Our church is rather large as far as churches go around here, and I always sit in the same place. It seems like everyone has their comfort zone and it is always the same faces week after week. If someone sees me out of context, they think “9 o’clock, three kids, far left, up front”. (There is a whole other post here, but more on that later.) They may not know my name, or the kids’ names, but they feel like they know me, and vice versa.
Across the aisle to my right there is often a woman who attends Mass by herself. She is about my age, but what makes her stand out is that she is always impeccably dressed. Many of her outfits are worthy of a formal wedding in my book. She’s always in heels that are perfectly matched to the dress. Nails are manicured, and often coordinated with the outfit. Her purse and jewelry are always perfectly chosen and her hair and makeup look like she just left a salon. Do you know there are people who change their purse or nail polish daily depending on what they are wearing? Amazing.
I have spoken to this woman twice that I can remember. Once in the bathroom when I complimented her on her dress, and recently she came over and commented on how Alanya and I looked alike. Other than that, I don’t know this woman, just the occasional half smile when you catch someone’s gaze during church, or coming in or out. I’ve often wondered what her story is. What does she do for a living? Does she dress like that every day? She’s always alone, is she single? Or maybe she’s like me and simply married to someone who doesn’t go to church.
On Christmas Eve, Noah sang in the choir, Jason joined us, as well as my sister and her family. I remember feeling warm and happy and blessed that I could be there with so many people I loved. And I remember looking over and seeing this woman, all alone, in the front row. All alone. Even on Christmas Eve when nearly every seat in the church is filled, she still sat alone in her pew. I remember thinking how sad it was. Did she have no one to be with on Christmas? I mentioned it to my mom later and she agreed, how sad. We wondered what her story is. I last saw her around New Years and she was wearing a champagne and gold metallic dress with a matching jacket.
This week her obituary was in the paper. She died a few weeks ago “suddenly at home”. She was a year older than me. She was single with no children. She worked at a bank. She had two sisters that live far away. Even if they hadn’t run her picture, I would have known it was her because it mentioned our church and talked about her love for fashion, shopping and style. She was somebody. I knew her, but not really. We passed each other every week. We prayed a few feet from each other every week. And she’s not here anymore.
I don’t know what happened to her. She was healthy and the newspaper hasn’t had any odd stories about accidental deaths. All I can think about was that she really was as lonely and sad as I thought she was on Christmas Eve. It makes me wish I had said something to her other than “what a lovely dress.” I hope she has found peace.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
"Heart" Healthy Saturday
I woke up this morning and there was a Valentine on my nightstand from Noah. He also worked on a Valentine gift for me… cleaning out his closet. He took countless trips up and down the stairs getting rid of papers and trash. This truly was a gift because I get a rash every time I have to open his closet! Alanya also got in on the action and cleaned her room for me. She makes a bed better than anyone in this house! Ben on the other hand marches to his own drummer, and his room is still a mess. I love his independence. No one is going to pressure him into anything he doesn't want to do.
I got a heartfelt poetic reflection from my husband. He’s a romantic, but can’t stand this holiday. About two weeks ago he sent me an email from work that was worthy of a greeting card. I suggested he save it and print it out again for Valentine’s Day. Instead of going out or buying each other gifts, we decided we would find a few hours in Florida when we can leave the kids with my parents and go have a picnic on the beach, just the two of us. That sounds way better than some grocery store flowers or drugstore candy to me.
I got a heartfelt poetic reflection from my husband. He’s a romantic, but can’t stand this holiday. About two weeks ago he sent me an email from work that was worthy of a greeting card. I suggested he save it and print it out again for Valentine’s Day. Instead of going out or buying each other gifts, we decided we would find a few hours in Florida when we can leave the kids with my parents and go have a picnic on the beach, just the two of us. That sounds way better than some grocery store flowers or drugstore candy to me.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Frugal Friday
Another week gone by. What do I have to show for it? It wasn't a very frugal week here. Jason was in Ireland so I decided to treat the kids to lunch and a movie on Sunday. We had fun, and it gave us something to do. Frugal, it was not, but let's not dwell on it. We also had about $400 of work done on the van... I never should have posted about my power door repairs. The car gods got angry. But, let's look at the positive.
I started organizing for the drive to Florida and I took advantage of our AAA membership to get some free maps and ordered a personalized Trip-Tik.
I also took the leap and replaced all the bulbs in our kitchen chandelier with low-energy CF bulbs. I've been fighting it, but found some nice small bulbs. I've gone from 200 watts to 35 watts.
We made valentine treats for the teachers this week. Took some candy bars I got for free at Walgreens and made wrappers that said "you're a sweet teacher, Happy Valentine's Day".
I still have no idea what Valentine's Day will be like here. Maybe I'll make some peanut butter kiss cookies or pink cupcakes for the kids. (It is Jason's least favorite day ever. Too much pressure. We laugh about it now after 15 Valentine Days together!) Other than some great deals at the store, not much else to report.
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For more frugal ideas, check out Jennifer's Weekly Wrap up!
I started organizing for the drive to Florida and I took advantage of our AAA membership to get some free maps and ordered a personalized Trip-Tik.
I also took the leap and replaced all the bulbs in our kitchen chandelier with low-energy CF bulbs. I've been fighting it, but found some nice small bulbs. I've gone from 200 watts to 35 watts.
We made valentine treats for the teachers this week. Took some candy bars I got for free at Walgreens and made wrappers that said "you're a sweet teacher, Happy Valentine's Day".
I still have no idea what Valentine's Day will be like here. Maybe I'll make some peanut butter kiss cookies or pink cupcakes for the kids. (It is Jason's least favorite day ever. Too much pressure. We laugh about it now after 15 Valentine Days together!) Other than some great deals at the store, not much else to report.
****
For more frugal ideas, check out Jennifer's Weekly Wrap up!
He's full of Blarney!
Yes, that is my darling groom kissing the Blarney Stone this past Monday when he was in Ireland on business. And the guy in the funny hat is a worker who's job it is to hold the tourists so they don't fall four stories off the castle and break their neck. What the blarney is the Blarney Stone anyway? I'll be honest, I had to look it up.
According to Wikipedia, kissing the stone in the castle that was built in 1446 will endow the kisser with the gift of great eloquence, or skill of flattery. (Hmmm... I'm not sure it was necessary for Jason to pucker up, he could talk the panties off......) And to make it even more interesting, you have to lie down and lean over backwards with someone holding onto your legs so you don't fall to your death. Sounds like a good time. Before he went I jokingly asked him to bring some wet wipes for his mouth, because that's just nasty, tourist after tourist slobbering on that thing for centuries? Funny thing was, he said there indeed was some kind of antiseptic spray and wipes there on the battlement, although he never saw anyone use it. Perhaps you have to request a clean Blarney??
He had a great time, but a very busy few days. I have to give him kudos, he returned with perfect Irish gifts for everyone. Noah received an authentic rugby shirt from the local team, Benny got a little stuffed bear wearing an Irish sweater from Blarney Castle, a little porcelain Irish doll for his little girl, and I got a gorgeous Irish wool scarf that matches my new coat. We sure did miss him, and I'm happy to be eating real dinners again!
Mr. Noah goes to Concord... Part 2!
Earlier this week I wrote about Noah and I going up to Concord to present his school as one of the best in New Hampshire. (Read about it here) Well, there is good news to report! The principal was called the very next day by the selection committee and was told that our presentation had been one of the best, and we were moving on to the next phase. A site visit at the school is scheduled in a few weeks. At this point, our school is considered a finalist, and this is a big deal, regardless of the final outcome.
Noah was a minor celebrity at school this week. His name was announced over the speaker during daily announcements, and he was thanked for his hard work. He also got an official school district commendation. What I think is so exciting about this is he really gets it. He understands why this is a big deal for the school, the teachers, the principal, the PTO and the city. He took it all very seriously, and is excited at the prospect of actually winning this distinction. Stay tuned!
Noah was a minor celebrity at school this week. His name was announced over the speaker during daily announcements, and he was thanked for his hard work. He also got an official school district commendation. What I think is so exciting about this is he really gets it. He understands why this is a big deal for the school, the teachers, the principal, the PTO and the city. He took it all very seriously, and is excited at the prospect of actually winning this distinction. Stay tuned!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Florida... Road trip survival kit
Last year after we completed our second round trip drive to Florida and back, I actually did something smart. I created a document and wrote down all the things I learned. What I brought that worked, what I should have brought, how I should have packed it. I just found the list and I'm thrilled I did this as you really do forget the specifics of what to bring and all the possible scenarios that could pop up. The biggest issue for us has been that Alanya gets car sick, and we have cleaned up more vomit on Interstate 95 than you probably care to know about. The first thing on the list surprisingly enough is a "Vomit Care Kit". For the record, she finally is old enough now that we feel more comfortable about giving her medications, so we do give her Dramimine now and so far so good. So for anyone out there planning a major road trip, here is my survival list.
Vomit Care Kit – Febreeze, Gallon Ziploc with top turned down, Wet Wipes, Paper Towels, Dramamine and Trash bags. Some of these things are useful for other parts of the trip, but are essential if vomit does arise. The febreeze is a must-take now. The last thing you want to do is sit in a car for hours when it smells. Buy a small bottle and find a place to put it. You'll be happy you did. The gallon ziploc with the top turned down (one of my cyberfriends pointed out the necessity of having it already open!) lives in the pocket in front of Alanya. If necessary, write "vomit bag" on it so it doesn't get used for something else by mistake (have done that too!). The wet wipes are good for cleaning people and car interiors. Although the Lysol ones would be nice for the car, you can make do with the people ones for both tasks. Paper towels are necessary for mopping up, and we suggest two dozen grocery shopping bags for garbage, bagging dirty clothes, and anything else that comes up. The dramamine should be chewable, just in case a tired cranky child revolts and refuses liquids or pills.
Items for Adult Passenger – earplugs, eye mask, pillow, blanket, crosswords, notebook and pen, Trip-Tik, book light, phones and charger. The adult passenger has two primary jobs, sleeping and entertaining the driver. I am a very light sleeper, so the sleeping aids are a must. Earplugs drown out kids and road noise. I made an eye mask out of an old dark colored towel and an elastic headband. We also bring a small pillow and a small fleece blanket as the driver will often keep the car cool to stay awake. Once the passenger is rested, he now needs to entertain. We save crossword puzzles from the paper for a week or so and do them together. The notebook and pen are for logging expenses, gas purchases, and time travelled, as well as brilliant ideas that pop up in the middle of the night. Jason and I still have a list of dream trips we want to take from last year. The AAA trip-tik or any other map is obvious, but the AAA version shows rest areas, rest areas with bathrooms (yes, there is a difference!) as well as exits with food and services. A small book light is good so the driver isn't inundated with the blinding overhead light, and the phones and charger is obvious to have nearby.
Important extras that need to be accessible – Advil, Children's chewable tylenol or advil, Band-aids, Immodium, Tissues, Paper Towels (select-a-size for napkins), glasses and sunglasses. All of these items should be within reach of the adult passenger so they can be retrieved without stopping. Ok, maybe not the Immodium, that likely requires a stop, but the rest should be in grabbing distance.
Food – Prepackage 5 of each kind of snack. Prepare a second set and put in a plastic shoebox for the return trip. Wraps are easy to put together on the road for lunch (pb, hummus, turkey). I've learned through trial and error how to pack the food. We bring lots of food, primarily so we aren't tempted to spend money along the way. One year, everyone had a snack container and I'd open a large bag and fill everyone's container, but this proved messy, and it left me with open bags. After a few refills, the kids thought they could pick and choose and it took more time than it needed to. Last year I came up with the 5 of each kind approach and it worked well. But the lightening bolt idea was packing the snacks for the return trip before we left. We take two days to drive back, so having snacks on hand is even more important to save money. As soon as we arrive in Florida, I take the box of snacks out of the car and put it in my parent's garage and it stays there until we are ready to leave. I also can't emphasize enough that when you are in the car for so long, you need real food, fresh food. You can only live so long on cheez-its and granola bars. We bring grapes, apples, orange slices, baby carrots, celery sticks, sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and bananas. Also good is nuts, dried fruits, cheese sticks and gogurts. Last year, 20 hours into our trip we stopped for lunch and we pulled out a pack of wholewheat tortillas, some turkey, hummus and filled it with veggies. Much better than a cheeseburger and fries.
Drinks – Use straight ice on the beverages in the hard cooler. (Cold packs for the food.) Fill all water bottles with water and refill smaller containers. Again, we learned here when at 4 in the morning we wanted an ice cold Diet Coke or Starbucks frappucino and they were lukewarm. Beverages need to be in straight ice. The food on the other hand will do fine with the cold packs. Limit the drinks with the kids or you will be stopping more than you care to. We give all of them a water bottle to hold at their seat, and refill from a gallon in the car when needed. A juice box or a soda as a treat will perk them up if you stop to let them run around. The kids need to get out and move, so every time you stop, jog up and down the sidewalk a few times to get the wiggles out, or play tag while waiting for others who are finishing up in the bathroom. Tired and sleepy kids make good companions on road trips.
Kids – dvds, blankets, pillows, book lights and activity bags. The importance of the dvd player can not be over emphasized on a trip like this. We actually have two, one with a double screen for the boys in the backseat, and one with a single screen for Alanya in the middle. She really doesn't watch it much because of her car sickness, but it will distract her when she is in a good mood to watch it. And as far as dvd's, I should start asking around now to see what I can borrow from friends. I try to borrow some, and I have also gotten some from the library. The only problem is you can only check out a dvd for one week, so I have to go online while in Florida and try to renew them during the vacation. If by chance someone put a hold on one of the movies, I won't be able to renew, and will get a fine, so this isn't the best option. They each bring a small blanket and neck pillow (I made them each one out of fleece last year). They also bring a stuffed animal or two, a notebook, pen, book to read, game boy... whatever they bring though must fit in their backpack and their backpack must be with them at their seat.
Packing – Pack all the things you definitely won’t need on the ride together and put those bags on the bottom. (Exception, easily accessible clothes for vomit-prone children). This seems sort of obvious, but sometimes obvious goes right out the window on a trip like this. We have stood in the rain in the parking lot of a Waffle House in South Carolina trying to dig through the back of the van looking for something... anything... to put on Alanya. Have one change of clothes for everyone in one bag on top.
Now that we are approaching one week away, I'll actually start piling things in a staging area, and I'm sure I'll be updating this list as I get going. Stay tuned!
Vomit Care Kit – Febreeze, Gallon Ziploc with top turned down, Wet Wipes, Paper Towels, Dramamine and Trash bags. Some of these things are useful for other parts of the trip, but are essential if vomit does arise. The febreeze is a must-take now. The last thing you want to do is sit in a car for hours when it smells. Buy a small bottle and find a place to put it. You'll be happy you did. The gallon ziploc with the top turned down (one of my cyberfriends pointed out the necessity of having it already open!) lives in the pocket in front of Alanya. If necessary, write "vomit bag" on it so it doesn't get used for something else by mistake (have done that too!). The wet wipes are good for cleaning people and car interiors. Although the Lysol ones would be nice for the car, you can make do with the people ones for both tasks. Paper towels are necessary for mopping up, and we suggest two dozen grocery shopping bags for garbage, bagging dirty clothes, and anything else that comes up. The dramamine should be chewable, just in case a tired cranky child revolts and refuses liquids or pills.
Items for Adult Passenger – earplugs, eye mask, pillow, blanket, crosswords, notebook and pen, Trip-Tik, book light, phones and charger. The adult passenger has two primary jobs, sleeping and entertaining the driver. I am a very light sleeper, so the sleeping aids are a must. Earplugs drown out kids and road noise. I made an eye mask out of an old dark colored towel and an elastic headband. We also bring a small pillow and a small fleece blanket as the driver will often keep the car cool to stay awake. Once the passenger is rested, he now needs to entertain. We save crossword puzzles from the paper for a week or so and do them together. The notebook and pen are for logging expenses, gas purchases, and time travelled, as well as brilliant ideas that pop up in the middle of the night. Jason and I still have a list of dream trips we want to take from last year. The AAA trip-tik or any other map is obvious, but the AAA version shows rest areas, rest areas with bathrooms (yes, there is a difference!) as well as exits with food and services. A small book light is good so the driver isn't inundated with the blinding overhead light, and the phones and charger is obvious to have nearby.
Important extras that need to be accessible – Advil, Children's chewable tylenol or advil, Band-aids, Immodium, Tissues, Paper Towels (select-a-size for napkins), glasses and sunglasses. All of these items should be within reach of the adult passenger so they can be retrieved without stopping. Ok, maybe not the Immodium, that likely requires a stop, but the rest should be in grabbing distance.
Food – Prepackage 5 of each kind of snack. Prepare a second set and put in a plastic shoebox for the return trip. Wraps are easy to put together on the road for lunch (pb, hummus, turkey). I've learned through trial and error how to pack the food. We bring lots of food, primarily so we aren't tempted to spend money along the way. One year, everyone had a snack container and I'd open a large bag and fill everyone's container, but this proved messy, and it left me with open bags. After a few refills, the kids thought they could pick and choose and it took more time than it needed to. Last year I came up with the 5 of each kind approach and it worked well. But the lightening bolt idea was packing the snacks for the return trip before we left. We take two days to drive back, so having snacks on hand is even more important to save money. As soon as we arrive in Florida, I take the box of snacks out of the car and put it in my parent's garage and it stays there until we are ready to leave. I also can't emphasize enough that when you are in the car for so long, you need real food, fresh food. You can only live so long on cheez-its and granola bars. We bring grapes, apples, orange slices, baby carrots, celery sticks, sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and bananas. Also good is nuts, dried fruits, cheese sticks and gogurts. Last year, 20 hours into our trip we stopped for lunch and we pulled out a pack of wholewheat tortillas, some turkey, hummus and filled it with veggies. Much better than a cheeseburger and fries.
Drinks – Use straight ice on the beverages in the hard cooler. (Cold packs for the food.) Fill all water bottles with water and refill smaller containers. Again, we learned here when at 4 in the morning we wanted an ice cold Diet Coke or Starbucks frappucino and they were lukewarm. Beverages need to be in straight ice. The food on the other hand will do fine with the cold packs. Limit the drinks with the kids or you will be stopping more than you care to. We give all of them a water bottle to hold at their seat, and refill from a gallon in the car when needed. A juice box or a soda as a treat will perk them up if you stop to let them run around. The kids need to get out and move, so every time you stop, jog up and down the sidewalk a few times to get the wiggles out, or play tag while waiting for others who are finishing up in the bathroom. Tired and sleepy kids make good companions on road trips.
Kids – dvds, blankets, pillows, book lights and activity bags. The importance of the dvd player can not be over emphasized on a trip like this. We actually have two, one with a double screen for the boys in the backseat, and one with a single screen for Alanya in the middle. She really doesn't watch it much because of her car sickness, but it will distract her when she is in a good mood to watch it. And as far as dvd's, I should start asking around now to see what I can borrow from friends. I try to borrow some, and I have also gotten some from the library. The only problem is you can only check out a dvd for one week, so I have to go online while in Florida and try to renew them during the vacation. If by chance someone put a hold on one of the movies, I won't be able to renew, and will get a fine, so this isn't the best option. They each bring a small blanket and neck pillow (I made them each one out of fleece last year). They also bring a stuffed animal or two, a notebook, pen, book to read, game boy... whatever they bring though must fit in their backpack and their backpack must be with them at their seat.
Packing – Pack all the things you definitely won’t need on the ride together and put those bags on the bottom. (Exception, easily accessible clothes for vomit-prone children). This seems sort of obvious, but sometimes obvious goes right out the window on a trip like this. We have stood in the rain in the parking lot of a Waffle House in South Carolina trying to dig through the back of the van looking for something... anything... to put on Alanya. Have one change of clothes for everyone in one bag on top.
Now that we are approaching one week away, I'll actually start piling things in a staging area, and I'm sure I'll be updating this list as I get going. Stay tuned!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Mr. Noah goes to Concord
A few weeks ago, the principal from school approached me and explained that they had applied for a special state-wide award given out by the state Board of Education for excellence. One school in the whole state gets chosen and is held up as this superior example of how to run an excellent school. Well, our school made it through the initial application and had been invited to present to the selection committee up in Concord. There would be a half hour presentation and 15 minutes of Q and A. As a parent, the co-president of the PTO, and a former student, I was asked if I would be part of the presentation committee.A week later, the principal called me and said that the committee wants a student representative to present also... a student who best represents everything that is great about our school... one who is confident... involved... well-spoken and mature... they were hoping Noah would be willing to do it. She said his name kept coming up during their meetings as a great choice out of 620+ students, and did I think he'd be comfortable doing that?? I of course was thrilled, but then was more worried about how Noah would do instead of how I would do!
Noah and I had to go to school early twice last week for meetings to prepare. He was very serious about his role, and made suggestions on how he could participate and what he could talk about. We sat down and wrote up some note cards just in case he wanted them, but we knew it would really be spontaneous questions we would have to respond to.
This morning was the big day, and this picture was taken on my cell phone shortly before going in to face the selection committee. There were six of us, the principal, Noah's teacher, myself, a guidance counselor and the school reading specialist. I immediately could tell we scored points by bringing a student, as neither the school before us or after us had a child with their group. The person in charge came over and chatted with Noah and took him to get something to eat. He came back with a chocolate croissant with powdered sugar all over it. Right as we were about to start Noah is ready to start chomping on it! I leaned over and had to whisper to him to wait until the dvd presentation began, then he'd have twenty minutes, but as soon as it was done he wasn't allowed to take another bite! Then halfway through the dvd, he starts sneezing... big juicy wet ones. I had given him two tissues in advance, but had to go digging for more in my purse. It made me smile because he is so confident and mature... but he's only a kid. A kid that wants to wolf down a chocolate croissant and wipe his nose on his sleeve!
After the dvd, the questions started and the second one was for Noah! "Noah, my daughter is about your age, if I brought her to your school, what would you say to her to convince her that your school is the best school to go to in New Hampshire?" I held my breath. I have never felt it more difficult to bite my tongue, not prompt, and let him speak for himself. I was hoping his answer would be something about the after-school academic enrichment opportunities available, or any of the other great answers we had worked on. Instead he came up with his own. "I'd tell her that the relationships between the students and the teachers is really great. We all get along really well... well, most of the time (chuckles from the grown-ups here). And I'd tell her about all the fun stuff we do at school like Pizza Night, that's my favorite." Phew! He did it. Pressure off a bit.
I got my opening when a question about getting parents involved with the school came up and I gave my schpiel. All in all, everyone had a chance to spin our own specialties, and why we were picked to participate in the first place. Near the end, Noah's teacher made an opening for Noah to talk a little bit about student opportunities, and he did well again. Before I knew it, we were packing up. They thanked us for involving a student and commended him on how well he did. I commented I was more worried than he was. "You should be very proud of him, he did a great job." That he did. And I'm glad it's over!
My $400 automotive repair
Remember Bruce, our 2001 Honda Odyssey? The only headache we have had with the car is with the automatic power side doors. They are a blessing when you have babies and car seats and shopping bags. However, on rare occasions when the weather is just right... if rain water or melted snow gets in the doors, and then that water freezes, the power motor can burn out when the door is frozen shut. It is a huge pain and an expensive pain. It has happened to us twice in the 8+ years we have had the car. And it costs over $400 to replace the motor and repair the door. Each time. My friend has the same car and she has had it happen twice too.
After the last time I went online to see if there was anything I could do to prevent it. Well, I found this one random site that said it is often a fuse problem and you just have to remove a specific fuse for 30 seconds and put it back in. I didn't believe it would work. A few weeks ago one of the doors froze and I had the chance to try it. Can you believe it worked? I simply got a flashlight, removed a fuse and then put it back! A $400 repair, fixed for nothing. Woohoo!
My friend called me this morning because her battery died and after AAA jumped it, one of her doors wasn't working. I got in there, did my thing, and voila! So you have to wonder... does the Honda repair place know this trick? Do they do it and charge $400? Do those repair guys ever Google "broken power door" and see what comes up, which is all I did? It sure does make you question expensive repairs you are told are necessary.
In the meantime, I am triumphant with my success. There is no power door I can't conquer!
After the last time I went online to see if there was anything I could do to prevent it. Well, I found this one random site that said it is often a fuse problem and you just have to remove a specific fuse for 30 seconds and put it back in. I didn't believe it would work. A few weeks ago one of the doors froze and I had the chance to try it. Can you believe it worked? I simply got a flashlight, removed a fuse and then put it back! A $400 repair, fixed for nothing. Woohoo!
My friend called me this morning because her battery died and after AAA jumped it, one of her doors wasn't working. I got in there, did my thing, and voila! So you have to wonder... does the Honda repair place know this trick? Do they do it and charge $400? Do those repair guys ever Google "broken power door" and see what comes up, which is all I did? It sure does make you question expensive repairs you are told are necessary.
In the meantime, I am triumphant with my success. There is no power door I can't conquer!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Florida... 12 days until takeoff
Ok, so takeoff isn't the right word, but "12 days until backing out of the garage" doesn't sound as good. Yes, we drive to Florida, and yes we know people think we are crazy. Yes, I have looked at a map and I know we live way up in New Hampshire at the tippy top and my parents are in Florida way down at the bottom. Yes, it's a lot of advance planning and the ride itself takes 27 hours to get there of straight driving. So why do we do it?
There really are two main reasons. The first is obviously the money. We require five round trip plane tickets which if we were lucky a few years ago we could get for under a thousand dollars. Not anymore. Then once we are down there we need to rent a car as the five of us can't all fit in my parent's car, so that is about another $500 for the week. For just getting there, that's a lot of money, particularly if we like to go down every winter. When the kids were little we tried skipping a year, but we missed it too much. Our week in February in the sun does so much for our emotional health, we won't give it up. When we drive, we figure we can get there for about $500. Last year we paid around $3 a gallon for gas, and spent around $200 on fuel. On the way home, we get a hotel room in North Carolina and do the drive in two days, so another $100 for that. Tolls, about $100 roughly. And we'll throw in another $100 for stops for food, Starbucks, and more Starbucks. (How do you think we get there in 27 hours without stopping?)
We've heard the arguments about the cost of wear and tear on the car, and knowing Jason he has worked up a spread sheet on it, but in reality, what the heck is a car for if you don't drive it?
The other reason we like to drive has to do with the time it takes to get there. We know we "lose" days of our vacation when we are in the car instead of sitting on the beach. But the trip itself has become part of the vacation. When was the last time you sat with your husband and kids and just talked for hours? Or played word games? Or sang songs? Or did crosswords together? When was the last time you and your husband told each other your dreams while your kids snored quietly in the back? Those hours are special too. Jason said he actually prefers to drive because he has 27 hours to leave work behind, and when he finally sits down on the beach, he is ready to enjoy it.
Yes, getting on a plane is convenient and quick and we do like to fly. But there is something about the drive that does something for our family. We find each other again.
Coming soon... Laura's road trip survival list!
There really are two main reasons. The first is obviously the money. We require five round trip plane tickets which if we were lucky a few years ago we could get for under a thousand dollars. Not anymore. Then once we are down there we need to rent a car as the five of us can't all fit in my parent's car, so that is about another $500 for the week. For just getting there, that's a lot of money, particularly if we like to go down every winter. When the kids were little we tried skipping a year, but we missed it too much. Our week in February in the sun does so much for our emotional health, we won't give it up. When we drive, we figure we can get there for about $500. Last year we paid around $3 a gallon for gas, and spent around $200 on fuel. On the way home, we get a hotel room in North Carolina and do the drive in two days, so another $100 for that. Tolls, about $100 roughly. And we'll throw in another $100 for stops for food, Starbucks, and more Starbucks. (How do you think we get there in 27 hours without stopping?)
We've heard the arguments about the cost of wear and tear on the car, and knowing Jason he has worked up a spread sheet on it, but in reality, what the heck is a car for if you don't drive it?
The other reason we like to drive has to do with the time it takes to get there. We know we "lose" days of our vacation when we are in the car instead of sitting on the beach. But the trip itself has become part of the vacation. When was the last time you sat with your husband and kids and just talked for hours? Or played word games? Or sang songs? Or did crosswords together? When was the last time you and your husband told each other your dreams while your kids snored quietly in the back? Those hours are special too. Jason said he actually prefers to drive because he has 27 hours to leave work behind, and when he finally sits down on the beach, he is ready to enjoy it.
Yes, getting on a plane is convenient and quick and we do like to fly. But there is something about the drive that does something for our family. We find each other again.
Coming soon... Laura's road trip survival list!
From the mouths of babes
Consider this a late Stay Healthy Saturday post, laughter being the best thing to keep you young and healthy. Alanya was in prime form this week.
- About a year ago I had to have an abdominal hernia repaired, and at the time we explained it to 5 year old Alanya that mommy's tummy had gotten so big with all my babies that the doctor had to sew up a little hole that opened up. How else to explain it? Well apparently the other day my little angel walked up to a pregnant teacher at school and told her "My mommy's belly was so big and her three babies kicked so much that she had to go get a tummy tuck!"
- This week after taking a practice test with her spelling words, I wrote the correct spelling next to Alanya's where she had gotten one letter wrong in each word. When she realized her mistakes she said "Man! I was so close! I just misspelled them all!"
- And finally, yesterday out of the blue she said "Mom, even though I'm a righty, my lefty comes in handy a lot!"
Friday, February 6, 2009
Frugal Friday
Life Insurance. It doesn't seem frugal as it is a lot of money that you don't really get anything for. And in fact you don't want to actually get what you are buying. However, it's necessary. And if in fact it is needed, it then becomes an item for discussion for frugal Friday.
It isn't a happy thing to consider. No one wants to think about it. But find one person who actually needed it and benefited from it, and you will understand. For example, I have three small children, ages 6, 8 and 10. It will be a good 18 years or so before I can really expect them to take care of themselves financially. What if, God forbid, something happens to Jason? Yes, I'm an educated person, and I am intelligent and talented, but could I enter the workplace and make what he makes to keep our household going? No. Plain and simple. No.
Looking at it from the other side, if I kicked the bucket... sure, I have no income, but would it be easy on Jason? He would have to pay for before and after school care for the kids, as well as full time child care for the summer. That adds up. He also pointed out that he won't have the time to shop around to find all the money saving deals that I do. Kids need clothes? He'd go online to Gap and order three jeans for each and a few shirts and fleeces. Then he might even pay extra to overnight them so he wouldn't have to do laundry. So is my "job" actually worth money? Yes.
Both working and at home parents need life insurance. When Noah was born, money was tight and we got the bare bones with a ten year term policy. Our payments were low (mine are $12.99 a month for a $250,000 policy) and we hoped that in ten years we'd be in a better position that we would need more. Noah is now ten, and we need to re-think things. We are now blessed and have so much more in our lives. A beautiful home.... mortgage, insurance, maintenance. Three beautiful children... clothes, activities, COLLEGE. Time to rethink our financial needs.
A few weeks ago we set in motion applications for increasing our life insurance. I had my phone interview today, and happily I said "no" over and over. I guess I'm pretty healthy. Yes, $35, $55 or $100 or more a month is a ton of money, and it adds up to nothing Insha'Allah (that's God willing in Arabic, and a favorite phrase of Jason and I) but in the end, it's the right thing to do. We love our kids too much not to.
It isn't a happy thing to consider. No one wants to think about it. But find one person who actually needed it and benefited from it, and you will understand. For example, I have three small children, ages 6, 8 and 10. It will be a good 18 years or so before I can really expect them to take care of themselves financially. What if, God forbid, something happens to Jason? Yes, I'm an educated person, and I am intelligent and talented, but could I enter the workplace and make what he makes to keep our household going? No. Plain and simple. No.
Looking at it from the other side, if I kicked the bucket... sure, I have no income, but would it be easy on Jason? He would have to pay for before and after school care for the kids, as well as full time child care for the summer. That adds up. He also pointed out that he won't have the time to shop around to find all the money saving deals that I do. Kids need clothes? He'd go online to Gap and order three jeans for each and a few shirts and fleeces. Then he might even pay extra to overnight them so he wouldn't have to do laundry. So is my "job" actually worth money? Yes.
Both working and at home parents need life insurance. When Noah was born, money was tight and we got the bare bones with a ten year term policy. Our payments were low (mine are $12.99 a month for a $250,000 policy) and we hoped that in ten years we'd be in a better position that we would need more. Noah is now ten, and we need to re-think things. We are now blessed and have so much more in our lives. A beautiful home.... mortgage, insurance, maintenance. Three beautiful children... clothes, activities, COLLEGE. Time to rethink our financial needs.
A few weeks ago we set in motion applications for increasing our life insurance. I had my phone interview today, and happily I said "no" over and over. I guess I'm pretty healthy. Yes, $35, $55 or $100 or more a month is a ton of money, and it adds up to nothing Insha'Allah (that's God willing in Arabic, and a favorite phrase of Jason and I) but in the end, it's the right thing to do. We love our kids too much not to.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Benny's special night
Tonight my little Benny received the Sacrament of First Penance at church. This is not the sacrament of his Nana, or even his mother! Oh how things have changed. I remember the nausea, anxiety and nervousness. Having to wait in a line for what seemed like hours to go sit and have an awkward conversation with a priest, afraid I'd forget the words I had to say at the right time. Not anymore.
Today children are taught that is is a sacrament of healing and love. A chance to right any wrongs, get rid of your worries and start over. A few weeks ago we participated in a Saturday morning retreat where the second graders explored all aspects of the sacrament, and one of the stations was with our priest. Father Bob led the kids through penance and what it would be like, and he had them fill a bag with rocks (sins) and then talk about what it was like to carry that heavy bag around. But after penance, the bag gets emptied and all the rocks go away, no need to ever lug them around again.
For weeks I have been nervous about how Benny would approach tonight. I always think of him as my emotional child, and I thought for sure he'd be a wreck. I was wrong. I made his favorite supper tonight since it was his special day, and ten minutes before we were supposed to leave, he was getting his jacket on because he wanted to get there early! He carried with him a little paper where he had written down what he wanted to say, and he wore a pin that I bought him today. It is a little gold cross with a treble clef on it and I told Ben to never forget that God gave him the gift of music, just like God gives the gift of forgiveness with penance.
When we got to church, we waited in the back until it was our turn. The lights were all turned off, with just candles up on the altar, and gorgeous music was playing so you couldn't hear what was being said. Our priest came down to meet us, and I sat while Ben went up with Father Bob. I just sat there watching the beautiful scene. Just the two of them chatting. Ben read from his paper, and the priest looked at it and pointed to a few things... what could it possibly have said??... and they just talked. He received the blessing of absolution and down he came. My big grown up boy. The first thing he said to me was "a piece of cake!"
When we got home he was happy and proud. He took that piece of paper and ripped it up into a bunch of little pieces. All gone. No need for that stuff anymore. I told him to throw it all away, just like those sins. His response? "No Mom, I think I should recycle it instead." See? How times have changed.
Today children are taught that is is a sacrament of healing and love. A chance to right any wrongs, get rid of your worries and start over. A few weeks ago we participated in a Saturday morning retreat where the second graders explored all aspects of the sacrament, and one of the stations was with our priest. Father Bob led the kids through penance and what it would be like, and he had them fill a bag with rocks (sins) and then talk about what it was like to carry that heavy bag around. But after penance, the bag gets emptied and all the rocks go away, no need to ever lug them around again.
For weeks I have been nervous about how Benny would approach tonight. I always think of him as my emotional child, and I thought for sure he'd be a wreck. I was wrong. I made his favorite supper tonight since it was his special day, and ten minutes before we were supposed to leave, he was getting his jacket on because he wanted to get there early! He carried with him a little paper where he had written down what he wanted to say, and he wore a pin that I bought him today. It is a little gold cross with a treble clef on it and I told Ben to never forget that God gave him the gift of music, just like God gives the gift of forgiveness with penance.
When we got to church, we waited in the back until it was our turn. The lights were all turned off, with just candles up on the altar, and gorgeous music was playing so you couldn't hear what was being said. Our priest came down to meet us, and I sat while Ben went up with Father Bob. I just sat there watching the beautiful scene. Just the two of them chatting. Ben read from his paper, and the priest looked at it and pointed to a few things... what could it possibly have said??... and they just talked. He received the blessing of absolution and down he came. My big grown up boy. The first thing he said to me was "a piece of cake!"
When we got home he was happy and proud. He took that piece of paper and ripped it up into a bunch of little pieces. All gone. No need for that stuff anymore. I told him to throw it all away, just like those sins. His response? "No Mom, I think I should recycle it instead." See? How times have changed.
Love the one you're with
I wasn't sure what to title this entry, but for some reason that song "Love the one you're with" keeps popping into my head. That great song that preaches making lemonade out of your lemons. The glass is half full song has always been one of my favorites.
This has been a phenomenal winter so far. The last official total snowfall number I heard was 55 inches and we've had more since then. At school the kids have had more inside recess times than outside with the cold and windchill. For the first time ever, the school decided enough is enough. We have the snow, let's embrace it. Love the one you're with. This week is Winter Fest.
Teachers were able to sign up for a number of activities that were ongoing. Snowshoeing has been a huge hit, and the physical education teacher is now talking about getting snowshoes for the school. The kids did sledding while experimenting sliding on various things including Frisbees, their bottoms and cardboard boxes. Some classes did winter animal tracking in the woods. I was lucky enough to go in today and help Noah's class of 5th graders with snow and ice sculpture with the art teacher. The kids made all kinds of animals and colored them with spray bottles of food coloring. We had a light coating of about three inches of snow last night on top of everything else, and the sun was blazing. The kids had an absolute ball.
Winter may get us all down, but it sure can be beautiful and fun..... doo doo doo..... doo doo doo.
This has been a phenomenal winter so far. The last official total snowfall number I heard was 55 inches and we've had more since then. At school the kids have had more inside recess times than outside with the cold and windchill. For the first time ever, the school decided enough is enough. We have the snow, let's embrace it. Love the one you're with. This week is Winter Fest.
Teachers were able to sign up for a number of activities that were ongoing. Snowshoeing has been a huge hit, and the physical education teacher is now talking about getting snowshoes for the school. The kids did sledding while experimenting sliding on various things including Frisbees, their bottoms and cardboard boxes. Some classes did winter animal tracking in the woods. I was lucky enough to go in today and help Noah's class of 5th graders with snow and ice sculpture with the art teacher. The kids made all kinds of animals and colored them with spray bottles of food coloring. We had a light coating of about three inches of snow last night on top of everything else, and the sun was blazing. The kids had an absolute ball.
Winter may get us all down, but it sure can be beautiful and fun..... doo doo doo..... doo doo doo.
100 Cheerios
Minutes ago I almost killed Jason over Cheerios.
Alanya has a 100th day of school project, and part of it is counting out 100 of something. She chose Cheerios and there has been a container of 100 Cheerios on the counter for a few days. Well, I look up and Jason has the container in his hand and is shoveling a handful of Cheerios in his mouth.
You'd think from my scream that a child was bleeding. Thank goodness Alanya wasn't here to see it!
Alanya has a 100th day of school project, and part of it is counting out 100 of something. She chose Cheerios and there has been a container of 100 Cheerios on the counter for a few days. Well, I look up and Jason has the container in his hand and is shoveling a handful of Cheerios in his mouth.
You'd think from my scream that a child was bleeding. Thank goodness Alanya wasn't here to see it!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Our Super Bowl celebration
Our kids equate the Super Bowl with eating junk in the living room. And that's exactly what we did. Jason's dad spent the day with us, and the junk started flowing about an hour before the game. But the big excitement was little Miss Snaggle Tooth finally lost her tooth. For nearly three weeks that tooth was dangling and spinning, and it was finally a glass of milk and a chocolate chip cookie that took care of it. This picture is just classic Alanya.
At half time, Jason and I were amused as the kids asked who Bruce Springsteen was. Of course we had to share a family story with the kids. Jason's uncle Norm went to high school with Bruce Springsteen. Not only that, Norm also was a musician and after graduation went on to college to major in music. Bruce decided instead to try his hand at making it as a big rock star. Ben's response while he sat there watching the Boss perform in front of millions? "That must mean Uncle Norm is a whole lot smarter than him!" Ben, I think you're right.
Meet Bruce
This is Bruce, our trusty 2001 Honda Odyssey. Find it a bit odd that we named our car? Me too. But apparently Jason's family always names their cars. There was Miss Piggy, a big old cargo van and Cecelia, an old red panel truck. Three years ago we were on the final leg of our first drive home from Florida and we were saying how lucky we were to have such a great reliable car. We started to toss around names, and nothing quite fit. Then little Alanya, then three years old, yelled out, "Bruce!" This was during the heyday of Finding Nemo, and in the movie Bruce is a big, lumbering, grey shark with a heart of gold. The name fit perfectly, and from then on Bruce it was.
We bought Bruce a month before our second child was born and I remember back then with only one child it felt like a living room on wheels. It still does, particularly when we take our 27 hour 1,510 mile one way trek to Florida. We get to know Bruce really well during that trip. We'll be leaving again soon in a few weeks and I have to bring Bruce in for an oil change and a once over before we go. It's Bruce's time to shine.
A Scrabble first for me!
Yesterday I got my first bingo in Scrabble! That means I used all seven tiles at once and got a 50 point bonus. My word was 'airport', and I'd love to be able to report how many points I got, but it appears Jason destroyed the score sheet. Tee hee hee. I won too!
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