Tuesday Thoughts

I know, usually I do Friday thoughts, but there’s no telling what Friday will bring so here goes…

Last Friday I met up with some old coworkers for lunch.  I miss them so much and every time I see them I’m reminded of what work SHOULD be like.  It was so good to catch up with them!

Speaking of work, for the first time in my life I turned down a job offer.  You're probably thinking, "haven't you been looking for a new job??".  And the answer is YES.  Over the summer, I interviewed for this job.  They wanted someone with specific experiences that I didn't have.  I understood and it was fine.  The company unexpectedly emailed me a couple weeks ago asking if I was still looking.  I had nothing to lose so I met with the hiring manager again.  I really like him and the job was right.  But when the offer came in, it was for the exact same compensation, but less vacation, no work from home, no flexibility.  It was a tough choice, but my kids won't be little for very long and I value the time I have with them.  I also talked to a former coworker who works at this company now and he basically told me he works really long hours and there is no work/life balance - it has greatly affected his family relationships.  It was a really tough decision, but I'm hopeful that the right job for me is out there.

There was a time when I dreaded conferences.  Both boys have always done great in school and I realize I was being overly sensitive, but we were always given something to work on.  It felt like criticism and made me concerned they were behind in school.  Again, mostly my own insecurity.  But this year, conferences made me feel like we’re doing everything right!!  W didn’t need a spring conference because his teacher had no concerns.  S’s conferences are mandatory and we were told he’s friendly, creative, and linguistic.  He loves books and recognizes all the kids names in his class.  His teacher thanked us for sharing him with her.  Proud of our boys (and learning to not take advice so critically!).

A and I are going on a date and I’m super excited!  We’re going to an upscale restaurant (that we happen to have a gift card for) and I can’t wait to stuff my face with steak! J

I’ve been doing some “spring cleaning” and I feel like I’m only making my house messier.  Instead of crap stuffed in closets, I now have crap stuffed in boxes… in my hallway. :\

Weekend Recap

SPRING BREAK!!!  Woohoo!!  I’m getting a little jealous of all the vacation pictures flooding my Facebook feed, but at least I get a little break from daily school drop offs.  I even slept in this morning – until 5:30am.  #winning

We had a pretty relaxing weekend (for us) and it was very much needed.  Our new dining room table was supposed to be delivered on Saturday morning between 9-11am.  I took the boys to swim lessons while A waited for the table to arrive.  Swim lessons went well, we stopped at Starbucks on the way home and arrived home to no table.  By 12pm, there was still no sign of the table.  I called the customer service line and no one picked up.  At this point, I was super annoyed.  I tried again and finally got ahold of someone.  She told me that someone had called me around 9 to inform me the table wouldn’t be delivered because it was damaged.  Umm no.  I definitely did NOT receive a phone call.  So we are still without a table.  It’s supposed to arrive on Wednesday – we will see.

That afternoon, we headed to my mom’s house for our annual corned beef and steak dinner.  Everyone loves corned beef except for A so he gets steak.  Dinner was delicious, complete with a strawberry cake for dessert.  Yum.  The boys got to drive the Power Wheels Jeep and played at the park.  We left with very full bellies.

Sunday was our usual routine and then we just hung out at home.  Of course there were board games involved and A and I tried to keep up with the March Madness basketball games.  Per usual, I’m at the bottom of the bracket contest.  A tried to take the boys to the park, but it started to rain.

Caught them off guard, but I thought their outfits were so cute. :)

Weekend Recap

Holy busy weekend!  My house is usually a disaster, but given the minimal amount of time we’ve been home lately, it’s just one giant mess.  Ugh.  Maybe next weekend, I’ll have time to clean.  Maybe.

Our weekend was full of (kid) parties!  The party scene started on Friday.  A and I volunteered to help with the St. Patrick’s day party at W’s school.  My gosh, kindergarteners have A LOT of energy.  I have no idea how W’s teacher does it every day!  I led the “pin the hat on Larry the Leprechaun” game while A led the ring toss game.  The kids wear name tags and every time I addressed one of them by their name, they were shocked that I already knew their name.  So funny.  W has always been a quiet kid in social settings.  I think he does act a little mature for his age, polite, and he’s definitely an introvert.  A and I have joked that he’s like an old man trapped in a 6 year old’s body.  He’ll be yelling, “get off my lawn!” soon enough.  As we left, A remarked that W really wasn’t like the other kids.  There’s just something special about our W and I’m so curious and excited to see where life takes him.

While A and I were partying with the kindergarteners, S and Nani made a leprechaun trap!  It turned out really cute and both boys loved it.  It has since moved and how has a permanent spot among the other houses in the “neighborhood” they built.

Eventually, we headed to my mom’s house for pizza.  W had previously asked if we could get the game, Uno Attack.  The boys already love Uno and games have been big in our house lately (given the 596 days of winter we’ve experienced).  A picked up the game while he was at the store so we ended up bringing it with.  We all had so much fun playing and I was dying of laughter as the game spit out cards at everyone!  I think we’ve already played about 10 times.  Highly recommend!

Saturday started at 5am when S woke us up yelling, “I NEED to go potty!!!!”.  I assumed he would be super cranky all day, but W was actually the one in  a foul mood.  The boys went to their swim lesson and got hair cuts and then we headed to a birthday party for our God daughter and her sisters.  It was a Fancy Nancy themed party and my boys were stylin!  We had lots of fun, but eventually needed to get cranky W home.  By 7:30, the boys were in bed and A and I got to watch an episode of This is Us.

Sunday was our usual routine and then it was time for yet another party!  W was invited to a classmate’s pool party.  He asked if I’d stay and I was glad I was there to help him find the locker room and get ready for the pool.  BUT I was freaking bored.  I don’t know any of the other parents and they all seemed to know someone.  I had brought a book, but it was Michelle Obama’s book and I was a little nervous about being judged for my choice of reading material.  Normally, I wouldn’t care what others thought, but I’m still trying to figure out my place at W’s school and didn’t want to spark any controversy.  By the time the party was over, I was just tired of waiting and maybe a bit tired of kids if I’m being honest… this mom craves quiet time.

Weekend Recap

I’m slacking a bit on the weekend recap so I’m going to try to make this somewhat brief.  I think I’m coming down with a cold and haven’t been feeling well. L

I should first mention that I had a preschool board meeting on Thursday and didn’t arrive home until 11:30.  Once I did arrive, I was freezing and couldn’t fall asleep.  I think I got about 3 hours of sleep that night.

Friday was a blur, but I do know that it consisted of a lunch outing with a coworker and pizza for dinner.  Thankful for my mom because she let my lay on her couch Friday evening while she entertained the boys.  Moms are the best.

You know who else is the best?  A!!  He took the boys to swim class on Saturday and let me sleep in.  I really needed it!  The guys picked me up after class and we headed to Wisconsin to drop off our tax documents.  We grabbed lunch at one of our favorite restaurants and then returned home.  I try to do one minor home improvement type thing every year.  This year, I wanted a new dining table.  I also hope to paint our entry way.  Anyway, I ended up selling our current dining table in a matter of hours and the guy came to pick it up about 15 minutes after we arrived home.  I can’t believe it happened so fast!  After that, I needed to run to the bank.  I think I was home for about 2 hours and it was time to head out again.  My mom and I volunteer to work at an auction every year.  This year, I had hoped to attend as a guest.  A was supposed to come with, but our baby-sitter canceled at the last minute. L  So my mom and I went and as soon as we walked in the door, we were greeted with, “Oh, we’re so glad you’re here!  You’re helping again, right?”  I didn’t have the heart to say no.  This month, I’ll have put in at least 20 hours of volunteer work/time in addition to working full time.  It’s all a bit overwhelming.

Sunday was the usual.  My mom wanted to go to the mall.  I told A I’d go with and take the boys so he could have a much deserved break.  We ended up going to the indoor mall play place, which I’m blaming for my current sore throat and yuck feeling.

I need a vacation.

Stitch Fix 22

I received my 23^rd Stitch Fix today and it reminded me that I never shared Stitch Fix 22, which I received in early November.  Epic fail on my part.  Only 4 months late.  This is also the longest I’ve gone between Fixes.  It’s definitely NOT because I’ve lost interest in Stitch Fix – I still love it.  But with the holidays and following a few bloggers who share clothing deals, I was purchasing my own clothes and didn’t necessarily need any items from SF.  So I decided with Spring due any day now (haha!), maybe it was time for some transitional pieces.  I’ll try to share Fix 23 sooner, you know, as opposed to four months from now (I haven’t even looked at it yet).  But here’s 22 (note: I received these so long ago, I deleted the photos from my phone so these are copies from Instagram):

I first tried on the Nine Britton Peralta Bell Sleeve Knit Top and Liverpool Kay Skinny Jean.  I usually gravitate to floral tops.  I love the feminine print, the navy background, and the mix of colors on this particular top, but in regards to style, it didn’t do anything for me.  I wasn’t sold on the sleeves and I didn’t find it especially flattering.  It was just ok and I couldn’t keep a just ok top.  The jeans on the other hand, were the best jeans I’ve ever tried on.  I own a few pairs of SF Liverpool jeans and they are my absolute favorite.  They’re the most flattering and most comfortable.  These were also an “ankle” style, which was perfect for my height – I often find that jeans are too long.  I didn’t need these, but there was no way I was letting them go back.  RETURN, KEEP

Next up, the Kut from the Kloth Shannay Crossfront Blouse and Violet & Red Jackie Laser Cut Heeled Bootie.  I really liked the style of the top – it had a drapey look and a loose fit.  I also really liked the color – especially for the approaching holidays.  But it was too similar to tops I already own so I decided to send it back.  As for the booties, I liked the laser cut detail, but they weren’t very comfortable and just didn’t wow me.  I’m really picky when it comes to shoes and these didn’t make the cut.  RETURN, RETURN

Finally, the Mo-Ka Ebele Faux Leather Jacket.  I’m not a leather jacket kind of girl.  I would have never picked one out at a store.  And that is exactly what I love about Stitch Fix – they send you items you wouldn’t necessarily consider and you realize you’ve been missing out.  I fell in love with this jacket.  It was perfect for fall and I’m hoping to get some use out of it this spring.  Or is leather out for spring?  Regardless, my fabulous stylist, Jasmine, made me realize that I AM a (faux) leather jacket wearing kinda girl after all.  Who knew?!  KEEP

Weekend Recap

Greetings as we embark on day 1386 of winter.  Seriously, though.  During a weather report over the weekend, I heard the meteorologist mention that our average temperature for this time of the year is in the 40s.  It was -5 as we left the house this morning for school drop offs.  I am slowly (or maybe rapidly) losing my mind.

Despite our weather, I do have quite a few high points I need to mention!

A turned 39 last week!!  I was thinking back to when we first met – A was only 23 (and I was 21!!).  What a difference from 23 to 39.  It feels like an entirely different life with kids and careers and responsibilities… oh my.  A celebrated his birthday with a trip to CF clinic.  He didn’t receive exact numbers, but was told that his lung function hadn’t really changed.  I always take that as good news.  Especially with our brutal winter, a few cold bugs, and A has been without Cayston for a couple months as his insurance changed and we’re trying to get that sorted out.  So taking it all as positive news and hoping that Vertex keeps moving along with the drug discovery and approval process!

Friday, we headed out to one of our favorite pizza places with Nani and Papa in order to celebrate A.  After delicious pizza, cupcakes, presents, and 14 trips to the bathroom, we headed home.  W received his report card on Friday as the second trimester came to a close.  He’s 2/3 of the way through the school year... Crazy!  We’re so proud of our boy.  His teacher mentioned that he was a great listener and very respectful and he’s reading.  His grades all improved from the first trimester so he went from satisfactory to very good in many subjects.  Even his gym teacher mentioned that he was a very hard worker (in gym?!?)… that’s news to me and a huge difference from when we signed W up for soccer and he either stood in the middle of the field while kids played soccer around him or rolled his eyes at the thought of kicking the ball and instead picked it up with his hands and chucked it into the net. 

Saturday began with swimming and Starbucks.  The boys were definitely not on their best behavior in Starbucks.  W was upset that they were out of his favorite type of bagel and insisted on sitting at a different table by himself.  Fine, whatever.  S was a bit noisy and defiant.  I will admit that his behavior has been challenging lately and I feel like he’s testing us.  Anyway, the lady at the table behind us turned around and glared at least twice.  And that pissed me off.  Kids are kids – they are not always perfect or well behaved.  They can be annoying.  They can be loud and defiant.  But I truly believe that’s how they learn.  A and I handled the situation and then we ultimately left when S acted up again.  So take your judgmental looks to another table, lady.  Last I checked, Starbucks is a public place and one in which people are expected to talk and make a certain amount of noise.

Saturday night, my mom came over to watch the boys so A and I could attend a Moulin Rouge themed benefit.  I guess I am now a person who attends fancy benefits.  And I’m definitely loving it.  Ha.  (I’ve actually only attended 2 galas and I was invited by friends, but that’s beside the point)  So A and I got dressed up and met up with my friend, Katie, at the event.  We enjoyed dinner, raffles, dancing, and then called it a night because we are old.

Sunday was our usual routine.  We’re all just tired of being stuck inside and it felt like we were constantly having to entertain the boys and/or break up arguments.  Ugh.  Paw Patrol, Memory, Uno, chess, a blanket fort (or cage as S calls it – here’s hoping he doesn’t tell his teachers he was in a cage this weekend) and homemade mac and cheese and I breathed a sigh of relief when it was finally time for bed.  I should also mention here that W taught me how to play chess a week ago and did an amazing job explaining the rules and then he legit beat me yesterday.  Look out, Bobby Fischer!