Ten on Tuesday

1. I know I've been MIA. So what else is new? My parents were in town last week while Jeff went to California for business and I've been preoccupied with things that I don't blog about. I have been trying to form a blog entry in my head about how people into health food can be just like Evangelical Christians...but I'm having a hard time because I don't really know enough about either group...except how they make me feel like I am not worthy to share this planet with them. Also, there is this big thing preoccupying my mind that I can't talk about here and it is all I'm thinking about. Which I will probably be able to share eventually, but I don't know when. And maybe not. Argh. When I go back and read my own blog, I truly regret the large time gaps that occur now and again. But sometimes, blogging just isn't in me.



2. I have always been a huge believer in letting kids be kids and not over scheduling them. My kids just don't do very many classes. Part of it is I value them learning how to entertain themselves without a teacher or leader telling them what to do all the time. Part of it is I don't like entertaining the other 2 children while we wait for the 3rd kid in the class. But I'm just starting to realize the downside to all of this. My children don't know how to DO anything. They don't swim, can't ride bikes, don't play any musical instruments, etc etc. The rational part of my brain knows that they are only 2,3, and 6 for crying out loud. But sometimes the societal pressure gets really overwhelming.



3. My summer goals for Andrew are totally a bust. There is no scrapbook of writing pages for the summer. We didn't go very many exciting places or try new activities. He did chores for money for about 2 weeks until that fizzled out. I'm anxious for school just to force me into a routine, since I am apparently a failure at self-imposed scheduling. And at the same time, I am so so so sad that he will be gone each day from 9-4.



4. We were supposed to go to the shore today to visit a friend that has a second home there. As in, the Jersey shore. Oh, yea, baby. I had the self tanner ready. I have since chickened out. I don't actually know what I was thinking. I know I really feel like I should experience the shore, since it is part of the cultural experience around here. EVERYONE goes to the shore. And I've never been. But why I thought it was a good idea to drive 2 hours one way and then spend the day with the 3 kids in a place that I can't even imagine (arcades and rides at the beach? weird)... just call it a momentary lapse of judgement.



5. Lily is getting some serious pre-teen attitude with me. Nothing makes me see red like a flippant attitude from that girl. She has been in time out so many times in the last week for saying things like, "No I'm not." and "Don't talk to me." when I ask her to do something. I am really practicing my deep breathing lately. This is the child that will earn me my parenting stripes, I tell you.



6. We are loving the Pokemon over here lately. I let Andrew get a video from the library one week, and Lily and Andrew have been playing Pokemon ever since. They love to play up on my bed, and on a good day, they'll be up there for over an hour playing. Take them to a park...play happily together. Backyard...play happily together. If they want a break, Andrew is inside making his own Pokemon cards (I haven't bought any for him). It has been De-Lightful. Poor Mikey is left out, so there are often bitter tears of rejection when his beloved big brother and sister close the door on him. But other than that, we just get a new DVD from the library when we go, and the play keeps on going. Love. It.

7. Our 11th anniversary was on the 7th. My parents had just arrived, so we actually went out on a date! We went to dinner and a movie and really enjoyed ourselves. We were a little concerned with the movie, because we just don't pay attention to that part of the world anymore and so picked one relatively randomly. I swear every other person in the theatre was at least 20 years older than us. We were starting to worry that the movie was sponsored by Geritol or something. But apparently the 50 and up crowd just really like movies about lesbians. It was a good flick. Even if the guy in front of us lost his cell phone before the movie even started and had the theatre staff looking under and inside the seats with a flashlight. And after 20 minutes of searching, his wife suddenly remembered that she had a phone and had the bright idea of calling his cell phone.

8. My birthday is this coming Saturday, and Jeff took the kids out shopping for it last weekend. It was all I could do to convince Lily not to tell me what she picked out. Jeff and I have the tradition of letting the kids go hog wild and pick out what they think is a good gift. It is usually quite amusing to see what they think I need and want. Anyway, Lily was a good girl and didn't tell me. Until we went to Target yesterday, and both Andrew and Lily got all excited because that is where they bought their gifts for me. I again convinced them not to reveal their secret. But Andrew was still having a hard time, frequently saying things like, "Mom. This might be the section that we got your gift from..." I can't wait to see what they've picked out for me.

9. I'm in an end of summer slump. I don't feel like doing anything, going anywhere, being ambitious about anything. I know it is the heat and that as soon as the cool crisp air starts coming I will perk up. I have the opposite of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). I have TFHIGTKMD (This F-ing Heat Is Going To Kill Me Disorder).

10. Finally to end this angry pouty post...Oh I can't even think of a 10th thing. How about how Michael refuses to count? I know he can count, because if I am counting cars and pause at a number, he fills in the blank. Like I say, "One, two, three, ______." and Mikey fills in "Fow". But if I ask him to count, he just says, "Eightnineeightnineeightnine." And then smiles evilly. Jeff and I were walking with him each holding one of his hands and counting one...two...three...lift up in the sky. He wanted to do it over and over, but I wanted HIM to do the counting. So after lifting him up a few times, I told him to count to three for us. He responded, "Eight nine Eight nine GOOOOOOO!"