Best/Worst List of 2011 December 30, 2011

First of all, I freaking love these Santa photos.  I know they are my children and of course I am going to love these Santa photos, but I think they are such good pictures of the kids.  They all look sweet and happy.

Christmas was nice.  The kids loved it.  They got some nice presents and were very appreciative.  Preston got a garden trimmer but the stores were out of the weed wacker that he also wanted.  He carries his trimmer around the house and trims along the way.  He told us today that he forgot his weed wacker for Christmas.  In other words, to translate that 3-year-old lingo into an adult interpretation, Preston is bummed that he didn’t receive a weed wacker along with his trimmer for Christmas.

Ava got her very own Ipod Touch with a zebra case just as she asked Santa for.  She is thrilled.  She keeps saying, “I can’t believe I am only 7 and I have my own Ipod Touch!”  She FaceTimes her relatives at will, which I am sure will get old after time.  She covets it like it is a 20-carat diamond, which is fine with me.

As 2012 approaches, I thought this would be a good time to share the best and worst of 2011, according to the Mothership.  My lists are in no particular order of importance.

Besties:

1. Adele- the best singer I’ve heard in a long time.  I listened to Adele more than any other artist in 2011.
2. Occupy Wall Street- heavily criticized because people just couldn’t seem to figure out what they stand for and they were inconveniencing other citizens with their protests.  First, if you don’t know what Occupy Wall Street Movement is all about, you could start by looking on Wikipedia.  The Occupy movement is an international protest movement which is primarily directed against economic and social inequality. (Wikipedia).  Secondly, as Chris likes to say, it wouldn’t be a successful protest if they weren’t inconveniencing people.  I am just happy that for the first time in a very long time people in this country are standing up against corruption and letting their voices of dissatisfaction be heard.  It is about time.
3. Pandora- for providing free music streamed to every place in the world that plays music.  I also love it because I have learned of new artists through Pandora.  I realize that this has been around longer than 2011, but 2011 is when it really affected my life.
4. Ryan Gosling- for being so darn adorable and making two very fantastic movies this year: Drive and Crazy, Stupid Love.  He was also in Blue Valentine and All Good Things in 2010, both fantastic movies as well.  
5. Kick-Mini scooters- for providing the Woolsey children a year of total and complete entertainment and exercise.  Those scooters go everywhere with us. There was hardly a day that went by in 2011 that my children were not riding these scooters.  They are the best scooters out there.  
6. The Tree of Life – for exploring the difference between “grace” (a beautiful word with a beautiful meaning) and “nature”.  And because the star of the movie is a beautiful red head.  And because Brad Pitt is in it.  And because it beautifully and subtly shows a mom’s special love for her boys.  And because the music and cinema-photography is absolutely incredible.  
7. Yoga – for providing a mental and physical outlet for me.  
   
8. End of the Iraq war- for bringing all of our troops home and back with their families.  Hopefully the PTSD won’t be as horrific as experts predict.
9. No more binkies or diapers
10. Pinterest – for being the new Facebook.  By that I mean, this new website/App, is the new obsession for browsers.  People pin the coolest stuff they find around the world and on the internet ranging in topics from art and architecture to fashion and fitness.

Runners up: 

The Showtime TV series Homeland.  Riveting.

Whole Foods opening up in Folsom.

My new Macbook Air which really rocks.

Worsties:

1. Steve Jobs death- who knows what he would’ve come up with next and if his predecessors are going to be as innovative as he was.
2. Newt Gingrich as potential presidential candidate- enough said
3. Kim Kardashian Wedding- an embarrassment to our country.  A televised wedding plus other publicity earned the couple $17.9 million dollars.  Seventy-two days later she filed for divorce.
4. Japanese Sunami- killed hundreds of people and devastated the landscape of parts of the country.
5. Oprah show ends
6. The housing market is STILL in the toilet
7. Sibling rivalry
8. J Edgar – the movie.  So pointless and boring and to pour salt in the wound, Leonardo didn’t even look hot in this movie.
9. Preschool – The kids began preschool this year.  I hate to put preschool on the worst list because I love the preschool my kids attend, but it is mentioned only as it relates to the amount of money parents have to pay to send their kids through this institution.  The cost of preschool in our area ranges in price for 1 (I repeat 1) child between $200 and $800 per month.  Now I pay on the lower range of the scale, but times this by three and you get the point.
10. Health care- this topic is unbelievable to me.  The fact that the haves — those with good jobs and money — have access to good health care, and the have-nots either go without adequate health care for their family or they pay a thousand dollars or more for health care, is deplorable.  Someone very near and dear to us lost her job this year.  She has health problems.  She is worried sick about how she will be able to afford health care.  The health care problem is also brought to light in the recent documentary “The Education of Dee Dee Ricks”.  Dee Dee Ricks herself is a bit annoying, but her message and her story is powerful.  The health care inequities will improve in years to come under Obama’s Affordable Care Act.

Runner-up: Death of Christopher Hitchens

Happy New Year to you all my friends!

Until next year, the mothership is signing off.

Christmas Break Begins December 18, 2011

Nobody told me when I signed up for this parenting thing that it would be so hard; so fraught with worry.  No one said that there would be so many difficult decisions to make.  I see these fine lines forming a spiderweb under my eyes and I see Chris’s sideburns turning grayer each day.  Yes, we are 37 and these things are bound to happen but we must also blame the kids for causing speedy aging.

We recently put in the video Chris made for the triplets first birthday party.  It was a chronicle of life from the time I was sticking needles in my belly for the hormone injections prior to In Vetro Fertilization, all the way to when the triplets turned one.  The kids love watching the video.  It is pretty amazing.  But what was a little horrifying this last time I watched it was to notice how much I have aged over the past four years.  My skin was smooth and firm and my hair fixed nicely– when I used to make the time and money to highlight it blonde.

There have been big decisions to make about schooling. Furthermore, with class sizes creeping up to ridiculous sizes, it is our job as parents to make sure our children are not falling through the cracks — whether they need extra help learning or whether they need to be challenged more.  Maybe I’ll look back on this time one day and wonder why I worried so much about my kids’ schooling, or maybe I’ll think, wow, we were really on top of our kids’ schooling and it really paid off.

So we are entering Christmas break and Chris and I don’t have to think about school for 2 1/2 weeks,  but we do have to think about how we are going to get through this time with 3 year old triplets and an extremely high energy 7 year old.  We asked Ava’s teacher to make up a list of assignments for her to work on over break to keep her busy.  Her teacher probably thinks we are “Tiger Parents”, but in reality, it is just a matter of survival.  A bored Ava is a miserable Ava and a miserable Ava makes for extremely miserable parents.

I do think that the holidays are a fun time for adults as well as children; an opportunity to go out with friends and family and eat, drink and be generally jolly.  Last night Chris, Molly, Nima and I went out to Ella downtown Sacramento for a fantastic dining experience.  We were at the restaurant from 6pm until almost midnight.  Chris and I brought two bottles of red and Molly and Nima brought a sparkling wine and a bottle of red and we sat at our table and slowly ate and drank the night away.  We had courses of appetizers, salads, entrees and talked non-stop for four hours.  Other than Santa and presents and lots of Christmas songs, that is what the holiday season is all about.  I regret to say that we were so busy enjoying ourselves that we forgot to take any pictures.

I have to share this awesome website with you.  You can create a personalized message from Santa to your child.  It is free, and it is a big hit! http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/home.

Ava-ism:  We had a meeting with Ava’s teacher on Thursday and we asked how she did on her poster timeline. Her teacher said, “oh, she did a great job!  She explained everything in her timeline clearly and looked at her audience.  Oh, except, (pause, uncomfortable chuckle) she did tell the class that there is no such thing as the tooth fairy when she got to the part about losing her first tooth.  I laughed really hard.  I threw my head back and laughed really hard.  That girl is unbelievable.

Until next time, the mothership is signing off.

Polar Express December 12, 2011

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Last Wednesday the Woolseys and Hosseinis took the kids on the Sacramento Polar Express.  This show is so popular in Sacramento that it sells out to the general public in two hours.  I splurged on the tickets (it cost us $170) because I thought the triplets would really love it.  The triplets tend to be very impressed and appreciative of everything we do.

Ava is a different story.  We took Ava on the Polar Express when she was just 4 years old.  She was less than impressed.  Many years later I couldn’t quite recall what led me to the conclusion that she wasn’t impressed, so I did a search on my blog and found the entry I did three years ago about it and got the scoop.  Apparently Ava called bullshit on the North Pole. At the end of the Polar Express train ride you land at the “North Pole” where Santa and his elves are there waving their white-gloved hands at the train onlookers.  Ava said, “that’s not the real North Pole is it?” in disbelief that this pathetic rinky dink display was the wonderful North Pole where Santa and his elves live making toys for all the boys and girls.  Ava also gave Santa’s helper a dirty look.  She was big on dirty looks in those days.  The next day she complained because she thought we would be able to watch the movie on the train, not just listen to the book.  Those were trying times.

This year I noticed that there was an improved North Pole (which Ava still called bullshit on).  Also this year, Ava had two sisters, one brother, two cousins and an Aunt and Uncle to enjoy the experience with.  Everyone had a great time.  No one was disappointed.

Ava-ism:

I have so many Ava-isms all the time but I forget about them when it comes time to write my blog.  I thought this one was funny and actually remembered it.

As you may recall, Ava does not believe in the tooth fairy.  She tries to go along with the program so she can get herself a little cold hard cash, but she isn’t buying the story at all.  We were working on a school timeline assignment.  We chose when she lost her first tooth as an item on her timeline.  While she was at school I found her first tooth and put it on her timeline.  When she got home and saw it she said,”See!!  There is no such thing as the tooth fairy otherwise you wouldn’t have my tooth, the tooth fairy would.  I told you!”

I was speechless.

Until next time, the mothership is signing off.

Tree December 6, 2011

It was that time again this past Sunday.  Time to butcher another tree and plop it in front of a window, hang the lights and ornaments and then proceed to vacuum up fallen needles for the next 20 days.  I must say that despite that last sentence, I am feeling a lot more in the Christmas spirit this year.  Last year I was a honory old scrooge about having to get eight boxes of decorations out and then spending  a week decorating on top of my usual long list of household responsibilities.

This year we went to Prenderosa Tree Farm off of Highway 49 (http://www.prenderosa.com/).  It was close to my house and they had a great selection of Christmas Trees to chop down and kill.  The farm has a couple of fire pits going and they hand out hot apple cider and bags of marshmallows to roast over an open flame.  Unfortunately, Molly and Nima input the address but not the city in their GPS and ended up out in Jackson about an hour or more past Prenderosa.  They were not happy.  They arrived just in time for us to leave, but also in time for mom to get her coveted yearly Christmas picture.  Check it out – no one in my family is screaming their head off or refusing to take the picture this year.  The Woolseys are really making progress.  The Domestics were also up with us because they do enjoy the Christmas tree hunt with us.

 

With four kids, decorating our two Christmas trees was an amazingly quick and efficient process.  It was like decorating in fast motion.  They decorated the upstairs tree in about 10 minutes and the huge downstairs tree in about 20 minutes.

To celebrate another year of Christmas tree acquisition and decoration, Chris and I went out to dinner with The Domestics to Cascada in Placerville where I drank not one, not two, but three margaritas and spent half the night awake, feeling gross and dehydrated.

Preston had his first sleepover with his cousin Ronin on Saturday night.  He was so excited and he felt so special.  We got a big fat “NO FAIR” from Ava because “I am older and I haven’t even ever had a sleepover with someone my own age.  NO FAIR!” As Preston left the house with his little sleepover backpack, he gave each of his sister’s a hug and a kiss goodbye.  The sleepover was a big success.  Ronin and Preston slept in the same room.  Preston was a little scared but Ronin consoled him by reminding him how beautiful his room is and that it isn’t scary.  Preston had a great time but his mommy missed cuddling with him on Sunday morning.  Next time we will have Ronin over and he can experience Preston’s life with three sisters who all have strong personalities.

Until next time, the mothership is signing off.