We are about to put 2009 in the books. We are going to wrap it up, put in in paper, tie it with string and relegate it to the corner and let it get dusty. It isn't that I am bitter, which I am a little, it is because this year was bad. It was not a good year. It was one of Mac's top 10 but he is 9.
2009 was a year that had to happen to get us to 2010. Without going through the hardships of this year, we would not be where we are today. It is part of our growth as individuals and as a family. I recognize that, but still, I would like to feed this year to the dog.
As I look towards next year, I am in a position to make some radical changes to my life. I am going to enter a new chapter and the page is blank. I have been sad about leaving my old life behind, but now I am a little excited.
So, my resolutions for 2010, are:
1) To get more healthy. I am not sure if this really means lose weight, although that would help, but more a change in how I approach food and excercise. I plan to be more aware of the choices I am making and try and make the healthier choice. I think we can all benefit from trying to improve the quality of the food we eat and ensure that we excercise regularly. So, we aren't talking about anything radical here!
2) Do at least 4 things to position myself to get a job when Hannah starts school. Some of this as already happened, but I need to do a few more things so that when I am finally ready to be employed on a part-time basis. I need to cultivate some more connections and start to figure out what my employment will look like.
3) Try and maintain a positive attitude. I realize that this year has left me with many a rant about what is going on. I would like to be able to look at the good in things and let the bad go. It is hard to do. Goodness knows I would like to hunt down Bob's old employers and do something drastic with them. Forgiveness and moving on are what I would like to be the hallmarks of 2010.
I don't know what 2010 will bring, but I know that we will figure out a way to get through it. Until then, I hope we make it back to Illinois without problem and that your New Years Eve celebration is safe.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Accidental Swimming
Let me paint the scene... We are at my Uncles house. It is a gorgeous house. It is enormous, like 5,500 square feet. It is the kind of house that you have a 100 people at, and no one feels cramped. We attend a party there once a year. It is a big event, all my cousins and their kids are there. About 25 people. We are definately representing the white trash side of the family.
I always stress out before this, because I am sure that my kids are going to do something horrible. Break something really expensive, or just cause some sort of embarrassing calamity. Granted, M and V are lovely hosts, so anything, no matter how horrible, would be handled very graciously. But, still I worry.
We arrive. My kids go tearing outside to play. There is a pool and a hot tub outside and one of my cousins kids says to me, they won't go into the pool would they? I respond, no, we talked about that, they wouldn't do that. Famous last words.
I go into the kitchen for a cranberry margarita. Very yummy, highly recommend them. Hannah comes into the kitchen and insists that I need to go see Sam. I go outside. As I get closer to him, I notice that there are wet footsteps leading from the hot tub to where he is. This is not good. I hope that one of the four dogs has been for a swim. That is not the case, Sam has "fallen" into the hot tub. Actually he was testing the cover to see if he could stand on it... yeah, not so much. He is soaked, head to toe. I do not have any clothes for him.
I go inside to ask my cousin who has a 10 year old. The youngest child there other than mine. She has nothing. She graciously gets me a towel, goes outside with me and helps me get Sam situated. She put Sam's clothes into the dryer for me. I carry Sam inside. He is embarrassed, crying and generally carring on. I put him on a bench away from the general hubbub. And try and figure out what to do.
It finally comes to me, I could put him in a sweat shirt and he could wear that like a dress until his clothes are dry. My aunt is a tiny woman. I never realized how tiny, until tonight. I ask her if we can borrow a sweat shirt from her. She hooks me up with a pair of shorts and a sweat shirt. The shorts, while a bit long in the rise, fit Sam fairly well and the sweatshirt rounded out the outfit. The items were too long, but not too big around. So, my aunt is basically the size of a six year old. I told you she was tiny.
When Sam finally got his clothes back it was a big boost to his self esteem. All is well that ends well. My mother said, it was a good thing he didn't drown. I agree, but isn't that a bit morbid? Next time when I tell the kids not to go into the pool, I will not assume hot tub is implied. I will spell it out.
I always stress out before this, because I am sure that my kids are going to do something horrible. Break something really expensive, or just cause some sort of embarrassing calamity. Granted, M and V are lovely hosts, so anything, no matter how horrible, would be handled very graciously. But, still I worry.
We arrive. My kids go tearing outside to play. There is a pool and a hot tub outside and one of my cousins kids says to me, they won't go into the pool would they? I respond, no, we talked about that, they wouldn't do that. Famous last words.
I go into the kitchen for a cranberry margarita. Very yummy, highly recommend them. Hannah comes into the kitchen and insists that I need to go see Sam. I go outside. As I get closer to him, I notice that there are wet footsteps leading from the hot tub to where he is. This is not good. I hope that one of the four dogs has been for a swim. That is not the case, Sam has "fallen" into the hot tub. Actually he was testing the cover to see if he could stand on it... yeah, not so much. He is soaked, head to toe. I do not have any clothes for him.
I go inside to ask my cousin who has a 10 year old. The youngest child there other than mine. She has nothing. She graciously gets me a towel, goes outside with me and helps me get Sam situated. She put Sam's clothes into the dryer for me. I carry Sam inside. He is embarrassed, crying and generally carring on. I put him on a bench away from the general hubbub. And try and figure out what to do.
It finally comes to me, I could put him in a sweat shirt and he could wear that like a dress until his clothes are dry. My aunt is a tiny woman. I never realized how tiny, until tonight. I ask her if we can borrow a sweat shirt from her. She hooks me up with a pair of shorts and a sweat shirt. The shorts, while a bit long in the rise, fit Sam fairly well and the sweatshirt rounded out the outfit. The items were too long, but not too big around. So, my aunt is basically the size of a six year old. I told you she was tiny.
When Sam finally got his clothes back it was a big boost to his self esteem. All is well that ends well. My mother said, it was a good thing he didn't drown. I agree, but isn't that a bit morbid? Next time when I tell the kids not to go into the pool, I will not assume hot tub is implied. I will spell it out.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Christmas in California
I have a friend who has children who are grown. The wisdom in starting early is that when you are young enough to enjoy it, the kids are gone. She emailed me, said it was 1:00 pm and she had nothing to do but knit. The house was clean, the dinner was prepped, the kids were gone. She asked me about our day, and this is my reply:
1:00 in the morning the parade begins, little children in stocking feet to check and see what Santa may have brung. Shuffle, shuffle, sneaky feet, as the creep by my room loud as elephants in heat.
2:00 things start to wind down, children tucked snug in their beds, as visions of sugar plums dance in their heads.
3:00 one more check to see if the ho ho ho on the street was Santa stopping by for a quick slice of meat. (Seriously, that is what the excuse was, they wanted to know if Santa wanted cold cuts.)
4:00 Everyone settled, mommy finally can sleep. Children threatened with cancelations if they utter a peep.
6:30 It is light out, time to awake.
6:31 Gifts all open, children crying, why isn't there more? This is not what I wanted. My Christmas is ruined. Oh, why don't you love me?
7:00 All settled down to look over Mommy's credit card bill to show that she spent more than she should so they would have their fill.
10:30 Brunch with family, come one come all. Brother David winds up the children and watches them fall.
11:30 Grandma has had it, take your kids and your stuff and get out of here. We all leave, mostly out of fear.
1:00 House is cleaned, preparing for more, dinner will bring them all ringing at the door.
2:30 Return home from the park, all is better. Sunshine...
3:00 The dinner for 15 is now down to 5, we think left-overs rather than roast and all that jive.
My friend's response: This is why some animals eat their young.
1:00 in the morning the parade begins, little children in stocking feet to check and see what Santa may have brung. Shuffle, shuffle, sneaky feet, as the creep by my room loud as elephants in heat.
2:00 things start to wind down, children tucked snug in their beds, as visions of sugar plums dance in their heads.
3:00 one more check to see if the ho ho ho on the street was Santa stopping by for a quick slice of meat. (Seriously, that is what the excuse was, they wanted to know if Santa wanted cold cuts.)
4:00 Everyone settled, mommy finally can sleep. Children threatened with cancelations if they utter a peep.
6:30 It is light out, time to awake.
6:31 Gifts all open, children crying, why isn't there more? This is not what I wanted. My Christmas is ruined. Oh, why don't you love me?
7:00 All settled down to look over Mommy's credit card bill to show that she spent more than she should so they would have their fill.
10:30 Brunch with family, come one come all. Brother David winds up the children and watches them fall.
11:30 Grandma has had it, take your kids and your stuff and get out of here. We all leave, mostly out of fear.
1:00 House is cleaned, preparing for more, dinner will bring them all ringing at the door.
2:30 Return home from the park, all is better. Sunshine...
3:00 The dinner for 15 is now down to 5, we think left-overs rather than roast and all that jive.
My friend's response: This is why some animals eat their young.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Kids say the Darndest Things
Watch out Birds
As a way of background, It is a ritual to throw peanuts for the blue jays at my Moms house. It is one thing the kids look forward to. My mom is a big bird lover.
Hannah to Grandma: I would like the tennis racket you hit the birds with.
Grandma to Hannah: You mean a badmitten racket?
Grandma to Me: Great, your kids think I lure birds into the yard and whack them with tennis rackets.
Anatomy of a Con:
Sam: Come and play badmitten with me please.
Uncle Mike: Not today, maybe next time.
Sam: Please
Uncle Mike: Not today, I already played with you, I am tired.
Sam: Please
Mom: Go outside.
Sam: Ok, Mom
5 minutes later
Hannah: Uncle Mike, come outside with me, there is something I want to show you.
Uncle Mike: Ok, lets go, what do you want to show me.
Upon reaching the outdoors...
Sam: Uncle Mike, lets play badmitten, you are outside already. Hannah, good job, you got him out here.
Uncle Mike, you've been played.
Who does Daddy love?
Hannah: Mommy, I know what girls Daddy loves.
Mommy: Really? Who?
Hannah: Me.
Mommy: Anyone else?
Hannah: You
Mommy: Is that all?
Hannah: No, there is the girl Kim that he also loves that we see at the religous school park.
Mommy: Is that so....
(Note: Kim is Flaffies cousin, so I am not real worried about it.)
As a way of background, It is a ritual to throw peanuts for the blue jays at my Moms house. It is one thing the kids look forward to. My mom is a big bird lover.
Hannah to Grandma: I would like the tennis racket you hit the birds with.
Grandma to Hannah: You mean a badmitten racket?
Grandma to Me: Great, your kids think I lure birds into the yard and whack them with tennis rackets.
Anatomy of a Con:
Sam: Come and play badmitten with me please.
Uncle Mike: Not today, maybe next time.
Sam: Please
Uncle Mike: Not today, I already played with you, I am tired.
Sam: Please
Mom: Go outside.
Sam: Ok, Mom
5 minutes later
Hannah: Uncle Mike, come outside with me, there is something I want to show you.
Uncle Mike: Ok, lets go, what do you want to show me.
Upon reaching the outdoors...
Sam: Uncle Mike, lets play badmitten, you are outside already. Hannah, good job, you got him out here.
Uncle Mike, you've been played.
Who does Daddy love?
Hannah: Mommy, I know what girls Daddy loves.
Mommy: Really? Who?
Hannah: Me.
Mommy: Anyone else?
Hannah: You
Mommy: Is that all?
Hannah: No, there is the girl Kim that he also loves that we see at the religous school park.
Mommy: Is that so....
(Note: Kim is Flaffies cousin, so I am not real worried about it.)
Well Stated
Sometimes, someone else says it better than I do.
December Dilemma
Hope you have a great day. We are enjoying the warm weather here.
December Dilemma
Hope you have a great day. We are enjoying the warm weather here.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Art Museum
Yesterday I took the kids to the art museum. They really enjoyed seeing the art. Most of the museum was closed, so there wasn't much to see, so I was a little bummed about that. There was one exhibit that really excited them. They wanted to touch everything. It was cool sculpture that really did make you want to touch it, good art should move you. But, in a museum such as this you can not touch.
The security guard comes over after watching me struggle to enforce the no touching rule, and told them, "Listen to your Grandmother and don't touch the art please." Well, my hair is done, so I am not any greyer than any other 40 year old mother. My kids all stopped and looked at him. Mac says to him, "She is my mother, NOT my Grandmother and she isn't really old enough to be my Grandmother anyway. My Grandmothers are really old, not like my mom." I am not sure how to take that, but I think Mac's heart was in the right place.
I looked at the guy, and he slinked away. Actually, he slinked completly out of the room and had a new security guard come it. Yeah, we scared him off. So, all you would be art thieves, we offer our sevices for hire. My kids will scare off the guard and then you can steal what you want, while we provide a distraction.
The other guard who came, was very nice, and told me that there was a children's exhibit in the basement that we could go and see. He then told me that we could come and go as we pleased, so if the kids were loosing interest, we could just come back later. I thought that was a slightly more diplomatic way of saying get the hell out of here before you break something.
We go the hell out of there by the way, went to the kids exhibit and left never to return. I think the guards all were slightly relieved.
The security guard comes over after watching me struggle to enforce the no touching rule, and told them, "Listen to your Grandmother and don't touch the art please." Well, my hair is done, so I am not any greyer than any other 40 year old mother. My kids all stopped and looked at him. Mac says to him, "She is my mother, NOT my Grandmother and she isn't really old enough to be my Grandmother anyway. My Grandmothers are really old, not like my mom." I am not sure how to take that, but I think Mac's heart was in the right place.
I looked at the guy, and he slinked away. Actually, he slinked completly out of the room and had a new security guard come it. Yeah, we scared him off. So, all you would be art thieves, we offer our sevices for hire. My kids will scare off the guard and then you can steal what you want, while we provide a distraction.
The other guard who came, was very nice, and told me that there was a children's exhibit in the basement that we could go and see. He then told me that we could come and go as we pleased, so if the kids were loosing interest, we could just come back later. I thought that was a slightly more diplomatic way of saying get the hell out of here before you break something.
We go the hell out of there by the way, went to the kids exhibit and left never to return. I think the guards all were slightly relieved.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
One Degree of Seperation
Yesterday, I talked about how one persons' bad year is anothers' dream. It seems that message keeps on keepin' on. One degree of seperation is all that keeps me from these wild and horribly tragic events that are happening in other peoples lives.
A friend of a a friend of mine had her house burn down. While everyone is ok, the loss of everything you own and the accompaning drama in rebuilding all of that is unimaginable. Being a Californian, I have seen numerous people go through this. Sure at the end everything is ok, but the trip to getting there is not pleasant. I feel for them, 2010 will be a rough year for them.
Another is a family of a friend of my Aunts, they lost their 8 year old son in a boating accident Sunday. Their pleasure craft was hit by a coast guard cruiser traveling at a high rate of speed. Their other two kids are in the hospital, I don't know how they are doing, but I hope they survive, because the death of one child is all anyone ever needs to deal with. The Dad is presumably physically ok, as he was interviewed for the paper, but 3 other adults are also injured. I hope his wife is not one of them, they will need each other.
While I am perched, poised, and ready to leap on 2010 in hopes of a better year, I see these families that might not be so lucky. I hope that my 2010 is better, and I hope that yours is too. I also hope that these families are able to proceed with their lives and not be horribly derailed by the tragedy of 2009.
Fires, boating accidents, oh my. All I can say, is be safe out there folks!
A friend of a a friend of mine had her house burn down. While everyone is ok, the loss of everything you own and the accompaning drama in rebuilding all of that is unimaginable. Being a Californian, I have seen numerous people go through this. Sure at the end everything is ok, but the trip to getting there is not pleasant. I feel for them, 2010 will be a rough year for them.
Another is a family of a friend of my Aunts, they lost their 8 year old son in a boating accident Sunday. Their pleasure craft was hit by a coast guard cruiser traveling at a high rate of speed. Their other two kids are in the hospital, I don't know how they are doing, but I hope they survive, because the death of one child is all anyone ever needs to deal with. The Dad is presumably physically ok, as he was interviewed for the paper, but 3 other adults are also injured. I hope his wife is not one of them, they will need each other.
While I am perched, poised, and ready to leap on 2010 in hopes of a better year, I see these families that might not be so lucky. I hope that my 2010 is better, and I hope that yours is too. I also hope that these families are able to proceed with their lives and not be horribly derailed by the tragedy of 2009.
Fires, boating accidents, oh my. All I can say, is be safe out there folks!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)