Almost back in business with the camera--kind of, sort of

Our late summer trip downtown. Yes, we've reached that stage in life where going "downtown" is an event which takes considerable effort to orchestrate. And the winner of the sweetest, quietest, never know I'm even here baby goes to. . . Caroline Sly. . .for the ninth straight consecutive week.
Not so fast there, Ace.
Should I stay or should I go? An everyday dilema when you're Spence.

We took a drive way up into the mountains of Timbucktoo to see the wildflowers. . . only there were no wildflowers left when we got there. It's par for our life's course. Instead we had a fun time watching a real live cowboy on horseback herding sheep. The boys loved running through the fields to see the sheep and you can't even see the sheep doo doo smashed in the soles of their shoes.
Matthew's 5th birthday breakfast--chocolate chip pancakes and Candyland. It doesn't get better than that.
The Three Musketeers
Matthew's Non-Birthday Party play date that saved me from the birthday party formality but allowed him to bask in his birthday glory

So I just went crazy and bought a purse

I'm out of date. In a shopping coma of sorts. We've talked about this before. See last post for details if you must.

Completely out of date is/was my purse. Not only is it outdated but also in a state of decay. I've been fighting off this nagging urge to replace it but each time I'm tempted I think of new school shoes or some Comcast people who want their money and I decide the beat must go on without one.

So imagine my surprise when I suddenly went into a frenzy and bought a purse while running into a store to buy a monster truck for Matthew's birthday while he was getting his soccer photos taken in the field behind me. With Spencer on his monkey leash and racing against the photographer's clock, I passed the 40% off purse wares which reached out and grabbed me. Literally within 30 seconds of seeing the sign and scanning the merchandise, I had my new purse in hand and gone. Wow! I thought to myself. I can't believe I actually just bought a purse--and a cute fashionable one at that! Maybe I really will get out of my maternity pants before the end of my year. That single purchase (well, actually it was a double purchase because I bought "After Shock"--a real live monster truck but in Hot Wheel proportions) has done more to give me hope that I can explain. Sometimes a girl just needs a boost.

We Train Them Young

[I would have taken a picture but I can't. It's just one issue after another. We dug out the old digital dinosaur Nikon because we weren't able to return the newer Panasonic to full function. However, I seem to have misplaced the card for the Nikon so I'm STILL without a camera until the card comes home. So anyway that is why this has no picture--but on with the post. Just visualize--it's good for creativity.]

This morning as I was getting ready to leave the house I heard the baby crying. She was giving it a pretty good wail for a bit. I'm quite sure it would have awakend me should I still be in bed beside the bassinet. Corbin picked her up and tended to her needs. I then peered at the two boys who were sprawled out and sleeping like logs right beside the bassinet. Not so much as a muscle twitch.

What is it about the male audio system that does not pick up infant tranmissions?

The old life isn't coming back anytime soon, is it?

The other week I was getting ready and for whatever reason stopped and stared (a really good stare) at myself in the mirror. I did one of those reality check stares. I thought about how it came to be that I was 41. Wasn't I just 4 or 1 or some lower combination of the two? Then I took careful note of the greys appearing as pinstripes across my temples and the baggy eyes compliments of my greatest joys in life. I thought about my life and what I would and wouldn't do over and whether I was happy being me and all that reflective stuff but I did it in a one minute span because that's about all I get these days. Overall, I felt good.

Then sometime from the time I had my mirror moment til now, I've realized how much my life has changed in the past seven years and I must face the facts that I am really just "out of the loop" on most things. Barney is my hero because he practices good manners and I think strecth pants from Wal-mart rock.

Prior necessities are now luxuries and prior luxuries are non-existent.

Example #1: prior necessity--painted toe nails; now--luxury but still using the paint from 10 years ago. (I've learned nail polish lasts a LONG time so don't let anyone tell you differently)

Example #2: prior luxury--Trip to Europe; now--non-existent--St. George would be heaven.

Example #3: prior necessity--shopping at Talbots for the newest fall fashions; now--hoping my maternity pants still fit eight weeks postpartum.

Example #4--prior luxury--sleeping until noon after a hard week at work; now--getting the kids to nap by noon so I can start the laundry ritual or clean the toilet.

I've walked away from my prior fields of gold into unchartered motherhood waters but I wouldn't trade it for all the tea in China. Although a trip to China would be nice--someday.

I'm keeping my goals simple this year

1. give up the maternity pants
2. find out what pants are even in style because I'm WAY behind on that--no pun intended.