Aug 1, 2017 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
On Saturday we hosted 19 people for a cookout. I had never met half of them. Needless to say I’m still recovering.
Our church has been encouraging regular attenders to host cookouts this summer and invite friends/neighbors who don’t normally attend church. Being the most introverted of the introverts we did not jump for joy when we heard about this plan. I enjoy hosting people, but if I’m going to have someone into my personal space I like to know them. We decided to host one anyway because it was the Lord’s work and, to be honest, I was hoping for some extra heavenly treasure for my efforts.
It first it was a manageable size. We invited the landlords, four neighbors and two friends we knew from Fort Campbell. Nine people was a nice size and we knew them all. Then Christopher decided to invite the people on the other side of Hippie Bob and Sue. That was venturing into uncharted neighborhood territory. They weren’t home but the people on the other side of them were so Christopher invited them. While he was talking to them, the guy next door came to see what was going on so he got invited too. Then Matt from work got an invitation. Then a family from church said they’d come help out. The numbers quickly got out of control.
I channeled my nerves into selecting the right color scheme and planning cupcake flavors. At one point I said something about how my gold and white with touches of pink color scheme didn’t make one bit of difference. No one would notice anyway. I didn’t even want to bother with coordinating straws. (WHO AM I?) Let’s cancel the whole thing and move to Montana. Christopher thought I should ditch the color scheme and we should focus on more important things like how much food to buy and having enough seating.
Matt and Phil (an unexpected addition) arrived early. The neighbors old and new trickled in shortly after. Most of the neighbors had never met. We were the new kids on the block bringing everyone together. Bob and Sue couldn’t come because he was running his 25th yard sale of the year. I asked him where he gets all the items he sells (he has a never ending supply in his yard) and he said “they fall from the sky. It’s bad for business when it rains.” I’d imagine so. The family from church came just in the nick of time. They socialized and helped and saved the day. We could have survived without them, but they made the experience a million times easier. If we get a few treasures in heaven for this they will certainly get several mansions. The moral of this story is introverts hosting a party should always have extreme extroverts on the guest list.
All in all the event went well. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and we were glad we did it, even though we did look like this the second everyone left.
Jul 20, 2017 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
I know my last post was all mopey and endless woe is me. I generally try to stay upbeat but sometimes your house floods and it’s hard to be optimistic when ants are covering the place you eat your meals.
Our neighbor Hippie Bob invited us to his birthday party on Saturday. He didn’t invite us until Friday night so it was obvious we weren’t on the original guest list. Our relationship with HB and his common law wife is very shallow. We wave at each other and he yells ‘hi’ to Annabelle until she verbally responds. She gets shy and doesn’t do more than wave which causes him to continue yelling. HB has a constant yard sale going on at the end of his driveway and while I can’t say how much he makes, I don’t think he does too poorly. There’s a constant stream of customers to buy his old bikes and expired infant car seats. Sometimes he decorates his yard with items he doesn’t want to part with. For months he had a giant stuffed horse on a tree stump. Much like the USPS it was there through snow, rain, heat and gloom of night. No matter the weather Bob wears a jacket and straw hat. He has a bushy white beard and wears his hair in a pony tail. Many a time the smell marijuana has drifted over from their yard. He and Sue make for quite the people watching. Not that I’m into that kind of thing of course. I’m always reminding Christopher not to be so nosy.
In preparation for his party he displayed not only an American flag but a confederate as well. He wanted all guest to feel welcome, no matter which side of the Mason/Dixon line they call home.
Hippie Bob spared no expense for the party. He had a horse, a pony, a rabbit, four goats and stage where Strawberry Jam serenaded him late into the night. Let’s not forget about the shipment of porta potties that arrived at his house the day before the party. He told Christopher there would also be a bull (it was not specified whether it would be a real or mechanical bull) but the only bull was a bull shaped grill. There was about 50 guests and we didn’t know a soul until our landlord and his parents arrived. We were the only non-family members invited and it was very awkward. We said we “had another event” after the party and made a quick getaway. Our other event was going hiking but Bob didn’t need to know details. He cornered me yesterday as I was watering plants to talk about the party. He said it was a great time, that he didn’t start drinking until 7 o’clock because he “wanted to be normal”, that his niece is a world renowned neurosurgeon who is “known not just here, not just there, but everywhere” and that Sue’s mother sold furniture to Martha Stewart. We covered a lot of ground in four minutes.
In other party news, Annabelle hosted a tea party in the backyard. She said it was the best tea party she had ever been to. I enjoyed it, but the host asked me to wear a too small pirate vest so I was very uncomfortable. She’s not afraid of dirt or picking up worms but she’s also very girly and I love it.
Mr. Happy came out for his yearly visit. We’ll been taking pictures with him for four years now so we’ve gotten our money’s worth out of that dollar store investment. Shortly after this picture Annabelle used the potty of her own free will. I almost cried. She hasn’t done it again since but I needed that glimmer of encouragement. AB’s future employers will really love this detailed recap of her potty journey.
Our garden is doing so well. I took this picture yesterday morning and by the evening it had turned into a green bean. Our tomato plants are bursting with green tomatoes. Contrary to our landlord’s father’s Eeyore prediction, no rabbits or deer have come by for a snack.
On our fifth day of potty training we went out to play in the rain. Sesame was in seventh heaven. She wore her puddle boots, winter hat and no pants. She was as happy as a clam.
May 31, 2017 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
I had my golden birthday over the weekend. I turned 28 on the 28th. Judging by the popping and cracking when I exercise, my body seems to think I’m 128.
Last year I started a tradition of going to the best flower shop in town to buy myself a bouquet. It’s only been two years, but I think it will be a lasting tradition.
We went to church Sunday morning then visited with Mom who had arrived late the night before. Christopher and I had a day date that afternoon which hasn’t happened in 37 months (aka Annabelle’s birth). For my birthday meal that night we went to a restaurant with the best chocolate dessert I’ve ever had. It was a quiet day but so nice. Christopher always does a good job of making my birthdays special.
Christopher gave my a gorgeous necklace with “I love you” written in his handwriting. I had been hinting at it for a few years. Annabelle gave me out a package of magnetic chip clips. Just what I always wanted! She has since confiscated them all.
On Monday we took a day trip to recreated villages from three different time periods- pioneer, antebellum and turn of the century.
It’s not every day you get to ride a giant turkey statue.
I fell in love with a charming little house in the center of town. It was actually the biggest house in the entire place and built by a wealthy doctor, but who’s counting square footage or dollar signs. I overlooked the abundance of mud, lack of showers and takeover by the flies. I was practically decorating it for Christmas in my head.
A single fly is buzzing around my head as I write this and driving me NUTS. I could not live in any of those time periods. I‘ll stay here with my air conditioning, running water and new chip clips.
May 25, 2017 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
It’s Thursday which means Friday and the weekend are right around the corner. Based on the last few days I’ve had, it’s coming not a moment too soon. Allow me to air my grievances.
* Ants invaded our kitchen.
* Annabelle is still not sleeping at night. Tuesday night she got out of bed and emptied her pajama drawer, her pants drawer, her jewelry box and the basket of extra bows. The only reason she didn’t pull all the wipes out again was because I had the foresight to move the diaper basket into the hallway. I have had it UP TO HERE with her current sleep habits.
* I woke up itchy from head to toe.
* Potty training is a disaster.
* Annabelle’s cup leaked milk all over the floor.
* I have so little patience and I hate it. I wanted to be a stay at home but when the person I’m pushing on the swing insists I HAVE to push her from the back, not the front or while sitting on a swing next to her (God forbid I want to rest after our long night), I wonder why I didn’t go through with my plan of being a party planner or an astronaut. I bet they get to sit where ever they want.
* I took my car to the mechanic because it’s started a habit of locking the doors when the keys are on the inside and I’m on the outside. Of course they couldn’t figure out the problem. Now I’ll spend all summer worrying that Annabelle will be locked in a hot car again.
And that was just Wednesday.
On the bright side, not everything has been terrible this week.
* Yesterday I scoured the town looking for a particular brand of natural children’s sleep aid my friend recommended. I never found it so I got a different brand that “promotes restfulness and soothes irritability.” The irony of the situation is she was irritable after I gave some to her, but she did fall asleep before 9:30 which is a step in the right direction.
* I let AB watch more shows than I normally would the last few days. I started to get annoyed about it but decided it’s ok. It’s not going to ruin her or take away her chances of a good life if she watches four episodes of Umizoomi. I don’t use the tv as a babysitter for hours on end. If it helps me get through the day when I have a raging headache, than thank God for the tv.
* Dunkin Donuts is always open.
* The group texts I have with three of the funniest people I know are a saving grace on bad days.
* Sesame made me this little craft at church on Mother’s Day. Every time this week I’ve had to clear the table and perform an ant massacre it made me smile.
May 23, 2017 | Uncategorized, What's going on |
Our wild Friday plans started off with a movie night. Annabelle picked her newest favorite show, Umizoomi. As the second episode was ending, I said we were going to turn it off. Sensing I wasn’t going to allow a third episode, Annabelle tried a new tactic to convince me we should keep watching for MY sake. She said, “Have you ever seen da numbers one? I fink you’d yike it.” NICE TRY, little salesperson.
Saturday morning we went out to breakfast. AB has reached the stage where she is deeply hurt and starts crying about small things. I know things that seem small to me are huge in her world, but did she really need to start crying because I dared outline the banana on her coloring page in black instead of yellow? She thought so.
After breakfast we planted our garden. Our yard is a good size but because of deer we only have a small planting area. Christopher has no gardening experience and Annabelle only has experience digging things up so I had my hands full directing the operation. So far we have tomatoes, peppers and carrots. I have green bean seeds to plant still but haven’t decided where to plant them. We constructed a fence out of chicken wire and dowels, but I didn’t buy enough wire to go around the whole garden. It goes around half the garden and leaves the other half open to the deer so needless to say it’s completely pointless.
In the afternoon we went to a baseball game with friends from work. They have a little girl around AB’s age and all week Annabelle talked about having a “pretzel and popcorn sharing party with Grace.” We got both and all her dreams came true. It’s so fun she’s at an age where she can understand basics of the game. She didn’t understand why I didn’t have control over which songs were played over the loudspeakers, but I like that she assumes I’m in charge of everything.
May 21, 2017 | Currently, Uncategorized, What's going on |
Attempting: To get
up before Annabelle every morning. Not only get up before her, but do my devotions and exercises before she woke up. The whole idea is laughable, but my birthday is coming up and I’m trying to better myself and also lose weight. (When
does extra weight cease to be baby weight and become regular weight?
Asking for a friend.)
Normally I don’t leave my bed
until AB has called my name a number of times and I’ve spent 10 minutes
saying “I’ll be right there” so this is a real 180 from my norm. The first day I popped out of bed bright-eyed and chipper. The second day I hit the snooze button once but I got my things done before Sesame woke up. The third day I accidentally overslept and only got out of bed because I realized the plumber was scheduled to arrive in 22 minutes. I did exercise every day, but I spent all week doing this.
Wishing: I was at Pippa Middleton’s wedding. I’m choosing to believe my invitation got lost in the mail because of course, she did invite me. First thing this morning I hopped online to see pictures. I like this picture of Kate trying to keep all the kids before going into the church. I do the same thing every Sunday. She really is a mom like me.
Meanwhile, there’s Charlotte, licking the bottom of her flower girl basket. Toddlers, man. They’re all the same.
Reading: The first of The Mitford Series and A Day on the Farm.
Drinking: Apple cider vinegar. It might be good for my intestines but you know what it’s not good for? My taste buds. I think they’ve all been burned off.
Baking/binge eating: Tagalong cookie bars. They are SO SO good. They’re counterproductive to weight loss but I don’t care. They’re worth it. I made them for MOPS but they were so frozen I couldn’t get them out of the pan in time. I was left with an entire pan for myself. What a bummer.
Wondering: Why the founders of MOPS settled on a name that’s also a household cleaning item. It stands for Mothers of Preschoolers which makes sense, but I wish they had chosen a name like LOVE (Lives of the Very Exhausted) or NAPS (Never Any Peace). They could have gotten the point across without reminding me that my floor needs to be washed.
