House of Estrogen

Simple Woman's Daybook, June 27, 2011

For Today...

Outside my window... a bright blue sky with a few whispy clouds.

  I am thinking... that I hope Elise is having a great time at camp this week.

 I am thankful for... the Internet. How did we survive without it?

  From the kitchen... tacos, I think.

 I am creating... not much these days. I have so many projects that need to get finished... the master bedroom, Elise's room. Some day...

I am going... to book club this week. We are discussing The Giver by Lois Lowry - should be a good discussion.

I am reading... nothing at the moment. I have two library books waiting for me though. I'll start one tonight. This morning, I finished Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue. What a book! It was so good.  It had moments of being tremendously creepy, but at the same time, it is such a sweet, touching story. It is told in the first person by Jack, a five year old. He has lived his entire life held captive in an 11x11 foot room where he was born after his mother was kidnapped at the age of 19. His mother does amazing things to make a life for them inside Room. This book is disturbing but powerful.

I am hoping... that J.C. hasn't broken any ribs. His pain from his bike wreck is getting worse, not better. That can't be a good thing.

I am hearing... Addie tattling on Nina, "Nina's watching a bideo."

Around the house... clutter.all.over.every.surface.

One of my favorite things... my mom's peach scrunch. She made some last night and invited us over for dessert. Yum. I really need to get to the farmer's market and buy some peaches.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... Elise is at sleep-away camp. Nina will be at ice skating camp. I signed her up for meals each day, so I don't even have to make lunches in the morning. This is our vacation-from-parenting week... two kids rather than three, and ten fewer lunches to make in the mornings!  We're on easy street this week.  :)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Nina at daycamp last week. She loved archery!

 

 
 
 To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

What Do You Know?

Earlier this week, my good friend C over at Brightenthecorner posted What Do You Know? - a game to post at least five things you know. Following in her footsteps, here are five things I know.

1. I know that I have some sort of civic black cloud of karma over me this week. On Tuesday, I got summoned for jury duty. On Wednesday, I got pulled over and received a ticket for an expired registration. The court dates for both are in the same week. Good times.

2. I know that the politically correct thing for me to say is that I will miss Elise horribly while she is at camp this week, and that it pains me to even think of my child being away from me for a week. That said, I can't wait. I think Elise will have a ball. I always loved summer camp as a child, and I know she will too. Also, a week of just two children in the house sounds so quiet, peaceful, and relaxing.

3. I know that I don't like Dunkin' Donuts. The Daylight Donuts near us went out of business, so we were stuck with Dunkin this morning for breakfast.  I don't like them. I don't know why it is so popular. They don't make good donuts.

4. I know that my poor husband was in a bike wreck yesterday and is pretty beat up. He injured his ribs and wrist, and is all scraped up on his face and back.

5. I know that round trip flights to San Antonio right now are only $160. I really want to go down there to see C and some other friends who are going to the Hill Country Hyatt in August, but J.C. is going to be out of town, so I don't think I can make it work. Wah.

So there you go... five things I know. What do you know?

Father's Day Beach Weekend

For Father's Day weekend, we decided to take a quick trip to Atlantic Beach. We told the girls that we were going to pick them up early from camp to do a fun family activity in the afternoon. On the drive to camp in the morning, they asked me what we were going to do, and I told them they would find out when we got there. Then we had this conversation:

Elise: I know what we're going to do!!

Me: What?

Elise: We're going to the pool!

Me: pool, huh?  That sounds like fun. Good idea.

Nina: No, I know what we're going to do! We're going to Monkey Joe's!

Me: Monkey Joes... that's a great idea too! You guys have some really good ideas for a fun family afternoon.

Elise: Maybe we're going to the beach!

Me: The beach???  <said with a tone of "you have got to be kidding!">

Nina: Elise!!!! There's no way we're going to the beach!!!

and I left it at that. When we picked them up in a packed-full car in the afternoon, it went like this:

 

Addie was clearly much more interested in Elise's ice cream sandwich than the trip, but at least the big girls were excited!

We arrived at the small cozy condo we had rented late Friday afternoon, dropped off our stuff, and headed to our perennial favorite, Sanitary Fish Market, for dinner.

 

The girls gave me a little attitude,

 

and giggled a lot. I think we were all glad to be on vacation.

 

Then we did our part to support the economy (and Sanitary Fish Market) by buying our annual SFM t-shirts. (Elise's really is THAT bright. I'm pretty sure she could be seen from the space shuttle.)

 

 

Why did I think red was a good color for me? Must have been the peach margarita clouding my judgement. The color Nina chose is so gorgeous. Why didn't I go with that?

 

Saturday and Sunday, we soaked up the sun and played in the waves all day, making the most of our short trip.

 

Elise and Nina spent nearly every second on their boogie boards.

 

 

 

Addie loved playing in the waves too,

 

except for a few run-ins with unexpectedly large waves. (Love J.C.'s expression here... no sympathy for the poor girl, huh?)

 

J.C. taught the girls the very important skill of how to feed sea gulls.

 

Saturday night, we decided to try a new (to us) restaurant, Channel Marker in Atlantic Beach. It didn't look like much from the outside, but it ended up being so nice. There are few things I love more than outdoor dining right on the waterfront!

 

The food was delicious, and it was just so relaxing.

 

 

After another fun day on Sunday, it was time to say good-bye to the beach and head back home.

 

We'll be back though!

  

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, June 20, 2011

For Today...

Outside my window... three baby foxes living in our backyard!

  I am thinking... about taking my car to the carwash today to get all the saltwater grime off of it.

 I am thankful for... a fun, safe trip to the beach with great weather!

 From the kitchen... hamburgers, perhaps? We had planned on bringing shrimp home from the beach, so I was going to grill shrimp tonight. Unfortunately, we waited until after 6:00 on Sunday evening to get it, and all the seafood markets were closed. Bummer.

 I am creating... just this post.

I am going... to lunch with my parents today.

I am reading...  Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue. I just finished Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot this morning. I think it was better than the first book, or perhaps I've just gotten attached to the characters. I'm looking forward to reading the next one. I'm number two in the queue at the library, so I should get it soon. I also finished The Giver by Lois Lowry this week. I can't decide what I thought about this book. I really liked it early on, but then I felt like the end just left me hanging. It should be an interesting one to discuss at book club though for sure.

I am hoping... that Addie takes a good nap today. Sadly, she didn't sleep in the car at all on our way back from the beach last night, so she was up really late.

I am hearing... 'Born This Way' by Lady Gaga.

Around the house... sandy towels and swimsuits needing to be washed.

One of my favorite things... the first smell of the salty ocean air when you arrive at the beach and step out of the car. Ahhhhh.....

A few plans for the rest of the week.... the girls are in half-day daycamp this week, so I will mostly be working in the mornings and hanging out at the pool in the afternoons. It should be a nice, relaxing week.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... two of our cute fox kits in the backyard (sorry for the blur... I was trying to capture the picture quickly before scaring them off, and I didn't have the shutter speed set fast enough.)

 

 
 To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Designated Driver Not Needed

Elise and I went out for Asian food last night after her jump rope class. Regardless of how much I emphasize that I want my meal really spicy, this particular restaurant often fails in the spice department. Last night's meal was perfect though... enough spice to make me sweat. I was talking to Elise and said, "Man... this dish is really spicy tonight!" She asked, "Is it too spicy?"  I said, "No.. it is just right... it's making my face feel hot."  Then, with a very concerned look on her face, she asked, "So, will you be able to drive home?"  Huh?  I asked her what she meant. She said, "You know... when we go to the Mexican place, and you get that really spicy meal, you say that you shouldn't drive home."  Ahhh... that would be the margarita I have with the spicy food at the Mexican place!  I guess we need to have a discussion on responsible drinking and spicy food eating!  We were safe last night though... no designated driver needed for my spicy Asian noodle binge. Whew!

The Girl Daddy

This morning, we got a late start, so the usual morning chaos was even worse than normal as we raced around trying to get out the door on time. Elise came into my bathroom whining and complaining about her camp T-shirt... "This shirt is so tight. I can't stand the neck. It is just so small. It is too tight around my neck. I can't wear it." I looked over at her standing there in the too big T-shirt with the neck hanging down her chest and barked back, "There is absolutely nothing small or tight about that shirt. If anything, it is too big. Quit pulling on it. It is fine. You have to wear it regardless. Go put on some shorts." I had no sympathy, no patience. Elise looked like she might just collapse in a puddle of tears right there on the spot. Then J.C. jumped in with, "What your mom meant by that is that she knows what it is like to wear a shirt that is uncomfortable. She has had shirts before that are too small and knows how frustrating that is. She understands your pain, but she thinks that you should go eat some breakfast before you make a decision about the shirt. Some food in your belly will probably help your outlook on the shirt."

Has he figured out the whole "women want to be heard" thing or what? Elise smiled, laughed, and headed downstairs to pour herself a bowl of cereal. Problem solved. The guy was clearly meant to be a girl daddy... guess that's why he had three of them. Of course, living in a house full of estrogen, he has lots of experience in dealing with morning clothing crises. I think he's mastered it.

Simple Woman's Daybook, June 13, 2011

For Today...

Outside my window... my annual summer project has begun - killing the grass with the slip n' slide!

  I am thinking... about going and getting in a hot bath and then going to bed. It has been a long day.

 I am thankful for... good friends.

 From the kitchen... chicken quesadillas and grapes.

 I am creating... not much right now.

I am going... to a much-needed moms' night out tomorrow night.

I am reading... The Giver by Lois Lowry. This isn't a book I ever would have chosen on my own, but it has sucked me in, and I'm really enjoying it so far. It is my book club book this month. This week, I also read Falling Out of Fashion by Karen Yampolsky. It didn't get very good reviews on Amazon, but it was a lot better than I was expecting. It is sort of Devil Wears Prada-esque but about the magazine industry.

I am hoping... to pull off a little surprise for the girls this weekend.

I am hearing... the washing machine. The girls are attending Girl Scout day camp this week. They are divided into groups by T-shirt color, so they have to wear the same camp T-shirt EV.ER.Y.DAY!  Who came up with that idea?  I'm sure it works great at camp, but having to wash the same t-shirt every single night is a royal pain.

Around the house... J.C. thought he saw a fox in the yard last night. I wonder if we'll have fox kits again.

One of my favorite things... vacations.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... the usual chaos.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... we had a bit of wind Saturday night and woke up to half of our next door neighbor's tree in the street.

 
 
 
 To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Good-bye First and Third Grades!

I had a master blogging plan this week: Take a picture of the girls on the morning of their last day of school, so I could post pictures of the mornings of their first day and last day of school this year. The plan was foiled when Elise woke up with an asthma flare-up saying she felt too rotten to go to school. While Nina ran down the street to catch the bus, Elise did a nebulizer treatment, so no morning picture for me. Elise got to spend the morning lying on the floor of my office at work while I packed up for my move. By noon, she remembered she was missing a last-day-of-school ice cream party and had realized mom's office was decidedly boring, so off to school she went.

Therefore, I present you with the last-day-of-school, post-school, post-dinner, post-swimming picture.

And for comparison, here they were on the first day... hair a bit longer on Elise and a bit shorter on Nina, but otherwise about the same. They have first and third grades behind them now though, so second and fourth grades, here we come!

 

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, June 6, 2011

For Today...

Outside my window... sun and heat all week long.

  I am thinking... that I got a surprisingly good workout with the Wii today.

 I am thankful for... J.C. getting home last night from Snowshoe all in one piece.

 From the kitchen... fudge that J.C. brought home from his trip.

 I am creating... Elise's room still. A poster arrived today that she picked out. I need to go get a frame for it.

I am going... to buy teacher gifts this week... nothing like leaving it to the last minute!

I am reading... nothing. I still haven't found the half-finished library book I lost. I picked up something new at the library today but haven't started it yet.

I am hoping... to get Addie's very belated 3.5 year letter written soon.

I am hearing... the a/c. It is going to be a hot week!

Around the house... the hydrangeas in our yard are so gorgeous right now.

One of my favorite things... sweet baby snuggles. I got to snuggle with a friend's 2 month old baby Saturday. He slept on my chest for about 2 hours. It was heaven!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... end-of-year school picnics Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Picnics in 95 degree weather don't sound even remotely enjoyable, so I can't say I'm looking forward to them much. The girls' last day of school is Friday! My office is getting moved this week too, so I need to spend some time at work packing.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... I just adore this fruity swimsuit fabric. I'd love to find that same print in cotton for a dress!

 
 
 To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Survival Swim

J.C. was out of town for the last five days. Single parenting always challenges my energy, patience, and spirit.  My plan for survival this weekend was simple: swimming.

 

We swam Friday.

 

We swam Saturday.

 

We swam Sunday.

 

Basically, we spent as much time as humanly possible swimming. There were several reasons for this strategy.

 

1. My children don't fight at the pool. I haven't figured out the secret of the sun and water, but there is clearly magic there. They all get along. While at the pool, I can enjoy my time with my children rather than playing referee all day.

 

2. They can't destroy the house when they aren't in it.

 

3. There are no dishes to wash or meals to prepare when all meals consist of pizza or subs delivered poolside.

 

So, pool time we had. We planned pool playdates with friends - girl friends,...

 

guy friends,...

 

and little teeny,

 

tiny friends.

 

Overall, the weekend was a success.

 

We had a few scraped toes and sunburned shoulders,

 

but that didn't put any damper on the fun,

 

 

and most importantly, this temporarily-single mom maintained her sanity!