A Blur

That's right. These past few weeks at home - with family - holiday festivities - crazy hours, etc. - has felt like a literal blur. Truly. I mean, we are "in it" on a daily basis, so... it gets past us, ya know? Museum one day - home baking cookies the next - trying to get out to see a movie without kids the next - family dinner after that.... and on and on. Well, today it all ended, and we went back to the bulk of the school year (that's right - NOT half over yet) with a new year on the calendar, feeling (hopefully) refreshed and ready to begin new projects (and, if you're me, finish way old ones ;-).

So ... as is the case with most new years, new starts or - who am I kidding?? - new weeks, in general, my brain is filled with a bunch of random stuff. Foremost in my mind? The happy fact that Hidden Valley ski resort now has care for the younger kids. When we went in previous years, any little ones under 4 (and I've had a few) had nowhere to go aside from a random craft or snack gathering in one of the rooms in the very small lodge there. Now.... kids 2 - 6 years old can stay all day in the "Powder Pups" room where they will do, presumably, fun indoor activities while the "big people" ski :-). I have Lil signed up for MLK weekend.

Next? The fact that REM has a new album coming out 8 March 2011. Not sure how I feel about it. LOVE REM,but... have not been overly impressed with recent releases. I hear Eddie Vedder (of Pearl Jam, of course) is on this one. At one time, I thought he was a bit of a cry baby, but... after seeing his great tribute to REM when they were inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (Hi, Cleveland :-) a few years ago, his speech was just so great, and.... I decided to give him another chance ;-). Anyway.... we'll see.....

And.... this just in..... Applauding a mother I just saw on the Today Show who wrote the book My Princess Boy in response to her 4 (now 5) year old boy's love of dresses and anything pink or sparkly and... his conviction to actually wear such outfits, often to the dismay of his classmates, family and other peers. His mom, in a brave show of support, has written a book to help other kids struggling with acceptance and / or bullying for their individuality. A lesson for us all, I think. I just remember feeling total acceptance for all my quirks when I went to my Montessori school, but... as soon as I moved and went to public school.... not so much. I know kids, now, who have left the comfort of their smaller private grade and middle schools to go to larger high schools where bullying or teasing for all sorts of things exists - from the way people dress to the activities they do - if they are, at all, different than their peers. So.... like I said.... applauding her today.

And, lastly, I am a little freaked that I just heard a comedian, Greg Giraldo, who I really like died like two months ago. I had no idea - have been laughing at him for years now. Anyway ... it was another prescription drug overdose, which just scares me. I mean, what are people thinking when they abuse themselves in such a way - taking drugs that are legal but can causes serious damage??? Sad.

So .... yeah - the New Year. Oh - and all those resolutions..... Hubby hitting the gym this am (all energetic,basking in the Steelers recent big win :-) - the teen asked me to pack her a healthy lunch today, and... me.... well..... I finally made a couple of silly, check up appointments that I have not had time for all year (the three little ones could care less - aside from resuming their regular routine). Time to check off that "to do" list and time to get healthy and stay active. We'll see how long that lasts for all of us, huh? ;-)

Speaking of such resolutions, I will be cleaning up Christmas for the rest of the day.... trying to get and stay organized along the way. Happy day to all of you, btw! 2011. Bring it!

Photo: Hubby and his band - circa 1995 (in the spirit of reminiscing over the holidays, this photo & an accompanying newspaper article emerged from somewhere).

A lot AND..... nothing......

Trying to get kids, all sugared up on cupcakes from yet another b-day party, down to bed then meet hubby and a friend out .... for just a little while. Olivia home from babysitting - having played her "Turkey Bowl" (flag football with girls from OC and boys from CC) earlier in the day (wait till she finds out I may have just committed myself to my own flag football game :-).

We actually did a lot and nothing, all at the same time today. Organized some more - files, music, photos, finances this morning (videoed the kids screaming at the first SNOW!!!! - light flakes that flew early today). Watched some of the Turkey Bowl and took some embarrassing photos (any photo taken of a teen in front of her friends is mortifying) - took little ones to lunch (I did play area at Chick Fil-A while hubby picked up our newly stripped and stained bedroom door then met us) - more reorganization, blind and door hanging...... then... party at neighbors... a brisk walk in the cold.... bath, bedtime, etc., which brings me to now... and my half zen / half agitated state of mind. Anyway.... bowling, Snow Ball shoe shopping, possible meeting with old friends, etc. tomorrow..... Busy, busy. Hope you're all enjoying the season!

Photos: Turkey Bowl - or, rather, the milling and fooling around before it started, and.... our beautiful door - check out that doorknob and hardware - beautiful!!!

A lot going on ....

So - while I regroup, here's a little something that Lilliana and big sis, Olivia, choreographed and produced the other day.... Enjoy!



Oh - and all you fall gardeners, here's a tip for ya.

OK - so Lauryn Hill is back (remember the Fugees), but... what is she wearing??? And - what is she really doing now after being MIA??? Used to love her....

And.... I'm so into family dinners lately that I'm sharing this link as well.

Finally .... cheering myself up a bit with a little bit of general Facebook snark (and, yes, I agree that carefully choosing photos, messaging old boyfriends or girlfriends about back in the day BS and updating your status every hour is insecure / narcissistic behavior in adults.... a bit different for the student set.... to be expected, I think, at that stage in their lives. Anyway.... my two cents on something AGAIN...).

I think fall is here, people! :-)

What do you do when you can't sleep?

Wander the dark, dewey backyard deck and look at the sky - listen to the rainwater drip from the trees?

Make some tea?

Watch a movie?

Write hypothetical letters to those you love - those you wish loved you?

Do some yoga?

Look at photos?

Wrap up the loose ends of the day?

Remember a very good day?

Blog?

I kinda do it all.... Signed "sleepless in Pitt" :-).

Laughing here because, for me, that cheesey old movie (insert Seattle - see above "signature") plays over and over in head since it previews on one of the movies my boys (and Lil) love to watch in the car. Always influenced by Olivia, they often enjoy "chick flicks" ;-). And ... I just noticed that "shabu-shabu" is highlighted on Serious Eats this am (see that blog list again :-), and... years ago, for some reason.... that was one of Olivia's nicknames for Enzo as an infant (she and her friend, Eliza). Giggles. Maybe I will be able to go back to sleep after all....

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice

Watched that movie over the weekend. Brought back some memories (Sue - if you're reading - we saw it together - reminded us of our funny friend, Steve, and his crazy behavior :-) - when we were kids....;-)... when I was just becoming enamored of Tim Burton and his talents.

I'm lowkey today so don't have much..... Some stuff interests me, like:
Modern dance choreographer, Martha Clarke, wins prestigious dance award... read here.

Watched The Next Food Network Star last night, and... I have to say, I think it is surpassing Top Chef for me this season in terms of talent and interest. Both worth a look....

England is OUT of World Cup big time. Hubby is pulling for the South American teams (being from Peru and all :-), so... I may jump on the Brazil bandwagon.

Had a lot to do yesterday... family stuff, household stuff.... so missed an ice cream party (where I'm told many free range kids would roam ;-) - and... despite all our camps, etc., I do embrace that concept otherwise. We snorkel in the bathtub, paint on the deck, race bikes down the street, wander to the neighbors, explore the woods, bake and cook a bit, really climb on the playgrounds, etc. - I allow some freedoms, space, rope ;-)... Anyway, hope everyone had fun (M and friends ;-).

Sat end of day last night, sharing a juice pop with Lil on the front porch while by boys tried to sleep on our hot third floor (and hubby dropped Olivia and friends at a birthday party - a high school boy... and so it begins...). The humidity is starting to get to me.

Photo: Feeling sentimental for last month and beyond. These are 8th grade grad photos. More sentimental downloads to come......

And - thanks, all, for comments, emails, etc. on my doctor rant. Got some good advice and do feel better about my odd experience.

Finally - some follow ups....

For the most recent movement / news on Kate and Peter's Treehouse (remember Amy at Callapitter), read and follow here.

And.... don't forget to keep donating to the Haiti clean-up / reconstruction effort. Many organizations still accepting donations / help, including this one.

More for my list...

Or - I suppose I could call it another "random" post, but... if I do that, I may be tempted to do that ALL the time, and it would just get weird. So ... a couple more things....

First - again, thank you so much, all my friends and acquaintances. I'll say it again - I know some VERY cool people. I would like, one day, to have a sharing forum, so we could all tell our stories - vent, connect, etc. I'm getting there. And... I know I've said that before too, but... I AM - getting there, that is.

Second - another reminder to hug and cherish your kids everyday. I am quite heavy-handed in these reminders. No apologies - just an admission ;-). Anyway, this poor little boy in Oregon... where could he be? What happened? Tragic all around. Please read and pray.

Third - I am sitting in silence right now. I love it. No kids yelling (the boys love their room - Olivia skipped swim team due to rain - and Lil up coughing last night, so... still asleep - crazy) - no TV - no music (though, this morning, I drove my van to the body shop - hubby following me - we are finally getting much needed repairs from winter made - and... I was listening to music - always iPod or satellite radio - and I thought I was having a prolonged '80's flashback, having just heard the Replacements, but... it was a band / person called Fever Ray and the song was Triangle Walls - tres retro - liked it).

Fourth - Speaking of music and bands, the National and Broken Social Scene - ALL coming to Pitt soon. Details later :-).

Fifth - The photos. This is, apparently, what my 8th grader and her pals do when alone in her room. The rumpled body in the bed is my daughter - the girl in the foreground (valued friend, Kelly) has just woken her and is already skypeing or hitting Facebook. Note how the one photo shows her holding my Olivia's head - in the distance - between her fingers. Classic. Love the three faces - Kelly, Olivia, Olivia B - I've posted these crazy beauties before - great friends.

OK - and this is not another "thing" because it is not actually on my list - but, rather, on Design Mom's (see my blog list) for Next clothing - a UK line - women, kids, low shipping - worth a look....

Gotta go anyway - Milo just brought down a sword that was, apparently, damaged in battle with Enzo, so..... taped it together, but... may need to monitor the situation...;-).

One of the things I did this weekend...

... got pummeled by snow balls through the front door.... thanks to hubby and Lil....

Feels a bit like a haze of homecooked meals and housework ...

Lately, despite the repeated snow-ins and relative downtime from the chaos of the "back to school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Jan. birthdays" back to back rush that, obviously, does go on at quite a clip for about five months (making my wee kindergartner's first year at school and my 8th graders last year in middle school feel like they are flying by!!!! sniff, sniff - seriously - I'm sad), I am NOT as productive as I should be.

For example, I spend a lot of time sitting and having tea with Lilliana or playing with the many bins of toys in her room or in Milo's (they are home with me most days). I could easily allot some of that time to digging out my, for lack of a much better word, "memory pile" - a project that has been ongoing for almost five years now. See, the old mission-style library table that I use for my projects is in her room AND piled high with kid artwork that needs to be sorted, art projects that need a display home, half-finished knitting projects, a couple of handwritten journals, a baby recipe book, many different video, point and shoot and fab but out of date Nikon, Minolta and other beloved but now nearly obsolete cameras, piles of loose photos, bigger piles of various awards, honors and other masterpieces and memories from all my babies and schoolkids. Why, then, does it all seem beyond me? I am a perfectionist along the lines of some serious OCD activity. Is that why?

And really - I should have my photos organized. Thus far, I do have all years but last year burned to CDs, DVDs (and beyond that, either in folders or archived and / or accessible in iPhoto), and I have all the kids' baby book memorabilia with the appropriate baby books, AND I have all the loose photos semi-labeled and "filed" with "like" photos. I have a video log of every video we have ever taken of every kid, BUT (and this is huge), they are all from different cameras - they are not in order - they are all over the place. Deep breath. Already - I need a break. It really does overwhelm me. ME! I've run marketing departments, worked into the wee hours of the morning on magazine deadlines, finished copy for a client in one tenth of the time it should take me, organized huge corporate events with the symphony in less than a week (complete with butler served canapes and a gourmet coffee bar ;-).... What is UP with me? I even find it upsetting to download and move digital photos, fearing I may lose them...... Oi - I need help OR I just need to dig in and do it. So... that's what I'm trying to do..... Scribble a few notes into a baby book - hang a photo - send some photos and catch-up letters to friends and family. Doesn't have to be perfect - just needs to be done. Sincere gestures of "hello" - happy details like family photos - should NOT be stressful. Time to simplify.... And, yes, I'm working on it (it is abundantly clear that this will be a struggle for many years - gone are the days of neat closets, one lowfat coffee on my way to work, quiet lunch with friends, quick pick-up of my happy toddler at daycare and hours of one on one time with her over Disney movies, mac n cheese and piles of drawing paper or coloring books - it is now constant movement, imperfection and time divided among many - albeit happy time ;-).

So.... it seems that I do a lot of laundry lately - manage to get it stuffed in drawers and tiny closets and wardrobes. I cruise food sites for meatloaf, lasagne, chicken casseroles and other comfort food recipes. I clean the kitchen again and again. I make the beds and wash the same sheets again and again (didn't I buy us all new ones - where ARE they?), I drop off at school, I pack lunches in the morning, I drag the little ones on endless errands.... And I DO like it. I really think I need to embrace that feeling - not dwell on the wet floor in the van - the annoying Wii games - Lil's stuffy nose - Enzo's erratic Kindergarten teacher - Milo's constantly wet pull-ups and refusal to wear his new Superhero underwear - Olivia's constant list of needs (photos for yearbook, new b-ball shoes, letters of recommendation to high schools, lacrosse fees, a laptop!!). It'll all get done (I am patting myself on the back right now - I'm pretty flexible ;-).

So - here's to a good (but busy) week. Congrats to Canada's gold medal hockey team (it was their crowd - just great that they won it :-). Still - thoughts and prayers to Chile (the earthquake appears far worse than initially reported).

Photos: Just some happy chaos.

Quick Note: A friend recently made me aware of the "power photo sorting box" (or something to that effect) from Creative Memories, the old scrapbook company (I went to many a Creative Memory party when I was a new mom back in Virginia) that has now gone digital - and online (no more door to door stuff), and... is probably a pretty good solution for that annoying mix of digital, photo negs, videos from different cameras all from varying stages in HD development (similar to what I describe above and probably similar to what a lot of you experience as well). As I always say, worth at least a look.....

Pickles

No - it's not a food post.... It's one of my nicknames for my Lil. That - and Stink, Bodinken, Mrs., Cupcake, etc.

For Enzo, it was Goombah, The Guy, Enzaboo - other variations - was even, at one time, Monsieur Turkeylegs.

Milo was always Chicken - though Enzo called him Baby, and for a while, he was Milo the Alien (definitely the newborn look) - now can be Mad Milo on occasion - or - Monkey Man.

Olivia was Bijou - Peach - La Peche - but.... will always REALLY be The Bean to us :-).

And, of course, they're all sugar buns, pumpkins, sweeties (on other days buttheads, the wild ones, the loud talkers, etc.) - I can't help myself....