Pox in Sox, Sir

Yes, Sammy has the Chicken Pox. We had seen a spot or two yesterday morning and thought they were zits. Then we undressed him last night and yikes! He has been a good sport about it so far, no itching or scratching yet. But since it is dangerous for elderly folks to be around, we had to cancel his babysitter this week. Steve made arrangements to stay home Tues-Thurs, and I'll stay home Friday. School starts again next week, so hopefully he will be sufficiently non-contagious by then.

Now just waiting to see if baby gets it too... 

tool belt and hand drill

Look out Bob the Builder, here comes the competition! 

Christmas confection

Here is my little sugar plum, fresh home from church. The dress was a last minute find in the hand-me-down box (who knew?), and the cape is part of an outfit she received today from my parents. I have been wanting a cape for her (and myself) and this one is the cutest I have seen.

We had a wonderful day. The kids and I stayed home while Steve filled people's last minute music requests at the store. The only thing on my "to do" list was to bake the Rivelkuchen for tomorrow's breakfast. It can be done in stages throughout the day, so that's what I did. The house smells sweet and yeasty, and the kuchen looks better than it has in years.

Our tradition is to have "snack plate" for dinner (cheese, crackers, salami, veggies, etc.), then open gifts. Sam loves everything we let him open so far, including the tool kit from my parents. His school had a segment on tools, so he knew how to use the hand drill and didn't want to put it away when it was time for bed.

Santa is on his way now, with stocking stuffers and a few more choice gifts. More pictures to come... 

I am Woodstock

Very silly, but fun.

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4

I was tagged for this meme by my sister-in-law, so here goes:

Four jobs you've had in your life: collection agency salesperson, car hop, corporate video producer, craft store owner.

Four movies you could watch over and over: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, High Fidelity, Dazed and Confused, Funny Face.

Four places you've lived: Wiesbaden, Germany; Portland, OR, Moses Lake, WA, a camper van travelling across the U.S..

Four TV shows you love to watch: All My Children, The West Wing, Sex & the City, Mission: Organization.

Four places you've been on vacation: Las Vegas, Paris, Finland, Kauai.

Four Websites you visit daily: Seattle Times, Google, The Leader, CNN.

Four of your favorite foods: carrots, decaf latte w/caramel, tomato baguette appetizer from Lanza's, Heliotrope Bakery cinnamon rolls (only available at the Farmer's Market).

Four places you'd rather be right now: a jacuzzi suite at the Luxor, Lisa H's massage studio, Murchie's in Victoria, poolside at the Grand Hyatt on Kauai.

Kinda boring, I'm afraid. OK, your turn, K, R, and D -- go!

Season's Greetings

Since the Wilmart holiday card may or may not go out in time, here is a little preview of the kids posing this morning in their Christmas duds. You can't see Athena's patent leather Mary Jane's in this shot, which is OK because she would rather eat them than wear them any way. Enjoy! 

Style

I was in a meeting yesterday with the most stylish person I know. This woman is always impeccably dressed, with hair and makeup "done." I feel like a warted troll next to her. She has a body shape that I could never hope to achieve - no hips, no ass, and legs up to her neck, but it doesn't stop me from thinking, "Why don't I dress in a way that makes me look my best?" I don't have much in the way of clothing that actually fits my current body. I keep thinking that the post partum pounds will magically disappear without me doing any thing to make that happen.

I'm trying to take inspiration from M's stylishness. I think I will take a bit more care with my grooming before our next meeting. Nobody likes feeling like a troll.

Change of Plans

The kids have been sick all week. Sam started with a cough on Sunday, which progressed to a fever on Tuesday complete with leaky eyes, runny nose, and - yesterday - vomitus. Athena seems mostly OK, but she did have a fever one night. So Sam had to miss the last two days of preschool, I cancelled my business trip yesterday, and our sleeping arrangements are all messed up. Not to mention the parties we missed.

Add to that the fact that it has been well below freezing most of the week, making it too icey for me to run in the morning. Today I went out just to see how it would be, and it was indeed too slick for me to feel safe running. So I walked at a good pace for 20 minutes and then came home. I have been sluggish and out of sorts since missing two runs this week. Steve says I am addicted. That's a pleasant thought. I was truly disappointed that I couldn't run this morning. I may have to change my running schedule this weekend and go after things warm up a bit. Surely there is an hour somewhere in the day when I can escape to get my "fix."

Cookie Exchange #2

Sunday I hosted my second annual cookie exchange. Last year was so much fun; and this year was even better. We had fifteen participants and one guest, and not a single duplicate among the cookies. I have sampled them all now, I think, and each is a winner. We kept some of the (gasp) six dozen cookies out to sample, and put some in the freezer for Christmas. Yummmmm...

Friends with skills

My new friend Carol made these stockings for us this week. Now that our family is complete, we wanted handmade, personalized stockings for everyone. I mentioned it to Carol and voila! -- here we are. Beautiful. 

bits and pieces

Last week at church, I saw a woman who I swear was wearing a shirt that used to be mine. I wracked my brain to figure out where I got rid of it, and how she might have come across it. It was a weird feeling to see someone I don't know in a top that held a lot of memories for me.

Yesterday the kids and I went to buy our Christmas tree. I go to the same place every year; they have what I need and are not too terribly expensive. I remembered driving out there that they don't take checks, and sure enough they had a sign up stating "cash only." I called Steve to see if he could come out later with the truck and some cash, when the nice salesman interrupted to say that he would take my check and strap the tree to my car. He even held Athena while I wrote the check. I wondered, what was it about me that made him think my check would not bounce? I wracked my brain and could not come up with any good reason. Plenty of people with two kids, a ten-year old car, and a cell phone bounce checks. Do cheerful, chubby, 40-something white women not bounce checks? Let me know if you have the answer.

Sam loves to listen to music. He often gets obsessed by a particular song, insisting on listening to it over and over. Yesterday the song was "You Look Good in My Shirt" by Keith Urban. We played it over and over and over, and then he sang it to us, loudly, as we ate our Mexican food at Fiesta.

Athena is getting her 8th tooth. It pains her.

A friend just called to tell me that a drunk driver hit her pregnant sister, sending her into premature labor. The driver was so drunk, she left the scene and drove to a gas station, where she promptly passed out and was easily apprehended. While I have never driven that drunk, I am deeply ashamed of the times I have driven when not completely sober. Sheer luck prevented me from injuring myself or someone else. I am also very uncomfortable with the times I have knowingly allowed someone else to drive intoxicated; even hearing people talk about their drinking causes me to think, "Yikes! Who drove?" It took me a long time, much too long, to really get that once you've had a drink, your judgement is impaired. Which means you can't judge whether you should drive or not. So if you ever wonder why I most often refuse that second drink, now you know.

Be careful out there.

feeling better, part II

I called my dad to talk about their note and his confusing email, and he called me back about an hour ago. I feel much better about things now. He gave me the back story, and assured me that they did not mean to hurt any one's feelings. It was his idea; he sprang it on my mom at the last minute, and the letter was their way of communicating their wishes to the family. He said we should do whatever we want (he said it nicer than it sounds when you read it here), but we should not feel obligated to send gifts. Which is how it should be, always, IMO.

Steve thinks holiday gift giving between adults is a little weird anyway, and he may be right. But I enjoy shopping so much... I need to have an excuse to buy grown up gifts some times!

feeling better

Things are not quite so bleak today. I had a fantastic run this morning -- 41 minutes for my three miles. I am actually getting faster; can you believe it? I had some foot and ankle pain today, and will probably need to get new shoes before too long. My current shoes are cross-trainers (the only shoes that fit from our small department store), so I think I will make the trek to Seattle and have them watch me run on a treadmill and suggest appropriate shoes. I have heard that the right shoes make a huge difference in comfort and performance.

I got an email from my dad this morning saying that he intends to keep his promise to put together a tool kit for Sam. Which just makes the note I got from them that much more confusing. But I had a really good talk with my ever-lovin' spouse last night, about starting over with your parents as an adult. Steve reminded me that my parents clearly love me unconditionally (I know this to be true) and would do anything for their grandkids (I also know this to be true). He reminded me that I am a very independent person, who happens to also have a great need to be appreciated, which can be confusing at times (I agree).

In the overall scheme of things, my parents are wonderful, loving people who would jump to help if I were to call. We do not have the fantasy relationship that I imagine other people have with their parents, especially those girls who refer to their mom as their "best friend" and call her every day. I see my parents about twice a year, and talk to them on the phone at major holidays. That's about it. When I was single I would go to Utah or wherever to see them for Thanksgiving or Christmas (some times), but they have chosen to not travel at the holidays (which is smart, weather-wise and traffic wise). So I never see my parents at Christmas, and probably never will given our retail ball & chain. Which is why, perhaps, I count on getting a box of trinkets from them. So it is like we are together. Eating dad's fudge and staying in our pj's half the day. Only these days I have to get dressed because my in-laws come over on Christmas morning. (Not that they would care if I stayed in my pj's, but it might freak Steve out)

Families are tricky business. The only thing to do is love 'em the best way you know how, and be gentle with yourself when things get rocky. It helps me to remind myself that, the way I feel about Sam and Athena, is the same way my parents have felt about me for 40 years. I really believe this to be true, and it is comforting to remember. And you know, if I happen to find the absolutely perfect gift for one or both of them, I will send it any way. Maybe I'll just wait until January.

'tis the season

I got a computer-generated letter from my parents today, informing me that they are "opting out" of family gift giving this year and encouraging us to reciprocate (at least with them). My emotional reaction took me completely by surprise. I spent the entire afternoon, at work, either in tears or on the verge. It was not a very productive day.

In trying to process my response, I have identified some key components:

1. My inner child heard this news as "You are not important any more."
2. My adult self read all kinds of other things into it, such as "It is too hard to find an appropriate gift for you." We really don't know you very well any more." and "Now that you have a family of your own, you don't need us to show you that you are special."
3. The method of delivery was particularly cold, given the fact that I spoke with them by phone on Thanksgiving and not a word was mentioned of this plan.
4. While I respect that they feel called to help the earthquake victims in Pakistan instead of sending their grandson a tool kit, I couldn't help but wonder, "Why this?" "Why now?" and "Why WorldVision?"

My sister suggested that perhaps my "love language" is receiving gifts. I had never thought of that before, and she may be right. But I'm more inclined to believe that my "language" is acts of service. Which may explain my unexpected response to my parent's announcement. Perhaps I saw their "act of service" going to strangers half a world away, when their family is in need. The best gift giver in our family is my sister, who cared for me and my family twice when my two children were born, who stayed with my aunt when my grandmother passed away and helped make the funeral arrangements, who gives tirelessly to her church's various ministries. She is an expert at acts of service. I could learn a lot from her.

Perhaps the best gift I could give any one this season is to forgive them for being who they are and not who I wish they would be. If I could manage to include myself on that list, it would truly be a Christmas miracle.

Makin' Tracks

Sammy tries out his new boots 

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Athena's first snowfall 

Turkey and Dressing

My brilliant and beautiful sister, Rebecca, has started a blog of her own. I could not be more thrilled, because she has so much to share and not enough venues (at least that I have access to) to share it. I am very much looking forward to reading her daily "turkey and dressing." You may even find my fashion sense improving...

My favorite quote from Rebecca: "For a woman who wears glasses, her glasses are her most important fashion accessory." I quote her all the time, especially when people compliment me on my glasses (which she helped me select).

Pervasive body image crap

I was at a workshop last night given by Barbara Stanny. Barbara is the local women+money guru, famed for her book, "Secrets of Six Figure Women." I've heard her speak before, but since I am not currently earning six figures (nor have I ever, but I would very much like to), and the workshop was free, I went.

But this is not about the workshop or my plan to become a six figure woman. More on that later, I'm sure.

What I noticed was that even she could not resist playing to women's body image neurosis. At least three times she mentioned how, when women started taking control of their financial life, they lost weight. What? OK, I understand that when you feel more in control of your life, it often frees you from crutches like food (or booze, or sex, or TV). I don't doubt that what she said is true. But it struck me that, of all the positive things that can happen when women take control of their finances, losing weight ranked high enough to get a triple mention.

I thought about this on my run this morning (I'm up to 4x/week, down to 44 minutes for my 3 miles - yeah, I rock). I wondered how much of Barbara's success relies on selling people the dream that they can be like her. She is thin, blonde, stylish. Most of the women in the audience (it was a chicks only event) were not. Something to think about.