Memorial Day Weekend

This three-day weekend marks the first of many for me over the next couple of months.  One cost-cutting measure my district takes is to close facilities on Fridays over the summer, so June 1st is the last Friday I'll be working until the week of July 23rd.  I sure plan to enjoy my long weekends!

My parents took advantage of the long weekend and came to town to visit. They arrived Friday evening and left tonight. We had a great time attending the City Arts Festival at Fair Park, swimming, playing in the backyard, eating at Matt's, and lounging.  While they enjoyed a few days of heat, they agree that a whole summer of it isn't for them.  With any luck, it'll be a little cooler when they come back at the end of the summer for baby's arrival.

Sara's first ride on the swan paddle boats at Fair Park; my mom and I laughed because Steve and Todd must have thought it was a race ... they were moving at a pretty fast pace and were both a little stiff when their turn was over.

 In the kids' section, Sara got to make a wallet.  Grandpa quickly proceeded to give her money to put in it.  Later, when he offered more, she said, "No, thanks."  She obviously doesn't get the whole more-is-more concept yet.

 On Sunday we practically had the pool to ourselves.  We weren't quite as lucky today, but still had a fun time.  Sara starts swimming lessons in a couple of weeks, which will be so good for her.

 She did a good job kicking and paddling, and only drank a little water.

 Grandma did most of the picture taking this weekend, but here she is in one with Sara, who is really good at looking away right as the camera takes a picture

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Grandma, Grandpa, and Sara.  We're so glad they came this weekend!

This morning Steve ran his fourth half marathon.  He ran it in about two hours, sixteen minutes, and although he wasn't real happy with his time, I continue to be impressed by his ability and ambition.  Now it's time to start getting ready for the four-day week.  It's our last week of the school year, and then summer school starts next Tuesday.  It's been a whirlwind, so I'll be really happy to make it to Friday, June 8th, when - hopefully - I'll feel settled into summer school and things will begin to calm down a bit.  Oh, yeah, and I will have the day off.

Happy Memorial Day! 

Book Talk

One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd was our recent book club selection (after the first pick, available on e-readers only, was nixed).  I'm glad we had to go with the second choice because this is a book I'd seen many times but had never been compelled on my own to select.  In 1875, the Cheyenne Indians made a request to President Grant that one thousand white women be sent to marry and reproduce with Cheyenne men so that their children would have the same rights and access to education as other white children.  In real life, the US Government officials didn't follow through with sending the women, but this book is based on the premise that they did.  For her own reasons, May Dodd is among the first group of white women sent to marry the "savages", and she chronicles her experiences in a journal that is read and reprinted many, many years later.  History meets a woman who was an absolute modern-day pioneer in her own right in this excellent novel.

The Murderer's Daughters follows two sisters after their lives are turned upside down the day their father murders their mother.  They deal in very different ways with living in an orphanage, becoming foster children, growing into adults, and coping with the loss of both of their parents.  The story alternates between the viewpoints of the two sisters: one who has made a habit of visiting her father in prison for thirty years, and one who refuses to acknowledge his presence at all.  I enjoyed that this was a fairly easy, quick read, but I felt like the details could have been more evenly distributed.  As the book neared the end, it seemed like the author just skimmed the surface.  The characters ended up being predictable and sometimes irritating; for me, the story definitely left something to be desired. 

 

I finally finished The Hunger Games trilogy.  Steve and I went to see the movie a couple weeks ago, and even though he hadn't read the book, he loved the movie as much as I did.  I am going to go against popular opinion and say that Catching Fire, the second book, was my favorite of the three.  Mockingjay was the first book I read on my new Kindle ... the perfect pick!

Every woman I know is talking about Fifty Shades of Grey.  Two months ago I hadn't heard a thing about the trilogy, and now I can't find myself in a conversation where it doesn't make an appearance.  Someone told me last week that the author's style of writing is fantastic, and that I would really appreciate that quality in the books.  Somehow I don't think women are flocking to the Grey books because they are so well written.  And I'm not convinced they are for me.  However, knowing my inability to pass on the books that everyone is talking about (except for the Twilight series - yep, passed on it without apology or regret), it's possible that my next Book Talk post will include my raving praise for the books that are keeping women turning the pages way past bedtime.

"Books are the plane, and the train, and the road.  They are the destination, and the journey.  They are home."
Anna Quindlen

Wordless Wednesday: Dance Picture Edition

 

a few tidbits

• Desperate Housewives ended forever on Sunday night.  The finale was perfect ... I was so hoping that it wouldn't be disappointing, and it wasn't.  I especially loved the last few minutes with all of the ghosts of Wisteria Lane past.  It was fun to see the full cast of characters and it was just so beautifully poetic (which is probably a dorky thing to say about a TV show).  But it was the cherry on top, if you will.  The last show I mourned (after watching faithfully for seven seasons, as I did with DH) was Dawson's Creek. 
• With the DH finale a thing of the past, I don't know what will become of my Sunday nights.  Even Steve said, "Now you don't have any shows."  It's true.  No televised drama through which I can live vicariously one night each week.  I have no plans to adopt a new show, so maybe I'll read more ... or blog more ... or go to bed earlier ... or just watch whatever nonsense is on cable (right now "Father of the Bride" is on Lifetime ... I'll take it!).  Come September, I'm sure I'll find myself plenty busy without a weekly television commitment (besides The Office, which, as I've mentioned in previous posts, has become a record-a-bunch-and-catch-up-once-a-month-or-so kind of show for us).
• I'm not sure why it took so long, but it feels like the reality of this pregnancy has finally hit me.  Maybe it's because now it's obvious to the casual observer.  I've been happy since the beginning, but now I'm beginning to really feel excited about our new baby girl.  When I think about her arrival, I am overwhelmed with the feeling that our family will be complete.  It's a really good feeling.
• In other news related to baby, I had forgotten what it feels like to put effort into bending over.  When I got to a certain point in my pregnancy with Sara, I quit shaving my legs and painting my toenails.  And aside from the fact that it wasn't attractive, it really didn't matter because it was fall/early winter (a cold one by North Texas standards, at that) and I was wearing pants and closed-toe shoes.  I'm not going to have that luxury this time around, so I'm going to have to work on my ability to maneuver creatively.  I get short of breath just thinking about it.
• I got a Kindle for Mother's Day!  Steve and my mom were in cahoots, because he gave me the Kindle and she sent me an Amazon gift card with which to start my e-book collection.  The timing was perfect because my allotted book shelf space is officially full.  I started my first e-book over the weekend, and the transition to an e-reader was a lot more pleasant than I'd anticipated.  Definitely a gift after my own heart; I'm excited to now have new books at my fingertips.  I even found a cute case on clearance at Target.  
• Sara moves up to a new room at school next week.  This placement will last just through the summer, and in August she'll move to a room that has "pre-K" in the title.  What?!  Although she'll be in a pre-K class for two school years, the title makes me both excited and a little nauseous at the same time.   
• I have been trying to stay out of the debates about the Time Magazine cover, and plan to continue that course.  But I just have to say this: apparently I'm not mom enough to buy into attachment parenting.  But I am trying everyday to be mom enough to believe that I make the best choices for my girl(s), and I am mom enough to pour every ounce of my love into the decisions I make for and about them.  I'm mom enough to know that they complete my world, and to work to provide them every possible opportunity.  And that's mom enough.

Pretty Nice Little Saturday

We had a crazy week, culminating in a busy Saturday that we'd been anticipating for many months.  We were at my school bright and early this morning for our second annual 5K.  Sara had been so excited about being able to finally participate in a race with Daddy, and although he was way ahead of us from the start, Sara ran the first half of the 5K at (her) full speed without stopping.  She left me in the dust more than once, and was pretty proud of herself when she crossed the finish line. 

 After the 5K, we rushed home to get ready for Sara's first dance recital, which was today at noon.  Miss Lexi has been coming to Sara's school every Wednesday since September for dance class, and Sara has loved it.  I know she'll miss her Wednesday "dance days" during the summer months.  We had dance pictures a couple of weekends ago, and today was the big show!

 The theme of the show was "Calendar Kids", and Sara's group did an "April Showers" ballet.  Of course, the first thing she did when she got on stage was spot us.  I only took a couple of pictures because every time she saw me lift the camera, she froze.  I'll be excited to watch the DVD when it arrives in a month or so.

 

 At the end of the show, all of the girls got a trophy and paraded across the stage to monstrous applause.   

 When I picked up Sara from backstage after the show, I said, "Mommy is proud of you!  You did such a great job!"  She answered with her new standard: "I know."

 I'm hoping that Miss Lexi brings Dance Techniques back to Sara's school in the fall.  Although I think it would be fun to watch her practice each week, having class while she's already at school has been so convenient.  I have no idea whether dance will turn into any part of Sara's life as she grows up, but this year, it's been so worth the investment.  Proud of our little ballerina! 

We ate a celebratory mid-afternoon lunch at Snuffer's, enjoying the patio and lake view (and cheese fries, of course).  After all of the festivities, one of the three of us took a nap ... yep, it was me.  Sara is currently using all stall tactics to avoid a much-needed early bedtime, but I know once she gives in and crawls into bed, it'll be a hard sleep. 

Now don't you think Frank Ricard would call that a pretty nice little Saturday?

Artwork

Our Family

by Sara

It's May!

The air is humid, which equals a complete disaster daily for my hair.  Whatever pollen the wind is stirring up has my nose running and eyes itching.  My car is in the shop awaiting a new transmission that's sure to cost me more than I'd like to pay.  These aren't great things, but right now I'm just glad that April is behind me.  It turned out to be a doozy (sp?) this year; a variety of (little yet somewhat significant) things snowballed on me, and my breaking point occurred on Sunday when I couldn't figure out why the sound wouldn't work on Skype.  But I'm over it now.  Don't you just love the clarity (and reasoning) that comes with a little sleep and some hindsight?

I've decided to make a couple of simple mid-year resolutions.  Although I've never been good and making or keeping New Year's resolutions (maybe it's the pressure of having to make them on a particular day), a couple of worthwhile ideas have been on my mind recently, and I plan to adhere immediately...

#1: I will quit reading blogs that make me feel like I can't keep up.  I don't plan amazing parties or wear expensive clothes; these things aren't important to me.  I'm perfectly comfortable with this until I get sucked into reading blogs that make me feel like maybe I'm just not on track.  I know that the people who write these blogs don't do anything to intentionally alienate people (and some love the new ideas they have to offer) ... this all has to do with my own reflection and perception.  So, I hereby quit blogs that don't belong to people I know and love.
#2: I will not feel guilty about a little time here or there for myself.  Whether it's a book club gathering, a short walk, or a trip to run an errand on my own, I'll really try to enjoy this time without my guilty conscience.  Easier said than done, but I have to make an attempt.

Those sound reasonable enough, right?

I would love to add some pictures of Sara here, but she hasn't been very agreeable with the camera recently.  As I was trying to take some pictures of her jumping on the trampoline tonight, she would stop bouncing to look at me with total pout face and say, "Stop taking myyyyy picture!"  So, yeah, fail.  In other cringe-able yet laugh-worthy news, Sara just looked at me and said, "Mommy, you can drink a beer after the baby comes."  Funny/not funny/embarrassing/true.

Hope your May is off to a good start!