My caretaker

December 8, 2014December 8, 2014Leave a comment

I took Rocco for a run yesterday morning. Our regular Sunday trot together. The kids will allow me to do that on Sundays but no additional running or working out because it is our day to chill together. I got a call as I approached home. Ri chirped “when will you be home mom?”
I told her I was five minutes away and she hung up the phone on me. I came home to the spread pictured above.
“Mom, I know how you like to eat healthy so I made you eggs and your toast you love with just a little jelly and pineapple and yogurt. And guess what I put in your coffee?!”
Yep, she added my milk and cinnamon and sugar just the way I like it.” She is proving to be quite the caretaker, and gives me hope for when I’m 95 and finally in need of assistance.
In furtherance of her care taking duties, she also got on me this morning because she came downstairs and found an empty ice cream container that had not been opened when she went to bed last night.
“Mom! This is wrong! You ate the entire container of ice cream?!”
What could I say? I fessed up to her and admitted I did it.
“That is ridiculous,” she responded throwing the container away.
Who takes care of who in this family?! (I did make her dinner last night, though – so BAM!).
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Calling it out

December 7, 2014December 7, 2014Leave a comment

My poor girl has been sick all weekend but she mustered up enough energy to help me buy gifts for colleagues on-line. During the process of trying to find personalized picture frames and ornaments, it struck home how she is so perceptive and aware at age 9.
The first moment was when we were looking at ornaments and flashing letters splashed across the screen informing us that we had 11 MORE HOURS to get free shipping on all our gifts.
“Mom! Hurry up and find your gifts! You don’t want to lose out on free shipping! It costs a lot to ship!
That’s my frugal girl.

The next moment was while we were looking at personalized frames for a friend and her wife who were recently married. All of the frames were titled with your typical middle class white names – “Jim and Nancy” and “Steve and Susie.” I was secretly smirking at the name choices and the pictures of the couples leaning against a tree laughing or embracing in front of an impeccable brick home. As I continued to look for a present-worthy frame, Ri remarked in a mocking tone “look at Jim and Nancy so quaint and happy.” Then she followed it right up with “all the couples here are a man and a woman; there aren’t any gay couples.”
Indeed, Ri, isn’t it a shame.
“But,” she concluded sarcastically, “they did include one African American couple in the mix….. Just sad.” She shook her head in disbelief.
I chuckled at her sarcasm and keen perception. But then I remembered that it wasn’t my girlfriend I was talking with, it was my nine year old daughter. I stared at her – as she continued to search for frames – in amazement and with pride over her ability to grasp how tilted this world can be in addition to her boldness in raising the issue.
After a half of an hour, we eventually found a wooden frame we likes. And we promptly replaced the names “Jim and Jennifer” with “Eunice and Marsha.”

Geography Bee Girl Buzzes

December 2, 2014December 2, 2014Leave a comment

This girl!
I am so proud of her.
She studied over the past three weeks for her school geography bee – there were a few rough moments where she was not happy with me pushing her to study, but she did it anyway. In the end, I believe she tried really hard.
She had left this weekend to go to Grandma Ionno’s on a sour note. I had told her that she should take her geography book with her to study. She sighed at me and barked in an exasperated tone “how much do I have to study?” I explained to her that she needed to study to the point where she felt that she had tried her hardest. I didn’t know when that point would be reached but I knew she should put some time in since the bee was Monday. She rolled her eyes and turned to get in the car.
I was sad when she left. I questioned how strict I should be about studying. Should I demand she study for 2 hours a night? Or should I give her the freedom to study as she feels necessary? I felt like I had taken the middle road and required her to study at certain times over the three weeks but also given her the option to study or do something else (which usually ended up being “something else”).
When she arrived home from Grandma Ionno’s on Sunday, the first thing she said to me was “Guess how much I studied, Mom?!”
I asked her how much and she exclaimed “Two and a half hours!”
I was heartened to see that she had taken time away from playing with her cousin to study.
On Monday, I think I was more sick to my stomach about the bee than was she. All my nerves were on high alert. She was a cool cookie about the bee from the day she found out she was in it. Her nerves did get shaken a bit the night before and the morning of but I kept reiterating how Jon and I were proud of her no matter what.
“You studied hard and you will give it your all and that is a win for us no matter the outcome.”
When I walked in the room Monday afternoon, she sat in the middle of the long table between two fifth grade boys. She was stoic. She gave Jon and I a quick smile but then was all business. The moderator asked all ten kids (2 girls and eight boys) individual questions and then a group one where each of them had to write the answer on a white board like Jeopardy. Hilarious.
Ri got all of the answers correct! She and four others (3 fifth grade boys and 1 fourth grade boy) got them all correct so they got to move into the final round. The final round consisted of seven questions that Jon and I could not even answer (“which Mediterranean country produces the most cotton?”). One of the boys got lucky and answered one of the questions correctly so he became the finalist. Ri was gracious and smiled at him. Then she leaned over and consoled the boy next to her who was crying. She possesses such a warm soul.
Her teacher congratulated her on how well she did. She smiled and said thanks. Then she walked out the door with us, looked at a box of canned goods, and immediately started gabbing about the 4th grade can food drive. I loved how she already moved on to a new subject and didn’t wallow in despair over not winning the bee. She gave it her best shot and was on to new things. Yep, she continues to teach this grown-up many a life lesson.

Wing kids

November 30, 2014November 30, 2014Leave a comment

The kids have returned from a weekend with Grandma Ionno. At age 75, this lady takes her 4 grand kids for more than 48 hours and complains not one bit. God love her – more than I can say about me after 24 entire hours.
We took Grandma to Matt the Miller’s for brunch. All Mario likes these days are ritz crackers and chicken legs. Yea, don’t ask me. He is an enigma. He ate an entire sleeve of crackers when he stepped into the house; and when we went to brunch he asked for chicken legs. They had chicken leg wings, thank goodness, and Mario was pleased. Ri couldn’t pass up the wings either because the waiter confirmed they had ranch dressing to which she could dip her wings. That girl knows how to live.

Mario isn’t quite as seasoned as Ri on the wing front. He doesn’t dip them in anything and only ate two before he was full (may have had to do a bit with the sleeve of Ritz crackers…).
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Wings have never tempted me and never will. They look and feel gross. I stuck with a turkey club and sweet potato fries – yum. But as always, the best part of the meal was the dessert – Greater’s buckeye blitz and chocolate chip ice cream. If only I could live on that for every meal. The kids have inherited my love for Greater’s as well taking down scoops of chocolate chip with me. Needless to say, I can’t take a picture of us all post-feast because we are sprawled out on the couch with our pants’ buttons undone. Happy post T-Day!>

Thanksgiving 2014

November 29, 2014November 29, 2014Leave a comment

And so another Thanksgiving holiday has passed. We hosted the Heile clan this year so it was a raucous good time with Aunt Julie and I taking turns lifting each other off the ground in wild embraces and the cousins ribbin’ each other over any sort of thing.
Ri was wonderful helping me with the centerpiece and place holders. We spent two days making turkeys for each guest. Maria designed them after the one I tried to design looked like a buckeye nut glued on a circle. I cut out the body and head and beak and gizzard and feathers, and Ri wrote on each body: “We are grateful for NAME because…”. She wrote each family member’s name creatively and then wrote two adjectives on each of the feathers of the turkey to describe the person. She even got her thesaurus out to come up with unique words. Precious girl.

Poor Mario sat in the family room watching tv the entire time because he was sick as a dog. He sported a nasty virus that reared it’s ugly head through a non-stop cough for nearly seven days. He was up all night coughing and I swore in my sleep-deprived state that he had to have pneumonia. But two Urgent Care trips later, it was confirmed to simply be a virus. I was so glad to see some life in him on Wednesday morning. He was able to crank out five games of Crazy Eights with me and win everyone.
We woke early on Thanksgiving Day – Jon to prep the turkey and me to take Rocco on a long run to tire him out. When I got home, the kids and I played some more Crazy Eights and they drew cards for the Markles telling them how grateful they were for them in their lives. But the thought of getting out of their pjs to deliver their cards was too much for them so we saved the cards for a post-Thanksgiving present. Mario played on his iPad while Ri waited anxiously for the guests to arrive. Finally, Grandma Lolo arrived. She and I tried to figure out how to make the stuffing and gravy (I get more rudimentary cooking skills honestly; but she gave me so many other talents). Ri quizzed Papa Rod on geography. Then others began to arrive. Ri became the official greeter and coat taker thanks to Laura designating her. These cousins of mine have quite the influence on Maria Grace. She listens to their every word and watches their every move. She grew up with these gals and surely gets all of her sassiness from them.
I loved the hustle and bustle in the house; the laughter; the poking; the frivolity. I grew up with this craziness and I’m glad to see that none of us have settled down. Heck, look at us former Perkins’ waitresses posing for the camera – we still got it.
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While Jon was outside grilling a mean turkey, Julie, my mom and I were trying to brew up some equally mean gravy. You would think mixing broth, flour and water would not be so scary, but again, you are talking to three women that have never made it. But ta-da! We killed it!
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Everyone brought lots of sides – broccoli casserole, sweet potatoes, cranberries, green bean casserole, rolls, fruit salad, and mashed potatoes. The cousins got caught up on the latest in their lives while Ri and Mario sabotaged the boy cousins. Sweet Konnor and Stewart let the kids wrestle them and show them every room in the house. Cy played football with Mario in the freezing cold. Mag and Liz and Tiff and Laura grilled Ri about school. The uncles watched some football and the aunts chatted around the kitchen. Kinda traditional setting for T-Day but I’d have it no other way. This crazy bunch has been with me since I was a little pea pod and being able to give them thanks and break bread with them on this day made me giddy happy.
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Laura gave a lovely prayer before our meal and we were off to the races. Jon’s turkey was to die for – moist and honey-basted. The sides were yummy. The wine was rich. The company superb. And dinner was over in 25 minutes!
All the aunts got to washing the dishes within seconds of the end of the first person finishing their plate – true Grandma Heile style! We broke open the Frisch’s pecan and pumpkin pies and Rice Krispy treats and dove in without hesitation. In sticking with Columbus Thanksgiving tradition, I announced a walk after we gorged ourselves. A few brave souls decided to come with me, including Ms. Grace and Ri. Grace got the delight of climbing a tree!
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When we arrived home, I got a few more minutes with my Heile clan before they started to hit the road. But Susie and I did manage to wrangle the clan for a family photo before departures began. We started with the normal sweet photo…
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But then I got my goofy pose one.
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And then they were gone leaving behind two dozen deviled eggs (we forgot to put them out at dinner much to Jon’s glee), a pecan pie and another year of wonderful memories.
But before we knew it, we had more visitors. Grandma Meg and Peepaw arrived from their Thanksgiving in Cincy. Grandma Meg dropped off Peepaw for a sleepover since he left for Oaxaca on Friday morning to take an intense Spanish course and see Elena. Lucky dog.
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We ended the night with a long game of Quirkle (Ri beat us all as usual) and a few leftovers (including two pieces of sheetcake, yes sheetcake, a new Thanksgiving tradition started by Aunt Julie in honor of my sweet tooth).
I went to bed completely whooped but so grateful for having such an amazing clan to call family.
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Rejoice

November 22, 2014November 22, 2014Leave a comment

With the freezing cold temperatures this past week, it was all you could do to run to your car, run inside, run back to your car and head home. I managed to take Rocco for daily walks but did not fathom asking the kids to come with me. He loves the weather and the snow.
I could not believe the three inches of snow on the ground when I woke up this past week. I was all irritated because I couldn’t go for a run. Those morning runs get my endorphins pumping and when I don’t get to start my day with them, it’s always tough revving up my energy.
I moseyed downstairs and made the kids breakfast. Ri had made her lunch and was ready to go with a ham and cheese and ketchup sandwich in hand. She might as well be in college. I kissed her goodbye and reluctantly went back upstairs to get ready for work. I yelled for Mario to put his shoes on. I heard nothing. After getting ready, I briskly walked down the stairs ready to scold Mario for not listening. Instead I heard a joyful scream.
“Mom, look at this!”
I walked out the back door and Mario was building a snowman.

The night was full of wrestling and slamming and playfully punching. Oh, and that trophy-thing. Mario loves getting him a trophy.
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“I’m only 7, mom, and I have three trophies. I’m going to have so many by high school.” That’s our competitor.
Meanwhile, Ri came home from school to inform me that she was 1 of 4 fourth graders who made it to the school geography bee! The entire class took a test and the four top scorers get to move on to the school bee. The winners of the school bee go to the state bee and then the national bee. It’s sponsored by National Geographic. The questions are not easy either. It’s not like “what’s the capital of Ohio.” It’s like “in what country would you find a large number of Siberian tigers.” I was so excited for her. She was the only girl out of the four. That is my girl!
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How the heck Jon and I managed to have such warm, smart, hilarious children, I do not know. But I rejoice over their presence in our lives every day I wake up. ;

Quirkle

November 15, 2014November 15, 2014Leave a comment

I think we are on our way to a family routine. The past four nights the kids have asked to play Quirkle after dinner.
Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jorge bought the game for the kids for Christmas. They played off and on through the year but have recently got addicted. And it’s one of the few games that Mario can play without getting completely pissed off if he loses. I’m not sure why but he had yet to throw a fit after any game – and he has not won one.

This has me thinking that he is like his mama and dad – very left brained. Concrete thinking. Hard to visualize objects but easy to answer what’s 5×5. Quirkle is all about the ability to visualize and pick up quickly where matching pieces could fit. Very right-brain biased.
Maria is ridiculously good at the game. I think she got 10 quirkles last match. And she places pieces in places where she will double her points versus just next to a color that matches her. She is strategic. She plays almost as well as the two artists in the family – Uncle Jack and Jorge. When they come back to visit, we will have to get a game on.
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And this is a game where she is competitive – she’s typically not. I guess the children both know where their strengths and weaknesses lie and they have accepted them. Such geniuses at this young age…
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I could handle five

November 14, 2014November 14, 20142 Comments

There are times when I wish Jon and I would have kept making children. After all, our kids are quite gorgeous…!

And wouldn’t it be great to have five kids running around the house, and huge holiday celebrations, and a security net when Jon and I got older – if two or three of them refuse to take care of us at least the other two or three will….
But then reality hits as it did Wednesday night. I agreed to have the neighbors’ three kids over for dinner. So there’s my five kid wish. Within 40 minutes, I was thanking Jon for his adamant refusal to have more children. Just feeding them was a task. I’d need two jobs to pay for the food. I made macaroni-n-cheese in a giant pot and felt like I was a cook in the army, or back in college after a night of partying.
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But then there they all sat – so sweet – like little toy soldiers eating their meals and laughing at Mario’s silly faces. Ok, I could handle five.
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But it wasn’t two minutes after the macaroni dinner that I heard crashing in the family room, and then wails of pain. Someone was hurt. Yelling ensued. While I cleaned up the hurt kid, the others continued to scream at one another. My kids always stand up for one another and the neighbors’ kids stand up for one another so it’s like the Hatfields and McCoys. Then Rocco entered the mix barking like a mad dog because of the commotion and I was ready to head to the attic and jump off the roof.
I needed a plan. What would calm them down? Drawing. No, too boring. Playing a game? No, to much potential for a fight.
How about acorn crafts?
We’ve had a bowl of acorns for a month thinking we’d color them and put glue inside to watch them turn into “gems” but we still hadn’t done it. Well, that did it. The girls and Pax engaged in the activity while Mario and Quinn played Wii. Then Mario and Quinn and Pax did it while the girls played Wii.
Score.
Quiet and art in the house.
I could handle five. Easily.
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Getting it in

November 11, 2014November 11, 2014Leave a comment

It was 60 degrees when I got home from work last night. There was no way these kids were getting out of going for a walk with me. The whining about it being too cold to go outside began a couple of weeks ago right alongside the daylight savings’ time change. I feel their pain. It’s hard for me to push myself back out the door when I get home and it’s pitch black outside. My heart tells me to throw on my pjs and be done. But my mind tells me to take the dog out, get some cold air, enjoy the darkness and calm.
But this tug-o-war of the body and mind did not have to occur last night because it was warm outside. Like the beginning of Spring after a Winter frost. Delightful.
I offered to take two friends with us but everyone they called was being responsible and doing homework. So it was just us. I compromised and agreed to Jeni’s if they ate a good dinner.
I love walking with my two babes. They are hysterical and darling and observant. Mario acted like he was running into the telephone posts to make Ri laugh. Ri pointed out all the Christmas decor in the windows and how strange that was when we haven’t even had Thanksgiving.
“Get used to it, girlie.” I told her.
We were the only ones in Jeni’s and we had a sample fest. Mario cracks me up with his staple choice – wild berry lavender. I wish he’d choose chocolate because he never finishes his and I am not a fan of lavender. Ri, on the other hand, always goes for the chocolate and peanut butter scoops – my favorites…but she eats all of hers! Mario got his first and sat at the bar. When we went to sit by him, he shooed us away.
“I want to sit by myself, guys.”
He’s been starting this new independent phase where he wants to order on his own, sit on his own, do everything on his own. I won’t complain.
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After Jeni’s, they begged to go to the park. It was 7:15 and a responsible mom would have denied such a request. They still needed to read and take a bath and get to bed at a reasonable time with school in the morning. But I’m not a responsible mom when it comes to the last few gorgeous 60 degree nights of the season. We need to slurp it up while we can. And so the park we went. I chased them around, they slid down slides and I gave them some wild, twisted underdogs. Mario was scared to twist his swing chains around and then be pushed high in the air to untangle; but after watching Ri do it over and over, he tried it. Pure glee.
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They did a good job enjoying the evening with me. When we got home I asked them “wasn’t I right? Wasn’t it awesome getting outside?”
They both looked at each other and then back at me and shrugged their shoulders. They artfully dodged the question by wrestling around on the floor for the next five minutes.
Yea, they were not going to admit that mom was right. But I know….>

Saturday fun day

November 10, 2014November 10, 2014Leave a comment

Ri had a birthday party sleepover on Friday night with about eight girls. I dropped her off and the music was jamming and the disco lights glowing. Hilarious how parties have progressed from barbies and crafts to pop music and dance moves. I wish I could have installed a video camera to watch these girls jam it out during the evening.
When I picked Ri up at 10 am, she was still in her pjs and perfectly happy to head home in them. We ended up picking up Evie an hour later to play at our house so her mom could run a few errands. I treated the girls to a smoothie at the coffee shop and got my much-needed au lait.

Then we went to Walgreens and got a big sheet of cardboard and markers in order to make a sign in support of the Grandview Boys Soccer Team. They headed to the state championships on Saturday afternoon at Crew Stadium. The girls made an awesome sign that they, of course, completely forgot to take to the game!
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It ends up their little hands would have frozen holding up the sign anyway. It got cold as they sat in the stands but it was a great game. The boys came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie it. They lost in overtime but played their hearts out. I’m so glad Ri got to attend.
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I still remember traveling to Columbus as a freshman in high school and watching our football team play in the championship.
While Ri was partying at the game, Mario and I had a killer pillow fight. That boy could wrestle and pillow fight all night long. I always out a time limit on the activity – 10 minutes – knowing he will beg for more time and we will go at it for 30. It’s a good way to tire his hyper self out because he comes at me with all his might! Of course, he does turn himself into the Hulk when we play. But I get to be Wonder Woman (“mom, you have to be a super hero, too but I already know who you will he because you love Wonder Woman”) so I have some power to unleash, too. Hulk got a couple wallops on me but I think Wonder Woman remains the reigning champ. >

"MOM!"

Adventures in the Life of a Working Mama