Wednesday, May 2, 2007

The Adventures of a Pseudo Stay at Home Mom




First, the explanation of the title. Yes, I stay home with my kids, but if you look at being a stay at home mom in its truest form, there have only been a few spans of as many weeks when I have held that title. I have always had some sort of job while I have had children - teaching piano lessons has been the most common, and really, there are days when I think I'm the greatest masochist because the noise from the wrong notes resounding throug my home and kids fighting, whining, arguing and crying don't generally mesh. However, it gives me the opportunity to teach others the value I see in music, and it really is very exciting when I get to see them figure out a tricky rhythm, finally learn their notes (celebrate that occasion for a dual purpose - generally once that momentous occasion has occured, the piano lesson isn't nearly as challenging to listen to) and perform a piece that they have been working on for a long time. I've also been a breakfast hostess at a hotel in Mt. Vernon, WA http://www.bestwesterncottontreeinn.com/mtvernon/index.htm (best breakfast in a hotel ever!!!), accompanied a children's choir, again in Mt Vernon, WA, babysat for various people in different locations, etc. And when you add that I've had a baby in the middle of a semester of college twice, it becomes apparent that I really never was destined for true stay at homeness (I don't know if that is really a word, but Enoch is making up words all the time, I figure I should be able to too.
Today I awoke still suffering from the only allergy I have, that to the pollen of Russian Olive Trees, which, as luck would have it, grow in the wild around this area and are in full bloom. Add the winds that are blowing at 30-40 mph and I'm a mess. But then, I had this great idea (yes, it was a great idea, and yes, that was a bit of sarcasm...) to make strawberry jam. I knew that the strawberries were coming to the end of their season, so I bought 30 lbs of them on Monday. (pausing while you reiterate that I really did say THIRTY pounds). Well, yesterday I taught 2 hours of piano lessons, bought and picked up the kids a "new" trampoline, and plus the regular mom stuff, and I just didn't get around to doing them yesterday, so they HAD to be done today. But it takes a long time to get that many strawberries done when I have kids running around, the girls didn't take a nap, I ran out of containers and had to go to the dreaded Walmart, which always takes forever, and incidently, when I have to stop every five minutes to blow my nose and rewash my hands, strawberries take a long time. But they are done - I don't have to do them for another year, and tomorrow it is (hopefully) supposed to rain which should drop the pollen count and make me less aware of the presence of my nose and the pressure in my head.

You know, I really am liking the name of this entry....I think I'll switch it to the name of my blog.

3 comments:

Harmony said...

I like the new title. I know the term "stay-at-home mom" is supposed to distinguish us from moms who work full-time outside the home, and sometimes it seems like just an effort to avoid the frumpiness of the word "homemaker," but really and truly, do any moms just stay at home? There are days I try not to leave the house because I'm the type of person that likes to have a quiet day at home occasionally, but it rarely ever works. And then I know stay-at-home moms that find a reason to leave the house every day because they just can't stand to be cooped up with the kids and chores and all for a whole day. Pseudo seems appropriate because stay-at-home is a misnomer!

Harmony said...

I noticed you have Eragon and Eldest on your "to read" list. I've read them and they are not bad, especially considering how old the guy was when he wrote them. However, they are pretty mediocre novels, especially stacked up against the rest of your list. :-) Doesn't mean you shouldn't read them though--just expect to be underwhelmed.

Tasha said...

Yea - I've heard that I shouldn't have my expectations too high for them, however, they are encouraging reading among the adolescent and tweens, so I think I need to read them. I am borrowing them from a friend and she said they were a quick enjoyable read, so I guess that will work for me :)