Wyman Woods opens!

October 28, 2014October 28, 2014Leave a comment

Wyman Woods re-opened to a good-sized crowd – mostly parents and excited kids – on Saturday. Mario was so charged up about getting to participate in the flag ceremony as a Boy Scout. Jon took him to practice his march and stances with the other scouts in the morning. He is dead serious about his responsibilities as a Boy Scout.
The boys met Ri and I back at the house. I took the kids down to the park early because Mario had to be there 30 minutes before the grand opening ceremony to practice more. I’m telling you – serious! I parked on my parents’ old street, Glendale. It dead ends to a woods trail that leads to Wyman Woods park. I used to take the kids down that trail to the woods all the time when they were toddlers. They loved climbing the hills and looking for goodies – acorns and leaves and funky-formed rocks. It was a gorgeous Fall day and about 60 degrees outside. I was immersed with gratitude and joy as we walked down the hill together. My eyes filled up with tears and I stooped dead in my tracks.
“Look at this amazing day. Look at you amazing kids. How much you’ve grown. I just want to take this in for a minute.”
Both kids laughed at me and gave me hugs. “Now come on mom!”
The playground is awesome. Sponge-like mat around the entire area and super cool equipment. The shelter house is beautiful, too. And they served sheet cake! Whoo-hoo.

Of course, despite all the cool new equipment, Ri still gravitated to her tried and true pine tree that she has climbed since preschool.
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Grandma Lolo used to have a heart attack watching Ri climb so high.
And after a bit on the playground, Mario gravitated to the large rock he loves at the edge of the woods. He convinced me to climb to the top and slide down the other side until you reach the edge and have to leap off. To be seven. My tailbone is still bruised.
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Mario did a wonderful job marching with the flag and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance with his troop. He liked all eyes on him.
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After the pledge of allegiance, the scout leader dismissed the boys and in the silence between the dismissal and the first speaker, all you could hear were boys’ laughter and shouts as they ran to the playground to continue their play.
Jon and I stayed for over an hour after the dedication ceremony talking to our former neighbors and other Grandview families. The kids ran around with other kids, Mario played football with a gang of boys, and Ri scaled the climbing wall with Ally, a girl in her class.
The day could not have been better – beautiful, warm sun shining down on us; gorgeous Fall leaves surrounding us; friends in the community to chat with; and my family next to me. Oh, and of course, sheet cake.
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(Jon was there but he is not a fan of selfies!).>

Blessed

October 27, 2014October 27, 2014Leave a comment

There are days I feel so incredibly blessed to have my children in my life. And days, well, I really can’t fathom why I have been cursed with my hellions.
Yesterday was a day of blessing.
Jon and Mario headed out early for the Bengals game in Cincy. They went with one of Mario’s football team mates and his dad. Jon was excited to take him to his first pro game, and Mario was excited to hang with his dad all day.

We saw the boys off and then we headed around the streets of Grandview – Ri on her bike and me on my feet – to try to find a friend’s blue parrot who had escaped during the night out an open bedroom window.
We yelled “NoDo” throughout the neighborhood streets and squinted up at the old regal oaks trying to spot the bird among the colorful leaves. The baby blue of the sky contrasting with the deep brown branches and primary colored leaves left me in awe. I stopped Ri on her bike and pointed upwards.
“Isn’t it gorgeous?”
“NoDo!” She yelled for the twentieth time. Give this girl a task involving helping someone, and she is on it.
We thought we heard the parrot on a few occasions. We’d stop in our tracks. Ri would quietly dismount from her bike. We’d walk under the tree where the noises were heard and wait. We saw a blue jay, a chickadee, a bright red robin, but no parrot. We walked past the friend’s house and saw the empty bird cage on the porch – metal door swung open – food lying all around in a valiant effort to entice the lost bird back to its home.
We sighed.
Ri had soccer at 12:45 and Mama Meg and Peepaw were coming to watch so we had to hurry home to get Rocco for our Stauf’s trip. I love Stauf’s trips with my girl. Always laughter and darling comments. I told her to get her bike while I got Rocco and meet me out front. When I walked out the door, she was standing on the step with no bike.
“Whatcha doing?”
“I thought I’d walk with you, mom.”
I pretended to faint.
This girl does not like to walk anywhere. She will get on her scooter or her bike even if we are going around the block (she later told me that she wanted to make my day do she sucked up the walk).
We held hands as we walked up the street. I talked for Rocco half the time because she thinks it’s hilarious. She kept me entertained by adding her two cents.
She wanted to order our food and my coffee. She even brought me out a side of milk to add to my coffee and some cinnamon to sprinkle on too. She is a doll baby girl.
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Rocco loves her to death, too because she gives him pieces of her bagel. He pushes his wet nose against her thigh and licks her hand constantly until he gets another nibble. Spoiled completely.
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She wanted to hold Rocco’s leash on the way home. Don’t you know he stayed by her side and never pulled her once? She’s got him wrapped around her cream cheese finger.
Grandma Meg and Peepaw were at the house when we got home and we piled in the car to take Ri to her soccer game. They got to see my girl running the field and me screaming commands and encouragement to Ri and her team the entire game. I’m born to coach.
Afterwards, we went to Jason’s Deli for some lunch and free soft serve. Ri got her meatballa sub, which was yummy. Peepaw got two rounds of chocolate soft serve and that affirmed my close relation to him. We can’t resist our chocolate.
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We worked on homework after Mama Meg and Peepaw left. That was even enjoyable as we worked on definitions together. Then we took Henley to Giant Eagle to grocery shop and get a gelato. Those two are hilarious together.
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We ended the evening playing States of America and drinking hot chocolate. The boys sauntered in at 8 pm after having an awesome time at the Bengals game. Mario scored a football player’s glove as he and Jon took a picture after the game. That kid is just plain lucky. He gave Jon a huge hug before bed and told him sweetly “I love you dad!” I tucked Ri in and she gave me a hug I could not escape. She, too, whispered that she loved me. I held on tight around her torso and whispered “I love you too, doll baby” right in her precious ear.
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Another Fall weekend

October 20, 2014October 20, 2014Leave a comment

Another gorgeous Fall weekend. I can’t keep myself indoors – the pup is well-exercised these days.
Saturday was a bit rainy in the afternoon but I had errands to run anyway. I dropped Ri off at her birthday party way out in Canal Winchester (anywhere not within five miles of the house is far away to me). Ri took a very excited Alana to the party, too. Lots of gymnastics and lots of snacks.

I bought a huge flower pot while I waited on the girls to plant my elephant ear plant in this winter. I think I got one that is way too big because it is drooping big time and looks close to death after only one day. I couldn’t get a green thumb if some planted it in green dye. I am pathetic when it comes to tending to plants.
I picked up Ri and Alana and took them to Alana’s house to spend another night with Grandma Ionno. Thank god for that woman – gave me and Jon a bit of alone time this weekend. We treated ourselves to lobster and crab dip at the Fish Market. It’s been a while and we needed it. Don’t we look relaxed and happy?!
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I went and saw the Judge starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall. That movie could have been the dumbest movie on Earth and it still would have been worthwhile to see because of Robert Downy, Jr. Lordy, Lordy. But it ended up being a pretty good movie, absent him. And I cried my eyes out through the ending credits, on my way home and for 20 minutes at home. That’s what movies about family and perseverance and loss do to me. But Milk Duds and popcorn made it better.
My Sunday could not have been more joyous. I woke up to a four mile run while listening to NPR and then came home to take Rocco on a six mile run through the woods and around some of the Columbus Marathon route. The woods were magical with the multi-colored leaves strewn everywhere and the light streaming in through the branches of the trees. Hallelujah.
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I arrived home to my man trimming the bushes and I grabbed my rake to help in the yard. Strangely, I love doing yard work together.
The kids arrived home at 11 in time for Patty to hit church. I bundled them up and we headed up to First Avenue to watch the Marathon. The music blared and the runners sweated it out. I loved the vibe. The kids loved the face painting and ballon maker. Mario got his sword, of course. The rest of them got crazy hats. And they all got face paint – Ri went with an OSU theme and Mario went with a tiger. Alana got a cheetah and Gio got a scary skeleton.
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After 45 minutes playing around at those stations, we finally arrived at Stauf’s for a much-needed coffee. Mario had a dollar on him and asked me how much a chocolate chip scone cost. I knew what he wanted to do – treat me to a scone. He knows how much I love them. I told him I thought they were $1 and then motioned to the cashier that I’d pay for the rest. He ordered a scone. She bagged it up and gave it to him. He tapped me as I made my coffee and handed me the bag.
“I got this for you, mom.”
I loved all over him and told him what a sweet son he was and he ate all my words up. He loves being generous as long as the person acknowledges his generosity fully…!
We sat down at a table and played chess. He wanted to teach me all he has learned from his chess club at school. The girls played War and Gio played Dominoes.
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Patty met us at Stauf’s and we all walked home while cheering on the last of the runners (Mario’s take on the last runners: “they need to work harder so they aren’t last.”). Patty resolved to doing the Marathon next year so I’m doing the same (if I will ever let my leg heal).
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We went to Ri’s soccer game and I was loud and cheering her on as usual. I get so excited and can’t keep quiet. I was born to coach, I think.
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After the game, we finished up the yard and sat down to a family meal of chicken and twice baked potatoes (Patty is the queen of those babies!).
We ended the night with an epic jump in the leaf pile created throughout the day. Sophie and Pax joined in the fun.
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One more walk for Rocco, a bed time story about Danny the Diamondback, and a Klondlike bar, and the night was over. Goodnight.
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Give me the Ribs!

October 17, 2014October 17, 2014Leave a comment

Pure joy on Maria’s face. Ya know why? Three words…
Baby back ribs.
The girl is her father’s child. She adores ribs. They’ve never enticed me but Jon loves them.
We went down to Barley’s for kids eat free night with the Markle clan. I knew I’d have trouble getting Ri to eat off the kids menu – she’s been trying for those adult meals for the last few months. And Barley’s has nothing much she likes on the kids menu. That fact combined with the fact that Barley’s has ribs led to her non-stop pleading to me.
“Why don’t you get pulled chicken? That sounds good.”
“I don’t like that mom.”
“How about corn dogs. Mario’s getting those.”
“That’s all Mario ever gets, mom. I just want ribs.”
The waitress came over to get our order and I asked about the ribs. She told us that they come in half and full orders and there’s two kinds: those pulled from the side of the pig or those from the back of the pig. Just the thought made me cringe and I thought for sure Ri would shutter in disgust, after all, I had to stop reading Charlotte’s Web to her the other night because she was so sad the farmer was going to kill the little pig.

“I want the ribs from the side, mom.”

And I swear those ribs were devoured within fifteen minutes of being served. Along with a side of baked beans.

Spectacular everything

October 16, 2014October 16, 2014Leave a comment

Another rip-roaring weekend last weekend. Moving non-stop but loving it because the weather was so amazing – crisp and sunny.
Ri had a sleepover with Sophie on Friday night. Jon reminded me she had soccer on Saturday morning and I expected when I told Ri that she’d have to go, she would pitch a fit. But I was pleasantly surprised by her reaction.
“Ok, mom.”
She’s really digging soccer. I cannot get over it. This is the girl who, for years, has been adamant that she does not want to play soccer.
“Too much running.”
This was always her response. Thank goodness for Henley deciding to play because that is the only reason Ri agreed to sign up – she was losing her friend during Mario’s football practice. Henley has a brother on the football team, too, so they’d play at the park while their brothers practiced. But then soccer started.
It was gradual love affair. At first, Ri would look at me on the sidelines and plead to come out of practice to get more water. Or she’d say her side hurt. But she never left practice saying she didn’t want to play anymore. And with more practices, she asked to come out less and less.
On the way to her game on Sunday, she proclaimed “I love soccer!”
I smiled so wide it felt like I could touch both ears with the sides of my mouth.

Ri and Mario had birthday parties on Saturday afternoon. Jon took Mario to his and I took Ri to hers. I love the girl who had the party – she chose gem mining at a local cave for her party activity. All the girls were talking about getting dirty and finding cool stones. Awesome.
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I got myself a much-needed Yi’s Relaxation Station massage. 40 minutes for $40 and they go to town on you. Even so much as climbing on the massage table to walk on your back. Heaven. And chocolate bars to take home afterwards.
Patty and I picked up Ri from her party and headed to Hilliard for Mario’s last football game. They played under the lights at 7:30 pm. He was excited. Patrick and the kids came to watch, too. Very sweet. Mario and all of his teammates played so hard and ended up in a tie. It was a great season – Mario had so much fun and made friends with second and third graders, which helped so much at the beginning of school.
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Meanwhile, Ri, Henley and Alana could have cared less about Mario or football. They spent the entire time on the jungle gym.
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On Sunday, I got a long run in with the Rocco pup and then went Halloween shopping with Patty and the kids. That was at once hilarious and maddening. The kids look so precious and goofy in their costumes and masks they try on but it gets frustrating waiting for someone to help you determine whether they have the costume in your size and then trying the daggone thing on over clothes and shoes and kids who fuss and whine over the proper placement of the shoulder pads or sleeves (aka Mario).
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It’s also quite sad looking at the selection of costumes for girls. Boys have doctors in scrubs, Spider-Man, werewolves, firemen. Girls have nurses in skirts barely falling below the top of their behinds, wonder women in tight tank tops and belly shirts, and princesses in sleeveless chiffon. I love my girl who after looking at all of the outfits remarked: “I don’t like any of these. They are too pink and not scary at all.” We ended up in the boy section. This is the first one she tried.
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Mario simply wanted anything that came with a horrible looking face and some type of weapon. That was nearly half of the costumes for his age.
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We finally arrived at a pirate costume for Ri and a grim reaper for Mario. And 10 Hershey kisses for the road.
Ri had a killer soccer game and we came home to steaks on the grill and twice baked potatoes thanks to Patty.
A weekend of spectaculars – spectacular weather, spectacular sports, spectacular family, and spectacular food.
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Canine love, and baby too

October 8, 2014October 8, 2014Leave a comment

Ok, so this article explains why – 9 months pregnant – I was worried that I’d never love Maria as much as I loved my pup, Cy. And why, even when Ri was born, I sometimes felt a closer connection to Cy than to my newborn. Those first few months, all Ri did was cry and feed and poop. But then there was Cy who stared at me with sweet eyes, licked me, and jumped up and down every time I came near him.
I figured my feelings were all screwed because of hormones but this article confirms that dogs bring on the same positive, loving responses that children do. And I’m sure if the study would have went deeper, it may have found that your pup actually elicits more positive reaction from you when your child is a crying newborn and you are a first time mom…!
Now, I did eventually grow to wholeheartedly love and adore sweet Ri after I settled into the fact of being a mom to a human baby – not a canine one. She eventually looked up at me with adoring eyes and goo’d at me and I was forever gone – she had my heart over any four-legged creature (and yes, Mario, too).
Now, if I look at nine-year-old Ri or seven-year-old Mario and then at Rocco, I can confidently state that I am a thousand times more in love and dedicated to my human babies.
But I still do get a tingle in my soul when I walk in the house and Rocco comes rushing towards me with tail a waggin’ and tongue a lickin’. Especially when those human babes are fighting and screaming and carrying on like animals.

Party planner

October 7, 2014October 7, 2014Leave a comment

Ri has a career in party planning…starting now. She is hilarious with the things she thinks of for the parties we host – she’s much more creative and daring then me.
I picked her up from her friend’s house at 11:30 am on Saturday and we worked until 4:30 getting the house together for Sarah’s Kickstarter fund-raising party. The night before, Ri and her friend created bookmarks to give away as gifts to the women that came to the party. They wrote Vela in all types of styles and designs and the words “thank you.” They also added peace signs or words (“Vela is awesome!”). We stuffed the bookmarks into little paper bags and wrote Vela on the front of the bag. Ri explained that we needed a different design on the bag than on the bookmark because that livened it up more. She also thought we should add chocolate to the bag so I dutifully bought some chocolate squares to throw in.

Ri moved on to arranging the chairs in the living room for optimal talking space. I told her we needed a sign for the table where guests would lay down their books for the book exchange. There was no where to tape it on the table or wall so she created a sign to tape onto a book and then stood the book up on the table. Simple but creative. I love her so much.
She couldn’t wait to babysit Elena and another little girl, Sophia, whose mom was coming to the party. She did a good job as always in that area.
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Her girlfriend, Henley spent the night, and I learned she is just as crazy as Ri. I came home from a quick walk with Rocco and found her with dangling earrings hanging out of her braces. All I could think was her mom was going to kill me when I called her from the ER.>

Boy Scouts! Boy Scouts!

October 6, 2014Leave a comment

Mario counted down the days for his Boy Scout meeting. Finally, Wednesday arrived and Mario begged to leave for the meeting from the time I got home at 5:45 pm until 6:45 pm when we left. We walked down the stairs to the basement of the church where meetings are held and Quinn came running towards us.
“Mario, look at all the medals you earned!”
He and Paxton and Mario ran to the board where the medals hung.

Mario wrapped his arm around Quinn and I heard chatter between them. Surely Mario was bringing them up to speed on all of his achievements. He was so excited.
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He sat dutifully as the troop leaders spoke and followed his leader back to the kitchen to work on a project. Finally, an hour later, they presented the medals. He looked so innocent and sweet standing next to the Scout leader while he congratulated Mario on earning so many medals. Then the Scout leader presented him with a certificate that Mario earned at the Shoot-A-Ree for nailing a tomahawk into a piece if wood. He was the only one to do it. He beamed at me. And then he walked proudly back to his chair and showed them off to his friends.
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He ran over later and showed them to me. He was so incredibly happy. As we were standing around after the meeting, he pulled at me.
“We have to get my uniform tonight, mom. I want to put my medals on my belt and wear it to school tomorrow.”
I explained the store wasn’t open but promised is go there during the week. Thursday came and went and as we were getting ready for bed, Mario asked “did you get my uniform?” I had to break the news that I hadn’t. He got upset and ran to his room. The boy is a Boy Scout fanatic. I promised him we’d go on Friday.
Friday morning brought pleas from Mario to not forget we were going to the store after school. I did not disappoint. Bethany dropped him off to me at the store and we got all the items he needed and more. He left a happy camper.
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As soon as we got home, he got out his belt and slipped on his medals. He kept asking when dad would be home.
Jon pulled up in the driveway.
When he walked in the door, Mario asked him to stay in the kitchen. He put on his shirt and neckerchief and belt and tucked his shirt into his shorts. He placed his cap on his head. Jon watched in delight.
Our boy.

What’s it gonna be like?

September 24, 2014Leave a comment

What is it gonna be like when I don’t have to nag at the kids to get ready in the morning?
When I don’t have to walk or drive them to school?
When I don’t have to take them upstairs and make sure they brush their teeth?
When I don’t have to read them a bedtime book?
When I don’t have to fix them five different things for dinner?
When I don’t have to get them water after they’ve snuggled into bed?

Will I pace the house ready to explode?
Will I veg in front of my computer staring at Facebook?
Will I workout five times a day?
Will I start a blog titled “Me and my empty nest?”

These babies fill up every free moment I have right now. It’s hard to wrap my head around the thought of that not being the status quo.

This morning, Ri and Mario biked to Stauf’s while I ran beside them with Rocco. Rocco nearly pulled my arm out of socket when he chased a motorcycle. The kids nearly fell off their bikes laughing so hard. These moments are priceless and beautiful. They fill me up with joy for the day – the random smiles that come over my face as I walk to meetings are sparked by those moments being re-played in my head… Mario embracing Rocco before he heads into school. Maria smiling at me as she turns around to skip up the street to meet friends.

Learning a lesson

September 23, 2014September 23, 20143 Comments

Yes, this little angel racked up $45 worth of charges from iTunes on Sunday afternoon. I received an email yesterday confirming his multiple purchases of dragon gems – gems used to buy more animals in Dragonvale. He had asked me in the previous days if he could purchase them and I had agreed here and there to let buy some for $1.99. He also paid me $1.99 to buy some (and yes, the gems are used up in three seconds). He found out my password for iTunes a while back. Ri spilled the beans. But he has been very good about not buying anything unless he asks me first.
That little angelic voice inside his head must have turned evil on Sunday causing him to go on a gem shopping spree.
I called him after school and told him I knew about the purchases. He whispered sorry. I told him we’d talk more about it when I got home. He said ok and didn’t seen too worried. When I got home, he was playing on the computer. “Hi mom!” He seemed to have forgotten all about our conversation.
I went in and spoke with Jon. He and I walked into the kitchen and asked Mario why he bought the gems without asking me. He looked down and mouthed “sorry.” Jon opened up Mario’s wallet and took all $39 out if it. “No technology all week dude. And you still owe us $6.”
Mario bit at his lower lip. His eyes swelled with tears. He continued to look down or away from us so that we would not see him upset.
I asked Jon to go to the next room. I pleaded for Mario. “Let’s not take all his money. Let’s let him work to get it back at least….” What a wuss, I am. I even second-guessed taking away technology for the week. Thank god I have Jon to impose some much-needed discipline.
We walked back into the kitchen and Jon asked Mario what he thought his punishment should be. Mario didn’t know. Jon eventually sent him up to his room to clean it and told him that he needed to learn a lesson – that’s why he’d be banned from technology for the week and have to earn back some of his money by doing chores. Smart result and one I could not have instituted without Jon. I am so bad at punishing!
Mario went upstairs.
I went up later to check on him. I still felt bad for him even though I knew he knew that what he did was wrong. How did I become such a softie when I became a mom? I would have ripped into other people who took $45 from me!
He was lying in his bed staring at his blinds. I told him we loved him but he had to learn a lesson. He turned his head over my way and burst out crying. “But you took every last penny I had earned in my entire life!”
He turned back to the shades. Confirmation: if we want to teach Mario a lesson and make it stick – take away his money.
I left him alone and he eventually came downstairs. He walked past me as I tried to hug him so I kept doing the dishes.
“Can we play Old Maid” he asked softly.
Of course, I replied. And he and Ri and I played a hand. Then we went upstairs to get ready for bed. He got his wish to have a pillow fight (Ri and Mario both knocked me a good one). I read them Baby Brains (our new favorite book). Ri and I rubbed his back, and he fell to sleep.
He woke this morning as I was heading down the stairs to take a run. He asked to go with me. I reminded him that he could not play on technology (which I knew would be a deal-breaker). He asked if he could go downstairs and play Wii. I grabbed his arms as he jumped on my back for a piggy back ride.
I placed him on the couch and he turned on the Wii as I got my iPod to listen to NPR on my run. No tantrums about not being able to play on the computer. I even came home to a happy guy. He read off the vitamin percentages in Honey Nut Cherrios to me and then told me he loved me as he headed out the door standing close to his dad.
He must understand that discipline is not the end of the world … now, I just need to understand that….

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"MOM!"

Adventures in the Life of a Working Mama

Tag: Parenting