House of Estrogen

Simple Woman's Daybook, May 21, 2012

For Today...

Outside my window... it is a gorgeous night. I just got home from working the Moe's concession stand at the minor league baseball park, and it was the perfect night to be out at the ball park. The weather is so pretty - I wish I could have been there enjoying the game rather than slinging burritos.

   

   I am thinking... that I'm sticky, sweaty, and smell like beer and Cheerwine (you know you're in the South when the ball park sells Cheerwine!)

   

 I am thankful for... just two more weeks of school. We're all ready for summer.

   

 From the kitchen... I have no clue. I left the house at 8:30 this morning and got home at 10:30 p.m. JC was in charge of the kitchen today.

     

 I am creating... Addie's room... still working on it. I'm done painting. Now I'm just working on moving her stuff in there.

   

I am going... to get in the shower soon.

   

I am reading... very little.

 

 I am hoping... my ankle doesn't get too angry after standing on concrete all evening. It is pretty sore right now.

   

I am hearing... Fashion Star on TV.

   

Around the house... lots of Girl Scout patches and badges that I need to sew on vests.

    

One of my favorite things... choco-tacos.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week.... volunteering in Nina's classroom, Elise jumping rope in the school talent show, and some Memorial Day weekend plans with my parents.

 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Elise getting hooked up to the bungy jumping thing at our company picnic on Friday.

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

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, May 14, 2012

For Today...

Outside my window... it is a gloomy, rainy day.

   

   I am thinking... about the "2x4" braces that the orthodontist wants to put on Nina. I really didn't want to be paying for braces for two kids this soon. <Sigh> 

   

 I am thankful for... Xopenex. It is keeping my kids out of the ER so far this week.

   

 From the kitchen... Domino's Pizza. It has been a long day.

     

 I am creating... Addie's new room. I got it half painted yesterday. I hoped to finish it today, but having Addie home sick messed up that plan.

   

I am going... to try hard to keep my car clean. JC got it detailed for me for Mother's Day, and it looks like a brand new vehicle!

   

I am reading... Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman. I'm really enjoying this book. I think I would like to be a parent in France.  Their practice/philosophy on babies and sleep matches mine, and raising children seems much more low-key over there and less competitive (Hello, Time Magazine... you know you were just trying to stir up mommy wars and controversy with that cover.). 

 

 I am hoping... that my children get better. We are not in a good place with asthma right now. Addie is a complete trainwreck, and Elise isn't much better. Addie had a doctor appointment this morning, and she has a follow-up tomorrow morning. Elise is seeing the pediatric pulmonologist the next day. Our nebulizer seems to be running 24/7. If it breaks down, we're in big trouble.

   

I am hearing... a quiet house despite all the kids being home. Elise has no homework due to end of grade testing, so she is watching TV. Nina is quietly munching on a snack. Thankfully, Addie is still in the midst of a 3+ hour afternoon nap.

   

Around the house... mattresses from the bunk beds are in the hall and bonus room while I'm painting.

    

One of my favorite things... healthy children.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week.... neb treatments, doctor appointments, dentist appointments, our spring picnic at work, and a jump rope workshop for Elise with the USA Jump Rope All-Stars (best jumpers in the country). I really hope she is doing better by Saturday.

 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... a couple clips from Elise's jump rope performance at a mother-daughter dinner last week. I love the enthusiasm of the little girl in the front of the audience!

 

 

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

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, May 7, 2012

For Today...

Outside my window... our hydrangeas are getting ready to bloom, and they are going to be just gorgeous!  This hydrangea bush was originally in JC's grandmother's yard, then at our old house, and now here. I love plants like that with a history. We also have a rosemary bush that was started with some rosemary from the table centerpieces at our wedding reception.

   

   I am thinking... that I need to make more time to blog. 

   

 I am thankful for... the right to vote.

   

 From the kitchen... not sure... maybe some sausage on the grill, slaw, and beans.

     

 I am creating... new bedrooms for Addie and Nina... they are a work in progress.

   

I am going... to vote AGAINST Amendment One tomorrow. If you think gay marriage is wrong, you're entitled to that opinion. Gay marriage is already illegal in NC though, so this amendment passing or not is not going to change that.

I can see thinking, "I don't agree with gay marriage, so I should vote for this." The problem with that thinking is that the Amendment strips rights and benefits from so many. If domestic partnerships and civil unions are all made illegal, children will lose health insurance that they have through a parent's domestic partner (gay or otherwise).  It isn't their fault their mother (or father) isn't married. Don't vote for this amendment and take away health insurance from children. Passing this amendment will also mean that women will lose domestic violence protection if they were never married to their abusive partner. Women deserve that protection no matter what. Imagine a long-time unmarried couple like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. They have children together, have a solid relationship, and yet with this passing of this amendment, a couple like that would not be able to make end-of-life decisions for each other or have visitation rights when visitation is limited to family in a hospital setting. That's just not right. You can be against gay marriage and still vote against this amendment. The amendment is not saving families. It is hurting them.

   

I am reading... Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman. I finally quit reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. I tried to finish it since it is my book club book, but I found myself hating it, really truly hating it. It was irritating me reading it, and life's is too short for that.

  

 

 I am hoping... that Elise feels better soon. Her asthma has flared up, and her cough sounds awful. She is home from school today and has a doctor appointment this afternoon. She has a jump rope performance tomorrow evening. I hope she is able to jump.

   

I am hearing... Elise coughing and the housekeeper cleaning.

   

Around the house... I put away a lot of clean laundry over the weekend, but there is still so much to do. <sigh>

    

One of my favorite things... Whole Foods organic pomegranate orange lip balm.

  

 

A few plans for the rest of the week.... nothing out of the ordinary during the week except Elise's jump rope performance. Saturday is crazy though - swim lessons, gymnastics, a Girl Scout party, birthday party, and housewarming party.

 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...  

 

 

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

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, April 30, 2012

For Today...

Outside my window... we have a nearly clean screened porch ready for spring! We spent yesterday scrubbing the inch of pollen off of everything. Once we get the floor cleaned, we can enjoy meals on our porch again. 

   

   I am thinking... about trying to get to bed at a decent time tonight.

   

 I am thankful for... Elise's jump rope teammate going home from the hospital Saturday night with no broken bones after his injury at the competition.

   

 From the kitchen... chicken pot pie, corn, biscuits, and fresh mixed berries.

     

 I am creating... a long blog post about Elise's first jump rope competition. Technically, I've already finished creating it, but it took a long time, so I'm still using it for this prompt.

   

I am going... to take a bunch of stuff to Goodwill this week. I've been telling myself that for a while now, but maybe if I write it here, it will really happen.

   

I am reading... Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, although I didn't read much this week.

 

 

 I am hoping... that Elise isn't too sick. I had to pick her up from school early today with a sore throat and fever.

   

I am hearing... JC getting Addie ready for bed.

   

Around the house... JC trimmed the shrubs. They desperately needed a shave.

    

One of my favorite things... JC making chocolate chip pancakes every weekend for breakfast. 

 

 

A few plans for the rest of the week.... Elise's Girl Scout Bronze Award dinner, two eight year old birthday parties, and not much else besides the usual.

 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... the public service announcement on our kitchen trashcan, courtesy of Nina. "Pleas recikol paper! Help the eviement"  ("Please recycle paper! Help the environment").

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

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, April 23, 2012

For Today...

Outside my window... it is chilly! We had a cold front come through. 

   

   I am thinking... about our busy schedule this week. We're outnumbered by the children and can't be everywhere we need to be. 

  

 I am thankful for... a good ENT. All three girls had appointments this morning - two for ear tube checks and one for reflux followup.

   

 From the kitchen... a gazillion Garbage Cookies. After about six dozen, I started questioning why I volunteered to provide cookies for the concession stand at the jump rope competition this weekend.

     

 I am creating... cookies. <sigh> I'm ready for bed.

   

I am going... to relax in the tub shortly.

   

I am reading... Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm so confused by this book. It keeps jumping back and forth in time and changing narrators. I'm sticking with it in hopes that it all pulls together at the end, but I'm not so sure.

 I am hoping... Elise jumps well this weekend. It is her first competition.

   

I am hearing... HGTV.

  

Around the house... little scraps of paper. Addie is really into scissors right now.

   

One of my favorite things... daffodils.  

A few plans for the rest of the week.... Spring Fling at Addie's school, Dining for Dollars at a pizza place with Elise and Nina's school, volunteering in Nina's classroom, book club for me, and a lot of jump rope.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... an oldie... Elise 10 years ago, April 2002.

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

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, April 16, 2012

For Today...

Outside my window... the pollen seems to finally be subsiding.

   

   I am thinking... that I'm hungry, and that I really need a new banner picture on the blog.

  

 I am thankful for... Elise feeling like she can confide in me with her tween angst and issues.

   

 From the kitchen... pork chops and asparagus on the grill, biscuits, mac&cheese, and strawberries.

     

 I am creating... pinterest boards for Nina's room and the girls' bathroom.

   

I am going... to be a "tabulator" at Elise's jump rope competition. I have no idea what a tabulator does, but I'm hoping it isn't anything too complicated!

   

I am reading... Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. I finished How Not to Make a Wish by Mindy Klasky. It was OK... nothing great.

 I am hoping... to figure out vacation plans soon. I keep mulling over different ideas.

   

I am hearing... JC watching a movie.

  

Around the house... we have clean doorknobs. Addie cleaned them all over the weekend.

   

One of my favorite things...  the back-up camera and sensors in my car. How did I ever back up without them? I feel positively blind now if I drive a car that doesn't have a camera! 

A few plans for the rest of the week.... I feel like a broken record, but I guess that's my life - jump rope, ice skating, gymnastics, swim lessons, repeat.  

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... a rather blurry cell phone snap of Elise and some of the girls in her Girl Scout troop presenting their bronze award projects at a Girl Scout 100th Anniversary event. (All you people with iPhones... I'm jealous of your cell phone photo quality!)

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

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, April 9, 2012

For Today...

Outside my window... JC's big truck is out there with the new "cattle pusher" bumper thing on the front of it. As if his truck wasn't big enough already, I think it is now about the length of a standard city bus.

  

   I am thinking... about taking a bath and going to bed shortly.

 

 I am thankful for... a nice Easter dinner with both sides of the family.

   

 From the kitchen... Easter dinner leftovers!

    

 I am creating... an Easter blog post.

  

I am going... to the beach with Elise's class for a field trip on Friday.

  

I am reading... How Not to Make a Wish by Mindy Klasky.

 I am hoping... that Addison starts feeling better soon. Her allergies are making her just miserable. JC stayed home with her today, and she took a 3.5 hour nap.

  

I am hearing... the shower running.

 

Around the house... Easter egg parts, candy, candy wrappers.

 

One of my favorite things... Cadbury cream eggs. 

A few plans for the rest of the week....making dinners with a friend, a girls' night in at a friend's new house, and the usual kid-taxi activities.

 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... 

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

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, March 26, 2012

For Today...

Outside my window... there is a thick layer of yellow pollen coating everything. As much as I love spring, I really hate these couple weeks of heavy-duty pollen.

  

   I am thinking... that last week is the first time I can ever remember skipping a Simple Woman's Daybook post since I started doing it. We were out of town without internet access.

 

 I am thankful for... my helpful-around-the-house husband.

   

 From the kitchen... pancakes and bacon - breakfast for dinner.

    

 I am creating... Nina's 8 year letter. Yes, she turned 8 in January. I'm a little behind.

  

I am going... to take my dad to lunch today... maybe some Texas style BBQ. He would enjoy that!

  

I am reading... blogs, People magazine, other fluff. I need to start a new book.

  

  I am hoping... that my mom has a nice birthday today. Happy Birthday, Mom! 

 

 I am hearing... my stomach growling. I just remembered I haven't had breakfast.

 

Around the house... we came up with a great plan over the weekend for an addition to the house and then realized we likely can't afford it. <sigh> Where's that money tree when you need it? 

 

One of my favorite things... chocolate chip dip with graham cracker sticks. I took it to a jump rope party Saturday night. I hadn't made it in a while and had forgotten how much I love it!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... lots of time at the jump rope gym, my mom's birthday party, book club (although I haven't read the book, so I'm not sure I'll go), a parent-teacher conference, and a big party at work.

 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Is it just me? Or does it look like Nina is standing next to a big grey smiling pointy penis?

 

 

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

 

Simple Woman's Daybook, March 12, 2012

For Today...

Outside my window... it is dark right now, but we had a gorgeous warm spring day today.

  

   I am thinking... that I hope I can manage more than two blog posts per week now that Girl Scout cookie season is almost behind me. I feel like my poor blog has been neglected lately.

 I am thankful for... my fun, relaxing moms' weekend away. It was good for my soul... getting a massage, soaking up the ocean air, and laughing with eleven friends all weekend.

 

 From the kitchen... cavatini, caesar salad, and garlic bread.

   

 I am creating... just this post.

I am going... to bed after writing this.

  

I am reading... nothing right now. I finished Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James while at the beach, and I haven't started anything new yet. Fifty Shades was definitely not my usual genre but a fun read.

 

  I am hoping... prices come down on flights to San Antonio.

 

 I am hearing... House Hunters.

 

Around the house... we are contemplating some home improvements and need to spend some time studying the contractor's quote.

 

One of my favorite things... vacations.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... Elise is at art camp this week. Nina is going to ice skating camp. I hope to enjoy a slower pace this week with no cookies, no school, no homework.

 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... my failed attempt at getting on the mechanical bull in a bar this weekend. How sad is it that I couldn't even get on it, let alone get thrown off?

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

Simple Woman's Daybook, March 5, 2012

For Today...

Outside my window... it is dark. I'm late writing my daybook post today.

  

   I am thinking... about a good friend going through a divorce. It makes me sad.

 I am thankful for... Girl Scout cookie season being *almost* over. I've spent many hours the last two nights trying to enter all the numbers in the online cookie system. I'm so close!

 

 From the kitchen... a new crockpot meal for dinner - "4 beans and sausage" - fairly tasty.

   

 I am creating... my cookie mom resignation letter.

  

I am going... to the beach later this week, and it can't get here soon enough.

  

I am reading... Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James.

 

  I am hoping... that we have nice weather at the beach.

 

 I am hearing... Addie fussing a little in her sleep.

 

Around the house... flattened cookie cases.

 

One of my favorite things... "Born this Way" - both Lady Gaga's version and Sam Tsui's cover of it.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... THE END OF COOKIES AND MOMS' BEACH WEEKEND. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!

 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... a blurry cell phone snapshot, but it is all I've got right now - just a bunch of girls in my car singing one day. They were cracking me up.

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