ememby

Things I Would Rather Do Than Move My House (Again)

Posted on July 18, 2013 | 3 comments

Moving one time in ten years isn’t bad, but the next time cannot be far enough away for my taste. It’s kind of a pain to pack up every single thing you own, move it and then unpack it all. Note to self: next time, hire the kind of movers who do all your packing for you and then load up the truck… then you only have to unpack it all (and do NONE of the lifting) and marvel over how they simply dumped the contents of your junk drawer into a box and helpfully labeled it: Junk Drawer (I was a little lax on my labeling, rather just inconsistent – I helpfully labeled a box “Kitchen 2013” because apparently the year was necessary.

I was trying to think of things that would qualify as something I would rather do than move (again) and quickly discovered that actually, there are still MANY things I would rather NOT do than move (get rid of a bee hive, face off with a squirrel and go deep sea diving are all on that list) so while my list isn’t that extreme, it does give you some perspective on my limits and boundaries. It should also be noted that moving THIS time was way more than worth it… just all-consuming and exhausting! Each night from Saturday through at least Thursday I went to bed completely wiped out, legs aching from standing, carrying and in general moving ALL day. By Tuesday, when my parents came to help unpack and put things together, I actually had to tell my ~~nearly 80~~ in-his-70s father that I needed a break when he was ready to move on to the next project. And as of right now I still have about 30% of our boxes left to unpack and our bedroom is a giant Tetris game of furniture, boxes, baskets of clean laundry and plastic tubs. Still worth it.

Things I Would Rather Do Than Move My House (Again)

Visit a water park or Cedar Point (I’ve realized I am not a fan of these places, but I sure hope my kids like them because Simon sure does and then, someday in the future, the three of them can all go away together and I can have the house to myself)
Have a third child – girl or boy.
Go a year without Diet Coke. (oh wait)
Move my office.
Never eat ~~chocolate~~ ~~bread~~ peas again (I mean, I do love pea soup).
Stop using the phone to talk on… wait, totally not a hardship but I’m not giving up texting.
Not see a movie for a year (or two, even, if I’m being generous).
See AC/DC in concert.
~~Eat only at Applebee’s when we go out for dinner.~~… nope, can’t do that one, as much as I love Tequila Lime Chicken… give me small and local and DELICIOUS every time.
Give up Prime Time television… think of how many Pinterest projects and crafts I could get done.
Take up running.
Not hate running.
Spend 24 hours with Flava Flav OR Lady Gaga OR Martin Short; but not all of them at the same time.

That’s all I got for now… what would you rather do than move?

3 Comments

Posted in House, Life in general

The Internet Gives and Takes Away

Posted on July 17, 2013 | 9 comments

The spam comments folder is always great for a laugh. To wit, I received the following spam comments on my 40 Before 40 post:

Useful information shared..Iam very happy to read this article..thanks for giving us nice info.Fantastic walk-through. I appreciate this post. [Apparently I provided a fantastic walk-through for turning 40.]
I think so. I think your article will give those people a good reminding. And they will express thanks to you later [I’m still waiting for an expression of thanks.]
I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information. [I’m less often to blogging lately, but I hope to be often to blogging again soon.]
My favorite: Dude.. I am not much into reading, but somehow I got to read lots of articles on your blog. Its amazing how interesting it is for me to visit you very often. [Gotta love a spambot that uses “dude.” But what else can you expect when their spam email has “baby-gaga” in it.]

And just when I’m feeling all special and great about myself, I find this comment from someone with a blog title that includes the phrase “how to get rid of kidney pain”:

When I read a blog, I hope that that doesnt let down me just as much as this one. I mean, I know it had been my choice to read, however actually thought youd possess something exciting to say. Just about all I hear is a lot of whining regarding something that you might fix in case you werent way too busy trying to find attention. [Dear spambot: why don’t you try using apostrophes, maybe you won’t get so angry. Also, you are dumb. And ugly.]

This is my 500th post! To honor that… I’ll pick a random commenter to get a mixed CD… odds are pretty much in your favor since it’s a pretty small comment pool.

9 Comments

Posted in Life in general

The last (ahem) two months in Instagram photos

Posted on July 16, 2013 | 3 comments

I’d say we are long overdue for a catch up on my world according to Instragram… the last one was TWO months ago… Life, it so gets in the way of blogging. Two gold stars and a hug for anyone who makes it to the end.

George likes to make sure we know he’s there… this is what my Saturday nights mostly look like. Well, now that we have moved, Simon and I sit on different pieces of furniture and George has to choose between us (I usually win – at least the dog likes ME best.).

One of the last elementary school pick ups…

The brothers at Millennium Park what seems like a millennium ago…

And rewarded I was with a house and new furniture, which was actually a reward for the past 10 years of work and smaller house living. Details. [Side note: I’m going to miss that boomerang counter top.]

Poor George does not like being walked but preschoolers.

Blurry but still pretty.

Little Einstein.

Getting so old and handsome.

Ten minutes earlier: “I’m not tired.” Ten minutes later: “I wasn’t snoring.” Lie and lie.

Cannot resist that face.

Banana Bread Brownies with Brown Butter Frosting… for real good.

The cousins three in Whitehall… soon Ethan will be running along with them.

First fire of the season.

The boys with their girl friends who they have known since birth and went to daycare with for years. Love.

Sitting on the potty, pretending to be pooping. In other news, still keeping it classy on the blog.

Perfect blue sky with white fluffy clouds. Pure Michigan.

Second to last day of school.

With his teacher and the beginning (top) and end (bottom) of the year. I didn’t realize how much her hair changed until I saw this; she is still just as adorable. Liam told me today, “It’s so far into summer I almost don’t remember my teacher’s name. Wait, I do!”

Simon and Liam… maybe related.

First and last day of first grade. Liam was officially a second grader and I just about teared up driving out of the parking lot.

Last day of school dinner celebration at Smashburger.

Screen time = five minutes of silence.

The first tooth finally came out thanks to Grandpa and his tooth-pulling skills.

A rare moment of brotherly togetherness. Not sure we can call it love, but I’ll take it.

And another real fortune. Still waiting for the thrilling time.

Someone got a misguided tattoo… olive oil made it come right off. Good to know.

A photo of a photo of my ancestors. A happy bunch.

Totally rocking swimming lessons.

Totally doing it wrong, person I have never seen before in my ~~old~~ neighborhood.

Finally getting serious with the packing… only leaving out the essentials. Vinegar, garlic salt and Jane’s Crazy Mixed Up salt for salads, cinnamon sugar for Jack’s toast and strawberries and honey for my Fage greek yogurt.

Swimming lessons are serious business.

Finally giving a smile and thumbs up on the last day of class.

Amore… delicious. Along with some fine gnocchi, we also had risotto fritters and I was in love.

Keys to the new house!

A final farewell to the church domes we saw every day on our way home to the old house.

A new TV means countless remotes and a very happy husband. I confess, I now hate our very old box TV we have in our room. I am ruined.

First play date at the new house… perfect for visiting our river access point. And perfect for burning the energy that multiplies when four boys are together.

The fountain in the pond across the street from the new house… it’s like we moved to paradise (just ignore the million mosquitoes and baby raccoons lying in wait).

Baby Ethan came for a visit… he also brought his brother and mother 🙂

George has a hard life.

The rules for Pokemon club… #4 is the best, though they are all pretty good.

Black on black, a study.

My new house key (Go State!) and manicure (Vexed Violette).

Getting cavities filled, sadly, Jack was just like a normal kid with extra smiles on the nitrous and they flushed it out of his system before he left the room so we didn’t get to laugh at him on the way home. We got back in two weeks for a second filling for Jack… now that he knows what is coming (decidedly not a fan of the “pinch” of the Novocaine needle) not sure how fun it’s going to be BUT the pediatric dentist was AWESOME so who knows… it might go okay. Ha.

Just another Friday night in the neighborhood. This is what I could get used to and since we’re not moving for another 25 years, I’ll have plenty of time to do just that.

Hello, baby Silas, welcome to the world (and Panera)… so loved getting to cuddle you.

All gussied up for a wedding… I think the Aussie is a keeper.

The three amigos… we have been friends for what seems like forever, made countless questionable choices (notably, every item of clothing in middle school and some from high school) but we clean up well and end the day smiling. Happy wedding day, Mrs. Kreisler! And lovely spending the evening with you, Po Po Lambchops.

I hate the hot. Why are the weather people never wrong about a heatwave? Just once I would love for them to predict 95 and humid and have it turn out to be 75 and mild. Then I would hate them a little less.

3 Comments

Posted in Instagram

Friday Randoms

Posted on July 12, 2013 | 4 comments

I’m not sure who I’m kidding, most of my posts are random lists of stuff… I should just change the blog title itself: ememby | random stuff. I have missed blogging and for sure there is an endless amount of blogging material in relation to moving homes (even when moving just across town). Those posts will be coming at a later date, I pinky-swear promise.

We said a final goodbye to the old house Wednesday, Simon in the morning getting the last of our trash and the boys and I in the evening when picking up one final van-load and handing the keys over to the new home owners. They look so young! Babies. I pray our old home that is now their new home serves them well and provides a backdrop to so many happy memories.
Of my two kids, I would have imagined that Liam would be the sad one about leaving the old place, but it was Jack who actually cried while he woefully said, “Goodbye, house” in his sweet little voice. If I was going to cry, that would have been the time. Thankfully Liam was being a pill so I could instead focus on reprimanding him so I didn’t end up crying in front of the new people.
In true regular-life fashion, while we were outside waiting for the new owners to arrive, the boys hurt each other racing down the hill – both ending up with grass stains on their faces (a true talent) and I saw our strange neighbor sitting on the toilet (their bathroom window faces our house and they don’t shut the blinds and I always forget when I glance that direction that I should NEVER glance that direction – file that under “Things I Will Not Miss”).
By some miracle, though we only ordered one Happy Meal for dinner, they put two toys in the box so each kid got their own little minion to play with. Sadly, we had only ordered one Happy Meal because Jack had a bad day at daycare with multiple hitting incidents so he lost the privilege of getting a Happy Meal. McDonald’s is clearly out to usurp my parental control.
I successfully made the move without any Diet Coke – it’s been 7 months now and I’ve decided that I’m just going to go the whole year without it. I miss it sometimes – especially when I get the kid’s McDonald’s – but mostly not. I don’t think Diet Coke is evil or bad, but my desire to drink it always was probably not the best.
In another week or so we will be midway through summer – how does this happen? We haven’t even been to the beach yet. Next weekend we’ll have to get on that. This weekend we’re going to Lansing to meet my friend’s new baby (Silas Dorsey, which is just an awesome name) and attend my BFF from middle and high school’s wedding! Fun times in the capital city!
So far we’ve spotted deer, rabbits, ravens and frogs in our backyard and I gave the kids an educational talk on how to identify sassafras trees (three kinds of leaves: mitten, football and ghost). Among the things I learned during my years at camp, this is close to the most useful (most useful might be making a proper teepee fire). We have tons of sassafras trees at the *new* house, along with wild black raspberries. Welcome to the “country,” city kids!
I had amazing gnocchi two weeks ago at Amore. A-mazing! If you live in town, go there, and get it with the vodka cream sauce. Also, bring me a to-go container!
Jack remains fixated on people’s ages. He must ask at least 20 times a day how old certain people are that we know. I can’t recall if Liam shared this obsession at that age, but I have had to start putting a limit on how many more age questions I will answer on a given car ride. “That’s it, you can ask me three more age questions!” Then he switches over to asking math questions so I’ve started saying, “All right, you can ask me three more number questions.” I love that he’s trying to figure things out but, really… a mom can only answer so many of the same kind of question. Because I said so.
Yesterday I visited three stores I hadn’t been to in ages: I got sparkly sandals at DSW for the weekend wedding, boogie boards from Five Below for the boys to use at the beach and a lamp from World Market for the living room. And I picked up a wagon from my co-worker’s house. The back of our van was a menagerie of random items that all bring me great joy!
I feel like I could always use a nap. Why do my children never feel this way?

4 Comments

Posted in Random

40 before 40

Posted on July 11, 2013 | 5 comments

Well, I’m officially 35 (we moved on my birthday so I’m a little behind, but I did get a house and new furniture for my birthday so actually, I’m totally ahead right now). I’m quite okay with being 35, in fact, I have no qualms about my age or getting older – age is just a number and I think it’s a little silly when we get embarrassed about what that number is or feel the need to hide it. If people judge you about your age for any reason, that’s their problem.

I have been so glad to have had my 35 before 35 list to keep spurring me on the last two years so it only made sense to create another one for the next five years. And, since I have five years to complete this list, some of these items are going to be “big ones” (though not all because I want to set myself up for success – not failure). I’m also going to pull a couple uncompleted ones from the previous list… reusing items is totally legit, especially when it’s my own, self-imposed list.

40 Before 40

Take the boys to a hockey game.
Plan our next trip to Australia.
Landscape the backyard (perhaps add a fire pit and a fence).
Go to family camp.
Host a grown-up dinner party.
Eat a French macaroon.
Go on an at-least two night trip to downtown Chicago with just Simon.
Sell something on Etsy.
Do at least five volunteer activities with the kids.
Take the kids to Mackinac Island.
Try/create 10 new cocktails.
Teach both boys to tie their own shoes.
Go tubing.
Go on another trip with my college girlfriends.
Eat at 20 new-to-me restaurants.
Re-finish a piece of furniture.
Create an office/craft space in the basement.
Stay at a bed and breakfast.
Attend at least 10 live music events.
Eat dinner together as a whole family during the week (this means Simon would have to get on first shift, which I have no control over but when that does happen, I do have control over making the food we will eat.)
Visit Stef in Cleveland and wherever she ends up after that.
Go camping for a week.
See a play/musical somewhere other than in Grand Rapids.
Send real mail to at least 20 people (birthday and Christmas cards don’t count).
Teach the kids at least 10 Bible verses.
Go hiking with the boys.
Create 10 recipes.
Do at least 10 Pinterest DIY projects.
Write letters of thanks to people who have inspired or influenced me.
Host 5 couples we’ve never hung out with/had over to our house.
Create a will and sign up for life insurance.
Eat meatloaf at five different restaurants.
Make plans for finishing the downstairs.
Participate in a 5K.
Go ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle.
Take at least one of the boys to a (non-kid) concert.
Fly a kite with the boys.
Get another dog.
Put together some sort of scavenger hunt.
Be a room mom (just once) or be a member of the PTA.