How much do you think medical school is anyway?

This is just a wee little post mostly for some shameless promotion of cuteness. We bought this doctors costume recently and my check-ups have increased dramatically. The glasses are part of the doctors kit we got long ago, actually we have two doctors kits worth of instruments that currently reside in a large Ziploc bag, the doctors bag in shreds from over-use.




I seldom wonder what my girls will be when they grow up, I am not sure why. Sometimes I think it is because I am still busy wondering what I am going to be when I grow up. My sister-in-law has two kids in university one is studying kinesiology in the hopes of becoming a therapist of one kind or another and the other hopes to become a pharmacist. She is extremely proud of both of them of course, but has been known to joke about maybe one of them becoming a doctor. I wonder would I be prouder of a doctor versus a pharmacist? I doubt it, but having never been there maybe at some point it will matter to me. Right now I would be happy if Rosebud learns her letters before Kindergarten and starts pooping in the potty more often (we are on day 6 currently of no action) these are my lofty goals at the moment.

I do see little glimpses of how easy it can be to want more for your kids, to want them to strive higher and higher. When Papoosie Girl learned to read at age 4 I was thrilled, a prodigy this child is! Once the excitement wore off a bit I was just to happy to sharing one of my passions, essential to life pursuits with my daughter. It meant so much to me and still does. Rosebud however, is very different and at three and a half can only write two letters. At this age Papoosie Girl was already in JK and could write all the letters, numbers to 10 and her name. I try not to compare, but it is really hard. Rosebud (in my opinion) should be able to write her name before she starts school, but she has very little interest in sitting at the table to practice no matter how fun I make it. Papoosie Girl was always keen and determined to master tasks and made teaching her a breeze.

I have several friends whose little monkey's started school without being able to write their names, but I must admit I am working hard to make sure that is not the case for Rosebud. I hate the idea of her being behind before she starts, although I hope that doesn't sound as bad as all that. I just want her to enjoy JK and not be struggling with something I know she is not crazy about.

Well this started out as a post of some cute pics and here goes my hamster on a wheel brain again. I have no idea how much medical school costs and to be honest I don't really want to know all that much. I need to focus on the here and now, "Come here Rosebud, can you spell scholarship for Mommy?"

Monday Musings - Is it hot in here?

While on her grand adventure vacation Alpha DogMa and I engaged in a discussion about our high school/university Celebrity Lists. She challenged me in my comment's to make it a mini-meme, so for the hell of it - here goes. This goes with the disclaimer that actually sleeping with these people, or really anyone besides Hubby is rather an icky thought to me now. I fancy myself more in lust with these people, more along the lines they are nice to look at...Oh who am I kidding.

For those of you that read my blog with any regularity (thanks guys, you are small in number, but big in heart) I don't really dabble in this area. Call me a prude, but any kind of bow chicka bow wow or rumpusing is better left for others to discuss. Those who can make it all sound funny and sexy and not at all as awkward as I think it sounds when I say it. That said I am still going to play along, I could use a little eye-candy right about now.


The list is defined as:

A list created by the individuals of a monogamous relationship at the point of becoming exclusive in order to notate which celebrities they are allowed to have sex with, if given the opportunity, and will not have committed any kind of wrong-doing that may conflict with the current terms of monogamy agreed upon by the individuals of the relationship.


Uh, yeah right. So I won't mind a bit if Hubby dallies around as long as it is someone from his list. Let's suspend reality here and go along with it. What is funny is that while I am trying to recall my past list, I realized that there are not many changes. What does that say about me? I have a type and I stick to it? My tastes really have not changed or matured? I do not really want to delve too deep here, so here is my old list (to my best recollection), I am leaving out my current list, a girl needs a little mystery.

Celebrity List of the Past
1) Tom Cruise. I don't really need to explain Top Gun do I? This was before he was strange and all into his cult, I mean religion. I actually took Ron Hubbard's books out of the library to try to understand Scientology a bit. The God honest truth is I had no idea what I was reading, it was all gobbledy-gook. He still has his moments of appeal to me, but then I think of Katie's vacant face and it quickly vanishes.



2) "Holden Synder" As the World Turns - actor Jon Hensley. My step-Grandmother watched this soap and babysat me during the summer. I quickly became hooked into the Holden-Lily storyline and he is still on the soap today. I don't watch anymore, but I think he may have been my first real crush. I still love the name Holden to this day and always claim it came from, Cather in the Rye, um busted.




3) Denzel Washington
I think it was Malcolm X that did it for me since I can't really recall what the first movie I saw with Denzel was, if it wasn't that one. I loved this movie and he was amazing, and I was sold.




4) Harrison Ford
This one is obvious, Star Wars was my first taste of Harrison, a great boys name in my opinion too. Then there was Indiana Jones and my fascination with older leading men was sealed. All these years later he is still hot.



5) Bruce Willis

This began with Moonlighting and only got worse with the Die Hard franchise. While I think of him as "John McClane" from Die Hard his film career is really quite varied and I have enjoyed most of his films. He has that bad boy, not trying too hard quality I am so drawn to...and I like his voice which from my choices is pretty obvious I think that voices can carry me quite far.


There are a few new ones I could add in, but the mature leading men preference (as opposed to the latest boy toy actors) has not changed and now includes George Clooney, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant among others.

Who is on your fantasy list? Do you even still have one and has it changed much? I can't say I had thought much about this in recent years, but it was fun to think about!

Happy Monday.

Lists

Trying to pretend this is a Monday Musing would be wrong, although that is truthfully how it started. As usual my best of laid plans in my Groundhog Day life have gone out the window. The list of "Must Get Done" items have been down-graded to, 'Next Week" items. Things meant to be done today are pushed off for never. I have managed to cancel my dentist appointment for the second time, change my volunteer day to next week, and differ several important errands for next week.

How does this happen? I am an extremely organized person, I have a routine and self-imposed schedule I try to follow. Why then does any day I make a plan for fall apart with such spectacular display? Yes, there are the sick kids and sudden dramas that drag me away, but mostly I feel like it is me. I just cannot get on top of all the things I want to, in the timely manner I think is appropriate. The real answer I fear may be my new love of blogging, but let's not touch on that just yet. I prefer to think it is Rosebud's chronic and constant battle with constipation that is making me a little crazy lately.

There are the daily things like, making meals, making lunches, baths, homework, playing outside, and general tidying up. Then there are the weekly things like cleaning the house, washing the sheets, buying groceries, and making sure we are not double-booked on the weekends. Then there are the other things you need to fit in like haircuts, doctor appointments, dentist appointments, birthday parties, baby showers, and more birthday parties (May is killer for us) all the while trying to get to those other big important jobs. You know like washing the patio doors so you can actually see outside or finding all the sun hats you carefully put away last fall.

I make lists to keep this all in order, I usually have a weekly list of things to do at home and things to do out, which includes any thing I need to pick up or buy. Dividing it this way helps me sort out what needs to be done first and what is most important. How much do I rely on my lists? Well, this week I forgot to put honey on the grocery list so I kept reminding myself all the way to the store, "don't forget to get honey" and of course did not remember it. If it is not on my list it simply does not get done. I used to blame Mommy Brain, but truthfully I have always been a list person. When I worked in an office I loved the on-line to-do list features of my email/calendar program; I would supplement my personal lists in my planner with that list each week, printing out a copy. Then once I got a Palm Pilot I was on my way! All my lists in one tidy place, yippee!

While I love lists and the function they serve, what I don't like is when those things don't get done. The lovable list then becomes a tangible reminder of my failings. There was a time when I would be mortified to mail a birthday card late, now I often mail it the day before (or of) the person's birthday. I have left belated messages on many an answering machine in days since I have become a mother. I get the idea that you just cannot stay on top of things the same way you used to, but what amazes me is the rapid decline. It seemed to happen for me when Rosebud came along, I think before she came along I had a better ability to keep my house of cards standing.

I have noticed now that I fluctuate between being largely not bothered my lists and the fact that I rewrite them each week just adding more stuff and being very concerned to the point where I lie away at night stressing over it all and letting those inky dark thoughts creep in as Beck so well articulated. Can you guess where I am right now? Yeah, the never-ending, never crossed off lists are bothering me. In my rational mind, when the sun of the morning shines in, I can completely understand the reasons, we were in New York, we have been busy, there have been other unavoidable circumstances taking me away from my own life. I get all that, I really do. In my darker moments though the fact that I am a staying at home and don't have everything under control (by my standards) bothers me, a lot. There are days I want to write things like get up on my list just so I can cross something off.

I am sure I will not reach the end of my days and wish that everything on my list was crossed off, I am completely confident that the smug satisfaction of cleaning the basement and putting all the photos in the album will not be my first thoughts of measuring the success and happiness of my life. Papoosie Girl asked me the other day how old my Dad was when he went to heaven, after telling her he was 48 she started to cry. She was worried that since Daddy is 41 that something bad could happen to him and it took a lot of awkward explaining and reassuring that this doesn't happen to everyone. This week my best friend's Dad suffered a massive heart attack and he is still in the hospital. He is supposed to leave for a long-awaited trip to Europe with his wife, the first trip abroad for them. They now have to postpone the trip, life is so unfair sometimes.

My good, sane mind knows that at the end of the day my lists are nothing more than my neuroses on paper. As my eyes fill with tears at the enormity of what I want to accomplish and the silliness of this self-imposed pressure I know that it doesn't really matter how many things get crossed off. I think I cling to my lists in some desperate way of controlling what I know cannot be controlled. Life is not a tidy list meant to be trudged through, checking things off, "eat dinner" next, "read to kids", next "love husband", next and on and on. Life is complicated and messy and wonderful too. The pizza delivery man said this to us recently, "any day I am on this side of the ground is a good day" maybe a bit crude, but wholly true.

Wasting time worrying about inconsequential things seems to be my specialty lately. I feel like I am somehow going to be judged on these undone things, when I know in fact the only one judging is myself. A little self-diagnosis perhaps, but I think I know myself pretty well. I tend to go though these cycles and I know I will be on the other side soon. The side where my list stays stuck on the bulletin board for months, untouched. I realize this is fundamental to my personality and I actually do love my very organized and diligent self. Just some days it really can be my mental downfall.

Bring on the kids, bring on the healthy bodies, bring on the summer fun and what really matters. I know that I will never complete any list I make, that is the nature of the beast. So for today, I say, shhh clever little mind we are taking a vacation day and the only list I want to read is the menu at Starbucks.

Monday Musings - On Thursday?

I guess since it is my blog I can do this...this flagrant disregard of the rules. Since we have been back from Long Island, NY I have wanted to post about the drive, party, family, etc., but it somehow seems so far away. It was all so vivid and I kept thinking I must blog about this, but when we returned I felt myself straining to remember what it was I wanted to say. I really love Alpha DogMa's By the Numbers posts so I think I am going to sum up our trip exactly that way.



By the Numbers Long Island, NY Engagement Party Version

10 the number questions at the border crossing (possibly could have been higher, but I am guesstimating 10.) We were very thoroughly questioned which proceeded to wake up both the girls - err. Prior to the questioning our biggest worry was whether we would be allowed to bring our homemade baked goods over. That question was never asked.

It also included these ditties from the border guy:

"Who has engagement parties?" This was after he wanted to see the invitation.
"What are the names of the people getting engaged?" Hubby struggles to remember cousin's fiancees name at this point.
"Where is the husband/father in the car ahead of you?" Well, they are divorced and he is joyfully not here with us. (Sister-in-law and three kids were in the car ahead of us and mentioned that the two cars behind her were traveling together.)

9 the time Rosebud fell asleep in her stroller at the party, before her dinner even arrived. Papoosie Girl fell asleep an hour later on two chairs with her head on my lap after crying for half an hour about the loud music - the Greek band WAS loud. The rest of the kids at the party danced and ran around the dance floor long after we left...my girls are just like Mommy not exactly party animals.

8 the number of miles our hotel was from our relatives house!

7 the number of first cousins gathered together on my hubby's side. Out of 7 people there are two sets that have the same name. This is very common and hubby has about five cousins on the other side with the same name. In the Greek culture it is customary to name your children after the paternal grandparents, hence cousins with the same name. This wreaks havoc for instance when we were planning our wedding and got back RSVP cards from several families with the same name...thank goodness I had numbered the cards.

6 the number of times I have chuckled while writing this and remembering Rosebud saying, "U Nork" and the Statue of "Liverty" while typing this up.

5 the number of times I have gone back to stare at some of the photos of the party. When did I get so huge? Is that really how I look to others? This is also the number of new undies I got from Victoria's Secret, the only underwear I wear and the only underwear you will never have to fish out of your butt, EVER, they are that good.

4 the number of hours the girls spent in the hotel pool. The highlight of the trip for them, well along with Dylan's.

3 the number of hours we spent at the mall Saturday morning wasting time and eating candy at Dylan's Candy Bar. (Could help explain #5, all those Jelly Belly's I ate...)

2 the number of engagement parties left to go to in Long Island, NY in the next few years.

1 times a thousand is the number of 1 dollar bills tossed in the air at the bride and groom while dancing. These "singles" all go to the band as tips and the dance floor is littered with them all night.

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The weekend had many fun and wonderful moments despite the hectic pace and general disregard for any schedule we might follow on a normal day. We were all glad to be home and back to "normal" and I am looking forward to the wedding next June since we are going to stay longer and make a vacation out of it. We are excited to take the girls to New York City and show them the sights. Well I am less excited, more nervous, but hubby's genuine excitement makes up for it.

One of these days I will do a real life, My Big Fat Greek Life post. There are some wonderful and wacky things I would love to document and share. I promise to get started...as soon as this woeful, procrastinating, cranky mood lifts.

Monday Musings - Monday again?

Well I had grand intentions of finishing my post about mother's, mine in particular; but that didn't happen. Then I tried to condense (it is way too big to post on You Tube) a really cute movie of Rosebud just talking and saying some really funny stuff, but I could not figure out how to do it. Then I thought of blogging about all the cute things she has been saying lately, but that seemed too cutesy. Then I thought of blogging about how Papoosie Girl is doing so well lately and hardly has any asthma symptoms, but that seems like begging the Murphy's Law jinx gods for an attack. Then there was that great article in the Globe & Mail (or maybe The Star, we get both papers) this weekend about kids and learning and math and this great teacher, but I recycled it already and am just too lazy to go find it. Then it was a poetic and insightful post about spring and how the girls are so loving all the tulips and daffodils they are seeing everywhere and asking all kinds of deep and profound questions about life.

So that leaves me with a Monday Musings with very little to muse at the moment. So um...how are things with you? Read any great books, seen any good movies, we really don't get to talk much anymore do we? Have an interesting meme you want to start? Let's dish and just spend a few moments catching up shall we?

Let me know and in the meantime I will work on getting those posts finished, maybe even by next Monday. Then again maybe not as we are off to Long Island, NY this weekend so next Monday maybe even bleaker. Then again after a 10 hour road trip with about 15 members of hubby's family, a family party to attend then followed by a 10 hour drive back the next day I might just give me enough fodder for a whole series of posts.

If you want to see how a post of half thoughts can sound go visit Bub & Pie, you will see why she is the teacher....

Beauty Shop

So this isn't really supposed to be the place to whine and complain about being tired or alone with the girls from the minute they wake up until they lay their sweet heads upon their pillows. So I won't say that at all. Or that some days seem to stretch on forever like the sky.
And really not all days are like that....just some. And even if I am so very very tired, I love my job and would not trade it for the world.

The other day the girls were playing beauty shop and needed another customer (they had already suitably fixed each other up) and since I was just too tired to disagree I complied. I sat on the edge of the sofa for nearly an hour while they primped and yanked (ouch) my hair until they were satisfied. They take this beauty gig seriously and spent quite a bit of time getting it all just right. Most of the accessories are from a long ago "beauty head" the girls had, but got tired of playing with, they much prefer a real head.

I had one of those "styling heads" too as a child and would spend hours fixing her hair with the little velcro curlers. It amazes me that despite how different our childhoods are they are also in so many ways the same.

We were interrupted only once by the doorbell. The look on my teenage neighbours face was priceless as he asked for the ladder, their birdies had all gone into the eaves and we are the only people with a ladder. Then again he is about 15 so he should understand this kind of strange.

Once were done they insisted I take a look in the mirror and take some "real" pictures of my new do. So here they are, the result of an afternoon indulged in beauty and so much fun. Sometimes a trip to the beauty shop is just what you need.