Monthly Archives: November 2017

In My Element?

Perhaps you’ve noticed things haven’t been what one would call… easy, around here lately.

In addition this non-easy month has been filled with things that, thankfully, I don’t have much experience with. This of course makes them harder to handle and it feels as though all my answers now start with “I don’t know…”.

Today is the last day of a month of blogging (Applause welcome. Thank you!) and of all the things that happened this month, of all the stressors in life, blogging daily wasn’t one of them. I relished the time that I “had” to sit down and post something. I can do this. I am not the best blogger in the world, but I’m good at this. I know what I’m willing to share, and what I’m not. My writing is often missing punctuation and my pictures aren’t perfect but I’m proud to be able to share both anyway. Decisions in my blogging world have been easy. I know blogging.

Today, on this last day of daily blogging, Jane came home sick.

Super puking sick.

I went from a day of catching up on life and trying to make difficult decisions about things I’d never done, or am just learning to do, into sick kid mode. We have barf buckets, hair has been pulled into ponytails. There are extra blankets and water to sip. I’ve been running up and down the stairs emptying her bucket, tucking in her blankets and giving her water. And you know what? This might be the most relaxed afternoon I’ve had all month. I can do this. I’m not the best at mothering sick kids, but I’m good at this. I know what to do. I’m not debating if what I’m doing is the most important thing. I’m not wondering if I should be focusing my attention elsewhere. I’m doing what I need to, and I’m doing it well. Sick kids, though I never thought I’d say it, are easy.

It seems like I should now jump to the conclusion that this makes me the epitome of a mommy blogger (a phrase I have always avoided like the super puking plague). But, despite the fact that I’m relaxed and in my element while blogging and puker wrangling, that’s not it at all. Looking back at the month I am reminded that there are lots of things I’m learning. There are lots of things that are hard. And lots of things that have no good choices. I’ve spent the last month crying a boat load of tears and there was a good portion of them that were because I felt as if I didn’t know anything, that I had none of the answers.

But that’s not true, I’ve just been out of my element.  I know all sorts of things. I have lots of answers.  It’s just that this November things were really hard. When forced back into my element with a sick kid and blank computer screen I had a chance to remember… oh yes I can do these things, and a slew of others, well.

I just wish it hadn’t taken a dozen buckets of barf to remind me!

(And maybe I’m a mommy blogger too, but I’m still not ever going to own up to that.)

Stools are for Butts.

Stools are for butts he says.
But the counter is full of tiny pumpkins and there is no where else to put the pan.
Stools are for butts he says.
But the counter is full of slime making ingredients and there is no where else to put the tea cup.
Stools are for butts he says.
But there is a broken smoke detector and a broken fan on the counter.
Stools are for butts he says.
But there is a bag of markers and a compass on the counter.
Stools are for butts he says.
But there is a chapstick and a brush on the counter.
Stools are for butts he says.
But there is a towel and spray bottle and a flashlight on the counter.
Stools are for butts he says.
But there is a rock, a paintbrush, and a catalog on the counter.
Stools are for butts he says.
But there is an old horseshoe and a hair clip and a bracelet on the counter.
Ok,”Fine!” she says.
But then help me clean the damn counter!

Let it never be said that I glorified my housekeeping skills for social media.

Our kitchen counter is right inside the front door and becomes the dumping ground for everything as we go in and out. On bad days (all the days) the kids and I use the kitchen stools as extra “counter space.” John, does not approve of this habit. He does however always help clean the counter. We are just all very good a filling it right back up again.

Smile!

Tonight we looked through all the old photo albums to find pictures of Gramps for his funeral next week. It was kinda hard, kinda sad and kinda fun but it certainly confirmed that nobody ever took a picture of Gramps when he wasn’t smiling.

Running across photos like this one left us smiling ourselves.

I’ll admit it, this photo just gives me the giggles. What a cutie he was!

Then it was kinda hard, kinda sad and kinda fun and if my eyes occasionally “leaked” a little bit I was smiling when it happened.  Just like Gramps.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Transformation

Weekly Photo Challenge: Transformation

 

Errr… you know when you go around taking pictures of things in “transition” because you think that’s what the photo challenge is and then you look late at night and realize it was a different, long, “t” word?

Yeah… that’s what I did.

I was going to talk about the transition from day to to night, how the neighbor was taking the corn off his field tonight and how this was taken in my driveway and all the transitions those things contain. It was a great “transition” post I had been writing in my head.

As it stands it was a good thing those clouds have been transformed by the setting sun or I’d have nothing to post tonight!

Thanksgiving Memories

Grandpa didn’t say he was coming home to die. He said he was coming home to make good memories with the time he had left.

Today we celebrated Thanksgiving. Our celebration included grace said around the hospital bed in the living room that we can only hope Grandpa heard before we had dinner on the other end of the house.

Today was hard.

Today we cried.

But today, when the butter shot out of the mixer while mashing potatoes, across the kitchen into the gravy and when we pulled out the old deck of animal rummy cards for a few lively rounds before bed and a dozen other smaller points in between, we also made good memories.

And that’s worth all the heartache and tears.

 

According to John…

Hey Honey…

“Yes?”

•What is something I say a lot?

Go away.

I do not!

Have you ever met you in the morning?

touche

•How tall am I? 5′ 7 3/4”

Nicely done. 

•If I became famous, what would it be for?

Writing books.

If only we could get that first one on amazon…

•What makes you proud of me?

Writing books!

Aww thanks honey! 

•What is my favorite food?

Chocolate… cake… quesadillas. Things make with flour and cheese that aren’t good for you. No erase all of that -Diet coke (Brother asks if a noncaloric item can be considered food.) No,  M&M cookies from the bp gas station.

I do love all these things.

•What is my favorite restaurant?

Please tell me so I know!

Culvers

Eh, I eat there lots but favorite… 

•If I could live anywhere, where would I be?

Somewhere where no one is around you, cold and barren and by yourself. Really you are missing out, Siberia is the key place for you. (Brother says: Just trade whiskey for vodka, you’ll be set.)

They are snotty but not exactly wrong…

•What do I do to annoy you?

Don’t know how to find the garbage can when there is a wrapper in your hand. Y0u makes cakes and never ever, ever, clean up after yourself. Especially frosting.

Because you need to save extra frosting in case you make something else…

•What is my favorite movie?

French Kiss, Beauty and the Beast…(brother says: Triple X) You do like Triple X!

All true and I’m beginning to understand where Clara got her definition of favorite from! 

•You get a phone call that I’m in trouble. Who am I with?

Sarah, or your mom.

Yeah…

Photo again courtesy of Aunt Helen