Friends

I wish I could remember the name of a book I read years ago about women and their friendships. It was a great book that gave a lot of insight into how women develop friendships and maintain them. I loved it because I move so much and I feel it's so hard to maintain the older ones when you are not around them all the time.
Whenever I first move someplace I seem to attract friendships with very strong minded/willed people. After about a year I find myself in the awkward position of trying to extricate myself from being in their sights.
Moving somewhere new is hard and with 3 kids there is no time to be shy or reserved. You HAVE to jump in with both feet to get everyone signed up,carted around,and involved. I am the only example they have so I cannot act shy and reserved. I have found a part of me that I thought had been smothered for a while. I CAN be outgoing, I don't NEED overbearing people,and I don't NEED to be a part of a group.
I have found I can be a part of MANY groups. I don't need to know or be involved in everything...I can pick few things that mean some things to me, and go with it.I have found many things I really enjoy that my strong willed "friends" do not. Yes, they pass their judgements on it, but I finally figured out that things don't revolve around them and if I want it a certain way,I will do it. I would like to think that I am NOT 34 and making this realization, but I am. I think that I have moved just often enough,made enough friends, had enough kids, been so worried about getting everyone else settled that I had kind of forgotten about myself. I am learning more about myself AFTER having kids than I ever knew before. My kids have brought an inner strength in me that they will never know. Of course I still have insecurities, but doesn't everyone? I wish there were more hours in a day, so I could catch up with friends from our past places, but there just isn't. I do what I can but I think everyone else is also. I am finding that it feels good doing my own thing with my kids without having a ton of people around. Maybe we all are just suffering from "friend over-stimulation" but I think backing away and having some "us" time as a family is just what we need every so often.

THE DOG!

The dog is here!Everyone keeps telling me "Oh labs are so-o smart! "
I would like them to meet our Goldilocks. She doesn't like to get wet, and labs are supposed to love water. Yesterday, I found her cowering behind the grill on the back porch because 2 Canadian geese had taken up residence on the neighbors roof and were putting up a fuss. She would peek around the grill and then they would start honking again and she would jump back to her place.It was pretty funny. I tried to explain to her that those exact kinds of birds were what her father would go hunting for, but she was not listening. Today she goes to the vet for shots. I bet we are best friends when we leave!
Her little personality is starting to emerge and I like to call her "Jezebel". She is so good to the boys, tail wagging , belly rubbing. And then Delilah walks in. And she nips her and tries to herd her away from the boys. I think she is a hussy. You should see the show of affection she gives Bobby. Unbelievable. No nipping, immediately rolls to her back... hussy. It makes me laugh because here I have entertained her all day, fed her, paid attention to her, scooped her poop, and I don't get this same attention from her. And they say labs are so-o smart...

Vacation?

Spring Break? What break? It was just a week of me entertaining the trio of terror before Easter. Although the weather finally cooperated and they could play outside almost everyday, I still tried to get them out of the house a few times. We had a visit from Grandma Pat( my mother) whom we immediately put to work making us new curtains.She bought me a new sewing machine. Then promptly hid it before she left.I have sort of a history with them, I kill them. I don't sew and cannot for the life of me do it without immediate supervision.I am okay with this, trust me. My mom is entertained by my "attempts". I am not. We took her to the Aquarium and had a great day. Unfortunately the weather was rough and everyone else in Chicago did this too. After she left and the weather was so nice for a few days we attempted the Lincoln Park Zoo. After an hour (HOUR) just driving around the zoo we realized that all the side streets and the lots were FULL! 3 Very disappointed children do not make good traveling companions. So we stopped at Navy Pier to walk on the boardwalk and eat ice cream.That seemed to make them happy for a bit, then back to Indiana we went. Easter came and went without a lot of fanfare. We are not big church people and just used the morning to relax and play with the Easter bunny stash. My Aunt and Uncle stopped by and it was a treat! Her house is where we usually go to and she always does it big hiding eggs etc.. The kids were so excited to see that the Easter bunny had followed her and left eggs in our yard after she came in the house (how did he do that?!?!) After they left the highlight to the day was using 2 bottles of chlorox cleanup and a tooth brush to clean the grout in my kitchen floor. Good Times. Nothing says holiday like the smell of bleach.
I am still baffled by this Monday after Easter off from school. We didn't travel they should be allowed to go. It should more be a free absence day if you cannot make it. No mark against you, but there should definitely be school. We are ready for the routine.
This is a bit of a ramble, I think I just needed to reflect on all the good busy times we had this past week as my frustration level with my children is high. They are too loud, too .. busy.. Can they not be tired too? Between them and the dog we are all up and moving by 6:30. A.m. I may be the only mother that hopes that they sleep in when they are teenagers. I hope to have to wake them from their slumber with a rousing rendition of revile. I know, I know, when the time comes I'll will regret what I wish for, you say. I say, no I will not. 8 years of waking every vacation, weekend and summer break hitting the ground running by 6:30 at the latest and sometimes 5:30 a.m.I am ready. Rrrrrrrrreeeeeeaaaaaadddddddddddddyyyyyyyyy. Sorry nodded off... I hope every else had a great break too. Time to send the convicts to their corners for round 3 ...