I have been so busy since my last post in August. Of course, school started, and so did all of the activities that go with that. Soccer practice and games. Volleyball tryouts...Basketball tryouts. Cross country practices before school and meets after school. Dance class. Choir practice at church. Band rehearsals and Region Band tryouts, not to mention concerts. None of this includes the extra days and longer day hours that my husband seems to be applying to his job as well. I hate to admit it, but I am actually thankful that we don't have a family member on the volleyball or basketball team...I just don't want to do it.
In between the early mornings to school, and the practices after school, and the games on the weekends, there is homework to be done, chores to complain about, and time to enjoy what activities we can fit in the down time. We still manage to sit down to dinner a few nights a week. This year in particular, I have come to realize that we have quality conversations in the car now. Although there are still a lot of nonsense in the form of questions and statements, there are more and more teachable moments, and moments where we can explain our values to the kids. I guess it's always been that way, but maybe because they are getting older, I am noticing that the quality of the conversations are better.
Even though it sounds like we are so very busy all the time, I have also noticed that we are home a lot more than we used to be. Maybe that's because I am not running the PTA anymore. Maybe that's because the girls' school doesn't offer multiple clubs everyday after school, that they feel they must be a part of. Maybe it's because I asked the girls to choose just one music activity. I'm sure it is a combination of all. I know I have a lot less responsibility outside the house, and I am getting a lot projects done on the new home. I doubt that the girls have actually noticed, but I'm sure they would tell you they are enjoying being home more, too.
I read a blog the other day where a wife and mother was talking about families eating dinner together every night being the best way to raise good children. I believe that eating dinner with your family is important, but I also believe there is something to the time spent in the car as well. As I read the blog, I recalled the many, many hours spent in the car with my oldest daughter when I worked outside the house. I had an hour commute from home to work. It was just the two of us back then. I could have chosen a daycare near home, but I chose to spend that time in the car with her instead. She was so young, and she could be annoying at times, and I don't have to tell you that two hours a day in the car can get very long. Those moments enabled me to get to know her, since I was away from her all day. Most days, we ate together when we got home, but we talked more in the car than at the table. Being able to stay home with the next two kids gave me more time over the course of the day to get to know them well. Now that they are in school all day, and becoming teenagers, I get nuggets of who they are becoming little by little. I will continue to appreciate the conversations, whether they happen at home or in the car.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
School, fiscal years, and bottom lines
For businesses, the fiscal year is a big deal. Some run January to December, others run oddly from an autumn month to another. A Stay at Home Mother's fiscal year runs August to June. My job has gotten easier over the years. I used to work 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 (366) days a year. Now I am "on call" for some of those hours. "On call" is a fun place to be. It's a change I with which I am on board.
Donned in new clothing, and school supplies secured, the girls walked across the road to carpool with the neighbor to school for the first day of seventh grade. Unbelievable that my little girls are seventh graders! The drama of the morning was deciding what to take for classroom use on the first day of school. Pencils, pens, highlighters, eraser, pencil sharpener, scissors, paper, spiral notebook, binder...to backpack or not to backpack, that was the question. It was finally decided to backpack, along with a bag of gym clothes and band instruments. When it was all said and done, I was guilty of waking them up too early because they had to sit around for 20 minutes and wait to leave for school. I am in deed a terrible mother.
For the first time since 2000, I am not a member of the PTA, and that means I am not In Charge! PTA didn't take that much of my time, but there was always planning to be done. This year, there is still a lot of planning to be done, but it is all about me! We moved into this house in December. For three months, I spent two hours a day driving the girls to and from their old school 21 miles away. The last two months of school, the girls attended school in town, but I was busy finishing out the PTA school year at their old school, and just trying to keep up at home. I had grand plans to complete several projects over the summer, but the average temperature outside from June to today has been at least 100 degrees. It was too hot to even think about getting very much done. But, this is my year! Again, this a change I am behind.
I have a list a mile long, but I am very excited about it. First, I am going to inventory the refrigerators, freezers, and pantry to see what I actually need to use up, throw away, or stock up. Then, I am going to CLEAN this house from top to bottom. The previous homeowners were not the cleanest people and I really need to scrub some areas, like the baseboards. Then, I am going to clean out closets and the 3rd car garage, and donate everything we are not using. Then...I can start completing all of the projects. One of the first will be to paint the girls' bedrooms and the bathrooms. I think that will make them really feel like they are home.
It took us a little while to find a church home, but we feel that we have found it. This week we started attending a Sunday School class to, not only spend more time learning more from the bible but, meet more people at church. There are probably over 1300 people that attend that church, and a lot of them come from our neighborhood. My biggest commitment begins on Wednesday when I start going to choir practice. The choir sings every other Sunday for at least two of the three services. I have been putting off joining the choir because of the commitment, but it is time for this change, too.
I have enjoyed our swimming pool during this extremely HOT summer. We have three years to pay it off. We want to see that happen sooner. My husband is concerned about paying it off and attempting to pay off the mortgage ahead of time, too. He must retire from his current position in 10 years. This mandatory change does not in any way secure another position for him. He doesn't doubt that he will find another job, but he can't be sure of what it will pay or the absolute security of the position. He wants me to get a job to help pay off the house. I don't want to go back into engineering. I can't think of anything else I want to do, or am qualified to do, that pays as well. My biggest project this fall is to go over our household budget with a finetoothed comb, and then stick to it. I will explore my money-making options as I work to save as much money as possible. I need to change my "I want it and we have the money for it" attitude. That is the bottom line!
So, my fiscal year begins today. Change is good. My little girls are growing up. I have been poor and broke, so I know how to save money. I will be working on real projects by September 1.
Yee-haw, load 'em up, move 'em out.
Donned in new clothing, and school supplies secured, the girls walked across the road to carpool with the neighbor to school for the first day of seventh grade. Unbelievable that my little girls are seventh graders! The drama of the morning was deciding what to take for classroom use on the first day of school. Pencils, pens, highlighters, eraser, pencil sharpener, scissors, paper, spiral notebook, binder...to backpack or not to backpack, that was the question. It was finally decided to backpack, along with a bag of gym clothes and band instruments. When it was all said and done, I was guilty of waking them up too early because they had to sit around for 20 minutes and wait to leave for school. I am in deed a terrible mother.
For the first time since 2000, I am not a member of the PTA, and that means I am not In Charge! PTA didn't take that much of my time, but there was always planning to be done. This year, there is still a lot of planning to be done, but it is all about me! We moved into this house in December. For three months, I spent two hours a day driving the girls to and from their old school 21 miles away. The last two months of school, the girls attended school in town, but I was busy finishing out the PTA school year at their old school, and just trying to keep up at home. I had grand plans to complete several projects over the summer, but the average temperature outside from June to today has been at least 100 degrees. It was too hot to even think about getting very much done. But, this is my year! Again, this a change I am behind.
I have a list a mile long, but I am very excited about it. First, I am going to inventory the refrigerators, freezers, and pantry to see what I actually need to use up, throw away, or stock up. Then, I am going to CLEAN this house from top to bottom. The previous homeowners were not the cleanest people and I really need to scrub some areas, like the baseboards. Then, I am going to clean out closets and the 3rd car garage, and donate everything we are not using. Then...I can start completing all of the projects. One of the first will be to paint the girls' bedrooms and the bathrooms. I think that will make them really feel like they are home.
It took us a little while to find a church home, but we feel that we have found it. This week we started attending a Sunday School class to, not only spend more time learning more from the bible but, meet more people at church. There are probably over 1300 people that attend that church, and a lot of them come from our neighborhood. My biggest commitment begins on Wednesday when I start going to choir practice. The choir sings every other Sunday for at least two of the three services. I have been putting off joining the choir because of the commitment, but it is time for this change, too.
I have enjoyed our swimming pool during this extremely HOT summer. We have three years to pay it off. We want to see that happen sooner. My husband is concerned about paying it off and attempting to pay off the mortgage ahead of time, too. He must retire from his current position in 10 years. This mandatory change does not in any way secure another position for him. He doesn't doubt that he will find another job, but he can't be sure of what it will pay or the absolute security of the position. He wants me to get a job to help pay off the house. I don't want to go back into engineering. I can't think of anything else I want to do, or am qualified to do, that pays as well. My biggest project this fall is to go over our household budget with a finetoothed comb, and then stick to it. I will explore my money-making options as I work to save as much money as possible. I need to change my "I want it and we have the money for it" attitude. That is the bottom line!
So, my fiscal year begins today. Change is good. My little girls are growing up. I have been poor and broke, so I know how to save money. I will be working on real projects by September 1.
Yee-haw, load 'em up, move 'em out.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
How does the time just fly by?
I have a plaque on my kitchen counter that says, "Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana." I love it for the play on words, but it is so true at my house. I am, at times, taken over by fruit flies in my kitchen. I have decided that they live in my houseplants. Good thing I only have two plants. Living out in the country, I seem to get more houseflies in the house now. I don't know why I have more of them out here either. I suppose they could be coming from the garage. We have three trash cans out there, as opposed to the one we had at our last house. I think they come in from the back and front doors, too. I do know for sure that I need to invest in a better fly swatter.
Bigger than the fly epidemic, this summer is just flying by. I had planned to paint the girls bedrooms by now. I have a cabinet and a dinette set that I planned to refinish in a darker stain in June. Our back door was repaired around February, and I still haven't painted the outer side of the door. I installed a cabinet in the laundry room, but the trim is still missing. The list just gets longer. It's not that I haven't actually had the time either. Yes, somethings have come up that stole my time away, like my mother being in the hospital, etc. The truth is that I spend time playing with my children, and my husband, more often. This week, I entertained friends playing a board game and swimming one afternoon. Every Sunday afternoon, I sit down to plan my menu, grocery list, and activities for the week. I list several things I would like to get done, on top of weekly chores. I only get the simple items accomplished. Maybe it's the extreme heat. Maybe it's because I know I will get interrupted so why start it.
I know for sure:
Bigger than the fly epidemic, this summer is just flying by. I had planned to paint the girls bedrooms by now. I have a cabinet and a dinette set that I planned to refinish in a darker stain in June. Our back door was repaired around February, and I still haven't painted the outer side of the door. I installed a cabinet in the laundry room, but the trim is still missing. The list just gets longer. It's not that I haven't actually had the time either. Yes, somethings have come up that stole my time away, like my mother being in the hospital, etc. The truth is that I spend time playing with my children, and my husband, more often. This week, I entertained friends playing a board game and swimming one afternoon. Every Sunday afternoon, I sit down to plan my menu, grocery list, and activities for the week. I list several things I would like to get done, on top of weekly chores. I only get the simple items accomplished. Maybe it's the extreme heat. Maybe it's because I know I will get interrupted so why start it.
I know for sure:
- the projects will not go away until I do them
- the girls will be starting school again in five weeks
- the girls will only be living here six more years before college (and even if they live here while attending college I'll never see them, I never see their sister)
- Texas is a lot cooler in October and November
- playing is a lot more fun than working
Monday, July 4, 2011
Happy Birthday, America
The 4th of July, ahh. Burn ban, boo. Having a pool, yay! What a great weekend.
We had a really good time on the 3rd, hanging out with friends, eating and swimming. The pool was a big hit for the girls. They all had friends over and swam all afternoon, and some into the dark. As usual for the 3rd, we had homemade ice cream, but the girls didn't have time to make the special holiday dessert. This year, they were going to make red velvet cupcakes with white icing and red and blue sugar sprinkles. Maybe they can make them and take them to the firemen in town. It turned out to be a pretty good birthday.
We were lucky to have a very lazy 4th of July. Early this morning, my mother called to tell me the rehabilitation center was ready to send her home. I drove the half-hour up there with one of the girls. She agreed to go hang out with me if I bought her breakfast, so we stopped at McDonald's on the way. I even let her sit in the front seat all the way there and back. She is only a couple of inches shorter than me and she'll be twelve in a month. I decided waiting for that month to go by will not make the trip any safer than today. She was thrilled. After I picked up my mother, I took her to grocery store where we helped her buy food for the week. We took her home and helped put the groceries away. She seems to be doing very well, and seems so much stronger now. We were back home by noon, and in the pool very shorter there after. We floated, talked, and splashed water at the dog while she tried to bite it. Before we knew it, it was late afternoon. We really had a good time just hanging out doing nothing together. Later, we grilled burgers and dogs, and ate dinner. Just a lazy summer day, but much needed nothingness. After dinner, and a few Twilight Zone episodes, we headed to the fireworks store to stock up while the vendors were still selling today. We will fire them in the fall, after we finally get some rain and the burn bans are lifted.
On Friday, NASA will launch the final Shuttle mission. The girls studied space travel and exploration in Science this past year. They are very interested in the Shuttle. I am pretty sure I will not be taking them to Florida this Friday. About 15 years ago, I took my oldest to Disney World. We drove over to Cape Canaveral, but the tours were closed because the Shuttle was on the launch pad. It was fun to see it anyway. A few years later, we took all the girls to Johnson Space Center. The girls were just toddlers, so they don't remember it at all. We do plan to take the girls to Johnson Space Center again, but I have a feeling this Friday will be pretty crowded there, too.
This week, I plan to submit a nomination form to be a board member for our Home owner's Association. I know I get myself into a mess volunteering. The girls' school doesn't have a PTA, and the HOA newsletter stated they were in dire need of volunteers. It requires a lot less of my time than PTA did, so it shouldn't be a hardship. The advantage will be knowing when something is going on in the neighborhood. There was a neighborhood parade this morning, and I never heard anything about it.
I am excited that our pool is completed, and the water is cool. It should be a great source of entertainment for years to come. I am also glad that my mother is finally home. It will be so wonderful when she is released to drive herself places. I am not excited that I am another year older, but I am glad to be alive and enjoy my family here at home. It beats the alternative.
We had a really good time on the 3rd, hanging out with friends, eating and swimming. The pool was a big hit for the girls. They all had friends over and swam all afternoon, and some into the dark. As usual for the 3rd, we had homemade ice cream, but the girls didn't have time to make the special holiday dessert. This year, they were going to make red velvet cupcakes with white icing and red and blue sugar sprinkles. Maybe they can make them and take them to the firemen in town. It turned out to be a pretty good birthday.
We were lucky to have a very lazy 4th of July. Early this morning, my mother called to tell me the rehabilitation center was ready to send her home. I drove the half-hour up there with one of the girls. She agreed to go hang out with me if I bought her breakfast, so we stopped at McDonald's on the way. I even let her sit in the front seat all the way there and back. She is only a couple of inches shorter than me and she'll be twelve in a month. I decided waiting for that month to go by will not make the trip any safer than today. She was thrilled. After I picked up my mother, I took her to grocery store where we helped her buy food for the week. We took her home and helped put the groceries away. She seems to be doing very well, and seems so much stronger now. We were back home by noon, and in the pool very shorter there after. We floated, talked, and splashed water at the dog while she tried to bite it. Before we knew it, it was late afternoon. We really had a good time just hanging out doing nothing together. Later, we grilled burgers and dogs, and ate dinner. Just a lazy summer day, but much needed nothingness. After dinner, and a few Twilight Zone episodes, we headed to the fireworks store to stock up while the vendors were still selling today. We will fire them in the fall, after we finally get some rain and the burn bans are lifted.
On Friday, NASA will launch the final Shuttle mission. The girls studied space travel and exploration in Science this past year. They are very interested in the Shuttle. I am pretty sure I will not be taking them to Florida this Friday. About 15 years ago, I took my oldest to Disney World. We drove over to Cape Canaveral, but the tours were closed because the Shuttle was on the launch pad. It was fun to see it anyway. A few years later, we took all the girls to Johnson Space Center. The girls were just toddlers, so they don't remember it at all. We do plan to take the girls to Johnson Space Center again, but I have a feeling this Friday will be pretty crowded there, too.
This week, I plan to submit a nomination form to be a board member for our Home owner's Association. I know I get myself into a mess volunteering. The girls' school doesn't have a PTA, and the HOA newsletter stated they were in dire need of volunteers. It requires a lot less of my time than PTA did, so it shouldn't be a hardship. The advantage will be knowing when something is going on in the neighborhood. There was a neighborhood parade this morning, and I never heard anything about it.
I am excited that our pool is completed, and the water is cool. It should be a great source of entertainment for years to come. I am also glad that my mother is finally home. It will be so wonderful when she is released to drive herself places. I am not excited that I am another year older, but I am glad to be alive and enjoy my family here at home. It beats the alternative.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Oh say can you see
Oh yeah, my favorite time of year is knocking at the door, my birthday and Independence Day. I am, of course, a big fan of Christmas because I have children and it is their favorite holiday. I also enjoy Halloween because I am still a kid at heart, and I enjoy creating "Spooky Food" for the girls and helping them get all dressed up in their costumes. After the age of 25, the excitement of having another birthday began to fade. As the years have passed, I can say I don't look forward to adding numbers to my age. No matter how many years have passed, I still look forward to fireworks and tributes to our great nation. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for any patriotic song, and I don't think I've ever watched a fireworks display that I absolutely hated.
Just like in years past, my husband and daughter will make several batches of homemade ice cream. We will enjoy yummy food, too. I hope to teach the girls some of the secrets behind my favorite dishes this year. The hardest part of teaching is that I rarely following an actual recipe for most of them. They ask occasionally to cook, but unless I have planned for it, my patience runs thin. They do not like grocery shopping, but it is impossible to cook if you don't have anything to prepare. I will force them to help me buy the food in order to cook the food. That may be the best birthday gift I get.
Today, a crew came to spread sand around the pool in preparation for pouring the deck tomorrow. Another crew came to set the equipment for the plumbing in place, but the equipment had been shipped to the main office. Hopefully, they will be able to accomplish that tomorrow as well. I talked to my pool contractor today, and he says we are still on the schedule for the pool to be plastered on Friday. If they are able to get it all done, and still plaster on Friday, that means the water starts going in on Friday night, and we could be swimming by Saturday night. At this point, I don't want to count on it, but it sure would be a great birthday present to myself. Even if they don't get it done until after the 4th, it will be so nice to have a big tub of water to play in next week!
My mother has been in a rehabilitation center since last Thursday night. She is getting depressed over how long it is taking for her to get back on her solid feet. Her roommate turns the A/C off at night and the food is over-cooked and starchy. She just wants to go home. After several conversations today with her and the administration at the center, she was moved to another room where the A/C can stay on at night. We can take some raw fruits and vegetables to her, which is more like her typical meals at home. But the greatest news is that her physical therapist thinks she may go home on Monday, the 4th. Hopefully, she will be cleared to drive and she will be as independent as before. So, currently I am planning to take part of my 4th of July to drive my mother home.
I realize the pool completion and my mother's return to home is only speculation...but what is life, really, without hope?!
Just like in years past, my husband and daughter will make several batches of homemade ice cream. We will enjoy yummy food, too. I hope to teach the girls some of the secrets behind my favorite dishes this year. The hardest part of teaching is that I rarely following an actual recipe for most of them. They ask occasionally to cook, but unless I have planned for it, my patience runs thin. They do not like grocery shopping, but it is impossible to cook if you don't have anything to prepare. I will force them to help me buy the food in order to cook the food. That may be the best birthday gift I get.
Today, a crew came to spread sand around the pool in preparation for pouring the deck tomorrow. Another crew came to set the equipment for the plumbing in place, but the equipment had been shipped to the main office. Hopefully, they will be able to accomplish that tomorrow as well. I talked to my pool contractor today, and he says we are still on the schedule for the pool to be plastered on Friday. If they are able to get it all done, and still plaster on Friday, that means the water starts going in on Friday night, and we could be swimming by Saturday night. At this point, I don't want to count on it, but it sure would be a great birthday present to myself. Even if they don't get it done until after the 4th, it will be so nice to have a big tub of water to play in next week!
My mother has been in a rehabilitation center since last Thursday night. She is getting depressed over how long it is taking for her to get back on her solid feet. Her roommate turns the A/C off at night and the food is over-cooked and starchy. She just wants to go home. After several conversations today with her and the administration at the center, she was moved to another room where the A/C can stay on at night. We can take some raw fruits and vegetables to her, which is more like her typical meals at home. But the greatest news is that her physical therapist thinks she may go home on Monday, the 4th. Hopefully, she will be cleared to drive and she will be as independent as before. So, currently I am planning to take part of my 4th of July to drive my mother home.
I realize the pool completion and my mother's return to home is only speculation...but what is life, really, without hope?!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Lucky 13, and many more!
On Monday, we celebrated 13 years of marriage. That probably doesn't sound like a lot, but this our second chance at it. Being married before, we decided that we were strong enough to work harder at staying together. We've had difficultly just like most couples, but we have managed to work through it for the better. Every year, we seem to find new things to appreciate about each other, and it gets better and better. We try to do a little something special for our anniversary every year, like go to a hotel for the night or go out for an expensive dinner together. This year, since the girls are away at camp for the week, we took a trip on Amtrak to San Antonio, Texas. It definitely takes longer to get there by train, but the fare is less than the cost of gasoline. They have a lounge/sightseeing car, dining car, and sleeper car. Traveling down to SA, we sat in the lounge car and enjoyed meeting other passengers. We didn't know we had to get a reservation for dinner in the dining car, so after we arrived in San Antonio, we headed to Mi Tierra for a very late dinner, where we ate breakfast. The next day, we had a couples massage. Later, we rode Segways around Hemisphere Park. On the way back home on the train, we had a Roomette. It's a very small room, but it converts to two beds and it's very quiet. I think it would be fun to take the kids, but we would need the bigger room for sure. We learned on the way back that all meals are included in the purchase of a room, and the food isn't bad.
We finally got some much needed rain this week. Being out of town, I didn't get to enjoy the temporary cooler temperatures. Our yard has cracks about two inches wide throughout. An inch and a half of rain isn't going to correct that, but we will definitely take it. Unfortunately, the rain means we are another week away from having our pool finished. That means most likely the pool will not be completed by my birthday on July 3rd. I will still do most of the annual traditions that go with celebrated the 4th of July, like several flavors of homemade ice cream. Because we live out in the county now, we can shoot fireworks at home, which is new for us. I am disappointed, but fortunately in Texas, we can swim well into October and begin again as early as March.
So, the girls are at camp for 2 and a half more days. My husband will go to work the next two days. I would like to get some of the projects on my very long to-do list done, but that will all depend on how my mother continues with her recovery. It still doesn't seem like her discharge from the hospital will be anytime soon, and when she is discharged, she needs to go to a rehabilitation center to gain more strength. We will have to fight with her Part D Medicare to drop her so that Medicare will cover her rehabilitation transfer. I'm sure it will all work out, it will just be a hassle getting it accomplished.
I can't believe that when the girls return from camp there are only 8 more weeks of school-less summer. We are going to Houston in two weeks so the girls can go to NASA and the location of the Battle of San Jacinto. Last year, they studied space and space travel and, this next year, they will study Texas history again. We are looking forward to another mini-sta-vation. Hopefully, the pool will be completed by the time we get back from Houston.
We finally got some much needed rain this week. Being out of town, I didn't get to enjoy the temporary cooler temperatures. Our yard has cracks about two inches wide throughout. An inch and a half of rain isn't going to correct that, but we will definitely take it. Unfortunately, the rain means we are another week away from having our pool finished. That means most likely the pool will not be completed by my birthday on July 3rd. I will still do most of the annual traditions that go with celebrated the 4th of July, like several flavors of homemade ice cream. Because we live out in the county now, we can shoot fireworks at home, which is new for us. I am disappointed, but fortunately in Texas, we can swim well into October and begin again as early as March.
So, the girls are at camp for 2 and a half more days. My husband will go to work the next two days. I would like to get some of the projects on my very long to-do list done, but that will all depend on how my mother continues with her recovery. It still doesn't seem like her discharge from the hospital will be anytime soon, and when she is discharged, she needs to go to a rehabilitation center to gain more strength. We will have to fight with her Part D Medicare to drop her so that Medicare will cover her rehabilitation transfer. I'm sure it will all work out, it will just be a hassle getting it accomplished.
I can't believe that when the girls return from camp there are only 8 more weeks of school-less summer. We are going to Houston in two weeks so the girls can go to NASA and the location of the Battle of San Jacinto. Last year, they studied space and space travel and, this next year, they will study Texas history again. We are looking forward to another mini-sta-vation. Hopefully, the pool will be completed by the time we get back from Houston.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Best laid plans of mice and men
Recently, we have experience a little mouse trouble. I could hear something scratching on the ceiling in our bedroom. I bought mouse bait and my wonderful husband put it out a few weeks back. Recently, we discovered that at least one mouse in our attic must have eaten the bait, but didn't make it all the way out of the house before dying. Unfortunately, it chose to head out and ultimately die in the wall of our bathroom. As you can imagine, I was blaming Steve for the odor in the room, up until the moment we realized it was true death. I purchased automatic scent sprayers for our water closet and clothes closet, which helped a little bit. A couple of days ago, I decided the odor seems to be gone. I am afraid that living out here will introduce us to many more creatures that don't plan to pay rent.
I can't believe the week I have been living. I was so excited that school let out. No more early alarm clock. No after school classes or events. No reason to leave the house except for groceries. Time to make the long list of things to get done over the summer, many of which I have been putting off since we moved into the house in December. Time to do, and more importantly, complete a project while the kids are having a nice lazy, summer day. The end of school usually means the Birthday Week. We celebrated our oldest daughter's 21st birthday right before the end of school, and a week later, right after school eneded, we celebrated my husband's birthday. It is always so very hectic when that week comes along. The girls have finals, I have end of the year PTA stuff I have to handle, and many other things that always pop up.
This year was no exception. I had a cabinet made for my laundry room, and to save money we opted to install it ourselves, when I say ourselves I really mean me. They delivered the cabinet the last week of school. As usual, there was a mountain of school gear in the mud room, laundry room gear on the kitchen table, summer activities and craft supplies piled on the dining room table, and various other belongings all over the rest of the house. During our pool installation, the pool builders busted part of the irrigation line. My husband has been trying to repair it for days, trying various parts and assemblies without any luck. Feeling so very overwhelmed with everything, we decided to blow it all off and take our neighbor's offer to spend the first Sunday of summer on their boat. We had a blast!
So after a day on the boat, and my husband's birthday the next day, we were all set to begin the first week of summer. My husband was working the night shift and my oldest begins her three jobs and summer classes. I start making my list of to-dos and planning activities, menus, etc. I planned out everyday with details for completion of several projects. Then I got a phone call that my mother was sick with tremendous pain, and headed to the emergency room. Two days later she had surgery to correct a bowel mishap. She has been in the hospital attempting to recover ever since. I have spent my days at the hospital, while my sister spends her nights. I never dreamed this would happen.
Needless to say, I can't tell you how well the girls' Chore Charts are working out for us, because I haven't been here to stay on top of it. I can't tell you how the health improved menu is working out for us, because I've been buying dinner and bringing it home or we go out to eat. Mostly, I can't tell you if and when my mother will get released from the hospital because she is recovering slowly. She has good days, and she wants to get stronger every minute. One doctor is optomistic and thinks she will be home by Saturday or Sunday. Although the girls are disappointed that we had to cancel our first few summer events, they will be going to camp on Sunday for a week. I was looking forward to spending some time alone with my husband for our anniversary. If my mother doesn't go home by Sunday, we will most likely cancel our train trip to San Antonio. The rest of the week, my husband is working nights again. Sometimes these things happen. Who knows, maybe the train is going to crash and we just don't need to be on it. Hopefully, she will be much better and even home by the time the girls return, and we can start our summer at home then. AND, hopefully, the pool will be finished by then and we can SWIM.
So, the mice must be dead, and so are some of our plans. The doctor discovered and repaired the cause of my mothers pain, and in the process, they discovered a heart condition she wasn't even aware she had. Life is full of disapointments, and the girls learned that lesson this week. Life is still good even when we struggle and have disappointments. We will eventually get our summer back and we will have a great time together.
I can't believe the week I have been living. I was so excited that school let out. No more early alarm clock. No after school classes or events. No reason to leave the house except for groceries. Time to make the long list of things to get done over the summer, many of which I have been putting off since we moved into the house in December. Time to do, and more importantly, complete a project while the kids are having a nice lazy, summer day. The end of school usually means the Birthday Week. We celebrated our oldest daughter's 21st birthday right before the end of school, and a week later, right after school eneded, we celebrated my husband's birthday. It is always so very hectic when that week comes along. The girls have finals, I have end of the year PTA stuff I have to handle, and many other things that always pop up.
This year was no exception. I had a cabinet made for my laundry room, and to save money we opted to install it ourselves, when I say ourselves I really mean me. They delivered the cabinet the last week of school. As usual, there was a mountain of school gear in the mud room, laundry room gear on the kitchen table, summer activities and craft supplies piled on the dining room table, and various other belongings all over the rest of the house. During our pool installation, the pool builders busted part of the irrigation line. My husband has been trying to repair it for days, trying various parts and assemblies without any luck. Feeling so very overwhelmed with everything, we decided to blow it all off and take our neighbor's offer to spend the first Sunday of summer on their boat. We had a blast!
So after a day on the boat, and my husband's birthday the next day, we were all set to begin the first week of summer. My husband was working the night shift and my oldest begins her three jobs and summer classes. I start making my list of to-dos and planning activities, menus, etc. I planned out everyday with details for completion of several projects. Then I got a phone call that my mother was sick with tremendous pain, and headed to the emergency room. Two days later she had surgery to correct a bowel mishap. She has been in the hospital attempting to recover ever since. I have spent my days at the hospital, while my sister spends her nights. I never dreamed this would happen.
Needless to say, I can't tell you how well the girls' Chore Charts are working out for us, because I haven't been here to stay on top of it. I can't tell you how the health improved menu is working out for us, because I've been buying dinner and bringing it home or we go out to eat. Mostly, I can't tell you if and when my mother will get released from the hospital because she is recovering slowly. She has good days, and she wants to get stronger every minute. One doctor is optomistic and thinks she will be home by Saturday or Sunday. Although the girls are disappointed that we had to cancel our first few summer events, they will be going to camp on Sunday for a week. I was looking forward to spending some time alone with my husband for our anniversary. If my mother doesn't go home by Sunday, we will most likely cancel our train trip to San Antonio. The rest of the week, my husband is working nights again. Sometimes these things happen. Who knows, maybe the train is going to crash and we just don't need to be on it. Hopefully, she will be much better and even home by the time the girls return, and we can start our summer at home then. AND, hopefully, the pool will be finished by then and we can SWIM.
So, the mice must be dead, and so are some of our plans. The doctor discovered and repaired the cause of my mothers pain, and in the process, they discovered a heart condition she wasn't even aware she had. Life is full of disapointments, and the girls learned that lesson this week. Life is still good even when we struggle and have disappointments. We will eventually get our summer back and we will have a great time together.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
First Week of Summer Break
Oh yeah, it is on. Texas is known for it's hot summers, and this year is no exception. We have been so super fortunate this year to begin the upper 90's early this summer, ugh! Although it hasn't broken 100 degrees yet, I have a feeling it is going to be one of those summers where we have a long string of 100+ degree days (for you Texans-remember the summer of 1980, whew!) So, the a/c has to run longer and more often to keep it cool in this house. When I start moving, cleaning and cooking, it just seems hot no matter what the thermostat is set on.
I am very excited. The pool is coming along. There is gunite in the big hole in the yard with plumbing and electrical stuff, and the plans are to complete the coping and tile work the end of the week. Hopefully, they will begin setting the forms for the decking next week. They cannot complete this pool fast enough. We were able to pick out our tile and finish choices this past weekend. I think it will match the exterior of the house nicely. We are rustic Texans, and the pool will be no different.
Today, I am working on my laundry room. I am installing a cabinet unit and reorganizing the stuff I keep in there. One major change for the room is relocating the pool gear and swim towels for easy access. While I am working on the installation, I am also washing all of our clothes, sheets, towels, and anything else that can be washed. I want to get it all done at once, and attempt to stay on top of it with a weekly schedule chart.
I succeeded in creating the Summer Chore Chart for the girls. I took away the obvious things like homework, and added a few things like cleaning the bathroom and taking the sheets off the bed for the laundry. Hopefully, with their help, we can get everything done first thing in the morning and play all afternoon and evening.
I have decided that cooking inside just makes it too hot in the kitchen. I am planning my menus to include more soups, sandwiches, grilled foods, and fresh vegetables and fruits. If I can organize myself like I hope to, I will plan to cook extra meats and veggies on the grill on Saturday and Sunday, and use them over the week to complete the other menu plans. Luckily, the girls enjoy grilled foods, especially grilled veggies and fruits. Once the pool is complete, I am hoping it will be more convenient to be outside with the girls and cook, too.
I should complete the cabinet installation and washing all of the clothes today, so tomorrow I plan to start working on de-cluttering the rest of the house. I have things piled here and there waiting on space to store it. It will definitely feel much lighter and less overwhelming around here when I don't see so much clutter. I told the girls I have devoted this entire week to cleaning, organizing, and de-cluttering the house. They are less than excited about that.
Next week, I have to address collecting all of the stuff the girls need for camp, and packing it so we can actually get it all there.
I am very excited. The pool is coming along. There is gunite in the big hole in the yard with plumbing and electrical stuff, and the plans are to complete the coping and tile work the end of the week. Hopefully, they will begin setting the forms for the decking next week. They cannot complete this pool fast enough. We were able to pick out our tile and finish choices this past weekend. I think it will match the exterior of the house nicely. We are rustic Texans, and the pool will be no different.
Today, I am working on my laundry room. I am installing a cabinet unit and reorganizing the stuff I keep in there. One major change for the room is relocating the pool gear and swim towels for easy access. While I am working on the installation, I am also washing all of our clothes, sheets, towels, and anything else that can be washed. I want to get it all done at once, and attempt to stay on top of it with a weekly schedule chart.
I succeeded in creating the Summer Chore Chart for the girls. I took away the obvious things like homework, and added a few things like cleaning the bathroom and taking the sheets off the bed for the laundry. Hopefully, with their help, we can get everything done first thing in the morning and play all afternoon and evening.
I have decided that cooking inside just makes it too hot in the kitchen. I am planning my menus to include more soups, sandwiches, grilled foods, and fresh vegetables and fruits. If I can organize myself like I hope to, I will plan to cook extra meats and veggies on the grill on Saturday and Sunday, and use them over the week to complete the other menu plans. Luckily, the girls enjoy grilled foods, especially grilled veggies and fruits. Once the pool is complete, I am hoping it will be more convenient to be outside with the girls and cook, too.
I should complete the cabinet installation and washing all of the clothes today, so tomorrow I plan to start working on de-cluttering the rest of the house. I have things piled here and there waiting on space to store it. It will definitely feel much lighter and less overwhelming around here when I don't see so much clutter. I told the girls I have devoted this entire week to cleaning, organizing, and de-cluttering the house. They are less than excited about that.
Next week, I have to address collecting all of the stuff the girls need for camp, and packing it so we can actually get it all there.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Summer is coming whether you are ready or not!
I am not ready. I have plans, but mostly ideas. We are not taking an actual vacation this year because we are putting in a pool...a pool that will not be ready until the end of June, if the weather cooperates. So that means that I get to entertain my girls until then. I know it will go by fast, but it is already so hot here in Texas, and they won't, and shouldn't, play outside during the middle part of the day. I have a stack of craft sets, boxes of craft supplies, and Netflix ready to use. Somehow it doesn't seem like it will be enough. I am confident that we will make. I promised them I would teach them to sew. I also promised that they would get to cook more often. All of this means, I will grow in patience.
I will take advantage of their middle school age to make them help me clean the house more this summer. I always think I will get a handle on it early in the summer, but I seem to get lazy and fail. When my oldest was home all summer, and she told me she was bored, I would have her help me clean. After a few times, she quit telling me she was bored. I'm not even going to trod down that path with the girls this summer. I have a list of things they will do each day of the week, that must be done before the, if any, fun begins. The discipline is actually on me. I must make myself make them do the work.
I created a Message Center in the kitchen, complete with calendar, magnetic boards, cork boards, and clipboards for checklists. Everything has a spot, a spot for shopping needs, a spot for messages, a spot for notes, etc. I am hoping, once again, that this space will help me keep it organized for everyone. I created it a few weeks back, and it is halfway working like it should. We keep up with the calendar and notes, but the To-do's and checklists seem to have been ignored. This is, of course, my fault. I vow today to make it a priority of mine to help the girls get their chores done!!
I have addressed chores, and home fun activities. I also have a couple of sports day camps reserved and a week where they go away to an overnight camp. I have a few mini-stayvation trips planned. We are going to a resort hotel for a night of fun, where we can crank up the air conditioning, eat junk food, and swim in the resort pool. We are going to visit NASA near Houston and stay at the Boardwalk in Kemah, and stop by the Battleship Texas and San Jacinto on the way. When the girls go to camp, my true love and I are taking a train ride to San Antonio and back to celebrate our anniversary.
So, chores, home activities, and mini-trips. And a swimming pool. 83 perimeter feet and 15,264 gallons of cool water fun, that is until August, when the water will feel like a bath. We are all willing to push through the heat to try to enjoy it :) I am hoping the pool will be the thing that makes my plans come together. Less laundry because they wear swimsuits most of the time. More fruits and veggies for snacks because they are on their way to play and want somthing light and quick. More smoothies instead of sugary juices because it's hot outside. I will be forced to eat fruits and veggies because that's what I will have to choose from. Since I'm not running as many errands outside in the heat, I won't be tempted to stop and get fast food.
There are three more days of school. My goal this week is to plan my shopping list for foods, finalize my weekly chores lists, and get a pedicure...I will deserve it by next week.
Hold on tight, here comes SUMMER!
I will take advantage of their middle school age to make them help me clean the house more this summer. I always think I will get a handle on it early in the summer, but I seem to get lazy and fail. When my oldest was home all summer, and she told me she was bored, I would have her help me clean. After a few times, she quit telling me she was bored. I'm not even going to trod down that path with the girls this summer. I have a list of things they will do each day of the week, that must be done before the, if any, fun begins. The discipline is actually on me. I must make myself make them do the work.
I created a Message Center in the kitchen, complete with calendar, magnetic boards, cork boards, and clipboards for checklists. Everything has a spot, a spot for shopping needs, a spot for messages, a spot for notes, etc. I am hoping, once again, that this space will help me keep it organized for everyone. I created it a few weeks back, and it is halfway working like it should. We keep up with the calendar and notes, but the To-do's and checklists seem to have been ignored. This is, of course, my fault. I vow today to make it a priority of mine to help the girls get their chores done!!
I have addressed chores, and home fun activities. I also have a couple of sports day camps reserved and a week where they go away to an overnight camp. I have a few mini-stayvation trips planned. We are going to a resort hotel for a night of fun, where we can crank up the air conditioning, eat junk food, and swim in the resort pool. We are going to visit NASA near Houston and stay at the Boardwalk in Kemah, and stop by the Battleship Texas and San Jacinto on the way. When the girls go to camp, my true love and I are taking a train ride to San Antonio and back to celebrate our anniversary.
So, chores, home activities, and mini-trips. And a swimming pool. 83 perimeter feet and 15,264 gallons of cool water fun, that is until August, when the water will feel like a bath. We are all willing to push through the heat to try to enjoy it :) I am hoping the pool will be the thing that makes my plans come together. Less laundry because they wear swimsuits most of the time. More fruits and veggies for snacks because they are on their way to play and want somthing light and quick. More smoothies instead of sugary juices because it's hot outside. I will be forced to eat fruits and veggies because that's what I will have to choose from. Since I'm not running as many errands outside in the heat, I won't be tempted to stop and get fast food.
There are three more days of school. My goal this week is to plan my shopping list for foods, finalize my weekly chores lists, and get a pedicure...I will deserve it by next week.
Hold on tight, here comes SUMMER!
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
So, where do I begin the effort to simplify my life?
The simple life may always be just an illusion for me. I research new ways to make things I do a little easier. I create plans and spreadsheets to follow. I build new devices that are supposed to make my chores and activities easier. Some work and some fail. In the end, the weakest link is me. I procrastinate. I drop the ball and I don't stick with the plan.
I know what I need to accomplish. I know what I need to do.
The short list of plans:
Problem:
I need to cook dinner most evenings, and send nutricious lunches to school most days. I need a meal plan that is quick and easy to prepare. I want to shop for food less often, save some money while doing it, and cook food that tastes good that my family likes to eat.
Solution:
I will create a meal plan to cover six weeks, that is full of entrees my family enjoys eating. I will attach needed recipes to meal plan. I will create a grocery list to accompany the meal plan. I will attempt to shop once a week, and spend one day chopping, combining, precooking, and freezing foods that can be prepared ahead of time. Hopefully, I will be much closer to completion when I begin cooking dinner for the day.
Problem:
I feel out of control and feel like the house could be cleaner. Recently, we added a dog to the family. She is a good dog, and she doesn't destroy anything in the house. She does, however, smell like a dog. I smell dog at other people's houses, and I don't want people to smell dog or cat when they come to mine. Although everything may be picked up and appear to be clean, I want to know that everything has been cleaned in my home at least once a week. A new feature to my life is wood floors and stained concrete. These floors show dirt and debris more than the ceramic tile I was used to cleaning.
Solution:
I will create a weekly chore list for the kids to assist me in keeping the house clean. I will create weekly, monthly, and yearly checklists for cleaning the house. I will research necessary shortcuts for cleaning. I will personally make myself clean areas concerning the dog, cat, and wood and concrete floors more often.
Problem:
I am overweight. I know this is a fact because I own mirrors. After battling a cold over Christmas, I lost 7 pounds. I have been able to keep that weight off by doing absolutely nothing. I would like to be 30 to 40 pounds lighter. I would like to wear smaller clothes and I would like to feel healthier.
Solution:
Lose weight, duh! I will eat less, eat better, and exercise more, and do that more often. It sounds so simple when I type it, but it isn't that simple in real life. I get busy taking care of my husband and the kids, and I put myself on hold. I I will change that.
So, today I begin my quest for a simpler, easy life. I will try to entertain you and inspire you with my ideas to make life easier. Here we go!
So, what's for dinner?
I know what I need to accomplish. I know what I need to do.
The short list of plans:
Problem:
I need to cook dinner most evenings, and send nutricious lunches to school most days. I need a meal plan that is quick and easy to prepare. I want to shop for food less often, save some money while doing it, and cook food that tastes good that my family likes to eat.
Solution:
I will create a meal plan to cover six weeks, that is full of entrees my family enjoys eating. I will attach needed recipes to meal plan. I will create a grocery list to accompany the meal plan. I will attempt to shop once a week, and spend one day chopping, combining, precooking, and freezing foods that can be prepared ahead of time. Hopefully, I will be much closer to completion when I begin cooking dinner for the day.
Problem:
I feel out of control and feel like the house could be cleaner. Recently, we added a dog to the family. She is a good dog, and she doesn't destroy anything in the house. She does, however, smell like a dog. I smell dog at other people's houses, and I don't want people to smell dog or cat when they come to mine. Although everything may be picked up and appear to be clean, I want to know that everything has been cleaned in my home at least once a week. A new feature to my life is wood floors and stained concrete. These floors show dirt and debris more than the ceramic tile I was used to cleaning.
Solution:
I will create a weekly chore list for the kids to assist me in keeping the house clean. I will create weekly, monthly, and yearly checklists for cleaning the house. I will research necessary shortcuts for cleaning. I will personally make myself clean areas concerning the dog, cat, and wood and concrete floors more often.
Problem:
I am overweight. I know this is a fact because I own mirrors. After battling a cold over Christmas, I lost 7 pounds. I have been able to keep that weight off by doing absolutely nothing. I would like to be 30 to 40 pounds lighter. I would like to wear smaller clothes and I would like to feel healthier.
Solution:
Lose weight, duh! I will eat less, eat better, and exercise more, and do that more often. It sounds so simple when I type it, but it isn't that simple in real life. I get busy taking care of my husband and the kids, and I put myself on hold. I I will change that.
So, today I begin my quest for a simpler, easy life. I will try to entertain you and inspire you with my ideas to make life easier. Here we go!
So, what's for dinner?
So, why blog?
Motivation? A really good friend told me once we suffer from two different afflictions: CHAOS-Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome, and But(t) First-I am going to put away the laundry, BUT FIRST I need to take this pair of shoes to my closet...any stay at home mother can tell you about But First.
Some of my friends think that I am so organized and my house seems to always be clean. Just because I have labels on everything, and there is a basket or box for everything we own, doesn't meant that everything is in the box. And...by all means, it does not mean that I have vacuumed, swept, or mopped recently. I feel just as out of control as everyone else. I long for simplicity. I long for a quick and easy way to get everything done, too. That being said, I will plan these things and post solutions. By posting these solutions, perhaps I can improve your lives as well, and we will all live happily ever after.
I am a stay at home wife and mother, but that's not to say I don't have a job. I never worked this hard when I was a project engineer designer, with deadlines, working sixty hours a week. The projects are occasionally messier, sometimes take much longer to accomplish, and I work longer than ten hours a day, but I wouldn't trade this job for any other.
I have a wonderful husband that loves his family, but most importantly loves his job. I love being instrumental in making sure that those two things don't change. I need him to know that loving his job is just as important to me, and that means I handle most things in our lives so he can work. Once that is accomplished, he can enjoy the time with his family more when he is home. We have been married twelve years, and he is my very best friend.
We have three daughters. The oldest daugher is 20 years old and finishing her third year of college. She lives at home, works practically full time, and attends school full time. She is a strong, confident woman, and I am very proud of her. She is working so hard at make something of her life. The other two daughters are our 11 year old twins. They are in the sixth grade. I take the girls to and from school, help operate the PTA, take them to soccer, dance, and piano lessons, and many, many other things.
Where do I begin my effort to simplify my life?
Some of my friends think that I am so organized and my house seems to always be clean. Just because I have labels on everything, and there is a basket or box for everything we own, doesn't meant that everything is in the box. And...by all means, it does not mean that I have vacuumed, swept, or mopped recently. I feel just as out of control as everyone else. I long for simplicity. I long for a quick and easy way to get everything done, too. That being said, I will plan these things and post solutions. By posting these solutions, perhaps I can improve your lives as well, and we will all live happily ever after.
I am a stay at home wife and mother, but that's not to say I don't have a job. I never worked this hard when I was a project engineer designer, with deadlines, working sixty hours a week. The projects are occasionally messier, sometimes take much longer to accomplish, and I work longer than ten hours a day, but I wouldn't trade this job for any other.
I have a wonderful husband that loves his family, but most importantly loves his job. I love being instrumental in making sure that those two things don't change. I need him to know that loving his job is just as important to me, and that means I handle most things in our lives so he can work. Once that is accomplished, he can enjoy the time with his family more when he is home. We have been married twelve years, and he is my very best friend.
We have three daughters. The oldest daugher is 20 years old and finishing her third year of college. She lives at home, works practically full time, and attends school full time. She is a strong, confident woman, and I am very proud of her. She is working so hard at make something of her life. The other two daughters are our 11 year old twins. They are in the sixth grade. I take the girls to and from school, help operate the PTA, take them to soccer, dance, and piano lessons, and many, many other things.
Where do I begin my effort to simplify my life?
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