Survival in a house of men

Dear Mothers of Boys,

You know who you are. You know the crazy activity that occurs every moment in your house. You know that burping and farting are just a normal part of life and don't even raise your head up any more when you hear them. You know that brothers greet each other by punching, kicking, and tackling. You know that video games are as integral as food and air to your boys. You know that they eat for fun. You know that they clean out your pantry and fridge and still want more to eat. You know that your boys' rooms will always have a funky smell. No matter what you do, those rooms just smell. You know that your boys' bathroom smells too and even bleach doesn't remove the smell completely. You know that you wish you could have a little girl in the house who will play with your hair and help you pick out your outfits. But alas, dear Mothers of Boys, you will feel very very weary at the end of the week because mothers and little boys can really WEAR on each other. So tonight, do as I do - rent a girly movie - my selection is Confessions of a Shopaholic - kiss all your boys good night - take a bath in your room, shave your legs, paint your toenails, spray some girly perfume in your room to remove the funky smell of boys in your nostrils and just breathe and relax and pray -oh pray - that your husband never dies and leaves you alone to raise your boys.
God bless you tonight!

The first two weeks of summer vacation have been....

half and half.

Half the time I love the sun, the freedom of not throwing the kids out the door in the morning, the daily adventures I take with the boys, the water play, my garden growing, seeing Chase enjoy the yard, etc.

The other half of the time I hate the endless hours of each day, the fighting, the close quarters of the house as we shelter in the A/C, the boredom, the loooong daylight hours (I don't need to go to bed yet, it's not dark!), the all day access to the pantry because we're home, etc.

No matter what, I usually end up hiding from my children in my closet or in the computer room checking blogs. Tonight is such a night. I'm totally hiding from them. I'm totally done with today.
Making children try to practice piano when they could be outside with friends is not a pretty picture. Good night all, may tomorrow be a better day.

Darn You Flight Simulator

My son l-o-v-es a computer game called Microsoft Flight Simulator. This kid can "fly" a plane via the simulator from any city in the world to any other city in the world. He can tell you call the names of the airplanes he flies - what sort of pitch, attitude, altitude they use when flying - he relates tales of flying through thunder storms, hurricanes, night flying, etc. For me, his mother, I feel kind of impressed by this.

So all he wanted was a Boeing 757-300 painted in Delta airlines colors added to his simulator. I have bought multiple software applications. Nothing. We have found different FSX forums where members discuss how to add airplanes to their fleets. I have followed the directions to a tee and still - no 757 on his game. I promise every day we will work on the issue and every day we come up short. UHHHHH!!!!

This is when you wish you had a computer genius who could just freakin' install the correct application so your boy can fly a Boeing 757 to Orlando. Is that too much to ask?

(p.s. - as I reread this post, it seems as though I make a harmless and innocent nuiscence a big huge life changing problem - but really, I've been on this computer for hours trying to be all "computer genius-y" and it isn't working and I'm frustrated!! Darn you Flight Simulator!!)

Blog on temporary suspension

We're off to the beehive state. For family. For rest. For good old fashioned desert hotness, sun, and fun.

See you when we get back.

Banana Pancakes

Sometimes I am really good at making dinner. I mean, I plan it all out - make list after list of delicious dinners and marvel at my wonderful organizational skills as I go through the list and prepare healthy and filling dinners for my family.

I lost that about two days ago.
I have, like ZERO motivation to cook anything!!

Last night we had hash for dinner and tonight we're having banana pancakes. I'm leaving in two days to go to my mother's house for a week. I wonder if I can get away with not making dinner for two more days.

Utah cousins watch out because I'm coming to visit you and you may get to feed me dinner because I've become THAT lazy.

The end.

How Shannan is getting her groove back

Recently, I came across a magazine article titled, "Are you secretly stuck?" - the gist of this article was Are you in a groove or a rut?
Want a small self test?
Q: It's Saturday, everyone's out of the house, and you suddenly have a free hour. You:
a) get lost in a gardening book. You've decided to do some new landscaping.
b) draw a blank on what to do and end up surfing a few favorite websites.
c) throw in some laundry and while it's running, read magazines full of health info for you and your family.

The correct, most "un-rut-like" behavior would be "C". I answered C - so I must be in a groove, right?

Well another question was this.
Q: A meticulously neat fairy godmother has just organized your house. You say:
a) "This is the best thing that's happened to me in years. But jeez, I'm going to have to spend a hour a day to keep it looking this nice."
b) "Great! Now there's room to set up the scrapbooking I wanted to do."
c) "Now I can finally invite people over for a dinner party and not be ashamed."

My gut response was "A" - which was the most "rut-like" behavior, so I guess I'm in a rut, right?

Ultimately, the article got me to thinking about what is going on currently with my 33 year old self. Last year at this time, I had just survived a move, had a three month old baby, and was diagnosed with skin cancer about to have reconstructive surgery on my nose. The months that followed spiraled me into a serious rut and manifested as psychosomatic conditions such as dizziness, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and numbness in shoulders arms and legs. At the bottom on my rut - I had stopped going out of my house unless absolutely necessary. I was convinced I was dying. I quit doing everything that mattered to me. Really I was anxious and depressed - but a nice way to say this is that I was in a bigtime rut. So as you know if you follow this blog, I'm trying to get my groove back. All of these steps may sound like I'm tooting my own horn, but I just wanted to give examples of how I pulled pieces of my life back together when I thought I had let it all go and if anyone else relates to what I am saying, maybe they can get inspiration to get their own groove back.

The best way I've found to get my groove is to step back and reexamine what is necessary to me and what I can let go. My budget makeover was a tool for me in doing this. I watch way too much TV, so giving up cable allowed me to free up my time and brain energy to read more books - a passion I have. Also, our family's finances are a huge source of stress for me and when we went to spending only 60% of what we make and using a simply cash-only method, it freed up so much of my stress. Plus, the thought of deing debt free in a few years is absolutely thrilling.

I made gardening a top priority in my life and committed to doing it everyday. And to keep myself accountable, I take pictures of what I did and post it on my blog or email to friends/family to show what I am accomplishing outside.

I began seeing a counselor who specializes in panic disorders. He taught me many exercises and techniques to cope with the daily stress of life. It was one of the best health investments I made for myself this year.

Upon his encouragement, I started going back to my church's mom group and found that I really really enjoy sharing my time with other Christian women. I look forward to developing roots in this group.

I also joined a community play group - which is a huge stretch for me because I don't like playgroups very much - but I let go of my stereotypes and made myself available to getting to know my neighbors and other moms in this area. I have already signed up for several community activities like children's theater for me and Blake and several fruit/vegetable U-pick adventures - all of these are things I enjoy and bring smiles to my face.

I also decided to start my own business. Those who knew me in Seattle, know that I was a preschool teacher for 7 years in the BCC parent education program. It was a great way to get me out of the house back then, but now in Salem, I found I didn't feel compelled to working with young children at the moment. Chilidog pet sitting has allowed me a little source of income to pay for "fun" things for me and our family as well as allowing me to not leave my children in daycare - they come with me and earn their extra spending money right alongside me! We have a few clients and hope to get more this summer, but already I find I look forward to going to my jobs every day and it doesn't take much time or energy away from my family. I set my own hours, I set my own prices. I enjoy working one on one with my clients and then working with animals who are so forgiving of my daily moods. They are just happy to see us! What a tremendous model for my children.

The last most important thing to me is family. Jeremy and I have always made our family a priority, but we sealed the deal by fully committing to invest in our marriage and our extended family. We were offered an opportunity to attend a marriage builder conference and we took it! Our in-laws even offered to take our kids while we attend. We also dropped everything on our plates to be a source of support and healing for several family members going through crises right now. All of these bring love and encouragement to us as we go through this life. I invited several close and dear friends to come down and spend some time with me here in Oregon this summer (and one already accepted and will bring her boys with her - what an adventure). I healed and mended a fractured relationship I had with a person close to my dad and now am so blessed to have this new founded friendship in my life.

I am discovering that life is fun again. I honestly look forward to each day. I look forward to the fulfilling relationships I have available to me in my life. I anticipate going on my new adventures.
Yes, I am definitely getting my groove back.

Uh.....where's the baby?

this was our conversation tonight:

Me: Jer - where's Chase?

Jer: I thought you had him.


Me: No, I don't have him, I'm on the computer. I thought you knew that.


Jer: No, I thought you had him, I'm playing Wii Fit.


Me: Well, where is he?

Jer: You mean you don't know where he is?

Me: Uh....no. I thought that you had him.


Jer: Well I didn't. So where is he?

Doing Baby Tattoos with markers

Today is one of those days

You know the days when it is hot and muggy outside, but not hot enough to justify turning on the A/C? Today is one of those days.
You know the days when you have zero energy and even brushing your teeth seems like climbing a mountain? Today is one of those days.
You know when you get on your bathroom scale and it shows you gained 2 lbs in one day? Today is one of those days.
You know when your allergies and hay fever is so bad that you just want to claw your face off?
Today is one of those days.
You know when your middle child who has made pushing your buttons a fine art form decides to take it to the next level? And all he does is scream and throw fits and then talks in a baby voice and refuses to take a shower for three days in a row and picks fights with everyone in the family and refuses to eat anything you fix for him and when you go to workout to work off the aggression you have he just comes out into the garage and makes messes at your feet and has made everything under the sun a power play and you have SuperNanny screaming your head that you shouldn't wap him across the face but calmly put him in a timeout? TODAY IS ONE OF THOSE DAYS!
And your baby is sprouting four molars at the same time and he just shuffles around the house crying and whining and doesn't want to eat and doesn't want to be picked up and you think, "Why God did I pick this month to take away his pacifier?" Today is one of those days.
You know that of all days this is the day when your husband decides to take your nice and clean and unsmelly car to work because he needs it to transport four coworkers to a meeting so you are left to drive his smelly, dirty, and musty car and of course you can't forgo driving at all because you put off buying snacks for the boy's baseball games until today and tonight is their game and you will have thirty disappointed children if you don't bring snack, so you have to just tough it out and drag your tired allergy swollen face and sweaty frizzy body and figure out how to buckle that stupid toddler car seat into your husband's stinky and dirty car and drive to the grocery store while your baby screams and cries and whines and you think, "That's it, I don't care if he doesn't talk until he's five and have buck teeth - I'm giving him that PACIFIER!!".

People, I know my life is not all that bad - in fact, most days it is pretty darn good - but I'm telling ya- TODAY IS ONE OF THOSE DAYS!

This Week in the Garden - Peas, Broccoli, and NanaClaus comes to town

Our backyard is coming into full bloom - we are loving it.

Our pea plants have exceeded six feet - they almost cover my bathroom window!
Snow Peas
Sugar Snap peas have become Chase's favorite - they don't grow quite as tall as the snow peas and are a perfect size for little toddler boys to pick snacks off the vine.

My broccoli patch is huge!

This was the latest harvest - I made a chicken, rice, and broccoli casserole tonight

It's kind of hard to tell - but we recently transplanted four tomato plants into the garden bed. These are the ones we started from seeds and grew under lights in our office.

One brandywine in back, two early stupice and one sweet 100 cherry tomato.

The lettuce rows are still producing and will probably produce until July - so I inter planted the tomato plants amongst the lettuce because once the lettuce peters out, the tomatoes will be bigger and needing the space, but right now since they are twigs, the two of them work out just fine.
The pole bean plants have come up - it kind of makes me smile to see the heart shaped leaves

Baby cilantro - started from seed in our office.Our early blueberry plants have some berries-

My mom recently came up to Oregon for a visit. If you know my mom personally, you know about her beautiful gardens and especially her container gardens!! They are incredible.

We're on a tight budget and I had already exceeded my flower budget - but my mom - aka NanaClaus - brought me an early Christmas and bought several containers worth of flowers and plants and then designed them - I love looking at the bright pops of color in my backyard!