I have been working on the Mother of All Garage Sales. This requires cleaning, table set up, organizing, hauling loads of stuff, etc. Basically all things sweaty.
I love the MOAG because I make lotsa money off of it. But the work leading up and during it is back breaking. For the record, our MOAG will be this upcoming Thursday, Friday and Saturday. We will have about a dozen families, including one entire estate. You should come and check it out.
Today I realized I couldn't find my professional signs that I had made a while back for my MOAGS. Which means they are probably in my attic. Which means I probably have to disassemble part of my set up to get in the attic and retrieve said signs. Oh, well. At least it is Sunday and not Wednesday when I am realizing this.
*-*-*-*-*
Because I have been in the middle of sweaty work, I have opted to shower in the evenings the last couple of days. This goes against everything that I know. I shower at least once a day every day and sometimes twice. And I shave my legs every day. I have this weird cleanliness thing ...
Anyway, today I stopped by my parents because I had to get some garage sale items and my mom asked me to run to Wal-Mart for her. Wal-Mart on a Sunday with no make up, hairy legs, sweaty hair everywhere and dressed poorly? And the kicker is that it is in Norman. Meaning I will ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY run into someone I know.
Fortunately this year I stopped caring so much about my appearance, so I said I would go, but I made Ryan go with me for distraction purposes. (In other words, so he could distract anyone I ran into with his cuteness ...)
So we go and we had to get dog food (for my dogs) and paint (for my mom). I decided to sneak in the garden center entrance, thereby minimizing the chances of running into someone I know looking and smelling the way I did.
We were almost finished. In fact I was standing at the garden center register about to check out. And then I saw her. My friend ReRe. Fortunately, ReRe is awesome and I could look at her and say, "This is my worst fear, running into someone I know looking and smelling the way I do." I laughed with her about it and she related a story to me about a time she went in Wal-Mart feeling ... not quite put together. I will leave it at that, ReRe.
Norman is the biggest small town I know.
*-*-*-*-*
We just had a fabulous dinner at Outback Steakhouse. For free. Well not really for free. Brad did something nice for someone a while back and they blessed our family with a large gift card to Outback. This was he second meal our family of four shared there.
I told Brad that I hope we are financially able someday to bless some family like ours to a really delicious meal at a restaurant they could normally not afford to go to. It was awesome.
*-*-*-*-*
I've been noticing things about my kids lately that make them distinct. Silly little things. For example, I can always tell their cups apart when there is a straw in them because Will chews on his straw. Also, Ryan is much more likely to meltdown when he is hungry. And sometimes he is hungry and doesn't even realize it so I feed him and it works.
I also have noticed that Will is willing to try new foods. He unsuccessfully tried a cherry tomato tonight. That kids loves every kind of fruit possible, but he does not like the potato. You heard it right, he doesn't like potatoes. Not mashed, not bake, not fried, not scalloped, not au grautin and he barely liked french fries. He always chooses a fruit option at a fast food place instead of fries.
And Ryan is a complete perfectionist. My mom, who is also a perfectionist, was doing a project in the garage and actually had to hurry Ryan along he was going so slowly so he would get it right. I am not sure that has ever happened before.
*-*-*-*-*
I'm thinking today about my Grandpa John (who died in September 2008) and Brad's Papaw Glenn who lives in OKC. They both served our country during WWII. Papaw was a Marine who earned a Purple Heart. Grandpa was in the Navy and it was his job to move explosives on and off ships.
If it weren't for men like them, I wouldn't have the freedom to write this very blog. Thanks to them and to each of you who fought, are fighting and will fight for this country and everything she stands for.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
The Wonders of Facebook
The most amazing thing happened this morning. And it just goes to prove how small of a town and how big of a town Norman really is.
I ran into my Facebook friend Liz Houck and the donut store. Why is this amazing, you ask? Background first: Liz and I grew up two streets away from each other. We went to the same elementary school, rode the bus together, went to middle school and high school together and she was even a nurse at my OB's office when I was pregnant with Will.
But that is really where our common denominators have ended. We both married and had kids who go to different schools. She is a nurse, I am not. We have gone our separate ways. Until Facebook.
It honestly took me a while to warm up to Facebook. First, I had a My Space page. Wah wah. You could do lots of fancy stuff, like add music and decorate your page. But I didn't seem to have a lot of people who I didn't already see on there.
So when a couple of my friends got Facebook pages, I waited. For months, actually. But eventually, I created a page. I started modestly with a few friends. But eventually my friend list grew, and the broad range of friends grew.
If I were to categorize my "groups of friends" that I have on Facebook, it would probably look something like this: my close friends; my close friends' relatives; my newspaper friends; my college friends; my non profit friends; my high school friends; my middle school and elementary school friends; my husband's friends; my church friends; my old church friends; my BSF friends; my family; my kids' friends' parents; my soccer friends. I am sure I am leaving some category out, but that is all I can think of at the moment.
Right now I have 355 friends. This could change at any moment once someone adds me ... or deletes me. (I think it's weird that you don't know you've been deleted, that you just find out when you watch your friend count or when you realize that you haven't seen so and so post a status update in a while.)
Funny thing is some of my Facebook friends have become my regular or close Facebook friends, in my opinion. These are people who post a lot. I tend to keep up with their lives this way. And I love it.
Some of those regulars are people I see a lot. But most of them aren't. Enter my friend Liz. I feel like we have become regular Facebook friends. We talk on Facebook and post on each other's walls. But even though we both live in Norman, I haven't seen her in person since I had Will. (That was 4 and a half and three quarters years ago!)
Until this morning at the donut store. There we both were, fresh out of bed, no make up, in shorts and t-shirts, barely awake. And I hugged her with all my strength. It was so good to see her. And we have kept up through the wonders of Facebook.
Where else can you take a quiz to see what musical character you are most like? Or a quiz on what your dream job is, or what color you are, or what mental illness you have? And my newest favorite is taking a quiz so you can see how well you know someone. I made my quiz and I have taken many more.
And the list craze has died down, but it was neat to get to know people that way, too.
I love Facebook. And I am slightly addicted. But I love it because I can keep up with 355 of my friends and they can keep up with me, but it is on my terms. I share what I want. I tell them what I want. They tell me what they want. And there it is. The beauty and wonder of an online community.
But it was really good to see my friend in person. We should probably try to do that more. ;-)
I ran into my Facebook friend Liz Houck and the donut store. Why is this amazing, you ask? Background first: Liz and I grew up two streets away from each other. We went to the same elementary school, rode the bus together, went to middle school and high school together and she was even a nurse at my OB's office when I was pregnant with Will.
But that is really where our common denominators have ended. We both married and had kids who go to different schools. She is a nurse, I am not. We have gone our separate ways. Until Facebook.
It honestly took me a while to warm up to Facebook. First, I had a My Space page. Wah wah. You could do lots of fancy stuff, like add music and decorate your page. But I didn't seem to have a lot of people who I didn't already see on there.
So when a couple of my friends got Facebook pages, I waited. For months, actually. But eventually, I created a page. I started modestly with a few friends. But eventually my friend list grew, and the broad range of friends grew.
If I were to categorize my "groups of friends" that I have on Facebook, it would probably look something like this: my close friends; my close friends' relatives; my newspaper friends; my college friends; my non profit friends; my high school friends; my middle school and elementary school friends; my husband's friends; my church friends; my old church friends; my BSF friends; my family; my kids' friends' parents; my soccer friends. I am sure I am leaving some category out, but that is all I can think of at the moment.
Right now I have 355 friends. This could change at any moment once someone adds me ... or deletes me. (I think it's weird that you don't know you've been deleted, that you just find out when you watch your friend count or when you realize that you haven't seen so and so post a status update in a while.)
Funny thing is some of my Facebook friends have become my regular or close Facebook friends, in my opinion. These are people who post a lot. I tend to keep up with their lives this way. And I love it.
Some of those regulars are people I see a lot. But most of them aren't. Enter my friend Liz. I feel like we have become regular Facebook friends. We talk on Facebook and post on each other's walls. But even though we both live in Norman, I haven't seen her in person since I had Will. (That was 4 and a half and three quarters years ago!)
Until this morning at the donut store. There we both were, fresh out of bed, no make up, in shorts and t-shirts, barely awake. And I hugged her with all my strength. It was so good to see her. And we have kept up through the wonders of Facebook.
Where else can you take a quiz to see what musical character you are most like? Or a quiz on what your dream job is, or what color you are, or what mental illness you have? And my newest favorite is taking a quiz so you can see how well you know someone. I made my quiz and I have taken many more.
And the list craze has died down, but it was neat to get to know people that way, too.
I love Facebook. And I am slightly addicted. But I love it because I can keep up with 355 of my friends and they can keep up with me, but it is on my terms. I share what I want. I tell them what I want. They tell me what they want. And there it is. The beauty and wonder of an online community.
But it was really good to see my friend in person. We should probably try to do that more. ;-)
Friday, May 22, 2009
Missing Gingerbread
So Will enjoyed his last day ever yesterday at Gingerbread Nursery School in Norman. He was so sad as we pulled away from there when he realized he wouldn't be back. I was sad, too.
But honestly, I am glad he even got to go. Will started in the Tuesday-Thursday Giant class in January. On a whim, I called the Gingerbread office in January to see if there was an opening. My best friend Alison's daughter Beth attended Gingerbread and suggested I called. Although I didn't really know a lot about Gingerbread before hand, I did know that it is wildly popular in Norman.
So when I called, I didn't expect them to have a spot. But I happened to call the same day that another student told them he wouldn't be back for the next semester. They told me if I came and enrolled Will right then that he could have the spot. The rest is history, as they say.
Will loved Gingerbread from his first day. There were 33 kids in his class and 5 wonderful teachers, including Gingerbread's Director Teacher Skye. And Teacher Skye is AMAZING. She plays the guitar and sings and teaches the kids silly songs. They love her.
When I went in to the class to observe the first time, Will had been there a little more than a month. He was already ingrained into the system. And the system worked! The kids knew exactly what was expected of them all the time. They listened to instruction and if they didn't, they knew what to expect. It was amazing.
Just during the spring semester, Will went on field trips to the Omniplex/Oklahoma Science Museum, to take a hay ride, to go fishing, to the dentist's office, and even rode the Heartland Flyer to Purcell. That is just since January! Gingerbread has its own bus (with seat belts), so the kids would pile in and go, go, go!
And the playground at Gingerbread is second to none. There are bunnies you can pet, a HUGE sand box, the big hill, monkey bars, teeter totters, a zip line, forts and everything else kids love to do outside. They had a policy of letting the kids play hard and get dirty and told you so upfront. It is my philosophy exactly. I loved the outdoor activities that Will loved, too!
Will learned the correct order of the alphabet, can now identify the letters and the sounds they make, write his name clearly, count to 100 and many more things academic since he started. But if you asked Will, he never knew he was "learning;" he says he was just having fun.
Gingerbread is a special place. I am sad Ryan never got to go and that Will only got to go one semester. But more than that, I am grateful that he is now an official "alumni." Teacher Skye, the Sutherlins love you and think you are FABULOUS! Thanks to all the teachers for all the amazing things they do and the way they love our kids.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Outtakes: Thursday, May 21, 2009
So this will be the first of many "Outtakes," or short snippets of randomness happening in my world.
*****
Why is it that the closer to summer it gets that my kids get up that much earlier? Yesterday, Ryan woke up bright eyed and busy tailed at 6:12 a.m. I'm not sure if this has ever happened to you, but he was hovering over me for who knows how long before he whispered, "Momma..." I nearly jumped out of bed and swallowed my tongue it scared me so much.
And today, Will woke up at 6:08 a.m. He snuggled in bed with me and did one of his favorite things: he had me lay my head on his chest. I listened to his breathing and his heart beat and thanked God for him.
*****
For those of you who don't know, we have a new puppy. Lucy is a puggle: a intentional blend of pug and beagle. I got her off Craigslist about a month ago. She is a sweet dog and is doing well with her training. She is about 7 months old and loves the boys. She's the type of dog who loves to snuggle with you all the time, and that is just the kind of dog I wanted!
So we decided that she could sleep in the boys' room at night. As you can imagine, there was an immediate struggle to have Lucy sleep in each boys' bed. She prefers Ryan, the calmer of the two. Will is a little, well, intense. Will is the perfect playmate for Lucy but not so much the perfect sleepmate. So there has been weeping and gnashing of teeth over this.
Last night, I waited until I thought the boys were asleep and waited until Lucy was very sleepy and in my lap and then I took her in and laid her down in Will's bed. Will was barely awake and remarkable still. I encouraged him to lay as still as possible. Apparently, it worked, because when Will - and Lucy - bounded into my bed at 6:08 this morning Will reported that Lucy stayed in his bed all night. When I reported this to Ryan, he said, "I know. Will woke me up at 3:30 a.m. to tell me." Sometimes it's the little things in life that mean the most.
*****
So I was watching this show last night on TLC called, "I Shouldn't Be Alive." I know, uplifting, right? Well, there was nothing else on. Anyway, this episode was about these Boy Scouts who went hiking and ran out of water and all nearly died. In fact one of them did die, a 15-year-old boy. It was so sad. Brad and I were watching the end of it with the boys, and they are very concerned. When the show talked about the boy who died, my sweet 4-and-a-half-and-three-quarters-son Will asks quietly, "Did that boy know God?" Will has somehow figured out that knowing God is all that really matters in the end. I cried about this, of course.
*****
I made the serious mistake this morning of stepping on the scale. I knew I had gained some weight since going through a trying time the last 6 weeks. Unfortunately, I was right. I have gained about 10 pounds. ARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!! I hate feeling like this, overweight, sluggish and gross.
I know a few things I need to do and I am sharing them with you so you can ask me about it later and hold me somewhat accountable.
1. Cut down on naps for me. I think my favorite past time is napping. Unfortunately this is not so good for burning calories.
2. Cut down on Chewy Chocolate Dipped Granola Bars. I buy eight boxes every time I go to the store, which is about once a week. Now Brad and the boys love them, too, and eat them. And there are worse things they could be eating for a snack. However, I eat most of them and even resort to hiding a couple so I always get this last two. The first step is admitting I have a problem, right?
3. Choose a form of exercise. I hate exercise. Hate it, hate it, hate it.
4. Cook more and eat out less. This should help my budget, too.
5. Step on the scale every day. Even though it will hurt, it is a rockin' motivator.
What steps do you take to lose weight or keep off the weight? I am open to suggestions.
*****
Why is it that the closer to summer it gets that my kids get up that much earlier? Yesterday, Ryan woke up bright eyed and busy tailed at 6:12 a.m. I'm not sure if this has ever happened to you, but he was hovering over me for who knows how long before he whispered, "Momma..." I nearly jumped out of bed and swallowed my tongue it scared me so much.
And today, Will woke up at 6:08 a.m. He snuggled in bed with me and did one of his favorite things: he had me lay my head on his chest. I listened to his breathing and his heart beat and thanked God for him.
*****
For those of you who don't know, we have a new puppy. Lucy is a puggle: a intentional blend of pug and beagle. I got her off Craigslist about a month ago. She is a sweet dog and is doing well with her training. She is about 7 months old and loves the boys. She's the type of dog who loves to snuggle with you all the time, and that is just the kind of dog I wanted!
So we decided that she could sleep in the boys' room at night. As you can imagine, there was an immediate struggle to have Lucy sleep in each boys' bed. She prefers Ryan, the calmer of the two. Will is a little, well, intense. Will is the perfect playmate for Lucy but not so much the perfect sleepmate. So there has been weeping and gnashing of teeth over this.
Last night, I waited until I thought the boys were asleep and waited until Lucy was very sleepy and in my lap and then I took her in and laid her down in Will's bed. Will was barely awake and remarkable still. I encouraged him to lay as still as possible. Apparently, it worked, because when Will - and Lucy - bounded into my bed at 6:08 this morning Will reported that Lucy stayed in his bed all night. When I reported this to Ryan, he said, "I know. Will woke me up at 3:30 a.m. to tell me." Sometimes it's the little things in life that mean the most.
*****
So I was watching this show last night on TLC called, "I Shouldn't Be Alive." I know, uplifting, right? Well, there was nothing else on. Anyway, this episode was about these Boy Scouts who went hiking and ran out of water and all nearly died. In fact one of them did die, a 15-year-old boy. It was so sad. Brad and I were watching the end of it with the boys, and they are very concerned. When the show talked about the boy who died, my sweet 4-and-a-half-and-three-quarters-son Will asks quietly, "Did that boy know God?" Will has somehow figured out that knowing God is all that really matters in the end. I cried about this, of course.
*****
I made the serious mistake this morning of stepping on the scale. I knew I had gained some weight since going through a trying time the last 6 weeks. Unfortunately, I was right. I have gained about 10 pounds. ARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!! I hate feeling like this, overweight, sluggish and gross.
I know a few things I need to do and I am sharing them with you so you can ask me about it later and hold me somewhat accountable.
1. Cut down on naps for me. I think my favorite past time is napping. Unfortunately this is not so good for burning calories.
2. Cut down on Chewy Chocolate Dipped Granola Bars. I buy eight boxes every time I go to the store, which is about once a week. Now Brad and the boys love them, too, and eat them. And there are worse things they could be eating for a snack. However, I eat most of them and even resort to hiding a couple so I always get this last two. The first step is admitting I have a problem, right?
3. Choose a form of exercise. I hate exercise. Hate it, hate it, hate it.
4. Cook more and eat out less. This should help my budget, too.
5. Step on the scale every day. Even though it will hurt, it is a rockin' motivator.
What steps do you take to lose weight or keep off the weight? I am open to suggestions.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
We All Live in a Yellow Backyard
Any of you who know me or my kids know that Will is my wild man. He is - as he would tell you right now - 4-and-a-half-and-three-quarters right now. One of Will's best qualities and most fatal flaws is that he lives in the moment. Will loves life and lives each moment pretty much without regard to the next.
So Saturday, as I sat on my couch hanging out, listening to the neighborhood kids play at my house, I thought I would be able to tell by the noises from the kids playing - or the lack there of -if Will was getting himself into any trouble. This has worked for me in the past. I have learned the sounds of doors opening that shouldn't, the turning on and off of the water hose, high intensity whispers, or especially evil squeals of joy.
I must have been distracted by the Home and Garden channel this time. What transpired will forever go down in Sutherlin Family History as the Legend of the Yellow Paint.
Earlier in the week we had the people who come out and mark your yard for the things that are buried come out and mark our yard before we had a cable buried. Apparently, there were no gas lines in our yard, which I have now discovered are marked with yellow paint. And I know this for two reasons. There were no yellow marks in the yard when they left AND they left their can of yellow paint erroneously in my yard, which I didn't discover until it was too late.
Will and one of his friends found the paint in the back yard, and, because Will truly lives in the moment, took it upon their artistic abilities to decorate things. Will was the main culprit in the decorating. We had grass, tree trunks, our fence and wooden bench "tagged" with the paint. We had The wooden fort (which, by the way, Brad has built twice and has a special love for) painted in multiple spots. Will painted tennis rackets, his car that he drives around the backyard, other toys and even his most prized and newest toy (a Star Wars X-Wing Fighter that we found at a garage sale the day before) all covered in yellow spray paint. We were lucky the dogs were inside and that he didn't find his way to the front and tag our vehicles. He also was covered in yellow paint himself and had painted parts of his friend's body. It was bad.
I discovered the yellow after 7 and a half year old Ryan confiscated the paint from his brother by method of slugging him in the stomach. Ryan is definitely our rule follower and this was obviously WAY against the rules.
I took will inside and made him shower first thing and told his daddy what happened. After Will's FIRST shower, he was forced to throw away his toys that he spray painted and even a couple of boards on the fort. He then was made to throw away his clothes that had paint on them, including his prized Darth Vader T-shirt. That was especially painful for Will. Then he was set up with a scrub brush, soap and water. Luckily the paint mostly came off.
As Brad took Will inside for shower number two, he gazed up at Brad through his glasses and asked with weepy giant blue eyes, "Daddy, am I doomed?"
Brad answered honestly, "It's too early to tell, son. It's too early to tell."
Just so you know, Will lived to see the next day and has even told some others that spray painting was "really fun." Hopefully the consequences will keep it from being something he wants to do again....
So Saturday, as I sat on my couch hanging out, listening to the neighborhood kids play at my house, I thought I would be able to tell by the noises from the kids playing - or the lack there of -if Will was getting himself into any trouble. This has worked for me in the past. I have learned the sounds of doors opening that shouldn't, the turning on and off of the water hose, high intensity whispers, or especially evil squeals of joy.
I must have been distracted by the Home and Garden channel this time. What transpired will forever go down in Sutherlin Family History as the Legend of the Yellow Paint.
Earlier in the week we had the people who come out and mark your yard for the things that are buried come out and mark our yard before we had a cable buried. Apparently, there were no gas lines in our yard, which I have now discovered are marked with yellow paint. And I know this for two reasons. There were no yellow marks in the yard when they left AND they left their can of yellow paint erroneously in my yard, which I didn't discover until it was too late.
Will and one of his friends found the paint in the back yard, and, because Will truly lives in the moment, took it upon their artistic abilities to decorate things. Will was the main culprit in the decorating. We had grass, tree trunks, our fence and wooden bench "tagged" with the paint. We had The wooden fort (which, by the way, Brad has built twice and has a special love for) painted in multiple spots. Will painted tennis rackets, his car that he drives around the backyard, other toys and even his most prized and newest toy (a Star Wars X-Wing Fighter that we found at a garage sale the day before) all covered in yellow spray paint. We were lucky the dogs were inside and that he didn't find his way to the front and tag our vehicles. He also was covered in yellow paint himself and had painted parts of his friend's body. It was bad.
I discovered the yellow after 7 and a half year old Ryan confiscated the paint from his brother by method of slugging him in the stomach. Ryan is definitely our rule follower and this was obviously WAY against the rules.
I took will inside and made him shower first thing and told his daddy what happened. After Will's FIRST shower, he was forced to throw away his toys that he spray painted and even a couple of boards on the fort. He then was made to throw away his clothes that had paint on them, including his prized Darth Vader T-shirt. That was especially painful for Will. Then he was set up with a scrub brush, soap and water. Luckily the paint mostly came off.
As Brad took Will inside for shower number two, he gazed up at Brad through his glasses and asked with weepy giant blue eyes, "Daddy, am I doomed?"
Brad answered honestly, "It's too early to tell, son. It's too early to tell."
Just so you know, Will lived to see the next day and has even told some others that spray painting was "really fun." Hopefully the consequences will keep it from being something he wants to do again....
Who am I these days?
These days it seems like my identity is awash in other people's identities. For example, I am Ryan and Will's Mom. I am Brad's wife. I am Jackie's Best Friend. I am Fred and Anita's daughter. I am the dinner cooker, the chore doer, the errand runner, the clothes washer, the make-it-happener.
I used to have a career that I was proud of. And it isn't that I don't do anything work related, it's just that this identity shift isn't something I really planned for.
But here's the thing; I wouldn't change one single thing about my life. I wouldn't change the good, the bad or the in between. I wouldn't change the constant running from here to there, because I am doing it with my family and for my family. I am answering a call God has on my life. And I may not be very good at it some days, but that's ok. I am happy to try it, even if I fail. Because that's what us moms do.
I used to have a career that I was proud of. And it isn't that I don't do anything work related, it's just that this identity shift isn't something I really planned for.
But here's the thing; I wouldn't change one single thing about my life. I wouldn't change the good, the bad or the in between. I wouldn't change the constant running from here to there, because I am doing it with my family and for my family. I am answering a call God has on my life. And I may not be very good at it some days, but that's ok. I am happy to try it, even if I fail. Because that's what us moms do.
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