Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Why do we even bother...

buying toys?

Mimi dearly loves her "skis".




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Monday, April 20, 2009

Blowin' (Kisses) in the Wind...


About seven more weeks of kindergarten and our girl will be on her way to first grade. Hard to believe. I remember last summer feeling so ambivalent about letting her ride the school bus. She really, really wanted to ride the bus with all her neighborhood friends. I was having a hard time letting go of the prenatal through right-this-minute brainwashing we all undergo regarding the safety of our spawn in a moving vehicle. So I was just supposed to put my precious on a bus driven by a stranger with no seat belts whatsoever? One day she’s in a five-point restraint and the next day she’s totally free to be bounced right out the bus window in the event of a collision?!?

I did get over it. John and I walked Mimi to the bus on the first day of school and she was literally skipping the whole 50 yards to the bus stop at the corner for her 14 minute ride to school.

Mimi started out sitting on the “passenger” side of the bus. I always stand there on the sidewalk as the bus pulls away and blow kisses and wave to her. Recently, for whatever reason, she started sitting on the “driver’s” side of the bus, a few rows back. After she gets on the bus, I cross in front of it and stand on the other side of the street so I can see her.

This morning I stood there in the rain and blew kisses to her as the bus made its left turn toward the next stop. It seemed she blew kisses more frantically than usual, craning her little neck toward me as far as it would go until she was out of sight. Or maybe it was just my imagination. The feeling that she was literally growing up and away in that big, yellow school bus. Whatever, the lump in my throat was real and I had to blink several times to hold back tears. Yes, I’m a sap.

We still walk her to the bus stop every morning. Kindergartener’s parent prerogative. I suppose we will let her walk on her own in the fall. We can watch her from the front porch and blow kisses as the bus goes by. As long as she’ll let us.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Here Comes the Sun


Ah, sunshine! I can't decide if being sick during yucky, gray days is better than being sick during gorgeous, sunny days. I had to take being sick during the yucky, gray days earlier this week. I do know that it made me really appreciate feeling well and able to enjoy beautiful days.

BTW, I can't believe I'm already acclimatized to Northern Virginia weather. I'd still be wearing sweaters (and truth be told, maybe even a coat!) in Austin on days like yesterday - a heretofore "chilly" 68 degrees! Instead, I was shucking off my jean jacket and going around in my short-sleeved shirt with my car windows down. I never noticed how many beds of tulips there are around Vienna. Nice.

John rode his bike to work today. That's a sure sign he's got the spring fever bug, too. And Mimi is so happy to be going coatless the last day or two. I'm relishing these precious few weeks between having to bundle your kids up and having to coat them in sunscreen on a daily basis. I think it's the easiest getting-the-kids-out-the-door time of the year!

Tomorrow looks like another winner, weather-wise. I think I'll spend a bit of my day out in the backyard doing a little shed decluttering.

If you have a patio, deck or shed that needs a little spring TLC, why don't you turn on some tunes, put on your hat and gloves, set a timer for 30 minutes and see what you can get done!


Monday, April 6, 2009

Spring Break Quick Tip

Trying to get out the door. We've insanely decided at the last minute to head down to Charles City County on the Cheasapeake, and then on to Williamsburg tomorrow.

I leave you with a "Bright Idea" I discovered in the January 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

"Amanda Catalanotto, a mom and professional organizer, uses what she calls a "transfer basket" to gather everything that needs to go out the door the next day -- library books, bills to mail, schoolwork. The basket is hauled into the car every morning and is brought back into the house when errands are done. 'The transfer basket has changed my life,' she says."

I love it!