Me: Hey! Hannah, it's time to go get Avery from school. We can play on the playground today.
Hannah: Okay, just let me get my high heels...
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
i wandered lonely as a cloud
By William Wordsworth
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
treading water
This week I feel like I'm treading water. It's a busy week and I haven't been sleeping well and I'm pretty sure that I have spread myself a little too thin. I am so overwhelmed this week that I really would have to look at my calendar to know what day it is.
It started Sunday afternoon when I looked around my house and realized how filthy it was. I don't just mean that there were toys strewn everywhere (there were) but that the house was actually filthy. Untold amounts of dog hair, fuzz and crumbs had accumulated on the floor. Dust was so thick on the furniture that I could see where someone had touched the table (or whatever) and the bathrooms just needed to be scrubbed from top to bottom. Plus, there are dozens of little things that needed to be done cleaning-wise. Then, there was the laundry. There is always the laundry. So, Sunday night I did a couple loads of laundry, swept the kitchen floor and picked up all of the toys and I felt like I was keeping my head above water once again.
Monday morning I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned and found out that I have three cavities that need to be filled to the tune of $500. I felt like I was drowning again.
Tuesday morning the man from the furniture store came out to repair our new kitchen table. After he left, I managed to get the kitchen and hardwood floors mopped and the downstairs vacuumed. I wished for more time but had to pick up the girls from school. But, the things I had accomplished made me feel like I was keeping my head above water. Then, I remembered that I had promised Avery's elementary school music teacher that I would finish a project for her and I was under the water again.
Today, Wednesday, Avery got out of school at noon. Rather than check things off of my list, I chose to spend the afternoon with her. I did get my sheets and towels washed but my bathrooms are all still filthy. I also got the news this afternoon that my dad's cardiologist is sending him to the Mayo Clinic on Minnesota for treatment of his condition and my head promptly went under the water...way under. Tonight, I have chosen to sit at the computer and research my dad's condition rather than glue ribbon for the music teacher. My research has made me feel better with regards to my dad but I still have the gluing project looming over my head.
Tomorrow is a new day and I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can spend more time above the water than under it. Hannah will be at school and Ethan and I only have a couple of errands to run, so I should be able to get some things done. I swear my whole outlook would change if I could just get those bathrooms clean!
It started Sunday afternoon when I looked around my house and realized how filthy it was. I don't just mean that there were toys strewn everywhere (there were) but that the house was actually filthy. Untold amounts of dog hair, fuzz and crumbs had accumulated on the floor. Dust was so thick on the furniture that I could see where someone had touched the table (or whatever) and the bathrooms just needed to be scrubbed from top to bottom. Plus, there are dozens of little things that needed to be done cleaning-wise. Then, there was the laundry. There is always the laundry. So, Sunday night I did a couple loads of laundry, swept the kitchen floor and picked up all of the toys and I felt like I was keeping my head above water once again.
Monday morning I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned and found out that I have three cavities that need to be filled to the tune of $500. I felt like I was drowning again.
Tuesday morning the man from the furniture store came out to repair our new kitchen table. After he left, I managed to get the kitchen and hardwood floors mopped and the downstairs vacuumed. I wished for more time but had to pick up the girls from school. But, the things I had accomplished made me feel like I was keeping my head above water. Then, I remembered that I had promised Avery's elementary school music teacher that I would finish a project for her and I was under the water again.
Today, Wednesday, Avery got out of school at noon. Rather than check things off of my list, I chose to spend the afternoon with her. I did get my sheets and towels washed but my bathrooms are all still filthy. I also got the news this afternoon that my dad's cardiologist is sending him to the Mayo Clinic on Minnesota for treatment of his condition and my head promptly went under the water...way under. Tonight, I have chosen to sit at the computer and research my dad's condition rather than glue ribbon for the music teacher. My research has made me feel better with regards to my dad but I still have the gluing project looming over my head.
Tomorrow is a new day and I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can spend more time above the water than under it. Hannah will be at school and Ethan and I only have a couple of errands to run, so I should be able to get some things done. I swear my whole outlook would change if I could just get those bathrooms clean!
Monday, November 9, 2009
starting fresh
Recently I have decided to change the way that I feed my family. It all started when I was watching an episode of the Martha Stewart show. Martha's guest was a woman who had just published a cookbook of recipes that she had fed to her 3 sons as they were growing up. During the course of the interview/cooking demonstration, the cookbook author made the statement, "I don't believe in pre-packaged snacks." Hmmm. That statement really got me to thinking about what it is that I have been feeding my family. Sure the little plastic fruit cocktail cups are convenient to toss into a lunchbox, but maybe fresh fruit would be better? The turkey and cheese sandwiches I made everyday seemed like a good idea but a closer inspection of the packaging left me with an uneasy feeling. What exactly is a "pasturized processed cheese product" anyway? And the fat-free turkey? Since when are turkeys fat free? I'm not sure I want to know what all has to be done to make meat fat free...The more I thought about it, the more disgusted I became.
So, I have decided to start serving my family more fresh foods. Gone are the days of processed foods, microwaveable side dishes and pre-packaged casseroles. The changes I have made do require more work on my end. Instead of shopping for an entire week's worth of groceries at once (hence the need for frozen vegetables and fruit with preservatives), I am now going to the store several times a week to purchase fresh produce, lunch meat and bread. And, it means that my menu is at the mercy of the produce selection at the store. But, its all worth it. Our food tastes better and we are all (even the kids) more open to trying new things. I also like to think that we will all be healthier in the long run.
At this point, I'm not too picky about organic vs. non-organic foods but as I become more educated I have a feeling that will change. I don't think I will ever go back to the way I was shopping/cooking. Maybe someday someone from the Kraft company will explain to me just what that powdery substance in their boxed macaroni and cheese really is...
So, I have decided to start serving my family more fresh foods. Gone are the days of processed foods, microwaveable side dishes and pre-packaged casseroles. The changes I have made do require more work on my end. Instead of shopping for an entire week's worth of groceries at once (hence the need for frozen vegetables and fruit with preservatives), I am now going to the store several times a week to purchase fresh produce, lunch meat and bread. And, it means that my menu is at the mercy of the produce selection at the store. But, its all worth it. Our food tastes better and we are all (even the kids) more open to trying new things. I also like to think that we will all be healthier in the long run.
At this point, I'm not too picky about organic vs. non-organic foods but as I become more educated I have a feeling that will change. I don't think I will ever go back to the way I was shopping/cooking. Maybe someday someone from the Kraft company will explain to me just what that powdery substance in their boxed macaroni and cheese really is...
Monday, November 2, 2009
boo!
Let me preface by saying that Avery has been looking foward to Halloween for months now. She was perusing online costume shops back in August and had all sorts of elaborate plans for decorating our front yard. So, we were all excited when Halloween finally arrived. But, who can blame her? When you are 6, every holiday is a big deal...especially the ones involving candy.
Avery dressed up in her witch costume, Hannah dressed up as Ariel the mermaid and little Ethan went out as a firefighter. Ethan's best buddy Luke (a.k.a. the dinosaur)came over to do some trick-or-treating with us. We kept the kids confined to our cul-de-sac for the trick-or-treating but they still managed to hit a dozen or so houses. Trust me when I say that they came home with plenty of candy!
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