only one thing going on...

But it is a big one. Chris and I are buying my mother's house. To do such a thing we have to sell our current house. My mother does not live far, she lives in the City, in a slightly larger house with a more finished basement.

We have made nice improvements to the house we live in since we moved in. The back living room used to be panel walls with a weird, drafty sliding glass door. Chris took out the paneling and put up drywall and replaced the door with windows. He also added windows looking into the back yard, this helps a lot when watching the kids and/or yelling at them through those windows. He also replaced the water pipes. He has learned a lot and leaned on his friends a lot for knowledge and tools.

But getting the house ready to sell has challenged him at every turn. First, he replaced the bathroom floor which is slightly more complicated because one wants to make sure the fixtures are replaced perfectly to avoid leaks (plumber friends help).

He built a wall where a makeshift wall had been between the second bathroom and pantry were. Then he ripped up the sidewalk because some of the panels had been damaged by the snow of 2009. He replaced the entire sidewalk (with the help of our local cement vendor and a very good friend). It looks great.

He fixed a light that had not worked in years, he put up the gutters (dont ask), he replaced carpet with a hard floor in a well-travelled transition area.

He somehow got our kids to help him move all of our yard debris from 8 years of living here into a trailer and transported it away from our house. Finally, he has moved much of our stuff out of the house to my mother's basement. He has been superman. He still has to replace the kitchen floor and some stuff I cant remember.

ME? Oh, I have been continuing to make meals (unless I pick up dinner), watching the children, packing and trying to convince Chris to hire people to do the work he is doing (without much success). We have hired people to replace the roof (he would still be working on it if we had not hired someone) and to help with landscaping/clean up.

My mother had been well into the process of getting her house ready for sale with the help of a realtor. Since the realtor was not needed to complete the sale, we agreed to have her realtor sell our house. He is coming this week to inspect Chris' work and see if our house is ready for sale. We have lots to do before he comes, but we are a lot further along than the first time he came to visit.

Our house is a great house, in a wonderful neighborhood, we love it here.  We love the way the boys walk by themselves to their friends house right up the road. We love that when we go for a walk, we run into someone we know. We had no plans of leaving ever, but since we now have three children who continue to inexplicably grow, the idea of a bigger house is appealing, and since my mom was ready to sell hers, well it just seemed like a great deal.

My mom has lived in her house for 16 years. We had our rehearsal dinner party at her house, we have had countless holidays and meals at her house, my children have been at her house many days a week since they were born.  I studied for the bar exam when I couldnt stand the mess at Chris and his roommate's apartment anymore before we were married (since I passed it seems relevant). Now Chris and I will make more memories at the house, as our own home. How cool is that?

Busy, busy or not busy doing important things

I have very good friends. On Facebook one of them posted this article on How to Escape the Cult of "Busy". You may have heard of it,  I definitely suffer from it. I even joke that I do not know how I had time to work since I remain so busy after several months of not working. My to do list is not getting any shorter but the mean girl voice in my head does get sharper.

I think in some ways, I answer this way because people expect me to answer this way. Sometimes as I think about how I am doing, someone will say "busy" with a knowing glance. I nod because my mind remains blank as to how I am doing. I am smart, but sometimes my mind works slowly. I do not have a quick response for everything (unless it is sarcastic, I always have a quip ready).

The author gives a number of reasons why people constantly say they are busy. I think I suffer from all of them.

I matter
I am super important
I am giving you an easy excuse
I am afraid
I feel guilty

I am not sure how relevant the first two are- but to be honest I am sure there is some of that going into my "I am so busy" mantra. But the last three are the ones that hit home.

The reality is chasing a two year old around all day and caring for a houshold of a husband and two older boys does keep me very busy. BUT there is time, I spend most of it on Twitter and Facebook and generally wasting the time. So while my time is full, it is not fulfilling.  Dont get me wrong, I love Twitter, I appreciate all of the people I follow and let me keep up with their lives, but it is not actually living to do so.

I could try to stop being afraid and guilty and worried about doing something half assed. I could be more silent. Perhaps I should try small increments.

Today I will start with twenty minutes of quiet during Ryan's nap time. I will put the phone away, turn the tv off and read one of the three books on the side of my bed (Bible, Breaking Free, or Lean In). Baby steps for a big change, I can do it. Then of course I will nap, because a mother should always sleep when her baby (toddler) is sleeping. :)  I am joining my friend who said "wont you join me?" in her effort to escape the cult of busy.

You can be sure I am busy, just as I am sure you are busy, but when I ask you how you are, let me know if I can help or let me know how you are for real.

We are gifts to this world, we dont need to listen to the ugly voice in our head.

Ode to 8

I call all of my children "my babies", so excuse me when I say, one of my babies is 8. I wont sugarcoat it, he is a handful, as anyone who has been around when we are trying to leave someplace where he is having fun, will attest.

He is super sweet to his little brother. He is super competitive with his older brother.  He hates the idea of going to school, but always has a good day and does well in school. He hates homework and loves dessert. 

Although he is a good pitcher, he is not "great at pitching" as he tells some folks. He refuses to bat in most baseball games because he is afraid he will get hit by the ball (a reasonable fear).  He will play all day with his friends. He is ravenous. His pants are too short because he is growing like a weed. He has worn out the tire on his scooter. He is courageous, but not foolish (unless it comes to his defiance).

If he does get a hit, my 8 year old is so fun to watch run around the bases. He loves to slide into the base. If he knows he has a hit or a steal or a run, he raises his hands and cheers for himself. Everyone in the stands claps and cheers his enthusiasm.

He still tells his mother some secrets, fears, and hopes. He doesnt enjoy a particular game at recess because he is not as good of a runner as his friends, so he spends the time hiding behind a wall so he doesnt get caught. He hates losing more than anything. He wants to go to the fireworks, but is so scared when he is watching them.

He is dirty, he leaves clothes, dishes and papers everywhere. He lets his older brother do all of the chores.

He reads everything. He loves DS, Wii and computer. He is anxious and defiant. He thrives in routine. He wants to learn everything and be better at anything his older brother is doing. I have virtually no photos of my 8 year old alone. He is always with his friends, family, or his father.

He would like this photo because he is about to beat both of his brothers with a snowball. Ah, to be 8.

I am so grateful for my children. Today, I celebrate my 8 year old.
Protect all children from senseless violence and other harms. Give us strength to overcome evil with good in the name of those who could not protect themselves.

David's intro to 5th grade

 What is going on in our world? David and I went to Walker Upper Elementary School's Open House last night. Two 6th grade students led our little group of four around the school. The students were great tour guides. I had the benefit of a tour with the principal at the beginning of October, so I felt comfortable. Alas, this tour was not about me, it was about David, my almost ten year old.

I did check in with David several times throughout the tour. He asked great questions all the while looking forward to the cookies (1 per student) and lemonade at the end of the tour. My favorite question that David asked "do the students ever take a field trip to Crowe pool next door?" The P.E. teachers explained  they have tried to start up an aquatics program, but they have encountered some difficulties in implementing it (schedules etc.). I loved that he asked that question since I receive that question all the time as a school board member.

This morning David woke up and was ready to go a half hour before the bus. Usually when he is ready to go super early he wants to play DS or Wii before school, so Chris asked him "why are you ready so early?" David, in his chipper 9 year old way, described in some detail that he assumes he will be riding his bike to school when he goes to Walker, and it will take about 15 minutes to ride to the school, lock his bike and walk up the stairs to class, so he wanted to see what it was like to be ready by that time. Instead of playing Wii or DS, David read for the 1/2 hour before the bus.

I told him to have a good day as he walked out the door and he said "not likely." This is not a usual David response. He further explained that the 4th graders have math SOL simulations or term assessments (he is not sure which) today and he is not looking forward to it.   I will be thinking of him today, hoping that he is lifted in surprising ways and the test is mere item checked off in is day.

Just Write

I find I have far less time to write, clean etc. than I thought I would when I stopped working. I used to respond to emails immediately, but now it can take me days to reply, especially if I need to consult my calendar before responding.

I am reminded of the time I was pregnant with David and thought I would have time/inclination to garden during the time I had off from work after he was born. Um, no. Gardening didnt quite happen, and looking back, David was the easiest newborn.

I know some mothers do have the inclination and time. I have learned that too. My experience is my own. I learned that when I had a two year old and a one year old and we just moved back to Charlottesville. My poor friend who was pregnant with her first baby did not want to hear about the challenges of motherhood. I really felt like no one had ever told me the real deal about motherhood, and I didnt want to gloss over the hard parts for my friend.  It is hard to decide whether a person wants to hear the real deal (knowing that motherhood is hard doesnt mean it's not awesome at the same time) or just listen and nod at the naivety. 

Ryan and I are having a lot of fun. I am so grateful to have this time with him. I love that I am able to understand and translate for him, I could not do that if I was working.  And by not having time to write and clean as I thought I would does not mean I am complaining about it. I am merely adjusting my idea of productivity (which has been defined by the working world) to kid ideas of productivity (playing, laundry, eating, etc.).  It is a much more relaxing pace and I am learning to be relaxed about it.

Monday- Moms doing nice things

The boys are not in school today. This presents a few problems, but overall I am super excited that we are able to relax into the week.  They are going on a hike later with friends, which is just one of those things I appreciate other mothers for. She texted me and said "hey do your kids want to join us for a hike, maybe scavenger hunt, tomorrow?"
Heck to the yes, yes.

Why dont I think of such things?

As those who follow me on Twitter may know, I received a Valentines Day card from the Coconut Girl in. the. mail. How nice is that?

I posted this on facebook not too long ago:
"2013 -- Let's Pay It Forward -- The first five people to comment on this status will receive from me (sometime in 2013), a handwritten note, perhaps with a gift attached, or a homemade surprise. There will be no warning, no plan, just a gift that I'm hoping you will receive with a smile. The catch, those five people must make the same offer on their FB status. Go. Create. Do. God Bless."
I am looking forward to surprising those five people soon!

Can I be honest though? I would like to be more generous. I am not writing this to be heaped with praise or compliments (see previous posts, if I do want compliments, I will tell you). I am not naturally generous in the small ways. I have ideas about being generous, but follow through is not always there.What I like about the facebook exercise is the idea of forcing myself to do it a few times so I will get in the habit of following through.

I would love to hear small ways people have been generous to you that have made your day. I am hoping to find a balance between generosity and budgetting. Now that I am on a budget, I know it would have been easy to make someone's day when I was working with a small gift certificate or something like that (not that I had time to run and get a gift certicate). I have to consider what generosity looks like without buying things. The Coconut Girl's card and neighborly mother are perfect examples, so I know it is possible.

Tell me, what has made your day recently?

family life

Ryan has moved to a toddler bed. One night down, many to go. Am I sad that my last baby is out of the crib? no.

I am grateful that I will not have to hear "mommy, moommmy, moooommmmy" every morning like an alarm clock. He can now walk from his bed to mommy's bed all by himself.

I am anxious, of course. He can now walk to the bathroom and get in the toliet water all  by himself too or climb the ladder to the bunk beds in D&A's room, also I worry about him climbing his dresser or the book shelf (we have some work to do in his room still- third child syndrome is in full effect with Ryan). This morning I heard him stir and not 20 seconds later he was in our room. I was glad to know that his instinct was to come into our room and demand "apple juice" and "tv."

D&A's school had an unscheduled fire alarm the other day. Andrew came home talking about it. The alarm came at dismissal, so for Andrew there was confusion. He followed his teacher's lead. Fortunately, according to the note sent home the day after, the alarm was a "system issue" and not an actual emergency.  Since the boys first encountered fire drills, they have been anxious during fire alarms/drills.

My boys are particularly sensitive to fire alarms since their daddy is a firefighter. D&A know there are serious consequences to actual fires. However,  Andrew noted only that he was "kinda scared" while David didnt admit to any fear during the alarm at school. It is a testament to the calm demeanor of the staff, regular trianings and drills, and prioritizing student safety that D&A did not have the anxiety that previously accompanied fire drills in the past. It feels like progress.

Chris and I have been watching the Tour of Oman recaps during the evening. The recaps are ridiculously short (less than 3 minutes for a five hour bike ride does not give a good idea about the race). Two things though about watching the recaps- I am so excited for the Spring Classics and Oman is a really beautiful country (honestly there are impressive mountains and historic sites in these 3 minute recaps)..

"Mommy, Moommy, Moooommmyy"

Ryan wakes me up everyday with a chorus of "Mommy"s from his crib. Yes, he is two and in a crib. For some reason he walked earlier than the other boys, but doesnt climb out of his crib yet (thankfully). The benefits of having him in the crib outweigh the lovely morning alarm every single day (at this point). As a public service, I want to remind all of you to be following the Honest Toddler on twitter. It is a little but of a glimpse into life with a toddler, if you have forgotten.

David, on the other hand, continues to be obsessed with DS. He will wake up an hour earlier than the whole house, make himself breakfast, get dressed, brush his teeth, GET HIS JACKET ON, then ask me (usually two minutes prior to the Ryan alarm clock) "can I play DS?" At that moment all I am thinking is "please dont wake up Ryan" so I sleepily agree.

Right on cue, Ryan will go off "mommy...mooommmmy....mommy.mommy.mommy.mommy.mommy..." I think you get the idea. It is cute, really, until I actually have to get up.

Then there is Andrew...so sweet looking, so tired. He will sleep in on school days and wake up early on the weekends. I have to bring him gummy vitamins to start the wake up process, apparently a little sugar helps start the day even if the 8 year old is STILL IN BED. Dont get me wrong, I may appear to be ashamed of the idea, I am actually SUPER proud since most days he actually gets out of bed a minute or two after I give him the SOMA.

Of course, there are days (or stages) where Andrew will not get up, those are hard days for everyone.  I try positive reinforcement (treats in his lunch, playing DS before school, or other tricks in the mommy book), usually on those days though I have to end up with the following statement "ok well you can go to school in your pajamas and hungry." That usually does the trick, especially if it is almost time for the bus to come. Sometimes before that point, I get all "no electronics for you after school..."which quickly turns into a week of no electronics, which makes him "cray cray" (remind you to tell you a story about the time David said that-so silly) and also doesnt usually resolve the situation. Anyway, it degenerates from there. If he makes it to the bus, I am grateful, but usually I have to drive him to school, me and him fuming, David, relatively oblivious in his post-DS stupor and Ryan sometimes making fun of Andrew by saying "boo hoo" and pretending to cry (which is hilarious for David and I, infuriating for Andrew).

This past Saturday was a lovely combination of all of these morning rituals. David and Andrew are attending a Saturday program from 9-11. They actually both agreed and wanted to do it and we were fortunate enough to get in (and budget for it before I quit work).  Ryan woke up super early, however David was already dressed and playing DS, and I was just about to make the coffee at 6:30AM, when Ryan, after already having his morning  "juice" which is kind of like his SOMA, but with a lot more water, asked for a "peepop" which his incredibly cute way of saying lollipop. I actually had to put my foot down on the pre-sunrise lollipop, leading to a delightful toddler tantrum at 6:30AM. I live a charmed life (OK I do, but at that moment, I wasnt feeling it).

David, jostled from his DS fog by his brother's tantrum (if it isnt one, it is the other), said "oh I forgot it was Saturday." 

Andrew got up shortly after that without prompting (because it was Saturday). He was on day 6 of his electronics vacation, only one more day to go (this "vacation" has to be harder on me than him). I get him some breakfast and tell him about his day (which is already written on the whiteboard in his room) and he flips out, so we add another day to the electronics vacation.

By this time, I have to shower and skadattle to a scheduled school board work session that starts at 8:30 (there is breakfast at this meeting, so I dont have to eat before I leave the house, but I should get there early). Chris wakes up when I tell him I am about to leave (to be fair, he is the first one up most days). I ran out the door around 8:10 never to be heard from again...

Not really, but that is how long that work session felt.

Snow Day

Around this time last year, we had some snow, which was then followed by a winter where we received the most snow ever recorded in Charlottesville. This snow could foreshadow a repeat of last year or it could be the only snow we receive this year or something in between.

The boys had a quintessential December snow day. They played hard with neighbors, sled down hills with friends, and topped it off by "getting the band back together" (Rock Band). In between they decorated a ginger bread house, drank hot chocolate, watch a bit of tv and ate some Christmas cookies. They fell into bed exhausted but filled up from all the fun. I hope they remember these days with the same reverence that I will.

Family Values

Being a mom is the great joy of my life, it is one of the great challenges of my life. Growing up in a nontraditional family made me long for a traditional family, a family that would not be judged harshly. I worried about these things when I was little. I am better now, but I seem to have a traditional family. What the hell is traditional? I have no idea. I know now all that teenage self doubt was irrelevant.

Having said that, I feel pretty strongly about Sarah Palin's private choices. I remember discussing Obama's choice before he decided to run and the worry that Michelle had and the concern him and Michelle had about the children being in the spotlight. Of course the couple prayed about the decision and certainly were guided by a higher purpose.

I have not had that context w/ the Palins. I imagine there was significant prayer involved in her decision-making and that the prayer led her to take McCain's offer. So I assume she must feel strongly she is doing this for God, or a higher purpose. I am not demeaning that, it is a legitimate way to make decisions.

I really want to know though- WHY? Why is she forsaking her family for the selfish pursuit of politics?

As some know, I received a neighborly phone call while pursuing the democratic nomination to run for City Council. This person demanded I stay home with my children and not pursue local politics. I tried to tell her reasons why I was running (primarily to benefit my children and their peers) and that my husband is an engaged and active father who supports my decision. She would not hear my explanation. So I understand to a degree that many will judge, and often harshly no matter what a mother is doing or worse, NOT doing.

I want to hear, and I promise to listen and be respectful, why does she believe it is ok to leave her troubled family and campaign for Vice President, a 24 hour a day job?
During the RTD panel, a woman stated strongly that a choice to run for office inherently is not putting your family first. I disagreed, as I can be quite disagreeable, but we came to common ground- I can understand her point, and she could understand my point.

I am a mother- I understand work-life balance, I cannot understand a mother taking on such a terrific challenge when there is so much at home to be taken care of (nevermind placing the 17yo in the media spotlight). Fathers? I expect they too would recognize the need and be present and available for the children. Ultimately, parents must work together to protect and nurture their children.

I am open to constructive feedback and may change my mind if Palin and her family explain this in a non-Stepford way.

'splainin the army to the boys at bedtime

"What is armies?" David asks, Andrew echoes the question.
"An army is a group of..." I am interrupted in the middle of my wonderfully vague statement.
"Do armies carry guns?" Andrew asks getting to his bottom line.
"Yes" I hesitate.
"Why do you ask?" I ask frantically thinking of what to say.

The boys then explain they saw the photograph that is tied to this article. They explained it something like a man carrying a boy, wearing camaflage, the boy looked scared. We discuss armies, soldiers, the military not in much detail but explaining how grandpa, Pauline and Grandma Sherry have all served in the military.

"Why was the boy scared?" David really can see himself in that photo- he is 5 now, why would any boy need to be so scared?

I think about the story tied to the follow-up article and how scared that soldier and the boy must have been and my heart is breaking. I tell the story of a brave man carrying the boy away from harm and how soldiers protect our freedom. I explain very briefly how some want to harm us ("why?" David asks, why indeed). I talk about being peace-loving people and others arent so peaceful. And we are in Iraq to protect the peaceful people of Iraq who want freedom from the people who would scare them.

Who is this person explaining this? Karl Rove? No, it is me. Thankful the boys cant read a 1500 word article, thankful they didnt see the picture on the front page a few months ago of a person holding a wounded child, who died later and most certainly looked dead in the photo (all I can think about is the shoes the child was wearing- really cute sandals, absolutely something my children may wear). I cant find the link to the WaPo photo/article.

Andrew wants to be a soldier, David an astronaut. Those are both noble, brave professions I tell them, praying we end this war soon and somehow find a way to be a force for peace in the world.

"What is the government?" David asks, I say "time for bed".

Scottsville Parade thoughts

David and Andrew were in the Scottsville Parade, on STVFD newest Engine- 81. Since Chris and the boys were in the parade, KT and I hung out at the corner, watched the parade, gathered candy, took pictures and got swag. The best thing given away during the parade was a delicious freeze pop- sadly the sweet, cool treat came with an ugly pamphlet detailing how we are all going to hell. I didnt notice it until the boys and I gathered after the parade and they had them in their hands. I had to take the violent images/words away from them, I would argue this is not really a good way to endeare oneself to a parade going crowd IMO.

The Republicans were out in full-force, not the Albemarle County Republicans though, the Fluvanna Republicans, it was very curious. There were at least three floats of Republicans including Rob Bell, Chip Harding, Virgil Goode and the Flucos.

Tom Perriello was present and accounted for, I worried when I saw the young volunteers appear that Perriello wouldnt be in the parade. But when the tractor turned the corner there he was atop the hay, handing out candy, smiling and waving to everyone.

I love a parade- most politicians do. It is a great opportunity to shake hands and connect with a lot of people in a very happy setting. All the politicians of the day were on and the crowd clearly appreciated their participation.

We ran into Kristen Szakos and her mom, Obama volunteers in our area. She gave me a button and a sticker (to cover my coffee stained shirt- dont ask, I am such a clutz) and a clipboard to register voters. I didnt register anyone, didnt really even ask anyone. It is a great thing that Kristen and the Obama Volunteers are doing, and as co-Chair of the party I will support their efforts, but sometimes a girl just wants to watch a parade- especially when my family was in it.

Candy and parades are not one in the same in my mind. When I went to parades as a child, there was no candy. In Germany I remember a parade with candy during Octoberfest- I thought I had gone to Heaven. I didnt attend a candy throwing parade until several years ago, in Buchanan, VA. I am not a big advocate of the candy- its messy and the small fastidious part of me feels like I need to pick up the candy from the street. Thankfully we had a woman with a picnic cooler near us collecting candy from everyone so we didnt need a bag or bring any candy home.

I will post photos to Flickr when I have a moment.

Cindy McCain

Newsweek's cover story on Cindy McCain is worth a read. Cindy McCain is no longer someone I can overlook as trophy or minimize. She is, in my opinion which is not worth a lot, a strong woman who has endured despite some pitfalls AND has really walked the walk with respect to service and giving back. Not that I am voting for John McCain, but it is certainly not because of his wife. Luckily for the electorate either Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain will make excellent First Ladies.

I say luckily because we are not electing First Ladies, both nominees have married extraordinary women who are committed to their children, work and service. I am proud that both nominees have not married wallflowers but real strong women.

So take a look at the article if you dont know anything about Cindy McCain. Also media dont mess with any politician's children- that is just wrong.

parents as grandparents

My parents are so different as grandparents. Things are a lot more secure for them than they ever were while my brother and I were growing up, so obviously that helps. But being around them, I get the distinct impression that the joys of grandparenthood are the hidden secrets of parenthood. I say this as my boys eat plain pasta and veggies for dinner (parent of the year here).

David will be 5 this week- Andrew will be 4 in a month. I am the luckiest mom around because my mom and Pauline take such pleasure in babysitting my boys three days a week. The really awesome part is how excited the boys are to spend time at grandma's house- every week, three times a week. When the boys were younger, someone told me that mothers really suffered from the mobility of the nuclear family- no longer were we so close to a family support network. In my case, I am in 100% agreement. My family has been able to thrive as a result of my mother's sincere desire to spend a lot of quality time with my children.

Now my dad is moving to Texas for at the most 5 or 6 years. Never mind my own denial and sadness. My dad, living in Baltimore for the past decade or so, has visited at least once a month, or more, since the children were born. His wife, "grandma' Sherry is a favorite of the boys too since she plays computer games with them and has an seemingly boundless amount of energy to play with them. The boys love it when they come visit- so much so, that David just assumes we are going to Texas with them when Grandpa and 'grandma' Sherry move there. David likes the idea of traveling by plane to Texas too, in congruent thoughts but he is only 4 still.

I leave out Chris' family in this discussion but I dont mean to suggest they are irrelevant- Chris's mom frequently brings my boy's cousins to play and plans her days off to coincide with time she can help us out and spend quality time with the boys all this while living three hours away.

Finally, my parents do not seem old at all to me (their bdays are this month too-nor are they imho). I remember vividly thinking my grandparents were elderly. I get the distinct impression my children dont think of my parents (or Chris' mom) as elderly because of the very active and important role they have played in their upbringing. Of course, some day when the children are older, they will tell me their impressions (as my brother and I constantly amaze my parents with our impressions). Today I know they are so loved and engaged by their grandparents- and obviously I am very grateful.

What a cool Friday

Today was mother's day at D&A's preschool. They both served me lunch individually within an hour. It was very cute- hummus on pita, strawberries, veggies and ranch, chips and salsa and brownies. I got one strawberry from each, one chip from Andrew and 1/2 chip from David. Very funny. And a 1/3 cup of punch "it tastes like ginger ale but its not" "what is it?" "its punch" with a huge grin and burst out laughing like he got away with something.

The poultry plant smells bad when you first enter. We were not able to see the evicerations because the workers were done for the day- we saw the leftover parts and blood and I am grateful we didnt see it. The rest of the plant tour involved parts of the turkey we are used to seeing it, still revulsion still overcame me at points. Deli turkey meat will take awhile for me to eat again.

The Staunton Grocery is a restaurant in Staunton on Beverly Street- it was delicious. The chef made a speech beforehand on how he opened this place to use the locally grown foods in new and productive ways and to serve the farmers and economy of the valley. Very noble thing. While I didnt expect the apple crisp deconstructed with rhubarb cream, mint and caramel to be like it was- I am adventurous, so it was cool. Also the BEST coffee so far this trip- no way anything will be able to beat it till Shenandoah Joes.

Off to the depot and baja. BTW- CREIGH DEEDS for GOVERNOR.

In the morning I have to argue in favor of the ten commandments in school- I got figure out how to make those arguments- my assumption is if I just act belligerent I will get the point across that the foundation of this country is the Bible so we should instill these moral values in our children at a young age. I will win by being righteously indignant.

I can do it mommy

Andrew is three, lately I have been calling him almost 4- but he is turning four in July, so he is still very much three. Today he rode his bike without training wheels. At one point I helped him get started up a hill and as soon as he got it he told me “I can do it mommy” not in the proud way, but in the way that says, “stop helping me mom.” When did they become teenagers?

Then David read a whole Clifford book to Daddy and Andrew before going to bed. He likes to remind me daily how he is getting bigger and bigger every day. Yippee.


One of my favorite songs lately- (I havent downloaded because it is new to me, and it could get annoying)- "Dont Blink" by Kenny Chesney- again for the nostalgia aspect, not for any true musical value.

I turned on the evening news
Saw a old man being interviewed
Turning a hundred and two today
Asked him what's the secret to life
He looked up from his old pipe
Laughed and said "All I can say is."

Don't blink
Just like that you're six years old and you're taking naps and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your better half
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't blink
...it goes on.

What I woke up to this morning

Last night was not too late of a night, but it was a long week and Chris is sick so we slept in a little. OK kind of a lot- it was around 10 when I finally heard something I couldnt ignore from the boys- not crying though. I cant really remember what the sound was, perhaps pouring out of the huge rubbermaid container of outdoor playthings- balls, helmets, hockey sticks-everything everywhere.

OK- no big deal. I turn the corner to the kitchen, the macaroni and cheese boxes have been opened and some macaroni has been placed in a measuring cup- ready to make for lunch. There was only one box open upon further examination- so no big deal. A small amount of chocolate chips on the stove, not sure where those came from- I asked Andrew- he got them from the freezer (which is on top of the fridge). He wanted to put the chips in a cake we were allegedly going to make.

Round the next door into the living room and we find about 8 or 9 cups full of milk. They were trying to sell milk to everyone. Sweet milk and non-sweet milk. The sweet milk was the french vanilla creamer. Heads shaking, we begin to clean up the milk. Chris gets a pitcher and begins to pour the milk into a pitcher, he asks Andrew to show me what is at the bottom of the cup- it is loaded with chocolate chips- two more cups had that in them. They keep talking about how yummy the milk and chocolate were. We really couldnt argue with them- the longer you stay in bed as a parent- the more of a mess you will come out to.
I asked David
"did you use all the milk?"
"yes" he responds.
"where is the jug" seeing that it is not in the recycling
"um...lets see, I had it over here, and then I was taping the top...I dont know where it is" - taping the top?? I thought, shaking my head.
When we came back from the park I found the pitcher amid the rubble of outdoor toys.

They did eat breakfast though made themselves cereal. And thankfully they did not go outside- they were definitely trying to escape.

Prom, Foxfield and Dogwood Parade- same day?

This is not good planning.
First- I cant see the Jeopardy bus in the parade if I am in traffic trying to get to Foxfield.
Next How can I possibly go out after FF if all the sitters are at prom (or if they are in college they are highly unlikely to be able to babysit after FF)?? College friends come into town several times a year, this is one of them- now we have to stay home with our kids post FF. Once they are in bed we wont be able to do the Corner crawl which is really just us sitting at Maartens and seeing everyone. Instead we will have to be at home, play Wii and harass our friends by texting and calling them at all hours. It will be like we are in college again, but cheaper and earlier wake up times.

Dont drink and drive- have fun safely - and be forewarned the magistrate will be at festivities on Garth Road, so um, how can I say this politely, dont be an a$$ or the County's finest will haul you off to the drunk tank.

Nascar Clothes

Grandma took the boys to a store yesterday to buy short sleeve shirts to keep at her house, seeing as she babysits weekly for me she likes to have extra clothes for them and since I am a completely unreliable source for clothes she purchases them herself (thanks mom).

Apparently the boys were amazed and delighted at a hanger full of two piece NASCAR outfits(shorts/shirt sets). Imagine my surprise when I pick them up and they have new Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart sets! They are soo excited by the outfits, both are wearing them today (Jeff is red, Tony is orange). Jeff Gordon's outfit looks like Lightening McQueen a bit, Tony Stewart is sponsored by Home Depot, so it has a Bob the Builder, construction worker orange about it.

I have been watching racing lately. I like jr. and Edwards, even J. Johnson and Stewart. Gordon would not have been my first choice (a couple of years ago maybe, but then he dumped his wife, got himself a new family, I thought he had a bit more character than all that). The races have had great finishes so it has been easy for me to get into the competition and sport of it.

I will get a photo later, they look so cute and are so happy with their new clothes, I cant be complaining about their choice of racer, since they have no idea who Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon are (I am teaching them).

Shows my kids arent allowed to watch (not that they notice yet)

I always thought my mom was being a bit prudish when she didn’t allow us to watch certain tv shows. I vividly recall mom wouldn’t allow us to watch Three’s Company, Facts of Life, Dukes of Hazards, ok there were others, I cant recall them at this time.

The other day David was watching “That 70s Show” while I cooked dinner, there were grown-ups in the room, I knew adult themes were present- and he laughed at one point when everyone else laughed- I pulled him to me and asked “whats funny?” he didn’t know, isn’t that cute? Anyway, I told him to find something else to do- and he did!! Almost 5- he still listens, I will enjoy this for as long as it lasts.

NOT ALLOWED TO WATCH:
Two and a Half Men- could this show be any more blatant?
American Dad, Family Guy these two are hard because they are cartoons (so they should be kid friendly, but nooooo).
CSI, Cold Case, any shows of that genre.
Access Hollywood or other entertainment type show.
General Hospital
The news.

We don’t have cable so I don’t have to worry about the really bad stuff as much. There are other shows that I cant think of right now, perhaps because tv watching lately has been confined to Callou and Clifford.

Shows they like (besides PBS)
The Simpsons- the boys are allowed to watch the Simpsons rarely and only with a grown up. Both of them love Wheel of Fortune (letters are cool) and Jeopardy too (the daily double is the attraction- “ooh a daily double” they have no idea what that means, but they love the sound and graphics).