This n That

Laptop getting funky on me--This isn't my excuse for not posting in a while...but we're in the process of transferring everything from my old laptop to my NEW laptop. Whew! Crazy! It all started when my old laptop started getting funky on me. I decided to make use of that new fangled back up hard drive and plugged it in to save all my precious files. Of course, those were just files...what about all the info in Outlook? My e-mail address, contact information, street addresses, directions to people's houses, deleted e-mails, sent e-mails are all in there! I can't lose that! And of course all the work I put into my digital scrapbook pages...those can't be lost either! This is one very good reason to have everything backed up on an external hard drive. I love that thing! I put all of my pictures on it from 2003 to the present, because CD's are not considered to be the safest storage method. I found this from a Creative Memories consultant, who I consider to be the expert on this stuff. Anyway, because my laptop is over 3 years old and acting funny (overheating and the screen turns black with no notice), we decided to get a new laptop. We got a very cheap one because I don't need anything fancy...but they're all fancy now. Ted got a funny look from the sales guy when he asked if it was wireless, because it didn't state this anywhere. Well, let's just say now we are supposed to ASSUME that every laptop is wireless! Duh! They are on to way fancier features to brag about in their advertising.


So now I am typing on my new laptop and my figures are slipping across the keys. What? No sticky peanut butter? Where's the letter that was jammed? I can see the screen so clearly...where did all the fingerprints go? Never fear...I'm sure this one will start displaying the same characteristics as the old one did...but not if I can help it.


Good bye, PTO!--Today I wrapped up some of the last minute duties of my PTO position. I went up to school to take Sam to get his lower braces installed (well...what other word should I use??), and while I was there, I discussed the calendar dates for next year with the principal, returned the 5th grade teachers jump drive, received the essays from the essay contest for $500 worth of help on one lucky 7th grader's tuition for next year, sat through Sam's appointment, returned him to school fulled braced, and drove to Barnes and Noble to drop off the artwork that will be displayed at our Book Fair this weekend. Whew!!

Tomorrow night is my last Board meeting, where I hand everything over, and I feel myself slightly sentimental about it. I was packing up a bag to give to the new President and felt a little sad to let it go. I won't miss the stress...but will I miss that feeling of being totally connected? Will I feel out of the loop? I'm sure other things will take it's place and I won't, but they were still feelings that were there. I'm in a different place then when I first took it on. The past two years have given me an idea of where I want to go and how I want to help in the future. I wouldn't trade it for anything...but at the same time, I wouldn't want to do it all over again.


Father Daughter Dance--We just had the most awesome Father Daughter dance! It was our best of event of the year! We had no idea how popular it would be! We had 100 daughters and with their dads, brought us to the total of 180 people at this event. The girls had a BLAST singing along to their favorite songs, dancing slow and fast with dad, getting their professional picture taken and eating and drinking to their hearts contents. It was a complete success! I think I want to do set up and clean up next year just so I can be there again.


Jazzercise--With the onset of spring, and the busyness of Abby in soccer AND softball, Sam learning golf and doing regional band, there has been little time for Jazzercise. I'm ashamed to say I've only managed a once a week attendance the past 2 weeks. I already have a plan for summer though. The kids go to swim practice at 9:30am. That's enough time for me to do the one hour workout at 8:15am (if I leave a little early).


Volunteer Coordinator for Swim Team--I think I am a volunteeraholic now! I had no idea how much fun volunteering can be! I swear you get more out of it than you give! We had our swim team sign up and I've been busy e-mailing last years' team with info, making forms on the computer, plugging people into spreadsheets and tracking their availabilities so I can schedule them for the meets. I love this stuff! The meets are a little bit of a juggle because they are the same nights as our Men's and Women's Group meetings. ARgghh! So we have to get a babysitter for every one and I might miss a couple of Women's Groups until I hit a groove in this job and Ted can help out when I'm not there. So far, it's easy, fun and stress-free! Because I'm doing this, I won't have to work a job at the meet. My busy times will be before the meet and in between the first half and second half when the new volunteers take over. I'll be able to watch the kids swim! I tell you , it's the way to go!


Abby and Soccer--Abby has been quite the little soccer player lately. She's very good at sticking with people as a defender, but recently, the coach has let her run up to offense when she gets a chance and has been scoring goals now! I'm really enjoying watching her games.


Toontown--Now Mary is hooked on Toontown along with Ben! This is not fun! My computers on the main level are totally taken. However, now that I have a new laptop...Mary is on the quirky one, I'm on the new one and we are all happy. Don't we sound disfunctional?? Hahaha. Well, I'm not happy they are playing on the computer so much, but it's hard to take them off when it makes them so happy. And it's hard to get them out of the house for anything like the zoo, or a visit with friends, when our days are interrupted with taking Ben to school at 12:15pm. This summer, I hope to get them out of the house more. This should help our computer problem. Actually, they have also been really into legos lately...so that is a good break from the computers.


Camping Plans--We've set up three camping trips for the summer: Meramec State Park over Memorial Weekend, Eminence over the Fourth of July, and Illinois State Park on Lake Michigan towards the end of July. I remember when we used to do 6-7 trips from Spring through the Fall. Now as the kids get older, our calendar gets busier and it's just too much work to be gone for short trips. I like the longer ones better.




I guess that's enough for you to chew on for now. Have a good one!

The Transformations of Spring

Last night I went to my CRHP group meeting, and at the "Good News and Intentions" portion of the meeting I shared something I've been thinking about lately. My good news was tightly linked with my intentions. My good news is that my two younger children, Ben and Mary, ages 4 1/2 and 3 respectively, are maturing beyond my imagination. They are more independent, better able to entertain themselves without my constant attention, and bringing forth personalities that are irresistible to me! I enjoy being around them! I'm also ending my PTO term soon...I will have more responsibility-free time!!

The change in Ben has been happening for a while, but Mary's is more recent. This is where my intention comes in...with this new found happiness in our household, I am finding myself searching for things to do and sometimes wondering how to spend my time. Inevitably, my old habits are still there of staying in the house and getting as much done as I can because time is valuable. I want to make a mind shift. I want to do take the kids out more and enjoy their company. It won't be long before they are in school full time. Yesterday, we went to Walmart to get some things I could only get there (it's not as convenient as Target is to me so I don't go there much). As we were leaving, I decided to check out the Subway that was in the Walmart to see if they had food for kids. They did! They had pizza! I told the kids to sit down while I waited in line...they did! As I waited, I looked over at them and watched them do something so simple that brought me great joy. Just the fact that they sat there quietly, happily talking to each other...was a huge deal. I savored the moment. When I brought back the food, we ate and talked. We were enjoying some time out together! I want to do this more!

As my PTO term comes to an end (14 days left, but who's counting), my mind will be freer in addition to my time. My other intention was that the new space does not become a dumping ground for anything and everything that comes along. I already see things sneakily seeping into that space. When I see them, I think, how did THAT get there...oh yah....I forgot I opened the door to that a while ago. They are volunteering tasks that are building up:
--I help with music at the monthly nursing home masses.
--I'm going to help coordinate the volunteers for the swim team this summer
--I'm helping with this big marketing effort for our school
--I told the principal to call on me this summer if she needs some administrative help

Now, before you say, "What is she doing??" Do remember that I really enjoy these things. I'm home full time and these activities are the playground for my brain! I just want to remember balance and not let them get bigger than my family and my priorities at home. As long as I'm not "in charge" and I'm helping the big picture...I'm happy and the job is more enjoyable. You'll be happy to know that I turned down a nomination for the school board. I'm trying to do things that I will really enjoy and not add anything that feels like a major responsibility.

My goals for this spring...take Ben and Mary out more. Take them to the park, the zoo, the mall. Pretty soon it will be dreadfully hot and we'll only want to go the pool. I just love the spring! The cool air that doesn't suffocate you, but allows you to breath freely! The sun that brings warmth that is just enough that you don't sweat. It's perfect for walks, bike rides and site seeing. I guess my life is going through a "spring" of sorts. The freezing air of my PTO responsibilities are blowing away and in it's place is a warmer, more refreshing air. The safe, but dark cocoon of this house is opening up because a butterfly is ready to come out! Make that three butterflies!

The Blinking Cursor Stage

A couple of days ago, I talked about the blinking cursor I was staring at. In a way, I'm in a little bit of a "blinking cursor stage" in my life. This isn't a bad thing. It's really kinda good. I think of the "blinking cursor stage" as a time to think and process where to go next. Kind of like on the computer when there is a blinking cursor...you just said some things and now you are trying to figure out what you are going to say next. I'm finishing up a big chapter of PTO, taking care younger, needy kids, watching my niece once a week... and I'm moving on to a little more freedom. This is a time to pause and say, "How do I spend this extra time?" Yes...as you've noticed...my mind has already moved on to helping school and helping an outreach organization in our church. But still, those are seeds of thought that I can't really act on yet. They really won't start until the next school year. So I am at pause. Not a pregnant pause...whew...just a pause.

I guess I don't let my mind stay idle long. Sometimes this is not a good thing. I want to make sure that God has room to play in there. I want to make sure my mind is not so noisy that I can't hear God's whisper to me. If we overload our schedule, we don't have time to help anybody, much less ourselves. And we don't have time to act on God's promptings. I hope I stay still long enough to hear him. And I hope he tells me something really good!

Pictures! Finally!

I'm bad about posting pictures. Sorry. Here are some from Easter when I celebrated turning 39!! And some others from the Zoo.

This N That

My little cursor is blinking. A black line on a white page. It just keeps blinking as if it were saying, "Come on! Don't you have anything to say?" Maybe it's that I have so much to say and I don't know where to start? Or maybe I've been DOING so much that I haven't had thoughts to share? I guess this is when I do my "This n That" blogs. Let's just see what's on my mind right now. It's like the Russian Roulette of thoughts.

--McTeacher night is tonight. I need to work the 6pm-8pm shift. I actually like this. I just go up and socialize with J&A teachers and parents. Ted will watch the kids.
--I have 22 days left as the PTO President. I'm a little stressed that we don't have anyone interested in the VP position. I keep trying to give it to God, knowing that he has someone picked out. We've contacted everyone we can think of. Our Secretary said she would do it as a back up, but I'm not too sure she really wants to. Our election meeting is the 17th. Times a tickin'.
--The kids are playing together right now. Talking and laughing. I don't know that there is anything that sounds lovelier to me. Thank you, God.
--For the first time in a LONG time, I am all caught up in my albums. I went digital as soon as I got my paper albums caught up and it's been so much easier to keep up digitally. I'm lovin' it! I can't wait to have a book actually made. I'm a long way from that, though.
--I have my Women's Group retreat in a week and a half. I'm really looking forward to it.
--I'm also looking forward to getting away for Ted's birthday. I can't write details because he reads my blog. He's turning the big 40. I wish we could do more than we are doing, but we're trying to watch our money until we pay off the new family room furniture. Some day we'll take a nice trip.
--I had a dinner party last Friday night. It was great! We started with French Onion Soup and then we had chicken and vegetable kabobs with a salad. We finished with a brownie trifle. YUM!! My new thing is trifles! I bought a trifle dish through Pampered Chef. It hasn't come in yet, but I borrowed one from a friend. The one I made has layers of cut brownies, cheesecake and chocolate pudding and whip cream. Oh my gosh...it's absolute heaven! And the perfect spring/summer dessert! You can do fruit trifles with pound cake, brownie trifles and more. I can't wait to experiment with them all. People will get sick of my trifles by the time summer is over...."Damn! She's bringing over ANOTHER trifle dish!"
--This summer we plan on camping at Illinois Beach State Park on Lake Michigan. We'll also go to Eminence, MO for an extended fourth of July weekend. My friend, Jackie, has commissioned me to make a book of campfire sing a long songs like "Brown Eyed Girl", American Pie, you get the drift. I started on this last summer and then shelved it for a bit. I think it's time to get it out so I can have it all ready for the trip. I have to find chords and everything. It's a big job.
--Still lovin' Jazzercise. It's so busy, I'm only getting in two a week.
--I've managed to maintain an 11 pound weight loss. It's coming off slower now. I need to step it up a notch.
--I just watched a "Bringing Home Baby" on TLC while I was folding clothes. At first I was put off about how rosy they were bringing their baby home and saying "we don't care how much sleep we get, we are excited to have a new baby!"...and then they'd show shots of them all bonding in each other's arms on the couch. As time progresses, they start looking less smiley and more haggard. Then their statements were more like "This is hard work!"...and..."I can't get anything done because she wants me to hold her all the time!". I like real TV. I like real pictures. People need to be prepared! It's hard work...mixed with little joys a long the way, of course. I'm just amazed that I can look at babies now, love them, hold them, kiss them and treasure the moment....and then not want another one for myself. I feel complete! I've got my four and I'm happy. Sometimes I fear a surprise pregnancy. I picture my reaction and how I might feel. Would I fear that I would go back to that dark place after having Ben and Mary? I don't know. I just know I'm very happy where I'm going and where the kids are now.
--Just recently I started thinking about what next year will be like...with two days a week free. I think I might volunteer one day. I might split the day with the Care Service (helps people who are struggling to keep their house, pay the bills....it's a pantry too. It's connected with our parish). And then I might spend the other half of the day helping our office at school. I'm hoping that through spending this time in both places, I can find a part time paying job once Mary goes to full time school. This a new thought for me, but it feels so right. When I thought of this path, I immediately felt happy...like I had a purpose. At first I thought, "Why even work if it's for a small wage?". Recently I thought of how much I admire people who work for low wages for the sake of helping a good cause. Of course, I could continue volunteering and not get paid, but I would feel better if I brought in SOME money to help with high school. I'll just start on this journey and see where God takes me. I'm pretty open minded right now.
--Mary is telling me she wants to use the "waptop". Now she's telling me she has "a wot of hello kitties on my shirt". I asked her "how many" to keep her busy while I type.

Ok...it's hard to focus now. But I was able to regurgitate pretty many thoughts for you. Now you have a snapshot of where I am. Actually, it's a very good snapshot. Now it's time to get things done.