Friday, November 30, 2007
Two Year Olds Can Be Funny
I knew the old saying about kids saying everything they hear...what they don't tell you is that they will say it in exactly the same tone of voice you say it in.
I had heard the kids call each other using the same cadence as I do, and it was cute when we went through the "uh oh" stage, complete with the raised hands like mom says it.
Now we have Doug who says "Awww, man" when something doesn't quite go his way, and unfortunately Andy...when trying to convince me to do something will now say "Oh come on" just like I do. The scary part is that you don't even necessarily realize you say these things....let alone say them often enough to have kids repeating them.
Also, I knew that sarcasm is totally wasted on 2-year olds, but I still can't help having it come out of my mouth sometimes. I asked Andy yesterday if he could be any more whiny.....
He very seriously told me "Yes."
I had heard the kids call each other using the same cadence as I do, and it was cute when we went through the "uh oh" stage, complete with the raised hands like mom says it.
Now we have Doug who says "Awww, man" when something doesn't quite go his way, and unfortunately Andy...when trying to convince me to do something will now say "Oh come on" just like I do. The scary part is that you don't even necessarily realize you say these things....let alone say them often enough to have kids repeating them.
Also, I knew that sarcasm is totally wasted on 2-year olds, but I still can't help having it come out of my mouth sometimes. I asked Andy yesterday if he could be any more whiny.....
He very seriously told me "Yes."
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Boop
If you are of a certain age you remember the filmstrips they showed in school that had the cassette tape to go with it with a "boop" every time you were supposed to turn it to the next frame. Well, Doug, as I have said before, can be very silly. I have no earthly idea how he came up with the idea or exactly why he does it (though by now I suspect that he knows it is silly) but when we are putting the boys to bed we say a good-night prayer. We have the boys either "make prayer hands" or more often they want to hold hands. We say a little prayer that Andy is getting very close to being able to say all of the lines on, especially if you start the line for him. Doug, on the other hand, is an entirely different story.
Our usual prayer goes something like this :
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John boop
Bless the bed that I lie on boop
Four corners boop to my bed boop
Four angels boop round my head boop
One to watch boop
One to pray boop
And two to boop guide me through my day boop
Amen
He sort of leans forward and looks around at everyone when he says it but it's not like he has a goofy look on his face or anything. His face is just as serious as ours although his eyes get really big when he says "boop" and he is very good about saying Amen at the end, but he sounds just like the filmstrip.
I really want him to be serious about it, and I would like him to say the prayer, but it is soooooooooooo hard not to laugh when he does it.
Our usual prayer goes something like this :
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John boop
Bless the bed that I lie on boop
Four corners boop to my bed boop
Four angels boop round my head boop
One to watch boop
One to pray boop
And two to boop guide me through my day boop
Amen
He sort of leans forward and looks around at everyone when he says it but it's not like he has a goofy look on his face or anything. His face is just as serious as ours although his eyes get really big when he says "boop" and he is very good about saying Amen at the end, but he sounds just like the filmstrip.
I really want him to be serious about it, and I would like him to say the prayer, but it is soooooooooooo hard not to laugh when he does it.
Do the police ticket themselves?
Hopefully you can read the sign...it says "No Parking Police Cars"
I just want a line or a period or something in there to separate those two thoughts.
Party Animals
Doug's nickname is "frat boy." The child likes to be silly (and in fact will say "silly, silly" when he does something silly because that is what I say to him). Ever since he was little...like even at 8 or 10 months he would act goofy for other people and play it up. The child would also wave at a post if he thought it would wave back because he is a huge flirt (Andy is a little more selective). Doug has been known to "work the tables" at church, flirt with business women eating alone (even if they are too busy reading and don't respond back), and has even hugged a Target employ who made the mistake of saying hi to him (though she loved the hug).
Well, I think Jo may be headed that same direction. She started flirting at around 2 months and it has only gotten worse. She even has a small fan club at church. She will also definitely egg Jim on to play with her. I think her happy screech is even louder than the boys was at this age. Last night she and Doug were getting each other wound up. He would act silly and she would smile, screech, and bounce in response. This of course was right as we were trying to settle them down to go to bed.
I was a quiet it shy child. This has to be from their dad's side. It is going to be loud and wild at my house.
Well, I think Jo may be headed that same direction. She started flirting at around 2 months and it has only gotten worse. She even has a small fan club at church. She will also definitely egg Jim on to play with her. I think her happy screech is even louder than the boys was at this age. Last night she and Doug were getting each other wound up. He would act silly and she would smile, screech, and bounce in response. This of course was right as we were trying to settle them down to go to bed.
I was a quiet it shy child. This has to be from their dad's side. It is going to be loud and wild at my house.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Mommy senses
The boys work pretty well together. Unfortunately this is usually when they are on some sort of a mission such as moving their ALL of their toys from one room to another, or getting ALL of the books off the shelf.
Usually my mommy senses are pretty in tune and I can catch them in the act. Once my mommy senses were tingling and I caught Andy with about a quarter inch of diaper cream on both hands, but it was just before he touched anything else.
So last night after dinner the boys kept collecting toys and going into their room. I was seeing them just often enough that I wasn't suspicious of anything. I just thought "whatever they are doing at least all of their toys will be in their room." They both told us "good-bye" and Andy said something about "go Wa-mart."
Well it turns out that they had taken every single toy and dropped it down in the storage space that extends between their beds and down under Doug's bed. They had put all their toys, the Thomas play mat, the oven mitts, and anything else they could get their hands on down into this space. Jim trapped them in a bath and I had to practically crawl into the space to get everything out.
Usually my mommy senses are pretty in tune and I can catch them in the act. Once my mommy senses were tingling and I caught Andy with about a quarter inch of diaper cream on both hands, but it was just before he touched anything else.
So last night after dinner the boys kept collecting toys and going into their room. I was seeing them just often enough that I wasn't suspicious of anything. I just thought "whatever they are doing at least all of their toys will be in their room." They both told us "good-bye" and Andy said something about "go Wa-mart."
Well it turns out that they had taken every single toy and dropped it down in the storage space that extends between their beds and down under Doug's bed. They had put all their toys, the Thomas play mat, the oven mitts, and anything else they could get their hands on down into this space. Jim trapped them in a bath and I had to practically crawl into the space to get everything out.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Crazy Week
So I always have this feeling that my brain is full when I get back from vacation because there is so much to remember to follow-up on. It probably doesn't help that I was at the mercy of auto repair places at the beginning of last week.
For the trip for Thanksgiving (and the one coming up for Christmas) we invested in a personal DVD player for the boys to watch. They really enjoyed it and other than fighting over which movie to play and having to get on them about messing with the cords, it was a wise investment.
I was able to work on my paper (which is basically done now) and even wrote a Christmas Letter which I now need to figure out how to print it and get it sent (as a friend of mine would say...in my copious free time between 2 and 4am...).
It looks like we might actually close on the house this Friday. Yes...THIS Friday. Of course now we need to figure out things like getting all the repair work done versus when we move in, and getting everything out of the 3 (yes I said 3) storage units.
I also had forgotten that the babysitter will be out of town at the end of this week so now I need to figure out what to do with kids on Thursday and Friday. I am thinking that if the church will allow us to mooch off of them for a little bit I can hit the church nursery so the boys will have someplace to play and I can perhaps use the wireless Internet. It could work....
For the trip for Thanksgiving (and the one coming up for Christmas) we invested in a personal DVD player for the boys to watch. They really enjoyed it and other than fighting over which movie to play and having to get on them about messing with the cords, it was a wise investment.
I was able to work on my paper (which is basically done now) and even wrote a Christmas Letter which I now need to figure out how to print it and get it sent (as a friend of mine would say...in my copious free time between 2 and 4am...).
It looks like we might actually close on the house this Friday. Yes...THIS Friday. Of course now we need to figure out things like getting all the repair work done versus when we move in, and getting everything out of the 3 (yes I said 3) storage units.
I also had forgotten that the babysitter will be out of town at the end of this week so now I need to figure out what to do with kids on Thursday and Friday. I am thinking that if the church will allow us to mooch off of them for a little bit I can hit the church nursery so the boys will have someplace to play and I can perhaps use the wireless Internet. It could work....
Friday, November 23, 2007
Thanksgiving
We had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with my sister-in-laws family and her in-laws. I was full but not uncomfortable. Kids are funny though. Doug, who is usually my protein loader didn't even touch his turkey. He had rolls which he put slices of cranberry on. It must have been a carb day for him. Andy ate more of a variety but he scarfed things down so quickly that he was ready to be done before everyone else had even made it to the table.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Ironic
So I have essentially been without Internet for a few days now. First I took the new car in because a light came on and Milton who we bought it from seemed unsurprised that a light came on. So he sent me to get a part fixed. Well, we are new in town so I just took it to a place that seemed reasonable.
They were idiots. They didn't hurt the car but they did things that weren't necessary. I ended up spending most of the day there and of course they didn't have wi-fi. I was feeling guilty because Milton said to send him the bill even though they were idiots and did things like replace the coolant because they didn't know that Honda coolant is blue.
Then I took it to the dealer the next day and spent most of the day there. They didn't have wi-fi there either. So both days I was essentially without wireless but I did have my computer so I got an amazing amount written on this huge paper. While I was sitting at the dealer I happened to see a newspaper someone had left behind and they horoscopes were sitting out. SO of course I read mine.
Now I don't know that it constitutes necessarily a 2x4 from God (as my friend Catherine would say) but I do think if you are listening He talks to you...sometimes more directly than others. My horoscope said something about not all mistakes are sins and to forgive yourself and move on. Perhaps I am reading things into the horoscope but I took the message as to not feel guilty about the visit to the idiot car people and sending the bill to Milton and that I should just move on and I realized that being trapped in the car places actually helped me get a lot one on my course work.
Then we left to go to Jim's sister's house for Thanksgiving. We had wi-fi at the hotel but we were far enough away from their router that we couldn't get Internet in the room and I just went to bed and got some sleep.
Of course there is something ironic about the fact that there is not Internet at places were you are forced to spend hours and there is Internet at places where you really should be there for a short amount of time. Did you know some DQ's have Internet...and that if you are quick you can find two journal articles for your paper as you go through the drive-thru?
They were idiots. They didn't hurt the car but they did things that weren't necessary. I ended up spending most of the day there and of course they didn't have wi-fi. I was feeling guilty because Milton said to send him the bill even though they were idiots and did things like replace the coolant because they didn't know that Honda coolant is blue.
Then I took it to the dealer the next day and spent most of the day there. They didn't have wi-fi there either. So both days I was essentially without wireless but I did have my computer so I got an amazing amount written on this huge paper. While I was sitting at the dealer I happened to see a newspaper someone had left behind and they horoscopes were sitting out. SO of course I read mine.
Now I don't know that it constitutes necessarily a 2x4 from God (as my friend Catherine would say) but I do think if you are listening He talks to you...sometimes more directly than others. My horoscope said something about not all mistakes are sins and to forgive yourself and move on. Perhaps I am reading things into the horoscope but I took the message as to not feel guilty about the visit to the idiot car people and sending the bill to Milton and that I should just move on and I realized that being trapped in the car places actually helped me get a lot one on my course work.
Then we left to go to Jim's sister's house for Thanksgiving. We had wi-fi at the hotel but we were far enough away from their router that we couldn't get Internet in the room and I just went to bed and got some sleep.
Of course there is something ironic about the fact that there is not Internet at places were you are forced to spend hours and there is Internet at places where you really should be there for a short amount of time. Did you know some DQ's have Internet...and that if you are quick you can find two journal articles for your paper as you go through the drive-thru?
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
STRessed
So I am stressed with a capital "S" and possibly even a capital "TR." I have a paper to work on for my coursework, a final coming up in stats, and also perhaps it is time to address the other class that I have been putting off. So this is on top of all of the house stuff and car stuff and everything else going on.
There are many other things that are much more attractive than working on what I should be doing (things like reading all of the blogs that I am becoming addicted to...as if enabler woman needed one more thing to be addicted to).
I don't quite know where I am getting my reserve of energy from (although I suspect I might be sucking it from Jim). I should be way more tired than I am. Last night Andy feel asleep in the car on the way home from running errands (he hadn't taken a nap...while Doug had a short nap in the car earlier). So Doug had a nice evening without his brother, and Andy slept 6 hours and then woke up hungry (about the time I was giving up on my paper to head to bed) and ended up having a pleasant hour alone with mommy while he ate a meal. It was nice, but I just wish that the hour had not been from midnight til 1am.
There are many other things that are much more attractive than working on what I should be doing (things like reading all of the blogs that I am becoming addicted to...as if enabler woman needed one more thing to be addicted to).
I don't quite know where I am getting my reserve of energy from (although I suspect I might be sucking it from Jim). I should be way more tired than I am. Last night Andy feel asleep in the car on the way home from running errands (he hadn't taken a nap...while Doug had a short nap in the car earlier). So Doug had a nice evening without his brother, and Andy slept 6 hours and then woke up hungry (about the time I was giving up on my paper to head to bed) and ended up having a pleasant hour alone with mommy while he ate a meal. It was nice, but I just wish that the hour had not been from midnight til 1am.
House Update (I think we're up to V?)
So after the "how many times can one person say no" to a house we got an estimate on fixing all the masonry stuff (ouch) and our realtor doesn't think they will budge anymore, but it looks like we can deal with the numbers. So after settling some details we may be closing on the house in the next two weeks. So now the question is...to fix everything before we move in or wait to move in after the handyman is done.... (oh yes, and to figure out where all the furniture will go since Jim is unavailable to haul things around with his mending bones).
Monday, November 19, 2007
Soccer Mom!
So we have a new(ish) car now (or at least new to me). It is a 1997 Honda Odyssey. It is sort of a "soccer mom" car because in someways it is a cross between a minivan and a station wagon...4 doors that open out rather than a sliding door and yet not the space the back of a station wagon might have. There is little wear and tear on the inside because apparently this car was the "courtesy" vehicle for a dealership. I am still figuring out all of the bells and whistles and the boys are getting used to the new configuration (no...mommy cannot pick up the toy you dropped while she was driving because she is not elastigirl...) We have both boy's car seats in the back, Jo in the middle, and we plan to have an adult in one of the bucket seats in the middle when we go places if we have two adults.
I feel like I am still figuring out where all the fenders are. I parked at the pediatricians today and then we couldn't get in one side after we came back to the car because I was sort of close to the line and a person who wasn't there when we got there had parked next to us.
I am now working even harder on getting the boys to actually go back to their car seats (as opposed to playing in the driver's seat by turning on the flashers and adjusting all the mirror, etc.) or not to go over the back seat into the rear part of the car. So far the only catch about the arrangements of the car seats has been that 1) Jo needs to be moved to the other side because somehow having Jim and I on the same side doesn't seem like a good way to keep the car balanced, and 2) Andy keeps playing with the cover that is over the jack. I have told Andy that that cover is for "emergencies only." His response was that the first time out we were driving along and after being in the car for about 5 minutes he started shouting "mergency, mergency" and proceeded to uncover the jack.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Jo!
We have Jo in her sleeping spot, Jo in pajamas, Jo as a strawberry for Halloween, Jo practicing to take off crawling (not actually crawling yet but she does make purposeful forward progress) and Jo flirting with her daddy.
Valdemart
Ok so Peter's wife Traci alludes to Wal-mart as being Voldemort because one time their greeter was not in place and lied and said he was when she came in trying to return something and they accused her of shoplifting. It got cleared up but it left a scar.
I am not fond of W-mart but I do use it and especially now I go to it because it is close to where the RV is parked and sometimes it is just easier to do everything in one stop.
Everything in one stop is what I was trying to do yesterday. The boys and I needed haircuts and we had some items to buy. I stopped first thing and got us signed up for haircuts. The lady said it would be about 20 minutes and we could go walk around if we wanted to. Since we had some shopping to do we headed out and I thought there was a minute possibility that we could actually get it done.
First we headed to the bakery area to get cookies (otherwise the boys will badger me about getting cookies while we shop...yes they have me trained on that account). We had to wait for a bit for the lady to notice us because she was cleaning something in the sink and was completely oblivious. Then with cookies in hand we headed to get the rest of the materials we need. I keep thinking the whole time that there is some reason I thought that I needed to be at W-mart and not just a grocery store, but of course I can't remember why and keep thinking that I really need to start writing these things down.
When we have everything I can remember (and of course a few things we don't really need) we head for the check-out and as usual have to wait and wait and wait. I am working on getting the boys to stay with me because they don't like to be strapped in the cart so I have to constantly keep on them to stay out of all of the stuff around. Andy spotted a whole display of gift cards and managed to dump the entire pile of Elmo gift cards before we made it to the register.
So we get back to the hair cutting place about 25 minutes after I signed us in. Now we did not miss our turn and are in fact next, but we end up waiting for another 15+ minutes. Apparently she was not good at estimating time. Of course right next door to the hair place is a little "game" area with video games and such. The boys keep trying to get out of the cart to go to this room or they are pestering me about going to the room.
My boys are usually very good about hair cuts. For some reason this time they both wanted me to go first but the lady had already set up the chair for a small child. Andy goes first and he did pretty well. The lady asked me how I wanted it cut and I resisted the urge to just say "shorter." I was thinking "it's a 2 year old boy's hair...how many styles are there...can you not see what was done with it before." I would kind of tell that the lady was not that used to cutting kids hair but we get through the first haircut. Andy starts to get fidgety toward the end and the lady is trying to dry the little bit of his hair that is wet. Now I realize that it was chilly out that day, but by the time we get through 2 more haircuts I am positive that Andy's hair will be dry...just let the kid out of the chair. This entire time Doug has been in the cart and I have to keep getting on him about playing with the shampoo bottles on the shelf so I have moved the cart out of reach of all the shelves.
Then it is Doug's turn. Andy (my climber) is alternating between complaining, or trying to climb out of the cart. While he is in the cart he is repeatedly (albeit accidentally) stepping on the sweet rolls we just purchased. During Doug's haircut Jim calls and wants me to get him some cash...which of course I had already done my shopping and would have to go back into the store part with the dilemma of what to do with the bags I have already paid for...do I have to take them out to the car first? Jo is also starting to get fussy so I take her out of her car seat and immediately remember the item that I had forgotten about....I lost an earring recently and needed to go get another one which I only remember now because Jo is pulling on my ear (which probably how I lost an earring in the first place). Then I realize that Jo has a poopy diaper. Well I have been recently just stuffing a couple of the boy's diapers in Jo's bag and taking only the smaller bag in. What I didn't realize this time was that somehow Jo's pack of wipes did not get refilled and that the full pack of wipes is in the car in the boy's bag. So I proceed to change her diaper in the seat section of the shopping cart (so I don't leave me 2 year old alone getting his hair cut) using only one wipe.
Finally it is my turn. I strap Jo back in (which she is upset about) and put both boys in the cart. So while I am getting my hair cut Jo screams the entire time. The boys are fidgety in the cart and keep trying to climb out. A lady thinks they are going to fall out so she proceeds to help them out of the cart and then thinks to ask me if they can be out of the cart. I reply "they're 2...they'll be into everything, I'd rather have them in the cart." (Really I do get comments about how well behaved they are, but we sort of have this threshold for warming up to a place...after that they get curious and my kids are pretty confident...and we are definitely past the threshold time for being at all hesitant in Wal-mart). So at least the lady put the boys back in the cart. Then the stylist seems to think that there will be less complaining if all of the children are closer to me. She wheels the boys closer (which now puts them in reach of shelves again). I move Jo closer but didn't realize how much hair was on my shoulders until I lean over to pick up her car seat and hair clippings come falling down all over her.
So Jo continues to scream, I am hoping that we will be done soon, and the boys are asking about everything (we are in the "what's that" stage). Then Doug picks up a couple of bottles and manages to drop them. Well the bottles were plastic but apparently not very flexible because they each crack and spill their entire contents all over the floor. Then Andy starts to rip into one of the boxes we had purchased and is trying to help himself to a snack.
Finally the haircut is over. In the end she asks me if I want it cut shorter and without even looking (or being able to see since my glasses were off) I say it is fine, I make sure we pay for the bottles we broke (boy there are some expensive hair care products out there) and I try to at least leave her a reasonable tip and I keep apologizing on our way out.
We get home and I inform Jim that he can take care of getting his own *&%^$* cash.
I am not fond of W-mart but I do use it and especially now I go to it because it is close to where the RV is parked and sometimes it is just easier to do everything in one stop.
Everything in one stop is what I was trying to do yesterday. The boys and I needed haircuts and we had some items to buy. I stopped first thing and got us signed up for haircuts. The lady said it would be about 20 minutes and we could go walk around if we wanted to. Since we had some shopping to do we headed out and I thought there was a minute possibility that we could actually get it done.
First we headed to the bakery area to get cookies (otherwise the boys will badger me about getting cookies while we shop...yes they have me trained on that account). We had to wait for a bit for the lady to notice us because she was cleaning something in the sink and was completely oblivious. Then with cookies in hand we headed to get the rest of the materials we need. I keep thinking the whole time that there is some reason I thought that I needed to be at W-mart and not just a grocery store, but of course I can't remember why and keep thinking that I really need to start writing these things down.
When we have everything I can remember (and of course a few things we don't really need) we head for the check-out and as usual have to wait and wait and wait. I am working on getting the boys to stay with me because they don't like to be strapped in the cart so I have to constantly keep on them to stay out of all of the stuff around. Andy spotted a whole display of gift cards and managed to dump the entire pile of Elmo gift cards before we made it to the register.
So we get back to the hair cutting place about 25 minutes after I signed us in. Now we did not miss our turn and are in fact next, but we end up waiting for another 15+ minutes. Apparently she was not good at estimating time. Of course right next door to the hair place is a little "game" area with video games and such. The boys keep trying to get out of the cart to go to this room or they are pestering me about going to the room.
My boys are usually very good about hair cuts. For some reason this time they both wanted me to go first but the lady had already set up the chair for a small child. Andy goes first and he did pretty well. The lady asked me how I wanted it cut and I resisted the urge to just say "shorter." I was thinking "it's a 2 year old boy's hair...how many styles are there...can you not see what was done with it before." I would kind of tell that the lady was not that used to cutting kids hair but we get through the first haircut. Andy starts to get fidgety toward the end and the lady is trying to dry the little bit of his hair that is wet. Now I realize that it was chilly out that day, but by the time we get through 2 more haircuts I am positive that Andy's hair will be dry...just let the kid out of the chair. This entire time Doug has been in the cart and I have to keep getting on him about playing with the shampoo bottles on the shelf so I have moved the cart out of reach of all the shelves.
Then it is Doug's turn. Andy (my climber) is alternating between complaining, or trying to climb out of the cart. While he is in the cart he is repeatedly (albeit accidentally) stepping on the sweet rolls we just purchased. During Doug's haircut Jim calls and wants me to get him some cash...which of course I had already done my shopping and would have to go back into the store part with the dilemma of what to do with the bags I have already paid for...do I have to take them out to the car first? Jo is also starting to get fussy so I take her out of her car seat and immediately remember the item that I had forgotten about....I lost an earring recently and needed to go get another one which I only remember now because Jo is pulling on my ear (which probably how I lost an earring in the first place). Then I realize that Jo has a poopy diaper. Well I have been recently just stuffing a couple of the boy's diapers in Jo's bag and taking only the smaller bag in. What I didn't realize this time was that somehow Jo's pack of wipes did not get refilled and that the full pack of wipes is in the car in the boy's bag. So I proceed to change her diaper in the seat section of the shopping cart (so I don't leave me 2 year old alone getting his hair cut) using only one wipe.
Finally it is my turn. I strap Jo back in (which she is upset about) and put both boys in the cart. So while I am getting my hair cut Jo screams the entire time. The boys are fidgety in the cart and keep trying to climb out. A lady thinks they are going to fall out so she proceeds to help them out of the cart and then thinks to ask me if they can be out of the cart. I reply "they're 2...they'll be into everything, I'd rather have them in the cart." (Really I do get comments about how well behaved they are, but we sort of have this threshold for warming up to a place...after that they get curious and my kids are pretty confident...and we are definitely past the threshold time for being at all hesitant in Wal-mart). So at least the lady put the boys back in the cart. Then the stylist seems to think that there will be less complaining if all of the children are closer to me. She wheels the boys closer (which now puts them in reach of shelves again). I move Jo closer but didn't realize how much hair was on my shoulders until I lean over to pick up her car seat and hair clippings come falling down all over her.
So Jo continues to scream, I am hoping that we will be done soon, and the boys are asking about everything (we are in the "what's that" stage). Then Doug picks up a couple of bottles and manages to drop them. Well the bottles were plastic but apparently not very flexible because they each crack and spill their entire contents all over the floor. Then Andy starts to rip into one of the boxes we had purchased and is trying to help himself to a snack.
Finally the haircut is over. In the end she asks me if I want it cut shorter and without even looking (or being able to see since my glasses were off) I say it is fine, I make sure we pay for the bottles we broke (boy there are some expensive hair care products out there) and I try to at least leave her a reasonable tip and I keep apologizing on our way out.
We get home and I inform Jim that he can take care of getting his own *&%^$* cash.
Counter intuitive
Alright, so perhaps it is counter intuitive to try and have an accountability group about being healthier that encourages you to sit at the computer more. However, my sister and a few other friends and family are going to use the benefit of technology (and blogging) to hold each other accountable and try and improve out health. Let me know if you are interested in being invited.
Guest!
We had a guest last night!
Our friend Peter came down and stayed in the trailer with us because he is going to Jim's school to talk about his computer programming job. He got to be the first to try out the hide-a-bed in the coach (which didn't have a cheerio explosion under it...but did have a few crumbs). The boys were a little shy at first because they haven't seen Peter since last May.
Our friend Peter came down and stayed in the trailer with us because he is going to Jim's school to talk about his computer programming job. He got to be the first to try out the hide-a-bed in the coach (which didn't have a cheerio explosion under it...but did have a few crumbs). The boys were a little shy at first because they haven't seen Peter since last May.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Lots o' people
As we were driving to the babysitters this morning I said something about us going to visit Aunt Jennifer next week for Thanksgiving. I realized that Doug and Andy might not know who I meant because we refer to her as "Tia" so we don't confuse Aunt Jennifer with Aunt Jenni. So as soon as I mentioned "Tia" Andy said "Lots o' people...My people."
It took me a minute to place where this conversation came from. About a week ago Andy told me "I love you mommy" and I can't remember why now but I went into how I loved him, and daddy loved him, and Doug and Jo loved him, and Nana, Pop, Grandma, Aunt Jenni, Uncle Michael, Cousin Delaney, Auntie Ann, Cousins JC, Rachael, William, Uncle John, our other Uncle John, Aunt Lisa, and all the way through everyone who loved him including our "adopted" aunts and uncles who are Mommy and Daddy's friends.
We named everyone.
I remember saying "That's a lot of people who love you...they're your people."
It's amazing to me what sticks in a 2 year old's head and what a wonderful thing to have him remember...that he is loved.
It took me a minute to place where this conversation came from. About a week ago Andy told me "I love you mommy" and I can't remember why now but I went into how I loved him, and daddy loved him, and Doug and Jo loved him, and Nana, Pop, Grandma, Aunt Jenni, Uncle Michael, Cousin Delaney, Auntie Ann, Cousins JC, Rachael, William, Uncle John, our other Uncle John, Aunt Lisa, and all the way through everyone who loved him including our "adopted" aunts and uncles who are Mommy and Daddy's friends.
We named everyone.
I remember saying "That's a lot of people who love you...they're your people."
It's amazing to me what sticks in a 2 year old's head and what a wonderful thing to have him remember...that he is loved.
Reasonable compromise
Ok, so it is reasonable compromise to get chocolate donuts for breakfast if your 2 year old is lobbying for Hershey's kisses for breakfast?
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
House Update IV
Ok, can I officially call this an epic now?
So we got an estimate from a handyman about doing all of the repairs. It is 12 times the amount they wanted to budget. However, unbelievably they have agreed to bring a check for the handyman when they come to closing.
So Jim pointed out that fixing all of those things is just like putting a band aid over a wound if it doesn't fix any worry about if there is water under the driveway that might cause shifting of the house. So he went up and looked at the driveway. He talked to the neighbor on the driveway side and found out that a) the neighbor has been there since 2000 and has done some maintenance on the house and yard as the couple became unable to do it for themselves, and b) the neighbor has had no problems since he has been there. That is reassuring to me. So Jim is in the process of getting an estimate from a company to fix the potential driveway/water issue. If it is a reasonable amount for us to pay then we will order the appraisal and see when we can close. I will feel comfortable with that. I just would like to be able to get everything out of storage before Christmas because I would really like to be in a house before then. I don't know how we will work the whole getting everything fixed versus when we would actually move in, but we will just have to see how it all works out. I can't believe how this month is flying by.
So we got an estimate from a handyman about doing all of the repairs. It is 12 times the amount they wanted to budget. However, unbelievably they have agreed to bring a check for the handyman when they come to closing.
So Jim pointed out that fixing all of those things is just like putting a band aid over a wound if it doesn't fix any worry about if there is water under the driveway that might cause shifting of the house. So he went up and looked at the driveway. He talked to the neighbor on the driveway side and found out that a) the neighbor has been there since 2000 and has done some maintenance on the house and yard as the couple became unable to do it for themselves, and b) the neighbor has had no problems since he has been there. That is reassuring to me. So Jim is in the process of getting an estimate from a company to fix the potential driveway/water issue. If it is a reasonable amount for us to pay then we will order the appraisal and see when we can close. I will feel comfortable with that. I just would like to be able to get everything out of storage before Christmas because I would really like to be in a house before then. I don't know how we will work the whole getting everything fixed versus when we would actually move in, but we will just have to see how it all works out. I can't believe how this month is flying by.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Average Morning
I was thinking as I was driving to campus this morning that...
On the average morning I put gel in my hair, scrunch it around, and then don't look at it again until it is too late to do any fixing if it turns out horrible.
On the average morning I get into the car and realize that I have not even bothered to put a brush to either boys' hair and they get to go with the "bed head" look (Jo doesn't have enough hair yet).
On the average morning if I am lucky I only get to watch half of the Clifford show because I am only running 15 minutes late from where I think I should be...if it is worse I get to see part of Super Why.
On the average morning my children eat breakfast while we are riding in the car (Thank God for poptarts, sausage on a stick, granola bars, and even crackers for breakfast).
On the average morning if I am lucky the boys are cooperative about getting into their clothes because they are distracted by the TV...some mornings Andy chooses to wear PJ's to the babysitters.
On the average morning if I am lucky the cup of coffee Jim has fixed for me has only sat on the counter untouched for one hour, or the coffee is still in the coffee maker that made the coffee long enough ago that the coffee maker has turned off (for those non-coffee drinkers that is a long time).
On the average morning if I am lucky we can make it into the car in just under 10 minutes instead of 15 or greater.
On the average morning when I start driving I will have only had a cup of orange juice and won't eat actual breakfast until I make it to work.
On the other hand....
On the average morning I have gotten a couple minutes of cuddle time with each boy and two big hugs before we go out the door.
On the average morning my fabulous husband has already loaded most of the stuff in the car and has almost everything else waiting to go out the door.
On the average morning I have seen three (or 4 if you count Jim's) bright smiles with looks of delight just for seeing me in the morning.
On the average morning I have gotten to enjoy listening to at least one song composed by a two year old as we drive down the street.
On the average morning I have gotten to hear laughter and hear at least one "oh wow" or "cool" (usually said "tool") comment either about something on TV or about what we are having for breakfast.
As Jim would say "we are stressed but blessed." Motherhood is one of the hardest jobs I have ever done. It changes your life so much. It is so difficult to balance work and family, make decisions about when to be lenient and when to be tough, and to realize that you can influence your child but that from day one he or she is his or her own little person with definite opinions and ideas about what he or she wants to do.
I one time heard a quote that being a parent was like ripping your heart out of your body and letting it walk around. I completely understand this quote. I have to trust that I am doing the right things with my children and that they will turn out to be kind and caring individuals who make a contribution to the world.
On the average morning I put gel in my hair, scrunch it around, and then don't look at it again until it is too late to do any fixing if it turns out horrible.
On the average morning I get into the car and realize that I have not even bothered to put a brush to either boys' hair and they get to go with the "bed head" look (Jo doesn't have enough hair yet).
On the average morning if I am lucky I only get to watch half of the Clifford show because I am only running 15 minutes late from where I think I should be...if it is worse I get to see part of Super Why.
On the average morning my children eat breakfast while we are riding in the car (Thank God for poptarts, sausage on a stick, granola bars, and even crackers for breakfast).
On the average morning if I am lucky the boys are cooperative about getting into their clothes because they are distracted by the TV...some mornings Andy chooses to wear PJ's to the babysitters.
On the average morning if I am lucky the cup of coffee Jim has fixed for me has only sat on the counter untouched for one hour, or the coffee is still in the coffee maker that made the coffee long enough ago that the coffee maker has turned off (for those non-coffee drinkers that is a long time).
On the average morning if I am lucky we can make it into the car in just under 10 minutes instead of 15 or greater.
On the average morning when I start driving I will have only had a cup of orange juice and won't eat actual breakfast until I make it to work.
On the other hand....
On the average morning I have gotten a couple minutes of cuddle time with each boy and two big hugs before we go out the door.
On the average morning my fabulous husband has already loaded most of the stuff in the car and has almost everything else waiting to go out the door.
On the average morning I have seen three (or 4 if you count Jim's) bright smiles with looks of delight just for seeing me in the morning.
On the average morning I have gotten to enjoy listening to at least one song composed by a two year old as we drive down the street.
On the average morning I have gotten to hear laughter and hear at least one "oh wow" or "cool" (usually said "tool") comment either about something on TV or about what we are having for breakfast.
As Jim would say "we are stressed but blessed." Motherhood is one of the hardest jobs I have ever done. It changes your life so much. It is so difficult to balance work and family, make decisions about when to be lenient and when to be tough, and to realize that you can influence your child but that from day one he or she is his or her own little person with definite opinions and ideas about what he or she wants to do.
I one time heard a quote that being a parent was like ripping your heart out of your body and letting it walk around. I completely understand this quote. I have to trust that I am doing the right things with my children and that they will turn out to be kind and caring individuals who make a contribution to the world.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
"My baby"
Andy has adopted one of those soft little "baby's first doll" dolls. It was originally intended for Jo but she only gets to see it occasionally because Andy usually is too busy mothering it. We will pretend change her diaper, he has been known to get baby spoons out of the drawer to feed her, he puts her down for naps (complete with all the directions we give...stay in bed, be quiet, etc.), and he carries her around in general and talks about her as his. At one point he named her Boo but I don't know if he remembers this.
Anyway, kids really model behavior after what they see. He will occasionally hold her up to his shoulder and say "Mys baby drinking." Yes he has seen mom nurse Jo many times. I am just thankful that he doesn't lift his shirt to do it.
Well, tonight I am beginning to wonder if I have scarred the child for life. Jim and I were sitting at the table and Andy and Doug were playing. Andy walks past me with a piece of the breast pump held up to his chest and comments "pump" and then says "baby."
Anyway, kids really model behavior after what they see. He will occasionally hold her up to his shoulder and say "Mys baby drinking." Yes he has seen mom nurse Jo many times. I am just thankful that he doesn't lift his shirt to do it.
Well, tonight I am beginning to wonder if I have scarred the child for life. Jim and I were sitting at the table and Andy and Doug were playing. Andy walks past me with a piece of the breast pump held up to his chest and comments "pump" and then says "baby."
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Tired
So when you wake up to a line of s's in the middle of your paper because you nodded off for a second at the computer...then is is time to go to bed.
Today is Daddy Daddy day because mommy is at class. Then mommy plans to go to bed early and take a Sunday afternoon nap the next day to get ready for every thing she has to do next week. I have to remind myself that there is good reason why I am doing this and it is not just a special form of torture.
Today is Daddy Daddy day because mommy is at class. Then mommy plans to go to bed early and take a Sunday afternoon nap the next day to get ready for every thing she has to do next week. I have to remind myself that there is good reason why I am doing this and it is not just a special form of torture.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Logic
I don't know if two year olds are supposed to be constructing logical arguments yet but here is a constant theme in my life...
Realize that we just recently gained modifiers in our speech so Andy is no longer just "big" he is "really big" or he is no longer "hungry" he is "really hungry."
We are driving in the car...
Andy: Mommy I really hungry
Mommy: You are?
Andy: Food, mommy, food.
Mommy: Do you want a snack..I have granola bars or crackers. We could get something when we get back to the trailer.
Andy: Donalds, mommy Donalds.
Mommy: But we can get something back at the trailer, there is no need to go to McDonalds.
Andy: No trailer mommy, no no. Yes Donalds, yes, yes ,yes...
So the story goes that Andy doesn't really want McDonalds, what he really wants is the playground at McDonalds. The child has figured out that you cannot go to McDonalds to just play on the slide, but that you have to buy food when you go there. If we go he wants to play before he will even stop to eat anything and he gets upset if we go through the drive through.
One of the McDonalds we have been to a couple of times has an outdoor playground and then I sometimes get this argument:
Andy: Eat outside mommy, eat outside.
Realize that we just recently gained modifiers in our speech so Andy is no longer just "big" he is "really big" or he is no longer "hungry" he is "really hungry."
We are driving in the car...
Andy: Mommy I really hungry
Mommy: You are?
Andy: Food, mommy, food.
Mommy: Do you want a snack..I have granola bars or crackers. We could get something when we get back to the trailer.
Andy: Donalds, mommy Donalds.
Mommy: But we can get something back at the trailer, there is no need to go to McDonalds.
Andy: No trailer mommy, no no. Yes Donalds, yes, yes ,yes...
So the story goes that Andy doesn't really want McDonalds, what he really wants is the playground at McDonalds. The child has figured out that you cannot go to McDonalds to just play on the slide, but that you have to buy food when you go there. If we go he wants to play before he will even stop to eat anything and he gets upset if we go through the drive through.
One of the McDonalds we have been to a couple of times has an outdoor playground and then I sometimes get this argument:
Andy: Eat outside mommy, eat outside.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Fools & Babes
I don't know which category I fit in, but here is another example that God is watching out and can see the big picture.
We finally got the truck back from the dealership that was fixing it (this is after 2 weeks of them having the truck...if you want to make some big bucks, apparently there is a shortage of technicians trained to do muffler work).
Now, back in June when we got the house fixed up to sell we refinanced the truck because it was faster and less complicated then doing a home equity loan. We had intended to get a home equity loan but the loan officer talked us into the refinancing especially because we knew we would pay off the loan as soon as the house sold. As part of the refinancing we had to get an extended warranty on the truck and we also got the roadside assistance plan (which covers us no matter what vehicle we are in).
Well, we made a few payments on the loan, the house sold, we paid it off and then of course since you buy these things on a yearly basis we still had the roadside plan and the warranty.
Well, we have had to use the roadside assistance at least 4 times and we have used the warranty at least twice. I don't remember the exact amount that we had to pay for the warranty but the first time we had to use it the warranty covered part of a repair and the cost it covered was almost half the amount that the warranty cost. Well, the warranty covered all but $150 dollars of the latest truck repair and turned out that it paid out more than what I believe we had to pay for the warranty. In addition to that it will cover the cost of the rental car. I don't know what we would have done without the warranty and I never would have predicted that we would have had to use it so much. Usually I am the type that is skeptical about extended warranties but this is making me rethink my attitude.
Do to this experience I have also been thinking that if God could foresee the advantage of having an extended warranty on a truck I am sure that he must have an extended warranty on me. I find that thought very comforting.
We finally got the truck back from the dealership that was fixing it (this is after 2 weeks of them having the truck...if you want to make some big bucks, apparently there is a shortage of technicians trained to do muffler work).
Now, back in June when we got the house fixed up to sell we refinanced the truck because it was faster and less complicated then doing a home equity loan. We had intended to get a home equity loan but the loan officer talked us into the refinancing especially because we knew we would pay off the loan as soon as the house sold. As part of the refinancing we had to get an extended warranty on the truck and we also got the roadside assistance plan (which covers us no matter what vehicle we are in).
Well, we made a few payments on the loan, the house sold, we paid it off and then of course since you buy these things on a yearly basis we still had the roadside plan and the warranty.
Well, we have had to use the roadside assistance at least 4 times and we have used the warranty at least twice. I don't remember the exact amount that we had to pay for the warranty but the first time we had to use it the warranty covered part of a repair and the cost it covered was almost half the amount that the warranty cost. Well, the warranty covered all but $150 dollars of the latest truck repair and turned out that it paid out more than what I believe we had to pay for the warranty. In addition to that it will cover the cost of the rental car. I don't know what we would have done without the warranty and I never would have predicted that we would have had to use it so much. Usually I am the type that is skeptical about extended warranties but this is making me rethink my attitude.
Do to this experience I have also been thinking that if God could foresee the advantage of having an extended warranty on a truck I am sure that he must have an extended warranty on me. I find that thought very comforting.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
House Update III- The Saga Continues...
So our realtor delivered a very nicely written letter to their realtor basically saying that we are not interested because there are too many issues with the safety and functionality of the house that $500 just won't cover (she said it a lot nicer...she definitely deserves the big bucks). Then we get this phone call saying that we should go price cook tops and that she is going to have a handyman do an estimate and that she is going to call the structural engineer to see what else she can get out of him. Apparently their agent really wants this to work out so I am not quite sure where we are at now.
We did find out that cooktops similar to what was already in the house start at the amount they had capped their cost at....not including any labor to install it.
We did find out that cooktops similar to what was already in the house start at the amount they had capped their cost at....not including any labor to install it.
Under Assualt
I can tell that it is Fall even with my eyes closed. As I sit in the trailer you can hear acorns hit the roof of the trailer and roll off. It is not quit the pleasant sound of rain on the trailer, but they sort of make a loud "thunk" and then you can hear them rolling off. It is an interesting sound and I think a long term memory that I will take away from this experience.
Monday, November 5, 2007
House Update II
After spending some more money to get the chimney check-out on the potential house, we did hear back that they are unwilling to change the spending cap they put on repairs. We weren't looking for cosmetic things, just things that keep the house safe and basically functional (like electric issues and working stoves, etc.) So unless they have a drastic change of heart, we will be back looking at houses. In some ways I am relieved because I had some concerns about the settling of the house even though they had a report saying that it was done settling.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
House Update
I realized when I posted the Weekly Update that I forgot to include information about the house (but that is what I get for doing it quickly while I was in the Krispy Kreme parking lot waiting for Jim...yes...Krispy Kreme has free Wi-fi also....)
We had the home inspection, we made a list, we sent it to the people....we haven't heard anything back yet. We did get the HVAC further inspected and even though it is old (and has rust) it appears to be in working order. Tomorrow morning (bright and early) I meet with a company to give an estimate on the chimney.
Basically we have a contract on the house. We are waiting to have the appraisal done until we can be sure that everything is going to work out. If the people selling the house won't go for the necessary repairs (things that make it possible to live in the house...like having a fully working stove, and anything that is a safety issue) then we will start back looking at houses. If they agree to the repairs then it will be a matter of how quickly the mortgage can be done for us to close. Of course the other thing at the moment is the fact that we are dependent on either hiring people or friend volunteering to help us move because Jim cannot lift anything very heavy with his broken bones.
We had the home inspection, we made a list, we sent it to the people....we haven't heard anything back yet. We did get the HVAC further inspected and even though it is old (and has rust) it appears to be in working order. Tomorrow morning (bright and early) I meet with a company to give an estimate on the chimney.
Basically we have a contract on the house. We are waiting to have the appraisal done until we can be sure that everything is going to work out. If the people selling the house won't go for the necessary repairs (things that make it possible to live in the house...like having a fully working stove, and anything that is a safety issue) then we will start back looking at houses. If they agree to the repairs then it will be a matter of how quickly the mortgage can be done for us to close. Of course the other thing at the moment is the fact that we are dependent on either hiring people or friend volunteering to help us move because Jim cannot lift anything very heavy with his broken bones.
Week in Review
So here is our status on things...
Jim is recovering but still gets tired easily. His doctor's appointment recheck said that he was "recovering as expected."
I am tired and behind on my homework but that is normal.
Doug and Andy are doing fine. They lobby for Halloween candy everyday starting from the time that they get up. We have our normal dispute over toys and we both like to make up songs.
Jo is not only rolling over but is getting up on hands and knees and manages to stay up longer. She has two teeth coming in and it appears that there are more on the way shortly and she is miserable at the moment because last night she evidenced her first full fledged cold.
We are still surviving with one car because we went to try to go pick up the truck yesterday and apparently the brake module was wrong and won't get here until Tuesday. I wonder if I can start charging them a per diam.
Jim is recovering but still gets tired easily. His doctor's appointment recheck said that he was "recovering as expected."
I am tired and behind on my homework but that is normal.
Doug and Andy are doing fine. They lobby for Halloween candy everyday starting from the time that they get up. We have our normal dispute over toys and we both like to make up songs.
Jo is not only rolling over but is getting up on hands and knees and manages to stay up longer. She has two teeth coming in and it appears that there are more on the way shortly and she is miserable at the moment because last night she evidenced her first full fledged cold.
We are still surviving with one car because we went to try to go pick up the truck yesterday and apparently the brake module was wrong and won't get here until Tuesday. I wonder if I can start charging them a per diam.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Bright and Curious
I am constantly having to remind myself that it is actually a good thing to have 2 bright and curious 2 years. It can, however, also be kind of wearing because it also means that they do things that others might not dare (or even think of).
In the trailer the bathroom sink has a stopper that is either all the way in or completely out. There is no in-between. When we had only been in the trailer for about a month I accidentally knocked the digital ear thermometer in the sink and the batteries came out and one went down the sink. Jim had to take apart the pipes to get the battery out.
Well, tonight the boys were brushing their teeth and I turned around to grab something in the main part of the trailer. I hear this "uh oh" from Doug. These are never good sounds when they come out of the mouths of a two year old who has been unsupervised for even a fraction of a second. I turned back to look in the bathroom to find both boys with their heads bent over the sink.
Doug had dropped his toothbrush down the drain. Of course I could just barely touch it. At least it couldn't go any further because there is the standard U bend in the sink. Of course the toothbrush was also head down so I was dealing with the trying to get the handle end.
Fortunately the toothbrush in question had a bit of a suction cup on the bottom of the handle. After about 5 minutes of fishing down there, brushing off offers of help from Doug ("I get it mommy"), and trying a variety of things, I was finally able to use the handles of two table spoons like chopsticks and grab just enough of the suction cup to pull it out.
Now if I could just figure out how to get the penny out of the floor heating vent without having to go buy the special square screwdriver to take the vent apart. You see, Andy had the vacuum cleaner extension and dropped a penny down it and it just happened to be right over the heating vent....
In the trailer the bathroom sink has a stopper that is either all the way in or completely out. There is no in-between. When we had only been in the trailer for about a month I accidentally knocked the digital ear thermometer in the sink and the batteries came out and one went down the sink. Jim had to take apart the pipes to get the battery out.
Well, tonight the boys were brushing their teeth and I turned around to grab something in the main part of the trailer. I hear this "uh oh" from Doug. These are never good sounds when they come out of the mouths of a two year old who has been unsupervised for even a fraction of a second. I turned back to look in the bathroom to find both boys with their heads bent over the sink.
Doug had dropped his toothbrush down the drain. Of course I could just barely touch it. At least it couldn't go any further because there is the standard U bend in the sink. Of course the toothbrush was also head down so I was dealing with the trying to get the handle end.
Fortunately the toothbrush in question had a bit of a suction cup on the bottom of the handle. After about 5 minutes of fishing down there, brushing off offers of help from Doug ("I get it mommy"), and trying a variety of things, I was finally able to use the handles of two table spoons like chopsticks and grab just enough of the suction cup to pull it out.
Now if I could just figure out how to get the penny out of the floor heating vent without having to go buy the special square screwdriver to take the vent apart. You see, Andy had the vacuum cleaner extension and dropped a penny down it and it just happened to be right over the heating vent....
"Coins in a fountain (...and the street, and the...)"
So one thing I have noticed since we moved is that I have found an unusual number of coins. I am used to finding the occasional penny or maybe better in a parking lot or on the floor near a cash register, but I have just been feeling like I am finding an unusual number of coins. I seem to find pennies or dimes in particular, but the occasional nickel or quarter has snuck in there. If I had realized how many I would find I would have started keeping track of how much I have "made." I really started paying attention to it when I found three coins at separate places one day, and two of them happened to be in a huge parking lot that I cross but don't park in.
I have always been the type to bend over and pick a coin up...even if it was just a penny. One time someone sent me one of those email story forwards where it talked about someone who was really rich taking time to pick up a penny because he felt that the words "In God We Trust" was a reminder to pray. I liked that idea so every time I find a coin I say a small prayer. I guess I am taking my coin finding extravaganza as God telling me that a) I am in the right place right now for my life, and b) I might need to pray a little bit more.
I have always been the type to bend over and pick a coin up...even if it was just a penny. One time someone sent me one of those email story forwards where it talked about someone who was really rich taking time to pick up a penny because he felt that the words "In God We Trust" was a reminder to pray. I liked that idea so every time I find a coin I say a small prayer. I guess I am taking my coin finding extravaganza as God telling me that a) I am in the right place right now for my life, and b) I might need to pray a little bit more.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Full Circle
So lately I have had this feeling that my life has come "full circle" in many ways.
One large circle is that I am a twin and I am now the mother of twins. It is really cool for me to see Doug and Andy interact. They are similar to my sister and I because they can be the best of friends and then sometimes I see them doing things to purposely aggravate each other. Even at age two they know what "buttons" to push. Being a twin is fun, but now I have the utmost respect for parents of twins (and a little bit of awe for those at there that parent even greater numbers of multiples). I take my hat off to my parents for surviving the early years with Lisa and me.
Another circle is my school/career life. When Jim and I were first married I drove to the University to be a graduate assistant and to take classes toward a graduate degree (at that time a Masters degree). We lived in a small living space (on campus apartments) with a small oven and no dish washer. We had to do laundry at the laundry mat , money was tight, and I had to balance homework and family life. I also worked as a graduate assistant for a professor by finding articles and I did a little bit of work at analyzing perservice teacher's mind webbing (or mapping) of developing ideas about teaching.
So right now I am still driving to the same University to be a graduate assistant in the same building. The degree I am working on is now a doctorate PhD in a different area of education than before. I live in an even smaller living space with a small oven, no dish washer, and I have to go to the laundry mat with 2 two year olds. Money is tight, I have an even harder time balancing homework and family life. I work for 2 professors finding articles and doing other things to support their research and articles, and just yesterday I found out that I might be analyzing mind mapping of teachers working on gifted education certification.
Life can be very strange at times...
One large circle is that I am a twin and I am now the mother of twins. It is really cool for me to see Doug and Andy interact. They are similar to my sister and I because they can be the best of friends and then sometimes I see them doing things to purposely aggravate each other. Even at age two they know what "buttons" to push. Being a twin is fun, but now I have the utmost respect for parents of twins (and a little bit of awe for those at there that parent even greater numbers of multiples). I take my hat off to my parents for surviving the early years with Lisa and me.
Another circle is my school/career life. When Jim and I were first married I drove to the University to be a graduate assistant and to take classes toward a graduate degree (at that time a Masters degree). We lived in a small living space (on campus apartments) with a small oven and no dish washer. We had to do laundry at the laundry mat , money was tight, and I had to balance homework and family life. I also worked as a graduate assistant for a professor by finding articles and I did a little bit of work at analyzing perservice teacher's mind webbing (or mapping) of developing ideas about teaching.
So right now I am still driving to the same University to be a graduate assistant in the same building. The degree I am working on is now a doctorate PhD in a different area of education than before. I live in an even smaller living space with a small oven, no dish washer, and I have to go to the laundry mat with 2 two year olds. Money is tight, I have an even harder time balancing homework and family life. I work for 2 professors finding articles and doing other things to support their research and articles, and just yesterday I found out that I might be analyzing mind mapping of teachers working on gifted education certification.
Life can be very strange at times...
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