Hello November

October has taken its toll on me.  I won't list my woes, but I admit I'm tempted.  I'm tired.  I'm withdrawn.  I can't focus.  I'm sad.  And (this is big) even food doesn't delight me.  The best I can seem to hope for is to keep my head above water.  I am hoping that things perk up a bit.  Someone said my sweater today was perky.  I sure don't feel perky.  I feel like the laundry needs to be done and this sweater still fits.

Clearly it is time to caffeinate. 

Vent

[Rant]

I just want my [insert sailor language here] printer to work.  Is that really too much to ask?  It's simple really.  Plug in.  Print.  This should not be an issue in 2011.  In 1986 trying to print from PFSWrite, sure.  But not in 2011.

Grrrrr.

[/End Rant]

Steve Jobs

I am not a fangirl, though some may think I am. I'm really not enough of a geek to be a fangirl. I also got on the bandwagon late. Very recently actually. I never owned a IIe. I didn't understand the difference between the GUI on the pretty beige boxes and Windows. And, the kicker for me, I don't have a single Apple sticker anywhere. Not on a vehicle. Not on an old notebook. Nowhere.

But I am a fan. I liked my iPod Video. I was enamored by my iPod Touch. I was proud to buy Alyson a Shuffle. I pursued the iPad at first sight. And I was up at 3am to order my Verizon iPhone 4. It was as natural as buying a gallon of milk to choose the AppleTV.

And just as naturally, our household leans toward Apple. Jeff was hesitant, but after taking literally 10 minutes to "setup" his iPhone, he's converted. It is safe to say that he spends more time interacting with his iPad than interacting with humans.

I say all of this not to support or refute the label "fangirl.". I say it to praise and honor the man we lost last night. I recognize that there are many many people responsible for bringing a product from vision to market. But there is no doubt that the vision must exist first.

An interface that doesn't require a representational shift. An interface that infants can intuitively operate. Products that operate with touch and strike to the heart of communication barriers. Devices that appeal to all ages and even pets.

This is why we are sad, even if we don't "mourn." It is sad to lose the man behind such revolutionary changes.

That Did Not Take Long

I will admit, arriving home to my precious family was wonderful. I missed my crazy kids and even Jeff. It was a long week of driving and studying some not-so-light subject matter.

I got home Friday and resumed my roles. Cut pizza. Help kids into pajamas. Make sure the dog gets one last opportunity to pee before bed.

Saturday was grocery shopping, topped off with an awesome (yet very chaotic) Girl Scout outing to a college football game. Sunday was the Sorghum Festival (yes, sorghum; look it up). And here I sit on Sunday night working on laundry, contemplating the mountain of files that is undoubtedly on my desk at the office, and wondering if I will be able to get the Girl Scout meeting planned before 6:30 tomorrow.

It took no time at all to undo peaceful sleeping in the hotel room. It took no time at all to sap the energy instilled by invigorating training. And it took no time at all to slip back into my domestic rut.

Welcome home, mommy.

Laci's Birthday

This weekend was the party -- THE party. I don't know what Kelly will live for now. Probably her own birthday. :)

Sweet Nothings

There are few things as precious as the sounds of two girls sleeping.

Princess Kelly

Where to start?

The girls have been sleeping in their bunk beds consistently. They haven't been doing it without me on the floor until they are asleep or without the midnight walk-back-and-tuck-in consistently. But things are immensely better. I no longer feel like a colossal failure as a mother. I may be, but I don't feel like it.

School is in full swing and Alyson is loving it. Her first tests have been extraordinary. And we are learning all sorts of long lost tidbits about Columbus (not the bakery), John Smith (not the mormon), and Pocahontas (not the movie).

Kelly, on the other hand, throws a fit almost every morning when I drop her off. Yesterday I gave her a magic bracelet that I had crocheted for her (pink of course). I told her that whenever she missed me, she could love on the bracelet and I would feel it. She was thrilled and it worked...yesterday. Today she asked for it, and I gave it to her with the same speech and ceremony. But alas, I could hear her yelling as I made my way down the hall. (sigh) The good news is that she is fine at the end of the day.

I have found the opportunity to question whether we should have kept her at the daycare for preschool. She seems to miss one friend voraciously. We hear about "Lacy" every day and Lacy's much anticipated birthday party. If you have forgotten what being three is like, let me remind you. Your birthday is always right around the corner. And you spend many waking moments talking about and planning this grand event (that may be 11 months away). If Kelly was still at daycare, an invitation would be a given. But now that she is at big-girl school, Lacy's mom might find it easier to leave Kelly off the list. I honestly have no idea. Once I know Lacy's birthday has actually passed, I think I will just have to have a Princess Playdate so Kelly gets to play with Lacy.

Kelly may also be balking from her new preschool because she is a girly-girl through and through. ("I'm your princess, Daddy! Alyson's a pirate...a mean pirate.") Her class this year consists of 15 boys and 3 girls. Not. Cool.

Other than one boy being "stinky," Kelly hasn't had any complaints though. I know she is being well cared for. Both of her teachers are sweet and she tells me about all of the exciting things they do all day.  And of course, she is thrilled in the afternoon to be rejoined with her (pirate) sister.  So all in all, she's doing well.  And afterall, happy and healthy are the goal, right?  Not getting to Lacy's birthday party.  Right?