I'm a PC ....

"I'm a Mac and I'm a PC" .... most of us have seen the commercials produced by Apple.  The theme of those commercials is Macs are easy to use ... for anyone .... and they just "work".  They imply the same cannot be said for a PC.  I am painfully aware of this since I spent Wednesday in the office working with the desktop team in an effort to get my "new" laptop from July up and running again.  I have never been one much for Macs .... it might stem from days at the Helpdesk where we routinely got trouble tickets for them. I hated troubleshooting issues on them - at the time they didn't make sense to me.

Then came the iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iMac and the iPad... all the brain child of Steve Jobs.  I have 2 iPods and an iPad .... all of which I won. Lucky me!

I have to admit I can't remember when I "knew" who Steve Jobs was.  I think it was probably when his illness was made public.  It is no secret, Steve Jobs had pancreatic cancer.  It is also no secret that raising funds for cancer research is near and dear to my heart.  For years, I volunteered on the planning committee for our local Relay For Life and was the captain of a team.  Brooke and Kristen were pushed or carried around the track before their first birthday and over our years of involvement, our team raised in excess of $15,000 dollars.

As Apple and Steve gained more and more popularity ... I figured out how to use my iPod and iTunes.   My sister and brother in law got iPhones, my cousins got iPhones and then Macbooks.  Then my Aunt ..... and then I won my iPad.   And then I fell in LOVE with my iPad.  We take it on plane trips or long car rides.  The girls can use it without any help.    Hmmm, maybe this Jobs guy WAS onto something.  I mean my Dad retired and got himself an iPhone and he can use it.  Even if he did buy an iPhone after I spent 35 min on the phone telling him why he should go with the Droid, I hate to say it, but I think he made the right choice.  I need to replace my phone and I'm considering an iPhone. 

I'm not ready to dump my IBM Laptop anytime soon .... I mean I did just get a brand new one Wednesday and, so far, it is working great.  So, I'd still say "I'm a PC" ...... but now add with Mac tendencies. The vision and brilliance of Steve Jobs is responsible for that shift for me and SO many others.

The passing of Steve Jobs reminds me that life is precious and unpredictable. That you can have plenty of money, be a technological genius, in your 50's, and have incredible determination yet your life can still be taken too soon.  It reminds me that we still have so much work to do in the research for a cure.  Hug your kids a little tighter, kiss your spouse and tell them you love them, don't sweat the small stuff, oh and don't forget to charge your iPhone!

Kindergarten 101

It is a little hard to keep up with things around Romanskiville these days.  Packing bags for daycare, school, making dinner, getting to dance class and oh yeah, there's WORK !!! Brooke starting school was actually a really good thing for us.  It totally "up'd the ante" on time management and being religious about an evening routine.  We seemed to be firing on all cylinders until last week ....

Monday was school picture day.  I reviewed, completed and included payment made out to Lifetouch as the instructions stated.  Brooke choose to wear a navy jumper and not the tan, I even ironed her little cotton light blue blouse ... I HATE ironing ... but she looked adorable with her little lace ruffled socks and school shoes.  I reminded Brooke that she had an order from in her backpack and to remember to take it when it was time.  She asked if she could wear the new shirt she received for her birthday from Aunt Judy a few days earlier and I reminded her it was a school day and she needed to wear a uniform.  Off she went.  Later that day I arrived at daycare to pick her up.  I asked how pictures went and she says "All the other kids had on different clothes" ..... "CRAP " I thought .... I knew that I should have asked someone.  She had already been written up on the 3rd day of school for wearing sandals ... how was I supposed to know? She is in Kindergarten and she is my "first" ... the paperwork said nothing about deviating from the dress code and there had been the issue with the sandals ....

Tuesday night while I am emptying her backpack I find a notice from the Cafeteria that she owes a $1.00 .... how can she owe $$$ she is in HALF DAY Kindergarten and she eats a snack (that I pack in the morning) in her classroom .... how can she owe money??? Did anyone tell her that you have to PAY FOR THAT STUFF if she did actually take what IS available for purchase or does she just think it is a buffet???? I thought that was all sorted out and then I got a automated phone call from the Cafeteria tonight .... still looking for the buck ... AHHHHH !!! Score one for the Food Service Office, I give up and I'm paying the flipping dollar.

My third strike occurred on Wednesday, yep batting a 1000 I was.  Packed the usual healthy snack that morning - part skim mozzarella string cheese, yogurt and 100% juice drink box.  We are chatting about the day while I'm cleaning up from dinner and another blow .... "Mom, you didn't give me a spoon in my lunchbox.  I couldn't eat my yogurt, but I ate my string cheese and drank my juice.  I ate a BIG lunch when I got to Jeanne's house"  Apparently, she did not mention to her teacher that she was missing a spoon, I am certain she would have been able to solve Brooke's dilemma.

I was on the receiving end of that face more than once last week.  I wonder what this week will bring????

First Day of School

Yesterday was the First Day of School.  It wasn't the sunny warm day we hoped for.  Boy was I glad we picked up a new raincoat when we were finishing our school shopping a few weeks ago, she needed that AND the sweater Gigi and Poppa thought to add to the collection of school uniforms they gifted us with.  The morning went great, no meltdowns [well there was mine - but that doesn't count] and everyone was ready on time.  We took pictures with Kristen and Daddy and they were off to Miss Carol's so Daddy could make it back to watch the first day of school without distraction or interruption.

Gigi and Poppa arrived and there were more photo ops.

Then we loaded up and headed to Jeanne's house.  Brooke gets on and off the bus there since Kindergarten in Norwich is only half day.  I was worried about her actually having to get on the bus and head off without us.  I mean talking about it and actually doing it are two completely different things.  With the rain, we were forced to wait inside and Brooke was losing interest.  She wanted to stay and play with the Preschoolers and Matilda, the kitten.  

We got her to wait at the door and watch for the bus.  She saw it coming down the road and yelled "The bus is here", opened the front door and was off down the sidewalk with her new friend, Zachary, in tow.

She climbed up the steps to the bus, told the driver her name and headed for the back.  The driver, Sharon, quickly reminded her she was in Kindergarten and needed to sit in the first 2 rows. 

She never looked back and the bus drove away.

What if ...

In less than 2 hours, Brooke is getting on the bus and heading to Kindergarten.  UGH! There has been a lot of excitement in our house for this big day - it was supposed to be last Wednesday but thanks to Hurricane Irene, here we are.  The wind howling and maybe some thunder woke me about 3 am ... as I laid there trying to fall back to sleep ... I remembered I hadn't pinned Brooke's bus pass to her backpack.  Then I thought --- does she know what to do when she gets on the bus - will she quickly pick a seat and slide in? What if no one sits with her? What IF someone sits with her? What if there are no empty seats and she has to sit with someone she doesn't know yet - will she sit? When she gets to school - how will she know who Mrs. Bosse (her teacher) is? where her rooom is? how will she know where to put her coat? I did eventually dose back off .... but man it has been a long night.  Now the grown-ups in the house are showered and dressed and the girls are about to get up and start their days .... here we go !!!

Brooke is so excited to for school and to celebrate her birthday with her new friends at Ms. Jeanne's house this afternoon. She is ready and will be fine.  Her parents on the other hand, well that remains to be seen. 

I'm still trying to figure out where the last 5 years went ?????

School Days

On August 31, Brooke starts kindergarten.  Our house is filled with excitement, anticipation [Brooke] and anxiety [Mommy and Daddy] ..... How can it really be that she is ready to start school?  We've spent the last few weeks getting ready, uniforms, shoes, socks, boots, a raincoat and tomorrow we're off to get a backpack, pencils, erasers, and anything else that catches our fancy.

In Norwich Public Schools they where uniforms and we are SO excited about that ... seriously we are!  We tried on some of the pieces tonight to make sure we were good to go.  With her new haircut and big girl school clothes it seems to me like she aged overnight. 

How do I look?

It seems like just yesterday ....

he was born .... and in 2 days he is getting married. How did that happen ???

Brooke and Uncle David on the dance floor

Weathering life without Storm



Storm was an incredibly patient with the girls

Last week, the dynamic of our household changed drastically.  Storm who had been slowing down over the last few months stopped eating on Monday and by Wednesday morning was extremely weak and lethargic.  We loaded him into the car and arrived at the vet at 9:20.  He was evaluated and the outlook was grim .... infection, severe arthritis, significantly decreased muscle mass, and intestinal cancer.  We made the decision that was painful for us, but the best for him.  I so appreciate a friend for saying "as his caregiver, it is your responsibility to do right by him even though that will be more painful for you."  In my heart and in my mind, I know we did "the right thing" .... but I was not prepared for the emptiness that would envelope our house. 

During the day, I think I hear him bark or the sound of his nails making their way across the Pergo floors .... but its a mirage. 

The girls are the least phased - they are young and more resilient. Brooke says she doesn't have a dog any more, Kristen from time to time tells us "Buddy in heaven."

Paul and I are heartbroken.  Paul and Storm were buds since Storm was 4 months old ... OK truth be told it was NOT love at first sight ..... but they did grow to be the best of friends.  When I met Paul and we started dating, I had to win Storm over and THAT took some doing.  Paul took him everywhere and let him do whatever, I gently and gradually imposed limits and structure ... Storm and I went to obedience school together ... some how we passed. When Paul and I got married it only seemed logical that Storm be involved .... so Best Man (Dog) he was.  When the girls arrived he took it in stride and never really much cared they stole some attention.  He was amazingly patient and fiercely protective.  He was always near them .... always.

Life goes on and I have no doubt that some day there will be another four legged, furry, tail wagging friend in this house but for now, we'll learn a new normal and weather it without our Storm.