....
....
This thought saved me yesterday, and I predict it will save me many more times this season. I am not going to get stressed about Christmas. I am going to only observe gently (LOVE THAT), and not believe everything.
Tuesday, November 29
Remember This:
....
....
This thought saved me yesterday, and I predict it will save me many more times this season. I am not going to get stressed about Christmas. I am going to only observe gently (LOVE THAT), and not believe everything.
Friday, November 18
Confessions and purchases
I think I've mentioned that my Thursday night choir practice has become... less than inspiring... since our director, John, resigned. We've had a substitute and she's very nice and plays the organ beautifully, but, at the risk of sounding like a diva soprano, she's not really teaching us anything. John had chosen music for us before he left, to cover every Sunday through Epiphany including all the Christmas Midnight Mass songs. It's all stuff we have done a million times before, and our rehearsals consist of running through these songs, over and over. I'd go into other details but it's boring and maybe whiny.
Last night, I decided that attending rehearsal is "no longer serving me," to borrow a phrase from the wellness and happiness-movement languages. Hush, you voices that say, "But music ministry is supposed to be about you serving them, not the other way around, Lee." I know. I'll serve on Sunday. I just don't think rehearsal is doing me any good. In fact, it makes me growly and tired. John would always challenge us vocally, to conserve the breath, to aim for the very pinpoint of the pitch, to use dynamics and phrasing to make something beautiful. I miss that. Even WITH that, though, sometimes choir practice was still the same old songs, and I've been in the group for 10-ish years now.
SO, last night I didn't let on to the kids or to Shawn, but I opted out and went shopping, by myself, instead. All year I've been remembering, then forgetting, that my black trouser socks have holes in the toes... or that my Am0ena bras, which I LOVE, are in fact, more than a few years old at this point... or that I've, ahem, gained a pound or two, and guess what, my sweaters don't fit as comfortably as they used to. (BTW, I saw this tip yesterday, for stretching out shrunken clothes. I wonder if it works?)
I went to Kohl's with my handy dandy credit card and their constant promise of percentages off -- everything's always on sale there, every day! -- and I bought stuff FOR ME. Well, first I bought stuff for Shawn -- he needed new basics, too. But then, I spent 30 minutes trying on a VARIETY of bras. I went back and forth from the fitting room, more than twice! Here are all the necessaries I bought: Bra, 4-pack underwear, 6-pack trouser socks, 1 pair of jeans, two sweaters, one tank top, one pair of running shoes (walking)... It was extravagant! At least to me.
Usually when I declare I'm going shopping, a lovely 8-year-old wants to come, and she is not so patient when Mommy wants to try things on for a half-hour. And somehow, we always end up in the Girls 6X-10 area, and by then I don't want to spend more money on me. So this wandering around, all on my own, was so unusual! Freedom! Craziness!
After Kohl's I still had plenty of time, so I popped into Ross next, and found a pair of black ankle boots for $22. Score. THEN, on a high, I took myself to Books-A-Million and JUST BROWSED, quietly, in the Fiction/Literature shelves (NOT THE KIDS' SECTION) for 20 full minutes! I was thirsty, so I bought a Sprite Zero. This made me laugh out loud. Such a TREAT! (And so ridiculous that it's a treat!) I came home feeling energetic, actually, like some burden had been lifted (the burden of remembering all the things I needed to buy? maybe).
Who knew socks and underwear could so inspire!?
P.S. Guess what else? Today, I skipped work for a 3.5-hour "lunch," to chaperone Kate's field trip to the Symphony! My manager's on an airplane back from Germany, she'll never know. TOTAL REBEL IN THE HOUSE, everybody WATCH OUT.
Last night, I decided that attending rehearsal is "no longer serving me," to borrow a phrase from the wellness and happiness-movement languages. Hush, you voices that say, "But music ministry is supposed to be about you serving them, not the other way around, Lee." I know. I'll serve on Sunday. I just don't think rehearsal is doing me any good. In fact, it makes me growly and tired. John would always challenge us vocally, to conserve the breath, to aim for the very pinpoint of the pitch, to use dynamics and phrasing to make something beautiful. I miss that. Even WITH that, though, sometimes choir practice was still the same old songs, and I've been in the group for 10-ish years now.
SO, last night I didn't let on to the kids or to Shawn, but I opted out and went shopping, by myself, instead. All year I've been remembering, then forgetting, that my black trouser socks have holes in the toes... or that my Am0ena bras, which I LOVE, are in fact, more than a few years old at this point... or that I've, ahem, gained a pound or two, and guess what, my sweaters don't fit as comfortably as they used to. (BTW, I saw this tip yesterday, for stretching out shrunken clothes. I wonder if it works?)
I went to Kohl's with my handy dandy credit card and their constant promise of percentages off -- everything's always on sale there, every day! -- and I bought stuff FOR ME. Well, first I bought stuff for Shawn -- he needed new basics, too. But then, I spent 30 minutes trying on a VARIETY of bras. I went back and forth from the fitting room, more than twice! Here are all the necessaries I bought: Bra, 4-pack underwear, 6-pack trouser socks, 1 pair of jeans, two sweaters, one tank top, one pair of running shoes (walking)... It was extravagant! At least to me.
Usually when I declare I'm going shopping, a lovely 8-year-old wants to come, and she is not so patient when Mommy wants to try things on for a half-hour. And somehow, we always end up in the Girls 6X-10 area, and by then I don't want to spend more money on me. So this wandering around, all on my own, was so unusual! Freedom! Craziness!
After Kohl's I still had plenty of time, so I popped into Ross next, and found a pair of black ankle boots for $22. Score. THEN, on a high, I took myself to Books-A-Million and JUST BROWSED, quietly, in the Fiction/Literature shelves (NOT THE KIDS' SECTION) for 20 full minutes! I was thirsty, so I bought a Sprite Zero. This made me laugh out loud. Such a TREAT! (And so ridiculous that it's a treat!) I came home feeling energetic, actually, like some burden had been lifted (the burden of remembering all the things I needed to buy? maybe).
Who knew socks and underwear could so inspire!?
P.S. Guess what else? Today, I skipped work for a 3.5-hour "lunch," to chaperone Kate's field trip to the Symphony! My manager's on an airplane back from Germany, she'll never know. TOTAL REBEL IN THE HOUSE, everybody WATCH OUT.
Thursday, November 10
Weary
Funny how everyone kept saying, "I'll just be so GLAD when this is over," all during the election cycle, and now that it's over, no one is glad.
I'm disappointed to see T-Rump representing us. It made me say a bad word when I woke up Wednesday and checked the news. He's not a decent person, I don't think. Not by a long shot. But you know what? This is how American democracy works, and why are people surprised that the "change" candidate won? That's normal after an 8-year term. I'm sick of the reaction to it already. I am sorry for the people who feel despondent and betrayed, and as I said, I don't like him either, but I'm weary of all the dramatic, earnest, "I will"/"I will not" posts in my social feeds. (Note to self: Stop checking FB, duh. And stop listening to news radio for a while.)
I downloaded two new books to distract me. Last night, though, I fell asleep immediately, at around 9:00, and wasn't able to shake myself out of it enough to make lunches or read. Shawn and I both, we think, aren't adjusted to the time change! Isn't that weird? Our kids seem fine, it's the grown-ups who can't get used to it. AskMoxie didn't warn me about this, heh.
Today I woke up with neck pain. I don't know what's going on with my shoulder and neck, but it's not great. I suspect that years of choral singing contribute to the shoulder pain -- holding a hymnal high and out in front isn't doing me any favors. Nor is sitting at a computer and reaching for the mouse all day every day. And probably, doing a lot of downward-facing dog and other yoga poses without really thinking about shoulder alignment. For the last 3-4 weeks I have had pretty consistent pain at the front of my right shoulder. Sometimes, I guess, when it's worse, I hold tension there and it moves across to my neck. Like today. I roll it and turn it and stretch it but nothing's working yet. I'll end up taking an Aleve but I'd kind-of like to just leave it alone and see what happens. Will it seize up completely? Should I go see a doctor? Probably. But I don't feel like having to do X-rays, only to be told they don't see anything, and I'm too chicken to try a chiropractor. I don't know. Modern problems. I've heard of people going to the doc for aches and pains and being told, "It's because you're using your mobile device too much." I don't want THAT diagnosis, either - how embarrassing. We'll see what happens. We've talked about investigating a new, fancy Sleep Number bed, too.
Since I'm already a little grumpy (but overall great! Kids are great! Husband even better! It's finally fall! It's almost the weekend!) I'll also tell you that I STILL, after 20 years at this writing thing, get annoyed when I get edited. Which happened this morning. (Or, not so much edited as told, "I'm not seeing the connection between this headline and that text," or, "It doesn't look right, now that I see it in the layout." It's never the layout's fault, by the way. It's NEVER that maybe it should have been designed differently. Nope.) So I'm off to go rewrite a headline that I thought was a good, unique, able-to-be-translated way to SAY THE SAME THING AGAIN. Argh.
I'm disappointed to see T-Rump representing us. It made me say a bad word when I woke up Wednesday and checked the news. He's not a decent person, I don't think. Not by a long shot. But you know what? This is how American democracy works, and why are people surprised that the "change" candidate won? That's normal after an 8-year term. I'm sick of the reaction to it already. I am sorry for the people who feel despondent and betrayed, and as I said, I don't like him either, but I'm weary of all the dramatic, earnest, "I will"/"I will not" posts in my social feeds. (Note to self: Stop checking FB, duh. And stop listening to news radio for a while.)
I downloaded two new books to distract me. Last night, though, I fell asleep immediately, at around 9:00, and wasn't able to shake myself out of it enough to make lunches or read. Shawn and I both, we think, aren't adjusted to the time change! Isn't that weird? Our kids seem fine, it's the grown-ups who can't get used to it. AskMoxie didn't warn me about this, heh.
Today I woke up with neck pain. I don't know what's going on with my shoulder and neck, but it's not great. I suspect that years of choral singing contribute to the shoulder pain -- holding a hymnal high and out in front isn't doing me any favors. Nor is sitting at a computer and reaching for the mouse all day every day. And probably, doing a lot of downward-facing dog and other yoga poses without really thinking about shoulder alignment. For the last 3-4 weeks I have had pretty consistent pain at the front of my right shoulder. Sometimes, I guess, when it's worse, I hold tension there and it moves across to my neck. Like today. I roll it and turn it and stretch it but nothing's working yet. I'll end up taking an Aleve but I'd kind-of like to just leave it alone and see what happens. Will it seize up completely? Should I go see a doctor? Probably. But I don't feel like having to do X-rays, only to be told they don't see anything, and I'm too chicken to try a chiropractor. I don't know. Modern problems. I've heard of people going to the doc for aches and pains and being told, "It's because you're using your mobile device too much." I don't want THAT diagnosis, either - how embarrassing. We'll see what happens. We've talked about investigating a new, fancy Sleep Number bed, too.
Since I'm already a little grumpy (but overall great! Kids are great! Husband even better! It's finally fall! It's almost the weekend!) I'll also tell you that I STILL, after 20 years at this writing thing, get annoyed when I get edited. Which happened this morning. (Or, not so much edited as told, "I'm not seeing the connection between this headline and that text," or, "It doesn't look right, now that I see it in the layout." It's never the layout's fault, by the way. It's NEVER that maybe it should have been designed differently. Nope.) So I'm off to go rewrite a headline that I thought was a good, unique, able-to-be-translated way to SAY THE SAME THING AGAIN. Argh.
Thursday, October 27
Things that made me smile this week
1. Kate being so proud of her school pictures, which arrived yesterday. They do look pretty. I think she mostly loves the special background that I (finally, begrudgingly) let her choose. She wants one to frame and put in her own room, tee hee! But the one I have here on my desk is making me smile. (Alex's, too - his first with braces. He didn't grimace or try to hide them, and he looks great. His neck and shoulders, somehow, look teenager-y!! ) These. kids. are. getting. so. grown. UP.
2. I smile and shake my head at every political Facebook post I see. Let it be over soon, please, God. Some of my friends have surprised me.
3. When I realized today is my Friday (tomorrow's a school holiday, for P-T Conferences, so I took the day off)... and when I realized that terrible traffic this morning delayed my arrival at work, and thus shortened my "Friday" even further. Thank you, traffic!
4. Cucumbers on my pumpernickel-turkey sandwich today. YUM. Ever since Germany I've been a little obsessed with cucumbers. I eat them for breakfast with a piece of rye toast sometimes.
5. Some of the German execs are here this week, but since I've had to move my desk to another part of the office, I don't ever see them. Yesterday they were having a big conversation about digital marketing/e-commerce, and I stayed quietly over here NOT participating in that bullcrap. HA!
6. I was asked to lead a Skype meeting (nothing difficult, just with my own team), and they were more complimentary than strictly necessary about how it went. :) Made me feel good.
7. Okay, so, here's the long one. Of course I'm drawn to, and see in my News feed (because I always click them) every blog or book or speaker that talks about positivity and "how to be happy." Right? I mean, that's why the genre has taken off, because we're all such suckers and want to KNOW the answers to those big questions. So yesterday, I checked out Jonathan Fields' Good Life Project. I downloaded the free first chapter of his book, and was going along nicely, agreeing with all of his ideas.... but when it came time for him to outline the Project, I started feeling overwhelmed and annoyed. All the books make it seem like you have to quit your job, find or create your DREAM WORK, write a book, or go off to the mission field in a foreign country, to truly be passionate and happy. Some big goal. And do you know what I realized? I've reached a point where I don't feel like I NEED a project or goal. I have done my own work, and reached my conclusion (for now). I am happy. Yes, I have my grumpy-pants days. In fact, I started 2 different blog posts this week, wanting to say something but not really knowing what, and in both of them I had complaints. About being busy, about things that make Mondays less than awesome... Overall, though, things are so good.
My routine that seems to help:
- Walking. Still trying for "more days than not," and still only aiming for 15 minutes a day. It's fine. Any longer and I get bored. It feels good to say I'm doing it regularly. I'm going to use a gift card this weekend to buy new shoes.
- When I get to the office, even if it's past 7:30, which it usually is, I've been allowing myself 10 minutes in the car for meditation. I use the free recordings on the Happier app, mostly. Or sometimes if I've not gotten good sleep, I just set the timer and snooze. I don't feel guilt about being "late." No one even knows or cares. (If they did notice and fired me for it, so much the better. Not liking my job is a blessing/freedom, here!) But the meditation itself is nice, if sometimes a little hokey.
- Honestly the biggest thing I've realized over the past 6 or 8 months is that the day is MINE to live out. Even though I work for a company, the company doesn't get to determine how I feel, or what kind of day I have. It's MY day. So if that means I need to take care of home stuff "on the clock," so be it. No guilt. And if I need to take a break, I take a break. I still produce; I still work. I don't feel bound to think solely about my job for 8 hours straight, though. (I wonder if the departure of MM has alleviated a lot of pain of my job, too. Probably.)
- I think I've come to finally know that the reason I'm here, at THIS company, is that it's close to school. That's all. It was, of course, a good opportunity for me to use my skills, when presented to me in 2009, but the main plan for me and this job is that I'm close. I'm able to go there during the day if needed. Maybe, when Kate graduates in 5.5 years, some other job, the wonderful job I look for all the time, will present itself. But for now, this one's where I'm meant to be, for a REASON.
- I live for 4:30, and that's when the good stuff of my day starts. :) I like to remind myself of that.
- I've let go of a lot of my hangups with Kate's behavior, and lo and behold -- or at the same time -- she's been so much better, so much more willing to compromise and cooperate. I've had to release a lot of feelings about obedience. I had to unlearn a lot. And learn a lot, like how to speak calmly but firmly. I'm still a huge work in progress and maybe I just jinxed it by typing it here (every. time.), but we're arguing so much less. Part of the tactic is to spend more time together, really focused time, so the kid wants to please you. I've been trying to do that. Our busy schedule has actually helped; on Tuesdays we're forced together. No time to drive home before basketball, so I don't cook; instead we just sit and eat fast food and talk and look into each others' eyes. And take selfies. I try to avoid using the phone other than selfies.
- Last weekend I got a little bummed because we didn't really rest. And most weekends, we don't, much. It's laundry and groceries and choir and yardwork for Shawn, and cleaning house, and kid activities, and it's tiring. But I do try to have my morning coffee, outside if possible, and just breathe. Just sit.
- Gratitude in as many instances as I can. I can find three things, even tiny things, every day, to be grateful for. My journals are a lifeline.
This is working for me. This has been my project.
2. I smile and shake my head at every political Facebook post I see. Let it be over soon, please, God. Some of my friends have surprised me.
3. When I realized today is my Friday (tomorrow's a school holiday, for P-T Conferences, so I took the day off)... and when I realized that terrible traffic this morning delayed my arrival at work, and thus shortened my "Friday" even further. Thank you, traffic!
4. Cucumbers on my pumpernickel-turkey sandwich today. YUM. Ever since Germany I've been a little obsessed with cucumbers. I eat them for breakfast with a piece of rye toast sometimes.
5. Some of the German execs are here this week, but since I've had to move my desk to another part of the office, I don't ever see them. Yesterday they were having a big conversation about digital marketing/e-commerce, and I stayed quietly over here NOT participating in that bullcrap. HA!
6. I was asked to lead a Skype meeting (nothing difficult, just with my own team), and they were more complimentary than strictly necessary about how it went. :) Made me feel good.
7. Okay, so, here's the long one. Of course I'm drawn to, and see in my News feed (because I always click them) every blog or book or speaker that talks about positivity and "how to be happy." Right? I mean, that's why the genre has taken off, because we're all such suckers and want to KNOW the answers to those big questions. So yesterday, I checked out Jonathan Fields' Good Life Project. I downloaded the free first chapter of his book, and was going along nicely, agreeing with all of his ideas.... but when it came time for him to outline the Project, I started feeling overwhelmed and annoyed. All the books make it seem like you have to quit your job, find or create your DREAM WORK, write a book, or go off to the mission field in a foreign country, to truly be passionate and happy. Some big goal. And do you know what I realized? I've reached a point where I don't feel like I NEED a project or goal. I have done my own work, and reached my conclusion (for now). I am happy. Yes, I have my grumpy-pants days. In fact, I started 2 different blog posts this week, wanting to say something but not really knowing what, and in both of them I had complaints. About being busy, about things that make Mondays less than awesome... Overall, though, things are so good.
My routine that seems to help:
- Walking. Still trying for "more days than not," and still only aiming for 15 minutes a day. It's fine. Any longer and I get bored. It feels good to say I'm doing it regularly. I'm going to use a gift card this weekend to buy new shoes.
- When I get to the office, even if it's past 7:30, which it usually is, I've been allowing myself 10 minutes in the car for meditation. I use the free recordings on the Happier app, mostly. Or sometimes if I've not gotten good sleep, I just set the timer and snooze. I don't feel guilt about being "late." No one even knows or cares. (If they did notice and fired me for it, so much the better. Not liking my job is a blessing/freedom, here!) But the meditation itself is nice, if sometimes a little hokey.
- Honestly the biggest thing I've realized over the past 6 or 8 months is that the day is MINE to live out. Even though I work for a company, the company doesn't get to determine how I feel, or what kind of day I have. It's MY day. So if that means I need to take care of home stuff "on the clock," so be it. No guilt. And if I need to take a break, I take a break. I still produce; I still work. I don't feel bound to think solely about my job for 8 hours straight, though. (I wonder if the departure of MM has alleviated a lot of pain of my job, too. Probably.)
- I think I've come to finally know that the reason I'm here, at THIS company, is that it's close to school. That's all. It was, of course, a good opportunity for me to use my skills, when presented to me in 2009, but the main plan for me and this job is that I'm close. I'm able to go there during the day if needed. Maybe, when Kate graduates in 5.5 years, some other job, the wonderful job I look for all the time, will present itself. But for now, this one's where I'm meant to be, for a REASON.
- I live for 4:30, and that's when the good stuff of my day starts. :) I like to remind myself of that.
- I've let go of a lot of my hangups with Kate's behavior, and lo and behold -- or at the same time -- she's been so much better, so much more willing to compromise and cooperate. I've had to release a lot of feelings about obedience. I had to unlearn a lot. And learn a lot, like how to speak calmly but firmly. I'm still a huge work in progress and maybe I just jinxed it by typing it here (every. time.), but we're arguing so much less. Part of the tactic is to spend more time together, really focused time, so the kid wants to please you. I've been trying to do that. Our busy schedule has actually helped; on Tuesdays we're forced together. No time to drive home before basketball, so I don't cook; instead we just sit and eat fast food and talk and look into each others' eyes. And take selfies. I try to avoid using the phone other than selfies.
- Last weekend I got a little bummed because we didn't really rest. And most weekends, we don't, much. It's laundry and groceries and choir and yardwork for Shawn, and cleaning house, and kid activities, and it's tiring. But I do try to have my morning coffee, outside if possible, and just breathe. Just sit.
- Gratitude in as many instances as I can. I can find three things, even tiny things, every day, to be grateful for. My journals are a lifeline.
This is working for me. This has been my project.
Monday, October 17
Positively
I have succeeded in making Diet Coke a physical no-no for myself. Months of not drinking it (unsweet iced tea, please) have resulted in DISCOMFORT when I do pour a glass, which I did yesterday afternoon. I won't be doing that again any time soon. Ugh. I'm pleased, though. It's good to know your body, and to have an excuse to avoid it: that stuff's no good for anyone, anyway.
Our weekend was really nice, despite needing to clean the house top to bottom. We did it, and it's SO clean now, which makes me happier than I realized. Hard work, but worth it. ALSO: We watched a movie Saturday night, with the kids: The Heart of the Sea. I've been s-l-o-w-l-y working through Moby Dick over the past year, after loving the book Ahab's Wife so much, several years prior. I feel like I've had an entire literature course on whaling and Moby Dick, actually. And I LOVE that. I really enjoyed the movie - it brought everything full circle and I loved how it brought Herman Melville's story into it.
The week ahead promises to be FULL and satisfying (provided our attitudes stay bright!) -- lots of extra things to keep it interesting. Like today, the most interesting thing for Kate was the $20 bill I gave her, for the Book Fair. Can you believe she had the gall to say, "It's not enough for all the books I want!"?! Haha! I told her it was all I was willing to give her, and the best part is, she didn't argue about it... I even used "money doesn't grow on trees" for some classic-parenting-wisdom effect. ;) I mean, I'm all for buying books, but I also had to tell her not to spend it on the extra crap they sell, like keychains and erasers. Twenty bucks is plenty. (Dinner menu plan: Grilled chicken, rice and brocoli)
Tuesday, both kids have field trips - how handy is that? No one can say, "Unfair!" Alex's class is visiting a local radio station, and Kate's going to a museum. Then Tuesday night is basketball/gymnastics, which has quickly become one of our favorite nights. Partly because fast-food, and mostly because of the activities themselves. (And some because she'll fall asleep in 5 minutes flat.)
Wednesday, Alex will have a piano lesson -- the follow-up to his SUPERIOR+ rating at the Cobb County Music Teachers' Association Solo Festival this past Saturday! As a former piano student, this was a THRILL for me, to listen to him working on the two pieces all week (and even, heartbreakingly, the morning of, listening to him mad at himself when he kept making errors in the rehearsal), to share the butterflies with him while we waited for his turn, and then to see him come out of the judging room, all smiles, knowing he'd done well. The teacher texted us his results about 15 minutes later. I loved the whole experience and can't wait to see his judging sheet with comments! I promise to file it away safely, Mom, per tradition. :) (Sloppy Joes and chips)
Thursday is typically my choir rehearsal night, but... I think I'm not going. We have a substitute director who's nice, but... not overly inspiring. In fact, she can be a little insulting toward our soprano section, or at least that's how I'm feeling. Anyway, the song planned for next Sunday is one of my least favorites, so I think I'm going to skip it and not feel bad. Thursday night will be FREEEEEEE (for homework help and showers management and dinner -- Chicken tenders, homemade mac and cheese).
And Friday, my thing to look forward to is a half day of work and the first Middle School Dance of the year! Committee-chairs, activate! First I have to go to Costco, then we'll pass out pizza and hide in the kitchen to watch/not-watch our 7th graders be pre-teens in a social situation. Eeee! (probably leftover pizza).
I wonder if I'm feeling so positive this morning because of my morning workout? I re-started that plan today after a week+ off. I didn't intend to take a week off, it just happened. But I'm back to it, and enjoyed it this morning. The moon was HUGE and bright (yes, I walk before the sun comes up), and the air was cool. Trying to add a little strength work every other day this week -- we'll see how that goes. I wrote an article about menopause last week, as it happens, and strength work before menopause is important, to protect the bones!
Work's not been SO terrible lately, either; a few things to keep me busy, not enough to overwhelm (or else I don't care enough to get overwhelmed). That's nice.
Speaking of work...
Our weekend was really nice, despite needing to clean the house top to bottom. We did it, and it's SO clean now, which makes me happier than I realized. Hard work, but worth it. ALSO: We watched a movie Saturday night, with the kids: The Heart of the Sea. I've been s-l-o-w-l-y working through Moby Dick over the past year, after loving the book Ahab's Wife so much, several years prior. I feel like I've had an entire literature course on whaling and Moby Dick, actually. And I LOVE that. I really enjoyed the movie - it brought everything full circle and I loved how it brought Herman Melville's story into it.
The week ahead promises to be FULL and satisfying (provided our attitudes stay bright!) -- lots of extra things to keep it interesting. Like today, the most interesting thing for Kate was the $20 bill I gave her, for the Book Fair. Can you believe she had the gall to say, "It's not enough for all the books I want!"?! Haha! I told her it was all I was willing to give her, and the best part is, she didn't argue about it... I even used "money doesn't grow on trees" for some classic-parenting-wisdom effect. ;) I mean, I'm all for buying books, but I also had to tell her not to spend it on the extra crap they sell, like keychains and erasers. Twenty bucks is plenty. (Dinner menu plan: Grilled chicken, rice and brocoli)
Tuesday, both kids have field trips - how handy is that? No one can say, "Unfair!" Alex's class is visiting a local radio station, and Kate's going to a museum. Then Tuesday night is basketball/gymnastics, which has quickly become one of our favorite nights. Partly because fast-food, and mostly because of the activities themselves. (And some because she'll fall asleep in 5 minutes flat.)
Wednesday, Alex will have a piano lesson -- the follow-up to his SUPERIOR+ rating at the Cobb County Music Teachers' Association Solo Festival this past Saturday! As a former piano student, this was a THRILL for me, to listen to him working on the two pieces all week (and even, heartbreakingly, the morning of, listening to him mad at himself when he kept making errors in the rehearsal), to share the butterflies with him while we waited for his turn, and then to see him come out of the judging room, all smiles, knowing he'd done well. The teacher texted us his results about 15 minutes later. I loved the whole experience and can't wait to see his judging sheet with comments! I promise to file it away safely, Mom, per tradition. :) (Sloppy Joes and chips)
Thursday is typically my choir rehearsal night, but... I think I'm not going. We have a substitute director who's nice, but... not overly inspiring. In fact, she can be a little insulting toward our soprano section, or at least that's how I'm feeling. Anyway, the song planned for next Sunday is one of my least favorites, so I think I'm going to skip it and not feel bad. Thursday night will be FREEEEEEE (for homework help and showers management and dinner -- Chicken tenders, homemade mac and cheese).
And Friday, my thing to look forward to is a half day of work and the first Middle School Dance of the year! Committee-chairs, activate! First I have to go to Costco, then we'll pass out pizza and hide in the kitchen to watch/not-watch our 7th graders be pre-teens in a social situation. Eeee! (probably leftover pizza).
I wonder if I'm feeling so positive this morning because of my morning workout? I re-started that plan today after a week+ off. I didn't intend to take a week off, it just happened. But I'm back to it, and enjoyed it this morning. The moon was HUGE and bright (yes, I walk before the sun comes up), and the air was cool. Trying to add a little strength work every other day this week -- we'll see how that goes. I wrote an article about menopause last week, as it happens, and strength work before menopause is important, to protect the bones!
Work's not been SO terrible lately, either; a few things to keep me busy, not enough to overwhelm (or else I don't care enough to get overwhelmed). That's nice.
Speaking of work...
Thursday, October 13
Mid-October, are you serious?
ZOOM! go the days! Especially this past weekend:
Hurricane Matthew forced Shane and Suzanna and their girls up here on Thursday last week, and they stayed through Tuesday -- with week-old baby Alexis (7 days old and she took her first road trip)!! Suzanna is my hero, really, on that score. I distinctly recall NOT being interested in getting off my couch when my babies were that small. I can't fathom traveling. No way. We were all worn out (them too) by the time they went home. But it WAS an excuse to have them visit -- we NEVER get family-time with them. Usually just an afternoon here or there during holiday stays at Susan's. So this was nice, even though WE had to continue to go to work and school while they were having "vacation" days. No fair.
But now it's back to normal and whaaaaa! Where did September go (and August, for that matter)? How is it mid-October already? The end of the kids' first quarter today. School pictures have been taken! Magazine drive is over! Halloween decorations are up!
Third-grade basketball has begun and Kate looooooooves it. I do, too, except sitting on metal bleachers after a day at the office. Ouch. She's learning a lot already. I'm bummed that Alexis' christening is scheduled on the weekend of her first game... she'll have to miss the game, I guess. ARGH. Why can't all the calendars line up neatly for me?! Maybe something unexpected will happen and fix it. Fingers crossed.
Meanwhile, I think I'm quitting Facebook until the 2016 presidential election is over. I don't believe I can take any more "politics."
Hurricane Matthew forced Shane and Suzanna and their girls up here on Thursday last week, and they stayed through Tuesday -- with week-old baby Alexis (7 days old and she took her first road trip)!! Suzanna is my hero, really, on that score. I distinctly recall NOT being interested in getting off my couch when my babies were that small. I can't fathom traveling. No way. We were all worn out (them too) by the time they went home. But it WAS an excuse to have them visit -- we NEVER get family-time with them. Usually just an afternoon here or there during holiday stays at Susan's. So this was nice, even though WE had to continue to go to work and school while they were having "vacation" days. No fair.
But now it's back to normal and whaaaaa! Where did September go (and August, for that matter)? How is it mid-October already? The end of the kids' first quarter today. School pictures have been taken! Magazine drive is over! Halloween decorations are up!
Third-grade basketball has begun and Kate looooooooves it. I do, too, except sitting on metal bleachers after a day at the office. Ouch. She's learning a lot already. I'm bummed that Alexis' christening is scheduled on the weekend of her first game... she'll have to miss the game, I guess. ARGH. Why can't all the calendars line up neatly for me?! Maybe something unexpected will happen and fix it. Fingers crossed.
Meanwhile, I think I'm quitting Facebook until the 2016 presidential election is over. I don't believe I can take any more "politics."
Monday, October 3
Party 3 of 3 in a row
I'm thinking of these Monday-morning blog posts like gas-pedal-pumping on an older car — a necessary step to get her going.
Despite having a new, clean desk/cubicle, work's all the same, same, same. Yesterday I was thinking, do all marketers just eventually run out of ideas? Can I use that logic to switch careers and become something else entirely, please? I have run out. All the marketing speakers and thought-leaders are saying now, to copy the work of others. They mean for you to use your own photos/taglines/etc., but do just go ahead and use other peoples' ideas. It's okay now. See something that works, online? Do the same thing. Nothing new under the sun, why bother even trying?
- - - - - - -
Over the weekend, on Saturday night, I hosted the 3rd party of three that were planned for this fall: Moms' Night In. Out, really, because we sat outside on the back porch in pretty, pretty weather, finally!, at the patio table with umbrella that Shawn bought me (us), that I love. I went out Saturday morning to buy some red mums and 2 little succulents plants, to spruce up the very utilitarian metal shelf we have out there. It helped 100%, along with a pretty candle lantern from Pier 1 on the table. (And yes, I will do my best to take care of the plants, Darling Husband. They'll probably have to move where they can feel the sun for best results, but see? I've already looked up "how to care for fall mums.")
Everyone I invited came to the party, and they all brought fun party foods and wine. Lots of different dips and crackers and even goat cheeses (YUM), salads and several pumpkin-y treats since IT'S OCTOBER! (what?!). Conversation was lively, of course, including gossip about who may be pregnant again, and teasing the PTO president about which snot-nosed punk might have pulled the fire alarm two weeks ago (she wouldn't budge). I thoroughly enjoyed it all, from the prep (lighting candles, listening to my Bruce Hornsby Pandora station) to the clean-up — no, really! — and am, again, grateful to Shawn and the kids who let me kick them out of the house for a while. I hope I was fully present to my friends. It all feels like kind-of a blur, now, but I think I had a great time. And no, I only had 2 glasses of wine, so it's not that -- it's just, various hostess duties kept me from sitting in any one place too long, I think, so I never quite relaxed. But I did laugh a lot, and I feel so comfortable with all those ladies, and I think they appreciated the time together — it had been a while. All good.
I think I'm all filled up on hostessing for now. Well, except we did talk about inviting Andy and Pam over for Sunday football watching one day soon. We totally should. ;)
- - - - - - -
This week for dinner:
Sunday: Crock pot BBQ meatballs, egg noodles, and green beans/potatoes in sauce (from the frozen aisle, and were a disappointment)
Monday: Spaghetti w/meat sauce, garlic toast and a Caesar salad
Tuesday: Chick Fil A or Zaxby's or Jimmy John's, because it's Kate's first basketball practice at 6pm and then gymnastics at 7:30, and HOW are we going to add something to the schedule?! By eating fast food.
Wednesday: Hate to tell you this, honey, but it's going to be ham steaks. The kids eat it and we haven't had it in a long time. With corn and mashed potatoes. And you're cooking. ;) Love ya, mean it.
Thursday: Pizza bake. Fruit salad. Carrrrrrbs.
Friday: I get a half-day off, so I can cook something delicious with chicken thighs, I hope. No... wait, just remembered, there's a party at school that night to celebrate the Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award. Woo hoo! Kitchen is closed Friday night!
Despite having a new, clean desk/cubicle, work's all the same, same, same. Yesterday I was thinking, do all marketers just eventually run out of ideas? Can I use that logic to switch careers and become something else entirely, please? I have run out. All the marketing speakers and thought-leaders are saying now, to copy the work of others. They mean for you to use your own photos/taglines/etc., but do just go ahead and use other peoples' ideas. It's okay now. See something that works, online? Do the same thing. Nothing new under the sun, why bother even trying?
- - - - - - -
Over the weekend, on Saturday night, I hosted the 3rd party of three that were planned for this fall: Moms' Night In. Out, really, because we sat outside on the back porch in pretty, pretty weather, finally!, at the patio table with umbrella that Shawn bought me (us), that I love. I went out Saturday morning to buy some red mums and 2 little succulents plants, to spruce up the very utilitarian metal shelf we have out there. It helped 100%, along with a pretty candle lantern from Pier 1 on the table. (And yes, I will do my best to take care of the plants, Darling Husband. They'll probably have to move where they can feel the sun for best results, but see? I've already looked up "how to care for fall mums.")
Everyone I invited came to the party, and they all brought fun party foods and wine. Lots of different dips and crackers and even goat cheeses (YUM), salads and several pumpkin-y treats since IT'S OCTOBER! (what?!). Conversation was lively, of course, including gossip about who may be pregnant again, and teasing the PTO president about which snot-nosed punk might have pulled the fire alarm two weeks ago (she wouldn't budge). I thoroughly enjoyed it all, from the prep (lighting candles, listening to my Bruce Hornsby Pandora station) to the clean-up — no, really! — and am, again, grateful to Shawn and the kids who let me kick them out of the house for a while. I hope I was fully present to my friends. It all feels like kind-of a blur, now, but I think I had a great time. And no, I only had 2 glasses of wine, so it's not that -- it's just, various hostess duties kept me from sitting in any one place too long, I think, so I never quite relaxed. But I did laugh a lot, and I feel so comfortable with all those ladies, and I think they appreciated the time together — it had been a while. All good.
I think I'm all filled up on hostessing for now. Well, except we did talk about inviting Andy and Pam over for Sunday football watching one day soon. We totally should. ;)
- - - - - - -
This week for dinner:
Sunday: Crock pot BBQ meatballs, egg noodles, and green beans/potatoes in sauce (from the frozen aisle, and were a disappointment)
Monday: Spaghetti w/meat sauce, garlic toast and a Caesar salad
Tuesday: Chick Fil A or Zaxby's or Jimmy John's, because it's Kate's first basketball practice at 6pm and then gymnastics at 7:30, and HOW are we going to add something to the schedule?! By eating fast food.
Wednesday: Hate to tell you this, honey, but it's going to be ham steaks. The kids eat it and we haven't had it in a long time. With corn and mashed potatoes. And you're cooking. ;) Love ya, mean it.
Thursday: Pizza bake. Fruit salad. Carrrrrrbs.
Friday: I get a half-day off, so I can cook something delicious with chicken thighs, I hope. No... wait, just remembered, there's a party at school that night to celebrate the Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award. Woo hoo! Kitchen is closed Friday night!
Monday, September 26
Two best things
Two of the best things my sis and I have done together, lately:
Dad's surprise 70th birthday party 5 years ago, and Mom's less-surprising but also amazing 70th birthday party this past weekend! :)
I'm going to tell you about this weekend. We had fun surprising Mom via email, that we both planned to come to Florida to celebrate with her. We knew she wouldn't want us to just show up one Saturday, especially if she already had plans for a pedicure or a DAR meeting or something, and then bring 25 people to her house with no warning. So we told her in August, I think. Something to look forward to!
We made lots of yummy food after a fun sisters' grocery-store run (and liquor-store run) Saturday morning:
Of course, it's not all about the food. (Most, but not all.) ;) We had fun with Mom and Dad's friends from next door, our awesome cousins and their spouses, our favorite aunt and uncle, and all of the next generation, too. I feel like I was a sweaty mess (working in the kitchen and chasing the youngest kids), but I had fun. Only person I didn't get a chance to talk with was (as usual) Shawn. We laugh about that a lot, after parties. But then again, I guess we talk to each other most days so it's cool. ;)
Sunday morning the kids got a quick swim in, in the backyard, and then we had to head home. Weekend, you were too short!
But I've been thinking about Time, this morning, after a little stress last night when Kate couldn't fall asleep and I got frustrated because of it. I realized I rely so heavily on my carefully calculated schedule to get through weeknights, that when my plans/schedules get disrupted, it causes me stress. But if I could just LET GO of my arbitrary rules about time, I'd be better off (and a better mom). Because all time is limited... and all time is also infinite. We have nothing but time. Sure, it HELPS me to get a full night's rest (I really like getting 7 hours exactly)... but if my lunchbox-prep gets pushed later than I'd like, for whatever reason, it's not going to kill me (unless it becomes a bad habit)... I should let time run, do what needs doing, in whatever time it takes, and just TRUST that God will give me what I need to get through being tired the next day. For example. I have more thinking to do about this, but it is a welcome insight.
Anyway, our time together over the weekend was much too short, but it was just what it was meant to be, and what we were given, and therefore it was perfect. :)
Love you, Mom. Happy birthday tomorrow.
Dad's surprise 70th birthday party 5 years ago, and Mom's less-surprising but also amazing 70th birthday party this past weekend! :)
I'm going to tell you about this weekend. We had fun surprising Mom via email, that we both planned to come to Florida to celebrate with her. We knew she wouldn't want us to just show up one Saturday, especially if she already had plans for a pedicure or a DAR meeting or something, and then bring 25 people to her house with no warning. So we told her in August, I think. Something to look forward to!
We made lots of yummy food after a fun sisters' grocery-store run (and liquor-store run) Saturday morning:
- Sweet Potato and Bacon skewers -- as delicious as they sound! Sprinkled w/a brown sugar and cayenne mixture that gave them just the perfect level of sweet/spice!
- Maple-Bacon Crack -- also delicious and decadent... but these weren't as crispy as the recipe promises. They were soggy and sticky, in fact, and we didn't serve all of them.
- Green salad w/cranberries and spiced pecans
- Veggie tray w/hummus AND Ranch, because we're just that crazy
- Fruit and Cheese
- Meat and Crackers
- Rotel dip and chips (it's not a party without them)
- Turkey Roll-ups w/cream cheese
- Frozen Mini Corn Dogs for the kids
- Cake!
Of course, it's not all about the food. (Most, but not all.) ;) We had fun with Mom and Dad's friends from next door, our awesome cousins and their spouses, our favorite aunt and uncle, and all of the next generation, too. I feel like I was a sweaty mess (working in the kitchen and chasing the youngest kids), but I had fun. Only person I didn't get a chance to talk with was (as usual) Shawn. We laugh about that a lot, after parties. But then again, I guess we talk to each other most days so it's cool. ;)
Sunday morning the kids got a quick swim in, in the backyard, and then we had to head home. Weekend, you were too short!
But I've been thinking about Time, this morning, after a little stress last night when Kate couldn't fall asleep and I got frustrated because of it. I realized I rely so heavily on my carefully calculated schedule to get through weeknights, that when my plans/schedules get disrupted, it causes me stress. But if I could just LET GO of my arbitrary rules about time, I'd be better off (and a better mom). Because all time is limited... and all time is also infinite. We have nothing but time. Sure, it HELPS me to get a full night's rest (I really like getting 7 hours exactly)... but if my lunchbox-prep gets pushed later than I'd like, for whatever reason, it's not going to kill me (unless it becomes a bad habit)... I should let time run, do what needs doing, in whatever time it takes, and just TRUST that God will give me what I need to get through being tired the next day. For example. I have more thinking to do about this, but it is a welcome insight.
Anyway, our time together over the weekend was much too short, but it was just what it was meant to be, and what we were given, and therefore it was perfect. :)
Love you, Mom. Happy birthday tomorrow.
Monday, September 19
Weekend Recap - So Much To Remember!
Morning/Magazines
Today's morning rush was a little bit XTREME, mostly because I made the conscious decision not to prep lunchboxes last night. First time this year! But also because it is time, once again, for the school's magazine drive bullshit, and I had not yet read any of the instructions (naturally, this year they've "changed it up!" meaning the procedures are slightly different than the last EIGHT years we've done it) nor placed any orders ...and today was the first turn-in day and don'tcha know, the kids want their plastic keychain prizes.
I am FINALLY WEARY of this particular fundraiser. WHY does it need to be so complicated?? Several turn-in-days, and prizes they can ONLY get - like an Out of Uniform Pass which everyone wants - if they turn in X orders on X day, and if you also order this SPECIAL item you get DOUBLE prize points, but it can't be ordered online like everything else, you have to turn in a form and money by hand... and also can anyone volunteer to donate magazine subscriptions to the Libary slash come in and help count orders?!
Can't we just have a box of chocolate bars? Those suckers seem to sell themselves.
Anyway, if any of you reading this is kind enough to place an order (MOM, thank you), my prize-obsessed kids and I thank you. I asked Alex last week if he was ready to be "over" the prizes yet. (I think last year it was plastic duck keychains, the kids all collect them and wear them around all week). He had a hard time answering and was willing to consider letting Kate take all the orders this year. But when it came down to it this morning, he waffled. I guess the lanyard is a bit of a status symbol, still. Maybe a maximum of one duck will be just ironic enough to be cool in 7th grade? Let's hope. Sigh.
The main reason I wanted to remember this morning, though, was that the kids HELPED OUT. They made their lunches (...ish. Kate put a sandwich in her lunchbox and when I asked her if she grabbed a drink or anything else, she made big eyes at me like, "I was supposed to do ALL of that?" but still...)! They (Kate) got ready on their own! Kate didn't require me to French braid her hair, for once! It was lovely and magical.
Earrings
Kate and I had a doozy of a time last night trying to replace her piercing earrings. Her 3 weeks (accelerated) probation period had ended and she was SUPER eager to put in new ones. But lo and behold, those ears are a little SORE. And finding the hole in the back was not easy. She cried and cried and I kept my cool (mostly), but when you start a process like this before 8, and are still not finished at 8:56, it's a LITTLE frustrating. She finally let me -- FINALLY -- touch the earring and I found the back hole with no problem. And with one side done (!) we called it a night. *wide eyes* We have to do it again tonight and I just can't wait.
Bless her heart.
Cousins
Ohhhhhh, but we had a fabulous weekend. The Cousins came to visit and we hosted a party Saturday night (meaning we prepped most of the day Saturday, when we weren't singing for a wedding (me) or taking the kids to Kennesaw Mountain, (thanks Shawn)!!), then went to Mass and a Braves game on Sunday. It was all awesome. For the party I made a triple recipe of chili, with white rice or egg noodles to choose from, a veggie tray with Ranch dip, cut watermelon for the kids, and one of the creamy corn dips you find on Pinterest, called "Crack Dip" (I hate the name). We also made Rice Krispie treats for dessert, and took a cue from my parents and had Bluebell ice cream cups for the kids, too. They were in hog heaven -- they ran around the backyard, mostly, and the adults drank a little wine and were able to have interesting conversations.
I was just so thrilled to have a party. I mean, yes it's a lot of work, but it just filled me up with happiness to have family there. And to be a hostess - my inner Martha was content. I don't know if it's the act of serving I like, or subconsciously, the compliments I get about a nice dinner, pretty home, or what, but it satisfies me. I always go back to this concept, too, which stirred my heart when I first read about it. Simple meals, not-pristine homes, TIME TOGETHER with people we love. That's what I like my weekends to be about. (some weekends, I should clarify!)
Seeing the Braves play was icing on the cake. Especially because they won (and I had a new team t-shirt to wear, ha)! It wasn't hot outside, we had great seats, all the kids were sooo well-behaved, and I've loved that team (and that stadium) for a long time now. Because of a rain delay, we even got to watch a whole documentary on the big screen, about the 1990s when the Braves were on top! It was the best. Exhausting, and I fear Shawn's coming down with something, but so fun all around.
Today's morning rush was a little bit XTREME, mostly because I made the conscious decision not to prep lunchboxes last night. First time this year! But also because it is time, once again, for the school's magazine drive bullshit, and I had not yet read any of the instructions (naturally, this year they've "changed it up!" meaning the procedures are slightly different than the last EIGHT years we've done it) nor placed any orders ...and today was the first turn-in day and don'tcha know, the kids want their plastic keychain prizes.
I am FINALLY WEARY of this particular fundraiser. WHY does it need to be so complicated?? Several turn-in-days, and prizes they can ONLY get - like an Out of Uniform Pass which everyone wants - if they turn in X orders on X day, and if you also order this SPECIAL item you get DOUBLE prize points, but it can't be ordered online like everything else, you have to turn in a form and money by hand... and also can anyone volunteer to donate magazine subscriptions to the Libary slash come in and help count orders?!
Can't we just have a box of chocolate bars? Those suckers seem to sell themselves.
Anyway, if any of you reading this is kind enough to place an order (MOM, thank you), my prize-obsessed kids and I thank you. I asked Alex last week if he was ready to be "over" the prizes yet. (I think last year it was plastic duck keychains, the kids all collect them and wear them around all week). He had a hard time answering and was willing to consider letting Kate take all the orders this year. But when it came down to it this morning, he waffled. I guess the lanyard is a bit of a status symbol, still. Maybe a maximum of one duck will be just ironic enough to be cool in 7th grade? Let's hope. Sigh.
The main reason I wanted to remember this morning, though, was that the kids HELPED OUT. They made their lunches (...ish. Kate put a sandwich in her lunchbox and when I asked her if she grabbed a drink or anything else, she made big eyes at me like, "I was supposed to do ALL of that?" but still...)! They (Kate) got ready on their own! Kate didn't require me to French braid her hair, for once! It was lovely and magical.
Earrings
Kate and I had a doozy of a time last night trying to replace her piercing earrings. Her 3 weeks (accelerated) probation period had ended and she was SUPER eager to put in new ones. But lo and behold, those ears are a little SORE. And finding the hole in the back was not easy. She cried and cried and I kept my cool (mostly), but when you start a process like this before 8, and are still not finished at 8:56, it's a LITTLE frustrating. She finally let me -- FINALLY -- touch the earring and I found the back hole with no problem. And with one side done (!) we called it a night. *wide eyes* We have to do it again tonight and I just can't wait.
Bless her heart.
Cousins
Ohhhhhh, but we had a fabulous weekend. The Cousins came to visit and we hosted a party Saturday night (meaning we prepped most of the day Saturday, when we weren't singing for a wedding (me) or taking the kids to Kennesaw Mountain, (thanks Shawn)!!), then went to Mass and a Braves game on Sunday. It was all awesome. For the party I made a triple recipe of chili, with white rice or egg noodles to choose from, a veggie tray with Ranch dip, cut watermelon for the kids, and one of the creamy corn dips you find on Pinterest, called "Crack Dip" (I hate the name). We also made Rice Krispie treats for dessert, and took a cue from my parents and had Bluebell ice cream cups for the kids, too. They were in hog heaven -- they ran around the backyard, mostly, and the adults drank a little wine and were able to have interesting conversations.
I was just so thrilled to have a party. I mean, yes it's a lot of work, but it just filled me up with happiness to have family there. And to be a hostess - my inner Martha was content. I don't know if it's the act of serving I like, or subconsciously, the compliments I get about a nice dinner, pretty home, or what, but it satisfies me. I always go back to this concept, too, which stirred my heart when I first read about it. Simple meals, not-pristine homes, TIME TOGETHER with people we love. That's what I like my weekends to be about. (some weekends, I should clarify!)
Seeing the Braves play was icing on the cake. Especially because they won (and I had a new team t-shirt to wear, ha)! It wasn't hot outside, we had great seats, all the kids were sooo well-behaved, and I've loved that team (and that stadium) for a long time now. Because of a rain delay, we even got to watch a whole documentary on the big screen, about the 1990s when the Braves were on top! It was the best. Exhausting, and I fear Shawn's coming down with something, but so fun all around.
Friday, September 9
Tallies and Teams, and Terrible headlines for posts about just regular life ;)
Hey-oh. Friday again! I'm still working on the Product Catalog I mentioned 2 weeks ago. It is kicking my butt with its blah blah blah brand style intros and tone-of-voice subheads. (ooh, but Shan just said she thinks my most recent draft looks great, woot.)
My tally for August was 21 days out of 30 walking. Achievable stats: More days than not, I did some exercise. Not counting calories burned, not really aiming for a certain number of minutes per week, just: more than not. This I can do. Just returned from my Friday lunchtime walk on the Office-Perk trail. It's not too hot in the shade, and most of the trail is shaded. :) I'm looking forward to an early morning 30 minutes tomorrow. Must wake up early!
Kate wants to do everything this year. She's newly signed up for Art Club and Basketball, on top of her already full schedule including choir, Girl Scouts and gymnastics. But I'm all for it. Try them on for size. Art Club is just after-school, and she's there anyway in Aftercare. In fact, why they don't offer MORE clubs during Aftercare is a question. Anyway, basketball was something I enjoyed, the years I had good coaches, even though I was pretty terrible at it. Team sports, thumbs up. The school has also started a Run Club, where you have to participate in a 5K Run or Walk each quarter. Families encouraged. I kinda like this idea and Kate brought it up, too, and Alex could earn service hours for it... so maybe. HA! See what I mean? Everything!
Alex is, meanwhile, paring down his activities. He decided against gymnastics, is barely attending Scouts (but oh, we're hopeful he'll finish some rank advancements before December), and chose not to be in the fall Drama Club production. But it's okay. (Piano is going well and he works on his YouTube channel.) His homework-load is definitely increasing and he's handling it beautifully so far. He's my steady, instinctively organized kid.
(In fact, an aside: it's funny to contrast the two kids' bedrooms. Alex, much like his Daddy, keeps everything put away. Well, pajamas on the floor, but they're neatly piled on top of slippers, out of the way. He's an old man because he sometimes puts them on the minute he gets home from school. Kate's room is chock full with stuff taped on the walls and little "areas" everywhere; this doll's bed, that table for Art Stuff, pillows and of course, the outfits she sheds multiple times a day, and shoes, all over the floor. Sheets totally askew on the bed. Cracks me up. I just try not to care. It's not like anyone's seeing it. ...oh wait, next week we have cousins coming to town! I predict a straightening-up frenzy.)
Our new rule to limit screentime to homework, weekends, or selected family TV watching, after dinner, is working. No one's even really whined about it. Kate's snuck up to her room a few times and we've caught her playing iPhone games or watching YouTube, but I think we've managed to put a stop to it with Disappointment and also Warnings that weekend time could also be cancelled. So.
Even I was disappointed with this week's dinner menus, except Sunday. If I can recall:
S - burgers on the new grill, yummy, with baked beans and potato chips. We even ate outside.
M - Hibachi restaurant on Labor Day (i dunno)
T - sausage, spinach and parmesan pasta. Totally made up by me, and accepted by all, surprisingly.
W - chicken patty sandwiches
Th - fried chicken from the Publix deli, potato salad, fruit from a can
F - pretty sure it's going to be Brinner. Which is supposed to be easy, btw, but always seems to take me 3 pans and a lot of jumping around to make it happen all at the same time. Eggs, pancakes, bacon... jump, hop, turn, flip.
Merrily we roll along! Bummer that it's just a TWO-day weekend, but I'll take it.
My tally for August was 21 days out of 30 walking. Achievable stats: More days than not, I did some exercise. Not counting calories burned, not really aiming for a certain number of minutes per week, just: more than not. This I can do. Just returned from my Friday lunchtime walk on the Office-Perk trail. It's not too hot in the shade, and most of the trail is shaded. :) I'm looking forward to an early morning 30 minutes tomorrow. Must wake up early!
Kate wants to do everything this year. She's newly signed up for Art Club and Basketball, on top of her already full schedule including choir, Girl Scouts and gymnastics. But I'm all for it. Try them on for size. Art Club is just after-school, and she's there anyway in Aftercare. In fact, why they don't offer MORE clubs during Aftercare is a question. Anyway, basketball was something I enjoyed, the years I had good coaches, even though I was pretty terrible at it. Team sports, thumbs up. The school has also started a Run Club, where you have to participate in a 5K Run or Walk each quarter. Families encouraged. I kinda like this idea and Kate brought it up, too, and Alex could earn service hours for it... so maybe. HA! See what I mean? Everything!
Alex is, meanwhile, paring down his activities. He decided against gymnastics, is barely attending Scouts (but oh, we're hopeful he'll finish some rank advancements before December), and chose not to be in the fall Drama Club production. But it's okay. (Piano is going well and he works on his YouTube channel.) His homework-load is definitely increasing and he's handling it beautifully so far. He's my steady, instinctively organized kid.
(In fact, an aside: it's funny to contrast the two kids' bedrooms. Alex, much like his Daddy, keeps everything put away. Well, pajamas on the floor, but they're neatly piled on top of slippers, out of the way. He's an old man because he sometimes puts them on the minute he gets home from school. Kate's room is chock full with stuff taped on the walls and little "areas" everywhere; this doll's bed, that table for Art Stuff, pillows and of course, the outfits she sheds multiple times a day, and shoes, all over the floor. Sheets totally askew on the bed. Cracks me up. I just try not to care. It's not like anyone's seeing it. ...oh wait, next week we have cousins coming to town! I predict a straightening-up frenzy.)
Our new rule to limit screentime to homework, weekends, or selected family TV watching, after dinner, is working. No one's even really whined about it. Kate's snuck up to her room a few times and we've caught her playing iPhone games or watching YouTube, but I think we've managed to put a stop to it with Disappointment and also Warnings that weekend time could also be cancelled. So.
Even I was disappointed with this week's dinner menus, except Sunday. If I can recall:
S - burgers on the new grill, yummy, with baked beans and potato chips. We even ate outside.
M - Hibachi restaurant on Labor Day (i dunno)
T - sausage, spinach and parmesan pasta. Totally made up by me, and accepted by all, surprisingly.
W - chicken patty sandwiches
Th - fried chicken from the Publix deli, potato salad, fruit from a can
F - pretty sure it's going to be Brinner. Which is supposed to be easy, btw, but always seems to take me 3 pans and a lot of jumping around to make it happen all at the same time. Eggs, pancakes, bacon... jump, hop, turn, flip.
Merrily we roll along! Bummer that it's just a TWO-day weekend, but I'll take it.
Wednesday, August 31
I'm So Over These Words
If I never hear the words...
I wish one of these days I could get myself a job that has nothing to do with those things. Something like:
- content marketing
- promotion
- increase our database
- align our promotions
- markdown
- infographic
- push-to-pull strategy
- media guide
- editorial calendar
- brand strategy
- reach
- measurement/statistics
- analytics
- digital marketing
- integrated strategy
- social advertising
- budget
- merchandising
- thought-leaders
- influencer marketing
- growth
I wish one of these days I could get myself a job that has nothing to do with those things. Something like:
- Ticket-taker/docent at a museum or botanical garden
- Cashier at Natural Body (a local massage/spa store)
- After School Supervisor
- Education Coordinator/Assistant at a church
- Registration Coordinator at a retreat center
- Mobile plant tender!!
- Volunteer coordinator for a non-profit
Monday, August 29
In the House, On my Feet
My back hurts this morning, and I figured out why while driving to work. I piddled around the house all weekend, doing Not Much Really, just things like decorating bookshelves, vacuuming hard-core, and laundry/ironing.... in bare feet. DUMB. Old ladies must wear supportive shoes, Self, even in the house! Otherwise backs will hurt.
I had a pretty nice weekend, though, in the house on my feet. I had bought some bookshelves for our living room, so I dusted them and put pretty things on them! Not too many. Trying to keep it classy. ;) Of course by the end of the weekend I noticed a plastic bucket with Dory on it had made its way onto a bottom shelf. That room gets a lot of toy action even though it's the "formal-ish" living room. I guess growing up, Jill and I used our parents' formal living room as a gymnasium. I don't feel like we left toys all over it, though.
Kate spent the night with a friend Friday, and was picked up right after school by them, so Alex and Shawn and I enjoyed some quality time. We let him watch the first episode of Stranger Things, since Shawn and I loved it so much 3 weeks ago. I think Alex liked it, but didn't have the immediate '80s connection like we'd had, obviously. Still, it was fun letting him be a big kid (lots of language in that show, I hadn't realized!)... and he basically put himself to bed afterwards, around 10:30. Since Kate was gone, I also got to play a card game with Alex on Saturday. Not regular cards, but one of The Kids' games, with Attack points and Health points and Life points and oh my goodness, it was a lot to keep up with! It was an easy version of this type of game -- I'm not sure I could handle anything harder!
Saturday morning we met with a new piano teacher. She is going to be just great; I'm setting high expectations. She was delightful to talk with, so kind to Alex and I can tell, an excellent teacher. I bet I'm more excited than he is. I might have mentioned I would like if both my kiddos loved music, and I think the seed is IN THERE, it just needs some really good tending. I think this lady is the one to do it. I'm also starting to consider when we should get Kate into piano. Maybe next year. Her musical training happens in the church choir currently, but the excellent director is leaving. :( I don't know who will take his place. Watching the situation to see what happens next.
And Kate survived her 2 weeks of good behavior, and got her ears pierced yesterday! WOO-HOO! I was worried she'd chicken out, but she didn't. She cried, yes, which I knew would happen.... but in the end we got it done. She chose a pretty little purple birthstone and looks So Grown Up I can hardly believe it. This morning we French braided her hair so the newly acquired sparkle was most visible. :)
This week's menu:
S - The Pepperocini Beef recipe that was so hot online 2 years ago. Finally tried it. I loved it, Alex tolerated it, Shawn thought it was okay I think, and Kate spit it out (too spicy). It WAS more spicy than I expected. Might or might not make it again. Also had veggies and ranch, and deviled eggs.
M - Dirty Rice with ground beef. Getting all our iron in, early in the week!
T - Tuna Casserole. Haven't made that in a while and everyone likes it.
W - Chicken Parmesan with garlic bread and salad. Yum.
TH - Fish Sticks and Popcorn Shrimp, I believe. My choir rehearsals begin again (mixed feelings), so Thursday has to be quick prep.
F - It's the first night of a 3-day weekend so we'll see! Might have to order pizza to celebrate. ;)
I had a pretty nice weekend, though, in the house on my feet. I had bought some bookshelves for our living room, so I dusted them and put pretty things on them! Not too many. Trying to keep it classy. ;) Of course by the end of the weekend I noticed a plastic bucket with Dory on it had made its way onto a bottom shelf. That room gets a lot of toy action even though it's the "formal-ish" living room. I guess growing up, Jill and I used our parents' formal living room as a gymnasium. I don't feel like we left toys all over it, though.
Kate spent the night with a friend Friday, and was picked up right after school by them, so Alex and Shawn and I enjoyed some quality time. We let him watch the first episode of Stranger Things, since Shawn and I loved it so much 3 weeks ago. I think Alex liked it, but didn't have the immediate '80s connection like we'd had, obviously. Still, it was fun letting him be a big kid (lots of language in that show, I hadn't realized!)... and he basically put himself to bed afterwards, around 10:30. Since Kate was gone, I also got to play a card game with Alex on Saturday. Not regular cards, but one of The Kids' games, with Attack points and Health points and Life points and oh my goodness, it was a lot to keep up with! It was an easy version of this type of game -- I'm not sure I could handle anything harder!
Saturday morning we met with a new piano teacher. She is going to be just great; I'm setting high expectations. She was delightful to talk with, so kind to Alex and I can tell, an excellent teacher. I bet I'm more excited than he is. I might have mentioned I would like if both my kiddos loved music, and I think the seed is IN THERE, it just needs some really good tending. I think this lady is the one to do it. I'm also starting to consider when we should get Kate into piano. Maybe next year. Her musical training happens in the church choir currently, but the excellent director is leaving. :( I don't know who will take his place. Watching the situation to see what happens next.
And Kate survived her 2 weeks of good behavior, and got her ears pierced yesterday! WOO-HOO! I was worried she'd chicken out, but she didn't. She cried, yes, which I knew would happen.... but in the end we got it done. She chose a pretty little purple birthstone and looks So Grown Up I can hardly believe it. This morning we French braided her hair so the newly acquired sparkle was most visible. :)
This week's menu:
S - The Pepperocini Beef recipe that was so hot online 2 years ago. Finally tried it. I loved it, Alex tolerated it, Shawn thought it was okay I think, and Kate spit it out (too spicy). It WAS more spicy than I expected. Might or might not make it again. Also had veggies and ranch, and deviled eggs.
M - Dirty Rice with ground beef. Getting all our iron in, early in the week!
T - Tuna Casserole. Haven't made that in a while and everyone likes it.
W - Chicken Parmesan with garlic bread and salad. Yum.
TH - Fish Sticks and Popcorn Shrimp, I believe. My choir rehearsals begin again (mixed feelings), so Thursday has to be quick prep.
F - It's the first night of a 3-day weekend so we'll see! Might have to order pizza to celebrate. ;)
Monday, August 22
Don't Wanna
Work.... nope.
Not feeling it.
This week's dinners? Why, sure!
S - Leftovers bonanza. Actually a pasta bonanza, because that's what the leftovers happened to be. But no one complained (shockingly), and there's now room in the fridge.
M - Hamburger sliders baked in the oven. Easy and yummy. Probably with tater tots.
T -Smoked Sausage, mac-cheese and broccoli
W - Chicken, potatoes and green beans. Pinterest For The Win.
TH - Pasta with meat-ah-balls.
FR - Kate's going to a sleepover so we'll wing it (yay for winging it!)
[Alright, fine... I did some work in another Tab while I was writing this. I guess I still have some work ethic, and a desire to knock the quick, easy things off my looming to-do list... aren't Mondays just the worst?]
----------------
We had a school event last Friday night, an annual picnic/cookout that we've attended all 8 years we've been there. It was a good time, despite the sprinkling of rain going on throughout the evening. We came home with three dirty kids, I'll tell you that (one was a friend), but the burgers were good (and free), and there were lots of side dishes. You know I love the side dishes.
We mostly chatted with a couple we met at the very first one of these picnics, and with a family who's new to the school. I was happy to be able to help welcome the new family, since they have kids in both Alex's and Kate's homerooms. And the long-time friends are definitely some of my favorites; friends I know I could call on for help in time of trouble, or invite out for fun and expect an enthusiastic "yes." I'm so grateful. It's a wish that I wished long ago: to make friends.
But later in the weekend I caught myself thinking, all of this is temporary. One of these days, these friends will be part of the past, most likely. We'll move on to different high schools, our kids will make new friends, and, if I'm honest, my elementary and middle-school friends definitely aren't high on my list of "priority" friends anymore. My own parents DO keep up with parents of some elementary school friends of mine, who lived across the street from us... but that's about it. Besides Facebook, of course. So that made me a little sad. The thoughts grew bigger, to, "Well, all of Life is temporary, actually...." and that made me feel really melancholy, mostly about these friends.
Unless, I guess, I dig deep into my faith and pray that I'll get to hang out with Ashley, Matt, Susan, Rick, Julie, Mike, Emily, John, Ellyn, Stephanie, Karen, Yvonne, and maybe newbies Wendy and Andy, in heaven. Not to mention all my other friends who, for now, aren't in my daily life but remain in my social media news feed. College friends, high school friends, work friends... and those of my kids whom I've yet to meet. Then we'll have a cookout for allllllll eternity. ;) It seems far away, of course. And it seems a little odd to think about, but perhaps it's something to hang some hope on.
Not feeling it.
This week's dinners? Why, sure!
S - Leftovers bonanza. Actually a pasta bonanza, because that's what the leftovers happened to be. But no one complained (shockingly), and there's now room in the fridge.
M - Hamburger sliders baked in the oven. Easy and yummy. Probably with tater tots.
T -Smoked Sausage, mac-cheese and broccoli
W - Chicken, potatoes and green beans. Pinterest For The Win.
TH - Pasta with meat-ah-balls.
FR - Kate's going to a sleepover so we'll wing it (yay for winging it!)
[Alright, fine... I did some work in another Tab while I was writing this. I guess I still have some work ethic, and a desire to knock the quick, easy things off my looming to-do list... aren't Mondays just the worst?]
----------------
We had a school event last Friday night, an annual picnic/cookout that we've attended all 8 years we've been there. It was a good time, despite the sprinkling of rain going on throughout the evening. We came home with three dirty kids, I'll tell you that (one was a friend), but the burgers were good (and free), and there were lots of side dishes. You know I love the side dishes.
We mostly chatted with a couple we met at the very first one of these picnics, and with a family who's new to the school. I was happy to be able to help welcome the new family, since they have kids in both Alex's and Kate's homerooms. And the long-time friends are definitely some of my favorites; friends I know I could call on for help in time of trouble, or invite out for fun and expect an enthusiastic "yes." I'm so grateful. It's a wish that I wished long ago: to make friends.
But later in the weekend I caught myself thinking, all of this is temporary. One of these days, these friends will be part of the past, most likely. We'll move on to different high schools, our kids will make new friends, and, if I'm honest, my elementary and middle-school friends definitely aren't high on my list of "priority" friends anymore. My own parents DO keep up with parents of some elementary school friends of mine, who lived across the street from us... but that's about it. Besides Facebook, of course. So that made me a little sad. The thoughts grew bigger, to, "Well, all of Life is temporary, actually...." and that made me feel really melancholy, mostly about these friends.
Unless, I guess, I dig deep into my faith and pray that I'll get to hang out with Ashley, Matt, Susan, Rick, Julie, Mike, Emily, John, Ellyn, Stephanie, Karen, Yvonne, and maybe newbies Wendy and Andy, in heaven. Not to mention all my other friends who, for now, aren't in my daily life but remain in my social media news feed. College friends, high school friends, work friends... and those of my kids whom I've yet to meet. Then we'll have a cookout for allllllll eternity. ;) It seems far away, of course. And it seems a little odd to think about, but perhaps it's something to hang some hope on.
Monday, August 15
Cheerful
Apparently expense reimbursement can only happen by Direct Deposit. And no one bothered to tell me this until today, so I am STILL not reimbursed the $380-something dollars they owe me for The Trip. Come ON, Company. This stuff is not that hard.
. . . . . . . .
I did not intend to start a blog post with negativity. It just happened. I mean, literally it just happened a few minutes ago, so I'm hot about it at the moment.
But most of all I am feeling SO, SO GOOD this morning. The children have been pleasant these past um, let me count... 22 and a half hours. 23 hours ago, maybe things were not so rosy, but no need to reminisce. ;) We're on the rosy side now, with high hopes to stay there firmly until two weeks from now, when a girl I know will have earned a very special privilege -- getting her ears pierced.
She's been adamantly against, in all the days leading up to yesterday morning. I would tease her every time we went into Claire's (which is often), saying, "Oooh, Kate, there's no one in the chair... I know you want to get your ears pierced today, right??" And it was always met with, "NO, no... doesn't it hurt?" and "Never! I am NOT doing that." But for some reason yesterday, she changed her mind.
She always announces things like this - big things or instances where I'm going to need to drive her somewhere - with, "Mommy. I have an IDEA." And she calls me to some corner where no one else will hear, or even SEE her ask me, and whispers. It's pretty cute (when I step back and take a minute to think about it... though sometimes in the moment, it's interruptive and I feel like it's a ploy, which it is).
SO, we're working on Maintaining Rosiness and Cheerfulness, through every schoolday morning and bedtime for 2 weeks, in order to earn this privilege. Habits are good to develop, especially if she's going to have to clean those ears and turn the earrings every night. (Oh, I just read the Claire's post-piercing instructions and they actually say to clean/turn them three times a day! Even better.) And this cheerfulness-at-certain-times-of-day THING is a habit she desperately needs to solidify. Perhaps it's hard transitioning back from the easy-breezy late-bedtime summer schedule. Perhaps.
Today was a good day.
I also feel pretty good because last Friday I asked for a raise and will probably get one. I'm terrible about doing that; it's long overdue. I've just gone along, la-la-la, accepting the piddly 1-2% yearly raises and being grateful for them -- being told that other departments weren't getting ANY raise or bonus, the past 2 or 3 years. But with significant changes to my role (before even telling me), it's time. And international travel? Ok, fine, but pay me accordingly. Anyway, I was told that my manager "absolutely" agrees with what I requested, and in fact she believes it was already added to our annual budget, so it's looking positive.
And finally, I walked this morning for 15 minutes before leaving for work. I'm trying to work this in to my morning routine. After Shawn and the kids leave, I put on my shoes and head out the door (thankfully the weather's allowing this. It should not be 80 degrees before 7:00 am, and finally it isn't. Bring on fall, though). Or, a couple of times I have done a "walking" video with Xfinity On Demand. It works, too. Whatever it takes to get moving. It's only fifiteen minutes but I know that's better than the zero minutes I've been doing for about 2 years. I really, really want to make it as "daily" a habit as possible. It does mean driving to work sweaty, but I have a 20-minute drive. It's long enough to cool down with the AC on high blast.
The kids are in school now full-time. I still have to schedule piano lessons and gymnastics, but we are Go for Launch and feeling good on a Monday.
. . . . . . . .
I did not intend to start a blog post with negativity. It just happened. I mean, literally it just happened a few minutes ago, so I'm hot about it at the moment.
But most of all I am feeling SO, SO GOOD this morning. The children have been pleasant these past um, let me count... 22 and a half hours. 23 hours ago, maybe things were not so rosy, but no need to reminisce. ;) We're on the rosy side now, with high hopes to stay there firmly until two weeks from now, when a girl I know will have earned a very special privilege -- getting her ears pierced.
She's been adamantly against, in all the days leading up to yesterday morning. I would tease her every time we went into Claire's (which is often), saying, "Oooh, Kate, there's no one in the chair... I know you want to get your ears pierced today, right??" And it was always met with, "NO, no... doesn't it hurt?" and "Never! I am NOT doing that." But for some reason yesterday, she changed her mind.
She always announces things like this - big things or instances where I'm going to need to drive her somewhere - with, "Mommy. I have an IDEA." And she calls me to some corner where no one else will hear, or even SEE her ask me, and whispers. It's pretty cute (when I step back and take a minute to think about it... though sometimes in the moment, it's interruptive and I feel like it's a ploy, which it is).
SO, we're working on Maintaining Rosiness and Cheerfulness, through every schoolday morning and bedtime for 2 weeks, in order to earn this privilege. Habits are good to develop, especially if she's going to have to clean those ears and turn the earrings every night. (Oh, I just read the Claire's post-piercing instructions and they actually say to clean/turn them three times a day! Even better.) And this cheerfulness-at-certain-times-of-day THING is a habit she desperately needs to solidify. Perhaps it's hard transitioning back from the easy-breezy late-bedtime summer schedule. Perhaps.
Today was a good day.
I also feel pretty good because last Friday I asked for a raise and will probably get one. I'm terrible about doing that; it's long overdue. I've just gone along, la-la-la, accepting the piddly 1-2% yearly raises and being grateful for them -- being told that other departments weren't getting ANY raise or bonus, the past 2 or 3 years. But with significant changes to my role (before even telling me), it's time. And international travel? Ok, fine, but pay me accordingly. Anyway, I was told that my manager "absolutely" agrees with what I requested, and in fact she believes it was already added to our annual budget, so it's looking positive.
And finally, I walked this morning for 15 minutes before leaving for work. I'm trying to work this in to my morning routine. After Shawn and the kids leave, I put on my shoes and head out the door (thankfully the weather's allowing this. It should not be 80 degrees before 7:00 am, and finally it isn't. Bring on fall, though). Or, a couple of times I have done a "walking" video with Xfinity On Demand. It works, too. Whatever it takes to get moving. It's only fifiteen minutes but I know that's better than the zero minutes I've been doing for about 2 years. I really, really want to make it as "daily" a habit as possible. It does mean driving to work sweaty, but I have a 20-minute drive. It's long enough to cool down with the AC on high blast.
The kids are in school now full-time. I still have to schedule piano lessons and gymnastics, but we are Go for Launch and feeling good on a Monday.
Friday, August 5
Parenting-cation
Out of juice at 2:50 on a Friday afternoon. Can't bear the thought of opening up my Product Catalog Word doc. It would be false to pretend I have any good ideas for that project, anyway. There are only so many words -- only so many ways I can write/say the same thing over and over and make it feel new and fresh. I will try again on Monday, maybe. (Or after I let my fingers run here for a bit...)
We've had a really good week. It's such a gift to us, that Mom and Dad still want to host the kids for a week of Camp Grandmommy/Papa Joe. Jill asked me what were Shawn and I going to DO, with the kids gone a whole week?? So far the answer is: We're going to WATCH TV. Shows that WE want to watch. Ha, ha. First choice was the Netflix series "Stranger Things," and we both loved it. We watched 2 episodes a night. Lapped it up -- there were only 8 total. It's very sci-fi, very 80s, but also emotionally gratifying. (On the 80s topic, it reminded me of E.T., The Goonies, Tron, and A Wrinkle In Time, among plenty of other references.) One little character just tugged at my heartstrings. We hope they'll do a 2nd season.
We also watched Mockingjay Part 1, since we're behind on the Hunger Games movies. Excellent. And we've caught up on our Flipping Out recordings. What else? Oh, The EVENING NEWS, aren't we grown-up, and some politics (Libertarian Town Hall). It's a weird freedom, to have full HOURS of time we can fill up with media.
I've tried to do some reading, too. Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin. It's excellent. The writing is unreal. I wish I could spin phrases like she does.
We ate out twice, I think, and plan to order Chinese tonight. (So we can watch something while we eat!!)
Oh, dear. All of a sudden I'm worried for us during retirement. That's something I think about regularly, actually -- when (if) we retire, what in the world are we going to do with ourselves? I guess I'll volunteer at the church or something. Help the choir director sort music. And we talk about how we'll take daily walks (...will we, really?). And sit on the porch. But what ELSE will we do, together? What are our common interests? (Um.) I suppose it'll work itself out, no need to panic. I do still have that 1,500 piece puzzle I bought the kids a year ago. ;)
Some pretty deep thoughts, here. School starts Monday/Wednesday.
We've had a really good week. It's such a gift to us, that Mom and Dad still want to host the kids for a week of Camp Grandmommy/Papa Joe. Jill asked me what were Shawn and I going to DO, with the kids gone a whole week?? So far the answer is: We're going to WATCH TV. Shows that WE want to watch. Ha, ha. First choice was the Netflix series "Stranger Things," and we both loved it. We watched 2 episodes a night. Lapped it up -- there were only 8 total. It's very sci-fi, very 80s, but also emotionally gratifying. (On the 80s topic, it reminded me of E.T., The Goonies, Tron, and A Wrinkle In Time, among plenty of other references.) One little character just tugged at my heartstrings. We hope they'll do a 2nd season.
We also watched Mockingjay Part 1, since we're behind on the Hunger Games movies. Excellent. And we've caught up on our Flipping Out recordings. What else? Oh, The EVENING NEWS, aren't we grown-up, and some politics (Libertarian Town Hall). It's a weird freedom, to have full HOURS of time we can fill up with media.
I've tried to do some reading, too. Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin. It's excellent. The writing is unreal. I wish I could spin phrases like she does.
We ate out twice, I think, and plan to order Chinese tonight. (So we can watch something while we eat!!)
Oh, dear. All of a sudden I'm worried for us during retirement. That's something I think about regularly, actually -- when (if) we retire, what in the world are we going to do with ourselves? I guess I'll volunteer at the church or something. Help the choir director sort music. And we talk about how we'll take daily walks (...will we, really?). And sit on the porch. But what ELSE will we do, together? What are our common interests? (Um.) I suppose it'll work itself out, no need to panic. I do still have that 1,500 piece puzzle I bought the kids a year ago. ;)
Some pretty deep thoughts, here. School starts Monday/Wednesday.
Monday, July 25
Monday morning yapping
Our every-minute-planned summer, is nearing its end. I'm naturally finding it hard to believe, but at the same time, June also seems like eons ago.
Yesterday we bought school supplies. Those included a Swiss Army brand backpack for Alex, who hasn't had a new one in 3 years. He chose it himself, but we didn't realize until the cash register that it was a one-hundred-dollar backpack! Yipes. Still, a kid ought to have extremely nice things once in a while and not always the cheapest. So I bought it without another thought. ENJOY that backpack (until your sophomore year of high school at least), kiddo. ;)
Thankfully, and after an initial whine, Kate realized her Jansport from last year is still in FINE condition, and didn't bother me at the store about wanting a new one even though Alex was getting one. (And in the process she earned herself a Vera Bradley one for a Christmas gift, if I can remember. *goes to make a reminder note on the iPhone*)
We've had 1 week of well-received evening meals, and I have another one planned. Last week:
M- Bourbon Salmon (from the Publix seafood counter), wild rice, green beans
T- Chicken Tetrazini (I'd been wanting to make it for WEEKS) - with Alex away it was a good time, since he's not so much into the creamy casseroles. I think we made a Caesar salad to go with it.
W- BBQ sandwiches with Stouffer's Harvest Apples. Yes, they're both ready-made foods, but I whipped up a jalepeno cole slaw that Shawn really liked, so I felt quite accomplished indeed.
TH- Frozen Pizza (sorry not sorry) and salad, this time with tomatoes and cheese and croutons, you're welcome, Shawn
F- We went out to Bahama Breeze.
Okay, so it really wasn't that impressive, but at least I'd planned the days and we ate in every night but the one. ;) This week:
S- Spaghetti w/meatballs, garlic bread
M- Fish Tacos (just fish sticks for the kids), jalepeno cole slaw, and mac and cheese
T- Chicken Tortilla Soup (crockpot)
W- Sausage and potatoes (small pieces that are easier for Alex to eat with his braces)
TH- Chicken Patty sandwiches
F- (I think we're going out with some friends)
Why do I feel the need to record our daily suppers? I don't know! It's a weird quirk and a throwback to public mommy-blogging, I guess.
Over the weekend I did a LOT of cleaning out of clothes. Kate had received yet another giant 2 bags of hand-me-downs from our friends. Again, I'm so appreciative. But there are SO MANY things she either doesn't like or will never wear (15 pairs of athletic shorts, puffy-sleeved things, random event t-shirts...) so it always takes me a long time to sort through it all. For the moment, 3 of her 7 dresser drawers have been reorganized, and the closet emptied of things that were too small. (Some of which are going to Pensacola for the cousins, by the way, Mom and Dad.) Next round will be when it's time to switch over to fall. It's a full-time job, keeping up with the kids' clothes, I tell you! Reminds me of Grandmother, who rightly said it's real work to run a household.
Saturday the kids go to Mom and Dad's for their week of grandparents-and-cousins time. I think it's a nice way for them to end their break, with backyard pool parties and kitchen-table goodness. :) Wish I could go, but on the other hand, Shawn and I always enjoy our week's stay-cation from parenting, too.
Better get to work.
Yesterday we bought school supplies. Those included a Swiss Army brand backpack for Alex, who hasn't had a new one in 3 years. He chose it himself, but we didn't realize until the cash register that it was a one-hundred-dollar backpack! Yipes. Still, a kid ought to have extremely nice things once in a while and not always the cheapest. So I bought it without another thought. ENJOY that backpack (until your sophomore year of high school at least), kiddo. ;)
Thankfully, and after an initial whine, Kate realized her Jansport from last year is still in FINE condition, and didn't bother me at the store about wanting a new one even though Alex was getting one. (And in the process she earned herself a Vera Bradley one for a Christmas gift, if I can remember. *goes to make a reminder note on the iPhone*)
We've had 1 week of well-received evening meals, and I have another one planned. Last week:
M- Bourbon Salmon (from the Publix seafood counter), wild rice, green beans
T- Chicken Tetrazini (I'd been wanting to make it for WEEKS) - with Alex away it was a good time, since he's not so much into the creamy casseroles. I think we made a Caesar salad to go with it.
W- BBQ sandwiches with Stouffer's Harvest Apples. Yes, they're both ready-made foods, but I whipped up a jalepeno cole slaw that Shawn really liked, so I felt quite accomplished indeed.
TH- Frozen Pizza (sorry not sorry) and salad, this time with tomatoes and cheese and croutons, you're welcome, Shawn
F- We went out to Bahama Breeze.
Okay, so it really wasn't that impressive, but at least I'd planned the days and we ate in every night but the one. ;) This week:
S- Spaghetti w/meatballs, garlic bread
M- Fish Tacos (just fish sticks for the kids), jalepeno cole slaw, and mac and cheese
T- Chicken Tortilla Soup (crockpot)
W- Sausage and potatoes (small pieces that are easier for Alex to eat with his braces)
TH- Chicken Patty sandwiches
F- (I think we're going out with some friends)
Why do I feel the need to record our daily suppers? I don't know! It's a weird quirk and a throwback to public mommy-blogging, I guess.
Over the weekend I did a LOT of cleaning out of clothes. Kate had received yet another giant 2 bags of hand-me-downs from our friends. Again, I'm so appreciative. But there are SO MANY things she either doesn't like or will never wear (15 pairs of athletic shorts, puffy-sleeved things, random event t-shirts...) so it always takes me a long time to sort through it all. For the moment, 3 of her 7 dresser drawers have been reorganized, and the closet emptied of things that were too small. (Some of which are going to Pensacola for the cousins, by the way, Mom and Dad.) Next round will be when it's time to switch over to fall. It's a full-time job, keeping up with the kids' clothes, I tell you! Reminds me of Grandmother, who rightly said it's real work to run a household.
Saturday the kids go to Mom and Dad's for their week of grandparents-and-cousins time. I think it's a nice way for them to end their break, with backyard pool parties and kitchen-table goodness. :) Wish I could go, but on the other hand, Shawn and I always enjoy our week's stay-cation from parenting, too.
Better get to work.
Monday, July 18
Zonked out
So far my jet lag is still showing. By 8:30 pm (2:30 am German time), I am simply DEAD TO THE WORLD. I mean, if I sit down, forget it. This happened again last night... not that I don't always fall asleep on the couch, because I do, but it has felt different. It's super-deep sleep. It huuuuuurts to wake from it. I hope last night was the last time and I'll feel better tonight (I have, during the days). Maybe I just won't let myself sit down. Coworkers who've made this trip laughed knowingly when I told them, so I guess it's normal.
Alex left for Scout camp yesterday. He did not seem in any way nervous about it. In fact, he was overheard talking with his friends: "I love how everyone's parked in the parking spaces and there's MY Dad's car, right in the middle of the lot...(sarcasm)". Haha! Such a tweenager-y thing to do, to disparage your OWN PARENTS. Hilarious (there weren't any more parking spots, as it happens). He didn't get to bunk with Brandon, like he'd requested, but he seems okay with it. Shawn and I are still bummed that he continues to place all his friendship stock in Brandon. When will he see that it isn't being fully reciprocated? I don't know. Maybe it is, and we just don't observe it. Anyway, he's with Charlie, and Brandon's nearby, and that's good - they're all friends. He barely had a second to tell us goodbye. Definitely didn't want Mom giving him any hugs in front of the guys. I tried to sneak one in anyway. ;)
Kate started a week-long Art camp today. She'll do drawing/painting/clay in the mornings and Musical Theater in the afternoons. She WAS excited about it, until the friend we signed up with didn't show this morning. I don't know what's going on with them - I had emailed and texted, everything short of picking up the phone, but I didn't want to be a nuisance - and gotten no response. They were the ones who wanted to set up a carpool for the week. I actually got concerned this morning. I texted a mutual friend, "Have you seen them? Is everything ok?" She replied, "oh they're fine, just busy." And OK, I get it -- busy is the default setting for most of us. But after hearing that, I'm perturbed. Courtesy, people. I was busy, going to Germany and back, and I still managed to email and text you. Whatever.
Alex left for Scout camp yesterday. He did not seem in any way nervous about it. In fact, he was overheard talking with his friends: "I love how everyone's parked in the parking spaces and there's MY Dad's car, right in the middle of the lot...(sarcasm)". Haha! Such a tweenager-y thing to do, to disparage your OWN PARENTS. Hilarious (there weren't any more parking spots, as it happens). He didn't get to bunk with Brandon, like he'd requested, but he seems okay with it. Shawn and I are still bummed that he continues to place all his friendship stock in Brandon. When will he see that it isn't being fully reciprocated? I don't know. Maybe it is, and we just don't observe it. Anyway, he's with Charlie, and Brandon's nearby, and that's good - they're all friends. He barely had a second to tell us goodbye. Definitely didn't want Mom giving him any hugs in front of the guys. I tried to sneak one in anyway. ;)
Kate started a week-long Art camp today. She'll do drawing/painting/clay in the mornings and Musical Theater in the afternoons. She WAS excited about it, until the friend we signed up with didn't show this morning. I don't know what's going on with them - I had emailed and texted, everything short of picking up the phone, but I didn't want to be a nuisance - and gotten no response. They were the ones who wanted to set up a carpool for the week. I actually got concerned this morning. I texted a mutual friend, "Have you seen them? Is everything ok?" She replied, "oh they're fine, just busy." And OK, I get it -- busy is the default setting for most of us. But after hearing that, I'm perturbed. Courtesy, people. I was busy, going to Germany and back, and I still managed to email and text you. Whatever.
Friday, July 15
See, Self? You CAN travel abroad, and be fine. And even enjoy it a little bit
I survived. :)
I am so tired today. I didn't realize it when I was waking up in my own bedroom this morning, showering, getting ready... but as soon as I sat down at my regular desk, it hit me. Definitely feeling sluggish. Also, after 3 days of intense meetings, you forget what you're supposed to do on a "normal" day. And what is "normal," anymore? Our meetings were about a whole procedural and role shift, so that's fun. We left without feeling exactly, fully CLEAR about everything, and without really knowing whether the previous priorities are still priorities... or not.
One of my coworkers, whom I like very much, is more of a worrier than me. She would like to just continue wondering "what's next?" while I'm ready to just decide and move on. I'd rather get to the doing. We will, I guess. Dig in and start.
It's all just something to keep us busy for 8 hours and keep the paycheck coming, anyway. "We all work for the money," Jay told me long ago.
But let me tell you about traveling to Germany. (My worry and problem, I realize now, is that I'd rather not have to do it all by myself. Going through Passport Control? Not really scary. Getting off a plane in a foreign country where you don't speak the language? Okay, it's fine, and thankfully airports are all the same, and nicely Anglicized (is that a word?) so at least you can read the signs. Getting a taxi? Same in every country I guess. But still: all those things feel less stressful when you have a buddy. It didn't work out for me to have a buddy this time; everyone had to travel on different days. I made it, obviously -- I was given step-by-step instructions, down to the specifics of "Your can find an ATM to the left of baggage claim, and your cab ride to the hotel will probably cost you 60 Euros," and it was a relief and accomplishment to Make It, but next time I'd really rather not have to do all the thinking.
I may be 42, but I still prefer to feel taken care of. I was glad Malissa did the driving while we were there, or we could ask a hotel or restaurant person to call us a cab. The people speaking German could order our food for us. I never had to pay for meals past a certain point (company expense). And I was so much more comfortable having Shawn pick me up at the airport yesterday -- I could have parked my car there and driven myself home, but this way I was allowed to relax after a long day on the plane.)
There were beautiful parts, for sure. Driving by the cornfields. Seeing the foothills of the nearby Alps (very near Austria and Italy). The history and architecture in Munich. Sightseeing and crowds because there was a festival (Munich's Gay Pride as it turns out). No, wait, that wasn't actually a "favorite" part. Too crowded, too hot. I liked the Viktaulienmarkt. The classic Bavarian villages. The factory, at my company, and the people who work there -- having written about our company history/philosophy for so long, it was nice to see the actual "heartbeat." Being with the kind, good, fun people on my team. Having truly enjoyable, festive, celebratory meals. Having free time to read or do nothing in the evenings. (Blessed relief for a mom, no matter what!) Open windows at the hotel, even all night long, because it was SO HOT without AC. Seeing that little church around the corner. Our hotel itself, which was adorable. Bavaria, in general, and knowing now where it is, and what it is. I'm so grateful for all of that. And the chance to move around the world on someone else's dime is pretty sweet.
Returning on a Friday is also awesome.
I am so tired today. I didn't realize it when I was waking up in my own bedroom this morning, showering, getting ready... but as soon as I sat down at my regular desk, it hit me. Definitely feeling sluggish. Also, after 3 days of intense meetings, you forget what you're supposed to do on a "normal" day. And what is "normal," anymore? Our meetings were about a whole procedural and role shift, so that's fun. We left without feeling exactly, fully CLEAR about everything, and without really knowing whether the previous priorities are still priorities... or not.
One of my coworkers, whom I like very much, is more of a worrier than me. She would like to just continue wondering "what's next?" while I'm ready to just decide and move on. I'd rather get to the doing. We will, I guess. Dig in and start.
It's all just something to keep us busy for 8 hours and keep the paycheck coming, anyway. "We all work for the money," Jay told me long ago.
But let me tell you about traveling to Germany. (My worry and problem, I realize now, is that I'd rather not have to do it all by myself. Going through Passport Control? Not really scary. Getting off a plane in a foreign country where you don't speak the language? Okay, it's fine, and thankfully airports are all the same, and nicely Anglicized (is that a word?) so at least you can read the signs. Getting a taxi? Same in every country I guess. But still: all those things feel less stressful when you have a buddy. It didn't work out for me to have a buddy this time; everyone had to travel on different days. I made it, obviously -- I was given step-by-step instructions, down to the specifics of "Your can find an ATM to the left of baggage claim, and your cab ride to the hotel will probably cost you 60 Euros," and it was a relief and accomplishment to Make It, but next time I'd really rather not have to do all the thinking.
I may be 42, but I still prefer to feel taken care of. I was glad Malissa did the driving while we were there, or we could ask a hotel or restaurant person to call us a cab. The people speaking German could order our food for us. I never had to pay for meals past a certain point (company expense). And I was so much more comfortable having Shawn pick me up at the airport yesterday -- I could have parked my car there and driven myself home, but this way I was allowed to relax after a long day on the plane.)
There were beautiful parts, for sure. Driving by the cornfields. Seeing the foothills of the nearby Alps (very near Austria and Italy). The history and architecture in Munich. Sightseeing and crowds because there was a festival (Munich's Gay Pride as it turns out). No, wait, that wasn't actually a "favorite" part. Too crowded, too hot. I liked the Viktaulienmarkt. The classic Bavarian villages. The factory, at my company, and the people who work there -- having written about our company history/philosophy for so long, it was nice to see the actual "heartbeat." Being with the kind, good, fun people on my team. Having truly enjoyable, festive, celebratory meals. Having free time to read or do nothing in the evenings. (Blessed relief for a mom, no matter what!) Open windows at the hotel, even all night long, because it was SO HOT without AC. Seeing that little church around the corner. Our hotel itself, which was adorable. Bavaria, in general, and knowing now where it is, and what it is. I'm so grateful for all of that. And the chance to move around the world on someone else's dime is pretty sweet.
Returning on a Friday is also awesome.
Thursday, July 7
First International Travel since 1999
I leave tomorrow for Germany. Am I ready? Not yet. I have bought a plug adapter, two luggage tags, and some new clothes; I have downloaded the airline app and made copies of my expedited passport (totally arrived in time, darn); and I have talked with the seasoned coworkers about where to find the ATM in the Munich airport. I've called AT&T and my debit and credit card companies to let them know where I'll be using their products. I even downloaded some podcasts to keep me busy during the long flights, and of course I'll take a book or two. I think I'm getting close to ready.
Work-wise, I'm also trying to prepare. Think smart. Sound professional. I have a need to impress, at this meeting, I think, which I'm not opposed to, but it's outside my comfort zone. Usually I am the attendee who sits quietly, listens, takes notes, and then I process and figure out what I think about things later. But I want to be on top of things for this one, and show 'em what I've got. Or at least, that's what I feel I'm expected to do. With the last few days of our manager's tenure remaining, maybe I'm starting to feel like I need to push harder, make a difference, be more leader-like, and make my career more meaningful. Or something. I'm wrestling with it because I really LIKE my "in the background" role and don't know if I want to give that up, exactly, but I also don't want to be seen as someone who needs another controlling manager. Lots of thoughts.
Tomorrow I'll be busy celebrating Alex's birthday in the morning (I took vacation time), while I pack my clothes and industrial-strength laptop bag. Tonight we'll go to dinner and maybe sing to him as a family. The week of the 25th, he'll finally get to have some semblance of a "party," which at 12, means just a friend coming to sleep over. Maybe a trip to the mall where I let them go off by themselves for a while (remember, Mom?). :)
I can't believe I haven't traveled abroad in so long. Since our family trip to Japan in 1999!
Work-wise, I'm also trying to prepare. Think smart. Sound professional. I have a need to impress, at this meeting, I think, which I'm not opposed to, but it's outside my comfort zone. Usually I am the attendee who sits quietly, listens, takes notes, and then I process and figure out what I think about things later. But I want to be on top of things for this one, and show 'em what I've got. Or at least, that's what I feel I'm expected to do. With the last few days of our manager's tenure remaining, maybe I'm starting to feel like I need to push harder, make a difference, be more leader-like, and make my career more meaningful. Or something. I'm wrestling with it because I really LIKE my "in the background" role and don't know if I want to give that up, exactly, but I also don't want to be seen as someone who needs another controlling manager. Lots of thoughts.
Tomorrow I'll be busy celebrating Alex's birthday in the morning (I took vacation time), while I pack my clothes and industrial-strength laptop bag. Tonight we'll go to dinner and maybe sing to him as a family. The week of the 25th, he'll finally get to have some semblance of a "party," which at 12, means just a friend coming to sleep over. Maybe a trip to the mall where I let them go off by themselves for a while (remember, Mom?). :)
I can't believe I haven't traveled abroad in so long. Since our family trip to Japan in 1999!
Tuesday, June 28
Vacation is better, and two book reviews
It's been another 19 days or so, fully packed with activities and summer fun.
We picked up Kate at summer camp. She was barely interested in seeing me when we entered her cabin on pick-up day. (No giant hug, can you believe that?! She asked, "Where's Daddy?") She hadn't yet transitioned back to the real world and admitted that she didn't want to leave. In short, she had an amazing time just like we knew she would, and even made a friend that she's keeping in touch with (in this day and age the moms exchange cell numbers and the kids text!).
The very next day we packed up and pointed the car toward the Gulf of Mexico. As always, it was a week in the sunshine, with pool time and family time (cousins!) and lots of reading.
I read this book that I am having SO MANY feelings about! Finished it 3 days ago, and I think I'm finally over it...mostly. It's a Philippa Gregory, but I'm so glad it wasn't the first one I read by her, because it was terrible. And yet, so compelling. The main character was a Downton-Abbey-Lady-Mary-like daughter who couldn't inherit, but unlike Mary she had no morals whatsoever. Although she did get her comeuppance by the end of the story, even that wasn't quite satisfactory. It was the first of the Wideacre trilogy. At first, I thought I would certainly want to read the second book, but I have since decided against it. Still, I devoured this one - truly spent ALL of my free time reading its 650 pages at the beach - and I can't figure out if Gregory's writing style was what intrigued me, or just the utter dislike of that character, or the time period, or what.
Before Wideacre, I read Celia Garth, which was MUCH better. Big fan of that one. Totally recommend you read it; it's about Charleston during/after the Revolutionary War and simply charming. Well, a little tedious during the actual wartime, but I think that was on purpose, to illustrate the tedium and hardship of war itself. Still: Lovable characters.
After THAT, we drove north to Virginia to wish Nanny a happy 90th birthday. We were tired, and tired of driving, but glad to celebrate such a sweet lady and see some of Shawn's numerous cousins that we never see.
We're back at work, and the kids are going to gymnastics camp in the mornings.
Last week was better, but so far this week's okay.
We picked up Kate at summer camp. She was barely interested in seeing me when we entered her cabin on pick-up day. (No giant hug, can you believe that?! She asked, "Where's Daddy?") She hadn't yet transitioned back to the real world and admitted that she didn't want to leave. In short, she had an amazing time just like we knew she would, and even made a friend that she's keeping in touch with (in this day and age the moms exchange cell numbers and the kids text!).
The very next day we packed up and pointed the car toward the Gulf of Mexico. As always, it was a week in the sunshine, with pool time and family time (cousins!) and lots of reading.
I read this book that I am having SO MANY feelings about! Finished it 3 days ago, and I think I'm finally over it...mostly. It's a Philippa Gregory, but I'm so glad it wasn't the first one I read by her, because it was terrible. And yet, so compelling. The main character was a Downton-Abbey-Lady-Mary-like daughter who couldn't inherit, but unlike Mary she had no morals whatsoever. Although she did get her comeuppance by the end of the story, even that wasn't quite satisfactory. It was the first of the Wideacre trilogy. At first, I thought I would certainly want to read the second book, but I have since decided against it. Still, I devoured this one - truly spent ALL of my free time reading its 650 pages at the beach - and I can't figure out if Gregory's writing style was what intrigued me, or just the utter dislike of that character, or the time period, or what.
Before Wideacre, I read Celia Garth, which was MUCH better. Big fan of that one. Totally recommend you read it; it's about Charleston during/after the Revolutionary War and simply charming. Well, a little tedious during the actual wartime, but I think that was on purpose, to illustrate the tedium and hardship of war itself. Still: Lovable characters.
After THAT, we drove north to Virginia to wish Nanny a happy 90th birthday. We were tired, and tired of driving, but glad to celebrate such a sweet lady and see some of Shawn's numerous cousins that we never see.
We're back at work, and the kids are going to gymnastics camp in the mornings.
Last week was better, but so far this week's okay.
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