I have to confess, that title sounds more enthusiastic than I feel about it.
Tomorrow, we'll have the Volvo (for emergencies only - it doesn't have air, and tomorrow's going to be Southern Summer Hot). Zorak will take the Suburban and the trailer. He'll return with a load of sand, dump it in the lower drive, and then I'll try to keep smaller children from infesting the pile while he sets up the batting boards and directs the larger children on prepping for a cement pour. I really don't like doing the batting boards, but I'm not terribly vested in keeping the children out of the sand pile, either. (It's all going to end up in the house, anyway, why not have fun with it?) So this may not be our most stellar plan. But it's what we've got, and we'll run with it. At some unspecified point in the fairly near-ish future, we will have stairs for the balcony. The fun part is seeing how, and when, we get there.
Also, he texted me yesterday to say that Lowe's has all the window sizes we need *in stock*. I kind of thought he was flirting with me and would come home with more windows. But no. He came home with the sand plan. We need to flirt more, because we've obviously gotten bad at it.
The kids and I were late to camp this morning. I felt awful. We've done so well recently. (I've been working on timeliness for 20 years, with various setbacks every time we added a child to the entourage, so a full week on time is pretty big news around here.) But James - who'd sprouted a bloody nose out of *nowhere* two blocks from home - said, "It'th okay, Bob. Wud dime out of de week ithnt bath." Sweet boy. Currently my favorite, if he'd just clot up, already. (When I pulled away from the drop-off lane, he was on his way to the medic station for ice and some kind of whatever helpful something or other we didn't have in the car. Had that been me, I'd have been all about copping out and staying home for the day. But he was determined it would stop any minute now and he'd be fine.. I'm glad he didn't get my work ethic. Good kid.)
And now, I suppose I should get cracking on the various glamorous aspects of the day before it does get hot and we punt for a few episodes of My Little Pony in the afternoon heat. (Because we all know I'm going to say yes. The kids know it, and I know it. What little work gets done before then is probably all that gets done today. I've got to save up my strategic moves for the sand pile!)
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Showing posts with label domestic miscellany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label domestic miscellany. Show all posts
Thursday, June 14
Tuesday, June 12
Almost Halfway Done
Wow, June is shaping up to be the longest month of the year so far. It's crazy, but I think I've been awake and productive more hours so far this month than I was all of January.
I kind of miss January...
Today, we were productive and engaged. (Also, it wasn't terribly hot. That helps.) EmBaby and Jase helped me clean out the craft closet. They were amazed and awed by all the wonderful things we have! I was floored at how junked up one closet can get in a year's time. It's safe to say that, overall, it was a morning of wonder. We got it squared away and took our happy selves out to the balcony with some materials to enjoy the weather, and the goodies, and the knowledge that -- at least in one tiny corner of the house -- all was in order.
Then, it was so nice out that we stayed there for lunch, and for a story after lunch, and before we knew it, it was time to pick up the boys! Ha! That was a fun and easy day.
Em's enjoying The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I get such a kick out of her expressions (she wears her heart right there on her sleeve, so everything is up front and obvious), her giggles and gasps. She is at such a magical age for a romping good story.
Jase is... well, he's four. I have no idea if he's enjoying it or just toying with me in the way four-year-olds have an instinctive genius for doing. He enjoys the heck out of the *idea* of it. He brings me the book several times a day and requests a chapter. He's processing all the things (mainly the Herdmans - I don't think he can quite wrap his mind around anyone like them, and it's a troubling idea to him, to think there are people that ornery in the world.) But when it comes time to read, he can think of a million things to say, a thousand things to do (half of them are very loud), and a hundred different positions to try (most of which involve feet in, on, or near someone's face). So... I'm glad he's... listening? It's very tempting to wait until he falls asleep before I try to read, but then he asks a question or makes a comment, or kisses my cheek and whispers, "I'm glad you're not mean like the Herdmans." And all I can do is kiss him back and be thankful I didn't wait for him to fall asleep.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
I kind of miss January...
Today, we were productive and engaged. (Also, it wasn't terribly hot. That helps.) EmBaby and Jase helped me clean out the craft closet. They were amazed and awed by all the wonderful things we have! I was floored at how junked up one closet can get in a year's time. It's safe to say that, overall, it was a morning of wonder. We got it squared away and took our happy selves out to the balcony with some materials to enjoy the weather, and the goodies, and the knowledge that -- at least in one tiny corner of the house -- all was in order.
Then, it was so nice out that we stayed there for lunch, and for a story after lunch, and before we knew it, it was time to pick up the boys! Ha! That was a fun and easy day.
Em's enjoying The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. I get such a kick out of her expressions (she wears her heart right there on her sleeve, so everything is up front and obvious), her giggles and gasps. She is at such a magical age for a romping good story.
Jase is... well, he's four. I have no idea if he's enjoying it or just toying with me in the way four-year-olds have an instinctive genius for doing. He enjoys the heck out of the *idea* of it. He brings me the book several times a day and requests a chapter. He's processing all the things (mainly the Herdmans - I don't think he can quite wrap his mind around anyone like them, and it's a troubling idea to him, to think there are people that ornery in the world.) But when it comes time to read, he can think of a million things to say, a thousand things to do (half of them are very loud), and a hundred different positions to try (most of which involve feet in, on, or near someone's face). So... I'm glad he's... listening? It's very tempting to wait until he falls asleep before I try to read, but then he asks a question or makes a comment, or kisses my cheek and whispers, "I'm glad you're not mean like the Herdmans." And all I can do is kiss him back and be thankful I didn't wait for him to fall asleep.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Wednesday, June 6
Scheduling Mishap
I'd hoped to send a care package yesterday to the boys at camp. (I'm not GOOD at it, like a friend of mine is - hers are themed and full of awesomeness. Mine are invariably thrown together at the last minute, and vaguely reflective of the fact that their mother can't quite get it together. Still, I like to think they don't mind so much... I do pull up shy of sending socks and underwear, at least. Although I did include waterproof bandages for James' broken thumb.)
However, with the whomping total six hours of sleep the Littles obtained from Thursday through Sunday, we were bound to have a halt on the assembly line at some point. Jase went down Sunday around five, slept til ten, got up for a bite and went back down until eleven Monday morning. Jacob and Em seemed fine. Weird, but I'd thought that was it, and began congratulating myself on producing superhuman robot children. Ah, no. (Which is good, because that whole concept is a little scary. But I was looking for a silver lining and, well, that's all I had.) EmBaby hung in there long enough to get in a day at the water park before coming unraveled on a cellular level. And when she went, she went quietly and deeply. Snuggled in Monday night at 8, and slept straight through until well after noon yesterday.
So we stayed home and did laundry. And checked on her occasionally. But even for us, there's only so much laundry to be done. By about eleven, we were just having fun with it. Here's how you can use a mirror to see if someone is breathing. Listen to her back. You can hear her heartbeat. Cool, huh? Want another cupcake? If we gave her weird dreams, she never mentioned it. She did pop out of bed a little before one, fully rejuvenated and ready to take on the world again!
We got the box put together, then missed the post office by about four minutes. But it's ready! It's together! (I'll take it up there and leave it in the office so they'll get it with regular mail call. It's just not the same if your Mother hands it to you at camp.)
Do you send care packages? What do you like to put in them? I'm always looking for ideas! Not that I'll get on them ahead of time, but every little bit helps. I've got three more coming up the line!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
However, with the whomping total six hours of sleep the Littles obtained from Thursday through Sunday, we were bound to have a halt on the assembly line at some point. Jase went down Sunday around five, slept til ten, got up for a bite and went back down until eleven Monday morning. Jacob and Em seemed fine. Weird, but I'd thought that was it, and began congratulating myself on producing superhuman robot children. Ah, no. (Which is good, because that whole concept is a little scary. But I was looking for a silver lining and, well, that's all I had.) EmBaby hung in there long enough to get in a day at the water park before coming unraveled on a cellular level. And when she went, she went quietly and deeply. Snuggled in Monday night at 8, and slept straight through until well after noon yesterday.
So we stayed home and did laundry. And checked on her occasionally. But even for us, there's only so much laundry to be done. By about eleven, we were just having fun with it. Here's how you can use a mirror to see if someone is breathing. Listen to her back. You can hear her heartbeat. Cool, huh? Want another cupcake? If we gave her weird dreams, she never mentioned it. She did pop out of bed a little before one, fully rejuvenated and ready to take on the world again!
We got the box put together, then missed the post office by about four minutes. But it's ready! It's together! (I'll take it up there and leave it in the office so they'll get it with regular mail call. It's just not the same if your Mother hands it to you at camp.)
Do you send care packages? What do you like to put in them? I'm always looking for ideas! Not that I'll get on them ahead of time, but every little bit helps. I've got three more coming up the line!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Monday, June 4
It was!
It was absolutely crazy. And magnificent.
Friday's airsoft gathering went well. We had about nine boys, all properly attired with safety gear and low-end guns. (Minor Injuries Only, for the win!) We moms stayed on the balcony, figuring the 16' height would keep us out of firing range. It did. That's where we kept the food, too. It was a blessedly normal, witty, engaged group of women. I'm fairly sure I was the loose peg in the wall, and that's okay. Gives me an opportunity to work on my Don't Be Weird Around The Nice People routine. We'll see if it worked. The boys, at least, I know had fun, because they only came inside when thirst drove them in, and there were small, polite, but clear protestations when it was time to go. They all agreed they'd like to do more things together. Mission accomplished. (I told Zorak that night that I really loved all the boys - they were just the right kind of weird - sweet, quirky, fun kids.)
That evening, our friend, Daniel, arrived with his wife and son. He's been stateside, studying Chemistry, for several years. His wife and son joined him in the fall, so this was the first time we were fortunate enough to meet them. And she's pregnant with Baby #2!! I didn't know (Zorak may have known, and thought he told me, but there's a lot he thinks he's told me and didn't) -- so there was a lot of happy squealing. And I cannot tell you how hard it was for me not to just fondle her and swaddle her up and wallow in her adorable, beautiful pregnantness. But *aherm* I restrained. Also, watching her stand up from the table, I realized she may look "just adorable" to me, but she's probably larger than she's ever been, hot, off-balance, uncomfortable, and none of the joints are connected properly at this point. It really does look better than it feels. James made her sage water, and we kept her fed, and tried to pamper her as much as possible (she's quick, though - like lighting - up and helping any chance she gets!) Their son disappeared with the littles, the tiny herd making random appearances to dance, sing, or just make a lap around the living area.
We had a little cookout for them Saturday. It started out as a little cookout. We ended up with 30-some-odd people, and I'm not particularly clear where the line goes from a small gathering to a large crowd. It was a delightful outcome, regardless! The weather cooperated nicely, and we were able to spread out onto the balcony, the upper meadow, and the front yard. Naturally, we didn't get a single photo. However, I didn't fret about the cleanliness of the house, or about putting people to work when they arrived. So this was probably the most enjoyable gathering we've had - internally, at any rate. No stress, no worries, just a really great time with some really fantastic people. More than once, I found myself standing at the edge of a cluster of people, just smiling and giving quiet thanks for having these folks in our lives. We are so rich.
The Bigs left for Scout Camp early Sunday morning. They'd packed at some point over the weekend. (Mostly at The Last Minute, and I've already got a list of things to bring to them on Family Day.) We got them headed off and then the rest of us went to church. From church, we hit Sam's for dry goods and travel food (because it's one glamorous outing after another when you have pantry locusts!), then took a lovely stroll along the river before heading home. Daniel and his family pulled out around five, and that felt too soon for them to leave. We hope they'll return again and again. Our door is always open.
And then, it was quiet. SO quiet. Jase promptly passed out. Zorak played video games with Jacob. EmBaby worked in her little MineCraft world James had set up for her before he left. I sat down with a few books and drifted in and out of sleep.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Friday's airsoft gathering went well. We had about nine boys, all properly attired with safety gear and low-end guns. (Minor Injuries Only, for the win!) We moms stayed on the balcony, figuring the 16' height would keep us out of firing range. It did. That's where we kept the food, too. It was a blessedly normal, witty, engaged group of women. I'm fairly sure I was the loose peg in the wall, and that's okay. Gives me an opportunity to work on my Don't Be Weird Around The Nice People routine. We'll see if it worked. The boys, at least, I know had fun, because they only came inside when thirst drove them in, and there were small, polite, but clear protestations when it was time to go. They all agreed they'd like to do more things together. Mission accomplished. (I told Zorak that night that I really loved all the boys - they were just the right kind of weird - sweet, quirky, fun kids.)
That evening, our friend, Daniel, arrived with his wife and son. He's been stateside, studying Chemistry, for several years. His wife and son joined him in the fall, so this was the first time we were fortunate enough to meet them. And she's pregnant with Baby #2!! I didn't know (Zorak may have known, and thought he told me, but there's a lot he thinks he's told me and didn't) -- so there was a lot of happy squealing. And I cannot tell you how hard it was for me not to just fondle her and swaddle her up and wallow in her adorable, beautiful pregnantness. But *aherm* I restrained. Also, watching her stand up from the table, I realized she may look "just adorable" to me, but she's probably larger than she's ever been, hot, off-balance, uncomfortable, and none of the joints are connected properly at this point. It really does look better than it feels. James made her sage water, and we kept her fed, and tried to pamper her as much as possible (she's quick, though - like lighting - up and helping any chance she gets!) Their son disappeared with the littles, the tiny herd making random appearances to dance, sing, or just make a lap around the living area.
We had a little cookout for them Saturday. It started out as a little cookout. We ended up with 30-some-odd people, and I'm not particularly clear where the line goes from a small gathering to a large crowd. It was a delightful outcome, regardless! The weather cooperated nicely, and we were able to spread out onto the balcony, the upper meadow, and the front yard. Naturally, we didn't get a single photo. However, I didn't fret about the cleanliness of the house, or about putting people to work when they arrived. So this was probably the most enjoyable gathering we've had - internally, at any rate. No stress, no worries, just a really great time with some really fantastic people. More than once, I found myself standing at the edge of a cluster of people, just smiling and giving quiet thanks for having these folks in our lives. We are so rich.
The Bigs left for Scout Camp early Sunday morning. They'd packed at some point over the weekend. (Mostly at The Last Minute, and I've already got a list of things to bring to them on Family Day.) We got them headed off and then the rest of us went to church. From church, we hit Sam's for dry goods and travel food (because it's one glamorous outing after another when you have pantry locusts!), then took a lovely stroll along the river before heading home. Daniel and his family pulled out around five, and that felt too soon for them to leave. We hope they'll return again and again. Our door is always open.
And then, it was quiet. SO quiet. Jase promptly passed out. Zorak played video games with Jacob. EmBaby worked in her little MineCraft world James had set up for her before he left. I sat down with a few books and drifted in and out of sleep.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, May 31
A Busy Year
We love that book. Have you read it?
This is shaping up to be a crazy-busy weekend. How does that happen? If I knew, well, I doubt I could do anything about it. But perhaps I wouldn't feel so dazed all the time. Ah, it's all good stuff, though, so it's okay. I'll just smile, nod, offer people food, and hide the melatonin in my room.
The water park is open! We laid low opening weekend, because I'm really not a Large Crowds For The Fun Of It kind of mom. But we did get in one good day before the Bigs head to camp. We went with friends, which is always nice (sweet-faced toddlers and wee babies are such a different experience, all the way around, from headstrong contrarian preschoolers - I think that was my favorite part). We didn't get eaten by mosquitoes, AND we didn't burn! Thank you, Mosquito Coast bug repellent and sunscreen! Please, Lord, don't let that stuff turn out to be carcinogenic. (:weak smile:)
Today, though, no water park. No library run. No fun for today. Today is a work day - basement, chickens, trash and culling, wood putty and paint, mowing and weeding. For this weekend - it's approaching at breakneck speed!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
This is shaping up to be a crazy-busy weekend. How does that happen? If I knew, well, I doubt I could do anything about it. But perhaps I wouldn't feel so dazed all the time. Ah, it's all good stuff, though, so it's okay. I'll just smile, nod, offer people food, and hide the melatonin in my room.
The water park is open! We laid low opening weekend, because I'm really not a Large Crowds For The Fun Of It kind of mom. But we did get in one good day before the Bigs head to camp. We went with friends, which is always nice (sweet-faced toddlers and wee babies are such a different experience, all the way around, from headstrong contrarian preschoolers - I think that was my favorite part). We didn't get eaten by mosquitoes, AND we didn't burn! Thank you, Mosquito Coast bug repellent and sunscreen! Please, Lord, don't let that stuff turn out to be carcinogenic. (:weak smile:)
Today, though, no water park. No library run. No fun for today. Today is a work day - basement, chickens, trash and culling, wood putty and paint, mowing and weeding. For this weekend - it's approaching at breakneck speed!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, May 17
The Manic End of the Mundane
Day-to-day life isn't all that thrilling. It is adorned with beautiful moments and endearing touchstones, certainly. The tapestry as a whole is gorgeous. But each individual stitch, or load of wash, can cause even the most avid spectator to wonder what the fuss is about.
Then come the times where every stitch must be made double-time. For the organizationally impaired among us, those are the crazy times. That's when it seems as if the children must be fed every hour on the hour, even though they somehow take two hours to eat a meal. And although everyone is wearing the same clothing this afternoon as they had on this morning, the laundry pile might lead a conspiracy theorist to posit that everyone has changed undergarments at least a dozen times since breakfast.
And the birds with their nest in the diatomaceous earth bag on the porch laid *more* eggs before we could get rid of it. Heck, before we even realized the first batch had fledged. BUSY!
All the weather-contingent projects come due. All the spring activities need planning. Trips, tours, projects, people. Allergies and colds. Dumb choices. Sad consequences. Moving on, and up. When it hits, it hits hard and fast.
Those group leaders? They have a running bet to see who can drive you to cry, drink, or slip away to Fuji first. That's got to be it.
Bills? Again? Already? Are you *sure* we didn't just pay those...
And those chickens?! Well, none of the second batch have died. But now there are 31 chickens in a space designed for 18-20. It's going to get ugly, folks. It's already smelly. I can't lie to you.
Schedule, plan, teach, cajole (that's mostly me that needs cajoling). Clean, time, test, train, withdraw, deposit, pray, pray, pray.
But it's good. The stitches are a little ugly, but the picture that's emerging is nice.
Laughter.
Wonder.
Joy.
Growth.
Love.
I need an organizer, a wife, and a shock collar. Don't ask - plausible deniability is best. Just slip me a box. I'll be on the porch, with the mojitos.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
And the birds with their nest in the diatomaceous earth bag on the porch laid *more* eggs before we could get rid of it. Heck, before we even realized the first batch had fledged. BUSY!
All the weather-contingent projects come due. All the spring activities need planning. Trips, tours, projects, people. Allergies and colds. Dumb choices. Sad consequences. Moving on, and up. When it hits, it hits hard and fast.
Those group leaders? They have a running bet to see who can drive you to cry, drink, or slip away to Fuji first. That's got to be it.
Bills? Again? Already? Are you *sure* we didn't just pay those...
And those chickens?! Well, none of the second batch have died. But now there are 31 chickens in a space designed for 18-20. It's going to get ugly, folks. It's already smelly. I can't lie to you.
Schedule, plan, teach, cajole (that's mostly me that needs cajoling). Clean, time, test, train, withdraw, deposit, pray, pray, pray.
Laughter.
Wonder.
Joy.
Growth.
Love.
I need an organizer, a wife, and a shock collar. Don't ask - plausible deniability is best. Just slip me a box. I'll be on the porch, with the mojitos.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Sunday, May 13
It's Mother's Day
Happy Day to you, if you are a Mother, or have a Mother, or if someone loves you like a Mother.
I got up early to enjoy a cup of coffee in peace and listen to the gentle rain and the chipper morning birds. It's 63* right now, and so pretty! Sometimes it's nice to wake up at my own pace, instead of by hitting the floor running. That I managed to extricate myself from the bed with a pile of children woven around my limbs (there must have been a storm last night - there aren't usually so many of them) without waking anybody up is my Mother's Day Surprise.
We beat back the foliage, tilled the garden (again), and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned on Friday. I was firing on about 3 cylinders yesterday (using a V-8 as a baseline), so I spent a lot of time trying to sleep. The rest of them helped Zorak finish the chicken tractor and headed out to a friend's birthday party. When they got home, they gave the house some sprucing up, since I was out of commission. o_O Now we have that lovely lived-in bachelor pad look going. Again. My Mother's Day wish for the coming year is that EmBaby has some latent tidiness gene, and that I'll have an ally one day when it kicks in. Until then, though, know that the kitchen is safe, the coffee is hot, the kids are friendly, and those aren't my socks under the dining room table.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
I got up early to enjoy a cup of coffee in peace and listen to the gentle rain and the chipper morning birds. It's 63* right now, and so pretty! Sometimes it's nice to wake up at my own pace, instead of by hitting the floor running. That I managed to extricate myself from the bed with a pile of children woven around my limbs (there must have been a storm last night - there aren't usually so many of them) without waking anybody up is my Mother's Day Surprise.
We beat back the foliage, tilled the garden (again), and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned on Friday. I was firing on about 3 cylinders yesterday (using a V-8 as a baseline), so I spent a lot of time trying to sleep. The rest of them helped Zorak finish the chicken tractor and headed out to a friend's birthday party. When they got home, they gave the house some sprucing up, since I was out of commission. o_O Now we have that lovely lived-in bachelor pad look going. Again. My Mother's Day wish for the coming year is that EmBaby has some latent tidiness gene, and that I'll have an ally one day when it kicks in. Until then, though, know that the kitchen is safe, the coffee is hot, the kids are friendly, and those aren't my socks under the dining room table.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Wednesday, May 9
You May Be Right
I've got Billy Joel songs stuck in my head. It's been a crazy day. But Good Crazy - anything that conjures up songs from the 80's can't be all bad.
Kids got a lot of school work done. If they did this every day, we could have school three days a week and still be ahead. Then James got to enjoy some Skype time with his buddies. John and Jacob took to the woods (while I stayed inside and tried not to twitch).
We started the Atelier Art program today. It seems good, but I think I may have underestimated the kids' knowledge and abilities. So we modified. This lesson was on lines - specifically, they were asked to draw a turtle and decorate its shell with various line patterns. (This is Level 2, the 5-8yo level - I'd grabbed it for Em, who loves to draw, and Jase, who needs an outlet - but all the kids joined in, because they're cool like that.) So we covered lines, then I turned the kids loose with the guideline that they aren't tied to the turtle, but to draw something and be aware of how they use lines for various features of the art (shading, contour, texture, flow, etc.). When they finished, we put their pieces in the 8x10 frames we'd hung in the hallway last week. The finished product is quite fun, and it's nice to have art in the hall. Plus, they enjoy being able to display their work in a meaningful way. The goal is to have them complete one piece a week for display in the rotating hall gallery.
We slipped out this afternoon to see about getting some nicely fitting t-shirts for Scouts. The 50/50 blend, unisex, chokingly-high crew neck style is not only uncomfortable, but unattractive. As much time as I spend at Scout functions, I'd love to have a shirt I don't hate wearing. Hopefully, we can score some from our regular guy. He's a good printer, and does a beautiful job - plus he's all set up with the approved Troop/Pack graphics. He just needs to narrow down an available style for us. Yay!
Jacob goes to be shorn in the morning. He's bummed about losing his hair after he's upheld his end of the bargain (gotta keep it clean and well-kept if you want it long), but he's on board with his usual sunny attitude. I appreciate that kid more than words can say.
And so, to bed!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Kids got a lot of school work done. If they did this every day, we could have school three days a week and still be ahead. Then James got to enjoy some Skype time with his buddies. John and Jacob took to the woods (while I stayed inside and tried not to twitch).
We started the Atelier Art program today. It seems good, but I think I may have underestimated the kids' knowledge and abilities. So we modified. This lesson was on lines - specifically, they were asked to draw a turtle and decorate its shell with various line patterns. (This is Level 2, the 5-8yo level - I'd grabbed it for Em, who loves to draw, and Jase, who needs an outlet - but all the kids joined in, because they're cool like that.) So we covered lines, then I turned the kids loose with the guideline that they aren't tied to the turtle, but to draw something and be aware of how they use lines for various features of the art (shading, contour, texture, flow, etc.). When they finished, we put their pieces in the 8x10 frames we'd hung in the hallway last week. The finished product is quite fun, and it's nice to have art in the hall. Plus, they enjoy being able to display their work in a meaningful way. The goal is to have them complete one piece a week for display in the rotating hall gallery.
We slipped out this afternoon to see about getting some nicely fitting t-shirts for Scouts. The 50/50 blend, unisex, chokingly-high crew neck style is not only uncomfortable, but unattractive. As much time as I spend at Scout functions, I'd love to have a shirt I don't hate wearing. Hopefully, we can score some from our regular guy. He's a good printer, and does a beautiful job - plus he's all set up with the approved Troop/Pack graphics. He just needs to narrow down an available style for us. Yay!
Jacob goes to be shorn in the morning. He's bummed about losing his hair after he's upheld his end of the bargain (gotta keep it clean and well-kept if you want it long), but he's on board with his usual sunny attitude. I appreciate that kid more than words can say.
And so, to bed!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Monday, May 7
T is for TICK!
This is when I really, really want to move.
We all take garlic every day. We do regular tick checks in the evening, and impromptu checks throughout the day. We use diatomaceous earth in the immediate vicinity of the house (but not all over the property, so it's probably moot, but even the psychological barrier helps). We Frontline the dog more religiously than we make it to communion. And still, we find ticks. It's just part of living in the South if you ever leave your home. Ever. Especially if your home is in the country.
And this week has been a bugger of a week for ticks. *shudder*
Yesterday, Jacob found one embedded on him. Deer tick. Engorged. His thick, curly, dark gorgeous hair is just the perfect hiding spot, and somehow I'd missed it during Saturday's checks. There's no way that thing hadn't been in there for a while. Gah!
I ran through the factors (length of time, engorgement, that he'd manhandled it out instead of waiting for one of us to use the tweezers, plus his fever, aches, stomach pain, swelling at the site, and a redness forming on his scalp), talked to friends who have experience with Lyme, girded myself with the information we needed (just in case) and called the doc.
I love our physician. I love his staff. I love them all. We are making them cookies. They didn't poo-poo us with the "We don't have Lyme here" routine (We do. It's not epidemic, but we do have confirmed cases in Northern Alabama. But there are still people who will swear we don't have it "here".) They didn't roll their eyes at the crazy lady with the theories. They got him in, checked him out, ran the factors, did the math, and then talked with us. I. Love. Them.
So now Jacob has a 21 day program of antibiotics, and a program of probiotics. And I have a physical weight released from my gut. Not to mention a bazillion dozen cookies to bake for the doctor and his staff. It means the world that they are thoughtful and proactive, that they have taken the time to stay on top of the latest protocols for diseases, that they are so thorough and focused, that get to know us and to listen to us. There's just so much I appreciate about them, from top to bottom.
Unfortunately, if we moved, we'd lose them! Talk about a catch-22!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
We all take garlic every day. We do regular tick checks in the evening, and impromptu checks throughout the day. We use diatomaceous earth in the immediate vicinity of the house (but not all over the property, so it's probably moot, but even the psychological barrier helps). We Frontline the dog more religiously than we make it to communion. And still, we find ticks. It's just part of living in the South if you ever leave your home. Ever. Especially if your home is in the country.
And this week has been a bugger of a week for ticks. *shudder*
Yesterday, Jacob found one embedded on him. Deer tick. Engorged. His thick, curly, dark gorgeous hair is just the perfect hiding spot, and somehow I'd missed it during Saturday's checks. There's no way that thing hadn't been in there for a while. Gah!
I ran through the factors (length of time, engorgement, that he'd manhandled it out instead of waiting for one of us to use the tweezers, plus his fever, aches, stomach pain, swelling at the site, and a redness forming on his scalp), talked to friends who have experience with Lyme, girded myself with the information we needed (just in case) and called the doc.
I love our physician. I love his staff. I love them all. We are making them cookies. They didn't poo-poo us with the "We don't have Lyme here" routine (We do. It's not epidemic, but we do have confirmed cases in Northern Alabama. But there are still people who will swear we don't have it "here".) They didn't roll their eyes at the crazy lady with the theories. They got him in, checked him out, ran the factors, did the math, and then talked with us. I. Love. Them.
So now Jacob has a 21 day program of antibiotics, and a program of probiotics. And I have a physical weight released from my gut. Not to mention a bazillion dozen cookies to bake for the doctor and his staff. It means the world that they are thoughtful and proactive, that they have taken the time to stay on top of the latest protocols for diseases, that they are so thorough and focused, that get to know us and to listen to us. There's just so much I appreciate about them, from top to bottom.
Unfortunately, if we moved, we'd lose them! Talk about a catch-22!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, May 3
How is it Thursday?
I'm exhausted! We awoke this morning to the dim light and soft murmurings that mean rain. I was ridiculously refreshed by six, so I jumped out of bed, made coffee, and sat on the porch swing, reading and sipping until I got damp and felt chilly. Those days are numbered. I plan to wallow in every delicious one of them.
The wide-awake-rush wore off by ten, though, and I found myself fighting off a coma on the couch. Not sure if it was the adrenaline wearing off, or the general pace of Things, or if I didn't eat enough breakfast. (We had chorizo and eggs with green chiles, colored sweet peppers, and provolone cheese. It was so good. I made a ton. John sliced apples, and we had fresh milk to go with. Still, there was absolutely nothing left. The pantry locusts are getting larger.) Nobody seemed terribly motivated today, though, so we read and talked, read some more, napped. Jase is coming off a short virus. Em's fighting it off. It seemed like a good day to rest.
I went down before the children got up this morning and dealt with the chicks that didn't make it through the night. Five chicks survived the ordeal. They are tough, perky, and on the ball. We're pretty sure we have The Avengers of chickens assembled down there, now. One is obviously a runt (compared to the total badasses that are left), but she's a trooper and has already stolen James' heart, so I'm sure she'll be looked after well. Now we get to enjoy the fun part. They've already begun chasing stray bugs that veer into the box, and two of them have a weird love/poke-in-the-eye relationship going that's a total riot to watch. They're pretty evenly matched, and it's definitely a two-way street between them as they figure out the pecking order. Chickens are like Benny Hill sketches, without the innuendo.
Zorak's been on the road all week. He left Sunday and is due in tonight -- hopefully within the hour. I miss him any time he's gone, but tonight I'm particularly anxious to curl up with him and let him keep the Bogeyman at bay.
Tomorrow, we get to go play airsoft with some boys from our homeschool group! John and Jacob are stoked. Absolutely, thoroughly amped up and ready to GO! James isn't so much interested, but tomorrow is also skate day, and he loves that, so he'll get to have some fun and he's got a stack of projects to take with him to the airsoft gathering. (When did he get that organized? I love it!) I have no clue what this event is going to look like, or whether I got the right gear, or how this works, or... but I am excited for the boys to have a day of fun, and it will be nice to get to know another Mom from the group. (We have a very welcoming group, but everyone is So Very Busy at the functions that if you don't already know people, you aren't likely to get to know them there. It's odd, but that's how it pans out. So, from an Isolated Mom perspective, this is kind of exciting, too.) And I imagine Zorak will appreciate having us out of the house during the day, so he can recover from the 11.5 hour drive in peace.
After the kids wake him up and beg for waffles, that is.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
The wide-awake-rush wore off by ten, though, and I found myself fighting off a coma on the couch. Not sure if it was the adrenaline wearing off, or the general pace of Things, or if I didn't eat enough breakfast. (We had chorizo and eggs with green chiles, colored sweet peppers, and provolone cheese. It was so good. I made a ton. John sliced apples, and we had fresh milk to go with. Still, there was absolutely nothing left. The pantry locusts are getting larger.) Nobody seemed terribly motivated today, though, so we read and talked, read some more, napped. Jase is coming off a short virus. Em's fighting it off. It seemed like a good day to rest.
I went down before the children got up this morning and dealt with the chicks that didn't make it through the night. Five chicks survived the ordeal. They are tough, perky, and on the ball. We're pretty sure we have The Avengers of chickens assembled down there, now. One is obviously a runt (compared to the total badasses that are left), but she's a trooper and has already stolen James' heart, so I'm sure she'll be looked after well. Now we get to enjoy the fun part. They've already begun chasing stray bugs that veer into the box, and two of them have a weird love/poke-in-the-eye relationship going that's a total riot to watch. They're pretty evenly matched, and it's definitely a two-way street between them as they figure out the pecking order. Chickens are like Benny Hill sketches, without the innuendo.
Zorak's been on the road all week. He left Sunday and is due in tonight -- hopefully within the hour. I miss him any time he's gone, but tonight I'm particularly anxious to curl up with him and let him keep the Bogeyman at bay.
Tomorrow, we get to go play airsoft with some boys from our homeschool group! John and Jacob are stoked. Absolutely, thoroughly amped up and ready to GO! James isn't so much interested, but tomorrow is also skate day, and he loves that, so he'll get to have some fun and he's got a stack of projects to take with him to the airsoft gathering. (When did he get that organized? I love it!) I have no clue what this event is going to look like, or whether I got the right gear, or how this works, or... but I am excited for the boys to have a day of fun, and it will be nice to get to know another Mom from the group. (We have a very welcoming group, but everyone is So Very Busy at the functions that if you don't already know people, you aren't likely to get to know them there. It's odd, but that's how it pans out. So, from an Isolated Mom perspective, this is kind of exciting, too.) And I imagine Zorak will appreciate having us out of the house during the day, so he can recover from the 11.5 hour drive in peace.
After the kids wake him up and beg for waffles, that is.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Saturday, February 18
All Part of the Plan
This weekend is crazy-busy. The Bigs have a day trip for Scouts, in which they'll earn their Aviation Merit Badge. The Cubs have an overnight camp-in that includes siblings. We need to pour the slab for the balcony stairs. (A glider contest on the balcony earlier this week reinforced the need for people to not have to run through the school room, living room, foyer, out the door, off the porch, down the front yard into the lower drive, and back again, to retrieve gliders. I don't know that the children realized that, but *twitch* I did *twitch*.) And more, but I've lost the list.
As of last night, we weren't entirely sure how we'd pull it off. I don't know if it was bad salad or a virus, but... DANG. And really, although we're looking forward to all of it, we're such homebodies that it takes a lot of mental bolstering for either of us to get excited about leaving the house. At one point, we had this brief exchange:
Zorak: I think you poisoned me.
Me: I panicked. It was all I could think of.
Zorak: *pause* Probably the best plan, really. Pretty effective.
Thankfully, we were back in fine form by this morning. Zorak and the boys headed out to do their thing. The littles and I are packed and ready to go. We'll wave in passing, I'm sure. I hope the rest of the weekend is fairly obstacle-free, though.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
As of last night, we weren't entirely sure how we'd pull it off. I don't know if it was bad salad or a virus, but... DANG. And really, although we're looking forward to all of it, we're such homebodies that it takes a lot of mental bolstering for either of us to get excited about leaving the house. At one point, we had this brief exchange:
Zorak: I think you poisoned me.
Me: I panicked. It was all I could think of.
Zorak: *pause* Probably the best plan, really. Pretty effective.
Thankfully, we were back in fine form by this morning. Zorak and the boys headed out to do their thing. The littles and I are packed and ready to go. We'll wave in passing, I'm sure. I hope the rest of the weekend is fairly obstacle-free, though.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Friday, February 10
Alice, and Wonderland
We took the morning off to see the Grissom High students put on a play. It was a lovely way to spend the morning. They performed Alice in Wonderland, and although it was a two-hour production, the kids did just fine. (We sat on the aisle, in case one of the unpredictable ones did something... unpredictable. They were fine, though - wholly engaged and delightful.) The older ones are already comfortable with theater etiquette, so they're enjoyable on many levels. (They're also a reminder that it's worth it to take the time when they're little, even if you have to sit by the aisle for a while. Someday, you won't have to. And you may get a bit sniffly about that when you glance over as the great big manboys, behaving without prompting, on either side of you.)
We stopped at Sonic for a little Something after. Sadly, both my breakfast protein and my GABA had given out about 30 minutes before we got there, so that part was not as easy as the rest of the morning had been. (Why must Sonic offer So. Many. Choices?!? Even if you narrow the options to "soda," or "slushie thing", the flavor options, alone, are enough to send the most mild-mannered of children into a choice-induced frenzy. Five children make it exponentially more... interesting.) We got out without incident, tears, or aggravation, though, and then home for some protein and water. Yay! Yay for Home!
The Bigs have both taken training to serve as Den Chiefs for the Cubs. I can't tell you how helpful that is - not just for running a Den or Pack, but also for helping your young men to realize they *are* The Big Kids, and that the little ones can/do/will look up to them. At our last Pack meeting, our Cubmaster invited them to come teach knots to the boys. They built frames for making the knots, so they could show the Cubs the knots in context (pitching a tent, tying down a load, ceremonial knots, cinching a sack, etc.). It was a good experience, and I'm glad they jumped in with both feet. They've been asked to meet with the Webelos next week, to go over Arrow of Light material. I think they're working on this knot to teach the Webelos. (The plan then is to turn the finished product into bookmarks for the boys' mothers for Valentine's Day. That'd be cool!)
And now, it's the weekend. We've been working on the little projects that have been whispering for our attention. It's the 15% of each project that got neglected in the first big push, as soon as it's "usable", or "for now," but we're veering out of the realm of Temporary, and into the kingdom of Wow, You People Really Live Like That? So, time to get cracking.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
We stopped at Sonic for a little Something after. Sadly, both my breakfast protein and my GABA had given out about 30 minutes before we got there, so that part was not as easy as the rest of the morning had been. (Why must Sonic offer So. Many. Choices?!? Even if you narrow the options to "soda," or "slushie thing", the flavor options, alone, are enough to send the most mild-mannered of children into a choice-induced frenzy. Five children make it exponentially more... interesting.) We got out without incident, tears, or aggravation, though, and then home for some protein and water. Yay! Yay for Home!
And now, it's the weekend. We've been working on the little projects that have been whispering for our attention. It's the 15% of each project that got neglected in the first big push, as soon as it's "usable", or "for now," but we're veering out of the realm of Temporary, and into the kingdom of Wow, You People Really Live Like That? So, time to get cracking.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Monday, January 23
Lost the cord again!
I saw a camera the other day that has the USB bit attached to the camera. Santa needs to see about getting me one of those for Christmas. In the meantime, we've cleaned the house, and there's no sign of the camera cord.
The camera is full, though, as the kids have been making videos. Oh, I need to buy each of them a camera with a boatload of storage (and an integrated USB dongle). The videos are sweet and funny. Or, they are once I stop hyperventilating over the fact that children don't tend to pick up before they film. Heh.
School is going beautifully. The first two weeks have been great. The kids' new math books arrived last week, and they dove right in. James moved over to Wheelock's for Latin. I hate Wheelock's, but he's happy. He'll wrap that one up this term, and then... I dunno. Orberg? Wing it? No clue. But that's not now, so we'll enjoy the rest of this term. We're hoping to have a few good adventures along the way!
John's ankle is healing well. He's off the crutches, and winging about with the boot. I've put a total moratorium on Paper On The Floor. Normally, I try not to be too uptight about it. It's hard not to have paper on the floor when someone is always sketching or drawing or making diagrams - between the five kids, there's... there's a lot of paper. Aesthetically, meh. But if you step on it with a boot? You're goin' DOWN, folks. And I can't... we can't have two broken bones on one child all at once. *shudder* For the time being, paper is now a Controlled Substance.
Jacob brought me the first Daffodil of the year, yesterday! We don't normally get them until February, but here they are. It's been a wet and balmy winter. I hope we haven't missed our pruning window for the trees! We'll check this week and see what we can do. In the meantime, we have a beautiful bit of sunshine in the kitchen window. Hopefully, it's the first of many to parade through the house this year!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
The camera is full, though, as the kids have been making videos. Oh, I need to buy each of them a camera with a boatload of storage (and an integrated USB dongle). The videos are sweet and funny. Or, they are once I stop hyperventilating over the fact that children don't tend to pick up before they film. Heh.
School is going beautifully. The first two weeks have been great. The kids' new math books arrived last week, and they dove right in. James moved over to Wheelock's for Latin. I hate Wheelock's, but he's happy. He'll wrap that one up this term, and then... I dunno. Orberg? Wing it? No clue. But that's not now, so we'll enjoy the rest of this term. We're hoping to have a few good adventures along the way!
John's ankle is healing well. He's off the crutches, and winging about with the boot. I've put a total moratorium on Paper On The Floor. Normally, I try not to be too uptight about it. It's hard not to have paper on the floor when someone is always sketching or drawing or making diagrams - between the five kids, there's... there's a lot of paper. Aesthetically, meh. But if you step on it with a boot? You're goin' DOWN, folks. And I can't... we can't have two broken bones on one child all at once. *shudder* For the time being, paper is now a Controlled Substance.
Jacob brought me the first Daffodil of the year, yesterday! We don't normally get them until February, but here they are. It's been a wet and balmy winter. I hope we haven't missed our pruning window for the trees! We'll check this week and see what we can do. In the meantime, we have a beautiful bit of sunshine in the kitchen window. Hopefully, it's the first of many to parade through the house this year!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Tuesday, January 10
Back to School Week
We started back to school this week, which has gone nicely. Mostly. The days have been long (seriously. long.)
I'm going to give it a couple of weeks before deciding if I've given
them too much. It could be that, or the weather. It could just be inertia that's kicking our butts. It
could be a little of each. Time is an excellent sorter, though, so we're going to
muscle onward and wait it out.
The boys also start back to music lessons this week. They've not had
them in three months, and although they didn't touch their instruments
for two and a half months, they've both picked up practice again
willingly and enthusiastically. They were ready. So was I. It's nice to
have music in the house, but it's not spontaneous for us. We need to be
intentional about it. The bedroom with only one child inherited the instruments and practice space.
We're settling in nicely with the new arrangement. We all love that we have more room in the bedrooms, but there's still an entire toy shelf loitering in the hallway. I'm, um, I have nowhere to put it. We've simply outgrown this house. I've culled and culled and, for
having five children, there truly aren't a lot of toys. It's just a lot
of toys for a house this size. We need to repaint and add a little decorating in some rooms, but for now, I'm happy with the progress. The Littles feel like their space is downright palatial, too. :-)
The boys like having a safe spot for the Legos and other creations, and with the Littles in the bigger of the bedrooms, a full-scale invasion is less likely. I like roaming up and down the hall, glancing in to see fairly tidy rooms. (They don't notice the lack of artwork or curtains, but I've got to fix that soon.)
And that's pretty well taken up all our days lately. Music. School.
Tripping over things in the hall. Zorak has sketches all over the place
for stairs from the balcony. I guess that's the next big project.
Blessedly, he's designing it to use as little concrete as possible (but
still be wholly over-engineered). I love that about him. Meanwhile, we're hanging out on the couch, fighting that inertia...
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Saturday, January 7
Decorator Tired
If it's not a theme, it should be.
We're making some adjustments to the Forever Home. People keep growing, spreading, changing their interests. What worked five years ago isn't quite cutting it now. (Imagine, huh?) Today, we got some wild hairs waving in the wind that whipped through the TN Valley and figured if we can't work outside, we can work in. So we began. We emptied the playroom of every last Lego and so very many random bits of string, moved the toy shelves into the hallway, vacuumed, wiped, swiped, and touch-up painted all over the place, dismantled the boys' bunk bed and reassembled the erstwhile top bunk as a stand-alone twin in the playroom.
It's... been a while since I've had to move like that.
And I now remember why. ;-)
However, already we are seeing the benefits of the plan, and it's very exciting! Visually, bringing it all down a level is going to be huge. People will have the space they need to do their thing without us having to build on an entire extra house. (Building the Den would still be awesome, but there are so many other projects that need doing. We had to act now.) This is good stuff, here. Pics to follow.
Tonight, though, I plan to sleep the sleep of Those Who Move Heavy Things For A Living. (Or, more accurately, the sleep of Those Who Don't Move Heavy Things Very Often At All But Suddenly DID. Yes, that's more descriptive.) The kids are already there.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
We're making some adjustments to the Forever Home. People keep growing, spreading, changing their interests. What worked five years ago isn't quite cutting it now. (Imagine, huh?) Today, we got some wild hairs waving in the wind that whipped through the TN Valley and figured if we can't work outside, we can work in. So we began. We emptied the playroom of every last Lego and so very many random bits of string, moved the toy shelves into the hallway, vacuumed, wiped, swiped, and touch-up painted all over the place, dismantled the boys' bunk bed and reassembled the erstwhile top bunk as a stand-alone twin in the playroom.
It's... been a while since I've had to move like that.
And I now remember why. ;-)
However, already we are seeing the benefits of the plan, and it's very exciting! Visually, bringing it all down a level is going to be huge. People will have the space they need to do their thing without us having to build on an entire extra house. (Building the Den would still be awesome, but there are so many other projects that need doing. We had to act now.) This is good stuff, here. Pics to follow.
Tonight, though, I plan to sleep the sleep of Those Who Move Heavy Things For A Living. (Or, more accurately, the sleep of Those Who Don't Move Heavy Things Very Often At All But Suddenly DID. Yes, that's more descriptive.) The kids are already there.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Monday, January 2
And A Happy New Year!
This weekend I've read some fantastic lists - reading lists completed and planned, goals met last year and set for the coming year, hopes and plans of hearts and minds. It's been encouraging to read through them. And in the process, I've muddled out some goals for us for 2012. (This house is up the road from us - it has no relation to this post, other than I think it's pretty amazing, and don't have another place to share it.)
2012 will be the year I learn to work around the things that normally pull me up short. Considering these are things I've been unable, or unwilling, to work around up to this point, it'll be interesting to see how that pans out. I suspect the keys will be (in no particular order - or rather, in whatever order I can pull them off first): getting over the stories in my head that make me feel paralyzed, letting go of what I think the delegation process should look like, and being willing to just leap right the heck out of the box so that we can move forward. I'm starting with bed risers.
See, under the bed is absolutely *crammed* with things. But I've held off on getting boxes for those things because we plan to build or buy a new bed (then I'll know how much room I have for boxes). And it's ugly, because there's no bed skirt (the old one, being 25+ years old, finally refused to stay stitched, stapled, glued, or tucked). But I've been holding off on buying a bed skirt until we bought or built the new bed (no bed wants highwater skirting, right?), but we're putting off the new bed because it's not on the top of the list (and it has to be patient and work its way up, like all the other good projects), and to be honest, we'd both rather have a new mattress - which we need, as it's even older and far less compliant than the defunct bed skirt - before a new actual bed frame - which is still functional. All of these things are fine, taken on their own. No biggie. But if you add it together, now I've got an antagonistic relationship going with the entire bedroom, and we keep stubbing our toes when we make the bed. It's not the bedroom's fault. It's nobody's fault, really. It just is what it is. For 8 bucks, I can clear the bottleneck and move forward. Why on earth not?
In other words, 2012 will be The Year of The Blindingly Obvious Solution. Well, yes.
I also hope to mail all the things that are sitting here, withering away and doing their intended recipients absolutely no good, whatsoever. They aren't getting dusted, either. The initial push is going to cost a fortune in postage, but after that - again, clearing out the bottleneck. And from there? Drop ship directly from Amazon and bypass myself, entirely. Put the good intentions into good practice, and bless all the people who have blessed us so very much. (I'm actually more excited about this one than I am about the bed risers! It'll be fun.)
And time with friends. This year, we've been so glad to have some real community coming together for us, locally -- people we enjoy, people who challenge us, people who give and take in many ways. That's some powerful stuff, there. I want to tend those nooks and crannies and give them whatever they need to flourish this coming year.
And, we're punting on school for this week. Zorak's off a couple of days this week, and a cousin is coming into town mid-week. It seems silly to get spooled up for a day's worth of schooling. So we'll spend that day looking for all the things I'm sure we won't be able to find right off the bat, and then - theoretically - we'll start bright and early on the 9th. Granted, we aren't theoreticians, so I won't hold my breath, but it seems like a good plan at first glance. And if it doesn't work, I'm sure we'll be able to find a solution that will move us forward.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Tuesday, December 20
Got your Christmas On?
I think... maybe... we do. Maybe. Then I read blogs of interior designers, and I realize... my theme is sort of a rustic, 'manger' theme. I leap from the chair, high five the startled children, and whoop around the house, yelling, "We have a THEME, folks! We're good!"
Jacob's Den Christmas party was Friday, here at the house. We had several stations set up around the living area - garland making,
paper crafts, leathercraft, cookie baking, and cookie decorating. 13
children, 3 adults, 500 square feet. Go! They made the cookies (and decorated and ate them in one fell swoop), made leather gifts for their families, and garlands and ornaments for their trees at home.
That was pretty awesome. But I have *great* parents who pitch in, and roll with it, and bring their fantastic suggestions to the table. They rock. And their kids? Their kids are so freakishly wonderful and amazing... :sigh: One Mom surveyed the activity, and all the children working, interacting, and playing. Smiling and wide-eyed, she turned to me and said, "You know, I wouldn't even attempt this with just any group!" Every adult youth leader should have this kind of a setup.
Zorak's company Christmas luncheon was Wednesday, and I got to slip off to join him for that. Then we did a little present searching before heading home. It was nice just to hold hands, stroll along in the crisp winter air, and talk about nothing in particular and everything in general. This year, with the master bath now being a functional bath, and the basement slowly becoming a functional game room, we had to come up with somewhere else to store unwrapped presents. So we got creative and borrowed the boys' foot lockers. One in each car, so no matter who picks up something, it goes straight into the foot locker. That has worked out quite nicely.
And so, that was last week. Lovely Christmastime.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
That was pretty awesome. But I have *great* parents who pitch in, and roll with it, and bring their fantastic suggestions to the table. They rock. And their kids? Their kids are so freakishly wonderful and amazing... :sigh: One Mom surveyed the activity, and all the children working, interacting, and playing. Smiling and wide-eyed, she turned to me and said, "You know, I wouldn't even attempt this with just any group!" Every adult youth leader should have this kind of a setup.
And so, that was last week. Lovely Christmastime.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Saturday, October 1
It's the First of October!
October! Wow! We really need to get our outdoor projects wrapped up, and get some firewood stacked for the winter. Today, however, we're airing out the tent...
And heading into the woods with friends...
And generally having a grand old time.
And heading into the woods with friends...
And generally having a grand old time.
Kiss those babies~
~Dy
Wednesday, September 14
Bring Out Your Dead!
I tossed Monty Python and the Holy Grail into our Netflix queue for this weekend. The Boy Scout Camporee this fall is going to be Holy Grail themed.
I'm torn between feeling this is a *wildly* inappropriate theme for Boy Scouts, and being really, really excited, because the itinerary sounds like a total blast. (There will be a killer rabbit!) It's hard to balance reverence/irreverence, sometimes.
Anyway, the boys haven't seen more than a few clips here and there, and the weekend will be significantly more fun if they've seen the movie. (I knew this would be an issue as the Scoutmaster mentioned the activities, and others in the room promptly chimed in with pertinent quotes from the movie. The boys looked most confused when somebody asked if they'll have a duck for the weighing of the witch. So, ok, yeah, that makes zero sense if you haven't seen the movie.)
I suspect Zorak will take the three littles fishing, if only to get out of having to sit through an entire Monty Python movie. (I know! The poor man. I can barely remember plot lines from important movies we've actually seen together. You would not believe how often he'll quote a line and I'll tell him, "Hey, that sounds like an interesting movie. We should watch it." And yet, I can still quote entire swaths of Monty Python, which I haven't watched to any extent in 25+ years. I don't know why he loves me, but I'm glad he does!) Also, I'm looking forward to sharing something with the boys that *I* remember first discovering in my youth. I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
I'm torn between feeling this is a *wildly* inappropriate theme for Boy Scouts, and being really, really excited, because the itinerary sounds like a total blast. (There will be a killer rabbit!) It's hard to balance reverence/irreverence, sometimes.
Anyway, the boys haven't seen more than a few clips here and there, and the weekend will be significantly more fun if they've seen the movie. (I knew this would be an issue as the Scoutmaster mentioned the activities, and others in the room promptly chimed in with pertinent quotes from the movie. The boys looked most confused when somebody asked if they'll have a duck for the weighing of the witch. So, ok, yeah, that makes zero sense if you haven't seen the movie.)
I suspect Zorak will take the three littles fishing, if only to get out of having to sit through an entire Monty Python movie. (I know! The poor man. I can barely remember plot lines from important movies we've actually seen together. You would not believe how often he'll quote a line and I'll tell him, "Hey, that sounds like an interesting movie. We should watch it." And yet, I can still quote entire swaths of Monty Python, which I haven't watched to any extent in 25+ years. I don't know why he loves me, but I'm glad he does!) Also, I'm looking forward to sharing something with the boys that *I* remember first discovering in my youth. I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Domestic Bliss? Sure, okay.
Today, we were at the dentist again, then to the post office, the museum, music lessons, gas, errands, groceries, Scout preparation, and... and that's when I fell asleep on the couch. The Novocaine had worn off, but the Ibuprofen hadn't kicked in, so sleep seemed best.
Naps were a lot more restful before I had small children. Namely, Jase. A prone adult figure just begs to be scaled, leapt from, leapt on, kneed, poked, and coated in whatever he's eating at the moment. I'm sure it's great fun when you're three, but it's not so much fun for the prone adult.
Zorak made enchiladas (because he loves us), and then we enjoyed piling everybody on the couch to watch Shaun the Sheep. By the end of the day, I was glad it was today, because even the busiest of days end up with all of us, together. I can't beat that.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)