Tuesday, September 28, 2010

letting go...just a little

Let's be honest here, folks.  I'm an uptight individual.  Not rigid or uncaring - but I like rules and structure and functionality and planning.  Lists rule my life - sometimes even lists of lists.  I vacuum a lot.  I've had dreams about my Dyson.

Not really.  Just seeing if you're still with me.

Yesterday was hot.  The boys and I were tired and a tad bit on the grumpy side.  We went outside to sweat.  Remember that Indian Summer I was talking about?  It was in full force yesterday.

Now, the super uptight mom would have stayed outside 5 minutes, decided it was to hot, and drug the boys back in the house to the basement.

Yesterday though - uptight list mom disappeared long enough for some good old fashioned playing in the sprinklers time.

The boys got soaked.  I got soaked.  My camera got soaked.  Chickie fell and stubbed his toe - but in the stubbing sort of trimmed his toenail so it was a win/win for everyone.

We had fun.

We were happy.

We had a great day.

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IMGP9308

Friday, September 24, 2010

Indian Summer

Indian summer

I know that the weather is telling me it's fall. The mountains are starting to turn red, the breeze through my bedroom window almost warrants a sweater. I've broken out the long sleeve nightgowns and flannel pajama bottoms.

Even still - the days are a beautiful and crisp 70 degrees outside. We're still in shorts and t-shirts. We can still go for walks and ride scooters around the block. No coats, no jackets and sunglasses at the ready.

I love summer. Summer is lazy. Summer is going out to lunch and hanging out with our favorite people.

There is however, something comforting about the fall. Knowing that the seasons will continue to change, that the end of one year is fast approaching and the excitement for another new year is straight ahead.

And sweaters. Let's not forget about wearing all those lovely sweaters that have been sitting, missing going out all spring and summer long.

I guess this is what you call an Indian Summer - where the weather stays beautiful for us to enjoy. To trick us into thinking that the fall may really not come - that it will skip us this year.

Lucky for us though - fall is coming.

I can hardly wait.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

a glimpse...

My brother is a pretty eclectic kid. He loves sports and music and movies. He can talk about just about anything with just about anyone.

A couple of weeks ago, we were at his house, after his football game. The Chick and I were playing in his room. He has a really cool room. It's bold and smart and fun. I took some pictures. I wish I had pictures of what all my old bedrooms looked like because these days I cannot for the life of me remember.

his bedroom

Friday, September 17, 2010

flash-diggity back

Me, 2002 at back to school night.

P's2 - back in the teaching days

Him, not too long after we got married.

ross, 2004

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Beef Empanadas

Note: The recipe is on my food blog - go there and make these tonight.


photo.jpg Another yummy recipe from the Mad Hungry cookbook.  Seriously, go and buy it today.  You'll thank your self later. This recipe was really pretty easy, but much more time consuming than I normally would go for on a week night.  But, since my husband is a work-a-holic and we've been eating dinner an hour later than normal, I had the time. Anyway - for the first time, it took me two hours from start to finished and on the table.  Was it worth it?  Oh yes.  So worth it that I might make them again next week - but actually figure out how to make a side dish, too.  Not that these babies need anything else.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

the Squirt:: 16 months

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I love you, Chickerdoodle.

I love that you are a good dancer and that when we take Elliott to school in the morning you walk in holding his hand and when we pick him up 2 hours later you try to say "Elliott school", but it sounds like, "E-ut choo".

I love to see how excited you get when you see your Uncle Willie and that when we wear our uncle Willie t-shirts on football day you point to his picture and smile because you are so proud.

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I love that you love french fries and diet coke. Just like me.

I love that you run everywhere, because those extra few seconds are going to add up.

I love that you almost know how to put the key in the mailbox, have figured out how to go down the stairs and turn the dryer off in mid cycle without me knowing - leaving me a soggy surprise when I'm ready to switch loads.

I love that you try to be so big - ride your brothers scooter, pull weeds, climb and dig. You are getting to be such a real little boy - the baby is gone and the toddler is officially here.

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I love that you love your brother. You are figuring how to fight back, defend your territory, and protect your mama. The biting, I don't love so much - but your fierce loyalty to me and protection of my lap as your throne is just too cute.

I am so proud of you for sticking it out the last 7 weeks you've been so sick. It's been awful to see you not feel well and know that all I could to is just hold you on my lap and sing to you. I think that I've sung "hey Jude" a thousand times in the last little while.


just hanging out

You are growing up so fast little Chick. I cannot believe how quickly time is passing and how fast my baby is turning into my little boy. Thank you for helping me vacuum and swiffer and do laundry and throw away trash and pick up toys and put away dishes.

I love you!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

(#&$)*(@)D)R*)@#* )#Q$*(@)(*

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I love my boys.

I love my boys.

I love my boys.

I do not love teething.

I do not love teething.

I do not love teething.

I also do not love being awake until 4:30 in the morning because my baby is screaming and puking all over me (and in my hand).  I also do not love that once the parents in the house finally got back  into bed at 4:30 in the morning that all the smoke alarms in the house decide to start chirping and there were mysterious gun shotty sounds outside.

I do love that the culprits....the 4 teeth in question have finally, after weeks of messing with our minds, finally decided to poke their little heads through and show their faces.

damn teeth!

Thursday, September 09, 2010

regroup

so, sometimes...just sometimes.

a couple of slices of bacon (with an apple) fixes things way better than cookies can.

but only sometimes.

One of those days

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On one side of my house right now there is blue sky and sun. On the other side of my house right now there is gray sky and wind.

Weather, just make up your mind already and let us get on with our day. It's driving my brain absolutely wonky-bonkers.

I don't get "Mad Men". I've never seen it. I don't know what it is about. I don't even know what channel it's on. I don't understand why all the blogs of all the crafty and creative women that I read are obsessed with the show, have parties about the show and follow their favorite characters on twitter.

Today, I really want to make cookies but I haven't yet. Why? I've been working. Doing a bunch of stuff I really don't want to do anymore. I want a new job. Anyone out there got any ideas for me? Something creative perhaps, where I get to do my own thing? Something food related? Something challenging that stimulates my brain? Something academic or educational where I just get to be in charge and don't have to really report to anyone? If you've got any ideas then I'm all ears.

My kids have been sick now for 7 weeks. Ear infections, bronchial infections, more ear infections, wheezing...you name it. The chick did three rounds of three different antibiotics and Elliott is just about to finish his first. Add inhalers and steroids, and lung enhancing medication and all the whining and crying and coughing and lap sitting (which I like) that comes along with being sick and I've lost it. I'm tired of little people coughing in my face and crying until they puke.

I might be depressed.

Prozac?

xanex?

Yes, please!

Sometimes, I envy people who just really don't seem to have that much going on. The people who don't seem too busy and have time to go to dinner and the movies and dink around. And take naps.  And watch Mad Men (huh?).

Oh wait! Most of those people don't have kids.

Duh!

Thursday, September 02, 2010

crafty, crafty

Yesterday, I needed a craft.  Since we have a brother/uncle who is dominating our Thursday afternoons and Friday nights with football, I figured we ought to be supportive.  So, I made t-shirts for the crew.

I started with this picture.
6 foot 4

Next, I used the picnik photo editor to turn the picture into this.
6 foot 4

Then, after a little bit of work in photoshop (cropping, straightening, and adding a border) I printed the picture on some transfer paper. And created these:
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I was pretty proud of myself until last night, talking to my brother, he told me that he gets to wear his varsity number, #74 for the sophomore game today instead of his sophomore #75.

Oh well.

We'll still look like dorks with our matching t-shirts.

Awesome.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

I wish I had this kind of talent

I read a blog post here yesterday that spoke to my heart

People (including my husband on occasion) mock me, but if I really could have a wish, it would be that I could sing and dance.  Not just the glee club kind of sing, but really belt it out, knock peoples socks off kind of sing.

And dancing?  Fuhgetaboutit!

When I was younger I always took dance lessons.  When I was 12 I joined a teacher who had big recitals and got us dancers into parades.  No one ever told me (thank you!) that I didn't have the talent and finally, when I was 12 or 13 I realized that I was just too tall (6 feet tall) to be a dancer.  And, the fact that I was often asked, after tripping on an invisible pot hole, "Hey Grace, how's charm school" helped me make my decision.

I'm not big on dance recitals, think clogging and other specialty type dancing is dumb.  But, having the ability to groove to music without looking like a fool - that is something I'd love to have.

My boys and I have regularly scheduled, weekly dance parties.  We have a play list on the ipod called, "Songs to Dance To" and we'll rock out until all three of us are sweaty and just cannot move anymore.  Our moves are signature and our passion for dance is strong.  We sing along, and dance our large, and tiny booties off.  Some day soon, my boys won't want to dance with me, they'll realize I'm a dork.  Right now, I'll take all the dance parties I can get. 

I remember as a little girl my mom trying to get my dad to dance with her.  He would stand still and she would try to lead - but ended up just sort of dancing around him and singing along to the music.  We laughed and probably joined in.

If you're still reading after all this dancing nonsense, watch this video.  Not only is it dancing from some of my favorite films (Footloose, Dirty Dancing and Grease), but there is a lot of John Travolta dancing and come on!  It's John Travolta dancing.

Need I say more.

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