Massive Toy Purge

I absolutely need to get rid of more shit. The kids are older, but at the same time, not really. They're done with the play kitchen. Wooden puzzles are out. Pretty sure the Megablocks are done too. I'm happily purging all the toys.

I've been posting stuff on Facebook groups for awhile now but it seems that a lot of other people are doing the same thanks to the new Marie Kondo show (which I have some serious problems with - there's a few episodes where the men blame their wives for the house being dirty. I mean really, they have two working hands and know where the freaking garbage is, they can pick up a dust rag). So next I'm going to haul everything to the ECFE consignment sale this spring. I'm going to sell and purge EVERYTHING. I might even need two car loads. but purging toys with kids is really hard - they find the garbage bags and SUDDENLY WHAT THEY HAVEN'T PLAYED WITH IN YEARS IS THEIR FAVORITE TOY. But it then gets tossed aside in an hour. UGH.

Last week I had a friend go through two large Ikea bags of stuff and I happily gave more than half of it away. I just can't  deal with all the stuff anymore. I feel like this sense of "too much stuff" happens nearing the end of winter, close to spring - it's the time when everyone needs a sense of renewal and lightness. The sunshine helps, but so does getting rid of everything.

So next I'm off to photograph and list everything that I can during one episode of Daniel Tiger. Wish me luck!

2019 Garden Goals

This year is going to be huge in the realm of our backyard.

The kids love to mountain bike.

I hate to mow the lawn.

So our plan is to have dirt delivered and turn the backyard into a pump track.

YEP. A PUMP TRACK.

I'm going to move a garden, possibly take out the little dining patio (or make it larger, I'm not sure what the track is going to look like yet), and then put in gardens in the turns and in the middle of the pump track.

Berm turns, here we come!

(Photo is not mine, taken from Google images as an example of a pump track)

Other than that hefty goal of getting large equipment into the backyard to build berm turns and rollers, I think my plan is to stick veggies in the flowers, put in a step-out line of bricks at the curb on the boulevard and re-mulch everything that I can to prevent dead flowers and veggies!

On my veggie/herb list this year:

Tomatoes - both cherry tomatoes AND heirloom tomatoes

Cucumbers

Peppers

Pumpkins

Butternut squash

Cilantro

Basil

Dill

Jalepenos

Brussel Sprouts

Lettuce as fill-in in the front garden beds

Lavender

Sage

Mint

Calendula

Chamomile

Broccoli - as fill-in in front garden beds

Banana peppers

I don't have much on my list for flowers - well, that is until there's a plant sale at the local garden center. Then it suddenly seems like I need everything! I'm leaving a lot of things open to change this year because if we do a pump track like we've planned, then I'm going to need to plan out where all the veggies are going and I might possibly need to move some perennials. 

At some point I would love to get rid of all the rock that's around this house. I've been dumping what I've been picking up along the back side of the garage - at some point I'm going to have to make a post on Nextdoor or Facebook to take some free rock. Eh, I'm not even sure if people want free rock anymore. 

So plants and plans may change, but I'm hoping to get a pump track this year! 

Morning Commute

When It Rains It Pours

Maybe it should be, instead of snow flurries, we get blizzards.

So much has happened in the past few weeks. Good, bad, ugly, worse.

Chewie gets violently ill when he eats shellfish (crustacean AND mollusk). He also randomly pukes and gets fevers.

The original laundry tub fell apart and needed to be replaced along with some pipes and a drain needed to be snaked. As our cleaning person pointed out - she said now we won't have that cement sediment going down the drains from the laundry tub falling apart which should hopefully mean we won't need it snaked again for a really long time.

Because of 40+ inches of snow, the air vents were covered on our roof and they started leaking so we've been clearing snow/ice from our roof for weeks now. YAY FOR REPAIRING AND REPAINTING PLASTER.

The dishwasher was leaking (all the way into the basement!), which thankfully was a super easy fix - the seal needed to be replaced.

The toaster died.

I need a new pair of glasses.

The battery died in the Honda.

My phone needs to be replaced.

The list keeps going on.

So I've been a little crabby lately. I haven't been my best self. I HAVE been taking my prescribed 20,000iu of Vitamin D plus extra. But that somehow hasn't been helping. Mostly I think I just need to NOT shovel snow for a week. HA! Or roof rake (I've been shoveling AND roof raking neighbor's houses too for the past few weeks!). I think I need a day of 40 degrees and sunshine.

I have read a few great books lately - Washington Black; The Alice Network, I just started Bel Canto by Ann Patchett.

I've been working out almost daily thanks to Beachbody On Demand (no, I'm not going to sell you crap), so hopefully biking long distances this summer will be better, more fun, and not as painful as last year. My quads and ass are killing me two days later and later today is core day. So yay for painful abs two days from now.

The Monkey's old preschool closed so I had to scramble to find a new preschool for Chewie - by the way, preschools are SO FREAKING COMPETITIVE. It's seriously like college applications for babies. I was afraid we wouldn't get into the next preschool closest to our house and I would have to start the search all over again. Chewie is starting in the fall but all applications are generally due by February 1. And most kids arent' ready for school yet which means it's even harder to predict your child's personality to pick a school. This is ridiculous because you should just be able to go to the nearest neighborhood preschool but there's really no neighborhood preschools. UGH. It's a challenge and I'm hopeful that I found the right school for Chewie. So YAY for 2.5 hours per day to myself 3 days per week (aka my cleaning and riding time!).

And one of my best mom friends is moving to Colorado - since we visit Colorado every year, I will still get to see her but it's still sad.

Gosh, I've really word-vomited everything now, haven't I?

Friday Finds 2/8

This week I'm taking on kid's clothes. The Monkey has her own style which means I'm on the hunt for mermaids this year (last year it was rainbows!) and so far, Mini Boden hasn't let me down on the swimwear end of mermaids.

This Cross-back suit fits the mermaid theme this year, and not too spendy either at $22, regular price!

This Flip Sequin suit is pretty awesome too! The higher price tag of $38 though, but I'm sure there's coupon codes floating around for a discount!

This is a toweling beach dress ($42) - so basically it's a wearable towel. For the past few years I haven't pulled the trigger on buying these but this year...I did it! I bought one for The Monkey and one for Chewie because I'm tired of wet clothes or just wrapping in a towel coming home from the pool or beach. I'm hoping these will solve our problems!

In a quick Google search, lots of mermaid themed clothing pops up but now The Monkey has reached the age where she doesn't want any "baby girl" styled clothing, so now when she wants themed clothes, that means that I have to hunt for more grown-up clothes that aren't too "baby-ish" which can be difficult but also super fun! This also means that Disney's Ariel is OUT. 

These Hatley pajamas might actually be ok for my little fashionista, mostly because they're pajamas!

Possibly this mermaid shirt from Macy's too. But I'm going to be honest, I have to give it the shoulder shrug because The Monkey may give it the shoulder shrug. She's reached the age where she now knows that if she says she likes it, I might actually buy it and SHE GETS TO GET SOMETHING (what it is doesn't matter to my little hoarder!). 

Clothes shopping is so hard for kids! Hopefully this gives you a few ideas for your little mermaid without the little kid-Disney theme.

Patty

Falling Behind

Holy moly, have I freaking fell behind with blogging.

I suppose part of it is busyness - but another part is putting it off - and another part is losing steam - and another part is not feeling very creative - and another part is having a 6 year old that knows how to read hanging over my shoulder. And I hate people hanging over my shoulder. I'm currently flipping back and forth between this and my calendar because I miss privacy. I should probably pretend I'm pooping in the bathroom instead and bring the computer in there.

I WILL BE BACK PEOPLE. I WILL BE BACK.

Chrissy Teigen's Granola

My kids ate it. I made her recipe for Peanut Butter Covered Pretzels and Granola with leftover granola. And I effing hate whole stories to go along with recipes so why I'm still typing this crap, I don't know. All you need to know is that the kids ate it all. 

Buy her book, Cravings: Hungry For More and then you'll be able to experience the utter delight of eating homemade granola warm from the oven. 

OBSESSED: Jeggings

Am I really all that fashion forward? No, not at all. The Monkey though, that girl knows how to dress and she's got STYLE.

Me, well, after two kids and weight gain/loss I effing hate wearing pants. Or trying them on. So I generally stick to leggings and yoga pants and jeans that are so old that they're so comfy. So I needed to try something else.

I found "comfort waist band" jeggings at Old Navy. I literally about died laughing at the store. But then I grabbed a pair for myself anyway. They are so comfortable. I have three pairs. I probably shouldn't have three pairs.

But I don't fit into the size medium leggings at Eddie Bauer (THAT'S RIGHT BITCHES, I'M LARGER THAN A MEDIUM ON THE BOTTOM). My hips pretty much hate anything if the pants aren't curvy enough.

So lo and behold...the jeggings come in actual number sizes. THANK GOODNESS BECAUSE I WASN'T ABOUT TO BUY FOUR PAIRS TO FIND OUT THAT THEY JUST FALL OFF MY ASS.

So if you're at Old Navy buying up all the flip flops for next year, pick up a pair of these (but for the love of chocolate, don't buy this pair because LOOK AT THE ANKLES! BUY THE REGULAR ONES!). There, you'll thank me. Or you'll curse me. I'm not sure which. But whatevs, because if you now found a new pair of pants that fits your hips/ass/waist and doesn't need to be hitched up every few minutes, then you rock! Actually, I rock for recommending them.

Happy weekend shopping!!

CSA is Ending Soon

Oh, man. I am going to miss getting fresh eggs and cheese and vegetables on a weekly basis.

I think next year I'm going to sign up for their meat share too. It's so easy and convenient to pick up our food in one spot...then go to Costco once a week. Ha! 

The kids are getting better at eating all the different vegetables and I'm getting better at cooking them how the family likes to eat them. For example, Chewie and I demolished a whole bag of brussel sprouts sauteed with bacon. THAT WAS DELICIOUS. With just a sprinkling of salt. The Monkey eats raw broccoli, I haven't been able to cook ANY of the broccoli because it disappears even before it gets home. The kids eat the tomatoes like apples. I am the only person in the house that likes beets - I like them roasted and then cut like matchsticks and mixed into quinoa bowls (just watch out for pink poop the day after!). The kids need to have their eggs every morning.

Oh, I will be so sad when the deliveries end. 

Book Review: This One Summer

Graphic novels. When I think of graphic novels I think of the old school comic books, where the illustrations are bright, and I'm not quite sure where to move my eyes so the story continues. And when I read I'm not sure if I should pay more attention to the artwork or the words. I've never really been drawn to comic books so I thought I might have to trudge through a graphic novel.

As it turns out, this was AMAZING.

The illustrations are beautiful. I love how I get to see what the authors are thinking and the emotions of the characters.

The story is beautifully written - the teen summer angst is real, the authors capture the selfishness of the teen plus the story of the parents from the teen perspective. It makes me (as a parent) so frustrated and angry but as an adult and remembering my teen years, this graphic novel fits my memories perfectly.

I think that now, as a child of the 80's, reading books by authors who are also children of the 80's makes reading a bit more fun and possibly more interesting. I get to read books that have more of a perspective on life that are a bit closer to my own and it's nice reading books that include that. This particular story never happened to me, but I can see how the teens/preteens are acting.

So, overall, give graphic novels another go. They're fast and easy reads, the illustrations let you see exactly what the author wants you to picture and I love that!