plum

guilt trips

{an Emerson original, Square1 Art fundraiser}

~~~

Let's see.  There was the book fair and ice cream social, the All For Books drive, Smencils, BoxTops, Giant Market enrollment and Square1Art.  Then there was classroom supplies {snacks, tissues} and class pictures and Trunk or Treat.  And then next week it's the visiting author with autographed books, soon to be followed by the Frosty Fest Holiday basket. 

You guys, first grade is breaking the bank! 

Am I the only one overwhelmed by the number of emails and worksheets and information that comes home for school fundraising?  Holy crap it's a lot of stuff and we're only at Day 40!  Here, again, is an aspect of Elementary school I hadn't expected.  It's like a full time job keeping up with all the due dates and goings-on.  And this doesn't even begin to take into account all the extracurricular activities and meetings.  We've managed to get to the first two PTA meetings and Back-to-School night and Welcome Back event, but missed the Odyssey of the Mind talk.  Dang!  Tonight includes a Go Math! meeting which will cover our districts newly adopted math curriculum {side note:  I like the word curriculum.  curriculum.  That's a good scrabble word}. 

And I can't be the only one zapped by pangs of guilty if I even think about not participating in every single opportunity to raise money for our school.  But seriously, it's a lot!  Next week I'll be jotting down some thoughts on education formed by an interesting read I just finished.  It touches on this very topic, though briefly, with some statistics and results while posing the notion that if parents spent as much time and effort as they do in PTA and fundraising activities as they do in simply talking with their kids about worldly news or what's happening at school or {gasp!} reading with their kids, the payoff is so much more.  Interesting.

 

 

boo {hoo?}

My kid's school cancelled Halloween.  Kind of.

The story broke earlier this month and was even picked up by Huff Post.  I won't weigh in on the whole school/religion debate.  My stance on such matters has always been: to each their own.  But as it turned out, the district didn't exactly cancel Halloween.  More so, it cancelled the typical "during school hours" festivities.  I actually enjoyed Bridle Path's new and improved version of Halloween.  Families crashed the school one Friday night and the kids got more sugary loot than any dentist would dare dream.  In the new format, we enjoyed Emerson's school event as a family and we all know how much Baby Bear loves hanging out with sister. 

Halloween offers another change this year.  No snow storm {2011} and no Hurricane {2012} in sight!  If Mother Nature wants to throw a heat wave in the mix this year, I won't mind a bit.

trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something...  :)

 

Tell me, do you consider Halloween a religious event?

 

Winter To Do

 

More than New Year's Resolutions, it's a Winter Sanity List that I annually tic off.  Call it winter blues or seasonal depression or whatever, the bottom line is cold weather sucks.  I'm sorry but a fading sun at 4:00 and darkness by 5:00 is a form of torture.  To distract myself from winter blah, I try to keep busy with a list.  I'm embarrassed to say that  my to do list STILL includes finishing Eme's big kid room refurbish and now overhauling Max's space takes a spot {though he doesn't seem to mind the mattress/box spring on the floor...}.  But my winter list also includes something new: power tools. 

Jenny Komenda at Little Green Notebook is my decorating idol.  I love her eye and ideas.  Not all of us can install an absolutely breathtaking chevron floor with our own two hands {holy wow!}, but she's inspired me to take advantage of the entire workshop of tools in my own backyard.  I've been known to ask {annoy?} Billy Webb with various decorating requests and, understandably, he's not always keen.  My latest greatest plan is to upgrade our fireplace mantel and maybe install wall paneling.  No surprise, the mister doesn't share my enthusiasm, but you know what?  I'm smart.  I like to do stuff.  Why not just do it myself?!?  Brilliant, right?  

So, once our bathroom project wraps up, you'll find me behind a pair of goggles blasting a nail gun.  We all have our limits, it's true, so my maneuvering a table saw may not be smart, but a chopsaw...  Yeah, buddy! 

Do toolbelts come in chartreuse?  :)

 

 

 

thankful

{Billy Webb rainbow looms}

~~~ 

This was a weekend for us.  My little family of four.  We did nothing special and nearly everything united.  It was one of those times when two little monkeys played nice all weekend long.  It was one of those times when a perfect mix of local outings ~Friday school ice cream social, Saturday pumpkin carving party and Sunday fall festivities at the farm ~ was partnered with hours of homegrown play.  The stars aligned.  Even folding laundry wasn't too bad.  :)  So, as corny as it sounds, I'm feeling especially thankful today for the health and warmth of family and I write it here to remember. 

Don't you love it when a nothing special weekend turns into the most special weekend of all?

 

 

 

Parenting 101: the dark

1:00, 1:34, 2:04, 3:00, 4:17

These were the ungodly times my dear sweet children interrupted my sleep last night.  Each occurrence gave me just enough time to barely fall back asleep .  I guess I shouldn't have been surprised by the interruptions.  Emerson had given me a clue at bedtime. 

Like every night, once we finished reading books and turned off the lights I asked, "Is everything ok?  Anything you want to talk about?".  This time she did.  "Mommy, I have something to tell you," she whispered.  "I'm afraid of the dark."

Both of my kids' rooms are equipped with night lights and dream lights so I can hardly call them dark, but nonetheless the dim of night is scaring them.  A few weeks ago, I added a 2nd nightlight to Baby Bear's room and last night Daddy turned on Emerson's lava lamp for added glow.  You might think that would have worked.  Nope.  After multiple wakings from 1:00-3:00, I decided it was too bright in Emerson's room {it was like a tanning bed!} that she'd never get back to sleep.  So, I killed the lava lamp {against much pleading and protesting from her at 2:30 in the morning} and added a rainbow nightlight instead and then laid down beside her in bed.  About 30 minutes later, I was roused by an elbow to the head and snuck back to my room, hopeful for a final resting place.  Sure enough, like clockwork 45 minutes later scared kid #2 bumbles in.  "Mommy, my room is too dark."

Oh for the love of sleep!!!

I did what any concerned, compassionate Mother would do.  I rolled over and elbowed Billy Webb. 

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

{Do tell.  How do you get rid of bumps in the night?}

 

 

 

Boy/08

 

These days it's smiles and laughs from the moment your toes touch the ground to the minute your head hits the pillow.

This is you now.

"a, b, c, d...  I'm reading!  I'm reading like seester!", riding your big wheel, buckling your carseat, zipping your jacket, too.  "I can do it" is the way.  You're growing so fast with a spring in your step each day.  Sneaking jelly beans, hiding in your room, "do something funny, Daddy.".  I love every silly part of you Baby Bear.  May you always stay sweet and true.  "My friends don't listen.  I'm the only one that listens in school."   :)

 

 

 

Boy/07

 

Remember when Britney Spears inexplicably drove down a California freeway with her infant son bobbling on her lap? {cuckoo}  Yeah, this is nothing like that.  Max is three-and-a-half and he's steering. 

 

#inlieuofagokart   #experienceddriversonly 

  

  

 

Little Speak

 

 

 

 

 

Do I get a toy if I fart?

_{~ Max, 3 1/2. His potty training rules/rewards clarification while seated on the throne.} 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annual Outing

 

Mother Nature, all is forgiven.

For every rainy summer day, you've matched and raised with autumn glory.  Holy smokes has Fall been nice!  Every single weekend 70 degree temps and sunny skies.  Yes, all good things must come to an end, but please, PLEASE don't rain on Saturday.  All our face paint will be washed away!

Speaking of showers, our annual October birthday outing {Mimi & Pip} has never required slickers.  This year we strolled Center City's shops and square under gorgeous skies.  Miss Pip had the best time with a frog and Aunt Lesa a-l-m-0-s-t squeaked out a day with no purchases until that fateful plaid at Barney's. 

We topped our perfect afternoon with a perfect spot of tea.

Happy Birthday Mimi!

^^ birthday girls ^^

 I love this little girl!


 

  

Brass for the win

 

Who else loves it when a design plan comes together? 

To mix or not to mix.  This was my latest dilemma and contributing factor in my vanity hardware indecisiveness.  I've never been a fan of commingling metals, but all of a sudden I changed my mind.  Chrome towel fixtures and plumbing with brass lighting and hardware??  What if...

My decision did not come without counsel.  The twin and I agreed I would be the guinea pig {she's refurbishing a bathroom, too}, so I pulled the trigger on nothing but brass.  Once all my possible choices rolled in, I knew I done good.  I lurve how the shiny brass compliments the creamy dark grey paint.  But my light bulb moment actually came a few days earlier when I had painted the bathroom window and was forced to use one of Little Green Notebook's brilliant DIY's: the paint pen.  At the time, Billy Webb had declared his non-interest in removing and stripping the window hardware {curses!}, so I was left to my own resources and decided to try LGN's trick.  One quick trip to AC Moore and one gold paint pen later, eureka!  It work liked a charm and it was then that I declared my love of the gray/brass color combo. 

Won't she look so pretty with a finish coat of paint and all the necessary accessories?!?

 

In other news, how amazing is my Billy Webb?  If anyone in the tri-state area wants to pay $1,000,000 for a bathroom redo.  I'll pimp him out. 

Love you, dear!