Today, March 30th...

I happened upon this on a blog I just discovered and thought I'd give it a try since it's been a few days since my last post, cuz I am all about the easy!

Outside my window…Cloudy, chilly, very windy. Snow is actually in the forecast. A downright blustery day one might say. March is going out like a lion.

I am thinking…what I should try to get done today? So far it's not a whole lot.

I am thankful that…the kids have been getting along pretty well today - the first day of spring break. Let's hope it lasts thru the week.

From the kitchen…no clue. Some kind of pasta based hot-dish most likely. In my awesome new cookware!!

I am wearing…hmmmm....it's 2:30 pm and I am still in my "cozy clothes" (sweats, t-shirt, zipped hoodie)

I am creating…not much today. I should be creating a newsletter for my MOMs group. So hard to stay motivated tho.

I am going…to put real clothes on and go to the grocery store soon.

I am reading…a couple of new blogs I just discovered. The book I am reading is "The Matter of Grace" by Jessica Barksdale Inclan. I just discovered her earlier this year and really like her writing style.

I am hoping…that our week at home here over spring break is fun and relaxing without many appearances by my evil twin, Naggy, Raggy Mother.

I am hearing…the noise of Wii sports, kids playing together nicely. Some music from the kid's computer. And my dragonfly lights banging against the window in the wind.

Around the house...a little chaotic, but it's been much worse. I just can't seem to get a handle on the kitchen clutter these days. And a sink full of dirty dishes and a dishwasher full of clean ones. hmmmm... need to get the kids right on that one. :-)

One of my favorite things…happy kids.

A few plans for the rest of the week...hopefully enjoying a relaxing, laid-back week, maybe a trip up to the Science Museum or Children's Museum, some cleaning/organizing perhaps? And hopefully a little exercise. Oooo...and a wine tasting event Friday night!

Loose toofes and middle school woes...

so my darling 5yr old baby boy, Jaxon, came running into my bedroom yesterday morning as I was getting ready for the day to announce that he had a wiggly tooth! His first loose tooth. He was so excited...and I got a little teary-eyed. And that took me by surprise.

See, I was totally fine registering him for kindergarten, not understanding all the heartache among friends in signing up their youngest for kindergarten. The Hubs and I were talking about it then, and we both decided that life is so much better now and we're having more fun with our kids than ever before that we shouldn't waste the present grieving the past or lament about how fast their growing up. Life is good.

But for some reason this first loose tooth made me a little sad. My baby boy is growing up. >sigh<.

As for the middle school woes, this is something I dread about having my kiddos growing up. My oldest baby boy, Coleo is struggling at school with feeling like kids are picking on him and teasing him. He had a little meltdown this morning on his way out the door.

I have been coming down pretty hard him the past few months, in helping him be more aware of the choices he's making re: all sorts of things. Food choices, how he spends his free time, how he's spends/saves his money, controlling his impulses, all sorts of things. We've got charts posted all over the house for all the kids reminding them what needs to be done and when, in attempts to empower them more and to have me nagging them less. And he still falls short sometimes and I am the first to call him on it. So I am the bad guy right now. He actually told The Hubs that I am just like the teacher at school that he doesn't' get along with. Ouch! I just don't know how else to come along side him and try to teach him the things he needs to know and do to be a confident, self-reliant young man. I do know I have to catch him doing things right more often and praise him more. I know the whole it takes 10 praises to counter every negative. But it's so hard! Why is the nagging seem to be easier?

So this morning I grieved for him after getting him out the door. I feel so sad when he he has these melt-downs and tears up saying he doesn't have any friends. Or that he's being teased or picked on by "everyone". I don't get that at all. He is a funny, witty kid, he's friendly and sociable. We let him do all sorts of fun things, we've offered him the chance to invite kids over from school. But the friendships just don't seem to be happening. He was one of only 4 kids from his elementary school to move to the middle school he attends, and 3 of them were girls. So he started out at a little bit of a disadvantage with no one on his side really, but he was kinda of excited about that actually. He was looking forward to having a new "pond" to swim in and make some new friends.

I have prayed for those friendships...in hopes he'd find those one or two really special ones that he could carry thru to highschool with. He has a couple of really good friends at church, but they all attend different schools. I hate the thought of him being a target, singled out by the supposed "cool kids". I know how vicious middle-schoolers can be. A parents worst nightmare really. Vigilante Momma takes hold and I want to go scope out the rotten ones and let them have a taste of it. He endured some physical harrassment and bullying as a 2nd grader on the bus, initiated by an older boy and it about broke my heart that he tolerated it as long as he did before it "surfaced'.

I hate the thought of him worrying and dreading going to school. It's hard to know when to step in and talk to a teacher. I have encouraged him to talk to his teachers, and even go see the 6th grade counselor if he thinks that would help. He's afraid the kids will pick on him more if he talks. I just don't know what to do - what to say to encourage him, how to help.

This first-born parenting thing is tuff.

Our drummer boy...

Coleo had his first ever school band concert tonight. He's playing percussion and loves it. It's the first thing in his 12 years that he has been passionate about. He's not driven by sports, especially if it involves being a part of a team. We tried, and encouraged, but athletics just aren't his thing. Music is obviously OUR thing so we certainly weren't going to discourage him. Plus, some kind of music instruction is required in 6th grade, band, orchestra or general music.

He decided last spring, at the end of 5th grade, that band was his class of choice and drums were what he wanted to play, so we immediately got him signed up for private lessons to help "level the field" so to speak for him getting chosen to be in the percussion section for 6th grade band. Apparently, percussion is pretty popular and there are only a few spots to fill. Well, for once things worked out for him and he was chosen for percussion. yay!

He has continued with the private lessons as well and he is doing great.

So tonight was the 6th grade Spring Band Concert. (The mandatory concert that was on the school schedule from the first day -miss it without a pretty good excuse and you fail band, kind of mandatory). I bought the black pants, white shirt and a new pair of all black skater shoes to wear. The new shoes cost more than the pants and shirt combined - thanks to Savers - cuz heck if I am gonna pay full price for clothes he will were just this once. I'm thrifty like that!

Doesn't he look sharp?

I have to admit tho, I was excited for him, but a little anxious about sitting thru even a few minutes of a 6th grade band concert, ya know what I'm saying? Yikes.

Lo and behold, they were good! I would even venture to say they sounded pretty great. Especially when the band teacher announced that they had only played thru their entire song set together as a full band a couple of times this week! WOW!

There were only a few little honks and squeaks that didn't belong (from the trumpets and clarinets mostly, NOT the drums), but my goodness, are we proud of our very own drummer boy.

Mid-week Randomness...

so.....
I am still chewing my nails to the point of discomfort. What am saying? It's actually painful to type...that's how bad it is. I don't know why I am still biting my nails, but I really wish I could reach that point where I could resolve to stop pretty right quick. I hate being self-conscious about my hands. Hate it.

The weather is Glor-EE-US this week! Warmth, sunshine. love it.

We have new neighbors moving into the house up behind us. I know I should do the right thing and march myself over there to say hello, but good golly is that a hard thing to work myself up to do. I sure hope they don't mind our kitty prowling around the yards. We'll see if we can catch them out in the yard this weekend perhaps. They have furniture out on the patio, and a bird bath appeared in the corner of the backyard so I suspect we'll be seeing more them back there than the people who used to live there...which was pretty much never. I am praying now that they are nice, like kids, and noise and black kitties who like to explore.

As of Monday, I had a book that was 1 week overdue and couldn't get to the library to get it returned. I actually didn't finish reading it until Sunday, so Monday was the first day I would've returned it, but I didn't. So I made it to the library on Tuesday, and my card was "blocked" against any new check-outs due to excessive overdue charges. Oops. I knew they were racking up! $13.05. Got those paid for, I don't mind really, I figure it's just our way of supporting our local library.

We missed Idol last night. A little bummed. SO no re-cap for this week and it was country week too darn it all. I have read several reviews and blog re-caps so feel like I am up to speed but the results show will be interesting.

Have I told you lately how much I LOVE the new U2 album...love it. Even the kids love it and have a couple of favorite songs they ask to hear every time we are tooling around town, but maybe because it's all I've listened to in the car in the past 2 weeks?

I don't get St. Patrick's Day. I just don't. Although most of the family wore green yesterday and The Hubs insisted on putting green food coloring in our milk glasses last night at dinner. I still don't understand what all the fuss is about.

I am bummed that Alexis was sent home in Idol tonight. really bummed. I liked her a lot. There are definitely several who should have gone home waaaaay before her.

I hate late night commercials for scary icky movies. Why do they show those??

We have a crazy busy day tomorrow...I am stressing about it and really fear not sleeping well tonight because of it. Hence the fact that it is midnight and I am not even close to being ready to go to sleep.

We are now on day 4 of not having anyone throwing up in our house! Yippee!!

And have I blogged yet how much I hate the new Facebook layout? It's yucky and they took all the fun out of it. I still spend way more time than I should dorking around with it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I'm just sayin' people - why change something that wasn't broke?

Alrighty then...I think that's enough for now.

Smooches...

Long week...

of illness here in the Hinterland. It really started about 10 days ago with The Hubs getting hit with a pretty bad cold. And he never gets sick, well hardly ever.

Next, Wren was exposed to a stomach bug last Wed. when a boy who sits next to her at school threw up. So we were kind of on "alert" for her. Except that she hardly ever gets sick either.

We were then out of town overnight Sat-Sun, up north visiting both our brothers and their families. The kiddos spent the day with Greg's brother's family while we attended a worship conference. By the time we got back to their house for dinner, Jules was not well at all. Complaining of her stomach hurting and looking pretty "peaked" (as my mom would say). After dinner with them, we headed over to my brother's house to spend the night. Well, the inevitable happened and Jules was sick, thankfully just once overnight and by morning she seemed pretty much back to normal.

I woke up Sunday morning not feeling well. Nose was stuffy and drippy all at the same time and had a sinus headache. I had gotten the Hubs cold. Church, lunch, a little Nascar; we enjoyed our Sunday with them and then made our way home late afternoon.

Monday, I woke up and felt just plain rotten. Massive headache, scratchy throat, nose was stuffed and dripping like a leaky faucet. Another morning laying on the couch for this momma...poor Jaxon. I got up in time to get myself moving, showered and dressed, make him lunch, and to get him to school. I then did my usual Monday grocery run, followed by what I like to call Manic Monday - picking all 4 kids up from their respective schools, Coleo at 2:30, Jaxon and 3 and then girlies at 3:30. >deep breath< Cole to drums, wait, girls to dance, home for dinner, homework and bedtime.

Tuesday was no better, The Hubs got hit with the stomach bug overnight Monday, so he was home from work and spent the day in bed. I spent most of the day on the couch getting up only when necessary. Thannkfully, Jaxon is eaily entertained, and self-reliant. We received a call from school about 3pm saying Wren had thrown up; I was already getting myself up and on my way to pick them up from school (for piano lessons at 4) so I hurried a little more to get myself out the door. Dropped Jules off for her lesson, with my little Wren-bird in tow, I stopped for gas, a quick run to the library and back for Jules and home. BY this time it was starting to get cold....like Antarctic cold. It's March people!

I obviously kept Wren home from school, and I was still pretty miserable feeling from my cold, and then with the WAY below zero temps and wind chill, I decided I was not going out unless absolutely necessary, so called and said Jaxon would not be at school that day. Another day spent mostly lazing on the couch, altho I did muster up enough energy to throw the makings for beef stew in the crock pot. A very long, very hot shower helped take the edge off the headache and congestion, and did run up to school to pick up Jules (she has never ridden the bus without her twin and seemed a little sad at the thought of it.) Same routine, dinner, homework, showers for all, and bed. >sigh<

Thursday, everyone was back to school and work, I was still feeling pretty crummy from the neck up. I got thru the week doing as little as possible, but still wonder what would happen to my family if I was actually REALLY sick? It's so hard for stay at home MOMs to take real sick days isn't?

Thankfully,no one else has gotten the head cold junk and we haven't had anymore of the nasty stomach stuff. yet.

UPDATE: Our sweet Jaxon got hit with the stomach bug Saturday afternoon. Poor thing. That makes 4 of 6. So now, Coleo and I are the only ones how haven't had it. Eek!

Because I Might Just Be....

a teeny tiny bit neurotic. Let me explain.

Tonight was a band practice night, for our worship band. Our new church building sits on the back corner of a 20 acre field on the north side of town, which is surrounded by another 100+ acres of fields/wooded areas. Pretty much out in the middle of nowhere. It's dark, it's isolated, it's a little bit spooky. Especially for someone with a neurotically over-active imagination like mine.

So I forgot to lock my van tonight while it sat in the parking lot of the dark 20 acres, but didn't really think about it until I had started my van and made my way thru the parking lot and down the long driveway. It was then I realized I had made an even graver mistake and I had gotten in and driven away without "checking". And I know You all know what I mean...don't you? That's right. I didn't check to make sure no one was hiding out in the back waiting to car-jack me. It was a moment I tell ya.

So I find the switch to flip on all the interior lights. So far so good. Captains chairs - check. Back seat - check. But I still can't see the very back, very deep, very well-hidden stow and go hatch of my mini-van. Blast it all. I couldn't stop and check, because there were others leaving band practice who would happen upon me and wonder what I was doing on the side of a very dark, deserted road. So here's where the neurosis kicks in.

For the first 5 miles or so, I manage to dig my cell phone out of the abyss my purse and get it in my coat pocket. I then begin practicing if I can get a number dialed without the hypothetical bad guy realizing what I'm doing.

Okay now, see? I saw a "celebrating heros" story on Oprah once where a woman was forced into the backseat of her own car, with her child, while a man proceeded to attempt a car-jacking. She was able to dial 911 on her phone without the guy realizing it, and then left phone hidden with the line open so the good guys could track her. So that's what I was doing. (And it's not the first time) Could I get a number discreetly dialed so someone would hear what's happening? I figured out I could push two buttons and have the The Hubs on the line. Tiny moment of relief. (So Hubs if you're reading this, promise to always, always answer your phone??)

Ok, so then I start thinking, what if the phone thing didn't work. Neurosis part deux.

I then remembered a scene from a movie where the good guy is driving, bad guy is in the passenger seat not properly buckled, and the good guy realizes this and deliberately crashes the car sending the un-buckled bad guy thru the front window. Saved! So, I then proceeded, for the second half of my 14 mile drive home, to look for places along the highway that I could deliberately crash my van, taking out the passenger side all the while not severely injuring/killing myself. I thought about how fast I'd have to be going to have a light post slice thru the car like a hot knife thru butter. Or if just sideswiping the passenger side along a sound wall would do it. Or what it would feel like to roll it.

And of course I arrived home safe and sound. No bad guys hiding in my hatch. And all the while, The Hubs was less than a mile behind me the whole way home.

So yeah....whaddya think.

Maybe ...just a little bit?

American Idol Top 13

What??? The music of Michael Jackson? Didn't the judges say to every single contestant that attempted MJ's music in the last few weeks to NEVER try to sing MJ? And now they are subjecting us to an entire night of it? Really?

Kinda fun intro having the judges make a grand entrance like that. Well then, off we go...

Lil Rounds (The Way You make Me Feel) OOO! I Like!! very much. An excellent start to the show. She made it her own song. I'm a little afraid she is bit like Fantasia tho? But I like her very very much. Way to go Lil!! I agree with Simon on one thing, I don't care so much for the white pleat front pants...but the color of her top is beautiful on her.

Scott MacIntyre (Keep the faith) Nice. I like his style and confidence behind the piano...I don't know if he can take the whole thing, but I like him. It was a good song choice for him, and it's an MJ song that I like!

Danny Gokey (PYT) Love.him. that's all I have to say.

Michael Sarver (You're Not Alone) hmmm...I like him, but I don't think he has the chops to stick around for very long unfortunately, esp compared to the first 3.

Jasmine Murray (I'll be there) yikes.

Kris Allen (remember) I liked what I saw

Allison Iraheta (be good to me) from the few seconds I caught (was putting kids to bed)....over done and over sung. And the whole outfit and look was a bit much for me.

Anoop Desai (Beat it) A bit karaoke for me. I honestly haven't made up my mind about him. Judges agree. He missed the mark tonight.

Jorge Nunez (never can say good-bye) Huh. this one fell really flat for me. Nothing interesting about it. very forgettable.

Megan Joy Corkrey (Rockin Robin) She is still doing that weird hippy shake thing. I don't like her. She's look uncomfortable. I don't get it. Why would she pick a be-bopper song, when she is obviously a little bit more rocker? I don't like that "unique and quirky" voice.

Adam Lambert (Black & White) I am very excited to see what he can do. There is a little conflict with him for me...he's got this rocker persona and look. With an Elvis snarl, can rip thru those vocal runs better than anyone, but then occasionally slips into this kind of bad 80's hair band thing. I really like, but a few of those things need to gel together for me. I agree, he is a natural born performer, I just don't get how they keep saying he's "the most current" when he slips into that hair band thing. But I do like him and think he'll go really far.

Matt Giraud (Human Nature) Another piano guy. I like. He has a Justin Timberlake-ish-ness about him. And I don't really care so much for Justin T.) Aha. Randy agrees with me!

Alexis Grace (Dirty Diana) I love this girl from the get go! I hope she nails it. Ok...pretty good. Song choice is questionable. I loved the power vocal stuff...but agree that she over-sang some parts of it. Loved the soft moments, loved the look, but yes, a few bits of it were a little much. She is another one that is a natural born performer tho and would love to see her in the finale.

Best of show? Lil, Adam, Danny, Alexis
Ho-hum and goin' home? Jasmine? Jorge? Anoop?

American Idol bonus......

Wildcard Night Re-cap...

Well here we go. A bonus night of Idol...the wildcard spots will be filled after these 8 lucky ones get one more shot to prove themselves worthy of the Top 12.

Jesse Langston - (Tell Me...) Hmmm. I don't get the song. I like her voice. But the song just isn't doing anything for me. It was weird. She's the hometown girl so would love to have her make it in...but it was still kinda strange.

Matt Giraud (Who's loving you) Talk about indulgent....let's see if Simon says that to HIM. Hmmm....this is gonna be a tough call. He can sing the blues...but can he sing anything else? What will happen on country week or Elvis week and any other "week" they throw at him? Unless he's amazing at arranging like Chris Daughtry was and can turn it all around to his style every week, he'll be an interesting choice.

Megan (Cherry Tree) I don't like her. There are already enough of this kind of rough scratchy R&Bers out there. And what is with the hippy shake thing she keeps doing? And no one can touch Katherine McPhee's version of this. Sure she's "current" but I don't think she's gonna be a Top 12er.

Von Smith (Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word) Here's a hard word - Yuck. He just blew it.
What was he thinking?

Jasmine Murray (Reflection) Well it was a nice karaoke version of Christina Aguilera. Not so great. She is one of the young ones isnt' she? Maybe we'll see her again another year. She's got time.

Ricky Braddy (Superstitious) Ok he's good. Really good. I think he's got the chops for the Top 12.

Tatiana - oh my-lanta. Can we just put this to rest once and for all????? She really really shouldn't be here and was only put in to give us one more week of the drama. Just get it over with. What??? Saving All My Love....Really? Whitney again? Is that all she can sing? And poorly at that. That was just plain bad...bad bad bad karaoke. Everything about her is so fake and all show. She is different (but the same) every time we see her. Please stop the ride and let her off. Did she really sing that same song 3 times already?? She is so gone.

Anoop(My Perogative) Eek. The song doesn't fit him. But he can sing. Really. And he's likeable. But this was a poor song choice and I didn't like it.

So...we're forwarding ahead...who's it gonna be??

The final three spots go to....Jasmine, Megan and Matt. Huh. I'm not sure those would have been my picks? But there ya go. Overall I have been fairly unimpressed by the lot of them save for a few.

Updated: AHAH!! I love surprises. Our recording ran out before it ended and I just heard the news that they picked Anoop too..so it's the TOP 13! Very cool....Should be interesting! Esp since it's 5 women and 8 men! Is this the first year they haven't had it an even 6 and 6? They are really shaking things up now aren't they?

And now the real fun begins! Can't wait.

Midweek randomness...

sorry for not getting an Idol re-cap posted this week. Missed getting it all recorded, so will just be catching the results show a little later this evening.


Had a good Monday - usual driving mania. Kids here and there and everywhere. Jaxon to school, grocery run, Jaxon pick-up, girlies pick-up, (no drums today) instead a quick run home to drop Jaxon off to stay home with Coleo and then girlies back up to dance. It was "parents get to watch" week at dance...so fun. They are all so cute and their teacher Miss Tanya is a gem.

Tuesday was a crummy day - I woke up with a headache, so I got the girlies out the door then laid down on the couch and pretty much stayed there until I had to get up to make Jaxon lunch. Yes that's right -I laid on the couch for almost 4 straight hours. He watched PBS, played Wii, and tinkered around on Webkinz and PBSkids.com. So yeah, we're chalking that morning up to some stellar parenting I tell ya.

After lunch tho, I got myself showered and dressed for the day, folded a couple loads of laundry and cleaned up the kitchen a bit. Coleo had an ortho appt and the girls had piano lessons, both at 4. So waited for Coleo to arrive home off the bus at 3:15, had time for a quick snack, then raced up to get the girls from school by 3:40, drop Coleo at the ortho office a few minutes early; Hubs met us there to stay with him. I then dropped the girls off at their lesson, leaving them there and stopped in to our accountant to sign off on our taxes, a stop at Wal-mart for a Rotisserrie chicken (such a good deal for a fast easy inexpensive dinner) and got back home. Hubs got the girls from piano after Coleo's appt was finished, with a stopover at Best Buy to pick up U2's new album! (it's so awesome) Dinner, clean up, and I was off to my weekly Tuesday night design team meeting at church. Part of the reason there's no Idol Round 3 dish session.

Today, Wednesday, I led worship at or women's small groups at church this morning. We are doing an awesome Beth Moore study called "Breaking Free". It's really powerful. I was a little resistant about it at first because I arrogantly thought "I'm not being held captive by anything". HA! My eyes and heart are being opened weekly to the smallest of things that I am allowing to have a stronghold on my life (laziness, procrastination, selfishness) which are keeping me from being the woman, wife and mother that God created me to be. Nuff said.

And then Jaxon decided today was the day to gift me with a once-a-month melt down about going to pre-school today. He is such quirky boy when it comes to that. He loves school. His teachers love him. He even has a couple of good buddies. But about once a month, something throws him into a tail-spin upon arrival. Today it was because they were going on a field trip, I didn't sign up to chaperone this one, and for some reason he thought one of his buddies wasn't at school. After about 10 minutes of tears, running away, hiding and even a little screeching (him, not me), and then some threats and angry words from this momma, we worked it out and I got him on the school bus for the field trip. Frustrating to say the least. I felt sad for losing my temper a bit, but I also don't want him to think he can get away with this kind of nonsense.

I usually "stay out" and run errands or go back and sit at church and hop on my computer on Wednesdays, because of the distance from Jaxon's school to home and the short amount of time I really have. But today I just needed to be home. So home it was. I read the paper, hopped on facebook for a bit, read a couple of blogs, and cat-napped. It felt good. Back to pre-school for pickup, to the girls school for pickup and then home again. It's been a quiet lazy evening. We chose to not go to our mid-week church service, it gets to be a late night for the kids. Had the littles in bed by 8:15, Coleo was in bed by 9. Now the Hubs and I are watching a few minutes of last night's Idol, before watching the results show which we did get recorded.

Other randomness - I'm not sure why, but I have chewed my nails down to the bone over the past couple of weeks. I am a nail-biter. Have been my whole life. But I am capable of long stretches (I'm talking years) where I get them grown out and don't chew at all. But then one gets a little short and raggedy, and boom - they are all gone. Stress, boredom? I'm not sure what makes it rear it's ugly head so out of the blue. And I can't stop. Right now, I have chewed the middle fingernail on my right hand so short that it hurts to hold a pen to write. AACCCKKK! I will have to chew and pick a bit more to get it out of my system for another week or so and then try to quit cold turkey. Yes, it's like an addiction.

Oh and I've been staying up too late this week to watch U2 on Letterman all week. They ROCK! Their new album is stellar.

And have I told you how much I love my husband lately? He rocks too. :-)

Oh and our kitty cat is driving us crazy with incessant meowing at stupid o'clock in the morning. Everyday for over a week now, sometime between 4:30-5:30 AM!! it starts. I end up out of the warmth and coziness of bed and carrying him down the stairs to exile him to the mudroom for the duration of the night Ugh.

I'm already looking forward to the weekend -we get to see both of our brother's families and attend a worship conference.

How's that for random?