Phew! My mind is all over the place right now. I can't nail down a blogging topic because I have so much to say. That is probably because I have so much to be thankful for, excited about, and generally positive about. I can break it down into categories but that seems too structured so I will demonstrate how swirly (is that a word?) my thoughts are in my brain right now.
My dog is so funny. There is a ball on her bed so she is sleeping on the floor. She can move the ball - this is a skill that she has - but since it is one of the kids' toys, she won't go near it. She is very respectful of people stuff, for the most part, and won't even think about moving it.
Our Christmas tree is really pretty. I like how I can make it come alive at the flick of a switch and the walls reflect the soft glow of the colored lights. The star on top slowly changes colors too so it is always a little different every time I look at it.
I just watched the sun rise. I am not sure why I couldn't sleep and am surely going to be regretting it more later.
Cole has swim lessons this morning. He is in a 4 week session at the gym and is doing okay. He doesn't want to put his face under so he closes his eyes and holds his breath while his face hovers millimeters from the water surface as he paddles along. I hope he takes the plunge today.
We started our Month of Christmas yesterday. I made up a calendar that has a Christmas-related activity every day from December 1 through December 25th. Today we will do a snowflake craft with MOMS Club.
I am so thankful for our babysitter. She is so flexible with her schedule, accommodating my crazy requests at the last minute to pick up Cole from school, and even take him to his last swim lesson in a few weeks so I can participate in a work gift exchange.
I am so thankful for all of my friends who are part of the village that raises my children. Jessica and Amber are, without fail, always willing to help out and are actually overwhelming apologetic when they can't. Heather is always there when I need to vent or complain. Kelly is my rock, my conscience, and an extension of myself. Lawrie surrenders convenience for me once a week to get Cole to the sitter. Kara graciously offers to keep the boys for Chris and I to have time off. Aside from helping with the kids, these ladies help me keep focus on my priorities and place in this world. I am so very blessed.
I took too long to drink my coffee and now it is cold, but not cold enough to pass as iced coffee - ugh.
Cole helped me put out our nativity scene. I don't have enough Christ things on our calendar to say that I am keeping Christ in Christmas. I think I will start reading the Christmas bible passages to Cole at night.
More decorations. I think we need more. I am not going all Clark Griswald on the place but we do need to be a little more festive. I think I will remedy that this weekend.
Work is great! I love it. I love the people. I love the work. I love it.
Potty training absolutely sucks. ABSOLUTELY SUCKS. Let me say it again, it F*&%ing Sucks. Rhys refuses to poop on the potty and now won't even tell me he needs a diaper. He poops on the floor, in his pants, anywhere. He got used to wearing a pull-up and now also pees in his pants. I had to wash 4 pairs of pants, a set of sheets, 2 dining room chair cushions, and a shirt on Tuesday because he peed on them.
I love my kids. Rhys can be so sweet sometimes and when he is and he is content with what he is doing, he is an absolute joy. Some days that time comes and goes like a flash in the pan. He has a hair trigger and often I would say that he acts like an A$$. If an adult man acted like he does, he would be wildly successful in business but terribly lonely.
Rhys wants what he wants and when he wants it and nothing short of that is good enough. He digs his heels in and must be in charge of the situation and me. What ever he does has to be his idea and on his terms. He tries to order me around, has temper tantrums often, and is rude. He is coy and knows how to get what he wants. He can order tears to come as quickly as he could smile.
That being said: he is 2. He is 2 and the above paragraph is the definition of a 2 year old. Cole was an A$$ when he was 2 and we survived that. I reminded him and myself who was in charge and we will get there but he will spend a lot of time in time-out, will be dismissed from the table without dinner when he refuses to eat and hits his brother with his fork. He will be told how to politely say "Sorry, I was just talking to myself" instead of the abrupt, "I am not talking to you" that currently spews from his cute little lips. He will get it. It just takes us hounding him about it for him to finally understand.
When it is good, though, it is spectacular.
Cole is also finding his way and can be an angel and a devil within the same 10 minute span of time. I am grateful of their patience with me and their unconditional love of me. I am so very grateful
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Shanti
Shanti, Santhi or Shanthi (from Sanskrit शान्तिः śāntiḥ) means peace, rest, calmness, tranquility, or bliss.
The poet T.S. Eliot, in his poem The Waste Land (where he spelled it Shantih) translated it as "The Peace which passeth understanding."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are very rare moments in my life where I can say that I have a flood of peace and calmness roll over me. So often I get wrapped up in money worries, life balance issues, health concerns, physical discomfort, and weight woes. Today, this instant, I can say that I am calm and at peace in my life. I am so in love with my family, friends, job, and life that I am smiling from my soul.
Yesterday I was surrounded by friends and family in a joyous fellowship that included glorious weather, fun games, candy, cupcakes, hot dogs, and even a bounce house. Smiles, hugs, kisses, and laughter was the name of the game - there was trick-or-treating too. And I am still floating on the happiness cloud that I let billow under my feet yesterday.
I am so very blessed to have friends to enrich my life and lift me up. I am so blessed to have lovely children and an ever-helpful husband to make everything great even better somehow. I am blessed and thankful for having a mother that my husband loves as much as I do and who is so very integrated in my life that she knows my friends even though they live so far away.
I am spending today at work, blessed and thankful that I can be in an office where people ask me about my weekend and family and really want to know about them both. I will be working through my to-do list today with a smile on my face and look forward to seeing my munchkins tonight.
The poet T.S. Eliot, in his poem The Waste Land (where he spelled it Shantih) translated it as "The Peace which passeth understanding."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are very rare moments in my life where I can say that I have a flood of peace and calmness roll over me. So often I get wrapped up in money worries, life balance issues, health concerns, physical discomfort, and weight woes. Today, this instant, I can say that I am calm and at peace in my life. I am so in love with my family, friends, job, and life that I am smiling from my soul.
Yesterday I was surrounded by friends and family in a joyous fellowship that included glorious weather, fun games, candy, cupcakes, hot dogs, and even a bounce house. Smiles, hugs, kisses, and laughter was the name of the game - there was trick-or-treating too. And I am still floating on the happiness cloud that I let billow under my feet yesterday.
I am so very blessed to have friends to enrich my life and lift me up. I am so blessed to have lovely children and an ever-helpful husband to make everything great even better somehow. I am blessed and thankful for having a mother that my husband loves as much as I do and who is so very integrated in my life that she knows my friends even though they live so far away.
I am spending today at work, blessed and thankful that I can be in an office where people ask me about my weekend and family and really want to know about them both. I will be working through my to-do list today with a smile on my face and look forward to seeing my munchkins tonight.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Camping
Cole has been asking to go camping for a while and it is among the promises I made when I started working. Camping gear isn't cheap and I need creature comforts when I am with my children in the wild. Honestly, I am happy to go without...I just don't want to deal with them going without. I found a camp cabin at a campground about 1.5 hours away. I booked it on Wednesday for Friday night and was thrilled at the prospect.
I immediately took inventory of the must-haves which included bed linens kitchen gear to cook over fire and warm clothes. We were taking Sasha so that significantly limited our space in the car. she takes up half of the back while the boys take 2/3 of the back seat. In the end, We took the cooler stuffed with food and beer, a small box filled with kitchen essentials (1 small stainless steel saucepan with lid, 1 large Calphalon skillet with lid, 1 2-sided cast iron grill pan with griddle), 2 pocket fleece blankets for the boys, bed linens and a quilt, pillows, bedtime buddies, and folding chairs for 4. Phew, it all fit along with the dog, her bed, and her food bowls.
A friend came through by surprise and offered a camp stove which truly was a life-saver. We were able to just fire it up in the morning for hot water and eggs. I used it again on Sunday for bacon and pancakes.
The boys had a great time playing around the cabin and the dog had the time of her life just being there with us and staying outside all day long.
Everyone went to bed well but we had many wakeful moments with the boys together in one bed. The cabin had a fridge and coffee maker along with a television. The beds were a double and a set of bunks. The top bunk rails were spaced so far apart that Cole would fall through so we had them both sleep on the bottom. It worked out okay and we had all of our stuff neatly tucked away under the bed and on the top bunk.
We had an awesome time and cannot wait to go again.
I immediately took inventory of the must-haves which included bed linens kitchen gear to cook over fire and warm clothes. We were taking Sasha so that significantly limited our space in the car. she takes up half of the back while the boys take 2/3 of the back seat. In the end, We took the cooler stuffed with food and beer, a small box filled with kitchen essentials (1 small stainless steel saucepan with lid, 1 large Calphalon skillet with lid, 1 2-sided cast iron grill pan with griddle), 2 pocket fleece blankets for the boys, bed linens and a quilt, pillows, bedtime buddies, and folding chairs for 4. Phew, it all fit along with the dog, her bed, and her food bowls.
A friend came through by surprise and offered a camp stove which truly was a life-saver. We were able to just fire it up in the morning for hot water and eggs. I used it again on Sunday for bacon and pancakes.
The boys had a great time playing around the cabin and the dog had the time of her life just being there with us and staying outside all day long.
Everyone went to bed well but we had many wakeful moments with the boys together in one bed. The cabin had a fridge and coffee maker along with a television. The beds were a double and a set of bunks. The top bunk rails were spaced so far apart that Cole would fall through so we had them both sleep on the bottom. It worked out okay and we had all of our stuff neatly tucked away under the bed and on the top bunk.
We had an awesome time and cannot wait to go again.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
It takes a Village
When I moved away from South Carolina, I knew that I was abandoning my hands-on support network but I was embarking on a journey that would define who I was and establish a new support network - hopefully. I was lucky enough to know when to open my life to friends and I treasure those friendships still.
After Chris and I got married, it was hard to find married friends. It is always so easy to hang with people who are in the same place as you. We met a few couples and found that it is rare to find people who are in the same place as you - there are some true crazies out there.
When I decided to stay at home with my children, I worried again about extending our social circle to friends with children and open schedules. Who would I hang with if I don't know anyone in my community with children? Ugh. Again, I was so lucky to know when it was time to open my life to friends and after I joined MOMS Club, I made some forever friends for myself and my children. I am eternally grateful to my sisterhood of fellow mothers who help to love, care for, and nurture my life and the lives of my children. A few of my friends, in particular, would risk their lives for my children as I would theirs. Truly, that is a gift that cannot be measured. We are a village and I know my life wouldn't be as rich as it is without them in it.
These feelings are always more prevalent when I am made to realize how far away my family is. Chris' parents were here for 10 days (they left yesterday). Having grandparents as near as downstairs was so wonderful for me and the boys. Chris enjoyed having his folks here and the boys loved having Nana and Grandad to play with and entertain. I loved having two very capable and enthusiastic individuals step in and lovingly care for the house, yard, and children with wreckless abandon. It was pure bliss. laundry would be folded, dishes would be done, children would be bathed, happy faces, happy home, happy hearts. They are already sorely missed and they haven't been gone for 24 hours yet.
Living 2000 miles from one set of Grandparents and an Uncle and 500 miles from the other set of Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles could make you feel like you are living on an island - relying on your own devices to coordinate care, balance time commitments, and basically fend for yourself. I live on a peninsula - literally and figuratively - and am so lucky to have a network of friends who are so dear, they feel like family.
After Chris and I got married, it was hard to find married friends. It is always so easy to hang with people who are in the same place as you. We met a few couples and found that it is rare to find people who are in the same place as you - there are some true crazies out there.
When I decided to stay at home with my children, I worried again about extending our social circle to friends with children and open schedules. Who would I hang with if I don't know anyone in my community with children? Ugh. Again, I was so lucky to know when it was time to open my life to friends and after I joined MOMS Club, I made some forever friends for myself and my children. I am eternally grateful to my sisterhood of fellow mothers who help to love, care for, and nurture my life and the lives of my children. A few of my friends, in particular, would risk their lives for my children as I would theirs. Truly, that is a gift that cannot be measured. We are a village and I know my life wouldn't be as rich as it is without them in it.
These feelings are always more prevalent when I am made to realize how far away my family is. Chris' parents were here for 10 days (they left yesterday). Having grandparents as near as downstairs was so wonderful for me and the boys. Chris enjoyed having his folks here and the boys loved having Nana and Grandad to play with and entertain. I loved having two very capable and enthusiastic individuals step in and lovingly care for the house, yard, and children with wreckless abandon. It was pure bliss. laundry would be folded, dishes would be done, children would be bathed, happy faces, happy home, happy hearts. They are already sorely missed and they haven't been gone for 24 hours yet.
Living 2000 miles from one set of Grandparents and an Uncle and 500 miles from the other set of Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles could make you feel like you are living on an island - relying on your own devices to coordinate care, balance time commitments, and basically fend for yourself. I live on a peninsula - literally and figuratively - and am so lucky to have a network of friends who are so dear, they feel like family.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Soccer!
Cole started playing Soccer this year. These pictures are of his first practice. I must say that our Coach is so engaging and fun that Cole remains interested in the process and seems to really enjoy practices. Rhys also is very engaged in the process as you can see and, dare I say, was quicker to pick up the idea and followed all of the coach's directions. I am also enjoying Soccer more because two of my very best pals have children on Cole's team. This is going to be FUN!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
I blame John Lasseter
John Lasseter - the father of the Toy Story Series and Lightning McQueen is the reason that I shed a tear as my very first - just mine, bought for by me - car was carried away on a roll-back truck. Maybe it is afraid because it is being taken away. Maybe it is going to miss me. I am just projecting because it was one thing that made me know that I could be independent. I was really an adult - defined by debt. I bought a car! It was a very happy day for me and I was so proud of that car. Emotions that strong for a lifeless item don't fade completely and as I watched her being carried away on a "stretcher" bound for a future unknown, I was saddened at the prospect. Hopefully someone will give her new life and she won't be quick to the junk yard. I can't bear the thought.
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