11/24/09

Write Me A Note Or I'll Forget


11/19/09

Climbing Out Of A Rut Or How To Cure A Funk


A Rut or Funk: A feeling of general uneasiness, lack of vitality; an unwillingness to do what you know is best for yourself, (ie. not eating chocolate for breakfast); a tendency to be easily annoyed at the stupidest things like husbands breathing loud or kids making a mess; a persistent stubbornness and resistance to change from a grouch into someone who has an optimistic, cheerful mood; a tendency to dream about trips to the tropical beaches and/or large additions to your residence.

Brought upon by a number of things...bad weather (winter!), hormonal changes, unhealthy eating, an illness, lack of exercise, schedule disruptions, not following the"rules" of life.

I have come up with many ways to combat these funky periods of life. Sometimes I must let them ride their course. If I push too hard, all remedies will fail. 

Here's my notes to myself on some cures:

-A good movie...preferably something cute, romantic, or just something that will change my attitude. 

-As many hours alone as I can manage in my house. Even if I just straighten up, the joy I experience of the straightening up STAYING that way for more than a few minutes might just be enough.

-Put on loud music and go on a cleaning spree. Just start chucking things left and right. Scrub the floor like Cinderella. Lysol smell wafting in the air.

-A trip to the bookstore by myself.   Find a good book-preferably about a pioneer during the Dust Bowl, or an immigrant who arrived with 10 little children and pennies in her pocket.  Nothing changes a rut like some good old boot strap pulling.

-If I can manage it...I can make myself workout.  Walk, walk, walk...outside in the fresh air. Walk like I need to get to the opposite coast by midnight.

-Go on a kitchen cupboard clean out. Pitch the nasty Doritos and stashed candy. Eat a large healthy salad for lunch. Drink gallons of water. Buy tons of good fruit.  Detox.

-A purposeful change of schedule.  Draw one up-bedtimes, mealtimes, naptimes-just having one will feel refreshing.  

Sometimes one or two or all will work wonders. Sometimes I have to experiment with different combinations...like magic ingredients, it all comes together.

11/1/09

Halloween: The Before’s, The Durings, The Afters

   
Grandma’s Halloween Party:
022Abbey is a flapper…we found that dress for 4 dollars and she altered it herself to make it fit better. 0233 best friend girl cousins…all born the same year. 024026Jeff is "Country Club Man".  He stayed in character the whole night.  No, not annoying at all.  030 031 032 033 034 035 036 037 038 039 040 041Grandma vacuuming up the aftermath of the donut game.  She has parties like this…20 grandkids plus adults…all the time.  And I’ve NEVER her seen her stressed.  EVER.  She has never raised her voice to a child or spoke impatiently to any of them.  She has never had that “mean party look” that says “get out of my way I have a lot to do”.  She has never batted an eye when a kid spills all over carpet, furniture, floors.  I have never seen her tired.  Seriously.  She made (not bought!) chili, vegetable soup and tortilla soup and set up the house so cute.  And laughed and enjoyed the party the entire time.
What the secret?
Don’t ask me.  I am NOT the person to ask.  I’ll ask her sometime….there’s my next Celebrity Interview.  If she’ll agree.  Don’t you want her to?  042Crazy Uncle Tom.  He dresses like that at every party.  Weird. 043 044 045Aunt Tiffany was voted “best candy hander-outer”…really long sticks of gum…used for sword fights of course.  Here you can see her reprimanding a thiefing nephew for taking two instead of one. (Isaac.) Also, she’s pregnant with her 6th child.  And she was the one who made that spider cake you saw above. And her nails are done.  And she has a super cute outfit on.  Let’s hit her with really long gum sticks!046  
Halloween Night: 
004Isaac is missing because he went to his cousin’s house.  He is 15 after all.  Sniff sniff.007Abbey and friend Maddie…dressed warm.016 019 020We leave our candy out on the porch…so we both can go out with the kids.  When we come back home it is only 1/2 way gone.  I love our neighborhood.  LOVE.    024 025 026 028 029 032 034A chicken stuck in a pile of leaves.  035  I love when adults take Halloween seriously.  I plan to my whole life.039 040Isn’t it weird that Patrick has only said Mama and Dada his whole entire life, but suddenly on Halloween night he can say Trick or Treat and Thank You loud and clear because he knows he’ll get candy?  I feel sort of betrayed.041 042See that house in the background?  That is one of my favorite houses in my neighborhood.  It is PERFECTION.  I met the owner and she laughed when I told her that and said, “Well the outside looks better than the inside.”  But I doubt that.  (I kind of snuck a few nosy peeks before she came to the door.  It is divine.)
Later That Night
045 Abbey and her friend Maddie assessing the situation.050Matt comes home with the goods. 052055 Andrew invents the "Trick or Treat” feedbag.  056057 058 059 The End.
(You don’t want me to take pictures of the Day After do you? Argghhh.)