Movin' Mom

My Son's Journey

2010-11-08T11:32:00.000-06:00

If you could go back in time to your 18th year...what would you have done differently?

How about your 19th year? My son is in Rome, Italy for his fall semester of his sophomore year.
I cannot even imagine the experience he must be living and the independence he must feel.

What I can imagine is how much a mom can miss her son. I once read the quote/verse "Parents give their children two great gifts, one is roots, the other wings." Truer words could not be said. Although I must admit I have seen many parents who have given the wings much too early in life. My son may think I waited too long to give him his. I could ask him his opinion except he didn't want to take a cell phone to Italy with him. He wanted the full experience. Thank God for facebook and skype. He was there about 4 weeks before we had our first skype session. I broke down in tears seeing his face again. He on the other hand decided to pop open a beer and pour it into a glass while we chatted because ...oh did I mention... drinking age in Italy is 16.

I am very aware that this is HIS journey. However, as his mom I have come to realize that I am on my own journey. Through this process I have learned that 90% of what he says that "used to" frustrate me was purely for my reaction. (hence the popping of the brew via skype) Now I have what I call my "game face" for just those moments in life. I didn't comment one time about the beer. In fact... I was so happy to see his smile that nothing else mattered. I also didn't react when he told me that he jumped off of a 70 foot cliff when no one else would... or how he slept outside on one of his travels... to save money. Oh... here's a good one... how about the one where he was traveling with friends, got separated from them, decided to look for them at 4 am only to discover he couldn't find them. Then to see someone his age who was waiting for a ride from her father (reminder:foreign country/stranger/4am/no cell phone/no money) to ask for a ride to the airport. Arriving at the airport to find all 4 of his friends already there waiting and barely making his flight.
How did I react?
On the inside I was FREAKING OUT! All I could think about was, how did your friends leave you, & WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU GOT INTO A CAR WITH STRANGERS? How did he know at 4am that this wasn't a prostitute and her pimp? What led him to believe that this was actually a father and daughter?
Okay so back to the question: How did I react?
I said to him with my calmest voice: "Well Thank God that you came across such a nice dad that he got you to the airport on time!"

Hello??? Do I hear Academy Award in my future?

I have to admit, as many of those shocking stories that I have gotten from him, I have also received so many signs and moments of knowing that someone is watching over him. That he is where he is suppose to be. That he is growing, maturing, and LIVING. He is on his journey and it's a pretty amazing one at that.

I'm not sure that he would have been able to be the person he was meant to be, the husband he will one day be, or the father he will one day become, without having had this experience.

I read that when Maya Angelou left home at a young age her mother said to her as she walked out the door, "Don't let anyone raise you, you've been raised"

Realizing that I have raised my son, I have given him roots, it was time for the wings... now I only have to wait 31 more days for him to FLY home! :D

The simple life of a point & shoot

2010-09-24T07:38:00.000-05:00

These are all photos I took of my son at the beach with my Nikon P80. One might ask, why take this camera to the beach when you have a canon rebel? The only answer I can come up with is that I have a relationship with this camera. I can literally whip it out and take a shot without a second thought! I wanted this camera because of it's 18x zoom. Although these are not "zoomed photos" I was able to just whip it out and take these shots. I wasn't worried about my F stop or ISO or getting sand in my lens... you get the picture. (ha get it... get the "picture") Well I did... but then I wonder... would this shot had been 10 times better had I brought the higher quality canon?

I mean let's face it... the subject I was photographing isn't exactly chopped liver.

He does work with me on shots, and is quite good at it!

-so is his shadow-

wish I could take credit for this pose

I like to call this one his baywatch run!

Numero tres photo

2010-09-23T14:05:00.000-05:00

Vino & Gizmo

The day I found out how to achieve this color with my camera... was a great day!

It's a black and white photo with a sepia tone. Isn't it lovely?

A friend of mine posted a similar photo on facebook and stated how she had just learned that her camera could do this. Not photoshop... but her camera.

The great thing about this friend is that she told me where to find the information on how to change my settings, as opposed to just giving me the "cheats" I need that kind of teaching (hands on) you know... because I'm handsonmom? It's how I retain information...otherwise... I would continue to ask her how to do it. I do admit... it got old fairly quickly when every shot I taking was black & white with a sepia tone.

I was basically only impressing myself!

Then... I found out the settings for a fast acting sporting event. In order to test it out, I had my kids jump off of the stairs and into the air. I must admit... we were all in hysterics.

all I asked him to do is jump...

Then his older brother got involved in test photo shoot... I must admit... I've got some creative minded children. These jumps were all spontaneous. I was just snapping... (and laughing)

I was a tad bit concerned for my life here!

day 2 photo 2

2010-09-22T07:35:00.003-05:00

This is George/Weezy...
I've been doing a bit of storytelling with this toad. He/she had been living at my front door for quite sometime. I bought a Toad House for those rainy days to put in the flower beds just outside my front door. But a few days ago I crossed my yard to see George/Weezy had relocated to it's new gutter efficiency.

This won't be the last you see if my little friend.

inspiration

2010-09-21T14:29:00.003-05:00

I've been trying to come up with something... a little inspiration... I want to write again (aka type) I've started post after post... finally I had to step out of the room... shake myself and realize... story tell through photos...that is my new love... taking photos!

Call me a liar! Go ahead everyone, scream it out loud. I've said I was "back" at least 10 times. I've even had some comments from 2 of my favorite bloggers. I guess it just wasn't enough to bring me back. So my new found blog inspiration is to take a photo a day and post it. I may have to rename and reformat my entire blog but... let's not put the cart before the horse... let's just take it one day at a time!

I am new to the whole DSLR world. I do feel like I've always had an eye for photography just never had the right camera.
I have many photographer friends who are always so sweet offering me advice and compliments. But if I were being honest, there are times that I feel like I'm trying to learn algebra for the 3rd year in a row. N = I+M (square) I just cannot retain the information.
F stop, ISO, aperture ..... so I have to MAKE MYSELF pick up the camera. It's so much easier to take my point and shoot but every single time I do that... I get a brilliant shot... that of course is not so brilliant.

I posted this on facebook the other day. I received many compliments. This will be my first photo kick off...

Could this be real?

2010-02-16T08:27:00.005-06:00

While flipping through a magazine the other day, I came across an ad.

It is a local magazine that arrives through the mail and seems to be filled with
various plastic surgeons, cosmetic dentists, weight loss clinics, and of course boutiques.

I never really pay a lot of attention to those ads however, I came across one that stood out.

Initially I thought it was either weight loss, or plastic surgery...

I could hardly believe that this product would actually exist...

or does it?

This is the actual spread I saw:

But as you draw your eye in closer , you could possibly think...ab workout, diet or plastic surgery....

I have no idea if this is real. There is absolutely no contact information, yet they say they have s-xxl in patterns for men and women. I mean how would you get the belly button part in...

Is this a joke? It's got to be... right?

In case you didn't know...

2010-01-31T00:26:00.005-06:00

I've moved to Texas.

This is one of those moments where I could have followed that statement with "nuff said"
But there is so much to say. Texas is the biggest state, isn't it?

The sunset skies here are magnificent, The most beautiful shades of orange, pinks, purples, and of course blue.
My youngest often says that he feels like we are on the inside of a globe because it seems you can see one end of the sky to the other. The sky at night IS big and bright....clap clap clap clap DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS.

Pretty soon the flowers will be blooming. My kids will be praying that I am not going to drag them out to the bluebonnet fields
to take the ever famous photos.

I am a native born Texan but have been gone just long enough to lose any form of twang that had developed. It's been almost a year since I have returned and I still have not transitioned from "you guys" back to y'all. It's coming though... I feel it.

The best part of being back is the TEX-MEX food I missed and longed for. Everyone would say, "Try my place... it's the best mexican food you'll ever eat!" But I wasn't looking for mexican food... I wanted TEX-MEX. Well now I have it! Which is why I have had to start Yoga... stretch it all out!

We're closer to family, which my children LOVE and close to what we used to call home. Facebook has re-connected me with all of my old high school friends and some I barely knew but now call friends. It's been 25 years since I graduated high school and at least 20 years since I left the DFW area. It's almost as if I have moved to a new territory. I was starting to feel like a true midwesterner, I truly loved where we were. But little by little my Texan side is starting to show...and it's not too bad.
A friend of ours gave me a quote this morning for my son that pertained to his wrestling. However, after reading it a couple of times I realized it has a lot to do with how often we move and how we get through it.

It's a quote by Darwin:

"The future of the species does not belong to the strongest or the most intelligent.....but rather to those that are the quickest to adapt to their environment"

Facebook

2010-01-30T15:28:00.005-06:00

This is pretty much the dominating factor of my life. I'm changing this today.
Only to come back to Blogger. I miss writing/typing daily and reading everyone's
stories. I'm not sure how many of you are still here but I'm going to find you guys
somewhere.

Don't get me wrong... I realized that I am just trading one addiction for another. Sitting in front of the computer and multi-tasking housework between computer checks. But I realized I have been watching the clock and time is just passing me by.
I have been making changes and feel very confidant that I am going to stick to these newly found activities along with some of the old.

I have been in Yoga for a week now and feel fantastic. I actually found a friend who is at the same pace that I am at. We went on a "stroll" the other day and we walked at an even pace. You know people like this are very hard to find for me. I always seem to befriend the health fanatics, the ones who can actually do the elliptical machine. This woman is NOT me nor is it my new yoga friend.

2010 has got be it for me... BIG CHANGES...

stay tuned...
I will be back tomorrow!

Holidays...

2009-12-18T22:31:00.002-06:00

There is something special about this day!

Nico is home from school, Alex lettered in wrestling today, Gianina is home from babysitting and Luke is on a sleepover birthday! My niece is visiting, my mom will be here tomorrow and the holidays are here!
4 days ago my puppy finally started to bark at the back door to go potty!

Life is good.

I think... blogging is tugging on me.... and it's time to step away from facebook for a while!

...I'm thinking...this is the plan!

Dogs

2009-09-23T21:55:00.002-05:00

Why do puppies always want to chew the side of dogs faces off?

Vino is relentless!

"Why?" asked Gizmo

I'm pretty sure that is what Gizmo is asking me here!

Dare I fill in the gaps?

2009-09-22T08:32:00.002-05:00

Perhaps... but not all at once. I shall periodically leave small anecdotes of the chapters unspoken!

Fast forward to life now...as it stands.
I am now emotionally coping with my eldest away at college. He isn't far but he is away. I believe that the "coping" actually has more to do with his new found independence than the "away"-ness of it all. He and I have the occasional text and even less occasional phone call. When I dropped him off at school, everyone was fully anticipating my tears... even me! As he walked us to the car, there was an uncomfortable silence surrounding our family. Who would start the goodbye? Then my son looked at me and said, "Okay mommy, I'm going to walk over to you.... hug you ... and then I am going to walk away!"
I miss his daily presence in my life. I miss his embrace. I miss his smile. I miss him.

That being said, we were both ready for this chapter of his life to begin. He needed college life to begin. Moving him mid-senior year (this would be one of those small anecdotes I'm filling in) My husband took a buyout package after 20 years with the same company. He is now with another company and that job moved us to Texas mid senior year for our eldest. He was given the opportunity to graduate early which benefited him. He didn't have to try and transfer credits, or find out that he was missing some freshman class credit he would have to take senior year. However, he became a couch potato faster than I could eat a bag of potato chips. He finally got a job at a pizza place and then onto a manger job at our neighborhood pool. This created a very busy boy with money! Then the day came....when he turned 18.

What is it about the magic number 18 that makes a young man believe that all rules go out the door? Suddenly everything followed with, "But I'm 18 years old!"
"It's bedtime!" "But...I'm 18 years old!"
"Someone needs to do the dishes" "But I'm 18 years old!"
"Be home at midnight" "But...I'm 18 years old!"
"WHY would you buy cigars.... you have asthma?" "Because...I'm 18 years old!"
You get the picture!

As I go back to my original thought.... I miss him with everything in my being.... but it was time!
I texted him over Labor Day weekend.

Me:
Do you have any big plans this weekend?
His response:
IDK Y do u ask?
Me:
Because it's Labor Day weekend and it's really weird not knowing your plans now that your gone!
His response:
I thoroughly enjoy that!

Needless to say, this has been an adjustment for me.
-Today he is sick.
-a few days ago he got a speeding ticket.
-last week he hated bio
-now a smart-hot girl is helping with bio and all is well.

-Going out to eat I still ask for a table for 6.
-I need to stop grabbing 6 forks at dinner time, we only need 5.
-It took me 3 weeks before i could go back into his bedroom and clean.
-when I dropped him off at pre-school he cried and wouldn't let me go
-when I dropped him off at college I cried and wouldn't let him go

Life is all about adjusting...after all I have a junior next in line and time to start the process all over again.
Homecoming is fast approaching and I also have a freshman daughter who is in a school now with senior BOYS!!!!
A 5th grader who is in his last year of elementary so I crazily sign on to any and all volunteer positions...*sigh*... what was I thinking? Can I declare temporary insanity based on the fact that had just dropped my eldest at college and realized my youngest was in his last year of elementary? insanity..... INSANITY I SAY!!!!!!

This is my life... This is our life!

Where am I?

2009-02-02T11:44:00.002-06:00

It's like going back home... every time I move.
Almost as if home were my therapist. The BLOG World.
A place where I can rant and rave about all of the trials and tribulations
of once again... packing up the house!

Only this time... It was different.

I have taken you through 2 of the last 8 moves I have made.
I believe it was Illinois to Wisconsin where we only had a 15 month stay. Then Wisconsin to Michigan which was less than a year.
But this time after 20 years Movin' Dad decided to move to another company. Who in turn decided to move us to another state.
TEXAS! My homeland, where the deer and the buffalo roammm... where seldom is heard... a discouraging worddddd......unless of course 6 people are sharing one bathroom.

Okay anyway, I AM a native born Texan. So I should be golden about the move. But this has to be by far our most challenging.
New company, new rules, new limitations on weight of furniture on the truck.... 25,000 tons, SERIOUSLY?

Then... we decide to build! I KNOW.. I know... ~CRAZY~ So we are living in a temporary apartment until the home is done, which could be... 3 weeks! 6 people, one dog, small one room apartment. PRAY people~ PRAY for my sanity!

On a pleasant note... I am having more fun on facebook lately finding all of my old classmates. In fact, so much so that I find myself...dare I say it aloud? ADDICTED! So I thought... It is time to focus on something else for a while ... break away a bit from the facebook world... give people time to miss you, but what? What could occupy me......

So here I am!
Talk to ya' tomorrow!
my Texan twang is creepin' back just a bit!

TWO THINGS...

2008-08-16T22:32:00.005-05:00

I have my oldest right smack in the middle of the college process. Tonight....out of the blue, my youngest and I decided to purchase this ON DEMAND. We laughed and laughed. Donny Osmond had me in stitches a couple of times. I would definitely clarify this as a comedy, however at the end ... I found myself crying. CRYING!

*SPOILER---- I think it was that moment that the mom and the dad were saying goodbye to her as they dropped her off at college. Spoiler meaning.....perhaps you may not realize during the movie that it will end this way :/

ANYWAY... Even more important than the movie we watched.......
CAN I GET A HOO-HAAA for the AMERICAN MAN who had me screaming with GLEE tonight...MICHAEL PHELPS
NUMERO OCHO on the GOLD!!!!!!

How do I teach my children?

2008-08-08T06:38:00.004-05:00

There was a time, not so long ago, when I could teach and guide my children. A time when what I said, actually seemed knowledgeable to them.

However, there have been a few subjects that (because I am a mom from another place and time) I just "don't get it!"

For instance, the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky incident. It definitely changed the thoughts of our youth on the definition of sex.
I can preach and preach and guide and talk and put on my most knowledgeable advice hat, but I speak to deaf ears.
As a mom, you just know when you are speaking on a right vs wrong subject and when there will never be an agreement on both parts.
Now this isn't just with my own children. I have heard other kids in our home's opinions and it seems to be that they are all in agreement with the former president.

Oral sex is not sex!
(YES IT IS!!!)

Now don't think I haven't tried to do my research. I have looked for every and any example/book I could get my hands on. I watch Dr. Phil's episodes when he has had Dr's and men of the church on all discussing the issues of todays teens and their promiscuity. I have asked my most spiritually educated friends for guidance in the Bible. HELP, it has to be in there somewhere.
But nothing comes to me.
It always falls on you just shouldn't do it.
I need concrete evidence people!
My two older boys are extremely intelligent. Unless I can open up the Bible or have someone significant in their eyes (there was a time that person was me!) have a convincing argument, this is just one of those things that is generational.

It makes me want to have a conversation with Bill Clinton and have him perhaps do the damage control by publicly going to high schools and speaking to our youth. SOMEONE......SOMEONE out there must have the answer, but it has to be an intelligent one!

Yes, I bring up an issue from years pass. Because this is a now issue for me and i still have two more children who will become teens after I get through these teen years with the boys.

My issue now is politically connected as well.

As I recently updated, we are now back in the Detroit area. Yes...Detroit where our mayor is in the national media! OH...Not just in the national media but in the Wayne County jail as well!

Here is a man who perhaps feels he is above the law. I don't know him personally however...he has been allegedly dishonest.
Allegedly cheated on his wife and lied about it in a court of law. Allegedly left the country when he was ordered to not even leave the state.
Here is a man who gets angry and aggressive with the media. Who wants the media to leave his family alone so THEY can heal.
When he created this scenario. I do not understand this way of thinking. I want to make sure that the law holds him accountable for his dishonesty. How am I suppose to teach my children right from wrong when people who are in the media, political figures, celebrities (Jamie Lynn Spears) are screwing up and not being held accountable?
Yeah I threw that Spears girl thing in there because I have a daughter who will be 13. It's one thing to screw up and take care of your business but a whole other thing to make the cover of OK magazine for it!!!

A Trip to Chicago

2008-08-07T08:19:00.005-05:00

We recently took a trip to Chicago to check out Loyola for my son. He brought his best friend along. I must say, I loved it, he loved it and even better...my husband loved it. We haven't really all 3 liked the same schools yet. Loyola was our 5th school to visit. It just seemed to be the perfect fit for him.
We drove around the DePaul campus before heading over to Loyola but as we entered the neighborhood my son said, "Don't need to look at this school!"
His opinion was based purely on the amount of Obama posters hanging EVERYWHERE!
You see, my son is a DIE HARD Republican. It almost made my husband and I chuckle a bit.
I am not sure when it actually happened...the little boy who made me a mommy finding his opinion.
But an opinion he has. He will debate the right from wrong with the best of them.
The smile on his face as we pulled into the Loyola neighborhood and saw McCain flyers EVERYWHERE was priceless.
Not that this alone is what he based his opinion on.
Because it really doesn't matter where we like or what majority political party is represented, he is choosing his home for the next few years. I believe that one of his top requirements is a big city, and who doesn't like Chicago?

I kind of felt like I was with bodyguards. Here he is with his dad and best friend walking the campus.

As we were leaving, we spotted a fox right outside the door

The trip was not all about him. We were able to visit with friends and see my MIL who just happened to be there visiting her best friend.

here we all are after lunch

Our family loves Chicago. It is my guess that one day...after all of the children are gone, we will be one of those hip retired couples who have a condo in downtown Chi town. Hopefully with any luck, all of our children will raise their families in the same area. If not...I'd settle for visiting them in Italy or Hawaii or someplace like that.

tormenting his sister

2008-07-27T20:03:00.002-05:00

My daughter is about to be 13 in a couple of months. A few days ago she had some friends over. 3 Boys and 2 Girls to be exact.

As soon as they arrived, she made the introductions to our family and then off they went to the basement to make friendship bracelets. This did not sit well with her two older brothers who of course had to follow them.

First, her brother 3 years older needed to figure out the dynamics of the group. Who likes who and vice versa.

So he kept asking and refused to leave until he got the answer.
So one of the girls spoke up, "Well, G (my daughter) used to like him,
but he didn't like her back, NOW he likes her...(A LOT) but she doesn't like him back.

The poor kids stood there dumbfounded. My son looked at him with all the sensitivity a fellow dude can have and said,
"Ouch!.....been there....done that!" and off he went.

I'm thinking....not too bad, that was actually minimal torture compared to what she is used to getting from them when boys are involved.

I'm up in the kitchen making dinner
*sidenote- UP in the kitchen? Who says that? Well I can tell you I never did growing up in the south! I mean, I might have said,
"Up there in them there hills".....but NEVER Up in the kitchen. Of course....we didn't have basements in the south. So anyway...

I'm up in the kitchen, thinking full well that she's dealt with all the embarrassment she is going to have to deal with when what do I hear....

My son yelling down the basement stairs, "G, you forgot to flush.........it's really starting to stink up here........can you please come flush?"

I was mortified for her.

She of course took it with all the laughter that the boys took it with and yelled up to him......
"I gotta give you that one Alex.....that was one of your best!"

I love that moment when you realize that your kids are growing up and actually might even be friends!

Is your Sun shining?

2008-04-23T07:24:00.002-05:00

You know how sometimes you can go a long time without talking to a friend. Then one day either you or that friend decides to pick up that phone and give you a call. Maybe it's been a few months, maybe even a few years, but you just start talking like it was yesterday.

My Movin' Mom life has left me with friends from here to timbuktu. Yet we can usually just pick up right where we left off. I am hoping the same will apply with all of you. I am very much a creature of habit, so once you get out of the morning ritual it's hard to get back up on the bike again.

SO HERE I AM...training wheels free, hoping I can create the "habit" once again.

I recently (4 days ago) turned 41 years old. My grandmother (3 weeks ago) turned 85 years old. I realize it isn't an exact half but it amazes me still that I am half her age. Kind of how my 3 year old niece will feel about me when she turns 41.

WOW~ I need a moment to let that set in.

______________________________________________________

UPDATES on my recent posts.

My eldest is still searching for the right fit but I believe he is finally trying to focus on that.
His struggle right now is that his GPA could be better but his ACT was amazing.
He broke up with his long distance relationship, but has had a "new friend" here almost daily since.
I try to explain that there should be at least one full deep cleansing breath before someone else swoops in.
Awww to be a kid again!

Next in line, my 15 year old. We have been driving around town letting him get his practice in. (learners permit)
He is an excellent driver but doesn't handle criticism well. He is also benefiting from his brother's college research.
He went to see his counselor and had an AP class added to his schedule for the fall. He has sworn off relationships
for now.....which at least allows me one deep cleansing breath.

Following with my daughter, who is about to become 13! She handed me her grades this morning and is doing amazing. She is for the first time in her life a part of a team. Tennis is not her first choice and she is having to work really hard because the other girls on the team seemed to have had more experience. But with each tennis match she improves. The boy that her brothers despised broke up with her, which as a mom I have to admit....I was a little bummed that he beat her to the punch.
I know thats horrible for me to say but I would have rather it had been her breaking up with him. Even though I Have sons and know how they would feel, I saw my daughter and how it made her feel. All part of life I guess. Movin' Dad's response (he didn't like him either) was the end result is the same and that is all that matters.

And then there was one, my youngest who is about to become a double digit. He is living extreme joy because his oldest brother finally put our trampoline together. We're thinking of starting him in lacrosse because he too has never been on a team sport. Then there's Tai Kwon Do, skateboarding, gymnastics, wrestling.....he has a different idea every single day. I think each time we get to the point of signing him up he changes his mind to another sport.
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Coming up with my posts had been such a struggle because of the personal information that my kids would not want out there. On top of the move which really kept me busy here in Michigan. Wisconsin was a time in my life where I had a ton of time on my hands. A lack of girlfriends and not a lot of places to go shopping or out to eat. Michigan is exactly the opposite.
My friends here are quite social, It is rare that I sit at home with nothing to do. But I am trying to find my creative side again.
The Sun is shining and that makes me feel HAPPY!

I have yet to catch up on anyone but I will. But right now I am heading to the mall...hee hee hee!!!

Putting things in God's Hands

2008-03-13T13:26:00.002-05:00

Last night, my boys had a group of friends over.

There is always a tremendous amount of teasing that goes on between my kids but even more so, the two oldest.
They are only 14 months apart and are finally at a point where they do quite a bit together including having the same friends.

I can count on one hand the amount of fights, they have had.I don't mean racing to see who makes it to the front seat of my car first, or even walking by and getting a punch in every so often. I mean a really anger filled rage like fight. So mad at each other they couldn't see straight. The answer is twice. Obviously the first time broke my heart. It was even within this year. My boys had lead approx 15 years of their life without having that happen. Needless to say, I probably overreacted to it.

So last night, the teasing started as always. But like two brothers who are together 24/7, same school, share a room, wrestle together, same friends, they know everything there is to know about each other. Especially what to say to get the other one going. It unraveled without anyone even knowing.

At some point my 15 year old made a comment that didn't sit well but he didn't react. Until they went down to the basement.
Then in front of all the other kids, my oldest decides to tackle my 15 year old and start beatin' on him.
Well normally I hear about it immediately. But it wasn't until later that my eldest decided to say something.

If you can visualize this, I was silently screaming at him. It's exhausting! WHY, WHY, WHY? I know that a lot of reactions will be that their brothers, and that's what brothers do. BUT NOT IN MY HOUSE. Our rules and what we have taught them are that you don't EVER hit the people that you love. EVER!!!! NO EXCEPTIONS! Then I threw in there, that I would tell their dad about it the next day. Just so they know....this discussion isn't over!

So before I go to bed I said my prayers. As always, I add a prayer in that if my children are doing something wrong, that they be caught. That if they are veering off of a path that they be held accountable.

Well one day later (today), I sent my two boys (who of course are good with each other now) ...(but still no apology) to the gas station to get some pop for their sister and her friends. They both walk in and there are two men behind the counter, ironically enough two brothers.

They ask my guys if they are also brothers.

They say "YES!"

One man says to my eldest, "let me guess, are you the oldest?"

My son smiles and says, "YES!"

The he asked my son, "Let me ask you, do you ever hit on him?"

My other son says, " uh yeah....last night he did!"

The guy looks at my son and says, "DID YOU REALLY?"
he handed him back the change and said, "Have a nice day!"
and they left.

The most remarkable part of this story is that my oldest son
came home and told me this whole story. It really affected him.
I looked right into his eyes and said, "That was God!" That's how he works.

I pray that my children be held accountable. Do I want them to feel bad.....NO!
I want them to know that God is always watching.
I want them to be good and when they screw up...as we all do...I want them to feel remorse.
Especially if they have hurt someone.

This story has a happy ending.
Which is why I put things in God's hands.

2008-03-12T06:35:00.002-05:00

I think I write a lot about my eldest because through him I am presented with the path I have yet to travel.
For instance college. I didn't go that route after high school because I graduated with a cosmetology license.
In all honesty, it took every fiber in my being to get out of high school.

My oldest son is trying to choose colleges where he can apply. Yesterday, he took his Act test. I find myself learning this entire system and the steps needed to take to get into the right college for him. I have 3 more following him soon after so I ought to be a pro by the time my youngest reaches his senior year.

I know everything should be golden right now. I want him to enjoy this process and all that comes along with it. I want him to make memories and get involved in the "fun" that comes with high school. I'm just not sure if that is happening. He is very social,
and has more friends than I did. But when we moved from Wisconsin, he left a girlfriend waiting.

I struggle with this because he is only 16, and she is 15. I really don't understand how a long distance relationship can work when it's out of state. We have absolutely no intention of ever going back to Wisconsin. He knows this. He also knows that we have laid out our moral values his entire life and there is NO WAY we are sending him back to visit a girlfriend at his age.
I know this is something he needs to figure out on his own, but I cannot stand the fact that there's a dance this weekend and all their friends are out buying corsages and making their plans. My son has chosen to not attend.

His girlfriend came to visit with her mom a few weeks ago. But I even struggled with that. Their so young and yet I know that the feelings are real. I am not just concerned for my son, I am concerned for his girlfriend as well. I don't think it is fair to her either to be missing out on memories because she is trying to be true to my son.

It's a crazy situation. At times I wish I could just get it over with and dictate my demands. Reveal to him my experiences. But I have too much respect for him. I want him to learn and make his own mistakes. I want him to come to his own conclusion,
I just hope he can do that without any regrets.

I just read about this... WOW!

2008-02-28T09:33:00.003-06:00

Could this even be real.....it almost sounds like someone describing a dream to you....or should I say nightmare.
I don't mean to become the Blogger with the latest news story but........this one is completely SHOCKING!

Indian Newborn Survives Fall From Train
By R.K. MISRA, AP
3 hours ago

AHMADABAD, India — A newborn baby girl fell through the toilet in a moving train and onto the tracks moments after her mother prematurely gave birth, surviving nearly two hours before being found, relatives said Thursday.

The child's mother, who uses the single name Bhuri, was traveling with relatives on an overnight train when she went to the bathroom shortly before midnight Tuesday and unexpectedly gave birth to a baby girl, said Arjun Kumar, her brother-in-law.

"Later, she fell unconscious and the baby fell through the toilet," he continued. "Two stations later, we knocked at the door."

Bhuri opened the door, soaked in blood.

"When we asked her about what happened, she said the baby had fallen through onto the tracks," Kumar said.

Toilets on Indian trains usually have holes that open directly onto the tracks, and there were no indications Thursday that authorities doubted Bhuri's story or planned to investigate the incident.

Kumar said that after finding Bhuri, relatives pulled the train's emergency brake and told railway officials what had happened. A search was quickly organized, and guards at one of the stations the train had passed soon found the baby.

"She was on the rail track for almost 1 1/2 to two hours," said Dr. Gautam Jain, a pediatrician at Rajasthan Hospital in Ahmadabad, in the western state of Gujarat, where the baby and mother were taken.

The child, who has not yet been named, was eight to 10 weeks premature and weighed only 3.22 pounds, Jain said. She had a low heart rate and body temperature.

"We do not expect such children to survive," Jain said.

Two cents for today

2008-02-27T09:13:00.004-06:00

This is a quote I read on Oprah's website in her interview with Valerie Bertinelli.
I totally missed the actual interview which I meant to DVR.
She is referring to her divorce and her hopes for her son.

"So I'm hoping that when he does get married and start a life for himself, that he takes his time and marries a friend and not just someone that he can't keep his hands off."

Truer words could not be spoken. What fabulous advice to give my sons. Obviously you want them to have a healthy relationship
in every area, but if friendship isn't there...you cannot possibly have a successful marriage.

???

2008-02-24T21:21:00.003-06:00

I missed posting for so long and so much has happened since that I am literally dumbfounded as to what I should share first.

If only I had a voice.....I'd put it to song.
I know I cannot possibly remember the wonderfulness and the not so wonderful in it's proper timeline......
I believe that was one of the plus' of posting my life.......documenting the life of a Mom, the good the bad and the ugly.
As it happened day by day.

Although when it got a little ugly, I couldn't post. I found that there are some things that I have to keep private.
I guess that is what makes me an amateur, huh?

I mean a real writer would just put it out there....right?

All I can really say in a nutshell is TEENAGERS.

I'm not ready to post about it. But I often say.....it would be a great book.

I think I am going to name it

"The many shades of gray"

After all, raising Teens isn't so black and white.

I feel the need to add.....I've got GREAT kids
So why am I posting about something that I am not even ready to post about?
Let's just change the subject.

**********************************************

We got a Trader Joes here and LIFE IS GOOD!

**********************************************

When we moved in we got new counters, everyone was shocked that we weren't replacing the stove.
Our theory was if it ain't broken....well....you now the saying.

So the granite was cut and when they went to hook up the gas, something went very wrong.
We called the warranty company they mailed us another stove. NO CHOICE! we just got what they sent.
It didn't fit. We were going to have to get the NEW granite cut again.
This has been a royal pain. So we shopped for the last 2 days and found one I LOVE. we are trying to stick with
oil rubbed bronze for the faucet and the cabinet handles and GUESS WHAT WE FOUND?
An oil rubbed bronze gas cooktop! NO LIE!
I cannot wait. I am really hooked on the whole copper accent look.

When it arrives there will be some kodak moments to share with you. Right now, it's a hole in the counter.
We are going on a month with no stove. Which is where the Trader Joes LOVE comes in.
I told my kids, there are cook books on how to boil water.....but is there one on how to cook WITHOUT boiling water?

I think not!
******************************************

HAWAII BOUND.

2008-02-19T07:36:00.003-06:00

What is the reaction one has to boarding an airplane and realizing that there is a child sitting nearby.

Movin Dad and I were fortunate enough to recently visit Hawaii. It was work for him but but all about fun and sun for me.

Technically it was a 10 hour flight, however it was broke in half with a layover in San Fran. Now neither he nor I had ever been to Hawaii, and this would be the longest I had ever sat on a plane. I brought my laptop and a ton of movies. I brought magazines, books, snacks, gum, and my ipod. I pretty much exhausted all carryon ingredients in the first hour. I didn't know what to do with myself. The challenge was much more mental. The mere idea that I would be sitting on the plane for 5 and 1/2 hours possessed my mind and I couldn't concentrate on one single task. I asked my husband every half hour, what time it was. Then it happened...

I spotted the child in front of us. Now remember I do have 4 children, so I am not one of those people who make faces and get irritated by young toddlers constant repeats of the question "WHY?" In fact, this boy was quite cute. He did talk through the entire flight and made his mommy read him books the entire way. This is all normal, right? I mean HEY, if I could have had someone read to me the whole way, time would have flown by. The issue I had was the MOMMY! This woman was like watching PBS on volume 52 the entire 5 1/2 hours.

I kid you not, she spoke to her son in such a loud voice, it was all I could think about the whole way. My mind was overcome with polite ways to ask her to BE QUIET, or to lower her voice, I wanted to kick her chair...but I didn't.

There was a moment that this young boy who's name we all learned very quickly because she repeated each and every single time she addressed him. STEVEN!

Yes, Steven, No Steven, Steven where's the giraffe, Steven, do you want a snack, Steven do you need to go to the bathroom, I don't know why STEVEN!!!!

Then Steven decides to share his knowledge of the planets, It was very cute......until Mommy got involved.

Mommy, Did you know that Mars is the largest planet?

STEVEN, HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT MARS IS NOT THE LARGEST PLANET?

yes it is!

NO IT IS NOT

yes it is

NO IT IS NOT

yes it is

NO STEVEN IT IS NOT

yes it is

NO STEVEN MARS IS NOT THE LARGEST PLANET GEEZ!

yes it is

NO IT"S NOT

OMG I thought I was going to jump off the plane. Seriously...volume 52 the entire way.
Then she decides to use Stevens etch a sketch to send notes to her husband who was sitting on the row in front of them.
She had definitely mastered the skill of perfect etch a sketch handwriting. But her poor husband had not. This frustrated poor "Stevens mommy" and she decides to try and teach him from her back row (volume 52)
Look Honey you just turn this and then turn this...........

Then I heard the pilot, "Excuse me ladies and gentleman, we are arriving in San Francisco in approx 20 minutes.

WOW...that 5 1/2 hours flew by watching pre-school hour with "STEVENS MOMMY"

We stepped off the plane over to the next gate to get right back on the other plane heading for Hawaii.
AND YES....There is a GOD!
STEVEN and his mommy stayed in San Francisco.

Here we are as we descended into Hawaii, it was heaven.

The Don'ts are hysterical

2007-11-29T09:40:00.000-06:00

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ADJECTIVE & A VERB

2007-11-28T09:03:00.000-06:00

There are those people who can walk and chew gum at the same time. Pretty sure I can do that but obviously moving and blogging are quite the challenge.

This is probably the most prepared we have ever been.

The windows were cleaned.

The carpets were cleaned.

The housekeeper has cleaned.

The flower beds were cleaned up and had some mulch thrown on for a cleaner look.

We have purged as much furniture and storage then ever before.

Our realtor came by to take some photos so we could list. I must have heard her say a thousand times how organized I was. Everything in your home has a place. You are so ORGANIZED!!!

I chuckled out loud because two words I've never heard spoken together would have to be my name and organized. Those of you who know me personally would agree.

When my 16 year old arrived home from school, I shared this little story with him. Knowing full well he would have a field day with it. But to my surprise his response was, "Mommy, your not an adjective, your a verb.

Okay...that was just a bit too much for me to process.

"Come again, what does that even mean?"

He said, "Your not an organized person, but your really good at organizing things."

Well, I must say...I CAN pack a car.

How insightful of my 16 year old to "know" that about me. I just love him.

Speaking of packing a car....has anyone seen that new game for kids by Cranium?

The whole idea is to set the timer and then pack the back of the car before everything comes flying out! This I would have dominated. Instead I had Monopoly with two brothers who broke my bank every single time. Obviously if "Cranium" created this game....it must take some "brain power" to win.....right?

What's in a name?

2007-11-11T14:11:00.000-06:00

Recently, I was asked how I came up with the name Movin' Mom.
If you read my Bio, you would understand. We move a lot.

I have tried numerous times to come up with something creative as a replacement. But to no avail, I remain Movin' Mom.
Then I realized, if I am going to continue to move every two to four years I am may as well keep it.

Then the unexpected occured. Something that noone could have imagined.

The phone rang... It was time! Time to make another move. Although this has to be a record. We have only been living here 15 months. The average moves are normally 2-4 years but 4 is our normal. We have only had one stay in Illinois that lasted 2 years.

SO AS THE STORY CONTINUES, MOVIN' MOM IS MOVING TO MICHIGAN!

Here's the plus, Movin' Dad and I have both decided that we are done!

NO MORE MOVES! THIS IS IT!

Over the Thanksgiving holidays, we will be traveling to our 'ol stompin grounds in search of the perfect home.

Not just any 'ol perfect home, "OUR PERFECT HOME."

We have never purchased a home with the thought that we would grow old in this home. We have always had to prioritize our needs based on resale of that home.

This time will be different.

This could very well be the home that I become a mother of not only a graduate but 4 graduates.
A home where I may become a mother in law, a grandmother, and so much more.

A home where if I want to paint the walls black....I can.
A home where we can actually bury a time capsule in the back yard and know that one day in the future we will dig it back up.
A home where I can have mailing labels and stationary pre printed in bulk if I want.
It will also be the last time that our close friends and families will have to scratch out our address in their address book.

A home where we can say....WE'RE HERE TO STAY!

MY HOME!!! MY HOME!!! MY HOME!!!

I mean.....OUR HOME!

*sidenote~ I wouldn't really paint the walls black....but I could if I wanted to.

Vino or Cerveza?

2007-11-07T10:16:00.000-06:00

One might think that alcohol content is commen sense.
In fact, my guess is wine would seem to have a higher content.
But according to my son, in high school health class they are taught that it is the same.
One glass of wine = One bottle of beer
In the continuation of my alcohol detection home testing project! (it all sounds so official)
And to bring those of you who do not want to have to back track up to date on my last post.
I registered a .03 after drinking two beers. Last night I had 2 glasses of wine, 30 minutes later
I blew into the "ALCOHAWK" and it registered .08 I was legally drunk.

I informed Movin' Dad that this was such an awareness project for me. I can see now how when I meet my girlfriends
out for a drink I am going to have to stick with a brew as opposed to the vino. Well at least if I'm driving.

I guess not knowing in the past is a bit of a denial. Kind of like not looking in my checkbook and just assuming there is still money in there ;)

Now I know and now I must be an adult!

"Could I get a couple of Coronas with a lime over here ma'am?" said the girl who was driving.

ALCOHOL DETECTION

2007-11-05T07:58:00.000-06:00

Let me preface this by saying that I know this happens everywhere, and I know that no matter where we live teenagers are going to experiment. But that being said I also want to make my case in numbers.

I think that bored teenagers tend to experiment more than busy ones.
Living in a small town has it's ups and downs. There is not as much to do here as there is in....let's just say the Chicago area. I also believe that every school, big town or small has it's different groups of kids. You will always have your jocks, preps, partiers etc. But chances are when you are in a big town, the numbers help you tremendously. You have many more choices in who you can hang out with. Many more choices in where you are going to go.

I have found that here in a small town, all the kids tend to end up at the same parties, at the same houses & in the same cars.

Not too long ago, a few kids were caught here drinking & driving. These were friends of my 9th grader. No, my son was not with them, in fact he did all I would hope and pray for, he called me and I picked him up. He was at a party with all of these kids and the actual drinking occured at an after party. But these were his close friends. Their not bad kids, give or take a kid or two, just good kids who made a really bad decision.

As proud as we were of our son, we knew we needed to take some protective measures. We knew that like a cold virus, once someone sneezes it spreads like a wildfire amongst pre-schoolers. The same happens in teens whose friends start to try things out. It is rare that you will find a teenager who will drink alone. They will pressure someone into doing it with them. I am not THAT mother who would tell my kids they have to drop THAT friend. In fact, Movin Dad and I both know that just because these kids got "caught" doesn't mean they aren't going to go for it again.

We still remember what it was like to be a teenager. I know that the pressure will remain to drink. We can only offer hope, guidance, & prayer that he will continue to get out of the situation. Along with my other 3 kids. After all my eldest is a driver now and my freshman starts drivers ed this year. Their athletics are very important to them which I know was a part of his reasoning.

However a little mental insurance was needed on our part to plant a seed in the back of their head. We went out and purchased an electronic breathalizer test to have on hand. We also are getting a few drug tests from the police station to keep in the medicine cabinet.

We're not suspicious right now,however we both feel like it is definetly an "out" for them with their friends. In fact, I was fully anticipating an argument from both teen boys. I thought we would hear, "Don't you trust us?" But instead they both said, "Now when someone asks us, we can just say ~NO WAY our mom tests us on a regular basis!"

I am not here to hinder their "COOL FACTOR" I am here to help guide them to make the right decisions. My freshman and his best friend have a code. If they arrive at a party where there is alcohol their going to call me and say, "Duuuuuude, there is ONE CRAZY UGLY CHICK here!"
That's my cue to get there quick! They also have picked intersections for
me to pick them up at, because again...I am not here to hinder their coolness. If this is what they need to do for high school survival then I support them whole heartedly.

So the whole point of this post was to share with you my breathalizer experience. Movin Dad and I were just waiting to have a drink so we could test it out. How many drinks does it take to get to the center of a lollipop? I mean ...how many drinks can we have before we are heading to jail for drinking and driving?

So I went first. One beer each. As soon as I finished it, I blew into the detector and it said .09! WTF~ I can only drink one beer? Wait I cannot even drink one beer because
.08 is the legal drunk level. So I read the booklet and it says you have to wait 20 minutes after you drink. So 20 minutes later........ .02~ Much better!!! Then Movin Dad steps up to the plate......I am not kidding you after one beer and a 20 minute wait it registers at .00! WTF? SO we drink another one. I wait 20 minutes. It gives me a .03. Then I run upstairs to check Movin' Dad and he had fallen asleep. So obviously the guy cannot handle his beer! :) Well it was 11 pm to be fair.

Anyway, I hope I never have to use it on our kids, or anyone elses for that matter. But we're not taking any chances! It was a great investment.

* Note to self~ (future post) Why is it that a man and a woman can both go on the same diet and the man loses weight quicker and loses more weight than the woman.
Why is it that the man can drink a beer and the test shows NOTHING and the woman
drinks and registers every drop?

The results are in....Right this way....into room B

2007-10-25T20:09:00.000-05:00

My results finally arrived and the the letter said I was Breast Cancer Free.

Let me just give you a glance at a moment in my morning.
Typically I wake up just in time to drive children to school. I roll out of bed, blindly head to the coffee maker and pour myself a cup. I search for the keys and my purse. I have every intention (in my mind) if heading back to bed when I return. But 9 times out of 10 I am wide awake upon return.

Now on the day of my mammogram, I seemed to have rocked everyones morning. I woke up, stumbled down the stairs to get a cup of coffee, all the while wondering, "Can I drink coffee?" Of course I can, but I was half asleep, and hospital/tests made me think twice.

The minute I walked into the kitchen the looks could have stopped traffic.

My eldest was making eggs, my daughter was making a PB&J, my youngest was in the living room reading.
It was almost in unison...."Where are you going?" "Why are you so dressed up?"

(jogging suit & combed hair)

"I am going to get a mammogram!" I said.

They asked, "What's a mammogram?"

I answer with, " It's when I have to stick my boobies between these two plastic plates and then the nurse squishes them down and takes a picture!"

You could have heard a pin drop!

Then my eldest said in his ever so monotone voice, "Thanks...I really needed to hear that this morning!"

REMINDER! My youngest has been in the living room reading this entire time!!

So the day goes on.....I have my test....and then I go home....& take a nap!!!

When I pick up my youngest after school, it goes a little bit like this........

Hi Mommy, I threw a touchdown pass today on the playground oh and you know what tristan said today he said that maybe we could hangout on thursday oh my gosh mommy lunch was soo good today I only have reading and math facts to do for homework OH....So....Do you have breast cancer?

You could have heard a pin drop!

Who even knew he was listening.

...and if I may add....the only one of the 4 kids who even asked. I, of course told him that I did not know yet but that I hoped I did not and he replied with, "Me either mommy"

The day I found out I was breast cancer free, I let him read the letter and he said, " Good to know"

(He seemed so relieved)

What's in a name?

2007-10-22T22:52:00.000-05:00

I'M A NOUN?

Sonia --

[noun]:

An immortal

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

A little humor while we wait in the waiting room

2007-10-18T21:21:00.000-05:00

Still no results but my 15 year old showed this to me today and said it reminded him of me.

I tend to move furniture around about twice a week.

It's a sickness I know......but even this made me laugh.

Being 40

2007-10-17T08:13:00.000-05:00

About the age of 35, I tried to have a mammogram scheduled for myself. Each and everytime I was told that my insurance would not pay for it. I wasn't old enough. I did not have family history. I was not high risk.
And yet....each year, I would attempt to get it handled.

Now I'm 40, and the doctors, the friends, the commecials, the junk mail are all trying to get me to schedule a mammogram.
After all this is October, which means much more than fall or Halloween. It means it is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

I turned 40 in April and for someone who was so eager to get it accomplished for the last 5 years, I somehow figured out a way to put this off for 6 months.

I called a couple of days ago and she offered up an appointment for today at 6:30 AM. I am not really sure what I was thinking saying okay. I didn't even ask if there was a different or better time. I just took it. I had major regret at about 5:30 AM when the alarm went off.

The experience as a whole was not much different than getting a pap. It's very quick, there's that slight moment of body exposure to a total stranger, and then that quick moment of discomfort that lasts about as long as a blink of an eye.

The most painful part is waiting for a clean bill of health...

I decided I would make you all wait with me. Won't you have a seat in my waiting room? I'll let you know when the results are ready.

EVACUATE THE BUILDING

2007-10-03T12:38:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, Movin Dad and I went to the Packers football game. We were fortunate enough to sit in a suite. As soon as we arrived I bee-lined it to the food. I was starving and there were so many options. The minute we were done eating, a couple walked in that Movin Dad walked over to greet. Above their head was a blinking white light. I could also hear a subtle siren in the background. As I looked around the stadium, one of the men pointed out that all of the lights in every single suite were blinking. I remember him saying, "Oh, this is not good, something is happening."

Movin' Dad and I looked at each other and both had the exact same thought. "We gotta get out of here!"

Then I realized that it was September 9th and just days away from 9/11. I kept that thought in my own head but it was enough to get me the heck out of there.

Call us paranoid, but we had 4 children at home, none of which were watching the game. All I could think about was, "How will they know if something happened?"

I grabbed his hand and we headed out of the suite and into the lobby. A few of the employees were walking around trying to get us an answer. Our eyes met again and we realized...we don't need an answer.

As we headed to the door, a voice came over the PA system. "AN EMERGENCY HAS BEEN REPORTED, PLEASE EVACUATE THE BUILDING....PLEASE EXIT THROUGH THE STAIRS AND DO NOT ENTER THE ELEVATORS"

I REPEAT:

"AN EMERGENCY HAS BEEN REPORTED....PLEASE EVACUATE THE BUILDING.....

Over and over again, his voice, the blinking lights....it was as if time stood still.
The thing is as long as it is taking me to type this, it all happened in seconds....well maybe minutes.

Movin Dad reached into his pocket and realized we had left our tickets in the suite. he headed back and told me to go on.
"Seriously......I am not going anywhere without you!"

The thing is as we finally entered the stairwell, there was only one other couple with us. Sirens and voice still going. I thought to myself...."Are these people crazy?" "Is their laid back lifestyle in a small town feel really just denial?"

I was wearing heels, about 4 inches high, yet I was able to fly down the stairs like a ballerina. My heart was pounding for my children. After all, we really haven't made any friends that we have become close to. Who would they call? Everyone we trained them to call, lives out of state. We have only lived here a year. My oldest is 16 years old, very responsible yet at that moment, all I could see was a little boy who would suddenly have bricks piled upon his shoulders.

We finally made it to the lower level and walked out the door to see an elderly woman in a yellow staff jacket who seemed to be panicing. She lead us through to the herd of people who all just seemed to be following each other. As I looked ahead, this herd was heading upward, there were hundreds of people.

Movin Dad turned around and headed in the opposite direction. I followed.

He walked up to a man in a yellow staff jacket and asked "Where is the exit door?"
The man looked right into his eyes and said, "WHY do you want to leave?"
We responded with, "Their asking everyone to evacuate the building!"
His reponse," Well, once you leave, you CANNOT get back in!"

Are you freaking kidding me?

So he pointed to the door in the stairwell and out we went.

Into the crowd of people who were just arriving and entering the gate.

Movin Dad realized that the tickets he had put into our programs were not there.
We weren't getting back in. But I didn't care. At that point, we crossed the parking lot as
5 very loud jet planes were flying over the stadium.

It was all so surreal.

My belief in everything happens for a reason is what made it all real.

As we drove home, we spoke to each other about what would have happened with the kids.

Now don't get me wrong, we have THAT plan in order. You know, like who will raise them and take care of them if something were to happen to us. But what we realized is that we need a plan for our children in order to expedite THAT PLAN.
Who would have told them? Who do they call?

So when we got home we decided to take them individually and ask them the big "what if" questions that were haunting us.

My 16 yr old's immediate response was, "I HAVE NO IDEA!" Then he followed with "Call our friends in Chicago"
My 15 year old's immediate response, I honestly have no idea!"
My 12 year old daughter said without a pause, "I would make us all get into Nico's car and drive to Chicago!"
We decided not to ask our youngest.

First and foremost, "YOU DO NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE!!"

Bittersweet, It was a little sad to me that they closest emergency people in their mind, are our friends in Chicago.
Yet it also makes my heart warm that they feel that way about people who started out as friends and have now become family.

When we were done chatting with the kids, Movin Dad and I still all dressed up laid down on the sofa and were out like a light. It completely drained us both. Our adrenaline had hit it's peak for the year

Here's the clincher, it wasn't until the next day that we found out what the emergency was all about. Someone in one of the kitchens forgot to turn on the fan or open the flume or something like that so the emergency sirens, voice and lights went off.
Yes, it was a false alarm.

Now Sunday, I will be attending once again. I am pretty sure I would still leave if I had to do it all over again. The only thing I think I will do differently is maybe skip the 4 inch high heel shoes.

2007-09-19T08:54:00.000-05:00

I didn't have time to ask permission about posting this picture....sooooo.... I protected the innocent from being exposed publicly
in order to achieve my selfish Wild Card Wednesday homework.

Here I am at the ripe old age of 28 Country "W"estern line dancing with 3 fabulous "W"omen. My sister-in-law informed me that my dress is "W"ay too short and my other sister-in-law is shocked that they ever made jeans with such a high "W'aist.
This photo is rare because I am not a C&W girl at all. The fact that one of the few times that I actually got out onto the floor to line dance while also having our photo taken is priceless. * added note I am also about 4 months pregnant here!!!

"Wake me up when September ends............"

2007-09-18T11:36:00.000-05:00

One down, two to go!

We celebrated my babies 9th birthday last night. A ton of cake is left over and I have already had some today. (help me)
He was so grateful for everything and is so excited to celebrate his last single digit year. My heart is completely full that he is so happy.

This weekend we will celebrate my daughters 12th birthday. What does that mean to me? It means she will finally get to sit in the front seat, which is really all she wants. It means she will be having a party on Friday with all of her friends (boys & girls) Fortunatly for us, Mayberry Mom has hired our eldest to babysit. He is having a really hard time with his sister having boys here.
I caught him the other day trying to swipe her cell phone, so he could delete all of the boys names from it.
She is almost a teenager. One year away. BUt for now, she is 12 and we are going to enjoy that as much as we can.

Next weekend, we will celebrate my son's 15th birthday. He is one year away from driving. Also a boy- girl party. His list is quite long. I'm still working on wittling it down. However he is a middle child, and he doesn't want to hurt anyones feelings. He is trying to avoid any after shocks. He is saying that I cannot take pictures because then his friends will post them on myspace and then others "WILL KNOW" he had a party and that they DID NOT get invited. Whoa is me, the troubles of a teenager.

All I can think about is monitoring 25 some odd teenagers from making out, sneaking off, spilling gatorade on the carpet.

Whoa is me the troubles of a teen parent. And Whoa is me 3 birthday cakes.

So as the brilliant Green Day lyrics go~

"WAKE ME UP, WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS....."

2007-09-07T11:25:00.000-05:00

Today is a rainy, clammy kinda day.

I am having a garage sale.

It was Movin Dad's idea....and yet , here I sit (by myself)

Movin' Dad claimed he would take the day off to assist. Then his boss suddenly called and decided he was coming in for a meeting and a game of golf. Which in my mind is the reason for the blissful rain. Although he is still at the meeting, I thought to myself......"What's the big deal?"
If I can raise 4 children....while he works......then I can handle a garage sale while he work."

That was until the cup of coffee, bottled water & Dr. pepper kicked in. I realized I was alone. Do I close the garage sale....do I take the money in with me.......Do I just run in super quick and hope that noone runs off with all of the items that we actually consider a nuasance yet are trying to make the all mighty dollar from them? (SRY 4 THE RUN-ON)

So I decide to risk it......I carry in the money box......and grab my computer on the way out.

"What can I do?"

"Noone's online!"

"OH YEAH!"

"I think I used to be a blogger......let me think.....what was my password......maybe I could do that..... while I am sitting here doing NOTHING....~ (excuse me I have a customer)

customer: "Ma'am how much for the VCR tapes?"

me: "50 cents"

(she put them back)

Okay, so I pretty much have a garage full of furniture, a loft bed, an antique maple kitchen table and chairs, entertainment center, computer desk, china cabinet.......and all I keep selling are VCR tapes and books.
I have been up since 5:30 am open since 7:30 am and now
It's 11:35 am and I am here until 3 pm.

Many people have come in regardless of the rain. I sit here slapping mosquitos, spraying OFF bug spray every 3 minutes, my flat ironed hair is starting to poof, and all I can think about is whether or not the humid air is going to harm my apple computer in some way.

I ask you, "WHY?"
"Why, do I continue to subject myself to garage sales.....or should I say rummage sales." Apparantly, depending where you live, determines the title of the ridding of ones junk.

I am slightly concerned with the squirrel who keeps passing just in front of the garage doorway. Back and forth he carries his nuts. But every so often he pauses in the middle, just long enough to make my heart skip a beat. He looks at me as if to say, "I could come in if I wanted to!" It's a bit unnerving.

Hey, it's 11:43 now! WOW, how time does pass while blogging and awaiting customers.

The noises in the garage are also starting to creep me out just a bit. I am normally only in the garage for about 30 seconds each time. I get in my car .....I get out of my car. I have no idea where the noises are coming from. It's probably that stinkin' squirrel trying to mess with me.

How many of you have gargage, yard, or rummage, sales?
I'm curious to know if anyone has ever been robbed during a garage sale?
Biggest and or least profit froma garage sale?
********************************************************
CUTE STORY TO ADD IN~

Our youngest Luke happens to be thecomedian of the family. Yet a lot of that comes from having older siblings who are constantly joksters.

As you all know my oldest is driving now and we were in the process of finding him a vehicle. He was using mine for weeks when he was able to. First day of school he met friends for breakfast took my car. Well in Wisconsin you have a 9month probation before you can have more than one person in the car with you. My car is a 2007 with XM radio, navagation system , but even better it had gasoline in it. SO he and 5 other kids decide to all pile into my car and then he let his friend who is past the 9th month probation DRIVE MY CAR!!!!!!! AND when I got in my car the radio was full blast with the bass at full throttle.
I lost it. I was angry that he had loaned my car to another kid. I took his drivers liscence away and told him that his car would be here the next day and he could not drive it until I saw that he had respect for other peoples property. He would have to earn the trust back.

SO the next day I picked him up at school in his car, he looked right at me and said, "What...are you trying to rub it in!"
Okay I guess that snide comment means you havn't learned your lesson yet.
I asked him. "Did you tell your friends what I took away from you?"

He said, "YES, I told ALL of my friends!"

I said, "Did you all enjoy calling me the "B" word?

He said "NO!"

Luke says from the back seat, "SOO You didn't enjoy it?"
*********************************************************
My oldest son asked my youngest Luke,

"Luke, why do you stink so much?"

Luke responds with, "I dunno, maybe because I'm related to you!"

KIDS GO BACK TO SCHOOL ON SEPTEMBER 4th

2007-08-21T16:21:00.000-05:00

In A Few Days...

2007-08-07T12:53:00.001-05:00

My daughter and I will be taking a train into Texas for an all girls weekend with the women in my family.
The most commen asked question has been, WHY?
Why a train vs a plane?

Well initially my first thought was how fun it would be for my daughter and I to have this bonding experience before the girls weekend. Time to chat, about life and what not!

But as the day draws near, all she and I can think of is our 32 hour ride.
32hours on a train! SHNYKES!!!!

I KNOW WHITHOUT A DOUBT THAT SHE WILL NEVER FORGET THIS EXPERIENCE.
NOT just the train but also the time we will have with allof the girls on my grandmas side of the family.
Grandma, Aunts, cousins, sisters & inlaws, neices, daughters moms , it will be priceless I am sure.

As long as we can get through our 32 hours and the enjoy our 48 hours there so that we can do our 32 hours back home!!!!

Think of me!!!!

Choo Choo!!!

The rooms with beds were filled so we will be sitting passengers!!!! Choo choo!

2007-08-01T19:36:00.000-05:00

This morning my youngest said, "We don't have any "good" cereal!"

I responded with, "Well we need to go to the store and get some annnndd we'll get some doughnuts!"

I look over and see my eldest, who had just woke up and was already on the computer.

"Nico, can you go to the store and get us some breakfast!"

Without turning away from the computer...I see a profile grin from ear to ear!

It was the moment that hit us both.........he could drive!

Until this afternoon when I heard him on the phone with his friend.

"Yeah, I'll pick you up and then we'll go to the mall!"

(me freaking out inside~"THE MALL????? That's in the next town~OMG....what am I going to do~and then it hit me.....he can drive!

So yeah.....he got his lisence......and he is now on his way home from the mall! AWWWWW to be a teenager again! (no thanks)

THE TIME IS 7:13 am

2007-07-31T07:13:00.000-05:00

My son takes his driving test at 9:20 am.

~I'm jus sayin'

Deliverance

2007-07-30T23:08:00.000-05:00

We were on an Arkansas vacation this last week. Some very close friends of ours invited us to join them at a lakehouse that they had been to the year before. They had a boat and tubes and skis...but my favorite was the crystal clear water and dock. My eldest celebrated his 16th birthday while we were there. We asked him if he had any cake requests. He said that he only cared about the frosting and wanted cream cheese frosting. So Movin Dad headed over to the Wal-Mart.

Yes, that's right folks, he walked into the very first Wal-Mart EVER! Very cool....or so we thought! The night before our host, his daughter, Movin' dad and birthday boy went to pick up pizzas at a fabulous Italian restraurant. Movin Dad was laughing because birthday boy was doing a spell check on their chalkboard menu. Apparantly, they had trouble spelling Asparagus, Ravioli and some other words.

When he went into Wal Mart to order the cake, the woman asked what the name was. Movin dad said, "Nico" She then assumed he was a girl because of the name. Then she asked him to write it down. SO he did. When he picked up the cake this is what he found.

They spelled Nico correct. BUUUUUUUT what about HAPPY~she put Hoppy and what about BIRTHDAY~she put BRITHDOG.

HOPPY16 BRITHDOG Nico

To top it all off it was an ice cream cake and Movin dad was laughing sooo hard at the spelling (which of course he took the cake home because it was too classic of a story to have it corrected) That he stuck it into the fridge.

Around dinner time we took it out and were getting the #16 candles ready. I took the lid off and there she blew..........pouring out the sides. It hit me~he had put an ice cream cake in the fridge instead of the freezer and his BRITHDOG cake had melted.

Laughter erupted from everyone.
It is the cake we will never forget!

My question: shouldn't the FIRST official Wal Mart ever be a touristy place~with a professional cake decorator?

My statement /demand: Although we move every two to four years~if Arkansas comes up as an option~I gotta opt out of that one. At least until I know for sure that the kids can spell!

Every year from here on out...our family will say:

HOPPY BRITHDOG!!!!

2007-07-12T19:40:00.000-05:00

Today was a day like no other. By no other I mean dealing with something that I have never had to create a punishment for. Is it a punishment.....I meant a lesson.

You know like when my eldest at the age of 18 months old would mid tantrum begin to bang his head on the ground. I was at my wits end.....no idea what to do or how to handle it. Well , he will be 16 in 2 weeks. and I realized that the majority of what he did was based on my reactions.

My son has friends who are staying with us from Illinois. These are actually his best friends. The kind of friends that, as a mother you can just visualize them all standing up for each other as their Best Man. They have a strong brotherhood. They are very loyal to each other and would NEVER turn the other one in. So I pretty much knew how this would turn out when I confronted them.

Today I woke up and realized that something wasn't right. Then I began to notice some clues. (Which i cannot disclose because if he reads this it may only help him to not make those same mistakes in the future)

I realized that these boys had snuck out in the middle of the night to meet girls! Let me rephrase...not the middle of the night...2 am. It was that same exhausting feeling that I would get when he was a toddler and I didn't know how to handle the situation. I stewed on this all day and I'm not going to lie, I felt hurt, lied to and taken advantage of. Until about 4 pm, when I finally was able to sit them down and have the TALK! It was like looking at 3, 5 year old boys that had maybe taken a toy away from someone in kindergarten. But their not 5 years old. One is 15, one 16 and one 17.
Obviously, this is one of those things that you HAVE to nip in the bud. My way of handling it has to make such an impact on these boys that they will NEVER consider doing it again. Sure I could yell, ground, take priveleges away but with two boys from out of town, this would be a challenge.
So, I chose hard labor! I told them that they had to wash all of our windows inside and out, top to bottom. Then, I had a dresser that needed to be put together.
They thought they were getting off easy and agreed to the tasks. Until they finished the main floor and thought they were done.

(AHEM)~ "You still need to do the upstairs boys!"

"WHAT...how are we going to reach them?"

You can't see the third boy but he is on the inside cleaning that window.

It seemed to become quite the bonding experience. They will forever have this memory. While I felt that it was important for them to learn this lesson, my other thought was that these boys are going to be here until Sunday. Grounding them wasn't really even something I considered, and not something I think would have thought about in the future. They begged me NOT to call their mom and dad. They actually agreed to the windows under the condition that I NOT call their mom and dad. "Do I look like a negotiator?"
After speaking to both parents, I realized how this is the gift that keeps on giving. They too are planning on having these boys wash all of their windows as a follow up reminder to not even consider it in their home. The downfall of that is that my son will not get to participate in the "part two" of lessons in not to sneak out. But....I am sure I have more up my sleeve for him.

Wordless Wednesday

2007-07-10T23:33:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought my kids were smart

2007-07-09T18:20:00.000-05:00

Real life conversation with our "almost" 15 year old son today.

Son:
"Mommy, can I go to Sam's tonight?"

Me:
"We'll see...how today goes and how helpful you are!"

(son cleans kitchen for added points)

(other line rings while son is speaking to his girlfriend)

Son:
"Hello"

Dad:
"Where's you mom?"

Son:
"downstairs"

Dad:
"let me talk to her!"

Son:
"Well...I'm on the other line!"

Dad:
(silence wondering if said son realizes who he is talking to)

Son:
"You know...it's free, if you call her on her cell phone!"

Dad:
(silence)

Son:
"MOOOOOOM telephone!"

(later that day)

Son:
"Mommy can I go to Sam's?"

Me:
(long stare, smirk, dibelief)
"You realize that your dad told me what you said to him on the phone don't you?"

Son:
(smirk...silence)
leaves the room.

The end!

*added note:
(While eating dinner)

Son:
"I'll clean the dishes after dinner!"

DAD & MOM:
(smirk)

OUR FOURTH IN PICTURES

2007-07-08T09:24:00.000-05:00

Moments of rain....but we held out. It was completely worth it.

It's Summer!

2007-07-03T10:12:00.000-05:00

Many have been concerned that....perhaps.....My Space has sucked me in!

Well, If I were being honest, I was walking on the streets one day in a suburb near by when this bus spotted me from afar.

Just kidding! Although I was surprised to see this bus in our little bitty corner of the world.

Okay okay, My Space has sucked me in. It was like the light I kept walking towards but then I felt the pull drawing me back.
Now here I am! I am back.
We have been very very busy with visitors from the STATE OF TEXAS! My kids are getting to hang with their cousins and they love every minute of it. I am getting to bond with sister-in-laws! These are the moments my family will cherish forevA! (I picked that up from myspace) :)

I will be a better commenter I will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenterI will be a better commenter

I was going for 50 times on the chalkboard but....

I am thinking mid July I should be back full force, commenting my paragraphs on all of your sites!

Happy July 4th tomorrow!

Fathers Day Weekend

2007-06-22T10:34:00.000-05:00

Over Fathers Day weekend, we went back to Illinois. The pool we belonged to was our destination of the day. Walking into the pool was completely overwhelming to me. It was home. I truly felt like I was at home and just vacationing in Wisconsin. Everyone greeted us like family.

There is a cycling group who ride together every year on fathers day and then end up at the pool for whatever has been planned. This year it was a pig roast. Ironically enough the day before we had gone to a graduation party who also had a pig roast. Needless to say I'm all pigged out!!! The deal was, we paid 7 bucks a person and then brought a dish to pass. I brought a recipe my sister in law gave me called Black eyed Pea dip I will attach the recipe at the end because EVERYONE LOVED it. Even everyone's children, which is rare. So the big thrill of the day was that the guys had bought some kegs and one of these kegs carried root beer for the kids, the other...
Shiner Bock. A Texas beer that my husband and I love but it has always been local to the big state. Everytime my in-laws came to visit, they would bring Movin Dad a case of it. Well now apparentaly you can get it in Illinois.

So as the day went on an announcment was made that the food was ready. Movin' Dad happened to be at the keg at the time. As he turned, the table behind him had a boat load of red solo cups on it along with a dip that looked very similar to the one I had made. Movin' Dad decides to partake. a couple of chips later he realizes that this is someones table and this is NOT his wifes dip. :O embarrassment sets in.

One of our former neighbors in the old hood has a brother who is engaged to the former contestnat Leslie Hunt of American Idol

Well...she is at our pool sharing fathers day with her fiance and his family. (Our big celebrity siting) My plan was to have my picture taken with her to Blog about of course because doesn't anything out of the ordinary become a BLOG MOMENT at some point in time? I even thought that it would be funnier to swim up next to her in the pool and have my friends take the shot. But (A) I'm not really a swimmer and (B) then I would actually have to be in a shot in my bathing suit.

Then, my husband pointed at the table where he had eaten the dip and there she was.
It was her dip!!! I knew her fiance's sister so when we were in line to get food she walked pass me with her dip and said hello. I immediatly began apologizing for my hungry spouse. She said her parents were at the table and when he walked off her mother said, "Do you know that man?" She said, "Yes they used to live here and we know them" She was very sweet about it all and said it was no big deal BUT there was NO WAY I could then add sneaking a celebrity shot of Leslie.

As we were getting ready to leave, all of the kids walked us out to the parking lot. My 8 year old son's best friend stepped up to the side of Movin Dad's car window. He very calmly said to him, "Mr. Movin Dad, when you guys moved by far was the saddest day of my life!" My husband looked at him and his eyes were teared up. I still get choked up thinking about that.

But on a lighter note.....here's the recipe.

I'm thinking of renaming the dip a new name to go along with this story
any suggestions?

2 can of black beans or black eyed peas

2 can of white corn

2 can of yellow

rinse and drain

chopped red onion

chopped cilantro

1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 lime juice

garlic salt and pepper to taste

marinade in fridge
serve with scoops tortilla chips.

THIS IS MY LIFE

2007-06-15T07:37:00.000-05:00

SO THIS IS MY LIFE....I FEEL LIKE I AM ONLINE 24/7.

Although you would never know by visiting my blog. I feel like I have put off a tremendous amount of posting because my life seems to be monopolized by teenager monitoring.
Issues that come up daily, in the guidance department.

I could choose the easy route and just say no to all of their fun. That would make my life so much easier. A dictatorship....hhhmmm.......maybe......perhaps......it's a thought!

I can't do it. My job is to guide my children to make the right decisions not to just say NO and because I said so!
We have had many incidents in our home lately that are exhausting me. Some are boy/girl situations.....actually...they are all boy/girl situations.

It makes me think back to the day when I thought parenting was challenging...when my two boys were both in diapers., when I wondered if they would ever be potty trained..when they both started spitting...or even saying poopy head.
When I couldn't get them to nap anymore, or pick up their Legos that were spread out all over the place. It's hard to believe that I thought my life was exhausting, challenging. and couldn't wait to get through those stages.

Well......here we are......we got through those stages.
BEAM ME UP SCOTTY!

This stage in our life is challenging. I am the one who is here all of the time. My husband is a great father but he isn't always here. He works....he works so that I can stay home and raise these children. I love him for that. I try really hard not to burden him with the small things that come along, but when it is a boy/girl thing....he has to get involved. My advice and guidance can only go so far with a teenage boy. They really have to hear it from someone's whose been there. I can really only share the female perspective.

The other issue is that I am not always so good with handing over the reigns. I feel the need to know HOW Movin' Dad is handling it. My issues not his.
His first initial reaction was to just ban the boy/girl groups from being in the basement.
I had to intervene~ "Yes, that would make it easier on us but how is that teaching them"

They'll just go to someone else's basement....right?
So we try to explain...detailed explanation. Why you cannot EVER put yourself in a compromising situation with a girl because it's human nature for things to progress.
(I'm totally cleaning this up for you readers)
But if anyone remembers a month or so ago, when I referred to an episode of Family Feud where the top 100 people we surveyed the age you think you know it all....

Number one answer~~~ 15 years old. (I have one who will be 15 in 3 months and one who is 15 for another month)

This is the absolute most challenging part of parenting so far. I have loved every part of parenting, I feel blessed to have happy, healthy, intelligent, athletic children. But this is hard work, mentally, emotionally, and physically (I have to stay up way past my bedtime)

I created a myspace to watch over my kids. Although my oldest is more into Facebook now....I still have to get the other one through his MYspace stage. So when you check back a few weeks from now....and this is the last post I've created....you'll know.....
she's just monitoring her teens, because THIS is my life. This IS what I do. And to think...I have two more waiting in the wings, one just on the outskirts of teenage stage and one who will get there just when I thought I was all done.

FUNNY OR INAPPROPRIATE ?

2007-06-12T23:13:00.000-05:00

The Landlord

BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS HILARIOUS! I KNOW THERE IS SOME CONTROVERSY ABOUT IT BUT I SAW THE OUT-TAKES AND IT SEEMED OKAY TO ME. MAYBE IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN 10 YEARS AGO THOUGH...WHEN MY KIDS WERE YOUNGER. BUT TODAY....I THINK IT'S HILARIOUS!!!

Just being girls

2007-06-12T08:24:00.000-05:00

I want to believe that I am not making fun here. I'm really just telling a story...a true story....that happened in my car.
Something I overheard while dropping teenagers off at home.

I picked up my son from a bonfire at a friends house. He asked if I could give 4 girls a ride home because they were all staying at a home 3 doors down from ours.

The entire ride consisted of a lot of giggling and remember when's...

"Remember when...your mom fell asleep in the bathtub and we had to get her out of there?"hahaha giggle giggle
"Can you even imagine.....falling asleep in your own bath water!" hahaha giggle giggle giggle

Another conversation the girls had amongst each other:
"Remember when I went to "joey's" house...and his house was decorated just like Pottery Barn.....and then I felt bad because I said your house looks like Pottery Barn...but he said....I don't care if you say that, it doesn't bother me!
So then the girl asks, "Have you guys ever been to Pottery Barn.....girls respond with yeah.........It's kind of a weird store........I mean there's not even any Pottery in there....giggle giggle...another girl then says, "yeah and it's not even like a Barn!"

So as they were getting out of the car I said to my son, you gotta introduce me to everyone. I mean for when I tell the Pottery Barn story. They all giggle once again. The next day, one of the girls call my son to ask if I thought they were ditzy...because of the Pottery Barn thing and the comment I made.

I felt bad. Which is why I held off telling this story.

But come on ...it's funny ...no?

I think it's just part of living in a small town. Most of the kids in the town we lived in before probably don't even think twice about the store names. Pottery Barn has probably been a part of their entire lives.

But to be fair....I do not think they are ditzy....they are smart beautiful girls who were just being girls!!!

Smile, Your on Candid Camera!

2007-06-01T10:57:00.000-05:00

Is he praying, meditating, or or just deep in thought?

Last night we were at my daughters 6th grade choir program. (forgot to add that to my list of things to do the other day)
We were in a steaming hot gymnasium with the 6th grade choir, 6th grade band and all the parents, grandparents, & siblings you could count. I was initially taken aback by a comment the choir teacher made when the program began, welcoming all of the families. She then added that by us all being there meant that we actually cared about our children. (my husband almost didn't even go) My heart broke for all of the children who may not have had family attending. What was she thinking saying that out loud much less putting emphasis on actually caring about our children by showing up.

The program ran late because one of the soloist started to feel a little Queasy. Gee...could it be the 99 degree temperature in the gym or maybe it's that she was one of those children whose parents didn't show up?

Anyway, about midway my paper program suddenly became a pleated fan. Moving the warm air behind my 8 year olds neck. Why is it that in the hottest and most humid of temps, our children feel the need to sit in our laps or to lie their sweaty heads on our shoulders????

HUGE SIDETRACK~~~~
Back to the photo...Around the 5th song,as I wiped the little micro mini balls of sweat from my youngest' nose, I look over and Movin' Dad is
typing away on his blackberry!!! Or as I call it, his "crack" berry!
What do I do....I take his picture! Then we both just burst out laughing.

Which reminds me......

We are Sam's club shoppers. Movin' Dad and I differ significantly in our "shopping experience." If we were out shopping at the mall, TJ maxx, Home Goods, Outlet mall, I could spend the whole day there. Not Movin dad though. His big line is, 'I'm a buyer, not a shopper!"
HOWEVER...when we get to Sam's, I lose him every single time. He waits for every single sample he can get his hands on. As for me...I want to get in and out...no samples. The kids are like their dad. They don't even like going with me. So a few weeks ago when we went to get the kids a trampoline, we bee-lined it straight to the outdoor play area. Toting along our flatbed. Well, it came in two boxes, so he got one on and we stood there staring at box #2 wondering what we would do. When all of a sudden Movin' Dad remembers he wanted to pick up some Boca burgers and will be right back. SO I WAIT!
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
I finally decide to leave the flatbed and see what is taking him so long.
This is what I find...

SAMPLES!
I snapped the picture and then went back to the flatbed. He shows up about 8 minutes later saying, "Oh man....I couldn't find these Boca Burgers anywhere!"

"AHEM!" I say.
So I say to him,
"OH...by the way...I forgot to show you this picture I took!"

I pull out the camera and we both just burst out laughing again!
His excuse..."Hey they had *Brats!"

"Uuuuhh.....you live in Wisconsin.....*Brats are not hard to come by here, it's what they do!"

*By Brats, I of course mean the shorter version of the word Bratwurst the sausage. When I proofread this post I realized that some may think I meant a BRAT as in a child with no upbringing, but I can assure...we would not be shopping at Sam's for one of those!!

1408

2007-05-29T22:11:00.000-05:00

As I have stated many, many times I am a HUGE john Cusak fan.

I am working on my library of his movies. I just saw on TV the preview to 1408.
I was really excited when they said he was curious about the afterlife because I am TOTALLY into that too.
The longer the preview was on the scarier it got. I am a total wimp when it comes to scary movies. I used to watch movies like Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street & Friday the 13th. It's when they started doing all the part 20's that I lost interest. And just like I rarely get on a roller coaster I rarely sit through scary movies.

HOWEVER....this may be an exception.

Let me know if any of you "advanced placement Bloggers" get to see a special preview

(you know who you are!) then you can tell me how scary it is on a scale of 1-10!

Just curious...

2007-05-29T09:38:00.000-05:00

How many of you guys are going to Blog HER?
**********************

Feel my pain....
I was just watching Family Feud and the question of

"What age are you when you think you know it all?"

The number one answer was 15 years of age.

*I have a son who has been 15 since last July along with my second born who will be 15 in September. Two boys who think they KNOW IT ALL! I have no college degree in psychology nor do I receive a paycheck...But somewhere in there I should at least get a raise....no?
***************************************
I am so completely checked out because we are in the down stretch of school. A week and a half left. My brain is disheveled with the dates and times of places I need to be. This is what happens with 4 children and an UN-organized mom. Throw in 3 field trips, 2 birthday parties & end of the year formal all in a week in a half and what do you get?

ME!

I promise to be a better poster/commenter when this ride has come to a complete stop.

Be Careful What You Wish For...

2007-05-25T08:30:00.000-05:00

You always hope that your home is the home that all of the kids are at, until one day you wake up and realize,
YOUR home is the home where all the kids are at!!!

Kids we love, kids who's company we enjoy, kids who respect our rules! So what's wrong with this picture?

The two older boys (who actually do belong to me) are 5'10 & 5'9. HUGE appetites that are always growling. What I didn't think about or prepare for was that my home would be filled with 8-10 other boys who also have the same if not bigger appetites.Some are way over 6' tall. Last weekend, we had a home full of boys from the time school got out on friday afternoon until Sunday at dinnertime. I had just gone to the grocery store and like the tasmanian devil whipping through, my kitchen was bare.

One night we were making hamburgers (thank God) and my eldest had 3 friends here. The doorbell rings and it's a pair of brothers, each friends with each of my two boys. The doorbell rings again, 2 more boys my 8th grader is friends with. 9 teenage boys woofing down burgers & then asking for seconds. I say, what about me???? Do I get to eat?

My 8th grader has tried to convince them to maybe hang out at their house, but it is always unanimous, they want to be here. I would never in a million years ever deny them my home, everyone is always welcome.

I could seriously write a book on all of the mishaps that have happened, like the time 6 sophomores who walked in at midnight with 2 twelve packs of mountain dew and a bottle of NO DOSE wanting to pull an all-nighter playing guitar hero. But there I was to counsel while Movin' Dad slept. Then in the same evening 8th graders boys decide to get up and boil water for hot chocolate, except they turned the burner on high with no flame, couldn't figure it out so just walked away. YES, my home filled with gas for 45 minutes before I discovered it. You all know we would have been a 20/20 segment because no one would have woken up that next day.

I have been trying to figure out why our home is the place to be. We have some stuff for the teens to use like a PS2, guitar hero, DDR, air hockey, a music room filled with drums, guitars etc....But they have friends with indoor pools, tanning beds etc....

I made an executive decision last week that we have to get a trampoline. For the worriers of the world, I already know they can be dangerous. Remember my dry erase board? I will have rules outside as well. So far the kids all are very respectful of our indoor rules so I cannot imagine outdoors would be different. I just want them all to exert their energy before coming into our home. Of course that will probably only increase their appetites which is a never ending circle.

But I realized that living in a small town which probably has all of the values you could ever hope for, there is one difference.
My kids are constantly asking me about divorce, step parents, girlfriends of dads, boyfriends of moms. Everywhere we have ever lived, our kids may have known one or two kids who couldn't hangout because they were at their dads for the weekend. They never had a reason to ask us questions about that because most of their friends were in two parent homes.
I am not sure why the majority of their friends here are in single parent homes, in fact my 8th grader only has one good friend who has married parents. Then it hit me. A lot of my high schoolers friends have had girlfriends for 1 or 2 years, which is crazy from our past towns. I think kids here marry young and then the marriages aren't always successful. I think there are rare instances where people marry their high school sweetheart and then stay married but again...I think it's rare. How many kids do you think are ready to get married at the age of 18?

There's not a lot to do in a small town.

Anyway, I realized that last weekend, a lot of my boys friends hung out with us, Movin' dad and I. Maybe it's that they are just missing the family unit as a whole.
What do I know...I'm not Dr. Phil.

I really just needed a sounding board, because as I said before, I would prefer that they are here than somewhere else, I love all of these kids, they are good, respectful kids who find great humor in calling me mom!
But occasionally I need to vent about the crazy things that they do, the lack of food in my home, the girls who stay until midnight....and so on.

"The Will Must Be Stronger Than The Skill" Muhammad Ali

2007-05-23T07:31:00.000-05:00

I was watching Dancing with the Stars finale last night, and heard this quote.

If there is any advice I could could offer from parenting 4 children this would be one of them. In my opinion, or should I say through my experience, it doesn't matter how smart, or average, how athletic, musical, or even personable you child is, if they don't have WILL their SKILL doesn't matter.

I think that we all put so much into teaching our kids how to count and read which will turn out to be for nothing if they don't have the will to want to succeed. By succeed I don't necessarily mean straight A's, Yale, The Heisman Trophy, or even becoming a CEO of a company. I mean the desire to do the best you can even at the things you aren't good at. It means the desire to get through the monotony of the lemons you are dealt and still be able to make lemonade.

I have a son who is academically beyond my levels yet "needs" to connect with his teacher in order to be successful. If he doesn't like his teacher, he will pretty much just blow the class off. LIFE LESSONS have taught me that as much as I want to waltz into the office and have him switched to a class I know he can succeed in, I would only be hurting him in the big scheme of things. As an adult, as a parent, one of the most difficult things I have had to learn is how to let him fail. I have been trying to ....NO, not trying, I have decided to land the helicopter.

I am sure that you have all heard of the *helicopter parent that the media seems to use so frequently now. Well...
that was me. I am on the 12 step program now and I am up to about 205 days of grounding my chopper. I have to take it day by day.
I have plenty of sponsors that I call when I feel the need to Chinook my way into his school again. But just as he is learning to fly on his own, I am learning to let him. I haven't been this way with the other 3 children in our home.
Perhaps, they are the ones who allowed me to see that I needed to let him "want it" more that just doing it to please us.

How do you teach WILL? I am not sure, I wish I had the answer. I would bottle it up and QVC it out to everyone. Maybe he got it from me, after all the laundry could sit for days in piles on the floor. Although, I must say, throw a little competitive spirit into it and he has the will of a tiger! (as long as he likes his teacher!)

My name is Movin' Mom and I am a recovering Helicopter Mom!
The irony of it all is that my father was actually a helicopter mechanic.

My advice to you all, especially if you have a bright child is to have balance. Balance in the academic teachings and the life skills. It is so easy to assume that a bright child has it all figured out before the others. If you figure out how to teach "WILL" then let me know, maybe I can get the laundry done, after all your never to old to be taught a life lesson.

Am I suppose to hold my sons head underwater to learn desire & will????

Here is something I found online:
A student approaches a Teacher and declares, “I desire to learn from you”. The Teacher responds, “very well, follow me.” The Teacher leads the student to the ocean and motions for him to follow into the water.

When they are about chest deep in the water, the Teacher grabs the student and forces his head underwater. At first, the student is calm, thinking, “this is just part of some test, he will let me up in moment and I will impress him”. After a minute passes the Student begins to worry and struggle. Soon he is desperately trying to surface and becomes frantic.

The Teacher holds the student under the water to the point where the struggling ceases and the student almost passes out. Upon releasing him, the student angrily gasping for air shouts, “Are you crazy! You almost drowned me!”.

The Teacher looks into calmly into his eyes and says, “when you desire to learn from me, as much as you desired to get a breath, then return, and I will teach you”.

A drowning man will do ANYTHING necessary to get air. True desire is equal only to what you will do (discipline) to get the object of that desire. This desire is what Jesus meant by “hunger and thirst for righteousness”.

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. (NKJV)

(updated by suggestion of my 8th grader who had NO idea what a helicopter parent
was)
*A helicopter parent is a term for a person who pays extremely close attention to his or her child or children, particularly at educational institutions. They rush to prevent any harm from befalling them or letting them learn from their own mistakes, sometimes even contrary to the children's wishes. They are so named because, like a helicopter, they hover closely overhead, rarely out of reach whether their children need them or not.
An extension of the term, "Black Hawks," has been coined for those who cross the line from a mere excess of zeal to unethical behavior such as writing their children's college admission essays. (The reference is to the combat helicopter of the same name.)

(I would like to say on my own behalf that I never made it to the Black Hawk level nor do I ever plan to)

Tonight is it!!!

2007-05-22T10:56:00.000-05:00

Finally, all roads lead to finale's!

Well technically I guess Wednesday night is the end of American Idol. But last night my choice of Tessa won out the Bachelor's heart. From what I hear she had already let the cat out of the bag to a reporter.
But I didn't see that. I liked her from the second or so show.
Tonight is also the Dancing with the Stars finale, my vote from day one has been Joey Fatone & Kym Johnson. Although, Apollo is a great talented dancer Joey has such charisma, he's got to win.

I would have to say as far as Idol goes. I love them both but my hopes are on Jordyn.

Brothers and Sisters finale was magnificent. I loved how when the show began the father died from falling in the pool having a heart attack. The finale was the entire family jumping in to the pool together clothing on. It was such a tear jerker when Justin left for Iraq!!!

Well this sums up my next two days of tv and then I'm done. NO more new shows for me. Until Wednesday the 30th. Traveler begins and I have to say after seeing the preview, I am hooked. You guys gotta watch this show.

"Chicken Pox"

2007-05-20T16:58:00.000-05:00

This was taken about 11 years ago when my daughter was 7 month old. She actually had to go into the hospital with a 105 temp because it hit her so hard. But who would know looking at this picture. It's always been one of my favorite pictures.

"SWEET ESCAPE"

2007-05-16T12:54:00.000-05:00

I should probably introduce everyone first. Normally these fabulous women would never allow me to post pictures of them on my blog. I had to finagle a deal. So I agreed to put a really dorky picture of myself on here if they would let me attach pics of them. They agreed.

I am saddened that I did not have a pic of Ms. Florida and myself so I will have to add one of her with someone else. I gave them geographic names that they will know the meaning of. It will make it easier to understand.

This is my friend Ms. Michigan, she is my advisor, my sounding board, who I go to with questions of etiquette, yet she is the first one who can make me spew beverage out of my nose with laughter. She can be funky and ladylike all at the same time.

This is Ms. Arizona. She is a constant crack up. She pulls pranks and teases like no other. But when it comes to the teen woes, she always understands. We have such a similar way in keeping our finger on our teens while still wanting them to make memories and have fun. I have often called her my partner PI. (shhh she's also ontopofmygame)

This is Ms. Wisconsin. She and I try to bond weekly over our reality shows. She watches all the same ones I listed the other day if not more. She is always there to lend a hand and never asks for anything in return. I try to learn from her. She is an amazing mom/wife and to me a friend.

This is Ms. Texas. She is the type of women who is the first to jump in the pool and the last to get out. She can be the sweetest nurturing person yet she has a competitive spirit. She has been my guide through many of the questions I have had in raising a daughter. She is a fabulous mother.

This is Ms. Florida (sitting with Ms. Michigan) Ms. Florida and I quickly bonded on our knowledge that we met for a reason. On our faith that there are no coincidences. She is one of the most giving women I know and has a tremendous amount of information about so many different things. We both feel strongly about our spirituality.

This was the theme of our girls weekend for my 40th birthday/Mothers Day weekend celebration. A weekend at the beach with your best girlfriends who as I said to them are all so different yet the same. Amazing, respectable, loving, accepting, family driven women I am proud to call my friends.

It started out a little chilly but on the beach the sun was shining.

I had written them all a poem about how much they all meant to me and my family. In the same moments they handed me a gift for my birthday. It was a Tiffany's box with a beautiful white ribbon tied ever so perfectly as to not be disturbed, but as a woman knows it had to be untied!!! My beautiful friends gave me a ring to signify our circle of friendship.
Ms. Texas asked....."Does it fit?"
I said, "Perfectly!"
Then she asked,"Do you already have that one?"
This of course made me chuckle out loud, because seriously......."I don't own ANYTHING from Tiffany's!"

We ordered in that night and then my friend Ms. Texas revealed the CHOCOLATE CAKE! She has a gift you know....I cannot ever write with the frosting but she did it with ease. Along with lighting 40 candles, that took three big huffs and puffs to blow out.

This is a sign I found in the back room on our last day there. It was so fitting I had to add it. Only Ms. Florida could have found such a thing. We actually had one day when Ms. Michigan had us do an assignment where we wrote down a compliment to each of the women and then read them to each other. It was emotional yet one of those most memorable parts of the trip. Besides trying to ride my new bike up a hill. Ms. Arizona was injured so when the other girls ran and such she stayed back with me. Although I did bike one day and walked on the beach another day.

My friend Ms. Florida was our gracious hostess. She owns the lake house. It was beautifully decorated right out from a magazine. She has impeccable taste. And though there is a full size bathroom indoors the rule was we had to try the outdoor shower at least once. It was blissful. Really hot water under the trees, but if I had to admit it, my first time out there, I was quite skittish. Ms. Texas and Ms. Arizona tend to be pranksters...I didn't know what to expect. But it was relaxing. Ms. Wisconsin was the first to partake, and Ms. Texas was trying to come up with something to do.

So here it is......FINALLY the dorky picture of me that I know my friends have all been waiting for:

But on my own behalf, this particular day was very windy and the cold air was really hurting my ears. It became a
painfree or beauty decision and as you can all see........I chose pain free!!!!

So that summed up my "Sweet Escape" with the girls but I should probably add that the very next day Monday to be exact. I had to go back to the Chicago area with my eldest for a field trip from 6:30 am to 9:30 pm. I chaperoned 8 teenage boys around the city and only lost one!!!!
It isn't often that my eldest wants me around his friends....you know....because then they tend to chat around me.
So I couldn't pass this one up. Here we both are at Millennium Park resting my blisters.

Girls weekend

2007-05-10T22:32:00.000-05:00

So this is it...my girls weekend has begun. I just arrived at my friends house and am getting ready to go to sleep.

We will leave for the lake house first thing in the morning.

Will I update with photos?

Maaaaaaybe!

Will I update with video?

Maaaaaaybe....doubtful BUT maybe!

It's Thursday night and Greys was great......But The Traveler........that was amazing.
It caught my friend and I hook, line and sinker!

As if I actually needed another show to tag onto my regimented list of nightly shows.

Well......it's late........Goodnight!

This was a nice chuckle I found last night on myspace (just wanted to share)

2007-05-08T07:29:00.000-05:00

3 yr old kicking a monster's ass!

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Check out my Guestbook!

2007-05-07T21:51:00.001-05:00

My first TAG!!!

2007-05-02T22:25:00.001-05:00

So I looked today and I have posted 215 posts in the time I have been blogging and like WENDY this is the first time anyone has ever tagged me. I believe she said that this was her first experience being tagged to! So here we go, I hope I do it justice.

Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to blog about their seven things and post the rules as well. At the end of your post, choose 7 people to tag and list their names. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog! OK, here goes...

1. fact- I made horrible grades in school. Starting in 3rd grade up until 11th grade. If I had to do it all over again, I think I might have suggested I be tested for "issues" with 1 sheet worksheets that have 100 questions. Thank God I only have to come up with 7 here.

2. Habit-Q-tips...Sometimes it's just like a thing I have to have...like a security blanket. I may or may not need them. But it is a process. First I dampen the tip and make it pointy, I roll it left to right in the ear canal. Then I flip it over (to the non used side) and use it to scratch the roof of my mouth!!! (what's wrong with me....why did I just tell you that?)

3. fact-I one day hope to become a private investigator. I think I would be very good at it!

4. Habit- I have to blow my nose every single morning. I had a sinus surgery done and so that part of it is well, but my allergies are still an issue. (kleenex and q-tips are pretty much my MO)

5. fact- When I turned 19 and was legal to drink and go to bars, they switched the age to 21. I had 6 months of partying that was grandfathered in before I became illegal again.

6. Habit- When I get nervous I scrape the skin on the outside of my thumbs with the fingernails of the pointer fingers. Leaving that skin color a pinkish shade while my natural skin tone is hispanic tan. It drives me crazy.

7. fact-I am jealous of my 15 year old son who has eyelashes that are thick and reach from here to timbuktu.
my daughter and I totally got shafted there. I have always fantasized about trying fake ones but cannot bring myself to do it!!!

SO thats it...7 facts/habits all about little 'ol me! AHHHH I feel so cleansed now!
So now I tag 7 victims...buuuhaaaahaaa!
TKW
LA Daddy
Tommiea
Mayberry Mom
3 Boys O' MIne
Me
ontopofmygame

These are also 7 of my favorite Blogs in the whole wide world but here's the thing...I think their the only 7 people who read my Blog! :) Go check them out they each have a little different liquor in their cocktail, yet each quite refreshing!

I'm still here!

2007-05-01T10:06:00.000-05:00

I have checked out just a moment on my posting and commenting.

Call it temporarily getting things in order around the house, temporarily being the key word.

I still have quite the agenda before this weekend.

Preparing for a 1st communion.

grocery shopping

cleaning

homework projects that require parental assistance. (which goes against my every grain)

Oh yeah...and I have been exercising my body as opposed to my fingers.

So yeah that pretty much sums up my reasons for checking out until next week.

COMING SOON- My mother's day weekend at the lake house with my girlies to celebrate my 40th.
(as you can see I have come to terms with it) turning 40 that is.

So happy posting to all of you and hopefully I won't get to far behind on my reading.

If I don't get a chance before Saturday....Happy Cinco De Mayo!

red light~~~green light

2007-04-29T08:49:00.000-05:00

We have a friend in Illinois who we'll just call 007.

One day while 007 was teaching his son how to drive, he had a discussion about the light turning.
His son told him to scoot up so that his tire would make the light turn green. 007 said, "Who told you that?"
"There's not a sensor in the street that will make the light turn green!"
In fact, I believe I heard him say that this was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard!

I personally always believed there was.
Then one day here in Wisconsin, I was at a red light hootin' and hollerin' because i remembered my camera!!!

Back to the Future?

2007-04-27T11:39:00.000-05:00

A sign of the times?

The 80's were "totally cool for sure!"
They were my high school years. I remember kids meeting to race their cars on the weekend.
Chevy Camaros, Z-28's, RX-7's, but mostly older vehicles that had been supped up and supercharged.
Living in this small town in Wisconsin, where we now live it is truly like reliving my high school years.
I don't know if they race cars here but driving through my son's high school parking lot is like driving through mine way back in the day.

It is so different than anywhere else we have ever lived. Most of the suburbs we've resided in the past have been middle to upper-class neighborhoods so the cars in the high schools there, were nicer than anything I have ever known and Movin' dad is in the automotive industry.

The other day I was speaking to a boy who said that he was friends with a girl who knew my son. She told him that she thought my son was a sweetheart, but that one of his good friends was a butt-hole! A butt-hole? Isn't that hysterical...I have not heard that word since I was in high school.

If time machines ever existed...I believe I just entered it.

American Idol

2007-04-25T23:00:00.000-05:00

Okay who saw it????
I only caught bits and pieces. I was messing around with my myspace and checking up on my children's sites.

Then I heard Ryan say...This is Tom, the creator of My space...

There was some amazing stuff going on like this :

Who do those skinny legs belong to?

No not Celine....Elvis! I guess he IS alive!

So many stars so little time! They showed celebrities we thought had long passed, stars from all walks of life singing Stayin' Alive, Simon having emotion during his visit to women who were dying, Ryan working his A off trying to get to 35 million dollars. He looked exhausted. I was a little disappointed that Kelly Clarkson was advertised as that she was going to be on the show....i didn't know it was a different location. Ellen Degeneras
donated 100,000 dollars. Annie Lennox sang A bridge Over troubled Water....

But seriously, I'm just wondering....who are they kicking off the show tonight....their really dragging it out.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all over ending world hunger. BUT I'm watching the Tivo'd version...WAIT...I'm watching the Tivo'd version...I can just fast forward! (if you don't know who was kicked off stop reading NOW)

...okay there we go... finally...final results....NO FREAKING WAY!!!!!!!! Everyone is safe? WHAT THE....
That was weak!

oooh BONO! Lovin' him!

Well....that's what I get for being so reality show obsessed!

funny's from home

2007-04-24T20:09:00.000-05:00

Our youngest had crazy hat day at school yesterday. He purchased himself a hat from Wal-Mart for $ 9.88.
It was the type of hat you would see on Justin Timberlake/Frank Sinatra.

He has wanted it forever and thought this was his way of finally getting it. His 2 teen brothers thought it was cool, all the kids at school thought it was cool. After all the majority of them had on cheesehead, sombreros, Dr. Suess & cowboy hats. Quite a variety to say the least. So I asked him how it went and he said :

"Almost all the teachers in the school that are the same age as Grandma D, you know in their 50's, you know elderly,
loved it and kept making comments."

I cracked up and had to call my mom. It's like he gave and then took it away! 50's/elderly!

************************

Last night I took my daughter to get some shoes at the mall. My sister-in-law gave me this t-shirt for my 40th birthday.

Yesterday, I wore it along with some black sweat capri's and a short cardigan (because I was chilly)
So we pull into the mall parking lot and she says,

"Mommy, could you please button your sweater?"

me-"NO, there's nothing wrong with my shirt!"

her-"pleeease mommy, just button your sweater!"

me- "you know, you really shouldn't worry so much about what other people think, and your starting to hurt my feelings, so just leave it alone!"

She decides to walk 10 steps behind me as to not "be seen" with me! I know for some people this is no big deal BUT she has never acted this way before. Then I noticed that every time someone would pass us in the mall, she would look at them to see if they were looking at me, and if they did, she would fall back a few steps. Perhaps to trick them into thinking that we really aren't there together. As if there are many 11 year old girls walking the mall alone. When we finally left and got into the car, one of her best friend's from Illinois called our cell phone. She proceeds to tell her the horrific experience I just put HER through! Her friend said to her

"Don't you want people to know that your parents love each other, you know, they could be arguing or getting a divorce...I say, HEY...if you've got it...flaunt it!"

What a little ray of sunshine she is! 11 years old, she was just what my daughter and I needed at that point. It made us both laugh and kind of let the whole thing go. That is until I decided to share it with all of you.

It's what I keep telling her everyday...girlfriends are an important part of the recipe to get through life.

My Day at the Spa

2007-04-23T08:15:00.000-05:00

There were a few photos but...one had a little too much leg, the other...let's just say it wasn't my best side.

The overall experience was relaxing, which is why we go to the spa...right? RIGHT!

I'm not the type of person that does this spa thing on a regular basis, but have had the opportunity many times over the last few years. Each time Movin' dad won a contest at work, we were off to a resort. Each time he & his team hosted we were able to partake as well. Normally you receive a card that offers a list of choices, anything from spa services to golfing, to a bus over to the outlets, Disney, and even just to lay by the pool (or is it lie by the pool) I'm sure you get the visual. I always chose spa...its a no brainer. Movin' Dad doesn't even have to call and ask, just signs me right up.

Remember in my past career, before I became "Mommy" I was in a salon. Again, it's there for you whenever you can get in (usually during downtime)

Spa experiences just seem to have fallen in my lap. I don't remember ever paying for it. Other than Movin' Dad purchasing it as a gift for me.

Hands down, the BEST experience for me has to be the Ritz-Carlton Resort in Orlando. I thought that perhaps they would have lost their spot when I went to The Peninsula in Chicago, it is THE nicest hotel I've ever been to. BUt the Ritz kept their spot.

Now, living in Mayberry...one might expect my spa experience to be...questionable perhaps?

It started out with a facial. A facial that was a bit confusing. She spent the majority of the time in the area I will call the "nest" area. Right below my neck yet above my chest. Seriously...a one hour facial and 45 minutes were spent on the nest area. She did relax my traps and arms and hands but very little time was spent on my actual face.
F-A-C-I-A-L = Face, right?

Next, we went into the massage room. Different girl. She seemed as if she could hurt me. But I told her my main reason for being there was for relaxation. She started out by saying that she wanted to do a sensory thing. She held 3 jars up to my nose, and then asked me to choose the one I liked best. I was a little stuffy so I could not smell a thing. I just picked the first one and hoped and prayed it was a good one. She said in her whispering voice, "that was the tangerine." That hour flew by. But before it had flown the coop, it came to a screeching moment for me when she asked that question...that no other masseuse had ever asked me.
"Would you like me to do your glutes?" I can honestly say...this was a first for me.

Then came the mani/pedi part. She was fabulous. I enjoyed our conversation, and she filed my nails exactly the way I like them. It'll last a week or so then, they will go back to chipped up non-filed nails.

All in all is was nice, I guess as nice as a day spa in Mayberry can be. It will forever go down in my history book as the spa that asked about my glutes!!!!

Self-Infliction

2007-04-21T07:49:00.000-05:00

I recently realized that my 200th post came and went without me even realizing it. I decided to go back and maybe read some of my favorite posts and perhaps link them to share. Then I realized that I didn't really practice self-infliction when it came to my Blog even though I have plenty of issues! The majority of my "I have it all figured out" posts seem to refer to my parenting. Again, not to state that I do have it all figured out but maybe because parenting is the one thing I have NEVER taken for granted. The one thing I would NEVER drop the ball on. The one thing I work hardest at and feel that I am good at. You guys don't even know how hard that was for me to state out loud. Compliments are something I have never been able to swallow much less state especially about myself. But this isn't suppose to be about what I'm good at. Welcome to my self-infliction:

Why is it that if I can get by during the winter without shaving my legs then I will. BUT...If I get an appointment for a pedicure or even one with my OB/GYN my legs are as silky smooth as I can get them?

My poor husband!

Why is it that I am completely okay with dishes in the sink, laundry piles to do and dust I could write my name on, but when we're having company I can get all cleared up in a 5 minute time period.

My poor family!

Why is it that I would rather give Oprah my ratings by watching her show from my sofa than to actually get up and do what her and Bob Greene are advising to get into shape?

My poor body!

Why is it that I can watch Cesar Milan (The Dog Whisperer) and hear him say that exercise, discipline, affection is the way of the balanced Dog, BUT I seem to drop that first word from my routine because it would mean I too would have to exercise.

My poor Dog!

I could go on and on...my spelling and grammar s-u-c-k!
I know there is a spell check BUT for some reason it just takes too much for me to send my cursor over to that area
you know....the extra step!

My poor readers!

I guess I can only sum "ME" up to say that I can obviously only take on one task at a time...right now...it's parenting. I'll get to the dishes when I'm finished!

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Spring is fresh veggies

Sunshine

Blues Skies

Green grass

That was yesterday, today is another B-E-A-UTIFEL day...

...but we're all held up in the house with food poisoning. It was my birthday cake. Movin' Dad picked me up a Casada Cake while in Chicago. It was delicious. Until last night...stomach pains, headaches, body aches, nausea, and so much more I won't even share....

Movin' Mom won't be back until her home is once again HEALTHY!!!

Shopping @ Target

2007-04-20T08:15:00.000-05:00

About every 3 weeks, I have to drive to another suburb to get to Target. It's only about 10 minutes on the highway if even that. One might think I bought lots of fun doodads by this photo...

...But it's really just a case minus two of Pellegrino. I crave carbonation! Living in a suburb of Chicago, you could pretty much purchase this stuff anywhere. But moving to a small town in Wisconsin, limits me to what I can find in the grocery store aisle. I asked once, and they responded with, "Oh...is that that green bottle....with a bunch of writing on the label....we don't carry that anymore because no one ever bought it!"

So one day while shopping at Target....I spotted it on the top shelf. It was as if I had found a missing diamond earring in the back of my car. I was shrieking with delight. I bought all 12 bottles. I assumed that they must order only one case at a time, so I bought them all. This particular trip was not as successful. Someone else had slipped into Target before and bought two bottles from my case. So I left with 10. I am probably paying top dollar for it but I don't even care. It's a fix for me!

I like lots of ice and two limes! AHHHHH...refreshing!

I'M OKAY!

2007-04-19T08:12:00.000-05:00

Really I AM okay! I woke up this morning & verbally whispered...I'm forty!

Movin' dad let me open my gifts last night because he was going to Chicago for the day.
I got lots of good stuff, One gift in particular was a day at the spa. He also already made the appointment.
My sister-in-law (Movin dad's sister) is my best friend. She and their older brother are coming into town today.
Tomorrow SIL and I are going to the spa together. mani/pedi, facial and massage!!! I can't wait!!!

I got another DVD to add to my soon to be library of John Cusak movies. I hope to one day have the entire collection.
Huge fan!!! I love John Cusak. The kids bought me Must Love Dogs.

It's too early in the morning to take a photo op of what 40 looks like but maybe later today.

Perhaps I will have an array of photos from our spa experience tomorrow as well.

I would like to add that age 15 seems to be the age my son thinks it is okay to joke about my age. Especially since he has never done that before.

At Target he pulled a shampoo off the shelf that was called Pro Age...

"Mom, you should probably start using this shampoo on Thursday"

"Mom, why is the font SO big on you computer...haha!"

I wanted to buy this belt buckle because Movin Dad works for Chevy and my son told me:

"You need to act your age!"

Well at the time I was only 39 so maybe I should have just got it anyway!

So I begin my 40th birthday today with a nice hot cup of coffee, dropping kids off at school
and now I am off to drop our pooch at the groomers.

All I ask for is sunshine and warmth.

Wild Card WEDNESDAY

2007-04-18T11:45:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day of my life that I can legally say that I am 39 years old! Tomorrow morning when I wake up I will have to say that I am Fffffff... ffffffor...... anyway, I don't have to say that until tomorrow, now do I?

Today, I am 39 years old!

How old are you Movin' Mom?

Me? Well I'm 39 years old!

Yep! Still in my thirties!

Ahem...thats me t-h-i-r-t-y n-i-n-e!

Wait...is there a "W" involved?

How about WOMAN?

I am a 39 year old Woman!

What...you can't see it?

2007-04-18T08:29:00.000-05:00

Well I guess I tried out a new thing by making my you tube video private. It said it was set up to only be viewed by my friends that I allowed to watch it. So I emailed it to friends, only to discover that it was friends that "belong" to You Tube.

So that was a weak post yesterday!

Wait...it's Wednesday...Gotta get my Wild Card Picture going...BRB!

Just a day in our life!

2007-04-17T11:37:00.001-05:00

Here is my oldest son rolling like a tree hitting the ground, our youngest rolls with grace & ease, our middle boy cannot even get in the right position to grab his feet. Our daughter backbends without fear. My oldest flippin' my youngest around like a dishrag. The ending part are my two oldest when they were little showing off their biceps...or lack thereof!

This is my daughters favorite song. It amazes us how she has the ability to memorize lyrics so quickly.

SPRING BREAK IS OVER!

2007-04-16T07:45:00.000-05:00

We drove into Chicago to pick up my eldest who had been there since Tuesday. His friends twisted my arm to keep him an extra day, and so I caved.
This allowed our other children to be able to see their friends. Especially since the majority of their spring break was spent looking out the window at SNOW!
We pulled into town right when the middle school was getting out. My 14 year old called his friends and they all flocked to the front of the school to invade our car. Most of his friends were getting on the bus to head over to a track meet. He begged and we let him go. At the same time, my daughter's friend was walking out of the school and did a double take at us; jaw fell to the ground and then it hit her! She ran over to our daughter and they both shrieked as only a 6th grade girl can with sheer delight. My youngest just ran with the punches as always. Asking over and over when we were going to drop him off at his friends house.

I, on the other hand had a brilliant plan. As I posted before my biggest struggle is not being able to find a hairdresser.
In fact, right before we went back to Chicago, the light bulb went off...I'll call and see if Amy can get me in. Sure enough, she had an opening around the time we would be pulling into town. Talk about shrieking like a 6th grade girl. This would at least hold me until I was comfortable enough with someone here.

When we dropped off my youngest at his friends house, all of my friends started showing up. It was fabulous. Although I kept repeating over and over to them that I needed to leave. My appt is at 3:30 and I do not want to miss it. They kept telling me to wait and then a friend said, "I'll take you to get your haircut, so Movin dad can drop
one son off at the track meet to see his friends. My daughter was going to her friends house and everyone was accounted for and happy. Then my last friend walked in, they were all there except one who was ill. That one friend being ontopofmygame but the other four were there and I felt loved.

They handed me a cookie
Along with this card:

The card was filled with Birthday wishes from all 5 amazing women along with a poem inviting me over Mother Day weekend to one of their lake houses. A girls weekend sitting on the beach soaking in the rays!!! (hopefully Mother Nature will comply) I never had sisters but these women are my chosen sisters. And if I absolutely HAVE TO turn 40 then I couldn't imagine a better group of women to do that with.

I would like to point out that I do not turn 40 until this Thursday. My father-in-law who passed in November will have his ashes put to rest that day. My mother-in-law chose this day because it was the day his mother died. It was also the day in 1994, that the whole Waco/Branch Davidian fiasco came to an end and the date of the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995. Yes, many scary sad things have happened on the day of my birth. So I won't allow turning 40 to be a negative thing. I can only end on a brighter note, my birthstone is a diamond...hint hint!

EnDuRaNcE lEvElS

2007-04-09T22:46:00.000-05:00

Tis the season to think of weight loss...or should I say "getting into shape".

I have decided to only eat my three meals a day on our smaller plates versus our dinner plates. I guess they are considered the salad plates. So far I am on day 2 and have done very well. That would be 6 meals all together. I am quite surprised that I am not still hungry when I am done. I guess a lot of my problem is that the food is there.

Now on the first day, I mentioned to my daughter that this would be my new plan. While making dinner, she decided to set the table. When I walked over to set a platter of food down I saw 5 dinner plates and one salad plate. The funny thing is that it had already left my conscious mind. If she had not done that, I would've just grabbed a regular plate.
Then I noticed that she switched hers to a salad plate and said that she just wasn't that hungry.

Our family has always eaten very healthy. My kids eat all of the vegetables and fruits that God created along with fish, chicken or just about anything we put out. We have never used the word diet in our home and have always explained to the kids how food is like medicine for their bodies. It is okay to have sugar but in small doses and only appropriate times. For instance, if you know you have a test, or a stack of homework, stay away from the sugar. They know how to nourish their brain.

I was completely surprised by her reaction to go with the smaller plate but didn't give it any attention. Now a days we have to be so worried that our daughters are loving themselves wholeheartedly and taking the best possible care of themselves. I just explained to her that I was trying to get into shape because before I know it we'll be at the pool everyday and I would like it if we could all ride our bikes there when we go as opposed to driving. The other day I went for a walk...a walk I add at the park and one time around required my inhaler. Granted, I know that this happens every spring, the air just makes me allergy ridden but adding a walk to that made me feel like I needed to build up my endurance level. I am sure she is wondering why I feel eating off of a salad plate got us to the inhaler but my natural instinct was to do damage control.

As a mother we will never stop believing that the things we say may put our kids in therapy one day.

The only way I will know if this works is by my clothing fitting better because in this house...I do not weigh myself.
Mainly because I do not care what I weigh. I just want to be able to fit into all of the clothing in my closet. Who knows...maybe if I wore a size two...I might just step onto a scale to see what that is like. But I have not been a two since I was 16 years old. I am an 8 right now but am my healthiest at a size 6.

I wish the weather would warm up, that always makes me want to be outside. But instead, I need to find the desire to get into the gym, build up my endurance, so that when my family wants to ride their bikes to the pool I'm not holding everyone up!!!

The Wizard of Oz

2007-04-07T15:46:00.000-05:00

As you can see from my previous post...I watch me some TV!

Why, you ask? Gee...I don't know? MAYBE it's because we live in Wisconsin and it is April and it is spring break and my kids are all home and I woke up to SNOW on the ground this morning!!!
(please excuse my run on sentence, it was required to get my point across)

Are these adorable or what? We also have Glenda the good witch but she's MIA right now. I have my eye set on the Wicked Witch, Lion, & Dorothy. It's all about McDonalds right now. All 4 of my kids L-O-V-E-D The Wizard of Oz when they were each 18 months old. I don't know what it is about that age but for some reason that is when they had the attention span to sit through it. They all 4 went through the stage of the red slippers, carrying the basket and putting a stuffed animal in it to represent Toto! Movin' dad said it was his grandpa's favorite movie to watch every year at this time.

So I'm chatting away the other day with my younger brother, when I realized that my adorable niece who loves to sing and dance has never seen it! She's already 26 1/2 months old. She's lost so many months already! So I called my mom and said, you have to buy it for her. Then go to McDonalds and get her the toys that go along with it!!! If she loves it I will send her our red shoes, basket, and of course the Dorothy costume my daughter wore for Halloween when she was 2 years old.

I just realized that all we have is the VHS version. I need to update it to a DVD. There's just something about that movie that we love. No matter what your age or gender is, I have never met a person who didn't like it.

Movin' mom can say, "There's no place like home!"

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!"

"My" Reality TV

2007-04-04T22:13:00.000-05:00

On Bravo's Design Star my two fav picks are: Goil & Matt

On Dancing with the Stars my vote is with Joey Fatone & Kym Johnson.

On The Apprentice my vote is with Heidi

The Bachelor
Amanda

Bevin

Peyton

Tessa

On American Idol my pick is difficult ...I have more than one. So I will just say,

Blake

Chris

Jordin

Lakisha

Melinda

WILD CARD WEDNESDAY

2007-04-03T22:38:00.000-05:00

The Kept Woman Wild Card Wednesday once again
Caller ID
Does this even need an explanation? I know exactly who this is because, they call all. of. the. time.

It is one of those calls where they say they've got great news...you've just won a satellite TV system blah blah blah!
(I never really get past that part)

I have to give them some credit though...at least they pre-warned me NOT TO ANSWER THE PHONE!

Before anyone says it....I know I need to recharge the phone.
*****************************************************************************

Tonight we spent an hour discussing our spring break. What to do...where to go....who can accommodate...why each one wanted to go to their choice...and when we would leave and come home. Each child had their own agenda. We are keeping it to a 2-6 hour drive no matter where we decide to go. So my 14 year olds thoughts were to spend the majority of the week with his friends. Then he followed that comment with...

"But I am only ONE man and we are a family so we have to all decide."

Laughter is always great medicine when everyone is fighting for their voice to be heard.
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Yes, the photo is bad quality...but it's late....everyone is asleep I took it with the kitchen light off. None of that matters...all that matters is that all of my Boursin cheese lovers will love this product. I found it this weekend at Trader Joes. No we do not have a Trader Joes here and this is very upsetting to our family. But we can drive an hour and a half away to find one. They are little itty bitty boursin bites. I put them on my salad!!! YUM-O

Sonia/Sonia

2007-04-02T15:49:00.000-05:00

*Update- I left off the fact that I was constantly teased by kids calling me Sonia Lasagna.
NOW as an adult Movin' dad has found great humor in calling me San-Jonia. (I do not like that) In Sanjaya humor!

Anonymity?

I guess not anymore...we're now officially on a first name basis.

As my profile reveals, I am a native born Texan. I do not have a southern accent because reality has placed me in the midwest for the last 11 years. To be perfectly honest, if you were to ask me today I would say that I never really had a Texan accent. But then there are those camcorder tapes of me with my two little boys, and even though I was in Tennessee at that time there was a twang.

I actually sounded like a complete different person. Chatting away with Texan relatives, I fall right back in and out of the southern belle lingo with a blink of an eye.

My children often say, "Who did you just talk to, because your talkin' country again?"

Here's the thing, and I am not sure I can do this post justice because it really has to do with the pronunciation of my name. But here it goes:

My father, who was born in Mexico named me Sonia (SOE- NYAH)

I was raised in Texas with many caucasian southern twang friends.
They always addressed me as Sonia (SAHN-yah)

When asked what my name was I would always say (SAHN-YA) After all that is what people had always called me since I was in the 1st grade.

All of my relatives would call me (SOE-NYAH) All of my friends (SAHN-YA)

NEVER CAME UP FOR QUESTION! Not once ever! No one ever asked how do you say your name? No one ever asked which way do you prefer? There were always questions about my last name (but that would be too much nakedness on my anonymity) So we wont go there.
There were millions of questions about my lack of a middle name! I was even sent home in 7th grade by my English teacher because she thought I was being a smart aleck when I said I didn't have a middle name. My dad chose to eliminate the middle name because of the length of our last name. Of course I made sure that I put much thought into my children's names and their middle names. Yes, they all 4 have a middle name!

When Movin' Dad moved me from Texas to Illinois, no question. Then we headed up to Michigan. EVERY PERSON I MET ASKED ME THE SAME QUESTION!

- "Is it Sonia or Sonia?"

- "It doesn't matter, I will answer to either!"

- "But which do you prefer?"

- "It truly doesn't matter!"

- "But I want to call you by your name."

- "OH for Pete's sake, I honestly answer to either. My dad named me SOE-NYAH but growing up in Texas everyone just called me SAHN-YA because the mexican accent was a little too much for them."

- "So which one do you prefer?"

sigh, sigh ,sigh

- "Well then, we will just call you SEWN-ya"

It kind of made me think that the language arts dept in Michigan schools must rate very high because no one has ever questioned the rules of language on how I pronounce my name. My immediate group of friends in Michigan decided to just call me Sasha! When I was in Illinois I had a woman ask me, who has turned out to be a very good friend of mine and I told her that she is the first person outside of Michigan to pose that question to me. She said. "I was born and raised in Michigan."

Now in Wisconsin, no questions.

Since you all live in so many different parts of the country I would be interested in hearing if you would question what to call me.

This is my Sunday "cheat" post because I have a lot on my plate tonight!

2007-04-01T20:17:00.000-05:00

You Are 20% Left Brained, 80% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning.
Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others.
If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic.
Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet.

The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility.
Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way.
If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art.
Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Life isn't suppose to be fair; Live & Learn

2007-03-31T00:03:00.000-05:00

I am sure everyone is up to date on the school in Seattle who banned Legos due to "social and political understandings of ownership and economic equity ... from a perspective of social justice."

From the time my children were a year old like their father and uncles, they had Legos. Every birthday and Christmas they would receive the latest and greatest kit to hit the market. We still have them all and they are the one toy that regardless of age, can occupy for hours.

Yes, we had power struggles over who's was who's. Yes, they were often put in time out (the lego's) to settle the daily disputes. To this day my two older boys tell me I was unfair in letting their 3 year old brother "recreate", "reform", in other words break apart their masterpieces during their school day. I would repeatedly tell them, "That's the fun of Lego's, you build, take apart and then rebuild. But they just couldn't see it from my perspective. Then we went through the stage of hiding our favorite parts. It was always the teeny tiny pieces too. They became negotiating tactics when one of them needed a certain piece to build their structure.

I know that when they have kids, this is the one thing my kids will do differently but I feel that as far as the school banning them because it was causing bullying, or unfounded ownership over items that in reality didn't belong to any of them because they are school property...right? I would just say, you can do what you want with your legos at home but here at school everything is open range...am I right?

Dodgeball was banned at my kids last jr high because of one particular boy who was slammed in the face with the ball. His parents were infuriated and raised all kind of hoopla to get it banned.

But did anyone think of the damage this has done to the boy? I'm not referring to his face either, everyone knows who it happened to and that it was his parents who were responsible for banning the game. He will forever go down in history as the "crybaby" who had dodgeball banned. My kids still tell everyone here that story.

One elementary school we attended a few years back, also followed some of this kooky way of thinking. I was a 1st grade room mom. Right before every party we would have to meet with the head room mom and discuss our plans for each and every party. We were all required to do the same thing, play the same games, give the same treats. "WHY?" I asked. Because after school, if little Bobby is sitting next to little Susie on the bus and has a bigger lollipop then Susie might be upset!

HELLLLLOOOOOO...that is life sister! Welcome to reality! What are we teaching our kids if they think at a young "protected" stage in their life that everyone has the same thing? It doesn't work that way! I'd like a lake house... susie has a lake house, I want a cleaning lady...Bobby has a cleaning lady! What do you mean I can't have it!

In the words of Veruca Salt, "I want an eva-lastin gahb-stoper, Dah-dee!"

Who wants a Veruca Salt for a child? Don't get me wrong, I have called my kids Veruca Salt on occasion and they can't stand it! But my kids know that we don't have a maid, and we don't have a lake house and we don't have a lot of what some of their friends have but they also know that there are way more people out there who have way less than us.

It's all part of life, the ups, downs, fighting over legos, being slammed by a dodgeball which is much better than being the last one chosen for the team, not getting invited to a party, having to clean your own home, running through the lawn sprinkler instead of sitting by the lake. This is all about building your character. Everything we experience in life is what makes us who we are. If we all have the same stuff and do the same things and always cross the finish line at the same time, it would be difficult to find happiness. I want my kids to find happiness in all that they do, and know that if they work hard for something then they can achieve whatever they want. Life isn't suppose to be fair, Live & Learn. They may fail, they may lose, they may even get slammed in the face with a dodgeball, but I am sure they will learn quickly where the game got it's name... DODGE. the. BALL!

Peace in our home

2007-03-30T19:05:00.000-05:00

As I've mentioned in the past, a huge pet peeve of mine are parents who allow their children to do whatever they want and then complain because they do not behave. Sure it's easier to give in, especially when your out in public but that only hurts your ability to parent successfully. I am not trying to "claim" that I have it all figured out because there is a level of chaos that goes on in our home. However, having children of many ages and stages along with all of their friends who vary in their upbringing and behavior I have found that it can be very exhausting to set the ground rules every single time someone new was in our home. I would like to say that I could depend on my children to set those rules with their own friends but...that doesn't always work. I found myself disciplining my own children for their friends actions.

So a few years back I came up with a system of posting our family rules for all to see. The funniest part of this system is when my two older boys have friends over, I see these teenagers reading them. They have even called my children out on breaking some of the rules. I write them on a dry erase board so that I can update it as need be. For instance, our oldest had 4 boys (wrestlers) sleep over one night before a tournament. One of the boys was making watermelon, fried chicken comments to another. When I spoke out and told him that it was not acceptable, he said,"Oh Mrs. C it's okay I've known him since 1st grade!" I had to have a more lengthy conversation with him and then the next day I added the NO RACISM to the board. I have also had to add some pretty silly ones, but you know...it is really true when the experts say that kids WANT rules because while at a sport function at school I overheard a boy say to my son..."Hey that's against your mom's rules!" I try to keep as much humor attached to it as possible. My oldest has always had those lawyer type tactics. He needs to see the rules in black and white (or color like i have it). He may have slapped his brother but if I ask, "did you just punch your brother?' He will deny it because he slapped him not punched him. I have to be very clear with my interrogation. You know, you want a smart kid but their intelligence can come back and bite you in the rear end if your not careful.

It takes a lot of un-needed stress off my shoulders and all of these kids continue to come back to my home and hang out, so they can't be too horribly strict for them. Although I do wear the "strictest mom in town" award with pride! As long as my kids behave in public and show integrity when I am not around then I don't mind being the ogre at home. I really just want everyone to HAVE FUN!

Thursday- That was then this is now

2007-03-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

*(update) Last week was my first Thursday-that was then this is now post and since my son made a comment about how he thought it was a great idea, I had to incorporate it with his 1/2 birthday. He is only a year 1/2 old in the picture and what a head of hair he had.

So he's not the oldest

he's not the youngest

he's not a girl

so as far as boy's go...

I guess he's our middle child.

Today is his 1/2 birthday, 6 months away from 15.

So it's only fair that I give him some cyber time attention.
He's very witty, has a kind soul, is a loyal friend, a weakness for sugar, carbs, gun and roses, and his guitar!

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I took this with Photo Booth, I wonder what the purple represents?
I normally don't do profiles because of the whole "I got my dad's side of the families nose" thing. But at least my nose isn't purple.

Happy half Birthday to my only girl (WCW down below)

2007-03-28T08:43:00.000-05:00

I never knew half birthdays existed until my kids started school. Well technically my oldest, who's birthday is in the summer. The schools would let summer birthday kids celebrate (bring in a treat) on their half birthday. However since then, my other 3 which are in September have also acknowledged their own half birthdays. Moving around so much doesn't allow them to "get to know" many kids well enough by the month of September to have them over for a party. So we just started letting them take note of the day!

Today is my daughters half-birthday.

(She is 4 years old here which is a 1/3 of what she will be in 6 months)
(this is how you speak after being around 4 kids over a 15 1/2 year period)

She is 6 months away from getting to sit in the front seat of the car. This initially was causing me serious anxiety. The two older boys have fought over that front seat for years. Adding a third party to that was more than I could imagine.Then one day a mutual friend of theirs suggested an idea of what her and her younger brother do. Even-odd days, but then she whispered to my 2nd born son to choose odd days. I didn't initially understand until the end of the month rolled around. Here's pretty much how it goes:

1st born- "GET OUT...It's MY day you sat here yesterday!"

2nd born- "Yes but yesterday was the 31st which is an odd day...TODAY is the 1st which is an odd day!" (smirking from ear to ear)

1st born- (realizes he's just been had by his younger brother) "AAAAAGGGGHHHHH....that's not fair!" (as he gets in the back seat)

There have been days where I just completely blow a gasket and and make EVERYONE sit in the back!
Calling shotgun just didn't work...it was always getting out of hand and gave me a huge headache. So I announced this morning that they have 6 months to figure out a new system. My oldest proudly stated, "I get my drivers license in 4 months so it won't matter...it's between the two of them...I'm out of it."
I guess he assumes he will always be taking a separate car from his family. Then my 2nd born stated that he will just ride with his brother so he will always have front seat. Well, at least I will finally get my radio back. Station surfing back and forth drives me crazy.

This morning I brought Movin' dad up to speed on all of this

Movin' dad responds with,"I let her ride in the front sometimes!"

Me- "Yes I know she tells me that all. of. the. time."
I told her that I don't let her and her younger brother ride in the front because I love them soo much, I don't EVER want anything to happen to them!"

Movin' dad: "oh...so are you saying that I don't love them?"

Me- "Interpret it however you want!"

It's a double post day ...don't forget WCW down below!

WILD CARD WEDNESDAY

2007-03-27T21:30:00.000-05:00

The Kept Woman stated that this is the official sophomore week of Wild Card Wednesday BUT since my last week photo mishap I am technically only a freshman.

Can you guess what it is?

This is a "W"ISCONSIN cheese curd that Movin' dad is holding on his birthday. Did the flame throw you? We thought it was on fire but actually I think it's the light bulb in the background. Doesn't it make you just wanna say WOW! I am curious to know what your first guess was. Before moving here I didn't even know what a cheese curd was.

HERE'S A REAL "GET TO KNOW ME"

2007-03-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

I GOT THIS visual widget from kvetch blogger site. It's kind of cool, although there were a few choices where I could have picked two.

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Happy Birthday Movin' Dad (yesterday)

2007-03-26T15:52:00.000-05:00

Here is Movin' Dad on his birthday yesterday teaching all of the kids and their friends how to skip rocks.

He doesn't like it when I post pics of our kids so I just kept it him. (since it was his birthday)
I remember when birthdays seemed all about ourselves. yesterday was all about him spending time with us.

It was all about a peaceful, restful no stress day where nothing else mattered.

Hakuna Matata

********Happy Birthday Honey **********

Thursday -That was Then -This is now

2007-03-22T08:31:00.000-05:00

There are always those songs that get stuck in your head, as ridiculous as they are. This was quite popular (one hit wonder) back in my day. It is a ridiculous song and yet I dance and sing to it every time it's on. My kids LOVE iT!

As I have said in the past I am lovin' me my XM radio. I just got a letter stating that XM is combining with Sirius radio. Whooo Hoooo it's double your fun tune time. For a few weeks on XM Top 20 this has been running on the Top of the list. I don't like the song...it irritates me...it is ridiculous...my teenagers don't even like it...and yet I cannot stop singing it!!!

WILD CARD WEDNESDAY

2007-03-21T16:51:00.000-05:00

I am a Loser! this is suppose to be my Wild Card Wednesday pic...the story is there of the pic...
the only thing missing is the pic. I had to wait for a detailed explanation of what this game was about and then I knew that the picture I wanted was of this sign I saw this morning. HOWEVER, when I went out with my camera...I realized I left the battery on it's charger....I went back out again later....and this really thick fog had come down upon us...I could not see the house or the sign but I swear it was there...I guess it would have been funnier to take a picture of the fog. My post is left as is...minus the pic.
****************************************************************

I have said so many times that I feel like I am living in a time
and like in the town i grew up in, way back in Texas and way back in the late 70's.

Today I was driving my 2nd grader to school when I passed this sign:

(insert pic of a cardboard nailed to a tree stating FREE PUPPIES in marks-a-lot.)

I haven't seen FREE puppies since I was a kid. I think most people even try and make a buck nowadays with all kinds of dog breeds, mixtures and mutts.

I don't even know if this is normal for Mayberry

2007-03-19T08:39:00.000-05:00

All I have told family and friends about life in Mayberry is looked upon with much disbelief.

The idea that life could be lived so differently only a few hours away from a big city is beyond reality.

The clincher for Movin dad and I has to be the sales force. Since we moved here in August, we have made many large purchases which one might imagine in a new home. (well...new to us) We needed a new fridge, washer/dryer, microwave, stove, room size rug, etc...

Each time we have shopped around trying to find the best deal. We decided that we wanted to go stainless steel in the kitchen. Every store we went to, each salesman who helped us, had one thing in common. It went pretty much like this:

Salesguy: "If there's anything I can help you with my name is "Mike" just let me know"

US: "We would like this fridge in stainless" (easy sale, easy commission, just take our credit card right?)

Salesguy: "Uhhhh...you know the stainless is kind of expensive...actually $200 more than the identical black one!"

Us: "Yes, we know but we want stainless"

******************************************

Then we hire a painter to paint the kitchen, sunroom, entryway, and dining room. He hands us his quote which is shocking how he can even make a profit. He tells us that this is labor, paint and brushes etc... He follows with the fact that he stands true to his quote and if he runs out of paint then thats his fault and he will eat the loss. While here he painted an extra wall for me and fixed a cabinet drawer at no extra charge.

*********************************************

Every time we order pizza from Dominos we have to get at least 3-4 large to feed our family of 6. My boys alone could eat an entire large by themselves.

I kid you not this is the conversation every-time:

Dominos: Dominos Pizza Could you hold please? (that happens every time)

Me:We'd like 4 large pizza's, 1-cheese, 1-black olive, 1-pepporoni & 1 sausage

Dominos: "Okay let's see that's going to be ...wow 58 dollars...hold on let's see what I can do to get that price down... (hearing calculator punches in the background) Okay, I have it down to 38 now....is that okay?"

Me: (utter shock every single time I call!)

********************************************
This is the latest:

Movin' dads birthday is next week. He wants to get back into biking again. So everyday he goes online shopping brands, colors, deals....he wants to make a good decision. The one he has, was given to him and he seems to get a pain in his back because we think it just isn't the right size. So he narrows it down between 2. He goes to the bike shop and tells the guy his situation. He tells him that the other bike is at his competitors store. Now realize this is a $1000. bike and would probably be a huge commission for him. Movin' dad says he doesn't want to buy it and then get home and have back pain again. The guy said for your body frame, you really gotta go with the other one.

*******************************************

We're just not used to all this honesty, isn't that sad? Every where we have ever lived, we have seemed to run into people who are very sales savvy, and out for number one...themselves. It is such a nice way of life to be in contact with people who treat you how they would want to be treated.

I am going to enjoy it for now because I know that when we move again, we will probably be in another big city and the spirit of the competitive salesman will be not only pushing for the stainless fridge but trying to make us understand why we need a subzero!

These teens are gonna be the death of me.

2007-03-18T22:43:00.000-05:00

(or at least drive me to drink) * 2nd glass of wine! :)

Our evenings consist of one of the two teens trying to be the first to clean the kitchen (after dinner) so they have that to barter for instant messenger time. Tonight it was the oldest who won. I only gave him 20 minutes (which in teen time is really only 20 seconds) to chat then his brother got his time.

I sent the two younger ones to bed at 8:30 with no problems at all. I called down to the basement at 9pm (to the teens) "BEEEEEDTIIIIIME!" no response. I called their names. NO RESPONSE. I walked downstairs and saw one of them laying on-top of the coffee table pretending to be asleep, but his body was shaking uncontrollably. So I threaten a grounding for a week and suddenly he jumps up! I know without a doubt in my mind that the oldest is hiding somewhere because I can hear him silently laughing. So I threaten again..."If your brother doesn't get up in 2 seconds
he will be grounded for 2 weeks!" Up he jumps from behind the sofa. They both laugh hysterically!

They go upstairs, I pour myself a glass of wine and sit down for "The Apprentice."

My 14 year old comes down in his boxers,"Mommy, I'm too scared to go to bed!" (let me repeat that out loud for you again...yes ...14 year old ....too scared to go to bed!)

I don't even pay attention to him, I just give him that look and he knows he better just get to bed.

He looks at me again with that little smirk and says,"I'm scared!"

"OF WHAT?"

He said his brother...and that he is planning something on him. He's scared of what he will do!

This completely irritates me because I am missing The Apprentice.

So I quietly go upstairs and signal my other teen to stay downstairs and be quiet, (assuming he will pop up his surprise on me thinking it's his little brother) They are constantly hiding under beds, bathrooms...wherever just to scare each other.

He comes out of the bathroom looking guilty and I yell at him! He laughs and responds with, "I was in the bathroom and he opened the door and threw a glass of water at me!"

Of course my 14 year old did not tell me that he started it.

(you can imagine the learned parental skill it took to refrain from laughter while establishing who the pack leader was in our house)

I can tell my oldest is still laughing when I send his 14 year old brother to bed. I said, "Go to bed, I will take care of this!"

From another room we hear a huge scream...my oldest falls on the floor laughing... and my 14 year old son comes running in with his boxers soaking wet. (my oldest had poured a glass of water onto his bed so that when he lied down in the dark his boxers would get soaked) This was his retaliation. I lost my game face. They were both laughing so hard...I lost it.

The I made the oldest dry his mattress as much as he could with a towel so I could change the sheets.

I couldn't let this go, (my kids always make fun of my creative "johnny on the spot" threats) so my "big threat" here, which made them both laugh was, "You love retaliation so much and you know our golden rule (treat others the way you want to be treated) I will be waking you both up tomorrow at 5am with a cup of water in both your faces!"

They both looked at me and and burst out laughing.

I stomp down the stairs mumbling, "I better not have missed all of the Apprentice!"

(Dang it...they were already in the boardroom, I missed the entire task)

Here's a task Donald...welcome to my life!

This is how I potty trained my kids!

2007-03-14T10:58:00.000-05:00

I couldn't believe it was on youtube! Plant your toddlers in front of the computer and sing away. My 14 & 15 year old still know these songs!!!

Trials of a Teen...

2007-03-14T08:40:00.000-05:00

*(afterthought) I should probably wear my glasses when I post. I just put them on and saw that I originally titled this Trials "if" a Teen.

My oldest son is nearing the time in his life of getting a job.

So far he has filled out an application at McDonalds but has yet to turn it in. His goal is to try and convince us BEFORE he turns 16 to let him get a job at his favorite store in the mall.

Movin' Dad & I are both opposed to the mall. The exposure to 20 somethings is not something I am mentally prepared for yet.

HOWEVER, trendy, hip attire has always been his thing.

When he was 18 months old in a stroller with me in a dept. store he would point to a Calvin Klein poster hanging from the ceiling and say, "Thats how I want my hair!"

At 4, he wanted an earring, I told him well let's let your sister go first, after witnessing it he changed his mind.

At 9 he wanted green hair. I told him HE had to talk with the principle because I had never seen anyone at the school with green hair and perhaps it was against the rules. To my surprise he went into her office and asked. She explained to him that if he lived anywhere else that it would probably be acceptable. But the town we lived in at the time was very conservative and what she feared was that parents who did not know him would begin to judge him and maybe even not let their kids hang out with him because he had green hair. She said it didn't matter that he made good grades and was respectful to adults, the green hair would not allow anyone to ever take the time to know that.

At 12 he grew his hair out long, and we let him. I think we, as parents were judged more than he was.

At 14 by his own choice, he went to military school and had to shave his head.

Now about to turn 16, he has had days that he wants to bleach his hair out and dye it pink, even talks about lip rings and tattoos.

Movin' dad "just said, NO!" He dresses in the fitted jeans and fitted shirts skateboard shoes and looks the part of the kids working in the store in the mall. I told my husband that he has such a huge fear of needles and giving blood that I would bet money if we said, "Okay...let's go get a tattoo, he would back out as soon as he saw how it was done!"

Here's our "fear" 10 % of the time:

I used to waitress, and when the doors closed at night the bartender would give us all a drink. I wasn't 21 yet.
Movin' dad used to work in a dealership and the girls in the office used to be very aggressive, he was also under 18. We survived I know it's the "BUT"... that gets me.

90% of the time I know that I cannot hide him from the world, nor do I want to. My voice of reason tells me that maybe he gets this job at the mall, and ends up becoming a buyer for them maybe even more after college. Who am I to plan his future. That's his job along with God. I just want him to be happy and love getting up everyday because he is doing what HE loves not what I love.

He wants to become a Marine. My sister-in-law told me yesterday that she is opposed to that decision. Again, that's not our call. If I have learned anything in these last 15 years of parenting, it's to be supportive, informative and respectful of his goals. I have no doubt in my mind that if I had not allowed him to come to his own conclusions about having an earring, green, pink, or long hair he would eventually have had it. If I start fighting him now about not becoming a Marine at 15 years of age, then he can never see clearly enough to make his own decision. He will be making it based on his desire or need to be right. If it became a debate then it would be difficult for him to see the opposing side.

That voice of reason is speaking to me about letting him work at the mall. At least I have a few months before this point is actually on the table for discussion.

I do know this, he is a smart kid with all of the potential in the world.
I feel like for so long I sucked a lot of that potential away in my need to make sure that his homework was done, his tests were studied for, he was at the top of his class...talk about pressure! No one can survive that way daily and be happy at the same time, it's just not healthy, not for me...not for him.

I see everyday now that he gets everything done on his own without me having to be the "controller"
What a waste of time I spent actively being a thorn in his side.
If only I had figured that out earlier with him and naps, bottles, pacifiers.

Well...I'll be much better with the other 3!

WITH AGE COMES...WISDOM...and HAPPINESS

The comedian of our family

2007-03-13T09:14:00.000-05:00

This is our 8 year old when he was 3. He is always trying to make his brothers and sister laugh.

To make a long story short....

2007-03-13T08:31:00.000-05:00

As if...

After commenting on LA Daddy about how we were able to accomplish zero jealousy in our home when bringing babies home from the hospital, HE suggested that I write about it.But maybe what he really meant was in my diary! Originally I thought that bringing up a story from way back when, needed a setting :) Okay so it became a novel.

It seemed a bit quirky for me to type about my kids as babies and toddlers because it seemed a lifetime ago.
Although the majority of reading I do through all of your blogs seem to be about toddlers and babies, I have always written in the present. Teens and preteens and all that is involved.

It kind of turned into a ride on a runaway horse. It created a life of it's own. Perhaps what LA Daddy should have challenged me with was to put my story in 25 words or less. Could I do it and still explain the ways of making sure our toddlers didn't ask the baby to go back?

Even mom thought I gave too many details about the births. At least I didn't add any images! :)

Well....now it's out there!

Perhaps it will be a good bathroom read, maybe even a way to pass time while in labor, how about a bedtime story to your kids?

* I have been having trouble with upload on you tube and google video....is it me or has anyone else?

...and finally #4

2007-03-12T08:18:00.000-05:00

We knew all along that we both wanted 4 children. Movin' Dad and I are both from families of 3 children, and both in the middle. We knew we didn't want to have a "middle child", although as fate would have it my second born son insists that he is the ONLY middle child of 4 because the third born is the ONLY girl, which makes him the middle boy. He also has the same traits and complaints of the typical middle child.

Once again, as heartbreaking as it was, I miscarried at 6 weeks. I immediately started questioning myself. Maybe we are only suppose to have 3 children. Which is odd because with the first miscarriage, I never thought twice, it was all about trying again. Maybe it was my age, since I had always said that I wanted all of my children before I was 30. Here I was at age 30, knowing full well that I would be 31 before this baby arrived.

Then it happened again. I had a dream, but this time it wasn't an infant. It was of a baby boy with light colored hair and light colored eyes sitting in a room in his diaper only with hardwood floors surrounded by my kids stuffed animals. I never in a million years thought that this was my child. All 3 of my kids have dark hair & brown eyes.
So I put it in the back of my head and went on.

Within 4 weeks I was pregnant again. It was a little bit more of a challenge to bring all 3 kids to every appt.
But I knew that this had been successful so far as to not have any jealousy in the house. So I included them in as much as I could. I also signed them up for big brother big sister classes. They learned how to wrap a baby up in a blanket, put a diaper on, and how you cannot give your food or toys to the baby. We even went to the hospital on a regular basis just to see the newborns. This pregnancy was blissful. But I no longer had the option to choose the birthing process. They insisted I forget the c-section, it wasn't going to happen.

Although the day I was scheduled to be induced (because of the group b strep) I was to wait at home until a hospital bed opened. Our aunt came over that morning at 6 am to watch the kids for us. I called at 8, they were full. I called at 10, still full. I called at 12, not even close...no beds were available. Then I started to worry because I felt bad that our aunt had been there since 6am. I began calling every hour on the hour. I had been having Braxton Hicks all day. The problem was that they were every 2 minutes then every 20 minutes then every 5 minutes back to every half hour. This was not going to get me into the hospital. Movin' Dad went on the roof to clean gutters while we waited. At approx 6 pm My Braxton's were coming on stronger. Our Aunt who has had 6 children , held my hand throughout. I insisted they weren't labor pains because they were so sporadic. Then I got a big one. She insisted I call the hospital or that I amy be giving birth at home. The hospital said that they were still full but to come on in and they would take a look at me.

I got quite a few on the way and one while going over the railroad tracks. NOt fun!!! As we pulled into the hospital parking lot, I saw another woman walking with her husband and suitcase as pregnant as can be. I told Movin' Dad to pull up to the door and then he could go park. I wanted to get in there before she did. It became a competition.
As I walked up to the desk I saw about 4 pregnant women sitting there. The woman and I both got to the desk at the same time. As they were taking my name...I had a contraction. The woman behind the desk held my hand and helped me breath. She asked the woman, "How many kids have you had?" She proudly stated, "This is my first!"
Then she looked at me and asked,"I said this is #4!"
I WIN!!!!

They put me in a wheel chair and head towards labor and delivery. Although the other woman was right behind me. My nurse jokingly started running to make it to the elevator before her. As we got on the elevator she told me that there is only one bed available. I was cheering her on to get me there first. We got into the room at about
8 pm. They prepped me and put the monitors on me. The nurse asked if I was getting an epidural and I said, I think so...although I was pretty sure that this would be my last child so maybe I was considering going natural. She said, "well your contractions are still so sporadic, you have time to decide, if they get to bad just let me know!"

The DR. walked in and very slowly spoke in a stern voice to me," Why... are... you... here? You know we need your contractions to be closer together...like 2 minutes apart!"

I wanted to kick him...but I was having a contraction!

I wanted to cry because I was scared that he was going to send me home. I was so naive. I had not really felt real contractions with the other 3. Then he said that he would break my water but that I probably would not deliver until the next morning. So he left!

Then the nurse came in within 5 minutes and said, that I was 10 cm and 100% effaced and it was time. I said, "I WANT THE EPIDURAL!"

She grabbed my face and said, "It's too late, you waited too long, we're going to do this but I need you to straighten your body and put your feet in these stirrups. (I was pretty much in the fetal position)

I began calling her a liar! I really needed someone to slap me, because I could not get a grip on the idea that I was not going to get an epidural.

The DR. walked in and within 5 minutes my baby was there!

They cleaned him up and put me in a wheel chair with him in my arms. If you recall, I got into this room at 8 and it wasn't even 9 yet and they were already putting me on a different floor of the hospital.

The funny part was that as we got onto the elevator, there was that woman and her husband and their suitcase, she said,"It was a false alarm." The could not believe that I already had a baby in my arms.

The kids came to the hospital the next day to meet their new baby brother. All wearing their t-shirts that they earned in their sibling class. They each had their own kids camera and photo album so that they could create their own memories if the experience.

As it turned out, baby boy #4 has been a wonderful delightful addition to our family. We have spent the last 8 years laughing hysterically. He is definitely our comedian. It's all about keeping up with the big kids and doing whatever it takes to make them laugh. He's become a pro. Even as a toddler he could crack his brothers up. He know just what to say to make me smile.

If I had not been in that hospital and been taken out so quickly, I would have guessed he was someone else's child.
Then I remembered my dream. It was him. Light hair, green eyes, sitting on hardwood floors surrounded by my kids stuffed animals. He looked just like his father.

Part 3

2007-03-10T08:37:00.000-06:00

Finding out we were pregnant again was an amazing feeling because I felt that we were back on track with our original plan.

6 weeks into the pregnancy, I started spotting. I was completely filled with fear. At the time, our brother-in-law that we had lived with for a while was doing his residency in Orthopedic Surgery. We called him on the phone and he said, "Call your Dr.!" He and my sister-in-law were at a formal function and he said they would be on stand by. We called and another Dr. was on call that I have never seen. My thoughts were, this cannot be happening, I have had 2 babies without any issues at all, how can I lose this child.

We drove to the hospital kids in tow, until BIL & SIL meet us there to take the boys with them. I was taken back to a room, waiting and waiting...No one was telling me anything and Movin' dad was still in the waiting room with the boys. The plus of having a Dr. in the family is that there is no waiting for an answer, you get the whole truth right up front.

I remember lying on the hospital bed waiting....crying....eyes sealed shut. I began praying, I needed my BIL to be there. To just tell me...it's over...the babies gone.....or even better....your fine...go home! At that very moment I open my eyes and he was standing over me. It was such a peaceful feeling, even after the words he said, Yes...you've miscarried the baby.

My Dr. said to wait until I had my first regular period and then we could begin the process again. 4 weeks later the stick was blue. Even better a few weeks later my sister-in-law found out that they were also expecting. Then a call from my brother that he and his wife were expecting...a couple of months later a call from another sister-in-law that they were too expecting. 4 babies...what a blessing!

The pregnancy was so touch and go, besides my paranoia that every cough or sneeze was going to cause another visit to the hospital, I had constant infections, spotting. The only blessing that came from that loss was that by this point my two boys at home WANTED this baby. They knew what had happened. They came along to every appointment once again, and heard the heartbeat. They were both with me when I saw on the screen that this was a little girl! A little girl.....me...with a little girl. What would I do? I only knew boys.

Then we found out that SIL & BIL were also having a girl. We would sit around trying to come up with names for our two girls. We even had discussion that if anything ever happened to Movin' Dad (he traveled a lot) that I would move with them, and we would have a big ponderosa. BIL only had one week left in his residency when they went n vacation to celebrate. We were going to babysit their 2 yr old but I was spotting again. They were gone a few days when the dreaded phone call came in of my SIL saying that BIL was dead. It shook us all to the core. (a whole other post) Reason I added it was because we knew immediately that we would name her after him.

Right after we got back to town after the funeral, I started spotting again. The Dr. said go to the hospital. They put me in the same room where I had miscarried. The exact same room. I just begged God to let me keep her. I could feel a strong presence in the room with me. I knew it was my BIL.

I also found out that I tested positive for Group B Strep. My Dr told me he thought that this is why my second child was born 5 1/2 weeks early. He didn't want to take a chance with this one so he scheduled me to be induced on the same day that my second son was born 3 years earlier. I begged him to do it the day before. I wanted them to have their own birthdays. He finally agreed.

The day I went in I was so relieved to finally know that she was going to be okay. As I started the pushing, my DR. stopped me. He said there was a problem with the cord. "It is wrapped around her neck 3 times and also tied in a big knot!" I could not believe it....I made it this far....she made it this far....she;s go to be okay! He did a quick explanation of how he was going to get her out but that I may have to stop pushing midway. He was able to unravel her from the cord but the knot was so tight that he said one more day and she would not have made it.
I was so happy that I had pushed for the day before.

Her brothers were so excited to meet her. They held her, brought her gifts and just stared at her constantly. They still to this day are her protectors. She was definitely the easiest to bring home and enjoy. I believe that it is because the boys had each other to hang out with and play with that they didn't demand a lot of my time.

I had a dream when she was a baby of an elderly hispanic woman with a very dark complexion holding an infant in a pink blanket. I've always thought that she was the baby I miscarried. It gave me peace of mind.

Right after her first birthday (combo party with her 4 year old brother) We found out we were moving to Chicago.
We were there about a year when we found out we were expecting baby #4.

Part 2

2007-03-08T13:34:00.000-06:00

"So how far apart will they be?"

14 months apart!

This was the most asked question throughout my pregnancy. People still ask if they are twins!
We were so excited to to be having two babies so close in age. My husband and his older brother
are only 11 months apart. My older brother and I are 13 months apart.

The biggest issue was deciding whether or not I was going to go the C-section route again. I wanted to make sure that I got to experience it all. Shouldn't I at least try? My Dr. said that he would prefer I go the same route but he would leave it up to me. So it went on the back burner, feeling like I had 8 months left to decide.

Each time I went to the Dr. I took my son along. He sat in the stroller with cheerios, little smokies and a bottle. I knew he was only 6 months old at the time but I brought him along for everything. He was there to hear the babies heart beat, he saw the sonogram when we found out he was having a brother, actually he was even in there during my pelvic exams. I just moved the stroller over near my head. He was very aware that we were having a baby. We had the books, and spoke about him everyday. He would feel the babies kicks and turnovers and hiccups.
We had stuffed toys that were immediately set aside for the baby. When we would clean I would ask him to put his brothers doggie in his room.

The main mistake (meaning if I had to do it all over again I would change what we did) we made was letting him sleep with us. Although during my pregnancy I slept a lot and if I laid down in the bed and fell asleep so did he.

So one night I go to bed, 34 1/2 weeks pregnant. Movin dad, our 14 month old son, and me in a king size bed.I woke up from one HUGE major stomach cramp.(or so I thought) I remember opening my eyes and looking at the green digital clock, 3:05 AM, I thought "Whoa, was that a dream?" Then I felt like I was having a bladder leak. I jump up and get over to the toilet which was approximately 3 feet from where I was sleeping. Our first home was tiny! Nothing really coming out. I look across the tile floor and see droplets of clear liquid following my path to the toilet. I thought, "NO WAY...that cannot be my water, there's no way!" But it was as clear as a window. Thoughts that maybe...just maybe I had drank so much water that day that my pee was clear. So I lean into the room and whisper to movin' dad...."I just got a huge cramp and some water leakage but I don't know if this is it"
His response, "SSSSHHHHHHH, your going to wake the baby up!"
He turns over and goes back to sleep.
I call my Dr's answering service and say, I need to talk to Dr. DeWayne but I am not sure if I am in labor. She asks my name, and the next thing I know, he's on the line half asleep. So I tell him. He says to me in a very calm voice, "I need you to get your bags and meet me at the hospital."

WHAT? It's too early. I'm going to be really embarrassed if it turns out to be pee.

He said," I have one more question, did you decide if you wanted to have him naturally or a c-section?"

I said, "Well a huge part of me doesn't want to miss out on the birthing process but I am scared to death of the pain."

He said, "Okay I will tell them to give you your epidural as soon as you arrive.

I said, "Wait....did I just decide? I thought I would have more time?"
We call friends to stay with our son who of course is now awake because if we were awake then he was awake.

CUT TO THE HOSPITAL:

All goes according to plan, they confirm that yes my water was leaking but no labor pains. So They induce me and when the Doc arrives @ 9:30 am he says that it will probably not happen until lunchtime. So he will be back and then we will get a pizza and have lunch together. He breaks my water more so that it comes pouring out and then leaves in his Ferrari back to his office. He wasn't even gone 10 minutes when the nurse came in and said, "What is going on the screen is going crazy out here" (She screams) AGGGHHH, i see his head , close you legs She throws my husband his scrubs like a football from across the room and yells out the door Get Dr. DeWayne back here now the babies coming out!

Hows that for keeping a mom to be calm. I was freakin.

It didn't even take him 5 minutes to get back (Ferrari I'm sure) and he was telling me to push. Out pops baby boy #2.

Here's the thing...Because he decided to get here soo fast, he tore me. Upwards and at an angle. He was only 5lbs 15 oz but he flew through and there wasn't time for cutting.

healing from a tear was a nightmare. It prevented me from REALLY bonding with him the way I did the first born. But He was so excited to have a brother. In fact, he has never known a time without him.

He was such an amazing sweet little boy. His shy smile could just melt your heart. He was very attentive and looked at his big brother all of the time. He had so much soul in his face. I was in love with these two little boys.

When he turned 3 months old we were told that we were moving to another state.

We lived with Movin dads sister and husband until our home was built. This was very difficult with two little ones. Especially when they both got sick for the first time together. Both demanding attention and needing to be held. Thats when I decided. We need to wait on baby # 3. I don't know if I can do it. Then as soon as my second one turned 26 months, almost to the day, I knew...I was ready. He was exhibiting a tremendous amount of independence and loved his nap times. He would even put himself down for a nap. Some times I would look around the house for him and he would be in his little toddler bed with the blanket tucked under his arms. I knew then...if he can do it then the oldest can do it.
Oh because did I mention...he (the first born) was still in our bed. I had to get everybody ready, scheduled and happy having a 3 year old, 2 year old and expecting baby #3.

part 3 coming soon

Part 1

2007-03-08T10:37:00.000-06:00

When I married movin' dad, I knew I wanted to have children right away. He wanted to wait. So we did. It took some convincing, but about a year and 1/2 later, we decided to start a family. October of '90, I went into the Dr's office to see if I was pregnant. The anticipation of him walking through the door to say, "The test is positive" was more than I can say. But that isn't what happened. He said, "It's negative."
I started crying. Which is crazy now that I think about that time, after all we had only decided to try and have a baby the month before. I was only 3 days late, when I went in to the Dr. Of course I started the very next day. The positive experience was that he gave me all kinds of hints and tips that the very next month of November, my test was positive! I chock up the emotion to my age, I was only 23 years old. Even though I didn't feel like I was that young at the time, now having a son who is about to turn 16...I WAS young.

At 5 months we were thrilled to find out that he was a boy. We had his name picked out right away. I was given two HUGE baby showers and we barely had to purchase anything. Between friends and family, our new son would be stocked with diapers clothing and formula for his first 3 months of life.

I continued working as a hairdresser until the month before he was due. I wanted to allow some time to prepare the nursery. 3 weeks before he was due I went in to the Dr. and discovered that he was breech. He was concerned that my pelvic bone was too small to deliver him anyway so he viewed this as a blessing in disguise. I started crying again. Even though I was a ripe 24 years old now, I was scared and disappointed about having to have a c-section. I had many more days of tears, but as it turned out, it was my easiest delivery! I woke up that morning, put on a full face of make-up and headed to the hospital. Within hours, my first born child was there.

I had no desire to breast feed. (Please don't sick the leche league on me) In fact when I was pregnant with him, I actually had a beer or two, ate sushi all of the time, and he is wickedly bright, athletic and healthy.

*disclaimer*(just because it worked for me doesn't mean I'm telling you guys to go out and drink alcohol and/or eat mercury)

I even took those pills to dry up my milk. It was 1991, I didn't even question it. He kept my epidural in my back for the 3 days that I was there and unhooked me the morning I was leaving. It was a fabulous experience. I was able to go out a couple of days later to show him off to my friends at the salon. I wasn't worried or paranoid. It was like I had been doing this forever. I was quite comfortable in the shoes of motherhood. My dad and mom came to help, then my in-laws. We were the only ones who had moved away. We traveled to Texas when he was 5 weeks old for his "coming out" party and then to Chicago for a wedding when he was 9 weeks old so he could meet all of the elders! Being our first child we didn't realize that some of the things he did were early. He began crawling at 4 months old. I spent everyday teaching him things, it was our goal every day to learn something new to show daddy when he got home from work. All I could think about was that I wanted 4 boys and I wanted them to all be one right after the other. My first birth was such a positive experience that I was ready to do it all over again. And when he turned 5 months old, we found out that we were blessed once again. Baby # 2 was on it's way.
Life couldn't get any better. My son was such a happy, smart, loving boy.

*Part 2 coming soon