Today is the start of a long and relaxing weekend by the pool.
We pick kidlet up from camp this afternoon--don't worry, we'll hose her off before she's allowed to come into the house--the hubby's birthday is tomorrow and Father's Day is on Sunday. And on the 20th we'll celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary.
Time flies, doesn't it.
As the hubs and I were finishing the last bit of gardening, trimming, mulch fluffing, etc., I was thinking about marriage.
Why do some marriages stay together while others fall apart?
Why are some couples able to work together all day and yet still enjoy each other's company on their off time?
Why do some couples lose their identities during the child-rearing years and end up a divorce statistic when the kids are out of the house?
I don't have the answers, but I do know that my husband is my best friend. He makes me laugh, and I think I can return the favor. It's a big part of who we are.
We enjoy being together. We enjoy sharing the yard work. We enjoy each other's company. We enjoy doing things together.
Sometimes parents tend to get so involved with raising their children that they forget to nurture their own relationship. This is one of the wonderful things about sending the kidlet to camp. While she was at swim camp, I was at a loss with what to do with myself. But this last week, while she was at Girl Scout camp, my hubs and I enjoyed our alone time. We talked about everything, just like we did before we were married.
Though we are connected every day, we reconnected on a deeper level. It's nice to know we're still in sync.
I don't know what you have planned for the weekend, but enjoy the time you have with your loved ones.
Later, Peeps!
Showing posts with label birthdays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label birthdays. Show all posts
6/14/13
11/19/11
We Survived--
the sleepover!
Six little ten/eleven-year olds were playing 'spa day' when I went to bed at 10 PM. It was eerily quiet with the low, soothing music playing over the computer. I had a secret hope that they would conk out.
*hahaahaha*
Hubby got tired of telling them to quiet out down about 12:30 and sent this woman in to do the job. The girls claimed they were sleepwalking and sleep talking . . . yeah, right.
They were quiet for all of 10 minutes.
I went back into the room and threatened to separate them. BINGO! That did the trick. Of course I was awake for another 45 minutes, listening for any infraction. Only slept until 4 AM and stared at the clock until I gave up and got out of bed at 5AM.
The girls were quiet until the smell of homemade cinnamon rolls lured them out of bed at 7:30 AM.
All-in-all, I think the sleepover went well.
Six little ten/eleven-year olds were playing 'spa day' when I went to bed at 10 PM. It was eerily quiet with the low, soothing music playing over the computer. I had a secret hope that they would conk out.
*hahaahaha*
Hubby got tired of telling them to quiet out down about 12:30 and sent this woman in to do the job. The girls claimed they were sleepwalking and sleep talking . . . yeah, right.
They were quiet for all of 10 minutes.
I went back into the room and threatened to separate them. BINGO! That did the trick. Of course I was awake for another 45 minutes, listening for any infraction. Only slept until 4 AM and stared at the clock until I gave up and got out of bed at 5AM.
The girls were quiet until the smell of homemade cinnamon rolls lured them out of bed at 7:30 AM.
All-in-all, I think the sleepover went well.
11/23/09
I SURVIVED!!! (Looooonnnnnggggg . . . .)
--my kiddo's ninth birthday party and sleepover. YAY!
--oh, and this is my reminder to never do it again! YAY!
--And I didn't even have to resort to drinking to get through it! Double YAY!
Wow. The last few days have been nutso! All I have to show for it is a new batch of pimples and a dirty house! Yes, Virginia, you still get pimples even when you are pushing the big 5 0. Everything worked out pretty well if I do say so myself. :-)
--HINT: have plenty of craft projects to do.
I wanted to limit the number of kids so I put the cap at five girls--five eight- and nine-year-olds--so, of course, we invited seven.
--What is it with parents these days? Do they not know what RSVP means? Out of seven kids, we had only THREE parents who actually told me their kid was coming. The one decline, which I wouldn't have expected a call from, but heard about from my daughter. That left three unknowns. Now, my kiddo came home and told me that her friends were coming, but I didn't have positive confirmation. *sigh* I know this is the 'new' trend, but still the invite had RSVP, Not Regrets Only.
We had a total of six kidlets and only room enough for four in my car and that's if I left the hubster at home, so we roped in Grandma and Grandpa to help chauffeur the kiddos to the movie theater--about a mile away. We split the kidlets up and arrive at the movies about fifteen minutes prior to show time, only to discover one pimply teenager issuing tickets and a line of people heading out the door.
--What's a parent to do? Well, you leave the hubster in line and crash through the non-existent ticket takers and find seats in the theater. Luckily--most of the people in line were heading to NEW MOON and not PLANET 51.
--found out later that the weaselly manager kept poking his head out asking the kid selling tickets if he needed help, and then he would disappear back into his little room, leaving the kid alone to sell tickets. What a jerk wad manager.
--Now, my job, and the grandparents, was to contain six giggly girls to their seats without tying them down AND keeping their feet off the chairs in front of them. Oh, and they managed to scare away one family in the process who moved down about five rows. I wonder why??
The movie was good. The kids liked it. It was a tribute to a TON of movies: STAR WARS, ALIEN, BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE RIGHT STUFF, blah, blah, blah.
We arrived home. Grandma and Grandpa drove away as soon as the coast was clear. The kidlets went nutso. And hubster went for pizza.
Kids ate. We gained another kidlet. Sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Opened prezzies. Did craft. I went ballistic during the gazillionth blood-curdling, ear-piercing scream. Yes, I lost it.
--But you have to give me credit: 1) I didn't hit anyone, including my own kid, 2) I didn't resort to drinking. :-)
--I KNOW kidlets are loud and when you get a gaggle of them, especially girls, there is a lot of screaming, but even I have my limits. Uh, the kidlets kept the noise to a normal dull roar--for a gaggle of girls.
One kidlet left, not the same one who arrived late, but another one who had to go out of town early the next day. Of course, since this kidlet's mom was my kidlet's teacher, the gaggle had to show her around and introduce her to our fat guinea pig, Rocky, the cat, Kato, the dog, Katie, the koi living in the pond in the back yard, and Blinky our beta. Yeah, no secrets from the teacher, I'm surprised they didn't show her my laundry basket, but I digress.
We got the kidlets into their jammies and made them brush their teeth, but honestly didn't expect them to sleep until midnight or so.
Fast foreword: Make that three AM when I when ballistic (again) and told them to SHUT IT. Of course it was my kid and a neighbor kid. My kid asked if they could laugh. "NO!" I growled. Silence and peace reigned until eight AM. Out of the six remaining kidlets, I think a couple would sleep while the others chattered, and then it rotated around the group, with them periodically coming into our room to complain that 'so-and-so was talking and keeping her awake.
--Of course, my butt was out of bed at six, but that's my quiet time: coffee, paper, Farmville.
--It was a successful sleepover because two of the kidlets have had some issues in the past with sleeping overnight, and they successfully managed it. YAY!
Next morning, hubster made pancakes. The kids got dressed. We did another craft. We painted Christmas ornaments with stained glass paint. It's pretty cool . . . until the first one shatters on the tile kitchen floor. Two more of my practice ones bit the dust when hubster vacuumed up the glass and he bumped his butt into the foam holder. Oh, well there's plenty of paint.
The kidlets played upstairs and went home one by one, until we were left with our little peanut. We had a short downtime until the kidlet had to play a soccer game. Last game of the season and we figure out she is a GREAT defensive player! Oh, well, there's spring season.
We had to leave the game early to attend my niece's baby shower. So we trundle over to Grandma Sullivan's house to change and pick Grams up. The shower was at another niece's house, so we got the grand tour. My kidlet spent the entire shower taking pictures. Not bad for a nine year old, huh? We brought her Nintendo DS, just in case, but didn't need it. When we got home it was time for our presents: an angel afghan she wanted me to make, two Beverly Cleary books, and a CAMERA!! She was ecstatic!
Needless to say, we were in bed at eight. They others slept until 8:30, but I was up at 6:20. Hey, it's what I do.
--We only ended up with one extra pair of socks. Not too bad.
So during our soccer game, a friend set up a morning exercise get-together on Monday. She jogs . . . like a lot . . . and I don't. Over the years, exercise has become a bad word. It's sad really because I used to TEACH aerobics in the 80's and rode my horse for over twenty years until I sold him about five years ago.
So this will be my first foray into the walk/jog program.
I survived a gaggle of girls, but the next question is . . . can I survive jogging?
Until Wednesday, Write On!
--oh, and this is my reminder to never do it again! YAY!
--And I didn't even have to resort to drinking to get through it! Double YAY!
Wow. The last few days have been nutso! All I have to show for it is a new batch of pimples and a dirty house! Yes, Virginia, you still get pimples even when you are pushing the big 5 0. Everything worked out pretty well if I do say so myself. :-)
--HINT: have plenty of craft projects to do.
I wanted to limit the number of kids so I put the cap at five girls--five eight- and nine-year-olds--so, of course, we invited seven.
--What is it with parents these days? Do they not know what RSVP means? Out of seven kids, we had only THREE parents who actually told me their kid was coming. The one decline, which I wouldn't have expected a call from, but heard about from my daughter. That left three unknowns. Now, my kiddo came home and told me that her friends were coming, but I didn't have positive confirmation. *sigh* I know this is the 'new' trend, but still the invite had RSVP, Not Regrets Only.
We had a total of six kidlets and only room enough for four in my car and that's if I left the hubster at home, so we roped in Grandma and Grandpa to help chauffeur the kiddos to the movie theater--about a mile away. We split the kidlets up and arrive at the movies about fifteen minutes prior to show time, only to discover one pimply teenager issuing tickets and a line of people heading out the door.
--What's a parent to do? Well, you leave the hubster in line and crash through the non-existent ticket takers and find seats in the theater. Luckily--most of the people in line were heading to NEW MOON and not PLANET 51.
--found out later that the weaselly manager kept poking his head out asking the kid selling tickets if he needed help, and then he would disappear back into his little room, leaving the kid alone to sell tickets. What a jerk wad manager.
--Now, my job, and the grandparents, was to contain six giggly girls to their seats without tying them down AND keeping their feet off the chairs in front of them. Oh, and they managed to scare away one family in the process who moved down about five rows. I wonder why??
The movie was good. The kids liked it. It was a tribute to a TON of movies: STAR WARS, ALIEN, BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE RIGHT STUFF, blah, blah, blah.
We arrived home. Grandma and Grandpa drove away as soon as the coast was clear. The kidlets went nutso. And hubster went for pizza.
Kids ate. We gained another kidlet. Sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Opened prezzies. Did craft. I went ballistic during the gazillionth blood-curdling, ear-piercing scream. Yes, I lost it.
--But you have to give me credit: 1) I didn't hit anyone, including my own kid, 2) I didn't resort to drinking. :-)
--I KNOW kidlets are loud and when you get a gaggle of them, especially girls, there is a lot of screaming, but even I have my limits. Uh, the kidlets kept the noise to a normal dull roar--for a gaggle of girls.
One kidlet left, not the same one who arrived late, but another one who had to go out of town early the next day. Of course, since this kidlet's mom was my kidlet's teacher, the gaggle had to show her around and introduce her to our fat guinea pig, Rocky, the cat, Kato, the dog, Katie, the koi living in the pond in the back yard, and Blinky our beta. Yeah, no secrets from the teacher, I'm surprised they didn't show her my laundry basket, but I digress.
We got the kidlets into their jammies and made them brush their teeth, but honestly didn't expect them to sleep until midnight or so.
Fast foreword: Make that three AM when I when ballistic (again) and told them to SHUT IT. Of course it was my kid and a neighbor kid. My kid asked if they could laugh. "NO!" I growled. Silence and peace reigned until eight AM. Out of the six remaining kidlets, I think a couple would sleep while the others chattered, and then it rotated around the group, with them periodically coming into our room to complain that 'so-and-so was talking and keeping her awake.
--Of course, my butt was out of bed at six, but that's my quiet time: coffee, paper, Farmville.
--It was a successful sleepover because two of the kidlets have had some issues in the past with sleeping overnight, and they successfully managed it. YAY!
Next morning, hubster made pancakes. The kids got dressed. We did another craft. We painted Christmas ornaments with stained glass paint. It's pretty cool . . . until the first one shatters on the tile kitchen floor. Two more of my practice ones bit the dust when hubster vacuumed up the glass and he bumped his butt into the foam holder. Oh, well there's plenty of paint.
The kidlets played upstairs and went home one by one, until we were left with our little peanut. We had a short downtime until the kidlet had to play a soccer game. Last game of the season and we figure out she is a GREAT defensive player! Oh, well, there's spring season.
We had to leave the game early to attend my niece's baby shower. So we trundle over to Grandma Sullivan's house to change and pick Grams up. The shower was at another niece's house, so we got the grand tour. My kidlet spent the entire shower taking pictures. Not bad for a nine year old, huh? We brought her Nintendo DS, just in case, but didn't need it. When we got home it was time for our presents: an angel afghan she wanted me to make, two Beverly Cleary books, and a CAMERA!! She was ecstatic!
Needless to say, we were in bed at eight. They others slept until 8:30, but I was up at 6:20. Hey, it's what I do.
--We only ended up with one extra pair of socks. Not too bad.
So during our soccer game, a friend set up a morning exercise get-together on Monday. She jogs . . . like a lot . . . and I don't. Over the years, exercise has become a bad word. It's sad really because I used to TEACH aerobics in the 80's and rode my horse for over twenty years until I sold him about five years ago.
So this will be my first foray into the walk/jog program.
I survived a gaggle of girls, but the next question is . . . can I survive jogging?
Until Wednesday, Write On!
8/31/09
Reaching the Median of Life.
Hi! My name is Margaret and I'm officially 'middle-aged'.
I just had a birthday this last weekend and if I live to be ninety-six then I've hit the median of my years. Hey, it could happen! My mom is still alive and kicking at eighty-eight. And though my dad died at eighty-four (complications due to diabetes) the rest of his sibs lived to be pretty darn old!
Well, I've been technically middle-aged for a few years now, but I don't feel like it. Okay, I'll the be the first to admit that joints in the knees and ankles creak and crack as I walk down the stairs. And sometimes I'll get those mysterious hip pains or groan when I roll out of bed. *There ain't no sitting up and then exiting the bed anymore--I roll.* Uhm, it's easier, plus it doesn't disturb the hubster too much.
And what makes a good birthday has changed over the years, too. I'm the youngest of nine so we didn't get much as a kid. We got one present and we chose what we wanted to eat for our birthday meal and Mom made a cake. I used to always choose hamburgers, until I turned twelve and got smart--I asked for steak. And yes, as poor as we were Mom always managed to find a reasonably priced tenderloin that we sliced and grilled on the barbecue.
One year, I was in Innsbruck, Austria--probably the most depressing birthday of all. I was backpacking alone after attending my brother's wedding in Chaumont, France. Now, THAT was a party! It was at the end of my travels and I think I was a little homesick by that time, but it didn't help that I was hit on by two, yes TWO, old men. When you turn twenty-seven, any dude over thirty is old!
In the recent past, we've traveled to Silver Dollar City and rode rollercoasters, but this year we had a lot of yard work to finish up so we stayed home.
On Friday night, our kiddo was asked to go to a Wizard's of Waverly Place advance viewing, so hubster and I went to Michael Fusco's Riverside Grill. My one request--steak. And what a lovely meal! A bottle of wine and a steak that was actually cooked correctly--medium rare. It moo'd as I chew'd. Mmmm. And I finished off the meal with a Molten Lava chocolate cake. Hubster had a chocolate mousse gateau. *sigh*
On Saturday, my actual birthday, we went shopping. Our first stop was Lowe's, and guess what is close to Lowe's? Yes! Krispy Kreme donuts! Woohoo! We visited Lowe's got some grass seed, but also looked at plants. Best Buy to return the Wii that fried for the second time--got a new Wii (under extended warranty) and also picked up the new Wii Resort games. PetsMart for all sorts of stuff, plus a new beta. Our old beta finally died after two agonizing weeks. The new beta is called Blinky. Can anyone guess where we got the name?? Then home to drop everything off, lunch at Wendy's and out to Sander's Nursery. And I mean out...of town about ten miles from our house. This place is HUGE, like five football fields huge. Bought plants. Went home dropped them off, then back to Lowe's --they had a nicer butterfly bush (Naho Blue) than at Sanders--and to Southwood nursery. Southwood had a crepe myrtle that we needed, Raspberry Sundae. When the blooms open they look like popcorn as the deep pink has white edges. I made chicken fajitas and margaritas for dinner, played Wii resorts and had a Turtle Cake from Merritt's bakery. *sinful*
What more can I say? It was the perfect birthday for me. Oh, and I WATCHED my hubster plant the $600-700 worth of plants on Sunday. Watching is so much better than doing. :-) Of course, I was called away from doing laundry to consult with the plant locations. I had him move an evergreen shrub to a better place and this cause some shuffling of plantage.
I feel rejuvenated enough to get seriously down to writing again.
Oh, and I started daily walks again. Last Friday, I solved two story issues that I had on FF. So after I walk the kiddo to school and finish a nice 45 minute walk, I'll . . .
Write on!
I just had a birthday this last weekend and if I live to be ninety-six then I've hit the median of my years. Hey, it could happen! My mom is still alive and kicking at eighty-eight. And though my dad died at eighty-four (complications due to diabetes) the rest of his sibs lived to be pretty darn old!
Well, I've been technically middle-aged for a few years now, but I don't feel like it. Okay, I'll the be the first to admit that joints in the knees and ankles creak and crack as I walk down the stairs. And sometimes I'll get those mysterious hip pains or groan when I roll out of bed. *There ain't no sitting up and then exiting the bed anymore--I roll.* Uhm, it's easier, plus it doesn't disturb the hubster too much.
And what makes a good birthday has changed over the years, too. I'm the youngest of nine so we didn't get much as a kid. We got one present and we chose what we wanted to eat for our birthday meal and Mom made a cake. I used to always choose hamburgers, until I turned twelve and got smart--I asked for steak. And yes, as poor as we were Mom always managed to find a reasonably priced tenderloin that we sliced and grilled on the barbecue.
One year, I was in Innsbruck, Austria--probably the most depressing birthday of all. I was backpacking alone after attending my brother's wedding in Chaumont, France. Now, THAT was a party! It was at the end of my travels and I think I was a little homesick by that time, but it didn't help that I was hit on by two, yes TWO, old men. When you turn twenty-seven, any dude over thirty is old!
In the recent past, we've traveled to Silver Dollar City and rode rollercoasters, but this year we had a lot of yard work to finish up so we stayed home.
On Friday night, our kiddo was asked to go to a Wizard's of Waverly Place advance viewing, so hubster and I went to Michael Fusco's Riverside Grill. My one request--steak. And what a lovely meal! A bottle of wine and a steak that was actually cooked correctly--medium rare. It moo'd as I chew'd. Mmmm. And I finished off the meal with a Molten Lava chocolate cake. Hubster had a chocolate mousse gateau. *sigh*
On Saturday, my actual birthday, we went shopping. Our first stop was Lowe's, and guess what is close to Lowe's? Yes! Krispy Kreme donuts! Woohoo! We visited Lowe's got some grass seed, but also looked at plants. Best Buy to return the Wii that fried for the second time--got a new Wii (under extended warranty) and also picked up the new Wii Resort games. PetsMart for all sorts of stuff, plus a new beta. Our old beta finally died after two agonizing weeks. The new beta is called Blinky. Can anyone guess where we got the name?? Then home to drop everything off, lunch at Wendy's and out to Sander's Nursery. And I mean out...of town about ten miles from our house. This place is HUGE, like five football fields huge. Bought plants. Went home dropped them off, then back to Lowe's --they had a nicer butterfly bush (Naho Blue) than at Sanders--and to Southwood nursery. Southwood had a crepe myrtle that we needed, Raspberry Sundae. When the blooms open they look like popcorn as the deep pink has white edges. I made chicken fajitas and margaritas for dinner, played Wii resorts and had a Turtle Cake from Merritt's bakery. *sinful*
What more can I say? It was the perfect birthday for me. Oh, and I WATCHED my hubster plant the $600-700 worth of plants on Sunday. Watching is so much better than doing. :-) Of course, I was called away from doing laundry to consult with the plant locations. I had him move an evergreen shrub to a better place and this cause some shuffling of plantage.
I feel rejuvenated enough to get seriously down to writing again.
Oh, and I started daily walks again. Last Friday, I solved two story issues that I had on FF. So after I walk the kiddo to school and finish a nice 45 minute walk, I'll . . .
Write on!
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