My Oldest Started Kindergarten…and Picks!

Lifestyle

August 18, 2018

My Oldest Started Kindergarten Today

He’s been going to preschool for two years at a Waldorf school near Boulder, so I was surprised when waves of emotion (complete with tears) hit me this morning. I had to blink back tears while taking the first day of school photo. And while riding our bikes to school as I watched his excitement grow when we saw other families biking too. And while standing in line in the school courtyard, waiting to escort him to his new classroom. And while saying a quick good bye and leaving the school. And when riding my bike back home, one child short.

When I got home, my youngest and I picked tomatoes and grapes from the garden–it felt good to be outside and connecting with one of the boys. And when we came inside, we snuggled in bed and giggled.

My youngest starts preschool on Monday, and for the first time I could be home alone for several hours four days a week. I say could because I am not sure how I will spend this time. Public education for a preschooler and a kindergartner in Colorado is not cheap–it will cost us over $1000 a month. I haven’t decided if I will try to grow my family photography business, try to book more weddings for next summer, get a part-time job, or even get a full-time job. Plus there’s art making, blog writing, other business ideas…

I am anxious for this next to chapter to start, but I am anxious on how it will impact our family life. I want to be able to ride bikes to school, take the boys to swimming, take the boys to soccer practice…but we shall see.

…And August Picks

Yes, it’s been a few months since I shared picks. (And, yes, it has been a few months since I last posted.) (We’ve been enjoying summer while balancing schedules, so the blog took a hit.) While I was living real life, I discovered a few things.

Keep reading for my August picks.

Binge Watch

The Goldbergs. This funny family sitcom set sometime in the 1980s has been on ABC for a few years, but I had never heard of it until friends said I had to watch it. It took a couple episodes for my husband and me to get hooked, and now I love catching an episode or two before bedtime. A couple of them have made me laugh so hard that I cried.

Read It

I finally finished the Alexander Hamilton bio by Ron Chernow (it only took 5 months!) and have picked up a book I found around the house (it has belonged to my husband for years): Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey.

I am so enjoying this relatively fast read after the nonfiction arm workout I was reading for months. (I did like the Hamilton bio too, but it was a labor of life to complete it!) The book was published in 1912 and is a western set in Utah. There are bad guys, good guys, sage, canyons, cliffs, a heroine, religion, polygamy… Since we just visited Desolation Canyon in Utah, I am enjoying imagining the setting of the story.

In all honesty, I picked up this book because I am a fan of the band New Riders of the Purple Sage and the title caught my eye. Coincidences, coincidences.

Waste Time Online

I’ve been monitoring my online behavior a bit more over the past few weeks, and I realize that the internet is, for the most part, a waste of my time. But I still love it. And I’ve enjoyed checking out Laura McKowen’s website and social media stream.

She writes about alcoholism and abstaining and love and relationships, but I most appreciate how she shines light on the message of moms drinking alcohol to cope with motherhood. I agree that there is a broad cultural message that says moms should drink to help deal with parenting. And, heck, sometimes I want a drink at 4 p.m. (or even 11 a.m., let’s be honest)…but that doesn’t mean I should or that it is okay or that it is funny/cute or that I need it.

Since Laura(‘s blog) entered my life, I have consumed less alcohol and have been more thoughtful about my alcohol consumption. And my biggest takeaway thus far has been this: the less I drink, the better parent I am. I feel better in the morning (and if I feel bad, I know something else is up) and I have far more energy and patience. And maybe that is a better, more realistic message that we should be sharing with mamas.

Eat This

Cedar’s Hommus. Oh my gosh, their organic roasted red pepper hommus (which is how it is spelled in the Mediterranean and how the company spells it) is DELICIOUS. I cannot get enough. Be warned: since eating this brand, I no longer enjoy other brands. It is that good.

…With This

Mary’s Gone Crackers. Okay, this is a splurge from me. But I buy them on sale at King Soopers or Whole Foods. And they are so good. And gluten-free. And crunchy. And SO GOOD. (The Amazon link is for 2 bags at 10 ounces each…I buy a box of 6.5 ounces for about $4.50 if not on sale…so this is pretty comparable to my local store, despite the initial sticker shock.)

Listen To

If I have no inkling of a headache, and it summer, and I am happy and driving with the windows open…blaring Led Zeppelin adds to my happiness. This summer I’ve been listening to Over the Hills and Far Away on repeat.

Shop Here

Okay, so I have zero business buying new clothes for myself. And I pretty much hate buying clothes that aren’t made in the USA or aren’t made with protecting the environment in mind. But I needed a couple things for the big raft trip we went on in July. And so I scoured sites like Backcountry.com and Moosejaw. And I found Patagonia’s Worn Wear. I purchased a cute dress for $35 and am totally happy with the condition of the product, the product, the experience. Buying outdoorsy items from this site makes total sense to me!

Are you into anything amazing these days? Please share! We want inspiration too!

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