A mini road trip...

There are a few blogs that I read without fail when I get a notification that a new post has been made. My all time favorite is Melanie Shankle's Big Mama Blog. She is so funny!  This has also led to my enjoyment of her books and especially the podcast she records with another hysterical blogger named Sophie Hudson (boomama.net). They are both Southern ladies who love to let us all in on a little slice of their lives and allow us to eavesdrop on their phone conversation in the case of the podcast. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I generally laugh until I cry.  I have decided that I would love nothing more than to meet them and be friends in real life.  

Anyway...all this to say...Melanie has a dear friend named Gulley. They looooooove college football and cheer mightily for the Texas A&M Aggies. And everytime they get talking about football, it makes me think of Emily and I and how we both love PSU football. We have been taught to love it and fiercely root for the Nittany Lions ever since we were little and our Dads were pounding on the one wall that separated our two halves of our double house on Edgewood Place when something good would happen. So when Jason and I had an opportunity to attend this week's Quarterback Club luncheon at the stadium, I asked Emily to be my guest. 

During the lunch, you get to hear from two team members who are interviewed by Steve Jones and then also accept questions from the audience, and then James Franklin speaks and takes questions as well. It is always so interesting to get an inside look at what is happening and to hear the stories that are way too positive and inspiring for the media to pick them up. (Ahem.)

I don't know if I can pick a favorite thing from the day's events-- the cool luncheon experience or the nearly two hours of talk time we had to and from State College. But we both agreed that Melanie and Gulley would be tickled at our own college football mini road trip experience!  I can totally picture them doing the same thing with their team and then talking football all the way home. We didn't talk football all the way home, but we managed to fill the space and time without a single bit of effort.  There was, however, a whole lot of mutual encouragement and laughs. It is so good to be known, even better to be understood, and the best to be loved just as we are-- fully transparent, all our insecurities and anxieties safely laid out where we know they are safe.  I am blessed to have such a wonderful friend-- not only when we were three and our Dads pounded the house down with every Penn State touchdown, but even moreso now.  It really was a wonderful afternoon.  

Weekend at Home

This past weekend was our first weekend at home without any major event going on since about Memorial Day.  I can't even begin to tell you the relief I felt at not having a big thing to deal with or plan for or leave the house for or get dressed for.  The whole first three weeks of school have just about flat worn me out, and I needed this time at the house in a bad way.  My list of things that I wanted to accomplish was far longer than I actually managed to get through, but I at least managed to dig out from a whole week of laundry baskets that hadn't been put away (and in the case of some, hadn't been folded).  There were 7 baskets in case you wondered.  Seven.  Full ones.  I got a few clean up projects done around the house and also managed to make it look like autumn around here, which seemed to match the changing cooler air that we enjoyed all weekend long.  The stars were aligning for a fantastic weekend.

Friday after school, I finally fulfilled a promise to Josh and let him invite his friend, Levi, to come home with us after school to play.  The boys had a blast with Nerf guns, basketball, a video game or two, a spaghetti dinner and some cartoon drawing.  Levi was a joy to have around and Josh seemed to really have fun.  Admittedly, I need to do more of this for him.  But frankly, finding a time that even WE are all home is a trick, let alone adding in another body to the mix.  But on this particular Friday, it worked.  Levi's parents came to pick him up around 8 pm, and that was perfect because I was about to fall into bed out of the sheer exhaustion of the week.  Fridays aren't my best nights...as it seems Monday through Friday all seem to come to a screeching halt when the sun goes down on Friday evenings.

Saturday morning, I slept in a bit until 6:30 and then enjoyed a cup of coffee ALONE.  I tried so hard not to make a peep and wake the children.  It wasn't long until Josh smelled the coffee and was downstairs to join me.  But the little bit of time that I had was a treat.  We all got to work on our chore lists for the morning.  It was very reminiscent of Saturdays that I can remember when I was little when we all had a job to do.  For me, it was a bucket of Murphy's Oil Soap and water to wash the hardwood floors.  For us at our house, it was the sweeper, some dusting and a good scrub of the kitchen counters with the washing machine whirring away in the background (as if I needed MORE laundry to put away, but it seriously never stops multiplying!).  Mara helped with the Swiffer.  I found it humorous that she was dressed in all of her winter clothes to do it.  Yes, the windows were open with the nice cool, fall air coming in, but it wasn't THAT cold. 

Post chores, we made a run to a little Amish market close by to get some fall mums.  I had been terribly neglectful of the beautiful flower box I just HAD to have when we did our deck project.  So I thought it might be nice to enjoy some mums planted out there for the fall.  The girls picked our plants, as well as a few little pumpkins and we were on our way back home to plant them.  I won't mention that at this same time, Jason and Josh were working on their list of chores and were scrubbing the deck and draining/refilling the hot tub...right next to the flower box.  There may or may not have been a little situation where a gust of wind blew some dirt into the hot tub that, to this point, evades us on removing it.  That might not have happened though.  Except that it did.  And my husband, who loves me dearly, thought about drowning me in it.  He didn't actually say that, but I just knew it was an option he was considering.

Sunday was church day and then I was thrilled at the chance to go to the Barn Owl Art Studio for an afternoon of crafting with Judy and Sheri.  Judy's birthday is coming up in a few weeks, and we just knew that this scarecrow/snowman pallet decoration was right up her alley.  I learned a few things about myself through this experience.  1.  I love to use a power sander to distress things.  2.  Messy, non-precise art is my kind of art.  Slap some paint on these messy old boards and see if you can make something cool out of it.  3.  I quite enjoyed the staining process we used to make it look old.  I could totally get into making things like this if I had the equipment to do it.  Since I don't, I'll just go on occasion when Annie has a cool project idea to do and get my craftiness fix that way.  In the end, we made these super cute little guys that we will get to enjoy for half of the year--- either fall or winter.  The opposite sides of this are snowmen!

While we were painting, Jason and the kids were at home enjoying being outside for the afternoon.  I got a text message from Lauren that said (and I quote), "Mommy!!!!  I am riding my bike with no chraining wheels!"  (The spelling cracked me up.  It's totally my favorite part of how she is learning to spell.)  Evidently she got it in her head that she wanted to learn how to ride her bike, and she put her mind to it and did it.  Jason said he had never seen anyone so determined to do anything.  She is still working at getting stronger and less wobbly, but when we got home I watched her ride all the way around our cul de sac on her big girl bike all by herself.  I won't go into how NOT ok I am with just how big and independent she is getting these days, but I'll save that for some sappy post on Friday when she turns (gulp) 7.  I can't even begin to believe it.

And so, that was our weekend at home.  Notice I left out the whooping our Nittany Lions took at the hands of Michigan.  It was just as painful to watch as I had feared...maybe more so.  We had all expected to lose-- they are the #4 team in the country after all-- but it was even worse than I feared.  And they showed no mercy, which is typical.  But it may be a tough, tough season for PSU.  We're going to keep on cheering nonetheless and hope for some terrible upset that really screws things up for another Big Ten team that makes the mistake of looking past us or just happens to have an off day.  Our PSU spirit isn't of the fair weather variety, but it certainly is more fun when they're winning.

And so, another work and school week is underway.  I am so pleased that today I got done with the worst chore of the week--- my semi-annual dental appointment.  I dread nothing in this life more-- not paying taxes, not the OB/GYN appointment, not folding laundry or scrubbing toilets.  Nothing makes me more anxious or makes me want to run away and join the witness protection program like dreading the dentist.  And so tonight I rejoice in the fact that I am as far away as I possibly can be from my next cleaning.  Sadly, that's the best news I have for today.

Gettysburg- Take Two

Just a few weeks ago, we were in Gettysburg to camp for the Labor Day weekend.  And this past weekend we got to make a return trip for a very special reason--- to celebrate Freda's birthday!  And not just ANY birthday-- but her 80th!  Her daughters have been working for months to plan a wonderful surprise party for her, and we were grateful to be invited to go.  Freda is such a special part of our family, and has been since the very first time we got to meet her.  She loved our Pap, and he adored her.  And over the years, she has become way more than a step-Grandmother to us and our kids.  She's a grandmother to us all...and we all admire and respect her so much.

We took off early on Saturday morning to make the 2 1/2 hour trip to Gettysburg.  We wanted to make sure we were in place in time for the 12:00 surprise entrance.  I had to chuckle because, in true Richard family style, Uncle Butch and my Dad were giving the room full of guests (of whom we knew maybe 3 before this day) the starting pitch to break into "Happy Birthday" when Freda appeared.  It just reminded me so much of Pap. 

Freda's reaction was priceless, and worth every minute we spent in the car to be there.  She appeared genuinely surprised and touched at the number of people who filled the room on her behalf.  If she had any inkling that this was going on, she certainly didn't show it.  We had all been a bit concerned because the week prior, she had walked through Libby and Zig's kitchen, directly past the invitation to the party that hung squarely in the center of their refrigerator door.  When we told Freda we had been concerned about that, she said that she thought she would make a terrible eye witness to a crime because she hadn't observed a thing--- even though the invitation had her picture right on it. 

This marked the second weekend in a row that Jason and Zig watched the PSU football game via iPhone.  This was the second of three home games in a row that we are going to miss this season, but this was by far the best excuse for missing it.  The guys were scolded a few times for watching the game in the midst of the party, but we realized it was OK when Freda herself kept coming over to check the score.  I got a good giggle out of the fact that they were sharing one pair of headphones between them.  We were very grateful for a PSU victory, and a better showing than it had been the week before.  Now, we can only hope for continued improvement and maybe also a miracle in order to beat Michigan this coming weekend.  (I will have wine and maybe some whiskey at the ready this coming Saturday to just endure what is likely to be a slaughtering.)

After we had partied for a few hours, we decided to head to the Visitors Center to take the kids to the Cyclorama there.  We hadn't had an opportunity to do this while we had been in Gettysburg a few weeks ago, and we thought it would be worthwhile to go and do it while we were in town.  I was very surprised about the things the kids remembered from our battlefield tour and the fact that they really seemed to like the Cyclorama.  All of them for different reasons, of course.  Joshua liked the history of it all, and learning about the battle.  He absolutely loved the Abraham Lincoln connections.  Lauren loved the artistic factor of the cyclorama painting.  She marveled about how someone could really paint something like that.  And Mara just seemed tickled to be out the car and able to walk around a bit. 

Around 4:00 we were ready to head home.  And it was a quiet trip from everyone.  The kids were watching a movie and having a few snacks.  Jason and I were enjoying the time for conversation.  There were really no issues until we returned home and found that Toby was not in agreement that it had been a good idea for us to be away for the day.  We knew that was his opinion because he ate our living room rug.  Ate it.  The carpet scraps and fibers were everywhere.  I believe he completely ate the binding from the rug, which made him awfully sick that evening.  As if the carpet weren't completely ruined already, he managed to throw up right in the middle of it and then was very miserable looking/acting as we cleaned it up.  I was sure I was going to end up in the Emergency Vet that night due to his stomach being tied in knots by carpet binding.  Gratefully for all of us, this issue was resolved without that vet trip and with only a new piece of carpeting as a necessary remedy.  I'm not sure what got into him--- he has been alone like that before, and we had someone come to the house to let him out while we were away--- but it is his first real instance of destructive behavior in the house.  Sure he eats underwear and socks, but we've never had him actually destroy something of consequence.

After all of the running around on Saturday, Sunday was a quiet at home afternoon once we got home from church (after 1:00...for the love).  But it was much needed, and greatly cherished.  The weeks are flying fast, without much breathing room once they get going, so we'll take all the respite we can get when we have a chance. 

More soon!

Speechless.

Mornings around our house are...how can I say this...hectic. Frantic maybe. Like we are trying to squeeze in 437 activities into a 45 minute span of time. This is not generally the time we reserve for deep conversation. Frankly, the goal is just to get everyone out the door before 7:35 with full-ish bellies and clothes that mostly match. (I say mostly because we seem to be going through some sort of phase where Josh is wanting to wear some hideously bright colored socks that go with his outfit about 2% of the time.  All the while Mara is having the worst time finding a pair of shoes that aren't "weird" or "itchy" or "too pretty".)

Joshua opened our discussion with an announcement about Christmas lists.  Apparently the kids were talking about them at school yesterday and ours are not the only ones who have begun to make their lists. One child announced to Josh that he is only allowed to put a certain number of things on his list because Santa only spends so much money on each child. Josh said he thought that wasn't true because Santa and his elves make the toys, they don't buy them.  This particular child comes from a family of 5, so I totally get why such a rule would apply. To Josh, however, this was just one little splinter in an apparently splinter filled belief. 

And this is where things got a bit dicey. Remember I hadn't yet had my coffee. And also was a bit preoccupied with the list of things I was doing. We had approximately 10 minutes for all of us to be packed and loaded for school. And that's when he hit me with it. 

"I don't even think Santa is real.  I mean, I have thought this for years, but I just haven't been able to figure out how you and Daddy do it."

If I looked stunned, it wasn't an act. I mean, I have known our days are numbered, but I wasn't in a position to address this whole thing while the girls were sitting right there.  Also, I feel like you should be able to call a time out on these doozy conversations so you can be sure to do it right. 

My strategy was simple in this case--- denial. And denial with conviction. Which was followed by the guilt of not telling him the whole truth.  Josh's mind works in absolutes. The world to him is all black and white. There is no gray.  He works in facts, and had all sorts of strong rationale for his doubts. What broke my heart wasn't necessarily the loss of his innocence about one of the magical parts of Christmas, but the fact that I feared him taking down the whole ship at once with his black and white absolute thinking.   Make no mistake that all of our children know the real reason for Christmas.  But we see nothing wrong with Santa either and have had a lot pf fun with the magic and wonder that only children can enjoy at the holidays. 

Since this conversation, nothing has been said again.  I am still not entirely sure how to address this with him, or even whether I should.  But the fact remains that he is a doubter at this point, and that alone is sad enough. 

A very special 8 year old.

I will always remember where I was when I got the call that I had been promoted to Aunt Meggie status.  I was driving between Maitland and Lewistown when my mom called me to tell me that Brooke Mackenzie Wray had been born.  It seemed I couldn't get there fast enough to suit my anxious, excited heart. At the time, Josh was about to turn 2, and I was just about to burst at the thought of the love and excitement my sister and brother in law were about to experience. 

Turns out, Brooke has been every bit the source of joy and love we expected she would be. This past Saturday, we all got to spend the day together celebrating her at her party. You could tell that our kids had a blast based on the fact that they were all in tears when it was time to head home. Josh was even trying to work a bargain with Libby to stay there for the night, but she wasn't in agreement. 

As if there weren't enough excitement, we were also enjoying (though I use the term loosely due to the angst caused by the pitiful tackling and defense of our beloved Nittany Lions) the PSU game.  We were all on the edge of our seats...and also perhaps on the verge of needing a Xanax...when a storm blew through and took with it both the 1000% humidity and also our satellite feed to see the game. My husband was a man on the verge of a mental break. He hit his knees in prayer and took Josh with him for backup. 

When this proved ineffective (because God clearly knew it was in our best interest not to witness the calamity which was the ending of the game on a large screen) we resorted to gathering around an ipad and screaming at it as though that would help. It did not. And PSU fell to Pitt by two points. I also now have a fear in my heart that this could be a long season, folks. With all manner of dips and whiskey slush to dull the pain. 

That's 2 posts in three days. Let's not call this a comeback but I am feeling cautiously optimistic about posting frequency as I get an even better handle on my schedule this school year.

Two Ballerinas

Hello!  My name is Megan and I used to blog on a regular basis. You may have forgotten me, but just when it looked like all hope is lost, here I am. 

Goodness have I missed this.  Somehow my good intentions got misplaced in the midst of the summer and all of its family time and activity. It is a shame, because there was great blog material to be had in the middle of all of it.  So don't be surprised if there are some "summer reflections" to be found here when our fall life is dull and repetitive. 

So far, the new school year is starting to take shape. We are finding a new routine, yet another new normal, and a new pace of movement to things. I am liking it a lot so far. One of the new things we have worked in is a dance class for Mara. Bless her sweet heart, after three years of sitting in the doorway watching her big sister dance, last night she finally got her turn. This whole thing may not have happened if there weren't two classes that suited the girls' age ranges that were back to back on the same night.  So Mara dressed in her adorable little pink leotard and danced her heart out. 

I snapped these two pictures and love them-- the first of Mara watching Lauren's ballet/jazz class for 7-10 year olds and then Lauren returning the favor and watching Mara. Never in my wildest dreams did I envision myself shuttling little girls to dance class, but I absolutely love watching them learn something new and find their own strengths.

So this will be our Thursday routine-- dance classes before a late supper and then a quick turnaround to bed time. I am already praying for the stamina to keep a positive attitude during the long days and the deafening sound of fifteen 4-5 year olds learning to tap for the first time.