The Nelson Narrative

Wow.  I haven't posted in THREE months.  Almost every Saturday morning for the last few months I have started a post or thought about it, meaning to come back later in the day but I just always run out of time because there is always so much to do.  I'm working full-time now so all of my errands, grocery shopping, cleaning and sometimes cooking ahead for the week are done on the weekends which leaves very little time for anything else.  It's been very stressful but I was finally starting to acclimate, only now to be in the throws of the holiday season which is throwing everything off again. Anyway, I'll just do a quick rundown of what we've been up to since I last posted. The girls did a mini-cheer camp in late September/early October which culminated in a performance at a high school football game.  Several of their friends did it also.  They loved it and are looking forward to doing it again next year.     In O...

Last Thursday was my first day off from work since the girls started school.  When they were in Kindergarten and I enjoyed having 4 hours every day I couldn't wait until they were in first grade and I would have 7.5, even though I knew it would be short-lived because the plan all along has been for me to go back to work once they were in school full time.  But as you know, a job opportunity fell in my lap back in April (well, late February, but it was mid-April by the time I started) and I've been working part time ever since, but will probably start increasing my hours soon.  And due to the Labor Day holiday and leaving early one day for Meet the Teacher, I ended up working at least half days every day of their first week, so last Thursday was the first day I was able to enjoy having 7.5 hours to do whatever.  I had a huge long list of things I wanted to do but I mostly just ended up cleaning because I was so behind.  I had Friday off also and ma...

Today was the first day of first grade for the girls.  They are in the same class again this year.  We considered separating them and Olivia didn't care but Kayley wanted to be together and we decided it would be fine because they are really good about doing their own thing and not being too clingy with each other. I had to go to work right after they got on the bus and Paul gets home right before they do so he met them at the bus stop.  I was sad to not be there but since I couldn't work Monday (Labor Day) I really needed to work today.  It's good that I can go in late enough to put them on the bus in the morning and Paul's home when they get back so we don't need any kind of childcare now, except for breaks, conferences, etc. Signs say "1st" and "Grade".  Love the Band-Aid. Olivia, neighbor Geet, neighbor and BFF Abby, Kayley

So I've mentioned on here that we haven't hardly done anything fun all summer, other than our usual 3 or so trips to Crescent Bar and a little camping that got cut short due to extremely hot weather and heat related illness (Kayley), but last week Paul took Thursday and Friday off and we finally got out and did some fun things. On Thursday we took the girls out to lunch at The Old Spaghetti Factory and then to the Pacific Science Center.  They had an awesome butterfly exhibit, and we saw a cool 3D IMAX film about lemurs in Madagascar. The girls ordered these Cotton Candy Limeade drinks.  They ate the cotton candy but didn't like the actual drink.  Total waste of $2.75 (x 2)! On Friday we rented kayaks and paddled around Lake Washington near the UW.  It was so fun.  Paul and I had done it before when I was pregnant with the girls and I'd been wanting to do it again for a few years now so we did.  The girls love it, too. Last night they...

This has been kind of a weird summer.  Here we are 8 weeks in and I have yet to DO anything with the girls, like the spray park or a beach or whatever.  Every single one of my 2 days off per week have been spent either packing to go somewhere or already being somewhere (that, of course, counts as doing something but I just mean I have yet to take them anywhere while we're home, other than going out for frozen yogurt after their dance camp performance), with the exception of week 2 when I had a bad cold and couldn't go anywhere.  Tomorrow and Friday will be the first time all summer that I can finally take them somewhere!  I don't know what we're going to do but I'm just glad we can finally do something! Week 5 The girls had Frozen Dance Camp.  The girls danced to some of the songs from Frozen, made a cape and a tiara, and listened to the Frozen story (as if they didn't already know it like the back of their hand!).  They had an awesome ti...

So I've been at my job for about 3 months now and all I can say is I'm glad it's only part-time (not that it has to be-I could work full-time if I wanted but I don't want to until the girls are in school full time).  I can barely keep up with laundry and other household chores--I honestly don't have a clue how full-time working mothers do it (the ones without housekeepers, that is) and my hat goes off to them.  Here was my Wednesday evening, as an example: I got home from work at 6:30.  I don't go in until 9:00 to minimize the time we have to pay a babysitter (Paul works from 6:30 to 3:00), so I don't leave work until 5:30ish.  This particular day I left at 5:40.  I helped finish dinner, ate, then I cleaned up while Paul and the girls went for a bike ride. After cleaning up from dinner, I swept the floor, did a load of laundry and went outside to water plants.  While outside Paul and the girls came back, and the girls and I played in the yard for a bit (...

Our summer vacation has been pretty boring so far.  The girls have fun playing with their friends every day but we have yet to really go do anything (splash park, beach, lake, etc.) because of my working 3 days a week and so far my days off have all involved packing/getting ready to go to Crescent Bar, except for week 2 when I had a bad cold so still couldn't do much. Week 2 Monday through Wednesday - I worked, girls with babysitter but played with friends a lot. Thursday - wanted to take them up to see my mom but I had a bad cold so stayed home and cleaned while they played with friends off and on. Friday - More of the same.  We were going to go to Target and a few other places but realized the booster seats were in Paul's car. Week 3 Monday - work/babysitter Tuesday - work/babysitter Wednesday work/babysitter, then birthday party at friend's down the street Thursday - Another day off spent packing for Crescent Bar, but we did get out and run some erran...