Reading the Signs

So, I come into the house after working late and based upon the disarray before me, I can map out the evening activities of my husband and two sons.  After having a dinner of rotisserie chicken, peas, and oven fries they decided to play Wii (clues:  yucky knife on the counter, rotisserie chicken container in the fridge partly open, peas under the table and in front of the garbage can, ketchup smeared on the table).  Did I mention that the dishes were "done"?  Except for the glasses and mess on the table and the pan the fries were baked in, but who's keeping track?  After playing Wii they had a treat/snack (clues:  Wii still on although the TV is off, sticky controllers on the floor in front of the TV).  Husband answered the phone at some point (clue:  phone upside down on the couch in the living room, not in the kitchen sitting on its charger).  Husband let the boys brush their teeth by themselves (clue:  toothpaste smeared on counter and inside of sink).  I know I sound crabby, but I just get defeated looking at the mess that greets me whenever I return to the house. 
S-)
Have any of you become experts at reading your family's signs?

Weird Word Wednesday - chutzpah

I have always secretly admired people who have chutzpa.  Sometimes they can be obnoxious, but I am somewhat in awe of their confidence.  This definition is from the Merriam Webster online dictionary.  It's just a fun word to say!


: supreme self-confidence : nerve, gall

 

Examples of CHUTZPAH

1. <had the chutzpah to demand that he be treated as a special case and be given priority in settling his insurance claim>

Origin of CHUTZPAH

Yiddish khutspe, from Late Hebrew ḥuṣpāh

First Known Use: 1883

Related to CHUTZPAH

Synonyms: audaciousness, audacity, brashness, brass, brassiness, brazenness, cheek, cheekiness, effrontery (also chutzpa or hutzpah or hutzpa), crust, face, gall, nerve, nerviness, pertness, presumption, presumptuousness, sauce, sauciness, temerity

 

Weird Word Wednesday - Rake

RAKE

Today's weird word is RAKE. While most everyone knows the definition of the garden tool, I found this definition to be much funnier.

I guess hoes will be hoes and rakes will be rakes! lol

 

rake²    [reyk]

noun

a dissolute or profligate person, especially a man who is licentious; roué.

 

Origin:
1645–55; see rakehell

Synonyms
libertine, profligate, lecher, womanizer.


http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rake


=J Do you have a weird word for us to shar? Let us know and we will mention you in our post!

Monday Vent - Swearing

*#@%&!

While growing up there were very strict rules about what we could and could not say.  I remember being slapped for asking my mother what b-u-t-t spelled.  That was a bad word.  My mother would also tell us that swearing was for people who did not have the education or the creativity to effectively put their thoughts into words so they had to rely on the "shock factor" and use profanity.  I admit, I agree with her.  I rarely, if ever, swear, other than the occasional "dammit" when I am injured (e.g. at church, my son slammed the kneeler onto my foot and I swore very quietly under my breath).  My husband typically does not swear in front of me during normal, everyday conversations.  I appreciate the fact that he accommodates my feelings that way.  We do have two young children, which, you would expect would further clean up his language.  For the most part it has, unless he is playing a video game.  While playing these STUPID and INANE games he swears so profusely that I have to shut whatever doors lie between him and me.  Our sons call this game the "yelling game" because he screams at the top of his lungs. We have had so many discussions/arguments about his abuse of language within earshot of our children and me, that I am beside myself with frustration.  My children have learned ALL the swear words there are straight from the mouth of their father.  It's completely infuriating and disgusting to me.

S-)

Weird Word Wednesday - Pule

PULE

Having children provides one with multiple opportunities to describe whining.  This is a new one for me that I will definitely use! S-)

Definition of PULE

intransitive verb

: whine, whimper

See pule defined for kids »

Examples of PULE

1. <a distressed baby puling in its crib>

Origin of PULE

probably imitative

First Known Use: 1534

Related to PULE

Synonyms: bleat, mewl, whimper

Related Words: fuss, sniffle, snivel, snuffle, whine; bawl, blub [chiefly British], blubber, cry, sob, weep; peep, squeak; yelp; mumble, murmur

Rhymes with PULE

boule, boulle, cool, drool, fool, fuel, ghoul, gul, mewl, mule, pool, Poole, pul, rule, school, spool, stool, tool, tulle, yule

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pule 

Monday Vent - The Kitchen Sponge

Yes, today's vent REALLY IS about the kitchen sponge. Not so much about the kitchen sponge, as where I find it, REPEATEDLY.

 For you to fully understand, I will have to share with you my disgust of kitchen sponges. Kitchen sponges, to me, are just playgrounds for germs and bacteria. They gross me out to no end. I use a brush to hand wash things or even a paper towel that then gets thrown away (I know. Not exactly green of me.)

My husband LOVES the kitchen sponge. He will use it on ANYTHING. He will wipe off the counter top and then go right to the cook top. I have seen him use it on dishes and the garbage can. (Hold on... I'm gagging...)

Once he is done using the kitchen sponge, he then throws it into the sink. No rinse. No wringing. No setting in on the edge of the sink so it can dry. Nope. It sits in the sink while cups are rinsed, hands are washed, and dog bowls are filled. That kitchen sponge sits in the bottom of the sink just waiting to be picked up again so a couple squirts of dish soap can be squirted on it and contaminate wash the next thing. (dry heave)

I have tried to discourage the use of the kitchen sponge many times. I hid the kitchen sponge, and my husband found it. I didn't buy new ones, he bought replacements.

I then thought I would at least try to keep the sponge out of the sink. Repeatedly I pulled out the sponge, rinsed it, squeezed the extra water out of it and set it on edge to dry. Certainly if my husband finds the sponge this way enough times he will return it to that position, right? Nope. I thought that perhaps my husband, being the gadget guy that he his, just needed a place to put it and THAT'S why he always throws it in the sink. (Side note: there is a hidden ledge on the front side of our sink that he COULD put the sponge in already. In fact that's where I put the kitchen scrub brush, but I digress.) So, while out shopping, I found a double sided sponge holder. It looks like a saddle and hangs on the cross bar between our two sinks. PERFECT and EASY place to put the kitchen sponge. I point out to my husband the new purchase and promptly place the kitchen sponge in it.

Do I even NEED to tell you where I STILL find the kitchen sponge? This is one of those battles that I will never win. I refuse to fight with him about it, and as gross as I think it is, we have never gotten sick because of it (that I am aware of). Full disclosure: whenever I see plates or silverware that he washed drying on the counter, I put them in the dishwasher when he isn't looking.

This is one of those things that I know will not go away. I try to not focus on it. However, if one day, you see a news headline that reads "Woman Goes Crazy Mumbling About Her Kitchen Sponge" you will know it is me.

=J

Have a similar situation at your house?

Bright Side Friday - Free Warm Goodness!

Today's Bright Side Friday has to do with one of my life's simple pleasures: a Venti Soy No Water 7 Pump Chai.

Now I know, I sound obnoxious. I feel funny even typing it! But my girlfriend, who is a barista, turned me on to the "no water" and the "7 Pump" part. Anyways, to me, it's like having a glass of heaven.

But wait, it gets better... a girlfriend treated me to it! A completely surprising random act of kindness. And do you know what? It made my day. It is STILL making my day, even thought I've long finished it.

So that's why this Friday's Bright Side, is dedicated to Free Warm Goodness because both my friend and my favorite drink filled me with a special warm feeling.

=J

What's your Bright Side Friday? Do you have something that gives you a lift?

Weird Word Wednesday - Pulchritude

PULCHRITUDE

This Wednesday's Weird Word is PULCHRITUDE. Credit goes to Cecily K at http://www.uppercasewoman.com and twitter @Cecilyk for giving us the idea and permission to use it.

On Tuesday, Cecily had tweeted:

"Trying to make a word trend: pulchritude. Yep, PULCHRITUDE. It means beautiful. Really." 

So here is our little part in helping to make her wish come true! =) Though in all honesty, Cecily could do just about anything all by herself. We are just happy she is our twitter friend. Oh, and the highlight color is also a nod to Cecily and her wonderfully fun hair. (Am I starting to sound like a stalker now?)

Pulchritude means (beautiful or) physical comeliness. Now I have to look up the word comeliness... or maybe I'll just save it for next Wednesday.

pul·chri·tude

noun \ˈpəl-krə-ˌtüd, -ˌtyüd\

Definition of PULCHRITUDE

: physical comeliness

— pul·chri·tu·di·nous adjective

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pulchritude 

Monday Vent - The Pressure of Helping

The holidays are fast approaching and I am starting to realize how unprepared I am. I am thinking about how I can gear up and knock out all of my "to do" list. The problem? I also have my mom's "to do" list. She went in for  replacement hip surgery 1 1/2 weeks ago. She is recovering beautifully, but... she still needs a ton of help. I don't mind doing it, really I don't. I love my mom and I know that I'm the only one that can do some of these things the way she wants them done. My brother makes her crazy with his own agenda and arguing with her about what she needs or doesn't need. JUST DO IT! She wants fabric deodorizer in the wash with her towels? THEN JUST DO IT! Nope. Not him. He argues with her that it doesn't need it and moves on.

I don't ask my dad, because my mom and dad are directly connected by emotional well being. If my dad thinks my mom is doing well, then he's happy. If my mom thinks my dad is happy, then she's happy. Keeping my dad out of it makes everything to him seem like it's going easier for my mom. Doing things for my mom, keeps my mom mentally happy and hence my dad too.

So I know, I could say "no" to her. But I just can't. I know that I will be purchasing all of her Thanksgiving Day food for her and getting it into her house. I will probably prepare of bunch of it too. I know, I SHOULD anyways. Why should she do the bulk of the work year after year? Even if she is able bodied enough to prepare the food this year, her stamina is not back to normal yet. So I say "yes" and "no problem" and "anything else I can do for you?" And then I put more on my plate, to put less on hers.

Who knows when she will be able to drive again. So after Thanksgiving, I will look forward to doing her Christmas shopping. I will do all of this with a smile on my face and a hug and kiss to her, while inside I will be stressing about all of my "to do" lists and my Christmas shopping. 

I do it out of love. I do it out of appreciation of all that she has done for me. I do it because I'm the only one that can. When I do it and feel stressed about it, I feel guilty.

=J

Have you found yourself in a similar situation?

Weird Word Wednesday - infotainment

INFOTAINMENT

Today's Weird Word is Infotainment. I love this word! How many times have you gotten caught up in some silly infomercial because it was completing entertaining!!

infotainment

\in-foh-TAYN-munt\

• DEFINITION

noun

: television programming that presents information (such as news) in a way that is meant to be entertaining

• EXAMPLES

"Presidential efforts to generate news of their policies compete with Americans' preferences for infotainment and soft news coverage of celebrities and scandal." -- From Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha and Jeffrey Peake's 2011 book Breaking Through the Noise: Presidential Leadership, Public Opinion, and the News Media

"Smith is maybe best known for having hosted the CBS morning infotainment show 'The Early Show' and its predecessor, 'CBS This Morning,' for 17 years." -- From an article by Lisa de Moraes in The Washington Post, July 12, 2011

I love this word!  How many times have you gotten caught up in some silly infomercial because it was completing entertaining!!

Monday Vent - Relatives

I have a number of years experience in special education and have worked with hundreds of different kids with a multitude of issues.  There is a lot I don't know, but I have an educated and experienced point of view.  With that being said, I would not tell someone that I think their child has issues, even if it is obvious to me, unless they specifically asked my opinion, and even then I would be extremely cautious with what I said.  This becomes more challenging when it is the child of a close relative.

I babysat for this relative who has a 3 & 5 year old.  I have been concerned about the developmental skills of the 5 year old since he was 18 months old and have kindly and lovingly expressed my concerns on a number of occasions.  This was not received well at all.  I, therefore, have not said anything for over one year.  Now, however, the goofy dad starts telling me how he's concerned about the 3 year old because she is giving him a hard time with everything (ie. typical three-year-old testing & pushing limits).  He doesn't understand because the older child was so "easy to deal with".  ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!  The older child threw tantrums any time he was in a new situation.  He threw tantrums when we sang happy birthday at parties because it was too loud.  He refuses to use the toilet anywhere but at his house.  He only eats 5 foods.  This is the easy-going child???  How can a parent be so blinded and in such denial!!!  How can some people's view of reality be so cockamamie?

S-)

Sound familiar? Tell us your frustrating relatives story.

Bright Side Friday - Happy Families

My husband and I often lament over the fact that time goes too fast and that our boys are getting big so quickly.  I know this is universal.  We did realize that unless we were actually doing more outside the home that when we looked back on the years, we would see a bunch of wasted time.  We do tend to be home-bodies, but we are trying to change that. 

We have now made a few additions to our schedule:  our older son is now in Cub Scouts and the younger one is eager to join in 6 months when he'll be old enough, the boys are in weekly swim lessons, we have gone rock-climbing, and we have gone swimming on the weekends.  So far, we have been out of the house a lot more.  There are days/nights that we just want to stay home, but once we get out, we have been happy that we went.  It's the old adage of a body in motion stays in motion. 

I hope we are able to keep up the momentum as it gets colder and more challenging to leave the house after a long day.  I know the boys really enjoy it and we are spending a lot more family time together instead of in the house all doing our own thing. It's actually how I always envisioned my family would be.  I'm just so happy that we're making it happen!

S-)

Now it's your turn. What is your Bright Side? Have you had family resistance to leaving the house and then all being happy you did?

Weird Word wednesday - Recrudescence

Today's weird word is Recrudescence. I enjoy taking the Merriam-Webster quizzes to assess my vocabulary skills.  This word appeared and I have never ever heard of it before. 

re·cru·des·cence

noun \-ˈde-s^ən(t)s\

Definition of RECRUDESCENCE

: a new outbreak after a period of abatement or inactivity : renewal <a recrudescence of the symptoms> <a recrudescence of guerrilla warfare>

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recrudescence

The weeks following Christmas, my boys just want to be home and playing with their new things.  Unfortunately, a recrudescence of requests and desire to go somewhere else and DO something occurs soon after.

My husband promised not to go gambling, but after a period of 6  months there was a recrudescence.

S-)

Bright Side Friday! I'm Not Cool and I'm Cool With That

I'm not cool. Ask anyone, really. I don't think I fit the terms geek, nerd or square, but I am a little of each of those. I'm also creative, smart, inventive, and many other great qualities, but cool just doesn't describe me.

Before you start trying to tell me otherwise, let me assure you, I'm O.K. with it. I've been this way all of my life. Back in high school, while the kids were having booze and pot parties, I was mostly oblivious to it. I was never invited to one of those parties, which made me feel a little like an outsider. But when I thought about it, "would I really want to have been there?" I knew my answer was no. It was like I was past that without ever having to had gone through it. Let me assure you, I'm no saint. I did my share of drinking in college, but I never regretted not being included to those parties in high school.

When other girls would be referred to as sexy or hot, I'd be referred to as cute, sweet, and apple pie faced. I looked like the innocent girl next door, and that suits me just fine too.

The reason I'm even explaining all of this to you is because of something that happened recently. A cool rocker friend of mine, I will call her Roxy for the sake of simplicity, and I went out. We met up with a rocker dude, let's call him Joe, that we knew from high school MANY years ago and hadn't seen since then. Well Roxy, Joe and I all had a fun time but I was SO aware of my uncool status in the situation. Roxy and Joe went back and forth about bands and singers and guitar players and songs. It was like they were speaking a foreign language. I had absolutely nothing to add, but I was still glad to be there. I could tell that Roxy and Joe clicked, not in a romance sort of way, but they just "got" each other.

Well, Joe went back home to another state. Time passed and Joe would contact me to talk about a business venture we have. He would tell me about his problems. I became part of his support system and cheering section.

Yesterday, I got a message from Roxy. Knowing that we were working on a project together, she finally needed to tell me something about Joe. She told me that Joe had been texting her since we met up. Telling her that he misses her, etc. She too tried to be supportive and told him about his nice qualities, but a relationship between them would never work. He then proceeded to send her a photo of his man part. WHAT???? Roxy's husband was understandably upset and told off Joe. Joe then tried to bribe Roxy by telling her he could get her tickets and special back stage passes for a certain concert she wants to go to IF she sends him photos of her upper and lower woman parts!!!! He followed that up with 3 more photos of him holding his man part. SERIOUSLY????

And then it totally hit me. I'M NOT COOL!!!!!! =) I didn't get dragged into such disgusting behavior because I'm not cool. Joe thought that he might have a chance with my cool rocker girlfriend, but he kept all of our conversations to business and strictly friend like. Did Roxy deserve it? NO! But being uncool, saved me from even having to deal with it. When I think back, there are SO many other things that I never had to deal with because I'm not cool. All of the situations I didn't get involved with in high school, and now via Facebook, I have found out things I missed in junior high too. Why did it take me until NOW to realize how great being uncool is? I am embracing my uncool status with renewed appreciation.

=J

Are you uncool too? Have you been treated differently because of how you're perceived?

Weird Word Wednesday: Penultimate

Today's weird word is Penultimate. It means second to last. I'm not sure how I would actually apply this word to my day. I guess I could threaten my kids with an extra warning before the final warning. As in "this is the penultimate time I'm going to tell you!" Or, if my kids ask me what place their team came in, I can make it sound better by saying "you came in the penultimate place!" Other than that, I can't really think of practical times it would come in handy.

Would anyone ever tell their spouse that the person they dated before them was their penultimate date? If you wanted the person in charge of the TV remote to go to the previous channel, would you ask them to go back to the penultimate one? They probably wouldn't understand what you were asking and you'd wind up missing it by the time you finished explaining all of it.

Readers, please help me find a natural way of using penultimate. I have new knowledge and I want to use it! =)

pe·nul·ti·mate  (p-nlt-mt)

adj.

1. Next to last.

2. Linguistics Of or relating to the penult of a word: penultimate stress.

n.

The next to the last.

 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/penultimate

=J

p.s. Don't forget! If you tweet or send us an idea for a Weird Word Wednesday word and we use it, we will give you credit in our post!

Monday Vent - Please Make A Volunteer's Life Easier

I'm a volunteer. I do it because I think it is the right thing to do. I do it because so many things count on volunteers to get it done. No one makes me volunteer, but admittedly when asked, I have a hard time saying "no".

For the most part, I enjoy volunteering. But it'd be a lie if I said it's always wonderful. Here are a few reasons why, and if you see yourself as one of THESE people, please try not to be. I know you are not doing it on purpose, but please, before I burn out from frustration, I beg of you, STOP.

1. When writing a check: Please SIGN your check. Please also make sure it is written out to the right organization name, not close, not a guess, but the actual organization name. Oh, and please make sure you have added correctly and the check is written for the right amount.

2. When passing along information to me, please make sure it is accurate. I was 30 minutes late on Saturday because I read your e-mail and thought you knew what you were talking about. It was NOT a fun feeling. Apparently, I was the ONLY one who read your e-mail. I felt like an idiot.

3. When filling out a form, FILL IT OUT. If it asks for a size, include it. If it asks for a grade or teacher's name, include that too. Oh, and please DON"T ASK me what size I think you should get or leave a lengthy explanation on the form's margins of why you chose that size or if I think you should change it. Who knows your child's size better than you? Just pick one! 

4. If you say you are going to help. Please follow through. If you're not going to help, no biggie! It's worse for you to tell me you are going to help and then don't, then just telling me you're not going to help. If you tell me you're not helping, then I can account for it, I can work around it and I'm not surprised at the 11th hour that it's not done.

5. If you need me to do something for you, give me a chance to do it. "Tomorrow" is not a deadline I like to hear. If I have made it CLEAR that I need a 1 week notice for that task. PLEASE take it seriously!

6. Remember that I'm a VOLUNTEER. I am not paid to do any of this. I take time out of my busy schedule of work and home and kids and homework to do this. I am not sitting around waiting to do these things. I squeeze it between things, after the kids go to bed and before they wake up in the morning. You forgetting to complete a form or fill out your check properly means I have to contact you. Unfortunately, you aren't the only one who did that, so you are just one of MANY I have to contact. Then I have to contact again, when you don't follow through in helping me to rectify the situation. All of this just causes extra work for me and drains my time away from other things.

So in conclusion, thank you for the support of the many volunteer things that I am involved in. I do truly appreciate it. Just please, take the time to consider the volunteers the next time you participate.

=J

Do you get frustrated as a volunteer? I feel guilty for admitting I do, do you?

Weird Word Wednesday - Vociferous

VOCIFEROUS

Today's Weird Word is Vociferous! It basically means an intense reaction. I would use it in the same place I would use the word vehement. And you know with how much I use my fancy talk, I use that word ALL of the time too. =) For some reason, I'm actually excited that I now have an alternate for vehement. Now if I can just remember to say vociferous and not turn it into something like velociraptor-saurus.

vo·cif·er·ous    adj \vō-ˈsi-f(ə-)rəs\

Definition of VOCIFEROUS

: marked by or given to vehement insistent outcry

— vo·cif·er·ous·ly adverb

— vo·cif·er·ous·ness noun

Examples of VOCIFEROUS

1. He is her most vociferous critic.
2. He was vociferous in his support of the proposal.
3. The decision was made over their vociferous objections.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vociferous 

Thank you to Celina Murphy at http://www.winecheeseandbabies.blogspot.com for Tweeting me the suggestion. If you have a weird word, let me know and if I use it, you'll get the credit!

Celina Murphy

@WineCheeseBaby view full profile →

New York

My Mommy Mantra - Make your kids an incredible Part of your life not your WHOLE life.  http://www.winecheeseandbabies.blogspot.com

Monday Vent - Following Through On My To Do's

I am one of those people who make lists all the time to help prioritize my time and energy.  I always put the one thing that I know I need to accomplish at the top.  I tell myself that I will be content if only this one thing is completed.   I then follow up with other things that would make me happy to have done, but don't need to happen immediately.  Unfortunately, while cleaning out my closet this weekend I came across a list I created over 1 1/2 years ago (I tend to date the lists.  I'm weird that way).  Anyhow, this was a financial goals list.  Right at the top was  "start a college savings plan for each of my children" and "rollover my 401k from a previous job".   I have not done these.  The other goals were related to paying off a few items and adding to our savings.  Thankfully, those were completed.  But, I am struck by how I can put off something that is so crucially important to mine and my children's future.  All because I'm unsure of my next step.  I need to get this done for me and my boys and to provide some relief to my brain which nags me relentlessly.  So, here I am, putting out to my girlfriends that I will complete these two tasks by the end of the month.
Wish me luck! 

S-)

What's your challenge for yourself?  Share it here with your girlfriends!

Bright Side Friday! Small Victories

My Bright Side Friday has to do with small victories. My son has struggled with speech/language/reading/ phonological issues ever since I can remember. I am thankful that we live in a great school district that has been able to provide him services, because we never would have been able to afford all of the work they have done with him.

Even so, over the years, there has been SO much frustration on his part and in turn, on mine. He is a very smart boy with a road block.  If I'd ask him the question, he could answer it right away. If I made him read the question, he couldn't even begin to figure out what is being asked. His teachers would say "He's a hard worker, but he's a slow worker". I finally realized it was because he spent most of his time trying to figure out what the words on the page were asking him to do.

This poor kid, who knows the answers, but gets them wrong because he doesn't understand the written question. Frustrating results time and time again. Spelling words made no sense to him. He memorized the letters as a picture or pattern. Sounding them out did him no good. He wasn't even capable of doing so. Every reading assignment a struggle. Every vocabulary lesson just torture. And now, that he is older, it has impacted ALL subjects. How can he describe facts about his Social Studies chapter, when there were so many new words in there, he was trying to figure it all out by context?

My heart wells up with pride for my son. This loving child with a hard head. Who could easily have given up long ago, yet for some reason doesn't. For all of the times he has felt defeated and frustrated, for all of the times homework has ended with one or both of us yelling or in tears, for all of the A+ papers his older brother has achieved with seemingly little effort, for all of the hours I have sat by his side and read his book to him so that it didn't take him hours to get through the chapter just to answer 4 questions on a work sheet, for all of the recesses and fun classes he has had to miss to get assistance, he never gave up.

And yesterday, as I sat at work, thinking about a million other worries, I got a call from one of his aides. My heart fluttered at the thoughts in my head. Would this be a call with good things or bad things? Is he struggling or worse yet, are they dropping him from the program? She was full of compliments about my son "kind, caring, loving, helpful, well liked" and compliments for me too on my part in how he has developed all of these wonderful traits. It made me feel good knowing that she REALLY cared about my son and his success. She then proudly told me that my son had exceeded his benchmarks for the time frame and she would only need to see him 2 times per week instead of 4. She felt confident that he had secured enough skills to build on moving forward.

In the past, I have had to be his advocate and fight for evaluations and services when I knew something was not right and he was slipping through the cracks. But this time, the news didn't hit me like a ton of bricks, it made me happy. Homework time has gotten SO much better. It is a little easier for him to understand. He has fewer questions and fewer melt downs. His road block is finally getting smaller and he can see over it now.

I am so thankful for small victories. What's yours?

=J

Weird Word Wednesday - Abnormous

ABNORMOUS!

I LOVE the word abnormous. These are the reasons why:

1. It's a REAL word, but spell check thinks it's not.
2. It is the base word of abnormously.
3. It's a perfectly good word, that no one uses.
4. It means abnormal.
5. It's fun to say!
6. It sounds like a made up word, like ginormous.

ab·nor·mous

adj \(ˈ)ab¦nȯrməs, -ȯ(ə)m- also əbˈ-\

Definition of ABNORMOUS

archaic

: abnormal, irregular

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abnormous

Bright Side Friday! Opportunites and Hope

OPPORTUNITY

COMING THIS WAY!

This week's Bright Side Friday has to do with opportunities. When things are looking bad, all I hope for is an opportunity to make things better. As everyone knows, the economy hasn't been that great lately. It has really impacted my business, which my husband and I both work at, and hence our family counts on income from.

Lately we have been noticing more and more new customers. When we ask how they found us, sometimes it's by accident - they were just passing by, and other times it's because one of our other clients recommended us. Now that's a feel good. It's not just that they HAVE to use us, there are competitors fairly close. They CHOOSE to come to us AND tell their friends to do the same! Awesome!

Having business pick up a little bit is a relief to us, but having the opportunity to gain clients is wonderful and renews our hope.

Just last night, a friend asked if I could design a logo for our local travel soccer team. I still need to get her a quote, and I'm not guaranteed the job yet, but it's another opportunity. It makes me happy that the opportunity was presented to me. If I get the job, will it make me rich? No. But it gives me hope that more opportunities will come our way.

What opportunities have come your way that were unexpected or made you feel good? Here is hope for you, that even more opportunities will come your way. Make the most of them.

=J

Weird Word Wednesday - retroussé

retroussé

Today's weird word is retroussé. It is a word used specifically for the upturn of a person's nose. You know, like the famous Bob Hope slope? Umm... you never heard of Bob Hope? Great. I'm used to kids making me feel old by not knowing things, like what a rotary phone is, but now even adults are even making me feel old. Oh well.

Here is some more information I found about a turned up nose:
" Turned Up Nose
Also called a celestial nose, a turned up nose runs in a smooth line right from the eyes to the tip of the nose. The fall line of the nose ends in a slightly peaked tip with a delicate outward curve, though it is not pointed."

Just for taking the time to classify the types of noses, I'd like to thank: http://www.lifestylekarma.com/2011/09/12/types-of-noses/

The SUN did a whole article on what the shape of your nose says about you. The article can be found here: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/2875607/What-your-nose-shape-says-about-you.html This is what they say about a turned up nose.

"Turned-up

FAMOUS EXAMPLE: Marilyn Monroe

Cute ... Marilyn Monroe's turned-up nose

NOSE NOTES: Those with these types of cute, turned-up noses are mostly kind, optimistic and full of character.
They usually have nurturing personalities and like to provide love and support for their friends and family.
People with this nose type often have an endless enthusiasm for new things and experiences.
Often a sign of the sexually adventurous but at the same time a person with a turned-up nose usually takes well to marriage."

OK, well I'm not sure that I would want to read that much into the nose shape of a potential future spouse, but hey, who am I to judge? 

My computer added this information to the definition: "(of a person's nose) turned up at the tip, esp. in an attractive way."


Here is the Merriam-Webster definition.

re·trous·sé

adj
\rə-ˌtrü-ˈsā, rə-ˈtrü-ˌ, ˌre-tru̇-ˈ\

Definition of RETROUSSÉ

: turned up <retroussé nose>

Origin of RETROUSSÉ

French, from past participle of retrousser to tuck up, from Middle French, from re- + trousser to truss, tuck up — more at truss

First Known Use: 1837

 

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrouss/

So next time you see someone with a turned up nose, you'll think "I know there's a name for that... some famous guy I never heard of had one, oh ya, and Marilyn Monroe did too... can't for the life of me remember the word for it though. Gotta go Google Venti With the Girls and look that up!"

=J

Monday Vent - Mother Guilt

Since having children, I am frequently plagued by guilt for making mistakes, bad judgement calls, being short-tempered, not preparing the most healthful food, etc.  All of this guilt is completely self-inflicted.  I get that and I am working on it. 

My newer experiences with mother guilt come straight from the mouths of my sweet cherubs.

Example #1 While at a park, my son wanted to try the monkey bars.  I told him no and said they were too high, but I walked over to help him.  As soon as he was hanging on the bars, he immediately said "help me down mommy, it's too high".  So, I helped him down and went to my other son who needed help on the swing.  I no sooner turned around and my son had gotten up on the monkey bars again. As I walked quickly toward him to help him, he fell and hurt his arm (it ended up being broken).  He immediately started crying saying "Mommy, where were you?  You should have been there to help me."

Example #2  My little one started kindergarten.  I went with him the first day, stood in the kindergarten line and went to the orientation for his classroom.  He seemed fine and comfortable since this is the same school his brother has gone to for the last two years.  I had just started my new job at a different school, so I was not there with him the next day in the line.  He became upset and cried until he got to his classroom.  When I got home he quickly told me that he cried in the line at school that day.  When I asked him why he cried, he said "Mommy, all the other boys had mommies with them holding their hands and you weren't there.  I missed you and I was scared."  I actually put my head down and cried.

Example #3 I am trying to go to the gym after dinner and before the boys go to bed so that I can put them to bed.  They were happily playing when I left.  When I returned home, my little one says, "Mommy I need to snuggle with you.  I didn't see you all day and then you went out and I didn't get to be with you."

My question is, how do they know exactly what to say that is going to hurt me the most because they are voicing the fears I have in my own heart? 

S-)

Probably every mom has moments like these. What is yours?

Bright Side Friday! My Network of Support

My Bright Side Friday this week is about my network of support. I am surrounded by so many people that are willing to help me out if I need them to. Looking at others around me, I see that I am really lucky to be in this position.

This morning, I contacted a PTO friend about my volunteer position on PTO. Not only did she offer to do something for me that I NEVER would have asked anyone to do, she followed through with it and went above and beyond to make things better for me! I couldn't believe it.
 
This evening, I was supposed to coach a soccer game, most likely in the rain. But, my co-coach stepped up and told me that I didn't need to go, he would coach for me. Yes, my son is injured and wouldn't be playing in the game, but still! Someone actually took something OFF of my plate instead of adding something. Of course, that time slot was quickly filled, but that's besides the point.

My schedule is crazy and I can always be available to get my kids to here or there. Yet there always seems to be a friend that offers to pick up or drop my kids off when I need it.

I'd like to think it is a mutual network of support and I hope they do too. I do try to reciprocate whenever possible.   A friend once offered to help and I told her that I wouldn't be able to reciprocate in that particular situation. She told me "Don't worry about it. I had to be there anyways. Besides, you've done plenty of other things for me." That made me feel really good. Finding friends that don't keep score and you can count on because they can count on you... now that's perfect. Not sure how we would navigate without this network.  The quote "it takes a village" sure rings true for me.

Hope you have a network too. It might be just a person or two, a family member, a sitter, or a whole bunch of friends. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it and offer help when you can. Some of my best friendships have blossomed from my network. Please share your stories of times you've helped out others or others have helped you.

=J

Weird Word Wednesday - Aeolist

Aeolist

This weeks Weird Word Wednesday is Aeolist. The definition is a pompous person that pretends to have inspiration or spiritual insight. Doesn't sound like something I'd want to be called, but a few people that I know come to mind, when I think about that description.

 

While looking up information on Aeolist, I was amused to find a BUNCH of businesses and products that, for some reason decided to use the name for their business. Really? Didn't they look up the meaning of the word prior to choosing it? Assuming they are men, they do know that it has nothing to do with areolas, right?

 

There is a design firm as well as software, that has used Aeolist in their name.

 

*Legal Disclaimer: I am not trying to get into a legal battle with any of the above referenced businesses or product manufacturers. I am only shedding light on the definition of the word you chose to represent your company. Perhaps your marketing team was unaware of the definition when it came to picking names out of a hat. Or, after much debate and trying to convince your boss to choose a different name, at 2:00 in the morning you would agree to anything. Regardless, just trying to educate. One more free service I provide.

 

Noun

aeolist (plural aeolists)

1. (rare) A pompous person, pretending to have inspiration or spiritual insight.

 http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/aeolist

Bright Side Friday! Perspective

My Bright Side Friday has to do with perspective. It seems every Monday, it's SO easy for me to think of a Monday Vent. Friday's I tend to struggle to find my Bright Side. I guess it's probably true for most people, that they get overwhelmed with all of their own chaos, that they forget to appreciate all of their gifts.

Today is one of those days when I have been given the gift of perspective. I'm going to look past my chaos to appreciate my gifts. I just found out that a classmate, of one of my closest friend's kid, just died this week. He was playing The Choking Game. He was a good kid. He didn't mean to kill himself, but he did. PLEASE watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpugH4AJJFI (Also above) if you have never heard of it. Add it to your list when you have a conversation with your child about drugs and alcohol. I can't even imagine what that family is going through right now. In spite of that, they have posted on his obituary page, that Youtube link, in hopes of saving someone else's kid.

Which brings me to my Bright Side, if I can even call it that right now. Perspective. My kids are safe, healthy and alive. I know I should appreciate that daily, but it's news like this that makes me realize that I'm taking it for granted.

My niece lost her life at 13 months. That's is as close to the feeling of losing a child that I want to get. My husband's twin had severe medical problems since he was 9 years old and passed away at the age of 42. I pray that is as close as I'll ever be to having a child with medical issues. Just listen to the news, sadly, the list goes on.

Slow down and get a little perspective. Grab your kids, hug them tight, smother them in kisses even if they resist. Appreciate the moment. Smile and tell them that you love them. They already know it, but tell them again.

Sending you all a little perspective, love and hugs.

=J

Monday Vent - Candy for Lunch

It was a Sunday, and after church, I had a meeting to attend.  My husband was going to run to the hardware store and then take our boys out to lunch.  Sounded like a good plan to me.  I arrived home a few hours later to be pounced on by my boys who were "starving".  When I asked my husband what had happened, he explained that at the hardware store the boys saw some candy that they wanted.  So, he gave them the choice of getting candy or going out to lunch.  Guess which one they chose?  That would have been fine if he also gave them some REAL food also.  When I questioned him further he replied, "what do you want from me, they wanted the candy!"  This goes back to other blogs we have written when seemingly normal, intelligent, independently functioning men do really STUPID things and then wonder why we're irritated.

S-)

Now it's your turn. Can you relate?

Candy image borrowed from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Candy_in_Damascus.jpg

Monday Vent - Take A Number! (repost)

PLEASE

TAKE A NUMBER

Now Serving: 

EVERYONE ELSE

What is it about women that we put ourselves aside to meet the needs of everyone around us and then we don’t have time to do what we actually want to do?  I know that I signed up for this when I became a wife and mother, but sometimes I just feel annoyed.  I have spent the last two weeks working at a new job every day and then coming home to continue working to keep my children and husband fed and happy, the kitchen clean, laundry done, etc.  I have been so tired that I have not found the time to exercise, read a book, or even watch a little TV.  At night, I consider putting the TV on just to catch up on current events, but I realize that all I really need is sleep.  Now I just feel pulled in all directions, tired, and out of shape.  I know, it’s universal, but I just needed to tell my girlfriends who understand!

S -)

This was originally posted last Saturday, but it REALLY needed to be a Monday Vent.
Are you feeling pulled in all directions too?

Bright Side Friday! A Little Peace

 

My Bright Side Friday has to do with having a little peace. As a busy mom, a little peace can make a huge difference.

After hiking in the U.P. a few weeks ago, my SIL and I pulled out the cooler with the food we had packed. Due to the bugs, and our exhaustion, we some how squashed the cooler between us in the front so we could dole out the food bug free and seated. Once we had the kids settled with their sandwiches, drinks and snacks, we finally both were able to grab our sandwiches. Almost in unison, we sighed as we ate the first bite. And then we laughed. There we both were grubby as can be from a hike, exhausted from corralling and cajoling children, each with less than a full seat to sit on, wedged between a full size cooler and the door, and we simultaneously enjoyed the peace. A moment when everyone was content, no one was in need of our assistance, and we were in one of the most beautiful places on earth. A moment of wonderful peace.

Now, if you have read my Monday Vent, you will know that the start of school has been anything but peaceful for me. However, things have started to fall into place, all of the Open Houses are over, there is no Friday night soccer game tonight (we play Saturday morning), and in the midst of all of this chaos, I have stumbled on a moment of peace. It is wonderful. Yes, I just heard my cell phone battery die, and I should be shutting down the equipment here at work, and left the office 11 minutes ago. However, just for a minute more, I'm going to enjoy a little peace.

Wishing you little peace too.

=J

What's your Bright Side? Have you been lucky enough to find peace?

Note: I have noticed a lot of traffic to this post for people looking for a peace sign image. It made me realize that I did not credit the site that I borrowed it from. My sincerest apologies to that site as they deserve full credit for the image. The peace sign was originally on: http://coloringpagesforkids.info/peace-sign-coloring-pages/

Monday Vent - School Started!

So, my girlfriend S-) wrote a Bright Side Friday post about school starting. Hopefully, you had a chance to read it. When I read it, I was reminded once again, that even though S-) and I are good friends, we are not the same. Perhaps that is partly why we are such good friends. But honestly, I could not share in her optimistic view of school starting. At the time of her post, I promised a Monday Vent with the opposing view. I think it speaks volumes that it took me another week to finally be able to write this.


When school starts at my house, chaos starts. It doesn't just mark the beginning of the school year, it marks the start of a million other things too. S-) is happy for the routine, while I'm frazzled by the additional places and things we are expected to be at or do at certain times.

- Sleep: I like staying up late. The kids and I slipped bedtime a bit later over the summer. Convincing my tweens that it is time to go to bed is super difficult, when they are not tired and I want to stay up and watch my late night shows. This becomes a bigger problem when it comes time to wake them up and I don't feel like waking up at 6:00 a.m. This past week, my internal clock has been waking me up a few minutes before my alarm, but I'm not happy about it. They have been better than me at jumping out of bed to get ready for the day.

- Packing lunches: I always have to feed my kids, but now I have to make sure that we have their packable lunch items. Do I have fresh fruit for today? Do I have fresh lunch meat for today? Did we run out of bread? Any non-school day, no big deal if we do or don't. On school days, I need to provide my kids with a decent lunch, that they'll eat AND will keep them energized for the school day. As I'm typing this, I am remembering that I need to buy apples for tomorrow... ugg!!!

- Soccer: I volunteer to coach soccer every year. This is obviously something that is optional for me, but I enjoy the sport and spending time with the kids. Problem? It starts the same week school starts. What's the rush? Oh yes, we play late into November! This becomes a 2-3 time/week responsibility. Thankfully, I'm co-coaching this year, so it's a bit more flexible.

- PTO: I am on the school PTO Board. Most of the year, I have very little to do. However, the first week of school is insanely busy. Again, another volunteer position that I could have just said "no" to, but I didn't. In another moment of weakness, I agreed to take over their e-mailings to the families of the district. Of course, a ton of those happen at the beginning of the year too.

- Homework: This ultimately should be my kids' responsibility, I am aware of that. Some how I still needed for setting up projects to be printed, purchasing supplies for projects, helping with the confusing questions, and reminding them (on weekends) to get their work done. Then I worry how they are doing, encourage them when they are worried about tests and quizzes, and become their cheerleader.

- Band: This also starts at the beginning of the school year. Of course, they both needed things for their instruments and I had to make a special trip to the only music store open late on a Sunday so they would have it. Back to "encouraging" them to practice and remembering to put their instruments at the front door and music in their backpacks. Again, it should be their responsibility, but I really don't feel like making the drive to school when they call and say "Mom! I need my instrument!" And I could, do the whole "natural consequences" thing, where if they forget it, they just don't have it that day. However, my kids get thrown so easily. Not being prepared for even something as simple as band, would mentally screw them up for their entire school day. Just not worth it in my book.

- Bus: Making the bus is something that my older son wants to do daily. The younger one would love it if I drove him to school everyday. I encourage making the bus. Mostly because, aside from it being a huge waste of gas, I'm usually still in flannel pants at that point. I have been there, where I thought, "who will see me?" Only to have to get out of the car with my uncombed hair, flannel pants and over sized t-shirt because my kid needed me to sign him in. Awesome. Just don't speak, or they'll know you didn't brush your teeth either.

So, there you have it. I am probably one of the few moms that don't look forward to school starting. I love being able to relax and have fun with my kids. I like letting them do their own thing or to up and do something cool just because we have time to do it. When school starts, all of that changes. I get the same sick feeling in my stomach that I did when I was a kid and the school year was starting.

When's our next day off?

p.s. The photo is from our fun, relaxing, no-schedule, trip this summer to the U.P. of Michigan. That's the stuff that summers are made of.

=J

Now it's your turn. What's your Bright Side? Is the start of school a Vent or a Bright Side at your house?

Bright Side Friday - School's Back

Since I work in an elementary school, I am very lucky that I don't work over summer break.  I thoroughly enjoyed being with my two boys all summer long.  We had a great summer.  We spent alot of time outside when it wasn't too hot.  We had quite a few picnics.  We slept in a few times. They both learned to swim.  We participated in the library reading program.  We had a very full and satisfying summer.  Even though I enjoyed all the unstructured time, I am quite content to have the school year starting again.  The boys are excited about school and really enjoy going to the after-school program, which alleviates guilt for me since I can't pick them up right after school.  Their bedtime has moved up a little bit so that they are rested for school, which gives me some more time in the evenings to collect myself and get organized for the next day.  We're falling back into a comfortable pattern of purposeful activities.  I'm looking forward to hearing about all the new things they'll be learning and all the things we'll have to talk about.  Happy Friday of the first week of school!

S -)

What is your Bright Side? Are you ready for school to start?

Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on www.DiscoverySchool.com
or http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/clip/back-to.html

Weird Word Wednesday: Scarp

 

This is an example of a scarp that we saw in the U.P. of Michigan. It was absolutely beautiful, and at the time, I didn't know that there was a name for it. Now we know!

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarp?show=0&t=1314191020 

scarp

noun \ˈskärp\

Definition of SCARP

1: the inner side of a ditch below the parapet of a fortification

2a : a line of cliffs produced by faulting or erosion — see fault illustration  

b : a low steep slope along a beach caused by wave erosion

Monday Vent - Stupid Drivers

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to vacation in the U.P. of Michigan with my kids and sister-in-law and her kids. It was a great trip, but the double digit hours on the road, gave me plenty of contact with stupid drivers.  In my perfect world, there would be a point system with drivers. Drivers around you would be allowed to decide if you get points deducted or awarded. I'm sure it could all be done electronically. If you lose too many, you are no longer allowed to drive because even though the police haven't taken away your license, you are obviously a hazard on the road. You could earn points back by being a courteous driver. Sounds fair, I think. Until then, I just have to do it in my mind. Here are a few of my mental points deducted and awarded. (Please keep in mind, that most of the driving was on roads that had only 1 or 2 lanes of traffic in each directions.)

Points Deducted From:
1. Left Lane Slow Driver: The left lane is for PASSING people in the right lane. NOT the other way around. If you want to drive slower than the 50 cars behind you, get over to the right.

2. Left Lane Driver Driving the SAME speed as the right lane: Again, refer to #1. You are now succeeding in blocking BOTH lanes of traffic. In fact, I think you are WORSE than #1 because we can't even pass you on the right.

3. Drivers who Pass Me and then drive slower than I was in the first place: Seriously? Feel free to pass me, but if you are going to pass me, you'd better have a pace that's faster than mine.

4. Left Lane Slow Driver until I try to pass on the right: Really? NOW you speed up? And just enough to block me out so that I can't pass you? Jerk.

5. Clueless Drivers: This one has to do with the fact that my sister-in-law's car died on the top of an off-ramp in the left turn lane. The doors were open, the hood was up, the hazard lights were on, we were standing outside of the car, and drivers STILL pulled up behind us to wait to turn left! Even when we waved them over, they were confused. It took a State Police car with lights and orange cones to finally stop the stupidity.

Bonus Points Awarded to:
1. Drivers who passed in the left lane and then moved back to the right lane.

2. Left Lane Drivers who saw faster traffic approaching behind them and moved over to the right.

3. Drivers who passed me and continued to drive faster than me.

4. Good Drivers that didn't make me feel like running them off of the road.

=J

Now it's your turn to vent!

Weird Word Wednesday - finial

Image borrowed from : http://www.lampfinials.com/

I was unscrewing the metal piece that holds a lampshade in place in order to change the lampshade.  My sister commented that I could also change out the finial if I wanted to.  She had worked in a department store in housewares and said that it can also refer to the decorative ends of curtain rods.  Apparently this may be a familiar word to people in decorating.

S-)

http://www.merriam-webster.com/

fin·i·al

noun \ˈfi-nē-əl\ 

Definition of FINIAL

1: a usually foliated ornament forming an upper extremity especially in Gothic architecture

2: a crowning ornament or detail (as a decorative knob)

Origin of FINIAL

Middle English, from final, finial final

First Known Use: 15th century

Rhymes with FINIAL

lineal

Bright-Side Friday - A new job

It is the Friday before I start a new job on Monday.  I am very excited yet very anxious.  I am so thankful that I was offered this position.  It is exactly what I had been looking for.  The butterflies in my stomach have been getting quite a workout in anticipation of my first day and now here it is before me.  For me, changing jobs at this point in my career has significantly changed my career direction.  It was quite nerve-wrecking to go through the interview process but I firmly believed it was the right time to make a move.  Now, I will get a glimpse at whether or not this decision was the correct one.  Hopefully, my first day won't turn into a Monday Vent!!  I'm just kidding, I don't think it will.  That will come later after I've been there long enough to see the flaws in the organization. :)  Have a happy weekend!
S -)

Now it's your turn! What is your Bright Side Friday?

Weird Word Wednesday - Fribble

^{Today's weird word is fribble. I came across it when my screen saver was active. Usually, I know the words that it shows, but not this one. I was excited to see it, because I knew it was a great Weird Word Wednesday word. Fribble doesn't even show up in my spell check dictionary. It doesn't recognize it as a word, but it is in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, so it's definitely a word. I like the word because it sounds like a silly made up word, and can be used in place of "goof around". As in, "don't fribble" instead of "don't goof around".  I plan on using it regularly!}

^{Enjoy your new weird word, and please take some time to fribble now and then! =)}

^=J

^{http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fribble}

¹frib·ble

verb \ˈfri-bəl\

frib·bledfrib·bling

Definition of FRIBBLE

transitive verb: to trifle or fool away

intransitive verb

1: trifle

2obsolete : dodder

Examples of FRIBBLE

1. <somehow, he managed to spend the whole morning fribbling instead of doing his assigned work>

Origin of FRIBBLE

origin unknown

First Known Use: 1633

Related to FRIBBLE

Synonyms: doodle, fool around, fiddle (around), goof (around), hang about [British], kick around, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

Monday Vent - Hobbies

My husband goes through phases with various hobbies.  He generally cycles through the same ones.  His most recent phase has been an electric guitar.  I actually encouraged him with this hobby.  I knew, from a financial standpoint,  once he actually had the guitar and amplifier, the only additional expense would be various strings and cords, nothing really pricey (unlike his other hobbies).  He also needed a good, clean hobby.  I had forgotten that the last time he had a guitar, we did not have children and he had his own “hobby room” in which he could play to his heart’s content.  Now, however, his hobby room is a bedroom.  He has chosen our living room to be his studio.  Although he has headphones he likes to hear it in the open air.  I get that, but for how long do the rest of us need to be subjected to hearing him practice parts of songs?  Apparently, the answer to that question, in his book, is 6- 7 hours on a Saturday with time out for meals.  I was trying to be understanding because he had just gotten it and was very excited about it.  But the longer he continued, the more I began to fume because he was being completely selfish by playing so loudly and by monopolizing the main room in our house.  In addition to that, I was doing housework for most of the day which only added to my irritation.  I know that even though I enjoy playing my piano, I would never play for an entire day and completely ignore everything else going on in the house. 

One of the ironies of this situation is that he’s always telling me that I need a hobby.  I always respond that he and the boys are my hobby and that I don’t have time for anything else.  I also can’t think of a hobby that would make me feel okay about being completely self-absorbed for hours at a time.

S-)