Charlie

As I sitting typing this, the dog is laying on my feet. 

ON my feet.  The separation anxiety is real, y'all. 

In the past weeks, we've stopped the anti-depressants and anxiety meds and started a new food designed for dogs with dementia issues.  He's had not one, but two teeth pulled. 

Nothing has changed.  He wants to be with us all the time.  He doesn't sleep well at night.    He's just a little weird.

I've heard about another medicine to ask about at the vet, but am not prepared to make an appointment just to see about it . . . we go enough as is.  Besides, I really hate the idea of being one of those people who does as drug commercials suggest and  "Ask your doctor if ______ is right for you." 

To be clear, I haven't seen a commercial for this particular drug. Good thing because there would also be the announcer with the low, fast voice reminding me of all the horrible possible side effects, which always seems to include death.

In other news its 75 degrees in Nashville today.  SEVENTY FIVE on February 7th.   I love it. Word on the street is we aren't going to get above 40 tomorrow. 

Back to reality.

Rain rain go away . . .

Thursday:  Sunny and 72 degrees
Friday:  Sunny and 80 degrees
Today:  Cloudy, thunderstorms and 80 degrees

Hello, spring in Nashville.

Bassam is on call and currently on his second trip to the hospital today.   I worked for a few hours this afternoon, but now am back home.  The kids have largely vegged out.  I'm told they did homework while I was gone, but I'm skeptical.  The Predators are on tv and there is no where I'd rather be than the couch.   Unfortunately, at some point I have to trek to the mall with Gracie to find shoes for her first middle school dance.

Going out shopping at the mall on a rainy evening, with a picky, yet indecisive tween?  Lucky me!

Ramblings . . .

So thankful to make it to another weekend even though the forecast includes a WINTERY MIX tomorrow.

Hello, it's April 6th.

HELLO, it's Nashville!

This is unacceptable.

Despite this, I have spring clothes on the brain.  Specifically I am in need of some cute short-sleeve shirts.  But as I've started to look around, I've noticed that crop tops have found their way back into vogue. And this mama does not wear crop tops.  Or tight shirts.   Or deep v-necks.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE CUTE TOPS GONE!???  I can't tell you exactly what they look like, but I will know them when I see them. 

Since I can't seem to find them and I don't like shopping for pants, I think I shall instead turn my attention to Zappos and look for sandals.   By the time they arrive, the wintery mix will be gone!

Wild weather

Today it was sunny, breezy and 82 degrees.   I wish I could have spent the whole day outside, but since that wasn't in the cards, I opened doors and windows when I was home, and drove around with the sunroof open, windows down and radio loud when I had to be in the car.   

These taste of spring (almost summer) in February are such a joy.  The sunshine was much needed for my body and soul on this very rough week. 

Unfortunately, despite warm temperatures tomorrow, we are going to have severe thunderstorms, heavy winds, with a chance of hail and tornadoes.   Luckily, other than a Vanderbilt game, we have no where we HAVE to be.     Bassam is on call, so there is always the chance he will be making extra trips to the hospital, but we'll keep our fingers crossed!

TGIF!

Bomb Cyclone

Like a huge chunk of the country, we're dealing with super cold weather in Nashville.  No snow (much to my kids chagrin), but it's been bitterly cold morning, noon and night. 

Over it.

Last night the term "bomb cyclone" started popping up on the news.   So far as I can tell, it's basically a winter weather hurricane.  

I was intrigued so I texted my sister about it (who is meteorologist with NOAA).  

It also appears that I'm not the only person who thought a "bomb cyclone" sounded like a made up thing. 

Amy is no dummy.  She's been with NOAA for 25 years.  Sure, she's based our of Chicago, not New England . . . but this term just went from "Whaaaat?" to common in the last 24 hours.  

Real or not, it's time for the "bomb cyclone" to spin out to sea. 

Thoughts on Harvey

It has been heartbreaking watching the destruction of Hurricane Harvey in Texas.   The 24 news cycle is both a blessing and a curse.  We see and hear stories of amazing people helping people, we are compelled to donate to help those affected by the storm--and yet our hearts are burned with images and tales of heartbreak and loss.

Texas, we are praying for you.   It has been over 7 years since Nashville was devastated by flooding, and yet when I close my eyes I can still picture the overwhelming amounts of water and its aftermath like it was yesterday.  And of course everything is bigger in Texas, so this flood is even worse.

Harvey is a depression now and has moved on.  The rain came in to Tennessee late this afternoon and is expected to visit Music City for a couple days.  Matt's golf match was cancelled this afternoon and it is expected to be so bad tomorrow, that they have already called off after school activities for tomorrow.

If you are so moved to, consider donating to one of the many charities in place to help victims.  The American Red Cross is always a good choice, but there are certainly others.  See this article for more options and suggestions.

And pray.

The calendar says February . . . .

Yesterday it was 80 degrees in Nashville.  EIGHTY.  DEGREES.

In February, no less.

Unfortunately, today it might not pass 50, but at least the sun in shining, so I won't complain. 

I know I grew up in the Midwest and have had more down coats that undoubtedly made me look like the Michelin man than you can shake a stick at, but I'm telling you, I would not survive an Illinois winter anymore.  Sure, I have a heavy coat and UGG boots, but I pull them out in the 40s.  The 30's, 20's and teens?  I just can't deal!

 To my Illinois family and friends currently enjoying temperatures in the low 20's with a single digit windchill . . . I salute you.

With my non-mittened hand, of course! 

An open letter to Mother Nature

Dear Mother Nature,

I'm going to keep this short and sweet.   If the sun doesn't shine soon, I'm going to snap.    I know that it's winter. But the average temperature this time of year is in the 50's and we're not there.   Plus, that pesky groundhog didn't see his shadow, so we're due for an early spring, aren't we?


Cold and gray is getting old. 

Sincerely,
Kris

say cheese!

After days and days of cloudy skies, rain and cool temperatures, the sun finally made an appearance today. 

We've missed you.

Just in time for our thrice rescheduled family pictures, may I add.  

Of course, the humidity of the days and days of rain gave the redhead and I frizzy hair.   Here's hoping our wonderful photographer can use fancy filters, Photoshop and what-not to make us a look a little less fuzzy.

Of course, if she could get rid of the dark circles under my eye courtesy of this awesome cold that is keeping me from sleeping, that would be pretty awesome, too.

Spring has sprung!

Nothing like the snow melting away and temperatures in the 50-60s to get me in the mood for Easter dress shopping and spring cleaning.

I can't believe I said that last part . . . but it's true!

And I can't believe it's going to be 69 degrees tomorrow!  69 DEGREES!  We were home on our zillionth snow day last Thursday.  Okay, it may have been our 7th, but it felt like our zillionth. 

Even though the sleds and snow boots are still scattered around the garage, the fact is, spring has sprung and we're not going back.  Sure, 3 of the 4 years I was at the University of Illinois it snowed on April 1st (some joke!) and it even snowed the night before I got married (April 7th), but I'm a Southerner now and in these parts, we don't really "do" the kind of winters that we've experience over the last month. And we sure don't do it in April, so WELCOME SPRING!

Yesterday, I finally took my Valentine's wreath off the front door and pulled out my Easter decorations.  All traces of hearts, pine cones and anything else remotely "winter-y" has been packed away.  Hello to bunnies, flowers and bespeckled eggs.  

The only thing missing is Reese's peanut butter eggs!  But for what it's worth, I noticed there was still a Reese's peanut butter heart from Valentines Day stashed in the back of the freezer.  Even though Valentines technically means winter and I have formally bid farewell to winter, I think I can make an exception for that!

.2 inches . . .

Word on the street is we might get snow tonight.  Kids everywhere are waiting with baited breath to see if school will be cancelled . . . or at least delayed.  Unfortunately, the weather people have had to tone down the forecast and we are only expected to get .2 inches of snow.   Not 1/2 an inch or even a 1/4.  

.2"

Since my schedule tomorrow includes hosting a teacher luncheon, Brownies and the first rehearsal of the Williamson County Community Band for the 2015 season, "winter weather" would could potentially throw a wrench in things.    Of course in these parts, "winter weather" could be as little as  .5" of snow, so I better hope it isn't 6 flakes more than they are predicting.

Ramblings on a spring day in the middle of winter . . .

I sure am enjoying "spring in January" this week!  The dog and I have enjoyed 4-5 mile walks both yesterday and today and the infusion of sunshine is just what I needed.  Of course, Bassam just told me the temperature is going to drop to 37 on Friday, so it seems I should enjoy it while I can.

I suppose sometimes you need days where it's cloudy, rainy and 37 degrees . . . so you can get your laundry done.   Other than that, I don't have much use for it.

One other thing I hope to do during "the return of winter" is planning for my master bath remodel.   Yes, I think 2015 is the year we FINALLY going to get it done.  Our contractor came out last week and we talked through what I'd like to do.   We are going to leave the layout basically the same (which saves a ton of money), but basically EVERYTHING is going to go.   Of course, that also means that I need to pick out a replacement for EVERYTHING.   I've been busy on Pinterest and Houzz.com looking at tile and Thomas (our contractor) sent me a couple websites to look at for vanities.   I must admit, I get overwhelmed easily, but I really want to make this happen.   We often joke that the family we bought the house from (who were the original owners) opted for absolutely NO UPGRADES when building the house, except maybe choosing "extra brass."   When we moved in, every door knob, hinge, faucet and light fixture were bright shiny brass.  Yuck!  Likewise, the appliances, tile and other finishes were all "builders grade."   When new, I'm sure it was fine, but 20 years later it is decidedly bad. 

So if you have done a recent bathroom remodel, I'd love to hear any thoughts or tips you may have.   I don't always have the best luck in these big projects (read:  I AM CURSED) but am hoping my luck will change this time around!

You can't have it both ways . . . .

As the kids woke up this morning, there were snow flurries and the news folks were busy announcing school closings due to the very cold temperatures.   

Our county, however, was not among them.

Needless to say, the kids didn't think this was fair, especially Matthew.   However, 45 minutes later I found myself in a rather ironic disagreement with him over clothing.   No, he didn't want to wear a long sleeve shirt, let alone a long sleeve t-shirt over a short sleeve t-shirt as I had suggested.   Coat?   When it was time to leave I watched him pull a hoodie out of the closet instead of his down coat and a pair of gloves. 

So let me get this straight . . . you think it's warm enough to wear a short sleeve t-shirt and a hoodie, but you're complaining that our school district wasn't among those that cancelled due to the cold weather?

Feeling hot, hot, hot . . . .

For a girl who is no longer on the PTO board, I've spent a crazy amount of time at school this week.  It started with the "Boo Hoo Breakfast" on Monday morning for the kindergarten parents (I'm still co-chairing Hospitality), then helping in the library, followed by two mornings volunteering for Matthew's teacher.

So that whole problem of not knowing what to do with my "extra time" hasn't really come to fruition. 

Which also explains why I'm spending Friday night doing laundry.

As I mentioned on Wednesday, we are in the midst of the hottest week of the summer right now.  Since it's been almost 100 degrees every day this week, it's not only a lousy time to see One Direction at an outdoor stadium show, but they've even had to cancel recess at school or limit them to 15 minutes outside.  It's just too hot and there isn't a lick of shade on the playground.   And I don't about what happens at your house, but when my kids come home having not gotten to go outside for recess they are WOUND UP!   It cooled down a bit after dinner tonight and I told them they needed to play outside until it was time to shower.   I have no idea what they are doing, but whatever it is, they are doing it loudly. 

Sorry, neighbors.

But on a happier note, I conquered 5 more drawers today!  That takes the "Drop your Drawers" count up to 13 drawers!

Baby, it's cold outside . . . .

Unless you've been living under a rock . . . in Hawaii . . . you've probably heard that it's cold outside.  It's currently 6 degrees in Nashville with a windchill of -9.    It's definitely the coldest weather my Southern born and raised children have ever known.  

There was somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of snow on the ground this morning.  Not to be deterred by the fact that you could see more grass than snow, my kids bundled up and went outside to play.   Luckily, the boots purchased, but never worn last year still fit.   Matthew's new snow pants (also purchased last year) were MIA, but a pair of ski pants given to us a by a neighbor several years ago still fit. 

Within 15 minutes or so, the kids had wiped the grass clean of all snow and their faces were getting that bright red, plastic-y look about it so I made them come in.   Killjoy!   

They cancelled school for tomorrow and I've informed the kids it will likely be a quiet day close to home.  Not because it's cold, but since I have pulled out all the stops since Christmas with fun outings and get togethers with friends (including today's trip back to the Crag for rock climbing with friends), I'm woefully behind on day to day chores including . . . you guessed it . . . laundry.  They were not thrilled by my announcement, but it should help make for the return to school on Wednesday a happy one. 

Stay warm! 

No more Christmas . . . .

I can't decide if it's really been a long weekend or if I've simply lumped in the last two weeks of winter break to the past two days and I'm just really ready to get back into a routine with the kids.

This will undoubtedly be difficult since it is wicked cold outside and LAST  FRIDAY the Metro Nashville schools made a decision to delay the start of school until Wednesday due to anticipated cold temperatures.   Our county, Williamson, wasn't quite ready to pull the trigger and cancel Tuesday's return to school four days in advance, but I won't be at all surprised tomorrow if they follow suit. 

Sigh.

I should mention that it was 55 degrees when we left church this morning.  When we got home, I sent the kids to play outside for a couple hours since it was going to drop 30 degrees by bedtime.  

I took down the last of my holiday decorations on Saturday, while both kids were busy tearing up other areas of my house with friends.   Only my beautiful bannister remained and I always hate to take it down.   Not only do I love it, but it is incredibly time consuming to pack it up.   I managed to break two ornaments in the process, plus there was the 40 zillion pine needles and 80 pounds of glitter to sweep and vacuum up.  

At one point I looked up the stairway and couldn't help but reminded of what the Who's living rooms looked like after the Grinch stole Christmas from their houses. 

And speaking of taking things down, when I let the dog out a few minutes ago, I thought I should take down my Vanderbilt flag (Go Dores!) flying in front of the house, since it wasn't really so much flying as very stiffly flapping in the wind due to being cold and wet.   Well, it is pretty much frozen in the bracket.   Ooops!    I guess we'll continue to fly the Black and Gold.

Stay warm!

Weather whining . . .

Well, it's been three days since I've written anything. You'd think I'd been really busy doing exciting things, but not so much .  Please bear with me as I suspect this post will be a bit scattered.

My parents came to town on Thursday night and left Saturday morning. Warp-speed visit.   More of a trip with a purpose than a visit.  More on that another day.

On Saturday everything got cancelled because the weather people thought we might get snow.  Or ice.   Or sleet  

Guess what?  We got rain.

So the county-wide math competition Matthew was supposed to participate in on Saturday was cancelled.   No problem, we'll just go to his first basketball game that we were otherwise going to miss.  Nope, that was also cancelled. 

In typical Tennessee fashion, the cancellation of Saturday activities began early in the afternoon on Friday.  Can someone explain to me why we need cancel things so far in advance?  I can remember getting the rare "school is cancelled" decision growing up less than an hour before I was to get on the bus.  You can argue that makes it difficult for working parents and they need to make a decision the night before.  But extra-curricular stuff on a Saturday?   Come on!

The meteorologists all went on TV Saturday morning and talk about how we "dodged a bullet."  What they really should have said was, "We got it wrong."

Yesterday,  I forgot about the never-quite-happened ice/sleet/snow (which incidentally they also predicted for Sunday and again did not materialize),  and got a nice kick in the pants to get in to the Christmas spirit when Tammy took the kids and I to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at the Grand Old Opry House.   Tammy had seen it before, but it was a new experience for the kids and I---and it definitely did not disappoint!!   Tammy was worried that we wouldn't like our "nosebleed seats," but as settled into our pew, Matthew exclaimed, "This is awesome!"  Then when it was clear the seats two rows behind us (the very last row) were going to remain empty, he and Gracie went back during intermission and watched the second half from there!

So fa-la-la-la-la . . . bring on Christmas!  There is gifts are be purchased, packages to wrap, cookies to be made, parties to host, parties to attend. . . and of course,  laundry to be done (technically not a Christmas activity, but you know I've got at least 4 loads in the wings!).   But guess what?  I think I'm in the mindset to tackle it! 

Do I know where to start?  Not yet.  I probably could use a couple good hours of getting organized and making lists.  Or I could fly by the seat of my pants and hope it all comes together. 

Wonder which way I'll go!?

It's cold outside!

Although I was born and raised in the Midwest and called it home for the first 25 years of my life, it is safe to say, I am no longer cut from the cold weather cloth.   While I enjoy a snow day (note that is a SINGULAR term!) as much as the average 7 year old and certainly my love for boots is well-documented, I can safely say I don't otherwise appreciate the trappings of winter.  Nashville had  unheard of November snow flurries a week or so ago.  Temperatures this week are positively winter-like....and not in a typical Tennessee weather kind of way.   It's possible we don't get out of the 30s today! 

And somewhere in middle of all these brisk temperatures, they're going to have to put that big hole in the front of my house again and try door installation part deux!  Can't wait. 

Spring!

Hallelujah, it's flip flop weather.  

I took the dog for a walk today with my toes happily wiggling in the breeze (wearing the best flip flops EVER, by the way -- Sanuk Yoga Mat Flip Flops!) wishing that every day could be this beautiful.    It may have gotten up to the mid-80's, but with such a wonderful breeze, it never felt hot.     Spring is so short-lived in Nashville that you have to drink in every moment of it while you can. 

And you know it's going to rain tomorrow and then drop down to 60 on Friday.   Boo hiss!

And then 2 weeks later it'll be in the 90s.    Welcome, summer!

In other news, I took Matthew to his second trumpet lesson tonight.  And you know what I did while I was there (besides listen to him attempt "Mary had a little lamb")?  Signed up for guitar lessons!  If I'm going to have to be there every week for 30 minutes anyway, I might as well learn something myself.   Bassam bought me a guitar the spring before we left Augusta.   Yeah, that was 9 years ago.   I taught myself a bit, then got a big old pregnant belly and had enough.  I've picked it up a number of times since then, but resigned myself to the fact that I can't teach myself.   Of course, finding the time to take lessons didn't go so well.   On the flip side, in this town, everyone plays guitar--so there is no shortage of teachers. 

Wish me luck!

Wet!

Although the average temperatures this time of the year is in the mid 80's, today we got one of those little tastes of fall where the thermometer barely reached 70.   Since I am always chomping at the bit to pull out boots and cardigans, this should make me very happy (not that 70 degrees requires boots and a sweater, but it means we're moving in the right direction).

Alas, today wasn't just unseasonably cool.  It was also rainy   And by "rainy" I mean it rained ALL DAY.    It varied from a light drizzle to a downpour, with the heaviest rain seeming to fall right as I left school, Costco, the mall and Publix.

Yes, today was cross-things-off-my-to-do-list-Monday.  After volunteering most of the morning in Gracie's classroom, I loaded up my car with various returns, things to be mailed and grocery bags and spent the next few hours getting much needed errands done.     Despite my oh-so-cute raincoat, I was decidedly soggy by the second stop on my list.   Because it's only mid-September, all the stores were still blasting their AC, resulting in the yucky combination of being wet and cold.

As I headed home, I actually turned on my seat warmer in the car and briefly thought about making hot chocolate.   The only thing that stopped me is the fact that my kitchen is still not put back together (another point of frustration) and I have no idea where the cocoa is. 

Once I got home, I had about 30 minutes until the kids got off the bus.  I got under a blanket and began surfing the web on the iPad.

For new rain boots.