I really should not match socks when I have a headache. I am trying to catch up with laundry today, and I have folded several baskets of laundry already.
Since one of my New Year's Resolutions was to teach Drew and Gracie to help with household chores, they are helping me fold laundry today. Gracie thinks this is a great game. She pretends that the pillow is her scrub board and the couch is the stream in which she must wash each piece of laundry before I fold it to put it away. Drew is running off with socks and dropping them in random places around the house. As much as I love having Drew and Gracie participate in my daily chores, it does make everything take longer.
Back to matching socks. I got down to the last two socks in the laundry basket ... and they didn't match. I looked at them closely and noticed that I had already folded one sock that looked identical to one of the remaining two and put it into my husband's drawer. The only problem is that he only has one pair that has that particular pattern. I went to check his sock drawer, and sure enough, I had folded the other sock to that pair with a sock that did not match it at all. I can just imagine the fun my husband would have at work trying to explain why his socks did not match. NOT. So, I refolded that sock with its mate.
The only problem is that I am still left with two socks that don't match each other. Maybe I need to check all the socks in my husband's drawer to make sure I matched them correctly. Or maybe I'll just wait and hope that the mates for those two socks show up in the wash eventually.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Snack Time
Drew and Gracie typically have a snack at about 10 AM every day -- nothing fancy -- sometimes Cheez-Its or graham crackers or some fruit or yogurt.
One morning last week I was working on writing some thank you notes for Christmas gifts. (I finally got them all done!) I knew it was almost 10:30, a little past snack time, but Drew and Gracie seemed content to sit at the table with me and color while I wrote notes. At least I thought they were content, until Drew climbed down off of his chair, came up to me grinning, and said, "bite!" Uh oh! What did he just take a bite of? I looked into his mouth. Orange crayon. Yummy. It's a good thing crayons are non toxic!
After brushing Drew's teeth to get as much of the orange crayon residue out of his mouth as possible, I fixed him a snack. Poor guy, I guess he was so hungry he had to take matters into his own hands.
One morning last week I was working on writing some thank you notes for Christmas gifts. (I finally got them all done!) I knew it was almost 10:30, a little past snack time, but Drew and Gracie seemed content to sit at the table with me and color while I wrote notes. At least I thought they were content, until Drew climbed down off of his chair, came up to me grinning, and said, "bite!" Uh oh! What did he just take a bite of? I looked into his mouth. Orange crayon. Yummy. It's a good thing crayons are non toxic!
After brushing Drew's teeth to get as much of the orange crayon residue out of his mouth as possible, I fixed him a snack. Poor guy, I guess he was so hungry he had to take matters into his own hands.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
New Name
My blog and I have new names today, the result of a comment on my last post.
I honestly did not put a lot of thought into the title of my blog. I definitely never meant to steal someone else's name. I'm just not the most creative person in the world: I'm a mommy, it's a blog. The Mommy Blog. But not anymore. I like the new title better, though, and it still reflects that this is my place to talk about my day or what's on my mind when I have no one else to talk to.
I am ashamed to admit that my first thought when I read the comment -- Am I obligated to change my blog's name just to make someone else's life easier? -- was not very kind. I'm sorry for that. I wondered for a few minutes what the rules are for blog titles. I suppose they would be similar to the rules for book titles (although to be honest, I have no idea what those rules are, either). A quick Google search found this article about trademark protection for blog names. Ack. I definitely don't want to get involved in a legal mess.
I next felt a momentary sense of panic when I wasn't sure I would be able to figure out how to change my blog's name. Fortunately, it proved easy enough to do. Since my blog's title means nothing to me, I changed it and moved on to something far more important to me: painting with water colors with Gracie.
If anyone has any complaint about the new name, please let me know and I'll change it again.
I honestly did not put a lot of thought into the title of my blog. I definitely never meant to steal someone else's name. I'm just not the most creative person in the world: I'm a mommy, it's a blog. The Mommy Blog. But not anymore. I like the new title better, though, and it still reflects that this is my place to talk about my day or what's on my mind when I have no one else to talk to.
I am ashamed to admit that my first thought when I read the comment -- Am I obligated to change my blog's name just to make someone else's life easier? -- was not very kind. I'm sorry for that. I wondered for a few minutes what the rules are for blog titles. I suppose they would be similar to the rules for book titles (although to be honest, I have no idea what those rules are, either). A quick Google search found this article about trademark protection for blog names. Ack. I definitely don't want to get involved in a legal mess.
I next felt a momentary sense of panic when I wasn't sure I would be able to figure out how to change my blog's name. Fortunately, it proved easy enough to do. Since my blog's title means nothing to me, I changed it and moved on to something far more important to me: painting with water colors with Gracie.
If anyone has any complaint about the new name, please let me know and I'll change it again.
Monday, January 7, 2008
New Year's Resolutions 2008
Everyone at my house is feeling better now, so I had a chance to sit down and think about my goals for the new year. Here are some that I have come up with so far:
I have no idea what I will find to do from home to earn some money ... so if you have any ideas for me, I would love to hear them!
- Read one chapter of the Bible to Drew and Gracie each day.
- Get organized. Simplify and de-clutter. Establish some household routines. Teach Drew and Gracie to help out with some simple household chores each day.
- Add a few more formal preschool-type activities for Gracie to our daily routine.
- Read a book each week.
- Find something that I can do from home to earn some money.
- Reduce my sugar intake and eat more healthy foods.
- Blog more often!
I have no idea what I will find to do from home to earn some money ... so if you have any ideas for me, I would love to hear them!
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Helicopter
When I was a teenager, my mom attended a seminar about parenting and parenting styles, and came home with descriptions that fit herself and my dad perfectly. Mom is a drill sergeant ("When I say jump, you better jump!") and Dad is a helicopter ("I will rescue you and protect you from the cruel world!"). I know my dad loves us very much and that is what prompts his protective behavior, but we have teased him about his hovering tendencies ever since then.
After I got married and moved away from home, Dad didn't hover as much, but every now and then he still gets into his "helicopter" mode. I had to laugh about one of my dad's phone calls this week. I could almost hear the rotor blades whirring in the background.
On Friday afternoon, my husband (home from work sick) was asleep in bed when the phone rang. I could not get up to answer the telephone because Drew was asleep on my lap and Gracie was sitting with me looking at a toy catalog. My husband woke up and groggily answered the telephone. It was my mom. They didn't talk long because he was half asleep and not feeling well. About half an hour later, the telephone woke him up again. This time it was my dad. "You all aren't suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, are you?" I guess he had taken into account the fact that my husband sounded groggy on the phone, we were all sick at the same time, and had had furnace trouble earlier in the week, and let his imagination go from there. My husband assured him that we all had head colds, that we have an electric furnace, and that the reason he sounded groggy was that he had just woken up to answer the telephone.
My husband really took it pretty well. He told me that he now sees where I get it from, because I am a "helicopter," too.
After I got married and moved away from home, Dad didn't hover as much, but every now and then he still gets into his "helicopter" mode. I had to laugh about one of my dad's phone calls this week. I could almost hear the rotor blades whirring in the background.
On Friday afternoon, my husband (home from work sick) was asleep in bed when the phone rang. I could not get up to answer the telephone because Drew was asleep on my lap and Gracie was sitting with me looking at a toy catalog. My husband woke up and groggily answered the telephone. It was my mom. They didn't talk long because he was half asleep and not feeling well. About half an hour later, the telephone woke him up again. This time it was my dad. "You all aren't suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, are you?" I guess he had taken into account the fact that my husband sounded groggy on the phone, we were all sick at the same time, and had had furnace trouble earlier in the week, and let his imagination go from there. My husband assured him that we all had head colds, that we have an electric furnace, and that the reason he sounded groggy was that he had just woken up to answer the telephone.
My husband really took it pretty well. He told me that he now sees where I get it from, because I am a "helicopter," too.
Friday, January 4, 2008
2008 Reading List
It's time to start a reading list for the new year. I know at the end of the year I will enjoy looking back to see what I have read this year and which books were my favorites. As I did for my list last year, I'll give each book a rating from 1-10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest.
Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury (8)
A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card (7)
Helping Your Child Learn to Read by Bernice Cullinan and Brod Bagert (8)
Priced to Move by Ginny Aiken (7)
My Soul to Keep by Davis Bunn (9)
Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh (8)
Six Days in June by Judy Kouzel (6)
Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler (10)
Better Late than Early by Raymond and Dorothy Moore (10)
100 Questions from My Child by Mallika Chopra (6)
Sidetracked Home Executives: From Pigpen to Paradise by Pam Young and Peggy Jones (10)
Unwrapping Christmas by Lori Copeland (9)
A Crooked Path by Annette Smith (7)
A War of Gifts by Orson Scott Card (7)
Helping Your Child Learn to Read by Bernice Cullinan and Brod Bagert (8)
Priced to Move by Ginny Aiken (7)
My Soul to Keep by Davis Bunn (9)
Splitting Harriet by Tamara Leigh (8)
Six Days in June by Judy Kouzel (6)
Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler (10)
Better Late than Early by Raymond and Dorothy Moore (10)
100 Questions from My Child by Mallika Chopra (6)
Sidetracked Home Executives: From Pigpen to Paradise by Pam Young and Peggy Jones (10)
Unwrapping Christmas by Lori Copeland (9)
A Crooked Path by Annette Smith (7)
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Happy New Year!
2008 has not gotten off to the best start for my family. On New Year's Day, all four of us woke up with colds. This is the first time in my memory that all four of us have been sick at the same time. I would not recommend it. Every family needs at least one well person (preferably one well adult) to take care of everyone else.
On January 2, we all woke up, still sick, to find that it was 64 degrees ... IN the house. Our furnace had two heating elements (out of three) that were burnt out. Don't you just love it when the repairman says, "We don't see this problem very often ...?"
This morning my husband was feeling well enough to return to work. He went out to the garage and found that his car wouldn't start. I really appreciated his comment that although our year has had a bit of a rough start, it could be a lot worse.
The fairly minor frustrations we have experienced in the past few days have been a good reminder to not take things for granted. I am truly thankful for all the blessings that we have: good health overall, a nice house to live in, the fact that my husband has a good job that he enjoys, and that we have two (mostly) reliable vehicles. Most of all, I am thankful for my husband and children. I couldn't ask for a better family!
On January 2, we all woke up, still sick, to find that it was 64 degrees ... IN the house. Our furnace had two heating elements (out of three) that were burnt out. Don't you just love it when the repairman says, "We don't see this problem very often ...?"
This morning my husband was feeling well enough to return to work. He went out to the garage and found that his car wouldn't start. I really appreciated his comment that although our year has had a bit of a rough start, it could be a lot worse.
The fairly minor frustrations we have experienced in the past few days have been a good reminder to not take things for granted. I am truly thankful for all the blessings that we have: good health overall, a nice house to live in, the fact that my husband has a good job that he enjoys, and that we have two (mostly) reliable vehicles. Most of all, I am thankful for my husband and children. I couldn't ask for a better family!
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