As I sit here, a mere 90 left of 2011, the faint sound of (possibly illegal) fireworks in the background, I can't help but reflect on all the extreme changes my family has gone through. We've been extremely lucky, despite my frequent panic attacks at our future prospect.
I started this year hearing all about the financial crisis, the joblessness that's affecting this country, and all the struggles that come along with being without a regular paycheck. At the time, my husband was securely employed as an Army officer. I had been out of college for about 9 months and was very unsure of what was to come next; it seemed like I had spend so much time and effort, working so hard to get my B.A. and now that I had graduated college, something I think I appreciate a little bit more now, I was giving life the deer-in-the-headlights look. I really didn't appreciate how good we had it; my husband was working, we were secure, well prepared for the future. We weren't looking at our bank account and wondering how we were going to pay the pile of bills.
Then, that Spring, Steven got the news that he would no longer be an active duty officer. Now we were faced with the prospect of being without an income. It didn't quite hit us hard at the time, only because he wouldn't get his last paycheck until November; that was a full 8 months away and we were both so sure that he would find another job in 8 months. No big deal! Talk about being out of touch.
Now we sit, living off the separation money he got (which will last us well over a year). He's got a few prospects, a space in the Army Reserves (which pays almost nothing, but now we get to keep our health insurance) but nothing concrete in terms of full-time work. I am nervous, but I know it will be okay. I know that we are so lucky to have the means to pay our bills (for now), something that I know many struggle with. We've lost out dental insurance, but everything else is pretty much as it was. Except our attitudes of course.
Looking back at how I viewed the world, I actually cringe. I believed at the beginning of this year that my family was going through a rough patch. In reality, I was feeling uncertainty; I didn't know what I was going to do with my new college degree, or when my husband was going to settle into a career that wasn't so hard on our family life. And yes, I was a little.....perhaps naive would be a better word than ungrateful. I did know that we were lucky to have a steady income, I just stupidly believed that it would be easy to find another in 8 months.
Now in some respects, we are better off. I know what I want to do with my life, and it doesn't involve school (unfortunately, because I truly love being in a higher education environment. If we won the lottery I would spent my life getting degree after degree simply for the fun of it), or a job that involves leaving the house. This has been the biggest realization for me to come to; the fact that I am needed at home, things work better when I am home, and it took a lot for me to realize it. It took me getting out of bed at 4am every morning and working all hours of the day, missing my kids so much it hurt. Now that I know where I want to be, we have a little tweaking to do when it comes to our finances, but it will be worth it.
In the upcoming new year, only hope is that my husband finds work, something that he loves, that he is good at, and that will pay the bills. Once this happens,we can finally relax and enjoy our new found perspective.
Here's to a New Year full of opportunity.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Adventures getting old
Today is my 25th birthday. I know, I know 25 is young, but I am a quarter of a century old! I am actually pretty happy about aging, as when people hear my age I get The Look. The Look that says "You're so young and you know nothing about the world." On some level I can understand That Look, as I tend to agree with it a lot of the time; most people I know in their early 20's are basically overgrown children, but on the other hand it's very annoying to get this look when I've done more in my 25 years than some of my 40-year-old family members. So I am excited to be on my way out of my 20's. I think I may just stop aging at the age of 33. We'll see.
We went out and celebrated (yes my husband and I share the same birthday) with dinner and a movie. Very cliche, but still awesome, especially with no children in tow. I went a little crazy and had 3/4 of a strawberry daiquiri. I live on the wild side what can I say?
We went out and celebrated (yes my husband and I share the same birthday) with dinner and a movie. Very cliche, but still awesome, especially with no children in tow. I went a little crazy and had 3/4 of a strawberry daiquiri. I live on the wild side what can I say?
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Adventures in Hiding
Wow, it's been way too long since I updated on this thing. So much has happened in the past few months it's hard to know where to begin.
Steven is officially out of the military.....kind of. He officially left active duty in November, but he joined the National Reserves last week, and there's a good chanced that with the unit he's going to be assigned to, he will be activated, even deployed. So even though I've been running around telling all my friends and family that we're done with the military and how relived I am that my husband is out, it may not be true. That's going to be an awkward conversation.
Me: "Steven's being deployed next year."
Random family member or friend: "I thought he was out of the military?"
(thanks to the military's blatant incompetence and unreliability, I have a built in excuse)
Me: "It's the military."
But I have to be honest, as much complaining as I did about my husband's job, I seriously took for granted the steady paycheck and benefits we got regularly. I've never been in a position where I didn't know how the bills were going to be paid, and this was the month I got to know what that feels like. At that point, with a dwindling bank account and bills that would not stop showing up in our mail box, a more humbled part of me wished for his job back. And now it looks like I've got my wish. Now I won't bitch so much when he has to leave for 6 weeks or if he deploys.
We moved into a new bigger and cheaper house ( I know the words 'bigger' and 'cheaper' don't usually go together, but our real estate market is all messed up), and ended up renting our old house out. So we're officially landlords....kind of. We have a property manager, so we won't actually be doing any landlord-ing.
At the time when we moved into the new house, I had a temp job with (who else?) the military. After we moved in, something just clicked for me, and after several long talks with Hubs, we decided that I am going to be a stay-at-home mom for the foreseeable future. With this decision, and with the purse strings being pulled a little tighter, it also made the most sense for me to leave graduate school. I can't lie, I was a little disappointed with this, but it makes the most sense. Why spent thousands of dollars on a professional degree when I am not going back into the work force? I have been toying with the idea of becoming licenced to do daycare from home, and for this to work I would have to get all kinds of classes and certifications done, so it may be better for me to focus on that.
The boys are doing very well. Orion is halfway through his first year of Preschool and not only does he love it, he is THRIVING. This is by far the best money we have ever spent on him, and I am thinking that next year he's going to be better off in a four day a week class instead of a three day a week.
All in all things are settling down, and I am very excited to see what the new year holds. I am hoping lots of cake.
Steven is officially out of the military.....kind of. He officially left active duty in November, but he joined the National Reserves last week, and there's a good chanced that with the unit he's going to be assigned to, he will be activated, even deployed. So even though I've been running around telling all my friends and family that we're done with the military and how relived I am that my husband is out, it may not be true. That's going to be an awkward conversation.
Me: "Steven's being deployed next year."
Random family member or friend: "I thought he was out of the military?"
(thanks to the military's blatant incompetence and unreliability, I have a built in excuse)
Me: "It's the military."
But I have to be honest, as much complaining as I did about my husband's job, I seriously took for granted the steady paycheck and benefits we got regularly. I've never been in a position where I didn't know how the bills were going to be paid, and this was the month I got to know what that feels like. At that point, with a dwindling bank account and bills that would not stop showing up in our mail box, a more humbled part of me wished for his job back. And now it looks like I've got my wish. Now I won't bitch so much when he has to leave for 6 weeks or if he deploys.
We moved into a new bigger and cheaper house ( I know the words 'bigger' and 'cheaper' don't usually go together, but our real estate market is all messed up), and ended up renting our old house out. So we're officially landlords....kind of. We have a property manager, so we won't actually be doing any landlord-ing.
At the time when we moved into the new house, I had a temp job with (who else?) the military. After we moved in, something just clicked for me, and after several long talks with Hubs, we decided that I am going to be a stay-at-home mom for the foreseeable future. With this decision, and with the purse strings being pulled a little tighter, it also made the most sense for me to leave graduate school. I can't lie, I was a little disappointed with this, but it makes the most sense. Why spent thousands of dollars on a professional degree when I am not going back into the work force? I have been toying with the idea of becoming licenced to do daycare from home, and for this to work I would have to get all kinds of classes and certifications done, so it may be better for me to focus on that.
The boys are doing very well. Orion is halfway through his first year of Preschool and not only does he love it, he is THRIVING. This is by far the best money we have ever spent on him, and I am thinking that next year he's going to be better off in a four day a week class instead of a three day a week.
All in all things are settling down, and I am very excited to see what the new year holds. I am hoping lots of cake.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Adventures with loose ends
We're going to look at a house today. It looks perfect, and is the perfect price, in the perfect location. Hmmmm. If it seems too good to be true it must be right? I hope not.
The ball is definitely rolling. Now all our loose ends just need to be tied up. It kind of feels like we're in limbo; Steven is transitioning from one job to another, I am in the process of starting a new job (of course since it's the military, I can't start working until every minute of my life is accounted for), and we're in the process of moving. Gah. All it takes is one little mess-up, and the whole thing comes down.
At least we have this to make it easier:
The ball is definitely rolling. Now all our loose ends just need to be tied up. It kind of feels like we're in limbo; Steven is transitioning from one job to another, I am in the process of starting a new job (of course since it's the military, I can't start working until every minute of my life is accounted for), and we're in the process of moving. Gah. All it takes is one little mess-up, and the whole thing comes down.
At least we have this to make it easier:
I leave you with some long over-due pictures of our San Antonio trip (almost none of which have Nathaniel in them; he's in a "I-don't-want-my-picture-taken" phase. At least we got him in a couple):
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| Nolan going crazy with the Ranch at Tony Romos |
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| Orion and Katie with the Looney Toons at Six Flags |
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| Playing at the Riverwalk Mall |
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| Orion, Katie, and Daddy on a ride at Six Flags |
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| Nathaniel, Katie and Nolan at the Rain forest Cafe |
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| Orion very amused at Nolan's Ranch attack |
Friday, August 12, 2011
Updated Adventures
Wow where have I been? It seems like so many things have been happening at once...
- Steve's last day in the military was yesterday. I have literally been dreaming of this day for the past five years. On to another job that will not make everyone in the house hate life (we've had enough life-hating for one lifetime).
- Speaking of jobs, I now have one.....working for the military. I know, it's extremely ironic, but since I am a civilian, I am hoping working for the military will suck just a little less (we'll see).
- Now that I have a job here in the area, it looks like we won't be moving to Seattle :( I was really looking forward to being closer to my parents, but there really are a lot of advantages to staying in the area, one being that we won't have to uproot our entire lives, and the kids don't have to change doctors/schools. Plus this is Orion's first year of preschool, and it would be a shame to move a month after he starts.
- Preschool starts Sep. 12th. It's safe to say I've been looking a lot at Orion's baby pictures.
- So even though we're staying in the area, we're still looking to move into another house, since this house is only getting smaller and our boys are only getting bigger. Since we can't sell, we're going to rent our house out. Hopefully we can find nice, clean, sane renters.
- School is school.
- Everyone seems to be pregnant. Is it just me?
- My MIL sent us a nice little hate letter about a month ago, criticizing everything from our parenting, to what snobs my family are, to how we never visit. It was pretty brutal, but I can't say I was surprised. Steve sent her a response letter saying not to contact us until she can grow up and stop acting like we're on a reality show. I am a little relived. She was never very nice.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Adventures in the Lone Star State
So we're just wrapping up our San Antonio trip, and I have to say, I am glad we came, but I'll be even more glad to be home, in my own bed. The kids have been off their routine, and they seem to be doing fine, but tired. Nolan is such a good natured little guy. He's been such a trooper, being out all day in the hot sun. I remember when Orion was that age, he would have been going full out exorcist on us if we didn't stick to his routine.
Sunday was a traveling day, and everything went surprisingly smooth. Orion threw a couple of fits on the plane, but hopefully those can be avoided tomorrow. When we got in and decided to go swimming in the hotel pool. Graceful me slipped and fell on a puddle of water outside the pool and scraped the shit out of my ankle. Now it's Thursday and the wound has turned green (which could be because I went swimming right after I fell, and I am thinking it may be the chlorine?), is swollen (which could be because I was on my feet 12+ hours yesterday), and very tender (thanks to me kids constantly stepping on it). I really hope it's not infected, but it's already scabbed over, so maybe it will be better when we get home. I am taking it easy today, so hopefully traveling won't aggravate it too much.
Monday we did the tourist thing, and that was fun. The next day we drove over to see Steven's family in Victoria. It went well. I was starting to think my mother-in-laws craziness was starting to cool off. Then yesterday, when we decided to change the location to Nolan's birthday party from the zoo to a restaurant downtown, she flipped. If you don't remember, she asked me to change the time of the party a few weeks ago, and I said no. To make a long story short, some circumstances changed that allowed us to make some changes. Plus we were in the heat all day yesterday and thought it may be best to stay out of the sun today. Everyone that was going to be there was with us, save for MIL. We thought, no big deal just a little change of venue. Nope. We get a meltdown. To make matters worse, she has Nathaniel and refused to let us talk to him after she had her fit. Great. I know when she comes today, she's going to be back to her old self, taking jabs at me and my family, and being an overall unpleasant person. Oh well.
Now I've got a pile of wet, smelly clothes staring me in the face. Hopefully all goes smooth tomorrow.
Sunday was a traveling day, and everything went surprisingly smooth. Orion threw a couple of fits on the plane, but hopefully those can be avoided tomorrow. When we got in and decided to go swimming in the hotel pool. Graceful me slipped and fell on a puddle of water outside the pool and scraped the shit out of my ankle. Now it's Thursday and the wound has turned green (which could be because I went swimming right after I fell, and I am thinking it may be the chlorine?), is swollen (which could be because I was on my feet 12+ hours yesterday), and very tender (thanks to me kids constantly stepping on it). I really hope it's not infected, but it's already scabbed over, so maybe it will be better when we get home. I am taking it easy today, so hopefully traveling won't aggravate it too much.
Monday we did the tourist thing, and that was fun. The next day we drove over to see Steven's family in Victoria. It went well. I was starting to think my mother-in-laws craziness was starting to cool off. Then yesterday, when we decided to change the location to Nolan's birthday party from the zoo to a restaurant downtown, she flipped. If you don't remember, she asked me to change the time of the party a few weeks ago, and I said no. To make a long story short, some circumstances changed that allowed us to make some changes. Plus we were in the heat all day yesterday and thought it may be best to stay out of the sun today. Everyone that was going to be there was with us, save for MIL. We thought, no big deal just a little change of venue. Nope. We get a meltdown. To make matters worse, she has Nathaniel and refused to let us talk to him after she had her fit. Great. I know when she comes today, she's going to be back to her old self, taking jabs at me and my family, and being an overall unpleasant person. Oh well.
Now I've got a pile of wet, smelly clothes staring me in the face. Hopefully all goes smooth tomorrow.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Adventures being screwed by the Universe
First weekday of Summer. I had a planned schedule nice and ready to go. Lots of outdoor play, lots of art projects, lots of fun.
Then my kids wake up sick. All three of them.
Nathaniel is the least sick, as he caught the bug on Friday, and like a good brother, shared his illness with the others. He's pretty much over it, but the problem is, because I have two children under three that ARE still very sick (and sick babies = grumpy, fussy babies who can't be consoled) so now I can't do all the cool things I planned for him to do, and now he's grumpy and fussy, and I hear "I am boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooored" about five time a minute. There's also lots of sibling bickering, snot, and lots and lots of tears.
Also it's raining, and it's supposed to rain all week, yet my younger kids are dying to go outside.
Thanks, Universe.
Hopefully the rest of the summer will be better than it is now.
Then my kids wake up sick. All three of them.
Nathaniel is the least sick, as he caught the bug on Friday, and like a good brother, shared his illness with the others. He's pretty much over it, but the problem is, because I have two children under three that ARE still very sick (and sick babies = grumpy, fussy babies who can't be consoled) so now I can't do all the cool things I planned for him to do, and now he's grumpy and fussy, and I hear "I am boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooored" about five time a minute. There's also lots of sibling bickering, snot, and lots and lots of tears.
Also it's raining, and it's supposed to rain all week, yet my younger kids are dying to go outside.
Thanks, Universe.
Hopefully the rest of the summer will be better than it is now.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Summer Adventures Pt. II
Summer is officially arrived! Tomorrow is Nathan's last day of school, and then it's two and a half months of sun, laziness, me trying to figure out how to keep the zoo animals at bay. But relief is on the way because the week after school ends, we are taking a family trip to San Antonio. I am very excited about this trip (and though I love to give the kids new experiences, and want them to be well traveled, I am never really genuinely excited about the actual act of traveling, it's always hard on everyone). But this trip will be different for a few reasons:
- My parents are traveling with us. For once, the adults will outnumber the children, which hasn't been the case for years.
- My family will be there. I have three cousins that are local, and my Aunt and her daughter who live in MD will be in town. And Nathan and Katie are pretty close, and I want the kids to be close to their cousins.
- Nolan's big birthday party! It should be a blast. Lots of family on both sides, lots of food, lots of cake. Perfect. Hopefully my mother-in-law won't bring bitterness with her (she's mad because we didn't change the time of the party).
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| Here's to a fun summer! |
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Summer Adventures
First on the agenda, I have some plugging to do. Go vote for Nolan in the cute baby contest at Parenting.com. The link is in a separate post. DO IT!
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In other news, Nolan's birthday is a mere 9 days away. Crazy. I've decided to make the piggy cupcakes.
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They're easy to make, and are super cute, plus I am not sure how many people there will be so I think it'll be safer if there's not a huge amount of baked goods lying around.
We've settled on a new babysitter for the little boys. She's actually someone we've used before, about three years ago. We came for a visit yesterday, and both boys were in hog heaven when they saw the amount of animals she has in the house. I think they'll have fun. I've also signed Nathaniel up for camp at the YMCA (it's really just childcare, but he LOVES going to the Y, I figure he'll have fun two days a week).
Speaking of Nathaniel, he gets out of school on Friday. We're taking him camping, and I am super excited about it. Poor kid has never been out with just the two of us. It's long overdue.
I've been scrambling my brain to try and come up with a daily schedule/routine for summer. The last two summers have been nightmares simply because I didn't have anything planned. The kids just got up, and by 11am they were bored. And bored kids=chaos. They're all going to daycare two days a week, but for those other three days, I am going to have to come up with something. I am definitely going to buy a bridging activity book for Nathaniel, and the water table will get lots of use. I am thinking about getting some outdoor toys, and maybe have a craft day.
I would love to hear from others about summer routines. Do you have a set schedule during summer, or does your family lay back and make a schedule as you go?
Now I must go clean stuff, and read
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In other news, Nolan's birthday is a mere 9 days away. Crazy. I've decided to make the piggy cupcakes.
We've settled on a new babysitter for the little boys. She's actually someone we've used before, about three years ago. We came for a visit yesterday, and both boys were in hog heaven when they saw the amount of animals she has in the house. I think they'll have fun. I've also signed Nathaniel up for camp at the YMCA (it's really just childcare, but he LOVES going to the Y, I figure he'll have fun two days a week).
Speaking of Nathaniel, he gets out of school on Friday. We're taking him camping, and I am super excited about it. Poor kid has never been out with just the two of us. It's long overdue.
I've been scrambling my brain to try and come up with a daily schedule/routine for summer. The last two summers have been nightmares simply because I didn't have anything planned. The kids just got up, and by 11am they were bored. And bored kids=chaos. They're all going to daycare two days a week, but for those other three days, I am going to have to come up with something. I am definitely going to buy a bridging activity book for Nathaniel, and the water table will get lots of use. I am thinking about getting some outdoor toys, and maybe have a craft day.
I would love to hear from others about summer routines. Do you have a set schedule during summer, or does your family lay back and make a schedule as you go?
Now I must go clean stuff, and read
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Adventures with birthday cakes, bossy mother-in-laws, and babysitters.
As you may know, my baby is turning 1 in a couple of weeks. For the last few years, I've become a little obsessed with throwing awesome birthday parties for the kids; so far we've had trips to the movies, petting zoos, and the children's museum. And when it comes to birthday cakes I always went to the store for that. But for the last birthday we had (Orion's 3rd) I tried my hand at making a homemade birthday cake. I found a Mickey Mouse head shaped cake pan at Michael's, and thought 'Why not?" Well, my cake didn't turn out perfect, but it looked enough like Mickey Mouse that people knew what I was going for. And it was edible, which was a plus.
This year for Nolan's first birthday, he's having not one, but two parties, one here at home, one during our vacation to San Antonio. For his out of state party, we're going store bought, but for the party at home, I am totally going homemade. I've found some cute designs, but I am having trouble deciding between a few.
I know, they look a little ambitious, but they are actually really easy to make.
Speaking of birthday parties, my mother-in-law is giving me and hubs the silent treatment because we wouldn't change the time of LO's party from 12 to 4, so that the whole family could make it (which she didn't ask for until after the invitations had already been sent). I guess in her world people who don't cater to her inconvenient requests are hateful people. Oh well. That's one less drunken in-law I have to deal with.
Interviewing babysitters for this summer.I've seen three so far, but none that I really had any strong feelings about one way or the other. We'll see. I wish daycare wasn't more than our mortgage.
Now I should probably get my butt off the computer and do something productive like homework, or dishes.
This year for Nolan's first birthday, he's having not one, but two parties, one here at home, one during our vacation to San Antonio. For his out of state party, we're going store bought, but for the party at home, I am totally going homemade. I've found some cute designs, but I am having trouble deciding between a few.
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| Dino Cake |
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| Blocks |
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| Or Piggy Cupcakes |
Speaking of birthday parties, my mother-in-law is giving me and hubs the silent treatment because we wouldn't change the time of LO's party from 12 to 4, so that the whole family could make it (which she didn't ask for until after the invitations had already been sent). I guess in her world people who don't cater to her inconvenient requests are hateful people. Oh well. That's one less drunken in-law I have to deal with.
Interviewing babysitters for this summer.I've seen three so far, but none that I really had any strong feelings about one way or the other. We'll see. I wish daycare wasn't more than our mortgage.
Now I should probably get my butt off the computer and do something productive like homework, or dishes.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Adventures with Random Updates
Well, Steven's finally back from the field. Thank god. Funny thing is, now I am having trouble adjusting to having another adult in the house. Like when the kids go to bed, I would usually zone out to whatever trashy T.V. I could find. But now that husband's back, I can't do that without making him cringe. Oh well. If I have to trade trashy reality T.V. for a little sanity, well I think that's a small price to pay.
Orion found a little friend next door. They are almost the exact same age. It's kind of funny watching 3 year olds trying to be diplomatic. It's also cute how after one play date, they are BFF's. Sometimes I wish adult relationships were like that. I think we as adults make things way too complicated sometimes.
Another 5 page paper due Sunday. Joy. This marketing class is kicking my ass. I thought it was because I didn't have the textbook to give me the answers, but once I got it (for $220 no less. Kids, never wait till you need the book to be shipped overnight), and read the thing, it became clear that I have no idea what the hell it says. Like a different language.
I am going to hunch down tomorrow and get it written, because Sunday we have to go visit my Texas transplant parents in Seattle, go to a friend's wedding, and another friend's going-away BBQ. Busy, busy, busy.
Anyone with kids 3 and older experience a phase where the kid only wants to eat one food everyday, wear one outfit everyday, watch the exact same thing every day? We're in that phase, and it makes replacing old clothes, or making sure nutritional needs are taken care of very difficult. Toddlers. Gotta love them.
Nolan's birthday party is fast approaching. We ordered the invites, booked the zoo, and told everyone the date. Only then does my mother-in-law ask me to change the time of the party to four hours later than we had originally planned. Thanks, MIL. Now she's pissed at me because I told her no. What else is new?
Orion found a little friend next door. They are almost the exact same age. It's kind of funny watching 3 year olds trying to be diplomatic. It's also cute how after one play date, they are BFF's. Sometimes I wish adult relationships were like that. I think we as adults make things way too complicated sometimes.
Another 5 page paper due Sunday. Joy. This marketing class is kicking my ass. I thought it was because I didn't have the textbook to give me the answers, but once I got it (for $220 no less. Kids, never wait till you need the book to be shipped overnight), and read the thing, it became clear that I have no idea what the hell it says. Like a different language.
I am going to hunch down tomorrow and get it written, because Sunday we have to go visit my Texas transplant parents in Seattle, go to a friend's wedding, and another friend's going-away BBQ. Busy, busy, busy.
Anyone with kids 3 and older experience a phase where the kid only wants to eat one food everyday, wear one outfit everyday, watch the exact same thing every day? We're in that phase, and it makes replacing old clothes, or making sure nutritional needs are taken care of very difficult. Toddlers. Gotta love them.
Nolan's birthday party is fast approaching. We ordered the invites, booked the zoo, and told everyone the date. Only then does my mother-in-law ask me to change the time of the party to four hours later than we had originally planned. Thanks, MIL. Now she's pissed at me because I told her no. What else is new?
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Adventures wondering where the time went
I remember being a kid, and thinking that time could not move fast enough. Everything seemed to go so slowly. Now that I am an adult, it feels like I wake up, and years have gone by in a matter of days. Sometimes this can be a good thing, for example, my nightmarish stint alone with three boys is coming to a close tomorrow (yay!), or the sleep deprived, shocking decent into mothering a newborn, which only lasted a few weeks, until I was confident I wouldn't break the baby the first time, or go into a nut house the second time.
But for the most part, I feel like time is literally slipping through my fingers, like sand. Nolan is going to be 1 in a few short weeks, and I am planning a birthday party for him. It feels like it was yesterday that I was in the hospital with him, looking down at his perfect face, wondering how I was going to juggle all these children without loosing my mind. Now, a year later, I can't imagine not waking up in the morning to my pudgy, perfect baby, and my amazing little boy. I've had my moments (most of them these last two weeks), but I just am so in love with these little boys, I can't imagine life without them.
Orion's starting pre-school in September, and is in the final stages of potty training. He's also given up his pacifier. I know most people would say he should have given up his diaper and Binky a year or two ago, but he didn't. Now that he is, I find myself oddly emotional about it. Don't get me wrong, I am glad my days of changing poop and searching for his pop at 3am are done (at least with him), but it's just more reminders of how fast he's growing up.
Steven and I celebrated our fourth anniversary on Friday (well I celebrated here by watching Tru Blood, and he celebrated in Yakima by eating an Almond Joy). We've been through a lot in the last four years; two kids, three court appearances, acquiring custody of Nathan, seven moves in three different states, and one very long deployment. Blink of an eye.
All this time passed makes me feel a little helpless, and very accomplished at the same time. It's a weird paradox.
But for the most part, I feel like time is literally slipping through my fingers, like sand. Nolan is going to be 1 in a few short weeks, and I am planning a birthday party for him. It feels like it was yesterday that I was in the hospital with him, looking down at his perfect face, wondering how I was going to juggle all these children without loosing my mind. Now, a year later, I can't imagine not waking up in the morning to my pudgy, perfect baby, and my amazing little boy. I've had my moments (most of them these last two weeks), but I just am so in love with these little boys, I can't imagine life without them.
Orion's starting pre-school in September, and is in the final stages of potty training. He's also given up his pacifier. I know most people would say he should have given up his diaper and Binky a year or two ago, but he didn't. Now that he is, I find myself oddly emotional about it. Don't get me wrong, I am glad my days of changing poop and searching for his pop at 3am are done (at least with him), but it's just more reminders of how fast he's growing up.
Steven and I celebrated our fourth anniversary on Friday (well I celebrated here by watching Tru Blood, and he celebrated in Yakima by eating an Almond Joy). We've been through a lot in the last four years; two kids, three court appearances, acquiring custody of Nathan, seven moves in three different states, and one very long deployment. Blink of an eye.
All this time passed makes me feel a little helpless, and very accomplished at the same time. It's a weird paradox.
 |
| My little boys (now big boys) X-mas 2009 |
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Adventures in controlled chaos
What a week, what a week. I was right about one thing, the sense of calm I had Sunday is long gone. It's amazing how things can deteriorate so quickly...
Nathan has had an unbelievable attitude since he went back to school. Everything I say, he has to contradict it. If I say the sky is blue, he says it's purple. He reminds me of a teenager. Two days in a row, he assaulted Orion (once a slap in the face, the other a push). I really don't know what to do about that boy. With him, I am just trying to grin and bear it until there's another adult around to take him off my hands.
Orion has abandoned potty training. I am not so sure I am upset about that. I know he should be potty trained at 3.5, but it's so tiring trying to clean up after him when he's not in diapers. Yes, I am being lazy, but it's survival laziness.
Day 5 of Nolan not sleeping. I feel like a zombie. And I am still expected to be a graduate student. When I was reading the prompt for our assignments, it was literally like I was reading a foreign language. Not a great start.
Out toilet is clogged.....AGAIN. I swear, this is the third time this month alone. I almost screamed when Nathan told me. We tried plunging and snaking, but seeing as Steven never showed me how to use those things properly, I am guessing I am not actually doing these things right. And of course we're broke at the moment, so calling a plumber is out. I am at a loss.
And on top of all this crazyness, the babysitter can't come today. Wonderful.
Nathan has had an unbelievable attitude since he went back to school. Everything I say, he has to contradict it. If I say the sky is blue, he says it's purple. He reminds me of a teenager. Two days in a row, he assaulted Orion (once a slap in the face, the other a push). I really don't know what to do about that boy. With him, I am just trying to grin and bear it until there's another adult around to take him off my hands.
Orion has abandoned potty training. I am not so sure I am upset about that. I know he should be potty trained at 3.5, but it's so tiring trying to clean up after him when he's not in diapers. Yes, I am being lazy, but it's survival laziness.
Day 5 of Nolan not sleeping. I feel like a zombie. And I am still expected to be a graduate student. When I was reading the prompt for our assignments, it was literally like I was reading a foreign language. Not a great start.
Out toilet is clogged.....AGAIN. I swear, this is the third time this month alone. I almost screamed when Nathan told me. We tried plunging and snaking, but seeing as Steven never showed me how to use those things properly, I am guessing I am not actually doing these things right. And of course we're broke at the moment, so calling a plumber is out. I am at a loss.
And on top of all this crazyness, the babysitter can't come today. Wonderful.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Adventures with zoo animals
Day 2 of my 16 day stint as the sole parent in our house.
Yesterday was not as bad as I had anticipated. I was actually able to get some chores and homework done, and still have some time (and I used that term loosely. I am talking maybe five minutes,but it's more than I expected) to myself to get up to speed on my reading. I keep forgetting that Orion is almost 4 and is doesn't need me to watch over him constantly anymore. The older boys spent much of yesterday and today in the backyard, playing football, yelling, and acting like zoo animals. I am not holding my breath for this calm to last the entire two weeks though. I am sure once the kids realize they outnumber me by quite a margin, they'll proceed with a hostel takeover.
We made it to the Fun Fair yesterday, and it was nice. We rode on a train, petted some rabbits, fished, and ate some cotton candy. It would have been better with Steven. Oh well. I was actually able to make it to the grocery store as well. Didn't think I was going to be able to pull that off.
Now I am just sitting here, listening to the older boys have fun outside while the baby naps. Class resumes tomorrow. I am taking Marketing and Brand Management. Fun. We'll see if I actually can pass as someone who actually knows how to be a graduate student.
Off to make macaroni salad.
Yesterday was not as bad as I had anticipated. I was actually able to get some chores and homework done, and still have some time (and I used that term loosely. I am talking maybe five minutes,but it's more than I expected) to myself to get up to speed on my reading. I keep forgetting that Orion is almost 4 and is doesn't need me to watch over him constantly anymore. The older boys spent much of yesterday and today in the backyard, playing football, yelling, and acting like zoo animals. I am not holding my breath for this calm to last the entire two weeks though. I am sure once the kids realize they outnumber me by quite a margin, they'll proceed with a hostel takeover.
We made it to the Fun Fair yesterday, and it was nice. We rode on a train, petted some rabbits, fished, and ate some cotton candy. It would have been better with Steven. Oh well. I was actually able to make it to the grocery store as well. Didn't think I was going to be able to pull that off.
Now I am just sitting here, listening to the older boys have fun outside while the baby naps. Class resumes tomorrow. I am taking Marketing and Brand Management. Fun. We'll see if I actually can pass as someone who actually knows how to be a graduate student.
Off to make macaroni salad.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Adventures as a single mom
This morning Steven left for a two and a half week work trip. It's Saturday morning, the boys have all eaten their pancakes, and now they're watching Diego (yes, we're a T.V. family. I've accepted it) Not even two hours into our 16 day adventure and the following has already happened:
Later this afternoon, we're all going to Lacey Fun Fair. The boys look forward to this all year, and since I've taken all three boys out before, this shouldn't be much of a challenge. I also have to buy some supplies for Nathan's science project. The science fair is in a week and a half, and he hasn't even started it. He's a boy from my own heart.
So it's day 1 of 16. I am expecting to post a lot more in the next 16 days, as I have no local friends, and no one to whine to.
- I've scolded two of the three boys for various offenses ranging from harassing the baby to sitting upside down at the table. I've got to save my voice if I am going to continue at this rate.
- The house has gone from the neat, clean house it was when I went to bed last night, to a junk house, with food on the floor, toys littering every surface if the floor, and the sink full of dishes. It's like the mess regenerates itself.
- I am exhausted. Cooking breakfast, cleaning twice (as you can see from the above bulletin, that didn't do much good), doing homework, and trying to keep the boys in one piece, all on four hours of sleep. I really wish I drank coffee. Or did meth. Whichever will keep me going for longer.
Later this afternoon, we're all going to Lacey Fun Fair. The boys look forward to this all year, and since I've taken all three boys out before, this shouldn't be much of a challenge. I also have to buy some supplies for Nathan's science project. The science fair is in a week and a half, and he hasn't even started it. He's a boy from my own heart.
So it's day 1 of 16. I am expecting to post a lot more in the next 16 days, as I have no local friends, and no one to whine to.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Adventures in a padded room (if only...)
I've had better weeks....
As if our poor pluming system hasn't been through enough, Orion decided to flush 3 full rolls of toilet paper down our brand new toilet, and thus clogging it up. Goodbye, $236! It was good knowing you! He's been on a destructive rampage lately, just in time to sell our house! I just love my son's impeccable timing...
Mother's Day came and went, and it was definitely way too short. I definitely had a great time with a book, a turkey sandwich, some peanut butter ice cream, and a Hills marathon (thank you TV Guide Network! It's like you read my mind). Only 362 more days until the next Mother's Day. I'll be counting down the days.
For the last five weeks, I've been an officially graduate student, after searching for a school for almost a full year. I really enjoy it, which is surprising, because I never though of myself as an MBA graduate. Hopefully I will actually be employable (which apparently I am not, maybe because of this shitty job market, maybe because I haven't worked in five years. Who knows.) In the mealtime, when I am not pounding out essays, raising children, or cleaning something, I've taken up crochet. It's super addicting. As sketchy as I am with it, it is my ambition to one day be able to make these:
I know, I know. Why make baby booties when there is no baby in the house (and by the time I learn how to make these, we probably won't have any kids, period, in the house.)? Well, baby shoes are adorable, even if there's no baby in them.
As if our poor pluming system hasn't been through enough, Orion decided to flush 3 full rolls of toilet paper down our brand new toilet, and thus clogging it up. Goodbye, $236! It was good knowing you! He's been on a destructive rampage lately, just in time to sell our house! I just love my son's impeccable timing...
Mother's Day came and went, and it was definitely way too short. I definitely had a great time with a book, a turkey sandwich, some peanut butter ice cream, and a Hills marathon (thank you TV Guide Network! It's like you read my mind). Only 362 more days until the next Mother's Day. I'll be counting down the days.
For the last five weeks, I've been an officially graduate student, after searching for a school for almost a full year. I really enjoy it, which is surprising, because I never though of myself as an MBA graduate. Hopefully I will actually be employable (which apparently I am not, maybe because of this shitty job market, maybe because I haven't worked in five years. Who knows.) In the mealtime, when I am not pounding out essays, raising children, or cleaning something, I've taken up crochet. It's super addicting. As sketchy as I am with it, it is my ambition to one day be able to make these:
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Adventures in Limbo
We got a notice in the mail about Orion's impending preschool. I can not believe he's old enough to be in preschool...
I still have my baby though! Oh....wait.....
Nolan's cruising. Next stop: walking.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!
When did my kids grow up behind my back? It's too fast. Can't time slow down, just a little?
Last week I stated grad school. Never in my wildest dreams would I think that I could get an MBA. I am pretty excited. So far, I love it. Who knew I'd end up being a business person? Not me.
Steven's papers came through, and he's officially getting out of the military this year. I am crazy excited about this. I've hated the military life since day 1. Now, I can smell freedom.
Seattle, here we come!
We're gearing up to sell the house, find a new house 60 miles away, and get Steven employed again. It's going to be a very busy summer...
I still have my baby though! Oh....wait.....
Nolan's cruising. Next stop: walking.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!
When did my kids grow up behind my back? It's too fast. Can't time slow down, just a little?
Last week I stated grad school. Never in my wildest dreams would I think that I could get an MBA. I am pretty excited. So far, I love it. Who knew I'd end up being a business person? Not me.
Steven's papers came through, and he's officially getting out of the military this year. I am crazy excited about this. I've hated the military life since day 1. Now, I can smell freedom.
Seattle, here we come!
We're gearing up to sell the house, find a new house 60 miles away, and get Steven employed again. It's going to be a very busy summer...
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Adventures with Supermoms
A few weeks back, I got an e-mail from our local Children's Museum. It was a flayer for pre-school registration.
Could it be? Was I mom to a pre-schooler already? Wow, talk about out of the blue.
So, because we want our son to go to an affordable, enjoyable preschool, we resign ourselves to going. Of course, things never go as planned, and husband is not home when it comes time to leave for the registration. Okay, so I'll load all three kids into the car myself, and take them. How hard can it be? Surprisingly, it was very easy. The kids were very well behaved. It was the parents that were my problem.
It's no secret that modern day parents love upstaging each other. Why should it be any different at a pre-school registration? We get to the museum, and I am surrounded by not one or two, but at least a dozen "supermoms". Now here in Olympia, there are two types of these supermoms I come in contact with; the first being mothers who spend every waking minute making sure their lives are perfect. Toned, tanned, and polished, these moms are the type-A personalities, who tote huge diaper bags, and even bigger wedding rings accompanied by very well dressed little children, and every now and then a bored looking husband, equally well dressed. The other type of supermom isn't quite so stereotypical, but they devote an incredible amount of time to their children. These are the "crunchy" moms; the moms who are devout breast feeder/baby wearing/co-sleeping/attachment parenting. Now these two types of "supermoms" may not have a lot in common on the surface, but on this particular night, at this one pre-school, they both had the distinct stench of judgment and superiority.
We were all instructed to one of the museum's classrooms for some Q&A with the pre-school teachers. Being the apparently underachieving mother I am, I let my boys play with whatever toys they wished (aside from toys already being played with of course), however they choose to play with them. I figured it would make it easier to feed the baby. So here I am, non type-A perfectionist, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, with rambunctious boys, bottle feeding my baby, whom was sitting in a stroller. By looking at the faces of the supermoms around me, you would have thought I was feeding my baby straight gin, and ignoring my boys while they set the place on fire.
The type-A supermoms asked the teachers questions about the curriculum, and it's correlations with kindergarten readiness. The crunchy supermoms asked weather or not the school served gluten-free snacks. I listened in to get information about the place I was potentially going to be sending my son two days a week. I asked a few questions here and there, all of which were one-upped by a supermom.
A total of two moms and one dad spoke directly to me. Our conversations are as follows:
Type-A Supermom #1: "How old is your son?"
Me: "He's three years old"
Type-A Supermom #1: "Is he going to the two day or three day class?
Me: "Two day."
Type-A Supermom #1: "My daughter is going the three day class. We thought the two day class just wasn't stimulating enough. (fake smile that says, 'yes I just dissed your dumb kid') Excuse me."
Crunchy supermom #2 comes up to me and we talk about our kids and their ages blah blah blah.
Crunchy Supermom #2: "How old is your baby?"
Me: " He's 8 months old"
Crunchy Supermom #2: "Oh. How long have you been bottle feeding?"
(In defense of crunchy moms, I've literally never been asked that in the three years I've lived in Olympia. Not even at my super hippy, crunchy, boarder line extremist college. Usually the crunchy moms I know are much more subtle and keep their opinions to themselves.)
Me: "Umm....8 months"
Crunchy Supermom #2 has a look on her face that clearly says she doesn't approve. She then launches into an intense Q&A with me, trying to find a clear reason for why I chose not to breastfeed. When she doesn't get the "I tried so hard, but finally had to give up, and I feel so guilty" story, she literally walked away. Not even a fake smile!
The only normal person I spoke to was a dad, and I wouldn't even call it talked. It was more like a few words. All the other Supermoms steered clear of me, the only mom who was neither type-A, or a crunchy mom with a kid attached to me.
Hopefully their kids aren't as crazy and competitive as their mothers.
Could it be? Was I mom to a pre-schooler already? Wow, talk about out of the blue.
So, because we want our son to go to an affordable, enjoyable preschool, we resign ourselves to going. Of course, things never go as planned, and husband is not home when it comes time to leave for the registration. Okay, so I'll load all three kids into the car myself, and take them. How hard can it be? Surprisingly, it was very easy. The kids were very well behaved. It was the parents that were my problem.
It's no secret that modern day parents love upstaging each other. Why should it be any different at a pre-school registration? We get to the museum, and I am surrounded by not one or two, but at least a dozen "supermoms". Now here in Olympia, there are two types of these supermoms I come in contact with; the first being mothers who spend every waking minute making sure their lives are perfect. Toned, tanned, and polished, these moms are the type-A personalities, who tote huge diaper bags, and even bigger wedding rings accompanied by very well dressed little children, and every now and then a bored looking husband, equally well dressed. The other type of supermom isn't quite so stereotypical, but they devote an incredible amount of time to their children. These are the "crunchy" moms; the moms who are devout breast feeder/baby wearing/co-sleeping/attachment parenting. Now these two types of "supermoms" may not have a lot in common on the surface, but on this particular night, at this one pre-school, they both had the distinct stench of judgment and superiority.
We were all instructed to one of the museum's classrooms for some Q&A with the pre-school teachers. Being the apparently underachieving mother I am, I let my boys play with whatever toys they wished (aside from toys already being played with of course), however they choose to play with them. I figured it would make it easier to feed the baby. So here I am, non type-A perfectionist, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, with rambunctious boys, bottle feeding my baby, whom was sitting in a stroller. By looking at the faces of the supermoms around me, you would have thought I was feeding my baby straight gin, and ignoring my boys while they set the place on fire.
The type-A supermoms asked the teachers questions about the curriculum, and it's correlations with kindergarten readiness. The crunchy supermoms asked weather or not the school served gluten-free snacks. I listened in to get information about the place I was potentially going to be sending my son two days a week. I asked a few questions here and there, all of which were one-upped by a supermom.
A total of two moms and one dad spoke directly to me. Our conversations are as follows:
Type-A Supermom #1: "How old is your son?"
Me: "He's three years old"
Type-A Supermom #1: "Is he going to the two day or three day class?
Me: "Two day."
Type-A Supermom #1: "My daughter is going the three day class. We thought the two day class just wasn't stimulating enough. (fake smile that says, 'yes I just dissed your dumb kid') Excuse me."
Crunchy supermom #2 comes up to me and we talk about our kids and their ages blah blah blah.
Crunchy Supermom #2: "How old is your baby?"
Me: " He's 8 months old"
Crunchy Supermom #2: "Oh. How long have you been bottle feeding?"
(In defense of crunchy moms, I've literally never been asked that in the three years I've lived in Olympia. Not even at my super hippy, crunchy, boarder line extremist college. Usually the crunchy moms I know are much more subtle and keep their opinions to themselves.)
Me: "Umm....8 months"
Crunchy Supermom #2 has a look on her face that clearly says she doesn't approve. She then launches into an intense Q&A with me, trying to find a clear reason for why I chose not to breastfeed. When she doesn't get the "I tried so hard, but finally had to give up, and I feel so guilty" story, she literally walked away. Not even a fake smile!
The only normal person I spoke to was a dad, and I wouldn't even call it talked. It was more like a few words. All the other Supermoms steered clear of me, the only mom who was neither type-A, or a crunchy mom with a kid attached to me.
Hopefully their kids aren't as crazy and competitive as their mothers.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Adventures on Saturday
Have you noticed how many anodynes there are laying around on the floor?
On the itinerary:
On the itinerary:
- Library
- Junk food
- Yelling at the kids
- Thinking about painting the bathroom
- Buying paint for the bathroom
- Thinking about cleaning.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Adventures in the unemployment line
Okay, so I am not actually going to the government with my unemployment problem, but it feels like I've been here a very long time.
Here's the deal: I graduated in last March. Almost a full year ago, and I've been job hunting since then. That's 10 months of rejection, writing resumes, sending out reference letters, filling out applications. It sucks. But it's good to know I am not the only one. So me and the other 9.4% of the population continue on in search of the perfect job. God willing I think I may have found it. I am not saying what it is, I am just saying that it's PERFECT. But I am not going to get my hopes up....
In other scary and nerve wracking new, my WEST-B (Washington Educators Skills Test-Basic) results will be ready for me to look at tomorrow. I am really nervous. I am 60% sure I failed the math portion. Math is not my strong suit.
So I am hoping if I don't get the job, I'll at least get a passing test score, or visa versa.
FINGERS CROSSED!
Now I am off to pass out in bed. I am sure you all may of heard, but babies are exhausting. For real.
Here's the deal: I graduated in last March. Almost a full year ago, and I've been job hunting since then. That's 10 months of rejection, writing resumes, sending out reference letters, filling out applications. It sucks. But it's good to know I am not the only one. So me and the other 9.4% of the population continue on in search of the perfect job. God willing I think I may have found it. I am not saying what it is, I am just saying that it's PERFECT. But I am not going to get my hopes up....
In other scary and nerve wracking new, my WEST-B (Washington Educators Skills Test-Basic) results will be ready for me to look at tomorrow. I am really nervous. I am 60% sure I failed the math portion. Math is not my strong suit.
So I am hoping if I don't get the job, I'll at least get a passing test score, or visa versa.
FINGERS CROSSED!
Now I am off to pass out in bed. I am sure you all may of heard, but babies are exhausting. For real.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Adventures with cabin fever
Great movie. Loved it. But actually having cabin fever? Awful.
So we've been indoors, with the kids, all four (sometimes five) of us. Together. For 6 straight days.
I love my family and all, but being in that close proximity with them for that long is rough. And to top it off, Steven and I were not able to leave the house, just the two of us. Our babysitter was too sick or too busy. So we just stayed home that whole time. I have to say, being here at the public library....alone, feels REALLY good. I think Steven's glad to be back at work as well. I know I would be.
Speaking of work, it seems I am trapped in yet another dead end. After looking and looking it seemed like I had finally found a school where I could get what I need (which is a post-bachlatory or Masters in Education/teaching certificate). So I sent them my transcripts, I spoke with my advisor, everything looked honkey dory. Until they got my transcripts and I was missing four stupid classes. DAMN. They do have a BA program that would get me a teaching degree, but I am only missing four classes. I could easily knock them out at a community college. But now I am back to square one. I am probably not going to be able to get into school until the summer at the earliest, and that means not getting into grad school till next fall. What I may end up doing to going to Saint Martin's University. They're literally right down the street. I didn't want to go there, because I really wanted to study online; the cost of daycare rivals our mortgage. But I really don't want to not be able to get a job until 2014. That would suck.
Anyone know a place to get a fake degree?
So we've been indoors, with the kids, all four (sometimes five) of us. Together. For 6 straight days.
I love my family and all, but being in that close proximity with them for that long is rough. And to top it off, Steven and I were not able to leave the house, just the two of us. Our babysitter was too sick or too busy. So we just stayed home that whole time. I have to say, being here at the public library....alone, feels REALLY good. I think Steven's glad to be back at work as well. I know I would be.
Speaking of work, it seems I am trapped in yet another dead end. After looking and looking it seemed like I had finally found a school where I could get what I need (which is a post-bachlatory or Masters in Education/teaching certificate). So I sent them my transcripts, I spoke with my advisor, everything looked honkey dory. Until they got my transcripts and I was missing four stupid classes. DAMN. They do have a BA program that would get me a teaching degree, but I am only missing four classes. I could easily knock them out at a community college. But now I am back to square one. I am probably not going to be able to get into school until the summer at the earliest, and that means not getting into grad school till next fall. What I may end up doing to going to Saint Martin's University. They're literally right down the street. I didn't want to go there, because I really wanted to study online; the cost of daycare rivals our mortgage. But I really don't want to not be able to get a job until 2014. That would suck.
Anyone know a place to get a fake degree?
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Adventures in germ-a-polooza
SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK SICK.
Everyone I know is sick. I mean literally.
The person I feel the worst for is Steven. The day he goes in for his vasectomy (no more little Poiles running around) he gets this cold. So he can add runny nose, fever, and body aches to his list of ailments.
Since our babysitter is sick as well, that means no break for mommy and daddy to rest.
Maybe if I close my eyes, I can wish myself into next week. It couldn't hurt to try.
Everyone I know is sick. I mean literally.
- The babysitter-sick
- Mom-sick
- Dad-sick
- Orion-sick
- Baby-sick
- Nathaniel-sick
- Grandparents-sick
- Nathaniel's cub scout leader-sick
The person I feel the worst for is Steven. The day he goes in for his vasectomy (no more little Poiles running around) he gets this cold. So he can add runny nose, fever, and body aches to his list of ailments.
Since our babysitter is sick as well, that means no break for mommy and daddy to rest.
Maybe if I close my eyes, I can wish myself into next week. It couldn't hurt to try.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Adventures in the home front
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Wow. 2011. Where are all the flying cars and robots?
Our Christmas trip was fantastic. None of the things on my dreaded list came true. In fact, the opposite happened; everything went smoothly. I am pretty sure it was a fluke, but I'll take what I can get.
We had a great time, but it was a little bitter sweet leaving. My parents are moving up to our state, so we won't be back next year. Makes me wonder why there are no teleporteres. It's 2011 for crying out loud!
Nolan is bigger than ever. He's past his half year mark before I had to chance to realize I gave birth to him a whole 6 months ago.
Orion found a new best friend in our cousin's daughter. They're about 2 year apart, but oh what a good time they have.
Nathaniel is still Nathaniel.
And I am REALLY getting sick of watching Toy Story 1, 2, and 3 respectively in a constant never ending loop.
Wow. 2011. Where are all the flying cars and robots?
Our Christmas trip was fantastic. None of the things on my dreaded list came true. In fact, the opposite happened; everything went smoothly. I am pretty sure it was a fluke, but I'll take what I can get.
We had a great time, but it was a little bitter sweet leaving. My parents are moving up to our state, so we won't be back next year. Makes me wonder why there are no teleporteres. It's 2011 for crying out loud!
Nolan is bigger than ever. He's past his half year mark before I had to chance to realize I gave birth to him a whole 6 months ago.
Orion found a new best friend in our cousin's daughter. They're about 2 year apart, but oh what a good time they have.
Nathaniel is still Nathaniel.
And I am REALLY getting sick of watching Toy Story 1, 2, and 3 respectively in a constant never ending loop.
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