Taking A Timeout

2009-10-13T00:58:00.002-04:00

Sorry for such a long absence, but I just haven't felt too inspired to write. And while I'm not sure it's incredibly exciting, I thought I'd share a few conversations with my oldest child.

Anna: Can I go outside to play?
Me: Do you have any homework?
Anna: No
Me: Why don't you pull out your agenda so I can see what you've been up to at school.
Anna: Oh, yeah, I do have a test tomorrow.
Me: Shouldn't you study for it? You said you didn't have homework.
Anna: I don't have homework.
Me: What do you call studying for a test?
Anna: A choice.

As for the next story, I'll provide a little background info and then sum it up. There are several members on the paternal side of my family who have this somewhat ridiculous work ethic that sometimes makes it very difficult for us to say no to certain responsibilities. Some of us even volunteer for certain jobs because we're afraid that they may not get done if we don't do something.

This explanation leads to me to the following story. Recently Anna shared with me that she was tired of taking her class' lunch cart, because as a result of taking on this task, she was the last one to eat and then didn't have much time to eat her lunch. She said that no one had the job of taking the cart to the cafeteria so she kept doing it. The purpose of the lunch cart is to give students who bring their lunch a place to leave their lunch boxes on the way to recess. I thought of a simple solution -- don't take the cart on a day when she doesn't bring her lunch. However, she wouldn't agree to this because then no one would take the cart and people might lose their lunch boxes. She has been cursed with my family's over-active sense of responsibility. However, I do have hope for her because she has already taken the important step of telling her teacher she did not want to do it anymore, and the teacher agreed to find someone else to be responsible for the cart.

I'm sure there will be many more interesting conversations with my daughter. She has already begun questioning me about certain coming-of-age issues, and so far I've survived. We'll see how the year progresses.

2009-09-09T00:33:00.004-04:00

Oh, my! It has been a very long time since I've written anything. The past month has been a whirlwind. School starting, D's new job(s) starting and our annual Labor Day reunion with my college roommate.

I wish I could write something witty or share some entertaining story; however, I'm drawing a blank. I've got some free time tomorrow night, so I'll try to get creative.

For now, I'll leave you with a few back to school shots...

2009-07-19T22:53:00.005-04:00

We are so lucky to live in a great neighborhood. It's a place where kids are usually playing outside at any given time of the day. My kids are running back and forth between our house and neighbors' houses. We easily have three parks to choose from and the kids can ride bikes and scooters throughout the neighborhood. I know we often take all this for granted, but all I have to do is cross over to a nearby neighborhood where I know the area is not as kid-friendly.

I think my comfort level within my neighborhood can be attributed to the fact that I actually know my neighbors. We visit often, and our kids who range in ages all hang out together. The adults are able to share happy or sad news with each other, and we also look out for each other. Most importantly, my immediate neighbors are just as willing to participate in our annual block party, which consists of water balloons, food, drinks, small fireworks and more water balloons.

I'm very glad our children will have some wonderful memories of their neighborhood friends.

2009-07-08T00:00:00.003-04:00

Somehow I have become the social media "expert" in my office. However, with a staff of six and so many projects that it's difficult to keep up with various trends -- marketing, design, etc. -- it doesn't take much to be an expert. In a larger office, particularly in the private sector, I would just be a worker bee trying to keep up with new technology.

As it is, I have read several articles online and even attended a conference focusing on social media. Remember this story where I unintentionally disregarded the keynote speaker?

This was an unfortunate experience especially since he was very interesting, entertaining and knowledgeable. Tomorrow Penny and I will have another chance to listen to Peter Shankman when we attend a workshop in Tulsa. Since money is tight, especially at a nonprofit, I don't have too many professional development opportunities. So I'm glad the powers that be at OkieSMart are bringing Shankman to Oklahoma.

Hopefully, we will manage to forget what idiots we were in Frisco and learn some very helpful information. Because for the first time in quite a while, I'm excited about learning new things in the field of PR/marketing.

2009-06-24T00:14:00.003-04:00

Life has been a little rough lately, so I'll take this moment to focus on the lighter things.

We took the kids swimming yesterday, after Jeremy and D returned from boy scout day camp. It worked out perfectly because we got there 45 minutes before the pool closed which was just long enough for the parent who was entertaining Spencer and we got in free.

Back to Spencer, I could not take my eyes off him for a second at the pool because he would jump in regardless of who may be able to catch him or he would take off for the diving board. So I got a lot of repetitive exercise lifting him out of the pool, moving back (back, mommy, back) and pull him above the surface after he jumped. After we watched Anna dive off the side in the deeper water, he decided he could do that too. So he started falling into the pool headfirst. Eventually, he figured out that a proper dive requires placing the hands above your head. Olympics -- Michael Phelps or Greg Louganis -- here comes Spencer!

This boy knows no fear -- except the terror he feels when he sees a certain neighbor's runaway dog. Between him and his partner in crime, there will be two mothers who will not be breathing easy for awhile -- even though we appear calm while Thing One and Thing Two find new hiding places or make up new games that require playing around the storm drain.

Photo credit goes to Thing One's mom.

2009-05-26T23:41:00.003-04:00

It has been interesting around our home the last few weeks. While I could be bitter, I'm actually enjoying having a husband who is available to help with the kids and the end of year activities all day, every day. Yes, I could be concerned about the lack of a full-time income, but I know it will all work out.

As for showing grace and forgiveness to the individual who has made this togetherness possible, I doubt that's going to happen any time soon. I have reached the point where I'm dying to run into him or his wife at the store and kill them with kindness.

That update was for you, Amber. I'd tell more, but that post would be WAY too long, and I'd hate for it to come back to bit us.

Anyway, on to family updates. Jeremy has finally become a real boy -- no he wasn't a puppet -- but he now has the appetite of a growing boy. While this is exciting for the parents of perpetually petite kids, the timing could've been better since I'm shopping very carefully with limited funds. Every night he wants to eat something before bed because he's still hungry. I'm going to have to work on this since I know it's not a good idea to eat and then sleep -- even though I do it all the time.

Anna is about to become a fifth grader. It's hard to believe. I'm so proud because she is one of the top readers in her class so she got special privileges during the reading carnival. We are currently reading To Kill A Mockingbird together, which REALLY makes me proud. I didn't read it until I was a freshman in high school. I can't wait to watch the movie with her once we finish the book.

Jack is Jack. He's excited about finishing pre-K, but he seems to be under the impression that he gets to skip kindergarten and go straight to first grade. He's smart, but I don't think he's ready for that. He still says "guess what? I love you." So he's not getting too big for that.

Spencer's lates method of trying to wrap me around his finger is to hug my neck and say, "I miss you!" This was pretty cute when I had just returned from somewhere -- whether I'd been gone 30 minutes or the whole day. Now, he's using it to his advantage, particulary when he's supposed to be in bed. Sorry, son, but using that line 30 seconds after I've sent you to your room is not going to earn you any points.

That's a quick summary of the state of our household. We'll see if I survive the last few days of school followed by a week of VBS...

2009-05-21T20:44:00.002-04:00

The next 20 years are going to be very long with several heart-stopping moments -- all because of a toddler named Spencer. We know he is capable of extracting himself from certain situations, rooms or even houses. However, I've been a little lax in believing that as long as I throw the deadbolt, he's safe and I can take a breather.

Wrong! A locked door? He laughs at a locked door -- and the adult who actually thought that would keep him from his goal.

Within an hour, he escaped from my neighbor's house where he was supposed to be playing in the backyard. This neighbor knows my son well, so she locked the storm door on her front door. What was she thinking? Once Spencer realized that one method of escape was blocked, he simply opened the garage door -- a door most toddlers would have trouble with -- and headed home ACROSS the street!

But I don't blame her because I can't even keep the kids contained. After his father and Jeremy left for Cub Scouts, Spencer was inconsolable because he wanted to go. Then life got even worse because I wouldn't let him have a popsicle until he ate dinner. I was determined to keep him locked in the house until he had eaten, so I quickly locked the deadbolts on both the garage and front doors. After successfully blocking his potential exits, I went to the bedroom to pick up a phone.

As I walked back to the front of the house, I thought I heard a door. When I entered the living room, the only child missing was Spencer -- and the back door was open! I ran out the garage just as he rounded the corner to the front yard. At least he hadn't entered the street yet...

Now you can understand while it's going to be difficult over the next few years. I may have to get my hair colored every other month to hide all the gray hairs he will cause.

2009-05-13T23:21:00.002-04:00

I'm glad Jeremy is keeping me full of amusing stories since I've got so much crap going on in other areas of my life. (In the middle of a couple of the busiest weeks of my year, D was ridiculously let go from his job. I'm not going into to details because it is to crazy to really explain.)

Anyway, here's my Jeremy story for the week.

Insurance is paying for a new roof and gutters after the damagin hail storm in February. However, we are just now getting around to having these things done. The roof is finished, and the gutter guys were here yesterday.

Jeremy, watching the gutters being installed: How much do gutters cost?

Me: I don't remember. Insurance is paying for it.

Jeremy: Did it pay for the roof, too?

Me: Yes.

Jeremy: That's a good deal.

Me: Well, we do pay for our insurance every month so we can get the money to make these repairs when needed.

Jeremy: Still it's a good deal.

Ah, the wisdom of an eight year old.

2009-05-07T23:59:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I'm afraid my oldest son is becoming too much like me. I rarely laugh out loud, and I'm usually too serious. However, apparently he doesn't perceive me as a kill-joy. During the morning assembly at school, his class has the opportunity to share why their mothers are special. Jeremy described me as fun and exciting. I'm not sure where that came from.

But to support his positive image of me, the gifts he made me at school (which he insisted I open this evening) stated in a variety of ways that I am nice, silly and fun. Good to know that my crankiness is not the overriding memory he has of his childhood so far.

I still believe he has inherited my dry sense of humor. When I was telling the kids that the new principal at one of the other elementary schools in town was my high school history teacher and I used to babysit his kids, Jeremy responded by saying, "he TRUSTED you?" Once he took a look at my face, he promptly followed that up with, "Were you the best student in his class?" I honestly told him it wasn't very hard when there were only about six kids in the class and four of them barely passed.

Jeremy is definitely one of a kind.

2009-05-06T22:40:00.002-04:00

Several junk emails are sent each day to my work address. Fortunately, the majority head straight into my junk mail. But occasionally, one or two will sneak through to my main inbox. Usually, they are obviously trash, but sometimes they have subject lines that are very vague.

Today I received a message simply titled "hot dogs." Of course, my immediate thought was that was a code name for a male enhancement product, but I took a chance and looked at it. Much to my surprise I was being invited to a hot dog dinner Memorial weekend by someone who worked in a local school district. Although I regularly send emails to faculty and staff at schools throughout the state, I did not remember ever having contact with this person. While it was an odd email, I dismissed it and continued on with my other more pressing responsibilities -- like an event for nearly 1,000 people next week.

However, because I'm strange, I checked my work email this evening, and got a very good laugh. Two people who received the original "hot dogs" message chose to reply to all. The first person couldn't make it because her husband has to work. The second person was trying to coax that individual to ditch her husband and join the fun. Evidently, it was some type of family reunion.

At this point I began looking through the addresses listed and noticed a few belonged to a couple of media guys and another has the address of a local gentleman's club. I can only assume that the original sender completely botched someone's address when they sent it to me. While it appears my last name is the same as some of those listed, it would take some effort to come up with my work address.

D's response to it all was that we should show up on that Saturday. Unfortunately, the sender did not provide the location -- probably because all the people (except me) she was sending it to would know where she lived.

After the week I've had I needed a good laugh.

2009-04-27T00:34:00.003-04:00

DVR is a wonderful thing. It has me a much more relaxed person. I'm not wasting my late nights surfing channels trying to find something interesting to watch. I simply pull up one of the shows I've recorded and enjoying skipping commercials -- and weather alerts.

It has also taken the term *instant gratification* to a new level. My toddler has no concept of time, so when he wants to watch Curious George, Dragon Tales or The Backyardigans, I am able to grant his wish (or demand). I'm sure this is an issue I'm going to have to deal with at some point as he becomes more demanding, but for now I'll take 30 minutes of time I can spend doing something constructive around the house.

Hopefully, that time in the near future will be spent planning a home addition. We'll see how this week goes...

2009-04-18T22:38:00.002-04:00

It has been a cranky few days in my household. All week I've encouraged Anna to work on a social studies project that was due Friday. Of course, she's known about it for a few weeks -- we've also known since the end of March. She did spend a little time each day finding some of the information she needed to do the poster. But little did she -- or I -- realize how much time it would actually take to complete the poster.

Anna pulled the first late night (of many, I'm sure) finishing the project. She was up until midnight, but I have to say she was quite a trooper. Normally, she's a whiny drama queen when she has to do something and she's tired or just doesn't want to do it. But it wasn't until midnight, when she was writing her teacher's name on the poster, that the tears appeared. With all the maps and other random pieces of information she had to find, it was her teacher's difficult-to-spell name that sent her over the edge. But the tears didn't last long and she was finally able to go to bed.

While I was not happy with the fact we were up until midnight -- which meant I was really up until 2 a.m. because I still needed some down time -- it was OK the next morning. When she was walking out the door to school, she stopped and said (unassisted or guilted into it), "Mommy, thank you for helping me on my poster." It was said very sincerely and without any sarcasm.

I'm very proud -- and very glad she chose Oregon for her project since we had all kinds of resources to pull from!

2009-04-15T23:50:00.004-04:00

We had a fun but exhausting Easter. For days leading up to the weekend, I was excited to try to make what would be an inferior version of Bakerella's cake pops. I had high hopes that our Easter egg pops would be adorable, but I should've known better. The highlight of the experience was the fun I had with Anna, neighbor Kristin and her daughter.

As for Easter, we made it to church and enjoyed a nice service. Then we returned home where I immediately prepared the sweet potatoes and awesome banana pudding -- all while wearing my heels. My feet were killing me, so I changed clothes while I made the kids keep on their Easter clothes. I'm so mean...

Our annual Easter picture was not the best one we've taken, especially since we had to take it inside due to the rain and Jeremy was upset for some reason.

2009-04-14T00:30:00.003-04:00

Jack turned 5 today. In some ways it's hard to believe he's growing up so fast, and in other ways, it seems like he should be older. He was only 1 1/2 years old when I began working part time, so we've spent more time together than I was able to spend with the older two kids during their preschool years. Of course, the older two spent those years with D and I know that was great for them.

I love all my kids, but my relationship with each of them is different. Anna, my only girl, is my emotional, drama girl who helps me remember how fun and silly it can be to be a girl. Jeremy is my serious boy, and I enjoy spending one-on-one time with him because we actually talk and he is able to be a little silly and mischievous. Spencer is the baby and that's a whole post on it's own.

Jack is my buddy. We just hang out and talk about random things (Mommy, our house faces north and Grandma's faces south, right? -- How does he know this stuff???). He has always been eager and ready to help me in the kitchen. He is so observant and absorbs so much that I'm very interested to see how well he does academically.

He's a sweet, funny kid who seems to be a best friend to many, and I hope he carries that with him through the rest of his life.

Happy birthday, Jack!

2009-04-07T23:44:00.002-04:00

I have been exhausted lately and Daylight Savings Time isn't helping. Not only is it taking superhuman effort to get the kids in bed and asleep before 11 p.m., but now I have to buy a new alarm clock.

When I bought the current clock several years ago, I loved it. Nice big numbers used to be large enough for me to read without my glasses or contacts, but over the years, I think those numbers have decreased in size. The clock also reset itself if the power went out without the need for backup batteries.

Even better -- it automatically adjusted the time during the spring and fall time changes. At least it did before the U.S. government decided to mess with the time change weekends. This change wasn't a problem at first because there were several news stories about how a certain weekend *used* to be the night to fall back or spring forward. But now that we are a few time changes removed from the government's helpfulness, no one talks about it as much anymore.

And that is the reason I have to buy a new clock. The media failed to mention -- at least any of the media I saw/read -- that the time change would've occurred this past weekend rather than a few weeks ago. So when the alarm clock started singing at 6:45 a.m. the other morning, I kept hitting the snooze until 7:15ish. When I realized D had crawled back in bed rather than started to get ready for work, I asked him what was going on. Yeah, it was actually an hour earlier than what our clock said. So wrong!!

So I was awaken much earlier than I should've been and for an anti-morning person, this is grounds for trashing the failed electronic. To make matters worse, evidently Leap Year was involved because this time change occurred Monday morning instead of Sunday morning, and now the date on the clock reads April 6.

It has caused more confusion that it is worth. So when I take one of my many trips to WalMart or Target, I will be shopping for a new clock.

2009-04-03T22:43:00.002-04:00

Tonight was Jeremy's turn for a little one on one. Evidently at some point I promised to take him to Chili's and he didn't forget. So we spent the evening dining on junk food. I have to say Chili's chocolate molten lava cake is really the best dessert I've had anywhere -- not including the snickers fondue at The Melting Pot. That was in a category all its own.

Anyway, I felt I needed to end the evening with a little pep talk since he kept having run-ins with his siblings earlier in the day. What were my words of wisdom? You can't control other people's actions but you can control yours. AND your siblings don't wake up in the morning thinking about how they can make him mad that day.

Sounds pretty solid, right? Wrong. According to Jeremy, he has heard Jack in the middle of the night saying, "what can I do to make Jeremy mad."

So I just told him he needed to be less serious. I'm not sure that heart to heart was a roaring success, especially since he started fighting with Jack about three minutes after we returned home.

2009-04-02T23:38:00.002-04:00

I took a walk down memory lane this evening. Fifteen years ago in May, I graduated from college and moved into my own apartment. It was a wonderful time -- I enjoyed my small apartment and its peacefulness. And that fall when the new TV season launched, I was able to sit quietly each evening checking out new shows like Friends and ER and getting hooked on some that had already been around a few years like Law & Order -- before there was a Special Victims Unit or a group to deal with those with Criminal Intent.

Yes, I watched ER from the beginning. I remember many of those "special" episodes -- Love's Labor Lost or Doug's return. But over the years I got a social life and gave birth to children, both of which interfere greatly with TV watching. In the past few years, Friends said farewell and Without a Trace provided more entertainment that ER. But since I'm still a fan of Jack McCoy's, I check in on L&O every now and then.

Tonight my daughter and I spent the evening watching the final episode of ER. Yes, it was past her bedtime, but sometimes you have to make an exception when you are having a bonding moment. But it became quickly evident that while I had a few brief moments of emotion remembering certain characters or incidences, Anna is definitely her father's daughter.

She has not had the life experiences I have had. Lost loved ones as I have. Or felt the great disappointments I have. But ER still managed to make her cry while I sat there and laughed silently at her.

As for the question that was posed during this evening's special look back, Dr. Gates or Dr. Ross? I have to go with Dr. Ross.

2009-03-30T23:49:00.002-04:00

I am a night person. I've never been a morning person. One of the biggest mistakes I've ever made was enrolling in 8:30 classes my first year of college. Not a good idea.

Once I graduated from college and started on the career path, I adjusted to go to sleep by at least 11 p.m. and getting up around 6:30 a.m. However, since I've been working part time for the past few years, I have reverted back to a night owl. On my days off, it takes me most of the morning to start functioning and even though I could spend the entire day focusing on cleaning the house, I still find myself folding laundry and mopping floors at 10 p.m.

I am going to be in for a world of hurt when I return to full-time employment. Now off I go to finish folding laundry and if I'm still energetic I might tackle the kitchen floor.

2009-03-19T22:18:00.003-04:00

I'm watching basketball and feeling too lazy to download my own pictures of this evening's activities, so you can get scoop on Kristin's blog. I know she is skeptical of her middle child's ability to endure tonight's sleepover, but I'm not sure my oldest son can manage to not intentionally make things more difficult for Andy.

I would say more, but I've got to focus on basketball and my bracket.

2009-03-11T00:40:00.002-04:00

You know those women who love to shop for shoes? Who have hundreds of pairs of shoes in their closets (Amber)? Who can find a cute, comfortable, cheap shoe that fits at any store they walk into?

Well, I'm not one of those. A sure-fire way for me to sink into a depression is to go shoe shopping. It's even worse if I MUST find a pair of shoes for a specific event. So much pressure! To add insult to injury, I have to shell out big bucks for a good dress shoe. The reason the task is so difficult for me is that my foot is ridiculously narrow.

Before I was pregnant, I wore a 7 AAAA. I heard rumors about how pregnancy can cause your feet to spread. And after giving birth to four children, I now wear a size 7 AAA. I was very disappointed. I had such hope for an average-size foot.

However, I have never been so excited about buying shoes as I was late last week. I was googling a variety of things to test out this fundraiser search bar I had downloaded for my church. On a whim, I inserted the brand of shoe I have been very please with over the years -- Munro. This wonderful website, Shopzilla, popped up and conveniently provided me with a summary of online stores that carried the brand. Again, I was thrilled (very much an understatement) to find a style of Munro on Sierra Trading Post for about $20!!!

To make a long story short, I bought two pairs of the $20 shoes in navy and black, and a slightly more expensive pair in dark brown. I bought THREE pairs of shoes for the same price or less than I would've paid for one pair at my usual local store. Granted I prefer to support local businesses, but my last experience wasn't that great and it was still difficult to find a style in their limited inventory that I like. Plus, it's not like I can afford to drop $100 bucks on one pair of shoes.

I love the Internet!!

2009-03-05T23:33:00.002-05:00

I wish some people out there in the blogosphere could give me an honest opinion of Oklahoma Professional Search. I have received positive personal feedback on one of their consultants, but I can't seem to find much -- other than an obscure comment on a two-year-old blog post -- that can really help me determine if the company is legitimately helpful and worth it.

I know I will find out more in the next meeting, and I know I'm pretty good at playing the devil's advocate. So I guess we'll see how it goes by just asking specific questions. But it would be great if I unknowingly had a massive readership that could provide me with some helpful feedback ASAP.

2009-03-01T23:31:00.002-05:00

Many times I have wondered how someone like myself ended up in public relations. Specifically, I'm not too fond of mixing, mingling and forcing conversations with complete strangers. For this reason, I was looking forward to attending a conference out of state -- because I would feel no great need to network since I have no plans to move to Texas and if I did, I know enough other people in the state who would be able to give me the career boost I would need.

Of course, my plan to keep a low profile was shot before I even attended the first session. While I was focused on trying to solve a long-distance issue for my husband and my good friend Penny was concentrating on business, a friendly guy stopped to make conversation. Needless to say, we were not very social.

A half hour later we walked into a packed meeting room. While I was trying to locate two seats, Penny uttered something along the lines of *oh, crap.* Silly me, I thought she was referring to the lack of seating...until I noticed who was at the front of the room preparing to give the main address -- the expert we had traveled nearly four hours to hear. This speaker, Peter Shankman, was the same guy we had dissed earlier.

To make matters worse, where do you think the only open seats were? If you said the front row, you were correct. He was an awesome speaker, and I regret not taking a little more time to chat earlier that morning. But in my defense, my husband had a very important meeting that could have a huge impact on his career, and he needed my assistance in securing some much-needed documents. So I did not have time to speak to a man who unfortunately reminded me of a previous supervisor. Also, he looked NOTHING like his picture in the conference materials.

He led a breakout session that afternoon and was just as interesting. Of course, we still ended up in the front row, so we probably looked like stalkers. Believe me -- the queen of the low profile -- the front row is not a place this backseat Baptist usually sits.

I would have loved to have spent the entire day focusing on social media and his experience. However, I'll take what I got. And if I'm not blogging more often, you can blame it on my growing interest in Facebook and Twitter...oh yeah, and having four kids.

2009-02-23T19:50:00.002-05:00

I've never done the math (I leave that kind of thing to D), but I would assume that making homemade pizza would be cheaper than ordering it. However, if I only eat a couple of slices of a chain's pizza but I eat 8-9 slices of my own, would it be better to spend more money so I eat less? If I didn't like my own pizza so much, I'd probably go the easy route and order it. Then again, to have pizza delivered, I would easily spend $30+.

As usual, I started out quite well with planning each week's menu. But, as I knew would happen, any menu item got thrown out once I hit my second busy week of the season. Also, when I'm not home, I don't bother to come up with something. I was gone a couple of nights last week, and I'll be gone a couple of nights soon. At least we haven't been dining out as much...

2009-02-19T22:56:00.003-05:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not overly emotional. My own husband has jokingly accused me of having a cold heart many times over the past 14 years. But this story brought tears to my eyes. Maybe you have to be a true fan of basketball or at least remember suiting up in high school to appreciate this kind of sportsmanship and to even get choked up over it. It saddens me to think of a teenager losing his mother, who is only a couple of years older than me, but I'm encouraged to know there are still coaches and players in this world who remember that the world doesn't begin and end on the hardcourt. And high school, especially sports, is just a sliver of the memories you will make in life. However, as the coach said, the memory those players and spectators will last so much longer.

2009-02-16T23:11:00.002-05:00

What is up with Facebook? I know this is not a new Internet site, but suddenly people I haven't spoken to in years are finding me -- and I them -- and articles are popping up everywhere about this phenomenom. I'm even going to a PR conference later this month that includes a breakout session on these social media tools so I can better understand them.

Since I actually have fond memories of my childhood, it's been great catching up with the people I used to spend the majority of my days with. It's also nice to keep up with those I've met throughout my professional career. So if I don't post blogs frequently, it's because I'm feeding my addiction to Facebook.

2009-02-11T23:26:00.002-05:00

Do you need to brush up on your US geography? Just try this. It's not enough to know the general location of a state with the help of outlines of all the states. You have to figure out where random states belong on a totally blank outline of the country. My best is 90%, but I'm sure I'll keep trying.

2009-02-09T23:08:00.002-05:00

I had a very confusing experience this evening while treating my kids to dinner and ice cream at Braum's. While D was teaching class, I decided to take the kids to dinner. And since they behaved relatively well, I told them I would also get them junior ice cream cones. Here's where it got tricky.

My order was fairly simple, but I was having trouble communicating...mainly because Jeremy wanted a waffle cone. That detail threw me off and was actually the cause of the confusion. Before ordering, I asked if junior cones could be served in waffle cones. The young man said yes. OK then give me one chocolate junior cone in a waffle cone and one in a sugar cone.

He hands me the *waffle cone* which looked mysteriously like a sugar cone to me. When I clarified the type of cone, this employee tried to tell me that it was a waffle cone. When I said it sure looked like a sugar cone, he pointed to the cake cones and described them as sugar cones. Obviously, his employee training was sorely lacking. While I finished ordering without actually calling the cones by the incorrect names -- I just pointed. I couldn't encourage his ignorance -- I discreetly looked over the wall behind me so I could see the boxes of cones that are sold in the grocery section.

Sure enough the smaller pointed cones were labeled Sugar Cones while the larger pointed cones were called Waffle Cones. Hopefully, someone will set this poor boy straight at some point because he made ordering ice cream cones WAY too difficult.

And now I have a headache.

P.S. Spencer has recovered very nicely from his ordeal. By that evening, just as the doctor suspected, that little boy was climbing on everything, including the kitchen counters.

2009-02-05T23:51:00.005-05:00

At 2:38 p.m. today I breathed a sigh of relief. The first phase of the project that consumes the first half of my year was finally finished. Of course, that moment of peace did not last long because I had to finish our newsletter today since I would not be available tomorrow. But everything is now complete and quiet...at least for two weeks until phase two begins.

And see this cute little boy? He will be having outpatient surgery very early in the morning. It's a *minor* procedure, but the only thing I'm worried about is the anesthesia. I'm hoping and praying for the best possible experience.

And in other news, the Facebook addiction continues...

2009-01-31T00:27:00.003-05:00

I am addicted to Facebook. Someone asks me to be his/her friend on Facebook, and then one thing leads to another and I've lost a couple of hours of my life. I'm afraid to even get started with Twitter. The problem is I really don't know how to fully use these tools.

These social media tools have suddenly fascinated me, and I haven't been this excited about learning something that could greatly contribute to my work in a very long time. I am so interested in these tools that I'm willing to fork over my own money to attend a PR conference next month if my employer does not have the funds. Money is tight everywhere -- especially at a nonprofit.

Anyway, I'm going to shut the computer down now before I think of someone else I want to look up on Facebook.

2009-01-28T23:13:00.007-05:00

Have I mentioned I really like our school administration? The powers that be deemed that the conditions were safe enough to go back to school tomorrow. So to reflect on the past two days of no school, here is a series of shots my neighbor took of Jeremy as he *snowboarded* down the driveway -- while two older guys who weren't as talented watched enviously.

That's the closest he'll get to snowboarding this year. But I guarantee you if we go skiing next year, he will try to convince me that he doesn't need lessons because he's an expert.

2009-01-28T02:01:00.012-05:00

We have a great neighborhood where kids of all ages will hang out together...some of the time. Today's activities take me back to my childhood when kids on my block ranging from 5 to 15 years old would gather sleds or some other sledding device to make the most of a day without school. The kids were fine today - day one of school cancellations. I'm not sure about day two. Let's just hope there isn't a day three or the local news' naming of this cold blast as Ice Storm: State of Emergency will no longer describe the layers of ice on every surface but the situation in my home.

2009-01-25T22:39:00.002-05:00

Even with four children rotating a virus, I still managed to make a Snickers cheesecake AND peach cobbler as well as mop the kitchen and make ham, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and crescent rolls. I also managed to provide a few gifts for D's family birthday dinner. Tomorrow is the actual birthday, so I'll present him with the major gifts then. Of course, he's working, eating lunch with co-workers and teaching a college algebra class that evening. I'm not sure when I'll see him because I'm not a morning person no matter how special the day is so I don't plan on getting up any earlier than I have to.

Of course, all my accomplishments today were due to the fact that I have great parents (I'm giving Dad some credit here, but it's really because of my awesome mom). They kindly took in the four kids not knowing which one was going to start running the fever next, but I equipped them with a variety of meds, directions and a new thermometer. Mom provided new DVDs, so the kids spent Saturday evening enjoying movies.

D and I met up with another couple and enjoyed steak, ice cream, limited shopping and great conversation. It is so relaxing just hanging out with friends without the pressure of returning home to relieve a babysitter. Thank you, brother, for purchasing the house nearby for the folks!

Anyway, due to the fever that will not end, I had to cancel a playdate with a friend whose son is month younger than Spencer. I'm very disappointed because I was looking forward to catching up with her. Hopefully, we can find some time in our schedules to meet up again.

Of course, a major ice storm is *supposed* to hit in the next couple of days, so I may not be going anywhere -- I just hope school isn't cancelled.

2009-01-15T23:21:00.002-05:00

I should go to bed soon, but someone kept referring to The West Wing. So I've pulled out my sets of the series and am working my way through Season 1. The problem is since I have all the episodes, it's hard to come to a stopping point. Unfortunately, I have a slightly addictive personality, so I'm not very good at resisting temptation. So while I watch TWW, I'll probably be playing Diner Dash on my wonderful iPhone.

2009-01-14T23:49:00.013-05:00

Here is the proof...(that would be Woodstock in the fireplace)

that this sweet, angelic boy...

is not as innocent...

as he may seem.

2009-01-14T00:21:00.005-05:00

My only daughter is very sensitive and sentimental. She got very upset with me once when I through away her collection of used popsicle sticks. She also seems to have inherited my insomnia. Each night she is told it is time to turn out the lights and go to sleep, but she consistenly complains for at least an hour that she can't sleep. Of course, I don't think she stays still for more than a few minutes.

There are several things that keep her from getting her beauty sleep -- her baby brother who shares the room, a good book or her own thoughts. One night a few weeks ago she came to me in tears saying she missed Grandma Great, Don's grandmother who passed away in September. I took the time to comfort her before I sent her back to bed.

Tonight she came into my room looking very upset. I expected her to say that she missed Grandma Great or maybe even my cat Scout who died six years ago. No, it was much worse...she missed the blue car. That would be my '89 Honda that was killed in February 2006. How do you comfort a ten year old when she's crying over a car that didn't even belong to her?!?

Her attachment to that car and sadness over its demise actually eased my pain during that trying time. For anyone who may not know or does not remember the story, a pregnant teenager -- who didn't speak English, didn't have insurance and didn't own the car -- ran a red light and plowed into the car while D was driving with Jack in the backseat. D was transported to a nearby hospital because of back pain while Jack got to enjoy lunch with the friends I was scheduled to meet that day. Later when noticed Jack had a bump on his head and decided to take him to the pediatrician just in case.

It was during that doctor visit that I received some devastating news -- my car was totaled. This was the first car that I had chosen and paid for. I bought it my senior year of college and drove it for 13 years. For our anniversary the previous year, D had the car tinted and installed a new stereo and keyless entry. It was a great car! Even my father decided foreign cars may be OK.

To get back to the point of this post, we took the kids with us to the salvage yard to remove our personal effects. It was during this visit that Anna collapsed in tears. She was so hysterical that the salvage yard employee thought she had been in the accident and was having flashbacks. No, we said, she's just very attached to the car.

She's got a lot of love to give.

2009-01-12T13:30:00.003-05:00

D and I are taking at least part of Suze Orman's challenge for 2009. So for today we will not spend any money. For the week, we will not charge anything. And for the month, we will not go out to eat.

However, we have made some exceptions. Any previously scheduled dining out meetings and work-related lunches are allowed. We are also allowed to use restaurant gift cards. And since D's 40th birthday is later this month, any birthday-related spending is exempt.

My strategy for today is to go nowhere so I won't have any reasons or temptations to spend money. I have used the notes option on my wonderful, practically free iPone to plan the menu for this week using items we already have on hand.

The greatest challenge will be not dining out as a family for the entire month. It is so easy to use lack of time or energy as an excuse to pick up something for dinner. Hopefully, if I can get into the habit of planning ahead on meals, fast food or any other dining out option will not be such a temptation.

I downloaded Orman's Action Plan for 2009 from Oprah's website, but I haven't read much of it. The thing about finance books is that they rarely offer any new insight. We know what we need to do. We just need to be more self-disciplined and follow through.

Here's to our Action Plan for January 2009!

UPDATE: Jeremy brought home the snack box. Usually I would try to plan ahead for this occasion, but he hasn't brought home a snack calendar for January so I had forgotten about this possibility.

Weekend Roundup

2009-01-11T23:25:00.002-05:00

The weekend kicked off with a Girl Scouts parent meeting to discuss the annual cookie sale. Strangely enough, this is the activity Anna loves the most. Maybe someday she will be a successful entrepreneur and be able to give back a little to her parents. Anyway, I made some new friends since I don't hang around with that group. I usually drop off Anna for the meetings and take off for another activity or enjoy a peaceful hour.

Saturday evening, my oldest son chose to watch Grease and asked me to watch it with him. During the various kissing scenes, my two-year-old son would say "ewww."

I watched P.s. I Love You last night alone which was a good thing and bad thing. It was good I was alone because the bad thing is I cried pretty much through the entire movie and I wouldn't have been as free with my tears if others (my husband) were present. The movie was OK, but it was not a good choice since in the past three months a friend my age lost her husband and my oldest friend lost her battle with leukemia. I've gotten way more emotional with age, so it doesn't take as much to make me cry. But the entire story line hit too close to home.

This afternoon I dozed through Anna's viewing of Sound of Music. I am proud to say I am instilling a love for musicals and old movies in my children. Anna and I still need to find time to watch Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I may also sit them down for To Kill a Mockingbird. If/when we have a snow/ice day this winter, maybe we'll have a movie marathon made up of movies produced before 1980.

Now I'm off to fold laundry...it may take another week before I have time to post.

2009-01-01T00:39:00.003-05:00

Another year is coming to a close and I wonder if I will ever feel like staying up to celebrate the new year again? Gone are the days of hanging out with friends until midnight or quietly greeting the new year with D and a glass of sparkling cider. The only reason I'm up now is that I began thawing some sausage earlier to make a breakfast casserole for New Year's Day.

Since it's almost midnight, it would be appropriate to post a litte 2008 wrap up. In only the last few weeks, Anna has seemed to grow so much! Earlier this year, she was a little third grader, and now with a new hairstyle and the lessons that fourth grade provide, she is acting more like a teenager than I would like.

Jeremy has made so much progress in the second grade. I am very proud of him and how hard he has worked. Sometimes he can be such a challenge with his need for details and specific communication, but when he and I spend some one-on-one time, he is a fun kid.

Jack has been so much fun. I can't imagine what he's going to be like in the next few years. He can be so sweet -- You know what, mommy? I love you. He comes up with that at the best times and sometimes the strangest moments. I find myself focusing on his gap-toothed smile. Since he's been missing one front tooth since he was two, I'm not sure I'll recognize him with a complete smile. For awhile I've been noticing how observant he is, so I'm interested to see what the next few years of school will bring.

Spencer, my baby. I'm not sure what to say about him. He is devious and ornery, and has the sweetest smile that it's hard not to smile even if you should be scolding him. He's a camera hog and begin smiling and saying "cheese" as soon as he sees a camera. He's an escape artist who will keep me on my toes for several more years. I'm getting even more tired just thinking about it. He is my last baby, and I know our family wouldn't be complete without him.

As for D and I, it has been a long, fun, busy and hard year. We have suffered career and health challenges as well as the loss of friends who were taken much too soon. And while we hold onto the fact that God can see the big picture, it's hard to understand why they are gone when they are so needed here. We will just continue to feel so blessed because while we've had our challenges, we still have jobs, my health has rebounded somewhat and our family is healthy.

According to my clock, it is now 2009. I've never made resolutions, and I'm not planning to now. It is simply a good time to regroup and refocus on the goals we have already set.

Happy New Year!

Another strike at commercialism

2008-12-24T17:21:00.003-05:00

I still have sugar cookies to bake and pizza to make, but after being sick yesterday, I needed to take a break to rest. So what better way to make myself stop than to blog?

While Anna prefers to remind others what the reason for the season is, Spencer is taking a silent stand against commercialism. Over the past few years, I have collected some lovable plush characters from A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Evidently Spencer is offended by these characters because I caught him putting Woodstock in the fireplace -- when no fire was blazing fortunately. Although I told him sternly not to roast Woodstock, my scolding fell on deaf ears. Today Jeremy discovered Snoopy, Woodstock, Charlie Brown and the Grinch stacked in the fireplace.

So either he was making a passive aggressive statement about how commercialized Christmas has become or he wanted to give Santa a soft place to land.

2008-12-18T12:36:00.001-05:00

There are moments when I'm not sure if I will survive Anna's melodramatics for the next several years. But then she does something very wise and mature, and I'm hopeful that I haven't totally messed her up.

The details of this event are sketchy because she's never been great about providing me with a lot of information about what takes place at school. When she was in pre-k and kindergarten, I would ask her about school and she would tell me not to ask her any questions. (At least my boys are a little more forthcoming with educational information.)

This week the students in her language class were asked to choose a Christmas tradition, study it and share the information with the class. While many of her classmates chose to report about lights, stockings and trees, Anna took her Bible to school and read from the book of Luke about Jesus' birth. Not only am I proud that she is able to get past all the commercialism of the holiday, but I am thrilled that she attends a school where the teacher is able to let her share the most important fact about Christmas.

2008-12-17T11:50:00.002-05:00

Another video that should be a holiday classic. Stick with it to the end because they saved the best for last.

2008-12-14T21:56:00.002-05:00

One of those questions, a mother dreads being asked...

Younger son: Mommy, when I was in your tummy did I pop out of your mouth?

Mom: Uh, no. (hoping that will be the end of the questioning.)

Jack: So how did I get out?

Mom: mumble, mumble (change the subject)

2008-12-12T16:02:00.003-05:00

After nearly 10 years of being a parents, D and I have finally gotten the hang of opening kids' toys -- a handy pair of wire cutters and scissors. Usually a combination of both will get the package open and cut through those ridiculously twisted wires. This year I'm planning to remove the toys from their packages before "wrapping" them in gift bags. That should make Christmas morning a little more enjoyable for us.

In the spirit of the gift wrapping season, please enjoy the video below. May your holiday season be not quite as frustrating.

2008-12-11T14:10:00.002-05:00

Evidently, my youngest is some sort of bully. His mother's day out teachers wrote a little note on his sheet earlier this week -- He's still biting what should we do about this! The writer in me, of course, what's to edit the sentence, but I'll resist for now.

First, he used to have a biting problem, but after many timeouts at home, he hasn't been using this as a main course of action when he feels angry/happy/frustrated. The teachers told me several weeks ago that there were a couple of kids in the class who were biting. I'm just guessing, but I think he's probably doing it again because he sees others doing it.

Second, what does the "we" mean? Are they being passive aggressive and really what to know what I'M going to do about it? If they really want to know what I think they should do, they should put him in timeout or whatever disciplinary action they use. As for what I'm going to do, I'll continue to tell him no and use timeouts whenever he bites at home, but I don't see how I can really effectively discipline him if he's not biting at home. Sure, I can tell him no biting, but he's young enough that he probably doesn't associate my words with the action unless he has just committed the act.

But he is one smart little snot. Yesterday I was sitting in the living room and I noticed he had taken a box into the kitchen. A few minutes later he came into the living room, picked up a small plush Thomas the Tank Engine chair and carried it into the kitchen. Soon after he walked through the living room and headed down the hall. He returned carrying over his head a small step stool from the bathroom. At this point, I decided it was time to investigate. It wasn't too hard to figure out what he was determined to reach -- a bag of suckers.

The Case of the Missing Christmas Lights

2008-12-05T23:41:00.002-05:00

I'm usually very careful about storing all the Christmas decorations. I even have them fairly well organized. All of the Hallmark ornaments go back into their respective boxes and then into the same tote. All the other ornaments are carefully stored in a tote designed to hold ornaments. Miscellaneous decorations are in a couple of totes, and then of course the tree gets its own special cardboard box. In the past, I have put all outdoor lights in a green tote, but I could've sworn that last year I used more than one tote for the lights since we have accumulated so many. I do not aspire to be the Griswolds, but I am all about lights decorating the house. If I had the stomach for it, I would line the rooftop with lights, but I can't handle heights anymore and for some reason D doesn't want to do it.

Anyway, I remember winding strings of lights around new plastic light holders, but do you think I can find those lights now??? There are no more boxes left to look in, and I have no idea what could've happened. I've lined the yard with lights as usual, but that only leaves a couple of strings for the house. I wish I could blame my previous migraine medication for this bout of forgetfulness, but I haven't taken it in months and I wasn't taking it during Christmas last year.

Oh well, now I have a new preventative migraine medication that contains a sleep aid, so I don't have to worry about lying awake worrying about the missing lights.

2008-12-03T23:09:00.003-05:00

Not only do my kids have light hair and blue eyes like D, but evidently they also inherited his body temperature. If I would let Jack wear a short-sleeve shirt everyday, he would. High of 40? No problem. He's got a jacket.

Anna also doesn't seem to have a problem with being cold. She sleeps in as little clothing as possible. And when she was volunteering at the community light display in very cold weather, she started out with a light shirt, sweatshirt and coat. She quickly dispensed of the coat and never felt the need to put it back on. Yes, there were a couple of portable heaters available, but unless you were standing directly in front of one, the heat wasn't overwhelming.

So on those days when the kids must walk home from school because I'm at the office, I will not feel guilty because chances are, the cold won't bother them at all -- unless it gets them sympathy and hot chocolate from grandma.

2008-12-02T00:19:00.002-05:00

One of the greatest joys in life is walking in the door of your house to the sound of your two-year-old yelling "mama, mama, mama" as he runs to the door and hugs your legs or whatever part of you he can get to.

Another pleasure in life is watching your daughter, who claims to be shy, lead her Girl Scout friends, whom she barely knows, in a rousing rendition of We Wish You a Merry Christmas while they accept donations at the local community Christmas light display. She was also the one who began cheerily wishing each visitor a Merry Christmas as they drove away. I'm not sure what brings on the shyness because she wasn't having a problem with it tonight.

As for the difference in children, Jeremy is the quiet one who pays very close attention to detail. He was unable to sleep because first he was excited about the note he made for his teacher. However, he soon became very upset because he messed up on the front page -- He wrote she was the best teacher ever. He couldn't explain why this was a problem. I can only assume he did not want to offend his previous teachers.

The best Jack story I can come up with is the cute way he has of sharing with me on most Fridays that he gets the next two days off. He is definitely ready for the working world.

2008-11-28T00:08:00.003-05:00

It has been a crazy, exhausting, fun week. My SIL and some of her kids are staying with us, and all of the kids -- except the teenagers -- have been on the go from dawn until WAY after their usual bedtime. Spencer couldn't even be bothered with a nap today.

One amazing event occurred this week -- I saw TWO movies in ONE day!! In the afternoon, we took most of the kids to see Madagascar 2, which was cute. Then after dinner I took the three oldest girls to see Twilight. I haven't read the book -- I'll probably try to now -- but I still really enjoyed it. It was definitely a different kind of love story. I enjoy having older nieces that I can actually have a conversation with and take to the movies. If I liked to shop, I'd probably take them to the mall. But that would be insane right now.

Tomorrow is Jeremy's 8th birthday. He gets to spend it at a farm in the morning and Incredible Pizza for lunch. After that, we're going to be spending time with my extended family. I'm sure he'll get plenty of attention.

2008-11-23T00:08:00.002-05:00

After observing and discussing Spencer's antics with my neighbor, she encouraged me to blog more stories of his quirky/deceptive/dangerous/funny behavior. So maybe I'll make this the first installmaent of Spencer's Saturday Roundup. Please don't think this will become a regular feature. It will probably happen when I think of it.

Today's entertainment began when Spencer was in the mood for a snack. When I took him in for his two-year checkup, he was in the 5th percentile for his weight. You'd think we never feed him. Actually we don't have to because he can access food in the refrigerator and pantry. I told him he could not have anything, so he quietly entered the dark pantry and left the door slightly ajar. When I heard a noise coming from that direction, I had no doubt I would find him in the pantry even though the light was not on. I opened the door and there he was with a box of Froot Loops. Again, I told him no, but not very forcefully. He preceded to pull the door closed except for a slight crack. At that time, I opened the door and took the cereal.

However, this did not deter him. He moved to another area of the kitchen where he was determined to get either gum or a bag of candy. First, he tried to use a Thomas the Tank Engine plush chair to reach one of these items. Although he was sadly short of his goal, I chose to move the items further out of reach. After this, he realized the chair was not suitable to the task at hand, so he retrieved from his room a decorative wooden storage box. He carefully placed it next to the cabinet where he should've been able to easily reach his goal. When he realized I was watching, he instructed me to 'top! To this, I laughed. Feeling insulted, I'm sure, he chose to push me out of the kitchen so he could secretly attempt to grab the forbidden item. Unfortunately, I returned to the kitchen, so he tried to hide behind some two-liter bottles of pop on the counter while he again made a play for the candy. But he knew the jig was up, told me to 'top and then made a move to put distance between me and his goal. He was saved by the bell when the neighbor's son came looking for his mother.

But I know Spencer is thinking tomorrow is another day, and he WILL find a way to get whatever snack/drink/candy he so desires.

2008-11-20T12:01:00.002-05:00

This is how I keep track of what we're getting the kids, and I'm able to set a budget. I used this tool last year when preparing for Christmas, and this year I've already started my list. I did a much better job resisting impulse buying because of this site. I highly recommend it -- https://myholidaygiftplanners.com/index.php?tour=1.

2008-11-16T18:50:00.003-05:00

It was a fun-filled, sports-filled, party-filled weekend. We kicked off the weekend with Spencer's 2nd birthday with a homemade pizza party with the family. The next day, I took Jack and Spencer to Chuck E Cheese while D enjoyed Anna's last soccer game and delivering food pantry sacks for Cub Scouts. I hated to miss her last game, but I've sat through many more cold games than D, so I was willing to let him handle the outdoor activities.

To top it off, D and I actually got to go on a date last night. Again, we met a couple for dinner at a nice, not particularly kid-friendly place, Trattoria, then we were transported back in time for a performance by The Rat Pack. Oh how I love Sinatra and Dean Martin. I wasn't as familiar with Sammy other than knowing who he was and seeing him perform on TV a few times. However, I have seen many, many Sinatra and Martin movies. Fortunately, we were close enough that the people weren't blurs, but far enough away that we could actually imagine that it was the real Rat Pack performing.

We are considering going to see Tuna Christmas together, but no decision has been made yet. D and I are also talking about taking the older kids to The Lion King, and while I'm sure Anna would enjoy it, I don't think Jeremy would appreciate it. Also, who even knows if we'll have time.

Now I'm going to relax and enjoy Kung Fu Panda with the kids before I crash.

2008-11-12T23:14:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm a little closer to 40 now, and I'm OK with that. Yesterday I enoyed chocolate dipped strawberries, Alfredo's for lunch and Hideaway pizza for dinner plus many hugs and I love you's from the kids. It doesn't get much better than that.

D helped the boys with their presents to me, but Anna, always the creative one, chose to make something. Again, it's a fine line between encouraging her creativity and disciplining her for 1) using materials/foods/appliances she does not have permission to have and 2) leaving a big mess. Maybe someday she will be a world famous chef, and when Food Network is featuring her, I'll share the story of when she made me a birthday gift -- a jar layered with cotton candy, Froot Loops and chocolate chunks. Jack keeps asking if I've eaten it yet. I'm hoping he forgets about it very soon. I love chocolate and cotton candy, and Froot Loops is one of my favorite cereals. However, I don't think the combination would set very well.

Regardless, it was an entertaining evening with D and the kids -- before D and Jeremy had to leave for a basketball game. Such is my life -- basketball, soccer, scouts, etc.

2008-11-07T16:13:00.008-05:00

Before
After

She's not my little girl anymore...

2008-11-02T19:51:00.012-05:00

I have finally downloaded several pictures from my new camera, so I'll probably fill the next few posts with pictures. Here's a little Halloween fun...

2008-10-27T23:09:00.002-05:00

Spencer is such a mama's boy that it just about wears me out sometimes, but tonight I had to just laugh and give him a big hug. He is definitely the sneaky baby of the family. While all the kids were supposed to be getting in bed, I found Spencer in the bathroom sampling whatever toothpaste he could get his hands on. He even took a tube to bed with him. This happened several times. However, while I was returning toothpaste to the bathroom or cleaning up a toothpaste-related mess, he would sneak into the living room and help himself to my can of Coke. He had the whole act down -- distract mom with toothpaste and make a move for the Coke. We went back and forth a few times before I finally just downed the rest of the Coke, held him on my lap for a few minutes and put him back to bed.

2008-10-17T01:22:00.002-04:00

God knew what He was doing when He blessed me with only one daughter. That girl is going to wear me out before she hits her teenage years. After that, I should probably just curl up in the fetal position in under my covers because I'm not anticipating calm waters until she has gone to college.

When I left for work this morning, I issued one command -- clean up your mess when you are done playing. Does that seem like a confusing statement? Could it be misinterpreted? Obviously, it was as clear as mud because when I returned home more than seven hours later, she had constructed a lovely structure in the front yard. She is so creative which is a blessing and a curse. She managed to build a small shack out of sleeping bags that had not been stored since the last campout, two ice chests, a rope, chair and other miscellaneous items.

Don't get me wrong. I don't want to take the fun out of her childhood. I had a great time as a kid building various forts, but I used parent-approved materials, such as scrap lumber if it was an outside structure. If I built a fort in the house, it was limited to my brothers' room and I once again used parent-approved blankets and I didn't drag odds and ends from every corner of the house into my fort.

Anyway, seeing the shack erected next to my house did not put me in the best of moods. And her attitude while she was cleaning it up did not win her any points. But the highlight was discovering goldfish crackers scattered around her closet. So tomorrow she is not allowed to watch TV until the mess is cleaned up. She has also been told that she is not allowed to make anything in the kitchen -- judging from her reaction, I believe this punishment had the greatest impact. Ah, how I love fall break.

2008-10-14T23:19:00.002-04:00

We should all take time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, and tonight I did. I am so fortunate to live in a city that is now home to both a Wal Mart AND a Target. I heard rumors for many years that Target would grace us with its presence, but after many disappointments I knew I would believe it when I saw it.

Well, tonight I saw it. Brand, new smooth-wheeling carts. Store brands of foods I will have the opportunity to try at my convenience. And a pack of my favorite gum at the checkout stand. Life is good.

2008-10-12T22:48:00.002-04:00

As I watched Mad Men this evening, I complete this quiz. I agree with quite a bit of it, but the parenting section is so way off.

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Marilyn!

You are a Marilyn -- "I am affectionate and skeptical."

Marilyns are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative.

How to Get Along with Me

* Be direct and clear
* Listen to me carefully
* Don't judge me for my anxiety
* Work things through with me
* Reassure me that everything is OK between us
* Laugh and make jokes with me
* Gently push me toward new experiences
* Try not to overreact to my overreacting.

What I Like About Being a Marilyn

* being committed and faithful to family and friends
* being responsible and hardworking
* being compassionate toward others
* having intellect and wit
* being a nonconformist
* confronting danger bravely
* being direct and assertive

What's Hard About Being a Marilyn

* the constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind
* procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself
* fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of
* exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger
* wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right
* being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations

Marilyns as Children Often

* are friendly, likable, and dependable, and/or sarcastic, bossy, and stubborn
* are anxious and hypervigilant; anticipate danger
* form a team of "us against them" with a best friend or parent
* look to groups or authorities to protect them and/or question authority and rebel
* are neglected or abused, come from unpredictable or alcoholic families, and/or take on the fearfulness of an overly anxious parent

Marilyns as Parents

* are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty
* are sometimes reluctant to give their children independence
* worry more than most that their children will get hurt
* sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

2008-10-09T22:41:00.002-04:00

On the road again...I have been driving a decent distance every day this week except Monday, and I'll be on the road the next two days. Some of the travel has been business and the other pleasure -- although I'm not sure I would classify making pans and pans and pans of cheese fudge that you can't eat pleasurable.

Tomorrow is my day to enjoy the Watonga Cheese Festival, including a small-town version of Iron Chef. On Saturday, the entire family will head back to Watonga to enjoy the parade and the inflatables. Of course, the powers that be did not consult me on what would be the best time for the OU-Texas kick-off, so it looks like we'll be hitting the parade during half time.

2008-10-03T23:05:00.002-04:00

Spencer is ready for his teenage years. His vocabulary skills involve only using one word at a time; however, this evening when he came into my room shirtless, I asked him where his shirt was. His anwer -- I don't know.

2008-10-01T23:04:00.003-04:00

At least it's a start. While the kids were in their classes at church this evening, D and I worked on a spending plan for October. Budgets haven't worked in the past, so I thought maybe if I called it a *spending plan,* we might actually be able to make some progress. Regardless, I'm enjoying these Wednesday evenings when D and I get a chance to talk for a while -- even if it's about money.

2008-09-26T22:40:00.002-04:00

It has been a very long week, and tonight was the beginning of an even longer weekend. I sadly had the privilege of being present at the Oklahoma Air National Guard when fallen soldier Brady Rudolf was brought home.

It was amazing to see the motorcyclists waving the American flag and the soldiers standing at attention. However, my heart broke as his wife and young boys approached the flag-draped casket. It is a sight I will never forget and I pray I never witness again. For now and in the coming months, please keep this family in your prayers.

2008-09-24T23:29:00.002-04:00

Two parent-teacher conferences down. One to go. We met with Jeremy and Jack's teachers yesterday, and both meetings went very smoothly. The most exciting news was that Jeremy had reached his AR goal! It got better -- he was the first one in his class to do so!! This is a HUGE change from last year when he and I struggled through reading multiple books almost EVERY evening. He was getting all of the reading done at school. All I can say is I love his teacher, and I am so proud of him.

Anna is doing an awesome job as well so far. She's already brought home a test signed by the principal and was also rewarded with a Johnny Carino's gift certificate. Tomorrow we'll find out during her conference how things are REALLY going. It should be interesting because she will be facilitating the meeting.

2008-09-22T00:25:00.002-04:00

Jack is still insisting that he plans to stay seven years old. Anna even tried to trick him by asking what he wanted to be when he grows up. He sounded confused by the question and then he got irritated. We're going to have to make his eighth birthday really good to make up for the disappointed of leaving seven behind forever.

2008-09-18T00:14:00.002-04:00

T-ball, soccer and boy scouts, oh my! And the merry-go-round that is my life begins. This weekend D and Jeremy leave for a camping trip, Jack has a t-ball game (indoor - the greatest idea ever!) and Anna has a soccer game. We have an activity almost every night of the week every week, and Anna hasn't even started Girl Scouts yet. The only bright side is that on Wednesday night while the kids are in their classes at church, D and I find a comfortable spot and hang out for about an hour and a half. We actually get to talk to each other!

Posting has been light lately not only because of the schedule described above, but I've also started rereading some cheesey romance novels written by a specific author. Her characters are always the same -- very young, sensitive virgin who is continually insulted by an older, experienced cowboy/military guy/business man -- but for some reason, I like reading them. Anyway, she's been writing for over 20 years and has a certain line of stories -- Long, Tall Texans. Now that I have several of those books in that series, I started reading one after another. It's been fun and gives me a nice mental break from everything else. What can I say? I'm not the type of person who loves to read deep, intellectual tomes.

I'm going to have to sign off now because I have an almost-two year old who is determined to see midnight.

2008-09-08T22:17:00.002-04:00

The responses I got to my backwards Works for Me Wednesday were great. I can't wait to get a better look at some of the suggested sites and get moving on the family Web site.

Now I just have to make the time. We survived the big church musical weekend, so hopefully we can get into a normal routine. Of course, we are starting off the "normal" week with a death in the family, a soccer scrimmage and school skate night.

In honor of returning to normal, I'm working on implementing a new reward system in our house. The talking back, messy house, constant reminding/nagging/ordering of the kids to pick up their stuff/get dressed/eat breakfast/brush teeth/do homework is about to send me over the edge. I'm still formulating my plan, but I intend to start out by giving the kids (except Spencer who's exempt) a coin for doing their chores without a reminder, getting completely ready for school without being nagged, being kind to their siblings and respectful of their parents. After they get the hang of how the new system works, I'll start a new phase. In addition to receiving coins when they have behaved appropriately, I will also take coins away when they behaved inappropriately. It should be so much easier to just grab a coin out of *insert child's name here*'s jar when he/she cops an attitude rather than losing my cool.

If you are laughing at this new method, please let me hold onto my hope that this method might save my sanity -- at least temporarily.

2008-09-03T00:48:00.002-04:00

Works for Me Wednesday

I have put this off for a year. Of course it has been a very hectic year. But Shannon's Backwards WFMW Edition is a great opportunity to get some help.

Last summer I was charged with the task of creating a website for my very large, extended family. I have aunts, uncles and cousins around the world, and we need to have a user-friendly website that will help us all stay connected. It will also be used to help us plan our reunion.

I welcome any recommendations for hosting, web page templates, etc. I would like it to include a feature, such as a message board, so everyone could have the opportunity to make comments regarding various family issues. I may want to also have the option of implementing a security feature so the site or at least certain pages on the site are password protected. Another plus would be the option of allowing family members to upload pictures.

I have got to do something very soon or else I may get demoted as communications chair.

2008-09-01T23:39:00.002-04:00

We enjoyed another great Labor Day weekend with my college roommate, her husband and son. There was a lot of laughing, eating, shopping and spades playing.

I was very fortunate that my husband and her husband get along wonderfully. An outsider probably couldn't even determine who the friendship originated with -- the girls or the guys. I have been friends with R since fifth grade, and we roomed together for the two and a half years of college. She is the only person from my childhood I keep in contact with on a regular basis and actually arrange to spend time together. There are other childhood friends that I love visiting with when I run into them, but we never actually call, email or meet up when they come to town.

One strange aspect of the weekend was the absence of Anna. She had required musical rehersal, so she stayed with Aunt K. While I think she did miss us a little, I know she had a wonderful time. It was very strange though being the only female in the van. However, in about nine years, it will be a common occurrence.

2008-08-29T00:12:00.002-04:00

A few random thoughts:

I love The Colbert Report. For some reason, he makes me laugh out loud and that doesn't happen often.

It is very bizarre to see a man you used to throw koosh balls at offering commentary on national TV. Unfortunately, I tuned in at the end of ABC's convention recap with Matthew Dowd and Donna Brazile. I'm glad Matt hasn't been ostracized from the political world. I need to be more aware of when he is going to be speaking or has posted a column. He's one of my political gauges.

My eating habits are atrocious. It is after 11 p.m. and sitting next to me would be chips, dip, fudge stripe cookies and a coke. I'm pathetic, but I feel no desire to change -- especially since the migraines have eased up considerably.

Maybe I can counteract the junk food with a little Wii -- if I can get the energy. Oh, it's a vicious cycle.

2008-08-26T23:21:00.002-04:00

So many kids, so many rules to remember, so many fundraising packets to choose from. I have spent the past two evenings at parent meetings for pre-K, second grade and fourth grade. The pre-k meeting was a breeze, and the second grade meeting was relatively simple. Of course, we've already been through those grades with other kids. The fourth grade meeting was a new experience.

This is the first year Anna has a homeroom teacher and rotates to a different classroom for other subjects. So much information, and there I was sitting in the back of the room with D and some friends making wise-cracks and talking about other stuff. Hopefully, the teachers won't hold it against our children.

I also found out tonight that pretty much every kids in Anna's class is running for STUCO. When I got home, Anna was making her campaign sign. I asked her who she plans to vote for, and she's smart enough to say herself. I hope she's not swayed by any tempting promises, such as pizza every day for lunch and every day will be Fun Friday. It will be interesting. But she's off to a good start. Her campaign sign says "Go bananas with your vote 4 Anna." Hopefully, they will be impressed with the yellow posterboard and slogan.

Speeches and the vote will be next week. I'll keep you posted.

2008-08-21T12:28:00.002-04:00

Work, clean house, take a nap -- oh the possibilities! It is the first day of school. Currently, the two oldest chidren are filling their heads with math, grammar and rules, while #2 son, Jack, is anxiously awaiting the beginning of afternoon pre-k. I'm pretty anxious, too.

When I woke up this morning, my plan was to put Spencer down for a nap after taking Jack to school. But of course Spencer enjoys making his own rules. He crashed on the floor of my room around 10:30. Maybe I can get lucky and sometime before 3:00, he'll be ready to nap again. Yeah, right.

2008-08-18T23:04:00.002-04:00

It is that time of year -- FINALLY. We had meet the teacher night tonight, and as I type, my children are piling up the school supplies all around me. Thank goodness for our PTO. I'm one of those parents who is more than happy to let that group purchase and package the supplies for the different grades. I willingly fork over the bucks just to avoid those school aisles at Walmart. Since I'm already going to be stressed out by those crowds at school on meet the teacher night, I don't see any reason to add to that stress by fighting more crowds aAmat the store.

We were disappointed Jeremy didn't get the same teacher Anna had, but his teacher seems very nice. Anna's teacher told Mrs. H that she was lucky because she was going to really like our family. Maybe she says that to a lot of parents, but I'd like to think not. Anna's teacher is the SIL of one of my good friends, so I slipped that connection into our conversation. In a school our size, any personal connection can really help open the lines of communication. As for Jack's teacher, there's only one pre-k teacher, so we're pretty familiar with her. She was Jeremy's teacher, and she also has a little girl in pre-k. So there should be no surprises there.

Strangely enough, Anna has managed to go from kindergarten to fourth grade without being in the same class with her best friend. I have no idea how the organize the classes, but I think it's odd that they've never been in the same class, and yet she's shared several classes with a few of the same kids.

Two more days before they return. Can I hear an amen? I love my kids, but it's time to implement more rules and structure than they've had this summer. I had great hopes back in May -- dedicated reading time, bike rides to the library, maybe even some workbook pages. Where did the time go? Maybe next year.

For now...three kids in school. One to go.

2008-08-15T22:29:00.003-04:00

I have returned, and it almost feels like I haven't been gone. The kids were very excited to see me and to see what I brought them. Maybe the germs on the Boston train invaded my brain because I actually got Jeremy and Jackson little Red Sox bats. Anna is thrilled with her apron that has an illustration of Boston on it. Spencer got a soft Red Sox baseball. The guy tried to talk me into a real baseball, and even though I bought two bats, I'm not that stupid.

One of the first things I did when I got home was pick up a package at the post office. Jack missed me so much he wanted to go along. During the drive we were discussing ages. He has decided that when he turns seven, he wants to stay seven forever. I'm OK with that.

2008-08-12T18:22:00.003-04:00

Boston is a great city -- at least what I've seen of it which is mainly the North End, part of the Freedom Trail and a suburb called Newtonville. The food last night was amazing. I kept eating like I may never get a meal again. Of course, that's not true because tonight we're headed to a seafood place. I'm thinking clam chowder.

2008-08-11T01:41:00.002-04:00

What a day! My two oldest children accepted Christ as their Savior back in January. Actually, Jeremy made the decision about two years ago, but we weren't sure he fully understood the commitment. Anyway, today they took another big step and were baptized. Jeremy asked D to baptize him, so that was very special. Anna chose one of our ministers to do the task. Fortunately, the one she chose has known D and I since before Anna was born, so he was able to personalize the experience. All the grandparents and one aunt were there to witness the event. It was a great night!

I'm headed to Boston this week and am greatly looking forward to it. The meetings should be very interesting, and I've never been to that city. I also think the kids and I could use a break from each other. It's incredibly late right now and since I have an early flight, I'd better shut it down and try to get at least a few hours of sleep. I'll let you know how the Boston cuisine rates.

2008-08-08T00:53:00.002-04:00

Let's play Final Jeopardy!

Answer: A horrifying experience.

Question: What is your child throwing up in your boss's office?

If you bet more than $1, you are the winner! Yes, my sweet Jack could not contain himself any longer today and lost his lunch while he was sitting on my lap at my boss's desk. I'm leaving on a business trip soon. I still had a project to finish, so I picked up the kids from Mother's Day Out and brought them back to the office.

The last few evenings Jack hasn't felt well, but this morning, he was acting happy and normal. I'm not sure if he has some type of virus, but since he was insisting that I hold him, I know that the constant back and forth from my office to the printer was not helpful.

After this experience, I couldn't get the kids to the van fast enough. To top it all off, while I was pulling the sliding door shut on the van, I looked down and was holding the handle in my hand. It broke off completely. Even better I had to drive through a horrible rainstorm to get home. I would rather drive on ice than semi-flooded highways.

While all of that just about wiped me out, I was once again reminded how fortunate I am to have four wonderful, healthy kids. I watched Steven Curtis Chapman and his family on Larry King. What an amazing testimony!

2008-08-05T22:44:00.003-04:00

I am typing this post from the comfort of my bed. However, since our bedroom is ridiculously hot, I plan to utilize my newfound mobility to work at the dining room table tomorrow -- or the couch, or recliner -- ooh the possibilities!

The kids constantly ask to use my new computer, so I'm using it as a reward. If they will do their chores without a reminder and act respectfully and responsibly, they may earn the privilege of using the laptop. Of course, Jeremy asked if he was respectful once tomorrow would that count? Talk about making a lowball offer. Anna countered by saying that should would be respectful THREE times tomorrow. Obviously my children are not over achievers.

2008-08-03T23:42:00.002-04:00

I FINALLY have my laptop!! I would write this blog from the laptop, but I haven't gotten the wireless router (which has been in a drawer for months) set up yet. Regardless, it is a beautiful machine and once I tear myself away from the Internet, I plan to spend some quality time with it.

In other news, it is official -- I gave birth to a mer-boy. I thought Spencer was an ordinary baby. As his mother, of course I thought he was one of the cutest babies ever. Very smart, too, even though he is a boy of very few words. However, while we were swimming Friday evening with Jeremy's Cub Scout pack, Spencer decided he wanted to take a stab at the diving board. He was wearing a built-in life vest in his swimsuit, but he was able to make quite the splash and be fully submerged. He would push, pull and drag me over to the board to do it again, and then he would try to jump before I was ready to let him go or D was ready to catch him. For a toddler who has never had swimming lessons, that mer-boy knows no fear.

2008-07-31T00:04:00.007-04:00

My cousin and his wife, Megan, are expecting a baby in September. Anna and I were invited to the baby shower this weekend. However, Anna got a better offer -- a birthday party at the bowling alley. Her reaction?

"Tell Megan hi...and good luck!"

Out of the mouths of babes...

In other news, I am sooo close to buying a laptop. I have found one that seems to have everything I want and more, and it is a very reasonable price. While I have been researching this particular purchase for a while, I still didn't want to make a hasty purchase -- it wasn't a brand I had reviewed very often. Since this particular computer will be on sale a few more days and they have 3 or 4 in stock, I'm planning to return to the store to buy it either tomorrow or Saturday.

My two youngest are staying at the grandparents tonight, so because I miss my babies (it's very strange only having two self-sufficient children in the house):

2008-07-28T21:13:00.003-04:00

Close friends and family will tell you there are not many candy bars I don't like. When D and I were playing our version of the newlywed game with the class of nearly newlyweds we were teaching at church, D was asked what kind of candy I like. He, of course, said any candy and got it right.

The exceptions are Three Musketeers, Mars Bar and Milky Way. I've got to have some crunch in my candy bar -- nuts, cookie center, wafer, butterfinger, etc. Today I have found a new fave. PayDay is a good go-to bar when you want something sweet but without chocolate (which is very rare in my life). However, there is the new and improved PayDay Chocolatey Avalanche -- chocolatey covered peanut caramel bar. I haven't eaten the entire bar yet, but I can already tell I will be disappointed if the makers of PayDay take it off the market after a while.

It obviously has all the necessary ingredients for a great candy bar -- nuts, caramel and chocolate. I'm not ready to replace Kit Kat, Snickers or Twix, but I'm more than happy to add PayDay Avalanche to the rotation.

2008-07-27T00:57:00.003-04:00

I love most musical theatre. Tonight D and I went to see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Honestly, I love the MGM version more, but I did enjoy the stage version. Plus, we went with another couple that have nothing to do with our kids.

At this stage in our lives, it's not often that we have the opportunity to socialize with people we did not meet through our childrens' activities or school. We visit with people in our class at church, but we're all so busy with other things that we don't get together often.

It reminds me of a Seinfeld monologue where he says as an adult you don't add any friends to your life -- you're not taking applications. This is very different from when you were a kid and anyone you find a very remote connection to can be your best friend.

The couple with had dinner with tonight shares an interest in theatre, although the woman is not a fan of musical theatre. Fortunately, she is interested in a musical show every now and then. We are already talking about hitting some of the major productions this fall, two of which run during her birthday and then during mine. Perfect timing.

2008-07-24T13:34:00.002-04:00

I am having leftovers for lunch for the third consecutive day. For those who know me, they understand how amazing this is because I do not usually eat leftovers. What is even crazier is that it is the same thing -- remains of a pasta bake dish we had earlier this week. Just to clarify -- I'm not against leftovers. I'm just particular about what the food is. I will eat leftover soup, casseroles and sometimes pizza. Other than that, forget it, especially if the food is more than a few days old. Now to enjoy my pasta for the fourth time this week.

2008-07-23T22:34:00.002-04:00

I hope to finally get that laptop I have wanted for so long. A former co-worker and her partner, who design Web sites, have asked me to do some freelance writing for a client. They have said that they expect to have more clients in need of a copywriter, so that will be some nice extra money coming in.

Now if D's work situation will get resolved so he is actually paid what he was promised, we might actually have a shot at putting a dent in our debt -- at least after we get the kids back in school. School supplies x 3, lunch money x 2, Spirit Day money x 2, one school t-shirt and one new backpack = a nice chunk of change. However, that's a small price to pay to put some structure back in the kids' lives.

2008-07-23T14:51:00.003-04:00

As long as Anna keeps this perspective, we shouldn't have a lot of boyfriend problems. Last night at the store she and I had this little exchange:

Anna: I can see that guy's underwear! (There was no way you could miss it.)
Me: Don't look.
Anna: That is horrifying.

2008-07-23T00:01:00.002-04:00

A week and a half since the last post? That's pretty pathetic. I don't really have any good excuses -- except I've had a few migraines lately. Actually, house hunting online and in person took up a lot of time last week. However, the most exciting news I have is that we found a house for my brother to buy, and the seller accepted our offer.

My parents and I spent Friday morning looking at several houses. One looked like a paint store exploded. I'm very surprised they have not painted at least some of the rooms since I'm pretty sure they really need to sell. But not only is the paint color an obstacle, but the price is strangely high. Yes, it's a four bedroom with good square footage, and yes, it has a huge backyard, but they are asking almost $20,000 more than comparable homes. It doesn't make sense.

Anyway, the second house we looked at was the one we made an offer on. It has four bedrooms, but all of the rooms except the master are pretty small. But the kitchen is very spacious with a nice wide bar that will be perfect for family dinners. Even better, the back patio is covered and faces the east, so the folks should be able to spend some quiet evenings enjoying the backyard.

I think the folks will use it as a part-time home for now. We'll see how well Dad can manage living even temporarily away from our hometown. Even though he retired a few years ago, he still works for the new owner. That seems to be common in that side of the family -- I've had several aunts and uncles who "retire" but still work in some capacity for their old employer. I plan to avoid that impulse.

House hunting has been very interesting. It has also given me a strong desire (even though I have no money) to update areas of the house. My plan is to make a list of things that need to be done, and try to complete one project each year as money permits.

Even though I've looked at a few homes that were very tempting to buy for my own family, at the end of the day, I still feel very confident that we are making the right decision to stay where we are. I know it will pay off in the long run.

I'm signing off for now. I should be able to post again soon since there are some other interesting developments in other areas of my life.

2008-07-12T00:31:00.025-04:00

Ever since Anna was a baby, D and I have said that kids are the best entertainment investment. I still believe that, but I do have moments like the last few days when I can't wait for school to start so I can let them entertain someone else. So to remind myself how blessed I am, I'll post a few pics.

These three chose (actually it wasn't a choice for Spencer) to observe their father launching fireworks rather than attempt to light a few themselves, unlike Jeremy who preferred to be in the middle of the pyrotechnic action. That's my boy!

We bought the sled in late winter so they haven't had a chance to use it as man intended. But they have still put it to good use.

It's chocolate and he is my son. 'Nuff said.

How could a camp be any better? Climbing a rock wall, gun range and archery.

Anna has quite a collection of trophies/medals after three years of playing soccer. We'll see how big the collection gets as the competition gets tougher. Either the level of competition will get to her or the running. She loves playing defender because she doesn't have to run as much -- very smart girl.

The day will soon come when Jack won't have to climb onto something to be taller than me.

2008-07-09T21:17:00.003-04:00

It is very difficult to be content with what you have when you are helping someone else buy a house. I've been looking at houses in my neighborhood with my parents, but it's my brother who is actually planning to purchase a house. Since he's not in the country, my mom and I get the luxury of spending his money.

When you have a family of six living in a three-bedroom house and the living area is not too big, things get a little cramped. Fortunately, the kids are still small enough that they don't take up a lot of room -- it's their toys that need all the space. However, I have looked at a couple of newer homes -- one is still being built and the other is six years old -- with four bedrooms. So let's recap: I live in a three bedroom with four kids and did I mention my house is 20 years old? These other homes I've toured are much, much newer and have four bedrooms. Contentment is hard to come by right now.

I'm trying to remind myself that my mortgage is much cheaper than it would be if we bought a bigger home, and my house will be paid off by the time Spencer graduates from high school. I can also watch my kids walk from our backdoor to the door of the elementary school. Those are some very attractive points. If we can just find a house for him to buy, then I can stop being tempted by these other houses!

2008-07-07T11:02:00.006-04:00

And then there was one -- one child who hasn't been to the urgent care clinic. Which one made the latest trip you ask? My baby, Spencer. Poor kid tripped over a hose and hit the brick surrounding the neighbor's flower bed. When I came outside, D had his hand over Spencer's forehead and there was blood running down his face and turning his hair an interesting shade of strawberry blonde.

My boy handled it fairly well. He stopped crying on the way to the clinic, and while we waited, he even smiled and laughed a few times. He got upset for a while when I stepped out of the room, so I tried to make sure he didn't lose sight of me again. Of course, nothing was going to comfort him while the doctor put five stitches in his head. The nurse held his head, I had his blanket-wrapped upper body while D tried to keep his legs still. It was very exhausting.

He went to bed as soon as we got home and slept fine -- even though I had to wake him up every two hours to make sure he was OK. Today, he's acting like he's usual self.

What a weekend! We survived the 4th of July without any major mishaps -- other than a minor burn to Jack's foot while he was holding a sparkler and the pinata busting open before Anna had a turn. Of course, we are always wary of holidays. If a child is going to start running a fever or coming down with some other illness, it's usually during a holiday. Also, Jeremy got stitches a few days before Thanksgiving. Jack's hand incident, which required x-rays, occurred a few days before Christmas. So it's only fitting that Spencer's gash should occur during a holiday weekend.

Hopefully, Labor Day weekend will be uneventful.

Here's the before picture. It's the best I could with D's iPhone.

2008-07-02T23:52:00.004-04:00

OK, so the writing thing hasn't been happening. I've been reading a book, and that was far more interesting than writing something original. Also I worked from home yesterday, so that was two straight days of kids fighting, plus D was gone that last two evenings. I've also been helping the folks look for a house for my brother.

Anyway, I've been pretty tired and haven't been taking my vitamins regularly. (Don't tell Dr. C.) I think about writing, but then I look at the two story ideas I had and I don't really like them. I've got another idea in mind that I need to spend time fleshing out, but there's just been too much going on. I noticed our library has a quiet room. If I had a laptop and some time to get away, that would be a great spot to write. Excuses and distractions...I've got a million of 'em.

Speaking of distractions, aren't they cute kids? Hard to believe that they have fought so much over the past few days that I've had to order them not to speak to one another or play together, isn't it?

2008-06-27T23:38:00.002-04:00

These Apple Dumplings are amazing!! Thank you so very much for sharing, Kristin -- and Pioneer Woman.

I had an ambitious idea this week. I've been trying to avoid any major commitments since I had such a rough first half of the year, which culminated in a near transfusion. However, I have been feeling the urge to work on a book again. A few years ago I thought about trying NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, but it's in November. Since I usually have a few major meetings, plus my birthday as well as two of my children's, it's not a good month for me to take on other projects. Anyway, I had the bright idea of declaring July my novel writing month. So starting Monday, I'm going to try to crank out a few written pages.

I may need more of those Apple Dumplings to get me through.

2008-06-26T23:57:00.002-04:00

I had a house full this evening. My oldest brother is in town for a visit on his way back to Malaysia, so my other brother came up from Texas. And some other family came over for dinner so we could all visit.

When my kids start fighting or name calling, I try to remember my childhood. It could be pretty brutal at times with two older brothers, but as they would tell you, it made me tougher. Anna likes hearing the stories of how her uncles would pick on me, and she shows visitors in my parents' home the proof of that torment -- a broken coffee table leg. About 30 years ago, G was attacking me -- at least that's how I remember it -- and I was holding onto the leg of the table so he couldn't drag me off somewhere and continue torturing me. Of course, he was strong but I wasn't too weak and pulled the leg off the table. Back then they made furniture quite sturdy, so even though I was able to dismember it, the table is still perfectly usable today.

Today we can laugh about it and enjoy one another's company. However, 25-30 years ago, it was another story. So I can only hope that as my kids argue like siblings tend to do, they will remain close as adults. Because while I may not speak to my brothers regularly, we are still relatively close, and I know I can count on them whenever I need anything -- especially advice they so willingly give.

2008-06-24T14:09:00.002-04:00

I must take a moment to brag on my two oldest children. First, Jeremy finished up Boy Scout camp by receiving an award for best behaved boy at camp. He received a string of beads with a *alligator* hide (it's actually cow hide) tied to it that indicates why he received the beads. The string is now tied to his walking stick, which I guess is what these boy scouts do with the beads they receive for different accomplishments. This recognition means so much to me because, as I explained to Jeremy, it means I can trust him to behave and make good choices when his parents are not present and when he is surrounded by boys who do not always make the best decisions.

As for Anna...she auditioned for our church's childrens musical, which required reading lines and singing alone. I asked her a few weeks ago if she'd like to try out since she enjoys the theatre and has a nice voice for someone her age, but at that time she wasn't interested. However, Sunday morning she told me she wanted to audition. The challenge was that auditions were being held that afternoon. So with only about an hour to prepare, she tried out for one of the main girl parts, reading the lines perfectly. The panel was very impressed with her and surprised that she wasn't performing at school or elsewhere. When it came time to sing, the children sang as a group. When they finished, the director asked the panelists if there were any children they would like to hear alone, and they wanted to listen to Anna. I'm not sure she will get a part since many children auditioned, but it was very encouraging for her. Maybe this is the start of something...even though I don't have much time for another activity.

The other exciting aspect of this production is that it is a never-before-seen musical. They will video our kids performing and use it for marketing purposes. We should know this week if we will be spending a lot of time at the church over the next couple of months.

2008-06-19T21:48:00.012-04:00

What a week! We started off Saturday with a 3 v. 3 soccer tournament. Yes, I have officially become a soccer mom. I've got the minivan and a decal on the back window proclaiming proudly that my daughter plays soccer. The day started at 8 a.m., and we finished at 6 a.m. in sixth place. Pretty good for their first time playing that style of soccer. I'm just glad we (parents) were not as obnoxious as the parents of the last team we played. They were very rude. It was kind of ridiculous since they were playing for fifth place -- not one of the top spots.

Then on Sunday, Father's Day, we bid Anna farewell as she left for church camp. Even though I've known for months she would be going for five days, I never really thought about the actual location of the camp. Last week I finally took time to find the town on the map -- it was 3 1/2 hours away! My baby, my first born, my growing-up-too-fast nine-year-old daughter was going away to a camp that was nearly in the next state. However, she returned today safe and sound. She told me this evening that she wouldn't mind still being at camp. Glad she missed us...

I was concerned about how she would socialize with the other kids since she doesn't usually talk about too many friends at church. But the lack of good friends in any group, fortunately doesn't deter Anna from participating in an activity, which is very strange considering she is usually a very quiet girl. Actually, the children's minister said Anna was the most self-sufficient third grader she had ever met. I hope she maintains many of these qualities as she grows older.

Another *highlight* of the week was Boy Scout camp. Yippee! I had the fortune of spending a WHOLE day with six seven-year-old boys, trailing them from archery to nature to lunch to crafts to rock climbing to music. It was an interesting experience. There are some very different personalities in the troop. Jeremy seemed to be very glad I was along, so I guess I should enjoy that while it lasts. I'm just glad I was only there for one day and that the weather was actually somewhat comfortable despite a light shower earlier that morning.

I haven't had any migraines for the past few weeks, but the excitement (sarcasm) of this week brought on two headaches. I don't really belong in the great outdoors, so that probably triggered one of them. And the other one developed after I spent an evening cleaning out Anna's closet. Thank goodness the weekend is almost here because I need some rest.

2008-06-12T01:10:00.002-04:00

Wii fitness age: 21

I think my health has rebounded. I finally have more energy, and even better, I haven't had a migraine sinced I stopped taking the topomax. I hope I didn't jinx myself. Of course, it's after midnight right now, and I have to get up early (for me) to drop off Spencer before I go to work. Those two things can usually add up to a migraine, so we'll see how it goes. Guess I'd better get some sleep now or my witness fitness age might drop to 62.

2008-06-10T12:59:00.002-04:00

It's a little hard to slow down and rest when you have four kids. Fortunately, I'm putting those kids to work this summer since they are of an age where they can handle some bigger chores. Since we had VBS last week, yesterday was the first day of the chore chart and it went pretty well. Jeremy did an excellent job with the bathroom. Jack cleaned the dining room table. And Anna said she picked up the living room -- must've been before I got up because it didn't look like it had been cleaned. However, she did volunteer to organize the pantry, and it looks very nice. All three of the kids also straightened the garage.

Hopefully, this will make it easier for me to keep up with housecleaning and encourage them to be more aware of the things they leave around the house. They aren't getting paid extra for it, but I might give them bonuses now and then based on their attitudes and extent of cleaning. Anna asked if they would be getting paid, but I explained that they are part of the family so they are also responsible for the house. To make it even clearer, I told them that no one paid me extra to pick up after them. They were OK with no extra money.

In other news, D and I went to dinner and then to see Spamalot Saturday evening with a former co-worker and her husband. Loved the show! D's co-worker and college-age daughter met us there. I'm not sure the daughter enjoyed it -- mainly because she probably doesn't get Monty Python.

We also had a great time at dinner. It's always fun and helpful when your husbands get along. The two guys carried on their own conversation while my friend and I had a chance to catch up. We're going to try it again later this summer when Seven Brides for Seven Brothers comes to town.

My brush with fame

2008-06-04T15:38:00.005-04:00

After hearing her speak, I've got to read Doris Kearns Goodwin's book on Abraham Lincoln. Spielberg is adapting it into a movie with Liam Neeson and Sally Field. For those who may not know, Goodwin is a Pulitzer-Prize winning author and presidential historian. Since I have wanted to write most of my life, meeting a Puliter-Prize winner was very special. Unfortunately, I was working so I just got to take pictures of her talking to other people rather than talking to her myself. From my observation, she is a very kind and gracious person.

2008-06-03T21:53:00.002-04:00

I think the topomax has pretty much run its course through my body. Do you know what that means? Coke doesn't taste gross anymore! I actually shared a coke with Jeremy at the movie the other night, and for lunch today, I drank half a can. I'm going to work really hard to continue drinking other non-carbonated beverages, but I'm so glad that I now have more options when we go out to eat.

Now I must be more self-disciplined and go to sleep at a reasonable hour. Last night it was 1 a.m., but it took me awhile to balance the checkbook and fold some laundry. So after I post this, I'm shutting down and getting ready for bed. And it's only 8:55 p.m.!

2008-06-01T22:39:00.002-04:00

I've been on vacation for the last week -- not that it was really much of a vacation. I didn't leave town, D was still working, and I spent a couple of the days at medical and eye appointments. The medical appointment knocked me out, and the reason for the medical appointment has had me exhausted for the last few weeks and has caused migraines. So I spent every afternoon resting -- which isn't easy with four kids. And I got very little done around the house.

However, I ended the week on a high note. I took Jeremy to see the Indiana Jones movie. I did see it on opening day with D, but I had a major migraine and was not able to enjoy it. The music did filter through my pain-filled head, and I couldn't help but smile. It is probably my favorite theme music of all time. Anyway, Jeremy and I both had a great time. I was able to actually follow more of the story and watch all of the chase scenes without feeling sick.

While it's hard watching my kids grow up so fast, I do enjoy it when they are of an age where we can experience certain activities together. And sharing my love of Indiana Jones' adventures with my oldest son is a great feeling. However, we do differ on our favorite Indy movie. Mine would be the Last Crusade, while he liked the Crystal Skull. He hasn't watched the Temple of Doom, but I think he may need to wait awhile to see that one. I don't think he's ready to see someone's heart ripped out yet.

The Crystal Skull fits into the Jones family of films, and if you grew up with Indiana, I see no reason why you wouldn't enjoy this one as well. It's not like any of the previous movies were plausible, so why should we expect this one to be? It has Harrison Ford, the hat, the whip and the theme music. What more do you need?

2008-05-22T00:07:00.002-04:00

Very sad news...From The Tennessean

Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter killed by car in driveway

Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.

Maria, one of the Christian singer’s six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, she said.

When my niece passed away, I shared with my brother a Steven Curtis Chapman song, With Hope. Sadly, it once again seems appropriate in this case.

1 Thess. 4:13-14 / Heb. 6:9, 10:23

This is not at all how
We thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you
We had so many dreams
And now you've gone away
And left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
And nothing we can do
Can take away the pain
The pain of losing you, but ...

We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope
'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope
'Cause we believe with hope
(There's a place by God's grace)
There's a place where we'll see your face again
We'll see your face again

And never have I known
Anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more
The wisdom of God's plan
But through the cloud of tears I see the Father's smile and say well done
And I imagine you
Where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
'Cause now you're home
And now you're free, and ...

We have this hope as an anchor
'Cause we believe that everything
God promised us is true, so ...

We wait with hope
And we ache with hope
We hold on with hope
We let go with hope

2008-05-19T10:27:00.002-04:00

Let the countdown to summer begin! I have survived the last major professional test. The only major snafu was a power outage -- not something you really want to happen when you are beginning the broadcast portion of the program. But we worked through it and the rest of the program went well.

The keynote speaker was very interesting, and now I'm planning to buy her book so I can get it read before the movie comes out. I also managed to get a picture with her despite the number of people who were also getting pictures and autographs. She was very kind and gracious. I finally was able to crash at 1 a.m. but woke up the next morning with a migraine. So much for the topomax. I guess it at least held off the headache for the day of the event...

Anyway, this week we have all of the end of school events. So I'm volunteering at the reading carnival today. However, on Thursday, I'm taking that day for myself and going to see the Indiana Jones movie in the afternoon. I can't even begin to tell you what a sense of relief I felt Saturday once the event was over. The pressure I have been under for the past several months has been ridiculous -- and I only work part time! It is a very good thing that I truly enjoy my job or I would probably be ready to quit. Now I can enjoy my kids' activities for the next few days and not worry about work.