December 09, 2011

jiggetty-jog

December 09, 2011/ molly balint

Hello.

I have ten minutes to write this post. I'm sitting in the play area of our brand-spanking new Wegman's grocery store. Birdy and Elizabeth are happy at the train table, Mary and Emma are just a few blocks away, having their piano lessons. I was supposed to have more time sitting here to write and enjoy the free wifi, but I got bogged down in the toothbrushes when all I really needed was a gallon of milk and a pound of coffee beans. Isn't that always the case?

But I'm determined to be here this morning. I've opened up the "compose" window every day this week.

I'm home from New York City. It was a fantastic weekend. I was so glad to have my mom with me. We had such a fun time together. Navigating train stations and taxi fares. We dealt with overwhelming problems like where to have lunch and which store to shop in first--Purl or Fishs Eddy (thanks, Erin for turning me on to that one!) She lounged in the hotel room, and dined leisurely in the hotel restaurant, while I zipped from premieres to broadway. Tough weekend, huh?

I ate the best dessert I've ever had. Would I ever think I'd use the word orgasmic on my blog, let alone to describe a dessert? No, but there. I just did. It was. And now I'm blushing.

The movie was fantastic. One of those movies I really need to see again to take it all in one more time. To see it without seeing it through so many tears. Woah, the tears. It's a killer. I was a bit bummed that it doesn't seem to be one for younger kids (I was hoping I could take Emma). It definitely falls in the young adult category. Or it would make a great movie to see with your husband. There's lots of animal drama. That's tough for children.

I also got to step inside the home of my great-great grandmother. A beautiful tall, narrow townhouse on banker's row. Now a preserved landmark, nestled between highrises just like The Little House. Today it serves the unromantic role as a store front full of discount name brands. I'm not sure what my great-great-grandmother would say about the five foot square poster of a teen dressed in short-shorts and fur, dangling from her living room wall. I was scolded for taking pictures inside the building. But I explained my history and was given full photographic access.

Going away was wonderful, yes. I felt a bit like my life was on hold until I got the trip behind me. Now, I'm really looking forward to settling in for the rest of the advent season. I'm ready to slow the pace down a bit. And hunker down.

So happy weekend friends. Here's to slowing down and enjoying the rest of the season.

It's good to be home.

November 03, 2011

The Capitol: fancy clothes and sundae bars

November 03, 2011/ molly balint

We're moving along at about half-strength around here. One by one the girls are dropping to the same cold as it moves through each of them. This morning, Mary was the victim. Unfortunately hers is a mix of a migraine and the cold. So I'm chained to the sofa while we work through the worst of the migraine. (I've briefly talked about Mary's migraines here, and there is some great information from people in the comments....)

But despite the general dragging around here, we were miraculously blessed with a window of health on Tuesday so that our whole family could have a once-in-a-lifetime tour of The Capitol in Washington, DC.

My mother has become good friends with a sweet and spunky 72 year old woman who is the wife of a former, now deceased Congressman. Her name is Ruth and she is the darling of The Capitol.

With Ruth as our guide we were taken on a special behind-the-scenes tour where guards waved us past "authorized personnel only" barriers with a smile.

We took communion in the Capitol chapel. Walked out onto the floor of the Congress. Stood on the private balcony of the Speaker of the House. Bumped shoulders with Mitch McConnell (almost literally). Rode a tram underground to the senate cafeteria (cafeteria is by far the wrong terminology in this case) and lunched on Senate Bean Soup and Bread Pudding to get the full experience (per Ruth's advice).

Though I had my moment of almost-meltdown holding a wailing Birdy who was well beyond tired and unwilling to put up with more touring. Standing in the hallway shushing and bouncing, with the stares and the "there's never a BABY in here" looks, feeling so far removed from these classy, important, put-together people...eventually we both recovered.

The day was forever memorable. The city, beautiful. And Mary was inspired to become a Congresswoman--primarily for the fancy clothes you get to wear each day and the sundae bar in the cafeteria.

That's my girl.

October 26, 2011

Lions and tigers, no bears.

October 26, 2011/ molly balint

Day two of our staycation had us trekking off to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC. The zoo is wonderful--twisting and turning among tree lined paths that open up into animal homes. And it's free. The parking is not (ouch), but still well worth it, and very budget-friendly.

The girls loved it. Birdy especially. She also loved the fact that we unhinged her from the jail of her stroller and let her walk much of the day. You'd ask to hold her hand and she'd quite frankly, tell you no, and push your hand away. And despite her zig-zagging toddle up the brick sidewalks, she hardly slowed us down.

I think Fall may be my favorite time to go to the zoo. Crowds are down. It's not hot and animals are still out and active.

It was a perfect day two.

Day three, today, invovled reclaiming the house from the first two days of staycation and a massive binge of laundry.

Day four is still open for discussion. Though there's lots of campaigning for a family trip to the bowling alley. Though I can already envision chasing Birdy up the lanes...

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August 16, 2011

middle of nowhere, virginia

August 16, 2011/ molly balint

middle of nowhere, virginia

We're home.

July 25, 2011

the great escape

July 25, 2011/ molly balint

Last week, I threw in the towel. The heat was getting the best of me. You'd have to be hiding under a rock (maybe it's cooler under there?) to not know about the crazy heat along the east coast. And with no air-conditioning, except for a puttering little unit in our living room window, I was going a little stir-crazy. Too hot to leave the room. Too hot to leave the house. There might as well have been a blizzard outside.

So on Tuesday when I called my mom and just the sound of her voice brought me to tears, I decided for the sake of my mental health it was probably time to get out of dodge.

The next morning we packed up (dripping in sweat) and hit the road to her air-conditioned house a few hours away.

We hid out through the weekend. Which included a brief excursion to my old 4-H County fair where my neices and nephew were showing their goats, dairy steers and home arts. (My kids were quite impressed when I used my royalty as former fair queen to get us in the door for free.)

Birdy was a big hit with the goats. Just their size. Soft and edible.

We came home last night and had to readjust to life without cool breezes blowing across our faces while we slept. Instead, we were back to large cattle-sized fans buffeting warm, damp, thick air across our tired bodies.

Today, it's our turn to prep for our county fair. A small scheduling oversight, and it turns out all our fair projects are due tomorrow, not Thursday afternoon. So it is a crafting-crazed madhouse over here. Stitching, sewing and baking in between coats of paint and mod podge.