I spent the morning at Walmart. And those of you who know me well know how much I dislike Walmart. But the car needed an oil change and my errands list included a birthday present for a baby, so it was just easier to go to the dreaded super giant and knock it all out at once. Besides, who doesn't love killing an hour and half in a Walmart with a two year old?
Now that two year old is up in his crib, rolling around, making noises like he is going to start calling for me any minute. But I had to take a few minutes and decompress from the morning spent at Walmart. So I sat down at the laptop and planned out the home made gifts I'll be making for Christmas. I planned out the Halloween suckers I'll be making for my big four and a half year old's class party. I even scoped out a cool treat to make for Thanksgiving. I am ready for the season, right down to the card my boys will be making for their day care teachers this Christmas.
Even though I am currently not working outside the home I have this feeling that life is going to be crazier than usual this season. My big four and a half year old has tee ball, china school, and football. I might want him to sing in the church Christmas play. We have our china play group. I have our Families With Children From China board meetings and my secretarial duties. I am thinking about trying to start a central Ohio chapter of Families for Russian and Ukraine Adoption. Oh, and I might have a job starting soon. So I'm thinking we are about to just explode with busy. Which is why I am planning the same home made gift for many of the people on my holiday gift list. A simple, easy to make, wholesome sugar scrub. The coffee scrub is my favorite - I'll be sure to make a little extra for me. And the memory jar that my oldest son will be making for his grandparents is just too sweet.
So I have made all my plans and I am ready to go. Wanna see more? Click on the red PINTEREST button to the right of this post and check out my planning boards!
Are you well on your way to your holiday planning?
Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts
Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
better parenting through coffee
Thank God I know my sister. Alright, well, of course I know my sister. I guess what I meant was thank God we were both in college at the same time. (don't ask.) We went to different colleges in neighboring towns, so we were able to spend a lot of time studying together. We studied at her student union, we studied at my student union, (although we called it the student center at my school...), we studied at coffee shops. And in between all of that studying my older sister introduced me to joys of coffee.
I am fearful that this confession will lead you all to figure out my age but I'm saying it anyways. I grew up in a time when high school kids did not have access to nor did they hang out in coffee shops. There was a coffee place in Kent, which has since closed, (sigh), but until I was in high school we didn't even have fast food coffee available in my tiny little town. "Having coffee" was just not something we kids were doing. (oh my God, how old am I?)
My dad drank a lot of coffee but it was just understood that I was not old enough to partake and was not going to be old enough for quite some time. Then my sister came back to town and poured me my first cup. And I was hooked.
After college my sister moved to Lakewood where I visited her regularly and fell in love even harder with my new caffeinated friend. And now, totally addicted.
Better parenting through coffee. That's me.
I have a new coffee pot that I hate. My old one was over 10 years old when it finally died. It was white and cheap. I replaced it a few months ago with a Mr. Coffee. Which does not work properly. The pause feature doesn't work and the numbers on the clock don't show up all the way. The coffee is good though. And this one is black, which matches my other appliances, so there's that. So I can't really put my finger on why I have this weird dislike of my new coffee pot. All I can say is that I am annoyed when I look at it. Really. My coffee pot annoys me.
Despite it so annoying me I set it up every night to automatically turn on every morning. I love knowing my coffee is downstairs waiting for me as I rouse the boys out of bed and into their clothes every morning. As we walk down the stairs my big 4 year old always says "I smell your coffee, Mommy. Does it make you happy to smell it?" Yes, my boy, yes it does.
I gather up the boys' breakfasts and get them started on eating. Then I pour my first cup. Add the perfect amount of cream and ahhhh. I take a too hot sip and set the coffee down on the kitchen table. I break up a few breakfast table fights, replenish the little one's yogurt or juice- he eats and drinks everything at top speed and then freaks out until more is presented for him. I add the ice packs to the lunch boxes. Take another sip. By now my husband is downstairs and sometimes I sit down with him while he eats breakfast. Maybe another sip or two. Usually not though. Somehow, between getting the kids to eat and all the popping up and down from the table prevents more sipping.
Breakfast over and on to brushing two sets of little teeth, which these days require a lot of cajoling. My big 4 year old hates the taste of his new big kid toothpaste. He loves, however, the spitting that accompanies the new fluoride paste. The two year old likes the taste of his toddler toothpaste but prefers to just suck it off the brush while it remains motionless in his mouth. Shoes are next. Out the door- lunches, school bags, stuffed animals and matchbox cars and sippy cups. Buckle kids in car, hug, kiss, high five them both, (the actual ritual is "hug, kiss, high five, spit on youuuuuu", but I try to avoid the spit on your part.) Kiss the husband. Stand on front porch signing "I love you" and making funny faces at boys as they drive away. My big 4 year old makes the funny faces back and signs "I love you" as the 2 year old signs his version of "I love you" through his tears. Leaving Mommy at home is still not so easy for the poor little guy.
Back into quiet house. Coffee is now cold. Drink some of it. Reheat it. Not so good reheated. Clean up breakfast and then begin daily routine of keeping house clean and pulled together. By the time I am ready to start my work day the coffee pot is off. I turn it back on and maybe, if I am lucky, get to drink another cup before it turns off again. I think to myself that I have, once again, made too much coffee. Tomorrow I should make a smaller pot. But then later, when I am getting the pot ready for the morning I will absentmindedly put in the same amount of water and grounds. And the cycle will start again. Best cup of coffee I never had....
Sometimes I have coffee in the evening. Sometimes I use my new french press to make overnight iced coffee. I frequent Starbucks and other coffee shops, and my big 4 year old is so accustomed to coffee shops that he now requests to go and play Uno during our Mommy and Matthew time. Better parenting through coffee. It's all good....
I am fearful that this confession will lead you all to figure out my age but I'm saying it anyways. I grew up in a time when high school kids did not have access to nor did they hang out in coffee shops. There was a coffee place in Kent, which has since closed, (sigh), but until I was in high school we didn't even have fast food coffee available in my tiny little town. "Having coffee" was just not something we kids were doing. (oh my God, how old am I?)
My dad drank a lot of coffee but it was just understood that I was not old enough to partake and was not going to be old enough for quite some time. Then my sister came back to town and poured me my first cup. And I was hooked.
After college my sister moved to Lakewood where I visited her regularly and fell in love even harder with my new caffeinated friend. And now, totally addicted.
Better parenting through coffee. That's me.
I have a new coffee pot that I hate. My old one was over 10 years old when it finally died. It was white and cheap. I replaced it a few months ago with a Mr. Coffee. Which does not work properly. The pause feature doesn't work and the numbers on the clock don't show up all the way. The coffee is good though. And this one is black, which matches my other appliances, so there's that. So I can't really put my finger on why I have this weird dislike of my new coffee pot. All I can say is that I am annoyed when I look at it. Really. My coffee pot annoys me.
Despite it so annoying me I set it up every night to automatically turn on every morning. I love knowing my coffee is downstairs waiting for me as I rouse the boys out of bed and into their clothes every morning. As we walk down the stairs my big 4 year old always says "I smell your coffee, Mommy. Does it make you happy to smell it?" Yes, my boy, yes it does.
I gather up the boys' breakfasts and get them started on eating. Then I pour my first cup. Add the perfect amount of cream and ahhhh. I take a too hot sip and set the coffee down on the kitchen table. I break up a few breakfast table fights, replenish the little one's yogurt or juice- he eats and drinks everything at top speed and then freaks out until more is presented for him. I add the ice packs to the lunch boxes. Take another sip. By now my husband is downstairs and sometimes I sit down with him while he eats breakfast. Maybe another sip or two. Usually not though. Somehow, between getting the kids to eat and all the popping up and down from the table prevents more sipping.
Breakfast over and on to brushing two sets of little teeth, which these days require a lot of cajoling. My big 4 year old hates the taste of his new big kid toothpaste. He loves, however, the spitting that accompanies the new fluoride paste. The two year old likes the taste of his toddler toothpaste but prefers to just suck it off the brush while it remains motionless in his mouth. Shoes are next. Out the door- lunches, school bags, stuffed animals and matchbox cars and sippy cups. Buckle kids in car, hug, kiss, high five them both, (the actual ritual is "hug, kiss, high five, spit on youuuuuu", but I try to avoid the spit on your part.) Kiss the husband. Stand on front porch signing "I love you" and making funny faces at boys as they drive away. My big 4 year old makes the funny faces back and signs "I love you" as the 2 year old signs his version of "I love you" through his tears. Leaving Mommy at home is still not so easy for the poor little guy.
Back into quiet house. Coffee is now cold. Drink some of it. Reheat it. Not so good reheated. Clean up breakfast and then begin daily routine of keeping house clean and pulled together. By the time I am ready to start my work day the coffee pot is off. I turn it back on and maybe, if I am lucky, get to drink another cup before it turns off again. I think to myself that I have, once again, made too much coffee. Tomorrow I should make a smaller pot. But then later, when I am getting the pot ready for the morning I will absentmindedly put in the same amount of water and grounds. And the cycle will start again. Best cup of coffee I never had....
Sometimes I have coffee in the evening. Sometimes I use my new french press to make overnight iced coffee. I frequent Starbucks and other coffee shops, and my big 4 year old is so accustomed to coffee shops that he now requests to go and play Uno during our Mommy and Matthew time. Better parenting through coffee. It's all good....
Saturday, November 20, 2010
my current favorite things list
my current favorite things...
 |
| homemade berry bliss muffins. strawberry and blueberry heaven. |
 |
| matthew's new responsibility chart. he calls the magnets "stickers" and he can't wait to earn them. we have been using for 7 days, and have had 7 days of my 3 year old making his bed, helping to set the table, getting dressed by himself... nirvana via little round smiley face magnets... |
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my favorite holiday mug. i like it so much i don't even store it with the christmas decorations. it is really big and can hold lots of hot chocolate, irish coffee, or lose leaf tea. |
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| Dax the Wonder zhu zhu pet. this is MY new toy, and I love it! Plus, it is great fun to turn him loose in the kitchen when the cat is about... |
other things I am currently absolutely thrilled about...
- Starbucks red cup is back. There is something about this simple color change from traditional white and green to holiday red that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside...
- the fact that two people I really like have recently told me they are pregnant. I am so happy for both of them! (and this time I really mean it- possibly for the first time in years, I am honestly thrilled when I hear of a pending birth- and that feels really really good.)
- my current view from the kitchen table- both my boys on the living room floor building a monster train track. awwww.
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