Just a do-over kind of weekend

Date night gone wrong- thinking YAY - we can stay home this snowy night and watch a movie - we started with Midnight in Paris. Quickly, I started thinking - "ugh, this seems just like a Woody Allen movie. . . Oh, even worse! It IS a Woody Allen movie!" (I used to like them - but kinda like Chevy Chase suddenly not being funny anymore - Woody is suddenly terribly dated.) So then we switch to Contagion - which was just a bit of a downer (good, but not in a date night way). And then I fell asleep on the couch only to awake when it was time to pick up the kids so I can go to bed for real.

This is after Kevin's Birthday on Friday when we decided because it was the first night of swim team we should skip going out for Mexican food; this year we are going to take swim team more seriously! Well, I missed the last minute email saying it was cancelled. By the time we got home it was too late to do anything but say "Happy Birthday!"

Thank goodness we have a backup plan for Sunday! - Granny is going to take us to the Melting Pot for Kevin's birthday. Only I screwed up and didn't make the reservations early enough so we either have to go at 3 - or 8.

Now none of these things are the end of the world. It is just that added to my ongoing problem with the new home-to-work computer connection that - you guessed it - decided not to work this weekend, pretty much all of my plans backfired of fizzled out.

If offered a DO OVER - I would take it.

Social Story for Autistic Children: "Standing in Line at School"

Having a moment

You know, a moment. When you really connect. Had one with mom on the phone this very morning. It had been awhile. Wonderful!

And last night with Caitlin - she had me laughing so hard I was crying. The topic was, well, one of the topics - engaging your brain before opening your mouth versus having your brain connected to your mouth (which is more blurting out what ever your thinking.) So, Caitlin's self described thought process - "Hi! You're fat. I like pie. Kittens are cute!" - which is pretty much how I thought but was afraid to ask - her teenage girl brain operates.

So, tonight we celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. Nana has the girls. Kevin and I are going - somewhere nice. I'm hoping we'll have a moment!

The Summer of Self Sufficiency!

Here's how simple my summer project is NOT!

example:

"put the breakfast dishes away, brush your teeth, get in the car". (portions of this statement were repeated 5 times this morning.) Drop the kids off, return to find one set of dishes left at the table. Stop yourself from just doing it, because it's the summer of self sufficiency! Next pass through the room - decide to rinse them and put them back because "gross". Call your husband at work to explain why he should not put the dishes away if he should come home while you're out. Stew over the fact that he will probably put the dishes away before you can drive home your point with DD1. Simple! Then watch her do it again at dinner.

Happy Mothers Day

Nana is about to come over, we are first headed to Tagawa to buy each other our mothers day presents. Then we will spend the day gardening and bar-b-queing. Oh, I hope it is as idillic as it sound!

And aside (I wanted to post this story on facebook, but it was too long).

An elder Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, "A fight is going on inside me... it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

"The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

"This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied... "The one you feed."

No Insomnia = No blogging

I figured out why I'm not much of a blogger anymore. My insomnia has been pretty much manageable, in check, since the ending of grad school. Sure I still wake up at 3a.m. like thyroid induced clockwork, but nowadays I just go right back to sleep. In fact, my last blog post was done during a windy night when I couldn't get back to sleep.

So, since I'm here, check-in report: all is well. Very busy at the almost 90 day old job, taking tomorrow off for Abigail's braces on the bottom which is an hour long procedure and I felt merited a mama daughter day.

I am headed up to the comfy couch with my blankie and glass of milk to read "Stolen Lives" - the Parkview Bookclub pick; can't get my hands on "Cutting for Stone" the Mother/daughter Bookclub pick; but did next months already on CD in the car (a great way to use travel time!) That was "the Big Burn" - making history interesting. I think I will do "1776" next - on CD. I started that one a year ago with dad in the hospital. Which brings me to the anniversary mopes of dads passing away. Miss you dad.

I was just looking for an interesting recent picture - and dishwashing, dishwasher, washing hands, etc. were my choices. I actually enjoy creating the First / Then visuals - I have my very own laminator for the classroom. The sad part - no time to do it! I've actually had to delegate this, my creative outlet to others. Don't worry though, I still get to color.

Good night - I have to go post Caitlin's joke on Facebook to help bury my political ones. Sometimes I just can't help myself. - What did 0 say to 8?

Nice belt!

stupid wind. . .

The wind is fierce tonight! And for me, once the eyes are open, that leads to "I wonder if the fires are still going - I need to call Doug and Annie - nah, they're probably under 3 feet of snow - still, I should call - I should wake Abi up and make her read for an hour, that's what I SHOULD do - did I bring home the boardmaker CD? - I need to get those made - Should I get up? - don't be ridiculous, it's just a little wind, go back to sleep!... I need to make sure Caitlin brings a snack to school; CSAPs! - I should have... I could have ... there's no way I'm ever getting back to sleep - stupid insomnia - hey, maybe if i get stuff done now, I can go to archivers!" - If you can't beat it, go with it!

I skipped all the dad tangents - the photo is of a largely unfinished Grandpa, tell me your memories guide. I guess I thought we'd really jump in with that in his 90's.