roses and thorns

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one of my favourite questions to ask the girls at the dinner table is what their "roses and thorns" were for the day, meaning good things and bad things. (asking about things that were funny, or sad, or surprising, also yields much conversational fruit!) today, I've got a few roses and thorns of my own to share.


  • the weather lately has been absolutely beautiful (except for today, when it's gloomy and rainy). I love this sweet spot in spring when we can open up the windows and let the fresh breezes blow through the house. 
  • on the flip side, allergies have been acting up in full force, especially for Greta and myself. fortunately, Flonase and children's Zyrtec work pretty well to control things. 
  • last weekend, the girls stayed with my in-laws and I had almost an entire day to myself, to sleep in, read my book in bed for a little bit (!), grocery shop at a leisurely pace, and fold laundry without a toddler trying to unfold everything. I also replaced my broken sunglasses with a cheap pair from Walmart -- and decided to just buy two pairs so I have one for my purse as well as the diaper bag. it was delightful. at this stage of my life, being able to do those necessary tasks uninterrupted is even more stress-relieving for me than a spa day!
  • we've been planning to take a short trip to Washington DC this June, but we haven't actually planned any of it yet, and I'm also second-guessing how enjoyable it will be to traipse around in the heat at 36 weeks pregnant. most of what we plan to see will be inside and air-conditioned, but I've never been pregnant in the summer before and my standard third trimester compression socks that camouflage nicely under fall/winter pants aren't going to blend so seamlessly with my summer dresses and shorts. hmmm...
  • the girls are all squared away for summer camp and I was able to sign them up early enough for the lowest pricing tiers! Greta will be attending a sleepaway camp for the second time, although last year she did the Junior camp (2 nights) and this year she will be spending 6 nights. she will be staying in the same cabin with one of her friends, who was in her cabin last year as well. ever since camp ended last summer, she has been asking to go back, so while it will be a stretch to be away from us that long, I think she will love it. Cecilia is signed up for a local day camp that runs all day the same week, and is only 10 minutes away from our house (some of the camps I had researched for her age were 3-4 hours and would have been a 30 minute drive each way). the next week they'll go back to the same half-day VBS they've attended for the last 3 years with several friends. I just found out about another full-day VBS opportunity for mid-July which might be good for them too, since at this point we have no commitments planned for July or August (except for baby arriving!! and my family coming in from out of state for a week in August). 
  • I woke up today in a funk, both mentally from a disturbing dream (I hate how the emotional weight of dreams stays with you long after you've woken up), and physically from what I presume is a cold settling in (congestion, chills, fatigue and body aches). I don't have a fever, but just feel generally poop-like. after a busy week, I had planned to hit the housework hard today, but instead I'm still in my pajamas. Nick is out of town, and while I definitely feel well enough to do the necessary things to keep kids fed and alive, that's going to be about it for today. I will definitely be napping when Elizabeth takes her nap, and ordering takeout for dinner!
  • yesterday, I pounced on an awesome deal on Facebook Marketplace. a few months ago, I had bought a double stroller for $25 (practically free!) knowing that it had several broken/missing components. I mistakenly thought it would be easy to find replacement parts. I've been stalking the marketplace listings ever since, where the listings for the same stroller are consistently >$200. then one popped up for $100, and I was able to pick it up yesterday! I almost missed out on it too because the seller told me he had initially promised it to a different buyer, but they were traveling from quite a distance to pick it up and flaked out about the meeting point, so he decided not to sell to them and offered to me instead. it's in like-new condition and a real bargain for a stroller that retails for over $300. hooray!
what are some of your recent roses and thorns?

Comments

  1. ElisabethApril 22, 2023 at 4:56 PM

    Love this. In our household we call them low (tough things), medium (good, but not the best) and highlights! But we haven't done this much lately; it used to be a supper-time tradition.

    "I hate how the emotional weight of dreams stays with you long after you've woken up." YES TO THIS! Dreams can really put me into a funk.

    Thorns: a complicated neighbourhood situation is getting so much harder again with the warm weather. Ugh. It is taking up a disproportionate amount of energy. My husband leaves again tomorrow on a trip. He's been home a week and it's fine, but the regular hellos and goodbyes are tough.

    Roses: the sunshine. A long walk with my best friend today. Doing a major cleanup of our basement and shed and donating a lot of things the kids have outgrown.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KateApril 23, 2023 at 2:46 PM

      Ooh, I like adding the middle ground to the question!

      I'm sorry about the neighborhood situation. Those dynamics can be so tricky especially in the summer when everyone is interacting so much more. But I'm glad you were able to do the basement/shed cleanout -- it's so freeing, but it does take a certain amount of emotional energy to be ready to tackle it!

      Delete
  2. Life of a Doctor's WifeApril 24, 2023 at 1:57 PM

    Oh wow, the stroller is such a find! I'm so glad it worked out!

    Dreams that linger are the worst. I hope as the day goes on you can shake away its shadow. Your plan for nap and takeout sounds like an excellent way to turn the day around!

    I love roses and thorns. I am always looking for ways to get my kid to tell me about her day! For a long time we did nightly three questions: what was one good and one bad thing that happened today? what are you grateful for? what are you looking forward to? I loved that routine, but my husband and daughter were not fans and we stopped at some point. It is pleasing that once in a while my daughter will ask to do it for just one night, usually when she has something fun to look forward to.

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    Replies
    1. KateApril 30, 2023 at 5:02 PM

      Those are all great questions! I've gotten a lot of good responses asking if something funny or surprising happened at school that day, too. It's so interesting what sticks in their mind and what they choose to share. I like the looking forward question a lot!

      This weekend fortunately there were no weird dreams and I've totally recovered from the cold, so I keep being surprised at how easy it feels to do all the normal things I do every weekend but was really struggling with last weekend! It just reinforces to me that it's better to wave the white flag sometimes and not push yourself beyond the actual necessities so you can actually rest and get back to normal!

      Delete
  3. ErnieApril 30, 2023 at 10:09 AM

    Hi Kate. Oh, I vote that you wear the stockings in DC with whatever you are comfortable in - sundresses are my fav summer wardrobe pick. I think ANYTHING goes nowadays. We did DC with the kids about 8 years ago. We walked until we almost collapsed. I'm assuming you will be smarter than us and use cabs or public transport more than we did. I hope you have a wonderful time and that it isn't too hot.

    The weather here is ridiculously cold for the weekend before May, and that is bumming me out a bit. I do have a lot of writing projects that I'm trying to focus on though, and I'm doing a decent job staying focused on that despite the HUGE pile of dirty laundry that is calling to me. Coach is in SC with Reg for b-ball and Curly has the weekend off, except for practice later today. I'm enjoying being home and I got to spend time with one of my best friends last night. Coach and I have a big decision to make and that is weighing on my mind - caused me to burn a pot of rice the other night. I'm looking forward to Ed's college graduation next weekend.

    I hope you feel better soon.

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    Replies
    1. KateApril 30, 2023 at 5:13 PM

      Ha!!! I appreciate your advice about the stockings and you're so right that anything goes! I love dresses in summer too, but mine tend to hit right at the knee. If I get some that are longer but still cool and flowy, I bet that would go a long way towards not looking like I escaped from a surgical ward. By the time we go, my youngest will be 18 months and we're planning to build in lots of time for the kids at local splash pads. We are only a 4 hour drive from DC so I anticipate several future trips to fill in the gaps of whatever we miss this time.

      That's great about the writing projects and having a little more downtime at home -- you amaze me with how you juggle everything! I hope you both get some clarity and insight into the decision-making process. And college graduation, how exciting! With my oldest in 3rd grade, it's hard to imagine that day coming, but of course that's the goal! You must be so proud.

      Delete

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