Weekend Getaway Day 2

Day 2, lots of fun. After sleeping in (yea!) we headed to Breckenridge to the Country Boy Mine- what used to be the largest active mine in Summit County back in the day (up through 1941). A neat education and tour of the hardships of mineworkers, both today and of yesteryear. And panning for gold topped it off - only Alex found a gold chip. Worth, oh, about $.10. Well, still fun.

Then lunch on the river, home for a rest (for Mom) and then mini-golf, playground, dinner, swimming, and a movie.

Whew!

But I can't complain, a beautiful day, warm and sunny (they've had mostly snow up until now) and for the most part- whine-free.

Weekend Getaway Day 1

Day 1 a total blast. We left home in the morning and planned about 3 hours at Santa's Workshop at the North Pole before heading on to Keystone. Well, those few hours turned into like... 6 hours. I swear. Perfect weather, no lines, fun rides. We said "one more ride" around 3:30pm, which turned into 9 more rides and almost 5:00.

Needless to say, lots of fun. Perfect amusement park for the under 8 set. Evelyn now says that this is her "favorite place in the world."

Arrived in Keystone tired, starving, and cranky to make dinner, make beds, and snuggle in around 10:00. I discovered the humidifier in the closet is a really loud white noise machine, so three kids and one mommy slept in the next morning. Whew.

A Weekend Away, the Prequel

I refuse to be stuck in the house merely because I don't have someone with real muscles to hook up the bike rack.

We're outta here and we're outta here tomorrow. Three kids. Three days. Three hours away.

I think if I pay more attention to the kids in the pool than my beer in the hottub, we should probably be okay. Here's to road trips. Whoo-hoo!

Birds and Bees

These two boys got "the talk" a couple nights ago.

BTW, I think this is the Dad's job as well, if only to thankfully recuse myself from it. You know, like killing spiders, moving furniture, and changing the filter on the car. But, alas, it's me. The eventual fate of the Army Wife. (And I'm having to catch more mice as well, if you're wondering.)

But, anyway, it was time. Our neighbor is pregnant with her 3rd and the boys had increasingly curious notions about the baby-growing-in-the-belly-thing.

"But how does the baby get in the mommy's belly?"

"Yea, how does it get there to start with?"

Oh, boy. I took this as my cue. Ethan is almost 8, Alex 6. They are young, too young some would say. But I don't want them learning this lesson on the playground, which is inevitable. And later, I want them to think that it's really just fine to bring up their questions about girls and sex. These questions that they have now, really, are so easily answered. There are facts, there is a process, there is no grey area, it is what it is.

On the verge of pre-pubescence, Ethan's and Alex's questions will later be a lot more complicated, frought with emotion, feelings, yearnings and pinings that will have to be navigated. In all, I'm starting to think that this is the easy part. And I'm afraid that by the time they start noticing the fairer sex, they won't want to talk about it anymore. Too creepy, especially with Mom.

Anyway, after the crazy build-up I had knowing this was coming, it actually was not so bad. And afterward, Ethan said,

"I'm bored with this, can we read the dinosaur book now?"

Whew! Absolutely. Moving right along.

The Sign of Summer

Not the date on the calendar.
Not the warm breezes.
Not the longer days.
Not the buds on the trees.
Not the Robin Redbreast, or whomever else comes out when it's warm.
Not the sprinkers.
Not skinned knees, or bike rides, or sandals.
Not the pool opening, or popsicles, or short sleeves or tan lines.

It's the dirt ring around my bathtub.

Now I know, it's summer.

These are the Days

Three more days 'til summer break. I am SO happy for the kids. The anticipation is palpable around here- that excitement of approaching freedom - freedom from the homework, the daily alarm clock, the adherence to the schedule, the after-school activities, the mom yelling "get a move on!"

The days got warm all of a sudden; kind of like 55 degrees to 85 degrees, it's a little jarring. But it's telling of the summer, soon to be here - effectively in 3 days at our house.

I am not going to miss the morning grind, the cold commute to school (4 whole blocks away), the yelling, "get with it, mister! you're late!" the 2:15 deadline for all personal activities so that I can do the commute again, the timing of Evelyn's naps. I won't miss the schedule.

I am so looking forward to the lazy, sleeping late, pajama-wearing, coffee mug-hugging mornings of the next 3 months. But even more, I love the after-dinner, happily fed playtime out in our street. It's a given, the evening rush from the table, "mayIbeexcusedIwanttogobackoutsidetoplayball," that occurs each night after eating. The best is that I can clean up in peace, and go outside into the warm, breezy (non-humid) night to play with the kids.

Catch. Bikes. Tennis. Scooters. Soccer. Roller Skates. Neighbors. Pet Dog. Beer.

There are folks on our street who throughout the beautiful summer nights, will desperately rush their kids to bed at the same time they go to bed during the school year - the dutiful 7:30-8:00 latest. When I asked last year why they don't stay out at night, one Mom said, "there's plenty of time for that later." Later? He can be a kid later? (Maybe when I'm not so tired? Maybe when he's older so I don't have to be out too?) What gives? It is SUM-MER. I can appreciate the need for me-time, but come on. Summer? When there are 15 kids still out playing? I am the complete opposite. The play-til-it's-dark opposite. It matters not that I finally drag my kiddos in when they can't see and are so grimy they still need a bath and 10:00pm is approaching fast. There's nothing to do. There's nowhere to go. What, exactly, is the rush to bedtime? Their little childhoods will fly and they'll barely remember these days full of nothing but play. But it is fun now.

These are the days. Happy Summer.

The Susan Strizich Program, 7-Days to a Sparkly Clean House

You're probably eagerly wondering where I am in this program. Well, I did a great job. My house is SOOOOO clean.

Well, it's REALLY clean.

Uh, well, it's a LOT cleaner than it was last week.

In earnest, the downstairs got done, including walls, furniture moved, complete dusting, baseboards washed. (skipped the playroom, it needing the thorough mow-down clean out, that it does. And I skipped the storage room too, as that's a whole 'nother animal in itself.) Moved on to the stairwell (pictures down, walls scrubbed), the kids' room, same deal, the office (didn't wash curtains, they're new enough, didn't take all the books off the bookcase, too much work); the living room (now tired of washing walls, so I skipped those), the kitchen (scrubbed about 1/2 of the grout because it's just such a pain, and the junk drawer just got cleaned out like two months ago, so that'll do, wanted to clean the top of the cabinets, but way too yucky up there), but the master bedroom- it's truely sparkly- my Mother's Day present to myself.

Two days later my giant dog poops downstairs on my previously cleaner-than-clean carpet, smelling up the cleaner-than-clean air down there. Twice.

So, all in all, I'm thinking that Mrs. Strizich and her sparkly-clean house can beat it. I don't know why I listen to her anyway.

The Lifesaver Club

Sometimes after dinner, the kids will eat lifesavers and circle around the column in my kitchen. For some reason, this ritual has become "The Lifesaver Club." One of them calls the club to order and the others each get a lifesaver and start circling. Ethan's always in front; Evelyn's always in the back and they circle this column until the Lifesavers melt away.

Then they graduate to some sporting event like indoor football, hockey, or soccer. The Lifesaver Club is always run in this manner. It's a lot of fun, until of course someone starts crying because they didn't make the touchdown.

(When I get the *new* camera I ordered, I'll take pictures!)

A Day in the Life

It's not even 8:00am and I've had to clean up poo twice.

a) our dog apparently thinks our downstairs is her own personal nighttime bathroom and
b) Alex dropped his stuffed animal in the toilet after someone "forgot" to flush.

Oh, I can't wait to see how the rest of the day shapes up.

Good-Bye Kindergartener

Tonight, Alex's teacher had a slide show for the parents. A collage, a power-point presentation put together of photos she took throughout the year. The field trips, Halloween, Christmas, their 100th day party, the leprechaun traps, their 5th grade buddies, and sunny days on the playground.

Not a dry eye.

The year has flown, Alex has grown almost 2 inches in height and immeasurably in maturity (really, I'm confident that part will show up any day now). Eight days left of his Kindergarten year, and I don't know where the time went when he was getting bigger. He's been a good learner, a good friend, a good kid. Another first of his has gone by. I can't even believe it, my heart is so heavy.

I love watching them grow. It's so, so hard to do.

Mother's Day Irony

Funny, isn't it. That on the day that's supposed to be "mine" to be pampered, showered with cards, rested, catered to. On this day there's not anyone here to lead the troops into this mode of "pampering mom." It's just me again and the kids. I could sulk. I could wish that things were different in my life at these moments. But it's not. It just is this. I could feel sorry for myself that on this day (tomorrow) that's supposed to be mine, it'll all just be like another day.

But really, that's just what I want for my Mother's Day. I want to be with my kids. I know I'm with them every other day of every other year. But on this day, rather than pampered and feeling rested and by myself, I'd rather share it with the ones I love the most. That's really what it's all about, right?

So I'll drive us all to breakfast (so I don't have to cook) and I'll slip away for a hike with my girlfriend (thanks, guys!) and then I'll slip back again to hang with the kiddos the rest of the day. Pretty much like most of my other days, except I won't have to do the dishes.

And, really dealing with Springtime in Colorado Springs right now, I'd be totally thrilled if I could spend some time outside without having to don a hat and gloves (seriously, this was my outfit today!). That would be the perfect present to the ordinary day

Happy Mother's Day.

On the Wagon: My 7-Step Program

I am on the Susan Strizich Program: 7 Days to a Sparkly Clean House.

I have completed Day One, One Room and I think this might kill me before I'm done. I am dog tired, have dishpan hands, and did not get the "jump" I wanted to on Room Two. And tomorrow I have to do a field trip to the zoo, so a little wary about how Room Two will get done. Despite all this, Room One, I must say, smells terrific! All vinegar-y! Like cole slaw.

What I really am afraid of is that after these 7 days when the interior of my house is truely cleaner than clean, I'll also want my yard clean, the deck stained, the porch chairs sanded and painted, the garage clean, the windows clean, the driveway clean, the sidewalk clean, and the Spring flowers planted.

I'd better just stay in the present before I completely give up at Day One, Room One.

Random Girls' Night

Friday night I went out with other people's girlfriends.

Well, I knew one of them, ther other 15 were all strangers. And as it turned out, I think I was out with the "popular girls." Four had size 2 waists, which I didn't realize you could still get to after 4 kids. Three of those had fake boobs, which looked really awesome by the way. Four doctor's wives (one was me), two of those chiropractors, which I'm not sure if that counts or not- one was my own chiropractor's wife, a little weird. One limo to carry us all around downtown for the night. How cool is it to call from the bar... "um, Joseph, we're ready now. Ok, 5 minutes? Great." and catch the 15 seater hummer limo outside?

A fun night, as it turned out, with all these strangers.