Bilingual Daughter

The school district sent a form in the mail to return to school to indicate which language was the primary language spoken at home, what language did the child speak, and what was the first language the child learned. I filled it out and gave it to Olivia to return to her school. She asked me what it was for. I explained to her that it was a form for the school asking which language that we spoke at home and that I had put that we speak English. Then she said "I speak Spanish." I said "Really? I didn't know that. Will you please go brush your teeth and get ready for school?" She said "Si." Then this afternoon, her and I were going to the school to watch Chloe in her chorus performance. Olivia asked where we were going and I said "To escuela." She said "What does that mean?" I said "I thought you spoke Spanish." She said "I was just tricking you. Of course I speak Spanish."
And while I am speaking about my darling daughter, get ready for her, people. With a new trampoline there have been a couple of incidents when she has felt slighted and that she is getting the brunt of bad jumps. So she called a family meeting to discuss the problem. And interestingly enough, all attended (except Blake who was asleep), and she got them to agree to rules regarding proper jumping etiquette.

What I've Done so Far

I have felt guilty for not updating this (great. Another thing to feel guilty about that has been self imposed), BUT I have done a few things. I have wiped my kitchen ceiling so thoroughly, that you could eat off of them. That is, if you wanted to eat off the ceiling. I washed my front door and got rid of the mosquito nest in the front porch. But, the most notable thing was that I changed the toilet fill valve in our bathroom. And I didn't have to ask the husband for assistance. That was a feeling of accomplishment and that maybe I CAN be just like my mom and be the family plumber. That's all to report for now. OF COURSE, I have been doing my daily chores and routine. Whoops! I almost forgot that I washed the walls. They are dirty again, but it got done.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

I know. I can hear it already. How in the world can I be complaining about the Arctic Blast that is hitting the Valley of the Sun, but I think I have every right. This is so not right. We are not prepared at all for highs in the 40s. I told me girls to wear layers (I didn't bother with Dillan, as he was headed out the door with shorts and a t-shirt on. I tried though. I dusted off a sweatshirt for him, but he balked at it). For Olivia that meant two long sleeved shirts, a jacket, hat, scarf, and two pairs of socks. Chloe was much more conservative and wore a long sleeved shirt and jacket. I told them that they had to cover up any exposed skin, because that's what they said on the radio. I am not kidding. Phoenix is so not used to this that common sense does not prevail, we have to be told to layer and cover up exposed skin. But then I thought how I wished they would make this public advisory more often. How I wish that I did not have to see as much exposed skin as I do when the temps get above 70. Even then, a healthy dose of common decency would be appreciated. So after Blake and I had lunch I headed out to the pool (Blake was dressed in shorts and a t shirt. He refused to have any other clothing put on him. Maybe it's genetic. I had a shirt, two sweaters, and a snow jacket) to clean out all of the leaves that had blown in there from the past few blustery days. I was shocked to find a thin layer of ice in the pool filter. THAT'S COLD, PEOPLE! Another example of how cold it is here, when I went to lunch yesterday, I looked at the valet and thought how weird he looked because he was wearing a snow cap! I bet he had to go buy it special just for the day. Kevin spotted ice crystals on the golf course yesterday. But my dear friend, Stacey, brought up an excellent point yesterday. At lease we don't have to shovel anything. And for all of you people who think that I have no right to complain, remember this when I come to your neck of the woods and it's a measly 100 degrees and YOU are complaining how hot it is, and I will be thinking, Man, this is Heaven. Or Fall.

This is harder than I thought

OK, so making this goal was probably not a good idea coming off of the holidays and a vacation. So, in essence, I have not done anything differently than I have all along. But, I do have a lengthy list of things I would like to do, and intend to accomplish. I do not feel like I have failed, because my family is fed, the house is relatively clean, I am working full time still, until I can release the guilt of letting others down, and I am training for a marathon. So tomorrow, the housekeeper is coming and I have my long run. The marathon is in one week from Sunday, so I need to focus on getting a time less than four hours. My goal for tomorrow is to put up the Valentine's Day curtains and put the Quicken money manager on my computer, because having a balanced budget is a homemakers job. I will report tomorrow night (as long as work isn't too busy).

This is IT!!!!

Starting today (and I am on vacation, so it doesn't really count today, but I have done the part with trying to keep a happy home), I am a homemaker. BY CHOICE. I have quit my full time nursing job to become a homemaker to a home that holds one supportive, handsome husband, and four darling children. I am doing this to improve the quality of my home, bring unity to my family, and get the guilt out of me! So, when I get back home, I will start this journey, so tomorrow I have ten hours to think about how I am going to accomplish this. So get ready for pictures of before and after shots of the projects that I have and after I finish them. Wish me luck. And wish my family luck. They will probably need it.