Story Time

One of the best parts about summer is that us working moms get to delve into the lives of the stay-at-home moms by doing things like going on play dates in the middle of the day, spending long mornings at the city pool, and going to story time at the public library. This activity apparently happens every week at the library, but those of us who work would never know it because our kids get read to at day care, therefore don't really need to be read to at the library. I guess that's why. I don't know.

Either way, they have this story time for a hefty thirty minute segment of time in the mid morning twice a week (wow - thirty whole minutes. this reminds me of Caddyshack when the staff pool time was for 15 minutes one afternoon a summer). One day is for pre-schoolers, which my observations lead me to believe that this includes children from infancy to about 7 years old, and another day is for toddlers, which also includes children from infancy to about 7 years old. I guess since kids don't carry picture ID's, there's no way to check them at the door to see if they meet the age requirements.

We have attended the toddler day, which basically consisted of a soft spoken lady reading a picture book to a room full of babies who could honestly give a cuss about the book being read to them. Because they're babies. The room was littered with strollers and toddlers wandering around aimlessly and being chased by their embarrassed mothers who are attempting to run after their children while crouching down so they don't obscure anyone's view of the book. Which is funny because no one is looking at the book. When I took Jacks to this story time, he made it about 10 minutes before he asked if he could go out and read a book for real.

So, we managed to make it to a pre-school story time this morning, and the set up was much more subdued and organized. There were still babies there, but most were younger siblings of the age appropriate children. But today, the kids got a "treat." The regular story teller was apparently on vacation or maternity leave or sick or at an appointment or taking a mental health day, or something, and a professional musician/story teller was filling in. All I retained was that her name was Melinda, and she appeared to be a musician who believed she was destined for country music fame, but was okay with this whole entertaining kids thing for now. She played acoustic guitar, sang familiar songs that some kids knew, involved the kids with the songs with movements and responses, and she read a few pop up books. She was very good, but she kept referring to her new CD that she just released. Explaining a new CD dropping to a room full of toddlers is like having a Twitter seminar at an assisted living facility. Lots of crickets and mouths agape with no twinge of recognition of the topic of conversation.

She explained to the kids that she sent out several copies of one of her songs to over 700 radio stations, and for everyone to keep their fingers crossed that something good happens. Jacks, along with the rest of the kids, clearly had no idea what one earth she meant by that, but he did spend the next five minutes trying to make his fingers cross. Kind of like when he tries to practice winking, whistling, snapping, and making pop noises with his mouth.

Jacks did much better at this story telling session, and he actually showed interest and sang along a little. He flat refused to get up and perform motions or move closer to the book when it was asked of him, but he still seemed pretty interested in the songs and stories and his toy Spiderman that he had smuggled in hidden in the palm of his hand. He made it the next to last song before he decided it was time to go and "buy" a book. He still doesn't understand that we just borrow books from the library. We made a selection of a book that he was familiar with from school, and we checked it out and headed home.

Outside the library was a man with the Blood Drive trying to drum up blood collecting business, and Jacks profusely thanked him for his book about the bear. Thankfully, the blood drive fella was a sport and played along by telling Jacks he was most welcome.

Good times, good times. I think I might attempt to take Nealy to the super disorganized toddler time tomorrow. Maybe she'll appreciate it better than her brother did.

Reflections....

As I sit around in my bathrobe at 4:52 in the p.m. with no idea as to what's for dinner, I'm moved to write something on my blog. What will I be discussing? I'm not totally sure. Let's see where this leads.....

You may ask, why are you in your bathrobe at 4:52 in the p.m.? Well, we went to the pool, and this is all I've managed to put on after taking off my wet bathing suit. Which I almost left on because it was making me insufferably cold, and that kind of a feeling is rare in these dog days of summer. Wait, are the dog days in August? Well, it doesn't really matter since I have to go back to work on August 4th, which means that August no longer qualifies as a summer month, now does it? Now if we could just make it not be hotter than the hinges of hell throughout August so I could bear actually putting on work clothes rather than my standard home uniform of a faded tie dye v-neck and maternity sweat pants. Yes, they're too big on me. I just roll them up at the waist. A friend came by the other morning to pick something up and spied me in my uniform. I think I got a few up and down glances.....

So now, as I enjoy the success of getting my child to eat peanut butter crackers, bananas, and apples for a snack instead of cotton candy and coca-cola, I am sitting here locating the next chin hair I need to pluck and reflecting on the issues of the day. Let's see if I can make this one of those "all over the place" posts.
Let's start with a picture of Nealy, because that makes everyone happy....
Next, I am so in love with the new grocery stores in this town that it's kind of out of control. I'm getting so much better about taking my mismatched collection of reusable shopping bags into the store that I'm almost smug about it. Like vegans and Prius drivers. While we were gone at camp, the Earth Fare and the Publix finally opened. This is huge news in Auburn. Earth Fare is an organic supermarket where diet drinks are not in their philosophy, but deli workers who indulge in an herbal break prior to work apparently is okay. If you know what I mean. Either way, red eyed or not, they manage to get a fabulous job done and everything there is made of magic. And money because I totally can't afford to shop there all the time. I'm trying to get good about using their coupons and sale specials.
I also have to offer praise to Publix. Our grocery shopping opportunities in this town had dwindled since the Bruno's closed, and we were all forced to go to Kroger all the time. There was a time when Kroger was the premier grocery store in this town. When it first opened, it gave the Quick Check on the opposite corner a serious run for its money. And if you don't know what Quick Check is, it's what my grandmother called Winn Dixie for the rest of her life. Quick Check is from the days of TG&Y and Orange Julius. You know, days gone by. Anyway, the Kroger may still be a favorite of Auburn old-timers, but the narrow aisles and the constant moving of items drives me absolutely crazy, as do the unfortunate encounters I have with people in the Kroger.

Short digression......there was a super methed up couple in bedroom slippers studying the candy shelf at the end of an aisle in Kroger not too long ago. They were blocking the flow of traffic to the registers. I waited for them to move. Waited until not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 more carts were also blocked behind me when I asked them to please move so we could get by. As I went by, the couple had a really loud conversation about the attitude on that little girl. Do you think they were talking about me? I'm sure that kind of thing will happen at Publix, but with the width of their aisles, I doubt it.

Plus, Publix will unload your groceries, bag them up without an attitude when you have reusable bags, attempt to make kind conversation with you while checking out, and then help you take your bags to your car. And they DON'T take tips! That's service, my friend. And I LOVE it.

Next item on the agenda, food...... I have been cooking A LOT lately. I've done steaks and meatloaf and pastas and fresh veggie sides and desserts and homemade ice cream and more. I'm starting to appreciate the therapy that cooking offers. I'm not even that bothered when the kids come in there and get underfoot. In fact, I really like it when Jacks wants to cook with me. He insists that we both wear our aprons, because chefs wear aprons. Joe gets in my way in the kitchen because he is so big and my kitchen is so small, but the kids are just small enough to not drive me nuts.

I might post some recipes up here a little bit later, but I don't manage to take fancy pictures of everything I cook. I need to get on that....

Have I told y'all that I've been working out 5 days a week? Well, don't get any ideas. I've lost a lot of weight over about 5 months, but not as much as I need to, so I don't look super great or anything. Just better. But I really hate working out. Like hate it. There is a reason I never played sports, other than the fact that I was really bad at all athletic endeavors and I don't really like games that require knowing the rules plus performing physical movements, I'm totally bad at it. I sweat profusely, I need water constantly, I want to stop everything as soon as it gets hard, and I stay sore all the time. But I'm doing it. Mostly because I paid the gym to go for this month. We'll see what happens next month. I have a zumba class I can go to twice a week, and my friend Summer will force me to do this couch to 5K program 3 days a week. Let's hope I don't throw up or poop my pants in front of anyone.

Other items to discuss today? Not much other than standard bitchin' and moanin' about raising a 3 year old boy who is super smart and amazingly precocious and not always my best friend, or the standard bragging about how cute and smart and precious and adorable my toddler daughter is and how she has a major temper and will give me a run for my money when she can actually verbalize her wants and needs. Which will be utterly contrary to what I want and need her to do.

yyghiewhtiowhtiowengisnrioewjrioew - ok, that was from Jacks. It seems my time to type has come to an end because Jacks is now asking to type all my words for me, which pretty much goes like, "Okay, Jacks, push the T." "Okay, Mommy, where is it? Ohhhh, right there." Then he pushes it until there are about 12 T's. Then I have to back space then go to the next letter. And so on.

So that means I gotta shut it down. Thanks for hanging with me for this random post. That is, if you actually did make it this far.

I honestly can't resist.

Back off Mom.....

I've got places to go.

Cowboy?

I really need to get Jacks a real cowboy hat. He maintains that this sombrero is his cowboy hat, which contributes to his overall cowboy costume of the sombrero and the bandanna. It comes off more Speedy Gonzales than Lone Ranger, no? Also, enjoy the expression. He's so tough.

Hot times in the Summer

Since we've been home, we've spent our summer days being totally lazy. We spend hours each morning in our pajamas until we feel like turning on the sprinkler or finding a pool to lounge around in. Other days we run errands around town getting lunch, picking up odds and ends, going to the farmer's market or the new grocery stores, and visiting friends and family. We've all managed to get in a visit to the dentist, the regular doctor, and everyone will be getting haircuts next week (except for Nealy - I will never cut those curly locks). Overall it has been a wonderful summer spent at home.

Originally, we were planning to be gone from Auburn until the very last moment of the summer. While this was a fabulous plan, it didn't work out as we thought. However, when we were going to be gone, we were looking forward to not working on the house or having responsibilities in Auburn for the summer months, because in years past we have taken on one home improvement project after another, I have taught summer school or been on maternity leave, and Jacks has gone to school in order to maintain his schedule. So, when we returned home early, we threw caution to the wind and decided to shed those traditional plans for our summer months. While the summer time is a perfect opportunity to be productive, we are not doing that this summer.

Everyone needs a break sometimes.

See the pictures below of some examples of our riveting summer days.

Enjoying some pool time.....

Being lazy at home.....

Jacks and Nealy had a good visit at Pinetucket a few weeks ago, and we need to go back soon.

Notice how Jacks took a liking to the old Wurlitzer. I wonder what his favorite songs will be on that juke box when he gets older (me? Rebel Rouser).

So, we've got one week of summer left. What will we get into over the next week? Absolutely nothing.

Date night

Since Joe and I have been blessed with the gift of babies, we have had to make an effort to take a date night with each other here and there. We aren't as good as those folks who make a vow to take a date night once a month, and we certainly aren't as good as those couples who take overnights away from their kids periodically, but we still manage from time to time. Although it is nice and lovely to spend an evening having a meal with your husband that neither of you have to prepare or clean up, you still have to pay for it and figure out what to do with the rest of your evening until the kids are put to bed by someone else. So, I'm developing a working list of date night tips for tired parents out there:

1. Get a good baby sitter - nothing is worse that coming home to kids who are not put to bed. If you come home from a date and have to get your kids to sleep, what's the point in even paying the sitter? Make sure that you get a sitter who will get those kids in bed at a reasonable hour. And by reasonable, I mean before you get home no matter what time that is.

2. Don't pick a fancy restaurant every time - Joe and I make the mistake of always wanting to go out for a super fancy meal. And if we do that, we are stuck with a giant dinner bill we have to pay for, and we still haven't even paid the sitter. We have found that sushi restaurants are generally very date friendly and easier on the wallet than those standard date places. However, I think we really need to reevaluate our date experiences and look at more "regular" restaurants as acceptable date night places. Every date night is not prom night. (even though when I was in high school, we always went to The Melting Pot before proms and dances - what I wouldn't give for a Melting Pot around here! Me likey the fondue.)

3. Pick dinner OR a movie - We have made the mistake of attempting to do both. This is stupid for several reasons. First of all, we're aging and tired. After we go out for a big meal, we're tired and lazy. To attempt to sit in a movie theater for 2+ hours after a large meal is taxing on both of us. Usually we want to go home and lay around after having a large meal.
Also, movies are a tricky business for date night. The theater is a HUGE hangout for teenagers on weekends, and since Joe and I are both teachers, bumping into our work constituents is not the most romantic venue.
And if I go to the movies without my own kids, I honestly don't want to deal with other people's kids. Kids in movies are deplorable. They talk, they shout, they talk on the phone, they text constantly, they get into trouble, etc... I'm not judging them for it; I'm sure I did it, too. But I don't want to pay $10 to see a movie and deal with that mess.

So, here are my tips for movie night
- if you go to the movies, eat at home then go to a late movie. Kids are less likely to be out that late.
- With the exception of Harry Potter movies (which must be seen immediately), go see a rated R movie. Again, kids can't get into rated R movies all that often.
- Take snacks in a big purse. I know this is a cheapo trick that we all know, but $5 for a small drink? That's crazy. Joe and I have actually taken large slices of pizza and cans of coke into movies before. No one really cares or notices.

If you opt to go to dinner, then go late and rent something on the way home.

4. Go wander around a stupid store - if you're going to get a baby sitter, you might as well take your time doing something you never have time to do with kids. For instance, my trips to CVS usually involve wrestling the kids down the aisle to the pharmacy and away from the toys, candy, and ice cream, get the job done, and get outta there. I never get the chance to slowly look at all the facial care products, the seasonal items, or notice what strange and bizarre fragrances they choose to keep behind glass. Other good places to wander around - Target, Publix, and Wal Mart. Everywhere else closes at 9 in Auburn, so we're screwed for good, leisurely shopping late night.

5. Do not assume you'll make it for drinks, dinner, dessert, and beyond - Once we make it through a restaurant dinner paired with a few drinks, we're done. We once went on a date complete with appetizers, wine, salads, and full entrees. And we were living under some kind of delusion that we would go somewhere after that for dessert and more drinks. I don't know who we were kidding, because we had to take some trips around the block to walk off all that dinner before we could even get in the car, and even then we had to head straight home and lay around moaning in gastrointestinal pain for a good hour while our baby sitter wondered why we were home so early. When you have kids, you don't realize how rarely you actually get to enjoy an entire meal that isn't a hamburger or a sandwich (both easily carried around as you're tending to other people).

6. No pressure, enjoy each other, and don't be afraid to come home early and go to sleep. Sleep is a luxury in these days of young child rearing. Take it when you can.

Maybe I can follow these rules for my next date night with Joe.

I'm still working on a post from the 4th of July, which we spent on Lake Harding with our dear friends the Cannons. This year's post will probably look a lot like last year's post, but it was so much fun I can't avoid sharing.

Splash Park

Ok, Opelika. I've got to hand it to you. The new Sports Plex is freaking amazing. I am seriously torn on getting a membership there even though it is a good 30 minute drive from my house.

I know, for those of you who live in real cities know that a 30 minute drive somewhere isn't all that far, but around here we pretty much enjoy being 5-10 minutes away from everywhere. Joe and I are even worse about taking our short commutes for granted because we live so close to downtown Auburn. Everywhere is about 5 minutes away. When we have to drive to the outskirts of town, or God forbid, ALL the way to Opelika, we start whining and considering packing a sack lunch for the long journey.

But all of a sudden, this mecca in the middle of nowhere is calling to me. Join the gym with the low rates and the super awesome facilities. Come on, you know you want to. I totally want to. I mean, check out this splash park....


Are you kidding me? This place is perfect! And just inside there's a HUGE pool with one of those beach entry shallow ends. I mean, the kids can lay in the shallow end and still be safe. I love it.

So, we enjoyed a wonderful summer morning with the Williams kids at the splash park last week, and we are all totally hooked.

I want to go to there.

Enjoy some pics of the fun in the sun.