The Evolution of Television

When I was a kid, we had a big, square TV that sat on a stand.  You had to turn the dial to get one of 4 or 5 stations.  We got channels 3, 5, and 8...the big networks.  There was PBS in the middle and then our favorite, channel 43.  That was the one that had cartoons after school.  We were very limited in our TV watching.  After school, we were allowed to watch one show.  That meant that my brother and I had to agree on something to watch together.  Anyone under the age of 30 has no idea the significance of Saturday mornings to a 1980's kid!  We had free reign on Saturday mornings.  We got up, probably around 8:00 and watched cartoons until they went off.  It seems like that happened around 10:00.  We were even allowed to eat breakfast in front of the TV.  That was a huge deal and made us love Saturdays so much more!  On Saturday nights, we ate dinner, took our baths, and I got pink sponge curlers in my hair for church the next morning.  My brother and I had to learn our memory verses.  We had to have all this done by the time The Muppet Show came on at 7:00 PM.  It was the best show of the whole week!  When it was over, we went to bed!  It was routine.  It was expected.  It was normal.

On occasion, something magical would happen on an unusual night.  There would be a SPECIAL on!  I can still remember the animated graphic of the word "Special" that would turn around on the screen.  It had some sort of techno/drum music that played with it.  When you saw that graphic come on, your anticipation heightened nearly to the extent of Christmas morning!  There were going to be cartoons on at night!  It might have been Charlie Brown and The Great Pumpkin.  It might have been The Cat in the Hat.  Whatever it was, it was pure bliss.  We would usually get with our cousins so we could all watch The Special together.  

My kids don't get that excited about anything in life!  They don't understand how spoiled they are!

When I got a little older, we were the first in the neighborhood to get a TV with a remote!  Wow, we were big time!  My dad broke his back and was confined to a hospital bed for six months.  My mom went out and bought him a TV.  I guess it was around that time, when I was 10, that we got a VCR!  Oh wow....the history of television changed forever!  I was always slightly jealous because we didn't have Beta Max, but VHS was perfectly acceptable.  Everyone wanted to come to our house to watch TV because my dad had a huge antenna on the roof.  We didn't mess with rabbit ears on top of our TV set...no ma'am.  That was small potatoes.  We also had added channels 61 and 19 by this time!  There was also channel 17, but I think that was mostly a Hispanic religious station.

On Sunday nights, the Disney Sunday Movie came on with host Michael Eisner.  We had church on Sunday nights, so we videotaped it.  My brother and I would watch those movies over and over.  We got to the point where we could quote them.  Some of our personal favorites were The B.R.A.T. Patrol, Mr. Boogedy, and Ask Max.  If anyone else has ever heard of any of those movies, I would really love for you to comment about it!!!

At this point of my life, I only knew two people who had cable.  One was a poor family in our church.  They lived in a crummy house, had shabby clothes, and even smelled bad.  But they had cable!  They would videotape countless movies and let us borrow them.  No matter how bad they smelled, I was willing to borrow those tapes!  The other person who had cable was my grandmother.  She lived next to a high-rise apartment building and could get no stations with an antenna.  She was forced to get cable.  This made going over to grandma's even more exciting!  She watched her "stories" during the day while she ironed.  As the World Turns was her program of choice.  But in the evenings, the cousins and I would watch Nickelodeon!  That was the greatest thing since sliced bread!  There was a show called You Can't Do that on Television where they would slime people for saying "I don't know."  More than anything, I wanted to meet Allister and get slimed!

As a teenager, the world of sitcoms broke out.  There were shows like Who's the Boss? and Growing Pains.  There was never a shortage of a good, family show to watch in the evenings.  A couple of my favorites were Small Wonder and Alf.  A couple years later, The Wonder Years premiered and it was our go-to Saturday night entertainment.

I miss those wholesome shows.

My parents never got cable.  They felt that it was an unnecessary expense.  After I got married, I felt I was grown up enough to make my own decisions about television viewing.  We got satellite.  Now, I'm not talking about the enormous, swimming pool sized dish that stood on a huge base in the back yard.  (My great uncle in Indiana had one of those....we could never actually find anything to watch on it, but we sure did enjoy seeing the dish rotate around to pick up different stations!)  Hubby and I got DirecTV.  Over the years, the cost grew and grew.  I eventually turned into my mother and realized that this expense was totally unnecessary!  I cancelled it.

Now, I don't think you can call it full circle, but we're back to having only the stations that we can pick up with our digital antenna.  To be honest, it's not much greater than that huge contraption my dad had anchored to the roof of our house.  It cuts in and out quite often, so we just don't watch TV much any more.  I've taken to reading instead.  Life is better, I'm happier.  TV is garbage.

Except for Downton Abbey.  Don't mess with my Downton Abbey!!!

First Day of School

I'm only eight weeks behind...

Son #1 started his Junior year, Son #2 is a Freshman, and Big Sis is in sixth grade.  Their schools are across the street from one another, so #1 drives them every day in his little, beat up, rusty car.  Where has the time gone???

Baby Girl is in first grade and still a little hesitant about going to school.  Her teacher seems lovely and I think this is going to be a good year.  We kept up with her reading over the summer, so hopefully it will be up to par this year.

And I'm home alone all day.  (No complaints here!)

It's a Cruel, Cruel Summer

I've done it again.  This post was originally written at the end of July and I'm just now getting around to posting it.  I've failed once more...

I laugh when I look back a couple months ago to when I said that I wanted this to be a nice, relaxing summer.  I planned to read, sit in the sun, play with the kids, and rest.  Yeah right.  I hate to complain because I try to be a glass-half-full kind of person.  But this has literally been one of the worst summers ever.


I blogged about how Hubby was enrolling in the police academy.  "It's only for six months," I said.  "We can handle anything for six months."  Really?  Hmmm...this has been harder than I thought.  Not only do I have no help with the kids and house, I'm having to do extra things for him because he doesn't have the time.  The poor guy gets up at 5:30, works til about 2:00, and comes home to rest for a couple hours.  He surely doesn't feel like putting away his laundry or rinsing off his dishes during those precious few moments.  He leaves for school around 3:30 or 4:00 and gets home around 10:00.  Most weekends are 7:00 or 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  Saturday AND Sunday.  He's missing church, which I hate, and appointments and meetings are impossible to make.  Six months.  That's all.  We can do it.

Son #1 has gotten in some trouble this summer.  Not trouble with the law, thankfully, but trouble with me.  The worst part is that he lied to me.  He's never been a liar.  He's always been honest to me and has confessed when confronted.  I can't say that any more.  And sadly, I have no trust in him.  I don't feel like I can ever believe him again.  It's been such a hard thing to deal with.  I can't share any of the details, but it's been the most difficult thing I think I've ever been through.   And I've done most of it alone.  Hubby has been there for me when he can...he's doing his best.  Fortunately, with the worst behind us, # 1's attitude has improved and changed and he's becoming the sweet boy he used to be.  I haven't seen that kid in a long time.  He's more helpful around the house and is caring for his younger siblings.  He's actually helping fill Hubby's shoes when it comes to mowing, errands, and regular manly duties like reaching things on high shelves and spider killing.

Sadly, I lost a friend over the whole Son #1 incident.  She couldn't keep her mouth shut and spread all kinds of stuff about him.  I defended him and confronted her, but she lied to me.  She's now posting crap about me on Facebook, which I despise.  I HATE DRAMA!!!  I've been the bigger person, I've not retaliated, haven't commented on her FB posts, and I just pretend that she's invisible when I see her.  It may be the right thing to do, but it sure is hard!  I would prefer to punch her right in her gossiping mouth!

Son #2 is just lazy and grouchy.  It seems quite normal, for this age, but I'm fighting it as hard as I can.

Big Sis picked up lice from her circle of friends.  They all got it.  Even three of their moms got it.  We've never dealt with lice before and it's excruciating!  Fortunately, we caught it early.  My SIL realized my niece had it when she was combing her hair for church one night.  My niece caught it from her cousin.  We have a very nice facility locally that you can go to.  You pay them money and they treat your head.  It turned out that my niece, nephew, and SIL all had it.  They instantly got into the car and drove to that place.  After that church service, we decided we probably should go get checked out.  Yep.  Big Sis had it but Baby Girl did not.  That's a miracle in itself since they're so close.  I even used the same brush to comb their hair that night!  The guy said none of her lice were old enough to leave the head yet.  She had 8 baby bugs and 2 "teenagers."  Gross, I know.  Baby Girl and I were clean.

That's not the worst of it though.  It's the house prep that has to be done.  Laundry, carpets, bedding, furniture, toys...you name it, I cleaned it.  I'm STILL behind on my laundry because of all this.  We got our follow-up check last Friday and we checked out lice free.  My SIL's family are all good now but her sister still has it.  (This is their second round.)  Big Sis' friends were supposed to have their follow-ups today and I haven't heard their results yet.  I'm so scared we're going to get it again.  After paying $200 for her treatment and the home supplies, we can't afford for her to get it again!  (OK, whose head is itching right now?  Mine is!!!)

Hubby had some drama at work, which is so rare for him.  He always keeps his nose clean and never gets involved in workplace drama.  His boss believed a disgruntled ex-employee who said Hubby was bashing the company.  Fortunately, they got it all sorted out but Hubby had a really hard time getting over it.  It turns out, they're not OK with him being in the police academy.  They want him there 100% for them.  It's made us realize that the plan of him staying there and taking side police jobs may not be for the best any more.  He's going to keep his eyes and ears out for a full-time police position.

I'm stressed, the kids are stressed, Hubby is stressed, and it's rained SO much this summer.  Finally, we've gotten a break in the rain but are now enduring tremendous heat.  At least it finally feels like summer.

So, even though it's been a cruel, cruel summer, I'm trying to make lemonade from lemons.  I'm still working to see that glass as half-full and keeping a smile on my face.

Yes, school starts in 3 weeks, but maybe they'll be three glorious, peaceful weeks.  One can hope!

Son #2 Update

Son #2 is quite a different character from his older brother.  We had serious concerns about him at one time.  He threw fits.  He didn't talk until he was older.  He didn't seem to want friends.  He was disruptive early in school.  We thought we were in for a tough road.  I have cried many tears over this child.  The word I would have picked to describe him best would have been difficult. 

Fast-forward several years.  Thankfully, he doesn't throw himself on the ground in public places, screaming.  He talks, but still not very much.  He's got some really amazing friends and they actually like him.  He's a straight A student and the favorite of many of his teachers.  I never imagined....

A few years ago, a mom friend of mine asked if #2 would be interested in joining their DI team. If you've never heard of Destination Imagination, it's quite interesting.  It's for kids from elementary all the way through university levels.  The teams choose from several challenges that vary in subject.  There are fine arts challenges, scientific, technical, service projects, and more. They are presented with this challenge and have specific rules they must follow.  In the end, they are given 8 minutes to present their solution, typically in the form of a skit.  The kids must do everything on their own without help from their coaches.  They build the set, make the costumes, write the script, etc.  Sometimes these presentations can be horribly boring and make little sense. 

#2 ended up joining a team made up of 3 girls and 3 boys.  These kids work together so well and really compliment one another.  B is kind of the leader of the group and is very technical.  C is very organized and helps everyone stay on task.  J is silly and outgoing and is a tremendous actress.  The other J helps write the script and also acts.  F is the muscle of the group and fills in wherever needed.  My kid has been elected the narrator of the group.  He has a very dry sense of humor and can be quite funny without cracking a smile.

Their first year, they did this presentation that didn't make much sense, but their technical execution was quite clever.  They placed at regional competition but didn't advance past states.

The second year, they wised up a bit and their skit was much more entertaining.  They built an amazing set, which was the innards of a whale.  They had ocean sound effects, lighting that resembled moving water, and a scent that smelled like the beach.  They won regionals, states, and advanced to Globals!  It was an amazing time!

This year, they chose a pirate theme.  Their set looked like it was built by a professional crew.  They built a cannon that made noise when it fired (one of the requirements of their challenge), had moving waves in front of their ship, and a sail that showed the results of the sound waves.  The girls made their pirate costumes and Son #2 was some kind of nerdy, old man narrator. 

At each competition, they also engage in an instant challenge.  They are given some sort of challenge and have just a few minutes to execute it.  Then they are sworn to silence and can't discuss it until after Globals.  Everyone has the same challenge.  Last year at Globals, the bombed their Instant Challenge and ended up placing 40-something.

This year, they won regionals and states and headed to Gobals once again.  It is held each year at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.  We loaded up the minivans and box truck and hauled all of our stuff down there.  The kids miss almost a week of school, which they love, and we have a great time.

This year, in addition to all the DI activities, we went zip lining and horseback riding!  Looking back at the photos, I still can't believe I actually did that!  It was incredibly amazing!  One of the boys wore a Go Pro camera as he zip lined!

Anyway, skip ahead.  On the day of our central challenge, we were one of the first of the day.  It was early and the kids had to get up super early to have everything ready.  We unloaded everything into the staging area and the kids started their presentation.  About 20 seconds into it, J froze.  She stared blankly ahead, grabbed her head, and stumbled.  It seemed like several minutes passed.  Finally, the other J just jumped ahead to her line and kept going.  The first J snapped out of it and picked right back up.  All our kids were shaken.  They kept it going but weren't as exuberant as usual.  Afterward, J cried and said she messed everything up.  She had recently experienced a concussion at a soccer game and we think her momentary blackout was a result of that.  The coaches were pretty deflated but the kids really supported her and lifted her up.

Instant Challenge was the next day and our kids rocked it out.  They felt like they achieved all the possible points.

Skip ahead to the closing ceremony.  The full size arena was packed with over 17,000 people from 17 countries!  Each state/country dresses in the same shirt and it looks like a rainbow around the arena.  They all wear funny hats that light up and it's an amazing sight when they turn out the lights!  We were really hopeful that we might make "The Big Board."  The top ten teams of each challenge get their name on the jumbotron.

Challenge B...it was our turn.  They show teams 7-10 on the jumbo screen.  Nope.  Then they show 4-6.  Nothing.  We were disappointed.  We would have to wait until after the ceremony to see our ranking online.  Then they announced the third place team.  From up in the nosebleed section, we got to hear our team's name and school called out!  We placed third!!!  Our kids got to run down to the floor and across the stage to receive their medals and trophy!  The other parents and I were jumping up and down, screaming!  It was an experience I'll never forget! No team in our district has ever placed at Globals! 

At the end of each challenge award, they present another award for the highest Instant Challenge score.  Again, it was our city and our team!  Our kids got to run across the stage for the second time and receive another medal!  We jumped and screamed again! 

We were on cloud nine for days afterward!  We were all over social media, there was an article in the local paper, and a local restaurant awarded our team with an ice cream social!  It's like our kids were small town celebrities!  It was so much fun and so awesome for my shy, awkward, anti-social son!

A couple days later, I went to DI's website, www.globalfinals.org, and found that our kids were the header picture for the closing ceremony!  Yep, my kid is the one in the middle with the crazy hat!  I was so proud he wore it on stage!  Following are some photos of the week.  Thanks for allowing me to brag for a few minutes and share this amazing experience with you.  It ranks in the top ten favorite memories of life!

Son #1 Update

The fancy ride he drove on the last day of school!

Sixteen.  Driving.  Attitude.  Job.  Pimples.  Growth Spurt.  These are all words that presently describe my tall, gangly teenage son.  Do you realize how hard it is to scold someone when you are inches from their face, on your tiptoes, and craning your neck to look up at them?  Once or twice, I've actually broken into laughter as I've tried to yell at the little boy who is now towering over me.  It's comical.  At last measurement, he was 5'8".  That was a good two months ago so I'm sure it's 5'9" by now.  And he just broke 120 lbs.  He is his father.

The teenage years have been somewhat of a struggle with Son #1.  He truly thinks he knows all there is to know about life and that I don't have a clue.  Yeah, he's normal.  We've had our share of smart-mouthing, arguing, disrespect, and everything else that goes along with being a young teen.  Looking back on the worst of it, I can now say that we learned a lot of life lessons through it.

Son #1 has always been a great student.  He has always been in Honors classes and is more motivated than a lot of kids his age.  He isn't always on task, however, and has made some blunders in the recent past.

Around here, our high school students are given the opportunity to enroll in college classes for free.  They have to get a minimum composite of 18 on their ACT and have a GPA of 3.0, I think.  My kid's GPA has been between 3.7 and 3.8 so we didn't have any worries there.  There was one more ACT offered before the school year was out so we planned on #1 taking that.  He missed the deadline to sign up by a day.  I was pretty ticked.  I also felt somewhat guilty for not remembering myself, but it was in the midst of all my Spring stress and it was his responsibility anyway.  Fortunately, we found out that we could register late and pay an additional fee.  I've already mentioned that we're struggling financially right now so that late fee wasn't something I was too excited about paying.  But I had to.  So, all was good. 

To take the ACT, you now have to upload a photo of yourself.  The guidelines and restrictions are pretty strict and I didn't have anything on file that met their requirements.  So we planned on taking the photo later, when his hair looked better.  This was still in the midst of my busiest time of year and I forgot.  ACT sent a reminder email a couple days in advance but #1 hadn't been checking his email.  That deadline passed also.  I lost it.  We paid EXTRA for him to take this test and I was staring at a letter saying that his registration has been cancelled.  No money back.  I was a raving lunatic.  We are now out the testing fee, the late fee, and the thousands of dollars lost on tuition because #1 has now twice dropped the ball. 

In desperation, I immediately picked up the phone and called ACT.  I explained that we missed the deadline for submitting the photo.  She explained that there's nothing she could do.  I begged and pleaded.  I explained that this was his last opportunity to take the test before the deadline to sign up for college classes.  She sympathized with me but said there was still nothing she could do.  I asked if there was any other person I could talk to.  I desperately asked her to try to do something.  She asked me to hold and went to talk to a supervisor.  I prayed.  Honey, I prayed and prayed the entire time I was on hold.  I begged God to allow someone to have compassion on me.  When she came back on the phone, she spoke softly and said that this has never been done before, but they were going to let me upload the photo late!  I started sobbing into the phone!  It was so embarrassing, but I told the woman that she did something that I would remember for the rest of my life!  I don't know how they worked this out for me, but I was the most grateful person on the face of the earth! 

I immediately went to my computer, cropped out a picture of Son #1's face from a family picture, and uploaded it.  I didn't care if it was grainy, I didn't care if he had changed his hairstyle since then.  I wanted it done!  I texted him at school and gave him the good news.  I was still furious at him for forgetting again.

Test day came and went.  He thought he did well and we were both confident he could score an 18.  Results would be mailed but you can also check results online.  One day, I noticed his login information lying on the desk, so I signed on to see if I could find out when results would be posted.  They already were and he scored a 21!  I was thrilled and sent him a screen shot at school.  He texted back saying that he was sick to his stomach.  I asked why because he scored several points above the minimum.  He explained that, although his composite was high enough, he didn't make the cut in English.  I didn't realize there was also a minimum for the English portion of the test.  He missed it by one point. 

I called the guidance counselor at school and she said she didn't think the college would overlook his English score.  She gave me the name of someone at the university.  I called and asked if there was any hope.  No, he said.  The English minimum was mandatory.  So now, three things have happened to hinder Son #1 from getting into this program.  I just couldn't understand why things kept happening.  I asked the guy if there was anything that could be done.  I gave God the credit for getting us over the last two obstacles...I knew He wasn't going to leave me stranded here.  The guy said there was one more residual ACT that would meet the deadline.  It was in two days.  A residual ACT is offered by a particular school and the results are only accepted by them.  They are non-transferrable.  Since it's a residual, you can register up until the day before.  Hallelujah- there was still hope!!!

I went online myself and registered #1.  I was tired of giving him chances.  I texted him at school and told him to cancel any plans for Saturday.  He was taking the ACT again.  Since there wasn't any time for test prep, I googled English ACT test prep and made him take all these practice tests. 

On Saturday, we dropped him off bright and early at the college.  An hour later, I got a phone call from #1 which about stopped my heart.  He was flipping out because the facilitator said you can't take this test if you've taken another residual in the past 30 days.  I knew that but didn't feel the need to share it with him.  He took a national test, not a residual.  The instructor had to listen to him make this call to me because the test booklets had already been passed out.  He was a nervous wreck now and knew his future depended on his ability to settle down and take this test. 

Fortunately, the results from a residual come back a lot sooner.  He got a 21 again and his English went up by a few points!  He was still disappointed in his score because Math & Science both dropped.  I didn't care what it was, as long as he met the requirements!

OK, the story is still not over.  I know it's getting long.  There was one more thing he had to do.  He had to fill out his college application.  The deadline was the day after he received his scores.  I nagged and nagged him to do it.  "I KNOW, Mom!" was his answer.  The boys were leaving Friday night for a weekend trip with their youth group.  Hubby & I had to go somewhere so I left them packing for their trip; they were driving to the church themselves.  The last words out of my mouth were, "Don't forget to fill out that application."  His answer:  "I KNOW, Mom!!!"

Late Saturday night, the boys got back and started telling us about the trip.  Hubby casually asked, "You filled out that application, right?"  My idiotic son covered his face with his hands and said, "Oh my gosh!"  Yes, he had ONCE AGAIN missed a deadline!  This is the maddest I've ever been in my entire life.  I screamed.  I yelled.  I lost my words and couldn't even speak.  I was absolutely furious!  Even though the girls were in bed, I slammed his bedroom door and told him I did not want to speak to him.

I stormed downstairs and went online.  I was hoping that, by some chance, the application was still online and they wouldn't notice the time stamp on it.  I filled it out myself.  It took 5 stinking minutes.  I couldn't sleep that night.  I could not figure out why my son was being so careless.  This is not how I raised him. 

Two days later, I signed onto his university student account.  I had to create the login information when I filled out the application.  I made the password "MYMOM" just in case he was admitted.  Every time he logs onto his account, he'll have to remember who made all this possible for him.  His Mom.  It said that his application was pending!  I got my hopes up once again.  Maybe God is taking me the long way through this valley for a reason.  Do I not trust Him?  Do I not think he's capable of performing miracle after miracle on my behalf?  I did some more praying.  I spoke in faith and told God I trusted that He wanted to work this out for insignificant, little me. 

The very next day, I logged on (password: MYMOM) and discovered that his application was accepted!!!  I cried!  I danced!  I took a screen shot of it, just in case!  I called Hubby so elated that this had all worked out! 

I still give God 100%  of the credit.  None of these things were possible without his intervention!  It also taught me a lot about trust, determination, persistence, and faith.  It taught Son #1 a lot about fear (of his raging mother), procrastination, and adulthood.  I am sooooo glad this is past us, but I have to say that the lessons learned were invaluable. 

Son #1 is signed up for two classes in the fall and I am simply elated!  I even got a great hug out of this entire process and he told me he really appreciated me!  Worth it.

Being Me

School is out, clubs are over, there are no band concerts, parent meetings, or orchestra rehearsals for a couple more months.  I am ready to take a break from daily checking my kids' grades online, nagging them to finish homework and projects, and chauffeuring them to their daily activities.  I am ready to get back to being me.

 

My goal this summer was to chillax.  (OK, how weird is it that spellcheck didn't highlight the word "chillax?")  I wanted to read, keep a clean house, hang out with the kids, and recharge to get ready to do it all over again.  Unfortunately, a lot of stuff has come up that has prevented all this from happening.  I have plenty of material for many future blog posts. 

Some updates:  Hubby just informed me that we are about halfway done paying off our huge sewer bill!  I know it's taken an extremely long time, but I am so excited about that!

Son #1 is carrying a 3.7 in high school and was just accepted to take college classes next year as a Junior!  You guys don't know how huge that is for me!!!  We are struggling financially right now and that is a huge blessing for us!  He's taking 6 credit hours in the fall and doesn't have to pay for books or parking!  He will take both of his classes right there in his high school and will get both high school and college credit!  If he continues taking 6 credit hours each semester, he'll graduate high school with 24 hours!  How all this came to pass is a long story...

Son #2 received a 4.0 for his 8th grade year!  Also, he got perfect attendance!  I was so proud, I may have done a little happy dance!  He has SO much potential!  If we can figure out how to motivate him and get him to use his full potential, he'll be unstoppable!  (He's a tad bit on the lazy side right now!)  He just joined the golf team for the high school (with a lot of prodding from me) and will be playing the trombone again.  He had another great accomplishment, which is yet another long story...

Big Sis successfully completed her difficult transition year into accelerated middle school with all As and Bs!  We worked really hard to make that happen, but I must confess that I didn't think it would.  Even Son #2 got one C in that class.  She was in Student Council last year and has joined Gardening Club, Band, and Yearbook Club for next year.  This is the kid that is going to wear me out with activities!  She's definitely the social butterfly of our clan.

Baby Girl has graduated Kindergarten!  She had a couple struggles and they said she's not quite up to par.  I'm not concerned, however, because I know she'll be fine.  It's mind blowing what they expect out of these kids who were just babies a year ago!  She's reading and doing simple math.  I think she's doing exactly what her siblings were doing at this age and they're all in honors and accelerated programs.  Surprisingly, she didn't get into any trouble in school!  I thought she'd be a little more "active" than she was.  She's a good girl.

I'm still keeping my weight off, for the most part.  I'd like to get another 5 back off.  Maybe 7.  :)  I'm trying to walk 3 miles every day.  Tuesday, I walked 6.  I bailed out today because of how hot and humid it was.  Hubby goes with me when he can, but that's another story...

So anyway- I'm still alive, I've not completely lost my mind yet, and I'm finding some time to read here and there.  (I'm reading The Help again because I enjoyed it so much the first time.  I need another really good book like that!)

I've lost touch with my contacts in the blogging world but I'm going to try hard to do more frequent updates this summer.  I need the therapeutic benefits from it for sure!  Hope you're having some fabulous weather that you can enjoy, wherever you are!

Updates

Oh dear, I know it's been a while!  I'm worried that life won't slow down til I die.  Hmmmm....

Many updates to fill you in on.  First and foremost- I ran my half marathon!!!  Well, to say I ran might be an overstatement.  I finished it.  My final time was 2:38.  Yes, that's hours!  I'm not at all ashamed of that time.  I was just striving for completion.  To be honest, my actual goal was to do it in under three hours.

The best part of the whole thing is that Hubby stayed with me throughout the marathon!  Well, at mile 10, he couldn't take my slow pace any longer.  He ran ahead and I lost sight of him for a while.  When I rounded the corner onto the final street, I saw him up ahead on the side of the road, jumping in place and waiting for me.  What a prince!  With his long legs and athletic form, he could have easily finished in under two hours.  But it was more important for him to cross the finish line with me!  The emotion of it actually overcame me and I began sobbing for the last block.  I could see the end in sight and we were about to enter a stadium full of cheering people.  Have you ever tried to cry while totally exhausted?  It's not easy.  It comes out as more of a gasp, like a dying patient taking their last breath.  I got myself under control and was smiling in my final photos (which they watermark with a moving logo so you can't share it at all).  My legs were complete and total jelly when I finished and it was very difficult to stand still.  (You should have seen me trying to use the porta potty...I kept crashing into the disgusting side walls like an intoxicated person!)

The worst part of the story is that I got sick almost immediately after.  I had a sore throat the entire day before.  Then I guess because I wore myself down, I became victim to the attack of all sickie bugs.  I got a horrible cold and a UTI.  I'm just now starting to get some relief from that.

BUT- I have my silver medal and my 13.1 shirt.  I'm one very proud mama.  And if you're wondering....no, I'll never do it again.  It's a bucket list thing and I'm very proud to cross it off.

My second greatest accomplishment since you've last heard from me is that I lost 15 lbs!  I'm so much happier with my current state and feel like I look pretty darn good.  No, I'm nowhere close to looking like those models in the magazines, but for a 37-year old mama of 4....I think I look quite good (not in a haughty, bragging way, of course).  I'll share more later about how I did that.

Baby Girl celebrated her 5th birthday, which blows my mind.  She's not a baby any more and I'm going to have to stop referring to her as one.  We celebrated at Chuck E. Cheese at a joint party with her twin cousin.  They had a great time and I've yet to send out thank you notes.  Ugh!  She always says she's a monkey and requested a monkey cake.  I was relived because it was much easier to design than other things she's asked for in the past!

The kids are back in school and are doing great.  Our district has a new online progress system that is extremely easy to use.  Son #2, who is so very smart with no self-motivation, is doing better than ever.  We check his grades and assignments every day and then Hubby or myself helps him study for any tests.  He currently has one B and the rest are all As and A minuses.  When I know what my kids are capable of, I can't help but demand it.

Hubby has made a big change at work.  Instead of working the inhumane hours he's been accustomed to (leaving before 5 AM and getting home between 6 & 7, or even later during peak season), he's sold his route and truck to the guy who helped him get hired almost 20 years ago.  This guy has been almost like a father to him.  Hubby works directly for him now and does half the work he did before.  He is still leaving early, but after 5 AM.  He gets home most days around 1 PM.  You guys don't understand the difference in his life.  He now has time to do small projects around the house and to be a father and husband to the kids and me.  Yes, his pay went down, but the quality of life he now has is beyond explanation.  He is trying to supplement his lost income by mowing apartment buildings (which he was doing anyhow in his "spare" time).  Come winter time, he might try to get into plowing.  He is also getting a lot more tile cleaning jobs (his other side business) and my photo booth is taking off.  We're going to be OK.  We won't be moving into a mansion anytime soon, but we're OK with that.

Other than those major things, it's just the same old, same old, and some new.
- I'm still doing my teenage girls club at church.
- Son #1 auditioned for, and again was accepted into, the philharmonic orchestra in our area.
- My running buddy got engaged to my "fake" cousin and asked me to be a bridesmaid.  :)
- Some very, very close friends of ours separated due to infidelity and addiction.  It was heartbreaking.  :(
- I still have a messy house most of the time and I'm still saving money couponing.  (Last week, I got all these groceries for $35!  It was my best haul yet!!!)
- My cousin was ordained as pastor of our church over the weekend and my uncle is now the bishop.  It was an exciting weekend and I was able to see a lot of great friends from time past.
- I went to New York City, which was amazing!  (I'll save that for another post.)
- I finished the kids' rooms and realize I still haven't posted Before/After photos.
- I'm still struggling with a mouthy teenager and trying hard to be a firm, consistent mother.
- Son #2 entered the youth group at church, which means he's growing up too.  He seems a lot younger than his brother and I still struggle allowing him to go on outings without me.
- My friend, the designer, finally came over and spruced up my house a bit.  The changes she made make me so happy about how my house looks.  I need her to come over one more time and fancy up one more room.  It's amazing what she can do with very little!
- I'm still taking portraits and even had my first still life photo shoot.  I've never worked with non-humans before and I was out of my element.  My client was very happy with my work, which will be displayed on the website of her brand new business.
- I redid my photo booth website, which is amazing, I must say.  Exercising my design skills has made me improve so much.  I'm really digging graphic design now.

OK, there's lots more, but that's quite enough for now.  That's what happens when a blogger neglects her blog for so long.  I can't make promises that I'll do better.  It's just tough to find the time.  I know all you busy ladies know exactly what I mean.  If you've stuck around- thanks.  I still appreciate you and feel bad I've dropped the ball.  All I can say is I'll blog when I can!  Such is life!  Hope you're all having a very good one!

A Little Girl, All Grown Up

This little girl celebrated a birthday yesterday.

It's amazing to me how quickly the last nine years have gone.  I don't believe I've ever told the story of her birth on this blog.

I had two little guys at home when I was ready to have baby #3.  They were ages 3 and 5.  I love this picture I have of the boys standing next to me with their hands on my belly.  Their heads were at the perfect height to rest on their unborn sibling.

After I had Son #2, I never thought I'd have a girl.  I saw myself as a Boy Mom only.  We had a house full of matchbox cars and dump trucks.  I was OK with that.  We didn't find out what we were having during our pregnancies, but I was positive #3 was going to be a boy too.  I knew I'd be done having kids after that third boy.  His name was going to be Harrison with a middle name after my brother.

In my first pregnancy, I was nauseated but never threw up.  With son #2, I threw up once.  The third time, I threw up for 3 months solid.  That should have been my first clue what was coming.

We went in for our scheduled C-Section (the only one of my kids who came as scheduled) on May 16, bright and early.  When we arrived, no one could check us in.  They were having a code in the nursery and we were told to just hang tight.  We sat in a room for the longest time, thankful that it wasn't us who was experiencing a baby in trauma.  I calmly crocheted around a baby blanket while I waited.

Eventually, we were told that they had a second emergency and would have to rush another woman into OR ahead of me.  Again, I was just relieved it wasn't me.  My doctor had arrived by this time, so he, the anesthesiologist, Hubby, and I sat in a room and talked.  I got to know them quite well.  Finally, they decided the other woman could wait and they started moving very quickly to get me through my C-Section.  No one was available to start my IV, so the anesthesiologist did it.  She said she hadn't done one in a long time and asked me to be patient with her.  She had to run it wide open to get a bag of fluids in me before the surgery.  I remember sitting there freezing and shivering.  They had to bring me heated blankets.

The C-Section went very well.  I continued to chat with the anesthesiologist above my head while Hubby practically hung over the sheet, not wanting to miss a thing.  When I said I was nauseated, I was given something that made me instantly feel better.

Finally, the doctor announced he saw a head full of black hair.  They saw a face, which they exclaimed to be very beautiful.  Then she popped out.  Hubby announced, "It's a girl!!!"  Saying I was flabbergasted would be an understatement.  There were no words to describe what I was feeling.  "Don't do that to me...that's not funny!" I said.  "Is it really a girl?"  He laughed and confirmed that it was.  I thought he was joking with me.  I then asked the doctor if it was really a girl.  He teased me and confirmed her gender.  I still was not convinced.  I tilted my head up to my new buddy, the anesthesiologist, and asked her if it was really a girl.  She agreed with the others.  We were friends now, so I knew she would lie to me.  I was overwhelmed with emotion.

My brother filmed the moment Hubby told everyone we had a girl.  I still cry every time I see it.  I'm so glad I was able to find it for this post.  My favorite part is when my grandma (in light green), probably my favorite person ever in the world, started jumping up and down.  She wanted a girl so badly!  She passed away a year ago and I'm still so thankful I named this little girl after her.  I miss her.  Watch this video...you'll see how amazing my family is!

Happy Birthday, Big Sis!

Worst Day

I have a new Worst Day of My Life, I'm sorry to say.  It was my birthday weekend.  Hubby and I were gone all day Saturday since my mom offered to watch the kids.  We hoped to bike but there were threats of strong storms all day.  We started off touring some nearby model homes.  Of course, that sent me into a low grade depression in which I broke the Thou Shalt Not Covet commandment.  Man, if I could just duplicate that New Home Smell in my house....it's way more appealing than New Car Smell!

Anyway, we don't have any fantastic shopping locally so we drove an hour away.  We even visited the discount paper store, where I loaded up on a bag full of envelopes for six bucks.

When we got home (it never did rain, by the way), there was a visitor at my mom's.  It was a high school senior that my mom and I have kind of mentored through the years.  Her mom passed away suddenly when she was a young girl and her dad has two girls alone.  She stopped by to give my mom a ticket for her graduation.  She's a little on the slow side and didn't realize that she had overstayed her welcome.

In the midst of the visiting girl, our return from The Day, and my brother's family stopping by, it got a little hectic.  I overheard a bit of a conversation between my mom and Son #1.  I heard her reply to his question, "That's something you'd have to ask your mother."  I didn't know what he had asked.

My brother and his family left.  The girl continued to stay.  I figured that if I left too, she might get the hint.  I took my shopping treasures from the day and got ready for bed.  It turned out, the girl stayed another hour or so.  Finally, when she left, my mom called over to make sure I had Son #1.  The boys had asked to stay the night but only Son #2 was there.  "No," I replied, "I thought he was at your house."  She thought he had maybe gone into her basement so she hung up to check.  I checked his room, but he wasn't there.  We started questioning down the kids, wondering where he was.  I woke up Big Sis to make sure she didn't know anything.  He was nowhere.

My mom said he mentioned something about going to a friend's bonfire, but she told him he'd have to ask me.  He never did.

We called his phone dozens of times.  It was off.  His phone is never off.  He is better about answering his phone than anyone else in the entire family.  My mom started to panic, but I was still calm.  "I'll go look for him," I said.  I changed out of my pajamas and set off in the car, ready to tan his hide for causing this chaos.

I drove by Jeremy's, Jake's, and Evan's.  It was dark out and I couldn't remember exactly where Tyler lived.  Those are the only friends he visits at home.  I was fairly certain it wasn't a church friend, because #1 would have told my mom the name of the friend who was having the bonfire.

I started calling friends and family.  No one knew of his whereabouts.  By this time, it was after 10:00.  It just wasn't like him.  He wasn't angry and didn't run away.  He didn't actually ask for permission to go somewhere and didn't tell me he was leaving.  He wasn't answering his phone.  I was getting quite nervous at this point.  Various family members had arrived at our house to offer help and support.  My uncle was driving the streets of our town looking for and smelling for a bonfire.

We tried to send out a Find My iPod signal, but he didn't have it with him.  He also left his iPad mini at home.  I couldn't think of another thing to do.

Around 10:30, I realized I had to call the police.  How long do you stand there in your front yard, unaware of where your 14-year-old son is and not knowing where to look next?  I dialed the non-emergency number and kept very calm.  I explained that my son mentioned something about a bonfire at a friend's, but none of us knew he left.  I asked if they knew of any bonfires in town.  (Whenever we have one, someone typically calls the cops and complains, so I thought maybe they had heard about it.)  They knew nothing.  I said I didn't know what to do next.  They said they could send someone out.  Son #2's best friend's dad is a cop, so I asked if they could send him.

Hubby paced and continued to call his phone.  My mom went in and out of panic mode.  My cousin asked various questions.  Son #2 and my dad were both very quiet.  I was surprisingly calm.  Then, that story of the girls kidnapped for over 10 years in Cleveland kept playing though my mind.  They were about his age.  I imagined every possible scenario...

Finally, after an eternity, the police arrived.  My old high school buddy stepped out of the car and I started explaining the situation.  Suddenly, I heard Hubby's very loud voice saying, "WHERE ARE YOU?!?!"  I ran to where he was.  He was on the phone, fuming.  There was almost steam coming out of his ears.  Again, he said, "WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?"  My mom busted into tears, I didn't know if I should be angry or relieved.  Then Hubby got the answer he was looking for.  Son #1 was in a town 15 minutes away, at someone's house we had never met.

Oh dear...the rage.

I'll try to wrap up quickly now because this story is getting quite long.  In the confusion of the evening, #1 thought he made it clear to my mom that he was going to a friend's.  He never asked me.  This friend called and said he was a block away and would pick up my son and take him there.  He quickly grabbed his sweatshirt and hat and headed out the door to catch them.  This person attends his school but lives a couple towns away.  I do not know why.  They have a good 20 minute drive to school every day.

When he arrived at the house, he realized his phone was almost dead.  He turned it off and put it in the house.  They had been playing games outside and he said he lost track of time.  By the time we arrived at the house to pick him up, it was just before 11:00.  I realize you don't know us personally, but that's not OK.  Our kids are NOT allowed to stay out until 11, especially with people we've never met!  I was fired up the entire drive there.

#1 was standing by the road when we got there, as was the father of the friend.  #1 was sobbing and the dad looked like he was close to tears.  He apologized profusely, saying he had no clue our son hadn't received permission to come.  He assured my he was a good person.  He actually went to school a few years ahead of us and he lived in a very beautiful neighborhood.  I was still irate but did my best to assure the man that the fault was not his.

I decided not to kill my son because sobbing in front of all your teenage friends is punishment enough.  We did, however, lecture him the entire way home.  I explained to him why I ask him to text or call me sporadically when he's not at home.  It's not to interrupt his fun.  It's not so that I can check up on him or that I don't trust him.  It's for my peace of mind.  He said he understood that now.  I told him the many thoughts and emotions that went through my mind that evening.  We made him feel pretty bad.

Fortunately, we got a happy ending.  But can you imagine all the parents who went through something like this, only to never see their child again?  The thought of it makes me literally sick to my stomach.

Roughed Up on the Playground

Last Monday morning, I was pulling into the grocery store, as I do like clockwork every Monday morning.  (Have I ever mentioned that I'm obsessed with schedules?)  As I stepped out of the car, my phone rang, identifying the caller as the middle school.  Expecting one of those sent-out-far-too-often-parent-broadcasts, I answered and listened.  No bing, bong, bing was heard so I said Hello.  It was Son #1 and he had a somewhat nervous sounding voice with slight laughter.

"Um, mom....is there any way you can bring me a new shirt to school?"

OK, not to sound selfish or anything, but that's a huge request.  Number one, I'm already AT the grocery store and Baby Girl has already taken OFF her seat belt.  Number two, as mentioned above, I'm very strict with my grocery shopping schedule.  The kids watch at our store opens at 11:00, so I'm usually there no later than 11:05.  Number three, the middle school is all the way across town and takes ten minutes, with traffic. (Yes, that school wanted my boys to walk home, due to budget cuts, because 2.1 miles was right on the borderline of requiring bussing.  Jerks.)  Number four, and most importantly, this hiccup in my schedule means I'm not eating lunch until 1:00 and Baby Girl gets a late nap.

"Do you really need it right now?"  All of the above reasons are playing out in my mind and I'm irritated about whatever the event was that caused him to ask for a new shirt.

"Well, yeah, I can't exactly wear this one...it's almost ripped in half."  (Slight nervous laughter.)

"What happened?"  (I guess now would be a good time to inquire about the safety of my firstborn.

"Um, some kid got mad and tackled me and ripped my shirt."  (More of the nervousness.)

"Lovely.  I'll be there as soon as I can."

Back in the car, carseat buckled again, and back home.  I can't even begin to describe to you the monstrosity that was my sons' closet.  The pile of crap on the floor could have housed a family of raccoons or easily hidden two small orphans.  I was nervous to approach it without one of these on:

I eventually found a shirt, which needed ironed, and set off toward the school.  I called Hubby on the way to attempt to fill him in on what I knew.  "I'm mad!" I told him.  "I'm not sure at whom, but I'm mad at someone!"

I finally made it to the school, holding a pressed shirt and Baby Girl hand, and walked in to see my son sitting in the office.  When he stood, I could see that his nice American Eagle shirt was ripped from nipple to hip.  There were red scratches all over the side of his stomach.

"What in the world happened?"  My anger at the unidentified person was growing into rage.

"We were playing basketball outside.  There were like 80 people and only 10 balls.  This one kid was just standing there holding a ball, not moving.  I hit it out of his hand to take a shot.  He screamed, "I'm gonna 'F' you up!" and tackled me.  He scratched and clawed at me with his nails.

My eyes grew wide and my jaw dropped open.  Never before has a child of mine been involved in any physical altercation.  "What did you do?!?"

"I was shocked!  I just layed there, staring at him.  He just took the ball and walked away."

At that point, the secretary, who knows me well, called my name.  I walked to her desk with a look of surprise on my face.  She explained that she was attempting to contact the assistant principal, whose line was busy.  "This needs to be reported," she said.  "That's ridiculous!"  My boy is known as a good kid.  He's honest, gets straight As, and is well liked by all the staff.

Because of the aforementioned reasons, I chose not to hang around.  #1 is 14 now and able to handle himself in an adult conversation.

When he got home, he said that the assistant principal had him write down the story on paper.  I asked if he included the part about hitting the ball away from the kid.  He did.  

I got a phone call the next day from this principal who asked the value of the shirt that was ruined.  He said he spoke to the other parents and explained that they should cover the cost of that shirt.

"Don't worry about it," I said.  I try to teach my children to be the bigger person, to turn the other cheek, and forgive others when they've been wronged."  That was difficult to say because I really wanted to say, "THEY SURE BETTER BUY HIM A NEW SHIRT!  PUNK KID!"  Instead, I held my tongue.  The principal was impressed and said he would let the other family know.  He told me disciplinary action had been taken, but he couldn't discuss it with me.  

I was no longer mad.  I'm not even sure why.  I think it was one of those love, joy, peace, longsuffering things, or something.  I felt good after I hung up.  Hopefully, that kid will realize that my boy is a cool, stand-up guy.  He won't be labeled as a wimp, a tattletale, or a goody two-shoes and that kid shouldn't be out  to "get him".  I'm thankful the event wasn't worse that in was, that #1 didn't get seriously injured, and that he wasn't the cause of the problem.

That's my little ray of sunshine for the day!  

Call Me (ir)Responsible

I always figured I'd be one of the strictest parents on the block.  My parents were very strict and I came to realize that's the only way to parent.  Both my brother and I turned out well, and my friends who had very lax parents all have issues today.

One rule we adapted when we had children is that they don't spend the night with anyone, except family.  We wanted to make it a rule that wasn't broken so that we didn't have to pick and choose who was trustworthy and who wasn't.  The first time I had to address this rule was when my first son was 4.   Someone invited him over for a sleepover party and I was flabbergasted.  I thought 4 was incredibly early to start sleepovers, especially for a boy! 

Since then, I've had to break the news to parents probably a dozen times that we don't do overnighters.  Likewise, we don't allow children to sleep over at our house. 

It only takes one accusation and a person's life can be ruined.  I know two people who were accused of illicit behavior and their entire family swears by their innocence.  I also know of two fathers of my peers who have recently been convicted of abuse of children.  I spent the night at one of their homes. 

When you have an unbreakable rule set, you never have to worry.  It's better to be safe than sorry.  I don't care if some school mom thinks I'm weird because my daughter can't attend a sleepover.  My daughter will never be the one who was abused at that party.  Even if the parents rank at the top of my list, you never know who their brother-in-law or next door neighbor might be.

One of Big Sis' friends has a birthday sleepover every year.  I just don't understand why they need to sleep together to have fun.  If they're supposed to be asleep anyway, what fun could they be having?  Also, if this little girl has a sleepover every year, where is there to go from there?  By the time she's 16, she'll be bored with sleepovers and want something incredible and exciting.

OK, I'll step off my soapbox for the day.  Do I have any supporters?  Or are you all offended that I won't let my kids spend the night at your house?  :)

Signed,
The Overprotective Mother

The Food Thief

Help- we have a serious addiction in our home. My 3-year old is addicted to junk food. I'm to the point where I really don't know what to do with it.

It's too late to start placing blame. (Well, her dad totally spoils her and lets her have almost anything she wants...but you didn't  hear that from me.) Sometimes I feel like she's broken and unfixable.

We are far from an organic home that considers homemade applesauce to be dessert. Yet, I try to make sure my kids aren't out of control with snacks. For example, school lunches consist of a sandwich, piece of fruit, snack, and juice. A snack usually consists of 2 Oreos, an appropriately sized baggie of chips, or package of gummies. I feel like I've done pretty well so far. My boys have just recently started drinking caffeine and sodas are only consumed in moderation. Everyone is happy.

Then came The Junk Food Baby. She's been obsessed from a very early age. She wouldn't eat baby food of any kind, even fruit. Table food didn't go over well either. Her diet consisted of mostly milk for the longest time. Getting her to eat anything at all was a huge chore. Maybe that's how we got into this situation in the first place. When a toddler hasn't had a morsel of food in a full day, you're happy for her to take a bite of a muffin.

Now that she's 3, she can reason. She knows that junk food may only be consumed in moderation so she's taken to stealing food. She climbs up on counters, opens cupboards, and takes what she wants. I've found packages and remnants of food in her room, in the basement, and under the couch. We've moved the snack cupboard to a less accessible place, but that didn't stop her.

If her older siblings receive candy as a gift, at Halloween, or for any other reason, she steals it. They've yet to discover a hiding place she can't uncover. She'll get in their dresser drawers or in boxes on their bookshelves. This behavior is starting to seriously concern me.

Yesterday, I was enjoying my Sunday afternoon nap, thinking she was asleep also. Instead, she quietly took an extra- large iced sugar cookie from a bake sale and ate the entire thing. If I ate a cookie that size, I would feel ill. And I love sugar! When I was putting her to bed that night, I found her brother's identical cookie, half eaten, in her bed. When he finds out she ate his cookie, he is going to be irate.

I've tried limiting the amount of snacks I buy, but I don't see any reason to punish the rest of the family. Everyone else understands the meaning of moderation. Plus, I feel like if I totally forbid something, it will be desired so much more.

Something needs to be done. Quickly. With my basement stockpile of groceries, I always have snacks nearby. She has figured out how to open most packages. I'm afraid she's going to hurt herself climbing a shelf or using scissors.

I'm considering purchasing some sort of box that locks. I could share the combination with the other family members. She's too young to understand a combination lock anyway.

Any other suggestions out there? I'm tired of scolding her for stealing junk food. I've tried explaining and reasoning with her and have even spanked her. Nothing works. This time, I even tried something new and took away something she loves. That just breaks my heart though. I would rather spank her than "ground" her at this young of an age.

Until then, just consider me heartbroken, consumed with guilt, worried, and just plain frustrated. I need to get that little girl eating better before it's too late. I just love her way too much!

P.S. something I just thought to add- she's an extremely healthy kid who rarely gets sick, is very active, never listless, and pretty skinny.

Ode to a Son

I feel like I am at the end of an era.  Today is my last day ever to have four little children.  You see, tomorrow, my oldest becomes a teenager.  Just saying that makes me feel so incredibly old.  I feel like I should still be in my 20s, should still have brown hair, and should be carrying around little babies.  Son #1 was a smart, adorable, and funny little guy.  He was bald til he was two and made the funniest faces.  Now, he text girls, "hangs out" instead of playing with toys, and only wants to shop at American Eagle.  He would not be very happy if I called him by his childhood nickname, Bubba, in front of his friends.  Baby Girl still calls him Bubby, which secretly thrills me.

So, as I say goodbye to his childhood, I feel like I'm saying goodbye to my youth too.  But it's really not the end of an era, it's the beginning of a new one.  I no longer have to change his diapers or wipe his rear end; I don't have to pick him up to put him in a car seat.  I don't have to cut up his food at mealtimes and I don't have to comfort him in the middle of the night when he has a bad dream.  Those are happy milestones as well as pleasant remembrances of the past.  I wouldn't trade my memories for anything but I'm going to happily embark on a new phase in life.

Next weekend, he's having a group of boys over to play basketball and corn hole while cooking campfire pizzas and hot dogs outside.  His best friend is 16 and as tall as my husband.  His name is David, but I call him Goliath.  He towers over my kid, who has not yet had his adolescent growth spurt.  He's a good boy who told me he would always take care of my son.  I'm thankful for him.

I made a fancy invitation for his party.  No, he hasn't been lucky enough to participate in the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest.  This is just as good though, right?

I need a tremendous bout of wisdom to keep up with this gray hair and aging children.  I need to stop and smell the roses because I'll be blogging about being a grandmother before I know it.  OK, now I'm seriously depressed!  :)

Sleep-deprived parents of babies and toddlers, enjoy them as much as you possibly can today!  Tomorrow will be here soon enough!

A Bit of Bragging

I know that most people hate for others to brag on their children. I'm sorry, but I feel like I must. You see, I am so proud that I'm about to burst and I strongly need to share it with someone. That someone is you.

My oldest son has been playing French horn since September. He played tuba at school all last year and was selected to add the horn this year. After a month and a half, his band teacher recommended him to play in the youth philharmonic orchestra of this area. When I picked him up from the first rehearsal, he had a look of sheer panic on his face. In the car, he told me that this was so far above him and he didn't think he could ever catch up. I gave him the "hang in there" speech, but was seriously worried. I didn't want to put him through something he hated. He asked the conductor if he could switch to tuba, his dominant instrument. He was told that they greatly needed him on the horn and preferred that he stay put. He decided to stick it out

Son #1 didn't want me to attend any rehearsals. He wanted me to experience the music for the very first time at the performance. I was glad that he made this request because I was blown away. Here is a snippet from his first concert. You can't see him in this video, but he is to the right of the harp. You can see his music stand and part of his horn.  This piece features selections from Gershwin. You can totally hear the French horns at the beginning.... That's my baby!  (And yeah, I know the strings are off at the end but that's not my worry.  My kid doesn't play strings! Haha!)                                                                                                     

Thanks for allowing me a few moments to be a proud Mama!