Last week was spring break at work and I took a few days off to work on research for my dissertation. I got some research done, but managed to procrastinate by cleaning house and taking a few naps. It was nice having those few days off, but I'm a little worried that tomorrow is going to seem awfully hectic now. I've got way too many emails that I've looked at subject lines, but not opened and read. Plus, it appears that I'm getting dangerously close to my limit on space in my inbox. I miss Jade...he knew how I was with my email and adjusted my space limit accordingly. It's always nice when former student employees get key full-time positions on graduation. :)
I also went to a woman's house to participate in their stamping event (not postage stamps, rubber stamps to make crafty things like cards). It's the second time I've gone to one of her stamping events and it's nice to get out of the house and talk to people about non-work-related stuff. And, I have a few cool cards to show for it.
What else? Not much else has been going on here. The weather has gotten warm (relatively speaking). As I write this at 10:38 pm, it's still 68 degrees outside.
OH...so, I think I've established that we live out in the middle of nowhere by my standards. Yesterday I let Mickey out back and I'm watching him from inside because we don't have a fence and he wasn't on a leash or anything. He goes sniffing around over by some rocks and shrubs and all of a sudden his eyes get super big and he begins back pedaling to get away from something. So, Maranda and I put on our shoes and go outside to check it out. There was this wriggling mass of, like, 7 garter snakes just hanging out in a pile in the grass by the rocks. And, today, they're still there and there's a second pile of 4 garter snakes a little ways away (kind of by Maranda's trampoline). Shelby if you're reading this, I've just completely scared you out of ever coming to the state of Wisconsin. Then, later today, there was a whole herd of kids playing softball out in our driveway and one kid decides he wants to see the snakes and catch one to take home, but he's too chicken to catch a snake in the bottle or glass that he's got. So, Maranda actually helps him catch the snake (this did NOT require her to actually touch a snake). Eeeeeewwwwwwwwwwww! (Sorry Shelby and anybody else that's freaked out by snakes!) The kid actually took the snake home...I hope it's not inside his house. If the garter snakes don't go away as the weather gets warmer, we're gonna have to figure out what makes garter snakes go away. Any ideas?
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Monday, March 19, 2007
Aaaaaaahhhhhhh....parenthood
(You can tell this is gonna be good already, huh?)
So, a couple of weeks ago one of Maranda's friends invited her to spend the night at her dad's (she lives with her mom) for her birthday on the 17th. We didn't know if she could at the time, because that was the same weekend as the State Swim Meet and we weren't sure if Maranda would qualify to swim at state. She was highly irate at the time that we couldn't give an immediate answer. So, she ended up not quite getting the times she needed in a couple of events to qualify, which means that she was able to go to her friend's house. She was slightly disappointed about swimming, but excited about going with her friend.
Saturday was the big day. I dropped Maranda off at her friend's house and the friend's mom was driving them 30 minutes to meet the friend's dad and he was taking them the other 30 minutes to where he lives. Although, they were staying in a hotel room so the kids could swim at the pool there.
Saturday night, Maranda was gone with friends and Mark was at work. I didn't quite know what to do with myself. :) I watched a couple of movies on TV and did the dishes. I know I lead an exciting life. At 9 pm, the phone rings and all I can hear are kids having fun in the background and my child crying. Maranda didn't talk, just cried. (This is not the first time this has happened. She would do this in Lincoln, too.) So, I'm trying to get her calmed down enough to tell me what was going on and she finally says that she misses us and she kind of wants to come home, but kind of wants to stay and she's upset. (Did you get the part above, where they're an hour's drive from our house?) I keep trying to calm her down and get her to stop crying. After about 10 minutes, she sounds like herself and I tell her that I'm not willing to drive an hour just to get there and have her change her mind. So, I tell her to play with her friends for awhile longer and call me at 10 pm to tell me what she wants to do.
At 10 pm, she calls and tells me that she wants to come home. So, the friend's dad gets on the phone and gives me directions to where they are staying. I call Mark at work and tell him that I'm headed to pick up Maranda and he'd be home from work before we'd be home.
So, I drive an hour north of Green Bay. I go through Oconto, Peshtigo and Marinette. Then, I cross the Menominee river and enter the upper peninsula of Michigan! I had to leave the state to pick my child up from her sleepover! They were only a few minutes over the bridge....but, seriously...
When I got to the hotel, Maranda was in good spirits and still ready to come home. Thankfully, her little friends weren't mad at her and they didn't seem to be teasing her about leaving. We didn't get home until about 12:30 am and she promptly went in and went to bed. She slept in until about 9 am on Sunday, which is like sleeping in until Noon for other people. :) So, we survived, but I had to leave the state to get her. Can you believe that?
So, a couple of weeks ago one of Maranda's friends invited her to spend the night at her dad's (she lives with her mom) for her birthday on the 17th. We didn't know if she could at the time, because that was the same weekend as the State Swim Meet and we weren't sure if Maranda would qualify to swim at state. She was highly irate at the time that we couldn't give an immediate answer. So, she ended up not quite getting the times she needed in a couple of events to qualify, which means that she was able to go to her friend's house. She was slightly disappointed about swimming, but excited about going with her friend.
Saturday was the big day. I dropped Maranda off at her friend's house and the friend's mom was driving them 30 minutes to meet the friend's dad and he was taking them the other 30 minutes to where he lives. Although, they were staying in a hotel room so the kids could swim at the pool there.
Saturday night, Maranda was gone with friends and Mark was at work. I didn't quite know what to do with myself. :) I watched a couple of movies on TV and did the dishes. I know I lead an exciting life. At 9 pm, the phone rings and all I can hear are kids having fun in the background and my child crying. Maranda didn't talk, just cried. (This is not the first time this has happened. She would do this in Lincoln, too.) So, I'm trying to get her calmed down enough to tell me what was going on and she finally says that she misses us and she kind of wants to come home, but kind of wants to stay and she's upset. (Did you get the part above, where they're an hour's drive from our house?) I keep trying to calm her down and get her to stop crying. After about 10 minutes, she sounds like herself and I tell her that I'm not willing to drive an hour just to get there and have her change her mind. So, I tell her to play with her friends for awhile longer and call me at 10 pm to tell me what she wants to do.
At 10 pm, she calls and tells me that she wants to come home. So, the friend's dad gets on the phone and gives me directions to where they are staying. I call Mark at work and tell him that I'm headed to pick up Maranda and he'd be home from work before we'd be home.
So, I drive an hour north of Green Bay. I go through Oconto, Peshtigo and Marinette. Then, I cross the Menominee river and enter the upper peninsula of Michigan! I had to leave the state to pick my child up from her sleepover! They were only a few minutes over the bridge....but, seriously...
When I got to the hotel, Maranda was in good spirits and still ready to come home. Thankfully, her little friends weren't mad at her and they didn't seem to be teasing her about leaving. We didn't get home until about 12:30 am and she promptly went in and went to bed. She slept in until about 9 am on Sunday, which is like sleeping in until Noon for other people. :) So, we survived, but I had to leave the state to get her. Can you believe that?
Saturday, March 10, 2007
It's Spring....almost
Our snow is starting to melt! I think Mark's a little sad that he's working on putting up the snowmobile for the summer, but is excited that he's gotten to use it as much as he has. Since we live out in the middle of nowhere (kind of), there are snowmobile tracks all along the side of the roads. I haven't noticed people out riding on the way to work in the morning, but it appears that there are a lot of snowmobilers that have been out and about.
It got up in the 40s yesterday and I wore a skirt to work for the first time in like 3 or 4 months. I've gotten tired of wearing the same pairs of pants everyday. And, I was walking around without a coat for awhile. It's beautiful. Last night, I thought it was raining. But when I looked outside, it was just the snow melting on the roof and dripping by the front door.
It's 7:43 am and it's already sunny out and 33. Could it be spring?! I've really enjoyed the snow, but I think I'm ready to be able to do some things outdoors without freezing my butt off. :)
Maranda had the day off from school yesterday and she went over to a friend's house and spent the night. Mark was at work and didn't get home until Midnight. And, what did I do with my exciting evening? I went to the grocery store, gave myself a pedicure, watched What Not to Wear and read Newsweek. Am I old, or what? She's got Monday off, too. It's their version of Spring Break here. The college still has another week until spring break. Apparently, the drinking behavior for St. Patrick's Day was so problematic in past years, that they've scheduled spring break to include St. Patty's Day. I guess it's a Catholic thing. ;)
I'm planning on taking a few days off over spring break to work on my dissertation proposal. Maranda and I are planning to head to Lincoln for the NWU commencement in May. It would be nice if I could do my dissertation proposal for my committee at the same time.
Well, I should probably be somewhat productive with my day. Don't forget that Daylight Savings Time goes into effect this weekend. I hope you're all enjoying spring, too!
It got up in the 40s yesterday and I wore a skirt to work for the first time in like 3 or 4 months. I've gotten tired of wearing the same pairs of pants everyday. And, I was walking around without a coat for awhile. It's beautiful. Last night, I thought it was raining. But when I looked outside, it was just the snow melting on the roof and dripping by the front door.
It's 7:43 am and it's already sunny out and 33. Could it be spring?! I've really enjoyed the snow, but I think I'm ready to be able to do some things outdoors without freezing my butt off. :)
Maranda had the day off from school yesterday and she went over to a friend's house and spent the night. Mark was at work and didn't get home until Midnight. And, what did I do with my exciting evening? I went to the grocery store, gave myself a pedicure, watched What Not to Wear and read Newsweek. Am I old, or what? She's got Monday off, too. It's their version of Spring Break here. The college still has another week until spring break. Apparently, the drinking behavior for St. Patrick's Day was so problematic in past years, that they've scheduled spring break to include St. Patty's Day. I guess it's a Catholic thing. ;)
I'm planning on taking a few days off over spring break to work on my dissertation proposal. Maranda and I are planning to head to Lincoln for the NWU commencement in May. It would be nice if I could do my dissertation proposal for my committee at the same time.
Well, I should probably be somewhat productive with my day. Don't forget that Daylight Savings Time goes into effect this weekend. I hope you're all enjoying spring, too!
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