i'm a swinger

Last night, we drove the 20 miles to Rolla. We had dinner at Panera, and then we went to this amazing park there - the Lions Club Park. Locals, if you haven't been there, you need to GO! It's fabulous. There's tons of play equipment for the kids - everything you could dream of. Plus, there's a beautiful man-made (I'm assuming) lake with a fountain and bridges, and lots of trees and a nifty walking trail. Every time I go there, I just feel happy. Anywho, there is a big swing set very close to the bank of the lake, and you can swing whilst looking at the water and feeling a slight mist from the fountain. Nick turned his nose up at my idea of swinging, but I didn't care - I just hopped right on a swing and started pumping my legs. For a few moments, I did something that I rarely do - I simply got lost in the moment, savoring the feeling of swinging higher and higher, feeling the mist on my face, tilting my body back and gazing up at the clouds, and forgetting everything else. The world just fell away. It was awesome! I felt like a kid again, and I have decided that every adult should swing now and again. So, if you haven't swung lately, you need to become a swinger like me. :)

aaaarrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhh!

I have obviously plateaued again. I just want to be done with this, already! I need to get my eating firmly under control. Lately, it's been mostly under control, but not quite, and it's clearly the "not quite" that's causing my problem. :)

Beautiful, warm, sunny day here. We'll be taking Nick to the park later. Have a great weekend!

melancholy

Jutta is gone, so it's been a sad day for me. Last night's dinner went well, although the packers took way longer than anticipated to finish packing up their stuff, so they got here a lot later than we thought they would. As a result, they could only stay for about an hour and a half, much to my disappointment. But, they enjoyed the home-cooked meal and we had lots of good conversation, and took some photos and video. Jutta gave me the most wonderful gift - it's a figurine called "two alike", of two women standing back to back with their hands touching. It's so perfect, because we really are alike in so many ways! It's such a touching gift, and it's going to be wonderful to have a tangible object that will remind me of Jutta and our friendship every time I look at it. It was bittersweet to watch the boys play together for one last time - they had a crazy, raucous, great time, as usual! Little buddies. When the time came for them to leave and Jutta hugged me, I pretty much broke down and then cried for a while after they drove off. It was so very hard for me to say goodbye to her. But, I'll be OK. As my Dad always says: This, too, shall pass.

a fond farewell

This evening will be bittersweet, because we're having Jutta and her family over for dinner on their last night here. I can't believe that tomorrow, she'll be gone forever - I'm pretty sad about it, and I know that tonight will be difficult in a way. I hate goodbyes! And Jutta has been such a good, dear friend to me that saying goodbye to her will be particularly upsetting. I will miss her terribly, but I know that she'll be very happy to be back in Germany with her parents and other family.

Just in case anyone cares, tonight's menu will consist of:
- sweet & sour cranberry chicken
- citrus and baby spinach salad with feta, cashews, and a citrus vinaigrette
- warm wheat rolls with lemon-dill butter
- iced tea with sugar and fresh lemon wedges
- dark chocolate mousse with whipped cream and strawberries
A fruitylicious menu, to be sure! :)

Tomorrow will be a hard day for me, as it dawns on me that Jutta is really gone. I will sorely miss her as I take my walk tomorrow - it was always so much more fun with her by my side. I guess I'll just have to grin and bear it, and look forward to visiting her (maybe next summer)!

we are fa-mi-ly!

This is a picture of me and my cousin Jessica, taken yesterday during our visit to St. Louis. I had not seen her in about 4 years, and it was so wonderful to spend time with her again! We just took up as though we had been seeing each other every day, with much laughter and snorting. :) She is 6 years my junior, and had been living in NYC for the past several years. But, she just moved back to St. Louis and will be getting married on Halloween. We also got to meet her fiance, Brian, which was nice. It's funny how we both picked Brians! It will cause some confusion in the future, I'm sure. It was also great to see Aunt Karen and Uncle Jim (Jessica's parents - Jim is my mom's brother), and cousin John and his kids, Claire and Evan. Claire is just two months older than Nick, and the two of them had a blast playing together. Jim and Karen are quite the connoisseurs of yummy wine, and they plied me with a faboo dry red. I had a bit much, and ended up with a lovely buzz for a goodly portion of the afternoon, which made me even more fun to be around than usual. :)Those Klinglers are a hoot even when I'm sober, but when I'm a bit drunk, they're a barrel of monkeys! We all talked and laughed and shrieked and snorted, and by the time we left, I just felt so warm and fuzzy. I really love spending time with them. I'm so glad that Jessica's back and that I have the potential to see more of her now.

In funny Nick news, we ate watermelon there, which he kept calling "waterlemon." He also kept calling his cousin Evan "Heaven," which was hilarious. He would say things like "Where's Heaven?" or "I'm gonna go find Heaven". Also, at one point, he very matter-of-factly referred to his sandals as "mandals," which is what Tim and I call men's sandals. I didn't even realize that Nick had picked up on that! Little pitchers...

Today, we're just sticking around the house and planning to do such exciting chores as waxing the car, vacuuming, etc. Hope everyone's having a nice long weekend!

nick's latest verbal cuteness

Several weeks ago at the park, Nick found a pine cone, and kept calling it a "pineapple cone".

The other day at the park, Nick approached a boy about his age and said "Excuse me, young man - may I see your toy?"

A few days ago, I made my "famous" crunchy peppermint chocolate bark for Jutta, and Nick kept referring to it as "chocolate barf".

Just last night, Nick picked up his wooden snake and said "Mommy, this is my pet snake, Sherman." I said "Ooh! Does Sherman like to eat bugs and mice?" Nick said "No - he just eats woogers (what he calls boogers)." I said "Really? Does he crawl into your nose to get them?" Nick replied, rather enigmatically, "Not necessarily." :)

maybe it's like childbirth

So, this morning was the last MOPS meeting of the school year. As usual, I availed myself of the baked goodness, eating a muffin, a slice of sweetbread, some pudding, half of a sausage biscuit, and a couple bites of cinnamon roll. I know, I know. But it only gets worse. Because after that was the Army Band picnic, and I ate a hot dog, some potato salad, fruit (yay!), a chicken leg, more fruit, and three different desserts. Then, I sat there feeling disgusting, bloated, uncomfortable, and sore, and I thought "How many times does one have to do a behavior and then regret it before one will actually not do it again?" I mean, really! It kills me that no matter how many times I overeat and then feel bad, I don't seem to be able to control myself the next time I'm in a similar situation. The only thing I can figure is that it must be like childbirth - you know, the way women seem to "forget" how painful it is so that they're willing to go through it again. Having never gotten to transition and ending up with a C-Section, I wouldn't know personally, but I'm thinkin' there must be a certain amount of amnesia that occurs.

So, I'm feeling pretty down on myself right now, and tomorrow's weigh-in will probably not be a happy occasion. Sigh. :( I AM looking forward to yoga, though, and to the veritable treasure trove of TV tonight - the season finales of Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy, PLUS the 2-hour premiere of So You Think You Can Dance!

to amber and patty

Alas, there is no photo. But, I will make sure to get one the next time I wear the sundress. It is really cute, with a faboo pattern comprised of various shades of blue, green, and brown. You guys are so sweet and supportive! Amber, I have been thinking of you a lot lately, because I know your due date approacheth. How are you doing? I am a terrible person for not calling you, but I love you still. Patty, I was so glad to finally get a comment from you; your "silence" lately had me a bit concerned. Just busy? Ditto on the not calling but loving. :) I am such a lucky girl.

I must admit that I've rather been feeling sorry for myself lately, what with my Jutta-friend leaving next week and the summer stretching boringly out ahead of me. :( I've gotta get out of my funk and find some ways to fill the time and have fun. The last thing I want to do it sit around moping about Jutta, but I'm afraid that will happen at least for a little while.

Jutta and I went on an extensive walk today - I am really trying to grab every last moment that I can with her. It was great - the weather was absolutely gorgeous, and we just walked and talked, in perfect harmony. For the final stretch, I left her behind while I jogged to her house, then waited for her on the porch steps. We went inside and talked even more, while enjoying baked goodness. It has occurred to me that her departure could be good for my waistline, if nothing else. :)

I'm in for the rest of the day, just TCB around the house and looking forward to watching Idol and Dancing with the Stars. We'll probably take Nick to the park when he wakes from his nap - can't waste this beautiful weather!

hold on to your hats

Those who know me well will be flabbergasted by this: I, Amy Jane, have purchased a sundress! I know. And I even wore it yesterday, along with my new peep-toe espadrille wedges. :) The winds, they are a-changin'.

a loverly day

Despite the gloom, rain, and chilly temperature, I've had a really nice day so far! I took Nick to his last day of preschool, and then went to meet Jutta. We had planned to go on a walk outdoors, but the weather forced us indoors to the walking track inside Davidson Fitness Center on post. We walked for an hour, and I even added some bursts of jogging and sprinting, totalling close to a mile. I was really proud of myself. I have NEVER been a jogger or runner, and used to avoid it like the plague. But lately, I've been finding myself actually willing to jog, and even enjoying it. Strange, I know. Perhaps I'm ill. :) We also had lots of great conversation during our walk, as usual.

After that, we went back to Jutta's house for the customary faboo German baked good and tea. Even though the woman is leaving the country forever in two weeks, she still had a baked good prepared! It's astounding. The time we spent together today only served to remind me just how much I will miss her friendship (and baked goods). We visited at her house for quite some time, and then I left to pick up Nick. I got myself a Southwestern salad at McD's on the way home (yum!). Now, Nick is napping, and I'm doing laundry, paying bills, and (obviously) blogging.

Tonight, I have Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy, and Brian will be home! This really is shaping up into a good day. Hope you're having the same...

to all my mommy friends

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY! To all the hardworking, loving, dedicated mommies I know, I wish you a lovely day full of whatever your hearts desire. You all deserve it!

3 ringy-dingys

In the past couple of days, I have had three very interesting/unusual phone calls! First of all, a woman I know called me and asked if I could tutor her teenage daughter in geometry. I was very flattered that she thought of me! I explained that while I understood and did very well in geometry and enjoyed it a lot, it was 20 years ago that I actually took the class. I said that if she was willing to take the risk that I wouldn't be able to help her daughter, they were more than welcome to come over. So, they're coming by tomorrow afternoon. Wish me luck!

Secondly, my Jillies-friend called me (we haven't actually talked yet - she just left me a message) and said she'd like to come visit for a couple of days next week! Yay! I literally haven't seen her in 5 or 6 years, so this will be quite a treat. This definitely makes my gloomy month of May a bit cheerier. It was such a delightful surprise to hear her voice!

Thirdly, I just had a long, juicy chat with my cousin Jessica tonight (she's 6 years my junior). She is originally from St. Louis, and there was a time when we were quite close, but she has lived in NYC for the past several years, so I hadn't seen her in a long time or even really talked to her. Well, she has just moved back to St. Louis, and it was so wonderful to talk to her and reconnect. I'm so excited about seeing her this summer, and am really looking forward to attending her wedding on Halloween. It's going to be great to just be back in each other's lives more.

So, the telephone has brought me some real joy the past couple of days. I wonder what it will bring next...

a shout-out to my peeps

I just wanted to take this opportunity to say a big "THANK YOU!" to each and every friend and family member who sent me and/or Brian a birthday card, e-card, or wished us a happy birthday in any way. You know who you are! It means so much to have friends and family who care enough to mark our birthdays, and we certainly do not take it for granted. We love you all!

Now, an aside to Patty: I love your STL Zoo idea, but as you realized, that IS Nick's last week of school. And even though it's "just preschool," I hate to have him miss it, since he loves it so. But mark my words - we WILL get together this summer, whether we meet in STL or I come to Effingham. I simply cannot go much longer without some face-to-face Patty-time. Love you!

happy birthday to brian

Well, today is Brian's birthday. His birthday is just about as exciting as mine. The weather is awful today - all gloomy and rainy and thundery. He's 43 to my 34. Despite the nasty weather, Nick and I sallied forth to WalMart to pick up a balloon and cake for Brian. I was going to just get him one of those little individual cakes, but at the bakery, I decided I might as well get a big cake that he could share with all his coworkers. Why not? I had them decorate it with "Happy Birthday, Brian". We secured the birthday goodies and took them to the band hall, getting rained on a goodly bit in the process. Brian was surprised and really appreciated it, so it was all worth it! And his coworkers were more than happy to have free cake. :) We hung around for the duration of his lunch break, and are now home for the day. It will be a rather long, lonely day, since Brian has class and won't be home until maybe 9:00.

I hate to be a downer, but honestly, May is not shaping up to be a very good month for me. I mean, I had a totally anticlimactic birthday, I'm bummed out by this weather, my best friend is going to be out of town for a week, Brian will be out of town for 4 days at the same time, preschool is ending, MOPS is ending, and my best gal pal here is moving away. :( So, I'm just going to wallow in self-pity a bit, and there's nothing you can do to stop me! I just don't think that the upcoming weeks are going to be one of the best times of my life. Pessimistic view, I know, but I've never been a glass-half-full type of person. Who knows, though? It always seems like just when you think you know how things are going to be, life goes and surprises you. So, I'm waiting, life - surprise me!

happy birthday to me

Feeling kind of quiet today, but figured I should post something, since it's been almost a week.

We had a good weekend in Springfield. Saw friends, shopped just a little, had some good restaurant food, went to the First Friday Art Walk (a thing where you walk around and visit various downtown art galleries, enjoying free food and wine!), enjoyed a Springfield Symphony concert (Broadway tunes) in beautiful Jordan Valley Park, had dinner out with much of my family (It turned out to be a surprise birthday dinner, complete with a cake!), and went to ArtsFest on historic Walnut Street. A rather whirlwind weekend!

I'm having a pretty boring birthday, but that's OK. I've even done some very non-birthday things, like cleaning the toilets and tub and Windexing windows, but they needed to be done. Tonight, I'll be watching American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, so I'm looking forward to that. As you get older, I think it's really the little things. :) I just don't need a big hoopy-do for my birthday anymore! I have gotten many lovely cards and a package from Brian's parents, including a really cool necklace and vase. Tomorrow is Brian's birthday, and we won't even hardly see each other, between his job and night class. Alas. Such is life, I guess.

I think I might go take a nap!