Am I My Own Weakest Link?

I've been thinking a lot lately about life, the big decisions, the big picture, and it occurs to me that I appear to be basing my overall wellbeing on my poor choices. We're all familiar with the saying "you're only as strong as your weakest link" well I'm feeling only as productive as my least-productive days, only as smart as my poorest decisions. While I can see the logic in the weakest-link analogy, I need a more positive perspective. I need to be strong despite my weakest link, strong enough to fix my weak links. (Seems I can't blog properly from behind this Navy firewall, I'll edit later to add the image I wanted to put here.)

Spring Break 2012 Day 2 Sunday

All my good intentions about staying up super late Saturday or getting up extra early on Sunday to finish my homework were ill-conceived in the first place, and therefore went unexecuted. So I awoke with the desire to spend more family time, slighly dampered by the nagging requirement to do homework. All of which became OBE when JR said he thought Phoebe might need stitches, so I played with Christopher while JR & Phoebe went to urgent care. After more than a two hour wait, however, the urgent care place sent them to the ER in case she needed stitches, because apparently they are unable to stitch faces.



So he brought her home for a quick bite to eat, and I took her to the ER, where she was seen after an incredulous five minute wait (we had been quoted 1½hrs), and her chin was butterfly-stitched (which could have been done at the urgent care place, probably much cheaper).



So we got a late start to NB's, enjoyed a "cooked in the yard" dinner, then enjoyed some family Jenga! AJ lasted but one round, then needed to be put to bed due to unsportsman-like conduct. Grandma & Grandpa & Uncle Dre & Phoebe enjoyed several more fun-filled rounds before NB sent us home so I could finish my homework.



I was completely unsatisfied with my paper, but I submitted it at midnight when it was due.

Note to self: do not schedule anything during the last week of school.

Spring Break 2012 Day 1 Saturday

Grandma & Grandpa arrived Friday, so we met after work at NB's for a spaghetti dinner and a brief chit-chat/catch-up, then disbursed so our out-of-state travelers could rest. Phoebe & Christopher both fell asleep in the car (standard), and both managed to stay mostly asleep through the transition from car to bed (a first!).



By early Saturday Phoebe was ready to head STRAIGHT to Grandma & Grandpa's hotel for some pool time! I let her pack her swim stuff, but insisted we go to NB's so the plan of the day could come together with the inputs of all involved. :) AJ had a rough day and wasn't up to pool play, so we chatted the day away, enjoyed a Pizza Hut dinner, and then snuck off to the pool without AJ. When I asked Christopher if he wanted to swim he said no, so I stayed dressed, but took him and his swim trunks with us to the pool to watch Phoebe & Grandma play. I think I heard Phoebe say "Grandma, watch me!" about a million times. :) Then Christopher got interested, so I got him changed and deposited him into the water with Grandma. I'm glad I didn't get in too, because Christopher clung to his Grandma with hugs and smiles and play like never before. They both seemed to really enjoy it.



Then as the pool closed and I attempted to wrangle up the wet munchkins, Phoebe banged her chin on the edge of the pool. :( It didn't bleed much, and she didn't cry at all, but I know chin injuries hurt. Grandpa put a band-aid on it and we headed home. Christopher again stayed asleep through the transition, but Phoebe got her chin re-bandaged by Daddy and stayed up to watch the Kid's Choice Awards (KCAs). She has already suggested that we might have to move to California when the time comes so she can attend "Hollywood Arts" (the high school where fictitious Victoria Justice and her friends to go school).

Half Gone

OMG, 2011's half gone! I can't stand it.

Slow down, world! Let me catch up.

The Midnight Orange

Some time ago, I stumbled upon an artist whose work sometimes brings me to tears. I've never purchased anything of hers, but do read her infrequent blog posts and follow her Etsy shop. The story of why she sculpts child angels always touches me, and I noticed when reading it today that she hopes the story is widely shared. http://themidnightorange.blogspot.com/2010/04/why-i-sculpt-child-angels.html



She sculpted the "Harvest" below for Christopher's mother commemorating his angelversary. :) Many other heartfelt and beautiful pieces at http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMidnightOrange.

Spontaneous New Outfit

I headed to work this morning in stinky shoes, a skirt that was too snug, and a top that was too hot. I stopped at Target to get cash to take to Phoebe at school so she could purchase a school yearbook, and got lured into the women's clothing section to explore the possibility of a more comfortable skirt. I immediately found a delightful little $24.99 summer dress, which - low and behold - fit perfectly, which never happens when I am actually clothes shopping. That little victory sent me into the shoe dept where I found an equally delightful little pair of strappy black patent sandals for $19.99 that I couldn't resist. I paid for my purchase, changed in the Target restroom, and headed to work feeling pretty and very summery. :)

Water

In an effort to reduce my Mocha intake, I didn't commit to actually drinking more water, instead I commited to just make it readily available at my desk. Low and behold... it's working! It used to be that I would consume one 16-20oz coffee for the drive in, another 20oz Mocha for my morning workload, and then maybe another large Mocha for the ride home! Now I skip the home coffee, treat myself to one Mocha for the ride in, make it last halfway through my morning workload, then switch to water. And the warmer weather is naturally making me skip the afternoon Mocha in favor of something icy-cold instead. These changes, combined with my recent bout of nausea, have already taken the tension in my snug waistband down a notch.

Nanny/Housekeeper/Cook

Our two children have been raised primarily by their stay-at-home-Dad because we are ADAMANT about their security, safety, and general wellbeing. But now after 7+yrs, Dad is ready to rejoin the workforce, and so we're looking for the perfect person to watch our children. Must have experience and references, and an obvious love of children. Any successful candidate will, as a minimum, be able to support our remaining school schedule through mid-June plus a full-time summer schedule through the end of August.



Initial childcare schedule will be 8am to 4:30pm on Mondays, and Noon to 4:30pm Tuesdays through Fridays, with additional hours required to support the Fairfax County Public Schools published calendar. Summer childcare schedule will be 8am to 4:30pm Mon-Fri.



Preferred candidates will earn more to stay and do dinner preparation and/or housekeeping. I will consider any combination of regular or occassional housekeeping, and will give high preference to the provider who could also take over the household grocery shopping, plan our meals, and prepare family dinners Monday through Friday.



English fluency/proficiency is a must, as our preschool son is experiencing slight language and developmental delay - we need someone who can work with him constantly on his communications and basic life skills (speaking, listening, self-feeding, self-dressing, potty training, etc).



My ideal candidate might be a Mom, who may either bring her one young child with her, or whose children are older and already independent. Or my ideal candidate might be a teacher whose schedule is a perfect fit and has lots of experience managing varying degrees of childhood chaos. Or my ideal candidate might a spunky Grandma who can keep up with the high-energy and high-spirits of young children. Or my ideal candidate might be a college student who may be specializing in early childhood development or special education who works with kids every summer. Or my ideal candidate might be . . . you.



Oh, we have two cats and a huge drooly dog. You absolutely must be totally okay with that. And by huge I mean a 100+lb Rotty.

Sleep

The only way I manage to keep my sanity at all, is by getting enough sleep. My day is hard enough that I fall asleep easily at 10pm. I'm so glad Phoebe & I are on somewhat of a routine. I look forward to when JR & Christopher get into one too, I'm thinking preschool will go a long ways towards making that happen. :)

Future State Brainstorming

Wonder if my blog might be a good place to project plan... I really prefer digital composition, but there's been holes in my planning processes since I abandoned my Franklin Planner for a PDA. Perhaps I will gather all the little notes I've started at various times in various places, and put them here, where I can 'manage' them. Projects ought to be managed. I'm a process improvement professional. I often wonder why I haven't applied my profesional skills to my personal life.

1/1/11 Happy New Year!

2010 is gone. Wow. Ten years w/JR. Phoebe's seven. Chris is practically three. AJ is three. and I'm forty! Good Lordy I'm forty! I'm not big on new years' resolutions, I think any time is a good time for change, and I just don't see any value added by attaching it to a holiday. But. There sure are some changes I'd love to see come to fruition in 2011. Gotta help JR get out of his rut and into the workforce. Gotta budget smarter, spend less, and save more. Gotta get healthier. Gotta get a grip on my personal productivity.