Old & New

I was counting the other day in my head - as we drove in the rain to pick the kids up from Grandma Barbara's - I was counting grandparents. We had a lazy rainy movie day at the theater down the street from our house. Two movies sandwiched around a quick lunch with my Grandma Lola had me thinking about grandparents. We've got so many grandparents you couldn't throw a stick 10 ft without hitting one...but that would be mean.

Elle & Park have eight grandparents and five great-grandparents. (Two of them they have never met as they live in Washington state but they are more than thoughtful with their long distance cards and gifts.) And three of the great-grandmas live right here in town. Eliana calls Great-Grandma Doris and Great-Grandma Lola "The Girls" as they live in the same building and generally show up together at events, go on trips with us, and she must just think they laugh like girls. And great-grandma Mary lives just up the road in Greeley. She makes Ellie laugh with her stories about me when I was a girl and I think Ellie can hardly believe that they are true. Mommies were never little girls...

In the last few weeks I inherited a bunch of Grandma Lola's linens. This is a big deal. I'm obsessed with tea towels. And real napkins. I love them. So I got to pick through baskets of tea towels she embroidered herself 60 years ago. And napkins and tablecloths she made for teas and luncheons and bridge and other things that I know nothing about. It's a little piece of history I can use everyday.

And I've been asked to write my Grandma Mary's story. Interview her - not a challenge as I could talk to her for hours - and write it down in a book for all of time and history and (okay...more realistically) our little family to enjoy forever. I only hope I can do her justice.

And then tonight, when Mr. Pope came home from getting a haircut and straight shave, Ellie told him he looked "Brand New!!" He hadn't shaved for a month. He was a hairy old beast.

And now he's new.

Haircuts

The kiddos got their hair cut by my friend, Melissa.

They look super-duper cute.
But they still hate to have their pictures taken.....

Eliana got bangs. They make her look so grown-up.

And out of nowhere Parker is looking like a little man.
I mean, really, look at him in a sweater vest....

I'm the Dude

My mind is polluted lately with all the things I want to do but haven't yet accomplished. The problem is that it's a long, long list of desires that are all completely and desperately mutually exclusive.

Such as...I want to play with the kids and take them to the park and the library and swimming and I also want to finish about 100 house projects.

And then...I want to create more fun family time when Derrick is here and I also want more solitary Veronica time.

And maybe...I want to go back and get that Master's (and be a Little Lebowski Urban Achiever) and I want to go back to work and I want to stay home with my babies (because it's finally getting a little bit easier!! Why would I give up my chance for the first "break" I've had in years? This is the hardest job I've ever had and I'm gonna "tender my resignation" as soon as I see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel?)

As the Big Lebowski, The Dude, would say, "Too many thoughts in the ole Duder's head."

As you might realize, there are a lot of difference between me and the Dude. But we have a lot in common. Okay so the Dude wasn't a stay-at-home mom but I feel his pain.

I'm stalled. I spend a lot of time waiting for someone to come "fix the cable" and with recent potty training efforts I'm quite sure that the rug has been micturated upon. Several times. I've got some growing emotional problems....beyond Pacifism.

And I'm looking for the answer by doing relatively nothing but waiting to see what information the world will provide me. I feel like I need to have a plan, because that's my thing. And a late-night fight between me and the Mr. a month or so ago revealed that I have to start doing more for me...just me. So I've started back to Yoga because I love it and stalking style blogs because I love fashion (and currently ignoring the fact that I have no where to wear a cute black French Connection mini-skirt) and spending a little time being me. And pondering my next steps.

Maybe I should just go bowling...

QOD: "Mommies don't work!! They stay home with babies!! And I'm pretty sure they don't go to school. That's a good deal." ~EKP

Some days

Some days are better than others. Like today. We've been up since roughly 4:30 a.m. Those little booger babies. Up so early.

And (as I'm getting more and more embarrassed to admit) we're trying round 348 of potty training. Why am I embarrassed that Eliana isn't potty trained? It's not like I pee my pants! (Unlike a few unnamed friends who may or may not pee when alcohol is involved. But I'm sure that's another post altogether.) But regardless of this I certainly feel her "resistance" is somehow my fault. That's what the handout the doctor gave us says. Not necessarily that it's my fault, per se, but that at three a child should be daytime potty trained and if not they are "resistant." Really? I think I've figured as much out on my own. And I'm also pretty sure the handout is implying that it's my fault. Somewhere in the subtext.

So, we'll work on this potty training thing. And we've taken to letting her put stickers on the actual toilet in her bathroom. Hopefully, when all is said and done, she'll be a big girl in her princess panties and we'll have a beautifully decorated commode.

Someday.

Little Ballerina

Eliana concluded her 5 months of dances classes with a little recital for friends and family. She was just about the cutest thing I've ever seen. And I think I've already watched her video 100 times. Moments like these never last long enough, but with a little technology, they last a little longer.

Good job, Bug!!

No Joke!! Derrick is Done!

CONGRATULATIONS
DERRICK L. POPE

You Finished Your MBA!
You're the smartest kid on the block!

(Okay, so we don't have a cap and gown picture, yet. But this one is nice!!
It has the same serious tone, don't you think?)

We love you more than you could ever imagine and are so proud of everything you've accomplished.

You inspire us all with your dedication, your compassion, and your incredible drive to motivate all of us to be the very best at whatever we choose.

You are an amazing person and a big smarty-pants.

Congratulations. You're my hero.

Good Food/Good Times

We had absolutely NO plans for what turned out to be a really great super bowl game....until my mom invited herself (and the rest of the family) over to watch it on Mr. Pope's very impressive TV. She NEVER does that. She's not that kind of mom. She gives me lots of space and time and anything and everything I need. So I loved that she called and made plans like any other mom on the planet.

What a nice afternoon! Mom, Judy, and dad, Jim, came up with my grandmas, Lola & Doris. They brought dinner, chips & dip and cookies. All I contributed was a moderately clean house, some beverages and a super-delicious baked brie complete with mini football cutouts baked on top. (Yes, cheesy. I know. Get it...cheesy!! Hahaha.)

We had a wonderful time with the family and Eliana was in rare form entertaining the masses with her antics. For the first time ever she called down the stairs to Derrick in that "I'm a little girl who knows how to manipulate her Daddy" voice. She called "Daaaaadddddyyyy" like a little southern belle and melted my heart....well, and probably stopped Derrick's. She's gonna have no problem with him I think.

The good eats continued on Monday as Ellie and I made my Aunt Trudi's Bananaberry Bomb Muffins....from scratch. Eliana helped dump all the ingredients, stir the batter, and put the mix into muffin tins. So great!! She loves helping in the kitchen and I LOVE to cook. I think she and I might be able to make this work in our favor. I'm not sure that she liked the finished product as much as the process, but I'm sure I'll have eaten all the muffins myself before the week is out.

As promised previously, they are also healthy and low-fat. Derrick hasn't eaten ANY of them...but a girl can only do some much, you know? Here's the delicious recipe if you're interested.

Bananaberry Bombs
(from the Looneyspoons Cookbook by Janet & Greta Podleski)
ahhhh...I love a good Canadian cookbook

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup each all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups mashed bananas (ripe)
2 egg whites
1/4 cup reduced fat butter or margarine (but not fat-free)
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine oats, flours, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder & soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir well and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together bananas, egg whits and melted butter until smooth. Add banana mixture to dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Gently fold in blueberries.

Spray large muffin tin with non-stick spray. Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes.