Day 9 - At the Playground

Yesterday Willow and I went to the playground. Just me and her.

This is a playground near a lake so I could get my nature fix, she could get her playground fix.

It was a wonderfully warm day--nearly 70 degrees(!)

Not only did she have a great time, but she wanted to go back and bring everyone she knew to the playground!

In the background, you can see the lake, with it's requisite ducks and seagulls.

They had put in a new playscape that included a bench to sit down and eat/drink. So, she had a juice box and some Halloween Pretzels.

Then it was time for the climbing portion of the day!

Later, we went to the shore of the lake and she made an Autumn Sand Castle. (Or, as she called it, a house for bunnies.)

Later still we saw a little boy feeding the seagulls.

Day 8

Last evening I got a call from Michael's after school care. (Well, after school care when I am working--right now I pick him up from school). They called because they wanted to let me know that if we decide to have him go back to after school, they are not going to be able to transport him his school to their facility. This really puts a kink into the system, because, obviously, if I could transport him--I wouldn't need after school care.

This puts me in a weird situation. First off--nothing is really changed at the moment--I still don't have a job. BUT. I have a really good prospect or two (including an interview Tomorrow) and if any of those actually take fruit and I get offered a job, I have to scramble to find after school care for him. (Not to mention having to enroll him a new program, etc.--oh, the paperwork!)

Before he went to this place (which is the same place he went to for a month for summer camp this year), he was at an after school program where he ended up getting bullied. So, I am definitely not putting back to that program.

I love the fact that I find a perfect spot for him...and now I have to find somewhere else! Especially since he is on the edge of not having to have after school care at all. (I figured once he went to high school I would just have him come home from school on his own). Right now, I just cannot see my almost 13 year old being home alone for almost 4 hours.

So, I have to see if I can either arrange transportation for him somehow to this program which I love and he loves; or I have to find another program. At the moment I think we will end up having to change his after school program, but he will still go to the other place for vacations and one month of summer camp.

I think this especially is a vexing problem for me because he needs more social outlets because of his social issues and I was already feeling bad that he was not going to this after school program because of my lay off. And now even if we find after school care for him, it will probably not as adequately fulfill that social need.

The good news is that our doctor recently gave me a listing of social skills groups to call for extra help in this area. So I guess there is more that I need to do on that front too.

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day 7

Today is a weird day. I am feeling lazy, slightly sick and tired.

I have not had an uninterrupted night sleep in a while. Last night she woke up at 3:30 a.m. I think she had a nightmare, on the other hand, she seemed to be mostly upset that she could not find her sippy cup of water (which was right in front of her).

Everyone left and I made myself productive despite myself. Nothing on the job front so far for this week, I am anticipating some feedback from interviews from last week.* A watched computer has the same principle as a watched kettle, so I sit down to write a post. But cannot seem to settle on a topic.

I am usually the productive one, but right now, I feel a lack of motivation.

So far, this stint of unemployment has found me busy and sluggish in turns. For a little while I could not even get myself to land my brain on a good book. Thankfully, that stint of non-bookness has left me and I find my brain and imagination engaged once again.

But there is still today. Where I just don't really feel like doing anything. And the things I want to do, I don't have time to do. Or the money to do. Or...oh, hell, I don't know...the endurance to do. Hopefully it is just me being under the weather. Or maybe it is the time change. Or the end of Halloween and the beginning of the holidays?

Maybe I just peaked too soon in this unemployment stint. I think that June and July I just poured myself into the summer with the kids and then August I started to fret and work on the job of finding work. And then school started in September. And then an abnormal Autumn. Maybe I just need a vacation from my forced vacation?

Or maybe I am just having the Monday Blahs today.

Eh, I will have a nice tea with honey for my throat, snuggle with the cat and watch television for a bit and then pick up Michael from school. I will make us all a good dinner tonight.

And then tomorrow--is another day!

*Finally got some news--I have an interview on Wednesday!

Day 6

Some pictures of the cats...

Gabrielle is our first cat. She is about 8 years old (we are not sure of how old she was when we got her, she was a shelter cat).

Here is a picture from when we first got her.

She is a really sociable cat. However, she is not a lap cat. She loves to sleep beside you in bed.

Kif is our youngest family member. He just turned one year old this July. We got him as an 8 week old kitten from the same shelter we got Gabby from.

He is definitely a lap cat.

Often I will see Willow snuggle up to Kif in this manner and they will snuggle up and watch a cartoon together.

In a lot of ways, Kif is Willow's cat.

Kif is also attuned to Willow in other ways. He is a mischief maker. He makes messes.

Currently, he likes to stalk the door to try to escape outside. (They are both indoor cats)

While I have been unemployed, it has been comforting to have them around. And a little interesting to see what their daily habits are. (For example, they seem to snuggle into specific places on the couch).

Day 5

I have decided to once again participate in November. To read more about NaBloPoMo please click HERE.

She is procrastinating bedtime. I had pushed the job on daddy at first, partially because he is really good at putting the kids to bed, but also because I am done with being a mommy to a 3.5 year old today.

But she is still up and daddy is sick (sicker than the rest of us who are dealing with colds), so now it is my turn at bat. She talks to me and I am a bit cold because I really just want her to go to sleep already. Then she of course has to go to the bathroom. I sigh annoyingly as she does so. I am just not in the mood for this crap. (It is after 9 p.m. now..this is getting into my adult time!!)

Tired of waiting outside the bathroom, I go to check in on my son. Who has proceeded slip into bed in his clothes again. I ask if he really is too tired to get into his pajamas...which he reluctantly proceeds to do. I talk to him and tuck him in. And then she walks in.

And starts to sing a good night song of her own making. And I melt. And I smile. We say good night to him and then go into her room.

Where she proceeds to sing several more songs. One about going to bed, one about growing up, one about puppies. Then an encore of the going to bed song. It is too damned cute. She then snuggles in bed. I kiss her and she hugs me and tells me she loves me. Daddy has come up to check on what is going on and she elicits a promise that he will pick up donuts tomorrow morning for breakfast (bad daddy habit).

I don't care that it is now almost 10 p.m. and she is just getting to sleep.

Day 4 - School Pictures - Preview!

Got Michael's school pictures last night. Well, actually not that many last night--because I did something I think will happen more and more in the future. I was able to order the picture digitally (I was still forced to buy one sheet to be able to purchase the CD). So, in reality, I got a sheet of small pictures and ordered some prints through the W-M.ar.t. So much cheaper!

I wish I could have done that with Willow's preschool pictures, but they don't let you order digital. In fact, what they do is much crueler...they give you a whole package and you have to pick the sheets to keep (OH so hard, especially with the different poses and stuff!)

Here is a preview (if you don't want to see them until you get 'em, I am providing some spoiler space here):

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Michael, 12.5 years (7th Grade)

(This is a picture of a picture)

Willow, 3.5 years (Preschool)

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day 3

She is asleep still. Which is good, because she woke up in the middle of the night wet and cold (her pull up leaked). She got into bed with us. Willow coming into bed reminded me of times when Michael was potty training and he would come to us wet and I would strip him down and just let him sleep like a naked little frog in our bed (things you do when it is 3 a.m. and you want to sleep).

But. This was at 1 a.m. and everyone in the house is dealing with a cold bug. So, I had to strip her and her bed, get her new pajamas and pull up, fix up her bed and get her back to sleep. Afterwards, I was uncharacteristically able to go right back to sleep. After coughing a lot and blowing my nose a couple times.

So she sleeps still and I contemplate what to do today.

Yesterday I went to a pre-interview interview, then came home, drove Chewy to work in Boston, had a phone interview, picked up Michael from school, did some laundry and then picked up Willow from preschool and Chewy from the train station (dinner in the form of brisket in a slow cooker was a great help).

Today. Well, today Willow and I may go to a farm. Or maybe walk around a pond. Today is a day to spend with her.

Day 2

Cell phone photos. They are so random. We are out somewhere or something happens that is cute. Or we want to show our partner what is for dinner. We snap a cell phone picture. Sometimes my cell phone pictures are blurry and sometimes they don't quite capture the moment I was trying to capture.

I use my cell phone camera let friends and family know what is going on with my life. And sometimes, it is just the handiest thing at the moment.

And I especially love looking at them at random times during my day.

Here are some random photos from my cellphone:

Willow after swim class in May.

From a Chihuly exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in July.

The gang before leaving on vacation on Cape Cod in July.

Welcome Home sign for dad after his trip to Romania in October.

Pancakes for the kids.

Very blurry picture of me and kids after a minor league baseball game.

Willow has a crush on the neighbor kid!

30 Posts in 30 Days - Day 1

I have decided to once again participate in November. To read more about NaBloPoMo please click HERE.

Today I think we are all coming down from the Halloween High (oh and getting our first colds of the season). It is always kind of sad when a holiday ends.*

I think this year Willow really enjoyed everything about Halloween. She still wasn't all into saying "Trick or Treat!" when she got to the doors--she was usually just stunned that she was getting CANDY by just knocking on doors! (She did remember to say "Thank You!")

The number of times her eyes grew WIDE from someone's costume or decorations--it was just so fun to watch her!

On the other hand, it was a bit bittersweet for the grownups, as Michael went out on his own with friends. It was weird not to have him along with us.

Just as we were thinking of heading home, we met up with his group by accident. And he somewhat surprised me when he decided to join us along our walk home. (He is actually not that into candy--he likes the costumes and scary decorations--that being said, this morning, the first thing he did was sneak downstairs to get some candy).

Our Halloween festivities are not quite over, however. Michael has a band Halloween Party today after school. And now I just found out that we are going to go out Trick or Treating with some friends in New Hampshire this Sunday (there was a lot of postponements of ToTing because of the snowstorm and power outtages).

Tonight we will probably watch our first non-horror movie in a while.

And this weekend...I will put the decorations away for another year.

*My one real regret about Halloween was that my camera had needed new batteries, so I have not too great pictures of the events...

Tricks, Treat, Snow, Mummies, Zombies, Oh My!

Happy Halloween!

We started the celebrating this weekend. Michael went to a Halloween Dance at his school. I was impressed with his bravery to go there on his own and without a group of friends. I don't think he really knew what to expect, it being his first "dance". I think he was thinking about the word "Halloween" versus the dance part. Especially since he called me 1/2 hour early to pick him up because he was bored. He did have a good time, enjoyed showing up in his costume and told me about the costume contest (there was someone who won that was in almost the same costume as him).

Before the dance, a light snack...

Ready to go!

Then on Saturday night, Michael had a Halloween sleepover with one of his best friends. Everyone dressed up in their costumes...

And we wrapped everyone up at as a toilet paper mummy...

We had pizza and chips and CANDY...a jello Brain (best served during Zombieland). After Willow went to bed, the boys went out and played in the snow (first time we have had snow in October in a looong time). Then it was time for scary movies, and [gulp] bed.

In the morning, they went out and made a snow golem (which lasted for most of the day--by the end of the day the snow had melted).

Michael's friend went home and we went to the annual Halloween Parade. We were worried it would get canceled because of the snow, but while it was cold and there were some slippery spots and patches of snow, the city had cleared everything up enough for us to go. We live right down the street from the parade route, so we bundled up and walked over with our chairs. It was really fun! Willow got a free face painting--by her request a pink spider in a web. She got to hug Blue from Blue.s Clu.es and Michael was a champion grabbing at the thrown candies. My feet were soaked by the end (having to step into piled snow to help Willow grab at candies or to meet Blue or El.mo). When we got home 3 hours later (its a big parade!) we were chilled to the bones--we all snuggled on the couch under a blanket and watched---well, Willow's newest obsession, Winnie the Pooh.

And now for the tricks or treats....

Michael decided to go out with a couple friends for a bit, so we went out with just Willow for the most part.

She got into the zombie make-up before I could make her up--but I think we (meaning mainly her) did a pretty good zombie job:



She did a great job at Trick or Treating and was complimented on her costume.



Michael joined us towards the end:





Then home to look at the loot.

A Sleepy Hallow Walk

We spent a nice fall day walking around some of our old haunts...including Sleepy Hallow Cemetery.

Three and One Half

This weekend out on a walk.

Today you are 3 1/2 years old. My mind can barely grasp that you were once so small--yet it was not that long ago that you were not even here yet.

Three and one half years ago I was awaiting your arrival and was happy to see an end to a journey that took us six years to fulfill. An ending that was happily filled with you entering this world.

And now the world has you to contend with. You are still a whirlwind. Stubborn as only you can be...yet sweet as syrup when you want to be. You surprise me with your tenderness and caring that springs up out of nowhere.

To count your accomplishments now is innumerable.

You go to the bathroom on your own (night time is still pull ups, but I have a feeling that will change soon). You are so accomplished with this task that you have no problem whatsoever in going up to complete strangers while we are out and asking them were the bathroom is. Being your type of stubborn, you will NOT go into the boy's bathroom unless mom is not around to escort you to the ladies. Lately you have taken to singing while doing your bathroom duty. Loudly. While swinging your legs. And washing your hands--an art form with lots and lots of water.

You have recently found out how to turn doorknobs--I tremble in fear. Already my privacy has been invaded three times and you are not one to take no for an answer (we will work on this, young one).

You can count to ten, sometimes to twenty. You know most of your colors, your favorite being purple. You know your A,B,Cs, although you can't quite sing the whole song (you get lost after "P"). You know that "W" is a special letter because it is the letter that begins your name.

You like to help me cook, and just the other day you helped breading fish. Your hands were so crusted with flour and egg that I barely could see your fingers. And the mess you made "helping" me was more than I would have wanted normally--but I did not mind.

You pretend play that you are a teacher in preschool and ask us to answer you when you take attendance. Or you pretend that you are a mommy with lots of "babies" to cuddle and put to bed. You have put a cat leash on a stuffed reindeer and called it your dog.

You love and are loved by Kif, your oft partner in crime.

And every day I notice that take something new from this world, and that you bring a little bit more into this world.

Thank you for being you.

Perfect Moment Monday - Oct. 24

On the 4th Monday of each month we engage in mindfulness about something that is right with our world. Everyone is welcome to join. The next Perfect Moment Monday event will be on November 28.

To participate in Perfect Moment Monday:

Follow Write Mind Open Heart.
Between the Sunday night before and the Sunday night after, write up your own Perfect Moment.


Perfect Moment #1: He sits me down with a seriousness that scares me. We had a argument yesterday and I worry that this is about that (which was resolved, or so I thought, earlier yesterday). I sit down next to him and I worry. And then he shows me his lucky gaming die. He has had it since he was thirteen. He wants me to carry it for luck until I get a job. It is one of his most precious material possessions and he is giving it to me solemnly because he knows that I have been feeling downhearted about the job hunt. Well, now I have Luck +20.

Perfect Moment #2: She has gotten the bag of leaves we collected. Not sure what she is going to do with them (I really want to save them for waxing). I reluctantly have given her the bag and I await destruction of the precious few leaves we have gotten this year. And then she neatly starts laying them out on the kitchen floor. She is displaying them and counting them. She is marveling at them. And she handles them as if they are miracles...which I guess they are.

Perfect Moment #3: He makes his way across the cemetery on a cool autumn day. He is tall and lanky and walks with purpose through the old tombstones and he pauses to look at the inscriptions. He is alone even though we as a family are with him. And I am reminded of myself walking through cemeteries and old gardens. His sister runs up to him and he grabs her hand and they walk further up the hill together.

Sometimes you need to be reminded...

Was talking to an old friend via email the other day. She complimented me and I thanked her. I had been feeling a bit depressed. Just a whole bunch of overwhelming things happening at once, the job hunt, etc.

I thanked her for making me feel better on a day I was feeling bad.

She replied to me today (hope she doesn't mind that I quote her):

"Sorry to hear you were feeling blue, but glad if I helped make it a little better. Remember you really do have a great life. You married a great guy who's lots of fun, your son is a super genius and also really fun and a constant source of pride, and little Willow, your miracle baby, is just full of surprises and such a joy. And one of your best qualities is that you don't take it all for granted. You make a point to savor every moment and really appreciate what you have. I admire that about you!"

Sometimes I need to be reminded of that. And what a great friend I have. Thank you again.