No More Frizz-Weez*

Ooh! I forgot to tell you!

I have short hair now!!!

It is so much easier.  And when I say that, I don't mean that I spend less time and effort on my hair every day, because I don't.  I spend about the same amount of time that I used to.  BUT, it actually looks nice, as opposed looking like a total frizzball.  And that's a win!

I was just looking through my tags to see if any fit this post, and at first glance I thought one of them was "loveliness," and I thought, "well, a new hairdo is a rather lovely thing."  But it was actually "loneliness."  Which I guess actually fit my last post.  But not really.  I was alone, but I was not feeling particularly lonely at the time!

My laundry has been in the dryer too long.  Does anybody else's dryer do that?  Just decide to keep going and going and going way longer than necessary?  But then, at other times, perform correctly? 

I probably should get the laundry out.
...it just buzzed as I was trying to think of a title for this post.
Oh, and THANK YOU for the support on my last post, it is very much appreciated!!!

*A pun on the product Frizz-Ease.  Which is a pun on frizzies.  Perhaps too much punnage going on here.

Sweet Solitude

I'm home alone.

Seriously alone, because for the first time in over two years, I am sitting on my couch, and Elise is not playing on the floor, sleeping in the next room, or performing acrobatics in my uterus.  She's taking a walk with her daddy instead.

I don't know why it's taken this long for this to happen.  It certainly isn't a lack of willingness on Colin's part (though it's partially a lack of time).  I've gone out alone here and there since she was born, but I've never stayed in while she went out. 

We need to make some changes.  I'm exhausted, and it's negatively affecting every part of my life.  There have been many moments lately when I thought I was going to completely unravel.  Thankfully, that hasn't happened. 

But I do need to make more time for myself.  Maybe it sounds selfish, maybe it is selfish, but I can't be the mother I'm meant to be if I never get a break from my mothering duties.  I need help, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  Given our isolated location, that help is going to have to come mostly from my husband.  I know he is up to the task.

The challenge before me now is figuring out what I need.  I know I need Colin at home more: does that entail cutting back on tutoring, or cutting it out completely?  I know I need to get out more: should I sign up for another class at the Y?  Join my parish's young adult Bible study? Try to get together with friends more often?  (Well, that last one's a definite YES, but it can be difficult when all your good friends are fellow mothers and/or far away!)

I'm happy to have reached a point where I can admit that I have unmet needs.  Colin is completely supportive, understanding, and encouraging.  I just need to figure out where to go from here!  Pray for me, girls!

Munday Mumblings

I was originally going to title this post "Monday Madness," but...there's really no madness here.  Can't sacrifice the truth for a little alliteration.  Time for a list!

1. Blogger and I may be calling it quits
I don't particularly want to make a new blog on a different platform, but I'm starting to think I probably will.  Lindsy, Dacia, and Emily have all noted difficulties leaving comments here, and it's entirely possible that other readers have experienced similar issues.  Blogger, you stink.  I even took off the "prove you ain't no spam-bot" word verification doohickey, and comments have continued to vanish into thin air.  FRUSTRATING.

2. Colin's first tutoring appointment is canceled tonight
This means that we get to spend more time together, I can scoot over to the dairy after dinner for milk and hot pepper cheese without having to tote Elise along (it's always a pain to take her to a place where we just run in for 2 minutes and then go back to the car -- she strongly resists buckling back up), and we'll be able to squeeze in one or possibly two episodes of Battlestar Galactica.  Ya-hoooo!  It also means a loss of income, but we'll just ignore that part. :)

3. Speaking of hot pepper cheese, it has been in woefully short supply lately
The last three times I've gone to the dairy for it, they have been OUT!  Colin checked Friday night, and they told him it would be in Monday.  Naturally, I called this morning around nine.  Supposedly the shelves should be stocked with it by now.  I hope!!  My comment on Friday: "I guess the hot pepper cow has been on vacation."

4. My baby is playing nicely right now and allowing me to type on the computer
This is huge!!!  Usually she doesn't like me to be on the computer at all, and if she does permit it, I must be in read-only mode: the sound of keys clicking is a dead giveaway that my attention is most definitely not on her.  Oh happy day!

5. But anyway, not that I haven't whined about it already, but that's most of the reason why my blogging and commenting have been light
I don't know if I can elaborate on that one.  Except to say: it's because of that reason, combined with being so tired once she goes to bed at night that typing "great post!" into a combox is nigh impossible. 

6. I asked my wonderful mom friends on FB for advice on where to get winter boots for Elise
And I got many great suggestions.  I felt a twinge of sorrow over a few of them, namely Old Navy, Shoe Carnival, and Babies R Us.  State College does not have these fine retailers.  *Sniff.*  Only makes me pine for Ohio even more!

7. I just took a break from writing this post to go to Goodwill
Elise had a blast scurrying around, and I found a dress!  Okay fine, I bought her this toy, too.

Apparently the photo I chose has a really big white-space border goin' on.

It was 99 cents and she liked it.


8. Lest this seem too much like a three-day-late quick takes, I'll add that I love peppermint tea
This brand is AMAZING:

Their Web Site

It makes Lipton's variety taste like...nothing.  Just nothing.  I think you could brew a whole pot with a single teabag of this variety and it would be stronger than a single cup made with Lipton.  Okay, that's a definite exaggeration.  But seriously, if you love potent peppermint tea, this is totally worth buying!