The Annual Week Without Children

from someone called "Laff Away" on facebook

Strike "weekend's" and rewrite that as "week's" and now you know what I have really been up to. And actually, this year it's a week and a half!  FIL came down week before last to help DH on a project--putting a new roof on the woodshed, and turning it into a deck in the process--and he was ready to head back to Chico on Weds last week.  Well, this week is Vacation Bible School at Oma and Opa's church there in Chico, so we were already planning on taking the kids up this past weekend.  MIL suggested we just send the kids up with Opa a few days early.  Well, why not?  So the annual WWC began last Thursday morning--whoo-hoo! 

Yes, I have projects and things I have been planning to do this week--but the bonus days at the end of last week I decided to make my own personal "mental health" days.  The goal was just to do whatever would make me feel good.

--I started a long overdue cleaning job, on the new baskets I bought for the shower room that have to be meticulously brushed clean because they are starting to mold now that we're not making fires every morning. (Welcome to my world!)  But I am just doing a few baskets at a time, stopping whenever I feel like it and giving myself permission to walk away.  I've got all week. 

--I have exercised almost every day (that's a big accomplishment for me!) by dancing around the house, usually with a can of beans in each hand.  If you don't think that's exercise, think Flashdance.  That's what I've been channeling. Well, that and a little nod to the Sharks and Jets.  Every time I have ended up exhausted and sweaty--but smiling.

--I am eating so little, and feeling so much freedom in that.  I wrote last year about this revelation--that I feel like I normally spend so much of my waking thought on food, and am a little bit of a slave to my wonky blood sugar, yet find my urges for healthy foods like raw fruits and veggies thwarted by my allergies. Ptttthhhhhhbbbbb.  I am still trying to figure out what my body really needs, and then manage to make meals that are good for my body and that are fairly easy to make.  It has not been easy, and I am LOVING having days on end where I don't really need to eat--I am hungry, and that's ok.  I'm not going to be failing as a mom because of it.  I have nothing time-sensitive to accomplish, so I don't need a lot of energy.  I am hungry and it's OK.  It really is spiritually liberating for me.

--Then again, most of what I ate the end of last week was complete junk!  Bwah-ha-ha-ha!  I did errands on Thursday, and found myself driving past an excellent bakery (called The Buttery--if that tells you anything) that I normally never go by, and so I stopped in. And bought two decadent cupcakes--which served as "lunch" for the next two days, so yummy with my tea. ; ) 

--The cupcakes and tea also went really well with the Netflix movies I streamed in the middle of the day, just because I could.  And then Friday night DH and I watched the most recent Les Miserables on DVD--I know a lot of people say negative things about it, but it is still powerful and I think the casting was excellent (and have my official film theorist reasons why, which of course DH got to hear all about last night. ; ).  I also really enjoy the extra dimension lent to the final chorus of "Do You Hear The People Sing" in the movie--the visuals that suggests the line "beyond the barricades is there a world you long to see" is not only politically motivated, but spiritually.  That death itself is a barricade, and heaven is where we will one day find true, complete freedom from all that oppresses us. 

--Yes, with a quiet house and few distractions, I actually have been getting some good thinking in!  I've been working on designing different options/looks/themes for the bunks I really hope we will build this summer for the kids--and even if we don't use any of the designs, I had so much fun getting all creative!  I've been really thinking outside the box, and have been mentally playing with everything from wooden porch posts and rails to copper pipe to antique corbels to wrought iron lamp posts--yes, for structural elements for bunk beds!  Oh, the pin-worthy pictures in my head! ; )

--Oh, the luxury of a "vacation" of not cooking this past week, and eating our favorite indulgences!  We bought a Papa Murphy's gourmet vegetarian pizza, MoBo Sushi vegetarian rolls (ooooooh, I dream of these), and our favorite local Aptos Street BBQ--each of these fed DH and I for two meals.  Chipotle veggie fajitia burritos (if you ask for both kinds of beans and two kinds of salsa and all the extras, those babies are stuffed as big as they can be) were an even better deal--one burrito fed me for three meals!).  Frankly, food expense-wise, this is as cheap of a vacation as we could get. : )  And now I'm getting hungry. . . what do we want to eat for our main meal today?  Ah, this is such a treat.

--I got my hair cut.  And I splurged on a real salon, because I am tired of feeling old, and I wanted to see what a real stylist would do.  Here's the before, at the salon:

My hair had suffered a LOT of damage from my years of pulling it back into sloppy buns with elastic bands.  My advice to you--don't do it.  My poor hair really needed to be loped off to where it was healthy.  So here's the after, at home:

 

Not bad, considering this was taken the next day, after I slept on it.  (I put back on the same blouse so it would be as accurate "before and after" as possible. The "after" pic taken at the salon did not turn out.)  The third day of the haircut, after I washed it and then learned how much magic the stylist did with her conditioner and brush and blowdryer, it didn't look nearly as good.  So for church on Sunday I actually dug out the old fat curling iron I had back in my college years that's been living in a bin under the house to smooth things out nicely. . .  Not sure I will be doing that on a regular basis, so maybe I will just settle for being content with my hair no longer looking so stringy and tired as in photo #1, and who cares if it's pretty.

So that's a fairly good overview of the first half of our WWC. The second half will not be nearly as frivolous--yes, I do have some projects I did want to accomplish before the end of the week.  But it will still be fun, and I'm hoping to make the most of it!

May you all be having good weeks, whatever you are doing!

Such a good weekend

So, it was another busy week, but not because of too many things on the schedule; no, it was busy because we had too many things on the schedule for a couple of weeks prior (or were away from home cavorting around Disneyland) and so I am feeling like we need to buckle down and get some serious schooling under our belts before the holidays hit.  So we did--and it is so amazing to me that the more school I heap upon the children, the happier and better behaved they are.  No, really--this happened last Spring too, the last month before the STAR testing.  It's like they understand the challenge is just for a time, and know that meeting it is personal success.  And they seem to understand that all the schoolwork is not Mommy being mean, but Mommy having high expectations of them and believing they are capable of great, hard things.  I don't really understand it, because I expect the opposite--that the more I push them academically the more they will resist and become insolent.  But I am so glad it happens!  And this is just for a season, so hopefully all the good stuff will keep happening and we all won't get burned out.

So, that's school this past week.  But I should point out that this week was by no means all work and no play--Thurs evening the kids and I all gathered up sleeping bags and blankets and went like a little gypsy caravan to my dear Becky's house, to fulfill our long-promised backyard sleepover.  That is, the kids all slept in the tent out in the backyard--I snuggled down on the sofa, which was as cosy as I always imagined it would be.  But before that, Becky and I stayed up waaaaaaaaay too late catching up, as we had not had any girlfriend time for months.  And of course the kids woke up waaaaaaaaay too early, so I did not get to enjoy that cozy sofa bed nearly as long as I would have liked.  After a breakfast of buttermilk waffles and strawberries and maple syrup, we dragged the children apart--and I took the kids up to see my dear Colleen and her children.  Colleen and her husband are the proud inhabitors of a big old house up in the Santa Cruz mountains, and we got the full tour from canning closet to tree-filled bedroom views, and delighted in their company.

It's a shame the two girlfriend events were right on top of one another, though, and that late night (um, early morning) left me a somnambulist  the whole time at Colleen's.  By the time we left I was happy, but spent, so I picked up take-n-bake pizza on the way home, cooked it up and called it dinner, and the kids were contentedly reading in bed by 6:15.  I kid you not.  Which is good, since I went to sleep around 9.

But didn't sleep in this morning, because I had to get up with my Dear Husband to help him finish packing up for the next adventure--a whole day of wholesome outdoor learning at the annual Founder's Day event at Big Basin State Park, even farther up in the Santa Cruz mountains.  I had asked DH how he felt about going without me, and he was fine with it; so, hopefully they made it to the 10:30 hike and lecture on logging in the Santa Cruz mountains, and had a good time at whatever other guided history and nature hikes or old-fashioned games they participated in.  There was a bonfire tonight,  with storytelling and singing and marshmallows and sticks provided, so I am sure they went to that.  And then soon there is supposed to be an astronomy lecture at the nearby Little Basin campground--weather permitting.  And then they will crawl exhaustedly into their tent that DH would have set up sometime in the day--I made camping arrangements so they would not have an hour's drive back so late at night, and because DH loves camping.  So ironic that the kids are suddenly having two tent campouts in one long weekend, but I am sure they are enjoying it.

And me?  Well, I did not go because not only was I so tired, but I have cramps really bad this month, and just wanted to have a quiet day at home.  Which I have had. 

Oh, I forgot the delight of a day by myself at home!  It feel like has been a long time since I've had this, and I realized today that I should ask DH if we can actually plan "Day Away" adventures for my husband and kids once a month or so, so I can have such days more often.  I am truly refreshed from it.  In a still home I can hear God better.  I can rest, and let my mind wander free from distraction--and that is when I do my best problem-solving (like working out fitting bunks into that tiny bedroom attractively, or what kind of footwear I need for this winter, or thinking ahead to Christmas presents).  I can blog, or watch a movie, or listen to music and dance, or nap, or just lay quietly on my bed looking out the window and resting.  I mean, I did laundry too, three loads!  And I picked up.  And I answered emails, and I finished reading a school book, and did some online research.  But that was all--most of the day was just being alone.  And alone is refreshing.

The day went much too quickly.  Here it is evening and I'm not done with all my goofing off! ; )  But tomorrow I have to get up and bake something for a church brunch, so the good thing about that is I won't be tempted to miss church and be lazy longer.  But then when I get back from church the kids will be back. . . the house will be filled with noise and chaos once again.  And I am hoping by that point I am all rested up and all full of quiet, so I enjoy their coming fully. : )

I hope you have all had a good weekend!

Before I go rushing off for more relaxing fun, I want to leave you with some good tunes I found this morning while browsing youtube--ah, yes, youtube, the mother of all fun relaxing time wasters.  But my hour spent there this morning paid off all day--I listened to some great tunes while folding laundry.  Here are some of the best finds from today. It was a day of duets--Enjoy!

can't get this k-pop out of my head

I highly recommend you double-click to view on youtube.  Full screen.  Sound up.

Ok, this post falls entirely into the guilty pleasures category.  Or perhaps confessions. 

Yeah, both. 

Remember this post I made, about a video I stumbled upon on youtube while researching for our homeschool "Korea camp" last Spring?  I had never seen ANYTHING like it, and was mesmerized by the crazy outfitting, the Asian eye-candy, and everything about the video that boldly declared its Epicness.

Um.

I found myself going back and watching it again.  And again.  And clicking on other songs by this band (and its many spin-off bands!).  And realizing that this song and video are excellent representations of a whole genre of music that a large percentage of the world listens to, that I never knew existed. 

It's called "k-pop," and I am sure you can wiki that if you really want to know more.  I'm not here to enlighten you, just to tell you it is highly addictive.  Once you start, you can't stop.  Now, I don't spend hours watching k-pop on youtube, but let's just say I have spend at least a handful of evenings browsing.  And I don't like all of the k-pop out there, but I have watched a good sampling of it, and really like Super Junior, the band at which I was first poking fun in my earlier post. 

I was totally wrong--they ARE really good dancers; the heavy, chopping editing in that first "A-cha" video just made it hard to tell.  They are really good singers; the video I have linked above uses some auto-tuning for effect, but these guys don't need it, because they sound fabulous live.  (Or at least in live recordings on the web. ; )   The guy I mentioned thinking was the cutest in the "A-cha" video has the most gorgeous voice, and I now have a little crush:

Kyuhyun! (dreamy sigh)

(And while he's the youngest member of the group, none of them are as young as they look--he's 24 I think I read somewhere.  This may be a weird 40-year-old mom crush, but I'm not robbing the cradle!)

If you want to hear more of his voice, he has some solo songs on youtube.  They are in Korean and Mandarin, so I have no clue what he is saying, but I don't care--the sound of his voice melts me.

(I'm embarassedly grinning the whole time writing this, just so you know.  And humming "Super Girl.")

Ok, so I did look up some English subbed versions of their songs, just to see if they were as harmless as I imagined, and yes, they are.  They are just as pointless as every teenage pop song, so I think I might enjoy them more for just being able to listen to the sounds of the singing and music and not be distracted by the lyrics.  But if you want to find the lyrics, they are easy enough to find--for example, here is an impressive English version of the first linked song, "Super Girl."

Go ahead.  If you like contemporary pop, you must listen to that first video.  And tell me it's not one of the most catchy songs you have ever heard.  It's become one of my favorite cleaning songs--gets my feet moving!  Only downside is that the girls beg to watch the video whenever I play it, which slows us all down. ; )

Another very cute and catchy song I get in my head is from an all-female k-pop group called Girls' Generation--Here's "Gee":





Tell me you don't want to bob around with a dustcloth with that song going!

The girls' dancing in the video is suggestive, but somehow innocently so, and just so over the top adorable that I don't mind my girls watching. 

(If you want an English subbed version just to see what bubble-gum teenage love lyrics they are, here you go.) 

So there you have it--confessions from a new k-pop fan. 

And now you are more than welcome to tell me you have a secret crush on Justin Bieber or something. 

The 3rd Annual Week Without Children

Oh, I was so looking forward to doing a lot of blogging this week, and here it is Thursday and I have posted more this week than in the past three weeks combined, but there are still so many things I want to share with you.  You might be wondering why I had such lofty expectations of my blogging this week--well, you see this is our annual Week Without Children.  Yes, the children are currently not with us; they are spending the week with their Oma and Opa up in Chico, attending Vacation Bible School at DH's parents' church. 

MIL was so sweet to send me some pics of their first few days away from us, including this one of their first day at VBS--silly hat day. 

It's something that MIL wanted to do for a long time, and we finally thought the girls were old enough two summers ago.  Smiley was not old enough, to my mother's instinct, but ended up staying with them too, which I was not at all happy about because it meant I had to wean before Smiley and I were quite done, but it just so happened to be the same week as my 20 year HS reunion and girl-friend reunion with my homegirls Mina and Susan, so there was reason to leave Smiley in Chico while DH and I traveled to my hometown in IL and did grown-up things with my growun-up friends who had also left their children behind, and let's just say it turned out fine in the end.  But it was actually a big deal to my spirit and my marriage, and my feelings were too raw to even blog about, which is why if any of you were reading then you did not remember me mentioning anything about it.  So the whole first Week Without Children had a lot of good in it, and fun, and building positive memories, but is still a little bittersweet to recall. 

Last year, the second WWC was the polar opposite.  I had planned a whole list of household projects that are best done without children that I was ready (albeit reluctantly) to tackle, but then in the car on the way home from taking the kids to their Oma and Opa's, DH surprised me with the news that he had gotten permission to work from home all week.  That was a huge shock, and a fabulous one.  I still remember feeling young and mischevious and free and daring all the drive home--we had a whole week before us, and we were fanticizing about everything we could do.  And it turned out to be the most over-the-top decadent week; sure, DH did work from home and I blogged and sipped tea and relaxed, but we remember the week for the Harry Potter movie fest (ending with seeing the last installment in the theatres) and the carryout (spicy Thai food mainly) and the sleeping in and the crazy fun and meaningful sex.  DH and I had never had that kind of completely relaxed week together--it was as good as being away on some lush tropical island, for what it did to my soul and our relationship.

(I remember MIL asking DH what we had accomplished that week when we met them to pick up the kids, and he said, "Nothing."  And MIL said what a waste that had been, to do nothing with a whole week without kids.  She was right--her idea of "nothing" would have been a complete waste of time; but our "nothing" had been exactly the best use of our time.  : )

One thing in particular that I remember doing that week--or not doing, as the case may be:  I barely ate.  I was hungry, and was completely content in it.  See, because of my wonky, unstable blood sugar, I find myself eating when I'm not hungry.  I do this because I am not a good mommy when I get low blood sugar, and sometimes I get unregulated without even feeling hunger.  So, to compensate, I admit a great deal of my day is thinking about food--what have I eaten, when did I last eat, when should I eat to make sure I'm not suddenly low-blood sugar while out and about, what should I eat to best keep the blood sugar consistent, what can I eat that is ready to go, good for me, and that I'm not allergic to, what crap am I tempted to eat instead even though I know it's not good for me, etc.  Not only do I think about food almost constantly, but I eat out of fear of becoming low blood sugar.  Hunger is my enemy in a normal day, because if I am feeling hungry, then my blood-sugar is likely already in a nosedive.  And when I was nursing Smiley I even had to eat a snack right before bed, because if I woke up enough to feel hungry in the middle of the night after nursing him and putting him back down, I would not be able to go back to sleep for the gnawing in my tummy until I got up and ate something.  So, to have a whole week where I did not have to go anywhere, where I did not have to eat until I was actually hungry, where nothing bad would happen if I got hungry and did not eat--very liberating.  And since DH and I spent much of the week in various states of undress, I have this memory of my body feeling so free, so light, so languid.  It is the memory of how my body felt, in perfect harmony--even if it was hungry, it was in peace with hunger--that I remember most.  That is now my mental idea of complete Rest. 

Thinking about it, now, I wonder if my spirit felt so much peace being hungry because food is too easily an idol for me, and by being hungry and unafraid I was breaking some kind of spiritual hold the fear of hunger had on me.  Huh.

ANYWAY, since the first two WWC were so different, it was interesting to anticipate this one, and wonder what it would look like.  DH and I are not the same people we were two years ago, or even last year.  Our relationship is different, our goals are different--so I really did not know what to expect for this week.  As it turns out, this has been a highly productive week.  DH had to work in the office, so I have been largely on my own.  And the freedom actually started last Saturday, since I had a multi-family homeschool garage sale at which I was selling a lot of books in the morning, and so DH took the children up to meet his parents halfway and make the exchange. After the sale, I got back from a hot morning of lugging around boxes of books in the heat and the house was so quiet.  So cool.  So messy from our respective hurried early morning departures!  So even though I really wanted a nap (perfect WWC activity!) I instead contentedly and unhurriedly picked up, did dishes, put away laundry, etc.  I relished in the bustle about my own little house, which was still pretty clean from the in-laws visiting the weekend before.  And then, when the house was tidy, I rested, just being still and letting my ears soak in the quiet.  And my eyes rest on the play of shadow on the ceiling or the soothing sway of branches out the window.  And my mind wander and occassionaly nod off for a moment.  I never did fall asleep, but I rested, and it was good.

The rest of the week, though, has gone so quickly!  So here are just a few of the things I have made a point of doing that are not as fun or feasible with kids:

--watching movies while I eat or have my tea
--DH and I watching movies while we eat dinner, with speakers instead of headphones.
--getting my hair trimmed
--stopping in a few consignment shops--and even finding two adorable but inexpensive new tops!
--matching and buying paint
--spending a few hours talking with employees at the Planning Office and Assessor's Office discussing permits, setbacks, legal nonconforming outbuildings, whee! (ok, a little sarcasm there, but doing it without kids--whee!)
--taking down the ancient paneling in the bedroom--essentially gutting the room to the bare boards and beams (The first step of our bedroom "remodel"--so excited!)
--and then today DH took the day off, and first we went to a dollar matinee of "The Adventures of TinTin, which we had not previously seen, and then we picked up a lovely healthy meal and ate it on our front stoop, and now DH is finishing the hard parts of dismantling the ceiling while I take my tea break.

Oh, but the week has gone quickly!  I had to do other things in there too, the usual dishes and making dinner and watering the garden and several hours of yardwork since we are trying to tame that backyard beast.  And there are other things I wish I had thought of earlier so I could have scheduled them for this week--a dental checkup, and that long-overdue visit to the dermatologist.  But at least I made the calls and scheduled the appointments, so that's a start.  But I still want to once again lay quietly in a quiet house before we get the kids back.  And I want to stop by a harbor and walk around the boats--I never get to do this with kids because I am always constantly watching the kids and don't get a chance just to admire the waves and boats and the color of the sea.  And I meant to take energetic, aerobic walks.  And I want to finish painting the ceiling in the bedroom, and should try to do the kitchen too.  And yes, Rebecca, I have been going through the photos from our trip to IL and plan to upload those to facebook this week.  And I was hoping DH and I could decide upon the new bedroom light fixture and window so we can get those ordered.  And I never did get a nap. . . ; ) 

Well, there's still the rest of today.  And there's tomorrow.  And there might even be Saturday--we're thinking of seeing if we can meet DH's folks halfway and get the kids on Sunday.

I'm thinking we need to squeeze this week for all it's worth. ; )

I hope you are all having a great week.  Please do keep praying for Amelia and her family--I'll let you know as soon as I know something.

pausing--for CHOCOLATE

I just could not resist sharing this offer that came in my inbox today:

For my friends who know Fannie May candies from our growing up in the Midwest--WHOO-HOO!

For my friends who don't know Fannie May--YUM.

I am a wee bit bummed that I already bought my FM for Xmas presents, a few weeks back when they had a 30% off deal plus free shipping.  But then again, I'm happy to have my shopping done. 

But any of you who still need to get a Christmas present and know the person enjoys chocolate--consider this deal.  I personally recommend the Mint Meltaways (the mixed green and brown, not the holiday ones), the Trinadads, the dark chocolate caramels, the hostess mints, and the pixies.  There are LOTS of other ones I enjoy, but those are some of Fannie May's best.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Can't wait until Christmas!

AWOB

That's Away With Out Blogging.

Wow, I think I just reached a new high of non-Lenten non-blogging.  I feel guilty, like I'm being a poor hostess with quests waiting to be served--but I had good reason.  Well, at least for the first week of it. . . .

Funny, 'cause when I last posted, I had just told you all my goal would be to write one positive post a day for a whole week.  Then my husband reminded me that we were going to Disneyland.  Oh.  Right.

We had wanted to do this trip last Fall, but ended up going to Colorado to see our newborn preemie niece instead, and having a really good time staying with really good friends.  So when my cousin down in the LA area announced she was getting married this Fall, I was so excited that now we had the excuse to make the trip.  The best part about homeschooling is getting to travel whenever you feel like it.  Disneyland has got to be one of the best places to go when you have such flexibility--off-season, in the middle of the work-week, in the middle of the school-day, the lines to ANY ride in the park are at most 15 minutes.  Some you wait only 5 minutes. The temperatures are so much more pleasant (mild and often overcast but not rainy) too.  And Disneyland also re-decorates according to the seasons; while I am not crazy about all the Halloween decorations, the more harvest/Fall decorations were simply gorgeous, and the park has set up really beautiful displays all over the park for impromptu photo backdrops (we're talking huge, real carved pumpkins displaying Disney scenes, for example--really unique). 

Did I get any pics of such things?  Of course not.  We were too busy running ALL over Disneyland (and a little at the California Adventure too) having a great time.   In fact, I don't have that many great pics at all--but I have enough to bring back the pleasurable memories:

The new Nemo submarine ride.  DH and I loved the "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" ride when we were kids, so it was fun to see it reincarnated.  Some parts were done really well--oh, to be able to see it through my kids' eyes, and really imagine being deep in the sea!

(Those red T-shirts left over from this past summer's vacation Bible school came in handy.  Two days in a row.) 

While we did a lot of rides, we also really made the most of the hands-on, interactive areas.  The Tarzan treehouse play area is really fun--the Disney "Imagineers" did a great job on it.  You can bang on pots and pans to make music, pump bellows to stoke the "fire" and make pots rattle on the "stove," crank a wheel to run a slideshow, pull on a rope to make wild animal sounds, and more things to spur the imagination. What is so fascinating are how many kids and parents just walk on through, not thinking to touch or try things--and so missing out on all the fun.

The Mark Twain Riverboat.  I can never get tired of watching its giant paddle.

For some reason, I love Disney's two ships, and we were fortunate enough to ride both.  Here is the Columbia, which had so much fun things to see on and below deck.  Historical replicas?  Yes, please!  (School for the day, check. ; ) 

 

Complete with working cannon!

And nobody came to scold when the kids all wanted a turn ringing the bell as we were coming back into port. . . .

(Seriously, I had never analyzed quite how kid-friendly Disney is until this trip.  There are so many ways for kids to get to let off steam in safe and fun ways, esp. when they have been good about walking for miles and patiently standing around all day.  Even when ride operators had to warn kids of safety behavior, they usually did it with patience and humor appropriate to that particular ride.)

The big ball fountain.  Another feature most people never notice that kept me and Smiley entertained for at least 20 minutes while DH took the girls on Space Mountain.

Actually, Smiley and I hung out a lot together this trip, as this was the first time the three girls were old enough to do the "big kid" rides, and so I sent DH and them off to enjoy.  (The older I get the more sensitive I am to motion sickness--at this exact moment I am getting dizzy just trying to type as Smiley is excitedly waving his fingers in front of the screen while reliving the carousel ride. ; )  I did go on a few fast, such as the Matterhorn, which was my own first roller coaster, as I recall.  That one was the first we took the girls on too, and it did boast a classic moment:  I had been instructing them on how to sit and what to expect from the movement of the ride, etc., when just as we were entering the "cave," I remembered to warn them, "Oh, and there might be snow monsters, so look out!"  Thus they began their first roller-coaster ride shrieking in anticipation, which is as it should be.

DH with some kids blasting things on the Buzz Lightyear ride.  This is actually one of my favorite rides, just because it is so cleverly done and engages the kids so completely.  And you get to email photos to yourself at the end, for free!  Too cool.

Smiley got to drive. (Really!  The cars even turn from side to side with a switch.)

 My favorite part of the park this time:  Tom Sawyer's Island.  I do not remember visiting this when I was a kid--probably because when I was old enough to remember I was to busy trying to fit in as many roller-coasters and "cool" rides as possible.  But this island is so fun, with so much "scope for the imagination," as Anne of Green Gables would say.  Such a great place to let kids be kids!

.    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .   

We drove to LA Tuesday, arrived in time to stop by and get our passes and do a couple of things at the California Adventure, went to the home of my Aunt Sharyn (one of my dad's sisters) and Uncle Don, who were so gracious to host us for the week (and who are only about 20 minutes from Disney too!), and crashed.  Weds and Thurs we did Disney again, staying until it closed at 8:00 p.m.  Friday DH hung out at the house with all the kids and our cousin Joey while I helped my aunt and uncle and others prepare the church gym for the following day's reception, and Fri. evening we got to hang out with my Aunt Lisa (another of my dad's sisters) and Uncle Rob, who had come to town for the festivities.  Saturday was the wedding, and a lovely one it was.

My lovely cousin Stacia and her new husband, Adam. 

Seeing some of my extended family again was one of the best parts of the trip, and definitely worth the drive.  But a week of family fun, esp. at a place so nostalgic for DH and me--the icing on the cake. 

So much so that we could not resist stopping by Disneyland again Sunday, on our way home. . .

and arriving back home very late at night, contentedly exhausted.


(And the VERY best part?  That we get to go back in the Spring!  Yes, homeschooling + living a half day's drive from Disneyland + hospitable relations close by = annual passes for the year!  Whoo-hoo!)

Antidote for Melancholy #4

I have been making steel cut oats recently instead of quick oats because I have heard they are better for you--and they are certainly better tasting, with a wonderful texture.  But they take FOREVER on the stovetop, at least for me and the quantity I am making.  So I finally tried making them in the crockpot overnight, the weekend my in-laws were here.  Perfect!  At least that time I made them; last night when I tried again they must have cooked too long, so some stuck to the sides of the crock.  So the key appears to be you should not cook them all night long, even on low--the first time they turned out so great I started them cooking in the late evening, and then tested them when I got up to use the restroom at 3 in the morning.  (Not as big a deal in my house as it might be in yours--keep in mind I pass through the kitchen going from the "bedroom" to the bathroom.) They were done, so I just unplugged the crockpot and left them there on the counter.  In the morning, I plugged it back in for an hour, the oats all warmed back up nicely, and they ended up just right.   Last night I was so tired I did not wake up in the night, and so this morning the oats were overcooked at the very sides, but of course still perfectly yummy everywhere else in the pot.  So, I need to tweak this and try adding more water or setting the alarm or something--totally worth the minimal effort to have a warm, yummy, hearty breakfast waiting for me when I get up on Sunday mornings!

Hot steel cut oats.

Chocolate chips (semi-sweet of course).

Milk.

It is impossible not to smile when facing a breakfast like this.

I feel like I have to explain that NORMALLY we would put fruit and/or granola on our oats, like normal people.  But I am trying to use up a bag of chocolate chips and I felt like doing it.  And, seriously, this is really yummy.  Esp. with the morning tea.  Only thing I can think that would make it better would be ripe bananas cut up and mixed in with the melted chocolate chips.  Kinda like a banana boat from Girl Scout campfires. . . mmmmmmmmm.

Blessing of the Week: the sound of silence

Listen carefully--

Do you hear the sound of the kids running throughout the house?  Or fighting in the bedroom?  Or interrupting whatever you are doing right at this minute?  Do you hear a kid's cartoon playing in the next room?  Or whistles being blown?  Or any noisy battery-operated toys?

Funny, I don't.

You see, Saturday DH and I drove the kids up to his parents' home in Chico, where they will all be staying this week while attending Vacation Bible School at his parents' church.  This is something "Oma" wanted to do for years, and finally got to do last year, and now again this year.  DH and I came back yesterday, alone.  We are about to have a whole week at home without any kids.  (well, actually 5 days, as we need to pick them back up next Sat--but that's plenty.) 

(When we were preparing to depart, I made sure to get a few minutes with each girl, to get her attention and remind her of how I love her, to encourage her for the week and give good physical love through hugs and kisses.  I did not get it with Smiley--he was too wrapped up in his playing, but I know he knows his mommy loves him, so it's ok.  He has recently begun responding to my loving words in kind, so when I say "I love you!" he will smile and say back, "I love you too!"  So when I was saying goodbye, even though I could not tear him away from the car he was riding in to get some cuddles, I did give him some kisses, and when I said "You are my special boy," he said back "You are my special mommy!"  That will carry me this week just fine. : ) 

But my FIL, seeing my purposeful interactions with the two youngest, said, sympathetically, "It's hard to say goodbye to four little ones, isn't it."  I looked at him squarely, and said, with a smile, "Actually, no, it's not. ; )  But then I explained to him that just in case something happens to us, I want them to having special loving words and cuddles to remember me by. : ) )

I thought that it would be me at home alone all week, since I knew DH would be working all week.  I was looking forward to that--and all the complete and total quiet that is so rare.  I had already planned out the movies I was going to watch (in the middle of the day, if I wanted!) and the foods I was going to eat (lots of salads and dark chocolate) and the projects I was going to undertake (possibly putting polyurethane on the places on our floor I recently re-stained, to protect them from further damage), and the errands I was going to run (getting my hair trimmed, maybe looking for new short-sleeved tops in downtown Santa Cruz), and other things I normally can't do easily with a house/car full of kids (like take a mid-day nap or have an uninterrupted phone chat with a friend--Susan, let's make a date!--or a walk on the beach during which I can watch the scenery and not the kids--Alberta, I'll be calling!).  I was looking forward to it, but was feeling a little bit sorry for DH, that he would not be able to share in the indulgences of the kid-free life this week. But on the way home from Chico, as he and I were talking about the week, he surprised me with the news that he will be working from home all week!!!!!  Whoo-hoo!!!!  Tecnically he is not supposed to do this, but he worked it out with his boss, and so even now as I write he is here in the living room with me, working on his office laptop while sipping his coffee and eating pecans and dark-chocolate covered caramels I just brought him.  : )   

Well, that changed everything!  So forget the fumey floor chemicals--that project is not gonna happen with DH here all week, and I am so  fine with that (was not looking forward to it, but felt like I would be wasting this week if I did not do it--now I have my out! Yay!) but we did talk about other projects we might try to do which would be more relaxing and gratifying and still good to do with the kids gone, like take down the ugly faux-wood dropped ceiling in their bedroom and then clean and possibly paint the bare boards we expect to find underneath.  And we are gonna sleep in every morning.  And we borrowed the first six Harry Pottery movies and are going to have a HP fest and then maybe get to go see the last one in the theaters!  (If we don't finish this week, my parents are coming back through next week after visiting friends in Oregon, so we can probably ask them for another date night and get to the theater then--this week is NOT about rushing ANYTHING.)  And we are gonna play whatever music we want, and we are gonna go on walks, and we are going to have sex during daylight hours, and we are gonna eat spicy Thai food, and we are gonna have long, relaxing conversations about whatever we want without being interrupted, and we are going to have lots of moments--like this one now--where the house is perfectly quiet except for the sound of us both typing and sipping our warm beverages. 

Oh, yes.

Of course, the kids will never be far from our minds.  Just this morning, as I looked out the bathroom window over our jungle of a backyard, I saw the dirt castle the kids were making last week when friends were over--and I caught back an unexpected sob in my throat.  Not because I miss them already, but because I can't imagine how quiet and lonely our lives would be if we hever had kids.  People who don't want kids should not have kids--I have no problem with married couples choosing to remain child-less.  But still, I think those people are missing out on one of the best things in life.  Kids are problematic, and messy, and loud, and chaotic, and definitely keep us from doing other things that we might really want to do with our time, and money, and adult lives.  But they are also fun, and funny, and make life kind of explode around us, and parenting them grows us into much better people.  I am so glad I am a mommy, esp. to these four great kids! 

So, I don't think I will miss them this week.  But I will have a little ache for the time missed with them, if you know what I mean.  Also, I would appreciate any of you praying readers to keep the safety of my kids in your minds this week--Oma and Opa have a swimming pool right in the middle of the yard with no fence around it.  Oma plans on watching Smiley like a hawk, but he is almost three, and is quick and inquisitive and adventuresome. . . so, that is my only real concern for the week that I am going to just be turning over to God. 

But since my kids are out of my hands, I am choosing to give over my worries and just focus on the blessings that surround me this week. 

Oh, and I forgot to say, I plan on doing LOTS of blogging this week, and finally posting the pics and highlights from our Family Fest.  I finally went through all the photos Mom and Rebecca and I took, and have a lot of good ones.  Most of you don't care, I realize, so don't feel like you have to pretend interest--but some of you have been looking forward to seeing what all we were up to, so this week will be fun for both of us. : )

I noticed I have used a LOT more little smiley-faces in my writing today than I normally do.  Think that says anything about how I am feeling today, and what kind of week I plan on having? 

My dear friends, family, readers, may this week be abounding in blessings for us all.

: )

   

Fun on the Web Weds: #3--meet my new blog

I know, I know.  You're thinking, why on earth does that woman need another blog?!  It's not like she's keeping this one up very well!

So, here's the story:

You know how I started exploring the world of Steampunk here in some fashion posts a while back?  Well, thanks to Susan for showing me how to look at my blog stats, over time I noticed more and more views of those posts.  Most of those hits come from Google image searches--esp. for corsets.  Eh, that's fine.  There's only one person in this world who I am not sure I want to find this blog, and she sure won't do so by googling "steampunk pirate corset."  ; ) 

Except over more time I noticed a huge jump in the numbers of visitors to this blog via those posts--we're talking a total of 1,539 views of the post on accessories for the waist, and so far 679 views of the post on women's steampunk looks (and 18 of them today!).  Purely by accident I figured out that those posts had been linked to at least one Steampunk message board, and one random online clothing store!  All of a sudden, it felt like there were too many strangers coming by, too many random people (from all over the world!) who would search for and click on an intriquing Steampunk image--and find themselves unexpectedly not in a Steampunk world, but a shocking place of pastel polka-dots and bright-eyed kids and talk of adoption and menstruating and God. . . ACK!  I almost feel sorry for them. But mostly I just started to feel a little creeped out.  Why would I want to be luring to my cozy little blog people who didn't mean to find me, who won't want to be here?

I really enjoy thinking and writing about Steampunk, and hope to continue the series--I have so many fun and beautiful and interesting things to share, for little kids and brave husbands and for aesthetic pleasure around the home.  I am getting excited just thinking about it.  But I decided I needed a different place to post those things--someplace more appropriate, more safe. 

And that leads us to my new blog: Minnie Zephie's Steampunk Treasure Trunk!

I'm still tweaking the blog, but have copied all my Steampunk posts over there, and it is where I will write about Steampunk in the future.   None of you have to follow me there--you don't have to pretend you enjoy Steampunk!  This is just an FYI, esp. since I will be removing the Steampunk posts from this blog.

Minnie Zephie was the mother of my mother's mother.  (Did I get that right, Mom?)  I have always wanted to use that name for an online children's boutique--I had envisioned an etsy-ish space long before there was such a thing!--but recognize that I probably never will. Hmmm, unless it is a Steampunk boutique?  ; )  So finally I found a way to use that favorite name in a space that benefits from nods to the long-gone. 

So, please do stop by and take a look, when you get the chance.  But again, no need to linger.  You'll know where to find it if you ever get the urge.  : )

Fun on the Web Weds: etsy delights for the baby

Writing about those girl skirts was fun--and I realized, it was a little like cleaning out my etsy favorites "closet" too, since once I shared the images here I was free to remove them from my ever growing list of favorites there on etsy.   In other words, doubly satisfying! 

So, since it is a foggy Weds. morning, and I am all stiff and sore from yesterday's gardening, and the girls are playing so nicely in the bedroom all together, and Smiley is perfectly content playing with trucks while he does his morning business on his little potty, and I have absolutely no urge to spoil this moment of tranquility. . . let's look at more etsy together! 

In this post, I'll share some other things I have come across during my etsy searches this past year, a few baby items that are either too sweet or too funny not to share:

baby poncho, by 3NiecesDesigns

(Jessica, this first one has baby Grace written all over it!)

yellow, by kneesandtoesboutique

baby doll sling, by SnuggyBaby

hat with earflaps, by mo jackson

tulip pocket sundress, by RevolutionaryWoolens

baby blossoms booties, by BabyOasis

wool diaper cover, by grandmagift11

wool monster slippers, by HandKnitHugs

classic black baby all stars, by ipeekdesigns

crochet giraffe hat, by puremagicstudios

Please Wait. . . . bodysuit, by Xmarksthetot

colorful baby sock monkey hat, by Emerald69

petunia pegnuin and her glittery pink bow hair clip, by Isfashionflair

baby reversible romper dress, by pjskids

Closing note.  There are WAY too many beautiful and adorable things for babies on etsy.   This is truly just an eensy weensy sampling. It is a really good thing we are not having more babies (right, Lord?), because I had not discovered etsy when I had babies--and now the knowledge I have would be a dangerous thing indeed. . . ; )

Week of blogging Day 3: Step Aside, Mr. Darcy

Don't know if any of you noticed, but Netflix was not one of the things I gave up for Lent this year.  Unlike recent past years, it did not feel like an issue, something I should give up.  And there were things in the queue that we were using for our homeschool studies.  And my last few months of ill feeling and lethargy affected my brain, and I have not had the mental energy and focus for much reading, so my psychological escapes have been juvenile fiction (mainly screening books as potential homeschool supplements, so books about growing up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, or "Heroes of the Faith", or "Dear America" titles--interesting, worthwhile, easy) and movies.  Esp. instant downloads from Netflix. 

Instant downloads are, as my dear Rosa once said, like movie dumpster diving. You don't have much to choose from, and often end up trying out something you definately would not have brought home from Blockbuster.  But that's also the beauty of it--the luxury of being able to test out a movie to see if, yes, I guess it really did deserve only two stars by its reviewers but not spending extra money or effort to do so.  Granted, there are some excellent titles available for instant download too--but most of them I have already seen, and/or are not appropriate for me to watch when the kids are awake.

In fact, that last criteria has been the #1 determinant recently in my movie selections.  Because during the past month or so I have been sitting down and watching 20-30 minutes of a movie while I have my tea and a snack (the 4:00 sustenance that will tide me over through the making of dinner and the bedding of children, since DH and I usually eat together when he is home and the kids are in bed), while the kids are settled down for naps/quiet reading time, which these days is usually somewhere around 3-5pm.  But since the two older girls are reading on the bed only a few feet from the computer desk (here in our living room/master bedroom combination suite), I have to be very selective in what I watch.  It can't have anything inappropriate visually--language does not matter so much since I am using headphones to listen, but generally the two go hand in hand--and in fact I don't even want it to look interesting, since I want the girls to read and not be distracted by the screen. 

So--in 30 minutes increments--I have watched Note by Note: the Making of Steinway L1037, about the making of Steinway concert grand pianos, and A Man Named Pearl about a self-taught topiary artist in the deep south--both excellent documentaries.  Then there was Kings of Pastry, about bakers competing for the highest honor that can be earned in France for their profession, and They Came to Play, about amateur pianists competing for the highest honor that can be earned in the world for their "hobby." And All in This Tea, about a man trying to find the best teas in China.  And The Lottery, a fascinating look at a few charter schools in NYC.  All very interesting documentaries, and worth watching, and fairly uninteresting, visually.

But I am running out of titles that seem safe, that I can put on for a while without threat of unexpected and unwelcome images.  I wish there was a Netflix category labeled "People Standing Around Saying Interesting Things"--because those are the ideal naptime movies.  Guess Who's Coming to Dinner was a winner in this category (although I do find Sidney Poitier quite visually stimulating).  I need to find more--Driving Miss Daisy was a good if familiar one.  I'll have to see if they have Inherit the Wind. . . nope, not as an instant download.  Too bad--a movie about standing around (or sitting) and talking if there ever was one.

But that actually brings me to the second quality I am looking for in movies these days--they can't require too much brainpower.  Honestly, I have been using all my available white matter for schooling and parenting, and that's why I've been lean on the grown-up reading and even blogging.  So not only do my movies have to be visually unstimulating, but they also have to be interesting/meaningful and yet easy to follow.  I guess another good Netflix category for me would be "Movies for the Doddering Intellectual." 

This lack of mental resources was why I had not heretofore tested out one particularly promising naptime genre--period pieces, esp. slow and proper BBC interpretations of Austen and Eliot and Bronte.  Somewhat visually interesting to the girls, what with all the large skirts and riding of horses, but repetitious and nicely slow-paced. But in my mind, I just kept imagining all the words they must contain, all those brilliantly subtle speeches and proper inquiries and polite assurances for which British mini-series are famous--that and their attention to historically accurate locations, clothing, and teeth.  By naptime my head is usually already too full of words--so a movie that would require me to be listening carefully to catch those quick turns of phrase and catch the meaning in a ponderous lecture. . . gah, that's when Steinways start to look really good.

But an amazing change has come over me this last week--the release from school pressures and deadlines I am feeling all of a sudden has re-energized not only my body and spirit, but my mind.  And I am so glad!  Because I just last week finished watching a wonderful BBC mini-series, North & South, and have a new man crush:

photo from Richard Armitage online

Richard Armitage as John Thornton.  Rrrrrrrawr!  He is a handsome man, but it is really his acting that smolders.  I highly recommend this one to any of you who enjoy a good BBC period production!

So I thought I had unexpectedly found my new Mr. Darcy, until DH and I watched another instant download together the other night, Ip Man, a martial arts film based upon real-life events from the Japenese occupation of China.  Lots of choreographed, stylized fighting, yawn, but overall a good story.  But the reason I mention it, is because John Thornton did not stay on the top of my list for long:

Donnie Yen as Ip Man

Hellllllooooooo Master Ip.  I now have my Ultimate Dream Movie Husband.  Handsome, sexy, traditional, humble, gentle, patient, intelligent, wise, just, merciful, strong, loving to his wife, and completely invincible in a ten-to-one brawl.  Did I mention sexy?

Definitely not tea-time material.

Teatime with Jesus--TBD

What are the odds--this is the second year in a row that I gave up sweets, esp. my precious dark chocolate, for Lent (among other things), and then end up sick at Easter so just when I can eat it, I don't at all want to.

Wah!

Teatime with Jesus will just have to wait.

But I did plan ahead, and when I do feel good enough to indulge I have dark chocolate pecan carmel turtles and dark chocolate covered orange peel.  mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

(There are other things I want to share with you all about the Lent experience this year, but they too will have to wait.  The mental queue of posts is already too long. . . )

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter! 

update: my neckwarmer!

OK, so I don't yet have it in hand, but look at the pic the seller sent of my custom neckwarmer:

Ahhhhhhhhhh. She sent me the pic to show me the button options.  I chose the faceted jet black one on the very botton, left, which she said is vintage glass.  Perfect!

And yes, I know I am a little too excited.  Clearly I don't buy much for myself that falls into the "fun" and not just "practical" category.  I have to admit I'm enjoying the fun. : )

thank you to my fashionistas

I had to really restrain myself from responding to your comments to my post about getting some warm neckware.  I didn't want to skew the results with my feedback.  I completely agree with the consensus, that the cotton warmer will be ultimately more wearable, but I must admit I was secretly hoping someone would urge me to get the black one. Which is cashmere, my favorite favorite.  And which is upcycled, which I also love!  And which is so so cute. . . But I see I have a lot of cool heads in my readership, and tight pocketbooks (since no one actually urged me to get both, clearly we are all being grown-ups about it.  Sigh. ; )

So, the charcoal grey one it is!  Let's see if I can get a good pic of that when it arrives. . .

Thank you for your comments--I really do value your opinions. (Yours included, mom!  I have not been a teenager for a while now, and even if you and I might not choose the same things, we can safely agree we both have excellent taste. : ) 

And Stacy, thank you for giving me a clear picture of why NOT to covet the black cashmere neck warmer--because while Sweeney Todd is neo-Victorian (the roots of Steampunk) it is also completely revolting.   (ok, ok, I have not actually seen it, but even though I really like Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, I am turned off by celebrations of the macabre, Lost Boys excluded).  So, thank you for giving me a reason to steel my heart against its decadence. ; )

Finally, in celebration of my new neck warmer, I can't resist sharing with you a few more images of gorgeous and warm pieces for the neck that I found on etsy:

look, my cashmere upcycled beauty comes in purple too!

this one might have been my first choice, if not acrylic--so pretty!

this one is another by the seller that is making my new neck warmer-gorgeous style!

Here is a similar one by a different seller. So dramatic! if I were braver, and could wear wool, I would be so tempted!

love the color on this one

ruffly!  pink!  so not me!  love it anyway!

this one is not my style either, but embodies "cozy"--and such a pretty pink

oh, how i love upcycled cashmere! and this scarf 

i could NEVER wear this color, but it is so so pretty, esp. in this delicate pattern!

this one is my favorite color, and a wee bit Steampunky!

this one is truly amazing--but a bit bulky for the neck.  anyone need a hand-made table runner at an excellent price?

how's this for gorgeous?  and perfect for Valentine's Day! (and why it is already sold)

Ah, how I enjoy beautiful, well-crafted, creative things.  One of these days I'll have to take the time to learn how to make some. In the meantime, I'm so glad there's etsy.