Coffee Talk Vol. 2

Sometimes when you publish on your blog (or your blog’s Facebook page) it can feel like you’re shouting into a giant, dark auditorium. You know people are there, but you can’t see them, and unless they speak up, you can’t hear them either.

That’s why I was nervous to post my first Coffee Talk. But! Many of you commented and let me know that sometimes you like a casual chit-chatty post. It was great to feel like I was talking to a group of like-minded friends. So Coffee Talk is back!

TV Watching

There is only one show I’m watching right now: Survivor. I’ve been a super fan since the first season and feel like my destiny is to be on the show. I sent in a audition tape when I was in college. I sang and danced to “I Will Survive,” making up my own words. So original. Can’t imagine why I wasn’t chosen.

Anyway, I missed it this week which means I’ve watched zero TV this week, but am dying to see it. Any other Survivor watchers? Don’t tell me what happened! I always seem to root for the underdogs, so right now I’m hoping Scot+Kyle pull off some big moves.

What are you watching right now?

End of the School Year Busyness

Woah! All of a sudden all the events are happening at once. Luke started soccer for the first time. He’s still unsure if he loves it, but I think it’s good for him. For the first time, Meghan and Luke are both doing separate activities at the same time on the same night. I feel for parents with more than two kids. How do you even keep it straight? My brother has five kids, ages 7-16, and I’m starting to really understand why every time I talk to him he sounds like his mind is a million miles away.

Meghan had a school performance last night and today she has “Space Camp” at school. We were asked to help her make a space suit. As if we have all this extra time to create a space suit. Riiiiight. Well, I think we did okay despite my disability when it comes to creating crafty things.

Meghan was quick to point out that the baseball helmet wasn’t as round as a space helmet and that she really wouldn’t be able to breath with the face being totally open. I told her it could be a loose interpretation and didn’t need to be 100% authentic. She was okay with that.

The hardest part with all the activities lately is dinner. This Facebook conversation was helpful in getting ideas for the super busy nights. This week Operation Sunday Food Prep is in order so that dinners go more smoothly. Life is so much better when I’m prepared for it! Lesson learned.

Summer Travel

Summer is creeping up on us and Tim and I are trying to lock down our travel plans. It’s a big summer as it’s my 20 year high school reunion, Tim is turning 40, and it’s our 10 year wedding anniversary. We want to take a trip to celebrate Tim’s 40th and our anniversary, but we can’t decide where to go. We’ve talked about going to Mexico to the resort where we went on our honeymoon, going to Michigan, either to a bed and breakfast on Lake Michigan or back to Mackinac Island where we were married, New York City, Miami, or Jamaica. All over the map, right?

Any ideas for a cool trip?

Shopping at Costco

I’ve told you that I love shopping at Costco and save a bunch of money on some staple products. I’ve made the decision, though, that I really can’t buy much produce there. The big tubs of spinach work because if I don’t eat them up I can freeze them into cubes for smoothies. Berries are fine because my kids eat them like crazy.  But I bought some asparagus there last time and it was waaaaay too much for us to eat before it went bad. I was eating asparagus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. No, thanks.

Outside Time

Ah, spring. Fresh air, warm breezes, the return of green grass, leaves, and flowers. We can finally tell our kids, “Go play outside!” without having to bundle them up. Yes, I love you, Spring!

At what age do you let your kids play outside without you there? Meghan is 7 and she is allowed to play outside in our yard, ride her bike in the cul-de-sac, or go play in a few of our close neighbors’ yards without us. We haven’t let her ride her bike to a friend’s house yet, but mostly because her bike-riding skills aren’t that great yet and we have a lot of traffic and no sidewalks in our neighborhood.

Luke is 4 and we are just starting to let him play outside with his sister, but not us. He has to stay in our yard if he’s outside without us and we check on him often if we can’t see him out the window, which we often can. I know some people say “Oh, it’s a different world than when we were growing up!” but is it, really? Crime is actually down, but hearing about it all is up due to the Internet.  To each their own, but I think kids do better without having their parents hovering over their every move. What do you think?

Weekend Plans

Tonight Tim is bringing Meghan to a Father-Daughter dance at her school, so Luke and I are having a Mother-Son date night. I’m excited! Although I haven’t even planned what we are doing yet. I’ll think of something fun.

Tomorrow Tim and I are going golfing. Tim loves to golf, but I am really, really terrible. I want to get better so it’s something we can do together through the years, but man is it hard.

What are you up to this weekend? I hope you have a good one!