The day started off not like a typical Friday. Usually, around here, Fridays are met with enthusiasm, energy, and excitement. Today, we all woke up cranky. Maybe it was because of the cloudy, cool weather, yet again. Maybe it was because mom didn't sleep so well. Maybe it was due to a busy week. The fact is we were all dragging our heels. We got the basics done in school: Grammar, Math, and Spelling. Lauri did Science; Alyssa did History. I called it a day at that. Then I did something drastic: I locked the kids in the basement.
Okay, not really *locked* them in the basement, so to speak, but shut them down there with explicit instructions to come get me if someone was bleeding or if something was on fire and that was about it. We spent almost all of last weekend cleaning out/rearranging those two rooms downstairs, and now they had plenty to do in plenty of space. I warned them that if I was to be needed for any disagreements that I would start to reconsider our six-weeks-at-the-lake summer plan. They were bickering and pestering each other all morning, so I figured this was an opportunity to show them that they can get along.
Step two was to turn on my Ipod. I can do anything while listening to my Ipod. Especially when I had just downloaded new music on it. Sure, I looked silly dancing around my kitchen (doing a little moonwalking) to Michael Jackson, and maybe I belted out some Grease 2 songs a little too loud, but when those ear buds go in, the world gets shut out.
Step three was to try a new approach to cleaning. I am a very random person (maybe part ADD?). When I look for clothes, I dart through the aisles going back and forth. When I'm at the bookstore, I jump from section to section and back again. So, I tried this with my cleaning- start with laundry, there's always laundry to do with seven people in one house, then begin straightening my room. Go down and finish up lunch dishes, sweep real quick, then head to the schoolroom, back up to my bathroom- vacuum the girls' room so Lizzie could take a nap, clean the kids' bathroom, do a little deeper clean in the kitchen, another load of laundry, vacuum the schoolroom, finish the last bathroom, trash out, put some more things away, finish up my room, start to tackle the living room.
For anyone keeping track, the boys' room was intentionally avoided. We worked so hard last week in our room, the girls' room, the computer room, and the two basement rooms, that the boys' room was completely ignored. I desperately need to clean out their closet and dressers, their toys, their stuffed animals, but I'm procrastinating. I need another burst of "nesting". (NOT a pregnancy-induced version).
Amazingly, the kids held up their end of the bargain. They stayed downstairs, with only one instance of Gavin scaring the cr*p out of me. Imagine yourself completely unable to hear due to your Ipod blaring, scrubbing a toilet, when all of a sudden out of the corner your eye, you think you see something. And there's Gavin just standing there staring at me. He can give you this blank stare that rivals those of kids in horror flicks.
Now I'm off to make some yummy enchiladas that we'll eat after we go to the Y which we'll do once Brett is home. So, not a bad end to a crummy start of the day, just wish the sun would come out!!!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Small Victories
We've had a lot of changes around here the past two months, and with those changes, we've had some great successes. And we've been able to focus more on what needs to get done. Here's a list some things we've accomplished:
*Schoolwork: Its getting done relatively easy these days. The girls are accomplishing more and more each week. Gavin has just become a star student. He is excited about learning to read and is really proud of his schoolwork.
*Gavin's Speech: He's only been to three therapy sessions at the school, but already we can tell an improvement in his speech. He really pays attention to how he forms his words, and he is much more receptive when we correct him.
*Dry Pullups: Gavin is on a streak of not wetting at night. It has taken us almost three years to get to this point. He told me a couple days ago, "I'm just not going to use Pullups anymore." We were like, uh, good. He has worn underwear for five nights in a row and hasn't wet once. Yay!
*Food: We're trying to eat healthier around here. It is very difficult to balance healthy and cheap. The kids are eating so much better. They are actually trying new foods. But,the biggest improvement is Eli. he has always been a hot dogs and chicken nuggets boy. In the past week he's eaten eggplant Parmesan, potato soup, and Mexican rice (rice, chicken, black beans, tomatoes). I never would've thought he would touch any of this.
We're on the road. I just need to remember to take it one step at a time.
*Schoolwork: Its getting done relatively easy these days. The girls are accomplishing more and more each week. Gavin has just become a star student. He is excited about learning to read and is really proud of his schoolwork.
*Gavin's Speech: He's only been to three therapy sessions at the school, but already we can tell an improvement in his speech. He really pays attention to how he forms his words, and he is much more receptive when we correct him.
*Dry Pullups: Gavin is on a streak of not wetting at night. It has taken us almost three years to get to this point. He told me a couple days ago, "I'm just not going to use Pullups anymore." We were like, uh, good. He has worn underwear for five nights in a row and hasn't wet once. Yay!
*Food: We're trying to eat healthier around here. It is very difficult to balance healthy and cheap. The kids are eating so much better. They are actually trying new foods. But,the biggest improvement is Eli. he has always been a hot dogs and chicken nuggets boy. In the past week he's eaten eggplant Parmesan, potato soup, and Mexican rice (rice, chicken, black beans, tomatoes). I never would've thought he would touch any of this.
We're on the road. I just need to remember to take it one step at a time.
Monday, March 03, 2008
My first (and maybe only?) political post
I've never blogged about politics before. Honestly, it is mainly because I have been pretty uninterested for a number of years now. I don't wanted to say cynical or jaded because at 28, I would think it should be too early for that, but maybe that's the case. I used to be much more politically aware, and then it came to a point where I just didn't have time to devote or desire to care.
With the elections coming up, I've tried to become more attentive to the candidates and the political scene. Its not too hard to become familiar with the candidates since two of them have been around for awhile. Which leads me to the third, and the actual subject of this post.
Barack Obama. I'm not one who wears her political feelings on her sleeve, so for those of you who don't know this, I will come out and say that as far as political standings go, I am about as far opposite as you can get from Obama when it comes to a lot of issues. And I mean, a lot. Yet, oddly enough, I want him to win not only the Democratic Nomination, but also the office of the Presidency. Why? Well, that's what this post is about.
1. Change: Yes, I know that is basically his entire campaign in one word, but its the truth. Coming from my perspective of only having an active political memory of a President whose last name was either Bush or Clinton, the idea of fresh blood is enticing.
2. Healing: Our nation is so blown apart politically right now and there is so much hatred on both sides of the aisle, that I really see Obama being a figure of healing. He is young, he is brilliant, and just the fact that we would have a young, African-American as our country's leader feels good. No more "good ole boy" syndrome of rich white man.
3. Character: As much as I differ from him in politics, I respect him because of his accomplishments and intelligence. You can say what you want about his politics, but so far nothing has come to make me dislike him. His speeches are encouraging, optimistic, and vibrant. This may be a superficial point, but his appearance is reassuring. He can smile a big goofy smile or be serious and somber. He is the face I'd like the world to think of when they think of the USA. He is the face I'd like to see giving a State of the Union Address, or God forbid, reassuring the country after a crisis. He comes into the office with no baggage. That's not to say that things can't (or won't) happen once he's in office, but for now, he is too fresh to be disliked.
4. Politics: I think I've made my point about differing with Obama on most major issues, but what I like about the idea of him being president is that politics can go back to being about politics. It won't be about the hatred of a president (both the current hatred for George W. or the hatred out there for Hillary Clinton). It will be about the issues. And, I think that is important. It won't be about somebody coming in to try to finish what they (or their husband) couldn't accomplish. It will be purely about politics.
5. Opponents: I put this one last because I wanted to wax poetic about the tributes of Obama before I pulled the punch card of saying: I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY can't stand McCain or Hillary Clinton. I don't like their personalities, I don't like listening to them talk. They both grate my nerves so much that the idea of either of them being president for four (or eight!) years makes my ears bleed. Yes, I know that's immature, yes, I know that should be immaterial, but hey, that's why I put it last :)
Who knows what the future will hold? Who knows what type of president Obama would be, could be? Who knows how things would change once he's in the Oval Office? I sure don't, but I do know from this Conservative, Christian (no, not Conservative Christian- that's why there's a comma there), Republican (though sometimes leading more Libertarian), woman's perspective, Obama is the best candidate out there- maybe not for me personally, but for our country.
That is all.
With the elections coming up, I've tried to become more attentive to the candidates and the political scene. Its not too hard to become familiar with the candidates since two of them have been around for awhile. Which leads me to the third, and the actual subject of this post.
Barack Obama. I'm not one who wears her political feelings on her sleeve, so for those of you who don't know this, I will come out and say that as far as political standings go, I am about as far opposite as you can get from Obama when it comes to a lot of issues. And I mean, a lot. Yet, oddly enough, I want him to win not only the Democratic Nomination, but also the office of the Presidency. Why? Well, that's what this post is about.
1. Change: Yes, I know that is basically his entire campaign in one word, but its the truth. Coming from my perspective of only having an active political memory of a President whose last name was either Bush or Clinton, the idea of fresh blood is enticing.
2. Healing: Our nation is so blown apart politically right now and there is so much hatred on both sides of the aisle, that I really see Obama being a figure of healing. He is young, he is brilliant, and just the fact that we would have a young, African-American as our country's leader feels good. No more "good ole boy" syndrome of rich white man.
3. Character: As much as I differ from him in politics, I respect him because of his accomplishments and intelligence. You can say what you want about his politics, but so far nothing has come to make me dislike him. His speeches are encouraging, optimistic, and vibrant. This may be a superficial point, but his appearance is reassuring. He can smile a big goofy smile or be serious and somber. He is the face I'd like the world to think of when they think of the USA. He is the face I'd like to see giving a State of the Union Address, or God forbid, reassuring the country after a crisis. He comes into the office with no baggage. That's not to say that things can't (or won't) happen once he's in office, but for now, he is too fresh to be disliked.
4. Politics: I think I've made my point about differing with Obama on most major issues, but what I like about the idea of him being president is that politics can go back to being about politics. It won't be about the hatred of a president (both the current hatred for George W. or the hatred out there for Hillary Clinton). It will be about the issues. And, I think that is important. It won't be about somebody coming in to try to finish what they (or their husband) couldn't accomplish. It will be purely about politics.
5. Opponents: I put this one last because I wanted to wax poetic about the tributes of Obama before I pulled the punch card of saying: I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY can't stand McCain or Hillary Clinton. I don't like their personalities, I don't like listening to them talk. They both grate my nerves so much that the idea of either of them being president for four (or eight!) years makes my ears bleed. Yes, I know that's immature, yes, I know that should be immaterial, but hey, that's why I put it last :)
Who knows what the future will hold? Who knows what type of president Obama would be, could be? Who knows how things would change once he's in the Oval Office? I sure don't, but I do know from this Conservative, Christian (no, not Conservative Christian- that's why there's a comma there), Republican (though sometimes leading more Libertarian), woman's perspective, Obama is the best candidate out there- maybe not for me personally, but for our country.
That is all.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
My house is like my body
Baby steps. Baby steps. Baby steps.
My house did not get messy overnight. My body did not get overweight/out of shape overnight. I cannot fix my house in one day. I cannot fix my body in one day.
Routines- take on one job and stick to it. This week it has been laundry. I finally realized that I need to do two loads of laundry every day to keep up on it. Since last Wednesday, I have made this a reality. It is amazing how much free time I have to focus on other tasks- or really, just how much I notice other tasks, when I'm not fretting about climbing Mt. Laundry. Workout thirty minutes a day. Done for nine days straight now. Do I notice a huge change in my body? No, not yet. That will come with time. But, when I ran that mile without stopping in under ten minutes yesterday, I felt a difference. When I walk past my laundry sorter and can see the painting that it hangs under, I can feel a difference.
The way my house looks doesn't affect what goes on here. This can be a tricky one. My house can be a mess yet we can still enjoy ourselves here. Just like I can do wonderful things without my body being perfect. BUT I notice when my house is cleaner, we are all happier. We function better as a family. Lost puzzle pieces are found, there is room to get out all the Littlest Pets. I feel more confident, more able to do what I need to do when I take care of myself. I have made a commitment to covering my feet in lotion twice a day. It sounds silly, but it makes me feel good.
So step by step, my house and my body are becoming more how I want them to be. I have accepting my starting points, and I have a realistic goal set in my head. My body has borne five kids, I am not going to look like a supermodel (who really does anyways?). My house holds seven of us, I am never going to win any awards from Martha Stewart. Those thoughts don't discourage me, they just keep me real.
A commitment to change makes it sound like I'm reinventing myself. But what I really feel more like is an onion with a special pearl trapped inside. I keep peeling layer and layer off (my body in pounds, my house in dirt..lol) and am getting closer to finding my pearl. MY pearl may not look like yours, but it is beautiful in my eyes.
My house did not get messy overnight. My body did not get overweight/out of shape overnight. I cannot fix my house in one day. I cannot fix my body in one day.
Routines- take on one job and stick to it. This week it has been laundry. I finally realized that I need to do two loads of laundry every day to keep up on it. Since last Wednesday, I have made this a reality. It is amazing how much free time I have to focus on other tasks- or really, just how much I notice other tasks, when I'm not fretting about climbing Mt. Laundry. Workout thirty minutes a day. Done for nine days straight now. Do I notice a huge change in my body? No, not yet. That will come with time. But, when I ran that mile without stopping in under ten minutes yesterday, I felt a difference. When I walk past my laundry sorter and can see the painting that it hangs under, I can feel a difference.
The way my house looks doesn't affect what goes on here. This can be a tricky one. My house can be a mess yet we can still enjoy ourselves here. Just like I can do wonderful things without my body being perfect. BUT I notice when my house is cleaner, we are all happier. We function better as a family. Lost puzzle pieces are found, there is room to get out all the Littlest Pets. I feel more confident, more able to do what I need to do when I take care of myself. I have made a commitment to covering my feet in lotion twice a day. It sounds silly, but it makes me feel good.
So step by step, my house and my body are becoming more how I want them to be. I have accepting my starting points, and I have a realistic goal set in my head. My body has borne five kids, I am not going to look like a supermodel (who really does anyways?). My house holds seven of us, I am never going to win any awards from Martha Stewart. Those thoughts don't discourage me, they just keep me real.
A commitment to change makes it sound like I'm reinventing myself. But what I really feel more like is an onion with a special pearl trapped inside. I keep peeling layer and layer off (my body in pounds, my house in dirt..lol) and am getting closer to finding my pearl. MY pearl may not look like yours, but it is beautiful in my eyes.
Dessert with the Hoedls
So, we're sitting around eating homemade smoothies on Sunday night enjoying a nice night of nothing to do when Eli hops up from the table after deciding he doesn't like his. He runs off to go get in his jammies. A minute later he comes back down to the kitchen shouting, "I need help with my shirt!!" He had no trouble taking his pants off, but seemed to forget to put some back on. So, here is my adorable three year old jumping up and down bottomless with his shirt stuck on his head. Brett and I both break into, "Eli! Go get some pants on!" But he's being such a goober, that its hard to look at him with breaking up laughing. He then realizes he needs to go potty and begins to shout, "PEE!! PEE!!! PEE!!!! I NEED TO PEE!!!!" At this point, any hope of keeping a straight face is gone, and laughter is coming from all of us (including Lizzie). He manages to go potty, then rejoin us in the kitchen, dancing around bottomless. We try to tell him that it isn't appropriate or funny to dance naked in the kitchen, but he replies, "Lizzie likes it!" She is cracking up at him, so its kind of hard to dispute his reasoning. Brett gets up to help him get dressed, and I find myself wondering, did I ever expect there would be a point in my life where it wouldn't phase me to have to shout, "We don't dance around naked in the kitchen!!!"
And, yes, this picture is from last summer, but its the only one I have on the laptop of my little guy.....
And, yes, this picture is from last summer, but its the only one I have on the laptop of my little guy.....
Friday, February 01, 2008
Blogging a Vacation: Day 3
Blogging a Vacation: Day 3
Sorry this is a little late, but I typed it all up Wednesday morning, then it got erased, and I really haven't had a chance to sit and type it back up- plus, I was really annoyed that it happened.
So, I woke up Tuesday morning thinking I'd go workout before my spa time, but then decided instead to sit and have a yummy breakfast with my laptop and newspaper. Good choice :) My appointment was at 10, and I showed up about forty minutes early. I changed into my robe and then ventured into the steam room. I had been in dry saunas before- when I was a young teen, my best friend belonged to a country club and we'd sit in there and share secrets. But, the steam was something new for me. It was interesting to just sit there and sweat. After a couple minutes, I grabbed some cucumbers for my eyes and an ice-cold rag for my face. Then, all of a sudden I heard this loud rumbling sound- it totally freaked me out. Of course, it was just the machine spitting out more steam, but that didn't really calm my nerves. I all of a sudden had an attack of thinking that I was going to get trapped in there or someone was going to appear from the smoke. I ended up heading to the shower.
From the shower, I headed to the "Relaxation Lounge" where I drank lemon water and snacked on some trail mix. Then, my lovely lady massuese showed up and I was on my way. It was a very relaxing 50 minutes that fortunately didn't fly by. The last massage I had was about two weeks before Lizzie was born. It felt awesome for my big ole pregnant body, but I had a hard realaxing. No so much a problem then.
I headed back to the "Relaxation Lounge" which this time wasn't so relaxing. There were two business guys there in their robes and they would.not.shut.up. I don't even know what they talked about- but they kept talking. Besides feeling oddly nekked in just my robe, it was weird to think that they were they same- ick. Yes, I know, I am immature.
My facial was nice- it started out with a lecture on how I am totally washing my face with the wrong stuff- heads up ladies! My facial lady says NEVAH use Apricot scrub on your face. Not good- no bueno. Then she tried clearing up some of my face- ouch!!! Not so realaxing, but then she stopped and I could relax. One of the things she put on was supposed to "get warm and tingle"- holy moley, it started to burn- but in a good way. My face felt refreshed afterwards, and then I headed back to the shower and got all ready.
Brett snuck out of his so-not-important conference and we went and had a late lunch at the sports bar in the hotel. We sat there with our paper once again, enjoying a nice relaxing lunch. We went back to the hotel and I took a nice, long two hour nap.
We headed back downtown and ate an absolutely ridiculously expensive, but oh-so-good-can-still-taste-it-in-my-mouth-right-now dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. It had been almost ten years since we ate at one of those, and wow! still tasted just as good I remembered. We decided to head back to the bars, but couldn't decide where to go- Stacy Mitchart was playing again, but this time there was a cover. We really wanted to go the dueling piano bar, but when we walked in, we were the only ones there, so we promptly left. We gave the Wildhorse one more chance, and it was kickin'.
After about five minutes of watching, we decided there must've been a dancing instruction group there because all these younger men were dancing with these older women and they kept switching around. The men were all nicely dressed- there were a couple young girls dressed nicely too. Lots of two-stepping, but also some other types of ballroom dancing. They were a riot to watch. As much as the previous night we learned that everyone in Nashville can sing, we learned that everyone in Nashville can dance. Brett and I actually went out to dance for one slow song- and felt a little like sillies next to all the "professionals". "Billy Ray" was playing again. They do a great job of a mix of country covers and original songs-just found their myspace page- http://www.myspace.com/theranchhands-
We went back to the hotel to the Jack Saloon but the same lady from the night before was singing, and it was crowded, so we only stayed long enough for me to enjoy the most delicious drink ever invented- a Jack and Coke Float. Yummmm....best.drink.ever.
So, that was day/night three. A wonderful last full day in Nashville. It is so cool to walk through a downtown where there was live music every couple steps. Very neat town.
Sorry this is a little late, but I typed it all up Wednesday morning, then it got erased, and I really haven't had a chance to sit and type it back up- plus, I was really annoyed that it happened.
So, I woke up Tuesday morning thinking I'd go workout before my spa time, but then decided instead to sit and have a yummy breakfast with my laptop and newspaper. Good choice :) My appointment was at 10, and I showed up about forty minutes early. I changed into my robe and then ventured into the steam room. I had been in dry saunas before- when I was a young teen, my best friend belonged to a country club and we'd sit in there and share secrets. But, the steam was something new for me. It was interesting to just sit there and sweat. After a couple minutes, I grabbed some cucumbers for my eyes and an ice-cold rag for my face. Then, all of a sudden I heard this loud rumbling sound- it totally freaked me out. Of course, it was just the machine spitting out more steam, but that didn't really calm my nerves. I all of a sudden had an attack of thinking that I was going to get trapped in there or someone was going to appear from the smoke. I ended up heading to the shower.
From the shower, I headed to the "Relaxation Lounge" where I drank lemon water and snacked on some trail mix. Then, my lovely lady massuese showed up and I was on my way. It was a very relaxing 50 minutes that fortunately didn't fly by. The last massage I had was about two weeks before Lizzie was born. It felt awesome for my big ole pregnant body, but I had a hard realaxing. No so much a problem then.
I headed back to the "Relaxation Lounge" which this time wasn't so relaxing. There were two business guys there in their robes and they would.not.shut.up. I don't even know what they talked about- but they kept talking. Besides feeling oddly nekked in just my robe, it was weird to think that they were they same- ick. Yes, I know, I am immature.
My facial was nice- it started out with a lecture on how I am totally washing my face with the wrong stuff- heads up ladies! My facial lady says NEVAH use Apricot scrub on your face. Not good- no bueno. Then she tried clearing up some of my face- ouch!!! Not so realaxing, but then she stopped and I could relax. One of the things she put on was supposed to "get warm and tingle"- holy moley, it started to burn- but in a good way. My face felt refreshed afterwards, and then I headed back to the shower and got all ready.
Brett snuck out of his so-not-important conference and we went and had a late lunch at the sports bar in the hotel. We sat there with our paper once again, enjoying a nice relaxing lunch. We went back to the hotel and I took a nice, long two hour nap.
We headed back downtown and ate an absolutely ridiculously expensive, but oh-so-good-can-still-taste-it-in-my-mouth-right-now dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. It had been almost ten years since we ate at one of those, and wow! still tasted just as good I remembered. We decided to head back to the bars, but couldn't decide where to go- Stacy Mitchart was playing again, but this time there was a cover. We really wanted to go the dueling piano bar, but when we walked in, we were the only ones there, so we promptly left. We gave the Wildhorse one more chance, and it was kickin'.
After about five minutes of watching, we decided there must've been a dancing instruction group there because all these younger men were dancing with these older women and they kept switching around. The men were all nicely dressed- there were a couple young girls dressed nicely too. Lots of two-stepping, but also some other types of ballroom dancing. They were a riot to watch. As much as the previous night we learned that everyone in Nashville can sing, we learned that everyone in Nashville can dance. Brett and I actually went out to dance for one slow song- and felt a little like sillies next to all the "professionals". "Billy Ray" was playing again. They do a great job of a mix of country covers and original songs-just found their myspace page- http://www.myspace.com/theranchhands-
We went back to the hotel to the Jack Saloon but the same lady from the night before was singing, and it was crowded, so we only stayed long enough for me to enjoy the most delicious drink ever invented- a Jack and Coke Float. Yummmm....best.drink.ever.
So, that was day/night three. A wonderful last full day in Nashville. It is so cool to walk through a downtown where there was live music every couple steps. Very neat town.
You know you're a homeschool mom when...
*You're in a wonderful day spa (states away from home) receiving an amazing massage, and you're mentally critiquing your daughter's paper she sent to you in an email, deciding how to respond
*You're listening to your five year old read his sentences and you're thinking, "that's a predicate noun, that's a predicate adjective, that's a direct object" and are diagramming them in your head.
*The book you read the most while on vacation was the one your ten year old has been bugging you for months to read, and then when you finish it in the airport on the way home, you can't wait to get home to tell her how much you loved it.
*You're listening to your five year old read his sentences and you're thinking, "that's a predicate noun, that's a predicate adjective, that's a direct object" and are diagramming them in your head.
*The book you read the most while on vacation was the one your ten year old has been bugging you for months to read, and then when you finish it in the airport on the way home, you can't wait to get home to tell her how much you loved it.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Blogging a Vacation: Day 2
Okay, so day two started with us sleeping in all the way to 9:30. We probably would've stayed in bed longer, but my mom called with a question about the kids schooling, so we decided to go ahead and get up.
We went to the outlet mall right next door, found a Starbucks, and wandered around that for awhile. It was nice to be able to walk through a mall, no rush, no real purpose, no kids. We debated on going to see a movie, and then ended up coming back to the hotel to eat lunch. We sat at one of the tables in the atrium, reading the paper, probably looking like an old married couple- sharing tidbits we each thought the other would be interested in. We went back to the room and I took a 2 hour nap.
We were headed back downtown and decided to visit the Wildhorse Saloon. It is a bar that we had seen pushed constantly. Line-dancing, live music, wild crowd. We ate a nice dinner, and then the band started up. The music was good- although Brett and I couldn't get over how much t helead singer looked like Miley's dad (for those of you without pre-teens, that would be Billy Ray Cyrus). We kept waiting for the wild crowd, but alas, the ginormous dance floor was bare. So, after the band's first break, we headed out on the street to find another bar.
There are a couple things about Nashville that amaze me. One being, almost every bar has live music. Two, the bands are all good. Three, even the karaoke singers rock. We headed into a little karaoke bar, thinking we would have a good time watching the singers- enjoy the good ones, get a laugh from the bad ones. Song after song after song went by and no bad singers to be found. There was an older, white-haired, business dressed gentleman, who was texting on his blackberry and fiddling with his breifcase that we thought for sure we'd get a kick out of hearing. His name gets called, and he gets on stage with his harmonica. Not only does the guy's voice just blow us away, but during the musical interludes he just goes to town on his harmonica. There was a talent scout there from Vegas who kept talking to Brett and me. He must've seen Brett's id when the waitress asked for it, because he kept referring to Brett as "Kansas" and told him to get up there and give it a try. That ended night two in Nashville.
We went to the outlet mall right next door, found a Starbucks, and wandered around that for awhile. It was nice to be able to walk through a mall, no rush, no real purpose, no kids. We debated on going to see a movie, and then ended up coming back to the hotel to eat lunch. We sat at one of the tables in the atrium, reading the paper, probably looking like an old married couple- sharing tidbits we each thought the other would be interested in. We went back to the room and I took a 2 hour nap.
We were headed back downtown and decided to visit the Wildhorse Saloon. It is a bar that we had seen pushed constantly. Line-dancing, live music, wild crowd. We ate a nice dinner, and then the band started up. The music was good- although Brett and I couldn't get over how much t helead singer looked like Miley's dad (for those of you without pre-teens, that would be Billy Ray Cyrus). We kept waiting for the wild crowd, but alas, the ginormous dance floor was bare. So, after the band's first break, we headed out on the street to find another bar.
There are a couple things about Nashville that amaze me. One being, almost every bar has live music. Two, the bands are all good. Three, even the karaoke singers rock. We headed into a little karaoke bar, thinking we would have a good time watching the singers- enjoy the good ones, get a laugh from the bad ones. Song after song after song went by and no bad singers to be found. There was an older, white-haired, business dressed gentleman, who was texting on his blackberry and fiddling with his breifcase that we thought for sure we'd get a kick out of hearing. His name gets called, and he gets on stage with his harmonica. Not only does the guy's voice just blow us away, but during the musical interludes he just goes to town on his harmonica. There was a talent scout there from Vegas who kept talking to Brett and me. He must've seen Brett's id when the waitress asked for it, because he kept referring to Brett as "Kansas" and told him to get up there and give it a try. That ended night two in Nashville.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Blogging a Vacation: Days 1 & 2
So, its Day 3 of 4 wonderful days on vacation with my husband, and I decided it was time for a little update before I forget all the fun details of our trip so far.
Day One: We left early Sunday morning. Brett and I have never travelled together without the kids, so I knew it was going to be an interesting experience. I get very nervous/stressed before leaving town (especially flying), but I'm fine once we're on the plane. Our flight was easy, only about an hour to get to Nashville. We rented a car in the airport parking lot. Our hotel is only about 15 minutes from the airport. All in all- easy travel.
Our hotel is very nteresting. It is a bunch of atriums. Our room has a patio that looks out on the main atrium. We are right by the big waterfall which is very calming. Listening to it at night really helps get you into a deep sleep. The pas two days have been gorgeous in the atriums- the sun was shining. This morning as I eat my breakfast and type this up, its a little gloomy. The sky is overcast and there's no bright and shiny sun. But, it is still very pretty. I'm kind of hoping it will rain, just to see what it'd be like under the atrium.
We were good, and after settling into our room, we went and checked out the fitness center. After working out, we sat in the outdoor whirpool and took a little swim in the inside pool. The weather here has been in the upper 40s-upper 50s the past two days. We went back to the room to get ready to go downtown for dinner. Brett had picked out a bar for us to eat at and watch a couple live bands perform. We ended up walking around downtown and deciding to go somewhere else.
We went to BB King's restaurant where a blues singer was going to be playing. The food was delicious- we ordered an appetizer plate of fried pickles, hot wings, potato skins and ribs. YUM! Fried pickles are about my favorite food ever and it seems like every place down here serves them. Then, we split an entree of a spicy (though not very spicy for us) pasta carbonara. It was good, but so much food that the two of us couldn't even eat it all. We sat and listened to the live music for a little over an hour- until they took their first break- and then decided to move on. The singer was Stacy Mitchart. He's been nominated for a Grammy- he was excellent. Brett and I had a great time watching his band. His keyboardist looked like Michael Bolton on crack. He was swinging his hair and bobbing his head like crazy. The bassist who was standing next to him was about as opposite as you could get- the complete definition of chill.
We walked down to a country bar called The Stage where some guys were playing for a crowd of about 6. They were singing old school country music- like WAY old school- including lyrics such as "the nickels are for the waitress, the dimes are for the jukebox, and the quarters are for wine, wine, wine" The guys were an ecletic bunch. The lead singer looked appropriate, maybe a little young, but a laid back cowboy type. The other singer looked like the main guy from a metal band- bald with a dark goatee, wearing a black wife beater. The fiddler looked like the epitome of country- complete with cowboy hat, boots, mustache and very tight jeans. We only stayed there for a couple songs- and decided to come back to the hotel.
The hotel we're at has a bar called Jack Daniels Saloon where they have live music every night. So, we checked it out and heard the best Asian cowboy I've ever heard (okay, the only one until last night- but that's for later). His name is Luther Lewis (he has a myspace page, check him out!), and they were playing pretty much all covers. The guy can change his voice for every song. He sang Johnny Cash, Elvis, John Michael Montgomery. Every song was a perfect vocal imitation. They were a really great performance.
We were back in the hotel room and asleep by 11 o'clock (yes, we're lame) and slept until 9:30 the next morning. So nice......
This got a lot longer than I thought it would, and I'm off to enjoy a relaxing day at the hotel spa, so day 2 will have to come later. Along with pictures!!!
Day One: We left early Sunday morning. Brett and I have never travelled together without the kids, so I knew it was going to be an interesting experience. I get very nervous/stressed before leaving town (especially flying), but I'm fine once we're on the plane. Our flight was easy, only about an hour to get to Nashville. We rented a car in the airport parking lot. Our hotel is only about 15 minutes from the airport. All in all- easy travel.
Our hotel is very nteresting. It is a bunch of atriums. Our room has a patio that looks out on the main atrium. We are right by the big waterfall which is very calming. Listening to it at night really helps get you into a deep sleep. The pas two days have been gorgeous in the atriums- the sun was shining. This morning as I eat my breakfast and type this up, its a little gloomy. The sky is overcast and there's no bright and shiny sun. But, it is still very pretty. I'm kind of hoping it will rain, just to see what it'd be like under the atrium.
We were good, and after settling into our room, we went and checked out the fitness center. After working out, we sat in the outdoor whirpool and took a little swim in the inside pool. The weather here has been in the upper 40s-upper 50s the past two days. We went back to the room to get ready to go downtown for dinner. Brett had picked out a bar for us to eat at and watch a couple live bands perform. We ended up walking around downtown and deciding to go somewhere else.
We went to BB King's restaurant where a blues singer was going to be playing. The food was delicious- we ordered an appetizer plate of fried pickles, hot wings, potato skins and ribs. YUM! Fried pickles are about my favorite food ever and it seems like every place down here serves them. Then, we split an entree of a spicy (though not very spicy for us) pasta carbonara. It was good, but so much food that the two of us couldn't even eat it all. We sat and listened to the live music for a little over an hour- until they took their first break- and then decided to move on. The singer was Stacy Mitchart. He's been nominated for a Grammy- he was excellent. Brett and I had a great time watching his band. His keyboardist looked like Michael Bolton on crack. He was swinging his hair and bobbing his head like crazy. The bassist who was standing next to him was about as opposite as you could get- the complete definition of chill.
We walked down to a country bar called The Stage where some guys were playing for a crowd of about 6. They were singing old school country music- like WAY old school- including lyrics such as "the nickels are for the waitress, the dimes are for the jukebox, and the quarters are for wine, wine, wine" The guys were an ecletic bunch. The lead singer looked appropriate, maybe a little young, but a laid back cowboy type. The other singer looked like the main guy from a metal band- bald with a dark goatee, wearing a black wife beater. The fiddler looked like the epitome of country- complete with cowboy hat, boots, mustache and very tight jeans. We only stayed there for a couple songs- and decided to come back to the hotel.
The hotel we're at has a bar called Jack Daniels Saloon where they have live music every night. So, we checked it out and heard the best Asian cowboy I've ever heard (okay, the only one until last night- but that's for later). His name is Luther Lewis (he has a myspace page, check him out!), and they were playing pretty much all covers. The guy can change his voice for every song. He sang Johnny Cash, Elvis, John Michael Montgomery. Every song was a perfect vocal imitation. They were a really great performance.
We were back in the hotel room and asleep by 11 o'clock (yes, we're lame) and slept until 9:30 the next morning. So nice......
This got a lot longer than I thought it would, and I'm off to enjoy a relaxing day at the hotel spa, so day 2 will have to come later. Along with pictures!!!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Our Little Monkey
You forget each time how curious a new toddler is. Lizzie keeps us on our toes constantly with her climbing and exploring. It is hard to keep her trapped in any room because she finds ways to overcome any barricades. But today, she trapped herself.
Big sister tried to help her climb out, but she crawled right back in. At least she's occupied for a couple minutes.
Big sister tried to help her climb out, but she crawled right back in. At least she's occupied for a couple minutes.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Quick Update
For those of you that don't frequent my myspace page, I'll do a quick update. A lot has changed since I last posted. For one, I've lost 17lbs and I hit my first two mini-goals. Now, I am working on dropping another 10lbs, so I can go get my bellybutton repierced :)
Another is that I quit my job last week. Nights are reclaimed for our family. The only people I'm serving are the ones that I either married or gave birth to. So far, so good.
We're back on a full school schedule this week. That means yesterday, we were going from 8:30 to 2:15 with a short break for lunch. There's a lot I want to accomplish this half of the year. A lot of "catch up".
Brett and I want to take a couple day get-away next month. We'd like something relaxing that would allow for us to reconnect. Anyone have any ideas???
One last thing, Brett and I are both receiving information on our high school reunions. Yikes! How is it possible that Alyssa is turning 10 and that its been a full decade we've been "grown ups"???
And here is a picture from Christmas....
Monday, October 15, 2007
Just Another Manic Monday
Its Monday morning. I have a to-do list a mile long. I was up and out of bed 7:30am despite the fact that I didn't get to sleep until almost midnight. And my sleep bank is totally deprived from the night before.
The wedding went very smoothly!! My dad performed and beautiful ceremony and Eric and Cassy's vows just about made me cry. So did Brett's toast (that I wrote). Everything and everyone was beautiful and it really was a joyous event. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post soon.
So here we go- another week. We made it to the Y on Saturday morning. This morning my leg muscles are still *very* sore. Not quite sure whether its from the weight machines or all the dancing :) The scale said I dropped two pounds from Tuesday to Saturday- we'll see if that was "true" weight or not.
Goals for today: Take the kids to Jr. Fitness at 9:30 (with having gotten some schoolwork done before hand), tackle at least half of my to-do list, and clean up my room!!!!
The wedding went very smoothly!! My dad performed and beautiful ceremony and Eric and Cassy's vows just about made me cry. So did Brett's toast (that I wrote). Everything and everyone was beautiful and it really was a joyous event. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to post soon.
So here we go- another week. We made it to the Y on Saturday morning. This morning my leg muscles are still *very* sore. Not quite sure whether its from the weight machines or all the dancing :) The scale said I dropped two pounds from Tuesday to Saturday- we'll see if that was "true" weight or not.
Goals for today: Take the kids to Jr. Fitness at 9:30 (with having gotten some schoolwork done before hand), tackle at least half of my to-do list, and clean up my room!!!!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
A little later...and more on "bonding"
So, this morning it was 8am when I rolled out of bed. Hey, I didn't get off of work until 11:40. But, this no drinking caffeine at work or even right before work is helping. I fell right to sleep.
Another good day at the Y yesterday. It is a lot of fun to watch Alyssa work out. She has a Disney Mp3 player that she rocks to. We've had a good time together. Yesterday, I had to tell her to be quiet though because she started singing along out loud. What amuses me so much is that if I didn't have the "social skills" to know better- I would be singing along too. :) Guess she's seen Mommy rock out while cleaning the house one too many times.
Another good day at the Y yesterday. It is a lot of fun to watch Alyssa work out. She has a Disney Mp3 player that she rocks to. We've had a good time together. Yesterday, I had to tell her to be quiet though because she started singing along out loud. What amuses me so much is that if I didn't have the "social skills" to know better- I would be singing along too. :) Guess she's seen Mommy rock out while cleaning the house one too many times.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Good Morning, Fall
I woke up this morning with a very cool breeze blowing throwing my open windows. It definitely feels like fall. I love waking up all snuggled in my bed- the only problem with this is that I don't want to get up. So, instead of being out of bed at 6:30 this morning, I stayed all snuggled up until 7:30. Which still isn't bad for me- considering some mornings of late its been closer to 9. But the difference between 6:30 and 7:30 for me is one thing (well- this morning, three things)- kids. So, instead of sitting here in nice silence, sipping my coffee, contemplating the day, I am jumping up to butter waffles, putting more cheerios on the highchair tray, and helping choose outfits for the day. I guess that's an incentive for getting up earlier: a little alone time.
So, we did rejoin the YMCA yesterday. My humbling realization being that I need to lose 31 pounds. That is my goal. I'd like to drop 11 by my birthday (the end of November), so we'll see how that goes. I'm getting ready to look now to see what time we'll head over there today. Alyssa is able to work out now too, so it was actually a good bonding experience for us.
So, we did rejoin the YMCA yesterday. My humbling realization being that I need to lose 31 pounds. That is my goal. I'd like to drop 11 by my birthday (the end of November), so we'll see how that goes. I'm getting ready to look now to see what time we'll head over there today. Alyssa is able to work out now too, so it was actually a good bonding experience for us.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Water Gremlin
First off, let me say, it is 6:45am as I write this post. I haven't seen 6:45am in awhile now, but Brett convinced me to get up early this morning to see if that helps start our day off right. Coffee is brewing and none of the kids are awake (yet!). Of course, it does help that I was home from work by 10:15 last night and asleep before Conan started.
Anyways...on to my story......
Brett and I are brushing our teeth last night when he looks over at our bedside table. There is Eli, dressed only in a Pull-Up and t-shirt downing a bottle of water. He had been asleep for two hours already, but woke up, walked into our room, didn't say a word to us, and proceeded to chug half of the bottle. He was sucking down the water so hard that the bottle was crinkling up. He didn't even stop to take a breath. Brett and I walked out of our bathroom, trying to hide our laughter, and he looks at me and says, "Mommy" with his half smile. Brett called him a little "water Gremlin". He then crawled up in the middle of our bed and went back to sleep.
On to my day, we are rejoining the YMCA after almost a year of non-membership. The kids are mostly excited (Alyssa is *very* excited- she can use the equipment this year). I am going to try to schedule this into our day EVERY day. Today, we're scheduled to go in a little before 2, so we can sign up and still have time to work out, drop by the store on the way home, have time for me to fix dinner, shower, and be ready for me to leave for work by 5:30. This means, our day up until 1:30, needs to be run a little smoother, hence my sleepy self sitting up, trying to wake up, typing this before 7am.
Anyways...on to my story......
Brett and I are brushing our teeth last night when he looks over at our bedside table. There is Eli, dressed only in a Pull-Up and t-shirt downing a bottle of water. He had been asleep for two hours already, but woke up, walked into our room, didn't say a word to us, and proceeded to chug half of the bottle. He was sucking down the water so hard that the bottle was crinkling up. He didn't even stop to take a breath. Brett and I walked out of our bathroom, trying to hide our laughter, and he looks at me and says, "Mommy" with his half smile. Brett called him a little "water Gremlin". He then crawled up in the middle of our bed and went back to sleep.
On to my day, we are rejoining the YMCA after almost a year of non-membership. The kids are mostly excited (Alyssa is *very* excited- she can use the equipment this year). I am going to try to schedule this into our day EVERY day. Today, we're scheduled to go in a little before 2, so we can sign up and still have time to work out, drop by the store on the way home, have time for me to fix dinner, shower, and be ready for me to leave for work by 5:30. This means, our day up until 1:30, needs to be run a little smoother, hence my sleepy self sitting up, trying to wake up, typing this before 7am.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Scene of the Day
I'm told to sit on the couch to watch Lauri's play.
I watch her hula dance in a bathing suit to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" while Eli does somersaults off of our ottoman in a Power Ranger costume that is three sizes too big, Gavin semi joins in dancing (shirtless, of course), Elizabeth crawls around on the floor with a big smile on her face, and Alyssa sits in the big chair wearing one of my sister's old dresses with a bridal veil on singing along to the music and rereading her favorite parts of Harry Potter 7.
Yes, summer is still in full-force here.
I watch her hula dance in a bathing suit to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" while Eli does somersaults off of our ottoman in a Power Ranger costume that is three sizes too big, Gavin semi joins in dancing (shirtless, of course), Elizabeth crawls around on the floor with a big smile on her face, and Alyssa sits in the big chair wearing one of my sister's old dresses with a bridal veil on singing along to the music and rereading her favorite parts of Harry Potter 7.
Yes, summer is still in full-force here.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Random Posting
Yeah, my post Thursday night was pretty random, but hey, I felt like blogging, so I did.
My Friday night off was spent by first *gasp* having dinner as a family. I decided I would cook up these frozen Tilapia fillets I had bought at my new favorite store (Aldi's). To say that Brett and I aren't fish people is an understatement, but I thought I'd give it a try anyways. The kids did much better than Brett and I. We each managed a couple bites, then I had the privilege of Gavin being stupid and spitting all over my plate, so I just *had* to be done.
Our night continued with an all-family movie. "High School Musical" was my choice- in anticipation of the sequel due out in a couple weeks. It was a riot to watch my little Eli sing and dance along. I have no idea when or how he learned the entire soundtrack, but he knows it pretty well.
Brett and Alyssa headed off to the Borders Harry Potter party at 9pm, I put the other kids to bed and then stayed up reading until they got home....at 1:45 am. I decided to reread #5 and #6 before reading #7, and I'm about 2/3 of the way through it. Alyssa has (of course) finished #7 already.
My Friday night off was spent by first *gasp* having dinner as a family. I decided I would cook up these frozen Tilapia fillets I had bought at my new favorite store (Aldi's). To say that Brett and I aren't fish people is an understatement, but I thought I'd give it a try anyways. The kids did much better than Brett and I. We each managed a couple bites, then I had the privilege of Gavin being stupid and spitting all over my plate, so I just *had* to be done.
Our night continued with an all-family movie. "High School Musical" was my choice- in anticipation of the sequel due out in a couple weeks. It was a riot to watch my little Eli sing and dance along. I have no idea when or how he learned the entire soundtrack, but he knows it pretty well.
Brett and Alyssa headed off to the Borders Harry Potter party at 9pm, I put the other kids to bed and then stayed up reading until they got home....at 1:45 am. I decided to reread #5 and #6 before reading #7, and I'm about 2/3 of the way through it. Alyssa has (of course) finished #7 already.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
You know its your 8th shift in 7 days when....
*You have the sweetest couple in the world leave you a crappy tip
* You had a seven-top of the oddest assortment of people who don't leave 10%
*You end your night being hit on by a drunk 400lb man
Whoo hoo....I have tomorrow off!
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
* You had a seven-top of the oddest assortment of people who don't leave 10%
*You end your night being hit on by a drunk 400lb man
Whoo hoo....I have tomorrow off!
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Running Just As Fast As I Can....
This is DAY FOUR of my attempt at running. I have no long-term goals just yet- my only goal right now is to be out running/walking for 15 min per day, 6 times a week. I know its not a lofty goal, but it is realistic for me right now. I started with 5min of walking, 5min of running, 5min of walking on Monday. Today I ran for 7min in the middle of walking. I even did it with out my new stylish IPOD NANO that Brett won for me last month :)
I checked out two books about "Running for Women" at the library yesterday. I"m hoping to get a better long-term goal set up after reading those. I don't know how hard or how fast to push myself, and I definitely don't want to end up hurt or burnt out. I never pictured myself as a runner, but life is full of twists and turns, and this is what I feel called to do right now- don't know why.....
I checked out two books about "Running for Women" at the library yesterday. I"m hoping to get a better long-term goal set up after reading those. I don't know how hard or how fast to push myself, and I definitely don't want to end up hurt or burnt out. I never pictured myself as a runner, but life is full of twists and turns, and this is what I feel called to do right now- don't know why.....
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Life Happens
Which is why I haven't blogged in awhile. But as I'm laying here typing with one hand while nursing Elizabeth in my bed, I thought I'd write a note.
Poor Gavin is crashed in his bed- the girls are in bed but not yet asleep. They're still settling down from a double-play date. They're laying in their beds whispering to each other. Its so hard because I want to yell at them to quit talking and go to sleep, but this is the one time of the day when they whisper and tell each other secrets and grow that sister bond. So, I'll let them whisper a little longer before hushing them to sleep.
I'm laying here watching our newest acquisition from our biggest indulgence- Blockbuster.com. The movie being South Pacific. I love this movie. I love the songs. I love the drama. I love the cheesiness. I love the sincerity. I love the way they change the colors of the scenes for the moods. Rent it sometime.
Poor Gavin is crashed in his bed- the girls are in bed but not yet asleep. They're still settling down from a double-play date. They're laying in their beds whispering to each other. Its so hard because I want to yell at them to quit talking and go to sleep, but this is the one time of the day when they whisper and tell each other secrets and grow that sister bond. So, I'll let them whisper a little longer before hushing them to sleep.
I'm laying here watching our newest acquisition from our biggest indulgence- Blockbuster.com. The movie being South Pacific. I love this movie. I love the songs. I love the drama. I love the cheesiness. I love the sincerity. I love the way they change the colors of the scenes for the moods. Rent it sometime.
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