Negotiations are taking place all over the world, but none can be more difficult then those that are taking place at the Voss home.
Mommy Voss is in tight negotiations with both the LuLu and the MyMy. Strategies are in place and maneuvers have been organized hoping that somehow a compromise can be reached. Some battles have been won, while others have been lost. So far, the mortality rate, is zero.
Over break I have entered the dark and lurking cavities of bedroom closets, and drawers. I have also reached my hand under dreaded bedskirts and dressers hoping to "dejunk" the area. Much has been collected in the last 6 months. All collections are very important and symbolic to the two lovely girls.
A bowlful of fingernails may appear to be something eerie and disgusting to someone, yet has become a great treasure to an eight-year-old.
Getting rid of 15 stuffed animals from a collection of more than 50 has also required great negotiations. My reasoning of "you have too many" cannot compare to "but that stuffed animal is Baby Burp's best friend's mother". (Baby Burp is a 3 inch stuffed walrus from a McDonald's Happy Meal from over 5 years ago.)
A science-fair project, the first of many, is also considered something valuable. Pictures have been taken, copies of pages have been made. All have been placed in a scrapbook. This small strategy does not even come close to the large actual size of 38 x 42 inches. When asked how often does one look at said science-fair project, the response was, "just now, when I took it out of my closet to clean". Negotiations too amazing to touch!
A few years ago, I received some amazing advice. Buy their valuables at garage-sale- prices. In-genius! Then, children could use the money to buy something new. It sounded like a fool-proof plan. I never thought of using money to negotiate. I had a huge advantage, in which I would truly win! I didn't however, because my children obviously have shopped at high-end garage sales, where items cost more than shopping at Neiman Marcus. I couldn't afford their prices, and they were not willing to barter.
Negotiations have gone on for 3 days now, and I haven't been very successful. Maybe I'll have more luck negotiating at the United Nations. One could hope!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
High Expectations
The definition for expectation is: a confident belief or strong hope that a particular event will happen.
The definition for high, in this case, is: greater than the normal, or average, well above the smaller or lower level, or amount.
Put the two words together, and you have
3 WEEKS OF FALL BREAK! Meaning.......
I will fall clean the house by washing windows, walls, baseboards, door-frames, and carpets. I will organize the bathroom cupboards, the MyMy's room and the corner in my bedroom.
At school I will clean, organize and create an exceedingly large amount of educational projects.
With my kids, I will share a novel with them, teach them how to cook, work on science-fair and young women projects, go on bike rides at the park, and lay on the floor and giggle to our hearts content.
For PTA, I will balance the budget, get an audit started and completed, input membership names into a data base, and work on the outdoor classroom.
Personally, I will lose 20 pounds, buy new shoes and start and finish the final book of the Harry Potter series. (Yes, I still have not read that book)
And, don't forget the many thank-you cards and other important correspondence that is long overdue.
All this plus, my daily routines of cleaning, cooking, taxiing, church callings etc.
I can do this because I have caught the vision. Not through my dirty windows, mind you, but through the "I will get that done over break" vision because, "I will have plenty of time then" vision. I am superwoman!
Well, the first day of break did not go exactly as planned. I didn't account for the "I am sooooooooooo not in the mood" vision. Besides, high expectations are highly overrated! The expectations won't all be a wash however, because I will still buy those shoes!
The definition for high, in this case, is: greater than the normal, or average, well above the smaller or lower level, or amount.
Put the two words together, and you have
3 WEEKS OF FALL BREAK! Meaning.......
I will fall clean the house by washing windows, walls, baseboards, door-frames, and carpets. I will organize the bathroom cupboards, the MyMy's room and the corner in my bedroom.
At school I will clean, organize and create an exceedingly large amount of educational projects.
With my kids, I will share a novel with them, teach them how to cook, work on science-fair and young women projects, go on bike rides at the park, and lay on the floor and giggle to our hearts content.
For PTA, I will balance the budget, get an audit started and completed, input membership names into a data base, and work on the outdoor classroom.
Personally, I will lose 20 pounds, buy new shoes and start and finish the final book of the Harry Potter series. (Yes, I still have not read that book)
And, don't forget the many thank-you cards and other important correspondence that is long overdue.
All this plus, my daily routines of cleaning, cooking, taxiing, church callings etc.
I can do this because I have caught the vision. Not through my dirty windows, mind you, but through the "I will get that done over break" vision because, "I will have plenty of time then" vision. I am superwoman!
Well, the first day of break did not go exactly as planned. I didn't account for the "I am sooooooooooo not in the mood" vision. Besides, high expectations are highly overrated! The expectations won't all be a wash however, because I will still buy those shoes!
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