An Anniversary Latte

Halloween is over and the holiday craziness, not to be confused with the day to day craziness, is about to begin.  Life seems too busy.  For at least a few minutes today, I'm happy to take some time to reflect on the fact that Rob and I have now been married for 14 years!  I can never seem to find time to write any more, and so I am updating a post from 5 years ago today...

"14 years ago today, we lived in a bubble. Jobs were everywhere and houses sold as soon as you put a "for sale" sign in the yard. 14 years ago September 11th was just another day on the calendar, and we never dreamed of paying more than $1.50 for a gallon of gas. 14 years ago the country was 3 days away from learning about recounts and hanging chads. 14 years ago our only baby was a 70 pound mutt, and Rob had never changed a diaper. 14 years ago we talked about having 3 kids someday, and we used cameras with real film.

14 years ago today we said "I do" and then we danced, and we started our adventure as a family. Happy Anniversary, Rob!"

An Honest Latte

Collect memories, not mementos.  That is one piece of advice that I would like to give my kids.  Of course, I'm sure that they will one day read all of these blog entries that I have written and use the memories I have recorded against me - I can almost hear the "I told you so's" and "How could you's" coming out of their grownup mouths.  So here it goes, I am dedicating this latte to my children who will read this at some point in the future.  Here is a list of confessions, tips, and general observations:

1. I am uncoordinated, talkative, and tone deaf, I might have passed those traits along to you.  At least you also have my blue eyes (and bad vision).

2. At some point in your early years, it is possible that objects in your stocking and/or Easter basket may have come for your preschool consignment sale.

3. I was forever upset that my dad didn't get me the pet guinea pig I wanted for my 7th birthday.  For that reason, we got a rabbit for y'all.  Now I understand why my father said no.

4. I traveled every six weeks or so from the time I was 10 until I was in college.  As a result I have lots of anxiety about travel preparations.  Sorry if I'm no fun to be around when we're preparing for a trip.

5.  I don't know how Santa survived in the years before eBay and Amazon.  I am glad that my years as Santa came after those great inventions.

6. Collect memories, not mementos - with the exception of American girl dolls.  We may as well hold on to the collection we have amassed.

7. Every great couple should have one spender and one saver.  I'm sure you can figure out which is which in our family.

8.  Keep trying new foods, you might eventually like them.  I just started liking olives 2 years ago.

9.  Wear sunscreen.  I had so many bad sunburns as a child, follow my current example.

10. Never ask anyone if they are pregnant or tell them they look tired.  Both could be taken as extremely rude.  You were raised in the South where we tend to talk around such things.

11.  You are not growing up in my dream house, but it is a dream home - one day you'll understand.

12.  I look forward to school breaks at least as much as you do, I really hate packing lunches every morning.

13.  I am so sad at the thought that in what seems like an instant you will all be grown and moving on, but I am also excited by the amazing people that you are becoming.  Since you are only actually 7, 9, and 11 right now I'm glad that I get to keep you close for a while.  

I could go on all night with this list, and yet, I'm fairly confident that you guys will eventually navigate life pretty well.  Either that or you will have some sort of app to help you.  Until then, make your bed, say please and thank you, and take time to reflect on life with your sentimental mother while I enjoy a latte.

A Funny Latte

"What is something funny that happened today?"  This is my new favorite question du jour to pose to my kids when we sit down to dinner.  Tonight Charlotte answered with something funny that her brother had done, and the ensuing discussion led to an argument free meal for all of us.  I will admit that tonight is the first time I've tried this, but it seems like a good idea.  

My grandfather use to always ask "What did you learn today?" when we sat down to dinner at his house.  I was never sure what to say, but I wish I could still have those discussions with him today.  The tried and true "What's the best thing that happened today?" tends to lead to too much competition with my crew.

My day got a whole lot funnier after dinner when I opened my package from Amazon.  My husband and I are going to a 1940's themed 40 birthday party this weekend and I needed a costume for the event.  I spent about 3 minutes looking on Amazon and I ordered the 1940's GI costume without too much thought.  Can anyone explain why every female adult costume ends up being a sexy version of the character?  Who knew that Amazon carried products from a company called Secret Wishes?  Needless to say, I'm 41 and not a huge fan of working out.  I'm wearing the dress as a shirt with a skirt I found in my closet.  Not a story I would share at the dinner table, but it did lighten my mood for the day.

Try it - ask your kids to tell you about something funny that happened during the day.  As my oldest gets closer to his teenage years, anything that will keep him talking and laughing about his day is a good plan.  We will see what happens that is funny tomorrow - maybe something over a latte with friends in the morning

A 2 point Latte

I am ready to complain.  For a few days, as I often do, I have been thinking about the things I want to write.  2014 has gotten off to quite a start here in Atlanta.  Yes, I live in Atlanta - the city that has been shut down by not 1 but 2 snow storms in 3 weeks, not to mention the extreme cold that also caused all of the schools to close last month.  Here are the numbers - today is the 30th weekday since Christmas break officially ended.  It is also the 2nd scheduled holiday (President's Day and MLK day).  We have had 8 and a quarter snow days - only 2 of which were really good for playing in the snow.  My youngest had the flu so she was out of school 4 of the days that school was actually in session.  My oldest also had one sick day.  My middle child, not be left out, didn't time it as well so she was sick on 2 of the snow days.  She also had an emergency trip to the dentist for a chipped tooth one morning on a school day.  Are you keeping track?  On 17 of the last 30 week days, I have had one or more of my kids home with me for some or all of the school day.  I love my kids, but there is a reason that I don't homeschool them.  On the night before the latest snow storm, I stocked up on bread, milk, and we bought a few new games for the Wii.

Then something happened this weekend.  The sun came out and we had a weekend that revolved mostly around the church league basketball tournament.  My husband was there for much of the weekend, and my son played in 3 of the games.  The final game of the tournament for my son's team was a great game. Prior to this weekend I had not gone to any of the games this season since Rob is always there and there is not much room for spectators.  Mason got on a team with power house players, he is not one of them, but he has enjoyed the season immensely.  Yesterday the game was close, and as I was watching Mason ended up with the ball, he shot and scored!  It was the first basket that he made all season.  The kids and parents of his teammates went crazy.  It was not the game winning shot, but they did go on to win the game.  We are not a family of huge sports moments so for us, that moment was huge.  I forgot all of my complaints of the past week, and enjoyed the moment.

It is suppose to be in the 60s much of this week.  I have spring fever, and I would much rather go to the beach than skiing (which is what we have planned) for spring break.  I am actually going to make an appearance at work today.  I wonder if they will remember me, I have been gone alot lately.  Maybe I will start exercising again.  I will have a chance to watch more sports as Charlotte gets ready for her 2nd gymnastics meet on Sunday.  Getting back into a routine of packing lunches and getting ready for school every day is going to be tough, but I'm sure summer will be here before we know it.  In the meantime, I'm going to schedule some time to meet my friends for a much needed latte.

A Review Latte

It is a new year.  Once again, I'm not sure how we got here so fast.  Some days, I'm not sure who these once so little and needy people running around my house are.  They seem so big and independent.  Now that we are fully entrenched in the 21st century, I see blogs everywhere.  The ones that speak to me the most are usually posted by friends on Facebook.  My first thought is always, "why didn't I write something like that?" After contemplating why my blog hasn't gone viral, I then started thinking about the year in review, and I came to this conclusion - it is hard to look back on the significance of certain moments until they are more than a year behind us.  Take 1997.  At the end of the year I would have told you that some big events included starting a new job at MCI, finally ending things with my college boyfriend, meeting some great new friends, and starting to date a coworker.  I did not know in January of 1998 that 1997 was the year I met my husband (the MCI coworker I was dating).  So when I asked my children about highlights from the 2013, they gave great answers, but who knows what the importance will be later in life.  I guess we will have to wait to see.  Here are some family events and highlights from the year.  If you know my kids, you'll know who said what:

"Vacations, making the gymnastic team, having a 2nd grade teacher who gives out candy, 5th grade, Minecraft, yoga certification, playdates and sleepovers with Rose, camp, summer break, the pool, right now"

Here is my looking back list of things I accomplished (good and bad) this year:

We survived the start of middle school and the logistics of riding the bus to a temporary home for the elementary school.  A year after the death of my boss, I started a new job (yikes!).  We painted the living room (by we, I mean Rob).  I exercised lots for the 1st part of the year, and not so much for the end.  I ate kale.  I had a mid-life crisis and started wearing make-up.  I yelled too much.  I walked all the time, often with my son.  I started blogs in my head every few day, but almost never found the time to write them down.  We shopped for living room furniture (we didn't buy any).  I cried with my child and held his hand tight when he had to get an IV for dehydration.  I gave things away.  I recycled.  I ate tomatoes from Rob's garden.  I spent time with my grandmother.  I bought skinny jeans (a sure sign that the trend is about to change.)  Our family started attending the best church service (the gathering at 5:05 at Glenn).  I rejoiced in the realization that we now have many family traditions for our not so little family.  I stayed in my comfort zone.  I celebrated with my children as they turned 7, 9, and 11.  I did not celebrate turning 41.  I had an old fashioned sleepover with my childhood girlfriends who are also my adult girlfriends.  I read every day.  I drank alot of coffee.

So there it is, a summary of our year.  I hope to yell less and laugh more in 2014.  I would love to take myself less seriously - my kids seem to have mastered that trick.  I would like to take up yoga, maybe Charlotte will teach it to me.  I want to embrace and enjoy the chaos of my children because they are growing up way too quickly.  Of course, 2014 will include a few lattes.  Happy New Year!

A Decorative Latte

Sometimes, a few new throw pillows is all it takes to make me feel really happy.  4 new pillows on my bed just changed the look of the entire room.  Of course, I then need to scatter the old pillows through out the house to give the appearance that we really needed this new purchase.  Our office has a rarely used twin bed that displays 8 pillows.  Organizing the beds makes me feel like I have organized my day.  As summer vacation draws to a close, I need all of the organizing help I can get.

School starts on Monday.  Unlike the last 3 years when we have walked all 3 of our kids less than a quarter mile around the corner to school, I feel like I will be spending my days in carpool line getting the girls to the temporary location of the elementary school and my son to middle school across town.  I am not alone in this logistical craziness.  I am working on carpool schedules and checking school bus routes.  We are also stocking up on school supplies and new shoes.  We are checking with friends about classes and teachers.  Everyone is excited and nervous, and a little sad to see the end of another summer which was so much fun even if it seemed to rain each and every day.  We are getting organized for another school year and all of its excitement and challenges.

I expect that we will stay organized until next Thursday.  By then everyone will be exhausted and grumpy.  Mornings will get a little busier as we do less each night to prep for the next day.  I will rally over the weekend to make sure we are ready for week 2, and we will fall into a pattern for the year.  I will say "hurry up" way too much, and I will be late for a few things (not school or gymnastics).  If I find a job, that will bring a new set of challenges.  I will exercise, cook, and clean more than I did over the summer, and I will find lots to worry about.  For now, I will get ready to embrace life with a 2nd, 4th, and 6th grader.  At least I know that I can look at my organized bed with all of its new throw pillows and smile.

A Lecture Latte

My son will be 11 this summer.  I have recently realized that it is time for "the talk." Not that talk, that's another latte, but the texting talk.  I have the joy of raising kids in the digital world we call home.  We had a small incident last week with texting, and he knew that a talk was coming.  Like many pre-teens, I suppose, he tried to avoid us hoping to avoid getting a lecture.  Since I come from a long line of passive aggressive, non-confrontational people, I offered to write a letter in lieu of a verbal lecture.  Here it is:

"Dear M - You asked for your lecture in the form of a letter so here goes.  Please read and re-read this and try to take my words to heart.  Read it often to remind yourself that I am watching you, and that daddy and I love you very much.  If you keep this letter and read it when you have a 10 year old child of your own, you will really understand all that I am trying to say.  

You are among the first generation to grow up in the digital age.  It is an exciting and scary place - the world of texting, YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, and others.  I'm not sure if you and your friends fully understand the responsibility and maturity needed to use this technology.  Here are a few tips:

1. It's not a joke - even if you think you are joking when you send something, the person in the picture or recipient of the text might not see it that way.

2. Delete is not forever.  Even if you get rid of a text or picture off of your device, there is still a record of it.  Once you send it, you have no control over who see it but you are fully responsible if someone gets hurt (either emotionally or physically) because of your actions.

3. Don't forward things.  Again, once you send something out, anything could happen.  Make good decisions and don't sent out bad, mean, or offensive messages.

4. Parents are watching.  As you have seen, parents do monitor your devices.  We are not as clueless as you think.  We will judge people who seem to be making bad choices and sending offensive messages.  Don't be one of those people.

5. Take responsibility for your actions.  If you did it, don't try to blame someone else.

6. Don't lie, EVER!  This should be #1.  Always tell the truth, I promise you will get into so much less trouble in the long run.

7. This of how other people feel.  Before you send something out, think about how you would feel if it were being sent to you.  Yes, this includes being nice to your sisters.

I realize that this is alot of information to take in all at once.  It is all so important.  You are such amazing young man, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you ever.  You are your own person, though, and all I can do is hope that I have taught you how to make the right choices.  Try not to worry too much.  It has taken me 40 years to become this uptight about life.  You are young and you should just go with the flow.  If things don't happen exactly the way you planned, that is alright.

I hope you understand what I am trying to say to you.  Daddy and I are learning as we go.  We know that you are a good and kind person.  Don't put yourself in any sort of position where people might think something different.  Look people in the eye, and always speak clearly and politely.  Manners will get you further than you might think.  Always hold the door for people, and let ladies go first (even your sisters).  Most of all, never forget how much we love you!"

An Elementary Latte

I was the first.  Well, at least one of them.  In the fall of 1978, the local public school offered kindergarten for the first time.  Since my sister was already attending the school, I'm sure it was a fairly easy decision for my parents to enroll me as one of the 24 or so students.  Half of us attended in the morning and half in the afternoon.  My teacher, Ms. Branscomb, came to our high school graduation.  There were a handful of us who made it all 13 years together.  We're all friends on Facebook today.

In 2008 my son started kindergarten at that same elementary school.  By that time, kindergarten was full day and there were over 100 students split into 6 classes.  In May 2013 he will be the last.  Well, at least one of them.  After more than 50 years, the county has decided that the school building has come to the end of its useful life.  This summer, they will begin to tear down the school and build a huge, shiny new one in its place.

I'm sure it's a good decision.  I've known for a year that this was in the works, but we got the official announcement at last week's PTA meeting.  The principal of the school told us.  He was one of the first, too. We attended all of elementary school together, kindergarten through 7th grade.  He said all of the right things to put everyone at ease about the fact that we will be housed elsewhere for two years.  Still, I teared up listening to him.  It's just a building, but we grew up in that building, and, now, my kids are growing up there, too.

I don't like change, but with 3 kids, life changes daily.  Mason will be off to middle school next year (yikes!), and the girls will spend 2 years in a temporary elementary school.  We will be able to hear the construction on the new school from our house.

Here's a little shout out to Betty Rose Caldwell, my eccentric elementary school music teacher.  She taught us lots of Carpenters' songs, and she wrote the following Alma Mater.  The words once hung prominently at the back of the school cafeteria...
    When all the years have passed us by, and we must live with memories
    We know our hearts will always wander to the years we spent here.
    Our praise goes to dear Fernbank School, we'll always love and know thee
    For you have guided every step, directed towards excelling.
    We praise your name, dear Fernbank School.  Our first Alma Mater.

A Latte of Memories

So here is a latte that I wrote 4 years ago almost to the day.  Mason is now in 5th grade and in the home stretch of his elementary school days.  It was Mary Jane's first grade performance tonight.Tonight was the 8th holiday performance we've watched since I wrote the latte below, and my dad was there with us once again.  So here is my recycled latte for the evening...

27 - I guess it's a number that means different things at different times. It's a number that I thought of last week as I was watching Mason's 1st grade holiday performance. Each of the 6 classes performed a musical number in costume. Mason's class was sheep and shepherds. They've been practicing for weeks, it was very cute and a little crazy. I realize that this is only Mason's second year in elementary school. Charlotte will start next fall, and Mary Jane 2 years after that. We have lots of these to watch and enjoy.

That's where 27 comes in, I was sitting next to a man who, for basically all of the 80's and 90's had 4 children who spent a total of 27 years in elementary school. My dad, who has sat through 27 combined years of his children's performances, now watches his grandson perform at the same school my brother and sisters and I attended. I'm guessing that it all starts to become a blur of costumes, songs, learning lines, and I'm sure a few tears along the way. I don't think I could find a picture of any of my elementary school performances if I tried, and that's ok. I don't need to see them on Facebook now, I have enough memories to keep me going.

So here it is, I've found that if you try to watch a performance, as many do, through the lens of a camera, you might miss out. Take some pictures before, buy the DVD of the show if the school offers that very nice feature, and just sit back and enjoy the moment. That's really what lattes are all about, enjoy. And dad, the next one is on me.

A 40 year old latte

This is it, my last day in my thirties.  Tomorrow I start my forties, yikes!  I know they say that 40 is the new 30 , but I feel way too old for 30 and I have earned these wrinkles, stretch marks, and 10 extra pounds.  I'm not unhappy with where I am in life or with my age.

Given the events of the last few weeks, things are turning out much differently than I thought they would as I turn 40.  I'm not sure what direction my life will take professionally over the course of the next few months.  Some things that I have ruled out as possible career choices: 1. Interior decorator - if you have been inside my house, you'll understand why; 2. Any type of professional athlete - again, self explanatory; 3. Dog trainer - refer back to my post containing the list of all of the things my dog has eaten and this will make sense.

I've learned alot in my 40 years and forgotten alot, too.  My kids teach me new things almost daily.  I've also made lots of mistakes.  Those, too, have been good teachers.  I try to live without regrets because they really don't help with anything, but, like most people, I have a few.  Short hair in the 7th grade - huge mistake.  So was spending the day with a boy instead of with my high school girlfriends at a Christmas party in 12th grade.  Luckily, I can still claim those high school girlfriends as good friends, and I even saw many of them last weekend.  And, back to my crazy dog, I definitely regret not putting him in a crate every moment that I wasn't watching him for the last year.

So tomorrow I will be 40.  I might treat myself to an extra latte for the occasion.  I already redeemed my free birthday latte that I get for being a Starbucks rewards member.  I will feel loved by all of the wishes from my kids who have been working on surprises all week.  I will also be a little sad because when my boss died 3 weeks ago, the only thing he had on his calendar for this week was a reminder about my birthday.

In lieu of a big party, my sweet husband and I are going to finally get out of town in a couple of weeks for a kid-free weekend.  My marriage is one of my greatest accomplishments of my first 40 years (potty training has also served me well for most of my life, thanks mom).  I had to actually make myself a cup of coffee this afternoon so that I could stay awake for a night out with a few girlfriends.  When I got home, I told Mason that I was saying my final goodnight of my 30s to him, and that one day he would remember this moment and realize that I was not so old - he will probably be 39 himself at that time.

So there it is, the next 40 will have many more lattes than the first 40.  After the month I've had, I will go ahead and wish myself a happy birthday.

A Goodbye Latte

So I don't actually write down that many entries anymore, but I compose them in my head all the time.  For the last month I've been thinking about writing a goodbye latte.  We have good friends, the parents of some of Mason's good friends, who moved to California last month.  I'm excited for them and their new adventure, but it was sad to see them go.  So that's a goodbye that is no fun, but we've already planned a holiday trip out west.

Another latte that I've started to work on in my head is my big 4-0 latte, less than a month away now.  In my list of great things about my life, I was all set to include my great job with the most understanding, flexible, and fun boss anyone could ask for.  Seriously, I once sent him as email that I would be late because my pedicure appointment took longer than I thought.  He laughed at me, and said that in 40 years he had never heard that excuse.

But then everything changed, I showed up for work and the alarm was still set which should have been a red flag.  I never got to say a goodbye that he heard.  A whole community of his friends, family, and coworkers are trying to figure out how to say goodbye and how to live without the joy and wisdom that this man brought to all he met.  He lived a very full life in his 72 years, but he wasn't done.  Now I'm trying to hold it all together both personally and professionally.  I burst into tears last Friday when the cashier at Whole Foods asked if I was having a good day.  Tomorrow I will return to the task of calling work associates to give them the sad and shocking news.  So this is a goodbye latte to a great man who made fun of my latte habit.  It's a goodbye I wasn't ready to say.

Give a big hug to your loved ones, call an old friend you've been too busy to meet for lunch.  Plan a trip to see friends who moved across the country.  You could even simply meet a friend for a latte.

A Shameful Latte

Recently, my sister in law sent me a link to a website, http://dog-shaming.com/. It is hilarious!  What's really funny about it is that any one of the pictures could be of my dog, Jack.  He is a one year old boxer/german shepherd mix.  He weighs upwards of 60 pounds, and he has had a very busy year in my house.  In case you haven't seen the website, it shows things like a sweet looking dog surrounded by what's left of a nice sofa or a puppy next to a note that says "I just ate an entire lobster dinner."

Here's the thing, though, I realize that all of the photos should have an owner-shaming photo with them.  Someone actually left a destructive dog alone with valuables.  I know because I've done it, many, many times.  I'm not sure why I think he won't get anything off the counter, table, couch, etc.  Just this afternoon, after I started composing this latte in my head, Jack took a library book off of the dining room table and had a snack on the corners.  Mary Jane was not happy, and I'm going to have to talk to the school librarian in the morning.

So here it is for all to see.  Take this as a warning if you are thinking of getting a puppy.  House breaking is easy, chewing habits are not. And puppies get big, really quickly.  Here is a list of things that our puppy has destroyed, it is not a complete list because some things are just too hard to put in writing:

My Dog and Owner Shaming List

• A full wedge of brie cheese
• One pair of really nice Chaco flip flops (I replaced them today after 6 weeks in a cheap pair)
• Part of our couch
• Most of the screen from our porch
• Mason's teddy bear's eyes (that led to a not fun trip of button shopping for replacements)
• Too many of Mary Jane's shoes to count
• Socks - we know this because of what we've seen in our backyard
• Many, many tupperware containers
• A babysitter's cell phone (surprisingly, she came back!)

As I'm writing this, I'm watching him try to get a cord out from under the TV stand.  I keep thinking he will calm down soon or our grumpy 6 year old dog will whip him into shape.  Still, he curls up next to me when I'm going to sleep and I'm pretty sure he's the most effective security system we will ever have.  

Beware of puppies, babies are lots of work, but they ease into it.  Puppies will chew anything they can from day one, and "free" puppies might end up costing close to $1000 within the first year - at least if you go to the humane society, the puppy will come with a set of vaccinations.  Still, we are a household of dog people and the house would seem empty without them.

A Decade of Lattes

10 years ago I was still in my twenties (barely), I was still close to being a newlywed (married less than 2 years), I did not yet have a fancy coffee habit, and 10 years ago today I became a mom.  Like all parents I guess, my life now has 2 distinct parts - before kids and after.  Ten years is an entire lifetime to my son, but to me it has been a blink of an eye, a blur of milestones, birthdays, love and war with sisters, and, more recently, taking a backseat as friends become more important than mommy.

In another 10 years all of my kids will be driving (yikes!), and 2 will probably be in college.  I might be ordering more than one latte when we take a family trip to Starbucks, but I'm getting ahead of myself.  Right now I'll just take a moment to reflect on the last 10 years.  It hasn't always been pretty, and nothing, not even the many baby classes I dragged my husband to at the hospital really prepared me for most of it.

I've learned something new every day about myself and my kids during 10 years of parenthood.  It's not going to get any easier, but there is never a dull moment and I look forward to another decade of lattes.

A Celebration Latte

Rob and I have now celebrated 23 birthdays with and for our 3 kids, #24 will come in July.  At least half of those celebrations have been in the form of parties in our house and yard.  Once again, we have survived another May Madness - Mary Jane's party was last Friday night and Charlotte's was on Saturday. The birthday girls loved every minute.  6 year olds ran screaming around the front yard in their pajamas for Mary Jane's "almost a slumber party" and Charlotte and her friends had a great time rock climbing at an indoor climbing gym followed by pizza and cake at a restaurant that apparently was the meeting spot for every soccer team in the Greater Atlanta area.  Like I said, we survived.

I will admit that the first couple of parties for the kids were really my parties.  Mason's first birthday party started just in time for him to look at his cake and then go to bed.  The celebratory cookout lasted well into the evening.  Now, I am just a party planner - I send out the Evite and provide the food, often a chick-fil-a platter. This year Mary Jane asked me to bake her cake - it wasn't as good as a cake from Publix, but it had sprinkles so no one seemed to notice the taste.  Charlotte originally wanted a slumber party, but I just couldn't get my head around the idea of 8 girls spending the night.

I have found that the key to survival of kid parties is not to start planning too soon.  Friendships, themes, favorite toys can change in an instant.  Also, I'm not very good at planning ahead - my kids have learned to accept that fact.  Paying teenagers to come over and paint nails works 2 years in a row for very girly little girls, and I refuse to hand out goody bags.  Mary Jane's friends each got a new book and Charlotte gave out $5 gift cards to Barnes & Nobel as party favors.  As much as the parties stress me out, I will be sad when the kids give them up.  Until then, I'll keep trying to come up with new ideas that involve old decorations.  Maybe I'll even plan a party for myself, I've got a big birthday coming up in October.

A Latte of Stuff

42.  That's the number of coats, jackets, and vests I counted in our hall closet this morning.  I added 4 more this afternoon.  All for our family of 5.  And we live in Atlanta, it doesn't get that cold here.  This is just an example of the amount of stuff we have around here.

In the last several months, we have come close to finishing our basement renovation/completion.  The result is that we all moved to new rooms with new closets.  That means that I got to empty the contents of every closet and storage space in this house.  The capacity of children to squirrel away little items is amazing.  I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of happy meal prizes, game pieces, legos, lite brite pieces, pokemon cards, stuffed animals, barbies, and more legos - just to name a few.  I have consigned things, given them away, packed them away, and filled many trash bags.  And yet, we still have over 42 things hanging in the hall closet.

Here's my latte of stuff - wait.  I know it's easy to buy that one small item or let small kids bring home a random freebie from a store.  Don't even get me started on the goody bags from birthday parties.  But just wait before you say yes to that small purchase.  The items that seem so insignificant will soon fill entire drawers or storage bins.  Save yourself the sorting hassle, tell your kids that they actually will be able to live without one more Bakugan, My Little Pony, or whatever the toy of the moment is.  Instead save your money for a venti soy chai, or whatever latte you prefer.

An Easter Latte

I really want the picture, you know the one, kids all groomed in beautiful new clothes for church on Easter Sunday, Mom and Dad who don't look exhausted or frazzled. I know it sounds superficial, it's a picture that I've seen many times today on Facebook. But that is just not the reality of Easter for my crew. For one thing, our puppy ate Charlotte's new Easter sandals about 5 minutes after I got them out of the box, and Mason can't stand to wear anything with a collar. I also find that church with my whole family on Easter turns out to be a long and crowded event with kids who had too much sugar before 9:00 in the morning thanks to the Easter Bunny.

The perfect Easter picture didn't happen today, but that is alright. Instead of getting everyone fixed up for church, Rob and I walked to an outdoor 7:15 service at our church while the kids woke up to check out their Easter baskets with Grandma and Grandpa. They waited till we got home to hunt for eggs in the yard. We went out for breakfast and then had a family trip to the park on an amazingly beautiful day. We then spent the rest of the day at home, kids played with friends while Rob & I did a few more house projects (a latte of stuff is coming soon).

Next year I'll try again for the picture. We now know not to leave new sandasl unattended. But if it doesn't happen that will be ok. I feel pretty good about the quality of Easter we had at our crazy house, and today, I didn't even have a latte. Happy Easter.

Another Birthday Latte

Tomorrow is my birthday. In this post-Facebook era, hundreds of people will be informed somewhere on their home page to be sure to wish me a Happy Birthday. I just looked at my credit card bill and apparently I have already treated myself to a few birthday goodies. Next year is a big birthday, one that ends in a zero, I informed my husband months ago that we will be having a huge party for that one.

Tomorrow is just another day. Or so I would like to pretend, but with 3 kids, it's impossible to downplay a birthday. We will have candles and cake, I'll get some homemade cards and I'm using it as an excuse not to cook all week (I never really cook anyway). My kids will be excited and I guess that's what matters. And me, I'm meeting a friend for a birthday latte. With the week I'm having, that's all I really need to make it a great day. Next year we'll really celebrate a birthday.

A Roadtrip Latte

We're a roadtrip kind of family. Mary Jane is 5 and she has never been on an airplane, but she has been to New York, Chicago, South Florida just to name a few places. Last weekend, for Labor Day, we once again piled in the car for a trip to my husband's hometown for the annual Melon Festival. We're a little more comfortable than we were on the drive a year ago since we now have the comfort of a third row in our new car. Of course, we had to put all of our luggage in the top carrier since our dog and pet rabbit made the trip with us.

The drive up was fairly uneventful (for an 11 1/2 hour journey), the kids ate snacks, played with the animals, and watched lots of movies. We had a nice weekend. We spent too much money on carnival games, saw some of Rob's old friends, and even took a trip to an indoor water park - not my idea of fun, but sometimes that doesn't matter. The drive home (3 days later) was looong - 14 hours. We haven't seen rain in months, but we saw plenty of it while driving through Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia. All that rain got everyone thinking about water, and so there were lots of bathroom stops along the way.

This latte came to me around hour 12 when we stopped for dinner at chick-fil-a and heard lots of chatter about the tornadoes which had just passed through town. Don't worry about little things while on a road trip. If you and your kids eat nothing but fast food for a day, you will survive. But, take my word for this, while a latte or two on the road is great, be sure to watch everyone's liquid intake for the day.

A Back to School Latte

We survived. We made it through the first week of kindergarten, second and fourth grades. The kids have great teachers and at least a few friends in their classes. Getting up early, long days, keeping up with assignments - it's wearing me out, I can't imagine how the kids must feel. A new school year and new routine is a big adjustment for all of us.

I have to admit that I don't hate having a little time to myself each day. Apparently I'm not the only one. When I went for a post-drop off jog on the second day of school, I ran into at least half a dozen other moms either out for a walk, jog, or just enjoying a latte at Starbucks (yes, my jogging route ends up there, I use the walk home to enjoy my iced soy latte).

As the weeks wear on, we seem to be falling into a routine. Mornings aren't fun, but we're making it work, and we seem to be getting homework done in a timely manner. Mary Jane's teacher has only called me twice (so far) to tell me that there are some issues keeping Bunny put away. Bunny has stayed home from school the last few days. Gymnastics, karate, and yoga will start soon, and preschool starts tomorrow - I'm now a parapro in the 2 year old class.

I'm sure another year will go by too quickly, but I plan to find some time to catch up on writing

lattes. My back to school latte is this - pack a water bottle in each child's backpack, and find out what type of latte to bring the teacher on occasion. She deserves it!

A Birthday Latte

Birthdays always make me cry. Not my own of course, I'm already planning a big party for my 40th next year. It's my kids birthdays that get to me. If I slow down to take in the moment when we sing happy birthday to one of them, I'll tear up despite the chaos of lots of not so little kids excited about yet another birthday party. Since my girls' birthdays are only 3 days apart in May, we always have a big party weekend during which we get all of our celebrating done. Mason always feels a little left out of all of this since his birthday isn't till July. Here is the result, he starts planning 2 months in advance. By the time we finished our family celebration last night (with another krispy kreme doughnut cake), I was ready for Mason's 9th birthday-palloza to come to an end. I get it, my first-born is growing up.

Earlier this summer (yes, I realize that my last blog was spring-break), we went to Chicago. While there, we took the kids to Navy Pier and to the Children's Museum there. It's possible that it was our last visit to a Children's Museum, Mason was too old for many of the activities and quickly bored by others. I also felt like my kids were among the some of the older ones playing in the children's area at the Botanical Gardens last week. I felt a little bit of longing for simpler times as I watched the young moms chasing their 2 and 3 year old children around. Not that I want to go back, but at 5, 7, and 9, my kids are no longer babies by any measure.

It's all changing as it does every year. My kids have strong opinions which is good, I guess, and it keeps me on my toes. Still, watching them grow-up is bittersweet. There are times when I'm no longer their favorite person, and they don't need my help the same way they once did - not that I wish they still needed me to dress, change, and feed them, but at times I wish they would let me put them in the clothes I pick out. I guess that for now, I'll just keep drinking my venti, soy, iced lattes from Starbucks and try to enjoy each day - even the frustrating ones.