Eli: I can’t wait until a few weeks.

Me: Why?

Eli: Second grade!!

One of my goals this summer is to re-launch my blog. Posting updates on Twitter and Facebook has been the extent of my writing lately and it doesn’t leave much room for introspection. Here are a few things I want to share today:

1. As of today I believe Sam and I are of equal height.

2. I’m very excited to be moving to a third grade teaching position for the upcoming school year.

3. I made a no-knead bread today for the first time that came out pretty but still needs some work to be worth the waiting.

4. I’ve relaunched the Accountable Kids program with  my children this weekend…. with better success this time around. Will keep you posted on that.

and, hm…

5. I’m knitting again!

Well, not so much introspection there, but it’s a start. If you’re out there give a holler hello.

Click that picture to go to a few more pictures from a park outing this weekend.  Not much time for blogging, but Scott’s been good about taking pictures.

Click the picture below for the gallery of me playing uke at Barnes and Noble for a school fundraiser.  If you buy books on 2/22/10 at any b&n across the country, tell them you are supporting my school’s book fair and you’ll send some cash our way! 

 

Good:  Got paid for my knitting pattern which will appear in the upcoming Stitch ‘n Bitch book! Yay!

Bad:  Book not published yet! Booooo.

Good: Love playing ukulele. Plink plink plink!

Bad: No time to play! Boooo.

Good: Spending lots of time with family and friends over break. Lovey!!

Bad: Forgot to sleep, oh noes!

Good: Husband threw me a fabulous surprise fortieth birthday party! Best. Husband. Ever! I was almost even surprised!

Bad: Dang, I’m getting O L D!  (Just kidding, I don’t care how old I am but I couldn’t think of anything bad about my birthday.)

Good: Lots and lots and lots of love.

Bad: Lots and lots and lots of laundry. (Well, it’s not that bad.)

Good:  Awesome new iPhone is best thing ever and excellent for being more organized, cooler and staying in better touch with far-away sister!  *weep*

Bad: Obsessed with iPhone. Fear I have become one of Those People who are constantly fiddling with their phones and not paying attention to real life. (Shut up.)

Good: Fabulous children! Geniuses!

Bad: Also, they are Crazy! Completely Nuts!

Good: Best Husband in the World seems to be improving and becoming Even Better!  Defying all odds!

Bad: Can’t spend all day all the time with most excellent husband, being fed yummy homemade food like what I am eating right now.  Halibut with leeks and cream sauce! TDF!

Good: In under two weeks going to Portland on the Yarn Train with my knitting buddies and my BFF! 

Bad: THERE IS NOTHING BAD ABOUT THAT!

Well, anyway, my life is good. But very busy. Do keep in touch. Remember: My blogging increases in direct proportion to the number of encouraging comments I receive. Are you still out there?  

 

Oh blogland friends, you have no idea. Forces beyond my control have kept me from blogging.  These include my emotionally draining children, sick friends and family, work, Chanukkah, love and simple exhaustion. In good news I now have an iphone* and will figure out if I can blog little snippets from there, with pictures, from time to time. Or, you know, you can follow me on twitter and have that experience right away.

Sam is getting bifocal glasses. Here’s a look at the only pair he would consider. Please don’t ask what they cost. By the time I saw the price and tried to steer him away from them, his little lip started to tremble and his eyes got glassy.  He’s been very emotional lately, and he looked super cute, and I couldn’t deal, and I just did it. High Quality Parenting! When he loses these glasses my head is going to explode.

So, a picture:

 

Click through the picture above to go to flickr to see more like this, a little movie, the process, and a few other glasses selections that were rejected. 

*Thanks Mom and Dad and Mindi and Lar for the iPhone!!  Formal thank-yous to follow!

When Your Best Friend Has Pneumonia:

A Cautionary Tale in Verse  

 

When your best friend has pneumonia

it’s boring as hell

Funny things happen

But there’s no one to tell.

 

You’ll think of a joke

Or a small anecdote

But making her laugh

Might just hurt her throat.

 

She might be napping

So you can’t make a call

Stories you can’t share

Are no fun at all.

 

There’s no one to force you

To go to the gym

Well, your husband can suggest it

But you don’t listen to him.

 

She can’t eat

So her weight’s going down

And you’re getting fat

From just moping around

 

And then you’re concerned

She’s getting iller and iller…

Worrying all day

Is a real productivity killer.

 

So if you have friends

Do choose ones that are hearty

Cause coping with a sick one

Is no kind of party.

 

The End.

And the ukulele + knitting love grows!!

best friend = pneumonia

husband = probable bilateral ear infection

teaching partner = sinus infection

both children = survivors of the aporkalypse 

me = waiting.

NaBuKiMo is winning.

Did not really get to enjoy Eli on his birthday today becuase of all-day parent-teacher conferences.   We did manage cupcakes after dinner and he was super proud to wear his paper crown given to him by his first grade teacher. Simple joys.

Husband sick, best friend sick, best friend’s husband sick. Who will prepare my Thanksgiving Feast?  I am surrounded by fevered, coughing chefs. This is dire. May be Worst Thanksgiving Ever. However, even in his fevered state, my husband took my car out for a new battery. Even sick, he is the best husband ever, always seeing to my needs. Isn’t that nice?

Sam and Eli spent today with Grandma and Grandpa seeing how many gluten and dairy filled items they could request and have granted. Hopefully the consequences will be minimal and we can chuck out the special diet. That would be fantastic. Especially for Sam.

Got to see my girlfriend Cindy today, the one who moved to Toronto. She was here for a short weekend excursion getting her belongings packed up and moved to her new house. When I saw her I wanted to cry.  It’s hard to be separated from so many people I love. But I tend to live very “in the moment” of my life.  My personality doesn’t allow me to spend time dwelling on who or what I don’t have.  But when I am confronted with the reality of the people I miss in my daily life, like Cindy in this case, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed with emotion about what is missing. Ah, life.

Please enjoy this angsty mid-cycle blog. I will now go knit, maybe, and probably go to bed early. Happy birthing day to me, and happy 7th Eli.