5.21.2012

The Kid 10.0

My "baby" is now 10 years old.

I remember how when I first saw him, I marveled at how sturdy and strong he was. In fact, he held his head up remarkably well in the first few weeks after he was born. And later he kept me running when he began walking at 8 months of age.

It seems that he is bent on moving forward, even when this mama's heart would like nothing more than for him to stay little.

I imagine that the next ten years will go by as quickly as the first. I am all at once anxious to know the man my boy will be and also loathe to see those years pass at all. I hate how time has a habit of slipping by so fast and I hope I don't miss anything.

5.13.2012

Like, So Totally, Like, Random!

A while back I posted about the introduction of an exceptionally cute ball of fur to our home. Cute Ball of Fur has found another home. Rather, we found another home for CBOF. At the risk of sounding like a whiny brat, I really hate it when a dream -- no matter how small -- doesn't work out the way you hoped. In my mind I had expected that The Terd would be thrilled to have a new buddy; that the CBOF would engage her and be relational and that everything would work out just fine. As it turned out, The Terd and CBOF did not see eye to eye, despite our best efforts to help them get along. Fur flew when we didn't keep them separated. In the end, all is well that ends well. The CBOF has been placed in a super awesome home and the only thing hurting is my pride over a failed adoption attempt and my bank account. But, it was worth it to rescue the CBOF from a probable life of breed bitch in a decrepit barn and see her placed in loving home where she is, by all accounts, being ridiculously spoiled. Bittersweet.

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There are lots of things I am known for. Being organized is generally not one of the. Yes, I often find myself juggling many different roles, tasks and responsibilities. But make no mistake -- the juggling you see here is not of the practiced, professional entertainer variety. Nope. This juggling is clearly and decidedly of the panicked, flailing variety. Possibly entertaining... if you like that train crash kind of thing.

So, no one is more surprised than I am that I've drawn up a household chores schedule for myself and the kids and ACTUALLY HAVE STUCK TO IT... FOR ALMOST A WEEK. I know, right? Pretty incredible. Some might say that a week isn't all that long, that I shouldn't celebrate too hard over such a small accomplishment. To them I say a hearty PSHAW. The fact that I have seen carpet in my children's room for one full week, that dishes have been done and that bathrooms have been kept clean and laundry cycled, floors vacuumed, furniture dusted... THIS, my friends, is something to celebrate.

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Last night I had one of those dreams that stick with you into the next day. I can't even so much remember the details as I can recall this urgent, almost panicky feeling that I needed to get to a friend. It's so strange how dreams can affect you and shadow your waking hours.

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I'm pretty certain that we've decided to keep homeschooling the Kid next year. Certain enough that new curriculum was opened... Geek Mode Engage!! As each novel came out of the box, I couldn't help but be incredibly excited for everything the Kid will be learning this year. This particular year's focus will be right up his alley. Everything is so adventurous and action-filled in terms of history and novel-study, etc. I think it's going to be a good year. :)

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The Kid started an Archery class and he is totally loving it. I am a bit excited to see this interest take shape for him. There are plenty of opportunities for competition and travel in the Province and, even better, his Papa is an accomplished archer and I think he's hoping to enjoy his Papa's company in some of these adventures.

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The Princess' school musical is in just a few weeks and I'm so very proud of her. She not only nailed a competitive audition to score the lead female role, but has been so incredibly studious and diligent with her responsibilities for the role. Her songs and lines were memorized within the first few weeks and she is putting a lot of effort into her preparation. This role means a lot to her, and I am so happy to see her take it very seriously and live up to the privilege. She is much more responsible and mature than I ever was at that age. (THANKFULLY!)

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I am thoroughly LOVING THE CRAP outta my derby team this year. My league is filled with terrific women. It's the truth. But it seems like my house team has just the most fantastic, positive and good-hearted bunch of them all. Each practice is so much fun and everyone creates a really uplifting and encouraging atmosphere. I've not experienced anything like it from the time I started derby, even, and I feel really lucky to be on this team. Win or lose, I am learning so much, just because there's no fear of "failing" or looking bad in front of people. Love it.

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I started cleaning out my garage today. I don't know if it's the way the wind gets funneled into our bay, but the floor always ends up laying thick with dust that blows in. Not to mention the detritus from a winter of sticking things in this corner and that and now needing to sort and haul away some junk. One of the bins that was placed in there this winter was a bin of beach toys from my parent's cabin. As I picked it up and moved it, I saw in the bottom a layer of sand from the beach. It was so heart-rendingly familiar and, well, lonely looking. Just sitting there in the bottom of the bin, displaced from it's regular home. The goodbye sort of hit home again and there in the middle of my messy, dusty garage, I shed a few tears for a summertime home that has been lost.

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On a positive note. Our summer is filling up with wonderful activities and times with family. I really am looking forward to the next few months. Especially if I can manage to stay organized as I have been (Did I happen to mention it's been for almost a FULL WEEK, now???!! Huzzah!!)

5.08.2012

The New Adventures of Flutterby.

Couch.
To.
5K.

It's happening. I haven't died yet.

Race day is in one month and I'm actually going to do this. I have a team depending on me to participate and there's no turning back.

I totally know that for most people (or many/some/lots... whatever) 5K isn't exactly considered a benchmark run. I know plenty of people who run that distance whilst buffing their nails or doing their taxes or knitting scarves... and they don't even break a sweat. 5K is these people's WARM-UP.

Not me.

But maybe... someday... me.

I will keep y'all posted.

5.05.2012

Cute.



Gotta love finding cute stuff on Pinterest!

5.04.2012

It's Great To Be Me.

Especially when, whilst perusing the aisles of my local Costco, I happen across a book. Not just any book. But BOOK FOUR of a series that I started a while ago.

You know how it is with series, don't you? You get sucked in and then -- after you finish whatever installment you've just read and they hook you with a preview of the upcoming installment -- you settle in for a long wait.

Not being one to sign up for fan lists -- I only vaguely recalled hearing that the next book was coming some time in 2012. Which brings me back to that moment in Costco when I saw it. *angels singing* Right in front of me. BOOK FOUR!!!!


I happily carried the treasured tome to the checkout, anticipating many blissed out hours immersed in a purely indulgent read, steaming cup of tea at my side. I couldn't believe my good luck to have stumbled across the newest installment, just like that... and at Costco's discount prices, no less! Thumbs up, happy camper.


Finally, I find a few hours in an evening to sit down and crack the cover. (And who doesn't love a nicely cracked cover?) Tea is steaming, lamp is lit, blankets are blanketing. Ahhhh... Starting a new installment is always a bit slow. Often the preview chapter(s) that were offered in the previous book are the first chapter or so of the new one. So, it's not strange to have a new installment seem a bit "familiar". A little bit of reader's deja vu. Which explained why I was noting that "I've read this part before" for the first little bit.

But that didn't explain why, four chapters in... I was still finding the dialogue to be very predictable and the plot twists rather familiar. The long time lapse between reading the previous book and the fact that this book was indeed, what I class to be indulgent (OK, time to fess up. It's a series firmly entrenched in the Young Adult Fantasy genre. "The Mortal Instruments" to be exact. Clearly not a read that involves great chunks of one's grey matter. Pure entertainment.) all added up to me rationalizing and sort of shrugging as I read onwards. Maybe my tastes had changed and the author was much more formulaic than I had previously acknowledged. Cause let's be honest. Most of these indulgent type books are incredibly predictable, mais non? Color me Less-Than-Enthused.

Yet, I soldier onward. It's still a decent read and my tea is yummy and the blankets are delightful.

More chapters. This predictable thing is getting super annoying.

And then it hits me. I kid you not. At least two thirds of the way into this book, it hits me. I have read this book already. Book Four was NOT the newest installment -- I just re-purchased a book I already own and read almost all of it (well, over half of it) before realizing what was going on.


Sometimes I astound me. Good grief.