Surviving the Children's Festival

In a never ending attempt to keep the kids busy and out of the house during the day so that Kris can sleep while working night missions at his new job, I accomplished a trip today that I still can't believe I did without the help of any prescription medication.

We loaded up and went to the Children's Festival in Nevada City, a mini Renaissance fair if you will, complete with jousting, a fire breathing dragon, and a troll under the bridge. It was really quite an amazing event, and for $3 each we got in to take advantage of tons of free crafts (making swords, sheaths, tunics, crowns, face painting, necklaces, etc). There were yummy snacks, and it was a lovely park with a creek running right through the middle.

We did great for about the first 90 minutes, but by that time there were several hundred people crowded into the park. When you add in the fact that the troll wouldn't let you across the too small bridge without paying (and that the children were terrified of him--really quite an inappropriate addition), the bathrooms were far, far outside the festival, the rising temperatures into the 90s, and the number of children were keeping us from being able to participate in making any more crafts, I started melting down and so did my two little knights.

I thought it was a pretty good trip all in all, and I think we will go again next year, especially since I have 365 days to gear up for it. Let me also say that these Renaissance people? Not to stereotype, but they are seriously into this stuff. They adopted the dress, the language, the manners, and that's great for them--no judgement. But I can safely say that I will never be wishing people a good morrow, wearing deer antlers over my shoulders, or have a belt made out of a fox hide.

Anyone have a sawtooth hanger?

I am still here. I didn't just say, Hey, buy Avon from me, and log off for good.

We are a family desperately in need of a schedule. After hanging the last of the pictures today, and then tossing the final hastily emptied box into the garage, the house is together. I still have a few projects to tackle, such as a chair I want to reupholster. But for now, it sits forlornly in the corner of my bedroom, while I stare at it for a few minutes everyday and imagine just how I'm going to staplegun it to death and still come out with a fabulous looking boudoir addition.

Kris has been working night shifts this past week, and we have this week to finish them up. Luckily, after this, he will just work two nights a month, and I will no longer be faced with keeping the children quiet and busy during the days so that he can sleep. After this, I am looking forward to having a logical list of things to do every day.

This past week was really the most difficult week of my life as a military spouse and a mom. Not only did we have the semi-load of furniture and C-R-A-P unloaded into our home, but I then had to put things away while keeping the previously mentioned two small children quiet and entertained. Now, many of you are thinking, "Why? So what? Leave the boxes until later...they'll wait."

To which I say, "have you met me?"

I am a Cancer, which means I have a birthday next week (please forget all about it because I am past recognizing them), and the astrological sign for me is a crab. A crab because I carry my house on my back, and I instinctively pull myself into my shell when I am threatened, such as when someone insults me, or I'm in an unfamiliar situation, or just visiting a foreign country (just ask my dear husband about our first few hours in the Bahamas on our honeymoon). To have my house in disarray is really at the top of my stress meter, just below visiting a new fitness center for the first time. I truly sit out in front and figure out which door I have to go in, and if it is a push or a pull. After I've decided how I can exit the parking lot without making a left hand turn.

So, yes, I did have to get things organized and put away, or my head would have exploded.

All of this is to say, I survived. I made it through, and I will make it through this week too without anti-anxiety medications, alcohol, or gorging on Little Debbie snacks. Diet Cokes, however, are totally allowed.

Please bear with me this week, as posting will coninute to be a little on the lighter side while I get my writing pants back on and my wittiness catches up to me in the forwarded mail.

Avon calling

Alright, so I know I don't need another project. However, I have just signed up as an Avon representative, and I am a little excited about it.

About 9 years ago, I had a bad allergic reaction to my makeup of choice, Mary Kay. My eyes were swollen shut, and I had to go see an opthamologist to make sure it was not a horrible infection. I switched to Avon and really liked the products. Over the last few years, I had gotten away from Avon and bought less expensive drugstore brands (you know I like a buy one get one free deal). But in June, it happened again.

Eyes swollen shut. It took four days to start to look normal again and wear my contacts. So as we were packing up in Rhode Island, I was browsing Avon and deciding to switch back. And staring me in the face? The prospect of becoming a sales rep for $10, having discounts on my own makeup, and perhaps making a little extra money by selling to family and friends.

I was in. Did you know there are over 5 million independent reps worldwide? That Avon is the largest corporate supporter of the breast cancer cause, and they have a strong anti-Domestic Violence campaign. Reese Witherspoon is currently their spokesmodel. And I know that the products are quality and professional and many win the best of the year awards in magazines (like Allure or Self).

So, my website is up today. And I didn't even have to design a site or buy a domain (Kris was doing backflips over that). There is a great summer sale underway, and a free shipping code on my site. I hope you'll take a look--if you've never used Avon before, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Thanks for your support!

Sew Happy Fabric Shop and The Modern Mama legalized in California

In case you're wondering, my shops are going to be reopening in a few more weeks. I'm waiting to be "legal", so as soon as the California sales tax permit arrives, I'll be off and running again.

This is the third state I've operated a business in. Texas cost $20 to start up. Rhode Island was $10. California? $125 so far. Ahhhh!!!!!

The movers are finally...coming...tomorrow. The no washer/dryer thing has SUCKED. I am anxious to get everything put away and pictures up on the wall. It kills me every time you move just how much it costs to put your home back together again. I have to buy $100 worth of curtain rods because I don't have enough "matching" ones coming with our stuff.

Liv begins a little dance class this afternoon, and we started at a new gym this morning. The gym playhouse went well--neither one of my kids got kicked out, so we're off to a good start there.

I am from South Georgia...I do Bobcats, not mountain lions.

Rehab worked quite well, and the C-man may be joining a 12 step program for preschoolers with a mom addiction. I'm looking into it anyway. The first night back in the crib he slept for 11 straight hours, and last night he woke up for just a few minutes before saying "goodnight, Mommy" and drifting back to sleep.

So, for some impressions of northern California. Hot, it's damn hot. Actually, it has been much better this week--we went from 103 to about 93, and in Sacramento it is much warmer. Luckily, in our neck of the woods, we have a great amount of shade, and we have been visiting the lake most afternoons for a dip in the water which is just the right temperature. I'm trying to overcome my fear of dark water--I think I must have caught that horrible cable movie about piranhas released in a lake one two many times. I swear I think it's entirely a possible scenario.

We once again have lots of deer, including one that naps under our top deck and thinks she's a dog--I swear she wags her tail at us and would eat right from our hands if we let her. We also have the biggest wild turkeys I've ever seen, so Thanksgiving's at our place.

And when we came back into our neighborhood today there was a friendly notice that hey, rookies, mountain lion sighting so heads up!

What?

Suddenly my morning jogs and plans to do lots of strollering are not looking like such a great idea. No worries though. We've already googled mountain lions and apparently just screaming "Cougar!", waving my arms, and putting Colin up on my shoulders should do the trick. I'm going to look like such a fool when my heightened sense of security causes me to do this when a doe wanders out into my path. Personally, I'm a little more concerned about rutting season with all these bucks walking around.



We attempted to spend some time at the lake yesterday, but it was difficult with all the family parties. And last night we had a front row show from the deck for the firecrackers, which they had to do at 10:15 because it never gets completely dark here. We are hoping for the next round of movers to come on Tuesday, which can't happen soon enough for me now that our house has been upside down for almost a full month. I should have the house picture ready within a week or so, and then I'll be posting some photos of the new place and our lake/mountain view. It's not the Atlantic Ocean, but it's not bad.

They said he had to go to rehab

Yes, rehab looms for Colin.

There is a special kind of purgatory for parents. Once you finally get not one, but two children to sleep pretty consistently through the night, it stops. For us, it was somewhat expected due to the move. However, I failed to realize that the C-man would become re addicted to me.

Since the first of the movers showed up in Rhode Island on June 15th, I have been sleeping with him in a queen size bed at our old house, then the hotel rooms, and then in the new twin "big boy" bed we had purchased for his room here in Cali.

And so it begins.

The first week or two he did sleep, but it took forever to get him to sleep, and if I left the bed, he freaked out. In the hotels, there really wasn't any choice. Where were we going to go? But if you ever see a couple just standing in the hall of the Holiday Inn, now you know.

Now it's escalated to the point where last night he woke up screaming for me three times. There is no more preschool here in Cali---I simply can't take care of him for 12+ hours straight with no break (no napping either) and then wrestle with him for an hour to get him to sleep only to then have to sleep with him for the next 10 to 11hours. Giving up those caffeinated diet sodas will become a distant memory as will wearing makeup or fixing my hair. I just can't do it all for 24 hours a day.

So, when Kris gets home from work tonight, we are putting together the crib again and removing the big boy bed. Maybe in a few months he'll be ready, especially after we are all settled into the house. He will not appreciate rehab--already my threats to put him back in the crib are met with "I'm a big boy!"

As for Olivia, she is suffering too from a lack of sleep. It doesn't help that the sun is up until 9 p.m. and then again by 5:30 a.m. Today I am planning to completely fill in her window with aluminum foil. I'm not kidding either.

California dreaming

Today's post is just an update to let you know that yes, we did survive our 2,968 mile journey. In fact, we actually had the chance to do a door to door move with our Rhode Island shipment, which meant that we had to step it up and actually travel over 640 miles on the last day. It was hard to believe we made it from Salt Lake City to our new home in only one day.

But we did, tires smoking, and an only somewhat grumpy little boy in the backseat.

The movers did arrive on Friday, and it was an exhausting day. Luckily, Kris was here to help me. We are still waiting on one more shipment which contains our Texas storage items--mostly furniture, china, and linens.

Our trip itself was quite smooth, and Colin handled it about as well as I thought. He did not sleep much in the car, and I had anticipated extra naps while I was driving across the nothingness that is Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada. Nope.

Olivia arrived on Saturday, and after the inital joy at seeing each other, Colin and Olivia have since alternated between knock down, drag out fighting and kissing and hugging. It has made the adjustment back to parenting two children a little challenging. I have noticed something though--look at all the commercials you see with a happy, smiling mom. How many children does she have in the commercial?

One. I'm just sayin'.