The First Day of School

The first day of school 2012 was a benchmark day:  Soren started kindergarten, and Dade started high school.  Lots of parents say that time flies by too quickly, but in all seriousness WHERE DOES THE TIME GO??  Now I have four school lunches to make every morning.  Four kids that need help with homework (kindergarten through 2nd grade has homework every day).  Four kids to run to activities and meetings and practices.   

I remember my first day of high school.  Dade will have to start his day much earlier than I ever did; he has to catch the bus at 5:55am to be at school by 7am.  He doesn't get home until almost 4pm, so it's a very long day.

Dade making his first breakfast as a 9th grader!

He's a big, tall Freshman!

Brody started 4th grade.   This is the very first year that he won't have his bestie in his class. 

Our handsome little man with the cheesy smile.

Evelyn started 2nd grade.  She has the same teacher that Brody had for 2nd grade.

 And my littlest baby started kindergarten.  She's had a few tears most days, but overall she is doing fantastic!  Soren wore the same shirt that Evie wore for her first day of kindergarten.  I still wonder if sending her to kindergarten a year early was a good idea.  She's big in size and super smart, but she's still just a four-year-old.  I guess time will tell if we made the right decision.


 

Colby was home for the kids' first day of school this year but only because he was sick.  I took him to the doctor later that day.

 

The first day of school started like almost all of the other first days of school: playing outside in the driveway for a little while before we leave.

 

 

As long as the weather is nice, I park our minivan in the neighborhood down the street from the school so we can have a little walk together.  Brody usually walks way out in front of the girls and me.  Soren told me that she's a "big girl, and big girls don't hold their mom's hand when they walk to school."  She also told me she's "over Dora and Zaboo.  Big girls don't watch baby shows."  And she is no longer in love with Justin Bieber.  She's apparently too old for that, too. 

 

 

I am thrilled to discover what will fill my free time while all the kids are at school.   I'm sure all my aspirations to learn to sew, finish scrapbooks, and master the art of baking bread will be thwarted by the tv and/or my Pinterest addiction.  Plus, I'll get to spend lots more time at the gym hot tub.  In closing, I'd like to share photos of the only babies I'll have left at home during the day.  I know they will be always helpful with the laundry sleeping in the clean clothes and other household chores napping.

 

 





I Thought I would Have More Time...

...to blog since the kids are all in school now.   Alas, my days are still filled with errands and baking and cleaning and housewifing.  I am sorely behind in blog posting.  Here are few reasons why:

1.  During the first full week of school, Dade did the following: dropped and broke his trumpet, lost his $45 bus pass, and missed the morning bus to school.   Two trips to the music store later the trumpet is fixed.  I had to wake up all the little kids at 6:15am to drive Dade to school on the morning he missed the bus, but they all got to eat McDonalds breakfast as a reward for not complaining.  Dade rode his bike to the grocery store and used his own money to replace the bus pass he lost.  Dade also has band rehearsal one evening per week (40 extra minutes in the car each day), and he performs at football games on Friday nights (1 hour of extra time in the car).   

2.  Even though four kids are now in school, they still somehow manage to make piles upon piles of laundry and dirty dishes.  They also freaking eat.  A lot. 

3.  It has finally been nice outside, and who wants to sit inside in front of a computer?

4.  I am babysitting a friend's daughter part time on top of teaching yoga.

5.  Sometimes I really want to sit down and watch Pop Up Video while drinking coffee. 

6.  I have a horrible Pinterest addiction.  Seriously.

So, blog friends, I promise to post more family updates.  Starting now.

Who Are "We"?

As we consider this year who our next president will be, I think it's important to ask the question, "Who are we?". The question was posed this morning on my morning politics tv show, and I found it quite compelling.

When Mitt Romney says "We" who is he talking about?  Let's see who thinks he/she is not included in Romey's We: he is way behind in polling right now among women, Hispanic, and Black voters.  His choice of Paul Ryan as VP candidate is certainly not going to help him with the female vote.  Don't get me started on that guy.  So, who does see himself as a Romney We? White men. Rich white men.  Christian white men.  Possibly elderly men (although Ryan's budget might not help Romney get the elderly out in mass to vote for him).

There is an overwhelming feeling of fear and hostility within Romney's We.  We'd love to increase military spending, and no matter how much we say a military is used for peacekeeping, a military is used as aggression.  We want to cut spending for entitlements because We don't need them (only lazy people need them).  We don't like the government regulating anything (besides women's reproductive organs).  We fear that the government will impede our ability to practice our religious beliefs (even though We really don't go to church much or care to follow the teachings of Jesus anyway if it means being charitable to the poor).

Although I don't like to generalize Republican voters, it's hard when these are the candidates the party puts forward.  I know so many Republicans who think outlawing birth control and in vitro is crazy talk.  But, you see, it ISN'T crazy talk anymore.  I know Republicans who chuckle at the idea that a rape victim wouldn't be able to get a morning after pill, but it's possible under a Romney/Ryan administration.  Many Republicans have and love their gay friends.  Many Republicans don't care who has sex with who or how many birth control pills they need to do it.  I feel bad for them because they will vote for the Republican ticket no matter who's on it, just as most of us would do for our party.  I feel bad because each vote they cast includes them in a We they may not want to be.

So, when you cast your vote this year you have to ask yourself, "who are we?"  I think it will make your choice easier.

Sliders

Tonight's supper was something new, these Ham and Cheese Sliders.  They were really good and really easy. Colby said, "Home run, Mama." The kids all finished theirs, and Dade told me he's, "gonna need this recipe."

I'd say these sliders will be on our meal plan rotation from now on.  If only I had some of those yummy Portuguese sweet rolls from Jersey... I may have to try my hand at making them again.

Yummmm

If there is a Trader Joe's grocery store near you, may I suggest you buy a jar of their Cookie Butter?  It's delicious.

I'm not sure what speculoos means, but I'd guess it means, "This stuff tastes pretty damn good."

Kitten Update (Warning: Extreme Cuteness)

The kittens are growing like crazy and are generally not becoming the assholes their predecessor became.  Score!  They like to climb onto the kitchen counters and trip you down the steps, but at least they aren't purposefully drawing blood from the children.

And they really love each other.

Here is the ever-curious and food mooching Sheldon (he eats ANYTHING) in his new favorite resting place, my napkin basket on the kitchen table:

Here is the super-lovey but not so smart Penny:

And what post about our pets would be complete without a photo of our favorite old man, Jefferson?  He decided to take over the pillow for which Evie is sewing a case.  I suppose someone has to make sure said pillow passes softness inspection.

Swimming!

The kids love to swim; I don't.  I have a very short attention span, and swimming with the kids just isn't something I like to do.  That said, when a fellow stay-at-home-mom (SAHM) invites us to her apartment complex to swim in their pool it's hard to say no.  At least I will have another mom to talk to, right?

This particular SAHM has only been in America for a few years; she is Ukrainian.  Her English is awesome, and she should be over the moon proud of her English language skills.  I took Spanish in high school and was actually about two classes from having a Spanish minor in college, and she puts all that to shame with her abilities.  I know her from yoga classes, and I will also say that she is is very gifted in her yoga practice.  And she's super nice, gracious, and thoughtful.   I have really enjoyed getting to know her and was excited to see how our kids got along with each other.

We also had our nephew/cousin, Ethan, here with us this week, and he got to enjoy the pool. This was our second trip to I's pool, and her kids and my kids got along really well. She even asked if Dade would babysit her boys sometime.  He must have made a really good impression.  One thing I noticed is that boys from America and the Ukraine both like to wrestle, push each other in the pool, and generally rough house. It's definitely cross-cultural boy behavior, and it was great to see them become fast friends. 




Miss Soren

My little fish, Evelyn

There's Ethan with his signature cheesy smile!



Polka dot bikini!

Dade is now big enough to take on Brody and Ethan with little resistance.   

Sewing With Grandma

Colby always tells me how much Evelyn acts like me.  She's bossy, stubborn, high maintenance, and generally bitchy.  I mean, I hate to say that about a 7 year old, but the girl acts like she's got her period 24/7.  Of course, I see all those negative characteristics in the proper perspective: she isn't bossy; she just knows that if everyone does it right the first time (her way) everything goes much smoother.  She isn't stubborn; she really believes in her point of view and is not easily persuaded to change her mind.  She isn't high maintenance; she needs things a certain way and at a certain time because life is better for everyone when she's happy.  And the bitchyness?  Well, there is nothing wrong with being assertive, loud, and arrogant when you need to be.  I can't fault her for that.

Anyhoo, the point is that as much as she is like me, Evelyn is also something that I'm not: really good at sewing.  She saved up her birthday money and bought a real-life sewing machine. 

The reason she loves to sew is that my step-mom sews with her every time Evelyn stays at Grandma's house.  She gets to run the sewing machine, which is pretty darn special.  Grandma made a special trip in to Lincoln to help Evie pick out her sewing machine, and she came back another day to sew with her.  Grandma says Evelyn has definitely got some sewing talent. 

After the sewing machine lessons, Grandma even taught Evie how to hand-sew on a button.  She loved it so much that she has been randomly sewing buttons on her fabric.

Evie is looking forward to many more sewing lessons!

If Anyone Deserves A Vacation, It's You

No farm bill.  The Post Office problem isn't fixed.  Jobs bills?? No.

Hey...how about an English Only bill hearing??  YES!  Rallying against birth control??! Yes!  Plenty of anti abortion bills?? Hell yes! And let's vote to repeal Obamacare  one.more.time.

Republicans in the House of Representatives: go on vacation and please don't come back.  Take a few extra weeks, perhaps in a mental hospital.

A Thing Of Beauty

Have you seen the new Cover Girl television commercial running during the Olympics?  It features three normal looking Olympic athletes instead of stick figures, um, models.  Granted, the commercial also shows said athletes wearing makeup while boxing and playing volleyball, but the idea is magnificent.  These women aren't the most beautiful by entertainment industry standards, but they are successful, strong, and relatable in the looks department, you know?

I do a lot of research on Pinterest: recipes, projects, and ideas for my yoga classes.  I love all the healthy recipes, fun exercises, and words of wisdom.  However, anyone who has ever cruised the Health and Fitness category of Pinterest knows what I mean when I say this: Please, no more photos of stick skinny girls with captions like "motivation" or "why I workout".  For too long health has been associated with skinny.  It just isn't true.  With all certainty obesity is a huge (no pun) problem.  However, my size 8-10 is "fat" compared to our society's standard of beauty - or at least one would think so just looking at a magazine or even Pinterest.

I worry a lot about beauty.  Even after all the weight I've lost and all the changes I've made, I still have moments of terrible self esteem.   Teaching yoga is very important to me, and I know that I cannot lead others in a yoga practice if I am not confident in myself.   I get terribly guilty eating a bowl of ice cream or a second helping at supper.  I'm jiggly.  My teeth are crooked and stained.  I have cellulite.  I have bat wings that flop around when I wave.  Maybe, just maybe, if more women like me were promoted as the ideal, and as healthy, my daughters won't have to feel so much anxiety and guilt.  Maybe if more 33-year-old women were hired for beauty ads and fitness photos the world would be just a little happier.

So, thanks to Cover Girl for at least attempting to stretch society's definition of beauty.   Fitness and health don't always come with a perfect six pack and a tight little booty.  Fitness and health at age 33 after birthing four children is certainly not a six pack or tight little booty, no matter what Heidi Klum tells you.

And maybe if I would stop looking to others for validation I could relieve my own stress.  Fitness is not a dress size.  Health cannot be found by comparing yourself to others.  Tomorrow is the day to look in the mirror and see what's there and not what's lacking.