A Wise Use of Time

So, for the second time in two days (and yes, the only two times I've used school time to do so...), I am sitting in a classroom doing something completely unrelated to what I should be doing - grading.

Oiy. The Grading.

Grading that has piled because, let's be honest, even though I brought home two bags worth of papers over Thanksgiving, I knew, in my heart of hearts, that it wouldn't get touched. Part of me completely underestimated the amount of things I had to do to get ready for dinner(s) with family. Part of me simply relished the opportunity to spend time with Snickerdoodle and family, and part of of me was simply a bit burned out. Not to mention that I had to keep (hah!) up with my novel. Oh, and Friday I had a migraine and truly did not intend to look at a glowing computer screen.

Needless to say, I got behind on my novel. And the grading? Well, when I realized how close I was to "winning" NaNoWriMo, I gave up until this coming weekend. I told my students that flat out, too. Yes, Monday was midpoint, and yes, I have parents who want an updated average for their children, but my novel had to come first. Or it would never finish. As it is, I WON!!! 50,000+ words in a month! I am very excited, but there is still sooooo much work to do, and my story isn't finished, but I have a huge chunk done, and I finally finally finally have a plan for where it should go. But I now need to do school work. And what am I doing? Blogging. It's beautiful...

I will catch up. I will. And I will make sure to set time aside during Winter Break (2 1/2 weeks, but who's counting?) to at least finish the story, even if I don't get started with revising. I honestly didn't think I would be able to do this. Prose was never a strong point in my college classes. But I feel there is something I can use here, so we'll see what happens... In the meantime, I'll take interviews and sign autographs as long as you bring some chocolate.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I can't believe we're this far in to the month of November, already. It has flown by. And since I've been so absent from the blog in order to write (I've kept up with it, too, except for today - I need to catch up tomorrow...), I felt I could at least visit to show you some pics from this week. Here is Syd's newest trick - he climbs up his high chair and sits on the tray portion. Nanny even found him IN his seat one time. Scary. And he has no compunction about disobeying Mommy to do so; Methinks he'll have to fall in order to listen. Such is the life of toddlerhood (or is it boyhood?).

The Nichols' 4th Annual Drumstick Dash. And the city's 6th annual "Move your feet so others can eat!" 5K run/walk. This year, we all walked it. Syd was anxious to play with all the puppies he saw as we waited for the start of the race, but once we began the walk, the jogger stroller became the way to ride in style (Thank you, Aunt Sharon and Uncle David!). Here, Daddy and Syd smile for the camera as we approach the starting line.
A family picture taken by Mommy's talented left arm. A more beautiful day could not await us - mid 60s by the end of the race and sunshine. It was even better as we got to open the house up while the turkey roasted! Fresh air and roasting fowl - no better way to scent a house!
Last, just a picture of the walk at the starting line. Beautiful, isn't it? And such a message for the day. All these 14,000 people were here (plus more!) in order to burn some calories before Thanksgiving dinner, but even more importantly, to help feed the hungry in the area. It was a gorgeous morning with a slight breeze, a happy baby, and a message of compassion resonated through the crowd. Who could ask for more?

So, I'll close this posting out with a conversation I had with Syd while I prepped the potatoes for dinner:

Syd pulls the Cars card table over to the microwave stand and begins to climb.

Mommy: Is that a wise choice?

Syd: Huh?

Mommy: Get down, Sydney. That's an owie.

Syd continues to climb.

Mommy: Sydney! Is that a wise choice?

Syd pauses, sitting on the table, and looks at me.

Mommy: Are you going to make Mommy upset?

Syd: Um...maybe!

Maybe is his new 'yes.' And he finally listened to me, after he played with the microwave door for a bit. Again, methinks he'll have to actually fall before he stops disobeying Mommy. It's amazing how stubborn he can be. Both Steve and I have absolutely no idea (ahem...) where he got that...

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I am so very thankful for each and every one of you.

Rockin' It Out

Go me!!

It is officially 10:53 pm on November 15th, and I am at a total word count of 25,001, with 15 days to go! I am very proud of myself. Now, hand over the cookies...

Just Sayin'...

I'm proud of me. I am 10 days in to the month of November, and I've already passed the word count of last year's NaNoWriMo. Go Me!! :-)

(Though, I still have no idea where this is going. I'm just letting it happen... We'll see...)

Autumn, and Updates

I grew up in Wisconsin. I miss it terribly at times, especially this time of year. We lived on a street that was lined with huge oak trees. Leaves were omnipresent and we built massive forts in and with them. Halloween was a huge event for the community, but we very rarely participated in the festivities, unless they were school initiated (side note: I grew up "next door" to Jeffrey Dahmer when he was, well, being Jeffrey Dahmer...).

Pumpkins were ubiquitous. I absolutely adore pumpkins. I love the taste. The smell. The usefulness of them. From jack'o'lanterns to roasted pumpkin seeds to pies and muffins, I adore pumpkins. My mother even made pumpkin pie for my birthday in July a few times. Pumpkins are just a happy squash. Round, orange, with its own handle. A splash of color after the leaves fall and the skies turn grey. Or, at least in Wisconsin they were.

The key to getting a good pumpkin that would last until Thanksgiving was to wait until after the first frost to go pick it. In Wisconsin, that didn't take nearly as long as it does here. After we moved here, I once made the mistake of waiting. The pumpkins all disappear after Halloween. The temperatures are usually too warm to keep them all from rotting. Or, perhaps, the pumpkins grown in this area are the ones turned in to canned pumpkin. I don't know. All I know is that if I don't have my pumpkins by the end of October, I can't find them.

Today is October 30th. We've had unusually crisp weather the past few days. I awoke to find frost coating the yard and porch. We already have our pumpkins for the year, but I am so tempted to go out today, before the remainder all disappear, and purchase more. If nothing else, so I have more seeds to roast, but also to hold true to the traditions I experienced growing up.

But this odd turn in temperatures (we actually had sleet on Friday...) also makes me wonder what we're going to encounter as the seasons progress. Syd's first year, we had massive snowfalls (for this area). 17 inches in one night. I hadn't seen snow like that but once in a decade since I moved from Wisconsin. It brought me home. Last year, we had less snow, but still quite a lot, and just in time for Christmas. I witnessed my first white Christmas in years. Granted, it wasn't fresh white, but it was there. This is the first time in a looooong time I remember having anything frozen before Halloween. Does that portend something similar for this winter?

Regardless of what occurs within the next few months, I am finding myself reminiscent and nostalgic for my childhood. The days we would literally build a labyrinth of tunnels from the front door to the street in 4 feet of snow to make it easier to get the mail. Or the time the kids in the neighborhood all banded together to build the snowman taller than our basketball goal. Or, since tomorrow is Halloween, the flourished taping of the milk carton cap over the door bell to prevent trick-or-treaters from ringing, then getting to choose where the family would go while trolls, witches, vampires, and ghosts wandered the neighborhood. My second broken nose happened on one of those trips. But that's another story...

Before I close, just a reminder that November is NaNoWriMo, and I am attempting, again, to write a novel in one month. I will more than likely not be posting any updates until after Thanksgiving. So, be safe tomorrow, take care of you, have a wonderful day of Thanks, and I'll see you in December.

It's Baaaaaaaack!

Our ghost is back.

What's that you say? There's no such thing as ghosts?

Pish posh on you. We have one. Or...SOMEthing.

Shall I lay out the proof for you?

1. I splurge on soap. I love Bath and Body's foam soaps. Over the summer, I was in the store and saw a huge sale, so I capitalized on it, since I will use it all. One item I obtained was a Halloween themed bottle that has a trigger button on the bottom. Every time the pump is depressed, a green light flashes and a wicked laugh issues from the bottle. I love it. It makes me smile. Unfortunately, the button is quite sensitive, and when I am playing with Syd, or doing the dishes, the bottle sometimes goes off without anyone touching it. It still makes me smile.

Last weekend, at 2 in the morning, with Syd sound asleep in his crib, hubby snoring softly next to me, and both cats curled up on the bed between us, the bottle went off. And off. And off. So much so that the laugh incorporated itself in to my dreams. When I finally awoke enough to determine what that noise was, it was still going and did not stop until I went in the kitchen and turned the bottle on its side.

Big whoop, you say. There was a big truck outside rumbling along. Or we had another earthquake. Or a pipe burst somewhere in the city. But think about it - it went off long enough to not only get in to my dreams, but to keep going until I woke up and went in to the kitchen. This is no truck rumbling along outside, or 30 second earthquake. It had to be our ghost.

2. Steve has been missing a watch for almost a year. It is one of his favorites, and he made the mistake of letting Syd play with it. We've conducted whole-house searches for this watch several times, looking in crooks and crannies, and places where little fingers can reach but ours can't. We've gotten down on Syd's level, pulled the sofa-bed out of the couch, turned everything upside down to find this. It was gone. I told him we'd find it (along with one of his wedding bands - yes, we have several - I married a man who wears more jewelry than me) when we finally pack up and move out, 30 years down the road.

We went, as a family, to the conference I had to attend this summer. That means that we used nearly every piece of luggage we own - one for us, one for Syd's clothes and diapers, one for toys, etc. We store the luggage in "Daddy's room" in the basement. When we put the luggage away, it all fits, one inside the next, like nesting dolls. Steve went downstairs last night to check on a virus-scan on the computer and saw that the suitcases were disturbed. He pulled them out to fix them, thinking the cats were playing too hard, and saw it was unzipped. Inside, laying as prettily as can be, was his watch and a tube of lotion that is kept under our bathroom sink with baby-proofing on the cabinet doors.

It has been only 3 months since we used the luggage.

Now, it is possible, though unlikely, that the cats disturbed the luggage enough to force them to fall. It is HIGHLY unlikely that they unzipped the luggage; and it cannot be possible at all for them to have found the watch, unzipped the luggage, and put the watch inside. And how did they get to the baby-proofed lotion in the bathroom?

We have a friendly ghost, or spirit, or imp, or elf, or something. But we have something. And it's full of tricks, which we find rather incredulous at times, but nonetheless, quite entertaining!

Music Class Shenanigans

My little Snickerdoodle is in a mood today. It's not a bad mood; it's an odd mood. He was more awake at the beginning of music class today than he has been since we started going. He was jumping, singing, playing with the toys. Then, he decided he wanted to just lay down on the floor and force everyone to dance around him. Then, he decided to act out.

Enter: the pumpkin bells. It is Autumn; the instructor, Ms. Smith, brought out bells shaped like jack 'o lanterns. They look like balls, so Syd started throwing them. All the other kids decided to imitate my little leader. It is a fun age, but a dangerous age, to play with metal 'balls.'

Oh, and there was the map we just had to see if we could rip off the wall.

And the lovely stage behind which Gigi hides to knock down.

And the little 14 month old boy who we had to shove out of the way to get to Gigi.

And my little munchkin kept going.

And going.

And going.

Steve looked at me in questioning amazement. I said, "He's two."

Yes, I monitored his behavior and tried to calm him down and scolded him when he ran over the little girl, literally. But I can't help but think that Grandpa Bill would be laughing his tookus off watching Syd. And would be extremely proud if we were the first to get kicked out.

Dad, if you're looking down on us, quit egging him on! I love his passion, but it's rather hard to contain at times and I'd rather not make more of a scene than is absolutely necessary!!