QUOTE OF THE DAY (OR MORE): "No, no. You don't understand. This is an '89 Calico. I'm pretty sure that exceeds the Kelly Blue Book value. The cat's totaled." --A comedian whose name I forget talking about a vet who presents a $3,000 bill for a 12-year-old cat

Monday, January 4, 2010

Resolution, schmesolution


2010? Really?
Tap tap. Hello? Anyone there? I think this is my long lost blog...?
Okay, okay. Life has been a bit busy. Things like job and kids getting in the way of my blogging habit. annoying.
On the radio this morning they were chatting about New Year's resolutions... specifically resolutions for other people. i.e.... I resolve that my kids stop fighting... etc.
It got me thinking... I didn't resolve anything this year. I really don't have any New Year's resolutions. I'm good the way I am, really. heh heh. I did skip a few days of running because it's so flippin' cold out there (and windy... it's the wind that gets me), and I do feel guilty about that... but on the other hand it's good to take a break now and then.
A recap of what's been keeping me away from blogging? A whirlwhind fall/early winter....
1- the 13-year-old's high school applications are in, done. Entrance exams taken. done. Now we wait. And prayers won't hurt.
2- House is sold! yahoo! To people who LOVE our house, which gives me the warm fuzzy feeling in my heart which almost mitigates the low price we accepted. But then none of our houses is worth what they were a couple of years ago... and that's just the way it is. Suck it up.
3- More job responsibility- good in this economy, right? And stuff I enjoy doing...
So that's why I've been away.
There have been lots of bloggable moments throughout my last couple of months....most of which I've forgotten. I do remember saying to the 11-year-old just before thanksgiving: "gee, bud. You didn't give me your usual Christmas list in July, huh? Or did you give it to me and I've lost it?"
"Nah, he said," quite maturely, "I didn't do one this year. I decided to let you get me what you want." Then he gave it some deep thought; I could see the cogs turning. "Actually," he mused, "what I should do is give you a list of what NOT to give me."
I sputtered my coffee. "Excuse me?" I defended, "like what?"
"Like puzzles. You always give me puzzles and I'm just not into them anymore."
"I see," I said. "You shall get no puzzles this year, then." Coal, I thought. Lots of coal.
Most of all, what I want to say today, though, from the bottom of my heart, is...
I know there is a God because my two boys are back in school today.
There. I said it. And I'm not ashamed.
The environment in our household over Christmas break closely approximated the allied forces versus WWII Germany, the two boys literally screaming at, kicking, and punching each other. Okay, well, one of them did most of the screaming. I won't...11-year-old... mention any names. Somewhere, not so long ago, in my literature of parenting tutelage, I had read that parents should give their kids the opportunity to solve their own spats as long as it didn't get physical. Whoever wrote that particle of wisdom obviously didn't have boys. It always gets physical with boys.
Each day of vacation was the same. I enjoyed the peace and quiet in the household until around 10 am. Then, the boys got up. Inevitably, one would look at the other the wrong way, an offense punishable by lifelong hatred and disgust. Next, it would lead to blows, which led to mom's intervention. Mom's intervention consisted of sending both up to their rooms, notwithstanding the main offender or who was at fault, both of which are impossible to establish (as any fellow good parent knows).
I'm really proud of myself for waiting untiul 5 pm each day to start drinking.
Anyway, that is in my past now. The urchins are in school again, hopefully getting enough homework to last them until bedtime so that they are unable to interact with each other and have no free will whatsoever.
I do resolve to blog a bit more, publish more articles for Examiner.com, and call my grandmother more. Our household items, except for the everyday things, are mostly in sealed boxes throughout the house now, ready for our move toward the end of January. It's just a matter of time before I discover I need something from one of them.
At the end of January, we will be homeless for awhile, so I will have lots of blog material.
Happy New Year, friends.

13 comments:

  1. And I thought it was juts a girl thing, mine fight from the time their eyes open until they fall asleep! ARGggggggg.


    Lots of "stuff" happening with you, I'm glad you found the time for an update.

    Welcome back!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congrats on a fine beginning to 2010! Welcome back from the abyss. Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow....you've been a busy lady. Congrats on the sale of your house!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm glad you found your blog!

    I hate the wind, too. A windy cold day makes me ask myself why do I like this over and over again. I'm picking up a little distance to run the Cowtown half-marathon in February. I've had some days with awesome weather so far.

    I don't think I've heard from a parent yet that is sad that their kids are back in school! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Glad to hear from you again!

    It gets physical even if only one sibling is a boy! Girls hit back! Ugh...then they yell for mom.

    ReplyDelete
  6. yay!! yay!!

    I'm just so glad to see you back...read you back? I was thinking of you just this morning.

    ps...I can say this because I love Miss Reforming Geek...I am completely sad my children are back in school. sigh.

    If if makes you feel any better I haven't run in 2 weeks...it's like 10 degrees and slippery. And the treadmill...ugh.

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  7. I read that you didn't have to intervene once the smaller one could handle a punch - and retaliate. Strange that I can't remember where I read that one.

    Happy New Year to you too, congrats on the sale, and good luck with the move - moving sucks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Glad you found your blog. Happy New Year.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Awesome news about selling the house. Congrats!

    OMG! I wanted to do cartwheels today when the bus pulled up. My kids had been driving me nuts! Between all the sweets and treats that the Holidays bring combined with way too many toys, late nights and house guests, our schedule has been WAY off. Early to bed tonight for sure! Glad I'm not the only mom ready for a break, or at least willing to admit it. Wink, wink!

    And yes, do call your Grandma more. That's definitely a resolution worth keeping. ;)

    Good luck with the move!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think every parent is privately, as well as VERY PUBLICLY, rejoicing that school is back in session.

    I personally get crabby when the university kids (including myself) go back to school because they clog up my favorite restaurants and show little regard for traffic lights.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Welcome back. (I would say that smugly, except that I have been MIA in BlogLand too.)
    HNY!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. My boys are 4 & 3 and already beat the stuffing out of each other on a daily basis. I can only imagine what the coming years will bring. Happy 2010!

    ReplyDelete
  13. ok, so i had a moment of genius... this stopped all fighting over break... and my kids are relatively good?!!! i told them they get one warning...ONE... and then i don't care who started what, but they would BOTH have to exchange their most prized possessions with each other. the 10 yrold girl would have access to the 13 bro's cell phone and the bro would get to cuddle all night with her favorite sleeping pal, Mr. Knuffles, the bunny. They were in shock...but the quiet after that announcement was impressive if i do say so myself and lasted the rest of the break. sometimes i'm smart, it must be by being friends with you. ;) xoxo

    ReplyDelete

Please feel free to let me know what you think - especially if you like it. If not, please reconsider (just kidding!) I can take constructive criticism! Really I can...