The escapades of a military wife
I was just grousing the other day on someone else’s blog, ahem, how it was not fair that she had flowers in her yard. But then we had a burst of beautiful weather and mine finally decided to make an appearance! woo-hoo!
The dutchkid actually wore flip flops yesterday, and declared that it must be summer.
I am keeping all cynical thoughts to myself.
This post isn’t about music I’m playing, although I do have some fun little things I’m working on. This is more music I’m listening to. I love to read what other people are into so I thought I’d share. None of them are new, just new to me.
Sometimes I’m really into Irish/Scottish folk music. I first heard this song months ago on a Scottish radio program and I am in love with it. Probably because it begins, “The back of the winter is broken…” and I’m fantasizing about that here after our third (!) snowstorm since it officially became spring.
It might have to be my summer theme song.
And in keeping with the “things I’ve heard on the radio” theme, I caught an old rerun of a Prarie Home Companion on NPR and heard Neko Case. I have a thing for distinctive voices and she’s definitely got one.
I just downloaded a bunch of songs off her newish album Middle Cyclone, and “That Teenage Feeling” from an older album is also one of my favorites.
And finally, this is a bit of fun. The dutchkid loves to watch the video and we just might have to learn how to hula hoop like that! (found via Bluebirdbaby awhile back).
Have you been listening to anything good?
I’m really disappointed that the airlines cancelled dh’s flight home tonight due to weather. (really people? it wasn’t even more than a few inches). I was really looking forward to getting a good night’s sleep… I am a horrible insomniac when he’s gone. I guess the big storm earlier this week scared everyone. Let’s just say that Spring is very much theoretical around here.
Before the weather hit, the dutchkid and I spent the morning at the zoo. I was feeling slightly guilty since this is the end of Spring Break and we hadn’t done anything fun yet (what do you mean staying at home isn’t fun?) I think the animals were all making the most of the sunshine, too.
The sunshine only lasted until the afternoon, and we’re back in winter wonderland over here. Not that I’m bitter or anything.
Could you go a year without any internet or cable/satellite TV?
My dh mentioned this to me in passing a few weeks ago and we’ve discussed it several times since. Last year while we were at Ft. Benning, we didn’t have cable or satellite. I watch very little TV with the exception of LOST, so that didn’t really hurt in the least. Besides, you would be amazed what you can still find to watch on regular old free TV (Yep, we own bunny ears).
But that internet… ah well, that one would really sting. I told him absolutely not during the upcoming deployment. I think I would feel very isolated without my little internet community, not to mention facebook and twitter…and then the dutchkid and I would miss out on the possibility of being able to communicate with dh himself while he was gone.
I said I might consider it once he’s back home. I asked him if he would give up his iPhone, he said he would. And what about research for vacations or just in general? (I think I must google something at least every day) and he mentioned using the internet at the library, at work (for him) or at school (for me).
I don’t know. I’m still thinking about it. Interesting thought, though, isn’t it? Being unplugged appeals to me at times. Have you ever done it? Do you think you could?
or, Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
I don’t really drink green beer or eat green donuts to celebrate, but I will spend today wishing that I could be back in Ireland! And that I spoke the Irish language as a close second. The dh and I were talking about how fun it would be to take the dutchkid back there, so maybe on our next post-deployment trip extravaganza we’ll finally make it back.
Since people keep on stumbling on my post last year about Ireland because of the pictures, today I scanned some old film photos to give you some more Irish eye candy:
Believe me, it’s only more beautiful in person. Éirinn go Brách!
You know, I don’t think I was a really girly girl. I don’t remember being a tomboy particularly either, I was just somewhere in the middle. Occasionally this makes me feel woefully inadequate as the mother of a very girly girl. I give you exhibit A: ballet hair.
She’s patient enough with me, but honestly how many bobby pins does fine wispy hair require? And I’m dreading the day when she asks me why I can’t do XY or Z with it.
She loves dance class, but we are thinking of changing ballet studios. I chose the one she dances at now purely for convenience because it was close. Unfortunately she’s had 4 different teachers since the school year began and while I know next to nothing about dance, I know that just can’t be normal. I don’t expect amazing progress when you’re only 4, but I do wonder how much more she would have learned with a consistent teacher.
The silliest thing that makes me dread finding a new studio? Reading some of the rules on prospective studio websites, ie: “Hair must be secured properly in a bun or the dancer will be dismissed from class!” (our studio now is much, MUCH more laid back than that, you really can do whatever you please).
So if you happen to have any tips on choosing a ballet studio and/or doing ballet hair I am all ears!
Well, we’ve been back for a few days, but that’s the trouble with vacation, it always has to come to an end. We had a great time, though!
The hotel we stayed in was really old and fun to explore. Of course as it tends to be with really old hotels, it’s reported to have resident ghosts. But the freakiest thing was that it’s the hotel that Stephen King based “The Shining” on. The movie wasn’t filmed there, but the TV miniseries was. I haven’t seen all of the movie, only parts, but people kept on asking me if I had brought a frilly dress for the dutchkid so that she could stand in the hallway (one of the famous scenes in the movie). They show the movie continuously on one of the TV channels. *shiver*
We woke up one morning to a herd of elk taking up residence right near one of the hotel buildings. It was so cool to see them up close and personal. I tend to think of them as deer sized, but they really are huge. I had to stop the dutchkid from running right up to them, they don’t seem to be afraid of people in the least. Then again, this town is full to the brim with tourists in the summer, so they must be used to it! Everything was sort of shut down since this is the off season and they didn’t have a lot of snow. We did venture into Rocky Mountain National Park for some sledding, though. Hopefully we’ll be able to head back in the summertime. Only next time we won’t be staying at the Stanley, that’s for sure! At least not unless the Army decides to have another conference there.
The dh had to take a short trip to a conference this week, he left today. With the dutchkid and I in tow. He’s staying in a regular (ahem, very nice) hotel room only a few hours from home. In a gorgeous mountain town. On the Army’s dime.
Maybe I should feel guilty but do I? Nope. Ok, we asked permission first. It’s not like we are adding any expense, he has a room anyway. I’ll take my paybacks any way I can get them.
The dutchkid and I are going to have a blast, part of the plan is some sledding and I had to hunt high and low for a sled before we left. I guess nobody buys sleds in March? Who knew. But just in case you’re ever in that situation, Ace Hardware is the place to go.
I’m missing a day’s worth of classes, and my dogs had to go to the kennel (which I hate), but this is likely going to be our only vacation for awhile. You should hear how excited the dutchkid is about staying in a hotel and eating at restaurants. That girl is a chip off her mother’s block.
Huh. Yeah, not really sure why I complain about winter here. Took a run around the lake yesterday, and oh was it a beautiful day. Just what I needed to get me through until spring.
I have been thinking about the dutchkid’s lunch lately…specifically how many plastic baggies I use to make said lunch. And as most moms, I have also been plotting ways to get my child to eat more veggies.
So I decided that I would try my hand at making her a few Bento lunches. I use that term very loosely. Bento is a Japanese invention and it refers to a meal “in a box”. The lunch is very aesthetically pleasing, sometimes made into actual “scenes” and such. Just go look at the amazing things in this flickr group. Ay yi yi. I am not willing to be that detailed with a lunch, but I have a feeling that my girly girl would like the idea of cheese and veggies cut into flowers or shapes. I know that I definitely find things more appetizing when they’re pretty.
Bento containers are usually quite small, sometimes with compartments, and leakproof. In Japan, they are decorated with all sorts of cute characters and colors. I, however, am too cheap Dutch to pay a lot of money to get one! After some hunting I was able to find a few mostly non-plastic containers at a local Asian grocery store, but I couldn’t find any metal ones, only glass. I did look at some big box stores, but they didn’t really have glass ones that were small and shallow enough. (and I love going to Asian grocery stores anyway, it always reminds me of visiting dh in Korea)
So here is my somewhat forlorn first attempt. A few caveats: a) this of course, is not her entire lunch and b) I need to get to the commissary, as I am dangerously low on produce.
I’m not really sure it will work. Will she eat this any more readily? Will the teachers throw things away? Will the container accidentally break? I have no idea. Does this fall into the category of “Things moms do when they only have one child”? Probably. But it was fun to think about making her lunch as a new creative challenge rather than the same old same old. She was very excited to have a special lunch. I’ll keep you posted if I end up bento-ing up a storm.
