Seasons » Four Against Two

A Family Growing Up

A Mom's Job, Family, Parenting, Seasons, Teendom No Responses »

Aug 222012

I no longer have to shop the toddler or little girl sections. I ignore the baby section on Pinterest for the most part and if I pin something there it’s for my work, not my home. The girls start going to bed at 9, not 7:30 (we stager bedtime for sanity). I didn’t have to buy water paints or play dough this year for school supplies. Only one gives me a full on the mouth kiss before she leave the house. The other three give me various styled hugs or cheek kisses. Only two would pose for first day of school photos. This is my last year of being an elementary school parent!

I do have two budding musicians in the family with Meg on her second year of the sax and Mita starting the violin this fall. (We are fortunate to have a strong school music program, a rarity anymore I know.) Those two are also on the soccer team and I am shopping for soccer balls and cleats this year. Enu is at the top of the intermediate school as a fifth grader and Elle wants to be in Karate. New things are being tried and they are challenging themselves wonderfully.

They are growing. I miss some things. I’m really liking other things. Things like Meg and Mita can walk to and from practice together and they both have study hall to get homework done there and not so much at home. They are all funny. Really funny little people with thoughts and ideas that they are open to sharing with us (still, hopefully always). We can discuss current events and a bit of politics with them and they are forming their own ideas.

Bittersweet my thoughts this morning. My growing family is amazing.

( Don’t forget to enter my Scholastic Book Giveaway!)

The Non-Christmasy Christmas App

A Mom's Job, My Soap Box, Seasons 2 Responses »

Dec 142011

I really wanted to entitle this The Non-Christmas Christmas App That I Wasted My Money On And Am Incredibly Mad About, but I thought that would be a bit too long and obnoxious.

The other morning I was snuggling deep in my bed with # 3 and #4 (Enu and Elle) and we were playing Holiday Angry Birds. An add popped up for a Christmas App. It was Talking Tom’s Christmas or something of that sort. So I buy it to make the kids happy…$0.99 cents or $1.07 with tax. A drop in the bucket for my children’s Christmas happiness right?

So we play. We feed Santa, tickle Santa, make Santa laugh and so on and so forth. Then one of the girls presses a button and Santa MOONS US! That’s right, the big guy drops his pants and shows us his holiday greeting underwear. But wait, there is more! You can personalize his undies and email the picture to someone! Yeah! Just what I want to send out to my dear ones. Santa’s undies. Not. Big time not. Royally ticked off at the waste of my money not.

I have four children. I have enough farting, burping and bodily function jokes and stories told at my table and in my life. I don’t need Santa to egg them on.

So if you ever design a Christmas app, please keep it Christmasy and leave out the mooning.

Please.

I might just buy your app if you do ;)

Wordless Wednesday: Love Me Some Fall

Seasons, Stuff No Responses »

Oct 252011

In Between Summer Fun and School Supplies

A Mom's Job, Seasons, Summer Fun No Responses »

Jul 202011

My care-free summer days of June have ended. We are rounding out July with a full calendar and while the kids enjoy having things to do and places to go, the hotness that is South Eastern Ohio is keeping us indoors way to much. I cannot send them outside when they are lacking the gills needed to breathe comfortably.

Girl Scout camps are over (except for Twilight camp next week which has nothing to do with the movie btw), rehearsals are starting for Meg and Mita’s upcoming local production of Children’s Letters to God and I have started working a few hours here and there. Is this the end of summer? I don’t want it to be. I want my carefree days back. Must I lose my calendar to do this?

I refused to buy school supplies at the beginning of July, but just yesterday ordered a backpack and thermos’ from Land’s End as well as hit Staples up for the fifty cent sale they were having on paper clips and hole punches. I want to ignore the sales, to protest that I still have summer left. Thriftiness wins out with me just about every time though.

When my head clears from this horrible headache that has to be caused by the weather (something to do with air pressure I’m sure) I will celebrate summer again. Right now, I feel as if I am grabbing on to threads of summer 2011.

Are you in the middle of the summer-blahs too? What do you do to keep the fun alive?

Photo Credit

I’m In Love With Green

It's all about me!, Seasons, Summer Fun 4 Responses »

May 232011

It’s no secret that I hate winters in Ohio and always wonder why I live here during those long months. This past Saturday I went on a little nature hike with a few of the girls and was giddy with all of the greens. I could sit under a tree forever and just read right now.

Elle loves being outside as well. She found a toad and the naturalist there told us how to tell if a toad is a female or a male. It’s not what you think either! Apparently if you hold a toad a certain way it makes a funny sound if it is a male. This is how a male toad tells other male toads to get off of him. Interesting stuff, this nature is.

Daisy - Fleabane Keeps the fleas away.

The reservoir was really high. I wore my mud boots!

Baltimore Oriole nest

I learned a little, exercised a bit and had a nice morning with my girls. Most importantly I got my green intake. May these next few month pass sl-ow-ly please!

September Stock-Ups And How I Save $

Earth Friendly Ideas, Sales, Seasons, Stuff No Responses »

Sep 022009

September is a great stock-up month. I have this issue withclearances, I see something on clearance and I think I need it or I come up with an idea to use it for the next year. This has saved me money over the years, but it can also be a bit of a clutter problem (ask Hubby). This year my goal is to not clutter up, but buy responsibly. So far, so good. I got Elle’s next years safetyswim vest for $13 with free shipping from Land’s End and Stainless Steel water bottles on sale with $2 shipping. I am trying to cut out the cheap plastic… but steel is pricey! I thought I would share a few of my go-to places for saving money and starting on Christmas and Birthday gifts for the next year.

Check out the Dollar General and you can get kites, bubbles and more for around $0.30. K-Mart often has bathing suits for under $5 so I can stock up for next year. Disney.com has really nice beach towels for super cheap. Of course school supplies are just screaming to be picked up and stored away for the cold winter months. Towards the end of September you may find great buys on backpacks, water bottles and more high-end school items. These can make great Christmas or Birthday gifts! The big wheeled back packs aren’t often great for school but make good overnight suitcases.

Land’s End has a lot of free shipping offers right now and their swimsuits are on sale as well. Soon they will have all those cool back packs and lunches boxes on clearance! I bought all of my girls backpacks from there in colors that will stay “cool” for a few years. I have not bought Meg a backpack since the First Grade (she’s in 4th this year, Yikes!) and it is still going strong. Mita and Enu also have Land’s End back packs that are in their second year of use. I learned early to not buy characters or really trendy backpacks and lunch boxes and it has saved me a lot of money. This year I will be eyeing deals for Elle’s Kindergarden back pack (sob sob).

I don’t do the while “school shopping” thing. It is still warm when school starts and the kids grow overnight, as you well know! Jeans, long sleeves T’s and shoes will hit great prices once the Holiday items come out (October!). TheChildrensPlace.comhas a flat shipping rate of $5 and monster sales for shirts especially. They have great quality clothes and are pretty affordable. Beware of the bright T shirts with Hibicus flowers on them though, they bleed horribly which is unusual for them. Hopefully it is an odd occurance!

To save money and to be green, I have re-usable sandwhich bags and buy snacks in bulk. Those 100 calerie packs have some much packaging. A re-usable 4 oz. Rubbermaid or Tupperware container hold is a great way to save on pakaging and is usually about 1 serving size or 100 calories. I like to find my sandwhich bags on Etsy.com. Don’t baulk at the prices…you will get your money back. I am using the same bags I bought last year and believe me they are used a lot!

Before buying anything on-line I do a google search for coupon codes. This normally works pretty well and cuts down prices and often shipping costs.

This is what I do in September to save money. Now give me your secrets!

Photo Credit

The Night Before The Last Day Of School

holidays, Seasons, Uncategorized No Responses »

May 272009

Tomorrow is the last day of school for my three older daughters. Elle’s last day at pre-school was today. She took everyone stickers and claimed to be excited about going to “Kiddie Kollege” in the fall. Of course that is what she says today, I’m sure she will change her mind when she remembers she has to actually wear clothes when she goes to school!

Meg is pleased with the thought of summer. Camps, summer reading programs, long days with nothing to do are happy memories to her. Plus she is going to horse camp again this summer, which is her FAVORITE THING ON EARTH!

Mita and Enu are a bit upset over the end of the school year. They loved their teachers and made such great friends, I think they are worried about yet another change in their life. I have let them know of all the fun ahead in the summer months and the schools have done a great job of them getting to know their teacher next year. Plus, they all have class with close friends next year.

Tomorrow the day will be full of games, food and lots of fun. I have goodie buckets filled with the tools of summer: bubbles, sidewalk chalk, kites, books and water shooters. I think they will have fun finding the buckets and playing with their new trinkets.

I will be busy putting away school supplies that we can still use in the fall and storing away back packs. Piles and piles of papers will be sorted, tossed and recycled. I love this time of year!

I also know that towards the end of August I will be ready to get out the backpacks, crayons and lunch boxes. The kids will be ready to hit the books, study spelling words and see friends everyday again. I really love the cycles of life right now.

Happy summer everyone!

Spring Is Here!

Seasons 2 Responses »

Apr 292009

Green Thumb Girls

We have hit Spring and I am as happy as can be! A few 80 degree days followed by rain, rain and more rain! All the winter gear is put away and the capri’s are out along with new T shirts. Today my mom and I cleaned all my windows (I have a lot of windows!) and we planted some flowers.

I should clarify that my mom did most of the planting. She didn’t pass down her green thumb. I tend to kill plants, especially inside plants, but I can magage a few annuals and some hanging baskets. The house looks transformed with color and life.

The girls love to help with planting of the flowers. The joy on their faces is amazing.

Yeah Spring! Come on Summer!