Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Reader Problem Solved
Sorry about the boring logistics, but some of you have had trouble subscribing to me in your Google Reader account. My computer genius husband fixed the code, and it works now. So go on over and subscribe. If you don't have a reader account and you read more than two blogs, you simply must get one! It saves so much time (or allows you to waste even more time subscribing to lots of blogs). Besides, how else will you know the minute I put up a new post!
Only At Our House
This was our dinner conversation tonight. It's a good thing this is anonymous or someone might turn me over to child protective services.
Calvin: I like beer. Can I have a sip of beer?
the Aunt: No, well, I guess...
me: You can have a sip if you eat all of your meat.
Hobbes: Wine, wine, wine.
the Mother-In-Law: You can have a sip if you eat all of your meat.
(Hobbes proceeds to gobble his previously untouched meat in a matter of minutes.)
Some mothers use dessert as a bribe. Here, we use alcohol. Bad parenting skills at their finest. I also let my kids have a piece of their Halloween candy before bed, and we may even eat apple pie for breakfast.
Disclaimer: The Aunt and I had one beer each, and Calvin didn't even actually try it. He decided it would be "too spicy" and he wouldn't like it. Hobbes did get a sip of wine. It wasn't his first, but he never gets more than a drop. My in-laws lived in France for three years, and we are all about promoting a healthy view of alcohol for our kids. We don't make it the forbidden fruit so that they will one day sneak it behind our backs, but we don't overindulge.
Calvin: I like beer. Can I have a sip of beer?
the Aunt: No, well, I guess...
me: You can have a sip if you eat all of your meat.
Hobbes: Wine, wine, wine.
the Mother-In-Law: You can have a sip if you eat all of your meat.
(Hobbes proceeds to gobble his previously untouched meat in a matter of minutes.)
Some mothers use dessert as a bribe. Here, we use alcohol. Bad parenting skills at their finest. I also let my kids have a piece of their Halloween candy before bed, and we may even eat apple pie for breakfast.
Disclaimer: The Aunt and I had one beer each, and Calvin didn't even actually try it. He decided it would be "too spicy" and he wouldn't like it. Hobbes did get a sip of wine. It wasn't his first, but he never gets more than a drop. My in-laws lived in France for three years, and we are all about promoting a healthy view of alcohol for our kids. We don't make it the forbidden fruit so that they will one day sneak it behind our backs, but we don't overindulge.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
A Perfect Day
My husband and I had been looking for a time to get away to the mountains this Fall, and this weekend it finally worked out. I admit that I was less than enthusiastic about it. Yes, I was less than enthusiastic about going to the mountains. Hard to believe. But we had had a tough week. Hobbes is going through some sort of terrible separation anxiety or just plain fussiness, and Calvin woke up with a fever late Thursday night. None of us had gotten a good night’s sleep all week, and I was ready for a weekend at home doing nothing. We weren’t even going to get to stay two nights, so the trip hardly seemed worth it.
We left after my husband got home from work and drove the three and a half hours to my uncle’s cabin by the lake that weaves its way through my mountains. It was after 10 o’clock when we arrived, and Calvin wasn’t asleep yet. When Hobbes woke up as we tried to transfer him straight to bed, I about broke down. I was so tired!
But then it came to me, that fresh, cold air of the mountains in Autumn, the smell of decaying leaves and earth. And we walked in to find a fire prepared by my uncle and ready to light. Calvin may have been up until midnight, and Hobbes may have thrown a fit until even later about going back to sleep, but it didn’t matter. It was cool and clear outside, and the inside smelled of a real fire in a stone fireplace.
The boys did sleep late, and despite what should have been a rough night, we all woke up more relaxed and refreshed than we have been in ages. Some of my family drove up, and we all ate breakfast and watched the mist clear off the lake and the blazing mountains come into view. After a leisurely walk, my family left, and we sat by the fire with the boys and just enjoyed the quiet, no TV, no internet, no noisy traffic.
After naptime, we packed up and headed out for a mid-afternoon, gut stuffing meal at a local family-style restaurant. If you are from my neck of the woods, you know the type--two meats (country ham and fried chicken for us) and a slew of greasy vegetables, washed down with a glass of sweet tea, and topped of with some banana puddin’. Hobbes could not get enough of it, even the soup beans. He is mine, no doubt about it.
With that fuel for the journey, we headed back over the mountains, taking the most scenic curvy roads and enjoying the mountains at their peak of loveliness. Around every turn we were met with brilliant gold and dots of bright red. And occasionally we happened across a mountainside covered in dark green Frasier firs, remnants of a long-abandoned Christmas tree farm. We stopped to investigate a tiny old Episcopal church set in a beautiful valley. We bought apples at a roadside stand, Jonagolds and Staymans, two of my favorites. And we topped it off with hot chocolate and chai at a coffee shop in a small college town.
We didn’t leave the mountains until dark, getting home later than we had hoped. Calvin was up late yet again, and I was up even later watching my game. It should have been an exhausting whirlwind of a trip that left us ready for a real vacation. But my husband and I kept commenting that it was a perfect day. There is only one explanation: it was a gift from our Father, who was able to refresh and renew us in the little time that we had and in the places that we love the most.
We left after my husband got home from work and drove the three and a half hours to my uncle’s cabin by the lake that weaves its way through my mountains. It was after 10 o’clock when we arrived, and Calvin wasn’t asleep yet. When Hobbes woke up as we tried to transfer him straight to bed, I about broke down. I was so tired!
But then it came to me, that fresh, cold air of the mountains in Autumn, the smell of decaying leaves and earth. And we walked in to find a fire prepared by my uncle and ready to light. Calvin may have been up until midnight, and Hobbes may have thrown a fit until even later about going back to sleep, but it didn’t matter. It was cool and clear outside, and the inside smelled of a real fire in a stone fireplace.
The boys did sleep late, and despite what should have been a rough night, we all woke up more relaxed and refreshed than we have been in ages. Some of my family drove up, and we all ate breakfast and watched the mist clear off the lake and the blazing mountains come into view. After a leisurely walk, my family left, and we sat by the fire with the boys and just enjoyed the quiet, no TV, no internet, no noisy traffic.
After naptime, we packed up and headed out for a mid-afternoon, gut stuffing meal at a local family-style restaurant. If you are from my neck of the woods, you know the type--two meats (country ham and fried chicken for us) and a slew of greasy vegetables, washed down with a glass of sweet tea, and topped of with some banana puddin’. Hobbes could not get enough of it, even the soup beans. He is mine, no doubt about it.
With that fuel for the journey, we headed back over the mountains, taking the most scenic curvy roads and enjoying the mountains at their peak of loveliness. Around every turn we were met with brilliant gold and dots of bright red. And occasionally we happened across a mountainside covered in dark green Frasier firs, remnants of a long-abandoned Christmas tree farm. We stopped to investigate a tiny old Episcopal church set in a beautiful valley. We bought apples at a roadside stand, Jonagolds and Staymans, two of my favorites. And we topped it off with hot chocolate and chai at a coffee shop in a small college town.
We didn’t leave the mountains until dark, getting home later than we had hoped. Calvin was up late yet again, and I was up even later watching my game. It should have been an exhausting whirlwind of a trip that left us ready for a real vacation. But my husband and I kept commenting that it was a perfect day. There is only one explanation: it was a gift from our Father, who was able to refresh and renew us in the little time that we had and in the places that we love the most.
It's Like Getting TiVo for Free!
We were driving back from a beautiful day in the mountains yesterday (more about that later), so I missed my team’s game. We don’t get cable anyway, so I would have had to go to my in-laws’ house to watch it. But the football gods were good to me. I am so in love with ESPN 360! Needless to say, I was thrilled when I realized that the crude setup of the computer on the coffee table and the TV tuned to baseball would allow me to watch two sporting events at the same time. This Luddite had finally arrived in the 21st century.
I was able to watch the football game, every tense second of it, and scream my head off while throwing sharp objects, all after my kids were in bed. And my husband was able to check the final score before I had finished the game in case he needed to prepare for the worst.
Some of you may be media junkies who wouldn’t settle for the crude picture on a computer screen when you can have PIP on your TV, but I learned last night that I can only handle so much easily accessible media. You see, ever since Hobbes’ ball obsession got me hooked on the playoffs, I have been inexplicably emotional over the World Series. Colorado losing makes me want to cry, and I don’t even like baseball! My extreme sadness over the baseball game and intense excitement over the football game were more than I could handle. My husband wisely made me turn the TV off. People may be able to watch NFL, record the NASCAR race, and occasionally check on the golf tournament while reading the Sunday paper and checking their e-mail, but I have discovered that I am not one of those.
So while I am extremely grateful that ESPN found a way to keep me from missing my team’s games, this house will stay cable, TiVo, and HD TV free for a while to come. Just don’t take my high speed internet!
I was able to watch the football game, every tense second of it, and scream my head off while throwing sharp objects, all after my kids were in bed. And my husband was able to check the final score before I had finished the game in case he needed to prepare for the worst.
Some of you may be media junkies who wouldn’t settle for the crude picture on a computer screen when you can have PIP on your TV, but I learned last night that I can only handle so much easily accessible media. You see, ever since Hobbes’ ball obsession got me hooked on the playoffs, I have been inexplicably emotional over the World Series. Colorado losing makes me want to cry, and I don’t even like baseball! My extreme sadness over the baseball game and intense excitement over the football game were more than I could handle. My husband wisely made me turn the TV off. People may be able to watch NFL, record the NASCAR race, and occasionally check on the golf tournament while reading the Sunday paper and checking their e-mail, but I have discovered that I am not one of those.
So while I am extremely grateful that ESPN found a way to keep me from missing my team’s games, this house will stay cable, TiVo, and HD TV free for a while to come. Just don’t take my high speed internet!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Praying for Rain
O God, heavenly Father, who by thy Son Jesus Christ hast promised to all those who seek thy kingdom and its
righteousness all things necessary to sustain their life: Send us, we entreat thee, in this time of need, such moderate rain and showers, that we may receive the fruits of the earth, to our comfort and to thy honor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (from the Book of Common Prayer)
For my mommy friends out there, three days of nonstop rain, a yard turned into a mudhole, and two small children at home may seem like a nightmare. But for us, it is a gift. Our life has been filled with drought and unseasonable heat since the beginning of August. It has done terrible things for our land, not to mention my mental state. Our congressmen just petitioned for aid for our farmers this week, our governor was preparing for a state of emergency, and we were days away from even more severe water restrictions. And so we are giving thanks today, for the steady rain that is washing the land and reviving our souls, bringing the coolness of Autumn to our land.
And even as I give thanks, I am reminded that ours is a small difficulty. For others in this country, drought has led to fires more terrifying than I can imagine. For many around the world, who don't even have clean drinking water, our "drought" is still unimaginable plenty. We live in a land of great abundance that has numbed us to our responsibility for conserving our resources. I am thankful for the rain, but I am also thankful for the drought and the lessons that it can bring.
We give you thanks, most gracious God, for the beauty of earth and sky and sea; for the richness of mountains, plains,
and rivers; for the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers. We praise you for these good gifts, and pray that we may
safeguard them for our posterity. Grant that we may continue to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation,to the honor and glory of your Name, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP)
righteousness all things necessary to sustain their life: Send us, we entreat thee, in this time of need, such moderate rain and showers, that we may receive the fruits of the earth, to our comfort and to thy honor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (from the Book of Common Prayer)
For my mommy friends out there, three days of nonstop rain, a yard turned into a mudhole, and two small children at home may seem like a nightmare. But for us, it is a gift. Our life has been filled with drought and unseasonable heat since the beginning of August. It has done terrible things for our land, not to mention my mental state. Our congressmen just petitioned for aid for our farmers this week, our governor was preparing for a state of emergency, and we were days away from even more severe water restrictions. And so we are giving thanks today, for the steady rain that is washing the land and reviving our souls, bringing the coolness of Autumn to our land.
And even as I give thanks, I am reminded that ours is a small difficulty. For others in this country, drought has led to fires more terrifying than I can imagine. For many around the world, who don't even have clean drinking water, our "drought" is still unimaginable plenty. We live in a land of great abundance that has numbed us to our responsibility for conserving our resources. I am thankful for the rain, but I am also thankful for the drought and the lessons that it can bring.
We give you thanks, most gracious God, for the beauty of earth and sky and sea; for the richness of mountains, plains,
and rivers; for the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers. We praise you for these good gifts, and pray that we may
safeguard them for our posterity. Grant that we may continue to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation,to the honor and glory of your Name, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP)
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
They're My Boys
It's been a bad night. When I say my kids regularly sleep until eight in the morning, you may think I live in mother wonderland. Oh, how I wish! If he takes a nap, Calvin can be awake until 10 or 11, not always out of his bed, just awake. And Hobbes has been having an especially difficult time going to bed as of late. It was 10:45 before they were both asleep tonight. So here I sit with a Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale and a can of peanuts, nursing my frayed nerves while watching the Rockies lose. I only watch about 7 games of baseball a year, but somehow, watching those nice boys from Colorado lose to the Red Sox (who are second only to the Yankees in terms of sports evil in my book) is more than my fragile emotional state can take.
I expected Calvin to be up until late since he took a good nap today, but I had no idea what I was in for with Hobbes. His love of all things involving "baw" continues, but the lack of midweek football makes life difficult. Luckily for us, we have baseball. I allowed him to watch a bit while I rocked him tonight, and when I put him in his crib, he cried for an hour and a half because he was angry at missing ball on TV. I finally gave in and brought him back out, but as soon as he drifted off, I heard a choking noise. A screaming Calvin came running from his room at 10:30 having swallowed a nickel he took to bed with him. You can comment on my poor parenting skills all you want. All I know is that I was pretty sure I was going to lose it at that point. My amazing husband handled that ordeal, even fishing the lost nickel out of the toilet when Calvin spit it up, and I went back to ball and Hobbes, who finally drifted off. I only had to carry him back to the rocking chair twice before I could lay him down without waking him. So now you see why waking at eight in the morning doesn't mean my kids are getting a ton of sleep.
In an attempt to redeem the night, I share two stories that remind me how my boys really are all mine, so fun to parent, even if they are night owls like their daddy.
I mentioned that it was time for bed on Monday night and went back to cleaning up the kitchen. When I turned around, Hobbes was walking up with his blanket in one hand and my copy of Sports Illustrated in the other, with cries of "baw." He just needs his comfort items to sleep, football and blankie. He has been reading SI all week, flipping through for football pictures. That's my boy!
When we were playing in the boys' room this week, I decided to put on some music. I asked Calvin if he would like to listen to Louis Armstrong, figuring it was time to introduce him to some different music. He declined, but what do you think he chose instead? Not the Cars soundtrack, not Veggie Tales. My dear, sweet boy looked me right in the eye and said, "Lyle Lovett, please, Mommy." That's my boy!
They're my boys. But I sure am glad they are asleep.
I expected Calvin to be up until late since he took a good nap today, but I had no idea what I was in for with Hobbes. His love of all things involving "baw" continues, but the lack of midweek football makes life difficult. Luckily for us, we have baseball. I allowed him to watch a bit while I rocked him tonight, and when I put him in his crib, he cried for an hour and a half because he was angry at missing ball on TV. I finally gave in and brought him back out, but as soon as he drifted off, I heard a choking noise. A screaming Calvin came running from his room at 10:30 having swallowed a nickel he took to bed with him. You can comment on my poor parenting skills all you want. All I know is that I was pretty sure I was going to lose it at that point. My amazing husband handled that ordeal, even fishing the lost nickel out of the toilet when Calvin spit it up, and I went back to ball and Hobbes, who finally drifted off. I only had to carry him back to the rocking chair twice before I could lay him down without waking him. So now you see why waking at eight in the morning doesn't mean my kids are getting a ton of sleep.
In an attempt to redeem the night, I share two stories that remind me how my boys really are all mine, so fun to parent, even if they are night owls like their daddy.
I mentioned that it was time for bed on Monday night and went back to cleaning up the kitchen. When I turned around, Hobbes was walking up with his blanket in one hand and my copy of Sports Illustrated in the other, with cries of "baw." He just needs his comfort items to sleep, football and blankie. He has been reading SI all week, flipping through for football pictures. That's my boy!
When we were playing in the boys' room this week, I decided to put on some music. I asked Calvin if he would like to listen to Louis Armstrong, figuring it was time to introduce him to some different music. He declined, but what do you think he chose instead? Not the Cars soundtrack, not Veggie Tales. My dear, sweet boy looked me right in the eye and said, "Lyle Lovett, please, Mommy." That's my boy!
They're my boys. But I sure am glad they are asleep.
They Say It So Much Better Than I
I had lots of little blog posts floating around in my head when I sat down to write, but I was so blown away when I checked the new posts on my Google reader that I decided not to write. (Let me interrupt here to put in a plug for Google reader. If you read a lot of blogs and don't have any sort of reader set up, you really should do it. It's easy to set up and saves tons of time by putting all of your favorite blogs in one site where you can check for new posts.)
Now, back to what I was saying. I often feel like there is no point in my having a blog when so many talented and thoughtful people have beautiful and challenging things to say. I certainly don't have pretensions of changing anyone's life through my writing. I think I just do this for my own intellectual outlet. But there are bloggers who consistently challenge and inspire me. This week seems to have been especially rich in that area, and so I share the wealth. Be sure to peruse the archives of these wonderful people, some of whom I know well, some of whom I have never met.
I just discovered Holy Experience in the past few weeks. This blog is full of beautiful meditations. Check out her posts on sight.
This post by Et Tu, Jen compliments the Holy Experience one well. It has been great to be reminded to look for the sacred in the every day.
In addition to being a great friend, Catherine at Everyday Life as Lyric Poetry is an amazing writer. I loved this post on introducing her son to nature. Hers may be my favorite blog so definitely peruse the archives.
Wonders for Oyarsa is blogging through the Bible and has some excellent insights into the Bible as God's story. This post is a break from that but a great reflection on the limits of philosophy is seeking to know God.
Em at Merry's Cloister has some great food for thought on Jane Austen and grace. She is doing a listening blog, great idea!
My dear friend Daniel at Sibboleth has a great post about the freedom that comes in accepting the apparent inconsistencies in scripture.
And Missy at Everyday Graces has lovely posts with even lovelier photographs. I found this one very refreshing.
I could link to so many more blogs, but these have been the most thought-provoking of the past few days.
Now, back to what I was saying. I often feel like there is no point in my having a blog when so many talented and thoughtful people have beautiful and challenging things to say. I certainly don't have pretensions of changing anyone's life through my writing. I think I just do this for my own intellectual outlet. But there are bloggers who consistently challenge and inspire me. This week seems to have been especially rich in that area, and so I share the wealth. Be sure to peruse the archives of these wonderful people, some of whom I know well, some of whom I have never met.
I just discovered Holy Experience in the past few weeks. This blog is full of beautiful meditations. Check out her posts on sight.
This post by Et Tu, Jen compliments the Holy Experience one well. It has been great to be reminded to look for the sacred in the every day.
In addition to being a great friend, Catherine at Everyday Life as Lyric Poetry is an amazing writer. I loved this post on introducing her son to nature. Hers may be my favorite blog so definitely peruse the archives.
Wonders for Oyarsa is blogging through the Bible and has some excellent insights into the Bible as God's story. This post is a break from that but a great reflection on the limits of philosophy is seeking to know God.
Em at Merry's Cloister has some great food for thought on Jane Austen and grace. She is doing a listening blog, great idea!
My dear friend Daniel at Sibboleth has a great post about the freedom that comes in accepting the apparent inconsistencies in scripture.
And Missy at Everyday Graces has lovely posts with even lovelier photographs. I found this one very refreshing.
I could link to so many more blogs, but these have been the most thought-provoking of the past few days.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
