ten things
Inspired by SouleMama, ten things that are bringing me great joy right now:
— Being almost done growing my last baby. I can’t wait to meet you, Baby, and find out if you really are Willa Apple.
— Two special boys with one half hour of kindergarten left!
— The promise of a summer home with my four(!) children, with no other obligations other than exploring our world and each other. Whatever comes next in our lives, this is unlikely to happen again- I’m going to have to contribute to our family’s bottom line somehow somewhere, sooner than later.
— Turkey sandwiches- I cashed in Mark’s “Thanksgiving bonus”, a $30 Butterball gift certificate, for preparation of postpartum meals. The last few times I’ve purchased a turkey I’ve gone with a more natural, non-salt-injected variety, but Butterball, you really do make a flavorful meat. The below pic shows my bounty, ready for freezing. Looks like we are yogurt fiends, which we are, but not that bad. Only four of the yogurt containers contain actual yogurt.
— The thought of all the peanut butter cookies I’m going to eat this afternoon to celebrate the last day of school. I wanted to head outside the house for our Kindergarten Celebration, but Greta is couch bound with a stomach virus, so this will do for now.
— My Grandpa John, who has been in poor health lately, but is feeling better and turns 86 this weekend. His life has shaped my life in countless ways.
Me and Grandpa John
Greta and her Greta-Grandpa John. You’ll notice the pant leg tucked into his sock. He’d just gotten off HIS BIKE, which he was riding with my boys. And my grandma said his coat is the last of a family set she sewed FORTY years ago. I may try to make things last, but I’m never going to top this couple!
— Effecient laundry appliances- As much as I might complain about the volume of puked on bedding I’ve lugged up and down the stairs in the last four days, I’m pretty sure I’d be complaining more if I had to lug it down to the creek bed, scrub it by hand, lug it back, and hang it to dry. Although I’m sure the squatting would be great prep for birth.
— Our backyard
— Last but not least: my husband, who despite his fear of all things sharp and medical, is tomorrow giving our family the best ironic Father’s Day present ever.
New Job, Weekday Number 1
I was quite happy with my “first day on the job” today. No major calamities, and I thoroughly enjoyed cleaning my fridge. No, really. I did.
While swimming, I came up with some criteria for a successful weekday. Theoretically, we meet these and the family stays happy, healthy, and unbankrupt. One must have a gauge to measure one’s achievements, right? And yet not be unrealistic. I have lofty goals for being a homemaker that involve creative crafts, making own our soap and bread, organizing every square inch of our plentiful junk. But this list, it’s the core stuff. The stuff that matters the most and illustrates why I’m excited about staying at home.
Never mind that I just came from a job where I constantly whined about compiling metrics. I actually like (no, love) keeping stats on anything and everything*, just not being compared with others on unrealistic and nonsensical goals.
Here’s the list:
- At least one part of the house is cleaner or more organized than it was. Check. Fridge shelves washed and re-arranged. Four loads of laundry folded and put away.
- Everybody has some physical activity. Check. Everybody except GOJ went to the YMCA: big people swam laps, AJ had a swimming lesson, PJ ran around the Kids’ Corner. My own laps were brief and half-hearted, but I’m counting it.
- Not resorting to eating out. Check. Um, okay, maybe not. I forgot; MJ went out for lunch. So almost check. I’m all for fine dining, but another trip to McDonald’s we do not need, belt-wise or moneybelt-wise.
- At least one “quality time” activity with the kids. Check. Played “Sequence for Kids” and made this yummy garbanzo bean snack. Full disclosure, the kids weren’t too into eating it, but we had fun making it, and I liked it. A lot like roasted soy nuts.
- No major injuries. Check. Our worst injury today was GOJ breaking the skin biting MJ’s toe. She often does that to me when she’s really tired and wanting to nurse, but I don’t know what this bite was about. She needs some more words; I think life is fairly frustrating to her right now. The boys did this too- hit the “terrible twos” at the end of one. The twos themselves were actually quite nice. Hmm, maybe she’s getting sick. I hope not.
All in all, a satifsying day.
*I get the counting gene from my Grandpa John. He comes up with interesting stats like how many nights he’s slept in his RV, or estimates of how many quarts of milk his mother would have made in breastfeeding her ten children. They knew I had it too when I kept track of my chicken poxes with my most treasured Christmas present at 6 years old- a calculator.
2 (almost) FOUR! year olds and 1 (almost) EIGHTY-FOUR! year old ride their bikes
OK, I’ve always thought I had a cool grandpa. But isn’t this the cutest! How many 84 year olds ride bikes?
The funny thing is that 4 year olds and 84 year olds are matched for speed quite nicely!
JaRuuds 