Happy Valentines Day

By the time you read this, I will hopefully be in sunny FL with JBM, FlyBoy, Ellen and her hub. This trip has been in the planning for two years and the highlight will be our visit to Kennedy Space Center.

Enjoy a week without me and we will have lots of photos to share when we get back.

Happy Valentines Day.....spend it with those you love and savor every moment!

Peaceful Snowday?

What I hoped would be a peaceful snow day at home turned out to be anything but.....the phone rang and it was my brother who lives with Mom. She fell in the hallway and hit her head in two places and was on her way to the ER. I met them there and was immediately struck by how large the lump was on her head. After CT scan and full body Xrays, the report was good and she was sent home. All turned out well but the anxiety took some time to dissipate. Did I mention that it really stinks to get old? In more ways than one....I don't like seeing my mother age and I don't enjoy the role change to being her caretaker. But the alternative would be much worse.....

Hoping for a Snow Day

Snow is in the forecast for today...our custodian has predicted no school. I hope that he is right and that as your read this I am at home..dreaming about warmer places, paying bills, organizing my life (be it temporary) and just enjoying a little down time.

Happy Wednesday!

Challenge from JBM

Later this week, we head to sunny FL for a nice week with Ellen and her hub. Over the weekend, JBM heard me speaking with Ellen about playing tennis. The plan was for Ellen to play FlyBoy. I do not play FlyBoy because I have too many permanent scars and bruises from my attempts in the past. Anyhow, within the hour, I heard loud bangs from the playroom and a few times the walls were shaking! FlyBoy ventured downstairs to check on the cause....JBM was practicing his tennis swing. His exact words..."I am practicing tennis Dad. I am in training and next week when I play against you...you are going DOWN!"
I promise to provide an update on the tennis match after vacation :)

10 Bags and Counting

As of this weekend, we are 10 bags into the 40 bag total. This weekend, JBM and I focused on purging toys and other sporting equipment that he no longer needed, "its broken," "missing a part," or "just too old to play with any more." This last one was hard for me to accept.
All the wonderful trucks have been put in large storage bins and JBM looks forward to playing with them with his own children some day. Since nothing had lights or power, they are great toys that are ageless.
I have to say that JBM is a great decision maker and his playroom looks wonderful. We are down to a massive collection of City Legos and two boxes of Kinex. FlyBoy and I love to see what the creative juices produce.....currently, we have several military vehicles engaged in battle.
What a great feeling it is to simplify and purge. We have decided that when we get to 40 bags, we are going to make a monetary financial donation to a good cause. The discussion of what that cause is has already started....we ruled out "JBMs toy fund" and "new shoes for Nurse Nancy." Oh well!
Happy Monday!

Back in School

I was truly hoping that as JBM got older, I would have more time in the evening. NOT! As of last night, I have decided that I am back in elementary school....the only difference, this time I know what is coming. YES, YES, I know it will only get worse and the issues will only get bigger but, if it is even possible, I have less time now than I did when JBM was a baby and he needed me 24 hours a day.

I also thought that if I was ever going to go back to school, it would be for something fun like interior design.....not basic math, spelling and writing. But you know what? I would not trade this time for anything since I know it is fleeting and we are stuck together for an hour (sometimes more) every day....homework usually ends with some nice conversation. That is the best part.

Wolf Moon 2010

Friday evening was a Wolf Moon - the moon was full, it appeared larger than normal and due to the clear weather in the Northeast (my home region of the country), I felt like I could reach out and put my hand in the craters. In addition, directly to the left of the moon was a pink star which JBM announced was not a star but the planet Mars. Mom stands corrected!

Despite the bitter cold weather....there were many trips to the back deck with cameras and many attempts to take photos....none as good as TSAnnie and the one at the top of this post was not one of them.

It was fun to try and the sight was beautiful....but it did keep me up for most of the night! I am one of those fortunate souls that is impacted by the full moon....and all the other thoughts racing through my head!

Happy Monday!