Why We Go Away Every Weekend

We go away many weekends, skiing or to the lake.  This has always been fine, but now that the kids are getting bigger and there are so many birthday parties, and there are so many things going on - we are missing more and more and more.  But we keep going and there is a very good read for this - it is good for us to get away, we need too - there is not so much fun to be had at home.

At home I cannot stop doing work, and neither can Joel Husband.  At home we are constantly fixated on work and what needs to get done, and laundry and the next step.  I am sure every family is the same.  We are super lucky that we get to have these little mini-vacations.  Where the Joel's are on the couch watching Super-8 while I blog and open a bottle of chardonnay (she pauses to open the chardonnay)… This after a morning where the Joel's skied and James and I watched Sunday Morning on the couch.  We went to the pool and had swimming races, and then went to the Chili Cook-Off and ate way too much Chili, James ran from Eddy the Yeti while Joel hugged him, and we danced to some fun music.

Yesterday was more of the same, and was perfect.  James went to "That Place" - which is what he calls his daycare here, and loves.  He went out skiing, and had a ball and was all smiles when I picked him up.  While he was there, the Joel's and I went skiing and eventually met up with Joel's friend Vaughn and his Dad.  It was sunny, warm, and fun skiing.  There were hardly any people out on the mountain, it was the best ski day ever.

Not to mention, the Dumont Cup was happening - which we skied over to see.  It was difficult to ski and watch and be in the crowds and have all that going on, but I managed, somehow.  It was neat to watch the Slopestyle Skiers - go over all the tricks then down the hill, up a huge jump, flip then land.  Luckily I don't think Joel Andrew was too interested in it - he liked it but was more excited to hang out with his friend.  If James was there and a bit older I think then he would be hooked.  There was a 13 year old taking these jumps, if I was his mother I would have freaked out.

So, we are lucky and I am relaxed which is a good thing.  I can't imagine any other way for me to stay away from my job.  And have so much quality time with my family.  Of course, it means the week can be a blur trying to do all the things you usually do on the weekend - laundry, groceries, etc.  But it is worth it!

Now that's all said, pretty soon the season of me working on weekends will be upon us..  Argh.

Don't Throw Away Art - Me Being a Bad Mom Again

I am drowning in posts I need to post - I am finding that as my children age (which is a whole additional post altogether, my boys are now boys, they are not toddlers, they are big.  I am heartbroken and excited at the same time…).  Anyway, the posts might be less-long, and more short scenes into life.  So, here we are with one, and the long emotional post about how sad and happy I am that they are getting bigger will hopefully come soon too.

My son, Joel Andrew, likes to color.  It is his new favorite thing, other than Octonauts.  He colors about 15 coloring book pages a day at daycare.  I kid you not, 15.  Daycare shoves them in his mailbox and we are forced to take them home.  I purposely leave them there until the mailbox is overflowing.  Don't they get it?  I do not want 60 coloring book pages to bring home a week, and then what do we do with them?  I have one huge storage box filled with their artwork already, and I do not want too many more so the goal is only to save the "best" art - which is the art of their own creation, with their handprints and all that stuff, not some crayon on a ripped out page from a coloring book.  Am I mean?

Anyway, what I have been doing is leaving the coloring book pages out on the kitchen counter.  Joel talks about them with me, shows them off.  Tells me when his friend's have helped (not only do I get Joel's pages, but Jessica's as well! Argh!) - and then when Joel goes upstairs to hang out with Daddy, I throw them in the trash.  Yes, yes, I do.

Anyway, last week, Joel came back downstairs from hanging with Daddy and asked for a cheese stick. He peeled off the wrapper, went to put it in the trash, and upon opening the bin noticed his drawings on top.  I told him: "I have no idea how those ended up in there, that is horrible, this is your beautiful artwork."  He looked at me sideways, was clearly annoyed (was it because I am lying, or because I threw away his artwork?).  He strongly suggested I hang one of the artworks up.  Which I did, on the chalkboard - until a few days later when I threw it out again, under some trash in the can.

I am so mean!  My son is so smart!  And talented…!  What do you guys do with the mountains of artwork?

Sprinkler System

Lots of posts forthcoming, but just to update you to James' extreme ability to get pee anywhere but in the potty.  This is particularly angering Ama, who is here visiting for the day.  Good thing Ama only had girls.  Either Joel Andrew spoiled us, or James Morris is particularly challenging with the peeing...

The Poky Little Puppy

Tonight Joel Andrew and I read the Poky Little Puppy.  Angus seemed to really want to be apart of this book reading.  So, I let him in Joel Andrew's bed.  He cuddled up and literally fell asleep while I was reading the book.  (by the by, this was one of my favs when I was a kid too).

When I asked Joel Andrew if he wanted to cuddle with Angus all night long, he replied immediately: "No!"  I asked why and he noted: "I do not like dogs in my bed."

Where did he get this?

When I probed further I asked, "What's wrong with Angus, you are making him sad, why can't he stay?" And Joel Andrew noted: "Angus farts."

True.  I guess you win kid.  But what kid does not want to cuddle with their dog?  In 21 months when the same thing happens with James I bed you James will want to cuddle with Angus.

The start of a long week?

Today is our first - and only- really full day together with Daddy away in Canada this time.  Luckily with Daylight Savings time, the kids didn't wake up until after 8, yay!  We relaxed and I made a big breakfast while they played and had fun.  We all got ready in our "handsome clothes" and off we were to the local joint, I just didn't feel like traveling into Boston this week.

The boys painted baseball cap banks.  Joel Andrew continues to have a problem when you refer to something by a different name than what he knows it as. For instance, it was Baseball Hat Banks, Mommy.  Not Cap.  We are trying to enlighten him that sometimes things have more than one name, like, for instance: "Joelly, Joel, Dincklebutstein…"  He will get there.

James quickly lost interest in the painting project and wanted to play.  So, after we had our finishing touches we went into the pretend area and the boys played really well together and had a ball.  So much so that when it was time to leave they both called me a mean mommy for making them not have fun anymore.  Nice.

The ironic thing is, we have 1/2 of this stuff at our house.  But it is so cluttered I think it is hard for the kids to really enjoy it.  I think I need a purge and soon.  Once this snow goes away, so will most of the items in the basement.  Garage sale, eBay or Craig's list?  Hmmm.  At this point it might just be the town's elementary school fundraiser (where you just drop all of your stuff off and they sell it for you and keep the money) or the Big Brother Big Sister truck that will come pick it up for us…  Not sure.

James had a great time playing with the baby too - and even brought the baby to the store and rocked it to sleep singing the most excellent lullaby I have ever heard.  The kids makes up some great lyrics.  I need to start writing them down as he says them.

One day I will get a photo of the both of them smiling at once.  In the meantime, we will just have to have double the photos.  James is hopefully going to take a nap, and Joel is going to play quietly… But what to do when they wake up?  This Mommy is happy there are two new Disney shows they both love..!   (Though I swear, I am spending lots more time with them and not TVing them a ton, but you have to give me a break, 2 shows today for all day…  not bad?).

Crying

That's what happens when you mix the following:

• The end to a weekend with Nana and Pa & Pa going away for "a big time."
• Daylight Savings Time.
• Lots of skiing and pool.
• 9pm.
• Daddy in Canada for the week.
• Mommy feeling like chopped liver.

Who is the one crying?  All three of us.  Can't wait for the next five days!  The boys will love time with "Not Pa!"

Boston Children's Museum (back to adventures)

It has been a while since we have had one of our great days out.  This is mostly because I have become fat and lazy.  I will totally admit it, and it is completely true.  My number one thought at any given moment is usually involving what can I eat or drink in massive quantities right now.  With a second, how do I sit on the couch and watch a TV show or take a nap? Way down the line are - let's interact with my children.  Let's cook something healthy.  Or, best yet, let's be active.

Sloth breeds sloth.  And now my clothes do not fit.  Like even the fat clothes don't fit and I am tipping the scale towards where I was when I CAME HOME from the hospital with James.  So, I have to do something drastic.  And, I am guessing it isn't just a "diet" but it is a "lifestyle change" - uh, I hate that.  But, it is kinda true.  So, I am starting today by having an old-fashioned day with the boys, and adventure in Boston.

I eased into it and watched Oscar coverage this morning while the boys ate breakfast.  Joel Andrew noticed all the chatter about the clothing and especially the clothing that the men were wearing.  Jared Leto had a red bow tie that was a topic of discussion, so the next thing you know my boys were wearing bow ties and ties.

We hadn't been to the Children's Museum in ages, and I thought - ooh I get 50% off with my membership to the ASTC/ACM - so let's go.  Unfortunately, my ASTC/ACM membership expired at the end of February.  Oh well.  I packed a lunch and we were off.

The boys loved every minute of it and played very well together.  The water table - which I usually avoid because it is a "messy" thing, was the biggest hit.  They also loved the "Black Heritage" rooms.  Walking through them I brought up to my kids the whole idea of skin color and they seemed floored.  It occurred to me that they really have not seen or thought about this before, probably because 98% of the people they are in contact with are white.  The next thing you know a group of school kids come in, who are all black and my children then begin to stare.  I shuffled them out so as not to start a scene.  We went to the music room.

There is a large climbing apparatus in the middle of the Museum which they both went in.  I was unaware that there is only one way in and one way out and assumed you could get out from the top.  So, when the boys were quickly separated, James towards the bottom and Joel at the top (which was two floors above me and I assumed he could get out there) I had a momentary freak out, but all ended well.

The best part of these days is the nap time, which hopefully James is experiencing right now for a while.  We are totally trying to take away the diapers, so he was in underwear all day and is in them now for his nap…  Wish me luck!

7 Boys, 2 Girls and 1 Dog in one Ski Condo (King Weekend!)

We had an awesome time this weekend with the Kings at Sunday River, though Mommy is tired.  As per usual, Colin, my Godson, is pretty much the best baby ever.  The boys were very well behaved though - still four boys between the ages of 2.8 - 4.5, and there is bound to be some rowdiness.  So, that's why I am tired.  That and wine.

We just kept thinking about the fact that in just three short years, it will go from shuffling kids to lessons and then the pool and then a movie - to all of us on the mountain all day long skiing.  Can't wait!