Remember Me?

I haven't posted in ages. Not sure why. So I guess I better give some updates.

First of all, I'm sure there aren't a lot of people reading this because I changed the name of the blog to make it all a little more private. So if you are...Hi!

What have I been up to? Well...we're remodeling the kitchen. It started with me just repainting the cabinets. Then while I was doing that we ripped out the nasty carpet (carpet in a dining room-GROSS) with the plan of me just painting the subfloor until we can afford hardwood floors. Then we got a line on a granite sale and bought two slabs for the counters. Since we already tore out the flooring and were going to tear off the counters, we decided to move the cabinets around a bit. Instead of a U shaped kitchen we now have an island. So right now my kitchen is a total wreck, everything is out of the island cabinets and off the counters. Tomorrow we rip off the remaining counters and remove the sink. Wednesday we will be getting the new granite and a shiny new 9" deep stainless steel sink. I can't wait! Then I can finish painting the cabinets, put everything away, and start on painting the floor.

What else...well the monkeys are both in school all day now. I've been revelling in the time ALONE. It's nice to have them gone because when they come home I'm excited to see them and be with them. During the day I have been doing too much shopping. I've also been cleaning more. And I rejoined the gym and have been lifting weights with L (who is very strong and kicks my ass every single time) as well as going to Zumba classes. Love, love, love the Zumba classes. My friend S teaches some of them. She is a hoot and even though I suck at shaking my hips in any sort of rhythmic, intentional way, it is fun and I love going. I am getting better if I do say so myself. And I've been getting the yard ready for winter. I've also been volunteering at the school a bit and helping R with marketing. It all keeps me very busy but in a happy way. I love this phase of my life.

I've also been doing a lot of research on ways to help M with his OCD. He has also started having some tics which isn't unusual for people with OCD. Somehow they go hand in hand. Because there aren't really any good medicines for tics, and there really isn't anything that can be done with therapy to help them go away, I've been looking at alternative therapies, especially diet therapy and supplements and herbs. And there is a ton of information out there! So we've been tweaking our diet and taking more supplements and I can see some positive changes already. I think regardless of the effect it has on M, it is good for all of us to eat more whole foods, especially fruits and veggies, and to cut out the artificial crap. M's health issues have definitely made this a priority lately. So there is the silver lining I guess.

Freddy the cat went missing a few days back for just over 24 hours. We were all worried when he stayed out all night, but when the neighbor mentioned the HUGE coyote hanging out across the street, I was sure he was a coyote late night snack. By the time he did come home I had spent the morning bawling and feeling sick. Needless to say we were all soooo happy to see him when he showed up. He won't be going outside again until next Summer. He hates being stuck inside but that is just too damn bad!

I'm getting excited for P's baby girl to arrive! One more month. I seriously adore other people's babies. My new nephew C is soooo cute! I babysat last week and it was actually fun to cuddle, rock, walk and pat him when he was crying. So sweet! Babies are truly amazing and one of the great joys of life. Seriously. They are miraculous.

The boys are doing great. M is in 4th grade and doing well in school. His teacher says she really enjoys him and finds him very interesting. He is getting tall and more pre-teen every day. He barely ever wants to cuddle, which sucks because he has always been a world class cuddler. He seems to have a good group of friends in school that accept him, tics, OCD and all. He also has a few close friends that he spends quite a bit of time with. He is a purple belt in karate and has joined the tournament team. Two nights a week he spend almost 3 hours doing karate, which I think is awesome. I really enjoy watching him do his various events. He is also a Weeblos in the Boy Scouts and is pretty jazzed about it. I think scouts is a great way for boys to find self-esteem through emerging competence. He just thinks it's fun. He's gotten quite brave. I was really proud of him at Lagoon last week because he did every single ride he has been scared to go on. That has to feel good inside. And as always he is reading a ton, soaking up random facts, talking non-stop and cracking me up. He's awesome.

Z is in 1st. He is doing great. I expected him to be over it rather quickly, but the school work comes easily to him and I think he enjoys the social aspect. By the weekend though he is ready to be home, playing with his vehicles and doing his own thing. He has a group he plays with regularly at recess and a few friends in the neighborhood he plays with as well. The wonderful thing is that M and his friends have finally accepted Z and let him play pretty much all the time. Over all M and Z are doing really well together and we have almost no fighting. A year ago I wouldn't have believed it could happen. As always Z is way into tractor's and all things construction. For Christmas he would like a child-size forklift. Too bad they don't make them! He is always busy building something and quite happy to play alone, outside with his toys for hours. He is playing soccer and is really good at it. He played flag football last Summer and loved it. He is also such a great helper and a total sweetheart.

R is working his butt off and I think doing an amazing job in our economy and real estate market. While is total volume of sales has been lower this year, we have done much better about not going into debt and I'm proud of us for that. When the market recovers, I think he will really take off. He is still diligently working out almost every morning and mountain biking whenever he gets a chance. He looks really great. I can confidently say that he is in the best shape of his life. He is definitely aging very well! He has also really come into his own as a father and I am lucky to have him as my hubby! I think we balance each other very well.

So there is a bunch of stuff on Family V. Of course there is more, but I will save that for another day!

Bring On 2009!

2008 flew by faster than I can really comprehend. For the most part I feel like it was a really good year for our family and for me personally. Here is a list of a few highlights:

Obama won! I really could not be more optimistic about the direction he wants to take our country in. For so long I have been a little embarrassed by our false bravado, our selfishness, our disregard for the rest of the world, our "bigger is better" mentality, and "Mine! Mine! Mine!" attitude. We finally have earned some respect from the rest of the world and we finally have a rational, intelligent leader who understands the reality we are in and has a plan to begin to rememdy the disasters we have created. I am behind this new administration 100%

R and I came to some agreements on what we needed to do for the health of our family. We have realized where we need some outside help and acquired it, we are making sleep a priority for all of us, we are focusing on wholesome foods, and are being very selective about the quality and quantity of media in our home. I will readily admit that we slip up often, but for the first time I really feel like we are pretty much on the same page with our parenting.

Z started Kindergarten! We are officially past the "pre-schooler" stage. I have really enjoyed moving on to big kid type activities. We went to Lagoon in October and Z pretty much was able to ride everything he wanted to. He is a whiz at math. A dynamo builder and making progress with his reading. He's an absolute sweetheart and loves to help out. He is willing to work hard and is determined to master the skills he associates with being a man. And we finally made significant progress with his encopresis. What a relief that has been for all of us! Z played soccer this year and really is amazing! He just has a natural talent for sports.

M started 3rd grade. So far we really like both his teachers, Mrs. Mitchell for homeroom and Mrs. Olsen for reading. Speaking of reading, M has read 4 Harry Potter books this year as well as 2 Fablehaven books along with a ton of books in between. He has made significant strides with his anxiety and OCD which makes me very proud. He has become very considerate and understands the consequences of his actions. He and his brother have improved their relationship significantly. They still fight like crazy, but there are periods of fun and calm in between. M also received his orange belt in karate and began to take a weapons class. He is really dedicated to his karate lessons and it has been fun to watch him progress.

We got our new kitty Freddy! What an awesome cat! R was so against getting another pet but is just as in love with him as the rest of us. This cat has certainly added some spunk to our house! I am constantly laughing at the stuff this creature does! This brings the total of pets in the family to 4; Pepe our lab, Freddy the kitty, and 2 beta fish.

R had a successful year with his real estate business. It has been a crazy year for the market but R has been solid and committed to following the systems Keller Williams has created for its Realtors and it has paid off. We've seen many agents quit and have somehow managed to soldier on and keep me home with the kids. All in all, his total sales wasn't much lower than last year. Pretty amazing considering the economic meltdown this country has experienced!

I have lost 31 lbs. this year. While much of this I attribute to coming to terms with the fact that I do have ADD and getting the appropriate medication which happens to have the not so horrible side effect of reducing my appetite, I have also improved my diet and done a lot of walking! I feel so much better physically, mentally and emotionally. I am really proud of myself!

We finally cut a "window" in the wall between the kitchen and the living room and cut a door to have easier access to the storage under the stairs. What a difference these two minor projects have made! Our home feels so much brighter and open with the window. And having access to under the stairs has enabled me to finally declutter my kitchen and organize our food storage. I am so glad we finally did it!

In November M had his tonsils removed. What a champ this kid is. I couldn't believe how brutal it looked in the back of his throat, but he never complained and had a stellar attitude about the whole thing. And now he is sleeping better and hopefully he won't be getting sick as often.

We have 3 new nephews in our family. In April my sister and her husband had their 3rd child and 1st boy, R. This kid is so cute! Lucky for her he is such a good baby and our entire family has really enjoyed having a baby around. In July R's brother and his wife had their first children. Yes, plural, they had twin boys K and S. They are darling! I can't even imagine having twins, but they are handling it all with such an amazing calm. I have been having so much fun with all these babies!

Speaking of babies, R and I decided that we were really, truly done having them. In December we took the plunge and R had the ole snippy snippy. So glad to have that taken care of. He was super grumpy and whiny for a few days, but we survived.

Our boys have become proficient snowboarders this year. It really makes me proud to watch them shreddin' up the slopes!

And to end the year we had a fabulous holiday season. Usually the holidays are stressful and difficult for our family. This year was really pleasant and fun. We spent time with all our favorite people, including my sister L and her husband S who are currently living in Philly. I hope all our future holidays are as great as this one has been.

So that was our year in a nutshell. I'm sure I've missed something important, but this is what has come to mind right now. Tomorrow I will post about my hopes and resolutions for 2009. I've got quite a year planned!

This and That

It's been awhile. I've been BUSY! So in no particular order here is a bit of this and that from my life.

Philadelphia-I took M to Philly with Nana and Pops to see Aunt L and Uncle Fancypants (aka S). The weather was great. We did the historical stuff the first day and then had the most fantastic banana split at the cutest old fashioned ice cream parlor. The second day we decided to take a double decker bus tour which I have found is a great way to see a lot of a city in a short amount of time. The two most interesting things we saw that day were the Eastern State Penitentiary and the National Geographic exhibit Real Pirates! at the Franklin Institute. Both very cool.

Day 3 was a daytrip to DC. So many cool things. The Smithsonian was amazing and would easily take a week to see everything. My favorite memorial was the Korean War Memorial. I thought it was all really cool though. By the time we returned my ears were actually tired from listening to M talk non-stop for 5 days straight. But we had a lot of fun and I'm glad we had a chance to do this together. And I always love to see L and S. I will be glad when they move back.

Halloween-Thank goodness it was on a Friday this year so it wasn't dragged out all week. What a marathon day though-parade, parties, trick or treat and another party. But they were surprisingly pleasant. Z was Indiana Jones and M was The Unknown Phantom. I am in shock at the amount of candy they brought home. I don't think I ever got that much.

Obama-Oh my hell I am so glad that Obama won. For the first time in a LONG time I don't feel like I'm looking around and wondering what the hell are you people thinking!!! When I watch him speak I am comforted by his calm demeanor, his obvious love for his wife and daughters, his quiet confidence, and his intellect. This is a man who GETS IT! Will life be rosy and wonderful just because he was elected? Obviously not. But having someone in office that is bright, articulate, understands our role in the world, diplomatic and positive is certainly a breath of fresh air. Now WE the American people will have to pay for the mistake of electing Bush and Cheney. It won't be easy, but we have a huge hole to dig ourselves out of. Obama understands that if we don't, our children have no future.

McCain-I didn't hate McCain. Really. A couple of years ago I even said that if another Republican were to be the next president, I hoped it would be him because I respected his integrity and agreed with many of his opinions. Then he decided he wanted to win the election at all costs and his integrity flew right out the window. Not only did he reverse many of his opinions to win the GOPs support, but he chose a VP that in essence is the opposite of everything he stood for, just to get the conservative vote. And the kind of negative campaign he ran against Obama was downright disgusting. Since he threw the inexperience card out the window with Palin, he had to resort to the old GOP favorite tactic, fear. Fortunately most level headed Americans saw it for what it was, desperation. But there are those that it struck a chord with and believe that Obama is a friend of terrorists, a socialist, and too foreign. And those people happen to be the whack jobs that scare me. Using fear as a weapon is the definition of terrorism. Scare people to get what you want. Truly disappointing.

Palin-Yuck. Snarky, bitchy, self-righteous, ignorant, ambitious, power hungy and pretty. A frightening combination. I really hope her 15 minutes are up.

Prop 8-Or as I like to say Prop H8te. It's discrimination pure and simple. You cannot deny a certain segment of the population the same rights that everyone else has. If I can marry whom I choose, then everyone should have the right to marry whomever they choose. You can't take away a gay person's right to procreate. So they already have families. Why not make it a stable, committed family with all the rights other families have? I don't understand why people don't get that. Somebody else's marraige doesn't change my marraige at all. Honestly I don't think it will be long before it is legal. Hopefully sooner than later.

Winter-Already hate it. I hate the decrease in light almost as much as I hate the cold. Sure, I like to snowboard. It's making a bad situation tolerable. But I could give that up with all the rest of winter. I don't need a white Christmas. I would easily give up sweater, sledding, hot cocoa, quilts and a fireplace. I'd rather surf, wear sandals, drink lemonade and soak up the warm, light giving, happy happy sun.

Weight-I'm down to what I thought was my goal. And so of course I've revised that goal and want to lose 5 more. But if I don't, that is OK too. I just don't want to gain it back during the holidays. Now I really need to tone up. I should go to Pilates. But I'm so weak!!! It hurts!! Which means I really need to go. I need new clothes but have no cash. Better than needing bigger clothes right?

Cat-Getting big. Totally psycho and cute at the same time.

Dog-Mellowing out finally. Still cute too.

Homework-Hate, hate, hate. I know they need to do it to learn. It's just such a pain in the butt to have to do it EVERY night. It's too much. It isn't good for household harmony.

Our house-We finally cut a "window" between the living room and kitchen. I love it. It feels very airy and bright now. We also added a door to the storage beneath the stairs making it far more accessable. Now I'm anxious to get the pantry done. And I'd like to paint my bedroom and a couple of the walls in M's room, and get new flooring in the kitchen, and many more projects that we have neither the time or funds for. Someday! I have been decluttering like crazy and organizing and I feel much better about our house now.

Finances-It's not great, but it could be worse. No Costa Rica this year. Such is life.

Twilight-I think Robert Pattinson is hot. I know a lot of women were a little disappointed. He doesn't look like the Edward I had in my mind, but he is pretty perfect. And he can sing too! Pretty dreamy I think. The hair is a little crazy, but we all go through our phases. Not sure I'll see the movie though. I don't want to change the way I think about the books.

So that is what I think about all of that! Agree, disagree, whatever. It's MY blog!

The Effect of One's Surroundings

This is my new living room. I wish I had before pictures. Let me just describe it to you. I had painted the living room a butterscotch color with the fireplace accented in pumpkin (must have been fall?). I didn't love it but I was so sick of painting we just lived with it for a couple of years. We had hand me down dark green chenille oversize couches. These had holes and were totally threadbare when I finally convinced to get rid of them. We didn't really have much else except a desk R's mom gave us (which I did reuse). I HATED my living room. I'm all about not keeping up with the Jones' but I got to a point I finally quit inviting people over because I was just embarassed. It just felt yucky and I felt like my whole house was crap.

Fast forward to now. The living room is light and airy and really shows off our view. As much as I've designated this room to be for "quiet, calm activities" only, the whole family gravitates toward it. And now I want to have people over. I actually think I have a great house now.

I think there is a line between making your surroundings comfortable and appealing to you, as well as expressing yourself and just being materialistic. I for one feel much happier when I am in a place that I find attractive. Did I redo the living room just so my friends would think I was a neater, more stylish person and therefore worth more as a friend? No, and my friends aren't those kinds of people anyway. I redid it because I hated it. Me. Hated. It.

So there you have it. My new living room.