Monday Musings

I am in love with this week.  Apparently my mood is strongly dictated by the weather, the older I get.  I just feel sluggish and sometimes downright morose in the winter.  This early spring we were lucky and had some unseasonably warm, beautiful weather.  My mood brightened.  Then, the lovely weather disappeared, along with my sunny disposition, and it was cold again for a while and, last week, we had rain and chilly temperatures for about 4 days straight.  You can imagine what a joy I was then.  Finally, this Saturday (the day of Adam's 2nd birthday party) the sun and warm temperatures returned.  I worked from home today and took advantage, working outside for about 40 minutes over my "lunch break".  I am feeling downright giddy.  I took a short drive to run a quick errand and pick Max up from preschool to drop him back at daycare and I rolled the windows down, cranked up my music, and was transported back to my youth.  I often wonder if everyone has their childhood and teenage years still simmering below the surface of their adult facade like I do...or is it just me?  I especially wonder about my grandparents - do my grandmas still get excited about the same things that used to get their motors revving when they were 17?  Or does that wear off after awhile?  Because today, when I cranked down those windows and cranked up the radio (I'll admit it; I still listen to KDWB and love a lot of the music they play), I almost looked over at the car next to me to check for a hot boy driver.  I actually got goosebumps and my buns were dancing on the seat.  I vividly remember loving to drive around when I was 17, listening to my music way too loud, and checking out all the drivers next to me when I was at stop signs or stop lights.  If it was a cute guy, I'd make goo-goo eyes at him and lift my foot off the break to let my car roll a little, insinuating I wanted to race.  I laid so much rubber at stop signs and lights around Roseville, it's no wonder I needed new tires about 2 years after beginning to drive.  I wonder if I remember those days so fondly and so readily because I basically still live in the same neighborhood where I grew up, so I drive the same streets I drove 15 years ago?  As I was driving, I started thinking about my three kids turning 17 and wondering if they'll have the same, wonderful time that I did.  That was one of the best years of my life - newfound freedom, driving a car, riding with boys, going to graduation parties, going to high school parties, going to college parties (since my boyfriend was in college).  Despite all the partying and racing and loud music, I was a very good girl.  I'd like to take some credit and assert that I have a good soul, a good heart, and a good head on my shoulders but I was also scared out of my gourd by my mother.  She'd made it very clear there would be hell to pay for any misbehavior.  I wonder if I will be able to raise my kids up to make the good choices that I did, without them having to be afraid of me as a consequence.  I don't know if it's possible but that would be my wish and dream.

Is it silly that I really wanted to write this post but felt guilty that I was writing about this and not about Adam's birthday party this Saturday?  I fully intend to post about that this week but that post will take more time.  This one was easier to dash off.

I think Rags is now 90% potty trained and, yep, just as I suspected - I love him a lot more than I used to.  The successful potty training is 100% attributed to my friend, Denise, who advised me to train Rags to ring a bell, hung from the doorknob, when he needed to go outside.

Max and Ryann and even Adam are helping out around the house more recently.  A wise friend of mine who has three kids that are older than mine clued me in to the fact that our two oldest are definitely old enough now to begin helping out with household chores (thank goodness for all the wise friends in my life!).  They now help clear the table after meals and put their own laundry away after Stu and I fold it.  All three of them helped dust the house and wash some windows in preparation for Adam's birthday party this weekend (granted, Stu and I had to re-do what they'd done, but it was a good effort).

I went shopping at Kohl's this weekend since I was the proud recipient of a 30% off coupon.  I purchased all the new summer clothes we should need for myself, Ryann, and Max and spent less than $200.  The Kohl's receipt informed me that had I paid full price for everything I bought (most of what I bought was on clearance and then I got the 30% off on top of that), I would have spent approximately $750.  Now that's some power-shopping!

According to the new book I'm reading (courtesy of Stu and the kids as a Mother's Day gift), "Just Let Me Lie Down; Necessary Terms for the Half-insane Working Mom" by Kristin van Ogtrop, there is a term for my husband.  It is Dudley Do-Everything.  Ms. van Ogtrop describes Stu as such, "That rare creature who loves housework, loves to manage kids' schedules (ok, not that part), loves to cook, and wants to do everything he possibly can to help you find time to relax.  In other words, the trophy husband."  Don't be jealous ladies, I totally fell into it, total dumb-luck.  The only thing he doesn't do (other than manage the kids' schedules) is toilets.