... and then seeing her final result, THIRD in her division!! ...and crying with her, over the phone, when SHE learned that result...

...I mean, the fact that I have a stupid head cold on a Monday, and came to work armed with my DayQuil to do some emails and data entry, is supremely lame.

Kid Breakfasts

I liked Swistle's Kid Breakfasts post, and the comments about what other peoples' kids eat. I don't know if I'm embarassed or not about our list. My kids usually eat 2 items of their choice from this list, plus chocolate milk or juice:

• Gogurt or other kid-friendly yogurt


• Quaker instant Oatmeal


• 1 slice of banana bread (I make a lot of banana bread, because we have very ripe bananas leftover every time I buy them)


• Jimmy Dean's Sausage & Pancake on a Stick (sometimes turkey, sometimes regular)


• Frozen mini-pancakes (4)


• Nutella on toast cut into "bites"


• Dry cereal (they like Fruit Loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Frosted Flakes, and Cinnamon Life lately)


• sugar-free applesauce, grapes, strawberries, or half a banana depending on what we have


• rarely, a Nature Valley Trail Mix granola bar

I amuse myself typing this up - why am I so concerned about the sugar in applesauce when I'm obviously not very concerned about any other item's nutritional value?! LOL. Also, KT rarely eats all her oatmeal although she asks for it every day. I've taken to splitting one packet up for her, which seems so measly when it's doled out, and when she barely finishes even that. But on the other hand, she also gets breakfast at daycare, so I don't worry too much (except about the waste of food).

A Bushel and a Peck

I wish we could take video of some weekends in their entirety, and then go back to re-live them. I've learned this before, but once again it seems the best ones are really sometimes the least complicated.

... DH got to watch AJ at his new martial arts class, which he LOVES. It's interesting how much more enthusiastic AJ is about this than he was about baseball...

... We spent a lot of money at Target, but for things we have definitely been wanting, including a bulletin board for AJ's room (doesn't that make him seem like a BIG KID to you?), and shelves for our den (remember, I said we might do shelves??)...

... We had lunch at home on Saturday, which felt boring at the time (DH and I had lobbied for Chick Fil A but the kids weren't interested) but maybe it was just what we needed...

... We cleaned the house relax-ed-ly, vacuuming, dusting, and wiping down bathrooms (for the babysitter, and yes, it takes having someone over in order for me to get enthused about cleaning)

... The babysitter came and brought joy to the kids' hearts (KT was so cute, waiting by the window for her car to arrive), and to the parents' hearts, as we headed out for Thai food and then, the BEST MUSICAL EVER WRITTEN, Guys and Dolls. ;) I do love that show and I love my husband so much for knowing I would be thrilled to see it...

... We went to Sunday morning Mass and the kids BEHAVED, unlike the last 2 (or was it 3?) weeks running, AND we ran into some baseball friends there. We didn't know they went to our church and it was a really nice surprise!

... We did laundry, listened to music at dinner (I'll have to tell you about my new MUSIC plan), and got the pantry stocked for the week with juice boxes and oatmeal. Meals are planned for this busy week ahead, and my heart is just full with the love of family life right this moment.

7 Quick Things I Did Yesterday

It was a busy day.

1. Got up at 5:00 am. I started this schedule last school year, and it did accomplish the task of allowing me to do homework with AJ twice a week at our kitchen table. I do also kind-of like being awake before everyone else, and leaving the morning shuffle of dressing kids and gathering backpacks to DH, while I drive to the office at 6:15. (They also behave better for him than for me.) HOWEVER. It’s so earrrrlyyyy! Whine. I’m unsure if I really want to keep up with it this year again.

2. Witnessed some police business going down! I was in the drive-thru line at the bank, and another guy in line was evidently not doing the right thing, to use daycare-ese. 4 cop cars and 1 plain-clothes investigator! They cuffed the dude while my teller was all, “Thank you for banking with Wells Fargo!” over the tin-can speaker.

3. Made it to carpool in time. I was not the last car, and this always pleases me. One reason I am unsure about continuing these early days is the extreme rush it takes for me to GET to carpool. Even with leaving my office at 3:30 (exactly 480 minutes after I arrive at 6:30, minus lunch), I hate that stress. AJ knows if I don’t make it, not to panic... but I panic.

4. Met an online friend IRL! A sweet lady I met on Sparkpeople.com lives right around the corner from us. She and I met up for a 30-minute walk in the park, and AJ came with us. He walked a little and played on the playground a little. I don’t know if we’ll continue to meet in the afternoons (I’d rather not have AJ there by himself, although I do think it’s important to model for him the importance of physical activity), but I think we’ll definitely meet again.

5. Cooked a real dinner for once this week. It had a protein, vegetable, fruit, and Crescent Rolls. It was not hot dogs, chicken nuggets, leftovers, microwaved, or one of my frequent dinner solutions. We hadn't had this dish in a while and I thought it was delicious.

6. Went to the 1st choir practice of the season. We had fun, and my only regret was being overly excited about some music we’re doing this year that I’ve done before. I don’t want to be THAT GUY, who acts like she knows it all, already. Yeesh. *stupid stupid!* I do wish we'd get some additional people to join. Young-ish people would be nice (average age in our choir is about 60). Edited: NOT that there's anything wrong with 60, of course (Mom)! But it would be fun to meet some singers my own age.

7. Barely saw my husband. So I bought him a pint of Cherry Garcia. We first ate that flavor on our second date, I believe it was, 12 summers ago in 1999. I remember being excited that he shared a bite, on his spoon, with me. So intimate! ;) Anyway, I barely saw him yesterday, so it’s a good thing we have a date night planned this weekend. I can’t wait.


more quick takes hosted by Jen!

The Minutes!

I have a habit that is completely annoying to me. It would annoy you, too, if you knew of it, but it's concealed on the inside of my BRaaaaaaaain. So today I will share it with you, aren't you lucky? Here it is: I count the minutes that I'm away from work, and I try to make up every. single. one.

Take yesterday, for example. I somehow arrived at work about 14 minutes early. Yes, you read that correctly, 14 minutes. Not 15. I noted this in my Brain, while walking through the lobby and into the elevator. I didn't dwell on it, but noticed it.

Then at lunchtime, I had to drive through the school carpool because 2nd Grader AJ had Noon Dismissal (first week of school nonsense). I left the office right around 11:35. Of course, carpool is a long wait, and I was scheduled to meet DH at home for a kid hand-off. There's no real need for me to explain this, but I will anyway: I had stayed with AJ for the FIRST half-day on Wednesday, and DH was keeping him for this 2nd half-day. NONSENSE, these half-days, did I already say that?

ANYHOO. I'm unsure the exact minute I got home with AJ, but we scurried around grabbing lunches to take with us on the road, and by the time I was in my car and almost back to the office, I could see it was 12:48. UH-OH -- I HAVE TAKEN AN HOUR:13 LUNCH!! So I thought to myself, "Well, I'll just stay tonight until 4:45, no big deal. One kid is with Daddy, the other kid will get to have an extra snack at daycare. I can make that time up. And THEN I remembered the morning's extra 14 minutes, and I was so relieved because I came out AHEAD.

BY ONE MINUTE.

I seriously do this type of counting every day. And you know that my job does not even require me to clock in, or log my time, or any of that. My co-workers certainly don't worry about working a FULL 8 HOURS, down to the minute. If they did, they wouldn't spend 15 minutes every 2 hours or so, standing around the common areas talking about Miche bags. (This seems to be the new craze at my office - one coworker is selling Miche bags and evvvvveryone is ordering them. I think they're ugly, myself.)

Not that I never get up -- I do take plenty of bathroom breaks and even a quick yoga break in the mornings (hey, if some people get cigarette breaks, I can have a yoga break). I also don't spend every waking moment doing WORK -- obviously, as I am typing this on COMPANY TIME. But why am I so flipping concerned about the minutes?? I wish I knew. It's a bit of a sickness.

More on diet/exercise

What I didn't say is that now here at the end of July, I am back to attempting at least 3x a week exercise, and eating as close to 1500 calories a day as I can. I usually go a bit over.

I am eating a lot of whole wheat tortillas and beans. Black beans, fat free refried, and hummus. Drinking water like it's going out of style. I have a bottle of wine in the fridge that I keep wanting to pour a glass from, but I forget to budget for it so there it sits, unopened. Tonight we had one of the Holy Grails of diet food, sugar free Jello. Mmmm. My diet profile on Sparkpeople says I need to eat more slowly. Habitually, I am the first to finish (clean) my small-portioned plate. I eat too fast and therefore try to also clean restaurant plates, which are not well portioned. I'd like to change that. It's hard.

I am pretty certain that nothing will really change on the scale or the clothing size until I make a drastic change to my exercise plan, like taking up running. But I am not quite in that mindframe yet. I WANT to want to run... But I am not 100% convinced the result would be worth the effort.

And I've been having heartburn lately. I know I will need to try some kind of OTC remedy first (blech, chalky torture), but I think if I have to take away my coffee and 1 bitty piece of dark chocolate every day (not to mention tomatoes, salsa, red wine and everything good that's spicy), known reflux-causers, I will just cry.

Now, you know everything about my diet & exercise lately. :)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Diet and exercise lately

I started an account on Sparkpeople.com, because I didn't want my kids, someday when I'm gone, to come back to this blog and think, "LORDY, Mom had some food and exercise issues, didn't she?" Frankly, I get sick of talking about it, myself, but I know most women DO think about it, and worry over it, and have to COOK and GROCERY SHOP all the time, and don't have any time LEFT for exercise... so yeah, kids, it's a bit of an issue.

So I got started on Sparkpeople in February, and had a great 2.5 months of logging exercise up to 4x a week. That's a lot for me. I was bringing my shoes to the office and walking near work. There are at least 3 different good trails/sidewalks near here, plus a treadmill (in a gym) in the basement of the office.

And then May and June happened and I don't know - I slacked off. It got hot. Although, one of the major thoughts I've been having about Diet & Exercise lately is this: I have been fairly active most of my life (if sporadically).

• When I was a kid, it was swimming, gymnastics and tennis.


• In middle school, I was a cheerleader and "played" basketball, and took dance lessons.


• In high school, more cheerleading. 3 days a week in the hot sun practicing. I distinctly remember running laps.


• In college, I went to the gym and walked all over campus.


• After college, I gained a good bit of weight (beer and eating out will do that to a person), but I did still walk in a park near my apartment. And I did a shit-ton of Dance Step Reebok with Petra Kolber in my living room.


• First married? Walked around our new apartment neighborhood. Tried Dance Dance Revolution a couple of times.

etc. I could go on, and I mean, I'm no athlete, but I take comfort in the fact that I've always TRIED. I've kept trying.

Other random tidbits that have crossed my mind:

-- Salmon, no matter how nicely prepared, is just not as satisfying as creamy-sauce-covered jerk chicken pasta. The salmon will never win my heart, though I force it to win my decision most times.

-- The gym, is not really that scary. Not even when the only other person there is a GUY. All you have to do is say, "Are you using the treadmill?" And he might say no. And that's it, you get on the treadmill. He's not really watching you (me)... he's watching his own MUSCLES. (Or wishing for them.) And it's funny when you catch him straining a little to lift that last rep.

-- It is not hard to cut up 1 lemon and take it to work in a baggie, to squeeze into 32-ounce bottles of water. NOT HARD. And lasts a full week, if not more.

-- Eating a cookie (or 3) does not make anyone a bad person. It is OKAY. It is okay to eat cookies and ice cream -- you are still nice, and sweet (probably sweeter), and people won't dislike you for it. You won't get in TROUBLE for messing up. Just keep eating veggies too.

-- You can tread water in the 3-foot shallow. Just act like you're swimming, but use your arms to stop yourself going forward. It IS movement/a workout.

-- My worst temptation is chips and salsa, or crackers and dips. I go insane on those. INSANE.

When we painted our kitchen (the oft-mentioned Before & After!)

It took us 3 months, March - May, to actually complete this project, and it has now taken me three more months, May - July, to post any photos about it, despite really, really wanting to. And then this morning I had the post nearly finished, when Blogger decided to eat it. Drat!! I'll try again. MAY I PRESENT:

Our Kitchen and Den, Newly Painted, a photo essay.

(click pics to enlarge)

First, a "Before" shot. Please ignore the people in the foreground (mah baybee! so wittle!) and notice, instead, the details of the walls behind them. Our floral border. Our cornflower blue. Our dusty and heinous Big Blue Checkered Window Shade! The lovely plastic collander atop the cabinet! Weep a little for me, letting myself live this way for 8 1/2 years! Dumb me.


And behold, "After."

I couldn't have removed the construction-paper artwork from the dishwasher before taking this photo?!? (head smack), but here it is, finished. That's Valspar "Labrador." I thought it would possibly make the formica cabinets stand out worse than before, but I don't think it does. I found the exact number of dark wicker baskets, at the exact height I needed, to store things like plastic collanders around the top. So much neater. And I'm in love with the blind on the window. Should have definitely done THAT 8 1/2 years ago.

Just another shot of the countertop. Banana, anyone? You can see here where the Labrador ends and the "Hopsack" begins. I adore the name Hopsack. And the color, too.





Have to show one small detail. I'm not a Decorator, nor did I really care for most of the kitchen decor things I was seeing in stores, but because I have two ceramic roosters/chickens that belonged to my Grandmother, I was happy to also find these little rooster bookends. A theme! I'm trying not to go overboard with it but I like the red accent it brings to the room, and I did buy red dishtowels, as well.




Finally, the pantry door and the den. We did Hopsack on top and Labrador on the bottom. It's calming and creamy and we still love it. I haven't bought shelves to put on that big wall, but I will. And of course now I need new couches. :) Projects beget projects, don't they? Wonder how long it will be before we do another one? (Acutally, I'm anxious to paint my master bath now. Probably with the same colors. I'll let you know when it's done. HahahahatalktoyounextFebruary.)

Weekend friends

We went to some friends’ house last night for swimming and dinner. They have kids, a boy and a girl, right around our kids’ ages, and our kids play pretty well with theirs. They go to our church, and I got to know the mom/wife through choir. They’re perfectly nice. We had a fine time. But it just wasn’t emotionally satisfying in the way that I want our couple-friendships to be. It never is with these friends; they’re like us in some ways, and very much not like us in others. The word I came up with was warmth -- there just isn’t a lot of warmth among us. Not a lot of laughter. Okay, I’ll say this: we don’t really care for the husband as much as I like the wife. So there’s an imbalance, for one thing. I don’t think they’re tee-totallers but they don’t ever offer beer or wine, which I feel is sort-of odd for a Sunday afternoon in the summertime…. or, for anytime at a social gathering of adults. Is it weird for me to think that? I know alcohol isn’t necessary for a good time, but frankly this party could have used some loosening up. No matter – it is what it is, and I certainly don’t require alcohol for a good time (geez, now I’m all self-conscious that I brought it up). Anyway, I’m left wondering if the friendly warmth will develop over time (although we’ve been getting together with this couple, sporadically, for 5 years now), or if it just isn’t meant to be. Sigh. I’m trying.

On Friday night I had gone out with the school moms – a group of about 8 of us. We had a fantastic outing at an art workshop, where they coached us through painting a beach scene. I was pretty darn proud of mine, and it was fun to let the artist in me try something a little different.

But I thought, if I put as much effort into our couple-friendships as I do my girl-friendships, maybe we’d enjoy that aspect of our life a bit more. What we need, we were reminded last week, is to get together with W@lt and M@rti. They’re fun to be around, if a little off the wall. W is always cracking off-color jokes (he emailed DH last week and said, “I know this is a sperm of the moment idea, but…” GROAN) but is full of warmth and humor. His wife emigrated to the U.S. and is very interesting and sweet, and they parent similarly to our style (older girl, younger boy). It’s been a long time since we saw them. And Sherry and D. (Hi, Sherry!): Some of the nicest people I know (and also fun, warm!). And Mel and Jon. Okay, maybe I need to schedule a party. Friendships require tending, and I can see I need to get into the garden and get my hands dirty. (Plus it was a NY's resolution. Eek. 2011's half over!)

Guilt of another "nature," har har

We all have Mommy guilt; that's an established fact. When we don't serve our special snowflakes 100% All-Organic Juice, perhaps, or we don't schedule them for fourteen different activities during the summer like their obviously Harvard-bound peers, or we do make them clean their plates at dinnertime (the horror!). But I have another kind of guilt and lately it's been worse than Mom-guilt.

Mowing guilt.

Folks, I have a confession. I have never once mowed our yard. Never. Once. My poor, dear husband suffers yearly when the summer heat and humidity begin -- and even when it's a comfortable seventy degrees, he suffers up and down the hilly, sinkhole and rabbit-hole danger zone that is our giant yard. He bought the lawnmower, he uses the lawnmower... he hates the lawnmower.

And I don't help.

Obviously, it's a very dated picture of domestic life -- she cooks and takes care of the children, and he does the heavy yard labor. For that I feel badly, even though I hardly call myself a staunch feminist. I think in other areas, we do things mostly evenly. We both changed diapers. We both give baths. We both manage the money. We both MAKE the money. We both clean toilets. (Actually, if I'm to be fair, he does a lot more of the cleaning (vacuuming) than I do.) But I just can't bring myself to mow the grass.

Because It's HOTTTTTTTTT! Proper Southern ladies are simply not meant to sweat as much as it would require for me to tackle that task (did I tell you I was once a Debutante?)... No. No amount of iced tea could make up for it. And.... it's a big MACHIIIIIIINE! I'm slightly scared of it, I have to admit. I could cut off a foot! It's a dirty job, and, unfortunately, DH has to do it. That's just the way it is. I would say he knew this going in to the marriage... but he probably didn't, since we didn't have a lawn before we were married. Whoops.

My mother, I will have you know, has never mowed grass, either.

I suppose the obvious solution would be for us, a 2-income family, to Pay Someone Else to do it. The one time I tried that, it was an EPIC FAIL. I should have known, employing a pre-teen. Any future hire would have to be a professional service, and I feel like I've suggested it before, but... economy and unnecessary expenditures blah blah blah.

So. Guilt. Maybe it balances out slightly because I agree to play unlimited games of CandyLand with the kids while he does it?

(Do you ladies mow? I'm not sure I want you to answer that.)

Seven Quick Takes for AJ's 7th Birthday

Age 1.

We think AJ is figuring out ma-ma and da-da. Real WORDS. Evidently while I was gone, he saw a picture of me and DH, and looked at it and said, "ma-ma." **Heart melts.** Sweet, sweet, boy.

Age 2.

When we're outside, he's figured out that it's fun to RUN downhill. Again, I wince when he does it and prepare myself for a trip to the ER, but the joy on his face almost makes up for the heart attacks. His immediate request, when he falls, is for me to kiss it (although, no matter what hurts, he offers his LIPS to get kissed), and then he asks for "Ice?" Ahhhh, I love it. I always remind him that I will ALWAYS & FOREVER kiss his booboos.

Age 3.

He's fun to play board games with at this stage, because he's not competitive. Whoever wins, he screams with glee, "You WIIIIINNNN!"

Age 4.

AJ's adventure of the week: sticking something in his ear "just to see what would happen." He saw what happened, alright. A nice metal forceps AND a warm earwash later, and I don't think he'll be sticking paper OR crumbs anywhere but his pockets from now on (he'd better not)!

Age 5.

[he was so small then!]

Age 6.

We have no idea how this happened, but oh, man, watching your child succeed, and seeing HIM swell with pride and excitement... it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt. I was most proud of his attitude, and those of his fellow Scouts, though. When their own cars weren’t racing, they were cheering each other on.

Age 7. We're going to start it off with a bang, try out a new bike, go to TACO MAC (your favorite), and celebrate YOU all weekend. And then we'll see what happens next. Happy birthday, my amazing, sensitive, serious, articulate, adorable boy (who knows how to swim)! There's nothing better than watching you grow.

quick takes!

Grateful for these moments

It was a real three-day weekend, and we didn't travel anywhere, so we got to enjoy the full 72 hours' worth, with no major time-sucking activities like driving. Such a blessing!

Friday night: We had been telling the kids all week we would go to the new frozen yogurt place for Friday's D-Word Night. (Dessert, for the uninitiated.) And we did, and it was delicious, and non-eventful, and I think everyone was in a good mood!

Saturday: We went to the pool in the morning, got the kids well tired out, and even got some laps swum, ourselves. KT saw another couple of little girls there, and immediately wanted to swim over to them. I'm always concerned about bothering other people, but she is such a social butterfly! I'm curious how that will mesh with my own introvertedness as she gets older...

Dinner at one of our favorite restaurants (at suggestion of which AJ whined, "but we ALWAYS GO THERE!!" - luckily, we talked him down), with funny conversation and delicious pizza.

Sunday: Another restaurant outing -- brunch after Mass, at IHOP. I love going out to breakfast and we hardly ever do it.

Later, a leisurely pedicure for Mommy, during which I finished my book, and a grocery run With No Kids (you guys know what a gift that is). Just being able to set my purse down in the kid-seat, rather than keeping it on my shoulder, is such a relief!

Monday: Our city's 4th of July parade -- we got a pretty decent spot in the shade, found parking nearby (for $5.00, but still), wore our patriotic tee-shirts and waved flags! I got SO, SO teary as the parade started. Just the charm of being at a parade with my little family, I guess, must have brought back childhood memories of doing that, myself, as a kid... and then when all the Veterans marched by and shook the hand of the elderly vet (he was wearing a VFW hat) standing near us... I couldn't take it. Pride and patriotism and nostalgia all bubbled up to the surface and I let go like a leaky faucet.

Monday night: Tucking two very tired kids into their beds, and knowing that even though it was rumbling thunder outside, they would sleep well after all our activities. I love kissing those sweet little heads of theirs.

Wordy

Well, then. I don’t believe I have ever gone an entire June without first whining extensively on the blog about WHEN IS MY VACATION GOING TO START???, and then subsequently reminiscing about our lovely vacation that happened completely offline.

This year I was not stressed about preparing for the trip (except that one day), nor worried that Beach Week would never get here. I was too busy at work to loll about on the Internet with my THOUGHTS. I was entering product, entering product, entering product. Furiously proofreading. Furiously changing and translating. Attending meeting after meeting. My part of the Big Project is coming to an end and I can already start to feel the familiar loll-about desire. Hence my presence today, I suppose. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like I could write a blog post for FUN during the day! But I have been reading all of yours for quick mental breaks, and on my phone when waiting for water to boil for dinner and such.

At any rate, our vacation. Was terrifically lovely. When I told my girlfriends the other night that I ACTUALLY read my book on the beach while there with KT, they all gasped. Moms with kids this age simply don’t GET to read on the beach, do we? I gather it’s a universal complaint. Admittedly, it was only KT there with me – 1 kid is less to manage than 2, aren’t I good at math? She was very serene, happy to be SITTING in the sand, digging a little bit, pouring it into her bucket of water, and I guess “building” sand castles.
I would get up every 5 minutes or so to re-fill her bucket from the surf, because she certainly wasn’t interested in the water. In fact, she was quite fearful of its loud volume. So it really WASN’T leisurely, uninterrupted reading... but it WAS reading. On the beach. It was awesome.

Also, AMAZING progress on the swimming front. Amazing. AJ is now able to doggie-paddle from one end of the pool to the other, with no floatation device (or parent) to assist!! Feels like a miracle, to be honest. We worked actively with him at my parents’ pool – it’s so helpful that their shallow end is truly shallow, and his short-kid feet could touch the bottom! It boosted his confidence tremendously. He is a bit of a fish now, and during our week away he was even eager to swim all the way to the DEEP END. I’m curious to see him at the neighborhood pool this weekend. But still, it helps my nerves a lot that he KNOWS to KICK his feet and he will move through the water. (I still try to stay pretty close.)

We returned home last Saturday buzzing with sunshine and relaxation (and Cajun food), and I think as a result of all the relaxing, had a big, philosophical conversation (DH and me) during the drive about improving our attitudes. Not worrying about money and time so much, and making sure we do fun things with the kids on purpose, with good attitudes, not grumbling every step of the way. I felt so good about that conversation. Because really, what do we have to be unhappy about? Nothing in the world. We should live and enjoy the everyday as well as the vacation-day, because we truly CAN if we just try. We held hands and really agreed. Smiled about it, even.

And then Sunday DH discovered that our water line from the street to the house was leaking. And has been for a couple of months. We got an estimate for fix it, to the tune of a LOT OF dollars. So that put a damper on the whole “Good Attitude” thing.

Last night we were all either grumpy or snippy. The kids were driving me KER-AZY and I know it had everything to do with this newly discovered, albeit temporary, stress. Doggone it, Universe. We would have liked to ride that Serenity wave a bit longer.

Although I will say it's not all the ADULTS' attitudes' faults: AJ is copping some capital-A Attitude in his own right. Exerting his independence and such, with phrases like “I don’t care,” and “This is so Stupid” under his breath. Delightful. I presume this is normal for his age, especially after being away on his own for a week at Grandma’s. He is so cool now. But still. Oh, and WHAT IS IT with little boys – or mine, specifically – that makes him think he can JUMP onto me if I am 1. Sitting on the floor, or 2. Bent forward so that my back is somewhat flat, like if I’m picking up HIS shoes or toys??! I about killed him last night after he attempted to launch himself onto my neck for the umpteenth time. HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU MOMMY IS NOT A JUNGLE GYM!?)

Tranquil to NOT SO MUCH in 7 paragraphs. Not really. Things are fine. What have you been up to this summer? :)

Happy, Dopey, or Sleepy?

I took a nap at lunch today, in my car. After doing my required errand-of-the-day at Target (new swim floaties for KT, and dog treats). I parked under a tree and set my iPhone alarm for 18 minutes, the exact amount of time I had until my lunch hour was over. Not that anyone watches my timecard, but I like to be honest about working my 8 hours, you know. The weather was surprisingly NOT as humid as usual for Atlanta in mid-June, and I wished for more breezes through my open windows, but didn't really get them. No matter -- I knew the warmth and stillness might help me sleep. I breathed in.... breathed out...

I've also just finished reading Eat, Pray, Love, and am feeling very romantic about the idea of meditation, and the heightened meditative state. A blue-ish light, surrounded by love and happiness and all that? Intriguing. I would like to experience that, perhaps. (Not to mention the stress relief, fear relief, and other health benefits.) I suspect I may never achieve the deepest state of meditation, even much of a buzz, and even if I practiced for a long, long time -- I would simply fall asleep. That's what I do. At this point I probably believe that the blissed-out state that happens for other people is a form of sleep-state. Twilight-sleep, or something. At any rate, I'm fascinated by the idea right now (call me a hippie) and trying to translate it into Christian Contemplative, centering prayer, or daily devotional stuff that I can better wrap my head around, to find a starting point for a little study and trial. I mean, I know a little about the secular breathing meditations you can find by Googling "Meditation for beginners." Imagine you're in a place of calm, beauty, and peace for you...

Anyway, today I took a little nap. :)

Surprise 70th birthday!

We got back yesterday from a quickie trip to Florida, to honor my Dad on his 70th birthday. It was my sister's idea, actually. She called me several weeks ago and said, "So... Dad's birthday this year is a big one... I think we should do something." From there it was easy. DH and I were planning to handoff AJ for his Week at Grandma/pa's the very weekend of Dad's birthday -- or, we hadn't exactly planned it, but we did it that same week last year -- so we could just stay, ourselves, and have a party!

It worked out pretty well that Sister's husband has recently graduated from culinary school, and they've bought a catering business. Free catering?! Ding ding ding! Yes, please, I'll take two. :)

Sister and Chef Brother in Law arrived last Thursday night, and with help from some handy cousins picking them up at the airport, they showed up on Mom and Dad's doorstep around 10:30 that night. Knock, knock. Dad was, I'm told, completely befuddled at seeing them -- he'd been sleeping in front of the TV, naturally, and besides that, they live all the way across the country. I was a little bummed not to be a physical part of the surprise, but I know they TOLD him that we would arrive the following night, all 4 of us, and that's good enough for me.

The kids were so excited up to our leaving town, and even moreso once we got there. They hardly ever get to see this aunt and uncle, and of course they love their grandparents. We left after work Friday, arriving LATE, but the kids had napped in the car and were ready to GO once we got there. (That night KT was awake until 1:15. And then up the next morning at 6! GAH!) We invited cousins and neighbors and got a cake, and Saturday night was full of life and festivity. Lots of kids to entertain each other, which meant that, for the most part, DH and I could simply enjoy the company of our family. And the (wine and) FOOD! Chef BIL worked ALL DAY to made a gorgeous table full of fancy appetizers and shortbread cookies oh my! It was decadent and very special for such a special occassion.

Dad was in his element -- he loves a social event, and even though he wasn't allowed to be in charge of the planning and executing, which he also loves, I think he truly had a good time. He kept thanking us for "sacrificing" to come down and do this for him, but no part of it felt like a sacrifice to me. We swam in their pool both days, we let the grandkids charm everyone, we spent time actually talking after the party was over... it was wonderful to all be together, and for all he's done for us, he deserves a celebration like that every year!

Shouldn't summer be LESS hectic?

Hello.

I've been putting off posting because I have wanted the next post to be THE BEFORE and AFTER of our kitchen. I owe you! I love the new look. I WANT to share! But then when I'm at home with my laptop and my pictures, I never have the juice to do that task. Maybe tonight? (Don't get your hopes up.)

Summer's awesome, right? Summer's all relaxing and no homeworking and wonderful easy, light dinners, later than usual because it's still sunny out at 7:30 pm. Right? Except summer's kinda busy, too. We just got back from our annual Memorial Day road trip to Nanny's, we are taking AJ down to his grandparents' house this weekend, and then the next is OUR week off at the beach, and meanwhile, Stupid Work is ramped up to eleven and there seems to be another birthday party , with another GIFT to buy dagnabit, every weekend. And we have to plan our own AJ's party and get invites sent BEFORE we go out of town, because his falls right after we return. Gah! Not that I ever get stressed out or anything.

Camp is going well -- AJ is occupied all day, having fun with friends, and runs into his sister sometimes. They both love seeing each other at school. I asked him, theoretically, if he'd prefer 1) Me working at home so he could play all day at home (with friends, of course), and we'd go to the pool Every Day of Summer, or 2) Camp (at the daycare). He chose Camp. I'm fascinated. I would have chosen POOL EVERY DAY when I was a kid. Of course, my kid's not yet a confident swimmer (although he's getting better and better). A friend told me her two kids reported the same: Camp. This generation wants to be occupied and entertained, I suppose. And that's fine... it just doesn't match up to the lazy, "I'm BORED" kind of (wonderful) summers I remember, with Green Acres on TV and the public library's summer reading program.

We have been to the neighborhood pool twice now. I love it. I'm so happy we paid the $400 Association fee to join it. I mean, yeah, that was a painful check to write, but having pool access is just awesome. Even if I DON'T get to sit in a lounge chair with my book. It's because KT won't wear her floaties so I'm nervous about her being in the water without me, and AJ is still just getting his feet wet (pun!) about swimming. I'm unsure what would happen if he let go of the pool noodle, and imagining that gives me nightmares, literally. The other night I bolted awake TWICE because in my dream it was time to JUMP over and save him from drowning. Ack. I hope I'll get over this fear someday -- it's a doozie. Tell me I'll get over it. Please.

My birthday this weekend was lovely. Facebook was partly to thank with its 120-something wishes! I loved checking in every so often, and I got random greetings from so many fun people from my past. My college chorus director! My theater friend from 1990! My buddy who lives in Antarctica and said he wished he worked with me right now, so we could have a "professional brithday party." (Cake in the conf. room) Hahahahaha! Marvelous! DH gave me a sweet card, in which he wrote that I'm "his good ol' gal," hee hee, a little pet phrase that I adore (and hate, but really adore), and he went out at 8:00 am to buy me coffee from Starbucks. I almost refused him that, but thought - NO! He wants to pamper me this morning, I WILL TAKE IT!! So sweet. He also gave me 2 tickets to see Guys and Dolls downtown in August, and I am THRILLED about that. It's one of my favorites. He'll have to endure a musical ("people don't just BREAK INTO SONG, it's unnatural"), but I hope he'll think it's worth it when he sees me so happy -- and besides, a NIGHT OUT to look forward to! Superb gift.

Stories

I went to a baby shower this weekend. I never feel like I get just the perfect thing, although I typically purchase directly off the registry for both wedding and baby showers, because that ensures that it’s something they officially want, right? You scanned it, don’t complain! But there were several unexpected adorable presents – or really practical presents – and I was disappointed with my contribution. The Mom-to-be is a good friend and I’m really excited she’s joining the Mommy club... I guess I’m just going to have to supplement this shower with another random gift sometime soon. It’s nice to have an excuse to buy baby stuff! I kinda miss that ol’ Babies R Us. If you can believe this, not a single 3-pack of Carter’s onesies was in the pile. So I’ll start with that (practical!).

***

Here was our Saturday:

9:00 am vet appointment (DH, kids, dog)

(I stayed behind to shower and then clean the bathroom)

11:30 am baby shower (me)

12:00 pm bday party at Bouncy Place (DH, kids)

3:00 pm playdate with church friend and her 2 kids

6:00 pm Girls’ Night Out (me)

6:15 pm McDonald’s, movie night (DH, kids)

DH said he enjoyed all that time with the little ones, and I'm so grateful to him for not being a Saturday golfer. (How do the golf widows do it??) And I very much enjoyed my GNO. I know I say, a lot, how I don’t feel like I have good girlfriends here. But look at that... three entirely different events with different GIRL friends. Maybe my lot is changing. The GNO was with 3 fellow school moms. One of them even said, “Think how many of these nights we have to look forward to! Our kids are just starting out!” Awwww. It’s true love. I know this will sound inordinately dumb, but I finally felt like one of the popular girls. And of course feelings and friendships will change and develop, who knows, but for this one night, I was there. My heart was full and my cheeks tired from laughing. It’s exactly what I’ve wished for.

PLUS, they have girl uniforms to hand down, they promised. YESSSSSSS!

***

KT has been SO much better about staying in her bed. Well, as I type that I’m remembering that I ended up in AJ’s bed on Friday night because she had taken over, perpendicularly, in mine. But still, it’s not every night anymore. She shared a little gem with DH sometime on Saturday – told him that he snores. (And he does, if he’s on his back. Sorry, hon!) Unfortunately, I was not immune to her opinions, either. When asked, “What does Mommy do?” she cunningly replied, “What Mommy does in the bed is I don’t like your STINKY BREATH.”

Lovely. Called out as a mouth-breather by my own daughter.

Time to Tend Them

It was one of those weekends where I felt really good about spending so much time with the kids. We really were able to focus on them, which is great for any family, but especially for a 2-working-parents one. DH and AJ went out Saturday morning to see THOR IN 3D – and came home speaking like that, in all caps, by the way, calling me “MAIDEN” and “WOMAN.” Heh, heh. That left KT and me some nice girl-time to get haircuts and go shopping. One of my buddies chided me for that, saying, “You’re starting her on that already??!” ...UM, YES. Actually she didn’t want to get her hair cut after we got there, but I did, and she sat patiently with my iPhone, playing her games (Princess dress up and the Sorting game from Toddler Teasers are her current favorites). What did kids DO before iPhones, I ask you?!

During our lunch (McDonald's, her choice), KT said something directly to me like, “This is Fun, Mommy. We’re having Fun.” I can’t recall the exact words but it was so sweet. Sometimes she tacks on “..because I love you” to her sentences (“You have to hold me [whine] because I love you.”) – she may have done that. “This is fun, Mommy, because I love you.” It’s clearly the most adorable thing you’ve ever heard, and it absolutely made my day. Even though she later pitched a hissy fit over not getting to push the buttons on the card-swiper at Target (eyeroll), and was swiftly buckled back into her carseat and told something disciplinary.

Saturday afternoon we went to a last hurrah cookout at AJ’s baseball coach’s home. I feel like we’re more socially engaged with this couple than with any of our other friends (until football season, when our Good Friends invite us over nearly every weekend to watch a game) – but I’m not sure I want to continue putting time into the friendship. Lots of reasons that I don’t feel like explaining – mostly about the coaching style. On the other hand – without other nearby couple-friendship options, I should be grateful, shouldn’t I? Tend the friendship and count my blessings. I was happy on Saturday when the wife called me casually and I was able to help her out with the menu – it was like, something actual girlfriends do. I have so little of that in my daily life. It’s weird.

At any rate, it’s definitely our turn to have this family over for dinner, so that will have to be in the works, if nothing else. What do you do for couple-friendships? Date-nights with one spouse or the others’ co-workers? Leftover friends from high school or college? Neighbors? Church groups? Do tell.

New skills

I have 10 minutes unaccounted for, right now, during my day. This is a good thing; I’m reading a productivity book whose first concept blew my mind: Managing your life from a to-do list is overwhelming; Why not manage your life from a 24-hour Calendar instead, since that’s all the time you have in the day?

I have long managed everything with a weekly to-do list. I’ve loved having my spiral notebook at the ready at all time, have loved writing “May 9-13” at the top of the page, have loved numbering and checking off items on that list.

But this new thought – that there are too many to-dos, and putting them all on a list is counterproductive – has really changed my thinking. I’m still in the setup phase of this, but now every morning I open my Outlook Calendar instead, and order my day by hours or half-hours, and specific tasks. “Work on X website, 1 hour.” “Check emails, half-hour.” “Lunch and walk.” “Prep for 1:30 mtg.” It’s been very helpful.

Especially when, 2 weeks ago, I agreed to a freelance project that was due the week after having my parents visit, and also the week after baseball playoffs. I keep calling it The Stupidest Thing I've Ever Done. (But it was a good mental exercise; I acutally enjoyed the work itself.) I ended up scheduling time to work on it in my personal calendar, got it done late at night and turned it in on time – but there was one rough day when I stayed up until midnight, and had to get up at 5 am. I was completely buzzed that day on coffee and fog.

Eh, I survived it. That's what we do. (It's good money I'd like to use on clothes and shoes, and maybe even put some in savings.)

One minute left. I’m so glad school's about to end, although summer brings its own challenges. We’re getting ready to do our annual road trips. I like accomplishing things. I’d like to accomplish that walk today at noon.

That’s it for now.

Sticks

You know what I love about my little kids? Their attraction to sticks.

I’m unsure but I think most kids are like this. Or, maybe it’s just that our yard and our neighborhood are filled with huge old poplars and sycamores, and they self-prune, so every time we have a little rain – or a season of crazy thunderstorms and tornadoes every year – we wake up the next day to a lawnful of sticks, but… (run-on)… my kids cannot resist them.

I remember 18-month- and 2-year-old AJ wanting to Pick Up Sticks nearly every time we went outdoors. He could hold more than I expected him to, and lovingly “helped Daddy” whenever I asked, toting his load all the way down to the burn pile. We spent a lot of time in the yard that year. And now, he uses them as swords, ninja ... things I don't even know, Indiana Jones whips... whatever his little mind conjures up.

Yesterday, KT and I were home on a sick-day. It was a beautiful 70-degree afternoon, so we went outside for a while at her request. I started cleaning up the twigs from this past Tuesday’s downpour, and she was game to help. Until she found “her” stick – one just long enough for her to carry over her shoulder like a fishing pole, and coincidentally, long enough to poke into the rabbit holes to “see if they were sleeping.” When she dropped her special stick to inspect some other rock or clover, and then couldn’t find it again, we had to instigate a full-on hunt. (We found it, not to worry.)

They’ve both been told more than once that we don’t bring sticks into the house. (Unfortunately.) I mean, I understand how awesome they are, I really do – I usually tell the kids to save them by the outdoor table, or near the garage, for the next time we come to play, but they forget or move on to a new one.

Some kids pick up rocks, I guess. We like sticks.

Lame and lamer

Our Thursday anniversary might have been called “lame” by the casual observer. I emailed DH a grocery list at around 3:00, for Pete’s sake, so he could stop on the way home from work to pick up Pop Tarts and chicken breasts. (You don’t want to run out of Pop Tarts!) And we had the Most Boring of Family Dinners: Spaghetti with meat sauce. I guess you could say we’ve “made” it – we really ARE ten years in, as evidenced by those items. Of course I did also receive 2 dozen roses at my office, and a pretty Pandora bracelet, which I don’t think DH even knew was something I’ve been wanting. He is an excellent gift-giver.

The next night, we did have a babysitter (scheduled long in advance). We were planning to go downtown to the restaurant where we’d dined the night he proposed. Except… that restaurant is now closed. Hahaha. It’s perfect, actually – the place we met has also since been demolished, the shop where I bought my wedding dress gone, the church where we were married is no longer a church building... why not this place, too!? But our marriage has stood the test of time, my friend pointed out. Anyway, we stayed very close to home, instead. Had a nice dinner out with no one to escort to the potty, and no crayons on the table. Afterwards, we tried going to a movie, but there was nothing we were particularly interested in seeing, so we opted to drive around a bit and then just went home.

Lame? Maybe. Tired? Always, on Fridays. But I think it’s quite special that we can celebrate even the smallest of things – a dinner when we can actually talk, and think, and share a bite of each others’ choices – and have that be good enough.

I’ve been fighting a cold the last 4 days, which has added to my less-than-social desire to do nothing. I have a lot of respect for the creators of DayQuil, seriously. Yesterday after I realized it had been 4 hours and was perfectly legitimate for me to take another dose, my fog lifted SO NOTICEABLY! I mean, it’s pretty amazing that there’s no cure for the common cold but they sure know how to zap the symptoms.

Okay, I owe you people some before and after pictures, because our painting project is just about completed. First, may I just say that it is SO HARD to get a good shot of these rooms! I have no desire for a fancy camera because I don't feel like I could ever learn about F-stops and aperture and all that, but... whimper. I wish I could get my point-n-shoot to PERFORM better. So these are kinda lame. I plan to go back to take pictures during the day sometime soon with natural light. Also, I am NOT FINISHED decorating! Therefore I can only show you the den right now - the kitchen is not yet ready for public eyes. Also-also, I didn't actually TAKE official "before" photos because the state of the house went directly from we-live-here-messy to painting-project-disarray, so my random shot from 2008 will have to suffice.

Here is how the den looked before:
(Tee hee. Funny husband playing with AJ's Hulk Smash! hands.) Floral border and cornflower blue, blech.

And here is after.
Labrador on the bottom, and Hopsack on top, both by Valspar. This is just to the left of where DH is sitting in the above photo.

I don't know - can you tell how much better this is? I hope so. It's much, much better. More to come!

Ten

I can't believe it's been ten years!



I love this one because it makes me look skinny. :) And because I loved our cake. And because he was kind and didn't smoosh it into my face.


I love this one because it reminds me how much fun we had at our wedding and reception. I think I only had that one glass of wine but my mood was as if I'd had many more! Giddy! That says something, doesn't it!


and I love this one because it says it all. Happy Anniversary, my Dear, Darling, Wonderful Husband.





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Monday teaser list

Sooooo many things I want to document here and share with my few wonderful readers. Soooo should be working and not blogging. But I just started reading a new productivity book this morning, and it’s making my To-Do List look even MORE daunting and stupid than usual. Plus, it's a post-3-day-weekend Monday, so I have very little oomph for work. My inner self is more important than my [non-life-saving] work IMHO, so inner self wins for the moment, and spills out onto the screen, in bullets:

> Three-day weekend! My company kindly gave us Good Friday off, so I spent it with both kids. I know that isn’t news to most people, but every day is so precious, especially in light of things going on around me, and I just have to treasure each extra day I get. So we went to the mall, again – I’m becoming a mall regular, which scares me just a little bit – because KT needed some 3T shorts and tee-shirts for school. I found a lot of cute things at JC Penney. Surprised me, but they’re just as good a value as our beloved Target. And, okay, I also let each kid get a toy at the Disney Store. AJ found a Perry the Platypus whoopee cushion and I PAID MONEY FOR IT. *forehead smack* But hey, it makes him laugh. KT got a Dalmation puppy (I sort-of forced it on her). She's been sleeping with it, so I guess it was a good choice -- note: Not a princess.

> Lots of singing for Easter Weekend. I was in the choir section Friday night, Saturday night, and Sunday morning. It was rewarding and fun, and I had a small solo psalm, for which I was very kindly thanked and congratulated. Most lovely was that we had a soprano “ringer” join us, and she was friendly AND talented. I was thankful for her because she made me want to sing better. Kept thinking to myself, “My new friend, S.” Hope to see her again.

> Swimming lessons continue. I’ve nearly concluded KT’s portion of the show – she’s just really too young for it, given her swimming history of only one week in the summers. She can’t take the combination of a big pool, a lot of other splashing kids, an unknown grown-up, AND 3:00 on a Sunday afternoon with no nap. She's melted down each week. It’s another *forehead smack* moment for me – really stupid – and a sunk cost (hat tip: Tess), so... whatever. We’ll swim with her this summer because we’re joining the subdivision’s pool for the first time. I’m going to continue my early Tuesday/Thursday schedule, and plan to take the kids to the pool on those afternoons after camp/daycare. AJ’s making great progress in his lessons, and he had a private one yesterday because no one else showed up (who holds classes on Easter Sunday anyway?!). He needed the extra practice and one-on-one attention, and he did really well. But man, is it a challenge for kids who don't like water in their faces. I felt pretty bad every time he spit in the coach's face. (Eek.)

> Kitchen is painted! I will have the photographic evidence to post soon, right after we re-organize the entire cabinet system and put everything that currently resides on the dining table back in its new, rightful position. Ha! No big deal! I'm hoping that a lunchtime trip to Garden Ridge today will help with those tasks. (BASKETS.) We love the paint colors we chose. *Pats on back to us!* We r so smrt!

So... more to come this week: Hopefully an extra special Before/After edition, and also something else extra special (hint, the traditional gift is.... inexplicably, Tin). :)

Quick one

Giving up sodas of all kinds for Lent really does not leave much in the way of lunchtime drink options, I gotta tell ya.

I am pretty sick of Crystal Light and unsweet iced tea. I like both, but NEED SOME VARIETY IN MY LIFE. I'm not even allowing myself those clear Crystal Bay "flavored Sprites," as I call them.

Come on, dawn of Easter morn!!

Surrounded

We seem to be surrounded lately with news of families dealing with difficult things. I mean, my Prayer List, if I actively used such a thing, is a mile long (as it is, I say, "prayer list" in my mind, and I do think about and pray for these people when I think of it, but mostly ask God to "please remember all the friends I've been meaning to pray for," and hope He knows who I'm talking about).

-- a friend from high school whose older brother died suddenly, 2 weeks ago
-- my choir director, who went in for heart surgery and has had complications (on the mend now, thank God)
-- a college acquantaince and roommate of a good friend, who's having a drug addiction relapse, again
-- AJ's teacher, whose 4-month-old baby has just been admitted to the hospital for heart trouble
-- a former colleague, who's having surgery this week
-- DH's coworkers who were laid off last week
-- my church friend whose brother, I just found out, is homeless and she doesn't know how to help or approach him
-- my book club friend whose son is having speech delays and she's walking that scary "spectrum" tightrope, waiting for diagnosis
-- another church friend whose daughter was married less than a month before her new husband began abusing her (now going thru divorce and criminal charges)
-- my coworker whose hair is falling out from chemo

It pains me that all this is happening to people I know. I can't imagine how it feels - nothing tragic has really ever happened in my own, immediate daily life. I don't know how I got so lucky (and I can't help but wonder, so morbidly and inappropriately, when will it be our turn - am I the only one who does that)? I look at my kids laughing and running and sleeping peacefully, my husband working so hard and keeping me entertained at the same time!, my parents being attentive and loving my whole life, my job staying intact, our health fine... and I am overwhelmed with the inexplicable goodness of my life.

Spring break 2011 (cont'd)

I am enjoying this week so much. It's rare time at home, doing errands, wandering, puttering, playing, and being grateful (I know it sounds nerdy but I do pinch myself and think, do I really not have to work from home while I'm here?!). (And I do not!)

Anyway, for posterity, here's what else we've been doing.

Tuesday: KT did stay home with us, and because it rained Monday night, my picnic plan was postponed, so we had our movie day instead. We met DH for lunch at Burger King and then went to see "Hop." (Much better than I expected. Russell Brand is cuter as an animated bunny.) Lots of Skittles were consumed. Afterwards there wasn't much time for anything else, but we did play outside with the neighbor kids and KT got a taste of the trampoline. She likes it. :) She crashed at 6pm and completely missed dinner, but rallied in time for a pleasant bath and regular bedtime. A great day.

Today: AJ and I had big plans to visit the local mall, where he was looking to procure a Pillow Pet. Its a pillow! It's a pet! It's a Pillow Pet! He got a blue triceratops and named it Rex, then changed that to Spike. Lunch at the Food Court! My kids think the mall is the coolest treat -- escalators, elevators, AND a Cookie Company?! Blows their little minds. KT took a Good nap at school and now the 2 of them are involved in a complicated outdoor spy and hide-n-seek game, again with the neighbors. While I sit at the patio table thumb-typing on my phone. Truly handy, these neighbors. Before I picked KT up I vacuumed and dusted the downstairs, did a load of laundry, and scheduled tomorrow (felt good to get that crap done, too):

Thursday: a picnic at Piedmont Park in ATL with my best friend from college. With the kids, of course. And frisbees.


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Spring break 2011

I took spring break off this year for the first time. Monday's report: Walgreens and Target this morning, trampoline jumping with our neighbors when we returned (yes, we both jumped!), picnic lunch with them in 75-degree weather, swimming at 2 at the public (indoor) pool, AJ getting more comfortable with it and having fun, "just us, Mommy," Frostys for snack after getting KT, then home for dinner and a kid-friendly movie (G Force).

Pretty good start. :)




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(i feel it necessary to explain that KT only naps at when she's at school and therefore had to attend today. Momma needs a break, too! Plus, I wanted to check out this pool with only 1 kid to watch, our 1st time there. She'll be hanging with us tomorrow! No swimming, but extra fun.)

Keep Calm and Carry On

I printed a postcard size image of that wonderful old British saying (in red) a few mornings ago, and pinned it near my desk at work. I'm a cheeseball, yes. I'll see it every day when I arrive and when I leave. It makes me smile. Which is exactly what I need to do regarding The Busy: just smile, keep calm, and carry on. Things have gotten better this week (thanking God for the rain which cancels t-ball games), but I don't want the kids to know we're stressed, just that we're living Quite a Nice Life. I'm always sorry when I stress out and complain about it here, but I guess it's honest so I might as well document it. Like DH said, one day we won't have all these same commitments, and I'm sure we'll kind-of long for them.
I was thinking that same thing re: the 3-yr-old in the bed, this morning. One day, I will no longer be able to snuggle under the covers with my kids. EVER. I mean, really ever. (I never snuggle in with MY Mom, even though I love her dearly!) So I'd better soak it all up. Their little open mouthed breaths, soft hair tickling my face, feet in my ribs... Well, you know what I mean. Easy for me to say right now; she's only been in the bed with us once this week, HALLELUJAH. Ask me again when she's back in the habit again. (Please, God, no.) We bribed her with princesses - those new little Polly-Pocket-esque ones with the plastic dresses - and it has mostly worked.
Moving -- Carrying! -- On!

-- This week I got to go shopping again for work. Twice. Nice little perk - two hours walking the mall. Sadly I try to stay on task, so that means no trying on, no stopping for Starbucks, no real time to people-watch. But it's still a break from the usual.

-- The painting project is going so well. We love the new color. I can't wait to post before and afters, but not until we get everything put back together. It's going to take a long time re-decorating one large wall, from which we've removed a giant print that I bought with my college roommate, three residences ago. I'm thinking of wall art like this, and shelving similar to this but not necessarily in that color (although maybe?), and a new mantle-scape with objets d'art. Heh! But I'm very indecisive. We also have to paint over the blue checkered wallpaper in our kitchen. We hope it doesn't turn out awful!

-- Swimming lessons! Our first outing went well, considering. I knew we'd have a meltdown from one of the kids, just wasn't sure which. It was KT. She was quite tired on a Sunday afternoon at 3:00, but all signs leading up to her lesson were good. "Mommy, is it my turn yet? Is it my turn? I want to go swimming. I want to swim! My turn?" She hopped up when the clock struck three, walked all the way around the pool to where her coach was waiting, and the minute he picked her up to measure her for a back float... "Waaaaaaaa! Mommyyyyyyyyyyyy! I don't wannnnnnnna swiiiiimmmm! Mommmmmmyyyyyy!!!!!" So. Nothing to be done but let her sit it out. We tried, the coach and I, to cajole her and flirt with her and offer her a chocolate milkshake if she'd just get in the water, but she was done. I'm hoping for a better outcome next time since those lessons were NOT FREE. Eek. Maybe she's too young, but if I hadn't signed her up, I KNOW she'd have been sad/jealous that big brother always gets to do everything. Understandably.

AJ, on the other hand, was my brave little bunny. He didn't like it, but he got in the water and really tried. He paddled, he kicked a little, he FACED HIS FEARS. I was amazed at him. My big boy! So brave. He did whimper a bit, but closed his eyes and soldiered on. The one time he let go of the wall and his coach had to pull him up, sputtering, brought back all of Mommy's bad summer memories (I can't seem to find a post about it, but he went under once while we were night swimming on our last beach vacation, and it scared the bejeezus out of me), but I was brave too, telling myself, "That's why we're here. That's why we're here..."

So much

I'm not stressed, I'm just... a little sad, I guess. I didn't check the calendar (but I thought I did?) and today is a baseball practice... but I scheduled a desperately needed haircut/color for myself at the same time (first world problems). No big deal, DH can take both kids to the ballpark, I know this, but it makes me feel bad. Because Monday night I left them all to go to Book Club. And Thursday night is choir practice every week, and as much as I love choir, it starts to wear on me after a full schoolyear's worth of every-week rehearsals. I've only skipped once or twice for a break, but once was last week, so I really need to GO this week. (I mean, I could be one of those people who NEVER goes to practice but shows up on Sundays and says, "What're we singing?" Except I get really irritated by those people.) And of course, this week we also have a Thursday baseball GAME. I think I can do both if we take 2 cars to the park, although I know KT will fuss and cry when it's time for me to leave without her. I don't know, maybe I'll skip again.

I want to get philosophical and come to some unique, well-written conclusions about the way I feel, but I don't think I have the mental energy for that. Everybody's crazy busy. It's not a big deal, sometimes it is a big deal... at least we got our taxes filed last night, and the painting is underway... right? I found some hand-me-downs for KT so at least she has some spring clothes and an Easter dress she can wear, but I still need to go shopping for shoes etc., and I simply can't find the time to do it. Maybe this Saturday, in between baseball pictures at 10:00 am, our game at 12:15, and me cantoring at 5:30 Mass? Er... no. And Sunday's no better -- Mass with choir goes from 10 AM until noon for me, and then we have our first swimming lesson at 2:30. I don't want to feel guilty for adding those swimming lessons -- my kids NEED swimming lessons and I think they'll enjoy them -- but MAN, do I ever feel guilty.

It's just way too much sometimes. I am so thankful I took Spring Break off - I have a week and a half to go until some much needed vacation time. No baseball, no swimming, no Fricking WORK. I hope I can make it a productive week but still feel like the days are long.

Luxury

It's Friday night and our luxury is that we had nowhere to be tonight after work and school, except our own home. This, after a week full of nightly commitments, except that I did skip choir practice last night. I think the director was frustrated because several of us were missing, but I'm sorry. Sometimes life comes before choir and I was tired. So anyway, tonight I ordered cheese pizza for our Lenten sacrifice (yeah) and had a Mojito to go with it. Mojitos are so warm-weather. And we've been having warm weather. Last night I told DH that we should really get a new table and chairs for the back deck. That is a good indication of my weather state-of-mind.

Tonight after the kids went down, we officially started the painting project. We pulled off the previous owners' gawd-awful 8" floral border -- here, evidence:



...and wiped off all the glue residue. We're right to call it gawd-awful, yes? I think I had a few Laura Ashley dresses back in 1989 with that same pattern. And/or pillow shams. It looks like a room that actually exists in the 21st century now, without that border. If we hadn't already painted patches on the blue wall, we MIGHT not even need to go any further. But we did paint patches, haha! On purpose, so we WOULD have to continue. We're going with a more neutral shade -- Hopsack by Valspar -- that we hope will "open up the room," as they say... Or, I guess they say that. I'm a geniune novice when it comes to decorating.

I can't wait for the finished room but we're trying to allow ourselves to take it one wall at a time without stress. There's just no other way to do it. So tonight we did prep work. Tomorrow, one wall maybe. Sunday, we'll see.

And now I'm going to continue my evening, reading and catching up on all your blogs, with a glass of wine (I ran out of rum for Mojitos). It's luxury to be up this late, too. I should go to bed, but it's nice to ignore the "shoulds" sometimes and do what I want. :)

Cabinet chaos might be reflective of my state of mind

More than a week since my last post? How can that be? Surely my brain has had some kind of drivel to share, no? ...No, I guess. Not really.

I did have a question pop into my brain the other day, as I was dusting KT's room -- a question that seemed perfect for the Internet. Dear readers, How do you, personally, corral the hairbows and barrettes if you are lucky enough to have a young girl living in your home?

Well, at the time it seemed a logical thing to ask - now it seems kinda lame, as if the answer is simply: "A wicker basket with the linen liner, DUH, don't you ever look at the Pottery Barn Kids catalog?" (No, indeed I stopped receiving it for some reason.)

Well, on with the topic anyway: In my own home growing up, we had plenty of cabinets and drawers. My mom used plastic dividers, if I remember correctly, and we kept all the millions of ribbons neatly out of sight.

When KT was a baby, I surprised myself by purchasing hairbows for the top of her head. (I'm combing the archives because I know I posted a picture here, but can't find it for the life of me!) I kept them all clipped to a long pink ribbon, hanging from a cute little hook in her bedroom. Very crafty, thought I. Now, however, there seem to be more pony tail holders than barrettes, and the barrettes I do have are too big for the small Tinkerbell jewlery box I have been using for everything.

What I need to do is rearrange the kids' bathroom cabinet so it's useful. Currently it's still storing an old shower curtain, folded up, a collection of infant bathtowels (with the little hoods!) that obviously need replacing since I have no infants, and a bunch of other crap.

Am I posting about a bathroom cabinet? LORDY. Sorry. Thinking about all that mess reminds me that last night I started feeling a bit stressy. About work, and other projects and things that I can't seem to do -- no need to recount all the details for you, I'm sure, but sometimes life is messy, amiright? We're about to embark on the painting project, sure to prove that theory. I can't wait, actually. (Maybe because it's a small excuse for everything being in disarray?) I will definitely take and post photos, especially since I now know about this site! Thank you, Swistle!

Behold, my thrill of a shopping list

1. Socks. Brown and black. I have been tough on my socks this winter, I guess. I keep finding pairs with holes in them. I've thrown out 3 or 4 pairs in the last 2 weeks.

2. Shoes. Specifically, boots. On clearance since it's nearly spring. Next year I want to wear more skirts with boots. (Next year they'll probably be out of style -- I'm always at least a year behind the trends.) I also need some pretty new sandals.

3. Capri pants. I want more of these for spring and summer. Obviously I can't wear shorts to work, but I'm considering whether I even want to wear shorts on the weekends. I mean, yes, I do, but should I? Am I too old to be wearing shorts out in public? I don't quite know.

4. Tops. Never do I feel I have enough tops for whatever season it is. Never. DH and I are planning a garage sale soon, and I hope to clean out my closet to make space for new things.

5. Dresses. I would like to wear more spring dresses.

6. Kids' clothes. I need some wardrobe staples, especially for KT, for summer. Shorts, t-shirts, sandals. New Crocs. Probably for her brother, too, including new uniforms before next school year. (This list seems to be getting a little out of control.)

7. Necklaces. I almost never feel like I have the right jewelry to go with any outift I wear. It's okay, though, because I've just discovered Charming Charlie. *Drooooool.*

8. PAINT SAMPLES. We are going this Saturday to purchase them. Then we are going to test them out on the walls. Then we are going to start our spring painting project.

9. New blinds for 7 windows. 2 of those will have to be custom-sized. Am ready to do this.

10. Might as well be honest, I also want new kitchen cabinets and countertops. DH keeps saying I should go ahead and get an estimate. I'm unsure but maybe I will. Or... can you paint formica? Hahahaha. No, really, can you?