I had a realization over the holiday weekend. I am sure some will think this is pretty silly for mom-of-three (with the oldest being 8) just figuring this out NOW.
THIS is my kids' childhood. Right here - right now. This is what they will remember when they are older. This is what they will be referring to when they say "remember when we were kids..."
Kids don't look forward to the time when we'll be able to afford a bigger house, or when we'll make more money. They don't look forward to next year's vacation. They don't worry about what they'll be wearing next year. They don't worry about college, weddings, retirement. All they care about is NOW. NOW is where they form the memories they will hold for the rest of their lives.
This is really important.
I do think about the future and what needs to come next. After all, that's kind of my job as a parent. But it finally hit me that I need to live for the NOW too. These days are too precious to miss out on.
This whole year has ushered in some big realizations for me. It's why I finally quit my daycare job and decided we need to focus on just our children.
But as I sat at picnics and birthday parties this weekend, I recalled picnics and birthday parties from when I was a child. Did I care about parties at fancy places? Nope. Did I care that our house wasn't the biggest or fanciest? Nope. All I remember is family, friends and good time.
I want that for my children too.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Something's Missing....
Ryan lost his first tooth tonight! We had a fun night taking a long walk, playing at the playground and finally came home for nice, relaxing baths. I was just about to step in the shower when Ryan asked me to look at his "super loose tooth." Wow! It was loose! We checked it just last week and it wasn't this loose!
Well, the poor guy just started crying - he was so afraid to lose a tooth! he wiggled it a bit more and we all heard a CRACK and knew it had to come out. So I reached in and plucked it out.
As soon as it was out, he was really REALLY excited and proud!
Maddie lost her first 2 teeth before she was even 5 years old. Ryan turned 6 last month, so he's been waiting for this.
We finally got his Tooth Fairy Box out tonight!
A story of our homes (and have I really become a snob???)
I am a real estate junkie. I fully admit it. I search the MLS at least twice a week (just looking!). I would even do it 2 months after we moved into our house (it drives my husband crazy!).
We're not in a position to buy a new house - and won't be for quite some time (it will take either 2 incomes or a lot more equity than we have). But I like to look. And dream....
*Rewind to 1999*
I had just graduated from college and was working and planning a wedding. Craig was still in college (he's 2 months younger than me, but a year behind in school). We knew we would rather buy a house - any house - than "throw away" money in rent, so as Craig was being fitted for his cap and gown, I was out house-hunting with my dad. By the time Craig was also a wage-earning member of society, we were spending every weekend going to Open Houses and actively looking for a house.
It took a few months, and a few rounds of disappointments and tears, but we finally found our house. It was an 80-year-old twin in the west-end of a fairly large city. Everything about the house was charming, but old. We had 3 nice-size bedrooms, 1 full bath (and a scary toilet in our basement that only the brave would approach!), a beautiful sunroom and a postage stamp yard just perfect for a toddler to play in. It needed some work (all new wiring plus some cosmetics), but basically was a nice sound house.
Look at the beautiful front room we had! 6 windows! And the front door was all window too! We started out with wicker in there, but as we had children, it slowly turned into a playroom.
Living Room & dining room - our house was nice and spacious. Brick fireplace in the living room. HUGE dining room that fit tons of furniture PLUS a curio cabinet PLUS my piano! There was beautiful woodwork in this house that was just begging to be refinished (we never did!).
The kitchen was pretty hideous in this house. There was a bad circa-1982 renovation done - complete with orange counters. The layout was terrible too. had we stayed, we would have redone the kitchen (I heard that was the first thing the new owners did!).
We could have made this house work for us - had it been in a better school district. We lived here for just shy of 3 years, and then found a new opportunity in a much better district.
*Fast-forward to 2004*
This is our "new" house while it was still under construction. It's a townhome - but we gained some square footage, several bathrooms, a garage and a much larger yard. We're also in a great school district (that we don't ever want to leave). I don't have many recent photos of the house - that will be my project this weekend (so expect a photo tour next week!).
*Return to 2009*
While we do love our house, I find myself still looking at the MLS twice a week. Now that the real estate bubble has burst, I see so many opportunities becoming available, but we just aren't ready to make the move. Not only do we not have the confidence to tackle a bigger mortgage on a single income, but I just can't find the "perfect" house. This is where I start to question if I have become a house snob. Ugh.
We are blessed with a great backyard. Especially for a townhome. I could never give my kids less space to play! And we have 2 full baths and 2 half baths. Now, I could do with fewer bathrooms to clean, but it's soooooo nice having a bath right off my bedroom. And it's really nice having a bath on each floor of the house.
I think my biggest area of becoming a snob is air conditioning. I LOVE CENTRAL A/C. I really, really do. Not only does it keep us nice and cool, but it helps our allergies so much. I don't think I could ever go back to not having central air!!!
So maybe I've become a house snob. Finding the next "perfect" house may be a real problem. Guess it's good we aren't going anywhere soon!
We're not in a position to buy a new house - and won't be for quite some time (it will take either 2 incomes or a lot more equity than we have). But I like to look. And dream....
*Rewind to 1999*
I had just graduated from college and was working and planning a wedding. Craig was still in college (he's 2 months younger than me, but a year behind in school). We knew we would rather buy a house - any house - than "throw away" money in rent, so as Craig was being fitted for his cap and gown, I was out house-hunting with my dad. By the time Craig was also a wage-earning member of society, we were spending every weekend going to Open Houses and actively looking for a house.
It took a few months, and a few rounds of disappointments and tears, but we finally found our house. It was an 80-year-old twin in the west-end of a fairly large city. Everything about the house was charming, but old. We had 3 nice-size bedrooms, 1 full bath (and a scary toilet in our basement that only the brave would approach!), a beautiful sunroom and a postage stamp yard just perfect for a toddler to play in. It needed some work (all new wiring plus some cosmetics), but basically was a nice sound house.
Look at the beautiful front room we had! 6 windows! And the front door was all window too! We started out with wicker in there, but as we had children, it slowly turned into a playroom.
Living Room & dining room - our house was nice and spacious. Brick fireplace in the living room. HUGE dining room that fit tons of furniture PLUS a curio cabinet PLUS my piano! There was beautiful woodwork in this house that was just begging to be refinished (we never did!).
The kitchen was pretty hideous in this house. There was a bad circa-1982 renovation done - complete with orange counters. The layout was terrible too. had we stayed, we would have redone the kitchen (I heard that was the first thing the new owners did!).
We could have made this house work for us - had it been in a better school district. We lived here for just shy of 3 years, and then found a new opportunity in a much better district.*Fast-forward to 2004*
This is our "new" house while it was still under construction. It's a townhome - but we gained some square footage, several bathrooms, a garage and a much larger yard. We're also in a great school district (that we don't ever want to leave). I don't have many recent photos of the house - that will be my project this weekend (so expect a photo tour next week!).
*Return to 2009*
While we do love our house, I find myself still looking at the MLS twice a week. Now that the real estate bubble has burst, I see so many opportunities becoming available, but we just aren't ready to make the move. Not only do we not have the confidence to tackle a bigger mortgage on a single income, but I just can't find the "perfect" house. This is where I start to question if I have become a house snob. Ugh.
We are blessed with a great backyard. Especially for a townhome. I could never give my kids less space to play! And we have 2 full baths and 2 half baths. Now, I could do with fewer bathrooms to clean, but it's soooooo nice having a bath right off my bedroom. And it's really nice having a bath on each floor of the house.
I think my biggest area of becoming a snob is air conditioning. I LOVE CENTRAL A/C. I really, really do. Not only does it keep us nice and cool, but it helps our allergies so much. I don't think I could ever go back to not having central air!!!
So maybe I've become a house snob. Finding the next "perfect" house may be a real problem. Guess it's good we aren't going anywhere soon!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
I am a MEAN neighbor
I had quite a dilemma this week.
As you may know, I live in a townhome, so it's pretty close quarters with all the neighbors. We've been here 5 years and have had almost no problems with our neighbors. Last year, a new family moved in next door (what was formerly the model home for the neighborhood, so it was vacant for 4 years). They are a nice couple, who just had a new baby this year.
The big problem is - they do not take care of the exterior of their home. Last year, they would let the lawn go weeks between mowings. They didn't even buy a mower until they had been here 2 months! Everyone in the neighborhood offered the use of their mowers, but honestly, they just didn't care to mow more than once a month.
Same thing in the winter - snow removal just didn't happen. The sidewalks in front of their house were dangerous and icy all season!
Now, we're back to spring, and they have mowed ONCE. The grass is now 11-inches high in the yard and over 2 FEET in the rear of the yard. It looks horrible and is now breeding all sorts of bugs (and I shudder to think of mice and *gulp* SNAKES). I can't leave the kids play anywhere near this grass - it's awful!
Our very nice preteen neighbor offered to cut their grass for a reasonable price, but he was turned down twice. The grass remains way too high.
Yesterday, I made the decision to go to the Township about it. Honestly, I am worried about what is crawling around in this grass! I figured the Township would monitor the situation and *maybe* issue a warning.
Well, yesterday afternoon (as I was hanging my laundry) the enforcement officer came to measure the grass and told me the township would be cutting the grass and issuing a fine to my neighbors. I feel fairly guilty about this - I don't dislike my neighbors, but I did feel something needed to be done.
So I am officially the MEAN neighbor. But I am hoping the township comes to cut this grass BEFORE Maddie's birthday party on Sunday!
As you may know, I live in a townhome, so it's pretty close quarters with all the neighbors. We've been here 5 years and have had almost no problems with our neighbors. Last year, a new family moved in next door (what was formerly the model home for the neighborhood, so it was vacant for 4 years). They are a nice couple, who just had a new baby this year.
The big problem is - they do not take care of the exterior of their home. Last year, they would let the lawn go weeks between mowings. They didn't even buy a mower until they had been here 2 months! Everyone in the neighborhood offered the use of their mowers, but honestly, they just didn't care to mow more than once a month.
Same thing in the winter - snow removal just didn't happen. The sidewalks in front of their house were dangerous and icy all season!
Now, we're back to spring, and they have mowed ONCE. The grass is now 11-inches high in the yard and over 2 FEET in the rear of the yard. It looks horrible and is now breeding all sorts of bugs (and I shudder to think of mice and *gulp* SNAKES). I can't leave the kids play anywhere near this grass - it's awful!
Our very nice preteen neighbor offered to cut their grass for a reasonable price, but he was turned down twice. The grass remains way too high.
Yesterday, I made the decision to go to the Township about it. Honestly, I am worried about what is crawling around in this grass! I figured the Township would monitor the situation and *maybe* issue a warning.
Well, yesterday afternoon (as I was hanging my laundry) the enforcement officer came to measure the grass and told me the township would be cutting the grass and issuing a fine to my neighbors. I feel fairly guilty about this - I don't dislike my neighbors, but I did feel something needed to be done.
So I am officially the MEAN neighbor. But I am hoping the township comes to cut this grass BEFORE Maddie's birthday party on Sunday!
How Does My Garden Grow???
I haven't spent a lot of time in the garden lately - just pull weeds here and there. But it's growing nicely.
i know most people love seeing the abundance of their garden later in the season, but my favorite time is the early days. I love seeing a bean barely peeking out of the ground one day, and see it 2 inches high the next day! What growth!
My sugar snaps are getting high! And the lettuce, carrots and beans are coming along nicely too. The cantaloupes are REALLY tiny, but they popped up too. Still waiting for the watermelon!
Hopefully this weekend we'll be able to add to the garden a bit. I need room for my tomatoes and peppers!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADELINE CLAIRE!
My daughter turned 8 today!
It seems like so many years ago that Craig and I were just a couple - waiting to be blessed with a baby of our own. Madeline was (and continues to be) everything we could ever want!
Here she is at just 5 days old (doesn't she look so much older than just 5 days? That's just how she is - much more mature than she really needs to be!)
And here she is today wearing her "new" (a hand-me-down from a friend) riding helmet. Maddie has a love for horses that I will never fully understand, but we are embracing it and gave her a week at horse camp for her birthday. She is thrilled!
It seems like so many years ago that Craig and I were just a couple - waiting to be blessed with a baby of our own. Madeline was (and continues to be) everything we could ever want!
Here she is at just 5 days old (doesn't she look so much older than just 5 days? That's just how she is - much more mature than she really needs to be!)
And here she is today wearing her "new" (a hand-me-down from a friend) riding helmet. Maddie has a love for horses that I will never fully understand, but we are embracing it and gave her a week at horse camp for her birthday. She is thrilled!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Will I ever get caught up?
I am certainly paying the price for choosing fun over function this weekend!
The laundry is piled up out of the hampers, the whole house needs a good cleaning and OH MY! the clutter! It's going to take a lot of effort to get this place clean!
Tomorrow is Maddie's 8th birthday, so tonight we need to get treats to take into school. Her family birthday party is on Sunday, so the house needs to be in order by then!
I am trying to get little thing done here and there (when the day care kids allow it). I did get one load of laundry done this morning, and was able to vacuum the 1st floor of the house. Got to keep on going!!!!
The laundry is piled up out of the hampers, the whole house needs a good cleaning and OH MY! the clutter! It's going to take a lot of effort to get this place clean!
Tomorrow is Maddie's 8th birthday, so tonight we need to get treats to take into school. Her family birthday party is on Sunday, so the house needs to be in order by then!
I am trying to get little thing done here and there (when the day care kids allow it). I did get one load of laundry done this morning, and was able to vacuum the 1st floor of the house. Got to keep on going!!!!
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