The eyes are not responsible...

"The eyes are not responsible when the mind does the seeing. "
                                                                     ~ Publilius Syrus

Despite the fact that I like to think I see with my mind, I do need the vision my eyes provide too. And, I have just enough inherent vanity that I'd like them to look good while they do their job. So, help a lady out and tell me which 2 pairs of glasses you like the best. Please ignore the total lack of makeup and my messy hair.

Pair 1..........Pair 2

Pair 3..........Pair 4

Pair 5

Which 2 pairs of glasses do you like the best?


Thanks in advance for your help.

I forgot to breathe...

I've had an insanely busy 24 hours. Last night, at about this time, I realized that if I was going to pack for a week away, I had laundry that needed to be done. So, at about 11 pm on Saturday, I put the first of three loads of laundry in. The laundry wasn't 100% completed before I went to bed but I was down to only needing one transfered into the dryer when it was finished washing (Thanks Vic!...jealous much, my husband cooks, cleans, AND does laundry). When I stumbled back to bed at about 2:30 am, I set my alarm for 9. I figured the kids (at least the younger 2)&) would be up by then.

The one time in my life it would be helpful if they were up earlyish, they slept in. I put on a pot of coffee and sat down to read the news while it brewed. Gabe was up before the coffee was done and Joey wasn't two far behind. While they were waking up and eating breakfast, I folded 3 loads of laundry (whee fun...normally, Vic would fold it but they ha a really busy night at work) and knocked back my first cup of coffee. I started trying to wake Marty up at 10:30 so we could start packing for our trip out of town.The younger two and I got started picking out the clothes to bring with us and Marty finally dragged ass out of bed at about 11. God, I miss those teenage hours. I had the kids completely packed (clothes, electronic gadgets, chargers, Marty's school books, etc) by about 11:45. Now, I had to pack myself and get dressed. By 12:40, I was cleaned up, dressed and had my clothes and everyones toiletries and meds packed. By 1:20, I had all my work and projects I need to work on packed.

Did I mention that Gabe had a birthday party to go to that started at 2 and I still had to get to the store and pick up some things Vic was going to need over the course of the week? Yeah, since we were going to be gone, Vic picked up some overtime shifts and knew he wouldn't have time to get to the store so I had that to fit in too. Miraculously, Gabe and I walked into the party only 15 minutes after it started and he had a blast "skating". I say skating in quotes because, well, he is 6 and has only been on skates one other time. You can imagine how graceful he was. We left the party at 4:45 and I made it home in time to kiss my husband through his vehicle window as he left for work. At this point, I had 2 hours and 15 minutes to get everything wrapped up and get out the door so I could arrive at our destination in time (btw, our destination is an hour and 10 minutes away from my house).

In one hour, the kids and I loaded the van, tied two bikes to the top of the van, loaded the dish washer, made sure the dogs had been out, and got ourselves and both dogs in the van for the drive to my parents, house. I also broke up the hundred zillionth fight in 24 hours between my kids and threatened them with a complete ban on talking for the entire drive if they didn't reform themselves. We left the house at 5:45 and pulled into the parking lot of my mom's church at 6:55...with 5 minutes to spare. See, Gabe had an ice cream social for the day camp he will be attending this week. My parents met us in the parking lot and my Dad took my van, the dogs, and the two older kids back to their house. Gabe, my mom, and I went to his ice cream social. After the ice cream social which Gabe piggy backed onto birthday party food, we headed back to my parents'  house with a quick side trip to by sunscreen. Gabe proceded to spent the remainder of the evening eating his way through a large piece of pizza, about a pound of grapes, a few pieces of chocolate, a serving size container of pringles, and a granny smith apple. Gabe and Joey went to bed late. Marty is winding down for the night. Even the dogs are asleep. The quiet is calling to me and I'm about ready to go to sleep myself.

Oh shit, I think I hear Gabe calling bellowing for me...

I guess it's time to go again.

Tune in tomorrow for pictures of Joey's new haircut. You won't believe it.

Today was a much better day

Y'all, I am humbled by the love and support my whiny, woe-is-me post got. Thank you.

Today was a much, much better day. No, Marty isn't better yet. And, no, my laptop isn't home yet (please keep your fingers crossed that the wonder geek at Staples can fix it). But, a lot of other really cool shit happened today.

Today, I went with Joey to the regional Science Olympiad competition. This was the first year that Joey's school fielded a team and their coach, Ms. Amanda Pritchard, did a phenomenal job. She and all the parent volunteers put in a huge amount of work with our kids and it showed. Kingswood elementary took 1/5 of all the ribbons awarded, took home a 2nd place overall for the JV team, took home a 2nd overall for the Varsity team, and won the award for the school with the best team spirit and sportsmanship. Joey competed in 3 events and he and his partner won a first place ribbon in Landformers (all about geography and geology). I am so proud of all the kids. I also have to say that it's incredibly cool to be surrounded by a bunch of kids who gave up a bunch of mornings for practice and an entire weekend day for academic pursuits.

At the last minute, the organizers of the tournament put out a plea for some parent volunteers from the participating schools to help run some events. With my genetic inability to say no (thanks Mom), I piped up and ended up helping run two events. It was incredibly easy but it ended up paying big dividends for me. I really hit it off with the lady I was helping with the first event. We talked about our kids, summer camps, and lots of other things. When I was telling her that a summer camp we both know about has horses, that sparked conversation and I'm not sure what prompted me but I mentioned that I use to ride a lot, had been on the Equestrian team in college, and even spent a summer training horses professionally. She got excited and said that she had three horses (2 were rescues) that she could really use help exercising and wanted to know if I would be interested in coming out and riding. It was all I could do to keep from jumping up and down and yelling hell yes. I love riding and miss it terribly but it has been way too expensive to fit into our budget, I am so thrilled that I'll have an outlet for this passion of mine again.

So, all in all, I had a damned fine day and (yes, Monica) I've decided I was a bit too hasty in my decision to hate March 2012.


How was your day?

At 42, I Am Enough

Hi, my name is Kristin. My number is 42. My word is embrace. And, I am enough. I know, I know...these first few sentences seem kind of random and what the hell do they mean anyway. A few of my favorite people, Kir of The Kir Corner and Kim of Live from the 205 have introduced me to a few ideas that seem to be the perfect way to start the new year. Kir has written a number of posts about Just Be Enough...celebrating yourself instead of focusing on your flaws...and, Kim wrote about Curvy Girl's Reinventing The Resolution and One Word 365.

This year, I am 42 years old and I am determined to embrace myself, embrace my life, and celebrate the fact that I am enough! As I go through my day to day life, I will take time to celebrate what I have and try not to dwell on what's not there. I will spend time with my beautiful, wonderful kids and focus on how lucky I am to have them instead of pining for the ones I lost or who never made it here. I will embrace my crafty, creative side -celebrate what I can do - and not stress about my house not being perfect. I will remember to embrace my body, love it for what it is. I will take time to exercise and care for myself because I am worth the time and effort. I won't focus on weight or measurements. I will embrace health. I will write and paint and create. I will try new recipes, cook with my sons, and play board games with them. I will visit with friends, tell the important people in my life I love them, and take a moment to dance in the rain. I will do all these tings not because I need to better myself. I will do these things because I matter. I am enough. And, I am embracing myself and my life. Join me.

Pick a number...

Pick a word...

and

Thank you Kir and thank you Kim!