The Modern Brady Bunch!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-06T23:32:00.003-05:00

Halloween always seems to catch me off guard. I try to plan for it, I try to think about it beforehand- but then WHAM! The month of October finds me with no costumes in mind, no idea of any sort what six kids can dress up as for Halloween. This year was no exception. Two weeks before Halloween Savannah decided to be Dorothy, Caitlin decided to be a cat, Sophie a fairy, and Abby a witch. Devin said he wanted to be a vampire, and after much begging, he decided to dress up as Edward, instead of Count Dracula. I practically killed myself sewing Savannah's costume....but it did end up looking precious. These pictures are not so great, because by the time to go trick or treating- I was exhausted. And I must say- I painted Caitlin's face- and it looked really great. I am trying to convince the kids to go as animals next year!

What's happening in our world....

2009-11-06T22:21:00.002-05:00

Once upon a beautiful autumn day, four women set off in search of wool roving and knowledge about latch hooking. Up through the mountains they traveled, searching for the fount of wisdom on the animal fiber arts.
As they made their way to Asheville they happened upon the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair at the North Carolina Agricultural Center. Behold the sight that we laid eyes upon when we walked into the first exhibition center.

I am not going to lie and say that all that animal hair lying there didn't freak me out a little. It did. But it was pretty neat, also.

Speaking of founts of wisdom, Carmie got to meet her hero there. Now this photo is a little blurred, and I will make all sorts of excuses- like that the lighting wasn't really that great, or that we were giddy with newfound knowledge- but Carmie says that she prefers it blurry. So I will post it anyway. The woman on the left, Joan Berner, hand-dyes her own wool roving and makes her own yarn. It is absolutely gorgeous. You can find out more about Joan and her operation at www.cloverleaffarms.com. (If you are in the market for any roving or yarn- she is located in Hendersonville, NC- I love buying local!)

There were classes teaching how to spin your own yarn. You can't help but feel, when you walk around, that you are seeing something that is a lost art. We stood and just watched the rhythmic spinning of the wheel and these women making their own yarn- it was fascinating.

On a side note, this is my mom (in the denim jacket) and her friend Carol. They wanted to learn more about latch hooking (which really is a lost art). But they told all their friends they were going to a HOOKING convention- which of course, made my sister and I think of HOOKERS. So Carmie and I giggled like schoolgirls anytime we mentioned the "Hooking Convention".

Silent Sunday.....Hiking @ Table Rock State Park

2009-10-18T19:39:00.005-04:00

I'm Sew Excited....And I Just Can't Hide It!

2009-09-26T17:58:00.005-04:00

First off, you are probably looking at the title and wondering if I misspelled the word so.....and I didn't! I just wanted to share some good news with you! I placed my order today for a new sewing machine! While I am thankful for the hand-me -down machine that I had- I am extremely excited about getting a brand new machine. My new machine is going to be a Husqvarna Emerald 183. I know you probably don't care, but I am going to share a picture with you.....

I'm in love. But, it is pretty expensive. So, I traded the machine that I have (that was needing repairs) and am making payments to get my new machine. I am using my mom's Singer Sewing School machine until I get this one. So, if anyone wonders on what to get me for Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's, Labor Day....etc, you can now go by the Viking Store on Woodruff Rd. in Greenville and put some bucks down for me! HAHA!
I made these pants today for Sophie. My poor other children. I try out the patterns first for Sophie because tracing the smaller patterns seems easier to me....Like I said- poor things...Hope your rainy Saturday was as productive as mine!

It makes me happy....

2009-09-23T15:49:00.000-04:00

Today saw Sophie and I staying at home because we were both feeling under the weather. Well, I hate to stay home and NOT do anything- so I decided to work on Logan's blanket that his mom requested for his first birthday. And, I have to say- it makes me smile. I used different types of fabric and put them randomly (although when you spend that much time on something saying the word "random" is a little insulting) together in strips of varying sizes. Instead of mitering (mitre?) the corners, I decided to just stitch the fabric together to give it a more homemade look. I love how it turned out! What do you think?

I totally wish I could own a craft store/ whatever else kind of store .....something that sold beautiful fabric and had wonderful sewing machines.....with all kinds of craft stuff available. Boy....talk about living the life........

Looking back...

2009-09-20T21:03:00.007-04:00

Wow- I know it has been forever since I have posted photos, but as promised in my last post, I wanted to share with you a little of our summer!

At the end of July we took an afternoon trip to Boone, NC. Not knowing that it took two hours to get there, we basically went to just eat supper- but it was beautiful. I will say that I now understand why Sophie and Carmie are so close- I pretty much saw my three year old have a near anxiety attack about the steep drop on the side of the mountain. I will say that it was a special day for Carmie- the day that Sophie decided that she was her best friend. Who can't love that? Now Sophie calls Carmie her "little b.f.f." and usually tries to call her once a day. Pretty hilarious.....

The girls had some money from a yard sale that was burning a hole in their pockets. We went to the Mast General Store and let them purchase some candy. Sophie spent all 14 bucks that she had (yes- she was the child who, until recently, was on restrictions from caffeine and sugar). I think Abby spent about 12 and Savannah was the most frugal!

My great-nephew Logan is just biding his time until he can run around with the other children. These pictures were taken at the lake when my cousin, Lauren, came to visit us from Virginia. It had been over 15 years since I had seen her- it was so much fun to catch up!

We spent a good many afternoons at the lake- and we usually were accompanied by friends! =) Amy and her crew were with us this day- and the kids were waiting on the rain to stop so that they could jump in to the cool water!

Who doesn't love a cute picture of a baby? And Harper is always so well behaved on the water!

So lots has been going on with this crew. With the beginning of school Alex started 7th grade, Savannah started 5th grade, Devin started 4th grade, Caitlin began 3rd grade, Abby- 1st grade, and Sophie started 4K. Yep, Sophie trotted off to 4k. We finally got Sophie's hair chopped off. Literally. It is now just below her ears and it looks quite precious. She loves it, and it also doesn't look as if it is going to leap off her head and attack her at any moment.

We returned to the cardiologist on July 1 so that Sophie could have a check-up. Everything looked beautiful and Dr. Lucas let us know that if not for her Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome she would be released from his care! I always love a good report!

Savannah had a check up with the audiologist the first week of school. We are concerned with the results of her testing for Auditory Processing Disorder- we already knew that she had this but what we were hoping for was to see some improvement. Instead the results were dismally poor- something that confused the audiologist. So we are retesting in October with hopes of better results. This will better relay to us what services she needs. Please keep her in your thoughts-school is tough enough in 5th grade, but to be a smart child and not be able to show that in your work (she takes such pride in everything she does) can be devastating to her confidence.

All the girls are playing soccer now. And I have to say- it is so much fun. This past weekend- Sophie scored her first goal! Savannah and Caitlin are playing on the same team and boy- it is getting really competitive as they get older.

Devin is playing football for BSYAA while Alex is playing for the junior high. We have had a scare with Devin, he took a cleat to the eye during one practice. Thankfully we had just gotten sports goggles and they took a good deal of the blow. He still looked like he had lost a very ugly fight...

See- we have had so much going on! And I haven't even shown you some of my crafts! I guess I must save something for later............

We're ba-ack!!!

2009-09-15T20:36:00.003-04:00

I know that you have wondering where I have been- my three loyal readers....Well, since two of you are family and 1 of you is my close friend....you know where I have been. HA! I just want to fess up.
I got lazy.
I know, I know- I should be ashamed. But the truth is- I have had lots of fun over the summer.

I crafted (truly- between scrapbooks and sewing projects- I created lots of stuff!).

I spent time with the kids- we went to the lake and traveled to Boone, NC....we went swimming....we crafted together.....

I read books....okay, so that may not be much different than the rest of the time- but I read the whole Sookie Stackhouse series (which I love) and many others that I can't remember right now....

I spent time with friends- we had so much fun with friends!

So- I have kept busy- but I just decided to take some time off. Sorry I didn't let you know about it! We have started school and soccer is in full swing- so I am going to post some pictures very soon!

Our Last Day...

2009-06-19T15:26:00.005-04:00

We are all sad that today is our last day here. Everyone has had a great time and the kids are exhausted! We have swam, dug in the sand, and enjoyed every second of being on the beach with nowhere else to be. Steve's dad, mom, niece, and nephew, our adopted mother-in-law Denise, her daughter Elizabeth and her boyfriend Chris, and Steve's ex-stepdaughter Tiffany all came from Sunday until Thursday. Yes, it was a full house......but it was great to spend time with family! And- how wonderful are my in-laws- they treated me like a queen! I didn't have to cook, clean, do laundry, or even make the kids lunch! They said that I deserved a vacation- and they did everything I would have to do! Aren't they fantastic? On Tuesday it rained all day long- so after supper that night we held a family talent show with the grandparents as judges. I have to say that it felt kind of hokey at first but it was so cute! Alex performed some magic tricks with Tiffany as his assistant, Sophie said the pledge and sang My Country Tis of Thee, then sang Poker Face by Lady Gaga (which was pretty hilarious), Abby and Sophie performed The Climb by Miley Cyrus (sooooo precious) they did a little ballroom dancing, Caitlin and Savannah performed a comedy routine that they wrote, Devin and Alexis did a magic trick, and Damon did a Night at the Museum 2 impersonation. It was great! The grandparents all decided to give the kids $2 each for participating. On Wednesday we hit the beach again even though it was overcast. Sophie and Savannah stayed out most of the day, with the other kids coming out after lunch. Sophie has really surprised me by loving the sand and water so much. She is not afraid of it at all and stays out all day long. She has only had one nap since we have arrived and has woken up at the butt crack of dawn because her Grandmama (Denise) has been taking the kids for morning walks on the beach. I wish that I could have convinced my parents to come down for even a few days- the kids would have enjoyed it- and who doesn't love an uncrowded beach? Thursday we went to the aquarium at Ft. Fisher. While we were there we passed movie crews filming a movie on the beach, which excited the kids. The aquarium was a great experience and they were able to get out of the house for a little bit. Here are some pics!

Almost Paradise.....

2009-06-15T19:05:00.005-04:00

So, our beach trip is in full swing and I have tried to be so vigilante about sunscreen. I mean, I am the woman who has four full cans of spray sunscreen, four creams, and two face sticks so that we don't run out. Six kids, twelve arms, twelve legs, six faces...you get the drift...it's a lot of dang kids to make sure that you have slathered up. They go out to the beach as slick as a greased pig only have the wind hit them, and then they are covered in sand. Well, I went out and somehow...my legs came out on the beach unsunscreened. Please don't ask me how. I can't tell you. I have no idea how it happened. It is totally unreasonable to say that six kids had so flustered me in their excitement to get out to the beach that I just got my tale out on the beach to appease the masses. Yep, totally unreasonable. So I won't use that excuse. I am just saying that I have no idea. So at 8:00 I was on the beach and at 2:30 I came inside. Yep...I said it. 8 to 2:30. And you would also have to understand that I am not one of those people that can just lie on the beach and look at the water. The water calls, it beckons to me.....it says....come....maybe its where my dad was in the Navy and he passed something genetically to me...because I can tell you that not one of my other sisters are this way- but I love playing in the ocean.....as long as I can't feel any critters underneath me! So, after being in the water much of the day and playing in the sand with the kids I had no idea that my legs were passing the red mark, passed the tomato mark, and were fastly approaching steamed lobster status. When I got inside I wasn't THAT red yet, as the burn tends to "come up" instead of going away (which is what I wish). So I thought that shaving my legs would be okay, because I wasn't that burned. I am just going to give anyone who reads this a bit of free advice. Actually I am begging you. Please, Please- if you think you are sunburned- please do not shave that area. Liquid fire raining on you may feel about the same as it did after I shaved my legs. So then, I had to spray some white vinegar on the legs....which stung (because of the shaving bit) and then I applied aloe. Today I was able to find some relief by getting back in the ocean....the salt water probably helped the shaved legs....not the sunburn...i think I effectively took the top layer of skin off of my sunburn. So please heed my advice...it's free....it's yours....take it. Other than that....enjoy the pictures!

Sophie filling her sandbucket- happily!

Spikey the seahorse (the kids named him- then the sea reclaimed him- we all observed a moment of silence in his passing).

Morning on the beach- anything better to greet you in the morning when you step outside?

The View From Here....

2009-06-13T20:23:00.004-04:00

Isn't that amazing? We were lucky enough to be able to rent a beachfront house this year- and we are loving EVERY minute of it!

The gang- together again! Tiffany (our adopted daughter, lol- Steve's ex-stepdaughter, was able to come and stay with us this week!).

Just so they can rub it in that they are having more fun than you are......
Their first run at the water.....I think that I may have seen some people clearing the beach and running for cover when they saw these seven hooligans coming down the stairs towards the water- and I can't say that I blame them!

Waiting on the water to splash their feet...

I couldn't help it- I love this picture of Abby! How funny is this?

I love this picture of Sophie running- she was running with such abandon- she was so happy and all she could do was stop and say, "Thanks for taking me to the beach, mom."

Sophie dipping her toes in the water.

Supper at our favorite restaurant on the island- The Crab Pot- my dad would love this place!

Sophie doing her best impression of a scary face...and I have to say- I think she is doing a decent job of it!

The kids have been so excited for weeks, and we are just glad to be here! Now, we are all going to get a good night's rest and hit the beach for some REAL fun tomorrow! (Let's all hope that the rain holds off!)

Please....

2009-06-12T00:13:00.001-04:00

Dear Readers,
I am so sorry that I have not blogged since May 20th! It makes me want to hide my head in shame and try to tell you about how busy I was those last days of school, how I have enjoyed my days since school was out, and how I am now busy preparing to leave for the beach on Saturday. My computer is going with me, and I promise to blog while we are there and make sure I post pictures. Can you please forgive me?

Love,
Amanda

Sophia Rose with the pretty nose....

2009-05-20T21:32:00.003-04:00

While my title may seem strange (but I do think that she has quite a sweet little nose- not at all like the huge thing I have pasted on my face)....Sophie has actually grown up quite a bit in the past month. Everybody sit down, hold your breath, hang on to somethin'- Sophie gave up her pacifiers!!! Now, there was no arguing, no screaming, no CRYING even! Simply a little bribing was involved.....She was told that when she went ten nights without her pacifier (because I know that by then we have broken the habit) that she would be able to go to the Riverbanks Zoo and take the whole family with her! We were lucky enough to be able to have a few hours of overcast skies- which was better than the rain this past weekend. My friend Amy and her four children went with us- so we had quite the posse (I would like to say group, but there is not another word to describe nine kids with just three adults...). The kids were all fabulous and I wanted to eat Sophie up I was so proud of her! Can you believe that she is growing up this fast?

Sophie is so cool with Alden's sunglasses!

I suck....

2009-04-28T21:35:00.006-04:00

at blogging- or so my sister told me a few days ago. And I must admit that she is correct. Two weeks ago I went back to work after recovering from my tonsillectomy- and life has been a whirlwind ever since. Our life has been a blur of games, practices, and last week we had our annual 4th grade Charleston field trip. While it is fun, I was so tired this weekend that I didn't have the energy to even open my computer. Two weeks ago at Sophie's game I let Savannah take my camera and take some pictures. Behold what I found on my camera when I looked at the pictures.....

I think I may have a budding photographer on my hands. What do you think? Time flies by so quickly- one moment they are babies, and in the next moment they are doing this:

You can't see her, because I don't post pictures of other people's children without their consent, but Sophie's friend that lives across the street was riding with her. This friend is a foster child, and is relatively new to the neighborhood, so when they were riding Sophie was practicing her traffic signal knowledge and introducing her to everyone. They would ride a little ways, Sophie would scream, "RED LIGHT" and then when they had come to a stop I would hear her say, "This is my house." Then, "GREEN LIGHT" until they had reached the next house, where she would let her friend know who lived at that house. While it sounds like they had a great area to ride around, the truth is that it was just in our little cul-de-sac. It was hilarious! I am going to leave you with some pictures from Sophie's first ragball game. She looks so cute!

And sorry mom, I know you hate the s... word!

Breaking News: I am still alive!

2009-04-09T14:11:00.003-04:00

Okay, we are now on day 9 post-surgery and I am surviving. I am going to let you in on a little secret: Days 1-5 were a breeze- Day 6 was like a kick in the butt- and now, everyday since, I have found myself with terrible ear pain and the back of my throat feels as if, well I am not sure what it feels like, except awful. I called the ENT today to ask about the ear pain, and the nurse told me that it was referred pain from my throat. So, I was wondering- is that like someone stepping on my foot and me hitting them- referring my pain back to them? Ha! Seriously- I am not a baby about pain and I don't like to complain, so I will just say that it is not nearly as bad as I thought. And- if you are thinking about having a tonsillectomy, the most helpful thing throughout this whole process was staying on top of my pain medication. With it, I can function. So, enough of that business.

Yesterday, my friend Amy and I decided to try to make some cake pops, as seen on Bakerella's website. We were going to try to make the chicks, and probably a few cupcake bites- but it went all wrong somewhere. These things are super cute, and I was so excited, only to be let down when it wasn't working. But after careful examination of the tutorials on Bakerella's site I would like to say that I think that it may be user error. I don't like to admit defeat- so that may be why it really ticked me off, but now I may understand why it didn't work out so well. Also, to Bakerella: I am sorry for my Facebook status yesterday saying you were a liar- I was just a little frustrated. Hope there was not offense taken (who am I kidding- this is someone who has been on the Martha Show- she isn't caring what I call her- she doesn't even know I exist!).

If you would like to know what NOT to do when making cake pops- just ask. I can give you some pointers!

A Room fit for a princess...

2009-04-02T09:11:00.004-04:00

I finally have completed Sophie's monogram over her bed (I know- a year later- but who's keeping score?) and wanted to show you how cute their room is! Abby thinks that she is a princess (she is my princess, who else matters?) so you will notice their canopies in the pictures. There is no faster way to make a girl feel royal than to add a canopy to their bed! Here's their room:

What do you think? The girls love it (along with their little pink beds) and I think I would have loved to have a room like that when I was small! Okay, I am headed back to the couch- pain meds have kicked in and I am feeling loopy!

Today's the Day!!!

2009-03-31T08:27:00.004-04:00

I have been trying to avoid this subject for quite a while, praying that not talking about it would make it appear less in my mind than it really was. Okay- didn't happen. In fact, somewhere in my mind, this dratted tonsillectomy has taken on Godzilla size proportions and is crashing through my mind taking prisoner any good sense that I may have. I know that I am going to be okay- eventually. It is just all this thinking about it! When I had my surgery this past August on my leg- it was emergency- no time to think. It was a matter of saving my muscles in my left leg. Then, with my appendectomy it was definitely a matter of survival! I was so thankful to have that fouled up appendix out that I could have kissed Dr. Reinhardt (thank God for good drugs- I don't think that I could have spelled my own name at that point so no worries, people- I couldn't make up who he was to kiss him!) Today's surgery is something that has to happen (so that I might sleep sometime in the near future without keeping my whole house awake) but it doesn't mean that it makes it any less scary.

My teammates at school have been generously trying to allay my fears. Yesterday they gave me this:

How sweet are my friends? I bet that I have better co-workers than you do- just saying.....They have to be the best looking at this gift basket- and they included a card that had a $40 gift card to Fatz- yep right about now you are wishing that you worked with them. Well sorry- you don't- I do! They were extremely sweet (which I would like to say is not uncharacteristic the rest of the time- not just when someone is facing surgery with extreme recovery). Everyone cross their fingers, say a prayer, and do a little dance for the surgery gods- here goes nothing!

How to deter all those pesky phone calls...

2009-03-26T11:04:00.004-04:00

Picture it: (channelling Sophia from The Golden Girls- one of the best shows of all times!) You are sitting at the table, enjoying a nice supper with your family. Your children are perfectly behaved (I mean, while we are dreaming- I say DREAM BIG!), your gourmet meal is on the table, and everyone looks like they are right from an episode from Leave It To Beaver. Then the incomprehensible happens. You find your dinner interrupted by a phone call! At the dinner hour? Whomever would call at this time? And then, your answering maching slips on and you are reminded, as you listen, of the perfect way to deter those rude-mannered callers. This is what you hear:

IF YOU UTTER SO MUCH AS ONE SYLLABLE, I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND GUT YOU LIKE A FISH! If you'd like to fax me, press the star key.

(borrowed from How the Grinch Stole Christmas(2000))

Seriously- is that not the best message on an answering machine ever? I LOVE IT! Of course, it could be used for all sorts of fun- like those horrible voting reminders, family you don't like but who don't get the message, and those phone marketers. So, if you call my house, and hear this message- don't take it personally- I still love ya!

* (Think it would work against boys who tried to call my girls? Or would that be to in-your-face? Interesting thought- might have to experiment with that when they get older!)

Happy Birthday, Abby!

2009-03-25T10:48:00.002-04:00

Today is My Abby's 6th birthday....how time flies! It seems just yesterday that she screamed for six months straight (the evidence of colic and reflux) and slept little at night....but now, she is reading, taking some cute pictures (she's always ready for a pose) and something that surprises me- she is a GREAT big sister. Not that I didn't think she would be good to Sophie, but they are not but a little more than 2 years apart. (I know- WHAT WAS I THINKING???- we can cover that later), but Abby has such a caring and compassionate spirit and loves her sisters. She is also bright, funny, and a great friend. So, I am so proud of who she is, right now, today, and I can't wait to see the lovely woman she will one day become! Happy birthday sweetie!

Love,

Mom

This is how we roll (on a Saturday with FIVE baseball/softball/t-ball games)!

2009-03-23T23:04:00.005-04:00

Our Saturday, in pictures....

Sophie taking a swing at the ball (an obvious miss- but they can't all be Babe Ruth at their first game, can they?)

Sophie and her new boyfriend, Alden. (He is the son of a friend of mine that I have recently reconnected with- he declared his love for Sophie on the way to the ballfield that morning- how cute is this picture?)

Sophie getting to "catch" a rolling ball.

Sophie standing on first base- What you are missing is the whole snot flinging, full out crying that was going on- it was 32 degrees on Saturday morning, and she is only 3!

Sophie going to third base.

Savannah contemplating her game. I am not sure if she was nervous or not- it was her first fast-pitch game.

Okay, so not so nervous, we found out that not much excitement goes on in fast -pitch, the kids are either getting hit by the ball, or walked.

Savannah's turn at bat (that stance is something to be proud of, yep, and she did hit the ball!)

Interject a cute photo of Abby- she likes having her picture taken too!

Caitlin getting her first game hit ever off of a pitch- see that ball sailing off that bat- she is a natural!

Abby looking good out near third base.

Only Abby could make a batting helmet look cute (do you notice a pattern here?)

Abby striking a pose on third base (she is serious about her softball now- notice the batting gloves!)

I wish....

2009-03-23T11:14:00.003-04:00

I have been feeling a little down lately....and I can't seem to come up with reason why. I look around me, at all the people that pass by, all the lovely people whom I am lucky enough to call my friends, and I think about all the things that I could be.

I wish I was a better wife (sorry, Steve)...you know- the kind that can keep six kids all organized, who wears high heels while weeding the flowerbed (and let's not even get into the flowers- my black thumb means death to all involved!) and presenting a gourmet meal 6 out of 7 nights a week (everyone is allowed at least ONE night a week to not have to be in front of the stove- you people are slavedrivers!) in a perfectly clean house with not a speck of dust anywhere!

I wish I were a better mom (sorry, kids)...the one that didn't get upset about the little things, who never raised her voice, whose children all looked poised and together and weren't like the Herdmans in A Christmas Story. The one who didn't let her emotions get the best of her sometimes (reference previous post), who made sure to be at all the Terrific Kids and the programs and never missed anything because she had to work. The kind of mom who could plan a wonderfully fun birthday party for each child and never minded the hours involved to make it happen.

I wish I were a better daughter (sorry, Mom and Dad)- you know maybe if I was a better daughter you might like me more (haha!) I DEFINITELY need to be better about bringing the kids to see you, but sometimes, after having an exhausting morning or afternoon running around with all those kids- it is hard to make myself load them BACK in the car and make them behave like the little angels they may not be so inclined to resemble- excuses, pitiful though they may be, sometimes are the TRUTH.

I wish I didn't have kids- HA! You probably thought I was serious! The thought might enter my mind when I hear them verbally beating one another to smithereens (which I DETEST) but on the whole I don't mind them.......Those weekend mornings when they come slide in the bed with me, wrapping their little arms around my neck and whisper, "Good morning, mommy" seem to make up for the other times.....

I wish I were a better friend- the kind that didn't get caught up in the EVERYDAYNESS of everyday, that could look beyond my own life to remember birthdays, hard days, or even remember to call you when I may not have heard from you in a while. Sometimes I SUCK at that! (Sorry to say the word suck mom, but the truth is what it is....)

I wish I could look at my feet without sucking in my stomach. And while I am wishing, I wish that I was as thin as my high school self who never worried about one ounce that she ate, I wish that I was effortlessly beautiful and unafraid to let my freckles show, I wish I could stay at home so that I could have some control of our crazy schedules, I wish that I had the patience to stay at home, I wish I was better with money.......

And then, after all that, I am left with the fact that I can wish all I want, but guess what? I am still stuck with just plain ole me. What's wrong with that?

The Bitter Taste of Rejection...

2009-03-18T14:02:00.001-04:00

Walking by a kindergarten class in our hallways at school, I am reminded of the unconditional love and acceptance of a child. Unfortunately, my sweet Abby has been at the receiving end of some “Mean Girls” experiences. Some girls in her kindergarten class formed a “club” and told her that she wasn’t pretty enough and didn’t wear cool enough clothes to be a “member”. Of course, I was filled with anger when she told me. It doesn’t matter one tiny bit that I am a teacher, in that moment I was a mother, wanting to protect her child from the useless heartache that happens when you are rejected and humiliated by those with whom you want to be friends. Just because we are friends, I will let you know that I wanted to hurt some kids- like go Rebecca-De-Mornay-The-Hand-That-Rocks-The-Cradle on them! I sat and told Abby that she needed to tell them that they were ugly, to which she replied, “I can’t do that, Mommy.” (I have a feeling that you are thanking the Lord that she has more sense than I do when mad!) Then I told her just to beat them up (I am not sure if I really meant that or not, but just to inform you I wouldn’t be that sad if some misfortune struck and they tripped or something!) to which she replied, “Mommy, I will get in trouble!” I found myself at the mercy of the classroom teacher. Abby’s classroom teacher is beyond excellent, and I know she would handle the problem, but I was so infuriated and I hated knowing that I couldn’t do much to solve her problem. When she came home on Tuesday she let me know that the little girl had apologized, but I am keeping my ears peeled for any more of that mean girls conduct. I would hate to have to bust up in a kindergarten class!

Crazy Thinking...

2009-03-17T14:11:00.002-04:00

Over the past few months I have been taking notice of my life. Not in a “I can have more” way, but in an “I have so much that I am not sure what to do with it” way. I am blessed by God, I know that. And luckily, I have never had to go without. I won’t tell you though, about those hard times before when my children and I have had to spend the night without power, or when our natural gas has been turned off in the middle of winter because I simply couldn’t find the money for the bill. That is not what I am talking about. I look around my house and I see STUFF everywhere. Anyone that knows me knows that I am not a clothes hound necessarily- I usually end up purchasing for the kids. But the thought hit me- Why do I need it all? Why do we need it all? It is actually pretty grotesque when I start looking around. So many toys and so many clothes. I asked the kids to go through their clothes. Anything that they wouldn’t wear or use they had to bring it to me. It is going to Goodwill. But my feeling of unhappiness didn’t stop there. Why did I always feel as if I had to buy something? Which led me to think about consumerism and my feelings of unhappiness- someone makes it shiny and pretty and we think we are supposed to have it. It is our destiny, calling to us, promising to make our lives better. But will it really? These thoughts led me to talk to Steve about not purchasing anything for 30 days. Now there were some exceptions- I knew that the kids would need some things for baseball and softball, and I knew that it was time to buy Savannah some shoes (she has had the same pair since last May). But no new clothes. Only groceries and essentials. I could do this, right? Then, to top it all off I watched a documentary on tv titled “Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price.” And so I took on another challenge. I wasn’t going to be shopping at Walmart anytime soon. That documentary has sickened me. If you haven’t watched it, or read up on Walmart and their practices- then you need to do so. One thing that I have really taken to heart is to be an educated consumer. Our economy is in the toilet, to put it mildly, and the government is not going to be bailing US out. You can read some more about Walmart and their shady practices here and here or take it upon yourself to google “the truth about Walmart”. And for those of you that are environmentally friendly- check out Walmart’s policies on being “green.”

One thing that I have realized is that by not shopping, I don’t want it! I don’t fall into the advertising ploy of someone telling me that I need useless items. It felt really good to walk into Target the other day and cruise right to what I needed and right back out again! I feel as if I am embarking on a personal journey, and I am sure that my husband probably feels like I am crazy- but I feel that I need to be responsible for how we spend our resources, the greatest of which is our time and our hard earned money! So here is to my new, responsible, 30 year old self!

Snow Day

2009-03-09T12:00:00.005-04:00

I love the peacefullness that comes with the falling snow. A hush always falls, the snow muffling out the sounds of the cars and other noise. It makes it look like a winter paradise outside! We loved the two days out of school, but spring ball has started and the warm weather has been just as welcome! After looking at our schedules, I believe that you can find me at the ball field every Saturday from now until May! Today is so beautiful- it makes it very hard to believe that we were covered in snow this time last week! Get outside and enjoy it while you can!

Special Thanks to my "Extra" Friend...

2009-03-06T11:05:00.002-05:00

Okay, I admit, the header had me stumped, and maybe a little defeated. I wasn't caring so much after fiddling with it for such a long time last week. And then, in her Super(wo)man Cape, in swoops my great friend, Kelly, (who also happens to be my co-worker) to help me solve the problem. I won't bore you with such things about how I was working with code when there was a much simpler explanation- but what I will tell you, that thanks to her we have this super cute header to look at! What do you think?

P.S.- I am going to post pictures from our snow day this weekend!

Under Construction...

2009-02-26T09:43:00.001-05:00

I am trying to change my blog design, but a section has gotten me stumped, how to put my image in the header without it repeating. It is killing me- why I am sure that there is an easy solution, looking at HTML code and all that CSS stuff is making my head hurt! So if anyone can help, please let me know- and if not- please endure the current state!