Tuesday, November 25, 2014

A ramble


Let's ramble!  

this kid up there turned 10.  
Yeah, double digits.  Can't say more at the moment.  But he is growing up.  More soon!


This little bug is my partner in crime during the hours of 9 and 4.  She treks through Target, the library, and Costco likes she owns them.  She plays dollhouse ALL. DAY. LONG.  Or drives the matchbox cars on the car rug that we lug up from the basement.  

She still drinks her smoothie drinks and I know that we should put an end to them.  But she is tiny and she is drinking the milk.  When we stopped them with Henry he stopped drinking milk.  Which we are trying to get in him now by buying chocolate milk.  Hurts this mama's heart but he looks so skinny.  I am sure there are other things we could do for the calcium and things.  but for now this is what we are trying.  


This kid is growing up too.  Kids at school see him and see Charley in him.  he is growing taller and taller and I see Henry's old clothes on other little guys and get this sick feeling in my tummy.  I just don't know where the time has gone.  Henry has come a long way and is a different kid these days.  He is still all about Charley, but he is learning that helping with his nephew's birthday party was a LOT of fun instead of following his big brother who curled up with his book during all the birthday busy.  He is the most excited about the holidays and decorating.  He remembers where things go with decorating and wants to do everything just like the year before.  If you need help with decorating, this is the kid who will show up with joy in his heart, a smile on his face, and a skip in his step!  


There are many struggles we have in this house.  We want our kids to help out without nagging.  We want homework done before screen and play.  We want them to eat the dinner I cook and not have to make something else so they eat something.  We want bedtime to be a cozy peaceful time but also a timely and not drawn out game of kids vs. parents.  

It is SO SO hard to be the main parent towing the line.  I am struggling to stay firm.  But those after school hours and morning hours when everyone wants to do what they want and not what needs to be done first, is hard.  If I don't get a plan for dinner before they come home, then I am asking Ed to bring something home, which then I call and say never mind and whip something up.  But things could have been that much calmer if I had just prioritized my day a little differently.  Homework is peaceful if I have a snack there and I actually sit down at the table.  I am starting to have a cup of tea or coffee at this time so that I sit and Syd everyone works on something.  Even Syd.  

The last couple months we have had "chore" notebooks.  Really they aren't chores.  They are just the everyday expectations listed in a way that they can check them off.  Things like make your bed (I make mine now too).  Brush teeth.  Clear breakfast dishes.  Pack backpack.  Etc.  All things they should be doing.  And if they can conquer the daily tasks each day all week then they earn a little allowance.  Drives me nuts that we took three weeks off and they didn't care.  We are back at it.  It is a simple enough system that worked for too many weeks in a row.  Just need to keep persevering.  

So basically, around here...the homework and their notebook expectations have to be done before they can watch or play anything on a screen.  


Syd is playing "Go fish" these days.  She is obsessed with the movie Tangled.  And she watches that Cinderella trailer with eyes of wonder.  

I use less creamer in my coffee.  

I rarely have a cocktail anymore in the evening.  Makes me too tired too early.  

I am hooked on the Hallmark channel.  All the dumb cheesy holiday flicks suck me in.  Ed just rolls his eyes.  It is my escape.  

The Elf on the sHelf guy is supposed to return this weekend.  But, now they have stupid commercials showing the Elf having a pet reindeer.  So now my kids are wondering if our Elf will show up with a reindeer.  WHY!?  WHY do they have to do this to us.  I am going to have to say that I am allergic to reindeer or our reindeer is too old and only the young elves get reindeer.  I have no idea.  A friend's child asked her if she was Santa...she responded, "No, are you?"  Cracks me up.  I am waiting for this question and am dreading the end of the magic.  


Our Thankgiving plans have changed a bit.  But I am still bringing a Pumpkin pie that Ed gets from work each year (Costco) and other store bought items.  I know everyone else is putting their hearts into homemade recipes.  I just don't have one for this holiday that is a tradition.  It is the tradition that we bring rolls on Ed's side of the family and the bloody mary bar on my side.  I am going to stop feeling guilty that I am no whipping up some fancy dish and instead I am going to rock the ease of the store bought goodness and the fact that I will be a tad less crabby at my family because I am not racing to get something made.

I have a high school friend that sent me a mixed CD the other day.  She did it one other time a while back.  It was for workout music.  We exchanged one time and now she continues to surprise me every once in a while.  It is such a fun mix of highs school era music and fun current favorites.  This is one of them on there that just makes me happy.  And it makes me forget about all the hard for just a few minutes and clap.  Seriously.  give it a listen and try and not to bop.  Kim, I want to go dancing soon - WITH YOU!







I am crabby a lot.  A LOT.  And Ed sees it and tries to tell me to simmer.  My sister notices it from a distance and tries to motivate me to make the right choices.  I don't know why everything triggers such a snappy response lately.  But I told the kids when I picked them up today we would have a perfect weekend. HAHA!  How's that for setting the expectations too high.  Anyways, my point here today... my sister and I were talking about how blogging was a journal for me and a way to set goals and then I felt accountable for following through or at least seeing that it wasn't something that worked for us.  SO, I am going to ramble more often, because I don't keep baby books and they will read this someday, even if some think they won't, and it will be our story.  So there ya go! 

Cheers to a perfect weekend or let's be real...Cheers to embracing the good, the peaceful, the challenging and hard, and the moments we don't cherish (the whining, tired, up too late, up too early, time in the car, belly's too full, missing those that aren't able to gather moments).  Find the beauty in whatever your perfect is this weekend!  Happy Thanksgiving....although, I hope to jot a note here tomorrow!

6 comments:

gschneider said...

Breathe, you. No response to your kids allowed until you sigh first.

Barb said...

Everything is so good, and so OK, oh, and so normal too.

jessica said...

Always enjoy your rambles. So real and I can relate.

Raina and Andy said...

yeah!!! You will rock this holiday season. No matter how different or new or the same that it is. Love the rambles. Rr

Anonymous said...

I'm right there with you, Sarah!
Living the Mama dream..... Thanks for keeping it real! ~ AK

Roz said...

You're an awesome rambler. You inpsire me to ramble more too. Here's to gettin' to it!
I miss blogging, but haven't found the time to squeeze it in. Now's the time. (and drink more water...LOL)

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