the jewelry party

If you know me, you know the unadorned truth: I am not a jewelry person. Oh, I wear my wedding ring and a pair of diamond earrings, but that’s as far as my accessorizing goes. It’s not that I don’t admire people who are put together and polished. I do. I just have no idea how to do that.

One of my dear friends has a theory. In junior high, all of the girls were rounded up and taken on a weekend away where they learned how to apply make-up and put together outfits and do hair. She missed that weekend and has been playing catch-up ever since. I feel much the same way. It was just never a priority, and now I simply don’t know how. It’s sad, really. A thirty-five year old woman who doesn’t know how to accessorize, and, quite honestly, doesn’t really care.

I wanted to laugh out loud last night at my neighbor’s house. It was like the jewelry lady was speaking a foreign language and I only understood every fifth word. She actually asked, “Do you prefer Jewel or Dominicks? This is a great necklace for Jewel. And if you’re going to CASEY’S, well, then you want something more dramatic…”

Is she kidding? Seriously. Wearing jewelry to the grocery store because…why exactly? Is this what housewives do after their children go to bed? Polish their jewelry for the grocery store tomorrow? Come on. I’m too busy wiping pee from the toilet seats to worry about my jewelry.

Sometimes I think I live on another planet from everyone else.

good times

What’s noisier than two five-year old boys? FOUR five-year old boys and a bucket of water balloons!

We invited a couple of preschool friends over for some backyard water fun earlier this week, and, well, had a lot of fun. Serious fun. The Amazing Spiderman Slip ‘n Slide was a big hit, and I managed to hold myself back this time around. (And, incidentally, I noticed the bold print on the front of the slide: CAUTION. Adults should not use this product. May cause serious spinal injury or death.)

The four boys took a play-break for a simple lunch at the picnic table, and I asked each child: “What’s been your favorite thing about summer break so far?” When I asked, I fully expected answers like, “Our trip to Disney World,” and “The Shedd Aquarium.” Both of our guest have been super busy—so busy I had to schedule this playdate a month out. But you know what they said? Without hesitation: “THIS!”

Just hanging out with their friends and a working hose, with hot dogs and fruit salad for lunch, was the highlight of their summer.

Do you have kids home this summer? Are you having fun? Fun doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, especially for little ones. Just providing a place for them and their friends is often enough.

update

The noisy boys have been exonerated. They weren't peeing on the floor, our toilet is leaking. That is either good news or bad news, depending on how you look at it.

And, in case any of you Moms read my last post on Summer Fun and are actually thinking about going on a slip 'n slide with your children, do not do it. I repeat: do not do it. My back is finally feeling normal again some four days later.

A dear friend has told me my blog is becoming an oasis of superficiality and encouraged me to post about more deep and meaningful topics. I told her the next time I have a deep and meaningful thought, I'll consider blogging about it! Seriously. Summer definitely limits my blogging time, which is not a bad thing. I'll get back to deep and meaningful posts at some point, I promise! Until then, enjoy my sporadic wandering thoughts. Or not.

I'll leave you with a friendly reminder: it's not too early to make out your Christmas lists! The noisy boys are sitting at the table, working on theirs right now. (I don't know what prompted their Christmas thoughts , but it's very cute!) So far, twin b. wants: a spy hat, seeds, a robot costume, and water bottles. Twin A. wants: two robots, a snowglobe, a pet turtle, and a shark.

summer fun

I had to do it. Never mind my to-do list and the three baskets of laundry waiting to be folded. The noisy boys were having so much fun, I couldn’t resist. As soon as baby b. went down for his afternoon nap, I donned my bathing suit and joined them in the backyard for some serious water fun: the Amazing Spiderman Slip ‘n Slide.

Let’s be perfectly honest: these are not made for thirty-five year old women. I had no business on that Slip n’ Slide, which I discovered on my first run. The noisy boys thought it was hilarious and cheered me on and gave me more than my share of turns. (Plus I didn’t actually break anything, which is a bonus!) Aches and pains aside, we had a blast.

By the time baby b. was up, everyone was starving. I whipped up smoothies while our Trader Joe’s Rolled Chicken tacos were warming in the toaster oven. Twin B. sipped his berry-yogurt smoothie and chatted happily, summing up our spontaneous afternoon of play in a sentence: “Now THAT’S what I call SUMMER FUN!”

quote of the day

"The next person who pees on the floor will be punished. Seriously. I am sick and tired of stepping in pee."
Llama Momma

Those of you with little boys know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm sure aiming is tricky and all, but come on. It can't be that difficult!

one thing

Sweaty and tired, I slap the teak oil onto the chairs. It’s getting dark, and I don’t care anymore. I just want to be done. One thing. I just want to finish one thing today. Well, one thing besides the housework and the dishes and the laundry and the constant cooking.

“Those will look nice when you’re done,” my neighbor encourages from over the fence.
“Thanks. I’ve been trying to get this project done literally all day.” I respond with a tone of irritation.
“Oh, I remember those days,” she says.
“Is it too much to just start and finish a project in the same day?” I wonder aloud as she smiles.
We are on different sides of parenting, she and I. Our swing set went up the summer theirs came down. Three kids, the last one a senior this year, she has walked roads I haven’t even considered yet.
We chat politely, even as I envy her manicured lawn free of plastic toys.
“I saw you and the kids walking to the pool the other day. Boy does that bring back memories! Those were good days,” she continues, with envy in her eyes.

And as the sun sets, I finally finish the one thing I’ve been trying to do all day. I know she is right. These are good days. Long. Hard. Messy. But so good.

pilates = bad idea

A friend has been singing the praises of pilates for over a year now. “Take a class! You’ll love it!” She encourages. But I have issues with coordination, and some serious baggage with aerobics classes that make me feel klutzy.
“Oh, it’s not like that at all,” my friend assures me. “It’s nothing like aerobics.”
She almost had me convinced. Almost. Looking over the schedule at the Y, I almost did it. But I am so glad I didn’t.

Instead, I checked out some pilates videos at the library. And, let me tell you, they require coordination and abdominal muscles I do not have. I realize that’s the point, but seriously folks. It’s bad.

I have reached new levels of humility with these videos while the noisy boys either flawlessly complete every move while shouting out, “Come on, Mom! It’s fun!” or critique me from the couch, “Don’t just lay there. Lift up those legs! You can do it! CAN you do it, Mom?” and questions I do not wish to answer like, “What’s a firm buttocks?” Oh, yeah. They do not need any more vocabulary to add to their repertoire of body-part humor.

I’m just glad I’m in the house with the curtains closed and not at the YMCA.