So, now that I've run my first 5K, I'm on to a new goal. This was, in part, inspired by Hillary at NotRaisingBrats. Before The Lad was born, she read more than 100 books in 2009. I'm a reading teacher and probably read HALF that. Shame on me! So, in an effort to have a more respectable reading record, I'm reading 100 books in 2010.
My trusty Kindle will make suggestions along the way, but so far I've just been getting suggestions from friends.
Here's what I've read so far:
Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Stephanie Meyer
The Solace of Leaving Early, Haven Kimmel
Lucy, Jamaica Kincaid
The Likeness, Tana French
In the Woods, Tana French
People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks
Hatchet, Gary Paulsen
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Steig Larsson
Gooney Bird Green, Lois Lowry
I've also joined Jonniker's Book Lushes site to get more recommendations and discuss books online. Happy reading!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Walking
The past few weeks have been full of pulling on pant legs, whining, and tentatively sticking our feet out to take a step or two. In the past few days, we've progressed into taking five or six steps toward mommy or daddy.
Today, we let go.
We have a stumbly, trippy, not-so-balanced walker. He steps carefully, spreading his arms wide, looking down, and then grinning up at us. He stops to clap for himself with a huge grin that advertises his pride.
It's bittersweet for me. I can remember when he was two weeks old, snuggling him against me after a nursing session and crying. The Smartest Man Alive asked why I was crying and I told him it was because I never wanted Little Man to grow up. I wanted him to stay this small forever. Small enough to fit in his mama's arms and cuddle. I still feel that way. I imagine it will be this way on his first day of school, when he learns to ride his bike, and drive a car.
But, I'll always have these memories to replay in my mind. His first nursing session, the first time he crawled, his first steps.
It's a beautiful life.
Today, we let go.
We have a stumbly, trippy, not-so-balanced walker. He steps carefully, spreading his arms wide, looking down, and then grinning up at us. He stops to clap for himself with a huge grin that advertises his pride.
It's bittersweet for me. I can remember when he was two weeks old, snuggling him against me after a nursing session and crying. The Smartest Man Alive asked why I was crying and I told him it was because I never wanted Little Man to grow up. I wanted him to stay this small forever. Small enough to fit in his mama's arms and cuddle. I still feel that way. I imagine it will be this way on his first day of school, when he learns to ride his bike, and drive a car.
But, I'll always have these memories to replay in my mind. His first nursing session, the first time he crawled, his first steps.
It's a beautiful life.
Food Rut
Little Man is one lucky kid.
The Smartest Man Alive and I are pretty good cooks and Little Man has always been a voracious eater. As I've mentioned, cooking makes me feel like I'm providing for my family, physically and emotionally. Lately, I've felt like we've been in a food rut. (Side note: Seriously, who thinks about these things?)
So, this afternoon I decided to shake things up.
Breakfast first: I baked some Lemon Cranberry Scones from Smitten Kitchen. Then, I sent The Smartest Man Alive to the grocery store to retrieve tomatoes, turkey bacon, and English muffins as a back-up breakfast option.
For snack time, he usually eats fruit. I totally believe in the power of Vitamin C to keep us healthy, and usually he eats blueberry and mango. To add a little variety, I bought a strawberry and kiwi mix from Fresh Market and added that to his normal fruit salad.
For lunch, he'll have leftover stir-fry, mozzarella cheese bites, and Cheerios. (Incidentally, I didn't realize what an odd combination that is until I just typed it.) Later in the week, he'll eat turkey and cheese roll-ups, pizza pitas and whatever else we have leftover from our dinner.
At dinner, we'll have Grilled Chicken and Vegetables over Saffron Orzo.
Cooking helps me feel like I'm taking care of my family. What do you do for your family that makes you feel good?
The Smartest Man Alive and I are pretty good cooks and Little Man has always been a voracious eater. As I've mentioned, cooking makes me feel like I'm providing for my family, physically and emotionally. Lately, I've felt like we've been in a food rut. (Side note: Seriously, who thinks about these things?)
So, this afternoon I decided to shake things up.
Breakfast first: I baked some Lemon Cranberry Scones from Smitten Kitchen. Then, I sent The Smartest Man Alive to the grocery store to retrieve tomatoes, turkey bacon, and English muffins as a back-up breakfast option.
For snack time, he usually eats fruit. I totally believe in the power of Vitamin C to keep us healthy, and usually he eats blueberry and mango. To add a little variety, I bought a strawberry and kiwi mix from Fresh Market and added that to his normal fruit salad.
For lunch, he'll have leftover stir-fry, mozzarella cheese bites, and Cheerios. (Incidentally, I didn't realize what an odd combination that is until I just typed it.) Later in the week, he'll eat turkey and cheese roll-ups, pizza pitas and whatever else we have leftover from our dinner.
At dinner, we'll have Grilled Chicken and Vegetables over Saffron Orzo.
Cooking helps me feel like I'm taking care of my family. What do you do for your family that makes you feel good?
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Resolution Update
In January, I decided that I would try to be more "present" this year. I wanted to free myself from multi-tasking, disconnect from technology, and enjoy the moment. Such lofty goals.
I also promised to unplug once per week, prioritize my to-do list, and write about my experience once a month. Right off the bat, I think I should confess that after the first week I totally FORGOT all about the unplugging. However, the Lenten season is upon us and I have given up Facebook for a whole 40 days. Take that, time-sucking-technology!
I thought multi-tasking was going to be the hardest to give up, but I've felt so much more focused. It's a such a great feeling to just concentrate on what I'm doing, even if it's as simple as making Little Man's lunch. It's just intentional.
Prioritizing has been much harder to do. Perhaps other people have known this about me (and if you do, keep it to yourself), but I'm an impatient-obsessive-compulsive-micromanaging-mess. The house is a wreck: Major Meltdown; Little Man is sent to daycare without a change of clothes (which he later needs) and I'm ready to sob inconsolably for obviously being such a neglectful mother; The Smartest Man Alive shrugs his shoulders when I ask what he wants for dinner and he nearly gets a whack to the head. All of a sudden, I'm overwhelmed and wondering whatever happened to stopping to smell the roses.
It's just that I want everything done NOW and RIGHT and MY WAY. I honestly have never really realized this and considered myself rather easy-going. The Smartest Man Alive has always looked at me sideways and stifled a laugh when I mentioned this, but now I feel like I'm seeing myself in another way. Recognizing the problem is the first step, right?
I suppose that's the beauty of motherhood and this great "life" adventure is that you get to see yourself grow and change.
I also promised to unplug once per week, prioritize my to-do list, and write about my experience once a month. Right off the bat, I think I should confess that after the first week I totally FORGOT all about the unplugging. However, the Lenten season is upon us and I have given up Facebook for a whole 40 days. Take that, time-sucking-technology!
I thought multi-tasking was going to be the hardest to give up, but I've felt so much more focused. It's a such a great feeling to just concentrate on what I'm doing, even if it's as simple as making Little Man's lunch. It's just intentional.
Prioritizing has been much harder to do. Perhaps other people have known this about me (and if you do, keep it to yourself), but I'm an impatient-obsessive-compulsive-micromanaging-mess. The house is a wreck: Major Meltdown; Little Man is sent to daycare without a change of clothes (which he later needs) and I'm ready to sob inconsolably for obviously being such a neglectful mother; The Smartest Man Alive shrugs his shoulders when I ask what he wants for dinner and he nearly gets a whack to the head. All of a sudden, I'm overwhelmed and wondering whatever happened to stopping to smell the roses.
It's just that I want everything done NOW and RIGHT and MY WAY. I honestly have never really realized this and considered myself rather easy-going. The Smartest Man Alive has always looked at me sideways and stifled a laugh when I mentioned this, but now I feel like I'm seeing myself in another way. Recognizing the problem is the first step, right?
I suppose that's the beauty of motherhood and this great "life" adventure is that you get to see yourself grow and change.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Kid-free vacation
Can I just tell you what the power of an adults-only vacation has on a mother's psyche?
Wow.
We took a three-day mini vacation to the Bahamas sans-Little Man last weekend. He spent quality time with his auntie and Granny Bulldog and Grampa Stu. Before this trip, I had no idea what slaves we were to his schedule. It was absolutely *glorious* eating, napping, and READING whenever we wanted and uninterrupted no less!
But, before I sound like a candidate for Worst Mother of the Year , I do have to say that I did miss Little Man. Three days was the perfect amount of time. Any more than that and I would have been missing my little guy too much; any less and we wouldn't have had time to relax.
It should be noted that Little Man had quite a time as well. Auntie fed him cookies, cake, ice cream, AND pizza.
Good thing Momma wasn't around for that!
Wow.
We took a three-day mini vacation to the Bahamas sans-Little Man last weekend. He spent quality time with his auntie and Granny Bulldog and Grampa Stu. Before this trip, I had no idea what slaves we were to his schedule. It was absolutely *glorious* eating, napping, and READING whenever we wanted and uninterrupted no less!
But, before I sound like a candidate for Worst Mother of the Year , I do have to say that I did miss Little Man. Three days was the perfect amount of time. Any more than that and I would have been missing my little guy too much; any less and we wouldn't have had time to relax.
It should be noted that Little Man had quite a time as well. Auntie fed him cookies, cake, ice cream, AND pizza.
Good thing Momma wasn't around for that!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Old Man Winter
We live in Florida, so I can't honestly say we really *experience* winter. However, this has been a particularly nasty one by Florida standards.
If you live in a northern climate, feel free to just skip right over this post and go shovel your driveway for the 1,045,872nd time this winter.
It has been in the 40s every morning this week and -- gasp -- we've had frost on our car windshields! (Seriously, I had NO IDEA how to deal with this little predicament until The Smartest Man Alive clicked the defroster button on my dashboard and cranked the heat.)
My baby soft hands are now cracked and dry, and I've had a major headache for two days from traveling between the heat and cold. And God forbid it's dreary, cloudy, or rainy!
So, if you live in a northern climate AND you're still reading this, tell me how you survive MONTHS of this. What comforts you during the winter? We've made chicken 'n dumplings and soup this week, but that's getting old -- fast.
I never thought I'd wish for our Florida heat back. Rest assured, I'll be complaining about it come June. (The humidity! The heat! Can't we move up north?!)
If you live in a northern climate, feel free to just skip right over this post and go shovel your driveway for the 1,045,872nd time this winter.
It has been in the 40s every morning this week and -- gasp -- we've had frost on our car windshields! (Seriously, I had NO IDEA how to deal with this little predicament until The Smartest Man Alive clicked the defroster button on my dashboard and cranked the heat.)
My baby soft hands are now cracked and dry, and I've had a major headache for two days from traveling between the heat and cold. And God forbid it's dreary, cloudy, or rainy!
So, if you live in a northern climate AND you're still reading this, tell me how you survive MONTHS of this. What comforts you during the winter? We've made chicken 'n dumplings and soup this week, but that's getting old -- fast.
I never thought I'd wish for our Florida heat back. Rest assured, I'll be complaining about it come June. (The humidity! The heat! Can't we move up north?!)
Monday, February 15, 2010
Good News/Bad News
Good news: Little Man just took his first "real" steps tonight -- live! on Skype -- for his grammie and grampie to see. Grammie and grampie are getting buried in MORE SNOW and this infinitely cheered them up.
Bad news: I have a dentist appointment tomorrow. Why am I such a baby about these things?
Bad news: I have a dentist appointment tomorrow. Why am I such a baby about these things?
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Is this thing on?
Oh, hi there! Blogger tells me that I have written since Jan. 10th. Well, we've just been so BUSY!
*I received my Teacher of the Year award at a lovely ceremony and gave my speech without throwing up and/or tripping.
*The Smartest Man Alive and I booked a Bahamas cruise for next weekend. Just the two of us. Words cannot express my excitement about this grown-up adventure.
*I won a contest! Seriously, I never win ANYTHING, but bless my dear friends Hillary and Michelle at NotRaisingBrats. Love them.
*My parents have been on a Hawaiian cruise. My mom got to swim with a whale shark. Seriously. Fortunately, she lived to tell the tale.
*My sleep problems continue. I'm considering acupuncture. Thoughts?
*I received my Teacher of the Year award at a lovely ceremony and gave my speech without throwing up and/or tripping.
*The Smartest Man Alive and I booked a Bahamas cruise for next weekend. Just the two of us. Words cannot express my excitement about this grown-up adventure.
*I won a contest! Seriously, I never win ANYTHING, but bless my dear friends Hillary and Michelle at NotRaisingBrats. Love them.
*My parents have been on a Hawaiian cruise. My mom got to swim with a whale shark. Seriously. Fortunately, she lived to tell the tale.
*My sleep problems continue. I'm considering acupuncture. Thoughts?
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