thursday's ten or so: the fall 2012 sickly edition

the funny thing about working with children is that you pick up more bugs than you would normally. and even though i've worked with children in some capacity since about 2000 (at daycare while i was in college)...somehow the children at my new preschool are giving me a whole new "welcome basket" worth of stuff. 

in the last 4 weeks, here's what's happened (this also should explain why i haven't blogged much recently, ha)

1. i got the stomach bug that had ripped through the school. no surprise since i had cuddled sick babies 3 days before.
2. anthony got the stomach bug, only his lasted approximately 3 times as long as mine did. sorry, babe.
3. my back was in the process of going out. while pushing a child's wheelchair one beautiful friday afternoon, it gave up. turning around to stop a child from ingesting paint while pushing wheelchair...not a good plan
4. anthony got a sinus infection*
5. my back continued to be awful, and my hip joined in on the fun. approximate age: 148
6. i started getting a sinus infection*
7. my back finally started getting better with chiropractic visits and lots of ice packs...yay. (and as of tonight it's ALMOST back to normal)
8. i ran a low-grade fever off and on for several days
9. today i went to the doctor with a suspicion. sure enough, i have pinkeye. oh joy.

there's no telling what's next. but you know what? i still love my job :-) bless those sweet little germ carriers.

*obviously we can't blame the preschool for the sinus infections...but there have definitely been some plagues on this house! 


on another note: today my friend natasha and i got tickets to the P!NK concert that's happening in nashville in march. she pointed out later the irony that the day i get pinkeye we got pink tickets. ha. 

thursday's ten or so: to make me laugh

i have a quirky sense of humor.
meaning you may not find any of this funny.
but i'm laughing a lot these days thanks to several sources. so the least i can do is share :-)
here's a very few of the things making me laugh.


i can't help but laugh when i see this. until i'm at work, and then it seems like every child in the building is lining up behind this one!

this one cracks.me.up. anthony also laugh-approved it. 

i don't use pinterest just for recipes and home organization tips (but i'm always trying something off my boards!)


it has other uses too. one of my bff's natasha and i constantly send each other gems we find that we would never post publicly...but there are a few exceptions that i'll share here.

 (the next one pretty much sums us up)

(oh and this one too)

the amazing amanda shared this with me when she was at our house for dinner the other night. we laughed our butts off, so i HAVE to share it with you.



all those "hey girl" memes make me giggle a lot. but THIS one is just extra-special.

replace "men" with "everyone"...

natasha sent this one to me too. if you work with children (your own or someone else's) you'll relate to this at least a few times!

this one makes me laugh and cry simultaneously

and finally...

which leads right into this. you HAVE to watch this. and just know that i WILL instagram it.





***photo/video credits...all of these have been found on facebook, twitter, youtube or pinterest. :-)

it's a great day to hike (with a stroller) for a great cause!

today i join friends and hike up a trail
double stroller in front of me

it'll be a fun event for the kids i'm staying with this weekend
there are games, inflatables, and food available after the hike
so i'm sure they'll be nicely worn out just in time to go down for a nap :-)

i think we'll ALL take a nap this afternoon

and then my husband will join us for dinner

a movie night will ensue (it's something they do with their parents on friday or saturday night, so the familiarity will be nice for them)

and then we'll go to bed early, since the boys (2 and 4) will really have no concept of an "extra" hour of sleep.  hopefully putting them to bed a bit late both last night and tonight will result in a somewhat later awakening...

wishful thinking, right?

i hope you all have a wonderful day!  i'll post pictures of our hike if any turn out well...
xoxo

thursday's ten: the helpful hints edition

ten things i've learned about spending time in other people's houses.  granted most of this time is spent in a nanny/babysitter role, so most of my tips are specific to that.







1.  it's ok to steal ideas
like the way their cabinets are organized?  see a great use for a piece that you have as well?  um, why not?  i've even asked questions of "hey, how did you..."
think of it as a living pinterest ;-)


2.  there are ranch dressing people and (*gasp*) non-ranch dressing people.  
or, always check available condiments before fixing a particular meal


3.  a little clean-up is always appreciated
i go in with the motto of "leave the house a little better than i found it".  whether that means wiping down the counters, or picking up the toys scattered all over the couch...doing something that takes me 10 minutes means that they get 10 minutes of free(er) time when they get home


4.  always bring your own caffeine (or other vice)
because...they won't always have your drink of choice.  and sometimes...you just NEED another coffee.  trust me.
(uh...it goes without saying, hopefully, that if your vice is an actual vice you should leave it at home.  you don't need a glass of wine* or a cigarette or...whatever to get through a few hours with kids.  if you do, you shouldn't be there)


5.  if you want to eat your food of choice, bring it
most of my clients are amazing at literally opening up their fridge, freezer or pantry to me.  but i always have something in my computer bag that i can fix and be happy about if their choices for me don't sound good!


6.  be early, if possible
in nashville traffic with my tight schedule this is nearly impossible for me...but i find that if i PLAN to be early i'm rarely late.  and on time is good :-) 


7.  know the area
if there's construction, crazy traffic, or an accident on your normal path, you don't want to have to rely on a gps to get to a place you've been several times.  know alternate ways in and out, just in case


8.  don't believe everything the children say, no matter how cute and sweet they seem.  also, enforce the rules you ARE sure about.
most likely they AREN'T allowed to watch 3 hours of tv, jump on the couch, or stay up reading for an hour after bedtime.  i always err on the side of strictness...because one night of not getting to do something that seems abnormal to you isn't going to hurt anything, whereas if you let them get away with something it may (a) cause problems for the parents or (b) cause you not to get a call back.


9.  actually PLAY with the kids
they'll love it (and you!).  there are always those kids who'd rather you not play with them (because they're too busy), but they still like attention, so find other ways to interact.  asking them about a particular toy, suggesting play-doh, making a necklace with plastic beads...something to engage them.  you're not there to be their constant companion (unless the parents are delusional) but you ARE there to be the adult presence.  and since you likely don't have a huge list of household chores to get done (unless, again, the parents are delusional OR are paying you extra) you may as well kick back and enjoy the children :-)


10. enjoy the conversations
i LOVE talking with children, particularly those under 5.  you'll be completely entertained if you just listen and interact for awhile!  i have all sorts of gems written down...that's a thursday's ten list all it's own.

*it should be noted that i often babysit for friends or people i know well who say "hey, feel free to have a glass of wine when the kids are in bed!".  i DO sometimes take them up on that, but that's a complete trust issue (they trust me to not be drunk or drink when the kids are up).  i never bring my OWN alcohol, or drink theirs without explicitly being told to help myself.

what i'm loving wednesday .6

i'm loving snuggles with toddlers

i'm loving that the weather being 90+ and humid means it's perfect acceptable to wear a dress any day of the week for any event.

i'm loving chunky jewelry and mixing & matching different pieces i've made to feel creative again.  i'm about to revamp my etsy shop, i think and actually try selling a few things again!

i'm loving that i start with a new family next week.  sad to see this job end, but it was such a positive and perfectly fitting together transition that i'm excited about the future. :-)

i'm loving twitter.  i thought it was SO tacky for SO long, and now...i'm kinda addicted.

i'm loving times of worship and ministry...the last couple of weeks have been so amazing and God has been doing such great things in my life!

i'm loving that for a few moments life has slowed down and that i get to be creative in the kitchen again more often.  perhaps a few more recipes will make their way to these pages soon :-)

i'm loving times spent with girlfriends sipping cups of hot tea or trying new foods or just sitting in the car for an hour telling stories.

i'm loving my amazing fiancé who is willing to stumble down this crazy road with me hand in hand.

i'm loving that i know that i know that i know that God is our amazing provider...and is giving me more than i could ever ask or imagine!

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .14

hey, it's ok

...to not hover constantly over the children in your care at an indoor playplace with security including coordinating wristbands. *cough*grandma following a 2 year old*cough*
(i am keeping eyes on the little one. and blogging. :-)
...to use baseball caps for their intended purpose: covering up the fact you didn't have time to wash your hair this morning
...to consider going for a jog armed with a tennis racquet to combat the cicada swarms
...to be slightly confused by this car sticker. i get the rainbow people, rainbow hearts and just plain rainbows. but are they in support of their gay cat? i suppose that's a good thing ;-)




...to refuse to live in fear
...to think that tennessee lawmakers have really gone off the deep end lately
...to have an irresistible urge to tossle cute little heads of hair like this one

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .11

hey, it's ok

...to consider your bed and couch a kleenex wasteland when allergies hit hard

...to randomly sing/hum songs from musicals while driving/getting dressed and realize it 5 minutes into "surry with the fringe on top"

...to not get that at ALL.  i mean, when's the last time i watched a musical??

...to be a little proud that your dvr is currently under 20 percent

...to really really really dig your new tervis tumbler

(it has cherry blossoms on it and a lid...so pouring a diet coke into it before getting into the car makes spills much less likely.  and with me, that's important!)

...to be way.too.excited about an idea you've come up with to organize and keep track of what's in your pantry, freezer and fridge at all times.  because you like to coupon but you don't want to hoard.

(and yes, that idea involves a constantly updated spreadsheet.  and yes, that squeal you just heard was me geeking out at the thought)

...to geek out over spreadsheets

...to be really really excited about the 5 bags full of clothes that you FINALLY found in storage.  and to be REALLY excited that some of the clothing in them is (a) in season and (b) looks good

...to have hit the borders store closing sale HARD last weekend.  i ended up getting several berenstein bear books (LOVE them) and a couple of other kids books for under $20.

...to (often) just want a nap.  

(visit amber for the original of this!)

thursday's ten: about turning 30

so by the time next thursday rolls around, i'll be 30. my birthday is monday. that SO does not seem possible! entering a new decade seems like it should be a bit more monumental to me, but i guess because i've done so much living since turning 20 that it really isn't fazing me.

here ARE 10 things about turning 30 in a few days though...things that i've learned in the last 10 years.




1. i love an excuse for celebration. especially when that celebration includes a pub night ;)
2. i'm much more comfortable in my own skin than i was 10, 5, even 1 year ago.
3. that biological clock just keeps ticking along!
4. i'll make my own birthday dessert to share just because irish cream brownies are that good.
(i'll post the recipe here tomorrow. ish.)
5. there are some things and some situations that just aren't worth my time. and i've learned to recognize them a bit more readily.
6. some days don't contain enough caffeine. this gets truer as i get older!
7. there really ARE more aches and pains in my body than there were when i was 20. i'm not imagining that. but i don't have to dwell on them, and i don't have to let them define me or how i feel.
8. taking a few moments to sit on a porch swing or lay in a hammock is time well spent. so is the occasional afternoon nap.
(my 20 year old self is SCREAMING that this statement can't possibly be right...lol)
9. kids really do want structure and boundaries. they crave them. and there is a healthy way to create and enforce these things.
10. you really CAN get used to wearing a piece of jewelry 24/7 :D

how about you? what have you learned or done differently in the last 10 years?

thursday's ten: kids shows

i've been totally slacking on the blog the last few days -- a fact not lost on my love who has repeatedly asked when i was going to post again.  this probably isn't necessarily the post he's looking for, but...




today's ten are the shows that i can actually enjoy with the children while babysitting/nannying.  believe me, it's not hard at all for me to come up with a list of WAY more than 10 that grate on my every nerve.  but here are 10 that i enjoy.

1.  phineas and ferb
(um, i may have this set to dvr.  at my house.  where there are no children.)
2.  berenstain bears
(it's kinda a throwback to my childhood...i LOVED those books.  now if only they would do a show of amelia bedelia.  i'd love that.)
3.  curious george
(while i think the man in the yellow hat is pleasantly clueless and possibly dumb, it's a pretty cute little show.)
4.  little einsteins
(maybe i'm just a fan of the music ;)
5.  olivia
(it's just the right amount of cheeky for me.  ha)
6.  good luck charlie
(another that i'll watch on my own.  and the older set that i babysit like it)
7.  veggie tales
(of COURSE.  i love it)
8.  max and ruby
(ruby and max!  sure, their parents seem to be absentee but the kids are all right ;)
9.  sesame street
(i don't love the flying fairy school portion, but the rest is liveable)
10. wordgirl
(yay for positive role models for girls, yes?)

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .4

 hey, it's ok!

...to possibly love wrapping the presents as much as anything else at this time of year 

...to think that those fruit in a pouch deals for babies and toddlers are pretty awesome...and to consider adding a few to your own pantry since you never eat fruit and this would be one way to change that

...to giggle a bit at the baby terrorizing the cat before actually stopping said baby from said terrorizing

(really all he was doing was standing at the chair she was sitting in and reaching out to pet her.)

...to realize that a good number of your "hey it's ok" points involve children when you don't even have kids yet

...to get a little giddy about "the sing off"

...to kind of wish you could hibernate for this season because it's COLD

...to have been slightly freaked out when the mother of a couple of your students placed an albino ferret in your arms when you were dropping off some music at their house, followed by the realization that the animal was actually quite adorable and very snuggly!

Thursday's Ten: to be a kid again

when's the last time you just acted like a kid?  sometimes we take ourselves waaay too seriously, you know?  so here's my little list for you today.

1.  go swing on the swings at a local playground, or play on the slides

2.  play tag.  or hide and seek.  or flashlight tag (the best of both!)

3.  dance in the rain

4.  actually PLAY with children -- yours if you are blessed with them...and if you're now, i'm certain you can find a parent who will gladly loan you a child or two for a few hours ;-)

5.  eat candy.  not a lot, but remember how you used to love ________ as a kid?  go have some!

6.  have a popsicle.  it'll bring back a rush of memories.

7.  read children's books.  sometimes there are truths in there that span the ages...and sometime they are just plain fun.

8.  use FUN dishes and silverware.  a touch of whimsy in your kitchen or other home decor is nice

9.  keep a few stuffed animals tucked away -- or use them in decor as well

10.  go to events at children's places that are meant for adults :)

(see, there IS a point for this post)

last week anthony and i went to the adventure science center for the "way late play date"

it's a 21 and up event, and yes there are 21 and up beverages served

(2 free drink tickets per person)

we played around with several exhibits

although we spent most of our time in the planetarium

once for a demo of the stars and stuff

and again for a separately ticketed laser show of U2 music

(i was *thrilled*)

pics you say?

here ya go

(all taken with my phone, so sorry they aren't crazy good quality)

 blurry pics of our entrance

 anthony makes a tornado

 we thought this was a green screen until we walked in front.  colors changed as we moved.  pretty fun.

 haven't played with one of these since middle school! 

 the heat thermal screens were way cool

 pretending to pick each other's noses because we're dorks

 we played this weird game

 and neither of us won. some random person came and joined and then left so we never saw our scores.

boo.

 we did giggle at this poster

 not the greatest shot, but you CAN see the skyline from the planetarium wing and it's uber-cool

so my point?  go have FUN today!

Thursday's Ten -- Your Bucket List

Welcome to Thursday's Ten! Please link up or grab the button (and let me know so I can visit you) and write your top ten list! It can be about anything or nothing, what's going on in your life or 10 of your favorite things. Or you can go with the theme I've picked out.



So, I've been thinking a lot lately about goals. Some of them silly, some of them strange, some of them deep and real. I am planning to do a big "30 before I'm 30" year starting next March, so I guess this post is kind a precursor to that.

What's on your bucket list? The things you want to do before you leave this world? That's what Thursday's Ten is about this week.

(clearly there are more than 10 things that most of us want to do before we die...just pick out 10 to share!)

Here's mine:

Bucket List

1. Get married and have children
2. Visit Ireland
3. Volunteer at an eating disorder recovery center
4. Drive the coast of the western US in a convertible...from Washington to SoCal.
5. Become licensed to teach yoga
6. Take a cruise
7. Enroll in a ballroom dancing class
8. Run a marathon
9. Learn to swim
10. Attend an Inauguration

Please sign up on the linky or grab the button and let me know you're participating...see you on your blog!