sistermama gets real

My Real Life - Summer Saturday

I'm glad I did this project - I learned a few things that I'll share tomorrow.  But really, by now I'm getting a little sick of taking pictures.  I decided to turn it over to Lucy for most of the day, and see how life looked to her.  Unless noted, she took the pics.

Damn mudroom.





Obviously I took this one.




Jack was dropped off at the diner after his sleepover.





I took the one above, too. Lucy prefers to take panoromic picture of three nonjoined scenes:




What I don't have pictures of:  Lucy spending every moment telling me in a really whiny and rude way every wrong things I'm doing, have ever done or may ever do while still demanding to be physically attached to me;  Jack and I grocery shopping for and visiting my grandma and her standing in front of her sink telling me a story and laughing with her head thrown back at the end of it; John helping me pick up our disastrous house tonight after several really long days of work just so I wouldn't have to wake up to it in the morning. 

I'm exhausted today.  I think we are all exhausted.  By now I should remember that as the goldenrod and purple loosestrife are signalling the end of summer my brain and body are also signalling that they are ready for the fall.  Ready to fall back into our calmer more housebound life.  But next week is our last at the lake and I plan on wringing every bit of summer out of it.

My Real Life - Summer Friday

I don't think my second most perfect day of the summer really needs many words.  I was too busy enjoying  it, though, to get pictures of a few things that added to its perfection:  the car stuffed full in the morning with Jack, Lucy, Frank and Ulka; Jack and Frankie going to their first movie on their own and walking back by themselves from the theater; my favorite four year old girl and knitting with her mama on the beach. (OMG!  I've become such a non-Floridian. When I moved here I completely disdained people calling the lake "the beach"!) 

My Real Life - Summer Thursday

"A crayon in shining armor."

Got any great vinyl suggestions for Jack?

It was so beautiful at the lake today.  Also, on the right hand side you can see a group of people sitting, with one man standing.  There are often groups of mentally handicapped people at the lake on a trip.  This man/leader was leading drumming with the group, and I thought it was such a nice change from the normal "park them at a picnic table while we gab with each other" that I normally see there.


At Ulka's house. 


Sonia and I took a quick knit break and tried out the new swing. Andy titled the email with this pic "Swinging Knitters".  This makes me laugh.


Lucy and Ulka beginning their first sleepover with each other.  I was going to mention that we were back at our house now, but then I realized you would understand no one could have matching hideous carpet. 


Having Ulka around makes three a lot less work than two.





Good night sweet loves.

 

My Real Life - Summer Wednesday

Good morning, my constant companion.  I'm off to a really big biannual kids' consignment sale.  Could we all just agree that the world never needs a new exersaucer?  We could hand the existing ones around for the next 500 years.

Lucy's Fall/Winter clothes done, Jack's closer.  My goal this year is 5 everyday outfits and 1-2 nicer outfits.

Meanwhile back at the lake...

And a surprise is awaiting J, J and L at home.

I listened to stories of Karthaus, Pennsylvania.

Quick, meet me at Lock 10!  There is a big barge about to go through!




Oh, what a happy mail day.  Let the concentrated planning commence.









Good night, sweet dreams.

My Real Life - Summer Tuesday

I love waking up to this sweet face.

Just enough time to squeeze in some early morning Lego action.

Yogurt, granola (scroll down for the recipe), apples and honey for breakfast.  My head was about to explode while I was making this, because I WAS NOT GOING to take ownership of the bickering coming from the adjoining room.



Making a goggle adjustment before swim lessons.


The clay pit is getting deeper!


Major excitement in the boys' bathroom.


Lunch time - hey, hey the gang's all here.




A cool wind blew in, and the fog lifted from my head.  That coupled with excellent advice from Homespun Waldorf and school planning pieces just started falling into place.


Now, insert a picture of John mowing here (for hours).

Jack's least favorite day of the month.  He is awesome about this though, and rarely complains.


Lucy's favorite day of the week.


I put beans in the crockpot this morning, after remembering to soak them last night.  Yay, me!  Couldn't pick up chard on the way home because it was raining, but the kids came in and announced that they had "eaten everything ripe in the garden."  Super, no dinner vegetable needed. 

We had sour cream with dinner, Cabot brand.  Jack misread the container and thought it said, "Fresh from Varmint".  He was disgusted and laughing hysterically.  Lucy asked him what "varmint" meant, and he said, "you know, it starts with a 'P' and comes out of your mouth."  Ummm, no Jack, that is another word.  Then Jack asked what varmint actually meant, and I told him it was like a rat.  He thought this was more disgusting than vomit.  I disagree.  Anyway children, the word is "Vermont". 


Out the door for knitting night at the coffee shop.  In honor of the 66 degree weather I busted out my favorite cool weather shoes.  Don't be too jealous of my avocado plaid indoor/outdoor carpeting,

My Real Life - Summer Monday

Woke up to a dreary, but hot and humid morning.  The question on my mind being, "How much swim time will we get before the rain comes?  Is it worth packing a lunch?" Jack's tough times from yesterday carry over into today, and by 8:00 it is already determind that he will not be going to the lake today, but instead staying home with John and helping with some chores.  I feel crappy about this, because I've missed having him there with me, but must follow through with what I said. 

Eating breakfast and chatting with Daddy.

A few Daddy/Lucy tricks to start they day.  They've got quite a repertoire.

Time to release the beasts. 

Assuming my favorite lake pose.  Under the pavilion today because of the on and off showers.  I had to unknit this right after I knit all 172 stitches due to an error on the 3rd and 4th stitch.

Mining for clay.

Our first beans, but not our squash.  What I thought was volunteer squash turned out to be volunteer pumpkin, and we have a major zucchini shortage.

The cats have made their own cat door. 

Screen repair.  Found this pic on the extra camera, guess Jack and Lu decided to get in on the picture taking action.

Took a walk after dinner.

Checked on the pear tree.

Jack and Lu worked on some fairy houses.  John and I told them they didn't have to go to bed until they came inside.

They came in when they had captured a jar full of Japanese beetles - chicken treats!

Swimmer's ear? Start of an ear infection?  Not sure.

Good night.

 

 

 

 

My Real Life - Summer

I've been enjoying reading/looking at several blogs I follow chronicling a Week in the Life.  I especially enjoyed the week from Melody at Little Home Blessings.  It seemed very "real" to me. I love to see messes in the corners of beautiful pictures, it makes me feel more at home!  I'm starting a similar project for myself.  I plan to chronicle a week in our life for the next four seasons.  Since I take most of my pictures on my phone, though, the focus won't be on fabulous pictures but rather on trying to capture an accurate reflection of our days.  Join in if you want, whenever you want and link in the comments here.  If a few people end up doing it with me, I might make us one of those fancy grab buttons for the fall.

I was planning to start tomorrow as Day 1, but for me Monday seems to start on Sunday night at about 5:30.  We don't go to church on Sundays over the summer, and I try to spend most of the day at home doing things I want to do (as opposed to should do).  The closer it gets to dinner time though, the more I feel Monday coming.  We had house guests this weekend (beautiful, LOVELY house guests)

and Jack just got back from overnight camp, and Lucy and I had been in Vermont for a few days and the house is messy.  I quick scrambled the kids some eggs and heated up leftover zucchini.  Jack is tired and still recovering from camp, and starts to spiral into rude talking back. But the poor boy realizes it and keeps saying, "I just feel too tired to handle myself" every time he says something rude.  Time to hurry bed time along. Their room is messy and I really don't like putting them to sleep in a messy room, but into bed they go. 

Jack is really trying to push my buttons, but I stay calm yet somewhat forceful.  I feel smug in my head for achieving this because I am really tired, too, and that is also my worst time for saying things I don't mean.  Hmmm... wonder where he gets it from?  After a quick story, each kid gets a cuddle.  Even at 9yo, some in mama's arms time definitely helps Jack feel redeemed from earlier bad behavior.  Lucy falls asleep with Sugar Plum (made by me) and a couple of stuffed animals.  I'm glad that even with the American Girl Doll competition, she still prefers Suge at night. I'm out of the room by 7:30 and I think they're both asleep by 7:45. I'm feeling thankful that bedtime is usually so easy and stress free.  What a difference a few years can make.

Ughhh, the mud room is a disaster.  Sometimes I wonder if I curse it by calling it "the mud room".  Maybe I should call it "the clean room" or "the welcoming room", and then it would have something to live up to?  I know I'll be glad tomorrow morning if I clean this up tonight.

Next step is to pull out this week's list from Motivated Moms.

Yes, that date at the top does say 2006.  I bought it that year and only used it for a few weeks.  I was working then, and it just did not work to split my housework up over the week.  I really needed to consolidate it all into one day.  I pulled this back out when I quit my job last month and am pretty pleased with how it is going.  Instead of spending 6 hours one day a week cleaning the house, I'm spending about 45 min/day  5-6 days a week.  I don't know that the house stays cleaner day to day, but when it seems really messy it definitely takes less time to bring it back to order.  I wish they had an Android app for it, though. 

Switched some laundry.  Washed and ran some dishes.  Boiled eggs for the week.  If I were following my "plan" I would also have packed lunch and beach bags for tomorrow.  I know I'm going to regret it in the morning, but I'm too tired now.  I'll post more pictures tomorrow, hopefully more interesting than my dirty stuff.

 

Being Real

It is very important to me to try on this blog to portray my authentic self and my authentic life.  I went through a period where the "beautiful" blogs were so depressing to me.  Everything seemed perfect, the kids, the house, the crafting, the whole Lake Wobegon existence.  I know that the people who make those perfect blogs have their reasons for doing them the way they do, but I think mothers especially owe it to each other to be as real with each other as possible. 

Since I've restarted this blog I've been really conscious about making sure I keep it real - not airing all my dirty laundry, but also not sweeping the mess out of the picture frame before I take a shot and trying to share this mothering journey in a way that is authentic.  But being real also means I have to be honest about when the times are good.  Six weeks ago I quit a job that had become a one ton weight sitting on my shoulders.  And now?  It's summer time and the living is easy.  I have about 25 extra hours freed up in the week, not counting the hours I spent thinking about work in the back of my head while I was actually doing something else.  I spend five days a week at the lake with my friends knitting while Jack and Lu are off somewhere, doing something.  My house doesn't look like something exploded in it.  John and I fight less because when I'm not working I'm willing to do more of the housework.  We don't fight about money or kids, we fight about who has done what and who has done more.   Okay, to be honest I should clarify that - I fight about who has done what and who has done more, because it is always me!  No one does as much as me!  (Ughh... think people around here get tired much of hearing that?)  After my rant here a few weeks ago about sibling rivalry J and L have toned it down.  Maybe they have a secret computer somewhere and read my complaints?  Maybe I should find more problems to complain about here in the hopes they will diminish afterwards?

Life feels pretty wonderful lately.  Yeah, we have way less income than we did a month ago.  My house and yard need a lifetime of work to get them looking the way I see them in my mind.  But for now I'm going to enjoy this lovely break in the craziness that is normally my life and stop looking for tough parts to share.  They'll come soon enough on their own.  I was going to end there, but that sounds really defeated and Murphy's Law-ish.  So, they'll come on their own because this mothering thing is a roller coaster and I'll take my downs to get the kind of ups we are feeling around here lately.

 

Lake Days

After living else where for more than 20 years, I now live very near to where I was born.  My amazing and gorgeous grandmother still lives on her own in her nineties and she is one of the main reasons we moved here. 

I spent many summers of my childhood at a lake in her village.  Swim lessons in the morning, free swim in the afternoon and a free rec program all day.  Not much has changed, and Jack and Lu spend their summers the same way.  For six glorious weeks I sit in a chair lakeside, chatting to good friends and doing this:

Ahhh, add in the large iced tea just outside of the frame and you know I am in heaven.  I take my comfort at the lake VERY seriously.  After all, I dream about these six weeks for the entire months of January, February and March.  I talk wistfully about them with my friends.  So, when the first day comes, I am READY!

(No, we don't live in Vermont.  But I'd forgive you if you thought so, I think they issue these cars to people when they move there.)

The lake is in the middle of a gorgeous, huge park with playground, multiple ball fields, paved paths good for country kids to ride their bikes on, and how can I forget?  Right across the street from burgers and ice cream on the river.  I'll take pistachio, please!

A great group of regulars comes every summer and the kids often spend time constructing complicated water works projects, called "foam factories."  One recent afternoon they were all screaming, "Dam it! Dam it!" completely innocently. 

I feel really nostalgic after looking through four years of summer pictures for this post. I can't believe J and L were so little!


The lifeguards are high school and college aged and usually work at the lake for a few summers, so we know most of them from year to year.  They are probably the kindest life guards I've met, and spend a lot of time playing with the kids on the beach and in the water.  They go way above and beyond their job requirements.  Plus it is nice when someone else can yell, "Jack, stop throwing that seaweed!"  And the bullhorn does seem to make it more effective.  We organize a pizza party for them at the end of each swim season and it has grown quite large now.

But not YET!  I've still got three more weeks.

Chickens Part I

Having chickens was one of the things I was most anticipating in our move out of town.  We moved out here in the fall of 2009, and I hoped that, you know, a month in we'd have chickens, beautifully kept grounds, apples off the trees and a house all freshly painted inside.  Umm, let's just say that living out here on our 7 acres has been a bit more of a learning curve than I anticipated.  I think it might make some people out here laugh, since we live on so little land comparatively, but it took us about a year just to figure out how to mow in a timely manner.   The house still isn't painted and is still surrounded by voracious meadow weeds, but hey, at least I've got my chickens!

We were planning on getting chickens in the spring of last year.  I wanted to get them locally and the local hatchery wasn't planning on having any till April.  The kids and I were really excited when we found someone at the end of February with lots of chicks available on his farm near us.  I'd been reading lots of chicken info so was all set with plans in my head for a cardboard box brooder.  I can't find the link that had the great directions for a cardboard box brooder, but comment me if you want more info and I'll describe it.  We headed to the appliance store for a dishwasher box, and then to the feed store for feed, a warm light and a few other supplies.  The next day was the first of March, and we were excited to be getting our chicks.  It looked like this outside, and it was fun to think springy, chicky thoughts.  See the mud though?  Nothing like mud/snow season!

The farmer had the chicks inside in a electric hatching box, with day old chicks in boxes.  Jack and Lu were really excited to look in the hatching box and see some coming out of their shells.  Then they each got to pick six chicks.  This first round of chicks were mutts, their parents being Wyandottes, French Marans and Austrolorps among a few others I can't remember.  We liked that our chicks were all different colors.  We got them home and they seemed to like their roomy digs.



From the time they were tiny you could tell that they had really different personalities.  One of the first we named was Curious, and she is still just as curious now a year and a half later, and the smartest of our chickens, too.  Notice that I gave no indication about where these chickens were going to live once they didn't fit in this box anymore.  It wasn't built yet, and I was super intimidated by the idea of how exactly it was going to be built. 

5 weeks flew by, and I couldn't contain the now preteens in a box anymore.  Plus, this box was in the basement, and odors were starting to drift.  (Hmmm... that's a nice way to describe the stinky smell coming up my back basement stairs).  We have a few outbuildings and I knew which one I planned to build the coop in.  After a frantic night reading chicken coop plans online, Jack and I struck out to Home Depot.  There, fate intervened and I met my Home Depot man, John.  (not in my husband, as in actual Home Depot employee).  I described my vague idea of what I wanted to do and he translated it into an actual plan, with all needed materials and tools.  Seriously, I felt like a tv crew was going to jump out at some point and ask my permission to make a commercial out of this.  The customer service was that good, and John is now my go to man for projects.   

Jack and I built, and built and built.  That kid is pretty damn awesome.  Then I stapled, and stapled and stapled while cussing as chicken wire destroyed my arms.  It took us two days and a van load of wood chips, but we were mighty pleased with ourselves when we were down.  I like to think the chickens were, too!



Ahhh... a new coop with new bedding is a lovely place to sit on the ground and hang out. 

I'm afraid it's not quite as pleasant nowadays.