Posts Tagged ‘church’
We watched two movies this weekend: “Transsiberian” and “The Love Guru.” Yes, two dramatically different films! :) “Transsiberian” was recommended to us by a coworker’s girlfriend, and although it was kind of weird in some ways, it was just excellent! I *really* enjoyed it. Most of the story takes place on a train, and Woody Harrelson plays a funny part. The scenery was amazing. “The Love Guru” was silly and good for laughs. Cracked me up that Mariska Hargitay was actually in the movie! I tried to do some knitting during each of these movies, but it was too dark in our living room ~ and the movies *really* captured my attention! :)
Speaking of knitting … I’m knitting now! Yay! :) Carol was *so* sweet to show me the techniques. I even purled a few stitches last night! I can’t tell you how excited I am to learn something new. Right now, I’m using some sage green yarn that she gave me to knit a basic rectangle. I think that I’ll turn it into a coffee cup “cozy” if I manage to actually do it right! :) I’d love to get good enough to make pretty dishcloths, and even down the road maybe I can make some hats for the kids. Carol started me off with some neat knitting supplies and two books to borrow. I’ve been checking those out. I put my name on the list for Ravelry, too. And yes, Kae, I *definitely* need to knit a little pair of pants for my carrot! LOL! :)
Tomorrow is going to be a crazy-busy day. In the morning at 9, I have my moms’ group meeting at our church. Then, it’s lunch on the road as I drive Lucas to preschool at 12:30. I pick him up early because the kids are doing a “Thankful Presentation” (complete with a surprise for the moms ~ I can’t wait to see what Lucas made!). Then, there’s a preschool parent advisory board meeting tomorrow night. I’m absolutely going to crash after that, I think.
Off to finish up some graphic design work ~ have a wonderful Monday, guys!
Here’s a question for all of you parents out there. Our pediatrician has told us, for both of our children, that when they turn two years old, we can give them any kind of milk that we choose. In other words, they don’t have to drink solely whole milk anymore. She said that if *we* drink skim milk, they can drink that, too. But I’ve heard conflicting advice from other pediatricians, who say that kids should keep drinking whole milk because they need the fat for development. We actually got into a big discussion about this topic in my parenting e-mail group. I’m just curious what you parents out there have been told. My husband thinks that we should continue buying the kids whole milk (and skim milk for us), and I think that we’ll probably go that route. But it’s just funny how doctors can give such different advice!
Speaking about parenthood … yesterday, I volunteered at our church to help take care of the infants during the service. One little boy (who was about six months old) cried pretty much the entire time, and I felt *so* badly for him. You could tell that he missed his parents, and he was also teething (he kept chewing on his fingers, on toys, etc.). I searched in his parents’ diaper bag to see whether I could find anything that might make him happy (some snacks did!), but when I looked into their diaper bag, I felt a bit of nostalgia. They had packed *everything* they would possibly need: teething tablets, several pacifiers, a change of clothing (with matching hat), diapers (of course), a bottle and formula (of course), acetaminophen and ibuprofen, various toys, a blanket, extra shoes and socks, a changing pad … you get the idea. They were *totally* prepared! And I found myself thinking, “Gosh, it seems *so* long ago when *I* carried around all of that stuff!” I remember the days of feeling sad when the kids would cry and it was *so* difficult to figure out what was wrong. I still find myself rocking back and forth sometimes, even though I no longer have a newborn to hold! :) I heard this baby’s parents talking about the challenges of getting him to fall asleep on his own and how they read about the Ferber Method. Right then, the baby spit up on the father’s dress shirt, and it made me smile. Gosh, I remember those days ~ when, at the end of the day, my clothes were covered with everything imaginable! :) Even though our children are still very young, it seems like *so* long ago that we went through all of that. I miss it a little bit, but in other ways I’m very glad to be in this stage, too. There are challenges with every age, though! I still kind of see Meredith as a baby, but she’s totally not. She just turned two! I guess that I just found myself feeling a bit nostalgic yesterday!
I’d been planning this weekend for months. Friday around lunchtime, I was going to hop into my car and drive to my friend Shannon’s house near Philadelphia. On the way, I was going to stop by our local apple orchard and pick up some honeycrisp apples for her to enjoy. We were going to have a yummy dinner together at Chick-Fil-A (which we unfortunately don’t have here in upstate New York). And I’m sure that Friday night we would have stayed up late chatting, playing with her daughter, eating the yummy birthday cake that she baked for me, and catching up. Saturday, we were going to do some fun outlet clothes shopping together and who knows what else, then drive two hours down to Baltimore to attend Lisa’s bridal shower. There, I would have gotten to meet Lisa’s sister, Laura, and fellow blogger Shanny for the very first time ~ in addition to Lisa’s family and friends (and visit a city that I’d never been to before). Afterward, I was going to stay at Shannon’s house that night and then drive back home today. But …
Plans quickly changed. I had just finished packing some last-minute items into my suitcase when my husband called about an hour before I was set to leave. He said that he had a meeting for work that he absolultely couldn’t get out of. He had to give a spur-of-the-moment presentation. Poor guy! He ended up not getting home until around 3 p.m. I totally don’t blame him, his boss, or his job. Stuff like that happens. I couldn’t just leave and take the kids with me, either, because Lucas’s carseat was in Jeff’s car (and nothing was packed for the kids ~ Jeff was going to watch them all weekend while I enjoyed a girls’ weekend out).
Driving six hours to Baltimore on Saturday would have been a *long* trip. I felt super bummed this weekend about how everything turned out. I wanted to see Lisa again (we’d only met once before in person) and have fun seeing where she lives, meeting her family and friends, watching her open her shower gifts, and support her/take part in one of the most special days of her life. The good thing is that we’ll get to see her in November for her Baltimore wedding reception. I’m definitely excited about that!
I did get to spend my birthday here at home with my family, though, which was wonderful. We ordered pizza from Four Brothers for dinner on Friday night (yay for not having to cook!). Also had fun picking up our CSA share from the farm. Saturday, we enjoyed a family apple-picking outing at Golden Harvest Farms. First honeycrisp apples and apple cider doughnuts of the season, folks! That was the highlight of my day! :) I wanted to take pictures but figured it would be too difficult running after the kids, picking apples, and holding our camera at the same time. (We need a wagon!) We picked a half bushel and also came home with some fresh blueberries and a “Fruits of the Forest” pie (totally delicious!). Afterward, we took the kids over to a great playground ~ but unfortunately I came down with quite a headache. I just wanted to go home. Took some Advil and just tried to rest after that. Still feel a little achy. :(
Now, I’m enjoying some quiet time while Jeff and the kids are at church. I went to CVS (had a 20 percent off coupon), the grocery store, and Dunkin’ Donuts this morning ~ with no children in tow! :) Even though this weekend was pretty different from how I’d originally planned, I had a blast and a terrific 33rd birthday! Thank you *so* much for all of your good wishes! I think that I’m loved. :)
If you wouldn’t mind ~ and if you have a chance today ~ could you please send some prayers, best wishes, healing energies, etc. to our good friend Vicky? I know that she needs them and would *really* appreciate get-well thoughts right now. She was admitted to the hospital yesterday morning with severe pain on her side. The doctors have conducted lots of tests, of course, and hopefully the next update that we receive will be a positive one. I felt sad this morning when I opened my e-mail and saw a message from our friend Natalie saying that Vicky was in the hospital. Definitely not a fun weekend for them. :( Vicky and Natalie used to be our neighbors when we moved to New York and lived in our first apartment, and they have become family to us.
After hearing that news, my little head cold doesn’t seem so bad. I haven’t slept well the last few nights because my nose is totally congested, and breathing through my mouth is annoying. I’m sure that I can take some type of cold medicine that won’t interfere with my anxiety medication, but I’m probably just going to “ride it out” instead. I’m one big ball of snot, and Meredith is, too. Lucas seems to have gotten over it for the most part. Jeff and the kids are at church this morning.
We’re *so* proud of how well Lucas did at his preschool open house yesterday morning. But here’s the thing ~ no Pull-Ups are allowed! Actually, this last week, Lucas has expressed an interest in wearing undies ~ so we bought him some more at the store (“Cars,” of course!). He’s had a few accidents, which is to be expected. But I think that he’s going to be OK. It was *so* cute how his teacher had a tiny coat rack especially for him with his name above it, and then his name is also listed under “March” on a birthday wall calendar in the classroom. In the corner where the “classroom tree” is, his name is also printed on a leaf. He did *so* well playing with the other kids, and preschool is *all* he talks about these days. Excited is an understatement! His stuffed friend Blue can’t come with him, though, and that’s going to be tough. September 23rd is Lucas’s turn to bring a snack for the entire class, and it’s also his very first “show-and-tell day.” I joked that he’ll probably want to bring Meredith and proudly show his classmates how he has scratched her up and down. LOL! :)
Oh, and if anyone wants to buy some Yankee Candle stuff … the parents were sent home with a fundraising packet. Can you believe that? Fundraising for preschool? I didn’t realize that stuff started *so* early! I would have expected it for elementary or high school. At least it’s *good* things that I really enjoy (and we don’t have to sell cheap jewelry, Schlage door knobs, or something else strange like that). Now I know what we’ll be giving for birthday and Christmas gifts this year, LOL! :)
Yesterday marked six months since my grandfather’s passing. That’s six months that he hasn’t gotten to see. Sometimes it just doesn’t seem real or possible that my grandparents are gone. When I do everyday things around the house, such as taking a tablecloth from the drawer of their dining room hutch (which my grandpa made himself) or cleaning off the dining room table (which used to belong to them), it feels surreal. I keep thinking about how these things shouldn’t be in *our* home ~ how they should be at my grandparents’ house in the exact spaces where they were before, with my grandparents still here to use them. I want everything to be how it *used* to be, but no one lives in my grandparents’ home anymore. Didn’t we just see my grandpa at Christmas? Seems like yesterday. I find myself looking at photos of him and thinking, “No, this isn’t real. I should be able to pick up the phone and give him a call. Right?” I keep thinking about things that I’d like to tell him. He’d be *so* proud of Lucas’s potty training and Meredith’s ever-expanding vocabulary. Sometimes I still just feel like I’m in shock that they’re both gone. It doesn’t seem possible.
Sorry to be a little bit of a downer. :( I think that today we’re just going to hang out here at home and get stuff done. Jeff and Lucas went outside to finish mowing the grass, and I need to pop in a few loads of laundry. I also need to work on some freelance assignments. Tomorrow, I’m working in our church’s nursery to help take care of the infants during the service, and then afterward we’re heading over to see our friends Vicky and Natalie. That should be fun! I have a doctor’s appointment Monday morning, and I’m kind of nervous about it. Always glad to get those over with. And I’m going to have to take Luke and Meri with me. After trying to corral two active toddlers during my checkup, I’m sure that my doctor will gladly refill my anxiety medication! LOL! :)
Jeff travels to Baltimore on Monday and doesn’t get back until Friday. It could be a long week!
A *very* happy second wedding anniversary today to our good friends Sara and Matt in Wisconsin! And a *very* happy third birthday today to Amanda, the daughter of an online mom friend of mine (Carrie in Massachusetts). And a *very* happy 33rd birthday today to one of my oldest friends, Carrie (we went to school together from kindergarten all the way through high school!). Lots of special reasons to celebrate today!
I’m doing a bunch of cooking today for two families in our church. One family has a daughter who has been battling leukemia for several years now (ugh ~ I just *cannot* imagine what they’re going through), and our moms’ group is helping them by bringing meals over to their house. I’m also preparing a meal for Karen, a fellow moms’ group member who just had a baby girl not too long ago (but unfortunately with some health problems). I made a huge batch of pasta salad (not sure what else I’m going to make, though), and for their dessert I made some chocolate-peanut butter fudge from Rachael Ray’s latest magazine issue. (Talk about a sugar attack … two sticks of butter, an entire jar of creamy peanut butter, six ounces of chocolate, three cups of powdered sugar … need I say more?) Bring on the diet pills! LOL! :)
I’m also trying to get our house clean (the downstairs, anyway!) for Thursday, when some members of our moms’ group come over for brunch. It’ll be a small group, and I think that one of the other moms suffers from anxiety, as well, so we’re going to share our experiences. I’m really looking forward to it. I get to cook again ~ and I think that I’m going to make that zesty brunch quiche that I blogged about the other day.
P.S. My husband’s root canal was scheduled for today, but his dentist went into labor! So, therefore, his appointment will have to be rescheduled. Oh, come on … why can’t she perform a root canal in between contractions? haha :)
My parents are celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary today! Back on August 4, 1973, they tied the knot in a little church in Nashville, IN ~ the same town where Jeff and I got married in June 2000. They honeymooned in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN, and today they’re jetting off to Las Vegas for a fantastic anniversary vacation. I hope that they take *lots* of pictures, because I can’t wait to see them! They’re going to visit with our cousin Jo, who lives in Boulder City, and they’re also going to see the Grand Canyon ~ including stepping out onto the glass Skywalk on the canyon’s west side. I sure hope that they have safe travels and enjoy themselves. Thirty-five years is quite a milestone!
This morning, I put Meredith onto one of our kitchen island stools in order to feed her breakfast. And that’s when I noticed a bull’s eye-looking rash on her left upper arm. CRAP. I just couldn’t believe it. First Jeff, then Lucas, and now Meredith! I called her doctor’s office immediately and took her in for a checkup. Actually, the pediatrician said that in order to diagnose Lyme Disease, the rash has to be a certain diameter. She drew a circle around Meri’s bite and said that if it gets any bigger, we should bring her back in. Her temperature this morning was 99 degrees, and she isn’t acting like Lucas was when he had it. We’re going to keep a close eye on her. When we got to the doctor’s office, it didn’t look so much like a bull’s eye anymore. So I don’t know. Hopefully it’ll be good news, but we just have to wait and see what happens. Meredith was *not* happy about being examined. She clung to me for dear life and cried a lot. But for one brief moment, she did play with the faucets in the exam room. LOL! :)
This week is going to be *very* busy. Today, I have to work on some last-minute stories for the newspaper that I do freelance work for. I’m also taking meals over to two members of our moms’ group. We need to get going with making a hotel reservation for our upcoming Montreal vacation. I have a birthday gift to purchase and wrap. I need to prepare a meal and get our house clean for some moms’ group friends who are coming over for brunch on Thursday. Saturday is our town’s historic celebration, and I’ve volunteered to make some Native American-themed dishes for that event and also for our town’s farmers’ market on Friday. Oh man … I’m tired just thinking about everything!
Friday night, we watched “The Bucket List.” A bit depressing, but it’s definitely one of my *very* favorite movies now. (Anything starring Morgan Freeman is usually awesome!) At one point in the film, he asks two questions: “Have you found joy in your life?” and “Has your life brought joy to others?” I think that he may have nailed down the meaning of life right there. Without a doubt, that’s how I want to live my life. Just a beautiful, inspiring, and funny movie. I highly recommend it.
Today, bright and early at 9 a.m., Lucas and I walked down to our town hall and volunteered to help pull weeds and spread new mulch around the building. I thought that it would be good exercise for Luke (as well as an opportunity to be outside and enjoy the fresh humid summertime air). Lucas was a *huge* help, and he also got to take a few rides on a tractor (totally the highlight of his day!). It always makes me feel great when I can help, and I might go back sometime tomorrow for more work.
I looked at my “365 Amazing Trivia Facts” desk calendar this morning, and I thought that today’s question was incredibly fitting and appropriate for my blog. “Who brought the first bathtub into the United States?” If you’d like to know the answer, it’s in my comments section.
And then, when I opened my e-mail this morning, I saw today’s horoscope (yes, I have my daily horoscope e-mailed to me, LOL!): “Go through your desk or your closet ~ or, if you’re feeling ambitious, your attic ~ and reorganize. Better yet, you may want to clear out some of that clutter and get rid of it for good!” No need to tell me twice. That’s the mood that I’ve been in lately (and I think that Jeff is, too). I’ve been wanting to reorganize our linen closet; maybe today’s the day! :) Funny ~ the last time that closet was reorganized, I was pregnant with Meredith (talk about nesting ~ I even took a label maker and labeled each shelf, LOL!).
Inspired by another member of my photography e-mail group, I’ve recently tried taking pictures solely in Manual mode. I’m so proud of myself ~ no longer am I “hiding” behind that Auto button! :) Nothing’s wrong with Auto mode, of course, but I’m trying to learn more about photography and expand my skills. Also, I’ve been shooting in both RAW and JPG formats, then using a program that came with our camera to edit the RAW photos. I am *so* proud of this picture of Meredith. I think that it’s one of the best ones that I’ve ever taken of her. I’m completely addicted to RAW! I’m just amazed at how editable the photos are.
By the way … my husband says that my blog is really difficult to read because the font is incredibly small. And then a blog friend e-mailed me today, telling me the exact same thing. Are you guys finding it hard to read? I’ll have to try bumping up the font size a notch. You’ll have to let me know what you think.
So … what’s on tap for your weekend? This afternoon, we’re picking up our CSA share and stopping by the farmers’ market. Tomorrow, I might take Lucas to help with weeding and mulching at our town hall. Sunday, I’m volunteering to help care for the infants during our church service ~ and then there’s a church picnic afterward. Should be fun, hopefully! But right now, I’m heading outside to finish up the trimming in our yard so that mowing will be easier for Jeff when he gets home from work. Have a great Friday, everyone!
I don’t have much on my calendar for this upcoming week, but I have a *ton* of things on my to-do list. Among them are making a dentist’s appointment, rescheduling my doctor’s checkup, scheduling my yearly OB/GYN checkup, making a follow-up appointment for Lucas’s Lyme Disease at the pediatrician’s office, etc. I *dread* making appointments and will be *overjoyed* when they’re all done and over with.
I also need to finish this freelance assignment by the end of the day tomorrow. After that, I’m going to take the kids to our town’s beach. It might be kind of difficult because the beach is *so* rocky at first (you have to walk a bit of a distance to get past the rocky area). It’s not stroller-friendly at all (perhaps a Bugaboo stroller would work!), but maybe we’ll be able to navigate OK. I’ll be worried about watching the two of them by myself while we’re so close to the water, but since it’s not crowded there, it’ll hopefully be easier. I’d also like to take them to this really great area called the Ooms Conservation Area. It’s 180 acres, and one of Jeff’s coworkers told me that it’s “all the rage” now. The kids would get a wonderful chance to run around and enjoy the fresh air, and I might be able to snap some good photographs.
I can’t get over how *nice* our weather is today! It rained for a while, and I turned off our air conditioning because it’s *so* breezy outside. When the wind blows, I can hear the trees in our front yard creaking. I like to think that they’re talking to each other. :) Jeff took Luke and Meri to church this morning and then stopped by our friends’ house to play for a while, and I’m working hard on this freelance assignment. It’s nice to have some time *alone* here at home, in the peace and quiet! (Well, there’s the noise of the trees, of course, and I can also hear birds chirping and cars driving down our road.) Living out in the country just rocks.
By the way, I’m working on a little something new right now. A new endeavor, I guess you could say. Sorry to be so vague, but I’m *very* excited about it and can’t *wait* to tell you when I get everything all set up! It might take a while, though. I hope that it’ll be a success, but I’ll just have to wait and see. (Ahh, don’t you just love suspense?)
