New World Record

I might have too much free time on my hands (see graphic above). Not the case, I’m an extreme procrastinator. Nevertheless… I’m pretty sure I’ve set a new world record. I’m expecting Guinness or the officials at “Words with Friends” to be contacting me any moment now (only because I tried to contact them and couldn’t find a listing for “words with friends” in the yellow pages. I fully expected to find it just below “witches and warlocks,” but no such luck). *side note, I didn’t even know witches and warlocks are still around, but apparently so. They’re listed in the yellow pages. Because they perform a service? I don’t know.* Back to the whole world record setting feat. Some important entity should be calling any moment now. I played a 132 point word on a game of Words with Friends. That’s right. One hundred thirty two points. Wow! I know, right? Don’t hate! Appreci-ATE! After a crazy year just trying to make it through school, kindergarten, graduate school, 2 shedding labs, zero snow days, and the exiting of Michael Scott, THIS is a major accomplishment on my part. Congratulations are in order. Send cards, flowers, gifts, or other expensive well wishes to Amber Olson, Crazytown USA.

Maddie's a Swimmer!

Arg! Summertime!

So today's been one of those days (already. It's only 12:49.) maddies been in the naughty chair no less thn 6 times and Jason's spent his fair share of the morning there as well. We're trying to conquer whining and so far the chillins are refusing to give it up. In the midst of the crying and threatening to take toys, swim time, drivers license, prom and anything else I could think of, this is what I found:


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For those of you that need a little deciphering, it's a book Jason's creating, the new superman. But the inside is what melted my heart, the dedication page reads: "for my family that all they have done for mi."
So I guess I won't be selling them after all.

Come Home. Soon.

So I’m going on day 3 of flying solo with the kiddos (I’m actually embarrassingly afraid to admit, that it’s actually only hour 25, as my terrific mom and dad were here over the weekend). Trav’s in the pacific northwest for graduation celebration with family, so I’m the lone ranger, well along with Spock and Kirk, but two labs aren’t as much help corralling children as you’d think they’d be. My first order of business- to get the kids on board with taking care of their own dishes. The kitchen clean up is typically Trav’s domain so I knew I would definitely feel his absence in this area, so this was the weekend Maddie and Jason learned how to rinse dishes and load a dishwasher. It went surprisingly well! I’m hoping this habit will continue into their teen years. As we were taking a morning not-a-run because a four year old is wwwaaaaay too into grass and leaves and trees for any kind of expedited trip, I noticed a beautiful lab roaming the neighborhood. “someone’s dog…” then another yellow lab behind that one. “HEY! How’d you guys get out!” So was the start of our real five minute run chasing down OUR dogs who somehow escaped the backyard. Teaching opportunity #2 arrived as I was deep in concentration on my grad school assignment when Maddie screamed, “MOMMMA! I’M DONE POOPING!” *Note, if your kiddos were wiping their own butts prior to age 4, well, awesome for you, and if you don’t yet have kiddos, wait until you have two of them and are stumbling your way through a full time teaching job and grad school to make judgements* I made an impromptu decision, now’s as good a time as any for Maddie to learn. Our converstation proceeded: Me: “Ok girlie, you’re independent and responsible, so now you get to wipe your own bottom.” Maddie: curmudgeonly, “aaah” Me: “ so you want to start our with some paper, how many squares do you think would be good to start out with?” Keeping in mind my former disasters with square limits. Maddie: “193!” Me: “that might be a leeeetle too many. How about we start with 3?” And the rest is really kind of personal. You don’t want to know the crude little limerick that Travis has provided our household with when to tell if you’re done. Nonetheless, that’s 2 less duties I have to do until Trav returns.

Hiatus

So I’ve been gone for a while (mentally, not physically), well maybe not “gone” per se, just occupied, mentally that is, but physically too, lets just say, I’ve taken a short hiatus. Read: grad school + family + still teaching = kicking my #$%! Anywho, I’m still alive and kickin’ and back in the saddle (just for today, though, I can’t promise what tomorrow’ll look like). But in honor of my new friend Eggton (maybe not so much “friend” but blog stalkee (I’m the stalker, not her, but if you’re interested in stalking my blog, feel free, I’d love to have a blog stalker, just let me know and I’ll update more-I promise! Wait, that sounded a little desperate, look, I’m not getting out much, what with the whole family, grad school, job, gig, I’m off topic, focus!) back to my shout out to my new girl Eggton, there are lots of things I’ve said/say that I never thought would come out of my mouth, see here and here, and here, today, a few things I hope to say sometime in the near future… • Oh, these are waaaaay too big, I’ll need a size 4 • Oh, this one’s waaaay too small, I’ll need the DD • Tell Martha Stewart I’d love to have her on my cooking show, but I’m all booked up until next season • 2 first class tickets to Hawaii please! • Travis, you really shouldn’t have swept, mopped, did the laundry, put it away, cooked supper, and taught the kids their multiplication tables!

Summer has arrived!