Goals

My mind is goal oriented lately and here are two goals set for the summer.

1. Read 10 books before Sept 1 (one book down 9 to go)


2. Achieve 200 miles by Sept 1 (I'm currently at 172). I am shooting for 190 by July 16 which is when I leave for DC.

Gratitude X 10

1. Fireworks on the 4th
2. Monkey loves reading
3. Tuesday beach fun with friends
4. 3 week break from PTA (it will start again this week)
5. Energy to clean the house today
6. 2 gym visits
7. Movie night with Princess (saw the American Girl movie)
8. Lunch date with Monkey (don't tell princess, but I love my morning hugs with him)
9. Starting to read again (its about time)
10. Flowers still blooming in yard.

The Power of Yes

The other day I only had Monkey with me because Princess was on a playdate. I told him that I would take him to lunch as a special date. We had been enjoying our time together and chatting and such. As we were walking into the restaurant Monkey looked up at me and said, "Mommy, why do you keep saying yes to everything for me today?"....I hadn't even noticed that I had been saying yes, but I guess he surely did. It made me think "do I say NO that often?", "should I be more conscious of what I say yes and no to?", "maybe more one on one time with this precious boy is what is needed"....anyway, it was a sweet moment. It made me realize, once again, that I need to be more 'present' with my kids when I am with them...I often fall into the mmm-hmmms, maybes, just a minutes; only 'half listening' just to get from one task to the next. I guess they take notice of those moments more than I realize and I need to be more "aware". I know on the whole I'm doing a great job with AND FOR the kids, but sometimes a little reality check is needed.

I know this picture is totally unrelated to the topic, but I wanted to share a photo from last night's fireworks...it was a really great evening, and none of my children were frightened (but maybe a little nervous at times).

Tradition

At our house we only have one Independence Day tradition so far. We've moved so often that we've not found the 'small town' parade to frequent, or a bbq tradition in the neighborhood. We do have a tradition that is transportable. For the past 4 years we've made a 'semi healthy' treat (as seen in the picture). We layer the bottom with whipped cream (I bought fat free) and then make the flag out of berries. This is the first year that I did NOT help at all. Whenever I let the kids participate in the kitchen I tend to micro manage, SO, I just left the room with the ingredients available and a verbal instruction NOT TO LICK YOUR FINGERS or SPOONS UNTIL YOU'RE DONE. I think the results are fabulous and as the saying goes "it all looks the same in your stomach". We are hoping to find fireworks tonight and have an evening dinner picnic on a lawn somewhere....OR we'll watch on TV. I'm crossing my fingers that this is the year the Princess does NOT get insanely frightened of the fireworks...8 times is the charm, right?

Help Wanted: Piano Teacher

Every morning at about 8:30 my daughter decides that it is time to serenade me with one of her only songs she knows, Heart and Soul. I think I might need to 'learn her' another song because its starting to get old. I love that she is taking an interest and I think in the Fall, I'll find someone, but until then...

I think this is one of those universal paybacks handed down from parent to child...because I tortured my parents with Fur Elise. I'm certain there are two people with an evil satisfaction at the moment...aka my mom and dad.

Cracking the code

I decided to get a little tutoring session for Monkey to bone up on his reading skills. This is with one of his favorite 1st grade teachers whom he might have next year. He had such a good time with her that when we went to the library he checked out a ton of books, came home and really tried hard to read them all. Right before I walked out of the room after tucking him in last night, he said, "Mommy, I really can read now!" This might be the best money ever spent.

Word Association: Stein

OK so I had to 'scan' the dictionary a few times to find a word the 'resonated' with me. Well surprise, surprise, the word "stein" resonates (maybe too much). I do like beer, I've definitely held a stein and I'm sure I could come up a story or two about both. Where to begin? Well, I have a gold charm bracelet with a beer stein on it. When my husband and I lived in London, we took several side trips to Europe and beyond. One of our first trips was to meet our great friends (and partners in crime) in Germany. We did all of the touristy stuff including going to a Hoffbraus Haus where we drank BIG glasses of beer. So, that is why I have my stein charm to represent our trip to Germany (the lid actually opens...I've never filled it with beer though...hmmmm).

That was not my first visit to a Hoffbraus Haus. I was actually a senior in High School and was elected to go to the Science Symposium in Heidelberg. I was in AP Biology and my project testing the E Coli (yum!) in the water in our local housing development in Naples, Italy got me a 'ticket' to the Symposium. Luckily my project wasn't good enough to display or speak because that would have been nerve racking and I wouldn't have had as much fun. Going to Heidelberg with several of my classmates was my first 'college style' experience. We stayed together in dorm rooms, we had more freedom than we probably should have AND it was legal to have drinks in Germany at age 18...so, we did. I think we somehow ditched our 'guardian' because I'm certain that that was not really allowed. I do have to say that even though I DID 'go with the crowd' on this one, I didn't feel that comfortable doing it but obviously not enough to 'just say no'. Anyway, it was somewhat harmless what we did. At the Hoffbraus Haus, 1 huge stein lasted me a long time I'm sure. Anyway, I remember feeling a bit tipsy and went to the bathroom. That is where I got 'lost in the mirror'. I kept looking at my face for some reason and it was then that I realized that my eyes were asymmetrical (and I believe that everybody's are). I kept noticing that one eye was slightly larger than the other, that one eyelid was different and on and on. I'm sure my friends thought I had fallen in. To this day I remember that mirror experience when I'm really looking at my face....what a funny memory (and fun too).

Another thing about stein. My best friend in college had a very long complicated last name, Goulstone. Well, over time, her name became Goulstein, then just Stein...so there is another memory.

On my charm bracelet picture above you can see a crown (for Princess) and a monkey sandwiching my beer stein. Could it be the 3 things I love most? NOOOOOO...just kidding, it is just the order in which the jeweler put them on. By the way, if times get tough, this charm bracelet will come in handy; $$$$$.