I sometimes feel like I'm living life in that place we played in as kids, you know, opposite day. Do you remember it? It's the day where you would say to your best friends I hate you and everyone would laugh because we would all know that it really meant I love you.
It's how I feel about the summer and school season.
I know lots and lots of people look at summer as this great rest and relaxation time of the year, and in a way, I do too. I'm not that crazy, but in a different way, the summer is the most crazy and hectic time of the whole year. There is always some great fun and amazing thing to be running off to. There are a million activities and get togethers both planned and spur of the moment. There are tons of great places to go and things to do and I'm not complaining. Not at all. I'm just saying, you have all that stuff, plus all the planned stuff like vacations and summer camps and suddenly every minute is over filled and if I can be super honest, the money flies out like crazy. Then you get near the end of the summer and start to do the back to school shopping and it's double money out the door.
The build up of activities and spending in the days before school starts makes me hear the Jaws theme music in my head, add in the summer's almost over kid crazies and I'm pretty sure the shark is circling and just about ready to bite me in two.
For me, school brings peace. And this is where the opposite life comes in.
I know for most of you the school year is not the advent of peace, it's the start of schedules and running around and homework and all that stuff. And yeah, I have all that too, but I like it, because it's set schedules and it's consistent routines and it's predictable. In that predictability is freedom for me.
See, I can look ahead and see where I'm going to catch the minutes to pray or read or write. I can plan for the days when all the little people are away and I can plot stories and outline themes and create those critical character sketches. Those are the days to plan the month menus and precook as much as I can. Those are the days for me to fit in appointments I want to do alone or meet up with those long lost friends I haven't seen all summer for a lunch.
The school season is a sweet season of release for me. Maybe I'm just shallow or a true slacker parent, but honestly, I don't worry about the kids when they're at school. Not one bit. True confession~~they barely enter my mind in the hours they are away from me. I am sickly optimistic and simply trust that the adults in charge will generally be good and do their best and then if something bad or disastrous or horrible happens, well, we'll confront it and handle it then.
So maybe the school season for me is just a selfish season. It's a time when I get real focused on doing the "me" things. I take care of as much of my personal health stuff as I can. I build those relationships. I get in deep with my Jesus. I read. I study. I write. The writing is work for me, but a good work. I try to get a handle on "projects" although in recent times I've been spoiled by Chicklet's brother, The Drummer. He's a rock star in his own right and he's been a treasure around here. My yard is handled and my rooms are getting painted. They look fantastic, I might add. He's mighty good at what he does.
This is really your first introduction to The Drummer. He's a good kid, really good. He's the owner of the right kind of humor, just sly and dry enough. Music and art are his passions and there lies the talents too. The Drummer will tell you he doesn't like kids, but I have a little guess that deep down he kind of really does, or at least has grown a small sweet spot for mine and that makes me like him all that much more.
So there you go, my take on the reverse seasons and an introduction to Chicklet's brother.
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Monday, August 22, 2011
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
First Day of School
Well, it's the first day of school for 2 of the 3 school kids. The 3rd one has to wait until the 13th. Sigh.
I'd love to give you one of those first day of school melancholy mommy type stories this morning, but then you'd know someone else was blogging in my place this morning.
It's been one long fun non-stop frenetic summer. We've been loving it, living on the run this year. I sincerely feel like we did it all and in a good way. Most of the summer was a treat, but baby, let me tell you, it's time. It's time for the ever lovin' thing to come to a halt.
I'd like to just plain sit down and have a cup of coffee and a complete thought. Maybe read a sentence from start to period.
Yeah. I know. Got some big goals around here.
It's just that I hit a time when I think how deliciously peaceful it would be to do even the most mind numbing chore in peace and quiet.
Really. I do.
I'm also going to confess, I'm just not one of those kind of mama's.
I didn't do anything for the last day of summer. Not. A. Thing. Matter of fact, we spent about half of the ding-dang thing on appointments and errands.
There was no fun or fancy last day of summer dinner or bed time or dessert.
There were no special first day of school brand new outfits for today. They have new clothes, indeed, I shopped that hell with 3 kids picking their own outfits and shoes, yes, I did. Their new clothes just aren't the sort you wear on sauna type day.
There were no first day of school photo shoots. No special breakfast. No mommy note snuck into the backpacks. No special lunch packed from home, no, not my kids. They're looking for some hot lunch. And hate to say it, there is no special first day of school dinner or dessert or bed time for tonight either.
Nope. By the time we wade through all the notes home, forms, non-stop chatter of who is in who's class, how hard teacher so-and-so is and run all over town for football practice and youth group, we're going to be lucky to have eaten a meal and brushed our teeth before bed time.
I do have my little moments of jitter as I wonder how the day is going for my very quirky Little Mr. having his first day over at the big, bad middle school, but on the other hand, gosh darn, he's a whole lot more independent and capable than I give him credit for or than he behaves at home. Sigh. I wonder if Littlest Mr. is going to be starving by the time he gets home, 'cause after all, you know, healthy snacks just aren't cool. I'm betting tomorrow, those healthy snacks will be looking real good. He's a hungry boy.
Thing is, though, that's about as far as it goes with me. Little One is set to go on a visit today, and all I'm thinking about is hitting Sam's and the grocery with only one child.
I'd love to give you one of those first day of school melancholy mommy type stories this morning, but then you'd know someone else was blogging in my place this morning.
It's been one long fun non-stop frenetic summer. We've been loving it, living on the run this year. I sincerely feel like we did it all and in a good way. Most of the summer was a treat, but baby, let me tell you, it's time. It's time for the ever lovin' thing to come to a halt.
I'd like to just plain sit down and have a cup of coffee and a complete thought. Maybe read a sentence from start to period.
Yeah. I know. Got some big goals around here.
It's just that I hit a time when I think how deliciously peaceful it would be to do even the most mind numbing chore in peace and quiet.
Really. I do.
I'm also going to confess, I'm just not one of those kind of mama's.
I didn't do anything for the last day of summer. Not. A. Thing. Matter of fact, we spent about half of the ding-dang thing on appointments and errands.
There was no fun or fancy last day of summer dinner or bed time or dessert.
There were no special first day of school brand new outfits for today. They have new clothes, indeed, I shopped that hell with 3 kids picking their own outfits and shoes, yes, I did. Their new clothes just aren't the sort you wear on sauna type day.
There were no first day of school photo shoots. No special breakfast. No mommy note snuck into the backpacks. No special lunch packed from home, no, not my kids. They're looking for some hot lunch. And hate to say it, there is no special first day of school dinner or dessert or bed time for tonight either.
Nope. By the time we wade through all the notes home, forms, non-stop chatter of who is in who's class, how hard teacher so-and-so is and run all over town for football practice and youth group, we're going to be lucky to have eaten a meal and brushed our teeth before bed time.
I do have my little moments of jitter as I wonder how the day is going for my very quirky Little Mr. having his first day over at the big, bad middle school, but on the other hand, gosh darn, he's a whole lot more independent and capable than I give him credit for or than he behaves at home. Sigh. I wonder if Littlest Mr. is going to be starving by the time he gets home, 'cause after all, you know, healthy snacks just aren't cool. I'm betting tomorrow, those healthy snacks will be looking real good. He's a hungry boy.
Thing is, though, that's about as far as it goes with me. Little One is set to go on a visit today, and all I'm thinking about is hitting Sam's and the grocery with only one child.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Wicked Good
Well, I'm not sure I'm in love with the new look, but I'm lazy so I'm going to keep it for a while. What do you think about it?
I had a great day with Little Mr. yesterday. We celebrated his birthday again. Yesterday was when we had the tickets for Wicked.
In the early afternoon we headed out to Water Street Brewery for an early lunch. The Little Mr. had a great cheeseburger and their home brewed root beer. I had a great crab salad and those fresh made chips. Love those chips. Then we crossed the street and took in Wicked. I'd say we watched it, but it was really more like taking it in. I loved it.
We zipped home after the musical so The Mr. could get to the next coaches meeting. After that we had some stir fry and put a bunch of the kids to bed. Then Little Mr. and I headed back out for dessert. His choice a local custard joint. Nothing to write home about, but still, custard...yummy!
By then he was finally tired and full so bed time it was.
This week is full as usual. Little One is going to go for 2 overnights this time. Little Miss is going to go to grandma & grandpa's for a visit. We're getting ready for the end of the summer stuff too.
We'll have one more week of Tae Kwon Do camp. A week of family camp. Baseball will end, the cousins will stay for a week. Football will begin, back to school shopping looms and forms and fees days are on the calendar. There will be a week of band camp and middle school orientation. A night of paint ball for a certain someone, maybe one more Brewer game. A ladies get away weekend and some visiting. A dozen or more trips back to the pool, maybe one or two more to the beach and the zoo. At least one more picnic, probably another sunburn and definitely some more mosquito bites!
Sweet September is just around the corner. The little fantasies have begun...peace and quiet, getting a hair appointment, finishing the house painting...yup, September is looking good from way back here.
I had a great day with Little Mr. yesterday. We celebrated his birthday again. Yesterday was when we had the tickets for Wicked.
In the early afternoon we headed out to Water Street Brewery for an early lunch. The Little Mr. had a great cheeseburger and their home brewed root beer. I had a great crab salad and those fresh made chips. Love those chips. Then we crossed the street and took in Wicked. I'd say we watched it, but it was really more like taking it in. I loved it.
We zipped home after the musical so The Mr. could get to the next coaches meeting. After that we had some stir fry and put a bunch of the kids to bed. Then Little Mr. and I headed back out for dessert. His choice a local custard joint. Nothing to write home about, but still, custard...yummy!
By then he was finally tired and full so bed time it was.
This week is full as usual. Little One is going to go for 2 overnights this time. Little Miss is going to go to grandma & grandpa's for a visit. We're getting ready for the end of the summer stuff too.
We'll have one more week of Tae Kwon Do camp. A week of family camp. Baseball will end, the cousins will stay for a week. Football will begin, back to school shopping looms and forms and fees days are on the calendar. There will be a week of band camp and middle school orientation. A night of paint ball for a certain someone, maybe one more Brewer game. A ladies get away weekend and some visiting. A dozen or more trips back to the pool, maybe one or two more to the beach and the zoo. At least one more picnic, probably another sunburn and definitely some more mosquito bites!
Sweet September is just around the corner. The little fantasies have begun...peace and quiet, getting a hair appointment, finishing the house painting...yup, September is looking good from way back here.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Mommy Confessions
Just because I can.
I love the seasons, no matter what I tell you, and even when I say fall is my favorite, it is, but there is just something so, summer about summer that makes me love it.
It has this intoxicating freedom about it. Maybe it's just being out from under the cold and dark of winter in Wisconsin. Who knows.
I do find though, that summer brings out some "junk" in me.
I get a little nostalgic. Okay, maybe a lot. I get all kinds of wild ideas and suddenly find myself thinking, almost believing that anything is possible. I over schedule. I under plan. I over do. I never end up spending nearly as much time outside as I meant to or as I wanted to. I never end up reading that huge pile of books on my mental list. I forget the camera.
So here's the mommy confession part. I love my life packed full of kiddos and all that goes with it. I do. I wouldn't trade it.
But.
Every once in a while, especially when I'm driving in the summer, windows down, music way to loud, I have this little fantasy. Well, I guess it's a combination of fantasy and memory. I realize how different my life would be if I were alone. I have moments when I can see myself being alone. Having quiet and doing anything I'd like to do.
It's a typical plague of mommy life, especially when so many of the little people are, well, little.
But it's still a sweet little thought. The savory feeling of alone. It will come in it's time.
And I'm still loving my jam packed full life, kids and sticky and all, but you know, alone is pretty sweet too.
So what's your secret mommy confession? Do you use the Mr. Bubble when the kids are at school? Do you have a little count down going until they reach a certain magical age? Come on, you know you have them. Time to share.
I love the seasons, no matter what I tell you, and even when I say fall is my favorite, it is, but there is just something so, summer about summer that makes me love it.
It has this intoxicating freedom about it. Maybe it's just being out from under the cold and dark of winter in Wisconsin. Who knows.
I do find though, that summer brings out some "junk" in me.
I get a little nostalgic. Okay, maybe a lot. I get all kinds of wild ideas and suddenly find myself thinking, almost believing that anything is possible. I over schedule. I under plan. I over do. I never end up spending nearly as much time outside as I meant to or as I wanted to. I never end up reading that huge pile of books on my mental list. I forget the camera.
So here's the mommy confession part. I love my life packed full of kiddos and all that goes with it. I do. I wouldn't trade it.
But.
Every once in a while, especially when I'm driving in the summer, windows down, music way to loud, I have this little fantasy. Well, I guess it's a combination of fantasy and memory. I realize how different my life would be if I were alone. I have moments when I can see myself being alone. Having quiet and doing anything I'd like to do.
It's a typical plague of mommy life, especially when so many of the little people are, well, little.
But it's still a sweet little thought. The savory feeling of alone. It will come in it's time.
And I'm still loving my jam packed full life, kids and sticky and all, but you know, alone is pretty sweet too.
So what's your secret mommy confession? Do you use the Mr. Bubble when the kids are at school? Do you have a little count down going until they reach a certain magical age? Come on, you know you have them. Time to share.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Run On Thoughts
So what am I doing this week? Oh, just the usual, you know, nothing much.
On Sunday I took the kids to the pool to make up for blowing it on Saturday. As insane as it sounds, I got caught up cleaning my bathrooms and lost track of how much time I was spending doing it. When I thought it was time to go to the pool it was really almost time to go to church. I had some unhappy kids. So, Sunday afternoon we went. It was great. Hardly anyone there for the longest time. We stayed most of the afternoon. I personally, am still glowing red on certain parts of my person. Yup. Forgot the sunblock on myself. Oh well.
This week I'm spending a lot of time in the bus. Little Mr. is in Tae Kwon Do camp everyday this week. That's a ride at 8:30 and another at 3. Little Miss is in VBS. A ride at 9 and another at 11:30. Yesterday we got Little One ready to go on a visit. Twice. Because I can't read my own calendar and because something went wrong in foster care land and it didn't happen. Then we took a trip to Urgent Care to determine if we needed stitches or not. 2 more rides. Then I went to parent training class and the store to get stuff for Littlest Mr.'s injury. 3 rides. Tonight we're adding in the Brewer's game. Later this week we have more visits scheduled, baseball practice, youth group and of course, the 4th. Ride. Ride and more rides.
Not a huge deal to spend all that time in my bus. I actually really like my bus, but it's construction season. Everywhere. Just yesterday my back door neighbor had some major work done on his house. A big group of guys came and dug out the whole foundation. It looked like they did some patching and then came back to fill it all up today. My across the court neighbor had his driveway and walk way redone. That meant jack hammers and those jack hammer bob cat trucks and of course a cerement mixer. Just a little traffic confusion.
But the major construction is on the way to church and back. It's narrow lanes. I'd say I have about a foot leeway in my bus. It's down to one lane in either direction and it never fails that when I'm going one way, a line of dump trucks and cement mixers are going the other way. It's sort of like slalom driving. Today was the best though. There are flag people out directing the traffic to allow for the dump trucks to go in and out of the work zone. I followed an older, or at least gray haired, woman in her Cadillac into the construction zone. She seriously didn't even look at the flag person, she just pulled into traffic right in front of her. It was amazing! A little further up she ran a light, so it would seem that's just how she drives. Be on the defensive for a gray Caddie with personal plates!
I'm plain amazed at how dangerous people are when it comes to driving around in construction. It's not like it's a new thing here in our state or something that doesn't come around with regularity like the change of the season. In fact, with a lot of people, that the joke, we have only two seasons, snow and construction. Anyway. Yesterday I saw another car, again completely ignore the flag person. This time the driver almost drove his car right smack into the big digger. I don't know what they're called, but it's the digger arm on the square thing that rotates and has the tank type wheels. I was yelling in my car at the guy not to drive into the digger, which led my sons to remind me that I'm not supposed to call other drivers stupid. Sigh.
What else? Well, not much, I guess. I'm avoiding a story deadline. My time is very limited these days it seems. I'm going to have to buck up and stay up and get 'er done. Oh well. We've got the date for Little One's first overnight and I'm working at mentally packing him up to go. Our phone, cable and Internet have been on and off for two days. I'm so not impressed. Our neighbors have all entered that summer OCD lawn care phase. We've had a tiny little neighborhood playmate issue. It will pass in time. Besides this summer, we have lots of other little friends and so many activities we're hardly every just hanging around home doing nothing. The Littles put their hands through the screens and The Mr. fixed us up with new screens. The rest of the summer is fast filling up with picnics and play dates and zoo trips and beaches and pools and all kinds of fun with kids. Should be a summer to remember.
On Sunday I took the kids to the pool to make up for blowing it on Saturday. As insane as it sounds, I got caught up cleaning my bathrooms and lost track of how much time I was spending doing it. When I thought it was time to go to the pool it was really almost time to go to church. I had some unhappy kids. So, Sunday afternoon we went. It was great. Hardly anyone there for the longest time. We stayed most of the afternoon. I personally, am still glowing red on certain parts of my person. Yup. Forgot the sunblock on myself. Oh well.
This week I'm spending a lot of time in the bus. Little Mr. is in Tae Kwon Do camp everyday this week. That's a ride at 8:30 and another at 3. Little Miss is in VBS. A ride at 9 and another at 11:30. Yesterday we got Little One ready to go on a visit. Twice. Because I can't read my own calendar and because something went wrong in foster care land and it didn't happen. Then we took a trip to Urgent Care to determine if we needed stitches or not. 2 more rides. Then I went to parent training class and the store to get stuff for Littlest Mr.'s injury. 3 rides. Tonight we're adding in the Brewer's game. Later this week we have more visits scheduled, baseball practice, youth group and of course, the 4th. Ride. Ride and more rides.
Not a huge deal to spend all that time in my bus. I actually really like my bus, but it's construction season. Everywhere. Just yesterday my back door neighbor had some major work done on his house. A big group of guys came and dug out the whole foundation. It looked like they did some patching and then came back to fill it all up today. My across the court neighbor had his driveway and walk way redone. That meant jack hammers and those jack hammer bob cat trucks and of course a cerement mixer. Just a little traffic confusion.
But the major construction is on the way to church and back. It's narrow lanes. I'd say I have about a foot leeway in my bus. It's down to one lane in either direction and it never fails that when I'm going one way, a line of dump trucks and cement mixers are going the other way. It's sort of like slalom driving. Today was the best though. There are flag people out directing the traffic to allow for the dump trucks to go in and out of the work zone. I followed an older, or at least gray haired, woman in her Cadillac into the construction zone. She seriously didn't even look at the flag person, she just pulled into traffic right in front of her. It was amazing! A little further up she ran a light, so it would seem that's just how she drives. Be on the defensive for a gray Caddie with personal plates!
I'm plain amazed at how dangerous people are when it comes to driving around in construction. It's not like it's a new thing here in our state or something that doesn't come around with regularity like the change of the season. In fact, with a lot of people, that the joke, we have only two seasons, snow and construction. Anyway. Yesterday I saw another car, again completely ignore the flag person. This time the driver almost drove his car right smack into the big digger. I don't know what they're called, but it's the digger arm on the square thing that rotates and has the tank type wheels. I was yelling in my car at the guy not to drive into the digger, which led my sons to remind me that I'm not supposed to call other drivers stupid. Sigh.
What else? Well, not much, I guess. I'm avoiding a story deadline. My time is very limited these days it seems. I'm going to have to buck up and stay up and get 'er done. Oh well. We've got the date for Little One's first overnight and I'm working at mentally packing him up to go. Our phone, cable and Internet have been on and off for two days. I'm so not impressed. Our neighbors have all entered that summer OCD lawn care phase. We've had a tiny little neighborhood playmate issue. It will pass in time. Besides this summer, we have lots of other little friends and so many activities we're hardly every just hanging around home doing nothing. The Littles put their hands through the screens and The Mr. fixed us up with new screens. The rest of the summer is fast filling up with picnics and play dates and zoo trips and beaches and pools and all kinds of fun with kids. Should be a summer to remember.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Summerfest
News Flash...it's summer time!
I know, you wouldn't know it by the blog around here, it's been dreary, dull and dark. That got me thinking about a fun story or a fun meme for today. After all, it is Friday. Friday usually means fun, so let's have fun.
Now, I couldn't find a meme for today that I liked, of course. Know what that means? I made up my own.
Around here it's Summerfest time, maybe some of you've heard of it? We're a little bit proud of it around here. And I have to tell you, if you've never been, it's worth a trip at least once. So, we're going to do our Friday Meme about Summerfest.
I know, you wouldn't know it by the blog around here, it's been dreary, dull and dark. That got me thinking about a fun story or a fun meme for today. After all, it is Friday. Friday usually means fun, so let's have fun.
Now, I couldn't find a meme for today that I liked, of course. Know what that means? I made up my own.
Around here it's Summerfest time, maybe some of you've heard of it? We're a little bit proud of it around here. And I have to tell you, if you've never been, it's worth a trip at least once. So, we're going to do our Friday Meme about Summerfest.
- What is your best Summerfest music memory, or if you've never been to the fest, what is your best summer concert memory?
- Tell us your all time favorite must have Summerfest eat.
- What is your best general Summerfest memory?
- Tell us your traveled to or from Summerfest story.
- Did you do something crazy to win tickets or do you do the daily deals or do you just pull out the credit card and pay at the door?
So now, we play. We all leave our answers in the comments or on our own blogs with a link back to here so we can all go for a blog visit.
Wow! All this talking about Summerfest has me summer dreaming. I'm wishing I was back in those easy care free summers of the 20's. No kids, no worries, spending cash...oh yeah. Maybe I ought to find me a sitter and relive some of that old time fun with The Mr. Any one, any one...sitters I mean. Maybe, good old Summerfest will read our meme and send along some sweet Summerfest tickets...a girl can dream, right?
Meet you in the comments!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Summer Dreamin'
Could summer and heaven be the same thing? Or could heaven be like the most ideal summer day and night?
- clear blue skies, warmth, gentle breezes
- evenings without bugs
- beaches and pools and swimming and sand without sunburn and rashes and swallowing bad water or getting swimmers ear
- camp fires and smores
- BBQ and cold salads and lemonades and fresh fruit and frozen treats
- family and friends and parties and picnics
- naps
- books and board games and baseball
- bike rides
- walking into sweltering heat
- sweating
- walking into cool air conditioning
- boats and lakes and sailing and hammocks
- umbrella drinks
- photos
- reunions with long ago friends
- lazy conversations and vacation post cards
- vacation anticipation
- coming home
- sleeping with the windows open
- cool nights after hot days
- sunglasses and the smells of sun screen
- bubbles and kites and blankets on the grass
- outdoor concerts
- tiki torches and patio parties
- beer in washtubs of ice
- bare feet
- sidewalk chalk and scraped knees and summer love
- freedom
- farm markets
- fire works and root beer floats and county fairs
- staying up too late just because
- sunsets
- thunderstorms
- playing in the rain
- sunrises
- birds
- flowers and green grass and trees with leaves
- tan and freckled and peeling kids faces
- the smell of the pool on the hottest day in August
- the super darkness of a movie theater in the middle of a summer afternoon
- road trips and surprises and butterflies
- unexpected kisses and magic moments
- the feeling of knowing you're making a memory the moment you're doing it
- feeling alive
Time for you to play along, add to the ideal summer heaven list. I can't wait to hear what would be on your list!
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