Yes two post in one day

So this really sucks. I got the calendar for the school year and on the back it has the logos for all the schools in the district including the new school the girls will go to, and it sucks. The Foxes. Really, that is a good mascot? I mean it is better than the carps but not by much, what was wrong with the Hippos (Jo's favorite) or the bulldogs(Je's choice) I realize the Hippos were a long shot since it was a write in but still the bull dogs was on the list...Foxes, really why?


I just did a swagbucks search on it and there is already a school in Massachussetts with that same school name and mascot. Now were copycats...or is it copyfoxes?

Game Face

Tonight the girls were winding up their sillies as we finished reading a chapter in Little House. I warned them that they better get to bed quickly before Daddy got back. (He was on a Sonic run--he had a coupon for a free Rt 44 and likes their diet dr peppers with rasberry). Somehow they got on the idea that Daddy doesn't spank, at least they couldn't remember a time when he did. I couldn't either, we don't have to use that often, but I was sure he had done it. When he got home he took a quick shower and I was in the bath when he walked by, "Are the girls having a slumber party in Je's room?"
"No, are they both in there?" I could then hear the giggling over the attic fan when I stopped to listen.
I mentioned to him the girls earlier conversation, but said I didn't think he needed to do it just as a kind of funny incident.

He said, "So I need to get my game face on? Cause I'm not feeling it"

I nearly bust a gut, it was pretty funny when he said that. He went in to calm down the chaos. Je started out of control laughing. The kind kids do to get away with noise but still have a plausible "can't help it" quality. She got a swat which seemed to quickly settle her down. I heard a second girl get her swat (which is good since sometimes the second child distracts her father...just ask my sister about the time she got out of it). I checked on the girls after I got out of the bath and they were both much subdued. I bet they'll sleep now and not giggle.

Still here just inert--so no real news

So I didn't forget about the blog, I just haven't felt like posting anything lately. Like in two months. Stuff goes on...I probably could have blogged about stuff like the mascot choices for the new elementary school. AT the parent's meeting in May the principal passed out ballots with several options and mentioned that Carp was her favorite. UGH! Since the school name is Farley I don't see that working. I thought carp would become crap and the mom sitting next to me said her kids already called Farley Fartly. So when the superintendent was collecting the ballots she asked if I voted for Carps and I told her no because I was afraid we'd be the Fartly Craps pretty soon. She laughed. So has everyone else who's heard that story. The superintendent hates the carps so I doubt that will happen but I haven't heard the verdict yet.

I could also have blogged about Je's new glasses. She complained of not being able to see the smaller words on signs so we made an appointment for after school was out in May. I really didn't think she needed glasses but we were going to check it out. As we went through the exam Je was supposed to read the letters from the chart. Jo could see the letters in a mirror backwards and I had to hold my hand over her mouth to keep her from answering. She couldn't understand why her sister thought the Q was an N. It was then I realized maybe the girl needs glasses. Turns out she has an astigmatism and has always seen fuzzily. It is only now that she can read that she noticed.

Speaking of reading, I am so proud of how well she has done this year. She started the year reading at a middle of kindergarten level and now she is zoomed to a middle of second grade level. She didn't really care if she could read earlier. At her fall conference she was not as far as we wanted her to be, but the teacher wasn't concerned yet. She indicated that Je was recently showing signs of catching on. Je had told me in Oct. that she didn't have to worry about learning to read until about 5th grade. I told her that if she couldn't read at the end of first grade I wouldn't send her to second grade. She seemed to think about that and take it to heart. She began reading chapter books and really found it to be fun. I have a reader. Now she reads signs as we drive around. It's fabulous!

We've also added some daily review of math and reading to our schedule. I decided that I wanted to keep Je's math on track so we found time sheets and other resources to do at home. When I told her we were going to do it she said, "You mean I get to do home school?!" She was pretty excited about it. We aren't going to do full on homeschooling or anything and the girls don't really want to, but for the summer they are enjoying daily practice sessions. Jo had to get in on the act to get ready for Kindergarten.

VBS went well. The decorations looked amazing, thanks to some great help from a couple of big work days we scheduled to build decorations. I just spent the time getting the materials together to make decorations and organizing the plans and turned the volunteers loose this year. It worked so much better I think I'll do that every year.


So we are just keeping on and keeping busy. We keep house, go to the pool, had swimming lessons, Je played softball with Shan as an assistant coach. I even learned how to operate the scoreboard and keep the official score book. She had fun and says she wants to play next year. The girls on her team all learned a lot from the first game to the last. They even made a run in the tournament at the end of the season. Life keeps us busy and that is a good thing. I'll check in sometime hopefully it won't take 2 months next time.

Chip off the old block

Je is selling value cards for a fundraiser for her new school. She went up to Pastor Bob Saturday morning at a VBS workday and asked him if he would like to buy one. He pulled out his wallet and had a $20 bill. He asked her if she could make change. Without skipping a beat she replied, "You can buy two with that." We all laughed and Pastor Bob remarked that she had a little bit of her grandfather in her. I laughed at it and enjoyed the reminder of my Dad.

Is it me?

I realize that summer is a long way off as is the next school year but ever since mid February it feels like we are just around the corner from the end of this year and the beginning of next. Seriously folks, it is only March. I am feeling pretty good about my handle on my chaos today so I have time to post. The house is pretty clean, (left over from weekend guest and hosting bunco), the laundry is caught up, and the big projects I have are too big to start today before our weekend. Isn't that strange?

I believe I have completed this round of redecorating. You know how a project multiplies? I bought paint to redo the girls bath last spring and put new lights in the entry and hall. That highlighted the need to repaint the hall/stairways. Which in my house starts at the bedrooms and continues down two flights of steps through the front entry to the familyroom and down another set of steps to the basement. When I finished that I had enough paint to do the kitchen and dining room. Which left the living room the odd place out. I got more paint and Mom made new curtains for the living and dining room since they have to match. When I painted the kitchen it led to a new border and curtains. Then sheers for the entry and back door. Whew! The ever expanding project.

Now I look at our bedroom and think, it hasn't been painted since we moved in 8 years ago and maybe it's time. Jessa's room needs some touch up because she puts her feet on the wall by her bed so ......

See a new round of projects. First, I need to clean out the girls closets which will take some time because we are going to purge toys. Oh the weeping and wailing...I want Shan to help but that means doing it when the girls are around. I forgot to take before pictures of the house so after pics won't mean anything. But trust me it looks great, (in my humble opinion)


One of my new rules is to purge excess stuff. I've taken at least five loads to Goodwill of stuff from my house that I don't need anymore. It feels great to streamline and have stuff fit in the closets and cabinets. This is probably the first time that all my clothes fit in our room and aren't located in either the basement closet or one of the girls closets. I am setting a goal to keep it that way. Somewhere I read that whenever something new comes in something old of the same basic size/volume has to go out. I am not ready to commit to that totally but it is a good rule of thumb.

Maybe if I control the chaos I can keep myself organized, my house reasonably picked up and clean and feel more on top of my life.

It's a theory/plan I am hoping to prove this year.

And it begins

Me: put the bow in back

JE: But I like it in front

Me: do it anyway.

JE: But this is America! I can wear my shirt how I want.

Oy! Seriously! I told her I would cut the bow off. I am still considering this option

Just my life

Over the last several months I have been doing a lot of things rather than blog. Not all of them important or meaningful. If you've seen me in the last few weeks or really ever this is not news so feel free to skip this one. Really that is probably all of you

I painted about half of my home: halls/stairways, family room, kitchen, breakfast area, and dining room

I organized my storage room, cleaned out several cabinets, closets etc and took a huge load to Goodwill

I helped with a couple of rental house cleanups

I went on a couple field trips and supervised a couple class parties

I directed the Christmas program at church and put together the scenery and costumes (sounds harder than it was)

I rearranged some furniture

I did regular housekeeping

I cleaned the garage

I re-read the Outlander Series (all 6 books and 6500 pages)

I watched Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Sports Night on DVD

I refinished my kitchen table top and put it back in the kitchen, moving the old dining room table out and now it is waiting for my sister to claim it

I deep cleaned my refridgerator and organized the pantry

I cooked

I finished Beth Moore's Stepping Up (on the Psalms of Ascent)

(BTW--I just began Esther, and I really like it so far)

Kept my usual committments at work, home, school, and church

Started wrestling season (Doesn't that say it all)

Worked on Je's math, spelling and reading

Worked on the committee to determine new elementary school boundries next year and learned we get to/have to go there (depends on the day how we feel--mostly it sounds great)

Had Christmas

Had the plague (I coughed my way from Thanksgiving to Christmas, got a head cold which moved to my chest and kept the cough alive, got what must have been strep, especially since a two weeks later, Shan went to the Dr with the same symptoms and it was strep)

Nursed kids and husband through assorted illnesses

That is pretty much it. I said it wasn't necessarily meaningful, It was just my life.

Remembering

I've been reading through last January's posts because I thought I had posted about this before. Twelve years ago today, my father passed away. It still is a wrenching thing. I don't like this membership I've acquired in the dead dad's club. I remember thinking at the time that this weird nothing is right with the world feeling will never go away. And it doesn't exactly. It eases a bit, and sometimes you feel fabulous but there is a niggling feeling that something is missing all the time. When I see my fabulous girls and know how he would have been as a grandfather, or with my nephews who would have been the coolest things ever. And I kind of hate the feeling that my life is diminished some because he is gone. I can never be as cool as it was. I hate that feeling. And I don't know how to explain it.

Today, I am going to lunch with my mom to remember. Recently a causal friend of ours lost her husband after an illness. She has been spending time with my mom as she grieves. I guess the thing I want to remember most about people who are hurting like that is that even when I don't know what to do I will do something. The thought to spend some time, send a card, make a call. Even if it isn't much it will help.

I'm not dead

This is for Hillary whose comment showed concern that I haven't posted for a few months. Things are good here, we're just trucking along with life. As usual, our days are filled with school, church, housework and other commitments. We were notified just before Christmas that we will be attending the brand new elementary school next year. I served on the committee to determine the boundaries and that was very interesting. We drive by the new school each day and take note of the progress they are making. Jo told me last week that it looks like they are doing a very good job building it, and she is glad since she will get to go to such an attractive school. (I am not paraphrasing folks) She also learned to tie her shoes last week. She decided it was time so she asked her sister to teach her. Such a proud parenting moment. Of course it was quickly dispelled by the bickering that followed the peaceful interlude of sisterly cooperation. Je has recently discovered the fun that learning can be. She willingly practices her spelling words and math facts. We had our annual Christmas program at church and she memorized her lines all by herself. I made a comment that we needed to work on them and she started saying them to me. Reading is so cool. The play went well even if she had to dash off in the middle to be sick. She had a little bug, but she made it to the restroom so the carpet was spared. Since I was directing the play, my mom ran to deal with Je and any mess, so I was spared as well. Thanks MOM!

I've been thinking about posts for a while, mentally composing them in my head but lacked initiative to sit and type one out. I meant to return after the first of the year so here I am. Now that sounds like I planned a specific break, which I didn't but after a couple weeks it was nice to have a break so I just didn't worry about the blog.

I laughed yesterday when I received Hillary's comment via email. I guess someone at least noticed my absence. M sister didn't even mention it over Christmas. Thanks for the chuckle Hillary!