Athena turns five at the end of April. On July 7, she will start kindergarten.
Wow.
Today, I registered her and expressed my preferences for tracks. Wake County Public School System has a large year-round contingent and we are excited to have the opportunity for our kids to go to school year round. If you are interested in how this works and you are a visual learner, here is the schedule.
But basically, the gist is... they still attend school the same number of days as anyone on a traditional calendar, but instead of one long break over the summer, they take four three-week breaks throughout the year. We are requesting Track 2, which is the least popular track, mainly because it only has seven days in common with the traditional school calendar. Many people prefer to have some days in common so they can travel with friends and family who are on traditional calendars. We have chosen not to take this into consideration, and rather look for the most consistent schedule (no really long breaks lasting more than three weeks... even around holidays). This is, IMHO, the best possible schedule for learning... preventing too many retention problems between school sessions.
When the kids are off, that is known as being "tracked out." I already have vacations planned during two of the Track 2 track-outs... so if we don't get it, we're kind of screwed. We won't find out until April sometime, so fingers crossed 'til then. Currently, our kids will be able to stay on a year-round schedule through middle school if we wish. Right now, all high schools follow a traditional calendar, and it's likely to remain so. I hear that's mainly because of high school athletics, but that doesn't make much sense to me. I think it's more about jobs and college than anything else.
Anyway, I'm trying to deal with the fact that Athena is starting school. I'm terribly excited and terribly sad at the same time. It definitely marks the end of an era... although at least I still have a couple more years to be in denial while Marcus grows up. Too fast.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Sunday, February 01, 2009
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Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Priorities
Writing is on the wall, and we are considering some big changes 'round these parts. We're not moving or anything, but a career change is quite likely for me. Nothing is settled yet, but the possibility is both real and likely.
That said, I came home from work today after collecting the kids and managed to put together a square meal. (Yay, Dream Dinners!) As I cooked, the kids and Chris played and talked and watched Blue's Clues. Chris set the table and the kids eagerly sat and waited for their plates when they knew it was all just about ready.
They wolfed down their food, all the while nattering on about their days and about how they loved their dinner (except some bits of it, of course), and it was then that I really thought... hmmmmmmm... maybe this whole staying at home thing isn't the worst thing that could happen to me.
I really don't think we can afford it, but as the economy continues to put pressure on the world at large, I'm thinking that if the writing on the wall turns out to be the writing on a pink slip... well... if I can't find something else, maybe I could make it work.
In anticipation of this, we are talking about seriously cutting back. We have talked about this almost every January since we met, but this time, we are really going to have to do it. We aren't destitute. We'll still vacation and take the kids to movies and all that, but we are going to place values on those things. Vacation with the kids... very valuable. Eating every breakfast at Bojangles, negative value. Date night for mommy and daddy while kids have a sitter, quite valuable on occasion. Finding a sitter so Daddy can play D&D while mommy is at work... well, okay... just this once.
But seriously, we have a few months to see what we can do, even with the tremendous debt we have hanging over our heads. If these six months go well, maybe July won't be as bad if the shoe does indeed fall.
That said, I came home from work today after collecting the kids and managed to put together a square meal. (Yay, Dream Dinners!) As I cooked, the kids and Chris played and talked and watched Blue's Clues. Chris set the table and the kids eagerly sat and waited for their plates when they knew it was all just about ready.
They wolfed down their food, all the while nattering on about their days and about how they loved their dinner (except some bits of it, of course), and it was then that I really thought... hmmmmmmm... maybe this whole staying at home thing isn't the worst thing that could happen to me.
I really don't think we can afford it, but as the economy continues to put pressure on the world at large, I'm thinking that if the writing on the wall turns out to be the writing on a pink slip... well... if I can't find something else, maybe I could make it work.
In anticipation of this, we are talking about seriously cutting back. We have talked about this almost every January since we met, but this time, we are really going to have to do it. We aren't destitute. We'll still vacation and take the kids to movies and all that, but we are going to place values on those things. Vacation with the kids... very valuable. Eating every breakfast at Bojangles, negative value. Date night for mommy and daddy while kids have a sitter, quite valuable on occasion. Finding a sitter so Daddy can play D&D while mommy is at work... well, okay... just this once.
But seriously, we have a few months to see what we can do, even with the tremendous debt we have hanging over our heads. If these six months go well, maybe July won't be as bad if the shoe does indeed fall.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
A Fresh Start
This is not an apology for not posting very often lately. Hopefully, it's more of an explanation.
2008 was an interesting year. It wasn't so much "bad" as it was "private." Lots of issues in my own head to work out. Work was full of interesting things, but nothing I can post publicly. The kids have been funny and interesting, but again... I start to worry about their privacy. Lots of potty training headaches and behavioral blahs. I think I hit most of the high points in my posts from the past year, but I know it hasn't been a good year over all for The Mommy Librarian.
I plan to plug on with this, in the hopes that people who have stuck with me will continue to do so. Hopefully I will have more interesting things to say this year. The Quest for Hotness saw a setback over the holidays, but I'm rededicating myself before it gets any worse. The string of Disney trips is behind me. My sister has some news that, if it goes through, should make for some interesting blog fodder. Athena starts school in July (we are on a year-round schedule here) so that should be blogworthy. And at the end of the year, Chris and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. The tenth anniversary of our first date is at the end of February, so perhaps over the year, I can reminisce about our years together. Won't that be fun?!
So don't give up on me. I believe all my psychological fretting is behind me and I'm running top speed from it. I'm also hoping to launch a blog devoted to Disney travel planning that will be separate from this one. Mainly to spare those of you who think my obsession is unhealthy, but also to put all those recent trips to some use for others. That blog will see regular (semi-weekly) posts and I've begun to stack them so that I won't be under huge deadlines there. We'll see how long that lasts. :-)
2008 was an interesting year. It wasn't so much "bad" as it was "private." Lots of issues in my own head to work out. Work was full of interesting things, but nothing I can post publicly. The kids have been funny and interesting, but again... I start to worry about their privacy. Lots of potty training headaches and behavioral blahs. I think I hit most of the high points in my posts from the past year, but I know it hasn't been a good year over all for The Mommy Librarian.
I plan to plug on with this, in the hopes that people who have stuck with me will continue to do so. Hopefully I will have more interesting things to say this year. The Quest for Hotness saw a setback over the holidays, but I'm rededicating myself before it gets any worse. The string of Disney trips is behind me. My sister has some news that, if it goes through, should make for some interesting blog fodder. Athena starts school in July (we are on a year-round schedule here) so that should be blogworthy. And at the end of the year, Chris and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. The tenth anniversary of our first date is at the end of February, so perhaps over the year, I can reminisce about our years together. Won't that be fun?!
So don't give up on me. I believe all my psychological fretting is behind me and I'm running top speed from it. I'm also hoping to launch a blog devoted to Disney travel planning that will be separate from this one. Mainly to spare those of you who think my obsession is unhealthy, but also to put all those recent trips to some use for others. That blog will see regular (semi-weekly) posts and I've begun to stack them so that I won't be under huge deadlines there. We'll see how long that lasts. :-)
Saturday, January 10, 2009
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Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Well, This Explains It...
My lack of blogging lately isn't necessarily because of Facebook or lack of material. It's simply been a wacky schedule with lots of vacation and time off interspersed with working on wacky work things. Since October, I have barely worked a single normal five day week and I've been working every other weekend since Thanksgiving. Breaking it down, starting with the week of October 5 and taking me through the end of January:
4.5 days on, 3.5 off
3 days on, 11 days off (Disney: Family Edition)
6 days on (two of them half-days), .5 off
3 days on, 3 off (MACE convention)
1 day on, 1 day off (Veteran's Day)
3 days on, 2 off (weekend)
5 days on, 2 off (a normal week and weekend!)
2 days on, 3 off (Thanksgiving)
6 days on (two of them half-days), 1 off
5 days on (two of them half-days), 5 off (Disney: Girlfriends Edition)
1 day on, 1 off (comp time for yet another weekend)
3 days on, 1 off
2 days on, 5 off (Christmas)
3 days on, 2 off (New Years)
5 days on (two of them half-days), 4 off (Disney: Marathon Edition)
4.5 days on, 3.5 off (MLK weekend)
4 days on, 2 off
5 on, 2 off (another normal week, and the turning point where life will seem to get back to normal)
That last week mentioned is the week of Jan. 25. No wonder I feel so disoriented!
4.5 days on, 3.5 off
3 days on, 11 days off (Disney: Family Edition)
6 days on (two of them half-days), .5 off
3 days on, 3 off (MACE convention)
1 day on, 1 day off (Veteran's Day)
3 days on, 2 off (weekend)
5 days on, 2 off (a normal week and weekend!)
2 days on, 3 off (Thanksgiving)
6 days on (two of them half-days), 1 off
5 days on (two of them half-days), 5 off (Disney: Girlfriends Edition)
1 day on, 1 off (comp time for yet another weekend)
3 days on, 1 off
2 days on, 5 off (Christmas)
3 days on, 2 off (New Years)
5 days on (two of them half-days), 4 off (Disney: Marathon Edition)
4.5 days on, 3.5 off (MLK weekend)
4 days on, 2 off
5 on, 2 off (another normal week, and the turning point where life will seem to get back to normal)
That last week mentioned is the week of Jan. 25. No wonder I feel so disoriented!
Sunday, January 04, 2009
There's a Monkey on That Dog! and Other Hockey Weirdness
We never know what sort of "extra" entertainment we'll get at any given hockey game. Sometimes, it's nothing more than Chris getting an exceptional view of one of his favorite cheerleaders. Sometimes there are celebrity sightings like Clay Aiken singing the National Anthem or Squirrel Nut Zippers performing on the ice. Sometimes it's human bowling or hamster ball races. Really, the entertainment runs the gamut.
But every now and then, something really unusual happens. For instance, back in first or second season of the ESA, (now the RBC Center), the classic film "MVP: Most Valuable Primate" opened in theaters. As a special treat, the ice skating chimp who starred in that film made his rounds to all the NHL arenas. If I am not mistaken, the first arena he visited was ours.
Our seats are very close to where the national anthem is sung, which is also where most of the entertainers come out onto the ice, so we always get an up-close view of whatever they are dishing out that night. Now, monkeys of all sorts give me the heebies. They are right up there with clowns and other things that look "almost human." I don't like 'em. Euw.
So super-chimp hits the ice and does his skating schtick. I leaned as far away from him as possible as he entered then exited the ice. When it was over, I breathed a sigh of relief. But then, Chimpy McSkater's handlers approached us. They wanted to take a promo shot of the chimp in the seats like he was watching the game. More specifically... MY seat.
So we moved down to the front row and allowed the chimp to sit and have his picture taken. If Chris weren't so superstitious about sitting in his actual seat at all times, I would have asked him to switch chairs with me for the rest of the game. Instead, I faced my fear and sat in monkey germs for the final period, thinking the whole time about that hairy monkey butt on the very sit I was currently perched in.
Fortunately, there hasn't been another monkey at a game. Until Friday night, that is. The rodeo was in town on Saturday, so they were promoting it at Friday's game. One of the featured acts is a little tiny organ-grinder monkey that rides a dog. A border collie. With a saddle and everything.
When they rolled out the carpet onto the ice, I knew it must me some rodeo performer. I peeked over my neighbors and saw the dog. "OOOOOO! A dog!" I said, excitedly, hitting Chris repeatedly on the arm.
"Yes, it is a dog," says Chris, affirming my astute observation.
"Oh my God, there's a monkey on that dog," says I.
"So there is," says my husband, non-chalantly. Then we watched in fascinated horror as the monkey rode the doggie out onto the ice and back again. Weirdest. Thing. Ever.
In other hockey news, last week we attended a game and sat in Chris' boss' seats at center ice with Athena and Marcus. My sister and her husband had our seats. Since our seats are behind a goal, there is a big net to prevent stray pucks from shooting out into the crowd and ultimately through some innocent person's head. But the sides of the rink are net-free. It's rare that a puck will head off into the crowd that way, just because of the way the players shoot the puck, but it does happen. In fact, by some crazy, random happenstance, it happened last Saturday while we were sitting center ice.
I was looking down tending to Athena in some way or another. I looked up just in time to see the puck heading right for us. Chris was first in line for the trajectory of the puck's flight, so he turned his shoulder to block it from hitting either of our children (or me, I'd like to think). As luck would have it, the gentleman next to Chris took the brunt of the hit instead... right on his thumb. It bounced off Chris's shoulder, then my hand, right into the empty seats in front of us. Some jerk-face jumped into those seats from across the aisle to snatch the puck, and didn't even consider offering it to the guy whose thumb was now as black as night and as big as a zucchini. Honestly, I've never seen a bruise form so quickly in my life. It must have hurt like a mother.
So two oddities in one week of hockey. Not a normal week at all. But I'll always prefer a guy taking a hit with a puck to a dog-riding monkey. Always. Euw.
But every now and then, something really unusual happens. For instance, back in first or second season of the ESA, (now the RBC Center), the classic film "MVP: Most Valuable Primate" opened in theaters. As a special treat, the ice skating chimp who starred in that film made his rounds to all the NHL arenas. If I am not mistaken, the first arena he visited was ours.
Our seats are very close to where the national anthem is sung, which is also where most of the entertainers come out onto the ice, so we always get an up-close view of whatever they are dishing out that night. Now, monkeys of all sorts give me the heebies. They are right up there with clowns and other things that look "almost human." I don't like 'em. Euw.
So super-chimp hits the ice and does his skating schtick. I leaned as far away from him as possible as he entered then exited the ice. When it was over, I breathed a sigh of relief. But then, Chimpy McSkater's handlers approached us. They wanted to take a promo shot of the chimp in the seats like he was watching the game. More specifically... MY seat.
So we moved down to the front row and allowed the chimp to sit and have his picture taken. If Chris weren't so superstitious about sitting in his actual seat at all times, I would have asked him to switch chairs with me for the rest of the game. Instead, I faced my fear and sat in monkey germs for the final period, thinking the whole time about that hairy monkey butt on the very sit I was currently perched in.
Fortunately, there hasn't been another monkey at a game. Until Friday night, that is. The rodeo was in town on Saturday, so they were promoting it at Friday's game. One of the featured acts is a little tiny organ-grinder monkey that rides a dog. A border collie. With a saddle and everything.
When they rolled out the carpet onto the ice, I knew it must me some rodeo performer. I peeked over my neighbors and saw the dog. "OOOOOO! A dog!" I said, excitedly, hitting Chris repeatedly on the arm.
"Yes, it is a dog," says Chris, affirming my astute observation.
"Oh my God, there's a monkey on that dog," says I.
"So there is," says my husband, non-chalantly. Then we watched in fascinated horror as the monkey rode the doggie out onto the ice and back again. Weirdest. Thing. Ever.
In other hockey news, last week we attended a game and sat in Chris' boss' seats at center ice with Athena and Marcus. My sister and her husband had our seats. Since our seats are behind a goal, there is a big net to prevent stray pucks from shooting out into the crowd and ultimately through some innocent person's head. But the sides of the rink are net-free. It's rare that a puck will head off into the crowd that way, just because of the way the players shoot the puck, but it does happen. In fact, by some crazy, random happenstance, it happened last Saturday while we were sitting center ice.
I was looking down tending to Athena in some way or another. I looked up just in time to see the puck heading right for us. Chris was first in line for the trajectory of the puck's flight, so he turned his shoulder to block it from hitting either of our children (or me, I'd like to think). As luck would have it, the gentleman next to Chris took the brunt of the hit instead... right on his thumb. It bounced off Chris's shoulder, then my hand, right into the empty seats in front of us. Some jerk-face jumped into those seats from across the aisle to snatch the puck, and didn't even consider offering it to the guy whose thumb was now as black as night and as big as a zucchini. Honestly, I've never seen a bruise form so quickly in my life. It must have hurt like a mother.
So two oddities in one week of hockey. Not a normal week at all. But I'll always prefer a guy taking a hit with a puck to a dog-riding monkey. Always. Euw.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
May I Feed Your Addiction?
A coworker got me hooked on a blog called Cake Wrecks. I've been hooked for about a month now, and I simply can't keep this fabulous site to myself any longer. Go there. But I warn you... don't take a big sip of soda right before, because you will laugh so hard it will come out your nose.
Or in some cases, your jaw will drop in disbelief. I don't think there is a single reader of mine (out of all ten of you) who would not LOVE this blog.
Or in some cases, your jaw will drop in disbelief. I don't think there is a single reader of mine (out of all ten of you) who would not LOVE this blog.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Ghost Writer
Another Disney blogger friend of mine was kind enough to allow me to write a guest post for him about my recent trip to Disney as part of the fan convention known as MouseFest. It's not as relevant to my non-Disneyphile friends as my guest post on Imaginerding back in May, but it's fun anyway. Check it out on Ryan's blog: The Main Street Gazette! (There are pictures!)
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Entourage
We lovingly refer to Marcus as "Young MC" or "MC MC." This is not because we have aspirations of him becoming the worlds next great white rapper -- though if he wants to make millions and support us for the rest of his life, I'm totally down with it. But honestly, it's just cute, because his initials are MC. However... it seems that at least part of the rapper lifestyle has become his hallmark. He has an entourage.
Young MC is fond of his zebra. For several months, he carried Zebra everywhere. So I bought him a second, with the idea that while one is in the wash, he'd still have one. Unfortunately, about two weeks into having two Zebras in the house, he discovered the second, and he then began insisting on having TWO Zebras with him at all times. As time marched on, he added random stuffed toys to this group... most notably, Mickey Mouse, Tigger, and various and sundry bears.
But it couldn't stop there. As his hockey fixation grew, so did his fixation with "hockey blanket"--a quilt-type blanket one of my mom's friends made for him when he was born. And of course, where there is a blanket, so must a pillow go.
Every morning, when Marcus wakes up, he totters into our room with full entourage. Sometimes it takes two trips, mind you, but before he will climb into bed with us, he assaults me with pillow and blanket, then adds Zebra one and Zebra two... then whatever other hangers on he has deemed worthy to start the day with him. Only then will he climb in and settle down, pressing his ice cold toes against my warm back.
The entourage also must watch television with him, and occasionally even makes it downstairs for breakfast. Explaining that his entire entourage cannot join him at school today is just another hurdle we have to jump in our daily routine.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out as he gets older. Will he have a gang of friends that he is ALWAYS seen with? Along with a few stragglers who sometimes make the cut and sometimes don't, depending on Young MC's mood? We'll be watching.
Young MC is fond of his zebra. For several months, he carried Zebra everywhere. So I bought him a second, with the idea that while one is in the wash, he'd still have one. Unfortunately, about two weeks into having two Zebras in the house, he discovered the second, and he then began insisting on having TWO Zebras with him at all times. As time marched on, he added random stuffed toys to this group... most notably, Mickey Mouse, Tigger, and various and sundry bears.
But it couldn't stop there. As his hockey fixation grew, so did his fixation with "hockey blanket"--a quilt-type blanket one of my mom's friends made for him when he was born. And of course, where there is a blanket, so must a pillow go.
Every morning, when Marcus wakes up, he totters into our room with full entourage. Sometimes it takes two trips, mind you, but before he will climb into bed with us, he assaults me with pillow and blanket, then adds Zebra one and Zebra two... then whatever other hangers on he has deemed worthy to start the day with him. Only then will he climb in and settle down, pressing his ice cold toes against my warm back.
The entourage also must watch television with him, and occasionally even makes it downstairs for breakfast. Explaining that his entire entourage cannot join him at school today is just another hurdle we have to jump in our daily routine.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out as he gets older. Will he have a gang of friends that he is ALWAYS seen with? Along with a few stragglers who sometimes make the cut and sometimes don't, depending on Young MC's mood? We'll be watching.
Friday, December 19, 2008
My Inner Child Runs the Place
I have another opportunity to go to Disney--this time to see the marathon. I say "opportunity" because seriously, I wasn't planning to go, and two friends invited me to bunk in with them. It's an event I've always wanted to see, and now I'll know someone who is running. (Technically, she's running the half-marathon, but it's still a long freaking run). They invited me partially to save some money on their hotel stay presumably, but also because I'm just gosh darn fun to be around. Especially at Disney.
I'm kicking the idea around, and until tonight, was almost certain I would go. But I'm having second thoughts now. After all, I was just there this week. Monday, to be exact, and three weeks from today, I'd be smack in the middle of this upcoming trip. It's another trip without my kids or my husband. And really, at this point, I am not in need of another vacation. I am quite recharged and back on my feet.
But still, the lure is there. Disney World is my happy place. Most people don't get that. Several friends are launching an intervention, as they feel I have a serious problem. And honestly, I suppose I do. These friends that invited me... they get it. And hanging at Disney with people who "get it" is truly appealing.
So now I struggle. Do I act like a responsible adult, save the money (a small amount compared to any normal Disney trip), and stay home with my family? Or do I continue to let my inner child run free? Sure, it's important to be a responsible adult, but I have tons of responsibility day to day, and it's really nice to let go of it every once in a while. I don't ever want to become an uptight fussbag just because I lose touch with what it's like to ... well... lose touch.
My vices are few. I indulge in an alcoholic beverage from time to time. I stuff myself with fine food when I can. I'm tragically addicted to diet sodas. And I have Disney as my only drug of choice. Not bad, all things considered. And way cheaper than cocaine in the long run.
At least I can say that this decision is difficult to make. I'm not leaping carelessly nor am I saying "no" simply because it's the responsible thing to do. Chris has given me until tomorrow night to decide, because if I don't go, he is going out to buy my Christmas present Sunday morning. If I go, that's my Christmas present.
There are people out there trying to decide if they can afford to eat, and here I am mulling over whether or not to go to Disney. Again.
I suck.
I'm kicking the idea around, and until tonight, was almost certain I would go. But I'm having second thoughts now. After all, I was just there this week. Monday, to be exact, and three weeks from today, I'd be smack in the middle of this upcoming trip. It's another trip without my kids or my husband. And really, at this point, I am not in need of another vacation. I am quite recharged and back on my feet.
But still, the lure is there. Disney World is my happy place. Most people don't get that. Several friends are launching an intervention, as they feel I have a serious problem. And honestly, I suppose I do. These friends that invited me... they get it. And hanging at Disney with people who "get it" is truly appealing.
So now I struggle. Do I act like a responsible adult, save the money (a small amount compared to any normal Disney trip), and stay home with my family? Or do I continue to let my inner child run free? Sure, it's important to be a responsible adult, but I have tons of responsibility day to day, and it's really nice to let go of it every once in a while. I don't ever want to become an uptight fussbag just because I lose touch with what it's like to ... well... lose touch.
My vices are few. I indulge in an alcoholic beverage from time to time. I stuff myself with fine food when I can. I'm tragically addicted to diet sodas. And I have Disney as my only drug of choice. Not bad, all things considered. And way cheaper than cocaine in the long run.
At least I can say that this decision is difficult to make. I'm not leaping carelessly nor am I saying "no" simply because it's the responsible thing to do. Chris has given me until tomorrow night to decide, because if I don't go, he is going out to buy my Christmas present Sunday morning. If I go, that's my Christmas present.
There are people out there trying to decide if they can afford to eat, and here I am mulling over whether or not to go to Disney. Again.
I suck.
Friday, December 12, 2008
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Thursday, December 11, 2008
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Tuesday, December 09, 2008
I Stand Corrected
As we crossed the parking lot at daycare this morning, Athena turned around and started walking backwards. (No cars were coming, don't worry). She beamed at me and the following conversation ensued:
Athena: Mommy, look at what I can do!
Me: Yes, Athena, that is awesome.
Athena: *beam*
Me: Watch out for the step up!
Athena: *turning around so she doesn't fall and bust her bum* Was that good, Mommy?
Me: Yes, Athena. You have some serious backward-walking skills!
Athena: I have one HUNDRED of skills!
Me: You have MAD skillz!
Athena: *after a thoughtful pause* No, Mommy! Not MAD skills! HAPPY skills!
Athena: Mommy, look at what I can do!
Me: Yes, Athena, that is awesome.
Athena: *beam*
Me: Watch out for the step up!
Athena: *turning around so she doesn't fall and bust her bum* Was that good, Mommy?
Me: Yes, Athena. You have some serious backward-walking skills!
Athena: I have one HUNDRED of skills!
Me: You have MAD skillz!
Athena: *after a thoughtful pause* No, Mommy! Not MAD skills! HAPPY skills!
Sunday, December 07, 2008
We Need a Little Christmas... Wait, No We Don't
I have totally screwed myself this year as far as the holidays go. Really. Starting with the Disney trip in October, it has been a 90mph luge event since then.
I have managed to purchase about six gifts... the ones for my kids' teachers. Other than that... nada. Chris and I bought something for Marcus at the hockey game earlier this week, but then found that grandma had made an identical purchase. Ours will now become the backup for when he loses parts of the first one.
Anyhoo... here is what our calendar has looked like since Disney... (each bullet is a different weekend)
- Elizabeth works (which means Chris gets laundry done and barely hangs on to his sanity. Nothing much else can get done, as the kids stomp all over him).
- Chris and Elizabeth go to High Point for their "anniversary trip" at a gaming convention, where they spend precisely four waking hours together within about 48 hours. Kids stay with grandma, though. That's a bonus.
- "Free" weekend to pack and prepare for the upcoming onslaught.
- Thanksgiving weekend, in which we go to Richmond, VA; Warrenton, VA; and back home, then I work Saturday and Sunday.
- Elizabeth works (again)
- Elizabeth is at Disney World (where she will obviously have to do some Christmas shopping)
- Elizabeth works (again)
- Christmas
Egads.
Friends told me recently that Chris and I run around so much... we're so busy... they don't know how we do it. I'll tell you how we do it...
Our house is a cluttered disaster. There are dishes in our sink at least 50% of the time. There is always laundry on the floor. Beds are only made once a week when I change the sheets. Our house is total chaos.
Chris and I agreed last night that this simply HAS to change. We cannot live like this. So I have five days off for Christmas. At least two of those should be kid-free as I will use the daycare for every last penny we pay them. I am going to roll up my sleeves, organize the house, and be sure systems are in place so it doesn't happen again.
Either that, or I'm going to be running to the stores to buy presents and wrap them.
And putting up the tree.
And taking down the Halloween decorations.
Egad.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Vote on the Next Caran Vacation
Before kids, Chris and I started a project. We decided we wanted to see our hockey team play in every NHL arena. There are only 30, and we figured it was as good a way as any to see parts of the US and Canada we might never see. Unfortunately, it does mean going to cold places in the winter, but I think we can suck it up and deal.
We had a couple of really good years where we knocked out five "foreign" arenas on two coasts (Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, New Jersey, and Nassau C. on Long Island). Then the kids started gestating and being born, and we had to put things on hold. Still, that's one fifth of the arenas done. There are still some close by, and some not so close.
I now have a $50 credit on Southwest, and in the bad economy, we thought we might be able to get some good deals on travel. So we're thinking that we'll restart our project in 2009 with a long weekend somewhere. So... here are the possibilities. Which should we do?
Sat., Feb. 7 at Phoenix Coyotes - we could perhaps visit Jessey, but we'd want to take the kids, and that's a long flight. Still, we've never been to Phoenix.
Sun., Feb 15 at Buffalo - I've never seen the falls. And this is a big rivalry.
Sat., Feb 28 at Atlanta - This is close enough we could drive in a year where we didn't have plane fare. Also, Chris and I were just there in September. So I'm obviously not as interested in this.
Sat., Mar 7 at Tampa - Um, yeah... I'd totally make us go to Disney World if we did this. I'm just sayin'... it's only 90 miles or so.
Sat., Mar 14 at Washington, DC - Again, we can drive here, although if it's between Atlanta and Washington, I'd pick Washington. Lots for the kids to do there and we have lots of family and friends around there.
So which should we do? What do you think?
We had a couple of really good years where we knocked out five "foreign" arenas on two coasts (Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, New Jersey, and Nassau C. on Long Island). Then the kids started gestating and being born, and we had to put things on hold. Still, that's one fifth of the arenas done. There are still some close by, and some not so close.
I now have a $50 credit on Southwest, and in the bad economy, we thought we might be able to get some good deals on travel. So we're thinking that we'll restart our project in 2009 with a long weekend somewhere. So... here are the possibilities. Which should we do?
Sat., Feb. 7 at Phoenix Coyotes - we could perhaps visit Jessey, but we'd want to take the kids, and that's a long flight. Still, we've never been to Phoenix.
Sun., Feb 15 at Buffalo - I've never seen the falls. And this is a big rivalry.
Sat., Feb 28 at Atlanta - This is close enough we could drive in a year where we didn't have plane fare. Also, Chris and I were just there in September. So I'm obviously not as interested in this.
Sat., Mar 7 at Tampa - Um, yeah... I'd totally make us go to Disney World if we did this. I'm just sayin'... it's only 90 miles or so.
Sat., Mar 14 at Washington, DC - Again, we can drive here, although if it's between Atlanta and Washington, I'd pick Washington. Lots for the kids to do there and we have lots of family and friends around there.
So which should we do? What do you think?
Saturday, November 29, 2008
End of the Year Rush
Brace yourselves. I'm going to Disney again. In about 11 days. Leaving on the 10th. And this time, no kids. Going with four girlfriends. For five days. So the pictures for this trip should be quite different than the last trip. And let me just say for the record, if my nose seems a little red, or my cheeks a little flushed in these pictures coming up, it's just that Florida sunshine. It has nothing to do with Jack Daniels. Nothing.
This is the end of our Fall/Winter 2008 rush. It started with the trip to Dragon*Con over Labor Day. Then the trip to Disney with the kids and the Gundlachs, then a smaller convention in High Point, then Northern Virginia for Thanksgiving. Now it's Disney again, and Christmas. If you don't think it seems all that hectic, keep in mind that I work every third weekend. So basically, if we are in town, I'm working. We even had to make the Northern VA tour short so I could work THIS weekend.
And sometime in this chaos, I have to go shopping for Christmas. Fortunately, it wasn't yesterday. People are crazy. Seriously.
So if my posts continue to be few and far between, it's because I don't really have much time to sit and write. The kids continue to be hilarious and frustrating at the same time, we continue to live and work and play, but we don't write so much.
Oh, and we play Rock Band. And let me just say, I am a pretty damn good drummer, if I do say so myself.
This is the end of our Fall/Winter 2008 rush. It started with the trip to Dragon*Con over Labor Day. Then the trip to Disney with the kids and the Gundlachs, then a smaller convention in High Point, then Northern Virginia for Thanksgiving. Now it's Disney again, and Christmas. If you don't think it seems all that hectic, keep in mind that I work every third weekend. So basically, if we are in town, I'm working. We even had to make the Northern VA tour short so I could work THIS weekend.
And sometime in this chaos, I have to go shopping for Christmas. Fortunately, it wasn't yesterday. People are crazy. Seriously.
So if my posts continue to be few and far between, it's because I don't really have much time to sit and write. The kids continue to be hilarious and frustrating at the same time, we continue to live and work and play, but we don't write so much.
Oh, and we play Rock Band. And let me just say, I am a pretty damn good drummer, if I do say so myself.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
We've Got You Surrounded, Ma'am
Yesterday was the UNC/NC State football game. If you aren't aware, this is a big rivalry. Any game between UNC, NC State, or Duke is always huge because they are all within 20 miles of each other... making for excellent war games. It also means many people manage to marry "across the borders," so to speak, and Chris and I are one of those couples. I've written about it before, but I'm currently too lazy to look up my previous post.
Anyway, back to yesterday. UNC (aka "the Heels," "Carolina," or "The Good Guys" -- I will use those terms interchangably) was completely murdered on the field by NC State (aka "State," "Pack," "Wolfpack," or "bloody hicks." You can tell where my loyalties lie). Murdered. Sliced open and eaten for dinner. It was bad. Seriously.
As it happens, we were expecting company last night for dinner, so as we watched the game, I baked a cake. Then, our friends called us to cancel. They had pulled "an Elizabeth," which means they totally planned two things for the same night without ever really putting together that both things could not actually happen at the same time unless they cloned themselves and their kids.
Since our kids had been Jonesing for some time with other creatures their own age, we scrapped dinner and headed out to Monkey Joes... a bounce house place where the kids can run around, scream, and generally cause a ruckus without destroying our home.
It was very crowded. Lots of people in red State and light blue Carolina shirts milling about. Obviously, this was a promise made to many small children forced to sit in a freezing cold stadium for three hours... "If you sit quietly through this, we'll go to Monkey Joes!"
Anyway, after an hour of battling the bajillion small people, we left and went to Gypsy's Shiny Diner, a Cary landmark that is, as you would expect, a shiny diner. We were seated promptly and fed a little less promptly. As we were digging into our burgers and corn dogs, a table of folks all in red were seated close to us. And now begins my own personal version of "The Birds."
I could tell from the conversation these guys had with the waitress that they were regulars, and that they were expecting more. Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, four more red shirts showed up and sat at the table beside us. Five minutes later... four more appeared at the booth adjacent to us, right behind Chris and Marcus. Soon, another four diagonally behind us, and sure enough, another four directly behind me. It was at this point that I could read some of the red shirts, and I learned that this was, in fact, the NCSU Marching Band and not, unfortunately, a particularly gruesome Star Trek episode.
The enemy was here. And they had won. Soundly. And they had me completely surrounded.
I looked up at Chris, and could tell he was reading my mind. I saw immediately that in his own Borgian way, he had already mind-melded with my antagonists and was enjoying the process. All I could say was, "Um... I'm actually starting to feel a little unconfortable." He laughed.
I excused myself to take Athena to the restroom. While I was gone, he completed his assimilation and informed the red shirts of my loyalties. They didn't say anything immediately when I returned, but when Chris got up to pay the bill... it started.
"Shhhhhhh... It's the Heels fan..."
"Don't look directly at her..."
"No, look at her... it will freak her out..."
All in good fun... I hope.
Regardless, I hightailed it out of there before they could peck my eyes out.
Anyway, back to yesterday. UNC (aka "the Heels," "Carolina," or "The Good Guys" -- I will use those terms interchangably) was completely murdered on the field by NC State (aka "State," "Pack," "Wolfpack," or "bloody hicks." You can tell where my loyalties lie). Murdered. Sliced open and eaten for dinner. It was bad. Seriously.
As it happens, we were expecting company last night for dinner, so as we watched the game, I baked a cake. Then, our friends called us to cancel. They had pulled "an Elizabeth," which means they totally planned two things for the same night without ever really putting together that both things could not actually happen at the same time unless they cloned themselves and their kids.
Since our kids had been Jonesing for some time with other creatures their own age, we scrapped dinner and headed out to Monkey Joes... a bounce house place where the kids can run around, scream, and generally cause a ruckus without destroying our home.
It was very crowded. Lots of people in red State and light blue Carolina shirts milling about. Obviously, this was a promise made to many small children forced to sit in a freezing cold stadium for three hours... "If you sit quietly through this, we'll go to Monkey Joes!"
Anyway, after an hour of battling the bajillion small people, we left and went to Gypsy's Shiny Diner, a Cary landmark that is, as you would expect, a shiny diner. We were seated promptly and fed a little less promptly. As we were digging into our burgers and corn dogs, a table of folks all in red were seated close to us. And now begins my own personal version of "The Birds."
I could tell from the conversation these guys had with the waitress that they were regulars, and that they were expecting more. Sure enough, fifteen minutes later, four more red shirts showed up and sat at the table beside us. Five minutes later... four more appeared at the booth adjacent to us, right behind Chris and Marcus. Soon, another four diagonally behind us, and sure enough, another four directly behind me. It was at this point that I could read some of the red shirts, and I learned that this was, in fact, the NCSU Marching Band and not, unfortunately, a particularly gruesome Star Trek episode.
The enemy was here. And they had won. Soundly. And they had me completely surrounded.
I looked up at Chris, and could tell he was reading my mind. I saw immediately that in his own Borgian way, he had already mind-melded with my antagonists and was enjoying the process. All I could say was, "Um... I'm actually starting to feel a little unconfortable." He laughed.
I excused myself to take Athena to the restroom. While I was gone, he completed his assimilation and informed the red shirts of my loyalties. They didn't say anything immediately when I returned, but when Chris got up to pay the bill... it started.
"Shhhhhhh... It's the Heels fan..."
"Don't look directly at her..."
"No, look at her... it will freak her out..."
All in good fun... I hope.
Regardless, I hightailed it out of there before they could peck my eyes out.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Like This Is a Surprise
Elizabeth's Dewey Decimal Section:
649 Child rearing & home care of persons
Elizabeth = 529612508 = 529+612+508 = 1649
Class:
600 Technology
Contains:
Health, agriculture, management, public relations, buildings.
What it says about you:
You are creative and inspired to make the world a better place. You can work hard on something when it catches your interest. Your friends have unique interests in common with you.
Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com
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