7 Quick Takes

This is my first time participating in the 7 Quick Takes situation, so hopefully I get all the links right.

They play really weird music on my NPR station at night, so I was doing a little channel surfing, and caught a commercial about how some organization was planning on hanging women's underwear from the purple bridge that crosses the Ohio River as a way to "raise awareness" in the Cincinnati area for cervical cancer. The voice went on to say that all women are encouraged to donate a pair to this endeavor. Really? Is this the best we've got? Do women need their underwear hanging from a bridge in order to educate them about cervical cancer? It's all a bit bizarre to me.

2.
We hit up the zoo today and I saw some guy wearing a shirt that said, 'With a shirt this awesome, who needs pants?" Not to worry, the good laddie was wearing pants, I checked.

3.
Speaking of the zoo, no trip is complete without a ride on the zoo train. During the ride they play the same recording of zoo-related information every.single.time. And every.single.time I hear the man proudly announce that their flamingos are the only flock of flamingos in the Cincinnati area I think, "Well clearly. Why and wherefore would there be flamingos elsewhere in this city?" It just strikes me as a really dumb thing to brag about.

4.
I told asked Brad to get me an ice cream maker for my birthday, and he complied. I am pretty sure we'll never buy ice cream again. It's so delicious and I have yet to really start experimenting.....How I love ice cream.

5.
For some inexplicable reason, I have been asked to be the president of the parent group at Gianna's school. They tried to say they picked me because I seem so organized (pause so you can laugh, out loud, just as Brad and my mother did when I told them this story) but I'm pretty sure they're just really, really desperate.

6.
I had some great ideas for children's books I would write, but when I sat down to write them, I realized it was harder than I thought. It seems I need more than just a general disgust over most of the children's books out there to write a good children's book.

7.
One thing (among many, I promise) I like about having kids is how I get to re-experience things I loved as a child. My mom found some really cute Old Maid playing cards in a classic toy shop in Louisville, and G and I have being playing Old Maid and Go Fish all week while I fold the laundry.

You Can Do It; We Can Help

ALRIGHT so I took a little bit of an unplanned blogging hiatus there….still trying to get into the swing of half day summer school for Gianna, plus there was all this laundry…..the most frustrating thing was that by the time I got us all caught up, there was more laundry. People still insist upon wearing clothes around here even when we’re in the midst of a laundry crisis.  I thought about imposing austerity measures, but I’m no fool…I listen to NPR and it seems that’s not working so hot in Greece. I’m letting the current piles of soiled clothing fester for the moment.

yep.

 The last two days have been THOSE kind of days…the ones where you lock your keys in the trunk of your car, and one kid is running a fever but you can’t find your thermometer, and the other kid is dying to go to the zoo like you prooooooooooooooooooooooooo-mised but it’s raining outside and I can’t control the rain ok! and no one will nap.  And the other kid is….oh. Currently, I only have two….sometimes it seems like a lot more. Plus being generally tired and living in squalor and a husband who is working hard to keep this whole thing going…THAT kind of day.

By mid-afternoon I was really starting to feel a little crazy….ok maybe lots crazy. And I heard my tone, and my words, and it was going to get ugly. What I needed was a re-charge, but what can you do in the middle of the day? There are times when a mama needs to change the mood in her home, and FAST. Short of calling CPS to deal with it all and heading out to a spa for a mani/pedi and a dose of sanity, these are my favorite ways to change my mood:

-Make a cup of tea. With a tea kettle. You might not actually get to sit and sip it while looking ponderously out the window, but something about holding a steaming mug of tea is calming. It helps me pretend my kitchen is cozy and not chaotic. 

-Drop what you’re doing and grab a stack of children’s books. Park your bad self on the couch with your little guys and read to them. This technique brings some calm into the house and has the amazing benefit of making you feel like a FANTASTIC mother.  

-consider possible careers you might qualify for; plumber, wet nurse, taxi cab driver. 

-hop on YouTube and make a quick playlist of fun, upbeat songs you can dance and sing along to. It can be silly. It can even be Justin Beiber…..whatever it takes to get you moving. 

-get outside. Take a short walk. Fresh air + Vitamin D=sanity

-say a short prayer, something like; “Holy Mary, help me!” is a good start.

-start a tickle-fest. Laughter is contagious. 

-if you have access to your car keys, and a car, go for a drive and bring your cup of tea with you. The kids are strapped in, so they can’t hurt each other or destroy anything. Relax and enjoy your beverage. 

-Fantasize about putting the kids to bed early.