Seven Quick Takes Sunday

It is a fairly cold, rainy Sunday, and here is what's on my mind lately:

1. I love computers, but they can also be very frustrating. I use ours all the time, but when I spend a long time typing something, and then can't find it in my "documents" folder a few days later...what's with that? Should I print out everything and file it in real file folders??? Or should I make it a habit to save everything to disk often? That's something I am really not good at, but maybe it's necessary. The funny part is, the particular document I lost was about home organization...

2. Speaking of organizing, I read a book recently (borrowed from my mom) on the subject written in 1981. Kind of like fly-lady and sidetracked home executives (for those of us who have tried/heard of those systems). But definitely pre-computer age. It has made me think of the benefits of computers, but also the benefits of paper filing systems. Also paper grocery lists and paper calenders...I have been doing so much on the computer, but I don't think it's always the most efficient. Especially since it is not my own personal computer but shared with the family.

3. We went to a Christmas party on Saturday, stayed up really late, and I am tired. And I don't handle being tired very well. I get cranky, just like my kids. So, enough on that point because I need to get to bed soon...

4. Christmas prep. We are slowly but surely getting ready for Christmas. Why is it that before Thanksgiving, Christmas seems so far away. But then, once you hear Christmas music for a few days on the radio, suddenly you realize how many people you have to shop for, mail cards to, etc... Why does that always happen? We have a felt Jesse tree (thank you Kathleen!) that we use with the kids, reading a Bible story and putting up a picture to represent that story each day before Christmas. That has been a real hit. Also, our advent candles are popular. Gene always reminds us to light them and sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel before dinner. We got our Christmas tree but don't have it (or any decorations) up yet.

5. I have read other blogs regarding snow...we haven't played in the snow yet. We have (well, I mean the kids) walked in a dusting of snow, eaten fresh snow off the car, and slipped on our sidewalk pretending to skate on the ice. But there hasn't been enough snow to play in. Luckily, no one is complaining. I'm sure we'll get our fair share of snow...like I have tried to explain to the kids, it isn't even really winter yet. They really don't understand waiting till December 22. So, I ditched that idea and proclaim with them that it really is winter, because there is snow. Lucy was excited the other day because it was snowing a little and it was "winter again!".

6. The two girls are sick with colds. Lucy is pretty bad, but handles it fairly well. She knows how to blow her nose and can mostly do it by herself, if I remind her. A couple days ago she came downstairs and pronounced that "We have got to get my nose to stop this!" And this morning, she reasoned that "Maybe I will be better in the spring". Hopefully...

7. We have stopped exercising until Christmas. We are really planning to train for another triathlon, but it is getting so darn busy that exercise is very low on the totem pole right now. And yet, I have said to Brendan more than once, "If I start getting cranky, please tell me to exercise". It really does make me feel better, physically and mentally...so why is it one of the first things to be dropped when life gets busy? I don't know...I'll think about that a while, and maybe try to go running this week.

That's all for now. Happy Christmas prep everybody!

Friends and Growing Up

We had Ben and Ellie over for the WHOLE DAY yesterday, and I can honestly say that the day was great! It is so nice to say that. The kids actually played together, talked together, etc with minimal bickering and tears...not to say that those things always happen when Ben and Ellie come over, but they usually happen often when ANYONE comes over...mostly because of the age of my kids and the kids who visit. But, things are looking up. Everyone is growing up, and it's so neat to see. Gene and Ben actually played Sorry for probably 3 hours total, spaced out between lunch, rest time, and dinner. And they would have kept playing... So that took care of two of them. Ellie and Lucy kind of did their own things, and I held Jane. Yes, she is still working on growing up. And she still needs her Mama a lot. But it was nice to just be with her, and not worry about what I should be doing. She is very upset when I can't hold her at her beck and call, so it's nice to give in once in a while.

Triathlon #1...come and gone

I just realize that because I so rarely post on this blog (and I am trying to remedy that!) I never posted about the triathlon this summer. To keep it short, we trained, we raced, and we finished! And not too shabbily, either. It was a great day, and now we are at least talking about training for another one this summer. Any family or friends are welcome to join us. I would recommend two books that I really enjoyed reading beforehand and found very motivating: The Idiots Guide to Triathlon Training, and The Big Fat Triathlete.

So I am posting today to say that I went swimming this morning and it was hard! And that was just the warm-up. Honestly, the muscles in my arms need me to swim about three times a week in order to stay in working order (i.e. able to swim for a while without succumbing to fatigue)...but I definitely have too much going on to swim that often per week. So...we'll see. At least once a week is on the calendar for now, with a couple other days of weight lifting per week. My arms will just have to make do with that!

Funnies...

Sorry I haven't posted in so long...in the meantime, Gene and Lucy have had birthdays, too, but I don't have a chance to post pictures now. We'll get around to it:) Here are a couple things that have made me laugh recently:

Lucy, eating lunch one day (after we had talked about dipping bread sticks in spaghetti sauce, and how crackers could also be dipped in the sauce): "Or, you could dip your hot dog in your yogurt!" Yum.

Gene, not wanting to wear his jacket after he got 2 shots in each arm (what a way to celebrate turning 5!): "Well, they gave me a shot, so I won't get sick if I don't wear my jacket..."

And Janie is starting to take steps! She doesn't talk yet, other than grunting and screeching and the occasional "Mama", but she has taken a couple steps multiple times in the last few days!