It's currently -30 something with the wind chill. My van seems to be dead (stoopit thing), probably because we didn't plug it in. Rob is out there right now jump starting it so I can drive to my mom's with the kids this afternoon. That's love.
Not sure if I'd do the same for him - it's really cold out there ya'll!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
ABC's
Decided to go on a bit of a blogging ABC kick. Starting today. With A.
A is for Anger
I don't like getting angry, yet I do it. My kids make me angry, I just want them to do what I want them to do, when I want them to do it. Not always realistic, but it still frustrates me and gets me angry some days. Stupid drivers make me angry. We have all these uncontrolled intersections in town, and the rule is, first there, first goes. If two cars get there at the same time, yield to the one on the right. That NEVER happens. Either someone assumes the right of way when it's not theirs, or someone sits there, and sits and waves you through. Ever since my car accident, I'm terribly wary of being waved through an intersection. I get angry because, well, just follow the rules already! Then again, am I really angry, or just really agitated? Could be just agitated. But Angry sounds more exciting.
A is for Anal
as my previous paragraph shows, apparently, I am anal about some things. blah. Although, I have been called anal about things in a good way...there is a good way, right?
A is for Anger
I don't like getting angry, yet I do it. My kids make me angry, I just want them to do what I want them to do, when I want them to do it. Not always realistic, but it still frustrates me and gets me angry some days. Stupid drivers make me angry. We have all these uncontrolled intersections in town, and the rule is, first there, first goes. If two cars get there at the same time, yield to the one on the right. That NEVER happens. Either someone assumes the right of way when it's not theirs, or someone sits there, and sits and waves you through. Ever since my car accident, I'm terribly wary of being waved through an intersection. I get angry because, well, just follow the rules already! Then again, am I really angry, or just really agitated? Could be just agitated. But Angry sounds more exciting.
A is for Anal
as my previous paragraph shows, apparently, I am anal about some things. blah. Although, I have been called anal about things in a good way...there is a good way, right?
Sunday, November 25, 2007
look what I did!
For our entrance - I stained this pine bench. Although, I wish we had bought it earlier, because staining things in the garage when it's below freezing isn't something I'm in a huge rush to do again.
It needs a bit of touch up work, but it holds at least 4 snowsuits and accessories to help corral the clutter in the front entrance/living room!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
something crafty
The kids and I went to a birthday party today for my friend B's son. As we're close to Christmas, I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to bring a toy for a gift, and our book selections in town are, well, lacking, 
I thought I would get a little crafty.
A hand-painted sign on canvas was the result. I'm no artist, but I think it turned out ok.
It was a full day today, between the birthday party, kids swimming lessons and the local craft fair. I went to the craft fair and managed to find a couple of things I liked...for me... However, there were some things that I would love to have for myself that weren't there. Got me thinking of some crafty ideas to build on. hmmm.....
if only I could sew...
I thought I would get a little crafty. A hand-painted sign on canvas was the result. I'm no artist, but I think it turned out ok.
It was a full day today, between the birthday party, kids swimming lessons and the local craft fair. I went to the craft fair and managed to find a couple of things I liked...for me... However, there were some things that I would love to have for myself that weren't there. Got me thinking of some crafty ideas to build on. hmmm.....
if only I could sew...
Thursday, November 22, 2007
I'm generally not a knick-knack kind of girl. I don't really maintain much in the way of collections, possibly because I don't care for dusting. However, while on my little shopping excursion with
Janice the other day, I found this.
Isn't it just darling? I just loved it, so I bought it. It was crazy cheap too. It reminded me somewhat of the church of my young childhood, St. John's...which is now the town museum. White and black with the front entrance/narthex set out from the building.
Janice the other day, I found this. Isn't it just darling? I just loved it, so I bought it. It was crazy cheap too. It reminded me somewhat of the church of my young childhood, St. John's...which is now the town museum. White and black with the front entrance/narthex set out from the building.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Loving
- snow tires on van
- a last minute shopping outing with a friend
- finding fun things on said shopping trip - things that cover up the icky 'used to be a clock holder, but is now just useless and ugly' spot on my kitchen cupboards. Things like a neat Christmas present for my mom
-snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes (or on the hood of a jacket)
Not Loving
- the irony of getting stuck in a snowbank after getting snow tires on the van
- more kid injuries in home
- having to wait 3 days for a minor dental emergency for my child
- finding the cutest little antique cupboard, and nowhere to put it
- thinking that one child's cough is sounding too asthmatic for comfort
- feeling like I'm not all together, physically or mentally.
- that Jesse (trainer) is going to be away for 3 weeks
- trying to figure out how to really do the friendship thing all over again. tying that in with my innate insecurity, it's not a great combo
- snow tires on van
- a last minute shopping outing with a friend
- finding fun things on said shopping trip - things that cover up the icky 'used to be a clock holder, but is now just useless and ugly' spot on my kitchen cupboards. Things like a neat Christmas present for my mom
-snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes (or on the hood of a jacket)
Not Loving
- the irony of getting stuck in a snowbank after getting snow tires on the van
- more kid injuries in home
- having to wait 3 days for a minor dental emergency for my child
- finding the cutest little antique cupboard, and nowhere to put it
- thinking that one child's cough is sounding too asthmatic for comfort
- feeling like I'm not all together, physically or mentally.
- that Jesse (trainer) is going to be away for 3 weeks
- trying to figure out how to really do the friendship thing all over again. tying that in with my innate insecurity, it's not a great combo
Sunday, November 18, 2007
blah, blah, blah
What I'm loving
- looking at snow
- day out to city for camp AGM without kids
- long distance phone calls from people who love me
- playdates
- playdates for mom to go to, after bedtime for children
- giggling and good conversation at said playdates
- picking myself a new pair of 'pretty' winter boots
- starting Christmas baking
- potty trained children
What I'm not loving
- snow still falling, without snow tires on van yet
- having to shelve much anticipated travel plans for a variety of reasons (pout pout)
- our bathroom looking like a scene out of Psycho this week, as two children have bathtub related injuries
- persistent health issues, without good explanation or doctor support to help solve
- working hard, but no results.
- not feeling the love
- feeling cranky about these things
- looking at snow
- day out to city for camp AGM without kids
- long distance phone calls from people who love me
- playdates
- playdates for mom to go to, after bedtime for children
- giggling and good conversation at said playdates
- picking myself a new pair of 'pretty' winter boots
- starting Christmas baking
- potty trained children
What I'm not loving
- snow still falling, without snow tires on van yet
- having to shelve much anticipated travel plans for a variety of reasons (pout pout)
- our bathroom looking like a scene out of Psycho this week, as two children have bathtub related injuries
- persistent health issues, without good explanation or doctor support to help solve
- working hard, but no results.
- not feeling the love
- feeling cranky about these things
Monday, November 05, 2007
just a few things I've heard people say lately that make me pause.
- "I get the flu shot every year. I used to get a couple of bad colds every winter, but I don't after getting the flu shot". last time I checked, the flu shot doesn't protect against the common cold, either you had a mild flu that you didn't get, you 'got lucky', or you probably worked harder at hand washing, which is really your best line of defense against getting anything.
- "my child is constipated, and has been since they started rice cereal, do you think it could be related?" "yes, it could be, it's so full of iron and no fiber, maybe try cutting it out and see if it gets better" "but I can't cut it out, she needs to eat it or she won't sleep at night!" cereal = sleep has been disproved, and rice cereal has very little nutritional benefit and IS constipating for many little ones. better to go with some fruit or veggies, like avocado or peaches.
- "my son is only 10 months, but his legs look so squished up rear-facing in his car seat. I think I should turn him around" as I told this mom, no matter how squished his legs look, little ones are much more bendy than adults are. What would cramp up our legs isn't quite the same to a baby. He's safer rear facing until at LEAST one year AND 20 pounds AND able to pull up to a stand on his own. Even if his legs were folded right up, he'd be safer in a collision rear facing, even if his leg broke - a broken leg is easier to fix than a spinal or brain injury.
- "my granddaughter always wanted to be a princess for halloween, but she has red hair, so she couldn't wear a pink dress" um, what? poor kid!
- "I get the flu shot every year. I used to get a couple of bad colds every winter, but I don't after getting the flu shot". last time I checked, the flu shot doesn't protect against the common cold, either you had a mild flu that you didn't get, you 'got lucky', or you probably worked harder at hand washing, which is really your best line of defense against getting anything.
- "my child is constipated, and has been since they started rice cereal, do you think it could be related?" "yes, it could be, it's so full of iron and no fiber, maybe try cutting it out and see if it gets better" "but I can't cut it out, she needs to eat it or she won't sleep at night!" cereal = sleep has been disproved, and rice cereal has very little nutritional benefit and IS constipating for many little ones. better to go with some fruit or veggies, like avocado or peaches.
- "my son is only 10 months, but his legs look so squished up rear-facing in his car seat. I think I should turn him around" as I told this mom, no matter how squished his legs look, little ones are much more bendy than adults are. What would cramp up our legs isn't quite the same to a baby. He's safer rear facing until at LEAST one year AND 20 pounds AND able to pull up to a stand on his own. Even if his legs were folded right up, he'd be safer in a collision rear facing, even if his leg broke - a broken leg is easier to fix than a spinal or brain injury.
- "my granddaughter always wanted to be a princess for halloween, but she has red hair, so she couldn't wear a pink dress" um, what? poor kid!
Friday, November 02, 2007
mommy hats and art
Last night, there was an arts evening here in town. Free admission, wine and cheese, and local artists displaying their artwork. It was a wonderful evening to go out to.
I know that I've been feeling really inspired lately to do something artistic. Photography, painting, I don't quite know what. I'm just feeling a need to express myself more creatively. Seeing the art last night was inspiring, and encouraging to me to nurture that creative spark within. The question is more how, though.
I had a couple of great conversations there too. About random things, pretty paintings, if the woman who did the beautiful stained glass would notice if we stole it (kidding, kidding). I ran into a woman that I'm developing a friendship with (J), and we had a really lovely talk. Beyond basic things like what our kids were doing, and mom stuff, but about bigger things. Like how it's so easy to "wear hats". The hat of being my kids mom, of being my husband's wife. How easy it is to become known as who part of who we are related to as opposed to who we are. The expectations placed on us by being someone's wife - especially when one's husband works in an area where *your* knowledge is assumed to exist because of *his* work, something both J and I deal with as pastor and farmer wives. The strangeness of not really feeling like your personality, your choices are fully your own as a stay at home mom. The struggle to remember what else defined you before children.
Through that discussion, it was so very nice to know that I'm not the only woman struggling with the same concerns. I'm not the only mom who wonders where *she* went some days. I'm not the only mom who sometimes realizes that days have gone by without much meaningful adult conversation. I'm not the only woman who wants to be known for who she is instead of who she is connected to.
It's not that I don't want to be Rob's wife, or the kids' mom. I want to be Kristin. Kristin who is the wife and mother...but is also the woman. I'm more than the sum of the 'family parts' around me, even on days it doesn't feel like it. To a certain extent, I know I can't escape it, but I don't have to define myself that way either. My brain hasn't atrophied since giving birth, even if it's harder to express a coherent thought some days. Yes, parenting and it's choices are a bit thing I think and talk about - can't avoid it, as it is a large part of my daily life, but it's not the only thing I think about.
I just really enjoyed fleshing some of that out with another mom who is in the same place, we walk in similar shoes...or would that be drive similar vans?
Maybe I just need to pull out my paints and let my mind wander.
I know that I've been feeling really inspired lately to do something artistic. Photography, painting, I don't quite know what. I'm just feeling a need to express myself more creatively. Seeing the art last night was inspiring, and encouraging to me to nurture that creative spark within. The question is more how, though.
I had a couple of great conversations there too. About random things, pretty paintings, if the woman who did the beautiful stained glass would notice if we stole it (kidding, kidding). I ran into a woman that I'm developing a friendship with (J), and we had a really lovely talk. Beyond basic things like what our kids were doing, and mom stuff, but about bigger things. Like how it's so easy to "wear hats". The hat of being my kids mom, of being my husband's wife. How easy it is to become known as who part of who we are related to as opposed to who we are. The expectations placed on us by being someone's wife - especially when one's husband works in an area where *your* knowledge is assumed to exist because of *his* work, something both J and I deal with as pastor and farmer wives. The strangeness of not really feeling like your personality, your choices are fully your own as a stay at home mom. The struggle to remember what else defined you before children.
Through that discussion, it was so very nice to know that I'm not the only woman struggling with the same concerns. I'm not the only mom who wonders where *she* went some days. I'm not the only mom who sometimes realizes that days have gone by without much meaningful adult conversation. I'm not the only woman who wants to be known for who she is instead of who she is connected to.
It's not that I don't want to be Rob's wife, or the kids' mom. I want to be Kristin. Kristin who is the wife and mother...but is also the woman. I'm more than the sum of the 'family parts' around me, even on days it doesn't feel like it. To a certain extent, I know I can't escape it, but I don't have to define myself that way either. My brain hasn't atrophied since giving birth, even if it's harder to express a coherent thought some days. Yes, parenting and it's choices are a bit thing I think and talk about - can't avoid it, as it is a large part of my daily life, but it's not the only thing I think about.
I just really enjoyed fleshing some of that out with another mom who is in the same place, we walk in similar shoes...or would that be drive similar vans?
Maybe I just need to pull out my paints and let my mind wander.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
