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Oh yes we Did

The Electronic Age

Apparently we've entered a new age here at the house - the electronic age! Norah got her own kindle for Christmas, and while she understands there *will* be rules around its use, we're not there yet. I figured she just got it, and we are on vacation so the rules can wait a few days. She is understandably quite enamored with her new toy.
Roddie didn't get any new electronics per se, but he did also get a pair of kid headphones, mainly for our benefit on long car rides. We also got a few new games for our Xbox, including a car racing game - that doesn't even use the kinect that he is a big fan of - I am amazed at how fast he has figured out how to keep the car "between the drains". Papa and roadie will surely have fun with this the next time they visit! Roddie insists on using his headphones for his helmet, and refuses to drive without it - safety first!!
I guess we will have to figure out how to navigate these new waters as we go.... Maybe I'll google it from my new toy :)

Pre Christmas pictures

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Biker Chicks - The Next Generation

I'm fortunate to have met some really great women during my time in Massachusetts. Many of my m more recent friend acquisitions are parents of my kids friends, as tens to happen during this phase of life.  However, I have some great pre-kid friends who have endured through our changing phases of life.  We've shared weddings, funerals, pregnancies and parenting, not to mention to mention job changes, new houses, and looking further back, countless first dates before some of us landed on "the one"   These were the ladies I hiked and biked and camped and triathlon'ed and centuried with - back when we all had time for such frivolity!  We all hope that one day again soon this will be a regular part of our lives!

The down side, of course, is that life is such that we don't live close enough to get together frequently, though we do manage to get together several times a year - without kids or husbands - and we have a standing playdate for a long weekend in October.  This year, we were able to get together, WITH our kids and husbands (and a new love interest for one!)   Matt and I were happy to host, and the house worked out just great for this size crowd.  The coolest thing was that the kids, even though they see each other 2-3x per year, were very excited to see one another and had a blast!

Emily, Laurel and Norah are fast friends... Roddie is a little wired on chocolate!

Claire, Jason, Roddie, Laurel, Norah and Emily watching a movie

I guess it was funny... Claire, Jason, Roddie, Laurel, Norah

Biker Kids, the Next Generation!

Hey Santa - Do You See This?

There's something going on at Norah's school called the Kind Kids Klub.  I really don' t know what it's all about, other than the fact that Norah came home tonight saying that she wanted to help mom and dad with an extra chore.  It's not for me to ask questions!  The kids have some regular chores that they need to do - usual stuff like tidying their room, making their beds, clearing the table etc.  

On this day, Norah decided her extra chore would be to wash the dishes.  Now, we have a dishwasher, so it's not that hard a job, but there are usually a few items that don't go in that need to be done by hand.  What was really cool about this day was that she actually asked Roddie if he wanted her to teach him how to wash the dishes.  Roddie, always happy to have his big sister's undivided attention, jumped at the opportunity!  

Me?  I just sat back, let bath time slide and wondered if I should call Santa or if the Elf would report!

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Happy st Nicholas day

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The Great Mitten Match Up of 2014!!!

When the weather turned cold, we started to dig into the bin of hats and mitts.  Every morning, there was a crisis over matching mitts.  Then, there was the issue of whether there were any that fit or not.  I bought a few pairs and they just went into the abyss!  before I bought any more, I needed to get a handle on what we actually had already - so I pitched the idea of "The Great Mitten Match-Up of 2014!" to the kids.  They loved it.  To the point that they were obsessed with it for the few days it took us to actually do it.  

So, one Wednesday night, when Matt was at a meeting, we threw all the hats and mitts in a big pile and matched them all up!  It was more fun than it sounds, and now I know for certain that I really don't need to get any more mittens!!  We threw some in the wash and matched up pretty much all of them, picked out a few that were too small.  I think it has the making of an annual affair :)

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Norah News: Who SAys Girls Only Like Pink Toys?

Goldiblox, Lego Friends and the likes are harmless enough - trying to entice girls into STEM and all, but as a woman Engineer, I sometimes wonder if we're trying too hard.  I give you exhibit A, my Norah who is having a grand time with a set of K'NEX that Matt picked up at a yard sale, long before she could use them.

She has been having a blast, creating things with motors and gears - all this with nary a sequins to be found (aside from her accessories, of course!).  No one loves pinka-pretty-princess stuff more than Norah, but she's also a curious, determined little girl.  Once she makes her mind up to do something, she really digs in until she gets it.  I've noticed it lately with skating, and with reading.  Getting her to put her mind to something can take some doing (hello, making your bed!) but even these things can be mastered.

I like to think she has a good role model, but in truth this is only a small part of the story for this girl... look out world, Norah's coming at you!

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Peace and Happiness

I had a feeling of contentment this past weekend that really struck me. My life is good, and my restless mind was at peace.  Life is good, for the most part, all of the time, but I am a restless sort and my mind is not often at peace.
I've had a lot of changes at work over the past couple of years.  First, leaving the cushy job I held during my child bearing years in search of a new opportunity that actually held some opportunity.  That job was fine, couldn't beat the logistics - 5 weeks vacation!  Boss halfway across the country!!  5 miles from home!!  Virtually no travel!!!  But I was bored to tears, and try as I might, I couldn't find something internally that excited me. In hindsight, I really struggled with balancing working motherhood during this time and may have struggled with something approaching depression as well.
So I left, and went to a start up, in a different industry and though the commute was longer and I had to hit the road once in a while, it felt like a good move.  I was making progress and building up some personal capital when the best and worst thing happened - we were bought by a BIG company.  Having been through such an acquisition before, I knew how these things go, and it wasn't for me.
Lucky for me, my current company was recruiting hard and I landed a new gig in a matter of weeks.  But that has had it's challenges too, with management changes, department changes and so on.  Most recently, the rest of my department has been laid off, and I was officially moved into another role I'd been moonlighting at.  I've been oscillating between feeling confident (hey, I still have a job!) and insecure (what IS my job anyway? )  and while I was mostly having fun, I was unsettled.
As I write this, I am starting to understand where my feeling of peace has come from.  I had my annual performance review last Thursday, and it was great!  My boss passed along a lot of really great feedback, from him and others, and communicated a forward looking plan for me, that I like.  I like it a lot.  I finally feel like leaving the cushy job, the extra hours commuting and the business trips are going to be worth it, that I made the right choices, or at least good choices.
I'm still working the balance, of course, Matt and I both are.  He's been incredibly supportive and has often commented that he can see it in my demeanor that I'm happier.  It sounds a little like I am letting work define me, and maybe that's true, but that's just who I am.  It's who I was before motherhood (let's face it, I had a suit in the 5th grade, it's been who I am since before puberty)   The funny thing in it all is that I think I'm a better mother when I'm happier at work.  I am ashamed of some of the ways I dealt with the kids during that trapped time (Norah mostly, Roddie was pretty young) and I know, for the most part, I'm better with them now than I was then.
So it was with this lens that I truly and completely enjoyed trick or treating, open skate with Roddie, a drink with a friend, Saturday night sofar time with Matt and church and family breakfast on Sunday.  The extra hour sleep didn't hurt either.

PS: Over time, sometimes my writing has been therapeutic, for me, sometimes for my family to hear about the kids, and sometimes for posterity - maybe the kids will read it one day.  I think this one is a bit of all three!

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I said "Get a Hobby"

Earlier this year I encouraged Matt to get a hobby, and instead I got a treehouse. 

 

I had in mind that he could better manage his stress if he took some time for himself - maybe go fishing, out for beers, go to the gym - something other than all us, all the time.  He went fishing a few times and then decided that adding another out building to our compound might be a good idea.  At first, I wasn't a big fan of said project - it felt like made up work, when there is plenty of work to do inside the house (Hallooo baseboards in need of paint, pictures in need of hanging and so on)  

However, taken in the context of a necessary outlet for stress, it seemed like a win-win.  It started out with a promise that "I'll use extra logs and wood from around the yard" and while there were a few trips to Home Depot involved, he did clear up a lot of odds and ends from our (and some neighbors) yards.  The slide was an excellent find by another neighbor at the side of the road.

 

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Grown Up Neighborhood Party

Our friend Megan's 40th birthday occurred recently and her family planned a surprise party for her - no kids allowed!  We figure it may have been the first time the neighbor friends have been together with out our kids, ever.  We all felt some how more free (even if all the babysitters weren't!) and had a great time.  It's so great to have such good and fun friends nearby!

Here are the ladies, waiting for the birthday girl to arrive.  That's Norah & Roddie's Mom (me), Erin & Allie's Mom, Leilani & Genevieve's Mom, Lauren & Sarah's Mom and Connor & Evie's Mom.

Me, Jen, Marsha, Lisa and Jennie.

Lori (Kaydee, Kayla and brand new Kaira's Mom, Jen, Me, Birthday Girl Megan, Marsha and Lisa)

The men, were indeed there as well.  There's Connor & Evie's Dad, Lauren & Sarah's Dad, Leilani & Genevieve's Dad, Norah & Roddie's Dad and Erin & Allie's Dad.

Brian, Keith, Bud, Matt and Dan

Norah News: First Day of First Grade!

Norah started first grade this year!  This is the first year of "real" school- full days, and I can already see, a lot more content!  While she honed her reading skills last year, she has really taken off and moved to chapter books, meaningful independant reading and is coming home with a plethora of new facts (as compared to skills) that she's learned.  It is really exciting to see her learning, growing and thriving!

Unlike last year, we live in a house and not a trailer as school begins.  Turns out our front porch is a great place for back to school photos!  Norah was really excited about getting back to school.  We had a great summer, but she was ready to get back to the business of learning!

Pondering the year ahead

Big girl, first grade!

Little bro is too cool for school!  Yer.

Mommy and Norah waiting for the gang to head off to school

Not taking ourselves or the day too seriously

The OWR Kids, Jack, Norah and Kayla. 

Around the corner, we picked up Erin and Allie

The whole gang from the hood on the first day (L-R) Kayla, Norah, Jack, Erin, Allie, Cameron, Leilani, Delaney and early achiever Kyra along for the ride!

First grade also brought about Irish Step dance class, instead of the tap and ballet she's been doing for years.  So far, it's a big hit with both Norah and Erin, who is trying dance for the first time this year.