A Banner Day!!!

Today I have reached a milestone in my life. All 4 kids are at school, for the first time, ALL DAY. The last time I didn't have a little one here with me was 1989!!! Do I feel sad? No. Do I feel lonely? No. Do I feel sick? No. In fact, I think "liberated" is the word I'm looking for. I still have a million things to get done around here but I don't have to squeeze it all into 2 hours in the morning, or work around anyone's nap, or rush over to preschool at 11:30. The best part is that Josh, my 1st grader, is so excited about being in school. He's so positive he'll love his teacher and can't wait to buy his own lunch or play at recess on the big playground. It is wonderful to watch. So to all these women who cry when their babies go off to school, I say "Get a life! Let your kids live theirs!" Of course I never was one to hover over my kids. I try to let them do their thing, and I think doing my thing makes me a good role model for them, even if I make mistakes. They see me trying to be a writer, worrying about submitting my assignments on time, talking about whether what I write is any good or not. Meanwhile they see me not being prepared with some things (Mom, where's my gym clothes??? Oops, forgot to do laundry!) but not forgetting about the important stuff (they were excited to see pancakes with chocolate chips AND bacon for breakfast today.) I'm not perfect but I try....they don't have to be perfect but they have to try too. So my goal is to get something tangible done every day (like laundry) and to write for an hour every day. Wow it's so quiet here!!! No dog barking, no phone ringing, no one calling "Mom!!!"

TV

No wonder I never watch TV (hardly ever). I felt like vegging out tonight (one child at sleepover, 2 teenagers exhausted from cross country, 4th child watching something on TV (wrestling?), husband at zoning meeting) so I turn on the TV. THERE IS NOTHING. On CNN, Larry King interviewing the host of Fear Factor. Inane. On Bravo there's Celebrity Poker. How stupid is that?? On some other channel there's Debra Norville (of Today infamy a decade ago) commenting on swift boats.....do I want to listen to a former Miss America who failed at powder puff interviews opine on an incident that happened 30 years ago that no one, not even the participants, can agree on? I'm so tired of swift boats. Did Kerry lie or didn't he? How about we talk about what he did (or failed to do) in his 20 years in the Senate? My guess is it's because he voted with Ted Kennedy 99.9999% of the time and is afraid to let anyone know about it. A little honesty and a discussion of substance would be so refreshing. Theresa Heinz-Kerry is incredibly annoying. I think she's had her eye on the white house since day 1. But I digress. I should be reading or writing instead of watching TV. Although I did watch the end of an interesting French movie called The Taste of Others on DVD. And I guess since I'm blogging that counts as writing, according to Writers Digest (or is it Writers' Digest? or Writer's?) OK I'm rambling now so I'll go read The Great Fire, a National Book Award winner. With the exception of Three Junes, I've liked all Nat'l Book Award books I've read. Really disliked 3 Junes.

Wallpaper

Not the best day for removing wallpaper............hot & unpleasant & my arms are tired from working out this a.m. But Noah has been requesting a new wallpaper border for months & months so I want to get the old stuff off before school starts on Monday (so he can help me). We're taking off a border that I put up there when Sam/Noah were 4/2 that's a laura ashley pattern of antique racecars. Noah thinks it's babyish so we're replacing it with a muscle car motif. It will definitely look more like a teenager's room now. This is the first of many projects I have lined up for when the boys go back to school. What's next? Paint the garage or put in a new garden? If the weather is nice the garden will win out but first I have to procure a rototiller. Won't that be fun to learn how to use??!!

I consider myself somewhat tech-savvy but trying to post this picture took me all morning!! First there were too many characters, then I had the wrong ext. I didn't think the Hello software was user friendly at all. Finally I managed to get the thing on my profile....I persevered because I like the picture so much. It's from my son's bar mitzvah party in June & all family members were lifted in chairs. The boys on the right are my 2 oldest sons. I should have done the chair thing at my wedding 16 years ago but I hadn't embraced the judaism thing yet. I haven't converted (yet) but I love the faith & great celebrations.
LaChaim!!

Heavenly summer! 

Notes from Suburbia

It's about time that I tried this whole blogging thing. It seems easy enough but do I want to share my thoughts? Create a journal? Pontificate? Vent? Time will tell.

So here's my life right now, one week before school resumes (for the kids). Driving boys to cross country practice; working out (cool Body Pump class); laundry; shopping for laptop for my 13-year old; taking my 15 year old to his Latin tutor; 1 guitar lesson; new gym shoes; make dinner....this is not very glamorous. However, liberation is just around the corner when my baby starts 1st grade and for the first time in 15 years I shall own my day, at least until 3:00 p.m. until the troops begin arriving home & my duties as chauffeur/chef/chief nagger of children (did you do your homework? did you play your cello? did you feed the dog?) resume. Oldest son is now hovering so I sign off for now.