Senior moments

So, exactly when do senior moments begin? I am 35. I feel mature, but not too old. Not yet anyway, and not all the time. But this last week has me wondering. I know I killed a lot of brain cells in college, but I was hoping the football team was right when they proclaimed it was just the weak ones.
So this weekend was Valentines Day. We had both been traveling a lot and things were busy. I had every intention of making a nice homemade valentine Friday night after the dance show. Not sure what I was thinking, but I was completely and totally exhausted. I did nothing. I felt so bad. When he got home from his trip he had stuff for the girls and a card for me. We don't always make a big deal out of valentines day but it is the anniversary of our first date, so it's special.
Valentine's Day was Saturday. I was sitting at work on TUESDAY thinking about getting some prints made and framed, wondering if I could sell them. One of the ones I like the most is "The Landing" that I posted here in September. It did well in photo club competition-my only first place in a long time! So as I was thinking about framing it, I started to remember something. Oh, yeah, I already framed that one. Really big too-like a 16X20. I hid it behind my desk downstairs. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I did make Mark something for Valentines Day. I FRAMED A HUGE PRINT OF HIS FAVORITE IMAGE FOR HIS OFFICE. I guess I hid it so well it slipped my mind. Can you believe that? How do you forget a huge piece of art that you made special for someone? I was so excited while I was framing it too. I've bought cards too far in advance and forgotten those before, but a very personal gift like this? Come on. Guess it wasn't just the weak ones dropping off those Friday nights.....
So if I develop Alzheimers in a few years you could say I saw it coming. But I might not remember all this by then. So maybe it will be a big surprise.
I know one thing I won't forget-Disney in 2 days! I won't be posting for at least a week but will hopefully sign on with lots of great stories in March! I should write them down while I'm there.
Kristin

The dark side....

OK, I finally gave in. My friend Matt has been threatening me to join facebook for awhile now. Lots of my friends are doing it and catching up with old friends. But I am looking at it like one of my fellow moms said-"welcome to the dark side" on my wall! It's great. I have caught up with lots of old friends and it really does feel good. But my god. I barely have time to see the friends I do hang out with. And I make a real effort to see them. Now I have about 70 friends on facebook. All that I am happy to connect or reconnect with, but wow. I am going going to need to put on a kitchen timer when I get on there-when it buzzes I am done for the day!

Speaking of time....I have been thinking a lot about it. Just in general. I was home with the girls and I was thinking about all the stuff I had to do when it hit me. Since when did SAVING time become so much more important than SPENDING time? I think it all began with watching the Disney movie Cars. They talk about how the little town of Radiator Springs got passed by when the new super highway was built. That made me wonder if society today is so strung out because of highways. Yes. I blame highways. Highways made it possible to work further away from home. To move farther away from your core family. It let us go faster. Do more. So we do more, and go faster and farther. Every day. And when we can't go faster, we get upset. It's what allows some people to have more and to see more, and then want more. So, I blame highways for the lifestyles and attitudes people have today. Especially since I think the lifestyle change did occur at the same time all those highways were being built. Maybe I'll write a book about all this someday. It just makes me want to spend more time with my beautiful, brilliant children.

And speaking of brilliant-Katie's teacher couldn't wait to see me last week. She was so impressed with how Katie taught herself to draw hearts. First she made a peace sign. Then she traced her two fingers to make the top of the heart. Then she removed her hand and drew in the bottom of the heart. Isn't that amazing? They lean to the left because she is a lefty. I always knew she had a calculating little mind. Impressive for a 4 year old. Maybe not a trial lawyer but an engineer someday. Too bad we won't be able to afford WPI! Here are a sampling of her hearts!

As for Paige's schoowork, it's very telling. Here is some more of her homework. Guess you know what a great cook I am. Only 15 minutes every night. Less time than it takes them to sing. Or to play Littlest Pet Shops. Or to drum.

Count down to disney-only 6 more days!

I have started to pack!

Happy President's Day!

Kristin

Global Warming Protest....

Hundreds attended....

Thanks to my buddy Tara for sharing this!

Hee hee!

Three Wishes.....

So tonight I asked the girls if they could have 3 wishes, anything they wanted, anything at all-what would it be? So telling.
Katie is our teenager. Immediately, without hesitation, she answered "Real make up and a real ring." I actually feel bad for her future husband. I don't remember what she added when I told her she had one more wish coming.
Paige asked for "Something really cool, like a backpack with lights. And spy clothes for me and my spy friends. And more littlest pet shops."
Easy to please.
I told Paige I'd wish for a house on the beach. She was surprised. "Really? But when it rained, it would be underwater!" So I had to clarify, on a road by the beach. Like the houses at Pine Point. Oh, she said. That makes more sense!
I spent a bunch of time with Paige today. I love when I can volunteer on Wednesdays in her art class. It's great to get to know the kids and watch them be creative. Makes me wish I was 6 again. I just need to spend more time doing crafts with them. So fun. For all of us. Katie was amazing working on her valentines for her class today. She made hearts and glued them together-she was so precise with her overlapping. I couldn't believe for a 4 year old how well she did. Every detail matters with her. It will be interesting to see how that plays out later in life!
Enough contemplation for tonight. Sleep is calling soon.

Late night

Just a quick post tonight. I wanted to inform you of Paige's new habit. I am not sure where she picked this up, but she is mastering the use of the Post Script. Yes, the PS. She will be talking about something, then suddenly change the subject with a PS.
Paige (talking really really fast)- "Hey mom, can you help me with my homework? We have to do math tonight and practice for my spelling test. I think it's really going to be hard this week. Not as hard as last week, but hard anyway. We are learning greater than and less than. Big words in spelling. Oh, and PS-I found my wallet."
Totally random. She just throws it out there. Listen for it next time you talk to her.
And keep an eye on your mailbox. It's almost valentines day.
Kristin

Home again home again jiggidy jig

Last week in California was great. Intense, but great. Hey, I could actually see the ground! We were in class from about 8 to 5:30ish every day so not much time to enjoy the nicer weather but good to be there. I was totally thrown by the whole travel thing though. I kept forgetting it is still winter. I expected to get out of class each night and have an hour to take a leisurely stroll through the mountain area. Well, it gets dark out there early too! By 6pm it was too dark to stroll. So I took a nice walk each morning and soaked up the perfect golden sunlight. What a tease without my camera and all that great light. And since we were in the desert, it was really cold at night. Not like home cold, but 40ish to 50ish at night compared to 80ish during the day. Big difference. It also struck me that the roads were all named after celebraties. Bob Hope Drive. Gene Autry Road. And don't forget the Sonny Bono concourse at the airport. I really enjoyed a week of alone time, going to bed early, only having to worry about getting myself fed and to class on time. Big thanks to the hubby and family for pulling together to watch the kiddos. I owe you.

While I was out there I caved to the pressure. No, not tequilla shots-worse-facebook. Yes, I joined the popular craze because my old friend Matt Tapley basically threatened my life as I know it if I didn't join. Within 12 hours I had 30 friend requests, and over the past few days I've gotten 60 total. It's great and weird all at once. I love seeing the blast from the past names but holy cow it is overwhelming. I don't think I can keep up with it. I am too old for this! I am just going to point everyone to this page and my photo website instead!

I got some great news while away. First things first-PAIGE GOT HER SPLIT! Yay! She has been working hard since July and has one of the three. I am so proud of her. I couldn't believe I missed it though. We worked on it together almost every night and she does it on my last day out of town. I was so bummed I missed it-like first steps almost. I am sure we will share more milestones together but this bummed me out. Tell her congrats next time you see her-she has a banana split in her future!

More good news last Friday. Got an email from the principal. Guess who CAN fight city hall. And win....yes-Me! Woo hoo! No freeway going in the backyard! I was told the road will be kept closed to vehicular traffic. Super. One more meeting to attend (during school vacation week so I'll need to send my representative in my place...) to be sure and we are good. So glad. That would have been a nightmare. Keep telling them your opinoin though-just in case they forget!

Well, my favorite TV night tonight-How I met your Mother and Heroes. Just a bit addicted. But that's all I watch so it's OK, right?

I'll try to post some CA pics soon!
Kristin
PS-isn't it great that the weather got warmer just to welcome me back from CA?

Sunny California

Here I am in Sunny California. It's great. You can see the ground. All of it. I think this is the first time I have been above freezing for like 8 weeks. Hooray! And you should see my room! It's GREAT! I have a whole suite. I could have a party in here if I so choose to.. but not this trip. I have already made a workout friend and we are meeting at 6:45 to walk tomorrow morning. I will need it with 8 hours of classroom instruction each day! Oi!
Travelling is such great fodder for blogging. I should have made notes. The people at the Palm Springs airport were funny. Rich, old, extremely well dressed people. I loved all the people on my flight who tried to carry on these huge suitcases. So not fitting overhead. Who regulates this? It was uneventful except I didn't expect to have to pay for EVERYTHING. I had to pay $15 for my bag. If I didn't bring snacks I would have to pay $2 for a drink (like a coke!) and $7 for a sandwich. Everything!
Well, I need to turn in soon. Not sure what time it really is here or there but I am looking forward to sleeping in a cozy bed and only really worrying about myself for the next few days. It's like vacation. I miss the kids. I miss Mark. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?
Sleep tight everyone. Happy February.
Kristin