A sweet friend of mine at Sarah Thompson Photography took these pictures (and more) of our kids a few weeks ago. It was a really warm day and I just got them in some clean play clothes and ran. Claire and Finn threw pretty spectacular fits in the van on the way there, and I could not convince Duncan to wear shoes other than the hand-me-down cowboy boots he got from a neighbor. And these might be my favorite pictures ever. Especially that shot of Duncan. There are 21 in all, and I am going to have a super time creating a Christmas card this year.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
NBFF
However, during those years I also had Gina, currently living in Manhattan and still one of my closest and dearest even though we hardly get a chance to talk or see each other. Angela. We went to high school together and were also "best friends." And while we lived in New Jersey, I had Sue. Also, a bestie. See, things are already getting confusing.
Now, though, in my adult hood I have a growing disdain for the term. I know, I have issues. But truly, I have so many wonderful and amazing friends. Wish I could think of a word other than amazing. Great. Honorable. Kind. Loyal. Funny. Remarkable. A few have proven themselves to be in-the-trenches-loyal-to-the-bone and I know the minute I got the call that something horrible had happened they would immediately be at my side. Some I have had for 45 years and some for a fraction of that time...but I could not say that any one of them is the best. That would mean that others are not the best! Why does this bug me? I'm not completely sure but it does.
Instead of giving them labels, they just are. Some I see more often than others, some live far away, but all are great and so very important to me. I just don't think if someone said, "who is your best friend?" I could come up with a good answer.
Just a Regular Day
While today isn't really like any other day, for the most part it will have to be! Iain is in Seattle and Duncan is out of school so the chaos of all three of them at home (for the third day in a row! with one more to go! gee willikers!) takes over. I had thought about taking all of them to the zoo but a clearer head prevailed this morning and think maybe the local library and Chick Fil A will do. Maybe we will Christen my new Kichen Aid? Make Aunt Becky a birthday card? It's kind of rainy and cloudy so indoor fun is best. Right now the boys have every blanket and pillow on Finn's bed and are pretending it's their ship and the carpet is the water. They have kidnapped Claire's teddy bear and just told her the bad news that her bear has been shredded up by Finn (a shark) in the ocean. That's pretty good.
Happy Birthday Z.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Gosh I love this kid. He is a baseball freak. Loves it. And it's really fun to watch him love it. We are playing coach pitch this fall with the same team from last spring. Games are a bit of a drive but Claire and Finn have fun running around and they are big enough now that I can relax a bit and just let them. Tonight, the weather was spectacular and it was just a super night.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Ten Years
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
First
Sunday, July 31, 2011
How is summer almost over? How does he start first grade in three weeks? Summer starts off fun and great and exciting then lags a bit, but towards the end I always want it to last just a bit longer. Seems like there are just a few more things that I want to do that I know we wont have time for. I start to pine for time that is not yet lost, not yet over. While I do enjoy the routine and structure of fall, with school and Wednesday night church, it is not without its headaches of homework and waking up in time to brush teeth and get dressed and making sure the right clothes are clean. I think there are times this summer when Duncan wore the same Beatles tee shirt for at least four days in a row. And no one noticed. This summer we didn't take any grand vacations and Duncan only did one week of day camp, so almost the entire time was spent at home or someplace close by, hanging out...swimming...watching cartoons...playing. I know I'll miss that.
Friday, July 29, 2011
In with the new
Please ignore the unmowed grass in the background. And the ugly dead shrubs. We've had record heat, you know. But as for the focus of these pictures, this boy Finn. He is changing quickly and becoming a friendly, sweet, eager to please child. He is the first to give a hug and a kiss to those he loves and to narrate the events of the day. He lights up (see bottom photo) when he sees Duncan come into view. He has the potential to be our only late sleeper, but is rarely given the chance due to early risers #1 and #2. He loves books, trains, trucks, tractors, M&M's, raw carrots and apples. He is not interested in cake, pizza, hot dogs, spaghetti, hamburgers, bread of any kind, or tortillas. Will quickly say "no like it." He will eat numerous ice cream sandwiches, though. We love you Finn!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Last Saturday on Saxon Street.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Pack, rats!
Monday, May 02, 2011
A Moving Experience
- When do we dismantle and move the cribs? We can move our things into the new house on June 2nd, and must be out of our current home by midnight on June 3rd. Do we save the cribs for last? Do them first? My head. It swims.
- Where do we sleep on June 2nd? Current house? New house? Must have all beds in one place.
- Duncan's last day of school is also June 2nd! That just adds to the mix somehow.
- Okay, so my list is not as long as I thought it would be.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Game On!
Oh, we love tee ball. We love, love, love it! Everyone goes and everyone has fun. Today, my heart almost burst when Duncan was awarded the game ball. I know coach is most likely picking one kid a week at random, cuz they all play their little hearts out, but it does make you swell a bit.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
House Love
- When I am lying on the big, comfy green couch that was a hand me down from my sister, and it's the middle of the day, and the lights are off, and the wood blinds are half-way down on the big picture window nearby, and the ceiling fan is on it's just one of those perfect moments. I can't even say why. Everything just seems right. I think it has to do with my childhood and being on the back screened-in porch at my grandparents' farm, on an old twin bed, with a fan on and windows open, hearing the trains go by and the cows mooing in the pasture. That memory is one of my greatest happy places, and the feeling I get on the green couch is similiar.
- Six (of our ten) windows look out onto green. We are on a corner lot, facing a green belt. Only one window looks onto a neighbors house, and it's a small one over the washing machine. The others face front, with neighbors across the street and all the trees in between. I love it. I have to have big trees to be happy.
- There are only two doors into this house. Front and back. When Iain is out of town, I feel confident that I can hear anything that might be weird like boogie men. Not there there has ever been a boogie man, but if there were I would hear him coming. I have a hard time being a grown up in these instances.
- Our neighbors are great. The least of these are a bit nutty and weird, but (I assume) harmless. Everyone else is fantastic and we will miss them.
- Our house is so small that in case of fire (or above-mentioned boogie man) I could get them and escape quickly. I lie in bed at night and obsess about this.
This was our first home together, and we have been here since January 2000. I have loved, loved, loved this house. But soon, I shall blog about all that drives me crazy about it. That will make it easier to leave.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Spring Break 2010
Monday - I took Duncan to meet up with two of his favorite cousins to play at Ellen's out in Cedar Hill. He hardly looked back or waited for the van to come to a complete stop when I dropped him off. Claire and Finn and I went back to my sister's for a bit, then went to go pick up Duncan at about dinner time and came on home. Iain was still here, and got to spend some time with Duncan before bed.
Tuesday - Iain left early. What did the kids and I do? I honestly can't remember. I am sitting here trying to, but can't. This is not good. Surely we did something. Oh yes. Okay, it's all coming back to me. Duncan went to the Dallas Zoo for their spring break zoo camp with some friends. I dropped him off at about 8:45, so that my friend could drive them all down there, then came home with Claire and Finn. The three of us did nothing remarkable or exciting. By 3:15 it was time to head down to the zoo to pick up Duncan and his two buddies and deliver them to their parents. Got three kids in my way back seat (hurrah!) and got everyone home safely. This is where things go south for a bit. Duncan told me his tummy hurt after he ate and before he went to bed. You know how you have those little red flags that go up, but at the time you just wish them away/ignore them? And then later in retrospect, you realize how it was not a little red flag after all but was a HUGE RED FLAG? Yes, me too. I put him to bed, knowing how tired he was from the zoo. Then around 11:30 I heard the puking. It was all over the bedding and him, so I go into crisis mode. Get him to the potty, quickly. Get him a wet wash cloth (cuz that's what my mom always did), then strip the bed and get some clean makeshift bedding on there. Get him back in the bed, get him a "recepticle", put 1/2 the puke bedding on the front porch (thinking clearly? maybe not....but let's go with it) and get some of it in the washing machine. Say a little prayer of gratitude for my sanitize cycle. We had two more brief episodes of sick during the night. No one got much sleep.
Wednesday - Slow day. Duncan stayed on the couch most of the day and I spent most of it praying I would not get sick. No one else did. Everyone went to bed early.
Thursday - Everyone feels good! I had a woman coming over to help me stage the house to get it ready to sell. She came in and started rearranging furniture and telling me what to do. It was for the most part really helpful and when she left I felt totally drained and overwhelmed, but the house looked great and I knew what was on my to do list. Among other things, no pillow cases - only shams. Bigger is better. Prospective buyers do not look to see clocks. Apparently, finding out what time it is can be a shock. Hurried her out the door after her hour was up and got everyone down for some rest time. Reatlor came at 2:00 and left me feeling even more drained and overwhelmed. After she left, packed all the kids in the van and went to the park. That lasted about an hour, and it was really hot. Came home, ate, bathed kids and again put them all to bed. Exhausted. Drained. But still not vomiting!! Hurray!
Friday - Another big day for Duncan! Poor Finn and Claire. Just riding in the van with mom. We left for Duncanville early, and met my cousin Donna (who had taken all the boys on Monday, too) at a park. Left D with her, and went to my sister's to wait out the morning. I knew the twins would not nap at her house, so when it was time to go pick up D after lunch, I just packed them in the van and we all came back home. I was so grateful that they did not fall asleep on the way home. And even more grateful that they went down for a half decent nap when we did get home, around 2:00. Rest of the evening...not too exciting, but fun. Outside, play, bed.
All of a sudden am feeling like I've got a cold and am really tired! Oh no! Must go to bed. Pics tomorrow!
Christie
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Toto, we're not at Elizabeth Arden Anymore
I started out my morning with a great new haircut. You know how it always looks extra good when your stylist blows it out? Yeah, that lasted about an hour and a half. After my hair cut I went straight to the spa. I drove under the giraffe gate (there are three giant giraffes on top of the gate that you drive through to get there), parked my minivan and walked in. Very clean, very pretty. Very friendly staff. They gave me a key on a wrist thingie, told me to take off my shoes, grab a pair of pink shorts and tee shirt and go to the ladies' locker room. Once in there, another very nice lady showed me my locker for my shoes and another bigger locker for my clothes. She then brought me a large towel, and told me they are free the first time but after today would cost me $2. I did not see anyone else with a big towel. Most of the ladies in there were Korean, but there was a group of women that I guessed were mommy friends having a day to themselves, all in their pink shorts and tee shirts, leaving the wet area as I was arriving. As soon as I was "ready" I was told to go into the wet sauna area and to shower before I did anything else. I walked through two large frosted glass doors into a very large room that had at least 30 showers, all with soap and shampoo, three large hot tubs of varying degrees, a cold pool, a more traditional wet sauna, and a row of pink massage tables behind some frost glass partitions with images of Homer and Marge Simpson on them. I kid you not. At this point, many thoughts are going through my head but mostly, "go with it." So I did. I got into the least hot of the hot tubs and was the only one in there. It was not very crowded and most of the ladies kept to themselves doing whatever.
I had about 45 minutes until my body scrub and massage so I soaked for a bit longer then put on my pink outfit and left the safety of the ladies locker room and explored the common areas. There was a place to eat, and many rooms that were different saunas with different types of walls (amethyst, gold, other minerals, salt, etc...) Really interesting. I sat and read my Living Oprah book until it was time for my body scrub. My great friend Marjorie has gone to King Spa before. She is half Korean, and has gone with her mom for these body scrubs so I had some idea of what was coming. I got on one of the pink tables behind the Simpson wall, while an older Korean lady in leopard underwear (seriously) started scrubbing my skin with these mitts made of some kind of silk which felt like sandpaper. It didn't hurt...and actually felt really good. Every once in a while she would douse me with a bucket of hot water, to wash off the dead skin that was quickly accumulating on the table. I only opened my eyes every once in a while, for many reasons, but when I did was immediately sorry because I would catch a glimpse of what she was sloughing off. This body scrub is not for the modest. I've never had anything waxed, but I imagine it's a similar experience. And that's all we'll say about that.
The scrub lasted about thirty minutes. I was then told to shower and given some Olay body wash to use. Leopard Mama cleaned the table and got it ready for my Korean massage. Marjorie told me she thought they would go easy on my since I am a blonde haired white chick, but I'm not so sure. She pounded on me like a piece of chicken. Or cube steak. At one point, I thought, "is she mad at me? Did I not use the Olay wash correctly?" Then, while I was lying on my stomach, I realized she had climbed up on the table and was standing on the soles of my feet. Kind of jumping, kind of stomping. I also should add that all of the pounding and kneading was done with hot towels. She would put a hot towel on my back, and pound/knead my back. Same for arms, legs, etc..
This lasted an hour and I have to tell you, when it was all over it was amazing. I don't know if I've ever felt that relaxed. I showered, got dressed, got my shoes, turned in my key and drove off, basking in the glow of my King Spa experience. If you have an adventurous side, I would highly suggest it!
Friday, February 18, 2011
To Infiniti and beyond!
I knew Finn was not feeling well, and Claire had not slept well but we had things to do. Like sell our old Infiniti at Car Max. I must also add that this was a MOPS day. I rarely miss MOPS. But today, with Finn's fever I knew I could not bring him so we had to miss which put me in a grouchy mood to begin with. I will try to make the Car Max saga brief, but cannot leave out many details or the whole story loses something.
Our Infiniti is '98. It has 135K miles on it. We bought it right after Ziggy died, almost ten years ago and it's been a good car. I drove it for years, then at some point it became Iain's car. It needed some work and some cash put into it at this point. We were talking about putting money into it when my sister decided to sell her '00 Acura. Bam. We decided to buy my sister's car for Iain for not much more than we were going to put into the Infiniti, and the Acura is a MUCH better car and only has 85K miles on it! Win win!
My sister came to our house Tuesday night to see Duncan get his award at school (Good Citzen! Yay!) and brought the Acura. She and Iain headed to Car Max afterward to sell the Infiniti and she would leave the Acura with us. First roadblock. I am also on the title and since I was not present, they could not sell it. Plan B. Iain will keep the Acura and drive it to the airport Wednesday. Becky took the Infiniti home and will meet me at Car Max on Thursday and we will get the deal done. Iain signs a Power of Attorney at Car Max, notarized, so he will not also have to be present and I can sign for him. **foreshadowing**
Thursday after school, I drove to Car Max to meet my sister. Did I mention I could not find my driver's license? Because I could not. So I grabbed my birth certificate and said a prayer and went to a car dealership with all three of my children in the afternoon. Claire in her pink shiny nightgown, because she refused to take it off. In a genius move, Car Max put play areas in their show rooms. My sister stayed with the kids in what is not unlike a McDonald's play place while I went back to the business office to seal the deal! Oh, I am sorry Mrs. Michie, you must have a government issued photo ID.
Okay, Plan C. There is a DPS not five minutes from Car Max! It's only 3:30 so I can easily hurry over there, get a new license (I even have my birth certificate!) and be back in time to sell the Infiniti so I can pay my sister so she can go pay for her new car that she has already sealed the deal on. I drive speedily but safely to the DPS and see "SORRY! WE HAD A BUSTED WATER PIPE AND FLOODED! YOU WILL HAVE TO DRIVE ACROSS HELL'S HALF ACRE TO GET A NEW LICENSE". I laugh. I cry. I call my sister. We forge Plan D. I go back to Car Max, leave the Infiniti and we all pile in the minivan and drive to the complete other side of Dallas where they drop me off at DPS and my sister takes my now three hungry, cranky children to a drive thru while I fill out my form and get my picture taken. Oh, and they don't let you wear your baseball cap in your driver's license photo even if you haven't washed your hair in three days. Becky and the kids come get me just as Iain calls. He is nervous about me leaving the Infiniti in the lot but OH MY GAWD I can't go back there again with all these children tonight. Really, truly, I cannot. We go to my mom's and shake off the afternoon with pizza, animal crackers, and Bailey's on the rocks.
Fast forward to today. Armed with my brand new driver's license I marched my snotty-nosed, feverish, cranky twins into Car Max (or Car's Max as Finn calls it...it's fun! It has cars! And a play area!) ready to sell this dad gum car. After about a 45 minute wait, one bag of Skittles, 1 bag of Lay's and 1 bag of cookies (for them, not me) they called me over with this "don't be pissed at us!" look. Turns out that back in September when the emissions test was done some genius tech entered the mileage as 165K instead of 135K so now there is a 30K mile discrepancy between "the records" and the odometer. I do not know who holds "the records" only that Car's Max depends on them. The look on my face, and the howls from my now over-the-top impatient two and a half year old twins was enough for them to call for someone from another department to come over, look at everything and give me his stamp of approval for a sale. Blah, blah, blah...type, type, type...wait, wait, wait...okay, Mrs. Schmitchy, all we need is your husband's driver's license! SCREEEEEECH. What? At this point, I considered my options of jumping over the counter and typing the check myself, calling Iain in California, or falling to the floor like Finn and Claire were about to do. Instead I turned into Agressive Mommy of Toddlers and in my best sarcastic voice asked why they had my husband execute the power of attorney without getting his driver's license, knowing he would not be there to complete the sale with me? Or something like that. I also think the tears forming in my eyeballs helped, and they agreed to let Iain fax them a copy.
And that's all it takes to sell a car at Car's Max!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Running vs. Parenting
Not unlike parenting. Well, parenting preschoolers as far as I know. I suppose they both fall under the "anything worth doing is worth doing well" category and the "no one said life is easy" category. Both feel like real accomplishments. Both are good for me. Both have intrinsic value.
I have never been a good exerciser. Much less running. I would see people running and think to myself, "I just don't get it. It looks awful and boring and I don't see how anyone could find that enjoyable." What I did not know was what happens when you run. It's not just putting one foot in front of the other and pounding the pavement. For me, the first ten minutes are pretty bad. I think there is no way I can finish (I know, it's a helpful way to think!) but after those first ten minutes very interesting things start to happen. I start to have interesting streams of thought, I feel burst of energy (periodically) where I find myself pushing myself much harder than I did last time I ran. People use the term "runner's high" and while I don't quite feel high, I do feel changes in my mood, outlook, energy and a certain clarity of mind where there previously was fog. It's great. And I am really loving it.
It's also hard, and an uphill battle and something that I am working daily on mastering...much like parenting. Knowing I will not ever truly master either endeavor, both of them help me with the other. Running seems to make me a better parent and I'm hoping that in some way parenting will help make me a better runner.
13.1
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Generating Generosity
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Unexpected gifts
However comma, I have been struck by what a gift these days have been. I know that there will come a time when Duncan, and Claire and Finn, are old enough that they don't want to hang out with me and have dance parties, or lie on the couch under a blanket and watch movies, or have pretend birthday parties. They will not hang on my every word, and my every movement. This, the way things are right now, will pass. I do not want to look back and wish I'd slowed down and done things differently.
So being home with no where to go has forced us to slow our pace. We aren't a terribly fast-paced family to begin with. We don't (currently) do any outside activities besides church...no sports, no lessons. If it's a weekend, we are usually at home if we aren't spending it with family. But during the week, we do go to the Y and perhaps friends homes or the park if the weather is good. But this week? Nuthin. And it's been good. It's been a gift.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Weekend Recap
Iain came home on Thursday night instead of Friday, so we had a good running start. Nothing terribly exciting or eventful on Friday, but it was relaxed and easy which was good. I took the babies to a playdate and church and then we went to Chick Fil A for lunch with friends. Saturday was cold, rainy and dreary but we got some things done, napped and then had plans for game night with friends. My sister came over to watch the babies and we took Duncan with us. It was a great night with good friends, even though Duncan got to bed terribly late (for him) and had a couple of night terrors after we got him into bed. And night terrors? Are freaky. He sits straight up, trembles, is sweaty, rambles on and on, but is inconsoleable and does not respond to us unless it is a firm, direct order to lie down or put his head down. I was up alot with him over night and was totally done by Sunday morning...another cold, wet day. We stayed home from church, and I did my best to make it to 11:30 when Iain took Duncan to ride the train and to lunch and Claire and Finn went down for a nap. And so did I. I made something for dinner and all little children went to bed early so Mommy didn't die of exhaustion.
On Monday, Iain was off work and Duncan was off school so we packed them all up and hauled them to Fair Park to the Children's Aquarium. Fun! Sharks! Horseshoe crabs! Sea turtles! Finn loved it. Could not stand still and ran around from tank to tank yelling, "Daddy! Come here! Fish!" As soon as Claire realized there were alligators, she wanted nothing to do with any of it. We walked out of the park just in time to catch the MLK Day parade coming down the boulevard and into Fair Park. It was one of those really great family moments. Everyone was happy, having a good time and it was a real unexpected surprise. We got them all home, fed, then Iain took Duncan ice skating and I put Claire and Finn down for a nap. We had a tiny hiccup when Claire puked but it was just one of those quirky kid pukes where they never puke again and seem to feel fine. I bathed her and put her back to bed and she fell right back asleep.
After Iain and Duncan got home, and the babies woke up, I took them out to see my mom and sister for a visit, just to make sure we completely wore them all out. Which we did. After a nice visit at Becky's and Mom's it was back home and to bed for them all! Today, Iain had to fly to California but Duncan had another day off of school and I was really grateful for that. I just was not ready to get back in the full swing of the daily grind. In fact, I would keep him home all week if I could.
I hope you all had a great weekend, too!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Again, when I picked him up he was happy and had a good day. When I talked to him about his teary goodbye he said it was simply because he wanted to be with me. Sigh. As a parent, I hope it is always this way. But now, when he is 5 it makes it hard to get him out of my minivan on a cold January day and scoot him in the door to kindergarten. The soft and squishy side of my brain tells me "just let him stay home with you!" but I know better. It is hard for me, though.
We are three days away from the end of the third six week period of the school year. That is half way. I am shocked at how this year is whizzing by. We still do not know what we are going to do about first grade. Our options seem to be:
- Stay where we are and hope we get into the Gifted and Talented program to provide him with more academic rigor
- Sell our house and move
- Get into Dealey (a Dallas ISD Montessori - there are about 36 spots for 1st grade next year)
- Private school
Honestly, all of them have advantages and disadvantages and I'm all over the board about them. The Dealey option is the one we have the least control over. Staying where we are or private school is where we have the most control. Selling our house is possibly the least attractive to me up front, but if we did sell I would be deliriously happy.
Time is creeping up on us, though, and it's time to act. Ugh. With that, I leave you. Am exhausted now.
Thursday, January 06, 2011
My (mostly) Organic Cake Balls - Step 2
I hit Target first and the only organic ingredient I could find there was the flour. At that point, I had to go have lunch with Duncan at school where he would eat things that are definitely not organic. After lunch, I went to Michael's, where they do not sell anything organic, but they do sell fun things and I needed fun things for my MOPS Steering Retreat this weekend. After Michael's I headed to my beloved Central Market to find the rest of what I needed for my organic cake balls.
I will just say this. Central Market has alot of things. And an unbelievable wine supply where I came very close to buying the Mommy's Time Out white. But they do not sell organic chocolate chips. What is up with that? I got eggs and butter but no chips. I also got some juice for breakfast at the retreat, tomaotes for the soup at the retreat, and heavy cream. Also for the soup. After picking up Duncan, coming home to two happy babies playing in the back yard with the best babysitter anyone ever dreamed of, and somehow surviving the hours between 5 and 7, I got everyone in bed and started baking.
I also made a rookie mistake. I did not read my recipe before I shopped. I tried to do it from memory. So, started out without organic buttermilk and baking soda. I did have baking powder, so just subsituted. Just used regular (organic) milk but had to add non-organic lemon juice to it to give it acidity. Also did not have any shortening...organic or poisonous....so just used all butter. Cakes are now cooling and I'll see how they taste. Then will make my frosting and make the actual balls tomorrow.
~Christie
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Step 1
Trying to finish laundry and think about what needs to be done to consider putting our house on the market again. It seems overwhelming at times, but something I believe we need to do. There are more days than not that I feel like we are tripping over each other in the kitchen. Mostly because we are.
Iain is back in LA taking care of some critical and rather unpleasant business but will be home early on Friday and we have a date night of sorts planned. Our church has a once a month deal where we can bring our kids for free, attend a 45 minute discussion on a marriage-related topic, then have about 2 hours to ourselves to have dinner and talk. It's really great and does give us a chance to spend time together. And since the real fun doesn't start for another 8 or 9 years we need all the help we can get right now. The timing will be good, since we will have tweens and a teenager at that point. Duncan will be 14 and Claire and Finn will be 11. Anything that can keep us out of The Home as long as possible is good news.
I have had an itch to bring some income to the household for a while. More than just a financial need, I believe. I've tossed around a few ideas but have kind of settled on one in particular that appeals to me. I've been making cake balls for years, and am amazed at the cake ball interest. So, since it is something I really enjoy I am going to perhaps make and sell organic cakeballs out of the back of my minivan. It sounds kind of crazy when I put it like that and makes me think of people selling Mexican flags on the corners but I think it could work. I could tweet my location, and what flavors I have, and sell them at different spots around town. I could also bring my kids with me, which is key. I could also get one of those wrap advertising things for my van. This idea particularly appeals to me for some reason, but I am not sure why. It is odd. My genius husband helped me talk it through and is totally supportive. So, this weekend I am going to see if I can successfully make an organic cake ball. Step 1.
So, tomorrow, I shop. I will let you know how it goes.
Monday, January 03, 2011
As a side note, I am again getting sucked into The Bachelor. I did not watch Brad Womack's first season so have no ill will against him. And he's from Austin, so I kind of like him already. A few observations:
- Vampire fangs should be reason enough to get a rose just so we can all watch the crazy as long as possible.
- Really shiny sapphire blue satin dresses do not look expensive on television.
- It is obviously very trendy to have very long hair, parted down the middle. Marcia Brady would be proud.
- I am really glad that the producers finally figured out they do not need to hvae some token Bachelor/ettes of different races just to please the general public. They do, however, need to have Bachelorettes and Bachelors who are NOT WHITE.
- America will not love you if you do high kicks when you get out of a limo...in a mini-dress.
Now back to our regular programming.
Iain and I face the new year with some decisions to make and actions to take. Why are we not living in our bigger house in a better school district? I wish I knew. Why are we still in this place? I do hope that things will start to fall into place so that we can get Duncan, and eventually Claire and Finn, into a school where they will blossom and we will be able to get involved. Gratefully, he loves his teacher this year and we do feel really good about her. But that is just about where it ends.
I also am planning to start my own business. More about that later. I have a few things that have been twirling around in my head. And I feel a need to provide income, for a few different reasons. So, I need to pray about it and move forward. Then see what happens.
Happy New Year!