Where is the time going?

Well, I rocked “fun parent” status on Saturday, with trips to both the splash park and Chuck E Cheese (the latter being at 2pm on a Saturday, take THAT, sanity). We also had lunch at McD’s with my sister who managed to be … well, fine actually. It was a good visit and I haven’t seen her in at least a year and a half due to her guano craziness. But it was fine. I even met her equally nutso boyfriend that she curses about on facebook incessantly, and he was perfectly respectful (also respectfully declined coming with us to lunch, which I appreciated). We also saw my mom and bought pjs for Henry and shoes for Spencer … look, shoes for Spencer were not on the list but he kept insisting on wearing these sandals where the soles had split and the insides were coming out and I had had it. So I bought him new sandals (even though he had perfectly good other sandals at home) and had the cashier throw those old ones away. Done and done.

I don’t know how it’s already Wednesday and I feel like there’s so much to say but if I wait to split posts, will it ever get said? I might should probably bullet this. Will I? Jury’s out.

Yesterday Spencer got in trouble at summer daycare, and it was a stupid little thing – he and a friend were “throwing cars” (in quotations because he said they were just doing cool tricks but I informed him that if the car leaves the safety of your hand, it’s now being thrown) and she told him to stop so he doesn’t hurt the other kids and he wouldn’t. It’s a small thing, but it’s a nearly every day thing with him there. Spencer has been there since he was 6 months old, and he was SUCH AN EASY CHILD that now that he’s school age with opinions and attitude, she doesn’t quite know what to do with him. So anyhow, it was a small thing but it was the proverbial straw on the camel’s back so he got in relatively big trouble. No kindle, no Wii games, no watching daddy play computer games, no tv before bed. Nothing F.U.N. or S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

So there was crying but then he got over it and we did our grocery shopping. When we shop and they are good, we stop at the bakery for cookies. Always. It doesn’t matter if it’s 30 minutes till dinner, whatever. The only times they don’t is if we’re running in for just a couple things or if they have not been good directly before grocery trip (in which case it’s usually both of them). But this time … well, you know where this is going right? Henry got his cookie. Spencer did not.

Honestly, I was kind of proud of Spencer and how he handled his extreme disappointment. And he was extremely disappointed. He stood there, head hung low, eyes watching Henry eat his sprinkle cookie, and just quietly cried. No tantrum, no crazy indignation. He knew he was being punished, and that maybe he kind of deserved it. He was upset for quite a while, but he finally got over it and moved on with his evening. This happened again at bedtime when he realized (apparently he forgot) that he would miss his show he again did the pitiful silent cry while he read instead of enjoying Tumble Leaf.

“Mom, Tita is never going to tell you anything ever again.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I’m never going to do it again.”

Yeah, we’ll see. Anyhow, so hopefully he learned his lesson and can get things together so it can be a happy time at daycare.

Just a Few Things

How the heck is it Friday? I’ve been wanting the end of the week to come for ages, but now that it’s here I’m honestly flabbergasted. Not that I’m complaining, mind you.

I’ve been working on that 24-hour complaint free thing, one day at a time. It feels very 12-step of me, really. I did good for two solid blocks, but then Wednesday I spilled coffee on myself on a flight for work and Thursday I didn’t get enough sleep and broke down crying because I couldn’t figure out something in the new system we are working in. But today. Today is going to be a Good. Day. I took a Unisom last night and had a wonderful 9.5 hours of sleep wherein we forgot to set the alarm and I was awoken by my husband mere minutes before I needed to leave for work. Which was okay! I made it! And I didn’t have to wake up to an alarm, which frankly I think puts me in a bad mood every day.

I think another issue for me this week is I wasn’t making to-do lists for myself for the day. While it might seem daunting to look at the six dozen needs for the day, it’s so satisfying to mark them off. And it keeps my head on straight.

Since C is working tomorrow, he’s off today and we’re going to lunch together. I have decided to grill clams and asparagus for dinner tonight so I want to hit the local Italian market on lunch, so we’ll have lunch on the patio there and pretend I don’t have to go back to work afterward. I think it’s a fabulous plan.

I’m still a bit up in the air about what I want to do with the kids tomorrow. Both the new splash park and Chuck E Cheese open at 10am, so I think we’ll do one or the other, and then we might *might* do the other after that. There’s also an indoor blacklight minigolf place I saw last weekend, so that might be on the agenda, or we might go to the beach. I don’t know! So many choices! I’m terrible at the lone wolf thing, especially when C is working from home so he’s there but can’t help and is otherwise tethered to the inside of the house. I’ve decided for times like these, I’m going to be the fun parent. We will do things that we never do. That would otherwise drive us nuts. I’ve got my books, I’ll be fine. Anyone want to come with us?

I’m doing a shrimp boil for dinner tomorrow night, but I want a dessert. Something light and outdoory – any suggestions?

**OH! They are doing Harry Potter at the local IMAX dome for the next few weekends. I'm not sure how this sounds.

I think I (gasp) need a break from Disney

In the past 16 months, we have missed maybe half a dozen weekends at Disney. On the weekends we go, we usually only go for one day, but it’s a full day – often multiple parks, staying until dark – later into the night, and then driving home while the kids sleep and I read/sleep. A few of the long weekends we’ve gone multiple days, driving to and from both days, and four three times we’ve stayed over locally instead of driving (one weekend was for Spencer’s birthday, the other three were just random).

What I’m saying, is I think I’m a little Disney’d out, for the moment.

We went to Epcot yesterday, on the final day of the World Cup which was just poor planning on my part. Spencer was hanging out with with a friend of his on Saturday and we did some Macy’s exchanging so yesterday was Disney. People, it was hot and we were cranky and I think we all fought all day. The kids wouldn’t stop running down inclines and sitting on chain barriers (big pet peeves) and C and I argued several times. It just wasn’t the most fun day for me. I do recognize that a not-so-great day at Disney is still probably better than average days other places, but by dinner when we had more issues I was just ready to go. So we went.

So maybe we’ll skip next weekend? Only time will tell. C has to work on Saturday so I’m taking the kids to Chuck E Cheese and the children’s museum (I know, I know, glutton, punishment and all that) and we’ve got our belated family birthday dinner which should prove fun. Today is my me-time day. Last Monday I did grocery shopping and took a run and a shower and we had TJs chana masala which meant a distinct lack of cooking. I think I’m out of prepared TJs foods right now, so I may actually have to cook tonight. I have to do some grocery shopping, and I’d like to get in a run if I can manage it. I’m hoping that I’ll still have an hour to myself that I can sit and read/take a shower, but I know I’ll end up straightening the house and measuring the closet to see if I can replace the boys’ clothes bins with actual dressers.

Halfway through this post, I saw this come up in my Facebook newsfeed. Obviously I need it – I’m feeling a bit down and pessimistic apparently. So once I hit publish, I am going to try to go 24 hours. And then maybe another 24 hours. Before I go, I’m going to put up 3 things that are making me happy right this minute:

- I started listening to Neil Gaiman’s book The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and it is adorable. I didn’t get very far because I listened on my walk Friday, but I have a day flight on Wednesday and I’m planning on not reading an actual book. I’m going to close my eyes and let Neil Gaiman read to me. His voice! So endearing!

- Friday I was having one of those nights but it was C’s birthday so I was trying – TRYING. Everything was getting to me, although I tried to set myself up for success – we went out for dinner and I had my favorite burger (incorrect the first time, but amazing the second, Guacamole Bacon burger at Red Robin, no mayo and cheddar cheese instead of swiss) and let the kids watch Toy Story on my ipad during dinner for extra calmness, but I just couldn’t get out my funk. My wonderful husband, on his birthday, sent me for a walk on my own while he let the kids watch a movie and handled things. It was a lovely hour walk while I listened to the Gaiman book.

- Sunday morning Spencer decided that he was going to teach Henry how to play chess. It was shortlived because H didn’t care 10 minutes in, but it was super cute.

Friday bits

- This week it has been so hard to get out of bed in the morning. Bed! So comfortable! I feel like this in the mornings:

I’m hoping for a couple good nights of sleep, ideally of going to bed earlier so I can catch up the right way instead of training myself to sleep later than I am normally able. I have another 4am wakeup for a flight on Wednesday and I have to be able to get my butt out of bed.

- It’s been very rainy this week, which means that we grill like this:

It works out though – we grilled twice this week, once hot dogs and last night we did grilled chicken and grilled Caesar salad (where you grilled the romaine lettuce and the onions too). I think I’m not a big fan of grilled lettuce – it was too limp for me. However, I bought a Caesar vinaigrette by Kraft (which is always BOGO at our grocery) and by golly, it was delicious. I was hesitant because I don’t like Greek dressing – really is Roman general dressing that much different? Yum.

- I go through phases with my work music. For a long time it was 90s, and 80s, and then for a while the Broadway channel got me through the day

But I’m currently obsessed with the Love channel. Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Bread, Poco, Bette Midler … while I’m unfortunately unlikely to hear a break through Warrant Cherry Pie, it’s very soothing and singable for my workday.

- I feel like I’m channeling Kori with all these gifs. For the sleep gif I was looking more for a sloth/chunk one, but this I feel is more Kori:

(new meaning to "Friday bits", yes?)

- I’m thinking of doing a shrimp boil next week a la Heather. We did one when we backyard camped and it was very successful. Although really we just needed the shrimp and sausage because the kids don’t eat potatoes and if there’s shrimp and sausage they’re unlikely to eat corn too. Anything else we can boil that they might eat? I’m also thinking of picking up a bag of clams and steaming them on the grill, which makes me excited but I have no idea if they will eat them. Maybe if I tout them as shrimp relatives?

- I did the baby feet thing, and I’m here to tell you two things: it really works, and if you have eczema it won’t work QUITE as well as it does on other people and will be pretty itchy at first but still. So much better. I just greased up the eczema spots to try to get rid of those so I’m not giving you a picture but I swear. Excellent. If you do it, make sure you soak your feet every night to help the peeling, and rub the dead skin off while it’s in the water. Amazing.

- Spencer is learning how to play chess, and he’s very interested. Daddy’s way of teaching appears to be by creaming him while telling him how he’s creaming him (seriously, who castles on their first game with their six year old?) but Spencer actually took it fairly in stride. He wants to play me next, since I’m not as good. It’s a fairer fight.

- This thing is amazing. My mom bought me one months ago but I thought it was a cheesy gadget and didn’t even take it out of the box until I saw someone else had spiraled a cucumber and I thought “hey, I should try that.” Enter fantastic lunch for this week. This has spiraled zucchini, avocado, garbanzos, feta, Kalamata olives, cilantro, olive oil and lemon juice. It was phenomenal, really. Highly recommend.

- Obligatory photo of the second born – from this morning. Obviously we need to get him bigger pjs, they’re all crops at this point.

10 on Tuesday - what makes me happy

My hands smell like strawberries and Dijon mustard from making my breakfast and lunch today and there was this crazy bitch on the road who was tailgating like it was going out of style while she flung her cigarette butt out the window … so let’s just say I need a pick me up besides my chocolate truffle coffee (although thank you Archer Farms K-cups for that contribution). SO. Here are 10 things that make me happy:

1. Henry seems to be coming out of the dreaded 3.5s quite nicely. He still throws himself on the floor in a snit all the time (especially if he asks someone to ‘let him win’ and then he doesn’t win, competitive little bastard), but for the most part he’s so fun to be around – it’s so fun to see a small child’s mind work.

2. Having a local Trader Joes. You guys, I do 80% of my shopping there now even though it’s not super close because I love it so much. Ghee, lovely fruits and veggies (the watermelon was fantastic), olive demi-baguettes. I would have said 95% of my shopping, but I did a full shopping trip at Publix yesterday. There are a slim amount of things I don’t get there because I prefer certain brands (hello, Wright’s bacon) and I don’t go every time I just need milk or eggs, but still. So. Good.

3. Speaking of TJs, vino verde. Chili lime chicken burgers.

4. I went for a run yesterday. Like, more jogging than walking for 28 minutes and it felt good. Really good. Might do it more often good.

5. I haven’t yet had my breakfast (coconut greek yogurt and strawberries and blueberries) but I’m already looking forward to my lunch – roast beef, Havarti w dill, Dijon mustard and romaine lettuce on a spinach wrap. Come to momma.

6. I love food.

7. I’ve started rearranging the boys’ room in my head. It’s only so long until I start doing it in real life at this point. I’m the only one who realizes this right now. I just got my heart set on a writing desk for Spencer, and therefore the entire room has to change to accommodate that.

8. We are less than a month out from our trip to Colorado, and I will be on vacation for 9 days. NINE. I gave myself a buffer of a day on either side of the trip, so what will happen is there’s a weekend. Then I work Monday. Then I’m off for 9 days (NINE!). Then I work for two days. Then there’s another weekend. I’m ludicrously happy with this arrangement. I need a break.

9. I’m making Spencer keep a journal for the summer. This is not something he would put on his list of things that make him happy, but it makes me happy. I love journals. That was the only reason I wanted to be a teacher, so I could assign journals and then read them. (thankfully I came to my senses to realize I couldn’t deal with the rest of what teaching entailed before I went down that road.)

10. C has to work a couple Saturdays for busy season, and I’m planning fun things to do with the kids. I’m not good at lone wolfing AT ALL so on these days I usually set up things to do so I can be the “fun parent”. I’m thinking of taking them to Chuck E Cheese because we have leftover tokens from a year or two ago which was the last time we went (C HATES the place) and then I might take them to one of those paint your own pottery places. Any other ideas?

What makes you happy?

Always in need of a break post-break

So that was the longest 3.5 days off work in forever. Was it really a week and I stopped counting the days right? Well I’ve come to the part of the day-after a long weekend where I yearn for just one more day to lay around doing absolutely nothing. The problem is if I were given an extra day to do nothing, I would not do nothing. So it’s probably a good thing I didn’t bother.

Thursday’s 3-boy 3-hour extravaganza has pretty nearly cemented my theory that I was not meant to parent three children. So. Much. Noise. I kept them outside in the splash pool for the majority of the time but still, so exhausting. Within an hour of him leaving, I was in bed asleep and ended up sleeping through the night – 11.5 hours. They did have fun though.

We went to my in-laws for the fourth, and it was wonderfully fun. I never do a ton of swimming because I couldn’t go underwater in my contacts, but I finally invested in a pair of goggles and that was a game changer. I swam non-stop for three hours (and paid the price later, in case you were wondering. Holy painful shoulders, batman!) and drank sangria and ate hamburgers and it was pretty much the best thing.

Because we’re insane, we decided late in the day to go to Hollywood Studios (after all that swimming, mind you) to ride a few rides and see the fireworks. It was mostly successful, except that Henry didn’t make it through any of the fireworks (who starts them at 10:30pm? Dude, kids?!?) but when he fell asleep it was pretty darn cute.

MY BIRTHDAY. I was granted sleeping in on my birthday, which is not to say that the kids slept (despite the late night, of course), but then I got up and made breakfast. I thought about asking to go out for breakfast but meh, we had food and I can cook it and I enjoy what I make so much more than if anyone else did. Also over breakfast, I decided that for My Birthday I would actually like to go to Disney. Seriously, this was a thing I suggested. I also requested an Epcot dinner so we made reservations and I made lunches for everyone and dinner for the littles and off we went. So fun. If ever you go to Disney for your birthday, stop at guest services and get your happy birthday pin. Even at 34, it was so fun to have every Disney cast member (and occasional guest) wishing me a happy birthday. I daresay it was MORE fun as an adult. We dined at Nine Dragons, which I was hesitant about because I’m not a fan of Chinese takeout but it was delicious. And they gave me cake and a card with Happy Birthday in Chinese written on it, because Disney is awesome. (plus I bought myself some ears. Happy birthday to me.)

Sunday was to be a non-Disney day because every once in a while we need those. Hey, the grass has to be cut sometime, right? I did a minute amount of gardening (the weeds were as big as the bushes, truth) and then took a walk with Henry to Target in the drizzly rain, where I proceeded to buy all sorts of things I shouldn’t have bought knowing I had to walk a mile back home. But now we are proud owners of a badmitton/volleyball set and ladder golf, as well as a dozen odds and ends. (An aside – even though H was THERE when I made these purchases, when we got home he exclaimed to his brother “BUBBA! MOMMY BOUGHT ME BACON!!” so we know where his heart is.)

My mom volunteered as tribute to give us a date night, so we ate at a local brewery and saw Edge of Tomorrow (Tom Cruise+alien war+Groundhog Day) and I drank too much which is a consequence of seeing a movie in a club area – the theater has a bar where they apparently only make club drinks, so my “make me something with gin in it” became “gin, vodka, tequila, curacao, something I didn’t recognize, grenadine and club soda – aka, every other club drink designed to get you hammered for $8.50. The movie was fine – not my kind of movie, but my kind of movie is not one that you need to see in theaters so we picked an action flick.

And now it’s Monday again. Terrible, wonderful Monday, where I will now plan on taking a bubble bath when I get home and finishing the book I’ve been reading for the last WEEK because I can’t seem to concentrate. And everything will be glorious.

HOOOLLLIDAY!

It’s my birthday week, and with that I feel like not doing anything worth a brass farthing. I grilled dinner Tuesday night (every piece of dinner, actually, going pan-less FTW) and set up the table outside to eat, and we all melted with extreme temperatures. Why does it have to be 97 degrees on July 1? Dude, seriously. I filled the blow up pool too, so the kids swam while I grilled and it was all idyllic except for the crazy humidity and the aforementioned blasted heat.

But then that tropical storm out east broke the temperature by causing crazy downpours and we hung out inside watching tv. I’m trying to start a July arm challenge that may ultimately kill me, so I did my calesthetics (the arm challenge plus crunches that made me want to throw up) and then because I got very little movement through the day I started walking through the house while watching baseball, and jogging in place on commercials. Sometimes I’m certifiable.

Oh! And we managed to not kill the gerbils in over a year, so we decided they were entitled to a larger cage to work off all that slothly fat of theirs (they couldn't fit through their own tubes, honestly). So we got them a topper which is apparently not well made and took C forever to get together, but they seem to like it.

Last night we used a coupon and went to Carrabba’s, which made me obscenely happy – thank you, Chicken Bryan. We’ve started packing dinner for the kids when we go out locally unless there’s a kid meal deal – it costs us $10 less just to bring their food, and then I know they’ll eat it with minimal complaints. Last night they had pb&j, cheez-it mix, blackberries and blueberries, yogurt covered raisins and two marshmallows for dessert. I had a reasonable quiet and happy meal. Wins all around.

We’ve got minimal plans for this weekend. I get off early today because daycare is closing early, and I was toying with driving over to Disney for the evening but a friend of the boys’ is coming over for a few hours instead. So apparently after he leaves we’ll do the usual Friday night dinner of movies and popcorn – the boys have been wanting to see Pirate Fairy since it came out, and it’s finally on Netflix, so that’s the likely plan.

For the Fourth I plan on SLEEPING IN, but then we are headed over to my in-laws to swim and have a cookout and not do any fireworks as per our usual ritual. The lack of fireworks is the ritual – the rest of it is just because it sounds fun. It doesn’t really matter about the fireworks – I’ve been listening to neighbors set them off all damn week. Why, why, why?

The rest of the weekend is up in the air. Disney, maybe? More swimming, maybe? Sangria almost definitely? Possibly using my free Red Robin birthday burger and free scoop of ice cream from Baskin Robbins? It’s a long weekend and I’m going to not think about anything hard for the extent of it.

What are your weekend plans?