Saturday, September 19, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Back to Reality
What an amazing summer. Seriously so much fun. Too much going on to update a blog even! Then reality hit. Drew started school on Tuesday. We rode our bikes to and from school - towing Nina in the trailer is a serious workout! He has a little homework but nothing too rough. I'm trying to get all the schedules co-ordinated, plowing through the directory, taking care of the PTO stuff, all the thrilling back to school tasks but still in a haze of summer bliss. Then today came along. My baby went to kindergarten. I was so giddy up until 8:42 today. She was ready, I was ready. Both of totally pumped for a fabulous year. We even danced on our way to line up. A real dance with some swanky moves. This was going to be a piece of cake.
We lined-up. Took the obligatory pictures. Joked with a friend - laughing at the first day chaos. Then when the bell rang Nina told me her stomach felt funny. I brilliantly came up with the "butterflies in your tummy" explanation. The Mom next to me flashed me a "that was a good one smile." I could handle sending Nina off to the big K no problem. I wasn't bawling like I did 4 years ago with Drew. I was getting this Mommy thing (finally!) and could suavely calm my baby's fears and get her excited about school. Nina's butterflies subsided once we got to the classroom - down to 5 or 6 by her estimation. Then her teacher was welcoming everyone with a fun but heart-felt speech. Kids sitting in a circle on the rug. Parents, some failing to hold back tears, surrounded the back of the room. Strangely I was very cool. Snapping more pictures of Nina and her friend looking totally bored, quietly chatting with my friend, laughing at the boy who kept asking where the free food was (not kidding - he asked twice!) Then we were sent off, happily waving and ready to get on with the rest of the morning.
Then Nina got me. Direct hit to the heart. Pierced me with the sweetest blown kiss and a beaming smile. She was ready all right. She looked big and confident and beautiful. And I crumbled - cool Mommy evaporated. I did make it out of the class room vaclemphed but with dry eyes. I had a flashback of her big smile and lost it. A sob escaped me. Tears were flowing. Giddiness gone and replaced big, huge tears. My baby grew up right before my eyes.
Off I went to the PTO meeting, somehow composed and tried to regain my carefree attitude. I made it through the morning with a heavy heart. I was actually trapped in the longest board meeting ever in the history of all PTOs. I got more forms for the directory. Caught up with a friend I haven't seen in ages who was stunned Nina was in kindergarten. Pick-up time rapidly approached and the big girl came bounding out. She had the best time. Kindergarten was awesome! She wanted to go out to lunch. How could I say no? I even caved and went to Friendly's. She did look bigger across from me in the booth. She had so much to tell me. We were both back to being giddy and overall it was a good day. But there is a little hole in my heart patched with a kiss blown through the air and sealed with a precious smile.
We lined-up. Took the obligatory pictures. Joked with a friend - laughing at the first day chaos. Then when the bell rang Nina told me her stomach felt funny. I brilliantly came up with the "butterflies in your tummy" explanation. The Mom next to me flashed me a "that was a good one smile." I could handle sending Nina off to the big K no problem. I wasn't bawling like I did 4 years ago with Drew. I was getting this Mommy thing (finally!) and could suavely calm my baby's fears and get her excited about school. Nina's butterflies subsided once we got to the classroom - down to 5 or 6 by her estimation. Then her teacher was welcoming everyone with a fun but heart-felt speech. Kids sitting in a circle on the rug. Parents, some failing to hold back tears, surrounded the back of the room. Strangely I was very cool. Snapping more pictures of Nina and her friend looking totally bored, quietly chatting with my friend, laughing at the boy who kept asking where the free food was (not kidding - he asked twice!) Then we were sent off, happily waving and ready to get on with the rest of the morning.
Then Nina got me. Direct hit to the heart. Pierced me with the sweetest blown kiss and a beaming smile. She was ready all right. She looked big and confident and beautiful. And I crumbled - cool Mommy evaporated. I did make it out of the class room vaclemphed but with dry eyes. I had a flashback of her big smile and lost it. A sob escaped me. Tears were flowing. Giddiness gone and replaced big, huge tears. My baby grew up right before my eyes.
Off I went to the PTO meeting, somehow composed and tried to regain my carefree attitude. I made it through the morning with a heavy heart. I was actually trapped in the longest board meeting ever in the history of all PTOs. I got more forms for the directory. Caught up with a friend I haven't seen in ages who was stunned Nina was in kindergarten. Pick-up time rapidly approached and the big girl came bounding out. She had the best time. Kindergarten was awesome! She wanted to go out to lunch. How could I say no? I even caved and went to Friendly's. She did look bigger across from me in the booth. She had so much to tell me. We were both back to being giddy and overall it was a good day. But there is a little hole in my heart patched with a kiss blown through the air and sealed with a precious smile.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Bye 39
Its been real. Really. To be honest my 30's was a blur. A very good blur. Started with having Drew, moving from DC to the boonies, having Nina, wishing I was working, finally going back to work, tons of volunteering, a little travel, some Disney, lots of cleaning, lots of renovating, lots of gardening, figuring out what I was good at, trying to figure out how to get out of what I wasn't good at (gardening!)
40's should be fun - more if I can get out of the gardening!
40's should be fun - more if I can get out of the gardening!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Done. So Done.
I'm done with the deck. I hope. 2 coats - almost 4 gallons of stinkin' stain. I hate the deck now. I really do. My dear husband (who 1/2 a$$ed it when he stained the deck 2 years ago - it all peeled up) wants me to get another roller and touch up a few spots. I'm not kidding. The man thinks after I have spent 3+ hours a day for the past 4 days I will stand in line to buy another roller cover. He is crazy. Its done - unless the bare spots drive me crazy. Then I'll touch it up with a brush. But not a roller. Principles you know. ;)
I am going to celebrate my humungo achievement with a little trip to the salon. I can't decide between a facial or pedicure. If Andrew points out any other bare spots I'm getting both. And a manicure.
I am going to celebrate my humungo achievement with a little trip to the salon. I can't decide between a facial or pedicure. If Andrew points out any other bare spots I'm getting both. And a manicure.
Monday, July 13, 2009
The !@#$%^& Deck
Picture this - gorgeous summer weekend in New England. Blue skies, barely a cloud, temps in the high 70s / low 80s. So many things you could do to enjoy this perfection. What did I do you ask.
Well to start off my festival of fun I spent most of Saturday stripping the old finish off the deck. Nasty fumes, long application then re-applications with my friend the puny roller, rinsing repeatedly with the hose (I don't even want to think about the water bill!) and still some old stain remains.
I had so much fun Saturday I chose to do the 2-in-1 deck prep Sunday to get rid of the mildew and mold and supposedly make the wood "glow." To be honest the mildew and mold are for the most part gone. The wood however looks old, tired and thirsty. No glow - just dry, cracked nasty wood. So to continue this festival I am going to try to stain it today, this afternoon, with the kids home. This should be real fun!
Well to start off my festival of fun I spent most of Saturday stripping the old finish off the deck. Nasty fumes, long application then re-applications with my friend the puny roller, rinsing repeatedly with the hose (I don't even want to think about the water bill!) and still some old stain remains.
I had so much fun Saturday I chose to do the 2-in-1 deck prep Sunday to get rid of the mildew and mold and supposedly make the wood "glow." To be honest the mildew and mold are for the most part gone. The wood however looks old, tired and thirsty. No glow - just dry, cracked nasty wood. So to continue this festival I am going to try to stain it today, this afternoon, with the kids home. This should be real fun!
Friday, July 10, 2009
So Good, So Good, So Good
Still have that happy feeling from last night - Drew and I had tix to stand on the Green Monster! What an amazing place to be. We go there super early, saw batting practice, took tons of pictures, made friends with the other standers around us, actually got video of Big Papi's 300th homerun, sadly saw the Sox blow their 4-0 lead but had a blast anyway. We ended up leaving in the 8th (yes I still am a true fan but it was 58 degrees out and we wore shorts! My poor boy was shivering!) I was bummed I didn't get to sing Sweet Caroline but there is always next time right?! Very cool thing happened - the former mayor of Melrose was honored for his 100th birthday at the game. Go James Milano. Made me happy and nostalgic for my hometown.
Lots to do today and little time to do it. But I just love summer so off I go to imerse myself in it! Here are some pictures and video to make you all smile and enjoy some Green Monster bliss!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Can I tell you how stinkin proud I am of myself for fixing the ipod?! I did ask a 20-something at work what to do but then I did ALL BY MYSELF and it works! Was so afraid I would need a new one. Phew!
Of to work in a bit - so happy. I never thought I would be such a geek when it came to picking up a few shifts. But I feel like all of my brain works and there's nothing worse than unused neurons. But first I need to make Nina's lunch and make sure everything is in her backpack. Oh joy!
Can't wait for tomorrow night!!! We will be the ones standing (slumping, slouching by the 7th) on the Green Monster Baby! I might be more excited than Drew.
Gotta get my butt in gear and get out the door!
Love,
MaryAnn
Of to work in a bit - so happy. I never thought I would be such a geek when it came to picking up a few shifts. But I feel like all of my brain works and there's nothing worse than unused neurons. But first I need to make Nina's lunch and make sure everything is in her backpack. Oh joy!
Can't wait for tomorrow night!!! We will be the ones standing (slumping, slouching by the 7th) on the Green Monster Baby! I might be more excited than Drew.
Gotta get my butt in gear and get out the door!
Love,
MaryAnn
Monday, July 6, 2009
Welcome!
Yeah, I'm finally catching up. I'll blame living in the boonies for my tardiness in entering the blogsphere. Drew and I are each writing a blog. I am thinking this will be the fastest summer ever. 67 days of summer vacation - sorry if I just put the Phineas and Ferb song in your head ;) I'll post a link to his blog here and beg you to please go comment on it. We are trying hard to get him to write more.
So you will now be privy to some of my deepest thoughts (if I can remember them!) I can be wordy and overuse hyphens. Sorry - its my blog! Feel free to skim.
So my thought today is how much and very little I got done today. Drew needed me to show him where each of his 3 enrichment classes he's taking for the next 2 weeks. Of course we were late for his first class (pottery) because we had to drop off Nina at Princess Ballet Camp. Yes, its really called that - could there be a more appropriate name for a camp for Nina?! Between walking Drew to each of his classes I made the most of 45 minute blocks: I totally scored on a big sun hat at Talbots, caught up with a few of my friends also escorting kids to enrichment classes and squeezed in a work-out during which my ipod died. Lots of good, just a little bad.
This afternoon I had to work really hard to get motivated to do laundry. Its way too nice outside to be inside but here I sit. I better go. And wish me luck on fixing the ipod - I really just figured out how to use it!
Love,
MaryAnn
So you will now be privy to some of my deepest thoughts (if I can remember them!) I can be wordy and overuse hyphens. Sorry - its my blog! Feel free to skim.
So my thought today is how much and very little I got done today. Drew needed me to show him where each of his 3 enrichment classes he's taking for the next 2 weeks. Of course we were late for his first class (pottery) because we had to drop off Nina at Princess Ballet Camp. Yes, its really called that - could there be a more appropriate name for a camp for Nina?! Between walking Drew to each of his classes I made the most of 45 minute blocks: I totally scored on a big sun hat at Talbots, caught up with a few of my friends also escorting kids to enrichment classes and squeezed in a work-out during which my ipod died. Lots of good, just a little bad.
This afternoon I had to work really hard to get motivated to do laundry. Its way too nice outside to be inside but here I sit. I better go. And wish me luck on fixing the ipod - I really just figured out how to use it!
Love,
MaryAnn
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