Recipe overload combined with self-imposed sleep deprivation

I found out this week that there are some awesome music-related games for the Wii. I’m going to have to look into that some more…my position on the Wii is softening considerably. But I’ll still have to go try it out. Amazon reviews are mixed. Wouldn't the kids be surprised?! (And Shawn too:))

Re-learning about pathos, logos, and ethos. Kind of. That’s what I was supposed to be doing tonight. Instead, I amassed 11 pages of new recipes and food blogs to visit “someday.” I spent 2+ hours looking at food! And I still have to go figure out what to make my husband for lunch tomorrow. (Sandwiches are the normal standby but we’re out of bread- though I just made it on Tuesday.) I’m still trying to figure out exactly why I am so attracted to food blogs…because I can’t really cook (okay, not completely true, but my cooking skills are limited) and my husband’s greatest desire is that I learn how? Ah, well, guess I better just buck up and go find the kitchen. I’m sure there is Pasta Roni somewhere in the pantry…which will at least get him through the day. What do normal people-with-jobs do about lunch?

The kids had a very difficult time going to sleep tonight, so hopefully they’ll sleep in. And then, the weekend. Weekends make everything better. Sleep helps. One of these days I'm going to write about something much more interesting.

Side note: Ebay is my best friend. Love it. Bless the one who thought it up! (Pierre Omidyar- courtesy of Google and Wikipedia.) Amazon is a close second.

The very short version of the past week.

I'm getting in the habit of going to bed earlier, but my house is getting messier and messier all the time. I think I'm going to have to revert back to my old habit of cleaning the house after the kids are in bed but before homework. Life is just easier when I start the day with a manageable house.
Goal for the weekend: tame whatever living things have taken up residence in the refrigerator.

"We" started violin lessons today. I'm learning along with my son so I can help him practice at home. I'm dubious about how much help I'll be, and crossing my fingers that we can keep the violin away from little fingers.

The Raingutter Regata (comparable to the pinewood derby, but not as big, and with boats) took place yesterday. It was a success, as far as those types of activities go, but I'm rethinking my position on competition. Other than that, yesterday was a pretty difficult day...but today was much better. In the end it probably all balances out.

My research paper is on music and art in public schools. I'll feel better about it when I can see the progress.

If you can't tell from my short disjointed paragraphs, I don't really have a lot to say...but I felt I've been neglecting this blog, and I just didn't have the energy to write about some big political, moral, or other reflection-worthy issue.

The Recent Goings On

30^th May 2011

I have forgotten so many things I intended to write. I suppose that’s just what happens when you put things off. It’s been a long but good day. We went hiking around Point Lobos State Reserve with our neighbors; it’s very beautiful. We had a BBQ that also doubled as a birthday party. And we bought a piano. It’s not perfect, but it’s a piano. :) Now…where to put it…

The things that stand out…hmm. Oh yes, ½ day stint potty-training a 2 yr old before I figured out he didn’t even know what a toilet was for. He absolutely refused to wear diapers that morning and I got ahead of myself and thought it would be a good time to potty-train. Nope. He never did quite get it figured out and I’m perfectly content to wait another year. In the meantime I just have to put the diapers out of reach because my 3 yr old thinks he wants to be a baby again and kept putting the diapers on himself. Strange.

Baptism! It went very well. Shawn’s parents were here and it was so nice to have them :). Demetri was excited to be baptized with his friend, he picked a place to go to dinner, and he was ecstatic to see his grandparents. Now the others are asking when it’s their turn. He’s trying to focus on reading a few scripture verses every day and understand what each verse means.

My little brother graduated and had his Eagle Court of Honor this week. I don’t remember him being old enough to do either of those things. But I’m proud of him!

I’m now a Cub Scout Den Mother. No joke. I’m a tad nervous about that, the entertaining and teaching several 8 yr olds part. I can do one of those at a time, sometimes, but it’ll take a lot of practice to do both. Guess I’ll have some time though.

We’ve been here for 5 months. 11 more to go, and I have no idea where we’re going next, but the kids and I will probably spend next summer at my parents’ while Shawn is in Texas. Then, we’ll be notified 30 days in advance of Shawn’s new duty station. He joined the army so I could learn patience and be flexible. Well…I guess flexibility is more of a family trait, so I’m good there.

The kids have made friends in the ward and now love going to church. It was pretty difficult for a couple of months. I’m glad they are adjusting. I'm glad I'm adjusting too. It's pretty, we have good friends, and I'm learning some new skills (cooking, laundry, and how to ignore messes when I don't have the time to clean them up, haha).

Ah yes, blackout curtains. We now, thank goodness, have them. A necessity when children go to bed an hour before it really gets dark. It is for my children at least. These curtains also help break the established habit one of them has of waking up the moment any light enters his room, and staying awake. I'm getting more sleep= everyone is happier. Really.

I tried to upload images- pictures from today, but I think they're too big? So I'll have to learn how to resize them and then try again.

Life while traveling

Last Tuesday's Post...posted a week late, went something like this...

It was a good weekend. Busy, but good. We went to a graduation (kind of…the screaming baby/toddler kind of made us miss the actual graduation part) and visited with a lot of family. Life is good.

I’m sore. Very sore. But I’m learning about motivation. I really didn’t want to play volleyball until I was actually playing it. Then it became fun. I get like that. The hardest part is starting something, except for the cases where the hardest part is finishing.

The kids are enjoying their trip. I’m helping my mother finish a quilt, and trying not to let my children destroy her house. Working on the quilt is the easier of the two, although the kids are extremely entertaining. Especially when they spontaneously break out into song. Who says musicals aren’t like real-life?

This week's post isn't quite so upbeat...

So much has happened in so short a time. Everything can change overnight. At the moment I'm just playing it all by ear, and trying to make myself useful. I'm not ready to go back home; I want to stay and make sure everything is okay here. But I suppose I should...while we talked about postponing the baptism and me staying a while longer, I'm sure everyone will be just fine without me and I should go clean my own house and take care of my husband. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

I learned how to make rice bags (scented even) and had a good Saturday making them with my mother and sister. I also visited my grandma and great-grandma over the weekend. I'm glad I did. While it took more time than I was planning, I learned quite a bit, and great-grandma appreciated seeing her great-great-grandchildren. She doesn't get to see many of her grandchildren very often. She turned 89 last month.

I've come to the unhappy conclusion that exercise is good for me. I've spent so much time avoiding it that it doesn't seem fair, but I feel better since I've been playing volleyball.

Sad that I'll miss my little brother's high school graduation and Eagle Court of Honor, and trying to think of all the good things about living in California.

And for lack of anything more important or relevant to say, I'll go back to my homework.

You've Had a Birthday (shout hooray)!

I can’t believe I have an 8 year-old :(. He had a fun birthday. Instead of wrapping presents this year we hid them around the house and he went on a treasure hunt. I, being alarmed at the lack of space for his new “treasures,” took the time this evening to reorganize the pantry…which is now doubling as a toy room. Toys aren’t allowed in their rooms. As I was throwing out the old to make room for the new, I started making a mental list of toys I like.

Of course there are always books, coloring books, and puzzles, but I don’t know that they count as toys. Kites, yoyos, sidewalk chalk, paints (all kinds), blocks/legos, playdoh, origami, cars, board games, bubbles- my very sweet neighbor has been an inspiration!...I think I've gotten rid of most of the battery-operated ones; you know, the ones they always bring up to you asking for more batteries (that have been dead for several months)...I never have any around.

College is a lot more informative than I thought :). I just needed an attitude adjustment (and still need better internet). All the same, I should have skipped this semester. I've taken on too much for the next 13 weeks. Oh well.

I'm coming back to Idaho! I guess I just can't learn to stay away...plus my sister-in-law is graduating (yay!) with her Masters, and I have a couple other reasons to be up there soon. But really, I prefer Idaho. Although I do like my husband and being with him :). Can't have everything. Unfortunately, I have too many things to do before I leave (such is life) but I'll probably get it all figured out. I do better as a "deadline" gets closer anyway.

I made chocolate chip cookies this week. It reminded me why I don't do that very often. I eat them. Correction, I hoard them and eat them when the kids aren't looking. Haha- my poor deprived kids, only 2 or 3 cookies a day out of a whole batch.

I've been reading a little Nicholas Carr (for my class). He has a blog and some newspaper articles. I think I like him, but I haven't been able to delve enough to know for sure. I'll get back to you on that! Anyway, at least he's interesting.

Oh boy- my thoughts are scattering in every direction and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I guess that means it's time for bed and maybe I'll do better tomorrow.

libraries and some domesticity

25^th April 2011

I accomplished quite a bit more than I thought I would today. We went to story time at the library; actually, I was story time, as the lady who usually does it had a sick child. I love story time. I like the very elaborate ones the most, and I think it would be fun to put them together, with themes, puppet shows, and activities:).

I baked bread, made pizza for dinner, and picked up some furniture…okay, Shawn really picked up the furniture, but I orchestrated the pickup and unloaded, etc. I cleaned, and now I’m doing homework.

I also cut another finger, and am considering giving up knives altogether. I am checking out electric pasta machines…it may be on my wish list for a while, but I at least want to find the one I want. Any suggestions?

Okay- so the above was supposed to be posted yesterday, but I got caught up in that homework till 1 am or so. Today I haven’t been as productive; I did get the tomatoes planted though and some more seeds started in the house. The kids are so excited about watermelon and cantaloupe this year! Hope it works…I’m not sure I’ve ever grown either successfully.

Time flies... and the military isn't as bad as all that

Really- is it almost May already? My computer must have the date wrong. I haven’t even made my New Year’s goals yet. Ah, well, the wonderful thing about goals is that you can make them anytime :). My children are growing up too quickly- suddenly, and I’m feeling my biological clock ticking…starting to count the years in my head and space hypothetical children out to see how old I would be when the last one left the house if I finished by whatever age. Hmm.

I’ve been thinking again. And kind of wishing I was more…artsy? I’m going to learn how to put music on my blog at least. And maybe put something up on the walls in my house. Maybe.

You know- there are plenty of things I don’t like about the military. But there really are some things I like too. Great health care coverage. My seven-year-old’s new outlook on life: I’m going to be a soldier when I grow up so I can keep my family safe and free. Awesome neighbors! The opportunity to travel, even if I don’t know where we’re going. A job. Job security- at least for the next 5 ½ years J. A cool new skill for my husband- who is really extraordinarily excited to be learning Chinese. Fun events to take my kids to, like yesterday’s “Spring Into Green,” complete with a bounce house, face painting, balloon animals, a free ice cream truck, etc. And I’m sure I’ll think of more as I go along. I’ll try to ignore the stuff I don’t like…or at least not curse the military in front of the kids :).

I have a hutch. A computer hutch- but we’ve repurposed it. The tv is now hidden (because I don’t like it to be the center of the livingroom) AND…there’s a LOCK! Hooray; no more videos scattered throughout the house, or time-outs for scattering or stepping on them…just as soon as I fix the lock part, haha.