What's Up, Buttercup?

I’ve been such a lazy blogger as of late. I don’t have much to say here when I have someone to say things to. I’m much better at pontificating when Bill is out of the country. I’ve considered putting a hiatus on this project just because of the neglect. I’m online every day, reading about everyone else’s lives but I’ve been keeping mine offline. I’ve posted a few times on myspace but nothing really thought provoking.

So let’s see…the fires, as I’m sure most have read, were and still are a disaster. We were fortunate in that we didn’t have any structural damage. We didn’t have to evacuate. We just got a LOT of ash—everywhere. I’m still cleaning. My office aka our church, was used as an evacuation site. What does that mean for me? My job was crazy. I still had to do my normal work but I had to walk through hundreds of strangers sleeping, eating, nursing babies, playing, talking on cell phones just to get to my office. The kids had the whole week of school off because of the horrendous air quality. Just one more benefit of California schools: all doors from the classrooms lead directly outside instead of into a hallway like most of the country. I just counted this as our snow day. Fire day. Seems reasonable to me. Except that when you have a snow day you get to go outside and play. Fire days mean you are STUCK inside with whichever parent can stay home with you. By the end of the week we were ready to all take separate vacations. Never in history has our 2100 square foot home seemed so small. We’re getting on with life as though nothing has happened (although the pack n’ play and an air mattress that I lent haven’t been seen since I dropped them off at church) there are still hundreds of families that have a lot of rebuilding to do.

I’m ready for the holidays. I’ve started my annual Christmas letter. I’ve started shopping. I’ve started my baking list. It makes a world of difference to have Bill here. Last year, I begrudgingly decorated the house (he was in Okinawa for Christmas in 06). Now I’m making plans of what will go where. We rented a rug doctor and I cleaned my couches and my floors so when the time comes to pull those red and green boxes in from the garage, I won’t see other things that need attention: just shiny orbs and strings of lights waiting to shine their glory upon our home.

My kids are crazy. Or is it me who’s crazy? It’s a toss up. Both are in school, but I’m not to that point where I can have a pedicure and a latte while they’re there. I’m working during the times between dropping them off and picking them up. My wonder son is already in trouble. The teacher (and yes I’m bragging, but it’s legit) told me he’s one of the smartest in his class but he keeps disrupting by starting mock fights with two of the other ‘smarter’ kids. Ok, so we need to work on behavior. All of a sudden, six years old has turned into crazy-boy behavior. He used to be so angelic. Leah’s in preschool AND ballet. I love it. I love seeing her in her leotard and pink tights. I love watching her passé and pique. She has tap the second half but she likes ballet more. I’m living vicariously through her and it’s great. I have pipe dreams of her improving every year and moving on to Pointe when she’s older. We’ll see. She’ll probably be a soccer star instead. My three year old ‘princess’ can dribble the ball and keep it away from me in the back yard.

Today’s a holiday for the family. Bill and I are off to celebrate the Marine Corps birthday by dressing up and driving off to one of the casinos to eat, drink and be merry with a hundred other Marines and their dates. Dancing will follow and then maybe we’ll try our luck at the slots. We’ve made it to almost every ball since we started dating in 1994. The only times we’ve missed were when he’s been out of the country on deployment or the time when I was two weeks postpartum. Didn’t seem like it would be too fun to dress in a ball gown with a deflated basketball still inhabiting my belly.

So, I’m still here. I think I have three or four readers left, two of them being family. =) When I have something to say I’m sure I’ll share. Until then, Merry November.