Saturday, April 30, 2011
Warm Before the Storm
Since it snowed again last night (WHAT?! This is the final day of April, for crying out loud!) I thought I would share some tulip festival photos form this week. Seeing a break in the yucky weather, I took my chances (along with busloads of other people) and thoroughly enjoyed the springime riot of color. Here is what I saw:
Friday, April 29, 2011
The Boy
Today this cute little boy is 14 years old. It is his birthday. He is my boy.
Crazy how quickly they go from this little cutie pie face to a teenager.
No matter, I love love him and find total joy in having him in my life. So, Happy Birthday, Boy!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Dread and Anticipation in One
July 15th cannot come soon enough for me. But when it does, I am dreading the feeling of not having any more Harry films to look forward to. This magical world has been such a fun side track for me. I love the books and, while the movies don't exactly follow the books, the films give me another Harry Potter outlet. I do love them.
I was given a wonderful Harry Potter themed thank you gift basket from my Council PTA board...and on the July 15th opening I will be wearing my radish earrings. Mark my words, in the Daily Prophet.
I was given a wonderful Harry Potter themed thank you gift basket from my Council PTA board...and on the July 15th opening I will be wearing my radish earrings. Mark my words, in the Daily Prophet.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
It Just Isn't Fun Anymore
We had a Strawberry Days committee meeting on Monday night. Technically I am on the committee, but as a volunteer photographer, I have little interest other than what the schedule is and really no say about how things are done. Add to that, I have only two years invested here as a committee member. And as a citizen, I had little interest in the behind-the-scenes deals that went down. I just wanted to know when the parade would block my street and whether or not there was an alternative way out of town to avoid the carnival.
Strawberry Days is the oldest city celebration in the state. It has been a home grown, small town, locally run program for decades and decades. But the meeting on Monday made me wonder what had changed.
I felt Monday that there was a discussion heating up that could be boiled down to "keep it local" or "run it like a business". Apparently, you can't do both. The meeting had an awkward and uncomfortable feel. I can't even put my finger on it, to be honest. It is just a gut feeling, and I have had enough of those to know to trust my gut.
So, I will take photos of the Rodeo Queen pageant in a couple weeks. And I'll take pictures at each event that I can make it to during the week of Strawberry Days. But I don't intend to do this again. I haven enough to do in my regular life than to volunteer for things that aren't any fun anymore. Real life is not fun most of the time too, so why muck it up with extra un-fun responsibilities?!
Strawberry Days is the oldest city celebration in the state. It has been a home grown, small town, locally run program for decades and decades. But the meeting on Monday made me wonder what had changed.
I felt Monday that there was a discussion heating up that could be boiled down to "keep it local" or "run it like a business". Apparently, you can't do both. The meeting had an awkward and uncomfortable feel. I can't even put my finger on it, to be honest. It is just a gut feeling, and I have had enough of those to know to trust my gut.
So, I will take photos of the Rodeo Queen pageant in a couple weeks. And I'll take pictures at each event that I can make it to during the week of Strawberry Days. But I don't intend to do this again. I haven enough to do in my regular life than to volunteer for things that aren't any fun anymore. Real life is not fun most of the time too, so why muck it up with extra un-fun responsibilities?!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Treasure Unearthed
Today, while hunting through some very old cassettes trying to find a favorite Bill Cosby record I copied to a tape years ago, I ran across a little treasure I didn't know I had.
I discovered, on an unmarked cassette, a full tape of The Boy reading pictures books. He is reading pretty well, but it is his "little boy" voice so he might be third or fourth grade. It is awesome. I don't know if I knew he recorded himself reading...if I did, I don't remember it.
After my confession yesterday of wishing away my kids' childhoods, I feel like I got a little bit of it back today.
These aren't Grammy worthy recordings, of course. But listening to him read "Froggy's Baby Sister" or any of the Froggy books that he used to just love--with full Froggy and Mom voices-- is such a treat. Oh, wait. His oration of "Olive,the Other Reindeer" just began. Love it!
Throughout the recording I occasionally hear the "reading timer" we used to use so he'd get in his full twenty minutes or so required reading, but it goes off several times. That is good. I guess he really WAS reading when he squirreled off to his room when I told him it was time to do his homework and he didn't want my "help".
I can't wait to share my discovery with him when he gets home from school. I wonder if he even remembers doing them. Maybe in all my hoarding behaviors there really are treasures hidden...I hope there are. This one has been a hoot!
I discovered, on an unmarked cassette, a full tape of The Boy reading pictures books. He is reading pretty well, but it is his "little boy" voice so he might be third or fourth grade. It is awesome. I don't know if I knew he recorded himself reading...if I did, I don't remember it.
After my confession yesterday of wishing away my kids' childhoods, I feel like I got a little bit of it back today.
These aren't Grammy worthy recordings, of course. But listening to him read "Froggy's Baby Sister" or any of the Froggy books that he used to just love--with full Froggy and Mom voices-- is such a treat. Oh, wait. His oration of "Olive,the Other Reindeer" just began. Love it!
Throughout the recording I occasionally hear the "reading timer" we used to use so he'd get in his full twenty minutes or so required reading, but it goes off several times. That is good. I guess he really WAS reading when he squirreled off to his room when I told him it was time to do his homework and he didn't want my "help".
I can't wait to share my discovery with him when he gets home from school. I wonder if he even remembers doing them. Maybe in all my hoarding behaviors there really are treasures hidden...I hope there are. This one has been a hoot!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Wishing Away Again, But Not in Margaritaville
A friend left a Facebook post today that they are down to five more Mondays until summer vacation. That sounds great. I counted and we have only 28 days of school left. As the PTA stuff I am in charge of winds down I am seeing the time pass so much faster. It is crazy.
The bummer of all this is I also looked at the calendar and everyone's schedules for summer, and the bulk of my summer is already spoken for too. Sad, right?!
I usually look so forward to summer vacation with the kids--but we are already scheduled up with swim team, girls' camp, high adventure camp, Timberline Leadership camp, football, summer jobs, driving practice, and chores. Not to mention all of my own stuff or that of Genius Golfer's. It makes me tired when I stop and think about it. Yet, I know that these are all good things. Things the kids are interested in doing (well, except, maybe the chores) and these things will help them to learn and grow.
I guess, what I am learning is that when my two kids were little, like preschool age, I wished the time with them away. They were demanding and needed lots of discipline. They required a lot of hands on care. They took much of my time and energy. There were days then that I thought one or more of us wouldn't make it to the day when they were both in school full time. I have wished away their childhoods.
Now, they are at great ages. I love having conversations with them, hearing what they think and how they think. I am fascinated by their interests and love to see them figure things out. I love to see the way they deal with friends and issues and difficulties so well and so wisely on their own. They wills till ask for advice once in a while, but for the most part they seem to have a good handle of their lives.
I find myself wishing for the time to slow down now. I see how quickly the calendar fills up and I recognize how fast the years roll by and, looking not too far down the road, I know they won't be here with me for much longer. Now I wish I had that time with them back. Or that I could make what I have left with them stretch a little longer.
I guess this is the way of the things when you are a parent. I am doing my job as a parent if they are growing up to become responsible and sensible and caring adults. Too bad that happens so quickly after they have finally become such interesting people themselves.
The bummer of all this is I also looked at the calendar and everyone's schedules for summer, and the bulk of my summer is already spoken for too. Sad, right?!
I usually look so forward to summer vacation with the kids--but we are already scheduled up with swim team, girls' camp, high adventure camp, Timberline Leadership camp, football, summer jobs, driving practice, and chores. Not to mention all of my own stuff or that of Genius Golfer's. It makes me tired when I stop and think about it. Yet, I know that these are all good things. Things the kids are interested in doing (well, except, maybe the chores) and these things will help them to learn and grow.
I guess, what I am learning is that when my two kids were little, like preschool age, I wished the time with them away. They were demanding and needed lots of discipline. They required a lot of hands on care. They took much of my time and energy. There were days then that I thought one or more of us wouldn't make it to the day when they were both in school full time. I have wished away their childhoods.
Now, they are at great ages. I love having conversations with them, hearing what they think and how they think. I am fascinated by their interests and love to see them figure things out. I love to see the way they deal with friends and issues and difficulties so well and so wisely on their own. They wills till ask for advice once in a while, but for the most part they seem to have a good handle of their lives.
I find myself wishing for the time to slow down now. I see how quickly the calendar fills up and I recognize how fast the years roll by and, looking not too far down the road, I know they won't be here with me for much longer. Now I wish I had that time with them back. Or that I could make what I have left with them stretch a little longer.
I guess this is the way of the things when you are a parent. I am doing my job as a parent if they are growing up to become responsible and sensible and caring adults. Too bad that happens so quickly after they have finally become such interesting people themselves.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
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