Week 8 {365) Riding the Waves

This has been a less than favorite week for me. I've been tried and tested in all sorts of ways and have had to really fight it- mostly let downs. There have been days I would have preferred to stay curled up in a fetal position. Unfortunately as a wife and mother there are responsibilities that prevent me that luxury. Life goes on.

Coming home to reality after a trip away is always a challenge for me. This time was extra brutal. The kids seemed indifferent to the fact that I was away and it was all I could do to get a hug from one. I stepped foot inside the house and was instantly thrown back into the fire so to speak (with Haldan on night shifts), at least that's how it felt. Fighting, bickering, and attitudes prevailed. I think a longer trip is in order.

After almost 6 months of sticking with this short sale we were informed that it had been cancelled due to insufficient information. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! They have taken so long that the material originally sent is out of date, or so they say. We sent new copies of everything the second we received word, but we are at their mercy as they make up the rules as they go along. I can't even think of a word to describe this process. Asinine is the only word that comes to mind and I'm sure it is not sufficent. We have people that are in our home and want to pay a mortgage and yet the bank would rather sit on it or make excuses as to why they can't do it. I could write a book on the series of unfortunate events with a short sale- it has been an anxiety-ridden, eye opening experience to say the least- one thing right after another.

Plus numerous other obstacles and set backs; lots of small things that tend to wear you down and keep you humble.

I have also had tremendous heartache and pain that I was not prepared for this week. But, such is life. Right?

So, I've been digging deep, trying to muster the strength to carry on and find something to bring me out of my funk.

I don't know why men think they have to fix everything, but this has been Haldan's mission this week... to fix me. I'm not complaining. He is a sweet person, always trying to make me happy. Sometimes distractions can be helpful, but I guess he needs to realize that some of it just takes time.

He let me take his car to KY last weekend so that it would be a more comfortable drive for me. While away he drove my little saturn. I guess I should have him drive my car more often because all the things I've been compaining about forever have finally been magically fixed. My cd player was one of those things. It has never worked well, so he took me to Best Buy to get a new radio. I had no idea that was all it needed. The new one not only plays my cds without skipping, but it also has a USB and cable plug- perfect for my ipod.



He also decided that on his day off he would take us for snowboarding lessons in Galena. I just want to mention that maybe it's a good thing I no longer have a coccyx because if so I would have for sure busted it attempting to snowboard. As it is I have a nice sized bruise on my kiester. I fell too many times to count, often times rolling several times before breaking my fall. Maybe I should just be happy I'm still in one piece. At one point I flipped and then slid hands first with my feet flying up behind me, to which the instructor yelled,"Safe!" It appeared to look more like I was sliding into home plate than snowboarding. Maybe I missed my call. Or maybe snowboarding is really not my thing. I guess we can't be good at everything. I think if I gave it another dozen tries I could do it. I was noticing improvement after a half dozen times down the hill. I'm just not sure I'm masochistic or patient enough to stick it out. This morning I felt as if I was run over by a freight train. (The photo of me in an erect position was a rare moment and I'm not sure how Haldan captured it.) Attempting to get action shots with point and shoot cameras is tricky business, but I wouldn't think of snowboarding with my large one.



I had my camera zoomed too much here, but this is right prior to a funny mishap. Pokey fell almost every single time she got off the lift with her snowboard. Haldan ended up tripping on her and somehow landed smack on top of her. She was pretty upset. Where's the camcorder when you need it?

The kids were much better at the snowboarding than either of us, particularly Little Man. After some tears Pokey finally convinced us to trade in the boards for some skis. Little Man took off right away and shouted, "I still got it!" How can that not make ya smile? He's a funny little thing. We went several times until the sun was way long gone. The temps dropped and being the wimp I am- I called it a day. Haldan and the kids did one last run. It took me half the ride home to thaw out. I still am confused as to how Pokey and Haldan can always be so warm and Little Man and I are always cold. Is this another Barnes curse?

Believe it or not, in light of everything else- I think there are possible signs that spring is on her way. I may be stretching it a bit, but the thought of spring always brings a smile to my face. I have a new theory. I've decided that if icicles are almost as long as I am tall, that's got to be a definite indicator that spring is coming. See, the temps have to warm up long enough to cause the icicles to melt and lengthen. Ok, so the last few days have been a little nippy, waking up to 0 degrees and all. But I think we have had more warm days than cold and that warmer days are ahead. At least, that's what I'm forcing myself to think as I look at "icicle jail" as the kids call it.



Other signs of spring include: seeing an opossum on the side of the road,


the sun finally making a debut and the days getting longer,


grass being exposed, birds singing, and steam coming off the roofs,


perfect snowball making snow,




and sidewalks and streets being unveiled more and more with each passing day.


I'm sure there's other clues, but I'm clinging to these right now. (Maybe grasping a little?) This is still February. And it's still Iowa. Anything more would be categorized as miraculous.

Watching the children today was definitely amusing. They spent over an hour making hundreds of snowballs. I finally had to convince them that they had enough to have their snowball fight. Emma and Little Man wanted to team up against Pokey, which is never a good idea. After some thought they decided Little Man would take Emma and Pokey instead, so he handed his snow gun over to Emma. We set clear rules: no rocks, don't aim for the face, and if someone is hurt stop. Little Man hit Emma in the ear right away and that was it. There was snow in her ear, it hurt, and it could be bleeding. I assured her she was fine, so she decided to stay and watch. Little Man hit Pokey in the face almost right away. She wimpered a little and then got mad. I think Little Man better be careful. She has years of pent-up aggression and one of these days she is going to take him down! She's almost caught him in size and it's only a matter of time now. I'm not sure who officially won, but by the looks of the photos (and between you and I) I'm thinking it goes to Pokey.



As I attempt to feel better I realize that life seems to come in waves, some large and some small, all differing in magnitude. Some are desired and others not so much, some producing rippling effects while others fizzle out and never produce anything of consequence. All that is required of us is to take the waves as they come and try to not get sucked down under the current. So, I'm trying to keep my head up and ride the waves of life as they come at me, trying to not fall off or be sucked under. Too bad there are not lessons offered for this sort of thing.

Target Deals- Hurry!!

This is for all you Cedar Rapidians out there. (Might be at other Targets as well, but can't confirm that.) Today I happened to stop in at the North Super Target. They are having AMAZING deals on food and other items. They had several end caps with 50% off items, all in good date- expiring in 2011 or 2012. Run! Wish I'd bought more. I also wish I was up on all my couponing. (I've gotten behind.)

Items Bought (some not in photo):
cheerios & frosted flakes- lg box (1 each)
oatmeal- lg box (3)
fruit cups- lg box (3)
apple juice 2 pk (4)
capri sun lg box (1)
clorox wipes 3 pk (4)
soup at hand 8 pk (1)

My food storage has dwindled to almost zilcho. I guess we were using it for what it is meant for though. If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a great blog post to better understand the why, when, and whats of food storage. Read about it here.

Seriously, run!

Snapshot of Me

So, since my daily project 365 ended, I haven't picked up my SLR as much as I once did. Although the break has been nice, I miss it. I mostly miss the way I feel when I look through that lens. I'm able to view the world in an entirely new light, like a secret that only I'm privy to.

I may not be the best photographer, but it moves me and inspires me. I look at other's work and at times feel inadequate. As I was laying in bed last night trying to get my mind to shut off I had this epiphany. I realized that we are all so different. We have different strengths and weaknesses and talents and passions- and that's what makes the world so beautiful. Can you imagine listening to an orchestra with only an oboe or looking at a flower garden with only purple petunias? Although they are both beautiful on their own, how much more beautiful it would be listening to a full orchestra or viewing a garden with a wide variety of blossoms and colors.

I guess I've been trying my whole life to try to fit into a mold of this person I thought I was supposed to be. I've been looking for validation and acceptance in all the wrong places- because the only person I need to make happy is me. And it's ok to be different. It's our differences that make families and relationships and the world in general better. They enrich our lives.

At times I feel like such a small person in a big world. I don't have a master's degree. I'm not a beauty queen. I don't have fame or fortune. But those are not the things that build character or make us truly happy. If you don't believe me, just read some of the recent stories about some of the afflicted celebrities that have gone off the deep end or the philandering politicians.

We need to be true to who we are and embrace our quirks and our passions, even if we're not going to win any grammies or notoriety. As much as I enjoy the work of artists and musicians and actors... I realize that I, too, have much to offer. They may be smaller contributions, but contributions nonetheless.

Everyone has talents, whether inward or outward, that they can share with others- they come in all forms... a good friend, a concert pianist, a great cook, a writer, a runner, a gardener, an optimist, a dreamer, a teacher, etc... they are talents all the same. We need to not be afraid to embrace who we are. Just think of all the lives we can affect if we take fear and insecurities out of the equation.

I remember getting this quote as a kid in church one day and I kept it in my journal for years. I don't know what ever happened to it, but I was able to find a copy on the net.

“I am Me. In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me. Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine, because I alone chose it -- I own everything about me: my body, my feelings, my mouth, my voice, all my actions, whether they be to others or myself. I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears. I own my triumphs and successes, all my failures and mistakes. Because I own all of me, I can become intimately acquainted with me. By so doing, I can love me and be friendly with all my parts. I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me, and other aspects that I do not know -- but as long as I am friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for solutions to the puzzles and ways to find out more about me. However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time is authentically me. If later some parts of how I looked, sounded, thought, and felt turn out to be unfitting, I can discard that which is unfitting, keep the rest, and invent something new for that which I discarded. I can see, hear, feel, think, say, and do. I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me. I own me, and therefore, I can engineer me. I am me, and I am Okay.” - Virginia Satir

I challenge each of you to dig deep and figure out what talents you possess that maybe you've been hiding away. What makes you tic?

Week 7 {365} For the Love of Family

My Dad (aka Fred) celebrated his 70th B-day and all of my siblings and I made it home for the occasion.

Unprimped, Unplanned, and Unprofessional... these will probably be pics that will be most treasured for years to come. I can't remember another time that just the kids got together since we all got married off.

Mark and Rena were gone when I was just a little girl. There is a 12 year span between Mark and I and 16 years between Shawna and Mark. We are also all so spread out across the country that it makes it extra rare to get together. We all came without our kids, except Tonya who lives near Mom and Dad. Her kids got some extra aunt and uncle play time.

Tonya's husband, Dave, took the pics for us. We owe him a huge thank-you. He did great. We had a few minutes before our reservation at Joe's Crab Shack, so we found a spot outside- definitely not the ideal backdrop, but it worked.

Without mentioning names- I just wanted to say that there are some who never think taking photos is a good idea.... You know who you are and one day you will thank me for being the photo nazi.





From left to right: Mark (6 kids, 1 grandkid), Rena (4 kids, 2 grandkids), Shawna (5 kids), Nate (3 kids), me (2 kids), and Tonya (4 kids).





The last time we got a photo of the 4 of us girls together I was 8 months pregnant with Pokey, who is now 8 1/2, and exceptionally swollen- such a long time ago.





Dave thought it'd be great to have the girls kiss their Dad for the last pic. What better gift could a guy want than that? Being the tall person I am, I ended up in the back near his ear. There was no way I was kissing that thing. You can't see my mouth, but if you could you'd see that I'm dying laughing. I think one eye might even be closed. Good times. Nothing like it.

When we get together there is always all sorts of drama and tons of laughter. It would appear that we at least share a similar sense of humor and Barnes laughter is extremely contagious.

To my family: If you like any of the photos here let me know, otherwise I will put together a compilation of ones I like and send them via email or cd. These were just some of my favorites. Sorry boys, your pics didn't turn out.



Weekend Highlights & Lowlights include:
1. Enough snow in KY for building snowmen and going sledding- and sweating at 50 degrees.
2. My 9 yr old nephew giving me snowboarding lessons.
3. Eating lots of good grub!
4. Crab Shack attempting to embarrass Dad with a stick horse and a cowboy hat- a lost cause.
5. Watching Shawna eat crab.
6. Bowling without lights.
7. Lots of Laughing.
8. Girl's afternoon shopping.
9. Mom sick, but still trying to keep up (and making lots of trips to and from airports).
10. Driving through the midwest without children- both ways.
11. Rena giving me an apple during "The Lightning Thief".
12. Bunking in the basement with my sister.
13. Tonya painting my toenails with cheetah print.
14. All 3 sisters giving tutorials on curling hair.
15. Dad getting his 52 inch tv.

I made it home from my killer drive Monday night at 5:45PM and was required to be in "Mom mode" the second I walked in the door. Little Man refused to give me a hug- he was too engrossed in his book, so he said. Haldan had just left for work (night shifts) and Pokey had ice skating at 6PM. So back in the car we went to head to the ice rink. I got home and hadn't even unpacked the car when I realized the children needed dinner. I grabbed a frozen pizza from the freezer and Little Man yelled, "Dinner better be good because you've been gone for 2 weeks." He knew that wasn't true and he was not trying to be funny. He was being a 10 1/2 year old brat. Welcome home me. I gave him the frozen pizza with a smile. I win. Perhaps I should have had him make the dinner instead. Maybe next time.

I must admit this may be the first time I was away that I didn't miss my children. I can't decide if I am a terrible mother or just in desperate need of a break. I was happy to see them both when I got home, even the one who refused to hug me. Ah, the sweet joys of motherhood. Back to the grind I go.

Is it summer yet?

A friend sent this photo to me today and I laughed, mostly because I can so relate. We have been blessed in the sense that we haven't been blasted with the several feet of snow that the east coast and other parts of the midwest are experiencing. But we have not seen grass in 3 1/2 months now. It is starting to grow old. In terms of time, I think this is the longest snow coverage I can remember having without a break here or there. It does do a number to one's mind after a while, even the sane ones. Are we going to be stuck in an eternal winter? Are we ever going to see grass again? sidewalks? When will the slush and sand stop tormenting us? Are we ever going to get some color on our sun deprived, pasty white skin? These are the questions that I most want answered.

Ya see, I miss summer. I miss the warm sun and the lazy days at the pool. I miss being able to wear shorts and flips. I miss having an excuse to paint my toes. I miss being able to run outdoors on the sidewalks and lay on the freshly cut grass. I miss the smell of barbeques and the sound of crickets chirping. I miss it all, even the humidity.

It's a funny thing, these seasons. It kinda reminds me a bit of childbirth. Stick with me here. Childbirth is never something one looks forward to. It is inevitable, but usually miserable- yet somehow miraculously those painful memories subside with time and make us want to do it all over again.

I think it is very much the same with seasons. We endure them because we must- they are inevitable, but they become so intolerable at times that we are ready to move on to the next for fear of insanity. We somehow forget all the things we hated about the next season and are able to remember only the things we love. We make it through all the seasons only to beg for another winter. Ah, the beautiful snow and the hot cocoa by the fire. Somehow the bad dissipates with time and winter is somehow magically romanticized in our minds. Such is the cycle of the seasons.

Is there some giant conspiracy? Or is it just our mind's way of dealing?

I don't have all the answers. I only know one thing for sure. I miss summer.

Perhaps a trip to the beach is in order. Anyone with me?

embarrassing confession.

I can't speak for infancy or toddlerhood, but ever since I can remember I've struggled with a very sluggish digestive system. Genetic? Hormonal? Cursed? It's annoying at best. It is also very embarrassing. It's only been in the last year or so that every single time I eat I have extremely bad abdominal pain, at times lasting for days. It doesn't seem to matter what I eat, although I have cut milk and most dairy out of my diet. Perhaps I should just give in and be tested for food allergies. At times I wish I didn't have to eat, but I do realize it is a requirement to sustain life. It sucks to give into a food craving only to have it lay you up for days. Today it was so bad that I called in sick and curled up in a fetal position in my bed. I can't get into the gastrointerologist for 3 weeks. Googling digestive issues is like trying to figure out how the earth came to be. There are so many contradicting theories out there, some pretty deep and intricate, others just ridiculous.

I'm at a loss. Our bodies are so complex, particularly our digestive systems. Every road seems to lead me back to where I started...

I only make this confession with the hope that maybe others have been through this or know someone who has or might be able to offer some advice or words of encouragement.

Week 6 {365} Cupcakes, Candy, and Cupids

... and lots of other things. Super bowl and a snow day, to name a couple.



Little Man is all about the Colts. I don't really know how it happened, as Haldan has never really been tied to just one team, but he is obsessed. He really got into it... wore his colts attire with pride all last weekend. So, you can imagine just how devastated he was when they lost. He banged his head on the couch for at least 5 minutes straight and then asked if he had to go to school the next day. Of course the answer was yes. Unfortunately this is only the first of many more disappointments to come.



We also managed a snow day this week. Pretty lame by my standards (only about 4-5 inches of snow), but the kids played outside the better part of the day and had a fun unstructured day.

But mostly valentines has ruled our week....



Looking at this photo makes me feel slightly queasy, but mostly because I have endulged in almost all of it. Perhaps that could explain the unexpected outburst of acne, but Valentine's Day wouldn't be the same without it. I'll have to detox later.

I admit it. I love holidays and all that goes with them. I love to decorate and have treats and make a big production out of it. I guess I can thank my parents for that one. So, Valentine's Day is no exception. There were many years that Haldan failed to understand the importance and accused me of going overboard. I'm not sure when it happened, but it would appear that he has officially crossed over to the other side.

Many people don't really like Haldan. Or better yet, many people don't really know Haldan. Maybe he prefers it like that. He is not much of a talker and when he does talk his dry, sarcastic humor dominates his personality. What most people don't know about him is that he is a very sweet, thoughtful person and would do almost anything for anyone. This morning he woke up and whipped up a breakfast consisting of homemade strawberry pancakes, heart shaped bacon, strawberries, and fried eggs. In the middle of making breakfast our neighbor called and needed a jump. He didn't even hesitate. He put breakfast on hold and ran down to help out. This is the man I know and love. He is the epitamy of what Valentine's Day represents for me, showing kind acts of service and love.



The school Valentine Parties were Friday. Nothing too exciting to report, except that I got to meet Pokey's boyfriend, Gabe. The cupcakes were a hit and Pokey is still happy to have me there.

On Valentine's Day we always have a fun breakfast as a family and then we have small gifts for the children. We usually get books and a couple treats, but this year we got Pokey a heart shaped watch locket and Little Man an old gameboy advance game he's been wanting.



Then we have to do the annual photos. As I looked back at old photos I couldn't help but get a little teary eyed. My kids are growing up. I found a photo from just 3 years ago... how much simpler days were then. As we sat at dinner this evening together discussing how babies are made, how the sex of a baby is determined, how babies come out, and penises... a little piece of me longed for my own babies back. I am thankful for their inquisitive minds and realize that growing up is inevitable, but I guess I'm just not quite ready yet. I need to instead focus on all the fun things we get to do together.

Saturday we took a drive as a family. It's one of my favorite things to do, exploring unchartered territory. Haldan is always great to stop the car at a moment's notice and let me get out to snap photos.



I've been begging Haldan to take me ice fishing, but for some reason he doesn't think it's such a great idea. While driving we were out by Palo Lake so he stopped so I could check it out. It's probably the closest I'll ever get to ice fishing. It was strange to see the the little ice houses scattered around the lake.



If you've never been out on a fozen lake before you have to try it... there is nothing quite like it. A giant wide open space for miles... it was a blast. It reminded me of when I went to Jensen Beach in Florida and I just wanted to soak it all up. Saturday was a sunny day and we played until we got too cold.



It reminded me that we need to not forget to breathe.

“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” -Oprah Winfrey

Personalized Valentine Tutorial

Thought I'd share an easy valentine idea. Thanks designer digitals! You rock. You can find them here.



I bought this from Designer Digitals on one of their amazing sales last year.



Find a photo you like. If you remember, this is a photo I took last week.



Resize photos and add them as background layer in photoshop.



Personalize and put on any size paper. I sized mine to 13x19 and only had to print 2 sheets.



Print on photo printer. I used my Epson 1280.

Cut out and adhere candy of choice. (We opted for taffy this year.) We used photo tabs that are easier to remove and won't harm the photo. Voila!

FYI: Pokey says she's giving all the "I Love You" Valentines to the boys in her class.

Little Man's valentine was just a photo of him holding a valentine message, which he designed himself. (If you missed it you can check out last post.) It is very similar to the birthday party favor bags I made for Pokey last August for her birthday. You can see that tutorial here.

Will you be my valentine?

Some may say it is a silly holiday, but I quite like the idea... that one day every year is set apart to tell that special someone you love them.

But what is love? It seems to be difficult to define.

The question was posed to a group of 4-8 year olds. These were some of their responses.

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." Rebecca- age 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your french fries without making them give you any of theirs."Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." Terri - age 4

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. Emily - age 8

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little
stars come out of you." Karen - age 7

"Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning." -Author Unknown

Tonight we worked on school valentines and cupcakes. Nothing like procrastinating until the very last minute. Little Man insisted on picking his own text and having a spray paint effect. It's probably his last year of this, so whatever. Pokey's card and cupcakes were much easier, just time consuming. And since we have so much of this commodity these days, what the heck.

points for me.

My sweet husband asked me if I’d watch the super bowl with him. In case you didn’t know, I’m not much of a sports girl. But, per my husband’s request, I sat through almost all of it. I enjoyed it even though I don’t understand any of the rules. I do have to say I’m not sure what all the hype is for this Peyton Manning fellow. Not impressed, but fulfilled my wife duties. (1 point for me.)

Then late that evening I realized I had forgotten cupcakes.

Rewind.

You have to know that my children both have birthdays in August, the 8th and 9th to be exact. In case you aren’t following, that means that their half birthdays fall on the week of Valentine’s Day- every year! It might not be a big deal, but because I am a good mom I want them to be able to celebrate their birthday just like every other kid in their class. After all, it’s not their fault their birthday falls over the summer break. (I think that earns a point?)

So, late Sunday night it hit me. I forgot cupcakes. I was tired and had already committed to make cupcakes for both of their classes for Valentine’s and the thought of making 10 dozen cupcakes in a week sounded less than fun. I decided I’d get up early and do them.

But mornings are not my thing. After it was apparent that I was not going to get them done before school, I decided to scrap the homemade idea and opt for store bought so that I could get my workout, housework, and errands in. I stopped into Hy-Vee on the way to the gym, but their selection consisted of pink and more pink. Nothing birthday-like and more importantly, nothing “boy” birthday-like. So, after my workout I decided to call Kathy’s Pies. Yes, they make cake and yes, they would whip up 60 cupcakes for me with multi-colored sprinkles. Score.

I decided to bite the bullet and just order all of them, even though Pokey’s half birthday wasn’t til Tuesday. They would be ready to go and they would be done.

I dropped them by the school and was torn whether I should take just Little Man's or both his and Pokey's. I was concerned about the winter storm on the way and there was no way I wanted to be stuck with 30 cupcakes at home on a snow day. So, I took all of them.

Just in case you weren’t aware… Tuesday turned out to be a snow day here- a very lame snow day, but a snow day nonetheless. We ended up only getting 4 or 5 inches total and it was warm enough for the kids to play outside. It was a fun, unstructured day (minus the neighborhood squabbles and tears).

Call it mother’s intuition, call it luck, call it what you will… but 1 more point for mom. But then again, who’s keeping score?

Everyone had their half birthday school parties and mom still has her sanity intact. The best $30 ever spent.



(You can also check out their pies here. They are delish!)

Week 5 {365} Overcoming Obstacles

Let’s be real. Whether we like it or not, we all encounter obstacles on a daily basis. Some days you wake up and you just have an off day where nothing seems to go right and you are plagued by continuous obstacles. Whether they are big or small, they are all obstacles. But I'm not really talking about the life altering ones, rather the every day hiccups that make ya nuts. As much as you plan for a great day… these unexpected things pop up and complicate life. They can bombard us until we feel exhausted and defeated.

So, why are obstacles placed in our paths? Is it to keep our blood pressure in check? To teach us greater patience? To give us reason to meditate? To prevent us from being happy? To help us better appreciate good days? Or to make us crazed lunatics?

This is a thought that has run through my mind several times this week as I have come up against many different obstacles.

Then I downloaded my photos for the week.

As I reviewed them I was a bit shocked (my memories didn't seem to match what I was seeing). To any outsider it would appear to be a perfect week and as I reflected on the many fun moments we enjoyed as a family, I realized that it really is all in our perspective. We are the authors of our own stories. At times we have little choice in the outcome. We can't prevent a headache, a train, mother nature, etc. But we do get to choose how the outcome affects us. This is a definite work in progress for me right now as I struggle to not let the bad outweigh the good. Why is it that negative experiences seem to stick so much better in one's mind?

I'm happy to have these photos as a reminder of the many wonderful moments we shared as a family this week. I realize that obstacles can help families work together to become more unified. They also give us greater adventures; how dull life would be if it was always smooth sailing. It seems to bring greater joy and appreciation for life's experiences and can feel so empowering when we work through them and come out the other side.



For Groundhog Day Haldan was off and we pulled the kids from school and decided to make the most of the fresh snow and go skiing. It was a fun day overall. The children had never skied before, so we got them a 1 hr lesson. Pokey was confident immediately and Little Man was more timid, falling several times. When we hit the bigger slope Pokey fell a few times and lost some of the confidence factor, while Little man really took off (both metaphorically and literally). We had tried to make sure they could do wide turns before we advanced to the larger hills. He disregarded everything we said. He just went straight down, no turns, and super fast. We literally couldn’t keep up with him. He only fell 1 time in the very beginning and then never fell again the rest of the day. It was so nice to see him so relaxed and confident. He’s generally our stiff child that is afraid to take risks. Pokey did great too, but she is naturally better at trying new things. Towards the end of our day there we got on the ski lift to make our way back up. It was a 4 seater and for whatever reason Little Man was dead set on the left side. Well, being a little clumsy on her skies, Pokey skied into that exact spot right before the lift came and Little Man ended up on top of her. The lift was taking off and they were pushing and fighting oblivious to the fact that they were about to fall out of their seat. They had to manually shut the machine down to get them back in their seat. I ended up sandwiched between the kids. When it was time to get off the kids gave me no room to put my skies down and before I knew it the machine was going back and I was still on. I had to literally jump off from like 6 feet off the ground. Pretty scary when you’re an amateur like myself. I fell and lost a ski and Pokey fell. Again they shut the machine down for us. I’m sure they were happy to see us go. The good news is the kids still want to do it again and we left with no broken bones. The 2 hour drive home felt like 8. The kids were extra wound and fought every single minute of that drive. Nothing like a wild 2 hour drive. We stopped for dinner and it only got worse leaving me to think that maybe we need to have a no sugar rule on days in the car. We tried the quiet game towards the end of the drive, which seemed to work for awhile until someone thought another one had cheated. By the time we finally made it home we were drained in every sense of the word. The kids went down fast and slept like logs.



This is Pokey trying to put on a brave face after a fall. She was a trooper.

The next day it was back to reality. Haldan was on long 12 hour days and I had to work late. I was 20 minutes late to pick the kids up from school... a long line at the post office, 2 trains, and a dump truck later I finally made it. But nothing I said seemed to make them less mad or able to forgive me.



We got home and little man was supposed to clean the guinea pig’s cage. They may be cute to look at but don’t let that fool you. They are gross varmints and I secretively despise them. I spent over 2 hours cleaning guinea pig poop out of my basement. I know, gross. I found it under the couch, behind the couch, in the couch, you name it. I also found a spot where they had peed on our micro fiber chair. I was livid. We had a long sit down with the children and gave them an ultimatum. "Cage to be cleaned Wed and Sun. If I find a single piece of poop, empty water or food container, or you playing with them outside of the designated area… they are in the paper. Period." And I don’t even think I will feel that bad about it. Anyone who knows me knows that not only do I like a clean, tidy home, I also have an extra strong sense of smell. Guinea pigs do not fit well in my world. I think under the circumstances I've done rather well.

So, after cleaning the basement from top to bottom and inside out… the children decided to tear it up and build a fort and get out every card game we own. When I went back down the basement was a disaster and the remote had gone missing. I have searched high and low, in every nook and cranny that I could think of. Day 5 and still no remote. It makes watching my dvr’d shows a pain in the you know what. Watch tv without a remote? What are we in the 80s?

Then it suddenly dawned on me to just call mediacom. We got a new remote for $15. If we find the old one we can return it and get our money back. If not it's totally coming out of the kid's allowance. Problem solved.

So, I don't know if you remember my plea to mother nature last week? I asked for a break from the snow. Almost immediately after I asked the white stuff started falling from the sky. At first I was annoyed, but it was short lived. It was forecasted for almost every day this week and we have had very little to report. I guess it was all sent to other parts of the midwest and east coast. No complaints here. It does seem to be mutating into interesting ice sculptures though. (Sorry if you were the recipients of all that snow- it just started snowing here though if that makes you feel any better.)

We are definitely not in short supply of the white stuff though. On Friday the kids had a half day. They got to go sledding as a reward for doing chores. The hill was a solid sheet of ice. There were also large ice chucks scattered that the kids used as ramps.

Little Man was the photographer for these photos. Although he has a much different perspective, he seems to be an amazing photographer in the making- a natural.





It was nice to get behind the camera again- it's been a little while since I've got my SLR out and really took photos. There's nothing quite like it. (Most photos this week were with the point and shoot.)



This photo cracks me up everytime I see it. I was standing well out of harms way taking photos when Pokey's sled turned and headed right for me. By the time I realized it she was literally about to plow into me and I had to jump over her sled. Luckily my camera made it out ok.



There were way too many photos to pick just one. These were some of my favorites.



Pokey's ice skating is back in full swing and she is working towards advancing. This week she worked mostly on forward one foot glides, backward swizzles, and 2 foot turns.

That about sums up our week... the good, the bad, and all the stuff in between. LIFE.



If you actually made it this far, thank you. Thought I'd end with a quote to ponder.

"You are the only real obstacle in your path to a fulfilling life." -Les Brown

Hope you have a great week in spite of the many obstacles on this roller coaster ride we call life.