Outside my window... A semi-cloudy day, with chilly temperatures. The smoke that was so bad last weekend and then on and off again all week has cleared for the most part. There is a forest fire burning in RMNP, about 30 miles away. The fire has been burning for two months, but dry weather and strong winds have hampered efforts to put it out. Last Saturday it traveled 3 miles in 35 minutes. I can't even begin to tell you how strange it is to smell smoke from a fire... in DECEMBER. What a year!
I am thinking... My goodness... tons of stuff.
1. I'm sad, tired and desperately need more sleep.
2. I'm frustrated and angry with an inlaw that lives out of state that has been sending threatening emails to the entire family. He is delusional and we worry for the safety of his wife and children.
3. I am tired of spending every ounce of free time (?) catering to individuals who have no freakin' idea how to operate their email, answer SIMPLE questions, and locate their spam folders and so on and so on. I have logged countless hours of computer time in the past six weeks alone, attending to our homeschool group's Yahoo site and I'm so sick of it. If you are computer illiterate - DON'T join a web-based support group! Arrggh! On the other hand, we had a very nice parent social/meeting a couple nights ago, and we got an incredible amount of ideas generated for co-ops and team building - just by virtue of having spouses there too. I am also sure that the beer and yummy munchies helped... I am so thankful for the longtime friends that I have made in this group - it's been wonderful sharing the educational/parenting triumphs and challenges over the years. Now if we could just offload the 80+ members that do absolutely nothing but ignore emails or complain, things would be awesome.
4. My uncle's passing. It is still a shock. His burial was yesterday. My aunt has an amazing amount of strength and I hope these coming weeks aren't too difficult for her as she adjusts to her New Normal.
I am thinking... My goodness... tons of stuff.
1. I'm sad, tired and desperately need more sleep.
2. I'm frustrated and angry with an inlaw that lives out of state that has been sending threatening emails to the entire family. He is delusional and we worry for the safety of his wife and children.
3. I am tired of spending every ounce of free time (?) catering to individuals who have no freakin' idea how to operate their email, answer SIMPLE questions, and locate their spam folders and so on and so on. I have logged countless hours of computer time in the past six weeks alone, attending to our homeschool group's Yahoo site and I'm so sick of it. If you are computer illiterate - DON'T join a web-based support group! Arrggh! On the other hand, we had a very nice parent social/meeting a couple nights ago, and we got an incredible amount of ideas generated for co-ops and team building - just by virtue of having spouses there too. I am also sure that the beer and yummy munchies helped... I am so thankful for the longtime friends that I have made in this group - it's been wonderful sharing the educational/parenting triumphs and challenges over the years. Now if we could just offload the 80+ members that do absolutely nothing but ignore emails or complain, things would be awesome.
4. My uncle's passing. It is still a shock. His burial was yesterday. My aunt has an amazing amount of strength and I hope these coming weeks aren't too difficult for her as she adjusts to her New Normal.
5. Trying to come up with a game plan for Christmas in OKC. It is coming together, but it is still hard to pack up Christmas and hold it in another location, when little ones are involved. It is also hard because I am as about far removed from the Christmas spirit as you can get...
I am thankful... That we are making good progress on the bathroom. The flooring is in, the drywall repair/texture/painting is done and the new light fixture is in. I am also thankful for the wonderful 'Second Thanksgiving' meal that we shared with my mom last Friday night. We all lamented about how we miss the traditional Thanksgiving leftovers, so we decided that we needed a do-over. I slow-cooked some turkey breasts in 2 different Crock pots (turned out awesome) and made mashed potatoes & gravy, candied yams, stuffing, roasted carrots, rolls, green beans and mint fudge. Mom brought her wonderful cranberry salad and a cranberry-apple pie. Oh it was a good meal. We had leftovers, and a big pot of turkey noodle soup. Now it's all gone... and it was sooo good.
From the Learning Rooms... It always feels like not enough time is spent here because it seems like we are NEVER home. Schooling can't be done in fits and spurts as far as I am concerned - we have absolutely no continuity. A change needs to be made here!! Owen is working on the alphabet. That poor boy is getting the shortest end of the stick, I'm afraid. He is getting most of his instruction time on the iPad, with a wonderful alphabet app from Reading Eggs. I just wish it was from me... Rylan is making awesome progress on the violin. She has learned all of the fingerings for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and has good recall on some introductory music terminology. Jordan is reading The Hobbit.
In the kitchen... We just made a major change here. After months, if not years, of lamenting that whenever it is meal time and the kids sit at the kitchen table and Dean and I sit on the comfy living room chairs and we all watch tv - the horrible table manners that were developing were becoming a big issue. So. We finished clearing out the front room that was historically the playroom, then the office, then a pseudo playroom/empty room to trash with random toys and mismatched furniture, I cleared it out and cleaned the carpet. And then I moved the kitchen table into that room. At first there were massive protests from the kids. (And the adults lamented it too.) But it had to be done. And guess what? It's NICE! We have the Christmas tree sitting right by the table, (in front of the window), a small bookcase that is filled with all of our games so that family game night is once-again a possibility, a mirror for a little glitter and gleam, and the table and chairs. And THAT'S IT. Finally a room that is not over-stuffed with furniture! It's clean, streamlined, and simple. It's now my favorite room in the house. :) In the very near future we will rip out the horrendously stained carpet in that room and replace it with the same flooring that we have put in the bathroom.
I am wearing... Well, I'm sitting in the parent bleachers at karate, so I am sure as hell not in my pjs... Saturday morning attire: jeans, shirt, fleece jacket and bags under the eyes.
I am creating... Other than the bathroom, nothing at the moment.
I am going... Home as soon as karate is done. I have to come back to Loveland for the matinee performance of the Nutcracker this afternoon since I am a parent helper for a group of dancers. Then I come home, change, and load everybody up. We drop the boys off with a wonderful family friend who has offered to watch them for the evening, and then we head down to Loveland again to watch the evening performance of the Nutcracker, when Rylan will be dancing. She is a Reed Flute dancer. I sat through 5 hours of rehearsal yesterday (ugh) but I did get to see her dance from backstage, which was pretty cool. I will be sooo glad to be done with all of these extra rehearsals!!!
I am wondering... About my writing mojo. It's still missing. I'm really trying, but downtime does not exist anymore. The snippets of time between activities are spent shuffling laundry from one location to the other, gathering things for the next thing, and feeling depressed about it. I can't shut up my inner negative voice for anything. So writing when one is depressed and tired isn't fun. I don't want to write about it, and I doubt you want to hear it...
I am reading... Nothing for me..there is no time. For the kids we are managing a Christmas story here and there. I hate that. I so hate that. Reading is the most import thing we should be doing, and instead it comes last.
In the garden... Has now been relegated to the kids for the winter season. Dead plants have been removed, and toy trucks and shovels have taken their place.
I am reading... Nothing for me..there is no time. For the kids we are managing a Christmas story here and there. I hate that. I so hate that. Reading is the most import thing we should be doing, and instead it comes last.
In the garden... Has now been relegated to the kids for the winter season. Dead plants have been removed, and toy trucks and shovels have taken their place.
I am hoping... To find some inner peace this season. Something's gotta give...
I am looking forward to... Tomorrow. Nothing on the calendar. I want to work on the trim for the bathroom.
I am learning... How to make a sock bun. It's nearly impossible to get Rylan's shorter hair into a bun. (WHY did I cut her hair in September!?!?!?). Lots of hairspray and about 50 billion bobby pins are involved.
I am hearing... The fish tank gurgling because it needs more water, dog toenails dancing in the kitchen because the kids are gorging on doughnuts and Abby is begging, and Owen and Colin arguing over the toy pile we just excavated from the backseat of the van.
Around the house... We need to replace the floor trim in the bathroom, and sand and refinish the door trim. Then we need to reinstall the toilet and put in the new vanity/sink.
I am pondering... The meaning of life?? How to balance it all?
One of my favorite things... Poinsettias
A few plans for the rest of the week... The Nutcracker performance tonight, Christmas cookie baking time with friends on Tuesday and the usual line up of violin, karate, scouts and dance class.
Here is a picture for thought I am sharing...
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