Hey Hey, It's MAY! --PDX thread

[cellarstella]

I guess I'll just have to start the thread myself... my very first!

What are your favorite family bonding activities, everyone?

Ours is pretty simple and spontaneous. Living room dance parties! We just clear the floor space, crank up the music, and dance. I really want to add to our fun with a few special activities, like taking a model boat to Eastmoreland park (large shallow ponds) on sunny days.

[frogger]

we love to listen to harry potter together.

[ancoda]

Happy May everyone.
Our favorite family activities are we go on family hikes at least once a month. It gives us a chance to get away from all the electronic distractions so that we can talk about all kinds of stuff.
We also read a lot of books together and listen to books on tape.

[cyncyn]

Lately it's been reading, cooking and gardening which I :
But only for a few minutes. I can't seem to keep everyone on the same project for very long. We tend to wander off ...

[MamaChicken]

Pre-baby-explosion, DH and DS1 and I would cook together. Now, at least one of us have to hold babies.

One thing ALL of us can do together is go for walks. Our neighborhood is pretty walking friendly, so we try to get out on nice days.

[jstar]

hmmm. probably cooking. both my kids like to stand on chairs at the counter and help...leaving me about two inches of counter space

and bike riding. or walking over to the playground together. i love it when we all go.

isaac says 'go to a restaurant together!' although we haven't been doing much of that lately

camping too. then we're out with nothing much to do but sit around and hang out. or hike/explore/boat.

[aniT]

Oh this is truly sad. It's May 3rd and I just realized I should be looking for a new thread. Then when I find it.. i am the 6th post.

ETA: OK the 7th post. I see someone got on in JUST before me.

We like going to the farmers market together. Although we can't find any activities Amanda will participate in.. I guess it's a teen thing. I never wanted to go/do anything with my family once I was her age either.

[kaPOW!]

We play on the bed. Happy May!

[PGNPORTLAND]

Originally Posted by buffybutt

hey ladies!!!! I've got my plate full right now but I would like to make a meal for Pauline. Can anyone organize it??? I know that she will have her sweet mama to help but one less thing to do is always nice right????

Pauline- glad you have a great doctor and good support. Sorry you are going through this.

Hey Angie,
Sorry I didn't respond to this earlier. We would certainly welcome any meals that people wanted to bring, organized or otherwise. I won't be working for a while so it would be helpful to have the extra food around. I just don't want to impose on people or make anyone feel obligated because my mom will be here, I won't be on my own or anything. And I'm totally freaked out about the surgery for emotional reasons but I feel like I'll probably be okay physically after the first week. Thanks to everyone who is thinking of me I'm very grateful for my community.

[AllisonK]

Pauline can you post any allergies, dislikes, or requirements in regards to food. I know you are not vegi. Also do you have freezer space? How many people 3 adults and 1 child?

[PGNPORTLAND]

Um, we don't have any allergies or dislikes. We are not crazy about red and green peppers or raw onions. We are not vegetarian but we don't mind vegetarian meals. I like them. We have lots of freezer space. When my mom is here it will be 3 adults and Sophia. Thanks:-)

[PGNPORTLAND]

As far as family bonding:

We all get into the futon bed in the living room on the weekend mornings when Shawn doesn't have to work early.

We have dance parties.

We talk about farting

We cook together.

[OneWithTwo]

campbell and I color together or take the dog for a walk.....we also watch tv and snuggle. Lately we've been making breakfast together.

[cellarstella]

is there such thing as a laundry folding service?

[karen1968]

new thread!

Originally Posted by cellarstella

is there such thing as a laundry folding service?

Oh, my. that would be nice, wouldn't it? As far as I know, the only folding service would come with washing and drying service

Hmm, let's see, family activities...we do go for walks, and last weekend for a bike ride - first jaunt with the trailer. It was OK, but Chase does not like his helmet Right now, Chase and Daddy are making music together, but I'm not very good at joining in with them. I think this summer we'll probably do some picnics and hikes. And we try to eat together, always dinner, but many days we manage breakfast as well.

[cellarstella]

Yeah, I got the washing/drying handled, and am somewhat particular about it. I'm not particular about folding, though, and would gladly pay a reasonable amount for it. It would be way more worth it than a cleaning service to me.

Am I right in thinking that you have to do a lot of prep work before the cleaning service gets to your house? This is what holds me back. There are so many building materials around that we have to move when we clean, and then there's all the toys, and the dishes... I mean, you have to have all that out of the way, right? Once that's all out of the way the rest of it is easy. I don't think I'd pay for that.

As far as workout videos go, I think I've found my favorite. Tamilee who started the buns of steel/abs of steel videos. But she's older now and has new programs on FitTV, (which I don't get, but we still get it ondemand somehow). She is so positive, and realistic, and funny, and encouraging. And the workouts are good, of course! Now I just hope they keep it ondemand for awhile so I don't have to buy it.

[Lovely]

Originally Posted by cellarstella

Yeah, I got the washing/drying handled, and am somewhat particular about it. I'm not particular about folding, though, and would gladly pay a reasonable amount for it. It would be way more worth it than a cleaning service to me.

Am I right in thinking that you have to do a lot of prep work before the cleaning service gets to your house? This is what holds me back. There are so many building materials around that we have to move when we clean, and then there's all the toys, and the dishes... I mean, you have to have all that out of the way, right? Once that's all out of the way the rest of it is easy. I don't think I'd pay for that.

As far as workout videos go, I think I've found my favorite. Tamilee who started the buns of steel/abs of steel videos. But she's older now and has new programs on FitTV, (which I don't get, but we still get it ondemand somehow). She is so positive, and realistic, and funny, and encouraging. And the workouts are good, of course! Now I just hope they keep it ondemand for awhile so I don't have to buy it.

I LOVE washing/drying and folding laundry! but I don't think I would like to be paid to do it all the time.


I have housecleaners come once a month, and the morning of is always such a big deal. I try to have all the dishes done and general things picked up the night before, but then in the morning I just seem to find a million things out of place that have to be put away for them to come. So sometimes it is stressful but I wonder how my house would look if I didn't have that motivation once a month?

[PGNPORTLAND]

Originally Posted by cellarstella

Yeah, I got the washing/drying handled, and am somewhat particular about it. I'm not particular about folding, though, and would gladly pay a reasonable amount for it. It would be way more worth it than a cleaning service to me.

Am I right in thinking that you have to do a lot of prep work before the cleaning service gets to your house? This is what holds me back. There are so many building materials around that we have to move when we clean, and then there's all the toys, and the dishes... I mean, you have to have all that out of the way, right? Once that's all out of the way the rest of it is easy. I don't think I'd pay for that.

As far as workout videos go, I think I've found my favorite. Tamilee who started the buns of steel/abs of steel videos. But she's older now and has new programs on FitTV, (which I don't get, but we still get it ondemand somehow). She is so positive, and realistic, and funny, and encouraging. And the workouts are good, of course! Now I just hope they keep it ondemand for awhile so I don't have to buy it.

You should get a DVR. Than you can record whatever is on t.v. and have it around for ever and ever.

I love folding laundry. I would totally do it for $$$$ I don't like putting it away in drawers though. I would just leave it in neat, organized, little piles

Argh! I'm so annoyed and stressed out. I am totally needing to trust/count on Shawn going into this surgery situation and I just put Sophia down, went across the street for a walk for about 45 minutes and then came back to find Shawn fast asleep on the couch. Now, it's okay for him to be asleep when Sophia is asleep (since we all do that during the night) but I came in loudly, called his name and he did not wake up. So I am freaked out that if I am on pain pills and sleeping very deeply after my surgery that he will not wake up either if Sophia wakes up. It sucks to be the one who does everything (childcare-wise) and then suddenly need the other person to do stuff and have them be incapable. My mom will be staying at a hotel because we dont' really have the space to have her sleep here. I'm thinking of sending Shawn to the hotel, seriously.

I'm also really conflicted about whether Shawn should come to the hospital with me and my mom should stay at the house with Sophia or the other way around. I don't know what would be better. On the one hand, I think I would totally like my mom to be there when I wake up from surgery. I can totally count on her and I know will be great and remember all the important things that have to be remembered. On the other hand, if my mom stayed home with Sophia, I would feel totally 100% confident that Sophia was fine, whereas with Shawn there is still a little doubt in my mind. Althought they did fine together when I went for the consultation with Jenn.

Bear in mind that I"m "posting under the influence" of a few beers

[jstar]

awww - i just want to give you a hug and tell you it will all be ok!! it would probably be ok either way. go with your gut instinct in deciding who you would want where. who would you want to drive sophia to come and visit you at the hospital?

i left doug at home by himself with a 3 year old and a 9 month old baby that still woke up 2 or 3 times a night to nurse. (i finally drove myself to the ER at 1am because i couldn't fall asleep through the pain. and worry about doug handling ebin was really the thing that prevented me from going in several hours earlier.) this was a man who had never handled a night wakeup at night before in his life! but they survived. and they survived 3 nights without me. ebin's bond is really better with doug than isaac's and i think that is part of the reason. dads and kids can find their way when mamas aren't around i would bet too that shawn wouldn't be sleeping as deeply if he mentally 'knew' he was supposed to be on alert, kwim??


our nanny used to clean our house. i would try to do the dishes but if i didn't she'd do it all. toys everywhere....cleaned up! she really enjoyed straightening clutter and stuff. it was so awesome. it's probably different if it's a cleaning service (where you might get a different person each time) versus just someone you hire yourself that you know and that knows your house.

[emaye_to_2]

Hiking in Powell Butte, walking or biking around our neighborhood, hanging out in our backyard: working in the garden, playing soccer, reading.. Going out to dinner or brunch. Walking around The Edgefield. Camping or going to festivals would be the big stuff.