When our family was planning a trip to Disneyland one of the things we pondered was, do we tell the kids or not? The down side of telling them was we would have to hear about the upcoming trip all the time. “When are we going? How many more days? Why is it taking so long?” and so on. The upside of telling the kids is they get to anticipate the trip. I know I really like thinking about upcoming trips. Often times I get as much satisfaction planning the trip and traveling in my head as I do on the actual trip. It’s so much fun to think about all the possibilities. We decided to tell the kids a little more than a month out. As it turned out it was the right choice. They didn’t make us too crazy with the questions and they did fanaticize about the upcoming experience. I also got to get their input on what they thought would be fun. I think we could all agree that a trip to Disneyland when you are between the ages of 6 and 10 is a pretty exciting adventure.
Fast forward to people in the 70+ years set. Today I was doing my Meals on Wheels route and almost every recipient of a meal asked for a menu. Menus are usually given out at the first of the month and today is the 9th, that’s a long time to go without a menu. Why is the menu so important? Most of these people are home bound and see very few people. Their lives have become smaller over time and fit in the space within the walls of their home. The menu gives them something to look forward to. “Is today lasagna day? Oh, fish!” and the like. To you and I this may seem like a small thing but when it is the one variable in your day it is a much bigger deal. We all need something to look forward to.
We are all so different in what and how we live our lives and one of the few constants is something go look forward to. It gives our lives meaning, a sense of purpose. Kids always do it. You know how they say, “Next year for my birthday party I want to…….” And it’s the day after you just threw their birthday party. Or how they talk about Christmas all year? It’s maddening! As a matter of fact I have talked to my kids A LOT about living in the moment. That too is so important. But kids always have something to look forward to.
-In the end we all need to appreciate what we have but when you are older it’s different. There are less positive experiences to look forward to then when you were younger. Birthdays have lost their luster, Christmas isn’t what it used to be and tomorrow will probably be much the same as today. Except for lunch, it can be such a pleasurable experience, especially if, “It’s something I love.”
So I made it my mission to see that the people on my route get a menu tomorrow. In the future I need to make sure that I have them available so when someone asks I can get them one. I have always heard my people ask for menus but until today I hadn’t really considered why this was so important. We all need to see people where they are. Our experiences are unique but our desire to be valued is not. I value my seniors and I try to see them, really see them. Their experiences are wide and their lives have become narrow. If knowing what is for lunch is the thing that gets them to look forward to tomorrow then I can make that happen. May we all have something to look forward to!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Maximum Quotient
My kids are awesome. I am crazy about them. They are smart, funny and fairly well mannered. They are also 11, 8 and 7. I realize that their age means they have had a fairly short window of opportunity to learn about our world and how it works. Throughout their days they feel the need to share their funny noises, jokes, perhaps a new “move” or story they’ve made up. And when they share they have to stop me from whatever I am doing and say, “Mom, momma, look mom or MOOOOOOOM.”
They are in that phase where every new thing they do is amazing to them. It’s unique. It’s probably the first time that anyone has ever done “the thing” and certainly it has never been done with the skill level that was just achieved. AND, as if to prove their point, they will say, “Mom, mom, mom….watch this.” and do “said thing” again with commentary. “I did this. And then you went like……. And then I went like……It was so cool.” Now I am supposed to act surprised or impressed….but I am not. Especially since 90% of the time I saw “whatever” the first time.
I am a terrible faker. If I was not impressed with that “whatever” that just went down you will know. I will acknowledge that it happened and smile but I am certainly not going to hop up and down with glee. My philosophy is when they do something that is truly impressive I will applaud loudly, sincerely and with great gusto but until that happens I will just acknowledge that they did something. I refuse to give great energy to the ordinary. I refuse to let my kids believe (and many kids are taught differently) that they are extraordinary at “whatever” when they are not. I have 3 kids and if I stopped to watch every little thing that they wanted me to I would NEVER get anything done. I am trying to train them to be extraordinary by giving proper attention to the ordinary. My kids will know when they are extraordinary because I will be in the front row cheering at the top of my lungs.
Yesterday was a day FULL of ordinary “Moms, mommas and Look Moms”. My kids said, “MOM, momma or Look mom.” Approximately 1000 times each. (See, it’s irritating just to read twice!) It was over 100 outside and our delicate northwest bodies stayed mostly inside to make sure we didn’t melt. Kees was out of sorts which doesn’t help because Coulter, essentially, has a button that says, “PRESS HERE FOR BEST RESULTS” and Kees can read. He was hitting that button with great precision and hitting it often. That brought rounds of “MOOOM. KEES IS BEING MEAN.” It is also hard to care about that after 15-20 times. Coulter does not have the capacity to ignore Kees.
When asked to do something Coulter generally goes about doing it in a happy and willing manner. Kees watches Coulter clean, unload the dish washer, pick up or whatever. This presses BOTH my and Coulter’s buttons. Kees doesn’t care AT ALL. I get frustrated with Kees and make him do the work and then Kees gets mad and starts yelling. He starts in with his own, “MOOOM” versions and I want to smack him. I don’t, I just want to. He eventually does his part but it takes 20 times longer than it should. Moms everywhere know about this one.
Sophia is getting over the hump. She knows not to annoy me with all the different kinds of “moms” and generally can read me when I am getting frustrated. She does like to talk. I know this too will end but for right now she is full of LOTS of non information that wears on me. She goes on and on often without making a point. Or she tells me things that she knows I already know. There are only so many mundane points one can hear in a day without wanting to pull one’s hair out. Again, I know this sounds harsh and maybe whiney but there are some days where it makes me NUTS.
I would like to ride in the car for 10 minutes and listen to NPR without 50 interruptions. Or I would like to pay bills without having to get up 15 times to help someone or to mediate a fight. I often find that I can go for hours without doing anything because I know the moment I start something I will have to stop and either start over or figure out where I was and pick it up there. Paying bills used to be an hour or two activity. It can now take me all day with my many delays. It is very frustrating.
I believe I reached my quota of pleas for attention at about 3 pm yesterday which made the time from 3:01 – 7:20 excruciatingly painful for me. When I get to that point I can hardly function because I so don’t care about what ever. At that point the kids have cried “WOLF” so many times that I can’t respond with anything left. I have nothing left.
Bob called me at 5:00 yesterday and I am pretty sure he could tell I was done. He volunteered to make dinner because I was at AWOL with the kids until 6. Bless you Bob! Sophia was having a sleepover at a friend’s so I took her at 7:15 and after that I headed to Fred Meyer. From 7:20 to 8:45 I was at Fred Meyer just walking around and being by myself. It wasn’t Zen, it wasn’t peaceful but it was alone. I could look at a label and not be bothered. It sounds boring but at the time it was what I needed.
I don’t know what the number of “moms” is that maxes one out but I certainly hit it yesterday. I couldn’t take one more “mom” or mundane “fact” I just couldn’t. Yes, I survived but it was painful.
Today the kids went with my mom to her house for 2 days and I am loving it. I am going to try and savor these 2 days and embrace all the “moms” that come at me when we get up to my mom’s. Until then I plan on getting my quotient of quiet, good food, adult conversation and Bob. “T” minus 48 hours begins NOW.
They are in that phase where every new thing they do is amazing to them. It’s unique. It’s probably the first time that anyone has ever done “the thing” and certainly it has never been done with the skill level that was just achieved. AND, as if to prove their point, they will say, “Mom, mom, mom….watch this.” and do “said thing” again with commentary. “I did this. And then you went like……. And then I went like……It was so cool.” Now I am supposed to act surprised or impressed….but I am not. Especially since 90% of the time I saw “whatever” the first time.
I am a terrible faker. If I was not impressed with that “whatever” that just went down you will know. I will acknowledge that it happened and smile but I am certainly not going to hop up and down with glee. My philosophy is when they do something that is truly impressive I will applaud loudly, sincerely and with great gusto but until that happens I will just acknowledge that they did something. I refuse to give great energy to the ordinary. I refuse to let my kids believe (and many kids are taught differently) that they are extraordinary at “whatever” when they are not. I have 3 kids and if I stopped to watch every little thing that they wanted me to I would NEVER get anything done. I am trying to train them to be extraordinary by giving proper attention to the ordinary. My kids will know when they are extraordinary because I will be in the front row cheering at the top of my lungs.
Yesterday was a day FULL of ordinary “Moms, mommas and Look Moms”. My kids said, “MOM, momma or Look mom.” Approximately 1000 times each. (See, it’s irritating just to read twice!) It was over 100 outside and our delicate northwest bodies stayed mostly inside to make sure we didn’t melt. Kees was out of sorts which doesn’t help because Coulter, essentially, has a button that says, “PRESS HERE FOR BEST RESULTS” and Kees can read. He was hitting that button with great precision and hitting it often. That brought rounds of “MOOOM. KEES IS BEING MEAN.” It is also hard to care about that after 15-20 times. Coulter does not have the capacity to ignore Kees.
When asked to do something Coulter generally goes about doing it in a happy and willing manner. Kees watches Coulter clean, unload the dish washer, pick up or whatever. This presses BOTH my and Coulter’s buttons. Kees doesn’t care AT ALL. I get frustrated with Kees and make him do the work and then Kees gets mad and starts yelling. He starts in with his own, “MOOOM” versions and I want to smack him. I don’t, I just want to. He eventually does his part but it takes 20 times longer than it should. Moms everywhere know about this one.
Sophia is getting over the hump. She knows not to annoy me with all the different kinds of “moms” and generally can read me when I am getting frustrated. She does like to talk. I know this too will end but for right now she is full of LOTS of non information that wears on me. She goes on and on often without making a point. Or she tells me things that she knows I already know. There are only so many mundane points one can hear in a day without wanting to pull one’s hair out. Again, I know this sounds harsh and maybe whiney but there are some days where it makes me NUTS.
I would like to ride in the car for 10 minutes and listen to NPR without 50 interruptions. Or I would like to pay bills without having to get up 15 times to help someone or to mediate a fight. I often find that I can go for hours without doing anything because I know the moment I start something I will have to stop and either start over or figure out where I was and pick it up there. Paying bills used to be an hour or two activity. It can now take me all day with my many delays. It is very frustrating.
I believe I reached my quota of pleas for attention at about 3 pm yesterday which made the time from 3:01 – 7:20 excruciatingly painful for me. When I get to that point I can hardly function because I so don’t care about what ever. At that point the kids have cried “WOLF” so many times that I can’t respond with anything left. I have nothing left.
Bob called me at 5:00 yesterday and I am pretty sure he could tell I was done. He volunteered to make dinner because I was at AWOL with the kids until 6. Bless you Bob! Sophia was having a sleepover at a friend’s so I took her at 7:15 and after that I headed to Fred Meyer. From 7:20 to 8:45 I was at Fred Meyer just walking around and being by myself. It wasn’t Zen, it wasn’t peaceful but it was alone. I could look at a label and not be bothered. It sounds boring but at the time it was what I needed.
I don’t know what the number of “moms” is that maxes one out but I certainly hit it yesterday. I couldn’t take one more “mom” or mundane “fact” I just couldn’t. Yes, I survived but it was painful.
Today the kids went with my mom to her house for 2 days and I am loving it. I am going to try and savor these 2 days and embrace all the “moms” that come at me when we get up to my mom’s. Until then I plan on getting my quotient of quiet, good food, adult conversation and Bob. “T” minus 48 hours begins NOW.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Sophia Sick
How is it that I can miss my girl so much? 12 years ago I was so happy being alone at home. I could do what I want, whenever I wanted. Then SHE came along. First, she occupied my body and then took all my time, was always in my thoughts and totally stole my heart. I watched Sophia grow into the beautiful, smart, strong young girl that she is today. Like all parents, I marveled at my daughter and took great joy in her development. I still do. She is an amazing kid and person.
She is in Wisconsin. She has been gone for a week and will be gone for 2 more weeks. I can’t believe I let her go! She’s with her best buddy, Katia, and her family on Papoose Lake. Before she left I worried that she would be home sick. She has been a little bit home sick but more than that, I am Sophia sick. I miss her like crazy. When she’s here her stuff is all over, she “forgets” to put away her dishes, her room is a mess, her laundry is piled up and she messes up the kitchen. When she’s here she also makes me laugh, plays with and watches the boys, she snuggles with me in bed and makes me smile and my heart sing. I love her so much and this is far too long for her to be gone.
In 7 years she’ll be going to college. 7 YEARS! That is like tomorrow. I have known since the day we brought her home that we were preparing her to leave our home. I teach her to cook, do laundry, clean up, be kind, negotiate, read, stay healthy and so on. All of us know that ultimately, this is what we are preparing our kids for but it really does go so fast. OK its fast most of the time….there are times where it’s excruciatingly slow but overall it has gone speeding by. And with time going so fast I don’t think I can let her leave again for such a long time. Forget home sick, I can’t stand it. I’m Sophia sick and 3 weeks is too long for my daughter to be gone from me.
She’ll be home the first weekend of August but I am not sure I can last that long. I suppose I will survive but I don’t think I can do this again at least not for 7 more years. Maybe then I will be ready for her to go to college but honestly, I don’t think so.
She is in Wisconsin. She has been gone for a week and will be gone for 2 more weeks. I can’t believe I let her go! She’s with her best buddy, Katia, and her family on Papoose Lake. Before she left I worried that she would be home sick. She has been a little bit home sick but more than that, I am Sophia sick. I miss her like crazy. When she’s here her stuff is all over, she “forgets” to put away her dishes, her room is a mess, her laundry is piled up and she messes up the kitchen. When she’s here she also makes me laugh, plays with and watches the boys, she snuggles with me in bed and makes me smile and my heart sing. I love her so much and this is far too long for her to be gone.
In 7 years she’ll be going to college. 7 YEARS! That is like tomorrow. I have known since the day we brought her home that we were preparing her to leave our home. I teach her to cook, do laundry, clean up, be kind, negotiate, read, stay healthy and so on. All of us know that ultimately, this is what we are preparing our kids for but it really does go so fast. OK its fast most of the time….there are times where it’s excruciatingly slow but overall it has gone speeding by. And with time going so fast I don’t think I can let her leave again for such a long time. Forget home sick, I can’t stand it. I’m Sophia sick and 3 weeks is too long for my daughter to be gone from me.
She’ll be home the first weekend of August but I am not sure I can last that long. I suppose I will survive but I don’t think I can do this again at least not for 7 more years. Maybe then I will be ready for her to go to college but honestly, I don’t think so.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Country Boy at the Country Fair
The Oregon Country Fair is quite a scene. It is about 25 minutes west of Eugene in a heavily wooded area. I need to preface this with the fact that I have never been to this country fair before. When looking at the information on line the one thing that I wanted to check out was their nudity rules. Here's what the web site said,
"Is nudity allowed at the Fair?
In accordance with Oregon law, people are required to cover their genitals in public."
I can deal with that. I knew there would be various levels of undress but hey, it's Oregon. It's nothing I or my kids haven't seen before. My nephew William....that's another story.
William is a 13 year old boy from Georgia. As they say in Georgia, "Georgia born, Georgia bred and when I die I'll be Georgia dead." He is, for all intents and purposes, a country boy, especially by Oregon standards. I knew that this fair would be something he's never done before and probably will never do again. It is 2 and a half hours away but I felt like it was worth the trip for the experience.
We went to the fair on the opening day and arrived in the parking lot at 10:20. The gates were to open at 11:00. It was really fun. From the moment we entered the parking lot everyone kept saying, "Happy fair!" Like it was a national holiday. The 3 boys and I lucked out and got a ride right to the front gate! As we rode along it was the same, "Happy fair!" Almost everyone was in a costume of some sort. There were lots of tutu wearing dudes along the way. This took William by surprise. It's at about this point when William started saying, "Well then." It was like a guys way of saying, "Oh my." As we pulled into a parking spot up front we could hear a drum circle and lots of whoop whoops and yeeeeeawwws.( Oh, and here's the cool truck we saw too.)
When we turned the corner we could see all the commotion. What fun!
The stilt walkers were so cool. They were dancing around, banging on bells and drums. My boys were in their element. William felt like he was on another planet. Then some guys covered in mud wearing grass clothing, yes, I said grass clothing came around the corner. I heard another, "Well then." Next the green people came running through. "Well then." And finally some very scantily clad folks. They were wearing loin cloths...that's it. "WELL THEN."
"Is nudity allowed at the Fair?
In accordance with Oregon law, people are required to cover their genitals in public."
I can deal with that. I knew there would be various levels of undress but hey, it's Oregon. It's nothing I or my kids haven't seen before. My nephew William....that's another story.
William is a 13 year old boy from Georgia. As they say in Georgia, "Georgia born, Georgia bred and when I die I'll be Georgia dead." He is, for all intents and purposes, a country boy, especially by Oregon standards. I knew that this fair would be something he's never done before and probably will never do again. It is 2 and a half hours away but I felt like it was worth the trip for the experience.
We went to the fair on the opening day and arrived in the parking lot at 10:20. The gates were to open at 11:00. It was really fun. From the moment we entered the parking lot everyone kept saying, "Happy fair!" Like it was a national holiday. The 3 boys and I lucked out and got a ride right to the front gate! As we rode along it was the same, "Happy fair!" Almost everyone was in a costume of some sort. There were lots of tutu wearing dudes along the way. This took William by surprise. It's at about this point when William started saying, "Well then." It was like a guys way of saying, "Oh my." As we pulled into a parking spot up front we could hear a drum circle and lots of whoop whoops and yeeeeeawwws.( Oh, and here's the cool truck we saw too.)
When we turned the corner we could see all the commotion. What fun!
The stilt walkers were so cool. They were dancing around, banging on bells and drums. My boys were in their element. William felt like he was on another planet. Then some guys covered in mud wearing grass clothing, yes, I said grass clothing came around the corner. I heard another, "Well then." Next the green people came running through. "Well then." And finally some very scantily clad folks. They were wearing loin cloths...that's it. "WELL THEN."We walked toward the front gate and got ready to go in. Again, more of the same. From the fair people, "HAPPY FAIR!" From William, "WELL THEN." There were about 1000 people waiting to go in and we were in the front of the pack. As we entered it was a wonderland of country fair. It looked like a human size fairyland. All the structures were as organic as they could be. Most of them were made from whatever was in the forest. As we walked along we checked out all the booths. Here's a little sample of some of the music at the fair. There was lots of pottery, tie dye, fairy wings, devil horns, shrines, capes, more tie dye, pottery, music, and the like. There were a few guys that were giving out free hugs, even one mostly naked guy. William said, after the guy walked by that he should have gotten a hug. Yeah, right.
About 30 minutes in there was a parade. I am pretty sure this parade went on all day just going in circles while picking up new people and dropping some off. It was an never ending, constantly evolving parade. "Well then."
We walked around for a total of 4 hours. My boys bought horns and capes. They needed some good fair regalia. William didn't see much that interested him except the fudge. That looked good. We saw shrines of all types, LOTS of topless women. It was fun pointing them all out to William. He got embarrassed every time. It never got old. There was a dragon that was about 50 feet long and 8 feet high built out of twigs. There were 30 people sitting inside eating their lunch. We joined them. There was a special bench for stilt walkers. The bench was about 6 feet in the air. We saw the parade again. We spent some time at the main stage watching people dance and sing. There were a couple, "Well then's" there for sure.
A funny little parade that we saw was about 5 large noses and a box of Kleenex. The noses were on stilts and as they made their way through the crowd they'd stop and say, "I feel an attack coming." or some thing like that and then throw a weighted green bag out of a nostril. It was really funny....and gross.
As we approached the exit we saw the naked "free hugs" guy again. What luck! And William said he wanted one. I said, "Now's your chance Will." He smirked and said, "Ah, no thanks." That's what I thought.
We made our way out and headed to the car. There were HUNDREDS of people walking in as we were walking out. It was very busy while we were there, I can't imagine how busy it was going to be with all those added people.
We made it back to the car. All 3 boys were complaining that their feet hurt. I'm 47, how is it that their feet hurt more than mine? We turned on the AC and headed out. We were dusty, dirty and tired. I knew those boys didn't particularly care about quality fair food so I opted for Subway on the way home. They were all happy about that. It was a fun, and definately memorable day!
A few more pix.
Missing Girl
Yesterday my girl left for 3 weeks. I can't believe she's gone and I can't believe I let her go. She's in Wisconsin with one c her best buddies and her family visiting the buddy's grandparents.
We had to get up yesterday at 4 to get Sophia to the airport by 5. She was sleeping in our bed because she was nervous. When we got up Sophia went and got dressed and then came to be with me. She was so nervous! She was shaking from head to toe like our dog when I take her to the vet. I felt so bad for her but I knew she'd get over it and have a great time.
We got her to the airport at 5 to meet up with Aaron, the buddy's step dad. It was a quick hand off which was great, there was no time to be emotional. She said goodbye and was off on her big adventure.
I received a couple texts mid trip on a layover and she was having fun. Then a picture upon her arrival with her buddy. She looked so happy. I called her a little later just to say hello. She was all giggles.
Today when I called early in the day she was having so much fun she could hardly stop long enough to talk. Then tonight I got a call at 10:15 her time. She was tired, it was quiet and dark and she was feeling homesick. I know it's harder at night.
On the home front it's strange not to have her here. Bob made breakfast for the boys and called them up. He told Kees, "Kees, go get Sophia." He smirked at me. Kees ran off yelling for her. 10 seconds later he came back grinning, "She's not here dad!" We all laughed. I really miss her. As she's gotten older she is more and more fun. She's learning to cook, she will go to the store with me and keep me company and she is really funny. I really miss that the most.
I know this is all part of growing up and I am sure it will change her. 3 weeks is a long time. The longest she's ever been gone in the past is a week and that was hard. At least she can call if she wants.
I look forward to hearing all about her adventures and what she learns. A couple things I hope she doesn't learn...#1) Sun burns are as bad as mom said they can be and #2) The mosquitoes are as nasty as mom said. I got some eye rolling and a couple, "mmooooOOOOoommmmm, I know. You already said that." I always say, "I know you know this but I'm your mom and it's my job to say this." And then I dispense my advice whether she wants it or not. I love that kid like crazy and need her to be safe and smart. I told her, above all, trust your gut. If someone seems "off" stay away. If you are in a situation that feels like it could become unsafe, it can. Switch course. If you need help, get it. Follow your gut. I don't care if you think it will offend someone, you stay safe. And if I didn't think she would follow that advice I wouldn't have let her go. She's a smart kid. I won't be able to protect her all the time but I can teach her to stay safer by avoiding unsafe situations. I pray she stays safe and that she has the adventure of a lifetime. Safe travels little lady. I love you
We had to get up yesterday at 4 to get Sophia to the airport by 5. She was sleeping in our bed because she was nervous. When we got up Sophia went and got dressed and then came to be with me. She was so nervous! She was shaking from head to toe like our dog when I take her to the vet. I felt so bad for her but I knew she'd get over it and have a great time.
We got her to the airport at 5 to meet up with Aaron, the buddy's step dad. It was a quick hand off which was great, there was no time to be emotional. She said goodbye and was off on her big adventure.
I received a couple texts mid trip on a layover and she was having fun. Then a picture upon her arrival with her buddy. She looked so happy. I called her a little later just to say hello. She was all giggles.
Today when I called early in the day she was having so much fun she could hardly stop long enough to talk. Then tonight I got a call at 10:15 her time. She was tired, it was quiet and dark and she was feeling homesick. I know it's harder at night.
On the home front it's strange not to have her here. Bob made breakfast for the boys and called them up. He told Kees, "Kees, go get Sophia." He smirked at me. Kees ran off yelling for her. 10 seconds later he came back grinning, "She's not here dad!" We all laughed. I really miss her. As she's gotten older she is more and more fun. She's learning to cook, she will go to the store with me and keep me company and she is really funny. I really miss that the most.
I know this is all part of growing up and I am sure it will change her. 3 weeks is a long time. The longest she's ever been gone in the past is a week and that was hard. At least she can call if she wants.
I look forward to hearing all about her adventures and what she learns. A couple things I hope she doesn't learn...#1) Sun burns are as bad as mom said they can be and #2) The mosquitoes are as nasty as mom said. I got some eye rolling and a couple, "mmooooOOOOoommmmm, I know. You already said that." I always say, "I know you know this but I'm your mom and it's my job to say this." And then I dispense my advice whether she wants it or not. I love that kid like crazy and need her to be safe and smart. I told her, above all, trust your gut. If someone seems "off" stay away. If you are in a situation that feels like it could become unsafe, it can. Switch course. If you need help, get it. Follow your gut. I don't care if you think it will offend someone, you stay safe. And if I didn't think she would follow that advice I wouldn't have let her go. She's a smart kid. I won't be able to protect her all the time but I can teach her to stay safer by avoiding unsafe situations. I pray she stays safe and that she has the adventure of a lifetime. Safe travels little lady. I love you
Sunday, June 24, 2012
A Different Kinda Summer
So far, so good, I am loving summer. This summer is shaping up to be much different than summers in our recent past.
First, we have gone out of town right after school gets out for the past few years. Last year it was almost a requirement. The meteorologists called June, Junuary last year because it was so cold. ON June 3rd last year I recall a guy saying, “I’m going to the mountain. There’s 2 feet of fresh.” That just pissed me off. REALLY JUNE? REALLY? None the less, we left town and went to California to chase the sun. Then we were off to Fossil for the Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival and finally Priest Lake. All of the places were sunny while it rained in Portland. We came back on July 10th and the sun came out on July 11th.
This year we stayed in town. The weather has been reasonably nice and I have loved just going with the flow. The kids have been sleeping in, we’ve been out to breakfast a couple times, we’ve been swimming and generally doing the summer thing.
This weekend has been great fun. Last night we hosted a party for a friend of mine’s all women’s choir. They’re called Lyrica. They are in town for the weekend. I have known my friend, Lee Anne, for almost 35 years. WOW, that is a long time. They were such nice people and it was a true pleasure to have them here. Sophia and her buddy Ella were hired to work the party. That was a great deal. They made sure everyone knew where the beverages were, they took dinner orders and then they cleaned up the whole thing. I love having a capable kid. Our neighbor Deb came over at 11:30 and the girls then went to her house and cleaned up her play room. They wanted an even 4 hours. My boys made sure to introduce themselves to many of the ladies and then showed them their loft beds. They’re quite proud of those. I was very proud of my kids and all the ladies enjoyed them.
Today we all slept in (kids went to bed after midnight). At noon, Bob had a baseball game. He’s hooked up with the 35+ set and has played for the past couple of weekends and they’ll continue to get together over the summer. Sophia had a babysitting certification class and our boys went swimming….BY THEMSELVES! It was awesome. I watched the game and checked on the boys periodically. Eventually, I brought them some lunch. After the baseball game Bob went swimming with the boys. They boys ended up being at the pool for 5 hours and most of the time it was just the two of them.
Tomorrow the boys have Ninja camp. Coulter is convinced he will learn how to chop down a tree with his bare hands. They’re quite excited. Sophia and I will have a bit of girl time. I am grateful for the time with her because in July she is going to Minnesota with a friend for 3 weeks! I can’t believe I am letting her go but I am sure it is what I would have wanted to do when I was 11. It’s going to be very hard for me.
From here on out we have a few things planned, camping at mom’s house, summer cousin camp at dad’s house, a couple of camps for the boys and eventually a trip to California in August. We are mostly in town for a change and I am enjoying this pace.
The kids are enjoying freedoms that they couldn’t last year. They have grown up with Grant Park across the street. It started out with them going as a group to the soccer field. Eventually, we let them go to the playground at the school. Sophia can now go to most of the park as long as she is with a friend and lets me know where she is going to be. And today, the boys got to go to the pool alone. It was a big day and a big deal. I am still keeping close tabs on them but a little freedom feels good to us all. I am not the kind of mom that needs to be needed all the time. To the contrary, I love to watch them grow and gain independence. They are amazing little people and when they have freedom, I have freedom.
So our summer is going quite swimmingly thus far. I am loving the pace and hopefully, by the end of the week, Coulter will be chopping down trees with his bare hands. More to come.
First, we have gone out of town right after school gets out for the past few years. Last year it was almost a requirement. The meteorologists called June, Junuary last year because it was so cold. ON June 3rd last year I recall a guy saying, “I’m going to the mountain. There’s 2 feet of fresh.” That just pissed me off. REALLY JUNE? REALLY? None the less, we left town and went to California to chase the sun. Then we were off to Fossil for the Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival and finally Priest Lake. All of the places were sunny while it rained in Portland. We came back on July 10th and the sun came out on July 11th.
This year we stayed in town. The weather has been reasonably nice and I have loved just going with the flow. The kids have been sleeping in, we’ve been out to breakfast a couple times, we’ve been swimming and generally doing the summer thing.
This weekend has been great fun. Last night we hosted a party for a friend of mine’s all women’s choir. They’re called Lyrica. They are in town for the weekend. I have known my friend, Lee Anne, for almost 35 years. WOW, that is a long time. They were such nice people and it was a true pleasure to have them here. Sophia and her buddy Ella were hired to work the party. That was a great deal. They made sure everyone knew where the beverages were, they took dinner orders and then they cleaned up the whole thing. I love having a capable kid. Our neighbor Deb came over at 11:30 and the girls then went to her house and cleaned up her play room. They wanted an even 4 hours. My boys made sure to introduce themselves to many of the ladies and then showed them their loft beds. They’re quite proud of those. I was very proud of my kids and all the ladies enjoyed them.
Today we all slept in (kids went to bed after midnight). At noon, Bob had a baseball game. He’s hooked up with the 35+ set and has played for the past couple of weekends and they’ll continue to get together over the summer. Sophia had a babysitting certification class and our boys went swimming….BY THEMSELVES! It was awesome. I watched the game and checked on the boys periodically. Eventually, I brought them some lunch. After the baseball game Bob went swimming with the boys. They boys ended up being at the pool for 5 hours and most of the time it was just the two of them.
Tomorrow the boys have Ninja camp. Coulter is convinced he will learn how to chop down a tree with his bare hands. They’re quite excited. Sophia and I will have a bit of girl time. I am grateful for the time with her because in July she is going to Minnesota with a friend for 3 weeks! I can’t believe I am letting her go but I am sure it is what I would have wanted to do when I was 11. It’s going to be very hard for me.
From here on out we have a few things planned, camping at mom’s house, summer cousin camp at dad’s house, a couple of camps for the boys and eventually a trip to California in August. We are mostly in town for a change and I am enjoying this pace.
The kids are enjoying freedoms that they couldn’t last year. They have grown up with Grant Park across the street. It started out with them going as a group to the soccer field. Eventually, we let them go to the playground at the school. Sophia can now go to most of the park as long as she is with a friend and lets me know where she is going to be. And today, the boys got to go to the pool alone. It was a big day and a big deal. I am still keeping close tabs on them but a little freedom feels good to us all. I am not the kind of mom that needs to be needed all the time. To the contrary, I love to watch them grow and gain independence. They are amazing little people and when they have freedom, I have freedom.
So our summer is going quite swimmingly thus far. I am loving the pace and hopefully, by the end of the week, Coulter will be chopping down trees with his bare hands. More to come.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Slacker Blogger
I was beating myself up for not keeping up on my blog. I love writing my posts but I have been doing 1000 other things. I thought to myself, “Self, what have you been doing?” And the answer came back immediately and very clearly. I have been living.
I spent more time writing last year when I was having trouble with SAD. It was easy to sit still and write because I wasn’t motivated to do other stuff. Sometimes in the past I wrote because I felt like I should. From here on out, I am going to write because I want to and only if I have the time. I am going to cut Heather some slack.
I have been watching my kids play sports. I love sitting on the side lines with the other parents chatting and watching my kids play.
Sophia’s soccer team is not very good. This is not criticism it’s the truth. They are, however, the cutest bunch of girls around. They like soccer and each other and that is very apparent. When someone gets hurt they all rush over to make sure she’s OK. This is even if the ref hasn’t blown the whistle which makes it very easy for the other team to score. They score often. Our girls aren’t very aggressive, they’re more polite like, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there. Here’s your ball.” And then they’ll step aside. Now, with all that being said, they have improved dramatically! Now they’re only polite half the time and they have moments of fierce competitiveness.
Two weeks ago the girls won a game, the first one in 3 years. We parents were so excited we could hardly stand it. It was great. The girls thought they had tied so we had to convince them they won. Sophia pulled a t’weenager and sulked because the coach yelled at her. I told her, “That’s what coaches do. They tell you how to play.” She wasn’t buying it.
And even with all that going on, I still love watching them play. Sophia is getting so long and lanky. She’s also strong and athletic. She’s growing up and I get a joy watching her that I couldn’t understand before I had kids. I don’t care that they don’t win. I love that they can have fun and focus on getting better, supporting each other and being good sports. We’re still working on that. I am proudest when they all walk off the field after a loss and talk about what they did right. We all need to do that.
And the boys are playing baseball. I cannot tell you how cute this is. Bob is their coach and I have to say, he is a great coach. He’s patient, strong, caring and an excellent role model. The boys each have a baseball bag with their stuff in it. They are the Giants and they have grey shirts and pants. There is nothing like seeing a row of little boys in matching baseball uniforms. It is beyond cute.
I haven’t been to practice yet but I have been to almost all their games. The first game was the hardest. Our boys didn’t really know what to do and the other team has been playing together for 3 years. Their coach was hard core and needed to win. Bob just wanted our boys to get a few hits and maybe an out or two. Luckily the batting team only gets to go through the roster once and then they head back out onto the field. If not it would have been a kagillion to zero. The cutest part of it all was what the boys said after the game. Kees was so proud that he hit a ball and that, “I helped get 2 outs.” Coulter had a couple hits and was quite proud as well. They didn’t focus on the fact that they got creamed, not for one second.
In one of the innings Kees was playing 2nd base. The short stop threw the ball to Kees a couple times and Kees missed it. Instead of being frustrated with Kees he solved the problem his own way. He started rolling the ball to Kees instead. Brilliant! It totally worked and they were both happy to get an out. I love when they problem solve on their own. I would have never come up with that solution.
One game was cut short because the other coach needed to leave. Bob wanted to do some batting practice with the boys since they had field time but they wanted to roll down the grassy hill. 12 boys ages 6-8 all rolling down the hill. So cute. Frustrating to Bob but who can blame them? Rolling down the hill is way fun and you’re only little once.
I often coach first base. Watching them hit the ball and then run is just great. All of them look genuinely shocked when they make contact. Then they have to stop and watch the ball and decide what they’re going to do next. You can practically see the wheels turning. I am yelling, “RUN! RUN!” Then, like someone flipped a switch, they get it and they run. Every time they get to first we talk about what is going to happen next. I do this 50 times during a game and it’s great every time. I love it.
And again, I get a joy out of watching them that I can’t explain. It brings tears to my eyes to think of them playing baseball. It’s cute yes but it’s also watching them grow up. They can do it and they’re learning. They’re learning to play baseball, to be part of a team, to listen to their coach, to be grateful to their parents for letting them play, to be supportive of each other and to focus on the positive. It is a beautiful thing.
I have also been doing my own things and doing double duty too. Bob has been gone every other week for almost 2 months now. The kids and I have our own routine but I definitely need to pick up the slack. I am on the board of the PTA and will be the President next year. I’m driving for Meals on Wheels and am working out 4 days per week. It is amazing how much time that can take. I am in a book club and a mother of daughters club too. All these things take time and energy on top of all the day to day stuff.
I have had 100 blog ideas but haven’t had time to write them down. I want to have a record but I also want to live without having to stop all the time. I often see people taking pictures when they are out with their kids. The kids are playing and the parents are yelling for them to stop so they can take a picture. LET THEM PLAY! Have you ever felt like you were missing out because you were taking pictures? I have and I don’t want to miss out. I have decided that many times I am just going to be in the moment and I’ll have to rely on my memories for pictures. I will blog when I have time and I won’t beat myself up when I don’t blog. So until next time….when ever that is. Be good to yourself and I’ll be good to me.
I spent more time writing last year when I was having trouble with SAD. It was easy to sit still and write because I wasn’t motivated to do other stuff. Sometimes in the past I wrote because I felt like I should. From here on out, I am going to write because I want to and only if I have the time. I am going to cut Heather some slack.
I have been watching my kids play sports. I love sitting on the side lines with the other parents chatting and watching my kids play.
Sophia’s soccer team is not very good. This is not criticism it’s the truth. They are, however, the cutest bunch of girls around. They like soccer and each other and that is very apparent. When someone gets hurt they all rush over to make sure she’s OK. This is even if the ref hasn’t blown the whistle which makes it very easy for the other team to score. They score often. Our girls aren’t very aggressive, they’re more polite like, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there. Here’s your ball.” And then they’ll step aside. Now, with all that being said, they have improved dramatically! Now they’re only polite half the time and they have moments of fierce competitiveness.
Two weeks ago the girls won a game, the first one in 3 years. We parents were so excited we could hardly stand it. It was great. The girls thought they had tied so we had to convince them they won. Sophia pulled a t’weenager and sulked because the coach yelled at her. I told her, “That’s what coaches do. They tell you how to play.” She wasn’t buying it.
And even with all that going on, I still love watching them play. Sophia is getting so long and lanky. She’s also strong and athletic. She’s growing up and I get a joy watching her that I couldn’t understand before I had kids. I don’t care that they don’t win. I love that they can have fun and focus on getting better, supporting each other and being good sports. We’re still working on that. I am proudest when they all walk off the field after a loss and talk about what they did right. We all need to do that.
And the boys are playing baseball. I cannot tell you how cute this is. Bob is their coach and I have to say, he is a great coach. He’s patient, strong, caring and an excellent role model. The boys each have a baseball bag with their stuff in it. They are the Giants and they have grey shirts and pants. There is nothing like seeing a row of little boys in matching baseball uniforms. It is beyond cute.
I haven’t been to practice yet but I have been to almost all their games. The first game was the hardest. Our boys didn’t really know what to do and the other team has been playing together for 3 years. Their coach was hard core and needed to win. Bob just wanted our boys to get a few hits and maybe an out or two. Luckily the batting team only gets to go through the roster once and then they head back out onto the field. If not it would have been a kagillion to zero. The cutest part of it all was what the boys said after the game. Kees was so proud that he hit a ball and that, “I helped get 2 outs.” Coulter had a couple hits and was quite proud as well. They didn’t focus on the fact that they got creamed, not for one second.
In one of the innings Kees was playing 2nd base. The short stop threw the ball to Kees a couple times and Kees missed it. Instead of being frustrated with Kees he solved the problem his own way. He started rolling the ball to Kees instead. Brilliant! It totally worked and they were both happy to get an out. I love when they problem solve on their own. I would have never come up with that solution.
One game was cut short because the other coach needed to leave. Bob wanted to do some batting practice with the boys since they had field time but they wanted to roll down the grassy hill. 12 boys ages 6-8 all rolling down the hill. So cute. Frustrating to Bob but who can blame them? Rolling down the hill is way fun and you’re only little once.
I often coach first base. Watching them hit the ball and then run is just great. All of them look genuinely shocked when they make contact. Then they have to stop and watch the ball and decide what they’re going to do next. You can practically see the wheels turning. I am yelling, “RUN! RUN!” Then, like someone flipped a switch, they get it and they run. Every time they get to first we talk about what is going to happen next. I do this 50 times during a game and it’s great every time. I love it.
And again, I get a joy out of watching them that I can’t explain. It brings tears to my eyes to think of them playing baseball. It’s cute yes but it’s also watching them grow up. They can do it and they’re learning. They’re learning to play baseball, to be part of a team, to listen to their coach, to be grateful to their parents for letting them play, to be supportive of each other and to focus on the positive. It is a beautiful thing.
I have also been doing my own things and doing double duty too. Bob has been gone every other week for almost 2 months now. The kids and I have our own routine but I definitely need to pick up the slack. I am on the board of the PTA and will be the President next year. I’m driving for Meals on Wheels and am working out 4 days per week. It is amazing how much time that can take. I am in a book club and a mother of daughters club too. All these things take time and energy on top of all the day to day stuff.
I have had 100 blog ideas but haven’t had time to write them down. I want to have a record but I also want to live without having to stop all the time. I often see people taking pictures when they are out with their kids. The kids are playing and the parents are yelling for them to stop so they can take a picture. LET THEM PLAY! Have you ever felt like you were missing out because you were taking pictures? I have and I don’t want to miss out. I have decided that many times I am just going to be in the moment and I’ll have to rely on my memories for pictures. I will blog when I have time and I won’t beat myself up when I don’t blog. So until next time….when ever that is. Be good to yourself and I’ll be good to me.
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