Today is Vera Bradley Day

I'm rushing out to spend most of the day in the car. This may not seem like a such a grand idea, espcially with gas prices skyrocketing to what I suspect will be $5 a gallon before summers over...however...I am committed to attend the Vera Bradely Outlet sale in Fort Wayne IN. I am eccstatic!!! I love the patterns, design and multitude of styles of bags and accessories by Vera Bradley. Some people have a thing for shoes. Mine is bags, totes, carry-on's, clips, wallets, purses - you name it. It's one of my few indulgences. I can't wait to see what kind of deals I can get. Afterall I only rave and brag when I get a really good deal. So here's what I'm hoping to find: a steal on a mother/daughter apron set in java blue and medallion. A summer tote in mod pink and "Lola" in black bird. Keep your fingers crossed! In case you haven't already and are interested, check out the Vera Bradley website at www.verabradley.com. Happy Shopping

I'm Feeling Kinda 80's Today

21st Century Princess

This may come back to bite me in the butt, yet I'm doing it anyway. Jumping head first into creating a party for Emily with a princess theme. And I HATE little girls who refer to themselves as princesses. It can be so saccharine. Really I hate the "aren't I cute, look at me" attitude. My princess is more of a " I will kick your butt if you don't know how to treat a girl with respect" kind of princess. Which is why Emily wears all of Anya's hand-me-down cowboy boots with her tutu's! And so she is learning what it means to be a princess from her cousin - we come from a long line of ass kickin women anyway! Rita, Kathy, Mollie...you know who you are. So I have been shopping and finding all these great Dollar Store items to create a make believe world where all girls get to wear " sparklish" tiaras and wands and the few boys who will be in attendance get to have crowns. Everyone else will laugh or gag at how I've colored everything around us pepto-bismo pink. We'll see how is goes, but I think party planning is my kind of gig.

What a Mother Can't Do

I can snuggle with my kids
in their beds to wake them up at 6am.

I can laugh at their knock-knock jokes
until I want to scream

I can tell them I love them each and every
day and hug them til they beg for me to let go

I can tell them "because I said so, that's why"

I can force them to go to Sunday School and church

I can force them to try green vegetables and other "icky" foods

I can bribe them with rewards when I'm so tired I want to scream

I can't cry when I see them cry
I can't let them cook at the stove for fear of being burned by open flames
I can't let them sleep in our bed every night or I would never sleep or spend alone time with Kam -EVER
I can't laugh when they knock each other down
I can't leave them at Target ( even though I make the threat sometimes)
I can't love them anymore than I already do

Because those two kids have me wrapped around their little fingers - heart, body and soul. I've never done anything so amazing before or since as help create those two perfectly imperfect beings I call Noah and Emily. And I thank God for them each and every day.

Maritan Child

We stayed up til midnight, me, Noah, and Puddin watching a movie titled The Martian Child. I love this movie - and the actors in it were wonderful. In fact, when I think about it, almost without a doubt if a movie stars Jon Cusak, I'm sure to love it. And I did. To learn it was based on a book, whose author wrote it about his experience when adopting his son who was abandoned by the age of five, made it seem more magical. Raising kids is by far, the hardest thing I've ever done. Creating a family where everyone feels they belong and have a voice really matters. I struggle almost daily with Noah who challenges me with questions like, "who said the parents get to be the boss?" And Emily who, rather than argue, just does what she wants and suffers the consequences when I catch her. She battles in an entirely different way. After the late night movie, we went upstairs to find Emily snuggled in bed with Kam and Noah asked me if I would sleep with him. And believe it or not, I didn't hesitate. A twin sized bed for two. And Puddin too. Maybe there is such a thing as too much closeness.

Wisdom on the Side of a Coffee Cup

Today is Trenton's annual side walk sale. I head out early and eager to hunt for those kids things that just cost waaaayyyy to much brand new. My co-pilot was just as eager as all 7 year olds with limited funds, but unlimited imagination and hopes are. But today the rest of the family wanted to come along and so we headed out bright and early on our quest for a tricycle. It took several stops and a few near misses - one little girl was literally pedaling down the drive as we were walking up.......damn! Finally we found a worn but sturdy red Radio Flyer for $5. Proving she knows what she wants, Emily hopped on and away she went. Mission Accomplished. Except now Noah was on the hunt ....for....anything that cost less than $4.50 the sum total change in his pocket. As the kids wolfed down the snacks I packed in the car, Kam and I decided it was coffee time for us. It wasn't until after we finished our shared drink that I realized there was a quote on the side of the cup by Colin Powell. I was going to copy it here but tossed it the garbage before I realized I had other plans for it. It was something about giving kids laptops - and not computers but family members laps for children to sit on as the wisdom of their elder generations poured into their waiting and willing ears . I laughed because while this is a great idea - I can't imagine any 7 year I know choosing information from a grandparent over the computer. Its sad but true and I admit it - when Noah asks a question I can't answer his immediate response is, "lets go to ask.com". A sign of the times? Or maybe just our family.

Meandering

The road ahead is crooked,
and filled with common dangers.
I walked to see the end
But never did I reach it until my
Mind began to drift, dancing in the pale blue sky,
Joyously singing the praises of this life
I need not think of the dangers,
I was safe where I was.
In the pale blue sky...
Meandering

Food for Thought- Family Style

Mollie came over yesterday with the kiddos and we hung out and played around the house. It was a dreary, cold day so we talked, ate, watched movies and downloaded loads of country tunes. We were singing a classic 70's tune when she told me how she lost Mother of the Year status, and I thought it was so funny I had to post this. Friday morning when her son Padyn woke up he asked her, "why didn't you feed us dinner last night?" Mollie looked at him stunned,and reminded him that he ate a sandwich in the car on the was from one activity while traveling to another activity. Then he asked her, "when did you and Anya eat dinner?" She smiled and told him how she and his little sister ate a sandwich in the car while watching him play said activity. He thought about this for a moment and then asked, "Well, when did dad eat dinner?" At this she began to laugh and replied, "I don't really know, but probably before he went to coach baseball". After 3 questions she realized that maybe they all needed to sit and eat a meal together more often. And when, she wondered, had she begun to consider a sandwich dinner? We all lead hectic, sometimes crazy lives. I can't think of anyone busier than my sister and her family. She does more in one day than I do in 2 days. She is an amazing mom and juggler of schedules. I get tired just hearing about all she and her family does in a weeks time. If there was an award for Most Ambitious Mother I'd vote for her( as long as she promised to make me a sandwich).

Food for Thought

I recently saw organic lollipops in the "Natural Food" section of my local grocery store. I started to reach for them. For a split second I was lulled into a sense of, "Oh, well, it says organic so it must be healthy" Hello? McGee, sugar is sugar - it doesn't really matter if its fructose or sucrose or whatever - a lollipop by any other name is just.....well, JUNK FOOD!! Words like natural and organic are used to imply healthy. And thats not always true. Consumers have to be really careful in their choices because advertising and marketing is really sophisticated. And I'm obviously not! It took me a second or two before I pulled my hand back, looked around to make sure no one saw what a sucker I was.

Make Believe

Looking at Noah and Emily, I see that I'm not the only one who wonders what it would be like to be someone else. All I have to do is look at my kids and see that dress up and make believe are a fun part of their every day. We've spent a lot of time together this week since Noah has been on spring break and trying to find activities they both enjoy is not so easy. My kiddos are 5 years apart in age but I've happily discovered there are a few things they both love equally.

OK. #1. mom and dad ( I hope), #2. Bath time! which means playing in bubbles, pruney fingers be damned! I usually have to drag them both out after 30 minutes. #3. Dress Up! I have 2 laundry baskets full of costumes they put on daily and pretend they are warriors, animals, royalty, ...whatever their imagination and our wardrobe can create. It's great to see what they will come up with next. Emily loves tiaras, and fancy shoes, wands, and dresses with sparkles. Noah loves anything that has a weapon or carries the illusion of a fighter/ninja/warrior/knight. I wonder if these themes are the same for most boys and girls. Do you think Hillary Clinton pretended she was a princess when she was a little girl? The idea makes me smile but I can't see it. And would she let Chelsea dress up in tutus as a child? Somehow I imagine they practiced debating over tea parties and invited Madelaine Albright. Wouldn't that be cool?

May the Force Be With You

Today I stumbled on the secret to getting my 7 year old to read. This week is spring break at his school and we had no where in particular to be or go so I thought I'd make this an Family Adventure Week. I suppose I think by giving it a title it appears more fun than perhaps it is, but my plan is best described by the things we will do; short day trips, movies, bike rides...bascially fun outtings that don't cost a lot. Monday was a drive to the grandparents farm where they could run free with the dogs, climb hay bails to catch the cats, and pet the horses, or "forces" as Emily refers to them. Tuesday we rode our bikes to Noah's school where we met some friends to run, slide, hang, climb and swing on the playground. Today was a trip to the library to find some new books. This is where our experience in reading reached new excitement. While I was reading "Yertle the Turtle" for the 2nd time, Noah overheard a librarian giving a tour point out where the Star Wars book series was located for young readers. Before I knew it he was off toward the other side of the room and swiped up 4 books yelling "Mom, Mom look what I found!!!" The librarian at the reference desk, who is just about the shortest adult I have ever seen gave us a withering stare. Oops, sorry but I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS CHILD SO EXCITED ABOUT READING IN MY LIFE. It was a huge moment, not just for him but for me. I acted so nonchalant but inside I was as happy as he appeared. While he enjoys reading, I havent been able to excite him about a book series or any one story in particular. He has to read for 30 minutes a day - our house rule- and while he goes along with it, he is always watching the clock, counting down his time. But something amazing happened.
He sat down immediately and began reading.
He read while I checked out the books,
he read in the car on the way home,
he read while he ate his lunch and he is reading again!
Yeah, Star Wars. Thank you thank you George Lucas for knowing what my son likes. ......................and here comes Emily, again, yelling at me to get off the computer! UGH!

Time is not on my side

Sometimes I feel helpless. I dont have the time or energy to figure out what I am creating here. I have so many ideas and yet little time with which to actually get something written. And dont get me started on how much visually I want to import to this blog.....but how? and when? I've decided here and now, as I steal a few moments from my daughter ( who, yes, is plunked down in front of a video), that I need to clone myself. Forget Dolly the Sheep of 10 years ago - Scientists of the world now have my permission to clone me. Not out of vanity, but necessity! Yep, if there were 2 of me, I could really get things done. Imagine how clean the house, how cared for the children would feel that they each had their own, "momma" AND I could be both asleep, getting plenty of rest while simultaneously spend hours of time involved in creative projects. I LOVE THIS THOUGHT. Here comes Emily to yell at me to get off the computer. gotta go.......

Reality television and Reruns

I have a secret.
I love reality t.v. and reruns. Ever since we got a satellite dish last year I have been hooked. It used to be that we had 4, 5 stations at most. Afterall, we were using rabbit ears and an antenna before the wonder that is Dish Network. Now we have hundereds of stations to chose from, which are basically broken down into a few: sports ( for Kam), news/entertainment, reruns, kids programming and trash tv. And we are all into it. My son, my husband and me. While what we watch is different - its really not so different after all. A little known fact is that we've all been known to sit and watch I Love Lucy reruns, and Bonanza. Kam and Noah watch How it's Made, Dirty Jobs, and Man Vs Wild ( I think). Kam and I love Top Chef and then theres the reality tv I love the most, simply because it's some of the worst(best) stuff on. For example, The Girls Next Door. Who doesn't want to know what it would be like to live in the Playboy Mansion? I can't think of anything more decadent, or silly. And it's definately not pornographic - it's more like a huge hot fudge sundae that you know is bad for you but it has so many layers of confectionary sugary, and sweet toppings, you can't resist. At least thats what I used to think . But now the romance is over and I'm just bored of it. After all, how many times does a person have to see Hugh Hefner pad around the house in his silk pajamas and a smoking jacket? Ick! And with so many reality tv series, I have dozens of other shows to chose from. After the fun of Girls Next Door faded, along came Jon and Kate Plus 8. I traded kitsch for kids. So now I watch a tv family that resembles my own, with the fun of 6 additional kids. I was even told at my dr.'s office that the nurses think of me everytime they see the show. Yikes! Kam wonders why I would chose to watch a family struggle with sextuplets and twins after I wrestle our 2 to bed. Well, thats a good question. I guess the answers lie in the fact that I dont have to leave my own living room to get away once in a while. And it's fun mindless entertainment. And cheap. But there are probably a thousand better things I could be doing. And I especially love our dvr. im sure I must have 20 hours of tv waiting for me at any given time. And so I thought, should I turn off this addiction called reality tv and the families on it, and spend more time with my own? I may not live in a mansion. And I dont have 8 children. And while it's fun to peak into the lives of others for a 1/2 hour,I'm satisfied with my own version of reality. But before I end I can't help but ask; if your life were made into a reality television show what you call it?

Computer Geek

This is unreal. My 7 year old son is demonstrating how to use Microsoft PowerPoint. He has learned, in the 2nd grade, the basics of this application. I, however, have been taking a night class through the local community ed program titled, Basics of if MS Office for the past 1 1/2 months and we have yet to get to past Word. Now, I realize, a bit belatedly, that when I signed up for a class with the title "basic" in it that it would go pretty slowly. However, I did not anticipate that 1/2 the class wasn't even sure how to power on their computers. It's exasperating and comical all at the same time. Last week the class made it through 2 pages of our book in 2 hours. Seriously, I could teach this class and that is a sad fact (or absolutely hilarious to my techie husband). I'm considering bringing cocktails tonight just to keep myself amused. Or here's a better idea. I will bring Noah, my 7 year old, to show 'em how it's done!

....and maybe just a small drink

Who hasn't tried to scrub away the frustration?

My husband was laughing as he said to our kids, "your mom is crazy cleaning the floor on her hands and knees" And then he turns to me and whispers, " I love it when you get this angry!" What he was referring to is my insane need to clean when I am upset. I do some of my best problem solving with a cloth in one hand and cleanser in another. So he flashes me a quick smile and I return with a scowl and nothing but sheer determination to remove some stupid stain from the tile floor.....way beyond reach of my arm, hidden mostly by the refrigerator, but I am determined dammit! I am going to remove this stain and in doing so feel a sudden rush of accomplishment in the process. See, I can do this! I can do anything. Yep, I am woman. Here me roar....er, something like that anyway. I'm not sure this is anything resembling feminism or strength or problem solving, but it helps me. Gives me time to take out my anger or disappointment through mindless scrubbing. I don't know if I can tackle the bills, or my kids screaming at one another, or getting my church volunteer work done - but dammit, I can clean!