Smattered Thoughts

Ever feel like you're a windshield being hit with the bugs flying by? Here's a smatter of happenings in the last week.

First. I forgot my therapist appointment last week! Ooooops. With everything going on with Pam and cooking for the family and Easter I just got wrapped up in life.

Thing is, I'm sorta feeling done with therapy for now. The last session felt, empty. Yeah, that's the best word I can find. Just felt like I was talking and wasting poor Ann's time to chat about nothing really important or groundbreaking. My soul is settled or at least calmed. There will be another earthquake one day, but until then I'm ok. Only problem now is the $75 charge for missing the appt....like I said, oooops.
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I'm feeling for a friend right now with a fussy, fussy infant. She and her husband have tried everything to no avail. She is tired, frustrated, sleep deprived, and lost on what the next step is. It's in the tired moments that we have the funniest conversations though.

Her, 'The baby likes vibration, to bad they don't make something to vibrate the crib.'...Me, ''WAIT, I have something like that!'''.....run upstairs and rummage through drawers to find First Years matress vibrator....''Here ya go, oh darn it, it's broken!''....I start laughing....''Do you think a vibrator would work? That might be a little too much action for V though.'' You have to admit it's worth a try! Deperate mommies on the edge will be resourceful.
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I planted the vegetable garden last week with Nora and Andrew. This mommy is determined to teach Nora things without it being torture, so planting was a great nature lesson. It a lady bug....Nora ''Ahhhhhh! It's on my hand.'' Me, rolling my eyes at the drama.

Next stage, cleaning up the area and moving the broken bird bath. Ewwwwwww! Termite colony under the concrete. Nora, ''Loooook ants! Get them, get them!!''...

Me, getting the Ant and Roach spray.(Completely annilated the colony btw.)...Nora, ''Squirt that one! There's another one!''...OK, excitement over termites, scared of lady bug?

Time to till up the soil. Look, there's a worm...Nora, ''Let me see, wow he's wiggly. I pick him up mommy?'' Uhhh, sure. 'hehehe, he's all slimy and ewwwwwy.''

At this point I was baffled. Ladybug is bad, termites are exciting, and holding a worm is the icing on the cake?
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And then we arrived at Easter and we were smattered with memories.

As I said on my status days ago, it was exactly how imagined in my heart. The kiddos slept in, we all layed in bed together and then rose for the day.

I got my coffee and played Easter bunny in the backyard while Rich distracted Nora and Trent. There were showers, make up and beautiful clothes put on to celebrate the day. Grandparents came to watch the hunt and eat brunch. And when all the eggs were opened and copious amounts of sugar inhaled, we sat on the driveway and watched the sun rise to noon and our girl ride her tricycle.

We rested. And there was peace.

It's Friday!

And the week has just flown by again.

No designs this week, what a weird feeling to not work. It was probably a blessing in the long run with so many things going on.

Two different friends needing last minute babysitters were able to call me. I LOVED that I was available with no other distractions. The kids played, we made baked goodies, and did some yard work. Andrew helped me vacuum the house by pointing out the dirt on the carpet! He got so excited when I actually sucked up a piece of lint he had pointed out. LOVE that kid for his quirkiness.

We've been doing a lot of work in the yard trying to get it the way we want. The realization that we aren't leaving Atlanta any time soon has hit. The real estate market is just awful and we need to get our money back from the house.

There was some family drama on both sides of different natures that had to be worked out. I am thankful for the resolutions.

Nonni went back to the hospital for another to have her cardiac stents checked out. The doctor determined she needed three more for a total of six now. We are hoping and praying this is the last time she needs this, or at least this is it for a LONG time.

This has been a major stress this week. Easter weekend has arrived and Aunt P and Uncle B are in town from Kansas for a great visit. My kitchen is in full gear cooking and baking for the other household so everyone can just rest. There is a debt to be paid forward for the time Nonni took care of us back in January and February during the craziness.

I feel it deep down. A shift in the family from both sides. This is all for the better and I will embrace it.

Donkey of the Sea

As parents, we have the job of teaching our kiddos the 'old school' games.

Uno, Old Maid....or Go Fish.

Last night, we indoctrinated our girl into the word of card games. Nora quickly became obsessed with Go Fish. If you haven't figured it out, she fixates on new games, cartoons, or activities. Again, Again, AGAIN is an often heard chant.

So, we were playing Go Fish last and it was the girls versus daddy. Daddy is crafty and super smart and we used our best moves to try to beat him every time. I think the final score might have been 2 for the girls, 2 wins for daddy.

In the middle of one heated game of Go Fish, there was this exchange...

''Nora, ask daddy for this one'' I point at a card in my hand that has a pink seahorse on it.

''Daddy you have a neigh.''

''A what?''

''Daddy you have a neigh horse?''

''A neigh horse?'' I'm pretty sure at this point Rich knew what she was talking about. He's a smart alek and gives no slack.

''Yes daddy. Like a donkey of the sea.'' Nora said this with a deadpan face. Then smiled.

Rich and I couldn't help it, we started rolling with laughter. ''Oh goodness, Donkey of the Sea, oh, oh tooooo funny.'' My sides hurt.

The great part is, we KNOW, that Nora KNOWS what a seahorse is. Now the question is, was she making a joke and pulling our legs.

Blah...I dislike.

Thing can't be great all the time right?

Family drama sucks. Enough said.

My sister and I are slowly stepping through something right now and trying to find the way. We want to help, but just don't know how.

To complicate things. She knows everything and I'm not suppose to be in the loop. Tip toe, tip toe, tip toe. This whole thing is just perpetuated a series of phone calls and emails disguised with blind questions to test the water.

The water is tepid and I can't get the horse to drink it!

Blahhhhhh! I want to help. A person can't fight someone elses demons.

Take my hand. It will be ok. We will walk this road together. I will not leave you, you will never leave me. You are part of my heart.

Honesty is all I ask of you.

Things I'm Loving Right Now

Another fun list...

* I got roasted on the tennis court Sunday. Nora had so much fun rubbing aloe vera on my back. With all the molluscum treatments, it's certainly time she gets to 'doctor' mommy.

* Trent has finally figured out how to properly crawl and pull up. I went into the nursery this morning to find a standing baby for the first time!

* The 10 cu. yds of mulch we had delivered on Friday is spread! The yard is looking great and it's only pushing us to get more done.

* A quiet week with no clients. Hooray, for some much needed down time.

* Helping a friend that was feeling overwhelmed.

* Two nights of sleeping a 4.5 hr stretch before waking up....YES!!! And falling to sleep without the help of medication. I will teach my body to sleep again. I can do this.

(once again, I'll add to this later in the week.)

Testing....

Call me crazy, but an idea has started snowballing down a hill in my head.

It started a month back as a small, flakey idea. What if I could paint again? What would I paint? And my brain took off!

Kids wooden desks, watercolor pictures, picture frames, pieces of furniture, 3d artwork. The brainstorm just wouldn't stop one night at 1am.

How do I market this? Just an Etsy shop or Ebay wasn't really going to do it for me. Rich being a software engineer could always build me a website.

How do I store the inventory? We have a large house, but no basement.

How much do I charge? The shipping on some items could be atrocious. Not to mention how to package a 3D piece of artwork or canvas and insure it for mailing.

Four fantastic weeks later I think the thought process has percolated enough to run with it.

The answer is: Consignment Stores.

There are handful of them surrounding our house. Some specialize in furnishings, some in kids items, and others are an eclectic smattering. In most cases, the house takes 50% and I would get 50% of the tag price. Not the best commission but it would guarantee getting my initial investment back and a little more.

The little more could be kept as credit in the store or given in a check. I buy the majority of our kids clothes and shoes at consignment stores. My credit would equal FREE clothes at the very least.

The consignment stores would allow me to test the market for my products in a very non-committal way. There is a minimal investment and risk involved.

One thing Ann and I have talked about is my need for anonymity behind the art. There is a lot of perfectionism behind my skill and criticism is a blow when I love something. If a person likes it, they buy it. If not, they don't.

Time. I'm going to need a while to work on stuff and not for just the initial items. Going back to that perfection, I dislike deadlines. This venture would allow me to work on a piece until it was to my liking. I am sure over time I'd figure out ways to streamline the process a bit.

True, my brain is a little overwhelmed, my senses on are an anxious but excited edge.

I will keep you posted.

The Bank Store

Jotting down a few funnies from the oldest.....

In the car.

''Mommy, we forgot to buy my chicken nuggets.''

I had just dropped a letter in a blue USPS box in front of Kroger. Nora had been asking for more Tyson Chicken nuggets for several days. (Sidenote: Nora only eats Tyson nuggets, she won't eat any other kind, fast food or frozen)

''I'm sorry honey. Mommy left her purse in daddy's car, so I don't have any money for chicken nuggets.''

''Mommy, we go to the bank store and they give us our money, OK?! Then we go buy the chicken nuggets.''

Hmmm, so she knows that the bank means money. We might be in some trouble here. I've called my mom at this point to laugh about this. Mimi reminds Nora that her piggy bank has money.

''Mommy? You, you go get my piggy bank, with the money? We get it all out, the money, and go to the store.''

Thanks mom!

Flip It Over.

Have you ever considered what the flip side of coin really looks like?

If you want to go for the metaphorical....side one of a penny is a building, the Lincoln Memorial, on the other a face, Lincoln himself.

Now flip it back and forth, back and forth. A person, a foundation. A person, a moral symbol. A person, an ideal. Each side meaning something having lent itself to the other.

Turn over moments from the past. Try it.

The happiness you sought grows from struggling through the dull drums of life.

The idea that you can have a more positive relationship with someone because you are not listening to their negativity anymore.

Goals that were scary and seemingly unattainable can become your challenge and purpose.

You run away to find yourself, then realize the place your AT is home.

Being quiet takes more strength than trying to be heard.

You can value and love people that you've never met in person.

Showing human weakness can draw others to you for the same reason.

Be positive about the negatives in life, something good may come from them. Not what you expected, just a different kind of shiny building or face.