Gussy Up

About four and a half years ago, after my grandma passed away, my sisters, cousins, and I were invited to her condo to take certain things of hers that held special memories for us, before my dad and his siblings sold the condo. I took a variety of things that were important to me, as did everyone else. One thing I took was a little Rubbermaid step stool. I don't know why I took it. It didn't have any particular memory for me and was just a generic little plastic stool. I am guessing it had something to do with the fact that I had a 9 month old little girl at home and I was sure a step stool would figure into our near future. As it turned out, our bathroom wasn't big enough for a step stool and the little potty once the time came, so the stool sat in the garage. When I was hugely pregnant with Margie it was hard for me to lift Lily into her car seat, and while she could climb into the van, she couldn't quite climb into her car seat. So the little stool sat in the van by Lily's seat for about the past 2 years. We changed around the seats in the van this weekend and took the stool out. Lily can easily climb into her seat now and Margie, little monkey that she is, has no problem climbing into hers. Once again the stool was tucked away into the garage. Last night while I was making dinner, the girls were playing outside, digging in the rocks. I called them in to dinner and told them to wash their hands. Lily immediately started complaining how she isn't tall enough to wash her hands in the powder room. It's true. She can get the water on and wash her hands, but then screams her little head off that she can't shut off the water. So we brought in the step stool. I had been thinking we needed one for a while and now we had one handy. It fits nicely in front of the sink and you can still close the bathroom door. It also can be tucked under the vanity. Now we had a functional, if not plain, stool for our bathroom. Since I delude myself that I am crafty, and since I know Lily loves a project, I decided we would gussy up the stool while Margie napped today.

Before

After

This was not a fancy project. I just took a piece of scrapbooking paper I had in my stash and cut it to size, then glued it on and hit it with a couple coats of modge podge. I am not sure how well it will hold up, but it sure looks nicer than it did before. And, since I have an insane amount of scrapbook paper, we can change it up if we want. Maybe themed? Halloween, Christmas...well, that might be dorky. But I have been known to do some dorky things.

A Lazy Day and I'm Homesick

It is 10:45 am and I am on my second cup of coffee. The girls and I are still in our pjs. Well, I've added a sweatshirt. It has been a little cooler here and we turned off the AC the past few days. It stays rather cool in the house until the afternoon sun bakes the back of the house. I don't really need the sweatshirt, but I love any excuse to rock a sweatshirt and yoga pants. Mumford and Sons radio is playing on Pandora and Lily is playing a game on my phone. Margie is tormenting playing with Lucy. We are totally having a lazy day and I love it. The sun is shining and it is not a million degrees out so we should probably do something outside, but I need a lazy day every once in a while. Last week Lily and I read a Bernstein Bears book about too much TV and she decided that this should be a no TV week. So far, so good and I feel a lot less guilty about a lazy day if the kids aren't just vegging in front of the boob tube. It won't be a completely lazy day though. I do have a childcare appointment at the gym after nap time so I can take a yoga class. And I will most likely do a couple loads of laundry. And I have stepped on one too many blocks the past 24 hours not to clean them up. But other than that, totally lazy!

I've been feeling a little homesick lately while I'm lying in bed trying to fall asleep. I don't know if I can't sleep because I am homesick or if I have been homesick because I can't sleep and just lay there thinking. I miss my family and my friends. I have met a lot of really nice people here, but they don't know me. I miss just hanging out with people that know me. I miss silly things like our pediatrician. When Margie was born a new doctor had joined the practice. We saw Dr. Becky for Margie's one month check up and she told me that Margie was eating well and gaining weight and since I was an experienced mom and Margie wasn't due for any shots I could skip the 2 month checkup unless I wanted it. That vote of confidence was so reassuring. She ended up being the doctor we mostly saw. She was awesome and I miss her, even though we don't routinely hang out at the doctors office. I miss Woodmans. I miss knowing exactly where everything is in the store. I miss my house, even though my house here is amazing. I miss my book clubs and our church. Yesterday we went to Target and it was comforting. Strange, right? We have mostly been going to Walmart because it is so close, but I felt like a change so we headed the other direction. Targets are pretty much all laid out the same and it felt familiar and that was needed. On Saturday we drove up to Nederland, which is a cozy little town in the mountains about 45 minutes away. While wandering around I saw a guy with a Fox Valley Canoe Race shirt on. We struck up a conversation and it turns out they just moved to Denver from North Aurora a month ago. They have two little kids roughly the same age as mine. It is funny how many people from the Chicago suburbs we run into. A couple weeks ago I ran into someone in the gym that I actually had worked with in college.

Don't get me wrong, I love it here and an really so happy we moved. But it doesn't mean that I don't miss things from back home. Mostly I miss people, but I also miss things and places. I'm not super good at making friends. I can actually be pretty shy. I hate having to find a whole new group of mommy friends when I really loved the ones I have back home...

And with that I am off to color with two of the most familiar people in the world!

{Untitled}

I got up and went for a jog this morning. I have been doing pretty well going to the gym at least a couple times a week and then getting some outside exercise at least one day on the weekend, but it occurred to me that to get the body I want, I need to run. Now you can argue that running isn't the only way to get in shape, and I totally believe that. It is just that it seems to be the most efficient. Matt has been running 3 miles, 3 times a week for almost three months and he needs new underwear. Not just new pants, new underwear! (And that little tidbit probably falls into the category of things he wishes I wouldn't share!) Also, if I want to run the Hot Chocolate 5K on October 6 then I need to start running. Sure, any physical activity will build up my stamina, but I need to run if I want to run. And stop eating cookies....I must stop eating cookies...

Anyway, today Margie was up so I took her in our sweet jogging stroller that one of Matt's co-workers generously gifted us. Margie is a little terror and probably would have scaled the bookshelves in our room while Matt was in the shower, so I decided it was safer to take her. I wish I was kidding about the bookshelf thing...

Going for a jog first thing in the morning has so many merits. It is still cool out. I have a clear view of the mountains from the Commons - the afternoon haze hasn't settled in yet. I have my workout for the day done. If I do nothing else with my day at last I have some physical activity under my belt. And I can still come home and have my lazy morning with a cup of coffee and time on the computer while the girls watch some cartoons. Or I can jump in the shower and we can be ready for whatever adventures (of course I would have to bring Margie into the shower, but she loves it!)

The thing is, I hate getting out of bed in the morning. I haven't been sleeping well for the last week, and especially not the past two days thanks to our neighbor and all the drama of putting in our fence. I have very quickly reverted back to snuggling in bed with the girls in the morning until we absolutely have to get out and start our day. I am just not a morning person. I can be if I have to, but if I don't have to be, I would rather lounge in bed. I am somewhat of a night owl and going to bed early just doesn't work for me. I think I just need to get myself in the mind frame that running is a "have to do" thing.

At any rate, my run for the day is done, I've had my coffee and computer time, I am taking the girls to the rec to swim in a little bit, and the rest of my day is wide open - though I should probably clean a little and go to the grocery store. Now I am off to unload the dishwasher while I contemplate whether or not I should shower before going to the pool....

Home Sweet Home

The girls and I have been in Colorado a month now, and I can honestly say it feels like home.
A lot of things are the same, yet so many our different. Obviously the house is new, but laundry in the same. Except when I hang clothes to dry they are dry in a couple hours. I still cook dinner, but a lot of things seem to cook differently here. Or I forgot how to cook. I go grocery shopping every week, it just takes me twice as long because I am learning my way around King Soopers (the local grocery store.)

I love, love, love the mountains. I could stare at them all day and I really like hiking. Of course, my house will never be "done" if I spend every weekend hiking and playing in the mountains.

It is always sunny. I love this and then also not so much. We have tons of windows and get lots of natural light...and heat. I don't mind an occasional overcast day and I really miss rain. I hear they are getting some back home...

My house is awesome. But the inevitable "issues" are starting to show up. Overall though, I can't complain. Matt did a stellar job picking out the house and I am thrilled with it. And once we really make it our own it will be perfect.

There is a huge culture of fitness and outdoorsy-ness here. It is rubbing off on me. But it kinda sucks being the most unfit person in the state.

I miss our family a lot. But we have also made some new friends here, and been able to hang out with old ones that we didn't see that often when we lived in Chicago because they are out here.

Overall, this move is proving to be a good fit for our family! We are pretty settled, but also still have some settling to do. I can't wait until a few more projects are crossed off the old list!

Randomness

This morning Margie decided she was ready to get up a 5 am. Being the awesome mom that I am, I let her cry, sure she would go back to sleep. She did. About 5:55. At 6 am the lovely sound of Bob Marley crooning Buffalo Soldier woke me up. I am not sure why Matt sets his alarm. We are usually always awake, and if we aren't, he probably isn't getting up then anyway. I guess it is payback from my years of abusing the snooze button. Add to the mix our eastern exposure master bedroom in a state that gets 300 days of sunshine and it is summer. We are usually up with the sun or shortly thereafter.

We also discovered the need for a plunger in the girls' bathroom and ours was left behind. Matt made an early morning trip to Walmart.

Lily woke up with a fever. No other complaints, but a fever of 103. A dose of Tylenol brought it down and it has been hovering around 100 the rest of the day. She did take two naps though, meaning I was forced to cancel plans for tomorrow. Bummer.

Since we were homebound today, I spent a good deal of time perusing the interwebs for home decor. I decided I want one of everything from World Market. Specifically, I want these curtains for my laundry closet.

Somewhere during my curtain hunt I decided I am going to run the Hot Chocolate 5K this year. It is October 6. I have less than 4 months to go from couch to 5K. Must get started...

Lily has not moved from the couch all day. Margie has been an extra handful to make up for her sister's ease to deal with.

But then Margie took an almost 4 hour nap. I am hoping it is due to her early initial wake up and not because she is getting sick as well.

After dinner I literally took Margie's high chair and hosed it off. I would have powerwashed it if we had a powerwasher. It was that nasty. The dog probably could have used a good hosing as well. When Margie decides she is done with dinner she tosses her plate. I try to be on my toes at meal times, but sometimes I don't catch her in time. The dog knows she will inevitably get some delicious people food if she sticks near Margie. Today she was a little too close and ended up with rice and beans on her head.

There are three wildfires burning in Colorado right now. None are really close, but they freak me out. I am not a fan of fire. Like at all. When I was younger I begged my parents for a ladder for my room. My cousins had a fire in their garage and I wouldn't go over to their house anymore.

And now, if you will excuse me, Margie is dancing on the kitchen table. I wish I was joking....

Confession

It is 12:30 and we are all still in our pajamas. This is partially because it is laundry day and partially because I am totally lazy it is the first real hot day since we moved to Colorado and I have no plans to leave the house. I know I need to get used to the hot, since it is only June and there are a good 3 months of hot in store. But it's a dry heat, they tell me. Whatever. Hot is hot and 60 degrees, sunny and breezy is my perfect weather. I have a million things on my to do list and considering the amount of coffee coursing through my veins I should have most of it done. I have like three things done. Laundry is going, the bills are paid, I actually hung up a couple decorations on my walls, though I don't know if what I have up is how I will keep it. I did take a poll on Facebook on what to do regarding curtains and my laundry closet. You see...I've been thinking hard about what needs to be done! And I did Magic Eraser Margie's masterpiece in orange crayon on the stairway wall. I also found the appropriate homes for most of the toys in what I suppose could be considered the play room, mostly in a mad search for even one of Margie's "byes", which is what she calls her pacis. Don't ask, I have no idea. Margie has a habit of hiding them. Lily had two pacis from about age 1 to 3 and we always knew exactly where both were. Margie, on the other hand, has had more pacis than I can even count. At the moment there are about 5 in the house. It was Lily to the rescue when she found all of them in my shoes in my closet. I suspect the Big Stinker (Lily, not to be confused with Margie, the Little Stinker!)may have known where they were all along because when I asked her to go look upstairs she went up with a recepticle "just in case she found all of them together". A minute later she came down with all of them in said recepticle. I get that she likes watching mommy's head nearly explode, but it isn't very nice to watch her sister in misery. Now the girls are making way too much noise playing with the keyboard and drum machine but at least they are not messing up the house. Though I do feel a headache coming on. Nothing a nice homemade iced mocha can't fix ;)!

Musings

The girls and I are at my parents' house for the weekend. It's peaceful here. So peaceful right now. I have one baby asleep next to me; despite all the grief she may give me by day, she really does look like an angel. The other baby is sleeping g peacefully in the pack and play at the foot of the bed. Sleep is the only time she is still. There are two other bedrooms available, but we always sleep together when the three of us are here. I desperately want to be sleeping like them, but I can't shut off my brain. It's always going, planning, worrying.
We have big changes on the horizon. Huge changes. And in the midst of it I am trying to find myself. It's funny really, being 33 years old and trying to find yourself. There were years when I was a wife and was sure I would know myself once I was a mother. Then I was a mother with a young baby and I couldn't imagine anything greater. Then I had two babies and I thought that I had finally found myself. And then, one day it hit me. I am more than a wife and more than a mother. But I am not sure what that more is. Don't get me wrong, if I do nothing else in this world I will consider my life a triumphant success. Together with my husband, the man who balances me and knows me so well, the man who chose me, I have created life and that is awe inspiring and humbling. But I feel I'm on a precipice. I'm on the verge of something that is just me. Given time I'm sure ill figure it out. In the meantime, I'm going to sit back and embrace what I already am...