Taking a year off
I was talking to my friend a couple weeks ago and she mentioned that she was taking a year off of making homemade Halloween costumes. She always does a beautiful job and she enjoys it but it just wasn't going to work for her this year. I thought that's good...and have loved that phrase ever since!
This year we took a year off of apple picking. We just could never find the right day to go and the weather has been horrible on Saturdays. I miss the apple pictures but hey, there is always next year.
I'd like to take a year off of:
friend birthday parties for my kids
Christmas cards (sending--I love receiving!)
buying Christmas presents (doesn't a family cruise sound nice?)
cooking Thanksgiving dinner
cleaning up the legos in the playroom (actually that's Mark's now)
I love traditions and come from a very tradition oriented family, but sometimes its okay to take a year off and do something different. Maybe it will even make us want to do our old things even more.
Let's just say...
...that the screaming FIRST graders sitting in back of us at the Halloween Spooktacular tonight (a laser show at the school) were exponentially worse than the teenagers at the premiere of Twilight. They got pretty excited about the Taylor Swift/.Jonas Brothers/Hannah Montana mix. They are 6! I couldn't believe it.
Don't know if I can handle it for New Moon. I may have to wait that one out. My ears are still ringing and we've been home for 2 and a half hours.
Oh and let's go Yankees! I am so excited for the World Series tomorrow!
Yonkers shopping
There's no doubt that any shopping in Yonkers leaves much to be desired. But you get used to it. In fact, when I am in the mall in Utah I get annoyed when salespeople ask me if I need help.
I recently discovered Marshalls Mega Shoe Shop Store there. Let's just say you have to dig a bit, but overall it was positive. I bought 2 pairs of really comfy fall shoes for my growing pregnant feet (yes, why should my belly be the only thing that grows?) Born and Clarks brands...only 25 bucks each. Amazing.
Then, our local stop and shop has been remodeled. It opens on Friday after 6 weeks. For the first couple of weeks, I made things work with C-town (gag...sorry Lindsey) and Trader Joes (love it but just doesn't have everything I need.) Then I hit super stop and shop in Yonkers. It's awesome. Just like shopping at a normal store in Utah. Except you've got the Yonkers crowd. I might still even go there on occasion.
Random thoughts for mid-October
Grandma's halloween package came today...a huge hit with the kids. Thank you Peggy! They loved it.
Josh has no clue what to be for Halloween this year. We've got 4 days until the first costume event. Help!
Caroline has decided to quit piano after 5 lessons. She is entranced with her flute for band instead. We just couldn't take it (the complaining, whining) any more. In the meanwhile, we will try and work on it at home. Being an 8 year old is just tough, I've decided!
Mark is gone for the week. Things went well today despite this. Only 4 more nights. Watching the Amazing Race on the DVR helped tonight. They love that show!
Sammy's turned into a little fashionista. He's very particular about what he will wear at all times. He constantly wants something new. Luckily there's 2 other boys in the family so "new to him: stuff turns up all the time. He was just beside himself that Matthew got new shoes and he didn't (he just got some in August.)
Matthew is the happiest kindergartener ever. I love hearing about his day at school. 5 year olds are so charming!
I've given away all of Caroline's clothes, from birth until size 7. I did keep a few keepsake items for her, things that were hard to part with that have a special place in my heart. It's been helpful for me to do this...letting go of things for the baby sister that will never be! It has really helped to have a child in mind to give them to...for all the various sizes.
Sam actually took a 2 hour nap today in the early afternoon! It was lovely. After doing some jobs around the house, I treated myself to an episode of Modern Family. It had me laughing. It was weird to watch TV in the middle of the day.
My hamstring is healing fairly well. Still not back to full activity (no spin and step classes--waah!) but repeating my PT routine of weights and cardio (bike, treadmill) at the gym.
We moved Sammy out of the crib and into a big boy bed (this is one that matches Matthew's that we can eventually put into bunk beds). He looks so cute sleeping in it. We bought Caroline a daybed at Ikea and it is wonderful. Mark did a great job of putting it together with Josh while I took the other three to the Children's Museum of Manhattan on Saturday. (Have I mentioned our library's free museum pass program? It's awesome!) I've been to better children's museums. But they had a good time. Lots of babies, and 1-2 year olds. Which means lots of Manhattan parents of babies and 1-2 year olds. You know what I mean. Their high point: making snowmen out of model magic in a craft in a class you signed up for.
Later on Saturday I ventured with Caroline and Sammy to Costco (never again on a Sat. afternoon). She was eager to pick out her new glasses. They will be ready in about a week. She will just need to wear them to read the smartboard at school for now.
15 weeks to go...time to start living it up!
Library time
Well, I read a couple of books this week. I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett which was awesome and wonderful. I really loved this book and had a hard time putting it down. Of course it's all about the south and race relations, topics I am already interested in.
I read The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale. Mostly because I felt like I should read something by her because she's successful and LDS, but I didn't love it. I only kept reading because I wanted to find out what happened. I skimmed a lot of it.
I love my local library. We got a family pass to go to the Natural History Museum from them. Thank you very much, it made for a great Yom Kippur last Monday! Sammy loves his weekly story time there. Seriously, it's the best 1/2 hour. And Ms. Mary plays the accordian. And she told me she loved Matthew's exuberance and hope he always keeps that trait with him. It's so great when other people compliment your kids unexpectedly!
And then somehow I jumped from #32 in the hold line to #1 for the DVD's of No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. I've watched 4 of the 7 episodes and it's so fun. I loved the books and the show is great too.
My librarian at the other library I go to also extended my due date for our missing DVD, Curious George Leads the Band. So I have a month to look for it. Thanks Stephanie!
I love the library website and visit it often to put stuff on hold for me and the kids.
My mom instilled a great love of the library for us, she's a big fan too.
