January 11, 2012
January 10, 2012
Dinner by Candlelight
Our house is loud.
I mean, seriously loud.
My monkeys are good kids, but they are loud kids.
Even while playing chess or doing a jigsaw puzzle, Monkey in the Middle is talking to himself at a volume of about 8 (out of 10).
Baby Monkey keeps up a continuous supply of chatter at about a 6.
Monkey Girl is probably the quietest, but when she gets going, she tries to talk over her brothers and gets up to a volume of 7.
And Tiny Monkey is growing to believe that the only way to be heard in this house is to scream over everyone, and so his baby chatter registers an ear-shattering 103 (again, out of 10).
I’m used to it, but I don’t like it.
I’m the only child of two only children and my house, growing up, was quiet.
Really, really quiet.
Even when we were all home, we were probably all reading, and so the saying about hearing a pin drop would not be an exaggeration.
Anyway, it’s a different story here.
One of my favorite times of day is dinner time, because the six of us sit around the table, together, and talk about our days.
I’ve shared this before.
However, even at dinner, it’s not an orderly sharing of ideas.
Not that it should be.
I have four little kids, and when they are all enthusiastically trying to tell about their days at the same time, it gets a bit…exciting.
So, I’ve been trying to figure out how to bring it down a bit, around dinner time.
I’m a teacher, so all day I’m saying things like “One voice, please” or “Raise your hand if you have something to say,” and I really don’t want to have to do it at home.
I have friends who have a “talking stick” and they pass the stick around and whoever holds the stick gets the floor.
Like it, but I also kinda like the popcorn talking…just not the volume.
So, one night, I set out some candles and lit them.
I dimmed the lights, set the table and called everyone in for dinner.
At first, the monkeys were mystified.
“What’s the occasion?” they wondered.
“Nothing special,” I assured them. “I just thought we could fancy up our dinner a little.”
And, strangely, the low lights and the candles did just what I thought they’d do.
Brought down the noise level.
The monkeys were just as excited to tell us about their days and there was just as much talking as before, but they were finally using, what I would call, “inside voices” and I could feel my blood pressure lowering and my chi focusing itself in very healthy ways.
I don’t really know what chi is, but it sounded very zen.
Not really sure what zen means either, but I’m pretty sure it conveys my meaning.
Basically, I felt good.
The side benefits of the quieter dinner were completely unexpected.
The monkeys ate slower, less milk was spilled, they were happy to sit for longer, and they all managed to get their dishes into the dishwasher when dinner was over without being reminded.
Who knew?
So, each night, now, at dinner, whether it’s something fancy or leftover casserole and leftover pizza, I set the table, light the candles and let a nice, quiet family dinner commence.
January 9, 2012
January Spring
I think with the way weather is progressing over the past few years, we may need to adjust our idea of seasons.
Winter no longer means cold, snowy weather, and spring may no longer mean a gradual warming of temperatures as we move into summer.
I don’t want to complain, because I’ve enjoyed the warmth immensely.
I just worry about an April snow when my biological clock is longing for daffodils.
However, since one of my many mantra is “Wait to worry,” I’ve been following my own advice and have been taking advantage of the “unseasonable” warmth.
Today we reached 61 degrees, which in New Jersey in January is unheard of.
So, Monkey Girl, Tiny Monkey and I headed out for a walk.
I bundled Tiny up, even though it was warm because no matter what the thermometer says, it’s January, and I can’t let a baby go outside without being ensconced in so much jacket, he can’t move.
Monkey Girl and I, however, ran crazy and coatless and acted like we were on a beach in Hawaii, instead of a suburban sidewalk.
See us squinting in the sun?
So uncomfortable, yet so darn good.
We strolled around the neighborhood and Monkey Girl chatted about her week and Tiny and I just listened and nodded and made the appropriate sounds to let her know we were listening.
My sounds were a little different than his sounds.
Sometimes.
This is our favorite tree in the neighborhood.
I wish it was in our yard.
If there was a way to dig it up and move it across the neighborhood, I would, because I can imagine complete afternoons spent sitting in its branches with a good book or a good friend, or a good book that is like a good friend, and losing track of time.
It’s the neighborhood Giving Tree.
When we came home, we found Real Man and the boys tossing the football around the front yard.
Wearing shorts.
I love the legs on these little guys.
Baby Monkey’s, in particular.
They are these little tiny legs and yet they carry that body around with, what he thinks is, lightning speed.
These little legs jump and run and climb and I just love them and I get so excited each spring when the shorts go on for the first time so I can catch a glimpse of those little boy legs.
All six of their legs were busy today as they played ball in the yard.
Real Man makes the catch.
Monkey in the Middle bosses Baby Monkey around.
(Doesn’t have to be January spring for this shot.)
…and he makes the catch!
I love spring, particularly in January when it comes without allergies.
January 8, 2012
January 7, 2012
25 Rules for Mothers of Sons
One of my Facebook friends posted a link to this article, this past week.
I read it.
I loved it.
Sons are such different animals than daughters, and a guide book would definitely be helpful in the raising of these tiny men.
The 25 things on this list are all so important and poignant and well-written.
I am so grateful to have this list to serve as a reminder to me, as I often struggle with how to be the best mom to these little guys who are so different from my little girl, whose life experiences I can relate to so well, having gone through it all myself.
So, read, soak it in, and remember it when you are ready to throttle your little guy because some day, he’s going to be a man and he will become who you have taught him to be.
January 6, 2012
Night at the Museum
The monkeys, my Mom and I hit the local museum to check out their current Lego (or “bricks” as they called them) exhibit on Thursday night.
It was pretty darn awesome.
Monkey in the Middle, of course, loved the chess pieces.
All three were particularly taken by the large, Lego pencil.
I was really impressed with this piece, called “My Boy.”
I was surprised to find myself actually moved by something built with Legos, but it was hard to look at it and not feel the pain on the father’s face.
They were all pretty amazing, and the boys are now inspired to do more with their Legos than build tower after tower after tower.
So, after checking out all of the Legos, we decided to hit the rest of the museum and see if there was anything else that might catch our eye.
Like the dinosaur exhibit.
Complete with dinosaur nest.
There was a VERY cool music box exhibit, complete with music boxes of all shapes and sizes, and even a workshop where you could create your own music box by punching holes in paper and feeding it through the machine.
And then there was the truly horrifying part of the museum.
The part from which the children screamed and yelled and raced from the room.
Or, perhaps that was just me.
Not just clowns.
Not just dolls.
Clown dolls.
Oh my God.
Seriously.
These clown dolls, staring at me, with faint music box music playing in the background.
If this wasn’t the scene for the newest horror movie to be released, I don’t know what is.
And with this one…
…I am 100% convinced that this clown killed that poor little kitten and then shoved it into his hat and now he covers it with that little red cloth and walks up to kids on the street, asks if they want to see what’s in the hat, and then pulls off the cover to terrify them with a dead cat.
But then, I have clown issues, doll issues, and an overactive imagination.
Overall, it was a great night at the museum.
I’m ashamed to say that it’s the first time I’ve actually taken my kids there, but now that we’ve been there, it definitely won’t be the last.
January 5, 2012
2011 in review
As it turns out, there was quite a bit of information I was able to learn about the blog from last year, after all!
So, here is My Real Life 2011 in Review!
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 23,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 9 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
January 4, 2012
January 3, 2012
As I Turn Forty
Today I turn 40.
Today I turn 40 and life is good.
Today I turn 40 and I am holding a baby in my arms and I am dancing in the kitchen and I feel as though I am 22 and just starting out in the world.
Today I turn 40 and I look back on the mistakes I’ve made and realize how much I learned from them. I mourn for the roads I did not travel, yet I rejoice where the roads I did take have led.
Today I turn 40 and I find myself surrounded by good people. Friends I have known since childhood, whom I love as my sisters; friends I have made along the way who take me for who and what I am and like me anyway; family who is near and willing to help anytime for any reason; a husband I have known since I was 16, loved since I was 22, and is truly my best friend; and children who make my heart ache because I am so in love with them.
Today I turn 40 and I like me. I am comfortable with who I am and no longer feel the need to fit anyone else’s mold. What you see is what you get, and I think what you are getting is pretty damn good.
Today I turn 40 and I want to share with you something that I found online a few weeks ago. It’s not my autobiography, but it certainly could be. And as I turn 40, I’m excited to walk down this other street and see what adventures lay ahead.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS
by Portia Nelson
I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost … I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.
II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place
but, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in … it’s a habit.
my eyes are open
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
V
I walk down another street.
January 2, 2012
Just Dance
Santa brought Monkey Girl “Just Dance 3” for Christmas.
She already had “Just Dance” and we have enjoyed it immensely.
But, the commercials for “Just Dance 3” looked like a lot of fun, so Santa thought she might enjoy it. The amount of use it’s getting from her suggests that Santa was right.
I’ll admit, though, it’s not just Monkey Girl who is enjoying this gift.
The music selections are fantastic and overall, it is fun and hysterical to play.
“Party Anthem USA” is Monkey Girl’s favorite selection, and it’s a good one, while “Hit Me Baby One More Time” has me feeling like a robot with a short circuit.
In a huge shout out to fans of “How I Met Your Mother,” the game has “Let’s Go to the Mall“ by Robin Sparkles. There are no two bigger HIMYM fans than Real Man and I, so when we saw that as one of the song choices, we laughed our patooties off.
“Forget You” by CeeLo Green is absolutely exhausting. I must have an inhaler nearby when I rock out with that one. I’m hopeful that once the bronchitis is out of my lungs, I won’t need the inhaler after that selection, otherwise, I’m in worse shape than I thought. But, it’s a rocker, bronchitis or not.
“Venus” by Bananarama makes me cackle every single time the chorus comes on, as the moves are exactly like those of Joan Cusak at the school dance, in “16 Candles,” and believe me when I tell you I searched high and low for a video clip of that scene in the movie to show Monkey Girl. We’ll just have to DVR next time it’s on tv.
Of course, there are many, many more songs that are fun to play with and a lot of dance modes for playing with others or playing alone. Monkey Girl also enjoys the Simon Says mode, which gives you directions in the middle of the game that you have to follow.
One of these days, I’m sure we’ll find Baby Monkey secretly videoing us with the iPad, and if that happens, I’ll be sure to share the video on here, with you.
Or not.
