As I was getting dressed this morning, I pulled on a shirt I filched from my Grandma during our garage sale. (Which ends up as much of a giant swap meet between the families that participate as it does an actual sale.) And before you're like, You'd wear something your grandma would wear? Let me tell you that my grandma has excellend (albeit expensive) tastes. J. Jill, Woolrich.... You get the picture. I love it when she gets me clothes for my birthday or Christmas.
This shirt is what I call a "dressy tee" - t-shirt material, so it's nice and comfy, but it's dressed up with button embellishments on the shoulders and cuffs. This has 3/4 length sleeves.
And that's what I love.
I love 3/4 sleeves, and I love capri pants - which I guess could be called 3/4 length pants. (?) Now, some might just say that's wardrobe choices for the indecisive.... Can't decide if it's cool enough to go short, but it might be too hot for long, so go somewhere in the middle.
But that's not it at all for me. I love 3/4 length sleeves, because my arms are so freakishly long (they got the memo and have started making tall pants for women, but have yet to think of it that women with long legs would tend to have long arms as well). Long-sleeve shirts and jackets typically hit me a good 3 inches above my wrist bone. So this length provides me with the warmth, but not the awkwardness of feeling like my arms are hanging out. And the bottoms of the sleeves are already out of the way, so you don't have to worry about them sliding down while you're washing dishes or giving baths or similarly messy jobs.
I love capri pants for a different reason. Well, kind of the same reason, I guess - with really long legs (34 inch inseam), it's hard to find shorts that don't leave me feeling naked. (Have you seen some of those shorts on the rack?) But I also have ugly legs. I am knock-kneed, and I have varicose veins in my right leg all the way from my thigh to the top of my foot. So capris cover all that up. Not to mention, you also only have to shave half of your legs - a definite benefit. I was bad about shaving (or, more accurately, not shaving) before kids, but now.... Yeah, it's lucky to be once every other week.
So that was my random thoughts on wardrobe this morning.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
I've Got Nothing
Have you ever had one of those weeks/months where it feels like all you're doing is run, run, run, but you have absolutely nothing to show for it? That's been me. I feel like we've been incredibly busy the last few weeks, but I can't tell you with what. Maybe partly because we're spending more time outdoors, which involves work and not sitting on my backside - but I don't really have anything to show for it. I did get.....half a flowerbed weeded. Okay, so I've got three others done, but they all got done in one day, and this one out front has taken me two weeks to do half (and Paul did half of it!).
We have a good start on our garden. We had a perfect spring, moisture-wise, where it was actually dry enough to work the soil without it clodding up. I got in 2 rows of beans, 2 rows of peas, 1/2 of onions, 1/2 of carrots, 4 rows of corn, 6 tomatoes, 6 peppers, 6 broccoli, 2 hills of cucumbers, and 1 each of zucchini and yellow squash. That sounds like a lot, but I've still got some other stuff I want to get in! And of course, now it's wet out there. Although, as windy as it's been, we should be able to get out there again on Monday when Paul is off next.
Well, I'm making cookies for Paul to take to work. I'm in the middle of a double batch of double-chocolate mint, with a double batch of chocolate/butterscotch chip still to come. I need to get some dirty dishes out of the way before I can get any more baking done.
We have a good start on our garden. We had a perfect spring, moisture-wise, where it was actually dry enough to work the soil without it clodding up. I got in 2 rows of beans, 2 rows of peas, 1/2 of onions, 1/2 of carrots, 4 rows of corn, 6 tomatoes, 6 peppers, 6 broccoli, 2 hills of cucumbers, and 1 each of zucchini and yellow squash. That sounds like a lot, but I've still got some other stuff I want to get in! And of course, now it's wet out there. Although, as windy as it's been, we should be able to get out there again on Monday when Paul is off next.
Well, I'm making cookies for Paul to take to work. I'm in the middle of a double batch of double-chocolate mint, with a double batch of chocolate/butterscotch chip still to come. I need to get some dirty dishes out of the way before I can get any more baking done.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
News Brief
Jacob said another word: Ball! He repeated it when I asked him, then went back to his generic, "Ah" that he uses for everything. Sigh. But he's getting there!
Nathan colored his picture at Cubbies for the first time tonight. He sometimes "writes" on it, but doesn't actually scribble or color - he's tried then gets frurstrated and quits. This time he scribbled purple the pants and vest of the child in the picture, with no whining about "I can't do it!" I'm so proud. He's also asked to write his letters (we have a wipe-off letter book) the last two days - and he's done it left-handed. So in my prep for preschool next year, I'm also researching how to teach a lefty to write!
Nathan colored his picture at Cubbies for the first time tonight. He sometimes "writes" on it, but doesn't actually scribble or color - he's tried then gets frurstrated and quits. This time he scribbled purple the pants and vest of the child in the picture, with no whining about "I can't do it!" I'm so proud. He's also asked to write his letters (we have a wipe-off letter book) the last two days - and he's done it left-handed. So in my prep for preschool next year, I'm also researching how to teach a lefty to write!
Overheard:
Me: Did you toot? Awh.... Stink!
Nathan: Yeah! It's me!
Oh, the joy of being a mother of boys......
Nathan: Yeah! It's me!
Oh, the joy of being a mother of boys......
Monday, April 25, 2011
I Love You, Dear.
I have a lot of time to think when you work nights, and so often I think about how much I love you.
I am so grateful for everything you do to lead our family. You are such a great daddy - the boys love you so much, and everyone can see how much you love them.
I love that you are my best friend and we can talk about anything and everything and nothing.
I love how you call from work to check in when I'm home at night by myself with the boys, and how you ask about how bedtime went.
I love how you ask about the books I'm reading - even the ones you haven't read yourself.
I love how you reassure me when I worry about things too much. They always work out.
I love curling up against your warm self on a rainy afternoon (even when you're dead to the world and have no idea I even came to bed to catch a nap).
I love you, I love you, I love you. I don't get tired of saying it, and I hope you don't get tired of hearing it.
Always,
Your Treasure
I am so grateful for everything you do to lead our family. You are such a great daddy - the boys love you so much, and everyone can see how much you love them.
I love that you are my best friend and we can talk about anything and everything and nothing.
I love how you call from work to check in when I'm home at night by myself with the boys, and how you ask about how bedtime went.
I love how you ask about the books I'm reading - even the ones you haven't read yourself.
I love how you reassure me when I worry about things too much. They always work out.
I love curling up against your warm self on a rainy afternoon (even when you're dead to the world and have no idea I even came to bed to catch a nap).
I love you, I love you, I love you. I don't get tired of saying it, and I hope you don't get tired of hearing it.
Always,
Your Treasure
Two Tiny Tushies in Tighty Whiteys
Well....
Despite what I figured would happen, Jacob is well on his way to being potty trained. We started just about a month ago, because he was very interested in the potty - especially peeing standing up. So we started messing around with it, and despite what I figured would happen, he took to it! We did naked bottom for a week or so, then just training pants, then just pants (pajamas or other elastic-waist, light-weight), then pants with training/underpants. After two days at my parents house, church, and an afternoon at Paul's parents' house with no accidents (while wearing underpants and jeans/slacks), I think I can safely say "He gets it." He even poops in the potty, which is something Nathan didn't get for several months after he was trained. I honestly didn't think he'd take to it, or even if he wanted to that he would really be able to.
Since he still doesn't talk, he doesn't tell us he needs to go, so we make sure to ask every hour or two - the answer is always "YEAH" (the one word he does say). But he holds it, so that's what tells me more than anything that he gets it. Because even if he isn't saying he needs to go, he's not going whenever he feels like it. Occasionally he does come get me and lead me to the bathroom. Or he starts playing with himself, which is some sign language I could definitely go without seeing!
I did laundry Friday, but even though I washed everything, when I folded clothes, there were only 3 pairs of training pants. (I'm not sure if the others ended up with the cloth diapers or what.) So today, I grabbed one of Nathan's tiny pairs of tighty whiteys and put them on Jacob. Can I just tell you how cute their tushies look running around in those things? I'm going to have to buy another package, because I figured Nathan would be out of this size before Jacob got into them. (Incidentally, you can't buy white underpants in any size smaller than 4, and I refuse to buy cartoon character underwear.) I did buy Nathan the next size up, but they are too big - I had to roll the waistband to get them to stay up. So I guess they'll share for a while.
In other Jacob news: He seems to be trying harder to talk. This weekend, he stood on the step and Grandpa and Grandma's and said "Daaa. Daaadaa. Daaaa," until Paul came and opened the door for him. In the last week, he started saying "ow" for cow, and said milk and more fairly clearly. I asked him to say something tonight, and you could tell he was really thinking about what came out of his mouth and how it sounded. (It was, "I love you," when we were talking to Paul on his way to work.)
And I had my first experience in catching Nathan in a lie tonight. I have suspected that some tattlings have been a lie ("Jacob hit me!" when I walk in the room and both of them are screaming), but didn't know for sure, since Jacob can't tell his side. Tonight I asked Nathan to get something from his room, and he came down and said everything was under his bed. (Sometimes he strips everything off his bed when he gets sent upstairs when he's in trouble, so I figured he had shoved everything under there in a new version of protest.)
"Who put everything under your bed?
"Jacob." (I knew for a fact Jacob had not been upstairs at all during the day.)
"Nathan, who put everything under your bed?"
"Jacob did."
"Nathan, Jacob wasn't upstairs today. Who put everything under your bed?"
"I don't know."
"I'm not going to spank you. Who put everything under your bed?"
"I did."
I did say something about how it makes Jesus sad when we don't tell the truth. But I know that the concept of truth and what a lie is may still be a little vague to a 3-year-old. I hope he did see that it upset me, and that I showed that it was safe to tell the truth.
(Incidentally, there was nothing under his bed except a few toys he couldn't reach and some Kleenex he must have pulled out of the box weeks ago when the box was still on his headboard.)
Despite what I figured would happen, Jacob is well on his way to being potty trained. We started just about a month ago, because he was very interested in the potty - especially peeing standing up. So we started messing around with it, and despite what I figured would happen, he took to it! We did naked bottom for a week or so, then just training pants, then just pants (pajamas or other elastic-waist, light-weight), then pants with training/underpants. After two days at my parents house, church, and an afternoon at Paul's parents' house with no accidents (while wearing underpants and jeans/slacks), I think I can safely say "He gets it." He even poops in the potty, which is something Nathan didn't get for several months after he was trained. I honestly didn't think he'd take to it, or even if he wanted to that he would really be able to.
Since he still doesn't talk, he doesn't tell us he needs to go, so we make sure to ask every hour or two - the answer is always "YEAH" (the one word he does say). But he holds it, so that's what tells me more than anything that he gets it. Because even if he isn't saying he needs to go, he's not going whenever he feels like it. Occasionally he does come get me and lead me to the bathroom. Or he starts playing with himself, which is some sign language I could definitely go without seeing!
I did laundry Friday, but even though I washed everything, when I folded clothes, there were only 3 pairs of training pants. (I'm not sure if the others ended up with the cloth diapers or what.) So today, I grabbed one of Nathan's tiny pairs of tighty whiteys and put them on Jacob. Can I just tell you how cute their tushies look running around in those things? I'm going to have to buy another package, because I figured Nathan would be out of this size before Jacob got into them. (Incidentally, you can't buy white underpants in any size smaller than 4, and I refuse to buy cartoon character underwear.) I did buy Nathan the next size up, but they are too big - I had to roll the waistband to get them to stay up. So I guess they'll share for a while.
In other Jacob news: He seems to be trying harder to talk. This weekend, he stood on the step and Grandpa and Grandma's and said "Daaa. Daaadaa. Daaaa," until Paul came and opened the door for him. In the last week, he started saying "ow" for cow, and said milk and more fairly clearly. I asked him to say something tonight, and you could tell he was really thinking about what came out of his mouth and how it sounded. (It was, "I love you," when we were talking to Paul on his way to work.)
And I had my first experience in catching Nathan in a lie tonight. I have suspected that some tattlings have been a lie ("Jacob hit me!" when I walk in the room and both of them are screaming), but didn't know for sure, since Jacob can't tell his side. Tonight I asked Nathan to get something from his room, and he came down and said everything was under his bed. (Sometimes he strips everything off his bed when he gets sent upstairs when he's in trouble, so I figured he had shoved everything under there in a new version of protest.)
"Who put everything under your bed?
"Jacob." (I knew for a fact Jacob had not been upstairs at all during the day.)
"Nathan, who put everything under your bed?"
"Jacob did."
"Nathan, Jacob wasn't upstairs today. Who put everything under your bed?"
"I don't know."
"I'm not going to spank you. Who put everything under your bed?"
"I did."
I did say something about how it makes Jesus sad when we don't tell the truth. But I know that the concept of truth and what a lie is may still be a little vague to a 3-year-old. I hope he did see that it upset me, and that I showed that it was safe to tell the truth.
(Incidentally, there was nothing under his bed except a few toys he couldn't reach and some Kleenex he must have pulled out of the box weeks ago when the box was still on his headboard.)
We Don't Keep Secrets
Tonight, one of my friends asked me if I had told Paul about a conversation she and I had had. She was going through some personal stuff, and I was upset after talking to her. So what do I do? Stuff it? Brood on it? No, I talked to my husband about it.
I tell everyone - the moment they say, "Don't tell anyone, but...." I interrupt and say, "I will tell Paul about it, but I won't tell anyone else." I have always told people that, including this friend.
I have always thought that keeping secrets from your spouse is a bad practice to start - I don't care what the secret is about. Picture it as a progression.... If you don't tell him about this thing that you're bothered by, then it's easier to keep something else from him, and soon you have marriage problems based on all the things you're not telling each other. I just don't even want to get there, so we've never kept anything from each other.
Even silly stuff - like the other day, I was bothered by the way a new male acquaintance greeted me. It just felt too familiar. I considered not saying anything; I didn't want Paul to think I was trying to make him jealous. I figured it was best to be straight up.
We don't keep secrets. And I don't apologize. I'm proud of that fact.
I tell everyone - the moment they say, "Don't tell anyone, but...." I interrupt and say, "I will tell Paul about it, but I won't tell anyone else." I have always told people that, including this friend.
I have always thought that keeping secrets from your spouse is a bad practice to start - I don't care what the secret is about. Picture it as a progression.... If you don't tell him about this thing that you're bothered by, then it's easier to keep something else from him, and soon you have marriage problems based on all the things you're not telling each other. I just don't even want to get there, so we've never kept anything from each other.
Even silly stuff - like the other day, I was bothered by the way a new male acquaintance greeted me. It just felt too familiar. I considered not saying anything; I didn't want Paul to think I was trying to make him jealous. I figured it was best to be straight up.
We don't keep secrets. And I don't apologize. I'm proud of that fact.
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