Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The perils of eating fruit

Yesterday there was a lot of fruit eaten.  And not just regular fruit, but red fruit.  Strawberries, cherries, and watermelon.  All yummy and healthy.  I couldn't complain, and didn't even though an hour before dinner my girls helped a few others eat an entire half a watermelon.  They still ate dinner.  However, the end of good fruit things ended there.  This morning when Norah got up she had her diaper changed and got dressed.  Then a few minutes later I realized she needed a change again, only if I ever see pink poop again, it will be too soon!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Getting Ready

This coming weekend is Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer!  I'm excited for the girls to have a fabulous summer.  I have plans to take them places and do things we didn't get to do last year because Norah was too little and nap dependant.  Now naps rarely happen, and usually only in a car, so I'm excited to do some new things with both of them.  We have passes to two different museums, and one of them participates in the ACM reciprocal program, which means I can get them in free to lots of other museums also!

The best news though came Saturday afternoon.  Zach texted me to tell me that he got the weekend off, so he'll be here on Friday afternoon.  I wanted to keep it a secret from Hannah, but she overheard Steven and I chatting about it on the way home Saturday night.  And she guessed that Auntie Sara and Zach were coming for the weekend!  She's over the moon excited about it, and started asking me yesterday when it was going to be Friday. 

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Strange Guilt

As a mom, I spend a lot of time feeling guilty.  Did we read enough books today?  Am I patient enough with them?  Should I really have yelled "get your toys out of the kitchen now or I'll toss them all" or was asking nicely the first six times enough?  Ok you get the picture.  One strange thing I feel guilt over is what my kids eat.  People without kids would think, what makes you think you have any push in what your kids eat?  And it's true, I often don't have anything to do with what they choose to eat.  Except that I do.  I do NOT have picky kids.  I'm very blessed and they can be wonderful eaters, giving me suggestions for what they'd like for dinner, and choosing things that are kid friendly but also healthy.  My kids love tacos and enchiladas, pasta with just about any kind of sauce, meatloaf, roast chicken or pot roast, chicken wings, baked chicken tenders, veggies in most forms (though I will never cook them turnip).  I'm very lucky, but then there are busy days.  Days where I realize I've forgotten to defrost something until VERY late.  Days that everyone is cranky and loud.  Days where they've picked on snacks most of the day and who knows what they want to eat later.  Days where we have chicken nuggets and tater tots for dinner.  Grown ups don't eat chicken nuggets and tater tots for dinner.  Except when they have kids.  And I feel guilty for serving it.  It's NOT nutrious, though better than nothing, obviously.  I make meat sauce from scratch.  I buy fresh fruit and veggies whenever possible.  They rarely have dessert, mostly because they don't ask.  Fruit is their favorite snack.  And I feel guilty for the one dinner that we all had chicken nuggets and fish sticks and tater tots. 

Being a mom is tough on the psyche.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Fun Weekends!

This weekend was my Mom's birthday, and since she was stuck working last weekend (Mother's Day) she wanted to take the girls overnight.  And so she did.  Steven and I went to a few tagsales, and got dinner, did some shopping and watched a movie at home.  It was very nice, and the girls had a good time playing with their cousins at Meema's house. 

Of course yesterday was a different story.  As we got into the jeep to go pick them up, it wasn't running right.  Steven didn't think it was safe to drive an hour away, and even if we made it, fixing it up there would be nearly impossible.  So we begged them to bring the girls back, along with the planned dinner food and we'd eat here while Steven attempted to fix her jeep.  As it turns out, it wasn't an easy fix, so my van went back up to their house with them so Mom could work today.  So Hannah's skipping school because I have no way to get her there.  All my carseats are in the van, and driving the two of them in Steven's truck would be interesting to say the least.

Unfortunately all this also means that we spent too much money on fixing other people's cars, we can't go to NJ next weekend like we planned to visit our friends.  Gas money, toll money, and possible rental car money if my van acts up is all gone.  Laurie and I are both disappointed, but at least we hadn't told the kids yet that we were going.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

All Girl Party

Kat called me early yesterday to ask if I could come over while she ran Mimi over to the clinic for counts.  Of course I don't mind, so Norah and I went over after dropping off Hannah and stayed for lunch.  We decided to go to the park in the afternoon and try to fly a kite, and then since dinner all together was out of the question, we settled on a movie/PJ night after dinner.  So we trekked back over after dinner to watch Barbie and the Diamond Castle, eat popcorn and strawberries, and the little ones to wear PJ's.  They all had a lovely time best I could tell, and I never mind company on the nights Steven works late.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Happy Mother's Day Weekend.

We had a very nice weekend here.  Saturday we ran to the store and did errands.  Then over to Kat's for some company while Steven fixed their van.  Then we went to the greenhouse and bought the plants for our new vegetable garden.  We got tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cauliflower, and cantaloupe.  So far the only thing that looks like it won't take is the cantaloupe.  Which is too bad, the girls love it.  Then, we were off to the mall for my gift, shopping at Sephora.  After that we hit Savers, and then dinner at Olive Garden.  It was really too nice. 

Yesterday we just hung out in the morning, then the girls and I drove up to Eric Carle for a play.  Hansel and Gretel; a Grimm tale.  It was part Hansel and Gretel and part of another story about three gold hairs.  It was really well done, and the girls were thrilled to meet the actors after, get their programs signed, and go backstage.  They got to all try on the witch mask, and Hannah even did a witchy laugh, which made everyone else laugh too.  Then it was home for dinner that someone besides me cooked.

All in all, a lovely weekend.  Now tonight I get to go out with my fabulous friend Joanna for dinner, and I'm very excited for that also.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Confusing Weather

We've had a lot of strange weather lately.  Mostly windy and some rain, and random nice days mixed in.  Tuesday afternoon we had so much wind that a lot of trees were brought down, including part of my neighbors tree.  I actually had Gary take down my windchime because I was afraid the string would break and send it flying into my van.  And of course yesterday was gorgeous.  Perfectly sunny, just the right breeze, not humid.  It was gorgeous.  Kat and I headed over to the Mr Potato Head Park in Longmeadow to let the girls play.  And play they did.  We were there for nearly three hours.  They had a fabulous time, and then more than half the girlies slept on the way back to my house.  In fact Magi slept so long that Kat had to take her out of my van when she was leaving and put her back in her own.

The biggest problem with confusing weather is that I hardly know how to dress them.  Do they wear jeans and t shirts?  Capris?  Skirts?  Shorts?  Ugh, it's enough to make their dressers overflow with clothing, and yet none of it seems appropriate.  So today it's already 60* out, and supposed to be sunny later.  So capris and t shirts it is...

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Sleeping Beauty

This is apparently Hannah and Norah's new favorite game to play.  Hannah will tell Norah "I'm going to be Sleeping Beauty, and you have to kiss me"  So Hannah lays down somewhere, and closes her eyes.  Norah leans over and makes nice smacking noises on her face, and they both get up giggling.  It's cute, and sweet, and something I know will disappear as time passes.  They won't always be like that.  Heck, they aren't always like that now.  I take what I can get.  And right now, it's pretty sweet.

Monday, May 3, 2010

A Walk in the Park

We're signed up to walk with Mimi's team at the Walk in the Park next month to benefit Baystate Children's Hospital, right here in Springfield.  It's for children's cancer, and obviously that cause is near to everyone who knows Mimi.  She rocks, and I have no doubt that all the other kids that suffer from cancer rock also.  So we're giving back, and asking you to also.  Click the link below to donate safely online and help me meet my goal.

Purple Sock Monkeys

ETA:  Steven and Hannah are both registered also and need help meeting their goals :D

Family Weekend