From baby to toddler-when did this happen?
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Done at last!
I started this quilt for C last spring, and I finally finished it this week. For some reason I just couldn't get motivated to finish this thing once I started, and it sat on my sewing table for months. Finally I forced myself to just get it done, and once I started up again it went pretty quickly.
I copied the diamond pattern from a kids quilt I saw in a kids furnishings catalog (I think Land of Nod), it is machine pieced and quilted. The quilting is in the ditch, so there is a pretty diamond pattern on the back.
This is the first quilt I have signed. I free motioned "To Clara, Love Mom 2008" on two of the diamonds near the bottom of one of the quilt corners. Hopefully this one will stand the test of time and lots of washings!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Just like the rest of them!
I changed my name this week.
No, not my first name-my last name. You know, the one that most people change right after they get married? Well, when I was 23 I definitely was NEVER going to take my husband's last name. That would violate everything I held dear! Keeping my name would stand as a statement of my unwillingness to bend to the status quo. I was young and independent and had my whole adult life ahead of me. Why should marriage change anything? What woman in her right mind would allow those archaic rules of marriage to influence her enough to lose the name she was born with-and lose it to a man?
Now that I am 33 I have a little more perspective. Having a different name from my children was a pain in the a$$. I had to explain it to every new person my husband and I were introduced to. Every time I made an appointment for one of my kids I had to have the receptionist check records for both last names because I could never remember which name I had used. My kids' friends didn't know whether to call me Ms. S or Ms. J. It's wasn't a huge pain in the a$$, but enough of one that a few years ago I started to re-evaluate the reasons I kept my name in the first place.
I have come to realize that these reasons have become null and void with maturity. My feminist sensabilities are more concerned now with real-life issues that women and mothers face. In my opinion keeping my name seemed rather selfish and self-centered- a rally against something that will never change. A woman taking a man's name at marriage is a tradition that is so entrenched in our society, and honestly, what's the big deal? Is anyone hurt by this? Does this put women at any kind of professional or personal disadvantage? I don't think so. I would rather put my energies towards supporting issues that directly affect women.
Plus, after 10 years of marriage I have become a bit of a softie, and I thought it would be nice to share my husband's last name :) So after digging around for my marriage certificate I drove up to the Social Security office and did the deed. I didn't feel any different, but when I got home my daughter presented me with an elaborately decorated sign with my new name on it. "Now you are just like the rest of us", she said.
No, not my first name-my last name. You know, the one that most people change right after they get married? Well, when I was 23 I definitely was NEVER going to take my husband's last name. That would violate everything I held dear! Keeping my name would stand as a statement of my unwillingness to bend to the status quo. I was young and independent and had my whole adult life ahead of me. Why should marriage change anything? What woman in her right mind would allow those archaic rules of marriage to influence her enough to lose the name she was born with-and lose it to a man?
Now that I am 33 I have a little more perspective. Having a different name from my children was a pain in the a$$. I had to explain it to every new person my husband and I were introduced to. Every time I made an appointment for one of my kids I had to have the receptionist check records for both last names because I could never remember which name I had used. My kids' friends didn't know whether to call me Ms. S or Ms. J. It's wasn't a huge pain in the a$$, but enough of one that a few years ago I started to re-evaluate the reasons I kept my name in the first place.
I have come to realize that these reasons have become null and void with maturity. My feminist sensabilities are more concerned now with real-life issues that women and mothers face. In my opinion keeping my name seemed rather selfish and self-centered- a rally against something that will never change. A woman taking a man's name at marriage is a tradition that is so entrenched in our society, and honestly, what's the big deal? Is anyone hurt by this? Does this put women at any kind of professional or personal disadvantage? I don't think so. I would rather put my energies towards supporting issues that directly affect women.
Plus, after 10 years of marriage I have become a bit of a softie, and I thought it would be nice to share my husband's last name :) So after digging around for my marriage certificate I drove up to the Social Security office and did the deed. I didn't feel any different, but when I got home my daughter presented me with an elaborately decorated sign with my new name on it. "Now you are just like the rest of us", she said.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Ten years ago...
I was in college. I had been married for six months. I ran my last marathon.
I can't believe it has been ten years. When I was growing up I always had running a marathon as one of my life goals. I ran my first one when I was 21, in 1995. I ran another in 1996. Then I skipped a year and ran the last one in 1998. I have been mulling around the idea of jumping back into the marathon game, and I think partly it's because I don't want to wait longer than 10 years. I mean, a decade! Granted, I have been busy. Running has not been a focus, more like a coping mechanism. I don't know if I am up for the mental challenges of training right now, and the time sacrifice-especially the weekend time sacrifice. Ugh, and I will be tired.
What would my goal be this time? Well, obviously it won't be to beat my best time (or any of my past marathon times for that matter), I accepted this past year that I will never be as fast as I once was and I need to set REALISTIC goals. But I need to have some kind of goal to keep me motivated and get me through all that training. I don't know if just proving to myself that I can run a marathon after 10 years off is enough to keep me going. I don't want to poop out in the middle of August because I'm tired of sticking to a stringent running schedule. I am also scared that if I am not really careful I could seriously hurt my feet.
Is it worth it? I guess at this point in March I have the luxury of just thinking about it and not making any commitments. I get excited, but I need to keep that in check by reminding myself that if I let this year go by there will always be another October marathon.
However, it is seems very significant to me that 2008 should be the year-I just can't let that thought go! I can see the back of my race t-shirt-
1995
Columbus
1996
Boston
1998
Columbus
3 kids
2008
Columbus
I can't believe it has been ten years. When I was growing up I always had running a marathon as one of my life goals. I ran my first one when I was 21, in 1995. I ran another in 1996. Then I skipped a year and ran the last one in 1998. I have been mulling around the idea of jumping back into the marathon game, and I think partly it's because I don't want to wait longer than 10 years. I mean, a decade! Granted, I have been busy. Running has not been a focus, more like a coping mechanism. I don't know if I am up for the mental challenges of training right now, and the time sacrifice-especially the weekend time sacrifice. Ugh, and I will be tired.
What would my goal be this time? Well, obviously it won't be to beat my best time (or any of my past marathon times for that matter), I accepted this past year that I will never be as fast as I once was and I need to set REALISTIC goals. But I need to have some kind of goal to keep me motivated and get me through all that training. I don't know if just proving to myself that I can run a marathon after 10 years off is enough to keep me going. I don't want to poop out in the middle of August because I'm tired of sticking to a stringent running schedule. I am also scared that if I am not really careful I could seriously hurt my feet.
Is it worth it? I guess at this point in March I have the luxury of just thinking about it and not making any commitments. I get excited, but I need to keep that in check by reminding myself that if I let this year go by there will always be another October marathon.
However, it is seems very significant to me that 2008 should be the year-I just can't let that thought go! I can see the back of my race t-shirt-
1995
Columbus
1996
Boston
1998
Columbus
3 kids
2008
Columbus
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Happy Birth Day Baby!
I hate to say my sewing machine sat idle for much of the winter. In Jaunuary I did a major de-clutter and cleaned out and re-organized my sewing area. Since then I have mainly been working on UFO's (aka quilt drudgery), trying to get those out of the way so I can start on some new, fun things. I got to take a break from those this week as I have some baby gifts to make! A friend of mine had a delicious baby girl, she is the most adorable little thing. Pictured above is her gift, the ever-popular and over-used by me, New Conceptions Baby Pattern.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Dashing through the snow...
What could be more appropriate the day after a blizzard than taking a ride in an open sleigh?
We have the best neighbors in the world. They are kind, generous, interesting, and they have kids close to the same age as ours. They also shoveled our drive with their Bobcat today and took the kids for a ride in the sleigh. The kids played for hours together building snow tunnels and trenches for snow battles-they have red, windburned cheeks and my son ate all his dinner tonight-a sure sign of the energy expelled today.
I hope my kids remember days like this when they are older and they treasure them. I do.
BLIZZARD!
We had an official blizzard this past weekend. We are left with a foot and a half of snow and because we have nothing but empty fields surrounding us.....major drifts. This drift the kids are sitting on in front of our pole barn is almost 5 ft high!
We were snowed in for 2 days and it was lovely. We didn't have to go anywhere or do anything, and hanging out as a family for that time was just what we needed.
It's March though, and the cold has gotten to me. I am DONE with winter.
Friday, March 7, 2008
food + run = nothing left over!
I am 33. I am a runner. I am also an eater. I am a big eater. I love to eat, drink and be merry! However, my waistline has been rebelling against me lately, reminding me that I am not 20, and I can no longer eat a whole pizza or an entire box of Girl Scout Cookies in one sitting.
I tell you, after years of throwing caution to the wind I find it very hard to regulate my eating. When I am hungry, I eat. When I am bored, I eat. I love sitting down with a magazine and a snack, and if I actually chance to turn on the TV I like to eat then too.
Luckily I have a friend who speaks my language. I met MM in college. She is one of the best juggers I know, she is physically fit, and she loves to eat! We like to get together for lunch at one of those Chinese Buffet places, and it really is nice to talk with someone who enjoys her food as much as I do. Last time we got together we were contemplating the whole getting older, slowing metabolism issue. She told me that studies have found that long distance runners actually burn much less calories than originally thought. Boy, that stinks. I was hoping that as I got older I woudn't have to eat less, just run more, and that would take care of things! Somehow I don't think that is going to be the case.
For now, I need to up my measly 12 miles a week that I am barely managing to get in, or cut out some of the quantites of food that I enjoy. Also "teaching" the kids cooking skills by making deserts with them almost every night might not be the best choice :)
I tell you, after years of throwing caution to the wind I find it very hard to regulate my eating. When I am hungry, I eat. When I am bored, I eat. I love sitting down with a magazine and a snack, and if I actually chance to turn on the TV I like to eat then too.
Luckily I have a friend who speaks my language. I met MM in college. She is one of the best juggers I know, she is physically fit, and she loves to eat! We like to get together for lunch at one of those Chinese Buffet places, and it really is nice to talk with someone who enjoys her food as much as I do. Last time we got together we were contemplating the whole getting older, slowing metabolism issue. She told me that studies have found that long distance runners actually burn much less calories than originally thought. Boy, that stinks. I was hoping that as I got older I woudn't have to eat less, just run more, and that would take care of things! Somehow I don't think that is going to be the case.
For now, I need to up my measly 12 miles a week that I am barely managing to get in, or cut out some of the quantites of food that I enjoy. Also "teaching" the kids cooking skills by making deserts with them almost every night might not be the best choice :)
Sunday, March 2, 2008
$tarBUCKS
"Mom, you don't want to go here! This place is too expensive-it's the expensive coffee place......star BUCKS!"
Embarassed as I am to admit I spent $3 on a cup of coffee, I had to laugh at my 7 yo's concern over my spending habits-if only he knew how much of an investment that $3 actually was.
That cup of coffee distracted me from squabbling children, cranky from hours of long-distance errands. It occupied my mouth so I couldn't turn around and scream at offending child, prevented me from saying something I was sure to regret, and gave my brain a stimulant-jolt so I could deny the fact that I was completely exhausted.
It also eased my hunger pangs, preventing me from stopping at a random fast-food joint and spending a fortune on providing sub-standard food for my 3 children and myself.
So really that $3 was an investment for my family! I did it for you, F, C and M.- just don't tell your father!
Embarassed as I am to admit I spent $3 on a cup of coffee, I had to laugh at my 7 yo's concern over my spending habits-if only he knew how much of an investment that $3 actually was.
That cup of coffee distracted me from squabbling children, cranky from hours of long-distance errands. It occupied my mouth so I couldn't turn around and scream at offending child, prevented me from saying something I was sure to regret, and gave my brain a stimulant-jolt so I could deny the fact that I was completely exhausted.
It also eased my hunger pangs, preventing me from stopping at a random fast-food joint and spending a fortune on providing sub-standard food for my 3 children and myself.
So really that $3 was an investment for my family! I did it for you, F, C and M.- just don't tell your father!
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