I know,

it's been quiet around here.  We had a houseguest this weekend as Sandy Bandita "Pantshead" Etter -Talbott stopped by for a long weekend visit.  She has  been a part of our extended family for years and I had forgotten how calming it is to have a pup* (okay, very mature dog) around for a bit.

The kids really loved having her here and while we are still not quite ready for a dog of our own, it was fun to pretend for a bit.  Sadly, we had to give her back today, but we are hoping perhaps she will come back for a visit soon.  Bailey was especially appreciative as Sandy's love of his food meant he was able to eat on (yes, on) the dining room table.  What we don't do for our pets…not much.

We have also been high gear to get the house in order as our first (human) guest arrives tomorrow. Grandpa Kirk's flight from Memphis lands at 11:35 in the a.m., so we should probably leave the house now to guarantee our on-time arrival.  He is here for the next 8 days, not only to enjoy the lovely (hot and humid, but less so than Memphis) weather, but to watch the girls while Nicholas and I fly down to…guess, just guess…um, yes, Memphis.  It's a long story, but the girls didn't feel like traveling the weekend before school starts, I have a high school reunion this weekend (I'd lie & say 10 years, but..), and it's been rumored I am going to actually have the time to go out and get a manicure AND pedicure with friends (ssh, I know it sounds vain, but I'm wearing sandals Saturday night…enough said).

What does all of this mean?  Well, I found Kelsey's floor (someplace for your suitcase, Dad!), so now just have a bed to fix, 12 loads of laundry, forms to finish for Nick's Montessori, forms for Cait's OTHER choir, forms for voice lessons, bills to pay AND remember to mail…hmm, not enough, I must be forgetting something..oh, yes, find slinky black dress (ha!) for Saturday night, 'sexy' tank top & tight jeans for  an event Friday night (again, ha!), shop for school supplies for Cait, pray the rest of Kelsey's school supplies arrive, remember that I forgot to pick up their backpacks from the store…oh, and hopefully get a few hours of sleep before we leave on, um, Thursday?  'Night all!

*maybe not the best photo, but a memory of the cozy spot the kids made for her behind the love seat…complete with skateboards to keep her afloat in case she fell off the blankets….those kids do think of everything!

{this moment}

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

******

Idea courtesy of Soulemama

In a few short hours,

it will be a month since Peter departed for his post.  In almost every respect, I can't believe how quickly time has flown.  And, despite my worst fears, we have not spent the past month sitting around bemoaning his absence.

Well, we have occasionally, but not nearly as much one could, as we just don't have the time.  Between squeezing in 3 semi-decent meals a day, at least a couple loads of laundry, errands of some type, hopefully some exercise, taking care of the animals and getting kids up in the morning…and to sleep at night, life has been downright exhausting.  The bonus?  The hours turn into days, the days turn into weeks and the weeks have already turned into a month.

In fact, we have been so busy with other issues that we haven't even completely planned his first R & R.  I keep thinking that it is so far off the in the future, that it's pointless to even think about it.  Yet, like everything else (to include my 20th high school reunion next weekend, GULP!), it is approaching far more rapidly than I expected.

So the question of the day:  am I still the stress-bucket I was for the first three weeks?  That's easy…yes and no.  Some days are more difficult as I am still trying to get settled ( I'm thinking school starting will help immensely with this project).  I also have not had as much time to exercise as I would have liked, since I can pretty much only count on myself to do errands (which always take twice as long as they should).  My free time is generally whatever I can squeeze in after the kids go to bed and the chores (uber-necessary) are done.  I did manage to get in a 30 minute walk the other night and forgot how good it felt to to nothing more than take a brisk walk.  I do miss my walking group…

And while  I am sure I will sound like a terrible/ungrateful mother, I think the kids going back to school (and Nick possibly starting Montessori) will be good for all of us.  Cait has had a weeklong (afternoon only) orientation this week at her new school and has enjoyed it immensely. She has managed to meet up with at least one friend from first grade (she attended Kelsey's new school from 2004-2005) and seems really excited about the upcoming year.

Tonight I had the chance to attend the parent orientation at Cait's new school and I am sure, after listening to the presentation, that there will be a bit of an adjustment period.  However,  I think having had one year of middle school already under her belt will be a huge boost when school starts.  As much as there are slightly different rules and it is a different school…she has the class-changing, keeping track of things, independent-project completion business down pat.

We also have a busy few weeks ahead of us, aside from school.  Grandpa Kirk is coming for a visit next weekend, and will watch the girls while Nicholas and I head down south for the reunion and some family time.  I know the weeks will zip along when school starts as we already have weekend activities planned through most of September.  Then October will hit, with trips to the local pumpkin patches and farms, and, of course, Halloween…which will hopefully coincide with a certain someone's first trip home.  And who knows, maybe by then we will also know where we are going next year… only time will tell.

What better way

to spend your birthday than with old friends?  I was flummoxed for quite some time as to how to spend 'the day'.  I couldn't go overboard with a huge party, as Cait really hasn't met too many kids her age.  She hadn't really mentioned anything in particular (other than 'the movie'…), and I wanted it to be memorable and fun without the entire focus to be on "we just moved, I don't know anyone and dad is gone".

As luck would have it, friends that we met in Iceland are in town for a bit.  Our kids went to school together in Reykjavík (okay, technically Garðabær), played together and swam together.  We had many great times with this family, and Lauren (the mom) is the saint who kept Kelsey overnight without blinking an eye, both when Cait broke her arm (and needed it surgically reset and this took forever) and when Nicholas was born.   To say  we were thrilled when they moved here is an understatement.   I realized last week that time with old friends might possibly be the best way to spend the day.  The kids would have fun, Lauren and I could chat and it would be just like old times.

We both seem to have the same 'get out and see the best of DC' goal, and neither family had been to the museum of the American Indian.  So, we met up at the museum, ate a mostly healthy lunch, became insanely dizzy by the tray collectors in the cafeteria, watched a film, made beaded necklaces (well, Kelsey, Cait & Josie) and tried to soak up as much as we could from the museum's offerings.

I can't say I remember as much as I should have, but that is primarily due to the fact that Nicholas was very busy.  There was much to view and, as one would expect, he was most thrilled by trying to climb boulders that are apparently just for decoration in the outdoor garden.  Oh, and playing in the water pool (yes, also just for decoration).   Thankfully, Lauren filled me in on the interesting facts she picked up to include a very interesting tidbit regarding passports.

After a busy afternoon in the museum and even busier in the outdoor garden, we realized it was almost 4 p.m. and if we left any later, they would hit Metro rush hour and we would hit trafficky rush hour.    Despite a late lunch, the kids were getting hungry and I figured dinner would be much better sooner rather than later.

On the recommendation of a fellow FS blogger, we opted for the Quarterdeck in Arlington.  It was rumored they had excellent steamed crabs, which just happens to be a certain someone's favorite dinner.  We just beat the dinner rush and were able to dine on crabs and fried oysters before the restaurant was overflowing.  She loved it (crabs were awesome and definitely a good idea to go earlier…)!

After dinner, we returned home for the obligatory cake (a small Oreo cake from Cold Stone) and the gift opening.  Though I usually like to make the cake from scratch, Cait had a serious yen for the Cold Stone cake and since we may not always have one nearby, figured it couldn't hurt just this once.

As you may have seen on a previous post, we were actually able to make it a family gathering.  Peter was adamant that he wanted to be a part of the celebration, even though it meant us waking him up at 4:30 a.m.  In case you are wondering, he leaves his Skype on at night…this allows for any sudden "I miss Daddy(s)!" to be attended to promptly and also for participation in events such as this one.  We had cake, he watched the presents being opened and then we all realized it was about time for bed.

I wasn't exactly sure what Cait thought of the day until Sunday night when she commented, "It really was a great weekend!  My birthday was awesome, we got Theo and we had a great time sailing!"

Whew!

My kids

are sort of nuts about sailing, courtesy of our friends, the Salty Dogs.  The minute they walk down the dock to the (wait, wait, just guess…) yes, the Salty Dog, the kids have their sea legs (even Nicholas).  They don their life jackets, hop on the boat, hoist the pirate flag (every good sailboat has one) and know way more about the lines than I am likely capable of learning.  I generally try to absorb one new boating term per trip, then celebrate with a nice glass of wine, taste the latest gourmet offerings from Chez T.  and enjoy the view.

Today was no exception.  Well, I may not have learned a new word, but we did manage to have an exceptional sail on what could have been a rather gloomy day.  We were originally slated to depart about noon, but our family's general laziness and a bit of a storm delayed the trip.  We made it out to the SD homestead and had just enough time to squeeze in a swim before we walked (yes, walked) to their marina.

Picnic baskets, wine bottle, kidlets, life jackets on and sunglasses in hand, we boarded the boat and motored out into the bay.   "I drive the boat, I drive the boat!" was a popular refrain from Nicholas, though he thoughtfully let the girls take turns, too.  We sailed for several hours and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset, tasty tapas paired with the perfect bottle of wine and sailed until night was truly upon us and the glittery reflection of the moon danced on the water.  A perfect evening on the Bay only lacking in only one respect…maybe next summer, babe?

Introducing Theo…

the newest member of our family.  No, I'm not pregnant, nor did I suddenly give birth.  Theo is our newest pet and is a (drum roll):  guinea pig.  And, no, I didn't lose my mind, a new(er) pet has been in the works for a while.

Way back when, I mentioned toying with the notion of adopting a dog while Peter is overseas.  I hadn't actually planned on doing anything just yet, but Kelsey recently attended a camp at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.  Ages ago (well, June) when we were driving across the country, I remembered that AWLA hosted summer camps for kids.  I knew Cait might be interested in one and decided to check on availability.  I went ahead and mentioned Kelsey, too, but wasn't sure either one would have a chance.  After all, this was early June and most registrations take place in February and March.

I wrote to the person in charge of the camps, threw out a few names (I'm utterly shameless), how I had worked at the shelter ages ago, we adopted our dog from there, etc.  She let me know that while the camps were completely booked, she was more than happy to put both girls on the wait list for any available camps in late July/August.  I thanked her and figured that was that.

Not so at all!  About 4 weeks ago, I received a note from her letting me know that a slot had opened up for the week of August 9th.  I signed Kelsey up and then realized I hadn't really said much if anything about the camp, since I didn't think it would happen.  She hemmed and hawed (are you sensing a trend here?) but by Monday morning (the 9th) had become quite excited.  It was a full day "Shelter Buddies" camp, so the entire week was learning about animals, the shelter, police dogs, you name it.  To say she had a blast would be an understatement.

Now in order to attend said camp, as one might expect, one has to walk through the shelter, past the adorable kitties and a few of the smaller animals on display.  It just so happened that the week of her camp was also a special week for small animal adoptions.  Kelsey had a chance to see all of the little guys and fell in love with two different guinea pigs.  We visited with them, agreed that they were adorable, but I just wasn't sure.  After all, the girls had been aching for a dog for ages (or would 'settle' for another cat) and I had promised to consider adopting another after we were settled.

The only problem is that many aren't available to families with children under the age of 8.  More importantly, we simply weren't settled enough for a dog.  As the days went by though, the interest in the guinea pig went up (by both girls, and to later include Nicholas) and the more I thought about it, the more I realized it might be the perfect solution.  We discussed it many times, talked about the work involved (both have been far more active in Bailey's care recently) and also asked for Peter's input.

We ended up visiting the shelter last Sunday and after much discussion, put an application in on Theo.  He is an adorable 3 year old (ish) guinea pig and had already been there quite a while.  We gathered all of the necessary paperwork for the shelter, had Peter sent in an email okaying the application and waited for the phone call regarding the consultation (only an in-house consultation for small animals).  Finally on Thursday we were given a time for Saturday.  The only part I didn't quite realize is that the adoption was pretty much final…unlike cat or dog home visits, the small animal interviews at the shelter are more of a formality than anything else.

We had an interview with one of the small animal consultants (whose father used to be in the FS…small, small world) and within half an hour were given permission to take Theo home with us.  Since this was a tiny bit of a surprise, his travel cage ended up being a shoe box with a towel inside.  We came home, set him up in Bailey's cat box (temporary housing, we like to call it) and headed to Petsmart.

A few dollars and many decisions later, we had enough to create a safe home for the little guy.  The cage was relatively easy to put together, and the entire event spurred Kelsey to want to organize her room a bit, so he could 'bunk' with her.  It's not necessarily a permanent situation, but I'm fine with it for now, especially since it was an impetus to find her floor beneath the stacks and stacks of books.

The girls and Nicholas are still extremely excited that we were able to "Get Feo, get Feo!" today (as Nicholas put it) and were almost too worked up to sleep.  He is a quiet little guy (thus far) and although there is a bit of accoutrement necessary, it is not pricey and the maintenance for the cage will be fairly easy.  While I do hope we can adopt a dog at some point, with everything else going on, I think this was the perfect step for us right now.

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

All C wants for her birthday

is her dad.  She mentioned this to me last night as we were driving home from Maryland.  Nicholas and Kelsey spent the evening with the Salty Dog Crew (and their almost 2 year old nephew….Nick was thrilled!) while C and I took in dinner (The Old Stein Inn) and a movie (Vampires Suck, uh, review pending…).

She had requested the dinner and movie almost at the last minute, but I was able to get it together and we had a lovely evening.  We were on the way home after picking up Nick and Kels  and without warning, she mentioned how her one birthday wish was really just to have her father here.  On one hand, I felt deeply frustrated…6,213 miles overnight when he can't leave anyway?  On the other hand…wow…so amazed….proud…thrilled that seeing her father on her birthday means more to her than anything money could buy.  Not that I would expect less…but to hear her say it meant more to me than she will ever know.

She may only be with him courtesy of Skype, but she at least she will see him and talk to him.  Maybe they won't eat the same cake (okay, he will likely not taste any), but they'll still have time together.  It's hard to explain that even 10 years ago, she would be lucky to speak with him by phone on that special day…and 40-50 years ago?  A letter…maybe?

No worries, I'm not going to remind her that technology has given her so many more options or that even seeing Dad by computer is so much more than even I would have had as a child.  Instead we will have Skype time, cake time and present time…and I will just enjoy my (now) pre-teen.  Amazing that this time 12 years ago, at a hospital only 15 minutes away, I was not even in labor…and yet by noon we were holding our sweet baby girl.

Happy 12th Birthday, Little Buddy!

I read about

this particular park ages and ages ago.  It was under construction when we left for Iceland, but promised to be an amazing play place.  It's a large, open, airy space where kids of all abilities can play.  It looked to be an absolute wonderland from the photos, and as we actually had nothing else to do today (that I can write about…Kelsey & I did have to run a secret errand tonight), and we were up uncharacteristically early today for Cait's doctor appointment (just a check-up), we actually had time to go without having to worry about traffic (the bane of my existence).

It was a bit further off the beaten track than I originally thought, but had plenty of parking and surrounded by woods.  Given that the day was a *bit* warm, we had our water bottles, hats, super sunscreen  and the like.  We arrived to a nearly empty parking lot ("First ones here!") and cheered the wide open expanse.

A mere 15 minutes later we realized why it was so empty, save a 20-30 children from a local daycare.  No shade and the sun was pounding (at 3 p.m.).  It was a beautiful, colorful play area…a school bus, a fire engine, a maze, and tons of open space for running or wheeling around.  However, after a few more minutes of being out in the broiling sun, with no shade in sight (except from the slender poles of the equipment), we simply had to call it a day.  Call us wimps, but we had already exhausted our water supply and little guy's sunscreen (mostly zinc) was sliding off his face.  Even more telling?  His little nose was as red as a cherry and beaded with sweat…yep, quitting time.

We'll go back, but save it for later in the afternoon on a low traffic day or early in the morning on a fall day.  I had forgotten how even the early morning sunshine can be brutal here in late summer.

Amazingly, despite being exhausted by the heat, Nicholas was once again up for making dinner.  I have had a badge for this site on my blog for ages now, and have been meaning to try one of the healthy and seemingly scrumptious recipes.  The recipes that have popped up on my Facebook page daily have been simple combinations of unprocessed foods and look as though they must be quite tasty, especially for the toddler set.

We had procured the ingredients a few days ago and gave a go tonight at the Pasta Con Zucchini.  It was very easy to make, requiring only the zucchini grating, lemon zesting, and basil/garlic chopping.  Unlike the recipe, we used basil left over from our trip to the farmers market and chopped up garlic.  I am all for the ease of frozen ingredients, but when kids are involved, think it's extremely helpful for them to see the whole process.

A few minutes later and the zucchini was sauteeing nicely and simply waiting on the addition of the pasta.  Despite the fact that I used the correct amount of pasta, it seemed at first that the zucchini did not blend as well as I expected.  I later referred to the website and it didn't seem to be as mixed as I originally thought though I do think a different (or thicker) pasta may have been a better option.

We were super simple with sides tonight and added nothing more than sliced peppers and carrot sticks.  The verdict?  All three kids loved it and had seconds, if not thirds.  Cait was so excited about the zucchini that she wondered aloud if we couldn't try something along the lines of zucchini fritters…which just happened to be the previous recipe on the blog.  We love our Pretend Soup cookbook, but I think this blog will also be a fabulous addition to my kids recipe choices in the kitchen.

And now,

a bit of calm.

I know the previous post must have made me sound like a crazy.  Or maybe the combination of posts from the past few weeks.  One minute I am up, the next I am down, the next I am sailing through life like no one's business.  Welcome to life during a UT (Unaccompanied Tour).

Yes, it finally hit me that this is simply what it's going to be like…one day will be awesome and organized, and the next will be my worst nightmare…and then we will ease back into a happy, semi-sort of normal.  I can't say today was that day, but it was certainly better.  I finally came to the conclusion that it might not hurt to start Nicholas in Montessori sooner rather than later.

For whatever reason, I have enormous guilt about sending him to school.  Little Guy is only 2.5 (actually, not technically til Friday) and despite the fact that I am fairly sure he would not only enjoy, but excel in school (Montessori, to be exact), well…I still worry.  I worry I will be judged, as though I have sent him off to some sort of military academy without nary a backward glance.  In reality, I could just use a few hours to myself.  And, as we all know, this is the only way…yes, honest to goodness, the only way that will happen.  However, I want him to be in a happy, safe and loving environment.

So today I made the call…or, more appropriately, wrote the letter.  I dashed off a quick email to the principal of the Montessori that both Caitlin and Kelsey attended.  Did I mention they loved it? A kid-friendly (of course) setting, plenty of outdoors time, healthy snacks encouraged, and extremely varied student backgrounds.

It was the typical letter…"not sure if you remember us, but…"…and then within an hour.."Oh, yes, of course!  Why, we do have a slot left and would love it if Nicholas would attend."  I promised a return note after discussing it with Peter…and discuss we did…and now it appears that if all goes well, Little Guy will start pre-school a bit sooner than originally planned.   I think, though, it will be good for all of us…and yes, an extra expense, but as I have been gently reminded, that's why we receive certain allowances…to allow for the unexpected.

Even better?  Those dollars will stretch a bit further now that I don't have visions of a medevac dancing in my head.  A certain someone was asked to sub the other night for his division's soccer team.  He complied and played goalie..and did a darn good job.  In fact, he made an incredible save and his team won.

The bad news?  The incredible save required such a maneuver that he landed in the health unit this morning thinking that his shoulder might be permanently out of commission.  Not quite, turns out to be just a strain.  Not only did his save capture the win, but he is now sporting this awesome reminder of said save…and the other team has a new admiration for "Senor Peter".  He has also been asked to sub again in the future and considering the caliber of the other players, pretty cool if I do say so myself.

Last, but not least, I would be remiss if I did not add a note of appreciation for the comments…here, there and everywhere…they make a huge difference and remind me that I am far from alone in this journey.

The pictures?  The kids made dinner tonight and had so much fun with it…not really related to the post, but I think a certain Dad-Guy out there will enjoy them…