school night.
It began as yet another boring parent meeting. I read all the emails. I know what’s going on. We sign the forms and turn them in. No need to remind me. I hate hearing the story for the fifth time…. I *got* this. But … I also get it. Parents, by default, are busy. The
tired. oh so tired.
So, so tired. I think I might possibly be getting enough sleep at the moment. With Rob gone, things are bit quieter around here, and I seem to be able to sleep a bit more. But not enough to make me feel rested. I really need a bit of downtime. Time when I’m home (or
midlife crisis — interrupted.
This past year, things got real. Really real. Life got hard. Not braces complicated (though we had that) or college choice hard (we had that too). I had spent the previous few years recovering from homeschooling. I was getting my life and family and work organized. I was starting to find time for connecting with
rediscovering books.
Don’t get me wrong. Books have always been central to my life. After grad school, I could only read fluff. My head was filled, no room for anything else. While pregnant with Camille, I read everything I could get my hands on about childbirth and babies. Once Camille was born, my reading was all about
parent of an adult!
The day has come. My eldest child is no longer a “child” but an adult. Of course, she’s still in high school and lives at home. We’re still looking at 4.5 years or more of supporting her, so she’s still a dependent. But she’s an adult. She can vote. She can get a tattoo. I’m
back to school.
After an action-packed summer, the girls started back-to-school yesterday. For the first time ever, the girls are in the same school and Chloe has teachers that had Camille as a student. I think in some ways, the girls are happy to get back to their routines, friends, and studies. As for me, I’m hoping the
summer travels.
Summer. The time for our big family trips. We’ve made some memories on our travels – camping in Evie on the Out West trip. Living in Galway for three weeks on the Irish summer. Turkey, Japan, St. John, Cape Cod, and more. Unless by some miracle the stars align next summer and we finally get
chloe’s flute recital
Last spring, Chloe had a notion to start playing flute and join the middle school band. A kid wanting to take up a musical instrument? Great! And one that we already own (even if it is an old school flute from the 80’s)? Doubly great! The problem? Band at the middle school is a full
waylaid.
I’ve had one of the best weeks ever. Work has been awesome. I’ve been productive and been handed a project that really appeals to me (and even uses my mad Python skillz). I’ve volunteered, hiked, gone to a neighborhood association meeting. I’ve cooked and prepared for a camping trip. Until today. I had worked extra
sur la table.
While it was not a goal of my current portion of my Happiness Project, it is a lovely side consequence. Though we bought a simple table and chairs to replace my beloved mission table (now living with a friend), we hadn’t eaten at the table much since we moved to Decatur. I didn’t have the
christmas planning.
Someone asked me the other day if the Christmas panic had reached me yet. For the first time in a decade or longer, the answer was “No. I’m on top of it.” And I plan to keep it that way. What has made this holiday season the least stressful one that I’ve had in recent
don’t have time for this
How many times have I said this over the past 10 years? I cannot even count the times… Over the past couple of years, I’ve been working hard to finish up projects, transfer projects, move on. Just to give myself a little bit of breathing room. Find the things that truly are worth my time.
try. and try again.
While we were on the beach the other day, Chloe and I watched some kids playing in the surf and the tidepools on skimboards. Chloe, of course, wanted to give it a try too. The store in town had rows and rows of boards. I agreed; skimboarding looked right up her alley. After choosing the
our next step in free-range kids
One of the goals/reasons for moving to Decatur was to give the girls more opportunities to be able to get places and do things on their own. Camille usually walks or walks home from homeschool classes (since it is two miles away, I usually drive her one way or the other). She goes to the
principled is she
I admit, I haven’t looked into what IB (International Baccalaureate) means in terms of schooling despite the fact that Chloe’s school is an IB School. I have a vague notion that it is generally a good thing overall, but that also makes us go praise our kids more than I feel is necessary. This week,
all’s quiet
That’s something I can rarely ever write. As I mentioned, Camille and I tend to be homebodies. From the time Camille was born up until last October, it was rare that I had any time during the weekday that I was home alone. On the weekends or the evenings, Rob sometimes takes the girls out
homebodies ‘r’ us
I work from home. Thus, I’m home day in and day out. When I do get out of the house, it is to go to appointments, run errands and be “mom’s taxi”, things that I don’t enjoy very much overall. I have come to equate leaving the comfort of home with desperately trying to get
photo friday: legoland independence
While I only mention it here and there, I am very much a supporter of Free Range Kids. In fact, one reason that we moved to Decatur was so that my girls could have more freedom to take themselves to the places they want to go — the library, the yarn store, school(!), the yogurt
going to the doctor
Chloe goes to school. And Chloe’s sick (I blame that on school). When she’s been sick in the past, I’d have her take it slow, take a little bit of tylenol as necessary and let her body heal itself. But now I’m faced with “The longer she stays out of school, the further she’ll fall
compromise: theme park equilibrium
I’m a cheapskate. I hate to spend money. I look for deals. I hold my wallet close. “Do I need this?” “Why do I want to buy this?” I’m not an extreme coupon kind of person — I don’t NEED that much toilet paper, detergent or other crap. I buy what will make us happy,
GBK Gwyneth
instagramming
2023 photos
reading
2022 photos
2021 photos
