Back to School – 2012

Avery is on the bus! She is five. She is in kindergarten. She is independent (even more than normal). She has an older brother easily settling into second grade. And our annual daycare budget is now somewhat reasonable – just somewhat.

But surprisingly, Avery did not sprint to school as expected, and instead turned shy and worked herself into a nervous frenzy. We weren’t sure we were going to get her to the bus stop – let along pose for the obligatory first day of school photo.

She eventually calmed down and put on her backpack – thanks to a chocolate chip cookie, a few white lies and a chance to ride in the FRONT seat of daddy’s car (we were digging deep in our bag of tricks). No calls yet from school, so I assuming she found her classroom, teacher and some new friends (I hope).

And after a few tearful minutes, I have found my chair in the office and enjoying the empty house.

Click here to see photos from the first day(s) of school.

Too Busy Being Busy

I read this great article, The ‘Busy’ Trap, that questions the newly created perceived value in being busy. I loved it, and will be sure that I never again answer the question “How are you?” with “busy.” One passage really caught my attention:

"It’s hard to find anything to say about life without immersing yourself in the world, but it’s also just about impossible to figure out what it might be, or how best to say it, without getting the hell out of it again."

Therefore, I am not busy, but just caught in a never ending spin of trying to balance living and relaxing – and writing is taking a backseat to both. So I need to figure out a better way to weave thinking, writing and breathing back into my life without every 4-5 weeks doing an obligatory post that just says … sorry, I am too busy (a.k.a. important, wanted, popular and every other pompous adjective) to write. In the meantime, my camera still works so I at least want to start by getting caught up on photos. Enjoy the article and enjoy the pics!

• Mother’s Day and Kid's Birthdays
• Alex and Avery Birthday Party
• May 2012
• Loveland's Amazing Race
• June 2012

Disney 2012

Princesses, pixie dust, pirates and parades. You know I am going to have much more to say on this topic, but for now, I will keep it simple. We survived the happiest place on earth.

Click here for photos from our trip to Disney World.

A Lot of Fire on 40 Candles

Go ahead and think we are twins, although we have not dressed alike since Easter 1978. But we will both probably be happy if you assume we are 38.

Click here for photos from Jen’s surprise 40th birthday dinner.

Join the Fight Against CF!

On Saturday, May 5, Avery and I will be doing the GREAT STRIDES walk in Lancaster, Ohio as part of Team Lilly's Sunshine and with the mission to help find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Lilly is 4 years old and the daughter of one of my dearest friends, Kathy Lapp Straley. We have been so fortunate to get to know this amazing little girl.

Click on my the link below to read more about the walk and Cystic Fibrosis, as well as to watch a life-changing video about Lilly and her fight against CF.

http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/SherriMuse

Please consider making a donation to help support Team Lilly’s Sunshine and to help us find a cure for CF. Many thanks in advance!

Hello Spring

I really hope this blog will provide more than just a seasonal update or photo. And I know I sound like a broken record when I say things are just too busy at work, at home and everywhere else to put pen to paper (figuratively). But I guess I need to say it at least one more time.

Most recently, we have been consumed by “the foot surgery of 2012.” I am going on day 27 of not being able to exercise or wear shoes or walk like normal person thanks to a minor procedure (with a major recovery) to remove a joint cyst from the top of my left foot. Although I am making some progress in healing, I am still very limited in what I can do – and of course that drives me crazy! Although I wish I could say wrapping up the Hunger Games trilogy counts as being productive, I just can’t knowing that one box of Christmas decorations still sits at the bottom of my basement stairs. One day they will be put away. One day.

So we have been getting by the best we can while I quarterback our lives from my lazy boy. I can hobble the kids to and from school. I can work from my lap top with my foot propped up. And luckily I can still secure pastel Ralph Lauren attire for Easter. Yes, there has been a lot of online shopping, but very little – or none at all – spring cleaning, volunteering, socializing, running, biking, laundering, organizing or successful calendaring. Deep sigh. As I feel even stress just typing it.

Click here to see photos from Spring 2012.

Goodbye Winter

Five work trips in seven weeks. At least one was to Colorado. Three cases of Strep throat. At least one was me. One extra long weekend skiing and relaxing at Wisp Resort outside of Deep Creek Lake. At least it was so laid back it did not matter I only brought one pair of shoes and left my make-up bag at home. Who needs eyeliner when you are eating carry out in your snow gear by the lake?

Click here to see photos from Winter 2012.

Note to self: Spring is tomorrow. It is 80 degrees today and it’s as humid as Jamaica in July (my hair is living proof). Despite that, let’s do our best not to let this next season fly by …

Dental Emergency

Well, it felt like an emergency yesterday. We went in that morning for a few fillings and they redirect us to a surgeon as Alex’s teeth and gums were now infected. They were insistent he get in right away – like his mouth was going to explode in the next 24 hours. I don’t think that was the case, but that was the tone they were using. The dental assistant was ecstatic they could get us in for a late afternoon consultation, so we quickly updated and juggled calendars to make it work. I think my biggest challenge was just trying to get Andy up to speed during our hand off of Alex between conference calls. “First, Alex is six and therefore he now has teeth. Second, we have done a crappy job as parents around oral hygiene (see post below). Third, Alex is not phased at all by this and is looking forward to driving by the Nippert Stadium.” Surgeon was in Clifton and Alex was already wearing his new Bearcats hat.

But in the end, all went well. The actual procedure was today. He was a champ, and I was only somewhat of a worrying mess. They made sit in the waiting room as they knocked out my kid, and on top of it they made me throw away my Starbucks (no food or drinks allowed). I tried to explain my Grande Mocha was more than a beverage to me, but rules are rules.

Alex came out of surgery a droggy and bloody mess, but was in good spirits mumbling he could already tell his teeth no longer hurt. He is now sleeping it off on the couch. And I am strategizing on how to step up our game around family dental care.

Healthy Smiles – FAIL

It’s official. The National Society of Pediatric Dentistry will never present me with the mother of the year award. Instead, I am pretty sure I just made their version of the no fly list. Five cavities in Alex’s little mouth. Two so severe the teeth need to be pulled. One caused an infection in his gums. And I asked the stupid question of “what might have caused this?” Dr. Connie’s polite, yet condescending response, was, “ irregular cleanings and checkups; poor brushing habits; and too many sugars and sweets.”

You don’t have to be a genius or dental hygienist to connect the dots and see who is ultimately responsible for managing those areas. Me (and Andy). Sure, Alex sneaks fruit snack (and candies) when I am not looking. He also strongly (and loudly) boycotted the x-ray machine at his last trip to the dentist And he does more sucking than brushing if I don’t hover like a hawk. But he is six. Who can blame him?

So today I am now asking myself why? What was I thinking? With the time and attention I give to everything else related to physical care and appearance, why did I get lazy when it came to their smiles. And I am saying “their” smiles, as I might as well bring Avery in the conversation – no cavities yet, but her visit isn’t until next week.

Is it because I knew they were baby teeth and not meant to last? Is it because I spend too much time in their ear with a Q-tip that I overlook the mouth? Is it because I am on ebay shopping for Ralph Lauren clothes (thinkin the Pony is going to cover up tooth decay)? Is it because we attempt to brush teeth during the most hectic (and uncontrollable) times of the day – ten minutes before the bus and ten minutes before bed? Brushing their teeth is one of 100 tasks that need to be done to get to school on time, which means my focus is elsewhere and there is no time to stand and be a good coach. Brushing their teeth is one of 100 tasks to get to bed on time, which means my focus is minimal and I can’t even notice if the toothpaste made it on the brush or just on the bathroom floor. Guess it is all about re-focusing for me. And finally throwing away the bowl of Halloween candy. And setting the timer for two minutes while they brush – and watching them brush! And no more Star Wars fruits snacks. Alex cried at this revelation, which is strange because he didn’t even flinch when I told him two of his teeth would be gone by noon today.

So this is a moment where I truly feel like I failed my son. He will be knocked out cold in a sterile dental chair in two hours for an oral surgeon to remove the evidence of my wrong (or lack of) doing. FAIL. But not sure that word is strong enough. And I will definitely have more to report on this matter later …

Trade Offs

There are lots of trade offs as a parent. Most deal with what you give up outside the home to focus on your family inside the home. Some even say that once you give birth you are giving up your life for the lives of your little ones. I think that may be a bit extreme as I know I am personally, in order to keep my sanity in the long run, doing my best to hold on to my identity like Rose and Jack going down with Titanic.

But with parenting also comes the internal give-and-take between moms and dads. Some are major. Some are minor. Some are friendly. Some are wars. This isn’t the 1950s so the balance of duties no longer reflect the lives of Betty and Don Draper, but it is fair to say we are still not 50/50 in every household yet. Not even mine, despite my wishful thinking and plenty of women studies classes in graduate school. So therefore, I focus on the little wins, which usually feel big, and I become thankful for the few extra minutes (and less stress) at the end of my day.

Andy and I sat down at the negotiation table two nights ago. I traded the bedtime routine (two unwilling kids every night) for trash day (once a week) and feeding the dog (every morning). Overall, I feel like I (and Casey) came out ahead. And I also feel a bit more comfortable that everything that needs to get done is getting done. I trust the kids will eventually fall asleep (whether in bed or not), but I have yet to see the dog feed herself or the recycling bin wheel itself down the driveway. And luckily this new division of labor has freed up 9:00 – 9:20 p.m. EST for me to fold laundry, unload the dishwasher, pack school lunches, pick up the toy room, scrape applesauce of the kitchen table, take the dog out to pee, register Avery for gymnastics, review Alex’s homework, pick up the family room, check work email, check personal email, do another load of laundry, pour a glass of wine, etc.

Again, I will take a win – big or small. Every second counts.

Invincible We are no Longer

Last week I turned 38. I usually don’t care about birthdays or age, but hey, this one is two years closer to 40. So it got me thinking. And it got me thinking I am getting old. The eight age-defying, anti-wrinkle skin care products I bought on Amazon prime earlier in the month were just another proof point.

But something happened on my birthday, and to sum it up I thought I would share my facebook post from January 23.

I started the day with an airline ticket to Vegas (OK, only for work) and thinking age was a state of mind – I really do want to believe that. But I am ending my day in a Courtyard Marriott in Dayton realizing you can’t take anything for granted in life. After an usually successful trip to the BMV and a great breakfast with friends, I headed to the airport only to learn my brother suffered a heart attack and was being rushed in for quadrupled bypass surgery. He came out of the procedure in record time and with flying colors, but my heart still goes out to my sister-in-law, my niece, my nephew and my mom. They all got through the day with such impressive strength, and the rest of us did our best, which included getting kicked out off the waiting room for being too loud and finding a way to laugh, when all we wanted to do was cry. In the end, I was only reminded that family comes first – nothing is more important. On a day like today, all the birthday wishes mean more than you can know! So thank you. I truly appreciate all the online love and support tonight!

After this post, I was overwhelmed by the comments, messages, posts, texts, emails and phone calls I received wishing our family well and praying for my brother. Think it might have worked. So thank you.

Since that day Mike has been on a quick road to recovery – overall speedy progress with just a few setbacks – and he is supposed to come home today. He has been in ICU almost the whole time with limited visitors, so I have not been back to see him and ended up going to Vegas after all. It was harder than I thought being 2000 miles away from my family, especially Andy and the kids, so I have been holding them tighter, playing longer, listening better and just finding ways to make more time since my return. And although you begin to question your own immortality in a time like this, you can find comfort in knowing you are leading the life you want and surrounded by people who love you. I am once again reminded that I need to slow down to enjoy it more and that a hug is not a bad thing either (thank you Sarah and Jenni).

Seize Another Blog

I never seem to find time to read. So therefore, I try to avoid finding things I want to read, but know I will never get to. Last year, I made the exception and tuned into Pregnant Chicken as I needed more Canadian wit in my life and I still can’t give up I Hate Green Beans during the all the dramatic Bachelor seasons. Going into 2012, I wasn’t sure if I could squeeze one more mommy blog into my followings, but then my neighbor Cherylanne posted a link to Don’t Carpe Diem on the Momastery Blog (pronounced mom-astery).

Funny. True. And worth checking out. I agree with everything she says, except I wouldn’t mind throwing some of those old ladies off the mountain. Guess you will have to read it to find out what I mean.

Tebow: Why Not?

With the Bengals making a quick exit from the playoffs, Alex is now 100% behind his original home town team and is riding the Bronco’s bandwagon. And he has no shame in Tebowing (yes, it is now a verb) and I obviously have no shame in taking a picture (to share on facebook or my blog).

Plus, we have been looking for a way to bring more spirituality into our lives and this may be the most religious activity we have participated in since the kids’ baptisms (exemplified by Alex’s comment over the holidays that he did not want to go to church on Christmas Eve because he did not want water poured on his head). So, I am not sure we can do the evangelist thing, but having a reminder that God is always with us – during the good times, bad times and the fourth quarter – can never hurt.

Cheers to 2012!

This year I am keeping the resolutions simple: Put the old khaki couch on Craig’s list. Bike more. Drink less. Write more. Facebook less. And stop secretly watching the Kardashians. Although I am hoping that was just a guilty pleasure I discovered over my Christmas vacation. But if it continues, then it will require removing the E! Channel from our Direct TV package.

As for focusing on my family, that is just given. And I may have already won my parent of the year award by finally (finally!) booking a trip to Disney. More to come on that topic later. First, need to enjoy the optimism, serenity and Champaign that come with the start of a new year.

Holiday Photos

Was it a Christmas miracle or are my children finally that well trained? But between the parties, presents and daily deliveries by the UPS man, Alex and Avery were way too cooperative when it came to dressing up and posing in front of the tree.

And of course, my camera battery kept dying (due to user error) half way through (or before) many of our festivities. So look for more photos of cousins, house guests and Casey next year.

Click here to see pictures from Christmas 2011.

Holiday Deception

Besides the one about the big guy in the red suit who slides down your chimney with a bag of toys, I have expanded my lists of lies this holiday season in order to preserved the magic of Christmas. And it also got me off the hook from buying another Hallmark holiday tradition – Elf on the Shelf.

Blurring the lines between childrens’ fiction and advertising, earlier this month ABC ran a delightful 30 minute program about cheery little elves who visits your home with the job to watch over your children during the day and then report back to Santa at night on their behavior (good or bad). I know this is now a common practice in many homes, and I have had plenty of friends and neighbors share their success on how the elf helped reinforce good behavior with the threat of him communicating wrong doings back to the North Pole. But when you are watching this show with you children at 8:00 pm on a Sunday night and you have a 7:00 am flight to Phoenix on Monday morning, then you have to be spontaneous and harmonious in your answer when they ask, “will one of Santa’s elves be visiting us this year?” With no time to shop and 50 pounds of guilt already on me due to my upcoming week long work trip, the best answer felt like, “no, Santa only sends elves to the houses where naughty kids live. You two are very good kids and Santa does not have to keep an eye on you.”

My sincere apologies to anyone who had an Elf on the Shelf, as I am pretty sure my children looked at them with both judgment and jealously.