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Car washing fun

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Whilst driving last week, Leo happened to see someone washing their car. This practice looked strange to Leo. Why? Because as far as Leo is concerned all cars are washed in a car wash. Mmm. This bothered me. Before moving to the USA, before having kids, when it was just me and my car I always washed my car by hand. Adam, my husband has a car and I have a car. When my car is dirty Adam takes it to the car wash. In the four years we have been married I have never seen Adam wash his car by hand  though he claimed he always used to do so. Mmm. I felt a teaching moment brewing up in me.

Day: Saturday.  Time: 1 pm

Adam said he had some car wash in the garage and this would prove that he used to wash his car himself. So once Roma was napping, I informed Leo that he would be helping me to wash the car. Leo was so excited. Adam, Leo and myself went down to the garage. I reversed the car and positioned it near the pipe where the hose would be attached, for the great car wash. Leo was at the ready with sponge in hand. We just needed Adam to produce the car wash shampoo. We waited. We waited some more. Nothing happened. This did not come as a huge surprise to me. Adam could not find this wash.

I jumped in my already reversed car and went up to the local gas station to buy some. They had everything else but car wash. I then drove to the nearest store but they didn’t have any either. I ended going all the way to my grocery store, Fred Meyer, and finding countless brands of car wash there. ¬†I made my selection and hurried home.

Adam was waiting. I had thought for a moment that maybe he might be stood waiting with a I told you I had some car wash smile on his face with and the bottle of car wash in his hand but he wasn’t. I think he actually felt bad that I had been gone so long.

Leo, tired of waiting, had gone off to play with a neighbor. ¬†A few minute later Leo happily joined Adam and I ( yep, Adam couldn’t resist getting involved or was it guilt ? ) to hose down the dirty car with a good rinse of water, sponge the soapy ¬†wash all over the car, give it another hose down and then a wax. ¬†The car looked wonderful. Leo truly had a ball. He really enjoyed cleaning the car. ¬†Imagine that. ¬† Adam would never ¬†have thought of showing Leo that cars can be washed by hand. It took the genius of mummy to do this. Ha. I feel pretty good about that.

A great teaching moment which got the kid outdoors for an activity which provided exercise and fun at the same time .

Leo is already looking forward to washing the car again.

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Getting out the house

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Last month Adam and I got out of the house. We booked the babysitter on a Friday night and headed to the restaurant and then to a bar for drinks and dancing.

We are doing it again tonight.

We are trying, at least once a month, to get out of the house and spend a few hours talking to each other without being interrupted by small people screaming and pulling at you for your attention.

As soon as we get into the car, leaving the babysitter alone with two sleeping children ,we are free for at least 4 glorious hours of grown up people noise. We hear dance music, people talking, laughing, glasses and cutlery clinking, grown ups having a great time. There isn’t one single child around. It is heavenly.

This morning when I woke up I thought to myself how wonderful it would be to just stay in bed and not have to get up. I haven’t had that luxury in over 3 years. I truly miss having a lie in. I said this to Adam too and said that one day he should take a day off work, drop the kids to daycare, get Roma in daycare for a full day and not the half days she normally does and he should come back home. I will already be tucked up in bed and he should meet me right there in that very bed. We won’t do anything all day except lie in bed and giggle, nod off to sleep, wake up, get lunch and get back into bed or be completely wild and have lunch in bed too. This is a dream of mine. I can but dream.

So apart from really looking forward to going out tonight and getting out of the house I would like to stay in bed all day and rest. The funny thing is we’ll go out tonight and come home in the very early hours and have to get up very early the next day because the kids will wake up around 7 am full of energy after having a wonderful night’s sleep.

That will teach us for going out and having a good time without them.

Oh well, at least we got out of the house.

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Good weekend

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

The weekend started with Adam and I hauling more logs from the back of the house to the front. We have lots of wood for people from the trees that came down a couple of weeks ago.

The weather was gorgeous, mild at 58 degrees and sunny.

We decided that we would only spend about an hour and half bringing the logs around because we wanted to get out and enjoy the sunshine.

At eleven, we took the kids to the park and then came back and had lunch.

During the afternoon we went to our local park and had fun kicking a soccer ball around. I was actually surprised at how good Leo was with the ball.  He kicked and kicked and ran and ran. It was non stop and he laughed and giggled the whole time.

On Sunday we spent most of the day outdoors too.

It was another lovely day.

It started with Leo and I going over to a neighbors to see if the girls wanted to play soccer with us. We played for about an hour and then came home for lunch.

After lunch Roma went to sleep. Leo, Adam and I went outdoors and saw our neighbors outside too. Leo went off and played with five year old Gina while we stood talking with her mom and dad. We were then joined by another neighbor whose daughter was napping but whose son was strapped to dad in the baby carrier. We talked and laughed about our yards mostly and the amount of work that needed doing. We were then joined by some more neighbors who had been gardening and decided to join in the chat. We stood chatting for about twenty minutes, until the wife of baby carrying dad, joined us. We had the whole street out. It was so fun. Adam got some beers another neighbor got some chocolate minty cookies and we continued to laugh and chat some more.

We had come out at 1.30 PM ¬†and it was nearly 4.00 PM when we finally parted and went indoors. In between we’d got babies and toddlers up from naps to join in the fun.

To top the day off Adam cooked dinner. He did a lovely steak and mash with asparagus tips dinner for us. It was delicious.

Adam and I played tennis on the WII. I finally beat him three games to two. I have never beat him. It was great.

We had such a fun weekend.

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Kids like their routines

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Adam didn’t get home until 8.30 last night. He had dinner with his work colleagues downtown.

When I picked Leo up  from school and came home, we spent 45 minutes watching the workmen cut down trees branches and then grind them up.  Leo absolutely loved it and so did the other kids on our street.

( See previous post )

We didn’t get indoors until 5.45 which meant bath time and dinner was a little later than usual.

After dinner I put the TV on for half an hour while I tidied up. I then took Roma to our room to read stories like I always do at 7.30. ¬†Leo strolled in saying he had turned off the TV and wanted to read stories too. Normally, Adam reads Leo’s stories in Leo bedroom but as there was no Adam tonight it would be different.

I finished Roma’s books and then changed her diaper. Decided I may as well put Leo on the toilet so he could do his pee and then I brushed his teeth. We all went back to my room where I put Roma in her chair and ¬†she drank her milk and then I brushed her teeth.

Leo and I said goodnight ¬†to Roma and we both went to his room and I read stories. After stories I sat in the rocking chair while Leo lay in bed. We both heard the key in the front door. It was Adam who had come home earlier than I had expected. Leo was suddenly more alert and awake and once Adam pushed Leo’s bedroom door open that was it for Leo. He was now ready to go with his own stories to tell daddy about his day at school and coming home and seeing the workmen on the trees. I crept out of the room.

Adam left his room around 8.55. He put Roma into her crib as she was fast asleep. Leo was not. Adam told Leo to stay in his bed. Leo said he would. Leo did not. We had just settled down to watching 24 when we heard a small cry from Roma. We waited. We then heard a full blown cry from Roma. When I entered the room Leo was sat up in Roma’s crib. Roma was sitting up too. Crying. ¬† I took her back to our room and put her back in her chair. Adam put Leo back in his bed. He left a tearful, screaming Leo, in his room.

Thank God for the DVR. Adam was recording 24 anyway.  We settled down again and at around 9.40 we put Roma back in her crib. Leo was sound asleep.

Normally sleep time for Leo is pretty good but because daddy wasn’t home to tuck him in and read stories it had completely thrown Leo from his usual routine.

It should all go smoothly tonight. Daddy’s coming straight home after work.

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Time to eat delicious treats

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

The kids should be asleep soon. It’s 8.30 pm. Adam will take 3 year old Leo to the bathroom for his last ‘pee, pee’ for the night, floss and brush his teeth and then read bedtime stories. I will take Roma into our bedroom, read stories and change her diaper, quickly followed by her milk and the battle we then have between us with her toothbrush and brushing her teeth. Some nights the teeth brushing goes great most night, like tonight, it takes forever. I wasn’t really satisfied ¬†with the job I did tonight. She definitely won.

I didn’t leave our room until about 8.20. I sat at the computer and wondered what I would write for my blog post. Then Adam appeared. He had just left ¬†Leo’s room. Sometimes he looks like he has fallen asleep in there with him. He appears in the living room looking all bleary eyed. ¬†He hadn’t fell asleep tonight because he is looking forward to watching 24. ¬†Adam went to the kitchen and opened the fridge door. I asked him what he was looking for and he replied a snack. Obviously, he had spotted an unfamiliar paper bag in the fridge and was hoping that something good might be inside. Bingo. I had my blog post.

I told Adam that on the way back from my doctors appointment I had gone into the store and picked up a treat for us. Honestly, I had bought the treats for myself intending to eat one of them after lunch and if he was good he might get a piece of the second one, in the evening. Ha ha.

These cakes are delicious. They are filled with marion berry and have a crumbly topping. I just trotted to the fridge to get the correct name but all it says on the bag is bakery department. Never mind. They are quite delicious and the last time I bought one I actually ate the whole slice even though I had intended to save a bite for Adam. At least I bought two this time. We’ll eat them while watching 24. A delicious treat, at the end of the day, for two tired parents of two energetic small children.

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Delicious curry for dinner tonight

Friday, January 29th, 2010

This evening I thought I would cook Adam a nice dinner. He got in late from work yesterday and his dinner did not resemble a dinner once he took it out of the oven and left it on the side while he decided to go and read stories with Leo. By the time he got to it I couldn’t believe he was still going to eat it. He battled his way through one of now chewy, hard, dry, spicy sausage and mac and cheese which wasn’t too bad. He gave up the battle with the other sausage and threw it away.

Adam got home at a decent time tonight. The kids were eating left over mac and cheese with vegetables. On the stove top was my delicious curry simmering nicely.

Adam had big breakfast meeting downtown with the rest of his team but thought he would have his usual cereal breakfast not wanting to rely on fruit and croissants until lunchtime. I hadn’t realized they would be out of the office all day. ¬†I wish he had told me.

When he came in I had to mention to him that his dinner was waiting for him on the stove. Adam took the lid off and I thought I saw a ‘Oh no, I’m not hungry’, look on his face. He said it wasn’t but I am sure it was. He said he had been fed all day. He grazed at the constant platters of foods that were on offer, in the hotel conference room. He wasn’t hungry in the slightest. I sighed. I had actually made the effort to cook a nice meal, one that he would normally like but not tonight. He said he might have a little but I told him not to force himself. I said I would freeze it for another night. He felt bad. I felt a little disappointed.

Later on this evening, I put the curry in a tupperware container. The funny thing is I didn’t even fancy eating curry tonight. I did it just for Adam.

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Keeping you posted

Monday, October 12th, 2009

Leo turned three yesterday.We went to the Children’s Museum, a little later than planned because we had to spend an hour looking for my husband’s car keys which after almost turning the entire house and its contents upside down, we found in the pocket of his bathrobe that he had just been wearing,oh ¬†an hour previous. I don’t know who was more annoyed me or Adam but I told him – after I found the keys – to suck it up and let’s remember it’s Leo’s birthday today. It wouldn’t have been fun or Leo’s fault if either of us were in a bad mood.

We all had a good time.

Once home again, Leo opened gifts, cards. We called our family in the UK baked cupcakes and played throughout the entire day. Leo took his kid’s Black and Decker tool kit to bed with him last night. He absolutely loves it.

My mother in law left a few weeks ago. My mum comes in a few weeks time. I am really looking forward to seeing her. She is so looking forward to seeing the kids and maybe me, a bit.

We all have had what I think was the Swine Flu. I hardly ever get ill but a week before my marathon run I got a sore throat, fever, aches and pains and was so tired. Leo had similar symptoms and then Roma. It seems like Adam has it now though. ¬†I honestly don’t know if it was the Swine Flu but I have a sneaky suspicion that it could have been.

Because I have felt so ill or my feet and legs were too sore to do anything after my race – I still have a purple toe and a deflated blistered – I am so behind in keeping the house clean. I have been cleaning the toilets and vacuuming but nothing else. This was brought to my attention while looking for those keys Adam had mislaid. The house is messy. It’s not dirty but is in need of a good, thorough clean. Do you know what I mean? So I will get on with that before my mum comes and decides to pull the leather sofa cushion from its place only to be greeted by cracker bits, cookie crumbs, cheese puffs and 1 cent coins. Ha.

I want to start working out now I’m not running again until the Spring. It’s too cold and too dark in the mornings for my usual morning run.

I am also beginning to think about my future career though I am not entirely sure what that is yet but I am thinking about it.

Just keeping you posted.

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Keeping this positive

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

My mother in law left yesterday. She has returned back to the UK after 2.5 weeks of staying here with us in the US.

I was nervous about having her here especially since my husband would be at work and my three year old would be at daycare, leaving me for most of the day to deal with her.

I want to write that the entire experience was a complete nightmare. We haven’t got on in the past. We have tolerated each other. I have kept my trap shut only venting to my husband when she was out of ear shot though this would mostly be at bedtime when I knew for certain she couldn’t possibly hear me but I cannot write that.

This time I had a strategy. I would try to stay positive. After all, she was here to get to know her grandkids more. She wasn’t here for me. Plus, with her being here Adam and I could go out more often. On the few days he did manage to take off from work, we could go window shopping and enjoy the last few days of Summer. It would be great. So I kept these thoughts in mind.

So how was it then? ¬†You know it wasn’t too bad. She helped with bathing the kids, making dinners, came up with different meals to feed the kids, made delicious desserts and a yummy soup which I have frozen for when the weather changes.

Adam and I giggled and laughed again while sipping cocktails at a bar downtown. We had fun. It was great.

Of course, there were times when she did annoy me with the things she said but I had heard these stories before. This was old news.

You know she actually told Adam that she thought that she and I got on better this time around. She said she got to know me a little bit more. Well about time. In the past it seemed to me that she had no real interest in me whatsoever.

I think alcohol had a tiny bit to do with this loosening up of my mother in law. We took her along to a wedding party and out for some dinners and she did seem more relaxed. This was a good thing for her and me too.

I’d speak to my mum and she would expect to get some negative feedback from me about Adam’s mum but I didn’t go there. ¬†I do have some but I turned it around and laughed. I will share them with you later.

I have a headache right now. I have had it for about 2 days now. I do feel a little run down. I am running the Portland marathon in 2 weeks time and I don’t feel great about it. I do feel good though about keeping my cool and being upbeat around ¬†Adam’s mum and not bugging Adam with my negative chatter about his mother. It is his mum at the end of the day.

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Stay positive

Sunday, September 6th, 2009

I thought it best to write a cover, happy title for this blog, just in case my mother in law happens to see my twitter page open and happens to scan my last post title which read “Oh, no, the mother in law is coming.”

Momstar from Party Like a Momstar, in reply to your answer she is due tomorrow night. Thank goodness it is tomorrow night because this is one day less already. Sorry. I am attempting to stay positive, so here goes.

I will  be good. I will not complain at bedtime to my husband about all the comments, or looks, or parenting skills, techniques, etc, etc, etc that she may make to me, quietly, while my husband is out of sight or earshot.

I am happy she is coming- did I just think and write that? РBecause it means that Adam and I can go out to see a movie or out to dinner or wherever we like and not have to get back in time and pay our lovely babysitter. This is a blessing and we are so grateful that Leo and Roma will have another person, grandma, to hang out with them.  This is wonderful and a good thing.

Grandma is here for just 2 weeks and a few days. Surely I can do this and remain tight lipped throughout the ordeal. Sorry. Naughty thoughts just keep creeping in.

You know, when grandma has gone, I will feel a lot better about writing what is truly on my mind so until then I will write, or vent, when I can, if I can.

Grandma, does not know I write a blog entitled I do Not Like This Job. Can you imagine what she would say to the family back home in the UK.  No, she can never know.

Speak, write, when I can.

Momstar thanks for thinking about me. You are a shining, twinkling,  mom star, in my eyes.

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Finally happening.

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

In my last post I mentioned that we were having new carpet installed in our 600 square feet basement.  Before returning home from work Adam went and paid for it and called me with the date of when it would be installed. August 25th.

I am excited but it struck me this morning,while I was dragging dirty laundry down the stairs to our basement, that there would be good and not so good points to having another area opened to me and the kids, in the house.

Good points:

The kids would have an area to play in where if they fell they could do so without too much risk of harming themselves – we have oak floors upstairs.

I could get away with not tidying this room because it’s downstairs and out of site. Hooray.

The kids could make as much noise as they wished and the bulk of the noise would remain down there.

I wouldn’t worry as much about the stairs leading down to the basement because at least now- finally – the steps will be carpeted too.

Leo, my 2.5 year old will surely leap from sofa to floor but at least he has a soft- ish landing though carpet burn may become the new issue.

I can put an ironing board in the laundry area down there and keep an eye on Leo and Roma while I iron- we have a door leading through to the living space from the laundry. Perfect.

I can escape to the peace and tranquility of the basement or I could escape to the peace and tranquillity upstairs without the kids running or crawling around my ankle or through my legs, while Adam watched them.

I can roll around the carpet and act like the kid I am inside and know one will see it. Fun. The neighbors might see it but who cares.

This will be the only area in the whole house with carpet.

Not so good points:

Another room to clean – great.

Blinds on the windows to keep the neighbors from seeing too much or our crazy antics.

I would have to lug the vacuum down the stairs to clean it and back up again.

My lungs and head may hurt more often because I can already hear myself shouting to be heard from upstairs to down the stairs, to Leo and husband who won’t hear me until the third call for them to come upstairs.

Leo is sure to take a tumble or two down the stairs because here will be another play area to explore. ¬†I remember at my mom’s home, when we were growing up, everyone, fell down the stairs. It was hilarious and provided many a laugh for us all. Though these falls were accidents and probably should not have brought us to tears of laughter.

Adam, my husband is sure to fall down the stairs and if I witness it or just hear him falling it will be amusing, to say the least. He is quite clumsy. I am laughing already and it hasn’t happened yet.

I will fall down the stairs and make Adam laugh. I am less clumsy. If I told him now he would be laughing at this minute too.

Overall, having carpet down in the basement will be a great thing. I am happy that it is finally happening.

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