The One Where I Multitask...Or Not

I've been thinking a lot lately about multitasking lately as well. I just haven't been able to figure it out. I know what I want to do, and need to do, in a day or a week but it rarely gets done. The couple of things I've been able to combine is taking Zach for a bike ride with me. I get exercise, we spend time together and it wears Zach out for bed. I just don't have time for it every night. I can also work on the computer while waiting for Zach to fall asleep. But there is so much more I want to do.

I want to vacuum while listing items in my store.
I want to do the dishes while reading books to my kids.
I want to do laundry while packaging items sold in my store.
I want to cook healthy meals while taking Zach to karate.
I want to pay bills while taking loads to the post office.
I want to clean the bathroom while being in a good mood.
I want to do my other job while playing games with Zach.

I also want to clear the clutter, mop the floors, go to the chiropractor, get my allergy shots, hang out with friends, go on dates with Jason, watch my shows, keep up on politics and the economy and other current events, do projects around the house, cure cancer and solve the world's problems. I also would love getting back into some of the hobbies that I haven't been able to do for years: painting, scrapbooking, shooting, photography. I have yet to figure out how to do even a portion of this without having a severe mental breakdown, curling into the fetal position while sucking my thumb and singing show tunes.

So, until I can go on only 2 hours of sleep a day or I have enough money to hire myself a wife, I guess I have to be content on having a little bit dirtier house than I like, keeping on a few extra pounds, having wrinkled clothes, having a little less money, taking a few extra doses of "happy" pills, spend a little less time with the kids and hope they don't turn out to be serial killers, have a parole officer for life, or be a gas station attendant (not that there's anything wrong with that - the gas station attendant part.) And, usually, I am content with all that. Which is good because I don't think I know any show tunes.

The One Where Eli Rolls Over

Eli has been rolling from tummy to back for about a month now. A couple weeks ago he started rolling from back to tummy. He also grabs his feet, can put his binky back in his mouth, and can move himself around in a circle. He is trying to get himself up on his knees to scoot and crawl. He's ticklish now - he squirms and laughs when he's tickled. It is so cute.



That would be the O'Reilly Factor blasting in the background. Jason claims he has bad hearing from going to too many concerts. I would attest that I have been to as many as he and I can hear the TV just fine, thank you. The "spotlight" on Eli would be Zach - he thinks it's great fun to shine a flashlight on people. I love it when he shines it on me especially. Because who doesn't love having a flashlight shining in their eyes?

The One Where Zach Takes the Pictures

Self-portrait, by Zach

Close-upClose-up, forehead, upside down

The One Where I Have Peace

Jason is out with the scouts on a camp out. He took Zach with him. I repeat, he took Zach with him. Eli is in bed. I am relaxed and in pjs. I am contemplating either working a little while watching the presidential debate, or completely vegging out with cookies and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Either way, I'm alone. I like to be alone sometimes. I'd rather it be in SoCal on a beach, but I take what I can get.

The One Where Zach Tests For Taekwondo Purple Decided Belt

Zach has been doing Taekwondo for almost 2 years now at the Black Belt Acadamy. He started when he was 3 1/2 and is on his twelfth belt. He's had white, orange, yellow, camouflage, green, purple, and a half belt (decided) in between each of those colors. Tonight was testing for purple-decided (basically purple and a half.)

Here he is as a White belt (Jan 2007) and then White Decided (Feb 7, 2007).

Orange (April 2, 2007) Orange Decided (June 1, 2007)

Yellow (August 2, 2007) Yellow Decided (September 27, 2007)

Camo (November 2007) This is the only picture I have of Zach with his Camo belt. I don't know what happened. But I was pregnant at the time... Camo Decided (January 2008) I'm really upset becomes it seems that I don't have a picture for this belt test. But I was still pregnant at the time...

Green (March 2008): He moved up from the Tiny Tiger class to the Karate Kids class. He started sparring and got his own gear. Again I don't have a picture for this test. I can't believe that I missed taking a picture of him three tests in a row. I was very pregnant at this test, but still, that's three tests without a picture. Hopefully I'll find them sometime on another computer somewhere.

Green Decided (May 2008)

Purple (July 24, 2008)

Sparring gear during purple testing.

He was distracted tonight and they were the first group to go but he still did a pretty good job. They don't promote kids based on perfection. This is a video of him doing his form with a few other kids. The "form" is just a series of moves: kicks, blocks and punches.

Zach wearing his new belt, Purple Decided, and holding his old belt, Purple. (September 25, 2008)

The One Where I Talk About Jeans

I love a great pair of jeans. I'm just not sure why they are so hard to find. There are jeans everywhere but it's hard to find that pair that fit just right. Maybe it's just me. If I could only find a pair of jeans that fit so perfectly from the waist to the length, they would be worth their weight in gold.

I love bootcut jeans - they go with everything. I also love dark wash. I just got these jeans (it seems after you have a baby nothing you had before fits like it used to.) They fit pretty well but they are really long. Since I don't make it a habit to wear 4-inch heels on a daily basis - I have to hem them.I also like the wide-leg trouser jeans. It can look a little more dressy than other jeans. They also help balance out a wider mid-section and top half.I noticed that a "vintage" look is coming (back?) in style. These are matchstick/slim jeans. My verdict is still out on these. I don't like slim jeans but maybe in another style...I'll have to think about it for awhile.

The One Where I Try To Improvise

I think I may have waited too long because I can't find a pickle jar big enough for Eli to fit in. I don't think this will work either. How am I going to preserve his perfect squishiness now?

Why all the posts tonight? Well, I've been sitting here at the kitchen table for an hour and 20 minutes waiting for Zach to go to sleep. This is the only quiet activity I can do at the computer. I think he finally fell asleep. How could I get along without tranquilizer darts?