Answers and Other Randomness
August 16, 2009
1) The house we bought is right around the corner from the one we had been living in. The kids did not want to leave the neighborhood, and after moving them half way across the country how could I not honor that? I didn’t want to leave it either.
Honestly, how could you leave this neighborhood?
I have created a visual aid, using my mad photoshop skillz. I was tempted to say that Miles created this masterpiece, but I am all about keeping (mostly) real.
The rectangles are houses. And 150 steps is the distance walking around on the sidewalk, not hopping over the fence and cutting through the neighbors yard. The people that we used to share a backyard fence with, we now look at the front of their houses. I am thinking that the elderly old man who lived directly behind us was ECSTATIC that we were moving out… until he realized that we were moving directly in front of him. Now he can hear AND see us.
2) I moved all of the Christmas stuff out of my kitchen. But not to the attic… SCORPIONS MIGHT LIVE THERE! Also, numerous emails told me that the heat would ruin my stuff. I moved all the boxes to the closet in my “office” which right now is just a repository for random things for which I need to find a home. This is unlike the foyer and formal living room which are currently holding boxes of crap I would like to just set on fire. Because once I go through them I think I still need that crap. But I don’t.
3) I am tired. The kind of tired that goes right down to your bones and is not relieved by a good nights sleep. Not that I ever sleep well anyway. It is ironic that now when all of my children sleep through the night that I can’t sleep. But between unpacking boxes, getting the kids all ready for school, driving them all over hells half acre to their various activities, buying school stuff, cooking meals that no one even wants to eat, doing piles upon piles of smelly laundry, convincing a certain 8 yr old that he really does need to wear socks with his sneakers, well, I need a vacation. A sleep vacation. A sleepcation.
4) When I was in Chicago Melissa bought me a copy of the 30Day Shred. Her and Susan were both going to do it and wanted me to be tortured also. My stomach muscles are non-existent these days. I am not even sure how I am able to hold my body upright. It has been three weeks and I have not yet opened the package. I have, however, bought athletic shorts, an athletic tank top, hand weights, and new socks. This week I hope to remove the shrink wrap from the package. Baby steps, people. Baby steps.
5) About sending the kids to school. Wow this is a long one. But to summarize everyone wants to go. I am ready for them to go. I have always said that I take it year by year. The schools here are excellent and there really is no reason for them not to try it out. It is time.
6) Buying lunches at school are expensive! As in, it is pretty much out of the question. I can’t afford to spend that amount of money everyday. Hello sucky economy, house that will not sell, and dwindling freelance income. Yes, I was let go from yet another of my freelance writing jobs. I am repeating the mantra that something else will come along. But I am having a hard time believing it right now.
7) Wow, I don’t want to end this post on such a downer note. So here is a funny video. At least I thought it was. I bought the kids to McDonald’s last week when we moved and the gas was still not hooked up to cook. Yes, let’s pretend that is the sole reason why I found myself at McDonalds on a Sunday night.
When we got up to the counter, before I could even order, Miles did this little chant to the kid who was working there. The employee was entirely not impressed. But I thought it was funny enough that I made Miles do it again while we waited for our food. Food which did not live up to its “fast food” reputation.
Also, notice his black eye… he ran right into the kitchen counter. He told everyone who asked that he had a fight with the counter, and lost.
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Not that you asked for input, but I thought I would tell you what our family does about school lunches. I let my children study the lunch calendar to their hearts’ content. Then, they can choose four meals to eat at school. Beyond that, they pack their own lunches, even my kindergartener knows how!
I am thinking of reducing hot lunches from four to three each month per child.
August 16th, 2009 at 3:26 pmThey have shopping carts at your McDonalds?
Chris says: This one is in a WalMart.
August 16th, 2009 at 3:35 pmIs he in a basket?
One last question: What are you going to do without most of the kids for 8 hours a day?
Chris says: Entertain Miles. Though with the staggered school start times it is more like 5 hours
August 16th, 2009 at 4:06 pmSleepcation is my new favorite word. Your house sounds frighteningly similar to my house. Only we have various remodeling projects going on all at once making it impossible to keep a room clear. Or at least uncluttered. And get kids ready for school. And cook meals no one wants to eat… See what I mean?
August 16th, 2009 at 4:19 pmMy youngest child is almost ten years old and that video of Miles seriously makes me want to snatch a baby some where and bring said baby home with me.
August 16th, 2009 at 4:27 pmSo. Stinkin’. Cute! *sigh* I know you’ve been asked this before, but how do you stand it, all the cuteness surrounding you?
August 16th, 2009 at 4:28 pmMaybe it’s the stinky laundry that helps keep you grounded.
Despite the sucky economy and tired stuff, it sounds like everything is going well for you and the family. Maybe once they’re in school you can start taking naps!
Oh, and we keep our Christmas stuff in the attic, just not anything that can melt - candles, etc. The rest has fared just fine for 17 years in Texas or Arizona heat.
August 16th, 2009 at 4:42 pmWe forget how much it sucks to be the height of the kitchen counter.
August 16th, 2009 at 4:42 pmBest wishes with the new house, and the new adventure of sending kids to school. We homeschooled for awhile, but when we moved here (Italy - stationed overseas) the kids wanted to go back. Mostly, it’s been a good thing. It was especially good for the now 14yo, because it allowed someone else to tell him to “JUST DO THE WORK ALREADY” for a few hours a day.
August 16th, 2009 at 4:47 pmMy only advice would be to pack as much of the lunches as you can the night before, and to help out at the school as much as you can. You learn so much about the kids, the school, and the community.
And I love your blog. And that is one killer ice cream truck. My kids would be jealous.
They have shopping carts at McDonald’s??
Chris says: This one is inside of a WalMart.
August 16th, 2009 at 5:15 pmYou deserve the best mom in the world award for finding a house around the block to buy - how wonderful for the kids! (Although I have a feeling moving around the block is just as stressful as moving halfway across the country was!)
Miles is darling, and such a clown! Maybe you can hire him out as entertainment to make up for some lost income?
August 16th, 2009 at 5:32 pmMiles is a cutie.
I just had an unexpected vacation… Went to the hospital with abdominal pain, twas my appendix, spent 4 days at the hospital with all meals and needs served, two days at my sister’s house and a doctor’s decree that I can’t drive for a week. I am playing this up for all it’s worth. How else can a mom get to stop thinking of laundry, chauffering, and meals every day?! It was worth the discomfort I have to say….
Glad you’re still in the same neighborhood. I loved your imagery of the four musketeers, your two youngest and two friends traipsing about and I’m glad you haven’t left that behind.
August 16th, 2009 at 5:41 pmI agree with Anne, pack lunches the night before, especially with lots of kids! People will tell you that they will taste gross if packed the night before, but my kids eat them just fine.
August 16th, 2009 at 5:47 pmWhat grades are they all going to? And who’s the most excited?
August 16th, 2009 at 6:09 pmTake 4 loaves of bread and make a bunch of pb&js to freeze inside the bread bags. Daily each kid can take the amount they want and put it in a container for that day’s lunch. I’m always shocked at how few sandwiches a loaf will make. No throwaway plastic sandwich bags and you/they don’t have to deal with jelly daily.
August 16th, 2009 at 6:12 pmThanks for the answers
Now for the most important inquiry: tell us about your new house! Any big renovation/resdesign plans?
August 16th, 2009 at 6:49 pmI suspect the old man wished you would move and he got his wish. Moral of story, be careful what you wish for.
August 16th, 2009 at 7:06 pmSeriously if he is like the old man at my house he really enjoys the kids.
Our 12 year old granddaughter just went back to San Antonio with her dad today, I love her but 72 is just too old for a hyper 12 y/o for 11 days. And besides she keeps rubbing it in that she is taller than me!
We are doing the opposite as you - bringing our kids home for school. But let me just say that though the buying a lunch at school probably sounds really cool to your kids, it wouldn’t take too many of those lunches to convince them otherwise. Blech! We let our daughter pick up to one meal a week to buy; the more she bought, the more she decided that she didn’t want to buy! And for your growing (read: hungry) boys, they’ll be able to pack more food in a lunch box than they could buy, I’ll bet!
So glad for your kids that you get to stay in the ‘hood…and thanks for all the answers!
August 16th, 2009 at 7:14 pmHow funny….I just bought the 30 Day Shred at Best Buy today! Which place are you no longer writing for? I sure hope it’s not the one where you put the recipes up because I sure do use a lot of those recipes….in fact, just made the stuffed jalapenos yesterday! They were yummy.
August 16th, 2009 at 7:41 pmWe are starting homeschooling this year. You had a lot of inspiration in us doing so. I know you don’t talk about homeschooling a lot on this blog but I always looked at your posts as “from a homeschooling mom”. Mostly because I was considering homeschooling. I must say, the fact that you didn’t talk about homeschooling a lot made this my favorite homeschooling blog…I don’t know if that even makes sense. But our plan (as renters) is to buy a house in the top school district near us which has excellent schools. So, I’m excited to hear about how it all goes. I’m wishing you the best as I plan to be in your shoes, with a bunch of homeschooled children attending a great public school in the next few years.
August 16th, 2009 at 7:43 pmHi,
Chris,
Great to hear that you have moved into your new house and are staying in your current community. Your neighbours sound fantastic.
Also it is great to hear that all of your children want to and are going to school (although I am sure they will miss their home schooling), they will have a ball.
August 16th, 2009 at 7:47 pmOur WalMart switched out the McDonalds for a Subway. It was a good move in my area (if you get my meaning).
We do the same thing Bridget does. After putting 4 kids through school, we learned. Now our 5th (he was just for fun, he’s 9) chooses from the school lunch list. He can pick out two hot lunches a week and we put it on the calendar.
BTW, I love your recipes. We devoured your black bean & beef burritos!
August 16th, 2009 at 7:55 pmI have been waiting to read about your move since your twitter post about boxes and coffee (I think)!! Best of luck with getting them all off to school. That must start soon down in Texas. Can’t wait to read about it! You won’t believe how fast the time goes.
August 16th, 2009 at 8:17 pmThey have shopping carts at your McDonald’s? What, is it inside a Walmart or something? Should’ve called your post “Answers and Other Redundancies”
August 16th, 2009 at 8:52 pmThanks for the update.
August 16th, 2009 at 9:29 pmYikes….Now you have to add scorpions to the broken glass, nails and cobras in that neighborhood! Seriously it sounds as if you have found a good fit for your family there.
Well, I guess you have already purchased the lunch boxes… but really, brown bags are the way to go. Actually, over 10 or so may get made fun of because of a lunch box. Yeah, brown bags.
August 16th, 2009 at 9:30 pmOK, we’re all a little more than relieved that you are still in that great, kid-mom-family friendly neighborhood. I suspect most of your neighbors are happy about that too.
Personally I think that for the first week you have the kids in school you should SLEEP. Miles, great name btw, seems like he’s pretty responsible - he can fend for himself. Or maybe he can wear a beekeeper suit and look for the scorpion’s mate.
August 16th, 2009 at 9:40 pmHey, did you know that they have McDonald’s inside of some WalMarts? And the best part is…you can put your child in a shopping cart there!
August 16th, 2009 at 10:07 pm30 Day Shred kicked my a&*. Not to scare you or anything. It’s possible I’m just a wimp. In fact, I have never made it to level 3. Sad.
August 16th, 2009 at 10:29 pmDo they have a grocerysmarts or online printable grocery deal like that for Texas? Maybe http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com?
I use these to help me stock up on home lunch stuff. Lunchmeat, sliced cheeses, etc. Buying these items sale (and often with coupons) takes the shock out of even home lumches.
It helps ease the pain of the economy and loss of freelance work too.
Miles is a rockstar!
Tammy and Parker
August 16th, 2009 at 11:17 pmhttp://www.prayingforparker.com
@ParkerMama on Twitter
SO cute, who would not love that!
Yep - I knew it was a Wally’s McD’s as we have one too - not that I ever go in either, just heard it from other people… ;-P
Awww - how wonderful you’re still in the same *hood*
I SO know that tiredness of late, I too need a sleepcation from our year away, our return and all that the busy school year will entail.
August 16th, 2009 at 11:19 pmI’m sorry you were dropped from one of your freelance jobs. As I’ve mentioned before, you are at the top of my list for online writers.
August 16th, 2009 at 11:58 pmWow, I need some of that Texas sun to lighten up my hair the way it has for Miles!!! How cute he is!
August 16th, 2009 at 11:59 pmHappy Move — it looks terrific and I wish you happy new school days.
August 17th, 2009 at 12:42 amsleepcation LOVE IT
I think you deserve a big sleepcation.
Thanks for sharing the details you know we ALL were dying to know.
good luck putting home in order, getting all kids off to school and on the 2009 football season, and most of all sign up for that sleepcation. :):):):):)
August 17th, 2009 at 7:00 amYou make me laugh.
August 17th, 2009 at 7:38 amI was so bummed (for you and your kids) about losing your new-found neighborhood - now I don’t have to be!
Maybe you can sleep next year when Miles goes to school?
August 17th, 2009 at 7:51 amChris! Congrats on gettting a house in the same neighborhood! That is wonderful. Is the house bigger, I hope? My husband has a job interview today…I hope he gets it, but it may mean a move, and I told him that we’d have to move out to put our house on the market
Otherwise I can’t keep it clean enough to show! Are you going to post new house photos?
August 17th, 2009 at 7:59 amOkay - you have mad Photoshop skillz Chris~!
Is Miles even going to school? Five hours of your own? Fabuloso!!! Not to burst anyone’s bubble since I don’t know what the school schedule in TX is like - but once you get used to them being in school - they seem to be home A WHOLE LOT more than they should be. Lots of vacation time.
School lunches for the bigger kids is cooler - but it is never enough. can’t get my oldest soon to admit that and bring a sandwich to supplement - but I refuse to pack his lunch at 15. Youngest is 13 and he can’t stand starving so brings his own lunch … doesn’t care about cool.
Can you just tell me what the last line of Mile’s jingle is? I got the whole rest of it~!
CONGRATS again!
August 17th, 2009 at 8:09 amFor future reference, you can put all the information you want in a post and then end it with a cute Miles video and it will be guaranteed that I remember nothing of what you said.
August 17th, 2009 at 8:17 amCompletely random, but I am SO excited to hear about how your kids like going to school!! I can’t wait to hear the stories. Congrats on another move, and very happy to hear that you are staying in your wonderful neighborhood.
August 17th, 2009 at 8:23 amYou are amazing for getting through all of this and not just folding up in a corner somewhere (even with scorpions). Sleep as much as you humanly can, don’t worry about the crap in boxes and good luck with the house selling and freelancing.
August 17th, 2009 at 9:12 amHave been reading for many months. Never or rarely comment. I just wanted to say that I feel a real connection to your writing and appreciate that you share your real feelings about being a mother– the good, the great and the not so good. I was wondering if you would be willing to share your tips for saving money with a large family or direct me to where you have written about it in the past. Thanks again for sharing.
August 17th, 2009 at 9:45 amHum I just realized that somewhere you said Miles will not be going off to school yet … perhaps it should be his little boy job to ENTERTAIN MOMMY!!!!
August 17th, 2009 at 10:06 amI wouldn’t want to leave that neighborhood either with an ice cream truck like that! My God, that’s the Rolls Royce of ice cream trucks. You should see our ice cream truck. It’s this old beat up throwback to the ’70s with an escapee from the mental ward driving it…
August 17th, 2009 at 10:55 amWe let our kids pick lunch once a week from school. There is only 3 kids in school now, so occasionally all 3 will pick the same day…and I like that. No lunch to pack. I’ve often thought of freezing their sandwiches, but haven’t tried it yet. I think it would taste blah, but maybe when I’m packing 4 next year, we’ll try it.
I’ve done the 30 day Shred. I rotated it with my Couch to 5 K running and did it on the off days, so it wasn’t any continuous 30 day thing. I made it through all 3 levels in about 3 months. But man, I was sore for a couple days after the first day. My theighs (that is totally spelled wrong) were killer sore. Fun climbing stairs and sitting down on the toilet!!
August 17th, 2009 at 11:40 amI really didn’t know that the attics in Texas could ruin your stuff. I guess I’ll just put things I don’t like up there.
Also, I’m working in an office in my house right now in which there recently was a “dead” scorpion, but guess what? He wasn’t dead, just faking. Also, he is missing. I hate this about Texas.
August 17th, 2009 at 1:06 pmI’m glad I’m not the only one with a son who can’t help chanting that while at McD’s.
So cool that you’re right around the corner from your rental!
August 17th, 2009 at 1:14 pmIs there anything we out here in readerland can do to let the powers that hire freelancers know how much we love you? You are at the top of my list of, oh about a thousand or so, blogs that I read. Or try to read. Can’t read them all. But always read yours when a new one pops up. What can we do to help?
August 17th, 2009 at 1:42 pmOh, McDonald’s inside Wal-Mart….
There was one of those near the midwife my mom went to for my youngest brother. We were all bribed with promises of Happy Meals if we behaved at the office. Granted, we pretty much did anyway, but it was a stressful time, and bribes were much appreciated.
August 17th, 2009 at 2:45 pmI want a sleepcation! Not likely to get it though.
August 17th, 2009 at 3:12 pmMiles is precious.
I would think you would qualify for the free or reduced lunch program with 9 people living in your home.
August 17th, 2009 at 4:11 pmPlease don’t get offended. I’m just saying.
Ease your way into the 30 day shred.
August 17th, 2009 at 4:32 pmI started it on my birthday (ha…) and couldn’t move without pain for about 3 days. I did it again on the 4th day. No pain, but definatly felt like I worked out. Then I skipped 1 day, did it again. Now I’m starting to do it every day.
Oh, and you will want to punch jillian your second time through and beyond. Her ‘pep talks’ loose their effectiveness.
PS- I hate pushups now. And jumping jacks.
I’ve homeschooled and public schooled my kids and I have to say the public school staggered schedule thing was hard on me. My homeschool friends would kill me for admitting this but sending them to school is more exhausting. I had to be way more organized. Congrats on the new house and I hope you sell the other one soon.
August 17th, 2009 at 4:46 pmI can’t wait to hear how the school experiment goes. What does Miles think about everyone going off and “leaving” him? I can see him equally well being either outraged or diabolically pleased to have you all to himself!
August 17th, 2009 at 4:47 pmLet me tell you about the 30 day shred. I did day one and am unable to negotiate the stairs up to my office two days later. Ouch - and I swim and bike several times per week so I thought I’d be able to handle it. Just make sure you have ibuprofin and a hot tub at the ready.
August 17th, 2009 at 5:08 pmCan we have a transcript of Miles’ performance, please?! I guess it might be my British ears but I can only understand about 3 words! I know he CAN talk beautifully clearly (ref. your previous videos) but I am really struggling now! Or has he got all ‘Texan’?
I can do CT American, but obviously not Southern!! He is SUCH a cutie, BTW - gotta love the hair!
August 17th, 2009 at 6:04 pmI hope they all enjoy school.
August 17th, 2009 at 6:06 pmMaybe 15 or so years ago we were invited to baby-sit (overnight) my husband’s 2 & 4 year old grandchildren while their parents went to a high school reunion. When they arrived (after a several hour car trip), the husband went back to the car to get the luggage, which included a cat. I refused to allow the cat inside - I offered the phone book to look for a boarding place but refused to allow the uninvited guest inside for even one minute. My husband, always the indulgent father, tried to talk me into it - I said it’s me or the cat. They ended up leaving the cat with my husband’s sister - upon arrival the effer raised his tail and sprayed the sofa and two year old carpet. Someone went to grab him - he ran off into a bedroom, lifted his tail again and sprayed the bed and bedroom carpet. Even though they replaced the furniture and carpet, I swear I can still smell it when I go into their house. I HATE cats.
August 17th, 2009 at 7:37 pmI think I’m going to have a DRINKCATION.
watch, you are going to try to have a nap with mr.m and you won’t be able to fall asleep because the house will be TOO QUIET.
Good luck to all the kids with the new school- I”m sure they will all do really well!!! Esp. in science when they talk about scorpions & hysterical mothers. I am betting a statigically placed plastic scorpion is in your future …..
August 17th, 2009 at 8:34 pmI just love that phrase, sleepcation. I’m actually taking one this weekend. Make sure you schedule one for yourself once everything settles down for you! (Which may not be for awhile, I’m guessing. Sorry!) Thanks for sharing your adventures with us. It is so much fun to read!
August 17th, 2009 at 9:19 pmChris- you’ve been a big inspiration to me too
August 18th, 2009 at 7:55 amwith homeschooling- I kept telling myself that if
you can do it with all your kids, I can do it with one.
(Our 3 teens are in PS, and our youngest is homeschooled)
But we take it year by year too.
Wishing you all the best.
oooh, that blond hair. And the smurf shirt. How adorable is that?
August 18th, 2009 at 8:06 amWait a minute, is that an ice cream truck?!? What in the world is on the far left side of it? All thos little knobs it looks like? That is the fanciest looking singing ice cream machine ever! Here in Boston they look like old Wonder Bread trucks and your lucky if you can still read the menu!
Chris says: It is the self-serve snow cone sugar syrup.
August 18th, 2009 at 9:24 amLove the Smurf shirt … just bought the same one for my son. I know where you shop!
Hope you get settled as quickly as you can. We moved last September and I also vowed to never move again!
August 18th, 2009 at 10:24 amThanks for the answers to the What!?’s. You’ve got some exciting changes happening (scorpions not included). My unsolicited advice after spending six years making lunches for my triplets, is to keep it simple. They have 40 minutes for lunch/recess and spend approximately 5 minutes eating so they can get out there and play. I volunteer at lunch time and have personally seen whole lunchboxes of food trashed because kids’ don’t have the time for the fresh fruit salad, or the whole apple and the elaborate sandwich and Mom is probably oblivious. I send 1/2 a sandwich, piece of string cheese or small yogurt, water or juice, bag of pretzels for example. They eat like crazy when they get home and that’s when I can monitor their foods. Works for me - good luck.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:19 amI have a six-week-old babe and a four-year-old. I am so loving sleepcation. I’m going to tell my hubby all I want for my birthday is a sleepcation.
August 18th, 2009 at 11:44 amAs an owner of an old house with which I have a love/hate relationship, I’m curious whether this new house is an old house or whether you went with a newer house to stay in the neighborhood. Or, perhaps, you have sworn off old houses forever!
August 18th, 2009 at 3:48 pmSchool lunches are expensive! I let my five buy twice a week. It’s still like $100 a month. And congrats on the new house!
August 18th, 2009 at 8:32 pmneed. sleepcation. now. too funny.
I moved recently (OK. 3 months ago) and this past weekend I cleared out all the really important stuff I clearly have not needed in months piled high in the office. It felt so good (once it was done, of course, since it was about 90 degrees), and now I finally feel at home here. And in retrospect, I can’t believe I put a 3-hour task off for months!
ok. I’ll admit it. I don’t have any children.
good luck with the new house (and the scorpions)
August 18th, 2009 at 10:04 pmEnjoy your blog HATE moving. I share your “love” Of cats. Mine is a coagulation of things. 1 being I was attacked by a cat when I was in my early 20’s and it ripped me up and to top it off I had to keep the crazy wild cat locked up in a cage for 2 weeks as they suspected it had rabies. PLUS, I used to have a neighbor that was clinically depressed. She had 4 really great kids that she didnt take very good care of . Her house was a mess and her kids pretty much lived at my house, when school started they were not getting to school . I thougth maybe if they were more organized they would be able to get to school. I went over one weekend while she laid in bed and cleaned their entire FILTHY FILTHY house. I mean trash all over and clothes up to your waist clear down the hall.When I finally made it to the oldest room, we got rakes and shovels to clean out under their beds. Yuck! A cat had been using the place for a potty and it was gross, cat shit soup! Diarrhea and pee. Thsi cat was walking around spraying on the clean windows from the outside.I even found a live snake in their kitchen. Needless to say their house stayed like that for about a week and then went right back. She eventually lost her kids.
August 19th, 2009 at 1:41 amCats stink! One thing to note we found out wehn we were house hunting , meth labs smell like cat pee too.
hmm..
I don’t understand….why did you move all the way to Texas…then move down the street?? :S
You have a crazy life!!! But I love reading about it!! (^_^)
Chris says: We were just renting the other house temporarily.
August 19th, 2009 at 10:26 am