So, here's the thing. I hate driving. Like, with a passion. I don't mind, nay, I actually enjoy, driving around town and anywhere that takes less than an hour. But road trips? Fuggedaboutit. I love GOING on road trips, but only if I don't have to drive. When I am a passenger I enjoy cozying up in the front seat with my blankie and pillow pet and taking nice, long naps interspersed with a little scenery-watching and some gas-station trips that are a good excuse to buy Reese's peanut butter cups "for the road."
I recently took a very long road trip with my husband. 1400 miles to be exact. We spread it out over three days and it was lovely! The scenery! The adventure! I only took one nap! And I didn't drive a single mile. When I asked my husband why he brought me along on this trip if he was just going to drive the whole way anyway, he said "for the company." I'm good company. But I'm not a good driver. Not like that - I've only had two speeding tickets and no accidents since I got my license at age 16. So, I'm a "good" driver, but I'm not a happy driver. Not when it means going long distances and/or driving in bad weather.
For instance, tonight I drove 141 miles one-way to pick up my daughter. She was visiting her mom on the other side of the state and the destination is our "middle ground." Mapquest says it takes 2 hrs and 15 minutes to arrive at my destination. That was about right. What Mapquest doesn't say is that it will rain and blow wind most of the way, and my car will suddenly hydroplane, leaving me panicked and confused. Mapquest does not tell me that on the way home, I will drive through miles of construction where the lines are "temporary" and, with the blinding rain and lights, nearly invisible so that I'm not sure which lane I'm in and I have to rely on my 13 year old son telling me I'm not running over the "lines" into the other lane. Add to this my son playing "dubstep" music at full volume and I am in serious need of a cup of calming tea, a chauffer, and my blankie and pillow pet. Oh wait, I'm the driver. Guess that rules out Valium, too.
I just don't like the fact that I'm on the road, going 75 or more miles an hour, in bad weather (or not) and I'm responsible for not only staying awake the whole time (ugh) but also taking care not to injure or kill my passengers by doing something stupid like, say, drifting into the other lane when I can't see the lines on the road. Or hydroplaning into a semi truck. Those kinds of things haunt me. Not to mention being on deer alert. I'm always expecting a strapping buck to come springing across the road in front of me in the dark. What would happen? Would I punt him across the freeway? Or would one of his antlers impale my eye? These are the things I think about as I white-knuckle it down the freeway.
I can tell that long distance freeway driving in bad weather causes me anxiety by the fact that I was unable to eat my hamburger that we picked up on our way because it would require taking my hands off the wheel for 3-4 seconds. When I'm driving around town I can text, eat and change the radio station all at once (kidding....about the texting part. Except at red lights. Heh.) The thing is, I am normally a very relaxed driver. I'm aware, I don't get too distracted, I know my way around and I don't even panic when I'm in an unfamiliar city because I know that I can just turn around at the next light or stop at a gas station for directions. But when I'm on the open road? Where there's not "civilization" for miles? (And by civilization, I mean at least a couple of national gas chains and a McDonald's, if not a Starbucks or at least a 7-11). I imagine all sorts of peril. I feel the need to stock my car with three days' worth of canned food and water, snow chains, heavy gloves, an emergency kit and perhaps a gun to ward off the creepy guy who might stop to give me a hand while I stare at my flat tire because I've never changed a flat tire.
Full disclosure: my leg got tired driving tonight because I could not figure out how to turn on my cruise control. I've owned my van since 2007 and I have never used the cruise control. And even if I did figure it out, I'd probably tap my brakes so many times it would cancel out any benefit of the chance to rest my foot now and then. And because I didn't have it on cruise control, my speed fluctuated from 65-85. Yeah, I know. I'm THAT person. At least I tried to get out of the way when I saw headlights bearing down on me.
So, I started thinking on the way home - do I just need "exposure therapy" to get over this loathe of driving more than an hour on the road? Do I just need a few long road trips, or perhaps one hellacious 24 hour trip to, say, California, to make me say "aw, it wasn't that bad!" Or do I just embrace the fact that I hate driving and be content with my little old lady mentality to keep it to the side roads and stay inside when it snows? Is it in my budget to hire a nice man to drive this Miss Daisy?
Thank God for my husband who doesn't mind driving. And if he's not around? Next time I'll spring for a plane ticket for my daughter. Because the airport is only 40 minutes away.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Voodoo Donuts is black magic!
When we were in Portland, we went to Voodoo Doughnuts. This place is a Portland icon and sometimes the line is wrapped around the block with patrons eager to taste the likes of Triple Chocolate Penetration or Dirty Old Bastard. While the shop is unique and quirky, and the doughnuts certainly have interesting names, I found the result to be less than stellar.
I love doughnuts but I, like anyone, have my favorites. The Portland Cream was basically just a bismarck doughnut with little eyes drawn on it in frosting. The Triple Chocolate Penetration turned out to be a chocolate doughnut with chocolate frosting and Cocoa Puffs on top. Jeff and I shared a huge banana fritter drizzled with peanut butter and chocolate chips, and crushed peanuts. It was tasty, but messy. We decided we must bring home a dozen of these special treats and ordered an assortment, including one with pink sprinkles and a piece of Double Bubble in the center, and another citrusy one with what appeared to be orange jell-o sprinkled on top.
Honestly? I didn't think they were all that special. Nor did they hold up well. They were stale the very next day, when I took the "voodoo" doll one with me on my way to work. It was a basic chocolate-covered raised doughnut shaped like a ghost with a face and a "V" on it in frosting and a pretzel stick stuck in it like a pin (get it? Voodoo doll!). Besides being stale already, I was disappointed to see it was filled with red goo which tasted like raspberry and was entirely gross (I hate any version of "gloppy fruit"). The tastes I had of the other doughnuts were also just ok.
I think if you choose carefully, and eat them fresh, Voodoo Doughnuts would be yummy. But there's no way I'd stand in line for them for very long. As it was, we were there on a Tuesday mid-morning and the line was just spilling out the door. We waited about a half hour. The dozen doughnuts cost us $22. And the whole experience was just "eh".
I'd much rather have Krispy Kreme (the cream-filled, chocolate covered one is my favorite) or even Frost donuts - which I have never been all that impressed by. I guess I'm simple - I love a maple bar (plain, no bacon, thank you) or a chocolate bar, or even a good old-fashioned glazed. My favorite doughnut of all time was one from a bakery in my hometown that I can't even remember the name of. They had a cream-filled one (the cream tasted exactly like the cream-filled Krispy Kreme ones - which is not to be confused by the custard-filled ones that are entirely different), and it was dusted with powdered sugar. It was heaven! I probably only had one a handful of times but I still remember how delicious it was and have always tried to find a doughnut to replicate it (I never have).
Lesson learned: putting crushed Oreos or Fruity Pebbles on a doughnut and giving it a quirky name will not make it taste any better. Sometimes, simple IS the best.
I love doughnuts but I, like anyone, have my favorites. The Portland Cream was basically just a bismarck doughnut with little eyes drawn on it in frosting. The Triple Chocolate Penetration turned out to be a chocolate doughnut with chocolate frosting and Cocoa Puffs on top. Jeff and I shared a huge banana fritter drizzled with peanut butter and chocolate chips, and crushed peanuts. It was tasty, but messy. We decided we must bring home a dozen of these special treats and ordered an assortment, including one with pink sprinkles and a piece of Double Bubble in the center, and another citrusy one with what appeared to be orange jell-o sprinkled on top.
Honestly? I didn't think they were all that special. Nor did they hold up well. They were stale the very next day, when I took the "voodoo" doll one with me on my way to work. It was a basic chocolate-covered raised doughnut shaped like a ghost with a face and a "V" on it in frosting and a pretzel stick stuck in it like a pin (get it? Voodoo doll!). Besides being stale already, I was disappointed to see it was filled with red goo which tasted like raspberry and was entirely gross (I hate any version of "gloppy fruit"). The tastes I had of the other doughnuts were also just ok.
I think if you choose carefully, and eat them fresh, Voodoo Doughnuts would be yummy. But there's no way I'd stand in line for them for very long. As it was, we were there on a Tuesday mid-morning and the line was just spilling out the door. We waited about a half hour. The dozen doughnuts cost us $22. And the whole experience was just "eh".
I'd much rather have Krispy Kreme (the cream-filled, chocolate covered one is my favorite) or even Frost donuts - which I have never been all that impressed by. I guess I'm simple - I love a maple bar (plain, no bacon, thank you) or a chocolate bar, or even a good old-fashioned glazed. My favorite doughnut of all time was one from a bakery in my hometown that I can't even remember the name of. They had a cream-filled one (the cream tasted exactly like the cream-filled Krispy Kreme ones - which is not to be confused by the custard-filled ones that are entirely different), and it was dusted with powdered sugar. It was heaven! I probably only had one a handful of times but I still remember how delicious it was and have always tried to find a doughnut to replicate it (I never have).
Lesson learned: putting crushed Oreos or Fruity Pebbles on a doughnut and giving it a quirky name will not make it taste any better. Sometimes, simple IS the best.
Monthly update......
Wow! It's been a month since I blogged. Whaattt? It's Friday and I arrived home Tuesday from a most wonderful road trip. Jeff and I flew to San Diego to visit his Grandpa Vern. He's getting "on in years" as they say, and, at 91, can't get around as he used to. Jeff wanted to visit and help clean up the yard - basically do some of the chores that Grandpa once spent his days doing. We stayed in Grandpa's house and it was a lovely, no-stress, peaceful and quiet visit. We started our mornings early with breakfast of toast, tea and cereal, then Jeff would head out to do yard work or garage work while I "entertained" Grandpa (rather, he entertained me with all of his stories). Lunch was sandwiches, chips and fruit, and was a leisurely hour long. More work for Jeff in the afternoon while I did dishes and cleaned up and some more visiting. Then, an early dinner - once at Coco's, once at home, once we had no dinner because we had a late lunch.
Grandpa's house is like a museum. Not only is it filled with antiques and curiosities, but the stories that go along with them. Grandpa marveled at the fact that I could use my phone to look up the value of an ancient Bible, or the history of a certain item. I took pictures of everything - the house, Grandpa, even the bluebird he feeds daily and talks to. The weather was perfect and the sound of the birds every morning was uplifting. We also got to visit with Jeff's mom and stepdad, having lunch one day and a few games of Mexican Train dominoes. Jeff and I combed through a carport full of "treasures" slated for a garage sale, and found many keepsakes to bring home. Grandpa unloaded many tools and items from his garage and gifted them to Jeff to work on his truck. There was a lot of quality time spent, stories shared, relaxing. It was sad to leave, but after three days, we headed out on a long, long road trip in a 2000 Honda Accord that we took off Grandpa's hands.
Our first stop was Oceanside to see Jeff's grandma Jo. Oceanside is a beautiful town and I fell in love with the 1940's rental bungalows just across the street from the beach. I want to stay there one day! What a lovely vacation spot. We had brunch at a nice restaurant and visited, while Grandma Jo outlined a route for us to take up the coast. After stopping at a Mexican store for some authentic carne asada burrito tortillas, we dropped Grandma Jo off at her apartment and took some pictures. Then, we headed back on the open road.
I spotted a sign for San Juan Capistrano, and, having heard the stories of the swallows that return there every spring, I wanted to check it out. It was spectacular! A beautiful setting with a tragic story - the mission was built over nine years, stood for six, then collapsed during an earthquake, killing 40 parishioners. There is a new church behind the old mission, but the ruins remain for tourists. The flowers were amazing and the hummingbirds were everywhere! We spent about an hour exploring then hit the road again.
We headed up I-5 towards Los Angeles. We skirted the city, getting a glimpse of it's smoggy grayness, and a hazy view of the Hollywood sign, before detouring onto US 101 and then US 1 for a trip along the coast. The coast was beautiful, and we enjoyed miles and miles of ocean views and small towns before stopping once again near San Simeon and the Hearst Castle. I took pictures of the castle from the car, and we pulled over at the Elephant seal viewing area. The seals were really entertaining - for one thing, I had no idea the sounds they made. And another - watching them flop along the beach is so funny! The sun was setting so it provided a nice backdrop for the seals. My camera battery ran out right when I was taking sunset pics so I resorted to using my cell phone. It was cold and windy as we piled back in the car to return to the road.
We stopped in Salinas, CA where my former brother-in-law Robert and his two kids Kennedy and Johnathon, live. It was late, and I was worried they might not be able to see us since it was a school/work night, but they came out to meet us at a McDonald's off the highway. While we were waiting we ordered some food, and a homeless man asked us to buy him a sundae. We bought him a full meal and a sundae and he was on his way. We then went to In N Out Burger for shakes and Robert and the kids took us on a driving tour of the town in the dark, pointing out their house, the high school, etc. One of the highlights of the tour was seeing the building that used to be a brothel, featured in the book "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck (who hails from Salinas). By the time we were done visiting, it was nearly midnight and we opted to just stay at a Best Western across the street.
The next morning we had our free hotel breakfast (lame) and headed to Vacaville to visit my niece Justine and her family. The trip took about two hours inland and we arrived around lunchtime. Justine was sick, but we had a nice visit and I got to see my adorable nephew Kemer, who was just delightful! Such a friendly and snuggly boy. He showed us his water balloons and climbed into my lap for a story. I could have visited with him all day, not just the two hours we were there. Back on the road again, this time heading up I-5. The scenery was beautiful and we reached Mt. Shasta near sunset. In Roseburg, OR, we stopped at Abby's Pizza for a late dinner. We decided to drive as far as Eugene so the next day's drive would be a bit shorter.
We stayed in a Best Western again, this time in a huge room. We slept in a big the next day, then, after breakfast, headed to Portland (Beaverton) to visit Jeff's great aunt. Sadly, she was not at home, but we left a note and decided to go into Portland on a whim. We had visited there a couple summers ago and didn't get to a few things on our list of "to do". So, this time we went first to Muchas Gracias for a carne asade burrito for lunch, then to Voodoo Donuts, then to Powell's City of Books. That took up most of the afternoon and we didn't get on the road again till 4 ish. The rest of the drive was fairly quick up I-5 to Seattle, where we arrived home around 7:30 p.m. The car ran great, the gas mileage couldn't be beat, and we brought home a treasure trove of things from Grandpa's to love and admire and use.
The very best part of the trip, though, was that it was just Jeff and I and the open road. Plenty of time to talk, laugh, see the countryside and just be together. Often we just rode in silence and that was just fine. Other times we listened to old cassette tapes and relived our youth through the songs (we knew the car would likely have a cassette player rather than a cd player so we planned ahead). As it turned out, there WAS a cd player in the car - mounted in the trunk! Remember those days? LOL! Jeff drove the entire distance and I only napped once (anyone who knows me knows that I usually fall asleep within an hour of any road trip and spend most of my time "napping" during the ride - AND, I hate to drive long distances). Jeff even bought me a plush purple blanket and two pillow pets for the ride home. We didn't pack snacks - just a few water bottles and sodas - and we just stopped whenever we wanted to, ate when we felt like it, and had no real agenda or time frame (save for the three days we allotted for the trip). It was heaven! There was nothing stressful about the trip, no arguments ensued. It was just a genuinely good time with my best friend in the whole world. We realized we are happy to "just be" with each other and that is a very good place to be.
It was a great vacation. I can't wait to do it again! :)
Grandpa's house is like a museum. Not only is it filled with antiques and curiosities, but the stories that go along with them. Grandpa marveled at the fact that I could use my phone to look up the value of an ancient Bible, or the history of a certain item. I took pictures of everything - the house, Grandpa, even the bluebird he feeds daily and talks to. The weather was perfect and the sound of the birds every morning was uplifting. We also got to visit with Jeff's mom and stepdad, having lunch one day and a few games of Mexican Train dominoes. Jeff and I combed through a carport full of "treasures" slated for a garage sale, and found many keepsakes to bring home. Grandpa unloaded many tools and items from his garage and gifted them to Jeff to work on his truck. There was a lot of quality time spent, stories shared, relaxing. It was sad to leave, but after three days, we headed out on a long, long road trip in a 2000 Honda Accord that we took off Grandpa's hands.
Our first stop was Oceanside to see Jeff's grandma Jo. Oceanside is a beautiful town and I fell in love with the 1940's rental bungalows just across the street from the beach. I want to stay there one day! What a lovely vacation spot. We had brunch at a nice restaurant and visited, while Grandma Jo outlined a route for us to take up the coast. After stopping at a Mexican store for some authentic carne asada burrito tortillas, we dropped Grandma Jo off at her apartment and took some pictures. Then, we headed back on the open road.
I spotted a sign for San Juan Capistrano, and, having heard the stories of the swallows that return there every spring, I wanted to check it out. It was spectacular! A beautiful setting with a tragic story - the mission was built over nine years, stood for six, then collapsed during an earthquake, killing 40 parishioners. There is a new church behind the old mission, but the ruins remain for tourists. The flowers were amazing and the hummingbirds were everywhere! We spent about an hour exploring then hit the road again.
We headed up I-5 towards Los Angeles. We skirted the city, getting a glimpse of it's smoggy grayness, and a hazy view of the Hollywood sign, before detouring onto US 101 and then US 1 for a trip along the coast. The coast was beautiful, and we enjoyed miles and miles of ocean views and small towns before stopping once again near San Simeon and the Hearst Castle. I took pictures of the castle from the car, and we pulled over at the Elephant seal viewing area. The seals were really entertaining - for one thing, I had no idea the sounds they made. And another - watching them flop along the beach is so funny! The sun was setting so it provided a nice backdrop for the seals. My camera battery ran out right when I was taking sunset pics so I resorted to using my cell phone. It was cold and windy as we piled back in the car to return to the road.
We stopped in Salinas, CA where my former brother-in-law Robert and his two kids Kennedy and Johnathon, live. It was late, and I was worried they might not be able to see us since it was a school/work night, but they came out to meet us at a McDonald's off the highway. While we were waiting we ordered some food, and a homeless man asked us to buy him a sundae. We bought him a full meal and a sundae and he was on his way. We then went to In N Out Burger for shakes and Robert and the kids took us on a driving tour of the town in the dark, pointing out their house, the high school, etc. One of the highlights of the tour was seeing the building that used to be a brothel, featured in the book "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck (who hails from Salinas). By the time we were done visiting, it was nearly midnight and we opted to just stay at a Best Western across the street.
The next morning we had our free hotel breakfast (lame) and headed to Vacaville to visit my niece Justine and her family. The trip took about two hours inland and we arrived around lunchtime. Justine was sick, but we had a nice visit and I got to see my adorable nephew Kemer, who was just delightful! Such a friendly and snuggly boy. He showed us his water balloons and climbed into my lap for a story. I could have visited with him all day, not just the two hours we were there. Back on the road again, this time heading up I-5. The scenery was beautiful and we reached Mt. Shasta near sunset. In Roseburg, OR, we stopped at Abby's Pizza for a late dinner. We decided to drive as far as Eugene so the next day's drive would be a bit shorter.
We stayed in a Best Western again, this time in a huge room. We slept in a big the next day, then, after breakfast, headed to Portland (Beaverton) to visit Jeff's great aunt. Sadly, she was not at home, but we left a note and decided to go into Portland on a whim. We had visited there a couple summers ago and didn't get to a few things on our list of "to do". So, this time we went first to Muchas Gracias for a carne asade burrito for lunch, then to Voodoo Donuts, then to Powell's City of Books. That took up most of the afternoon and we didn't get on the road again till 4 ish. The rest of the drive was fairly quick up I-5 to Seattle, where we arrived home around 7:30 p.m. The car ran great, the gas mileage couldn't be beat, and we brought home a treasure trove of things from Grandpa's to love and admire and use.
The very best part of the trip, though, was that it was just Jeff and I and the open road. Plenty of time to talk, laugh, see the countryside and just be together. Often we just rode in silence and that was just fine. Other times we listened to old cassette tapes and relived our youth through the songs (we knew the car would likely have a cassette player rather than a cd player so we planned ahead). As it turned out, there WAS a cd player in the car - mounted in the trunk! Remember those days? LOL! Jeff drove the entire distance and I only napped once (anyone who knows me knows that I usually fall asleep within an hour of any road trip and spend most of my time "napping" during the ride - AND, I hate to drive long distances). Jeff even bought me a plush purple blanket and two pillow pets for the ride home. We didn't pack snacks - just a few water bottles and sodas - and we just stopped whenever we wanted to, ate when we felt like it, and had no real agenda or time frame (save for the three days we allotted for the trip). It was heaven! There was nothing stressful about the trip, no arguments ensued. It was just a genuinely good time with my best friend in the whole world. We realized we are happy to "just be" with each other and that is a very good place to be.
It was a great vacation. I can't wait to do it again! :)
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
I'm so tired..........
I really hate days like today where I'm so tired while running errands that I actually entertain the thought of lying down on the floor for "just a second while I rest my eyes." But the thing is, I'd fall asleep for sure. And then I'd snore. And then I'd probably get kicked out of the store.
But that's how I felt today - THAT tired. And the thing is? I didn't take a nap. I could have taken a nap, I suppose, but I have a really hard time surrendering to the nap. I LOVE NAPS! But I don't take them as much as I'd like. Because for one thing, chances are that as soon as I drift off, someone will interrupt me for something completely stupid. Case in point: I was once awakened from a deep, dreamy nap sleep by a child asking "where's the scotch tape?" (I would like to point out that the child's FATHER was awake at the time...grrrrr!). And the other thing about naps - I always wake up from them all disoriented and spacey. Even though I love the feeling of snuggling under the covers in the middle of the day, the nap hangover is a bitch.
So, I just plug along, doing stuff to keep myself awake. And I always tell myself I'm going to bed early tonight. And I keep telling myself that till about midnight when I go "aw, f*ck" and figure I'll try for that again another day. If I do get to bed before 10 p.m. it's usually because I'm ill.
And then my kids post on Twitter about how they got ten hours of sleep. Or how they spent all day lying in bed. Losers. Remember when the kids used to scream and beg and cry when it was naptime? Who knew, right? Ugh. Ain't no rest for the wicked.
But that's how I felt today - THAT tired. And the thing is? I didn't take a nap. I could have taken a nap, I suppose, but I have a really hard time surrendering to the nap. I LOVE NAPS! But I don't take them as much as I'd like. Because for one thing, chances are that as soon as I drift off, someone will interrupt me for something completely stupid. Case in point: I was once awakened from a deep, dreamy nap sleep by a child asking "where's the scotch tape?" (I would like to point out that the child's FATHER was awake at the time...grrrrr!). And the other thing about naps - I always wake up from them all disoriented and spacey. Even though I love the feeling of snuggling under the covers in the middle of the day, the nap hangover is a bitch.
So, I just plug along, doing stuff to keep myself awake. And I always tell myself I'm going to bed early tonight. And I keep telling myself that till about midnight when I go "aw, f*ck" and figure I'll try for that again another day. If I do get to bed before 10 p.m. it's usually because I'm ill.
And then my kids post on Twitter about how they got ten hours of sleep. Or how they spent all day lying in bed. Losers. Remember when the kids used to scream and beg and cry when it was naptime? Who knew, right? Ugh. Ain't no rest for the wicked.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
The fourth long day.....
I had to write this post on the fifth day, because on the fourth day, I was too tired to keep my eyes open. On the fourth long day of the busiest week of the year, while my husband was busy out in the woods "not" hunting elk, I woke up early to take Hannah to a school assembly. I kind of figured I'd just drop her off, take a few pictures during the performance, then we'd be off and running in a half hour or so. Not. We arrived at 8:20 to find out the assembly didn't start till 9. So I got to sit with the drama kids waiting for their performance at the pep assembly, AND it turns out the performance was the very last thing on the agenda. Good times. But what I learned was that high school NEVER changes. Same groups, same cliques, same "popular" and "not popular" stuff. Nope - don't miss those days at ALL.
After the assembly, I picked up Hayley, who was house/pet sitting for a friend of mine. We dropped her off at work, and then Hannah and I went to Tully's for coffee and breakfast. It was lovely to just sit and enjoy coffee, even though I knew my time was limited because my mom and sister were driving here from Boise to see the kids' performance tonight, and my house was a pig sty! Gah! We arrived home around noon and I had exactly two hours to: do three loads of laundry, clean up Harrison's room and change the sheets on his bed, same to Arlie's room, vacuum the upstairs, pick up the downstairs, dust, and text the other kids the chores I needed them to do upon arriving home. I picked Hayley up from work and left minutes later to take Hannah to her school appointment. An hour later, we left there, arrived home for about ten minutes to change and were out the door again for call time.
My job last night was "kid wrangler" backstage. Let's just say it wasn't my favorite job.
After the show, everyone went to Applebee's. I wanted to go home since my mom and sister were now sitting at my house, with no one home, making fudge (yay!). But the kids wanted to go, so I had a mudslide drink with double kahlua. We arrived home at midnight, visited for a bit with the family, tasted the fudge, and then went to bed.
Well. They went to bed. I discovered that I'd left a HUGE pile of clothing and towels that needed to be folded on my bed. I REALLY didn't want to fold them at 1 a.m. so I pushed them all over to Jeff's side and crawled in. Finally a good reason for him to be gone!
On an unrelated note, I cut my finger on something in Harrison's room while I was cleaning it. It was more of a little, tiny slice, really, no big deal. Except I kept "catching" it on everything so I tried to trim the excess skin, but that didn't work. It was apparent that I needed a fingertip bandage. Which we don't have. And the thing is, I know we had some at one point. You know how you buy that box of fingertip bandages for that ONE time you cut your finger and then it takes you six or seven years to use it all up? Guess my seven years was up. So, I concocted this fingertip bandage of my own, using several different bandaids, but nothing worked. I don't even have a normal-sized bandaid. Clearly, it's bandaid shopping time. I don't even know why I just told you that story.
And since I'm writing this in the morning after the fourth long day, I will say that I had to get up early this morning.....again. I have had about five hours of sleep a night for the past several nights, so I was really hoping to sleep in this morning. But no. I had to go pick up Shade. The demon from Hell. I was not looking forward to this AT ALL, but Jeff asked if I could pick him up this morning so we didn't have to pay for boarding over the weekend. I agreed (but only because money was involved. Not love). At the vet, they gave me Shade's "report card" which said things like "I played well with ALL the dogs" and "I was a good, quiet boy!" WTF? They could not have been talking about OUR Shade? I even got a picture of Shade lying nonchalant next to a lovely golden retriever who seemed unfazed by the fact that he was in such close proximity to the Devil himself. When Shade came trotting out on his leash, he was indifferent to me. He couldn't get himself into the car so I had to struggle to help him. He weighs about 75 lbs! As soon as he was in the car, I could feel my stress level rising - his obnoxious noises, his disgusting breath....and I realized the sense of peace and calm I'd had every time I passed his empty kennel this past week. He wasn't home five minutes when he started barking and making noise while everyone was still trying to sleep. Back into the kennel he went. Get used to those bars, kid. (Bonus points for who can tell me what movie that line is from)!
The hunter returns today. Just in time to make pizzas for the cast party tonight. When I mentioned this to him he said he "owes" me one. I'd prefer my payment in the form of a massage or a weekend away, thank you. :) He won't be bringing home an elk, or any other form of nourishment for the family. I'm just hoping he doesn't bring home lyme disease or hantavirus. I can hardly wait to see (and smell) him - the mountain man, returned after the long hunt.
And now I just really want to sleep. But it's show day - again. A matinee and a show tonight. Call is at noon. Maybe I'll just shut my eyes for a minute...................
After the assembly, I picked up Hayley, who was house/pet sitting for a friend of mine. We dropped her off at work, and then Hannah and I went to Tully's for coffee and breakfast. It was lovely to just sit and enjoy coffee, even though I knew my time was limited because my mom and sister were driving here from Boise to see the kids' performance tonight, and my house was a pig sty! Gah! We arrived home around noon and I had exactly two hours to: do three loads of laundry, clean up Harrison's room and change the sheets on his bed, same to Arlie's room, vacuum the upstairs, pick up the downstairs, dust, and text the other kids the chores I needed them to do upon arriving home. I picked Hayley up from work and left minutes later to take Hannah to her school appointment. An hour later, we left there, arrived home for about ten minutes to change and were out the door again for call time.
My job last night was "kid wrangler" backstage. Let's just say it wasn't my favorite job.
After the show, everyone went to Applebee's. I wanted to go home since my mom and sister were now sitting at my house, with no one home, making fudge (yay!). But the kids wanted to go, so I had a mudslide drink with double kahlua. We arrived home at midnight, visited for a bit with the family, tasted the fudge, and then went to bed.
Well. They went to bed. I discovered that I'd left a HUGE pile of clothing and towels that needed to be folded on my bed. I REALLY didn't want to fold them at 1 a.m. so I pushed them all over to Jeff's side and crawled in. Finally a good reason for him to be gone!
On an unrelated note, I cut my finger on something in Harrison's room while I was cleaning it. It was more of a little, tiny slice, really, no big deal. Except I kept "catching" it on everything so I tried to trim the excess skin, but that didn't work. It was apparent that I needed a fingertip bandage. Which we don't have. And the thing is, I know we had some at one point. You know how you buy that box of fingertip bandages for that ONE time you cut your finger and then it takes you six or seven years to use it all up? Guess my seven years was up. So, I concocted this fingertip bandage of my own, using several different bandaids, but nothing worked. I don't even have a normal-sized bandaid. Clearly, it's bandaid shopping time. I don't even know why I just told you that story.
And since I'm writing this in the morning after the fourth long day, I will say that I had to get up early this morning.....again. I have had about five hours of sleep a night for the past several nights, so I was really hoping to sleep in this morning. But no. I had to go pick up Shade. The demon from Hell. I was not looking forward to this AT ALL, but Jeff asked if I could pick him up this morning so we didn't have to pay for boarding over the weekend. I agreed (but only because money was involved. Not love). At the vet, they gave me Shade's "report card" which said things like "I played well with ALL the dogs" and "I was a good, quiet boy!" WTF? They could not have been talking about OUR Shade? I even got a picture of Shade lying nonchalant next to a lovely golden retriever who seemed unfazed by the fact that he was in such close proximity to the Devil himself. When Shade came trotting out on his leash, he was indifferent to me. He couldn't get himself into the car so I had to struggle to help him. He weighs about 75 lbs! As soon as he was in the car, I could feel my stress level rising - his obnoxious noises, his disgusting breath....and I realized the sense of peace and calm I'd had every time I passed his empty kennel this past week. He wasn't home five minutes when he started barking and making noise while everyone was still trying to sleep. Back into the kennel he went. Get used to those bars, kid. (Bonus points for who can tell me what movie that line is from)!
The hunter returns today. Just in time to make pizzas for the cast party tonight. When I mentioned this to him he said he "owes" me one. I'd prefer my payment in the form of a massage or a weekend away, thank you. :) He won't be bringing home an elk, or any other form of nourishment for the family. I'm just hoping he doesn't bring home lyme disease or hantavirus. I can hardly wait to see (and smell) him - the mountain man, returned after the long hunt.
And now I just really want to sleep. But it's show day - again. A matinee and a show tonight. Call is at noon. Maybe I'll just shut my eyes for a minute...................
Friday, September 7, 2012
The third, long day.........
Today I got up before my alarm AND I had everything I needed for the day already packed and sitting by the door, AND I had time to make a smoothie for breakfast, AND I took two pink cookies in my lunch, so the day started out pretty awesome. It was my "longer" day at work, so I got a lot of stuff done after the kinders left, and then I ran to Target to return the pants I bought for Harrison yesterday (see yesterday's post!), then Costco to pick up the poster I had made of the kids' choir for the lobby. Then, I came home and actually had a few minutes to eat something, check my email and Facebook, and.........the best part ever.........I got to lay down for an hour and I may have just fallen asleep for a few minutes! The bad part about that is I was sleeping because my head hurt. A lot.
So, I woke up in time to remind the kids to get ready for the show, and that we needed to leave in a half hour. Harrison was on his iPad and ignored me. I noticed he had failed to completely clean up a spot of dog barf on the carpet (because of COURSE the dog barfed since my husband isn't here to clean it, and of COURSE it was the dog who NEVER barfs. Except when I'm home and my husband is not, apparently). Anyway, Harrison had to re-clean the spot and I reminded him, again, to get everything together. Finally, at 5:30 Arlie and I headed to the car and I asked Harrison if he was ready. He assured me he "just" needed to "grab" his things from upstairs.
We arrived on time, but of course, that had to be cursed, because minutes after we arrived, Harrison realized he had grabbed the wrong shirt from the dryer (he was supposed to have all his stuff put together, not grabbing stuff from the dryer!). I had to drive all the way back home and get the correct shirt. 45 minutes round trip (and we only live 6 miles from the school, but it was rush hour, after all!). Made it back a few minutes before curtain and all was well. Except for Harrison, who will not see his iPad for many, many days.
The show went off without a hitch. Well, there were some hitches. Like mics that were not turned on, lights that didn't go up or down on time, and some awkward moments with the emcees, but otherwise it was a good show! We didn't get home until after 11, but thank you, Taco Bell, for being open late because we were craving tacos something wicked. And of course I had to edit and upload photos so here it is, almost 1 a.m., and I'm not even in bed yet. Have to be back at the school by 8:15 for an assembly performance. Take Hayley to work by 10. Take Hannah to her consulting teacher appointment, pick up Hayley from work, and then get the kids back to the theatre for another show tomorrow night (during which I will volunteer as "kid wrangler" which means I have to keep the kids' choir in line - mwahahah!). Oh, and did I mention that I have family coming in unexpectedly for the show? I'm super excited but my house isn't guest-ready. And likely won't be. Because when would I clean it? I just hope they can overlook our slovenly ways. I wish I had a maid.
Update on the husband front - he sent me a picture of an owl, and texted that he hiked a bazillion miles today and "accomplished his goal of seeing elk". Um. I thought the goal was to shoot an elk. With a bow and arrow. Okey doke. He also mentioned he hiked 10 hrs and burned 4500 calories (because only my husband would be out in the wilderness but still have his heart rate monitor on him!). Well, la-di-dah. He's missing his bed, hot shower, and apparently (but in third place) me.
Toodles. Time to crash.
So, I woke up in time to remind the kids to get ready for the show, and that we needed to leave in a half hour. Harrison was on his iPad and ignored me. I noticed he had failed to completely clean up a spot of dog barf on the carpet (because of COURSE the dog barfed since my husband isn't here to clean it, and of COURSE it was the dog who NEVER barfs. Except when I'm home and my husband is not, apparently). Anyway, Harrison had to re-clean the spot and I reminded him, again, to get everything together. Finally, at 5:30 Arlie and I headed to the car and I asked Harrison if he was ready. He assured me he "just" needed to "grab" his things from upstairs.
We arrived on time, but of course, that had to be cursed, because minutes after we arrived, Harrison realized he had grabbed the wrong shirt from the dryer (he was supposed to have all his stuff put together, not grabbing stuff from the dryer!). I had to drive all the way back home and get the correct shirt. 45 minutes round trip (and we only live 6 miles from the school, but it was rush hour, after all!). Made it back a few minutes before curtain and all was well. Except for Harrison, who will not see his iPad for many, many days.
The show went off without a hitch. Well, there were some hitches. Like mics that were not turned on, lights that didn't go up or down on time, and some awkward moments with the emcees, but otherwise it was a good show! We didn't get home until after 11, but thank you, Taco Bell, for being open late because we were craving tacos something wicked. And of course I had to edit and upload photos so here it is, almost 1 a.m., and I'm not even in bed yet. Have to be back at the school by 8:15 for an assembly performance. Take Hayley to work by 10. Take Hannah to her consulting teacher appointment, pick up Hayley from work, and then get the kids back to the theatre for another show tomorrow night (during which I will volunteer as "kid wrangler" which means I have to keep the kids' choir in line - mwahahah!). Oh, and did I mention that I have family coming in unexpectedly for the show? I'm super excited but my house isn't guest-ready. And likely won't be. Because when would I clean it? I just hope they can overlook our slovenly ways. I wish I had a maid.
Update on the husband front - he sent me a picture of an owl, and texted that he hiked a bazillion miles today and "accomplished his goal of seeing elk". Um. I thought the goal was to shoot an elk. With a bow and arrow. Okey doke. He also mentioned he hiked 10 hrs and burned 4500 calories (because only my husband would be out in the wilderness but still have his heart rate monitor on him!). Well, la-di-dah. He's missing his bed, hot shower, and apparently (but in third place) me.
Toodles. Time to crash.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
The second, long day..........
So, today was just as long as yesterday. Which doesn't surprise me because they're all 24 hours, no? The kids started school today so I made sure to block out some time to take the requisite pictures with the requisite sign (that we've had for YEARS!). Then, I sent them off, smiling and happy, to start a bright, shiny new year of school. HA! Kidding! I sent them off with grimaces, sleepy and nervous, to the way-too-early bus. I barely got into the house when I got a "we forgot our lunches!" text. Crap. I raced up to the bus stop in the van and the driver was loading the last kids. I motioned frantically for them to come and get their lunches but they just looked mortified to be caught in the "dork forgot their lunch" moment and looked helplessly at me from their window seats. WTF? The bus drove off and I circled back around to the house with the lunches, leaving them on the porch for my ex to pick up and deliver (saved by the dad).
Then, I was ten minutes late for work. BUT I was a total badass so it didn't matter. Here's why. I was supposed to bring in pictures of my family to do "show and tell" today (which was really a lesson in how to do show and tell for the kids). All my pictures are on my computer and I didn't have ANY time last night or this morning to put something together, so I just grabbed my whole laptop and took it to work with me. When I got there, no one was around yet, so I plugged in my computer and put together a powerpoint presentation of my family in TEN MINUTES! And it was the VERY FIRST time I've ever done a powerpoint. I mean, I'm lucky I even knew where to FIND it on my computer. Rockstar!
I mentioned that I needed to leave immediately after work to run an errand, but got caught up laminating some stuff and left 15 minutes late. I raced to Target to buy black pants for Harrison for the show this weekend. While I was there Hannah texted me that she needed black sweats. I scooped up two pairs of black pants for Harrison, the sweats, and, ok, a couple of lip tints for myself. I scurried home to pick up Hannah and take her to rehearsal. Dropped her off and headed to Walgreen's to pick up a prescription. And, ok, a couple more makeup items for myself. By this time the jr high kids would be getting home, so I drove back to the house to collect them and take them to a little "first day of school" coffee outing. But first I stopped by the thrift store to find some black shoes for Harrison. Total score! Not only did I find black shoes, I found black pants (hello, returning the 29.99 pair and the 24.99 pair I picked up at Target!), and two whole bags of other clothes for a grand total of $20. This included a fancy dress for Arlie, a jacket, sweater, top and skirt for me, the pants for Harrison, the shoes, AND, the find of the day, the most horrendously patterned dress with the tag still attached ($80!) for 2.50. Hello, Halloween costume for me! :)
But I digress. I LOVE THE THRIFT STORE!
Then, we headed to Starbucks where I dropped more cash for coffee and treats than for all those clothes combined. By the way, the new salted caramel cake pop is divine. The kids unloaded a mound of papers on me to sign, fill out, and read. We went home for a few minutes to change and then raced to rehearsal (after I looked at the clock and said "HOLY SHIT! Is it really 5:10? We've gotta GO!").
Rehearsal. Wow. Lots of tension. STRESS with a capital "S". The kids ran their numbers, there was lots of discussion, we waited for Harrison to run his number with the high school cast. I took a group picture of the kids (after reminding them to gather for the group picture and then having half of them change out of their costumes before we got the picture! Argh!). Arlie and I ran to QFC for some dinner stuff around 7. I just ate my sandwich, which was a hot panini at 7, but a mushy mess at 9:30. Oh well.
I got home, edited the group picture, ordered a poster to pick up tomorrow at Costco so it will be ready to put in the lobby for the show, and made a mental note of all the extra supplies the kids need now that school has started (A 120-page spiral? Wow, that's specific. And a 1 inch binder for just your class? After I bought the huge zippered binder for "all" the classes?). Now I get to make lunches, clean up the kitchen, put together the essential items for tomorrow, and, hopefully, finally get some sweet sleep.
Jeff texted me earlier from elk camp saying he was tired and at camp "waiting for night to come". Whaaattt?
Whatever. I have pink frosted cookies I bought at the store. So there.
Then, I was ten minutes late for work. BUT I was a total badass so it didn't matter. Here's why. I was supposed to bring in pictures of my family to do "show and tell" today (which was really a lesson in how to do show and tell for the kids). All my pictures are on my computer and I didn't have ANY time last night or this morning to put something together, so I just grabbed my whole laptop and took it to work with me. When I got there, no one was around yet, so I plugged in my computer and put together a powerpoint presentation of my family in TEN MINUTES! And it was the VERY FIRST time I've ever done a powerpoint. I mean, I'm lucky I even knew where to FIND it on my computer. Rockstar!
I mentioned that I needed to leave immediately after work to run an errand, but got caught up laminating some stuff and left 15 minutes late. I raced to Target to buy black pants for Harrison for the show this weekend. While I was there Hannah texted me that she needed black sweats. I scooped up two pairs of black pants for Harrison, the sweats, and, ok, a couple of lip tints for myself. I scurried home to pick up Hannah and take her to rehearsal. Dropped her off and headed to Walgreen's to pick up a prescription. And, ok, a couple more makeup items for myself. By this time the jr high kids would be getting home, so I drove back to the house to collect them and take them to a little "first day of school" coffee outing. But first I stopped by the thrift store to find some black shoes for Harrison. Total score! Not only did I find black shoes, I found black pants (hello, returning the 29.99 pair and the 24.99 pair I picked up at Target!), and two whole bags of other clothes for a grand total of $20. This included a fancy dress for Arlie, a jacket, sweater, top and skirt for me, the pants for Harrison, the shoes, AND, the find of the day, the most horrendously patterned dress with the tag still attached ($80!) for 2.50. Hello, Halloween costume for me! :)
But I digress. I LOVE THE THRIFT STORE!
Then, we headed to Starbucks where I dropped more cash for coffee and treats than for all those clothes combined. By the way, the new salted caramel cake pop is divine. The kids unloaded a mound of papers on me to sign, fill out, and read. We went home for a few minutes to change and then raced to rehearsal (after I looked at the clock and said "HOLY SHIT! Is it really 5:10? We've gotta GO!").
Rehearsal. Wow. Lots of tension. STRESS with a capital "S". The kids ran their numbers, there was lots of discussion, we waited for Harrison to run his number with the high school cast. I took a group picture of the kids (after reminding them to gather for the group picture and then having half of them change out of their costumes before we got the picture! Argh!). Arlie and I ran to QFC for some dinner stuff around 7. I just ate my sandwich, which was a hot panini at 7, but a mushy mess at 9:30. Oh well.
I got home, edited the group picture, ordered a poster to pick up tomorrow at Costco so it will be ready to put in the lobby for the show, and made a mental note of all the extra supplies the kids need now that school has started (A 120-page spiral? Wow, that's specific. And a 1 inch binder for just your class? After I bought the huge zippered binder for "all" the classes?). Now I get to make lunches, clean up the kitchen, put together the essential items for tomorrow, and, hopefully, finally get some sweet sleep.
Jeff texted me earlier from elk camp saying he was tired and at camp "waiting for night to come". Whaaattt?
Whatever. I have pink frosted cookies I bought at the store. So there.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
The first, long day.........
Today was my first day back at work after a long, lazy summer. Sleeping in WAS the norm, and everything was relatively unscheduled. It was fun to be a kid again. Today, I had to be a grown-up. Which we all know sucks. :)
So, I went to work (thanking GOD I only work part-time because 1. I need at LEAST the other half of the day to drive my kids all over Hell and Creation, and 2. I work with special-needs kids, which feels like working a ten hour day every 30 minutes!), and after work I raced home to pick up the girls by 1:30 so Hannah could be at rehearsal by 1:45 (ish). Dropped her off, and headed to the junior high to pick up Harrison who was working as a "Web Leader" helping incoming 7th graders become acquainted with the school (and singing the praises of the nacho cheese sauce at school which is "real, not rubbery. You don't even have to peel off the first layer to get to the cheese!" Thank you, Jesus, for real lunchroom food.). After dropping him off at home, I received a text from Hayley that said "My bike broke and I can't ride it home." Because we're down one car, she had to ride her bike to work today. But, alas, it "broke" (read, the chain fell off!) so she could not ride it home. Back down the hill I went to pick her and the broken bike up and deposit both back at home.
Finally I could run my errands! I desperately needed to go to the dance supply store and get Hannah new character shoes because she LOST hers (and she will pay dearly!) and new jazz shoes because hers were full of holes and her performance is this weekend. Arlie also needed tap shoes and new jazz shoes, and these nifty little things called "foot undies". They are basically a thong for your foot. Slutty feet. Anyway. Getting to this place was a death-defying feat as it is located off a VERY busy highway and you have to veer over an on-ramp and swerve into the parking lot at breakneck speed to avoid being broadsided by a pickup truck, then narrowly avoid hitting the car leaving the parking lot just as you are driving in. Well, maybe that was just me. We spent about 30 minutes trying on shoes in a stuffy upstairs room and then went downstairs to plunk down $220 for four pairs of shoes! Good Lord in Heaven.
We then had to take the shoes back to the high school so Hannah could try them on. Thankfully, they fit, so I'm hoping I don't have to return to the store and make another stunt move to get into the parking lot. After the shoe drop (haha, see what I did there?), we headed to the music store to pick up the newly repaired flute ($95) and the piccolo which needed a complete overhaul to the tune of $295 which we declined. A very nice lady, who had THREE flute degrees (really?), worked on the piccolo for us (for FREE!) and got it working just fine. So, now Arlie has both a flute and a piccolo for band tomorrow (and a promise from nice lady to provide private lessons next month).
We also stopped by the dance studio to sign up, but no one was there. So, that's another thing I have to do tomorrow!
We finally got home and I was STARVING! I whipped up a tater-tot casserole and realized I had ten ears of corn I bought several days ago that weren't getting any fresher. So, I shucked corn while literally shaking from hunger, and added that to the dinner menu (along with watermelon which has become a staple around here!). What's this? A home-cooked meal after a long, long day? SUPERWOMAN! Eh.
And now I have to assemble some photos because tomorrow is my "show and tell" day at kindergarten where I "show" pictures of my family and "tell" the kids about them. I also have to fill out a sports packet, get a package ready to mail, get my clothes ready for tomorrow, make lunches, do some laundry, and make sure the kids are ready for school tomorrow (which mostly consists of changing the date on our "first day of school" sign we use every year in pictures!). Oh, I also did some legit work for my husband on his computer, with directions texted to me from a remote campsite, and I made a couple of appointments/phone calls while waiting in the car.
But, most importantly, it's Dance Moms night so all this shit needs to be done by 9 because after that I'm watching my smut, and enjoying my fleur de sel caramels my husband had shipped overnight to me from San Francisco for our anniversary. And then I'll sleep a few hours and do it all over again.
Being a kid is FUN! Kids, quit bitching about going to school and that one stupid science teacher you have! You could be paying your own bills! I'll leave you with this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPi2s1K_pgU
Happy Tuesday! :)
So, I went to work (thanking GOD I only work part-time because 1. I need at LEAST the other half of the day to drive my kids all over Hell and Creation, and 2. I work with special-needs kids, which feels like working a ten hour day every 30 minutes!), and after work I raced home to pick up the girls by 1:30 so Hannah could be at rehearsal by 1:45 (ish). Dropped her off, and headed to the junior high to pick up Harrison who was working as a "Web Leader" helping incoming 7th graders become acquainted with the school (and singing the praises of the nacho cheese sauce at school which is "real, not rubbery. You don't even have to peel off the first layer to get to the cheese!" Thank you, Jesus, for real lunchroom food.). After dropping him off at home, I received a text from Hayley that said "My bike broke and I can't ride it home." Because we're down one car, she had to ride her bike to work today. But, alas, it "broke" (read, the chain fell off!) so she could not ride it home. Back down the hill I went to pick her and the broken bike up and deposit both back at home.
Finally I could run my errands! I desperately needed to go to the dance supply store and get Hannah new character shoes because she LOST hers (and she will pay dearly!) and new jazz shoes because hers were full of holes and her performance is this weekend. Arlie also needed tap shoes and new jazz shoes, and these nifty little things called "foot undies". They are basically a thong for your foot. Slutty feet. Anyway. Getting to this place was a death-defying feat as it is located off a VERY busy highway and you have to veer over an on-ramp and swerve into the parking lot at breakneck speed to avoid being broadsided by a pickup truck, then narrowly avoid hitting the car leaving the parking lot just as you are driving in. Well, maybe that was just me. We spent about 30 minutes trying on shoes in a stuffy upstairs room and then went downstairs to plunk down $220 for four pairs of shoes! Good Lord in Heaven.
We then had to take the shoes back to the high school so Hannah could try them on. Thankfully, they fit, so I'm hoping I don't have to return to the store and make another stunt move to get into the parking lot. After the shoe drop (haha, see what I did there?), we headed to the music store to pick up the newly repaired flute ($95) and the piccolo which needed a complete overhaul to the tune of $295 which we declined. A very nice lady, who had THREE flute degrees (really?), worked on the piccolo for us (for FREE!) and got it working just fine. So, now Arlie has both a flute and a piccolo for band tomorrow (and a promise from nice lady to provide private lessons next month).
We also stopped by the dance studio to sign up, but no one was there. So, that's another thing I have to do tomorrow!
We finally got home and I was STARVING! I whipped up a tater-tot casserole and realized I had ten ears of corn I bought several days ago that weren't getting any fresher. So, I shucked corn while literally shaking from hunger, and added that to the dinner menu (along with watermelon which has become a staple around here!). What's this? A home-cooked meal after a long, long day? SUPERWOMAN! Eh.
And now I have to assemble some photos because tomorrow is my "show and tell" day at kindergarten where I "show" pictures of my family and "tell" the kids about them. I also have to fill out a sports packet, get a package ready to mail, get my clothes ready for tomorrow, make lunches, do some laundry, and make sure the kids are ready for school tomorrow (which mostly consists of changing the date on our "first day of school" sign we use every year in pictures!). Oh, I also did some legit work for my husband on his computer, with directions texted to me from a remote campsite, and I made a couple of appointments/phone calls while waiting in the car.
But, most importantly, it's Dance Moms night so all this shit needs to be done by 9 because after that I'm watching my smut, and enjoying my fleur de sel caramels my husband had shipped overnight to me from San Francisco for our anniversary. And then I'll sleep a few hours and do it all over again.
Being a kid is FUN! Kids, quit bitching about going to school and that one stupid science teacher you have! You could be paying your own bills! I'll leave you with this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPi2s1K_pgU
Happy Tuesday! :)
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Anniversary conundrum.........
Tomorrow is our sixth wedding anniversary. It's also our "familyversary" because it's the anniversary of the day we all became a family. As such, I'd like to do something together to celebrate our family. Jeff enjoys researching traditional and modern anniversary gifts and coming up with a creative gift for me that incorporates those traditions. For example, when the traditional gift was wood, he gave me a wood vase. When the traditional color was red, I got red dish towels. He also includes the traditional flower, sometimes the jewel, etc. It's very creative and sweet and I'm always impressed that he goes to such lengths to come up with a creative gift.
BUT. I have SUCH a hard time coming up with gifts for him. For one thing, most of the things he wants are incredibly expensive, or so specific that he would have to pick it out himself. He's not into trinket-y things. He already has most everything he needs for his outdoor pursuits (or only he knows/understands the specifics of what he needs). I try to do what he does and find gifts that incorporate the traditional anniversary gift ideas. But it's SO much harder to find things a guy would like. For example, this year the gifts are iron, wood and candy. The candy part is easy, but the iron and wood parts are a lot harder. And he just bought himself a muzzle loader gun which just happens to be made of iron and wood. There goes that idea.
When I tried to buy him a card, I could not find ONE card that was from a wife to a husband. There were dozens from a husband to a wife. Does this imply that only husbands should give wives gifts? Or that it's more important for the husband to give the wife a gift, than the other way around? It certainly seems so, since the only cards I could find were either from husband to wife or from someone else to the happy couple. I guess I'll just make a homemade card.
But the gift part is so hard. Jeff actually keeps a wish list of things he's wanted for years. I use it for Christmas and birthdays. But, often, he buys himself something from the list and fails to "check it off", or the item is expensive or over-the-top (a Harley?), OR it's a book that has been out of print for decades. Lately, he has packages arriving all the time with little things he's bought himself - a video on how to shoot better, an elk call; things I knew nothing about him even wanting!
I would like our anniversary to consist of dinner out together, and perhaps a gift of something for the home or an experience we can enjoy together. And, since it's also the day we became a family and our kids became siblings, I'd like us to celebrate as a family and perhaps buy something for the family (i.e. a big-ticket item we wouldn't normally buy) or buy tickets to a show or event that we'd all enjoy. I feel so much pressure to pull off a gift as creative as his every year and it's making me crazy. I know it's not about reciprocity - I should just be happy to receive his sweet gifts (and I am!) but I REALLY want to give him something he truly wants/needs/can enjoy each year.
What are your anniversary traditions? Do you exchange gifts? Go on a date? Take a trip together? Do you only celebrate the "big" ones? If you are in a blended family, do you do anything special to commemorate that? What about not spending money? Are there non-monetary ways you celebrate? Making homemade cards? Homemade dinner? I'd love to hear your ideas!
BUT. I have SUCH a hard time coming up with gifts for him. For one thing, most of the things he wants are incredibly expensive, or so specific that he would have to pick it out himself. He's not into trinket-y things. He already has most everything he needs for his outdoor pursuits (or only he knows/understands the specifics of what he needs). I try to do what he does and find gifts that incorporate the traditional anniversary gift ideas. But it's SO much harder to find things a guy would like. For example, this year the gifts are iron, wood and candy. The candy part is easy, but the iron and wood parts are a lot harder. And he just bought himself a muzzle loader gun which just happens to be made of iron and wood. There goes that idea.
When I tried to buy him a card, I could not find ONE card that was from a wife to a husband. There were dozens from a husband to a wife. Does this imply that only husbands should give wives gifts? Or that it's more important for the husband to give the wife a gift, than the other way around? It certainly seems so, since the only cards I could find were either from husband to wife or from someone else to the happy couple. I guess I'll just make a homemade card.
But the gift part is so hard. Jeff actually keeps a wish list of things he's wanted for years. I use it for Christmas and birthdays. But, often, he buys himself something from the list and fails to "check it off", or the item is expensive or over-the-top (a Harley?), OR it's a book that has been out of print for decades. Lately, he has packages arriving all the time with little things he's bought himself - a video on how to shoot better, an elk call; things I knew nothing about him even wanting!
I would like our anniversary to consist of dinner out together, and perhaps a gift of something for the home or an experience we can enjoy together. And, since it's also the day we became a family and our kids became siblings, I'd like us to celebrate as a family and perhaps buy something for the family (i.e. a big-ticket item we wouldn't normally buy) or buy tickets to a show or event that we'd all enjoy. I feel so much pressure to pull off a gift as creative as his every year and it's making me crazy. I know it's not about reciprocity - I should just be happy to receive his sweet gifts (and I am!) but I REALLY want to give him something he truly wants/needs/can enjoy each year.
What are your anniversary traditions? Do you exchange gifts? Go on a date? Take a trip together? Do you only celebrate the "big" ones? If you are in a blended family, do you do anything special to commemorate that? What about not spending money? Are there non-monetary ways you celebrate? Making homemade cards? Homemade dinner? I'd love to hear your ideas!
It's the end of the world as we know it............
It's happening. It was inevitable. Summer is over. It went so fast! We say that every year, and, really, summer is only ten weeks (if you count vacation from school) or about thirty days (if you count actual sunny, warm days in the Seattle area). This summer, as is true of most summers around here, it took it's sweet old time getting started, and when it finally started to warm up to a toasty 75 degrees, it was almost over. We had about two "really hot" days (in the 90's) which was just enough time to grumble about no air conditioning, and, just like that, it was 45 degrees this morning and I was shivering under the covers.
We took one road trip, did lots of fun day trips, watched a lot of sunsets, ate a lot of watermelon and never even took our camper out of the garage (this makes me sad!). And tomorrow is Labor Day (and, coincidentally, our 6th "familyversary" - our anniversary and the day we all officially became a family). After that, it's back to alarm clocks for me, and getting out the door at 7:30 for work, and then school for the kids the following day.
And if the start of school/work is not enough to make one long for summer days, add to that the fact that my husband is leaving early Tuesday morning to go elk hunting for five days. So, he - along with one of our vehicles - will be gone during one of the busiest weeks of the year. In addition, it's "hell week" for the kids which means rehearsals from immediately after school until 10 p.m. in preparation for their upcoming show. Also, our nearly 16 year old dog has become incontinent and requires constant care. It's enough to make me want to crawl back into summer in the worst way.
So, this week, I have to figure out how to get myself and my oldest daughter to and from work using one car (and we work completely different hours), get the kids to daily rehearsals and pick them up when I should be going to bed, buy dance shoes for Hannah and Arlie, sign Arlie up for dance, fill out a sports packet for volleyball (and ensure Arlie gets to and from try outs), volunteer at the kids' shows, take a group shot of the kids' choir for the show (and get it printed in a large size for the lobby display), make dinner every night, pack lunches every day, and deal with any emergencies that come up (and there WILL be emergencies). My husband will miss all but one of the kids' shows, which means I will be taking pictures AND videotaping by myself. I will have to get the kids back into the "routine", which means chores and homework, and, inevitably, a lot of stress and unhappy people.
I usually look sort of forward to the beginning of the school year but this year it is just too much stuff. Mostly just because I don't have Jeff to help me with the overload. I'm heading into a new year of teaching special-needs kids, so the first week of school will be a big challenge anyway. I questioned why he needed to go hunting THIS week of all weeks, and he said because it's bow-hunting season and he has to go now. Sigh. He's planned this trip for a year. A YEAR! The preparation has added up to hours and hours and hundreds of dollars. Chances are, he won't get an elk. So, it's really just a very expensive, extended camping trip. Argh! Hunting is so dumb.
I just want summer back. Carefree days, no alarm clocks, no agenda. I have a stack of magazines I didn't even get to read. Most of them are from spring. Sigh. Where does the time go? We had such big plans. Goodbye summer, 2012. You will be missed!
We took one road trip, did lots of fun day trips, watched a lot of sunsets, ate a lot of watermelon and never even took our camper out of the garage (this makes me sad!). And tomorrow is Labor Day (and, coincidentally, our 6th "familyversary" - our anniversary and the day we all officially became a family). After that, it's back to alarm clocks for me, and getting out the door at 7:30 for work, and then school for the kids the following day.
And if the start of school/work is not enough to make one long for summer days, add to that the fact that my husband is leaving early Tuesday morning to go elk hunting for five days. So, he - along with one of our vehicles - will be gone during one of the busiest weeks of the year. In addition, it's "hell week" for the kids which means rehearsals from immediately after school until 10 p.m. in preparation for their upcoming show. Also, our nearly 16 year old dog has become incontinent and requires constant care. It's enough to make me want to crawl back into summer in the worst way.
So, this week, I have to figure out how to get myself and my oldest daughter to and from work using one car (and we work completely different hours), get the kids to daily rehearsals and pick them up when I should be going to bed, buy dance shoes for Hannah and Arlie, sign Arlie up for dance, fill out a sports packet for volleyball (and ensure Arlie gets to and from try outs), volunteer at the kids' shows, take a group shot of the kids' choir for the show (and get it printed in a large size for the lobby display), make dinner every night, pack lunches every day, and deal with any emergencies that come up (and there WILL be emergencies). My husband will miss all but one of the kids' shows, which means I will be taking pictures AND videotaping by myself. I will have to get the kids back into the "routine", which means chores and homework, and, inevitably, a lot of stress and unhappy people.
I usually look sort of forward to the beginning of the school year but this year it is just too much stuff. Mostly just because I don't have Jeff to help me with the overload. I'm heading into a new year of teaching special-needs kids, so the first week of school will be a big challenge anyway. I questioned why he needed to go hunting THIS week of all weeks, and he said because it's bow-hunting season and he has to go now. Sigh. He's planned this trip for a year. A YEAR! The preparation has added up to hours and hours and hundreds of dollars. Chances are, he won't get an elk. So, it's really just a very expensive, extended camping trip. Argh! Hunting is so dumb.
I just want summer back. Carefree days, no alarm clocks, no agenda. I have a stack of magazines I didn't even get to read. Most of them are from spring. Sigh. Where does the time go? We had such big plans. Goodbye summer, 2012. You will be missed!
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