Writer's Workshop: 10 Things

This week I find myself inspired by Mama Kat's writing prompts again. 10 Things. Ten Things I would do if I didn't have to work. This is something near and dear to my heart, because although I generally love my job, and I'm generally happy with my decisions, I also think more and more about staying home. Here's my list:

1) Play dates:
I love play dates. A play date for them means a mommy date for me, and I do love mommy dates.

2) Volunteering:
Before marriage and kids, I volunteered at the public library. It wasn't a glamorous volunteer job, but it was fun and I liked it a lot. Stacks of dusty books ... that's where I belong.

3. School:
So being in stacks of dusty books is where I belong, and the best way to get there eventually is to get my Master of Library Science. I've though about it a bunch of times, and if I wasn't working 40-50 hours a week, that would be on my list.

4. Preschool:

Spencer had his first homework assignment this past weekend. I can tell you for a fact that after the four hours it took to do that one worksheet that I am not cut out for teaching young minds. I will keep working on helping the teachers do their job, but I could not be the principle on the job of fine motor skills. So little ones would still need to be going to daycare or preschool a few days a week.

5. Netflix

Do you know how many shows I could catch up on?

6. Eating.

Okay, so let's be real here. if I really did not have a job, I would probably be as big as a house, because staying home means I eat. A lot. Monday I was home with Henry while he was recovering from tonsillitis (yes, my one year old had tonsillitis. He's an over achiever) and I made a breakfast casserole for me and Hubby to have at work (4 meals each) and ate one of those pieces. Then I snacked on the chocolate that Spencer brought home from a birthday party over the weekend. Then it was lunchtime, so I had some leftover brussel sprout and bacon pasta. Then I thought about if there was any other candy in the fridge. Then I had a spoon of peanut butter to curb my appetite.

7. Exercise

At least with the lack of work, I could maybe keep up a workout routine that wouldn't take too much time away from my family. I love the feeling I get from working out (although I really don't like exercise) but I worry sometimes that it takes too much time away from my family. Three nights a week I go for a run. For two weeks I also did kick boxing. When I had a hot yoga groupon, I went 12 times in a month. With no job, I could work out without feeling like I was taking time away from my family.

8. Read!

'Nuff said.

9. Knitting

I've always wanted to learn, but I don't have the time or the concentration to do so. I think I would learn.

10. And Number 10 is where I come back to reality and remind myself of all my of SAHM friends. If I didn't have a job outside of the house, I would still be cleaning, doing laundry, cooking, rounding up kids, dealing with problems and somehow there would still not be enough time in the day for everything. So really, that's what I'd be doing.

What would you be doing?

(all photos borrowed from around the internets, so thanks internets!)

Fall Into Reading Part Deux

As I sit here, NOT reading, I feel compelled to add to my fall reading list to complete my 19 books I plan to read. Here now is my completed list (the additions were mostly poached from other people's lists, so I thank those other players in the reading party):

Bright Young Things, Anna Godberson
Untouchable, Scott O'Connor
Bossypants, Tina Fey
Swamplandia! Karen Russell
The Fallen (Chloe King), Liz Braswell
The Stolen (Chloe King), Liz Braswell
The Chosen (Chloe King), Liz Braswell
Gap Creek, Robert Morgan
Until Proven Guilty, JA Jance
Someday This Will Be Funny, Lynne Tillman
Diary of a Mad Fat Girl, Stephanie McAfee
Forever, Maggie Stiefvater
Bel Canto, Ann Pratchett
State of Wonder, Ann Pratchett
Battle Royale, Koushun Takami
The Night Circus, Ernin Morgenstern
Season to Taste: How I Lost My Sense of Smell..., Molly Birnbaum

There are only seventeen books on this list, which I thought about and decided to leave it at. My goal is still 19 books, but I know there will be times in the next 12 weeks where I will want desperately to go off-list, and that will allow me to do so guilt-free. Plus, I have emails out to people whose taste in books is similar to mine, and I'm sure I'll pick something off those lists. I think I'll try to update on Wednesdays to show my progress.


Update: I finished Bright Young Things on 9/26. I wasn't a fan of how it ended, because I didn't realize it was to be a series so I was annoyed that things didn't wrap up. But I did like the nod to Fitzgerald with the dog's name.

Also, I shot myself in the foot on my reading list Tuesday afternoon, as I stopped in at the library to check for some books that were recommended to round out my list. They didn't have any of them, HOWEVER I bought three at the bookstore downstairs and borrowed seven. Oops!

Ten on Tuesday: Trips

With today's participation in Chelsea's TOT, I am looking at escapism. I was home with a sick Henry on Monday, and while I did greatly enjoy the snuggles I got with him ALL DAY, my head pounds and I don't want to think about Tuesday morning's work. So I type. And dream about vacations. But then vacations make me think about the fact that I still haven't found Spencer's video game player for the plane trip that we take in just over a week despite turning my house upside down and calling grandparents to see if it was left there. Arg. Dreams!

1. What is your dream vacation?
If someone else would completely plan it for me, and pack and maybe I could bring a nanny with me (especially to handle the plane ride), I'd love to jaunt around Europe. For so long I said, there are so many places in the US that I haven't been that I'd rather check out than brave the long trip out to Europe. So I lied, mostly to myself.

2. What has been your favorite trip so far in your life?
I have two: my honeymoon was fantastic. I planned it all myself, and it was perfect. Two weeks; we flew to San Francisco and spent a couple days. Then we spent a week in wine country, three days in Yosemite and two in Las Vegas before flying home. We ate at the best restaurants, visited museums like the Charles Schultz and the Jelly Belly factory, saw Beatles Love and Spamalot. Awesome.

My second favorite was a camping trip that we took 6 years ago or so. We did 5 states in 9 days, spent time in our favorite cities including an extended stay in Memphis and had an excellent time. I can't tell you the details but it was fantastic. Except the last 10 hours of the trip through Alabama when my air conditioning went out, but other than that.

Oh, and there was the camping trip to Washington DC.

Oh, and there was Chicago for Taste of Chicago. That was epic. Okay, so all of our trips have been great. I guess it's good we don't go a lot of places, because this would get really long.

3. If you and one of your best friends could go anywhere in the world for one week, where would it be and why?
There are very few people I could spend a week with without wanting to hurt. I think maybe I'd like to go on a cruise since I've never ever been on one, and I have no idea who I'd go with.

4. Have you ever booked a trip using an online deal? How did it go?
Not a whole trip, but I've booked hotels with no problem, and I've booked plane tickets with no problem.

5. What’s your favorite thing to do while you’re on vacation?
Eat. Is there anything more to do?

6. Have you ever missed an opportunity to take a trip that you regret?
Nope. I don't get a lot of opportunities to take trips, but I'm pretty sure I've taken them all.

7. You travel far away from home and get stranded with no way to buy anything, what’s the one thing you can’t live without?
Soap. And my camera.

8. What’s one of your favorite traveling memories?
Sitting on Beale Street with Hubby and a Newcastle watching a street band, deciding that Memphis was just so awesome that we needed to stay another day.

9. All included resort or backpacking? Why?
I'm somewhere in between. I like the out-of-my-hands details that a resort would include (in theory, I've never actually been to a resort) but I like to do my own thing, which backpacking would allow for (except that I like to plan some of my visit ahead of time, which probably defies the whole "backpacking" thing).

10. Are you more of a lie on the beach kind of person on vacation, or do you prefer to see the sights?
Sights! We don't relax on vacations, we see what we can see. We get the most out of our vacation, and generally need a vacation from our vacation.

Fall Into Reading

I've been reading pretty steadily this year, but I don't want to fall off here at the end. I think I've realized that I won't meet my goal of 125 book considering at this very moment I've only read 82 books (mid 82nd, actually). But I'm going to hope I can make 100 at least, so I've decided to do the Fall Into Reading challenge to keep me reading through this very busy holiday season (and who am I kidding, the very busy prime time television season, and football, and baseball if our team gets its act together). And of course, those two toddlers running around. Here are 19 books (including the one I'm reading now) that I hope to read between now and December 21:

Bright Young Things, Anna Godberson
Untouchable, Scott O'Connor
Bossypants, Tina Fey
Swamplandia! Karen Russell
The Fallen (Chloe King), Liz Braswell
The Stolen (Chloe King), Liz Braswell
The Chosen (Chloe King), Liz Braswell
Gap Creek, Robert Morgan
Until Proven Guilty, JA Jance
Someday This Will Be Funny, Lynne Tillman
Diary of a Mad Fat Girl, Stephanie McAfee

Okay, so that's only 11. I will add the other 8 when I come up with them, but my goal is 19 books. Over three months, that really shouldn't be that difficult for me.

Famous Last Words. Happy Reading!

Baby Fever

I don't want more.

I don't. Want. More.

idontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidontidont.

No really.

Anyhow, two of my good friends are pregnant and due within weeks of each other. Another friend is "trying". I honestly don't want any more children RIGHT NOW. There is a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that maybe in a few years I might want another, but certainly not now.

But I feel a little sad. When I had Spencer, none of my friends were pregnant. Most of my friends weren't even married. I have a couple friends now who have children his age, but generally I felt a little isolated and lonely during his first year. I missed my friends, missed going through all of those new things you learn about kids with people. I loved my kid, but the isolation was hard.

When I had Henry, then a couple of my friends were also pregnant. We now have a group where we try to meet up for a play date once a month, and it's so NICE to meet up with friends and have our same-age kids play together (now that they can appropriately steal each other's toys).

I think if I was to have another, it would probably be around the same time those friends are working on their next round of kids, so maybe there's hope. Or maybe by then I'll decide again that two is enough for me. The boys are great. So much fun, so active and interesting. This should be the time I'm enjoying. The time is NOW! haha

The tens that aren't actually Ten.

Via Chelsea, this week we have a meme ... I feel like I've been transported back 5 years into blogging history. Here we go!

A. Age: 31
B. Bed Size: king. Which we got so we could fit the kids and I don't actually let the kids sleep in it, but it's nice for Saturday mornings.
C. Chore that you hate: hanging laundry (I'm okay with running the loads and folding what needs to be folded, but I have a mental block about hanging clothes). Emptying the dishwasher (same thing)
D. Dogs: Love 'em, miss having 'em, DON'T miss being responsible for them.
E. Essential start to your day: Breakfast. Most of the time coffee too, but more for the taste than the caffeine.
F. Favorite Color: Purple. I do love purple
G. Gold or Silver: Silver, white gold or platinum
H. Height: 5'4"
I. Instruments you play: back in the day I played clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, french horn and bagpipes. All with varying degrees of proficiency.
J. Job Title: not answering.
K. Kids: two
L. Live: Florida
M. Mother’s Name: wow, this is thorough. There's a lot of info that I just don't want to answer.
N. Nicknames: I had a friend who called me 'Pril because I refused to answer to Ape.
O. Overnight hospital stays: for my c-sections
P. Pet peeve: people scolding other people's children (read: my children) or ordering them around when they aren't doing anything to harm themselves, others, or anybody's stuff.
Q. Quote from a movie: "I want my two dollars!"
R. Right or left handed: south paw
S. Siblings: two
T. Time you wake up: around 6:27. Alarm goes off at 6am and I hit snooze twice before getting up on the third feeling guilty.
U. Underwear: yes
V. Vegetable you hate: none! never met one I didn't like.
W. What makes you run late: In the morning, it's because I'm lazy. Any other time it's because I have two kids and I misjudge how long it will actually take me to get somewhere. Why can't we teleport yet?
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Lots.
Y. Yummy food that you make: Lots
Z. Zoo Animal: Zebra. I think that's appropriate.

An array of appointments

I've been neglecting my doctor visits for quite awhile now, and this last week I finally bit the bullet and lined up all my appointments. Well, except for the specialist I need to see, but hopefully I'll call today. I'm having a hard time lining that one up. I promise I'll do it, but I think I need to get myself in a frame of mind.

Anyhow, Friday I had my derm appointment to get some steroid cream for my feet (eczema), a wart the size of a dime frozen off my heel (I know, right?) and a biopsy of a mole on my back. I feel like Quasimodo listing those out. My heel is killing me now, which I hope means the liquid nitrogen is working, but I'd really like to be able to wear shoes. Ahh, some day.

Today is my eye appointment and my well woman visit. Ahh, birth control and contacts.

Next I need a haircut (I'm thinking of just trying to walk-in somewhere tomorrow after work), and my dentist appointment is set for next month.

***

I figured out why Henry was such a poop for weeks! He has TWO MOLARS! How did this happen?? They are on the top, so I can't see them but we were swimming yesterday and I stuck my fingers in his mouth and was surprised by sharp little knives in the back of his mouth!

Forgotten Fridays (and other days too)

Things have been busy around here, and my blog has gone by the wayside. Normally I’d feel bad about that, but for some reason I really don't. Things have been good busy, and things have been bad busy. But all around busy. Here are a few highlights:

-- my mom is officially currently cancer-free. I took her to all her post-cancer appointments, which included everything except getting her port out. It was supposed to include getting her port out, but they forgot to schedule it and so we have another anxiety-filled day of that 15-minute surgery (which probably wouldn't be a big deal except that it involves her jugular vein, which freaks her the eff out, and I really can't blame her). She still feels like crap, and she's still all blister-y, and they are putting her on a pill that mimics menopause which she had somehow missed so now she gets the joy of all that ickiness. But no more chemo, no more radiation, and eventually the hair - it will grow back.

-- we had a funeral of a family member who died very suddenly of a heart attack. It was very sad, and although it doesn't affect me directly on a daily basis, I feel for the direct family of said family member. She was a very good woman.

-- I'm getting ready to take the boys on their first every plane trip - to Philadelphia/Wilmington in a couple weeks. Please send good thoughts, and maybe any pointers? I have a new video game and headphones for S (and I would love to borrow a portable DVD player but I really don't want to buy one), and new crayons and coloring books. I know to stock up on snacks. What do you get to keep a 1-year old busy for 2 1/2 hours? We are going at his naptime so I'm hoping he will sleep but I'm really not expecting it. He likes to people watch.

-- I started kickboxing this week, as I bought a Groupon for 4 classes. Two classes in, and I'm loving it! And ... I'm terrible at it. How do people get their foot to turn like that for the round kick??

-- I also got over the 40-lb plateau I hit, and I now only have 8 lbs left to my goal. I'm not being unreasonable - I'm going to try to get that last 8 lbs by the end of the year. That accounts for any backslides for the holidays, but I have at least 2 5ks, a 10k and training for my half marathon in February so I'm hoping that I have it in me. I also have 2 months of hot yoga groupons. Woohoo!

-- I think I'm going to start an excel spreadsheet to make my list of packing needs. Mmmm, lists.

And a few pictures:

What a difference

It’s still been a little rough around these parts. Lack of sleep and too much stress has made for some hard days. Couple that with the death of a family member, sick kids, kids who won’t sleep in their beds (both of ‘em), random vomit …

… but today we woke up and realized the entire household slept through the entire night. I don’t know if this is due to the Benadryl the youngest had (that nose just won’t stop) or utter exhaustion, but 8-10 hours of uninterrupted sleep is just amazing. Amazing.

One of the things I left out of the “things that make me happy” post was play dates. I often have a hard time with these because it just seems like so much work, but it’s actually so much fun once I buck up and do it. I include in this birthday parties, and while 6 birthday parties in 5 weekends is a little much, we’ve had so much fun at all of them – sort of like big play dates, really.

We have another play date for tonight too. A couple girlfriends and I get together once a month or so, do dinner and wine and let the kiddos run loose in someone’s house. I need to make black beans and yellow rice and head over as long as the kids’ lack of sickness holds up. Fingers crossed!

Tens

via Chelsea:

1. What temperature do you keep your thermostat on during the day? When we aren't home, it's at 85. When we're here, 83. It's not really 83, because the thermostat is right next to the kitchen it thinks the house is a lot hotter than it is. Plus, we have a really weak a/c. That's all I get.

2. What temperature do you keep your thermostat on at night? 82. I like it cold, but any lower than that and there are complaints. Again, it's slightly skewed.

3. In a canister of mixed nuts, do you pick out certain varieties and leave the others? I prefer Brazil nuts, then macadamia, then walnut/pecan, then cashew, then almond. I don't eat the peanuts.

4. What is your favorite kind of M&M? plain is good, especially mixed into rice crispy treats.

5. How do you buy books? (Amazon, bookstore, new, used, electronic, etc) on my Nook. Otherwise I borrow from friends or the library.

6. How do you like your eggs cooked? How don't I like eggs cooked? My favorite lately is to fry or poach and lay it on top of a piece of toast with laughing cow cheese. Also: scrambles with my leftover meats and veggies from the week.

7. Can you whistle? Only with a whistle.

8. What common word do you always misspell? aggravate, which aggravates me. Nauseous, so I always change it to the the noun: I have nausea.

9. Are you afraid of flying? Nope, love it.

10. How often do you go shopping? We are always shopping, but not always buying. Like a good deal, so always on the lookout for one.

Turning things around.

My outlook and my disposition has been pretty weak these days. I’m letting stress get to me, which is a) just not good and b) making me and everyone I come in contact with miserable. So here are things that make me happy:

**Henry is WALKING. He’s toddling all over the house, and it’s so adorable. He’s so excited by it too, so he starts laughing when he goes, and then he tries to run and he falls. Because of his month of standing on his own/squatting/standing, he already knows how to stop and pick up a toy and keep moving. He can’t change direction well yet, and he can’t get to standing if there’s nothing to climb up but he's having so much fun. I didn't really want to blog about this yet because I haven't actually posted his One Year post (it's written, but the photos STILL haven't been loaded from the camera).

**We bought a new bedroom TV! Ours broke about 6 months ago, and we've been holding off until Hubs got a new job to replace it. I've missed watching television in bed. We did tend to overuse it, but I really miss being tired but still wanting to watch, and not being able to. IT CAME TODAY! And it STREAMS NETFLIX ON ITS OWN! Genius, those technology people. Genius.

**Spencer is obsessed with flying next month. He keeps talking about the difference between airplanes and rocket ships and all the birds and clouds he's going to see. This morning he's been asking to see a picture of the plane we're going to go on:

**I just realized that I'm only working three days next week. Monday is a holiday, and Friday is the end of my mom's radiation so I'm taking her to all her post-cancer follow up appointments.

**I called my in-laws yesterday and asked them to babysit Friday night so Hubby and I can have a date night. AND we have a gift certificate!

**This statement from Spencer: When I grow up, I'm going to be a ROCK AND ROLL STAR!

**And there's only 33 days until my vacation! And I'm thinking of taking an extra day off.

what is making you happy these days?