Mama Vacay

That's right, I went on vacation BY MYSELF!  It was amazing, something I wondered if I would ever do again now that I'm married and have kids.  I had to keep my guilt at bay and just go with my selfishness on this one, and it was worth it! 

My friend lives in Colorado, and there are actually flights from Milwaukee to Denver for pretty cheap, so when Brendan was gone traveling for a whole week last month, I bought tickets for a weekend away.  I flew out Friday night and came home Monday afternoon.  Three days of being alone, sleeping in and seeing the mountains! 

It was so fun to hang out with my dear old friend.  She doesn't have kids so it was like a glimpse into my old life, where you could sleep in on a weekend if you felt like it.  Where you can go out to eat at 8:30pm on a Friday like it's no big deal!  Where you can go for a drive and jump out any ol' place you want without having to unbuckle and rebuckle kids in the car seats.  It was...AMAZING.  I love my kids, don't get me wrong, but oh how much fun life would be without them for a weekend here or there. 

Now I'm begging Brendan to get a job at NREL, the renewable energy lab in Golden, so we can move out there and be by mountains all the time.  Every time I'm by the mountains I think I must live in them sometime in my life.  Why not now?? Make it happen, B!

Fabric shopping, of course.

Poor sad Ingrid.

MOUNTAINS!

Some rich lady bought this ski resort so her kids could practice for competitions.  Must be nice.



Driving to Boulder

 

And now, I'm home.  Like I said, I love my kids, but damn it was nice to get away. 

The Zoo with My Guy

Yesterday was beautiful so Otis and I headed to the zoo.  Usually our zoo trips are with friends, lots of kids running pell mell through the zoo, wanting to play at the park and complaining about being tired.  But with just Otis and I, it was so relaxing!  We meandered through the animals, only seeing what we wanted.  We stopped and ate lunch and had a treat afterward.  When it was time to go home, we popped on over to the train and took a ride before leaving.  Just me and my guy.  A perfect fall day.

Autumn at the Cottage

We headed to the cottage this past weekend.  It was gorgeous out and so autumnal!  The kids and I went to the park and played in the leaves.  I got some cute pictures. 

 Everyone is doing fine here.  Otis still loves school, Ingrid is now no longer crying for hours about going to school.  She still has some issues but mostly she's fine.  She has a field trip this week, they're taking the city bus to a farmer's market.  Sounds fun!  She's beyond excited about it. 

And now it's OCTOBER?!  In ten days I get to fly BY MYSELF to Denver to visit a good friend.  I am so excited it's ridiculous.  I'm gonna get trashy magazines and sit by myself on a plane and have a whole weekend of not being a mom.  Awesome!

Serenity NOW.

I keep that as my half-joking mantra these days!  Sometimes it helps, lol.  Things have been going okay here but still kind of crazy.  Ingrid has been a little better about school because we've been drawing smiley faces on our hands and she can look down and see it during the day.  Today we forgot and she kind of lost it at the door of school and cried.  Which is when I scream SERENITY NOW!

Otis is loving school and has no issues with it.  I only have to yell serenity now with him when he is throwing his massive tantrums, which could be about anything.  Seriously, this morning it was about waffles.  First he wanted waffles, but when he got them out of the freezer he freaked out that they had a bite taken out of them.  Um, no they don't.  Cue the screaming.  He was convinced they had a bite taken out of them!  I opened a new box and he was mad I opened them.  I asked him to take out the ones he wanted, he said no.  I went to get them myself and he screamed he wanted to.  I handed him the box and he just threw it on the floor.  SERENITY NOW! 

But life is good.  I have Gallery Night on Friday, we have a sitter, so we'll get to hang out in a bar and I'll sell baby goods while drinking beer.  God bless Milwaukee!!  I'm busy getting ready for the holiday season, I have two shows coming up.  Urban Garage Sale is in November, Hover Craft is in December.  So exciting!

Another Week.

Ingrid made it through Monday.  She asked over and over again "Are you SURE I can make it through today?"  She did, sort of.  Got a call from the teacher that she was throwing up.  Ugh.  Poor kid was completely comatose from about 2pm until yesterday at 4pm.  Just slept, took a sip of water, slept some more.  It is so hard to see your usually jumping around kid just laying there.  It was also pretty easy, which part of me was glad of, isn't that horrible??  I just played with Otis and we took a nap and went about our day like we normally do. 

She's better today so I sent her for a half day.  She was so worried that her teacher wouldn't let her come home!  I wrote a note and said just give it to your teacher, I'm your mom, I can take you whenever I want!  That didn't seem to matter to Ingrid at all, she was still scared her teacher would make her stay the whole day.  Poor kid, that mind of hers just won't stop!

But it's another week going by, and hopefully each day will get easier.  Hopefully.

The End of the Week.

Ingrid made it through the week!  Today she ran into school holding hands with her friend Tessa and she came out of the building with a smile on her face wondering what I'd brought her for a snack.  She didn't cry last night at all, no tears this morning, she just kept asking me "Are you sure I can make it through school today?" Yep, you got this, kid!

I did end up picking her up from school all but one day this week, it seems to have been very helpful.  Which sucks.  I really was looking forward to her taking the bus...I know it sounds selfish but my school runs are insane, and will be until both kids are in full days.  7:30am drop off Ingrid.  8:45am drop off Otis.  11:45am pick up Otis.  2:30pm pick up Ingrid.  Car car car car car car car.  Blah. 

I know, I know, it's better than her crying every day.  But dang, I know this is going to sound like a walking uphill in the snow barefoot both ways story, but I was walking a half mile to my busstop every day when I was her age. And then I had a 20minute ride to get to school.  She has a five second bus ride and gets dropped off three blocks away.  But I will do it.  FOR HER.  Because I'm such a GREAT MOM.  And I will complain the whole year, probably, too, ha!

Now we just have to see how she does Monday morning.  Cross your fingers.

A Lot of Tears

It's been a week of school so far and Ingrid is not liking it.  She started with five half days at 3 years old, which she loved.  She would run right to the door, wave good bye and never ever cried.  Ever.  Same thing last year, she'd find a friend on the playground and run to the door when the bell rang, with barely a glance in my direction.  This year, it's been nothing but tears. 

K5 is all day.  She eats lunch and then they have an afternoon session and are let out at 2:30.  This shouldn't be a big deal, I feel like, because when coming home at lunch time, she always seemed bored in the afternoon.  She doesn't nap, she barely rests, she would always be doing something while I laid down with Otis.  So why not do this at school?  Where you get to have fun and do art and gym?  I don't know, something about it rubs her the wrong way.

So we have tears. 

Ingrid is also riding the bus home most days, as Otis is napping and I don't want to wake him up and drag him to school.  The first day she was SO EXCITED about it.  Then it became a little scary, and now it's full blown anxiety about riding the bus home, wake Otis up, come get me, I'm scared, I don't know anyone on the bus, I'll get lost, it's too hard.  No matter how I tried to spin it, she wasn't having it.  Ugh.

Yesterday from the time she got off the bus to the time she went to bed, she cried.  She worried about school, staying all day, missing me, taking the bus home.  Every time she'd calm down, suddenly she'd think of something else to worry about.  It breaks my heart.  I don't know how to help her!  I feel so helpless, I just tried to tell her she's strong, she can do this, it will get easier.  I tried to have her imagine happy things and focus on the good things about school, like her friends and getting chocolate milk for lunch.  I got another mom to bring her home instead of taking the bus.  Nothing seems to make her feel better.  So then I get sick of hearing the same thing over and over and I lose my patience like a bitchy mom and just say forget about it!  You don't have a choice, you are GOING to school!  And then she cries harder. 

Why on earth is she so upset this year??  When she is home, she's sassy and bored and complaining about everything, so I don't really know why she wants to stay home.  It's not like she's having any fun here...I end up yelling at her all the time.  Blah!  I wish I could say never mind, we'll homeschool, like I did when she was 3, but I don't want to have her home.  She's in a great school that has a huge wait list, we are so lucky to be at this school!  And I don't want to be a teacher.  I don't want to homeschool.  I don't even want to unschool, this summer SUCKED, she was so crazy and I felt like physically and emotionally drained at the end of each day. 

Send us some good vibes that school will cease to be a thing she stresses about!  I'm not sure how much more I can take. 

SCHOOL'S BACK IN!!

Oh my god, it's finally time!  School started today and I could not be happier.  I am so not one of the moms that cries to send their kid off, probably because Ingrid loves school and has never seemed upset by going.  Today we were up bright and early and I remembered two key things about the school year that I'd forgotten over the summer: 1. Ingrid doesn't like to eat right away in the morning which makes breakfast time HELL. and 2. She is crazy about what to wear, even if we pick out clothes the night before she changes her mind and ends up picking something completely different five seconds before we have to leave.  We still managed to be out the door to take pictures before school starts at 7:30.

 Otis had to wear his backpack, too, even though he doesn't start his preschool until tomorrow.  He cried and begged to hold Ingrid's lunch bag but she wouldn't let him.  A couple more years, little guy, you'll have your own.

We had a great day together, Otis and I.  We went and played with friends, I got some bibs cut out, he took a nap.  And then it was time for Ingrid to come home.  She is taking the bus home this year, since Otis doesn't get up from his nap until just after she gets home.  I don't want to have to wake him up, I enjoy nap time way too much for that.  So, she buses it.  I think it scared her today, she said there were too many people on it, and she didn't like it.  But we'll try it this week and see how it goes.  I won't force it, but it sure was nice to just walk to the end of the block to get her instead of getting in the car and finding parking. 

Tomorrow is Otis's first day.  I don't know how that will go honestly.  He is such a mama's boy, I'm not sure how he'll do if I try to leave.  I think he'll be okay, he'll be so excited about new toys, but who knows.  He's been rather clingy lately so we'll see...How was your first day?

End of Summer Fun

Ahhhh, the end of summer!  It is SEPTEMBER already!  So crazy.  Here's a quick update on what we filled our last weeks of summer with. 

Going to the dentist.  I hate dentists, I have horrible experiences every time I go, so I was nervous for them.  Fortunately it looks like they'll have their dad's teeth (ie, no cavities) so it went well and they got new light up toothbrushes.  They thought it was fun!

On a whim the other day I decided the kids should share a room.  I was SO SICK of picking up toys from the living room, and they won't play down in the basement because our sick cat keeps pooping on the floor down there.  So, Otis's room turned into the bedroom, and Ingrid's room turned into the play room.  So far it has been okay.  We have to time the bedtimes strategically so one falls asleep before the other goes in, but we're learning.  Tonight Ingrid went to bed first and Otis fell asleep in our room.  I'll go in and plop him in his bed later.  Whatever works...

 We also took a trip to a local petting farm last weekend.  This place is SO COOL!  Tons of pens of animals you can go in and touch and feed.  They got to milk a real cow, pet baby ducklings, feed chickens, and pet kittens.  I wanted to take all the kittens home, they were so adorable!  And bunnies, too!  I think we maybe need a bunny at some point.

 Yesterday we went to the Beer Garden.  It was a beautiful day and it just seemed like the perfect day to eat a pretzel and have a liter of beer, right?  This place is awesome, there's a playground right there, so we could sit and drink beer and let the kids play.  They have live music most afternoons.  Tons of kids were running around.  Definitely a good place to hang out on a sunny afternoon.

 And lastly, today I had my last show of the summer.  This was the last Maker Market of the season, I also had done July's.  This was definitely my favorite show!  The vibe at these things is just so mellow, I know a lot of the other vendors from other shows, so it's just hanging out and selling stuff while drinking iced coffee and sweating in the sun.  Today's show was my first on using my NEW SIGN!!  In July I sat next to a lady that does the most amazing calligraphy cards, Filthy Freehand.  I loved her style and knew I wanted to come up with a unique logo so I had her do it.  She came up with the coolest ones to choose from, but ultimately I went with this one (I love it!)

 I went right out and had a sign made, it looked so cool hanging up!!  I hope it lasts for other shows.  I'm not sure how many uses it's supposed to get...I also got this cool red suitcase from my neighbor who sells vintage on Etsy.  It worked so well to hold blankets, bibs, and my new price list.  I have a vintage paint by number and then I printed out my prices on a piece of kraft paper and used washi tape.  Love how that turned out, too! 

Kids start school on Tuesday and Wednesday, so I am excited for that!  Ingrid will be all day, Otis will be three mornings a week.  I plan on using that time well, I'm hoping I can get all my errands and sewing done in that time so I don't have to ignore Brendan at night anymore!  This summer has been super fun, but SO BUSY.  I'm ready for a new schedule.

State Fair AND a Trip to See Gramma!

Just realized I never posted any pictures of our day at State Fair since it was the day before we left on our vacation to my mom's house!  We had our friends from Chicago come up to go with us, it was a great day.  Ingrid walked the whole way and didn't even complain!  I think that had to do with the fact there were plenty of stops to get snacks, or at least to look at what was deep fried or on a stick (or both!) Both kids rode rides this year, and we all went on the Ferris wheel, which was terrifying.

 See how OPEN the sides are?  I imagined the kids falling to their deaths about a billion times.  It sucks to be a mom sometimes.  As a kid I found things exciting, now I just realize how every little thing is potentially deadly...

 

The next day bright and early at 5am we got up to take the ferry across Lake Michigan to see my mom.  I had taken the boat once before but no one else in the family had, so it was very exciting, even at the crack of dawn.

 We got to my mom's and promptly went down by the beach and made sandcastles, visited the horses, took a golf cart ride.

 The best part of the trip is that while we were playing outside, there was a campfire going.  So we got to roast marshmallows and hot dogs, just like camping!  In fact, the whole weekend was like camping but with real beds and showers, and as much coffee as I wanted!

 Brendan and my brother went fishing.  My brother caught this 34" pike.  It was scary and very toothy and Ingrid ran screaming off the dock when she saw it!

 It was relaxing and amazing, and as always a very good time.  I just love going there to visit, we all have so much fun every time!


 

Irish Friends

I have a good friend that married an Irishman, taking her to Dublin for good.  Wah wah.  I miss her something awful, I so wish we could get our kids together to play and drink coffee and all the stuff we used to do.  But, I know she's got a good thing there and has the sweetest little family ever.  She was in the States visiting the past couple weeks and I finally go to see her!  The last time I laid eyes on her Ingrid was about four months old.  Which means I had never met her daughter, she had never met Otis.  It had been too long! 

 

We met at her family's farm and it was perfect.  The perfect weather, it was both her husband's and my husband's birthdays, the kids had a huge expanse of grass to run on, there was a little river down at the bottom of a hill, they got to see a snake and some strange bugs.  We sat and caught up, the birthday boys (both scientists) talked geek stuff.  Just the best afternoon I could ask for!

We used to hang out, smoking our cheap Old Gold cigarettes and drinking coffee, talking about the day in the future we'd be married with babies.  Now here we are, even though we live in different countries, we're both married to DOCTORS of science that have the same birthday!  We both have little redheaded Irish babies.  It's so funny to me how things have worked out.

The Way We do Things Around Here

A bunch of the same busy busy busy around here.  Keeping sane by keeping busy. Mornings are still pretty much without TV.  We do puzzles still.  Lots of coloring.  Today Otis made a ramp for his cars with the ironing board.  Anything to pass the time!

I've been pretty busy crafty wise.  I had a new consignment order for a place right across from State Fair Park, and seeing as State Fair started today, I had to get my stuff there in a timely fashion.  I also have two other consignment orders to work on, and another Maker Market is coming up September 1st.  So, busy mama.  Ingrid and I made this felt doll for a friend's birthday present.  Ingrid was too funny, "Mom, I have to play with it to make sure it works, okay?"  Apparently it was in working order.

 I went through some old photo books and found some gems.  I love that I'm taking pictures of pictures.  Here's Brendan and I the first summer we met ten years ago.  We are little kids, it's crazy!

 Speaking of little kids, there has been a bounty of little kids around our house the past week or so.  We watched a friend's girls one afternoon, here's Eleanor and Otis looking sneaky.  They found this water fountain (or "bubbler" if you want to get Milwaukee on me) and took turns seeing who could actually get to the water.  It was hilarious.  They're both just a tad too small so they were trying SO HARD to climb up!

 We also went to the zoo with our neighbors the other day.  Here they are at the barn with the cows.  I still can't believe my mom had four kids.  How do you do it?  I have it down pat now to look for each of my kids, but four?  Jeez louise.

 And here I am looking like I have long hair.  WHICH I DO.  Which if you've known me in real life you'll understand how freaking amazing this is.  I have had short hair my whole life.  Except for a short stint in middle school/early high school with a perm and some fierce bangs, I've had a pretty short hair style.  Like boy short most of the time, what feminine people call a pixie cut.  I have always just said it was short, you know, like a boy.  But now that I have money to pay someone amazing to cut my hair in a flattering way, what do you know?  I can grow it out.  It still seems so new and crazy that I can pull it back in a ponytail.  Like a normal girl.  Weird.