It's been a busy few days. My birthday was Friday. (34!) John had the day off from work because his company was sponsoring a picnic at the zoo! So! I got to go to the zoo for my birthday! It was a hot day, but everyone had a good time, and I got to do a little shopping on the way home. Plus, John drove us past where he works. Horrible commute, and I wouldn't do it for all the money in the wide world. I h.a.t.e. city driving. Hate it. So, it's a good thing he's him and I'm me! :O)
Anyway, the next day was the 2 year anniversary of the day we met the kids. That really hit me. The anniversary of the day we MET the kids seems more "whoa" to me than the anniversary of the day we brought them home. It means, "Before this, these kids were not in our lives." Unreal to me that it has only been two years. It's nothing! It's a blink! And yet, to our family, they have been the Only years we've had together. Two Enormous years. Every month has been different... a different dynamic, a different feel, a different "texture" to our family. Thankfully the texture has been Smoother lately! ;O)
We celebrated the event by finding a teeny little Ukrainian deli about 30 minutes away. It had all of two tables for us to choose from, but there were a few aisles of Ukrainian foods that we could browse and shop. We found some Ukrainian Juice which we about jumped out of our skins with excitement to find. None of our favorite "Banana" but they did have "banana-pineapple" which is reminiscient enough of the Real Deal to send us back down Memory Lane pretty heavily.
We also found little circle ring-shaped cookies that the kids call "bubliky" (someone know the real name, or know if this is correct?) The kids were thrilled to have found those, and couldn't contain their excitement. The ladies behind the counter raised their eyebrows a few times at us! ;O) They also spoke Russian, which the kids enjoyed, but they got really over-stimulated by all of the above. Liana was especially over-done, but we all enjoyed a good meal of borscht, bliny (I think that's what it's called...), and a few other things. Including some beer for Adam. That was an accident. We don't read Ukrainian you know. ;O) He took one taste of his bottle (we all chose our own bottled beverage out of a cooler), and said, "Yuck! Beer!" Oops. The lady behind the counter said it was non-alcoholic though, so we felt a *little* better, but still!
Monday, July 31, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Hopscotch
It's been our routine lately for us all to go outside and hang out in the afternoons if it isn't too hot out.
Yesterday we were out in the driveway playing Hopscotch. Adam wasn't so sure about playing it until I had to do a quick Google search to recall all the rules. It said that Hopscotch was played by Roman soldiers to help them train in nimbleness in their footwork. He changed his tune then, after he heard it was originally for soldiers training for battle! I was really glad about that, as it is reallllllly good for his balance. He is a TON more balanced and nimble than when he first came home. He couldn't stand on one foot for longer than about three seconds, and I'm not exaggerating. When the PT tested him, he could barely do it at all, and Flunked the test big time, testing at about the 3yo level on that particular skill. It was horrible. With the exercises and stretches we've been having him do, however, he has improved tremendously. He showed off the other night how long he could stand on one foot, and John and I about fell over ourselves... He's doing things now that I never thought he would.
Anyway, back to the hopscotch game. Liana was trying to drop her rock on the number 4 and just couldn't do it. I gave her several tries, but even when she couldn't do it, she insisted on having more tries. Aleksa was sitting on my lap watching, and I was beginning to chuckle at Liana's determination. I said something like, "One more try, huh, Liana?" And then I began to add, "Oh yeah, I forgot..." when Aleksa turned around to me and finished my sentence for me, "She's a stubborn Ukrainian, Mama." I often tell the kids they are "Stubborn Ukrainians" when the persevere so hard about things. My dad always tells me I'm a "Stubborn Norwegian" so I guess it's a carry-over from him. I thought it was funny though, that Leks was so matter-of-fact about it.
By the way, Aleksa won. Liana lost interst after not being able to get her rock where she wanted it, and Adam couldn't quite get his rock where he wanted it either. Leks loved it though, and continued playing it by herself long after the other two scrambled off to find something more exciting to do.
Yesterday we were out in the driveway playing Hopscotch. Adam wasn't so sure about playing it until I had to do a quick Google search to recall all the rules. It said that Hopscotch was played by Roman soldiers to help them train in nimbleness in their footwork. He changed his tune then, after he heard it was originally for soldiers training for battle! I was really glad about that, as it is reallllllly good for his balance. He is a TON more balanced and nimble than when he first came home. He couldn't stand on one foot for longer than about three seconds, and I'm not exaggerating. When the PT tested him, he could barely do it at all, and Flunked the test big time, testing at about the 3yo level on that particular skill. It was horrible. With the exercises and stretches we've been having him do, however, he has improved tremendously. He showed off the other night how long he could stand on one foot, and John and I about fell over ourselves... He's doing things now that I never thought he would.
Anyway, back to the hopscotch game. Liana was trying to drop her rock on the number 4 and just couldn't do it. I gave her several tries, but even when she couldn't do it, she insisted on having more tries. Aleksa was sitting on my lap watching, and I was beginning to chuckle at Liana's determination. I said something like, "One more try, huh, Liana?" And then I began to add, "Oh yeah, I forgot..." when Aleksa turned around to me and finished my sentence for me, "She's a stubborn Ukrainian, Mama." I often tell the kids they are "Stubborn Ukrainians" when the persevere so hard about things. My dad always tells me I'm a "Stubborn Norwegian" so I guess it's a carry-over from him. I thought it was funny though, that Leks was so matter-of-fact about it.
By the way, Aleksa won. Liana lost interst after not being able to get her rock where she wanted it, and Adam couldn't quite get his rock where he wanted it either. Leks loved it though, and continued playing it by herself long after the other two scrambled off to find something more exciting to do.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
I am Contraband!
Got an email from a friend today. She's teaching some Ed classes in China for a few weeks this summer, and is there right now. She wrote to tell me that evidently there must be something horrible about my blog that the Chinese government doesn't like... She has tried to access it without success since she arrived.
She said she also tried to do a Google search on Tiennemen Square and nothing would pop up for her. Everything was "Page Not Found."
I find that fascinating.
So tonight, I'm thanking God for the freedoms I have to learn, read, think, say and do (pretty much) what I want in this country. I so easily forget that there are those who don't have that luxury...
She said she also tried to do a Google search on Tiennemen Square and nothing would pop up for her. Everything was "Page Not Found."
I find that fascinating.
So tonight, I'm thanking God for the freedoms I have to learn, read, think, say and do (pretty much) what I want in this country. I so easily forget that there are those who don't have that luxury...
Clean Garage
Leksa was playing, and Liana was sweeping the garage when up the driveway comes a police officer. I was sitting just inside the garage, so he drove alllll the way up the driveway (which is rather long) to talk to me. He wanted to know if I'd seen a white van with anyone in it who have been knocking on peoples' doors. Nope. I hadn't seen it.
As he was getting ready to pull away, he noticed Liana and the broom. He says to her, "Well, you keep on cleaning young lady!" Liana looks up at him bewildered and saucer-eyed. I quickly nodded and said, "Yeah, Liana, the policeman said so!" and then I gave him a double thumbs up behind her back. Then he added, "And I'll be back tomorrow to check out your work!" He laughed all the way back down the driveway...
I've never had a better swept garage....
As he was getting ready to pull away, he noticed Liana and the broom. He says to her, "Well, you keep on cleaning young lady!" Liana looks up at him bewildered and saucer-eyed. I quickly nodded and said, "Yeah, Liana, the policeman said so!" and then I gave him a double thumbs up behind her back. Then he added, "And I'll be back tomorrow to check out your work!" He laughed all the way back down the driveway...
I've never had a better swept garage....
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
"Liana Loves Sean"
This week at church we're having VBS... So tonight during craft time, evidently Liana wrote on her project, "Liana loves Sean." Sean is an "older" boy of about 12... very smart, handsome, etc. Well, she didn't just write it. She said it to him and everyone at the table. And she batted her eyelashes. And pretty much scared the poor boy To Death. He got so embarassed his ears got red!
So, on the way home, I asked her if she maybe embarassed him a bit, and asked her how it made her look herself. (I had been told the whole story from her teacher...) She hadn't considered that. The more she thought about it, the more mortified she got. I mean Mortified. I could see the humiliation wash over her face. She crinkled her face and kept saying, "Oh, this makes my guts run out." (Evidently, her English isn't quite perfect yet! John and I laugh at how many expressions she uses wrongly with the word "guts.") She continued kicking herself and feeling mortified all the way through bedtime. I think this was the first time I've seen her feeling anywhere like this. She's my big almost 8-yr-old, and it is beginning to show!
I tried to make her feel better by telling her that when I was her age, I probably would have had a crush on Sean too, and that she had picked a good one to like, etc. And I told her I liked other boys too at her age. She asked me what my parents told her about it. I had to tell her that I was too shy to even talk to the boys I liked, so my parents didn't have to say a thing. That didn't make her feel any better. lol!
I told John later that I really liked this new Liana we're beginning to see. The old one wouldn't have cared one hoot if Sean was embarrassed or not, as long as she was having a good ole time. It's definitely a new leaf she's turning... I like it!
So, on the way home, I asked her if she maybe embarassed him a bit, and asked her how it made her look herself. (I had been told the whole story from her teacher...) She hadn't considered that. The more she thought about it, the more mortified she got. I mean Mortified. I could see the humiliation wash over her face. She crinkled her face and kept saying, "Oh, this makes my guts run out." (Evidently, her English isn't quite perfect yet! John and I laugh at how many expressions she uses wrongly with the word "guts.") She continued kicking herself and feeling mortified all the way through bedtime. I think this was the first time I've seen her feeling anywhere like this. She's my big almost 8-yr-old, and it is beginning to show!
I tried to make her feel better by telling her that when I was her age, I probably would have had a crush on Sean too, and that she had picked a good one to like, etc. And I told her I liked other boys too at her age. She asked me what my parents told her about it. I had to tell her that I was too shy to even talk to the boys I liked, so my parents didn't have to say a thing. That didn't make her feel any better. lol!
I told John later that I really liked this new Liana we're beginning to see. The old one wouldn't have cared one hoot if Sean was embarrassed or not, as long as she was having a good ole time. It's definitely a new leaf she's turning... I like it!
Monday, July 17, 2006
23 Months Home
Wow, just one more month and we'll have made it to Two Whole Years Home. I just plain can't believe it.
We've been having smooth sailing until a few days ago. Some trust issues have come up with Adam that we probably would have expected to have happened a year ago, but not THIS year. I guess two steps forward three steps back? I guess with our kiddos, the stuff they've dealt with in their short lives will just pop up from time to time and remind us that they do indeed carry baggage of sorts.
That said, however, I'd say that our Adam has made gigantic strides this month/summer with almost everything. The relationship I have with him has never been better. He has made some good friends here in the neighborhood, though his "best" friends are still lots younger than he. They are about 8 years old, and that is about how old he is emotionally and intellectually. It's just unfortunate that he is packaged in a tall 11 1/2 yo body. It would make all our lives a lot easier, I'm sure!
John was just telling me yesterday that Adam was reading a see-through plastic sign from behind, and could read the sign even though it was backwards. That's big, big, big for him. He's been doing great with his reading. Math is still an absolute killer for him, but if we let him use his math blocks/rods, he can figure out the answers... wrote memory is a killer for him. It goes excruciatingly slow for him.
With Liana turning 8 in just a few weeks, that makes my oldest two seem more like twins in a lot of ways. And actually, with Aleksa making such progress with her reading, etc., it almost feels like triplets. Not *quite*, but almost. In another year it just very well may! But, I expect that Adam will cruise ahead a bit in this year too, so who knows.
Liana is doing really well too. That Super Strong Will of hers is losing its grip on her a bit, and I have seen her really yield that will several times recently. It will probably always be a part of her personality, but I know she is actually "working on it" now. She reflexively sassed our pastor's wife the other day and since I was *right* there to witness it, I took her in the bathroom for a chit-chat. We were in there all of about three seconds and she was genuinely sorry. Her conscience had started to bother her before my line of questioning started in. (We always try to start our "lectures" with a bunch of questions. Gets them to think, and their hearts are reached more effectively.) So, yay, our bathroom visit was only a few minutes long, and she marched HERSELF (as in, without me telling her to), over to Mrs. B. and apologized, and later colored her a picture to further demonstrate her remorse. YAY Liana!!! I know kids born and raised here in the USA who would NEVER, EVER have humbled themselves like that. Very proud Mama. :O)
Leks is Leks. Flying under the radar as usual, but has been caught a few times more often lately. She'll ask me if she can do something, and of course, being a good mom, I say "no way" to some of her requests. Well, she'll sometimes *very quietly* do it anyway. She figures if I'm busy I won't notice or something. So, I've had to pay extra attention to her lately. With her developing intellect has come extra skill at getting away with things.
She's been really maturing lately. Instead of being afraid of every little thing as she was a year or more ago (I would need to go back and re-read my updates), she is actually more mature than a lot of other kids I've been meeting her age. She's social, smart, articulate, creative. (A little too creative though... she drew me a picture the other day of a mama and child... and the mama had all her parts... *cough, cough* I didn't know what it was, and when I asked her, she said that part was for her to go to the bathroom. Alrighty then...) She's also TALL. She's in the 75th percentile for height, and when we brought her home from Ukraine, she wasn't even on the chart for height. Liana is still a few inches taller than she is,s but I have a feeling Leks will cruise past her in a few years.
It's been a good summer. Lately we've hit some bumps, but ya know, no family is perfect. I wouldn't trade mine for anything!
We've been having smooth sailing until a few days ago. Some trust issues have come up with Adam that we probably would have expected to have happened a year ago, but not THIS year. I guess two steps forward three steps back? I guess with our kiddos, the stuff they've dealt with in their short lives will just pop up from time to time and remind us that they do indeed carry baggage of sorts.
That said, however, I'd say that our Adam has made gigantic strides this month/summer with almost everything. The relationship I have with him has never been better. He has made some good friends here in the neighborhood, though his "best" friends are still lots younger than he. They are about 8 years old, and that is about how old he is emotionally and intellectually. It's just unfortunate that he is packaged in a tall 11 1/2 yo body. It would make all our lives a lot easier, I'm sure!
John was just telling me yesterday that Adam was reading a see-through plastic sign from behind, and could read the sign even though it was backwards. That's big, big, big for him. He's been doing great with his reading. Math is still an absolute killer for him, but if we let him use his math blocks/rods, he can figure out the answers... wrote memory is a killer for him. It goes excruciatingly slow for him.
With Liana turning 8 in just a few weeks, that makes my oldest two seem more like twins in a lot of ways. And actually, with Aleksa making such progress with her reading, etc., it almost feels like triplets. Not *quite*, but almost. In another year it just very well may! But, I expect that Adam will cruise ahead a bit in this year too, so who knows.
Liana is doing really well too. That Super Strong Will of hers is losing its grip on her a bit, and I have seen her really yield that will several times recently. It will probably always be a part of her personality, but I know she is actually "working on it" now. She reflexively sassed our pastor's wife the other day and since I was *right* there to witness it, I took her in the bathroom for a chit-chat. We were in there all of about three seconds and she was genuinely sorry. Her conscience had started to bother her before my line of questioning started in. (We always try to start our "lectures" with a bunch of questions. Gets them to think, and their hearts are reached more effectively.) So, yay, our bathroom visit was only a few minutes long, and she marched HERSELF (as in, without me telling her to), over to Mrs. B. and apologized, and later colored her a picture to further demonstrate her remorse. YAY Liana!!! I know kids born and raised here in the USA who would NEVER, EVER have humbled themselves like that. Very proud Mama. :O)
Leks is Leks. Flying under the radar as usual, but has been caught a few times more often lately. She'll ask me if she can do something, and of course, being a good mom, I say "no way" to some of her requests. Well, she'll sometimes *very quietly* do it anyway. She figures if I'm busy I won't notice or something. So, I've had to pay extra attention to her lately. With her developing intellect has come extra skill at getting away with things.
She's been really maturing lately. Instead of being afraid of every little thing as she was a year or more ago (I would need to go back and re-read my updates), she is actually more mature than a lot of other kids I've been meeting her age. She's social, smart, articulate, creative. (A little too creative though... she drew me a picture the other day of a mama and child... and the mama had all her parts... *cough, cough* I didn't know what it was, and when I asked her, she said that part was for her to go to the bathroom. Alrighty then...) She's also TALL. She's in the 75th percentile for height, and when we brought her home from Ukraine, she wasn't even on the chart for height. Liana is still a few inches taller than she is,s but I have a feeling Leks will cruise past her in a few years.
It's been a good summer. Lately we've hit some bumps, but ya know, no family is perfect. I wouldn't trade mine for anything!
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Parting is such sweet sorrow
Oh Bro-THER. You shoulda seen my kids at breakfast...
The girls usually sit on one side of the table, and Adam on the other. This morning Adam asked Liana, "Please, won't you sit on my side with me today? You always sit with Aleksa!"
Liana sighed, turned to Aleksa and said, "Aleksa, I'll miss you, but I should sit with Adam today." And she gave her sister a big hug. Leks told her she'd miss her too. And it wasn't a "quick" hug. It was an I'm-probably-not-going-to-see-you-for-a-year kind of a hug.
It's so hard being separated like that.
LOL
The girls usually sit on one side of the table, and Adam on the other. This morning Adam asked Liana, "Please, won't you sit on my side with me today? You always sit with Aleksa!"
Liana sighed, turned to Aleksa and said, "Aleksa, I'll miss you, but I should sit with Adam today." And she gave her sister a big hug. Leks told her she'd miss her too. And it wasn't a "quick" hug. It was an I'm-probably-not-going-to-see-you-for-a-year kind of a hug.
It's so hard being separated like that.
LOL
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Bunny Trails
Woke up a little later today. Heard the shower running downstairs (Adam) and knew my day had started without me. Groan. I need to start going to bed earlier.
Just wanted to recap my day so far since I've chuckled more than once at how many bunny trails I've been on today. My "summer schedule" isn't working out so great for Mama. The kids love it, but I'm feeling a little discombubbled. (Is that a word?)
Anyway, we did accomplish our morning routine - it just got done later and breakfast started a little later than usual. But it's summer, right? ;O) After we ate, the kids did their summer math/reading routine. That took all of about an hour. Tops. They also have a little writing they need to do.
After that, we had our read-aloud time. We're re-reading "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" since Aleksa said she didn't remember it when we read it the first time. For SHAME, we all said. It's still the older kids' all-time favorite. So, I decided that would be on the summer reading list. Anyway, when you read that book, you MUST, I repeat, MUST have a candybar. We bought each kid a giant Symphany bar of their own to last throughout the book. So, yesterday was the first day of reading, and I made the mistake of saying that they could keep it in their room and sneak a bite here and there if they wanted to, but that the book was 30 chapters long, and the candy had to last that long. Well, oops. Leksa ate almost the whole thing before I caught on. I took it away from her when she had three little segments left. Oy. Anyway, today Mama confiscated the chocolate after our reading was done. We need some more lessons in Self Control evidently!
After that, it was getting awful hot, so I had the kids help me put together some mixes for some future baking. I've been putting the dry ingredients of often-made baked goods into big ziploc bags so when it is time to bake, I don't have to mess with flour and sugar, etc. I've made up mixes for pancakes, chocolate chip cookies, tortillas (I've been making my own; YUMMY), granola, bread sticks, and today we did mixes for sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, and bunch of batches of bread for the bread machine. Feels good to have all that work already done. The kids each hold out a ziploc bag while I measure and dump. So we have three batches of each of these goodies squirreled away. Some of 'em we have 6 each. I need more flour!
After my mix-making extravaganza, I was noticing the sticky feet thing from the gross stuff on the floor. Flour and sugar on the bottom of my feet sorta gross me out. ;O) So, I had the kids take out all the chairs from the kitchen, and I swept and wanted to mop. Oops, I looked at the time, and couldn't believe it was after our regular lunch time. Great. So, I drop the mop idea (for now), and make lunch. I called in the kids to eat, and instead of dragging in all the chairs, we ate our lunches UNDER the table on the floor. Cool. I got to be functional and a "cool mom" all at the same time. The kids thought it was great that Mama was getting so psycho.
While under the table, I noticed that the plastic see-through table cloth on the table (I've mentioned it before), is getting grungy. It needs to be taken off and cleaned. I also notice that both of my girls are wearing skirts. Again. They're both on a big-time skirt kick. They won't wear play pants anymore lately. Which means they have all of about three skirts to choose from. They don't care if they don't match anything else they have or if they are dirty, they like 'em, and say they are more princess-like. Not to mention cooler. (It's been super-hot lately). Great. I wonder how much fabric I have in my stash to make them a few other play skirts. I don't want the neighbors talking... So, I tell the girls that after lunch we should go up to my room and check the fabric stash. Adam asks what he can do. I tell him he could pop in a dvd to watch while us girls are scoping the fabric. Cool.
So, after lunch, we march upstairs. I have forgotten about mopping. Oops. We find a few things, and Adam and the girls all enjoy a Christmas dvd that I wouldn't usually let them watch except at Christmas. Aftwerwards, we all go downstairs, and I notice that I have kitchen chairs all over the livingroom. Oh, Shelly, you're such a scatter-brain today. So, I finish mopping. I'm currently letting the floor dry while the kids are outside playing. After I'm done typing, I'll get the chairs back under the table, make sure to wash down the table cloth better, and then start supper. John will be home in an hour and a half. Still need to water the tomatoes, return an email and dry some laundry.
Even though it was a "fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants day," I'm not sure I would have changed a thing. I loved every minute.
Just wanted to recap my day so far since I've chuckled more than once at how many bunny trails I've been on today. My "summer schedule" isn't working out so great for Mama. The kids love it, but I'm feeling a little discombubbled. (Is that a word?)
Anyway, we did accomplish our morning routine - it just got done later and breakfast started a little later than usual. But it's summer, right? ;O) After we ate, the kids did their summer math/reading routine. That took all of about an hour. Tops. They also have a little writing they need to do.
After that, we had our read-aloud time. We're re-reading "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" since Aleksa said she didn't remember it when we read it the first time. For SHAME, we all said. It's still the older kids' all-time favorite. So, I decided that would be on the summer reading list. Anyway, when you read that book, you MUST, I repeat, MUST have a candybar. We bought each kid a giant Symphany bar of their own to last throughout the book. So, yesterday was the first day of reading, and I made the mistake of saying that they could keep it in their room and sneak a bite here and there if they wanted to, but that the book was 30 chapters long, and the candy had to last that long. Well, oops. Leksa ate almost the whole thing before I caught on. I took it away from her when she had three little segments left. Oy. Anyway, today Mama confiscated the chocolate after our reading was done. We need some more lessons in Self Control evidently!
After that, it was getting awful hot, so I had the kids help me put together some mixes for some future baking. I've been putting the dry ingredients of often-made baked goods into big ziploc bags so when it is time to bake, I don't have to mess with flour and sugar, etc. I've made up mixes for pancakes, chocolate chip cookies, tortillas (I've been making my own; YUMMY), granola, bread sticks, and today we did mixes for sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, and bunch of batches of bread for the bread machine. Feels good to have all that work already done. The kids each hold out a ziploc bag while I measure and dump. So we have three batches of each of these goodies squirreled away. Some of 'em we have 6 each. I need more flour!
After my mix-making extravaganza, I was noticing the sticky feet thing from the gross stuff on the floor. Flour and sugar on the bottom of my feet sorta gross me out. ;O) So, I had the kids take out all the chairs from the kitchen, and I swept and wanted to mop. Oops, I looked at the time, and couldn't believe it was after our regular lunch time. Great. So, I drop the mop idea (for now), and make lunch. I called in the kids to eat, and instead of dragging in all the chairs, we ate our lunches UNDER the table on the floor. Cool. I got to be functional and a "cool mom" all at the same time. The kids thought it was great that Mama was getting so psycho.
While under the table, I noticed that the plastic see-through table cloth on the table (I've mentioned it before), is getting grungy. It needs to be taken off and cleaned. I also notice that both of my girls are wearing skirts. Again. They're both on a big-time skirt kick. They won't wear play pants anymore lately. Which means they have all of about three skirts to choose from. They don't care if they don't match anything else they have or if they are dirty, they like 'em, and say they are more princess-like. Not to mention cooler. (It's been super-hot lately). Great. I wonder how much fabric I have in my stash to make them a few other play skirts. I don't want the neighbors talking... So, I tell the girls that after lunch we should go up to my room and check the fabric stash. Adam asks what he can do. I tell him he could pop in a dvd to watch while us girls are scoping the fabric. Cool.
So, after lunch, we march upstairs. I have forgotten about mopping. Oops. We find a few things, and Adam and the girls all enjoy a Christmas dvd that I wouldn't usually let them watch except at Christmas. Aftwerwards, we all go downstairs, and I notice that I have kitchen chairs all over the livingroom. Oh, Shelly, you're such a scatter-brain today. So, I finish mopping. I'm currently letting the floor dry while the kids are outside playing. After I'm done typing, I'll get the chairs back under the table, make sure to wash down the table cloth better, and then start supper. John will be home in an hour and a half. Still need to water the tomatoes, return an email and dry some laundry.
Even though it was a "fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants day," I'm not sure I would have changed a thing. I loved every minute.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Odd-ball mothers
Once our school year wrapped up and we started our light work of just math and reading for the rest of the summer, the kids were thrilled to be able to go outside and play with the neighbor kids earlier in the day. That isn't the case though. Because now the neighbor kids are away at day care all day instead of off at school. Makes me sad that there aren't more moms out there who stay home with their kids, (or rather, WANT to stay home even.) It doesn't bother me when moms HAVE to work for one reason or another, but by and large I've been meeting women who think staying at home is beneath them. They have a degree! Can't waste that! They'd go crazy all day with kids! They'd be bored all day. Blah, blah, blah.
One of the neighbor ladies told me this week that she was glad she didn't have more kids because she couldn't handle the two she had, and didn't really relate to kids very well. Her own children! It made me incredibly sad.
Guess I've been feeling rather odd-ballish lately for my choice to stay home. Really wishing being June Cleaver-like were a little more in vogue. I'm definitely an odd duck around here.
One of the neighbor ladies told me this week that she was glad she didn't have more kids because she couldn't handle the two she had, and didn't really relate to kids very well. Her own children! It made me incredibly sad.
Guess I've been feeling rather odd-ballish lately for my choice to stay home. Really wishing being June Cleaver-like were a little more in vogue. I'm definitely an odd duck around here.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Creatures in the Wall
Woke up this morning to the sounds of a Critter of some sort crawling Inside My Bedroom Wall. Freaked Me Out. I tried really hard to dismiss it, and convince myself that I was still half-asleep but when I heard something actually shake itself off, let me tell you, I was UP. I had visions of mice, or even *gulp* a Hamster scurrying around chewing wires in the walls and dying in there - or worse yet, MULTIPLYING.
I couldn't get myself down to Adam's room fast enough to check and see if Susie Cute was safe and sound in her little cage. She was. *whew* Or maybe not "whew" - at least I would know that Susie was a FRIENDLY rodent inside my wall, and not a nasty vile thing that perhaps came a-nesting because I'm not a good enough housekeeper. *waaaaah!*
So, by this time John is awake. I come back into our room and he asks, "What is that noise?" (Yikes, he heard it too! It must be really there! I had thought maybe I could pretend I was imagining things and go back to bed.) I tell him I think there is a mouse or something in the wall (we are in a rental house afterall!)
He valiantly comes to my rescue. I wonder how he's going to get the thing OUT. About right them I'm ready to pass him the sledgehammer. He decides to take a more conservative approach and instead look out the window. Our room is on the second story. He tries to look straight down, and thinks he sees something, so he takes off the screen so he can crane his head out. There is a small hooded vent of some sort just a few feet below the window. (Dryer vent?) And! We see a mama and papa BLUEBIRD (with twigs/grass in their beaks), sitting on our satellite below that. They were looking up at us wondering who we were and what we thought we were doing here. (And evidently did not appreciate us interrupting their busy morning.)
Let me just say that the thought of The Bluebirds of Happiness nesting in our vent is a MUCH better feeling than the thought of mice in the walls. Talk about opposite extremes! Nevertheless, I'm up for the day. Way too much adrenaline coursing through my veins.
I couldn't get myself down to Adam's room fast enough to check and see if Susie Cute was safe and sound in her little cage. She was. *whew* Or maybe not "whew" - at least I would know that Susie was a FRIENDLY rodent inside my wall, and not a nasty vile thing that perhaps came a-nesting because I'm not a good enough housekeeper. *waaaaah!*
So, by this time John is awake. I come back into our room and he asks, "What is that noise?" (Yikes, he heard it too! It must be really there! I had thought maybe I could pretend I was imagining things and go back to bed.) I tell him I think there is a mouse or something in the wall (we are in a rental house afterall!)
He valiantly comes to my rescue. I wonder how he's going to get the thing OUT. About right them I'm ready to pass him the sledgehammer. He decides to take a more conservative approach and instead look out the window. Our room is on the second story. He tries to look straight down, and thinks he sees something, so he takes off the screen so he can crane his head out. There is a small hooded vent of some sort just a few feet below the window. (Dryer vent?) And! We see a mama and papa BLUEBIRD (with twigs/grass in their beaks), sitting on our satellite below that. They were looking up at us wondering who we were and what we thought we were doing here. (And evidently did not appreciate us interrupting their busy morning.)
Let me just say that the thought of The Bluebirds of Happiness nesting in our vent is a MUCH better feeling than the thought of mice in the walls. Talk about opposite extremes! Nevertheless, I'm up for the day. Way too much adrenaline coursing through my veins.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Leksa fell off her bike
...and she landed on her Ear.
How did she do that? I dunno. But there isn't a scratch on her except for on her ear. She cried and cried. Hard to be a good mama when you're trying so hard to stifle a chuckle... This is the same girl who slammed her ear in the car door. Still scratching my head over that one too.
How did she do that? I dunno. But there isn't a scratch on her except for on her ear. She cried and cried. Hard to be a good mama when you're trying so hard to stifle a chuckle... This is the same girl who slammed her ear in the car door. Still scratching my head over that one too.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Full Circle
Things have come full circle to a point. Yesterday I was telling the kids what Independence Day was all about, and explained that one of the ways we are "independent" is that we have the right to vote for our own president. Then I asked the kids if they remember coming with us to vote. I then chuckled thinking of the first time we took them to vote - it was the Presidential election a few years ago, when the kids first came home. The kids had been *angels* waiting in line, etc., and after we left the building, Liana grumbled, "Presents, No!" Evidently she had thought she was going to be getting a Present, not a President.
Anyway, I told that story to the kids yesterday, and Liana sure laughed that she had misunderstood me. Kind of fun to be at the point where THEY are enjoying the humor of what they said/thought those first months home.
Anyway, I told that story to the kids yesterday, and Liana sure laughed that she had misunderstood me. Kind of fun to be at the point where THEY are enjoying the humor of what they said/thought those first months home.
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