So I don't know...I guess in my last post I was just feeling reflective. That's what happens when I stay up too late and don't have anything better to do. Misguided energy - the curse of every insomniac. At least I can stay up late blogging, instead of organizing my closet to perfection. I used to be a real clothes horse - I think I probably shopped about every week - I had tons and tons of clothes. And I would be up at 2 in the morning, organizing away. Now I just blog.
But today I'm not feeling reflective or interested. Totally not in the mood to travel down memory lane. Partly because I'm in prep mode - I'm trying to get us ready for vacation. So far I'm on schedule but that worries me because that usually means I'm forgetting about something big. But we've got our flight, our hotel and I get tickets to Disney on Friday. So that's all the important stuff, right?
I'm off to finish this pile of laundry. Step 1 in the packing process almost complete...
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Northern Stars
So something happened the other day.
I was at the park with M2, pushing her on the swing when I had a sudden and random recollection of something a former boyfriend had once said to me. And I guess in actuality it wasn't that random - it was, after all, directly linked to my thoughts. But it felt random - that something said so long ago, something I haven't thought about in years, had suddenly floated up front and center in my mind.
Not that having memories from a previous relationship is strange. But it's usually tied to some event, experience, something we've done...not just some random, old, insignificant conversation. It was weird that the memory was so vivid and clear, like recalling a conversation that happened yesterday. We're talking about something that was said almost 20 years ago. I can barely remember things said last week...
Really though, the memory itself seemed odd. I'm so far removed and disconnected from it that it was almost like recalling a scene from a movie. Like we were characters and that wasn't really me. And I guess, in a way, it's not. Not me now, today. It was hard to recognize that person. For a multitude of reasons. But mainly because that's the thing about change - once you move to a point, it's really hard to remember what it was like before you got there.
But I understand that these layers, these events - all these things in life that we experience - they all play a role in shaping where we are. I would have liked to believe that I walked away from every relationship unscathed, unchanged and unmarked. But I know that isn't possible. Even if I don't think about or recall the conversations, they had some impact. Not singularly, of course, but collectively they've made an imprint.
This one in particular was a doozy.
Tomorrow is our anniversary so it probably seems odd that I’m talking about past relationships. But it isn’t, really. After all, isn’t it all kinda interrelated? I mean honestly, the beginning of my relationship with my husband was shaped before I ever even knew him.
Because I’m a sentimental sap, I dried and saved all the roses I’ve ever been given. When we got married, I took the petals from the roses of former boyfriends and the flower girls sprinkled those down the aisle. Because it really was those past relationships that lead me to my husband. Those relationships were over and gone but they were still meaningful and important in their own way.
And I liked the satisfaction of crushing those symbols of love under my feet.
So I'm dedicating this week’s blogging to past love. Probably not the most entertaining reading but a lot cheaper than therapy. Be scared, very, very scared...
I was at the park with M2, pushing her on the swing when I had a sudden and random recollection of something a former boyfriend had once said to me. And I guess in actuality it wasn't that random - it was, after all, directly linked to my thoughts. But it felt random - that something said so long ago, something I haven't thought about in years, had suddenly floated up front and center in my mind.
Not that having memories from a previous relationship is strange. But it's usually tied to some event, experience, something we've done...not just some random, old, insignificant conversation. It was weird that the memory was so vivid and clear, like recalling a conversation that happened yesterday. We're talking about something that was said almost 20 years ago. I can barely remember things said last week...
Really though, the memory itself seemed odd. I'm so far removed and disconnected from it that it was almost like recalling a scene from a movie. Like we were characters and that wasn't really me. And I guess, in a way, it's not. Not me now, today. It was hard to recognize that person. For a multitude of reasons. But mainly because that's the thing about change - once you move to a point, it's really hard to remember what it was like before you got there.
But I understand that these layers, these events - all these things in life that we experience - they all play a role in shaping where we are. I would have liked to believe that I walked away from every relationship unscathed, unchanged and unmarked. But I know that isn't possible. Even if I don't think about or recall the conversations, they had some impact. Not singularly, of course, but collectively they've made an imprint.
This one in particular was a doozy.
Tomorrow is our anniversary so it probably seems odd that I’m talking about past relationships. But it isn’t, really. After all, isn’t it all kinda interrelated? I mean honestly, the beginning of my relationship with my husband was shaped before I ever even knew him.
Because I’m a sentimental sap, I dried and saved all the roses I’ve ever been given. When we got married, I took the petals from the roses of former boyfriends and the flower girls sprinkled those down the aisle. Because it really was those past relationships that lead me to my husband. Those relationships were over and gone but they were still meaningful and important in their own way.
And I liked the satisfaction of crushing those symbols of love under my feet.
So I'm dedicating this week’s blogging to past love. Probably not the most entertaining reading but a lot cheaper than therapy. Be scared, very, very scared...
Friday, May 16, 2014
Butt Mom...
So this was just too funny not to share...
We ran to Homeland to pick up a few things and as we get in line I hear M say "Mom, this looks just like you!" I look up and she's pointing to this:
She saw the look of surprise on my face and quickly added "But you know, not so...big." and then looked to see if that was okay. And I was surprised. For multiple reasons...
The opportunity for a teachable moment overrode my shock so I smiled and replied, "It's okay, I think Mommy's butt is bigger than that - and that's okay." Because I want my girls to love themselves and their bodies, no matter what their size and I know they learn most of that from watching me. So yeah, I'm gonna rock this big ol' butt.
Then I was seriously compelled to break out singing "I like big butts and I can not lie. You other brothers can't deny..." But I refrained.
Although I was singing it in my head for the rest of the night...
We ran to Homeland to pick up a few things and as we get in line I hear M say "Mom, this looks just like you!" I look up and she's pointing to this:
She saw the look of surprise on my face and quickly added "But you know, not so...big." and then looked to see if that was okay. And I was surprised. For multiple reasons...
The opportunity for a teachable moment overrode my shock so I smiled and replied, "It's okay, I think Mommy's butt is bigger than that - and that's okay." Because I want my girls to love themselves and their bodies, no matter what their size and I know they learn most of that from watching me. So yeah, I'm gonna rock this big ol' butt.
Then I was seriously compelled to break out singing "I like big butts and I can not lie. You other brothers can't deny..." But I refrained.
Although I was singing it in my head for the rest of the night...
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Thunderstruck
The first words out of my mouth this morning were "You missed an awesome game."
Last night's Thunder game was amazing. Even if you aren't a Thunder fan, you just have to appreciate that level of basketball. It was close enough throughout the game that you actually believed there was a chance - we're all at home on our couches chanting "Come on guys, come on!" and then, at the very, very end they pulled out the win. Ah-mazing.
I normally don't mind, actually kind of like, that my husband goes to bed so early. But not last night - that was so not a game that should have been watched alone. I don't know, I just felt like I needed someone to share in the excitement with me. It's just not the same when you high-five yourself...
I went to bed right after so I didn't watch any of the post-game interviews but I did hear it on the radio coming in to work this morning. And I totally get the emotion behind it, but really Doc Rivers? There were a ton of bad calls during game 4 - a ton! Could they have changed the course of the game? Yes, but that's just part of the game. Disappointing and sometimes unfair...but generally understood and accepted. Not to mention they didn't call the foul! So let's just say they did give the ball to the Clippers and they won - who would have been robbed then?
So his take was kinda interesting...I'm sure all coaches have felt that way but it kinda felt like bad sportsmanship to me. And apparently the NBA agrees since they've slapped him with a fine.
Either way, these games are good and only going to get more intense. Let's get a win for game 6 and close this out!
Last night's Thunder game was amazing. Even if you aren't a Thunder fan, you just have to appreciate that level of basketball. It was close enough throughout the game that you actually believed there was a chance - we're all at home on our couches chanting "Come on guys, come on!" and then, at the very, very end they pulled out the win. Ah-mazing.
I normally don't mind, actually kind of like, that my husband goes to bed so early. But not last night - that was so not a game that should have been watched alone. I don't know, I just felt like I needed someone to share in the excitement with me. It's just not the same when you high-five yourself...
I went to bed right after so I didn't watch any of the post-game interviews but I did hear it on the radio coming in to work this morning. And I totally get the emotion behind it, but really Doc Rivers? There were a ton of bad calls during game 4 - a ton! Could they have changed the course of the game? Yes, but that's just part of the game. Disappointing and sometimes unfair...but generally understood and accepted. Not to mention they didn't call the foul! So let's just say they did give the ball to the Clippers and they won - who would have been robbed then?
So his take was kinda interesting...I'm sure all coaches have felt that way but it kinda felt like bad sportsmanship to me. And apparently the NBA agrees since they've slapped him with a fine.
Either way, these games are good and only going to get more intense. Let's get a win for game 6 and close this out!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Green Thumb Envy
So our sweet little town awards "Yard of The Month". This prestigious title is bestowed to the owner of the most well-manicured and perfect lawn and is punctuated with a lovely white sign that proudly declares "Yard of The Month" so that all that drive by can adequately revel at such a glorious yard.
Really, there are only about a dozen or so homes that ever get the honor - there's just not that many of us that are willing or able to put that much time and energy into grass. Apparently this really burns our neighbors up. The wife is on a crusade to win Yard of The Month, at no cost.
A few months ago I noticed a serious of ornaments and other items displayed haphazardly in the their yard. At first, I thought they were preparing for a garage sale and I began to quietly pre-select some items I found interesting. But that weekend, as I headed over to make a winning offer of $1.25, I witnessed my neighbor furiously arranging and rearranging. Apparently, all of these items had been intentionally and thoughtfully laid out and she was simply doing "yard work". Which I thought required actually working on the yard...but what do I know?
So every weekend she's out there doing something different. And the collection of items and their showcase gets more and more bizarre. The husband confided that she believes the "Yard of The Month" is rigged and that they aren't connected enough to win. So she's out to prove it's all a big, fat lie.
In the meantime, I'm living next door to what can only be described as...interesting.
This is only one section of the yard:
Is that a heap of dirt? And little bird houses on rocks?
Yes, this is the finished product. Because everyone understands that a pile of dirt is what wins you the best yard on the block! Wait...what are those little things on top of the tree stump...could those be...surely not...
Why yes, yes they are! Because no yard is complete without tiny fairy dolls.
I'm about one more item away from painting my own little white sign and sticking it in her yard. Except mine will say "Your Freakin Yard Looks Fantastic. STOP the madness!"
Really, there are only about a dozen or so homes that ever get the honor - there's just not that many of us that are willing or able to put that much time and energy into grass. Apparently this really burns our neighbors up. The wife is on a crusade to win Yard of The Month, at no cost.
A few months ago I noticed a serious of ornaments and other items displayed haphazardly in the their yard. At first, I thought they were preparing for a garage sale and I began to quietly pre-select some items I found interesting. But that weekend, as I headed over to make a winning offer of $1.25, I witnessed my neighbor furiously arranging and rearranging. Apparently, all of these items had been intentionally and thoughtfully laid out and she was simply doing "yard work". Which I thought required actually working on the yard...but what do I know?
So every weekend she's out there doing something different. And the collection of items and their showcase gets more and more bizarre. The husband confided that she believes the "Yard of The Month" is rigged and that they aren't connected enough to win. So she's out to prove it's all a big, fat lie.
In the meantime, I'm living next door to what can only be described as...interesting.
This is only one section of the yard:
Yes, this is the finished product. Because everyone understands that a pile of dirt is what wins you the best yard on the block! Wait...what are those little things on top of the tree stump...could those be...surely not...
Why yes, yes they are! Because no yard is complete without tiny fairy dolls.
I'm about one more item away from painting my own little white sign and sticking it in her yard. Except mine will say "Your Freakin Yard Looks Fantastic. STOP the madness!"
Monday, May 12, 2014
A Weekend In Review: Picture Edition
The super cool thing, if you like kinda gross stuff, was that I got to watch hubby's eye surgery. It wasn't graphic, at all, but it was a little painful to watch just because well, they're doing a bunch of stuff that you would think should never be done to an eye. They came in before surgery and marked his eye with a pen, which was super weird and awesome all at the same time.
 |
| See the blue pen mark? |
 |
| 1 day post-op: the swelling had gone down significantly but they are still super swollen. |
I was responsible for most all of the post-op care. Which included administering three different kinds of medication every hour. Which is way more fun when you've got to walk upstairs to do that.
 |
| I only got to take this picture because he couldn't see me do it! |
But I shouldn't complain that I ran up the stairs like 274 times this weekend. I really needed the exercise, I didn't make it to the gym once last week. Not once! I haven't been that bad about working out in a long, long time. I might miss a random day here or there but I usually get in at least 4 days. And I can tell a difference. I know that sounds crazy but I feel like I've gained 10 pounds. Of course, I've been eating like crap and eating a lot too so that doesn't help...I have my gym bag and I'm ready to get back at it today.
The rest of the weekend you can see by the pictures. Not trying to be a sloppy blogger..okay, maybe I am. But what can I say about them that you can't figure out on your own? I got to celebrate my sister's graduation and honor my mother and grandmother for Mother's day.
My sister gave me a "Stole of Gratitude" - she gave this really sweet speech about how I encouraged her and motived her and how my support and guidance helped her through school. It was really touching and meant a lot to me - so I cried. Typical. But here it is, her day, and she's making it about me. Because that's just how awesome my sisters are.
If you ever think I look young, you just have to look at my genetics. Maybe it's just me but I don't see two woman that look like they will be 60 and 80 on their next birthdays...but it's a trade off because I also got the short and squat gene from them too. So thanks and thanks for that Mom!
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Mayhem
Mark this one down as the busiest month I've had in a while - apparently May is the month. For everything!
We started with a bang when M2 had tubes put in. That was really nerve-wracking. I don't know why, I was just really scared about her going under. I know the anesthesia mortality rate from this procedure is extremely rare - 1:250,000 (yes, I actually looked it up) but still it's kinda hard to turn her over and just trust it will all be okay. Well, I guess it's not that hard because hubby had no problems with it - no fear whatsoever. But I just kept thinking, what's if she's that one? Because that one belongs to somebody. So I said a lot of prayers and asked for a lot of prayers and within 20 minutes she was back in my arms and all was well.
And she couldn't have been more proud. She was telling anyone that happened to walk by that she got tubes. I guess at 4, that's some pretty exciting stuff. Especially because she's got tubes and big sister doesn't. She thought that was way cool.
Then we knocked out our first wedding of the month. The girls got to be in the wedding so that was especially cute. There was the dispute afterwards about who got to throw the most pedals but at least they saved it for after the wedding and not during the ceremony. Honestly, I'm shocked they didn't stop mid-aisle with a "that's not fair!" since that seems to be our favorite phrase these days. Yeah, it's not fair that I don't look like Sofia Vergara but you don't see me crying about it, do ya?
We've got our second surgery tomorrow. Husband's getting his eyes done. He wasn't a candidate for lasik so they'll actually have to cut it. It's more uncomfortable and the recovery is a little longer but I think it will be worth it. I don't know though...ask me after I've listened to him whine all day and I may change my mind.
This weekend my little sister will graduate with her bachelors degree! I'm so proud of her. She didn't go down the traditional road and it's taken her a while to get there but she kicked butt! She's graduating cum laude. AND she's already been accepted into a graduate program. She was thisclose to going to OU and I thought I might be able to win her over to our side but she made a different decision. Dang, still outnumbered! For now...
And of course there's Mother's Day. For once I think my Mom will actually get to just relax instead of running around trying to host. Just because she has no other choice - she sprained one ankle and broke the other in two places. It was a pretty bad injury and the three screws she recently had inserted support that claim. So we'll finally get her to sit still and just hang out. Not the way I really wanted but...hey, at least she won't be working her tail off like she normally does.
Then one of our dearest friends - the closest I've ever had to a brother - is having a baby. Okay, technically he's not having the baby - but you get it. We're driving about 3 hours to celebrate and then turning back around right after and coming home. Just because we have no free time to stay the entire weekend. It really stinks that some of the people we like the most live so far away!
Of course we'll squeeze in a little anniversary celebration in there somewhere. I'm not sure we'll do anything big - I don't think we have the time. And it seems like the longer we're married the less elaborate the celebration. Not that it isn't special but when your life is filled with homework, cooking, cleaning, laundry and three different sports practices a week it's a celebration just to survive.
We're ending the month with a family vacation. Taking the girls to Disneyland! So pumped! Seriously, out of all the cool things happening this month, that's what I'm most excited about. They are going to love it!
It's seriously a huge undertaking to try to plan this thing though. There's just SO much. I've been working on mapping out our daily itineraries but the amount of things to see and do are overwhelming. And yes, I'm making itineraries. That's my husband rubbing off on me. Well, okay, maybe not because I don't think I would do it for any other vacation but this one...I just want to make sure we get to do all of it. I really want it to be as magical and special as possible.
So yeah, busy month. Expensive month. Those little tubes? $750. After insurance. Yikes! And one of the prescriptions for the eye surgery (which we'll need to get refilled) was $85. After insurance. Not to mention the surgery alone...Then of course, everything else - dresses/shoes/cute hair things for wedding, gifts, eating out, driving all over the state, and vacation. All I hear is cha-ching.
So yeah, this month the Mitchell family is happy, busy and broke!
We started with a bang when M2 had tubes put in. That was really nerve-wracking. I don't know why, I was just really scared about her going under. I know the anesthesia mortality rate from this procedure is extremely rare - 1:250,000 (yes, I actually looked it up) but still it's kinda hard to turn her over and just trust it will all be okay. Well, I guess it's not that hard because hubby had no problems with it - no fear whatsoever. But I just kept thinking, what's if she's that one? Because that one belongs to somebody. So I said a lot of prayers and asked for a lot of prayers and within 20 minutes she was back in my arms and all was well.
And she couldn't have been more proud. She was telling anyone that happened to walk by that she got tubes. I guess at 4, that's some pretty exciting stuff. Especially because she's got tubes and big sister doesn't. She thought that was way cool.
Then we knocked out our first wedding of the month. The girls got to be in the wedding so that was especially cute. There was the dispute afterwards about who got to throw the most pedals but at least they saved it for after the wedding and not during the ceremony. Honestly, I'm shocked they didn't stop mid-aisle with a "that's not fair!" since that seems to be our favorite phrase these days. Yeah, it's not fair that I don't look like Sofia Vergara but you don't see me crying about it, do ya?
We've got our second surgery tomorrow. Husband's getting his eyes done. He wasn't a candidate for lasik so they'll actually have to cut it. It's more uncomfortable and the recovery is a little longer but I think it will be worth it. I don't know though...ask me after I've listened to him whine all day and I may change my mind.
This weekend my little sister will graduate with her bachelors degree! I'm so proud of her. She didn't go down the traditional road and it's taken her a while to get there but she kicked butt! She's graduating cum laude. AND she's already been accepted into a graduate program. She was thisclose to going to OU and I thought I might be able to win her over to our side but she made a different decision. Dang, still outnumbered! For now...
And of course there's Mother's Day. For once I think my Mom will actually get to just relax instead of running around trying to host. Just because she has no other choice - she sprained one ankle and broke the other in two places. It was a pretty bad injury and the three screws she recently had inserted support that claim. So we'll finally get her to sit still and just hang out. Not the way I really wanted but...hey, at least she won't be working her tail off like she normally does.
Then one of our dearest friends - the closest I've ever had to a brother - is having a baby. Okay, technically he's not having the baby - but you get it. We're driving about 3 hours to celebrate and then turning back around right after and coming home. Just because we have no free time to stay the entire weekend. It really stinks that some of the people we like the most live so far away!
Of course we'll squeeze in a little anniversary celebration in there somewhere. I'm not sure we'll do anything big - I don't think we have the time. And it seems like the longer we're married the less elaborate the celebration. Not that it isn't special but when your life is filled with homework, cooking, cleaning, laundry and three different sports practices a week it's a celebration just to survive.
We're ending the month with a family vacation. Taking the girls to Disneyland! So pumped! Seriously, out of all the cool things happening this month, that's what I'm most excited about. They are going to love it!
It's seriously a huge undertaking to try to plan this thing though. There's just SO much. I've been working on mapping out our daily itineraries but the amount of things to see and do are overwhelming. And yes, I'm making itineraries. That's my husband rubbing off on me. Well, okay, maybe not because I don't think I would do it for any other vacation but this one...I just want to make sure we get to do all of it. I really want it to be as magical and special as possible.
So yeah, busy month. Expensive month. Those little tubes? $750. After insurance. Yikes! And one of the prescriptions for the eye surgery (which we'll need to get refilled) was $85. After insurance. Not to mention the surgery alone...Then of course, everything else - dresses/shoes/cute hair things for wedding, gifts, eating out, driving all over the state, and vacation. All I hear is cha-ching.
So yeah, this month the Mitchell family is happy, busy and broke!
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