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November 2007 NaBloPoMo
November 2006 --> NaBloPoMo
In the baby days:
email me at sarah at ratatat dot com
Off the face of the Earth
November 29, 2007
It feels great to be back in connection with our Great Life Force, the Internet. Oh, how I missed you while I was cut off. Literally cut off--the connection was severed, hole in the ground, long story, sort of annoying, let's not talk about it, OK? The nice Time-Warner guy showed up this morning and ran a new cable for us. It is not inside the ground. it is not up in the air. Thinking about this fragile, yet incredibly-important-to-my-happiness, cable, lying on the ground is killing me. Waiting for squirrels to trip on it. or sledding children to make an igloo right on it, God I'm scared of this winter.
While I was away, very little happened. Rob and I went to a basketball game. It may be the cheapest date of all time. We have a family four pack of tickets to 17 games, for a grand total of $99. So each ticket per game is $1.46. Parking at Klotsche is free after 8, so it cost us a $1 to park. We resisted the snack bar mostly, and I am sure when we bring the kids along we won't be so lucky. But still, $2.92 + $1 + $3 (soda) = $6.92.
It would have been better if our team had won. But on the plus side , all of the seats are general admission. So we sat very near the court and had seat backs, always a plus in the happiness column when I go to a sporting event.
Yes, his face is always dirty
November 27, 2007
Those are his feet, she's not that flexible
November 26, 2007
One month
November 25th, 2007
Happily, the countdown to St Nick's is going much more quickly than the countdown to Christmas. I have mildly freaked out and have been surreptitiously checking websites for all sorts of goods I normally don't look at. And sadly, none of them are Mighty. What Christmas does to me. I feel nearly done. Which is an exaggeration of truthfulness of tasks completed, but truer emotionally. I was afraid to start shopping too early--the kids or Rob would change what they wanted. I would see great sales later on. But no more! I think the psychic burden of waiting and watching was too high. I want to do done. I want it all. I want to order. Pick up. Wrap! I want to have my packages go out in the mail. I want Santa to come.
Bonus story for yesterday--we ran into Santa at Costco. He was all decked out in red, his white beard fluffy. And Mrs Claus looked a tad embarrassed in her jeans and a sweater. No red stocking cap on her head. When a staffer told us that Santa was in the frozen food area, I assumed he was being paid to be there. But I think this was freelance. And so now we all now how Santa does it. Costco.
The wayback machine
November 23, 2007
Wayback on Nov 3rd, we were in the Dells. Some pictures:
Don't you love how happy Miranda looks despite that bear trying to eat her?
Cosmic bowling! OK, we all sucked. But the lane was awesome--it could pop bumpers up just for the players pre designated as needing them. And it was smoke-free. I was so happy, and a little sad that I won't be taking the kids bowling again unless we're in California or the Dells..
Happy Thanksgiving
November 22, 2007
And Happy Birthday to W!
That crazy snowman.
No fresh snow pictures because it is freaking cold outside.
Wait!
November 21, 2007
I could have been doing photo posts this whole time!
I have updated the Pantry Reduction project. See Part 1 if you missed it.
If you ever look at the main homepage, I updated the picture.
And a giant snowman is trying eat my children
And Miranda made her first photographed bershon.
Credit to Sarah Brown.
This is a lesson to Rob -- if he makes the children take trick photographs, there going to make funny faces.
I still have more photos for later. And it is snowing, so that will be good for fresh material.
Thoughts on Turkey Day
November 20, 2007
Turkey Day is fast approaching. It seems early this year, which should mean that Christmas does not feel early or soon approaching. But the ads they run proclaiming 35 more shopping days...they freak me out. 35 days to create the happiness of countless people. Or at least amusement. That hardly seems enough.
But then when I read things disparaging the Christmas season starting Nov 1...and the decry spending 1/6 of the year on one holiday, I am at least a little bit swayed by that point of view.
In the end, numbers are just numbers. Is there a correct amount of time devote to Christmas? Easter? Halloween? Is one month good? Is 1 week better? Why not 12 days? or 40? Time feels relative, at least to us humans dancing our ways through the days. So maybe Thanksgiving will be right on time. Maybe it will be so low-key I can just jump into putting up the Christmas tree without a backward glance.
Brownie Blues
November 19, 2007
Twas the night before Brownies
and all through the town
Moms were scurrying
to iron the appliques down
From the dining room
there arose such a clatter
that even Rob called to see
what was ever the matter
A missing three!
How can it be?
I had all four
I swore and swore
So to CVS I trekked
in the cold winter night
I even got the offical T-shirt
that will make her morning bright
Where to put the flag? Consult the internet!
It did not fail. This ironing is tough!
Did I get them all straight?
It will have to be good enough.
OK, I'm done with the numbers
November 18, 2007
I missed a day on the other site. Sigh. I am just not that regular a girl.
It was baby shower day. It was a very nice shower, complete with a real live baby, just not the one being feted. The baby not yet born has a name, at least in private. Mehthinks J&J are too prepared or really good bluffers. In some ways, it is easier for the first baby--limitless possibilities, no sibling names to "go" together. No precedent. After two children, I am beginning to think the universe is making it hard to conceive a baby because it would never have a name.
In other news, we've watched Shrek, Shrek 2 and Shrek the 3rd in the past 26 hours. The movies were better than I hoped. Now did they kill off Charming? Or is a 4th movie still possible?
Shrek made me want to build up a Mike Myers library. I have Wayne's World. And all of the Austin Powers. I think I just need to get Santa to bring me So I Married an Axe Murderer"
Allergies!?!
#13
November 16, 2007
On the plus side, for anyone off to warm locales for Thanksgiving, my children are not infectious. The doctor thinks they both have allergies. They have blue color lining their nasal sinus passages. Henry is quite congested. Miranda has fluid behind the eardrum, but it is luckily not infected. The fluid does mean she can't hear a darn thing. We start a nasal spray as soon as it arrives from the mail order pharmacy. Let's hope it does the trick.
In other news, Christmas is blooming all around us. Whee!
Can I just say?
#12
November 15, 2007
The kids are sick. This is not quite news, as they have had a pesky cold for weeks. Literally. And I do mean that literally, for any Teds from HIMYM in the audience. But today I called the doctor. And tomorrow we will see him. And today Henry's nose was so plugged he let me hold a tissue up to it and he blew it. And Miranda has this horrible croup-y cough. And all of the words I know about croup just frustrate me--the hot shower trick is bogus. The cold air trick works, but only when they are really sick. And I think cough medicines are out too.
But I have really had a small rant going in my head about Christmas. First I want to say that I love Ask Moxie. if you have had a child, I have most likely sent you to AskMoxie. I like her attitude. I like her advice. I like her community. And this week, Moxie is covering Christmas shopping. And to sum it up, make handmade, inexpensive in dollars, very dear in love, talent or time. Make Christmas meaningful. Make your kids share their toys, their talents, their goodness and it will make Christmas super extra special. (the link isn't quite working. But it is very sincere. Very nice. Very kind.)
Can I say no? I feel like I am channeling a certain Denis Leary song much loved in my college years, but I don't want that Christmas. I want to buy big plastic things at very low prices. I want to buy something with too many calories or too many pieces. I don't want to purge half of my children's toys. I want to toss the wrapping paper after everything is unwrapped. I want to go to more holiday parties and events. I want to waste electricity on Christmas lights and send oodles of Christmas cards some of them to people I barely know. I want more Christmas. This emphasis on saying no, doing less, making less, is not adding up to a great big more for my idea of Christmas.
I am sure I'll go back to agreeing with Moxie again. Right after I go shopping next Friday and spend absurdly small amounts of money on amazing plastic things.
Happy Birthday to P
#11
November 14, 2007
Hope your iPhone is making you very happy.
In other news, I think I had snow flurries on my windshield. But the wind was so bad it may have been random crap in the air.
He's Here!
#10
November 12, 2007
Welcome to the world Baby Boy Bishop! We drove to Madison to meet their happy new baby. He was a tiny one, by their standards, and yet still bigger than either of my little ones. 7 lb 14 oz. He was calm and happy despite Miranda's overzealous petting and Henry's ever-so-gentle caresses. A short labor. A healthy Mom. Glad we got to the hospital tonight or they will be outta there.
Mission completion
#9
November 11, 2007
Two days behind!?! Thank goodness I've kept up on the official site.
For all intents and purposes, the pantry is completed. Pictures as soon as I get them off the camera.
scurvy dog
#8
November 9, 2007
Overheard:
Henry and Miranda squabble. Grandma pus them each in a time-out.
Miranda: This is all your fault, Henry!
Henry: No, it isn't.
Miranda: Yes it is. You called me a scurvy dog!
Henry: But you are a scurvy dog.
I think he has a future in libel law.
Upright
#7
November 8, 2007
I am so tired. I think I have just a touch of a cold. I am not studiously ignoring this cold the way I would be if we had more planned in the next few days. It took everything to stay awake and upright today while Henry and I did puzzles, played with the Jenga blocks, raced cars, watched the Upside-Down Show. I think I must have failed as Henry took to patting my face with both hands.
It is so dark here by 5:30 p.m. So dark that getting the mail across the road feels like an adventure. How can I not see across the street? If I ever move into the country again, I should get a mailbox on my side of the street.
Choices
#6
November 7, 2007
The West Bend school referendum failed yesterday. It was the largest in the state. It was large. It was in a city - town - school district that values low taxes. When we decided to move out of the city, we had an epicenter of Rob's at-that-point-fairly-new job. And after that, schools were my biggest issue. I ruled out a district that refused to fix their HS swimming pool and its terrible leak. I looked at the high school curriculums to see who offered AP test and honors courses and Calculus as a math class. And then I looked at middle school programs to see if algebra was commonly offered in 8th grade. In Milwaukee, we had school selection choices. Where we lived did not dictate the quality of my children's education. Choosing to head to the suburbs felt like I was locking in. The choice was gone -- I didn't want to bounce the kids around in the later years. Now was the time to form friendships and plant roots. We did have West Bend on the list, for a while. The quality of the schools felt so uneven. And now I am glad we're not facing elementary ed in a trailer.
Found the seal
#5
November 6, 2007
Woohoo. I hadn't realized there were NaBloPoMo badges.
November
#4
November 5, 2007
Despite hurtling at light speed toward November all of October, it suddenly hits me that it really is November. 2007 is almost over. I thought this would be the year of having another baby. As that is taking much long and a far more tortuous path than I expected, I may make 2008 the year of baby. Or not. But it is suddenly much closer than it ever was before.
Our troop's wreath sale ended today. That was this shortest sale period ever. If given more time. I would most likely buy more. Once phrased, I have to admit that could be my motto, epigraph, slogan. On everything in life. I should get it made up on business cards. Or better, on mom cards.
It's a Good Thing
#3
November 4, 2007
Wow, how should I count these? It should be day 4, entry 4. I am glad I am counting the ones at the NaBloPoMo there. The web interface was handy.
We had a nice weekend. It really felt like we got away. We stayed t a condo in the Dells. We cooked all of our meals in the room. I was terrified I would set off the smoke alarm and that would cause the sprinklers to go off in the room. It is a very cost-effective way to eat. And it saved so much whining time. On the downside, it felt like we were just anywhere, rather than in the Dells. We never left the hotel complex. I think we walked 5 miles over 48 hours. They really stretched out the pools.
I can say that mentally it felt like a vacation. I was away. And it is a good thing to be home.
Happy Birthday L!
November 2, 2007
#2
May today be a great day! You're 2. you're gonna rock your parents world.
We are off to the Dells today. It seemed like a good idea when the 2 bedroom condo deal came along. But now that I a counting the beds in the diagram...I just hope they really have configured all of the condos without bunk beds for 4.
And it begins
November 1, 2007
#1
NaBloPoMo! I feel like this is Iron Chef. I am posting the NaBloPoMo stuff here:
http://nablopomo.ning.com/profile/ratatat
If you missed it, the Halloween pictures are here.