Mother, Daughter, Manager, Wife

Mother: I’m not feeling like I have a lot to report in the mom area – our recent focus was on “THE Visit” … the kids missed school for an additional day over the long Columbus day weekend, which was a big hit with them! We took our Norwegian family to the local shopping Mecca-mall so they could process their overvalued NOKS into the American economy.  Jovita loved showing off her favorite ‘buy 2 get 1 free’ earring palace, as well as all the tween clothing boutiques. The kids had an amazing time with their cousins and were wonderful hosts showing off the local Six Flags Amusement Park, how to eat corn on the cob, carve jack-o-lanterns and navigate a corn maze.  There were a few aliens shot via Xbox, but no one else go hurt – doesn’t get much better than that!

 

Daughter: My mom wanted so much to get in on “THE Visit”…offering to have everyone “up the house”, and making lots of unsolicited suggestions on what we could do.  However, me being who I am – I was beside myself with trepidation.  Unsure of how my SIL would be,  and knowing all the potential conversation places my mom could go – I felt I had no choice but to either not get them together at all OR the have a very controlled situation.  What worked was having my folks join us for lunch at a restaurant on the last day – before we took our visitors for a 2 hr drive to the airport. Everyone wins – everyone gets to see each other, no one is plied with alcohol [as they would be over a dinner party chez moi] – the time frame is limited to about an hour – which is just enough to eat, exchange a few pleasantries and say “nice to see you again”…. I think it  was a brilliant strategic move on my part! 

 

Manager: My laser focus had shifted over the past couple weeks to focus full bore on “THE Visit”.  I applied all the PMP techniques in my arsenal to skillfully plan out all potential scenarios – while balancing the needs of the project, of course.  I was fully aware that the plans for our reunion were constantly playing in the back of my brain.  Every lunch break was just one more run to Linens N Things for a harvest table cloth, baking dish, deck candles, more towels, whatever…

 

Wife: The result of all the work and thought and planning paid off better than I could have ever imagined.  The 4 day weekend exceeded my expectations – truly!  There were no slings or arrows to me, there were no anti-American remarks, there were no twinges of jealousy over anything.  My guests were very gracious and I believe truly blown away at how wonderfully we live.  Some of the remarks from the visit were things like “Your house looks like it is from a magazine” and “are all the towels in America so fluffy and soft?”; “This room is so BIGGGG?” “ Your yard is beautiful”….they acknowledged how wonderful our home is, how pretty it is where we live….we went to the beach on Monday and it was 80 degrees! The kids were swimming, we flew kites – they had never seen such a sandy beautiful beach, nor had they ever had the opportunity to fly kites like we were doing that day.  We had planned to have locally grown corn for dinner and they shared with us how they go on these pick your own corn walks and told us about how they freeze it so they can grill it later – how big it is and how yellow it is.  Then, they had the local corn from our neighborhood farm stand that we cooked for them.  Let’s just say corn was redefined for them.  They were just amazed every day, all day long at everything.  I can’t think of a single thing that I wish had gone differently. 

Hopefully how they see us, me, America and our world will now also be redefined! Skoal!

Mother: I know it’s a trite old cliché but I’m gonna say it anyway!  “Where did the summer go?” – My kids, over indulged children that they are,  had tons of fun and we so buys – that I’m not sure their heads have stopped spinning.  They each had unique experiences and seemed to have a good time…(although they would never admit it to me ;)  The stuff that took place includes: Firing a shot gun at overnight boy scout camp… jumping into 50 degree water along the fjords of Norway…viewing Niagara falls from Canada, America, 170’ up in a Ferris wheel, and on a Maid of the Mist boat while wearing a blue poncho… body surfing at Marconi beach on the National Seashore of Cape Cod. Last but not least, Jovita actually learned to spin plates at “Performing Arts Camp” (chip off the ol’ block eh!)…So now we are back in school – New schools for each kid.  Boyzilla has moved up to the middle school in town and show promise for being a full fledged teenager.  Jovita is at the new elementary school that was just built and has just opened and she show promise to continue to drive me crazy trying to get out the door in the morning.    In a desperate blocking move, I bought her 2 hair brushes at lunch today – one for the back pack and one for the locker – just so we don’t have to run around each morning when we realize we have to brush our hair and can’t find the hair brush.  I’ll let ya know how it works out. 

 

Daughter: Working on the mom thing – slowly spending a bit more time here and there.  I have been informed over the summer “that we usta be buddies – before you had better things to do” so I am trying to make a bit more time – we have them over for summer cook outs, Jovita and I get together with my mom – which is a magic formula for a visit going better. I’m still keeping my cards close to the vest – not sure I’ll ever have my mom as a confident – but its not about what I need, it’s what she needs….just like old times!

 

Manager: This summer has been insane from work.  Which if I think of it is where my blog fell off. I would work at home and have such busy days that some of the little things I could get done at work didn’t get done and started spilling over to my Suzalita time, which I think took away from you guys….so unfair.  I’ll try to keep a better balance.  Our project is still largely a disaster – but my boss thinks I’m great – he gave me a wonderful review – I just need to make sure it doesn’t go to my head!

 

Wife: OK – this is the tricky part – my Sister-in-Law and her family are coming from the land of milk nd honey to stay with us for a few days.  Whatever possessed them to spend a week in America is beyond me – but they are on there way in 3 short weeks!!! They will arrive at JFK, spend a coupe day in NYC and then come up to see us for 4 days.  I have been working like an Egyptian slave to get the house ready (to my very high standard).  They have never been to our home so it is important to me to show it in the best possible light – truth be told – she scares me because she is always so mean to me – telling me the whole world laughs at America and inferring how lazy and stupid I am – so “bring it on” is the mood I’m trying to set – hopefully I can be a genteel hostess for a few days at least – trying hard to see her harsh words at America as envy,  to rise above her petty remarks and leave no holes barred!

 

Hope you guys will be there for me!

 

  

Mother:  School has been out for 2 weeks now, we have 2 weeks of camp under our belt and so far, well - I  think it's going sorta OK...I don't think the kids would give me the satisfaction of saying they loved it - even if it were true.  Jovita is in a group with all her friends and now she is packed for her big adventure with her dad to see her grandparents in Norway.  Boyzilla has been the most vocal about how boring the camp program is...good thing he and I are heading to Niagara Falls this weekend with his aunt and uncle...So were are balancing baysitters and camp dates while the summer gets underway...bottom line - we are all still really busy - there is something to be said for truly just doing nothing!

 

Daughter: My cousins wedding was so so very beautiful.  I have never been to such an over the top affair - Truly no holds barred - the bride was stunning and so in love and so happy - the weather was gorgeous, the mansion where it was held was glamourous - it was a wonderful evening - DH And I danced the night away and I managed to only sustain one nasty remark from mom...I guess she was on her best behavior!  Wounding, none the less.

 

Manager:It has been overwhelming at work the past month ... we arrived at our deadline in pretty good shape - but the level of effort required to keep everything moving and on track is exhausting.  I am struggling to get time with my office computer and phone and desk to do the work that I need to do - so I feel very disorganized and unable to manage all the loose ends.  Hopefully there will be alot of people away this week and I can get a bit of a breather! We'll see...

 

Wife: DH is leaving to see his family - I have mixed emotions about the whole thing - I worry about missing he and Jovita - I know that she will have a great time together with him - I know that this is an amazing opportunity for her - I feel sorta bad that it just doesn't work out for me - I only have a couple weeks of vacation and I really want to spend it doing things I want to do, not necessarily visiting with in-laws who aren't that fond of me....they will have a good time and so will boyzilla and I...

 

So stay tuned to hear about our adventures...I'm hoping to get more time to blog but the gravitational forces of the day to day are pullling me away...I promise to check in more...

 

XO

Mother: 5 days left to the school year! The count down has more than begun...the kids are restless...Boyzilla is working like crazy to cash in extra credit points for Science with a report on Lung Cancer, and extra maps for Geography and keeps bringing home the E's (A's)....Jovita is struggling to keep focused.  To incentivise her I have set up a magnetic clip on the fridge that says "E is for Earrings"... for every 3 E's she brings home I'll buy her a card of earrings from Claire's (cheapo kid style earrings buy 2 get one free) she has bit big time on this and it's helping to keep the focus.  To keep it fair for Boyzilla I'll get him a gift card to Abercrombie for all his hard work...Camp is just around the corner.  I would so love for me and the kids to just sleep in each day this summer, watch game shows till 10 am (that's what I did when I was kid in the summer) ride our bikes to the swimming hole, and complain about being bored.  Ahhh, progress and working moms....

 

Daughter: Not too much to report on this front...a couple of chit chats, not much news - I'm actually really looking forward to this wedding - it will be at a beautiful location, a fancy meal and dancing with DH.  I intend to look stunning, I really can't wait - it's 6/23 so stay tuned.

 

Manager: A bit more normalcy coming into play - feeling a bit more organized as we approach the 6/19 deadline - although I have resigned myself to some things being late and Woah ho...I cannot believe I have grown into just accepting that that's how it will be. I am shocked that I am not staying up late trying to figure out how to get every last piece in on time.  We'll have the most of it, and I'll keep working it.  It should be an exciting week next week!

 

Wife: I made a big splurge today - I went out and bought myself a new digital camera.  I have so missed having a handy camera  to take photos with - DH has a camera that he bought for his birthday last year - but I don't have total access to it...I have a SLR film camera but it's a pain now to use film...So I just broke down and bought a Nikon Coolpix L11.  It seems easy to use, I can see things without my glasses and it has lots of easy settings to set the camera to, like "Museum mode" "Fireworks mode" "Face Mode" etc.  It seems to be sure fire.  6 megapixels and great color.  So stay tuned for some updated photos. 

 

Have a great week - love to you my blogging buddies!  

 

 

Mother: We had a meeeting at the school on Friday over Boyzilla's status with the "Resource Room" (Special Ed)...He is awesome - the teacher representing the classroom front raved about his sense of humor, his motivation to learn, his wisdom beyond his years.  The special ed teacher spoke of how organized he is...in the end everyone was so pleased to have such a positive PPT meeting - I guess I knew it would be positive - he has been working his butt off - and his needs are so borderline - his handwriting is nearly illedgible and as a result was determined to be elidgible for accomodations such as access to computers...and to boot his best buddy is also in resource room, so he doesn't mind going thre. So we all had a group hug at our meeting Friday over how well his is doing and what a great kid he is....Jovita creates the balance in my life..her teacher called Thursday night to let me know she is in the end of the year dog house.   She was sent to the office during gym for her inability to stop giggling with her friend..and she has been unable to stop giggling in class and on and on and on...I guess there are worse infractions in life than giggling all the time with your friends - but we had to apply the no internet/TV rules until things shape up...Ahhh mother hood - 3 weeks of school left...

 

Daughter:  Big excitement with this wedding coming up - My mom hasn't been able to sleep nights becasue she doesn't have a new dress to wear - well that got cleared up, finally, last week with a new ensemble from Talbots...its black and white - I guess times have changed - I could hear the tape in my brain playing over how no one ever wears black to a wedding - thank Goodness times have changed.  I'm good with my beautiful hot pink dress that I bought 5 years ago - I wore it for maybe less than 8 hours and it looks awesome.  I keep thinking of all the money I'm saving - except I did spring for a $40 pair of sequined shoes!

 

Manager: I can not belive how stressed I am about this project.  8 weeks ago I was so carefree - I am so wound up about getting all this work done.  The issue is that I have about  6 hours of meetings each day that create about 4 hours of follow up - and I have all these little projects within this mess that need to get organized and pulled off.  It's very fatiguing.  The bottom line is we just don't have the resources we need - Our big deadline is 6/19 - hopefully we'll hit it...

 

Wife: We had a nice weekend - planting geraniums in the patio pots, little boat rides along the Connecticut Coastline...chores around the house - the kids wanted to go to the mall...just not alot of much going on and it was great...I think I'm feeling the overwhelming sense of summer coming on, compounded with loose ends at work - still not organized over all the camps, end of school coverage and vacation stuff etc...If I didn't know better I'd say somehow I'm procrastinating....I guess I just need a vacation of my own ...so while Jovita and DH are visitng all the Vikings, Boyzilla and I are going to go to Niagara Falls (Ontario side) with my Brother and Sister-in-law.  Any travel tips on Niagara Falls are welcome -

 

Have a great week - XO