Ten Days at an End

Dear Friends and Family,

Today is my last real day with P before school kicks in again. Next week, Mr. mouse is off so we'll be doing things as a family. Then, Tuesday we have orientation. And, Wednesday is the first day of school.

But, today is my last real day with P before school kicks in again. In retrospect, I'm glad I took the summer off. I'm glad was done with old work. I'm glad I put new work on the back burner. I'm glad I had the fun moments I did with P. I'll be honest, on the days she had full day camp we didn't get much done together. By the time we got home and had a snack, there just wasn't a large enough chunk of time to take on a major project before Mr. mouse got home.

On the other hand, for the four weeks P had half-day camp and for the two weeks P had no camp, we had lots of time to get into lots of trouble together. Did we spend some days running errands? Yes, we did. Did we spend some days getting things done at home? Yes, we did. Did we spend some days working on sheets? Well, not as consistently as Mr. mouse wanted, but, yes, we did. Did we spend some days with friends on play dates? Here and there, we did. Were there times I parked P in front of the TV for half an hour? There were probably a handful of times I did.

But, a lot of days we empty days where we could go to the park or play at home with toys that hadn't gotten touched in forever. We had time to talk over lunch. P told me that one time she wished it could be her birthday every day. How sweet it that? We had time to read together, sometimes me reading to P, sometimes both of us with our own books, quietly enjoying each other's company.

It was fun. I love having a five-year-old in the house. I'm glad I took the time to enjoy it.

Today, we're off to the museum. We got a free pass at the library. We'll meet Mr. mouse for lunch. And, then, we're off to new adventures. Still fun, but my summer vacation with P is coming to a close. I'm glad I got as much time as I did.


Cheers!
mouse

Caught Up, Yes!

Dear Friends and Family,

After a miserly three days of parks and playgrounds, we're caught up! So, for the first time in what feels like a long time we have some wiggle room in our budget. I know three days doesn't feel like a long time. But, last week was tight as well. I think I've recognized the pattern where we get into trouble. Our budget is generous, but it's not open-ended. So, as long as we plan out our spending, we should be fine. I think we get into trouble on the "big" days when we have multiple large expenditures all in a row. So, we can't prune our tree, pay the electric bill, get house cleaning, and apply for a new passport all on the same day. We can do all of those things, but it needs to be spread over four days. Yep, then we're in better shape.

So, today, Mr. mouse can have a little bit of money for a work outing and P can get ice cream at the museum. It's not living large, but it is the difference a little wiggle room can make. The rest we'll save for our upcoming vacation.

What have I learned from this budget?

Well, there's the simple awareness of how much little charges can add up, parking, Starbucks, ice cream, etc. There's a much greater appreciation of how quickly the big things can add up. It seems like there's always something. But, I'd say the best learning is how enjoyable life can still be even if we're being economical. We have fun at the parks and museums. We have fun at home. Eating in is fine even if eating out is easy. I'm glad we're teaching P that our happiness is not tied to money. I've always said that a certain amount of money makes life easier, but at some point more money does not equal more happiness. And, this budget has reminded me of that and hopefully introduced P to that concept.


Cheers!
mouse

A Day at the Park

Dear Friends and Family,

We stole a few magical moments in the park yesterday morning before the rains came in. P and I played fairy princess which I rarely let her play. She fashioned a wand for herself by tying a leaf around a twig. I picked a larger twig with a fork in it.

We found a quiet corner in the tree house playground and played fairy princess. How do you play fairy princess?

Well, this time, we did a lot of food things. I'd put a spell on her, "magic wand, magic wand, make P like asparagus." And then I'd ask her what she wants for lunch and P would reply, "asparagus." I'd pretend to make something out of asparagus and offer it to her. She'd gobble it up. And then I'd say, "wow, P really likes asparagus." We did it over and over again.

P also had a kitten named good good who had a kitten named nice nice who had a kitten named nice good. The three kittens liked lemon mint tarts so we needed to make them for the kittens. We went shopping and cooked them up.

We discovered we had two approaches with the alligators in the water. P would put them to sleep to cross the water. I'd feed them cheeseburgers to distract them. After a couple of times crossing the water with awake, but distracted alligators, P was okay with the cheeseburgers.

And, we played on the slide. P would cast a spell on me to make me go down the slide. I'd declare, "I feel like going down a slide right now." And then, to her giggles, I'd come down the slide.

We wrapped up the park visit with multiple trips to the pretend doctor for pretend stitches. And, we made a run for the car right before the big rain hit.

We spent the afternoon organizing shoes because that's what P wanted to do. Then, she napped. And, that was our day yesterday.


Cheers!
mouse

Rain, Rain, Go Away, Little P Wants to Play, Rain, Rain, Go Away

Dear Friends and Family,

We've been taking every opportunity possible to go outdoors since it's been showing rain for the entire week. Yesterday, we went to the pool in the morning and the park in the afternoon. We had the whole pool to ourselves. It couldn't have been better.

Today, the rain is holding off, so far. We've got lots of indoor activities queued up, just in case.

Well, P is up so I should start getting ready for the day.


Cheers!
mouse

08.18.14: Catching Up

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Monday and I'm feeling good.

We had a fun weekend. Saturday, we took P to the lake to see the air and water show. Sunday, we went to a friends house for a wonderful Sunday get together.

I also had a chance to talk with a girl friend who might be interested in hiring me and with a guy friend who might also be interested in hiring me.

So, instead of spending too much time here, I think I'll go work on some business proposals this morning.


Cheers!
mouse

Play Date in the Park

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, P was sad when she woke up. Mr. mouse had already left for work and he had a haircut scheduled for the evening which meant, potentially, that she might not see him all day. So, when we decided that Legoland was not worth the $18 admission fee, we called Mr. mouse to check on his availability for lunch. He was free. We found a magic parking spot which was free. And, P got to go to the office for lunch. It was the highlight of her day.

Afterwards, I took P to the park and to Dairy Queen. She ran a ton in the park which is good since after today the forecast is showing rain for a week.

Today, we have a play date scheduled with two of P's friends. And, after some discussion last night on budget, it looks like we'll be on a tight budget for the next week to save up some money for an upcoming vacation. While it's more fun to think that money grows on trees, I'm okay with living on a tight budget for the upcoming week to save on money for a vacation. I'd rather do that than come back from vacation feeling like we over spent.


Cheers!
mouse

Fun Days with P

Dear Friends and Family,

Wednesday started out as an errand day.

We went to the doctor to have her look at P's toes. Two of them are curling inward. It's not bad enough to warrant surgery. I guess we'll watch it and see how it grows. Or I may Google it. Or I may try taping it to the neighboring toe. We'll see.

Then, we drove out to the mailbox. We ate lunch together, got coffee, picked up mail, and got gas. I convinced P to nap on her way to swim lessons. And, because I was lucky, she agreed. P slept from 2 o'clock to almost half past three. This set us up for a successful evening - a full belly and a nap.

We visited a friend after swim class and convinced her to join us in the park. That turned into a play date at our house. And, the evening ended with P curled up next to me asking me to sleep with her in her room.

So, what started out as an errand day morphed into a fun day after all.


Cheers!
mouse

To Zara or Not to Zara

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, that was easy. There's no Zara at the mall by the mail box. I guess we will not Zara today.

What'd we do yesterday? P and I went to the museum and spent a fun-filled day exploring science. We went through an exhibit on five habitats - rain forest, ocean, polar, cave and savanna. Then, we ate lunch. We watched a movie on the flight of the monarch butterfly. It was P's first movie. She whispered to me tidbits about butterflies throughout the movie. It was very cute. We learned about flavor and how it's a combination of taste and smell. P had a mint jellybean. She chewed it first with her nose pinched and then with her nose opened. And, we polished off the day with a ride through a train where P saw a talking donkey.

P was exhausted when we came home. I wanted to feed her dinner and put her to bed. But, she wanted time with Mr. mouse. So, after dinner she went out to play tennis with him. Then, had bath. Then, went to bed. She was in that easily distracted, stuck in random loops mode. I hate yelling at her to get her out of it. I think we're going to try sending her to her room when she gets like that so we're not in constant yelling-at-our-daughter mode.

It's Wednesday. We've got a doctor's appointment. Then, we'll pick up mail and go to the park. We've got swim lessons and a play date. Frankly, we're over scheduled today. We'll have to find a low key activity for tomorrow to make up for it. Perhaps we'll go to Zara.


Cheers!
mouse

Clothes Shopping

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, I took P clothes shopping. We bought two pairs of jeans and one sweater. I also let P wander around the Disney store for as long as she wanted. She looked at stuff. She touched stuff. She confessed to be willing to trade in her Elsa dress for a Cinderella dress. But, in the end, she left willingly, without making any purchases. It was almost enough to make me want to buy her the Cinderella dress. Almost.

P fell asleep on the way home. I carried her up to her room. She slept for four hours. I did a ton of email while she was sleeping. It was nice. And, I guess she must have really needed the rest.

Now, I'm off to an early morning business meeting.


Cheers!
mouse

08.11.14: P's Bike Accident

Dear Friends and Family,

Another week another bike accident. This time it was P. There was blood everywhere. We took her home and washed her up and let her cry herself out watching videos on my lap. Then, we assessed the damage. It seemed like all of the bleeding was from her mouth. And, the bleeding had stopped. Her left hand had some pretty nasty cuts on two of the fingers, but they weren't bleeding any more either. So, we debated the emergency room vs. keeping her at home. In the end, keeping her at home won out because we thought the rest in a familiar setting would do her more good than sitting in an emergency room.

We took her to the doctor on Sunday. Looks like P has a partially detached frenulum. We called the dentist today. They're okay looking at it on our regularly scheduled appointment later this month.

The fingers continue to mend a little more each day. And, P's swelling (on her lip) is slowly going down. She can go swimming on Wednesday. And, outside of taking it a little easy, we should be okay for the next two weeks which is good because I think we'd all be a little bummed if we were stuck inside for the last two weeks of summer vacation.

I'm just glad everything seems to be okay.


Cheers!
mouse

Last Free Day Until School

Dear Friends and Family,

It's my last free day until P starts school in the fall. Honestly, after the past two weeks, I'm looking forward to time with P. I haven't really gotten into a routine. I was loathe to kick off anything big since I knew I only had two weeks. And, the time in the afternoon wasn't really productive time since P came home tired out. I hope this isn't a harbinger for when she's back at school full-time.

No, it will not be. Once she's back in school, I can look forward to a long, uninterrupted spell of doing stuff.

Well, for now, I'll enjoy today. Perhaps I'll make it a free day and nap on the hammock.


Cheers!
mouse

Losing the Kitchen Island Battle, Winning the Bedroom One

Dear Friends and Family,

We're definitely making progress on the master bedroom. There was a pile of stuff there that had been lingering from January. I got through all of it yesterday. And, now, I'm ready to tackle the next pile of stuff. It feels so nice walking into the master bedroom and seeing sections that look like a calm oasis. It's funny, you can see exactly how far I've gotten, because there's a line. To the left of the line, it's organized and clean. To the right of the line, it's a hoarder's delight.

We're definitely losing the kitchen island battle. I blame this 100% on P's camp. We signed her up for a two week camp. And, every day she comes home with 3-4 three dimensional craft projects. Yesterday, she brought home a well that winds up, an aquifer and a water filter. Yep. That's one day's worth of projects. Multiply that by ten for the ten days she's in camp, and you can see why the island is overrun. There's no "home" for these in the house. P wants to keep them. So, we need to find a home. I might try to clear out two bins in the living room. Then, we can try to fit this stuff in two bins for keeping. Perhaps that's a solution.


Cheers!
mouse

Dull as Beige Paint

Dear Friends and Family,

Sometimes I feel like my life is as dull as beige paint. I'm cleaning the house. I'm watching the budget. I'm clearing through old files. Yep. It's about as dull as you can get.

I think for now, though, I'll continue to clear through the house and the files. I think I'm overwhelmed because P's in camp for two weeks and the amount of stuff they generate in camp is astounding. It's a good thing we only signed up for two weeks. I'm thoroughly overwhelmed.

And, just now, Mr. mouse vetoed giving away P's boat from childhood. Yep. Overwhelmed.


Cheers!
mouse

Cleaning Up the NAS

Dear Friends and Family,

I've been making some progress on the house and on the NAS.

Yesterday, I spent 20 minutes on a pile of stuff in the master bedroom. The pile's not gone. But, it's smaller. And, I know what's in it now. And, I'll spend 20 more minutes working on it today. Sooner or later it'll be gone.

I also spent some time working on the NAS. I've been going through my files and deleting duplicates, because there's no good reason to keep multiple copies of the exact same file. I've also been going through and deleting work files. I kept copies of a lot of my work. But, I realized I kept too much. I wanted a portfolio of files in case P ever wondered what her mom worked on. But, there's no way she'll sift through what I kept. So, I'm curating to a smaller list.


Cheers!
mouse

08.04.14: House Party at the Mouse Pad

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Monday. We had a fun filled weekend with friends visiting from out of town. Joseph came down from his place as well. The house was packed. We didn't have enough chairs. But, we had so much fun. Friday, we dinner in the house. Mr. mouse made steak and chimichurri sauce. We had pie and ice cream for dessert.

Saturday, we split up. The boys went to an all you can play arcade. And, we took P to the zoo. We spent the afternoon on the deck watching the sunset. P fell asleep. We ate tacos for dinner before splitting again. A group of four went out to a concert. The rest of us hung out at home.

Sunday, we went to church together which is always nice. Then, we came home for lunch before splitting up again. Mr. mouse, P and I went to a baseball game. Our friends headed out to a music shop before driving home. Joseph headed out for a bike ride.

It would have been a perfect weekend, except for the fact that Joseph fell from his bike and we had to take him to the hospital to have it looked at. Everyone's okay. Just made for a complicated Sunday evening.


Cheers!
mouse

$22, Hooray!

Dear Friends and Family,

We did it! We actually made it to the end of July. And, cumulatively, we were $22 over on our budget for the month. Granted, we were over. But, still, in my mind, we did it! Compared to our spending the past six months, it's a giant step function improvement. I'm actually looking forward to our bills coming in August, because they won't bring on that depressing, we're out of control, how are we going to ever pay this, sort of feeling.

Well, we start off August today, I'm hoping we can continue the trend. August will be tougher. We need to buy clothes and shoes for P. But, instead of buying it all at once, I think we'll buy it in phases.

P needs:

1. 3-4 pairs of pants
2. 3-4 pairs of jeans
3. 2-3 tops
4. 1-2 sweaters
5. winter jacket, maybe
6. snow pants, definitely
7. hat and gloves/mittens
8. a scarf which I promised to knit for her
9. boots
10. 3 pairs of shoes

I think that captures it. I'll need to figure out how to break this down into manageable chunks. Definitely buying in phases.

For now, I'll savor the feeling of being on budget.


Cheers!
mouse