Fa La La La La

I have been sick as a dog - going into week #3 with bronchitis and a pain in the back of my head that makes me nauseous.  I went back to the dr. and he said the pain is most likely muscular and stress-related.  I guess so when I'm so freakin' busy at work - behind the veritable 8-Ball, have Christmas and houseguests looming, Jackson's birthday which I want to make special even though it's in the midst of holiday preparations, kitchen floor running behind schedule, granite installation having to be pushed back, new kitchen table coming next Friday but chairs some time in Jan.  And the house if a filthy mess with dust from the tiling everywhere you turn.  I can't wait to have my kitchen and family room furniture back where it belongs so that my bedroom is no longer the breakfast nook and romper room all rolled into one....The bronchitis is just about cleared up although I had a coughing fit today and I'm taking some high test cough medicine with codiene in it and two different painkillers - one for day time and one for at night.  The daytime one barely took the edge off the pain today.  How am I supposed to recruit when I'm in this state?  I'm in really good shape as far as Christmas shopping some how.  My packages to send to Aunt Dee & Uncle Ed, my mom, and Julie are ready to go to the post office and since Annette & Jeff are coming here there is no need to mail their gifts - but they're wrapped and ready just the same.  I'd still love to get something for Billy & Stephen and mail it off to my Mom's for them but that's a separate shopping trip.  I did the official toy buying today at Target.  Jackson doesn't know yet to ask for everything under the sun and of course Kate doesn't.  Alex's list consisted of primarily movies.  I got her quite a few nice gifts - mainly three outfits, several books, a necklace, pj's, etc.  and one game. 

I may hit the Godiva store to buy gifts for the special folks around the office who make my life so much easier.  I know I'm not baking several batches of cookies to give away this year.  I'll be lucky if I get the pierogis made but maybe the Friday or Saturday before Christmas.  I'm not in the mood to write Christmas cards, partially because I don't have a really cool pic of the kids to send this year.  We'll see what happens, I still have time. 

Remodeling Woes

 Our new kitchen tile is positively gorgeous and so is the granite for the countertop.  There are 3-4 days of work left to do on the floor and that part of the downstairs is a wreck.  We are upstairs with the kids thinking about all of the things we need to do before Christmas.  I'm thinking a list is in order at this time.  The kitchen table we picked out is out of stock until January so we're going to hunt for an alternate today.  I'd love to have the floor, counters, and the new table before Jeff & Annette come in two weeks but it's looking doubtful on the table part. 

I had the brilliant idea of taking Jackson and a few buddies from school to see Disney on Ice for his birthday...and it's definitely running now.  It's not running in Washington at the moment though.  Oops, back to the drawing board to find an activity that will be cool for a birthday celebration.  We don't do the Chuck E. Cheese's deal.  He is scared of the mouse and the mayhem makes me nutso. 

I'm hoping that now that I'm on the antibiotic my bronchitis will clear up quickly.  I haven't been so sick in a long time and with so much to do - work and home and then there's preparing for Christmas.  I'm wondering when we'll make the pierogi - we have to make them again - they're fabulous, and despite my intentions to make them at least twice per year we only manage to make them for Christmas and freeze several dozen to enjoy for a few months after. 

Must get to the list.

First Sunday of Advent

Having children definitely makes a difference.  I'm thinking that's why I've got Christmas spirit already and I know it's also because I've been to Mass three weeks in a row now.  I'm not sure how long this hiatus has been but I broke it by going to the new parish right up the street.  Mass is held at the high school but the actual church is scheduled to be ready by Christmas.  How exciting - it's a beauty from the outside.  Jackson has gone with me the last two weeks and I am really into having him attend with me.  Today we brought home the advent wreath I'd ordered a few weeks ago and installed it on the dining room table.  Must go look up the Advent prayers to say when we light it.  Growing up we never did this in the home but I really like the idea. 

Thanksgiving was a blast - the meal turned out to be excellent with the exception of my mashed potatoes.  Having the Russin's, their kids, and the Levy's here felt right - just like family.  The topper of the evening was Kate warming up to Stacey's dad and us teaching her to call him Poppa Don.  So very cute. 

In addition to Jackson's birthday in a couple of weeks we have Annette & Jeff's visit to look forward to the weekend before Christmas.  My plan is to have their gifts wrapped and ready when they get here and also have the tree up - either decorated already or with lights only so we can all do it together over the weekend.

For Jackson's birthday, with the help of an idea from a friend, I suggested that rather than a house party we take him and invite a few friendsto see Disney on Ice.  I'm going to ask the mom's this week, buy the tickets now, and hopefully go shortly after the New Year.  Jackson is definitely not a Chuck E. Cheese's kid and neither am I!!  So rather than being slighted by having a birthday close to Christmas, Jackson will have the cupcakes at school, a cake and gifts at home with family, and a special outing with friends to look forward to. 

Both kids are so much fun right now.  Jackson being potty trained has made life easier and so has Kate walking and feeding herself fairly well.  She's starting to really parrot every word she hears and can follow simple directions like "please put this in Alex's room".  Very exciting and rewarding to watch them grow and learn new things.  Jackson's "big" gift this Christmas is a RoboRaptor - remote control dinosaur skeleton looking thing.  I hope he's as pleased with it as he is excited to get it.  It's already bought and safely tucked away in the garage until I start with my gift wrapping - which will happen shortly - possibly even this week.  Which reminds me, I need to locate the Christmas cards I stashed away last year.

I think the big key to the holiday excitement for me this year is Jackson being old enough to start teaching about the fact that Christmas is really fundamentally about Jesus' birthday and taking him to Mass with me.  Knowing Kate is old enough now to really get excited when she opensher gifts, having a houseful of people here for Thanksgiving, the pre-Christmas visit with Annette & Jeff - and maybe the underlying new level of peace I've achieved about the rift with my sister and the fact that my family loves both of us and is stuck in the middle - It's all adding up to make me feel that this is and will continue to be a very meaningful holiday season.

And I thank God for that!! 

Oh Dear...Where Has the Time Gone???

It's November 6th already!  I last blogged in July?  How can that be?  I didn't blog about vacation?  What have I missed?  What have I done?  What can I do to catch up?  How about a list of what comes to mind about what's happened since then?

Family vacation to the Outer Banks - A week in Corolla, NC  including mother in law and the pets - good time had by all.   Katherine loves the ocean.  The summer in general was pretty nice.  Kate learned to walk just before we went away which was very cool because last year I'd started picturing her as a toddler this year walking along the edge of the surf and my dream of her became a reality.  It was great fun to see all 3 of the kids enjoying the beach so much! 

I've been to Atlanta for work 4 times...or has it been five?  I've lost count but it's been all good. 

Jeff bought a motorcycle.

Jackson tried soccer - likes the idea of it, likes to kick the ball around - not keen on listening to the coach and running around with the other kids.  Better luck next year maybe - we'll see what he wants to do.

 

It's been so long

It's been a while so I thought I'd just drop in vs. having pics to write about or an event, etc.  Want to memorialize Jackson's calling McDonald's Old McDonald's for one thing.  Also the kids are getting so cute and maturing to the next level and I'm just not capturing it...Katherine, aka Kate, aka Piggers, aka Chiggen Nugget, is walking finally.  She has had the capability but two weeks ago Jeff and I worked on her confidence and she's doing it!  I am so excited to see her walking on water's edge when we're in Corolla this summer.  Hopefully we can lure Grandma to the beach more than last year.  I am planning on virtually living on the beach this year and getting tanned as a leather book (ha!  thank you to my new southern friends for that phrase, bless their hearts!). 

I was in Atlanta this past week for two days and it was a good time both professionally and personally in that I bonded with friends, ate some good food, and learned some things regarding work that will help going forward.  I'm grooming myself to be a Steel Magnolia vs. the Yankee tough girl that I've been and it's all good. 

I have pics to upload of the kids in their wading pool and in the sprinkler, and pics of us at the zoo.  We went to the zoo the day the new panda was born so there was much excitement in the air. 

I just want to record the fact that although I haven't been a blogging maniac I am enjoying my kids like I could never have imagined.  These have been the best years of my life, bar none, and although I had them over 40 and don't know any better about having kids in high school or college already - I am still having a great time with them.  I still prefer spending time with my son to most other folk...he's getting to be so much fun!!!  We have settled into a routine where he goes grocery shopping with me on the weekend and it's all good.  He is showing an afinity for gardening and tending to the plants like I have and which I feel is in my blood from my Granny's, etc. so it makes me feel so connected to them to be showing him how to pick off dead leaves and water slowly, etc.  What a special time in my life!!

 

Quiet Holiday Weekend

I cannot recall a Memorial Day weekend with three beautiful days.  This one came out of nowhere.  We stuck close to home as Jackson is still recovering from the cold that turned into an asthma attack that became pneumonia.  I am still sick also and so we passed up a fun sounding picnic at a winery yesterday in favor of staying home and having burgers on our own grill.  Jeff and I actually washed the windows in the kitchen and family room which were a streaky mess.  That made a huge difference.  Today Jeff went to see a friend about some car parts and took Jackson with him.  They'll be gone several hours as Bill lives on the other side of Alexandria from here.  Kate and I took a walk around the block and now she is napping and the house is quiet.  The roses have been sprayed, the laundry is caught up, the family room (aka romper room) has been picked up and I have some time on my hands.  Rather than finishing a baby blanket that is nearly done or cropping some photos I think I will rest as well.  When she wakes up we're off to the grocery store to buy steaks for dinner.  I hope I start feeling better soon as I don't want to spend my whole week of vacation time recuperating.  I'd like to get some home projects done and prepare for my wine tasting party on Friday and have fun doing it rather than having it feel like chores.

How I Do It

I learned with Jackson that things go in phases.  You learn to cope with one and then poof! you're on to the next thing.  With the onset of nice weather we no longer have to bundle the kids up in heavy winter coats to take them in and out.  Kate is in a big baby car seat vs. the carrier/car seat that got to be so heavy as she neared 20 lbs.  Now that she's weaned I no longer have to get bottles ready to take for daycare, wash bottles, carry the breastpump to and from work, make time to pump, etc.  It seems like it all went by so fast.  By next Fall she'll be big enough to walk herself to the car and maybe even climb in.  I'm looking forward to seeing her walking and running along the beach this summer.  I've been looking forward to that since last vacation when she was a newborn.

There are other things that slide and I've learned to cope with that too.  Having a glass of wine after work to help me cope with the stress of coming home to dogs and cats and kids that all wanted attention was relaxing for me but that led to the 2nd and 3rd glass and I lost "me" time in the evenings because I was pooped by the time the kids went to bed and more often than not, I'd follow.  When I didn't follow I certainly didn't feel like doing more laundry, working, or doing a hobby.  That's the sacrifice I made. 

Another benefit of the nice weather is that gardening is there to be done.  From walking around the property (aka the Estate, Ha!), to watering, to pulling weeds, it keeps me moving and off my duff.  In years past I'd be out past sundown still puttering around and thinking that the neighbors must consider me to be the crazy garden lady.  Once again, as in the past several years, I'm vowing to stay on top of things this year.  The fact of the matter is that I really don't like being really hot.  Last summer I was still recovering from having the surgery and could really not take the heat.  Hopefully Kate will be walking soon and another phase will be reached and things will be easier once again.  

So, the garden:  The iris (aka blue flags) are brilliant this year; the ground cover with purple flowers has sprung, and the clematis seems to really have taken off.  It's blooming already and I'm thinking there are almost a dozen magnificent purple blooms.  All different shades of purple.  As the iris are fading the peonies will be popping to add some pale and bright pink to the palette.  I almost missed the lilacs on the side yard but stopped to admire and smell them a couple of times while they were blooming.  They're all done now and there are buds on the pink climbing rose over there.  I wish I had planted things differently over there as the maple tree shades the rose, and now the lilac is hemming it in, denying it even more light.  I haven't been the best at planning these things, partially because I didn't have a good sense of how fast they would grow.  If I remember correctly though, the lilac can be cut back each year.  Ideally, I'd find a better spot for the rose but I'm afraid I'll kill it if I move it again. 

So the kids are asleep and I'm off to do some more catching up with work.