Today is My Friday!

I love that Thursday is my Friday and that I have nothing penciled in on my calendar for tomorrow.   I'm looking forward to hanging out at home by myself(hopefully if I can get N back to school!).   The forcast for tomorrow, last I heard is rainy and nasty so it will be a good day to get some neglected chores done around the house.  I also have some neglected school stuff that I have to get done, pictures, newsletters, curriculum updates etc.  I think it will be a productive day.

Today there will be more work done over at Dad's house.  We are taking out the bathroom upstairs and preparing to take the flooring out in that section of the house in order to fix the floor joists that will in turn fix the ominous dip in the floor that you can see in the photo below.

I'm not sure how well you can see the dip in the floor but in person it appears that the house could fold in on itself at any moment.  It seams that the problem stems from two old leaks.  One leak was from the kitchen sink and the other was most likely from the tub in the bathroom.  I have to say I remember that tub leak.  For years the tile on the tub by the faucet was caved in and at times covered with silver duct tape.  Well all that waiting for repairs certainly took it's toll on the house.  Fortunately the problems will be relatively easy to fix and we have competent friends in the business who will work with us to fix the problems.  Once we get the floor joists fixed then we can get new flooring laid down.  We are also in the process of getting permits to do the windows and 'alter' the interior of the house.  This is a much more cumbersome process than what I had anticipated.  I can't wait to make this house beautiful in honor of my Mum and Dad.  I hope that we are making them proud.  

On a different note all this house stuff has my subconscious working overtime.  This morning when my alarm went off I was in the middle of the most horrendous dream about my brother's family.  My SIL played a huge part in the dream and it was quite disturbing.    I wish I could totally let go of all the negative feelings I have tied to her and all that has happened over the last several years.  I'll keep working on it...personal growth.

Well time to finish my coffee and get organized for my day. 

Peace!

Something For Reflection

"When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge."
– Tuli Kupferberg

Peace!

Busy Playing Nurse!

Well the last several days have been busy taking care of sick kids!  First n and then today my oldest didn't feel well and had to stay home from school.  I can't believe that not even a month in and both of my kids have stayed home sick!

All this nursing has made me tired!

Happily N is old enough to stay home by himself so I ran out and did a couple of things during the morning.  I spent about an hour and a half in n's class doing work for her teacher.  After coming home and checking in with my oldest I ran to the grocery store and picked up supplies to get us through the week.

I also called the town offices today to find out about permits for the work we intend to complete over at my Dad's.  The process is much more involved than I thought.  I have to come up with a floor plan sketch and give them an estimate of the cost of the job.  We have to complete the application and take said application to the fire department and the board of heath so they can sign off on our application before we even submit anything!  Yikes.  On top of that we have to fill out and file a separate application to replace the windows and the doors in the house.   All of this and the risk of the entire situation is definitely giving me some stress.  I keep reminding myself of how great it will be in the end.  I just hope we make it through.

Peace!

Before and After!

Before

After

Feeling the Itch

Over the summer I spent a great deal of time using photography as my creative outlet.  Now that I'm back at school and photography is part of my job I am finding that I am itching to dive into some other creative outlet at home.  I'm still fascinated by the light and nature I see around me but I want to try my hand at something else.  Maybe tomorrow I'll break out some supplies and work on some handmade beads or wax printing for monoprint cards.  I wish I had done something today but I was home caring for n.  Our first sick day of the year.  She needed to stay home and was genuinely sick but I always hate calling in sick.  I'm virtually the only one who calls in.  I'm the only one with young children and without someone else at home to care for them when they need to stay home.  I did a bit of resting today too as I have been suffering with a cold.  I'm hoping it doesn't morph into something worse.  We'll see.

Peace!

Productive and Proud!

Well today was a hugely productive day.  n and I went out around 11am.  We did the banking, went shoe shopping and tried on a bunch of different shoes.  Both of us tried on these patent leather, red, 4 inch heals.  They were so funny.  I thought they actually looked good on n.  They reminded me of Dorothy and her red shoes from Wizard of Oz.  We ended up finding n some black booties at Kohls that suited her taste better than any thing we saw at Off Broadway.  We also went window shopping a Pier 1.  I found some cute candles that I picked up for a birthday gift.  After that we headed over for a quick bite at Panera.  Our final stop was Home Depot.  We purchased waterproofing paint, hydraulic cement, buckets and brushes.  The drylock paint was so heavy that we ended up using one of those flat carriages so that we didn't have to lift the paint.  It was quite the trip trying to navigate around the store with that huge flat bed.

Once our shopping was done we went home to change into 'work' clothes and headed over to Dad's.  There is much work to be done but we are moving steadily forward.  I am amazed at how neglected the home and property truly is but in the same breath I must say that I see tremendous opportunity and know that this process will be an incredible learning experience.  I think that  restoring my childhood home is also going to be a cathartic experience.  As much as I did for my my parents; I still have regrets and I hope that working their land and improving their home will help to heal my regrets and also help me to release some of the anger that I am holding onto with regard to how things have gone since my Mum passed away almost ten years ago.

Peace!

Go Ahead Do It... Lean On Me.. I am stronger than you know

Quotes

I love quotes.  I think they can be motivational and uplifting.  I just found out that N's health teacher will be sharing quotes throughout the year and that his students will be responsible for copying them into their health notebook.

The first two quotes are as follows:

           "The only think in between you and success is the courage to try."  Kathleen Dunham

            "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today, today is a gift, that is why it is called the         present."  by B. Clatumji



Love this idea.  This health teacher is one of N's new favorites as is his ELA/Social Studies teacher.  I'm happy that he has connected with at least two of his four teachers.  He thinks his Math teacher is ok and nice enough.  His science teacher however is a yeller and leaves a lot to be desired.

I would love to write a children's book  all about teachers who are yellers that get sent to an island all by themselves and have to figure out how to manage without yelling.  I picture it as a picture book in the style of the Dr. Seuss books like Gertrude McFuzz.

Peace!

When You Least Expect It.....

Well yesterday was a fabulous day at work.  The children are wonderful.  It is busy and exhausting but all in a good way.

I got home and it was like walking into a different world.  Evidently N had a very difficult day at school.  Come to find out one of his teachers is a 'yeller'.  He only has her for one subject but it sent him over the edge.  On top of that I checked my email and had an unexpected email pop up that immediately put me on edge and made me feel sick to my stomach.  I even had bad dreams about this situation last night. I wish I could be less reactive and emotional.  I'm working on it.  I'm still pondering if I should respond to the email or ignore it as the sender has typically done to any of my communication.  I just don't know.  I'll be calling my friend C to get her take on the situation.

Peace!

Update:  So I decided to ignore the email after a lengthy conversation with C on my way home.  Well don't you know that I had another email in my inbox when I got home from school today!  I decided that I had to address the matter.  I think that the emails will end up leading to a request for some sort of financial assistance.  I kept my response short and sweet.  So curious that after so little communication from this person that I'd get two emails in two days with today's email marked with an urgent punctuation mark.  Hold on folks I think this may end up being a bumpy ride.

A New Week

Well yesterday was an incredibly productive day.  We had an insurance inspector coming at 1:30 to look at the house to get a baseline I guess for our new insurance carrier.  That visit inspired me to whip the house into shape.  I worked from 9am until 3pm and got so much done.  The upstairs, which usually remains neglected, got a complete and thorough cleaning.  My bedroom and the bathroom are spotless!  All the beds were stripped, laundry washed and then re made.  The main living space was picked up, dusted(I hate to dust) and organized a bit.  I was able to prepare a roasted chicken dinner with mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus and rice.  I also prepared a lasagna for R to cook today and on top of that I baked homemade granola squares.  As I waited for the chicken to cook I ironed a weeks worth of outfits and was even able to talk to a couple of friends on the phone!

On the work front I was able to get together our weekly curriculum update to post today as well as a rough draft of our first newsletter.  Photo were uploaded for order and I organized the online photo site.

After typing all of this out I can see why I was soooo tired by the end of the day.

Lots more to tell about plans for Dad's house but that will have to wait for now.  I'm off to get dressed to go to work.

Have a great day!

Peace.

Fall

To Let Go

I found this here and fell in love.  What do you think?

She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go. She let go of the fear. She let go of the judgments. She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around in her head. She let go of the committee of indecision within her. She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons. Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.

She didn’t ask anyone for advice. She didn’t read a book on how to let go. She didn’t search the scriptures. She just let go. She let go of all of the memories that held her back. She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward. She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.

She didn’t promise to let go. She didn’t journal about it. She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer. She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper. She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope. She just let go.

She didn’t analyze whether she should let go. She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter. She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment. She didn’t call the prayer line. She didn’t utter one word. She just let go.

No one was around when it happened. There was no applause or congratulations. No one thanked her or praised her. No one noticed a thing. Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go. There was no effort. There was no struggle. It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad. It was what it was, and it is just that. In the space of letting go, she let it all be. A small smile came over her face. A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone on her.”
~Earnest Holmes

The Weekend!

It's been a beautiful weekend!  This is my kind of weather; sunny and in the mid 60's to mid 70's.  Looks like this pattern is going to follow through for most of next week too.  I wish it could be like this every day of the year.  We all seem to have settled into our school routines rather quickly.  I wonder what next week will bring in terms of homework for N and n.  It was very light last week...and that makes life so much easier.  It's funny when I'm working I typically don't get home until 5pm at the very earliest, usually 5:30 is the norm and almost every day last year there was some sort of homework crisis that had to be solved, along with making dinner, picking up, etc, etc.  Hopefully this year will be a little different.

I went back last night to see where I was at this time last year and read through many posts.  Unbelievable. I am looking forward to a peaceful fall.  I'm hoping to deal with any emotions that bubble up in relation to our families loss of Dad last year.  I am going to try to be happy and not feel guilty for that happiness.  I often find myself in that trap.  I don't know why but I do!  We will be focussed on fixing up my Dad's house with the hopes of selling it in the future.  The one nagging worry I have is if and when I'll hear from my brother and how that will work out.  I love him very much and wish her were in a different situation.  As much as I love him I can't go back to being his enabler and protector.  Those are damaging roles that thankfully I have shed.  Only time will tell.

For now I am committed to be positive, live in the moment and enjoy all the blessing that surround my family.

Peace!

Remembering Joseph Roberto September 11

Joseph Roberto

37 years old

Midland, New Jersey

A Family is

a circle of strength and love.

With every birth and every union the circle grows.

Every joy shared adds more love.

Every crisis faced together

makes the circle stronger.

Joseph "Joe" Roberto was a son, brother, uncle, husband, and father.

He was devoted to his family and his family devoted to him.

He was a friend and colleague.

He maintained a solid work ethic and held himself to high expectations.

He enjoyed life: motorcycles, riding his motorcycle and investigating the battlefields in Virginia and West Virginia, exploring nature with his son, collecting coins, putting up his parents holiday decorations and gathering his own.

He is loved.

When I first received my name from the 2996 project I felt an immediate connection to Joseph Roberto as he shares a variation of my father's name. As I started my research I found it difficult to find much information to share, but I continued to dig and search. Finally I found this site and I learned much more about this person whom we all lost on September 11, 2001. I am honored and humbled to share this tribute today on the 9th anniversary of the greatest loss we have felt on our soil. May the Roberto family be blessed and my God bless the United States of America.

Peace

Crazy Cloud Storms or Storm Clouds :)

Wordless Wednesday

One Day Down

Well we all made it through the first day of the new school year!  As expected N is slow to adjust to the new schedule and would rather skip the entire thing all together.  n loved school.  She enjoyed her teacher and made many new friends.  She is excited to go back!

My first day was lovely.  Smaller classes, children who have already learned so much and a wonderful teaching partner.

Even with the first day under our belts I had another fitful nights rest.  I'm hoping that this isn't going to be my new normal.  We shall see.

Back To School

It's the 6th of September and all through the house
the children are crying and lying about
the Moms and the Dads in the neighborhood cheer
glad tidings abound it's the start of the school year,
pencils are sharpened, notebooks are packed
the children resist hitting the sack
menus are planned and snacks stored away
oh when, oh when will they hit the hay
the alarm will sound early, too early for me
coffee to brew, or perhaps just some tea
in the cool fall air,  faces are bright,
children are reassured
they'll get through their fright
one last picture
a kiss, and a hug
to the bus they go
a year of adventures
begin again
soon they will know
how fast time does fly
but for now just a quick wave good bye.

Realizations

Today was a glorious day!  The air was crisp and clean at first and slowly it warmed but not so much that it was hot just enough to take the chill out of the air.  It was a perfect fall day and an example of my favorite kind of weather.  When you can choose to wear pants or shorts I am a happy girl.  Today I split the difference and wore my cropped pants.  Most of the day was spent organizing  laundry and thoughts in preparation for all of us returning to our school schedule.

My good friend C had her annual family cookout.  I made a yummy dip for the festivities.   R's been spending a lot of time at 40 Mayflower 'deconstructing' and was not able to come with me to the cookout.  Both of the children opted out too!  It was nice to go to the cookout and not have to 'babysit' so to speak, but it felt funny.  It was nice to catch up with some folks at the party.

I have to say that I think I finally realized something about myself.  While I enjoy socializing I prefer to socialize in smaller more intimate groups.  For whatever reason  I find larger social groups of people distracting and almost anxiety provoking.  I can handle it and usually am able to settle in and enjoy myself but I do better in smaller group settings.  It's strange however that when in a larger group for a work or Stand for Children related event I am not as distracted or nervous.  I would like to work on this quirk in my personality.  I have also recently been reflecting on my aversion to controversy and drama and believe I need to learn how to better handle such situations so that they pop up less frequently in my life.  Not quite sure how I'm going to desensitize myself to these situations but I'll figure it out eventually.

Peace!

Spent some time over at Dad's house today.  We saw an amazing cruise ship in the early afternoon.  I tried to capture it with my camera but as far as I'm concerned came up short.  It looked so much larger in person.

Hop Along!

I forgot about the Hop Along Friday.... Think I'll go check out some different blogs.

Peace!

Fun with Photos!

I've been trying to learn more about Aperture 3, my photo editing/organizing program.  I've been trying to figure out how to use the 'brushes'.  I made some progress yesterday.

 

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

So he's not a baby anymore!  I can hardly believe that 12 years ago today I was in the hospital holding my little baby boy.  He has grown into a wonderful human being.  I am thankful for his unique perspective on life.   I am thankful for his desire to keep at least one foot in the land of childhood while there are so many pressures to grow up so fast in our society.  I am thankful that he is strong, healthy, smart, persistent and sensitive.  I am thankful that he chose me.

Peace!

Me and My Shadow!

I'm Back!

Well I was never really gone... 


When I started August Break it felt like such a huge challenge to post a photo representing each day, every day for the entire month.  Well I did it and it felt good.  I'm going to try to continue my photo practice and return to my writing practice as well.  I'm diving into the fall schedule this week as I prepare for the children to come back to school and for my children to return to their schools.  


On a different note I was saddened to hear that Michael Douglas' throat cancer has been diagnosed as stage 4.  Brings me back to last year at this time when Dad began his journey.  Very sad.  


Well that's all for now.  I'm hoping to have some lovely outdoor shots from school today.


Peace!