Archive for the 'Olivia' Category

The Ingram Family meets a history lesson and does a craft.

I overheard this conversation between Cole and Cole on our way to school a few days ago… I came in at the end:

Olivia: PILGRIMS???
Joel: You don’t know what Pilgrims AAAAARRRRREEEEE!?
Olivia: Nuh-uh.
Joel: Oliveeeuhhh!!! The Pilgrims (!!!) came across on The CAULIFLOWER!
Olivia: Oh.

And it’s TOTALLY true! We have been fed some lie about some ship called “The Mayflower”… But there was a major error in the ship’s name translation in original documents. Apparently the Ye Olde English word “May” is practically interchangeable with the lesser-used Ye Olde English word “Cauli”. The ship was actually named The Cauliflower!!!
Continue reading ‘The Ingram Family meets a history lesson and does a craft.’

Published
by
jenny
on November 7, 2008
in 365, Funny Funnerson, General, Joel, Lucy, Mutha' Hood, Olivia and Ridiculous
. 11 Comments

And another punch to the chest, or ego… whichever.

I am a “stay at home mom”. Dooce has a humorous, yet “PG-13″ rated acrostic-of-sorts as her creative “title” for this highly esteemed role on her “about” page… My friend Jen created the You Might Be A Stay At Home Mom Saturday on her blog… which helps chronicle the moments that define us, overwhelm us, and leave us scratching our heads.

You know what? I get to field awesome comments about my purpose as a SAHM from time to time. I struggle with what to say when someone asks what I “do”, because the whole SAHM thing, while accurate in some ways — is quite inaccurate in others. The 21,000 miles in one year on my minivan might be proof enough. Maybe. 

And in all honesty, I often long for recognition, awards, positive reviews and a raise. Not much of that is going on here. My recognition happens when a child says “Fank you” unprompted, or if we make it to the potty on time. My “reward” in the latter example is that I do not end up on my hands and knees, cleaning pee of the floor. Continue reading ‘And another punch to the chest, or ego… whichever.’

Published
by
jenny
on November 2, 2008
in 365, General, Guilt, Lucy, Mutha' Hood and Olivia
. 7 Comments

A family adventure: the corn maze

My kids crack me up. My kids also make me cry. I am in a constant state of overwhelm when it comes to my offspring… the greatest of joys and the deepest of frustrations.

Our outing to a local corn maze on Saturday was an extended time of joy for me as a mom. I watched my kids work together to make it through the corn maze. We laughed. We wandered, and the only sense of urgency was toward the end when the girls needed to pee. But we made it. Praise! Be! *raises hand to Heaven*. A pee accident would have totally ruined everything.

See? Joy to desperation in one flex of an not-completely-trained 3-year-old bladder… I am thrilled there was no accident. I can’t even express how truly, deeply happy that makes me. If you had asked me 20 years ago, “Jenny, what do you think would be one of the highlights of your 30’s?” I NEVER would have guessed that having an accident-free outing with my family would be at the top of the list. Never. Neh. Vah. People - it COMPLETELY eclipses things like world travel and world domination. Just pee-pee on the potty for the youngest. That’s me life goal.

Here we are, having a wonderful time as a family…

It’s a sickness. I love rules.

Look! The maze is the the shape of an Orca whale!

Family meeting: What’s the game plan, folks?

We made it! Cole was so impressed by our corn maze skillz!

*****
Local folks - looking for a fun outing for your family? Head on over to Sunrise Hill Farm in Kingston. Of course, there is a FANTASTIC corn maze, but, BUT… there is also a tricycle area for the little ones, a mini hay-bale maze, a pumpkin patch, and on Saturday nights they show a movie when it’s dark enough! They have a couple of bon-fires going and the snack stand has something for everyone… It feels like a great-big cozy outdoor living room. It was the most wonderful place to wander… They are open Wednesday through Sunday until Halloween. Seattle-area people… it is worth the ferry trip. Totally.

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Published
by
jenny
on October 21, 2008
in 365, Family, General, Joel, Lucy, Mutha' Hood, Olivia, Spawn, Take My Advice, The Love and Trippin'
. 15 Comments

I’m sorry, another post about the life and times of Me.

I could write all about my wonderful children, but I am afraid the content would largely consist of the word “poop”, plus my 6 year old asked me not to blog about her issues that resulted in an x-ray and daily Miralax “cocktails”.

While waiting for her x-ray she asked, “What are you going to blog about today?”

Me, “Oh… probably something about the very important vice-presidential debate that is happening tonight.”

She, “Oh…”.

I pressed… “Why? Do you want me to write about this?”

Olivia, “No.”

Me, “Were you worried I’d write about this?”

Olivia nodded and looked relieved.

So… I won’t blog about THAT.

**********

Today I will write about what I did Wednesday night! Plus, it was way more fun than poop. It’s true. My friend Lisa and I went to a concert. I saw 3 bands I’d never heard of. The genre: folk/rock-folk/country/blues/bluegrass/afrobeat. Yeah, righ tin line with my retro-pop-80’s obsession…

Here’s what went down: Continue reading ‘I’m sorry, another post about the life and times of Me.’

Published
by
jenny
on October 3, 2008
in 365, Fa' Real?, Friends, General, Olivia, Wasting Time and iPhone
. 8 Comments

I am more confident in the kitchen than ever…

now that I have a new Confidence Apron! 

When my husband came home Monday night, one of the first things out of his mouth was, “I have a confession… … … I bought an album.” I said, “Before you go any further, it’s O.K. with me as long as it’s as cool as this… *saunters toward husband from behind the counter and twirls* … My new CONFIDENCE APRON!”

It’s amazing what a Confidence Apron will do for a timid stirrer… (and it’s amazing what Picnik can do for one’s complexion when editing one’s photos…I *heart* Picnik!)

And the finished product… Oh how a girl can rock the stove in the right kind of apron…

Are you wondering what “Confidence Apron” and I made for dinner??? Only the World’s Best Baked Potato Soup! That’s all! Potatoes… milk… bacon… celery… green onions… bacon… garlic… bacon… chicken… topped with cheddar cheese… My husband realized what was on the menu and asked, “Oh. Is that Baked Potato Soup, baby?” With a velvet whisper I baited him, “Yes it is baby…” Even just TALKIN’ ’bout food changes when “Confidence Apron” has my back.

I would like to give a shout-out to my very talented photographer and photo-shoot designer - my lovely 6 year-old daughter Cole. I was just going to have her take a full-apron shot. But then she said, “Hey Mom, what if I take a picture of you COOOKING!” My. Gosh. My daughter is a flippin’ genius!

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Keep up-to-date on the insane, the insightful, and the whatever…

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Published
by
jenny
on September 23, 2008
in 365, Eats, General, Olivia, Ridiculous, Skillz and The Hubs
. 22 Comments

The first day of school - pictures and all!

Whew. I made it. For some reason, sending my daughter off to 1st grade - a FULL day of school was terribly hard. It hurt. I ached. I cried. I felt silly. My son was headed to third, the wee one was tearing it up at preschool. With those two - we hugged and waved, but my heart-strings stayed intact.

But my 6 year-old little girl… so “old”, but still so young. All day? Really??? As I left the classroom her teacher put her arm around my shoulder and asked if everything was alright. As tears filled my eyes like water fills a just-flushed toilet I squeaked, “She is, but I’m not.” I walked into the pod and saw a fellow mom (whose daughter was in Cole’s morning kindergarten class last year), and she was also teary-eyed. We talked for quite awhile. It was good - otherwise I might have made my way to my car and fallen into a weeping pile of… weepness.

It’s not that Cole is “easy” or perfect… but she’s my girl. And as messy and relentless as she is, she’s my precious little girl who will be gone most of 5 of 7 days of the week. Is that right? I know…I’ll get over it, but if anyone wants to get a coffee with me tomorrow morning… I’ll be at… email me :)

In other “First Day of School News” - Continue reading ‘The first day of school - pictures and all!’

Published
by
jenny
on September 3, 2008
in 365, General, Guilt, Joel, Lucy, Mutha' Hood, Olivia and Spawn
. 14 Comments

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way… 

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

I wonder if Charles Dickens had any idea these words would be considered an excellent synopsis for describing the condition, “motherhood”. Literally - I have experienced The. Best. Times. I have experienced The. Worst. Times… Light and Dark… Hope and despair.

Mercy… holding my newborn babies for the first time - kissing their pink lips and counting all ten toes… That was when Heaven was at the edge of my lips… it was at the tips of my fingers. And within mere days I would “go direct the other way” as sleep deprivation took over. Nothing prepares one for this. Nothing. It is rite of passage… a very dark passage.

Continue reading ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…’

Published
by
jenny
on August 20, 2008
in 365, Family, General, Joel, Lucy, Mutha' Hood, Olivia and The Love
. 15 Comments

The last day of kindergarten…

I let Cole run wild with my camera on her last day of kindergarten - way back in June. It is very educational to see images of life through her eyes… After looking through her collection of photographs, I learned something about people her size… Eye level for our precious kindergarteners is approximately at adult butt level… Thus, a very flattering picture of *ahem* Cole’s mother’s butt.

Does my daughter’s eye level make my butt look big??? Continue reading ‘The last day of kindergarten…’

Published
by
jenny
on August 17, 2008
in 365, General, Mutha' Hood, Olivia, The Butt Series and The Love
. 10 Comments

An example of why I (mothers) can never really get stuff done.

Me: *Scurry, scurry, scurry… Clean, clean, clean…*

Me: *Madly cleaning… scurry, scurry…*

Me, inside voice: “By 11 I want the kitchen “mostly” cleaned, a shower, dry my hair and get 10-20 more minutes of pantry organization done…” 

Note: I started organizing my pantry 3 days ago. 3 full days ago.

Lucy (my 3 year old): “Oh! No!”

Continue reading ‘An example of why I (mothers) can never really get stuff done.’

Published
by
jennyonthespot
on July 31, 2008
in 365, Family, General, Lucy, Mutha' Hood and Olivia
. 8 Comments

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Our family went to a concert at the local waterfront last night.

Living in a small town, the chances are good you will see someone you know - or many someones at the waterfront concerts. Last night we saw many someones. It was fun hopping from friend to friend… catching up, giggling, etc, etc, etc…

A friend’s husband pointed out the fact that at one point I’d be hanging out “here”, and then “there”, and then I’d be somewhere else. I did notice I was spending more time moving about than sitting on the lawn chair - I didn’t mind… but I kind of wished everyone was sitting together so I could be in one place and hang out with everyone…

Not a minute later, my 6 year old came up to me and asked, “Mom? How can you be in 3 places at once?” I thought she was setting me up for a joke, and I said, “I don’t know? How can you be 3 places at once?”

She tipped her head back and breathed a lightly-frustrated “Aaah!” and said, “I don’t KNOW! I just have Ella over here, and Hannah over there and Molly over there. It’s so hard to be with them all!”

Sister, I know. I know…

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Keep up-to-date on the insane, the insightful, and the whatever…

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Published
by
jennyonthespot
on July 16, 2008
in 365, General, Mutha' Hood and Olivia
. 3 Comments