Ohhh Yeah....No Mo-Skee-Toes!!

What's Your Favorite Color?

2011-04-17T04:49:00.000-07:00

I agree with every person I hear say, "Color doesn't matter....it is who the person is." True to an extent though. Color does matter. I believe that every individual I have heard make this statement (or "I don't see color") is a white person. Not that it is bad. It should be true. The skin color of a person should not matter. But there is division. Color does matter. It is unfortunate in some cases.............but mostly it is WONDERFUL!!

Having difference is WONDERFUL!!

Being Unique is IMPORTANT!!

Shoot if we are honest.........there are lots of folks who ADD color to make their experience different - to stand out - to make sure that the color is SEEN. Tattoo's? They are everywhere these days. My 9 year old son's ever changing hair colors? Difference is beautiful...........Difference is sought after..........Difference is an art form...........so why are we claiming to not see a Difference when we should really be embracing it? It is totally confusing to me.

What does a person mean when they say "I don't see color?". My guess is for most it is a way of saying "I am not a racist." Which is good. I mean to not be a racist is good. But in saying that you don't see color you may also be saying that you don't see their difference. And I will put this in a white person perspective because I am a white person. When I look at a person I relate them to me - to my experience - to my life. I am white. If I am looking at a person who is any other race or color then I am erasing something important about them. I am white washing them so to speak. Their experience being NOT ME. Their experience being a different race. And the argument would be absolutely correct to say that I am doing the same exact thing for the person who is of the same race I am. They have a completely different life experience and I have erased it by first putting them in my own experiential history. Does that make sense? I will never have the same experience that another person has. But to say I don't see color is not fair to the person I am erasing the color off of - regardless of what race they are - same or different then my own.

Embracing the thought that another person's color represents their experience........their family culture........their neighborhood culture.......their personality........their history.......their Themness.

The other day I asked my 5 year old what his favorite color was. I know his favorite color. Blue. And I fully expected to hear him say, "Blue. Maudy you know my favorite color is blue." But I am one of those moms who likes to ask the same question over and over again. Making notes of the things that might be answered differently.

That day he surprised me. When I asked what his favorite color was he did not say Blue - instead he said, "Brown." I said, "Why is your favorite color brown?" He said, "Because I am brown and my E is brown." His E is his best friend that lives down the street. E is brown just like my son. Then he added, "Brown is my favorite to be Maudy, but I like your color too."

He see's the difference and he is 5.

What's my point? Ummmm.....well I suppose my point is SEE THE DIFFERENCE.....Embrace it....don't try to make it go away........Maybe it we all can accept that we are not all the same we can start really seeing each other.

But I Bet He Was Never Taught This

2011-03-22T05:29:00.000-07:00

I know I have talked about BigGuy A LOT. Because he is my husband..........it kinda lends itself to having to do that. Then there is also that he is my Best Friend. And because he is there for most of the things that I do so part of it. Although that last part he might rather get to duck out of a few times - because let's be honest about me - I ask a lot of questions in reference to feedback on things that I am doing.....and sometimes I can be critical of the feedback that I personally solicit. I don't mean critical of the person who gives the feedback - or really that I am saying I will debate the feedback - just that I want to pull it apart and analyze it so that I know EXACTLY what the person means ABOUT the feedback if it isn't "OHMYGOSH THAT IS THE COOLEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE".......although I am talented enough to be able to pull comments like that apart too enough to drive the person that has said it insane.

"Why is that the coolest thing ever?" "What are you comparing it to?" "How was that NOT the coolest thing ever" "Was it due to color, flavor, time it took" "Are you saying this because we are friends" "Will you be totally honest if I let you try this"

CB, SH, SS, JB - they all know about this barrage of questioning that I can do. Right friends? However, I also have the skill set to be able to tell when NOT to question (er interrogate) someone.

So needless to say BigGuy is trained in having to deal with my questioning and having to deal with the different hings that I throw his way. Who knows - maybe he was trained from birth to take this kind of feedback requesting on by his mom. I mean maybe this ability to ask for feedback until the person passes out is not special to me - maybe this is skill many woman possess and just few ask for my feedback (hmmmmm maybe I should ask feedback on this). BigGuy was raised by his mom and 2 sisters - so perhaps he is just fluently well versed in all that is WOMAN.

But I bet he was never taught this.

No one can teach a Dad to be a great Dad. It just happens. If the child they are dad to is lucky the Dad learns the Greatness early on. My memory of growing up was pretty much that there were A LOT of things about Girls that Boys didn't know - that Boys didn't want to know - that Boys were basically taught to avoid - that Dad's did not help Girls with - that Dads pretended didn't exist (not just my dad) - that Girls just did not have their Dads as part of. And honestly - some of the topics Moms were not great at addressing either (not just mine).

BigGuy is great at all of it. BigGuy also wants to be part of all of it. Which is probably what makes him great at it.

SuperStar had a milestone occurrence in her life. This is my way of hinting at what MAY have happened as I have sworn I will not SAY what has happened. But mind you - she has developed a new sense of growing up. Now I have heard few friends talk about this process unless I directly ask...........see the above section on asking for feedback on things. It seems to me as our daughters enter this phase of development we should be clinging to one another - both to usher them into this phase of their life as a "group of supportive woman" who celebrate them as they cross the thresh hold (I mean honestly.....we are throwing parties for giving up binkies, for not using diapers, for having dry beds, parties for the first day of preschool, full scale graduations for the last day of preschool, gifts for lost teeth.....we celebrate EVERYTHING.....then a girl has her first "time" and we all scatter under rocks and pretend like this is an event worthy of embarassment instead of embracement. This particular development is what will continue the world - it is life giving - maybe if we throw a party for IT woman will regain some of their status and men won't have .........anyway we can go into that later I suppose). My point is - celebrate this milestone for your daughters a bit more excitedly then the giving up of the binkie - it means a lot more.

So SuperStar hit this milestone. It was a big big deal to me......and probably a bigger deal to her - maybe - maybe not. But one of the coolest things in my eyes is that BigGuy made sure he was part of it too. Granted he wasn't given much space NOT to be part of it........but it didn't matter because he WANTED to be part of it. For instance - a few months prior to it happening I was cleaning SuperStar's room and found some unwrapped items with a deep red color on them. Surprised and since she was standing next to me I yelped that she should have told me. She responded with, "oh I was just practicing with makeup". Did you practice? Yeah, me either. Let's give her creativity points for that. A week or so later I told BigGuy about that. Before I could say it was just practice he chided me for not telling him so he could be part of it. Sweet right?

Let's skip forward to the "day of". She came home and told me - that was the day. I listened to the tale of what happened since she was at school and reported it to a male teacher and it was kinda funny to picture........then when she went off to her room I called BigGuy. He picked her up flowers and brought them home. He hugged her and congratulated her and made himself part of the whole experience - minus explaining and shopping for supplies. Then we took her to dinner out where she choose to go - St. Louis Bread Company (not my choice for such a life changing event, but my kids don't get out much I guess). We took the boys too and when they asked WHY we were celebrating SuperStar we told them........and when TheMan said he wanted to go to some restaurant when he had his we explained that he wouldn't be experiencing this development.......and when he complained how unfair that was I thought to myself.....that is as it should be - he should see this particular life gift as something that he should be envious of because it is a gift and not a burden.

I am Lame Enough To Make My Next Post a Link To Another Blog

2011-02-01T06:14:00.000-08:00

So I am totally Lame Enough that after weeks and weeks of not posting I would make my next post a Link to a Blog that my friend, PG (funny she is 1 P short of being me - PPG - maybe that is why I like her so much), forced me to read and laugh so hard I cried while doing it.

Hyperbole and a Half - funny funny funny. PG sent enlightened me to the posting from December last month. First time I ever heard of the blor or read the blog. As I was reading it I started to giggle - this drew TheKing's attention - he came in and asked what I was giggling at. I showed him the blog - which has drawings that accentuate the story, but that are drawn to look much like children's drawings. At first TheKing laughed looking at the pictures and wanted me to read the story to him - but even though I read out loud the story was lost on him. So he wandered away.

I read on.

Not long after I continued reading I started to actually laugh out loud (LOL for those of you who no longer understand completely written out words due to excessive texting). TheKing wandered back in wanting to know what it was making me laugh out loud (LOL). He looked at the computer - evaluated the pictures and said, "That isn't funny Maudy." (Maudy is his name for BigGuy and I - just like we call the kids a garbled mixture of their 3 names due to confusion of which we are addressing - TheKing does the same with us - Maudy - Maummy + Dauddy = Maudy). His not thinking the hilarious blog was funny made me laugh harder. He stared me down. Like really stared me down - like I was totally in trouble. I tried to explain the point of the story, but it was unexplainable to a 5 year old. So instead I laughed harder. He got a bit flustered I was laughing. Probably confused as to if I was laughing at him or with him, but the story was funny and his inability to understand it seemed to make it funnier. Eventually I was laughing so hard I started crying.

This made TheKing really mad and he said, "You need to go to your room and control your motions."

Which of course made me pee my pants.

All that said here is last months Hyperbole and a Half post. After you read that read this months - it is just as funny!

Hyperbole and a Half - The Year Kenny Loggins Ruined Christmas

Another - What Would You Say.....Do.....Text?

2010-12-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

This past September we gave SuperStar a cell phone - I probably blogged about it - in fact I am fairly certain I have said something or another about how she has a twisted sense of what to text about and when to text......but this blog isn't about that - although there is a thought provoking one coming.

This blog is about MY cell phone. See when we gave SuperStar a phone we upgraded my phone too. I had a pay as you go phone. It worked fine, but I had gotten to the point of being in so many groups that I was using it more and more and paying more for minutes then a regular plan with the extra phone for SuperStar would have cost us a month (we don't have a data plan so our costs are relatively low). I have to admit that I was excited about getting a phone that I didn't have to say "hey I am paying for these minutes, can you please get to the point?" when I was talking with someone...........because let's face it my friends - some of you all ramble on and on (and yes that is the pot calling all you kettle's out).

When we got the phones we played with them - SuperStar more successfully, but still fun.

And I kid you not......the FIRST DAY that I had my brand new phone I received a phone call for the previous owner - ACK - who wants to field calls for someone that used to own the phone? Worse yet - it was a COLLECTION call!! 2 in the first day. And the companies didn't sound like they believed that I was not the person they were asking - who funny enough was named BJ!! Thought I was going to say HalfPint? Yeah, no.......BJ......great right? Barney's little friend used to own my phone (come on - get your mind out of the gutter - this is a family blog ;0) ).

The next few weeks I received many many many many collection calls. Some from the same few companies who promised over and over and over to take the number off their call list (and never did) and some from random companies. It was a true treat.

I also got a few calls from the Diabetic society. Who also didn't believe me. One day the woman asked at least 5 times if I were really sure there was NO ONE in my home who had diabetes. I assured her we did not, but to give us 10 years and call back. They gave me 2 days and called back.

So last night we were driving home from Christmas Caroling at a retirement village with our schools Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. I got a text from a number that I did not have in my phone. It said, "Do u have any ideas for BigGuy for Christmas?? He need new boots or coat to wear around the barns?" Now this was different - not a collection agency - not the diabetics - just a number I didn't know who knew BigGuy. Nice change. But STALKER came to mind since I didn't know the number and they knew my husband.

Weird - we don't have a barn - and they wanted to buy BigGuy a gift. Who was this? I felt badly that I didn't recognize the number, so instead of admitting it I went fishing......."My BigGuy?" I asked.
"Yeah.....I don't know any other BigGuys's. Hahaha how u feeling?" they responded.

Hmmmm.......I have a really really bad cold - I think it might be turning into a sinus infection. This is totally someone I know. I would feel badly admitting I have no clue who they are.......so I responded with, "Well you threw me off with the barn & boots - why are you wanting to get him a gift - isn't he on the naughty list?"......I was thinking maybe it was one of his BS's. I added, "You really don't know any other Daves" and they said, "Not that I would buy a gift for......hahaha"...........

Hmmm......so I asked, "Why are you buying him a gift?" to which they responded, "For Christmas and bc we love him." ........sweet.......maybe it is a female stalker.........so I thought I should find out for certain who this was and said, "I need to put you in my phone - how do I spell your name?"

Then the person said, "BJ this is PumpkinHead (not her real name), your daughter in law." I texted back, "That is awesome, my oldest kids is 11, but my husbands name is BigGuy - oops - we don't have a barn - have a great holiday!".........then it hit me - wait she means BJ.......the collection callers from hell focus person.......BJ!! after a few other texts I sent, "Wait were you trying to get someone by the name BJ SuperStar?" (if you know SuperStar's real world name you get the reference. And they responded, "Yes, who is this?"........so I sent my real name and let her know that I get tons of calls for BJ SuperStar all the time - and she never texted me back.

BigGuy says that I should let her know that her mother in law is being searched for. I really really really do not like the collection calls I am still getting still 4 months later............

What would you do? Would you start forwarding the calls to BJ's family? Or ask the daughter-in-law how to get a hold of BJ.......or just keep fielding collection calls from rude people who think I am lying to them?

Occassionally I am the one making the Blunder

2010-12-06T04:00:00.000-08:00

I post every once and again about being disappointed that someone has made a racial/social/personal blunder in my world. Honestly I know that I also post about things that I do myself that are Blundery.......but sometimes I amaze myself when they are back to back - Blunder Annoying Me - to - Blunder I Make .......generally if I am experiencing a blunder I can catch my own from happening.

This time I didn't.

So TheKing wants to have a birthday party to celebrate how fabulous he is and have people bring gifts showing him their adoration. Don't we all? You don't? Well them I am guessing that you are Jehovah Witness. Anyway that can be an entire other blog - back to the birthday adoration - this year TheKing wants a Curious George party. No biggie you say? Yes, well then I am guessing you are a white person.

TheKing is 4 - TheKing loves Curious George - it would seem fair that TheKing should have a Curious George party. TheKing is African American though. I mention TheKing's birthday party theme wish to a friend........she stares at me in horror and says, "You can't do that."

I know she is right - but it seems not fair - birthdays are about having it "your way". Since it seems not fair I ask another friend (you should know these friends are African American - and another friend who has adopted a son from Ethiopia as well - so I have 3 people weighing in on this). She takes a more sympathetic/empathetic stance - knows that I know what I am asking and that I am aware of the negative stereotypes attached to this theme. I start crying - she hugs me - all is good - but it is confirmed........no Curious George party. Not a good idea. I am told that any black parent who comes to the party will be offended and that basically when TheKing is older he will look back and wonder what the heck his parents were thinking.

TheKing and I talk and he changes his mind - no, we didn't talk about the subtle stereotypes and racist imaging that is causing the theme to change - more we talked about having a magician instead and maybe a Curious George party another time.

Where is the offensive blunder? Well there wasn't one.........but as TheKing would say "Keep it in your head" that I just went through this experience of race sensitivity.....

two days later........

TheMan is getting ready to go to a birthday party (hey, maybe the real problem in the world is all these birthday parties?! Get rid of birthdays and it is all good.). TheMan needs a birthday card to go with his gift. TheMan is too lazy to make the card like his sister would......hint hint if you are reading TheMan. So BigGuy asks if there are any cards that I have stashed to use with the gift. I go in search of an appropriate card - not too "little kid" - not too "girly" - not too "dorky". Find one - it seems perfect - safari like which will match a boy thing - has a zebra on it which is kinda cool - and I bring it up to BigGuy who looks at it and says, "You can't do that".

Why not you ask? Well the birthday boy has a white parent and a black parent. Negative stereotype imaging again. Will it seem like a big deal to me? No. To the birthday boy? Probably not yet as he is a little young. Would his parents notice? Maybe. Is it worth risking feelings? Absolutely not.

I go downstairs and dig another card out of my stash. Blunder outside of the house averted - but I am disappointed in myself and a bit amazed that I missed it. Is this over thinking? White Privilege would say "yes" I am over thinking it........but when was White Privilege ever right?

I Didn't Date 100 Guys for No Reason....

2010-12-03T04:00:00.001-08:00

So SuperStar is now in Jr. High. I now know why parents cry when their child enters Jr. High. Before now I thought they cried because their kiddo's were getting older and that meant that time was slipping away..........in the hour glass that is our life.........

Now I know the Truth.

The Truth is that as a child enters Jr. High they begin to morph into this being that is more independent (good right?).......more sure of themselves (ahhhhh.....part of the time at least).......more likely to throw me under the bus of understanding (totally)........what do I mean by that?

Let's see - how to explain - ummmmm - well - errrrr

In Elementary school SuperStar believed that the world was fair - that homework was easy - that getting straight A's was just "who she was" - and that I knew most everything. So if she had a question about the world around her she came to me (or BigGuy - who at that stage in her life was also seen as Brilliant). We gave her the answers she needed and she skipped away reassured that life was good.

In Jr. High......ah - not so much.

Is she still an A student - yes - is the world fair - not nearly as much as it was in the past - is homework easy - well, yes, when she isn't crying due to the stress of having to get it ALL done - are BigGuy and I still BRILLIANT? - not a chance (although I think she still at least considers our input before dismissing it).

Recently SuperStar had her first crush. Okay, not her FIRST crush - really it was the same crush she has had for 2 years now - same boy - same crush - same same same. Only this time he asked her to "go out" with him. After some teasing about it from him that is.

Here is why I am a totally lucky mom - She Talked To Me About It Through The Whole Thing - she let me read texts - she let me read face book chats - she let me hear her thoughts - she talked to me about the whole thing.

Here is why I was not such a lucky mom - She Believes That I Know NOTHING About Romance - or any other kind of a relationship with a crush target.......

"It is totally different now" I was told. So I explained to her exactly how she felt............remember that feeling - the person you are crushing on is in the hallway at school - you can see that person - you are trying not to look, but you have to look to see if he/she is looking at you.....and OH MY GOODNESS if they are looking at you your head spins a bit and your stomach gets all fluttery and you can't help but giggle a bit and blush........and you know she said that is EXACTLY how she feels.

So I DO understand - right? Wrong.

I can't possibly understand. Or so SuperStar believes. She even said she wished she had a sister or a cousin who lived near by that could really understand how she feels and talk to her about it. I didn't date 100 guys for no reason.........it was total research so that I could talk to my daughter one day and commiserate no matter what the "romantic" situation she fell into......it was absolutely NOT because I was boy crazy and said "okay" every time some guy asked me to go on a date - or because I was hungry and needed a free meal. Yet here I stand after all that research and I have No Clue What So Ever as to how SuperStar feels.

The way I see it - the only difference between my romantic Jr. High life and SuperStar's romantic Jr. High life is that when her crush asked her to "go out" it was in a face book chat - and when my crush asked me to go out it was in a note that read like this:

Will you go out with me?

Circle One

Yes No Maybe

What was the "Maybe" about anyway? Now a days hand writing a note is considered too personal.........no cyber no love. How archaic that we would WRITE our questions down - pass it to another person and then ask them to give it to our crush. In the modern world they now text the person sitting next to their crush and ask them to ask the person if they like them and then wait for the answer via text. Yeah, that is sooooooooooooo different. Whatev's (as the cool Jr. High kids say these days).

So I know why those parents are crying when their Jr. High student climbs the bus or jumps out of the SUV that first day of 6th grade........it is because things are changing........their student is about to believe that they are not the center of the universe anymore.......and dating 100 guys was really for no reason at all........except maybe actually for a free meal.

Seriously......What Would You Say?

2010-11-30T16:35:00.000-08:00

So you are standing having a conversation with a person that you have talked to various times over the course of more then a year, but less then two years. Hardly know them. Not trying to get to know them better......not avoiding it either........just not soliciting it.

They ask how many kiddo's you have. With your youngest child - who is adopted - and is clearly of a different race - standing next to you.........well not really standing - more like tripping over himself and dancing, skipping and making a mockery of balance.

Getting back on track - they ask you how many kiddo's you have. You say you have three. They say, "Are the other ones yours?"

Ahhhh......are my kids mine? Wait.......they mean are my OTHER kids mine......which means that one of my kids ISN'T mine.....which one isn't mine? Probably the person asking (not very tactfully I might add) is meaning the one making a mockery of balance in front of me.

So I say, "Yes, ALL my children are mine." And give the person a sweet smile.

Not to be defeated apparently the person then asks how old the others are. I tell the person. They asks again if "the older kids are yours?"..........sigh.........so I ask, "Do you mean are they adopted?" The person says "yes".......so I say, "No they aren't adopted." Which is true, my oldest kids are not adopted. I also point out that regardless of adoption a child is a parents child 100% - which the person readily agrees with.

However, that doesn't really answer the question the person is digging for and I know it. But the person is asking so rudely (see I am an upfront straight forward kinda girl) that I can't let them off the hook that easily - the person has basically said that adopted children are not "real" and is saying that my adopted child is not my child - which is wrong even if it is not what they meant to infer.

Say what you Mean and Mean what you Say.

Then the person says something about wondering if the child in front of us who is tripping on the level floor looks like his father. Sigh......well I could technically tell the person that "yes, my youngest does look like his father." without mentioning that in my head I mean his biological father. But I am tired of this game. I am tired of this digging. I am bored with the insensitivity.

I say, "You have met his dad a few times over the years. He is pretty tall, sandy blond hair and white." The person doesn't remember meeting my husband. Not surprising - I think the person really only noticed me last week when they kinda accused us of taking another child's kite - which was actually our kite and the person was mistaken. No biggie.

The person has their answer. My youngest is adopted. The person can move on.....maybe thinking things that I don't want to know about.......maybe not......hopefully thinking about the answers I gave in "every child a parent has is 100% their child - regardless of who did the creating".

Good Bad Luck - Forgotten Blog

2010-11-19T11:33:00.000-08:00

SO HERE IS A BLOG THAT I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT.......TOTALLY!! APPARENTLY I WROTE IT AND THEN I WALKED AWAY FROM IT AND FORGOT TO SPELL CHECK IT AND POST IT.

THAT SAID - IT IS A FEW WEEKS OLD, BUT STILL WORTH A POSTING - RIGHT?

Very often I see people on Facebook complaining about the negative things that happen in their life. Yes, I also see people post about the positive things too, but honestly there tend to be more negative posts or posts about crazy things that bug people.

Yes I really do like to know when a friend needs some extra support. Also - I get that posting frustrations on Facebook are a nice "letting go" way of putting the feeling out of their own life and move forward. I get it. Sometimes I even do it. I also understand that for some people the obvious autonomy that Facebook offers (you can say it, but not have to look anyone in the eye while doing it)them makes them feel safer saying things out loud.

I get it.

Last week I found myself doing the opposite though. I decided to post that I was happy that even my bad luck was good luck.

* Tripped and almost dropped a cake that I was getting ready to decorate - but didn't drop it and didn't have to rebake it - good luck.
* Dropped a container of pirouette cookies that I was using and bashed the container - broke all, but 5 of them. I needed only 4 = good luck.

Then I was able to add -
* BigGuy's truck needed work that we were pretty sure would cost a chunk of dough - he had avoided fixing it for a good 10 months - we argued about it - all yuck stuff - then he took it in and it cost $65 to fix = good luck.

So bad luck - good luck - I am happy to have Bad Good Luck or Good Bad Luck - depending on how you want to look at it.

Apparently I should have kept my mouth shut......because this is how this week has gone -
* Monday.......well that was the day that the truck was fixed for $65 - not bad, but it was bad luck that it needed to be fixed - good luck that it was fixed cheap.

* Tuesday.......no meetings!! yea!! then I noticed TheMan scratching his head - and my head itched too......couldn't be......Yes It Was......Lice. Total Bad Luck. We spent the REST of the evening washing/rinsing/medicating/rinsing/combing hair - bagging stuffed animals - stripping beds - washing sheets - x's5 just to be sure.

* Wednesday.........followed up on the rest of the cleaning after the lice stuff - ugh. Then I finally calmed down a bit. I knew I was sick, but I didn't realize how sick I really was. Turns out I was REALLY SICK!! So I laid on the couch for the remainder of the day - except during piano lessons (which are in the living room) - I moved to the bedroom for a bit then, but it was so sunny in there (normally something I LOVE about my bedroom) that it made my headache double.

* Thursday.........woke with a fever - followed up on my plant to go to the doctor - took TheMan with me since he has been coughing for 2 weeks now. He had bronchitis (but was toward the end of healing - still ='s meds). I had a sinus infection and bronchitis starting. Great. Went to get meds before taking TheMan to school. His meds - $10 - my meds $130!! I got in the van and sat to think - which was hard because I had a terrible sinus headache and it was sunny (where is the rain when you wish it?). I was a bit freaked out - what is our insurance for anyway? Called BigGuy - he calmed me - called the pharmacy and asked if I could return the meds. Yes. Went inside to return them. Went back to the car to call the doctor to ask for a new script......only I had locked the keys in the car. The last time I locked the keys in the car was pre-kids during a float trip with BigGuy's friends and our (his) beer was in the trunk and we were 2 hours away from a town that could come to open the car. BigGuy was not happy.......I became OCD about checking and rechecking where my keys were after that. Dang sinus headache. We waited for BigGuy and TheKing to end swim class and come open the van. Peeking in I saw that I could just kinda see the number for the doctors office. Called and had the script changed. We waited. By the time everything worked out I was exhausted. TheMan was able to convince me to keep him home from school to "help" with his little brother TheKing.

Now let's review their "self-proclaimed" names - TheMan - TheKing - you can guess how well they listen to each other. Individually they are FABULOUS - left to work things out on their own - well.........they are brothers. I blame the headache for my lack of judgement on that.

So - recapping - I have Good Bad Luck - or - Bad Good Luck. Apparently I tempted a higher power to test my attitude on that and they passed me one hurdle after another to see if I could hack it.........

Okay - let's look at it -
* Monday........car was fixed - we had the money to cover it - BigGuy now drives in a car that isn't about to break down. Good Luck.

* Tuesday.........ack - lice stinks - but we didn't have a single meeting that night so I was able to notice that he had lice - we had the money to buy the kits needed to clean our hair (thank you car repair bill luck). None of the kids freaked out about it. We got it all done. No one had to shave their hair off (it was a fear).

* Wednesday.........I was able to turn everything off and just be sick. No meetings, no worries, the kids were helpful......

* Thursday......okay that was a test day - able to get into the doctors office - we have medical coverage - we have a car that I can lock myself out of - BigGuy was reasonably able to get to us in time to open the car - TheMan had chocolate milk and Pop-Tarts to eat while we waited - the pharmacists were helpful - the doctor was willing to switch the prescription and sent a voucher for a free sinus spray - BigGuy took over house duties after he got home from work - the boys didn't make me crazy while they stayed home.

Today is Friday - my kids have a half day of school - another hurdle? No...a blessing - extra time with my kids. Plus - I lost my voice (the new script meant that I went from a 4 day "quick feel" medicine to a 10 day "you get a bit worse before you get better" medicine - today I am feeling a bit worse physically.

However, since I was too exhausted to drive myself home after dropping TheKing off at preschool - I was easily convinced to meet for coffee with my good friend, KBS, and she invited a potential friend. We sat and talked and goofed off for 2 hours at the coffee shop. Probably why I lost my voice. Still - made the day worth whatever else might come about.

Good Luck - Bad Luck........they are all the same thing........I am convinced it is all in how you look at it.

Still I will keep crossing my fingers just in case.

How Fun Was That?

2010-11-15T04:21:00.000-08:00

You know how you can't keep a calendar in your head all the time - so you aren't always certain what is going on, but you have a pretty clear idea of what is on the schedule as you sign up for things?

In general I can keep the flow of what the family is doing to a medium speed. We have faster days......for instance, TheMan has religion on Wed. and SuperStar has drama club after school on the same day and we have Piano for both of them at home that afternoon too - then there are Late Start days on Wed. for school (the district has school start 1 hour late on various Wed. for teacher planning - it is a smart plan that is mildly disruptive to the days schedule because I have to shuttle people about to get TheKing to preschool on time too).......I have no control over when religion is or when drama is scheduled or Late Start days - we have had piano on Wed FOREVER and Erin, our piano man, come here to our home to teach - moving that time around is close to impossible so we just work around that time - plus Erin is wonderful and he ebbs with us since we ebb with him when others on his schedule need it. Given that - Wednesdays can sometimes be a high speed day.

What is my point? Well it is that overall I do a pretty good job of managing how crazy we are. Still........it seems that no matter how gifted I am at this juggling of time to keep people from melting down in tears (primarily me, but sometimes the kids too).....there are those weeks when it doesn't matter what you do - EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD IS SCHEDULED AT THE SAME TIME!! I am sure everyone I know has this happen. We call it "When it rains it pours".....okay maybe that is just me.

So this weekend went like this:

Friday - finish decorating 6 cakes - 1 for delivery and the rest for a bake sale I signed on for

Friday - Family Fun Night at school - I was the organizer and helped set up and greet and clean up - my GirlScouts helped too - it went great

Saturday - Up at dawn to hit the Craft Fair for the Bake Sale - Did well - Enjoyed my time - cleared my costs and made money toward a charity we have at school for Holiday Meals

Saturday - BigGuy took kids to stores to pick up gifts for parties they were attending

Saturday - SuperStar was taking care of a neighbors pet by letting out the dog and feeding the horses 2x's that day

Saturday - Pick up from Hockey Party and hang a bit talking to friends - brought a friend home for TheMan to play with

Saturday - SuperStar went to a Sleepover Party

Sunday - Church

Sunday - Serve Meal at local food pantry

Sunday - Prep for week doing laundry and some cake planning for orders

There really wasn't much of a moment left - well Saturday eve we hung a bit and snuggled - that was a nice bonus time. It was a high speed weekend.

But it was fun!!

Funny Friend Story II

2010-11-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

Okay so I was thinking maybe Funny Friend Story II should be saved for another day.......but I am thinking about it now....and avoiding making 30 fondant footballs........

So here it is.

This friend lives in a smallish town that its name start with a B. No, it is not New Bedford......TheMan just asked me this.....he is reading over my shoulder in awe at how quickly I can type. It is nice to AWE your children in some way right? My typing will be what he remembers I guess. Although he is still reading and he says it will not be what he remembers........he apparently will remember my Gooey Butter cake - nice. Needless to say - New Bedford does not start with the letter "B" - it would start with the letter "N".

Anyway.....this friend lives in a town that starts with the letter B.

She and her kids are at a stop light - so that means they are in her car too. Her son is looking out the car window. My friend is probably just thinking about the millions of things that woman have to think about during every waking hour of their daily life. Certainly paying attention to her stop light and safe driving skills (we have to mention that), but not so much to what her kiddo is doing while sitting next to her in her car - she is on auto pilot in her head. You know that feeling right?

Her son asks, "What do BFD mean?"

My friend, not thinking about it much......and in her head still......doesn't question what he has asked and just says, "BFD means Big Fucking Deal". Then she thinks what she just said and wonders who in the world has introduced the term "BFD" to her precious son (they are all precious right?)!!! She turns to him to ask him exactly that and as she does looks out the car window that her son has been looking out and sees the fire truck with the BFD on the side. . . . . . . .and realizes that he was talking about the Bloomington Fire Department logo........

hehehehehehe - great parenting moment right?

Funny Friend Stories

2010-11-10T17:15:00.000-08:00

Okay....yes I have been busy, but there is always time to actually blog....and I do sit down and do it...and I do think of fun things to write about......but then a kid comes by or the phone rings or I remember another something I have to do and it is literally like "Squirrel" from the movie UP.

Oh and then there is that cake blog that I have been actually posting at semi regularly. Which is really the other reason that I haven't been posting blogs here a bunch. If I am not volunteering for something by creating a newsletter or planning and event.....I find that when I am on the computer I am researching a cake - like just today I was researching Electric Guitar cakes....and licensing a bakery stuff........so while I have things to write about, by the time I really concentrate enough to write it I have completely forgotten what I was ever going to write!!

However, my friends are on my mind a lot because they are helping me through my current adventures. And due to that I am thinking about their stories.....and here is a Funny Friend Story.........

So this friend, we will call her TL, is totally put together. She dresses nice - like not just unwrinkled clothes, but unwrinkled matching clothes that are from the CURRENT style......so not me. TL goes fun places. TL has a great job she loves and 2 kiddo's - one is in TheMan's grade and the other is at SuperStar's school a few years above her - 8th grade. She is also a Volunteer-A-Holic.......which is kinda how we have gotten close - we are on everyone of the same committee's together - and she has a heart of gold - which I completely admire in a person.

Needless to say - she has it all together.

This summer TL had an emergency operation. I won't go "all into it", but basically she was like the dog, Marley, from the movie Marley & Me. Her intestines were too long and they twisted up. It was dangerous and serious and she was home from work for several weeks. When she was recovering she tells a story in which her daughter, MissK, was helping her get dinner. They had decided to order out. TL was too woozy to actually talk to the people at the restaurant they were ordering from so she wanted MissK to do it. MissK was whining a bit about it (as good 8th graders will) and said she was too nervous to do it. TL insisted. MissK whined. TL said - in a medicated haze and in a very strict and probably annoyed voice (as good mothers will), "MissK you have to do this, I am trying to teach you how to cook dinner for your family."

Get it........the joke apparently is not just that she was making her daughter cook dinner by ordering out at a take out restaurant........but also apparently TL really cooks this way. Or so she says - I bet if we ever have dinner there it will taste great.

Anyway......funny TL story. I have another.........

The Birthday Was an Up Hill Climb

2010-10-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday To TheMan!!

It has been a few weeks since the ACTUAL Birthday, but it is never too late to wish someone a Great Day and tell a Funny Story. And this is yet another one of our Adventurous Funny Stories.

There are days that I sometimes wonder........do you all have these stories and you just aren't tellin' 'em? Or do I just wander into a lot of Goofiness??

So what did TheMan want to do for his birthday this year? Rock Climbing. Easy enough. My first thought was YES!! - no responsibility for an entire 90 minutes of the party - WOOOO HOOOOO!!!! Energized by the thought of planning ZERO games - ZERO crafts and TONS of Fun supervised by someone paid............I called Upper Limits. Okay - I emailed Upper Limits. I should have called - but I emailed - BigGuy has finally gotten to me - "you can email much easier then you can look it up in the telephone book". Silly me forgetting that talking to someone in PERSON often works much better then email.

Still - even though I emailed and booked the event and then called a week later to find that I didn't actually have the party reserved because even though you email you still have to call. Make sense to you? Yeah, me either. But if I dwell on this glitch then the story will be WAY too long. We will move on.

Everything set - cake made and terribly impressive - and I do say so myself (but go look at the Wimpy Kid Cake by clicking here).

Kids arrived. Parents dropped off leaving us to supervise their lovelies.

Presents were opened - Cake was served - Pictures were taken......and then everyone went outside to bounce about in the yard......I was thinking "dang this is the easiest party yet - nothing can go wrong now!"

Famous Last Words right? Right. Dang the irony.

Within seconds of thinking that horribly comfortable thought it dawned on me that I needed to have each one of the 15 parents sign a release form for Upper Limits to allow their kiddo to climb. OHMYGOODNESS!! That had completely left my mind in the planning process. I mean at some point I had thought "When a parent drops off I will have them sign the form".......and then that thought left me forever. This is hard to admit - because I am a confessed perfectionist.

I explained the problem to BigGuy, SH, KBS and Nanny (BigGuy's mom). They all just looked at me like deer in headlights. Then I said, "We have to forge the signatures". The statement sat there - and no one looked happy with me. So I modified it, "We have to call each parent and get thier permission to forge their signatures." - that time everyone said "Good idea". We figured with 5 adults there we could each sign a few forms and the different hand writings would look random enough. BigGuy started printing out the release forms on line......yeah right.....so we can't make reservations online, but we can download and print the legal documents online. Make sense to you? Yeah, me either.

My job was to phone parents. Everyone else started filling out forms as parents said "go for it". We got all the parents, but 2. MO is a bestie and I knew she would let us sign for her kids. TL is another one of my nearest and dearest - she wouldn't mind either. We signed, filled, asked kids birthdays, signed more.......and then loaded everyone into the cars.

Now this is where disaster #2 happened. See one of the kiddo's had Aspergers. I was warned that sometimes he might wander off. His mom said he wouldn't wander far. My goal was to be his shadow and have him ride with us when we went from our house to Upper Limits. He had been great - having a fine time - getting along with everyone. The other boys were all great too - fine time - getting along (not a single fight!). We loaded them into our van, SH's monster SUV and then the little boys in KBS's van. We drove. We were about half way there when I realized that the boy I planned to shadow was NOT IN THE VAN!! Okay......no need to panic......he is in SH's monster SUV......thank goodness for cell phones right.......dialed her........."hey you have my shadow in your car right?".....she yelled back to see....."nope he ain't here".........crap.........panic now.

I had visions of him in my yard. Standing there like Home Alone. Crap.

BigGuy stopped the van - which stopped the 4 car caravan on its way to Upper Limits. I got out and ran the line - not in our van - not in Nanny's car - not in......wait KBS was smiling and rolling down her window and apologizing, "he is in here" - thank you thank you thank you was all I could think. She said he hopped in and she wasn't sure what to do - she didn't realize I wanted to be his shadow. All I could think was "who gives a crap stop apologizing!! you just saved my life!!"

I ran back to the van. Got in and life was good. SuperStar called up, "This is the worst party ever. We thought we lost a kid." To which I responded, "No this is the best party ever because we only temporarily misplaced a kid."

Everyone piled out of the vans, SUV's and various other cars....running faster then we could catch them into Upper Limits and lining up to turn in their forgery.....er I mean...signed release forms.

The first kid that I did paperwork for was tagged. I had signed the wrong dang line!! The man in charge said that the parent would need to come in and sign the correct line. Crap. I immediately went through and grabbed the papers I had signed and resigned the correct lines. I tried to encourage the man to let us phone the parent to have them give permission to us to sign the correct line. Nopers. This was our pennance. Fortunately the parent in question was one of my besties, TL. She was on her way out to pick up dinner and didn't mind running by.

Here is the kicker. She stopped in and as we are getting ready to sign the paperwork I point out to her that she can no longer sign her signature......she has to sign her signature to look like MY rendition of HER signature. So basically she had to forge my signature of the forgery of her signature. Follow that?

Now if you are following along you will notice that we have planned the Perfect Birthday Party...forgotten the paperwork that would make it seemless....received perimssion to forge signatures....forged them.......lost the one child that we were supposed to make certain was always safe.....found him.....mistakenly signed the wrong lines on the forms....corrected them and asked a parent to forge my signature forging their signature.

In the end everything worked out. So was it still the Perfect Birthday Party?

Name Change Alert!!

2010-10-05T13:46:00.000-07:00

So Spidey had a birthday. He is now 9 years old!!

We were talking the other day about how we all had our blog names. A few years back Santa Claus gave us each a hoodie jacket with our blog name embroidered on it. SuperStar has grown out of hers. Spidey's is too small now too. TheKing was Babers when his was made and he has grown out of his too. BigGuy says his never fit that well - he is such a big guy that it is often hard to get anything to fit him for long after it is washed.

I asked SuperStar and Spidey if they wanted new jackets. SuperStar just wants to wear mine. She likes going around with a HalfPint jacket on. Cute right? Still she said that she would like to have a new jacket with her name.

Spidey wants a new jacket, but he doesn't want it to say "Spidey" on it. He said he wanted a new name. I asked him what his new name should be........he smiled and said.....

TheMan!!

So his new blog name is TheMan!!

SuperStar is looking over my shoulder saying "really??"

What Is Next?

2010-10-03T15:54:00.000-07:00

What am I doing in my spare time you ask? Wait you didn't ask that? Oh........well how about I tell you anyway?

Baking Stuff

Yeah pretty much it is that simple. I have come to the realization that in about 10 months my 4 year old is going to 5 years old. He will start Kindergarten and the 12 year long hiatus from the "real world" (HA!! like anything will be harder then the 12 years I logged in as a SAHM)

of working will come to a close and I will be looking at What Is Next. With that thought

in my head I have been thinking about What Is Next. What is next? Well I could go back into the field of social work. I have even been recently tempted into apply back into that world with a WONDERFUL offer to apply for a counselor working with families who have adopted.

HELLO!! What am I waiting for right??

Well I am thinking about the other thing that I really enjoy. Baking. Even more so I am really getting a kick of Decorating stuff. Cupcakes, Cakes - for Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings, Showers.......whatever......I even find myself begging to give people cakes so that I could practice other types of cakes. Which is kinda how I ended up here.........

Baking. Decorating. Finding myself thinking about What Is Next?

Should I start a bakery? I thought about it outloud. Talked outloud about the thought to my friends - CB, TL, BigGuy and a few others. When I was testing flavors I began to give them away to BigGuy and CB to take to work to give to willing eaters. Suddenly they were both getting me jobs!! Real "will you make me this special order kinda deal" jobs!! CB is getting me so many jobs that I am thinking if I do start a business it should be called CB's Friend That Bakes Cakes!

Then here I am....apply for a job doing what I got all those degrees for.....or try for a different path altogether now and even though it would be way hard and time consuming go for the adventure? Help kids - which is my total calling - or Bake Cakes (and still help kids because let's all face it - I am a VolunteerAHolic and I volunteer for organizations that are child based - shoot I have been trying to figure out how to make cupcakes to give away to organizations for kids celebrations.........without going broke).

So In the decision making time period I am working on this stuff.....Ipsy Bipsy Bake Shop - check it out and let me know what you think.......

Always from the Backseat

2010-09-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

Is Back Seat 2 words or 1 word? Backseat......Back seat? Hmmmmm.....well honestly trying to figure that out is really just procrastinating. Procrastination is BigGuy's thing usually, but today I am borrowing his procrastination skill because there was a topic I could not put to the side when it came up........while I would love to talk to someone about it that wasn't possible.......I did email with BigGuy about a bit, but can't think of who is available to really listen to me ramble - so I thought I should blog it out so to speak. Now I am finding it hard to talk about......but I should talk about it - or type about it - same thing kinda. Aren't there songs that say that - writing it down on paper keeps it from eating you up inside? I could go look for that song and the correct wording - I am sure I have the CD - I think it might be Breathe by Anna Nalick.........but really looking would be procrastinating more....so I won't.

What is my problem? I knew this issue would come eventually? This isn't even the start of it. This has come up several times before. Always from the backseat. BigGuy put it well, "Why does this make me so uncomfortable? I’ve known for more than 5 years that we can’t hide the fact that he is adopted. I’m regularly reminded by others of how obvious it is. In my heart I want to protect him from any form of difficulty, but in my head I know I have to be prepared for the reality. His story will not be like SuperStar’s and Spidey’s. But SuperStar’s and Spidey’s won’t be exactly alike either."

TheKing is getting to that age. He is noticing the differences. He started by making the obvious statements of color. He said he was "black" and I was "white". Then the questions started, "Why am I the only brown kid?".

Each question seems to be stated when he is sitting in the backseat of the car. Funny he has figured out that it is easier to deal with things when you aren't looking them directly in the eye.

We were riding home from school today and from the backseat he asked me why he is the brown kid and I am the tan mom. See for TheKing BigGuy is "white" and he says that I am "tan". He has told me that I could be "brown", but that I am not. I am "tan". Today I asked him what he meant trying to draw the conversation out until we could get out of the car and sit and talk face to face. He wanted to know why he is a different color. So I went straight for the truth. "I didn't give birth to you." "What is birth, Maudy?".......perhaps I stepped into that, but honestly the way I see it the first step to understanding it all for real is understanding where babies come from. Explaining "birth" to him wasn't so easy though. There was my explanation of a baby growing in a woman's belly......there was his questions of the difference between a baby and a toddler....there was his segue into why you call a toddler a toddler....my explaining the learning to walk part of toddle....and his talking about how he wondered if a baby would be scared to fall down a staircase or about having a monster eat it. Both of which I agreed a baby should be frightened of.

and then we were home.

I remembered the handy Usborne book that has tons of stories of "firsts" in a childs life. A baby coming home being one of the stories. So we sat down to read it and better understand where babies come from. I don't think TheKing has ever watched a woman through pregnancy like SuperStar and Spidey did. He found the pictures of Mrs. Usborne pregnant and then after giving birth to Susie very interesting. We flipped back and forth and back and forth looking at the difference. Then we flipped to the page where Susie's brother and sister come to visit her for the first time.......in a shared hospital room (must have been in Europe)........and the couple next to Mrs. Usborne's bed (who was caucasian) was a African American couple. TheKing pointed to Mrs. Usborne and said she was me, her husband in the picture was BigGuy, the brother and sister were Spidey and SuperStar, but the baby was not TheKing. TheKing pointed to the baby in the family next to them and said, "I am that brown baby."

He got it. Kinda.

We talked about how tan people usually have tan babies. Brown people usually have brown babies. White people usually have white babies. That babies often look like the woman and the man who created them and grew them in their belly. I told TheKing that there was a brown woman who grew him in her belly. He said he would like to be in her belly again. He curled up. I told him that the woman who grew him couldn't be his mommy and looked for another mommy. I picked him up and held him like a baby. He snuggled in. TheKing told me that if I saw a little kid on the side of the road walking alone I should get him and bring him home to take care of him. I asked him how why he thought his skin was brown and mine was tan. He said because I found him on the road. I told him that sometimes when a mommy is tan and a baby is brown they are different colors because the baby was adopted into the family.

Then he changed the subject.

TheKing asked if we could read a book about dinosaurs. I asked if he wanted to see the pictures of the day he was born and brought to our house. He picked up the dinosaur book and handed it to me. We read that book. Then we read another book. And another book.

I expect that there will be another day where he asks another question - from the backseat.

That is Sooooooooo NOT what we bought that phone for!!

2010-09-14T05:07:00.000-07:00

So for SuperStar's birthday we gifted her a very nice phone. Yes she is 11 years old. Yes I was totally opposed for years to the thought that we would purchase one of our children a cell phone. No I didn't cave. Well yes I did cave. Wait....did I cave? Maybe not so much "caved" as Peer Pressure sank into the equation of it all.

SuperStar + Jr. High being really far away + other Parents purchasing cell phones for their kid's starting Jr. High + other Parents agreeing it is helpful if they are involved in school activities + a lot of "Can I PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE" ='s BigBuy and I CAVED.

Okay - yeah - I caved.

So now she has a phone. This is how it is generally used.

Texting

We were driving the other day - whole family - and BigGuy gets a text. He reads it at a stop sign and shows me.....it says "I am in the back seat"............it is from SuperStar.

It is 10pm. I am downstairs watching CupCake Wars. I get a text.......it says, "What Up"........it is from SuperStar who is supposed to be sleeping.

Now I will give you I am actually having some interesting conversations through texts with her. Things that we can say when we aren't together. She sent a text announcing that she made it for Treble Makers......she was very excited!! She sent me a text letting me know she was on her way home from school on the bus. Nice to know. She sent me a text letting me know she was a little down. We texted that through a bit.

Then came the day that she wanted to stay after for a Student Council election meeting. She called - I am staying. There was no ride set up and I couldn't leave to get her. She should have called to say....."can I stay" before the bus left. That was not the best way of using her phone, but lucky for us CB's son was doing something similar and she saved SuperStar's bacon by being on her way to pick up her own son who surprise stayed for the meeting.

Then came the day that SuperStar was staying after to attend a Speech Team information meeting. It was planned though. No worries. I woke TheKing up and made my way across town to pick her up. Only........she wasn't there. She forgot and took the bus home. Realized the goof half way, but didn't have her cell phone (which she should have because it was purchased for this reason) with her and didn't think to use one of the MILLION OTHER cell phones her friends on the bus had. Again - CB saved her bacon because NB noticed that SuperStar was crying from fear on the bus....CB let me know that my panicked search of the Jr. High school was in vain and called me - WITH HER OWN CELL PHONE - to let me know I should come home. This is exactly what we DID buy the cell phone for and again it wasn't used.

So after that SuperStar's privileges for texting and computer were taken for a few days.

Then the next day there was a Girl Scout event that SuperStar was working as a greeter for. She stood in front of me with her cell phone as she was preparing to leave. Now....going to an event without one of her parents is EXACTLY what the cell phone is for. Yea - she has it in her hands - and then she put it down and said, "Well guess I will leave this here since I can't text anyone until Friday"........

That is SOOOOOO exactly what we bought that phone for!!!

We Don't Need to Tell Them........They Learn It Themselves

2010-09-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

Today TheKing and I were both working on the computer. Crazy right? My 4 year old son knows how to navigate the computer. Plus he is super good at it. We can turn the computer off and he can still figure out how to turn it on, find his way into the user that belongs to the kiddo's and on top of that all find his way into the websites that have his favorite games. Geez Louise.....

Today though he was on the home computer and I was on the laptop. Honest I was paying attention, but honestly it was half hearted. I didn't notice that he stopped playing his game because that music drones on over and over regardless of it you are playing the game or not. Suddenly he was standing next to me holding a Bella Sara card. The card isn't anything important. It is something similar to a baseball card that SuperStar collected for awhile. Each card has a mythical creature on it. This particular card has been sitting in the computer hutch forever, but was just now being noticed by someone.

The card that the TheKing was holding had a unicorn on either side. On one side the unicorn pictured had white hair. On the other side the unicorn pictured had black hair.

The King said, "What is this Maudy?" holding the card up for me to see.
"Looks like one of SuperStar's old Bella Sara cards." was my response after looking quickly at the unicorns.
"Is this one a good guy and this one is a bad guy?" he asked flipping the card back and forth between the two pictures.
"No I think all the characters are good in that series." I said - and then began to think about what he asked. "Why do you think one of the unicorns is a 'bad' one?" I added.
"This one is a bad one." and he pointed to the unicorn with black hair.
"Why do you think that one is the bad one?" I asked.
"Because the white one is always good." he added matter of fact.
"Well a black unicorn is just as good as a white unicorn and this one is a superhero." (TheKing is currently IN LOVE with superheros of all types so adding "SuperHero" makes a big point for him) I said pointing to the unicorn with the black hair. "There is nothing a black unicorn can't do."
TheKing put the card down and said, "Can I have a cookie now?"

I am realistic enough that I "get" he wasn't having this conversation to talk about racism or diversity. Yet at the same time we were. BigGuy and I have never told any of our kiddo's that white means good and black means bad. Just the opposite actually. We (okay maybe it is more ME) make a point to stress that there are stereotypes hidden in everything and to always be certain to Look Closely at everything before making a judgement on it.

Yet these messages of black meaning bad and white meaning good are there in my 4 year old sons head. This isn't a new message. I have had similar conversations with SuperStar and Spidey. All TheKing needs to do is watch a cartoon, a harmless Disney movie or in some cases read a book and he can learn that message.

We don't need to tell them..........they learn it themselves through our worlds subliminal messaging.

We do need to change it...........by talking to them even when it is not so simple or so comfortable. If we don't then they will continue to believe what they learn.

Spidey the World Changer

2010-08-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

Spidey started school this past Tuesday. This year our school is BRAND NEW and huge. While we have only been in this neck of the woods for 3 years.......the fact that the age of our former school was old and run down was well known throughout the district families. The hardwork and joy that went into building our new school (and 2 more) was really cool to be a part of. So being a part of all the BIG events that have had to do with opening our new school has been really exciting and gives you goose bumps.

As our school opened our schools dynamic changed. Our former school was small, but we had as many students as it would hold. The new school is not small at all!! The school district redrew the lines for each of the schools as they built and expanded the schools we are moving into. Thus the face of our school community is changing. We have more diversity. We have an even higher population of families who qualify for services. We also have a new element of mainstreaming kids into the class with different abilities. While each of these new pieces of our school come with excitement of challenge.........they can also be a frustrating challenge. One I know our teachers and principal are up for, but one I wondered about in terms of our students interacting - and considered how Spidey would respond. Now I know he will be fine.

One new student in Ben's class is James. James is Spidey's age, but just under my size. Spidey has been talking about James - he seems genuinely concerned about him. Described him to me as "not so bright", but very nice and that he cries when he gets frustrated and needs a lot of help in class, but tries really hard and has a lady who helps him all the time. My guess was James had a TA in the class. Given our districts financial cut backs I know that a TA these days is generally attached to an IEP. I asked Spidey's teacher about James because he wanted to have a playdate and I would need to contact Jame's parent. I also asked his teacher why Spidey would keep describing James as "not so bright" and she explained. James has Asperger's. She also shared that James is apt to just stand up and wander out of the class room. Which is the norm for kids with Asperger's. So I figured that first we would get to know James better and make sure that his parents would be ccomfortable with us asking him for a playdate.

Spidey's teacher has used the bond the boys are building to help James get comfortable - remember he is new to our school and new to our classroom. Spidey is not - there are a lot of kids that are new and that alone is something for Spidey to adjust to, but his teacher was his sisters 3rd grade teacher. His principal has been the same great guy since Kindergarten. Spidey was a part of everything that is our new school. Spidey's teacher now has the boys in the same desk group and Spidey has talked about trying to get James to be part of the fun at recess, but so far he hasn't joined.

Spidey broke down in tears one day after school while he was telling me all about how some of the other kids were teasing James for crying. He made me cry too I was so touched by his concern. Spidey felt so badly for James that he stuck up for him with the developing class bully. This is a big deal for Spidey because he wants to be part of the "in crowd"........so going against them is NOT something he ever did in prior years.

All of this also struck a cord with me that so often we judge people by how we look. James is a big kid. Normally James would be the kid that stuck up for the littler kids - or bullied them. James is being judged wrongly by the other kids and will easily become a target.

This Friday night we had one of our family movie nights. We watched Blind Side. Not my favorite movie because I think it is an overly sugary sweet version of what people should be doing - plus the movie made it look like once again a white family was saving the world of people in other races (yes I do understand the irony of what I say - but I would have made the movie differently) - and I think the excessive money the family portrayed has give's the rest of the adult world an excuse to say "well if we had money we could help, but......." (I have seen people post exactly this on facebook - and heard them say it in conversations) - Still their story is wonderful because they did these things because they felt the need to - not because any of the rest of us were making them - they felt a love to do it. Hopefully their story is inspirational enough to others that some will reach out and touch a life of another person in a positive way. Because that is what our world needs.

Anyway - I wanted to watch Blind Side with the kids to give them an idea of remembering to LOOK at people - really LOOK at them and realize that the package is not always what it looks like (especially given that they are both starting schools that are different in many ways then our former elementary was). In the movie Michael originally looked like a tall, dirty, scary kid who didn't belong - but when people took the time to get to know him they realized that he was just a another person - like themselves - who needed help and once they really got to know him they found that he was a sweet person who truly cared for others.

After the movie I tried to start a conversation........but there were no takers and we all kinda forgot about it.

This morning before school Spidey qouted the movie. I asked him what he thought about the movie. He said he didn't like the movie because it had so many sad parts to it. That statement to me was a total open door. We talked about how life for many people is hard and can be sad. We talked about how some of his classmates may be in situations similar to Michael and some may even be homeless (which I learned is a reality for our school population last year while working with some of our students). We talked about how at some point in everyone's life there will be hurdles that we all have to get over and it is sometimes only with the help of other people who wander into our lives that we make it over those hurdles. The character of David (the gang member who dies) was especially hard for Spidey. He said he didn't like that David died. He wanted to know if that part of the movie was also true. So I tried to explain how the story teller used David and Michael as mirrors of what "could happen" if no one helped a kid who needs them - and what "can happen" when someone does help the kid wno needs them.

We also talked about how helping does not mean bringing them into your home - sometimes it means working to collect food with your religion class - helping the community through your Boy Scouts - Christmas caroling - donating your clothes or toys in good condition - or it just means being a friend that listens and spends time doing fun things someone else.

Spidey is killing me these days because he looked up at me and then just started to cry. Then I started to cry. Then he asked me, "Do you think James can jump on our trampoline?"

I think we will be having a playdate soon.

Fantastic Miss SuperStar

2010-07-16T05:35:00.000-07:00

Fantastic Mr. Fox is what is on the menu at our house right now. Rehearsals started in June.....every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7pm - 9pm.....then tec week bumped it up to 6:30pm - 9pm and Fridays added in. Not too too bad, but it does seem to be taking up a good chunk of evening time.

Performances started last weekend - Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for 3 weeks - with one pickup rehearsal on Wednesday. That is a lot of Fantastic Mr. Fox. I know all the lines.....I know all the songs.....I know that SuperStar is loving every minute of it. She has had a few friends show up and she is loving showing them about the theatre - telling them what is what - but she is being kinda shy with her co-stars. I think I talk to them more then she does - which is so out of character for her......but they are kinda older then her. The kids more her age are in the animal characters. She is in the ensemble where they play a few different characters and switch to different positions. At first she was very disappointed........she didn't get to be an animal.........then she realized the animals sit on stage the entire production and don't move - so she embraced being a Villager, Chicken, Stage mover abouter and various other things as assigned.

The thing I find very interesting is that hanging with the older kids has SuperStar thinking she is one. The boys in this photo are 14, 15 & 16. The girls are 13, 14, 15 & 18. I asked SuperStar at one point how she gets along hanging out with the kids - she told me a few stories - I can see how the boys are sweet and helpful to her (like big brothers) and that she goofs around with the girls, but she said they were all good except one rat (the boys dress as rats) can be kinda inappropriate. So I asked her what she meant and she said that the said rat (center of photo)- keep in mind the dressing rooms are in the basement of the building and there are the usual support beams holding the floor up - well said rat was teasing one of the girls as she twirled about a support beam and saying that she was doing a pole dance. As SuperStar told me the story I agreed with her that it was kinda inappropriate ........ then SuperStar ASSURED me that he NEVER did stuff like that around the "little kids".......so I pointed out that at 10 years old she IS one of the little kids!!

Even then......said rat is not a "bad boy"....he really does seem sweet and helpful - just maybe a little "showy" - of course I imagine that is why every one of those kids is there.....you should hear the stories they tell about their parents - forgetting they are there....drinking....never feeding them....not making smart choices pertaining to child care.....geez louise if I didn't know their parents I would worry....the drama of it all!!!

So if you are in the area catch a show -
Friday - Saturday - Sunday and then again next week on Thursday - Friday - Saturday and Sunday........but then it is gone.......so don't miss it!!

You Would Have Thought I Bought Them Gold

2010-07-14T05:25:00.000-07:00

Hasn't it be 20 Years??

2010-07-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

This is a cake that I made for MrK.........he turned 4 yesterday and yesterday was his birthday!! I was asked to do a Millineum Falcon.........remember those? From like 30 years ago? At first I was thinking 20, but it must be 30 or more - I was about 10 I think when I saw Star Wars.....

When we first talked about my making this cake (it was our gift to the bday boy to help out with "getting things done" and how many toys does a kid need really? So we gave him a few books and this cake) - anyway - when we first talked about my making this cake we googled Millineum Falcon cakes and came up withe quite a few. Some that were SUPER cool looking and that I will NEVER be able to emulate from my kitchen.....and some that were EPIC fails and looked more like a soccer ball then a space craft.

Now I personally see many flaws in this cake. Like these pointy things that jut out of the ship......they are totally cut uneven. They looked even, until I added the icing and that just seemed to make them go all wonky. Did the 4 year old notice it? Nah....in fact I am faily sure that most people looked at this cake and thought "I will never want to do this" and didn't notice the Billboard sign size flas I can see at all.

Sometimes I need to step away from whatever I am creating and stop looking at it. Then when I come back it looks WAY WAY WAY more amazing then it did when I left it.

So where I was cringing at the sight of this cake right after I completed it - after putting it up for the night.......sleeping for 8 hours.....and then returning to it the next morning - I loved it all that much more. Then after looking at the cake through the eyes of a 4 year old, the relieved mom and all the guests - I felt like my mild success turned into a Splendid Success. Yea!!

The Gray Kitchen

2010-07-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a very fun New Blog to follow.....especially if you know the family. Since they are using all first and last names I guess it is okay for me too also. The Gray's bid out their kitchen. Home Depot cost a good chunk of money.......the guy who was going to make the cabinets cost 2x's the amount Home Depot would and he was going to use THEIR wood!!.....then Lowe's bid out somewhere in another disappointing realm. So Bill is making the kitchen cabinets himself and they (Bill and company) are doing the work too......I am so putting a bid in to do demo work when it happens!!

check it out ~
The Gray Kitchen

We Forgot GS Bridging!!

2010-07-07T05:28:00.000-07:00

SuperStar pointed out to me that we COMPLETELY forgot to post some of the events that we participated in all the way back in May!! So here is a catch up slide of our school troops bridging ceremony. SuperStar is now an official Cadette!!

Deck Furniture

2010-06-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

I couldn't decide where to post this BEAUTIFULLY done piece of refurbishing that I accomplished..........craft or personal blog? Finally I went craft......IpsyBipsy....but then I thought.......well no one goes there much what if they miss it?

Of course this last thought was with the delusion that anyone actually ever comes here to read.....so yes, I am delusional.....

Still......this turned out SOOOOO COOL!! Go to the link -
Ipsy Bipsy

and then look at this other work we have done:

Summer Fun MakeOvers

2010-06-16T04:59:00.000-07:00

So Summer Time is for fun. It is for not worrying about getting up early in the morning and getting ready for school. It is for wearing plastic bracelets like Bendeaz and not worrying about getting a 7th hour (or detention for those who have no idea what I am talking about).....and it is for letting your hair down....or cutting it off.....or basically becoming whatever you want to become.

Since recently I have become mildly "anti" spending that much money for a hair cut I never described......I have been more open to catering to Spidey's want for me to cut his hair - and that of course leads us to TheKing wanting his hair cut (although he then cries through the whole thing) and SuperStar is still on her "don't touch my hair" kick - although she is lessening up on this as people are now saying to her "oh my goodness look how long your hair has gotten!" - 2 years without much of a hair cut will do that.

Given all these factors.....Monday we had a Make Over Day. And it was pretty fun....and it was not nearly as difficult as I would have thought it would be! Plus....it cost all of the $16 in product I purchased at Sally's (highlight bleach, coloring and correct combs).

SuperStar was actually the LAST person to go - but she wanted the LEAST done and on top of that she was going to be the MOST critical of her cut. The cut went surprisingly well. Not a single complaint.....she did consider measuring he length of the pieces that I cut, but in the end since it looked good and she found even herself surprised that her hair came half way down her back - she did not get the ruler out. The Highlighting portion didn't go quite as smoothly though. I did the highlights (first time ever) using one of those caps. It would have went just fine, but I was worried that I would lift her hair color too much and washed the bleach out too early for SuperStar's liking. I felt good, I thought it looked good too, but she was the customer and she wanted a blonde close to white. Later I coaxed her into letting me try again. This time I did it like a foil......MUCH easier surprisingly and MUCH better. She was so happy with the results she came up behind me and bear hugged me. Then she spent the rest of the evening glancing at herself as she found reasons to pass by the mirror. So....hardest customer totally pleased!! Great result!

TheKing was next. His hair had grown out quite a bit. A few months ago I switched products on his hair. I have to say that going to Sally's was a bit better for me in the end that going to a local store that catered to African American hair. Perhaps it was a bad day for the shop keeper the day I went, but she had no interest in helping me find something to tame TheKing's hair. Sally's shop keepers are always up for teaching me a lesson in hair product. I learned about the use of cholestrol from them and the products by Pink (not the singer). Using these has made TheKing's brittle hair go super soft and much much more manageable at a long length as he likes to keep it..
For this adventure he said he wanted "Spidey's" hair. Which meant he wanted a true mohawk like Spidey had last year. TheKing had seen a picture of Mr.T from back in "my childhood's day" and remembered Spidey's hair from last summer. And a decision was born. All it took was his sitting still (not his forte) and some shakey lines to be straightened out after I cut his mohawk. He was so excited......and SuperStar and Spidey were just as excited too - it was so cute to see them all prancing around about his hair!

The final customer of the day was actually the first one in for the cut. Very much like me he does not like to have his hair cut. He has been trying to grow it long on top and cut short in back for a year. Each time he goes in he gets short and short and sometimes even shorter. He usually wants me to cut it ..... BigGuy usually wants Spidey to have it cut professionally - who knows why for both of them. Recently it is just easier to cut it myself.
After we had him cut he waited through the other 2 kids cuts. Then we dyed his hair with the product that we bought to make it green. The woman at Sally's told us that his hair was dark enough that most likely the color would not show up all that well. We thought we would give it a go though as the alternative was lifting the color off of his hair to blonde and then dying it. The sales woman at Sally's was right. Spidey was not impressed with the results. So we had all the remaining bleach from SuperStar's highlights. Hmmmm......could it be that easy? I called up to Sally's....she said it should be fine to use that product to lift his hair lighter. Spidey sat down, we covered his hair in the bleach and waited......and waited. The first go round went exactly as the sales woman said - his hair was dark enough that the roots were blonde, but his tips were still orange. So we washed the bleach off and reapplied more to the tips and not to the base of the hair. Then we waited......and waited. I read up that you can leave bleach on your hair up to 50 minutes. We didn't come near that so we were okay. In the end he was close to a very high light color of blonde. He thought he was very cool. SuperStar no longer wanted anything to do with dying her hair a color given all the processing. Win Win.
The next day we pulled the green dye back out and applied. We waited.....and waited.....and the results were AMAZING!! Spidey was super excited that his hair was/is green. SuperStar was super excited that it turned out looking so nice - and she wanted to drag him around like a Show & Tell doll - and I was just personally impressed that he wasn't bald!! I had bleached and colored my first head. Maybe the teen years weren't going to be as expensive as I thought!!

A Quick Big Easy Trick

2010-06-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Okay this trip is like a bunch of little weird incidents - maybe later today I will find time to do the Cemetary Tour weirdness event......but for the moment I am going to do the funny shopping thing.

So done with the Cemetary Tour I decided that on my way back to the hotel I would duck into a shop I had seen a few days before. Soak up some of their air conditioning.....dry my cloths off a smidge (I finally figured it out - polyester blends are a must! so if I duck into a shop my shirt dries quicker and then it isn't so bad). I picked out gifts for all three kiddo's - a t-shirt each for all 3 - baseball hats for the boys (remember I got one earlier in the week from the guy on the street for SuperStart) - 2 snowglobes for the boys and a feather mask for SuperStar. Total - $70 - with tax $75.

The shop keeper was very impressed. He talked to me about the kids a bit. He said I must love my kdis. I do. He said he would give me a special free gift for spending so much money on my kids. I LOVE LOVE LOVE free things......and a FREE thing disguised as a gift can only make it all better. He put all my items into a big black bag with the stores name on it - it had handles - and bid me a nice day.

Ahhhhhh.....FREE GIFT??? So I stopped once I left and looked through the bag. No free gift. Then it dawned on me - he said he was going to give me a special free gift as he grabbed the big black bag with handles.........the bag was the gift. He GIFTED me the bag that has his stores name on it that is made to hold the items that I bought from him. He gifted me the crappy bag. That isn't a GIFT - that is a necessity.

So if I hadn't been gifted a free bag that he should have been giving me......how would I have carried my items back to the hotel?

BigGuy is so cute

2010-06-09T07:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went and worked out in the hotel gym. While they didn't have the eXact equipment I normally like, the room was very nice - well 2 rooms really - and then after I could go out and have a sauna in the city. Anyway while I was working out trying to make eye contact with some of the other woman working out (I figured maybe they were lonely wives traveling with their hubbies too and I could get lucky and find someone to hang with).....anyway while I am working out I am thinking....Today I am going to meet someone famousish - should I take their picture?.......weird thoughts - yes I know (although really if you know me you probably know that it isn't so weird that I should plan ahead for the "feelings" I have about things that I "feel" might happen - BigGuy makes fun of me about this all the time, but taps into when he thinks he should - see there is a Harrah's across the way and he asked which day "felt" best for us to make money on the slots - it is Wednesday by the way)- weird to you yes, I get it - but you already know that I am not striving to be normal in anyway so deal with it.

Anyway - later in the day - evening really - BigGuy and I decided to take the Trolley down St. Charles to see the BIG and really FANCY houses. Guess who we got ONTO the trolley with?? Girl Scouts!! It was so cute. They were all milling around at the stop - a big gaggle of little girls in purple and yellow. Hey - my GS's - PURPLE & YELLOW - you could see them a mile away so I was totally right to have picked those colors! So the GS's traveled with us half way down the road until we saw the most subdued McDonald's ever and got off. We went all the way to the end of the line and then I kid you not....on the travel way back the driver STOPPED the trolley. She didn't say a single word to us. Got off the trolley and ran across the street to a Subway and went inside......ahhhh????? People on the trolley asked BigGuy and I if this development was normal when riding the trolley....really? Do we look that comfortable and not surprised that the trolley driver just walked off into a restaurant without a word to everyone? Or perhaps we are just that "comfortably dressed"? Or maybe our bodies have finally adjusted to the area because we did seem to be sweating the least out of all of us.

So we waited.....and waited.....and waited.....

I told BigGuy she was ordering - but he said she was just using the bathroom. Then a truck that apparently was a supervisor for the trolley company pulled up. He didn't say anything to us either. Just sat there in his airconditioned truck. Then she came out - talked to the supervisor - we figured she was getting in trouble - but then she went back in - and came out with a drink and sandwich. Really? The supervisor did kinda reprimand her - "Eat before your shift from now on" was the extent of it.

Then 2 people jumped on. I recognized both of them. Figured they were from the movie industry - I knew I knew the guy, but couldn't tell. Then the two local guys sitting next to us said "hi" to them like they knew each other and that threw me - maybe it was just one of those "I saw him in the market things".

But I was pretty sure it was not. BigGuy asked me who it was and I told him I didn't know a name, but that he was a rapper. I told BigGuy to listen to the guys next to us they would say the name. They had no clue - they just knew he was in movies. No I was sure he was a singer/rapper, but I guess I had seen him in movies. After a bit they scooted into the seat behind us. So I talked to them about the houses we were taking pictures of. I will talk to anyone so it wasn't out of character and they got a pic I wanted - it is really hard to take pics of the big houses on a jerky trolley that only stops for Subway. BigGuy stayed quiet. They were nice enough. He was kinda tiny. She was totally sweet.

When they got off BigGuy listened closer to the names they said - but they were wrong. Then the hungry trolley car driver knew - it was Mos Def. Once they said it there was one of those "ack I knew that" moments. He is both a singer/rapper and an actor. Once we knew the name BigGuy wanted to text someone to tell them who we met. Hehehehehe - BigGuy is so cute.

At dinner - because BigGuy was still totally tickled he had met Mos Def - I asked him why he didn't talk to him when we were on the trolley - he said, "I didn't want to seem starstruck. I hate that." Now this made me giggle - how often does BigGuy meet people that he might be starstruck by? So how many times has he seemed starstruck? Really. I asked him.......who have we ever met that you could be starstruck by? Bob Costas was his first thought - ah yeah, he is a friend of his step-dads and we have seen him a few times - but BigGuy never talks to him I do. Of course Mr. Costas is at my eye level so it is easier for him to talk to me - course he works with basketball players so BigGuy shouldn't be that much of a change for him.

I still think that is so funny. Maybe we will see someone else that is going to make BigGuy all googly today. Oh wait, today is Wednesday - we have to go to Harrah's and win a million dollars on the slot machines..........

Well time to go and try to make eye contact at the gym.....

Where Did That Come From?

2010-06-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Yes here I am again blogging while in New Orleans. Don't give me any crap about it....I have already been outside for a few hours walking around and sweating a few pounds off. In fact - BigGuy blew off the opening of the conference this morning so we could walk down Royal and get breakfast at this place that I found yesterday. Apparently there are tons of them - it seems there are a lot of small chains within the French Quarter itself. And it is already unbearably hot. I am not sure what it is exactly, but the heat makes me not at all hungry - yet I knew I needed to eat so we went for breakfast. Now I can probably skip lunch.

How do visitors eat a bunch of food when they are here? All I can really handle is a salad and I am craving fruits. Yesterday I went into several of the little deli's and non-sit-down restaurants to find a small salad and fruit to take back to the hotel. I did find little pre-made fruit salads, but they were charging $100 for them (okay - not really $100, but about $7.50ish......which is a weeks worth of fruit from the grocery store). So then I started chatting locals up and asked someone where people in the French Quarter shop for groceries. Took the directions and then later in the evening when walking about with BigGuy stopped in for some fruit and veggies to keep in the room. Still the fruits were expensive ($5.75 for a container of strawberries that at home would cost 2 for $4.00) - but I picked up a few banana's and some plums and carrots for snacking on.

By the time we were in the store it was about 9:30pm. We are in line and there were really quite a few people checking out. I was fairly surprised by how busy it was. As we were being waited on did what I normally do and chatted the checker....this is how I know all the checkers back home by name.

"Wow it is really busy here tonight." was my opening. I wasn't looking for a big conversation - just wanted to acknowledge the guy. He was a nice normal looking guy. He looked like he could own a grocery store. Mid height, kinda balding, cleanly shaved, responsible looking.
"Yeah well it isn't that unusual for a Sunday night really." he said back.
"Well isn't it Monday?" was what I came back with - not to correct him, but really for my own benefit because without kids I am starting to lose a bit of track of the days - as I said this I looked at BigGuy to get confirmation on the date.........but the checker didn't seem to hear me...he kept talking....
"It is all relative really. I mean I could be on some tanker in the middle of Iraq being bombed and worried about my life."
"Oh, well yeah." I responded.......how do you respond to that? although I don't think I was supposed to or that he was hearing me because he kept talking.....
"You know I am really lucky to be working in a store even if it is busy because there are so many out there who might lose their lives because of the wars.".......and then he was done with me and onto the next customer.

BigGuy and I walked out silently, but as soon as we cleared the doors I looked at him and said, "Where did that come from?" and BigGuy burst out with a giggle and shook his head and we both kinda repeated parts of what he said.

Those are the times that you really really wonder what someone else is thinking.

Here I am in the Big Easy

2010-06-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

The following is an email I sent a friend to distract her from her own personal stress. I had been walking around the French Quarter for about 4 hours. And I know - there are soooooo many of you who told me how fabulous this place is.....I bet you all didn't have to walk around alone. And every one of you are right - the architecture is GORGEOUS - the town reeks of history - there is a ton to see - but I am vaguely bored. I think I am meant to be with people and not alone. No, I can BE alone - but most of the tours and stuff I want to wait and do with BigGuy in the evening....so by day it is people watching and wandering - and being quiet. I am not good at quiet. The only people who will really talk to me are the street performers and they want me to pay them money because that is their job. I don't really have any money - we are swinging this whole trip through being frugal with grocery money that I skimmed off the top over the past few months and Dave's work reimbursing us for a good chunk of the trip. So shopping and paying street performers is not in my budget or really something I long to do anyway. After that the fun seems to include sitting in the heat alone....or in the hotel. Ack!! So I need a plan - but in the mean time reflecting on some of it is kinda funny.............this is to Becky (I did change some original curse words):

Okay so here is a Big Easy distraction.............every friggin person here is asking for money!! It is almost annoying to walk around. Yes the street entertainers are ENTERTAINING - however, then after you watch them they say - "don't forget to pay me for the show" and if you don't they call out to you and say..."hey cutie (because they are still trying to get your money) didn't you enjoy ole Steve's show?"......and if you keep walking you feel like a bitch....if you stop and confirm that you did then you have to pay up - and all I have still are $5's. I am not paying at every corner for the show that I hear.

Okay........so then I started feeling badly - thought "well I will stop at Cafe De Munde to get a beneigh and an iced coffee (because it is freakin' hot here! so hot the news said "stay in or you might die" - but I figure if nothing else the sauna effect might help me shed a few pounds and I have found that the heat actually makes me the oposite of hungry anyway). Okay - back at De Munde - you seat yourself and there were these really good street musicians set up playing facing the shop - a trumpet and a giant horn thing...ah can't remember what that instrument is called - tuba maybe?....anyway the trumpet player is also singing - very very good - gospely and praising. I sit down to order the iced coffee and 3 beneighs....cost of $8 I figure. I had change for the tip and would keep the 2 $1 bills and pick 2 worthy street performers to tip. Clear my conscious. Well the waitress is Vietnamese or Thai or something.....older woman. Asks me what I want - I ask if the ice coffee is with chickory (because I want to try chickory) she said "iced is small cup" - oh, she called the iced coffee iced - I can swing the lingo and she seemed in a HUGE hurry so quickly I said....."ahhh okay then I will have one iced and an order of beneigh". She doesn't say another word - yells in her language to some guy near by who I guess should have been waiting my table from the way she screeched at him and then motioned to another set of tables. It was something like, "Bing chi ma taka di la butt head"........so I wait wondering who will be bringing my food. Meanwhile the lovely singer is waving at me and singing and making eye contact. Perhaps he will be the first to receive one of the bills I will have left over? He is really great after all and I will finally have the change to do it. The waiter comes...one cup of ice WATER and 3 beneighs. Nice right? I almost told him he should screech at the other woman that she screwed up his tables order and short changed him on a sale. Total is $4.20. I give him my $10 - he gives me a $5 bill and some change. I let him keep the change. I now still have a bunch of $5 bills. Shit. The singer waves at me again.....is he worth $5? Ack...where is the back entrance to this open air patio anyway? I can't even look totally involved in a conversation with someone so I can play "distracted" as I leave. Shit.

My main question though.....why the fudge is a Vietnamese person waiting on me at the Cafe De Munde?

So then I spent the next 3 hours skulking around town taking pictures of street performers with my zoom lense and avoiding Muhammad Ali.

Don't Delude Yourself.........my body might believe you, but my brain knows better!!

2010-06-05T03:53:00.000-07:00

So on the VERY Last Day of Preschool I decided to do something fun for TheKing. See lately he has had to attend one event after another of his sisters activities or his brothers activities. Yes, TheKing had one evening of a musical program........which I am getting closer to catching up on and posting, but Spidey and SuperStar have had musical, musical, softball, Girl Scout Bridging, Air Flight Programs (which I think TheKing really did have fun with), auditions, 5th grade graduation..........it really has been one thing after the other. And with at least half the events I owned a piece of responsibility....rehearsals for talent show, cakes for a few of the activities, gifts for teachers, etc. And since I had to complete my portion I also found that on some days TheKing was kinda in the position of "wait a second sweetie".

Needless to say I thought HE deserved a day of things HE loved. And his last day of school seemed to only be fair.

We dropped him off at preschool that morning....SuperStar asked to stay with him and help the class. She LOVES staying and helping because she gets adored by all the little kiddo's. TheKing loves to have her there because he gets his big sis in the class and it is kinda like a really prideful Show & Tell. So this was kinda the start of the treat for him. Spidey and I went to work on undecorating the elementary school the olders attend. Then we swung back into our neighborhood to pick up MrE......one of TheKing's best friends. We took MrE back to school with us at pick up time. TheKing was BEYOND EXCITED to see MrE show up in his classroom. We got there a bit early and he immediately grabbed E and brought him into the classroom group and the "goodbye" activities.

Spidey had also joined in........so I was kinda left standing there. Not that this is a problem - I know the moms there and one of my good friends, KBS, was standing right there waiting for her EnglishMunchkin. The next step of our "Wonderful TheKing Day" was to take him, MrE and the olders to Walmart to buy a blow up swimming pool..........and then to the Irish Clown restaurant.......oh, I forgot there aren't kids on the blog listening so no need to talk code...McDonald's. So we were headed to McDonald's - KBS is always up for a good kid time and while we were standing there I thought I would invite her to our lunch plan. Standing in between us was another mom........very sweet........two little girlies.....we share a swim class. I was totally comfortable talking around here to KBS. However, it ended in a comedy of errors some how.

After saying hello to both ladies I had eye contact with KBS and said, "Hey, we are headed to McDonald's after this. Do you and EnglishMuffin want to come along?"

However, before she could answer MomintheMiddle piped up with, "Oh, thanks, but we try to stay away from McDonald's as much as possible."

"Oh." was my response and before I could go on I found myself being schooled on the evils of fastfood.

"Yes, we really don't go to any fast food places. We want the girls to eat healthy and so we try to make as much food at home and stay away from the high fat stuff." MomintheMiddle continued.

Now.....many of you know me.....sometimes I think......sometimes I don't. This time I thought, but blurted anyway. I have MomintheMiddle as a facebook friends - I know she is a good mom - I know she is currently working VERY HARD to fit into a dress she has for her sisters wedding - I know she still has food loves - I know a few of her fastfood loves because she posts them - I know she that although she is gorgeous, she could lose a few like me. So to be schooled on the evils of fastfood by her seemed a bit..........well funny.

"Oh, well MomintheMiddle now worries about the McDonald's thing. Good for you in making good choices and keeping up with your healthy eating for the wedding. Really though I wasn't actually asking you, I was talking to KBS, but you and the girls are TOTALLY welcome...maybe you can just buy a pop and the girls can play in the play place." I said......wondering if telling her we hadn't actually invited her was not nice - which is probably where my mind wandered off and allowed me to blurt next..

"No, we can't make it. Actually I am taking the girls to Carl's after school anyway." MomintheMiddle mentioned.

And this is where I got muddled.......I was still thinking that I hoped I didn't bother her with my pointed out non-invite comment....and then hear her - after she schools me on the evil of fast food - say that she is taking her girls to a local fast food chain that also specializes in ice cream?!? Now isn't that the cow calling the cow grilled? (get it - burgers are cow meat.......ice cream is cow juice....totally clever right?). So anyway, without thinking I say, "Wait....you won't go to McDonald's, but you will take your girls to C's? How is that less fast food then where we are going? Aren't you deluding yourself?"

Not so smooth, huh? Oh, well....she isn't a Bestie Friend anyway.

But really though.....if there is one thing I have learned.....I should not delude myself by thinking that one fast food restaurant is better then another......because they aren't. The other thing I have learend - NEVER NEVER tell someone that what they are doing is something that you look down on......and if you do - find a way to say it that it just sounds like a choice - not like the other person should feel badly FOR doing whatever it is - unless you know that person really well. But finally...........if you are going to go all Holier Than Thou on a person......don't follow it up with a statement incriminating yourself on their same level (and yes, I have done this.....live and learn people.......live and learn).

So Many Graduations............So Little Time Left

2010-06-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

This weekend was filled with parties. Parties where we lost childrens shoes in the dark - and since I am a "let's walk to the party girl" makes a problem for walking home. Parties where we found extra children to take home to spend the night - because we need more children to train BigGuy into getting used to having more children milling about so that we can add another child to our family of 5 (no, this technique is not working.......but I am trying to be creative). Parties where I had to think of clever things to say. Parties where mostly I was 100% comfortable talking to whomever I was standing next to.........but then not seconds later would feel like I as in an awkward void of topics to discuss. Three of the Four parties were graduations. Knew the parents pretty dog gone well.......Knew Two of the Four graduates as well as a 40 year old can know an 18 year old that they aren't related to........Knew the other Two not so well at all. Parties where you feel a gift is in order, but those who know me know I hate giving cash or gift cards.......so then what? Parties where the food is good, but not worth the extra calories. Parties where you see friends you haven't seen since you moved here from St. Louis and it is nice to catch up. Parties where I swear to goodness I found myself staring at people trying to figure out WHY OH WHY DO I KNOW YOU? and also saying the same thing out loud to them........to finally figure out that I knew them from Facebook - and I told them that - and then I had to introduce myself as HalfPint. Dorky. Safety first I suppose......then I had to explain why my Facebook name is HalfPint and admit that I have a blog and try to explain to them how to spell Ohhh Yeah....No Mo-Skee-Toes!! (has to be 4 periods not more not less). And then fall into that weird awkward silence.......thinking in my head to remember their first name because this could be a key to the GS cookie sale later.

So Many Graduations..........So Many Parties...........So Little Time Left

I have to admit...even with the awkward silence it was fun to hit the party circuit...and with all the parties we were still able to get a good deal of work done - power washed the deck - stained the deck - power washed everything I could get in front of BigGuy - mowed the lawn - trimmed the lawn (that is fun running a trimmer)- had an allergic reaction - watched Sherlock Holmes (not worth it, but the new Ben & Jerry's flavor I ate was yummy) - read a book snuggled with Spidey and watched 2 hours of Cake Boss - made Lemon Bars from scratch - found Krusteaz Lemon Bar mixes at Aldi for cheap (yeah!) - made a trip to the pool - 50 cards made (they were graduation gifts) - etc.............

And now it is Tuesday...

BabyBean and CB Duet

2010-05-27T04:36:00.000-07:00

This final performance is of my friend, CB, and her daughter, Baby Bean....aka...MB, SuperStar's Bestie Friend Forever girl. MB performed a very lovely song....her mom accompanied her. Now I pan away from MB at about half way through (or so I thought because CB told me it was about 3 minutes long) and try to get video of CB playing for her sister and dad to see. Only the performances was NOT as long as I was told (thanks CB) and in the end it looks like I panned away from MB and then just didn't care to go back. NOT THE CASE at all.........sorry MB!!

And she did FABULOUS by the way!!

2010-05-26T06:13:00.000-07:00

Then there was SuperStar's Fabulous Four dance. They created this 100% on their own. I tried to give input........I think LS tried to give input..........SW might have too - but they completely 100% ignored us and did their own thing. Does that make them official choreographers?

This was also their final Elementary School Talent Show performance.......sigh.

Funny Shower Sayings II

2010-05-24T03:50:00.000-07:00

The last time I posted about Shower Sayings it was BigGuy in the shower with TheKing. Usually the kids shower with BigGuy because it is convenient........well maybe not for him.......he is a big guy and the shower isn't that huge really.....so I guess it is only really convenient for me. So yesterday when I was showering at the end of the day - we had done a MILLION dirty type chores on a very "first of the year Hot day" - I remembered that TheKing had slipped through the "Time To Shower" child slot. He was loitering around outside the shower asking me questions about some super hero. I almost told him to go ask BigGuy because I know a very limited amount of super hero talk.......but instead I decided to be a good parent and clean the kid since he was so filthy. Yea me.

He stripped down and hopped in with his two super hero's. He was very sweet about sharing the water. His super hero guys were nice too. Mostly he ignored me - I soaped him down and figured the water would rinse him off - careful not to get my own soap in his eyes (his soap was eye friendly). Like I mentioned - most of his banter was to the two plastic guys in the shower with us. So it surprised me a bit when he noticed me.

"Maudy do you like spoons?" he asked.

"Well yes I do. Spoons are very handy aren't they?" I said back with a little giggle about how silly some 4 year old banter can be......and what are they thinking about all day?

"Yes, spoons are good for me." he said. Then he followed up with, "You have a very furry penis."

"What?" geez I wasn't wanting to teach anatomy. I was so tired by this point in the day - 8pm. "Well I don't have a penis. Penis is what boys have. I have a vagina." Keep it simple.....keep it simple.......keep it simple.....was what I said in my head.....he will start talking to the super hero's again.

"Yeah well that is a very furry vagina." he matter of facted.

"Some day you will have fur on your penis." I always figure some forewarning is a good thing.

"No, I will have a furry vagina." he stated pretty certain.

"Well boys have penis's and girls have vagina's." I stated completely certain.

"No, I am going to get bigger and then turn into a girl and have round things." he said as making a motion with his hands as to indicate the round things would be where his breasts would be - then he went back to his super hero's and plunged them into the waterfall.

Not sure how to argue the point.....I mean didn't a woman who turned into a man just give birth with his female man parts? Plus a week ago I noticed a woman who was gorgeous going into my favorite thrift store and wished I had the will power to stay on my exercise routine so I could be as nicely toned.....only upon closer inspection to find she was a trannie. Which made me even more jealous.....I mean here was a guy that made a prettier woman then me with very little makeup! And just a few months ago my family and I went to a waterpark in Wisconsin where there was more man breast visible then female breasts. There was so much Man Breast that I would have sworn men started having implants. So instead I said, "Well I think most likely you will not have breasts, but mostly I just hope you are happy with who you are."

TheKing then followed up with...."Your vagina is very furry."

So I said...."Yeah thanks for noticing."

"Maudy.....do you like forks?" was his next thought.

"Well yes I do. Forks are very handy aren't they?" I said back with a little giggle at how crazy this one can keep me on my toes and about how silly some 4 year old banter can be......and what are they thinking about all day?

It is Time for the Talent Show Postings.....

2010-05-23T06:09:00.000-07:00

First up we have Spidey playing Alouette............sideways no less!!

eww eww eww eww eww

2010-05-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

It has been a bit since we did an update on our hammies. No real reason except that once we finally figured out how to keep them from having babies we have just kinda had a normal Hammie Home. Then a few weeks ago it livened up again.

To be to the point..

I went to clean the Hammie houses. Cleaned the boys house first....normal...put them in their balls and they spent all their free time rolling into my leg. Not sure what they are trying to tell me....but that is what they do.

Opened up the girls house and ....... only one hammie. Curiosity (SuperStar named her) was there all happy and ready to get into her ball. Raven, however, was no where around. She is our escape artist so I wasn't completely surprised. I phoned BigGuy to let him know that she took off again. As we were talking I reached in to pick up Curiosity and put her in the ball and that is when I saw the fluff.

ewwww ewwww ewwww ewww!!!!!!!

Raven apparently did not escape. Raven died. Only there wasn't much of Raven left........ewwwww.......you get it right?

It was very hard to pick Curiosity up after that.

That night BigGuy broke it to SuperStar. It was after a discussion where we talked about what we would reveal about the whole thing. Obviously she was dead, but did we need to tell her that she was also eaten by her daughter? I wanted just dead, but we both knew how the conversation would go.

BigGuy, "SuperStar I have some bad news for you. Today Raven died."
SuperStar looked stunned......Spidey ran to the hammie house to see. SuperStar asked, "Can't I have her to bury her?" was the next question.
BigGuy responded with, "Well Curiosity ate most of her."

Really? That is the easy way to break it? I had to admit it was quick.....but not so comforting.

SuperStar cried....Spidey wanted to see.....and then all of a sudden SuperStar went to play a video game and they all kinda forgot.

The End.

Really?

So it Finally Happened.......someone made me feel used!

2010-05-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

There is just so freakin' much to do in the month of May! It is the "end" of every committee, every club, every group, every class.........every every really. With 3 kids in 3 different classes in 2 different schools that can make for a good chunk of STUFF to do. In just the past 2 weeks we have attended a 4/5th grade school musical, a 2/3rd grade school musical, a Preschool musical, a Girl Scout Bridging ceremony, softball practices, baseball practices, math efficiency test (that was too darn early on a Saturday thank you very much!), school Alumni night and then the normal life stuff - class reading volunteer, class parent, PTO, hosted my Bunco group, had a GREAT group of friends and their 12 kiddo's over for an evening BBQ.....blah blah blah.....but generally I almost ALWAYS feel like I am on a team of people that are connecting together and helping one another. I never feel alone working it out myself.

Until just the other day.

And I was totally surprised that I was left with the feeling because the people who did it are supposed to be people that are on top of their game. Yes, everyone has a down time. I can forgive - and I will - honestly.

Just what do you do with the statement, "Well I am too busy working"? It was in reference to an activity that they agreed to be part of in every sense of the planning, purchasing and enjoying........yet when it came down to it 3 of the 5 people (I am including myself in the count) came back with a reference to "being too busy". Gosh, me too. One even started to list the events she had to attend for her child. Her ONE child. For a second I considered listing off the things I had to attend for my THREE children........but knew it would bring her to her knees crying - so instead I stifled my eye roll and smiled. "yes you are SOOOOO busy - how can you handle it?"

Then I decided to just do it myself. By the time I talked to the 5th person (who had a totally legit reason on to be able ot help - all the other conversations had been the same) I was just pretty much offering to do it myself and asking for cash. Her response, "Well we all have to go to the grocery store........can't these people pick a few of these things up there?" And with that I fell in love with her. She took a few things off the list - happily - sarcastically - fabulously!!! and I loved her for the help. Really her sarcasm made it all better.

But for the first time ever I felt used. I felt overwhelmed, but that was brought upon myself for overloading my plate. But this was the first time I felt that they were dissing my stay at home status as an open invitation to let go of their own responsibility........"oh she has all the time in the world.....she stays home."

Kinda like when I get the sheets back from school that list me as "No Job" - and I always cross it out with two lines and write in "Ruler of the Patty-G'Sell World".

When I Visit My Kids In the Future.........

2010-05-13T05:24:00.000-07:00

Today I washed 2 loads of laundry.........well really I washed about 10, but there were 2 loads in particular that I find aggravating. Now I am not a big whiner mom, but sometimes I DO happen to know BETTER then my children.......BigGuy knows better then them sometimes too. And I hate to be telling tales on Spidey, but there are just some things that a person can't make their body do - and one of them is mature fast enough in some areas (and in SuperStar's case it is to make her body mature SLOWER in some areas - my PERSONAL opinion I am sure she would not agree with). For Spidey I mean the whole process of a person waking up in time to use the bathroom when they are sleeping. Spidey's body just won't cooperate with him in this area. We talk to him about wearing the "overnight" solutions, but unless he is spending the night at a friends (where he will enter the bathroom and very discretely change into this support aparatus) he won't budge on not using them. We don't feel we should MAKE him......and we know it is his body not being mature enough quite yet....still at the same time if he would just wear one of the "overnight" solutions everyone would be happy (well maybe not everyone, but since I am doing the laundry I would be happy at least).

Since this is the case.....and we don't want to push him....or embarass him (which might happen if he ever reads this post - although he never will - I don't think).....we have made an agreement with him - If he has any difficulty overnight then he agrees to strip his bed and take the sheets and whatever else into the laundry room for me to wash. Then he will take the sheets back in the afternoon/evening and make his bed.

In short most of this doesnt happen. We can tell when he has overnight difficulty because he will be sleeping with us in the morning. So I do know when to tell him to strip his bed......but he complains about it. And he almost never remembers - wait.....he NEVER remembers to take the sheets to his room. AND he never puts the sheets on without complaining up a storm about how hard it is.

So this morning as I am washing his sheets - TheKing's sheets (same reason) - SuperStars 100 loads of laundry (because she always waits 4 weeks to bring her laundry down no matter how many prompts) - baking brownies for the preschool program tonight - baking a cake for the GS Bridging - sorting through pictures for Spidey's First Communion book - cleaning around the toilets because 3 out of 5 people in our family can't hit the giant hole - sweeping up the rocks Spidey knocked out of his shoe before he left to school - wiping up the drips of cake batter from the ladel I told TheKing not to touch because I was still using it........etc. etc. etc................................

.............I decided that When I Visit My Kids In The Future I will........
1) Throw my coat on the floor of the entry way and walk into the house
2) Ask for a drink.....whine until I get it.....and then spill drops of it all over the counter as I partake in it
3) Leave the drink where ever seems the most inconvenient during meal prep
4) Sneeze into the food that is being prepared (I am figuring I am there for a meal)
5) Go watch TV in the middle of whatever conversation seems most important
6) Make certain the volume is SUPER LOUD (probably I will be hard of hearing from all the years my kids have had it on SUPER LOUD - so this will work for me to both hear it and annoy the kids)
7) Ask to stay overnight - no BEG to stay overnight
8) Create the most disgusting concoction of food possible with the items being served and then be certain to pour my beverage into my bread - eat it and announce how EVERYONE at the table should try it.
9) Go into the bathroom during the meal leaving the door open
10) Pee on the floor very CLOSE to the toilet, but definately NOT inside the toilet
11) Stick the end of the toilet roll into the back of my pants and walk out and across the house announcing that I have a tail....(yes, this has happened sooooooo many times)
12) Ask to go outside after the meal....no...half way through the meal - just get up and leave into the backyard jumping around and screaming at the top of my lungs for no apparent reason attracking the worried attention of the neighbors.
13) Come back into the meal and rip up my piece of bread (I am guessing we will have bread because it is all my kids seem to agree they like at every meal) and make certain it is ALL OVER the table and floor
14) Most certainly do not help with meal clean up - unless asked - andthen point out how it is totally unfair that I have to help when I know that no one else ever helps as much as I am forced to help
15) Remind them they said I could stay overnight
16) Demand the remote and sit watching shows that I have seen over and over and over again - and explain the plot line of these shows with "what will happen" right before it happens so that nothing about them is a surprise and all entertainment from them (if it is possible for them to enjoy the show at all) is taken away
17) Complain a lot about anything positive they say about me, BigGuy or anything in our lives
18) Go to bed REALLY REALLY late so that they have to stay up with us
19) Pee in the bed and then go to them in the middle of the night asking if we can sleep with them....or if they would mind moving to the futon so that we could at least sleep in their bed.......or if they say no (their spouse might be pushy) then ask them to please get up and make the futon up for us because we don't know how to stretch the sheets over the corners
20) Totally leave the soiled sheets for them to clean up the next day
21) Leave toothpaste all over the bathroom counter
22) Throw our towels about the place
23) Refuse to kiss or hug them goodbye because someone might see us and it would be embarassing for us
24) Leave making them wave over and over again
25) Forget something and call them from a truck stop begging them in a sweet "you have to help me" voice to bring me the item so I don't have to double back as that is totally bad luck

That should do it right?

BigGuy is the luckiest man I know......

2010-05-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

I would place money on the fact that someone in Heaven is smiling down on my husband 24 hours a day. Yes, I know we all have this blessing, but I would bet money that BigGuy is being watched a little more then the rest of us......That support is just watching him and maybe helping to keep him safe, but he does that pretty well - but surely they are making certain that the things he procrastinates about aren't too terrible in the end. This past event was the perfect example.

See sometime last fall we began to look at one of our HUGE pine trees that sits just outside our deck. Since we have lived here it has always leaned to one side a smidge......but we began to think that perhaps it was leaning a bit more. BigGuy talked about tying a string to a low branch to see if it came closer to the ground as weeks past. But he never did. Then he talked about marking the base of the tree when we thought again that it looked more "leany". But he never did. Then in the winter - February I think or maybe March around my birthday - my mom came to visit. She spends time on the deck smoking - so she has also watched the Pine. She mentioned it was leaning more. BigGuy talked about tying his string again......but never did. Then a month later it looked certainly more to one side and he placed a piece of wood at the base to see if the tree would drive it into the ground as it leaned......even I thought that was kinda silly. TheKing moved that piece of wood the next day.

Now you might wonder why we just couldn't logically look at the root base and see that it was pulling up higher. Only the base of the tree continued to look EXACTLY the same. No roots were coming up.

Finally it became totally obvious the tree was leaning - I could reach the branches. I could NOT reach the branches when we bought the house. Shoot I couldn't reach the branches a month ago. So BigGuy made a solid plan (kinda solid) to cut the tree down. A friend had done it before and he talked of having him over the weekend I was going to be out of town and chopping the tree down with the guys chain saw and a tall ladder he would rent. We joked about having a video tape so we could video what happened when they accidentally caused the tree to fall into our house. Joking.....only I was kinda seriously worried. His plan included one guy holding a rope that was tied around the tree - one guy on the ladder with the chain saw - and one guy pushing around the base - not very safe sounding right?

Well we got lucky. None of that had to happen. The Thursday of my Bunco party we had 50 mile an hour winds. That morning the tree was leaning directly toward our deck. The projected drop would have caused the tree to just clip the edge of the roof in our dining room. I wasn't too worried if that happened, but it was not my choice outcome. We got lucky though - the winds were from the South East........which was blowing AWAY from our house. They were so strong that they redirected the angle the tree was starting to fall. It began to go straighten out and go away from the deck - but still I evacuated the furniture and toys from the line of fall. This first pic shows the tree when I realized it was coming down.....

Through the day I watched. It was so crazy windy that I fully expected to hear a crack and crash at any point. But that just never happened. The wind kept working the tree - first away from the house - YEA!! As soon as it was going into the yard I kept TheKing out of the back.

Then as the day went by I just kept taking pictures. These are the four that show you best movement of the tree. Slowly slowly slowly the tree just kinda leaned over. I waited for the giant "thunk" and a little movement of the earth like a tiny quake, but that just never happened. I phoned BigGuy and told him he could probably cancel the rented ladder......and just kept watch and taking pics.

It was fun. My bunco friends came over and we all walked about and looked at the tree. It eventually stopped its slow free fall........well really it can't be described as a free fall......it just kinds stopped slowly moving. The other giant pine held it in its embrace. Almost like they were saying "goodbye" to each other. And that is the way it stayed. Bunco happened and no crash. The next day I prepped for our GS trip to STL and nothing crashed. BigGuy had guy friends in the neighborhood come over to see what happened (see he procrastinated asking the work friend to help and the work friend had plans) and they ALL wanted to help. Typical boys - I didn't get to see it, but I think they had fun. Another neighbor asked me about it later.....he said as he drove by he saw three guys climbing the fallen tree and the other tree with a chain saw. He said he had hoped to find time to come back and help.....ha! Boys and toys - they just get bigger - both the boy and the toy.

In the end it was pretty cool though. The tree cost us NOTHING to take down. What could have been close to a thousand professionally - or if accidentally dropped it could have cost thousands to repair damage it could cost...and it was NOTHING. On top of that BigGuy got a bonding experience with neighborhood friends!! So someone was watching out for him.....because he is the luckiest man I know.

Happy Mothers Day!!

2010-05-09T05:29:00.000-07:00

I am Starting to Think it is This Summer

2010-04-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

So I am starting to think that THIS SUMMER will be THE SUMMER for SuperStar. Yesterday I was laying on my bed with tummy pains from what I guessed was the hamburger in our spaghetti (I don't do well with beef) and heard SuperStar come into the house with Spidey and BigGuy. He had gone out to look for them - it was 8pmish and they had still been gallivanting outside with Mr.I and Mr.W. SuperStar was in the throes of a very loud sobbing spree. She ran up the stairs in a most dramatic style (I couldn't even see it and I could envision it with the noises, sighs and thundering followed by the sweeping wind that rushed behind her into her room and a slammed door - which now has Glittery hand cut pink sticky foam that spells out "Anti-Pink".......meaning she doesn't like PINK.......she does however LOVE PINK the singer - all angry girl music is in these days.

Spidey followed up the stairs - straight to her room and he looked upset and longingly into her door. Then turned, looked at me and walked into his own room. BigGuy came next. He looked at her door, turned to me, rolled his eyes and started to walk away. I called out to stop him asking what had happened - figuring he gave them some reading of the rules for being out after 8pmish (which is not yet a rule). He said he didn't know what she was going on about and then walked away.

Spidey came into my room then and explained that Mr.I, Mr.W, himself and SuperStar were dragging each other about on the wagon - they had reached a far street and the older boys decided to run back thinking their parents would be looking for them or something (this was Spidey's interpretation remember - so it was a bit foggy). Regardless of intent they left SuperStar and Spidey behind to drag the wagon back - Spidey's first reaction was to chase after the older boys and SuperStar was left alone far off from the house in the dark. She freaked out a bit and became upset. Spidey realized the mistake and double backed to walk with her and the wagon. Apparently even offering to drag the wagon and hold hands. Once home SuperStar turned on him and I suppose with relief of safety caved into crazy emotions and ran into her room crying..............for about 20 minutes. Spidey was very upset about it. He wrote her a note saying he was Very Very Sorry and stuck it under her door. She picked it up (we could see that) and then wept even louder near the door for a bit. Then pushed the note back out. Spidey didn't see that part - it took long enough that his 8 year old attention span was off onto something else by that point.

After no one picked the note up SuperStar wandered out in dramatic style and tossed herself onto my bed next to me. She explained the same thing Spidey did. She was scared when the boys left her in the dark. She was glad Spidey came back, but that due to the late return she couldn't take a shower and that upset her even more - then she began weeping again. Things clicked for me. I asked her to go downstairs and grab my Family Planning Calendar (we keep all the schedules on a calendar). She did. BigGuy followed her back upstairs wanting to see what we were doing with the calendar (he is trying to be better about knowing the schedule - for his own sanity). I looked at the last month when my cycle started - counted forward 4 weeks and backward 2 days from that (I am pretty regular) and found - yep - I will be starting my period in about 2 days from today (perfect time to take 16 Girl Scouts out of town!). Most likely my tummy pains were not from the beef then. And most likely the drama ensuing in front of me was not due to darkness and lack of a shower. SuperStar is cycling emotionally with me now. I have charted her tantrums for 4 months now and they are always out of control the week before my period starts.

They have had the talk in school. We have had the talk with her too. So BigGuy and I talked with her again about the Emotional Roller Coaster that is the Female Monthly Gift. Since I didn't care for the fact that the older boys left SuperStar in the dark farish away from home (if that was true) I left that alone - I might have cried about that myself - and we started our talk with, "Do you really think not taking a shower is worth all this dramatic crying?"............she agreed it wasn't. So we talked about how some woman respond to the flux of hormones when they have their Monthly Gift. We pointed out how you chart it - 4 weeks, blah blah.......and we explained that most likely this will happen over and over and KNOWING when it will happen can help a woman better understand how to respond to things in order to keep themselves a little less crazy those few days before. SuperStar calmed down. She actually said, "Well that makes a lot more sense.....now I feel normal again." Then she wandered into her room. The fact was no one ever told her she could not take a shower - she created that in her head to cry about. So she took a shower and then fell asleep. Sometimes crying is better then a good workout.

I think she may be celebrating a new chapter opening up in her life by the end of this summer though.

You Might As Well Laugh........

2010-04-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

The Redhead
A man is dining in a fancy restaurant and there's a gorgeous redhead sitting at the next table. He's been checking her out since he sat down, but lacks the nerve to talk with her.

Suddenly she sneezes, and her glass eye comes flying out of its socket toward the man.. He reflexively reaches out, grabs it out of the air, and hands it back.

"Oh my, I am so sorry," the woman says as she pops her eye back in place.

"Let me buy your dinner to make it up to you," she says.

They enjoy a wonderful dinner together, and afterwards they go to the theatre followed by drinks. They talk, they laugh, she shares her deepest dreams and he shares his. She listens.

After paying for everything, she asks him if he would like to come to her place for a nightcap. They have a wonderful time.

The next day, she cooks a gourmet meal with all the trimmings. The guy is amazed. Everything had been SO incredible!
"You know," he said, "you are the perfect woman, are you this nice to every guy you meet?"

"No," she replies. . .

"You just happened to catch my eye."

First Bike Ride

2010-04-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

Dang!! I forgot to get a picture......dang dang dang dang dang!! oh well.....let's just imagine the picture - it was Saturday - GORGEOUS weather - sun in the clear blue sky GORGEOUS. Kinda windy.....I had spent part of the earlier day out in the front yard dragging the kite we have around trying to get it up into the air to fly away and make TheKing's face twinkle with happiness. Of course that didn't actually ever happen. What did happen was he demanded a turn, refused to let me throw the kite up as he ran, so his kite fell plummeting to the ground and he crabbed about it and drug it through the grass. BigGuy kept calling me into the garage to "pump the air pump really fast - really fast - no, I mean really fast" so that he could get a seal on the tire that fell flat through the winter months. While doing this TheKing would run into the garage crabbing....."help me Maudy I need the kite to fly". Did I mention we had borrowed 2 extra kids to entertain the olders? Yeah, only they had all either had too little sleep - or the 24 hours they had been spending together was just enough time to make them all start to bitch at each other (my apologies, but the word "crabby" just was not enough to describe how they were acting). So in between BigGuy wanting me to "pump the tire pump really fast - no, really fast", TheKing crabbing about the kite not getting high enough (at one point I had it as high as the house and honestly - I was personally impressed with myself THANK YOU), and running interference with the pouty, bitchy older kids who kept peeling off and then seeking me out to "fix" the other kids..........I was ready for a bike ride. I even thought about a bike ride. But again, BigGuy was busy "pumping really fast" (clean your brain out please) and I couldn't reach my bike which was hanging upside down still from the ceiling of our garage. Sigh.

So instead I went to vacuum the windows. Yes I said vacuum the windows - don't you do that? I take the screens out in the fall and clean the ones in rooms where there is a lot of dirt or the pollen hits them heavy. Then in the spring I vacuum the screens of dust they got through the winter months and put them back in place. Don't tell me you don't do that! Don't tell me I am a freak cleaning person who makes my own stuff up to create more work and less rest.......Don't tell me - seriously - because my house always is a mess so I know it is not true - right? Right?

Anyway...windows done I made a coffee and decided to go downstairs to my CRAFT LAIR (everyone should have a Craft Lair) and make the First Communion cards for friends whose children are having one (we know 7 this year) and some other gift card sets that need finishing....and I probably would have started cleaning that room too (yes, I admit I have a problem......SS aren't you glad you are not me now?). Coffee in hand I went downstairs - closed the door to my lair - started up my laptop (you need a laptop in a lair - TV too for mindless noise that drowns out your children's noise so you can pretend you are in a sound proof lair that no one can find you in) - and then I heard the phone ring. Ignoring it and trying to make myself smaller so if someone came to find me they couldn't......I began to hear BigGuy walking around - which meant he was looking for me - so I put my head in my hands and sat really still and pretended to be invisible (the kids do it - I knew it didn't work, but thought I would try). Door to my lair opened and BigGuy smiled and said into the phone, "Oh here she is, I found her." I gave him an evil look and he handed me the phone and whispered that it was CB. Which caused me to relax because CB is always nice to talk to. She relieves stress for me.

She was having 26 hours to herself. Lucky girl. Jealousy overwhelmed me. But then ..... she asked me to go for a bike ride. At first I felt my responsibilities....BigGuy was headed for gas for the mower, but all kids were still here - SuperStar could watch TheKing who was watching Veggie Tales (we hope that works - I will explain later) - gas is close, my biking would be close - I was going biking.

BigGuy pulled the bike off the ceiling - pumped up my tires (and yes, you know for a fact that I stood next to him and said "pump the tire really fast, no I mean REALLY fast!" the whole time (you do that right? needle the man you love so dearly?). While he did that I put my hair in two ponytails (my hair is getting long - might have to cut it), found my helmet, did some of BigGuy's bidding (Spidey left his bike in the driveway path of the truck and BigGuy has already run over it once and replaced a tire - so I had to get him to move that) - and then I saw CB in the horizon. I was off like a prom dress!! Spidey was calling after why I was leaving and who would take care of them while BigGuy was gone getting gas. I didn't care (sue me).....I just shouted "you'll be fine - stay safe in the basement and out of my lair".

Gorgeous Blue Skies....Bike mildly prepped for the season....Hair in ponies....Helmet on....and CB to bike with....what a treat!!!

Usually I bike alone - so it really was nice to casually bike and talk about stuff - you sweat less that way. We went the 5 mile loop. I tried to talk CB into turning around and doing the loop in the opposite direction, but she said 5 miles was a good start. So I tried talking her into the 2 mile loop instead....no takers....she basically said I was trying to trick her by saying it was all "flat" and she didn't want to be too sore the next day - she was kinda right - I did make it sound flatter then it is....and the wind we are having makes everything harder. So I gave up and we sat at her house and drank water and gossiped about everyone (okay so that part is just me trying to make CB look like a gossip - not true - we talked politics and school stuff and made fun of our kids and hubbies).

Once it was dark enough I thought BigGuy might have put the children to bed I rode my bike home. Yard was all mown. Kids were still up (I knew they would be it was only 7:45). BigGuy says, "Oh good you are alive, I thought you might be dead after all this time." Course I had my cell phone and he could have called at any time to see if I was dead and he didn't. So that proves that Needling goes Both Ways. And then he kissed me ...... and I had no need for my Lair.

What a nice First Bike Ride.

Reaching Upper Limits again.........

2010-04-13T06:16:00.000-07:00

For Spring Break SuperStar and Spidey did another round of Rock Climbing camp at Upper Limits - they LOVE this camp!!

I love that they are overcoming any fears they have of anything. And this go round Spidey made it up the wall.........which was a big deal for him because last year he wouldn't go very high - they he used his "cover up" skills to make it look like he was cool with where he got (although he did admit that he really jumped off at the lower point because he was afraid to go higher). This year he made it higher. Plus he can now do all his own hooking up.....unhooking was a little more difficult, but in a pinch I bet he can unhook too.

SuperStar made it all the way to the top of the Silo this year.....the tallest one!! Although she would never admit it - as she got closer to the top her voice changed a bit and I think she became a little nervous - or - maybe she was just winded from all the climbing - since I have never done it I would not be a good judge.

I Keep Watching......She Keeps Changing

2010-04-11T05:54:00.000-07:00

She is right there on the edge. Still a little girl..........so close to being a woman physically......... she is terribly bright.....she is annoyingly funny.........she is tremendously caring.

I keep watching. She keeps changing.

She has begun putting things together for herself..........she has figured out when it is best to be helpful......she knows when to step up and take the lead.....she knows when to be a follower.

I keep watching. She keeps changing.

She doesn't need me as much anymore............she doesn't share all her secrets anymore......she has them to listen to her woes - silly - serious - ridiculous.......she has another life separate from mine now.

I keep watching. She keeps changing.

She still climbs trees..........she still makes crafts......she jumps on the trampoline and plays make believe.......only now she reads books that have an involved plot.....only now she has adult like goals.....only now she also listens to the radio and sings the songs with meaning.....like she relates.....and she probably does...only I don't know those thoughts anymore....because they are hers.....

I keep watching. She keeps changing.

She walks by and if I am not paying attention I can mistake her body for a woman's body......curves starting.......almost as tall as me......she is wearing my clothes and not drowning in them.....she is blooming.

I keep watching. She keeps changing.

She said to me the other day....."Mom I wish you had had my life when you were little because it is great and you would love it."

She makes me cry because she is my life.......and I am so lucky to have it......and I'll keep watching......and She'll keep changing.

No Really I am a Total Dork

2010-04-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

So the other day my friend CB brought her sister, B, over to my house. B reads my blog (I am sure when CB makes her) and that technically means that she is one of my "Readers". Although to even type that out loud makes me feel like a Total Dork because that means that in some way I find that Really Really Cool!! To think that someone would actually choose to spend any of their personal time reading the goofy things that I put up on my blog!! And to think that the person might come back a SECOND TIME to do it again.........it is just beyond me.

But it is enough to tickle me completely Pink. She isn't even related to me. Although I talk to CB enough and follow her around enough that CB may as well be family.....which means that B is kinda like extended family I never met - until last Friday when CB brought her by. And then I introduced my family to her with our Blog Names..........which is kinda another indicator of how I am a Total Dork. Don't want to disappoint my readers and show up looking like a normal person in the flesh ya know.

Anyway....Thank you B! Thank you CB! That was super fun. And the next time you come into town B I want to go for the walk with you all. I would have barged into that walk if I hadn't felt like such a goof.

So any other "Readers" coming to town soon?

My Kids Might have thought it was a Training Exercise

2010-04-08T07:26:00.000-07:00

The other night we kept an extra 4 year old for the night. His mom had an out patient operation on her foot and due to medication and her hubby working 2nd shift she would have been alone with MrK - unable to walk about and most likely unable to focus due to the meds. So we volunteered to have him stay.

TheKing was sooooooooooo excited!! MrK was too - at first - and then he got kinda tired - and I think (being an only child) that he might have become tired of all the other kiddo's treating him like "just another kid". Closer to the end of the evening MrK began to melt down a bit. This honor is generally reserved for TheKing - he melts down the closer we get to bedtime. That particular night MrK beat him to the melt down and TheKing could only sit and watch. Personally I think he was watching for any weakness BigGuy and I might show. Kinda like athletes watching an instructional tape over and over again to figure out where the other team might be infiltrated at a weak point. He was looking for our weak point I am certain!

At one point TheKing and MrK were sitting on the couch watching Scooby Doo. SuperStar was with them but sitting in a chair. The Little Boys were sharing a blanket. Apparently TheKing tugged on his end, MrK became upset and tugged back and then hit TheKing - TheKing hit back. MrK cried foul and began shouting to me, "TheKing has done something terrible to me" ..........did I mention he has the cutest little British Man accent? Yeah, he is just here from London. So he is yelling the injustice in his British accent. Imagine that. Cute right? At first at least.

"TheKing has done a terrible thing. Help Me." SuperStar is not moving ..... so MrK shouts it louder to attract me. TheKing is not even moving out of fear he would be punished - which is why I figured there were two sides to this story. SuperStar explained that MrK hit TheKing and TheKing hit back. Okay, Simple. I knew what to do.

"TheKing you have to apologize for hitting. Even when you are angry it is not right to hit. Always use your words." TheKing turned to MrK, reached out his arms and said, "I am sorry MrK." Done. One down.

I turned to MrK. "MrK you have to apologize for hitting. Even when you are angry it is not right to hit. Always use your words." MrK looked at me like I had grown an extra head and said, "No, he hit me. I won't say I am sorry." Sigh. "You must apologize or leave the room MrK." Burying his head into the couch so I can't get him I guess (although his body was rather right there) he screamed back, "I will not say I am sorry (remember this is a British accent). I am too tired to say I am sorry." Sigh. "Fine if you are too tired then it is time for a rest and I will take you upstairs." "No!" he shouted back popping his head up, "I won't take a rest." "Then say you are sorry." "No, I am too tired!" This is where TheKing tried to help, "You can sleep in my bed then." he offered up. "No!" shrieked MrK, "I am not sleeping." So I added, "Then all you need to do is say you are sorry to TheKing."

Silence for a moment. TheKing was watching very closely to all the action. SuperStar was watching ScoobyDoo with a snicker look on her face. MrK was seething at me with snot trickling out of his nose.

He whispered, "I am sorry." TheKing said, "I can't hear him." and without prompting MrK looked at him and said louder, "I am sorry TheKing and I am not taking a rest."

Honestly I think he only said it to appease the situation. I don't think he was at all sorry for hitting TheKing - which is only fair as I think TheKing only said he was sorry because he has already had to take a rest for losing his temper earlier - plus TheKing is conditioned to our rules - he knew we would pick him up and send him to bed.......MrK wasn't used to the rules - he probably thought he could break me. Which leads me to wonder - do you think the kids only say "sorry" for things we tell them to because they know it is the quicker way to end it all? Or do they really feel it? Do I really care as long as it is done? Probably a little, but not enough to keep this going.

As I left the room I heard SuperStar say to MrK, "Next time just say you are sorry at the beginning and it won't take so long."

Sigh.

Don't You Love to be the First?

2010-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is one of my Most Favorite Ever things in the world. A Brand New Jar of Untouched Peanut Butter. I am not exactly sure what the draw is - the smoothness maybe? The fact that no one has bothered it at all. The fact that I get to mess it up myself.......no child or large man has gone before me?

I really, honestly, do not know why I love to be the first to use a jar of Peanut Butter. But I do. Love it!

Happy Easter.....Passover....

2010-04-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

Well this year the weeks before Easter became a little more confusing. And to all those Christians who are spending weeks before Christmas saying "Let's Put Christ Back Into Christmas" I am considering saying....."Let's Put Less Confusion into my Holidays".

So to make a long story short - because I am certain you are either preparing for your Wonderful Easter Feast or your Wonderful Seder - this spring holiday was very interesting due to Facebook and a family member. First it was explained to me by someone deeply subscribed to their Christian faith (I poke no fun) that they would not be celebrating Easter and that their one difficulty with the Catholic faith was the ties to the Pagan holidays. We will leave the obvious argument aside that all religious holidays can in many ways be brought back to Pagan celebrations. Remember we are keeping a long story short. We will also leave behind the argument that the Catholic church did their bestest to crush and destroy all Pagan related celebrations (yes I am Catholic - no I don't hate Pagan ties). The fact still remains that almost all Christian religions are celebrating holidays that are related to the Pagan celebrations of old - Catholics included.

Anyway....it was explained to me that the Pagan ties of Easter to the celebration of Eostra, Eostre, etc. as seen here.......
Eostre was the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, the east, fertility, and rebirth, and she is still celebrated by pagans today. Sometimes, Eostre is called Ostara, Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Estre, Eostre, Eoster, Eostra, Eastre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron, Aurora, or Ausos. Her name honors the sun rising in the east, and the month of April was dedicated to her. One of the biggest festivals of the Saxons of second century Europe was the spring equinox celebration in honor of Eostre. Eostre's sacred animal was a hare, and she was said to be able to take the form of a hare. The hare is often associated with moon goddesses; the egg representing the god, and the hare the goddess. Some Neo-pagans believe that she was sometimes depicted with a hare's head, though it is not possible to substantiate this belief as no known animal-headed deities appear in Germanic cult objects. Eggs and rabbits are sacred to her, as is the full moon, since the ancients saw in its markings the image of a rabbit or hare. Pagan Anglo-Saxons made offerings of colored eggs to her at the Vernal Equinox. They placed them at graves especially, probably as a charm of rebirth. The Goddess of Fertility was also the Goddess of Grain, so offerings of bread and cakes were also made to her.

Uh oh this is getting longer........but I found that explanation of Eostre and thought I would share it - plus it explains where the Bunny and Easter Eggs came from - too cute.

So anyway....no pagan rituals are being allowed in some Christian religions it appears and Passover is instead being celebrated. Okay. To each their own. A smidge confusing to me because the three years I celebrated Passover it was a Jewish celebration and all my Christian friends were still riding the Easter holiday - and the synagogue we attended service at didn't talk about how Jesus was risen......or actually that Jesus was a son of God or any of the things that I associated Easter to signify. Still....if my Christian family member and her church want to forgo Easter and celebrate only Passover it is not for me to say. They may know more then me. Then I started noticing that a few of my Christian friends on Facebook were requesting directions as to how to serve a Seder Meal. Huh? My first thought was - wait they aren't Jewish. My second thought was......oh, I bet this is related to the "no Easter" thing. So I asked.

Not exactly as it turned out though.

They were celebrating Passover......the pass over when God instructed them to slay the pure lamb and take its blood and mark the doorways of those who believed and then God would pass over their homes when he came through to kill the first born son of those who did not believe. Passover for the Jewish religion it turns out is somewhat different from the Christian Passover. Christian Passover does not include all the rest of the Exodus....but I may not be completely clear on that (meaning don't quote me I am still trying to figure this all out). This is where I get confused though - because the people on Facebook who were preparing a Seder meal were still intending to celebrate Easter. The Seder meal was being prepared on Holy Thursday. I never knew that anyone not Jewish prepared a Seder meal - and honestly I personally love this idea. I looked the meal up and it is similar to a Jewish Seder meal, but there are small differences. But back to Easter. So these Facebook friends were preparing Seder for Holy Thursday - then there would be Good Friday and then Easter. All that aligns with my understanding of Easter. But the family member was letting go of Easter.........so when does Jesus rise for them? And that is where I get confused. Over the past week I have shared emails with my brother-in-law who is in seminary trying to figure it out, and while I admit I have a much clearer understanding of all these elements that are the celebration..........I still don't understand the part where some religions are letting go of Easter due to pagan ties. It seems to me they all belong together. Plus - each one of the celebrations has a boiled egg included - tying it back to the Pagan ritual celebrations.

So I am hanging up the hand towel in understanding this right now.....pass me a chocolate bunny, let's hide some matzoh for the kids to find and who wants a Deviled Egg?

So Much Easier To Take Them Myself

2010-04-03T05:34:00.000-07:00

Some days I feel bad for TheKing..........he doesn't have as many "posed" studio photos as SuperStar and Spidey do. There are still Just As Many photo's of him - but they were not done in a studio. SuperStar and Spidey had 3 photos taken each year......Christmas family done in November......a photo done at their Birthday.....and then a photo done together at Easter looking goofy in Bunny Ears. Now part of this picture love was that I knew the girls at the photo studio and they let me do whatever I wanted. Plus since they developed a relationship with me they had more patience for my kids non-sense. TheKing had this the first year and then we moved. I never developed a relationship with any photographers here and I had extra time to take pictures myself - and I kinda got good at it - good enough to take pictures to share at least - and put in frames on my walls and be asked "who took those pictures". So I quit taking kids to studios.
Well I also quit taking kids to studios because even though I knew the women who were taking the pictures the entire process was painful. Getting there on time is a pain. Sitting there waiting for the people who are still having their portraits done is a pain. Shoot if I am honest simply getting all three of my kids clean at the same time is a pain. So it ended when we moved. My moving incentive was a nice camera. BigGuy also purchased me a few computer programs so that the pictures I take can be "touched up" here at home. He believes in my photography ability enough that he spent a good chunk of money on Adobe Photoshop. I had seen this on the Pioneer Woman blog. She does TONS of fabulously cool things - and does individual tutorials on the skills with pictures on her blog. The photos are gorgeous and her followers have started uploading theirs .....very impressive.
So BigGuy bought it for me and installed it for me and then I started uploading pictures.....and it came to my attention that apparently I am an idiot. I am not able to figure out how to do any of the things that Pioneer Woman does with Photoshop. A good friend also has the program - installed it just a bit before mine was. She was very excited I had it too. She called one day and wanted to know how it was going using it.....and I told her it wasn't going anywhere - that I totally sucked at the ease of Photoshop. She was surprised because usually I can catch onto this stuff pretty quickly - then she admitted that she was also disappointed because she couldn't figure it out either and hoped I would teach her. So she bought the book Photoshop for Dummies. Last I heard the book wasn't helping either and she was getting ready to enroll in a class at the community college. Wonder if Pioneer Woman started that way?
I should really learn to use that expensive program BigGuy was so sweet to buy for me. If only the children would go away for enough time that I could think uninterrupted for 30 minutes. In the mean time I am learning lighting and figuring out the various control features on my camera. This would be easier if I could find the manual (yes I know I could seek it out on the internet.....but then I have to sit in front of my computer....yes I know I sit in front of my computer, but not to read). But really taking pictures is fun. And instead of a manual I have made a good friend from someone who is a professional photographer. Of course she has no patience to teach me anything.....she just says, "let me take the picture". Instead I watch her and then copy. Watch how she sets the lighting and figure it out. Really that is the best way to learn....trial and error.

Now I can take a decent shot when I need to. These pics were for Spidey's First Communion invite. He didn't want one that was "stamped" - apparently those are too "eck not so cool" in his words - he wanted a picture of himself (hmmm.....should we worry about his ego?) on his invite. So when he came home I stuck him in the entry way against the wall - where the lighting was perfect at that time of day. Turned my flash off and took a few pics. As you can see he is a Cheese - but a very cute Cheese.

I am doing okay so far - and I am also saving money. And totally honestly....I love the more natural photos far far far better then any of the completely adorable ones of SuperStar and Spidey when they were little.

How Does The Snowball Happen?

2010-03-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

It seems that often things that are "simple" become much larger then expected. Snowballing so to speak. The other day I found this picture as I was looking at different things on Stampin' sites. Very cool - I have wanted to do this forever (or at least 2.5 years - which can seem like forever if you can't find the objects with which to create it). This wasn't the first time I saw this........a few years ago I found it in a stamping magazine in an organizational article. LOVED IT! Went looking for the pieces. (this is now a little flake of snow) I knew it was Kitchen organization stuff so I went to the local hardware stores and explained it....they looked at me like I was describing something totally foreign. BigGuy tried - he came back with the same look, but I don't think he really knew what he was looking for as I "described them" to him and he didn't see a picture. (this is now gathering more snow - maybe a small snowball marble) We went together thinking the hardware store people might show better respect if a "man" was there (yes, stereotyping - sue me). Nothing still.

And my dream kinda faded off.

Then I found this picture and the person SAID they got these from Ikea AND they were only $2 each there!! AND it was Spring Break and we could make it a fun adventure!! (this is now almost softball sized) BUT BigGuy pointed out that it was 2 hours away and we would pay more to get there and back then we would to have them shipped. So I checked that - but they didn't ship these items. BigGuy didn't want to go..........so I was stuck. (this is now melted a bit to a baseball sized snowball) He swore they have them in local hardware stores - I challenged him to find them - he spent hours searching - no dice. So we looked for other places that might carry them and did find them - for $25 a piece before shipping. Ikea was way cheaper, but the drive was not in BigGuy's budget.

And then I remembered - MY FRIEND WAS GOING THERE THE NEXT WEEK WITH HER FAMILY!!!

She totally agreed to buy them for me - and did!! (this is now a bouncy ball sized snowball!) I have them!! I went to put them up just yesterday and realized..........they come without screws. What the heck? No screws? Which meant I had to find 8 matching screws that fit - BigGuy said I would need to go to the hardware store (ack). Instead I waited til he went to work and then sorted through his tool box - he hoards screws and stuff - certain we can use them later - and we do - but he really has a MILLION of them. Found 8! (snowball is getting BIGGER) Went to my craft room to put them in and realized that I wanted to wait for BigGuy so that I can be sure to secure them into the wall right and not mess the wall up. I can do it, but I wanted to make sure I did it right. Then I remembered the DIY show we saw about hanging cabinets - and thought hmmmm......if BigGuy is helping me hang these rods he can help me hang the cabinet I have stacked on a shelf that he has promised to help with for a few years now. And he did agree. (and BIGGER)

After the kids went to bed (or they were pretending to be in bed anyway) he came to my craft room and we looked at how to hang the rods and how to hang the cabinet. This is when the snowball started to get out of control. BigGuy asked me if I really wanted the cabinet hung on the wall.......we looked at the ceiling fan and realized it wouldn't fit so big (snowball is now person sized) and that it would only be a temporary fix and I wouldn't actually gain any space or organization. Then he suggested that we build a wall shelving unit against the far wall of my craft room to suit my needs (like we have done all the closets - I draw the way they should look and he builds them to spec - he is super good at this). BigGuy insisted that we make these the way I want them now and that way I will be happy since this is supposed to be my Oasis. How cool is he? (snowball is now getting to be car sized and driving away quickly).

Now I am creating the drawing for the shelving unit we will put in my craft room - reorganizing the kids items in there - reevaluating how I am going to use the space - and then we will put everything together..........but my totally cool rods are still not hung......and the Snowball is gathering speed.

Droppin' Like Flies.......oh how the mighty are falling.....

2010-03-27T06:10:00.000-07:00

Did you know that apparently we are allowed to have Sunday's off during Lent? Have you ever ever heard that? The kids came home from religion class this past week and announced that they were told Sundays are a day off from whatever you gave up for Lent. Now I have heard this before, but just excused it as silliness of a kiddo trying to figure out how to get around whatever their lenten promise to God was. Only apparently I was wrong.

SuperStar explained that there are actually 46 days during Lent and you are only giving up for 40 days and 40 nights - if you count all the Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday you have 6 - thus you get all the Sundays off. Hmm......

My first thought was I am cashing in the Sundays of observing Lent by eating Girl Scout cookies for 4 days. Then I realized that was wrong.......right? I mean that would be wrong......right?

The kids rejoiced. However, they have hardly been sacrificing. They were droppin' like flies within 2 weeks. SuperStar was eating chocolate within 1 week. Spidey really had put a good deal of effort into it at first. Whenever a treat was offered he brought it home and stuck it in the freezer. He has a whole shelf of "treats" in there saved up to eat on Easter. He is going to be sick as a dog on Easter if he eats all that stuff and his Easter basket treats too.

I have stayed strong - with the exception of the Mint Jubilee. That was last Saturday. Instead of eating sweets on Sunday I swapped it out for Saturday. Our GS council held a fundraiser and I assisted my friend who is a chef that partcipated. There were 12 chefs who created desserts using GS cookies - yummmo!! Except after not having had sweets for 4 weeks the next morning I had a sugar hangover that rivaled any night out drinking from my "pre-kids" years. Ack......it was awful. I was sick all day. And I hardly at any sweets really.

Anyway.....at this point the kids are hardly observing their "no sweets" Lenten promise. SuperStar phoned from school one day asking if she could have the sundaes her teacher was giving out as a treat. Another day it was St. Pat's cupcakes (how is that teacher so darn skinny?). Spidey got candy at religion class (but he stuck it in the freezer) and cupcakes for St. Pat's too. And the leprechaun left some chocolate gold for them. Overall though they get it - they totally understand the word "sacrifice" now and we have been able to have many conversations where we related it to the sacrifice Jesus and God made.

That is the real point right? The understanding..........so since I totally understand I can go eat those Girl Scout cookies right?

2010-03-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I am a fly on the wall. The children don't seem to notice that I am here at all. Course usually this "ignoring" me gift they have is occuring while I am telling them to clean, practice piano, do their homework or feed a pet. However, every once in awhile I get to hear "kid conversations" with friends.

Tonight the conversation was between Spidey and Mr.A. They were talking about college. Spidey wanted to know if Mr.A was going to college for a "simple person" degree, a masters or a doctors degree. He explained that a doctors degree was the best, but that he was going to do a masters because he could boss people around that way. Huh? So I listened more. MrA didn't understand so Spidey explained - a "simple person" degree is for 2 years so it would be easy to get, then you go for more years and get a better degree that would let you live at a college and you could have your own apartment and your parents would still pay and you could go to a lot of parties too. After that there is the Master degree. A Master degree is not teaching you to be a slave owner (I think maybe this information came from the recent section SuperStar learned about slavery - maybe?). He explained a Master degree would make you the "master" of whatever you are learning to do. Spidey said this is what he will be getting because sometimes your parents will pay for this too, but parents never pay for your Doctor degree. They didn't define what a Doctor degree is.

Instead they went on to talk about what they would become the Master of. Spidey is going to be the Master of Driving an Airplane. Hmm......I guess pilots need a degree don't they? MrA is going to be the Master of Restaurants. Then they began bartering back and forth about MrA hiring Spidey - he promised 8 breaks for each shift he worked. Spidey was having nothing to do with it. At least he got that part right - maybe, since surprising to him he will have to work to pay for the parties he attends when he is becoming a Master.

I love being a fly and you don't want to know the gross stuff they said after - you would never eat with them again.

One Step Forward......yea me!

2010-03-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

Slowly slowly slowly I am making head way into not volunteering to do things. This past month I was presented with the opportunity to help out at TheKing's preschool on their Parent Board. It was suggested that I be Vice President as it would be a good fit. The person suggesting it was right - it would be a good fit - the position is over all the fundraising stuff. Mind you "not in charge" of all fundraising, but just making certain that those "in charge" of whatever fundraising event. Now after asking the person currently in the position I also found out that if the person who is "in charge" of the event is falling apart then it would be the VP's responsibility to find a new person or make it happen. Hmmm........that was enough for me.

So I kindly declined. And felt proud of myself because there was a fair chunk of my person who wanted to rise to that occassion and conqure that position. Then I remembered my promise to me to not volunteer for so much.......

and then I turned around and -
* Agreed to do 1 more year at the PTO Treasurer getting everything transferred to the new school we are moving into
* Become the CAC Vice President (the school districts Community parent group)
* Continue heading up the Trivia Night at our elementary
* Head up the Trivia Night at the preschool
* Organize the Santa Letters fundraiser at the preschool
* Create a new structure for our new elementaries parent group
* Lead a divided group of Girl Scouts between elementary and jr high
* And let's be honest - I will most likely end up Parent Coordinator for Spidey's class
* And there will be SOMETHING I can volunteer for at the new Jr. High SuperStar will attend

Then after going over my list of things being done I realized that even though I took that 1 step forward.........I still have a way to go......then I thought about my life without all this involvement in my kiddo's schools and activities and I realized that I am right where I need to be. In fact it confuses me when parents can't list even 1 group they are in.

So I am all good - or maybe I am just now completely crazy and can't recognize reality - you pick.

Saving the Environment 1 Toy at a Time

2010-03-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

So friends from preschool have come up with a wonderful idea - they are going to put a little less stuff out into the world by doing a unique kinda Birthday Gift request for their sons 4th Birthday Party. Instead of having each kiddo bring a BRAND NEW TOY as a gift, they are asking for each guest to bring a toy that they no longer play with - that they think their 4 year old would love to play with - as a gift.

Brilliant right?

Cost Effective - EASY as all get out to shop in your own toy chest - Less Trash - Totaly use of Reduce Reuse Recycle.
r>One p<;/SPAN>roblem - TheKing is not participating. At all. Won't do it. Uh uh. No Way Jose. Nada. Ain't Havin' It.

Ever since the invitation came in and it was confirmed we could attend I have been working toy angles. See we are at a slight disadvantage because I regularly have the kids clean out their rooms and present a few things that can be given to a resale shop. So while we may look overloaded with toys - we aren't really. We have lots of toys that have LOTS OF LITTLE pieces (hate the little pieces thank you), but we don't have a ton of toys. The other problem is that TheKing really does seem to play with almost all the toys he has. Dinosaurs, cars, trains, babies, stuffed animals, building blocks, dress up clothes - all of it. I know because I am the clean up crew.

So each day I have tried to sneak a toy to the side. One day it was some Fisher Price bulldozer things he doesn't play with AS MUCH. He found them. Another day it was his backpack (he has a few) that has some "travel" toys in it. He found that - scattered it all over and declared his love for each piece. Then I decided to sit and talk with him about what to give up..........he said,; "nothing Maudy". I pointed a few things out - how bout the spaceships? Nope they were for playing Zathura. What about a few of the dino's? Nope they are for playing Zathura and killing the cars. Oh, well how about some of those cars....and he looked at me like my head popped off and started crying.

Yesterday a toy fell in my lap - well not literally - but I was cleaning his room and found one of those toys where you slip the circular slide thing in to look at pictures - what are those called? We all had one at some point. Then you click the button thing and a new picture is pushed into place.......what is that? Shoot now I have to go and google or bing it or something...hold on........ViewMaster!! I couldn't find it by googling - had to resort to "phone a friend" - only the friend was on Facebook - there is ALWAYS someone on Facebook that can answer the question I need. So anyway.....I found the ViewMaster sitting in his room in a heap of stuff - then I scored a few of the circular picture things and thought "hey this is the perfect gift for MrA's birthday party - these discs aren't even that bent up!" I took it straight to my room and set it up highish on my jewelry box to wait as I looked for more picture discs.

Later that night TheKing came in my room while I was reading. He went to his bookcase and grabbed a few books, jumped up on the bed with me (yes, he literally jumped - it is quite annoying) and sat there reading. I put my book down to read his books for him and noticed him staring up at my jewelry box. He looked at me, smiled and said, "Those are not for MrA. Those are mine."

I am just not sure how we are going to manage a gift for this party. In fact at this point I picture MrA opening gift after gift while screaming and tears ensue throughout the party room. No matter what we gift TheKing is going to figure it out - run across the room - snatch the toy out of the birthday boys hand and probably come back and yell at me.

BigGuy has suggested we go to the store, buy a new toy, throw it around on the front driveway and then drag it through the mud. He might be onto something......

Dear State Decision Makers

2010-03-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

Thank you State Decision Makers for cutting our school funding - for deciding not to pay out money that is owed to our district (and others) - for causing our schools to require to look at new "excting" options for how we teach our kids - for continuing to funnel funding into important things like professional athletic stadiums that will help our cities to thrive while the children living there and going to schools that are inept and sucky do anything but thrive.

Just the other day our districts superintendent proposed a few ideas for how to manage with less money:
1) Cut all after school sports programs
2) Close 2 schools
3) Fire over 100 teachers
4) Fire even more teacher aides
5) Increase class sizes to 30 kids per (without an aide)
6) Go to 3 Tier bussing (I don't mind this one)
7) Introduce Magnets into our school to draw back the private kids (don't know how this will work as we are an 80% white school - but maybe they will change the rules about 60/40).
8) Reduce the school day by an hour for the high school students
9) Have the PTO's become responsible for the school field trips (this is a personal NOT favorite of mine as our district is divided into the "haves" and "have nots" - schools on the north side have 100,000+ PTO budgets and 4% poverty - schools on the south side have about $20,000 budgets (if lucky) and a 60% poverty rate - how will those field trip experiences differ??).
10) Cut certain supplies used by teachers to reduce spending
11) Cut PE in the schools (we currently have PE everyday)

Those are just a few. Does the superintendant want to do this because it is genious? No. These ideas are being proposed out of necessity. Is our school district alone in making these hard choices? No. Schools all over the state - heck - all over the NATION are having to make these choices. We are probably even a "lucky" district in the large scheme of things.

Should parents be paying REALLY CLOSE ATTENTION and starting to raise a STINK? Yes! Are they going to? Probably not until it is too late is my guess. They will hear tell of all these "ideas" and "suggestions" and do nothing.............until these plans become reality - then they will start by screaming and complaining to the district superintendant the the school board (might be a good time to resign from school boards now) and find that the people in those positions are right there with them!

What we need to be doing is Paying Attention!! Doing something as the decisions are being made!! Stepping up and realizing that we are part of the problem!! How? Well by letting it happen without trying to make changes. Or seeing the changes - then switch to a private or a charter thinking it is better - not realizing (some will realize how funding works - but most thing charters just get money magically) that those charters are going to take even MORE funding from the public schools. Add in that there is less money from the state and there is even less money for the kid still in the public school.

Imagine what might happen if we all paid attention NOW - and we all worked together to make change in our schools - TOGETHER (being the key word) - how about we spend a few hours less shuttling our kids to crazy hours of after school activities that we are paying out the nose for because they "have to have them to be well rounded people when they get older" (which is bs - these afterschool programs are a keeping up with the Jones's peer pressure thing) - and spend a few MORE hours working on keeping our public school together?

Who is with me?

The Legend of the Families Leprechaun

2010-03-17T06:16:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!
About 5 years ago we were visited by a Leprechaun. Our morning started with some plain old cereal. The bowls were poured and the kids went to the table with them. Then they were called out of the room and when they returned the cereal was gone - only empty bowls remained........and a Gigantic box of Lucky Charms sat there!! The olders (TheKing was just a twinkle in our eyes at the time) were beside themselves crazy excited!! See we don't usually buy name brand cereals. I went into the kitchen for the milk and something hit me......literally - hit me! The kids ran in to the kitchen to find me holding a jug of milk - that had been turned GREEN!! Magically.

That afternoon the Olders and I were attending the St. Patty's Day Parade in DogTown with other MOMS Club friends. As we were driving there chocolate Lady Bugs flew through the van into the kids laps. Magically. The kids were amazed and after we were parked they wanted to search the van up and down for the culprit who they were sure must be somewhere under the seats.

The parade was a long one so I had packed a lunch for the kids - PB&J, Pineapple, Milk and some Vanilla Yogurt. ALL THE FOOD HAD TURNED GREEN!! Magically. All the items in their lunch carry's were green - PB&J (apricot jelly), Pineapple, Milk, Yogurt - everything! They were giddy. Other kids were drawn and excited too wondering what might happen to them. Other moms were rolling their eyes and glaring at me. Not seeing any of this as being Magical, but more as a green pain in their Blarney Stone.

The day rounded out with a few more chocolates Magically tossed at them. And a Legend was born. Through the years our Leprechaun has moved with us.......each day starts with a box of Lucky Charms, we have received cupcakes that appeared from no where. He has taken photos of himself next to TheKings sippy cup. Written letters. Turned off lights on people. Moved things about. But in general he just kinda surprises us. This morning I found Spidey dashing from room to room looking for things the Leprechaun might have done. He found Green OJ, Lucky Charms and nothing else. He went to check the toilet water...........really? that one surprised ME....and then came back to get the disappointingly white milk for his cereal - only when he poured the white milk as it came out it Magically turned GREEN!!

What Magical thing happens for you today?

So Maybe we aren't so Refined afterall....

2010-03-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

Okay I have never claimed to be Refined - Sophisticated - shoot I don't even claim to be An Adult..........and I certainly don't claim those titles for BigGuy either. Although I do admit that for some reason people confuse us for those "type of people".

I will say that I am High Brow enough to not laugh at fart jokes (although BigGuy will pee his pants at a good fart joke......or any jokes that include Monkeys Throwing Poo). But, here is proof that we are no mentally older then a High Schooler........

Last night we were getting ready to do the FINAL 3 Deliveries for SuperStars Super Girl Scout Cookie Selling(insert crazy cheer here)....and BigGuy was taking her out. I was showing how on top of things I was to make it easy for him - I had pre-boxed all the deliveries and written the names on the boxes.

Plump - Bocock - Shank

Those were the 3 names. We looked at the boxes sitting together and began giggling. It just could not be helped. Then we started making sentences using the 3 names as regular words. And we giggled more. it just could not be helped. We laughed enough to bring tears.

Easter Can't Come Soon Enough

2010-03-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

This year we are celebrating Easter with the two olders - the full version of Easter. What I mean is we celebrated Fat Tuesday - they better understand Ash Wednesday and the significance and we are following No Meat on Friday and also observing Lent. Not that we didn't do this before, but we really didn't make the kids follow this very strictly. In the past instead of "giving something up" we added something in - family walks - family game nights - extra reading time - things that they would be happy to do. This year we asked them to add or give something up that would be more challenging to do but not impossible. For instance BigGuy said he wanted to give up TV which surprised me because each year I throw out "let's give up TV for 40 days and 40 nights" to which BigGuy makes a distorted face close to laughing and says something about March Madness and that not being possible. When he suggested it I must have looked surprised he would suggest no television because he looked somewhat insulted.....and then I explained I was pleased, but that he always nixed the idea because of March Madness - to which he looked surprised that he had suggested it too and said perhaps we should pick something else. And so we did. Spidey gave up his DS. SuperStar gave up Sweets. BigGuy gave up Computer Games. I added in going to the Gym at least 4 days a week (I know not really hard) and also asked everyone to join SuperStar in giving up Sweets too. Which we all did.

Do you know how hard this is? ALL SWEETS - not just chocolate - no cookies (ahhhhh it's GS Cookie Time)....no ice cream....no brownies....no candy.....no a lot of things. Now we did take a reprieve for my birthday and we all had some made from scratch carrot cake........yummmmmmmyyyyyy!!!!! And then promptly froze the remaining pieces and I have been trying to give them away since. But for the rest of my birthday parties (given by folks in STL - thanks I love you) I pretend ate cake (if you all didn't notice - sorry, but I didn't want to be rude after you were so sweet to get the cake) and then when they weren't looking tossed it.

The kids are probably having it the hardest - well maybe not as they don't have a period that will land 2x's within the 40 days and 40 nights that screams for a sweet treat. The kids openly suffer more though. I have to be stoic and save my suffering for after they are in bed. SuperStar has caved 2x's eating a piece of chocolate candy here and there given to her by religion teachers and at a school event. And I am thankful for that because it actually offers us the opportunity to talk about what sacrifice means......that it if wasn't hard to do it would not be a sacrifice and also to talk about what the bible stories mean when they talk about the sacrifice God made. The difficulty of our Lenten choice this year has also given us the opportunity to talk about how the commitment for each person is their own choice - it is their relationship with God and not everyone is perfect.

Plus - it has encouraged us to become more familiar with what a healthy treat is - and realize all the millions of types and flavors of yogurt. There really are a million zillion flavors. And we are eating fruit like crazy - mango, pineapple, kiwi, apples, tangerines, banana's - straight - smoothied. Yet I know that Easter Day my kids will most likely vomit from over eating their Easter Basket.

How many days til Easter?

TheKing is slowly killing my love for Paul Simon....

2010-03-11T04:08:00.000-08:00

You know how kids pick a music that they like and then they listen to it Over and Over and Over again? Yes, I will agree that some adults do this too - get a new CD because of one song and then listen to it Over and Over again.....but they eventually listen to some of the other songs too. Not TheKing. Spidey and SuperStar had the ability to listen to songs over and over too, but not like TheKing. TheKing will listen to the same song for a week. Which means you are in the car traveling around listening to the same song for a week!! And he will completely notice that you have changed the song even if you are being sneaky and set it up to happen when you get back into the car and think that he won't even notice that you have changed it because being a 4 year old He Should Have Completely Forgotten What Was Happening Before He Got Out Of The Car! No, not TheKing - he remembers - and he will make your life a living hell if you try to slip something like that by him.

Recently his weapon of choice......er, I mean musical choice.....has been Time Warp by the Chipmunks. Yes, I typed that correctly. See when we got our taxes back we took the kids to the store and let them each pick out a CD. TheKing - with Spidey's insistant help - choose The Chipmunks (a recent version, but not the Squequel - like most of you care - shoot like I care to know the various Chipmunk CD's on the market today - and this is why I am fairly good at trivia). As we are listening to the various songs (which are mostly remakes of songs you would recognize) Time Warp comes on - in all accuracy only in Chipmunk sound. BigGuy and I thought it was fairly twiste d that the Chipmunks would have done a remake of Time Warp - what with the "pelvic thrusts" causing such a sensation and all.......and we listened along with TheKing and kinda giggled because I hardly thought what would happen next actually would happen, but I heard TheKing say...."play that one again Maudy (his name for Mommy and Daddy - he combines us)". And so it was that I listened to Time Warp by the Chipmunks for at least 1 week - to school - from school - to the gym - from the gym (I considered giving up the gym because of this - okay fibbing). My inner parent was torn about the Chipmunks singing Time Warp and my outer parent was sick of listening to it Over and Over and Over again.

So one morning I slipped in a Paul Simon CD......at first TheKing didn't say anything and then he realized the voice sounded normalish....hey that couldn't be the Chipmunks singing Time Warp and just as he was about to throw a full tantrum I remembered that his absolute favorite movie (as of late), Zathura (if you haven't seen it a MILLION times you really can't appreciate it), ends as the credits role with the song Love Me Like a Rock by Paul Simon - which was on the CD - so I fast forwarded (ew my age is showing - you don't fast forward a CD)to that particular song hoping to get the fit turned into a treat because he would Love Love Love that it was the song from his all time favorite movie Zathura. And I did - he smiled from ear to ear - announced how he knew that song as if I did not know that song - and then settled back to listen to it. And when the song ended I heard those dreaded words, "play that again Maudy" - and foolishly rejoicing I did. Then Over and Over and Over. I now know that it takes 3.5 Love Me Like a Rock's to get to preschool - 2.8 Love Me Like a Rock's to get to the gym - and 7 days of Love Me Like a Rock to make me want to listen to Time Warp by the Chipmunks again.

TheKing is slowly killing my love for Paul Simon......

SuperStar and I went out of town...

2010-03-09T05:45:00.000-08:00

So SuperStar and I traveled back to the St. Louis area and stayed in a hotel together for fun. On the website the hotel was GREAT!! In reality the hotel didn't match up - amazing what they can do with a website - it wasn't disgusting and we were able to stay overnight without feeling bugs would crawl on us - and the front desk attendant was very nice, but it most certainly was NOT what was advertised.

Now something I thought was funny happened:
We went to dinner - SuperStar picked Chinese food - we found a buffet - we were seated by the person who seemed to run the place. He asked what we wanted to drink - I asked what they had. He said "Pepsi". That is all he said, "Pepsi". I asked "What kind of Pepsi products?" He said, "Pepsi". Then I said, "Pepsi only or do you have different types of drinks?" Then he pointed to the plastic card on the table. I turned it around to see if there was a drink menu on it and it read:

Drinks
Water
Soda
Tea
Coffee
Juice

I looked back at him and said, "This doesn't say what flavor of Pepsi you have, it only says that you have soda." He pointed at the bar........I am not sure why he did this. Then he walked away and our waiter showed up. He said "What would you like to drink?" I said, "What do you have?". He said "Pepsi". Really? Really we have to go through this routine again?? I said, "What types of Pepsi do you have?" He said, brace yourself, "Pepsi". Then as an after thought he said, "All kinds". SuperStar jumped in and said, "I will take Cherry Pepsi." He said, "We don't have that." We just sat staring at him. Then all of a sudden he listed off all the various Pepsi products they had. SuperStar jumped in with her choice and then I said "Diet please" and the ordeal was over.

Why was it so hard for them to tell us what types of Pepsi they carried?

My Life Blog

2010-03-08T05:54:00.000-08:00

Okay SuperStar is back to blogging again!! So check out her latest additions.......not sure why she is blogging all of a sudden - it was 10pm at night and she decided it was time to update her site!

Stop Telling Me About It!!

2010-03-07T05:29:00.000-08:00

Here she is....sweet.....smart....wonderful....beautiful....and getting TALLER - I swear to goodness this is happening EVERY SINGLE DAY. In the past year she has grown at least 4 inches. 4 inches!! And everyone keeps telling me about it. "She is almost as tall as you!", "I bet you are sad she is almost taller then you", "What will you do when she outgrows you?". I hear that last one a bit more then I would have thought and it always leaves me thinking.....do they think that once my kids are taller then me I will lose all control? Because let's be honest - BigGuy is WAY taller then me and I boss him around (a little).

Then there is another topic that people keep mentioning......SuperStar is beginning to develop in ways other then height (you know what I mean right?). Thank you kind friends for pointing this out - I have already noticed though. See her body may be developing, but she is the same little girl she has always been with the same comfort level in our house. At night when she is going to bed and in the morning when she is getting ready she is completely comfortable still to walk around in her undies - and we aren't making her feel uncomfortable about herself by telling her she has to do anything differently then her brothers. She is modest - when friends or outside family are around she dresses differently. The draw back to her comfort level at home is that when she is being "comfortable" walking about in her undies I have noticed that my eyes are drawn to her "development" and I feel like I am staring.......maybe a little like the creepy person that stares at you forever without blinking..........I am completely amazed that my little girl is changing. I have also found myself googling "female development" with my friend to see what happens next as her daughter is in the same range.

Still, even though these "developments" are visible - it felt a little like I was the only one really noticing (or so I convinced myself - this is my imagination - she isn't really "developing") until at a school function parents (moms thank goodness) started approaching me and saying things like "Wow SuperStar is starting to get her bubbies!".

Really? Really we want to make a mom think about how her baby is not much more going to be a baby? Sigh. I would rather they talk about how she is going to dwarf me.....I knew that would happen the moment I married BigGuy.

Now I can REALLY Volunteer for Stuff!

2010-03-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

So here is our families newest addition. Not that the entire family can use it......but eventually after the shock of cost and newness happens I am sure they will sneak on.

BigGuy is slowly working on me to become more "hip" to computers. It has been his secret wish for years now that we can wire the ENTIRE house so that computers will run our world. Probably the Professional Computer Geek gene he has. Kinda like I have a Counselor Save The World gene and am sure I can help every single person in need if I only try hard enough (and give up my personal life in the process). Still BigGuy is very slowly getting his wish. I now text people (which he giggles at). In fact I almost prefer to text because while it might take a few seconds more to do......I can be done as soon as the text goes through. No residual talking. Not that I don't like talking - many of my friend can attest to the fact that I can keep them on the phone for an hour easy (right SS & CB?). However, on my cell phone I really don't want to talk very long. I am still a reluctant cell phone user - if I am not at home I am doing something..........and it really isn't the best telephone time.

Now BigGuy has succeeded in getting a laptop into the house and causing me to start to really like it. He is even so sneaky that he insists this is MY laptop - for ME to use doing all the tasks that I take on - and HE will not use it much as he has a work laptop and our home computer. For whatever reason that makes me mildly uncomfortable. I have seen how the kids scramble to make certain no one touches their DS - will I become that way? Yikes.

So I have to admit - BigGuy got me excited about the laptop. We have had it about a week now and I have already taken it out on a work date. The kids had religion and while they were in class I sat in the church library and typed away at my CAC report. Then on another day I was able to take it outside while TheKing played in the backyard and work on questions for a chair position in a group I am in. Even now I am in the middle of the kitchen overseeing morning rush - where before I would have been too far removed from the kids to do this at the same time. I plan to take it out of town this weekend so I can look up directions if needed - and check facebook probably too (hey, just being honest - CB get a facebook account please). In fact now I am thinking of the MILLIONS of things I can use MY laptop for - in the kitchen with a recipe up that I can easily read and work on......on our trip to NewOrleans to look for fun things to do while BigGuy is at his conference......at our PTO meetings.....at CAC........maybe to read a book - ah scratch that, I love books too much to add to their disappearance.....

So BigGuy is winning me over to his techie ways and Blue (we named it) is a new part of the family.

It's My Birthday!

2010-03-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

A Year of ME!! I started from Easter of Last Year because there really aren't that many pictures of me - and most of the ones that are of me are of me and a kid. So bonus for you - my kids are in a lot of these. Course I came to notice that there are a great deal fewer of Spidey this year because he has an aversion to the camera right now. If you take his picture it usually involves some sort of awful pose.

So this is me from April of last year to February of this new year. 1 Entire Year of Pictures of Me. And my goodness did my hair grow or what?

Remember when it was Cool to be Shirtless and Smoke a Cigar?

2010-02-28T12:07:00.000-08:00

Let the Giggling Begin!

"Everyone Gets a Day Off" he said......

2010-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been feeling VERY tired. This could be caused by several reasons:

A) BigGuy snores SO LOUD that he wakes me up several times a night - thus causing me to have interrupted sleep.
B) TheKing comes into my room and climbs into bed and begins to move around until he falls back asleep waking me up - thus causing me to have interrupted sleep.
C) I am eating horribly - thus causing me to have no energy and be tired a lot.
D) My schedule is kinda stressful with 2 Trivia Nights coming, a big family event at our house soon and the everyday crazy of life.
E) All of the above.

Yesterday my day was going relatively on schedule. Up - gym - home - laundry - computer work - lunch for TheKing - and then the computer went out and I couldn't do the bills. TheKing asked me if I would sit with him while he watched tv and I did - although since watching the same Blues Clues tapes we have had since SuperStar was a kid is kin to pulling my eyebrows out I opted to snuggle him reading a book while HE watched the Blues Clues tape.

And then I realized how tired I was. I literally dozed off a bit - which is soooooo not me.

When BigGuy came home he said he would take care of everything. His words were, "Everyone gets a day off now and then." The fact that I was sitting watching the Blues Clues tapes with TheKing alerted him to the fact that things were not normal for me. And as I said - he sweetly stepped up to take care of things. And in turn I sat.........I wasted 4 hours watching television and reading my book. Stopping to eat the pizza that he ordered out. And I totally enjoyed having no responsiblity.

Until I went to bed .............and saw that all the clothes I had sorted were still on the bed waiting to be put away. Sheesh. So quickly I put them away.

Then this morning I woke up with Spidey - early for some reason - and went down to make sure he was good and ate some breakfast before watching tv. That is when I saw the dirty dishes piled up. Then I noticed that there was stuff all over the counters and on the table and the floor still needed to be swept. And basically all the things that I did not do yesterday were waiting for me today.

Now how is that a day off? I think what I had was simply a stop at what I was doing carried into the next day with even more to do. So BigGuy and I talked. He admitted that perhaps he forgot to do the things that would have made my day a full day off - and promises that my next day off won't come with dirty dishes the following day.

I see the Self-Esteem escaping into vapor.............

2010-02-04T07:34:00.000-08:00

The following is a letter I sent today to our regions Girl Scout Council. Although I have begun to see the door to Self-Esteem Crushing Years slowly opening - last night I watched and listened as the door began to show what is on the other side. Right now the room looks fairly bleak.....but with some hope. In sharing this letter I am not attempting to find solutions from you all (although please I welcome them) - more I am just sharing where we (SuperStar and I - BigGuy too) are in the process of raising kiddo's. Some parts are hilarious and some parts are kinda saddish.

Hi Ladies -

Last night I came upon SuperStar crying in bed. Apparently that day she had been having a conversation with some kids at her school about the "Food Chain Order" in their school. One girl listed the girls who are at the top of the food chain - the boy listed the boys - and then they listed themselves and others at the bottom of the food chain. And they said that is just the way that it is. SuperStar didn't say where she was listed - although I know most of the after school activities she does are with the girls who were listed high - and then one of her best friends was a girl who listed herself as at the bottom. My guess is she views herself in the middle somewhere.

Anyway, we talked about this. She is more often finding that she tries to entertain others to "fit in" with them and due to it is starting to lose herself and lose her comfort (self esteem) with herself. We talked about how when you have to pretend to be someone you aren't comfortable being - you also tend to feel uncomfortable with who you are. I explained to her that the one thing Facebook has taught me is that all the people that I thought were "better then" me in high school and on the high end of the "Food Chain" were apparently thinking the same thing about me - that I was cooler then them and more popular. That everyone is trying to fit in and in working so hard to do so they are making themselves feel crazy and not good enough. So we talked about how important it is to be comfortable with who you are first - and then find friends who love that person - and that if you find yourself trying hard to change to be part of a group, most likely that is the wrong group to be in.

Still not really buying it - I had Andersen rank herself on a scale of 1-10. She scored herself a 5. We then took our cat, Barkley, and I gave her all of SuperStar's achievements and shortcomings and had Andersen rank our cat. Barkley scored a 9. Then SuperStar smiled, giggled and things were better.

Now why do I tell you all this? Well through the conversation Andersen said that a few of the girls who consider themselves on the lower end of the "Food Chain" are saying that this is their last year for Girl Scouts. That when they go into Jr. High they will be leaving the troop because it will no longer be cool to be a Girl Scout and they will need to join other things to keep from being considered "uncool".

I remember talking about this at some point - maybe it was when I was asked to come up with thoughts during that round table meeting thing last year where I sat in the audience with all of you as the board members discussed plans. But I do remember talking about things that you hoped to develop to get older girls excited about Girl Scouts. I also know that hearing it from me is important - but hearing it from an outside source that will get them excited is even better.

So is there anything? Is there a troop of older girls who might take my 5th graders to do something - show them that it can be cool to continue to be a Girl Scout in Jr. & Sr. High? Talk about how the achievements will carry over into the college careers - business careers and other areas?

I know it is bound to happen that as the girls get more options of things to do in the upper grades time will be stretched and things will change - girls will drop out. But I want them to drop out because they have found other interests they love and want to do - not because they think they will be branded with a Scarlet "GS" and considered a dork for life. Can you all help our troop in this?

Thanks -
HalfPint

Like I said - some parts are kinda "saddish". SuperStar is going to be a winner no matter which path she chooses, but sometimes I worry that BigGuy and I will miss the signs of the Self-Esteem Crushing that happens for both young girls and young boys. Fortunately I caught this one.......but what about next time? What about when they stop sharing stuff? Yikes I don't even want to think about all that!

You are right Rebecca..........I don't want to know the truth about anyone's house - or - Why I have Re-Fallen in LOVE with my couch!

2010-01-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Cuter then Cute right? Yes..........all our children are - Cuter then Cute. And they also make us either Rue the Day we chose that piece of furniture or Congratulate outselves on a Splendid Choice.

Now that BigGuy and I are on Child #3 (yes that means I am hoping to count a #4 someday - but TheKing has to stop screaming long enough for BigGuy to remember how cute small children can be for that to EVER happen) - anyway.....now that BigGuy and I are on Child #3 we are getting better at "choosing" the correct household extras to stand up to the inhabitants who are shorter then me.

Recently BigGuy and I RE-fell in love with our couch. I even posted about my love on facebook - and many people thought we had purchased a NEW couch, but no we hadn't - we just started to realize how great the couch we have is.

See it all started with this Angel Face pictured above........so cute.......so innocent.....so - shall we say - gross? If I am honest we will go back all the way back to the Older Angel Faces not pictured - because they did their damage too. Getting to the point though - TheKing has been sleeping on the couch lately - no big deal right? Only when he sleeps on the couch it is because he feel asleep before nap time - and to fall asleep before "officially" being put down for a nap also means you do not have a pull-up on - and if you don't have a pull-up on then it means when you wake up you are liable to pee on yourself..........and whatever surface you are sleeping on.

Get it now?

Yes.....so TheKing slept on the couch and - yes - pee'd on it. Good, hard core, soaking pee - nothing tiny at all. And out came the pet odor removing stuff - out came the micro-suede fiber couch cleaner stuff - out came the towels - and we did our best.

Lesson learned? No. TheKing fell asleep on the couch a weekish later - yes - pee'd on it AGAIN. Good, hard core, soaking pee - never tiny at all. And out came the pet odor removing stuff - out came the micro-suede fiber couch cleaner stuff - out came the towels - and we did our best. Only this time there was a definate lingering smell. And we had a long talk with TheKing about no sleeping on the couch - and a long talk with ourselves about not letting TheKing sleep on the couch.

And then he just flat out pee'd on the couch. Not like in a Calvin & Hobbes cartoon - rather in an "I was watching tv and couldn't miss what was happening so I pee'd on the couch" kind of a way. And out came the pet odor removing stuff - out came the micro-suede fiber couch cleaner stuff - out came the towels - and we did our best. Only this time there was a gross smell - undeniable - it even grossed out Spidey and that is quite a trick.

This time I complained to my friend Rebecca. What else was I going to do. Told her my couch was ruined. Joked about how kids mess up everything good we own. And she said that she and her hubby have often discussed how if they actually KNEW what happened in other people's houses they would have a hard time sitting down and eating there. And she is totally right - I mean would you want to sit on the part of the couch that TheKing kept pee'ing on if you knew where it was? Not me.

And believe me there are a TON of stories that would gross you out. Like where SuperStar vomitted all over the entry. And if we add in our house in STL - well let me just say there are some really awful things that would keep you off the staircase there.

So after complaining - and telling myself that all of your houses have disgusting secrets just like mine I googled "cleaning urine from micro-fiber suede couches". First thing that popped up was basically "throw it out and buy a new one". Second thing too. Third thing also really. But the Fourth thing was - "well for the love of cupcakes pop that slip cover off and wash it - the things is a micro-fiber suede for goodness sakes you moron" (okay it wasn't worded exactly that way). And BigGuy and I both hesitated..........could it be THAT easy? No, we will ruin it - we aren't washing it in the washer - there must be something really hard and expensive we have to do to fix this.

Then we thought about our bank account. No way for the expensive solutions (not that we found anything other then "buy" a new one - probably planted by a furniture store).

Then we sniffed the cushion again.........and close to tossed from the smell. Well we couldn't keep it. So might as well go for trying the washer - it was already basically ruined.

In we put it - out it came - and we used Febreeze on the actual cushion - let it all dry for 24 hours - and OHMIGOODNESS!! It was perfectly fabulous! We love our couch. And now we can love our kids again. But Rebecca is still right........I don't want to know truth about anyone's house.

Forgive me Father for have sinned.........

2010-01-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

So this past Monday night Spidey had his first Reconciliation. He was so cute and nervous........"what will I say?"............."what will Father Jerry say?"............you will be fine we reassured him......"do they keep things you tell them a secret?".........."do they ever throw people in prison for what they tell the priest?"

It was the suggestion of the church that parents and other family members also participate and also do a confession. To show support - to clear the slate - to be good role models. Now when SuperStar had her first Reconciliation BigGuy ducked out. As a matter of fact a great deal of the parents there that night ducked out. There were really only a handful of us who went and spoke with Father Tom. I did - but I had not been to confession in years and my confession went something like, "Bless me Father for I have sinned.......it has been something like since I was 7 since my last confession" (I blame this on my parents). He kinda smiled and I asked him if he wanted my Top 10 sins or just a really good one. He took a really good one.

This time around I gave out 3 sins........coulda kept going to....shoot would have kept going if Father Jerry hadn't cut me off. I took in a breath in between #3 sin and #4 sin and he took it as an opportunity to smile, say "wow those are some good confessions" and place his hand on my forehead to bless me. So I was done - but I coulda kept going. Just sayin..........

Anyway - Spidey went up and sat down - looked from a distance like things were going well. He smiled as he walked back and sat down to pray. He looked pleased and relaxed. Then it was SuperStars turn - same - no problems. As we were waiting for SuperStar to have her confession BigGuy made a confession that he had NEVER made a confession!! Now how in heavens name did that slip by the church in St. Louis? Never had Reconciliation when he became Catholic 10 years ago. He had no clue what to say or do.....he was actually more nervous then Spidey had been. The woman organizing us and I explained that he needed to say "bless me Father for I have sinned.......it has been an entire lifetime since my last confession" (although that doesn't make total sense - but maybe in a before life/after life he has done a confession?). In the end he did well.........but his confession topic was fairly lame (in my own opinion - oops guess I have to confess the sin of judging anothers sin when I go again at Dawson's first Reconciliation!).

On the way home Spidey chatted about how easy it was. And how he was glad it was done. So I asked what he confessed. He got quiet.....I told him he didn't have to tell..and then he said something close to, "Well will I get in trouble for it - because God has already forgiven me." Smart kid.

DSi's are a Funny Thing

2010-01-20T06:29:00.000-08:00

This Christmas Santa brought our two oldest children DSi's - don't qoute me on that - I know it is a DS, and not a DSlite, but maybe DSi is in my head because of CSI - anyway..........they got these terribly expensive little toys that eat up their attention when you don't want them to - BigGuy's attention too really if the kiddo's ever happen to put one down anywhere near where he is sitting.

But then thing that I find funny is - the DS's are bringing my kids together.

Kinda.

I mean Spidey, TheKing and SuperStar all get along very well. Not that they are Stepford children and they get along ALL THE TIME. But they play well enough together that if we don't see any one outside of our own family for a week or two - they have each other. Maybe they have a few new bruises too, but they have each other and they are happy and well adjusted.

So how do the DS'd bring them together? Well........they have a chat program in them. Kinda like a training program for texting. Only you have to be within 50 feet of another person with a DS who can chat with you. And they REALLY REALLY like doing the chatting (I have no idea where they got that gene from). So they will sit and chat with one another. For hours! Which I find amazing because even though they are close and play with one another - they spend a good chunk of their time complaing to me about one another being too loud.

As you can see - poor TheKing does not have a DS - so he passes out from boredom watching the other two chat about farting back and forth.......hey, I didn't say they were chatting intellectual things to each other.

Why I am CERTAIN I will never get to go to the Gym ever again......

2010-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

So I have been having great success going to the gym - started back up in the summer when I was challenging myself to be in the bike event and then kept the stream of healthy living all the way into the holidays..........and then I got sick. At the time I didn't know it, but whenever I tried to lay down to do pilates my chest filled up with fluid and I would start coughing - only I didn't have time to get to the doctor so I just ignored it. Once the kids came home for holiday break I did make it to the doctor (3 kids in tow...and man was that fun!) and found out that I had a sinus infection and bronchitis - and if I had ONLY WAITED a few more days he might have been able to say I had walking pnemonia too - but I am such a loser that I quit not going to the doctor too soon and I ended up with just 2 out of 3 medical problems.

However, the mystery of why I would just about pass out when I tried to exercise was solved (as if it were a mystery).

Kids home - me on the mend I gave up the gym for the month of December. With hopes and happy longings to begin again January 5th..........the First Day Back In School!!

Did I get there that day? No. TheKing threw a gigantic fit about the kids not being home and I decided to wait until January 7th when TheKing went back to school and I would be free free free for 2.5 hours.

Did I get there that day? Yes!

But I am Certain that I will never get to go to the gym ever again because:
January 8th - snow day & TheKing was diagnosed with an ear infection (yes, we went to the doctor on a snow day - that is a whole other blog coming)
January 9th - I was vomitting thanks to kiddo #2 bringing stomach bug home
January 10th - still not able to eat - SuperStar began tossing too
January 11th - 2 kids home still sickish & Dave home sick too
January 12th - TheKing threw another fit and pee'd his pants (nice trump card)January 13th - everyone back to school right? yes, but I had to rush around dealing with PTO IRS stuff and didn't get to the gym before preschool pick up
January 14th - Spidey stayed home sick with an ear infection (doctor trip)

Tomorrow is a New Day right? I am planning to plan to go to the gym. I have my bag packed. I have my mp3 player charged. I have my newest magazine ready to read as I march on the eliptical. I have my hopes high.............but

Apple of the Week

2010-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

This past week in class Spidey was the "Apple of the Week"

When you are the Apple you get to be the Line Leader and do other fun things that are of Special Responsibilities in the class room - you know the drill. And usually there is a Poster with pictures of the Apple from a tiny kid to a big kid - with a list of ALL the things they most love and are their favorites.......Well these were Spidey's:

A Person I admire: Dad (no surprise - he is trying to cut the Apron Strings lately)

My Favorite Animal: Monkey (really? shouldn't this be HAMSTER?)

My Name: Spidey (not really - he used his real name)

My Favorite Food: Cookie (no surprise, it is GS Cookie Time You know)

Where I was born: In St. Louis

My Favorite Book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Rodrik rul (you descipher that yourself)

What I Do Well: Base Ball

What I Like Most About Our School: Jim and lunch

Now......"Jim and lunch"........I looked at that and was dumbfounded thinking, "who the heck is Jim?" "Jim Jim Jim Jim Jim..........if he meant Jimmy in his class he would have written Jimmy........who is Jim? a janitor? no, his name is Mark.........who is Jim?" "Oh, what if Jim is a creepy guy who shows up at the playground enticing them with candy....I will have to talk to Mr.S about this."

And then it hit me......he meant GYM!!!!

I know better - I know to read his writing phonically!

Happy Birthday Papa

2010-01-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Lately I so seldom remember to use the Blog to say Happy Birthday to any of my friends and family that really this is a SURPRISE Birthday Greeting! (the surprise is on me for remembering)........

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA DAVE!!

And just to prove that he still has it........here is a picture of him playing Twister with Spidey this Christmas. Yea You!

GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SALES START TODAY!!!

2010-01-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today marks the FIRST day of Girl Scout Cookie Sales. SuperStar is ready to go! She had her Lofty Goal set (1,500 boxes - which, when I did not share immediately in her enthusiam about said goal, she reprimanded me for not believing in her - I totally believe in her..........I just don't want to stand out in the cold going door to doo selling cookies. Is that so bad?).

So - Support Your Favorite Girl Scout and their troop by buying cookies. And this year you can ALSO Support the Troops by checking off on the order form and having a box you purchase sent OverSeas! Here is a Great article from the Springfield Register that tells you all about it!

THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Posted Jan 12, 2010 @ 10:10 PM
Last update Jan 13, 2010 @ 01:34 PM
When a Girl Scout asks you to order cookies this year — the annual drive starts Friday — you might want to buy an extra box or two for an overseas soldier.

Girl Scouts of Central Illinois, the region that covers Sangamon and 37 other counties, has teamed with State Farm Insurance in Bloomington to launch Operation Cookie Share.

“On the cookie order card, for the first time, customers can check whether they want to donate cookies,” said Erica Douglas, spokeswoman for Girl Scouts of Central Illinois.

When the cookies arrive here in March, the military-bound boxes paid for by civilians will be transported to State Farm in Bloomington, which will ship them overseas.

“In the past, our Girl Scout troops have been doing this type of thing informally. Some have family in the military. But now we’re doing it as a council,” said Douglas.

State Farm has an ongoing program called Adopt-A-Soldier, through which employees donate items such as food, toiletries, books and puzzles (plus letters and cards of support) to service members deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Girl Scout cookies donated by central Illinoisans will be added to the payload.

Eric Cook of Clinton is a communications officer with the Air National Guard based in Peoria. In 2008, he spent six months in the war zones of both Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The best part of the day for us was mail call. Although we had three meals a day provided, we had hardly any access to candy and sweets,” said Cook, 38, who works as a project manager at State Farm in Bloomington.

When a soldier received a box of cookies, it was a special treat, he said.

“Just to get something with sugar in it, a piece of America, was great. It went as quickly as the box was opened.”

Sharon McCauley, mother of an Army reservist, coordinates State Farm’s Adopt-A-Soldier program, which began in 2003.

“Over the past three years, we’ve had local Girl Scout troops donate cookies. But this is a much bigger effort.”

She has no idea how many boxes of cookies the 2010 drive will generate for her program.

“This is incredible. The girls will get to see and feel what it is to help the soldiers and the soldiers will get a taste of home. We’re encouraging troop leaders to include their addresses so the soldiers can communicate directly with them,” said McCauley.

Although the cookie drive features eight varieties of cookies, donors will not be able to choose the types sent to the military troops.

“Some of our cookies just can’t stand the heat,” said Douglas. The council will choose the kinds that hold up best in the hot climate of the Middle East.

Varieties, baked by ABC Bakers, are Thin Mints, Shortbread, Thanks-A-Lot, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Peanut Butter Patties, Lemonades, Caramel deLites and Daisy Go Rounds. It’s the same lineup as last year. Each box costs $3.50.

People who buy cookies at booth sales — where troops sell at the entrance of a retail store or other location — also will be able to designate cookies for the military through Operation Cookie Share.

Cook said troops overseas appreciate receiving anything that reminds them of the United States.

“Just knowing people back home support you by sending simple things you associate with home, like Girl Scout cookies, is really appreciated.”

I am So Sorry

2010-01-14T04:52:00.000-08:00

I am so sorry - I meant to get back to the blog sooner to tell you all what happened. And I also wanted MissM's mom to RE-explain to me the whole operation and procedure as I didn't really understand or comprehend much past "I am worried.......drilling hole in skull......metal plate that will make traveling difficult on planes".

MissM made it through the surgery with Wonderful Reviews! In fact - it was an outpatient surgery! Which also surprised MissM's parents when the hospital said - "okay take her home now".

What she had done - since I made a point to ask questions this time. MissM has a hair band - you can see it in the picture above with TheKing. On her hair band is her hearing aid - you can't see that because her hair is messy from playing with TheKing. The operation site is just behind her right ear. The drilled a hole there and placed a small metal plate that is kinda like a "button snap". This will be where her new hearing aide is SNAPPED into place. How cool is that? MissM was ordered a blond hearing aide and it will now blend into her hair and she won't have to worry about it falling off.

Amazing!

And as I said - she is 100% fine - minus the refusal to allow her mom to clean the site of the operation. In fact, most likely it is MsS who has had a harder time then MissM through all this. By the next Monday she was chasing TheKing all over the skating rink - and bossing him like the spunky girl she always is.

Amazing!

Thinking of MissM Today ~

2009-12-31T07:27:00.000-08:00

Today we all teeter on the edge of a Brand New Year.........and MissM has an operation that will make that year even better. However it is a big deal operation because it involves drilling a hole into her skull - something no parent EVER wants to contemplate worrying about. And I know both her parents are sitting somewhere right now doing exactly that.

MissM is a lively Princess. She and TheKing run round and round - she can tackle with the best of them and has the spunk that draws me to a kid. So today - while thinking about my own New Year - I am thinking about MissM .........and her mom.......and her dad..........and her sister (another one of my personal favorite girls in the world).

Saying a Prayer.......

Don't Stop Believing....

2009-12-30T05:57:00.000-08:00

I know I kinda bagged out through the holidays in reference to blogging - but I was really really sick and in denial about the whole thing(that is another blog). Had I been feeling better most likely I would have blogged about all the fabulous and note worthy things that happened - and there were a few cute ones, but my brain has turned them off - my favorite was the GS getting kicked out of the nursing home (I really thought that was a HOOT!). Alas the illness clogging my sinus's sucked up some of my memory too. Perhaps as the days go by I will slowly recover some of it.

However, in my TOP 10 list of things that I find Wonderful and Amazing about the Christmas hoilday - is that All 3 of my Children STILL Believe in Santa!

BigGuy and I do not lie to them about it. They have point blank asked us (especially SuperStar) whether Santa exists and each time we point blank ask them back "Do You Believe That He Does?" and they say "yes" and we respond with "If you Believe in something then it is REAL for you". And when SuperStar tells us that there are few kids in her class who do Believe anymore we respond that their Parents probably don't Believe either ...........and that is when the magic is lost.

This year SuperStar had an especially hard time. I know there are several kiddo's in her school that have told her they talked to their parents about it - and there are also several kids who are so incredibly sweet that they Believe along side SuperStar even though they don't really Believe. And I love those kids! Each year SuperStar writes a note to Santa - this year her note stated that she is finding it very hard to Believe in him because she has never seen him. And she asked him for Proof.

When I read that line all I could think was CRAP. See when I was little I found the gifts in my parents closet - tried to convince myself they were for the Kacin Kids (our family friends) and waited for Mr. Kacin to come pick them up. He never did - and the next morning they were under our tree. CRAP. So I want my kids to not find out in an anticlimactic way - and until they are ready to find out (because let's be honest - our answer pretty much says that he isn't real if you don't pretend) I am going to give them the fun beauty and mystery of it all. My parents did "proof" things - a boot mark from the soot of the fireplace - cookie crumbs someplace they should not be - but I was little so I bought into it - and let's face it......the world was way simpler. Spidey suggested we hook up a video camera to catch him because we could get a motion sensor that would trigger it to work when he came into the room - thus not wasting the battery. Ah.............we didn't have those in the 70's......we had soot made boot marks. And we LOVED it! My kids wanted proof - high tech style.

This particular Christmas we stayed home. And since I had the luxury of time I decided to set up the tripod for photos of ALL of us to prove I do exist. When we went to bed the tripod still held the camera so it was logical that Santa might use it to try to take a self portrait. And in his response letter (yes, Santa writes back each year - a shortish note) he said he would try to work the digital camera, but that technology like that is hard for him. Apparently that was totally true - because these are the photos we got:

See him...on the hearth reaching for the cookies...he is kinda blurry. But totally cool right? Before I took really good pictures - I took really bad pictures - so this was not so hard to manage. Convincing right? Only......Santa brought DSi's this year and guess what - I could have brought an elephant giving birth into our living room Christmas Day and NONE OF MY CHILDREN WOULD HAVE NOTICED........because their heads were stuck in their DSi's. Well, okay - TheKing would have noticed - and then he would most likely have tried to pound the elephant with his new toys because he was fairly agressive that day. So all that hard work and cleverness was lost completely.

Until last night.

SuperStar had one of my favorite girls over to spend the night. And during the evening SuperStar asked me to bring up the Christmas pictures - I did - and then SuperStar brought out the letter Santa wrote her - the stationary matches the other letter that was sent from Santa's work shop (see it pays to be in charge of EVERY fundraiser attached to Santa Letter fundraisers) - and I noticed that apparently the letters and photos had made an impression on my children. It did help to continue the magic of it all. Now it just so happens that this little friend ALSO received a Santa Letter - so everyone's letter was written on the same paper, in the same style with the same signature - and even though this little girl no longer believes - after looking at the photos and sizing up the paper everyones letter came on - she took me aside and asked me if Santa was real..........and I said....."Do You Believe That He Is?" and she said, "I Want To" and I said, "He is Real if You Believe In Him, but when you stop then he is then a Wonderful Way To Give Back To Those You Love" and she smiled and walked back to SuperStar looking back at the photos still on the computer screen.

Don't Stop Believing..........

Ho Ho Ho ..........You Have Got To Go!

2009-12-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

So how totally adorable are these Girl Scouts? They are all Holiday'd (my word......let's all start using it in the real world okay?) Up to go Caroling at a local Retirement Center. One that has 3 levels of care....Independent living, Assisted living and then Lock Down living (safety for the people with Alz). The place (the name is withheld so I can't be brought up on slander charges later) is very close to our school. I didn't honestly know that it existed. One of the mothers in the younger Daisy troop at our school put the event together. They gave her 3 nights to choose from. She was given no guidelines as to what would be expected - except I would imagine the commen sense kinda like "no one with a contagious disease please". And the girls were all so tickled to go caroling that we didn't care which night was chosen. So she picked one.

Everyone dressed in casual best - made certain to wear their sashes and add any yet to be attached badges and patches - brushed their hair and donned their Santa cap - and into the vans we went.....

One of our girls even brought her Sax!! She had been practicing Jingle Bells for the school band. I will say she did a very nice job! Way to be MissB! The only draw back was she was kinda slower in playing then the girls were in singing. So she never really played WITH the girls.........she played behind the girls and then kinda gave up. We figured after the girls made it through their song medley we would put MissB up in front and let her play her song solo. There was little break between songs as the girls were singing at a tempo that even we couldn't recognize or keep up with. It was almost - I think - part of the entertainment to see how THEY put the song verses together. I mean.......they had the words right (hard to goof that up as they were written down on paper in front of them)......but they were singing things so fast that there was no break in between verses and you never could recognize a refrain in a song as being a "break". What was even more entertaining was watching the face of the Brownie Leader and Daisy Dad (the mom leader had to work) that were "leading" the songs........each time the girls left the beat they were singing the song in they kinda rolled their eyes a bit, made a sweet face and waited until they could figure out where the girls were to catch up and try to get them back on track - it was kinda like herding cats.

And then..........a bit more then half way through the singing........it happened. One of the facility directors - oh did I mention that this was a VERY VERY SWANKY retirement facility? Like VERY VERY....I can not mention how many VERY's it would take. This place had large screen tv's....furniture nicer then the Hilton Lobby.....shoot the wing we were in had a chef making omelets to order AND Banana's Foster as a demonstration!! There was wifi.........we passed a dining room that was all made up with a beautiful holiday theme......Christmas decorations like you see in Macy's....it was GORGEOUS! It smelled beautiful too - I say this because I have been in many retirement facilities and then NEVER smell so beautiful - shoot my own house hardly smells that good! Someone said later that it cost $2,400 a month to live there. That is more then my mortgage!

So you get the picture......it is Beautiful! Back to the story.......

The director comes in - she is obviously trying to figure out where one song the girls are singing ends and where one begins - she false starts at one point to interrupt, but the girls don't "get it" and keep going. Then as soon as the girls take a breath in unison she breaks in clapping........"Well that was wonderful girls! We all really appreciate you coming and we hope you have a very Merry Christmas!"

I don't know which one, but some girl says "We aren't done." and the Director kinda - no, not kinda - totally ignores her and says, "Maybe you can come back next year." Now......we have only been there for about 17 minutes. We were thinking after doing a Lounge Act we would move into the Assisted living area and sing door to door - that was the prearranged plan at least. Parents aren't picking girls up for another hour - we got PLENTY of time. And then the Director begins to shoo us down the hall toward the parking lot door we came in from.

What did we do? Well apparently the beautiful dining room we saw set up was for a party some of the residents were having with their children and they needed the parking spaces we were using emptied up because the children of the residents were complaining about having to park far away in the "back" parking lot. Did I mention how much the residents children were paying to have their parents live there? Yes.....you see why we got the Santa Boot right?

Next year when we go we will add "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" to our medley.

Performance Time!

2009-12-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

TheKing had his first Preschool Recital. I love love loved the way they did it! See we have kids who are from the US, India and some who are Jehovah Witness - so it really is unrealistic to believe that everyone would enjoy a complete recital filled with music celebrating Christmas only.........and our teachers are also smart enough to realize that our 3 year olds are not quite ready to learn enough songs within a short amount of time to fill just a Christmas venue - so they cleverly had the children sing a large combintation of songs and recite poems with hand and body motions that they have been learning through out the year. And I must say TheKing was a True Performer!! Not at all shy.....placed strategically between two girls that he does not wrestle to the ground......he promptly pointed me out to the crowd - waved - said "Hi Mom I am right here" and then waved again and again - tapped MissC and pointed me out - looked for BigGuy and after seeing him pointed him out and waved too. It was just Too Sweet!! Without further ado........TheKing and The Great Big Spider - followed by - The Teenie Tiny Spider......

Happy Birthday Little Man!

2009-12-16T05:09:00.000-08:00

Today is TheKing's 4th Birthday! Where did the time go? Seems like just yesterday he was coming home from the hospital. This is the year he 100% understands that his birthday is the BIG DAY that he gets to choose things. The Grands were all in over the weekend and we celebrated with candles and cupcakes. Today BigGuy and I will go to school with him to celebrate with the kids and be the parent helpers in honor of TheKing. Then on Saturday he will have a party with 10 friends. He is SO EXCITED!!

Happy Birthday Little Man! We love you!

What I Can Easily Find

2009-11-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Remember I asked the other day "Where Is Precious"? Well a movie that I can find EVERYWHERE is Blind Side. At first I thought that this was a "comfort" zone kind of race thing. Well......honestly a little bit I still do think that. But not completely anymore. I understand through a little reading that one was a big budgeted film to begin with - big stars - big intent and hope attached for returns probably even. The other was a smaller film that was seen by a largely influential woman who was able to help push it into the lime light and it has grown in popularity to become a box office success. And I believe both films are doing very well. I have only seen the easily found film so far. And I must say that I did like the film.......but I think it fell a little short on its teachable moments.

Remember February? My month of White Privilege blogs? Well I must say that I believe the family in this movie probably now fully understands what I am talking about. However, I think the film could have touched much more strongly on it. This probably sounds funny coming from me because our family photos will some day look similar to this families photos (minus the football uniforms I hope). But what I was hoping to see in this movie was a more blatant picture of how white people are often closed off to any experience that is not their own - and how that changes. Often times we (whites) see our history as every one's history. We have been taught that White History is every one's history. But it isn't. Especially my generation and any generation that came before my group. We are are taught White Male History - shoot the word alone is HIS-tory. I can easily go to the library and find books about American History that includes what white males did for us. Easy.........there are volumes and volumes of it. Ask anyone on the street to name a famous person who changed our world and I bet you the highest percentage will answer the name of a white male. Is it our fault? Well it is if you let it continue.

Does it seem like I am getting off subject? Well I am not. I am trying to explain that I think because our society has always been conditioned to see things through the White Experience........I find myself disappointed in this movie. Maybe it is just me though. Maybe because in some ways my own experience is the Mothers experience in this movie and I can identify with her - I see that it is written from the white persons experience. Maybe I went in there wanting to more see it from the Sons experience. And don't get me completely wrong......it does show his experience......but it is from a very strong metaphor through football - which alienates me a bit. Yes, I understand why football plays such a strong role in this film.........because the young man in the movie became a very wonderful professional football player. The rags to riches (both emotionally and financially) story is inspiring. To me maybe more so then others. But lets just say that the story didn't depict such a wealthy white family - or a black youth who has become so successful - would the story still have been made into a movie? What if the white family had been only middle class......and the black youth had only become a teacher - would the story have still been made? Would it still inspire so many?

I think the story would still inspire others......but I question weather the story would have been made. Maybe. I hope.

The one thing that I truly hope to see come out of this film is an opening up of our society to embrace the children of African American decent here in the United States. I am asked just about once a month what part of African our youngest son is adopted from. When I tell them that he is a child born in the United States many of them seem genuinely confused. They assume that we would cross the ocean to adopt. They are much less interested when I tell them he is from the same country they are. In some instances they have told me that they hoped he was from Africa because they plan to adopt from there and hoped I could give them some tips about the process. When I suggest that if they are comfortable adopting cross race lines there is a much closer to home way to adopt and help a US child - they aren't interested. I have asked myself why many times.

Is it their love for Africa? Don't they love the United States as much?

Is it their need to help a child living in horrible conditions? Don't they understand kids in foster are there because of horrible conditions?

Is it their need to do what is popular and cool? Don't they realize a child is not an accessory? They can save $20,000, adopt here through foster care for free and then bank that money to send the child to college.

Course I know some of these families. China, Russia, Africa. And I know that their choice was the perfect one for them. And I wouldn't change their experience at all. But maybe Blind Side will begin to change the attitude of those families who have yet to adopt. Then it will become more common - maybe.

I am hoping.

Where Is Precious?

2009-11-28T06:00:00.001-08:00

Why are there so few theatres showing Precious? In our town not a single theatre is showing it on a daily basis. There was a "special" - 1 Night Only - viewing a few Mondays ago. I hadn't realized that they wouldn't be showing it or I would have taken that evening to go and see it. Now it is gone.

So I began to search for it. Precious is not in a single theatre in our area......and I don't just mean our Twin Cities.......it isn't even within simple driving distance. Why is that? Is it the content - which is on the dark side of bleak? Is it too real for people? Is it too hard to admit that situations like that exist? Why is it still "by demand"? Is it because we are afraid?

I found this article in The New York Times as I did some searching for the movie -
The Audacity of Precious - and now I want to see it even more. Where is Precious?

Upside Down Christmas

2009-11-27T05:14:00.000-08:00

Now .............. seriously.........I googled Upside Down Christmas and this is what I found!! Tons and Tons of them! Upside Down Christmas Trees! What are these for?? To make someone's Christmas Unique and Different? To help that persons home become the spotlight of Christmas? I have to admit that I don't find them repulsive......in fact I think they are quite clever in a space saver kind of a way. Because if you think about it - there is TONS of space on our ceiling for the width of a tree - but so much furniture and such competing for floor space that really it would be easier to fit the Tip of the Christmas tree on the Bottom.

My question would be......how do you get the presents Under the Bottom of the Tree on the Ceiling?

Now I also think that this sort of Christmas Tree fits very well with the twist that is the more recent kind of Christmas. Christmas seems to have become a holiday of lists and extreme shopping. Through this past week I have heard that ToysRUs will be opening their doors at 12:00am on the day after Thanksgiving! Kohl's is something like 3:00am........Walmart is deciding not to do any crazy specials and they are just staying open ALL NIGHT LONG with specials starting at 5:00am. To me that is all insane.........I can't imagine any reason to head out and shop that early....because isn't Christmas supposed to be about something else? Everyone complains about the commercialism of Christmas - it is too much about the stress of giving and not enough about the love for one another and religion. So what I am thinking is ............... if you are getting up at crazy hours to make "special" purchases the day after Thanksgiving - then do not complain to me about how the meaning of Christmas is being lost - because you are part of the fast fade that is the lost meaning of Christmas. Just like the Upside Down Christmas Tree - it is fun, it is crazy and exciting and the prices fit a budget better.......but it isn't Christmas.

It is not about the BEST price on the Best Gift - it is about showing your family, friends, neighbors and God how much you love them - no gift needed.

Tis The Season.......

2009-11-26T05:11:00.000-08:00

Tis The Season To Be Thankful...........Happy Thanksgiving!!

Mornings are Kinda Lonely Now

2009-11-23T06:25:00.000-08:00

Close to every morning I am the first person up. I head down the steps and see our dog, Jake, in his crate on the landing - standing up trying to gather his ball or lovie - whatever he has taken into his crate with him - preparing to head out with me. I open the crate, he bangs into my leg because he is so big and there isn't a ton of space there with his giant crate - and he runs down the stairs. Half dancing, half wanting to get out side. He drops his ball somewhere and runs for the door. The game is you are supposed to find the ball......then pick it up and throw it out the door. Then he runs out after it and dances around it pretending he has no clue where it is. Takes him forever to bring it back. So usually we go back inside and when he has sufficiently pretended not to know where it is........he finds it - and runs back throwing his body against the glass door to let you know it is time to throw again. Now mornings are quiet. Crate is still there. But there is nothing there. No annoying ball game...........no Jakey. Just empty.

I have no idea what day this will post.....my head is a bit muddled.....but last Sunday our sweet, goofy, ball obsessed dog intentionally bit TheKing. It was not provoked. It was not expected. It was not okay. I was standing right near where Jake was laying on the ground. TheKing came into the room and very sweetly began to count Jake's paws. "Look Mom Jake has four feet." I looked over and Jake seemed fine - still laying there. TheKing was standing near, but not over him. TheKing moved a bit closer to count Jakes ears and eyes - not poking or pointing. Jake jumped up without malice - TheKing tried to kiss him - Jake moved toward TheKing and bit him in the face. It was all a split second - no forewarning of a growl - just a quick action. If it had been any other dog and not our sweet, loved Jake I would have easily called it An attack really.

But it was Jake. And our minds wanted to try to reason it away. Only there was no good reason for this.

TheKing was not seriously hurt. He has 4 wounds - 2 deep scratches and 2 superficial puncture wounds. No stitches. A week later the swelling is all gone - the red is gone and the scabs are already brushed off. He will have some tiny scars, but those are primarily due to the fact that he is 3 and keeps butting his head into things and losing the scabs. He is a trooper and we are so happy that the outcome was this simple.

We reported the incident to the vet. Who alerted the Animal Control. We were required to either surrender Jake for a 10 day quarentine or waive that by putting him down and having tests done to his body. We put him in quarentine until we could figure out what to do next. That meant phone calls to many no-kill shelters - who we found would not take dogs with a bite history. We considered training, but we knew even if we put him through training we would never be able to trust him with our kids again. Some close friends asked if they could take Jake in - train him and find another home for him. We considered training him and putting him into a better home - one without kids. Then we were asked this simple question.........

If your child was biten by a dog and then you found out that dog had biten before, but the family didn't keep him because they didn't trust him......but adopted him into a new home - how would you feel?

So if we didn't trust Jake with our own family, friends and neighborhood kids....why would we risk the safety of those we haven't met yet. And our decision was sadly made.

The hard part was - he bit our child - and yet we felt absolutely awful putting him down. Awful. Tears for days. A friend, who is a vet, told me that he wasn't a bad or evil dog - he was just a dog that mixed up where he belonged in our family in a way that was dangerous. It might have been easier had he been evil.

Jake was always the greatest dog EVER. He was obsessed with his ball - if you ever visited you know exactly what I am talking about.........over and over and over - he was never ending with the ball. He used to try to sneak onto the couch by sitting like a human. Butt on the custion, front paws on the floor and his head on the coffee table. Dork dog. He was patient with the kids in general. He loved his crate - sleeping in it every night and never complaining or trying to dodge it. I can remember when we were moving from STL to here. We had him in the hotel in a travel crate....he was way too big for that pop up thing and yet he was a team player and scrunched up inside it looking all happy to be there. He was really the greatest dog ever - I could list far more Wonderful Jake things then negatives.

We took the kids to say goodbye to Jake. That was the Saddest Day Ever. He was in his kennel - they couldn't open it for us. All the dogs there were frantically barking - trying to get our attention. Jake was frantically barking.......probably trying to get us to open the door. He didn't recognize us at first and his barking was not friendly. The kids immediately put their hands over their ears because it was all so deafening and they cried. We all were crying. The people who worked there disappeared - I know that one woman who had spent a great deal of time the two days prior talking to me was crying. Spidey wanted to leave. TheKing wanted to leave. We started to leave and I looked back and there was SuperStar with her hands over her ears.......scraming, "But I didn't get to say goodbye yet!" So I went back and took her hand to leave as she said goodbye. Only she still didn't see it as a done task because we thought we would get to be in a room with Jake, pet him and say goodbye properly. We didn't realize that his restrictions of quarentine would require him to stay in his kennel - with a giant padlock on the fence.

It was very hard. It was impossible.

"But I want Jakey to come home."

"Don't worry TheKing. Jake will always love you. He will always be in your heart."

That is what my oldest son said to my youngest son as we were driving away from the Animal Control building. And he is right. He will always be in our hears. He is in mine right now.

Girl Scout Extravaganza

2009-11-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

This was a Super Fun day. I will admit that this was a Saturday that followed a crazy few weeks. Wait........now that I type that out and think about it I can not remember a Saturday that didn't follow a very crazy week - not crazy like "I can't handle another thing", but more crazy like "gosh a down day would be nice". So on this particular day I was border line with a cold......tired from lack of sleep due to the cold.....and it was the first weekend after many VERY busy ones. The thought of just staying in bed was a nice one.....but two days before this Girl Scout event we were informed that our troop was a Honor Troop and we had been invited to participate in the Opening and Closing Flag Ceremonies. Which was a big honor as this was a Large Scale Girl Scout event including troops for all over.

There were only 5 of our 18 girls that attended that day. That made everything a lot easier to manage. As the girls practiced I could see that they were very excited. SuperStar was invited to be one of the Callers......very big for her. All the other girls were lucky enough to do exactly what they requested too - 2 Flag Bearers and 2 Guards. So everyone was happy - making it even more exciting. And I was a bit surprised at the pride that swelled up in me as the girls walked down the isle. It was very cool. After the Annual Meeting and the retiring of the Flags the girls got to meet and take a picture with the Head of all Girl Scouts - Connie Lindsay. That also is a pretty bit honor! The girls had lunch and my co-leader and I attended a real live sit down luncheon in another ball room. Then we played - rock climbing, archery, crafts, cookie tasting - it was all there. Very fun twist.

A Day In The Life Of Me

2009-11-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

I am always talking about what the kids do...........and BigGuy.......and I am often listing off the things that I don't get accomplished in a day. So I thought that perhaps I would take a day to follow myself around and make a picture list of the things that I DO get accomplished. I even did pretty well - I made it all the way to about 6pm. Then things started to get hectic and I lost track of the camera.........and that is part of my life too! So here is a peek into my daily activities...

Someone Needs To Explain How This Happened

2009-11-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

About what..............7 weeks ago I think.....September 14thish - or was it the weekend after that? Does anyone remember when the Pork & Apple Festival was? Because it was THAT Sunday that GranmaR bought SuperStar & Spidey the 2 hamsters for their birthday. Sweetest little things. Oreo & Raven. Pretty certain we did a post introducing them..........well tonight I was cleaning their cage and there was Oreo eating food - there was Raven pogo bouncing to the opening trying to leap out into freedom............Raven does this - she will literally escape from her house at least 2x a week. And then in the morning I will be walking around - I am almost always the first one up - and she will eventually scurry to me to be picked up and placed back into her house. What in heavens name is that about? When have you ever - EVER - ever heard of a hammie that escapes their house and then comes straight to you in the morning to be picked up to go to bed for the day? Anyone?

I didn't think so.

Anyway.........I am cleaining the cage - Oreo is eating as usual - and Raven is begging to be picked up and put in her ball. And then I noticed another hamster. A very small gray hamster.....who was walking around like a drunk. We didn't buy that one. We bought 2 FEMALE hamsters. The store helper explained to Spidey why they only sold them in SAME SEX PAIRS.........so there was no mating........no surprises.........well looky here!!! This is either emaculate conception - or someone doesn't know how to pick out a hammie penis. Hmmm............

That figured out - see I am not saying emaculate conception doesn't exist, but I don't think God is going to waste that miracle on our hamsters - I could be wrong and I suppose if tomorrow a bush in the back yard goes up in flames I will reconcider.......but for now I am going to say the store helpers can't decipher what a hammie penis looks like (and honestly I can't either).

and now we have 5 more hamsters...........

Anyone trying to figure out what to get their kids for Christmas? Because we will be weaning baby hammies mid December.......anyone? anyone?

Here is a last funny - the store helper said that if we brought them back in at 4 weeks old they would decipher the sex for us so we can divide them up. Now tell me - do we trust the store workers who helped us buy 2 FEMALE hamsters to begin with?

2009-11-18T12:27:00.000-08:00

I have been told that this is where Pumpkin Pie comes from..............

So Here We Go...........

2009-11-14T05:16:00.000-08:00

Know what this is? Ack! This is the beginning of all the romance drama to come. This is the very first official Love Letter SuperStar has received. Now she has had a kiss from her "first boyfriend" - a childhood friend from the age of about 6 months. And that was sweet - and he had some moves - but it was still Our Best Friends Son...........no some schmuck raised by people we have NO CLUE ABOUT! In fact, I know a lot of kids at their school and this kid is not one that I can say would be easy to find in a line up. So this little hooligan has taken a shine to our SuperStar - to the point that he was willing to create art and sign both their names in a heart AND give it to her through a friend. Oh the Audacity he has!

So Here We Go..........

Now this is probably only funny to me......but a few months ago I was talking with a friend. This friend happens to be the first boy that I held hands with in Jr. High, first shy kiss and first boy who let me wear his jeans jacket. He now also has a daughter - just one year older then SuperStar. She just this year started Jr. High. I asked him what he knew about any crushes she had. He assured me there were NO crushes - she was far too young for that sort of thing. I reminded him that we were her and SuperStars age when he first held my hand, pecked my cheek and wrote me notes. And I also reminded him that it was all sweet and innocent and just part of growing up. He said something about boys that age not being trusted based on what he remembered and wanted to change the subject and talk about something else. And I laughed at him - because it is all sweet and innocent.

I am not laughing as much now. Dang I hate when things bite me in the butt.

2009-11-13T05:04:00.000-08:00

So What Do You Think? Don't you just LOVE LOVE LOVE this new background on the blog? I do..........and I thank Household Executive. Went to her blog yesterday and noticed that she had some fabulous new look to her blog and thought "dang when did she learn how to twist the HMLwhatchamathingy?" and then figured out just how she did it. And then.......I copied her - using a different background though. And then.......I changed my other blog too...and I changed its name to IpsyBipsySpider.

Why did I change the other blogs name? Well because I am going to start a little business and it turns out that PattiCakes is already taken. DamnIt! Although I think I can still use it in the state I live, but if someone is searching PattiCakes they are likely to hit ALL of them.....and there are quite a few.......which makes IpsyBipsySpider unique.

HoHo Mr. MailPerson!!

2009-11-12T05:16:00.000-08:00

We are doing a fun fundraiser in TheKing's preschool. Santa Letters!!

Touch a Child's heart today with the Magic of the Holiday Season by sending them a Personalized Letter from Santa Claus

Imagine the face of the person when they receive a
Personalized, Hand Signed letter from Santa this season
on beautiful Holiday paper enclosed in an embellished envelope.

Our child's preschool, A Child's View Cooperative Preschool, will mail a letter to your Child OR Adult (really, it can be fun for an adult to get a letter too! Imagine THIER surprise!) anywhere you need it to go. Simply fill out the attached order form - send it back to the person who sent this email to you - and then we will do the rest.

Attached forms include a sample of the text included in the letter.
All Letters are $5.00 ~ Letters will be mailed as soon as payment is received.

If you have ANY questions please do not hesitate to email me at pattipattygsell@yahoo.com

All Proceeds Benefit A Child's View Cooperative Preschool
a not-for profit community preschool

Two Sides To Every Coin

2009-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

There is a mom in our school that another friend and I like to jest about. It is nothing very mean..........this mom is just somewhat specific about how she likes her children to be raised............who seems to like to keep her kids surrounded by certain types of people (meaning smarties).........who has a very high academic bar for them to achieve towards......and who has made comments about my son to her very young daughter - which honestly is what started my joking with this other mom -

Really quick here is the back story........we are at a school Young Authors event - both SuperStar and Spidey have written books so they are both there. My kids have spent much time with this mom and her family over the past few years. So she is quite familiar with my kids and truthfully I would have not been offended AT ALL had this come from her own mouth to me......but it didn't. Her daughter, who was 4 at the time, approached me. I love this kid - too cute for words and smart as a whip (whatever that means). She comes up, I hug her, she hugs me, and then she looks up and says, "My mom says Spidey is a rude boy." and off she trotted.....leaving me there with my mouth open - half giggling and half wondering "what the heck?"

I wander to another friend and without mentioning names ask her what she would have done.......she just wanted to know who it was. Never told her. She had not good suggestions (if you are reading my dear....you had no good suggestions). Then a few months later I said something without thinking about it while with this second friend that gave away who that mom was. And we giggled because she had similar experiences. And we afterward made fun of EACH OTHER and how we would fall short of this persons expectations as a parent.......which also kinda made fun of the person directly. Bad Us.

Then last week SuperStar told me about something at school. SuperStar remembered that they had not passed out the BooGrams her class purchased for one another. She was disappointed because she can't WAIT to see how many she got. Remember BooGrams? They were like a status symbol in a way - a popularity measurement. If you didn't get one then it meant that no one was thinking about you as special. That can really hurt a kid. I remember. In fact I buy one for each of my kids each time something like this comes up just to make sure they get one. SuperStar and I reasoned that the next week they would hand out the BooGrams. And then she told me about how The Specific Mom had come in the day before they were supposed to be handed out. She had asked to purchase a BooGram for every child in both her children's grades that DID NOT already have one purchased for them. She wanted to make certain that every child in Kindergarten and 5th grade were treated to the feeling that someone thought they were special.

I had only thought to do it for my own kids. She had thought to do it for EVERY kid. She Rocks.

I forgot to look at both sides of her coin and just bothered to look at one.

Driving Round In Circles

2009-11-06T05:03:00.000-08:00

Do you plan your errands out in a circle? I mean.........when you think of how you are going to complete the errands that you have in front of you do you create the motion you will travel in to be close to a circle that brings you back to your home?

If you live here in my area it will be easy for you - if you don't try to picture it in your head -
My list of things to do:
* Aldi
* Meijers
* Girl Scout office
* Blockbuster
* Gym
* Elementary School
* Bank
* Target
The gym has to go first because if I don't do it right away then it might be reasoned away as a time problem. So we go there first.
Then we take a left and head down the main street away from our home - next has to be the Girl Scout office because it is on the Right and next on the street (no doubling back) - then Meijers because it is on the Right and next on the street - then Aldi - because it is further on the Right - then we cross the main street and are now traveling back in the direction of our home - Target first because it is next on the road and on the Right - then Blockbuster because, yes, it is next on the Road and on the RIGHT - continue to the Bank - on the Right and next on the road - then all the way down to the Elementary school because it is closest to home and then home.

Now..........seems to make sense right? Except we went to the grocery stores very early in our trip and there were some freezer things (always there are).......and still it makes more sense TO ME to continue in a complete circle rather then double back and forth taking up more time to keep something frozen. God Help the Ice Cream.

Does this make sense to you? Or are these early signs of OCD? Or am I just want too anal retentive?