a reminder about your annuals
It's the end of June, so it's time to apply a slow release fertilizer to your plants and vegetables you have planted.
The soil temperature is warm enough now. I got mine at the local hardware store for $4, it comes in a bag. You sprinkle it on your plants, rake into the soil a bit and water thoroughly. My fertilizer will feed the plants for 2 months, so I won't have to do anything to them but water and weed.
And they are doing great! It's been so fun to watch them grow. And the zinnias Mark's dad planted by seed are coming up well too. So satisfying.
The best birthday party ever
I am not exaggerating. It turned out beautifully!
We took Josh and Caroline and 7 of his friends to Yankee Stadium for a group tour. We fixed boxed lunches, which they happily ate in the car. The excitement built as we drove to the stadium. We entered through the press gate and right onto the field. Stops included momument park (we walked on the warning track--in left field where Hedeki Matsui plays every night!), then back to the dugout where we sat for a few minutes, into the locker room--which was a highlight--and then finally up to the press box where the kids sat in the seats of reporters for the NY Times etc. with a great view of the field.
We came home for a game of backyard baseball and a baseball cake and ice cream. We sent them home with baseball themed goody bags. Josh was thrilled to wear his Posada pinstripe, a gift from Grandma and Grandpa. The kids actually all wore yankees attire, as well as Mark and Grandpa. It was hands down one of my favorite New York moments of all time.
Hanging out on the field
The view from the press box
Broken
I think my pinky toe is broken, again.
I rammed my flip-flop clad left foot into the door of the bathroom. Lots of swelling and bruising. It was just a dumb accident, I can't even tape it to the next toe because someone is pulling the tape off (Sam). It's twice the size it was this morning. No shoes fit except for the flip flops I was wearing when it happened.
This is kind of putting a damper on some plans. It's a busy week. I don't have time to sit down.
But it felt so good to do that this afternoon-- I just sat with the kids. No cleaning or straightening, no rushing off here or there, just some sitting and reading and some quiet.
I guess this happens every 10 years or so. I had first a broken toe in eighth grade gym class. Then I broke my toe on our honeymoon in Kauai, slipping on a rock. That was 9 years ago. And now today.
A theory
Do they deliberately pack the last 2 weeks of school with events so that you will be relieved rather than sad when everything ends?
I think I will be so relieved to not rush here and there that maybe I won't want to cry my eyes out when Monday, June 25 rolls around when I am on my own with 4 kids home all day.
Mostly I will cry though because it's been a wonderful year. The teachers have been amazing. The children have learned and grown. I am sad to see it end.
I am a picker
No doubt about it, I am a picker. I think a lot of moms are. We like to pick at (or groom) our children. They hate it when I say, "oh, let me just get that for you." I especially love crusty eyes and dirty fingernails. These are so fun to pick at.
Well, I found the outlet for all my picking impulses yesterday. I started picking at the wallpaper in the master bathroom. The wallpaper had to go anyways, since we are redoing the bathrooms this summer. What started as little tear here and there in the morning led to a compulsion and determination to finish it with energy I am not sure where it came from....I simply could not rest until all the wallpaper was gone. I made a trip to the hardware store for supplies, but in the end found the greatest satisfaction was from just using my fingernails to get under the wallpaper and pull. It became a game...to see how much I could pull off in one continuous piece.
I dreaded doing the ceiling, but as soon as I attacked it, it became my favorite part. I didn't have to score or spray it--it just came off in large pieces. It was so satisfying. I told Mark why I liked it--it required little know-how and you had instantaneous results.
My bathroom fixtures have all been ordered thanks to Sue at the Tile, Stone and Plumbing Store. She was AMAZING. I just loved that she made appointments--on Thursday nights!! Prior to finding Sue, I had panic attacks thinking about going to Home Depot and just trying to buy things off the shelves there. I was "led" to her ad in the yellow pages under tile, I truly believe. We've got tile ordered, as well as toilets and pedestal sinks, a vanity with a recessed sink, lighting and faucets that match the towel racks and it's just going to be wonderful. She thought of everything and helped me solve all my bathroom-related problems.
Mark and I will have painting and trim to put up after everything gets installed, more things with learning curves. But maybe I will like it as much as taking down the wallpaper!
IKEA run
We picked up Mark from the train station, fed him, and then sent him off to Ikea to purchase a bed for Matthew.
The Hemnes Bunk Bed Frame. This was out of stock when I went there last month. I called today and they said they had 4 left.
This is a good bed for us. The bunk bed has 2 frames that can separate. One will be for Matthew, who is currently cramped in a borrowed toddler bed and has develolped some strange sleeping patterns. Our hope is a bigger bed will be more comfy for our sweet little guy who has a tendency to sprawl. He's been falling asleep on our bed and then we transfer him. The other bed frame will go in Caroline's room until Sam is ready for a bed (maybe not until age 3 or so. I like cribs.)
When Sam is ready for a bed, we can stack up the bunks or keep them seperate. Matthew can sleep up top by then.
The last time we tried to acquire a specific piece from Ikea it took several trips and several friends looking out for us. Anyone remember the quest for the Levsvik shoe rack? It matched our hat rack and was just perfect. We still use it today.
Ikea has provided us with many pieces of furniture over the years. It continues to please. But when we buy our real furniture for the living room, I think I will step it up a notch.
An Ikea just opened in Draper. The news reported that there were people camping out, huge crowds, etc.
Tomorrow night Mark will assemble Matthew's bed. Then we'll bring out Josh's old bedding (from before his Yankees bedding--a quilt with a triangle pattern that was the inspiration for our sailboat-themed little boys room) and Matty will be all set for lots of slumbering, one can only hope!
Sweet dreams!
A fun outing
We didn't have a lot of time between Saturday activities, but we wanted to do a family outing in the city that all the kids would enjoy.
That led us to the Little Red Lighthouse. We read the book before going--"The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge." I loved going on a literary outing!
Park on the westernmost part of 181st street or thereabouts. Take the footbridge over the highway. The trail is condusive to strollers. It's a little steep but definitely managable for little ones. Just watch out for the bikers. It takes about 15 minutes to get down to the lighthouse.
Bring your picnic--there are a few picnic benches and even a couple in the shade. Throw lots of rocks into the Hudson River. Take some pictures. Look and identify all the types of boats that pass by. If you go soon, you may even see some goslings.
We had a great time!
PS There was no way to get the lighthouse, bridge and kids all in the same picture...
