I love my kids. I don’t think anyone would deny that. I think they’re awesome and better than most kids. It’s my job to think that. I tell them when they’ve done a good job and I don’t pussy foot around when they have not done a good job. I give their teachers permission to correct them and I would never say, “Oh my kid would naaaeeeaaver do that.” Because they would. What do people think? Teachers don’t know kids and their behaviors? It’s what they do. They know kids. And I believe that most of them are in it because they genuinely like kids and want to help them. I choose to believe that my kid’s teachers are acting in the best interest of my children and their class mates. Until further notice, I will believe this. I have had teachers thank me for being down to earth and working with them to come to solutions instead of taking my kid’s side and denying that my kid could possibly misbehave. I know they can and I know they have.
I am not the “get on the floor” kind of mom, I am not a “helicopter” parent, I am not overly protective and I am not one to “praise them for nothing” kind of mom. That makes me NUTS!....Oh little so and so, you kicked the ball during soccer, yay, good for you. Shut up! You are supposed to kick the ball during soccer. Terrific, they hit the lowest rung. The other day I saw a little girl (about 2) playing on her mom’s IPhone at the soccer practice for her older brother. A ball rolled off the soccer field and bumped up against her. Her mom bent down and said, “Good for you Lucy. You did such a good job stopping the ball. We’re going to call you Goalie.” And then she proceeded to pat her on the head and continue with the oohing and aaaahing. Give me a break. The kid wasn’t hurt and she wasn’t even paying attention. I would be more apt to call her Door Stop or Stump but certainly not Goalie. That kid is going to grow up thinking that she is Super Kid and then she’s going to go out in the world and wonders why everyone isn’t awed by her presence. “Well Door Stop….there are LOTS of Door Stops out there. What else do you have?” She’s not doing her kid any favors.
I expect my kids to do more, work hard, be kind and try their best. I am not going to blow smoke or give them false praise. I make these promises to my kids because I am a Supportive Mom……. I will heap on the praise when it comes to true effort being made. I will cheer for you when you have a game and I will really cheer if you are doing your best. You don’t have to be the best as a matter of fact you can even be the worst. If you are giving it (whatever it is) your best effort I will be your cheer leader. I will be your advocate. I will be fierce to protect you. I never thought I was very tough but I can be downright scary to ANYONE that might try and hurt you in any way. I will help you learn. I will protect you from the things that I can and I will comfort you when you’re hurt by the things that I can’t. I will cry with you and I will laugh with you. I will support you. I will guide you. I will love you…..always….and I will love you more than you can possibly understand until you have a child of your own. I am your Supportive Mom.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
On the Blog Again....I Can't Wait to Get on the Blog Again
It has been far too long since I have blogged regularly. It isn’t because I don’t want to blog. It’s because I have a busy life and family. I love blogging and at times it’s been the thing that has kept me sane…..or as sane as I am I guess.
It’s been an up and down week for me. Do you want the good news or the bad news?..................................................................................................................................................................................... Well? Alright then, you get the bad news first. I like to end on an upswing.
The bad news is that my car was prowled last night. One of my kids, I won’t say which one, left the car unlocked. My kid went in there to get something they forgot. I remember thinking, “I need to make sure the car is locked.” And then life got busy and I forgot. They took my GPS, my speaker for hands free talking in the car, a bunch of gift cards (but not all of them) and my Leatherman multi tool, a total of about $400 worth of stuff. No it’s not the end of the world but it is a huge violation. The van was in our drive way. No it wasn’t locked but damn….it was in MY DRIVE WAY. I have filed a report but I don’t expect to get any of that stuff back. It is yet again a reminder to all of us that we need to lock EVERYTHING. It is very disheartening. So that is that.
Now the good news. I am happy to report that there is much more good news than bad news. First, while we’re on the topic of stolen stuff, I got my bike back! Yep, it is the bike that was stolen in April. It was new and had all my cool stuff on it, air horn, odometer, bell, lights etc. It was in great shape other than some cob webs. I knew that it wasn’t stolen to be ridden; it was stolen to be sold for cash. It was found at a pawn shop. The only bummer part is I had to pay $40 to the pawn shop or they would have held it until they could prosecute and collected some of their money. It was worth it. I couldn’t have been happier about that. I don’t know what I am going to do with it but it’s back.
The kids are back in school. It means getting up early and I did have my kids trained to sleep in this summer. I liked that part. Actually, we had a great summer and did lots of stuff. The kids, Bob and I traveled, played and had a very successful staycation. We enjoyed going to the pool but I couldn’t get anything done when I was at the pool every day for hours on end. I enjoyed just hanging out but things were NOT getting done. I was sick of “bored” kids, making food and cleaning up the kitchen all day, doing extra laundry and the general mess that goes along with having 3+ kids in the house all the time. I was done with summer.
And this school year is better. Why you ask…………because all 3 of my kids are in school from 8:45 to 2:45. 6 years ago when I had Kees I had him in August so my son could go to school when he turned 5. He wasn’t ready. I was totally ready but he was not. I debated whether I should send him anyway but in the end I decided that he needed one more year of preschool. It was a place where he was totally happy. Shoot. But I have to say it was absolutely the best thing for him. He is a totally different kid this year. He’s confident, more adventurous, he’s independent and just more rounded out. He is definitely ready for school.
Today was day #4 of full day kindergarten and he is totally happy. I love his teacher and so does he. I have known her for 6 years and she lives near-by. I told her this summer that he can be really difficult but all she saw was this funny, smart little boy running around being friendly. Yesterday they had a fire drill. When they got outside she had to call roll. When she got to Kees’ name she called it. He didn’t respond. She called again. He didn’t respond and she started to get nervous. After about a minute she saw him and asked him if he heard her. He said, “Yes.” And when she asked him why he didn’t respond he said because he couldn’t hear the “S” on his name. She asked, “Did you know I was calling your name?” And again he said, “Yes.” And then she gave it to him. He knew she was serious and when it comes to safety he could not be doing that. She told me this story in the hall at drop off and then said that she could see what I was talking about this summer. She really understands now where I am coming from with this kid. Fabulous, an ally. Maybe she can do what I have not been able to accomplish.
Coulter has a great teacher too. He has Ms. Barry. She’s the same one that Sophia had. It’s nice to know your teacher. She is what he needs. He doesn’t give me lots of information but he comes home happy every day. “Coulter, how was your day?” He reports, “It was GREAT!” every day.
Coulter and Sophia are now in the same building so they can ride to and from school together. This is great too. It saves me about a half hour in the morning since I don’t have to drop them off. And now they’re coming home together too. Again, a half hour saved. I’m loving that. Sophia sends me a text when they get there and another one when they’re leaving the school. It has been a great way to communicate.
And Sophia…. She had a tough second half of the year. It was very important to me that Sophia have a good year academically but also socially. She had some middle school type problems with friends last year and was told by her teacher to, “Handle it. You need to figure it out.” By the end of the year I was done with that answer. THEY’RE 10 and they need help.
Sophia’s teacher this year is not afraid to step in and help them figure out these issues. I talked to her on the second day of school and she said, “I see the issues that other teachers might not and I know how to handle them.” She has been a middle school teacher for 11 years and has a background in counseling. Hooray!!!! She said if kids are having a hard time getting along and they set a boundary with someone, that someone needs to respect the boundary. I appreciated that. We agreed that everyone needs to be civil to one another and show respect but they don’t all have to be buddies. It was a relief when I met her and I am grateful that she isn’t afraid to get in the middle of the kids and their issues.
Sophia had been very concerned because she is in a mixed age class with 4th graders. I didn’t care about that so long and the teacher was awesome. She is. And Sophia hasn’t mentioned the 4th grade “problem” this week. I think it is becoming less and less of an issue even to her.
We also had a really nice visit from my mom and Ed. They were here for a short time but it was nice. Sometimes when my mom comes it can be really stressful for me. I am her daughter and at times she still feels the need to “mother me” to a degree that feels like torture. I try to make it nice for them and I think I do. But no matter how low impact a guest is, it is still a lot of work. Sometimes my mom is low impact….other times, not so much. This time was low impact and nice. It was truly lovely.
Soccer started when school started. Coulter has had 2 practices and 1 game and has been playing really well. It’s been great fun to see him grow and develop. He is a natural athlete and I would love to see at least one of my kids excel in sports or at least a sport. Just like school….when I ask him how soccer was he says, “GREAT!” I love that kids attitude.
Kees starts soccer tomorrow and is more than a little excited. He has to wear full soccer gear just to kick the ball across the street with his brother. He got Coulter’s old soccer shoes, got his own ball and borrowed Coulter’s jersey. You can see how proud he is to be doing all the stuff the big kids have been doing all along. He is part of the big kid gang now and he is feeling it.
We enjoyed the last 2 days of the pool. It closes for the season on Friday but the open swim was over on Sunday. There was the ice cream social at school and everyone had a great time. PTA (I am on the board) started last night and we have our first general membership meeting next week. Back to school night is tonight and tomorrow for the 2 campuses. Horse riding starts soon, soccer is in full swing, Coulter may be taking an art class after school, everyone seems to have friends and be getting along. We are back in to the full swing of school. So far it has been a great year.
And I have some time! I am thrilled. It’s only the first week and I haven’t done much but I did go out to lunch today and am going tomorrow and the next day too! I have done more laundry, organized a few things, gone through mail and paid bills. It has been nice to do it without having someone interrupt me every few minutes. I will do more but for now I am enjoying the bit of a break.
And I started walking the stairs again. I have partners set up for 2 times per week, Tuesday and Friday. I need to start yoga, yes Rebecca….yoga. There is a studio near my house and I am going to go. I remember when I was growing up I would laugh at my dad when he was stretching because he was so stiff. Pay back is a bitch. I’m not laughing now.
So there is the good the bad and the ugly. Here at the Leek’s it’s mostly good and I plan on keeping it that way.
It’s been an up and down week for me. Do you want the good news or the bad news?..................................................................................................................................................................................... Well? Alright then, you get the bad news first. I like to end on an upswing.
The bad news is that my car was prowled last night. One of my kids, I won’t say which one, left the car unlocked. My kid went in there to get something they forgot. I remember thinking, “I need to make sure the car is locked.” And then life got busy and I forgot. They took my GPS, my speaker for hands free talking in the car, a bunch of gift cards (but not all of them) and my Leatherman multi tool, a total of about $400 worth of stuff. No it’s not the end of the world but it is a huge violation. The van was in our drive way. No it wasn’t locked but damn….it was in MY DRIVE WAY. I have filed a report but I don’t expect to get any of that stuff back. It is yet again a reminder to all of us that we need to lock EVERYTHING. It is very disheartening. So that is that.
Now the good news. I am happy to report that there is much more good news than bad news. First, while we’re on the topic of stolen stuff, I got my bike back! Yep, it is the bike that was stolen in April. It was new and had all my cool stuff on it, air horn, odometer, bell, lights etc. It was in great shape other than some cob webs. I knew that it wasn’t stolen to be ridden; it was stolen to be sold for cash. It was found at a pawn shop. The only bummer part is I had to pay $40 to the pawn shop or they would have held it until they could prosecute and collected some of their money. It was worth it. I couldn’t have been happier about that. I don’t know what I am going to do with it but it’s back.
The kids are back in school. It means getting up early and I did have my kids trained to sleep in this summer. I liked that part. Actually, we had a great summer and did lots of stuff. The kids, Bob and I traveled, played and had a very successful staycation. We enjoyed going to the pool but I couldn’t get anything done when I was at the pool every day for hours on end. I enjoyed just hanging out but things were NOT getting done. I was sick of “bored” kids, making food and cleaning up the kitchen all day, doing extra laundry and the general mess that goes along with having 3+ kids in the house all the time. I was done with summer.
And this school year is better. Why you ask…………because all 3 of my kids are in school from 8:45 to 2:45. 6 years ago when I had Kees I had him in August so my son could go to school when he turned 5. He wasn’t ready. I was totally ready but he was not. I debated whether I should send him anyway but in the end I decided that he needed one more year of preschool. It was a place where he was totally happy. Shoot. But I have to say it was absolutely the best thing for him. He is a totally different kid this year. He’s confident, more adventurous, he’s independent and just more rounded out. He is definitely ready for school.
Today was day #4 of full day kindergarten and he is totally happy. I love his teacher and so does he. I have known her for 6 years and she lives near-by. I told her this summer that he can be really difficult but all she saw was this funny, smart little boy running around being friendly. Yesterday they had a fire drill. When they got outside she had to call roll. When she got to Kees’ name she called it. He didn’t respond. She called again. He didn’t respond and she started to get nervous. After about a minute she saw him and asked him if he heard her. He said, “Yes.” And when she asked him why he didn’t respond he said because he couldn’t hear the “S” on his name. She asked, “Did you know I was calling your name?” And again he said, “Yes.” And then she gave it to him. He knew she was serious and when it comes to safety he could not be doing that. She told me this story in the hall at drop off and then said that she could see what I was talking about this summer. She really understands now where I am coming from with this kid. Fabulous, an ally. Maybe she can do what I have not been able to accomplish.
Coulter has a great teacher too. He has Ms. Barry. She’s the same one that Sophia had. It’s nice to know your teacher. She is what he needs. He doesn’t give me lots of information but he comes home happy every day. “Coulter, how was your day?” He reports, “It was GREAT!” every day.
Coulter and Sophia are now in the same building so they can ride to and from school together. This is great too. It saves me about a half hour in the morning since I don’t have to drop them off. And now they’re coming home together too. Again, a half hour saved. I’m loving that. Sophia sends me a text when they get there and another one when they’re leaving the school. It has been a great way to communicate.
And Sophia…. She had a tough second half of the year. It was very important to me that Sophia have a good year academically but also socially. She had some middle school type problems with friends last year and was told by her teacher to, “Handle it. You need to figure it out.” By the end of the year I was done with that answer. THEY’RE 10 and they need help.
Sophia’s teacher this year is not afraid to step in and help them figure out these issues. I talked to her on the second day of school and she said, “I see the issues that other teachers might not and I know how to handle them.” She has been a middle school teacher for 11 years and has a background in counseling. Hooray!!!! She said if kids are having a hard time getting along and they set a boundary with someone, that someone needs to respect the boundary. I appreciated that. We agreed that everyone needs to be civil to one another and show respect but they don’t all have to be buddies. It was a relief when I met her and I am grateful that she isn’t afraid to get in the middle of the kids and their issues.
Sophia had been very concerned because she is in a mixed age class with 4th graders. I didn’t care about that so long and the teacher was awesome. She is. And Sophia hasn’t mentioned the 4th grade “problem” this week. I think it is becoming less and less of an issue even to her.
We also had a really nice visit from my mom and Ed. They were here for a short time but it was nice. Sometimes when my mom comes it can be really stressful for me. I am her daughter and at times she still feels the need to “mother me” to a degree that feels like torture. I try to make it nice for them and I think I do. But no matter how low impact a guest is, it is still a lot of work. Sometimes my mom is low impact….other times, not so much. This time was low impact and nice. It was truly lovely.
Soccer started when school started. Coulter has had 2 practices and 1 game and has been playing really well. It’s been great fun to see him grow and develop. He is a natural athlete and I would love to see at least one of my kids excel in sports or at least a sport. Just like school….when I ask him how soccer was he says, “GREAT!” I love that kids attitude.
Kees starts soccer tomorrow and is more than a little excited. He has to wear full soccer gear just to kick the ball across the street with his brother. He got Coulter’s old soccer shoes, got his own ball and borrowed Coulter’s jersey. You can see how proud he is to be doing all the stuff the big kids have been doing all along. He is part of the big kid gang now and he is feeling it.
We enjoyed the last 2 days of the pool. It closes for the season on Friday but the open swim was over on Sunday. There was the ice cream social at school and everyone had a great time. PTA (I am on the board) started last night and we have our first general membership meeting next week. Back to school night is tonight and tomorrow for the 2 campuses. Horse riding starts soon, soccer is in full swing, Coulter may be taking an art class after school, everyone seems to have friends and be getting along. We are back in to the full swing of school. So far it has been a great year.
And I have some time! I am thrilled. It’s only the first week and I haven’t done much but I did go out to lunch today and am going tomorrow and the next day too! I have done more laundry, organized a few things, gone through mail and paid bills. It has been nice to do it without having someone interrupt me every few minutes. I will do more but for now I am enjoying the bit of a break.
And I started walking the stairs again. I have partners set up for 2 times per week, Tuesday and Friday. I need to start yoga, yes Rebecca….yoga. There is a studio near my house and I am going to go. I remember when I was growing up I would laugh at my dad when he was stretching because he was so stiff. Pay back is a bitch. I’m not laughing now.
So there is the good the bad and the ugly. Here at the Leek’s it’s mostly good and I plan on keeping it that way.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
A Long Time Commin'
As anyone in the northwest knows, our winter and spring SUCKED! There is no other way to put it. It rained for 6 months right on into JULY. No joke…..July. It was so awful and horribly depressing to many of us, me included. It was so bad that the parks department cancelled spring soccer and that has NEVER happened before. I didn’t realize how bad it was until I went to California for about 10 days in June and spent time in the sun. After about the 3rd day I started feeling better….dramatically better. It was the natural vitamin D. It had to be. After that trip we chased the sun for almost a month getting home around July 14th. It was still winter in Portland. I caught a lot of flak for being gone during what often is “the nicest time of year in Portland.” I am glad we did what we did. I don’t think I could have taken much more rain.
As a caveat, I know there were devastating tornados and floods in the south and stifling heat for most of the country. I am not saying that what we suffered was worse or even comparable; it just messes with one’s psyche. I pray that those who lost their homes will find adequate shelter and peace. And those that have been in the 100’s forever will find relief. That is awful too.
Since mid July it’s been pretty nice off and on until about 3 weeks ago. There are some strange things blooming around here. My clematis that blooms in March has flowers on it. The blackberries are still on the vine. Strawberries were more than 3 weeks late etc. It was nuts. The past couple weeks have been in the mid 70’s which I consider to be perfect. I have been happy with that.
Today it’s 94. For those of us that aren’t used to the heat it feels pretty hot. I am grateful for my AC. I am not complaining about the heat just saying it is fairly warm. It’s supposed to be hot tomorrow too. We have the pool across the street so the kids are pretty happy with that. And the ultimate summer treat around here SNO CONES! They are really quite good.
So let it be known that I am NOT complaining about the heat. I promised I wouldn’t if it ever got hot. I am fine with it. We’ll swim, have sno cones, turn on the AC and enjoy the fact that summer finally arrived. It was a long time commin’ and we deserve a bit ‘o heat.
As a caveat, I know there were devastating tornados and floods in the south and stifling heat for most of the country. I am not saying that what we suffered was worse or even comparable; it just messes with one’s psyche. I pray that those who lost their homes will find adequate shelter and peace. And those that have been in the 100’s forever will find relief. That is awful too.
Since mid July it’s been pretty nice off and on until about 3 weeks ago. There are some strange things blooming around here. My clematis that blooms in March has flowers on it. The blackberries are still on the vine. Strawberries were more than 3 weeks late etc. It was nuts. The past couple weeks have been in the mid 70’s which I consider to be perfect. I have been happy with that.
Today it’s 94. For those of us that aren’t used to the heat it feels pretty hot. I am grateful for my AC. I am not complaining about the heat just saying it is fairly warm. It’s supposed to be hot tomorrow too. We have the pool across the street so the kids are pretty happy with that. And the ultimate summer treat around here SNO CONES! They are really quite good.
So let it be known that I am NOT complaining about the heat. I promised I wouldn’t if it ever got hot. I am fine with it. We’ll swim, have sno cones, turn on the AC and enjoy the fact that summer finally arrived. It was a long time commin’ and we deserve a bit ‘o heat.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
What To Do? What To Do?
Almost everyone knows this already but.....MY KIDS ARE GONE FOR A WHOLE WEEK!!! This is a first. They went to my Dad and Sally's house on Monday morning for Cousin Camp on Anderson Island. There are 3 adults and 10 kids at their camp. They are having a blast but are a little home sick. Later this afternoon they are being dropped off at my mom's house. They'll be there until we pick them up on Sunday. I hope they can make it that long..... I may have to do an emergency pick up if they're freaking out. I don't think they will but a week away is a long time!
Now in Adult Land a week is not a long time. It is awesome! Bob and I have been having a nice time. I haven't done much really. I think two weeks would be better, one week to decompress and one week to be productive. I am just beginning to feel like taking on a project.
It's pretty weird being home without kids. It's quiet and there isn't as much that has to be done. By farming the kids out I have eliminated 9 of the meals that I have to make daily. I have only filled up the dishwasher once and we even had friends over for dinner yesterday. When I put something away, IT STAYS THERE! I don't trip on shoes when I come in the door and I don't have to yell, "Put your shoes on!" when I go out the door. As a matter of fact neither Bob nor I have lost one or both of our shoes. When we go to put on our shoes we know where they are. That cannot be said for the kids when they are home.
On Monday I just kind of sat around in a daze. Eventually I motivated and went for a stair climb with Rebecca and out to lunch. When Bob got home we went out for dinner at a local brew pub. It was so nice. After dinner we went to the liquor store to stock up the Scotch Cabinet. On our walk home we ran into some friends (with kids) and chatted it up for about an hour. We even broke out the scotch and passed around each bottle to compare them. It was hilarious. We spent the rest of our evening on the deck. It was nice that we didn't have to stop and put kids to bed. And, it was quiet.
Tuesday I got up and made lasagna, I cleaned up a bit and then I went on a bike ride! I haven't been on a bike ride in AGES! AND I had a Groupon so spend at a bike shop in NW Portland. I took a nice relaxing bath when I got home and then....wait for it.....wait for it..... I got an hour and a half massage! Hello! That was awesome. Bob and I had the lasagna out on the deck with some wine....divine! Such a treat! And then we went to Midnight in Paris. We LOVED it. And because we were downtown and we didn’t have to rush home to a sitter we went to the Brasserie Montmartre because we were feeling a little French and had a fancy drink and an appetizer. Such fun.
Wednesday I slept in……yes, yes I did. When I came down stairs I opened the refrigerator and the 2 gallon lemonade container had cracked and leaked into the meat and cheese drawer. Ordinarily this would have pissed me off. But here in Adult Land it was merely inconvenient. I cleaned it up, made breakfast and headed out to do my Meals on Wheels Route. I delivered my first two meals, hopped into my car, turned it on, put it into “D” and then didn’t go anywhere. Nope….the car just revved up and didn’t go anywhere. Again, ordinarily this would have pissed me off but here in Adult Land I just called AAA and then I called Rebecca. She had a bit of free time and came and helped me deliver the rest of my meals. That’s a pal! Later I went out to lunch on my own on my bike. Then I went to Fred Meyer and got a few things including a new bike seat. Honestly, those small seats were not made for my butt and I was feeling it.
So now we’re up to last night….Greg and Rebecca came over for dinner. Since I made the giant lasagna we had more of that for dinner. We all sat out on the deck drank wine and then broke into the scotch again. By 11 pm Rebecca and I were done…. It was great fun and I was feeling it this morning.
So today I slept in, really slept in. My friend Becky came over at 11:30 and picked me up for lunch. What a treat! It was great catching up and spending time with her.
And now….here I am. I talked to Sophia today and she really wants me to come pick them up on Saturday instead of Sunday. She is really feeling home sick. She said, “All I want to do is come home and have a snow cone with my mom.” I think it’s sweet that she just wants to do the ordinary summer stuff. Bob and I will have to talk about it…. I love my babies. I do miss them but I have really enjoyed not having the responsibility. I have loved the freedom to do whatever I want, whenever I want to do it. I feel calm. Even with the 2 mishaps on Wednesday my attitude was….oh well, these things happen. It didn’t ruin my day it didn’t even make me frustrated. I want to carry this feeling forward but I am not sure how to do it with 3 kids around. I love them so much but they frustrate me too. I try very hard to be calm around them but it’s hard, really hard.
Kees pushes buttons, Coulter is very reactionary and Sophia is turning into a t’ween. They all leave their stuff all over the place, they fight, they would eat junk for every meal if I let them, they don’t like any of the stuff I cook, they can never find their shoes or their coats but I love them. More important than any of that stuff, they love each other, they play nicely together most of the time and they are friendly to other people and are very well behaved. They’re smart and funny and I do miss them.
I’m not sure when I will go pick them up but I know it won’t be the same quiet, calm place that it’s been around here. I have absolutely loved the quiet and I absolutely miss my babies. I miss their little hands on me. I miss the smell of their baby heads after they have been playing outside. I miss our morning snuggles in bed. I miss their laughs. I know it won’t be much longer and I believe a break from the kids is healthy. It definitely gives one perspective.
I will savor our last couple days of quiet and calm. I have a fun week planned for next week with my babies. When I see them this weekend I will open my arms and take them in…..all in…their feel, their smell, their sound their love but for now I will bathe in the peace and quiet of our calm home.
Now in Adult Land a week is not a long time. It is awesome! Bob and I have been having a nice time. I haven't done much really. I think two weeks would be better, one week to decompress and one week to be productive. I am just beginning to feel like taking on a project.
It's pretty weird being home without kids. It's quiet and there isn't as much that has to be done. By farming the kids out I have eliminated 9 of the meals that I have to make daily. I have only filled up the dishwasher once and we even had friends over for dinner yesterday. When I put something away, IT STAYS THERE! I don't trip on shoes when I come in the door and I don't have to yell, "Put your shoes on!" when I go out the door. As a matter of fact neither Bob nor I have lost one or both of our shoes. When we go to put on our shoes we know where they are. That cannot be said for the kids when they are home.
On Monday I just kind of sat around in a daze. Eventually I motivated and went for a stair climb with Rebecca and out to lunch. When Bob got home we went out for dinner at a local brew pub. It was so nice. After dinner we went to the liquor store to stock up the Scotch Cabinet. On our walk home we ran into some friends (with kids) and chatted it up for about an hour. We even broke out the scotch and passed around each bottle to compare them. It was hilarious. We spent the rest of our evening on the deck. It was nice that we didn't have to stop and put kids to bed. And, it was quiet.
Tuesday I got up and made lasagna, I cleaned up a bit and then I went on a bike ride! I haven't been on a bike ride in AGES! AND I had a Groupon so spend at a bike shop in NW Portland. I took a nice relaxing bath when I got home and then....wait for it.....wait for it..... I got an hour and a half massage! Hello! That was awesome. Bob and I had the lasagna out on the deck with some wine....divine! Such a treat! And then we went to Midnight in Paris. We LOVED it. And because we were downtown and we didn’t have to rush home to a sitter we went to the Brasserie Montmartre because we were feeling a little French and had a fancy drink and an appetizer. Such fun.
Wednesday I slept in……yes, yes I did. When I came down stairs I opened the refrigerator and the 2 gallon lemonade container had cracked and leaked into the meat and cheese drawer. Ordinarily this would have pissed me off. But here in Adult Land it was merely inconvenient. I cleaned it up, made breakfast and headed out to do my Meals on Wheels Route. I delivered my first two meals, hopped into my car, turned it on, put it into “D” and then didn’t go anywhere. Nope….the car just revved up and didn’t go anywhere. Again, ordinarily this would have pissed me off but here in Adult Land I just called AAA and then I called Rebecca. She had a bit of free time and came and helped me deliver the rest of my meals. That’s a pal! Later I went out to lunch on my own on my bike. Then I went to Fred Meyer and got a few things including a new bike seat. Honestly, those small seats were not made for my butt and I was feeling it.
So now we’re up to last night….Greg and Rebecca came over for dinner. Since I made the giant lasagna we had more of that for dinner. We all sat out on the deck drank wine and then broke into the scotch again. By 11 pm Rebecca and I were done…. It was great fun and I was feeling it this morning.
So today I slept in, really slept in. My friend Becky came over at 11:30 and picked me up for lunch. What a treat! It was great catching up and spending time with her.
And now….here I am. I talked to Sophia today and she really wants me to come pick them up on Saturday instead of Sunday. She is really feeling home sick. She said, “All I want to do is come home and have a snow cone with my mom.” I think it’s sweet that she just wants to do the ordinary summer stuff. Bob and I will have to talk about it…. I love my babies. I do miss them but I have really enjoyed not having the responsibility. I have loved the freedom to do whatever I want, whenever I want to do it. I feel calm. Even with the 2 mishaps on Wednesday my attitude was….oh well, these things happen. It didn’t ruin my day it didn’t even make me frustrated. I want to carry this feeling forward but I am not sure how to do it with 3 kids around. I love them so much but they frustrate me too. I try very hard to be calm around them but it’s hard, really hard.
Kees pushes buttons, Coulter is very reactionary and Sophia is turning into a t’ween. They all leave their stuff all over the place, they fight, they would eat junk for every meal if I let them, they don’t like any of the stuff I cook, they can never find their shoes or their coats but I love them. More important than any of that stuff, they love each other, they play nicely together most of the time and they are friendly to other people and are very well behaved. They’re smart and funny and I do miss them.
I’m not sure when I will go pick them up but I know it won’t be the same quiet, calm place that it’s been around here. I have absolutely loved the quiet and I absolutely miss my babies. I miss their little hands on me. I miss the smell of their baby heads after they have been playing outside. I miss our morning snuggles in bed. I miss their laughs. I know it won’t be much longer and I believe a break from the kids is healthy. It definitely gives one perspective.
I will savor our last couple days of quiet and calm. I have a fun week planned for next week with my babies. When I see them this weekend I will open my arms and take them in…..all in…their feel, their smell, their sound their love but for now I will bathe in the peace and quiet of our calm home.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Onward Ho!
We wrapped up our time in Fossil on Sunday Morning and started on our next leg of the trip. The next stop was Priest Lake.
Our long time friends, the Thompsons, had invited us the first time about 10 years ago when the house was built. Due to babies being born and then, well, being babies it was too tough. And it's about 8 hours from our house with only a couple stops. Given that I have been travel training the kids for the last couple years, I felt they were ready.
From Fossil it was about 6.5 hours.....piece of cake. We arrived at about 7 on the 3rd and were greeted with open arms. Man, it has been too long! To our surprise their daughter Nicole was there. The last time we saw her she was about 10, she's a Sophomore at WSU now. Time flies! We got settled a bit, had a bite to eat and went to see some fireworks. What fun.
Over the next couple days we did all the lake stuff. We went out on the boat and pulled the kids on an float thing. Sophia and Kees spent very little time in the boat since they were dragged behind the boat almost the entire time. Kees kept wanting to go faster and Sophia was right there with him. Coulter was beaming as the "captain" of the ship. Wayne was great with him and let him steer all the way across the lake. So cool. My babies were so happy and Bob and I got a real charge out of watching them. Anne talked about when Nicole was younger and had many of her summer birthdays on the lake. Lucky girl.
My favorite thing was sitting on the beach at the marina. It was a perfect set up. There was a building with a bar area and bathrooms on the back side. In front of that was a lawn with some lawn chairs and a little sandy beach. There was a creek feeding into the lake and then another beach beyond that. The kids were having a real adventure. They called the further beach Treasure Island. They played so nicely and the adults got to just sit and talk and lay in the sun. Ah peace, quiet and great company. We liked the beach so much that we spent part of each of our 4 days there and he kids were equally as happy each day. That makes life much easier.
Another one of the kids favorite things was riding the 4 wheelers. We could get all 5 of us on 2 ATVs. Bob scouted out the trails and then we all went for a ride. The first time was great. We figured out a few trails, ran through a few puddles and even got stuck in some deep mud. Coulter got a little nervous but he didn't know that his mama has been stuck in the mud 4 wheeling before. I rocked it out and we were off and running again.
The second day out we decided to see some things that Anne had recommended. Wayne gave us a map, got us oriented and they set us free. We saw a cool old growth forest. Cool trees, unfortunately it was also the ULTIMATE mosquito habitat. We read all the information markers at lightening speed while hopping around and slapping each other. It was comical. Next we went up the mountain for a beautiful view. It doesn't get any better. Blue skies, 75 degrees and peace and quiet. Nature at it's best.
Each evening we had cocktails out on the deck. The view was amazing with the lake below and the mountains beyond that. Heaven. Anne and Wayne were so gracious and generous. We are extremely blessed to have such great friends in our lives.
Anne and Wayne were gracious enough to let us stay at their place for a couple nights on our own. The first night we let the kids watch a movie while we read outside. The second night there was a big storm. We raced around and brought in all the fabric stuff and watched it roll by. It was powerful and beautiful at the same time. The power went out....for 3 hours. It came back on, the kids cheered, another storm came and it went out again 5 minutes later. The kids groaned. No sweat. We played ping pong in dimming light and then drew pictures. Bob and I read and the went to bed. So relaxing.
Today we packed up, cleaned up and set our sights on home. The kids and I have been gone almost a month. We tried to be good stewards and leave everything as clean as possible. I hope we did a good job.
It's always fun to see friends that you haven't seen for a while. At times you don't know how it will go. I was pretty sure it would go well and it did. It was as if no time had passed and that's as good as one can hope for, like we'd been doing things together for all the in between years. Again I know I am blessed.
And the kids had a great time too. They were well behaved and played outside a lot. They watched some TV in the evenings but during the day they used their imaginations. It's a thing of beauty. This is the first trip we've taken where we didn't bring any toys. They didn't need them.
So I will call this one a complete success. We're now 20 minutes from home and there's hardly been a cross word for almost 8 hours. Bob said he thoroughly enjoyed himself and feels relaxed. It usually takes him a week to really wind down. This time it was a couple days. Thanks again Anne and Wayne, we love you guys and your beautiful place. Let's not wait 10 years again.
Our long time friends, the Thompsons, had invited us the first time about 10 years ago when the house was built. Due to babies being born and then, well, being babies it was too tough. And it's about 8 hours from our house with only a couple stops. Given that I have been travel training the kids for the last couple years, I felt they were ready.
From Fossil it was about 6.5 hours.....piece of cake. We arrived at about 7 on the 3rd and were greeted with open arms. Man, it has been too long! To our surprise their daughter Nicole was there. The last time we saw her she was about 10, she's a Sophomore at WSU now. Time flies! We got settled a bit, had a bite to eat and went to see some fireworks. What fun.
Over the next couple days we did all the lake stuff. We went out on the boat and pulled the kids on an float thing. Sophia and Kees spent very little time in the boat since they were dragged behind the boat almost the entire time. Kees kept wanting to go faster and Sophia was right there with him. Coulter was beaming as the "captain" of the ship. Wayne was great with him and let him steer all the way across the lake. So cool. My babies were so happy and Bob and I got a real charge out of watching them. Anne talked about when Nicole was younger and had many of her summer birthdays on the lake. Lucky girl.
My favorite thing was sitting on the beach at the marina. It was a perfect set up. There was a building with a bar area and bathrooms on the back side. In front of that was a lawn with some lawn chairs and a little sandy beach. There was a creek feeding into the lake and then another beach beyond that. The kids were having a real adventure. They called the further beach Treasure Island. They played so nicely and the adults got to just sit and talk and lay in the sun. Ah peace, quiet and great company. We liked the beach so much that we spent part of each of our 4 days there and he kids were equally as happy each day. That makes life much easier.
Another one of the kids favorite things was riding the 4 wheelers. We could get all 5 of us on 2 ATVs. Bob scouted out the trails and then we all went for a ride. The first time was great. We figured out a few trails, ran through a few puddles and even got stuck in some deep mud. Coulter got a little nervous but he didn't know that his mama has been stuck in the mud 4 wheeling before. I rocked it out and we were off and running again.
The second day out we decided to see some things that Anne had recommended. Wayne gave us a map, got us oriented and they set us free. We saw a cool old growth forest. Cool trees, unfortunately it was also the ULTIMATE mosquito habitat. We read all the information markers at lightening speed while hopping around and slapping each other. It was comical. Next we went up the mountain for a beautiful view. It doesn't get any better. Blue skies, 75 degrees and peace and quiet. Nature at it's best.
Each evening we had cocktails out on the deck. The view was amazing with the lake below and the mountains beyond that. Heaven. Anne and Wayne were so gracious and generous. We are extremely blessed to have such great friends in our lives.
Anne and Wayne were gracious enough to let us stay at their place for a couple nights on our own. The first night we let the kids watch a movie while we read outside. The second night there was a big storm. We raced around and brought in all the fabric stuff and watched it roll by. It was powerful and beautiful at the same time. The power went out....for 3 hours. It came back on, the kids cheered, another storm came and it went out again 5 minutes later. The kids groaned. No sweat. We played ping pong in dimming light and then drew pictures. Bob and I read and the went to bed. So relaxing.
Today we packed up, cleaned up and set our sights on home. The kids and I have been gone almost a month. We tried to be good stewards and leave everything as clean as possible. I hope we did a good job.
It's always fun to see friends that you haven't seen for a while. At times you don't know how it will go. I was pretty sure it would go well and it did. It was as if no time had passed and that's as good as one can hope for, like we'd been doing things together for all the in between years. Again I know I am blessed.
And the kids had a great time too. They were well behaved and played outside a lot. They watched some TV in the evenings but during the day they used their imaginations. It's a thing of beauty. This is the first trip we've taken where we didn't bring any toys. They didn't need them.
So I will call this one a complete success. We're now 20 minutes from home and there's hardly been a cross word for almost 8 hours. Bob said he thoroughly enjoyed himself and feels relaxed. It usually takes him a week to really wind down. This time it was a couple days. Thanks again Anne and Wayne, we love you guys and your beautiful place. Let's not wait 10 years again.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Happy Times in Fossil
We are in full swing at the Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival. Day two started with an all you can eat breakfast with the whole family (Bob got here safely) benefiting a local scholarship fund. It was a good cause.
We puttered around camp making sure all our food was out of the sun for the day. Coulter and I got in a shower which was obviously really needed. The moment the water hit Coulter it turned into mud....seriously. It's amazing how much dirt can be held on a 7 year old boy.
At 10 am the kids all went to the Chick's Kid's Workshop. I had to wind around town to get around the classic car show that was going on on Main Street. This is a busy place for such a small town. I finally got them to the right place. I went back to the base camp to collect our stuff and Bob for the day and then went to the stage area.
Bob and I had a little time so we hit a yard sale and checked out the classic cars. We couldn't be gone too long because the kids were performing at 12:30. Sophia and Coulter were in a band with Clara and Marshall. Kees was too "shy." They named their band Red Tiger Bazooka. They had 3 songs worked out and started out with Old McDonald's Farm. All went well until Coulter had a guitar solo. He felt the pressure, panicked and melted down on stage. My poor baby covered his face and was crying. I had to go rescue him. The show went on but they couldn't do the third piece with out Coulter. He just couldn't do it.
Now the song writing contest was in question. Coulter was instrumental in writing their song, Butterflies in Fossil and Clara said she couldn't do it without him. After a bit of encouragement and reminding him he didn't have to play the guitar he agreed to do it. Everyone was relieved and excited to perform. Even Kees. That's something new.
At 1:45 the song writing contest began and our group, The Baked Leeks, was on first. The group consisted of all our kids and both the Baker kids. They performed very well. It was awesome watching them all. I was beaming. There were 9 songs performed and then the voting began. Votes were cast by giving a dollar to the collector for the group. Voting went on for about 15 minutes. When the tally was done OUR KIDS WON! 56 "votes" and they got to split it 4 ways. Clara figured Marshall was being paid for other stuff so he was just back up. The kids were ecstatic. They won, THEY WON. It was also good, especially for the boys, as they had spent most of their money at the little museum across from the stage.
Coulter had gone from utter sadness and the feeling of failure to complete jubilation and felt full of success. What a lesson. When you fail, get up and try again.
Since then the kids have been back to the museum to spend their winnings. They've been playing with the other festival kids and having a blast. The adults have been just hanging out, watching bands and relaxing. It's awesome. I can definitely see us doing this again.
We puttered around camp making sure all our food was out of the sun for the day. Coulter and I got in a shower which was obviously really needed. The moment the water hit Coulter it turned into mud....seriously. It's amazing how much dirt can be held on a 7 year old boy.
At 10 am the kids all went to the Chick's Kid's Workshop. I had to wind around town to get around the classic car show that was going on on Main Street. This is a busy place for such a small town. I finally got them to the right place. I went back to the base camp to collect our stuff and Bob for the day and then went to the stage area.
Bob and I had a little time so we hit a yard sale and checked out the classic cars. We couldn't be gone too long because the kids were performing at 12:30. Sophia and Coulter were in a band with Clara and Marshall. Kees was too "shy." They named their band Red Tiger Bazooka. They had 3 songs worked out and started out with Old McDonald's Farm. All went well until Coulter had a guitar solo. He felt the pressure, panicked and melted down on stage. My poor baby covered his face and was crying. I had to go rescue him. The show went on but they couldn't do the third piece with out Coulter. He just couldn't do it.
Now the song writing contest was in question. Coulter was instrumental in writing their song, Butterflies in Fossil and Clara said she couldn't do it without him. After a bit of encouragement and reminding him he didn't have to play the guitar he agreed to do it. Everyone was relieved and excited to perform. Even Kees. That's something new.
At 1:45 the song writing contest began and our group, The Baked Leeks, was on first. The group consisted of all our kids and both the Baker kids. They performed very well. It was awesome watching them all. I was beaming. There were 9 songs performed and then the voting began. Votes were cast by giving a dollar to the collector for the group. Voting went on for about 15 minutes. When the tally was done OUR KIDS WON! 56 "votes" and they got to split it 4 ways. Clara figured Marshall was being paid for other stuff so he was just back up. The kids were ecstatic. They won, THEY WON. It was also good, especially for the boys, as they had spent most of their money at the little museum across from the stage.
Coulter had gone from utter sadness and the feeling of failure to complete jubilation and felt full of success. What a lesson. When you fail, get up and try again.
Since then the kids have been back to the museum to spend their winnings. They've been playing with the other festival kids and having a blast. The adults have been just hanging out, watching bands and relaxing. It's awesome. I can definitely see us doing this again.
Fossil
Fossil
I like Bluegrass, always have but I've never been involved. Our friends the Bauer-Baker Family has been pickin' and a grinnin' for many years. They introduced us to Chick Rose who Sophia took a few lessons from before he passed away in March. All this information is leading up to the fact that we're in Fossil Oregon at The Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival.
We've been planning this for a log time. The kids, dog and I, along with Joleen (their dog), Rebecca and Clara packed up and headed to Fossil on Thursday afternoon. I have a big habit of trying to get a good spot wherever I go. Part of getting a good spot is getting there ahead of the crowd.
We homesteaded a great spot up on a bluff above the county fair grounds. It was at the end of the road so we were sure to have very little traffic. This is great for kids and dogs. And to Sophia's delight there were horses in our back yard and cows in the front yard. The boys thought that was cool but weren't as enamored. They all were running around......free if you will. The 3 adults (Clara is now included in this mix) set up camp. When I could hold Fia's attention long enough she helped too but really, there were horses that required her attention.
After a few hours of set up with a brief pause to acquire ice and, ahem, cold beer we were set up. A few more people joined us, we had a little "dinner" and a bit of music. While the weather was perfect at 75 and clear during the day, by 10 pm it felt like 10 below. We were freezing. It was bed time.
Everyone brushed their teeth and then froze for a few hours in their sleeping bags. Sophia, who insisted on having her own tent, lasted about an hour. The next thing I know she's coming in the tent with her sleeping bag and the dog. "Mom, I'm freezing." I laid her down with me, covered her with my sleeping bag and her's and snuggled with her. She was out in a matter of minutes. What seemed like 10 minutes later Coulter came over. "Climb in." It was crowded.
We survived the night and got up at about 8:00. We had a bit to eat, hung out around camp and even got a shower in. Luxury. Again the temperatures soared and we hung out under the shade tent. The kids ran around free. Sophia met the county princess who was riding her horse in the parade preceding the festival opening. Oh bliss, a horse friend.
Clara was on her game and was teaching all my kids to play guitar. Coulter says he's hooked. Coulter and Clara eventually wrote a song about Fossil. It was such fun watching them in the tent being creative. Clara would play and they'd make up lyrics and Coulter would write them down. Man that makes my heart smile. Eventually Kees and Sophia helped write too. Later it was Sophia's turn to learn a little guitar. They were on the lawn waiting for festivities to begin. Sophia learned a few things and was beaming.
As I sit here writing I am planted in front of the main (only) stage. The first band is playing, we're in the shade with a little breeze and again the kids are exploring downtown Fossil and the Wheeler County Museum.....I think. They're around someplace. This is a happy place, a great experience and we're all having a fine time. And best of all we have 2 days left AND Bob joins us tonight.
I like Bluegrass, always have but I've never been involved. Our friends the Bauer-Baker Family has been pickin' and a grinnin' for many years. They introduced us to Chick Rose who Sophia took a few lessons from before he passed away in March. All this information is leading up to the fact that we're in Fossil Oregon at The Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival.
We've been planning this for a log time. The kids, dog and I, along with Joleen (their dog), Rebecca and Clara packed up and headed to Fossil on Thursday afternoon. I have a big habit of trying to get a good spot wherever I go. Part of getting a good spot is getting there ahead of the crowd.
We homesteaded a great spot up on a bluff above the county fair grounds. It was at the end of the road so we were sure to have very little traffic. This is great for kids and dogs. And to Sophia's delight there were horses in our back yard and cows in the front yard. The boys thought that was cool but weren't as enamored. They all were running around......free if you will. The 3 adults (Clara is now included in this mix) set up camp. When I could hold Fia's attention long enough she helped too but really, there were horses that required her attention.
After a few hours of set up with a brief pause to acquire ice and, ahem, cold beer we were set up. A few more people joined us, we had a little "dinner" and a bit of music. While the weather was perfect at 75 and clear during the day, by 10 pm it felt like 10 below. We were freezing. It was bed time.
Everyone brushed their teeth and then froze for a few hours in their sleeping bags. Sophia, who insisted on having her own tent, lasted about an hour. The next thing I know she's coming in the tent with her sleeping bag and the dog. "Mom, I'm freezing." I laid her down with me, covered her with my sleeping bag and her's and snuggled with her. She was out in a matter of minutes. What seemed like 10 minutes later Coulter came over. "Climb in." It was crowded.
We survived the night and got up at about 8:00. We had a bit to eat, hung out around camp and even got a shower in. Luxury. Again the temperatures soared and we hung out under the shade tent. The kids ran around free. Sophia met the county princess who was riding her horse in the parade preceding the festival opening. Oh bliss, a horse friend.
Clara was on her game and was teaching all my kids to play guitar. Coulter says he's hooked. Coulter and Clara eventually wrote a song about Fossil. It was such fun watching them in the tent being creative. Clara would play and they'd make up lyrics and Coulter would write them down. Man that makes my heart smile. Eventually Kees and Sophia helped write too. Later it was Sophia's turn to learn a little guitar. They were on the lawn waiting for festivities to begin. Sophia learned a few things and was beaming.
As I sit here writing I am planted in front of the main (only) stage. The first band is playing, we're in the shade with a little breeze and again the kids are exploring downtown Fossil and the Wheeler County Museum.....I think. They're around someplace. This is a happy place, a great experience and we're all having a fine time. And best of all we have 2 days left AND Bob joins us tonight.
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