Wednesday, February 13, 2008

'Tis the Season

For too much TV. I hate to admit it because 80% of the time it's not like this, but right now my kids are watching what I would deem 'too much TV'.
I don't normally watch a lot of TV. Not that I'm against TV in general or have it banned around here or anything. There are several reasons I don't watch much:
1. I have 3 kids, when do I ever get to sit down and watch what I want?
2. I have a husband who has a secret remote control magnet in his hand. Even if I were to sit and watch TV, if he comes into the room the remote gets sucked away from me into said hand.
3. The news (and many other related shows) are too depressing or sad for me. As I've learned through being a part of the program A Year of Living Compassionately (which incidentally is focusing on Media for March), watching things that make me sad only feed into many of my fears and cause me to obsess and dwell and spiral down into a black hole of ick. no thanks.
4. I live in Minnesota. We only really get good outside weather for maybe half the year. I do NOT want to spend that precious time inside watching TV.
Which leads me to know. It's February. It's freakin' cold! (-12 with a wind chill of -30 anyone?) It's bland and gloomy. I've spent waaaayy to much time alone with my kids and now they're all finding Blues Clues just a little too entertaining. It seems all activities last about 10 minutes before they get bored with them. Then it's either torment the dog time or play roller coaster with the baby's ride-on toy. Or "What can I do now MOM?"
And did I mention I have a 1 1/2 year old? Otherwise I probably would take the boys sledding or tubing or some such winter activity on the not so cold-as-hell days. It's hard enough getting her dressed at all, never mind that she refuses to wear a hat or mittens. I really don't know - is it easier to stay in or not?
So far this week we've seen the aforementioned Blue Clues, plus Wow Wow Wubzy, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly Oddparents, Dinosaur King, Ni Hao Kai Lan (Chinese version of Dora?) and of course waaaayy too much Dora the Explora, I mean Explorer. There's also DVD's of Shark Week and the Godzilla collection. Frankly I'm tired of all this too. I'm really lamenting the boy's self made decision to not have computer privileges this week (as a result of a fist fight that erupted when the 10 minutes of playing with the train set was over).
Any suggestions?

Friday, February 8, 2008

Past Year, Next Year Tag

I have been tagged. My friend Laura started this tag with questions she has done with her friends and family on their birthday. While it's not my birthday, I'm always good for answering a question or two. Here goes.

In the Past year:

What was your most embarrassing moment?
Can't really think of one. I don't really get embarrassed anymore. I mean, I've given birth 3 times and have small children. At this stage in my life I think it would take a lot to get me embarrassed.

What are you proudest of achieving?
One - I completed a 2 year long advanced Yoga Teacher training (500 hours over 2 years). It was long and grueling (just kidding) - actually it was fun and inspiring. I became friends with some of the most beautiful (inside and out) women in the world! Two - that I have 3 amazing little humans in my care that are doing so wonderfully, that I celebrated my 12th wedding anniversary and my marriage is better than ever, and that life just keeps getting better the more I learn (and let go).

What would you do differently with the benefit of hindsight?
Not a thing. Not sure I could have planned it any differently. Yes, I would have liked to have had more money, less frustration and pain or completely skipped by all the family drama, but then I wouldn't be where I am right now and I like where I am just fine, thank you.

What did you love about last year?
Where to begin? My baby's 1st birthday, golf league, Manifesting classes, teaching yoga and teacher training, Belly dancing classes at the Cassandra School, Camping, parties with the neighbors, fishing camp, my garden got bigger(holy tomatoes!), the garbage truck field trip, the list goes on.


In the Next year:

What do you want to say you accomplished next year on this day?
I just finished my New Year's vision board (in lieu of a list of resolutions). On it are that I'm going to write a book, I'm going to be a part of a great new business venture, I'm going to get certified as a Personal Trainer, I'm going to go back to Florida and DisneyWorld with the family and I'm going to do even more of what I love - spend fun time with my kids, spend quality time with my hubby (Gasparilla?), yoga, dancing, writing, gardening, golf, and getting more massages.

What are you looking most forward to in the next year?
I could almost quote Laura on this one. Like my body and yoga, I'm just fascinated by every new little thing that comes up. I used to hate when employers would ask "Where do you want to be in 5 years?" I mean, WOW! 5 years is a long time, and so is 1 year, and there are so many possibilities! I've grown to love surprises (let go and be surprised!) so I am excited for each and every day to see what fun new thing might happen. Even today, my best friend called me and asked if I want to go to her house next week to see 2 friends of ours from High School that we haven't seen in 5 years. Yesterday I would have never guessed that would happen. What fun!

What goal of yours are you most tantalized by?
The book and the business venture. Oh heck, I wouldn't have it as a goal if I weren't tantalized by it!

If you knew you only had the next year to live, what would you make sure to do? What is stopping you?
Everything I'm doing. Maybe more time with the kids? I say that and yet... we all need some space to ourselves. P.S. Thank God nothing is stopping me.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Longing for Spring

It's February 4. Happy Groundhog's Day. Happy Super Tuesday. Happy winter/snow/cold.
Ok, I confess. I'm tired of it. Maybe it's just my mood today but I am already starting to do spring cleaning. I'm getting cabin fever. The kids are antsy and I need them to go outside and run, not trudge through snow. My 5 year old (we call him Train) and I had hot chocolate yesterday after shoveling our meager 2 inch snowfall, and not even that got me back in the winter spirit.
I need spring.
I yearn for that smell - the smell of damp yet warmer mornings where the snow is melting and everything is just wet. I need sunshine. Sitting inside in front of a large window with my face to the sun is losing it's appeal. I need to putz around outside. I need to feel dirt and grass under my feet. I need seedlings of precious plants. I need my kids out of the house. Enough said.
Not just warm weather, mind you, but all the necessary accompaniments to spring. Melting, budding, trickling, greening. Lighter clothing too. I've had it up to here with trying to make the baby wear hats and mittens. We get in the car and within 10 seconds she has her boots and socks off. I've given up already.
In the spirit of spring and my longing for it, I present to you my peppers. This one's the purple sweet pepper and last count had 23 peppers growing on it. Last fall when all the plants starting dying off, these peppers still held a lot of life. My husband thought it was a shame to just toss the plants so he brought them in to our kitchen. We have a huge east facing front window in our kitchen with a large shelf above the sink. The plants have survived (there are 2 huge pots) and we've not bought a single pepper all winter. We have green, red, orange, yellow and purple. It's so cool. We have a taste of summer - fresh sweet peppers to eat and big plants to look at while I wash dishes. I can't wait to see what happens when they too get to return to the outdoors.