Happy Birthday, Mom! ...and a Weekly Check-In

I love you!! Hope you celebrate with wine and something non-compliant and delicious!

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I think we're caught up after going out on the town Sunday night. ;) We saw The Church again. We met the band!! It was pretty awesome, walking into that room behind the stage to the VIP Meet and Greet, seeing them all sitting in there, waiting for us. Surreal. There were only about a dozen of us with passes. We got to know some other super-fans and even exchanged phone numbers (weird)! The whole thing was amazing... but it made us TIRED. Guess what? 43 and 48 are not so young anymore, haha! Sunday night didn't end until 2:00 am. Yes, we went to work the next day. Yes, at the normal time in the early morning. It's just what you have to do, you know? Or, it's what you have to do when you don't have an "unlimited" vacation-days policy, a la all the new Millennial-run companies. (SO UNFAIR.) We put ourselves to bed at 9:30 Monday night.

Anyway, we've been sleeping HARD since then and feeling pretty much back to normal, although I have been taking it suuuuuper easy on the dinner menu for the week. I feel kinda ashamed.

M - hot dogs with chili, and frozen tots. 3 hours sleep, don't bother me.

T - chili with rice, and rotel cheese dip with chips. so I cooked, and actually there were tomatoes in both the chili and the rotel, so there's vegetables. maybe I don't feel so bad after all.

W - tonight is Shawn's night to cook and I planned frozen Fish Sticks/Fish Tacos. I made some jalepeno tartar sauce this morning. What to go with it....? probably Kraft mac and cheese and maybe a little salad (you up for that, dear husband?)

TH - yeah, that's going to be a fast food night in between piano and choir.

F - I have some chicken breasts, and maybe I can pull something amazing out of my hat. Funnily, Friday has become a big cooking night this semester, since Thursdays are nuts and I can relax the schedule on Fridays. I kinda like the challenge of seeing what I have in the pantry. (Reminds me: I need to restock pantry staples garlic salt and PB/grape jelly. Not for dinner, just for stocking.)  

S - dropping Alex off at a co-ed party (still surprising: he's 13!) and going out to dinner without him. The mom who's hosting his party said adults can stay if they like, she'd have drinks and snacks for parents. But I asked Alex what he wanted me to do, and he said, "Hmmm. You can drop me off." Knowing that the host-mom is one of my best friends! Ha! Thanks a lot, kid! But I'll skip it for his sake.

Next week, I promise to cook some balanced meals. Hidden spinach, coming to a casserole near you.

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I've been reading non-fiction lately. Two memoirs. The first was The Glass Castle, which Mom pointed out in Barnes & Noble a few weeks ago, and reminded me there's a movie coming out. I really didn't know a thing about it, but wow, was it interesting. About a family with what I would call negligent, irresponsible parents, and how their kids survived their very odd, unmoored, poverty-stricken upbringing. It was an eye-opener, and I want Alex and Kate both to read it. I think it will make them much more appreciative of their nothing-short-of-amazing lifestyle. (In comparison, I mean.)

And next, I downloaded Wild from the e-library, by Cheryl Strayed. I love it. About her hike on the Pacific Coast Trail. Strangely, I've read a lot of hiking memoirs. Well, this is the third but it feels like a lot. Into Thin Air was the first, by Jon Krakauer, and then A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. Loved them both. This one's the first I've read by a woman, and it's awesome as well. I do not understand why someone would do a months-long hike like that by him or herself. Ever. I cannot fathom. I've almost finished it, and now I want to re-read the other two. 

Reading, I think, is my preferred way to party on a Sunday night (even though our last Sunday really WAS epic, thank you, honey, for the tickets and for sharing your favorite music with me all these years). 

Doughnuts

There's no great way to get doughnuts before school. One of the privileges of being in 7th and 8th grade at our school is that, on Wednesday mornings after Mass, you get doughnuts. A different family is volun-told to bring them each week (ahead of time, thankfully). So tomorrow's our day.

• Option #1: I could get them tonight, but by 9:30 tomorrow morning they'll be dry and stuck to the bottom of the box.
• Option #2: I could offer to drive carpool tomorrow morning (Shawn usually does it, not me), and stop "on the way," in quote because there's no doughnut shop actually ON the way. The whole thing would probably ensure that we were one of the last cars in the carpool line and stress the kids out. I would also get to work late but I hardly care about that. 
• Option #3: I could ask Shawn to stop tomorrow morning on his way (also not really "ON" the way), which would stress him out more than it would me, and make him late to work. 

My gut says to go with Option #1, because 13-year-olds will likely eat doughnuts whether they're dry or sticky or not.

Service Hours

In middle school, our kids are required to turn in 3 hours of "service" each quarter. I use quotes because it's a little loose, what they define as service. For instance, you can run a 5K that's "for a cause," and that counts. If you are a member of the Safety Patrol one morning a week, that counts. And while I understand that those two services do some good for some people, I think they're pretty weak if you're actually trying to nurture a servant's heart in a kid.

Maybe I look down my nose at those options because when I was in high school, we had to do service, and Marybeth and I had a weekly appointment at a nursing home, where we helped with bingo, played the piano and sang hymns we didn't know, or just talked to the residents, and it was always awkward and a little uncomfortable. I think we did it for a semester. Come to think of it, I also did nursing home service when I was a pre-teen, at the request of my friend Nikki (or maybe her parents). One of the nursing home residents I met would sometimes call me up at home, to chat. Uncomfortable. I was 11, and she only barely knew me. She could kind-of ramble and I remember trying diligently to end the calls. I guess she needed someone, and now looking back, I hope I was at least a little bit of a comfort to her.

Anyway, since it's Alex's last year in Catholic school and he'll have to do even MORE service during his Confirmation year coming up, I have been thinking we need to progress beyond Safety Patrol. (I should say that he's also helped a couple of Eagle Scouts on their projects, but now he isn't in Scouts any more, so that's out.) There should probably be some kind of sacrificing involved, like a couple of hours on a weekend, don't you think? I'm not making him go to a nursing home, but I did sign us up, him and me, to work at the Parish Picnic this Saturday. They needed a lot of volunteers, so I picked the Putt Putt Challenge. Sounds pretty stress-free and hopefully we'll get the sense that we're serving the community in some way. (He has to turn in a form every quarter that asks, "How do you feel you benefited spiritually from this service?" That's hard to answer for school Safety Patrol, he's told me. Might be hard for putt-putt, too, but we'll see.)

I'd like to do something even more meaningful, like helping at the St. Vincent DePaul society store or a homeless ministry, but it takes a bit more effort to connect with those things. I'm going to try, though.

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Opposite of service: What I really want to do this weekend is N O T H I N G. Not that we've been doing a lot on the weekends, really, but Wednesday and Thursday nights, I've just come home exhausted. I guess having hurricane company drained me. And I think being bored at work doesn't help. Seriously, yesterday I had so few tasks and deadlines, I felt it physically (and mentally) by the end of the day. Restless, but seated at a desk. Anxious, but also unmotivated. You know when you lay around and do nothing all day but you feel extra tried by the end? It was like that. Awful. Today I made sure to have a couple of work tasks ready and waiting.

And then, I will look forward to:

• Cleaning my kitchen. Totally needs it after two weekends of company in a row.
• Going to the grocery store on a Friday night. No one will be there and it will be blissful!
• Switching my purse. Had to buy a new one yesterday at Target -- it had been SO long since I'd spent $100 at Target! (I also got new sponges, with which I'll clean the kitchen!)
• Decorating for fall? It could happen. 
• Having my morning coffee on the back patio, and needing a sweatshirt if it's chilly.
• Finishing my book (The Glass Castle - really good!)

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One other thing. I started daydreaming yesterday that I'd really love to rent a cabin in the mountains some fall weekend. Take an extra day off, even. I don't quite know why, except, well, I DO know that being outdoors makes me happy, and the woods seems to be my "happy place" more than the beach. Also, it's like being at home without having any chores that need doing. I wonder if we can make it happen this fall? Early Nov. or late Oct. maybe? I barely even care about seeing fall color -- I'd just like to have the getaway and the fresh air. Hmm.

Mid-Short-Week Check-In

Our Labor Day Weekend was just lovely. I'm so thankful Mom and Dad came to visit. It meant I didn't need to ask off work, or "work" from home on the kids' extra day off (Teacher In-Service). Although I hated being at the office that day, at least they all met me for lunch. And now I have more PTO days banked, to get me through the holiday season. That's always a good thing.

Anyway, we ate some yummy food (I'd say brunch on Sunday at Reveille was a highlight, as well as jambalaya on Tuesday), (well, and hamburgers on Sunday night in the backyard!), played a lot of cornhole and I have the mosquito bites to prove it, went to the bookstore allllll together once, and truly enjoyed the early mornings and fall temps on my back patio. Yay! So many of my favorite things! We even spent a couple of hours one morning watching 2 deer who were in the backyard woods. RIGHT. THERE. They stayed such a long time, even though we were moving around not-too-quietly. It was kinda magical.

Also, it's wonderful to have guests who don't feel like guests.

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Today is one of those marathon days that start up once school's in session. The kids have piano at 6:15, and I'll need Shawn to meet me there so I can get back to choir practice by 7:15. (I'm not really excited about it, as you know if you have read me for any length of time. I love singing, but I always complain about choir. Just... some of the people require too much effort. Sigh. Very Christian of me. But as long as the kids are in school at St. Joe's, I guess I'll keep up with it so we can get the "participating" Catholic tuition rate. Ha. The minute Kate graduates from 8th grade, I think I'm done.)

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And tomorrow, our annual (?) hurricane evacuees may arrive for an extended stay. We're.... of course happy to give them safe refuge. But kind-of less happy than we should be. They're guests that really feel like guests. Oh well. The kids'll have fun with their cousins.

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Update (Friday morning): Choir practice was really fun last night. Since it was the first one of the season, we started a whole pile of new music, and I realized: I really love sight-reading. Sight-singing. For years, it intimidated me (back in college, particularly). But I've gotten comfortable with it, confident, and I especially love when I get it right. Our director, Alvin, is a joy. He's so funny. I had to give him a hug afterwards, and then he amped it up even further by complimenting me. I left feeling really FILLED with happiness. (One of the big/contrary personalities wasn't there last night, which I know helped keep the atmosphere pleasant.)

Hair, Labor Day this weekend, baseball, and beer (in that order)

I have had to -- HAD TO, because I couldn't stand it any more -- pull my hair back at work, twice this week. Clean hair. Hair that I tried to "style," albeit hurriedly, before leaving the house, with a round brush, my blow dryer and hairspray. It's looking stringy and undone by 8:30 am, and just not working for me, so up it goes, in bobby pins or, today, a ponytail. Most of my adult life, my hair hasn't been long enough to do that, so it's a novelty for me to carry around ponytail holders, and to look so "casual" in my professional environment. I feel unprepared if I don't have a couple of ponytail holders in my purse. I'm glad it's getting cut and colored this weekend, because when I pull it back, much more grey is visible to the world.

I'm also doing Kate's hair all the time. She has asked me to braid it every day so far this school year. The good news is, usually there is plenty of time for me to do so. Last year, I never would have dreamed that possible, with our getting-dressed drama. (Man, I am grateful we got past that!) She likes me to do one small braid on each side, then join them in the back, very simply. Like this (this is not Kate's head, btw, just a Google image):

Or one small braid on one side, incorporated into a high ponytail. It's been so cute, and so fun. No frilly bows or barrettes, but still. She wants to learn to do it herself, but I'm holding on to this time when she needs me to do it for her. I know it won't last long. She talks about letting her bangs grow out -- kind-of her signature look, since her very first haircut -- and I think it will look great on her but I also dread it a little bit, because I know she'll look so grown up. 

I should also report that Alex has been styling his hair now for a few years, and looks SO GROWN UP. Why is this happening?!?

(And then, if I've reported on everyone else, I might as well say that Shawn's hair is still very much NOT greying, lucky him. Don't touch his hair.)

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Mom and Dad are on the road right now, driving to see us. I love that Mom asked if they could come visit. YES YES YES, anytime! Plus, it's going to help me out because the kiddos have an extra day and half off over Labor Day. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! So tonight, I'm looking forward to Happy Hour at 5:30 and a snacky dinner, somehow fitting in the kids' piano lessons and getting them to bed on-time, and then we will have to figure out something fun we can do while they're here. 

Not that they require entertaining, of course. But I have a day off, too! Would be nice to do something FUN, as Kate always implores us. I'm thinking of apple picking. We've never done that and there are lots of orchards nearby.

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We DID something fun last weekend: Went to a Braves game at their new stadium! Met a former player, even: the famous Mr. Jeff Francoeur, whose sister I worked with during his rookie season. That was awesome. Ate our dinner at the new Wahlburgers, yum yum! And the weather was decent -- not too terribly hot, like most Atlanta baseball games are. We had amazing seats right behind the home dugout, and the kids enjoyed themselves. Us parents, too. Drank a beer! (Kate said to me in disbelief, "Women can have beer?" HA! She'd never seen me drink it, I guess.) In fact, it was the first game we've attended since having kids, I think, that we were able to stay all the way until the last out at 10:30pm! So that was momentous. 

Something for the "menus" category

Just because. I think it's a decent lineup this week.

Sunday: We had this Chicken Pot Pie. I had baked 6 chicken thighs one night last week, but as it turned out, no one was hungry. And I always have Bisquick and frozen peas and carrots on-hand. I also added a little corn and some leftover chopped broccoli. Cleaned out the fridge for the win! It was yummy with a Caesar salad.

Monday: Patty Melts and Roasted New Potatoes. My family was like, "Where's the Bread??" But guess what, family: We should all eat less of it. I can see I'm starting to rely on those roasted potatoes as a side item. Everyone will be sick of them if I don't back off a little, lol.

Tuesday: Grilled Cheese and Soup. (What was that she said about bread? Whoops.) We have a little gumbo leftover, I have chicken noodle available, and tortilla soup mix, and we have activities/meetings tonight so it's gotta be a quick one.

Wednesday: Chicken Parmesan with egg noodles. It's super easy, but doesn't seem like it. I think I'll make some sauteed zucchini to go with it. These kids need to eat more vegetables, seriously. (I'm always of the opinion that kids as skinny as Alex should just EAT and it doesn't really matter what, but sometimes I do feel vegetable guilt.)

Thursday: Welcome to Moe's! This year it's piano on Thursday nights at 6:15, and we got really hungry before the lessons ended the one time we didn't eat first. So now I know to stop somewhere on the way.

Friday: Make your own Pizza night. Tomato sauce is a vegetable. ;)

Last week stuff, this week stuff

Last week's meetings started well, got fairly intense and exhausting (Tuesday night I had a mini breakdown - just a few stress-related tears is all - followed by a much-needed workout and hard sleep... I think it was those meetings combined with the 2nd week of school), ended with a flurry of work-related activity, and were tempered by the nice feeling of friendship among the three of us coworkers. At least there was/is that. The dinner party at my house felt like a highlight, including my family being so sweet and making me so proud. I want to remember Alex hugging me when he could see I was slightly panicked about getting things ready before the guests arrived... and then offering to clear the table after we ate.

And now that big week is over, and it's Monday again, and I suppose I have to get back to actual work. :/  No one wants that!

It's also Eclipse Day, August 21, 2017, and we're doing exactly nothing to celebrate at home. Of course, the thing takes place in the middle of the day, making it difficult. I just saw a slew of Facebook posts and learned that many families in my circle are traveling an hour or 2 north so they can see the Totality (we're only in the path of Partial Eclispe), taking their kids out of school and everything. So naturally I feel guilty now, that we're not doing that. The school ordered eclipse glasses for every student and they're doing some special science activities when it happens, though, so all is not lost. I vaguely remember being on my school playground, looking through an index card with a hole in it, when I was really young; evidently there was a solar eclipse in February, 1979, but the timing isn't right for me to have been on the St. Anthony's playground in that month/year, so maybe I'm confused. But anyway, I hope my kids will have happy memories of an Epic Natural Event. http://mashable.com/2017/08/18/1979-total-solar-eclipse-footage/#LjMcIbOaXaqR

(The guy on that 1979 video mentions the date August 21, 2017, "38 years from now," and says something like, "we pray that eclipse will appear over a world at peace." Hrm. We needed that prayer more than he knew.)

In a few minutes, Shawn and I are meeting up at a law office to finally sign our first Last Will and Testament. Yikes. Seems auspicious on a day when our sun will be darkened in the middle of the day LOL! We've known we should have one, and hopefully within an hour, that task will be checked off our list. (Until the kids get to be adults and we have to change it.)

Then we'll continue with our busy lives, just trying to enjoy each day as much as I enjoyed the chicken pot pie casserole I made for dinner last night. :)

Deep Thinking about Content Marketing

I'm not going to share my actual Content Marketing thoughts with you, I don't think (we'll see where this goes), but just report to you: that's what I've been doing this week. Thinking and Studying. Deeply.

For background: In Germany last summer, our goal was to put a Content Marketing Strategy into place. Content Marketing is supposed to be different from Product Marketing, in that you're supposed to create content that's of interest to your audience. (This is why you ladies see one million recipe videos in your FB feed.) You're NOT supposed to talk about your products or be sales-y. Instead, you're supposed to know your audience/consumer, and know what might make her want to click on your link. Such as, my consumer is a 54-year-old woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer 6 years ago, so at this point she's maybe looking for information about how to eat better and get her exercise; or maybe she's going on a cruise this year and wants to know what to pack. She's not necessarily looking for information about the keyword "mastectomy." (She's past that.) I have been trying to convince my teammates about this, but it's a fine line. We do also have evidence/data (I guess? I don't really get into the "data" part of things) saying that many, many women, newly diagnosed, type the word "mastectomy" into their Google search box. And we'd like them to find us, too. So there are intricacies and details. Our company adds to the challenge by being global and extra-complicated. Medical, but also fashion-minded. Ill-equipped to do many of the technical things everyone else can do. Etc.

Anyway, it's been a year since that trip, and next week our Content team is gathering here in Kennesaw to review the Content Marketing we did, figure out what worked and what didn't, and figure out what we need to do in the next year. It's tough because according to the experts, a strategy like this has a loooooong lead-time. Content Marketing doesn't lead to instant results.

I've been reading a LOT of articles by Content Marketing experts lately... and there seem to be a LOT of experts. It's kind-of exhausting. And like anything else on the Internet, you can find an article to support every tactic, every opinion, every opposite and equally significant idea. But maybe this is what I'm here for. I joke, over to the right in my "about" paragraph, that my superpower is deep thinking. But that might be the closest thing to true that I know about myself. So perhaps I'm meant to do this very thing. I'm not miserable doing it, I noticed earlier in the week, when I was buried in the weeds of SO MANY interesting and useful instructions on ContentMarketingInstitute.com. I enjoy learning. But it does make for long days and a very tired brain by Friday.

I think our meetings next week will be fine. I don't have to "present" anything, so all of this prep is just me trying to be knowledgeable. None of the attendees is a problem-maker (not like last year). We're all willing to listen to each other, and really HEAR each other, and we're friends. None of us has a personal agenda. More than anything we all just want to be respected for our collective work. We hope it's successful in some way. I hope I'll be open to ideas. I have many of my own -- complaints, as usual, and things I know aren't working (for me) in the day-to-day. But I hope I'll be able to also see what IS working -- because I think some of it IS. We're probably doing much better work than we (I) think.

Documenting Summer

Today's the last day of summer vacation. Poor kids, it seemed really short this year! I guess it was 9 weeks total (but we used to get at least 12 when I was in school). Anyway, I gave Carli the babysitter a gift card to Bruster's ice cream shop and told her they're free to have ice cream for lunch today if they want - it's also her 20th birthday so that works out well. Told her on the card, "Sorry you have to work on your birthday -- adulting stinks sometimes!" Because it's TRUE! hahaha I am so funny.

Anyway, what I wanted to be sure to do was make notes on all the amazing things these kids did over the summer, mostly at my parents' house in July 2017:

• Monday -- They got up early and drove to Marianna, FL, with Tom and Dominique and Angie and Scott and their kids, to see the Florida Caverns State Park and go caving. They'd never been inside a cave like that before, I'm so glad they did it. Afterwards they went to Ponce de Leon Springs State Park, and swam in the springs! Cold water - only reaches 64 degrees in the summers I think! But of course, kids don't mind. Apparently they were very brave to swim over a large, deep area and just had a blast in general. That was just the first day!
• Tuesday -- was July 4th. So they went to Aunt Lorry and Uncle Paul's had hamburgers and the usual fireworks and a party, including swimming, with their cousins again. It's basically always a party there.
• Wednesday -- I think they played all day but in the evening they did an Escape Room! All the rage. I have never gotten to do one, myself, but I hear they're fun! The cousins all worked together really well, I'm told, and they got out with 13 minutes to spare! Then went out for ice cream. 
  

• Thursday -- Since the across-the-street cousins went out of town on Thursday, Mom and Dad took Alex and Kate to Pensacola Beach, to other-cousin Angie's condo where they watched the Blue Angels practice for their weekend air shows. I mean. Awesome, right?! Lunch, a perfect view of the show, plus they didn't have to actually be out ON the beach where it's hot and sticky and crowded. Perfect! And they'd never seen the Blues, I don't think. Maybe Alex did once, when he was around 4. 
• Friday -- Friday might have been their only "unplanned" day, actually, and I think by that time they were ready for one. But what's better than hanging out at your grandparents' house? Not much, I'd say. By the way, they both also finished their summer math packets while they were in Florida, and I think they both read one summer reading book (out of two required). NOT TOO SHABBY. The kids always say they LIKE doing summer math at Mom and Dad's kitchen table, after breakfast, while the adults do their crosswords. My parents are miracle workers. 

2016 was just as memorable, if I remember correctly. I don't find a blog post about it, so: They went to see a play (Shrek, Jr.) at the theater, visited a bird sanctuary (odd but fun, I was told), toured the Guy Harvey exhibit at the Pensacola Museum of Art (loved it - they're both big Guy Harvey fans now), they had swimming parties, played with their cousins, I feel like there was another somewhat epic activity but I can't recall what it was...maybe fishing? Mom, help me remember it so we can record it for their descendants. ;) 

Hiking every week at Kennesaw Mtn. Nat'l Park
or Pine Mountain in Cartersville

Carli has been amazing again this summer on the weeks at home. She's taken them hiking at least once every week that she's been with them, and to the pool twice a week. She's taken them to piano lessons. Dropped them off at friends' houses. Enforced piano practice (a little bit) and reading. Played Monopoly at least once. Some days, she's taken them to Target or Justice or the bookstore, just to look around, or I'll give them money for lunch. One day I said, "Here's $20 - spend it on lunch or divide it for shopping. They chose shopping, and each got something small/silly. She washes the dishes they use for lunch by hand, and even empties the dishwasher if I've run it the night before. Kate told me the other day that sometimes Carli "disciplines" her -- if Kate whines or doesn't want to take a shower or something, Carli gets firm and Kate doesn't like it. Neither kid likes it that she makes them use sunscreen lotion instead of spray. But I'm okay with all of that. I'm unsure what to do next summer. Alex will be nearly 14, and then will turn 14 in July. Does a 14-year-old need a babysitter? No. Pretty sure none of his friends has one any more. Kate's another story, of course, and gets bored without some kind of entertainment... We'll have to talk about it. 

Yesterday's Meet the Teachers went really well. Kate's desk is in between Calli and Reese, her two besties. Prayers answered, a dream come true! The troublesome girl IS in her homeroom, so that's not great, but I hope it will work out. The teacher is a friend. Alex's locker is on the end, near his friends, too. It's going to be a great year. 8th grade, his last year before high school. How did we get here so fast? I'm trying not to think about it. 

Love and help; and what we're looking forward to this week

I want to finish my thoughts about Kate's sleep patterns. I know I've said that I learn a lot from her, and one of the things is I learn again and again is that my expectations aren't always realistic. What I THINK should've happened is this:

• Years ago, when she was about four, we would have said, OK, Kate, here is how bedtime is going to work: Step 1, step 2, step 3, THE END, and that would have been that. She'd want to do it right and follow the "rules" and she would, and we wouldn't be burdened by it anymore. 

But what actually happened was not that. My expectation was unrealistic. What happened was this:

• She was little, and then as she has grown and changed, her needs/fears/behaviors have changed too, altering her responses to what I thought was a fairly consistent instruction from me. So at one time, it meant she'd come in and sleep in our room. At another time, it meant she needed me and music and back rubs. Another time, she's wanted to chat long after I think it's bedtime and can't go to sleep if she's alone. And now, she seems okay with it.

I don't know, maybe parenting experts would say I did it all wrong, and I'm the parent, and therefore I'm supposed to TELL HER what's what... but I think, instead, that she's a unique person, and as her parent, it's my job to nurture the person she IS. To help her. To help her learn. And maybe it just took her longer to learn this than it takes some kids. 

I don't want to have allowed her to be badly behaved. I don't want my "method" (or non-method?) to have planted some seed that's going to make her a spoiled kid or a spoiled adult. But I do want to have HELPED her. To have shown her love and care -- unconditionally. And I think going through this bedtime struggle with her (sometimes against her, I'll admit; I've been very frustrated by the whole thing for years, as you can maybe tell from this novel of me trying to justify it) -- but going through it with her has been a way to love and help her. And for me to LEARN how better to do that.

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So! On to sunnier things. I have no meetings today and so far, very few tasks, yet my calendars are OPEN and ACTIVE because school starts next week! We've already got regular extracurriculars scheduled on Tuesdays (gymnastics for Kate) and Thursdays (piano for both), and those 2 things begin THIS week because public schools in our county started today. Crazy early! Hello, again, school-bus traffic. We have our "Book Day" this Thursday, otherwise known as Orientation, and I took the morning off in order to go hang out at school for that. I can't wait; it's one of my favorite days of the year.

We've bought supplies, and everything is piled on the dining room table waiting to go. (It's sort of a mess in there. Another reason I'm ready for Thursday.)

On Tuesday, we'll find out the kids' homerooms. Hoping upon hope (with a little help, we think, from a teacher friend) that Kate and her bestie, Callie, get to be in the same classroom together. (And that a troublesome "friend" will NOT be in her classroom...) We don't get much say in this, of course, but fingers are crossed.

I don't have a committee chairperson job anymore (that term ended in May), and I'm TRYING to keep my volunteering to a low simmer. I did help with the Welcoming Committee for new families (2 easy phone calls) and have told the Band director I'd help her with concerts (sending emails, setting up volunteers to bring refreshments), but neither of those things is very taxing. My PTO days for the rest of 2017 are dwindling already, and it's only August, so volunteer jobs that require me to take off work (like the one I had the last 2 years) are not going to work this time around. 

Another thing on my mind is a visit from my coworker the week of Aug. 14th. We'll have meetings during the days (yuck), but one of the weeknights I invited her, and my buddy Shan, to come to our house for dinner. So I'm wondering what to serve. I think it will likely be gumbo and French bread, with wine and cheese for appetizers and some sort of pie for dessert. Yay! Entertaining! 

Update: Kate's sleep

She's doing better.

She really really wants to be free of her ... what's the word? Fears? Limits? Sleep Problems? I'm not sure. (In case I haven't ever defined it here, the problem has been that she needed someone to stay in her room until she was asleep. Shawn and I have been known to stay in there for 30+ minutes which has been... not ideal.) But she wants to, and she's working hard on it, and I'm really proud of her.

Starting at the beginning of this summer, we've had much better nights. She went to camp for 2 weeks, of course, in a room with 6 other people. Those nights were comfortable for her, even though she was away from home. When she first came back, she wanted to stay up really late every night, but because I have to work every morning, and have to get to bed on time (particularly when I was on the WLC), we agreed she would go to bed by 9:45/10.

That was fine. The real boost came when she stayed in Pensacola in late June. Mom would agree to sit with her for a few minutes, but not long. She'd leave with the promise to check on Kate in a few minutes. And we have managed to carry that same tactic over, and are now successfully doing it at home. I sit in her chair for 5 minutes (7 minutes, tops) -- no back rubbing, no begging me to stay. I leave, tell her I love her and will check on her. She says, "OK, I'll try." But she doesn't get back up, she doesn't whine for me to stay. She does try. Something has switched on for her, that she's okay to fall asleep.

Most nights I do check on her, and she's asleep. Some nights I don't. A few times, she has come into our room and slept on the floor, after hearing a weird noise or a dog barking outside her window. She gets set up on her own and is usually very apologetic about it. Breaks my heart a little bit. I don't engage much with her unless she's being really apologetic. I want her to know it's okay. She sleeps fine on the floor.

We're doing better. (Also, thanks so much, Mom.)

(please no jinxies)

Whole Life Challenge #2 Results

Just want to record this here for posterity. I did my final assessment this morning for the WLC. It was a surprising success:

• Lost 2 inches from my waist measurement
• Lost 1.5 inches from my hips
• Lost .75 inches from my arm circumference
• Maintained my weight. Didn't lose one pound. The whole time, I kept thinking, surely the scale will move next week... and it never did. But I'm okay with it. I can keep working on that, if I really want to. I didn't do as much cardio as I might have, and that might have helped the scale, but they also say muscle weighs more than fat, and I DID work on building muscle. Most of my workouts involved weights (and squats, SO many squats) this time around, and that's new for me. I was also a lot more lenient with food this time than last, particularly in Destin and Pensacola, but also on a more regular basis with "tastes" of things here and there, which of course add up if you keep tasting them. But still. Better than gaining!
  

I truly didn't expect the changes I achieved -- since the scale wasn't moving, I wasn't very hopeful anything else would happen. But IT DID and I'm so pleased.

I'm impressed with us for hanging in there, even though there were SO many events and holidays during this 8-week timeframe. That's an achievement in itself, just getting to the end. 

This time, I did not sign up for the next (September) Challenge. I might regret that later, but I want to see what I can do on my own. Living my life. I hate to leave Mom because I think she wants to go again, but maybe Jill will do the next one. And it's likely I'll want to do it again next January. We'll have to see. I really recommend the program if you're looking to improve your eating habits, increase your workout frequency, or just be more mindful of those things. It works. www.wholelifechallenge.com

Mid-July Thoughts

Hm. I could turn on my Calm app for white noise and continue working, or I could turn on the Calm app for white noise and start writing purely for myself, here.

Which one will I choose??

 - - - - - -

This was the easiest weekend we've had in a GOOD WHILE, due to summer, with all its traveling days. I was so happy to have Sunday coffee on my patio yesterday morning, with the backyard birds. It wasn't hot, but there was no breeze - a breeze would have helped. Still, though. Alex joined me for a while, and I didn't mind since I wasn't interested in reading my book (one of his, that I'm not enjoying yet, but reading it because he wanted me to). Our weekend was very "normal." We saw a movie, went to church Saturday night, dinner afterwards. Laundry and groceries on Sunday, the end.

I did succeed with last night's dinner. We had marinated pork tenderloin (1/4c. soy, 1/4c. bourbon, 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, marinate all day, bake at 400 for 45 minutes), roasted potatoes and French cut green beans. Everyone was pleased: Mommy actually TRIED! I even made banana pudding, at Kate's request and since I can EAT SUGAR again! lololol I'm going to have to be careful with it in the house! Anyway, it's a step up from all the lazy meals I've been serving lately.  For the rest of the week, I'm back to lazy again.

M: hot dogs w/chili, and fries
T: crock pot chicken tortilla soup, if I even have chicken. I can't remember putting it into the freezer so I hope I did.
W: homemade pizzas
Th: no idea what I put on the menu, probably nothing - ooh, guess what I just remembered we have? HAM. probably with corn. Or maybe eggs - omelets? Maybe.
F: I always leave it open in case of Friday Can't-Even Syndrome

So it's a good thing we had that nicely prepared meal yesterday, ha!

It's time to gather school uniforms and try things on. I got Kate and Alex to do a little of that yesterday. We're good on shoes. We need a new jumper for Kate, and shirts/pants/gym shorts for Alex. Will have to do more trying on soon.

I'm really struggling with the damn iPads. I sort-of want to lock them up in a safe and hide the key. I want the kids to READ and PLAY and READ READ READ. I know they can't spend all day, every day reading. But it seems like they spend all day, every day iPadding, so.... Of course, last week they went to gymnastics camp from 8 to 5 every day, no iPads allowed. And with Carli, I know they play, swim, and do other things. (They're planning 2 hikes a week for the rest of the summer!) They're really doing better than I see - when I'm home, they go for the devices and it's all I see, but they're not on them all day, I know that. I will feel better when school's in session. We do have rules for schooldays.

I hate my job I hate my job.

I'm grateful for my job, I'm grateful I can work from home this Friday since Carli needs the day off.

A really great day in the life

My morning meeting just got cancelled so I feel like I have all kinds of time on my hands. I don't, actually... I have a million things I could be doing for work. But my terrible, awful laptop is misbehaving -- it won't open one of the files I need to work on -- so I'm taking that as a sign.

Accept the fact that your day might be extraordinary

Yesterday was a really good day, somehow. (I know, right? How crazy.) I wouldn't have thought it would be anything special: it started out very normally, although I did get to sleep in slightly (6:17) and take the kids to their gymnastics camp, and I didn't even bother doing work from home in that extra hour. Take that. 

I went to work after dropping them off, naturally. Checked off tasks: A content spreadsheet. A landing page. An advertorial. I took a very short lunch break to sit outside in the sunshine for a bit. It was really gorgeous out there, despite being hot. There was a breeze. I closed my eyes. Listened to turtles plopping into the pond.

Late in the afternoon I realized I had a deadline tomorrow (today), that I hadn't even started! Whoops. A media guide, 8 pages or so, that needed updating. Not writing from scratch, mind you, but still! I tried not to panic and in fact, got it done with no real problem. 

Maybe, I thought, it's because I haven't logged in to Twitter one time today, that I'm being so productive.

I picked the kids up at gymnastics. They've endured this week really well -- I think their days have been  l o n g  since I've successfully weaned them from day-camps in the last 2 summers. ;) But they were happy. Since those days are long and iPad-free, I'm fine with them logging into their devices when we get home. Admittedly, I linger on my phone when we get there, too. Yesterday, however, I decided I'd not seen their FACES enough lately -- only the tops of their heads. I set a timer and after 20 minutes of online time, we turned everything off and met on the couch To Talk. Just about nothing. They were so funny: "What are we going to talk about?!" We found plenty of topics, of course, and had an enjoyable time together. (We did have to consult the iPad to see pictures of a Marvel hero I didn't know, but that only added to our conversation.)

It's really little things -- small investments of time -- that make a difference 

Shawn came home and we ate dinner and then commenced a tournament of Uno... which ended badly. The one child who feels, ah... emotional when she doesn't win -- STILL, although she is old enough not to -- did not win. There was wailing and gnashing of teeth. But she conceded to let me hold her later while she finished being upset over it. And then she asked me to jump on the trampoline with her. 

I really didn't feel like it (mosquitos, hot, I'd already had wine, did I mention HOT), but I knew two things: It was the loving, life-giving thing to do, and I needed 10 minutes of some kind of exercise. So I begrudgingly put on my flip-flops and met her outside. 

like this, only brighter.
photo credit @BG_TO_U
on Twitter.

And we were treated to an amazing show in the sky. Pink clouds, reflecting the sunset in such a spectacular way, were right overhead in our backyard. There were rainstorms around -- in fact, we'd heard thunder earlier in the evening -- but our skies were perfect blue behind the clouds. Huge, puffy ones. Crazy three-dimensional shapes, where you could see white, then gray, then cotton candy PINK. I have seen sunsets before, but I'd never seen clouds like this, honestly. It was so bright, in fact, that it felt like there was a flood light shining on us. I said to Kate, "I bet no one else in the world is seeing this same thing but YOU and ME right now." We laid down. I wouldn't allow either one of us to take photos; it just felt too special - I didn't want to cheapen it, somehow, by bringing devices into it. I just wanted to BE in the moment. Kate didn't understand why, but finally agreed to it.  ;) She started finding animals and shapes in the sky. Every so often, she'd scoot closer to me. We looked at the sky for a good long while before the pink faded away. 

Then we played trampoline games and laughed and got our exercise, and the whole thing is still taking my breath away this morning. It's so clear to me that God sees each one of us and gives us little gifts, directly. Just what we need, if only we're open to them. And that ordinary days really can be extraordinary.

Good things in bold

I made it to another Friday. It's been an interesting week with Shan away and the kids also away. I've felt like I had SO much time inside my own head! Maybe too much? I've had (and still have) lots of writing projects at work, which keeps me occupied, and keeps the earbuds in constantly to drown out the Customer Service chatter all around me.... which makes things feel kind-of lonely, to be honest. But I'll stop right there; this post is an attempt to list all the good things. 

Yesterday, I was having a real writer's block about some ad copy. I'd written something, but Shan sent me a message that derailed it, and I had to start over. I could NOT come up with another angle to save my life. And it's hard, sometimes, to force an idea. I went outside, stared into the space of nature for a while, tried to let my thoughts wander, printed out the page instead of trying to write it on the computer, finally I had to go into an empty office and I came up with something. Not sure how. I know I asked for Divine Help! Begged, really. It made me wonder if I'm actually "creative" at all. That's a question I may not want to answer. Maybe my gift is clear communicating, or informational organization, or project planning/execution instead, and not idea-generating. I really want to explore that. It might mean finding work that makes my heart sing, mightn't it? 

I've had such a great run of reading lately! At the beach I finished three books! I read Remarkable Creatures, by Tracy Chevalier (historical fiction), then Room, by Emma Donaghue (modern-day fiction), and then a pretty fluffy romance called The Arsonist, by Sue Miller. Every one was enjoyable, although the first was hard to get into, the second rather disturbing, and the third, as mentioned, a fluffy romance. Still, I recommend them all. Over the July 4th holiday I read Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson, which is one Alex had to read last year for school and recommended. That kid knows me. Another historical fiction. I loved it, and loved reading about the Revolutionary War on July 4! It's about the only patriotic thing I did, other than watching some fireworks from our front porch... on the 3rd. Ha. What will I read next?? Probably a Helen Fielding sequel to the Bridget Jones series, Mad About the Boy. I won it at a baby shower recently. 

The WLC is almost done! ONE MORE WEEK. I'm glad I did it again, but glad it's nearly over. It has been difficult. I don't want to do the next one. I do want to keep up the good habit of not eating so much bread and sugar, and of stretching EVERY DAMN DAY. Sorry about the profanity, my friend Nataly says that about yoga and I think it's funny. I'm enjoying this week's Lifestyle Practice, of throwing away (or getting rid of) one thing every day. Might have to keep that up, too, for a while. I threw out some beat-up shoes yesterday. All they've been doing is cluttering up my closet for the last year. I got good use from them, and now it's time to say goodbye. 

Last night Shawn did yoga with me. (Thank you, Shawn!) I could talk all day about stretching and breathing and yoga, and how good it is for health and ease and pain relief; I really loved sharing it with him (like we did wayyyy back in 1999 when we were dating, and took a class together). I hope we'll be able to do more of it together, although it might be harder with the kids back home. Then again, maybe Kate would join us, too, while Alex is probably playing video games online. LOL. Or maybe we could get Alex to join in the fun. Only thing is, we need a bigger room and 2 more yoga mats. ;)

Brain Toss

The Whole Life Challenge this week is recommending we do a once-a-day "brain toss." It can be a to-do list, or another kind of list, but I think it could also be a rambling blog post. So here is mine.

I'm working on product descriptions for online, for work. Swimwear. We have a HUGE collection of swimwear (huge for us, anyway). It's 82 different styles, and while I can copy/paste and just reword some of them, mostly they do each have to be original. And they have to be at least 75 words. And they have to include the keywords, but be written authentically, and in the brand voice, and be enticing so that people will click on them and find them. And omg is it tedious. You would think I could write about 6 in an hour - or more. And I probably could, if I did nothing BUT write for an hour. But I get bored, and click something to take a teensy break, and then it's been 30 minutes and I'm still on the first one. And being here on the blog is not helping, but I can't help it. The thing I keep on thinking, that I most need to Toss from my Brain right now is, "OMG writing these descriptions is so borrrrrrring and mind-numbing! And it will never end! How many more do I have?..... too many to count, better not anyway or I'll get discouraged."

The kids have had as fun a week as they could at home, being that it's rained and/or been overcast every day so far. I think on Monday they went hiking at Pine Mountain, a trail I've never been on but their babysitter knows well. On Tuesday, they went to a movie ($6 movies in the summer is a great thing) after their long piano lessons. They barely got home before I did! Wednesday (yesterday) I think they hit the pool and had lunch there, but left when the rain started. They also made strawberry ice cream in my ice cream maker, but turned it green when trying to turn it pink with food coloring. Ha. Grabbed yellow instead of red, and then tried to cover that up with other colors. It still tastes good. Today I know they were running errands with Carli and visiting a lake house where she'll be house-sitting this weekend. That girl is making some good money this summer! I have been impressed because they're also reading this week! Kate read for longer than an hour yesterday -- without me doing any nagging at all! -- and Alex finished a book and started another. Praise the Lord. Who knows what they'll do tomorrow, but maybe I'll make them do laundry and clean my shower! ha! I won't either.

And then Saturday morning we'll leave for Destin. We're most excited about the new Dunkin Donuts that's been built RIGHT NEXT DOOR to our condo. I am sure we'll be regulars for the week. ;)

For now, though, I am going to go quickly walk around the building (if it isn't raining) and shake off my malaise so I can keep writing descriptions.

Summer Ease

Of many things I sometimes wish, one of them is that I was qualified and called to be a teacher, so I could have my summers off. But alas, I was not called to that life.

Nevertheless, there's a measure of ease this summer that I'm really happy about. It's Super-Ease this week, in fact, since the kids are at Winshape -- the first time both of them have been there at the same time, and thus, 12 full days of parenting freedom for Shawn and me! It's crazy. We know we're starting to miss them because we're talking about them a lot. But the break has been so good, as it is every year when they're at grandparents' houses. Guess what? We still like each other, and can find things to talk about with no trouble. Good news, right? ;) We were marveling over this freedom to just TALK with each other yesterday, and I said, "It's just that parenting is a REAL JOB." Of course we love it -- it's the best job we have -- but yes. It's full time. We're enjoying the vacation from it. We're doing nothing spectacular - watching TV, movies, eating out - but it is just what the doctor ordered.

Before they left, though, I was already getting used to the evenings of summer. There's no pressure to fix dinner by a certain time so we can get to lessons/choir/bed on time. There's no homework to nag about. There's no lunch waiting to be made. The mornings are slower. Yes, we still try to get out the door at the same time, but it's infinitely easier when we can leave the kids right there on the couch in their jammies, with the babysitter.

I like summer now, is what I'm saying. I'll like it even more in 2 weeks when I, myself, am on the beach. :) 

Memorial Day Weekend: Relaxing, Actually!

We had such a nice weekend. Shawn and I even woke up today saying, "It even felt like a long weekend. Like we had extra time." That's so unusual! We're back at our respective offices, with the kids happily cared for by Carli, who showed up at 7:00 am this morning and who seemed tired, but is still awesome... and I'm still just wanting to re-live all the fun things that happened.

Friday was the last half-day of school, and I happily requested a work-from-home afternoon so that I could pick the kids up on time. There was a birthday party to attend in the park at 1:30, and we'd been asked to drive one of Kate's friends, so we went to Panera for lunch, and then over to the park. It was a perfect, perfect day for it -- sunny but breezy, and not too hot. I loved getting to stand in the shade with the moms and dads while the kids ran around, ate ice cream, and lined up for the pinata. I hadn't been planning to stay there that long, actually, but it ended up just fine since the ol' manager was on vacation. Wink, wink. When we got home at 3:30 I sat down with the laptop and worked for 2 hours, and called it good enough. (I still feel the need to log each hour, and Friday I only worked 6, but I hadn't taken many lunches during the week so it evened out.) **Note to self: I love this kind of flexibility. This job allows it sometimes.** 

Friday night (after Shawn had mowed the grass since he got home early, too), Kate convinced us we needed to go to the pool to celebrate. We knew it would be cold water, because it'd been raining most of the week, but she didn't let that stop her... and the idea of not cooking dinner was definitely appealing to me! I'm glad we went. Even though I annoyed her by not getting into the pool myself (just sitting with my feet in), I think she and Alex had fun. Even Alex admitted, though, that the water was cold. We ate some delicious fish tacos (me) and wings (Shawn), then headed home.

Guess who fell asleep at 9:00 and didn't wake up until 11:00? That's right, Shawn. Not me!

Saturday morning we didn't have piano lessons, which was another nice break. Instead, we got dressed and went to test drive a car! With ice water in our veins, we said. "Just to drive it," we said. But they got us (of course they did) with an offer of $10,000 off a 2016 model. That's four zeroes off. Lucky I'd brought the checkbook just in case. A deal we couldn't pass up, and a car I love! Leather, heated seats! Back-up camera! All the tech I've never had! I had fun driving it a little bit over the weekend, and in to the office this morning.

I had to cantor Saturday night, but had put a pork shoulder in the crock pot all day, so we had BBQ by the time we got home and it was delicious! SO much better than the crock-pot shredded chicken that's been my go-to. Not anymore, I declare. Pork -- the other white meat -- For The Win. Everyone loved it. 

Sunday morning I had to sing again, with the choir, but that's the last time until fall. Hooray! As much as I love our new director Alvin, I am so ready for a break from Sunday morning obligations. Then it was time for a lunch-date with our good friends from when Kate was in pre-school. We haven't seen them in a long while, but the girls just fell right back into friendship as if no time had passed, asking each other about their schools, favorite subjects, friends, etc. Fourth graders! I still think of the two of them as Four-Year-OLDS! Anyway, we had a lovely time at Ted's Montana Grill. One thing the mom said struck me -- she, too, stays in her kinda annoying job because.... drumroll... it is close to her daughter's school. And it pays the bills. We decided it's the way of the world.

[[Is this boring? I'm not sure I even want to finish it. I mean, how could I write the daily details better?! I don't know. I always think LL's posts are so interesting, and they're just like this -- does she insert more personality into it, or something?? What gives?! Photos. Hers always have illustrative photos. Okay... uploading now... does this help?]]

Sunday afternoon, guess what Kate and I did? Went shopping. ;) This is becoming a regular thing, which may not be so good for my bank account, but I think it is definitely good for our relationship. Mostly I was after two errand-y things: Popsicle molds and a new coffee pot. My beloved Black and Decker 12-cup, with its stainless steel carafe, went dead Sunday morning. (I had to boil the water myself, then pour it slowly over the coffee grounds! Not gonna work long-term.) As it happens, the Target is right next door to a Justice, so Kate dragged me in there, too. It's not that I dislike you, Justice, it's just that I despise all the shiny STUFF you hang next to and around your cute clothes. We do not need another fluffy keychain or another tiny purse with a "K" on it! And Kate wants ALL of that stuff. It's really hard, having to be the bad guy in there, but bad-guy I was, denying her a pineapple-shaped boogie board ($29), a third hairbrush (with a K), and a $30 t-shirt with sequins. We did, however, buy a one-piece swimsuit and two pairs of shorts, which she needs for summer camp. And then we went to have our nails done. So I'm still Fun Mom.

I hadn't had my nails done in AGES and AGES, and they needed doing. Kate can't have hers painted during the school year because of the dress code, so this was a big treat. We closed the place down, in fact. But I think she and I need some good girl-time regularly, just the two of us, and now we're all prettied up and ready for summer. The boys played video games, some together and some apart, and you know, I think that qualifies for them as quality time, too.

Can I go on for just another minute? Sunday night we watched Mockingjay #2 (just the grownups), Monday we had no plans, did a little laundry here and there (kids helped), I did my ten-minute workout, Shawn did some work, we cleaned up the Highlander so we can sell it soon, we read books, we napped, it rained then stopped, so we grilled our dinner, and it was just a perfect day off. Nothing fancy or too much trouble.

I'm already counting down until the next weekend.

Snapshots of both kids right now

On a weekend or holiday, if we're in the house, you will likely find Alex and Kate on the couch, on the staircase (seated), or on the chair in the living room, legs dangling over the arm, with their iPads. We knew this would be the case when we gave them the iPads at Christmas, and we know the state of the digital world, so it isn't a shock. But it's still sometimes annoying. Kate fires hers up on the floor of her bathroom sometimes, waiting for the shower to get hot. They watch while they walk. It's mostly YouTube that they're into, but there are also some games. Tap Titans is one that I despise, because its beeps and noises are loud and it requires them to just tap, with all 10 fingers, on the screen. As if they're typing, but they're not, just making ONE MILLION fast taps on the hard surface. They both love Rolling Sky and Word Cookies (at least there's one that engages their academic brains - it's anagrams). Alex is just now texting/messaging with his friends. We let him have a Google/YouTube account (had to fudge his age) so he uses Hangouts, I think, and/or iMessage when the other friend has an iPhone. Kate iMessages me (on days when she's home but I'm working, for example), but to my knowledge, no one else.

After years when we heard nothing BUT the Disney Channel, it has largely disappeared from their TV habits. Thank you, YouTube, I guess! Whereas last summer it was endless episodes of "Walk the Prank," "LIv and Maddie" and "Jessie," they hardly ever put it on channel 864 anymore. Nor Cartoon Network. Farewell, Teen Titans Go, Clarence and Regular Show! We don't mind. Kate has also stopped watching so many episodes of Chopped and Pioneer Woman on The Food Network - they were a staple at one time, as well. If we watch TV lately, it's Jeopardy, The Middle (my favorite, too), or AFV (America's Funniest Videos). Alex likes to see the morning (local, just for the weather) and evening news, too, so we sometimes watch ABC World News Tonight or NIghtly News w/Lester Holt on NBC, on weeknights. Oh, and The Flash. They both love it.

Thank the Lord Jesus, they stopped playing "Baby." This was a game where Kate was the "big sister" of various names, "Riley" (pronounced Raleigh) was the most frequent and Alex, MUCH to Shawn's and my chagrin, was "Baby." He was funny in the role -- quite the actor, really -- but ugh, it was grating. Though there is/was a SONG and other family characters. The MaGoogin family, I believe. I hope they'll remember it always and that I'll rarely have to hear it again. ;) Alex put a stop to it, finally, because he is 12 and acting like a baby isn't cool anymore. They do still pretend a little; "Scooter City" seems to be popular, where they pretend to be Razr Scooter champions on a competitive tour (or something) on the driveway, and sometimes a kind-of spy game in the backyard. This year, they're jumping on the trampoline more.

Most times, playing ends in a fight. Either Kate wants to win (at Horse or "Basket Bounce" on the trampoline) or Alex wants her to follow the rules, or both -- so neither one is getting what he/she wants. It's very hard not to play referee and I usually get myself involved, knowing how badly it will turn out. Oh well. At least they're friends for the most part.

Left on their own, Kate will always want to Make something. Artsy-Craftsy, that one. She'll whine that she wants me to help, and do it with her, but she really doesn't want or need my help. (She wants someone in the room with her.) She has her idea of how a project will turn out, and she goes for it. Alex will want to play video games online. He's found several classmates with PlayStation or Xbox profiles and, as we always knew would happen, this is where he chooses to spend a LOT of time lately. Just this weekend we moved one of the game systems up to the bonus room, so we can have the family-room TV back on Friday and Saturday nights. I'm happy about that but it's also -- gosh, he's getting so grown up. In the back room, door closed. Just like a teenager.

Alex is studious and organized. He'll do his homework on Friday night as much as possible, to get it out of he way for the weekend. He is earning awards in Math and has pretty much maintained a 99 average in every class, pre-algebra included. Math is serving him well in music, too. He's playing clarinet in middle school band. Piano lessons for 2 years and really coming into his own there. He and his teacher had a nerdy conversation about scales and chords the other day (she is a total music theory nerd and I love her for it - I am also enjoying these theory lessons as an observer!). He is rational and kind and he has a great developing sense of humor and timing. He understands so much -- I see in the way that he puts up with his sister, that he's trying really hard to help her, but also knows (mostly) when to back off, and that she just isn't wired the same as he is. His blow-ups over homework have MOSTLY stopped (jinx), but there is the occasional stress-out over a project or a hard problem. He's very excited to be an eighth-grader next fall. In Student Council, by the way. A leader.

Kate is also studious and does very well with schoolwork, but wants it over with as soon as possible.... or leaves it until the last minute - often, the morning of, instead of eating breakfast. Not all homework, mind you, but "finishing touches" on projects. Or, "I want to make a [random] card for X" so it has to be done right this minute. She is still not much of a morning person. She'll be one of those people who can't talk/function until she has her coffee, once she's old enough. She is well loved at school, not just by her own teachers, but everyone. Everyone knows her. All the teachers. The eighth-grade girls. Sweet and funny and outspoken in school, I think. Not in a way that gets her in trouble, just that she knows the answer and inserts herself in grown-up conversations sometimes and it charms people. (And makes me cringe a little since I was NOT that way at her age.) She's in Art Club (and everything else) and her Battle of the Books team won 2nd place in the Archdiocese this spring, for all third grade! Her favorite is still gymnastics - says she wants to BE a gymnast - and she's learned a lot in her tumbling class this year - her form has gotten better. It's not a competitive class and I wonder if I should get her into one, but... not sure I'm willing to be that committed to it. She loved basketball this year, too, but mostly for the social aspect of it. Her team won 1 game. ;) She's trying really hard to control her emotions, and doing better, I'd say 65% of the time. Still a little too dramatic and over-reactive for my taste, but we're all working on it. Oh, and she had her first piano lesson this past weekend.

This is going so fast, this "school years" time of our lives. I really can't believe it. I want to bottle it up and keep it, so I've been meaning to write this post for a long time.

Remember this.

Yesterday, Mother's Day, May 14, 2017, Kate is 9 and I am 43.

On the way down the stairs at home, dressed and ready for Mass: She takes my hand to hold.

On the way out of the church, in the beautiful sunny day, chatting and talking: She holds my hand again.

On the way to the car after a lovely brunch: She takes it a third time. I looked down at her hand in mine, and I just want to remember how it felt, how natural and soft and sweet it was, forever.

Also, twice during the day, my nearly-teenage son kissed me on the cheek. Once when he was directed to by his Dad, for a photo op, and another time while I was just sitting at the kitchen table. He just came right up to me and leaned in. Stayed a while, too, after the peck on the cheek, just side-hugging me.

I do like Mother's Day, quite a lot.