Bright Shiny New Room

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Originally uploaded by MBooth_98

Here is the great room, pretty much done. I need to paint the switch plates, but otherwise I think its done. We are really happy with it! Aren't the ceiling fans cool? I really like them - kind of like propellers.

Random stuff...

I promise to post some new house pics this weekend -- the hardwood floors are down, and the great room is just about done - it looks great. Hopefully when we get home they'll be some progress on the upstairs.

Big Man is getting his ear tubes on Tuesday. I'm excited in that I think it will make him feel much better, but I'm not excited about watching them put him under.

I ran 2 3/4 miles today -- my longest yet, and I am now sure I can do my 5k next weekend - yay! If only my sneakers did not burn the ball of my foot. But having tried 4 professionally-fitted pairs, and having no luck, I am working with inserts that may help. I have stopped wearing my 10-year old shoes, which were killing my hips. These new ones kill my feet, but only while I'm wearing them (my feet are fine once they are out of them), and the rest of my body feels much better.

Things I hope to accomplish this weekend - 1) return pair of sneakers that don't work (will still have the one pair I'm stuck with from the last store to try and adjust with pads and such); 2) go to Home Depot - return tile samples and purchase PAINTABLE switch plates (which we asked for but the contractors didn't install), purchase paint for the downstairs bathroom, and look at medicine cabinets for the kids' bathroom; switch out big man's clothes for fall (and take out those that are too small); and finish marking clothes/items for Danis Duds consignment sale. We also have lessons tonight (gymnastics) and tomorrow morning (skating for K, swimming for B) and hope to go to Fall for Fairfax. The weather is supposed to be awesome. Maybe we'll even do some geocaching!

Yoga is NOT Stretching

Last night I took my first yoga class. (an aside -- those of you who only know me from this blog may be under the mistaken impression that I am athletic or fit or something. I assure you this could not be further from the truth! I am in the process of trying to lose about 50lbs on ww, and working to get into something other than couch potato shape. Seriously.) So anyway, I thought yoga would go well with the running and help me stretch out some muscles. I did not expect the degree of workout I got...and believe me, I didn't even do half the stuff!!

This yoga studio just opened up down the street from us over the weekend, and had classes that start at 8pm. I was so excited. I wanted to join Curves a while ago -- but all the ones in the DC area close at 8. Seriously, what is that about? My kids go to bed between 7:30 - 8 (at least we try), so I need something that starts at 8 or later -- yoga seemed perfect. The class was KILLER. I mean I liked it, I think. I will go back, but man was it HARD! You don't just stretch the muscle - you hold it there til it burns, then hold it another few minutes!!! I was sweating like a dog in under 10 minutes and then my hands and feet were all sweaty making it impossible to hold poses that I couldn't really hold to begin with. Definitely not what I expected. But good, I think. The last 10 minutes made it all worth it. We did this cool down and a inversion (which is basically where you try and get as many parts of your body in line above your head - without having to do a headstand, although that is an inversion too) that were awesome. It was very relaxing and really helped calm some lower back muscles that had been bothering me. Don't think I'll be a yogi anytime soon, but I will go back.

You Want the Good News or the Bad News?

So..the Good News is that K is really LOVING kindergarten - even before and aftercare now. In fact, this weekend she made a point of telling me that she did not want to go back to her old school. I asked her why and she said because she liked her new school so much better. I was so happy that she was happy.

Complete diversion - I was also grateful, because we are in a fight with our daycare/preschool about drop-in rates. Our school allows drop-ins for kids up to age 6, meaning that when K's elementary school was closed, she could go to school with her siblings, for a reasonable price. Well, they just nearly doubled the price, and we think its crazy. When we asked where they got that number (it was $75/day) they appeared to have few data points. When we asked why they would price themselves out of the market (for comparison, our school does day camp when it is closed for $46/day) - they said that they think it is reasonable. I pointed out that drop-ins were just free money - they don't allow drop-ins if it puts them out of ratio - , and they were like, well we only made $1000 last year on drop-ins anyway. That made me so mad. Do they know how much time I spent baking cookies for countless days of bake sales that make about $500 a shot. But $1000 is all of a sudden nothing. I was so pissed. So its good she doesn't want to go back, I'll take vacation days before sending her. Although it makes me sad, cuz I know her old friends - and her teachers who have told me they can't wait to see her - want to see her.

Anywho -- as I was saying. The good news is K loves school. The bad news is, apparently she has become a discipline problem. Yesterday DH got a call from her teacher saying the K was having trouble listening and following directions and would he talk to her (as the phone is handed to K, who of course, was sobbing). I was mortified. And, we had a regularly scheduled meeting with her teacher that evening. So, where I had been expecting a wondering meeting about how amazing my dd is, I am now dreading hearing about her behavior, and frankly am SHOCKED. She is actually a pretty good listener, and certainly doesn't pull this crap with us. So, we go to the meeting, and it was actually pretty positive. It seems only in the last few days has K acted like this. So I'm thinking that maybe in her new comfort zone she is just testing the limits. Not that it justifies her behavior, but maybe she was just trying it out??!! I don't really know. We have talked to her and came up with a solution where her teacher will make a chart and it will come home each day so we can monitor if she is behaving. The teacher thinks it will be resolved in 1-2 weeks. I sure hope so, or K will be mighty sorry.

Not to end on a sour note, it also turns out K is really good at math. On Sunday when we were coming home from the Nats game, she said she wanted to play the "adding game". I asked her how, and she said to give her numbers and she would add them in her head. So I started with small numbers like 2 + 3 and 4+1 and she was like, c'mon mom. So I started with 9 + 6 and 8+7, and she's getting them all. Then I try 12 + 7 - no problem. Then DH starts with 4+6+3 and 7+5+4. And she's doing great. I'm surprised, and so glad they have started adding already in Kindergarten. So last night I ask her teacher about it, and she says, "NO!" - they haven't been doing that - but she has noticed it too. K has counted backwards and once asked if they could just count by "3s". Weird. Maybe they did it in preschool??!! Not sure. But I can guarantee that along with their looks this did NOT come from me!

My Changing World

So things are really getting done at the house. The deck is nearly done, the great room is painted, trimmed and stained (the hardwood floor goes in monday), the bedroom is painted as is the bathroom and all three closets. They tell us the porch will be done this week (we've heard that one before). Our punch-list will be decades long what with all the lovely holes in our plaster walls from the central air conditioning - but it will be beautiful when it is all done. We really can't wait.

Here are a bunch of pics so far...

1) bedroom (with door of bathroom on left) - bed will be where the ladder is...

2) bathroom -- see the BIG shower!

3) Entance to the bedroom (bath on left, my BIG closet on the right)

I run, I run so far away...

Ok. So I'm still doing the running thing. I know to look at me, its hard to believe, but I am. I run 3x a week for 30 minutes. According to mapmyrun.com, I am doing about 2 1/2 miles or about a 12 1/2 minute mile pace. Pretty slow, but I'm getting there. The real amazing part is not only that I run 30 minutes, but that I do it at dawn -- actually, not even dawn - BEFORE dawn. When I get outside just before 6am it is PITCH DARK. The moon is brightly sparkling over my house. The first day I did it, I actually went back inside assuming I had messed up my clock when I set my alarm and it was actually 3am. But no, I am running in the dark and it will only get worse. When the weather gets colder I plan to join the community center down the street and run on their indoor track or on a treadmill.

My shoe situation is still bad -- I am running in 10-year-old shoes. Everyone who hears that nearly covers their ears. I am going to a different running store (Pacers) this weekend and god-willing will get decent shoes. I am very hopeful this will help with the severe pain and stiffness I get in my left hip! I have also registered for a 5k in just 2 weeks (gulp!). It is October 6th at 8am at Haines Point -- which is, thankfully, flat. I have yet to run 3k, but am not willing to get up any earlier on my regular schedule to try, so hopefully I can do it. I think I can. My goal is to finish in less than 40 minutes, but just finishing will make me happy.

I have also signed up for Yoga once a week. Hopefully the extra stretching will also help.

Who knows maybe in a few months when I turn 40, I'll actually be in some kind of shape!

la la la la la...I can't hear you

If I read or hear one more article about how to prevent ear infections I will scream. These always suggest the same things: 1) don't smoke near your child - nobody in our house, or frankly, anyone we interact with, smokes; 2) breastfeed - did for DD#1 for 13 months, DD#2 for 10 1/2 months, and DS for 9 months -- the latter two gave it up themselves; 3) limit pacifier use after 6 months -- none of our kids used pacifiers - they are all self-soothers. And yet, all three suffered with multiple ear infections. #1 and #2 outgrew them by 1 year. My big man is the worst. He has had a ton of ear infections -- at least two of which lasted more than 6 weeks. His current one he was diagnosed with at his 1-yr well visit. He has now had this one for almost 8 weeks. We're on the 4th different antibiotic (and I know they say you don't need antibiotics, but we have to try something!!) We final got a referral to an ENT doc. He goes next week. I am a big believer in tubes, so I am open to that, if that is recommended. While I will panic about putting him under, I hate to see him suffer when his head is killing him.

Fast-forwarding Through Life

So I've recently been thinking about inventions and how amazing some products/technologies we now have. I was in a law office last week and saw a typewriter. It almost made me laugh out loud. I mean, when I started working everyone had a typewriter on their desk. Now you can't fine one in my office - anywhere! For a while we had one in the copy room, but it is now long gone. My all time favorite invention (next to the WWW) is TIVO. I LOVE Tivo. Seriously. I wish all of life was like Tivo - you would only have to live the parts you wanted and could skip the rest -- and you could fast-forward parts that were boring. Wouldn't that be great? With the exception of sports and Good Morning America, we never watch live television anymore. That's so 2001! hee hee. The biggest problem I have with Tivo is that I get used to it and hate when I can't use it. Like in the car when I am listening to the radio and I miss something - my first instinct it to just rewind. And it really bugs me when I can't!!

What is your favorite technology/product?

Mars is Not Quite Far Enough Away

So one day last week I was having coffee with some colleagues. The two men were single -- one in his mid-20s, and one in his early 30s. The one in his twenties was saying that he had been dating his girlfriend for 3 1/2 years, and was thinking he'd have to decide about marriage soon. He said he just couldn't see it - how can you give up ever dating again? The other one agreed. I just stared. WHAT?? One of the biggest benefits of marriage is that you NEVER HAVE TO DATE AGAIN!!! (after being able to spend you life with the one you love, have kids, security...blah blah blah) I actually started laughing and told them this was the biggest difference between men and women. Men think dating is fun. Most women I know (I actually think, ALL women I know) disagree. Yes, new love, infatuation, etc is fun and exciting. But dating sucks. Trying to figure out another person and put yourself out there. Bye Bye. I pray I never have to do it again. One of my friends pointed out that if bachelor #1 still wanted to date - he was not ready for marriage.

The Amazing Squash

So we went to the Great Zucchini yesterday. It was as bad as I remembered -- and the kids thought it was as funny as they remembered. Most of his jokes involve him hitting himself in the face, or splashing someone with water, or saying "whatever you do - don't do "x"" - while the kids do just that. In fact, I think I just gave away his entire act. Anyway, the kids really loved it. It was fun to watch them howl with laughter and dance around. Have you ever noticed that until you reach age 4, dancing and jumping are basically the same thing?! My oldest actually got to go on stage to "disappear". She went behind a sheet the GZ was holding, then ran (as we all watched) behind stage. It was so funny. She was very excited.

There was a great article in the Washington Post over a year ago that tells the REAL story of the GZ. He is really more like a bum with a gambling program. But boy, he really knows his audience. And I have to say, he came out and made a point of saying hi to us before the show (we got there early to get seats). I fear a repeat visit in our future.

A Splash of Color

So they are painting the addition -- yayy! I LOVE the color. It is C2 paint- color Rickshaw. Looks great. They primed the upstairs today, but no color yet. Starting to think about shades on the windows. With 9 windows plus a french door, it will cost a small fortune! oh well... Can't believe we are getting close to finishing!

Alright, I've been told you can't see the color -- I think this picture helps:

Forever Hold Your Peace

I am cracking myself up recently. I have my DS, who just turned one. I am desperately trying to get him to talk. He doesn't have any words, per se..but babbles constantly. Its possible he now has momma and dada, but I'm not convinced yet. So I've been trying to get him to talk and use real words. Constantly try to get him to communicate.

At the same time, my middle DD, who is 3, will NOT shut up. Don't get me wrong - I adore her, she is the sweetest, cutest thing you could ever meet. But she has hit that stage where they need to hear themselves speak. She has always been VERY verbal. By 18 months she had more than 50 words. But somehow in the last 2 weeks she entered this stage (which I vaguely remember from DD#1, but clearly tried to put out of my head) where she is talking CONSTANTLY. A one minute car ride goes like this -

DD - mom, do we have tickets the Great Zucchini?
me - yes honey, for Sunday
DD - so mom, are we going to the Great Zucchini on Sunday?
me - yes
DD- this Sunday?
me - yes
DD - to the Great Zucchini?
me - yes, honey..this Sunday we are going to see the Great Zucchini.
DD - and we have tickets?
me - yes
DD - i love the Great Zucchini
me -
DD - Mom, I said I love the Great Zucchini
me - that's nice
DD - mom, do you know what?
me -
DD - mom, know what?
me - what
DD - the Great Zucchini says whatever we do, don't fall asleep..and you know what?
me - what
DD - we all went to sleep. (hysterical laughter)
me -
DD - mom, we all went to sleep (hysterical laughter)
me - i heard ya
DD - so mom, we are going to see him on Sunday, right?
me - yes
DD - he is so funny...we have tickets, right?
me - (silent screaming) uh huh

This goes on constantly. DH said he thinks something is wrong with her. I assured him it was a phase that would pass. NOT SOON ENOUGH. And why, exactly, am I encouraging language development in my DS?


(don't get me started on the private hell involved with having to go see the Great Zucchini, you'll probably hear about it next week)

God Only Knows

So I finally found a Sunday School for my girls. I have tried for over a year to get them into one, but my church was NOT accommodating. They have their own school, and I think that if you don't go to the school, they don't care about educating your kids. Despite many attempts to receive early notification, by the time I received any information, the classes were always full. Anyway, I finally said, forget it, and found another church they could go to. We went on Sunday, and the funny thing is that they didn't even do any religious stuff, just crafts cuz it was the first day back after the summer off. But afterwards I asked K if she liked it. She said she had some questions. First, if God created everything - the sky, the moon, the flowers, the people - then who created God? I stopped laughing long enough to tell her that was a great question and she should ask them that next week in Sunday School (hopefully I don't get her kicked out on her second day). They she said, she could get that God created all those things - but (s)he didn't make Playdough, right? Cuz that would just be too hard. I suppose I should ensure my God-like status with her by making homemade playdough one of these days...

shhh....keep it under wraps

I almost wasn't going to blog about this, but then I realized that the dozen people who read my blog probably wouldn't destroy it. We went to the COOLEST place on Saturday. It was the cutest beach you ever saw, with shower/changing/bathroom facilities, and it was only an hour away and NO traffic. Seriously. It was called North Beach and is on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is tiny - like 100 feet across? But there were only about 10 other families there, and it was GREAT. The water was warm, there were waves to play in but NO undertow. You could walk out about 25 feet and it was still up to your chest. The kids LOVED it. The girls mostly laid on the surf and let the waves batter the heck out of them. I think they took home 10% of the beach in their suits and hair. I LOVE this beach. If we hadn't just spent all the money we have and will ever have on our home renovation I would demand we get a house there immediately.

I'm it

I was tagged by Lil Mouse to do the following: You must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

I am cheating and using my given middle name, as my current is my maiden name, and too long.

M - multi-tasking - the only way I get anything done.

A - artistic -- ok, not really, more like creative, but I don't have a "c" in my name. I love crafts of all kinds although am currently only into scrapbooking. I hope to get back to knitting and stained glass someday...

R - running - I am still doing it. Up to 30 minutes (about 2 1/2 miles) now -- working on training for a 5k. I have promised myself I will sign up for one this week. I can't believe I am still doing it despite having to get up before 6am and jog in the dark! AND the fact that my hip is suffering - hopefully I will start on a track/treadmill soon to help with that.

I - insane - the only word to describe my life. Having 3 kids and working ft is hard enough, but this house renovation is just putting it over the limit. I cannot wait til it is DONE.

E - energetic - that is, when I am not sleeping or wanting to sleep. So, for about 5 hours a day, I would guess.

I am tagging:

Jules
Julie
Erin
Alissa
M

Off to School

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Originally uploaded by MBooth_98

Isnt' she amazing? This is K charging off to the first day of Kindergarten. She was so excited. Despite the slight downturn after day 1, she was in a great mood this morning - no crying during dropoff, and had great stories and songs from the previous day. SUCCESS!

First day of school, first day of school!

I will have to post pics later, cuz they are adorable. My oldest, K, started Kindergarten yesterday. She was SOOO excited - she literally ran out the door to get there. I couldn't wait to pick her up to hear how it went. She LOVED her class. Loved her teacher, had a blast with all the activities they did, and was very happy. She HATED before/after care. I guess because we did the pre-visit for her class she was ready for that -- but she didn't have any introduction to before/after care, aside from me talking to her about it. Basically, I drop her off in the cafeteria, and she can play games or do puzzles or the like (and eat breakfast) until the bell rings about an hour later. Then in the afternoon the same thing for about 1 1/2 hours til we pick her up. She said she didn't know anyone (there is nobody else in her K class in the before/after care, I think) and didn't like it. My guess is this will pass in a week once she gets the lay of the land. Meanwhile, DH got the bad end of the lollipop, as he dropped off today while she sobbed. Yesterday she was happy as a clam. Oh well.

Oh yeah, and boys SUCK. Even at 6. One of her best friends who she has known since birth and plays with regularly is in the first grade. He's a great kid really - he's my Godson, and his Mom is K's Godmother. They played at our house 4 days ago, and spent the week at the beach together 2 weeks ago. Anyway -- K says that when she waved and said hi to him on the playground he laughed and ran away. She was heartbroken. Her exact words "he doesn't care about me anymore". Arghhh...I hate cooties. And boys suck. I just didn't think I would have to deal with it for a few more years.

Home Sweet Filthy Home

So we are in that part of the renovation that is making me CRAZY. I don't have a clean house normally -- there is lots of clutter. But it is not actually dirty. Now every surface is covered in some combination of drywall dust or plaster dust. Yuck. For a while there we were losing rooms by the minute. They needed to get into this space or that space to try and put duct work for the central air. It was hard to remember we were actually going to end up with more space when it was all done!

On the good side, we got to pick out paint colors and fixtures and stuff. They are using C2 paint, which from what I've read, is really nice. The big room will be taupe, the bedroom is blue and the bathroom is kind of sea green. I can't wait to see what they will look like. For now here are some recent pics:

Just Stuff

So my DS, in following in the steps of his big sisters, had a Kleenex party yesterday. He was so proud of himself. He followed it up the next day with a wipes party. We have now moved everything to higher shelves.

Oldest daughter (k) starts Kindergarten tomorrow. She is very excited. Last week we were able to go for an hour and meet her teacher and see the classroom and play with other kids who were there. It was a great success. The only thing she is nervous about tomorrow is how to buy her breakfast. I told her we could bring it, but she want to try. Weirdest thing -- turns out her Kindergarten teacher graduated from the same little high school that I went to about 500 miles away from here. What are the chances? Its possible she had my mom as an English teacher. small world.

Not looking forward to the commute tomorrow. Congress is back, school is back, and everyone will be back at work. Oh well...