Well, this is odd. There are dishes in my sink. They have been there all day too. I don't know why they are not in the dishwasher or already clean and sparkly in my cabinets.Oh, right.My Mom left last night. There's no one to answer TD's endless "Why?" and "Why not?" questions that just go in circles either. The laundry is done, but for how long? The house seems so quiet without the whistling of the tea kettle throughout the day and evening. There's no one asking me why I continue to own an iron that doesn't recoil properly or where my paper napkins are. It's downright disconcerting on some levels.Who will cook dinner tonight? Oh, right. Now I remember... me. Damn. … [Read more...]
The Lay-Off- A Month Done and Gone
So there it is. A full month has gone by since the day that H came home declaring himself no longer gainfully employed. So much has happened in the last few weeks and life has taken to flowing a whole new way.For one thing, we all sleep later. It is as if we are all on summer vacation. Fancy that. Except we are missing that carefree feeling of running to the ice cream truck and lazing by the pool. While H has devised a schedule of job hunting as a full time job and completing long overdue tasks around the house, my work has suffered. While I try to keep TD occupied and out of Daddy's hair it is almost impossible to do unless some electronic box is used to placate her. This annoys H to no end. When it's just TD and me we work together. She plays at my side while I try and diligently work … [Read more...]
At Least Someone is Working
Hello from the unemployed front! We are in week two of all being under the same roof all the time. And while H has turned his job search into a full time job and I'm plugging away at all my little unpaid, ahem! someone throw me a bone here!, gigs we are for all intensive purposes a dual no-income household. Kick ass.Except T.D.She is apparently working. All the time. Whenever I ask her what she is doing, be it playing with Play-Doh or helping me sort laundry she tells me, "I'm working Mama! I'm working!" I don't have the heart to tell her we can't pay her for her services.She thinks we are working too. Yesterday morning as I cleaned the shower she came over and inspected my workmanship, hands on hips and intoned, "Mama working. Mama is working..." Funny, I thought when I quit that … [Read more...]
Dude, It’s Just Heavy
Focus.Regroup.Communicate.All things that swirl around in my brain and that H and I need to do since his lay off last week. While it has only been a week in some ways it feels like a lifetime. The man is working his butt off on the job search and has come to the conclusion that he isn't sure if he wants to stay in his current field which leaves us to -Focus, communicate and regroup.We are going away this week for our planned vacation in sunny, beachy New England. While H feels incredibly guilty and embarrassed at the fact that he is taking a vacation while jobless this trip could not come at a better time. We'll be staying with my family so it's free and the grandparent childcare will give us the time we need to -Regroup, communicate and focus on what our next steps will be with our entire … [Read more...]
Unexpected Surprises
This weekend was full of unexpected surprises. From pee on the floor not once, not twice and no, not even thrice times! Ah, potty training in all its glory....To family dropping (if you all had a blog, I would plug you!) by for a casual dinner and watching our girls play.To Graco extending an offer I could not refuse. Details to come later.... is the suspense killing you? It is for me.To Father's Day spent scouting out the sights at Mt. Vernon. Educational fun with sullen teens serving ice cream! Kick ass! Actually it kind of was. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the father of our countries home- finally. I mean, I've lived 15 minutes from it for almost five years and never gone. Eesh! And to everyone that was there? I wasn't really going to push that old broad off the cliff to get a … [Read more...]
A partial team photo, end of day two.We started off at 4:45 a.m. on Saturday. I sat on my front steps in the dark listening to the early morning sounds feeling the weather. It was going to be a beautiful day. At last! My first walk without rain! My bag was packed, sleeping bag aired out, and my socks were dry. I was ready to go.Upon entering Opening Ceremonies you could feel the energy flowing through the air. 3800 walkers strong, we were ready to make our statement and begin the walk through DC. It's emotional, exciting and intense to be in a crowd of that many people all working and fighting for one cause. Each year I never fail to tear up as survivors give their stories and remind us why we spend months fundraising, training and finally walking for a cure.The first days route took us … [Read more...]
Happy Earth Day to You & Yours!
Yes, it is Earth Day. I think when I was in high school I wore some giant t-shirt with a globe on it to commemorate the day and that was that. Now that anything green seems to have become Eco-chic we are inundated with ideas on how to go green. It's a bit overwhelming isn't it?In our house we try to be good stewards of the earth. There is talk of a vegetable garden if we can get our collective butts in gear this spring. We recycle all we can. We reuse goods and try not to buy new if we can find an alternative. In the past year we've implemented a few other changes too.We got rid of paper napkins. It was easier than I thought it would be. I bought two twelve packs at Bed, Bath & Beyond and voila! No more paper! My mother said, "Oh! You don't have to use cloth napkins just because I'm … [Read more...]
The G-Force Effect
I've created a new word. The G-Force Effect. After four days with her grandparents T.D. is truly living up to her name. That's right. The 'G' stands for grandparent.Why does Momma want me to get dressed in under fifteen minutes when Mem allows me to take forty? Why can't we try every barrette and pair of socks or shoes or try on three pairs of pants and six shirts? Or brush our hair and teeth slower than molasses in January? The G-Force Effect is always accompanied by a case of the why's and a serious bout of crying. Why can't we read eight books before nap time and twelve at bedtime? If I want to stay in the tub for over and hour and get to bed two hours late what is the problem with that Momma?Yes, the G-Force Effect is in full effect in my house. I realized it first thing yesterday … [Read more...]
That Damn Dog
Indeed. The other night as I drifted off to sleep H toiled with the taxes, gathering evidence (heh), er I mean papers, in the room below me. I was alone in our room save for one other being. Our dog. That damn dog as I referred to her shortly.The dog would not rest it seemed without us both in the room. From her crate began a small whine. Then it got louder. Longer. She shuffled in her bed and cried. Couldn't she, this small helpless being also be in bed with me too? NO! I'll be sharing the bed with her enough in the next few weeks. She must have both of us in the room or she will not sleep. It's maddening!The relentless whining went on until in a fury I whipped off the bed covers and banished her from our room. ScratchWhineScratch, scratchSLAM!Now pissed off and exiled the dog tries … [Read more...]
What is Pink and Squishy and Family-Friendly? BARBAPAPA!
Sure you have your Cabbage Patch Kids, The Golden Books, your Strawberry Shortcake, throw in some Winnie the Pooh or Where the Wild Things Are and you have yourself many childhood favorites. All things many of us look back on with happy nostalgia. However, it was while I was visiting Paris during my pregnancy that I discovered a toy in a French department store that brought back much of my childhood to me. It was Barbapapa! I knew instantly I had to have him. Excited and in utter disbelief (this toy is still popular?!) I had him rung up at the register and brought him home to await the arrival of my daughter, T.D. That and Holzspielzeug für Kinder are my favorite toys I bought for my daughter. As a kid Saturday morning cartoons dawned early in my house. Barbapapa (the cartoon is based … [Read more...]