So perhaps I was being pessimistic when I said nothing interesting would happen over the weekend. Our transmission started to go out (a problem we have been "patching" for some time now.) Luckily, it only went out in reverse, so as long as we were careful to park on an incline all weekend we were good. However, since I don't want the forward part to go out somewhere on the Jersey Turnpike this week, we took it in to the shop to get a shiny new transmission. It's like Christmas in September!! We get something fun and new and it costs us lots of money. But the part that I love the most is that Mr. Jeff, who I have come to love and appreciate at our little town car place has provided us with a loaner. He told me first thing this morning on the phone (after begging him to have all the work done by Wednesday afternoon) that they would work some quick magic for us. Then he told me he had me covered and rushed off to make phone calls for all the parts. I love small town America.
Oh, and the loaner? His own personal mini van complete with car seats (and change in the ash tray)...after feeling guilty that this was his plan he assured me that his family wasn't going anywhere this week.
I heart Jeff the mechanic (and his wife for letting a complete stranger drive their car.)
Meanwhile, from downstairs I smell the aroma of packing paper and cardboard boxes. Clark's and my work is done. Now we sit and watch...and occasionally rush to finish something else we forgot to do last minute.
I love the smell of packing supplies in the morning.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Our week in review.
I have decided to take a break from the stress of moving and dwell more on the things this week that have made me happy...it's OK to take a break because after all, I have only one, OK, one and a half more things on my To Do list. I have to relish in that as much as possible because as we speak, another To Do list is materializing out in the universe and will be hitting paper sometime soon.
Clark and I are almost finished with our little furniture refinishing project. I am excited about our kitchen table's "new look" even though it has come at the expense of eating every meal on the floor/extra chairs/piano bench/couch/TV trays for the last week. It is going to look great. Although I have to say, all that open space is kinda nice too. (In case you hadn't noticed, I am slow to take down decorations...and even though Clark has been home for several weeks now, I love my yellow flowers...it's just too bad that they didn't serve as more of a warning for where that light hangs down. I think I've hit my head on it about a bajillion times this week.)
When flipping chairs over to paint we found the word Jesus written in capital colored pencil letters on the bottom. This religious graffiti made me laugh instead of being irritated, which is always a good thing. I also am fairly confident that I know who wrote it. The same little girl who has written her own name on everything else in the house. You know who I mean.
(Written just after we moved in two and a half years ago. Thankfully for us, her spelling and knowledge of letter direction has improved...and thankful for her, she has wised up and stopped writing her own name on things.)
We felt as though Hazel's pig-tails weren't cuttin' it in the cuteness factor anymore and so we decided to take it to the next level with a little grill bling. We thought it might be easier to execute than a tattoo, which it was.
I may have regretted this decision however when I tried to take a picture. I took probably a dozen before I realized that it just didn't look cute. Not in the least. Plus, too hard to brush and floss.
Yesterday I had a very strange conversation on the phone with a Franciscan priest in Pennsylvania named Father Frank who received my blender parts from Amazon by mistake. That means no smoothies for at least a couple of weeks when we can sort it out...we have to wait until Father Frank returns from convocation. True story. I'll let you know when I receive my blender parts. In any case, I met a new friend and was blessed before getting off the phone. How often does that happen?
OK, since this post has taken me so long to write, we finished the table. Ta Da! It feels so formal to be sitting at a table to eat my meals again.
I am glad that we have gotten to see a favorite familiar face of Fall before leaving New England. Fall, how I love you. I love how you smell and feel and how our mornings and evenings are crisp. I am planning on getting my hands on some homemade donuts and fresh apple cider with caramel before I leave. Yes, tomorrow I think would be nice.
And now for the saddest news of all. Oscarsons, you may want to look away.
Clark and I had to make a rather tough decision this week as we took loads to the dump. There just simply isn't a place for this anymore. Console TV. You've been good to us. Especially me. I have known you my entire life. And even though you have a little red spot in one corner of your screen, you still work well. And even though you are so heavy that I am convinced you have a homeless person living in you, I still love you. And it was difficult to leave you in such a place. But the two ladies in camouflage pants that work at the city dump are super nice. They are always so enthusiastic and they love their job so I know you will like it there.
Excuse the bare, white legs. Clark and I have had thepleasure opportunity to walk/run every day after putting the girls on the bus. Even though I love spending the time with Clark, and I love feeling healthy and I love the novelty of being able to work out with my husband, I still hate to exercise. I told Clark last night that I finally realized the reason why. I want to like exercising. I have had to do a lot of hard things in the last couple of years. Exercising is a hard thing that I don't have to do. I don't want to make myself do hard things that I don't have to do. Got it? Anyway, that is the TMI on why my legs are a little more exposed than usual, and white...I mean the 'white' is pretty usual. I gave up on being tan this summer when I came to the realization that I didn't really care that much. It made me feel old to feel that way. But I am embracing my grey hairs and being in my 30's, remember?
Oscarsons, just so you can feel better, we had a nice talk before I said goodbye. I told him all about then nice friends he'll make (ie the two transfer station ladies I mentioned above, as well as all the other cast-aside electronics sitting on the pavement.) I told him that he would always be in my heart and he never had to feel alone, especially since he has a homeless man living inside of him.
And then I had to sit and recreate how much of my childhood was spent. I watched The Mickey Mouse Club, Night Rider and Moonlighting on this TV, Goonies, Indiana Jones and countless other classics.
It was hard to say good bye. But all good things must come to an end...or go to the dump.
In the meantime, we are anticipating the movers coming to pack us up early next week. I am fairly certain that nothing interesting will happen between now and then which means that I most likely won't have another post until I am sitting in our new house in Northern Virginia, avoiding mountains of boxes to be unpacked...that might be sooner than I like to think. But then again, with Clark home for another few weeks we might get those boxes unpacked and put away faster than I anticipate. Until then, we will continue to begin every sentence with "this is the last time we will ________ in Connecticut" all said in a sad voice, except of course when I did grocery shopping for the last time. That was pretty happy.
Clark and I are almost finished with our little furniture refinishing project. I am excited about our kitchen table's "new look" even though it has come at the expense of eating every meal on the floor/extra chairs/piano bench/couch/TV trays for the last week. It is going to look great. Although I have to say, all that open space is kinda nice too. (In case you hadn't noticed, I am slow to take down decorations...and even though Clark has been home for several weeks now, I love my yellow flowers...it's just too bad that they didn't serve as more of a warning for where that light hangs down. I think I've hit my head on it about a bajillion times this week.)
When flipping chairs over to paint we found the word Jesus written in capital colored pencil letters on the bottom. This religious graffiti made me laugh instead of being irritated, which is always a good thing. I also am fairly confident that I know who wrote it. The same little girl who has written her own name on everything else in the house. You know who I mean.
(Written just after we moved in two and a half years ago. Thankfully for us, her spelling and knowledge of letter direction has improved...and thankful for her, she has wised up and stopped writing her own name on things.)
We felt as though Hazel's pig-tails weren't cuttin' it in the cuteness factor anymore and so we decided to take it to the next level with a little grill bling. We thought it might be easier to execute than a tattoo, which it was.
I may have regretted this decision however when I tried to take a picture. I took probably a dozen before I realized that it just didn't look cute. Not in the least. Plus, too hard to brush and floss.
Yesterday I had a very strange conversation on the phone with a Franciscan priest in Pennsylvania named Father Frank who received my blender parts from Amazon by mistake. That means no smoothies for at least a couple of weeks when we can sort it out...we have to wait until Father Frank returns from convocation. True story. I'll let you know when I receive my blender parts. In any case, I met a new friend and was blessed before getting off the phone. How often does that happen?
OK, since this post has taken me so long to write, we finished the table. Ta Da! It feels so formal to be sitting at a table to eat my meals again.
I am glad that we have gotten to see a favorite familiar face of Fall before leaving New England. Fall, how I love you. I love how you smell and feel and how our mornings and evenings are crisp. I am planning on getting my hands on some homemade donuts and fresh apple cider with caramel before I leave. Yes, tomorrow I think would be nice.
And now for the saddest news of all. Oscarsons, you may want to look away.
Clark and I had to make a rather tough decision this week as we took loads to the dump. There just simply isn't a place for this anymore. Console TV. You've been good to us. Especially me. I have known you my entire life. And even though you have a little red spot in one corner of your screen, you still work well. And even though you are so heavy that I am convinced you have a homeless person living in you, I still love you. And it was difficult to leave you in such a place. But the two ladies in camouflage pants that work at the city dump are super nice. They are always so enthusiastic and they love their job so I know you will like it there.
Excuse the bare, white legs. Clark and I have had the
Oscarsons, just so you can feel better, we had a nice talk before I said goodbye. I told him all about then nice friends he'll make (ie the two transfer station ladies I mentioned above, as well as all the other cast-aside electronics sitting on the pavement.) I told him that he would always be in my heart and he never had to feel alone, especially since he has a homeless man living inside of him.
And then I had to sit and recreate how much of my childhood was spent. I watched The Mickey Mouse Club, Night Rider and Moonlighting on this TV, Goonies, Indiana Jones and countless other classics.
It was hard to say good bye. But all good things must come to an end...or go to the dump.
In the meantime, we are anticipating the movers coming to pack us up early next week. I am fairly certain that nothing interesting will happen between now and then which means that I most likely won't have another post until I am sitting in our new house in Northern Virginia, avoiding mountains of boxes to be unpacked...that might be sooner than I like to think. But then again, with Clark home for another few weeks we might get those boxes unpacked and put away faster than I anticipate. Until then, we will continue to begin every sentence with "this is the last time we will ________ in Connecticut" all said in a sad voice, except of course when I did grocery shopping for the last time. That was pretty happy.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR VULCAN MIND?!
I have decided that this is my new favorite thing to say.
This morning Clark let me sleep in because he knows how much I detest Saturday mornings and the chore rigamaroll and also because he still feels pretty bad about missing Mother's Day/Anniversary/Birthday and all that. I thought it was really adorable and fatherly and all that, that he went for a jog and came back with a little girl's bike from a garage sale, just the right size for our daughter that is currently without a bike.
I would really have liked to have been able to use my new catchphrase "Are you out of your vulcan mind?!" but it wouldn't have been appropriate for the situation.
I mean, that was a really smart and nice thing to do.
This morning Clark let me sleep in because he knows how much I detest Saturday mornings and the chore rigamaroll and also because he still feels pretty bad about missing Mother's Day/Anniversary/Birthday and all that. I thought it was really adorable and fatherly and all that, that he went for a jog and came back with a little girl's bike from a garage sale, just the right size for our daughter that is currently without a bike.
I would really have liked to have been able to use my new catchphrase "Are you out of your vulcan mind?!" but it wouldn't have been appropriate for the situation.
I mean, that was a really smart and nice thing to do.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
For the sake of checking something off of my "To Do" list I am posting a blog to tell you all that I simply cannot blog right now. I know, my priorities are definitely in line.
We are moving in just a couple of weeks so I cannot possibly take the time to tell you about our house hunting trip to DC and the warning to my husband that a bad mood would be settling in until further notice (it's totally unintentional and stress induced...I just know how I operate...just ask him if you doubt.)
But basically the long and short of it is: we found a house, I watched someone rob someone else, we went to a Navy Football game and I was indeed in a bad mood.
I'll have to just fill in all the details later. Hopefully not too much later. But at least "later" being after I get through my "To Do" list.
We are moving in just a couple of weeks so I cannot possibly take the time to tell you about our house hunting trip to DC and the warning to my husband that a bad mood would be settling in until further notice (it's totally unintentional and stress induced...I just know how I operate...just ask him if you doubt.)
But basically the long and short of it is: we found a house, I watched someone rob someone else, we went to a Navy Football game and I was indeed in a bad mood.
I'll have to just fill in all the details later. Hopefully not too much later. But at least "later" being after I get through my "To Do" list.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
To Boston to Boston
Here's what I am undecided about: Blog post titles. Sometimes it is nice to have to summarize a day but sometimes it's just too much pressure.
On Labor Day we had the 'always fun' opportunity to go up to Boston. Clark's sister Alexa and her husband Shane were in town for a wedding (a wedding in Vermont, could anything sound dreamier?) and let us come play with them in Boston for a day. A day in Boston? Why would I ever say no to that?
We met them at the USS Constitution, you know, ole Ironsides. I love that place. What an amazing ship, with an amazing history and the museum is one of my favorites (and it's all free, that rocks too.)
Then this is the part where he requests the same dessert as two years ago and while I said that I don't really like making birthday cakes, this doesn't really count, because it is easy and delicious and I don't mind making it so much...and then he makes the exact same face as in the pictures two years ago.
I also thought it was funny that two years ago we didn't share it with the kids either but that was because they all got in trouble whereas this year we just decided to put them all in bed before enjoying a scrumptious meal and dessert by ourselves...and Nolan. But we really like Nolan so we didn't mind. Plus, he picked up the scrumptious dinner on his way over so we needed him.
Clark wouldn't pose normally for any photos so his punishment is that I post all of the ones I tried to take.
Which got me thinking earlier today. I don't really believe in "soul mates" and yet I think that Clark is so totally and completely perfect for me. And the way that we got together really is so miraculous and right that I can't really deny that it was anything but providence that I am with him. And for that I am grateful. So Clark, be as goofy as you want to be. You know I love you more than my luggage. And I am glad that you were born.
And now I would like to share with you, two other reasons why I love hanging out with my family:
First, this one. Typical of us driving anywhere. Beyonce brings out the diva in us all...except the man in the front seat who was in his own little world for a moment. When I showed him the video he said that he wished he had known I was filming and he would have added some of his own Beyonce moves. I've seen them and I can assure you that you are missing out. The man's got moves.
I love hearing the girls sing from the back seat...even a little bootylicious Beyonce.
And then this one because it creeps me out and makes me laugh. The girls were in bed, Clark was downstairs watching TV and I was upstairs working on the computer. I got a phone call (because that is way better than yelling up the stairs after kids have gone to bed...and way easier than actually getting up and walking up the stairs...) I was told that I must come down immediately because there was something I had to see. What I found was that Clark had been watching a local access cable show about Horses, Tennessee Walkers to be more specific. The men talking were bizarre but not nearly as funny as what they were commentating on. Clark and I love horses, we go to horse shows on occasion, we ride. I thought I was no stranger to the things that horses could do. I was wrong. It made me uncomfortable. I mean, look at the rider, look at the horse, and for heaven's sake, turn up your sound so you can hear the music that they play to commentate on this footage. Clark had been watching it for a half hour...I made him change it after 5 minutes because I couldn't decide if laughing so hard was worth how odd it made me feel. And then we decided that if we ever get horses we would name them "Vote for Pedro" (because you can name horse entire phrases, did you know that?), Uncle Rico and Napoleon. We thought those sounded like good names.
On Labor Day we had the 'always fun' opportunity to go up to Boston. Clark's sister Alexa and her husband Shane were in town for a wedding (a wedding in Vermont, could anything sound dreamier?) and let us come play with them in Boston for a day. A day in Boston? Why would I ever say no to that?
We met them at the USS Constitution, you know, ole Ironsides. I love that place. What an amazing ship, with an amazing history and the museum is one of my favorites (and it's all free, that rocks too.)
Walking the Freedom Trail, because that's what you do in Boston.
Hazel scaled the canon balls...kind of.
Lex hung out with my kids so I could listen to the shpeel from Mr. So and So in the old timey sailor uniform. I'm pretty sure that she and Shane saved my kids from getting lost or run over several times during the day...hanging out with other people makes Clark and I slightly neglectful but it sure makes the kids happy.
I made them all secure the rigging while I watched and said as many sentences I could, using the phrase "poop deck".
Then they ate some plastic food and probably got scurvy.
Lunch at Faneuil Hall. Love it. There were street performers everywhere and the weather was absolutely magnificent, except for the sweeping ladies that kept coming up and literally sweeping under our feet while we were sitting there.
Then we went to Paul Revere's house and Old North Church. Do you know how badly I wish we sat in rented pews like that? Really all I can think about while sitting in them is how I would deck it out for our family, wallpaper, pictures, comfy seats, snacks, heck-pillows and blankets!
THANK YOU FOR THE FUN DAY LEX AND SHANE!!!
Fade out....fade back in.
Then Clark, who can't stand being the same age with me for more than two weeks, turned 33. It's OK, I like being married to an "older man". Also I just made that up, he doesn't mind being the same age as me at all.
Isn't he handsome? I think he is rather handsome. I'm grateful for that because it means that our kids are real cute, even at 6:30 in the morning.
Then we left him alone to eat breakfast in bed and watch Sports Center. I wish he would have enjoyed it for a bit longer but the man has hurried downstairs every morning so far to help get the girls fed and off to school. That, I don't mind so much.
Then this is the part where he requests the same dessert as two years ago and while I said that I don't really like making birthday cakes, this doesn't really count, because it is easy and delicious and I don't mind making it so much...and then he makes the exact same face as in the pictures two years ago.
I also thought it was funny that two years ago we didn't share it with the kids either but that was because they all got in trouble whereas this year we just decided to put them all in bed before enjoying a scrumptious meal and dessert by ourselves...and Nolan. But we really like Nolan so we didn't mind. Plus, he picked up the scrumptious dinner on his way over so we needed him.
Clark wouldn't pose normally for any photos so his punishment is that I post all of the ones I tried to take.
Take that, Birthday Boy.
I thought 33 was when you stopped being so silly.
I'm sure glad it's not. Clark is funny and a little bizarre. Which makes him just right for me.
Which got me thinking earlier today. I don't really believe in "soul mates" and yet I think that Clark is so totally and completely perfect for me. And the way that we got together really is so miraculous and right that I can't really deny that it was anything but providence that I am with him. And for that I am grateful. So Clark, be as goofy as you want to be. You know I love you more than my luggage. And I am glad that you were born.
And now I would like to share with you, two other reasons why I love hanging out with my family:
First, this one. Typical of us driving anywhere. Beyonce brings out the diva in us all...except the man in the front seat who was in his own little world for a moment. When I showed him the video he said that he wished he had known I was filming and he would have added some of his own Beyonce moves. I've seen them and I can assure you that you are missing out. The man's got moves.
I love hearing the girls sing from the back seat...even a little bootylicious Beyonce.
And then this one because it creeps me out and makes me laugh. The girls were in bed, Clark was downstairs watching TV and I was upstairs working on the computer. I got a phone call (because that is way better than yelling up the stairs after kids have gone to bed...and way easier than actually getting up and walking up the stairs...) I was told that I must come down immediately because there was something I had to see. What I found was that Clark had been watching a local access cable show about Horses, Tennessee Walkers to be more specific. The men talking were bizarre but not nearly as funny as what they were commentating on. Clark and I love horses, we go to horse shows on occasion, we ride. I thought I was no stranger to the things that horses could do. I was wrong. It made me uncomfortable. I mean, look at the rider, look at the horse, and for heaven's sake, turn up your sound so you can hear the music that they play to commentate on this footage. Clark had been watching it for a half hour...I made him change it after 5 minutes because I couldn't decide if laughing so hard was worth how odd it made me feel. And then we decided that if we ever get horses we would name them "Vote for Pedro" (because you can name horse entire phrases, did you know that?), Uncle Rico and Napoleon. We thought those sounded like good names.
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Stuff, some stuff and then more stuff and stuff yet to be.
First of all, let it not go unnoticed (and I'm sure NONE of you have noticed the extra wrinkles-I try to smile more to hide them, the extra grays-of course not, that is what hair dye is for) that I have turned another year older. This year my birthday kind of stunk, or is it stank? Either way works. Oh well, can't win them all. My biggest birthday wish of Clark coming home just came a few days late to be a birthday present.
And just like that, I turned 32.
It feels like we have been going going going since the middle of June. It has been fun and wild and crazy and amazing but also very tiring. I am looking forward to a lot of nothing happening for a while. But we are not quite there.
Clark got home and things continued to roll. We purposefully put off our move to DC for a whole month to give us time to adjust accordingly to each new thing happening. ("Lot of things" being that originally, we had Dad's homecoming, a move, two birthdays and school starting all in the same week. I said "I don't think so" and so, it wasn't, because I have a husband that has seen me stressed and would rather not be near a wife in that particular state of mind.)
Dad coming home is a biggie. It takes a while for adjustments to iron out and everyone to be "normal" again. It's good but it causes a lot of emotion to bubble to the surface...I know, emotional right? With all these girls, who'd have thought? So Dad came home, we basked in one another's company, we played with our guests. Then the guests left and school started.
When I said that Clark doesn't ever have to go back to the boat I failed to mention that he doesn't have to go ANYWHERE for almost two months!!! I know. I am reeling a bit. This is more time than we have EVER spent together, I am pretty sure of that. No work. Nothing. Not only was he here for the first day of school festivities (I don't think he has ever gotten to be here for that) but he is here for it every single day.
Then that same day that school started, we celebrated a birthday. Haley is 9. 9 is old.
My favorite memory ever is when Haley was born. Just thinking about the night that she was born brings me peace and reassurance that I am where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing. We celebrated her with the usual breakfast in bed and telling her how wonderful she is all day long. For months she has been talking about how all she wants for her birthday is a date with Mom and Dad.
So a couple nights later we took her out to dinner and to play some games. She was in heaven. And it was pretty fun for us too.
Then just two days after Haley's birthday, we celebrated Mia turning 5. Seriously, 5? Oh my. This girl. We love her.
On a complete side note: In case you haven't noticed, I don't do birthday cakes. Oh we have them, I just don't make them usually. I conceded a couple of years ago that it just isn't my thing. I have no passion for it. So if I were to ever be some kind of Mother superhero, it would have to be my weakness I guess. That, and bathing my kids every single day. My kids will probably hate me for it later. The poor things. But I digress, dessert was yummy anyway, for both birthdays.
Then Clark jumped back into his fatherly duties and taught Mia to ride a bike. I took her training wheels off like 5 months ago but she just couldn't get the hang of it.
Before she would start her lesson with Clark, she insisted on testing the strength and integrity of her helmet...seriously, that is what she is doing. That, and practicing how to fall directly on her head to maximize the helmet's protectiveness, should an actual fall occur. Clark likes to think she was bowing to his all-knowing goodly father-ness.
I loaded this particular video because it makes me laugh. She kept saying "I can't do it" and we kept saying "but Mia, you ARE doing it", the entire time around the circle. She now does it without whining the entire way and therefore she has time to realize that it is actually fun to be able to ride a bike. Sorry it's out of focus, my bad.
Next week we celebrate another birthday and head out of town to hopefully find a place to move inTO, you know, since we are moving in like four weeks. We'll let you know how that goes. I really can't think too hard about it. Especially since yesterday Sho (my soon to be closest sister in law, geographically speaking) sent me a text saying that they might be opening a Cafe Rio in DC by the end of the year...since then, I really haven't been able to concentrate on anything else except maybe how I can finagle a rental agreement for Cafe' Rio's basement. I'll let you know how that goes too.
Peace out.
And just like that, I turned 32.
It feels like we have been going going going since the middle of June. It has been fun and wild and crazy and amazing but also very tiring. I am looking forward to a lot of nothing happening for a while. But we are not quite there.
Clark got home and things continued to roll. We purposefully put off our move to DC for a whole month to give us time to adjust accordingly to each new thing happening. ("Lot of things" being that originally, we had Dad's homecoming, a move, two birthdays and school starting all in the same week. I said "I don't think so" and so, it wasn't, because I have a husband that has seen me stressed and would rather not be near a wife in that particular state of mind.)
Dad coming home is a biggie. It takes a while for adjustments to iron out and everyone to be "normal" again. It's good but it causes a lot of emotion to bubble to the surface...I know, emotional right? With all these girls, who'd have thought? So Dad came home, we basked in one another's company, we played with our guests. Then the guests left and school started.
When I said that Clark doesn't ever have to go back to the boat I failed to mention that he doesn't have to go ANYWHERE for almost two months!!! I know. I am reeling a bit. This is more time than we have EVER spent together, I am pretty sure of that. No work. Nothing. Not only was he here for the first day of school festivities (I don't think he has ever gotten to be here for that) but he is here for it every single day.
Do you know how happy I feel when we put those kids on the bus and walk hand in hand back to the house? I get so excited knowing that we just get to hang out all day. I also get excited about grocery shopping with him, or by myself (with no kids!) for that matter. I haven't been grocery shopping without children for like 8 months! It is blissful. Oh yeah, I am excited about their education and all that good stuff too. Haley is in fourth (4th!), Abby is in 2nd and big Mia started Kindergarten. I know, that's what I said. Reeling.
Then that same day that school started, we celebrated a birthday. Haley is 9. 9 is old.
My favorite memory ever is when Haley was born. Just thinking about the night that she was born brings me peace and reassurance that I am where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing. We celebrated her with the usual breakfast in bed and telling her how wonderful she is all day long. For months she has been talking about how all she wants for her birthday is a date with Mom and Dad.
So a couple nights later we took her out to dinner and to play some games. She was in heaven. And it was pretty fun for us too.
Then just two days after Haley's birthday, we celebrated Mia turning 5. Seriously, 5? Oh my. This girl. We love her.
On a complete side note: In case you haven't noticed, I don't do birthday cakes. Oh we have them, I just don't make them usually. I conceded a couple of years ago that it just isn't my thing. I have no passion for it. So if I were to ever be some kind of Mother superhero, it would have to be my weakness I guess. That, and bathing my kids every single day. My kids will probably hate me for it later. The poor things. But I digress, dessert was yummy anyway, for both birthdays.
Then Clark jumped back into his fatherly duties and taught Mia to ride a bike. I took her training wheels off like 5 months ago but she just couldn't get the hang of it.
Before she would start her lesson with Clark, she insisted on testing the strength and integrity of her helmet...seriously, that is what she is doing. That, and practicing how to fall directly on her head to maximize the helmet's protectiveness, should an actual fall occur. Clark likes to think she was bowing to his all-knowing goodly father-ness.
I loaded this particular video because it makes me laugh. She kept saying "I can't do it" and we kept saying "but Mia, you ARE doing it", the entire time around the circle. She now does it without whining the entire way and therefore she has time to realize that it is actually fun to be able to ride a bike. Sorry it's out of focus, my bad.
Next week we celebrate another birthday and head out of town to hopefully find a place to move inTO, you know, since we are moving in like four weeks. We'll let you know how that goes. I really can't think too hard about it. Especially since yesterday Sho (my soon to be closest sister in law, geographically speaking) sent me a text saying that they might be opening a Cafe Rio in DC by the end of the year...since then, I really haven't been able to concentrate on anything else except maybe how I can finagle a rental agreement for Cafe' Rio's basement. I'll let you know how that goes too.
Peace out.
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