I’m just now getting to the pictures I took in Lake Tahoe! I didn’t take many this year because I’m a little tired of being behind the camera. This picture isn’t perfect–Mikey is out of focus and his shoulder is sprouting a tree, 3 out of 4 hands are chopped off, and no one is paying attention to the photographer–but there is something about it I love. It could be the way Mikey’s laughing at something Nico said, or the very grown-up way he is leaning back against the guardrail. Or, it could be the fact that Nico is wearing his shirt backwards. He does it all the time and every time I point it out he is always so shocked to see the tag right there at his neck.
I suppose I love it because it’s perfectly imperfect and candid, which isn’t a bad thing to be in general.
Monday
I’m reading The One and Only Ivan to the 4th graders, which they seem to enjoy. It’s a great read aloud book: short paragraphs, powerful sentences. I had my first class with Nico, which was awesome. He came up to me and asked, “Misthus Kendall, do you have any books on dragons?” He checked out a book he already has at home and never gives a second glance.
Tuesday
I went to the store for the first time in months. Not really, but I did a huge supermarket run. I bought everything and then joked about the contents of my refrigerator when I got home. Avert your eyes, primal people!
Wednesday
A 7th grader asked me if I watched Sleepy Hollow, and when I told her I didn’t she said I should because I seemed like the kind of adult who cares about what kids like. I was wearing an electric blue dress with orange gladiator sandals and a rainbowish necklace so, you know, I’m thinking my outfit didn’t scream CNN. Regardless, I went home and watched the pilot episode and liked it! It’s a lot like Fringe, which I also like. I did not watch CNN.
Thursday
I went out to lunch with friends today–friends I met through my blog! The best part about blogging is the friends you meet. You usually have more in common than you do with people you meet in your day-to-day and you get to confirm what you always suspected: everyone has a crazy family.
Friday
My niece turned 4 yesterday, so we are celebrating today. The boys are super excited to see her.
The Weekend
Well. I just found out the Mister will be gone most of the next month, so I’m going to have to take advantage of Jessica’s book and prep some meals in advance. Not only am I nervous to be on my own for that long, I’m bummed because we were toying with the idea of doing a 30 day dining in challenge. When the Mister isn’t traveling, he works from the house. He’s been eating in more now that I went to the store (he’s not one to walk into a kitchen and get creative with random ingredients), and he swears it’s making a difference. How could it not? Restaurant food is loaded with fat, salt, and sugar to make it palatable and pretty. We were curious to see how we would feel after 30 days of forgoing coffees, pizzas, breakfasts out, etc. It would be hard, but there isn’t anything we eat out that we can’t make at home.
Since he’s going to be gone, we’re going to have to table the idea–unless I take it on as my own 31 day project for October. William Morris my eating habits, if you will. In order to eat in for 31 days I would really have to be intentional about my food calendar, plan everything out, and have a system with some emergency/contingency plans in place.
Speaking of, October is two weeks away and I still have no idea if I’m going to participate in the 31 day challenge. I know I can’t do it the way I’ve done it the last two years. I don’t have the time or the money. Thinking, thinking, thinking. I still have 10 days to make a decision.
EDIT: Some 31 day suggestions in the comments. I love it and keep them coming!
How about the 31 Day Eat-In Challenge? Every meal prepared at home!
I’ve done this and it was hard! But it did actually make me change some habits permanently, for the better. I’d love to hear about your experience if you do it, Jules.
I love that photo. Your boys are too much!
You shouldn’t have to spend any money! I’m thinking you could do 31 days of Books for Kids… Start by suggesting where to get books – library, school, etc. Promise yourself to keep it short – limit it to a paragraph or two that includes a photo, name, title, age appropriateness, and any other information. Don’t do a review, just give a short insight as to why you think the kids like it!
It would be great for homeschool moms and any mom who is looking to get her child reading more!
Keep it simple, sometimes the simplest posts are the best! Then again, not doing is okay too, if that’s best for you… xo
I’m still trying to figure out what I’m doing. I’m thinking maybe a personal 31 day eating healthy weight loss challenge or 31 days of healthy foods. I don’t either… haha!
I think the kid book idea is a great one. It gives you free reign to talk about the library as much as you want, too.
Wish I could come help you cook. I’m dying with a new cookbook deadline instead. Filling the freezer would help you with the challenge, though. I’ve got extra cooking plans over on LAM if you want to just print a grocery list and go to it.
Love the idea of the eat-in challenge. Might have to copy you. If I took our eating out budget and applied it to the groceries, we’d eat like kings!
LOVE the picture – the two boys just hangin’ out together. I think it’s perfect!
I might try Sleepy Hollow – I’m feeling somewhat lost on TV shows. Nothing looks all that interesting.
Have a great weekend! And know that whatever you decide to do for October – 31 days of whatever or not – we’ll be here reading :)
The eating-in challenge sounds like a good one but I think you should give yourself permission not to post 31 days of anything if your husband is going to be gone. Go ahead and do the challenge on your own but without the pressure of also daily blogging about it. Or wait for him to get back!
I love that photo of your boys! I did not notice one thing wrong with it! What I did notice was the laughter that they were obviously sharing when you snapped the photo. It reminds me of every-day family photos that most people probably have stored away in boxes now (before everyone seemingly became a professional home photographer). I love the imperfection.
Ohhh…I totally hope you do SOMETHING for the 31 day challenge :) You’re my favorite to follow along with. But no pressure, because if it’s not the right time, it’s not the right time.
If you were to do a 31 day dine-in challenge, I’ll bet you’d get a lot of people to join in with you…(me included!) and although that’s not as terrific as doing it with your husband, you’d get a lot of support :) Excited to see what you come up with (or don’t come up with!).
And am curious about Sleepy Hollow. I will have to check it out. I’ve been hooked on The Newsroom lately but am finally all caught up.
I think your 31 day challenge should be to prancercise, every day. (I’m sorry, this is totally unhelpful, but I haven’t slept much, and I just can’t help myself. The 5k walk to work would be so much more fun while trotting)
Can. Not. Stop. Giggling.
31 day eat in? No problem! We moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas three months ago. We eat only Kosher. In Los Angeles, we were less than half a block from at least four kosher eateries, and within two miles of thirty (we usually ate at home, except for sushi, graduations and birthdays). There might be four kosher eateries in Las Vegas, I haven’t investigated. We had pizza out once, bought a couple of knishes at the deli, but for the most part we eat at home. I need to use my weekly menu better, so I rely less on pasta for my 12 year old! I’d sign on to a 31 day eat in, just to do a better job!
Have you read ‘Salt Sugar Fat’ by Michael Moss yet? It’s not a diet book–it examines how much garbage is in processed food (and in seemingly “healthy” food) and delves into food corporations and their subtle/not subtle advertising ploys. We eat at home because, quite honestly, anything I make is way better than anything that comes off of a Sysco truck, but when I’m feeling weak and don’t want to cook I remember that book.
Hey…
So I’m doing a similar cooking in program (and, I have slimmed down :). So, I use Cook Smarts (Jess Dang). You can google it, but it is pretty fantastic and helps you with meal planning and using your leftovers. The meals are tasty, but easy. Plus, it’s cheap. Check it out.
Oh, and I’ve started making everything from scratch, or buying from scratch (think bread, too laborious for me). It’s actually not that difficult once you get the hang of it. Plus, everything tastes better- granola bars, pizza, etc. :)
I am way late to this party, but wanted to chime in with yes, families are crazy but bloggy friends are wonderful. :-)