8.31.2012

Finally, a name for my "disease"


Apparently, all I need is a little speed to get over my "Tired Mother Syndrome." 

"She's come to you because she's depressed and tired all the time. She has vague complaints of apathy, listlessness, feeling blue ... prescribe Ritalin. This gentle stimulant can help brighten mood and improve performance ... dispel fatigue ... restore alertness, enthusiasm and drive."

All that from one little pill?! I'll head down to the street corner pharmacy now. 

Ad is from 1967 — 100 percent stolen from here.

8.30.2012

Fresh eggs on the ground


Aren't these eggs pretty?
And they are from right down the street!

8.16.2012

First day of first grade


Finally here — the first day of first grade! 

Will was excited and had a little trouble getting to sleep last night. (Mommy did too, lots of anxiety-filled dreams about missing pages and upset editors. And I lost the van filled with interns. Yes, journalism-diven dreams are so exciting.) But everyone got up on time, had a good breakfast and was out the door ready for a new adventure. It's only a half-day today so I'll see him soon. Until then, it's rather quiet with only one kid home. 

8.14.2012

A happy video for Tuesday

Goodness, is it only Tuesday? The weeks are just dragging here. It's been a lovely summer but I'm ready for fall, ready for a return to routine. We start school Thursday but that feels forever away. So here's a happy book and video some of you might remember.  I grew up watching "Sesame Street," "Mr. Rodgers," "Reading Rainbow" — and despite watching all that TV, turned out all right. I was hopeful the boys would like "Sesame Street" too but neither turned into fans. (I think the newer seasons have lost some of the magic. Hey, there's always "The Muppet Show.")


When I brought home "The Four Seasons" from a thrift visit, I thought at least I can share some of the magic I remember with the boys. I think it's pretty neat that they took some of the skits and turned them into books. Dear Prairie Dawn directs Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, Herry Monster and lovable furry old Grover in a play about the four seasons, copyright 1979.


"First the sun starts to shine. Then the rain starts to shower, and up from the ground 
grows a beautiful ... flower!"


Enjoy!

8.10.2012

Friday finds


If the boys are with me on the thrift store rounds, I am limited to walking by the furniture directly to the toys with a quick stop by the books on the way out. I was only able to notice this jacket — purple corduroy? in my size?! — because it was on the rack nearest the toys. If you are a thrift store regular, you are familiar with the color discounts. Each week or day has a different color 50 to 75 percent off. (Or maybe that is just our stores?) Excellent way to keep the store inventory fresh. So while the jacket was $6.99, that day's color was orange making it 75 percent off. I did a little happy dance out the door with my new $1.75 jacket. 


I only got to one thrift store during the annual summer trip to Memphis. (Maybe next summer, Mom and I can take a day to really explore. Seems most of the thrift stores are located on Summer Avenue.) This vintage orange clutch was marked $9.99. Again, it matched the color tag on sale, making it 50 percent off. Still a bit pricey but I kept it in my hand as I walked around. At the register, I was told it was not on sale BUT it sure shouldn't be marked 9.99 either. I may not buy a clutch for $5 but I sure will take it home for $1. And the clerk went ahead and gave me the 50 percent discount. Score!

So now me, my purple jacket and orange clutch need a fun place to go this fall. 

Find anything good recently? Doesn't have to be a thrift store find — maybe you fell in love with a book or movie? A new restaurant in your town? Please share!

8.09.2012

Worth the trouble?


Last month I brought home some garden tomatoes from Mississippi. 
So many that I thought filling the freezer with tomato sauce was a great idea. 


Three hours later I had one messy kitchen. 

What was I thinking? That it would be a fairly easy project?! For one thing, all that work and time resulted in one measly cup of sauce. Now granted, it was a really, really yummy cup of sauce (recipe from Smitten Kitchen) that Chris and I enjoyed for dinner. The boys wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pole, but that's nothing new. It was my first time making sauce and I had no idea that once you get rid of the juice and seeds, there's not much to a tomato. I give myself an A for effort. And the permission to keep enjoying the stuff from the jar.

8.02.2012

Random Thoughts No. 22

Will is now a big fan of Battleship. He wanted to rush out and buy the board game after playing at a friend's house. We're not rushing out to buy anything these days so I suggested he might get lucky at the thrift store. It took a few weeks, but he did finally (finally!) find the game (and actually batted his big brown puppy-dog eyes at someone who was eyeing the same game to secure it. Hoping he will only use his power for good in the future!). Between visits to the thrift store, we went old school and printed the game off the computer. I love Cathe's vintage printable at Just Something I Made.

Will (and his daddy) is also a big fan of Minecraft now. I was wondering when the obsession would come to my house. You build things with blocks. For my Lego-lovin' household, it was not a matter of if, but when.

At this moment Joseph is watching the Nova episode "Lizard Kings" on Netflix for at least the sixth time. I can't complain; it is educational. And it inspired a visit to our zoo to see the Komodo dragon there.

Good reads: I found these recent articles on parenting worth sharing ...

Spoiled Rotten Why do kids rule the roost? by Elizabeth Kolbert/The New Yorker
My kids are going to start helping more around here! As soon as I make their breakfast, fold their laundry and cater to their every demand.

Phases and Moments by Kara Gebhart/Huffington Post Parents
Because this parenthood ride is up and down and when you're down, you need a reminder that the ups are coming. I've read this again and again.