giving it another try

so it's been awhile. giving this thing another whirl, but not making any promises.

since i was last here, they have repealed that safe haven law i spoke of and thus i have been forced to keep all 3 children.

the muss is now in 3rd grade, boo in 1st and kiki has finally started preschool. all is well.

i also turned 40. don't tell anyone i actually admitted that.

deep breath

tonight was a rough night in parenting.

i don't really want to go into details and point blame at any one child, but let's just say that i almost utilized that crazy safe haven law we have on the books (temporarily, as it were) and free myself of 2 kids. i would then only have one. which one? he's a boy if that narrows it down. i can't believe of the 3 of them the 5-year-old boy was the best one. he knew momma was about to blow a gasket and to steer clear. the girls, being too much like their mother, did not know when to give up and almost put me over the edge. of a cliff.

i calmed down. they are all fine. i need to go over the events of the evening in my mind and find a better way to handle things next time. yes, we all know there will be a next time.

piano lessons

The Muss started taking piano lessons the beginning of October. Today was only her 6th lesson, but she is almost completely through her first book. Her teacher showers her with praise and tells me how quickly she is picking up the music. She really seems to love it and when she sits down to practice at home will go on for quite a long time. She doesn't practice as much as she should, but I don't make her so it is more my fault.

Sometimes, being the oldest, I think she feels like she doesn't get as much attention as the others. She isn't the boy. She isn't the tiny pixie-like toddler flitting about the room. She is the oldest and because she is the oldest she is expected to do more. I was the oldest so I get it. I understand how she is feeling and also understand that later in life she will enjoy being the oldest. More experiences to share, first to go to college, first to leave home, and many other firsts but it still all seems unfair now. We do our best to divide and conquer with the kids giving them each one-on-one time when we can. It is difficult though. We both work outside the home, J. is in school full-time (for not much longer, woohoo!) and there is always so much to do around the house. It is hard to find the time.

But for this 1/2 hour a week my dad comes over to babysit Boo & Kiki and I take the Muss to her piano lesson. I sit and listen to her learn the notes, play and sing. She plays sweet duets singing along with her teacher. It is really lovely. She knows I am proud of her and think she is amazing. I really need to tell her that more.

veterans' day

Also my mother's birthday. We had my mother and step-father over for dinner tonight. One of the moments I want to remember is the kids trying to surprise my mother as she came into the house. They hid on the stairs and shushed eachother so loudly that I'm sure my mother heard them as she was coming across the street. As she walked in the door, they jumped down and yelled "SURPRISE!!!" Then the Muss strummed the guitar as the 3 of them sang "Happy Birthday" to her. I got a tear in my eye it was so sweet. They had crafted her some lovely birthday cards and we ate, talked, had cake and played. Good times.

diagnosed

Almost a week since the election. An election that should have invigorated me and I still cannot muster the energy to get off the sofa and cook dinner. What is up? I think I have found the answer ~

Now what to do about it...

100 years

We had a pretty uneventful weekend I am sad to say. Just not much I could motivate myself to do. Hmmmm, seems to be a pattern here.

One thing we did do today was go to the 100th birthday party of a lovely lady from our church. Everyone in my family has known this lady for our entire lives. The Muss was especially excited to go, she just loves her. There were a few hundred people who came by for this event today. I guess when you live for 100 years, you get to know a lot of people. She greeted each one individually hugging them all. What an amazing woman to have lived to see so much in her lifetime. She mind is still sharp and her body is healthy and she is one of the kindest, most caring people you could ever meet. Now that is something to aspire to.

and the weekend

Since it's a Saturday, I should really be doing laundry and cleaning my house. Seriously, the furr....UGH. Is it cruel to shave a dog as winter is approaching? I can't handle the fur. I think I need one of those hairless dogs. Also, one that takes care of itself while we go on vacation would be nice. Do they make those? I didn't think so. But really, the fur. I could build another pet with the accumulation under the sofa....and the dining table...and the bookshelf.

Then the laundry...UGH...it mocks me. I have getting the laundry hauled to the washing machine, then washing and drying the clothes. It is after that there is an issue. I just can't seem to get the laundry out of the dryer, fold it and, here's the kicker, actually put it away. Just can't do it. So, I am ashamed to admit, we live from laid out piles of clothes that I have to hunt through every evening to find outfits for the next day. Love it.

I need a laundry fairy.