Tuesday, August 24, 2010

First week of school blues...

I forgot how tired my kids are after school these first few weeks. Yesterday, C-Dub and Beanie were verbally and physically beating each other up within ten minutes of getting home. Bones got in on the action with a full body slam and a few choke holds. I yelled and put everyone in time out.

Today, I had them eat a huge snack. I set up the computer with a timer so that everyone could have an equal turn. Bean went first- all was well until the timer went off. Tears and a couple of "it's not fair!" ensued. Then it was C's turn. Within ten minutes of playing Webkins, he punched Bones in the weiner while Bones had him in a choke hold. Everyone went to spend time alone in their rooms so I could make dinner without sounding like a WWF referee.

C just came downstairs to request his own computer so he won't have to share with his siblings. Start saving your cash, sweet boy- technology is expensive!

Time to give the kids a healthy dinner and get them into bath/bed early. These kids are beat!!!

Monday, August 23, 2010

First day of school!!!




Today is the first day of school for my two big kids. I have the little guy here for a few more weeks, but it is already so quiet. C-dub and Bean were so excited to get on the bus and start a new year. I can't wait to hear their stories about the first day. Did they make new friends? Did they eat their lunches? How was recess? Are their teachers nice? Can't wait!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Old friends...

So we just had a very old friend over for dinner. He is in town from LA and it was so great to see him. It is amazing to me how ten years can pass but when you sit down to dinner with someone, it is as if it has been a few months at the most. It was refreshing to get an LA perspective that is missing here in the bubble. He and my one true love went toe-to-toe politically which really was interesting- (luckily my OTL doesn't care that I align more with Ray...)


I am not great at keeping in touch with people. It really has never been my forte. Growing up, my friends were those who were present. If someone moved away, there would always be promises of writing letter (this was before the Internet was invented people) but after a letter or two, I would blow it off... My sister, on the other hand, was and is a champion friend. She is the person who remembers birthdays, anniversaries, the day you adopted your dog- seriously everything. She still writes letters to a select group of dear friends. I envy that a bit.

I am a person who can catch up with you in ten minutes and then talk for hours. That is what it was like tonight with Ray. It was so great to see him and get caught up- but it was even more fun to get to know him again- as we are now. One of my favorite things is getting to know people- not necessarily strangers, just people. So it is super fun to get to know an old friend again.

Great to see you, Ray-(and to learn about Cosmo!) Look us up next time you are in the bubble!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Summertime at the compound...

This has been an incredible summer so far. The kids, who are currently running around my kitchen like banshees, have been wonderful. I'm thankful I can throw them outside and do so often! Let them bother the neighbors.

Every summer for as long as I can remember (really for as long as my mom can remember, too) our family joins all of our cousins at the lake. When I was a girl, we left the day school got out and came home the day before school started. We filled our time swimming, sailing, water-skiing, searching for bears, playing Ghost in the graveyard, trying to catch chipmunks, and on and on. The dads always stayed in town, commuting up for the weekends, and the kids were just thrown together with whatever mom was around. It must be a little bit like what living in a commune-- without the underaged marriage and stuff. I listened to, and respected, my mom and my aunt Mamie equally. I never realized the work it took...

When I had my first baby (the first of this new generation), I eagerly anticipated sharing the lake with him- and subsequent children. I imagined a blissful summer where I got brown sitting on the beach reading while watching my kids frolic in the waves with their cousins. Our little Stepford babies would sleep well, play well and listen well. They would share without being asked. They would read for the joy of reading. They wouldn't need any TV or DS to entertain them. They'd be entertained by the organic, idyllic summers of my youth.

Except, you only remember the good stuff...

My mom never got to read on the beach until she got brown. I didn't remember that until this summer.

We arrived July 4th with three kids, a dog and enough crap to keep them entertained for a month. My sister and her family of three boys had already been up for about a week. We all enjoyed a fun-filled holiday weekend and then the dads drove back home for the week.

Most days, we don't get to sit down until about 3. We spend the morning grocery shopping with between three and six kids, or taking six kids to the library, or to the farmers market. We play Star Wars, Harry Potter, Legos, Sorry, Animal upon Animal, Bakugan, Othello, pirates and Operation. We drive the pontoon boat for six kids tubing- two turns each. We break up fights and kiss skinned knees. We make lunch. We clean up from all of the above activities. We put all of the kids into their individual rooms from 1-3 for quiet time. We put them back into their rooms a minimum of three times in this two hour period. We split a beer... rinse, repeat, add dinner and bedtime to the routine

My sister, mother and I have been pretty successfully parenting six kids together this summer. Sometimes it is easier when the dads aren't there- we let a lot go and let the kids work a lot of it out on their own. We have mastered being sister-wives without the icky sharing of a husband. Until next summer when they are older and like different stuff--- then we'll reinvent the wheel yet again!

My family is home for a five day respite, and then we're heading back up on Friday for the final weeks of summer. Maybe we'll get the four-year old up on waterskis- time will tell!