Reading: Theft by Finding by David Sedaris. Good Lord, I love David Sedaris. He seems like he would be friends with my sister and thus be forced to run into me at baptisms and bar mitzvahs. He would probably try to linger in the dining room doorway waiting for me to choose a dinner chair and then take the seat furthest from mine. He would avoid my eye and try to look very engaged in conversation with the person next to him. I would move though. You know I would. I would get up for more wine and then pull up a spare chair right next to David, squeezing out the bewildered guest who was innocently describing to him her latest oral surgery in detail. Later as they were driving home Hugh would laugh about David's inability to escape Kelly's weird younger sister.
Drinking: COFFEE. My caffeine intake is delightfully out of control. My migraines are in control (aaaaahhhhlelluia!) and thus the coffee floweth like... well... like coffee bean flavored hot water. We bought a new coffee pot that is programmed to automatically brew every morning. It is heavenly, like having a little robot in our kitchen that makes me coffee. In fact... it is LITERALLY a little robot in our kitchen that makes me coffee. I love it. I've gotten into that strange place in which I stay up too late and then sleep poorly and wake up and drink too much coffee. So then by the afternoon I drink more caffeine and thus the cycle continues. Not complaining though. Just how it is at the moment.
Eating: welllllll. This past spring was rather stressful to say the least and I may or may not have gained like 20 lbs. I finally pulled it together these past few weeks and am back on healthy foods. Unfortunately, I'm discovering that losing weight this time around isn't as simple as back when I was breast-feeding. Bummer. But, nonetheless, I'll just keep plugging along.
Carolena and Nils are really into audio books as of late. I mean really into them. Like, hour upon hour upon hour of listening to stories. We didn't leave the house for all of Monday and all of Tuesday because they were so engrossed. There aren't pictures or animation - just someone reading the books. I spent Monday crafting and cleaning and yesterday doing pretty much the same. By today I was about to lose my mind and forced them out to run errands with me. All they wanted to do was come home and eat lunch and listen to more of the book they were on. It's awesome. And weird. And awesome... but also weird.
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Early Mornings, Coffee, School Buses, Vintage Hats, Did I Mention Coffee?
I'm trying to get back into an early-to-rise routine around here, so I guess that means revisiting my blog as well.
Starting to blog again after such a long hiatus feels awkward and forced. Umm... hi?
Currently...
Reading: Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving. His writing is so fabulous. Why are his characters always so loveable?
Drinking: Coffee. Coffee. More coffee. I told you I'm trying to get back into my routine of early mornings. Plus, I don't really drink alcohol so coffee seems like a just fine vice to me.
Eating: Oh Lordy, the eating around here. Yesterday afternoon I wondered why my stomach hurt until I remembered I had Target popcorn, two Diet Cokes, and a pack of Rolos for lunch. At the end of the day I congratulated myself on such a good day of eating... and then I remembered lunch. *oops*
C started real school this week and is thriving. She has left and come home in a great mood everyday. She is clearly tired but so wired from all of the excitement that thus far all has been well. There is nothing cuter in this world than seeing her bound onto the school bus and wave from the front seat. Nils snuggles in my arms and we wave back and blow kisses. Oh my goodness. C can barely see out the window and we just see her eyes and arm waving. You can't imagine how adorable the whole scene is. And, oh my gosh, don't get me started on how amazing the school bus is. A bus comes and picks my kid up and brings her to school and then takes her home? For free? And I don't have to be ready to leave and stuff Nils into a carseat twice a day?! AAAMAZING. Also, we lucked out and live across the street from the bus stop. We can see/hear the bus coming from our house. Oh yeah!
Nils and I are having fun having some rarely-before-seen time alone together. Yesterday after our fancy Target lunch I asked him if he was ready to go home and he replied, "No! Goodwill!" Atta boy. We're going to get along juuussst fine. I found a fabulous vintage hat at Goodwill and Nils bought it for me. THIS hat - but in RED! It was a total of 86 cents. A fabulous red vintage hat? Sounds perfect for Pentecost! Vintage hats are my weakness.
While Nils and I are thrilled to be together and are having some adventures of our own, we definitely both miss Carolena. Nils will frequently call me "Lena" or "best friend" when he's talking (they call each other "best friend") and then get a surprised embarrassed look on his face and correct himself to "Mommy." Poor guy.
I really miss C too. I love having some special time to be with Nils but it has been harder than I expected to see so little of Carolena lately. I really and truly like being with her and miss her. She gets home from school at 4 and goes to bed at 7 so time with her is at a premium. I'm trying to have time with her, let Nils have some time alone with her to play, and we have dinner and bedtime routines. So far C has wanted to pile in my bed with books everyday when she gets home from school. Sounds great to me!
I really slacked off on waking up early this summer. I am planning to get back into my early morning groove now that school is in session, but I'm honestly having a hard time remembering how much I loved it. Here's hoping.
Starting to blog again after such a long hiatus feels awkward and forced. Umm... hi?
Currently...
Reading: Avenue of Mysteries by John Irving. His writing is so fabulous. Why are his characters always so loveable?
Drinking: Coffee. Coffee. More coffee. I told you I'm trying to get back into my routine of early mornings. Plus, I don't really drink alcohol so coffee seems like a just fine vice to me.
Eating: Oh Lordy, the eating around here. Yesterday afternoon I wondered why my stomach hurt until I remembered I had Target popcorn, two Diet Cokes, and a pack of Rolos for lunch. At the end of the day I congratulated myself on such a good day of eating... and then I remembered lunch. *oops*
C started real school this week and is thriving. She has left and come home in a great mood everyday. She is clearly tired but so wired from all of the excitement that thus far all has been well. There is nothing cuter in this world than seeing her bound onto the school bus and wave from the front seat. Nils snuggles in my arms and we wave back and blow kisses. Oh my goodness. C can barely see out the window and we just see her eyes and arm waving. You can't imagine how adorable the whole scene is. And, oh my gosh, don't get me started on how amazing the school bus is. A bus comes and picks my kid up and brings her to school and then takes her home? For free? And I don't have to be ready to leave and stuff Nils into a carseat twice a day?! AAAMAZING. Also, we lucked out and live across the street from the bus stop. We can see/hear the bus coming from our house. Oh yeah!
Nils and I are having fun having some rarely-before-seen time alone together. Yesterday after our fancy Target lunch I asked him if he was ready to go home and he replied, "No! Goodwill!" Atta boy. We're going to get along juuussst fine. I found a fabulous vintage hat at Goodwill and Nils bought it for me. THIS hat - but in RED! It was a total of 86 cents. A fabulous red vintage hat? Sounds perfect for Pentecost! Vintage hats are my weakness.
While Nils and I are thrilled to be together and are having some adventures of our own, we definitely both miss Carolena. Nils will frequently call me "Lena" or "best friend" when he's talking (they call each other "best friend") and then get a surprised embarrassed look on his face and correct himself to "Mommy." Poor guy.
I really miss C too. I love having some special time to be with Nils but it has been harder than I expected to see so little of Carolena lately. I really and truly like being with her and miss her. She gets home from school at 4 and goes to bed at 7 so time with her is at a premium. I'm trying to have time with her, let Nils have some time alone with her to play, and we have dinner and bedtime routines. So far C has wanted to pile in my bed with books everyday when she gets home from school. Sounds great to me!
I really slacked off on waking up early this summer. I am planning to get back into my early morning groove now that school is in session, but I'm honestly having a hard time remembering how much I loved it. Here's hoping.
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Time Capsule
I'm actually in town this morning so I figured I would turn on a computer.
Where have I been? Unplugged, for one thing.
It's really one of the many wonderful perks of having a "dumb phone" that I am not connected all of the time. Yes, that is a perk. If you don't think it is you need to put your phone down.
The kids and I have been foot loose and fancy free this summer. We went back to the beach and then straight to my parents' house. I could bore you with a summary blog post, but why? It was fun. The beach was perfect. Both kids got to go in the kayak. We did a lot of swimming in the gulf. And I gained 8 pounds due to trading work outs for eating ice cream. Worth it. I'll get back in the grind when school starts.
My parents are working to get their house on the market so we spent time in Beaumont trying to help sort through more than thirty years of accumulated things. I'll be honest, it's mainly books. They should jump into the Dewey Decimal System and start a beach library when they move. They could run it out of their house and probably make a fortune on late fees. Or charge membership. They really have that many books.
We went through old photographs, and attic boxes (oh the never ending Coke collection!), and Gran's linens (yes, please!), and Rush family jewelry. Actually we didn't go through the jewelry I just took it home to look through with Kelly. I think when I see her next I should be wearing every single piece, including all five of Pop's police badges.
Wait, didn't I just promise I wasn't going to summarize? Ah!
All of that is to get to this: I brought home Carolena's old rocking chair. No, not Carolena number three. Carolena number ONE. It's old. And fabulous. And the best little rocking chair that ever was.
How old is that wonderful thing? Like 100?
When I picked it up to bring it downstairs the seat cushion fell off and revealed a torn bottom. Upon closer inspection my mother and I realized it was filled with straw and fabric. *Note to self for reconstruction purposes: straw and fabric are incredibly comfortable rocking chair fillers*
"What if there's money tucked away in there?" my Treasure House mother said.
I gave her a skeptical look.
She shot me a mother look that I know very well from both her face and now my own and replied, "That's what people did. I'm serious. When you take this apart be careful and look for hidden money or family jewels."
"Mom, I don't think we're that kind of family" I replied.
A few hours later I was home and all of my new/old belongings were lovingly put away and on display. I decided to tackle the chair bottom and see what mystery was really inside.
Jewels? Money? Valuable family heirlooms?
No, a time warp to the Great Depression. Or perhaps the start of WWII?
Clearly a woman leading a life so different from my own (and yet so similar?) needed to add stuffing to the caving seat of the rocking chair and looked to her own home. I pulled out about eight pairs of antique undergarments, a small blouse jacket, and an entire dress. All of these things were torn. The tears didn't look like the tears of wear (expect for a few places on the dress), but looked to me like tears from being washed during a time with no "gentle cycle" to do all of the work.
It was astonishing. At first I started to laugh. Who stuffs a chair with old underwear?!
And then I realized who does that: people who had nothing else to stuff in there.
And I was humbled. And stood in the middle of our modern day opulence holding the torn dress turned chair stuffing of my namesake great-grandmother.
Generations of babies have now been rocked on that chair. I think it is safe to assume that my dad snuggled up on a lap in that rocking chair a time or two. I'm sure I did. I am positive that my own children have snuggled and rocked on top of the original Carolena's old clothes.
I don't know what I'll use to reconstruct the seat of the rocking chair. Whatever modern convenience I use I'm sure it be it will somehow be less comfortable than Carolena's old clothes. I plan to wash a piece of it and put it back in. I like the thought of generations to come continuing to soothe their babies on the tangible memories of our family.
Where have I been? Unplugged, for one thing.
It's really one of the many wonderful perks of having a "dumb phone" that I am not connected all of the time. Yes, that is a perk. If you don't think it is you need to put your phone down.
The kids and I have been foot loose and fancy free this summer. We went back to the beach and then straight to my parents' house. I could bore you with a summary blog post, but why? It was fun. The beach was perfect. Both kids got to go in the kayak. We did a lot of swimming in the gulf. And I gained 8 pounds due to trading work outs for eating ice cream. Worth it. I'll get back in the grind when school starts.
My parents are working to get their house on the market so we spent time in Beaumont trying to help sort through more than thirty years of accumulated things. I'll be honest, it's mainly books. They should jump into the Dewey Decimal System and start a beach library when they move. They could run it out of their house and probably make a fortune on late fees. Or charge membership. They really have that many books.
We went through old photographs, and attic boxes (oh the never ending Coke collection!), and Gran's linens (yes, please!), and Rush family jewelry. Actually we didn't go through the jewelry I just took it home to look through with Kelly. I think when I see her next I should be wearing every single piece, including all five of Pop's police badges.
Wait, didn't I just promise I wasn't going to summarize? Ah!
All of that is to get to this: I brought home Carolena's old rocking chair. No, not Carolena number three. Carolena number ONE. It's old. And fabulous. And the best little rocking chair that ever was.
How old is that wonderful thing? Like 100?
When I picked it up to bring it downstairs the seat cushion fell off and revealed a torn bottom. Upon closer inspection my mother and I realized it was filled with straw and fabric. *Note to self for reconstruction purposes: straw and fabric are incredibly comfortable rocking chair fillers*
"What if there's money tucked away in there?" my Treasure House mother said.
I gave her a skeptical look.
She shot me a mother look that I know very well from both her face and now my own and replied, "That's what people did. I'm serious. When you take this apart be careful and look for hidden money or family jewels."
"Mom, I don't think we're that kind of family" I replied.
A few hours later I was home and all of my new/old belongings were lovingly put away and on display. I decided to tackle the chair bottom and see what mystery was really inside.
Jewels? Money? Valuable family heirlooms?
No, a time warp to the Great Depression. Or perhaps the start of WWII?
Clearly a woman leading a life so different from my own (and yet so similar?) needed to add stuffing to the caving seat of the rocking chair and looked to her own home. I pulled out about eight pairs of antique undergarments, a small blouse jacket, and an entire dress. All of these things were torn. The tears didn't look like the tears of wear (expect for a few places on the dress), but looked to me like tears from being washed during a time with no "gentle cycle" to do all of the work.
It was astonishing. At first I started to laugh. Who stuffs a chair with old underwear?!
And then I realized who does that: people who had nothing else to stuff in there.
And I was humbled. And stood in the middle of our modern day opulence holding the torn dress turned chair stuffing of my namesake great-grandmother.
Generations of babies have now been rocked on that chair. I think it is safe to assume that my dad snuggled up on a lap in that rocking chair a time or two. I'm sure I did. I am positive that my own children have snuggled and rocked on top of the original Carolena's old clothes.
I don't know what I'll use to reconstruct the seat of the rocking chair. Whatever modern convenience I use I'm sure it be it will somehow be less comfortable than Carolena's old clothes. I plan to wash a piece of it and put it back in. I like the thought of generations to come continuing to soothe their babies on the tangible memories of our family.
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Feeling Hot Hot Hot!
Man, we are good at summer around here. Other states might be good at winter with all of their snow and fires crackling in the fireplaces and whatnot, but man, when it comes to summer: we win.
The kids and I wore ourselves out at the pool yesterday. We spent the morning getting lunch packed and suits on and getting out the door. C went to swim lessons (and had a blast) and I was "that mom" who pretended to be sixteen and took off my coverup and lounged in the sunshine reading my book. It was glorious. Other moms sweltered in the heat and humidity chasing their kids and trying to find shade and all that jazz. I decided to embrace it and it was pretty heavenly. A book, a bathing suit, a ton of sun screen, a drink. I got half an hour all to myself to just lounge by the pool. Hmmm... maybe C needs more swim lessons...
After lessons we picked up N and headed back out to the pool. One of my bff's (Megan) and her kiddos met us there and we picnicked and played for hours. Hours!
When we got home Nils walked straight into his room, closed his door, and went to sleep (that guy) while C and I snuggled into my bed to chat and giggle. An hour later I woke up to find C and I had dozed off as well. Heaven.
We ate popsicles for snack. Homemade chicken nuggets for dinner while we watched The Parent Trap (Lindsey Lohan version - love it). Then we had to all spend time pretending a lizard had climbed in our mouths (Nils' idea). Bedtime and books.
Today, let's do it again. And we need to go to the grocery store... because tomorrow we're going to visit our friends who (wait for it...) run summer camp! Woo!
Yeah, we know how to do summer.
The kids and I wore ourselves out at the pool yesterday. We spent the morning getting lunch packed and suits on and getting out the door. C went to swim lessons (and had a blast) and I was "that mom" who pretended to be sixteen and took off my coverup and lounged in the sunshine reading my book. It was glorious. Other moms sweltered in the heat and humidity chasing their kids and trying to find shade and all that jazz. I decided to embrace it and it was pretty heavenly. A book, a bathing suit, a ton of sun screen, a drink. I got half an hour all to myself to just lounge by the pool. Hmmm... maybe C needs more swim lessons...
After lessons we picked up N and headed back out to the pool. One of my bff's (Megan) and her kiddos met us there and we picnicked and played for hours. Hours!
When we got home Nils walked straight into his room, closed his door, and went to sleep (that guy) while C and I snuggled into my bed to chat and giggle. An hour later I woke up to find C and I had dozed off as well. Heaven.
We ate popsicles for snack. Homemade chicken nuggets for dinner while we watched The Parent Trap (Lindsey Lohan version - love it). Then we had to all spend time pretending a lizard had climbed in our mouths (Nils' idea). Bedtime and books.
Today, let's do it again. And we need to go to the grocery store... because tomorrow we're going to visit our friends who (wait for it...) run summer camp! Woo!
Yeah, we know how to do summer.
Monday, June 6, 2016
Happenings of Late
What have we been up to? Oh, besides going to the beach, and whittling, and crafting, and playing, and general running amok merriment?
Well, C has actually been enjoying her new dress
And we've spent time at our library getting books and playing and picnicking and feeding ducklings. In the words of Nils "baby ducks soooo cute! Me want to pet them!!"
Yes, Nils. Exactly.
Recently we introduced Carolena to the game 20 Questions. It went swimmingly. She and Chris had narrowed my item down to a movie character (it was Buzz Lightyear) when C asked, "Iiisss it someone who turns into a bad guy when you get him wet? {pause} Cause I'm talkin' bout GREMLINS!"
That kid so belongs to me and Chris.
We've also spent some time enjoying tea parties. Nothing like a tea pot full of sparkling coconut flavored water with some cut apple and a zebra cake to really hit the spot
Uh oh, I've just been alerted that "the bad guys" have "captured" C & N and "chained them up and the hot lava is coming!" Looks like it's time for She-Ra to go save them.
Well, C has actually been enjoying her new dress
Yes, Nils. Exactly.
Recently we introduced Carolena to the game 20 Questions. It went swimmingly. She and Chris had narrowed my item down to a movie character (it was Buzz Lightyear) when C asked, "Iiisss it someone who turns into a bad guy when you get him wet? {pause} Cause I'm talkin' bout GREMLINS!"
That kid so belongs to me and Chris.
We've also spent some time enjoying tea parties. Nothing like a tea pot full of sparkling coconut flavored water with some cut apple and a zebra cake to really hit the spot
Uh oh, I've just been alerted that "the bad guys" have "captured" C & N and "chained them up and the hot lava is coming!" Looks like it's time for She-Ra to go save them.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Scenes of Summer
It feels like it's been summer around here for quite some time. Is it
not the middle of July? Huh... weird. I could have sworn it was. I'm
thrilled that it isn't as we are having a great time. Going to Disney
World and then the beach twice really threw us into summer mode around
here, and things are going swimmingly. It seems everywhere I turn there
are things that make me smile. Sure, the house is a mess (which I'm
swimming upstream trying to clean it), but at least
the mess is largely due to people having fun and using their creativity.
We've watched little to no tv as we have all been have been too busy reading and
playing and painting and creating and imagining. Ah, bliss.
I love when the tv is off. I'm convinced my children are far better behaved when they are getting out energy and creativity rather than zoning out in front of a screen. So, behavior around here has been pretty great lately too.I can't remember the last time we ate dinner in the kitchen. Why would we when we can eat outside on our deck? A tablecloth, a "summer time" meal, dessert most nights, and candles that get promptly blown out by the wind, yes, we love eating on the deck. The lizards scamper around and we dream about what our deck dweller rabbit might be up to. And then we walk back inside carrying all of our plates and utensils, toss them into the sink, and clean up is nearly finished!
Bathing suits have been constantly drying in showers and laundry room. Watermelon is staining our clothing. A pile of "to be tie-dyed" has started in the kitchen.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Fun Things
One of the fun things about seldom checking my email means when I do in fact check it I find interesting things like urgent reminders to renew my cars inspection tag (or whatever it is) right now!!! and to get my (unfortunately still over goal) rear end back into Weight Watchers before my online access expires and they start charging me again! Oh the horror! Why aren't the urgent emails waiting in my inbox things like Free latte right now!!? If THAT were the case I'd probably be better about paying attention to my email.
Chris rolls his eyes at me in open annoyance that I never know what's going on at church. "It was IN the EMAIL!" he says in exasperation. Yep. I'm sure that it was. But, as I like to remind him, I am taking the clergy family perks where they come. If I have to put up with him working smack dab in the middle of long weekends then I think it is my prerogative to ignore the email and instead roll over in bed and say, "hey, is there Sunday school tomorrow?" unless of course I'm teaching it...
We went to the beach again this weekend. It's the start to a great summer when we spend the first three days of it at the beach. I found three shark teeth, we saw a bazillion dolphin jumping out of the water, and we fed the seagulls from the ferry. We went to the strand and had lunch at Fisherman's Wharf aka the restaurant where Chris and I went on our first date. We had ice cream at La King's. I told the kids they could each have five dollars to pick out something on the Strand. C looked at necklaces and mermaids and all kinds of things and then settled on a squeaking rubber shark toy. Nils followed suit. Other highlights of the trip include (but are not limited to): Nils' constant quoting of the Country Bears "As soon as I find a ladder I'll be riiight up! mmm hmmm!," ukulele playing, C staying up late to play Ticket to Ride, and this gem...
As C and I went into separate stalls in a somewhat crowded bathroom at the Fisherman's Wharf she called out to me in a loud voice, "wow! I am SO going to clog this toilet!" What?! Of course the entire bathroom starting cracking up. I replied "TMI!" which got more laughter. Geeze.
Chris rolls his eyes at me in open annoyance that I never know what's going on at church. "It was IN the EMAIL!" he says in exasperation. Yep. I'm sure that it was. But, as I like to remind him, I am taking the clergy family perks where they come. If I have to put up with him working smack dab in the middle of long weekends then I think it is my prerogative to ignore the email and instead roll over in bed and say, "hey, is there Sunday school tomorrow?" unless of course I'm teaching it...
We went to the beach again this weekend. It's the start to a great summer when we spend the first three days of it at the beach. I found three shark teeth, we saw a bazillion dolphin jumping out of the water, and we fed the seagulls from the ferry. We went to the strand and had lunch at Fisherman's Wharf aka the restaurant where Chris and I went on our first date. We had ice cream at La King's. I told the kids they could each have five dollars to pick out something on the Strand. C looked at necklaces and mermaids and all kinds of things and then settled on a squeaking rubber shark toy. Nils followed suit. Other highlights of the trip include (but are not limited to): Nils' constant quoting of the Country Bears "As soon as I find a ladder I'll be riiight up! mmm hmmm!," ukulele playing, C staying up late to play Ticket to Ride, and this gem...
As C and I went into separate stalls in a somewhat crowded bathroom at the Fisherman's Wharf she called out to me in a loud voice, "wow! I am SO going to clog this toilet!" What?! Of course the entire bathroom starting cracking up. I replied "TMI!" which got more laughter. Geeze.
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Bees Will Buzz, Kids Will Blow Dandelion Fuzz
Yesterday was Carolena's first day of preschool.
Oh. Wait. That can't be right.
Yesterday was Nils' first day.
Errr... wasn't that yesterday?
Wait. Today was the last day.
Wow... so just like that C is done with preschool. What a gal. Those kids are so awesome. I'm so happy that they are growing and thriving and moving onward and upward.
SUMMMERRR!
 |
| September 2013 |
Yesterday was Nils' first day.
 |
| September 2015 |
 |
| September 2015 |
 |
| September 2015 |
Wait. Today was the last day.
Wow... so just like that C is done with preschool. What a gal. Those kids are so awesome. I'm so happy that they are growing and thriving and moving onward and upward.
 |
| May 2016 |
 |
| May 2016 |
 |
| May 2016 |
 |
| May 2016 |
 |
| May 2016 |
 |
| May 2016 |
 |
| First Day in the Fish Class, Last Day in the Fish Class |
 |
| First Day Panda Class, First Day Puppy, First Day Ladybug, Last Day of Preschool |
SUMMMERRR!
Monday, May 9, 2016
I Lava You
Yeah, we went to Disney World last week.
Yeah, it was awesome.
I'll tell you about it sometime.
But for now... well, you see... I received a ukulele for Mother's Day... sooo...
Back off. I'm busy.
Maybe I'll play you a little ditty this summer and tell you about our trip.
For now, I've got to practice!
Yeah, it was awesome.
I'll tell you about it sometime.
But for now... well, you see... I received a ukulele for Mother's Day... sooo...
Back off. I'm busy.
Maybe I'll play you a little ditty this summer and tell you about our trip.
For now, I've got to practice!
Thursday, April 28, 2016
It's Coming
Summer has been the last thing on my mind... until a few days ago. It hit me like a ton of bricks (or a random hot humid day) that summer vacation is nearly here. So I'm making our summer plans. Here they are: have fun.
That's it. Fun.
I'm not signing up for a bunch of events and classes and camps. I signed C up for swim lessons. That's it. We'll visit Chris when he's at camp. We'll go to the beach. We'll play at the splashpad and meet up with friends from our neighborhood. I'm hoping to have friends over frequently to play and eat. I want a summer of kids in the pool and adults on the deck with a cold drink. I want an icebox cake in the fridge, watermelon running down people's chins, and Chris standing at the grill. That sounds like summer.
I want long days at the beach. Kids in the surf and on the slip n slide. More watermelon. More cook outs. Crab boils and croquet. Boat rides. Yes, summer days at the beach sound just fine.
I'm squirreling away new craft supplies and projects. We'll go to the library. Maybe we'll take a roadtrip.
Summer days are coming. I can't wait!
That's it. Fun.
I'm not signing up for a bunch of events and classes and camps. I signed C up for swim lessons. That's it. We'll visit Chris when he's at camp. We'll go to the beach. We'll play at the splashpad and meet up with friends from our neighborhood. I'm hoping to have friends over frequently to play and eat. I want a summer of kids in the pool and adults on the deck with a cold drink. I want an icebox cake in the fridge, watermelon running down people's chins, and Chris standing at the grill. That sounds like summer.
I want long days at the beach. Kids in the surf and on the slip n slide. More watermelon. More cook outs. Crab boils and croquet. Boat rides. Yes, summer days at the beach sound just fine.
I'm squirreling away new craft supplies and projects. We'll go to the library. Maybe we'll take a roadtrip.
Summer days are coming. I can't wait!
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Egg-cellent
Yesterday I held an egg in my hand that was still warm from the chicken. That sounds kind of gross, but it wasn't. It was amazing and miraculous.
A couple who owns a farm (well, we call it a farm - it's not, it's a pecan orchard) invited us over yesterday so that Carolena could ride one of their horses. It was awesome. Carolena had a blast riding Duke and afterward politely asked if she could go again another day. We had fun with Duke, and Nils discovered that horses do not in fact say "neigh" but rather make a big huffing noise which he now duplicates if asked what a horse says. Adorable is an understatement.
We went to the chicken coop to check for eggs and found that in addition to the three eggs Carolena carefully tucked into her shirt to carry, there was a hen in the coop in the process of laying an egg! As Nils would say, "Whaaattt?!" The hen was in the coop making soft cooing kind of noises - but not in a way that made one think she was comfortable. In fact, quite the opposite. C gathered the eggs from the other boxes, and we all went back out of the coop. A minute or so later that hen came strutting out squawking and singing loudly. She was clearly very very proud of herself. So we commended her good work and went back into the coop - and that's when I got to hold the freshest egg ever. I was amazed.
We came home with fresh broccoli and tomatoes and a day that C and N will continue to talk about for the days to come.
A couple who owns a farm (well, we call it a farm - it's not, it's a pecan orchard) invited us over yesterday so that Carolena could ride one of their horses. It was awesome. Carolena had a blast riding Duke and afterward politely asked if she could go again another day. We had fun with Duke, and Nils discovered that horses do not in fact say "neigh" but rather make a big huffing noise which he now duplicates if asked what a horse says. Adorable is an understatement.
We went to the chicken coop to check for eggs and found that in addition to the three eggs Carolena carefully tucked into her shirt to carry, there was a hen in the coop in the process of laying an egg! As Nils would say, "Whaaattt?!" The hen was in the coop making soft cooing kind of noises - but not in a way that made one think she was comfortable. In fact, quite the opposite. C gathered the eggs from the other boxes, and we all went back out of the coop. A minute or so later that hen came strutting out squawking and singing loudly. She was clearly very very proud of herself. So we commended her good work and went back into the coop - and that's when I got to hold the freshest egg ever. I was amazed.
We came home with fresh broccoli and tomatoes and a day that C and N will continue to talk about for the days to come.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
This Post Brought to You by Mr. Clean
I should get paid for posting this, but I'm not. Bummer.
However... you should know... HOLY MACKEREL...
Years and years and years ago (like 25 years ago) one of my mother's friends gave me this for my Coke collection:
Yes, gave that to me... to encourage me in my Coke collecting. How awesome is that?
Wait, you don't know about my childhood Coca Cola collection? *gasp*
When I was a kid I went crazy collecting Coke stuff. And it was awesome. This wasn't like a kid's rock collection when they just shove handfuls of playground pebbles into their pockets before heading home. This was a legitimate collection. Adults were always encouraging me in it and bringing me interesting finds to add to the huge shelf in my room. In 8th grade I entered my collection into the hobby contest at the South Texas Fair in Beaumont (not a kids' contest)... and took home first place.
Over the years I've cleaned out much of the collection. The main things I've kept are things of value because of awesomeness and a few things Carolena liked and put in her room. Every so often if we have had a large enough party Chris and I have used the big Coke cooler but for the most part it has sat in the garage.
My dream is to one day have a huge butcher block made to fit on top of it and use it as a kitchen island or a table in our house. We could just remove the top and fill it with ice and drinks as needed.
But... there is that big spray painted line. Who would do that?!
Due to rust and the black line we really need to get this thing refurbished. But, as of yet, that hasn't happened. The rust looks kind of cool - it lets you know this thing is legit and not some fakey recently made "collectors" item.
Ugh, but that spray painted line. Grrrr
Yesterday on a whim I grabbed a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I keep them on hand because they are insanely awesome at getting weird things out. It's a when you need one you need one kind of item. It suddenly occurred to me that perhaps a Magic Eraser would get the spray paint off without removing the original red... so I tried it... annnnddd...
IT WORKED.
Miraculously... errr magically? the Magic Eraser removed the black spray paint without taking off any red or scratching the cooler. What? HOW?!
Crazy, right? I'm pretty giddy about it. As soon as I realized it was actually going to work I took some before pics.
So, now I just need a big butcher block on top and I'm going to make it a table in the dining room. Ohhh yeahhh.
However... you should know... HOLY MACKEREL...
Years and years and years ago (like 25 years ago) one of my mother's friends gave me this for my Coke collection:
Yes, gave that to me... to encourage me in my Coke collecting. How awesome is that?
Wait, you don't know about my childhood Coca Cola collection? *gasp*
When I was a kid I went crazy collecting Coke stuff. And it was awesome. This wasn't like a kid's rock collection when they just shove handfuls of playground pebbles into their pockets before heading home. This was a legitimate collection. Adults were always encouraging me in it and bringing me interesting finds to add to the huge shelf in my room. In 8th grade I entered my collection into the hobby contest at the South Texas Fair in Beaumont (not a kids' contest)... and took home first place.
Over the years I've cleaned out much of the collection. The main things I've kept are things of value because of awesomeness and a few things Carolena liked and put in her room. Every so often if we have had a large enough party Chris and I have used the big Coke cooler but for the most part it has sat in the garage.
My dream is to one day have a huge butcher block made to fit on top of it and use it as a kitchen island or a table in our house. We could just remove the top and fill it with ice and drinks as needed.
But... there is that big spray painted line. Who would do that?!
Due to rust and the black line we really need to get this thing refurbished. But, as of yet, that hasn't happened. The rust looks kind of cool - it lets you know this thing is legit and not some fakey recently made "collectors" item.
Ugh, but that spray painted line. Grrrr
Yesterday on a whim I grabbed a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I keep them on hand because they are insanely awesome at getting weird things out. It's a when you need one you need one kind of item. It suddenly occurred to me that perhaps a Magic Eraser would get the spray paint off without removing the original red... so I tried it... annnnddd...
IT WORKED.
Miraculously... errr magically? the Magic Eraser removed the black spray paint without taking off any red or scratching the cooler. What? HOW?!
Crazy, right? I'm pretty giddy about it. As soon as I realized it was actually going to work I took some before pics.
So, now I just need a big butcher block on top and I'm going to make it a table in the dining room. Ohhh yeahhh.
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Monday Monday
Yesterday Chris had the day off of work (Monday after holy week the office is closed) and as the kids were at school we had a date day. It was the best day ever. The weather was perfect and we had lunch on the patio at Dish Society, a local farm to table restaurant. It's a very hipster restaurant in La Centerra (I love La Centerra. It makes me feel like I live in Aspen) and thus, much to my dismay, didn't have Diet Coke. I am one of those people who falls in between Gen X and the Millennials. I am much more like Ms than the Xers (almost M to a T) but have some definite X traits like being annoyed that a hipster restaurant didn't carry my poison drink of choice. Stupid hipsters carrying Maine Root drinks instead of Coca Cola.
I actually love that restaurant. Farm to table? Awesome. Outdoor seating? Yes please. Normal sized salads instead of entire bag of lettuce in a bowl? Yes. I might leave and come home and eat a bag of chips (oops) but I love restaurants that don't overdo portions (unless its Mexican food and then bring on the chip baskets!).
We also volunteered at school for C's class' library time. It was so fast with two people and way more fun with Chris (as most things are). And we managed to get our announcement together for telling the kids where we are going on vacation this year and had time to veg on the couch. It was pretty much heaven. If we'd gone to Goodwill and bought a ton of books I would have exploded with happiness.
When the kids came home from school we had a big chest in the doorway with a note on it about how we'll be going on vacation soon. When they opened the trunk Mickey and Minnie balloons floated out and I dumped a bunch of small Disney balloons over their heads while we yelled, "We're going to Disney World!"
They were mostly excited about the balloons.
Yeah.
Now we can finally start obsessing about our upcoming trip and make a big countdown chart for the kids. I'd tell you when we're going but I don't want you to come rob my house, Kelly. Perhaps I should count the pineapple iced tea spoons before we leave.
The day ended with homemade pizza and mint juleps and dinner on our deck. Kids went to bed easily and we watched more It's Always Sunny. So, hmm, yesterday was pretty much an ideal day. What now Tuesday?!
In other news: I'm off the wagon on pretty much everything. I'm out of control on caffeine. I'm eating whatever the hell I want and thus over my ww goal (oh crap). I'm drinking mint juleps (duh, it's spring and we have a deck. Plus I'm rereading GWTW and that doesn't help). The only thing that I haven't gone off the rails on is working out. I've even been sleeping in til 6am. *SIGH* I wish I could get motivated to get a grip but I can't seem to find a "why" for any of those things. I know my neurologist would have something to say about my caffeine but I'm doing well with migraines soooo... bring on the coffee...? I know the mint juleps are adding to the ww weight problem but... it's spring. And they're good. I know I'm going to have to weigh in for April and I'll have to pay (I've been at goal for like 18 months. I really don't want to pay) but I just can't seem to get a grip. The problem is this: I've gained five pounds and I don't see why it matters. I don't want five to turn into ten and that's why I need to get a grip... but the five didn't really make a difference in my life other than having more fun. I know that five pounds less is about as small as I get. Five pounds heavier and my clothes still fit (not as well). Chris thinks I'm beautiful no matter what (God bless him). I'm still exercising. Losing the five gained will require the loss of my mint juleps and not eating enormous amounts of pizza. I need to find my motivation. Perhaps for now I will concentrate on losing weight so I don't have to pay for April. I'll let Future Casey deal with the caffeine. For now, another cup of coffee.
Friday, March 25, 2016
Magazine Life
Somehow, miraculously, yesterday's peace and potential resulted in this:
Now would be the time when Nils pops up out of nowhere chanting, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"
Yes, he does that all of the time. It's awesome and amazing and does in fact boost one's energy. I told you, we're raising an 80s villain. He also likes to sing "Go Mommy! Go Mommy!" for me... and himself which is the best "Go Nils! Go Nils!"
Seriously though, Casey! Casey! Casey!
You know how magazines are always acting like people can turn nothing into something just by digging around their house? For once, that worked for me. A few months ago my mom snagged some awesome Kindergarten cubbies from my old school and saved them for us. They were awesome, real wood, and huge. So we cut them in half and turned them into this:
They are so useful. I could have cleaned them up for their blog debut and made them look like a magazine. I could have lined up our shoes adorably across the bottom. I could have put my llbean tote in there just so. I could have a picture that is centered and includes the cool picture hanging above them and flowers on top. But that isn't real life. This is what those cubbies really look like everyday. Hm... perhaps I will paint and distress those too...
Yesterday I contemplated the leftover cubbies (from cutting them in half). I ended up popping the side off of one of them and attaching it to the back of the other to make it stable. Then, I found some leftover paint from my laundry room and got to work (yes, my laundry room is that happy color). What fun! Some sandpaper completed the look and then the kids helped me move kitchen stuff onto it. I love it!
Again, I could have gone with magazine quality... but that's what our island actually looks like this morning.
For years now I've had a picture on our fridge of a kitchen I tore out of a magazine. It is an island with a beautiful shelf built in underneath. Finally! Finally!
Chris has been lovingly teasing me about our house lately. Something about the spring makes me nest. I can't stop daydreaming and working and changing and rearranging. Hm... speaking of which... I have a shelf to go hang in the bathroom...
Now would be the time when Nils pops up out of nowhere chanting, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"
Yes, he does that all of the time. It's awesome and amazing and does in fact boost one's energy. I told you, we're raising an 80s villain. He also likes to sing "Go Mommy! Go Mommy!" for me... and himself which is the best "Go Nils! Go Nils!"
Seriously though, Casey! Casey! Casey!
You know how magazines are always acting like people can turn nothing into something just by digging around their house? For once, that worked for me. A few months ago my mom snagged some awesome Kindergarten cubbies from my old school and saved them for us. They were awesome, real wood, and huge. So we cut them in half and turned them into this:
They are so useful. I could have cleaned them up for their blog debut and made them look like a magazine. I could have lined up our shoes adorably across the bottom. I could have put my llbean tote in there just so. I could have a picture that is centered and includes the cool picture hanging above them and flowers on top. But that isn't real life. This is what those cubbies really look like everyday. Hm... perhaps I will paint and distress those too...
Yesterday I contemplated the leftover cubbies (from cutting them in half). I ended up popping the side off of one of them and attaching it to the back of the other to make it stable. Then, I found some leftover paint from my laundry room and got to work (yes, my laundry room is that happy color). What fun! Some sandpaper completed the look and then the kids helped me move kitchen stuff onto it. I love it!
Again, I could have gone with magazine quality... but that's what our island actually looks like this morning.
For years now I've had a picture on our fridge of a kitchen I tore out of a magazine. It is an island with a beautiful shelf built in underneath. Finally! Finally!
Chris has been lovingly teasing me about our house lately. Something about the spring makes me nest. I can't stop daydreaming and working and changing and rearranging. Hm... speaking of which... I have a shelf to go hang in the bathroom...
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Life is a Cabaret!
I put down my knitting, my book, and my broom (broom, ha!)...
It was fabulous, of course. One of the best... as usual.
Dinner and a night at the Cabaret. Need I say more?
Left our troubles outside. We have no troubles here! Here life is beautiful...The girls are beautiful... Even the orchestra is beautiful!
Dinner and a night at the Cabaret. Need I say more?
Friday, March 11, 2016
Rain, Rain, Go Away So the Snakes Won't Come to Play
Dear Snakes of Fort Bend County,
I know it has been raining a hell of a lot. I know that construction all around our neighborhood with a new boardwalk, a new park, a new water park... all that jazz... has really put you out. I know you have few places left to go and, recently, little to no places that are dry. However, our house is not an option. Do not come into it again. Ever.
Sincerely, Casey
Last night I lived into an insane female stereotype. I went into the kids' bathroom and when I went to open the door and walk out THERE WAS A SNAKE IN OUR HOUSE!!!!!
I literally jumped onto the stool that the kids keep at the sink and started shrieking, "CHRIS!! Snake in the house!!" over and over. I don't know how the kids slept through my freaking out.
Let it now be known that the snake was approximately the size of a pencil. Maybe smaller. Yeah, smaller I think.
Chris came to rescue me by first seeing the size of the snake and then (probably inwardly rolling his eyes at the proportionality of my huge freak out to the small snake) grabbed an empty toy bin to catch it in... and that's when... it slithered into the smallest crack ever IN OUR WALL!!!!!
Ahhhhhh!!! Why God, why?!?!?!
Needless to say I was hyperventilating. Olive (who will henceforth be known as "the best cat ever") came prowling around with obvious hopes of catching the snake. Thanks, Olive.
Then... I saw another snake! Which turned out to be a rubberband.
And then another! Which was my cell phone cord sitting where it always sits.
The third snake turned out to be a pair of sunglasses. Then a pair of shoes. My toothbrush. My own feet. Everything looked serpentine.
After texting my sister for moral support, checking my sheets nine hundred times, and trying to think about anything else in the entire world, I finally fell asleep.
How's that for a Slytherin gal?
I know it has been raining a hell of a lot. I know that construction all around our neighborhood with a new boardwalk, a new park, a new water park... all that jazz... has really put you out. I know you have few places left to go and, recently, little to no places that are dry. However, our house is not an option. Do not come into it again. Ever.
Sincerely, Casey
Last night I lived into an insane female stereotype. I went into the kids' bathroom and when I went to open the door and walk out THERE WAS A SNAKE IN OUR HOUSE!!!!!
I literally jumped onto the stool that the kids keep at the sink and started shrieking, "CHRIS!! Snake in the house!!" over and over. I don't know how the kids slept through my freaking out.
Let it now be known that the snake was approximately the size of a pencil. Maybe smaller. Yeah, smaller I think.
Chris came to rescue me by first seeing the size of the snake and then (probably inwardly rolling his eyes at the proportionality of my huge freak out to the small snake) grabbed an empty toy bin to catch it in... and that's when... it slithered into the smallest crack ever IN OUR WALL!!!!!
Ahhhhhh!!! Why God, why?!?!?!
Needless to say I was hyperventilating. Olive (who will henceforth be known as "the best cat ever") came prowling around with obvious hopes of catching the snake. Thanks, Olive.
Then... I saw another snake! Which turned out to be a rubberband.
And then another! Which was my cell phone cord sitting where it always sits.
The third snake turned out to be a pair of sunglasses. Then a pair of shoes. My toothbrush. My own feet. Everything looked serpentine.
After texting my sister for moral support, checking my sheets nine hundred times, and trying to think about anything else in the entire world, I finally fell asleep.
How's that for a Slytherin gal?
Monday, March 7, 2016
Bandits
Sunday was glorious. We got to spend time with an old friend (Carolena's Godmother "Denny") who came to church with us and spent the afternoon eating lunch with us at home. I accidentally ate three plates of food. But I mean... in my defense... it was good.
Denny brought Nils a little safari vest from her recent trip to Africa and that kid loves it. He put it right on yelling, "zip! zip!" (the whole front of it has a zipper). Once he had it on C said to him, "Nils! You can wear that to the zoo!" I'll try to get a pic of him in it later. I'm excited to see what treasures we'll find in those pockets as he wears it around.
I led a Quiet Day for our church last weekend. When I teach for my own church I don't charge but they surprised me with a Starbucks giftcard yesterday! What?! Unexpected surprises are so fabulous. I figured it would have enough for me to get a latte and was giddy... and then I registered it on the website and saw that it has enough money on it for me to get reeeeallllyyyy caffeinated! Party! Party! Evidently those women know me well. The way to my heart is definitely through coffee.
And now, I leave you with the story I told C this morning:
When we lived in Austin, shortly after C was born a friend send us a Greenling box (a big box that arrives full of awesome local food). It was such a great gift. A few months later we went out of town and arrived home to another Greenling gift on our doorstep... which the racoons had discovered before we did. The box was ripped open and food was strewn all over the doorstep. Everything had little tastes gone or was ripped apart. Everything was there. Everything except the caramel corn. We later found the empty bag.
So, the moral of the story is: no matter what you eat today, unless you taste and reject a bunch of healthy food and then only eat caramel corn, at least you are one step ahead of the racoons.
Denny brought Nils a little safari vest from her recent trip to Africa and that kid loves it. He put it right on yelling, "zip! zip!" (the whole front of it has a zipper). Once he had it on C said to him, "Nils! You can wear that to the zoo!" I'll try to get a pic of him in it later. I'm excited to see what treasures we'll find in those pockets as he wears it around.
I led a Quiet Day for our church last weekend. When I teach for my own church I don't charge but they surprised me with a Starbucks giftcard yesterday! What?! Unexpected surprises are so fabulous. I figured it would have enough for me to get a latte and was giddy... and then I registered it on the website and saw that it has enough money on it for me to get reeeeallllyyyy caffeinated! Party! Party! Evidently those women know me well. The way to my heart is definitely through coffee.
And now, I leave you with the story I told C this morning:
When we lived in Austin, shortly after C was born a friend send us a Greenling box (a big box that arrives full of awesome local food). It was such a great gift. A few months later we went out of town and arrived home to another Greenling gift on our doorstep... which the racoons had discovered before we did. The box was ripped open and food was strewn all over the doorstep. Everything had little tastes gone or was ripped apart. Everything was there. Everything except the caramel corn. We later found the empty bag.
So, the moral of the story is: no matter what you eat today, unless you taste and reject a bunch of healthy food and then only eat caramel corn, at least you are one step ahead of the racoons.
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Day Three of My Captivity
I'm looking at DAY THREE stuck in our house.
So yeah, I don't have much of interest to blog about right now.
I've been barfed on six times in the last twenty-four hours. Surprisingly, that doesn't bother me. It exhausts me... but doesn't gross me out like I would have thought. Maybe because comforting my sweet Nils is more important than worrying about the vomit. Or maybe because I've spent my entire life as a barfer (oh man, I throw up easily) so vomit is commonplace rather than totally gross. Who knows.
Chris came home with a huge container of bath salts and a new candle and sent me straight into a hot bathtub. And while I was soaking away the smell of vomit, he dealt with the insurance mumbo jumbo that's been annoying me.
Last night included one vomiting child incident so I slept a portion of the night on his floor. At some point I awoke and wanted to move to my bed only to discover both of my legs were asleep. It was quite painful and comical. I ended up literally crawling to the couch where I once again attempted to stand twice, and collapsed twice, before turning into She-Ra and just using my upperbody to toss myself onto the couch. I slept there until I heard Nils throwing up again. I awoke Chris and upon going to Nils' bed, found that I must have dreamed the throwing up as Nils was fast asleep.
This morning began with coffee, more vomit, and more coffee. I miraculously got Nils to fall back asleep and wound up taking a nap as well. More coffee. More laundry. More of a day inside. I'm getting cabin fever and it might be getting weird around here. I desperately needed to get to the grocery store days ago. And needed a haircut last week that I put off until this week. So... that's a bummer.
If you would like to talk to me conversational choices are limited to Sir Ernest Shackleton, Eric Weihenmayer, Mt. Everest's Death Zone, our upcoming vacation, and Lorna's backstory on Orange is the New Black. Anything else and I can assure you I am only pretending to listen.
So yeah, I don't have much of interest to blog about right now.
I've been barfed on six times in the last twenty-four hours. Surprisingly, that doesn't bother me. It exhausts me... but doesn't gross me out like I would have thought. Maybe because comforting my sweet Nils is more important than worrying about the vomit. Or maybe because I've spent my entire life as a barfer (oh man, I throw up easily) so vomit is commonplace rather than totally gross. Who knows.
Chris came home with a huge container of bath salts and a new candle and sent me straight into a hot bathtub. And while I was soaking away the smell of vomit, he dealt with the insurance mumbo jumbo that's been annoying me.
Last night included one vomiting child incident so I slept a portion of the night on his floor. At some point I awoke and wanted to move to my bed only to discover both of my legs were asleep. It was quite painful and comical. I ended up literally crawling to the couch where I once again attempted to stand twice, and collapsed twice, before turning into She-Ra and just using my upperbody to toss myself onto the couch. I slept there until I heard Nils throwing up again. I awoke Chris and upon going to Nils' bed, found that I must have dreamed the throwing up as Nils was fast asleep.
This morning began with coffee, more vomit, and more coffee. I miraculously got Nils to fall back asleep and wound up taking a nap as well. More coffee. More laundry. More of a day inside. I'm getting cabin fever and it might be getting weird around here. I desperately needed to get to the grocery store days ago. And needed a haircut last week that I put off until this week. So... that's a bummer.
If you would like to talk to me conversational choices are limited to Sir Ernest Shackleton, Eric Weihenmayer, Mt. Everest's Death Zone, our upcoming vacation, and Lorna's backstory on Orange is the New Black. Anything else and I can assure you I am only pretending to listen.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Barf-O-Rama
Nothing kills rodeo day faster than a toddler in a pearl snap shirt barfing in the living room.
*sigh*
The day began with such excitement. I jumped out of bed before my alarm rang and bounded out to pump. I lifted a ton of weight (some personal bests) and came home to a sleeping family (well, two out of three ain't bad). We put on some country music (a rarity around here) and had a cowboy breakfast (flapjacks). Carolena giddily donned her rodeo dress and boots while I got Nils into his pearl snap shirt. Rodeo day at school! Chris had plans to come home early so that we could rodeo it up this evening. Carnival rides! Baby animals being born! Rodeo food! Suffice to say, we were pumped.
And then the puking incident occurred.
They say dress for the job you want, not the job you have. I'm a stay home mom. The job I want is the job I have. So I dress for the job I have... which means I changed out of my cute skinny jeans and funky jewelry and into an "I might get barfed on at any minute" outfit.
Sweet Nils is now snuggled on a "couch bed" which always gives me major childhood flashbacks to my own mom putting bed sheets on the couch and tucking me in next to a tray of saltines.
Rodeo, I guess we'll see you next week!
*sigh*
The day began with such excitement. I jumped out of bed before my alarm rang and bounded out to pump. I lifted a ton of weight (some personal bests) and came home to a sleeping family (well, two out of three ain't bad). We put on some country music (a rarity around here) and had a cowboy breakfast (flapjacks). Carolena giddily donned her rodeo dress and boots while I got Nils into his pearl snap shirt. Rodeo day at school! Chris had plans to come home early so that we could rodeo it up this evening. Carnival rides! Baby animals being born! Rodeo food! Suffice to say, we were pumped.
And then the puking incident occurred.
They say dress for the job you want, not the job you have. I'm a stay home mom. The job I want is the job I have. So I dress for the job I have... which means I changed out of my cute skinny jeans and funky jewelry and into an "I might get barfed on at any minute" outfit.
Sweet Nils is now snuggled on a "couch bed" which always gives me major childhood flashbacks to my own mom putting bed sheets on the couch and tucking me in next to a tray of saltines.
Rodeo, I guess we'll see you next week!
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Home, Home on the Range
Last night we lit a fire in the chiminea and all snuggled up outside to enjoy the fire. I started singing and Nils' face lit up and he immediately ran inside to grab our Family Car Songbook. We ended up singing "Home on the Range" over and over and over as C just learned that one at school.
Home, home on the range
Sitting on our deck. Fire popping and glowing. Children snuggled in our laps with their lovies.
Where the deer and the antelope play
Chris and I tucked in those munchkins (to the tune of more Home on the Range) and then went back to the chiminea. I dozed off in my chair and awoke to Chris telling me it was time to go inside.
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word.
Home.
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