First day of classes here!
Here's what I accomplished:
Washed the dishes after breakfast.
Kids dressed before 11 am!
2 loaves of bread made from scratch before noon
dentist appointment made
Peanut butter cookies made
Dinner made and ready by 5!
Upbeat attitude had all day long!!
What a difference it makes to be settled in our apartment, to have a support system in place here,
to know the ins and outs of the city we live in.
This semester already feels more stable and slower paced and happier than last.
Aftyn was keenly aware that Daddy was nowhere to be found today, except for maybe 15 minutes at dinner before he rushed off to class straight after getting home from work.
I tried to make her feel better by telling her that by her birthday Daddy would be all done with school!
She was SO excited! But she doesn't really understand the length of time that involves.
I also asked her tonight what she thought would be nicer to live in, an apartment or a house?
She very adamantly declared, "a house!". So there you have the honest truth, a house is much preferred to our boxed in state of affairs over here aka our apartment.
It'll be interesting to see how I feel on the last day of this semester and the beginning of the next.
Loving our ever changing, crazy, fantastic life
Monday, August 27, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Thursday, August 23, 2012
I Don't Really Blame Her
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| Taken yesterday after dinner. Yes, that IS tomato soup on her upper lip! :) |
A few posts ago, I mentioned how Aftyn and I were having a hard time together lately. She had seemed very defiant and unhappy with me, which would make any mom sad. I really felt that she missed her dad and was taking out her sadness over the whole situation on me.
To remedy it all I have been sending poor overworked Reed to his Tuesday night meetings at church with Aftyn and I immediately started seeing a different girl. (I think it actually makes Reed happier too because he misses the time he used to be able to spend with her. He comes home seeming a little more relaxed and happier than when he left.) A little over a week later, she is so much happier which in turn makes me happier. She is back to being her sweet little self with me. I have missed her happy little hugs. And her enthusiasm for life.
She has started waking up when Reed is getting ready for work, 4 and 5 am! As soon as Reed walks out of our bedroom door to go and get ready, there's Aftyn standing in the hallway. I can't positively say it but I think it's because she wants to see him. I don't blame her because if she didn't wake up that early she would be back to seeing as little of him as she was before.
The last couple of days I have been able to encourage her to go back to sleep and she sleeps in deliciously late and still goes to bed at her normal time. At this point, if it makes her happy and it makes me happy, I'm going to allow it. Because right now anything that makes my life here at home a little easier is entirely encouraged.
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| This was taken 8 months ago as we got ready to move. She still looks like such a little girl here. She has grown up so much! I'm sad to see her babyness leaving her. |
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Official Titles For Mothers
I was looking at the business card of one of Reed's co-workers last week when I happened to notice the BNA and MBA as part of her official accreditations.
I commented to Reed how exciting it would be when he too could have two degrees represented behind his name on a business card.
But just now, I happened to think how mothering is hard work. Potty training kids deserves bigger rewards than just to say "so and so is now out of diapers. yay!". Getting babies to finally sleep through the night is quite the accomplishment for the sleep deprived mommy. Nursing for any significant amount of time, weaning kids from binkies and getting your kids to learn to like veggies all qualify any mother sainthood.
I'm proposing we mothers start the trend of awarding ourselves accreditation, and others will quickly follow. We need to start giving ourselves the credit we deserve. And so, I'll be the first.
Alysa _______ PTP, BW, CIO, NF, MFN, PK, HP
Master of Mothering
Catchy.
I commented to Reed how exciting it would be when he too could have two degrees represented behind his name on a business card.
But just now, I happened to think how mothering is hard work. Potty training kids deserves bigger rewards than just to say "so and so is now out of diapers. yay!". Getting babies to finally sleep through the night is quite the accomplishment for the sleep deprived mommy. Nursing for any significant amount of time, weaning kids from binkies and getting your kids to learn to like veggies all qualify any mother sainthood.
I'm proposing we mothers start the trend of awarding ourselves accreditation, and others will quickly follow. We need to start giving ourselves the credit we deserve. And so, I'll be the first.
Alysa _______ PTP, BW, CIO, NF, MFN, PK, HP
Potty Training Pro
Binky Weaner
Crying It Outer
Nursing Forever
Master Food Negotiator
Peace Keeper
Hairdo-er Professional
I think the list would get a little too long.
Maybe if we could find one word to encompass it all?
How about just this.
Alysa ______, MoM
Master of Mothering
Catchy.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Just a Part of Laundry Day
**This is bathroom related. If you have a queasy stomach or are sensitive to gross stories at the moment, you may want to skip this post! **
Have I got a humorous/slightly gross story for you all today!
I discovered a few months back that right next to our basement laundry facilities was a private locked bathroom. I thought nothing of it at the time, just found it funny that the people who work at the business that is on the first floor have to walk to the basement to use the bathroom.
One rather unfortunate Friday morning, I discovered something I wished I didn't have to know.
The bathroom and the laundry room share a vent.
What does that matter? you might ask yourself.
Well, see, when someone has eaten something rather unfortunate or unforgiving and goes to the bathroom to feel better, the rather unfortunate person doing laundry in the humid and warm laundry room also is unfortunate enough to have to smell it. Coming straight from the bathroom.
It is THE most disgusting and revolting experience, as you might imagine.
I have had the misfortune of this happening on 3 separate occasions, and each time I wonder if the people using the bathroom are aware of this issue. I also imagine how much MORE nauseated I would feel if I were in the early stages of pregnancy, yet another reason for that to be put off for awhile.
Another thing you might not think about is, what do you do if you finish your laundry at the same time the bathroom person finishes? How tempting would it be to say, "Not feeling so well, huh? What HAVE you been eating?!". (I kill me. I am laughing so hard right now. Maybe it's one of those things that you have to be there for.)
I just had to get this written and out there for posterity, because it really is that disgusting.
Have I got a humorous/slightly gross story for you all today!
I discovered a few months back that right next to our basement laundry facilities was a private locked bathroom. I thought nothing of it at the time, just found it funny that the people who work at the business that is on the first floor have to walk to the basement to use the bathroom.
One rather unfortunate Friday morning, I discovered something I wished I didn't have to know.
The bathroom and the laundry room share a vent.
What does that matter? you might ask yourself.
Well, see, when someone has eaten something rather unfortunate or unforgiving and goes to the bathroom to feel better, the rather unfortunate person doing laundry in the humid and warm laundry room also is unfortunate enough to have to smell it. Coming straight from the bathroom.
It is THE most disgusting and revolting experience, as you might imagine.
I have had the misfortune of this happening on 3 separate occasions, and each time I wonder if the people using the bathroom are aware of this issue. I also imagine how much MORE nauseated I would feel if I were in the early stages of pregnancy, yet another reason for that to be put off for awhile.
Another thing you might not think about is, what do you do if you finish your laundry at the same time the bathroom person finishes? How tempting would it be to say, "Not feeling so well, huh? What HAVE you been eating?!". (I kill me. I am laughing so hard right now. Maybe it's one of those things that you have to be there for.)
I just had to get this written and out there for posterity, because it really is that disgusting.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Truth Be Told
This week, for some reason, has proven to be a hard week.
Aftyn particularly has been having a hard week, and on more than one occasion I have felt like tossing my hands in the air with no idea how to handle the situation I am in.
Yes she is 3 and that could be the problem. Yes Daddy's work schedule and church calling schedule are all over the place with no regularity yet and so not seeing her Dad a whole lot could also be part of the problem. And yes Mommy is having a hard time lately as well which could be a good reason why our intuitive little girly could be struggling.
Either way, last night I finally admitted to some real truths. That Aftyn may be feeling also.
Sometimes I hate where we live. Albeit a beautiful old brick building, I miss having safe outside space to play in. With grass. And I miss carpet to roll and play on. Hardwood is not very forgiving.
Sometimes I miss our old neighborhood. With grass.
And the big beautiful barn view behind our old house.
I miss neighbors who grow vegetables in their garden and want to share.
I miss my back patio.
I miss my husband coming home at regular hours during the day, enabling our family and me to enjoy his company .
I miss family. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. (I was thinking Aftyn's cousins, who are also my nieces and nephews. So yes, I miss them too. :) )
I miss date nights. And sprinklers to run through. And bike rides.
Safe neighborhoods to run in. And go for walks in.
Not unlike the pioneers who suffered untold hardships so they could come west, they put their comforts on hold for months in the name of fulfilling their dreams.
That's me.
What do you know, I CAN be a modern day pioneer. :)
This sounds like a pity me post. It's not.
We all go through times in our life where we go without.
And then later when everything is back to the way it used to be, it can be easy to forget how hard things got.
Except when things get hard, that's when we show our true colors.
How hard we really can work, working at trying to survive and thrive.
It's when we practice the most faith in God. It would seem.
We ARE surviving, we're even trying hard to thrive. And we will make it.
"Like an awkward dancer, on a crowded floor, I'll learn to dance once more".
Someday.
Aftyn particularly has been having a hard week, and on more than one occasion I have felt like tossing my hands in the air with no idea how to handle the situation I am in.
Yes she is 3 and that could be the problem. Yes Daddy's work schedule and church calling schedule are all over the place with no regularity yet and so not seeing her Dad a whole lot could also be part of the problem. And yes Mommy is having a hard time lately as well which could be a good reason why our intuitive little girly could be struggling.
Either way, last night I finally admitted to some real truths. That Aftyn may be feeling also.
Sometimes I hate where we live. Albeit a beautiful old brick building, I miss having safe outside space to play in. With grass. And I miss carpet to roll and play on. Hardwood is not very forgiving.
 |
| This brown stuff doesn't really qualify as carpet. It's industrial carpet. Not fluffy, not soft, not something you'd normally want to sleep on unless you too were 15 months old and goofy. |
Sometimes I miss our old neighborhood. With grass.
And the big beautiful barn view behind our old house.
I miss neighbors who grow vegetables in their garden and want to share.
I miss my back patio.
I miss my husband coming home at regular hours during the day, enabling our family and me to enjoy his company .
I miss family. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. (I was thinking Aftyn's cousins, who are also my nieces and nephews. So yes, I miss them too. :) )
I miss date nights. And sprinklers to run through. And bike rides.
Safe neighborhoods to run in. And go for walks in.
Not unlike the pioneers who suffered untold hardships so they could come west, they put their comforts on hold for months in the name of fulfilling their dreams.
That's me.
What do you know, I CAN be a modern day pioneer. :)
This sounds like a pity me post. It's not.
We all go through times in our life where we go without.
And then later when everything is back to the way it used to be, it can be easy to forget how hard things got.
Except when things get hard, that's when we show our true colors.
How hard we really can work, working at trying to survive and thrive.
It's when we practice the most faith in God. It would seem.
We ARE surviving, we're even trying hard to thrive. And we will make it.
"Like an awkward dancer, on a crowded floor, I'll learn to dance once more".
Someday.
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