Heather over at Confessions of a Coal Miner's Granddaughter has decided she needs a time machine and knows exactly what she would do with it. Personally, I'm too afraid of messing things up if I was able to interact with my surroundings. I mean, look at what happened in The Butterfly Effect. A time-viewer would be interesting to have, though. It would certainly give a whole new twist to history class. That's another topic for another day.
I'm holding out for a teleportation device. Actually, I've decided I need a minimum of 4, and that doesn't include one for work and one for daycare. No, I need 4 personal teleportation devices. One will of course be at my house. I want one at my mom's house so that when she's having something delicious for dinner I can just pop in. Living 4 hours away from her does not allow me to just pop in anytime I want. This would also give me the opportunity to work on craft projects with her without trying to cram it into a weekend. I miss doing craft projects.
I want one at DTTF's mom's house, too. While she only lives about an hour away, I still have to prepare to go down there. I have to pack up the car to make sure I have everything I might need while we're down there. It would be great if Tree Faerie and I could just pop in to Nana's and maybe go horseback riding or help her build a fence or something. Having a teleportation device at her house would also make us feel a lot better about her living there by herself. While yes, I know she's a strong and competent woman, a lot can happen and has happened before. Thankfully she has neighbors within shouting distance, but only if you shout loudly and only if they're home.
The fourth teleportation device would be at DTTF's sister's house. Not only do I consider her a great friend, but she lives in Florida, has her own pool, and doesn't live too far from the beach. We could pop down there just for a margarita or a splash in the pool (or both). Even better, on days like today where the high is only 36 degrees, we can pop down there and thaw out. Of course, I might not come home very often...
When I was telling my mom about my little fantasy, the Floo Network from the Harry Potter books came up. She said that wouldn't work because not only does she not have a fireplace, none of her neighbors do either. A couple of them have wood-burning stoves, but not actual fire places. So, we'll have to stick with the teleportation device idea. I could get a lot more done in a day if I could cut out travel time. Or at least I might not feel so rushed, and it would completely eliminate the need to control my road rage.
Anyone already have one in the works?
Showing posts with label Family Ties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family Ties. Show all posts
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Weekend My Mom Turned 50
Friday evening we were in no hurry to head out because I planned to leave around Tree Faerie's bedtime in hopes that she would sleep the whole way. I have to pat myself on the back for that one because it worked! She slept the whole way! I drove straight through without stopping because I didn't want to chance waking her up. Since my bladder wasn't yelling at me to pull over, we just decided to keep driving.
We got to my parents' house around 12:45 AM, and as expected, Tree Faerie woke as soon as we turned off the car. She was in a good mood, though, and wanted to play for a while. We visited for a little while and finally headed to bed around 3 AM. I know this only because while I was trying to nurse Tree Faerie to sleep, the clock chimed and did its little song. Thankfully it didn't wake her back up, but I was holding my breath just in case.
The next morning she decided 7 AM was a good time to get up. Mom made scrambled eggs with cheese and toast, which was Tree Faerie's first time trying scrambled eggs. She seemed to like them okay, and she really enjoyed throwing them in the floor. My parents have a little dog that did not mind her sharing breakfast.
After breakfast, Pop brought Tree Faerie's late birthday present in. They crafted a Rocking Harley for her! It's absolutely adorable! And PURPLE! I promise to post pictures soon.
We left DTTF there sleeping while Mom, Tree Faerie, and I went to the store. Since Tree Faerie fell asleep on the way, I sat in the parking lot and waited for Mom to pick up a few things. As I sat there watching people come and go, I realized that I could have a 10 year old child right now if I hadn't been so careful. I started adding it up and figured out that one of the girls from my graduating class now has a 15 year old. I'm really glad I waited as long as I did because I'm ready to enjoy being a mother without feeling like she's holding me back or like she's a burden.
After we got back, we had lunch and made cheese dip, and I swept and mopped Mom's kitchen floor for her. My Upward Bound friends showed up just as I finished, and they brought home-made strawberry cheesecake. We all visited for a while, and I must say I'm really glad kids start small and work their way up, because if I was just handed a 3- and a 5-year-old, I'd probably pull my hair out. But the kids were cute, and we had fun talking.
That night after Pop went to work, we took Mom to dinner at her favorite Chinese restaurant where they serve crab legs and shrimp. I quickly discovered my kid can really make a mess. Between the crackers, the fortune cookies, the chicken and then the jello, I practically had to bathe her with baby wipes.
Sunday morning, Tree Faerie got up with Mom and let Mom change her diaper and play with her for a while before waking me up, which was a perfect birthday present for "Grams". We had biscuits and gravy for breakfast, then we finished making the crescent rolls Mom started when she got up that morning. The crescent rolls were delicious!
When I asked Mom how it feels to be 50, she said, "Oh, about like 49." We discussed that it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be when she was my age, and that 30 was the hard birthday for her. My mom is a pretty amazing woman and has been through a lot. I really admire her in a lot of ways.
We headed back a couple of hours later than I had intended, but Tree Faerie decided to take a nap before we left, and Mom fell asleep, too. We got back to Memphis around 8 on Sunday night, and I only had to ride in the back seat for the last hour of the trip. Before Tree Faerie was born, I never even considered the possibility that I would be breastfeeding in the backseat of a car doing 80 mph down the interstate. And before you ask, yes, Tree Faerie was still buckled into her car seat. I was practicing my contortionist skills.
It was a wonderful weekend. While I'm sure we'll head down there several times over the next few years, I look forward to taking her down there sometime when she's older and telling her the stories from when I was growing up. I just hope she's interested in hearing the stories.
We got to my parents' house around 12:45 AM, and as expected, Tree Faerie woke as soon as we turned off the car. She was in a good mood, though, and wanted to play for a while. We visited for a little while and finally headed to bed around 3 AM. I know this only because while I was trying to nurse Tree Faerie to sleep, the clock chimed and did its little song. Thankfully it didn't wake her back up, but I was holding my breath just in case.
The next morning she decided 7 AM was a good time to get up. Mom made scrambled eggs with cheese and toast, which was Tree Faerie's first time trying scrambled eggs. She seemed to like them okay, and she really enjoyed throwing them in the floor. My parents have a little dog that did not mind her sharing breakfast.
After breakfast, Pop brought Tree Faerie's late birthday present in. They crafted a Rocking Harley for her! It's absolutely adorable! And PURPLE! I promise to post pictures soon.
We left DTTF there sleeping while Mom, Tree Faerie, and I went to the store. Since Tree Faerie fell asleep on the way, I sat in the parking lot and waited for Mom to pick up a few things. As I sat there watching people come and go, I realized that I could have a 10 year old child right now if I hadn't been so careful. I started adding it up and figured out that one of the girls from my graduating class now has a 15 year old. I'm really glad I waited as long as I did because I'm ready to enjoy being a mother without feeling like she's holding me back or like she's a burden.
After we got back, we had lunch and made cheese dip, and I swept and mopped Mom's kitchen floor for her. My Upward Bound friends showed up just as I finished, and they brought home-made strawberry cheesecake. We all visited for a while, and I must say I'm really glad kids start small and work their way up, because if I was just handed a 3- and a 5-year-old, I'd probably pull my hair out. But the kids were cute, and we had fun talking.
That night after Pop went to work, we took Mom to dinner at her favorite Chinese restaurant where they serve crab legs and shrimp. I quickly discovered my kid can really make a mess. Between the crackers, the fortune cookies, the chicken and then the jello, I practically had to bathe her with baby wipes.
Sunday morning, Tree Faerie got up with Mom and let Mom change her diaper and play with her for a while before waking me up, which was a perfect birthday present for "Grams". We had biscuits and gravy for breakfast, then we finished making the crescent rolls Mom started when she got up that morning. The crescent rolls were delicious!
When I asked Mom how it feels to be 50, she said, "Oh, about like 49." We discussed that it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be when she was my age, and that 30 was the hard birthday for her. My mom is a pretty amazing woman and has been through a lot. I really admire her in a lot of ways.
We headed back a couple of hours later than I had intended, but Tree Faerie decided to take a nap before we left, and Mom fell asleep, too. We got back to Memphis around 8 on Sunday night, and I only had to ride in the back seat for the last hour of the trip. Before Tree Faerie was born, I never even considered the possibility that I would be breastfeeding in the backseat of a car doing 80 mph down the interstate. And before you ask, yes, Tree Faerie was still buckled into her car seat. I was practicing my contortionist skills.
It was a wonderful weekend. While I'm sure we'll head down there several times over the next few years, I look forward to taking her down there sometime when she's older and telling her the stories from when I was growing up. I just hope she's interested in hearing the stories.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Heading to Arkansas
Sunday is my mom's 50th birthday, so we're going to pack up and head down to southern Arkansas for the weekend. It's a 4 hour drive, and I'm just a little nervous about it. Tree Faerie is not a fan of being in the car for long periods of time.
Of course, now we have the new car seat - a Costco Alpha Omega Elite - and I installed it forward-facing because the seat just laughed at me when I tried to install it rear-facing. Tree Faerie has enjoyed being able to see the world from a new perspective, so maybe the trip won't be so bad. I'm also going to try to time it so that we're leaving around her bedtime tonight in hopes that she'll sleep most of the way. One can only hope.
This will be Tree Faerie's first visit at my parents' house because of the distance. My parents have come to Memphis or met us at my grandma's house every time we've seen them in the past year. I figure Tree Faerie is due for a visit. Mom is really excited and can hardly wait. I'm sure Pop is, too, but he doesn't get giddy like Mom does.
Since we're going to be near by, my two best friends from Upward Bound are going to stop by tomorrow afternoon. One I haven't seen for 8 years and keep trying to meet up with, but something keeps coming up every time. I talk to her through email quite often, though, so we're up-to-date on each other's lives. The other one I haven't seen for 9 years, but I've talked to him on the phone a couple of times in the past year. These two friends are also still friends with each other and still live in the same town. I'm really excited about seeing them.
Have a great weekend, Bloggerland! See you Monday!
Of course, now we have the new car seat - a Costco Alpha Omega Elite - and I installed it forward-facing because the seat just laughed at me when I tried to install it rear-facing. Tree Faerie has enjoyed being able to see the world from a new perspective, so maybe the trip won't be so bad. I'm also going to try to time it so that we're leaving around her bedtime tonight in hopes that she'll sleep most of the way. One can only hope.
This will be Tree Faerie's first visit at my parents' house because of the distance. My parents have come to Memphis or met us at my grandma's house every time we've seen them in the past year. I figure Tree Faerie is due for a visit. Mom is really excited and can hardly wait. I'm sure Pop is, too, but he doesn't get giddy like Mom does.
Since we're going to be near by, my two best friends from Upward Bound are going to stop by tomorrow afternoon. One I haven't seen for 8 years and keep trying to meet up with, but something keeps coming up every time. I talk to her through email quite often, though, so we're up-to-date on each other's lives. The other one I haven't seen for 9 years, but I've talked to him on the phone a couple of times in the past year. These two friends are also still friends with each other and still live in the same town. I'm really excited about seeing them.
Have a great weekend, Bloggerland! See you Monday!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
12 Months - Happy Birthday, Tree Faerie!
Dear Tree Faerie,
It is so hard to believe that an entire year has gone by since the day of your birth. We made it! One of your daddy’s favorite stories to tell is of being discharged from the hospital with you. I don’t think he believed the nurse when she first told him he could take you home. We were nervous and scared yet excited and overjoyed. I cried all the way home because all the cars were entirely too close to us. Your disapproval of your first car ride was not helping matters any. When we finally got you home, I unbuckled you from the seat as quickly as possible so I could hold you close, comforting us both. I am sometimes still surprised by how much love I have for you. It doesn’t seem possible for one person to contain this much love (which may be why I feel on the verge of exploding sometimes)!
You finally got to meet your Aunt T, Uncle M, and your two cousins, CRK (2.5 years old) and CSK (2.5 months old). You and CRK had a great time playing together, though you are exhibiting signs of being a bully. You kept forcefully taking CRK’s pacifier away. The first time I saw you do it, I had a plate of food in my hands and was sitting next to your Nana. Your Nana just sat there and laughed while watching you try to take CRK’s pacifier while he tried to gently prevent you from doing so. I must admit that it was kind of cute, but I really don’t want you to grow up and be a bully. You can’t always have things just because you want them.
We do a great job of spoiling you, though. You came away like a bandit for Yule and Christmas. Tearing paper is now one of your favorite pastimes. There are more toys than I know what to do with. I’m still feeling a little overwhelmed about that right now, but I’ll have it figured out soon. You love having your choice of which toy to play with, so you certainly don’t mind the abundance.
One of your favorites is Lavender, the purple hippo you and Nana built at Build-A-Bear. It’s so cute to watch you hug and kiss Lavender. You even hug her close and pat her back, just like I do to you. Another favorite is your push-buggy shaped like a VW Bug. When you’re not being pushed in it, you like to push it yourself. Grams got you a gift that clearly shows what we have to look forward to in the future. She got you a cell phone toy that talks and plays music. It’s absolutely adorable to watch you walk around with the phone up to your ear and hear you just jabbering away – or at least it’s adorable at the moment. When you’re 14 it may not be so adorable…
You’ve completed your transition period into the toddler room and have now been in the toddler room a whole week! The teachers just love you, of course. I’m amazed by how well you follow directions and behave! I must be too lenient on you, because you don’t mind what I say as well as you do for your teachers. Even so, you’re a great kid at home, too. I have no real complaints.
Your First Birthday was this past Sunday, and Grams and Papaw drove up to spend it with you. I’m glad they decided to drive up the night before so they could be here when you woke up, because you had a surprise for us all after you woke up on your First Birthday. You took your First Steps! Not just one, but 4 or 5! You were standing up in front of Grams and you just toddled right to me! Daddy missed the first time, so of course I had to go get him up. When I told him, I could tell that he thought I was exaggerating, so after he got up I stood you in front of him. He held out his hands and you toddled to him. The look on his face was priceless! You’ve practiced off and on ever since then, but only if you’re not wearing shoes. If you’re wearing shoes, you still prefer to hold on to a finger.
Grams and I installed your new car seat while you were napping. The weather was perfect for it – 70 degrees and breezy. For January, that is unusual weather! We couldn’t get the seat installed rear-facing, which is how I would have preferred to install it for just a little while longer. Instead, we installed it forward-facing. The only thing that kept us from testing it out right then was you being asleep.
Later that afternoon, Nana came for our little party. We had fish sticks with macaroni and cheese because you LOVE macaroni and cheese. Then we opened presents, which of course means more toys, including a piano, a Mickey Mouse, and a pull-along puppy. Finally, we were ready for your first cupcake experience. I stuck a “1” candle on top of your cupcake and lit it. We turned out the lights and sang Happy Birthday to you, then I helped you blow out the candle. When I set the cupcake in front of you, you had a confused look on your face. I finally convinced you that it was okay to play with it, so you proceeded to remove all the icing and squish it. You finally put your fingers in your mouth and immediately decided you did not like icing and tried to wipe it off your tongue with the other hand, which also happened to be covered in icing. Thankfully you didn’t throw a fit, but the look on your face clearly said, “I am not thrilled with this!” You continued to play with the frosting and tried tasting it a time or two more, but you still weren’t crazy about the taste and refused to try the actual cake part.
After you put the icing in your hair, I gave you a bath, and then we saw Grams and Papaw off. You’ll get to see them again in a couple of weeks when we go visit Grams for her 50th birthday. I’m really glad they came up to see you for yours.
This past year has gone by so quickly, and you weren’t the only one growing. You have brought about a lot of good changes in me. Thank you for being so wonderful, Tree Faerie. I look forward to what the next year will bring.
Hugs, Kisses, and Lots of Love,
Mama
It is so hard to believe that an entire year has gone by since the day of your birth. We made it! One of your daddy’s favorite stories to tell is of being discharged from the hospital with you. I don’t think he believed the nurse when she first told him he could take you home. We were nervous and scared yet excited and overjoyed. I cried all the way home because all the cars were entirely too close to us. Your disapproval of your first car ride was not helping matters any. When we finally got you home, I unbuckled you from the seat as quickly as possible so I could hold you close, comforting us both. I am sometimes still surprised by how much love I have for you. It doesn’t seem possible for one person to contain this much love (which may be why I feel on the verge of exploding sometimes)!
You finally got to meet your Aunt T, Uncle M, and your two cousins, CRK (2.5 years old) and CSK (2.5 months old). You and CRK had a great time playing together, though you are exhibiting signs of being a bully. You kept forcefully taking CRK’s pacifier away. The first time I saw you do it, I had a plate of food in my hands and was sitting next to your Nana. Your Nana just sat there and laughed while watching you try to take CRK’s pacifier while he tried to gently prevent you from doing so. I must admit that it was kind of cute, but I really don’t want you to grow up and be a bully. You can’t always have things just because you want them.
We do a great job of spoiling you, though. You came away like a bandit for Yule and Christmas. Tearing paper is now one of your favorite pastimes. There are more toys than I know what to do with. I’m still feeling a little overwhelmed about that right now, but I’ll have it figured out soon. You love having your choice of which toy to play with, so you certainly don’t mind the abundance.
One of your favorites is Lavender, the purple hippo you and Nana built at Build-A-Bear. It’s so cute to watch you hug and kiss Lavender. You even hug her close and pat her back, just like I do to you. Another favorite is your push-buggy shaped like a VW Bug. When you’re not being pushed in it, you like to push it yourself. Grams got you a gift that clearly shows what we have to look forward to in the future. She got you a cell phone toy that talks and plays music. It’s absolutely adorable to watch you walk around with the phone up to your ear and hear you just jabbering away – or at least it’s adorable at the moment. When you’re 14 it may not be so adorable…
You’ve completed your transition period into the toddler room and have now been in the toddler room a whole week! The teachers just love you, of course. I’m amazed by how well you follow directions and behave! I must be too lenient on you, because you don’t mind what I say as well as you do for your teachers. Even so, you’re a great kid at home, too. I have no real complaints.
Your First Birthday was this past Sunday, and Grams and Papaw drove up to spend it with you. I’m glad they decided to drive up the night before so they could be here when you woke up, because you had a surprise for us all after you woke up on your First Birthday. You took your First Steps! Not just one, but 4 or 5! You were standing up in front of Grams and you just toddled right to me! Daddy missed the first time, so of course I had to go get him up. When I told him, I could tell that he thought I was exaggerating, so after he got up I stood you in front of him. He held out his hands and you toddled to him. The look on his face was priceless! You’ve practiced off and on ever since then, but only if you’re not wearing shoes. If you’re wearing shoes, you still prefer to hold on to a finger.
Grams and I installed your new car seat while you were napping. The weather was perfect for it – 70 degrees and breezy. For January, that is unusual weather! We couldn’t get the seat installed rear-facing, which is how I would have preferred to install it for just a little while longer. Instead, we installed it forward-facing. The only thing that kept us from testing it out right then was you being asleep.
Later that afternoon, Nana came for our little party. We had fish sticks with macaroni and cheese because you LOVE macaroni and cheese. Then we opened presents, which of course means more toys, including a piano, a Mickey Mouse, and a pull-along puppy. Finally, we were ready for your first cupcake experience. I stuck a “1” candle on top of your cupcake and lit it. We turned out the lights and sang Happy Birthday to you, then I helped you blow out the candle. When I set the cupcake in front of you, you had a confused look on your face. I finally convinced you that it was okay to play with it, so you proceeded to remove all the icing and squish it. You finally put your fingers in your mouth and immediately decided you did not like icing and tried to wipe it off your tongue with the other hand, which also happened to be covered in icing. Thankfully you didn’t throw a fit, but the look on your face clearly said, “I am not thrilled with this!” You continued to play with the frosting and tried tasting it a time or two more, but you still weren’t crazy about the taste and refused to try the actual cake part.
After you put the icing in your hair, I gave you a bath, and then we saw Grams and Papaw off. You’ll get to see them again in a couple of weeks when we go visit Grams for her 50th birthday. I’m really glad they came up to see you for yours.
This past year has gone by so quickly, and you weren’t the only one growing. You have brought about a lot of good changes in me. Thank you for being so wonderful, Tree Faerie. I look forward to what the next year will bring.
Hugs, Kisses, and Lots of Love,
Mama
Friday, January 4, 2008
Too Busy
January is ripening up to be an extremely busy month. We're only on Day 4, and I've put something on the calendar for EVERY weekend!
This weekend is Tree Faerie's birthday. We're just going to have a small party with us and the grandparents. Saturday I'm going to get the oil changed in the car, and to make things easy, I'm going to Wal-Mart so I canshop to my heart's content pick up a few essentials, maybe a small present or two for Tree Faerie, and hopefully her big Christmas/Birthday present - her car-seat. Every time I've been to Wal-Mart and tried to get the seat we want, there were not any on the floor and I was either in a hurry or couldn't find anyone to help me and gave up. I guess I should probably call and find out if they have any before I go again, right?
Next weekend does not hold any permanent plans, however the daycare has offered up another Parents Night Out. How can I pass up free child care from people my child already knows in a safe environment while I don't feel like I'm putting anyone out by asking them to watch my child? Granted, we usually go to the movies, so we end up spending between $20 and $40 while we get free child care.
The weekend of the 18th I would like to go to my mom's. Her 50th birthday is January 20th, and while the gift she's getting from us has to be taken care of in Memphis, I figured taking her granddaughter to see her would be a great additional present. We have yet to make the trek to her house because I'm a little afraid of the 4 hour drive with Tree Faerie. Maybe with her new car seat, she'll be happier. My two best friends from high school are talking about coming down to her house on Saturday. I haven't seen one in like 7 years, and the other in 8 or 9.
The weekend of the 25th, one of my best friends from high school (yes, one of the ones from the previous weekend) will be in town. She and her new beau will be in town Friday afternoon and will leave Saturday afternoon. We are making plans to meet up a couple of times while they're here.
At some point before the weekend of the 18th, I need to get my mom's present. I'm giving her a gift certificate for a massage from the wonderful massage therapist that I got a massage from in May. When I pick up the gift certificate, I am also going to get a massage for myself. I'm way past due for one, and when I got the $100 Christmas Cash from work, I knew I was going to use most of it for mom's gift. When I told DTTF about it, he told me to go ahead and get one for myself, too. Now I just have to make time for it.
Hopefully February will be a slower month to give me time to rest and possibly get some things off of my To Do list. I'm not holding my breath, though.
This weekend is Tree Faerie's birthday. We're just going to have a small party with us and the grandparents. Saturday I'm going to get the oil changed in the car, and to make things easy, I'm going to Wal-Mart so I can
Next weekend does not hold any permanent plans, however the daycare has offered up another Parents Night Out. How can I pass up free child care from people my child already knows in a safe environment while I don't feel like I'm putting anyone out by asking them to watch my child? Granted, we usually go to the movies, so we end up spending between $20 and $40 while we get free child care.
The weekend of the 18th I would like to go to my mom's. Her 50th birthday is January 20th, and while the gift she's getting from us has to be taken care of in Memphis, I figured taking her granddaughter to see her would be a great additional present. We have yet to make the trek to her house because I'm a little afraid of the 4 hour drive with Tree Faerie. Maybe with her new car seat, she'll be happier. My two best friends from high school are talking about coming down to her house on Saturday. I haven't seen one in like 7 years, and the other in 8 or 9.
The weekend of the 25th, one of my best friends from high school (yes, one of the ones from the previous weekend) will be in town. She and her new beau will be in town Friday afternoon and will leave Saturday afternoon. We are making plans to meet up a couple of times while they're here.
At some point before the weekend of the 18th, I need to get my mom's present. I'm giving her a gift certificate for a massage from the wonderful massage therapist that I got a massage from in May. When I pick up the gift certificate, I am also going to get a massage for myself. I'm way past due for one, and when I got the $100 Christmas Cash from work, I knew I was going to use most of it for mom's gift. When I told DTTF about it, he told me to go ahead and get one for myself, too. Now I just have to make time for it.
Hopefully February will be a slower month to give me time to rest and possibly get some things off of my To Do list. I'm not holding my breath, though.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Lucky with the In-Laws
4 DTY/ 7 DTC
I must admit I got really lucky when DTTF and I got together - my in-laws are absolutely fabulous! DTTF's sister and her family got into town very early on Saturday, so after DTTF got off work, we packed up and headed down to his mom's for a visit. We had a wonderful visit. I have missed my sister-in-law terribly. I'm in awe of how we've "grown up" together. Six years ago we would have stayed up until the wee hours of the morning playing cards and drinking. Now the times have definitely changed. By the time we get the kids in bed, we're pretty much useless. Oddly, she and I were the two that stayed up the latest, but that was only because she had to feed her youngest around midnight so I stayed up with her.
This was the first time Tree Faerie has met her aunt, uncle, and cousins. DTTF's sister's two boys are absolutely adorable. The 2.5 year old was great at entertaining Tree Faerie. It was so cute to watch them crawl around on the floor together and play with the blocks.
Yesterday after Tree Faerie got her flu shot booster, she and I met the in-laws at Barnes & Noble, then headed over to Build-A-Bear to make stuffed animals for all three kids. We picked out a purple hippopotamus for Tree Faerie and named her Lavender. The holiday song that's been stuck in my head this year is the "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" song, so Nana and I both thought it was perfect. Tree Faerie was giving it kisses and hugs while we were in the store. Lavender has a heartbeat and plays Brahm's Lullaby, which is a song I sometimes hum to her when I'm trying to get her to go to sleep. I'm now totally in love with Lavender, and I love watching Tree Faerie snuggle her and kiss her.
It's amazing how much just a little time with my sister-in-law has really boosted my mood. I'm really looking forward to spending Christmas with her and the rest of the family!
I must admit I got really lucky when DTTF and I got together - my in-laws are absolutely fabulous! DTTF's sister and her family got into town very early on Saturday, so after DTTF got off work, we packed up and headed down to his mom's for a visit. We had a wonderful visit. I have missed my sister-in-law terribly. I'm in awe of how we've "grown up" together. Six years ago we would have stayed up until the wee hours of the morning playing cards and drinking. Now the times have definitely changed. By the time we get the kids in bed, we're pretty much useless. Oddly, she and I were the two that stayed up the latest, but that was only because she had to feed her youngest around midnight so I stayed up with her.
This was the first time Tree Faerie has met her aunt, uncle, and cousins. DTTF's sister's two boys are absolutely adorable. The 2.5 year old was great at entertaining Tree Faerie. It was so cute to watch them crawl around on the floor together and play with the blocks.
Yesterday after Tree Faerie got her flu shot booster, she and I met the in-laws at Barnes & Noble, then headed over to Build-A-Bear to make stuffed animals for all three kids. We picked out a purple hippopotamus for Tree Faerie and named her Lavender. The holiday song that's been stuck in my head this year is the "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" song, so Nana and I both thought it was perfect. Tree Faerie was giving it kisses and hugs while we were in the store. Lavender has a heartbeat and plays Brahm's Lullaby, which is a song I sometimes hum to her when I'm trying to get her to go to sleep. I'm now totally in love with Lavender, and I love watching Tree Faerie snuggle her and kiss her.
It's amazing how much just a little time with my sister-in-law has really boosted my mood. I'm really looking forward to spending Christmas with her and the rest of the family!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The Magic of Santa
10 days until Yule/13 days until Christmas
Tree Faerie had her first visit with Santa last night, and she did beautifully! We got a great picture from them, plus DTTF took pictures with our camera. As soon as I download them from the camera, I'll share.
What made the experience even more magical is that...
WE KNOW SANTA!
And we know him well enough that he told us to have a HAPPY YULE! DTTF is supposed to give me his email address so I can thank him for making my daughter's first visit with Santa even more special.
The other countdown I'm keeping track of - 3 days until the SIL and her family are here! I spent an hour on the phone with her this morning (it's her birthday), and we can all hardly wait! Her 2.5 year old even said my name this morning! I almost cried... I have missed them so much.
Tree Faerie had her first visit with Santa last night, and she did beautifully! We got a great picture from them, plus DTTF took pictures with our camera. As soon as I download them from the camera, I'll share.
What made the experience even more magical is that...
WE KNOW SANTA!
And we know him well enough that he told us to have a HAPPY YULE! DTTF is supposed to give me his email address so I can thank him for making my daughter's first visit with Santa even more special.
The other countdown I'm keeping track of - 3 days until the SIL and her family are here! I spent an hour on the phone with her this morning (it's her birthday), and we can all hardly wait! Her 2.5 year old even said my name this morning! I almost cried... I have missed them so much.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Holiday Ramblings
Well, I bought my holiday cards last night. They're not my usual glittery cards like I get from Target, but I had to go to Wal-Mart (I know the horrors of the place, yes, but I have to pinch my pennies) last night, so I perused their card selection. I found some cute, homey cards with a secular yet warm greeting inside. I got 60 for less than $12, and since my list just keeps getting longer every year, that's not too shabby! I love sending and receiving holiday cards, though I receive a lot fewer than I send.
I also picked up artificial poinsettia flowers to put in the vase on the mantle. The vase is one that my mom made when she took a pottery class at college years ago. DTTF put it on the mantle with the suggestion that we update the arrangement regularly based on the season or upcoming holiday. I forgot how much I enjoy arranging flowers! I didn't take a picture, but as soon as I do, I'll post it. I didn't buy a real poinsettia because I'm terrible at remembering to water my plants, so they always die. I almost killed the aloe plant Random Faerie left with me when she moved to Colorado. It's still alive and doing better, but I really need to re-plant it. That's the only plant I've been able to keep alive, though. I'm glad I'm better at taking care of my animals than that...
This is Tree Faerie's first Christmas holiday, and I would really like for her to see both my parents and DTTF's mom. Yule (Winter Solstice - our holiday) will be focused more on the spiritual aspect of the season, and we each get to open one gift that night. We'll have our Outer Court Yule celebration on the 22nd. My family gets together at my grandma's on Christmas Eve, but DTTF has to work. That 3 hour drive does not sound appealing with just Tree Faerie and me because I can't keep her entertained and drive. She gets bored easily, and once she gets to the point of fussiness, she needs active distraction. Christmas day will be spent with DTTF's family. I don't know if we're going to do Santa at our house or at DTTF's mom's house or both. I know it will all work out, but until it does it will be burrowing itself in my worry-center.
This weekend I get to pull out the holiday decorations and decide what I'm putting where. I was also debating touching up the paint in Tree Faerie's room so we can move us all upstairs. Hmm. If I get that done, maybe I can get the border hung and her room set up. Then I can pick a day for us to move upstairs so we can get a bit of help in exchange for dinner. Hmm. My wheels are turning...
I also picked up artificial poinsettia flowers to put in the vase on the mantle. The vase is one that my mom made when she took a pottery class at college years ago. DTTF put it on the mantle with the suggestion that we update the arrangement regularly based on the season or upcoming holiday. I forgot how much I enjoy arranging flowers! I didn't take a picture, but as soon as I do, I'll post it. I didn't buy a real poinsettia because I'm terrible at remembering to water my plants, so they always die. I almost killed the aloe plant Random Faerie left with me when she moved to Colorado. It's still alive and doing better, but I really need to re-plant it. That's the only plant I've been able to keep alive, though. I'm glad I'm better at taking care of my animals than that...
This is Tree Faerie's first Christmas holiday, and I would really like for her to see both my parents and DTTF's mom. Yule (Winter Solstice - our holiday) will be focused more on the spiritual aspect of the season, and we each get to open one gift that night. We'll have our Outer Court Yule celebration on the 22nd. My family gets together at my grandma's on Christmas Eve, but DTTF has to work. That 3 hour drive does not sound appealing with just Tree Faerie and me because I can't keep her entertained and drive. She gets bored easily, and once she gets to the point of fussiness, she needs active distraction. Christmas day will be spent with DTTF's family. I don't know if we're going to do Santa at our house or at DTTF's mom's house or both. I know it will all work out, but until it does it will be burrowing itself in my worry-center.
This weekend I get to pull out the holiday decorations and decide what I'm putting where. I was also debating touching up the paint in Tree Faerie's room so we can move us all upstairs. Hmm. If I get that done, maybe I can get the border hung and her room set up. Then I can pick a day for us to move upstairs so we can get a bit of help in exchange for dinner. Hmm. My wheels are turning...
Friday, November 23, 2007
Turn the Heat On!
This is the first time since summer set in that we have turned our heater on. It probably won't be left on, however the AC people came out to clean the heater, so we had to turn it on to test it. While it is nice to have the chill out of the air, we are trying to conserve as much as possible. I am thankful to have a heater to use when I want, though!
Yesterday we had Thanksgiving lunch at my grandma's. My mom and dad got to play with Tree Faerie, and fun was had by all. DTTF's mom did not join us because DTTF's sister will be coming up in 3 weeks and she wanted to get her house put back together after re-doing the flooring. She was missed, but we still had a good time. I miss my mom, even though we talk nearly every day. It's just not the same as getting to see her.
Yesterday we had Thanksgiving lunch at my grandma's. My mom and dad got to play with Tree Faerie, and fun was had by all. DTTF's mom did not join us because DTTF's sister will be coming up in 3 weeks and she wanted to get her house put back together after re-doing the flooring. She was missed, but we still had a good time. I miss my mom, even though we talk nearly every day. It's just not the same as getting to see her.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Let the Holidays Begin!
Welcome to the beginning of Thanksgiving Week! The local radio station that plays holiday music from Thanksgiving until New Years started 2 weeks early. The stores had holiday decorations out before Halloween was even over. The shopping rush has already begun. Whether people are just making plans to hit certain stores on Black Friday or people are trying to avoid the worst part of the rush by shopping now, the stores are already bustling.
For Thanksgiving, we're taking DTTF's mom (Nana) to my grandma's house (Grandma) where my mom (Grams/Mom) is meeting us. I can hardly wait! I love getting to visit with my mom. Even though I talk to her every day or two, it's not the same as seeing her face-to-face! Plus, I can't get her to send me pictures of her new haircut, so I have to see it for myself.
Sometimes I really wish my mom and I lived nearer to each other, especially now that Tree Faerie is here. There are so many times when I would love to be able to pick up the phone to tell my mom, "Hey, could you come over for a few minutes/hours to play with Tree Faerie so I can get such-and-such done (or take a nap)?" I would have no problem asking this of my mom. When I ask DTTF's mom, I'm always afraid I'm burdening her because I know she has so much she's trying to get done with her house, her horses, her property, or barrel racing, not to mention her time-consuming job. Plus, when she comes to visit, I always feel like I need to visit with her, too. Don't get me wrong - I love my mother-in-law dearly and love talking to her. My list of Things-to-Do-When-Tree-Faerie-Is-Otherwise-Occupied just keeps growing, especially since that "otherwise occupied" usually means napping or asleep at night. Naps are not long enough to actually finish a project, and at night I need sleep, too, now more than ever.
I guess I just need to make a schedule of when I want certain things done by and have someone, even DTTF, come over to entertain her while I accomplish things.
Tangent over. Back to the original topic.
We're taking Nana with us because I don't feel right about leaving her 'alone' on Thanksgiving. If she had said she couldn't make it, we would have made plans here. I think that's the way it should be since DTTF's sister now lives in Florida and can't be here for Thanksgiving.
Speaking of my sister-in-law... SHE'S COMING IN FOR THE HOLIDAYS! (Can you tell I'm excited?) She, her husband, and her two boys (a 2.5 year old and a 2 month old) are flying in around the middle of December and will be here until after Christmas! We can hardly wait! DTTF occasionally giggles with anticipation, which is absolutely adorable.
So, enjoy the holiday music and the shopping mad-house, and make sure to tell your family how special they are to you!
Speaking of the holidays, over at An Island Life, you can enter to win Mom Spit, the alternative to the lick-and-wipe method! You can also enter to win Babylegs from Queen Baby and enter to win a $25 Gift Certificate to Out to Tea, makers of adorable hair accessories, featuring non-slip clips and adjustable fabric headbands.
For Thanksgiving, we're taking DTTF's mom (Nana) to my grandma's house (Grandma) where my mom (Grams/Mom) is meeting us. I can hardly wait! I love getting to visit with my mom. Even though I talk to her every day or two, it's not the same as seeing her face-to-face! Plus, I can't get her to send me pictures of her new haircut, so I have to see it for myself.
Sometimes I really wish my mom and I lived nearer to each other, especially now that Tree Faerie is here. There are so many times when I would love to be able to pick up the phone to tell my mom, "Hey, could you come over for a few minutes/hours to play with Tree Faerie so I can get such-and-such done (or take a nap)?" I would have no problem asking this of my mom. When I ask DTTF's mom, I'm always afraid I'm burdening her because I know she has so much she's trying to get done with her house, her horses, her property, or barrel racing, not to mention her time-consuming job. Plus, when she comes to visit, I always feel like I need to visit with her, too. Don't get me wrong - I love my mother-in-law dearly and love talking to her. My list of Things-to-Do-When-Tree-Faerie-Is-Otherwise-Occupied just keeps growing, especially since that "otherwise occupied" usually means napping or asleep at night. Naps are not long enough to actually finish a project, and at night I need sleep, too, now more than ever.
I guess I just need to make a schedule of when I want certain things done by and have someone, even DTTF, come over to entertain her while I accomplish things.
Tangent over. Back to the original topic.
We're taking Nana with us because I don't feel right about leaving her 'alone' on Thanksgiving. If she had said she couldn't make it, we would have made plans here. I think that's the way it should be since DTTF's sister now lives in Florida and can't be here for Thanksgiving.
Speaking of my sister-in-law... SHE'S COMING IN FOR THE HOLIDAYS! (Can you tell I'm excited?) She, her husband, and her two boys (a 2.5 year old and a 2 month old) are flying in around the middle of December and will be here until after Christmas! We can hardly wait! DTTF occasionally giggles with anticipation, which is absolutely adorable.
So, enjoy the holiday music and the shopping mad-house, and make sure to tell your family how special they are to you!
Speaking of the holidays, over at An Island Life, you can enter to win Mom Spit, the alternative to the lick-and-wipe method! You can also enter to win Babylegs from Queen Baby and enter to win a $25 Gift Certificate to Out to Tea, makers of adorable hair accessories, featuring non-slip clips and adjustable fabric headbands.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Monday Already
Monday came entirely too quickly. The time on the clock fell back an hour, but the time on the child did not, so she had me up an hour earlier than the clock said I should have been. Which is great for getting to work in a decent amount of time, but it's terrible for my sleeping habits since I tend to go by the clock. I don't feel I get enough sleep as it is.
I know I complain about my lack of sleep entirely too much. It tends to be an on-going problem, though. If I were able to get enough sleep, I wouldn't complain about it so much!
My step-dad turned 65 yesterday. My, how time has flown! I remember thinking he was old when he and my mom started dating 15 years ago, but he really doesn't seem so old now. 80 is old. 65 - not so much. In another 20 years, my perspective on 80 being old will probably change as well. My mom will be 50 in January, and while she just wants to ignore it, I'd like to do something special for her. I'm not sure what, but I'll come up with something. I won't call her out or anything, but I'd like to get or give her something memorable.
Any ideas for a new mom's budget?
I know I complain about my lack of sleep entirely too much. It tends to be an on-going problem, though. If I were able to get enough sleep, I wouldn't complain about it so much!
My step-dad turned 65 yesterday. My, how time has flown! I remember thinking he was old when he and my mom started dating 15 years ago, but he really doesn't seem so old now. 80 is old. 65 - not so much. In another 20 years, my perspective on 80 being old will probably change as well. My mom will be 50 in January, and while she just wants to ignore it, I'd like to do something special for her. I'm not sure what, but I'll come up with something. I won't call her out or anything, but I'd like to get or give her something memorable.
Any ideas for a new mom's budget?
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Don't Look Too Deep
I don't want to post today. I don't want to open up my head and start pouring things out, because today I think we'd have a flood, both of words and of tears. It's not just one thing but a conglomerate of things that have all built up and need to come out, but I just don't want to open the door.
So I'm not going to.
I doubt I'll be around during the next couple of days because my parents are coming to visit either tonight or tomorrow morning. Mom is going to the ZZ Top concert with me tomorrow night. They'll be leaving Saturday morning to be back in time for Pop to go to work, but we'll have all day Friday together, too. I'm glad they're coming to visit. I'm glad they get to see Tree Faerie. I'm also glad they're leaving on Saturday so I can have Sunday to recoup.
That's all. I'm done. If I type anymore, that door will open. Peace out, bloggerland!
So I'm not going to.
I doubt I'll be around during the next couple of days because my parents are coming to visit either tonight or tomorrow morning. Mom is going to the ZZ Top concert with me tomorrow night. They'll be leaving Saturday morning to be back in time for Pop to go to work, but we'll have all day Friday together, too. I'm glad they're coming to visit. I'm glad they get to see Tree Faerie. I'm also glad they're leaving on Saturday so I can have Sunday to recoup.
That's all. I'm done. If I type anymore, that door will open. Peace out, bloggerland!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Family Ties that Bind and Sometimes Bunch
Last night, Tree Faerie slept like normal. I think she fussed around 11, but all I had to do was pick her up and rock her for a few minutes and she was back out. I didn't even fully wake up. The next time she woke up was after 4, and she just wanted a snack, then she woke up at 6:30 as happy as a bug in a rug. She woke me up by saying "Hey" in her own special way. I guess I use the word hey a lot, because she says it EXACTLY like I do. So, things are better in that regard today, but it seems to vary day-to-day. I FEEL better, anyway. At least, I'm not as grumpy.
As soon as I finish the fashion panel (which won't take long once I actually get the chance to do it), I promise to post pictures of the mei tai carrier since several of you have asked. Here's the pattern I modified, in case you're interested. I only made minor modifications to the straps, but otherwise I followed the pattern pretty closely.
In other news, I talked to my oldest little sister last night for the first time in like 5 years or something crazy like that. I was just scrolling through my phone book and decided to call on a whim. I got her number from her mother several months ago, but her mother told me to text instead of call because my sister worked crazy hours. Well, I don't text. Period. So I called.
I actually have 2 sisters; both are half-sisters by my biological father and both are younger than I am (I'm the oldest of all my siblings). We didn't see a whole lot of each other growing up because my father was in the Air Force and was limited on his time off and such. I haven't seen my youngest little sister in about 14 years, and I haven't seen my oldest little sister in about 9 years.
I have their mother's contact information and occasionally email or call her to catch up on the girls, but I've admitted before that I'm really bad at keeping up with long-distance relationships of any kind. I don't talk to our father because I'm done with trying to build a relationship with someone I honestly don't like as a person. He doesn't try to contact me, either, so it's a pretty equal relationship. I did send him a Yule (Christmas) card this year, but I didn't get a response. Thankfully, I didn't expect to.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if he's still married to the last wife I knew he married. She was his 5th wife, I think. She may have been his 6th. Anyway, she finally birthed him a son, whom I have not even met yet. I guess the boy would be about 6 years old now. I'd like to meet him someday.
To get back on track - I talked to my oldest little sister last night, and I must say, it's almost like talking to myself. We have almost identical voices and tonal inflections. We even use some of the same phrases. We're both Wiccan, and I discovered last night that we're both tattooed and pierced (the only ones I have left are the ones in my ears). We grew up in entirely different worlds, yet we're a lot alike. We even look almost identical and always have. One of my mother's favorite stories about that is when my father got back from Desert Storm, he brought my sisters up to visit me, and my sister was sitting in my chair facing partially away from my mom, and she really thought it was me and kept trying to get my attention. Only when Mom walked over to my sister did she realize her mistake. I still find that funny, especially since my sister is not her daughter.
We hung up last night with her promising to call in the next few days to exchange email addresses. I guess if I haven't heard from her after a week, I'll try again. It would be nice to reconnect.
As soon as I finish the fashion panel (which won't take long once I actually get the chance to do it), I promise to post pictures of the mei tai carrier since several of you have asked. Here's the pattern I modified, in case you're interested. I only made minor modifications to the straps, but otherwise I followed the pattern pretty closely.
In other news, I talked to my oldest little sister last night for the first time in like 5 years or something crazy like that. I was just scrolling through my phone book and decided to call on a whim. I got her number from her mother several months ago, but her mother told me to text instead of call because my sister worked crazy hours. Well, I don't text. Period. So I called.
I actually have 2 sisters; both are half-sisters by my biological father and both are younger than I am (I'm the oldest of all my siblings). We didn't see a whole lot of each other growing up because my father was in the Air Force and was limited on his time off and such. I haven't seen my youngest little sister in about 14 years, and I haven't seen my oldest little sister in about 9 years.
I have their mother's contact information and occasionally email or call her to catch up on the girls, but I've admitted before that I'm really bad at keeping up with long-distance relationships of any kind. I don't talk to our father because I'm done with trying to build a relationship with someone I honestly don't like as a person. He doesn't try to contact me, either, so it's a pretty equal relationship. I did send him a Yule (Christmas) card this year, but I didn't get a response. Thankfully, I didn't expect to.
Now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if he's still married to the last wife I knew he married. She was his 5th wife, I think. She may have been his 6th. Anyway, she finally birthed him a son, whom I have not even met yet. I guess the boy would be about 6 years old now. I'd like to meet him someday.
To get back on track - I talked to my oldest little sister last night, and I must say, it's almost like talking to myself. We have almost identical voices and tonal inflections. We even use some of the same phrases. We're both Wiccan, and I discovered last night that we're both tattooed and pierced (the only ones I have left are the ones in my ears). We grew up in entirely different worlds, yet we're a lot alike. We even look almost identical and always have. One of my mother's favorite stories about that is when my father got back from Desert Storm, he brought my sisters up to visit me, and my sister was sitting in my chair facing partially away from my mom, and she really thought it was me and kept trying to get my attention. Only when Mom walked over to my sister did she realize her mistake. I still find that funny, especially since my sister is not her daughter.
We hung up last night with her promising to call in the next few days to exchange email addresses. I guess if I haven't heard from her after a week, I'll try again. It would be nice to reconnect.
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