So today is the last morning of preschool for Kara for this year. Did you hear that whooshing sound? For me, that's the sound of this school year blowing by me in record speed and leaving me feeling a bit windblown and battered. It's been a year of lots of ups and downs and many, many bumps. I must admit that I'm glad to have it over (at least for Kara and soon enough for John too) and am ready for the adventures this summer will bring for us.
Let's do a quick review of the last year: kitchen renovation, summer vacation and lots of time at the pool, 1st grade for John and year 2 of preschool for Kara, fall soccer and finally losing a tooth for John, MAJOR flood in the basement and kitchen leading to all kinds of hurdles and problems and stress for us all, allergy/reflux issues for John and just allergy issues for me and Kara, the unexpected passing of my dear Aunt Martha just a few months after she had retired, Matt's appendicitis surgery and recovery, another flood in the basement (much less dramatic this time, but still water in the basement - not fun), a great spring break trip to Nags Head, NC, me becoming president of the preschool board for next year, and many plans ahead for a fun and adventure filled summer.
This summer will bring: a third trip to Lancaster, PA to go to Dutch Wonderland (a kids' theme park that is fabulous), more wonderful veggies from our CSA, finishing up John's baseball season, finishing up repairs on the basement, yet another renovation project (this time the kids' full bathroom, which needs to be fully gutted and replaced - what fun...), a road trip to Maine to attend a celebratory party in honor of my Aunt, closely followed by a road trip south to Topsail Island, NC for our annual beach week, then football, tennis, sports and arts camps for John, and lots of time at our neighborhood pool with friends, before the school year begins and John will go into 2nd grade (how on earth did that happen so soon??) and Kara will start her final year at our preschool (oh my baby!).
Are you tired yet? I am....I know for sure by the end of this summer I will feel pretty windblown and battered too, but I am looking forward to having less unexpected bumps along the way, less stress, and way more fun.
It's been a tough year for us and for our family for sure. But it has also brought me a new respect for my support network. I have been forced to ask for help more times in the last year than ever before. And for those of you that know me, that does NOT come easily for me. I am always willing to help out my friends and family, but I have a very hard time asking for help myself. But everyone I have asked has been very willing and very supportive and wonderful to us. We have gotten through this year in large part due to the love and energy of those around us. It hasn't been pretty and it hasn't been easy, but I am hoping we have survived, learned a few lessons, and will find the road ahead just a little smoother than the road behind us.
Well, I'll keep my fingers crossed for that. I certainly won't hold my breath for it though. ;-)
Showing posts with label thanks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thanks. Show all posts
5.27.2011
1.10.2011
New Year, New......Hmmmm.....
So far the new year has only brought me congestion, achiness, and most recently, a LOVELY cough that I'm becoming convinced is not likely to leave my body much before February. It's been a GRAND start to the new year. Not.
Fortunately, through the fog of sickness, I truly can see that the year ahead holds promise. We're finally getting to the end stages of the flood recovery process. We're still purging, donating, organizing, and packing away our things that were uncovered during the flood and the reconstruction. But it is coming to an end. The basement looks better than ever. There is a new couch, a new tv (albeit still in the box), a lot of new plastic storage bins, new shelving in the laundry room, and A LOT less stuff overall. We're getting there. The process has been long and painful, but we know in the end it will be worth it. And now we can finally see the end in sight. I can't tell you how good that feels.
The end of 2010 could not have come sooner for us. For although the year had many high points, we also endured a lot of challenges for us and for those around us. It seemed like every high was immediately followed by a new bump/diversion/illness/whatever that made it impossible to stop and enjoy the high point. We're hoping that 2011 holds more calm moments (although with the 4 and 7 year olds around, it's not likely to be all that calm), more healthy moments (again, a challenge with young ones around), and more enjoyable moments for us and for all those we love and care about.
For now I'm holding that hope and holding on to it with all my might. I know there will be challenges and bumps in 2011, and we will meet them head-on and hopefully get past them with minimal disruption. That is my hope for us and for all of you in the new year.
Fortunately, through the fog of sickness, I truly can see that the year ahead holds promise. We're finally getting to the end stages of the flood recovery process. We're still purging, donating, organizing, and packing away our things that were uncovered during the flood and the reconstruction. But it is coming to an end. The basement looks better than ever. There is a new couch, a new tv (albeit still in the box), a lot of new plastic storage bins, new shelving in the laundry room, and A LOT less stuff overall. We're getting there. The process has been long and painful, but we know in the end it will be worth it. And now we can finally see the end in sight. I can't tell you how good that feels.
The end of 2010 could not have come sooner for us. For although the year had many high points, we also endured a lot of challenges for us and for those around us. It seemed like every high was immediately followed by a new bump/diversion/illness/whatever that made it impossible to stop and enjoy the high point. We're hoping that 2011 holds more calm moments (although with the 4 and 7 year olds around, it's not likely to be all that calm), more healthy moments (again, a challenge with young ones around), and more enjoyable moments for us and for all those we love and care about.
For now I'm holding that hope and holding on to it with all my might. I know there will be challenges and bumps in 2011, and we will meet them head-on and hopefully get past them with minimal disruption. That is my hope for us and for all of you in the new year.
10.01.2010
Thankful
I spent this morning at Kara's preschool, being a Helping Parent in the classroom. These days that I get to spend with a room full of preschoolers are always exhausting, but also always so rewarding. I appreciate that I get to know my children's friends. I get to see them interact. I get to see them grow, learn, and change as the year goes on. I also get to know the families connected to these children. I have made wonderful and dear friends through our preschool. My children have made strong friendships themselves from preschool classmates. And now in Kara's class this year, her playgroup friends are all together in the class. This playgroup has been going for three years now, longer than any other group we've been involved with. There are five girls, five moms, and five (about to be six) older and younger siblings connected with the group.
After preschool today we had the playgroup girls over for lunch and a birthday celebration for Kara's 4th birthday. It was a very casual, low-key party, I almost wouldn't call it a party, more like just a playdate. But I had so much fun watching the girls, chatting with the moms, and enjoying the fact that we have all established friendships that will last for many years into the future. I value this group and these bonds so much.
I said to a neighbor this morning who is very sick and will be
undergoing cancer treatment in the near future, that it truly does take a village. We bond together as moms, parents, neighbors, and friends to help each other in so many ways and for so many different reasons. Then this afternoon I was reminded how strong my village is. I am very very thankful for all the members of my village and couldn't imagine our lives without them. And sometimes it's a really good thing to be reminded of that.
After preschool today we had the playgroup girls over for lunch and a birthday celebration for Kara's 4th birthday. It was a very casual, low-key party, I almost wouldn't call it a party, more like just a playdate. But I had so much fun watching the girls, chatting with the moms, and enjoying the fact that we have all established friendships that will last for many years into the future. I value this group and these bonds so much.
I said to a neighbor this morning who is very sick and will be
undergoing cancer treatment in the near future, that it truly does take a village. We bond together as moms, parents, neighbors, and friends to help each other in so many ways and for so many different reasons. Then this afternoon I was reminded how strong my village is. I am very very thankful for all the members of my village and couldn't imagine our lives without them. And sometimes it's a really good thing to be reminded of that. 9.16.2010
So many changes...
Tis the season of change, I guess. The leaves start turning beautiful fall colors. The kids go back to school. The season of vacations comes to an end. Fall activities start getting going - sports, camping trips, and much more. I generally like change and can roll right through a fair amount of change without much thought. This season has thrown me for a loop and I don't feel like I'm ready for all the changes that have been coming our way.
The change in the house - the kitchen project (which yes, I know, I still need to post final pictures of) is mostly complete at this point. I do catch myself every now and then going, oh my gosh, we really did this to our kitchen! Wow. It's a BIG change in our house and how we function as a family. We do love it, but it's definitely a life changer.
The change in routines - school, soccer, swimming, gymnastics, squeezing in some exercise, maybe some yoga too, volunteer commitments, and back to a few evening meetings as well. It's all good and in many ways, the kids and I were really ready to get back to having some regular routines in our lives. It's just now that it's all getting going, I'm having a hard time catching my breath in between activities, much less taking a few minutes here and there to plan for the upcoming bigger things on the calendar - Kara's birthday for example, and our trip to Maine in October. I obviously haven't figured out how to squeeze in that downtime for me that I need so badly...maybe once preschool is truly in full swing and I start getting my three mornings a week of peace?
There's been a number of changes in the lives of those around us. I recently had a childhood friend's husband pass away from a battle with leukemia. He was 37 years old and left his wife and two young children behind. I haven't kept in touch with her over the years as well as either one of us would have liked to, but I'm hoping this change in their lives will bring a change in that too. It's a very sad situation, although my friend seems to be dealing with it as well as can be expected. Over the past several weeks I've heard about a number of people dealing with or dying of battles with cancer. It's all downright depressing. But it has resulted in a change in my life too, an appreciation of each day and each moment we have with those around us. My friend's husband, Russ French, was an amazing man, friend and father and inspired many around him over the years. He lived a good full life and I want to aspire to be more thankful and respectful of all that is good in my life. Yet another change.
Then, of course, there is the change of season. Fall brings beautiful colors of changing leaves, of the rich-colored mums on front stairs, and yummy smells of apple cider simmering on the stovetop. Camping trips, fall farm visits, and football are also things we enjoy this time of year. Kara's birthday will come up quickly, then Halloween, and before I know it, Thanksgiving, which I will be hosting this year. I do enjoy the change of weather that comes along with the season as well. This summer was filled with hot hot days at the pool, which certainly was fun, but I could do without quite so much heat. The cooler weather leads to wearing jeans and sweaters as the breeze blows a bit more, and this I just love.
So in this season of change I am also very thankful for all these changes in our lives. Most of them are positive changes and we're ready to continue to roll through them. Maybe I just need to sit down, blog about them a bit, put it all into perspective more often, and that will help my brain wrap itself around all the craziness in my life. The changes come no matter whether we're ready for them or not. It's how we face the change and embrace it that counts.
The change in the house - the kitchen project (which yes, I know, I still need to post final pictures of) is mostly complete at this point. I do catch myself every now and then going, oh my gosh, we really did this to our kitchen! Wow. It's a BIG change in our house and how we function as a family. We do love it, but it's definitely a life changer.
The change in routines - school, soccer, swimming, gymnastics, squeezing in some exercise, maybe some yoga too, volunteer commitments, and back to a few evening meetings as well. It's all good and in many ways, the kids and I were really ready to get back to having some regular routines in our lives. It's just now that it's all getting going, I'm having a hard time catching my breath in between activities, much less taking a few minutes here and there to plan for the upcoming bigger things on the calendar - Kara's birthday for example, and our trip to Maine in October. I obviously haven't figured out how to squeeze in that downtime for me that I need so badly...maybe once preschool is truly in full swing and I start getting my three mornings a week of peace?
There's been a number of changes in the lives of those around us. I recently had a childhood friend's husband pass away from a battle with leukemia. He was 37 years old and left his wife and two young children behind. I haven't kept in touch with her over the years as well as either one of us would have liked to, but I'm hoping this change in their lives will bring a change in that too. It's a very sad situation, although my friend seems to be dealing with it as well as can be expected. Over the past several weeks I've heard about a number of people dealing with or dying of battles with cancer. It's all downright depressing. But it has resulted in a change in my life too, an appreciation of each day and each moment we have with those around us. My friend's husband, Russ French, was an amazing man, friend and father and inspired many around him over the years. He lived a good full life and I want to aspire to be more thankful and respectful of all that is good in my life. Yet another change.
Then, of course, there is the change of season. Fall brings beautiful colors of changing leaves, of the rich-colored mums on front stairs, and yummy smells of apple cider simmering on the stovetop. Camping trips, fall farm visits, and football are also things we enjoy this time of year. Kara's birthday will come up quickly, then Halloween, and before I know it, Thanksgiving, which I will be hosting this year. I do enjoy the change of weather that comes along with the season as well. This summer was filled with hot hot days at the pool, which certainly was fun, but I could do without quite so much heat. The cooler weather leads to wearing jeans and sweaters as the breeze blows a bit more, and this I just love.
So in this season of change I am also very thankful for all these changes in our lives. Most of them are positive changes and we're ready to continue to roll through them. Maybe I just need to sit down, blog about them a bit, put it all into perspective more often, and that will help my brain wrap itself around all the craziness in my life. The changes come no matter whether we're ready for them or not. It's how we face the change and embrace it that counts.
5.13.2010
Thankful Thursday Again
I've been filled with great blogging intentions, but yet again seem to fail in the process of getting my thoughts out while in front of the computer. But that's not the point of today's post. I realized that it's Thursday and some time ago I got into doing a "Thankful Thursday" post and thought I would do a quick list this morning....
Today I am thankful for:
1. the still sleeping kids upstairs (yesterday was an over-tired doozy of a day, so hopefully some additional sleep will improve everyone's mood this morning)
2. the means and ability to plan the approaching kitchen renovation
3. the energy to get through the coming days
4. the plans that we have to go camping this weekend - we haven't been out camping in over a year and a half and I'm getting excited - although there's A LOT of work to do to get us there, but it will be all good in the end.
5. great neighbors and friends that I can totally rely on again and again and know that it's okay because I will support them over and over too
6. my dear husband
7. all the mother's in my life who help remind me that I'm not as crazy as I often feel
8. an amazing preschool family, which I am so excited for next year as Kara will have her entire playgroup in her class - yay! It's going to be so much fun for them and me!
9. the grapefruit half that's waiting in the fridge for me for breakfast this morning
10. the coffee in my cup and the coffee I'll get later this morning while I'm waiting for the van inspection
Thanks for reading!
Today I am thankful for:
1. the still sleeping kids upstairs (yesterday was an over-tired doozy of a day, so hopefully some additional sleep will improve everyone's mood this morning)
2. the means and ability to plan the approaching kitchen renovation
3. the energy to get through the coming days
4. the plans that we have to go camping this weekend - we haven't been out camping in over a year and a half and I'm getting excited - although there's A LOT of work to do to get us there, but it will be all good in the end.
5. great neighbors and friends that I can totally rely on again and again and know that it's okay because I will support them over and over too
6. my dear husband
7. all the mother's in my life who help remind me that I'm not as crazy as I often feel
8. an amazing preschool family, which I am so excited for next year as Kara will have her entire playgroup in her class - yay! It's going to be so much fun for them and me!
9. the grapefruit half that's waiting in the fridge for me for breakfast this morning
10. the coffee in my cup and the coffee I'll get later this morning while I'm waiting for the van inspection
Thanks for reading!
3.11.2010
Thankful Thursday!
I'm baaaaaccck! :-) Well, I'm intending to be back. So, since it's Thursday, and at one point in time, quite awhile ago, I was doing thankful lists on Thursdays, I thought I'd start with that.
Today, I'm thankful for:
1. GREAT new allergy medication (that's finally working after a long week of misery)
2. a fun morning with Kara's preschool class on their first field trip
3. some amazing mom friends that I adore
4. having the energy to finish a project I've been procrastinating on for a month
5. the 3-hour nap that Kara took today
6. the bright future ahead
7. the warm sun of the past few days and the time to get out and enjoy it
8. the upcoming visit from my sister-in-law
9. the ability to possibly see our kitchen dreams come true and
10. my kids, husband, family, and friends, without whom I couldn't survive.
More to say in a separate post, I'm going to leave this as just being thankful!
Today, I'm thankful for:
1. GREAT new allergy medication (that's finally working after a long week of misery)
2. a fun morning with Kara's preschool class on their first field trip
3. some amazing mom friends that I adore
4. having the energy to finish a project I've been procrastinating on for a month
5. the 3-hour nap that Kara took today
6. the bright future ahead
7. the warm sun of the past few days and the time to get out and enjoy it
8. the upcoming visit from my sister-in-law
9. the ability to possibly see our kitchen dreams come true and
10. my kids, husband, family, and friends, without whom I couldn't survive.
More to say in a separate post, I'm going to leave this as just being thankful!
6.18.2009
Thankful Thursday
I'm up early this morning, with a totally quiet house, so I'll do a second post while I can think in peace.
Today I am thankful for:
1. the quiet of the house this early in the morning.
2. the really good book I'm reading - The Red Tent - a must read for anyone who hasn't read it yet!
3. a quiet, unscheduled morning ahead.
4. the playdate we have planned for the afternoon with preschool friends.
5. a dry house on a rainy day.
6. beautiful Kara and her long crazy curly hair.
7. sweet John and his loving caring funny personality.
8. a hubby who is taking some big steps right now.
9. some really great mom friends, without whom I would have trouble making it through the day.
10. a weekend ahead without travel.
Today I am thankful for:
1. the quiet of the house this early in the morning.
2. the really good book I'm reading - The Red Tent - a must read for anyone who hasn't read it yet!
3. a quiet, unscheduled morning ahead.
4. the playdate we have planned for the afternoon with preschool friends.
5. a dry house on a rainy day.
6. beautiful Kara and her long crazy curly hair.
7. sweet John and his loving caring funny personality.
8. a hubby who is taking some big steps right now.
9. some really great mom friends, without whom I would have trouble making it through the day.
10. a weekend ahead without travel.
6.13.2009
Dutch Wonderland
For those that live anywhere near us and have preschool aged kids, you have GOT to take your family to Dutch Wonderland! It's in Lancaster, PA, which is about 2 hours and 45 minutes away from Reston. We went last week for a couple of days and had a great time. Dutch Wonderland is a theme/amusement park geared totally for kids aged 2-7. It had all the traditional rides, games, shows, and park-style food options, only it was all kid friendly. There was nothing there that John couldn't ride! Some things he needed to do with a grown-up, but he was riding roller coasters, swings, boats, bumper cars, slides, trains, and so much more. And he loved it all! There was also plenty that Kara could ride, by herself and with an adult. It was fun for all - no child was left behind! There was also a water-play area that we didn't go into, but it looked like fun as well. We went for a few hours on a Sunday evening, and then went back on Monday for the day. It was not crowded, since it was early in the season, which allowed us to ride everything we wanted with very few waits. The kids had a great time, the adults were exhausted just trying to keep up with the kids! Clearly we will need to build in an annual theme park trip into our budget for the future.
We spent two nights in Lancaster, which allowed us to relax and enjoy the trip without feeling rushed. The last morning before we headed back we stopped in a nearby Amish "village"/shopping area to browse some stores, have a snack, and see some animals. There is so much to do in the area, we had a very hard time deciding what to do!
This trip was a birthday present for me from my parents and it was a great gift and enjoyed by all! Thanks again Mom and Dad! :-)
We spent two nights in Lancaster, which allowed us to relax and enjoy the trip without feeling rushed. The last morning before we headed back we stopped in a nearby Amish "village"/shopping area to browse some stores, have a snack, and see some animals. There is so much to do in the area, we had a very hard time deciding what to do!
This trip was a birthday present for me from my parents and it was a great gift and enjoyed by all! Thanks again Mom and Dad! :-)
6.02.2009
Thankful Tuesday
I'm feeling really tired, but really thankful for many things today, so I thought I'd share:
Today, I'm thankful for:
1. My husband and kids.
2. Many many great friends and great moms
3. Our fun playgroup that came over this morning. I enjoy it more and more as our group has grown.
4. The many great preschool families that we have grown to know so well over the last year or two. Many playdates and fun times are on the calendar for the summer to keep us connected to the preschool families and I'm very thankful for that.
5. All the activities that are already on our calendar for the summer.
6. A warm, sunny day.
7. Kids that sleep through the night....mostly.
8. John, who has grown so independent and is constantly challenging and charming me in the same breath.
9. All of the kids' grandparents that we get to do so many fun things with.
10. Long-distance friends that I miss dearly, but am happy to know that we're still good friends.
Alright, I believe Kara's waking from her nap, which means it's time to go to the grocery store! On the run!!!
Today, I'm thankful for:
1. My husband and kids.
2. Many many great friends and great moms
3. Our fun playgroup that came over this morning. I enjoy it more and more as our group has grown.
4. The many great preschool families that we have grown to know so well over the last year or two. Many playdates and fun times are on the calendar for the summer to keep us connected to the preschool families and I'm very thankful for that.
5. All the activities that are already on our calendar for the summer.
6. A warm, sunny day.
7. Kids that sleep through the night....mostly.
8. John, who has grown so independent and is constantly challenging and charming me in the same breath.
9. All of the kids' grandparents that we get to do so many fun things with.
10. Long-distance friends that I miss dearly, but am happy to know that we're still good friends.
Alright, I believe Kara's waking from her nap, which means it's time to go to the grocery store! On the run!!!
5.22.2009
1 is Almost Done
With preschool, that is. He finished up the season of swimming lessons yesterday, with the grand result of being "graduated" up to the next level - after a lot of hard work. It was really wonderful, but hard to say goodbye to the wonderful instructor he's had for most of the winter. I'm hopeful Kara may get her when she starts swimming classes in the fall.
The bigger event though is that today is John's last day of preschool. It's so hard to imagine that he's all done with preschool. Our school experience has been SO positive. I just can't say enough to praise our school and teachers and school families for making this be such a wonderful place to start our schooling. John has grown socially and academically there (even though academics truly aren't their main focus). I keep feeling like I'll miss the school, which is just silly since Kara will start there in the fall and I'll continue to be on the board of the school. My involvement is nowhere near being over, but John's is, and for some reason I'm having a bit of a hard time with that.
John is totally ready for kindergarten, and is finally getting pretty excited about going to school too, which is great. Last night I went to a gathering of the preschool class moms with the purpose of assembling scrapbooks for the kids of their year at the preschool. I had so much fun chatting and laughing with these wonderful moms. And the pictures, whoa! These kids have grown and changed so much over the year. I never did a book for John from last year's class, so I was starting at the beginning, 2 years back. It was so funny to look at how young he and his classmates looked from the previous year. Amazingly I got through all of year 1 and started on year 2 before we all got tired and called it a night. But the fun was immense and I'm hopeful that I will actually finish the project with John's help over the summer. I also think we'll have enough room in our book to include a few artwork pieces, of which we have SOOOO many. I'm excited that we'll have this great collection of pictures, projects and memories of his days at the preschool.
Thank you to Hunters Woods Preschool for all that you have given to my son and my family and countless others. It's been a wonderful two years for John and I look forward to the coming years with Kara.
The bigger event though is that today is John's last day of preschool. It's so hard to imagine that he's all done with preschool. Our school experience has been SO positive. I just can't say enough to praise our school and teachers and school families for making this be such a wonderful place to start our schooling. John has grown socially and academically there (even though academics truly aren't their main focus). I keep feeling like I'll miss the school, which is just silly since Kara will start there in the fall and I'll continue to be on the board of the school. My involvement is nowhere near being over, but John's is, and for some reason I'm having a bit of a hard time with that.
John is totally ready for kindergarten, and is finally getting pretty excited about going to school too, which is great. Last night I went to a gathering of the preschool class moms with the purpose of assembling scrapbooks for the kids of their year at the preschool. I had so much fun chatting and laughing with these wonderful moms. And the pictures, whoa! These kids have grown and changed so much over the year. I never did a book for John from last year's class, so I was starting at the beginning, 2 years back. It was so funny to look at how young he and his classmates looked from the previous year. Amazingly I got through all of year 1 and started on year 2 before we all got tired and called it a night. But the fun was immense and I'm hopeful that I will actually finish the project with John's help over the summer. I also think we'll have enough room in our book to include a few artwork pieces, of which we have SOOOO many. I'm excited that we'll have this great collection of pictures, projects and memories of his days at the preschool.
Thank you to Hunters Woods Preschool for all that you have given to my son and my family and countless others. It's been a wonderful two years for John and I look forward to the coming years with Kara.
5.20.2009
Thankful Today
I woke up this morning feeling very refreshed and thankful, so I thought it'd be a great day to do a "thankful" post. Here goes....Today I am thankful for:
1. a beautiful spring day (and entire week for that matter)
2. a very restful night's sleep for me and Matt and for the kids
3. a relaxing morning with nowhere to rush off to
4. great friends that we played with at the playground yesterday
5. my yoga class last night
6. the long walk I was able to take yesterday
7. the coming summer break...coming quickly, but I am looking forward to it
8. the great preschool that John has been able to experience for the last 2 years - great teachers, great kids, great families
9. a wonderful and supportive husband
10. the green nail polish that's on Kara's toes and the wonder that it has inspired in her - she keeps being amazed when she sees her own "green pretty toes" - too cute
There are many many more, but I'll save those for another day. Time to go enjoy this fabulous day!
4.28.2009
Thanks...Oops!
I just realized that I haven't done a "Thankful" post in quite a LONG while! I got off track with the blog altogether for awhile and totally forgot about those posts. So here's my musings for today:
I'm thankful for:
1. John's enthusiastic swimming experiences & his awesome instructor
2. Our fabulous playgroup friends - Alexandra, Megan, Sonja and Diane
3. The warm weather we're having right now - I know it will cool down soon, but it makes me excited for the summer.
4. Cute summer dresses for Kara and her girlie side coming out in full form!
5. Definitely thankful for allergy medicines!
6. All the great upcoming activities on our calendar to spend time with our friends and family. So many things to look forward to!
7. My health - ITP seems to be staying away - yeah!!!
8. Great neighbors - the warm weather has brought everyone back outside to play and socialize and I love it!
9. The kids - they may drive me nuts some days, but they're great most of the time and I love them dearly.
10. The hubby - he works so hard and makes it possible for me to stay home and care for the kids - Thanks Honey!!!
Have a Thankful Tuesday everyone!
I'm thankful for:
1. John's enthusiastic swimming experiences & his awesome instructor
2. Our fabulous playgroup friends - Alexandra, Megan, Sonja and Diane
3. The warm weather we're having right now - I know it will cool down soon, but it makes me excited for the summer.
4. Cute summer dresses for Kara and her girlie side coming out in full form!
5. Definitely thankful for allergy medicines!
6. All the great upcoming activities on our calendar to spend time with our friends and family. So many things to look forward to!
7. My health - ITP seems to be staying away - yeah!!!
8. Great neighbors - the warm weather has brought everyone back outside to play and socialize and I love it!
9. The kids - they may drive me nuts some days, but they're great most of the time and I love them dearly.
10. The hubby - he works so hard and makes it possible for me to stay home and care for the kids - Thanks Honey!!!
Have a Thankful Tuesday everyone!
4.15.2009
Fishing
So one of the favorite activities John was able to do with my Dad last week was to go fishing. They went twice and caught one fish the first day and two the second time. John's very excited about being able to keep the fish, instead of having to catch and release them. So Dad made sure they went someplace where they'd be able to keep the fish. I'm not quite sure why John's so insistent on keeping the fish, since he's not all that interested in eating them. But like any good grandfather, Dad kept the fish, per John's wishes, and brought them home.
Instead of eating them, John was apparently interested in dissecting them. I was not much into biology as a child, so this intrigues me. But John was very excited to relate to me upon our return how they had taken apart the fish's eyes, head, and body. For example, the fish eyes have black "gooey" stuff inside them - yuck! Anyway, John was very scientific about the exploration of the fish insides and was thrilled to find that one of the fish had egg sacks inside its belly, and that the egg sacks had "thousands" of eggs in them.
It was one of those stories that as a parent you think it's a great experience for your child to have, clearly he's interested in science-type things, but you're SO glad you didn't have to be the one to experience it with him! Thanks Grandpa!!!
Instead of eating them, John was apparently interested in dissecting them. I was not much into biology as a child, so this intrigues me. But John was very excited to relate to me upon our return how they had taken apart the fish's eyes, head, and body. For example, the fish eyes have black "gooey" stuff inside them - yuck! Anyway, John was very scientific about the exploration of the fish insides and was thrilled to find that one of the fish had egg sacks inside its belly, and that the egg sacks had "thousands" of eggs in them.
It was one of those stories that as a parent you think it's a great experience for your child to have, clearly he's interested in science-type things, but you're SO glad you didn't have to be the one to experience it with him! Thanks Grandpa!!!
2.28.2009
Sliding Doors
Ever spend any time wondering what might have been? Particularly if you had simply missed a train or picked a different register line at the grocery store or similar innocuous experience? I try not to spend my brain power on these kind of what ifs because truly they are simply what ifs and nothing can change what actually happened in the past. But every once in awhile things like this do pass through my brain and cause me to ponder the possibilities. It's not that I have big regrets in life, I don't (at least not of the big stuff anyway, a few smaller ones maybe). But just hearing about some of the things - good and bad - that happen to other people makes me appreciate where I am in the world and in my life. Yesterday at the preschool coffee gathering I hosted one mom was sharing a story with us about a child who had a massive tumor at birth and was basically given very slim survival chances. The infant was given chemo during his first week of life and has had a very bumpy road to travel. But the child is now 14 months old, the tumor is virtually gone and while he still has many health challenges, and it's anyone's guess as to the potential developmental delays that may come, the outlook for this child's life is much much better. It made me comment about how fortunate I feel to have had two pregnancies that were so mundane and easy that it made me almost feel guilty. The possibilities for mutation and problems are astounding during each and every pregnancy. And our diagnostic skills are amazing now so that so many of these things are known ahead of the birth, which helps when plans and preparations need to be made for special cases. Both of my pregnancies were relatively easy, low-risk, and thus ordinary. We had one sonogram for each, and did not choose to do some of the chromosomal tests that might have revealed any problems, and had no ultrasounds done. Thus each time as the birth drew near, I could not help but wonder if my babies would be healthy or if there would be some problem discovered that we would not have been prepared for. I knew we would love the baby regardless, but what if.... Each time I was so thankful when my infant was snuggled up with me and I knew they were perfect, tiny people. The miracle of life truly is a miracle. There are so many things that need to happen at just the right time, in just the right way, for things to work out the way they should. I thank my lucky stars each day that they did for my family.
1.05.2009
Old Friends, Good Times
We had a visit today from a family that used to live across the street. They moved to England for about 2 and a half years ago, when John and their oldest boy were about 2 and a half years old. We've seen the wife and two older children about once a year since they left. Today they came as the whole family (hubby, wife, and the 3 kids). It was a wonderful visit. When they moved away John and Vincent were truly best buds. I had become very dear friends with the wife and had a very difficult time adjusting to life after they had left. The boys played well together and the two couples enjoyed spending our Friday nights eating pizza and playing games late into the night. It was a very special time for us. Then they moved away and we've kept in touch. Although, I will admit, I have not done as good of a job calling or writing to them as I should. Sometimes it's just too hard to think about all the things we're not doing together, but most times it's just hard to find a good time to talk on the phone due to the time difference and the kids' schedules. Anyway, they were all here today and we had a GREAT time. It was good to see them all - the newest addition to their family is only 5 months old. It was an easy and pleasant visit and reminded me about how much I enjoy them and miss them.
I want to say Thank You to Gretchen and Lou for coming by today and sharing some of your brief time here in the U.S. with us. I know your time here is precious and I truly appreciate that you were able to squeeze us in. We miss you a lot and it was great to see you all today.
I want to say Thank You to Gretchen and Lou for coming by today and sharing some of your brief time here in the U.S. with us. I know your time here is precious and I truly appreciate that you were able to squeeze us in. We miss you a lot and it was great to see you all today.
12.15.2008
Thankful Monday?
Well, I know it's Monday, but I wanted to do a Thankful post anyway...Here goes!
I thankful for...
1. the fact that it's now 10:30 and I am still in my pjs. The kids are dressed, but I'm not!
2. my big 5 year old son.
3. and his cute little sister, who did very well yesterday with John getting presents and not getting any herself.
4. the holidays ahead and all the time we are going to get with our family and friends.
5. that we all stayed healthy (mostly) through John's birthday. Matt's getting a head cold now, which hopefully will run it's course so we can all be healthy again by Christmas!
6. having so many grandparents that my kids know and love.
7. having a day of peace before hosting a playgroup and working at the preschool tomorrow.
8. the joy and love of the holiday season.
9. the Thomas birthday cake we got for John yesterday - he absolutely LOVED it!!
10. and having a (mostly) clean house and just having to do some tidying up before playgroup tomorrow.
I hope you're all having a happy and healthy holiday season and are taking some time to enjoy the season in amidst the craziness!! Have a cup o' cheer!!
I thankful for...
1. the fact that it's now 10:30 and I am still in my pjs. The kids are dressed, but I'm not!
2. my big 5 year old son.
3. and his cute little sister, who did very well yesterday with John getting presents and not getting any herself.
4. the holidays ahead and all the time we are going to get with our family and friends.
5. that we all stayed healthy (mostly) through John's birthday. Matt's getting a head cold now, which hopefully will run it's course so we can all be healthy again by Christmas!
6. having so many grandparents that my kids know and love.
7. having a day of peace before hosting a playgroup and working at the preschool tomorrow.
8. the joy and love of the holiday season.
9. the Thomas birthday cake we got for John yesterday - he absolutely LOVED it!!
10. and having a (mostly) clean house and just having to do some tidying up before playgroup tomorrow.
I hope you're all having a happy and healthy holiday season and are taking some time to enjoy the season in amidst the craziness!! Have a cup o' cheer!!
11.25.2008
Turkey Day - version 1 and 2
So this year we are going to have a crazy Thanksgiving! I'm betting this might be my last post before the big day hits and so I'm going to give the run down of our week ahead.
Thursday - We head over to my in-laws for the day. It will just be the four of us and the two of them, so should be a fun, but relatively low-key day. Since Matt and I don't eat the turkey, my mother-in-law has chosen a turkey-free meal - baked fish, oyster stew, salads, and other yummy feast items. I'm sure it will be delicious, but somewhat non-traditional. We will all have fun and eat to our hearts content, no doubt. Then at the end of the day, we will drive out to my parents' house to spend the rest of the weekend.
Friday - We'll wake up to a house full of family. My parents and aunt (from Maine) will already be there. Later in the morning, my brother, his wife, and their two girls (from Atlanta) will arrive, leading to all kinds of crazy cousin fun. And then at some point that day, my uncle and his wife (from California) will arrive. They will only be spending the day with us, but it will be a house full for Friday! This will likely also be the day that we spend going to cut down Christmas trees, decorating the house, and exchanging "First Day" presents. (First Day is a funny family tradition we have of exchanging small gifts that are Christmas related - such as holiday decorations, earrings, wrapping paper, etc.) Again, it will be fun, but definitely crazy!
Saturday - My uncle and his wife will be gone, and my aunt will head home this afternoon as well. But that still leaves the cousin cluster to play and create havoc! This is always a good time for the kids, who don't see each other nearly enough and really enjoy each other despite a significant age range. This night, my mom is planning to do a traditional turkey Thanksgiving dinner for the remaining group. John is happy that he'll still get to eat some turkey and Kara's excited for "tur-eeee."
Sunday - My brother's family will head back to Atlanta and at some point, we will head home to Reston. I'm not sure at what point that day any of us will have the energy to pack or drive home, but it will happen so that we can get our Christmas tree into the house and back into some water that day! ;-)
This year Matt has decided to take Monday off work, and I'm thankful for that. Typically our Thanksgiving weekend isn't quite this crazy, but it is always busy and we come home exhausted. It's always a big challenge to get ready mentally to head into Monday, so I'm happy that this year we can have one more day to ourselves to re-group.
Well, now I'm tired out just thinking about the weekend ahead! I hope everyone reading this has a great and happy Thanksgiving and I'll be sure to post next week about how it all went! Gobble Gobble Gobble!
Thursday - We head over to my in-laws for the day. It will just be the four of us and the two of them, so should be a fun, but relatively low-key day. Since Matt and I don't eat the turkey, my mother-in-law has chosen a turkey-free meal - baked fish, oyster stew, salads, and other yummy feast items. I'm sure it will be delicious, but somewhat non-traditional. We will all have fun and eat to our hearts content, no doubt. Then at the end of the day, we will drive out to my parents' house to spend the rest of the weekend.
Friday - We'll wake up to a house full of family. My parents and aunt (from Maine) will already be there. Later in the morning, my brother, his wife, and their two girls (from Atlanta) will arrive, leading to all kinds of crazy cousin fun. And then at some point that day, my uncle and his wife (from California) will arrive. They will only be spending the day with us, but it will be a house full for Friday! This will likely also be the day that we spend going to cut down Christmas trees, decorating the house, and exchanging "First Day" presents. (First Day is a funny family tradition we have of exchanging small gifts that are Christmas related - such as holiday decorations, earrings, wrapping paper, etc.) Again, it will be fun, but definitely crazy!
Saturday - My uncle and his wife will be gone, and my aunt will head home this afternoon as well. But that still leaves the cousin cluster to play and create havoc! This is always a good time for the kids, who don't see each other nearly enough and really enjoy each other despite a significant age range. This night, my mom is planning to do a traditional turkey Thanksgiving dinner for the remaining group. John is happy that he'll still get to eat some turkey and Kara's excited for "tur-eeee."
Sunday - My brother's family will head back to Atlanta and at some point, we will head home to Reston. I'm not sure at what point that day any of us will have the energy to pack or drive home, but it will happen so that we can get our Christmas tree into the house and back into some water that day! ;-)
This year Matt has decided to take Monday off work, and I'm thankful for that. Typically our Thanksgiving weekend isn't quite this crazy, but it is always busy and we come home exhausted. It's always a big challenge to get ready mentally to head into Monday, so I'm happy that this year we can have one more day to ourselves to re-group.
Well, now I'm tired out just thinking about the weekend ahead! I hope everyone reading this has a great and happy Thanksgiving and I'll be sure to post next week about how it all went! Gobble Gobble Gobble!
11.23.2008
Thanks again and again
Okay, so I think I forgot to do a thankful post last week. Oops! I was thankful, I promise! So, I'll catch up by doing one today instead.
Today I'm thankful for:
1. Great in-laws (who babysat for us on Friday night then had us over all day yesterday for football watching).
2. My sweet hubby who let me stay in bed until almost 9:00 this morning - ahhhhhhh.
3. My yoga classes
4. The kids who despite being up very late the last two nights and no nap for Kara yesterday have been quite well-behaved so far today.
5. A sunny day.
6. The Thanksgiving holiday ahead and all the family we will be visiting with - all the grandparents, my aunt, my uncle and his wife, my brother, sister-in-law and their daughters. Much fun ahead!
7. Having gotten the grocery shopping done this morning so we can relax a bit this afternoon before getting ready for a crazy week ahead!
8. The gift certificate we bought on Friday night at the preschool's silent auction for a character cake for John's birthday - he's so excited to have a Thomas the Tank Engine birthday cake! And I'm thankful to have it taken care of! Yeah!
Okay, now I'm going to go relax some more with my tea before Kara wakes up from her nap. ;-)
Today I'm thankful for:
1. Great in-laws (who babysat for us on Friday night then had us over all day yesterday for football watching).
2. My sweet hubby who let me stay in bed until almost 9:00 this morning - ahhhhhhh.
3. My yoga classes
4. The kids who despite being up very late the last two nights and no nap for Kara yesterday have been quite well-behaved so far today.
5. A sunny day.
6. The Thanksgiving holiday ahead and all the family we will be visiting with - all the grandparents, my aunt, my uncle and his wife, my brother, sister-in-law and their daughters. Much fun ahead!
7. Having gotten the grocery shopping done this morning so we can relax a bit this afternoon before getting ready for a crazy week ahead!
8. The gift certificate we bought on Friday night at the preschool's silent auction for a character cake for John's birthday - he's so excited to have a Thomas the Tank Engine birthday cake! And I'm thankful to have it taken care of! Yeah!
Okay, now I'm going to go relax some more with my tea before Kara wakes up from her nap. ;-)
11.13.2008
Thanks again
Today I'm thankful for:
1. Pigtails (see previous post)
2. Fingerpaint fun (after school, rainy day activity today)
3. An awesome preschool teacher (I worked in the class today and had a lot of fun, even on a rainy day)
4. That Kara did okay at a friend's house today while I was at class
5. John's progress in swimming and with getting his face wet in the bathtub
6. Being able to watch the last leaves fall from the trees and knowing how much we were able to enjoy the fall season this year
7. A warm house and cozy bed
8. The time to watch the Va Tech Hokies play a football game tonight
9. My sweet kids and hubby
10. And even for a rainy day to help make me slow down and appreciate the fun we can have indoors too.
I don't know if I'll make these "thankful" posts a regular thing, as I know several other bloggers do, but I do enjoy taking the time to think about the many things I am thankful for, especially during this time of year.
1. Pigtails (see previous post)
2. Fingerpaint fun (after school, rainy day activity today)
3. An awesome preschool teacher (I worked in the class today and had a lot of fun, even on a rainy day)
4. That Kara did okay at a friend's house today while I was at class
5. John's progress in swimming and with getting his face wet in the bathtub
6. Being able to watch the last leaves fall from the trees and knowing how much we were able to enjoy the fall season this year
7. A warm house and cozy bed
8. The time to watch the Va Tech Hokies play a football game tonight
9. My sweet kids and hubby
10. And even for a rainy day to help make me slow down and appreciate the fun we can have indoors too.
I don't know if I'll make these "thankful" posts a regular thing, as I know several other bloggers do, but I do enjoy taking the time to think about the many things I am thankful for, especially during this time of year.
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