It is quick lesson learned that once a woman becomes pregnant, "sleeping in" becomes part of a history lesson. At some point during pregnancy (not until the third trimester, if you are lucky!), multiple trips to the bathroom and being too uncomfortable to sleep any more forces a woman out of bed way earlier than we desire to be. Then comes the newborn who gives us the sleep pattern causing insanity and then the toddler whose internal alarm is predictably early.
Now that my boys are getting older (7 and almost 4), they are mostly trained to leave us alone on weekend mornings. But their definition of leaving us alone is quite interesting.
Around 6:00am, we hear them arise... and argue about who gets to be the first person out the bedroom door. They head for the snack drawer, which may buy me 15-30 minutes before they want something they can't make themselves, like a waffle. So I make the waffle and wander back to bed. All is good until the arguing, yelling, and tattling commences in waves: 10 minutes of peace, then 2-3 of loudness, 15 minutes of peace, 5 minutes of loudness, etc.
Either my husband or I finally give up and get up around 7:00am, leaving the other to attempt another hour of sleep.
I just spend 2 nights at a hotel since I attended a conference 2-hours away. You may think this would be an opportunity to sleep in. Sadly, no. The boys have me so well-trained that I still wake up by 6:00 and can only catnap from then until I need to physically get out of bed. Grrrr.
Does this mean when my children are teenagers and sleep until noon that I will STILL be waking up at 6:00?!? Curses!!!!
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Sonnet #1 "My Pinterest Life"
(Written in the form of Shakespearean Sonnet... with my deepest apologies to Shakespeare.)
My life before I found this Pint'rest place
Was void of many crafty project things.
I shall now list the many craft ideas
That from this crazy site they all did spring.
For I have made detergent for the wash
and found granola bars for boys to eat.
My gifts for Christmas started as a pic
Of something someone else did think was neat.
I have so many pins to help me with
My garden and my house that I do not
Have any clue if I will live to use
Them all before my bones and body rot.
So long as Pint'rest does exist I see
A lot of projects on my board will be.
My life before I found this Pint'rest place
Was void of many crafty project things.
I shall now list the many craft ideas
That from this crazy site they all did spring.
For I have made detergent for the wash
and found granola bars for boys to eat.
My gifts for Christmas started as a pic
Of something someone else did think was neat.
I have so many pins to help me with
My garden and my house that I do not
Have any clue if I will live to use
Them all before my bones and body rot.
So long as Pint'rest does exist I see
A lot of projects on my board will be.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
The Big P: Patience
Patience.
The ability to wait.
Shakespeare: “How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?"
Benjamin Franklin: “He that can have patience, can have what he will.”
Most days, I find myself to be a very patient person. I interact with hundreds of people a day: my husband, my 2 children (7 & 3.5), my 2 dogs (9 & 6 months), my students (90 per day on average, ages 11-14), and my colleagues. However there are moments that my impulses prevail and I react before I think or breathe. I honestly think there is a set amount of patience per day, and when that runs low I no longer have the ability to be proactive.
My go-to method for Patience is BREATHE. Simply take a breath before responding. Easy to do, but challenging to remember at times. Sometimes I add COUNTING in some way to the breathing. Count to 5. Breathe in and out 5 times. Count to 10.
Something I need to do is to figure out my TRIGGERS. When I do lose my patience, is there a pattern to the situations? Is it what is being said? Is it what is being done? Is it a time of day?
Two tips that I will start using to help with Patience: HUMOR and FORGIVENESS. When I feel impatient, I can use humor to defuse the feeling. Laughter can truly be the best medicine. And I should remember to forgive myself for being impatient. It will be impossible to be patient 100% of my life, so I need to take it easy on myself.
It will be interesting if I remember to use these tips this week and I find myself a little short on Patience.
Resources:
http://www.tinatessina.com/practicing_patience.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Patient
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43383729/ns/today-today_health/t/type-hurry-learn-patience-heres-how/#.UPLPxUQZwnU
http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2010/09/16/patience/
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_78.htm
The ability to wait.
Shakespeare: “How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?"
Benjamin Franklin: “He that can have patience, can have what he will.”
Most days, I find myself to be a very patient person. I interact with hundreds of people a day: my husband, my 2 children (7 & 3.5), my 2 dogs (9 & 6 months), my students (90 per day on average, ages 11-14), and my colleagues. However there are moments that my impulses prevail and I react before I think or breathe. I honestly think there is a set amount of patience per day, and when that runs low I no longer have the ability to be proactive.
My go-to method for Patience is BREATHE. Simply take a breath before responding. Easy to do, but challenging to remember at times. Sometimes I add COUNTING in some way to the breathing. Count to 5. Breathe in and out 5 times. Count to 10.
Something I need to do is to figure out my TRIGGERS. When I do lose my patience, is there a pattern to the situations? Is it what is being said? Is it what is being done? Is it a time of day?
Two tips that I will start using to help with Patience: HUMOR and FORGIVENESS. When I feel impatient, I can use humor to defuse the feeling. Laughter can truly be the best medicine. And I should remember to forgive myself for being impatient. It will be impossible to be patient 100% of my life, so I need to take it easy on myself.
It will be interesting if I remember to use these tips this week and I find myself a little short on Patience.
Resources:
http://www.tinatessina.com/practicing_patience.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Patient
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43383729/ns/today-today_health/t/type-hurry-learn-patience-heres-how/#.UPLPxUQZwnU
http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2010/09/16/patience/
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_78.htm
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
We're Still Here?
Take that Mayans! I always new it was just a logistics issue: you ran out of space on your massive stone calendar and decided to wait for a better method than "stone etching" for the next calendar. I completely understand.
And yes, I am still here, although I have not posted in a few months. It's the same old reason: LIFE. For as much as I enjoy posting, "finding" the time seems to be my challenge. I tried scheduling it, but then I just ignored my own schedule!
I want that to change. I want to post at least twice per calendar month. I have a couple of posts floating through my head: a memorial to my dog, my holiday crafts/gifts, and how to be Patient.
I'm not big on making "New Year Resolutions" since I believe any day is a good day to resolve to be a better person. And the reason most people "forget" their resolutions by March is that they do not have a measurement system or the resolution is too general to be measured.
Over the past year, I have gained more control over my health through a change in nutrition and working with a medical specialist. I have taken initial steps in sharing my knowledge with more people than those I directly interact with. And I am remembering to do things for ME... still not nearly enough, but it is a start.
I still need to find the right balance between what I am doing, what I want to do, and what I need to do. I'm pretty sure that will be a life-long lesson to be learned; that's why retired people seem to have it figured out. But I can take the initial steps now, right?
Happy New Year! May the roller coaster ride of life meet your expectations: lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, fast and slow, ultimately leaving you smiling and wanting more!
And yes, I am still here, although I have not posted in a few months. It's the same old reason: LIFE. For as much as I enjoy posting, "finding" the time seems to be my challenge. I tried scheduling it, but then I just ignored my own schedule!
I want that to change. I want to post at least twice per calendar month. I have a couple of posts floating through my head: a memorial to my dog, my holiday crafts/gifts, and how to be Patient.
I'm not big on making "New Year Resolutions" since I believe any day is a good day to resolve to be a better person. And the reason most people "forget" their resolutions by March is that they do not have a measurement system or the resolution is too general to be measured.
Over the past year, I have gained more control over my health through a change in nutrition and working with a medical specialist. I have taken initial steps in sharing my knowledge with more people than those I directly interact with. And I am remembering to do things for ME... still not nearly enough, but it is a start.
I still need to find the right balance between what I am doing, what I want to do, and what I need to do. I'm pretty sure that will be a life-long lesson to be learned; that's why retired people seem to have it figured out. But I can take the initial steps now, right?
Happy New Year! May the roller coaster ride of life meet your expectations: lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, fast and slow, ultimately leaving you smiling and wanting more!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Oh, Sandy!
In the scheme of things, Sandy was just a nuisance in my area: flooding, road closures, power outages, trees down, and no lives lost. In the greater affected area, many people are dealing with major issues caused by the storm. The recovery in some areas will take months!
I am thankful:
*That my extended family along the East Coast is fine, and so are their dwellings.
*That we did not lose power or communication during the worst of the storm.
*That my house is on top of a hill and it would take A LOT of rain in a small amount of time for the creek to flood my house.
These pictures are just a timeline of the creek that runs through my neighborhood across our backyards. In no way are they comparable to the flooding in many cities!
Just for comparison purposes, here is a picture from the worst flooding we have witnessed since living in this neighborhood. It is taken on ground level and the "Florida Room" of our neighbor's house (see below the word "branches" in the picture above) is about 4 feet from the edge of the water.
I am thankful:
*That my extended family along the East Coast is fine, and so are their dwellings.
*That we did not lose power or communication during the worst of the storm.
*That my house is on top of a hill and it would take A LOT of rain in a small amount of time for the creek to flood my house.
These pictures are just a timeline of the creek that runs through my neighborhood across our backyards. In no way are they comparable to the flooding in many cities!
 |
| The creek on a normal day (this tree is to the left of the next 5 pictures) |
 |
| 10/29 around noon (taken from my deck) |
 |
| 10/29 around 2:00 pm |
 |
| 10/29 around 4:15 pm |
 |
| 10/29 around 5:40 pm (last shot before sunset) |
 |
| 10/30 around 8:00 am |
Just for comparison purposes, here is a picture from the worst flooding we have witnessed since living in this neighborhood. It is taken on ground level and the "Florida Room" of our neighbor's house (see below the word "branches" in the picture above) is about 4 feet from the edge of the water.
 |
| 5/26/2011 Our little creek became a river! |
Saturday, October 6, 2012
The Day My Van Was Possessed
No, there is not a typo in the title... my van did not get "repossessed," it was POSSESSED. The Demonic kind. The Horror Story kind. The "I can't make this $&*^ up" kind.
It is a normal Thursday morning in our household. The alarm goes off way too early. I get myself ready for work, and then get the kids ready for daycare and school. We pile into the van and off we go to the daycare. As per usual routine, I leave everything in the van except the keys, lock up, and take the boys inside. When I return to the van, I push the unlock button on the key fob...
The headlights start flashing, the interior lights come on, the windshield wipers run on high setting (both front and rear), and the horn screams into the early morning. Not the "honk, honk" like when the alarm goes off; the steady HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK like when you lean on the horn. The van is freaking out. I am freaking out. The driver door is still locked. I push every button on the fob with no result.
WHAT DO I DO?!? MY PHONE IS IN THE VAN. ALL MY STUFF IS IN THE VAN. THE NEIGHBORHOOD MUST BE PISSED! THIS IS SO LOUD AND OBNOXIOUS!
Oh, look: the passenger door is unlocked. Huh... I wonder how that worked.
So I run around to the passenger side and climb in. My first thought is to put the fob in the ignition and try to start it up; maybe that will make the crazy stop. Nope. The van starts up beautifully, however it is still having it's temper tantrum. I push the unlock button on the door console, which does nothing, so I use the handle to open the door.
Now what?!? In about 5 more minutes there is going to be angry mob of pajama-clad people coming out of their houses, and I have no idea how many of them own firearms!! I've got to get away from the neighborhood and figure out the next step.
So, I put it in drive and pull away. Horn blowing. Wipers flailing. Lights flashing. I am a mobile air-raid siren.
I drive approximately one mile to a hardware store. As I pull into the parking lot, I notice there is an early shopper in the parking lot; he watches me closely.
I swear I did not steal this vehicle! I have proof of ownership, although right now I may give it to you if it continues to act this way!
As I look for a good lamppost to park under (remember, it is still before sunrise) the crazy stops. No more blinking. No more honking. The wipers stop in the middle of the windshield.
Huh.
So I put it in park and turn it off. And turn it back on. Completely normal, as if the past 5 minutes never happened.
Now what? Do I got to work? Do I call for a tow and become the brunt of some guy's joke for the rest of the week?
I nod to the early shopper as I pass him, I pull out of the parking lot, and I continue on towards work. I call my husband and relay the "freak-out" of the van. I get on the highway and drive a couple of miles...
Wipers flail. Lights flash. Horn screams. But I get added bonuses this time: Wiper fluid sprays, Engine cuts off, and the Brakes apply. I was doing 70 mph on a major highway. Now I am starring in a horror movie. Thank goodness there were no other vehicles near me at this moment.
I steer the demon-ship to the shoulder and put it in park. This time, it will NOT start again. Not even a sputter. Dead engine, however everything else still seems to be working (screaming, flailing, spraying). I call my husband.
HELP ME! WHAT DO I DO? WHO DO I CALL? (Who will believe this?!?)
My husband can hear the crazy over the phone. So he tells me to call for a tow and he will circle back to come get me (he is on his way to work as well). As I'm pulling out the card to call for roadside assistance, the crazy stops. At least now I can hear myself think! I call for roadside assistance. The automated system tries to tell me I'm in a difference state. Seriously?!? Finally, I speak with a human being. I did not relay the story, I just requested a tow. At the same time I am talking with the service, I text work to tell them I am having "car trouble;" this can not be explained in a text. The tow is arranged and I have 40 minutes to wait... 40 minutes alone with a van that is this close to speaking in tongues and spinning in circles.
At some point the silence gets to me so I take my chances and turn on the radio. At least that seems to work without negative consequences.
Once my husband arrives, he joins me in the van and calls the repair shop where our van goes for service under our extended warranty. Thankfully, they have just opened. My husband explains to the lead technician that our van will be towed there shortly and asks if we should come in to explain the problem. The tech tells him to just explain it over the phone. My husband tells him: we believe the van is possessed. He turns to me and asks me to explain how it started. I just motion for him to give the phone.
I have to give the tech credit: he did not laugh while he was on the phone with me. Granted, he may have pushed mute at some point while I was telling my story...
When I finished, he summarized the entire story. It sounded twice as ridiculous coming from him. "So now you refuse to drive it any further since it is Possessed." EXACTLY! Gotta love a tech with a sense of humor. He takes my contact information and tells me he will give me a call after running diagnostics and taking a look at everything.
The tow truck arrives. I wave good-bye to the Captain of Crazyland. My husband drives me to work. I'm an hour later than normal, but at least I got there.
It turns out the entire power module short-circuited. I guess if my power module blew-up, I'd act a bit crazy, too. The repair is covered under the warranty, the van is fixed and ready to go by 4:30. They arrange a rental car to come pick me up at work and I drive it to the repair shop. They know what time I would be there to pick it up. As I stood in line at the Cashier (there was one other person before me), I noticed all 4 techs at the repair desk looking at me.
I looked each one in the eye, and turned my attention back to the cashier. I will not share in your humor. Not today.
As I walk to my van, my footsteps become more hesitant... will it happen again?
Every time I drive my van, I feel a little bit of anxiety...
This will only heal with time.
It is a normal Thursday morning in our household. The alarm goes off way too early. I get myself ready for work, and then get the kids ready for daycare and school. We pile into the van and off we go to the daycare. As per usual routine, I leave everything in the van except the keys, lock up, and take the boys inside. When I return to the van, I push the unlock button on the key fob...
The headlights start flashing, the interior lights come on, the windshield wipers run on high setting (both front and rear), and the horn screams into the early morning. Not the "honk, honk" like when the alarm goes off; the steady HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK like when you lean on the horn. The van is freaking out. I am freaking out. The driver door is still locked. I push every button on the fob with no result.
WHAT DO I DO?!? MY PHONE IS IN THE VAN. ALL MY STUFF IS IN THE VAN. THE NEIGHBORHOOD MUST BE PISSED! THIS IS SO LOUD AND OBNOXIOUS!
Oh, look: the passenger door is unlocked. Huh... I wonder how that worked.
So I run around to the passenger side and climb in. My first thought is to put the fob in the ignition and try to start it up; maybe that will make the crazy stop. Nope. The van starts up beautifully, however it is still having it's temper tantrum. I push the unlock button on the door console, which does nothing, so I use the handle to open the door.
Now what?!? In about 5 more minutes there is going to be angry mob of pajama-clad people coming out of their houses, and I have no idea how many of them own firearms!! I've got to get away from the neighborhood and figure out the next step.
So, I put it in drive and pull away. Horn blowing. Wipers flailing. Lights flashing. I am a mobile air-raid siren.
I drive approximately one mile to a hardware store. As I pull into the parking lot, I notice there is an early shopper in the parking lot; he watches me closely.
I swear I did not steal this vehicle! I have proof of ownership, although right now I may give it to you if it continues to act this way!
As I look for a good lamppost to park under (remember, it is still before sunrise) the crazy stops. No more blinking. No more honking. The wipers stop in the middle of the windshield.
Huh.
So I put it in park and turn it off. And turn it back on. Completely normal, as if the past 5 minutes never happened.
Now what? Do I got to work? Do I call for a tow and become the brunt of some guy's joke for the rest of the week?
I nod to the early shopper as I pass him, I pull out of the parking lot, and I continue on towards work. I call my husband and relay the "freak-out" of the van. I get on the highway and drive a couple of miles...
Wipers flail. Lights flash. Horn screams. But I get added bonuses this time: Wiper fluid sprays, Engine cuts off, and the Brakes apply. I was doing 70 mph on a major highway. Now I am starring in a horror movie. Thank goodness there were no other vehicles near me at this moment.
I steer the demon-ship to the shoulder and put it in park. This time, it will NOT start again. Not even a sputter. Dead engine, however everything else still seems to be working (screaming, flailing, spraying). I call my husband.
HELP ME! WHAT DO I DO? WHO DO I CALL? (Who will believe this?!?)
My husband can hear the crazy over the phone. So he tells me to call for a tow and he will circle back to come get me (he is on his way to work as well). As I'm pulling out the card to call for roadside assistance, the crazy stops. At least now I can hear myself think! I call for roadside assistance. The automated system tries to tell me I'm in a difference state. Seriously?!? Finally, I speak with a human being. I did not relay the story, I just requested a tow. At the same time I am talking with the service, I text work to tell them I am having "car trouble;" this can not be explained in a text. The tow is arranged and I have 40 minutes to wait... 40 minutes alone with a van that is this close to speaking in tongues and spinning in circles.
At some point the silence gets to me so I take my chances and turn on the radio. At least that seems to work without negative consequences.
Once my husband arrives, he joins me in the van and calls the repair shop where our van goes for service under our extended warranty. Thankfully, they have just opened. My husband explains to the lead technician that our van will be towed there shortly and asks if we should come in to explain the problem. The tech tells him to just explain it over the phone. My husband tells him: we believe the van is possessed. He turns to me and asks me to explain how it started. I just motion for him to give the phone.
I have to give the tech credit: he did not laugh while he was on the phone with me. Granted, he may have pushed mute at some point while I was telling my story...
When I finished, he summarized the entire story. It sounded twice as ridiculous coming from him. "So now you refuse to drive it any further since it is Possessed." EXACTLY! Gotta love a tech with a sense of humor. He takes my contact information and tells me he will give me a call after running diagnostics and taking a look at everything.
The tow truck arrives. I wave good-bye to the Captain of Crazyland. My husband drives me to work. I'm an hour later than normal, but at least I got there.
It turns out the entire power module short-circuited. I guess if my power module blew-up, I'd act a bit crazy, too. The repair is covered under the warranty, the van is fixed and ready to go by 4:30. They arrange a rental car to come pick me up at work and I drive it to the repair shop. They know what time I would be there to pick it up. As I stood in line at the Cashier (there was one other person before me), I noticed all 4 techs at the repair desk looking at me.
I looked each one in the eye, and turned my attention back to the cashier. I will not share in your humor. Not today.
As I walk to my van, my footsteps become more hesitant... will it happen again?
Every time I drive my van, I feel a little bit of anxiety...
This will only heal with time.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Homemade Cleaners - Starting Small
One of the side-effects of having children is being more aware of the ingredients in everything I bring in the house: snacks, cleaners, take-out, etc. The past 6 years have seen a shift in my shopping, and I have begun making my own version of items (see previous posts about Granola and Gummy Snacks). The other side-effect is noticing the cost of everything.
Now I am experimenting with cleaning products.
I found a great online resource in DIY Natural. It has TONS of ideas for creating homemade, natural products (I am not receiving anything for this endorsement; just sharing something awesome that I found).
For my first two experiments, I picked two items that we use very often in our house: Laundry Detergent and Dishwasher Detergent. These detergents touch every item that comes in contact with our food and every item that comes in contact with our skin. I thought that was a great place to start.
The ingredients for the Laundry Detergent are readily available at the grocery store and super easy to mix. I am on my second batch and I love the results so far. My clothing is clean, and I appreciate there is no additional fragrance from additives in other detergents. I have also been using white vinegar with sweet orange oil as the fabric softener; again, a winner. These work well and are inexpensive.
I had a little more difficulty with one of the ingredients for the Dishwasher Detergent: citric acid. I made the detergent without citric acid and noticed the "clouding" problem mentioned in the comments with the recipe. So I made it my mission to get the missing ingredient. Thanks to a tip on the website, I stopped by the local homebrew shop and found the citric acid without having to order online. One week later and the clouding on the plastic is completely gone and the rest of the dishes are shiny again. Lesson learned: follow the recipe exactly until you understand how each ingredient works... this sounds like cooking and baking. I use white vinegar in the rinse aid compartment.
What homemade items are making your life cleaner and less expensive?
Now I am experimenting with cleaning products.
I found a great online resource in DIY Natural. It has TONS of ideas for creating homemade, natural products (I am not receiving anything for this endorsement; just sharing something awesome that I found).
For my first two experiments, I picked two items that we use very often in our house: Laundry Detergent and Dishwasher Detergent. These detergents touch every item that comes in contact with our food and every item that comes in contact with our skin. I thought that was a great place to start.
The ingredients for the Laundry Detergent are readily available at the grocery store and super easy to mix. I am on my second batch and I love the results so far. My clothing is clean, and I appreciate there is no additional fragrance from additives in other detergents. I have also been using white vinegar with sweet orange oil as the fabric softener; again, a winner. These work well and are inexpensive.
I had a little more difficulty with one of the ingredients for the Dishwasher Detergent: citric acid. I made the detergent without citric acid and noticed the "clouding" problem mentioned in the comments with the recipe. So I made it my mission to get the missing ingredient. Thanks to a tip on the website, I stopped by the local homebrew shop and found the citric acid without having to order online. One week later and the clouding on the plastic is completely gone and the rest of the dishes are shiny again. Lesson learned: follow the recipe exactly until you understand how each ingredient works... this sounds like cooking and baking. I use white vinegar in the rinse aid compartment.
What homemade items are making your life cleaner and less expensive?
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