Today I am thankful for...my small house.
When we moved from DC to Atlanta, we chose to downsize our home. We had a beautiful, new construction town home in the DC suburbs, but the commute was a bear (an hour of cars, buses and trains). When we knew we were moving to Atlanta, we decided we'd buy for the investment and that we'd buy in-town.
Location was key. The hubby's random school schedule made it important for him to be relatively close and my new status as a work from home employee meant I wanted to be close to some action, ANY action, so I wouldn't go stir crazy and could be just minutes away from any client meetings.
In terms of location, we hit the nail on the head. We are close to the highway, practically around the corner from a hospital, moments from Midtown, moments to the heart of Buckhead, a short drive to the airport, close to museums, parks, the Zoo, restaurants, shopping and in the best elementary school district in the city. Score.
Unfortunately, our price range meant that we significantly downsized our square footage. We are now in a two bed/two bath ranch home. Some days I feel like we're bursting at the seams, and we probably are. But I have really come to value a space's function and, as a result, maximizing every little corner of our home.
We actually sacrificed little of our furniture when we moved. The coffee table in our living room had to go based on the layout and placement of the front door (we'd be banging our shins every time we passed through the room), but the ottoman was easily repurposed with a tray to serve as a table top. The hubby's drum set had to be put in the attic for a little while. The futon left once we had to make room for peanut's furniture. But the rest, all strategically arranged throughout our little home.
The hardest part has been the closet space. Three closets in the whole house took a lot of getting used to. The up side? We have been forced to really evaluate what we own, what we bring into the house, what we keep. It's like a built-in clutter honor system.
Living in a culture of consumerism with bigger cars and McMansions, I am thankful for the lessons that living smaller are instilling in our family. Sure, if we could live in a bigger house I'd do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, the hubby and I are totally too responsible (two oldest siblings here). We know how tough the market is for selling homes in our neighborhood right now. We are still hesitant to leave our perfect location. I am enjoying my time as a stay-at-home-mom and want to take advantage of it a little longer before having to depend on a second income to make a larger mortgage payment.
So we have the blueprints for an addition plan that await stability in the economic situation. We clean out the closets and cabinets every six months and rearrange the furniture periodically to see if we can't freshen things up with a slightly new perspective.
Even though it's old, even though it's small, even though it needs some TLC, it's home. It's where we brought peanut home when he was 48 hours old. It's where he took his first steps. It's where we laugh and share meals and chase naked baby around and into the bath tub every evening. It's a home that brings us a lot of joy and comfort. And that's really all you can ask from a house, isn't it?
Note: Congrats to the hubby's brother's family as they move into their new home this week! What an exciting time to make a new house a home - just in time for the holidays and a new addition. Wishing you all the best as you create a host of new memories in your new home.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
30 Days of Thanks: Day 17
Today I am thankful for...Piedmont Park.
Two to three times a week, nearly every week since peanut was three months old, I have bundled him up or lathered him in sunscreen (depending on the weather), popped him in the stroller and headed out for a workout at Atlanta's Piedmont Park. I was never an athlete. I was active, sure. I played soccer in the fifth grade and ate my share of orange slices. I did flag corps for eight years (geek alert!) and had the best arms to prove it.
But an athlete? No. A jogger? No. A regular exerciser, even? Not for longer than a few months at a time, usually after the holidays like everyone else.
Then, I had a baby and a friend told me about Stroller Strides. I've been hooked ever since. Not only has it gotten me into pretty good shape considering I've birthed a child, but I've made some great friends there. It's a guaranteed hour or two of talking to adults and keeping peanut occupied with a playground and his own friends.
Today, as we sprinted up a massive hill and I was sucking wind, I reached the apex and was treated to one of my favorite views in the city. Midtown skyscrapers raising into the blue sky, geese skidding to a landing in the duck pond, trees fluttering in the cold, morning breeze, leaves crunching underfoot. Piedmont Park is truly an Atlanta gem. A serene, green place in the middle of the city. A place I am thankful to enjoy every week. A place I am thankful to build memories with peanut in. A place that has made Atlanta home for our family.
A place you can find me in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. See you then!
Two to three times a week, nearly every week since peanut was three months old, I have bundled him up or lathered him in sunscreen (depending on the weather), popped him in the stroller and headed out for a workout at Atlanta's Piedmont Park. I was never an athlete. I was active, sure. I played soccer in the fifth grade and ate my share of orange slices. I did flag corps for eight years (geek alert!) and had the best arms to prove it.
But an athlete? No. A jogger? No. A regular exerciser, even? Not for longer than a few months at a time, usually after the holidays like everyone else.
Then, I had a baby and a friend told me about Stroller Strides. I've been hooked ever since. Not only has it gotten me into pretty good shape considering I've birthed a child, but I've made some great friends there. It's a guaranteed hour or two of talking to adults and keeping peanut occupied with a playground and his own friends.
Today, as we sprinted up a massive hill and I was sucking wind, I reached the apex and was treated to one of my favorite views in the city. Midtown skyscrapers raising into the blue sky, geese skidding to a landing in the duck pond, trees fluttering in the cold, morning breeze, leaves crunching underfoot. Piedmont Park is truly an Atlanta gem. A serene, green place in the middle of the city. A place I am thankful to enjoy every week. A place I am thankful to build memories with peanut in. A place that has made Atlanta home for our family.
A place you can find me in every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. See you then!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
30 Days of Thanks: Day 16
Today I am thankful for...family outings.
We took peanut to his first theater performance today. The hubby recently surprised me with a date night out to see a comedy show and, when he was buying tickets, he noticed that there was a live production of "Goodnight Moon" coming up. He snagged tickets right away.
The show was slated to last an hour with no intermission. I was slightly nervous about how peanut would handle sitting still for that long in the middle of his nap time, but was very excited for him to see his first live performance. The hubby had the forethought to purchase peanut his own seat even though, at two-years-old, he didn't require one.
We arrived about 10 minutes before show time. Peanut happily held his ticket and proudly handed it to the usher himself. We got settled in our seats - piling our coats behind peanut so he could sit up near the edge of the seat to see better. Once he got his bearings, he was having a grand old time kicking the cup holders on the back of the seats in front of us and I began to fear the worst.
But, when the lights went down and the music started and he recognized items on the set from the book, he was hooked. He sat completely still the whole time, staring at the action. After songs he clapped energetically. When it was over, he said "more!"
We decided to throw nap time to the wind* and went out for ice cream after. We all enjoyed our treat and peanut recounted his favorite parts of the show. His very favorite? "The moon talking."
I had a wonderful time, my heart bursting with joy at his excitement and pride at his good manners and excellent behavior. Whether it's a walk in the park, a special outing for lunch, watching the shuttle lift-off, or a play and ice cream, I cherish the time we spend experiencing things as a family.
To use peanut's favorite new phrase: "It is awesome!"
*Note: He IS napping. The excitement and the sugar must have caused a crash and he's out: "Good night light and the red balloon..."
We took peanut to his first theater performance today. The hubby recently surprised me with a date night out to see a comedy show and, when he was buying tickets, he noticed that there was a live production of "Goodnight Moon" coming up. He snagged tickets right away.
The show was slated to last an hour with no intermission. I was slightly nervous about how peanut would handle sitting still for that long in the middle of his nap time, but was very excited for him to see his first live performance. The hubby had the forethought to purchase peanut his own seat even though, at two-years-old, he didn't require one.
We arrived about 10 minutes before show time. Peanut happily held his ticket and proudly handed it to the usher himself. We got settled in our seats - piling our coats behind peanut so he could sit up near the edge of the seat to see better. Once he got his bearings, he was having a grand old time kicking the cup holders on the back of the seats in front of us and I began to fear the worst.
But, when the lights went down and the music started and he recognized items on the set from the book, he was hooked. He sat completely still the whole time, staring at the action. After songs he clapped energetically. When it was over, he said "more!"
We decided to throw nap time to the wind* and went out for ice cream after. We all enjoyed our treat and peanut recounted his favorite parts of the show. His very favorite? "The moon talking."
I had a wonderful time, my heart bursting with joy at his excitement and pride at his good manners and excellent behavior. Whether it's a walk in the park, a special outing for lunch, watching the shuttle lift-off, or a play and ice cream, I cherish the time we spend experiencing things as a family.
To use peanut's favorite new phrase: "It is awesome!"
*Note: He IS napping. The excitement and the sugar must have caused a crash and he's out: "Good night light and the red balloon..."
Saturday, November 15, 2008
30 Days of Thanks: Day 15
Today I am thankful for..."like father, like son."
The hubby loves the space program. There was a time in his life when he wanted to be an astronaut. Really, really wanted to be an astronaut. Too bad his eyesight and complicated relationship with heights and airplanes has kept him grounded.
But he's still close to the program. There are many nights we've stayed up until the wee hours to watch a shuttle return home on the NASA channel. We've been to the National Air and Space Museum annex at Dulles Airport where he was like a kid in a candy store. He's researching the missions for the next few years so we can plan a trip to see a launch in person before the shuttle is out of service in 2010. He still gets sincerely emotional at the Challenger disaster. So much so that when I saw the Columbia disaster on the TV screens as I was running through O'Hare to make a tight connecting flight to LA, my first thought was to call him to make sure he was okay, risking my spot on the flight. His knowledge of the science and physics related to the program and each launch is truly amazing.
Last night, the shuttle was slated to lift off at 8pm ET. He managed to wrangle peanut onto the potty and into the bath early so that he was diapered, lotioned and pajamed in plenty of time to watch the last checks of "go's" and "no-go's" at the 9 minute countdown mark. He even managed to get a two-year-old to sit still during the countdown, explaining as much as he could in two-year-old terms.
Then, the hubby held peanut's hand and they watched lift-off with the same expressions of awe on their faces. I admit to missing half of the launch, instead watching the two of them watch it. Peanut kept pointing and saying "space ship" with a huge grin on his face. This morning, he asked repeatedly to watch the space ship again and again and again (and because the hubby recorded the hour of replays the NASA channel airs from 70 different angles, they watched it again and again and again).
Seeing this obsession passed so easily from father to son has been so sweet to watch. I am thankful for one more thing that they can share together. I am thankful for peanut's sense of curiosity that he most certainly inherited from the hubby. I am thankful that I was able to witness the same childlike excitement in both the hubby and my son as they shared this experience.
Of course I spent the rest of the evening telling peanut there was no way he was ever going to travel in space, drive a race car or play a football position that has a high rate of injury. I may be thankful, but I'm still his mommy.
The hubby loves the space program. There was a time in his life when he wanted to be an astronaut. Really, really wanted to be an astronaut. Too bad his eyesight and complicated relationship with heights and airplanes has kept him grounded.
But he's still close to the program. There are many nights we've stayed up until the wee hours to watch a shuttle return home on the NASA channel. We've been to the National Air and Space Museum annex at Dulles Airport where he was like a kid in a candy store. He's researching the missions for the next few years so we can plan a trip to see a launch in person before the shuttle is out of service in 2010. He still gets sincerely emotional at the Challenger disaster. So much so that when I saw the Columbia disaster on the TV screens as I was running through O'Hare to make a tight connecting flight to LA, my first thought was to call him to make sure he was okay, risking my spot on the flight. His knowledge of the science and physics related to the program and each launch is truly amazing.
Last night, the shuttle was slated to lift off at 8pm ET. He managed to wrangle peanut onto the potty and into the bath early so that he was diapered, lotioned and pajamed in plenty of time to watch the last checks of "go's" and "no-go's" at the 9 minute countdown mark. He even managed to get a two-year-old to sit still during the countdown, explaining as much as he could in two-year-old terms.
Then, the hubby held peanut's hand and they watched lift-off with the same expressions of awe on their faces. I admit to missing half of the launch, instead watching the two of them watch it. Peanut kept pointing and saying "space ship" with a huge grin on his face. This morning, he asked repeatedly to watch the space ship again and again and again (and because the hubby recorded the hour of replays the NASA channel airs from 70 different angles, they watched it again and again and again).
Seeing this obsession passed so easily from father to son has been so sweet to watch. I am thankful for one more thing that they can share together. I am thankful for peanut's sense of curiosity that he most certainly inherited from the hubby. I am thankful that I was able to witness the same childlike excitement in both the hubby and my son as they shared this experience.
Of course I spent the rest of the evening telling peanut there was no way he was ever going to travel in space, drive a race car or play a football position that has a high rate of injury. I may be thankful, but I'm still his mommy.
Friday, November 14, 2008
30 Days of Thanks: Day 14
Today I am thankful for...tickle time.
Peanut's gotten pretty stubborn lately - no big surprise. He is two, after all. Part of my job, apparently, is to creatively make him think that all things he refuses to do are really his idea so he does what mommy wants anyway. Don't want to get dressed? Pick something with zippers so he can do it himself (he's really into zippers right now). Don't want to put a jacket on to go to the park? Let him pick out an extra shirt and sweater instead. Don't want to wash hands before dinner? Pull out the stool and ask him to show the stuffed animal of the day how to do it.
Lately, he's been trying to persuade extra stories (beyond the two he is guaranteed) before nap time. I start moving into song time and he starts to protest, whine, struggle. Enter, the tickle! I insert the word tickle randomly into his favorite songs ("Twinkle, twinkle TICKLE star...") accompanied by a well-placed tickle and he gets to giggling to the point of full-on belly laughs. Not only does it distract him from the stories, but allows us to share in a pure moment. A moment of laughter. A moment of smiles. A moment of real happiness. A moment I treasure. A moment I envision telling peanut about while I hold his new son or daughter decades from now.
So, am I glad that peanut's in the stubborn two-year-old stage? Not particularly. But without it, we might not have discovered the joy of tickle time.
Peanut's gotten pretty stubborn lately - no big surprise. He is two, after all. Part of my job, apparently, is to creatively make him think that all things he refuses to do are really his idea so he does what mommy wants anyway. Don't want to get dressed? Pick something with zippers so he can do it himself (he's really into zippers right now). Don't want to put a jacket on to go to the park? Let him pick out an extra shirt and sweater instead. Don't want to wash hands before dinner? Pull out the stool and ask him to show the stuffed animal of the day how to do it.
Lately, he's been trying to persuade extra stories (beyond the two he is guaranteed) before nap time. I start moving into song time and he starts to protest, whine, struggle. Enter, the tickle! I insert the word tickle randomly into his favorite songs ("Twinkle, twinkle TICKLE star...") accompanied by a well-placed tickle and he gets to giggling to the point of full-on belly laughs. Not only does it distract him from the stories, but allows us to share in a pure moment. A moment of laughter. A moment of smiles. A moment of real happiness. A moment I treasure. A moment I envision telling peanut about while I hold his new son or daughter decades from now.
So, am I glad that peanut's in the stubborn two-year-old stage? Not particularly. But without it, we might not have discovered the joy of tickle time.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
30 Days of Thanks: Day 13
Today I am thankful for...words.
I remember learning to read in kindergarten. Not the mechanics of it, but the sheer excitement of putting a whole sentence together and the world that opened up as a result. Ever since that first "Cat on the mat" sentence, I have been in love with words. In second grade, I wrote my first real story. I was a voracious reader in elementary school. Our school participated in the Pizza Hut Book It! program (which I was shocked to discover is still going strong) and let's just say we ate a lot of free pizza thanks to my literary habit. I excelled in English classes and spent summers buried in piles of books.
Early on, I knew I wanted to be a writer. It's been the one constant in my life. But it seemed impractical. In college, I followed the practical writer's track: Journalism School. My job in public relations seemed like a natural fit for the writer in me. But it wasn't enough. Once I had peanut, this blog became the outlet. But it's not enough. Of course the practical side of me tends to win out and the bathroom gets cleaned or the laundry gets folded instead of my fingers flying across a keyboard, my brain chasing an idea, watching letters become words that become sentences that express a thought or portray an image or maybe even offer perspective.
Although I struggle with the doing, I still find comfort that the words are there waiting for me, like fish in a lake, viciously swimming and churning under the calm, cool surface. It takes a lot of patience and a little coaxing to lure them to your line, but the persistent fishermen always win out with a catch. Maybe with a little time and a little practice, I'll catch the big one and finally finish that novel and maybe even see my words in print.
And oh, what a fishing tale that will be.
I remember learning to read in kindergarten. Not the mechanics of it, but the sheer excitement of putting a whole sentence together and the world that opened up as a result. Ever since that first "Cat on the mat" sentence, I have been in love with words. In second grade, I wrote my first real story. I was a voracious reader in elementary school. Our school participated in the Pizza Hut Book It! program (which I was shocked to discover is still going strong) and let's just say we ate a lot of free pizza thanks to my literary habit. I excelled in English classes and spent summers buried in piles of books.
Early on, I knew I wanted to be a writer. It's been the one constant in my life. But it seemed impractical. In college, I followed the practical writer's track: Journalism School. My job in public relations seemed like a natural fit for the writer in me. But it wasn't enough. Once I had peanut, this blog became the outlet. But it's not enough. Of course the practical side of me tends to win out and the bathroom gets cleaned or the laundry gets folded instead of my fingers flying across a keyboard, my brain chasing an idea, watching letters become words that become sentences that express a thought or portray an image or maybe even offer perspective.
Although I struggle with the doing, I still find comfort that the words are there waiting for me, like fish in a lake, viciously swimming and churning under the calm, cool surface. It takes a lot of patience and a little coaxing to lure them to your line, but the persistent fishermen always win out with a catch. Maybe with a little time and a little practice, I'll catch the big one and finally finish that novel and maybe even see my words in print.
And oh, what a fishing tale that will be.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
30 Days of Thanks: Day 12
Today I am thankful for...friends.
I am truly blessed. I have friends in my life who love me no matter how bad I am at keeping in touch, who laugh at my bad jokes, read my blog (hi!) and forgive our differences knowing that our relationships are fostered not just by what we have in common, but what we don't.
I have mommy friends, single friends, married friends, family friends, college friends, work friends, high school friends, neighbor friends. No matter the category, I truly do value their roles in my life. The places in my heart they have touched are forever changed.
As peanut gets older, I have watched with great excitement as he develops his first friendships. There are two other little boys, the sons of two of my mommy friends, that he plays with several days a week. Peanut talks about them a lot. He misses them when we're away. And as they get to an age when they actually play together as opposed to next to each other, they are developing the silliest little games of chase and tackle. It is a joy to watch:
Birds of a feather...
Tower o' toddlers
I am truly blessed. I have friends in my life who love me no matter how bad I am at keeping in touch, who laugh at my bad jokes, read my blog (hi!) and forgive our differences knowing that our relationships are fostered not just by what we have in common, but what we don't.
I have mommy friends, single friends, married friends, family friends, college friends, work friends, high school friends, neighbor friends. No matter the category, I truly do value their roles in my life. The places in my heart they have touched are forever changed.
As peanut gets older, I have watched with great excitement as he develops his first friendships. There are two other little boys, the sons of two of my mommy friends, that he plays with several days a week. Peanut talks about them a lot. He misses them when we're away. And as they get to an age when they actually play together as opposed to next to each other, they are developing the silliest little games of chase and tackle. It is a joy to watch:
Birds of a feather...
Tower o' toddlersI look forward to watching my peanut develop and grow as a result of his friendships. I am thankful for the friends that just having peanut has brought into my life. I am thankful for the love my friends have shown my child. I am thankful that I was able to see so many of my friends this past weekend. I am thankful that James Taylor made popular such a wonderful song about friends that I will leave you with today:
You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come runnin' to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall
All you've got to do is call.
And I'll be there.
You've got a friend.
And you know wherever I am
I'll come runnin' to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall
All you've got to do is call.
And I'll be there.
You've got a friend.
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