Ah, summer. How I will miss you.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Photo Contest
5 Minutes for Mom is having another photo contest. The theme is summer fun. Immediately I thought of one of my favorite photos from over this summer.
Ah, summer. How I will miss you.
Ah, summer. How I will miss you.
Friday, August 8, 2008
PSF- Destructor
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek
The other day I brought Ben in the basement with me to get the laundry out of the dryer. As I was filling my basket I noticed Ben had snuck back upstairs. By the time I got all the laundry into the basket and another load started in the washer and another in the dryer Ben had already gotten into trouble. I heard the boys yelling, "MOM!!! Ben made a HUGE mess!" I ran upstairs with my basket and rounded the corner to the kitchen. ACK!!!! Ben had somehow managed to open the child safety lock on the kitchen cabinet doors and he pulled out my Comet (the powder kind) and dumped the entire container all over his head, clothes, legs, arms, and all over my freshly cleaned hardwood floors. I freaked! What if he got it in his eyes???? The laundry basket went flying as I dove for him grabbing the Comet out of his hands and began the careful clean up.
Remember how I was telling you I just had the carpets cleaned? I don't know where Ben got it but he found some lotion and began rubbing it all over his legs, arms, THE CARPET, his clothes. I just about crapped my pants. Why does this always happen after a major cleaning?
I swear I don't leave Ben unattended for long periods of time. I'm not taking showers while he has the rule of the roost. Heck I don't even go to the bathroom without dragging him along. It just seems that the one second I'm not looking he manages to cause complete mayhem.
There are so many stories of Ben pulling coffee grinds and potato peels out of the garbage that I won't even go in to detail. Suffice to say, the kid has become a handful.
Normally I am so freaked by the mess I obviously don't think about snapping a picture. But because this mess was somewhat contained I thought I would show you proof. And as I keep telling him, he is lucky he is so cute.
"Um, mom? I don't know what happened. I think I must have spilled my milk or something." Lately it seems I can't take my eyes off of Ben for more than 30 seconds or something in the house will be destroyed. I used to brag about him being my laid back kid, but I don't really know if I can say that anymore. I've never had this much trouble with the other two boys destroying my house. But Ben? He is taking it to a whole new level.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
My Husband's Keeper
Sunday night as I laid in bed I listened to the rain smash against the window. It hit so hard I thought the drops might actually break the glass. The thunder boomed and the lightening lit up the room. The rain we had been waiting for had finally come and I snuggled down into my pillow and let the storm lull me to sleep.
I awoke the next morning in a rush. The carpet cleaners were coming at 8:00 and I had to get all of the furniture out of the living room, myself and the boys dressed and fed, and all of us into the basement and out of the way. I rushed around the house in a whirlwind as the hubby tried to get ready for work. Why did I set this up for a Monday morning? Ugh.
The cleaners arrived and began their setup just as Todd was about to leave for work. I noticed Todd frantically searching for something and asked what he was looking for this time.
"My keys! Where the heck did I put my keys?" he said.
Oh good Lord. Here we go again. I thought the little hook I had installed in the kitchen would solve this dilemma, but it clearly did not. You see, you have to actually PUT the keys on the hook in order for it to work.
"Well, when did you last have them?" I asked him like I had a thousand times before.
"When we got back from the boat ride last night I opened the door for everyone. Did you take them after that?" he asked me.
"No. You opened the door and then went back outside to clean up the boat. Did you take them back out with you?" I asked him back.
"Um. I don't know." he admitted.
So the search began. Because all the furniture was moved out of the first floor it made the search all the more difficult. We looked on every surface. I looked in the door (he has been known to open the door and leave the keys in the door overnight), looked on my dresser, looked on his dresser, checked his pants pockets, checked the floor, looked in the fridge (yep, he can be a little scatter brained), checked the pantry, looked in the bathrooms, looked in the basement. The keys were no where to be found.
"Did you check the truck? Maybe you left them in the truck." I suggested.
"I already checked there." he said,
"Well, did you check the bumpers of the cars? Maybe you just set them there and forgot about them." I kept asking. Clearly he did not like this suggestion because there was no response.
After almost 20 minutes of searching Todd grabbed the spare key off my key chain and took off for work.
At lunch time he stopped home to ask me if I had found them (nope) and then continue the search. He had his truck key, his house key, his parent's house key, his parent's cabin key, the key to his office building, his dad's warehouse key, garage keys and a million other keys on that key chain. It needed to be found.
"Where is your phone? Do you have your phone?" I wanted to know.
"Um. No. I don't know where that is either." he said sheepishly.
"Well, they are probably together then. Try calling your phone." I suggested.
He called and no deal. Either it was on vibrate (it usually is) or it was too far away to hear. Now he was really starting to panic. That phone is his life line. It is one of those palm piloty type phones. You know, phone, computer, appointment book, whole LIFE type of things. He lives by that thing. I was shocked that he hadn't noticed it was gone until now.
As I began making the boys' lunches I heard Todd say, "No way! Oh no!" I heard the back door open and Todd run outside. I looked out the window and saw the phone in Todd's hand.
"Where was it?" I asked as I joined him outside.
"On top of the minivan! I just got a flash of me setting them up there yesterday. I had so much crap in my pockets I set it all up there when I went to clean out the boat. I came running outside to look and sure enough!" he said.
"But it was POURING last night! It's not gonna work anymore! And I drove to the grocery store today! And past the lake! How did it stay on top of the car! The keys aren't there. They must have fallen off." I said in one long breath.
"It works! The phone works! The leather case must have somehow protected it from the rain." he yelled.
Todd went inside to finish the boys' lunches as I jumped in the car and retraced my drive to the grocery store and down past the lake. I drove as slowly as I could, sweeping the street with my eyes. I kept jumping out of the car the minute I saw anything that looked like a possibility. Nothing.
"Alright, St. Anthony, the only way I will ever find these keys is with your help. This is gonna be like spotting a needle in a haystack. This might very well be impossible. Help a woman out, would ya?" I begged.
I stopped in the grocery store parking lot and asked the cart boy if anyone found a set of keys. He ran inside to check. Nothing. I continued on. I drove out of the parking lot back onto the busy street, my eyes becoming blurry now from looking so frantically while trying to watch where I was driving at the same time.
Every time there was a bumpy area or a sharp turn I paid particular attention. Surely the keys would not have stayed on through all of this. This is nuts! Still I kept searching. I drove past the lake (completely ignoring the beautiful water for the first time) looking and looking. I started up North Point hill. A massive hill that always scared me when I rode my bike down it as a kid. It is so steep that they keys had to have fallen off here. Still I got to the top of the hill and no keys.
I made the turn at the top of the hill and spotted something shiny in the middle of the road.
"No WAY!" I said slamming the car into park and jumping out.
It was Todd's keys! They must have slid to the back of the minivan up the hill and then lost it around the corner. I can't believe I found them! YES! I am awesome! Thank you, St. Anthony! So good!
I sped back to the house and showed Todd. We were both shocked they were found. AND, the electric door opener still worked. How is it possible to leave your phone and keys out in the pouring rain all night, drive them around town for about 8 miles, and still find them in working condition? Boy, did we luck out! This has got to be a first! And hopefully, a last!
My husband has many great qualities, but keeping track of his things is not one of them. That has become my job. At work he is amazingly organized. He has over a hundred clients and files and averages 50 phone calls a day, managing it all beautifully. But he comes home and his brain goes on vacation. I've learned to accept it.
The next day when he came home from work I said to him, "Uh, Honey? Do you remember where you put the spare key that you had taken off my key chain?"
"Umm..."
I awoke the next morning in a rush. The carpet cleaners were coming at 8:00 and I had to get all of the furniture out of the living room, myself and the boys dressed and fed, and all of us into the basement and out of the way. I rushed around the house in a whirlwind as the hubby tried to get ready for work. Why did I set this up for a Monday morning? Ugh.
The cleaners arrived and began their setup just as Todd was about to leave for work. I noticed Todd frantically searching for something and asked what he was looking for this time.
"My keys! Where the heck did I put my keys?" he said.
Oh good Lord. Here we go again. I thought the little hook I had installed in the kitchen would solve this dilemma, but it clearly did not. You see, you have to actually PUT the keys on the hook in order for it to work.
"Well, when did you last have them?" I asked him like I had a thousand times before.
"When we got back from the boat ride last night I opened the door for everyone. Did you take them after that?" he asked me.
"No. You opened the door and then went back outside to clean up the boat. Did you take them back out with you?" I asked him back.
"Um. I don't know." he admitted.
So the search began. Because all the furniture was moved out of the first floor it made the search all the more difficult. We looked on every surface. I looked in the door (he has been known to open the door and leave the keys in the door overnight), looked on my dresser, looked on his dresser, checked his pants pockets, checked the floor, looked in the fridge (yep, he can be a little scatter brained), checked the pantry, looked in the bathrooms, looked in the basement. The keys were no where to be found.
"Did you check the truck? Maybe you left them in the truck." I suggested.
"I already checked there." he said,
"Well, did you check the bumpers of the cars? Maybe you just set them there and forgot about them." I kept asking. Clearly he did not like this suggestion because there was no response.
After almost 20 minutes of searching Todd grabbed the spare key off my key chain and took off for work.
At lunch time he stopped home to ask me if I had found them (nope) and then continue the search. He had his truck key, his house key, his parent's house key, his parent's cabin key, the key to his office building, his dad's warehouse key, garage keys and a million other keys on that key chain. It needed to be found.
"Where is your phone? Do you have your phone?" I wanted to know.
"Um. No. I don't know where that is either." he said sheepishly.
"Well, they are probably together then. Try calling your phone." I suggested.
He called and no deal. Either it was on vibrate (it usually is) or it was too far away to hear. Now he was really starting to panic. That phone is his life line. It is one of those palm piloty type phones. You know, phone, computer, appointment book, whole LIFE type of things. He lives by that thing. I was shocked that he hadn't noticed it was gone until now.
As I began making the boys' lunches I heard Todd say, "No way! Oh no!" I heard the back door open and Todd run outside. I looked out the window and saw the phone in Todd's hand.
"Where was it?" I asked as I joined him outside.
"On top of the minivan! I just got a flash of me setting them up there yesterday. I had so much crap in my pockets I set it all up there when I went to clean out the boat. I came running outside to look and sure enough!" he said.
"But it was POURING last night! It's not gonna work anymore! And I drove to the grocery store today! And past the lake! How did it stay on top of the car! The keys aren't there. They must have fallen off." I said in one long breath.
"It works! The phone works! The leather case must have somehow protected it from the rain." he yelled.
Todd went inside to finish the boys' lunches as I jumped in the car and retraced my drive to the grocery store and down past the lake. I drove as slowly as I could, sweeping the street with my eyes. I kept jumping out of the car the minute I saw anything that looked like a possibility. Nothing.
"Alright, St. Anthony, the only way I will ever find these keys is with your help. This is gonna be like spotting a needle in a haystack. This might very well be impossible. Help a woman out, would ya?" I begged.
I stopped in the grocery store parking lot and asked the cart boy if anyone found a set of keys. He ran inside to check. Nothing. I continued on. I drove out of the parking lot back onto the busy street, my eyes becoming blurry now from looking so frantically while trying to watch where I was driving at the same time.
Every time there was a bumpy area or a sharp turn I paid particular attention. Surely the keys would not have stayed on through all of this. This is nuts! Still I kept searching. I drove past the lake (completely ignoring the beautiful water for the first time) looking and looking. I started up North Point hill. A massive hill that always scared me when I rode my bike down it as a kid. It is so steep that they keys had to have fallen off here. Still I got to the top of the hill and no keys.
I made the turn at the top of the hill and spotted something shiny in the middle of the road.
"No WAY!" I said slamming the car into park and jumping out.
It was Todd's keys! They must have slid to the back of the minivan up the hill and then lost it around the corner. I can't believe I found them! YES! I am awesome! Thank you, St. Anthony! So good!
I sped back to the house and showed Todd. We were both shocked they were found. AND, the electric door opener still worked. How is it possible to leave your phone and keys out in the pouring rain all night, drive them around town for about 8 miles, and still find them in working condition? Boy, did we luck out! This has got to be a first! And hopefully, a last!
My husband has many great qualities, but keeping track of his things is not one of them. That has become my job. At work he is amazingly organized. He has over a hundred clients and files and averages 50 phone calls a day, managing it all beautifully. But he comes home and his brain goes on vacation. I've learned to accept it.
The next day when he came home from work I said to him, "Uh, Honey? Do you remember where you put the spare key that you had taken off my key chain?"
"Umm..."
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
WW- Fishing Buddies
(This is the boys up at the in-law's cabin this past weekend in my FIL's fishing boat. They spent pretty much the entire weekend fishing or casting off the pier. Todd will have no shortage of fishing and hunting buddies in the years to come.)Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Blogging the Recession
Alright, I'm in. I guess I'll just cave to all the peer pressure but only because it is such a great idea. Kristen of Motherhood Uncensored came up with the genius she calls Blogging the Recession.
This is what she has to say:
'The premise is simple. If you read blogs, then for the month of August, make the "pledge" to click through from your feed reader. No obligation to leave a hilarious comment or send a long stalkerish email (although both, within reason, are always lovely). Just click through to the blog (not on ads unless you are so led) and if you're feeling generous, click around to their older posts.
Just those extra page views can make a big difference for bloggers who could really use the help, or in my case, where page views don't matter so much, a big fat ego boost.'
Seeing as how I normally do this anyway I thought I would jump on the bandwagon for my fellow bloggers. I know, I really go out of my way, don't I? I'm so helpful like that.
I just want to add one little thing. CLICK ON THE ADS! DO IT, DAMMIT! You know you want to!!!! You're here anyway! They are RIGHT THERE! Right next to the post you are reading! They are just WAITING to be clicked on. Don't leave them out. Don't make them sad. Do you want to make them sad????
Ahem, I mean, if you do feel so inclined as to click on some of the ever so useful (SERIOUSLY! Have you seen some of the cool coupons and deals on these ads???) advertisements on my (or any other fabulous blogger's) sidebar I wouldn't be mad at ya.
Or if you don't want to that's fine too. I will say I am completely grateful that you even read my drivel. And not only do you read it but you comment too. I have about 100 visits every day (I am such an amateur compared to some of you) but out of those I get approximately 40 comments. That is incredible! Seriously! So (being completely genuine here) thank you all so much for all the support you have been giving me, even throughout a blogging recession. And keep those gorgeous comments coming!
This is what she has to say:
'The premise is simple. If you read blogs, then for the month of August, make the "pledge" to click through from your feed reader. No obligation to leave a hilarious comment or send a long stalkerish email (although both, within reason, are always lovely). Just click through to the blog (not on ads unless you are so led) and if you're feeling generous, click around to their older posts.
Just those extra page views can make a big difference for bloggers who could really use the help, or in my case, where page views don't matter so much, a big fat ego boost.'
Seeing as how I normally do this anyway I thought I would jump on the bandwagon for my fellow bloggers. I know, I really go out of my way, don't I? I'm so helpful like that.
I just want to add one little thing. CLICK ON THE ADS! DO IT, DAMMIT! You know you want to!!!! You're here anyway! They are RIGHT THERE! Right next to the post you are reading! They are just WAITING to be clicked on. Don't leave them out. Don't make them sad. Do you want to make them sad????
Ahem, I mean, if you do feel so inclined as to click on some of the ever so useful (SERIOUSLY! Have you seen some of the cool coupons and deals on these ads???) advertisements on my (or any other fabulous blogger's) sidebar I wouldn't be mad at ya.
Or if you don't want to that's fine too. I will say I am completely grateful that you even read my drivel. And not only do you read it but you comment too. I have about 100 visits every day (I am such an amateur compared to some of you) but out of those I get approximately 40 comments. That is incredible! Seriously! So (being completely genuine here) thank you all so much for all the support you have been giving me, even throughout a blogging recession. And keep those gorgeous comments coming!
Monday, August 4, 2008
The Sober Post
This is the post where I write my retraction. Okay. Maybe not so much a retraction as a clarification. I think my last post came out sounding completely different than I had intended. That's what I get for writing at 2 in the morning with a buzz. Huh, huh.
You want to know the truth? I really don't care that much about dancing again. Really. I think what hit me most as I watched So You Think You Can Dance on Saturday night (over and over and over again) was the clarity of getting older. How back in the day being a dancer had always been a possibility. But now, at my age (can I really say that?), it isn't even in the realm of possible. I think that is what hit me. I'm old. Okay. Not really. But sometimes it surprises me how old I am already.
I never wanted to be a singer or dancer professionally. I think it is a tough life. But every once in a while I wonder how good I would have gotten if I had given myself the chance. In the end it doesn't really matter. Because if it didn't bring me back to exactly where I am today then I wouldn't want to do it anyway.
I have never been one of these women that Oprah has sobbing on her show lamenting how she lost herself, or that she didn't know who she was anymore. Those kind of statements always floor me. I don't understand how you can loose who you are simply because you are doing something different than you used to. I know exactly who I am. I know exactly what I like. What my interests are. What I'm good at. I spent 26 years finding all of that out. Taking time to do whatever I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. And that person is still there regardless of if I get to express those interests or not. Those interests are not dead, they are just on hold for a while.
I really do believe that there is a season for everything. This is the season of my family. I want to suck up as much of these moments with my young family as I can. Because these are the moments that matter. These are the moments that I want my life to be about. No matter how long I live, or what else I do, nothing will compare with raising my children.
And that is the truth.
You want to know the truth? I really don't care that much about dancing again. Really. I think what hit me most as I watched So You Think You Can Dance on Saturday night (over and over and over again) was the clarity of getting older. How back in the day being a dancer had always been a possibility. But now, at my age (can I really say that?), it isn't even in the realm of possible. I think that is what hit me. I'm old. Okay. Not really. But sometimes it surprises me how old I am already.
I never wanted to be a singer or dancer professionally. I think it is a tough life. But every once in a while I wonder how good I would have gotten if I had given myself the chance. In the end it doesn't really matter. Because if it didn't bring me back to exactly where I am today then I wouldn't want to do it anyway.
I have never been one of these women that Oprah has sobbing on her show lamenting how she lost herself, or that she didn't know who she was anymore. Those kind of statements always floor me. I don't understand how you can loose who you are simply because you are doing something different than you used to. I know exactly who I am. I know exactly what I like. What my interests are. What I'm good at. I spent 26 years finding all of that out. Taking time to do whatever I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. And that person is still there regardless of if I get to express those interests or not. Those interests are not dead, they are just on hold for a while.
I really do believe that there is a season for everything. This is the season of my family. I want to suck up as much of these moments with my young family as I can. Because these are the moments that matter. These are the moments that I want my life to be about. No matter how long I live, or what else I do, nothing will compare with raising my children.
And that is the truth.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Reminiscing
We're back from our weekend up north. The clothes are neatly put away, the boys are in their beds, and the hubby has long since been asleep. And here I am in front of the t.v. watching my DVR of So You Think You Can Dance. I'm watching Joshua and Katee thinking, 'I could have done that.' The more I watch the more I'm involved. Mark and Courtney begin and my pulse quickens. I remember how it felt. Moving my body like that. I start my third Captain and Coke thinking about the dancer I was. Way back when.
Sure I never had the classical training. But maybe I was like Joshua. One of those freaks that just picks up a dance after only a few times introduction. Maybe if I had pushed myself more. Maybe if I had buckled down. I could have been on that stage.
And here I am. I'm 32 years old and thinking I should be a professional dancer. In a career that peaks long before the age I'd had my children. But still I'm thinking I'm one of them. Or at least I was one of them.
I'll sign myself up for classes! I'll put in the call tomorrow! Sure, I'll never make it a career. And that's fine! I really love my life! But I like dancing and it will get me back in shape. And won't I feel so much younger again? So much more the girl I was? I'll call tomorrow.
I walk my third drink to the kitchen sink and dump it out. I neatly stack the glass in the dishwasher, load it with soap, and turn it on. I turn off all the lights. Turn off the television, close the windows, lock the doors, and head upstairs.
And tomorrow, I forget to call the dance studio.
Perhaps I shouldn't write when I've had a few drinks.
Sure I never had the classical training. But maybe I was like Joshua. One of those freaks that just picks up a dance after only a few times introduction. Maybe if I had pushed myself more. Maybe if I had buckled down. I could have been on that stage.
And here I am. I'm 32 years old and thinking I should be a professional dancer. In a career that peaks long before the age I'd had my children. But still I'm thinking I'm one of them. Or at least I was one of them.
I'll sign myself up for classes! I'll put in the call tomorrow! Sure, I'll never make it a career. And that's fine! I really love my life! But I like dancing and it will get me back in shape. And won't I feel so much younger again? So much more the girl I was? I'll call tomorrow.
I walk my third drink to the kitchen sink and dump it out. I neatly stack the glass in the dishwasher, load it with soap, and turn it on. I turn off all the lights. Turn off the television, close the windows, lock the doors, and head upstairs.
And tomorrow, I forget to call the dance studio.
Perhaps I shouldn't write when I've had a few drinks.
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