Q of the Week : How is your summer going?

Fynn’s shot of Sparrow, lounging under my feet as usual. Rare moment that she’s not hunting for cool tile to lay her head on … For those of you not on vacation, blissfully disconnected, how’s your summer going?  It seems like I suddenly arrived in the sweat-till-you’re-soaked days of July without warning, but to be honest I’ve just been busy enough that it crept up on me.  Getting one boy ready for camp, a couple different visitors, and then the young guy starting his week of camp today have me distracted. 
Read More

Q of the Week : How do you record your kids' lives?

Fynn’s party over the weekend, where I’m betting he’ll remember the dueling Hex-bug gifts and the balloons longer than anything else. Perched on top of the highest possible point on a friend’s roof last night, carefully not stepping into the skylight and watching a myriad of fireworks, Fynn asked me if I’d brought the camera.  I’d left it at home, and told him he’d have to take mental pictures instead, hinting that those were the best kind.  Sometimes I just don’t want the bother of the camera, and as ours isn’t working well I deliberately left it behind.  One less thing to worry about, especially when climbing ladders to rooftops that were not really meant to be climbed on by anyone, let alone excited 5-year-olds. 
Read More

Q of the Week : What's the longest you've been away from your kid(s)?

D goes to camp this week.  Wednesday morning to be exact, and I don’t think it really started hitting me until about two days ago.  When I started getting his checklist of gear together, realized I didn’t have some of it, and started actually thinking about what was going to happen in just a few days.  How I’m going to miss him, despite the freedom of only having one kid at home.  How his banter will be missed, and, yes, even some of the blither.  His brother is going to be lost without him too.  They’ve become such incredibly good friends since I started homeschooling that they’re inseparable, unless D wants to get lost in a book, or build some very fragile creation of course.  

Three and a half weeks is a long time. 

Read More

Q of the Week : Last time you really laughed?

Image courtesy of notashamed via FlickrI know I should be asking about summer plans, survival tips, and that kind of thing, but I want to know other things right now.  Google answered my most pressing question already tonight: How do you get cat pee out of a down comforter?“  Thankfully I have a laundromat right around the corner, and made a mini-date with Fynn out of the wash cycle part of it all.  We read both a crazy Italian folk tale about a girl with a goat-head, and details about the Roman Army’s weaponry and strategies, nice combo don’t you think?  Then I dropped him back at home and made the drying time into a date with myself and my current book.  A nice break from a pile of client work!
Read More

Q of the Week : How's your laundry situation?

The piles as of Sunday afternoon …I just added a contest at the bottom, don’t miss it!

I hate folding laundry.  Hate it.  I don’t mind running the loads through, though I’m pretty haphazard and fast about it all.  My husband will be glad to tell you I suck at really getting things clean, and it’s true that I overload the machine just to do fewer loads, and everything gets washed hot and rinsed cold.  Except the handwashing, which gets done about every 6 months.  Michael wished he had his special hand-decorated dress shirt clean to wear to a party on Friday, but alas it’s been waiting to be hand washed since it’s inaugural wearing many months ago. 

Read More

Q of the Week : What's your personality type?

Off the deck of our hideaway this weekend … I had a great weekend.  Away from home and boys and peed-upon-toilet seats, in green hills with great friends, it was bliss.  I’ll recap it elsewhere to keep this Question short, but it involved a long whitewater rafting trip which I thoroughly enjoyed and am still aching from.  The funny thing was at least 4 of the 6 of us in the boat were Type A personalities, a lovely combination when shouting paddling instructions in the middle of a set of rapids!

If you’re not familiar with the A/B/C/D method of categorizing folks, the details are here, and I’ve included brief summaries below, courtesy of M.Farouk Radwan, MSc.  It’s a very general way of looking at things, but fun and sometimes handy if you end up clashing with a friend.  We got along well this weekend though, despite ourselves!

Read More

Q of the Week : Any Interesting Encounters with Strangers Lately?

In the comments to my Friday Roundup (in which I refer to the subject of failing to feel lovely, among other tidbits and links) my friend Karin commented that she finds it a good antidote, when feeling unlovely, to do something nice for someone else “… even if it’s just flashing a brilliant smile and a sincere thank you to the coffee guy who looks more miserable than you - their startled and pleased smile could be just the thing you need!”  It stuck with me, and when casting about for a Question today (the 186th one so yes it gets hard some days!) I remembered a not-so-nice encounter on the subway last week, and here we are. 

So what interesting or meaningful or simply memorable encounters have you had with strangers lately?  Glances, conversation, helpfulness, kindness, nastiness … what’s your story?  I’ve had a few that stick out, and I’ll get the nasty one out of the way first. 

Read More

Q of the Week : Monday Meme!

Crazy momento from one of my “furthest from home” trips to Japan. It’s from a photobooth in Tokyo … those were the days!It’s raining, and supposed to for the next 3 days at least, so I’m looking to keep things light and cheerful this week.  I’ve got a race next weekend which I am in no way properly trained for, Fynn has <2 weeks to his Carnegie debut and doesn’t have his cello piece finished, and I need some distractions!  So a quick meme is in order to make it easy for all of us …  5 quick things, with a bonus if you feel like it!
Read More

Q of the Week : Any dietary restrictions in your family?

Image courtesy of clevercupcakes via Flickr.I’ve been on a wheat-free/mostly Gluten-free diet for about a month now, along with my older son.  I started it because I’ve suspected he was intolerant for awhile now, thanks to itchiness and irritability issues, and I had an idea that my body wasn’t that fond of processing it either.  Also, it’s much easier to get him to cut out some of his favorite foods when I’m doing it with him!  I could see a big change in how I felt within two weeks, but it’s hard to get much quantifiable information out of him on how he feels. 
Read More

Q of the Week : How Do You Respond to Compliments?

Can you tell I hate having my picture taken? He was supposed to be taking pix of the boys hunting for easter eggs. I’m terrible at dealing with physical compliments.  Especially if they come from my husband.  He tells me I look beautiful?  I say “if you think so.”  Catch him staring at me with that look in his eye?  “What are you staring at??”.  I’m all gracious like that.  Yeah, really kind and appreciative.  Honestly?  It freaks me out a bit.  I don’t like having my picture taken, and send sardonic looks at the camera if I can’t actually escape it. It’s like I can’t really believe what he’s saying, and if I do, then I must be proud.  If I agree to it, then maybe he’s just fishing for sex.  What’s up with that assumption?  I have issues I guess.
Read More

Q of the Week : Where's your favorite place to relax?

The idea of relaxation seems to go with holidays, right?  Time off from school and work, get-togethers, down-time.  Nicely idealized in pretty menus and gorgeous pictures.  Yet the opposite seems to happen most of the time: lots of rushing and stress, in exchange for some family time or a trip somewhere.   There’s too often a real lack of joy in the journey.  I hope your Easter or Passover or long-weekend-thank-you-very-much wasn’t one of those times, but was full of great memories and moments! 
Read More

Q of the Week : What are your Dreads and Delights this week?

At least I’m not dreading cleaning up Lego this week, I can shut the door on it and not have to see it for once :). (Dreading finding a new housemate for that room? Whole other story!)I became aware this afternoon, as the light faded and dinner responsibilities approached, that my enthusiasm was waning and my shoulders were hunching a bit in anticipation of the week’s responsibilities.  I then realized that the same feeling arrives every Sunday night.  Like clockwork.  I dread Mondays. 
Read More

Q of the Week : (Manic) Meme Monday

Last year’s magnolia gorgeousness …Quick one here, it’s almost noon and I don’t have much time before the boys clamor for lunch.  Yes, I’m running behind (go figure!) so a quick post on my end means you can answer in 5 words.  I’ll make it a wee bit more interesting by telling you why I’m asking these questions.

Ready?

Go!

1.  Favorite flower?  … because Fynn spent his entire cello lesson this morning staring out the window at the magnolia tree which is about to burst into full bloom

2.  Last time you ate chocolate? … I had my frequent late-night snack last night of a tiny dish of peanut butter, with a dab of butter, a drip of honey, and a not-so-tiny sprinkling of chocolate chips on top.  mmmm.

3.  Mood right now? … mine changes so fast it’s not funny, and I’m struggling with crabby frustration but want to let it go. 

4.  What hurts? … I tripped and fell while running yesterday, scraping up my hands and knees pretty well.  Fared better than Darah though, who fell off her bike last night and lost some teeth, broke her jaw, fractured her skull, and more! Please send some healing thoughts/prayers her way.  Ouch!

5.  Word for today?  … I just picked one, because I need it.  It’s RELAX. 

Thanks for playing!

Q of the Week : What have you gotten rid of lately?

Photo courtesy of AngryJulieMonday, via FlickrI made the boys do a toy purge last Friday.  It’s simply that time again, and not just because it’s spring (Yes!).  I was actually amazed at how many things they were willing to toss, and the bag is sitting by the door to be put out on the curb.  They’re pretty pleased with their newfound space in the toybins, and it’s all good. 

For myself, I sorted and pitched some old client folders, making some breathing room in my filing cabinet again.  Do I really need every single logo sketch for an old (and impossibly difficult) client who never ended up paying me what he owed?  I think not!  The funny thing was, in tossing the stack, I finally felt liberated from the irritation that I still harbored against him. 

Read More

Q of the Week : How Fevered is Your Spring?

I tried to write earlier today, but realized I couldn’t put any coherent thoughts down until I’d spent some time in the sun.  I ditched the computer, went out for a run, and soaked up every ray that I could.  I’ve gotten a pretty good case of spring fever in the last two weeks, despite the freezing temps and bizarre thunder snowshowers we’ve had recently.  The birds and bulbs know better, and continue to do their thing despite the cold. I’m determined to join them!
Read More

Q of the Week : What are your favorite family games?

It’s been a gut-wrenching few days, hasn’t it?  With the news from Japan continuing to get worse, it’s hard to balance reactions to it all with daily life here.  I mused on that subject here on the weekend, and don’t have any more words to share on it yet other than love, prayers, and thoughts going out to all those affected.  It’s hard not to feel guilty for being healthy and safe here though. 

A recent Cranium duel between the boys … The question this week is a light one, and something that our boys are getting more and more interested in.  What games do you play together?  We tend towards board games, as they’re what we all enjoy.  The only game system we have is the Playstation, and it’s not something we can all play together, nor am I particularly into Lego StarWars tricks and techniques!  We’re not all frisbee or sports fans, so our outdoor play tends a lot more towards building stuff together, or the occasional random ball/stick battle in the back yard. 

Read More

Q of the Week : How are you taking care of yourself these days?

Image courtesy of Coffeegeek, via Flickr. Looks yummy, yes? Anything with muddled coffee and sugar and blood orange, spiked of course, has to be good! Click the pic for the recipe :). This issue is an old one, but so central to the premise of SaneMoms that it’s worth revisiting.  It was brought to mind again by a comment on Christina’s Inside and Out post.

And sometimes I find you even have to defend those moments when you are doing something for yourself, right? My husband lately realized that I was steadily making my way through a series of books and some nasty comments came out about how lucky I was to have time to sit and read during the day while he’s at work and late home every night this week… My response that one of us had to stay sane competely stumped him. I had to fight off my own guilt too about being able to sit quietly for an hour each day, but seriously, if I don’t take care of myself and we BOTH lose it, what good does that do?

Read More

Q of the Week : When do you feel sexy?

I think Anne’s glamorous and sexy here, because of her smileI’m sitting here in a sports bra and sweats, with a cardigan thrown over top because the house got chilly after supper, and I didn’t want to put my stinky running shirt back on, nor did I have time for a shower.  To be completely truthful, the cardigan was pulled out of the “to wash” pile the other day because I decided it wasn’t that dirty (while hunting madly for another layer to wear under my coat).  I don’t look or feel one shred sexy.  I still need that shower, feel pressured to get a lot more work done tonight, and would far rather kick back and watch the Oscars.  I’m consoling myself with some live-blogging updates via the NYT. (Yay, The King’s Speech just won! … speaking of sexy, Colin Firth certainly fits that bill in my book, but I digress …)
Read More

Q of the Week : Plans for summer?

I know, I know, it’s still February!  But we’re looking at a snow forecast here again, and I’m so ready for sun and summer it’s not funny.  So rather than gripe about it, I’d like to plan for it!  Anything you’re looking forward to, planning for, or have on a wish list?  Trips already outlined, annual vacations that you just do every summer, beaches that you’re plotting and saving for? 
Read More