Tales of the Ordinary Days

Day 10 | 30 Days of Writing The infamous Halloween house display (missing a few finishing touches still packed away in storage bins) I got a call tonight while out to dinner with friends. "Mom, are you still buying Halloween houses every year? You're putting them up this year, aren't you?" After figuring out that Grant's random call was in reference to my beloved Department 56 Halloween house display, I was a little befuddled on the call. Being the mother of boys, I don't get a lot of sentimental comments on my annual holiday decor. "I don't know. Why do you ask, Grant?" To my shock there was still enthusiasm in his answer. "Zach and I are at Target and they have Halloween houses out. You should get a new one. And you have to put them out? It's a tradition!" Just maybe all my years of going over-the-top on my favorite holiday, Halloween, has passed on to my sons? I beamed all the way home at the prospect. My fi...

Two nerds I know I have said this before, but I need to say it again. I love Halloween. I love everything about it; fall, the colors, the Pumpkin Patch, the anticipation of trick-or-treating. I can't wait until Labor Day has passed and I can put up my Halloween decorations. As the boys have grown older, I've wondered what I would do with myself on this coveted night. Although Grant still goes out on Halloween, his festivities rarely involve me. Well, at least by his invitation. I now invite myself. I have found out that I am not the only adult who looks for an excuse to trick-or-treat. My friend, Laurie, shares this passion. Don't judge. We will go with the line that we are truly kids at heart. Last year, Brian joined the fun as we three adults ran with the kids, like the kids. We giggled as we went through the homemade haunted houses and shared the childhood exuberance that is unique to Halloween night. This year my timeline was a bit tighter which restricted o...

Our babysitter extraordinaire, Lisa Fey, with Benny and Zach Grant has a weakness. He just can't let things go. I get on him to make hard decisions as we clean his room and go through accumulated stacks of paper. Me: "Grant, we can give this toy to Goodwill. You haven't played with it in years." Grant: "But it was a gift from Grandma, Mom. We can't give it away." Me: "Grant, there is no reason to hold on to that birthday card from two years ago." Grant: "But, Mom, Aunt Joan wrote me a note in it. We can't throw it away." You get the picture. Cleaning out a closet or a drawer with Grant is a painful process. I pride myself on tidy spaces and a less is more philosophy, so I tend to cringe on Grant's hoarding tendencies. In Grant's defense, it really is the "stuff" with his perceived sentimental value that he wants to hold on to. Unfortunately, with our large circle of friends and family, most of his...

me and my pals We had all kinds of aspirations for our fall Saturday. With Grant done with football and a Husker away game, the day was ours. Initially I thought we would go to the Pumpkin Patch. A movie with Zach? Walk around Village Pointe. Yes! We would to do it all. And then there was a neighborhood party at 7:00. This is my downfall. And Grant is right by my side. We never want to miss a fun time. In turn we tend to overbook our free days. I will give credit to my furry friends for giving me strength to say "No" this go around. With no morning interruption of an alarm clock, Cookie and I slept in. I put on my favorite slippers, made my Keurig coffee, and snuggled into my favorite chair; leopard to match my slippers. Bliss. I wrote a blog and enjoyed the quiet of the morning. And then the rest of the house woke up. Ben was sore from his game the night before; wondering what was in store for breakfast. Grant, my forever planner, was concerned on our timeline for ...

Did I ever mention that I wanted to be an art major? I was offered a scholarship to an art school and declined for the more reliable accounting route (Sandy's version). An art school offered me a small scholarship comparative to their outrageous tuition in an attempt to lure a bright-eyed seventeen year old to their school (Dad's version). "What are you going to do with an art major?" was my dad's common question my senior year. How could he not understand that I would draw and paint for a living? duh! Needless to say, after the intervention of a kind-hearted high school guidance counselor, I became an accountant. Fast forward eight years. As a practicing accountant, my creative energy erupted under my new role; mom. And I subsequently was appointed the official Halloween designer and costumer to the Lane boys. At age two, Zach was in awe and wonderment of everything Thomas the Tank Engine. Zach watched Thomas video tapes for hours while pushing the m...

Pals: Woody and Buzz Did I ever mention that I love Halloween? I mean, I REALLY love Halloween. I love the colors and the costumes, the smells and the fall air. I love everything about this time of year. When the boys were little, I would make their costumes. One of my favorites (and Zach's) was the year we went with a Toy Story theme. With a chubby baby Ben Lane and Zach's love for everything Toy Story, I created Buzz and Woody costumes for the boys. Ben was an adorable stout version of Woody. Zach was thrilled to dress up as his new favorite character, Buzz Lightyear. I painstakingly created Buzz by piecing together various superhero patterns while mirroring what I saw in Zach's Toy Story picture books. The final product was so impressive that Zach won the "best costume" award at a kids Halloween run. I was one proud mama. A chubby Ben is more interested in the candy on the floor This was the start of even grander ideas and Halloween creations in...