Still Here!

Yup, still here. Packing and cleaning and worrying that all the things I have to remember to do are going to fall right out of my overstuffed brain.

The house is feeling pretty empty right now. All the pictures and fun stuff is long packed and we're left with the crap that will be dumped into boxes of mystery: two toys from under Liam's bed, a candle stick from the back of the kitchen cupboards, a soother from the backyard (yup), a pile of (gulp) unopened mail. How fun those boxes are to unpack!

While I have a few minutes though, I do want to tell you about the week without television. In a nutshell, it was good. And I honestly don't think the kids really needed this week, but Mark and I certainly did. We needed a jolt of something to keep us from turning the television on automatically, especially at the end of a long day. It really brought to light how often we turn on the television just out of habit. Instead we played a bunch of games, drank some wine, and (gasp!) talked. Crazy.

As for the kids: Liam didn't ask for a show even once. That boy, I swear, is so fantasy-rich (thank you Auntie Sue for that term), he didn't miss it one bit. Case in point:

The Three Billy Goats Gruff acted out with a minimum of lego. Complete with bridge and yellow troll.

Olivia, well....she had a harder time. One of our little routines is that she watches a show while I shower in the mornings. This keeps her from standing outside the shower door crying and asking me to "come back, Mommy!" No show = no stopping this behavior. I was tempted, really tempted to turn the television on each morning, but I didn't and she actually did settle down by the end of the week. She and I read a LOT of books together and I took a lot of short showers.

Keys to success were nice days so I could toss them outside during that cranky hour after nap/quiet time and before dinner. Also books really were useful, particularly some identification books on bugs, birds, and local mammals that I picked up at the library book sale (I so love the library book sale). Although that meant that I was called forth any time a critter happened in to my children's sights; they were mostly of the bug sort, unfortunately, and close-up pictures of bugs are not amongst my favorite things (let alone the actual bugs).

We also played more games. At the end of the first day Candyland got packed (it's lucky it didn't end up in the garbage) and we started making up our own, better, games. Like this one: give your small child a hug, but turn it into a tight squeeze (use your judgment here) until he/she makes a weird noise because you are squeezing him/her very tightly. Then guess what kind of animal makes that funny noise. The noises will soon evolve from "a cat being stepped on" and "angry bird" to real roars, ribbits, and moos. Very funny for all involved (trust me); we now play this a LOT. And yes, I do think it is better than Candyland.

We also did a lot of packing. When I got tired, they got kicked to the backyard so I could have some quiet time. One day I gave them half a cookie to share with an anthill in our yard. That kept them (and a bunch of neighbor children) busy for a long time, although I think the neighbor parents thought it was pretty strange. And both kids played dress up more. The box (Tickle Trunk?) is overflowing with additional odds and ends discovered while packing, so they got really in to it and put on a couple of plays (with Liam as director, writer, and star; Olivia copying everything he did or said).

I won't lie to you - there were many more fights between the kiddos. More time playing together just means more fights, I guess. That part drove me a little nuts. But the quiet, when there was some, was fabulous.

But that's over now. This last week here is practically brought to us by television, especially since 99.9% of all toys are packed up. I hope to get into a more balanced routine in the new house. So, just three more days to go! I'm sorry I'm not keeping up with all the blogs I love so much, or the emails, but give me a week or so and I'll catch up. (I swear, I'm not moving again for a very long time).

Comments

[Stacey]

I wish I could talk Randy into less television. Maybe after the NHL playoffs are over.

And there is a book that I have on my Amazon wishlist that you may like. Or maybe you already own it.

Sorry for the long link:

http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Family-Encourage-Imagination-Connections/dp/1590304713/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I27QBK302QZWG2&colid=2033KYFJ33HKF

[Kristin]

I'm glad it went so well! Good luck with the move! Can't wait to hear how it goes! :)

[stefaneener]

Urgh. Just watching you move gives me the shivers.

TV is hard, isn't it? But thank you so for telling me they fight -- mine do it all the time -- maybe it's the hours and hours they spend together?

Hang in there.

[Holly Jo]

The week without TV sounds very successful. Why wouldn't it be? :)

Best of luck with rest of the move. That last 5% is always the worst, I swear. You just want to throw it all away, but it is often the most important. Damn it all. :)

[Judy]

Glad to hear the move is almost over.
Happy Mother's Day!
Love,
Judy

[Judy]

Hi Kathy,
Countdown to PEI!
We can't wait to see you, Mark and the children again! Have you been too busy moving to give the holiday any thought? I am trying to think of some neat things we can do to go along with our visiting.
Love
Judy

[sue]

Dear Kathy,
Ashley graduates on Friday!I think that may be your's (or Leah's) special day.... Then she comes home for a compulsary course here at Western. I can't wait to have her daily in my life! And then PEI. Short-too short- but I am looking forward to seeing you, Mark, and the children. Birthday celebrations at that time, right? I do not have your new address.....
Love
Sue

[Jodi]

Hi Katherine! Hope all is going well with settling in to your new home. I'm heading to Boulder and Denver this weekend, and I thought I'd see if you had any recommendations for things to do! Any can't-miss yarn shops in Denver?