We've had a really productive week of school here. The boys are engaged and interested and totally interesting. BUT ... they've just finished up reading The Jungle and are working their way through the Great Depression. I never thought I would say I was anxious for WWII to start, but I kind of am after this week. Still depressing, but a new kind of depressing. Nevertheless, I think they need to learn history and, as much as possible, I want it to "feel" real to them. But, I'm finding modern history with teenagers to be completely exhausting.
Upside, Ian continues to improve with his new medicines. Improve is an understatement. After just a few days he even look healthier and has so much more energy. It's amazing to witness this transformation. For fun, we had green beans sauteed in olive oil, garlic and walnuts with dinner tonight. Turns out Ian hates walnuts, but he liked the beans. The rest of us rejoiced in the crunchy goodness of it all.
OK - I need to get to bed. Anyone care to list their favorite books from the 40's, 50's and 60's? I'm trying to get a good reading list together for the boys for the remainder of the year. They're nearly down with "Out of the Dust" and next up is "The Book Thief." I'm thinking Atlas Shrugged might be a little ambitious for now. All suggestions welcome and appreciated.
My parents leave tomorrow afternoon for St. Petersburg (you're welcome, Dad, we took Bing to the Dali museum so you are spared museum visits this trip). The purpose of their trip? Carnegie Days! I think this is such a hoot. It's a bunch of people who grew up in Carnegie, PA (Pittsburgh) who meet up once a year in St. Petersburg, FL. They meet up with friends from high school, friends from old neighborhoods, old neighbors, nuns that used to teach them in high school ... it's just a great thing. If you're from Pittsburgh, you know that Carnegie is pronounced Kr'neggie. (say the "kr" part really fast) It just is. If you don't say it right, they will know you're an outsider and bbq you or something.
We lived in Carnegie until I was eight. Listening to my parents, it was different when I was a little kid than when they lived there. Now, I wonder how many people have real hometowns? You know with crazy neighbors, great hole-in-the-wall restaurants, bars, stores? Is that something that is just gone? I know I've commented multiple times that I feel lucky to live in my neighborhood where we all know each other and the kids can run relatively wild but eyes are on them.
What is your town like? Do you know your neighbors? Do you have a butcher or a store you frequent just because you know and like the owners? Have you ever been to a "rent" party? (I haven't, I've just heard about them) What kinds of freedoms do your kids have? Can they go "around the block?" on their bikes? Can they ride to the local park or basketball court and spend a few unsupervised hours? Can they play with neighbor kids or do you set up play dates? What about older kids? At some point, they grow beyond play dates and they pick friends regardless of whether you like the parents or not. If you've reached this point - how are you handling it? For us, if the parents aren't insane, I don't feel like I have to "like-like" them. I just want to know I can get in touch with them and get a response.
I'm just curious what others are doing. We're pretty lame here - we share two cell phones among the six of us. The older kids can go almost anywhere as long as I know where they are going. I don't usually check up on them or require them to check in with me. But, they are fully aware that I WILL and DO call other parents every now and then just to make sure. They also know I'm not above a drive-by. ;) Andy has a LOT more freedom than his older brothers did. One, he has the older brothers - who tend to be scattered around the neighborhood. Two, he is by far my most outspoken child - he's the boy that someone would kidnap and return in 10 minutes. And, three, I'm just more confident/realistic than I was when Danny was 9.
Anyway, my point was mostly that I hope my kids have their own version of Carnegie Days in 40-50 years. I hope things like this aren't entirely lost. I've been reading where there are people who are scornful about Facebook and that whole kind of social networking. I'll admit, I don't keep up too well, but it has connected me to people from my past. I don't think anyone is looking for best friends. And, at least for me, there's something comforting to know that my childhood friends are around. I don't see any playground reunions in my future, but it's nice to know that they remember me too.
Who reading thinks their own kids will have something like Carnegie Days when they hit their 60's?
After years of searching, I found a new allergist!!! We just met with the NP today - I want to marry her - she took me seriously. She read all of the forms, asked tons of questions, LISTENED and was so sensible. Honestly, it's a shame that it's so hard to find a practice like this.
Ian had 125 sticks in his back this afternoon, followed by another 30 actual shots in his arm. He's still wildly allergic to most everything that grows in Florida or blows in the air in Florida. However, there was no reaction for dogs, dairy, peanuts or tree nuts!!!!! AMAZING. He can eat nuts - my vegetarian son that has not had nuts or dairy for the past five years is free and clear. Protein! I'm actually looking forward to cooking for a group again - it gets tiresome to have to keep all the ingredients of a really good recipe apart.
The NP definitely nailed the issues Ian has been having lately and is addressing them aggressively, but with respect to my "fear" of multiple drugs. Honest, you guys, if you went by our state's standard of days missed from school, Ian would still be in second grade. After our visit today (which included a breathing treatment, though he's not asthmatic) Ian was like a new kid. He stayed "new" all day. He looked HUMAN when he went to bed. I keep checking his bedroom - there is only sleeping, no snoring, no gasping .. just sleep. They said the pathways through his nostrils would not accommodate a toothpick they were that swollen today and his lungs seem to be in the same shape .
I have great hopes that my happy, bright boy might come back - FINALLY. We have to keep a log for two weeks and then we see the doctor. Tomorrow, we're off to buy some vitamins, supplements and fill prescriptions. Cross your fingers that this works. I think Ian has forgotten what it's like to just wake up and feel good. I so want this for him.
On my part, I feel validated and un-crazy after meeting the people in this office. They understood when I explained that we had gotten rid of all carpets, all curtains, all upholstered furniture, all the bedding is covered in allergy stuff, I do laundry like a fiend - we're doing all we can. They actually KNEW what a Neti Pot was and thought it was great that Ian was using it. They are up on alternative therapies as well as the weird "inactive" ingredients in the medicines they prescribe. It just feels so amazing to think that someone can help us get a handle on Ian's allergy nightmare.
AND, the NP, upon seeing Tim's initial testing stuff (when he was 10-11 - Tim wasn't there, just his records), and then talking to me about his reactions to food - the only thing he reacts to is food dyes. She asked if I had Epi Pens, I do. She said based on his numbers, which were MUCH lower than Ian's numbers today to let him eat what he wants and just be alert.
I picked up a bag of Reese's PB Cups on the way home. Ian and Tim were in heaven. Not a wheeze or a hive from either of them. The relief is just amazing - I'll continue to read labels, but I no longer have to feel like it's a life/death situation. I KNOW we're lucky. This new diagnosis is absolutely life-changing. Everyone cross your fingers for Ian that the new treatments work for him and he can simply get on with his life.
I LOVE bookshelves. That would explain much about our relatively small house. 1400 sq ft, each bedroom has at least one set of bookshelves. The general living space NOW has seven floor-to-ceiling shelves built by Mike and the boys. They just recently built three new shelves (to get us up to seven) and I've been puttering around trying to figure the best way to arrange the books.
For now, I've put all the fiction in the living room/library area and the reference/school-type books in the kitchen/dining space. The kids helped me sort things today, but they don't appreciate the beauty of my system. :::sigh:::
Smoke-wise? My "new" quit date is Sunday, the 22nd. I feel like I have a better plan in place... Cross your fingers, say a prayer and smash a bottle of champagne over my head. I'm sorry to drag you all through this mess, but thanks for sticking around.
Today was a field trip! I miss field trips, we used to do a lot more when the older boys were younger. Today, we grabbed Bing and headed to St. Petersburg to visit the Salvador Dali museum. It's a 2+ hour drive, but we had snacks and drinks and Harry Potter on tape, so it was all good. The older boys have been learning about Dali the past couple of weeks and Andy is just weird so he was game. I have only visited the museum one other time and that was over ten years ago. WOW! It is just amazing to see this stuff in person. We were there for a few hours and it was really fun to hear the boys' reactions to the works.
Now, if you are the sort that blacks out the naughty bits in your art books, this is not a museum for you. Honestly, though, Dali was just so flipping weird that you stop seeing boobs about three minutes into the museum. And, there's just so much in every picture that the nudity wasn't an issue at all. It was fun that everyone had their own favorite piece.
We tagged along a tour group and the docent did a great job explaining the very large paintings. Leaving, we stopped to take some pictures. For a Wednesday afternoon, the museum was crowded.
Lots of tour buses. The bus stop sign post was a popular picture-taking spot. I guess that's where everyone leaves their admission stickers when they're done. Andy left his mark as well. 
We were all pretty quiet on the trip home - lots to absorb! Next time you're near St. Pete, make it a point to stop by this museum. You don't have to love Dali's art to appreciate his work.
Have you all met the "evil Amy?" You're about to meet her.
I'm a terrible quitter. It seems I've been waiting for the least little excuse to buy a pack of cigarettes. I'm not giving up on quitting, but essentially, I'm back to square one. I'm so disgusted with myself, but that's nothing really new, just something I am sharing with you all. I"m going to get back on the horse tomorrow and do it again and again and again. It has to stick at some point, right?
Evil Amy? Well, she's here and apparently alive and well.
Andy and I went to WalMart today. It was mostly a staple run but, having Andy is a HUGE help and he's still happy with a Frosty at the end of his work. I knew I had about $200 (max) to spend to fill out the rest of the month. I had a pretty specific list and we stuck to it. Andy and I got into what seemed like the shortest line (ever been to a bank?). After the first five minutes, Andy (I love this boy) noticed we'd forgotten dish detergent (have I mentioned the entirely dead dishwasher lately?). He skipped off (in the total wrong direction) to get me a bottle of dishwashing soap - but he's Andy and I don't worry about him like I would have worried about sending Danny, at 9, on the same mission.
In the meantime, I stood in line and loaded the conveyor belt as quickly as I could. The couple in front of me kind of annoyed me at first sight - both had I-Phones which they never let down -even as their two young sons destroyed displays and generally ran wild. But, who am I to judge? The woman had a ring on with a GIANT diamond and a manicure to go with it. The husband was talking to his work buddies about how great whatever the time-and-a-half he'd be getting over the weekend was going to be.
Initially, I was annoyed that neither person stopped their phone conversations to acknowledge the cashier. This drives me bonkers. Who among us has not worked a totally crappy job - and most likely before people could ignore you via cell phone? Gah. At the very least, cashiers deserve a full-attention "Hi, How are you?" imo.
I was busy loading up the conveyor belt and trying to be subtle eavesdropping on the couple in front of me. Well, they rang up about $60. The woman put her cell phone on hold and pulled out an EBT card - no wait, she pulled out TWO EBT cards - I'm pretty sure that's illegal, but I"m sure they needed the Mountain Dew. But, I've been poor and I know you do what you have to do and I do not begrudge anyone that benefit if they truly need it.
Well, neither EBT card would go thru. The woman, still on her I-phone, bitched and moaned and demanded a manager come over - never stopping her cell phone conversation. I'm a goober, I was thinking "That is just her reaction to being humiliated." After 15 minutes of this nonense, I was ready to just tell the cashier that she could add their groceries to my bill. We have a little extra this month and someone once did something so kind for me when the older boys were babies.
BUT ... the manager came back and said none of the woman's cards were good. Her husband (they both were wearing wedding bands) finished his call and stepped in. He pulled a roll of money from his pocket that was ALL $100 bills. I was trying NOT to stare, but I lost count at $2500. He paid the grocery bill. Poof. Neither he, nor his spouse as much as glanced back at the huge line behind them. I KNOW had I offered to pay the bill the woman would have accepted without batting an eyelash. Where do these people come from? Seriously?
Poor Andy and all my boys ... they got some lectures tonight. If you truly need help, accept it. When you're in a better position, give it back - double . Period. The Wal-Mart people really freaked me out- I know it's naive, but I cannot believe people like that exist and have no qualms about exposing their young,young kids to that behavior. It's so sad.
In other news . . .
Mike is still deliberately breathing loudly through his nose. I know he loves me, but between the nose-breathing and the gross vegetables (he was planning a turnip-based dish for next weekend!) I'm not sure.
More excuses: Scouts makes me crazy; I cannot knit while I drive ... GAH - quitting is so hard you guys. I"m really sucking at it. Tomorrow is a new day, right? I'm slinking off to bed now ... failure, but a temporary failure, right?
I'm a terrible quitter. It seems I've been waiting for the least little excuse to buy a pack of cigarettes. I'm not giving up on quitting, but essentially, I'm back to square one. I'm so disgusted with myself, but that's nothing really new, just something I am sharing with you all. I"m going to get back on the horse tomorrow and do it again and again and again. It has to stick at some point, right?
Evil Amy? Well, she's here and apparently alive and well.
Andy and I went to WalMart today. It was mostly a staple run but, having Andy is a HUGE help and he's still happy with a Frosty at the end of his work. I knew I had about $200 (max) to spend to fill out the rest of the month. I had a pretty specific list and we stuck to it. Andy and I got into what seemed like the shortest line (ever been to a bank?). After the first five minutes, Andy (I love this boy) noticed we'd forgotten dish detergent (have I mentioned the entirely dead dishwasher lately?). He skipped off (in the total wrong direction) to get me a bottle of dishwashing soap - but he's Andy and I don't worry about him like I would have worried about sending Danny, at 9, on the same mission.
In the meantime, I stood in line and loaded the conveyor belt as quickly as I could. The couple in front of me kind of annoyed me at first sight - both had I-Phones which they never let down -even as their two young sons destroyed displays and generally ran wild. But, who am I to judge? The woman had a ring on with a GIANT diamond and a manicure to go with it. The husband was talking to his work buddies about how great whatever the time-and-a-half he'd be getting over the weekend was going to be.
Initially, I was annoyed that neither person stopped their phone conversations to acknowledge the cashier. This drives me bonkers. Who among us has not worked a totally crappy job - and most likely before people could ignore you via cell phone? Gah. At the very least, cashiers deserve a full-attention "Hi, How are you?" imo.
I was busy loading up the conveyor belt and trying to be subtle eavesdropping on the couple in front of me. Well, they rang up about $60. The woman put her cell phone on hold and pulled out an EBT card - no wait, she pulled out TWO EBT cards - I'm pretty sure that's illegal, but I"m sure they needed the Mountain Dew. But, I've been poor and I know you do what you have to do and I do not begrudge anyone that benefit if they truly need it.
Well, neither EBT card would go thru. The woman, still on her I-phone, bitched and moaned and demanded a manager come over - never stopping her cell phone conversation. I'm a goober, I was thinking "That is just her reaction to being humiliated." After 15 minutes of this nonense, I was ready to just tell the cashier that she could add their groceries to my bill. We have a little extra this month and someone once did something so kind for me when the older boys were babies.
BUT ... the manager came back and said none of the woman's cards were good. Her husband (they both were wearing wedding bands) finished his call and stepped in. He pulled a roll of money from his pocket that was ALL $100 bills. I was trying NOT to stare, but I lost count at $2500. He paid the grocery bill. Poof. Neither he, nor his spouse as much as glanced back at the huge line behind them. I KNOW had I offered to pay the bill the woman would have accepted without batting an eyelash. Where do these people come from? Seriously?
Poor Andy and all my boys ... they got some lectures tonight. If you truly need help, accept it. When you're in a better position, give it back - double . Period. The Wal-Mart people really freaked me out- I know it's naive, but I cannot believe people like that exist and have no qualms about exposing their young,young kids to that behavior. It's so sad.
In other news . . .
Mike is still deliberately breathing loudly through his nose. I know he loves me, but between the nose-breathing and the gross vegetables (he was planning a turnip-based dish for next weekend!) I'm not sure.
More excuses: Scouts makes me crazy; I cannot knit while I drive ... GAH - quitting is so hard you guys. I"m really sucking at it. Tomorrow is a new day, right? I'm slinking off to bed now ... failure, but a temporary failure, right?
I'll keep it short and sweet. I've spent the past few weeks learning to knit and purl and count (sort of). I was doing ok. Yesterday and today have been kind of manic knitting days. And ... tada! I figured out how to get my imperfect first projects OFF of the needles. (Trust me, I was fully prepared to just go buy new needles this morning) I remember my first soaps, my first quilts, my first faux finishes, my first anything and I figure they were ugly too. As a rule, I improved with practice. But, I actually made two whole THINGS and no children were harmed in the making of these items. (I know, go ahead, flip me a fish.)
I think the Snuggie Pub Crawl sounds like a total hoot. As a family, we have been mocking those commercials (while silently wondering if Snuggies might not change our lives - hell- I could be warm AND smoke with a Snuggie ROFL). If you're in the Chicago area you need to do this - at the very least find one of the pubs and go take some pictures - you don't have to drink anything if you don't want to! Puh-leese?
See the purty flowers Mike picked out for me? We have been budgeting big-time lately and were not supposed to get each other anything. But, from what I heard, after an early morning visit to the library, Andy shamed Mike into flowers and making my favorite (hmmm they're Andy and Mike's favorites too) cookies - oatmeal, chocolate chip, butterscotch. (Everyone, in your best Homer Simpson voice ... "mmmmmmm breakfast of champions)
Valentine's Day was a little scary - Danny drove his friend-that-is-a-girl to the beach (with a delcious picnic he'd made on his own in tow). It was his first solo trip to the beach and to say Mike and I were twitchy all afternoon would be a huge understatement. But, Dan and the-friend-that-is-a-girl lived and appeared to have had a nice, but WAY chilly day. Ian spent the weekend camping. Tim is (blessedly) between friends-that-are-girls and Andy doesn't care.
That evening, Mike and I were invited (much to the outrage of the boys) for dinner at my parents! We ordered pizza for the boys and just left. Weird, weird, weird. The last time Mike and I had dinner with my parents on our own was about 17 years ago! How crazy is that? It's not that we don't see my parents, we have just always had kids with us the past couple of decades.
I'm a goober and didn't think to bring my camera. We arrived and my mom had set the most beautiful table - the fancy table, no less! Good china, crystal, flowers, just grown up stuff. We had snacks on the porch followed by an amazing dinner of Filet Mignon, gorgeous mushrooms, Caesar salad,baked potatoes and really good wine. I cannot begin to tell you how much fun we had.
We ate and ate (I actually finished Mike's steak - full moon? not sure, but the carnivore in me was definitely on the prowl) and talked and laughed and talked and laughed some more. Then we ate cake - delicious German Chocolate cake that we can't usually have at home because it might kill our twins. Did I mention there were olives floating around too? (I know, I'm asking myself why I came home too!)
We are so lucky to have my parents and to get along with them so well. Some of it is personality, for sure. We always have joked that if Mike and I got divorced, my parents would get custody of Mike. Mike and I never forget it, but nights like Valentine's night make us REALLY appreciate them all the more.
Thanks Mom and Dad for a really, really wonderful night!
I'm Jack Bauer and today is the longest day of my life . . . oh wait, no I'm not. Today, however, WAS one of the longest days of my life. Ever. I almost made it. I did smoke one cigarette today. Upside, that's 30 less cigarettes than I usually smoke, so it's still good. Downside, it gave me a rotten headache and a guilty stomachache. Tomorrow is new day and I'm not giving in just yet.
I think it's going to be a process of developing new strategies. For everything. In case you hadn't noticed, I lean to the hyper side of things. But, normally, I'm a pretty focused hyper. Who knew the cigarettes were holding me together? I don't think I had more than two coherent thoughts all day long. Forget actually starting and finishing something. One foot in front of the other, right?
Happy Valentine's Day. Mike and Andy planted a small garden a few months ago and are now harvesting their carrots. Sure, they claim they love me and would never do anything to cause me undue stress. But, actions speak louder than words. Imagine my delight when I woke up this morning to a counter full of these. It's bad enough that chicken looks like chicken. It's bad enough that birds stalk me at fast-food drive-thrus. Now I have to co-exist with avian vegetables? I'm not feeling the love.
Consider this email Ian received this evening from his online Biology teacher:
You have showed mastery in your knowledge of Asexual and Sexual Reproduction.
Your Number One Fan,
Mrs.
So much in such a short email. One, do I get Ian a gift or start knitting baby booties in honor of his new-found mastery?
Is it me or is "showed" NOT the right word here? Really, it's not the right word, is it?
And, should I find this woman's husband and let him know she's such a huge fan of my son, the master of all things reproductive? (I'm kidding - this teacher is a very nice, well-intentioned young woman.)
Still . . . that email gives me pause. I have the boys taking online science classes because I didn't think I would do an adequate job of it. But, stuff like this email, the 2nd/3rd chances the kids get on their essays (even if they score in the 90's the first time around) and the fact that I had to correct one of the boys the other day - he was saying "ziggity" for "zygote" (I"m pretty sure this kid was saying 'ziggity' just to get a rise out of me, but I'll never know for sure) Waahhhh....
Questions for the master? I'll be sure he visits and answers.
You have showed mastery in your knowledge of Asexual and Sexual Reproduction.
Your Number One Fan,
Mrs.
So much in such a short email. One, do I get Ian a gift or start knitting baby booties in honor of his new-found mastery?
Is it me or is "showed" NOT the right word here? Really, it's not the right word, is it?
And, should I find this woman's husband and let him know she's such a huge fan of my son, the master of all things reproductive? (I'm kidding - this teacher is a very nice, well-intentioned young woman.)
Still . . . that email gives me pause. I have the boys taking online science classes because I didn't think I would do an adequate job of it. But, stuff like this email, the 2nd/3rd chances the kids get on their essays (even if they score in the 90's the first time around) and the fact that I had to correct one of the boys the other day - he was saying "ziggity" for "zygote" (I"m pretty sure this kid was saying 'ziggity' just to get a rise out of me, but I'll never know for sure) Waahhhh....
Questions for the master? I'll be sure he visits and answers.
Andy is killing me this morning. He's taking a break between school lessons (so I can do laundry - yeah, right). I can hear him in the kitchen making a movie with the Flip Camera he received for his birthday. I can't quite figure out the plot, but it appears to be a low-budget flick. Instead of actually "doing" action scenes, he is stopping every few minutes and saying in a deadpan voice "Violence. Violence. Violence." And then he goes back to his monologue. I know I should probably be worried, but it's just too funny.
In other news, my laundry pile is officially huge - it's up to my shoulder right now. And, I'm afraid of it so I'm hiding here by the computer. I've tried leaving cookies for the Laundry Fairy with no luck. I'm contemplating leaving a bottle of wine and some nice cheese out there to see if that works any better. I'll keep you posted.
Well shoot, I just wrote a long meaningful post about finishing stuff. It's gone. Suffice it to say, I've re-cured my kitchen counters and am nearly done painting my new bookshelves. It's frustrating to let things dry and to have to wait for the next step.
School? The older boys are in the midst of the Roaring 20's. They're reading The Jungle and the The Great Gatsby. We've been having a lot of interesting discussions about capitalism and socialism lately. Andy and I are mid-Revolutionary War. Strangely, the discussions we're having are not too different from those I'm having with the older boys - just different names. Andy's latest project is to learn the Preamble to the Constitution. Just like with his brothers, I'm going "old-school" on him. This is how I learned it. This is something you can wake my sister in the middle of the night and she'll sing it for you without hesitation ...
School? The older boys are in the midst of the Roaring 20's. They're reading The Jungle and the The Great Gatsby. We've been having a lot of interesting discussions about capitalism and socialism lately. Andy and I are mid-Revolutionary War. Strangely, the discussions we're having are not too different from those I'm having with the older boys - just different names. Andy's latest project is to learn the Preamble to the Constitution. Just like with his brothers, I'm going "old-school" on him. This is how I learned it. This is something you can wake my sister in the middle of the night and she'll sing it for you without hesitation ...
I guess there are certain times that can be called "Turning Points." We seem to be at one of those right now. For years and years, Mike and I spent our time trying to stay one step ahead of the kids (while they were dismantling beds, unhooking water filters, climbing out windows at nap time and on and on). And, suddenly (OK, not suddenly, but whew! that went fast) we are parents of kids that cook, drive, and operate power tools. It's crazy. It's scary and it's something we over which have very little control.
On Saturday, Mike and the older boys spent the day building bookshelves (for me!!). I ran errands in the morning and then took Andy to a birthday party in the afternoon. Andy and I had a great time together. We got stuck in accident traffic on the way to the party and we listened to more of The Thief Lord and stopped the tape several times to talk about things. The party itself was great and Andy is convinced that he's a gymnast deep-down in his soul. (His size 5 1/2 feet and long legs tell me he might be leaning to the wrong sport lol)
When we arrived home, we found Mike napping on the couch and the "bigs" finishing up my bookshelves. Mike had written out dimensions and given them some general instructions and he went off to nap. The kids built the shelves on their own. Aren't they awesome? (The kids and the shelves!) I'll paint them this week.Mike, who is generally NOT a napper, woke up refreshed. He and I actually went out last night. It's so weird to have to leave your own house to have a real conversation, but it's great to get out and know everyone is OK at home too. And, to be perfectly honest, it's just good to leave the house. It's so easy to just sit home all the time - at least for us. We had such a fun night. The kids had a fun night too - dumb movie, multi-flavored hot chocolates, and no parents. Talk about a happy family on Sunday morning!
In the meantime, it's a weird place to be as a mom, as a blogging mom and just as a person. I kind of feel like I'm shopping for shoes but I don't know what kind of shoes I want or need. I certainly don't know what color I'm looking for. Be patient, I'll figure it out.
In the meantime, Andy was peppering me with questions about my life when I was nine while we were in the car the other day. Jacks? Schoolhouse Rock? Playgrounds over cement? Nancy Drew? Sledding, riding bikes, skating - without a helmet? Climbing really, really high into trees? What were you doing when you were 9-10 years old?
Dan, Tim and Ian went to a church festival tonight - in my car, without me. They will be home at 11. Mike and Andy and I are all out of sorts. What do you do when the three wrestling, loud, starving boys are not home? I am still stunned that I'm at this point of my life! When I think about the things I used to stress about - what they ate, potty training, sleep habits, will they ever pick up a book just to read, what if they're weird? (they are and it's ok) And, now here we are. Not that the stuff I just listed doesn't matter; it just doesn't matter NEARLY as much as I thought it did.
Talk amongst yourselves - I have pacing to do.
Andy and I were up relatively early and finished school up early. The older boys - ehh...not so much. The beauty of having older kids, though, is that their need to sleep in is really not my problem these days. They know what they have to do and they don't need me sitting on them to get it done. If nothing else, teenagers VALUE their weekends.
So, with dinner on the stove, brownies out of the oven and Andy's school done, we headed out into "the world." It's only been two weeks since Dan got his driver's license. Strangely, it's only been about two weeks since I left my house. I had a TON of errands to run. Andy and I hit the road with our current book-on-tape, The Thief Lord. While Jim Dale reading the Harry Potter books will ALWAYS be my very favorite, the audio version of the The Thief Lord is my number two pick. I have listened to this book at least twice with the older boys and I"m enjoying as much again this time with Andy.
We hit the library, Old Time Pottery (I needed a new pretty container for our compost stuff), Home Depot (stuff to clean up the butcher block counters), the grocery store, the thrift store (just because we were in that part of town), the book store (b-day gift for party tomorrow and just to browse - remind me to rant about lack of biographies for kids - I mean biographies of people other than Hannah Montana or the Jonas Brothers - gah!), the office supply store and finally, the post office. Andy was looking a little pasty after all of this when it hit me I'd not given him lunch. Ooops.
We hit the drive-thru at Burger King. I got my onion ring fix, Andy got a HUGE lunch. We pulled through to the "pay" window and ****shudder****gasp****shudder THIS is what happened. This evil bird landed right on the hood of my car. The car windows were OPEN!!!! Open as in that bird was just biding his time before he swooped in and pecked our eyes out. God bless electric windows - they go up pretty fast in times of crisis.
The girl at the payment window was staring at me. She was waiting for me to pay her so she could give us our bags of delicious friend goodness. I tried pantomiming (you know it's not going to end well when you are practicing your mime skills at a BK drive-thru) my fear of the bird and my concern about opening the window. The girl just glared at me. I did glance in my rear view mirror. Who knew so many people need BK at 3:12 pm on a Friday? According to my brief unofficial survey - a LOT!
F
inally, I cracked my window and shouted (I'm so not a shouter - more of a loud squeaker - but we'll save my cheerleader-dream-traumas for another post) about the bird and how it was going to kill us. Bless her heart, the BK girl did a full-body stretch to grasp the money I was dangling out of the window. She shouted into the car, "It's ok, ma'am! He's here all the time. He just wants some fries." Before I could even scream and shriek, she tossed a handful of fries onto the hood of my car. Can you say "Waahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!"
Poor Andy. He took the picture for me. He was torn between mocking me (which he would have done more courageously had his brothers been with us) and being kind of freaked out himself. Well, we spent WAY too much time at the window. Finally, I had to suck it up and open the window to get our food. Go ahead, flip me a fish. This is the bravest thing I've done in a long time. As we eased out of the drive-thru lane, the bird just sat there defiantly on the hood. And he sat there and glared right at me until we were on the verge of jumping onto the highway. Finally, the damn thing flew away - back to the hood of the next person in line LOL.
I'm just happy to be here typing this - eyes intact and no bird embedded into my head. I know no one believes me, but they're out to get us!
So, with dinner on the stove, brownies out of the oven and Andy's school done, we headed out into "the world." It's only been two weeks since Dan got his driver's license. Strangely, it's only been about two weeks since I left my house. I had a TON of errands to run. Andy and I hit the road with our current book-on-tape, The Thief Lord. While Jim Dale reading the Harry Potter books will ALWAYS be my very favorite, the audio version of the The Thief Lord is my number two pick. I have listened to this book at least twice with the older boys and I"m enjoying as much again this time with Andy.
We hit the library, Old Time Pottery (I needed a new pretty container for our compost stuff), Home Depot (stuff to clean up the butcher block counters), the grocery store, the thrift store (just because we were in that part of town), the book store (b-day gift for party tomorrow and just to browse - remind me to rant about lack of biographies for kids - I mean biographies of people other than Hannah Montana or the Jonas Brothers - gah!), the office supply store and finally, the post office. Andy was looking a little pasty after all of this when it hit me I'd not given him lunch. Ooops.
We hit the drive-thru at Burger King. I got my onion ring fix, Andy got a HUGE lunch. We pulled through to the "pay" window and ****shudder****gasp****shudder THIS is what happened. This evil bird landed right on the hood of my car. The car windows were OPEN!!!! Open as in that bird was just biding his time before he swooped in and pecked our eyes out. God bless electric windows - they go up pretty fast in times of crisis.
The girl at the payment window was staring at me. She was waiting for me to pay her so she could give us our bags of delicious friend goodness. I tried pantomiming (you know it's not going to end well when you are practicing your mime skills at a BK drive-thru) my fear of the bird and my concern about opening the window. The girl just glared at me. I did glance in my rear view mirror. Who knew so many people need BK at 3:12 pm on a Friday? According to my brief unofficial survey - a LOT!
F
inally, I cracked my window and shouted (I'm so not a shouter - more of a loud squeaker - but we'll save my cheerleader-dream-traumas for another post) about the bird and how it was going to kill us. Bless her heart, the BK girl did a full-body stretch to grasp the money I was dangling out of the window. She shouted into the car, "It's ok, ma'am! He's here all the time. He just wants some fries." Before I could even scream and shriek, she tossed a handful of fries onto the hood of my car. Can you say "Waahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!"Poor Andy. He took the picture for me. He was torn between mocking me (which he would have done more courageously had his brothers been with us) and being kind of freaked out himself. Well, we spent WAY too much time at the window. Finally, I had to suck it up and open the window to get our food. Go ahead, flip me a fish. This is the bravest thing I've done in a long time. As we eased out of the drive-thru lane, the bird just sat there defiantly on the hood. And he sat there and glared right at me until we were on the verge of jumping onto the highway. Finally, the damn thing flew away - back to the hood of the next person in line LOL.
I'm just happy to be here typing this - eyes intact and no bird embedded into my head. I know no one believes me, but they're out to get us!
Talk me down. I have my quit date set at 2/15/09. But the closer it gets, the closer I come to flipping out entirely. Technically, I can knit and I'm happy to just knit and purl at random - I can't actually make anything, but I just need for my hands to be busy so it's good.
But, the closer I come to NO cigarettes, the closer I come to shrieking and never stopping. I want to quit. I really think this IS my date do quit, but it's scary (those of you who have never smoked need not respond to the scary part - it's as crazy as it sounds, but it's real) . . . Just tell me I can do this. I can, right? I have done lots of things that "look" way harder on paper. This is just one more thing.
I have our BIG calendar marked with a bunch of stars on 2/15. The boys were asking what the stars meant. I told them that life as they knew it was going to change. I think that was fair warning, right? It's a little early to explain foster care to them, right?
Other news, I got to visit with my friend, Kate, yesterday. It's been forever since I've seen her and yesterday was dreary and rainy and cold and just the best day to visit. The boys always have a great time and I love how the older boys have always included Andy. Kate and I had a chance to catch up a bit while Kate fed the masses. LOL She even fed me and I'm so sorry I didn't have seconds. The boys got chicken nuggets and hash browns, delicious in their own right. BUT ... Kate and I had homemade clam chowder ... wahhh ... I want more. It was perfectly buttery, potatoe-y and delicious.
Leaving Kate's we opted to invade my parents house. Sure, they'd only been home less than 24 hours. But we were all so happy to see my parents and I think they were happy too. And, dammit, if Bud (the goldfish) hadn't totally perked up!Talk about a fish crying wolf! We visited long enough to eat most of what was in their house and then we moved on to tae kwon do. I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure my mom and dad sent Bud, the goldfish, out to pick up take out for dinner.
I'm onto you, Bud! (can you see my angry eyes?)
Yes, that IS the same sock. In the same place. We're coming up on a month ...
In their defense, I should say the boys have swept and mopped and helped me move furniture. They simply do NOT see what I see. I've reached the point where I'm documenting this for their future wives ... I learned 'em better. Really, I did. And, I have proof!!!!
Go Steelers - what an exciting game! Things got a little tricky during the second quarter - that's when I relinquished control of my Terrible Towel to my very favorite neighbor girl. The Steelers owe this girl - she saved them!
We had a great time here. Three other families joined us and there were teenagers and food everywhere. We've been hosting little parties here forever, but I have to say, tonight was the BEST food we've ever had. Ever. I'm thinking it's because the Super Bowl is officially an "eating holiday" and, man, did we do it right.
What did we eat while watching the Steelers dominate, you ask? Mike did a brisket (slow and low) today with bbq sauce. Amazing. He even baked the most amazing wee tiny rolls to go with it. I love this, you can eat five sandwiches and it doesn't even count as one whole sandwich. Next up, pepper quesadilas - pablano chilis, jalapenos, parsley, spices, a touch of cream cheese and some monterey jack cheese between two crispy flour tortillas - perfect! Go to your left and you'll find the Buffalo Dip - cream cheese, mozzarella, Frank's hot sauce, blue cheese in a mini crock-pot. This stuff makes even celery taste good - and I think we all agree celery is nasty stuff.
Keep moving, people are piling up behind you. Next up, Lazy Pierogies - lasagna noodles layered with mashed potatoes, cheese, carmelized onions and sprinkled with a bit of bacon. Good stuff. Next up, you hit the shrimp cocktail - I know, can you believe it? Figure out how many you can take without being a pig and keep moving. Oooo what's this? Wings? - Duane's delicious wings! with a chaser of avocado dip/chips/queso/sausage queso. Mmmmm ...
Move to the other side of the kitchen. Did I mention the hot pretzels, the Texas caviar (which I just polished off) or the s'mores? How many families do you know that work so hard to be heart-healthy? We do not eat like this but once or twice a year. Tomorrow is all about beans and rice and maybe some cholesterol meds. If you weren't here, I'm sorry. You missed out. Really. And, I'm in the middle of finishing the few leftovers, so sign up for next year's party early.
My favorite part of the night - aside from the Steelers - was the race for 3D glasses at the end of the second quarter. Is that the greatest picture or what?
When I say I'm a slow learner, I mean it. Who knew that you didn't just buy knitting needles because you liked how they looked? Not me! I was looking at my idiot knitting book last night and I finally read the very beginning! (And I bitch about Mike not following directions) Yarn comes with warning labels and advisories about what size needles to use. Well, hell, I could have knitted a tent by now had I known this! Knitting - at least the basic stuff - is not that hard if you are using the right needles. I was like Short-Bus-Speed-Racer tonight with my new needles (in the right size).
Now I have the stitches, I need to learn how to make them into things. Stay tuned.
Today, I ran errands, did grocery shopping and visited my mom's fish, Bud. You might remember, Bud is my mom's 30-yr-old gold fish. (I am lying, he's not 30, but he's really old) He didn't look so hot this afternoon. I don't want my mom to come home to a floating pet. I stayed at the house googling goldfish for two hours and talking to Bud (fish love when you talk to them)
My mom has had a rough couple of weeks and I don't want Bud dying to cap it off. It seems silly, but it's the only thing I have a little control over - see how I made it all about me? My mom left last weekend to visit a very sick friend in Pittsburgh. If you pray or anything like it - please say a prayer for Cathy. My mom and Cathy have been friends since they were young, young brides and then mothers. While visiting Cathy, my mom learned that her brother (her only sibling) had died.
My Uncle Jack had been sick off and on the past decade, but there is just no good time and no one is ever prepared when someone dies. He was my godfather. My very handsome godfather. And he leaves a beautiful wife and three kids with families of their own. He's going to be missed.
So, my mom flew home to Orlando from Pittsburgh, spent a night and she and my dad are in Texas now. And, I'm the Bud-keeper. Everyone cross your fingers that Bud is OK tomorrow. Please? It's the only thing I can do.
My mom has had a rough couple of weeks and I don't want Bud dying to cap it off. It seems silly, but it's the only thing I have a little control over - see how I made it all about me? My mom left last weekend to visit a very sick friend in Pittsburgh. If you pray or anything like it - please say a prayer for Cathy. My mom and Cathy have been friends since they were young, young brides and then mothers. While visiting Cathy, my mom learned that her brother (her only sibling) had died.
My Uncle Jack had been sick off and on the past decade, but there is just no good time and no one is ever prepared when someone dies. He was my godfather. My very handsome godfather. And he leaves a beautiful wife and three kids with families of their own. He's going to be missed.
So, my mom flew home to Orlando from Pittsburgh, spent a night and she and my dad are in Texas now. And, I'm the Bud-keeper. Everyone cross your fingers that Bud is OK tomorrow. Please? It's the only thing I can do.
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