My daughter, "T" (age 5), is a frequent visitor to my back porch. She is hungry for knowledge and rarely even slows the rate of her questioning the how's and why's of ... just about everything. Here are some things she has learned recently:
1. That pink umbrellas keep things off your head, like sunshine, rain, snow, leaves, bird poop, etc.
2. That trains heading south are going to Somerset and those going north are going to Stanford and that they most likely are doing that because they have to bring "stuff" to Walmart.
3. That they painted our car red to distinguish it from all the other Ford Escorts in the world.
4. That bubbles are classified by size ("wee, not-so-wee and frickin' HUGE") and shape - "snowmen" are two bubbles of different size stuck together.
5. That babies (herself included) are gifts from God.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Smoking it Over....
I don't really feel like posting right now...so I'm going to go out and smoke it over a cup of coffee.
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OK. I went, I smoked, I drank Cinnamon Hazelnut Coffee with Vanilla Chai Spice creamer. DD and I discussed the why's and wherefore's of her new Dora umbrella and all the things umbrellas can keep off your head. DH even joined in the conversation when he told her that it could keep an elephant off her head. (Yeah, I know...but he's a man, and you know how they are.) T's response? "That's CRAZY talk!" Smart girl.
We're mulling over a move to Utah. My mother and brother live there. That's where we met (in person) for the first time. We had DS1 there and got married there. (I bet he's one of the few 5-month olds to have caught the garter at his parents' wedding! *LOL*) The jobs would be better-paying, but then the cost of living is higher too. My maternal uncle has said that if we moved back to SLC, though, that he would put aside money for each of the kids to go to college. And homeschooling law is at least as liberal there as it is here in Kentucky.
As this is my weekend off, we're heading over to DH's Mamaw's house later on for a visit. She only lives about 1/2 hour away. She's 85 (only one year older than my mother) ... and would be the most affected (of the in-laws who live here) if we move away.
Anyway, that's what's on my mind this morning.
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OK. I went, I smoked, I drank Cinnamon Hazelnut Coffee with Vanilla Chai Spice creamer. DD and I discussed the why's and wherefore's of her new Dora umbrella and all the things umbrellas can keep off your head. DH even joined in the conversation when he told her that it could keep an elephant off her head. (Yeah, I know...but he's a man, and you know how they are.) T's response? "That's CRAZY talk!" Smart girl.
We're mulling over a move to Utah. My mother and brother live there. That's where we met (in person) for the first time. We had DS1 there and got married there. (I bet he's one of the few 5-month olds to have caught the garter at his parents' wedding! *LOL*) The jobs would be better-paying, but then the cost of living is higher too. My maternal uncle has said that if we moved back to SLC, though, that he would put aside money for each of the kids to go to college. And homeschooling law is at least as liberal there as it is here in Kentucky.
As this is my weekend off, we're heading over to DH's Mamaw's house later on for a visit. She only lives about 1/2 hour away. She's 85 (only one year older than my mother) ... and would be the most affected (of the in-laws who live here) if we move away.
Anyway, that's what's on my mind this morning.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Hiding Under My Porch
OK, so it's been like ... two months since I posted last. I thought about my Back Porch a lot, tripping over my guilty thoughts like the vines that twine around the wooden steps leading down to the driveway. I can't really say what has brought me to actually put fingers to keyboard tonight ... but here I am.
I got my last haircut the same way. Having had waistlength hair for years, I thought about cutting it in some more than "just a trim way" for many months. Then one day, I just called, made an appointment and came home to my bug-eyed family (who had been warned of my intentions) swinging my now-detached ponytail and war-whooping. My hair disappeared up to my chin and for weeks I would still flip my head over to mousse it up and wonder why I was nearly falling over (because the rest of the hair-weight wasn't there).
Work has been stressful, more so than usual of late. One of my co-workers had a baby about 3 months ago. Another one just found out she is going to have a little girl a few months down the road. I got tied after having my 3rd child at the age of 41, but still think about having more. So every time someone with whom I work becomes pregnant, I have 'sympathy pains' right along with them. The last month has been pure h-e-double toothpicks: nausea, lower back pain, migraines, sciatica, soaring blood pressure. I've felt on the verge of really losing it on more than one occasion.
Of course, it didn't help that my family (husband and three children) went to Texas to see my MIL and her husband for a week, and I was stuck here in Kentucky because of my job. I don't even ask for time off anymore, because the last two times I've done so, and been approved ... it's been reneged after the paycheck paperwork gets turned in and I'm stuck trying to feed 5 people on $300 less rent, utilities and gas for two weeks. Doesn't work.
The more stressed, bombarded and attacked I feel, the more I withdraw, so that's probably why I haven't been around much of late.
I got my last haircut the same way. Having had waistlength hair for years, I thought about cutting it in some more than "just a trim way" for many months. Then one day, I just called, made an appointment and came home to my bug-eyed family (who had been warned of my intentions) swinging my now-detached ponytail and war-whooping. My hair disappeared up to my chin and for weeks I would still flip my head over to mousse it up and wonder why I was nearly falling over (because the rest of the hair-weight wasn't there).
Work has been stressful, more so than usual of late. One of my co-workers had a baby about 3 months ago. Another one just found out she is going to have a little girl a few months down the road. I got tied after having my 3rd child at the age of 41, but still think about having more. So every time someone with whom I work becomes pregnant, I have 'sympathy pains' right along with them. The last month has been pure h-e-double toothpicks: nausea, lower back pain, migraines, sciatica, soaring blood pressure. I've felt on the verge of really losing it on more than one occasion.
Of course, it didn't help that my family (husband and three children) went to Texas to see my MIL and her husband for a week, and I was stuck here in Kentucky because of my job. I don't even ask for time off anymore, because the last two times I've done so, and been approved ... it's been reneged after the paycheck paperwork gets turned in and I'm stuck trying to feed 5 people on $300 less rent, utilities and gas for two weeks. Doesn't work.
The more stressed, bombarded and attacked I feel, the more I withdraw, so that's probably why I haven't been around much of late.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Mama Mondays: Begin
In 46 years, you can rack up a LOT of beginnings.
There's the grandmama of them all...being born, of course. Then comes first smile, first step, first word, first day of school all those childhood milestones.
One first I remember is the first time I saw my first child. My blood pressure had skyrocketed during delivery and they gave me an epidural. My bp reading then tanked; the lowest I saw was 70/40, and hubby says it went even lower. After the delivery, I looked like the Michelin man...but I digress. :) Let's just say I was "out of it", and DS had to be taken to the nursery and put on oxygen for a short while.
As I had been induced, I was not allowed out of bed for 24 hours. I was planning my escape - sneaking out of my room, dragging the IV pole along with me. They must've sensed my frustration and put me in a room near the nurses' station. Drat! Too close to the warden's office to make a break for it.
DH brought me a Polaroid picture of our son. I was worried. He looked tiny, bruised (they had used forceps), and had all sorts of wires and tubes hooked up to his little 5 pound 9 ounce frame. And he had a pronounced conehead. I was desperate to hold him in my arms.
The next day, they wheeled his bassinet into my room (as I still had not been released to get out of bed). I was like...this is so COOL! But then, something happened that scared me. The nurse LEFT THE ROOM!!! And left me alone with this tiny little alien that had inhabited my body for a little over 8 months!
I had read the books and articles, and gathered dozens of opinions (some sought, some not) from friends and relatives), but at that precise moment, I could not remember a shred of it to save my live.
Gingerly, I put my feet on the floor and walked over to the bassinet. Little by little, more of my son appeared. He looked a little better than the day before - less bruised, more rosy. Still had that conehead, though. And I wondered .....
"WHAT DO I DO NOW????"
There's the grandmama of them all...being born, of course. Then comes first smile, first step, first word, first day of school all those childhood milestones.
One first I remember is the first time I saw my first child. My blood pressure had skyrocketed during delivery and they gave me an epidural. My bp reading then tanked; the lowest I saw was 70/40, and hubby says it went even lower. After the delivery, I looked like the Michelin man...but I digress. :) Let's just say I was "out of it", and DS had to be taken to the nursery and put on oxygen for a short while.
As I had been induced, I was not allowed out of bed for 24 hours. I was planning my escape - sneaking out of my room, dragging the IV pole along with me. They must've sensed my frustration and put me in a room near the nurses' station. Drat! Too close to the warden's office to make a break for it.
DH brought me a Polaroid picture of our son. I was worried. He looked tiny, bruised (they had used forceps), and had all sorts of wires and tubes hooked up to his little 5 pound 9 ounce frame. And he had a pronounced conehead. I was desperate to hold him in my arms.
The next day, they wheeled his bassinet into my room (as I still had not been released to get out of bed). I was like...this is so COOL! But then, something happened that scared me. The nurse LEFT THE ROOM!!! And left me alone with this tiny little alien that had inhabited my body for a little over 8 months!
I had read the books and articles, and gathered dozens of opinions (some sought, some not) from friends and relatives), but at that precise moment, I could not remember a shred of it to save my live.
Gingerly, I put my feet on the floor and walked over to the bassinet. Little by little, more of my son appeared. He looked a little better than the day before - less bruised, more rosy. Still had that conehead, though. And I wondered .....
"WHAT DO I DO NOW????"
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Fit Friday - from "It's My Life"
So my friend writes about small victories at her blog "It's my life...". She's rockin' and rollin' in terms of getting more fit.
My choices have been somewhat bound by needs/limitations, as in if someone offerred me a sinfully delicious chocolate chip cookie, I ate it, because we're broke until payday and I've been saving the food at home for the family. But even in the midst of that chaos, it is still possible to make good choices. I say this not to blow my own horn, but to maybe give hope to someone who is feeling that small steps don't make a difference.
As you know, I work in a residential/teaching facility for adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. The ladies in my home are less mobile than most and get bathed in a pedestal bathtub (that raises and lowers), while sitting on a lift. They have 'self-care' boxes containing their shampoo, soap, etc. When we have enough staff we bring all the boxes and night clothes to the bathing room in the afternoon to save some time later on. (Yes, I'm getting to the point now...*lol*) I could've carried the boxes in a group of 2 and 3, but I chose to carry them one at a time to get in extra steps.
We took two of the ladies on a shopping trip to Walmart on Friday. One is a ward of the state and gets very little, so it was absolutely thrilling to see that she got $20 to spend on whatever she wanted. I planned our route through the store in order to get more walking in. This was also beneficial to her, as we passed more items and could talk about them.
A couple times this last week I made a conscious choice to forgo a couple of cigarettes.
That's all I really can remember right now, but that's ok ... usually I can hardly remember yesterday! *lol*
My choices have been somewhat bound by needs/limitations, as in if someone offerred me a sinfully delicious chocolate chip cookie, I ate it, because we're broke until payday and I've been saving the food at home for the family. But even in the midst of that chaos, it is still possible to make good choices. I say this not to blow my own horn, but to maybe give hope to someone who is feeling that small steps don't make a difference.
As you know, I work in a residential/teaching facility for adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. The ladies in my home are less mobile than most and get bathed in a pedestal bathtub (that raises and lowers), while sitting on a lift. They have 'self-care' boxes containing their shampoo, soap, etc. When we have enough staff we bring all the boxes and night clothes to the bathing room in the afternoon to save some time later on. (Yes, I'm getting to the point now...*lol*) I could've carried the boxes in a group of 2 and 3, but I chose to carry them one at a time to get in extra steps.
We took two of the ladies on a shopping trip to Walmart on Friday. One is a ward of the state and gets very little, so it was absolutely thrilling to see that she got $20 to spend on whatever she wanted. I planned our route through the store in order to get more walking in. This was also beneficial to her, as we passed more items and could talk about them.
A couple times this last week I made a conscious choice to forgo a couple of cigarettes.
That's all I really can remember right now, but that's ok ... usually I can hardly remember yesterday! *lol*
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Posh Mama on the Back Porch
My back porch has changed recently. The porch light used to be orange (from Halloweens past) and I looked forward to seeing that as I rounded the corner on my way home from work at 11:00 pm. Seriously, I would smile every time I saw it. Well, it finally gave up the ghost (Halloween pun) and now there is a regular yellow-white light.
Secondly, my husband had them install a security light in our back yard. It used to be pitch black back there, especially as there is a large wooded area behind our house. But instead of being able to hide on the back porch and just be, I feel now like I am on stage. So it's a little less of a 'retreat' than it used to be.
So, I've had to find other places to renew.
One such place is a website called "Posh Mama". Posh Mama is made up of women from all around the world from all walks of life. Members range in age from 20 years old to 80 years old! Posh Mamas are CEO's, Students, SAHM's, Artists, Designers, WAHM's, Models, Authors, Mompreneurs, etc. Posh Mama Online Magazine and Social Network is a positive and upbeat community. You will feel immediately welcomed as it is the sweetest spot on the 'net.
Ok, confession time...I haven't written on my blog here in over a month. Life, you KWIM (know what I mean)? Thanks to PM for giving me that push that I needed to get writing again. Go see the site. There is something for everyone!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
My Daughter the Hooker!
A few days ago my 5 year old daughter wanted to wear her Halloween dress. You see, she was a "butterfly princess" for Halloween - with a dress and little wings that went around her shoulders. The wings are long gone but the dress is still in good shape. It's cornflower blue with lots of flouncy white stuff.
Anyway, the dress was laying over the back of the couch when my girl asked my husband for help. He told her to go pick up the dress and bring it to him. She complied and came back with the dress draped across her front and proudly exclaimed, "DADDY, I'M A HOOKER!" (Yup. Hubby had the SAME reaction!). "Excuse me," he asked.
T reiterated, "Look, Daddy, I'm a hooker!" "What do you mean, Pumpkin?" T was holding her finger in the shape of a hook and said, "I picked up the dress with my hook. I'm a hooker!" DH didn't know whether to laugh or faint!
Anyway, the dress was laying over the back of the couch when my girl asked my husband for help. He told her to go pick up the dress and bring it to him. She complied and came back with the dress draped across her front and proudly exclaimed, "DADDY, I'M A HOOKER!" (Yup. Hubby had the SAME reaction!). "Excuse me," he asked.
T reiterated, "Look, Daddy, I'm a hooker!" "What do you mean, Pumpkin?" T was holding her finger in the shape of a hook and said, "I picked up the dress with my hook. I'm a hooker!" DH didn't know whether to laugh or faint!
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