500 Miles of Happiness

Life is feeling pretty good right now.

Preparations for this morning's play date meant that my house was sparkling this morning, and the cancellation of said date meant that it stayed clean all day!

Since I was caught up on housework for once and had no plans, I spent a large part of the day just playing with the kids. We played old school Nintendo (Mario Brothers I), played with My Little Ponies and pirates, and took a trip to the local trout park to feed fish and play on the playground. I even took the opportunity to climb and swing on the jungle gym with them. The camera was neglected so we could just live the afternoon instead of trying to capture it.

Tomorrow I will pack up the kids and head to St. Louis to spend Big Sister's 2 days off school. I'm not sure what we'll busy ourselves with, but it'll be two days away from home and life!

This weekend, I'll be making two cakes: A very simple dinosaur cake and a Somewhere Over the Rainbow cake. I'm SO excited about the second one! If all goes as planned (never a guarantee in the cake world), I'll be posting pictures of the edible ruby slippers next week.

I'm not sure why I'm not bothered by the leak that continues in our replacement engine in spite of the trip to the shop on Monday... or the ever growing grass that begs for our lawn mower to return from the shop... or the five pounds that I let myself acquire over the last month (two are have already disappeared)...

I suppose life just isn't meant to be wasted being upset for too long. When life delivers a real disaster to endure, it's so much easier to shrug off leaks and money shortages and burnt dinners. You finally get that happiness is a choice, not bred by pleasant circumstances. Or you don't... and you're stuck seething, filled with self pity. I've been talking with Big Sister about this very topic a lot lately. She's at the height of that phase where finding the wrong vegetables on her plate makes her world fall apart. I think I hear, "This is the worst day of my life!" at least three times a week. I feel sorry for the kid, stuck in all that pouting. I am ever repeating to her that happiness is her choice... but at nine, I think she's a few years (or decades) away from wanting to hear me.

I just hope that I'm living as an example. I sure feel happy in my life, but sometimes I wonder if I'm acting happy enough. I'm trying to make a point of smiling more, being silly more, just visibly enjoying life more often. The other night, in response to some backseat bickering, Hubby and I spent the ride home from Mass belting I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers a cappella. The kids thought we were insane as this is not a typical scene in our minivan, but it was great to be acting goofy with each other in front of them.

55555: Just Because

Jessica over at 3 Girls & Our Guy posted this questionnaire, and it sounded like fun. Here Goes!

Question 1: Where were you 5 years ago?
* My daughter and I were just moving out of my parents' house into a not-quite finished home of our own. It was just the two of us for a few brief weeks.
* I was 2 months from getting married.
* I was about to wrap up my first year of teaching high school English
* I was in the midst of a custody litigation
* I was celebrating my fiancé's baptism and confirmation at Easter Vigil mass.

Question 2: What is/was on your to do list today?
* Wake up and shower

* Clean up the house

* 3 back-to-back portrait appointments

* A First Birthday party

* Catching up with my big brother who is home for Easter

Question 3: What 5 snacks do you enjoy?
* Yoplait Pineapple Upside-Down Cake yogurt

* Chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven

* McDonald's Diet Dr. Pepper

* Monterey Cheddar cheese and crackers

* Carrots- the real ones- not baby carrots

Question 4: Name 5 places you have lived.
* With my parents
*In a little 2 bedroom rental house
* With my parents again
* In a cabin in the woods
* In the house where my grandparents grew old together

Question 5: What 5 things would you do if you were a billionaire?
* Pay off our student loans, car, and house
* Invest for retirement
* Take a fantastic 6 week tour of Europe
* Start an organization for pre-teen and teenage girls educating them on the value of abstinence and aiding with teenage sexual abuse, pregnancy, and motherhood.
* Spend a ton of time with my husband who would no longer work 2 hours from home!

Non-Pregnant Silliness

I offered to lend my maternity clothes to my cousin tonight. I opened the Rubbermaid to check out the goods before handing them off. Oh, knife to my heart! I know I'm just loaning them and that I'll get them back, but I had a moment of hesitation all the same. I'm thinking of keeping my favorite shirt anyway-- a fitted black and white striped tank top with "baby" written in sliver across the chest. I LOVED to pair that with my black pregnancy yoga pants...

The down side of not being pregnant again: Never wearing my tub full of cute maternity clothes again.

The up side of not being pregnant again: That much closer to having mornings free for the gym... which equals new cute clothes!

Things I'd love to have someday...

Piano
Programmable coffee maker

Crop of tulips (I'm talking a thousand bulbs in our yard)
Canon 5D
Passport
Indoor grill
Housekeeper
Hammock
Portrait session with this photographer



A girl can dream, right?



First, I have to get these important (but not so fun) things:

Brush removed from our yard
Baseboards and House trim
Lawnmower
New Mattress
Flooring in our foyer and dining room

Miscellaneous Catch-ups

Lots of randomness today...

Hubby is working on a secret project... one that will hopefully turn into a fun new tool for myself and all my fellow bloggers!

We found one, very small opening in our facia on the outside of our house... and I think there might be a squirrel attempting to store his goodies in the roof of our porch. Grr...

In my efforts to spend less this year, I've gotten myself roped into... oh... about 80 hours of work for my siblings gifts. I'd spill the secret, but my little sis is an occasional visitor here.

I finally upgraded my cell phone today! My Samsung Magnet should be here next week to save my friendships, business calls, and family ties from the annoyance of loosing power at random moments.

I decorated for Christmas! I did way more that I had intended this year... which still isn't much. While I stuck to my plan of NOT decorating our house-wrapped exterior, I did end up adding mantle decor and my nativity to the original plan of just the tree. An unexpected effect: you can hardly tell that the finished wood of the mantle isn't installed yet!

I'm feeling a bit guilty for never sending Christmas cards... but not quite guilty enough to get my act together on that! Plus, my brilliant plan to buy the kids matching outfits on 90% off clearance last year bombed. I bought green plaid skirts for the girls and a matching shirt and vest for Little Mister. Unfortunately, 6 hours and 3 returns later, I finally gave up the search for shirts to match the skirts...

I'm amazed that 15 pounds isn't more dramatically lost. :-) Maybe 30 will be...

Thanks for stopping by,

Superficiality... That's a Word, Right?

Although I have very firm opinions on issues that spill into the political spectrum, I by no means consider myself to be politically minded in my own life. Although Little Mister's surprise arrival cut my professional career short, I can clearly remember watching the other high school teachers around me during my two years as an educator. I watched the ones who were fast tracking their way to administration, the ones who took great care to keep the principal and superintendent close, and the ones who constantly stirred trouble.

Me? I was there for the kids. That's it. I was friendly to my coworkers, respectful of my superiors, and mildly involved in faculty activities (secret santa, etc.), but for the most part, I arrived at school, spent my mornings tweaking my lesson plans and preparing handouts, my passing periods helping students who didn't quite understand the day's assignment, my planning period grading, and then left for home promptly after school, taking any excess work along with me. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, but that's me. I'm not a people pleaser by nature, and while I will bend over backward for my family or friends, I've never been one to appease someone for the purpose of advancing myself. I think it's ridiculous that that sort of artificial networking is needed to get ahead in life. Whatever happened to being valued for hard work, dedication, talent, and smarts? I have a hard time digesting the games people play to get ahead in life. While trying not to anger someone with power makes sense, purposely befriending someone for that sole purpose just seems superficial and dishonest.

I hope that I can teach my children the value of self worth, generosity, diligent effort, and being passionate about whatever it is they choose to do with their lives. I pray that God calls them to work free from politics and rich in traditional Christian values, work that will challenge them to grow as individuals in Christ and allow them to bring others closer to God in the process.

Thanks for stopping by,

So Close

Big Sister: "Are we going to the mall?"

Little Mister: "Ooh! The cookie mall*! Can we go there?"

Big Sister: "Yeah! We're going to the mall.... right Mommy?"

Mommy: "You two have GOT to stop asking for things. That's all I've heard today! The answers going to be 'NO' if either of you ask again."

Little Mister: "Ok, Mommy. We won't ask you anymore. NOW can we go to the cookie mall?"

*Cookie Mall. Named for its reward of Mrs. Fields cookie tubs for well behaved little shoppers. Yes, I'm one of THOSE moms. I blame it on never getting treated to mall treats growing up. Come to think of it, my kids have tons of character plastic plates for the same reason... because I always wanted one. Hm... am I the only one who does that?

September Already?!?

Oh, yes... it's that time of year again.

The temperatures around here have simmered down a bit, and the mornings leave the children begging for a jacket on the way to drop Big Sister at school.

There's something to be said about Autumn.

It's truly my favorite time of year, complete with the crisp air, breezy walks beneath the changing foliage, and the promise of lazy, bug-free hours reading and watching the kids play in the yard.

A few short months filled with caramel apples, pumpkin scented candles, and apple cider...

Months of excursions to the apple orchards, the pumpkin patches, and hayrides...

Oh, yes... Give me autumn any day!

My Lucky Day

"You're a lucky woman," says Hubby tonight, serious as can be. "I got up this morning and went all day without a shower. I even have the same clothes on as yesterday!"

How many women are considered lucky to have a husband who has been sweating over a remodel all day, having not showered in 36 hours, and smelling like it??  

Yes, that's me.  My husband is obsessive about his morning shower. One morning when I was in the middle of pancakes and needed him to run to the store, he refused to go until he'd spent his 45 minutes in the bathroom.  Really?

Last night, the kids had gone to sleep at my parents' house before we got back from our day trip, and we crashed there as well.  He got up this morning and went straight to the new house to get some outside tasks completed before the predicted storm came through.  Apparently he never found time to wash the stink off!  

If only more days were like today... 

Next Year...

A few days ago, God threw me for a loop on my decision to remove my daughter from her parochial school, but the past few days have reassured me that we will be no worse off in her new school in the fall.  

Next year, I hope to have an understanding of classroom assignments, preferably by use of a scoring guide.  This year, we've gotten lots of "write a story." assignments and then have lost points for not doing what the teacher expected.  I hope to understand the teacher's expectations next year.

Next year, I hope to have organization in the classroom.  A routine for submitting assignments, a schedule for regular assignments (like spelling tests or journals).

Next year, I hope to have a teacher who does not compare my daughter to her D student son.  I hope to have a teacher who believes that my daughter can do her best... or at least makes me believe that she believes it.  

Next year, I hope that my daughter's weakened confidence in her academic abilities is magically restored.  I hope that she has a teacher who understands the struggles of this school year and takes a heartfelt interest in scheming with me to re-inspire my daughter's love of school and learning.

Next year, I hope, it not too late.  I hope that I don't regret sticking it out where we were this year.  I hope that I don't find myself wishing I would have pulled her out after Christmas.

Next year, I hope to realize that this year was only one isolated circumstance and does not reflect what the next 9 years of schooling will be like for us.

Next year I hope my daughter has a teacher who does not find it impressive or worthwhile to take 45 minutes out of her lessons to "work out the problems" of the girls in her classroom.

Next year, I hope to be reassured that I properly discerned God's will for my daughter's education even though it means that I am removing her from her religious school.  I hope that she is able to bring the invaluable knowledge of her religion and live as an example for those who may not have been introduced to Christ.

Next year... 

Wake Up Call

I was just setting my alarm and wanted to share this incredible free website that I use any night hubby is away for work.  (Usually he's my alarm)  I'm notorious for leaving my phone/alarm in the car because I don't get cell reception out here in the woods.  When it's dark or cold, I just request my free wake up call- no registration needed!  

Wakerupper

From the Mouths of 8-year-old Girls

There are 24 3rd graders at my daughters school, and most of them have attended since preschool.  It's a close-as-siblings type group... if you know what I mean!  Two of the girls in the class have planned parties for the same Saturday.  One is my daughters BFF, and the other is her very close friend who carpools with us.  This was the conversation I overheard about the BFF.

From the girls in the backseat in carpool:

Girl:  "I hate to say this, but most people don't really like Angela."

My Daughter:  "I know.  I don't know why."

Girl:  "Well... she lies.  Like when she said her Grandpa was in World War II.  I just don't believe that.  And then she didn't even believe me that my mom went to the North Pole to see Santa!"

I was silently rolling in the driver's seat.  I couldn't even compose myself enough to reprimand them for gossiping.  Apparently, my child learned younger than most (at 6) the truths about Santa and his posse!

Moment from My Day

The other day I was organizing the storage closet at my moms where I keep all the clearance deals I've found that the kids haven't grown into.  

I found a stocking there.  

When I had my eldest, I bought wool, knitted Christmas stockings- the old fashion type.  After I married my husband and added to our family, stockings that matched were harder to find than a great pair of jeans!  One day when I was prego with Little Miss, my mom called me to ask if I wanted her to pick up a matching stocking that she'd run across.  I had her get 2- "just in case."  

I stood staring at this soft, cream and red knitted stocking thinking what a shame it would be to never get to sew a name across the top of it.  

OMNs

I've joined a couple online mommy networks- and have come across some fantastic fellow bloggers in the process- but the abbreviated lingo is out of control!  Here are a few that I've noticed.  Some I've deciphered, others I'm guessing about, and the rest have me completely confused even within context!

DH- dear husband?

SS- step son 

LO- Little one?

TTC- trying to conceive

PIOG- huh?

BF- breast fed

MIL/FIL- mother in law, father in law

Seriously, the list is endless.  Here's what my first sentence would read like in mommy forum language.

"I've joined a few OMN- and have come across some fantastic FBs in the process- but the AL is OOC."  

I find this whole element of the forums mildly amusing.