Family time

March 11, 2013 By Filed Under: Uncategorized
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Courtney’s realized that “let’s have family time” will get her almost anything and we had a ton of family time this weekend. It was really nice. We had a great weekend with hints of spring. It was great, if you can get past the head cold that never ends. I’d write more but my head is still full of crap and I’m pretty sure I have a sinus infection. 
Sending the kids to lockup. Courtney actually looks guilty.
Not sure how or when he got big enough to climb that high.
The spring in the air meant there was some time spent outside. The kids were dying to get a little wet in the hose, who were we to say no? Of course, they were freezing when they were done but it was so fun to watch them!

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Why do my posts need titles? I’m too tired for that.

March 8, 2013 By Filed Under: Uncategorized
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For reasons I can’t begin to comprehend, there’s no school today. It’s a teacher work day, I think, in our county and so our school is closed. Because of course. But as I write this, Courtney is lying on the kitchen floor by the heater and Patrick is still sleeping. I think he’s got a “thing,” he was barking like a seal for a few minutes this morning but then went back to sleep. I guess it’s good there’s no school and we don’t have to rush out the door.
Our week was pretty good, if you can consider using an entire box of tissues on yourself and blowing your nose raw “good.” My beautiful children shared their snot and germs with me and now I’m sick with a crazy runny nose and a 200 pound head. I’m actually feeling better but will be happy when this is gone and I can breathe again. The weather is improving and there’s a hint of spring in the air. I went to that orange, large home improvement store yesterday and they had tons of spring plants, including fruits and veggies for the garden. I think they’re a little optimistic but the signs are all there.
My half marathon training is coming to an end. My run is on St Patrick’s day so one taper run this weekend, some short runs next week and then we’re done! I’m looking forward to the run and it being over. I’m ready to mix up my exercise routine, try and do some crossfit, and also not spend all of my Saturday mornings somewhere else. Of course I’ll keep running but it’ll be nice to have a bit of a break. I was hoping to run the half in 2:10, which would be 12 minutes off of last years 1/2 but I don’t think that’ll happen. I’m going to run with the 2:15 pace group but my legs have been killing me. I need to do some serious foam rolling over the next week. 
I don’t feel like my week was overly productive, thanks to the runny nose but I can’t complain. My little people kept me happy, when they weren’t driving me nuts, and for that I’m truly grateful.
Courtney in her Easter Dress

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Momma do it

March 5, 2013 By Filed Under: Uncategorized

Maybe it’s the season, the weather (rain), the fact that it’s grey and gross. Or maybe it’s the fact that my best friend is moving to Texas and I’m sad about that. Or maybe it’s the kids and their complete inability to listen to me. The fact that I have to repeat myself over and over and over. The fact that I say someone’s name and they just run away. Maybe it’s the constant, never-ending need to say, “Eat your spaghetti-chicken-rice-cereal-fill-in-the-blank” over and over and over every single day. Maybe it’s the fact that my head is FULL of snot, my nose is like a faucet and I generally feel like shit. Maybe it’s the fact that Paul and I are not connecting, we’re living like ships in the night and I don’t know how to get the connection back. Or maybe it’s everything. Maybe you take all of that and I end up feeling alone. Take it all though, and I’m in a funk. I’m sad. I’m a terrible mom and I’m taking out my life on Courtney. 
Things just kind of suck.
Every night for the past 4 years, Paul has put someone to bed. Always Courtney, then usually Courtney while I put Patrick to bed, and then Patrick while I put Courtney to bed. But always someone. Well, of late, every single night someone (Patrick) starts off with, “Momma do it.” Momma put me to bed. Momma change my diaper. Momma pick up my spoon. And while that is cute it’s getting old, it’s the sobbing and hysterics and irrational behavior after that’s the disaster. Last night I didn’t even go upstairs and things went much better. But it’s getting old and I have to imagine that it’s hurtful to Paul. And it’s not just Patrick that does it, Paul does it too. But the more it goes on, the longer it lasts, the crappier parents we become.
Maybe it’s just all of it and I’m tired. I don’t know. I hate feeling like this. I keep waiting for Courtney to ask me why I’m so mean. Who are we kidding, she’d have to be listening to me to know that I’m being mean. Of course, she told her bath toy that it was skating on thin ice, so I know she’d listening to something I say. 
There’s no upbeat, upswing tid-bit at the end of this. Just ugh.

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The little people

February 27, 2013 By Filed Under: Uncategorized
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It occurred to me at 2:54 this morning that I haven’t written about the kids in a while. We’ll just start this by saying that they’re good. They’re still living here, neither has found any kind of employment and the mooches are eating us out of house and home. I can’t imagine what they’ll be like as they get older.
Courtney is 4, going on bossy, at a very rapid rate. I was looking at an old picture of her the other day and couldn’t get over how big she’d become. Her hair is STILL coming in after 4 years and she has all those little baby bangs to prove it. My fears of her having crazy-thin hair are gone. She’s going to have a gorgeous head of hair and it’s going to be wonderfully thick. She’ll hate it and wish her hair was like so-and-so’s but that won’t be her fate. She’s kind and loving and good natured and an excellent listener and does exactly what she’s told. But not for Paul and I. She’s a pistol who’s pushing boundaries, asserting independence and generally attempting to make me lose my mind. She is “generally” good with Patrick and he worships the ground she walks on. Usually. She’s wicked smaht and will come up with these tidbits that amaze me. I’ll be happy when this phase is over, the no-in-a-mean-way phase but it’ll be replaced by some other phase that will give me more grey hairs. I should be careful what I wish for.
Patrick is awesome. He’s super huge and his speech has progressed by leaps and bounds of late. He has a TON to say, some of which I absolutely cannot understand, and he loves to sing – it cracks me up. He’s so stinking cute I can hardly stand it. But to balance the cuteness and the chit-chat, he too is full of “no” and boundary pushing. I actually think he may be a genius. He’s determined if you tell him to do something and he says no, you’ll send him to the bottom step. In the meantime, the something you told him to do will get done by someone else and when that something is finished, he will then apologize for his behavior  But not a minute before. He will scream hysterically and cry huge crocodile tears if he deems he’s been wronged in any way and it’s impossible to get anywhere with him. I’m sure it’s all part if his genius plan. But he’ll give you this little look he has and cock his head to the side as to say, “I’m cute and I know it and what are you going to do about it” and then I laugh and he “wins.” I’m awesome at this mothering thing.
So there you have it. I know this lack of chatter about my children has been bothering you. Now I’m off to find a quilt block that looks like an X. Glad you asked?

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Everything’s bigger in Texas

February 24, 2013 By Filed Under: Uncategorized
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I have no idea what that means. What does that mean anyway? I spent the weekend in Austin for QuiltCon. A weekend of creativity, learning, inspiration, quilts, peeing alone, margaritas, runs around the lake, excellent meals and cocktails. I’m not sure cocktails were actually part of my original weekend hopes and dreams but you can bet peeing alone was. I won’t bore you with all the quilty details about the conference here but you can read about it on SewHub.
I had an amazing time. The conference was well done (this was the first year) and I don’t doubt that it will just get better and better over the years. London anyone?
Do you have a thing? A thing that you love? A thing that you know other people love and you love to chat about your thing? Sewing is my thing. And running. And my kids. And… But this was about sewing. This was a chance to be with my people. Talk about fabric and tools and sewing machines and seam allowances. A chance to talk about quilts and patterns and ideas and even more fabric. It was awesome.
I ate some great food, crepes galore. I had some wonderful cocktails – a blood orange margarita that would knock your socks off. I had some great morning runs around the lake. And everywhere I went I peed alone. I really love peeing alone. 
Courtney helped me pack on Wednesday. She was adamant that “Bunny” would want to come with me. Bunny was one of those toys that lives in a trunk and I think I’ve seen once or twice. Maybe. So… Bunny came and was very well behaved and never once wanted to pee with me.






It’s great to be home. I’m hugely grateful to Paul for supporting me in my desire to go off and be with my people and encouraging me to sew and learn and grow and have a “thing” that’s mine. I definitely missed my babies but it didn’t take but a minute before I was no longer peeing alone.

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