A Wee Getaway

We usually try to go somewhere during this week. Kind of a "get the hell out of Dodge" thing, I guess. This year Steve only had a coupla days off, so we just headed on over to Ohio to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and then to Cedar Point. We're headed back home tomorrow.

It's been a very fun trip. The weather has been nothing short of perfect. Sunny, slight breeze, 78 degrees. The kids have been a blast. Simon and Jude have been cooperative and patient with the stuff that isn't necessary for them, like the Hall of Fame part, and they've been happy and not at all cranky and brave to ride all kinds of rides and doing great with the swimming at the hotel and sleeping well and generally just absolute troopers. And the most completely shocking development of all is that Jake and Chloe have been getting along well, even seeming at times to enjoy one another's company.

And now, for your viewing enjoyment, I will include some pictorial documentation of the trip. No pictures of Steve! He was the photographer. Take note of Jake riding as the "adult" with Simon and Jude in the back of the kiddie car and with Simon on the little coaster. What a good big brother. Chloe bravely rode the big roller coasters for the first time today and loved it...I knew she would. Last picture is of the Michael Jackson memorial at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. My highlight: seeing the words "I am the Lizard King. I can do anything" written in Jim Morrison's very own handwriting. Too, too cool.

Ignore my weird sunglasses. Jude threw my good ones in the lake last week. Also ignore that I forgot to comb my hair so you couldn't tell my head is pointy.

Sad Anniversary

Nine years ago today at about this time, Steve and I had been delivered the news by a young ER doctor that despite everyone's best efforts, our two-year-old son Seth was gone. By now we were probably back at home and people started pouring in. The pastors from our church, neighbors, family. Phone calls were being made. A McDonald's run had been made by someone for our older two children, Jake who was 7, and Chloe, nearly 4. Steve and I were in shock. We were wide-eyed, chilling, dazed and confused.

A couple of people stood out front, fending off reporters and photographers. We were visited by two police detectives and a social worker, questioning Steve and me separately about what had happened. Someone made an appointment for us with the funeral director for us for the next afternoon. A neighbor came over that evening and started weeding our flower beds. Soon the casseroles would start arriving.

What memories. Not all of them bad. We were surrounded by much love and concern on that night and many days and nights to follow. We learned so much about true friendship. And now, nine years later, there are still those who remember that for twenty-seven months a beautiful, mischievous boy named Seth was part of this world.

In Which I Nearly Cause an Explosion, Followed by Watching a Disappointing Movie

Tonight the kids and I went out to run a few errands and evidently left one of the burners on in the kitchen because we came home to a house filled with the smell of gas. I called our co-op and the woman I spoke with told me not to turn anything off or on, to open every window and door and to get away from the house for awhile.

It was already 9ish and had been a long day and I was so hoping to go in and put the boys right to bed, but it was not to be. It was fine, though. We sat outside for a long time watching the fireflies and playing with Gus (dubbed "Lord Uglington") and after about an hour, we came inside but still left everything opened up. Hours later when Jake came home, he said he didn't smell anything at all, so I guess we're okay now. Good times.

So many of you agreed with my assessment of Chutes and Ladders (that it is cruel and unusual punishment) and I think that is so funny, because I have never, ever heard anyone complain about it out loud before. Isn't it interesting that we're all, all of us moms and dads and big brothers and sisters and grandmas and grandpas who have played that game countless times with our preschoolers have all just been suffering in silence? I tried Go Fish with them today, and it was a mildly enjoyable experience. Or at least not painful at all.

Then just a little bit ago, Chloe and I finished watching "The Year of the Dog" with Molly Shannon. Chloe and I loved that show "Kath & Kim" that was on (and I think got cancelled) last year on NBC as part of the Thursday night line-up. Molly Shannon, Selma Blair and that other hilarious guy from all the Chris Guest movies and Direct TV commercials...can't think of his name. Anyway, we expected the movie to be funny and it just wasn't! It was sad and tragic, even. Bummer.

Board Games: Seventh Ring of Hell

I sat down and attempted to play Chutes and Ladders with Simon and Jude today. Now, lemme back up to say how much I don't like board games. What I mean to say is that I hate them with the white-hot intensity of 10,000 suns. In my version of Dante's Inferno, one of the rings of hell would definitely include an all day, every day board game requirement. So, that's like, a LOT of hating. All of this to illustrate what a moving act of selfless love it was that I attempted this game with the littles today, but it really seemed more engaging and stimulating for the old noggin than another episode of SpongeBob.

I expected during the game that Jude would need assistance to spin the wheel, move his piece and count the right number of spaces, and fight the urge to clear the whole board every few minutes with one mighty swoop of his arm. I was prepared for that. What I wasn't thinking about so much was that Simon would have such a hard time grasping the idea of counting his spaces and understanding the back and forthing of the climb from the bottom to the top of the board. The whole concept was blowing his mind. So much so, that we played for a while and after the thrill of landing on a few spots with ladders and the crushing agony of landing on one with a chute, Simon just had to quit before anyone could win and be alone for a while to collect his little thoughts. It was all too much.

I hate board games under the best of circumstances, but when no one really wants to play, or can figure out how to play and I'm trying orchestrate the thing just because I think maybe it'll help someone figure out some stuff, well. Counting and turn taking are way overrated, anyway. Don't you think?

Chloe's Take on the New Furniture

Chloe was away at camp this week and arrived home tonight to discover our new oversized furniture in the living room. Honestly, it looks like giants live at our house.
So she walks in, half asleep, takes a look around and says, "Is this a fat joke?"

Retail Therapy and The Child Who Talks Constantly

I've been out spending money. I'm looking at new carpet, for one thing. And today our new couch and chair were delivered. LOVE them with much loving. Why does shopping make me feel better? Probably because our carpet and couch and chair were gross and worn out and now we'll have new. There's probably not a whole lot more to it than that.

And now for a re-creation of today in the car after incessant talking for at least 30 minutes solid by Simon.

Me: Simon, can we just be quiet for a little while?
Simon: Okay.


(Silence for a few wonderful moments)


Simon: I just have a few more words that I need to tell you now.

Which was followed with about another half hour of incessant talking. Wow, that kid has a running commentary from start to finish of each day. I can't possibly listen to it all, so I end up tuning him out at times until I occasionally hear an "Okay?......OKAY????....MOM! OKAY!!!???" Then, before agreeing to whatever preceded that, I have to go back and ask him to repeat the request.

No wonder Jude isn't talking more. He can't get a word in edgewise. Between Simon and Jake, none of us can!

Another funny thing today:
A preview to some DVD they were watching said, "There's only one Disney!"
Simon said, "Really Mom? Only ONE? There should be at least four!"

I don't know where he came up with four, but I agree. One just doesn't seem like enough.

Zzzzzzz

I haven't written anything here in a while. No real reason except that I just haven't had much to say. We've been busy with summer and we're doing some stuff to the house and we're in charge of a fundraiser for music boosters at school that has been absurdly more time consuming than I ever imagined possible, and well, I dunno. Just blah.
You know? Just blah. I haven't felt quite like myself for a while now. I don't know whether it's the time of year or the raging hormones of an aging woman or the misalignment of the planets or my ongoing existential angst or some completely other thing that I haven't even thought of. Anyway, I'm sure I'll snap out eventually. One way to describe it is that my highs are not as high as usual and my lows are not as low. Just kind of flat. But in the meantime, I'm just going through the motions of my days, making a conscious effort to not let the important and precious moments slip by unnoticed, and also doing some redecorating. Change is good, I think.