Today is my birthday. I should probably be excited or something but I'm not. It is my 35th birthday and suddenly I'm not feeling like such a kid any more. And my birthday is jinxed. So it would be okay to skip today.
I'll spare you all the stories through the years but snow storms, illnesses and surgeries seem to find my birthday. A lot. This year? No different.
One of these years I'll learn. Every year I swear I'm not going to make a big deal about my birthday, insist we can skip the celebrations. Then someone convinces me to change my mind, we plan something, I even begin to look forward to it. Then something happens.
So, I had a sitter planned for tomorrow night so the Hubs and I could go out for a nice dinner but my darling husband took a spill on the ice the other day. Guess who is having surgery tomorrow? They need to put the tendons and muscles back together where they actually belong in his hand.
I will slap a smile on my face, try not to think about how I'm only 5 years away from 40 and let my kids fuss over me. (I hear they might even be planning on a chocolate-chocolate cake, my favorite!) I'll even try to ignore the fact that there is a sick kid on the couch and the snow on the ground that has kept the 2 healthy kids home. Yes folks, I hit the trifecta this year: snow, illness and surgery all at once.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Winter Blahs
I haven't posted anything in 2 weeks. Where have I been? I'd love to tell you I was on some exciting adventures and was just too busy to get some wonderful posts up on my site but the truth is, I've been right here. In the past 2 weeks there have been snow days, delayed openings and scheduled days off from school which means the kids have been home. A lot.
As a mom, I can tell you with absolute certainty that I love my children to the depths of my soul. But lets face it. They suck up your time, drain your energy and at times even leach any creative thoughts you may have had. Or at least distract you from them.
Add into the mix that it is just bitter friggin' cold out there and you have a recipe for the winter blahs. The winter blahs tend to induce laziness and definately do not inspire blog posts. Winter Blahs = Blog Rut.
So, be a pal. Tell me how YOU break out of your rut! Or throw out some post ideas for me. Questions? Anything! Just help me get back on track!
As a mom, I can tell you with absolute certainty that I love my children to the depths of my soul. But lets face it. They suck up your time, drain your energy and at times even leach any creative thoughts you may have had. Or at least distract you from them.
Add into the mix that it is just bitter friggin' cold out there and you have a recipe for the winter blahs. The winter blahs tend to induce laziness and definately do not inspire blog posts. Winter Blahs = Blog Rut.
So, be a pal. Tell me how YOU break out of your rut! Or throw out some post ideas for me. Questions? Anything! Just help me get back on track!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Scrambled Eggs
We all know the saying "when life gives you lemons make lemonade". Well today it was more of a scrambled egg kind of day.
I'm sure by now you all know how I detest grocery shopping. I do it out of necessity and for fear of my children starving. A 10 year old isn't quite able to grab the car keys and head to the grocery store for me (yet!). When I finally decide I have absolutely no food in the house and it is time to give in and go food shopping I try to plan my trip to make it as efficient as possible. Then on shopping day I go through the store biting my tongue and trying not to yell at everyone and teach them proper supermarket etiquette.
Today I decided to fly by the seat of my pants and run to the grocery store. I had no list and there is a snow storm predicted for tomorrow so I knew it would be mayhem in the store. But I was determined to not let that deter me.
I got to the store and there were no carts available. I didn't let that deter me, I just went out into the parking lot and hunted one up.
I didn't let the mobs of people standing in the middle of the aisles blocking them deter me either. I just took a deep breath and patiently waited for them to move.
At the end of my shopping trip I even got a little giggle. I was picking out eggs and the first two cartons I picked up had cracked eggs in them. I said to the woman next to me "should I take it as a sign that I shouldn't get eggs since every carton I pick up is cracked?" As I was checking my 3rd carton she was kind enough to point out a cracked on that I had missed. The 4th carton was FINALLY the charm!
I finished my shopping, checked out and came home to unload the groceries. As I was putting my bags down I heard an ominous crack. My eggs had survived the trip but not me.
I opened the carton and didn't know if I should laugh or cry. I did neither. I made myself eggs for lunch.
When life hands you cracked eggs....scramble them!
I'm sure by now you all know how I detest grocery shopping. I do it out of necessity and for fear of my children starving. A 10 year old isn't quite able to grab the car keys and head to the grocery store for me (yet!). When I finally decide I have absolutely no food in the house and it is time to give in and go food shopping I try to plan my trip to make it as efficient as possible. Then on shopping day I go through the store biting my tongue and trying not to yell at everyone and teach them proper supermarket etiquette.
Today I decided to fly by the seat of my pants and run to the grocery store. I had no list and there is a snow storm predicted for tomorrow so I knew it would be mayhem in the store. But I was determined to not let that deter me.
I got to the store and there were no carts available. I didn't let that deter me, I just went out into the parking lot and hunted one up.
I didn't let the mobs of people standing in the middle of the aisles blocking them deter me either. I just took a deep breath and patiently waited for them to move.
At the end of my shopping trip I even got a little giggle. I was picking out eggs and the first two cartons I picked up had cracked eggs in them. I said to the woman next to me "should I take it as a sign that I shouldn't get eggs since every carton I pick up is cracked?" As I was checking my 3rd carton she was kind enough to point out a cracked on that I had missed. The 4th carton was FINALLY the charm!
I finished my shopping, checked out and came home to unload the groceries. As I was putting my bags down I heard an ominous crack. My eggs had survived the trip but not me.
I opened the carton and didn't know if I should laugh or cry. I did neither. I made myself eggs for lunch.
When life hands you cracked eggs....scramble them!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Drunk
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
My roommate and I were boarding a plane for an 8 hour flight to Germany on New Year's Day. We discussed logistics and factored in New Year's Eve and we decided that the best idea was to have a party at our apartment on New Year's Eve. We didn't want to get stuck anywhere and miss our flight the next day after all. Sounded logical.
That was before the bottle of Malibu Rum.
And the beer.
And the champagne toast at midnight. (we did toast at midnight, right?)
Guess who didn't get on that flight to Germany?
For more Writer's Workshop be sure to visit Mama Kat
My roommate and I were boarding a plane for an 8 hour flight to Germany on New Year's Day. We discussed logistics and factored in New Year's Eve and we decided that the best idea was to have a party at our apartment on New Year's Eve. We didn't want to get stuck anywhere and miss our flight the next day after all. Sounded logical.
That was before the bottle of Malibu Rum.
And the beer.
And the champagne toast at midnight. (we did toast at midnight, right?)
Guess who didn't get on that flight to Germany?
For more Writer's Workshop be sure to visit Mama Kat
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Wordless Wednesday: New Year's
The hubs and I had a FANTASTIC New Year's Eve at a First Night Celebration:
Happy New Year!
Monday, January 3, 2011
R&R was just what I ordered
Like most of you, today was the first day back to "reality" and routine after a winter holiday break. While I had moments that my kids were driving me crazy and I felt ready for them to go back to school, for the most part, I wasn't quite ready for today to come. It goes beyond my kids being home and having time to enjoy each other. A school break means a break from everything.
There was no dance. There was no scouts. No basketball, no meetings, no commitments.
It was bliss.
To top it off, we had a snow storm last week. That forced us further into our cozy hole. With no place to be, and no way to get there anyway, we had no option but to kick back.
I was lazy. I read. I stayed in my pajamas. I pawned cooking off on the hubs. I slept late. I watched TV. I played with the kids.
It was heaven.
A few days into it I realized I was sleeping better. I realized I did not feel stressed for the first time in weeks, if not months. I was actually relaxed. And I do not reach a state of complete relaxation easily.
It was a miracle!
To top off the week, my husband and I had a fabulous 2 days together. My parents always take the kids on a little "vacation" to their house over New Years. We get New Year's Eve and usually a night or two tacked on, before or after. This year we were to drop the kids off on Thursday and pick them up on Saturday evening.
We went to the movies for the first time together in years, had an overnight getaway, and had a fabulous New Year's Eve. We enjoyed each others company more in those 2 days than we have in a long time.
Love is in the air!
As the weekend came to a close and I pulled out the book bags to prepare to go back to school today, I realized what a wonderful and relaxing week I had just had. Then I realized how much it was truly needed.
As I move through this new year, I hope I remember to take the time to take a time out.
There was no dance. There was no scouts. No basketball, no meetings, no commitments.
It was bliss.
To top it off, we had a snow storm last week. That forced us further into our cozy hole. With no place to be, and no way to get there anyway, we had no option but to kick back.
I was lazy. I read. I stayed in my pajamas. I pawned cooking off on the hubs. I slept late. I watched TV. I played with the kids.
It was heaven.
A few days into it I realized I was sleeping better. I realized I did not feel stressed for the first time in weeks, if not months. I was actually relaxed. And I do not reach a state of complete relaxation easily.
It was a miracle!
To top off the week, my husband and I had a fabulous 2 days together. My parents always take the kids on a little "vacation" to their house over New Years. We get New Year's Eve and usually a night or two tacked on, before or after. This year we were to drop the kids off on Thursday and pick them up on Saturday evening.
We went to the movies for the first time together in years, had an overnight getaway, and had a fabulous New Year's Eve. We enjoyed each others company more in those 2 days than we have in a long time.
Love is in the air!
As the weekend came to a close and I pulled out the book bags to prepare to go back to school today, I realized what a wonderful and relaxing week I had just had. Then I realized how much it was truly needed.
As I move through this new year, I hope I remember to take the time to take a time out.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Simplify
It is the New Year and traditionally this is when people start making their list of resolutions. Years ago I declared that my only resolution would be to not make any resolutions. I know myself well enough to know I have enough good intentions to sit and make an ambitious list but not the time, energy or interest to follow all of them through. Then when I sit and realize all of my unfulfilled resolutions it is just one more thing to feel bad and/or guilty about. So, no resolutions for me.
Resolutions aside, the new year does bring a new slate and a sense of hope and renewal. I love hanging a new calendar and it is all fresh and new and unmucked. It fills up quickly but for those first few minutes I love the emptiness of it. I feel as if the year is mine to do with what I wish. Until life gets in the way.
It is also a time of reflection when we think about what the last year brought and meant. We can choose what we can take into the year to come or what we would prefer to leave behind.
In the past few weeks I have had a few experiences that made me evaluate and reflect and brought a new light into my life. What I want to leave behind is the stress and drama. What I want to have in the new year is simplicity. I have one goal for moving forward: To simplify my life. I want to simplify my commitments and I especially want to simplify my relationships. Being that I have a tendency to over commit and involve myself, this may be harder to do than to say, however, I really am going to try. As far as the relationships? I've already started to trim the fat.
What does the new year mean for you?
Resolutions aside, the new year does bring a new slate and a sense of hope and renewal. I love hanging a new calendar and it is all fresh and new and unmucked. It fills up quickly but for those first few minutes I love the emptiness of it. I feel as if the year is mine to do with what I wish. Until life gets in the way.
It is also a time of reflection when we think about what the last year brought and meant. We can choose what we can take into the year to come or what we would prefer to leave behind.
In the past few weeks I have had a few experiences that made me evaluate and reflect and brought a new light into my life. What I want to leave behind is the stress and drama. What I want to have in the new year is simplicity. I have one goal for moving forward: To simplify my life. I want to simplify my commitments and I especially want to simplify my relationships. Being that I have a tendency to over commit and involve myself, this may be harder to do than to say, however, I really am going to try. As far as the relationships? I've already started to trim the fat.
What does the new year mean for you?
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