Share The Road

Dear Ms. Cadillac 4-Door Sedan with Out-of-State Plates,

I assumed based on our contact this morning that you haven't read this. I will give you the benefit of the doubt since you are not one of the five people that actually read this blog. I did, in fact, check my rear view mirror in hopes that you were a friend. I think not.

Since we were not in eminent danger, there were no dogs in the road, and I was not about to hit you...there was really no reason for you to honk. I realize that you were late to your appointment at Panera, but really, is that my fault? Again, I think not.

For your benefit, I copied an article from "Driving Etiquette" by Cindy Rippe for your review. It is my hope that we can put this behind us and strive for a better relationship. I, too, must take responsibility for being reactive. Reducing my speed by more than half was wrong and possibly irritating to you. Please forgive me.

"The golden rule still applies, even on the highway. Drivers should remember that good behavior does not stop when you turn on the ignition. Still be courteous, gracious and magnanimous. Let others get in front of you, slow down so that oncoming traffic can merge, and don’t blow your horn out trying to get drivers to speed up but keep your patience and either, calmly, get into the next lane or, take in the scenery on your drive. Show them how driving should be done."

Sincerely,
Miss Mini Van

Thursday 13

13 Books I Want To Read:

1. A Girl Named Zippy--Haven Kimmel
2. Glass Castle--Jeannette Walls
3. Lovely Bones--Alice Sebold
4. Einstein, His Life and Universe--Walter Issacson
5. Night--Ellie Wiesel
6. Sisterhood of Travelling Pants; series--Ann Brashears
7. Serpent's Moon; trilogy--Ginger Garrett
8. Into Thin Air--Jon Krakauer
9. Peace Like A River--Lief Enger
10. Wish You Well--David Baldacci
11. Deadline; trilogy--Randy Alcorn
12. Grace In Low Tide--Beth Webb Hart
13. Making Your Children Mind w/o Losing Yours!! Dr. Kevin Leman

Please feel free to leave any book recommendations that you love! Always looking for a good read.

Thought for the Day

Never, Never, NEVER take a drink out of a sippy cup you find at the bottom of the toy box. It won't end well for you.

Anything But BLAH...

OK, I realize I wrote about BLAH Tuesday before I wrote about AWESOME Monday. Monday was anything but blah. Here is a sampling of how fun Monday was with Brandon (Z's classmate).

Potty Talk

This is a must read for all my friends who are potty training! I hope this will make you laugh.

Side note: Z used to ask if the red light was a bomb.

Blah Blah Blah

I feel off today. All day I kept thinking it was Monday. It hasn't helped that I started the day with L throwing up and ending with a headache. Nothing spectacular happened in the middle. So I am blah. I wouldn't blame you if you stopped reading this post because it has no value whatsoever.

Just blah thoughts on a blah day.

One thing I thought a lot about today was the Happy Meal toys from McD's. I hate them. They are figures from a movie that my kids won't see. If the movie is anything like the toys...I don't want them to see it. Every single character BURPS. Why? I don't want my kids to burp, so why would I want them to play with big heaps of burping plastic. "I am an ogre. BBBUUURRPP." I might like it better if they would teach some manners. "I am an ogre. BBUURRRPPPP. Oh, excuse me!" But, they won't. Maybe I just don't see the humor in a green burping ogre. You wouldn't believe how much time I have spent thinking about that.

Also spent a fair amount of time researching Dasani water. I heard they put laxatives in the water. Didn't get anywhere with my quest for the truth. I will have to do independent research.

I sewed some buttons on a dress today. It has been a long time since I have done that. I had a little helper cut the string. She was quite enthralled with the project. Much more than me.

I literally stayed in my pj's until 3:30. Which means I was home all day. I was home working on the house...laundry, vacuuming, dusting, making beds, etc. Home all day and still forgot about dinner. You would think that staying home and being domestic would spur the cooking memory. But it didn't. We ate processed chicken nuggets and Kraft Mac & Cheese. Very redemptive...if you are 6. Not so much for the hungry man that lives here. The truth is that I love to cook, but I have been in a rut lately. That probably stands to reason with why I have so many burping toys from Happy Meals. Rut.

BLAH. BLAH. BLAH. I am sorry about the 3 minutes you just lost by reading this. Hopefully tomorrow I will be out of the blahs.

OH...how could I have forgot to mention Tball game. That was the highlight! They played great! So I guess the whole day was not a waste.

Memorial Day Weekend

Have a great Memorial Day!

Hope you are enjoying time with your families today.

We Had a Blast!

What a fun weekend we had in St. Louis! Girls, plan your getaway with your husbands now. It is well worth the time and money. We recaptured "us".

Here is a few highlights:
--Hotel races down the hallway.
--Seeing Busch Stadium for the first time. I was in awe.
--Downtown St. Louis at night. Walking home after the game.
--High fives with the man with soft hands.
--Flannery's food--yum!
--Time with the Griswalds.
--The huge bed with the fluffy pillows.
--Waking up on our own, no kids in the bed!!
--Holding hands.
--Getting ready without being rushed. That is a treat!
--Calling the kids on the phone and listening to their sweet, little voices.
--Riding the metro...the wrong way.
--Talking with Skip...really talking.
--Scalping our tickets.
--Watching Albert hit a bomb!
--The chicken and black bean quesadillas. WOW!!
--Kelly was the cutest waitress.
--Finding our brick outside Busch Stadium. "Sweet 16..."
--Foot massage. It is better to give than receive.
--Putting our marriage first.
--Looking forward to seeing our kids. Missed them like crazy!

Pack your bags, friends!

The Welcoming Committee

Nothing says "Welcome Home" like a good case of pink eye. UGH!!

I can feel my relaxation being sucked out of me...

One More Thing...

Today was Preschool Open House for L. She was so excited to finally be big and go to school...even if it was just for an hour and I never left her. She changed clothes 3 times before deciding on her ladybug outfit. I could tell she had butterflies in her tummy.

It seems like just yesterday that we were taking Z for this special day. Time sure flies! After "school" we ate lunch with Tessa. They giggled and played. It will be so fun to have Will and Tessa in the same class! I see lots of free time for us mommies, too!

OK...now I am walking away! I promise.

The Great Escape!

Sisters in blog world (and a few men!),

Skip and I are going away this weekend and I am leaving blog-land behind. For the sake of marital harmony, I am going to refrain from computer usage. Well, a quick peek can't hurt! :)

Please pray with me for our kiddos and their safety as they spend time with grandparents.

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!

Thursday 13 and The Summer Can

The "Summer Can" made it's appearance last summer as a way to maintain fun and sanity during the long, lazy days of summer. The kids and I decorated an empty paint can with fun scrapbook paper of flip-flops and sunny skies. Then we wrote activities (mostly free ones) on slips of paper to be randomly drawn on a day with nothing else planned. I can't wait to get the Summer Can down from the shelf, dust it off and start having some fun with my kids. The key to The Can's success is to be flexible. I have to remind myself to slow down and play with my little people

For my Thursday 13, I thought I would share 13 fun things from the can. If you have any good ideas for activities that your kids love, post them in the comments. We are always looking for ways to spice things up!

Happy Summer!

1. Nature hike
2. Write a letter to a friend and mail it
3. Feed the ducks
3. Take daddy lunch at work
4. Sprinklers!!
5. Visit Library
6. Build a fort and have a picnic
7. Backyard Olympics
8. Bouncy House in garage
9. Do a puppet show and video
10. Cook a fun snack together
11. Visit the fish hatchery
12. Paint pictures
13. Free choice!!!

Call to pray...

Jim & Dixie, we love you and are praying for your brother and family. Keep us posted.

11:30pm Our God is an AWESOME God! After being thrown from a dump truck, Jim's brother checks out just fine. Only stitches and observation. Thank you, Lord!

It Is Better To Look Good Than To Feel Good

YOU LOOK MAAAVELOUS! Who can forget how funny Billy Crystal was when he played this guy on Saturday Night Live? It is better to look good than to feel good, daawling.

I have had a raging headache since last night. I wore a headband for 3 days straight and I feel like my head has been shoved in a vice. The first day was a fashion statement...I had a cute plaid number on. The last 2 were necessity because my hair was dirty, and rained on (I would do it again for you Will!) I really can't decide if I even like headbands. Why do they hurt so much? UGH!!

Well, the highlight of our day was playing at the creek with Z's classmate. What fun it was to watch the kids swim, throw rocks, climb rocks, and jump in. We had a close call with one of the rocks that Z threw. It hit our cousin in the back of the neck. All is well...no stitches required.

Hope you all had a fun day! I am off to take another round of Excedrin and throw my headbands away!

I Fell In Love with My Husband on the Baseball Field...

Many years ago, I fell in love with Skip. I loved to watch him play baseball. He was SM #16. He played with such intensity and love for the game that you couldn't help feeling the same. I fell in love with the way he looked in his uniform, the way he he encouraged his teammates, and the way he gave everything he had on the field. I knew he was destined for greatness.

Greatness came tonight on the t-ball field with our son's team. I love watching him coach these little guys, many of which he has coached since they were 3. He loves these boys. He loves this sport. He coaches with integrity and purpose while teaching them the fundamentals of the sport. I love watching him prepare for the practices/games days in advance. His heart is on that field with those boys. He holds nothing back...gives it his all. That is greatness.

I fell in love with my husband on the baseball field way back in 1989 and again tonight in 2007.

By the way...the team is adorable!!

Where's the Beef, Part 3

Thankfully, we can eat cinnamon rolls with a guilt free conscience. NO animals were hurt during the making. WHEW!!!

I know you are wondering if the kids asked, yes they did! Every meal, folks.

The Case for Hearing Aid

As most of you know, I desperately need a hearing aid. My left ear is really bad and my right is not much better. Often times I hear people totally wrong, either causing laughter or hurt feelings. I am in complete denial about the whole thing and probably a little vain. I really don't want a hearing aid but it is so bad that surgery won't correct the problem. Unfortunately, the only solution is the aids.

Today I had a moment where I was reminded that I need to solve this once and for all! Much to my chagrin.

As I walked through the living room today Z said, "Mom, you look like a diva."

Why, it is time someone in this house noticed!

My reaction was one of surprise and appreciation. Actually, my reaction was way over the top. I walked away a little taller in my flip-flops thinking I was a super star in my children's eyes. (It didn't dawn on me that I should be wondering WHERE he learned the word "Diva", but I guess he has heard worse--probably from the girl)

After returning from taking laundry to the kitchen, Z was still standing in the exact same spot with a look of bewilderment on his face. I have seen this look before on my dear friends after I reacted to what I thought they said instead of actually hearing the real words. Feeling "knocked down a peg" I asked him what he really said.

"Mom, you look like a ZEBRA." Oh, right. The striped shirt.

Diva--zebra it's all the same. When you think about it a zebra is really a horse in diva-wear.

Take It Up With the Trash Can

FUNNY story. I hope I can relay it in the written form as funny as it was in real life. Maybe I need a video-blog...hmm, may need to think about that!

Tonight, my kids and I were driving through McD's, yet again this week--thanks for noticing. My big hope was they would eat then fall asleep in the car. You have all been there, don't judge.

Anyway, we are driving through and I pull up to the speaker and roll down the window. I start in on my order, get halfway through and sense something amiss. I notice that the speaker was not showing me my order...I have to see it while I order, kind of compulsive about that. Anyway, I don't see our order...look closer. Realize I am talking to the trash can! The speaker and the GIANT menu board is a good 10 feet away.

Even now, I am laughing. I hope I conveyed the true humor of the situation. My kids and I laughed so hard...I think we all snorted.

Just when I think we are done, Z starts asking me if I ordered the chocolate milk. I didn't and explained that we can make it at home (no chance of them falling asleep now!) He starts to complain and I tell him to "take it up with trash can".

Another round of laughter and snorts. Good times!

My Cup Overflows

I am feeling compelled to take the time to thank the Lord for all the ways He has shown me His love. I am stunned and saddened by the tragic loss of a woman in our community this week. I pray for her family that they knew how much they were loved by her. I can't comprehend the suddenness of her death and pray that her kids and husband have no regrets about their last day or hours together.

No regrets...that is how I want to spend my days with my husband, kids, family and friends. The night she died, Skip and I went to bed angry over something trivial (my excessive blog usage...if you must know). I immediately regretted our night while I pondered her last moments with her family. Life changes instantly. It could all end tomorrow. I want to praise God for my today. I want to trust Him with my tomorrows. I want to live with no regrets.

Lord, thank you for today. Today You have granted me favor. You have shown Your lovingkindness through incredible friendships, an awesome church, my kid's snuggles and hugs, my husband's words of affirmation (way to go, honey!) , impromptu conversations, encouragement from two amazing moms, shared laughter with my kids. Lord, I know there is more, but I feel so blessed. Today was a great day. My cup runneths over..

Thought for the Day

Cleaning the kitchen BEFORE you cook dinner is a complete waste of time.

Playing God

Well, the day has come. The day of reckoning for all weeds known to my front yard. I am off to ruin the habitats of hundreds of worms, ants, spiders (Alana!), and whatever else may be crawling in my flowerbeds. I am playing God with their lives. Here comes Hurricane Nellie.

I can just hear the hillbilly worm that they will interview on the local bug channel. (Celeste!)

"You just missed it. I seent the hole thang. I wuz just lying thar and a giant cleaver fell from them sky thar and chopped ole Bob in half. Now wheeze homeless. What we gonna do?"

OK...I am stalling. I really hate gardening. I would rather write about dead worms than get out there and do it.

Did I mention that I REALLY hate gardening. It's not my "thang".

The Long Ride Home

Yes, you did.
No, I didn't.

Uh-Huh
Nuh-uh

Uh-huh
Nuh-uh

Yes-huh
No-huh

YES
NO

DID TO!
DID NOT!


BOTH OF YOU, STOP!!!!

Uh-Huh
Nuh-uh

With a Heavy Heart

My heart is sad today. Four kids lost their incredible mom last night in an accident. I didn't know her well...or really at all...but am saddened by the loss. Please pray with me for her family, her husband, her children, her church and her friends. They have lost an awesome, energetic, passionate woman of the Lord.

Live your life to the fullest measure...don't hold back. Treat each day as a gift from God and don't take it for granted. Tell others how much you love them. Take extra time loving on your kids. Don't waste a moment.

That is what I will take away from this tragedy.

Thursday 13

Since the blogging revolution has struck, I have enjoyed reading tons of blogs. I came across a topic called Thursday 13. I like that idea. So, today I am going to try it. Anyone who wants to play along is welcome. Just choose any topic and write 13 things about it. Have fun all who are blog-minded.

13 Things I Hope My Kids Learn From Me

1. I hope they learn to laugh often. Life is too hard to be cranky.
2. I hope they see me reading my Bible and learn to trust God's word.
3. I hope they learn to love cooking.
4. I hope they have amazing friends like I do. I love you all, each in unique ways!
5. I hope they learn to never give up--not to let fear hold them back from the prize.
6. I hope they remember to care for others in need.
7. I hope they learn how to spot bargains from a mile away.
8. I hope they learn the importance of naps--the sooner the better on this one.
9. I hope they learn that their TO DO list can always wait.
10. I hope they learn that life is not all about them.
11. I hope they learn how to love their mates by watching their daddy and me.
12. I hope they learn to have joy in all circumstances--this is a work in progress.
13. I hope they learn that the most powerful sentence is "I'm sorry, please forgive me."

13 Things I Have Learned From My Kids

1. Underwear makes the best juggling toy.
2. Bedtime is the best time of day for snuggling and telling secrets.
3. Water, in any form, is pure joy and giggles.
4. They forgive and forget so easily.
5. Our days should be filled with singing and dancing.
6. Chocolate milk is the best form of calcium.
7. Eating worms won't kill you.
8. "Silly sauce" makes vegetables taste better.
9. Being flexible should be #1 on my TO DO list.
10. Playing outside is the best solution to "the grumpies".
11. Riding a scooter, full speed, down a hill is really fun!
12. God is bigger than the Boogey Man.
13. There is no black and white--everyone is a friend.

Two-Bites of Heaven

Ladies, get up. Run, don't walk, to your nearest Wal-mart SuperCenter.

In the bakery department, they have a little taste of heaven. You will find them down low, so you will need to squat to reach them. (little exercise won't kill you, because you are about to consume the world's most perfect food.)

You are looking for the "Cream Cheese Frosted Mini-Brownies" formerly known as "Two-Bite Brownies." They come in a twelve pack...they are round with a generous dollop of cream cheese frosting on top. You can't miss them, unless I have come before you and bought them all.

They are perfect in size and chocolate/frosting ratio. I guess they would even be perfect for your kids...I have never tried that approach. My kids can buy their own with their allowance.

Trust me on this.

Where's the Beef, Part 2

Did you know that Toasted Ravioli is really cow? Just in case you were wondering, this really does happen EVERY meal.

Blog Design is a good use of money!

As I always say, a good blog design is worth every penny. OK, so I am just now saying it for the first time, but still. When you look at all the great blogs out there...they stand out from the crowd. SO I am begging, pleading Skip for $75 (plus tax) to take my blog to the next level. I want people to say, "WOW! Did you read the snotandkisses blog today? I don't know what she said, but it looked fantastic!"

He said N-O, not just "plain and simple" NO, but "dirty look" NO. Translated, that means, "There is no good reason to spend money to have your friends read about your life when they could just call you for FREE."

I figure he just doesn't get it (or it could be that he is upset that I have neglected him since this blog-madness struck our home.) Seriously though, I don't have enough words to make this thing happen. I need pictures, headers, borders, footers, link buttons, archives, labels, table of contents, I need BLING. I want Big Mama, THE Big Mama, to stand up and take notice!

In his defense, I imagine that he sees an entire craft room loaded to the gills with expensive scrapbooking and stamping products that are collecting dust. Or maybe, just maybe, he spies all the Pampered Chef gidgits I just had to have piling up in the kitchen cabinets. It could possibly be the stint on eBay that still haunts him. But, I maintain that this is a different hobby. This is therapy. SO really, $75 (plus tax) is a great price to spend on mental health.

Raise your hand if you agree.

Countdown...

1 hour, 13 minutes... I get to spend the entire day in Springfield with Pam. We have been trying to carve away this time to work on the Learning Center at church...also to nurture our friendship, for the last 2 weeks. Ahh, the uninterrupted conversation, the sweet tea, the shopping. You can see why I have been excited!

Loss of Innocence

Yesterday, Z lost some of his innocence. It breaks my heart to even go here. We try to protect our kids from "The Others" as I like to call people who don't raise their children with the same values and morals. But, it happens...they hear things, they see things. Thankfully, I was there. Thankfully, I heard it, too.

Yesterday was Field Day. Standing out in the hot sun, the kids got restless. A little girl standing by Z and 3 other boys started to talk. Not only did she talk, she showed them a hand gesture...THE hand gesture, the one that only uses one finger. Get where I am going with this?

Enter protective mommy on stage right.

First thing that alerted me to anything amiss, was the look on the boy's faces. It was a mixture of doubt, surprise, and dare I say it...joy. Something was going down. The next thing I notice was the middle finger on each boy's hand. Every single one of them had it in an unnatural position. Some had it up, some trying to stick it up, Z had it folded over his other fingers with the knuckle raised.

I had pretty well caught on to the conversation and moved closer to the girl. Z looked at me and showed me the gesture. He asked if it was a bad word.

If he only knew.

I calmly explained that it was an inappropriate gesture and the words associated with it were ugly words. I told Z we never use that gesture or those words because they mean bad things. I also told him that daddy and I would talk him later. Knowing that I was in over my head, I recruited help from Mrs. R. She handled it like the pro that she is. We walked away together, but Skip was still by the group. He came to us and said that this little girl was continuing her story and now added the word, "Mother". I think you know the rest.

So, here is our dilemma.

We did not discuss it further with Z last night, partly because we were at a loss and partly because he didn't bring it up. At some point, I feel we need to address it. Do we just get it out there and tell him what he is likely to hear and explain what it all means? Does that take the mystery and secrecy away? Do we address it only if he asks? What to do, what to do.

Obviously, I am praying that God will remove this from his memory. I am praying that God will restore what was taken from him yesterday. I am praying that God will give Skip and I the wisdom to handle this correctly. Other than that, any advice would be appreciated.

He loves me...

I put an orange napkin in Z's lunchbox today. It said:

"Z, I Love You! Have fun at Field Day today. XOXO, Mom"

He saved it. He may wipe off every kiss I give him, but he saved the napkin. He may not hold my hand anymore in the parking lot, but he saved the napkin. He may choose daddy to read to him tonight, but he saved the napkin.

I have found him reading it several times today. He saved the napkin.

He really does love his mommy!

Bump Ins

Don't you just love the accidental "bump ins" when you run into a friend. I ran into Pam at Target today...just happened to look up and see her car in the parking lot. Boy, it did my heart good! Even though it was just for a minute, it was great to see her. Thanks, Pam for answering the call!

Where's the Beef?

I wonder how many of you switched from loving the meat food group to absolutely getting grossed out when your child asks what animal he is eating. I may have to start eating only vegetables (don't hold your breath...it's not gonna happen) because it is much nicer to say, "Dear children, here is your flower, or root, or stem..." Until then, I will have to stomach the notion that every cheeseburger has a face, every chicken nugget started out as a really cute chick and every sausage had a tail.

Here is the conversation in the car today:

Z: Mom, what animal did my burger used to be?
Me: Cow.
Z: How old?
Me: Honey, I don't know. Why?
Z: Oh, it just doesn't taste like cow.
Me: Hmmmm. What does cow taste like?
Z: Better.

Look out McD's, you may have a problem! If your processed 99cent cheeseburger doesn't taste like cow to a cow eating connoisseur...then where's the beef?

1947

The year my sweet grandparents got married:

--Harry S. Truman becomes first president to make an address to the public on TV from the White House
-- A car cost $1,500
--The price of gasoline: 23 cents/gal
--The average house costs $13,000
--A loaf of bread was 12 cents, and a gallon of milk was 80 cents.
--Mailing a letter cost 3 cents.
--The annual salary was $3,500 and minimum wage was 40 cents per hour.
--The New York Yankees won the World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
--The first microwave oven was produced.
--The song "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" was written.
--44,ooo TV's were in American homes versus 40 million radios.
--TIME "Person of the Year" was George Marshall.
--The Academy Award for best actress goes to: Loretta Young.
--A man, named Bud, and a woman, named Shirley, loved each other and couldn't wait to get married.

They lived together in good times and bad for the last 60 years. They have survived the death of a child, breast cancer, heart attack, and other assorted maladies that God used to made them stronger. Through it all, they taught us that marriage is a commitment that lasts forever. They set the example for future generations that love endures, love believes, love hopes and love grows. Thank you, Grannie and Gramps, for your legacy.

Happy Feet

My friend Alana encouraged all of the bloggers to think of what makes us happy. Here is my list.

--loving my husband more today than yesterday
--when both my kids want my lap
--kissing L on the neck under her curls
--counting Z's freckles and pretending to eat his "chocolate chips"
--time alone
--Mexican food
--baseball
--coffee
--my kid's birthdays
--reading and having time to read
--good, real, true friends
--church
--Amanda & Rachel--my two "mentees"
--finding money
--lazy Saturdays
--vacations
--family movie night
--sunrise
--exercise--after I am done!
--watching my children laugh and play together
--Mrs. R--Z's teacher
--TIVO
--warm chocolate chip cookies
--camping
--bonfires and smo's
--clean kitchen
--the joy on my kid's faces when they ride their bikes
--a good cry
--Girl's Night Out!
--sleeping in with my husband
--a nap (with or without my husband!)
--listening to Z read
--watching L do gymnastics

When I look at my list, I realize that God has made my life rich beyond measure. I am grateful.

60th Year

I am so excited for this weekend. Today is my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. We have family coming in from Kansas and Oklahoma. Cousins, babies, uncles, aunts, siblings...we haven't all been together for years. We have a weekend celebration planned complete with photographer. What an honor to celebrate these two loving people! Thankfully, Mother's Day is on the same weekend. Perfect timing!

I just called to wish them "Happy Anniversary!" Grannie was crying. She can't believe we remembered and planned such a fun weekend. She said that Gramps even remembered (he suffers from dementia and has trouble with details.) He told her it would probably rain just like it did the day he married her. OK, so now I am crying.

Well, I can't wait to tell you more...

SUMMER

150 water balloons
10 gallons of water
5 kids
2 "fun" moms
Huge patch of mud

Fill balloons with water. Tie. Throw. Slide in mud. Repeat.

Summer is coming, girls! Game on!

"It's A Fun Day, Not A Crazy Day"

This was my mantra during my teaching years. When the class had a special event planned, they tended to get wild with excitement. "It's a fun day, not a crazy day!" That is a good way to describe my day today. I literally could have stretched all the activities over 3 days, but it was all crammed into one really long day.

It all started at 6:00 when my feet reluctantly hit the floor. I was off to the zoo with Z's Kindergarten class. I was so excited to spend that time with him and his class during their special day. I was in charge of 4 boys...all pumped up about the zoo!! They were ready to explore and full of energy. We did speed zoo...saw everything in 1 hour 15 minutes (glad I wore tennis shoes.) Then, we met back with his class and ate lunch while they played in the playground. The bus ride was quite the experience. The driver cranked up the music on the ride home so it made all the hyped-up kids even more hyped-up. At one point, I heard the lyrics..."I LIKE TO PARTY!" Oh boy!

After school, we raced to swimming lessons. The kids are doing great with Miss Lannie--love her! Z is working on strokes...his favorite is the breast stroke. He is looking like a real swimmer. L is working on water safety. She is getting better everyday.

During the swimming lessons, Skip came to get Z for T-ball practice. I was fearing WW3, but thankfully, Z kept a good attitude. Gum and candy seemed to smooth over the rough spots during all our transitions!

After T-Ball practice, we had the Kindergarten picnic at the park. We had a fun time eating hot dogs, playing soccer and racing to the car to beat the rain. Skip implemented the "3 second rule" and rescued my cookies from the ground, my hero!

After the picnic, we had Home Church. It was fun to finally sit down and enjoy good food and friends. We soon realized that gum and candy could only carry us so far, it was time to go home. The kids fell asleep in the car within seconds.

Ahhh--it is good to be home! It was "a fun day...AND a crazy day!"

Ode to Coffee

Top 10 Reasons Why I Love Coffee

10. It smells good.
9. With enough cream and sugar, it tastes good. The ratio is very important!
8. It makes me feel good to hold my mug with one hand while I walk around the house-- can't explain it.
7. How can you not feel cool sitting in Starbucks?
6. Honestly, it keeps me regular :)
5. Before coffee, I am (yawn) woman. After coffee, I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR!!
4. It gets me out of bed.
3. Cappuccino Punch--that is enough to make everyone an addict! Just set up my IV drip with this in the bag.
2. Warm or cold, it's a classic.
1. The love, the truth, the secrets, the laughs, the tears, the prayers--spending time with beloved friends over a good cup of joe.

To all the coffee drinkers in my life (you know who you are) I love you!

Thought for the Day

Just because it's a Nerf ball, doesn't mean it won't hurt.

Biggest Pet Peeve--well one of them anyway

DON'T HONK at me unless you are my friend. I am serious. Back up off me. I don't like it. You are rude--all you honkers out there. Seriously, I know you think that your annoying "beep-beep" will motivate me to speed up or shoot my car out in traffic faster. Well, you are wrong. Honk at me and I will give you something to honk at!

Whew! That was fun!

"Downward Facing Dog"

I am off to exercise class...more specifically Yoga. Have all my essentials, yoga mat, hand sanitizer, lip gloss, and sweatshirt to tie around my waist disguising the body part that needs yoga-izing. Oh drats, running late. That means one thing...I will have to be up front by the mirror. NO hiding for me.

Open the door way too fast...disturbing the peace and calm for the other yoga-centered minds already starting to warm up. Try to unroll my mat without causing a scene. Off with the shoes, socks and sweatshirt (which I immediately regret.) Realize that I have a wedgie and all eyes are on me. Not a good way to reach down and disengage. It will have to wait.

Janice tells us to breathe into the "Mountain Pose." What?

One quick look in the mirror and I feel confident. This one is basically standing..no problem. I got this yoga thing down. But that confidence quickly dissolves into utter confusion.

"Inhale your right leg down your mat, exhale your left leg." Wait...was that exhale first, then inhale? Which is first, right or left? Finally find the "Downward Facing Dog" and my confidence returns. I can do this. I am breathing, I am slow and controlled, I am doing the absolute wrong thing. I am not sure that was yoga. More like Elaine Dance meets Jane Fonda (quite good at Elaine Dance, by the way. Sort of a claim-to-fame!)

Oh, snap. She is looking my way. Try to stay "calm"...try to look like I am "modifying for your comfort"...try to look "centered and balanced"...remember to breathe!

Moving on to the seriously insane and equally impossible pose called "The Crow." You start by squatting really low, which is not helping the aforementioned wedgie situation. Then you balance your entire body on your elbows supported by your wrists. I don't know...Google it. That is all I can tell you about that, except that I almost needed stitches.

"Excellent, Janelle." What did I do? Try desperately to remember in case she looks my way again. I am glad I did that...whatever it was.

"Breathe through your eyelids." Where do they get this stuff? Being motivated by praise, I really wanted to get this right...so I closed my lids thinking I could breathe through them better if they were closed. Wrong-O. I fell. Once again, I disrupted the peace and serenity around me. Got a half-look from pajama girl. Didn't know I could exercise in jammy pants--I may try that next time.

Finally, we are to the part that I excel at. Relaxing. "Clear your mind of everything, and let go." Done.

Bottom line: I am not flexible, I am not strong, I have zero idea how to breathe through body parts, I have very little balance...but I had fun. I did my best. Thank you, Janice and all like-minded yoga people (even you, jammy girl). I will be back. Next time, I won't be late. Walk out the door with my sweatshirt securely fastened around my waist.

Carpooling

Carpooling is a beautiful thing! Of course, this week I am writing from the perspective of not carpooling and whining about how much I miss it. Sonja is on vacation which means I am doing all the driving. I know, I know most of you do this everyday...what do I have to complain about? Not much really, except to say I miss my carpool buddy. We are a good team...like PB&J, or cookies and milk. We are committed to getting our kids to school on time...mostly thanks to her husband! I love the noisy car with her kids and mine. We talk, read, pray, sing, play air guitar, and laugh. I have a huge assortment of knock, knock jokes and I am up to speed on the multiplication table. Friends, if you don't have a carpool buddy...get one. It is a beautiful thing!

Obsessed.....

My friend, Alana, said that this is all I will start thinking about. She is right. All I have thought about today is what and when to write next. It is endless...I have thought of countless things. Here are just the highlights and maybe someday I will explain them.

--Why are eyebrows important and how can I keep mine from growing?
--I fell in love with my husband on the baseball field...
--I want to tell you why I haven't done dishes since Wednesday and have you tell me it's OK.
--A sure-fire way to bring on your period is to take a pregnancy test. It works EVERY TIME!
--Since we are on that subject, I sent my husband and kids to the store to by tampons--clearly my job. Why, you ask? So I can have more time to blog, of course.
--I haven't told my mom about my blog...should I?
--How long can spaghetti last in the fridge?
--I want to write about all my friends and tell them how much they mean to me.
--My car is dirty...need to wash it.
--My brother's dog chooses our house to have his geriatric bathroom problems. Spent 2 hours cleaning up after him last night. Brother in complete denial about the whole thing.
--Funny story about rude "cat" woman at the Super Center that gasped when she heard my total. I couldn't pay it because her cart was jammed up against my left hip, my arms weren't long enough to swipe my credit card.
--How being a mom today has broken my heart...
--Love, love, love my church.
--How cute is T-ball?
--Who invented scrapbooking? Why was she allowed to punish us this way? The guilt, the unfinished projects, the good intentions, the money...It's all too much!
--Funny story about McDonald's sweet tea.
--Everything I bought yesterday for my summer wardrobe has to be returned.
--Why isn't size 8 universal? Seriously, one pair of capris worked, 5 others didn't. Same store, same brand. WHY??
--Why can't I admit that I really am not that size?
--Why do I continue to buy sleeveless?

Clearly, I have material, just no time. Well, now it's time to actually get off my bum and do the dishes. It is starting to cause marital problems...

What's in a name?

Snot is for "Snot Lotion": On my son's latest visit to the doctor (thought it would just be allergy-related, turned out it was bronchitis and double ear infection--Mother of the Year!) I asked Doc when Z could return to school. As we looked at him, he wiped his nose with his hands and then rubbed it up to his elbows. Doc said he could go to school when he stopped using his snot as a lotion. Needless to say, we launched into Kleenex training that day!

Kisses is for "Kiss-E-Mo Kisses": This is my daughter's way of saying "Eskimo Kisses". We snuggle in bed at night and give each other butterfly kisses and kissemos. I lay there thinking, "I can't believe I have my very own girl!" It is the sweetest thing to hear her giggle because my kiss-e-mos tickle her nose.

I am so excited to write down (mainly for me and my bad memory) our life. I love being a wife and mommy...there is never a dull moment! I think writing about my life, husband and kids will help me reflect on my many blessing. Enjoy!

Friends

OK...here I am starting this blog. What am I thinking?

Had a fun girl's night last night with Dixie, Jen, Shelley, Alana. Laughed until midnight! We told our "blog worthy" stories and laughed until we cried! Love my friends.

I am much funnier in person, but I will try....