There are things that I need/want to get done this summer. So consider this sort of a mini-bucket list.

My plan is to start June 1st,yes I’m already late…. June 7th, and make September 1st 7th my deadline.

This list is in no particular order as far as importance or urgency. I’m just writing them as they come to me.

#1 Weekly updates as to my progress on the list (yes, this one seems like a gimme, but it’s my list darnnit)

#2 Take (and pass) 2 classes over the summer semester

#3 Get caught up on the bills, and sort out our financial situation a bit.

#4 Do at least one little trip/thing (park, library, beach etc) with the kids weekly

#5 Do at least one “big” thing (zoo/amusement park, camping etc) every other week, for a total of 6 things this summer.

#6 Lose an additional 15 pounds

#7 Read 6 books this summer

So viva la accountability! Let the summer begin.

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My son crossed his arms and glares at me. “I gonna run away!” the two-and-a-half year old declares.

Inside my head, I think, “Me too, kiddo, me too.” But, realizing that saying that aloud would not win mother of the year award, I simply say, “Oh?”

“I gonna run away, and sissy, too!” he says, his little foot stomping.

“You and Miss Q. are going to run away together?” I say crouching down by him.

“Yeah!”

“I will miss you.”

He looks unsure now, and fidgets on his feet.

“Momma come too?” His arms drop to his side. “Please?”

I open my arms, and he falls into them. And together we decide to stay.

Right. Here.

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It’s not writer’s block.

It’s not a lack of time.

It’s not a lack of desire.

It’s not that I have nothing I want to say.

It’s that I haven’t been able to shake this negativity, and I didn’t care to spread it.

I’ve been trying to focus on the positive things lately. But it was difficult this week.

Sometimes it seems as though we will never get ahead. That as hard as we try, we’ll always be playing catch-up on the bills, and barely squeaking by.

And sometimes, that makes it difficult to pay attention to the good things.

Yesterday was one of those times.

It was a gorgeous day out, and I had just gotten paid. So I thought we would do something fun. But I was nearly out of gas, and my debit card was not cooperating. (Still don’t know why), so whatever, we changed into our suits and played in the sprinkler most of the day. We had popsicles and an outdoor picnic. We watched a short movie in the middle of the afternoon, that everyone fell asleep during. It was a good day. In the evening we loaded up the jeep and headed to the park.

We played on the equipment, we blew bubbles, we took pictures and acted like fools. It was great.

And then I saw it. The Puddle.

The Green Puddle.

Antifreeze. From my radiator.

The radiator. Which keeps my beloved Jeep from overheating. When the antifreeze is in it. Where it belongs. And not on the ground. In a puddle of green.

I was on the verge of panic, my mind racing and shouting, my internal foot stomping about how unfair it was, and how were we supposed to get home and etc.

Luckily, I was able to notice it wasn’t a huge puddle. Yes, it was leaking, and yes, I would probably have to stop driving it, but it wasn’t empty. As long as I kept an eye on the temperature gauge, we should make it the short drive home.

And I did, and we did.

Now my beloved Jeep is parked, awaiting a repair that will cost a minimum of $50 (thank god for the husband Mechanics Skillz, or it would be more), and I am stranded at home. Throwing my very own pity party.

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The only difference between an extraordinary life and an ordinary one is the extraordinary pleasures you find in ordinary things.

- Veronique Vienne

Sometimes, it’s hard to see past the mundane routine, and catch those glimpses of extraordinary. When so many things are competing for your attention, when so many things are weighing you down, even the special moments can lose their shine, and become ordinary and dull. In a conscious effort to not lose sight of those extraordinary moments, I’m listing a few that I nearly missed enjoying.

1) The sound of my kids giggling at the crack of dawn, when they should be sleeping.

2) The way my son’s first thought as we pull out of the daycare and head to home, is that his sister’s bus is almost home.

3) My husband doing drop-off, because he can see I needed that extra 30 minutes of sleep that it afforded me.

4) The wonder of my poor Jeep limping home with next to no coolant, and then recovering beautifully.

5) The way my 4 year old daughter pores over cook books, sighing at the wonderful food she could be making.

6) My brother-in-law scrubbing the kitchen and living room, even though he hadn’t been home in 2 days, and the mess certainly wasn’t his.

7) My daughter’s sense of responsibility and nurturing attitude towards her brother, her pets and even her tree.

8] That the job I found, when in my desperation I would have taken most anything, turns out to be a job I really enjoy, with coworkers who are (mostly) wonderful.

9) The way my parents have gone above and beyond, many times over, to ensure that not everything comes crashing down on top of us.

10) Connecting with an old friend, and finding that in many ways, we can pick up where we left off.

11) Feeling like I could sit here and make this list go on and on and on….

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Things I’ve Learned from Blogging Experts

10)Write for your audience

9)Write for yourself

8)Tracking your stats lets you know how you stand

7)Ignore your stats, they’re just numbers

6)Share EVERYTHING! YES, everyone wants to know what happened in the bathroom today!

5)Share some things

4)Share nothing, make up names, locations and random events. People love that.

3)Be controversial-talk politics, religion and sex

2)Avoid controversy, and politics, religion and sex.

1)Have fun with it!

Argh. I’m just frustrated. And very tired. But the semester is counting down in weeks now. So soon, yet so far….

For a much better post, check out what I wrote over here

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I was tucking my oldest child into bed. I laid down next to her, and I said a prayer first. Then it was her turn.
She started out, “Dear Joseph…” I tried really hard not to crack up, and more or less succeeded.
She then thanked God for the closet, the hangers, the screws holding up her light…and EVERYTHING in between.
Apparently, Mama ranks up there with the cooking show, and snuggly blankets.
She then ended with a “In Jesus’ name, any man!”

You can’t buy entertainment like that.

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I am now officially able to save people’s lives, via CPR.

I’ve been meaning to take the class for a long time now, since I was pregnant with Miss Question, my four year old. I am an excellent procrastinator.

TheMan has had multiple classes, so he had shown me what to do, should I need to, but it was very unofficial, and I would have been a tad uncomfortable assisting a stranger. Not that I wouldn’t want to help, just that I wasn’t 100% confident in my knowledge.

But, I needed to be officialized before clinicals start this spring, so off to class I went.
And I am much more confident in my ability to perform CPR now. And I learned how to use those portable defibrillators. And a review on the Heimlich.

And boy are they thorough! Right down to shaking the dummy and trying to elicit a response. Honestly? If Annie had answered me, I probably would have needed a little emergency resuscitation myself!

So rest assured that if we are hanging out, and you have a heart attack, or forget how to breathe…I’ll be there for you, babe.

PS “Real” post to come as soon as I can get a decent amount of sleep. Sorry for the delay!

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I have a confession to make. My name is Jen, and I am a closet grammar nazi.

Whew….it feels good to get that off my chest. Let me explain why I say “closet” grammar nazi.
I am not likely to say something to you, if I see something that makes me grind my teeth. I realize that in the grand scheme of things, it’s not the end of the world.
The first reason, is because I know I’m not perfect. I know I do things that violate basic grammar tenents. So who am I to make a big stink over someone else’s writing?
Secondly, your blog is your spot. If it annoys me to the point where I can’t read it…well, that’s what that little “X” is for, right?

But, this is my space, so I’m going to have my hissy fit here. Heh.
_______________
Loose vs. lose You didn’t loose your keys. You did lose them.
I needed gas, so I dug in the couch cushions for loose change.
If you don’t lose the attitude, I’m going to have to bitch slap you.

Affect vs. Effect affect=influence, or to have an effect on, effect=a change as a result of strong influence
I was affected by your post about one-eyed flying purple people eaters.
That post had an effect on the laws regarding owning one-eyed flying purple people eaters.

commas A comma is not the same as a period. You can’t use it to stop one sentence, and start another.
A comma is not a stop sign, I think brussel sprouts are great, remember to use your periods.
A comma is not a stop sign. I think brussel sprouts are great. Maybe you should brush up on your punctuation?

capital letters Sentences start with capital letters. So do names of people and places.
it can be hard for me to read an entire paragraph written without capital letters. it’s like my brain can’t comprehend what you are trying to say. i know that this is my own issue, so i don’t say anything about it, usually.
See how much nicer it is when I capitalize words like I’m supposed to?

Paragraphs Paragraphs are good. I *like* your writing. That’s why I take a deep breath and try to read it, even though it’s all jammed up on the page, with no breaks in sight.
Something I’ve noticed? People who write entire pages with no paragraphs? Also tend to be people who don’t capitalize, or use punctuation.
I want to hear what you’re saying. It helps if I can read it, without developing a twitch.
______________

There, I’ve gotten that off my chest. I feel a lot better, and now I can go ahead and access my google reader without blowing a gasket.

I know I’m not the only one bothered by this, so feel free to share your pet writing peeves in the comments! Post it here, and avoid alienating someone over grammar abuse.

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For this I am grateful, for this I am grateful, for THIS I am grateful….

I find myself thinking this to myself a lot lately. I couldn’t really tell you why. It wasn’t a conscious decision to be more thankful for the small things in life. I find it just…happening.

Truck sits quietly snuggled up to his father, as his nebulizer pumps the medicine into his lungs, helping him to breathe. And for the quiet cooperation of the child who is anything but quiet, still or cooperative most days, for this I am thankful.

I share my discouragement with our situation. I whine about how sometimes it’s hard to see how we’ll get through this, and friends and family rush to support us. Some with offers of help, and some with gentle reminders that we have a certainty that this will pass, and we’ll be okay. And that is more than some have. For the out pouring of love and encouragement when I most needed it, for this, I am grateful.

It’s November, in Wisconsin, and it’s a balmy 65 degrees Fahrenheit outside. We horse around outside for hours, without the usual mind-numbing cold of November. I can enjoy the season without 5 layers of clothing. For this, I am grateful.

The money that some scheming loser stole from our bank account is returned, just in time to cover two small, but important, bills that needed to be paid. For the timing, for the amount that is within a few dollars of what was needed, I am grateful.

Miss Question bounces up and down excitedly, and asks, “Momma, can we make THAT?” as she watches her nightly cooking show. For her passion, her love of cooking and creating, however odd it may be at the tender age of four…for that I am grateful.

I curl up on the couch at the end of the day, next to TheMan. I think of how much has happened in the last 6 months. I think of how I wouldn’t have been able to write that first sentence most nights, less than a year ago. I think of how much has changed, and for this I am grateful.

Sometimes (okay, a lot of times) it is hard for me to see the good things in my life. So I welcome this change. I’m determined to enjoy my new perspective.
I’d love hear what you are grateful for in your life, however small it may seem.

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