Oh how my standards have fallen…

August 5, 2009 Savvy Spoonie 1 Comment

I used to swear my children would only watch thirty minutes of educational television a day.

I promised myself they would have endless supplies of paint, modeling clay, and paper.

I swore my children would spend at least an hour outside in the sun, engaging in active play.

I promised to feed them whole meals comprised of fruits, veggies, dairy, and protein, and to only provide them with wholesome snacks.

I swore I would only drink fresh brewed coffee and eat organic foods so I would be energetic and healthy enough to keep up with my children.

Then I started a business.

Now I sit before you with the same cup of yesterday’s coffee that I have had to reheat three times already because I turned the television off after an hour and a half of brain-numbing crap cartoons and made the children play.

Since turning off the television they have gotten into twelve arguments over toys, all of them have come crying to me about being pushed or falling down at least twice, and the floors are sticky because they amused themselves by dripping juice from the “spill proof” sippy cups I gave them. Right now they are coloring in the living room, but eventually they will start fighting over the crayons.

Soon I will make macaroni and cheese for their lunch and turn back on the television so they will eat in peace. Then I will reheat yesterday’s coffee for a fourth time, consume a quickly cooked hot dog, and reflect on how peaceful the house is when I embrace my fallen standards.

Otter, WAHM

The youngest associate…

August 3, 2009 Savvy Spoonie 3 Comments

The biggest challenge to working from home is tuning out the distractions and actually working. My work day is often sucked away by Motherhood because I often can’t leave the Mom work for later so I can focus on my office. The biggest creator of that work is my youngest associate, Otter. He presents me with new challenges every time I try to set him up with something to do so I can work a little.

This morning this engineering genius turned yogurt into fingerpaint and liberally bestowed his art around the living room. He covered the coffee table, reupholstered the couch, and painted the floors in sticky yogurt paint. Then he presented himself, as above, and encouraged me to visit his masterpieces.

I visited them with a mop and a sigh, leaving my virtual office behind me.

Just me

Relationship on a spit…

August 1, 2009 Savvy Spoonie 2 Comments

A few male friends informed me recently that I do not fully recognize how wonderful my husband is. I think they suppose that I take him for granted because I don’t talk about him much. Sometimes I will mention how much certain behaviors of his drive me crazy but other than that I pretty much don’t gush about his biceps, his fantastic personality, and how blissfully happy he makes me.

This isn’t because he lacks amazing biceps and a fantastic personality. Nor is it because I am not blissfully happy. It is simply that after nearly seven years together our fires are, as Hubby puts it, banked. (Actually, he described our fires as being an underground pig roast, with succulent fat dripping into the coals. Banked but delicious. This has led to me teasing him endlessly about sticking an apple in the mouth of our relationship and roasting it on a spit. It drives him crazy.)

I think they don’t understand exactly how much I do appreciate my husband. It’s not just that he earns a solid living, does dishes, likes a clean house, and is a helpful partner. I appreciate him because after nearly seven years of nigh constant contact I still actually like him. I like to be with him every day and I miss him when he is gone. I like to do everything and nothing with him.

Take right now for example. I am sitting at my desk and he is at his. He is torturing himself by looking at the houses we can’t afford on Google and I am writing in my blog. We are listening to Dave Matthews. Otter is asleep and Monkey is watching a movie. The house is peaceful and short of an occassional comment about the number of homes on the market or the fact that I am personally responsible for most of his gray hair, we are quiet. We are together, as one, at peace.

This is one of my favorite things about being married to a man with whom I can simply be.

I don’t mention all his wonderful qualities to all my friends all the time because they are the daily constant in my life. Without him my life would be less lovely, less full of love. I recognize this every day and simply love and enjoy him. Why do I need to tell everyone else about the love and enjoying I do? He knows I value him, I know I value him, enough said.

I like that our fires are banked, that our passion has become something we can warm ourselves with instead of something that sends sparks into the sky and carries with it the risk of burning. I am pleased to simply be with this man, forever.