Back to Basics

It always takes me so long to figure this out. It's a lesson I've learned over and over again since my first babies were born. I always tell myself that I won't forget it, but I invariably do.

We have gotten dreadfully off routine. In fact, I don't think I can even find a vague hint of what our daily routine is half-heartedly pretending to be! The effects of this have been absolutely devastating. No one is getting along very well and it is entirely my fault.

So, today I change myself. Already, with just a few changes this morning, I have seen a drastic change in the twins (Sarah is still sleeping). They have been very kind to each other and more helpful and courteous.

I'm looking forward to a great day!

For Love Of Books

The moment she's dressed and sees I have socks in my hand, Sarah's face lights up and she says "We goin' to lie-berry?" Admittedly, we are there at least once a week, sometimes more often if books I've ordered have come in early, but we certainly don't go every time I put socks and shoes on her little pudgy feet. She is just ever hopeful that the van will ignore that Mommy thinks we are traveling to the grocery store and, instead, stop right at the end of our street so she can touch the books and help the ladies behind the counter and ask every last library patron she can reach "Whatcha doin'?"

She truly loves that place. And she loves the things we bring home from it. I can put some music on (which I have lately also been getting from the library) and all three of my babies will go choose a book from our 'library shelf' where we almost always have a dozen or more books, and they will find a cozy spot to love their book for a while before trading it for a different one. Sometimes they read to each other, making up simple stories from the pictures in the book. Other times they work very hard to remember the written story, even going so far as to use the first letter on the page to remind themselves how it starts.

I didn't like our library at first, because it is so very tiny and difficult to visit. The use of their online catalog, however, and the ability to summon volumes from libraries all over the county and even the state, if need be, has opened up our little world in ways I had never imagined. We would be lost without our library and I'm so grateful that my children have so easily attached themselves to the wonders that even our tiny library can hold.

Know Your Demographic

There is a local billiard hall that has been advertising on TV here lately. Their ad is very nice, showing images of people enjoying their time at the pool table and describing some of the great promotions they have, such as Family Day where kids play free and the family gets a free drink with their first game.

The best part, though, is their slogan, which they proudly display and exclaim at the end of their ad:

"Shoot Pool, Not People!"

Spring or Summer?

In honor of the changing weather I decided to spruce up my blog a little bit. I like the brighter, cheery colors.

But today, it feels like summer, not spring. It feels like we should be swimming or playing with the water hose. It's hot lemonade weather out there, I tell ya. Is it really only April?

Sweet Anticipation

Sam is in Philadelphia today. He is helping a friend buy a car from a dealer there. On his way back, there happens to be a dairy farm who can legally sell some raw milk to him.

I can not wait until he returns with this stuff. I know I'm going to love it. And I know it will feel good to be able to give my children milk that really is good for them!

Hurry home, love.

(** Have you let your children bang your pots and bowls to within an inch of their lives yet? You really really should!**)

Welcome 2008 . . .

. . . a few days late.

Yes, yes. I know. I said I'd blog a lot about the things we did in December, but that was last year. Granted we had a great time sending 2007 into history, but now is the time to focus my attention forward and, since you've decided to come and visit with me here for some unknown reason, you get to join me.

This year, I would like to resolve to be a better person. I'd like to focus my energies not just on my own household, but on the lives of the people I care about who don't live with me as well. My sisters, for example, shouldn't have to be the ones to call me in order to hear my voice. I have a phone. And I have a phone plan that allows me to talk as long as I want for no extra charge. And I actually do know how to dial the thing, though I am a little out of practice. Now, if I could just find their phone numbers. Hey, Jen . . . Wanna give me a little help with yours? I've actually lost the thing. And you come up as private on the caller ID. . .

I also resolve to be a better wife and mother. My job here is actually very simple; keep the house clean, feed everyone healthy meals, teach and nurture the children, create a happy, healthy and loving environment for the whole family . . .(Okay, there's too much to list) and I don't do it. Well, the love part I've got down, but the rest of it, especially the cleaning, just doesn't happen. Lack of accountability, I blame, but really I'm just lazy. My sister Jennie, who has a great way of lovingly bringing life into blunt and crystal focus, would remind me that it is a character flaw and there is no one and nothing else to blame but me. So, I resolve to get my home running smoother, with better habits for me. This month I'm focusing on two habits. 1) Clean all the dinner dishes and any remaining dishes from the day BEFORE I go to bed every night. Next month, I want to accomplish this before the kids go to bed. 2) Learn to actually DO the laundry and not just throw a load in when everyone is running around naked. And I do mean the whole bit: sorting, washing, drying, folding and putting it all away. Those who know me might find this all too much to handle in one month, but come see me in February. You just might be surprised.

Finally, I resolve to blog more. I'd love to spend some time here every day, but I'm afraid that isn't likely. Maybe every other morning, with a cup of coffee . . . We'll see. But at a minimum, I will impart my thoughts every Friday. Sometimes just an update on our lives here, sometimes some inner thought that's bugging me. It could be anything. But I want to you know me, dear loyal readers who's numbers have dwindled dreadfully low.

Good night, friends. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and I wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.

Here's to 2008!

Random Thought

You know those little white spots you get sometimes on your finger nails? They are actually just little calcium deposits. But when I was little, my father told me that those would show up anytime you told a lie. That little white spot would be there for weeks, reminding you of your dishonesty.

For the longest time, I was convinced that it was for this reason alone that women love to get manicures.

(Just for the record, I just examined my finger nails, which are polish free, and I see no white spots. How are yours?)

Pretty Little Treasures

Among the many books we were recently given, there were a number of music related titles, which I have been devouring. It is so very interesting to see how things were taught a hundred years ago.

Among these books was a little folder, not much larger than your average snap-shot. It contained 4 even smaller works of art.




Each of these is a "paper cut." The paper used is extremely delicate. It reminds me of a very fine, soft tissue.




They are about 3" X 4" each and they are all hand colored.




The theme of this packet is "Opera Facial Make-Ups" so you are looking at the traditional make up that goes along with chinese operas.




Am I the only one who finds these fascinating? I've tried to learn more about these from the internet, but I only succeeded in finding some dragon paper cuts for sale. Does anyone know anything more about these?

(I scanned these on a blue sheet of paper so you could see the white details better.)

"Work"

I told the kids, "Mommy has to go to work now. I love you!"
"No . . .DADDY go to work, not Mommy!"

It's strange, I know. But for an hour today I left the house, spent a little time around a bunch of kids that were not my own and helped my mother in the process. I love my life, but I forgot how much fun being at the elementary school can be. I'm looking forward to having some fun for as long as Mommy needs the help.

(For those of you worrying about my Stay-At-Home-Mom title, it's only about a 30 minute job for 3 days a week and the kids get to spend that just with their Daddy. Everyone's happy.)

Back To Work

After our very lovely trip, we returned to find that some work we thought would be waiting for us hadn't come in yet and other things that we hadn't known about at all were ready and waiting. So last week was spent catching up on loads of e-mails, completing a couple of small jobs and setting up several larger ones.

Between last night and this morning, we've received several more requests for our services and I'm actually starting to get a little concerned. How on earth can we keep up with all of this? There's one company who has a ton of work for a finite amount of time, but as long as the work is flowing, it's extremely profitable. We could work exclusivly for them for at least the next 6 months to a year, maybe longer. But then what? I'm keeping our name out there to help build a client base that can sustain us and it's working almost too well. Though there is no work today for Sam, there will be a great deal of it over the next few months and I'm not sure that we can keep up with everything.

We just might have to hire someone to help us. Scary thought. To be an employer. Surely there's another way . . .

Wow, I Really Can!

There's a lamp sitting on my dining table. It's the only source of light for that half of the room and without it we can't see our food. Well, we can see it, dimly. We just can't really tell what it is. So, when we have a guest or two who need to sit at the table, someone gets a lamp-tan. . . usually me. After all, it's not nice to make a guest deal with our strange lighting and I can't bring myself to make the kids or my sweetie sit under it.

I've been on the hunt for a chandelier that A) plugs into an outlet since we are in a rental and I'm not about to pay an electrician to work on a rental and B)is not $250. I found one. At Ikea. The white paper thingy didn't really go well with the craftsman style dining table and our new, lovely red wall. On the plus side, it was only $8. But it only had one small socket that only allowed a 40 watt bulb. Not enough light.

So I discovered that they sell something called a Swag Light Kit at your local home improvement store. It lets you wire any lamp to be a chandelier and to plug into your wall outlet. COOL.

Then I asked on freecycle for anyones old chandelier. A kind family had just replaced theirs and they had a lovely simple one with 5 arms that hold 5 candelabra bulbs and each is topped with a cute little shade. Know what color the shades are? RED!

So, yesterday, I sat down and rewired that lamp. Yes. I rewired it myself with only a little help from the internet. Know what else is cool? It actually works and it didn't explode or catch fire when I tested it!

Once it gets hung over the table, I will show you a picture of our 10$ light (had to buy the wiring kit . . .)

Going

Things are really going pretty well here. You all know that Sam no longer works at his previous job and is now completely devoted to working for our own company and playing with his kids. It's great! None of this went precisely as I planned it, but of course nothing ever does. All in all, things couldn't be going any better!



We are going on a trip! I can't wait. For the first time since our honeymoon, we will hit the road and enjoy just being together.




And one more thing. My children are ALWAYS going. Non-stop. Running this way and that way. I sometimes just sit down and watch because it's overwhelming to try to keep up with all three of them. I love my life!