Blog Poll: Which would you prefer?

A little background first.  We are going on vacation soon with two other families to Florida.  We drive because it's only 12 hours and flights for 4 people are outrageous.  Not to mention how much crap you need to bring to a beach house for a week with kids.  Chris found out a few weeks ago that he had a conference the week before our vacation, and would be flying home the day we are leaving.  This made me nervous, because we would have to leave a few hours later than originally planned, and if his flight was delayed or canceled, the kids and I are stuck waiting for him to get on the road (i.e. I am stuck with two anxious preschoolers who want to be at the beach!).  I suggested he find an airport on the way down so we can just pick him up on the way.  He found a flight that works perfectly with the travel schedule.  And if something happens with his flight, we are more than half way to our destination, and the kids and I will just get a hotel room for the night.  I will be driving the kids 7 1/2 hours by myself before we pick Chris up at the airport to finish out the trip.  Reminder my kids are almost 5 yrs girl and almost 4 yrs boy.

Now Chris was relaying this plan to his sister last week, and she thinks I'm crazy (and can't believe I agreed to this).  A little background on her.  She lives in Houston, and has 3 kids: 3 yr boy, 4 1/2 yr girl and 7 yr boy.  Due to the high costs of flights, this year she and her husband are driving from Houston to upstate New York (28+ hours) this summer with the kids for vacation.  They figure it'll take 3 days (each way). (one way ticket to the loony bin anyone??)

Chris's sister told him she would rather drive 3 days with her kids and her husband, than drive 7 hours with her kids by herself.  I'm curious what others think.
 
So which would you prefer 7 hours by yourself, or 28+ hours with your significant other?? (I know most would say NEITHER!!!!, but it's my poll, and that's not an option!)

(by the way, love ya Tiff!)

Funny things kids say

I picked up a friend's son from preschool yesterday and it was hilarious listening to he and Keira talk in the back of the car.  Like little adults.  Sometimes I forget they listen to EVERYTHING, and when they use slang correctly, it just makes me giggle.

Me - Did you guys do anything fun at school today?
Keira (4.5 years old) - We painted a picture of a turtle.  The letter of the week is T.
Nate (5 yr old) - I dunno.
Me - Well I guess your mom should stop sending you then, huh, Nate?
Nate - WHAT?  Your pulling my leg, right?

I really should have written down this stuff last night, because I suffer from CRS (can't remember sh!t), and I can't remember anything else.    It really was funny, and you'll just have to take my word for it.  I know there was 'awesome' and 'totally serious'....amongst many others.   All used correctly.

Nate did end up scoring a playdate at our house (after telling me he didn't want to go home and Keira asking me for him to come over).  And after playing outside for a bit, he excused himself to go in and use the bathroom.  I told him he could, but he could also use a tree in our backyard (like he does at home)... to which he replied 'no thanks, I wouldn't want a squirrel to bite my butt.'  Um, ok.

Now don't even get me started on lunch today. Let's just say there was Toy Story Mac & Cheese... and lots of Woody talk.  Liam likes lots of Woodys and Keira prefers Buzz.  But will eat Woody because he tastes good.  I'm sure Pixar knew EXACTLY what they were doing with the character names in that movie...

Check-in time

I hit 25 jazzercise classes on Saturday, so I thought this would be a good time to check in on how I'm doing with my New Years goals...

*Keep exercising.  My goal for 2011 is 194 classes.  So I'm doing good with this goal, since I'm at 27 now.  My 20-year high school reunion in August and my maid of honor duties in October are keeping me motivated.  A friend of mine from jazzercise class asked me to be her partner for Jazz it Off in March/April, so I'll do that and maybe that'll help keep me away from the girl scout cookies in the freezer ;)

*Blog more.  Well, I could probably get better at this... but there are only so many hours in the day.  The work blog started a bit earlier than I thought (check out www.pay4schoolstuffonline.blogspot.com), so between the two I'm still trying to write more.  

*Get the house organized and stay organized.  Still working on this one, but it's going well.  I was clearing out a closet this weekend and found an old diaper bag...full of snacks, too small underwear for Keira and a few diapers for Liam.  Since Liam has been potty trained for a year and a half, let's just say it's been shoved down there for a while. 

*Craigslist.  I actually did get everything on craigslist.  Now, not all of it has sold yet... so I need to put it back up and/or donate it.  Programmable thermostat anyone?  And, I did use the money I made to buy a bike trailer for Liam, so we could go on longer rides.   He loves it (and it's way better than the bike trailer both kids sat in....dragging 90 lbs up hill was killing me).

*Donate.  Yay, no more donation pile in the garage!  I actually brought it over (and filed my receipt for next year's taxes instead of throwing it on the growing stack of papers in the kitchen).  Progress.  It's the little things I tell ya.

*Integrate cleaning in my daily life.  Nope.  Not even one bit.  In fact, the house is a disaster and I'm hosting bunco tomorrow night.  It'll be presentable by then, hopefully (and I promise to clean the downstairs bathroom).  Luckily I did convince Chris that we need someone to come clean this summer while there is no school and I'm working two PT jobs.  I mean, I'm not a machine.  I just have to do it until then, sigh.



How's everyone else doing with their New Year's goals and resolutions??

Can Keira come out and play?

Keira's growing up.  I mean, I knew it was coming, but I didn't know we were quite here yet.  Registered her for kindergarten, no problem.  But the other day we were at the park and Liam was ready to go.  Really ready to go.  We'd been there for a few hours and he was tired and hungry and on the verge of a meltdown.  Time.to.go!  Normally I'd grab Keira and we'd all go home.  But she was having so much fun with her friends, and didn't want to leave.  One of my friends said they were leaving soon (it was almost dark anyway), and Keira could stay and they'd bring her home.  Ok, sounds great.  Then on their way to our house, they called and said "Can Keira come over to play?"  Now this doesn't sound like a big deal...but up until now, if someone watched one of the kids, they were babysitting.  Or if one of the kids played at a friend's house, I was there.  But to have one of the kids go over to just play, without me, that sounded so grown up.  I was making dinner while she was at the park, so I told her she needed to come home for dinner and then she could go back after dinner to play.  Chris and I were talking about it afterwards, and realized Keira is at the age where she is going to go over to a friends house to play, and may even stay for dinner.  And her friends will come over here and do the same.  That's the big reason we moved to this neighborhood.  Lots of kids to play with.  So next time her friends ask if she wants to come over and play, we'll let her.  When she's hungry she'll either ask to come home or will just eat with them.  And I know to expect the same here.  I just thought I still had a few months before my little girl was going to be 'on her own' out in the neighborhood!

Keira the Kindergartener??

Well, not yet... but soon!  Keira is officially registered for kindergarten!!  She is so excited, and would start tomorrow if she could.  She was able to check out her school a little bit when we registered, and saw some of the kids walking around.  She's been asking a lot of questions lately...especially about the school bus, which I think she is more excited about than school!  Now we sit and wait to find out when she'll start.  We are at a year-round school, so depending on what track we get, she'll either start July 11th or August 1st.  We've requested Track 4, which would give us more time at the New York lakehouse in the summer.  Track 4 "tracks out" immediately, so she'd have the entire month of July off, and wouldn't start school until August 1st.  If we don't get Track 4, then she'll start July 11th.  We find out at the end of April.  At least once we are assigned a track, Liam will automatically get the same one, so we don't have to play the waiting game again next year.  It's hard to believe one more year and both kids will be in elementary school! 

No school. No snow. Just ice.

I love our mild winters in North Carolina... but do not like that we often find ourselves on that line between snow and rain.  Which means ice.  And ice is not fun.  Ice cancels school, playdates and isolates us to our house.  At least if it was snow, we could enjoy the day off from school sledding, playing with our friends, and making snowmen and snow angels.  This morning is one of those ice days.  Schools are closed, gymnastics is canceled, and our driveway is a skating rink (which makes even walking to the neighbor's house to play treacherous).  I'm armed with lots of crafts and books and we'll make the best of it.   Special shout out thanks to Maggie for the awesome brownie kits and gummy making kits she gave us for Christmas.  They'll definitely be pulled out today as well!  (too bad Jazzercise is also closed, sigh)

Keira summed it up best when she said she "dreams of the days the ice is gone and she doesn't have to wear a coat any more".   She's one smart girl.

I love my kids, but I like them more and more each day

It's true.  I love my kids....but I LIKE them more and more each day.  They are little people and are so much fun to be around.  Not to mention they sleep through the night, feed themselves, wipe their own a$$es and can tell you what they want.

Here's an example of why I LIKE my kids...  the other day, we went to the museum.  We were there for over five hours, and what did I carry?  MY PURSE!  Yup, that's it!!  If they have to go to the bathroom, they use the pubic restroom.  If they are thirsty, they get a drink out of the water fountain.  If they are hungry, I tell them to shut up until lunchtime.  No strollers, no diaper bags, no bag of clothes 'just in case', no snacks, no water bottles, nothing.  Just my purse.  Ahhhh, it was so nice!!! 

It constantly amazes me when people see the light at the end of the tunnel, and start over again.  I'd kill myself.  No, I'd kill the doctor that botched my husband's surgery.