03Aug
I have sat down to blog for three days now and been stumped. You know in cartoons when a bunch of people try to fit through a doorway, but they all get stuck because they try to go through at the same time? Well, that’s been my brain lately. There is just so much stuff going on that when I sit down to try and let some of it out, it all gets bottled up and nothing comes. So today, I thought I’d just let it all out a little at a time, very slowly.
1. My 10-year high school reunion is this weekend. We’re heading up to our hometown of Gulf Breeze, Florida to drop the kids with my mother-in-law. She’s going to keep them all weekend while Chris and I stay out on the beach at a condo for a little getaway. The events of the reunion will be out there, plus there’s the beach. So the kids will get a mini-vacay with their Grandmomma (who spoils them rotten!) and Chris and I will get a mini-vacay by the beach with friends. I am so excited!
2. The only thing keeping me from enjoying this weekend 100% is that this also happens to be the only free weekend we’ve had in a few months to work on the new house. Next week we are painting through Wednesday, then the new carpet goes in on Thursday and Friday. And we’re moving on Saturday and Sunday. Oh, and I start work again on Monday. It’s a busy, busy time and not the best planning to be out of town. But, somehow we’ll make it work.
3. Speaking of paint. We are trying to get the house painted on the inside before the carpet goes in, but it doesn’t look like that is going to happen. Picking paint has been a bit of a nightmare. For one thing, we just haven’t had any time. And when we do have time, we have the kids with us, so we’re rushing before they get bored and fussy. Finally, Chris and I decided last night that it is better not to rush and to pick the exact colors we want and just paint carefully after the carpet is in, rather than hastily choosing paint we’re going to be stuck with. Yesterday though, we did spend some time at the new house painting ceilings (so not fun…) and looking at paint samples we’d painted on the walls. I think we might have found our bedroom colors. We’re using that sand color in our bedroom with white trim and that steel bluish color in our bathroom with white trim. We found bathroom tile that uses both of those colors and we’re thinking about putting that in the bathroom to bring both the colors in.
4. I usually love having my kids around no matter what we’re doing. But having them around while painting and moving into a new house is sort of a pain. Most of the time, we only get to work on the new house in the evenings after Chris works, so that means we load up a bunch of stuff to keep the kids entertained at the new house, get to the new house, and only have about half an hour where everyone is happy. Usually then, someone starts to lose it and I spend the rest of the time there taking care of the kids (who are whiny and cranky because it’s bedtime) while Chris has to work on the house by himself. Nobody is happy and it becomes a rushed, hectic event. Not fun at all.
5. I have been out of work for almost five months. If you remember, it was about this time when we first moved down to Florida and I was staying home that I started to go stir crazy. Well, it’s happening again. I love my children and I wouldn’t trade one minute of the time I’ve had home with them, but I am not made to stay at home. I just don’t enjoy it at all, so I get snippy and irritable. That makes everyone else snippy and irritable, too. It’s just a mess around here now. There’s so much going on, and yet we can’t do a lot of it yet. So, I am with the kids all day feeling like nothing is getting done. I’m counting the days until we’re in our new house, I’m working again, and the kids are back in daycare. Which, coincidentally, all happens on the same day!
6. I have a pimple. I haven’t had a pimple in 100 years and now, the week of my reunion, I have a pimple. It really does feel like high school all over again.
7. I have so many appointments that I was supposed to make over the summer and now it’s almost the week before school starts and I am trying to frantically get in to the hair salon, the doctor’s office, and the pediatrician. Way to go, Katie.
8. I am now an official consultant for 31 Gifts. YAY! That means a few things for you guys: a) You can buy 31 Gift bags and accessories through me directly (I’ll have a website for that soon). b) There will be some awesome reviews as I try new products and want to share them with you. Kind of like how I shared about my diaper bag. c) There will be some SUPER FUN 31 Gift giveaways coming soon!
There. I think that’s everything. I feel better already. Thanks, guys!
12Jul
(I stole this post idea from my friend Whitney at The Glamorous Life of a Housewife. Thanks, Whitney!)
Tell me about the shirt you’re wearing?
It is coral, turquoise, and chocolate brown. It’s flowy and has ruffles on the shoulders.
What’s currently bothering you?
We are closing on our house on Monday and we’re still getting paperwork and things together for our mortgage. It isn’t bothering me, really, but it certainly is on my mind.
What do you currently hear?
A TV in the living room and our hard drives humming next to me.Â
When was the last time you had your hair cut?
It’s been so long that I don’t even remember. But seeing my sister’s super cute haircut this weekend has made me think that it might be time to cut off all my hair again. I do that once a year, then cry because I look terrible with short hair. It’s a tradition.
When were you last outside?
About an hour ago when I stood in our front yard talking to a neighbor. Earlier today I was outside calling Lucy because I thought she had gotten out and my neighbor came over to see if I’d found her. I did. She was laying under a pile of laundry.Â
Are you wearing shorts?
Yep. Long ones. Like an old lady.
Does the thought of marriage scare you?
Nope. But I bet it scares my husband.
What did you do today?
I woke up early and got the kids ready for our first day of Vacation Bible School. The kids are a little too young for VBS, but they’ll hang out in the church nursery (one of Bean’s favorite places these days) while I volunteer. I was so excited. Then I got to church and discovered that VBS starts NEXT week. But I found a group of women who were helping decorate for it, so I stayed and helped for a few hours. Then, I took the kids to Target to do some grocery shopping. Came home, had lunch, put everyone down for naps, blogged, did a load of laundry, everyone woke up from naps, cooked dinner, served dinner, cleaned the kitchen while Chris did Bean’s bath and bedtime, and now I’m blogging again. Whew!
Look to your left, what is there?
A binder of notes and homework for an online class I’m taking for my teaching certificate, a pile of Bean’s art work from daycare that I’m thinking about doing a project with, and a tablecloth that I’m using to pick paint colors for my new kitchen.
What time did you go to sleep last night?
Around midnight
When is your Birthday?
December 2
The way to win your heart?
Make me laugh (which is not hard to do)
What are you going​ to do this weeke​nd?
Hopefully run around my big, empty, new house! (Even though we won’t move in until August)
Were you happy when you woke up today?
Yes, but very tired
Have you ever crawled through a window?
Yep. One time when we were in grad school, Chris and I sat out on our back porch drinking too many beers in the snow and a few hours later we realized we’d locked ourselves out of our house. Chris tossed me into our living room through the window. That memory makes me smile.
Would you ever donate blood?
I’d love to, but every time I try, I pass out cold.Â
Has anyone ever mistaken you for a family member?
People confuse me and my sister in pictures a lot if we have our hair pulled back. And me, my sister, and my mom all sound identical on the phone, so that confuses people, too.
Do you have reason to smile right now?
I had a GREAT day with the kids today. Everyone was in a good mood, we had lots to do, and we had fun! That makes me smile. 
What do you do when you’re stressed out?
Write or sit and stare or pick fights.Â
Would you honestly say you’d risk your life for someone else?
Absolutely. Wouldn’t you?
Do you open up to people easily?
I open up a lot more about what is going on with my life than how I feel about what’s going on with my life. It’s a very small difference, but an important one.Â
Has anyone upset you in the last week?
Yes. But it wasn’t their fault. And I got over it pretty quickly.
What is the last pill you swallowed?
I can’t remember, but I’m sure it was a Tylenol. That’s just about the only thing I take.
What was the first thing you thought this morning?
Why didn’t Chris wake me up when he got up? Now I’m going to be late!
Who do you blame for your bad mood today?
I’m not in a bad mood
Where is the person you like right now?
Standing right next to me asking me when Gracie needs to eat again because she’s getting fussy.
What was the first thing you did this morning?
Got dressed before the kids woke up
Do you care of what people think of you?
Sure, but more so just to make me aware of my actions (am I nice? hurtful? considerate?).
Who was the last person you took a picture with?
By myself for this post
What are you looking forward to right now?
Being in our new house and starting school again. I miss teaching.
Do you miss someo​ne?
My sister and John Michael
Does your crush like you?
Most days
If you could go back in time and change something would you?
Yep. I would never have gotten my masters degree. I don’t use it and my student loans hang over my head every month when we pay bills. It was a big mistake that I made because of my ego.
Do you hate smokers?
Nope. Some of our closest friends are smokers. But I don’t like to be around smoking, especially when my kids are with me.
Ever had a near death experience?
Not that I can remember (and you probably don’t forget those)
Something you do a lot?
I wear my hair in a ponytail every day.
Last person you cried in front of?
I think it was on the phone with my seester.
Have you ever been to a tanning bed?
Yes. I went a few times in college, but decided it wasn’t worth the risk with my fair skin.
Does anyone hate you for no reason?
I hope not!
Have you ever kissed someone whose name starts with the letter J?
I’ve kissed my Aunt Joan hello and goodbye? Does that count?
What are you stressed out about?
Buying a house, paying for daycare, what I’m going to wear to my 10 year high school reunion in August…you know, the usual
What was your favourite grade?
Want to know a weird secret? I can’t remember anything before grad school! Isn’t that awful? I remember people, but not events. I know I had a great time in high school, but I can’t remember hardly any of it.Â
When is the next time you’ll see your best friend(s)?
I’ll see Sarah when she comes back from Michigan in August and I don’t know when I’ll see Emily again. She’s in California and our visits are sometimes years apart. So sad.
Favourite number?
I don’t think I have one now that I think about it
Ever been in love?
Yep
Are you wearing make-up?
Mascara and chapstick
What were you doing at 11:30 last night?
Taking a shower. I shower at night because it’s easier with the kiddies.
What’s the last thing you said and to who?
“Did you just toot?” to Gracie who is sitting beside me in her Bumbo seat at the moment
Do you sleep on your stomach?
Yes, and flat on my back. And sometimes on my side. I toss and turn a lot.
What do you hear?
Gracie gurgling and a TV that Chris has turned on in the living room
Are you ticklish?
Yes, but don’t ever tickle me. You will get hurt.
Last time you saw fireworks, with who & where?
In my back yard, with Chris, on the 4th of July
Hey guys! A few weeks ago, bodycology sent me their latest products to review, the Rich and Creamy Body Wash and Lotion. It’s like a spa in a bottle and I am officially addicted. Head on over to my MC Reviews website today and enter to win an awesome bodycology Gift Basket!
Also, if you’re in the do-good state of mind today, I’d love to ask for your help for a friend of mine from church. Her daughter has just been diagnosed with Rett Disease, a rare neurological disorder that means she will be dependent on her parents for the rest of her life. This is such a sweet family and a diagnosis like this is beyond belief. But, true to form, they are rallying around their daughter and are looking for ways they can make her life a little easier. And there’s actually something YOU can do to help them! The International Rett Syndrome Foundation has entered to win a charity contest sponsored by the Vivint Gives Back Project.
Here’s how it works:
1. Go to the Vivint Gives Back Project page on Facebook by clicking here.
2. Then, head over to the Vivint Gives Back Project homepage by clicking here.
3. Next, scroll down the page until you see the list of charities you can vote for. If you’re so inclined to help a sweet family that you don’t know, choose charity #4 – the International Rett Syndrome Foundation.
4. Once you read a little about the disease and the foundation, scroll to the bottom of that page and click VOTE. (My picture is gray and says “Voted,” but yours will be orange and will say “Vote.”)
5. Finally, be sure to publish your vote to your Facebook page so that you can encourage your friends and family to go vote for the International Rett Syndrome Foundation.
Thanks so much for your help! The Rett Foundation is so close to finding a cure for this disease and with your help, that might be possible in my sweet, little friend’s lifetime.
Now, you all have done your good deed for the day. Class dismissed!
13Apr
One time when he was in grad school, Chris was working on this show that was designed by Maurice Sendak (author of Where the Wild Things Are). This show had a woman dressed in a giant chicken costume who was flying over the stage. Chris was the one who was controlling her from backstage and he was supposed to land her on certain parts of the set throughout the show. There was a video camera set up out front with a monitor that he could see backstage and so he guided her around the stage using that camera. About 10 minutes into the show, one of the curtains knocked the camera down, leaving Chris blind backstage with a flying chicken in his hands. Having no other option because he couldn’t see anything, the giant chicken couldn’t land so instead she just hung over the stage for the first act, swinging back and forth in the breeze of the theater.
****
Our first year of marriage, Chris and I were living in New Haven, Connecticut while he attended grad school. Being from Florida, we had never experienced a real winter before and weren’t prepared when it hit us all of a sudden. In October. One night, we went out drinking at a bar with friends. While we were in the bar, the snow started coming down and the sidewalks froze over. It was after midnight when we finally decided to head home and we were…well…we’d been over served. As we were inexperienced in the ways of walking (drunk) on ice, we took one step out of the bar and instantly I fell, bringing Chris down with me. We proceeded to walk the 20 minute walk home while falling all over the sidewalks, laughing hysterically the whole time. When we woke up the next morning, we were both covered in bruises, but neither of us could remember how we’d gotten them.
****
One time when we were in high school, Chris and I were out on a jetski one Saturday afternoon and we got into a fight about something. I can’t remember what. So, we’re fighting while sitting on a jetski together in the middle of the bay and Chris gets this brilliant idea. Throwing me off the jetski will DEFINITELY make the situation better. So, without warning, in the middle of the fight, he revs up the jetski and takes off, sending me flying off the back and into the water. When he pulled the jetski around to pick me up, he was actually shocked to find me even angrier.
****
For our first Valentine’s Day as a married couple, Chris gave me Tupperware. And then I cried. He hasn’t given me a Valentine’s present since. It’s been six years.
****
When Chris was in college, he lived with two other guys. Tray, who was a big black guy about twice Chris’s size, and Joe. Chris and Tray were big party people. They liked to drink, to throw parties, and to make sure everyone around them had as much fun as they did. Which was usually a lot. Joe, on the other hand, was not a party guy. Joe was in school on a full National Merit scholarship. He studied for fun. He could tell you anything about the American legal system. He hid chocolate under his bed. And yet, somehow, the three of them became incredibly good friends. In fact, both Tray and Joe were groomsmen years later in our wedding. One night, Joe came to Chris and Tray and told them that he needed to tell them something. He was gay. (Years later, he told us that he worried Chris and Tray would ask him to move out and that just broke my heart.) Chris and Tray listened, told Joe that that didn’t change their friendship, and Joe felt instant relief. Later that night, Joe went out for something and when he came home, he found that Chris and Tray had painted his bedroom door hot pink. Like, bubble gum pink. Barbie pink. HOT PINK. Joe came to visit us last month and we laughed about this story over dinner. “You know,” Joe said. “When I saw my door, I knew that Chris and Tray really were okay with me just how I was. It was their way of showing their support. Of lightening the situation. That’s friendship.”
****
Chris grew up with a group of four best guy friends from back home – Justin, Robert, Gary, and Brett. The first year we were married, Chris got a call from Robert’s sister. Robert had died unexpectedly in the night. I sat with Chris while he called the other boys and told them the news. It was the hardest, saddest thing I’ve ever seen in my whole life. I hurt for him. For Robert. For all of them. A few months later, we all went home for Christmas. Normally, this would have been when all the boys got together but this year, one was missing. One afternoon before their annual guy’s Christmas party, we all loaded up in cars and drove out to the military base where Robert had been buried. They wanted to kick off the night with their friend. But when we got to the cemetery, it became very clear that no one knew where Robert had actually been buried. They’d all been to the funeral, of course, but they hadn’t focused on where they were at the time and looking around now, everything looked the same. Rows and rows of burial plots with simple white crosses. Where, oh, where was Robert? We started out the search in a somber, sober, quiet way, each of us reflecting on Robert’s life. But half an hour later, we were yelling to each other across the cemetery, “IS HE OVER THERE? HE’S NOT OVER HERE!” “NOPE, HE’S NOT OVER HERE, EITHER!” We were laughing and cursing and actually having a good time. By the time we found Robert’s site, we were happy and smiling. It felt strange, but it also felt appropriate. Robert would have hated the serious. That one trip set the tone for all our next visits to Robert. We all go every year together at Christmas and it’s such a happy, joyful time together as we stand there with Robert, talking not about his death, but about his life. And I think Robert would love that.
****
Last week, Gracie was having a little bit of a rough night. She woke up and had a bottle, but couldn’t get back to sleep. I thought maybe it was gas bubbles, but that didn’t seem to be it. Chris was awake with me, trying to figure out what was bothering her. After swaddling her, rocking her, burping her, and everything else I could think of, I laid her in her bassinet and threw my hands up in defeat. Chris kissed my cheek and got up to take over for a while. When he looked into the bassinet, this look of complete horror filled his face. “IS THIS YOUR SWADDLE???” he bellowed. “IS THAT THE BEST YOU CAN SWADDLE???” And with that, he picked up Gracie and swaddled her until she was like a little mummy. Instantly, she fell right asleep. As we laid in the quiet dark next to each other, I started giggling. “Did you just ask me if that was the best I can swaddle?” I laughed. And then he laughed. And then we fell asleep.
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