Today was a big day for the boys. It was their first day of kindergarten. Jack was really excited. He got up right away, got dressed, and ate his breakfast. Then, he cleaned his bedroom. Dean was a little quiet, didn't seem as excited. We got to the school just as Dean's class was filing into his room and Jack's class was lining up outside his room. I kissed them both goodbye, told them to find each other at recess and lunchtime, told them I love them and they're going to do great. Jack went in by himself only glancing at me twice. Tom walked Dean into his room and got him settled. Then we went back to check on Jack. He was sitting at the end of the table with his head in his hands, face red, clearly trying so hard not to cry.
Oh, it just broke my heart.
We waved at him through the window, blew him kisses, flashed him the OK sign and thumbs up. It was really hard to walk away.
I was thinking about them all day - wondering if they were ok, were they making friends, were they still feeling scared and nervous. Finally, it was time to pick them up. Of course they were fine. They both like their teachers. I had an opportunity to talk to Jack's teacher and she said he did just fine. She said he paid attention really well. They are in the after school care and they both liked that too.
We went out for ice cream after and then had our first soccer meeting. The boys got their uniforms, met their coach and got to kick the ball around a little. Then we picked up Tom at the bus station and went to dinner.
Tonight as the boys were falling asleep, Jack told me that he liked kindergarten but that he almost cried. We talked about how it's ok to cry, it's ok to be nervous. Tom came in and told him that his assignment for tomorrow is to go to another kid in his class, introduce yourself and ask what their name is.
I thought I was ready. I didn't cry when it was our last day at the daycare, the boys are well prepared, we've been prepping them and so did the daycare. Even as we walked into the schoolyard I felt fine, they were ready. It wasn't until I saw Jack sitting in that room with his hands in his face that I thought, no, I'm not ready for this. I can't take not being there to help him navigate this.
Can you imagine how I'll feel when they go off to college?
But today, they made me so incredibly proud.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Monday, September 01, 2008
Labor Day Weekend
I have a lot to tell about our Labor Day Weekend but my self-editing button is on so I'm going to just power through this without thinking.
We got to the campsite (near the Sequoia Nat'l Forest) at about dusk. Our friends had just gotten there and set up their tent so they helped us put up ours. We had stopped for dinner along the way so all we had to do was set up and then chill. The boys played with glow sticks and ran around the campground while we caught up with our friends. We didn't pay much attention to the other campers around us. There was music playing at every campsite but it didn't seem intrusive. Finally, at about 11:00 the boys and I went into the tent to get some sleep. We all fell asleep pretty fast despite the competing Metal bands. Sometime later though, the noise from the surrounded camps seemed to get louder. Then, I heard this collective intake of breath followed by the sickening sound of a truck braking fast and skidding (as well as one can) on dirt and grass. Then a girl started screaming that the driver of the truck ran into her tent and could have killed her. Another couple of guys chimed in and told the driver that that's just not cool - he could have killed her and he should go over and apologize.
That's when I got the first inkling that maybe this wouldn't be the quiet, restorative commune with nature that I so anticipated.
But, everything looks better with morning light. So we got up, had some breakfast and prepared for our afternoon on the lake. Which. Was. Great. There were about 18 of us on a pontoon boat and we just hung out on the lake, floated on rafts, did a little fishing. It was really relaxing. We went back to the campground just before dinner and relaxed by the pool for a few minutes. Jack learned he could float on his back. He started out by swimming on his stomach and then he'd spin to his back and finish swimming on his back. It was pretty awesome. The boys played on the playground while I made dinner. We had a great dinner under the stars and even managed to make some s'mores despite not having a true campfire. We played The Guy game and watched the stars. Soon it was time for bed. We tucked ourselves in and I hoped that we'd have a nice, quiet night. Once again we fell asleep quickly. At some point I was awakened by really boisterous from the camp on my right, a TNT Saturday night movie roared from the camp behind me (yes, a TV was brought into camp and even a satellite dish - how completely sad), and ridiculous rap music blaring from the camp to my left. Somehow all the camps got louder the later it got. Kids walking to and from the bathroom chattering all the way walked right through our campsite. It was the worst camping etiquette possible. Dean and I woke up bleary eyed (just me really, he slept right through it all) and while we were getting dressed a group of giggly girls walked right by our tent, giggling and being annoying and Tom yelled out this very guttural "GET AWAY FROM THIS TENT!". I looked over and him and saw his shoulders shaking with laughter and then our friend Brian chimed in from his tent "Tell 'em brother!". It seemed to work though because they stopped walking in front of our tent after that.
After everyone got up and we had breakfast, we took off for the Sequoia National Forest. We drove into the park and hiked down to see General Sherman, the world's largest tree. It was incredible. We also saw a bear cub and his mama. He was really cute. Then we went to the Crystal Cave. We had a 20 minute hike down to the cave and then we had a 30 minute tour of the cave. It was amazing. It was about 50 degrees in the cave which felt really good after the 90 degree heat of the campground. After the tour, we had a little snack down by the waterfall and then began the big hike back up to the parking area. The guide told us it was equivalent to walking up a 30 story building and he wasn't kidding. Then, back to the campground for dinner and stories under the stars. We had high expectations this night. Surely, everyone must be tired, too tired for loud music, tv and chit chat.
As usual, we hit the sack at about 11:00 and I swear I'm not kidding about this but as soon as we got in there, the men from the camp to our right suddenly started telling stories - loud, raucous voices telling stories of their own stupidity. It's like they were waiting to raise their voices until we went to bed. I know that sounds very egotistical of me as if the world revolved around us but seriously, they were speaking in hushed tones until we went to bed. It took me about an hour but I finally fell asleep.
And now we're home and I'm really looking forward to a quiet, full night of uninterrupted sleep.
I loved camping and I can't wait to do it again but we will definitely choose a more remote area the next time.
We got to the campsite (near the Sequoia Nat'l Forest) at about dusk. Our friends had just gotten there and set up their tent so they helped us put up ours. We had stopped for dinner along the way so all we had to do was set up and then chill. The boys played with glow sticks and ran around the campground while we caught up with our friends. We didn't pay much attention to the other campers around us. There was music playing at every campsite but it didn't seem intrusive. Finally, at about 11:00 the boys and I went into the tent to get some sleep. We all fell asleep pretty fast despite the competing Metal bands. Sometime later though, the noise from the surrounded camps seemed to get louder. Then, I heard this collective intake of breath followed by the sickening sound of a truck braking fast and skidding (as well as one can) on dirt and grass. Then a girl started screaming that the driver of the truck ran into her tent and could have killed her. Another couple of guys chimed in and told the driver that that's just not cool - he could have killed her and he should go over and apologize.
That's when I got the first inkling that maybe this wouldn't be the quiet, restorative commune with nature that I so anticipated.
But, everything looks better with morning light. So we got up, had some breakfast and prepared for our afternoon on the lake. Which. Was. Great. There were about 18 of us on a pontoon boat and we just hung out on the lake, floated on rafts, did a little fishing. It was really relaxing. We went back to the campground just before dinner and relaxed by the pool for a few minutes. Jack learned he could float on his back. He started out by swimming on his stomach and then he'd spin to his back and finish swimming on his back. It was pretty awesome. The boys played on the playground while I made dinner. We had a great dinner under the stars and even managed to make some s'mores despite not having a true campfire. We played The Guy game and watched the stars. Soon it was time for bed. We tucked ourselves in and I hoped that we'd have a nice, quiet night. Once again we fell asleep quickly. At some point I was awakened by really boisterous from the camp on my right, a TNT Saturday night movie roared from the camp behind me (yes, a TV was brought into camp and even a satellite dish - how completely sad), and ridiculous rap music blaring from the camp to my left. Somehow all the camps got louder the later it got. Kids walking to and from the bathroom chattering all the way walked right through our campsite. It was the worst camping etiquette possible. Dean and I woke up bleary eyed (just me really, he slept right through it all) and while we were getting dressed a group of giggly girls walked right by our tent, giggling and being annoying and Tom yelled out this very guttural "GET AWAY FROM THIS TENT!". I looked over and him and saw his shoulders shaking with laughter and then our friend Brian chimed in from his tent "Tell 'em brother!". It seemed to work though because they stopped walking in front of our tent after that.
After everyone got up and we had breakfast, we took off for the Sequoia National Forest. We drove into the park and hiked down to see General Sherman, the world's largest tree. It was incredible. We also saw a bear cub and his mama. He was really cute. Then we went to the Crystal Cave. We had a 20 minute hike down to the cave and then we had a 30 minute tour of the cave. It was amazing. It was about 50 degrees in the cave which felt really good after the 90 degree heat of the campground. After the tour, we had a little snack down by the waterfall and then began the big hike back up to the parking area. The guide told us it was equivalent to walking up a 30 story building and he wasn't kidding. Then, back to the campground for dinner and stories under the stars. We had high expectations this night. Surely, everyone must be tired, too tired for loud music, tv and chit chat.
As usual, we hit the sack at about 11:00 and I swear I'm not kidding about this but as soon as we got in there, the men from the camp to our right suddenly started telling stories - loud, raucous voices telling stories of their own stupidity. It's like they were waiting to raise their voices until we went to bed. I know that sounds very egotistical of me as if the world revolved around us but seriously, they were speaking in hushed tones until we went to bed. It took me about an hour but I finally fell asleep.
And now we're home and I'm really looking forward to a quiet, full night of uninterrupted sleep.
I loved camping and I can't wait to do it again but we will definitely choose a more remote area the next time.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Cauliflower Soup
Adapted from the Silky Cauliflower Soup by the Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients:
2 T Olive Oil
Small onion, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 Cups of low sodium chicken broth
1 Potato, peeled and cut in 1" cubes
Head of cauliflower, stalk and leaves removed, coarsely chopped
3/4 Cup of milk, heated
1/2 Cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic until soft, not browned - about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potato and let simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add cauliflower, bring heat down to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. You can also puree in batches in a blender of food processor but let the soup cool first. Stir in heated milk and parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 T Olive Oil
Small onion, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 Cups of low sodium chicken broth
1 Potato, peeled and cut in 1" cubes
Head of cauliflower, stalk and leaves removed, coarsely chopped
3/4 Cup of milk, heated
1/2 Cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic until soft, not browned - about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potato and let simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add cauliflower, bring heat down to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. You can also puree in batches in a blender of food processor but let the soup cool first. Stir in heated milk and parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Accountability
Ever since I hurt my foot, I haven't been running. And, when I hurt my foot, it was the first time I had been running in months. So really? I haven't been running for like a year. In fact, I ran last year in the triathlon and pretty much haven't been consistent since then.
Here it is a year later and I'm nearing my 39th birthday. 39! Seriously? How can I be turning 39? I'll be eligible for early retirement in 16 years. I don't even know what I want to do yet!
Anyway, back to the running thing. So a year of relative inactivity accompanied by a laissez-faire attitude when it came to food has resulted in my, well, gaining a bit of weight. Now I'm not putting this out there so you all will chime in and tell me how good I look and you can't even tell because the truth is I hide it well. The reality is - I have a muffin top and it ain't pretty.
But I'm going to put a stop to it! This here is a declaration that I will no longer stuff my face with doughnuts, bagels slathered with cream cheese, handfuls of chocolate, and despite my love of all food Italian, I will not gorge on prosciutto, pancetta, fresh mozzarella and freshly baked bread everyday for lunch. I do not need to eat the two cookies that come with the lunchboxes in working meetings! They're not even that good! Salads will become my new best friend. Water will be my constant companion. High Fructose Corn Syrup is the sworn enemy! HFCS - you're on alert!
But that's not all! I also vow to get back in shape and plan to exercise every day. Now don't worry, I'm not going to go out and run 5 miles for 3 days in a row and then let a raging case of shin splints sideline me. I'm going to be smart this time. I'm going to take it slow, do a little at a time, increase my speed and endurance only after I've been at this consistently for 4 weeks. I'm going to incorporate strength training. Dara Torres is my new hero!
This new regime began today. Despite it being a Saturday, I set my alarm for 6:30 so I could go for a run. Plans started derailing almost immediately when I woke up at 6:29 and reset my alarm for 7:00. But then Jack got up and I thought, hm, maybe I'll take him with me and he can ride his bike while I run. So, that's what I did and it worked great. I didn't get much of a workout in because he had to stop quite a lot to scratch his head, rub his knee, rest his hands, smell the mustard, tell me a story. The good thing about that though was that it forced me to take it easy, stop and rest, and that will keep me from overdoing it and injuring myself again. Then when we got home I did 3 sets of 20 swings w/ the 10 lb. kb, 20 squats with the kb and 20 pushups. By the 3rd set my legs and arms were shaking.
Not making poor food choices was a bit tougher. I haven't been to the grocery store in 2 weeks so I was out of staples. It was almost 1:00 and we hadn't had lunch and I was really close to saying we should go for takeout. But then I remembered I had a cauliflower in the fridge and a recipe for silky cauliflower soup that I wanted to try. O my goodness, it was so good and super easy. So that's what we had for lunch with some cantaloupe and watermelon for dessert. Later, while we were out running errands, we decided to stop by Jamba Juice for a snack. Normally, I don't even think about how many calories are in those things but I did today. Despite my ever-loving lust for Peanut Butter Moo'd, I chose a more sensible drink that had much fewer calories and still managed to get brain freeze from slurping it up too fast.
Have I lost you yet? I know, it's boring reading about someone's weight loss plan. I'm yawning while I type it. But I have to get it down so that maybe I'll hold myself accountable for once.
So? How long do you give me?
Here it is a year later and I'm nearing my 39th birthday. 39! Seriously? How can I be turning 39? I'll be eligible for early retirement in 16 years. I don't even know what I want to do yet!
Anyway, back to the running thing. So a year of relative inactivity accompanied by a laissez-faire attitude when it came to food has resulted in my, well, gaining a bit of weight. Now I'm not putting this out there so you all will chime in and tell me how good I look and you can't even tell because the truth is I hide it well. The reality is - I have a muffin top and it ain't pretty.
But I'm going to put a stop to it! This here is a declaration that I will no longer stuff my face with doughnuts, bagels slathered with cream cheese, handfuls of chocolate, and despite my love of all food Italian, I will not gorge on prosciutto, pancetta, fresh mozzarella and freshly baked bread everyday for lunch. I do not need to eat the two cookies that come with the lunchboxes in working meetings! They're not even that good! Salads will become my new best friend. Water will be my constant companion. High Fructose Corn Syrup is the sworn enemy! HFCS - you're on alert!
But that's not all! I also vow to get back in shape and plan to exercise every day. Now don't worry, I'm not going to go out and run 5 miles for 3 days in a row and then let a raging case of shin splints sideline me. I'm going to be smart this time. I'm going to take it slow, do a little at a time, increase my speed and endurance only after I've been at this consistently for 4 weeks. I'm going to incorporate strength training. Dara Torres is my new hero!
This new regime began today. Despite it being a Saturday, I set my alarm for 6:30 so I could go for a run. Plans started derailing almost immediately when I woke up at 6:29 and reset my alarm for 7:00. But then Jack got up and I thought, hm, maybe I'll take him with me and he can ride his bike while I run. So, that's what I did and it worked great. I didn't get much of a workout in because he had to stop quite a lot to scratch his head, rub his knee, rest his hands, smell the mustard, tell me a story. The good thing about that though was that it forced me to take it easy, stop and rest, and that will keep me from overdoing it and injuring myself again. Then when we got home I did 3 sets of 20 swings w/ the 10 lb. kb, 20 squats with the kb and 20 pushups. By the 3rd set my legs and arms were shaking.
Not making poor food choices was a bit tougher. I haven't been to the grocery store in 2 weeks so I was out of staples. It was almost 1:00 and we hadn't had lunch and I was really close to saying we should go for takeout. But then I remembered I had a cauliflower in the fridge and a recipe for silky cauliflower soup that I wanted to try. O my goodness, it was so good and super easy. So that's what we had for lunch with some cantaloupe and watermelon for dessert. Later, while we were out running errands, we decided to stop by Jamba Juice for a snack. Normally, I don't even think about how many calories are in those things but I did today. Despite my ever-loving lust for Peanut Butter Moo'd, I chose a more sensible drink that had much fewer calories and still managed to get brain freeze from slurping it up too fast.
Have I lost you yet? I know, it's boring reading about someone's weight loss plan. I'm yawning while I type it. But I have to get it down so that maybe I'll hold myself accountable for once.
So? How long do you give me?
Birthday Night
Yesterday was Tom's birthday. We had nothing spectacular planned - it's tough to do something big on a weeknight. We decided that steak would be good and, since we had the boys with us, went to Black Angus for a family dinner. The boys were exhausted and after they had a few bites they laid down in the booth and fell asleep. It was just us looking across the table at each other, laughing about Jack's rock store, about Dean's characterizations, and something about the way the light flashed in his eyes reminded me of us 15 years ago in a similar booth when we were still dating, unfettered by such awesome responsibilities.
How amazing is it that I fell in love with that man? How remarkable is it that after all these years, through some really challenging times, I'm more in love with him now than I ever was?
Happy Birthday my love.
How amazing is it that I fell in love with that man? How remarkable is it that after all these years, through some really challenging times, I'm more in love with him now than I ever was?
Happy Birthday my love.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Punk Rock Store
Jack's been collecting rocks all summer, saving them in a box and keeping them in his cubby. A few days ago, he brought his collection home because he wants to sell them. I told him that most people don't buy rocks because they can usually just find them when they need them. His response was, "yeah, but this way they don't have to find them".
Good point.
Here he is in our front yard a.k.a. Jack's Rock Store.
Some kids sell lemonade - my kid sells rocks.
He made $4 dollars that night. Never underestimate a box of rocks.
Good point.
This is Jack getting his merchandise ready for sale.
Here he is in our front yard a.k.a. Jack's Rock Store.
Some kids sell lemonade - my kid sells rocks.
He made $4 dollars that night. Never underestimate a box of rocks.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Friends
People often ask me how I was able to stand being in the hospital for 2 months on bedrest.
Answer: friends. Friends who visited me, brought me news, books, gossip, lotion. Friends who rubbed my feet, kept me company, made me laugh.
Friends came through for us after the boys were born, too. They donated blood for Jack and Dean. They helped Tom demo and rebuild the bathroom. They pooled their money and paid for someone to finish the tile work.
I was overwhelmed - with the generosity of our friends, the roller coaster emotions of having two preemie babies, the upside down schedule (or lack thereof), the medications, the monitors.
I'm not sure I ever properly thanked everyone. In fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't.
I can't go back in time and thank them now. Instead, I'm paying it forward.
My sister-in-law wrote on her blog today about a friend of hers whose child is fighting leukemia. You won't find a better cause to give your charity dollars to than the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Here is her friend's donation page.
If you can't afford a donation right now, then please keep her in your thoughts.
Answer: friends. Friends who visited me, brought me news, books, gossip, lotion. Friends who rubbed my feet, kept me company, made me laugh.
Friends came through for us after the boys were born, too. They donated blood for Jack and Dean. They helped Tom demo and rebuild the bathroom. They pooled their money and paid for someone to finish the tile work.
I was overwhelmed - with the generosity of our friends, the roller coaster emotions of having two preemie babies, the upside down schedule (or lack thereof), the medications, the monitors.
I'm not sure I ever properly thanked everyone. In fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't.
I can't go back in time and thank them now. Instead, I'm paying it forward.
My sister-in-law wrote on her blog today about a friend of hers whose child is fighting leukemia. You won't find a better cause to give your charity dollars to than the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Here is her friend's donation page.
If you can't afford a donation right now, then please keep her in your thoughts.
Dean
There's nothing like a refreshing swim on a hot day and then being wrapped in a soft, fluffy white towel. This is why I love summer.
Friday, August 08, 2008
Mom's Visit
It's hard to believe that our week with Grandma is coming to a close and she'll be going home tomorrow. We have had a very busy and very fun week. It started off with a trip to Knott's Berry Farm on Friday. We went on rides, ate treats, saw a mystical show and took the boys on their first bona fide roller coaster ride.
Saturday, we went to a bowling birthday party followed by a trip to the local swimming pool. Sunday, we spent the entire day at the beach. It was awesome. We played in the surf, dug in the sand, played football, ate sandwiches and oreos by the handful. At one point, mom turned to me and said she didn't care if we did nothing else all week but go to the beach. The boys were doing so well with the waves that we decided they were ready for boogie boards. It was a beautiful day.
Mom was on her own with the boys on Monday and when I came home, I was bombarded by water balloons! I took Tuesday off and we went shopping for school clothes (yes, it begins already!) and then went to our friend's house for an afternoon of swimming and then dinner. Wednesday, she was on her own again and then we went to see Mamma Mia! that night with my friend Colleen. Ok, the movie was a little cheesy but fun - especially seeing it with my mom. We went out for a quick drink after the movie and regaled Colleen with old mom/daughter stories.
Thursday we headed back to the beach but first we stopped at the sporting goods store to pick up a couple of boogie boards for the boys. Jack was chomping at the bit to get in the water. He didn't want to wait for us to set up the blankets, put on sunscreen, pop up the tent - nothing! Oh, it was fun. Again, we played in the surf, dug in the sand and ate sandwiches and cookies. Late in the afternoon, all four of us were out in the water - mom and I trying to boogie board on the boys' little spongebob boards. I almost lost my bikini bottoms but man, was it fun!! We were laughing so hard as we tried to pick ourselves up off the ocean floor. Those waves were rough and we just couldn't stay on our feet.
I had to work today so mom took the boys to the library and then they just hung out at home. They baked a cake and played games and then mom made homemade fried chicken, horseradish mashed potatoes and gravy for dinner. MMMmmm, my favorite.
The evening wound to a close with mom starting an epic tickle session followed by her reading bedtime stories to the boys.
Tomorrow we'll be up early to drive her to the airport.
We'll miss her.
Saturday, we went to a bowling birthday party followed by a trip to the local swimming pool. Sunday, we spent the entire day at the beach. It was awesome. We played in the surf, dug in the sand, played football, ate sandwiches and oreos by the handful. At one point, mom turned to me and said she didn't care if we did nothing else all week but go to the beach. The boys were doing so well with the waves that we decided they were ready for boogie boards. It was a beautiful day.
Mom was on her own with the boys on Monday and when I came home, I was bombarded by water balloons! I took Tuesday off and we went shopping for school clothes (yes, it begins already!) and then went to our friend's house for an afternoon of swimming and then dinner. Wednesday, she was on her own again and then we went to see Mamma Mia! that night with my friend Colleen. Ok, the movie was a little cheesy but fun - especially seeing it with my mom. We went out for a quick drink after the movie and regaled Colleen with old mom/daughter stories.
Thursday we headed back to the beach but first we stopped at the sporting goods store to pick up a couple of boogie boards for the boys. Jack was chomping at the bit to get in the water. He didn't want to wait for us to set up the blankets, put on sunscreen, pop up the tent - nothing! Oh, it was fun. Again, we played in the surf, dug in the sand and ate sandwiches and cookies. Late in the afternoon, all four of us were out in the water - mom and I trying to boogie board on the boys' little spongebob boards. I almost lost my bikini bottoms but man, was it fun!! We were laughing so hard as we tried to pick ourselves up off the ocean floor. Those waves were rough and we just couldn't stay on our feet.
I had to work today so mom took the boys to the library and then they just hung out at home. They baked a cake and played games and then mom made homemade fried chicken, horseradish mashed potatoes and gravy for dinner. MMMmmm, my favorite.
The evening wound to a close with mom starting an epic tickle session followed by her reading bedtime stories to the boys.
Tomorrow we'll be up early to drive her to the airport.
We'll miss her.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Grandma!
Grandma comes today and the boys are so excited. Hopefully, it will ease Jack's disappointment over not getting to go to Disneyland with daycare today. I felt awful but I just couldn't see spending $120 for them to go when I can take them there for free. And, I wasn't that thrilled with the idea that they'd be at Disneyland, with all the crazy crowds and stroller wielding parents, without me to watch over them. It's the classic case of "they're only safe with me" but, that's just me.
Tomorrow we're going to Knotts Berry Farm and that should help. Ironically, I don't think Jack cared that much about Disneyland per se but was mostly disappointed that he didn't get to be with the big kids. He wants to be big so bad.
Last night, they were whiny and cranky as usual but the night before that? They were sweet and lovey and absolutely delightful. We stayed outside all evening after dinner (no TV - yay!), got out the telescope and looked at Jupiter and the stars. It was so wonderful. Dean and I laid on the chaise lounge while Jack gazed at the universe. Of course, they had taken naps that day (earthquake day) and that makes all the difference.
Tomorrow we're going to Knotts Berry Farm and that should help. Ironically, I don't think Jack cared that much about Disneyland per se but was mostly disappointed that he didn't get to be with the big kids. He wants to be big so bad.
Last night, they were whiny and cranky as usual but the night before that? They were sweet and lovey and absolutely delightful. We stayed outside all evening after dinner (no TV - yay!), got out the telescope and looked at Jupiter and the stars. It was so wonderful. Dean and I laid on the chaise lounge while Jack gazed at the universe. Of course, they had taken naps that day (earthquake day) and that makes all the difference.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
5.4
We had a moderate earthquake here this morning. I checked on the boys and they are fine. No serious damage to report, no injuries, no casualties.
Everybody's ok.
Everybody's ok.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Weekend Update
Last week I complained to Tom that there was a spot right between my shoulder blades that didn't feel right. He started pushing around there with his all-knowing fingers and announced that I had a rib out and should go to the chiropractor. Yes, I nodded, took a muscle relaxer and went to bed. I followed up that advice with two nights of carrying sleeping children from car to bed and a trip to Costco. A trip to Costco which included about 40 pounds of meat.
I imagine the formula goes something like this:
2(35) + 2(35) + 40 = MY BACK IS KILLING ME!!!!
I have a 3:30 appointment with the chiropractor.
**************
Remember when I casually mentioned last week that 5 years old was kicking my butt? Well, it still is. Saturday was especially rough. Tom went into work and it was just me and them. They apparently don't want to be siblings anymore because they repeatedly tried to kill each other. However, they must not have wanted it badly enough because they didn't move from the couch when I commanded them to go to the middle of the living room and beat each other up so we could just get it over with already.
C'mon, I'm just kidding.
Or, am I?
Luckily, their friend Callum desperately wanted them for a playdate and his mother generously suggested that Tom and I make a run for it. We didn't even ask, really, are you sure?
We went shopping which is so much more fun when you don't have to mediate arguments between children. We even managed to find curtains for the living room (FINALLY!) and new decorative pillows! And, thanks to a heads up by Kelly Clarke (thanks Kelly) we saved $50 because of the friends and family coupon! Or, the pessimist might say we spent $300 that we wouldn't have spent otherwise (thanks Kelly). In any case, I'm very excited to put up my new curtains just as soon as I can lift my arms above my head.
After our shopping excursion, we decided to really take advantage of our free time and went to see The Dark Knight. It was really good but it might have contributed to the back issue because it was so intense that I kept having to sink down in my seat, cover my eyes and grasp Tom's arm firmly - only to sit back up again when things lightened up a little. I walked out of that theater with shaky knees and not just because of the way Christian Bale fills out that batman suit.
Finally, we headed back to Callum's house to pick up the boys. Lucky for us (and future free, I mean, playdates), the report was that the boys were really easy, had a great time and it was almost easier having the 3 of them than it would have been to have just Callum. It looks like we have more "playdates" in our future.
The next day, with the exception of a few minutes in Costco, the boys were really good.
This is a phase, right? When they turn 6 they'll be lots of fun again, right?
I imagine the formula goes something like this:
2(35) + 2(35) + 40 = MY BACK IS KILLING ME!!!!
I have a 3:30 appointment with the chiropractor.
**************
Remember when I casually mentioned last week that 5 years old was kicking my butt? Well, it still is. Saturday was especially rough. Tom went into work and it was just me and them. They apparently don't want to be siblings anymore because they repeatedly tried to kill each other. However, they must not have wanted it badly enough because they didn't move from the couch when I commanded them to go to the middle of the living room and beat each other up so we could just get it over with already.
C'mon, I'm just kidding.
Or, am I?
Luckily, their friend Callum desperately wanted them for a playdate and his mother generously suggested that Tom and I make a run for it. We didn't even ask, really, are you sure?
We went shopping which is so much more fun when you don't have to mediate arguments between children. We even managed to find curtains for the living room (FINALLY!) and new decorative pillows! And, thanks to a heads up by Kelly Clarke (thanks Kelly) we saved $50 because of the friends and family coupon! Or, the pessimist might say we spent $300 that we wouldn't have spent otherwise (thanks Kelly). In any case, I'm very excited to put up my new curtains just as soon as I can lift my arms above my head.
After our shopping excursion, we decided to really take advantage of our free time and went to see The Dark Knight. It was really good but it might have contributed to the back issue because it was so intense that I kept having to sink down in my seat, cover my eyes and grasp Tom's arm firmly - only to sit back up again when things lightened up a little. I walked out of that theater with shaky knees and not just because of the way Christian Bale fills out that batman suit.
Finally, we headed back to Callum's house to pick up the boys. Lucky for us (and future free, I mean, playdates), the report was that the boys were really easy, had a great time and it was almost easier having the 3 of them than it would have been to have just Callum. It looks like we have more "playdates" in our future.
The next day, with the exception of a few minutes in Costco, the boys were really good.
This is a phase, right? When they turn 6 they'll be lots of fun again, right?
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Free Association
Five years old is kicking my butt. Today I found myself thinking wistfully of the baby stage. Maybe it's because two of our closest friends just had babies.
Could I please stop self editing? Holy hell it's driving me crazy. Constantly going back, delete, delete, delete. Rephrase. No wonder I'm feeling creatively blocked!
I'm feeling creatively blocked. I compose posts in my head all the time - on the way to work/school, on the way home, as I'm falling asleep at night, as I'm washing my hair in the shower. A constant stream of words go through my head and, in my head, they sound fantastic. But by the time I finally get a chance to put them down on paper - the words escape me and I find myself hovering over the delete key more than anything else. It's making me nuts. The words are there.
Then I stop what I'm writing and re-read what I've written. Why? I don't know. I wish I could write what's in my head. It sounds so much better there. Oh, gotta go flip the chicken. Nope, not ready yet. Maybe if I just brainstorm? Free, free, free - what is that expression? freestyle? no freemind? no what is it? god, that's going to bug me. free association. Thank goodness I figured that out.
So what is this post about? My stifled creativity or how 5 year olds are kicking my ass? Let's first start with the stifled creativity. So, I'm constantly composing posts in my head - we've covered that. Then, by the time I sit down to write I'm too tired. By then, it's 10:00pm and I'm bone tired without a creative trickle left, let alone a stream. I also long to start reading again. You know, great books, great fiction, great non-fiction. Great writers. But I don't have time. I don't have time to seek out great work and, if I had something great to read, I'd fall asleep by page 5. Instead, I read blogs. Tom wonders what I'm doing whenever I have the computer on my lap. I feel stupid saying "reading blogs" but it's what I like to do. I'm sure he wonders what I find so fascinating about other peoples' lives - people I've never met. But, some of them are brilliant writers and I always feel like my soul is a little nourished when I read something beautiful, something thoughtful or brilliant. I crave that.
I'm sitting here looking at my bare walls and I so badly want to fill them but am waiting to be inspired. By what? I don't know. I want to put something up that makes sense, that suits us, our home, our lives. I want art but don't know what kind. Photography? Prints? What? Pictures of family? It drives Tom crazy that we haven't put anything up yet but I don't want to just throw something up on the walls just to cover them.
Then I see something in a magazine - a cool cabinet with carefully, thoughtfully collected mementos and inside my head whines "i want that".
I used to hate quiet. I always turned the TV on even if I didn't watch it, just to have some noise. Now, I long for quiet. It soothes me. I love leaving the lights off in the house with just one light on, just one pool of light that casts shadows into the living room or hallway. I can breathe.
Tomorrow I'll probably hate the fact that I wrote this. Will wrestle internally with uncertainty - should I leave it up or take it off? I could make it private. Do I care? Is it part of me? Does it deserve to be shared? Would anyone benefit? Does it matter?
Will it hurt anyone? That's the most important question. Only me. Will it?
I love my life. I just wish I had more time to nourish my soul.
Could I please stop self editing? Holy hell it's driving me crazy. Constantly going back, delete, delete, delete. Rephrase. No wonder I'm feeling creatively blocked!
I'm feeling creatively blocked. I compose posts in my head all the time - on the way to work/school, on the way home, as I'm falling asleep at night, as I'm washing my hair in the shower. A constant stream of words go through my head and, in my head, they sound fantastic. But by the time I finally get a chance to put them down on paper - the words escape me and I find myself hovering over the delete key more than anything else. It's making me nuts. The words are there.
Then I stop what I'm writing and re-read what I've written. Why? I don't know. I wish I could write what's in my head. It sounds so much better there. Oh, gotta go flip the chicken. Nope, not ready yet. Maybe if I just brainstorm? Free, free, free - what is that expression? freestyle? no freemind? no what is it? god, that's going to bug me. free association. Thank goodness I figured that out.
So what is this post about? My stifled creativity or how 5 year olds are kicking my ass? Let's first start with the stifled creativity. So, I'm constantly composing posts in my head - we've covered that. Then, by the time I sit down to write I'm too tired. By then, it's 10:00pm and I'm bone tired without a creative trickle left, let alone a stream. I also long to start reading again. You know, great books, great fiction, great non-fiction. Great writers. But I don't have time. I don't have time to seek out great work and, if I had something great to read, I'd fall asleep by page 5. Instead, I read blogs. Tom wonders what I'm doing whenever I have the computer on my lap. I feel stupid saying "reading blogs" but it's what I like to do. I'm sure he wonders what I find so fascinating about other peoples' lives - people I've never met. But, some of them are brilliant writers and I always feel like my soul is a little nourished when I read something beautiful, something thoughtful or brilliant. I crave that.
I'm sitting here looking at my bare walls and I so badly want to fill them but am waiting to be inspired. By what? I don't know. I want to put something up that makes sense, that suits us, our home, our lives. I want art but don't know what kind. Photography? Prints? What? Pictures of family? It drives Tom crazy that we haven't put anything up yet but I don't want to just throw something up on the walls just to cover them.
Then I see something in a magazine - a cool cabinet with carefully, thoughtfully collected mementos and inside my head whines "i want that".
I used to hate quiet. I always turned the TV on even if I didn't watch it, just to have some noise. Now, I long for quiet. It soothes me. I love leaving the lights off in the house with just one light on, just one pool of light that casts shadows into the living room or hallway. I can breathe.
Tomorrow I'll probably hate the fact that I wrote this. Will wrestle internally with uncertainty - should I leave it up or take it off? I could make it private. Do I care? Is it part of me? Does it deserve to be shared? Would anyone benefit? Does it matter?
Will it hurt anyone? That's the most important question. Only me. Will it?
I love my life. I just wish I had more time to nourish my soul.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Catalina Island
Of course I went! And I fully intend to do it again next year. It was awesome!
I needn't have worried about the boat. It was a big boat, the water was smooth and the boys did just fine. I brought along some freshly grated ginger and whenever I felt slightly uneasy, I ate a pinch of ginger and it calmed the waves (of nausea).
We didn't spend much time in the town of Avalon but just headed right for the beach. The kids frolicked in the waves and I took pictures. The water was cold but once they got in, they were just fine. After a few hours of beach play and lunch, we headed over to the cove so the older kids could go snorkeling. Jack and Dean both said they wanted to snorkel but we couldn't get Dean to go down the steps. He stayed with Amanda instead. Jack insisted he wanted to go but only with me. So, I got into the water (FREEZING!!) and held onto him while he came in. The combination of the cold water, floating kelp brushing his feet, slippery algae on the steps, the too-large snorkel mask and the darkness and depth of the water was too much for him though, and he got very scared. I put him back up on the step and one of the older kids walked him back up the steps and wrapped a towel around him. He was worried about me so he stayed at the top of the steps and watched me snorkel until I finally climbed out after 20 minutes. I don't fault him for freaking out. That water was cold and it's very disconcerting to navigate behind a snorkel mask. But, I'm hoping that they'll do it next year when we go back because the fish are spectacular and I know they'll want to see it. I don't much like breathing through that tube though. Made me hyperventilate.
The only stress-inducing moment was when the 18 of us had to sprint to make the 3:00 ferry. We made it with just a couple of minutes to spare. I wouldn't have minded being stranded on Catalina for another couple of hours though. It was real purty.
I'll put up a couple of pictures as soon as I can figure out why Blogger is sending me error messages.
I needn't have worried about the boat. It was a big boat, the water was smooth and the boys did just fine. I brought along some freshly grated ginger and whenever I felt slightly uneasy, I ate a pinch of ginger and it calmed the waves (of nausea).
We didn't spend much time in the town of Avalon but just headed right for the beach. The kids frolicked in the waves and I took pictures. The water was cold but once they got in, they were just fine. After a few hours of beach play and lunch, we headed over to the cove so the older kids could go snorkeling. Jack and Dean both said they wanted to snorkel but we couldn't get Dean to go down the steps. He stayed with Amanda instead. Jack insisted he wanted to go but only with me. So, I got into the water (FREEZING!!) and held onto him while he came in. The combination of the cold water, floating kelp brushing his feet, slippery algae on the steps, the too-large snorkel mask and the darkness and depth of the water was too much for him though, and he got very scared. I put him back up on the step and one of the older kids walked him back up the steps and wrapped a towel around him. He was worried about me so he stayed at the top of the steps and watched me snorkel until I finally climbed out after 20 minutes. I don't fault him for freaking out. That water was cold and it's very disconcerting to navigate behind a snorkel mask. But, I'm hoping that they'll do it next year when we go back because the fish are spectacular and I know they'll want to see it. I don't much like breathing through that tube though. Made me hyperventilate.
The only stress-inducing moment was when the 18 of us had to sprint to make the 3:00 ferry. We made it with just a couple of minutes to spare. I wouldn't have minded being stranded on Catalina for another couple of hours though. It was real purty.
I'll put up a couple of pictures as soon as I can figure out why Blogger is sending me error messages.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Summer Days
It's crazy this week. So busy at work that I just have time to rush into my office, check voice mail, glance at email, groan at the expanding list of unread, prep for the next meeting, rush out to pick up the boys. I promised myself that tonight I would leave work at the office and be completely in the moment when I picked them up. It didn't start off so well. They're grumpy after a long day of frolicking in the surf, making sand castles and chasing the tide. Later this week they're going on a day trip to Catalina Island.
Yeah, their daycare rocks.
Still, it's a long day for a couple of five year olds and I usually bear the brunt. Tonight was no different and by the time we got home, everyone was scowling. So much for in the moment.
To diffuse the tension, I busied myself in the kitchen while they settled in to watch a little noggin. They watched, I cooked and everyone settled down. I finished up dinner and told them to go wash up. They didn't make a move. I figured they fell asleep but no, Dean wouldn't go to the bathroom by himself and Jack was just laying on the couch with his face in his hands. I asked again for them to go wash hands and then Jack looked at me and told me he was scared. I sat down on the couch, bundled him up in my arms and asked what he was afraid of.
He's afraid of the boat. And that's how I found myself in the strange position of ignoring my own fears in order to reassure my child. Naturally, I've been wrestling with this trip to Catalina. They have an hour long drive to the port followed by an hour long ferry ride to the island. Once on island, they'll play on the beach, have some lunch, do a little snorkeling and walk around the little town before they hop back on the ferry and head back to the mainland. It will be an amazing, unforgettable day for them and I don't want them to miss it -- despite my own irrational fears. But Jackie's afraid that the boat is going to tip over and that there are sharks in the water.
What? I wasn't afraid of sharks. At least, not until he mentioned them.
Luckily, Tom arrived just a few minutes later and he talked about how safe the boat is, that Amanda would never let them do something that was dangerous. Somehow, it's more believable when Daddy says it.
My schedule seems kind of light on Friday. Maybe I'll take the day off.
I hear Catalina Island is beautiful this time of year.
Yeah, their daycare rocks.
Still, it's a long day for a couple of five year olds and I usually bear the brunt. Tonight was no different and by the time we got home, everyone was scowling. So much for in the moment.
To diffuse the tension, I busied myself in the kitchen while they settled in to watch a little noggin. They watched, I cooked and everyone settled down. I finished up dinner and told them to go wash up. They didn't make a move. I figured they fell asleep but no, Dean wouldn't go to the bathroom by himself and Jack was just laying on the couch with his face in his hands. I asked again for them to go wash hands and then Jack looked at me and told me he was scared. I sat down on the couch, bundled him up in my arms and asked what he was afraid of.
He's afraid of the boat. And that's how I found myself in the strange position of ignoring my own fears in order to reassure my child. Naturally, I've been wrestling with this trip to Catalina. They have an hour long drive to the port followed by an hour long ferry ride to the island. Once on island, they'll play on the beach, have some lunch, do a little snorkeling and walk around the little town before they hop back on the ferry and head back to the mainland. It will be an amazing, unforgettable day for them and I don't want them to miss it -- despite my own irrational fears. But Jackie's afraid that the boat is going to tip over and that there are sharks in the water.
What? I wasn't afraid of sharks. At least, not until he mentioned them.
Luckily, Tom arrived just a few minutes later and he talked about how safe the boat is, that Amanda would never let them do something that was dangerous. Somehow, it's more believable when Daddy says it.
My schedule seems kind of light on Friday. Maybe I'll take the day off.
I hear Catalina Island is beautiful this time of year.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Lunch
Right now, yes this very minute, sitting in front of me on a festive orange and fuschia plate is a chunk of fresh italian bread, a handful of kalamata olives, a chunk of fresh mozzarella and the most beautiful, delicately sliced prosciutto. And, just for kicks 'cos I'm crazy like that, I just poured some gorgeous extra virgin olive oil into a bowl so I could dip my bread into it.
I really would make a very good Italian.
I really would make a very good Italian.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Twin Bond
They held hands today on the way to school.
After a morning of name calling and numerous pronouncements of meanness.
They always find some way to reconnect.
After a morning of name calling and numerous pronouncements of meanness.
They always find some way to reconnect.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Project Support Beauty in Nature
I don't think I ever posted an update on how I am doing regarding doing my part to clean up the earth. In my past post about this topic (link to follow later as I'm typing this on my crackberry while I wait for my car to be smog checked) I intended to put dispopsable gloves in my car so I would always have a sanitary way to pick up trash (I didn't though). I also planned to pick up trash every monday when I took Kate to the park (I didn't though and stopped going to the park w/ any regularity). I think I also planned to have a monthly family outing in which the sole purpose was to pick up trash (we didn't though).
You might wonder then, just what have I done? Well, I stopped buying paper napkins - we now use only cloth. I am slowly trying to wean myself off the paper towels. I started collecting the little plastic produce bags and I re-use them when I go to the farmer's market. I parked the SUV and am now driving the sedan because it gets better gas mileage. I started saving the little green baskets that berries and tomatoes come in and I return them to the farmer's market when I go shopping. When I go to target and I only have a few items (rare, but still) I ask them to hold the bag. I have always re-used my paper bags and I continue to do so. I pack fresh foods in re-usable containers in the boys lunches and they have re-usable water bottles (not disposable arrowhead bottles). I also put in cloth napkins and silverware instead of plasticware.
I also started engaging the boys in conversation about conservation, particularly after seeing wall-e which is partly about an uninhabitable earth. I was impressed with how much they already know both from our own practice and from earth day education at school.
There is much left to do but this is a good, sustainable start.
What are you doing?
You might wonder then, just what have I done? Well, I stopped buying paper napkins - we now use only cloth. I am slowly trying to wean myself off the paper towels. I started collecting the little plastic produce bags and I re-use them when I go to the farmer's market. I parked the SUV and am now driving the sedan because it gets better gas mileage. I started saving the little green baskets that berries and tomatoes come in and I return them to the farmer's market when I go shopping. When I go to target and I only have a few items (rare, but still) I ask them to hold the bag. I have always re-used my paper bags and I continue to do so. I pack fresh foods in re-usable containers in the boys lunches and they have re-usable water bottles (not disposable arrowhead bottles). I also put in cloth napkins and silverware instead of plasticware.
I also started engaging the boys in conversation about conservation, particularly after seeing wall-e which is partly about an uninhabitable earth. I was impressed with how much they already know both from our own practice and from earth day education at school.
There is much left to do but this is a good, sustainable start.
What are you doing?
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Dean's Breakthrough
I don't know what the trigger was - being with the big kids at school? - but Dean had a breakthrough today and that kid swam.
And swam.
And swam.
He swam the length of P 'n J's pool with a small break in the middle for a breath. He jumped off the side into the deep end without hesitation, popped to the surface and swam to me in the middle of the pool. He did a cannonball. He dove for superhero diving buddies. He practiced falling into the pool, turning himself around and swimming to the side. He practiced that over and over. He swam in that pool nonstop for a solid hour.
And then, he slept.
And slept.
And slept.
And swam.
And swam.
He swam the length of P 'n J's pool with a small break in the middle for a breath. He jumped off the side into the deep end without hesitation, popped to the surface and swam to me in the middle of the pool. He did a cannonball. He dove for superhero diving buddies. He practiced falling into the pool, turning himself around and swimming to the side. He practiced that over and over. He swam in that pool nonstop for a solid hour.
And then, he slept.
And slept.
And slept.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Summer camp
The daycare does a full summer program every year for returning schoolkids. Since Jack and Dean are entering kindergarten in the fall they were promoted into the schoolage program with the big kids. That means they don't take naps and they have to keep up with the big kids. It's great experience for them as they navigate the hierarchy and I'm completely comfortable with it knowing that most of these kids have been attending the daycare since they were babies so they are almost as patient and kind as the teachers. Every day this week when I've arrived to take them home, Jack is playing with the big kids - mostly basketball or he takes turns on the big kids' diez - and Dean is playing with the girls or Frank and James. No naps though is taking a toll - they are exhausted by the time we get home. They have that "summer" look - bloodshot eyes, skin still shining with sunscreen, cheeks flushed with heat and exertion. They're too tired to eat, too tired to put their shoes/clothes/lunch boxes away, too tired to go to bed. And it isn't just the lack of naptime that has them so beat - it's all the activities! They went swimming Monday and Tuesday, went to the lake for swimming and castle building yesterday, and rollerskating today. The rest of the summer is equally busy. There's piano and recorder lessons for those interested, trips to the beach for camping, disneyland, catalina island, movies, and swimming every day. Of course there's also the restaurant week in July when the kids create the menu, do the shopping, cooking, serving, take reservations, etc. The end of the summer potluck BBQ will be a bittersweet day - truly Jack and Dean's last day at the daycare (except they'll return each summer) but the kids put on a show and I'll be smiling through my tears.
And that's all I can do, really. Give them guidance but give them room to grow, watch as they try to make their way, give encouragement and advice but ultimately get out of their way. Then stand from the sidelines and be proud - smiling through my tears.
And that's all I can do, really. Give them guidance but give them room to grow, watch as they try to make their way, give encouragement and advice but ultimately get out of their way. Then stand from the sidelines and be proud - smiling through my tears.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
June 25, 2008
On our way back from Yellowstone in 1998, Tom and I talked about marriage. He asked me why I wanted to get married and, even then after 8 years of being together I was guarded, afraid to let too much of myself out. My response, if I remember correctly, was that I wanted legitimacy. Wow, that’s sexy. Romantic, too. Hard to believe he didn’t drop down on one knee right then and there.
Remarkably though, he did drop down on one knee just a few months later and just six months after that we were exchanging I Dos in the clearing of a forest overlooking Lake Tahoe, smiling at each other as the sun streamed down between the branches.
If he were to ask me today why I wanted to get married my response would be this:
An excerpt from a poem read at our wedding:
Happy Anniversary my love.
Kelsi
Remarkably though, he did drop down on one knee just a few months later and just six months after that we were exchanging I Dos in the clearing of a forest overlooking Lake Tahoe, smiling at each other as the sun streamed down between the branches.
If he were to ask me today why I wanted to get married my response would be this:
Because I am in love with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to watch you become a dad and fall more in love with you every day. And I want everyone else to know that you are the one I choose. I want to stand up in front of our family and closest friends and declare that you are the man of my dreams, the one I will love and cherish for the rest of my life. That is why I want to get married.Our wedding day was filled with laughter and emotion, not unlike our life together. And here we are 9 years later and I'm happier than I ever dreamed I could be.
An excerpt from a poem read at our wedding:
It Couldn't Be Done
Somebody said it couldn’t be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That ‘maybe it couldn’t,’ but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing and he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
~Edgar Guest
Happy Anniversary my love.
Kelsi
Monday, June 23, 2008
Milestones . . . of a sort
As we pulled up to daycare this morning:
Jack: Oh! James is here!
Dean: And Frank?! Is Frank here too?
Both boys scramble to unlatch seat belts and jump out of the car. They both start waving madly and yelling HI JAMES!!!
James: Hi Jack. Hi Dean.
Dean: (with a look of amazement) I can't believe he remembered me.
Oh, the reverence for the 6 year old Kindergarten graduate.
Jack: Oh! James is here!
Dean: And Frank?! Is Frank here too?
Both boys scramble to unlatch seat belts and jump out of the car. They both start waving madly and yelling HI JAMES!!!
James: Hi Jack. Hi Dean.
Dean: (with a look of amazement) I can't believe he remembered me.
Oh, the reverence for the 6 year old Kindergarten graduate.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Preschool on TV
Noggin, a kid's TV network, has an ad campaign that likens it's network of shows to being like pre-school. "It's like pre-school on TV", it boasts. In other ads it is suggested that everyone wishes their day was structured like pre-school. There would be naps after lunch and storytime!
Clearly the ad men behind that campaign have never been in the car when two pre-schoolers were having an argument about whether boogers taste good or gross.
Clearly the ad men behind that campaign have never been in the car when two pre-schoolers were having an argument about whether boogers taste good or gross.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
A Father's Gift
Fathers get a bit of a bum rap these days, right? I mean, look at any sitcom and you’ll find a lovable but bumbling dad, somehow managing to barrel through family life despite seeming somewhat, well, dim. Meanwhile, the mom is managing the household and holding down her full time job, picking up after the kids and, of course, cleaning up the dad’s mistakes all within the allotted 22 minutes.
What? I’m not saying it doesn’t represent reality.
But seriously, it’s generally the case that the mom knows just exactly how many teaspoons of Tylenol to give to a sick child (or, in the case of a certain set of twins, which child only responds to Tylenol and which one only responds to Motrin – guess right in the comments and you might win a prize). The mom is more likely the one who will hire the babysitter, fill out the school applications, and plan the birthday party (or RSVP as the case may be). We are the organizers, the task masters, the list keepers and underwear washers.
So what then is the Father’s gift? You’ll find it in the quiet moments. It’s not so visible; not so full of sighs and responsibility. It’s the patience in the voice of a man who is showing his son how to string fishing line and attach a bobber. It’s the look of awe that crosses his face when his son shows him the caterpillar, the moth, or the june bug that he found. It is heard at night through the crack in the door as he tells stories to his children in the dark. It is in the unconventional approach whether it is watching planes move across the sky instead of telling a bedtime story or taking a late night stroll to calm an upset babe. Dads care about experiences, memories, journeys – they don’t care if the shirt matches the pants or that the child needs a haircut. They let the kids stain the cabinet even if it means the color is uneven. They let the kids drive the boat because it’s in the middle of an empty lake and the kids will never forget how big they felt. They take the kids camping where they get to stoke the fire and feel like big kids as they look at the stars and tell stories around the campfire. Theirs is a unique gift – not so celebrated, but no less important.
On this Father’s day, I am so grateful to have a partner who ignores my worried looks and lets the kids drive the boat, who calmly and patiently packs up his fishing gear after having his line in for only 15 minutes, who encourages me to go away for a weekend, who quietly adds favorite movies to our tivo just to surprise me and the boys, who loves watching the basketball game with his sons cheering right along with him, who can’t wait for soccer games and t-ball, who is honestly the most wonderful man I could have chosen.
Happy Father’s Day.
What? I’m not saying it doesn’t represent reality.
But seriously, it’s generally the case that the mom knows just exactly how many teaspoons of Tylenol to give to a sick child (or, in the case of a certain set of twins, which child only responds to Tylenol and which one only responds to Motrin – guess right in the comments and you might win a prize). The mom is more likely the one who will hire the babysitter, fill out the school applications, and plan the birthday party (or RSVP as the case may be). We are the organizers, the task masters, the list keepers and underwear washers.
So what then is the Father’s gift? You’ll find it in the quiet moments. It’s not so visible; not so full of sighs and responsibility. It’s the patience in the voice of a man who is showing his son how to string fishing line and attach a bobber. It’s the look of awe that crosses his face when his son shows him the caterpillar, the moth, or the june bug that he found. It is heard at night through the crack in the door as he tells stories to his children in the dark. It is in the unconventional approach whether it is watching planes move across the sky instead of telling a bedtime story or taking a late night stroll to calm an upset babe. Dads care about experiences, memories, journeys – they don’t care if the shirt matches the pants or that the child needs a haircut. They let the kids stain the cabinet even if it means the color is uneven. They let the kids drive the boat because it’s in the middle of an empty lake and the kids will never forget how big they felt. They take the kids camping where they get to stoke the fire and feel like big kids as they look at the stars and tell stories around the campfire. Theirs is a unique gift – not so celebrated, but no less important.
On this Father’s day, I am so grateful to have a partner who ignores my worried looks and lets the kids drive the boat, who calmly and patiently packs up his fishing gear after having his line in for only 15 minutes, who encourages me to go away for a weekend, who quietly adds favorite movies to our tivo just to surprise me and the boys, who loves watching the basketball game with his sons cheering right along with him, who can’t wait for soccer games and t-ball, who is honestly the most wonderful man I could have chosen.
Happy Father’s Day.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Balloon Festival
Here are some shots from our weekend at the balloon festival.
Jack watches the balloon get fired up from a safe distance.
Dean gets a lift from his dad.
The girls get in the balloon.
Tom lends a hand.
Sunday we went to a local lake and rented a little fishing boat.
Dean did his share of driving.
Not surprisingly, Jack loved to drive.
In other news, the boys got into the elementary school that I was hoping for (yippee!) so that's one less thing to worry about.
Don't worry, I'll find something else to fixate on soon.
The boys get in one of the baskets.
Jack watches the balloon get fired up from a safe distance.
Dean gets a lift from his dad.
The girls get in the balloon.
Tom lends a hand.
Sunday we went to a local lake and rented a little fishing boat.Dean did his share of driving.
Not surprisingly, Jack loved to drive.
In other news, the boys got into the elementary school that I was hoping for (yippee!) so that's one less thing to worry about.
Don't worry, I'll find something else to fixate on soon.
Kate Update
She is recovering well. She came home on Saturday, picked up by my friend and neighbor Kelly while we were at the hot air balloon festival. She takes her oral medication like a champ. My old dog Max was never fooled by mozzarella cheese or peanut butter and I'd always find his pill lying in a slobbery puddle on the floor. Kate, on the other hand, loves people food of every variety and is so excited to eat it that she couldn't care less about what you try to sneak by her.
I've been adding some wet food to her dry and she gobbles it up voraciously. It seems she had been suffering from this disease for a long time and we thought she was just a picky eater.
I brushed her last night while the boys watched the basketball game (Go Celtics!) and she was so happy.
Speaking of the boys, I can't tell you how amazing it is to be sitting in my backyard in the darkening twilight brushing my sweet, devoted dog and hear these sudden bursts of emotion and cheer ringing out of the living room. It's how I'd always hoped my life would be.
Sweet and simple, full of love.
I've been adding some wet food to her dry and she gobbles it up voraciously. It seems she had been suffering from this disease for a long time and we thought she was just a picky eater.
I brushed her last night while the boys watched the basketball game (Go Celtics!) and she was so happy.
Speaking of the boys, I can't tell you how amazing it is to be sitting in my backyard in the darkening twilight brushing my sweet, devoted dog and hear these sudden bursts of emotion and cheer ringing out of the living room. It's how I'd always hoped my life would be.
Sweet and simple, full of love.
Friday, June 06, 2008
Kate
Our beautiful girl has been in the hospital since yesterday morning. Her behavior suddenly got very strange on Wednesday and we took her to the vet yesterday. She was lethargic and disoriented and completely pooped out after just a short walk around the neighborhood. It turns out, after extensive testing, that she has Addison's Disease. Her sodium level was too low, potassium too high and according to the lab results she has no cortisone in her blood. She is on an IV drip now to replenish her fluids and she received a shot of prednisone and cortisone. She will be able to come home tomorrow and will recover fully but will need ongoing medical care with monthly cortisone shots and oral medication every other day.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Happy Birthday Momma!
Happy Birthday Momma!
This is me sitting on the balcony just outside my office enjoying a frosty Guinness in your honor!
I hope you have a wonderful birthday!
This is me sitting on the balcony just outside my office enjoying a frosty Guinness in your honor!
I hope you have a wonderful birthday!
Love,
Kels
Weekend Wrap Up
We went to a festival last weekend. You wouldn't know it from the looks on their faces but the boys were really excited to go on this ride.
See? 
It was really hard to get a good shot of them on this one.
It was a festival to celebrate the Parks and Recreation centers. It was held at a big park with tons of vendors, three stages with bands and other performers, booths of merchandise and arts/crafts. We thought we'd be there for an hour or so.
This picture was taken about 5 hours after that:
In case you can't tell by the lighting - it was nighttime. Almost an hour past their bedtime. But, there were fireworks to be seen and that last batch of tickets to be spent. They had a great time.
The next day was spent in our backyard playing with water and climbing trees (and I played with my camera).
Dean sticks out his tongue when he's hard at work. He had just looked up when I took this.
Doesn't Jack resemble Peter Pan?
Jack still loves climbing the peach tree and can get pretty high now. I try not to watch when he goes too high.
This is Kate. She is waiting for Jack to throw the ball. She will not take her eyes off him until that ball flies.
And when it flies, she catches it almost every single time.
This is what she does when she's ready for a break. She lays down by the shed with her toy in front of her. She is still a sweet, smart dog and we are continually amazed at our good fortune.
This is just one peach-laden branch on our peach tree. We are going to be swimming in peaches in just a few weeks. I'm collecting all recipes for cobblers, crumbles, jams, and pies so if you have one that's fabulous, send it my way.
In other news, the boys will not be performing in High School Musical. They were so miserably unhappy at rehearsal that we finally decided that it's just not their thing. So, no future actors in our midst.
We are going to a hot air balloon festival with the Sullivans this weekend and then Tom's cousin visits from Pennsylvania next weekend so June is really busy for us.
We find out on Friday if the boys got into the elementary school that we're hoping for. Fingers crossed please.
See?
It was really hard to get a good shot of them on this one.
It was a festival to celebrate the Parks and Recreation centers. It was held at a big park with tons of vendors, three stages with bands and other performers, booths of merchandise and arts/crafts. We thought we'd be there for an hour or so.
This picture was taken about 5 hours after that:
In case you can't tell by the lighting - it was nighttime. Almost an hour past their bedtime. But, there were fireworks to be seen and that last batch of tickets to be spent. They had a great time. The next day was spent in our backyard playing with water and climbing trees (and I played with my camera).
I love this picture of Dean. He looks so grown up.
Dean sticks out his tongue when he's hard at work. He had just looked up when I took this.
Doesn't Jack resemble Peter Pan?
Jack still loves climbing the peach tree and can get pretty high now. I try not to watch when he goes too high.
This is Kate. She is waiting for Jack to throw the ball. She will not take her eyes off him until that ball flies.
And when it flies, she catches it almost every single time.
This is what she does when she's ready for a break. She lays down by the shed with her toy in front of her. She is still a sweet, smart dog and we are continually amazed at our good fortune.
This is just one peach-laden branch on our peach tree. We are going to be swimming in peaches in just a few weeks. I'm collecting all recipes for cobblers, crumbles, jams, and pies so if you have one that's fabulous, send it my way.
In other news, the boys will not be performing in High School Musical. They were so miserably unhappy at rehearsal that we finally decided that it's just not their thing. So, no future actors in our midst.
We are going to a hot air balloon festival with the Sullivans this weekend and then Tom's cousin visits from Pennsylvania next weekend so June is really busy for us.
We find out on Friday if the boys got into the elementary school that we're hoping for. Fingers crossed please.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Knock Knock
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Bedtime Conversation
Dean (holding up his hand so I can see the ring on his finger): I got married today.
Me: Oh, you did? Who did you marry?
Dean: Sophia, Bianca and Evy.
Me: Wow. Three wives! Where did you get married?
Dean: Mount cerebellum. It's in Texas. Texas, Canada.
Me: Oh, is Mount cerebellum very far away?
Dean: So far. I had to get on a plane and it took a day.
Me: What did you do there?
Dean: We went snowboarding and hiking. We went to the movies and more snowboarding.
Me: Wow, that sounds like a lot of fun.
Dean: It was. It was.
Me: Oh, you did? Who did you marry?
Dean: Sophia, Bianca and Evy.
Me: Wow. Three wives! Where did you get married?
Dean: Mount cerebellum. It's in Texas. Texas, Canada.
Me: Oh, is Mount cerebellum very far away?
Dean: So far. I had to get on a plane and it took a day.
Me: What did you do there?
Dean: We went snowboarding and hiking. We went to the movies and more snowboarding.
Me: Wow, that sounds like a lot of fun.
Dean: It was. It was.
Words
Here is a list of words that Jack can spell. He did these on Monday with virtually no help from me.
ant
bug
cap
dad
end
fox
get
hot
ink
jug
kin
lap
men
nap
odd
pet
quiz
run
sat
tap
under
van
win
yum
zip
I gave him the words but he sounded them out and wrote them down in his notebook. This kid is obsessed with spelling!
bug
cap
dad
end
fox
get
hot
ink
jug
kin
lap
men
nap
odd
pet
quiz
run
sat
tap
under
van
win
yum
zip
I gave him the words but he sounded them out and wrote them down in his notebook. This kid is obsessed with spelling!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Rather than do a play-by-play of the last week, I'm just going to touch on the highlights.
- Last week I took the boys to a community theater audition for a production of High School Musical. They had to get up in front of everyone and sing a song, any song would do, and Dean sang Happy Birthday. Jack refused to even sit with the others and tried to run out of the room. Despite my assurances that he wouldn't have to do anything and he didn't have to be in the show. Two days later, he told me that he would like to do the show. Of course.
- We went to the circus on Sunday. Dean's favorite part was the pretty ladies with the hula hoops, the juggler, the elephants and the acrobats. Jack's favorite part was the motorcycles. It was pretty fun.
- I've started running again after a 4 month hiatus. It feels really good and I'm not nearly as slow as I thought I'd be.
- Jack spelled 25 words today. He did some on the way to school, some on the way home, and some at the table while I made dinner. He loves homework.
- Dean came out of his room tonight (Tom thought he was asleep) and accused Tom of leaving while he was still awake. Tom insisted he was snoring and so he thought Dean was asleep. Dean said,"No, I didn't hear myself snoring."
- I'm going out of town for Mother's Day weekend and a little excited about it. Just my girlfriend and I for a little wine tasting, shopping and a spa day.
- I'm so tired right now I keep falling asleep while I type.
- If I don't make snese, that's why.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Letter to Dean
Dear Dean,
Where do I begin? You continue to surprise, delight, defy, and frustrate me on a daily basis. You are smart, sassy, funny, defiant, imaginative, and emotional. Sometimes you are all those things within a time span of 3 minutes. Here are just a few things you're up to lately:
Love,
Momma
Where do I begin? You continue to surprise, delight, defy, and frustrate me on a daily basis. You are smart, sassy, funny, defiant, imaginative, and emotional. Sometimes you are all those things within a time span of 3 minutes. Here are just a few things you're up to lately:
- You love watching High School Musical and want to wear your hair like 'Troy Bolton'.
- You love to sing and you walk around the house singing songs from Playhouse Disney and without a beat you go to a song from High School Musical. I see musical theater in your future.
- You hate getting your hair washed. You scream and cry and twist your head around to make it more difficult. You succeed at making it more difficult but a byproduct of that is that you get a lot more water in your eyes so, it's kind of a flawed strategy.
- Tonight for the first time in many, many months I washed your hair and you didn't even flinch. It was great.
- You love drawing and painting and you've got a knack for it. Sometimes you say you want to be an artist. You ask me to sign you up for art school on a regular basis. You also want to take music lessons.
- You love wearing costumes. Just today you were in 5 or 6 different ones before lunchtime. One day last week you told me that you wanted me to make you a costume and you would put feathers on it and wear green glasses and you would be Chicken Little. You were so delighted when I told you that we already have a Chicken Little costume. You wore it to school the next day. And the day after that.
- A few nights ago you suddenly announced that you need glasses. You were so adamant about it, insisting to us that you couldn't see. Daddy found some toy glasses, nothing more than paper without lenses, and you put them on. Oh, you were so relieved to finally be able to see.
- You love shoes. Uncle P & Uncle J brought you a pair of plaid converse - oh my gosh, they are so cute - and you wear them every single day. You call them your "cons". They brought Jack some Vans and you've been coveting them. Tonight when you didn't cry during your bath you asked if I would get some new shoes for you as a reward.
- We went to Sears yesterday to buy some new vacuum cleaner bags and we sat for an hour so you could watch Spiderman on the big screen tv. You watched with your hands over your ears. You also cried when we left because you wanted us to buy you new clothes.
- Tonight you announced that you have a date tomorrow with your girlfriend Bianca. You told me that you need to wear a white shirt and black coat and asked that I dry your hair just so. Later you changed your mind and announced that you would wear the Chicken Little costume.
Love,
Momma
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Letter to Jack
Dear Jack,
I've been sitting here trying to figure out how to describe you. I started to say you're just such a good kid but that is so unoriginal and a total understatement. Instead, I think I'll just describe some of the things you do that are uniquely you.
Love,
Momma
I've been sitting here trying to figure out how to describe you. I started to say you're just such a good kid but that is so unoriginal and a total understatement. Instead, I think I'll just describe some of the things you do that are uniquely you.
- You have recently become enamored of moths. You catch them and put them in a box with holes in it. You always name them Mothy. They always seem to die within a day or two and you quickly replace them. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.
- You clean your bedroom without being asked and you do a really good job. Your motivation is money - even though we don't expressly tell you that you'll get money for doing it. But one time we gave you a quarter for making your bed and ever since then, you do it out of hope.
- You love money. You are always looking at the ground hoping to find a nickel, a dime or a penny. You get especially excited when you find a quarter. You save everything you find and you have amassed a miniature fortune (for a 5 year old).
- You have grown out of your red phase. Lately your preference has been to wear light colored linen pants, a hawaiian shirt and flip flops. You look very handsome. There are still some days that you wear blue camo pants with a green and orange top though. So sometimes I still wonder about the color-blindness.
- When you get angry you become stiff as a board with your arms straight at your sides, your fists balled up. Your voice becomes thick with emotion and you won't look at me.
- You had a hard time faling asleep last night and I think it's because Daddy is out of town and he told you to take good care of me. I think you take your responsibility very seriously and you couldn't fall asleep last night because of it. You finally lost the battle at 10:30pm last night.
- You have become a very adventurous eater and I'm so excited about that. You have tried so many new foods this year - from simple foods like peas and avocado to more exotic foods like sushi and thai.
- You don't like you hair to be spiked up or messy. You want it neatly combed straight down your forehead. Definitely not parted on the side.
- You don't like to be the center of attention.
- You throw a mean spiral.
- You sometimes make up songs about me and sing them quietly.
- You long to know how to make traps and potions and are disappointed that I don't know anything about traps or potions.
- You have an insatiable curiosity about the world and your place in it.
- It's hot tonight and you are laying on the hardwood floor as you've done every hot night for the last 3 years. Some nights it's the only way you can fall asleep.
Love,
Momma
Thursday, April 10, 2008
All in the Family
Hey Everyone,
My sister in law just started a blog! Go give her some love and see my beautiful nephews!
We went out to dinner tonight at our favorite sushi restaurant. Dean didn't really like anything but the rice and edamame but Jack! Jack ate spicy tuna, yellowtail sushi, salmon sushi, shrimp, and an eel/avocado roll. Wow. He ate almost as much as me.
Afterward we went to Cold Stone for ice cream. And now, I'm feeling full and sleepy.
Good night!
My sister in law just started a blog! Go give her some love and see my beautiful nephews!
We went out to dinner tonight at our favorite sushi restaurant. Dean didn't really like anything but the rice and edamame but Jack! Jack ate spicy tuna, yellowtail sushi, salmon sushi, shrimp, and an eel/avocado roll. Wow. He ate almost as much as me.
Afterward we went to Cold Stone for ice cream. And now, I'm feeling full and sleepy.
Good night!
I am @ the train
I am @ the train station waiting 4 Tom. Listening 2 high school musical. Boys r having a rasberry contest. My eye is twitching. Its no wonder.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
NaBloPoMo - Day 9
This is my mom's response to an earlier post:
Dear Kelsi,
Responding to your April 3 post. I remember all of it.
You would tell me "I don't need a nap" so I would say "OK, you don't need to take a nap, just rest on the couch with your blanket." You would almost always fall asleep.
Oh, the anticipation of Christmas Eve on the farm. Then we would go downstairs and work until midnight setting everything up under the tree. Tying the stockings on the backs of dining room chairs with rubber bands because the tree was in front of the fireplace! Did you ever wonder how Santa got into the house with that tree in front of the fireplace?
We still do the throwing the food in the air at the grocery thing - it adds a little excitement to a mundane chore.
That was a little silver paring knife that Grandma Wright gave me - and that sharp is still very, very knife!
The stick shift! We were on Raab Rd. just east of Greenbriar. I had just bought that silver car - can't remember the make or model. The clutch was very mushy. You did OK once you were out of first gear! Shortly after that I bought that new little Nissan Sentra (1990). You didn't even have to step on the gas when letting out on the clutch, it was so tight. You perfected your skills on that long, blacktop driveway at Bernie's house out in the country. All Sunday afternoon you drove up and back, up and back. That late afternoon you drove all the way back to Bloomington. Confident.
I don't remember the guy being on a tractor. I just remember the road was seldom used and it was dusky or near dark. I thought he was just one of the rare cars who ever used that road and just happened down it as you were trying to learn how to drive that car. We were surrounded by cornfeidls, though.
You water skiied. I sat on the sand and drank electric kool-aid, as I remember it! Fun times. I do remember the floating dock got away from us and you swam way out and got it and pulled it back to its place. I was a nervous wreck, pacing and smoking cigarettes!
You would still sit on the toilet in the bathroom and watch me put my makeup on if you didn't have two 5 yeard olds to supervise.!
The Screaming Eagle at Six Flags! I didn't know you were terrified. You were too busy screaming!
Garcia's Flying Tomato Brothers hot air balloon! It landed right by Lancaster Heights (or Lancaster Depths as we used to call it). They tethered it to a stake with a great big rope and took people 50 feet or so up in the air. I remember the heat on top of my head from the flames heating and expanding the gas in the balloon. What a ride. It was so quiet and peaceful up there. I can't believe you didn't go up in it. The hardest part was getting in and out of that basket - there was no door.
Peeking through the curtain at the window in my dressing room at the church to see you, my maid of honor, standing at the altar waiting for me to walk down the aisle at my wedding.
Did you think I was going to be a "Runaway Bride?" Oh, no, I was just letting the anticipation build. It was fun peeking through that window and watching people start to look around like "Where is she?" HA!
Dancing at my wedding - we did enjoy that. I throw good parties.
I love the Brian Regan DVD you sent me for Christmas. He is funny, funny, funny. Science Fair Dirt Cup. "It's a DIRT CUP. It's a CUP with some DIRT in it. It's a CUP of DIRT."
We still laugh until we can't breathe over America's Funniest Home Videos. After all, people fall down. I took the DVD you sent me for Christmas of AFV Kids and Pets along to Texas and watched on my portable DVD player last week.
I believe the presents we opened on the floor of our house in Geneva were wedding presents.
The day you left for California. The darkest day of my life - it surpasses the day I my dad died and the day I had to have Meischje put to sleep. I pray you NEVER have to know the pain.
You were working at Bombay Bicycle Club, living in your first little apartment in California. I believe your roommate got busted that same day!!! Anyway, we painted your bedroom furniture on that little balcony.
The I Love You sign. We still do that, although tears don't stream down our faces anymore. That doesn't mean that I've reconciled myself to it. My heart still cries.
My graduation party was a blast! We rode to it in the '31 Buick. As mentioned before, I throw good parties.
Your wedding. Beautiful setting, beautiful bride. So final.
I was standing in the kitchen when we lived on 9th St. in that 100 year old Queen Anne house when you called to tell me you were pregnant with twins.
If I knew then what I know now about your high risk pregnancy, I doubt that I would have left California. Now that I've been working in labor/delivery/recovery with some high risk thrown in, I shudder. I am at work right now and my patient is 24 weeks 2 days with pre-term labor and on 2.5 grams of mag. She's miserable. I told her about you just like I tell every one of my mag patients about you. You are an inspiration.
I was having lunch at the Cracker Barrel with Fishers and Todds when you called as you were being wheeled into the OR.
Wow, those babies were so little but so feisty. Wimpy, little white boys, true. Two little miracles.
I remember it all...
Love, Mommy
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
NaBloPoMo - All Messed UP!!
I know, I know. I have no excuse other than Friday night I wanted to lay down with the boys because I wouldn't see them for two days (they went camping). But I really have no excuse for Saturday, Sunday or Monday so I'm not even going to try.
Instead, look here at these pictures:
I went for a helicopter ride! Below is a shot of my office building and yes! that's my foot! hanging out the door of the helicopter! which actually, didn't have a door! yikes!
Instead, look here at these pictures:
I went for a helicopter ride! Below is a shot of my office building and yes! that's my foot! hanging out the door of the helicopter! which actually, didn't have a door! yikes!
Thursday, April 03, 2008
NaBloPoMo - Day Three
Dear Mom,
The most important lesson I’ve taken from Grandpa Jack’s life and death is the absolute necessity of letting your loved ones know how they’ve touched you. Too often we wait until a person is gone before we reflect on the wonderful moments when our lives converged.
The following moments are memories that whenever I think of them, I’m always filled with warmth, humor and love:
• Curling up on the black couch in our house in Towanda with my little blanket while you watched TV and folded clothes
• Being tucked in at the farm on Christmas Eve
• You throwing groceries up in the air and me trying to catch them with the cart
• The time you warned me to be careful because ‘this sharp is very, very knife’
• Learning how to drive a stick shift on a dark country road
• Laughing about the farmer who stopped his tractor to make sure we were ok
• Water skiing at the gravel pit
• Sitting on the toilet in the bathroom watching you put your makeup on
• Riding The Screaming Eagle with you and being terrified when you wouldn’t put your arms down
• Watching you go up in the hot air balloon and being afraid you would crash
• Waiting for you to walk down the aisle on your wedding day
• Being relieved when you finally started walking down the aisle on your wedding day
• Dancing at your wedding
• Laughing at Brian Regan ‘it’s a dirt cup’
• Laughing at America’s Funniest Home Videos
• Opening housewarming presents on the floor of our house in Geneva
• Waving through tears the day I left for California
• The time you came to visit me and we painted my bedroom furniture
• Signing I Love You, tears streaming down my face, as you boarded a plane to go back home
• Dancing at your graduation party
• Dancing with you and Chad at my wedding
• Telling you that I was pregnant and with twins
• Doing crossword puzzles with you while on bedrest in the hospital
• Hearing your voice as I was being wheeled down the hall for my c-section
• The look on your face the first time you saw your grandchildren
There are others of course, but these are among my favorites. These memories just flooded back to me and some really surprised me – like the hot air balloon. Do you even remember that??
I love you Mom.
Kels
The most important lesson I’ve taken from Grandpa Jack’s life and death is the absolute necessity of letting your loved ones know how they’ve touched you. Too often we wait until a person is gone before we reflect on the wonderful moments when our lives converged.
The following moments are memories that whenever I think of them, I’m always filled with warmth, humor and love:
• Curling up on the black couch in our house in Towanda with my little blanket while you watched TV and folded clothes
• Being tucked in at the farm on Christmas Eve
• You throwing groceries up in the air and me trying to catch them with the cart
• The time you warned me to be careful because ‘this sharp is very, very knife’
• Learning how to drive a stick shift on a dark country road
• Laughing about the farmer who stopped his tractor to make sure we were ok
• Water skiing at the gravel pit
• Sitting on the toilet in the bathroom watching you put your makeup on
• Riding The Screaming Eagle with you and being terrified when you wouldn’t put your arms down
• Watching you go up in the hot air balloon and being afraid you would crash
• Waiting for you to walk down the aisle on your wedding day
• Being relieved when you finally started walking down the aisle on your wedding day
• Dancing at your wedding
• Laughing at Brian Regan ‘it’s a dirt cup’
• Laughing at America’s Funniest Home Videos
• Opening housewarming presents on the floor of our house in Geneva
• Waving through tears the day I left for California
• The time you came to visit me and we painted my bedroom furniture
• Signing I Love You, tears streaming down my face, as you boarded a plane to go back home
• Dancing at your graduation party
• Dancing with you and Chad at my wedding
• Telling you that I was pregnant and with twins
• Doing crossword puzzles with you while on bedrest in the hospital
• Hearing your voice as I was being wheeled down the hall for my c-section
• The look on your face the first time you saw your grandchildren
There are others of course, but these are among my favorites. These memories just flooded back to me and some really surprised me – like the hot air balloon. Do you even remember that??
I love you Mom.
Kels
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
NaBloPoMo - Day Two
On Day Two: A letter to my young self . . .
Dear High School Kelsi,
Trust me, there’s so much more to life than this. I promise you that you will not care about most of these people by the 10 year reunion.
I have a book that was given to me on the cusp of my journey to California. The book is called “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss and I’ve kept it all this time. I now read it to my children and hope that someday when they’re choosing a path less traveled that they’ll remember the lesson of that book and know that sometimes you have to trust your instinct, sometimes you have to take a chance and choose the thing that feels right to you despite anyone else’s opinion.
It may not have helped you, H.S. Kelsi but it couldn’t have hurt. You were so insecure and full of doubt; sarcasm your only defense against the perceived criticism. Hey, maybe they were making fun of you. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you, right?
Still, what I would tell you if I could just sit you down is that you’ll be fine. Really. You’re going to go on from that high school place and forge your own path. You’re going to take risks and make choices that will lead to a pretty nice life. And all that angst will be forgotten. Or, mostly forgotten. It will rear it’s ugly head at the 10 year high school reunion but then you’ll make the decision right then and there that you will never go back again. And when the 20 year comes around, you don’t! So, there!
And I would remind you that it wasn’t all bad. Well except for the crazy years long crushes you used to get. That was a little ridiculous, wouldn’t you agree? You’ll be happy to know that your husband is super hot – way hotter than Erik Johnson or Brad James. Seriously.
But really, the best thing that came out of Normal Community High School was your friendship with Jenny. I mean who would have thought it would survive that one summer, with her getting all crazy with the fun and you being all self-righteous and trying to play house, but it did. And she is the one friend who you can call and just spend an hour on the phone with and it feels like time stops. Trust me.
So hang in there H.S. Kelsi and know that this is just a brief moment in your life and all too soon the time will pass and you will look back and wonder why it ever mattered.
Oh the places you’ll go.
Love,
Your grown up self
Dear High School Kelsi,
Trust me, there’s so much more to life than this. I promise you that you will not care about most of these people by the 10 year reunion.
I have a book that was given to me on the cusp of my journey to California. The book is called “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss and I’ve kept it all this time. I now read it to my children and hope that someday when they’re choosing a path less traveled that they’ll remember the lesson of that book and know that sometimes you have to trust your instinct, sometimes you have to take a chance and choose the thing that feels right to you despite anyone else’s opinion.
It may not have helped you, H.S. Kelsi but it couldn’t have hurt. You were so insecure and full of doubt; sarcasm your only defense against the perceived criticism. Hey, maybe they were making fun of you. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you, right?
Still, what I would tell you if I could just sit you down is that
And I would remind you that it wasn’t all bad. Well except for the crazy years long crushes you used to get. That was a little ridiculous, wouldn’t you agree? You’ll be happy to know that your husband is super hot – way hotter than Erik Johnson or Brad James. Seriously.
But really, the best thing that came out of Normal Community High School was your friendship with Jenny. I mean who would have thought it would survive that one summer, with her getting all crazy with the fun and you being all self-righteous and trying to play house, but it did. And she is the one friend who you can call and just spend an hour on the phone with and it feels like time stops. Trust me.
So hang in there H.S. Kelsi and know that this is just a brief moment in your life and all too soon the time will pass and you will look back and wonder why it ever mattered.
Oh the places you’ll go.
Love,
Your grown up self
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
NaBloPoMo - Day One
No, it's no April Fool's joke, I really challenged myself to post everyday for the month of April. The theme for April is LETTERS. Below is my first one. It's not what I intended to write but it's all that I can think about so . . .
Dear Soma,
It's been a rough day what with the not sleeping very well last night; a feverish boy wedged next to me on one side and a stuffed up husband on the other. Not surprisingly, I woke up feeling rather Quaisomodo-ish. You know, it's the kind of stiffness that leads you to believe you can probably take care of it on your own. A little self-massage and a quick head jerk and *pop*, the pain is gone. Except that it didn't help - it only made my neck feel more strained. And that's when I started to think about you.
Advil kept the pain at bay but it doesn't know me the way you do. Nothing relaxes me the way you do, baby.
I'll only take a piece of you, just a quarter is enough.
Soma, thanks to you I will wake up tomorrow morning with the ability to turn my head.
Too bad you can't do anything about a child's fevers.
Love,
Kelsi
Dear Soma,
It's been a rough day what with the not sleeping very well last night; a feverish boy wedged next to me on one side and a stuffed up husband on the other. Not surprisingly, I woke up feeling rather Quaisomodo-ish. You know, it's the kind of stiffness that leads you to believe you can probably take care of it on your own. A little self-massage and a quick head jerk and *pop*, the pain is gone. Except that it didn't help - it only made my neck feel more strained. And that's when I started to think about you.
Advil kept the pain at bay but it doesn't know me the way you do. Nothing relaxes me the way you do, baby.
I'll only take a piece of you, just a quarter is enough.
Soma, thanks to you I will wake up tomorrow morning with the ability to turn my head.
Too bad you can't do anything about a child's fevers.
Love,
Kelsi
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