So many books, so little time.

Posted on March 15, 2008 by carrievoris

My lovely sis over at FourGirlsandOneBoy tagged me for a meme a few weeks ago, and well I am just now getting around to it.

You know the one – pick up the book you are reading and turn to page 123 and post the fifth sentence.

So this is my current reading stack –

I’m in reality only working on, or finishing up, the first five on the stack.

I just started Eat, Love, Pray, so I don’t have much to comment on yet. But the assignment for that book is:

“Our whole business therefore in this life,” wrote Saint Augustine, rather Yogically, “is to restore to health the eye of the heart whereby God may be seen.” Like all great philosophical ideas, this one is simple to understand but virtually impossible to imbibe.

Sounds good, eh? I think I’m going to like it.

I just finished Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama’s first book. It was very good, even if you are not an Obama fan. It is a very well-written, thoughtful and interesting book about his search for his identity, and the struggle to figure out what community he really belongs to. I really did enjoy it. He is as eloquent a writer as he is a speaker. The meme assignment for this book is:

“When the two of them withdrew to the kitchen, I would overhear Maya complaining to my mother. “Barry’s okay, isn’t he? I mean, I hope he doesn’t lose his cool and become one of those freaks you see on the streets around here.”

And I’ve been working on Buddhism for Mothers: A Calm Approach to Caring for Yourself and your Children since our visit to Hawaii. It is um…interesting. I guess all of the ideas put forth in it are good in theory like, “Remember anger is just a passing state, so don’t empower it.” or “Remember angry thoughts and words are bad for your karma.” and even, “Look inward for the cause of anger so you can eliminate it.” But in practice…well, it has been nearly impossible for me to institute around here. I’ll have to write more on that another time. The meme assignment for that book:

“Even those mothers who seem to live with their soul mates concede there are phases when they “can’t get enough” of their partners followed by phases when they could “take them or leave them.” All relationships go through seasons.”

Well, duh. Right? See I don’t disagree, but I haven’t found the practical help in the book yet…but there is still plenty of book left. I’ll update on that one, I’m sure.

And then, the two triathlon books sitting there. These I did read, but I’ve kind of read them on an “as needed” basis. I did really enjoy the Slow, Fat Triathlete. Her book is very funny and pretty informative for a first-timer. The assignment for that one reads:

“Going from zero hours a week to ten or fifteen can do more harm than good, especially for the previously inactive or currently tubby among us.”

Hee. Tubby. Anyone who uses “tubby” in her book has a great sense of humor, right?

So that is what I’m reading right now. Doesn’t count my leaning tower of magazines on the other side of the table, though.

I’m not tagging anyone, since I think most have done this – but leave a comment if you would like to share what reading goodies you are currently enjoying.

Ring Around Our Rosey

Posted on March 14, 2008 by carrievoris

Maybe it is because of one of her (many) nicknames, “Rosey Toes,” but Addie is infatuated with Ring Around the Rosey (or is it Rosie, or Rosy?) right now.

Talking Em into playing with her…

Ring around the Rosey…

Pocket full of ashes…

We all fall down!

Recruit a new player – start all over again.

And then the wave comes crashing down…

Posted on March 13, 2008 by carrievoris

Last night was not one of my finer parenting moments.

It was hitting-rock-bottom awful, in fact. I think it has been brewing for the past few months. I can see myself losing patience much more easily not only with the girls, but just in general. I feel frustrated most of the time and just a little bit out of control. And I have noticed the effect it is having on Em, especially. Her “stern” rants when she is frustrated, her attitude-riddled comments with me, when she yells at her sister – all of it I know she is picking up from me.

So last night.

Have you ever had an experience where you feel like you are outside of your body just watching an event unfold? I felt like that last night. And I was horrified of the ~~monster~~ mom I saw – impatient, yelling, acting like…well, like a 3-year old. After I managed to get the girls into bed, I just went downstairs and wept. I was so upset at myself for handling everything so wrong.

I remembered all my promised whispers when they were born – I can’t imagine ever doing anything to hurt you. I will always love you. I will always take care of you. I will never yell at you or make you feel that you are inconsequential.

I would love to blame being tired, stressed-out, home with the girls by ourselves again, but I can’t. I just completely lost control and failed especially on my last “promise.”. Clearly the book I’m reading (Buddhism for Mothers: A calm approach to caring for yourself and your children) is not working, or I haven’t yet reached the part where I can turn the theories into practicalities.

Thankfully, children wake up each morning only remembering the things they want to remember. They forget and forgive so easily. And since I am the only mother they have ever known, they don’t have a lot to compare it to. This morning they bounded down the stairs, laughing, their little bodies full of energy, ready for a brand-new day.

And, I greeted them with the same enthusiasm and showered love on them as I proposed a little “pact” between all of us. I apologized for being an ogre last night and told them how very sad it made me to be so mean. I also vowed to them that I was going to try much harder to not raise my voice, and then we came up sit a funny signal. Whenever anyone in our house starts to yell, or get angry we are going to give them the “signal.” And give that person an opportunity to settle down and compose themselves.

Em, of course, is a huge cheerleader in the whole experiment. After we had our talk this morning, I had asked Em to do something and she did her little aggravated, “ughhhhh.” I looked at her and said, “Emma Grace…” and she broke out in this huge grin and said, “Hey, Mom! You were supposed to give me our signal!”

The rest of the morning and beginning of the afternoon was beautiful. Like last night never happened. I had obedient, calm girls sharing and being very loving to one another – and me. I felt mindful and focused on them, and found our morning to be so much more enjoyable. I felt like the calm Mommy I want to be. The calm Mommy these two sweet girls deserve.

I’ll keep you updated on our journey. I feel like we hit the crest of a very big wave last night. Hopefully we are sailing into some calmer seas ahead.

Change(s) ~ Theme Thursday

Posted on March 13, 2008 by carrievoris

As I tried to figure out what photo to use/shoot for this week’s Theme Thursday, which is change, all I kept thinking of (and singing) was that David Bowie song, Cha-Cha-Changes. I had to go find it on YouTube…man, that is a really good song!

Anyhow, that song didn’t really inspire any great ideas, but as I was getting ready to scrap tonight I (ahem…) changed my calendar to March. (Oh, don’t give me that! Like you have never made it nearly halfway into a month before realizing you haven’t changed the calendar? What? Oh. You never have? Well, then…you clearly have too much time on your hands.) In my defense, I have a huge whiteboard calendar that has been updated and used all month, it was just the girls’ calendar that hadn’t been switched over.

Anyhow, (again) I could not get over the change in the girls from last year to this year. So then I started going through all of the girls’ baby photos. (That is a great way to kill time, but I’m a bit misty-eyed over here. They were soooo tiny! Sooo sweet!)

So check out the changes in our house in the past five years! –

Go catch some other Change over at Stacy’s today!

You Lookin’ At Me? ~ Wordless Wednesday

Posted on February 20, 2008 by carrievoris

—–

The Hawaii photos and stories are coming…I promise. I am about halfway through MY photos – around #600 or so – and haven’t started with J’s yet. Sheesh. But later today I’ll post about week one.

Crafty Tuesday ~ The Hawaiian Way

Posted on February 19, 2008 by carrievoris

Obviously we have not had many crafty things going on the past two weeks, unless you count learning how to tie a sarong over a bathing suit.

We did however partake in a lot of lei-making while we were in Hawaii.

The girls and I made leis and bracelets at the luau –

And made these cool wreaths on the boat after we went whale watching –

Addie wasn’t crazy about the leis, I think because they are a little “itchy” after awhile.

And, of course, since they are made from fresh orchids, we were not able to bring them back with us. But, Em and I can whip one up for you, if you ever need one. And we also have lots of photographic proof of our craft, like these – two of my favorites of Em from the past week.

Man, the lighting on that boat was really great.

Do you have any craftiness to share today?

Whole Family ~ Best Shot Monday

Posted on February 17, 2008 by carrievoris

If I wasn’t so lazy I would go find the photo that J. and I had taken on Waimea Bay ten years ago when we first visited Hawaii. I really wanted to “re-create” the photo, with the sun setting, in the same spot with our “whole family” – as Em calls us.

So I’m clearly not taking these photos today, my bro-in-law, Jeff took them (thanks, Jeff!).

This is the typical shot of the four of us…

But Jeff managed to get a good one for me and today’s Best Shot Monday.

That first photo from ten years ago was fun – but I am so in love with this one and our “whole” little family.

I’m working on the other vacation photos and stories. I promise, they are on their way.

But make sure to stop over to Mother May I for other great photos this fine President’s Day.

Here we go, Here we go, Here we go again…

Posted on February 16, 2008 by carrievoris

I can’t believe I am even about to write this because, well…I am tempting fate here. But, while we were on vacation our “baby” decided that she is “a big girl.” Seriously, if you even just call her “baby” affectionately she will stop dead in her tracks and screech “I’m not a baby, Mama! I’m a big girl!”

So, she slept in “big” beds the entire time we were on vacation. These photos were shot after our exhausting first day of travel to Hawaii and a luau. She fell asleep in my arms at the luau, (Sigh. That was so arm-breakingly lovely. It has been a long time since she has done that.) she remained crashed through the entire bus ride back to the hotel where I deposited her on the bed and changed her into her pjs. And then she continued to sleep through until morning. It was crazy…

…but I loved getting a lot of opportunities to watch both of the girls sleep this past week. So peaceful. Sweet, little, angelic sleeping faces.

Fast forward to our first night back. Last night.

“I dohwanna sleep in my crib, Mama. I will sleep with Emma? I will sleep with you?”

So I promised her last night that we would make her crib into a big girl bed today, if she slept in the crib last night. It sorta worked. She was up early and ended up sleeping with me, anyhow. But we did move her to the big girl bed tonight.

Again.

But, didn’t we just go through this a few month’s ago? And didn’t it fail miserably?

Yes. And yes.

All day Addie kept saying, “I am so exciting for my kitties and my new bed, Mama.” (I found a really sweet “kitty” quilt a few weeks ago for her big girl bed.) And she kept saying we were “breaking” her crib. “Thank you for breaking my crib, Daddy!”

So how did bedtime go you ask?

All right…again, I know I’m tempting fate…but it went really, really well. It is only 11pm, so we’ll see how the rest of the night goes, but she climbed into bed and was very insistent that I keep the door open and the closet light on (ala what Emma always asks for) and was also adamant that I NOT put the gate up in her doorway. So I told her that if she stayed in bed and went to sleep, I would not put the gate up. I went in to put some clothes away and she was already asleep when I started downstairs.

It is such a bittersweet milestone. But I think this time we are ready.

Fingers crossed.

___________________

Edited for update:

It is 8:10am – she is still in there sound asleep. Didn’t make a peep all night. This is really too good to be true, right??

Aloha!

Posted on February 15, 2008 by carrievoris

We have returned. I fully intended to write once or twice while we were away, but, well…I didn’t. I barely checked my email, and it felt amazingly good.

We had a great vacation but now we have to re-acclimate back into the real world.

Addie is putting up a good fight for not sleeping tonight, I have a pile of laundry the size of a small mountain waiting for me, a few thousand photos to edit, stories to compose, and a pile of email and bills to address this weekend. Not to mention catching up on all my blog reading!

So I shall return, soon…but give me a few days to get everyone and everything sorted back out. Mahalo, makamakas!

We Rocked The Vote!

Posted on February 5, 2008 by carrievoris

How very cool is it that our nearly five year old is already excited about voting?

Somebody left some literature on our front gate yesterday and since Em is all about “what does this spell” lately, she asked what the flyer said. So I read it to her and told her that we have to go vote tomorrow over at the school.

E: What does “vote” mean, Mama?
M: Well, you can vote for lots of things, tomorrow we are going to vote for who we want to run for president.
E: What’s a president?
M: He is kind of like the boss. Of the whole country. He helps make rules and laws to keep our country running and safe.
E: Oh.
M: Yeah, it is a pretty big job and so everyone gets to vote, or pick, who they think they will do the best job.
E: Do I get to vote, too?
M: You can go with me and Daddy, but you have to be 18, a grown-up, to vote.
E: But I get to go with you?
M: Yep.

So I figured that was that. Then she wandered downstairs all bleary-eyed this morning looking for Daddy and I told her that he had to leave for work early so he could go to the school and vote.

E: HEY! Mom! (suddenly not sleepy at all anymore) We get to vote today, too! You and me, right? Well, I have to wait til I am 18, but I get to go, right? (First of all…she remembered that she needs to be 18?)
M: Yep. You need to eat some breakfast first, though.

The breakfast was inhaled. She completely cleaned her plate while I was getting ready. AND, she put her clothes on without a peep, had her shoes on and was sitting on the step, ready to go.

Kind of made me wish we got to vote every day.

So we walked over (our voting poll was across the street – handy!) and she watched the whole process with great interest. She asked what I was doing and why I was “voting” more than once. “I thought you only got to vote for one person, Mama?” And basically chattered the entire time we were in the poll.

And then…they got a sticker! My goodness they give out stickers when you vote! Did you know this? She so proudly wore her “I voted” sticker all day. And kept asking “Do people know I went to vote today because I have this sticker on, Mama?”

This could be an incredible history-making election, with either a black or woman being elected to President. And as excited as I am to witness that, I am even more excited to witness my little girl, who is years away from being able to vote, realize what a privilege it is to be able to vote.

BarelyControlledChaos

Chaos Controlled.Barely.