Saturday, March 10, 2012

What we live for

Today we celebrated my grandma's 93rd birthday.









We celebrated at a Japanese steakhouse where they cook the food on the grill in front of you, complete with fire tricks to transfix the kids!



She told me that my kids are some of the things that make her life worthwhile, and make her want to stick around for a while. She said she wanted to be at Audrey's college graduation, which drew some laughter from the kids. Lance said, "Nunu, you would be 109! That's practically the World's Oldest Person!

They know they are special to her, but they don't know how lucky they are--they have always had her nearby. Lance only remembers the visit to Florida from pictures. Pictures and the story about how my mom dropped him on his head on the tile floor. She is a part of their lives in a more regular way, not living across the country for a couple of visits a year like I had. And since her other grand and great-grandchildren live farther away, I want mine to fill in all the visits that the others can't easily make.



And of course as I'm composing this post in my mind, I'm thinking about how seeing her face light up at the sight of my kids makes it all worthwhile, and gives me perspective to try to overcome the frustration at the daily bickering and dirty shoes and mealtime battles.

I know they will be grown up before I blink. But did that stop me from getting irritated when they whined about being bored in the car? Or when they argued over the new magazine that came in the mail? Or from snapping the book closed at storytime because Audrey was wiggling down from the couch, wheelbarrow-style, because she wasn't listening?

Not exactly. But it does remind me to keep trying. And to hope that someday, I will be 93 and have as much to be thankful for as my Grandma does.
Happy Birthday NuNu!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Read Across the Living Room

It has just "clicked" in the last few weeks! Dr. Seuss would be proud!

Reading of "The Wig" from Rachel Broderhausen on Vimeo.

And I realize my last few posts have been about Audrey. Mr. 9 yr old doesn't generate so many blog-worthy, heart wrenching posts these days. It's mostly because his stories often don't feel like my stories to tell.
But if you look at this picture (I am almost barfing that I'm posting it), you might be able to tell what my right-footed boy spends most of his waking hours doing. (HINT: Involves a black and white ball, and at school, a muddy field).










If you can't see it, the entire right big toe side of the shoe is blowing out. Lots of kicking, I guess!


And if it's not soccer, it's this...

Sunday, February 19, 2012

My heart belongs to the plumber

She handed me this envelope...
At first I thought, "Who's Bill Wood?" but then realized it's my WATER BILL!



Evidently my water pressure is going down. She must have heard me yelling that someone flushed the toilet while I was in the shower...



She has the answer,

and the best A-for effort sweetness around.
(I will try my best)

Just wonder how much she charges, and if she's bonded and insured?

I have to throw in a special thank you to her fantastic kindergarten teacher, who encourages them to always try "kid writing" before asking someone how to spell things. They do a morning journal writing 4 times a week where the kids write and then have adults come around and show them the "adult writing" with the spelling corrections. But it's all this wonderful environment where the kids write their own words and aren't told they are wrong.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Freeze Frame, continued

I hope no one died of shock seeing a new post from me.

One little love bug in this house just cannot give up Valentine's Day! We got these mystery notes this morning...
(That's "I will always love you" in kid writing! gulp!
She also ordered her breakfast (noodles).
More love notes and pictures everywhere!
This is what it's all about. And what I need to remember if someday the notes aren't quite this loving. And if she takes after her mother, they won't be. Sorry Mom and Em!