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How to Turn a Chore Into an Adventure
We got up early, both to beat the heat and to heighten the sense of adventure. Everything seems more exciting if you have to get up early for it.
It’s a fact.
Though, I think someone forgot to inform my girl. When I woke her at 6:00, GW cracked one bleary eye and said, “humnazzzzzz”. Then rolled herself up in her comforter and turned her back to me.
I replied with a whispered, “We’ll stop for donuts” and then had to run to keep up with my eager child.
Everything seems more exciting if donuts are involved.
We arrived at the farm just a bit after seven, fingers still sticky from our sweet morning treat, and the hunt began. We were looking for rows of green in a sea of yellow.
“Look Mom, over there!”
Betty, the farmer’s wife, told me that a leaky irrigation pipe had rendered these few rows too muddy to harvest. The beans were ours for the picking. Betty told me to just rip up the whole plant and stuff it in a lawn bag. I could pull the beans off at home.
GW and I set to work, pulling plants from the dirt while keeping a weather eye out for snakes. When she got tired, she climbed into the back of the car and started picking beans from the vine.
Four lawn bags later, we headed home, choosing a new way for fun. When we came to a river with no bridge, I asked GW to scout around for a fairy we could ask for help.
One came, but not the kind she was expecting.
Safely on the other side, we continued our journey pausing only to race a train down the road.
It won.
But we did too.
We arrived home satisfied in the knowledge that an ordinary Thursday had been transformed into an adventure.
Up next? The dishes!
Why didn’t I think of this before?
From the archives. Originally published February 13, 2008
Next month my family is moving 3011 miles (those last 11 miles are a killer).
For the second time. In three years.
Crazy, I know.
So, in order to cut down on the number of boxes we will be cramming carefully packing into the moving van, I decide to get rid of all of the plastic dvd cases.
I also went crazy and got rid of the paper insert, because I know I’ll never look at them again.
I’m working my way up to tossing the “disc 2 – special features” as well, but…baby steps.
So I went from the above photo to this:
[APPLAUSE PLEASE]
Plush Wilderness
From the archives. Originally published January, 31 2008.
This morning I broke my daughter’s heart, and I don’t even care.
That’s just the kind of woman I am.
Just what terrible thing, you may be asking, did I do to the poor child?
I instituted a new rule. “One in, one out.”
You see, our home is being fully overrun by stuffed animals. They have no natural predators and so have multiplied at an astonishing rate. Do you remember the old Disney film “White Wilderness”? The one where the lemming population grew to be too large so the lemmings hurled themselves off a cliff? (Sidenote: I have recently discovered the film to be a hoax. Here’s the scoop on that.)
Anyway, I have been waiting for a mass plush suicide attempt, but it appears as though it’s not going to happen.
Hence the “one in, one out” rule.
This morning, my daughter told me that she wants two more webk*nz so she can get some special online “feature item”. Whatever.
(Ok, I really must go off on a tangent here. The Ganz corporation is made up of evil geniuses. They have created a cute, fun, and wholesome website for kids. But it’s main purpose is not entertainment, education, or to develop creativity. It is marketing, plain and simple. The very concept is designed to make your little darlings dissatisfied with what they have and instead want, no need more, more, more! Tangent over.)
Anyway, this morning my child told me she wanted-needed more. First I (nicely) told her that I was not going to be buying any webkinz. Secondly, I (very sweetly) explained that she has reached the extreme limit on the amount of plush creatures this house will hold. For every new animal that comes in, be it a gift or with her own (ha) money, she will have to donate one of her old animals to charity.
Here is the rest of our conversation.
Her: That’s mean.
Me: That’s life.
Her: I don’t want to give away any of my animals.
Me: You don’t have to. You can keep them all. Just don’t get any new ones.
Her: (Tearing up) Can’t I just put some in the attic?
Me: Nope. Sorry, Honey. We have reached the limit.
Her: But-
Me: (Practicing diversionary tactics) Is that the bus I hear? Hurry and grab your coat.
So, what do you think? Was I unbearably cruel? What would you think if I told you I don’t even feel guilty?
Remember when you were a kid and you really wanted something? Like a doll, or a bike, or a snoopy Sno-Cone Machine? Do you remember dropping hints to grandma? Writing to Santa? Going to the store to look at it? Maybe even saving your allowance for it?
And then when you finally got it do remember how much you loved it?
It’s possible that I am being nostalgic for something that didn’t really exist and kids then really weren’t that different from kids now, but I don’t think so.
For example, my daughter does not know the joy of browsing the toy isle just to see what is there. I loved going to Bi-Mart with my mom and just getting to look at the toys. But when my girl sees something she wants and can’t have it right now, she’s sad. So she chooses to not even look unless she knows she’s getting something. I commend her for that, but I truly feel like she is missing out on something. That bittersweet feeling of wanting and waiting and dreaming.
My daughter has so much more than I did. I think it’s hard for anything to be truly special in the face of so much abundance. Her kid culture (friends, tv, webk*nz) tells her that she has to have more. One Littlest Pet Shop pet is no fun. You have to have the whole set. When does it end?
Ok, before you start blasting me with, “Well, where did she get all this stuff, huh?” or telling me how spoiled she is, please know that one-yes, I accept blame for bringing in all the stuff and two-she’s no more spoiled than her peers and less than many of them.
Even so, I am going to make a concentrated effort to reduce the amount of consumerism taking place in this house. To do more with what we have and not look for something new and shiny to make us happy.
Last week we took all of her broken crayons and melted them in muffin tins. The “new” big crayons were a huge hit. She thought I was sooo clever. (Stop. I am not. Ok, maybe a little…) It was simple and it was fun. More fun, I dare say, than a brand new box of crayolas. What we had on hand was more than good enough.
Maybe with the “one in, one out” rule I can bring that feeling into our Plush Wilderness.
If not, I’ll be looking for a film crew and a high cliff.
How many days are there in August?
31
How about November?
30
March?
31
I know because my second grade teacher taught me a trick, a trick that I still use all these years later.
Ball your hands into fists.
Now look at them. Do you see how your knuckles make bumps and valleys?
If you assign each bump and valley a month of the year, in order, the bump-months will be the ones with 31 days, while the valleys will be the ones that only have 30 (except for February, which has 28-ish days).
Confused yet?
Maybe a visual will help.
I’ve asked the Girl Wonder to be my hand model:
I’ve always been amazed that this works so well.
And it’s not just that every other month has 31 days.
Oh, no.
If you look at July and August, they are both on bumps and they both have 31 days.
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Sunless Tanning Tips
I’m a nice person. I truly do not like to horrify people. I would rather not be the inspiration for nightmares in small children. And when a dog runs yelping from me with his tail tucked between his legs, I feel bad.
Which is why I choose not to subject the world to my winter white legs.
The way I see it I have three choices:
1-Keep legs fully covered at all times.
- Pro: Not only does it cover my ghostly white legs, I could conceivably quit shaving.
Con: I already have enough jeans, I wouldn’t
2-Spend some time in a tanning booth.
- Pro: A natural looking, golden tan
Con: Um, cancer
3-Use sunless tanning lotion.
- Pro: If done right, a natural looking golden tan
Con: It’s hard to do right
For some parts of the country you could add a fourth option: sunlight, but here in Oregon, that’s not much of an option. At least not in April.
I choose option three. And I have come up with a couple of tips to keep from looking like an Oompa-Loompa (1971, not 2005).
First exfoliate. I know they say it on the bottle, but it really does bear repeating. Use a loofa or those scrubby gloves in the shower.
After drying off thoroughly, apply self tanning lotion.
I like Nutrogena Gradual Build a Tan. They also make a different formula just for faces. However, there are many good brands out there. Look for one that says gradual or light tan, particularly if you are fair-skinned, like me.
Go easy on knees, elbows, ankles. Think about where a natural tan is darker and apply accordingly. For example inner arm should receive less lotion.
While lotion is still drying, apply cocoa-butter over it. (I like Palmer’s, found at Wal-Mart.) The cocoa-butter does not seem to dilute the tanning lotion, but it does help even it out. Because striped skin? Not cute.
Once you are finished applying coca-butter, wash your hands or you will end up with orange palms. However, unless you like the “white-gloved” look, you’ll need to re-apply the sunless tanning lotion to the backs of your hands. But how? If you use your fingers, you’ll set up a never ending cycle of washing and reapplying. So, don’t use your fingers. Instead apply with a cotton ball or a disposable make-up sponge.
I know sunless tanning can be intimidating, but isn’t it better than the alternatives? (See cons above.)
C’mon, do it for the kids.
Frantically Simple’s Home and Garden Show (and a WFMW tip)
So, we’ve lived here for about three weeks now and are pretty well settled in but I feel like my sense of urgency has dried up. The few remaining boxes are starting to gather dust.
I have found that things get done much more quickly around my house when I’m expecting company.
The only problem is, I’m not expecting any company.
So… I’m inviting all of you into my home. (I hope I’ve planned enough refrehments!)
That’s right, pull up your monitors and come in. It’s the Frantically Simple Home and Garden Show.
I’ll be posting a different area of my home or yard everyday until you’ve seen it all.
Today we’ll be touring the Girl Wonder’s Bedroom. (And I’ll be sharing an easy WFMW tip for hanging a quilt.) Read more
By popular demand: drive across America travel tips **Updated**
Can you believe we drove a straight 3500 miles last month? All the way across America. 3500 miles with no incidents other than a dead battery and a defective cargo carrier.
And then in the last week I’ve been in two car accidents!
Well, one car accident and one car incident.
Yes, just this evening while pulling out of a parking spot at Wal-Mart (oh, how I hate that store!) I failed to notice the woman pulling out behind me. And she failed to notice me. We tapped bumpers. (I’m fine.)
Yes, I was driving the rental car given to me while my car is being repaired. So there’s that added layer of embarrassment and paperwork. Ugh.
As a result, I have decided to retreat back into the relative safety of that 3500 miles and post a bit more about it.
Why? Because you, oh surfers of the internet, have asked for it. Read more
Works For Me: Brilliant Storage Idea!!!
Shannon, at Rocks In My Dryer hosts a weekly blog-carnival called Works for Me Wednesday. Basically, people blog things that work for them, on Wednesdays, and post the links on her blog.
Here’s mine:
(And in the interest of truthfulness, maybe I over-hyped it in the title, but still…) Read more
Yes, you can have no sugar cereal
No. You can not stay up late.
No. I will not buy you that toy.
No. We can not have a dog.
It seems like I say “no” an awful lot. I know that’s its part of my job as a parent. I need to say no to things that might poorly impact Abby’s health and happiness, not to mention my sanity, but every once in a while I look at that sweet, imploring little face and I realize this truth:
Sometimes it sucks to be a kid.
Read more
Why did I not think of this before?
Next month my family is moving 3011 miles (those last 11 miles are a killer).
For the second time. In three years.
Crazy, I know.
So, in order to cut down on the number of boxes we will be cramming carefully packing into the moving van, I decide to get rid of all of the plastic dvd cases.
I also went crazy and got rid of the paper insert, because I know I’ll never look at them again.
I’m working my way up to tossing the “disc 2 – special features” as well, but…baby steps.
So I went from the above photo to this:
[APPLAUSE PLEASE]
Once upon a time there was a Heidi…
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