This and That

The fog is finally clearing out of my head.  Boy, that was some party last night.  We hardly ever go to parties, especially on a school night, but I have to hand it to our neighbor who organized it for his company, boy knows how to throw a party!  We had such a fun time dancing to 80's hip hop music so much fun that we lost track of time and got home much later than we had planned.  But I know it was worth the late night because I am sitting here smiling when I think about it.  Thank you Jason and Mari for inviting us!  "All the party people in the house say 'Hey!' "

On a totally different note, I am getting ready to go to Costco to buy some snacks for the PTA bake sale today after school.  It's our first one of the year.  We want to make sure it's successful.  We have a wonderful group of ladies who are totally into PTA this year.  Only one of the five speaks English which means we have to have translators at every PTA executive board and general assembly meeting.   I am very proud of them for wanting to be involved in their children's school. One of them wants to raise enough money to send all the fifth graders on a trip to DC.  When I was in DC with the girls last weekend, we calculated how much money we would need to take the entire fifth grade and it was A LOT.  We would need $30,000 just for the airfare! But if we start raising money with this year's Pre-K class and if we apply for grants and corporate donations (from airlines!), we should be able to do it.  The ladies want to bring this up at the PTA board meeting next week.  Their enthusiasm is contagious!  I love it.  I hope more parents get infected with it.  

I'm off to buy snacks.  Happy Halloween!  TTYL.

I Am My Brother's Keeper

I am supposed to be getting ready to go to a Halloween party but instead I am feeling like writing.  That's unusual for me.  I'm usually feeling guilty that I haven't been keeping up this blog, but not so much that it compels me to do it. I figure I should go with the feeling....

Did you watch the Obama infomercial last night?  My husband made such a big deal about watching it that at exactly 7:00 p.m. he excused himself from the dinner table and announced that anyone who wanted to hang out with him should move to the family room where he would be watching Obama and later the baseball game.  Two seconds later everyone except for me and IK were in the family room.  IK was strapped to her high chair screaming at the top of her lungs to be let out so she could join everyone else.  So much for a family dinner. 

Oh, but it was worth it.  Every time I hear Obama speak, he moves me so much that tears start flowing.  His personal narrative is so inspirational and his desire to help mankind so strong, I just can't understand why anyone would not want to vote for him.  I am especially dumbfounded by the conservative religious folks.  I love watching him say, "I am my brother's keeper! I am my brother's keeper!"  Aren't we all our brother's and sister's keepers?  And isn't that what Jesus was and tells us to be?  So why is the conservative religious right so anti-Obama?  Is it really all about gays and abortion for them?  How can people be so one-issue minded?  What about helping those in need?  Why do conservative religious folks feel that is not the role of government but they feel government has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body?

I just don't get it.  Do you?

Husband on the phone asking if I'm ready for the party...I gotta go!  TTYL.

Life is an Adventure

Does your life feel like an adventure?  That's what my friend's life coach asked her.  If it doesn't she said, you are doing something wrong.  

My friend asked me that question and almost without thinking I answered, "Yes!"   But now I'm mulling over that question and I'm wondering, what constitutes an adventure?  Is it something big, like taking a trip, or is it simply a break in your routine, like taking a different route for your morning walk?

And if you're always off on an adventure, how do you fit in mundane chores?  If you're always rushing around from one adventure to another, how do you achieve the stillness you need to hear yourself think?  

In order for your life to be an adventure, do you have to have an adventure every day?  Or do you save the adventures for the weekend? Or do you make life choices that result in exciting opportunities for the rest of your life?

For instance, for the last few years I have been telling David that I am dying to go to Paris and spend some time there.  His response was, "Well, get a job there and lets move there for a year." What the?!  That's all it takes to uproot this family out of our little suburban cocoon? The other thought we had was to go to China to teach for a year.  Can you imagine the learning opportunities that would provide for the kids?   Now that definitely qualifies as an adventure.

Part of me wants to move to DC to capitalize on my policy analysis background, especially after this past weekend's trip.  Part of me wants to stay here and let the kids have a hometown like both David and I did.  Can we stay here and still feel like life is an adventure?  

And how do you instill this sense of adventure in your children if you don't model it yourself? This weekend I met a young man in DC who had back-packed his way through Latin and South America.  He traveled down the Amazon on a raft with four other guys and a guide.  Who does that?  Someone who has grown up knowing there is a bigger world out there.  He is from a small town in Alaska (no, not Wasilla!).  My husband back-packed through eastern Europe.  He is from a small town in Wyoming.  Maybe that is the key.  Let kids grow up in a small town and they will be hungry to learn what else is out there...TTYL.

Catechism 101

I'm sorry, but can someone please explain to me why any Catholic can, in good conscience, vote Republican? If you really know what the Catholic church is doing in terms of social justice, I seriously doubt that you would even consider voting Republican.  I think many just vote Republican because they think that somehow two issues - abortion and gay marriage - supercede all others. (See video:  www.catholicvote.org)

The church makes it clear that those two issues are not more important than any others. Earlier this year, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops published a guide for voting Catholics, titled "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,"in which they urge Catholics to vote strictly on the issues, but they make a special effort to emphasize that there are many issues, not just abortion or gay marriage.  The bishops advise that Catholics review ALL the issues and vote for the candidate that, in the Catholic voter's estimation, best supports the mission of the church.  

The more I read this document, the more convinced I am that Catholics should not vote Republican in this election.  And apparently, I'm not alone.  (See video: www.votethecommongood.org)

Somehow, those two issues - abortion and gay marriage - have clouded the social justice mission of the church.  This has caused a split in the church.  On the one hand, we have the conservative Catholics for whom abortion and gay marriage are the issues of priority.  On the other hand, we have the progressive Catholics, the ones who still believe the Catholic church is about social justice not just about protecting the rights of the unborn and the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman.  But whose view of the world is the correct one?

At the risk of boring you (even more?), I am summarizing the seven key themes from the Faithful Citizenship document so you can see for yourself that progressive Catholics have it right:

1. The Right to Life and Dignity of the Human Person - This is the belief that ALL human life is sacred (i.e., not just unborn babies).  Catholics oppose:

• abortion
  
• euthanasia
  
• human cloning
• destruction of human embryos
• genocide
• torture
• unjust war
• use of the death penalty
  

Catholics support:

•  pursuing peace
  
• overcoming poverty
  
• overcoming racism and other conditions that demean human life.
  

2.  Call to Family, Community, and Participation - "The family based on marriage between a man and a woman, is the fundamental unit of society."   Catholics support families, as defined above, being a priority for economic and social policy.

3. Rights and Responsibilities - Every human being has a right to life and we are responsible for one another, our families, and our larger society. Catholics support:

• the right to have religious freedom
  
• the right to access things required for human decency - food and shelter, education and employment, health care and housing

4. Options for the Poor and Vulnerable - "Those who are in greatest need deserve preferential concern." Catholics support policies that favor the unborn, those dealing with disabilities and terminal illness, the poor, and the marginalized.

5. Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers - "The economy must serve people, not the other way around." Catholics support:

• Decent work at fair, living wages
  
• Opportunities for legal status for immigrant workers
  
• Opportunities for all people to work together for the common good through their work, ownership, enterprise, investment, participation in unions, and other forms of economic activity.

6. Solidarity - "We are one human family, whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences."  Catholics support:

• Pursuing justice
  
• Eliminating racism
  
• Ending human trafficking
  
• Protecting human rights
  
• Seeking peace
  
• Avoiding the use of force, except as a necessary last resort

7. Caring for God's Creation - "Care of the earth is the duty of our Catholic faith." Catholics support policies that ensure a safe and hospitable environment for human beings (doesn't say anything about animals) now and in the future.

When I look at McCain's platform, clearly he is pandering to conservative Catholics.  One of his platform issues is titled "Sanctity of Life" and in this section he states that he will start the end of abortion by overturning Roe vs. Wade; he will pursue policies that make a traditional marriage the standard family unit; he does not support human cloning or stem cell research or the destruction of human embryos; but where is the discussion about ending the death penalty, or not torturing alleged terrorists, or invading a country under false pretense, like Bush did with Iraq?  His platform says nothing about overcoming poverty or racism.

Regarding the rights of workers and solidarity, McCain has a primitive plan to address undocumented workers.  He wants them to either leave the country or follow his prescribed path to legal status.  His path calls for undergoing criminal background checks, learning English, paying back taxes and fines, and passing a citizenship course.  McCain's platform makes no mention of decent, fair, living wages, of ending human trafficking, of protecting human rights.  

Finally, with regard to taking care of "God's creation", McCain purports to be a maverick because his platform is "greener" than most Republicans would want, but his voting record, with regard to the environment, casts some serious doubts on his commitment to really be green.  

Obama's platform is all about social justice.  He repeatedly mentions ending poverty, eliminating racism, helping the people access basic needs like healthcare, education, and housing. He is definitely pro-environment.  His job as a community organizer is a testament to his commitment to the poor and the marginalized.  It's actually kind of scary how closely aligned his views about social justice are with the Catholic church.  

So, you see, my friends, Catholics are really more Democrat than they are Republican.  :)

If you're still reading this, I commend you for staying focused and thank you for listening to my rant.   TTYL.

Nature-Deficit Disorder

Ok, walking IS fun!!! We walked the hike-and-bike trail this morning and it was totally worth it.  It was very peaceful and quiet walking among the trees.  Somehow, seeing the early morning dew on the grass and the tall trees in the background invigorates me.  We will  have to take that path more often.  It turns out there is a shortcut from our house to that park that we took the kids on Sunday.  It took us 40  minutes to get there on Sunday.  Today it took 10 to get home from the park using that shortcut.  I will have to take the kids on it today after school.  They love being outdoors. 

Recently, David and I attended a fundraiser for the West Cave Preserve, a 30-acre geological treasure in the Hill Country.  The speaker was Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods.  He spoke about children suffering from nature-deficit disorder.  He said most adults who care about the environment had a transformational outdoor experience as youngsters.  His main worry is who is going to care about the environment in the future if today's youngsters spend most of their time indoors watching TV, playing video games, or on the computer?  

It's a very compelling argument.  I think back on my childhood days and recall fondly being outdoors most of the time.  Partly because we didn't have air-conditioning and partly because my grandma would send us out to play and we couldn't come back until she was done mopping or cooking dinner.  Most of the neighborhood kids were out there with us, too, for the same reasons, I suppose.  We invented Olympic games, fairy games, races.  We climbed trees.  We built forts out of branches.  We hid in the tall grass.  It was awesome how much time were outdoors. I also remember going to the beach almost every weekend once the weather got hot and we went fishing at the port year-round.   I remember building forts out of mud at the port while our parents were fishing.  That was so much fun!

We want our children to care about the environment, too, and I wonder if we are doing a good job teaching them to love and care for the outdoors. Our friend's house backs up to the greenbelt and her boys and DK love spending time out there "exploring" and building forts and tree houses.  We go hiking any chance we get.  We just started going camping regularly with the kids the last few years. But is that enough?  

I am actually thinking of starting a nature club at school.  Louv recommended that.  There are many organizations who offer nature club start-up kits.  I'm envisioning a group of kids that:   1)  goes hiking regularly, 2) plants a garden at school and then sells their plants/produce at the farmer's market, and 3) listens to nature-oriented speakers regularly.  I guess starting a club like that can be a goal of mine for my last year at home.  I need to work on finding a teacher to work with me so we can incorporate what we are doing with the lessons in school.  This could be do-able.

Ok, I'm off to pick up the kids from school.  TTYL.

Walking is Fun, Walking is Fun

I need to keep reminding myself that walking IS fun.  The days are getting shorter and much cooler making our 7:30a.m. walks very difficult.  We decided to go at 8a.m. today but I just didn't feel up to it.  We are going to go a little bit later when it's warmer and the sun is out.  I hope we go on the hike-and-bike trail.  We have lived in this neighborhood for 4 years and I have only been on that trail a total of three times including the bike ride with the family this weekend.  That is sad.  I drive by that trail every day and long to walk it, but I can't figure out a way to actually get it done.  Ok, that's it.  I'm going to walk it right now.  TTYL.

Lazy Monday, sort of

I love Mondays.  I need them to recover from the busy weekends with the kids and hubby at home.  This weekend was especially full.  The kids and DH had baseball practice Saturday morning, followed by a trip to the Zilker Botanical Gardens for the DinoLand Exhibit.  They have life-size statues of dinosaurs at the gardens and from the pictures, they look fantastic.  DH's school took 340! people to the exhibit.  The kids loved it.   

I was planning to go but decided against it because we kept the kids up too late the night before at the school's faculty fall picnic.  That was so much fun, too.  The teacher who hosted it had delicious barbecue, hay rides, pony rides, and horse rides for the adults.  It was hosted at her father's ranch.  It was fun, but the kids stayed up until 11pm.  Not a good idea.  Isabella was a wreck Saturday morning so I opted out of Dinoland and instead went to the farmer's market and to thrift stores for the day with my friend Julie.  We had a wonderful time. I wish we'd gotten to the market earlier though.  They were out of fresh eggs and a host of other staples by the time we got there.  I love the different foods they have there!  We had spanakopita (sp?) and fresh-baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  Yum.

That evening I went out with Julie and Lila on a girl's night out.  We went to Guero's for a yummy Mexican dinner and margaritas.  I ran into a couple of teacher's from David's school there.  Then we went to the Belmont which is a bar on sixth street.  Coincidentally, Julie's high school was having a reunion there for the class year before Julie's so she saw a lot of old friends.  I also ran into another group of teachers from David's school at the Belmont.  It was kind of funny to see so many of the same people I had seen the night before at the picnic.  I didn't realize Austin was such a small town!   The girls, most of whom are in there mid to late 20's and were there with their boyfriends/spouses, were wondering why I was out without my DH.  Where is he?  Home with the kids?  Why are you out by yourself?   Maybe the idea of a girl's night out doesn't sound that great until you have little kids at home and need a small break to just visit with your lady friends and have a drink together.  I was the designated driver so I really only had one drink with dinner but I still felt like I'd been run over by a bus the next morning when I had to get up at 7:30 a.m. for church having only slept a total of 5 hours.  But truth be told, I don't think I've ever been able to sleep less than 8 hours and feel like myself the next day.  

Sunday morning we were busy with church and religious ed (RE).  We had a big brunch at home after church and DK suggested we go on a bike ride on the hike-and-bike trail near our house.  I was surprised that NK was able to ride her bike the whole way to the park which is about 2 miles from our house.  She is still on training wheels, but she was trooper.  They were excited to find that at the end of the hike-and-bike trail is a playground.  That was a real treat for them.

 

We got home just in time to change and get ready for BASEBALL!  Last night was our second to last game of the season.  Both NK and DK play so we basically spend our Sunday evenings at the ball field.  DK's game ended at 8pm.  We got home very late for a school night.  NK fell asleep on the way home which was too bad because she really needed a bath after all the biking and baseball she had today.  Oh, well.  She can always take a shower in the morning.  :)

I was so tired when I put Isabella down last night that I fell asleep with her for a couple of hours.  When I got up, DH was just getting back from watching the Red Sox lose.  Bummer.

I was so tired this morning that I did not hear the kids or DH get up for school.  I woke up 10 minutes before our pest-control guy came to our house this morning.  I always feel so bad when I can't help David get the kids ready for school in the morning.  He can do it by himself but I'm sure he appreciates the help.  Tomorrow.

I've done the dishes already but still have a lot to do today - clean bathrooms,  make beds, and do laundry,  but it is so much fun to sit here and write this while I sip my coffee.  As I write this I need to add another chore to my list of things today, I must now vacuum because Isabella has just pulled out all of the tissues from the tissue box and has proceeded to shred every single one of them on the rug in the family room.   She needs better supervision!  :)   TTYL.

Domestic Goddess

Today feels like a sad New England early fall morning -- cloudy and cool.  My morning walk was fun but felt shorter than usual.  Maybe that's because we took a different route through the neighborhood and a new friend came along with us.   This weather always reminds me of my days in New England when DK was a baby.  It makes me feel like baking cookies or bread. I know for sure it makes me want to cook stews and pot roasts.  Maybe I'll go with that feeling.

I should really feel like a million dollars this morning because I went to bed with IK at 8pm last night and slept until 6am this morning.  Wow.  Haven't gotten that much sleep in a few months.  Which is why I don't understand why I am still tired????

I'm looking at the title I chose for this entry and wondering why I've written so much already and haven't gotten to the point.  This week I've been feeling more domestic than I have in a long time.  I cooked up a storm. Last night we had Brunswick Stew which is a 19th-century recipe from Virginia that I found in Cooking Light.  It actually calls for squirrel, but they opt for chicken.  It was so GOOD!  

I've been home for four years now and I finally feel like I know how to do the housework in a way that doesn't feel like I'm always doing housework.  It requires doing a little bit every day before going out and doing errands.  I have a few things that must get done in order for the house to feel like it's tidy:  1)  I have to make my bed every day.  2)  I have to do the dishes every day 3) I have to do at least one load of laundry every day.   We have four bathrooms to clean so I clean them in pairs (2 upstairs on Monday, 2 downstairs on Thursday).  I think our grandmothers had it right when they said, "Monday is for cleaning.  Tuesday is for washing..." 

For me, having a cleaning schedule is really working.  There are still busy days when I don't get everything done around the house and it drives me nuts but for the most part, I feel like we are not living in constant chaos.   The weekends, when we are all home together, we have to make a special effort to put things back; otherwise, the house looks like a wreck.  I don't normally schedule outings on Monday so I can put the house back together.  

I guess this whole thing started working for me when I realized that cleaning is never-ending.  It's maintenance.  You're probably saying "duh" but for some reason, I always felt cleaning was something you did once a week and the rest of the week you undid the cleaning.  This epiphany has really done wonders for our house.  I'm not saying it's spic and span, but I don't feel like I have to rush around putting stuff under the bed and in closets, when an unexpected guest rings the door bell.  Of course, as I'm writing that, I'm looking around and there are toys strewn on the floor our family room.  Halloween costumes that we used for our Halloween dress rehearsal last night are lying on the couch and a mattress pad is dangling over three chairs so it could air dry.  Would I really want an unexpected guest to see my house like this?  

I am a little sad to say that my domestic goddess days are coming to an end as this is my last year at home.  When we first decided that it would be good for me to try to stay home with the kids, I thought I'd do it for a year and I'd go nuts.  But I didn't.  I loved it.  By the time I go back to work it will have been five years since I've worked.  That is a long time to be out of the work force.  I feel if I stay out any longer, I will have a hard time getting back in.  Also, it will be very nice to have the extra income.   

We were talking about this at dinner the other night.  David thinks I would make a great teacher.  I'm not so sure.  I was telling David that I don't really know if I know how to teach. My eight-year-old chimed right in, "Mom, teaching is easy.  All you have to do is talk, talk, talk."

Great.  I wonder why he thinks I would be good at that???   More on that later.  Have to go "tidy."  TTYL.

Food for Thought

Today was all about food.  I woke up early (5:45 a.m.) to make bacon and egg tacos for the kids and David.  Then I prepared a yummy chicken dinner and put it in the crock pot.  That was followed by grocery shopping.  Lunch consisted of a pita with hummus and cucumber slices.  For dinner I made Mexican rice to accompany the yummy crock pot chicken, a salad, and apple crisp.  I don't remember the last time I cooked that much.

It was a nice way to spend a rainy day with IK.   I didn't have to pick up the kids from school today because David offered to bring them home after NK's karate class ends.  IK took a long nap today and it reminded me of the days I spent at home when DK was a baby.  It's so different when you just have one to worry about.  Poor IK naps in her car seat regularly because her nap time coincides with school pick up time.   She hardly ever gets to sleep this long.  So her long nap today was a special treat for her and for me.

I had big plans for today, but I still have tons of laundry to fold and more to wash.  I didn't vacuum and I didn't clean all the bathrooms, but hey, at least I cooked.

Oh, did I mention, that Isabella is finally walking on her own!?  It is so cute to watch her.  Will post video soon.  TTYL.

Rock all Night and Party Everyday

Inspired by my husband's cousin, Carrie, (or is it second cousin once-removed? she's actually the daughter of his first cousin...) and the writing workshop I attended a few weeks ago, I will start blogging as of today. 

This is really my second attempt at blogging.  I tried it a few months ago but could not manage to get interested or excited about writing in it.  I think I need to think of a topic or theme for the blog, but there are so many to choose from.  I guess I can start by telling you about our trip to Mexico this weekend.

We just got back from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico last night. We went to my niece's wedding.  I thought it would be a quick trip but the travel gods had other plans for us.  We were cruising along I-35 heading south when we came to a screeching halt just outside of San Antonio.  The whole freeway turned into a huge parking lot in a matter of seconds.  We were stuck in this traffic for more than hour.  Why you ask?  Because apparently the DOT thinks it is a good idea to repaint the lane markers on the road at 11a.m. on the Saturday of a holiday weekend.  Four lanes of highway were merged down to one!  

Then we hit another snag getting our car permit in Laredo.  There were no directions posted anywhere and no one seemed to know what we needed to get a permit and five people into Mexico.  They had us go through the same line three times and each time they kept forgetting to ask us for a copy of this document or that one.  One-hundred and forty dollars and one and a half hours later we were finally back on the road.  Unfortunately, we had one hour before the wedding was supposed to start.   Darn.

Once you cross the border, the drive down to Monterrey from Laredo is 145 miles.  (It's 225 from Austin to Laredo).  When we realized we were going to miss the actual wedding ceremony, we decided to just enjoy the drive.  Well, I decided that.  The kids and David had decided that the moment we left the house.  It was hard to enjoy the drive at first because the drive is not so pretty right out of Nuevo Laredo.  All you see in this segment are trucks parked on the side of the road, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, cardboard houses, stagnant water, and blown out tires.  The scenery changed dramatically once we were half-way to Monterrey. Breath-taking views of mountains and valleys appeared.  The dessert valley was covered in tall cacti and bushes with beautiful white blooms.  It was easy to relax in this gorgeous scenery.

I got nervous again as we approached the city because we had no map of the city of Monterrey. All we had was the address of the hotel, but due to a fortuitous alignment of the stars, the hotel was on the main highway we were on as was a Sam's Club and Church's Fried Chicken and many other American companies.  In some parts of the highway, it felt like we were back in the states.  It was sad and disappointing and I couldn't help but wonder why people in Monterrey would want to eat Church's fried chicken when there are so many other delicious Mexican foods to choose from?

By the time we got to the hotel, we had missed the wedding ceremony and we still had to change into our party clothes.  I thought we were going to miss the party, too, but I was SO wrong.  When the cab dropped us off at the beautiful ballroom an hour latear, they were just finishing up the civil ceremony. It was 10pm when the party finally started. We got to dance and have dinner - very late @ 11pm! - and enjoy ourselves until the wee hours of the night.  The kids napped during the early part of the reception and woke up in time to play with cousins and dance with us.  The dance ended at 3 a.m. but the party continued at my brother's house until 6a.m.   This last part of the party is called the torna boda and they serve menudo and tamales. Yum.  But we were so exhausted that we took the chartered bus to the hotel from the ballroom and went straight to bed.  We probably didn't fall asleep until 4:30a.m.  and we were up at 9a.m. the next morning.  After a leisurely brunch at my brother's house, we were ready to head back home around 2pm.  We tried a new bridge -- there are 3 in Laredo -- but it still took us 1 hour to cross it.  We got home at 10pm and we had parent teacher conferences this morning at 7a.m.  What was I thinking when I scheduled those so early in the morning?

Despite the lack of sleep, we had so much fun that we are thinking of driving to Veracruz for part of our Christmas break!