Turning the corner into technology, and realizing I am better at making cookies than computers. Nothing makes one feel more out of their minds, out of touch or plain idiotic like trying to use a new computer. My very wonderful husband gifted me a new computer for Mother's Day. It is beautiful and compact, but I have cussed at Siri enough times, even she requested a cocktail. Onwards and upward, I will figure it out eventually hopefully developing a believable poker face before my kids get home from school.
With end of the school year is upon us, I am going to have to get creative with the next 3 months ahead of me. The aspiring students have already pretty much mentally checked out about 2 weeks ago. The field trips, music programs, large projects are now ardently visible in the rearview mirror...all except one more diorama (that is a swear word in this house). But the silence that I currently enjoy now will be only a memory in 11 days. Eleven days to get my game face ready, get some projects lined up and possibly stock the liquor cabinet in hopes I am not backed into a corner.
There is a growing need to move around some subliminal corners and face some new views on life. A high schooler and junior high schooler will be in my midst this summer, some things in life are going to change hopefully for the better. I am constantly told that I, "...don't allow my kids to grow up." This summer is going to test that theory, optimistically without being seen throwing electronics out in the street. I have a list of exciting things I need to workshop around with this crew. We are going to get active or at least be actively trying to do more and couch potato less with our butts and our brains. We might master some cooking skills and learn a language just for starters. I am contemplating making a fake chore chart and daily schedule, so that when my real plan is unveiled it will appear epic. The only way to con a con man is with a con? Possibly, but I am not taking any chances.
Only Nora is playing sports this summer and she's pretty excited about it. She volunteered to be the catcher at the first softball practice, admitting later when she raised her hand she didn't know what was the catcher. She is the tallest one on the team and actually listens to the coaches, thankfully. I look forward to seeing how it all plays out on the field, her personality and her ability. I feel like I talk about her a lot, but I think it is because I wish I was more like her in ways. She goes at every new experience full on thinking, "Well, I'm probably an expert in this so it will be fun..." She never lacks in confidence and frankly has life more figured out than most. She doesn't have corners in her world, just wide open spaces.
I was having a conversation with Oscar, talking about going into high school. He was explaining his schedule and the different things he would need to do. I asked him if he was nervous and he said a little went on to explain why. There is nothing quite like hearing your child understand and recognize lessons they have learned on their own from their past, from their own mistakes or missed opportunities. In this moment I wanted to look around and ask, "Who else heard that?" I was the only one there, but I felt like a corner was turned and unknowingly a Mother's Day gift was given.
Since I started writing this blog, my life has completely changed in so many ways. My characters (i.e. my kids) have altogether changed their character motivation. Despite the fact they don't believe me, I am ecstatic to watch them grow and change into the people they were meant to be. I feel like through this blog I had a lot more to learn about myself. It is very easy to hide behind telling stories about my kids, the hard stuff to write is about myself. But some where through this, I started to say, "Yes". Turning a corner and saying yes to life, to happiness, to admitting struggles, and to believing in myself. I feel like life opens up in a way you not only need but deserve, you just have to say yes.
So, my pretty corner of delirium is has been rebuilt, redecorated and faded away making the way for new lessons and chapters in life. Usually six steps forward only to take two steps back at times, but any lesson worth learning is one that doesn't come easy. For now, this is where I leave you. Maybe the next time we meet I'll be speaking French flambéing something or making some kick ass curry and naan. At any rate, it is time to get out of the corner, see what life has and say yes.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
...shrewd business moguls say what?
It is a regular spring occurrence that a bird hits a window. It startles me at first and then I look outside to make sure there were no casualties. My windows are not as clean as they should be, my house for that matter is not as clean as it should be. My kids are not as reverent, polite or quiet as they should be. But for one brief moment in the THUNDER DOME that is mornings around here, I was thankful that some feathered friend thought my window was so clean it was nonexistent...until I went out a couple of hours later and found it dead in front of my mailbox. RIP friend, you made my day, for a few hours. Goals.
So, it got me to thinking, of course instead of cleaning. There are phrases/clichés in life that just exist. Some are clever ways of ending conversations,"...and that was that." Others are meant to be said to give a verbal nod to not know what to say, "...it is what it is." Some are said out of frustration, some are uttered out of lack of understanding and others said so often at this point they have lost their meaning entirely. At any point, if there is one, when will we as humans stop speaking and start doing.
When a baby cries, it is their way of communicating, because they cannot actually take care of themselves. They get older, become verbal, can drink from a glass, yet you are destined at least once to hear, "...can you come wipe my butt..." What? Why are you asking instead of doing it yourself? The older we get we are still like babies, trying to communicate despite the fact that we can accomplish ourselves more if we just acted instead of speak.
There are a few choice phrases in this house that my husband and I have had to come to terms over. Sadly not one of them is, "...mom, you've worked hard, go take a nap," but I digress. These choice phrases, admittedly, I have let fall on deaf ears over the years, but currently they are at an all-time high. There have been a few discussions of banning them all together in this house. Not ironically they are usually spoken about 2 minutes after said discussion. Now, I would find no fault in the following phrases:
I cleaned the bathroom.
Dinner was good (with a clean plate).
The laundry is finished and put away.
I just flossed my teeth.
But, let us be real here...these will never probably happen. I think I would be frightened if it did. The phrases on the docket for banning in this household are as follows:
That is unfair.
I am bored.
I am hungry.
These cyclical phrases are uttered by all of my children no less than 2 times a day each. The hunger comes about 40 minutes after eating, mainly because did not finish the last meal and they are bored. The boredom comes from not doing what they want to do instead of what they need to do, or at least help out. The unfairness in this house runs rampant as various ages should be allotted different privileges. Over time, I know I have just tuned out some utterances whilst being said. I would scoff it off, and mutter something under my breath and move on. But, after a while, it resembles a powder keg. At any given time, I would like to be about a two on the tension scale. Hearing the afore mentioned phrases, it climbs to a nine more quickly than I would like. With the air of spring, there are changes coming. I am lucky and grateful to have high functioning little humans in my midst...it's time to put that to good use.
"That is not mine," almost up there with "I have no idea how that broke." Well, we enter a dicey intersection with these mantras as I call them, as they seemed to be spoken like prayer in this house. New rules: If you have to step over it to get where you are going, pick it up. If it is broken, fix it. Seems like something that should not have to be actually verbalized, but we are keeping it simple around here.
Laundry encompasses everyone. No nudists in this house, well at least not on a daily basis. If someone is bored I guarantee there is a pile of laundry somewhere in this house that needs cleaned, folded or put away. Fighting boredom and being productive, it is like we are living in Neverland without a wardrobe change. In this house there are more wardrobe changes than at a Beyoncé concert....thus the never ending laundry, never ending FUN.
Yard work can be done by all who are upright and walking. No one needs a detailed list of things to help with outdoors, nor do they need to confer with their union president, I am the union president. As I was explaining this to my dear children I told them merely asking to help is the first step, the rest will fall into place (why else would I have no less than 6 rakes in my garage?). Plus, there is the satisfaction they will learn to appreciate after a couple of hours of hard work, or at least I hope.
Lastly, when the above mentioned are discussed the phrase that can follow incites a slight tinge of rage"...how much are we getting paid?" I count to ten, make a mental cocktail, remember that these precious offspring might one day be shrewd business moguls and say, "...more money than you had before you started the job. Mom is going to take a nap."
So, it got me to thinking, of course instead of cleaning. There are phrases/clichés in life that just exist. Some are clever ways of ending conversations,"...and that was that." Others are meant to be said to give a verbal nod to not know what to say, "...it is what it is." Some are said out of frustration, some are uttered out of lack of understanding and others said so often at this point they have lost their meaning entirely. At any point, if there is one, when will we as humans stop speaking and start doing.
When a baby cries, it is their way of communicating, because they cannot actually take care of themselves. They get older, become verbal, can drink from a glass, yet you are destined at least once to hear, "...can you come wipe my butt..." What? Why are you asking instead of doing it yourself? The older we get we are still like babies, trying to communicate despite the fact that we can accomplish ourselves more if we just acted instead of speak.
There are a few choice phrases in this house that my husband and I have had to come to terms over. Sadly not one of them is, "...mom, you've worked hard, go take a nap," but I digress. These choice phrases, admittedly, I have let fall on deaf ears over the years, but currently they are at an all-time high. There have been a few discussions of banning them all together in this house. Not ironically they are usually spoken about 2 minutes after said discussion. Now, I would find no fault in the following phrases:
I cleaned the bathroom.
Dinner was good (with a clean plate).
The laundry is finished and put away.
I just flossed my teeth.
But, let us be real here...these will never probably happen. I think I would be frightened if it did. The phrases on the docket for banning in this household are as follows:
That is unfair.
I am bored.
I am hungry.
These cyclical phrases are uttered by all of my children no less than 2 times a day each. The hunger comes about 40 minutes after eating, mainly because did not finish the last meal and they are bored. The boredom comes from not doing what they want to do instead of what they need to do, or at least help out. The unfairness in this house runs rampant as various ages should be allotted different privileges. Over time, I know I have just tuned out some utterances whilst being said. I would scoff it off, and mutter something under my breath and move on. But, after a while, it resembles a powder keg. At any given time, I would like to be about a two on the tension scale. Hearing the afore mentioned phrases, it climbs to a nine more quickly than I would like. With the air of spring, there are changes coming. I am lucky and grateful to have high functioning little humans in my midst...it's time to put that to good use.
"That is not mine," almost up there with "I have no idea how that broke." Well, we enter a dicey intersection with these mantras as I call them, as they seemed to be spoken like prayer in this house. New rules: If you have to step over it to get where you are going, pick it up. If it is broken, fix it. Seems like something that should not have to be actually verbalized, but we are keeping it simple around here.
Laundry encompasses everyone. No nudists in this house, well at least not on a daily basis. If someone is bored I guarantee there is a pile of laundry somewhere in this house that needs cleaned, folded or put away. Fighting boredom and being productive, it is like we are living in Neverland without a wardrobe change. In this house there are more wardrobe changes than at a Beyoncé concert....thus the never ending laundry, never ending FUN.
Yard work can be done by all who are upright and walking. No one needs a detailed list of things to help with outdoors, nor do they need to confer with their union president, I am the union president. As I was explaining this to my dear children I told them merely asking to help is the first step, the rest will fall into place (why else would I have no less than 6 rakes in my garage?). Plus, there is the satisfaction they will learn to appreciate after a couple of hours of hard work, or at least I hope.
Lastly, when the above mentioned are discussed the phrase that can follow incites a slight tinge of rage"...how much are we getting paid?" I count to ten, make a mental cocktail, remember that these precious offspring might one day be shrewd business moguls and say, "...more money than you had before you started the job. Mom is going to take a nap."
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