Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman

I got the dryer blues

2012-01-11T21:24:00.008-05:00

I've taken the past week off from doing laundry. Not sure if it was a bit of rebellion, a bit of tired, or a bit of lazy that overcame me, but I took the week off and only did one load that had Max's gym clothes in there. Poor kid - just couldn't do that to him. So of course today, when I start back in on the piles of laundry that we have sitting in each of our rooms does the dryer start to make this horrible, awful, terrible noise. It wasn't just a squeak, but a bit of a grind, squeak, squeal. So, Tom popped it open, he found the part that wasn't doing it's job, and we hunted it up. So either tomorrow, or int he next three to five business days, we will be the proud new owner of a drum slide. Problem is, I have one load sitting in the dryer not quite half dry, and another load in the washer completely wet. And the piles? Well, they are all still sitting here, waiting to be washed. Go figure. Then again, wonder if I should take a run to the laundromat? Last time was oh so much fun and beyond satisfying. Guess it depends on whether or not they have the part locally and we can drop it in tomorrow, or whether it takes a few days to arrive and these clothes need to be piled into the van.

Then we can all be jealous over laundry rooms like this one:

Or even this one:

Sigh.

Images from: http://homes-interior.com/2010/06/10/laundry-rooms-design.html

Best Holiday Letter

2011-12-30T21:38:00.000-05:00

We love getting letters and cards from folks over the holidays, so we do out best to always get something out the door. This year our cards were done at the beginning of December, then life got in the way, and they are still sitting here. Not to make excuses (but I am clearly making one here), but the computer that has the database with all of the addresses on it is no longer used, and the new computer that we have, along with all of the rest of the computers in the house, don't have a compatible program, or even a database program, so we're kind of stuck. Needless to say we need to do some work to get the list off of the old computer and onto something that's readable by all the currently-in-use computers.

I wander.

The letters and pictures we received this year were spectacular as usual. it wasn't that they were fancy, fancy. It wasn't that they were superbly written or perfect photographs. But it was all the love poured into them and the fact that we touched base with our old and new friends and caught glimpses of life in their world. But then we got one letter and the last paragraph was so good I had to share. After sharing about their three fabulous kids in their various stages of finishing up their education, and telling us all that they were up to over the past year, the closing line was a killer. The sentiments they express are just perfect:

Here's hoping that we all survive the next election cycle; if you should see the Texas governor, please send him home - we're so embarrassed. Apart from that, we feel blessed and hope that you feel the spirit of Christmas in your lives.

And that says it all. Hope that everyone is enjoying their holiday season!

Quiet

2011-12-28T10:21:00.001-05:00

Sometimes when it's really quiet and I get really bored I hear seagulls squaking in my head. - Ian 11/15/10

Cold Suzie, Warm Suzie

2011-12-27T16:03:00.000-05:00

This is what I normally look like this time of year:

But for the past few days I've looked like this:
No scarf, no jacket, no pants (shorts, of course), and no shoes. I'm actually wearing sandals when I go out - in South Florida, of course. It's unseasonably warm here right now - about 80 degrees for the high, but it's beautiful and it's warm, and that's a good thing for me. I'll head back to the cold in Virginia in a few days, but for now I'm soaking up the warmth (not the sun though as I'd likely burn) and enjoying the warmer temps before returning to the brunt of the winter weather up north.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T06:28:00.001-05:00

Hope that all of your holidays are filled with joy, love, and peace. Looking forward to another GREAT holiday season here - a bit delayed for us though. I'm in Florida for a week helping out a friend while the family is hanging out at home with Baba in Virginia. We celebrated Hanukkah before I left and we'll get Christmas covered once I get back in a few days.

But I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday season, that you get to spend loads of time relaxing and hanging out with family,and that you indulge a bit on the treats and smells of the holiday season!

Image: © Guillaume Piolle / CC-BY-3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Happy Birthday, Baba!

2011-12-22T14:30:00.002-05:00

Happy Happy, Merry Merry! Glad that we got to spend another birthday celebrating with you Dad!

The Ladies and their Crazy Hair

2011-12-18T17:41:00.001-05:00

Ian and Sam had crazy hair day at school, and Lucy wanted to get in on the action. She wanted green hair, so we painted the tips of her hair green, I tossed on some crazy crinoline tube hair thingys, and we went to school. Unfortunately neither Sam nor Ian wanted to actually have lunch with us, but we did pop in on them and say "Hi." Then, we ran a few errands and grabbed a few gifts, and headed home to rest and recover from our day out with crazy hair. Lucy loved her green hair, and now wants more green, or maybe blue, or who knows. "Mommy, when is crazy hair day next?"

Cello Wars

2011-12-05T15:54:00.001-05:00

Felt compelled to share this one with you. It's brilliant, and definitely for the kids.

Giving up

2011-12-03T00:28:00.001-05:00

Just couldn't keep her eyes open one more minute.

Middle School Sports

2011-12-01T00:45:00.000-05:00

Growing up in Texas, I started playing organized team sports in middle school. I started on my less than illustrious volleyball career in middle school initially to avoid taking PE - really, really didn't want to take middle school PE. That philosophy actually did well by me through high school - joining the team to avoid taking gym class/off season training. I started playing basketball after volleyball season was over (when I was a Freshman) so I didn't have to do volleyball off-season, then took up track to avoid basketball off-season. Anyway, it all started for me back in middle school.

Up until middle school I wasn't a big athlete. I participated in the neighborhood fun and games, and gym class and playground activities, but nothing organized. I was more of a dance person - ballet, gymnastics, and clogging floated my boat. But starting in eighth grade, I was all about sports, and it seems that some of that has rubbed off on my eldest. Earlier this year Max tried out for and made a flag football team at his middle school. Max isn't a big guy - just average size for a 6th grader, but he's fast, and he's nimble on is feet. Those two summers of rugby have really improved his football game, and his soccer feet are clearly an asset. He was one of 25 kids in 6th grade that made the football teams. They do play flag football, which is the only reason we agreed to this. Coming from Texas we knew better than to toss our little guy into pads - that's just too scary for this mom and dad. Anyway, the were four teams in the middle school's football league, and Max's team went undefeated this past season.

Unfortunately, due to rain and snow (in October - can you imagine?) they missed a few games, but they finally called the season, and his team was undefeated. I was able to catch just one game - the rest were rained out - but I did see him catch an interception and almost make it across the goal line. It was cool seeing Max, all 56" of him playing football next to some 8th graders that were well over six feet. Flag football season is over now, and while Max is still playing soccer (although indoors - it's starting to get cold) he's already expressed interest in joining a basketball team. While my heart jumps at the thought of one of my kiddos playing the sport that I grew to really love and enjoy, the idea of him trying out for and making a basketball team at his height makes me giggle.

If you give a kid a violin

2011-11-29T23:08:00.001-05:00

We are BIG fans of the Give a Mouse a Cookie series here in this house. Last week someone gave my kids violins. Of course my first thought was to run screaming from the house. How on earth could this possibly end well - not just one violin, but two. Then they started playing, and it was a totally different experience than when my oldest was given a violin. When Max first started playing violin we really thought that he couldn't hear that he was playing the wrong notes (and we weren't too far off - but turns out he's a brilliant trumpet play and can hear those notes perfectly). But Ian and Sam are different. First day out of the case, they wrote some music and played a song for us. They only know how to pluck the strings, not even how to play anything but open strings, their violins weren't completely tuned when they first brought them home, but they created music. So apparently in my house, if you give a kid a violin...

...he'll make music.

Cookies! Yuk.

2011-11-27T11:15:00.000-05:00

Would you eat these? They were well intentioned but totally burnt. Talk about crispy cookies. Obviously, Tom failed to remove the excess dough from around the edges. Then, he put them in for WAY too long. Needless to say they are hard as hockey pucks, but shaped much more like a rock tablet. But I really did appreciate the fact that he made these for me after a long day. ;)

It's Indoor Soccer Time Again!

2011-11-23T14:21:00.000-05:00

After a long outdoor soccer season filled with rain and reschedules, it's nice to move back indoors. All of the games are at the same place, and unless we have a massive snowstorm here again, it most likely won't stack up all in the last few weeks of the season. The kids love indoor soccer, and Lucy likes to run around without being continually told to stay out of the mud, the street, and off the field. Winter soccer is a much easier thing for our family to pull off - three boys all playing travel soccer, Tom coaching one team and me managing another made for a crazy outdoor season. So, between now and about the end of March we'll be hanging at the indoor soccer place near here, hanging out int he warm, cheering the kids on as they take the field.

Missing again? OUCH!

2011-11-22T08:52:00.000-05:00

I've been gone again, and this time it was for a pretty decent reason:

You'll notice that it's not my foot, but it is Tom's right foot, and up until this past weekend he wasn't driving, and wasn't walking on his foot at all. This happened almost three weeks ago, so needless to say we've been busy making sure that everyone got to the right places at the right times. My day has included the deposit of various children at various schools or bus stops, driving the littlest one to and from her activities, and getting the hubby to and from work when he couldn't work from home. He was able to catch a ride from a co-worker or two to get out to another work site, but for most of the last three weeks we were a one car family with no public transportation option. The super, crazy, five soccer games and two birthday party day came when Tom's foot looked like this:

Stuffed sausage anyone? Tom's foot spent a good part of the past three weeks swollen up and all kinds of colors (yellow, purple, blue, even a little green). It's a sprain, so the prescription is PT, Advil, and elevation. This past weekend he finally started walking on it, and finally started driving. Whew! We survived the super crazy day with the help of several friends. Now, we are back to being a two car family and Tom is off of crutches as of last Monday. So, all is back to our normal level of crazy in our little corner of the world.

Babee!!!

2011-10-28T17:08:00.000-04:00

I have a brand new nephew Nathan, and he's adorable!!!

Congrats Bill, Brooke, and Nicholas - and good job!

Benihana Fun

2011-10-25T23:22:00.001-04:00

First trip for the youngest three to one of their dad's favorite places to eat - Benihana. Max went when he was a wee one, but this one is pretty far away, so we've never been. They behaved like perfect little children - NOT! But it was their Dad and Uncle's birthday, so we all drove out there, and everyone had fun (and some of us had good food).

They loved the volcano, the guy chopping shrimp, the hats, the hot grill and the dancing oil. And they didn't eat a thing. Max tried a bite of chicken and said that it was yummy, Sam considered he rice briefly (until he saw the stuff in it up close), but both declined any actual food. We fed them before we went anticipating that they'd not eat much there, but it was still fun for everyone.

Scarves!

2011-10-23T22:41:00.001-04:00

Being a warm weather girl, I never really wore scarves growing up. But here in the *ahem* south...yeah. Here in Northern Virginia we need scarves a good chunk of the winter or else our necks will get cold! But I'm still not 100% sure how to wear these beautiful scarves, and I have several. They are a little like shoes or purses for some women - I collect them. I make them, I buy them, I covet them, but still not clue how to wear them. But, I found this and thought it best to share:

Now, I wear scarves and ROCK the scarves. I not only make it work, but I look cool doing it (whatever it is...).

Zombie Fun

2011-10-22T23:13:00.000-04:00

Leave your 11 year old alone with your iPhone for a minute, and this is what you end up with:

See his zombie, realize that you have work to do, and then this is what you create:

Thanks Make a Zombie! We totally rock Zombie World now.

Lucy's first ever visit to the dentist

2011-10-20T22:55:00.001-04:00

Lucy has been dying to go to the dentist for a while now. She goes with the boys to all of their appointments, sees that they are happy when they leave, and also get coins to buy prizes, and she's waited (not so patiently) for her turn. She's wanted to walk past the waiting room to see what fun awaits kids on the other side. Her turn finally arrived a few weeks ago and she couldn't have been happier. She marched right in, sat right down in the chair next to Max (we take them in by twos these days), and popped open her mouth when asked.

After the hygienist cleaned her teeth, the dentist took a look, and then they took x-rays as the dentist saw something suspicious on one of her teeth. All this without any fussing, and without even squirming, until the end. When they gave her the coin she practically ran over her brother and another lady waiting to check out in an attempt to tackle the machine with all the prizes. Then the fussing started. She wanted this toy, then that (they are little ones dispensed from a candy machine) and she wanted two, no three toys. Then she started in on Max - why didn't he give her his coin? Why wasn't he getting what she wanted him to get? And we got out of there as fast as we could, Lucy with a burrito - yes, burrito - in hand. Apparently plastic Mexican food toys that are dispensed from a candy machine and cost one dental cleaning are the best thing ever. She brought her burrito home and immediately showed Ian, who pulled out his taco - yes, really a taco - and then played. Dogs, rings, tattoos, sticky lizards, and all the other toys didn't hold a candle to the Mexican food at the dentist. Ahh...the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Spill Proof

2011-10-17T22:36:00.001-04:00

Ever wonder how to take your three year old out to dinner and keep them relatively clean? First choice would obviously be feeding them something that doesn't make a mess, but how often is that the first choice of a toddler. Avoiding eating out in public is another choice, but what fun is that. So after four kiddos, I think I finally discovered the secret - raincoats. Who knew that simply sipping up a light raincoat on the messy toddler will keep her from spilling salad dressing all over herself. Napkins, parents and non-drip food won't stop it, but apparently a raincoat will. And it wipes up nicely too. Lucy LOVES salad and lettuce - lechuga, and eats it all the time so it's surprising that it took us this long to figure it out, but we finally did.

Getting ready for Halloween!

2011-10-15T22:24:00.003-04:00

After dragging my butt a bit on the whole getting ready for the holidays thing I finally got started. If you get behind on decorating for Halloween, then you fall behind on Thanksgiving, and of course, Christmas/Hanukkah. The past few years I've been able to get my act together soon enough to get the house all pretty on the inside, get a few things thrown up outside, and enjoy the decorations for more than a week. But this year with school starting so late, the crush of soccer, and my general disinterest in the decorating part for some unknown reason, I finally did throw a few things out there. Cute, easy to put up and take down, yet, festive. And you know as soon as Halloween ends I'm tearing this stuff down and getting the Fall/Thanksgiving stuff up. Gotta get decorated!

Welcome to Princess World

2011-10-09T16:22:00.000-04:00

I'm drowning in pink and changes of clothes, shoes, and opinions over here. All of this from a three year old - a recently minted three year old to boot. She is all about princess clothes, fancy shoes, changing those shoes and clothes every two minutes, and demanding that she wear jammies to bed for her nap. (Yes, still napping - fingers crossed.) But this is all new territory for us. The boys went through a dress up phase - all Power Rangers - all day. But this is different. Lucy wants to wear these cute little dresses because it's Tuesday, or because she turned left to get into her room, or because she saw a big. She changes in and out of clothes, dumping them on her floor or draping them around the house (often on me) continually throughout the day. I almost want to run out and buy her a ton of fluffy princess dresses so that she has one for each day, or a ton of jeans and shorts, pants, whatever, in cute colors and patterns so she has other things to wear than these fluffy princess dresses. But here I sit, lost in Princess World and not quite sure what's coming down the pipes next. So far she's pretty easy to please as far as clothes go, but at some point I know that she'll turn that corner and the cute fluffy clothes aren't good/fancy/sparkly enough, and that scares the heck out of me.

Remembering

2011-10-08T21:00:00.006-04:00

By now probably just about everyone has heard - Steve Jobs passed away. I've been going through the last few days kinda sad for the loss - the man was an incredible innovator and an incredible mind. I've been reading blog posts about him and see how the loss has affected some in profound ways. But I consider myself a recent convert to Apple (I've only had an iPhone for two years now) , so not so much of an impact on me.

Just now I realized that Apple has been in my life for a very, very long time. From the time I was eight years old we have owned Apple machines. The first computer that I ever worked on was an Apple III - a dinosaur, and insanely expensive at the time (I think it was the price of a small car back then - around $6,000 when we bought it), but I learned to program on it, found my way around DOS, and learned all about dot matrix printers and floppy discs. We had that dinosaur for a while, and I was able to make the screen dance (or at least the little snake on the screen). It sat impressively on my dad's desk, and unless I'm mistaken, it was our very first family computer.

We branched off after that into a Apple IIc, that I eventually dragged

with me to college (after it was discontinued even). But by the time we bought the IIc the Mac revolution had begun. However, I had my own portable computer to take with me to school, external floppy drive, little LCD screen, and all, and I thought that was the coolest thing ever. At college I walked away from Macs completely. The lure of the PC that did more, faster, easier, was too strong, and my IIc was too slow and old. And up until this last Spring I'd never even toughed a Mac. But now I'm back in the fold, happy as a clam with my Apple once again.

So, thanks Steve jobs for all the time you've shared with me over the years. It turns out that it was much more than I would have ever imagined.

*Apple III photo courtesy of Alexander Schaelss

CANDY CORN SEASON!!!

2011-10-05T12:11:00.000-04:00

YES! (If you can't tell I'm jumping up and down giving high fives to anyone within reach.) It's candy corn season again! One of my favorite times of year. it doesn't matter if it's raining outside, cold and dreary, if I have my candy corn I'm happy.

Toaster ovens may be the death of me

2011-09-28T17:04:00.001-04:00

Before Tom and I had kids we ate food cooked in the toaster oven regularly. We were actually pretty proficient at cooking in that little oven - it was easy and quick and didn't require any real cooking skills. I've always been a fan of Black and Decker's toaster ovens, and that hasn't changed over the years. But once again, we've nearly destroyed a toaster oven. Only this time it wasn't me lighting the toaster oven on fire or Tom burning food past recognition - this was something new. It's been many years since we've had a toaster oven, so it's a completely new device to the kiddos. While it looks like a microwave you don't use a plate. It bakes cookies but still, no plates. Somehow Sam missed that memo:

Yes, that's a blue plastic plate melted down into the toaster oven. And yes, those are waffles. Seems that poor little Sam got a bit confused and loaded his waffles and his plate into the toaster oven - the brand new toaster oven. Well, once you start cooking your waffles and plastic plate, aside from stinking up the whole house, you melt your plate. At some point after they decided to send a messenger down the hall to tell me what they did. But it was't the reaction that the boys expected, and it certainly wasn't the sight that I expected to see. Apparently ruining toaster ovens is genetic. This will be #3 that we've had to toss, unless we can burn off the rest of the plastic - which we'll try when it stops raining outside so we don't stink up the house. But still, there's something to be said about toaster ovens in our house - apparently that's not a match made in heaven.

9/11 Memories

2011-09-11T09:26:00.003-04:00

Looked back at my blog to five years ago to see what I wrote about 9/11, and what did I find? Nothing. Not a single post for the day, and nothing written about 9/11 at all that year. Then I remembered what 2006 was all about for me and understood better. 2006 was us moving to the DC area, both of my grandparents dying, then my mom passing away - all in the same year. So it makes more sense that I wasn't in a spot to reflect on 9/11. But this year, ten years after 9/11, is different. I've been having a bit of trouble with the whole 9/11 for some reason. It's almost as if I'm still processing, wanting to avoid it. We weren't directly affected by it. Tom was home, about to get on a plane to DC, but still packing when the planes hit the towers. Our close family was not directly affected but extended family was (and they left the area as soon as they could for the space and beauty of Colorado). But today as I sit here reflecting on what it means to me - which is what so many folks are asking - I'm not sure what to think. Like I said above, I think I'm still processing. The emotions well up and the fear resurfaces. The unknown is there again.

A few weeks ago we had an earthquake and the cell phones were jammed. Couldn't find Tom for a bit, but at the time I wasn't concerned as I knew generally where he was and that he was likely safe. But now I wonder what would have happened if it had been hours and there was no communication, no contact. I can't even begin to understand what folks went through on 9/11 where they saw the images on the TV and online but couldn't reach out to their family.

So here we are ten years later, remembering, certainly not forgetting, but for me I'm still trying to figure out exactly how to process all of this. Maybe in time I will settle. We did go to the site a few years back and saw where there were no more towers. That was startling. Maybe it's time for us to go back again and see what is in the place of those famous towers, and things might settle more in my mind.

TMBG

2011-09-09T23:00:00.001-04:00

So yesterday I totally threw Giants under the bus. We LOVE They Might Be Giants. They have so many good songs for both adults and kids, but one of my favorites Science is Real spoke to me after watching yesterday's GOP Presidential Debate. So today I thought I'd show them a little love/ Giants are about clever, they are about fun, and they are about creative:

Gotta love TMBG!

Dear Rick Perry

2011-09-08T00:03:00.000-04:00

Dear Rick Perry - Evolution is a fact, and science is real.

So terribly sorry, TMBG. We really do love you, but this guy running for President needs to hear this.

First Day of School

2011-09-07T22:42:00.005-04:00

After recovering from the crying and fussing about that we had yesterday, it was good to hear that the kids who actually DID go to school had a great day. The little boys were very excited about their first day, had little to tell me but both thought that recess was fun. It is pouring outside so not sure what was fun about that, but they
thought it was fun. Max liked some of his teachers a LOT, and some he left out completely, so I'm guessing he was non-plussed. He learned some stuff about the school, where his locker might be (they'll get those next week), and that he's the only 6th grader in the Advanced/Symphonic band. Not sure what that means either, but hey, he's excited. All three boys were glad to go back the second day, and so I'm hoping that this will be
a great year. Buses ran on time, supplies were delivered ahead of time, and everyone made it to and from school in one piece. Max made some new friends, Ian and Sam ran across loads of old ones, and all is right in the world. And now, I nap.

Left Behind

2011-09-06T09:05:00.003-04:00

Just dropped off the three oldest at their respective bus stops. Unlike some parents who were crying, some who were up and down all night, and some who were anxious for the transition to middle school or a new grade in elementary school, I was (and still am) peachy. Problem is, I have a little girl sitting next to me crying that her brothers are gone. Apparently we didn't prep her well enough for the first day of school. The boys? They are all good to go. Lucy? Not so much. She's now sitting in her room balling her eyes out because she's not happy that she didn't get on a bus, wasn't dropped off at school, didn't get to pack a lunch, and is still here. With me. Alone. All day. I guess it just wasn't her plan for today, but not sure what else we could have told her. I told her we'd do something fun (not inclined to at the moment as she's being rude in the midst of her fussing). I think once she calms down we'll color or watch some Dora. But who knew that the person that would have the toughest time would be the littlest one who was left behind.

2011-09-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

Good lord. My husband drives his car to and from work with THESE dirty windows every day. And this picture doesn't nearly so the window justice - they are filthy. They aren't dirty on the outside - they are dirty on the inside. You'd think he's notice, or care, or clean them at least. They're getting worse as we go, and I can almost see my reflection in there, but not in a good way. Oh, well. Not my car. Maybe it's time to replace it - I mean, dirty windows = new car, right?

If this were any other job I'd be fired

2011-09-01T22:31:00.000-04:00

Two years ago I was smacking myself up the side of the head because I left some letters and supplies at home. Today we went to our 6th year of Open Houses, hit two of them today, and didn't break a sweat. Instead of just attending, I set up the PTA stuff, handed out the school supplies, and helped with the ice cream scooping briefly. We had school spirit shop sales that exceeded our expectations, served up a TON of ice cream (probably close to 800 scoops) and got most of the supplies out the door. In addition, we visited three classrooms for the two little boys, cleaned up the cafeteria and gym, and came home. All this after attending Max's open house this morning and exploring his new school (sans ice cream). Wild, crazy day.

We got all three boys settled in their respective schools, have school supplies in hand or delivered, and we are ready to go. How different it is two years down the road. No pressure to bring the supplies to school, no worries about writing the letter, and a much, much easier time. Oh how things have changed (for the good).

September 06, 2009

If this were any other job I'd be fired

Wait, this is my full time job yet after this screw up no one sent me to the unemployment office. Let me explain. I am a stay at home mom. I have four kids, three of whom are in school. The baby would LOVE to be in school (and she finds herself there often while I'm volunteering for things), but she's still a little squirt and has a few years left before she joins her brothers. Anyway, today was the boys' school open house, and we were not only supposed to take them in to meet their teachers, but also bring their school supplies up, and write letters introducing them to their new teachers. Well, I took them to the open house. Yes, we showed up - on time, I'll add - but that was it.

I wrote no letters and the school supplies are still sitting in my basement. I failed on two out of three counts on this particular project. If I was getting evaluated for this performance I'd get really, really low marks, or even fired if it was a big project for a client. But for some reason I'm allowed to slide, a lot. At my job, you see, the rewards are huge, and the repercussions of miscues (that's what we'll call it - a miscue instead of a complete failure to execute) are minor, if any. No one here is watching me to see if my performance is up to par, and no one judges when I miss deadlines or slip up a bit. So I guess I'll be driving up to the school on the first day loaded down with supplies. And I guess I need to hop on writing those letters before next Tuesday. And then I'll be thankful that I can't get fired from this job because apparently I am a little too lax on the details periodically. Then again so is pretty much every other mom that I know - they slip up occasionally too - so I'll just step back now and take a breath. Oh, yeah, and get those letters done ASAP.

This is an original DC Metro Moms post. When she's not lamenting her own lack of discipline, Suzie blogs over at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

Bikes and cars

2011-08-29T13:53:00.000-04:00

Fixin' your bike sometimes requires an audience:Riding off into the sunset, caring not that her brothers were sidelined by a busted chain:

Daddy, O.K.

2011-08-28T23:50:00.000-04:00

Love this - chokes me up every time:

Thanks, Subaru.

Phone funny #1

2011-08-25T23:56:00.000-04:00

If he's "The Help", no wonder the competition was concerned about being beaten...

Getting older bites

2011-08-20T23:15:00.002-04:00

So I'm just 39 this year (a few weeks ago actually) but parts of me are falling apart. If you ask my darling, loving husband, he will tell you that I've been falling apart for years now - teeth (crowns and laminates), vision (bifocals), and knees (surgery at a young age), but now my back has succumb to age as well. Actually my back has given me fits on and off for years but this time it's because I painted my toenails. Yes, you read that correctly. The act of painting my toenails has caused me back pain. Last Fall it was shelving library books. The act of putting the books on the lower shelves in the school library made my back seize up. This time it's the toe nail polish, and life just isn't fair. I'm a big fan of changing my nail polish on a regular basis, but without having to hit the salon. I guess it's time now to start doing that. I better start popping in for a quick polish change occasionally or else I'll end up who knows where, but face up. But the whole can't reach my toes because it hurts thing? Well that really bites. I love my chiropractor and all, but I'm not nearly old enough to be going through this. And the worst part is - I know that this is just the beginning. Ugh.

Sepak Takraw anyone?

2011-08-18T22:58:00.001-04:00

Tom says to me last night "So, have you seen the guys who play volleyball with their feet?" I sit for a minute, thinking back to the Paralympics volleyball, but they were on their bottoms and used their hands. I had no idea what he was talking about. He snatched away my phone and found this:

It isn't the wildest thing I've seen but it sure does come close. You have to be flexible, precise, have a somewhat decent vertical jump, and one heck of a good reach with your...leg. Very strange. Apparently it's tough to play as well. It's kick volleyball played with a rattan ball, and you can use your feet, knees, head, and chest, but you still have to get the ball over the net and down into your opponent's court. It's a popular sport over in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, but who knew. What a crazy looking thing to watch - can't imagine what it's like to play.

Got Milk?

2011-08-17T16:13:00.000-04:00

Lucy does!

Adequate Yearly Progress

2011-08-14T11:06:00.000-04:00

Once again the issue of Adequate Yearly Progress and the Federal mandate to have all kids passing all state achievement tests by 2014 has popped up. Several years ago I wrote about how we looked past the tests at the school that my kids attend. As my kids roll up and out of one of the best schools around, I look back on what I wrote. Along with over half of the schools in our district, we once again failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress. We made it last year so the ramifications are less than they would be had we not made it last year, but something has to give. The idea of Federal waivers that will drive states towards holding teachers accountable for test scores (and towards Race to the Top which our state withdrew from), well, that's unacceptable. We can't hold teachers hostage and at the same time accountable for test results. SO much of my kids' day is already driven by SOL tests (that's what they are called in VA). Can't imagine what life will be like if there are waivers in place that tied the teacher's hands even further and they aren't allowed to actually teach? Sigh...

But for now I'll look back on what I wrote back in 2007, after only one year at our school. Four years later I would write exactly the same thing. And I feel much more passion for this school that does such a good job of bridging the divides that we see at other schools, that reaches those kids who are left behind at other schools, and looks at the whole child as a way to educate them.

October 05, 2007

Adequate Yearly Progress

I recently had a discussion with a mother whose child was in preschool and she was wondering where to send her kiddo for Kindergarden. She was concerned about the low scores and also the large number of kids on free or reduced lunch at the local elementary school, yet she'd heard so many good things about the school. There was a diconnect. While some folks in the area understand all of the dynamics of the Fairfax County schools, not everyone "gets it." I know that we didn't when we first arrived here, yet I find myself regularly explaining to family and friends why the test scores don't accurately reflect the education that my son is getting at this school. Here is a blog entry I wrote a few weeks ago in response to the report that Fairfax County failed to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress across the board, and also as an answer to the question of why we send our son to this school.

"The Fairfax County school system for the first time failed to meet academic goals under the No Child Left Behind Act, largely because many students with limited English skills struggled on reading tests that were given in response to a federal order, according to school officials and scores released yesterday." -Excerpt from the Washington Post; By Maria Glod and Michael Alison Chandler; Washington Post Staff Writers; Friday, August 24, 2007; Page A01

My child attends a school that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) according to government standards.

My child attends a school that has not made AYP in the past as well.

My child attends a school where 45% of the students are not proficient in English.

My child attends a school where 54% of the students are on free or reduced lunch.

My child attends a school where he is a minority in many ways.

My child attends a school where 42% of the population participates in the English for Speakers of Other Languages Program.

But my child also attend a school where there are children from 40 countries that speak 20 different languages.

My child attends a school where there is true racial diversity - 14% Asian/Pacific Islander, 6% Black, 48% Hispanic, 26% While, and 5% Other.

My child attends a school where there were no serious incidents or firearm violations, and only two fights last year.

My child attend a school that has had more winners of the Fairfax County Teacher of the Year than any other elementary school.

My child attends a school with an outdoor habitat learning lab, a black box theater, a museum in progress, a state of the art communication lab where students produce their own TV shows and videos, a staffed math lab and a staffed science lab.

My child attends a magnet school for the arts and sciences.

My child attends a school that has a foreign language partial immersion program in Spanish.

My child attends a school that offers about 30 before and after school classes ranging from athletics to science to band to arts and crafts. These classes cover things like photography, healthy eating, drama, basketball, sewing, soccer, science experiments, and many more. These classes are open to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.

My child attend a school where kids are given a chance to learn, regardless of where they came from or what language they speak.

My child attend a school where he learns.

My child attends a school he loves.

My child attends a school that really doesn't leave any child behind, regardless of the adequate yearly progress that we do or do not make.

This was posted at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman on August 26, 2007

Reflections on Turning 39

2011-08-13T00:30:00.000-04:00

Yes, actually 39.

To the chagrin of some of my friends I'm still not quite 40. (That's going to be a fun party though.) But for now I'm one step closer to the big Four-Oh, and well, eh. Aside from the smart ass #2 kiddo telling me I looked older that morning when I got up, I don't feel any different. It took me a little longer than my 29 year old self to get up and going, but once I get going I'm a heck of a lot wiser than I was at 29. Thank goodness. And also with age comes grace...and cool pink hair.

"How to be safe"

2011-08-06T11:50:00.001-04:00

The wonderful Jen Lemen posted a piece on being safe that really resonated with me, so I thought I'd share it with you. She talks about being safe in regards to leaving others feeling respected and loved, and that really hit the nail on the head. As parents, Tom and I try very hard to be the safe harbor for our kids, but also each other and any friend or family member in need. While raising kids is in part pushing them out so they can explore on their own, we do so while letting them know that they can always come to us for comfort and love. So, Jen's list is perfect for us.

How To Be Safe
1. Listen. Take everything in the whole way.

2. Don’t judge. Consider whatever you receive as real and true for its own reasons. Remember the truest stories are most often secrets. Treat them as unexpected, hidden treasures.

3. Be gentle. No sudden movements. Announce great departures in logic, reason or values.

4. Be present. Let the whole of you stay for the whole story–your body, your mind, your spirit.

5. Press through resistance with the kindest truth you can find. Do so, knowing you are in the most tender territory.

6. Insist on the highest ideals available at the moment. Do so with innocence. Don’t worry if you sound naive or dumb. Everyone understands eventually that the only place worth running to for cover is Love. Yes, love can destroy, but it also heals everything in its wake.

7. Be really clear. Speak as plainly as you can imagine, and then bring it down to the ground some more. This is not easy, but you can learn how to do it. (Or so I’ve been told!)

8. Weather storms. Be unflappable in crisis. Come back when you should run away. Say words like “I can’t let you go” if only silently to yourself.

9. Set a limit. There’s no refuge where there are no boundaries. You can be a wall as well as a fortress. People may squirm but they’ll also be relieved.

10. Make your body a sanctuary. Be the kind of person who someone can come home to. Open your arms, lean in, lend your body as comfort, sustenance or kindness. You can be safe harbor. To be so only for a moment, is more than enough.

Thanks, Jen, for putting into words what we've been striving towards for so long now.

Nail Art Animation - How clever are they???!!!

2011-07-28T13:17:00.001-04:00

LOVE this commercial! I'm a big fan of Kia anyway, but this nail art idea has got to be one of the coolest I've seen in a while. I'm a sucker for cute nails (you just have to check out my Pinterest Style board to see that), but this is very clever indeed:

SQUEE!!!

2011-07-23T13:06:00.000-04:00

Can't believe that they are BACK! Aside from the fact that it's in Texas, on a ranch, with guys in tight jeans and boots, it's DALLAS! JR, Bobby, and Sue Ellen are back, all old and wrinkly, but back! Can't wait to see it next summer! Toss in Jesse Metcalfe, and I'm a fan already! And finally, an actual preview:

Thanks TNT!!! You have thrown me back 20 years and transported me right back to Texas!

Beautiful day!

2011-07-17T23:21:00.001-04:00

Driving home from rugby yesterday and it was perfect out!

It's rugby time again!

2011-07-16T21:02:00.001-04:00

Once again it's rugby time! All three boys are playing again this summer, and all three are having a blast! The little boys' team is dominating it's opponents - bot because they are practice more, are bigger and faster, or anything like that, but because they really give it their all. They are playing U9, so it's 7-9 years olds they play with, and they are really enjoying it.

Max is a rugby monster too! We loaned him out to another team since we were short players at this game, so instead of the orange he was in yellow, but he scores several trys for the yellow team!

So far a great season, and we're almost done Big tournament the last weekend in July, then off for the summer! Go PAC Rugby! Go Tigers!

Summertime

2011-07-10T08:55:00.001-04:00

Ahhh...summer.

And she wears it well!

Suzie Needs...Pt. 2

2011-07-09T01:10:00.000-04:00

A few years ago I ran a Google search on "Suzie needs" and posted about what popped up. I decided to do it again, and found that not a lot had changed.

The first time I got: "Suzie needs $600," and this time it was: "Suzie needs monetary help ASAP."

Last time it was "Suzie needs a flu shot." And this time "Suzie needs a man." Huh...well...no.

Last time Suzie was looking to refurbish her home: "Suzie needs her curtains taken down, washed and put back up, the freezer defrosted and the floors scrubbed." This time, "Suzie needs a new home." Think she's moving up, or just out?

And apparently "Suzie needs to buy six 33- cent stamps using EXACT change." Yes, four years later. Think she knows that stamps went up in price?

Google games are funny. What are you up to these days, according to Google, of course?

Happy Fourth!

2011-07-04T08:18:00.003-04:00

(Can't WAIT for this new movie to come out!)

Let's Play Blue's Clues!

2011-07-01T10:34:00.000-04:00

Eight year ago Max's favorite person left. It wasn't me, it wasn't the cat or a stuffed animal, and it wasn't a Pokemon. Max was two, and his favorite person was Steve, from Blue's Clues. Max visited with Steve pretty much every day - singing and dancing, learning shapes, letters, sounds, and even some songs. Then Steve left for college on a hopscotch scholarship. Funny thing - Max didn't even notice. We all sat down as a family to watch the episode where Steve essentially handed the show over to his brother Joe, and while Joe was cute and funny, Max never watched again. He asked to see Blue's Clues or a few months after Steve left, and he occasionally watched the videos, but he never connected with Joe.

The other day, as Lucy sat down to watch an old episode of Blue's Clues, an low and behold it was THE episode. She plugged right in and said "TWO Steve's!" I told her "No, that's Joe and that's Steve." So I guess kid #4 is also taken with Steve as well. She went about her business and watched the same episode of Blue's Clues that her oldest brother watched, at almost the same age, eight years earlier. Pretty darn cool.

Cars is BACK (and we've got a cool give-away)!!!

2011-06-23T08:59:00.011-04:00

While they had seen bits and pieces of free Saturday morning movies in the past, in June of 2006 my youngest boys saw their first full length official movie at the theater - Cars (aren't they cute!):

Five years later...Cars 2 is coming out! I am so excited - we LOVED the first Cars movie. We have loads of Cars toys and books, and the boys really took to it. Well, Lucy too is all about cars and trucks (and has been playing with some of the Cars characters even though she hasn't been officially introduced to them yet), and now she has the opportunity to see HER first real in-the-theater movie. Lucy will just be three and the little boys were three and a half, but I'm really hoping that she'll enjoy the second Cars movie (and the popcorn, of course) just as much as her brothers did five years ago!

Between the homage to Back to the Future and the "Materhosen" in the preview below - I'm super excited!

Take a peek at this scene too:

Gotta love a movie that has this great of a bathroom scene - and gotta love Mater! This time around the gang hits the road for an international race - and mystery and intrigue follow them! Cars 2 opens June 24 in theaters across the country (and I can't wait to see it).

If your kids are big Cars fans like mine, keep reading for a cool give-away!

I'm hosting a drawing for this cool Cars 2 t-shirt, along with a few other cool prizes (See them all below). I will select ONE winner for this drawing, and the prize pack will be mailed directly to you.

- CARS 2 t-shirt in youth sizes of S, M, L, XL

- CARS 2 set of 3 bumper tickets

- CARS 2 temporary tattoo sheet (2 per winner)

- CARS 2 puzzle

To enter this giveaway, tell me about YOUR favorite Cars character! One entry will be drawn at random, and the winner will be notified via e-mail. Be sure to either sign in to leave your comment or leave it in the comment itself so I can notify you. Comments will close and drawing will be held at midnight July 5th. Winner must reply to the e-mail notification with their name, mailing address, and t-shirt size (youth only) by noon Eastern on July 7th or a second winner will be drawn.

The small print: I am hosting this giveaway because we are HUGE Cars fans. No compensation of any kind was received. The prizes are compliment of Disney Pixar, but the words and Cars love are all mine. Drawing open to residents of the US only. Thanks Disney Pixar for the giveaway!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T08:16:00.002-04:00

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful Dad!

Take Me Out

2011-06-16T11:31:00.002-04:00

Aside from the catchy tune, this is a really cool video. Instruments stolen, they went to the next best thing and kept plugging away on their music:

Having a summer birthday in DC bites, unless it's at the pool.

2011-06-14T10:52:00.000-04:00

For the past few years we have had trouble gauging how many kids will attend Max's birthday party (see below for all of my frustrations about his summer birthday, as well as ). Seems that everyone leaves the country/state/county for Max's birthday. Last year we had a good number of kids actually around, but every year he has had a blast at his party. So now we have TWO kids that have summer birthdays. Lucy's falls a month before Max's, and this year we're hitting the baby pool. We're taking a load of our little friends to our baby pool for a popsicle party. The pool is really only there to help keep the popsicle mess to a minimum. Last year we had a splash party in the back yard and nearly cooked. This year, we are hanging out at the pool so everyone can be cool. But I have no idea how many people will show up. It's a Saturday, which is typically family time for the under four crowd. And then there's the whole thing about two and three year olds can't drive, so the kids will likely have parents tagging along. But hey, the more the merrier right? Hopefully Miss Lucy will be celebrating her birthday with a load of her good buddies, all will be splashing, and all will eat way too many popsicles!

July 29, 2008

Having a summer birthday in DC bites

My oldest was born at the beginning of August. Not a fun time for me - we were in Texas and August is WAY hot if you are 9 months pregnant. But his birthday fell at that just right spot for great back yard splash parties, and as he got older, pool parties. When we were in Texas we would have these huge backyard parties - loads of kids, food, cake, and water. There was one little boy whose family took a yearly trip to their cabin up north, but everyone else that we knew would come and celebrate with Max. We did five birthdays that way, and Max loved it. Then we moved to the DC area, and it all came to a screeching halt. You see, here in our area there's a mass vacation exodus in August.

Last year we planned one of these great back yard splash parties for the first time here in the DC area and invited lots of kids. Max had friends from both soccer and school on the list, and he was so excited about having everyone over to his house. There were about 30 kids on the list and I wasn't sure if we had enough cake, juice boxes and water, or enough candy for the pinata. Then the RSVP's started rolling in and the list dwindled from 30 to 25 to 20,then to 15, and finally 11. Out of 30 kids, only 11 were going to be in town for his birthday. Max was bummed that his closest friends weren't going to be at his party, but I was stunned that we had so few kids attending.

In Texas when we invited 20, 19 would show up. When we invited 25, 24 would show up - you get the idea. We were always in the midst of the party planning wondering if we would have enough. Now it seems that we are victims of the vacation exodus and poor Max has only three kids that have RSVP'd for his birthday this year thus far, and the party is on Saturday. He'll have fun, and he and his friends will enjoy the party I'm sure, but how much does it bite to know that most of your very best friends will be gone? Forget moving the party though - you never know which kids will be gone which weekend in August, just that a majority of them will be gone for a good chunk of the month. Thinking of suggesting that we switch the birthday party to February? Well, that's out of the question as well - his brothers have February birthdays and that just wouldn't be nice to them. So it will be another year of a smaller party than expected. But the kids will have fun, everyone will get wet, and we will all celebrate the birthday of a pretty cool little kid.

Original DC Metro Moms Blog Post. Suzie also blogs about her own summer birthday at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

Feeling like an Apple Dropout

2011-06-13T23:32:00.001-04:00

I've had an iMac for well over a month now and still can't give up my PC. I think I'm tethered to it in many, many ways, and have no idea how to drop those ties. You see, I've been a PC girl for pretty much my entire life. With the exception of an Apple IIe (can we say Dinosaur?) that I had in college, I've been in PC's for my entire career. (Yes, Apple's first stab at a portable computer came with me to college in Florida and sat many, many times at the beach with me.) And back then the Apple's weren't so different from the other computers out and about.

I'm not really sure what the hold up is, but I can't download pictures from my camera, I'm not 100% sure how to create a new graphic or jpeg, and I'm not sure of how to download stuff and put it in the right spot (folder, dock, huh?). Because of all this I'm starting to feel like, well, an Apple dropout.

It's like learning a new language I guess. Of course it's been 25+ years since I've actually learned a new language. Maybe that's my trouble. I've managed to learn new phones, TIVO's, Nooks, cameras, digital cameras, and all kinds of other electronic thingamajiggies, but not so much this iMac. Huh.

You'd think after all the beatings I've put my PC through I'd let it go slowly off into the night, but this is really, really slow. So now what? I always prided myself on being someone who could read the manual and consult the help desk, but I don't think that will fly now. I'm going to have to buck up and go take some more of those Apple Store classes. Clearly I haven't taken enough. Hopefully I'm not the only one out there that's a little gun shy about my new computer.

Man it's HOT!

2011-06-11T10:53:00.001-04:00

Seems like I've complained about the heat in previous years past right about now as well, and this week was just as hot (if not hotter). We hit 99 degrees on Wednesday, and that's just sizzling - fry eggs on the sidewalk, burn the bottom of your feet sizzling - no matter where you live. We do have a little bit of the humidity added in there as well, but I almost had to give up my Texas citizenship. You know, if you complain too much about he hot weather they disavow any knowledge of you ever being born there. Texans have their pride after all.

June 10, 2008

Man it's HOT!

One of the things that we've really enjoyed about Northern Virginia since we moved from Texas two years ago is the beautiful weather. While some of the locals complained that it was too hot, too cold, or that the weather was unseasonable at many different times of the year, we found that it was much more temperate than the weather in Texas. We have marveled in the beautiful springs and pleasant falls, we have loved the light to moderate snow in the winter, and we have honestly enjoyed the mild summers. We are truly fans of the weather here in Virginia - until now. I'm calling shenanigans on Mother Nature here, and I'm putting my foot down demanding my old Virginia weather back.

We've recently had four soccer games rained out, tornados, earthquakes, flash flooding, and now almost record heat. Yes, almost record because we are a few degrees shy of the "records." But who is saying that it isn't dang hot here?

Not me. And the funny part of this? Well, we're from Texas where it gets REALLY hot, but after being here in the glorious Virginia weather for two years, we're ruined. The kids and I can't handle the heat - and Tom just sits there and laughs at us. After two years of mild springs and summers that are cool enough to play outside basically all summer, we're stuck inside. For the past few days the kids grab a popsicle, run outside, then come zooming back in to escape the heat. Then, after a few minutes of beating on each other / playing soccer / watching TV / I send them back out again into the heat. Normally they would gladly stay outside all afternoon and all weekend, but I can't imagine them playing out in the heat that we've had (105-110 heat index) from more than a few minutes at a time. They have huge shade trees, water bottles, water gun fights, popsicles, hats, sunscreen, and still need breaks from the heat every 15 minutes or so. It's just plain hot here, and my kids' behavior reflects that. I guess being trapped inside in the late spring / early summer will do that to you.

So, apologies to anyone who runs into me and the kiddos over the next few days. Until this cold front comes through that they are predicting (which will bring the temps down to normal temps for this time of the year), my children will be behaving like wild trapped wild animals. Let's all hope that this heat wave subsides...quickly.

Original DC Metro Moms post.

When not hiding under an umbrella, Suzie blogs over at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

I LOVE a good parade!

2011-06-10T23:19:00.000-04:00

Once again I dragged my family to a parade, and once again they complained about it. But then again they still go. The kids have no choice really, but Tom, well, he must love me to indulge my parade fixation. But the Falls Church Memorial Day parade is always a big hit. This year, like last, it was wicked hot out. But we got there about five minutes before the parade started, found a shady spot with no one else around towards the end of the parade route, and plopped down. It was glorious. We saw our absolute favorites - the Bolivian dancers. There were several troupes there this year - one of them new - but all fantastic. From the wee ones to the old ladies in full garb those dancers move and groove and bring a big old smile to my face.

This year there was a stilt - walker, and a bunch of clowns. Lucy wasn't quite sure what to make of all the clowns, then again she wasn't sure why we were there in the first place. Guess to a two year old the whole world looks like one big parade.

Ian was all over that red wagon. We grabbed it to drag our stuff in, and once the chairs were out he hopped in, relaxed, and watched the parade. Can I just say - best. wagon. ever. I don't know how it handles kids, honestly, as we didn't let anyone sit in it, but it can hold all of our chairs PLUS our little cooler, and my purse in the back!
We brought freezy pops with us to keep the kids cool and happy. ;) And they did indeed do the trick. Twelve freezy pops later they were all coming off their sugar high, and Lucy sunk into the chair, and eventually rested her head on her daddy.

As the parade went on...and on...and on...Lucy totally ran out of steam. She liked the music and the colorfulness of the parade, but clearly wasn't plugged in to the absolute coolness of the whole thing. Me, on the other hand, well, I dig parades and this is one of my favorites.

Les Paul Doodle on Google today!

2011-06-09T00:52:00.005-04:00

I've mentioned before that I LOVE the doodles that Google puts up on their search page. But this one is more than just a doodle - it's alive. The doodle they have posted today is similar to the Martha Graham doodle they had a bit ago, but this time it's actually interactive.

So go to Google today and see what tunes you can strum. And if you don't know who Les Paul is, well, check him out here: Les Paul Online. All I'll say is that he was a brilliant, brilliant man.

Edited to say: Look how cool I am! I made my very own song for you - strumming along and smiling the whole time: http://goo.gl/doodle/oJKbu Gotta love Google for doing this...and for leaving it up for a bit!

Why can't the summer come sooner?

2011-06-08T22:22:00.000-04:00

Tom looked at my today like I was a crazy woman. "I think I want to pull the kids out of school and just be done for the year." We still have two weeks of school left, and I'm good to go for the year. I told him that there are a ton of cool things to do around here, and I was done with the whole schedule thing. Apparently I do this every year (see my post below). Last year, same time, and here I was complaining that that the summer couldn't come fast enough. And it didn't help that today it was a whopping 99 degrees outside. It hovered above 90 degrees for a good chunk of the day, and all I could think about was the pool. Yes, the pool is open, but mostly on the weekends. It opens at 3pm until school lets out, and by then it's almost too hot to get out of the house. But tomorrow, providing everyone is healthy (we had one kiddo home sick today) we are hitting the pool. Hot is just hot, no matter how you cut it, and I believe that anyone will agree, even my loving husband, that 99 degrees counts as hot.

June 10, 2010

Why can't the summer come sooner?

I have four kids, three of whom are in school. What I really mean to say is that three of them are in school still. It seems that our summer doesn't start until halfway INTO the summer - at least it feels that way some days. It now is staying light until well past 8pm, our typical bedtime, so the kids are still wide awake well past then. The sun rises at the crack of dawn as well, so naps (for me and the little one) are definitely on tap as my kids get up way to early for my taste. But crazy hectic school, sports, and extra-curricular schedules generally prevent any late afternoon naps from happening. And all of those cool summer activities that I remember from childhood? Well, they've already started and we still have two full weeks of school left.

This means that we don't get to participate in some of those cool activities, like swim team. Granted, the little boys aren't quite ready, but my oldest might have been had there been a day (or four) for him to practice with the team. But ongoing school and extracurricular activities still occupy those precious after school slots, so there's no room for swim team. There are other things that I'd like to be doing as well with my days, but it seems that we are not quite done with our required 990 hours/180 days of school yet. (Yes, the really do count that way depending on the year and weather, and this year wasparticularly bad).

I guess the worst part about this time of year is that it feels like it should be summer break. This means that my kids are acting like it's summer break - giving up on any semblance of good behavior left in their little bodies. They did well behaving all year - followed directions, did what they were supposed to do, but their little wills to behave have finally broken. They are turning in those ugly, nasty little summer cretins - like caged animals trapped in school kid bodies. This is easily fixed with some running around, boredom, pool time, bicycles, you name it. But we can't do any of those things because we're still in school. And you know that the teachers know this too.

I'm sure it's one thing to wrap school up in May, like loads of other places do, and then deal with those end of school wigglies. But not here in Fairfax County, and we have the good Kings Dominion law to thank for that. We can't start school here until AFTER Labor Day. This means that this year, and next year, (and many other years for that matter) we start the second week of September, and run through the end of June. This law has been around since 1986 and thanks to the lovely folks at King's Dominion, some state legislators, and a bunch of people who don't have MY best interests at heart, we go to school until all 180 of those days pass. And that's late June once again this year.

So here I sit on a beautiful, albeit slightly rainy afternoon, wondering when the summer will come, or when we will all be on a year round school schedule with much more reasonable breaks.

This is an original DC Metro Moms post. When Suzie isn't mourning the loss of her favorite season, she's blogging over at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

Five years

2011-06-03T12:27:00.004-04:00

Five years and almost 1,000 posts. I've been blogging since May 27, 2006, shortly after we moved to DC. Initially I started blogging to keep family up to date on what was happening in our lives, but over time it has become something much more. I can write, share, pop up pictures, or simple blather (not too much blathering so far but there's loads coming at you!). I have gotten to the point where it's a pleasure to write - no longer a chore. For years my writing suffered under my own false impression that I wasn't such a good writer. Now, I realize that I have strengths and weaknesses in my writing, and that's O.K. I write because I like to write. I have other creative outlets, but this one really lets my mind wander and explore - even for simple things like throwing up a favorite picture or sharing an amusing blog post. So, peek at my first post back in 2006, and look though the rest to learn all about our adventures in DC.

Here's to the Crazy Ones

2011-06-02T12:21:00.001-04:00

It's been one of those years. Time and time again there have been missteps, problems, and setbacks. But all are very, very minor in the scheme of things. I realize that it's time to let go and just be. Do good, go forward with crazy plans, explore, and be ambitious. And maybe one day, even one days soon, it will make a difference.

Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them; disagree with them; glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do. - Apple Inc.

Now it's your turn. Think different, act, and you just might surprise yourself.

Dreaded Budget Cuts

2011-06-02T12:15:00.000-04:00

You know that I'm a BIG fan of Lego A Day. He posts some really creative stuff. And today is no different. Budget cuts affect us all - including, apparently, those involved in the Galactic War.

So remember folks, budget cuts often have unforeseen consequences. From the big wigs to the soldiers in the trenches, or in this case on the bike and skateboards, budget cuts are tough all around.

Image from: http://legomyphoto.wordpress.com/

Memorial Day Thanks

2011-05-30T10:09:00.000-04:00

Summer!

2011-05-29T19:23:00.002-04:00

Well, not quite yet as we still have three

weeks of school left, but the pool is OPEN!

Super Cool Bicycle Kick

2011-05-24T16:18:00.001-04:00

From a local 13 year old...wild, just wild.

Bailey's 5th Grade Chorus singing the National Anthem!

2011-05-13T14:43:00.000-04:00

I LUV Martha Graham

2011-05-11T00:23:00.004-04:00

When I was little my mom would take me to shows - musicals, dance, orchestras, you name it. But after one or two exposures it was all begging on my part. "Please can we go see ____??? PLEEEEAAASE?" An actual conversation in my house growing up. And she obliged me. I saw a few shows on and off of Broadway in NYC (having local to NY grandparents helped that), but mostly I saw shows in San Antonio - all kinds of shows. I remember the first time I saw Martha Graham's dance troupe - I was mesmerized. It was one of those performances that has you on the edge of your seat - not because of any suspense but because you feel the need to pop up and move. I am positive that I danced my way out that day. I saw Martha Graham's troupe one more time before she passed away, and still to this day I have memories of those performances. I can't tell you what they danced, but I can tell you how I felt. I was inspired, happy, moved to, well, move. I popped in and out of dance over the years - just enough to NOT look like a fool when I'm out and about, but never got very far. But I do remember those performances. They were powerful, serene, outrageous, clever, and they inspired me to dance. To this day Appalachian Spring remains one of my favorites.

Today Google recognizes Martha Graham with a Google Doodle. The static image is above, but the graphic in motion actually evokes some of the same feelings that I had when I was little.

So thanks Google, for once again making me smile. And Miss Martha - Happy Birthday!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

2011-05-08T14:48:00.000-04:00

I went searching for a pictures of myself with my mom and it took me a TON of time to find one. Seems we only took about five over the years (out of the 30,000 or so that I have digitally). But then I realized that the pictures that I really wanted to share were all the ones with mom and the kids. And those, well those I have a ton. Some of my favorites I've shared, but this one really expresses the joy that the boys brought my mom:

Sam, Mimi, & Ian, December 2004

So, to all of my mom friends out there and those that may not be moms but are celebrating as well, Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Momma's Day, Mommas (and Dads too)!

2011-05-05T19:26:00.001-04:00

If Mothers Day has crept up on you, here are a few last minute, really cute ideas that you can either zip off via e-mail or print and hand deliver. Some are cute crafty things, and some are printables. My momma-in-law has some momma love on the way to her, but how about you?

Amy of A Proffittable Life designed these really cool printables that come in FOUR colors (red, teal, orange, and pink).

Laura over at Come Together Kids shared these delightful fingerprint candles. Grab your kids and a few candles and let them create!

And one more with a very cool twist. This is a printable that really crosses over - speaks to more than the Mom in me:

And is come in SPANISH!!! Thanks Lara for realizing that Spanish speakers love your creations too!

A big thanks to Lara over at less cake (more frosting) for this one!

Be sure to visit all three of these blogs to grab the full sized versions and directions. and most of all, be sure to celebrate the joy that is Mother's Day with your favorite Mom, Dad, Granny, Grandpa, kiddo - you get the drift!

Trumpet Trio

2011-04-30T16:33:00.000-04:00

Max and some buddies played at their first solo and ensemble competition today. Squawked once or twice, but did a GREAT job and got a rating of I - (on a scale of I-V). Way to go! Congrats guys on your hard work!

In case you missed it...

2011-04-30T13:11:00.001-04:00

I was asleep at 5am yesterday morning, so I did miss it! So, if you're like me - here's a treat! The Royal Wedding in 60 seconds:

How many camps did YOU sign up for?

2011-04-28T22:54:00.000-04:00

It's summer camp time again. Feels like we were just dusting the snow off the car, but I'm already behind the curve. I wrote this a few years ago but am running into it again this year. Last summer the boys did one week of camp - all together - all at the same place, and loved it. The rest of the summer they goofed off, ran amuk, swam, and goofed off. A kids' dream summer if you ask me. Yet here we go again looking at brochures, wondering if we shouldn't fill a few weeks for them. But is filling a few weeks right?

May 23, 2008

How many camps did YOU sign up for?

I have been asked that question more times than I care to remember - and it's just that - it's ME signing up for camps, not how many camps are the kids attending this summer. Why on earth is there this big push to fill their days anyway? I have no idea what is at the root of this drive to fill the kids' summer with activities around here, but it is a constant pressure to do so, at least in my circles.

We never had that big push in Texas to fill our summers, and there surely wasn't as much cool stuff to do there as there is here in the nation's capitol. We're all of 20 minutes from DC proper, and the museums, the Mall, the galleries, zoos, and the historical places (that aren't so fun for kids but involve a Metro ride so they really are fun in the end) are all free or very low cost.

The gymnastics place offers a camp, but so does the soccer, the school district, the gym, the county rec centers, the preschool, other local private schools, and then the list branches out. I can't imagine how much money we'd spend if we filled our summer with camps, especially for three kids, but that's just what some folks are doing. When did it become OK to take all those precious summer days away from kids? How else are they going to learn how to deal with the "boredom" and head off on grand adventures in the basement, the back yard, or at a friend's house? Where are they going to get that much needed kiddo downtime that lets them unspool from the school year? If all of their days are filled with camps and classes and they have back to back weeks of those camps and classes, when do they have time to goof off? What are we teaching our kids by filling their every summer day with camps and classes?

I understand the need to provide care for your child over the summer, but at what point does one decide that filling an entire summer with different camps is good for little folks? And what's with asking me what camps I signed up for? I'm not going anywhere...at least not to camp this summer. Although, that could be fun - mommy camp...hmmm....

An original post to DC Metro Moms Blog.

The Power of Words

2011-04-22T17:44:00.001-04:00

Thanks for plugging in the Easter Egg Roll!

2011-04-20T10:45:00.008-04:00

It's Easter Egg Roll time again in the DC area, and this year, while we aren't going, 250 students and teachers from our school will be there. Fairfax County Public Schools chose Bailey's Elementary School to give the tickets to, and the second grade was chosen to attend. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a good chunk of these kids, and they are beyond excited.

We went to the roll last year and had a fantastic time. We rode the Metro. We hung out in the grass and had a snack. We waited in line to get in and went through security. ;). Then, we saw Justin Bieber, DJ Lance, Clifford, the White House up close (!), and the Easter bunny, of course! We rolled eggs, hunted for eggs, and dyed eggs. We tossed footballs, ran an agility course, and did some people watching (who was that Justin kid anyway?) We planted some seeds, did more people watching, got a cool looking wooden egg, a banana (yes, they were handing those out), and a neat poster, then rode the Metro back home.

I am sure that the second graders that go this year will have as wonderful of a time as we did. And maybe, just maybe, the President himself will be there when they go. How cool would that be?
March 27, 2009
Thanks for plugging in the Easter Egg Roll!
Dear Mr. President and the rest of you White House Folks,
Thank you for the opportunity to get tickets to your annual Easter Egg Roll. I know this is the first year that you will be in attendance of this tradition, but we have not yet had the opportunity to even participate in the whole process of getting tickets up until you decided to put it all online. In past years folks had to come down to the Mall to get tickets about a week before the event. And wait in line...and wait...and wait. And if you lived out of town? Well, you were stuck either coming into town a week early and waiting in line, or you were just out of luck. Locals? Well, we had the option of hanging out with our closest "friends" for hours and hours and hoping that we were far up enough to get one of the 18,000 or so tickets that were handed out. But you changed that all this year.
I want to personally thank you for giving my family a chance at coming to the White House Easter Egg Roll. Up until now we weren't really even given the opportunity to get tickets - I have four kids and there's no way I could have spent a full day out on the Mall for those tickets. For tickets to see Garth Brooks when he finally came to our city in Texas when I was in high school? No problem there - we were camping in front of the local grocery store and we knew most everyone going in and out of there. For football tickets when I was in college? No problem - there was beer involved there and it was just me and my roommates - no kids. But waiting for hours in line on the Mall? Not so much for me these days with four kids in tow or missing several soccer games to make them all stand in line. So you see, I was glad to hear that you changed it to an online system. If it had not been online then my family would have had NO chance of attending the White House Easter Egg Roll. We have lived in the DC area for three years now and the kids are all finally old enough to make it a memorable experience (well the older kids are old enough - the baby's a bit young but I'm sure she wouldn't mind being toted along) so I figured that this was our year.
I understand that there were lot of folks out there who were unhappy about the outcomes. One man posted online earlier today that he has attended for the past three years and he was getting screwed out of his tickets - as if he has some sort of right to attend. Listen bub, there are only 18,000 or so given out each year - don't you think it's someone else's turn to attend? Another person complained that the system kept timing out. Haven't you ever tried to get those hot, HOT concert tickets online, and read later that they sold out in 2 minutes, 14 minutes, 30 minutes. Well, this isn't my first time hitting the refresh button either. And really - computer crashes happen - even the best laid plans. We all know the drill with modern technology.
In the end we did not get our six tickets. But for the first time since we've lived in this area there was the chance for us to be included in the magic of the White House Easter Egg Roll. The kids won't be disappointed because they'll never know I tried. The hubby is sympathetic because he knows how much I enjoy these types of things. And me, well, I'm appreciative that I had the opportunity to try to get those tickets, and hope that next year I have the same chance. And to all of you out there complaining that you had to hang near the computer all day, or that the site kept crashing - remember that you could have spent today in the rain, in the cold, on the Mall, by yourself waiting for hours to get those tickets...or to be told that they were all gone.
So thanks, Mr. President, for "plugging in" the Easter Egg Roll! This familyappreciates it and hopes that you keep that tradition alive in the future. And who knows - maybe we'll see you next year!
Sincerely,
Suzie
This is an original DC Metro Moms Post.
Suzie can be found lamenting her missed egg rolling opportunities as well as other things over at Confessions of A Not So Well Behaved Woman.

Parking Win

2011-04-19T11:49:00.000-04:00

Spotted recently:

Really? Two spots for a minivan?

Well that didn't work...

2011-04-16T10:18:00.002-04:00

Back to my old blog template for a short while. Need to figure out this whole weird error thing that I'm getting on some of these really cool templates. Unfortunately I don't actually know HTML, but I'm learning very quickly what the bits and pieces are that I need. Nothing like a little creative motivation to learn a new language! So, more templates to come over the next few weeks until I get this all figured out! ;)

Mommy Makeover + 1 Year

2011-04-14T10:57:00.003-04:00

Four years after my surgery I'm down a size, and still rocking the smaller bras and smaller pants! Here I am, happy as a clam that I did this, and willing to share my story so others like me will be inspired to make the same great decision that I made! Here's what I wrote about it one year after my surgery:

April 14, 2008

Mommy Makeover + 1 Year

A year ago today I was recovering from what some call a "mommy makeover." I had a breast reduction and a tummy tuck. I am 35 years old and have had three children, two of whom are twins, and another who was 9.5 lbs at birth (and man, did he have a big head).

Contrary to what some out there might believe, I was not duped into believing that I was misshapen, unattractive, pressured into surgery, or taken in by clever marketing. And I was certainly not self-loathing. My husband and I came to this decision on our own, after many discussions. I mention my husband because he too is part of my decision making process whenever a big decision comes up. You see, I married him and he's still in the picture. He did not, however, ever tell me that I was unattractive, insufficient in any way, nor did he pressure me at all into having this surgery. He was supportive of me every step of the way, and only wanted the best for me - whatever I decided was the best for me.

You see, this mommy makeover WAS all about me. I often joke that everything is about me, but in this case it was. I was uncomfortable in my own skin. I had headaches, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain from straps digging in, couldn't run or jog, and had trouble exercising at all other than weights and some minor cardio. I had been exercising for years three times a week but was unable, due to the sheer size of my breasts (40 FF if you are curious) to do a whole lot that would make the exercise effective. I also had trouble finding clothes that fit my body. I have skinny legs and large hips, which normally wouldn't be an issue in hunting up clothes that fit. But I also had a lump of skin near my belly that hung down about 3-4 inches from where it belonged, and had to literally be tucked into my pants. Any weight I lost made the skin fold hang down further, and the layer of fat accompanying my skin made it impossible for me to fit into pants that were shaped appropriately for my size. Basically I should have been in a size 16 based on waist, leg, and hip size and shape, but had to wear a size 22 to accommodate that lump of skin. No pants were made that fit my shape. Also, those lovely muscles that separate to make room for those kids during pregnancy never came back together - not even close. It didn't matter how much I exercised my muscles wouldn't come back together. So here I was with separated muscles, saggy skin, and big giant boobs. No amount of work would bring that skin back towards home, and those boobs, which were there from the start, were never were going to get smaller.

It all started with an episode of Dr. 90210 (a guilty pleasure that I'm admitting for the first time publicly). After seeing boobs on the show that looked exactly like mine and realizing that I could find some relief from the pain that I'd felt all these years, we started looking into the surgery. We decided that now was the time to remove the belly skin, and that the muscles that weren't friends could be sewn back together. This was not medically required, nor was the reduction covered by the insurance because apparently going from a FF to a C cup was not removing enough tissue. So, it IS all about me - not some doctor - and I could get both things done at the same time. And so I did. Now, one year later, I couldn't be happier.

You see, I don't see my body as a "badge of mommyhood." Being a mommy is all about who you are on the inside and what you teach your kids. I have three little badges of mommyhood running around. First off, my kids represent all that I am in respect to being a mom - you can judge me that way, not by the way I look. Isn't that what we teach our kids? And while I gave birth to these three, that doesn't mean that if I adopted they wouldn't also represent all that I am as a mother. Who says that you have to give birth to a little person to wear your badge proudly - any adoptive mom can tell you that.

I did this for me. I did this because I wanted to. I can now exercise and have lost some weight, which in turn makes me more healthy and more available for my kids now and in the future. I am now pain free - no back, neck, shoulder, or strap pain. I move around much easier - I no longer have FF's working against me every step (but my husband mourns the loss of his friends). And yes, I am more confident. But honestly, that comes from feeling better and being more healthy. And poo on you who think otherwise.

Original DC Metro Moms post.

Suzie also blogs over at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

Can you enhance it?

2011-04-11T22:06:00.000-04:00

"Tighten up on that."

"Freeze that."

"Run that back."

"Zoom in."

And my absolute favorite:

"Got an image enhancer that can bitmap?"

Want a giggle? You gotta see this for yourself:

So, who will take care of us?

2011-04-09T10:30:00.004-04:00

Last week both Tom and I got very sick and went down for the count. But this time, two years after I wrote this first post, a lot has changed. Not only do we have family in town, but we also have a much more solid support system in place. I know who I can call to get groceries, who can bring the kids home from the bus, who can watch Lucy on short notice, and what our kids will do if end up in bed for two days. Seems that things do change, and life moves on, and I reach out. That's the biggest lesson I learned from a few years of being sick here and there and needing help but not asking for it. I really do need to ask for help. I'm sick so infrequently that sometimes it just doesn't occur to me to lean on others for help. But this time I did. I not only cut out any extra activity for the few days we were really sick, but I also called a friend or tow, had them grab my kids, asked them to bring me stuff, etc. It works, and it's a much different place to be than where I was a year and a half ago.

December 06, 2009
So, who will take care of us?
I'm the mommy. When any of my four my kids get sick, I take care of them. When I get sick, my husband takes care of me (He's the daddy.). When my husband gets sick, I take care of him. You see how this goes. It's all pretty straightforward and generally works out really well. But what on earth are you supposed to do when BOTH the mommy and the daddy are sick? Who is supposed to take care of us?
Are the kids supposed to step in and run the house? Well, for several days over the past week the kids did just that. They basically took care of themselves, and also entertained their one year old sister as much as three 6 and 9 year oldscan, But, we discovered that we do not have a support system in place at all. I thought that my list of folks to call in case of an emergency would suffice, but now I see that that's not the case. Those folks are really for emergencies - not much else. They can step in short term but not for any length of time. Who am I supposed to call if we really do go down for the count again? We have no family in town, no friends close enough to pop in each day to see if we are still alive and kicking, and no classmates near enough to drive the kids to school. This time it was hacking and coughing and low grade fevers for a week, so we could actually drive them around. But what happens to the kids if we both get really sick again and can't get in a car (or shouldn't)? How are they supposed to get to and from school, gymnastics, soccer, etc. Clearly those things would fall aside, as some did this week, but school? What if we run out of groceries? Everywhere I went this week I was aware of the fact that I was spreading the nasty bug that was residing in my chest. And this one was a minor bug I'm sure - no pandemic in me. But what if I do get the swine flu, and my hubby gets it, and what if we have to get a kid to the doctor, or school, or anywhere? Who can step in and take care of us? At this point I'm at an absolute loss.
What I did find out is that there are some folks close enough to run the kids to and from the bus. Whether they can fit them all in the car together is a different story (three school aged kids throws a kink into many good plans). But they offered, and I'll take them up on it if we both head south again. And I also found out that people don't appreciate you hacking and coughing at them, even if it isn't the plague, in the midst of a highly contagious flu season. Guess I need to buy some masks to take care of that. But this leaves us with my original question - who will take care of us? Clearly we barely took care of ourselves this time, but next time, what if it's worse?
This is an original DC Metro Moms post. In between coughing and running kids to the bus, Suzie also blogs over at Confessions of a Not So Well Behaved Woman.

DC Metro Moms

2011-04-07T13:45:00.001-04:00

A few years ago I started writing for a collaborative blog called the DC Metro Moms. We were an arm of the Silicon Valley Moms, and had a bunch of local to DC writers. Over the four years that I wrote for this blog I found my voice, I found a great group of writers that inspired me, and I met a bunch of wonderful women. Almost a year ago the blog shut down, and so over the next few months I'll be sharing the posts with you here. All will have my byline, some will be out of date, and some will be completely relevant.

And soon, I'll be writing for another local collaborative blog called The DC Moms. We are still in the process of getting it all set up, but drop it in your blog reader as posts will start going up soon!

Like my new style?

2011-04-06T08:06:00.000-04:00

It's still me here - no worries. I'm just playing around with my template a bit. Not sure I'm 100% sold on this one yet, but it's closer to who I am and what I'm feeling these days than my sweet simple flower template. So, this may stick around and it may not, but keep your eyes peeled!

barefoot for the day

2011-04-05T11:42:00.002-04:00

today I am going barefoot

while I know i can't go into the grocery store

and it's rainy and cold out

these seem like such small sacrifices

i hope that you can join me

Ahhh...potty training #4

2011-03-31T22:36:00.007-04:00

So kid #4 gets all the benefits of our years of potty training experience, right? Well, not exactly. That only works if #1, 2, and 3 were similar, in either age or gender. But no. #4 wants to potty train before she turns three, and she's, well, a she. Lucy decided to jump on the potty a few months ago, which all the boys did, but then didn't really ever progress, just like them. So we thought we were in good shape and just went about our business.

Then yesterday she decided to up her game, and by up her game I mean pick the absolutely WORST day to take that next step (well, no the worst day - that would have been the day before as we've been REALLY sick this week). But yesterday, Tom was walking past the bathroom and saw a pile of poo on the floor and started cursing the cat's name. Then he turned and saw a nekkid Lucy. Yes, she went the bathroom IN the bathroom successfully, she just missed the potty. If it weren't for the fact that I wasn't 100% I might have freaked out more. She's almost a half a year younger than ANY of the boys when they did this, so we're dealing with a two year old potty training instead of a three year old. And she pooped in the bathroom, NOT in the potty. Lucy managed to strip off all of her clothes, pulled off her diaper, poop on the floor, and stay clear of it while wandering and looking for one of us (or maybe not - she was free and clean so she might have been running nekkid through the house).

So what the heck am I supposed to do here? I have a kiddo that doesn't want mom or dad in the bathroom while she's in there (her brothers tell her to scoot out when they go in so why shouldn't she tell us to scoot out). I have a kiddo that at any point and time can not only get undressed and plop herself down on the potty properly, but also get off, close the potty, get her diaper back on and put on her clothes (she did that today), then wash her hands and sneak back OUT of the bathroom, all very quietly. And she's TWO folks. So you can't reason with her, the consequences are not quite comprehensible for her, and she's fiercely independent (YEA!!!). But man, this whole two year old girl potty training is going to be a rough ride. What have we gotten ourselves into here with this whole girl thing? And yes, I know this isn't the last time I'll be asking that question.

Homework - Do it or what?

2011-03-27T17:42:00.003-04:00

I recently got a note from the little boys' teachers - Ian and Sam haven't turned in their homework in several weeks. After my initial, "Really, that long?" and a quick giggle to myself about the fact that they actually chose NOT to turn in their homework, I went to find out why.

My role in this house is and has always been more of a homework reminder, not a homework do-er or a homework checker. Yet here I find myself thrust into the role of follow up and follow through person because my kids, who were doing the work and not turning it in, or not doing it and telling me it was done (two very different kids) didn't get the job done.

In this house we give you time to do your work, a place to plop down and read/color/calculate/create/write/whatever, and help if you get stuck and ask, but I'm not checking each night to see if the work is complete and correct. My job is to provide a place for the boys to work and an environment in which they can successfully complete their work, but not to do the work for them or to turn it in for them. Well, they hit their first bump in the road on that one. Not turning in your homework at our school has weird consequences because we don't have grades. They get grades for efforts and achievement, but only O, G, S, and N. This might be the time for an Nor two to show up on a report card. I'd give it to them if they were my students. This time though, I got a quick note from the teacher that they were missing the work, and a polite request to get them to turn it in.

I believe that elementary school is the time and place to learn how to manage your time, complete assignments, and learn to be organized in general. This is the time to try things and fail, when those consequences aren't as great. I don't tie my kids' shoes, pack their lunches or make sure they've completed their homework - this is when they need to learn to stand on their own and do all of those things. It is a safe environment to do so - where else besides elementary school can you walk in with mismatched clothing, incomplete homework, and no protein in your lunch and still have a very successful day? My kids are learning the ropes and are much more independent than others, but if this means that they will sometimes not turn in their homework on time, well, so be it. This is their chance to learn what those consequences are without having it impact the rest of their lives (or their future educational career - remember that big fat zero in high school for not turning in one assignment?). I'd much rather have them learn that lesson now than in middle school, or heaven forbid, in high school.

So apologies to their 2nd grade teachers. My kids will not always turn in their work complete and on time, but know that when you send those notes home that they are learning that lesson and you are setting them up for a much brighter educational career, and a much easier life path.

Date Night!

2011-03-18T13:39:00.007-04:00

Around here date night is a big deal. It's a big deal because it costs an arm and a leg to get out the door for us (four kids will do that!) and we want to make the most of it. Recently we've rediscovered the theater. It started with a performance of South Pacific, and it's only going up from there. We were able to dress up, hit the town, and of course, it started snowing while we were at the performance, so my poor hubby had to get out in dress shoes and a suit and shovel the driveway when we got home! It's not often that we get out, but we're getting better at it (snowstorm aside - it happens occasionally around here). While we used to go on dates pre-kids to places like restaurants, movies, and the like, since then it's been a pretty sad run of dates. First it was movies and dinners, then it morphed into a trip to Target or Walmart (with out the kids it's a different experience), and now it's back to actual grown up dates for us. Very, very cool (as evidenced by the big giant smiles and Kennedy peering over our shoulders).

If you are desperate for a date, head on over to my review bog and enter to win tickets to see Blue Man group this week! Contest is open until Sunday, so pop on over there!

A tumultuous two weeks

2011-03-10T12:45:00.003-05:00

I'm a firm believer of what you throw out in to the universe you get back ten fold. But what on earth have I thrown out lately to get back this crap? Really - lice, bad, bad viruses, weird muscle pulls? These things, in combination with weird weather patterns has me watching out for the 10 plagues. You know - of Biblical proportion. Yikes. Over the past few weeks we have endured all kinds of nasties, trials, and tests. We're fine, and it's nothing we could't handle, but the rapid succession of stuff that we're been through has been painful to manage to say the least. We are through the lice, the viruses are lifting, and the muscle pulls, well, my obliques for the first time in 38 years introduced themselves to the rest of my body. Geeez. Thanks. But don't mind me. I'll be sitting here curled up with my pillow and tea...and Advil.

Love this ASL!

2011-03-02T11:30:00.000-05:00

So this is one video that I won't link as it's got a bad word or two. I will say though that aside from absolutely loving this song, the ASL interpretation of this is oh so cool. To Anna, the girl that did this for her college level final - GOOD FOR YOU!

Here's the link: F**k You Sign Language Interpretation - be sure to clear the room of kiddies before you play it or they'll learn all kinds of fun words! But definitely check it out - it's fantastic!

Best Commercial EVER!

2011-02-16T13:32:00.000-05:00

Being a HUGE Star Wars fan, a big fan of VW, and an appreciator (is that even a word?) of little kids going the distance (as well as advertising agencies hitting the nail on the head), I share with you the best commercial ever:

Love Netflix Instant!

2011-02-15T21:50:00.005-05:00

The other day I was sitting and listening to five kids laugh and giggle as they watched Home Alone 2. After about 10 minutes I had to walk away - can't stand that movie. But what I really liked was that the kiddo that was staying over mentioned the movie, two of my kids asked if we could watch it, and I could say Yes because it was on Netflix and I could stream it instantly. How cool is that.

Later on I was sitting at my computer looking up a few TV shows that I wanted to catch in the past, and noticed that Netflix made a few recommendations for me. That made ME laugh and giggle - this is why:

Dora the Explorer Season 2

The Taking of Pelham 123

Saturday Night Live Season 31

Yes, these are the things that Netflix suggests that I watch based on what I have in my queue. Here's what they say:

How these are chosen for you:
We create this list based on your recent rental and watching history, ratings, queue adds and taste preference settings.
We try to present a regularly updated selection of titles chosen specifically for you -- older titles that you may have missed and new releases.

Huh. Dora and Taking of Pelham 123? Yeah. Best in Show and Psych? LOVE them! But Veronica Mars, Assassins in Love? Just don't get it. I guess they think I'm all about British comedies/children's cartoons/adventures/teen dramas/dark humor. Never thought about it like that, but they aren't too far off.

Birth of an Island

2011-02-14T10:35:00.000-05:00

This kind of stuff blows my mind when I see it. We all know that it happens, but to see actual video of an island erupting is really cool:

Hang in there!

2011-02-12T23:43:00.000-05:00

Found the doll this way a few weeks ago - just hanging on by her...head. Reminds me of that "Hang in there" kitty picture that we all know and *ahem* love.

Cool lens #1!

2011-02-11T23:48:00.000-05:00

Well, it's a six image mirage lens actually, and it pops right onto my iPhone! It's just about the coolest of the three lens filters that I recently got from Photojojo! And it really does help to have a willing subject. Thanks Max! More pictures with me three new lenses coming soon!

2 Year Old Chores

2011-02-09T21:36:00.000-05:00

Yup, our two year old does chores, and has since before she actually turned two. All of the rest of our kids do chores every night, so she figured that she'd jump right in on those too. Since she was so willing, we gave her age appropriate chores - picking up her trains and unloading the dishwasher. Yes, you read that correctly - Lucy unloads the dishwasher, and does a pretty decent job of it too. Recently though she's started trying to LOAD the dishwasher. Now, when you are just below counter height, can't reach the sink, and still aren't 100% sure which is the trash and which is the sink, maybe loading the dishwasher isn't a good chore for you. But Lucy did it anyway. I came around the corner and this is what I found:

Lucy couldn't find any actual dirty dishes, so she got some plates and bowls from the cabinet and loaded those in the dishwasher, along with a wrapper from a bar, which was clearly dirty. Two year olds are entertaining.

Safety latches?

2011-02-07T21:25:00.002-05:00

Really now. When a barely two year old kiddo can break the childproof latches and get into cabinets, then perhaps the childproof latches aren't so childproof after all:

Yes, those are two of the six that we had around the kitchen, three of which are broken or no longer attached. Nice, huh?

Day 6

2011-02-05T20:44:00.003-05:00

This is the first in a series of posts that were written as my husband spent a chunk of time out of town recently. Just sharing them with everyone now that he's back safe and sound, and I've regained my sanity (and have gotten some sleep as well).

Apparently I can make it five days without my hubby and maintain my sanity. The sixth day, however, nearly sent me over the edge. It had nothing to do with the actual day today. The kids got off to school relatively smoothly (the bus came early but no biggie). I had my nephew here for a few hours and he and Lucy LOVE playing together so that was easy. The boys brought a friend home from school (it's Friday after all - woo hoo the weekend!), and they all played fine. Max has a really late soccer game (starts at 9pm) but he caught a ride with a friend, so no bedtime issues here.

So what was it that is throwing me for a loop? Nothing in particular, everything in general. Soccer, school, PTA, toddler, boys, girls, (Cat is good - no stress there), and the list goes on. Dishes are done, floor is as clean as can be expected, and aside from the toys strewn about by the two year olds this AM, house is in good shape. So what is it really that's giving me jitters, making me antsy, pushing me to the edge?

Honestly, I think that I've shifted from a real introvert - always have been one - to someone who needs her alone time but also needs to download at the end of the day. I have been married to Tom for the past 12 years, together for almost 17 total, and this is going to end up being the longest stretch since we moved in together that we've been apart. Tom used to travel a lot, but the kids were MUCH younger, and I was able to talk to him all the time. Knowing that I'm not going to talk to him much over the next week or so is an interesting thought, one I'm trying to balance with my daily load of stuff that I usually share with him each night.

So, I think today was a minor hiccup, and I'm moving on. Little gripes and observances will just have to sit for a bit longer, or just go away. Nothing major brewing so no need to reach out to anyone - spending time over the weekend with the kids and other grown ups at soccer will suffice. Odd thought though - after 17 years not talking to Tom for a full week. I'll get back soon on this - gotta let it simmer some more.

Gulp!

2011-02-04T23:26:00.000-05:00

Can we say spoiled? At least it's caffeine free...

But hey, what are you supposed to do when there's no juice to be found and you can't run out to get some? Let's chalk this up to fine motor practice and call the first canned soda a successful venture (just ignore the wet jacket)!

Caught in the act

2011-02-03T21:49:00.005-05:00

Caught the little one reading

one of her favorites - Dora the

Explorer. Seems she doesn't

mind being dragged to the

craft store by her mom so

much after all.

Go Cowboys!

2011-02-01T15:28:00.000-05:00

Yes, even Lucy is getting in on the action around here. It's coming up towards the end of football season - you know - that time of year when I reappear after spending HOURS each weekend in front of the TV. My poor husband calls himself a football widower. But this year wasn't so good for any of our teams. Two didn't make their playoffs (Dallas and UTexas) and one did make a bowl game and not only showed up but played well an won - GO FSU! But it was a lame-o football season all in all. The BCS Championship was only shown on cable TV, and we might have two #6 seeds playing in the Super Bowl. Good thing we had our little Cowboys fan around to make us smile! We are tried and true Cowboys fans around here - no fair weather fans in this house! And the only rule for the kids is that you can cheer for any team you want unless they are playing the Cowboys, and so far so good on that front. So pay attention to that big grin Cowboys - she's got a winning smile and we want a better season next year!

Bambino Balls

2011-01-29T23:46:00.004-05:00

How cute are these?

If only there was a baby here to put them on (please don't read any father into that than you should...) If you want some for your little Bambino you can get them here. Just had to share as I thought these were SUPER cute!

Playing with Colors on Picnik

2011-01-28T21:22:00.000-05:00

Here's the original:Then, we have the colors:

Cool, huh? LOVE Picnik! Makes it so snappy to do things like this.

YIKES! Big storm indeed

2011-01-25T23:28:00.004-05:00

No wonder they are tweaking about this one. I was just hoping for some sledding snow - maybe I'll get my wish tomorrow!