funnies by Madeleine

I was working on something in the Living Area, when I heard Madeleine in the kiddos room, while they were playing...

"No, you need to listen to the moral of what I am telling you!" 

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 We drove home from church and offered a ride to two other women in our island (their husbands were both sick today).  As we were coming home, I told them that Madeleine and I had seen 'Mars Needs Moms' the other day and how much I had enjoyed it.  When asked why, I started to give an overview of the movie, what the plot was about and such....however as usual I was getting sidetracked while trying to tell my story - the boys were asking questions, we were driving and I was giving directions, and other things.

It took me a good 5-8 minutes to retell what should have only taken a few minutes.

As we dropped the first gal off at her building, I sighed while saying, "Why am I so long-winded.  It always takes me so long to tell a story".

Madeleine offered her advice with,
"You just need to do a summary mom.  You tell your characters, some attributes you should know about them, the problem, the solution and what the big idea is.  That's it."

I'm so glad that school is paying off for Madeleine - whether it be learning about morals in the Fables she read and even wrote herself to the summaries she writes on what she reads - she really does understand what she is learning and is applying it....even if it does come out in a cute and funny way!

funnies by Jacob

I want to be a Rocking Star!

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While having a bowl of vanilla yogurt as a pre-bedtime snack, Jacob remarked to Madeleine....

"Look, it's white - like ME!"

{I think this might have stemmed from tonight...because looking back he has never made a comment on color, however we drove Madeleine to Activity Days and she brought two friends - Aoi from Japan, and Pauline from Malayi, Africa. We then took home Madeleine's leader and her two girls who are adopted from China.....we were the only white ones in the car :) Also he is one of three in his class that is "white". I wonder in his 4 year old mind what he thinks of this - as it is the first comment I can remember that he has made in reference that we all have different colors on our skin, but I love that is was so simple as to compare it to yogurt. Should all the world say it and see differences so simply.}

We sat down to a very late lunch today, and in the middle of eating Jacob had a few sneezes, the first one was small, the second one medium which he caught and sneezed in that way that it never really comes out. He immediately looked relieved and said, "Whew!" and only then the 3rd sneeze came out with a HUGE rush, and with it parts of his food/lunch which all landed right on his plate. It was gross and funny all at once!

We all erupted in laughter, as Jacob pulled his characteristically funny faces, and I wish my camera had been nearby to capture those amazing faces {these faces are some random pictures from this past week}.

Someday I'll get lucky and be able to photograph the many funny, and crazy faces that he does....he really is a ham and knows it, but at the same time pulls these faces that are completely Jacob and just leave us laughing and realizing how lucky we are to have him in our family!

funnies by Bryson Jr.

"Mom, this milk tastes a little funny" - Bryson Jr.

"It shouldn't, I just opened it this morning" - me

"Yeah. It tastes.....um, it tastes dry." - Bryson Jr.

Now that is a tricky taste to master for a wet drink!

 I opted to go out to dinner tonight with the kiddos instead of making it. It's been a busy week and I hadn't gone grocery shopping yet. :)

We parked the car, and when I went to put money in the meter I realized I had one quarter, a lot of random change and absolutely no other cash. Actually, I knew I didn't have any cash - that is why were are a restaurant eating and not the food court at Costco. They only take cash - which I believe is one of the silliest ideas they came up with....who does that?!

I drove past Costco and up Broadway to a place our neighbor introduced to us - Sac's this fabulous Pizzeria/Italian place over in Astoria - they really do a great job on thin crust, brick over pizza -- yum!  As the host was seating us, I asked if I could get change for the meter and dumped out all my change on the table...and along with those all the receipts stashed in the front of my wallet from PTA purchases for the Art Show/Silent Auction came tumbling out as well.  I put my OCD about my purse and wallet on the backburner this week, so that I could save it all for the class projects we are doing with 15 classes in 8 days before the big show/auction next week!  Anyway....as always I start to talk and I get sidetracked....the nice guy helps me count out $1.00, and comes back with 4 quarters, and so I turned to the kiddos to say....

"Stay right here, I need to go feed the meter"

"Why is it hungry?" - Bryson Jr.

straight faced, quick come-back, I don't think I've ever used that term around him before and so his response made me laugh. What a jokester!

 *****and what a cutie :) 

12:30am advice

The phone rang minutes after I had laid down in bed last night (Monday, 3/21) at 12:30am.  I had finally decided to go to bed as waiting up for Bryson during his work week is rather pointless - actually it's pointless most nights but I usually push myself and will stay up until 12:30-  1:30am to see him...but after a few nights my body can't do it anymore...I have to sleep even if he doesn't get to.  If we are lucky he gets home a little bit before midnight at least one week each month.  This month is not that scenario.  For the past 2-3 weeks it's been between 2 - 4am when he finally gets home.  He is exhausted to say the least.  I'm tired as well.  We are tired and trying to figure out what to make of the continual stress and schedule of this job.


With these thoughts running through my head, I picked up the phone call as Bryson told me he was finishing up.  I have had these phone calls before - so I asked if he was actually waiting for the car or finishing up at his desk....the difference being about 2 hours on average between "almost being done" and really being done!  He was actually in the car on the way home.  WOW!  And that's when a blog post immediately popped into my head.  I would have gotten up to write it when I had the thought - however, once my body gets back up it won't go back down for the longest time!....thankfully the thoughts were actually still around a few hours later :)
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My advice to anyone whose husband might consider going into Investment Banking....

First, look at how much time you spend with your husband and as a family.  Now divide that in half.

And divide that in half again.

And half again.

And for good measure, and just to be on the safe side...divide that in half again.

Now that you have that number in mind, know that there are many times where you will need to divide that low number in half again.  To the point that you are whittled down to a decimal so close to zero, that you really might as well call it zero.

And that is how often you will see your husband during 'busy' project times and even 'regular' work weeks.

If you can look at that number and say that in all honesty you will be alright to see your husband for that small microscopic amount....than sign up!  If not, run away.  Take the Gingerbread Boy's advice to run, run as fast as you can!

And that is my very small, but very honest advice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I shared these thoughts with Bryson we had a good laugh at our situation, at each other and the crazy situation we are in that there are many days and weeks where we primarily communicate via phone.  This past week, we have been sailing ships passing in the night/wee hours of the morning.  He comes home and collapses just a few hours before I get up with the children.

Then when I am up, it's a battle as we try so hard to keep things quiet for him, but with 3 children getting ready for school in this small space - that is not an easy task!  We zoom out of the house to get to school on time, and for the past few weeks I've had meetings and class projects to get ready for the Silent Auction going on at the school.  So, by the time Bryson does get up about 1/2 hour later I'm off to the next event for the day while he gets ready and heads into the office.  Even if I were to be home - our time together is 30-40 minutes.

I don't know if I'm becoming calloused to this life, but the past few weeks this crazy schedule hasn't bothered me as I've let it during some other times in the past.

It is what it is.

It might not be a normal that other people know.  But it comes back to this is our normal - and we are doing the best that we can with the situation and finding ways to thrive in the face of this rather peculiar schedule.  It's tricky, it's unique - and it definitely keeps us on our toes.

As much as we would love to have more time together - when we do get that time....oh how we treasure it, and love it, and try to enjoy it all we can {not perfect on this one....too bad, sometimes my mood takes awhile to adjust and I spend half a day crying because we are now finally spending time together!  Women and our moods - I don't think I'll ever understand myself!).  But we do enjoy whatever time presents itself to us, and consider ourself lucky if we are all together for even a few hours.

Now this little blog post that I had written in my head is much longer, and I'm thinking over this entire idea of how many hours a person works -  I have to say that I know others that are not in Investment Banking that have strained and heavy schedules.  For those that are fighting to stay up during long hours & scheduling in times to see each other just so you can say 'I DID see my husband/wife today!' - I have to say I hear you and I feel for you....we are there too.  And somewhere I hear that we might just become better for this.

Or, you could just remember to RUN! 

cookie, cookie, cookie - is good enough for me?!

I'm thankful that Activity Days for the girls in our church DO NOT sell cookies!  The bottom shelf in our hallways pantry is stacked with what should be a long time supply of Girl Scout Cookies - however they are dwindling out at an astonishing rate!  Madeleine joined a new Girl Scout troop that started here on the island last fall.  I've always wanted an in with the cookie orders - and boy did we get one!  Although it's not like there is a discount {in fact the prices seem to keep rising as the box has gotten smaller and fewer cookies end up in the box each year!}, but only a feeling that I should order as many cookies as possible to help raise the total for how much Madeleine's troop raises - which I don't really know what they are using the money for, but hey there are Samoas, Tag-a-longs and Thin Mints so it's not like I really needed...or was it wanted?....to question what the goal was to reach!!

I need to be sure not to open one more box of those cookies - it is completely ruining what I run for each day.  Why does something taste so good that is not so great for the hips?!

If anyone has missed ordering Girl Scout cookies, have no fears!  We can fill your order through the stock at our home, that I'm pretty sure was the original idea behind ordering those extra boxes.  Although, hurry fast....because these cookies are going quickly and not in the ideal way!!!

                                          

Happy 10th Anniversary!

I'm sitting here trying to convince myself to go to bed. It's 12:20 am. I should be IN BED!

I really should. I better as tomorrow is going to come fast and furious - Mondays usually come up like that!

However, I can't go to bed until I write just a few things down. Like that Bryson is at the office. Again.

It's been a lot of work this week - last week as well. However, we pulled off something miraculous. We actually got away this weekend. And not just for a date - for a night and part of a day - together. And it was bliss!  And it was before our 10 year anniversary!  

I called Bryson on Thursday afternoon - having a little pity party because I had seen him for exactly 40 minutes this week....and that is while we sat in Parent Teacher Conferences, and then he kissed me outside the school doors and I walked back home alone and he walked back to the subway to work another grueling 8 hours to get home at 4:30am. It's been a week of 2 - 4am work "days" and it was getting old - very, very fast.

So, when I called I asked him if he could be sure to get off on Friday afternoon - and I were to arrange to have the kiddos looked after - could we get away until Saturday night. And thankfully - he said that the major meetings and projects would need to be done by Friday afternoon....and so yes, he probably could get away.

That is all I needed. I called in a huge favor from one of my Visiting Teachers who always asks if she can come and watch the kids - and then I call her and she is busy....we seem to be on complete opposite schedules! Luck was on our side....she was able to come and stay on Friday night with the kiddos - she and her husband live on the island, and she slept over here to be sure our kiddos were safe and sound, while her husband stayed at their place with the dog. Reason #43 why I'm not interested in getting an animal any time soon! :)

So, I ran like crazy on Friday to:

1) do the laundry for the week - 6 loads in 1.5 hours! {having 12 washing machines is amazing, although I don't think some people in my building love that I use 6 washing machines at once when I do my laundry.  Oh well - can't change much on that one!}

2) ran on the treadmill while the laundry was in the wash, and enjoyed the thought I could do this only because Bryson was upstairs getting ready for the day as Jacob played on lego.com {have I mentioned that boy is obsessed with this website!}

3) Got ready and ran to get the car from the parking garage and ran Jacob over to his friend's house for a playdate while I cruised out to IKEA

4) Purchased art projects for 15 classes that need to have an individual project that we can auction off during our Silent Auction & Art Show on April 2nd. You'd think that last year when I started this with the classes, I would have realized that this means I get to be the one to do it any year we live here! I had most of the ideas for each class, however I was walking through IKEA trying to get inspiration for the other classes & I not only found enough ideas but a few more....and I left with 2 carts full and an Explorer that was maxed out with future projects that I hope and would love to bring in their own big amount at the Silent Auction coming up. Now the fun part - doing the projects with all of the classes in the next week and a half! Unlike last year I am going to schedule in grocery shopping and laundry for myself - otherwise it won't get done for 2 weeks!

*Back to FRIDAY!

5) I drove back as fast as possible - in almost true New York'er fashion, so that I arrived at the school just a little bit after it let out.  Thankfully our neighbor had picked up the boys with her daughter and so they were all playing at the park (in our lovely 70 degree weather that was much to lovely and a huge tease that spring was close!) - so I unloaded the car and put everything into the PTA room and remembered to load up the 3 boxes of random things to donate to the thrift store...only forgetting the other box that should have been donated as well!  I drove back to the apartment to put in the plants that had been purchased for a project.   Up 8 flights - set down plants & remember to pick up the 2 bookshelves to be donated.  Drove down Main St. to the thrift store and finally had everything out of the car!  Now it was time to load up for a different fun :)

6) Pick everyone up at the park and drive home and slide into one of the best parallel parking jobs I have ever done. At least I am getting better, as it's the only kind of parking most places we go to.  

7) Run upstairs and start making snacks, trying to pack, clean the house, schedule a place to stay for tonight ---- and get a hold of Bryson (Sr.) whom I haven't talked with all of the day to be sure he didn't get bombarded with work after his meeting so we can still go away!

8) Get the one load of laundry that I had accidentally left down in the laundry room - thankfully it's the jeans and long sleeved t-shirt load. It's one of the few loads that I'll leave unattended - either purposefully (yes, I've done that before) or by accident.

9) Put the boys back in the car to go pick up Madeleine from her playdate up at the Octagon (the building North of us). I wouldn't usually drive, but the car is already out front as I had to pay for parking on the street - my rationale with this is that if the car is there it will help me to hurry and get out earlier!....that was a nice idea in theory - terrible in actually having it happen!

10) We got back with Madeleine - and we head into super warp speed to finish everything.  Madeleine starts to fold and put away clothes, Bryson Jr. is on bathroom duty, Jacob is whining about wanting to play Lego.com.  It's tempting to just send them all outside in the amazing weather so I can focus on finally getting a place booked.  However, the thought of leaving even for a night and not having things done is too much for my OCD behavior ;)
11) Our friend finally arrives to watch the kiddos - and thankfully we are at the point where I can shoo them all away and finish the final things on my own.  Madeleine has Activity Days and is meeting another girls from church and her mom to go into the city.  I ask the gal to take everyone to go and get something to eat....as I need them out of the apartment and I don't really have something in mind for dinner.  Easier to just eat out!
12) After everyone is out, I move from room to room - hiding the things into closets that I won't be able to finish, and doing my best to finish off the things that can be seen - washing the kitchen and bathroom floors, the dishes, and the last parts of the bathroom that Bugaboo hadn't gotten to.

Life feels so great right now and I don't feel stressed because Bryson and I finally got away over the weekend. I have the dearest Visiting Teacher, who has asked to watch the kids but it has never worked out. Bryson's schedule the last two weeks has been back to the insane hours where he is home consistently between 2am & 4am....usually the later :( He needed a break, I wanted one as well, and the 10 year anniversary is tomorrow - so we finally decided we just needed to get away....and thankfully others pushed us to do it! We left on Friday night after Bryson got home early....at 7pm! {lol} We drove up to the Hudson Valley area & the highlights of the trip were: Bryson getting to sleep in until 10:30am and I got to work out without getting up super early or worrying about how to fit it in around PTA and Jacob's pre-k schedule..... oh and another highlight would definitely have to be 'The Strawberry Place' where we ended up for a 2 o'clock in the afternoon "breakfast/brunch" which had the most amazing food ---- waffles piled high with fresh fruit, ice cream and whipped cream. Mmmmmmmmm!!

Happy 10 years to us!  I'm so thankful that our friends were so willing to help us out, so that we could go and have a little pre-anniversary getaway!  That was probably one of the best ways I've ever had anyone visit teach and serve me!!  

The timing was also perfect, as the insanity has started and we are well on our way to the next two weeks living in crazy land! well, more crazy than the usual crazy.

The children's school last year started combining an Art Show with a Silent Auction, as the main fundraiser for the school & now specifically to fund Arts as our teacher was excessed due to budget cuts last year. We pay for an outside group to come in and teach art - which is working well, it's just very expensive...although not as expensive as the teacher was, and we are able to apply for grants to make this all possible. We are putting together donations that businesses and individuals have given. We are working with the group to get all the art work up from 400 students onto the walls of our two main halls. And I....I'm doing art projects with 15 classes. Lucky me. No, seriously I am lucky - I love this, it's a little touch back at teaching and working with children, without the stress of my own classroom. However, it is a lot of work....but I can only get mad at myself for coming up and proposing the idea which was a hit with the parents last year.

Anyway - I had a moment from getting home from being at the school and before we run off to dance lessons to say.....I want to keep updating, but life is going to be in the Audobahn lane for the next two weeks. Everything will be super fun - but like anything in life - it takes time.

So - if you don't hear from me....or the updates don't make any sense!....just know that I might be more insane than usual. This poor parent that was helping me today told me that if she were me, she would be completely stressed out. For me - I love this....adrenaline is pumping, brain is non-stop and the outcomes should be good. Oh please let them be good, because we need money!

If they aren't good - I suppose we can always push for the move away, so that I don't have to show my face anymore at the school :) Which that is another part to what could stress me out right now - we are still talking about what to do for next year. After looking at some homes, the weather got nice here and I don't feel as rushed to get out of the city. Funny how a changed perspective changes - well just changes it all! Also, we had a PTA meeting and there is the idea being thrown out that we would do Co-Presidents next year and my current position would now be a Co-President role. Hmmmmm....again I could run away from that, or some others (and sometimes myself) would like to stay.

And at some point - pictures will come with posts, I will write more and update more......when I officially-officially return most likely after the Silent Auction is finished!  

blah....

I sat down hoping to do a recap of the week. I tried two different ways to write it - nothing worked. So I tried to write about what I expected of the weekend. Three different starts and attempts to tell a story - still nothing worked. How frustrating!

Sometimes I have so much to say, that I don't know how I want to say everything. And other times I have nothing to say, but want to say something or everything.

This blog is mostly a blessing - yet there are a few times I think the writing curse comes out. I desperately want to say things that are on the tip of my tongue....until I go to write it, and then that witty comment disappears. I have mounds of photos that I want to share to document that we actually are living a life - we are here! we are here! we are here! {thank you Horton Hears a Who for that line, I love it). But sometimes there is just nothing that comes.

Nada.

Nada.

Enchilada.

So, I'll be back another time.

p.s. I did think of one little thing. I tried to be fun and do something for St. Patrick's Day....nothing elaborate and very fun like making a Leprochan trap.....no, I made waffles and eggs that I dyed green. It was a rather large batch of green eggs. And then NO ONE ate them. The kiddos all thought they were cool cooking in the pan, but not one person wanted to eat them.

I don't think St. Patrick's is the holiday for me and my "fun" personality. Perhaps the family will be ready to handle the color of yellow and springtime when I make eggs for Easter. :)

it's tradition....

Thinking about the bedding situation - I shouldn't be so surprised that we are testing out bedding and that I'm considering it's on loan....until I really make up my mind. 

I tend to do that with other purchases.  Big or small - there are just some things I don't want to commit to, until I know that I'm going to really love it and it's going to work for us. 

Example being - new camera.  I've asked for a new camera for....well, a long long time for the kind I have wanted.  I told Bryson it would be my present for every holiday and whatever this year if I could just get a camera!  And....he finally said yes.  And then he told me that it doesn't have to count for every present - but honestly, I'd rather it be this way....I like knowing that what I get is what I really want and will like. 

The problem with a camera - I didn't know what one I really wanted.  I've dreamed so long about having one, but I had no idea which kind to get.  I ended up at Costco getting groceries the Thursday night that Bryson's parents came in town, and I looked at the cameras.  And I asked about their return/exchange policy.  And I walked out with a camera....and a really big box that housed everything. 

And since then I've had fun trying out a few different shots.  I haven't had as much time as I had thought I would to read through the manual, watch the tutorial and really try it out.  However, I do know that I love taking pictures again with something bigger than an iphone, and although I don't know all the ins and outs - there are some great features on little Nikki (short for Nikon whatever version I got).  

The crepe post was one of the first group of photos I took - which was back last Saturday (the 5th) after we watched Bryson Jr.'s basketball practice, which I took pictures of as well, but I wanted to post these pictures of the boys. 

Bryson (Sr.) has been working really, really long hours lately.  I still need to catch up on the post about Virginia, but his intense work came back that week of President's Day when the kiddos had their Mid-Winter Break.  He worked all week - long hours.  we worked the following week - even longer hours.  He miraculously was able to get off some time while his parents were here....not like time off, but he worked what  we joke was a regular work schedule back in the day - he got off at 6pm that Friday and he was able to get off on Saturday and Sunday and do things with us, and even Monday night he was able to get off at 6:30pm and join us for Mary Poppins - although he did have to go back in the office for a wee bit after the show.  

This past week was more brutal than the past two weeks.  The last two nights, I finally had to go to bed around 1-1:30am as I was falling asleep waiting for him to come home....I think he said it was between 3 and 4am he got home....he honestly couldn't remember with last night he was so tired.  

Anyway - the point to this....the boys love when he walks through the door!  Today after church we dropped him off so he could do some things for a few hours and when he walked in the door the boys ran to him and did not stop talking to him or let him out of their sight for very long.  It's tradition to play and wrestle around with daddy and Jacob just couldn't get enough of daddy time tonight...

how to tutorial....

.....on how to eat a crepe. 

1) after your crepe is made just the way you like it with the perfect amount of nutella, whipped cream and strawberries - take a bite.....

2) wait - make that 2 bites.  Can it technically be a bite, when it just keeps going in?!  

3) and in some more....for what we might consider the "3rd bite"

4) until every last part of that delicious crepe is crammed into your little mouth....

5) hummmphhhh......

6) oh yes - and SMILE!  

7)  Last step:  finally take a breath right before you ask for another crepe! :) 

the verdict is in....

The partial end to the story with the bedding that we have "on loan" from Macy's is....

*I love the color of the bedding

*I love the style

It has great patterns on the quilt and the throw pillows that were bonus in the Bed In a Bag Special aren't really that bad. I'd love some extra pillows - but I could have oodles of pillows on just about every surface.

* I love that it matches our lamp

It's funny that after 18 months with a lamp that never matched ANYTHING in the apartment - the new bedding finally matches.

{The rest of the story: we bought the lamp from the 'Junk Guy' who sells things at the Farmer's Market each Saturday, on what was probably our first Saturday here. We didn't have enough lighting because well - they don't put overhead lighting in apartments and I hadn't thought to buy extra lamps beforehand. The lamp is really cute...even if it was overpriced for the fact that 1) the lampshade that doesn't even fit the base of the lamp, and 2) that it matched absolutely nothing in our place. Thankfully it was only $10 and now we have gray in our bedding to finally match the gray lampshade. Who knew 18 months later I would re-love that lamp so much!}

* I love that it's super easy to make the bed

I whip the bedspread up and have it looks like I spent much longer making the bed. No fuss.

Seems to be that there isn't any problem.

Except that one.

The one that I told the man about in the store.

The feel of the bedspread.

And here is where I'm split....literally.

The side of the blanket that faces down is soft and perfect. No problem there.

The side that faces up.....scratchy and definitely NOT SOFT! Oh no but it's so cute!

This would not be a problem if we simply folded back the blanket and didn't really sleep with it. But we do. And I like to cuddle into my blanket and so I am definitely not loving the fact that there is no cuddle factor in the top part of that bedspread.

I'm so sad - because I really do love every other part of it. So - now I'm trying to decide....do I take it back, or might there be some other way to solve this problem. Such as, I'm trying to decide if I should try to wash it. Can I actually wash the bedding and then take it back if it's still not soft enough?

He did say 6 months - and one would assume you'd wash your bedspread in that time.

Right? Well, if you see my face plastered all over the news for trying to return a washed bedspread....at least you know that I really am {partly} sane.

Costco Conversations

I love to people watch. I also love to overhear little things that people say to one other - the funny, the cute, the endearing (I of course dislike the sad/hurtful or bad) - but I could happily listen to other people talk most of the day and watch their interactions.

So, today while at Costco I overheard the following or had the following conversations and had to share....

Man: Wow, we need to have some kids to really shop in here!

Woman: Oh. Really? {not sure how to interpret her tone of voice....}

Me: Hide smile and chuckle to myself in the next aisle over.

This next one I thought particularly hilarious as I could see Bryson and myself in it.....

Wife: 'I just need to go over here and get some salmon.......

Oh no! All they have are farm fed!

Husband. 'So'.

:)

Chinese woman: {as she picked up a bag of Stacy's Chips} - note: I won't even pretend to know what she was saying, as it was in Chinese - but from her gestures and tone of voice it went something like....'honey, these look really good - let's try these'

Chinese man/her husband: {again my assumptions} 'what? look at the price, I don't want to play that (he did point to the tag) & we don't even know what they taste like and if we'll like them'.

Woman: 'But I think they look good. I'd like to try them.'

Man: {taking the bag and putting it back} - 'No. Not this time - we don't need them'....and he walks away.

Woman walks aways slowly after him.....reminded me a bit of my children when I tell them they can't have something :(

Me thinking: I wonder if I should go and tell them that we LOVE these chips - they are really good and they SHOULD try them!

Would that have helped, or would they have thought I was crazy....which I am but strangers might think I am normal if I don't say random things to them or jump into their conversations which are in another language and I don't even really understand what they are saying - I just like to think I know what they are saying. Help or not help? I'll never know because I chickened out....

Later - I'm on our elevator taking up Costco groceries (there is a cart like in hotels for us to put our things on)

Woman (sizing up my stack of goods on the cart): That is A LOT of food!

Me (sizing up her 2 small bags of groceries): Well, we have 3 children...food goes rather quickly with a family of 5.

Woman: 5? Oh, wow!

Me thinks: Wow indeed....there's always a wow moment going on. :)

attitude of gratitude

At the beginning of the year, one of my goals was to have a nightly catch-up with the children where we would each share at least one 'Attitude of Gratitude' Moment from our day. Following last October's General Conference where President Monson spoke on the topic of gratitude, it has been on my mind and I thought it would add to our family being able to see more easily our blessings. And to be sure that we then are giving thanks for these blessings - big and small.

The nightly habit went very well for about the first week...in fact I have a saved post where I was doing a recap of the things each person was grateful for that first week. Then the next week came, and schedules got in the way of trying to form a new habit - and so I didn't write down what we were grateful for....and I'm sure I missed a day or two of even asking the children what they were grateful for.

It's been on and off since then....mostly off which I am sad to say - as I still do believe it's a very important part of a daily reflection to talk about what we can be grateful for. And this past Sunday I was reminded why I should start it up again.

Nana and Papa Lord were visiting us, and we all went into Primary to hear Jacob give the scripture and Bryson Jr. give the talk. I slipped out after his talk to go to Sunday School, however Nana & Papa stayed behind to enjoy the remainder of Jr. Primary.

That evening when the little ones were tucked into bed, and we were in the Living Room talking as adults - Leslie (aka Nana) told us that we would have been very proud of our little Bryson during the Sharing Time of Primary. The teacher had been doing a lesson on Prophets and held up a picture of the Prophet that was called to tell the Nephites that the Savior Christ would soon be born. When she asked the children to identify the Prophet in the picture, no one responded....except Bryson. His hand came up to share that it was Samuel the Lamanite. She said he then opened up his Book of Mormon to find the same picture and showed it to the girl in his class (there are 3 children in his class....2 girls and Bryson - and the other girl was away that Sunday. They have such a small class!).

Sister Whiting continued with the lesson, and at one point held up a picture of President Monson and asked the children what he had asked us to do at the last General Conference.

Our little guy put his hand up and responded with, "Have an 'Attitude of Gratitude'!"

I can't remember if that was the specific answer that she was looking for....but he was right. The Prophet had asked us to have an Attitude of Gratitude among other things we are asked to do - and I am so grateful for his little reminder to our family that I need to work hard to make and continue this as a family tradition to share our gratitude one-liners each night. They are so simple. It shouldn't be hard....and who knows, it could just be the thing that opens up a discussion we will always remember and be thankful for later on. I want us as a family to always stop and share things that we are grateful for, to focus on the positive and to remind ourselves to give thanks for all things.

As so often - I was taught by my child.

And....better late than not at all - here are the 'Attitude of Gratitudes' that were shared in our family & written down....and now they are finally here. I am committed once again and can say with assurance - there will be more :)

Jan. 18th

* Bryson..... I'm thankful for wonderful books to read (we went to the library)

* Madeleine..... I'm thankful for the library to pick out books & movies

* Jacob..... thankful for pizza

* Mommy..... I'm thankful to organize and clean and the wonderful feeling with having things in a place, and that we have these things in our life.

Jan. 20th

* Jacob..... playing Magnetix and making robots

* Bryson..... I'm thankful for books, so I can read

* Madeleine..... I'm thankful that Mommy goes grocery shopping for us

* Mommy..... I'm thankful for good reports on my children - that they are doing what they are supposed to do (Ms. Alvarez, Madeleine's science teacher, had stopped me after school and had praised Madeleine saying that she was always doing what she was supposed to & absolutely a delight in class, with a bright mind and always doing what is right. If only every student were like her she commented, and I was super proud of her and all my kiddos and their good reports!)

Jan. 22

* Bryson Jr...... I'm thankful for basketball (his winter community class had just started)

* Daddy..... I'm thankful for healthy bodies to run and play basketball (he enjoyed 'parent coaching' and running around with basketball almost as much as Bugaboo!)

* Jacob..... My castle

* Madeleine.... Roasted peanuts from the street vendors (yummy!)

* Mommy.... Staying inside and being cozy

Jan. 24

* Bryson.... instruments to play

* Madeleine.... friends like Aoi

* Jacob.... to go to sleep

*Mommy.... to see Madeleine and Bryson dancing (tap & ballet class night where they had a Parent Open House. Bryson was having so much fun, and Madeleine was so graceful)

Jan. 25 (big snow day in the city)

* Madeleine.... snow that we can play in and have snow fights with each other

* Bryson..... for plants that give us food. Like broccoli and apples, which I don't even like but they do make applesauce which I like! (funny kid!)

* Jacob..... that I built a snowman!

* Mommy..... big fluffy snowfalls

Jan. 30 {Sunday}

* Jacob.... for snow

* Bryson.... I'm thankful for Mom and Dad so that I'm not homeless

* Madeleine.... my teachers that can teach me about the gospel, a car to drive us home safely

and mommy to teach us in music because she's funny

* Mommy..... I'm thankful for music - to feel the spirit and lead the Primary children again :)

* Daddy..... No cavities (ironically as he was munching on the carmel corn we had made for a FHE treat!)

We are truly blessed. We are truly grateful.

We will strive to be a family that says more often the things we feel as our
Attitude of Gratitude.

what a meatball!

We were trying to get back into the routine of daily living tonight after a great weekend. I was working to get all 3 children bathed after dinner, be sure that Madeleine and Bugaboo practiced the piano and trying desperately to keep Jacob off the computer and thinking about his new obsession - the computer games at lego.com.

I was putting the dishes into the dishwasher in between each of the events going on, when Bryson came into the kitchen telling me that his armpits hurt so bad! He had just finished bathing, so I thought they were dry & itchy....so I got the lotion and started to apply it to his armpits. I noticed an unusual feel and bent down to his level and caught a strong whiff....of, what was that? Oh, yes. Of course - it was the minty smell of Madeleine's ICY HOT that she had gotten last week after she hurt her neck. Coincidentally it has the exact same shape & look of deodorant.

Me: "Bryson, did you put on the ICY HOT?"

Bugaboo (caught between a grin and a grimmace): "Yes, of course!"

Me: "What were you thinking?" {yes, classic parent response - not the best I know....but that is what came out}

Bugaboo: "I wanted to smell good!

Me: "Well you smell really good, but that isn't deodorant honey. It's not the same thing that Daddy uses under his arms....this is really strong and it's used for sore muscles. You can't just use whatever you want to - you need to ask us, because some things can hurt you. Do you understand."

Bugaboo: "Yes. But it really hurts. HELP ME!"

We spent the next 10 minutes putting a lot of lotion under his arms, and trying to get him to think about something else....so we went on with practicing the piano.

What a goof ball. Or as he says - what a meat ball. One time, when I called him a goof ball he told me emphatically that he was NOT a goof ball.....I should call him a meat ball.

And ironically that is just what we had for dinner.

one day....24 hours....a day of infamy

I'm not trying to be funny.  However, we really truly had a day unlike any other we have had a few weeks ago - and it was such a huge day, that I could hardly believe we only really had the typical 24 hours in said day ---- and so I will call it the day of infamy.

It was the day we were to come home from Virginia.  First of all, our plan to have Bryson come down and meet us for the weekend, went out the window after he had a meeting on Friday and the boss asked him if he'd be in that weekend to work on things.  Strong, strong hint.  So - there was no train or bus down to D.C. for Bryson.  We talked late Friday and I realized that we should then head home on Saturday instead of Sunday, so that we could at least see Bryson at church and any time in between when he would be at the office.

We had planned to take the kiddos and the cousins swimming on Saturday afternoon at their nearby Rec Center.  The slide and all the fun water features were going to be on - and the kiddos had waited so patiently.  I told my sister-in-law Kristen that we would still go swimming and then we would just leave from the pool so that we could start driving and hopefully.....cross fingers....the kids might even fall asleep for awhile due to all the energy spent swimming.

Well, I suppose we don't go forward with an idea thinking it's bad....the idea did have merit.  However, I just miscalculated a few....maybe more than a few....things.

Here is the run-down of the craziest 24 hours I have had in a very long, long time!

Saturday Afternoon
1-3pm:  Go swimming at Rec Center
Next:  Get into car....kids showered, happy (well, Jacob was super sad to leave, but we worked that out with telling him Daddy really missed him and needed him home)
Then: stop at Target, I run in to do an exchange ---- thankfully in and out in record time!
Look at gas gauge....remember I need gas and realize once I'm on the belt-way it will be disastrous to find gas, so I decide to drive the back roads into Manassas to get gas.  *note:  bad idea to drive some place you THINK you know where it is.  After 1/2 hour of driving through an area I didn't know, I finally emerged out by I-66....below Manassas.  Grrrrrrr.....  Oh well, I thought....I'll go to the Costco that is over by where we used to live because I know the area and I have to run back into Gymboree.  When getting some things there yesterday I had gotten back to the cousins house and when talking to Kristen about all the great deals I had found, she said "And you had your 20% Coupon too!"  I felt so silly suddenly, because I had totally forgotten about that little coupon sitting right there in my wallet.  Duh!  So, now I wanted to run into that store again, so that I could get another $10 off my purchase....which equals another outfit and I still get my Gymbucks.  Happy Day....but we are not even close to leaving the area and by now it's about 4:30pm and I still don't have gas.  

We drive by the Costco and lo and behold....no gas pumps.  What?!  I had thought they had them - obviously I didn't learn my lesson from up above in making sure I knew where I was going and what was there.  Not too much of a problem, because I still need to stop at the mall which is right there - so we zoom inside and again I do my return in record time...but coming out the kids hear other kids.  And see the playland.  And that is where I went wrong...I should have taken them in the other entrance!  I caved to their requests because I rationalized we'd be in the car a long, long time - and so I sat at the familiar play land that I had taken Madeleine to as a baby and watched my now 3 babies running and leaping off of the trains and new play equipment which replaced the good ol' Bacon & Eggs display.

After about 1/2 hour - I realized enough play time, and we really did need to get going.  I scooped up the kiddos and we made our way through the rest of the mall to the car and then the cries of hunger started.  "Mommy, I'm so hungry!"  "When is dinner?"  I had realized it was getting later - really it was actually dusk right now and about 5:30pm.  It is time to get something to eat - because again getting off the beltway is going to be disastrous I thought.

The kiddos voted for Wendy's - smart move as we could order through the drive-thru and zoom on our way. We pulled up and there was the great debate over who wanted chicken nuggets or hamburgers, what drink and was everyone getting french fries?  These are the kids questions - not mine.  I let them make 1 choice - what they want as their "main" dish, and I decide the rest....I call it Selective Democratic Parenting.  Works like a charm when we are in a rush.

We finally made it to the window, picked up our order and I pulled to the side to hand out the food.  It's now after 6pm and dark.  I really just want to start driving and realize I can drive for awhile with the gass I have, and finally pull onto the beltway to be hit with commuter traffic.  Ugh.  

We finally made it around to the Maryland side by 7:30pm, and I realize that we really were now on empty for gas, and I have to stop.  We pull off an exit, that I don't know as well, and it takes awhile to find a gas station that I can use.  By the time I fill up and get back into the car it's 8pm and I still have about a 4 hour drive to get home to the city.  In the dark.  While the kiddos are sleeping and I'm supposed to stay awake.  I called Bryson and talked things over, and we agreed it would be crazy to keep driving home, so somehow it makes more sense to drive back out to the Thiriot's and go to bed there and leave in the morning.  I drive another hour back out to their home, we unpack the basics and crash for the night and then wake up and get dressed to drive home.

The drive home went pretty smoothly, considering that it was a Sunday I hadn't planned to drive on this day at all, and the kiddos were hungry and we didn't have any snacks packed.  I had to stop and get some food, which the kiddos asked, "Can we do this?!  It's Sunday!"  I explained that we were in a bit of a tricky spot, which I believed we were....Bryson on the other hand told me that I was like an ox in the mire - I should have planned better.  Thank you sir, who is working from your glass building on a Sunday and loves to tell me what I should have done better.  I decided to just drive and get home as best and quickly a I could.  Which I tried and I really do think that Google Maps on the phone works well - however, there are times when you leave the interstate to get gas and then when you get back on, you are so turned around and confused....that you take the wrong turn and instead of continuing in on the turnpike through New Jersey - you end up on the road that leads to Staten Island!  Yes, I ended up driving almost a complete circle around NYC to get us home - there was not a place to get off and turn around, so we had to stay on this long road to Staten Island, and then by the time we got there, it was the same distance to keep driving and go through Brooklyn and then Queens and get home to Roosevelt Island.  It was late in the evening when we finally got home - 24 hours later than I had wanted, and hours full of mishaps, misadventures and funny enough - some laughs after we were all unpacked and in our own home again!

I made it!....well sort of, kind of....almost!

I made it an entire day without having any refined sugar.  A treat.  Any little piece of chocolate.

Whew.

That was quite a feat....and I did so well that at 12:02am I was going crazy and had an Oreo.  Make that 3 Oreos.  And I had them with milk.  Of course - is there any other way to have an Oreo?

Dang.

Is there a grace period between midnight and 12:05am?!  Because I'm going to claim that and start again in the morning....

It kills me that I was watching those calories stack up this morning when I went running on the treadmill - and then I just ate them up.  Literally.

Losing weight this go around is much, much harder.

Grrrrr.......

sleep over special

While down in Virginia I purchased some new bedding for our bed. Bryson & I are having a love-hate relationship with the bed....we are both exhausted each day and love to sleep, but we really dislike how small the bed is (going from a King to a Queen now down to a Full size has been a challenge....there really is not a lot of extra space in that size bed....we feel like Julia Child when she lived in Paris as our toes don't quite make it onto the main space of the bed!). We usually have a few accidental elbows and blanket take overs each week....it's rough I tell you!

To add to that- we realized we need more blankets in our house this past winter! We were cold and always wanting/needing more blankets. I've wanted to get something new for our bed, but never had the time to pick it out. While in Virginia I always plan to do some (or a lot) of shopping - it's a place I know well and I feel like I finally have time to enjoy looking around & without having to pay for parking it's a whole new joy! I glanced through the bedding at Macy's and found something I liked...and it was on clearance and I had a coupon. It was almost a done deal.

I took the bedding package up to the register and asked the man if I could open it up to feel inside. I'm picky about the feel of a blanket - it has to be just the right amount of soft & smooth - so I wanted to be sure I liked this before buying it and driving it all the way home. The man looked at me as if I has just requested that we have a picnic dinner on the blanket to test it out.

Salesman: "What do you want to do?"

Me: "I'd like to open the package and make sure that I like the feel of the blanket. You know - touch the blanket with my hand? I want to be sure that it's smooth - I'm picky about my blankets!" {I thought if I threw in a joke and a smile he might soften up a bit}

Salesman: "Oh. No. You can't do that."

Me: "Why not? I want to purchase it, but I want to be sure that I like how it feels - a scratchy blanket would be terrible, so I want to be sure it is soft. Can't I just open it up and spread it out a little bit on one of the bed displays? I'll fold it back up - I'll probably buy it....but I just want to be sure that I like how it feels."


"Right"


"Okay, so I can open the package?"

"No. The security guards would not like that" {I'm thinking where are these guards and why would they care if I wanted to be sure that my purchase was going to be something I like? We try on clothes don't we?!!!"}


I started to weigh my options - why did I even ask in the first place? I should have just opened it up and asked for forgiveness if the Security people really came over. Then he chimed in with his final offer....

"BUT - you can always return the bedding if you don't like it."


"Yes, I know that. But not after we open it and use it right? And I would rather make sure I like it before I leave with it and have to bring it back."


"You have 6 months to decide if you like it and can return at any time if you don't like it."

"Wait. Let me understand what you are saying. I can open this package at home, and use it...and if I don't like it for any reason during a 6 month time frame ---- I can bring it back?"


"Yes, of course!"

And that is the strange situation ----- you can't open the package and feel if you like the bedding AT the store, but you can take it home open it there and even try it out for 6 months....then take it back when you change your mind that you really don't like it any longer. I've always loved Macy's policies...but this was beyond anything I had ever heard of!

I wish Seinfeld were still running - I would send them this scenario to use for an episode. It even felt a little Seinfeld'ish - I definitely don't want this to sound racist, however the guy was from India and talked with his great little accent - which I really do like the sound, however it can be hard to understand and for some reason it made it more exasperating and a bit more funny all at the same time.

Last night (or early morning...still not sure what to call that time period) Bryson got home at 2:00am, and I was up late trying to catch up on things for school & home from being on vacation for the past week. I decided enough work for the night - and followed him into our bedroom and remembered the new bedding and started to open it up. While pulling out the new comforter and pillows, I told him the above story about purchasing this new bed set. We both had laughed about the craziness of the scenario.

Bryson: "Well, it's always better to sleep with something first to see if you like it, right?"

Me: "But you didn't sleep with me first to see if you liked me" :)

Schabam! I never think of funny lines or jokes at the right time!

And that....is the story of how we have a blanket "on loan" from Macy's. The End.

*until 6 months is up at least....than we'll let you know*