The trouble with spirited children is .....

they are very strong willed.

Yes, this I knew.

Many, many years ago.

Aiy aiy aiy.

I swear I feel like I have been "teaching lessons" for a week straight (because every time I turn around there is one to *teach*). I feel like I have not been positive (because I haven't). I feel like I have been handing out consequences left and right (because I have). I feel like I am a mean mommy deserving of the bad mommy award for the week (because I am and I do.)

argh. and wahhhhhhh. and ugh. and {sniff sniff}

This is hard. This is frustrating, and crappy.

Parenting is a challenge, and a very slippery slope at times. What I mean is this: frustration finds a way in, the other adult in the "room" (whether it's reality in the room, or just figuratively in the relationship) gets the backlash of frustration because you can't lash out at the kids. So, in the end, the parenting unit is stressed.

THAT's where I am at.

It isn't awful, it isn't all consuming. I really think it's the end of the summer, and we all need a little jolt to the routine we've been in for 2 months.

Tired. Bored. and just growing up.

My kids are super kids. They are fun to be around, and a joy to be a mommy to. They have tons of friends, and other people enjoy being around them.

They are 7 and 6. They will make mistakes, and they will disappoint me, dh, teachers, each other, family .... etc. You get the point. Why then, if I know this am I determined to get them to see things the way I am looking at it.

I was up until 2:10 AM the other night. Writing. It doesn't seem too late, I know. However, I was to be in the OR at 6:45 the next morning, so it was a 6:00AM wake up. I wrote this: (well, this is a bit of it - it's 2.5 pages)

....... I know that I have been extremely difficult to be around, especially during times of high stress. Although we had a great summer, and we found time to enjoy ourselves, I felt overwhelmed with the need to control so much of what happens here. I cannot. I know I can’t. I just can’t keep myself from desiring that control. I hate that part of me. I want so badly to sit back and “let go”. Live and let live.

In so many ways, I know that I can do that – but only in ways that I am not being judged. For instance, my children’s actions; the way my house looks – neatness wise; my appearance; my children’s appearance ~ all of these I am judged on and I want the control of it all, all of it done, my way, so that when people judge me, it is favorably. It is an impossible dream. It is something I am struggling with. Daily. I know that. It is also ridiculous, and so not important items, I know all of this.

I want to let it go.

I need to know that I am doing okay, that I am getting through the shitty stuff, and celebrating the fabulous stuff. I need to know that things are positive when they are positive, and work together when they aren’t. I would love to be more positive, and find a way to celebrate things, things that are important – like my kids NOT arguing, and playing a game together, or like friends finding a way to get along, and celebrating one another by laughing, and giggling, and loving each other. I want to teach my son that being a good person supersedes winning, at all costs. I want to tech my daughter that people listen better when you speak gently. I want to teach my kids that yelling gets nothing but deaf ears. I want to be a role model. I want to be a decent role model. One that handles stress, and finds a way to rise above and love what is *here* in front of me. I want to be a good wife. A good mom. And a good friend.

I want to be better. I guess, we all do, don't we?

I want to celebrate the positive, and ignore the negative (to a point that makes the point, you know what I mean? Not IGNORE completely, but give the attention to the good stuff, and leave the ugly stuff for the garbage, get it?)

I want to let my kids know that they are struggling through stuff that they will learn from, and gain strength from. I want them to feel good about themselves, and not badly. I want them to know that we believe in them, and trust that they will do what is right, and good, and kind, and loving. And pass on these things to their kids.

I want them to be noble citizens, with hearts of gold, and minds of steel, and souls of goodness. I want them to be loved and love. I want them to show what makes the fabric of THEM. They are noble,gold,steel, and good. They ARE love.

You and I are a strong, quality team. I know that we have what it takes to make it. I feel the strength from our relationship, and our love, daily. But I also know that we lose, like all marriages, sight of this through the reality of a busy family with difficult phases that we go through. 7.5 year olds, and 6 year olds can be difficult. But WE are making it more difficult by not allowing them to be who they are. They are babies in the “big picture”. Wouldn’t you agree? You always make me look at the big picture. You always have a way to make me see the end result – the forest through the trees if you will - and the reality of our kids ages is just this : babies. They can’t possibly have the tools to relate, process, feel, understand, and know what we are frustrated with.

Not yet. We need to train them for many years. And if we keep going down this road, it will destruct before our very eyes. I know I will.

C understands feelings, and he is now “getting” that he is hurting feelings of others; it’s going to be a long road to teach how to stop and think BEFORE he acts. Boys, especially little boys, are impulsive, and “living in the moment – moment to moment” kind of people. He is a gentle soul, with a strong spirit. He is a kind kid, one with loads of love.

K can’t hear herself scream like that. She is now grasping that we are climbing the walls when we hear it. Girls get their attention from the whining that they are famous for. Again, it’s going to be a long road before she can squelch the impulse to squeal for attention. We’ve been giving it all along. She is warm, and loving, and giving, and thoughtful. She is a wonderful, spririted kid.

These things I know, and I can rationalize them here. In writing, on paper. I cannot, for the life of me, see through that darn forest to rationalize it in reality when I am IN IT WITH THEM. I know that you have a hard time with this too.

This, this is where I need your help. I need to back away from the negative behavior, and praise the good behavior. I need to keep the point going that “ _______ is a better way to act, and opposed to ______ being the bad way to act”.

Toddlers need positive reinforcement, heck, WE ALL do. I have not been good at that lately. Probably ever, honestly. I am sorry about that. I want to be better at it. I want to give kudos when it’s deserved, and also when it’s just something little.

Spreading love.

Spreading celebration.

Spreading cheer.

Not worrying about being judged, or judging. Not worrying about who will get a big head.

Positive reinforcement.

Loving the goodness in us all.

I bet we can all benefit from it. I believe in this family. I believe in each of you. I believe we can get through this, and find the way to relating better, and processing all the crap that we have to.

I believe we can be better served by celebrating each other. Loving one another more, and showing it, telling it, and FEELING it.

I am sorry for the angst; for the frustration I have caused; for the crappy attitude. I am sorry for the aggravation.

I love you more that you know. I love all three of you, with all of me.

Let’s work on this.

what a transition weekend!

We had a perfectly, unbelievably, FEMALE weekend! :O)

We rearranged three rooms completely, and also changed 4 lights that have desperately NEEDED it!

Yahooooo!

We purchased a new living room set, with a beautiful chair and ottoman, moved the current living set into a completely unused room and are making that into a kids TV room (close to the kitchen)moved that furniture (antiques - couch, two chairs, and desk - very beautiful - but not for a family room) into our bedroom, and hallway upstairs, and rearranged an area in our room that was being used as storage, and now is a reading nook, with that furniture.

The lights are wonderful! We removed one hanging one from the kids TV room and placed a cap on it, no overhead light now! (initally designed to be a dining room, but our kitchen is the open concept with no walls separating two rooms, and we have the dining table in it, with the family room off that straight ahead) and we replaced the over-the-sink one, the over-the-island one and the dining room table one.

I love, love, love them! It makes the whole room seem different, and prettier! YAY! And believe me, it has been loooooooong overdue! We have lived with these really ugly lights for, er, two years :-\.

I had been looking and looking for new lights, for about, oh, 2 years, and never found *just the right ones*. Then, yesterday, spur of the moment, I was in a store, looking for something else, and BINGO! there they were! (love that impulse buying thing, especially when it works out for the best!)

So, this rearranging is all on the heels of a massive clean sweep in the kids rooms, and our room.

Stuff clearing - mind cleansing - excess removing.

I just found some time to clear out "things". Big bags of good will things. Big bags of hand-me-downs to friends. Big bags of toys for our old pre-school.

I feel like I have a new house. :O) It is so cool.

I will get some pics posted soon ...... very soon.

Today, my dad is getting cable in the kids TV room so that's the adventure for the day. :O)

yahooooooooo!!!

I'm in the search for some more cleansing, so I need to find a needed area ..... :O) hehehehehehehe The Fly Lady would be so proud!

Weird? Who's weird?

So, I've been tagged by my friend Kim and I wanted to play along. I don't necessarily find this stuff weird, but then again no one ever thinks they are weird themselves, right? :-)

So, here I go.

1. My dog, Cleo. She might be the weirdest thing I have ever seen. She is an almost 4 year old Cocker Spaniel, light beige/white in color. She lays ON our Chocolate Lab. I don't just mean lays on his front paws, and stretches out - no, I mean backs up, hikes her hind legs up and over his back, and lays on top of him. (her front paws around his belly, hind legs tucked under her on his back) He lets her. She sleeps there. All night.

2. My husband says it's weird that I can start a conversation with anyone. Anywhere. Anytime. And I am sincere, and jovial with them, often finding many similarities with that person. Just chatting.
(by the way, I don't find this weird, but rather friendly, if I say so myself) :)

3. I cannot go to bed if I feel the slightest bit grungy, or sweaty, without taking a shower. I will shower that night, sleep, and in the morning shower for the day, the next day.

4. I can't keep messages in my email inbox. I read them, reply, delete. I hate having "that much stuff waiting for me to get to it"

5. I could eat soup every day of the year. Pretty much any kind of soup.

So that's it. Not *that* wierd is it?

;o)

Six

My baby turned Six today.

My baby. The youngest. The little one.

I can hardly imagine it.

:O) :O(

Both of those feelings are simultaneoulsy filling me. This is making me teary, though. The baby is gone. Long gone. Those wings are really evident now. {sniff sniff}

She rose at 6:00 AM - a good two + hours earlier than the summer rise-and-shine time of 8:15/30, so that was a surprise. She actually just laid down again, as her party with friends is this afternoon, and my fear was sheer exhaustion by that time! She went with only a brief "no, mommmmmmmmmy", but then was easily convinced that it was a really 'smart, and big girl decision to make". ;o)

We had a birthday party for the family Sunday here, it was a celebration of all the family's August bdays (there are4 in the immediate family) so that was fun - she got some presents in the mail - an American Girl Doll with accessories from a very special auntie! - and as I mentioned she will be having her friends here today.

So, I think this makes it completely official. No Kindergartener here anymore. A six year old, and a seven year old kid. First AND second graders ..... big elementary school kids.

{sniff sniff} but huge grins that we're doing this thing called life too! :O)

Happy Birthday, babe!

Changes

Tomorrow rings it in.
We have been waiting for this day.

S starts a new gig tomorrow. This career, and I mean that, CAREER, is without question - written for him.

He will be in the arena of selling - on the road.

He will be selling sporting good equipment through a distributer, a start up, family owned, small company. He will NOT be a number in a comapny of 200,000 people. He will be the sales rep for the company. The owner will be working with him side-by-side. He will be making a difference, and finding some amazing niche that has truthfully,

been waiting for him.

I am so excited for him.

I am so excited for us.

He will be enjoying himself, finding that place of peace. The wonderful environment that he will be an impact player. A deal maker. A needed person - NOT a number.

This was SO the right move.

I am so excited for him. :O)

The right time.
The right place.
The right people.

I freking LOVE it when it comes together for people that SO DESERVE it.

Rock on, S. I love you!

The Power of Will

The battle of the stubborns.

Why do children think they can out - will their mother?

Are they not given the note at birth that their mother has the will of 1,000 times her body strength?

Is there not a communication from the kid-directors that they need to step back and realize that when the going gets tough, the mother will win?

Have they not been paying attention these 5 years 11 months and 361 days?

Do they make girls all the same though, these angels that make people?

Are the girls of the world prepared from the moment they are conceived to be resistent to things that "aren't fair, and not right"?

Are girls persistent because if they give in, someone, somewhere will hear it / see it / know it, and forever they will be labeled as a giver-upper?

Oh, dear me. I think I am being tested. It is entirely possible. I know this.

That child, she has the strength of JOBE.
She is persistent.
Willful.
Intolerant of injustice (in her mind, anyway).
Stubborn.
Demanding.
Unreasonable when she is stuck in a "moment".

And dang it all, freaking *just like her mother*. :o
But, in the spirit of acceptance and love - I am in a place that I learn and fall DEEPLY in love every day, to a WHOLE new level with WHO my children are; I am accepting and loving the fabric that they are made of - I need to say

She is ALSO:

demanding.
persistent.
stubborn.
intolerant of injustices.
willful.
strong beyond her years.
not easily swayed of her opinion.

And she will never let anyone step on her, push her over, persuade her to "give in", or force an unwanted activity.

She may just be President someday. :O)

Maybe.

Home

Had a blast! 20 years is a blink of an eye! ;o)

Kids completely enjoyed hanging with auntie Amy, did all things kid-like. :o) Water slide park, AAA baseball game (Cam and Uncle Jon - boy bonding), bead store to make jewelry for mommy (!) and girls night movie watching while doing hair. They have had thier FILL of sugar according to Auntie. Likely *more* than they've had in the lifetime all smooshed into one day. (Auntie said she saw the wrath of sugar high in one particualr 7 year old boy - learned THAT lesson, didn't we??!!)

Hung with S's peop's and caught up with all the folks. Saw one of the couple's expecting twins in Jan - cute, pregnant lady!

Good times, glad to be home. Kids sound asleep, happy as can be.

Heading to bed.

Off for the reunion

Hard to believe it. I am having a hard time even saying it to people that ask us "why are you heading to Maine?"

20th High School Reunion.

1986

Seems.like.yesterday.

Seriously. In that amount of time, SO much has happened. College, Div I swimming, career moves, marriage, kids, two houses, two dogs, *my* kids starting their schooling .....

I am now at an age that I remember my parents being. I thought they were unstoppable. They were the coolest people in the world. I was 14 when my mother was my age, and I was the third child. My brother was 19 - IN college. And they were married for 20+ years at that point! Here I am with a second grader, and a first (gulp!) grader.

And I am heading to my husbands 20th high school reunion.

Holy.stromboli. :O)

How very cool. And scary at the same time. Mine is in the fall, around Thanksgiving. I bet that one will feel even more strange.

So, on another note, I think my 7 year old might just be plotting my insanity.

That child, that sweet, perpetual motion, gentle, active, smart as a whip, funny-as-all-get-out, little squirt is.killing.me. He and I are driving on different maps right now. Horns are butting. Ideas are NOT meshing. The messages are unclear.

But, alas, he is 7-and-a-half. He has never been a good and-a-half transition. He is a little nervous about 2nd grade, understandably. Big moves from 1st grade/primary level to more homework, harder materials kind of things (or at least that's what all his hockey buddies tell him he should expect) He is beginning to worry about appearances (egads, huh?) and that certainly is a topic for us consistently.

But he is really struggling with his sister, who for all intense and purposes is so loving, and so caring, and so worried ABOUT HIM. It is unreal. She and he are complete polar opposites. I said to my husband today (and he agreed, by the way) that they are mini versions of adults. She, the female, is worried ONLY about everyone else that is in the world ("Oh, mommy, look that person is eating alone, I'd like to go and eat with him so he's not so lonely") <----- TRUE conversation!!! and He, the male, is worried about NO ONE but himself, you know the kind - *world revolves around my head, yes?* So, as he communicates with her, he taunts, and teases, and flusters, and pisses off his sister.

Rite of passage, sibling rivalry. Yes, I know. It darn well STINKS. 'Cause remember, I am a pro at weilding taunt - I *am* the third child.

It is a phase, it, too, shall pass. I know.

And until then, I will breath heavy. Lay down the law (or at least the rules as best I can) and look at these faces and love them for the love they give me.

Because for every irritating scratch, there are 7 wonderful, silly, fun filled giggling moments that these two have, and that warms my heart. (thank god, it might stop ticking soon, and if someone will need it, it has to be warm, right?) ;o)

So, off to pack, and ready the house for the weekend.

I leave you with this fabu picture of the faces of pure, simple, love.

g'night

Proof that it really DID happen

yep, all 15 in a shot together.

What a great day!

Aren't they all just beautiful?! :)

life is for living

my children teach me that every day.

every day.

their spirit, their energy, their voice, their charm, their love ...... no one, not a soul that encounters them doesn't smile. I watch it. I am not shamlessly bragging. They are living life to the fullest. It is captivating.

The interesting thing is this: it can move you in ways you've not felt, and it can drive you to the edge. I mean it. I love spending time with them, adoring the spirit and the energy. And there are days that I am exhausted from the "buzz".

They rise at reasonable times - sometimes 7:30, maybe 8 AM, sometimes 8:45 AM lately (summer seems to be carefree that way) and they peek in to our room to see where we are - in bed, in the bathroom, wherever. They will head down to the family room, and typically C is up first - Sports Center goes on. K will sometimes sneak in to bed with me, and steal that all important snuggle, but she can sometimes be found with him on the couch watching, ever so intently. Trying to climb into his head, seeing what drives him. Not one single bit interested in Sports Center, but relationship building with her big bro. Not many words are heard, perhaps one or two. The morning wake-up is reasonable, and pleasant. But still, slow.

S comes down to do the breaky thing, fold some laundry, begin his morning routines with them. I listen, with one ear only to the chatter, but not hearing the words. it's their time, their moments.

I hear the laughter most often. Then the motion begins. It's as if daddy brings "it". Movement, energy, living. The house begins to live.

Feet pitter pattering, giggles, chatter, talking, requests .... life.

From the moment I descend the stairs, I realize that my time, anything that *I* need to do will come second. And I am okay with that. They are living. They are teaching me to just be.

The last year and a half has been a revelation for me. I have changed my thinking, my drive, my focus. I am NOT about the job, any job. I have no issue with taking a moment, taking a deep breath to re-evaluate what's important. It is absolutely because of them. I have been changing my thinking for 7 years 7 months and 8 days.

Because they teach me to live.

I am grateful for that. Ever so grateful.

But I still need to gain more perspective. I still need to work at it.

I hope for more:

patience
peace
gentle words
understanding
forgiveness

with these I can continue to live. To be.

wow, a whole week?

That might have been lightening speed ......

Truthfully, outside of life in general, there isn't even that much exciting to report ....

My last post, the day before the butterfly zoo, and Save the Bay Expo (fabulous day with the kids! - pictures to come, I swear ....) I was pretty sure that life was just motoring along. I guess it was.

So, let's see -

C has swimmer's ear. Saw the doc on Monday, has ear drops - hates them. Ear seems to be improving, despite the struggle.

K has had her gymnastics canceled all week due to extreme heat - as in over 100 degrees. Spent loads of time in the pool, or in the A/C. She had a tough night last night, and recieved a punishment today that *may* have done the trick ... we'll see. {girls ... they can definitely test the boundaries differently!)

I was in NYC for 24 hours for work. Enjoyed it, but felt like a wee bit of a waste of time, however. Not to mention out of my territory, and not selling to my accounts. Always frustrating.

And as is the routine here, my kid lost her tooth while I was not in sight - not even within hearing distance. I was in NYC. :O( I have YET to see one, that's right, ONE of either of my kids teeth come out. Isn't that unreal? C's lost 8 and K's lost 3. Not one have I witnessed. It has now become a joke to them, and inside, I am melting as I grapple with the loss of that babydom. Perhaps the "tooth fairy" knows I will crumble if I witness it occuring before my very eyes.

We power washed all the teak furniture, and now working on the deck. Looks amazing, and I love the color it becomes. But holy stromboli - time suck!

Oh - geez - forgot this piece of GREAT news, S got that new position he was going for! THAT is fabulous news ......he is so excited, and so relieved. He has been increasing in aggravation with the old company, and it was so blatantly obvious that he needed to move on. Then this perfectly designed, and perfectly structured position shows up, and wham! All good. :O) So, he starts in a few weeks. After his notice time, and a vacation, of course.

Oh, and we have his high school reunion next weekend. 20 years. T.W.E.N.T.Y.

{sigh}

I cannot even believe that. Mine is in the fall .... I can remember high school like it was yesterday. Okay, the day before yesterday, but still .... :-\

Looking forward to it, he has a fantastic group of friends, all of which he is still great friends with. We'll spend the weekend there, and catch up. Looking forward to it, and I have a really pretty skirt I found the other day - just need a top and some cute new shoes. I'll have to get him something groovy to wear too. Always fun to do that. He has such flare for color, and always ventures out to something different. I love that.

Actually, that's one of the many things I love about him.

Alrighty, I think that's it.

I will try and be here more often.

Perhaps it was a sign that life was just motoring along. I like that.

seeya ......

Summertime - Funtime, little update

So, yes, we are enjoying the summer. The kids have had a blast. They have a list going of all the things "we did on our summer vacation" and it's hanging on the 'fridge.

For two kids who have been out exactly 36 days tomorrow - they have already filled an entire sheet of paper! (granted, it has things like "friends over to spend day swimming in pool", and "sleepover with friend" and such, but hey, it *was* an activity different than the mundane school days life, yes?)

Today, I wanted a little break from our house, and our neighborhood, you know change of scenery. So we went on a little errand/fun run all three of us. We got C's hair cut, and K had some really cool twisties put in her hair, too; we picked up a gift card to a coffee shop that I won from a radio station - $50! gift card - woohoo! Spent some time with my mom; and hit the library to turn in our hour cards, and receive this weeks prizes for reading.

By the time we got home again, we had a little while before K's gymnastics (she can do her backhandspring ALONE! :O) some friends from dh's work came over this afternoon for a little bit before dh went to his baseball game, to swim, and wrestle with the kids in the pool (they love our kids) That was the day ..... it was a nice day. Really nice.

And we got some encouraging news from this career opp that S has before him - the manager had asked him in tomorrow morning for another "chat" about details, and he phoned several of his references today. (always a good sign!) This is something he is so interested in, and SUCH a great fit for him. Time for a change from his 7+ years at the current employer. He is so ready to expand and explore. So ready for something to excite him professionally again. So if you have any extra pv's hanging around, could you send them S's way for this "chat" tomorrow?

The kids and I are heading to a butterfly farm, and a Save The Bay ExpoCenter tomorrow, and they are so excited about it! (me too!) I will be sure to have my camera, and post them when I get them all back.

Oh, and K is in *crisis* with this hanging-by-a-thread front tooth. Dear me. If that thing isn't out soon, I may have to take some drastic measures, and yank the sucker out. (bloody toothbrush tonight sent her to the stratosphere. can you say d.r.a.m.a )

So, that's the little bit I have. There's been a nice lull for a few days. I'm sure it'll pick up again.

Off to bed with me, now ..... g'night.

15 kids under 7.

You read that correct.

That's what was in my house. Today.

What an absolute BLAST!

My girlfriends from childhood (seriously, as in Kindergarten friends .....) were all here for a reunion of sorts, and a gathering of our combined 15 kids.

I was misty eyed looking at them all. My two - the BOTH of them - are the oldest of the group. The youngest was four months.

It was awesome.
It was bedlam.
It was mayhem.
And, well, AND, it was fahreaking FUN!!!!! :O)

Only bad thing was one of the 3 year olds twins here is a bit of a wild man, while running track style in my house, ran straight into the corner {read- pointy corner} of my kitchen island and required three stitches to his head. Poor sweet fella, and m&d. Amazingly to all of us (because the twins are a very busy duo), this was their FIRST visit to the ER.

All was fine, and it was a 75 minute visit. Not bad. He got loads of presents there, and Buzz helped him "survive the visit". :)

So, I have a fabulous group shot, of course, IN my camera.

Oh, and yeah, about the digi thing - you know that you have issues when one of the four 3 year olds here walks up to you after snapping said photo, and asks "can I see?" and you say, "see what, honey?" Three year old looking perplexed at my questions says {get a load of this balogny} "The picture you just took."

:o\ As she is turning my 35MM around in my hand to see the window.

{sigh}

Three year old converts.

They start them ENTIRELY too young.

heh.

So, off to bed with me. A wee bit fatigued.

Gleefully fatigued, but still.

Fear

What would you do if you weren't afraid?

What a question, yes?

I was reading a blog, one I read from time to time - Cathy Z and she had an entry last night about the last time you were fearless. The idea was generated from a moving letter she read in a scrapbooking magazine. It has had a powerful impact on her regular readers, and commenters.

I typically don't post on blogs of folks I don't know, I think it just feels odd that I haven't *met* them, so I didn't comment there, but I needed to make my own journal entry. (and hey, it's a fab topic for sure.)

This topic has come up often for me with regards to my work. On a business front, I am a different person than my personal front. I have very little fear personally. Sometimes, I would even guess that I venture far too close to that edge of fearLESSness.

From a business aspect, sales specifically, I have far more inhibitions. I am fearful mostly of what people will think of me. What I mean by that is this - will I present a solid level of knowledge of my product, from a clinical standpoint, am I smart enough to go "toe to toe" with a Physician in the OR, will I be able to answer the questions about their challenges with my product, etc.

The past year has been an incredible growth year for me. I am new to the arena of anesthesia, so I have been on a high speed train of learning. And with that, I have had to ignore the strong feelings of inhibition, because frankly, I have a job to do of which the success or failure of said job, directly affects my income. So, my fears have had to be put to bed, in many senses.

From all accounts, I have been successful with that. I have become more confident. I have learned an awful lot. I feel comfortable going "toe to toe" with Docs and CRNA's. I am not afraid to ask for the business.

But, it hasn't been easy.

When we've been in training (and this company I work for has a solid, yet evolving training program) I've gained knowledge, and more importanly at this point, confidence and strength. A question that they ask us all the time is"

"what would you do if you weren't afraid?"

So, for me, it has been a tremendously thought provoking, and deep soul searching kind of question from a professional standpoint.

I ask myself that question an awful lot. Cathy, if you read this (uhm, likely not) the last time I was fearless was this past year. Jumping in two feet to this new position (2 years soon ....) and finding the strength to not be afraid.

I hope I can instill in my kids to be fearless. It is a gift. It is a journey, too, however.

So, with that - what would you do if you weren't afraid?

Holy Clapper Batman! That was BIGGGGGGG

Okay, so when I mentioned that I loved a summertime thunderclapper, I neglected to say that I didn't want it to be of min-hurricane levels ....

but, THAT, my friends is what we got.

I saw the lightening, and was printing out a business plan for the dh, when *CLAPPP* BAAAANNNNNNNGGGGGGG! happened ....

oh, sh*t! We got hit, was all I could think of.

I ran to the kitchen to see S on the deck, wrestling with the high table and umbrella, which had turned itself inside out on him. The bang, thank god, was the table, teakwood, hitting the mahogany deck outside. Two really hard woods, smacking together in hurricane force winds.

The mayhem continued with all the pool toys, and floats scattering about the yard, the fence fell (it is getting repaired from a recent wind storm - so this was just insult to injury) and then we heard more snaps, and bangs, and really loud thunder with a litany of lightening.

Then the lights went out.

They flickered for a few, and finally out at 10:00PM. They were out all night.

We went to bed, and had a little pint sized visitor for the night, which of course means no one sleeps well. With the thunder and lightening, though, I wasn't going to be sleeping anyway. And neither was she. :O)

The two fellas were just fine snoozing. No noise disrupting them. Lucky devils.

So, this morning, I emerged into the streets to take K-gal to gymnastics camp, and the number of trees down, along with the mess in the streets, was unreal! Our power came back on at 10:30 AM, but I was at Panera Bread accessing the internet on my wireless. Smart kid, I am. I heard another lady speaking to her neighbor about the power just coming back on, and asked where she lived, turned out she lived 2 or 3 developments away from me, and that meant mine was back on too.

So, home I came.

Lights on. Backyard looking like a hurricane hit it. :o)

But, the silver lining is this -- it is SO MUCH cooler!!! YAY! I don't even have the A/C on.

~ ~ ~ grins ~ ~ ~

So, off to clean up a tad, and then enjoy the birds chirping outside my window.

Have a great day!

When Life Comes At You Fast

Run a little faster.

That's my advice today.

It's all I got, folks.

Kerrrazzzyyyy hot here. 101* on my car temp. One-hundred-and-one.

Huh?

And today was the day that I decided to come out of hibernation and go see some accounts of mine. Fine choice.

Not.

I finished the day with a 90 minute never-get-out-of-the-pool float. :o) So nice.

There were exactly 12 kids, and 5 adults swimming at my pool after hockey camp and gymnastics camp today.

Happy faces in that water. It was so very nice, and so very needed.

We are expecting thunderstorms tonight, and cooler temps tomorrow.

I hope the thunder is reallLLLlly loud. I love a good summer thunderclapper.

oooooo.... there's some lightening.

off to listen. :O)

g'night.

so, a few pictures of the last few months .....

I had to get 7 rolls of film developed (oiy, digi is just screaming for me, I know!) and here are a few highlights .... there are many more pics, and I will add as I blog about stories, but had to get these out there .....







this is what 10 inches looks like after it's gone to a "little girl who was sick, and needed my hair because the medicine they took made their hair fall out"

Locks for Love, June 21, 2006



this is the face of the C-man fella swimming and playing jumping from his cousin's shoulders (can you say freckled face?!)



this is the K-gal at her first evah' piano concert last month (talk about swelling with pride! 50 people watched here play away!)



the smiley guy playing at a playground this past week, love the contrast of the circle with him



K-gal waiting for the gymnastics show to begin in June ....

so that's it for now .... there'll be more. I promise. ;O)

My answers .....

Well, Kim had asked me for my answers, so here they are! :o)

1. Have you ever been searched by the cops? Uhm, no.
2. Do you close your eyes on a roller coaster? No way! I wanna see the impending doom about to meet me head on. :O)
3. When's the last time you've been sledding? the last snow here, March? We all went around the corner on the golf course.
4. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone? if the someone is S, then with him, otherwise, definitely alone.
5. Do you believe in ghosts? absolutely, without question!
6. Do you consider yourself creative? yeah, I have a little creative juice every now and then
7. Do you think O.J. killed his wife? hmmmm, just don't have a definitive opinion on this.
8. Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? (silly, I know ... but very "now") Jennifer. Don't like the really freaky Angelina.
9. Can you honestly say you know ANYTHING about politics? no, truthfully, no.
10. Do you know how to play poker? yes, a little
11. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight? good gawd, no. I think I'd implode.
12. What's your favorite commercial? there are so many! there was a great Super Bowl Pepsi one several years ago with a little kid I remember loving, and then the Coke one with Mean Joe Green, quite often the Budweiser ads are among my faves, however, the beer is not my fave. Isn't it funny how you can't remember when you need to?
13. Who was your first love? Cliff
14. If you're driving in the middle of the night, and no one is around you, do you run a red light? need more info on this .... if I am alone on the road, secluded area, and it's super late, no kids in the car, probably. However, if the kids are with me (why in the middle of the night, who knows?) and I am not completely alone, no.
15. Do you have a secret that no one knows but you? nope ....
16. Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees? Uh, do we even have to ask -----> BOSTON!!!
17. Have you ever been Ice Skating? yes, many many times.
18. How often do you remember your dreams? all the time. I dream in color, and when I was pregnant, they were technicolor!
19. What's the one thing on your mind? right now, getting S a new job, and feeling less stress about that
20. Do you always wear your seat belt? absolutely.
21. What talent do you wish you had? I wish I could sing and play an instrument
22. Do you like Sushi? yes
23. What do you wear to bed? tshirt, boxers, pajama pants, tanks. SOmetimes even nothing! :O)
24. Do you truly hate anyone? no, severely dislike a couple of people, not hate.
25. If you could sleep with one famous person, who would it be? hmmmmm .... dunno. I don't think anyone famous, I like to fly under the radar to be honest. I can think of a couple not-so-famous. ;O)
26. Do you know anyone in jail? sadly, yes.
27. What food do you find disgusting? Cauliflower.
28. Have you ever made fun of your friends behind their back? sadly, yes. It's one of those things you think of and regret.
29. Have you ever been punched in the face? slapped, not punched. Years ago.
30. Do you believe in angels and demons? Angels without question, they live everywhere. Demons, never thought of it. I suppose they need to be here to. I believe in truly evil people, so I guess they would be a demon, right? I believe in really wonderful, angelic people, thinking they have a little magic in them, so it would make sense.

This was fun!

Tagged! :o)

So let the fun roll on here .....

I thought I would start a cool tag ~~

Fransie
Bonnie
Kim
Natalie
Laura

1. Have you ever been searched by the cops?
2. Do you close your eyes on a roller coaster?
3. When's the last time you've been sledding?
4. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone?
5. Do you believe in ghosts?
6. Do you consider yourself creative?
7. Do you think O.J. killed his wife?
8. Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? (silly, I know ... but very "now")
9. Can you honestly say you know ANYTHING about politics?
10. Do you know how to play poker?
11. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight?
12. What's your favorite commercial?
13. Who was your first love?
14. If you're driving in the middle of the night, and no one is around you, do you run a red light?
15. Do you have a secret that no one knows but you?
16. Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees?
17. Have you ever been Ice Skating?
18. How often do you remember your dreams?
19. What's the one thing on your mind?
20. Do you always wear your seat belt?
21. What talent do you wish you had?
22. Do you like Sushi?
23. What do you wear to bed?
24. Do you truly hate anyone?
25. If you could sleep with one famous person, who would it be?
26. Do you know anyone in jail?
27. What food do you find disgusting?
28. Have you ever made fun of your friends behind their back?
29. Have you ever been punched in the face?
30. Do you believe in angels and demons?

and let it roll onwards! :O)

The Clearing

I saw it.

It happened to my head.

I am so grateful.

:o)

I feel like a cloud may have been lifted from around my being.

There was confusion, frustration, sadness, disappointment, and ultimately fatigue with the fogginess in my head.

It's gone. whoosh.

just gone.

I am grateful, and very pleased.

the sun has decided to make an appearance too.

glad to see it. hope it stays.

off to play with the kids.

and pick up 6 rolls of film that needed to be developed.

(that, my friends, is a warning of posted pics to come .... :)

A million pieces

Of things to put together in my head......

so ~

I am going to start back at the date I had with my husband and move forward from there.

it'll help me collect my thoughts, and organize where I am.

(ahem, can you tell I am seeking some settling vibes ....)

So, my date - yum. I love dates. I love this man. He is peace, he is comfort, and he is just.so.easy.to.be.with. I do not spend enough alone time with him. We are in the thick of parenting, like so many people, and get caught in that whirlwind of needs, and wants from those little cherubs we call "our babes". Our New Year's Res (well, one of them ...) was to spend more time having dates, and being alone *reconnecting* if you will. We are the very best of friends, and I feel strongly he is my soul mate. We've made it a priority to find that time, and I have to say, we've been okay with it. This date proved to me we need to become very good at it.

We started with meeting up with some new friends at an Irish pub around the bend that we'd not been to. It was terrific. Great people, and of course, good libations. ;) We then went to the most terrific Irish band concert - The Gaelic Storm - FABULOUS band! We saw them in a very old theater, tons of nostalgia there, and the accoustics were phenominal for the event. They were funny, they were incredible musicians, they were entertaining, and they were perfect for our date. It is something we rarely do - see a concert - and it was just right. A lite dinner, a couple of libations, and music. Irish Music. Right up our alley. We are already planning to see the band again when they come back in the fall. They've been together 8 years, and have quite a following. We may be two more followers. ;)

The next day, K-gal and I went to NYC to watch my two nieces dance in a National Competition. They did beautifully, and we had a blast in the city. We were there for two nights, and it was a really fun time. My oldest niece, K, was in the title competition, and she placed 2nd runner up - out of 255 dancers from around the US and Canada. :O) Awesome! She is just captivating to watch, and moves me to tears each time she dances. My little niece, R, was also there dancing, no solos, but her group numbers. She did awesome! She was awarded several medals and the experience was terrific for her! K-gal and I headed home Sunday night about 11PM, she slept, I wanted to - but drove straight, and weerily parked in the wee hours back in my driveway to climb into my bed, happily seeing my dh and squirt, C.

While we were gone, C, was named player of the week in his hockey gig he is doing this summer - he won a rocking new stick, and was thrilled beyond imagination! He and daddy spent a very guys weekend together, watching the Sox, and going to daddy's baseball games ..... they missed us though. And we did them. :O)

The two squirts started the arts and crafts camp this week. They are doing it for two weeks, one now, and one in August, and they are LOVING it! It's only 2 hours each day, just right, and loads of friends there. I have a feeling come the end of the week, I'll be asked to sign them up for another week besides August. :O)

I am knee deep in an organization of "photos and memories" undertaking. I am finally going to have everything chronologically done. I will be finishing a scrapbook for C, beginning K's, and then the world will be my oyster. ;)

So, with that, I am off .... feeling slightly caught up now, and ready to begin the next few moments .....

Back!

Well, we survived another baseball tourney in Maine!


Love that tournament .... and this year had an additional bonus - Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd played for S's team! Yep, the real deal .... he was an outfielder, and also was a relief pitcher. So cool! His wife is a peach (and she has been through an awful lot with him over the years) but she was terrific.

The team made it to the finals, and lost 9-7 to be the runner up. That was a downer, but the whole weekend was loads of fun. Kids had a ball, and are still recovering from the excitement, and lack of sleep. It really is getting easier as they get older. We realized that this was our 7th year going to this tourney!

We saw all kinds of S's best buddies, and heard some amazing baby news - Two families announced some really neat stuff - one delivered their #2 and #3 babes, twin girls. They were 2 months preemie, but doing super, and mom too - Erin and Braden. And another couple announced their impending twin delivery in January! :O) How cool is that? (we were the first to have babes out of both our sets of friends ..... so finally, FINALLY, I get some super baby snuggles!)

We came back on Monday and Tuesday for the 4th we had 26 people here for a rocking party! It was loads of fun, and the weather was cooperative. I ultimately found my "new summer drink" I have been searching for, and truthfully, I will be taking some time off from it. {sigh} A little too much Mojito, it stole my mojo. Feeling fine today, but recovery is so different at these advanced ages. :-
Today was a very mellow and quiet day. Spent the rainy AM cleaning up the house, sweeping, vaccuuming, laundry, and organizing (you know, time passing kind of business) And then like a breath of fresh air, the sun popped out, and allowed us to head out for some major lawn and yard work.

Tomorrow another little impromptu party is in store, and then a DATE! Yay! A babysitter and all, and we are heading out for an adult evening.

So, that's the update .... I will be sure to add a synopsis of the date prior to my weekend shindig I have planned with my little K-gal.

laters .....

new colors. warm sun. the cooking channel. trip planning. vacation!

So, I've got new colors and a new layout on the blog, and I am digging it! It is a simple frame, and simple, clean colors. Needed to spruce things up and "change the furniture". Ever get that urge? ;o)

The last two days have been glorious. Hot, sunny, and breezy in the evening. Swimming in the pool, playing with the kids, neighbors running all around. It is certainly the summer and the games have begun! (shhhhh .... I've been playing a wee bit 'o hookie the last two days .... working from home.)

I have a budding chef, folks. How about that?! I love eating, no doubt. Big fan of a yummy home cooked-by someone else-meal, however, enjoy dabbling in the kitchen myself. BUT, oh, the giddy joy, my 5 year old is a big, huge, excited fan of cooking shows! :O) YAY!

I always knew my kids would surprise me in SO many ways ... C was a sports watching infant. I mean, captivated by the sports on TV. Never watched kiddie shows save the occassional Baby Einstein video (gasp! yes, VIDEO) but he stopped in his tracks to find focus on anything sports, and rightfully so, he is a sportsman to the *inth* degree now ......

So, my thinking is this - if K is feeling her mojoe with the cooking shows, perhaps I can nurture this and be very, very well fed in just a coupe of years???? It is a reflective moment, yes? She asks me at least 10 times a day "mommy, what show is on Food Network now?" My answer ... "uhm, don't know that schedule well yet" (but I am LEARNING!) "I'll check it out ..." She even asked daddy to TiVo her 6-7 PM show tonight before he left for his babseball game. Can you imagine?

Oh, I am all tingly thinking about the delicious yummies! :)

So, this Friday we head out for vacation to Maine for an extended weekend. Sean is playing in a babseball tourney that he has for the last 6 years or so. It's a great excuse to head back to his home town and see the posse, hang with the kids, and spend some quality time in an amazing state. We then have taken the next week off for vacation. Sean needs it BADLY. Time for a breather from work! He is anxious to get his new adventure off the ground, and next week will be the perfect time to focus on that.

K and I then head to NYC the following Friday for a dance competition (and now coined "Girls Town" weekend) with my nieces. My oldest niece is competing for National Dance Champion. She has an amazing shot for it, but the competitors are tough at this one as they are from all over the country, and all Title Holders. Keep your fingers crossed ..... K has requested just one thing (well, besides oohing over her cousin K that is!) to go to the American Girl Doll store. When I mentioned that to someone else who has been there, she looked at me and said "bring the bank". Ugh.

But really, it is so fun to just have girl time, and be away with her. It's neat too, because this is only one of our traditions. The others are birthday related, and of course holiday time related with just she and I.

C and I need to find a few more now that I think of it.

National K day. National C day. My friend Fransie had these days for her kids (with their name of course) and I loved that idea!

So, that's all for now .....

good night!

sing along with me here .... "school's out for summer!"

wahoooooo!!!

Finally, finally the squirts are out for the summer months. 2.5 glorious months of swimming, playing, traveling, and just being a kid.

:O)

I am so excited for the fun, the chaos (remind me of that when I am d-o-n-e, k?) and yes, even the mayhem. But most of all, excited for the scrapping and picture opps that come with kids around all day. ;)

We ushered the first weekend in with more rain, and blah temperatures. BUT, they swam, and had friends over, and stayed up later than normal ..... yep, summer is here.

Let the memories begin.

yahooo!

Girlfriends

I love my girls. I have 6 treasured gifts from my long-ago past that have stuck with me, by me, for me, beside me, and around me. The oldest friends have known each other for (gulp) 33 years. Kindergarten friends, C and I. :O)

I had a great week this week. I am very tired from it, but it is a delicious tired, one where you feel the pain and you remember how you got there, and the laughing-so-hard-tears-rolled-down-your-face-abdominal-workout, get there ... and you smile again.

I had the kindergarten moms (helping moms) dinner Tuesday with the other mom from my class and the two from the PM class and the kinder teacher. It was bittersweet (there that is again!) but oh, so much fun! There were some teacher's aides that attended, and we really tore it up in a pretty fancy restaurant. Food was delicious, but the company was wonderful! Laughed, oh, we laughed so hard at so many things! Girls, and older women, just really enjoying being who we are, and bringing up these babes.

I went out with my girlfriends last night. We have instituted a once a month girls night out (GNO) and a once a month (more like 3-4 times, actually) kiddie play date with all 13 kids. Mine are the oldest, and they are spreadout all the way until a wee 3 month little fella. We had dinner, and then they dragged me (read: kicking and screaming .... NOT!) to a bar that we haunted many, ahem, a few years ago.

Side splitting, face hurting, silly laughter was abounding all night. We were like teenagers giggling about goofy things we used to do, and silly things we still do. We are all married to terrific men, and all very strong relationships. We share so much history it is utterly astonishing!

Such good stuff.

Advice

sometimes you hear something, or get something from somewhere (email in this case) that speaks volumes to you.

The timing is phenominal, the poignancy incredible.

This is one of those things.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

^^ By Mary Schmich Chicago Tribune, June 1997 ^^ (thanks, Kim !)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With all that I have been experiencing, and all that we as a family are working through regarding time moving *too fast* , this was a "give me pause" moment this morning.

We had an amazing weekend .... S and I spent the entire weekend outside just playing, and watching our kids play with friends, and family. We spent hours last night talking after the kids crashed, filled with pride, filled with love, and really looking forward to the summer. We revelled in the fact that we are the 'two luckiest parents in the whole world' as far as we were concerned.

We are in a transition, and for us, as parents, it is one of the most bittersweet transitions I think we've been grappling with. Our babe is no longer a baby; and our big boy has gotten even bigger in so many ways. The energy, and excitement are breathtaking. And the reality is, wrapping our arms around NOT putting the brakes on for them, is the root of that 'give me pause' moment. It is their time to grow, and live, and experience.

Thank goodness we have each other. ;-)

and here's another beautiful letter that I read recently.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear ____________:

May my children grow up to be confident, may they be healthy, independent adults, caring for themselves and reaching out to others. May they have a long, successful life, and grow from failures and errors I have allowed them to make. May they have loving, and helpful mates, and satisfying careers. Give me peace and contentment, and when time marches on, help me let them go.

Author Unkown.

It feels weird.

She celebrated her promotion to first grade today.

I knew it was coming, Kindergarten was awesome. She has blossomed with Mrs. G. Just like her big brother did.

She graduated from K today. Graduated. It's done. Her first year of "real school" is over. How on earth did that happen?

So, today, at the celebration, as I watched C sitting there, on S's lap, watching the ceremony (all sibs were invited to attend because it was during school time today) I found myself recalling *clearly* him being part of that celebration last year, and HER sitting on S's lap watching. He just finished K, and was moving on to first grade. She was still a babe.

How is it that I am the mother of a first grader and a second grader already?!

How? S just said to me earlier today, only one more week of 11:45 bus drop at home. She will get on the bus with her brother next year, and ride home on that same bus. 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM - BOTH kids. All day.

what?

And then tonight, the mother-daughter pajamarama at school. We all wore our pj's and did our hair, nails, a craft project ... ate, danced, socialized. And I watched my daughter communicate and socialize with kids from every grade. She addressed them by first name, and chatted with them like they were lifelong buddies .... my babe - at 5 - with 8,9,10,11,12 year olds. Huh?

I think the last post I had here I said that I thought she grew some wings this week. She did. They grew fast, and they began to flutter before they were even complete. I saw them tonight more than I have ever seen them.

It's enormous the feeling of watching your heart on the outside of your body become a little girl like this ...... I am so proud, and so in love with the little person she is. I am eternally grateful for the gift she is.

I just so wish that time were more forgiving.

And as a side note of keeping it all in perspective, I am so excited for the years we have at this school, too (5 more FULL ones!) - the foundation of their education. I love the group of people, the administration, the curriculum, the teachers, the atmosphere. I am thrilled to be part of an incredible community of support, and nurturing. I am thrilled to have my kids be part of such a wonderful community. And ecstatic that this is the primary years for them. Solid, and amazing.

10 inches

that's what she had cut from her tresses.


10 inches of delicious red hair.

It will make "someone that had to take medicine because they are sick, and their hair got pushed out of the head" very, VERY happy. Without question.

I love her hair! She looks so beautiful, and so grown up, and so happy, and just so beautiful!!!

I love it even more because SHE wanted to do Locks for Love. :O)

I cannot wait to get the pics back .... (man, I think I need digi, don't I?!) ;)

She graduates from Kindergarten tomorrow .... I think this week she's grown some wings. {sniff, sniff}

Time is relentless .....

I am feeling ... overwhelmed.

It won't last. I know. It's just always hard to muttle through it, you know?

Things are fine, really, nothing awful. School is coming to a close, summer activity is gearing up. Plants are planted, pool's open and clearing out s-l-o-w-l-y, kids are excited, and energetic. I am just all a-buzz with the "details"

Did you ever see Bridges of Madison County? Remember the part when the weekend affair is over, and the family returns, and she is in the kitchen cooking / preparing / placing food on the table - camera pulls away, voiceover begins:

"my family returned, and I ... I started again, and returned to my life of ... details."

I think of that line so often. Especially at times like right now. I love, love, love my life. I feel so fortunate, and so blessed. It's really amazing to me how one family, one life can have this much to do - Teacher's gifts, cards to write, bills to pay, pictures to develop for gifts, more to take, ready the outdoors for guests in the evenings, weekend activities, birthday parties, dinner plans, girls night at school, Kinder graduation, young author's tea, field trips, helping mom dinners, girls night with my girl friends ... baseball games, hockey practice, gymnastics classes, piano recitals, going away for the 4th of July and vacation ....details.

All good stuff. Really super, great stuff, truly.

And no different than any-other-mother-on-the-planet! That makes it so .... so tolerable.

:)

Phewf. I feel so much better.

Validated, really.

Thanks. I needed that!

Off to sleep ... (not on the to do list, and really should be number 1).

More tomorrow about these deliciously intriguing little people that are completely rocking my world! I love them so much. :)

How Much?

How much wood
would a wood chuck chuck
if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

That's what he's mumbling.

In bed.

As he's trying to get to sleep.

I stood at the door, looking in, trying to get into his head.

Smiling, mostly, at the idea of him saying this over and over.

And over.

He peered out, and said "mom, is that you?" I don't answer, so he goes back to mumbling his chant. Moving around his bed, shifting his Hopper, and his pillows all the while mumbling

"how much wood would a wood chuck ....."

Do you think it's his way of counting sheep?

;o)

trophies & smiles

Little miss K had an end of year Gymnastics Show yesterday and she did terrific! It was a very fun show, full of activity and entertainment. She has improved so much, and just beams with pride at her accomplishments!

She was beside herself with happiness with the awards she received as well, and also the performance she put on!

She achieved three trophies at the show. One for being a participant on the team this year, one for the $$ she raised for the cartwheel-a-thon, and one GIHUGANT one for placing third in the most cartwheels in the 'a-thon.


How about that? :-D

Loved it ... and of course, once the photos are back my way, I will post, surely.

more yummy things-

Can we talk about smiles? man, are the smiles formed from a little face that which angel dust is made from?

it is astounding the sheer beauty, and incredible pleasure I gain from the small, curved up corners of a little mouth? from the white teeth, albeit larger than looks appropriate in said mouth, but glistening, and pretty .. to the sparkle in the eyes of the mischievious thinking critter.

I love, love, love the smiles I am given. I remember, like it was yesterday, that first smile. That not-the-gas-smile smile on the pink cheeked human I called mine. To this day, the smiles that are shared do the very same thing to my heart.

to my soul.

they take my breath away.

It is slices of sheer pleasure when they smile that unadulterated grin. Sometimes I *know* they are up to something with the smile. And sometimes, they are just happy.

always, that smile makes me warm.

I think I'll always feel like this.

I hope so.

the long, and delicious weekend!

This was the best weekend .... we were schedule free, thus allowing the *want to's* and leaving the *have to's* behind .... lovely.

simply put - just delicious! :-D

Friday was another day for me to be in the kindergarten class, helping out as the helping mom. I was working on fractions (math section) and we made circle pizzas from english muffins, cut them, and the kids ate the "fractions". The kids were terrific, and really enjoyed themselves ..... I am going to miss kindergarten for sure.

Then K gal and I went to see my mom, had lunch with her, and had a girls night out later with both of my parents, and brother (it was my parents 44th anniversary!) S and C had a guys night out, too, so we spent some one on one with the kids .... it was so nice.

Saturday was C's baseball game and then we spent the day working in the yard, readying the pool, and gearing up for the summer fun (played wiffle ball, kick ball, hide and seek, grilling, sprinkler running - and I mean ALL of us!) Sunday, the same ... and Monday we added a little trip to an arts and crafts festival, and then more of the neighborhood summer fun stuff ....

great times, great laughs, and grrrrrreat weather for it all.

We just finished a gi-hugent wiffle ball game with several neighbors, and showered the kids..... they are up in bed, sleeping peacefully, and I am about to do the same in moments here.

Hope everyone's weekend was a good one, and all the summer time readying was enjoyable!

g'night, see you soon.

the corner of my world

Some random, disorganized thoughts and things that have been going on.

* We had the first day for the new sitter today ... oh, I love her. I also realized just how difficult it is to run a household of two working parents, and two busy kids without a little extra help - thank goodness we have the help again.

She will be with us for about 10 hours initially just to get K off the bus three days a week at 11:45 and then once school is out, she'll be here about 18 hours or so with the two kids. She is energetic, adorable, athletic, funny, and old enough for my heart to sing with relief that she is responsible. (not that she'd have been hired otherwise, but it's a huge relief still .....) she just graduated from college, and is planning on attending grad school in the fall. She is caddying at a local country club one day a week, and will be with us for 3 days, and then counseling troubled youths on the other day. Really well rounded, and just a solid gal. We are lucky. So very, very lucky. :D

* C had a bit of a bump in the road this week, but it's been ironed out already. One of his friends at school has been telling mom some tall tales, and mom called me quite frantic that her son had been 'harrassed' for quite some time by C, and she had gotten to the boiling point, and *had* to call me. (uhm, tell me again why you wait for even the THIRD incident if this is happening??!!) Of course, I was upset, wondering how on earth I had missed this with the 1st grade teacher being as on top of things as I have ever seen, how would she have not sensed something, or heard something?! So I investigated with C who vouluntarily let me know of one incident that was a minor blip, and "never, not once, have I hurt his feelings, he's my friend, I don't do that mommy .... I like A, I don't do that to people" So I called the principal who in her incredibly calm nature, and phenominally understanding experience told me to "take a step back, breath, and remember, some people blow things out of proportion, and fire off at the wrong people. I will interview the boys, and call you tomorrow, but rest assured, C is by no means a problem, nor has he ever been one. I am certain this is blown out of proportion"
Have a I mentioned that she is an incredible administrator, and her talents are untouchable? ;) (on a side note, she is leaving this year and heading to the central office for the school dept administration board ..... :-( sad for us at the school, but we will have advocate in high places, for sure!)
Fast forward to yesterday, she calls and tells me that in her interviewing, investigations, and uncovering she found out that in fact, A had been telling some tall stories, and implicating some kids with his words. He was, and is, freely telling his mom about these things, and she is taking his word as bond (who can blame her, yes?) So, there was a meeting between the principal, A's mom, and the 1st grade teacher today. I am going to school tomorrow for a kindergarten activity day, and will be checking in with the principal for an update. It appears A has some issues, and they have needed to address them and this is the perfect segway there, apparently.
C has forgotten all about it, and still finds A to be a friend. No harm, no foul, right?

* K gal, my little pea, she appears to be struggling with her ultimate transition to first grade. :o( This time of year, Mrs G, kinder teacher, speaks frequently about the impending move to 1st grade-dom, and all that it will be. She positively chats about it, and asks them to interract with the discussion. She has been absorbing all of it, along with a loss of a really great sitter, and the start of a new one, the upcoming summer where she and her friends will part, albeit briefly until September, but still, a parting, I've had a few more trips this past quarter than normal for work, all the while processing the fact that she is going to be at school ALL DAY next year, riding the bus to and from school, and not having her afternoons with mommy any more {sniff, sniff ....} . So, she appears to be transitioning, and it is a bit of a bump. We talk about it an awful lot, and she is definitely a process oriented girl (oh, the things she has been genetically gifted with .....) so, we're doing it together. I know she'll be fine, it's hard to watch though. :o( My heart aches.

* C man was part of a pitch hit and run contest last weekend. He loved it! They had 3 age groups - 7&8, 9&10, 11&12. He was one of 3 7 year olds there, and most of the 8 year olds were almost 9. In each age category they gave out winners for each activity (pitching, hitting and running) and then they did an overall score top 3. Out of all the 7&8 year old (about 25 or so) he came in third place overall! I was so proud, and so excited for him ... he loved it! Many of the kids were friends from school, baseball, and hockey. They were all towering over him, and some almost two full years older, and he was THIRD! :O) That was some good stuff .... and daddy was just thrilled too, as baseball is *his* first choice for sports.

* K is gearig up for her final gym show for this season, two weeks away, and she is just so excited! They are really working hard with the skills, and the fun parts of the show. She is really looking forward to summer gymnastics too, as it will be a camp for a full week with her girlfriends!

* she will have some really great news on or about June 14th. Can't give it away, but hear me now, this will be BIG. HUGE news! :O)

* our grass, er, the patch of grass that was missing since the pool drain issue last year has finally been seeded. It will be a dream to have the grass fully grown in, and NOT look at the large area of dirt. Pray that the birds don't eat the seed, and that the kids don't trample the new grass .....

* the pool is open, the pump broke two days after that was open. {sigh} Waiting on the fix it man. Please tell me this will NOT be our destiny with this pool. {sigh}

* tomorrow night is "guys night" for school. They are going to Mulligan's Island for batting cages, mini-golf, and pizza. All the boys and their significant other male mentors (dads, grandads, uncles, etc .....) K and I are having our own ad-hoc girls night. Looking forward to that deliciousness.

* it's 9:25 PM and I think my eyes are closing on their own. I must go lay down .....

until again.

smiles .....

Spring Fever

yep. he's got it.

just like his mother.

{sigh}

of all the things that you pass on to your kid, blue eyes, sense of humor, short legs, pudgy nose .... the intense need to break away from all forms of responsible rules; forego any and all previously laid out boundary lines (that, of course, do not break the law, that is) purposely ignore the intuitive side of your brain, and listen *deeply* to that raging amount of energy inside your core and break out to the freedom the time of year allows ...

that, yeah, THAT thing I passed on is absolutely in him. My son, that utterly enjoyable, magnificently packaged, tremendously entertaining boy has spring fever.

bad.

:o
In the big picture, is this a terrible thing? no.

Is it going to affect his future detrimentally? likely, no.

Is it treatable? no.

However, it might be something we need to temper. Because, well, because we have had our first parent teacher conference of the year, well actually ever. And the culprit, in the teacher's words, and mine - spring fever - silly, not-so-smart decisions, goofball antics with his posse.

{sigh}

I am very involved at school. I am the room mom for Kindergarten, and have been in school at least 2 times per week all year, helping in classrooms, and just being actively involved with them academically, and socially. I am on committees, and stay relatively close to the administration. I am familiar with most of the teachers throughout the school, and especially the kids two teachers. We communicate via notes, conversations in the classrooms, and on campus. She could have easily just chatted with us about this as an aside ... but she had an alterior motive, for sure.

There was a message being sent to my squirt. WHEN MOM AND DAD COME TO MEET THE TEACHER, THERE'S BEEN SOME S*^T HITTING THE FAN.

:-D

So, we go, and she prefaces the meeting with this, in a nutshell:

"I want you to know, this is so not a bad thing. My feelings are that with C knowing you are here, this will touch him deeply. I bet you he will turn right around, and the minor behavior that he and 'his buddies' are exhibiting will disappear. So rest assured, this is more of a formality than anything else. {phewf} In addition, I want you to both know academically, I have no worries whatsoever. He has taken off like a rocket ship and just loves school, it shows. (she then gave us his NECAPP testing scores, and she was right, he is doing fantastic academically, reading, spelling, math and science) {second phewf} I also want to let you know that his homework is wonderful, I am so impressed he does extra work with spelling, and math."

So, there we are, proud as peaches, listening to her gloat about his academics. Then, the other shoe drops, and we remembered why we were there ....

"C is making some poor choices just recently, with his behavior regarding disrupting the class at times, and also acting silly. He often is not the one who *thinks* of the silly thing, but when he sees they (the friends) are doing something silly, and 'just breaking the rules' he follows easily. He sure seems like he has even extra energy than he has had before." dagnabbit.

Yeah, we know.

"C can be a leader as well, and I often ask him to be the leader with mentoring some of the kids - he loves that. He can also do beautiful work, but is in a hurry to be done, and therefore can have messy work, and it can be illegible. We work on that, and I remind him that if the teacher can't read it, it'll be wrong, even when it's right - which it usually is correct. And I will add, but I know you know this, he is a pleasure to have in class"

smile. shake head. close eyes. chuckle. look at husband, repeat above - together this time.

yep. our kid: smart, leading, following, laughing, learning, acting silly, and full of life.

nailed it, Mrs. LC.

Welcome to our world.

In all honesty, we think that this surge in academic prowess perhaps may have him slightly bored, as well. He is working at a higher grade level, reading and spelling way up there, especially, and that is the focus for this school, so likely the time spent on that is lengthy daily in the classroom. In addition, he is seemingly in the smack dab middle of a growth spurt, and suffering from aforementioned spring fever like there is no tomorrow, his regular hockey schedule ended a month ago, and spring hockey is by far a lesser commitment time-wise (read: only 1-2 times a week on ice versus 4-5 during year) ..... add this all up with a normally bundle-of-energy-red-headed 7 year old, and you get enough electricity to run a small city - all sitting in a classroom. For 6 hours. And there are 16 boys in that class, and only 7 girls.

Dear, dear me. And that angel from heaven - his teacher - that woman is amazing. She moves them every 15-45 minutes inside that room. Stations, projects, recess, snack, fun papers, spelling quizes...you name it, she thought of it. She has a wonderful curriculum. The room is just wonderful too.

I really have to believe that he is just like me when it comes to this.

And something inside of me is really, really proud. I.cannot.help.it. I smile thinking about it. ;) This will serve him so well later in life. Heck, it's serving him well, now.

He has woo'd the teacher. She no doubt adores he, and his posse. She revels in their spirit.

She should. She has channeled that energy all year. She has grown their wings, they're just figuring out how to use them for the first time.

I love, love, love this age.

What a treasure. What a delight.

:o)

Mother's Day

I always felt like that was such an odd thing to do .... single out a day, one day, out of 365 to call Mother's Day. Maybe it's because I always feel like, well, for the last seven years and 4 months anyway, that every day is a day for a mom. :)

To have the beauty, the clear fortune of healthy , happy, exciting, full of life little people completing the circle of my life, is enough daily to call each day a day for mom. I am so lucky, as I have said here before, to have all that I have. On a daily basis I recognize this, relish in this, and believe that this is as good as it gets.

It is a nice tradition, this Mother's Day thing, and a nice way to stop, breathe in deeply, drink in the love, oh the extra love, be appreciated a wee bit, and then resume life. At least that's what we do here, anyway.

I was greeted with breakfast in bed (that included an English muffin, a plate of fresh cut fruit, and a ham cheese, and tomato {newly named} 'sublet' otherwise known as an omelet ;o) a cup of hot homemade coffee, beautiful cards, homemade gifts of pictures, a "plant" of C's hand cutouts with little notes on them, some nice gifts from the hubby, and loads of hugs and kisses. Ahhhhhhh .... the blissful moments. I was then kept company, and politely asked to share, of course, with two yummy little freckled faces, and a big adorable freckled face. Once finished, the dirty dishes were whisked away along with all the freckles, and I was told to "relax, watch a show ... read a book .... we'll be fine ..." :O)

So I did.

Not for long, but long enough to know in my mind that I was alone in a room, full belly (and heart), content, and totally not responsible for anything that was happening in the house outside of my little space. A feeling that could only happen once a year, I think. ;)

Ah, the bliss.

So, to all the mommies I have in my life - Happiest of Days to you -- may the beauty of the day, and the meaning behind the word *mommy* be what we all experience daily.

:o)

a few little things to make you smile, I hope.

ah, the days of a five year old. :o)

Kelly, with K in the first one. This is the angel that had to leave us, the sitter that had an opportunity she couldn't refuse .... boy, we miss her!

This is K and the best friends at a gymnastics meet this year.... like peas in a pod.

Just enjoying the spring weather, making wishes on dandilions, visiting the horse farm, drinking in the sunshine!

And of course, to close the days, tea for two .... or is that tea for four?

ah, to be five, just yummy!

shamlessly bragging .... ;-)

This .... this is what the faces of the little man look like throughout the season this year playing hockey. The sweet taste of goals, the sweet feeling of winning tournaments, and the grit that makes it all come together .....

ahh, hockey. Love it!

I've discovered how to post a picture well. Be afraid, be very afraid! :o)

This dude just *oozes* athletics. Baseball has begun!




Seriously, is this face delicious or what?!

Photos of The Soldier ....

The Soldier

A visitor came to spend some time with my family.

This weekend was especially sweet. My dear, and most talented brother in law, the Sgt in the Marines, stationed in DC, was here this weekend with the Silent Drill Platoon (SDP). He is the Sgt for that squad, and they are, in a word, AMAZING. They were taking part in a National Police Support Parade, and they were the hit of the show.

Hands down. No question.

If you ever, ever get the chance to see them in DC, or anywhere, do it. They are just precise, disciplined, and incredible at their skills. They are a select group of boys/men (average age is 22 of 28 soldiers) that had to go through rigorous testing, and decision processes to get here. He was candid with the selection process with us, but it is not an easy task to be on that team, and staying is even harder. B said they started with 72 soldiers, and have 28 right now.

So, Friday I was running clean-up with work related things here at the house, K-gal and I (more on the challenges later ....) found some time in the later afternoon to run some errands, and then we went to S's baseball game. B, dear bil, was in town Saturday and S and the kids went to meet up with him (I had a pre-planned work conference for a few hours Sat) and they got to see a special performance of the SDP, for a select crowd in Newport that afternoon.

C was in awe, the uniforms, the weapons, the gold medals, the precision, the details. And K was in awe of the handsome faces of kids that were actually closer to her age than her mother's ... {sigh} Then we got to have B all to ourselves that night at our house. A real treat, as typically, the Sgt needs to stay with the platoon, but his captain gave him the go-ahead to enjoy some R&R with us during a duty weekend. *special smiles* We had some really good laughs, as always.

Sunday was another show, the actual Parade, and my dad and I were able to go together, as the kids had two separate birthday parties and S had another baseball game. Again, great show the SDP puts on. :-) They were last in this parade of law enforcement, and the build up was wonderful. He worked the crowd, and befriended a little boy next to us who was about C's age, and really drank it all in with B's medals, and uniform, and overall stature. They took a nice picture, and he gave him a poster of the SDP, and after B had some of the soldiers autograph the poster next to their names. Reallllllly cool stuff.

I went to S's game, and then we hooked up with B for a few cocktails after S's game, and had to say our goodbyes that evening, as he headed back to my sil in DC, and more work, of course.

The birth order for their family is this: he is the next one in line in S's family, S being the oldest, he is the next, there are two more after him. I have to say in the 20 years I have known him (holy moley ....) he has grown up so much, but he is still the same "kid". He is a fine man, and an amazing soldier, and from all accounts, appears to be one heck of a husband, and son in law.

I am proud to call him part of my family.

And I am scared to death that when his deployment is up in DC in November, he will be only months away from front line activity in the war.

It is what he has wanted for years. It is what he, and so many other Marines, yearn for after they taste a little of it in training. He feels this is his duty.

I am so grateful.

It is beyond words the gratitude I feel. I tell him all the time. And yet, it still feels like it isn't nearly enough.

I feel so honored to be part of his life. I feel so honored that he is a part of ours.

I have a moment-in-time memory from Saturday. At the Parade, he was standing aside so that the SDP could perform, he was standing at ease, but yet, he was aware, and sharp. I snapped a picture (getting developed as we speak .... I promise, I will post.) and heard my own drawn breath. A thought passed my mind, and I closed my eyes. I wanted the thought to go away.

As if it didn't happen.

His wife is struggling with this. She is strong, and smart. But, who wouldn't be terrified? She is also amazing. They have been married 5 years, and together under the same roof only 20 months of the 60 possible. Weird to comprehend. She is now in DC with him for the summer, and that is a great thing.

I cannot wait to see him again.

I cannot wait to say thanks again.

Spinning

It's what I feel like my head is doing right now.

Spinning with so much in it! I have been truly trying to land from that training/meeting that I went to last week in Chicago. It was a great trip, and definitely a mentally challenging week. We've been taught some really great things with which I can be very successful with my job ... I think. The increased challenge is to try the things, and get more comfortable with them. I have been, and this week has been a really good week to touch the wheels to the ground so to speak .... lots of OR time, and lots of opportunity to talk about the newest evolution to the products. I just feel so overhwelmed with the information. I feel like I am battling to get it straight in my head. It's been all week, too. Ironically, I feel like I am on my game with this new ammunition I was taught. Isn't that a juxtaposition?

So, with that, I am making a change to my thinking .... I need to just separate the issues / concerns / things and deal with them one at a time. (an old friend told me this trick) inevitably, you'll feel less overwhlemed with the details if you single them out. So, I am going to do that. I am starting tonight. I will clear the brain, set the details for the action "dots" and set the details for the detail "dots" in my head. I will then re-write the goals, and focus on clearly defined agendas for the goals.

Sheesh, that sounds easy. (read: oiy. That might take a while .... {sigh} )

On another note, K-gal has been drawing that line in the sand like a true champion, folks. (uhm, yeah, perhaps she could be adding to the overwhelming feeling?) Who said that a 5 year old could do this? I need a book on this ... any suggestions? Mental note: google the topic - school-age girls who like to be the boss; Kindergarteners that will run the country - next week; 5 year olds that are determined, defiant, and delicious all at the same time......

Positive thing, though - it is such a blessing to have the opportunity to be a mom to a self-directed, strong, independent, charismatic, warm, loving and full-of life, beautiful girl. She is all that I want her to be - and some of what I don't.

It is a delicate balance this female connection. I will get through it. I know. She will too. We're just figuring each other out. ;)

C-dude on the other hand is suffering (mildly at the worst of it, to be honest, thank goodness) from an inner ear infection. Haven't had one of those in 5 years maybe. Had a visit to the ped, and got the oral anbx. Hard to imagine how he got it, but likely the shower, not drying well in the ear. Hoping this is the only one with the summer rapidly approaching and the ear infections abounding. Had a great baseball game tonight, and hockey clinic after. (with luck, it'll be the ONLY conflict we have this spring with the two)

Busy weekend planned, but very UN-busy Friday .... I bet I'll be back here to bang away at the keyboard a bit before the weekend. :O)

g'night.

Timing is everything .....

Ever received something via email that hits you at the most poignant time? I did today .....

I've been feeling at odds with my K-star gal ... (see below post) and this little do-dad came to email today. I guess it all happens for a reason, yes? ;o) Always believed that, always will. so, here it is. I sat, and read it, and actually allowed it to sink in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Mean Mother . . .Someday when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them, as my Mean Mom told me:
I loved you enough . .. . to ask where you were going, with whom,and what time you would be home.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to make you go pay for the Cadbury Easter Eggs you had taken and tell the clerk, "I stole this yesterday and want to pay for it."
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.
I loved you enough to let you see anger,disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren't perfect.
I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say NO when I knew you would hate me for it. Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.
And someday when your children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them. Was your Mom mean? I know mine was.
We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal,eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less.
We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.
She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really tough!
Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.
Because of our mother, we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault!
Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today.It just doesn't have enough mean moms!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

so, there it is ... I am a mean mom. That's what I need to remember, and not let the head-butting continue. It is what it is..... mean mom or not. :o)