Hunting.....

I'm on a plane! With my husband! For the first time since before Evie was born, we are getting away from the kids for THREE WHOLE DAYS. Of course - we're house hunting. No rest for the weary, we have 12-14 houses to look at in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I'm really hoping that ONE of them speaks to us (figuratively, of course - otherwise that would be creepy) and says 'home'.

We got official word last Wednesday that Matt got a job, and it's been a mad scramble since. Actually, it's been a mad scramble since we got a contract on our house a couple weeks ago - with move-out date of June 7, we have 44 days to finish packing & get moved. And we don't know where we're going yet.

I've been taking it all in stride up to this point, figuring it will all work out - and it has, so far. I know it WILL work out, but with just over just six weeks and two days left, it would be nice to know have firm details worked out, you know?!?!?

My mom and her husband Bob are caring for our kids while we're out of town, so if you're the praying sort, please pray my kids are good to them! (Pretty sure they'll be good at least today, it's the next two I'm worried about...) Also a prayer that we find a property that is obviously meant to be ours this trip would be helpful as well.

Anxiously waiting for this plane to land so we can go see some houses (I LOVE HOUSES!!!),

Not So Harried Mom today :)


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Drunken Ramble.

I like wine. Don't think that's any secret. I confess I've had a bit tonight (!) and am feeling chatty. Hi! It's been a long, long time. Happy tax day! Have you filed? I finished ours last night at about midnight, after getting all my tummy-sick family settled for the night - bug going around, you know. We were afraid Sarah had a bee sting allergy  up until the point Jason puked Sunday morning, followed by William, Evie, and then Matt. I have the constitution of Iron Man, apparently :) And now Jason is up happily chatting while Matt dozes & I kill my Shiraz, before getting up to do it all over again tomorrow.

So - Boston - WTH? I swear stuff like that makes me want to hide away in a quiet little place and never go to any big public events - who knows when the next nut job will decide to try and grab some infamy for him/herself? Senseless. There are a lot of messed up people in the world - I'm looking at you, Grandma in the red jeep cherokee that tailgated everyone and their brother all the way home today, all while smoking your ciggy out the window....

.....sorry, got distracted by a convo on Facebook about Texas. TEXAS! So, we have a CONTRACT on our house! Assuming everything goes through, we have a settlement date of May 20, and a move-out date of June 7th.We have 54 days to find a place to live. Happily, I have my little job to keep me distracted from the thought that Matt is still looking for work (although hopefully not for much longer) and that we will be homeless here shortly. I keep telling Matt to prepare his mom for our move-in. Who wants to volunteer to take my cat temporarily?? No, really - I'm confident - mostly- that it will all work out the way it's supposed to. After all, when I had my Tarot cards read in my early twenties, Angela Miller told me I'd never have to worry about money. So there! No worries. (oy.)

What else? I have no idea. I really need things around here to let up a little bit so I have some time to think. My little bookkeeping job is replacing me within the next two weeks so that will take a little pressure off, and now that the tax crunch is over, I'll have a little more time on that end as well.. Thank goodness, I'm not really digging this WORK thing  - God bless those of you who work full time outside of the home, I don't know if I could do it (without a maid, a personal shopper, and my summers off.....) In the meantime, we're doing what needs to be done & taking each day in stride as it comes. I'm so excited about what the future brings! I can't wait to see what the universe has in store for us, and what house is waiting out there for us to discover and make our own. Life is what you make it :)

xo
Harried Mom.
ps - someday I will do this more reg and include pics. (sigh).

A long overdue update from the House of Harried Mom

March 1. Not exactly doing real great on my resolution to blog more, huh? A bi-monthly post wasn't exactly what I had in mind. As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, no? But I've learned over time that I can't sit down and do this and have it flow if I just don't feel it. And I haven't up until this point. The days are long, but the weeks are flying by, and I can't believe it's Friday again. An update from my world view:

- Matt's been unemployed now for a month. His contract with the Navy at the Pentagon ended January 30, and he's been doing a bang-up job of being Mr. Mom. Things I've heard in the past month:

• I can see why you drink coffee all day long!
• I just vacuumed the floor, take your shoes off!
• I'm so glad it's Monday (ok I may have made that one up, but he does appreciate Mondays more now after being home so much with the kids)

Matt's doing the grocery shopping and some cooking, and getting the kids ready for school while I get ready for work (!), which I totally appreciate. Yay Matt! I just don't want him getting too comfortable in that role, because I totally plan on resuming my place as Domestic Goddess as soon as he finds employment :D

 - I've been working 2 part-time jobs - one doing bookkeeping for a new, small used car dealership. They hadn't done any real record keeping since they opened in June of last year, and I've been playing catch-up since December. And I swear, every time I turn over a rock, I find a nest of snakes under it. I'm also working 25 hours a week at a CPA firm, doing accounting and individual tax prep. I really enjoy working there, and I learn something new just about every day, which I'm hoping will serve us well in our future plans.

- I suppose the really big news is that Matt's not looking for a job here in Virginia, but in Texas - Dallas, specifically. There are lots of reasons for this, that I don't know that I want to get into here, but one big one is that his family is less than 3 hours from Dallas, and being closer to them will allow us to see them more than the at-most yearly we have been. As of today, Matt seems to have a pretty decent lead on a job, and we're hoping to have something solid within the month - which would be REALLY GREAT since we're listing our house for sale no later than April 1. !!!!!!!!!!!!

While I've been working, Matt's been doing all those things you need to do around the house to get ready to sell - patching and painting and cleaning and clearing out and packing and on and on and on. I'm doing what I can on the weekends, but a lot of time I just don't feel like doing much of anything after getting dinner made/cleaned up/kids in bed - with Matt doing probably more than his fair share, at that - other than sitting on the couch with my Kindle and my Kitty, and then heading to bed at not much after 10. Which is so unlike me!

 

The kids are doing well - Jason is getting so big, but is still as sweet as ever; Sarah amazes me daily with how bright she is, and her snappy sense of humor; William still loathes school and homework, but has such a talent for the piano, I love hearing him practice!; and Evie is growing up so quickly - she is so talented and bright, but we're seeing the teenager-to-be starting to emerge. I can only imagine what life is going to be like in our house in the next few years when they're all a bit older and REALLY starting to battle. Maybe I WILL work full time and let Matt deal with all that. Hmmmm..... lol!

I'm also trying to get rid of my Mommy butt and Mommy arms. My wine consumption increased drastically this past fall, which in turn increased my snacking, which consequently increased the size of my hind end. Which, while comfy for sitting, is not so comfy in all my pants which are now too tight. In January I started doing crossfit workouts through here, but I've come to the conclusion that while it's great for building muscle and toning, and I really like doing something different every day, it's not enough cardio, and I'm trying to get more running in, and cut back - or at least pay more mind to - what I'm eating. A moment on the lips/forever on the hips and all that. 

So that's that! We're job searching, working, packing, and dreaming of our new life in Texas this summer. The kids are excited because I've assured them there's no way I'm moving to Texas without a swimming pool, and I'm excited about what the future holds. Hopefully lots of grand things out there, waiting for us to reach out and grab it. You only have one trip through this life (that you remember, anyway) so you have to make the most of it while you're here. We're going to....

**Pictures are from our trip to Duck, NC in August 2012** 

Dreaming of warmer weather here....

Resolving for 2013....

It's a brand new day in a brand new year- feels much like the old one though. We've been traveling for a week and a half - we visited my family in Pennsylvania the weekend before Christmas, spent Christmas Eve and Day at home, then left on a big road trip cross country to Shreveport, LA to visit Matt's family. We're currently rolling home, with about five hours to go. At this point, I'm ready to run 10 miles and eat nothing but fruit for a month.



I'm anxious about what this next year will bring - Matt has one month of work left, and he's hunting, so we don't really know what's down the road- and that's something that is really hard for me, I'm a planner by nature and am always trying to figure out what's next. For now, I'm being forced to take things bit by bit, which isn't to say that I can't buckle down with the things I can control. I am determined to make the most of this next year - seems cliche to say 'get in shape & lose weight', because so many of us say just that every January, but nevertheless - this is the year I get lean! It's more of a self-discipline thing really - my plan is to do more with the time I'm given rather than piddle it away, and then wonder why nothing ever gets done. I am the pilot of my ship and I can determine where I go, for the most part - and that doesn't have to mean down half a bottle or more of red wine every night followed by midnight snacking :) It's ok to treat yourself in life, but I think part of the problem with society is we've come to expect treats, in various forms, as something we deserve as a daily part of life- and I'm thinking that's not healthy for our bodies, minds, or souls. Deep thoughts, here, I know, but uncertainty makes you think about things beyond what color you want to paint your bedroom :)



That's all I have for now, and Jason is asking for a pop tart, so I'll leave you with a wish for a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year :)


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Keeping on keeping on.....

Tuesday night. I should be in bed, but here I sit, finally ready to chat. I've missed this, the writing down of daily details, things that would otherwise be forgotten. I've never been one to journal or capture my thoughts on paper, and as I scroll back through images on my phone and the cameras, I'm amazed at how much I HAVEN'T jotted here, and I need to do that. Not just for me, but for my kids. I like to think that someday they will read this, and either laugh, or not think so harshly of me. One can hope :)

Thanksgiving day, game time for Dad while Mom cooks - note the Mimosa....

So what's been going on? Probably the biggest thing in our bubble has been Matt's job, or potential lack there-of. He's been a subcontractor for 6 years now, and while there have been many benefits - working from the house 3 days a week, more than adequate hourly rate - there are downsides - number one being the stress of never knowing if you'll have a job tomorrow. After we got back from the beach in August, we had word that Matt's contract would be finished in October. Then it was mid-November. Then December 8 or something. Now it's the end of January. Given that things change on a weekly basis, I took a class this fall in anticipation of working during tax season (background in accounting and all that) and started looking for part-time jobs. Happily, I've landed one that is pretty much ideal - part time accounting and tax work for a CPA, something that will get me back in the work force after 11 years away while not requiring me to be away 40 hours a week or more. I'm thankful to have found something like this while we wait to see what's around the corner with Matt's career. So much uncertainty in this world, in more ways than one. A week ago I would tell you that everything will be fine, things work out the way they should. Today? I'm not so sure.

Mom and Dad at the ice rink on Sunday

In the midst of me starting a new job - with a little bookkeeping gig on the side - Matt has started a blog about something he's passionate about, and is looking for work, either here or in Texas. Texas is looking more and more appealing these days. The kids are in full-on Crazy Christmas mode, manic and nutty as the day is long, all day every day - I have to remind myself that they get like this every year, so excited about Christmas and Santa and all that (although William I think is starting to think it all through logically - he asked me if I was Santa recently - like I could pull all THAT off!) They are all getting so big, so fast, and yet are still so small. Jason still climbs in my lap for a snuggle without even realizing he's doing it, one of my favorite parts of the day! I could go on and on, and probably will at some point, but I'll save that for another day. For now, I'm living looking ahead 18 hours in advance and doing what needs to be done, and savoring every moment I have here with my family. Because as was all too harshly pointed out, you never know what's around the corner.

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Points of Interest:

Stolen from a friend's Facebook wall:

The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not comprehend it. John 1

The Shack. If you haven't read it yet, do so. Sometimes there is no reason, but He is always present.

If you'd like a laugh, some wisdom from Finding Nemo:



You have to go through it, not over it.

 

Too close to home.....

Sandy Hook. I've been there. It's a sleepy little town, much like the one I live in. I have a friend who lives there with her four children, two boys and two girls, much like my own. We have a lot in common - we love coffee and wine, complaining about things; we're the same age, our kids are the same age, and we have husbands who love us in spite of the things we might say in a mood. I met her through blogging; we shared a hotel at a conference in NYC 2 summers ago, meeting for the first time in the lobby. She came to visit my family, we visited hers last summer. Laura had two children in that school on Friday. It still doesn't seem real.

Laura doesn't blog anymore, I like to think she doesn't need to; or that she's got a fabulous book that she's working on that takes up all her time. I don't blog much anymore either, so we've kind of fallen out of contact. I'm very glad to say, though, that she answered my text within minutes last week, assuring me that her children were safe and in her care. That is NOT to say that they hadn't seen things that no child - or anyone, for that matter - should ever see. My heart aches for that entire town, but most especially for the family that I've come to know and love - I can't imagine having to live through a situation like this.

When things are uncertain in our life, Matt has often heard me say 'Everything works out the way it's supposed to, things happen for a reason.' I would like someone to point out to me what possible reason there could be for what happened on Friday.  Various groups will use this incident to further their own agendas - gun control/we should all carry guns/better health care for the mentally ill/lock up all the mentally ill. I have no idea what the answer is - I don't know that there is an answer. Humans  being human, we've done horrible things to each other since the beginning of time. Right now, all I know is that if I think about it for too long, I start to cry - and I'm so grateful to the teachers and administrators who did what they could to protect the children in their care.

None of us knows what is waiting for us around the corner - we make plans to the best of our ability and then something nudges us off our path or spins us around so we have no idea which direction to head. Am I now thinking about the schools my kids go to, and what security measures or lack there-of are in place? Absolutely - my first thought when I walked into our brand new high school two weeks ago was , wow - the cafeteria is right up front by the main entrance and completely open, what if a nut-job walks in with a gun? - but off to school they will go, with an extra tight hug, a big kiss, and a fierce "I love you!". I don't know what else to say, other than that I am heartbroken for the families grieving the loss of their children right now, and for my friends and the other families who have to journey through this awfulness. Pray for them with me.

Are you there blog? It's me, Jen....

Can someone please tell me where the end of October went? And the month of November? Jason informed me today that it's December 2nd - because of all the kids, he's the one keeping track - and I had a bit of a panic attack. How did I lose a whole month? I mean, I remember going through it all & doing all the daily things, but I'm just sort of baffled that we are just over 3 weeks from Christmas. Usually by now I have some shopping done, gifts on order, lists made, and a pretty clear idea of what December will entail. This year? I'm flying by the seat of my pants. One day at a time, here folks. The kids want to know when we're making ginger bread houses, when we're going ice skating, when we're doing this/that/the other. I want to know when they are going to help me?? :) Overwhelmed much? Yes, that's me. There are other things playing into my distraction, but overall I'm feeling untethered, like I'm floating above it all while going through the motions. Don't be surprised if I don't send you a Christmas card this year.

So in the last 45 days or so, Evie turned 11, I turned something-or-other, and Jason turned 5. Pictures to come, hopefully soon. What else - I finished up a class I started back in September, Evie tried out for and was selected for District Chorus, and William of all people lost 5 points on a math test for TALKING. That is so unlike him, it really sticks in my mind :)

William accused me of being Santa, which Evie promptly told him was ridiculous; Jason, while watching the Avengers, told us he knew the Hulk was going to appear 'because I saw it on my underwear'; Sarah, ever the prolific writer, is using her new-found reading skills to use up all my paper and staples make books about various subjects. A born author, that one :) They're all growing so big, so fast, I want to hug them close to me and have a good cry - time flies. Jason goes to Kindergarten next fall, and Evie will graduate in just 7 years. How is that possible?

Things are busy, things are crazy, and things are somewhat up in the air, but the kids are happy and healthy, and so are mom and dad, so all is good in our bubble at this time. That said, I'll leave you with pictures from our Halloween celebration, taken by our very good friend, Cheryl. She's awesome. And she takes awesome pictures! If you're local, you can find her at http://ccfphotography.com

For the record: Evie was Katniss, I was Effie Trinket (NOT Marylin Monroe!) and Matt was Bane, from the Dark Knight Rises. We're not sure anyone saw the movie, because no one seemed to know who he was...

 

 

 

 

  

 

Merry Halloween???