HI! I've had a beer so I'm silly!
Tonight was one of those nights wherein the children think everything is hilarious and I'm a boring adult who just thinks they're being a little to loud for the car, or, you know, earth. It's all potty talk and knock knock jokes lately and it's a rare occasion when they're actually funny. And if I could just get over myself for half a second I would realize how breathtaking the sound of their giggles is. But, I'm too busy being a boring adult. So, I drank a beer with dinner and suddenly became a bit more laid back. Hey if I had any rescue remedy I would have taken that but beer was in the fridge and handy and besides, it's just fermented wheat, right? It's practically a health food.
Um, so where was I?
Swimming lessons! The boys are doing amazingly well. Tonight Jack swam from the steps to the other side of the pool, stopping once for a breath. Dean's stroke has gotten much more coordinated and strong - quite a difference from a year ago when he cried most of the time. Even the teacher said to him the other day, "Remember when you used to cry and say you didn't want to do it? And now look at you! Do you love it?" - and he just smiled and said he loved it.
Ok, beer is making me sleepy now.
Oh, one more thing. I have almost 500 pictures sitting on my new camera just begging to be downloaded but I haven't had time. I'm taking loads of pictures so I can practice all the settings. It's really fun but I have a lot of pics to wade through.
Oh wait, still one more thing. I'm trying to determine where the boys will go to kindergarten in the fall and it's overwhelming. I'm in the process of filling out open enrollment applications for all the schools, navigating policies about permits with child care, permits with transportation, work permits, etc. Work permits require a most recent paystub and naturally our system at work is down so I can't print a stub. And, I'm on call for jury duty this week. It's practically a sitcom episode.
Seriously.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
HSM, Home Edition
First, a quick synopsis of High School Musical for the uninitiated:
So, there's this guy named Troy and he's a big basketball star at East Side High School. He's at some vacation spot with his parents and through a random karaoke incident (I KNOW!) he meets Gabriella who is a super cute girl who can really sing. Fast forward to the fall and SURPRISE, Gabriella has been transferred to East Side High. It's like Grease for the elementary set. Of course East Side High is swimming in cliques from the jocks to the intelligentsia to the super rich. Super rich girl Sharpay (I KNOW!) and her super rich brother Ryan are the stars of the school and perennial stars in the High School theater production. Until, Troy and Gabriella get the bright idea to step outside their cliques (jock and smarty-pants, respectively) and try out for the school musical. Naturally, they're in love and can sing and knock the pants off the seasoned theater professional known as Mrs. Darbus.
So, that's the gist. Jack and Dean will be playing "jocks" in the play - no lines, no pressure. And here's the conversation that took place in the car yesterday on the way to school:
Me: (during the basketball song) Hey, you guys will be in this part 'cause you're the jocks! I bet you'll get to play basketball and run up and down the stage! (I'm doing my best to convince them this was a good idea)
Jack: I don't want to do it. I don't like basketball.
Me: Oh but you're such a good dribbler. Hey, do you know why mommy and daddy moved out here?
Jack: Yes, because you loved each other.
Me: Well, yes we love each other but we didn't know each other when we moved here. We met after we moved here.
Jack: And I know how it happened. You just looked at each other and then you loved each other. Just like Troy and Gabriella.
Me: Well, yes it took a little longer than that but yes, we liked each other and then we loved each other. But, that's not why we moved out here. We moved out here because we were actors. We wanted to be in the movies!
Jack: What are actors?
Me: Actors are people who pretend to be other people. Like when we go to the movies, the people that we see up on the screen.
Jack: But they're not real.
Me: Yes, they're real people that are pretending to be other people. That's what Daddy and I moved out here to do. To make movies.
Jack: And you are (in the sweetest, most awed voice).
Me: Well, yes I work for a company that makes movies but I'm not in them. My point is that it's really fun being in a play or in a musical and you guys will have so much fun doing this show.
Jack: I don't want to do it.
It was kind of a lot of work just to get back to square one.
So, there's this guy named Troy and he's a big basketball star at East Side High School. He's at some vacation spot with his parents and through a random karaoke incident (I KNOW!) he meets Gabriella who is a super cute girl who can really sing. Fast forward to the fall and SURPRISE, Gabriella has been transferred to East Side High. It's like Grease for the elementary set. Of course East Side High is swimming in cliques from the jocks to the intelligentsia to the super rich. Super rich girl Sharpay (I KNOW!) and her super rich brother Ryan are the stars of the school and perennial stars in the High School theater production. Until, Troy and Gabriella get the bright idea to step outside their cliques (jock and smarty-pants, respectively) and try out for the school musical. Naturally, they're in love and can sing and knock the pants off the seasoned theater professional known as Mrs. Darbus.
So, that's the gist. Jack and Dean will be playing "jocks" in the play - no lines, no pressure. And here's the conversation that took place in the car yesterday on the way to school:
Me: (during the basketball song) Hey, you guys will be in this part 'cause you're the jocks! I bet you'll get to play basketball and run up and down the stage! (I'm doing my best to convince them this was a good idea)
Jack: I don't want to do it. I don't like basketball.
Me: Oh but you're such a good dribbler. Hey, do you know why mommy and daddy moved out here?
Jack: Yes, because you loved each other.
Me: Well, yes we love each other but we didn't know each other when we moved here. We met after we moved here.
Jack: And I know how it happened. You just looked at each other and then you loved each other. Just like Troy and Gabriella.
Me: Well, yes it took a little longer than that but yes, we liked each other and then we loved each other. But, that's not why we moved out here. We moved out here because we were actors. We wanted to be in the movies!
Jack: What are actors?
Me: Actors are people who pretend to be other people. Like when we go to the movies, the people that we see up on the screen.
Jack: But they're not real.
Me: Yes, they're real people that are pretending to be other people. That's what Daddy and I moved out here to do. To make movies.
Jack: And you are (in the sweetest, most awed voice).
Me: Well, yes I work for a company that makes movies but I'm not in them. My point is that it's really fun being in a play or in a musical and you guys will have so much fun doing this show.
Jack: I don't want to do it.
It was kind of a lot of work just to get back to square one.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Stream of Consciousness
Would you believe that I've had a bit of writer's block lately? I have a number of half composed posts sitting in my drafts folder just waiting to be finished. Ain't gonna happen. So, this post will be stream of consciousness so I can get all these thoughts out of my head, hopefully I can type fast enough to avoid self-editing. The backspace key is not my friend these days.
*********************************************************************
Ok, so the running update is this: I don't have a stress fracture (yeah!). I have the bones of a 25 year old (double yeah!). My foot injury was a result of doing too much, too fast and I have since been cautioned and lectured by the podiatrist that I need to stretch, get properly fitted for new running shoes, heat and anti-inflammatories applied daily and, here's the capper, 'you're not as young as you used to be and you just can't go out and bang out 3 miles after not running for a few months'. But! I have the bones of a 25 year old! Just ask Dr. Mark! He was amazed by my scan!
Yeah. Anyway. Another week of rest, heat and advil and then I can run again with lots of stretching before and starting out slowly. I'm looking at the silver lining which is that starting slowly will force me to work on my form. So, there's that.
*****
Mother's Day weekend in Santa Barbara was fantastic. Great food, fun shopping, relaxing in the wine country and in the spa. I got home on Sunday just 5 minutes after the boys returned from their mountain retreat. I spent the rest of the day doing grocery shopping, laundry and making dinner but I couldn't have been happier. It was great being away for a few days but I missed them and it made my Mother's Day all the sweeter to just be with them.
*****
The boys are back in swimming lessons this week and I am amazed at Dean. He seemed a little hesitant at first but last night that kid went under water with his eyes wide open so he could retrieve the ring that the teacher placed on the lower step. It's unbelievable! And Jack is working on his stroking and kicking and has excellent form. I'm so glad we're doing these lessons again.
*****
The boys are also in a community center production of High School Musical and have rehearsals every Wednesday. So far they haven't gotten up to do any of the singing or the dancing - they just sit and watch. Jack tells me that he doesn't want to do it so I don't know what will come of it. If nothing else at least they're gaining the experience of the work that goes into putting on a show.
*****
I got the surprise of my life on Monday night when I got home and there was a box sitting on the countertop which Tom said was my Mother's Day present. I thought my weekend was my present so I wasn't expecting anything! I opened the box and there was a beautiful new Nikon D40 digital camera with an extra lens. OH! It's so beautiful! I can't wait to start using it.
*****
Last night at my MOMs club meeting we had a panel of women (members mostly) who talked about challenges that they have faced. One mom's challenge was her twins' diagnosis of ADD and ADHD, another mom's challenge was one of her twins was diagnosed as severely autistic, a third mom talked about her both her twins' diagnosis of autism, the fourth mom talked about her twin girl's deafness and the last mom talked about the loss of one of her twins at 3 months of age. It was an incredibly emotional night. Listening to these women as they talked of the challenges they faced, their inner struggles, the difficult decisions they had to make, the thoughtless comments they had to bear . . . it left me feeling so blessed, so incredibly fortunate. These women were incredible in their faith, their courage, their strength. It was a surprisingly uplifting, if emotionally draining, night. And it sure illuminated how easily it is to get caught up in the moment without enjoying the present. Every moment, no matter how difficult, is a gift.
Cherish your gifts. Enjoy your present. Love your life.
*********************************************************************
Ok, so the running update is this: I don't have a stress fracture (yeah!). I have the bones of a 25 year old (double yeah!). My foot injury was a result of doing too much, too fast and I have since been cautioned and lectured by the podiatrist that I need to stretch, get properly fitted for new running shoes, heat and anti-inflammatories applied daily and, here's the capper, 'you're not as young as you used to be and you just can't go out and bang out 3 miles after not running for a few months'. But! I have the bones of a 25 year old! Just ask Dr. Mark! He was amazed by my scan!
Yeah. Anyway. Another week of rest, heat and advil and then I can run again with lots of stretching before and starting out slowly. I'm looking at the silver lining which is that starting slowly will force me to work on my form. So, there's that.
*****
Mother's Day weekend in Santa Barbara was fantastic. Great food, fun shopping, relaxing in the wine country and in the spa. I got home on Sunday just 5 minutes after the boys returned from their mountain retreat. I spent the rest of the day doing grocery shopping, laundry and making dinner but I couldn't have been happier. It was great being away for a few days but I missed them and it made my Mother's Day all the sweeter to just be with them.
*****
The boys are back in swimming lessons this week and I am amazed at Dean. He seemed a little hesitant at first but last night that kid went under water with his eyes wide open so he could retrieve the ring that the teacher placed on the lower step. It's unbelievable! And Jack is working on his stroking and kicking and has excellent form. I'm so glad we're doing these lessons again.
*****
The boys are also in a community center production of High School Musical and have rehearsals every Wednesday. So far they haven't gotten up to do any of the singing or the dancing - they just sit and watch. Jack tells me that he doesn't want to do it so I don't know what will come of it. If nothing else at least they're gaining the experience of the work that goes into putting on a show.
*****
I got the surprise of my life on Monday night when I got home and there was a box sitting on the countertop which Tom said was my Mother's Day present. I thought my weekend was my present so I wasn't expecting anything! I opened the box and there was a beautiful new Nikon D40 digital camera with an extra lens. OH! It's so beautiful! I can't wait to start using it.
*****
Last night at my MOMs club meeting we had a panel of women (members mostly) who talked about challenges that they have faced. One mom's challenge was her twins' diagnosis of ADD and ADHD, another mom's challenge was one of her twins was diagnosed as severely autistic, a third mom talked about her both her twins' diagnosis of autism, the fourth mom talked about her twin girl's deafness and the last mom talked about the loss of one of her twins at 3 months of age. It was an incredibly emotional night. Listening to these women as they talked of the challenges they faced, their inner struggles, the difficult decisions they had to make, the thoughtless comments they had to bear . . . it left me feeling so blessed, so incredibly fortunate. These women were incredible in their faith, their courage, their strength. It was a surprisingly uplifting, if emotionally draining, night. And it sure illuminated how easily it is to get caught up in the moment without enjoying the present. Every moment, no matter how difficult, is a gift.
Cherish your gifts. Enjoy your present. Love your life.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Running Strong
I recently started running again after a 3-4 month hiatus. My first run wasn't too bad - less than 36 minutes for 3.2 miles. Slow, for sure but considering how long it's been, not bad.
My second run was 34:00 for that 3.2 miles. Nearly the fastest I've ever run those 3.2 miles. Weird, I thought. I was very proud.
My third run was 32:19 for that 3.2 miles. That's almost under 10 minute miles! I've never, ever run that fast - not even in a race.
I think before this year is out that I will break 30:00. That is my goal. After all, if I can cut off nearly 4 minutes in less than a week, I should be able to knock off another 2 1/2 minutes by the end of the year, right?
Ed. I think I have a stress fracture in my left foot. I have an appointment with my doctor today to find out. Perhaps I pushed myself too hard, too fast??
My second run was 34:00 for that 3.2 miles. Nearly the fastest I've ever run those 3.2 miles. Weird, I thought. I was very proud.
My third run was 32:19 for that 3.2 miles. That's almost under 10 minute miles! I've never, ever run that fast - not even in a race.
I think before this year is out that I will break 30:00. That is my goal. After all, if I can cut off nearly 4 minutes in less than a week, I should be able to knock off another 2 1/2 minutes by the end of the year, right?
Ed. I think I have a stress fracture in my left foot. I have an appointment with my doctor today to find out. Perhaps I pushed myself too hard, too fast??
Weekend Wrap Up
What a weekend! Friday night we went out for dinner at a nice little Italian place and then to the bookstore to buy a birthday present for a friend of the boys. Saturday morning we went to the birthday party, then hung out at home for a while. Our friend Roxann came over in the late afternoon to babysit the boys so Tom and I could go to Fish and Brooksie's baby shower - which was lovely.
But today! Whew! Cousin Jamie is reading "Flat Stanley" in kindergarten. Flat Stanley is about a boy who gets flattened when a bulletin board falls on him. He doesn't get too upset because he realizes that if he's flat he can mail himself anywhere he wants to go! So, Cousin Jamie made his own Flat Stanley and mailed him to us so we could show him around a bit and then send him home. So, after we did our Sunday morning marketing at the Farmer's Market, we picked up Flat Stanley and went to the Griffith Observatory. It was a beautiful day, sunny but not too hot. After we toured the observatory and took a few pictures, we drove down to Hollywood Blvd. so we could take a picture of Flat Stanley at one of the stars on the Walk of Fame. Then, we headed north to Universal Studios and Citywalk. We took more pictures and then had dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp. Finally, we came home for baths and playtime before bedtime. It was a fun day.
But today! Whew! Cousin Jamie is reading "Flat Stanley" in kindergarten. Flat Stanley is about a boy who gets flattened when a bulletin board falls on him. He doesn't get too upset because he realizes that if he's flat he can mail himself anywhere he wants to go! So, Cousin Jamie made his own Flat Stanley and mailed him to us so we could show him around a bit and then send him home. So, after we did our Sunday morning marketing at the Farmer's Market, we picked up Flat Stanley and went to the Griffith Observatory. It was a beautiful day, sunny but not too hot. After we toured the observatory and took a few pictures, we drove down to Hollywood Blvd. so we could take a picture of Flat Stanley at one of the stars on the Walk of Fame. Then, we headed north to Universal Studios and Citywalk. We took more pictures and then had dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp. Finally, we came home for baths and playtime before bedtime. It was a fun day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)