Time Flies

Despite a VERY long absence, we are in fact still around. I have been swallowed by a life full of activities and projects, but I am slowly learning to manage. Heck, with two boys, I know that busy schedules are not going away any time soon. In fact, in a few years, I am sure saying I am busy now will sound quite laughable. Given the speed that time passes and stories slip away, I need to recommit myself to dropping in here more regularly. With the holidays around the corner, I fully expect the storm to whip up again very soon. (photo highlights-click here)



So we go back as far as August...and by the way, I am pretty certain it has rained nearly every day since. Our yard is a marsh and I long for the sun.

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM
Soccer season was in full swing with two games a week. This year they played on REAL teams with uniforms and a schedule. It was still pretty chaotic and silly, but the game structure was a lot more engaging than the program last year. Zach is pretty good when he stays focused and competitive, but at 4.5, paying attention is still challenging. He has asked to take up tennis as well, but we decided to save that for AFTER soccer season.


BYE BYE BABY
Reece became a little tornado, running everywhere and dismantling every drawer and cabinet (despite futile attempts to child proof) in his wake. When not shuttling boys around town, I spent most time at home bouncing from one pile to a new one trying to tidy up. I must admit that the house has become a war zone that I struggle to keep on top of. New personal goal set. Hopefully it will be running smoothly again by year end.

Don't tell, but I am pretty sure the turtle below sustained a few injuries. He hid in his shell for quite some time after this encounter:

Reece is now on Zach's hair cut schedule...I can only go a little more than two weeks before its a sassy pile. I sometimes want to let it be long like Zach's, and there may come a day that I let it, but for some reason the spikes have really grown on me. Here before and after haircut shots for ya (of course, I am responsible for making it look overly unkempt-but it made me laugh)

He is on the verge of talking. But for now, we are stuck in the "uh,uh,uh,uh" stage. Sure, he has words...but only we understand them. Anything that begins with "B" is addressed with a slightly different intonation of that consonant....I can identify at least 5 things, but I am sure you would be challenged. "p-p-p-p" is pumpkin. "za-za-za" is zach. "dada" is no problem. For some reason, "bla" is dog.

Every day is a discovery for him. His favorite: delighting in the realization that everyone and YOU have a belly button. Of course, when you identify a part...you must show everyone where it is and find theirs too! Dancing, tiptoes, marching, stomping, "talking" on the phone...talents we all take for granted, but when I get my little man to do these things...its quite possible I am as entertained as he is. He is still a very happy and very mellow kid (though he HAS learned how to throw some impressive tantrums).

SCHOOL DAZE
Both boys started "school" by September. Zach in PreK Mon/Wed/Fri and Reece in "mommy's day out" Tues/Friday. This makes for a very fun Tuesday alone with Zach and a full day to myself on Fridays...yet I still manage to only accomplish a portion of what I need to on that day. He is in charge on tuesdays. Usually it involves a Barnes and Noble trip, but often we hit the movies and swap sandwich halves in the park for lunch. He is my little buddy and it really has turned out to be a GREAT reward to have a day alone with him each week.



WOO PIG SOOOOOIE
I went back and forth about the flu vaccine this year. Was it hype? Should I be scared? Is the new shot safe? Well, the choice was pretty much moot when Reece came down with a fever I couldn't treat. H1N1. Ug. Fortunately it was mild...very mild. Had it not been a Saturday morning I might have waited a couple more days and never known what it was. But, I dropped in at the Ped b/c I was just wanting to know we were in the clear so I didn't have to hit the ER on Sunday night. With Trent out of town, I know I would have been paranoid. That was followed two days later, by another respiratory virus that left him hoarse and tired. A couple weeks later both boys ended up with a stomach virus that was much worse and had me worried it was REALLY H1N1. I never anticipated relief that my kids had a tummy bug, but it was actually difficult to pretend i wasn't excited it was nothing more serious. I hate seeing my kids sick, but that heavy, warm, sleepy kid cuddling in my lap for hours was something I secretly enjoyed.

UNRAVELING THE SWEATER
Trent and I have been trying to redecorate the formal living room so it is a bit more youthful, modern and functional. That project has been extremely time consuming as we try to meld the Tuscan/rustic house and furnishings we already have, with something a little more streamlined and uncluttered. I have looked at thousands of catalogs, ordered a bunch of new things, and I am still in the midst of selling the furniture and accessories we have replaced. I haven't been able to see my dining room for at least 4 months with all the excess furniture crammed into the corners. But I am glad we are being more deliberate about our furniture purchases now so that in a few years we wont feel the need for another overhaul...hopefully. It just seems that with every piece we remove and replace, another needs some modifying. I am glad we pulled that loose thread, but it has been daunting trying to complete what we began.

RE-PURPOSING SPACES
We also started a project in the basement that I am over the moon about. We have emptied the finished storage room and created the beginnings of a craft room/studio. The floor plan we originally hoped to build had one of these rooms and I was disappointed when we discovered the house would not fit the lot and had to redirect. At the time, with Zach only a few months old, it did seem a little impractical, but now that he is growing up and the house is being overtaken by children's crafts...and since I took up oil painting, it is much more reasonable. Here is a panoramic peek at the work in progress (there is something funky with the slideshow, you may have to click the little green arrow to get the pictures going. It keeps moving to the top left if you cant see it)



A CAVEMAN COULD DO IT - Run Forrest, Run!
A few weeks ago, a friend convinced me to attempt a 10k. Now, given that the race was only 5 weeks away, and I had never run farther than a few miles, this seemed as near to impossible as any challenge I have ever faced. I have completed 5Ks...though my time has never been anything to brag about. I despise running. Its not to say that I cannot maintain a cardio workout for that length of time. My physical endurance is no issue. With running, its so repetitive, I just melt down mentally. I try desperately to shut it out, but my mind involuntarily counts every step (annoying!!) and I get bored a few minutes in. Music does not drown out my brain- "101,102,103....399,400,401...Why are you DOING this??" But I turn the tunes up and hope they will get me through the toughest moments here and there.

Running should be reserved for escaping peril or hunting dinner, and in this modern world, I don't have the need for either very often. Five weeks passed quickly and I reluctantly ran, and ran, and ran till my mileage was up to the 10k. At the starting line, to my dismay, the official instructed everyone to remove their headphones. No music allowed...insurance liability. I didn't think it was possible, but I removed them anyway. Race is over. I did it. And i beat my goal time by more than 3 min, so I am ecstatic. I was on a high after the race and wanted to sign up for more immediately...I think I was a little crazy. BUT, now, a week later, I think I might actually keep running. Something incredibly rewarding and empowering resulted from leaping that invisible mental hurdle.

And finally, The Man Show (I think that was it) ended every show with a video montage that was meant to make all men happy: "girls jumping on trampolines". My closing shots- Boys Giggling in My Kitchen:



So soon it will be Thanksgiving, then Zach's FIFTH (Are you KIDDING ME?) birthday, and Christmas... So much lies ahead. I promise to keep you all up to date as it unfolds.