Tag: Random

F R I D A Y

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

.:: Forget Me Not
This week was Joe’s 2nd week of school. He has his routine down, and he has settled into his new classroom nicely. On the other hand, I had a blip this week.

While taking him to school on Monday, I realized I left his lunch at home. D’oh! No worries. I returned to the school, leaving Joe’s lunch with the gals at the front office. Later that day, while driving home from work, I realize, “ACK! I have to pick up Joe!”

Yes, on my way home from work, I drove straight home. I did not pass ‘Go’ and I did not collect my child. D’oh again! Fortunately, I realized the car was a little too quiet, and I missed the smiling “Mommy!” greeting I always receive when I pick up Joe. So, I quickly corrected my error, drove to the school, and got in the pick-up line behind all the ‘non-forgetful’ parents.

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Routines of the school year in full swing.
Staying busy now through Spring.

Time for breakfast, rise and shine.
Drop off, pick up, and get in line.

Remember what to bring with string.

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.:: Two Pounds!
So last week, I touted the fact that I lost two pounds. And, this week? Drum roll please . . . Two pounds!! Two pounds, Folks! I gained two pounds!

Apparently, you cannot celebrate a two pound weight loss by eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream two nights in a row, without gaining two pounds.

Oh well. Live, learn, and eat anyway.

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Weight, weight don’t tell me.
I want to lose thee.

But, when ice cream is near, I am weak.
And, my quest for willpower remains bleak.

I shall never be ice cream free.

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.::A Difference in Taste
First an aside: I absolutely love when Charlie asks us to turn on some music. Charlie doesn’t say ‘music’; Charlie says ‘muse-tik’. Rob and I love when he asks, “Can we here some muse-tik?”

Well, one afternoon, the boys were playing with Daddy and their friend, Joseph, in the basement. Joe asked Daddy to turn on some music, because he wanted Joseph to hear his favorite song. What is Joe’s favorite song? Corelli’s Christmas Concerto. Yes, you read that right. Joe’s favorite song is a classical music ‘song’. (When there are no lyrics is it still a song?)

I was upstairs in our bedroom, while the boys were listening to the music. I could hear Joe going on and on about how he loved it. He even asked Daddy to turn up the volume. Joe was trying to get Joseph involved by saying things like: “Don’t you like it Joseph?” “It’s a fast song.” “Oh! Here comes the best part!” And Joseph? Yeah, no. He was not interested. Joseph preferred playing with the air compressor to listening to classical music.

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Our boys love music;
Jamming to whatever they hear,
Classical through rock.

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.::Wonderful Words
And finally, the day after the Monday Meltdown, Joe said he made a surprise for me. I could only imagine the surprise Joe was going to make for a Mom that sent him to bed without supper the previous night.

Much to my surprise, Joe came running to me with a note that read, “you are the greatest mommy ever. love, joe.”

That works.

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The highs and lows.
The giggles and woes.

The ups and downs.
The smiles and frowns.

And so my love still grows.

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ForDay-Friday

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

.:The ‘My kid is home’ diet

Who knew Joe going to school and coming home at 2:30 PM Monday through Friday would do wonders for my waistline? Since Joe started school, which was Monday, I have lost two pounds. Two pounds, People! Two!

Why? Because I’ve started exercising! Yeah. Right. No, the real reason is because, I do not eat junk food in front of the kids. What I do behind my closet door is my own business. I’d rather not influence my kids with my poor eating habits. The fact that I eat behind my closet door is completely normal and will not scar the boys in any way, shape or form. (That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.) Anyway … my prime ‘snack/binge’ time typically occurs between 3pm and 5pm. However, now that I have supervision during my afternoons, the binges have ceased. Dang blast it.

Well, the binges ceased as of Tuesday. You see, Monday afternoon, Joe caught me eating chips around 4pm. He had gone to my neighbor’s house to play with her son, Joseph. I saw his departure as chance to raid the cabinet. However, about 10 minutes later he came back to the house to get something to show Joseph. I felt my face blush.

“Oh! Chips!” He said.

“You caught me.” I said surprised.

“What?” He asked. Thank goodness for the naivety of a 5yr old.

“Oh nothing.” I said.

“Can I have some?” He asked, while simultaneously reaching his hand in the bag.

He was back out the door within minutes. The coast was clear. I could commence my binge eating in peace. I think it best that Joseph come to our house and play after school. After all, I still have 8 pounds I’d like to lose.

*~*

Distracted by life may help me lose weight.
Being busy and watched, the food I abate.

No more afternoon snicky-snacks for me.
I’ve settled for a cup of decaf green tea.

Eating ice cream on weekends? Still a mandate.

*~*

.:It’s Called ‘Perspective’

“Now that my kid is in school, he no longer to take naps.”

“Really? Oh well.”

“Oh well?! Oh well?! What do you mean ‘Oh well’? You don’t understand. He is so cranky when he gets home. He drives me crazy! He’s cranky. I’m cranky. We’re all cranky. AND, I have work to do for my paid gig. I can’t be at his beck and call every time he becks and calls. This school thing sucks. Seriously. I tip my hats to all the stay at home Moms that are home and love it. I don’t love it. I’m sorry, but I don’t. And, juggling work, home chores and Mom chores is – well it sucks! Oh. And. AND. What happens during the school breaks?! How in the heck am I going to manage that AND my paid gig? Huh? Tell me that.”

“My Mom has Cancer. That sucks more.”

*~*

Sometimes it’s hard to put things into perspective.
Because the challenges we face are always subjective.

We all carry rocks in our life backpack.
And sometimes we pick what we add to the sack.

So, remember some problems are purely elective.

*~*

Friday Flap

~ Lenore Diane ~ Leave a comment

.:Routines

My day is filled with many routines. One of my favorite routines is enjoying a fresh cup of coffee, while the house is still quiet. I set my alarm early in the morning, specifically to sip my coffee in silence. I enjoy my last routine of the day, too: going to bed.

Most every night, when I go to bed, I lie on my right side reflecting about the day. Oftentimes, ideas for posts fill my head, but because I am comfy in my bed, I don’t make an effort to write my prize winning thoughts down. Though it rarely happens, I continue to tell myself I will remember my ideas in the morning.

In addition to blog ideas, I think about my friends and family. I review what took place during the day, and I consider what may take place tomorrow. And finally, when I have exhausted my mind with thought, I say a prayer.

Once I am done praying, I turn and lie on my back. I listen to the insects of the night and feel the wind on my face from the ceiling fan rotating overhead. I lie there quietly for a few minutes, until I get the urge to turn and lay on my left side. Once on my left side, I snuggle in and drift off to sleep, dreaming of my coffee in the morning.

~

Starting my day with a cup of Joe.
Quiet time moving nice and slow.
The sun rises up and fills the sky.
Soon, the day passes quickly by.
And, off to bed I go.

.:Surprises

Joe and Charlie came running out of Suzann’s house. “Mommy!” They yelled. “We have a surprise for you!”

They were running towards me, each holding a Ziploc bag. As they grew near, I could tell they were not bringing me cookies. I began to get nervous.

“Look!” Joe said proudly. “Cicada shells.”

Yes. My boys surprised me with two Ziploc bags containing several Cicada shells. They love me. My boys really love me. (And, I love Ziploc bags!)

~

Creepy, crawly bugs
An Entomologist’s dream
Lurking everywhere

.:Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end

Look, Joe! Look!

Today, I took Joe to Suzann’s house for the last time. He starts kindergarten on Monday. If you’ve grown tired of me talking about Joe’s first day away from Suzann’s house and in school, rest assured the topic is nearing the end.

I walked into Suzann’s house with a bag full of small containers of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for the classroom. Suzann greeted me, while busily blowing up balloons. On the buffet I noticed three freshly made blueberry pancakes on a plate in the shape J, O and E. The preparations for celebrating Joe’s promotion were underway.

Before leaving, I handed Suzann a book I created, documenting the years Joe spent with her. We both looked at each other, holding back tears. She has played such a big role in Joe’s life, for which I am grateful.

As Joe closes the door to Suzann’s house and opens the door to his new school, I am reminded of an excerpt from Robert Fulghum’s book, ‘All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten‘:

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sand-pile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don’t hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life – learn some and think some
and draw and paint and sing and dance and play
and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic,
hold hands, and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.
Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup:
The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody
really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even
the little seed in the Styrofoam cup – they all die.
So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books
and the first word you learned – the biggest
word of all – LOOK.

I believe Robert Fulghum nailed the simplicity of life; though we continue to junk it up with gunk – or gunk it up with junk. Either way, as I watch Joe begin his journey in school, I hope he ignores the gunk and junk and keeps life simple. And, I will do my best to remember the lessons of kindergarten, making my life simpler, too.

~

So begins your school age years.
No doubt I will shed some tears.
Go forth, have fun, keep an open mind.
Listen. Question. Look. Be kind.
And do your best to face your fears.

.::.