Camera Critters #14

I missed last week due to family vacation! I'm back with a Camera Critter from NYC.

I present to you Balto, the heroic sled dog! This statue can be found in Central Park and was erected in 1925. Balto himself was there for the unveiling. Interestingly enough, you can now see Balto at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. After his death, he was taxidermied.
The plaque reads:
Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the Winter of 1925.

Endurance · Fidelity · Intelligence

Support

West is Left, Right?

I am horrible with directions. Turn or Go East, West, North, South, huh? I still use my hands when thinking about which way is left & right. I can not read a map, well, an interstate/highway map. So Bear had good reason to question whether or not we'd be ok when he found out he & I would be going to Central Park Zoo while Big D & Lamb did her trapeze school. I, on the other hand, wasn't worried. It's Central Park! How hard could it be to find? Plus, I knew Big D would give me detailed directions. I was so very unconcerned.

The day before our zoo adventure, I had even more reason to feel confident. The family separated. Big D & Bear went to get pictures of extinct baseball park plaques. Lamb & I walked around Greenwich Village. With only a map to guide us.We walked around NYU, Waverly Place, Mulberry Street, & Bleeker Street. We saw Carrie Bradshaw's stoop & Nigel Barker's photo studio. Never got lost once. I'll admit, Lamb helped me out with directions. But, the point is, *I* followed a map. *I* got us where we needed to go. We were so good that we finished before the guys & were able to rest & relax in a square. Ah, relief for the feet!So, you see, I felt good about getting Bear & myself to the zoo. I was even feeling adventurous enough to expand locations. Bear wanted to get all the Statues on Parade for the MLB All-Star games. He was lacking two of them. They were somewhat on our way so I agreed to take him. No prob, Bob!

We went our separate ways with Big D telling me our subway was down the street a couple of blocks & it'd probably be across the street. Thinking to be smart, Bear & I went ahead & crossed the street. We walked, we walked, & we walked some more. I called Big D to inquire how far we'd have to walk. Let me add that we are wearing our 20 lb backpacks since this was the last day of vacation. They were heavy. And, since it's July, it was H.O.T. & humid as well. Big D said we should be coming on it. So, we walked some more. I started getting a bad feeling & mentioned to Bear that maybe we should turn around. I could see the look of apprehension in his eyes. I assured him that all was well. I could see the doubt still. We decided to cross the street & walk back up the many blocks. I was looking hard for the subway with no avail. I finally decided to stop in a corner market & found out we were a block away from it. Whew. I called Big D & he felt like we were going in the wrong direction. I got a little testy. Good thing I didn't listen to him. A block later, there was the beauty of the subway stop. Big D & I had a miscommunication. While he said "across the street" I was thinking the other side. It was really "across the corner" but same side of the main street. I wouldn't have missed it if Bear & I hadn't crossed over to begin with. ARGH!

I handed Bear his Metro card & we proceeded to slide them. I went through but Bear did not. I could see the panic in his eyes as he kept trying to swipe. I was on the verge of telling him just to crawl under when I reached over to try & swipe his myself. I felt the kindness of a stranger as, on his way out, he used his own card to swipe Bear through to my side. It has been my experience that New Yorkers are so very kind. It's the tourists that can be rude.

Once we got on the subway, we had smooth sailing. I could see the confidence in me growing in Bear's eyes. We made it to the two statues, the Balto statue in Central Park, the zoo, and back to Lamb & Big B at the school with absolutely no trouble.

I can maneuver myself around a city. Sorta. As long as I'm given detailed directions. Whew!

Friday's Feast

Appetizer

When was the last time you had your hair cut/trimmed?

About 2 weeks ago

Soup

Name one thing you miss about being a child.

The simpleness of it all. Things just happened when I was a child. Now I'm the one making these things happen. Not as much fun. :)

Salad

Pick one: butter, margarine, olive oil.

Why, butter of course!

Main Course

If you could learn another language, which one would you pick, and why?

Spanish so I could understand conversations around me. Lamb is getting ready to take her 2nd year of Spanish AND 1st year sign language next year. I'm envious! I'm hoping she teaches me what she learns. ;)

Dessert

Finish this sentence: In 5 years I expect to be…

the mom of a college freshman. Gulp.

So Tired, So Very Tired

Hi!! How are ya'll? Anything new? We finally got home around 2am this morning. It seems that there were storms all around delaying planes & pilots. We spent 4 hours in the Long Island airport then another hour in the Baltimore airport. I was starting to think we were going to be stranded but it was for naught. All planes & pilots made it to us so we could sally forth home.

Tons of fun was had, ten thousand miles of walking, not as much picture taking (only around 600 this time, ha), & lots of stories, including a walk thru the Harlem projects, to share.

That'll have to wait til I recover tho. Tune in for more!

We Interupt This Blog

For a limited time due to a family getaway to NYCDon't worry, the blog will return Wednesday with no lost episodes.

D... & Goliath

Sunday we had the good fortune to see the Astros play the Red Sox at Minute Maid Park. It was the 1st time ever for Boston to play in Houston. I was surpised at how the fans acted. I really thought we might be at Fenway rather than Minute Maid the way the fans cheered and booed. A much difference experience than when we saw the Astros play the Yankees a couple of weeks earlier.

But, that's not the point of this. This is all about the giant of a man who sat next to me. He had to squeeze in the seat and he spilled over into my space. His clap was like a sonic boom that made my ears ring. And his hands blocked my view of home plate. His voice was louder than all the Red Sox fans put together. Can you tell how large he is?

How about now compared to my knees and Big D's knees. Keep in mind that we call him Big D for a reason. He is over 6 feet tall.

Is this better? The guys in front of us left so we each hooked our legs over the back of the seats.

I'm telling ya'll, he was massive. And he had no idea I was taking pictures of us together.

Bear-isms

It's been awhile since I've shared some of the joy that is Bear. Get ready for a heapin' dose of him!

As I was walking to my bathroom, I passed Bear on my bed playing a video game. "They didn't name him Johnny Cash for nothing!" Um, no, Bear, they sure didn't.

Watching So You Think You Can Dance, "Mama, Twitch & I are just alike. Except he's a bigger version of me....and a different color." Uh huh, those are the only differences, Bear.

Making Kool-Aid, "Hey, Mama, if the baseball or sport broadcasting careers don't work out, I can be a bartender! Look at me flip the bottle!" You sure can because all there is to tending bar is flipping the drinks, Bear!Walking past him in the hallway & noticing his shirt was off, "Mama, I got hot! It's the hair, I know it is!" As Lamb says, it's like Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite. Um, I think I should hide the shaver...

Because his hair is getting "long" and because he's desperate to get it cut, he's taken to making "porkchop" sideburns (the mirror image is the best for viewing) in the hope that I get really aggravated & take him to the barber. I tell him he's annoying the wrong parent. He knows his papa is the one to take care of that business. To aggravate him, tell him he looks like an elf when he does that. ;)
Bonus:

The One Where She Runs Off to Join the Circus

I am going to confess something right here, right now. The kids & I really enjoy this show called Celebrity Circus. It's some kind of cheesy fun! They do Flying Silk, trapeze, high wire, Spanish Web, & the Wheel of Death, just to name a few. While watching, Lamb is constantly saying, "Oh, that looks FUN!" She says joining the circus is better than joining the carnival. OOOO!

We also watch another show with Big D called She's Got the Look. During one episode, the contestants had a challenge at a trapeze school in NYC. Lamb again said, "Oh, that looks like FUN!"

Because she expressed an interest, Big D checked out the trapeze school. It's affordable and they have an opening while we are there. On July 8th, for 2 hours, Lamb will be flying through the air with the greatest of ease!

Bear is less than happy about it.

Camera Critters #12

It's not the best picture, but this is a lion cub at MGM casino in Las Vegas. Big D & I actually got to pet one & have our picture made with it. They were so cute & fun to watch playing.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer

What is the weather like today where you live?

Stormy... oh wait, today as in Friday, huh? I'm not sure yet. I bet it's going to be hot. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if we had a shower or two.

Soup

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how career-minded are you?

That's a tough one. I don't think I am very career-minded even tho I do try to do my very best at work. It is more than a job to me. People have aspirations for me to become a teacher. I don't have enough faith in myself so I'm content with what I am doing. All of that to say I'm probably a 5, right there stuck on the fence.

Salad

What type of window coverings do you have in your home? Blinds, curtains, shutters, etc.?

Nothing but blinds, but one day...

Main Course

Name something that instantly cheers you up.

The corny-ness that comes out of my family's mouths

Dessert

How many times do you hit the snooze button on a typical morning?

Embarrassingly enough, 2-3 times right now; Altho, with Big D sound asleep beside me, I hate to do that. So, during the school year, I usually turn off the alarm once the kids are up & at them and stay in bed for, um, a tad bit longer. So not a morning person.

The Road to New York

This time next week, I will be rushing to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. I will have payed the bills for the following week & pray they don't hit the bank before the paycheck. ;) I will not have packed yet. That will wait until late Thursday night. Friday morning, we will get up at the crack at dawn and head to NYC for a 5 day get-away. The path getting there hasn't been easy.

Big D & I tend to do things backwards without a lot of thought. For instance, we knew we had free airfare & hotel so we put those on the backburner. We knew we wanted to go to a Yankees game. Bought the tickets to a Yankees/Red Sox game, no less. Woot for us! We knew we wanted to see a show. That Saturday, we will see Grease with the two actors we voted to win. EEEE! Lamb & I would really like to wear Pink Ladies jackets, but I digress.

After ordering those tickets, we thought we might ought to book the flight & the hotel. Good thinking, huh? We get on the airlines site, order 3 of our tickets no problem. Then we get to Big D. He has a voucher he was given when he graciously changed a flight to make room for others. Only, he didn't read the fine print. He thought he had until the date shown to BOOK his flight. Negative. He had until that date to actually fly somewhere. Oops. We have to go because we bought event tickets AND three flights. Sadly, we had to dip into our spending money. Bleh. We also didn't take into consideration Big D's hours. We have to leave for the airport around the time Big D usually goes to bed. Oops.

Then we move on to the hotel. Oops again. They have availability for all nights, except the 1st. That night they only have a king-sized smoking room. None of us smoke. None of us can stand the smell of smoke. Both kids have extremely sensitive noses & it really plays with their sinuses. We go ahead & book it just because we don't want to sleep on a park bench in Central Park on the evening of the 4th of July. I have a feeling it would not be a good time.

Yep, we do things backwards. Except for shelling out souvenir money, it all worked out. Big D kept checking the hotel and a non-smoking, 2 queen beds did open up. We are cool now.

Up until now, I haven't been all that excited. It just didn't seem real. But now that we have started to map out our days (One day, we are meeting up with my friend, Bear's 4th grade teacher. How cool is that?), I can not wait for this time next week!

15 years

15 is my very favorite number so when I saw this on Bubba's Sis' blog, I knew I had to participate.

Think back on the last 15 years of your life. What would you tell someone that you hadn't seen or talked to for 15 years? How would you sum up your life? You get 10 bullet points. A list of 10 things to summarize you.

• Fifteen years ago, I was in nursing school, but I never finished due to a little thing called giving birth.
• I gave birth to Lamb who is now 14 and entering the world of high school.
• I then quit my job at a home health & hospice agency and also quit nursing school. Big D & I sacrificed a lot so I could stay home with her. Those sacrifices were well worth it.
• I gave birth to Bear who is now 10 and entering his last year of elementary school. And his last year of being in the same school with me. I have a feeling it will be harder for me than for him. It will be strange being at school & not having a child there.
  
• I lost a baby.
• I went to school to become a travel agent. I then quit that too. Good reasons though! We found out it was an expensive scam school.
  
• We moved from Memphis to Houston leaving a lot of family & friends behind.
• We bought our first house (after 12 yrs of marriage & apartment living) and our first brand new car.
• When Bear was in 1st grade, I entered the work force full time again at their school. When I was pregnant with him, I did work part-time but then Big D's hours changed & I had to quit. Now, with both kids in school, it was easier. Plus, we finally had 2 cars!
• We are a family who LOVES to travel. These past 15 yrs, we have traveled to: Disney World (3X), Universal Studios (2x), Busch Gardens, Chicago (3x), New York (fixing to be 2x), Las Vegas (just Big D & me), Florida's Emerald Coast (umpteen times), Montana (before Bear), and a Rambling Road Trip all across the midsouth/west. Bear has been to Detroit with his daddy and Lamb has been to Washington, D.C. with her grandmother & 5th grade class. Some of them were quick, short trips. Others were good, long vacations. We are building memories for the kids. And also showing them that there is so much more out there than our little corner of the world.

And that about sums up my life in a nutshell. Feel free to play along!

Camera Critters #11

So whose chair is this anyway?????

For whatever reason, I'm the one Cleo always treats nicely. And, by nice, I mean she's always in my space. She thinks of me as her personal fluffy pillow & we tend to fight over the computer chair.

Join us at Misty Dawn's Camera Critters!

End of the Week in Pictures

So, Thursday, I decided I Could.Not.Stand.My.Hair.One.Moment.Longer. I had roots galore, frizz galore, & no shape. It was UGH for people to have to lay eyes on me. I high-tailed it to the hair cutting place and got it chopped off. I wish I had taken a picture of the pile of hair when the stylist was finished. It feels sooo much better. Ahhhh.
Lamb has been instructed to clean her room. She's been working on it for TWO weeks. She has dreams of painting it (light orange with pink polka dots) & getting a hammock bed. Her daddy agreed to the painting but not the new bed, yet. Instead, we are going to dismantle her monstrosity of a loft bed. In order to do all of that, her room must be clean. To keep her company & to be her task master, Bear has been hanging out in her room.
Last night was the Disney premiere of Camp Rock. We had the Bubba's Sis Family over to watch it with us. BFF called & told Lamb to come up with a rocker look for the occasion. Here is her look:
We had a lot of fun & really enjoyed the movie. Those Jonas Brothers! Sigh.

Water

Friday's Feast

Appetizer

If you could live on another continent for 1 year, which one would you choose?

Europe

Soup

Which browser do you use to surf the Internet?

Sometimes Internet Explorer, sometimes Firefox

Salad

On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how much do you know about the history of your country?

7, I used to know a lot but I've needed those brain cells for other things

Main Course

Finish this sentence: Love is…

1st Corinthians 13

Dessert

Have you ever been in or near a tornado?

I grew up in Arkansas, the answer to that is Heck Yeah! I've been near several, never in one. One side of my family even has a cool tornado shelter that my Pappy built (is that right, Auntie W?). I used to love going down in there for non tornado reasons. Til I grew up & realized there were creepy crawly things in there. Yick.

Nervous Nellie

I am a creature of habit. I like my comfort zone. It makes me anxious if I have to stray from it. I firmly believe God dropped summer school in my lap. Because I believe that, I feel I had no choice but to accept the position even though working during the summer is not something I wanted to do. All last week, I was nervous about it. Will I get along with the teacher? Will the school be easy to navigate? What will parking be like? Will I love the kids as much as I love the kids I am used to working with? Will I be able to handle it? Will I know what the heck I am doing? Will I look stupid to the teacher? Ya'll, just be thankful you aren't Big D, bless his heart for supporting & encouraging me.

It's been 3 days now, 2 days with kids. The teacher is wonderful & sweet. The 1st day, when she found out I loved diet coke as much as she, she ran out to Sonic & came back with a Route 44 for each of us. We think alike. We were walking around the school & noticed a room marked as "Resource". We were commenting on how surprised we were that it was labeled & how the school could get sited for that. BTW, those not in the know, Resource is a special education department so that means Confidentiality with a big C. We decided to peek in the room to see how it was set up. Imagine our surprise & laughter when we saw it was a storage room filled with construction paper & other supplies! So, yeah, no worries about working with this teacher. I don't think I've come across as stupid to the her... yet. I'm not about to ask her!

I can find where I need to go in the school with no problem. Yesterday, parking was a little hectic, but I've adjusted my arrival time & now have no issues.

How could I even wonder if I would love these kids as much? It's like loving your first born & thinking you can never love this way again. Then your second born comes along and you realize you are capable of loving just as much. These kids are so fun & so precious. And one of them lives 2 doors down from me. I am hoping since the sessions are just 3 weeks each that the "honeymoon" period never ends.

I think I know what I'm doing. We haven't actually started the actual grouping yet (this is a reading summer school) as the teacher just finished up her testing. Tomorrow, that will start. I feel comfortable, right now, so that's good. I know I can handle this.

Fear of the unknown is one of my flaws. And, usually, it's all for naught.

Shut the Door, Keep Out the Devil

Things just haven't been easy lately. Seems like every time I turn around, we get knocked back two steps. Tonight, Big D called me, a little worried about the position he yearns for so he can get off nights. I told him not to borrow trouble, he has no idea what will happen, pray without ceasing. I was reminded of a song that I loved as a teenager.

Shut the door. Keep out the devil. He's sneaky and crawls through the cracks of armor.

Will there be enough money?

Shut the door, keep out the devil. He steals hope.

Is this a new mole?

Shut the door, already! Keep out the devil!

Camera Critter #10

During a recent trip to Corpus Christi, we saw that a storm had blown in a lot of starfish. It was our mission to save as many as we could.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, especially to the dads in my world. Ya'll rock! Your kids are the most important things in your lives. That is not a small thing and your kids have better lives because of ya'll's devotion. Thank you.

As God As My Witness, I'll Never Ride A Dinosaur Ride Again

Emotions:


When Lamb was 6 yrs. old, we had a family reunion in Florida. We are never one to pass up opportunities so we made a side trip to Universal Studios: Islands of Adventure. Lamb just had to ride the Jurassic Park water ride. All was going well until we got to the big drop. All of a sudden, the huge T-Rex appeared in front of us, mouth wide open. Poor Lamb was traumatized. Thank the heavens above that the man sitting next to her is her uncle!
Because you can never traumatize your kids enough, we did it again when Bear was 6. Once again, we used the opportunity of already being in Florida & hit Disney this time. At Animal Kingdom, Bear wanted to ride the Dinosaur ride. I have NO recollection of it whatsoever. All I remember is how scared Bear was during the entire thing. When we saw our picture, we knew we had to buy it. Again, thank the heavens above that Big D had a grip on Bear or he would have been outta there! And, poor Lamb, was right there beside the big huge dinosaur that was waiting to gobble us. I guess I should have researched the ride, but what a great memory! Click on the pictures to really see the expressions.
Lamb has now declared that she will never again, as long as she lives, ride another dinosaur type ride. Never.Ever.Again.

Contented Sigh

I am pretty good about keeping up with my shows during the fall & winter. Once spring arrives, it's harder for me. Baseball probably has a lot to do with that. ;)

My dvr has had a full docket since the shows came back in April. I have been on vacation for a week & have been a total couch potato.

Tonight, I finally saw the season finales of: Lost, Grey's Anatomy, & Desperate Housewives. I only have one episode of Ugly Betty left, but that one has to wait until Big D is with me. Interesting sidenote, they are all ABC shows.

Ahhh, it feels good to be caught up (now I won't be afraid of accidentally reading something) and to have an empty dvr.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
Do you consider yourself to be an optimist or a pessimist?

Optimist, but that doesn't stop me from worrying! I figure I have to worry or bad things will happen. ;)

Soup
What is your favorite color of ink to write with?

I like all colors. I'm a pen freak & go crazy over multi-color pen packs.

Salad
How often do you get a manicure or pedicure? Do you do them yourself or go to a salon and pay for them?

I never pay for either. I used to NEVER have unpainted nails, now, it's rare that I paint them. I tend to always have red nail polish on my toenails, but I don't give myself pedicures. Pity that.

Main Course
Have you ever won anything online? If so, what was it?

I won an autographed book online.

Dessert
In which room in your house do you keep your home computer?

We keep our main computer in the living room. We have a little "alcove" type place & there it sits.

I'm A Bad Sister

I need to be whipped with wet noodles. Tuesday was Coastie Brother's very special birthday and I did not make a post about it.

I'm going to fix that right now.

Happy Birthday, my very favorite brother in the whole wide world!!

And that's saying a lot because I have TWO brothers! We've been through a lot together, he & I. No one can possibly get things the way we do. So, yes, I'm a bad sister. I should have done this Tuesday. I apologize, Coastie Bro!

Next year will be an even better birthday. His daughter will be with him and I'll make sure & have something special ON his birthday.

Let the flogging commence.

Neighborhood Trend

Our neighborhood has a trend that I'm wondering if it's unique to just us. People have t.v.s in their garages. And they watch them. At all times of the day & night. Some have couches, some have lawn chairs, and some,well, I'm not sure what they have. Why would you watch t.v. out in the heat when you can sit in the comfort of your a/c house?

I just don't get it.

How Many Parents Does It Take To Apply a Pore Strip?

Living in the climate that we do is not conducive to healthy, glowing, perfect skin. Lamb is finding this out. The t-zone is now her enemy.

As responsible parents, we feel it is our duty to teach her the ways of popping beastly things on her face. I'm the more timid parent, afraid of doing damage to her tender skin. I like products to do that for me. So, we bought the Biore pore strips.

No problem, right? Suck those bad boys right off her nose. She washed her face. She wet her nose. I applied the strip. We waited 10 minutes or so. I yanked the strip and most of her skin off. We looked. Nothing. Nothing was on the strip. We did what any sensible person would do, we tried again.

She wet her nose. This time, genius that I am, I figured I just used the wrong side. But, really, there is only one side you can use. I ended up wasting a pore strip with that theory.

The next night, Big D decided to try it on himself. When he pulled that sucker off his nose, he had all sorts of lovely things on it. He said the key was to have an incredibly wet nose.

Once again, Lamb washed her face and wet her nose. This time, we made sure it was dripping water. We applied the strip, we waited til it was dry, we pulled it off. And nothing. Nothing was on it. I don't understand! We followed the directions, we did what Big D had done. Why weren't the black heads being removed?! Why????

I decided to try it on myself. I washed my face. I wet my nose. I waited the requisite time. And... nothing. Blah!

With tears in her eyes & a red, irritated nose on her face, Lamb begged me to not try on her again. Because I love her so much, I agreed. Those dastardly things are now her father's beauty treatment.

Clothing Confessions

Here's the thing, or two, about me that I hope doesn't make you turn up your nose at me.

1. Big D does my laundry, but only if I get it into his basket before he washes clothes. And I'm not allowed to load it up right before wash day (that seems a tad harsh, but whatever). I typically take something off & think I could get another wear out of it before it needs washing. But, rather than hang it up, I lay it out on my vanity stool. Then, it gets all wrinkled and the desire to wear it again is no more. So, I throw the ones not high wash priority in a basket that I tell myself I'll wash later. Much, much later, I do. And it's like going shopping for a whole new wardrobe! I find shirts that I've forgotten about and shirts that I've missed. My closet suddenly has interesting things in it for me to wear. It's a wonderful feeling!



2. I hate just washed jeans. It's like I have a magic washer/dryer that shrinks them down 2 or 3 sizes. UGH! Can't stand the tightness and the muffin top hanging over the edge of the waistband. Highly unattractive & bad for the self esteem. I love the feel of jeans that have stretched and loosened out. It makes me feel like I have magically lost weight. Much better for the self esteem. So, I will wear them for a while, making extra special care to not spill anything on them. And just so you don't think I'm all gross, I do have several pairs of jeans. I'm fortunate enough to have a principal that will randomly have Jeans Day for a whole month at a time. I'm not one to miss an opportunity like that so I'm prepared!



3. I only got dressed today because I had an errand to run. Since Sunday, I have been in pajamas (not the same ones, people!) and enjoying it greatly.

And that marks the end of my clothing confessions. I hope ya'll understand and still love me. It's hard work being a Queen Sloth but I do my best.

To the Man Who Made Me Bitter These Past 4 Months

Dear Coach,

I just want to let you know how thrilled I am that baseball season is now officially over. It's equal to the thrill of knowing that YOU are the one who cost the boys their last game. What an ego you must have to not see that we didn't have a strong enough lead. Of course, there's a chance the game could be lost. But, oh no, your ego already had the game won. While I'm glad they ultimately lost, I hate the way they lost. Winning for the entire game until the opposing team's last at bat. When you saw the struggle, you didn't use your manager skills to rearrange things.

But, that's how the whole season has gone, right? You have excellent players and didn't use them to benefit the team. Well, your favorites you did. And, of course, your son. Your son who only wants to catch so he doesn't have to stand up. While you have players who love the game languishing on the bench.

I just have to ask. Why did you want Bear so bad if all you were going to use him for is a bench warmer (& why on earth did you not rotate fairly)? Is it truly a petty revenge thing? Do you truly not see his potential? Or, even though we were losing games, you thought "Why fix what is so obviously broken?" Why, when Bear got his bat working, did you move him to the bottom of the batting rotation?

It kills me to hear my child utter, "I guess coach really does think I'm horrible," when you move players around except for him. Yes, I am thrilled baseball is over. But, I thank you for the life lessons we have been able to teach Bear. Some coaches, for whatever reason, will not like you, we've told him. It's up to YOU on how you react. You can strive to always do your absolute best with what you are given. Or, you can give up. I am so proud of Bear that he did not give up. When he got to play, he always ran out to his position. He didn't walk like he didn't want to be in the outfield He ran. He tried his level best to make each time at bat count for something. He was even willing to sacrifice to bring in a runner. He is a team player.

Yes, you might have tried to kick him down. But, you didn't kick him out. Bear might have lost a year of learning & improving baseball skills, but he didn't lose his love. The year was not a total wash out. He starting consistently batting (thanks to his papa not YOU). He also grabbed the eye of an old coach. For that, I am glad you grabbed Bear for the team. See, she's been watching Bear and she sees his potential & worth. She's going to work with Bear this winter and recruit him next year to the next level.

I hope you got your jollies with Bear this season. You will never have Bear on your team again. That I can promise you.

Doing the Happy Dance that my Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays are my own again,
Bear's Mama

Camera Critter #9

The Lamb and the Goat

Bad Hair

Big D was wanting to test out some depth of field with his camera so we went out to the boardwalk one windy, cold, January day. I have big, frizzy hair & the wind was not helping it a bit. I feel like I have a lion's mane rather than human hair.

*There is also some bad hair in the post below. ;)

A Post About Nothing

• Today is the 1st day of summer vacation. Woot! However, 24 of these summer days, I will be working summer school. Not so woot, but not so bad either.



• Baseball was supposed to be over. O.V.E.R. Unfortunately, the team made district. Their 1st game, they WON! ARGH! We were playing an inner city league and a few of the boys didn't even have cleats. Our team mom made the vulgar comment that the parents didn't give the impression of caring. Walk a mile in their shoes, lady, then tell me they don't care. Also. Also! The coach switched up the positions after we got a strong lead. Well, except for Bear. He just saw a different side of the outfield. And, he played his 2 innings only. We have another game tonight. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take. His teacher will be there rooting him on. It sure would be nice if she could actually see him play!



• I said good-bye to the students for the summer. That's always so bittersweet. I always pray that they come back to me a little happier and healthier than I left them. I also pray they just come back. That's always a crapshoot too. It's especially hard to say good-bye to the 5th graders, especially one particular sweet girl. Did I impart enough wisdom? Did I give them enough? Will they be ok? Next year will be even harder because they are the 1st group of kids I started working with. And, of course, I'll be saying good-bye to Bear.



• Yesterday was also Lamb's & Co. last performance. They have worked a long time on this play and we even had to provide the costumes. Bubba's Sis, various family members, and I were all looking forward to watching them. However, parents were turned away from the door. Seems that there wasn't enough room for parents, barely enough room for the students to have seats. My mom took a day off work to watch them. Hubby was going to wake up early to watch them. I emailed the drama teacher to find out if someone recorded it or if there could be some way to have an evening performance for parents. I haven't heard back from her. So much for an evening performance. I am so upset. We have never missed one of the girls' play performances. And the actors had no idea that their parents couldn't see them. It's a travesty, I tell ya!
  
  
• To celebrate the end of the school year, the 4th grade had Texas Day complete with a Chili Cook Off. Teacher asked if I'd bring a pot of chili. I had to laugh because me & cooking don't flow together. At.All. I couldn't say no to her. During lunch, I walked into her room and got The.Best.News. My chili WON. WON! By a huge margin. We are talking 10 votes. TEN votes! There were 4 pots and each got 2 votes, but mine. A whopping 12 votes my chili received. Wow, I was so excited! The winning ingredient? CORN! Who knew? The kids were begging for my recipe. Maybe there's something to this cooking thing after all... Nah.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer

When you drink soda/pop/coke, do you prefer to drink it from the bottle, a can, or after pouring it into a cup?

I like my coke in a bottle or glass

Soup

What television show are you willing to stay up late to watch?
light-hearted stuff like American Idol or Dancing with the Stars; I'm usually too tired late at night for the heavy stuff like Lost. There is usually that fear of being spoiled so I do what I can until I get too far behind.

Salad

Name one person, place, or thing you think of as brilliant.
WooWhee, this is a tough question. I can't name just ONE. So I won't name any. :P

Main Course

Would you be willing to work 4 10-hour days instead of 5 8-hour days in order to save gas?
I sure would but, somehow, I don't think the school will go in that direction.

Dessert

If you were a superhero, what would you call yourself?

Mighty Marvel

Stars at Night Are Big & Bright

We moved here ten years ago June 1st. Ten years ago, really? It's so hard to believe. Not too much has changed except the kids are bigger, Big D's hair is grayer, and I'm thinner (baby weight, no matter that the baby is almost 7mths old!).

It was the scariest thing I had ever done, the decision to move. We moved away from a lot of family, friends, hairdressers, dentists, doctors, grocery stores, jobs to the land of the unknown. Yep, that's right. We made the decision to move here without ever having visited.

As long as I had known Big D, he was always adament about wanting to leave Memphis. When Lamb was 4, I told him it was Do or Die. Once she started school, I was not moving her. We told my mom and she said if we'd move to Houston, she knew she could get a transfer. She was not going to live away from her grandbabies. Houston was not a place I thought of, but sure? Why not?

Big D put in for a transfer as did my mom. She got hers first so in February, she & my brother moved here. In April, Big D still hadn't heard about his transfer. Mom asked that the kids & I go ahead & move here. So that's what we did.

Big D drove the 10hrs every other weekend to see us. Then Lamb asked him why he didn't love us anymore since he was never around. That did it. He told us that we were moving back up with him. This was May. And that's when his transfer finally went through. The day after Lamb's 4th birthday, we said goodbye to our family and our town.

Regrets? No, not really. There are times when I wonder what could have been, especially with my family. But there is no denying that Big D is happier. The kids are getting so many wonderful opportunities. And while we no longer have our large family circle, we do have some wonderful friends that help ease the pain of missing them.

I still haven't found a replacement for my Pancho's Cheese Dip & Purple Cows. Luckily, I have found some pretty close 2nds for my dad's chicken wings & pork bbq.

Even though, next year, I will have lived in Houston longer than anywhere else, including Pine Bluff & Memphis, it still doesn't feel like "home" to me. I wonder why that is?

I Am An Idiot

No, really, I am. Read my story and you'll agree.

Saturday night, the night of my lovely daughter's 14th birthday, her brother went to a soccer game with his teacher and some other students. They all won a free ticket from the Houston Dynamos for a reading goal. His teacher clearly stated to me: "If you need to reach me, you'll have to call the assistant principal because I have lost my phone." So the AP & I exchanged cell phone numbers.

Around 9:30, I look at my cell phone and notice I had 2 voicemails. I listen to the first one: "D..., I need you to call me on my cell phone." Teacher. My mind races. Why would I NEED to call her? The next voicemail was from my dad. My phone registered only 1 missed call. I figured she called while my dad was leaving his message. Obviously not thinking that HIS voicemail would have been first if that was the case. So, I call Teacher's cell phone. "The customer is not accepting calls at this time." Hmmm.... Does any part of my brain recall the conversation when I dropped off Bear? That would be a negative. So, I try the number again. Now I'm starting to become concerned. I call the AP. No answer but I was able to leave a voicemail.

Big D suggests we start heading to the school. That maybe she called to tell me they were on their way back. All the way to the school, my mind is going to worse case scenarios (car accident, abduction, heat stroke). Cuz, that's what I do. React badly first and then think. I even said to Big D that I was thinking of the absolute worst case scenarios. And he said: "Lil Darlin' (cuz that's what D... stands for), don't you think she'd call more than once if it were something bad?" To which I thought in my head: "Right. How can she do that when clearly she's been abducted as well and they destroyed her sim card so she can't call for help."

We are moments away from the school when my brain engages. Oh wait. Um, yeah. That was an OLD message that never was deleted. Hee, hee. So sorry. Right about that time, the AP calls. Seems that Teacher was all excited that someone called me from her phone. Ugh, no, that would be me being stupid. So sorry. And, oh, by the way, they are stuck in traffic so it'll still be awhile.

Big D was not happy with me. Rather than going home, we headed to Target. Walked in the doors just in time for them to turn off the lights and declare the store officially closed. We then made our way to Wal-Mart because they are always open. It's there that I get the phone call that since we are on the way, they'll just drop Bear off at home. Nope, Big D was not happy at all.
Sigh, I am an idiot. But, hey! Bear came home safe & sound as did everyone else on the adventure.

Camera Critter #8

It's time for another Camera Critter Sunday!

Fabulous Fourteen

Self:



Fourteen years ago today at 11:35am, I became a Mama for the very first time. At the time, I thought I was the perfect age. Big D & I had been married for 4 years and felt it was time. Now I think, "Holy Cow, I was awfully young!" Luckily, God knew what He was doing. He gave me the most perfect baby who became a fun toddler who became a neat child who became a quirky teenager. He gave me a girl who:

1. doesn't care how others view her. She is who she is and they can like her or not.




2. is blunt. She tells it like it is & sometimes without softening her tone. She doesn't quite get the concept of tack just yet.




3. definitely marches to the beat of her own drum. She does not have mainstream interests. Sure, she likes some of the music, shows, movies but they don't rule her world. Well, maybe the Jonas Brothers do. ;)




4. has a quick wit. She's like her Papa. They are both Geminis.




5. is very internal. Unlike her brother, she doesn't share her thoughts & feelings. Things have to be pryed from her & even then, she just tends to stare at us. She's like her Mama. We are both Year of the Dog.




6. doesn't really get embarrassed or lets things phase her. Her parents singing a song in the parking lot....she'll join in. Pose in a crowded theater so I can take a picture? No problem!




7. is self motivated. I have no idea about her school projects. She just does them. Really, the only thing I have to ride her about is cleaning her room & other chores.




8. has a lot of the same interests as me, such as reading, movies, & musicals. And a lot of the same interests as her dad, such as rock climbing, video games, & corny things.




9. isn't a girly girl yet isn't a tomboy either. She loves looking pretty & pretty things. But she also gets a thrill out of monster trucks and Pimp My Ride.




10. exudes self confidence. I'm not sure how self confident she really is inside, but she looks it. She does things I'd never in a million years have the guts to do. Looking at her, you'd think, "Wow, she's confident." At her age, that can be off-putting to her peers. But, she's cool like that. Yet, she can be socially awkward at times.




11. is laid back, easy going. Nothing much ruffles her feathers. She is quite capable of rolling with the punches.




12. Can.Not. make a decision to save her life. From simple to hard, it's torture for her to have to make a choice.




13. has never, not once, displayed any sort of outward jealously once the One-Who-Steals-The-Show came along. She loves him every bit as much as we do.




14. is not interesting in growing up too fast. She cried when she realized she was growing up. Boys are still annoying & certainly not cute. Make-up will only be worn if *I* ask. Name brand clothes, etc. are not necessary. Pimples? Eh, who cares?

She is sweet, smart, loving, beautiful on the inside as well as the outside. Yes, God knew what He was doing when He gave us this spectacular child to raise. Thank You for her. We cherish our Lamb.

Happy Birthday, sweet child of ours! May your year be filled with as much joy as you always bring to us.

The Horror, The Shame

I'm not opposed to navel piercings. The only concerns I have, for myself, are clothing irritation & the healing process. I'm quite the short-waisted petite gal & I don't have the attention span for long processes. So when Big D found a way to fake a belly ring, I was all over it. The fakeness didn't work out as well as I hoped, but I did really like the look of it. Big D thinks I should go for it.

Because it's the way I roll, I decided to tease the kids about it. Bear: "How can you disrespect me like that? That's like gangsta." Lamb: "You are my mother NOT my teenage older sister!" Picture horrified faces.

I always pictured that conversation in the reverse with me having the horrified face. Funny that.

Happy Birthday Big D

I am so thankful that Big D is in this world. I just can not imagine my life without him.

He's Da Man! And here are some reasons why:

• There is NOTHING he can not do. He can do everything from house repairs to car repairs to computer repairs. If he doesn't know how, he'll learn.


• All I have to do is mention something and he'll research the best option for me (or the kids).


• He has such a quick wit (gosh, he's funny) and still is a kid at heart. He loves cartoons, animated movies, & just about whatever the kids watch. He loves video games & toys.


• He truly supports the kids in their endeavors. I'm the realistic parent. He's the one who says: "Why not them? They have just as much a chance as anyone else. Someone has to make it big."


• He is self-less. He'll do without & give to us.


• He HATES that he doesn't get to spend time with us.


• While we have this opposite schedule, he does our laundry. Of course, he does gripe when I forget to put the clothes in the basket. Yes, I'm awful about that.


• It does not bother him that the house is messy. He never says a word about it.


• He understands me, so much so that it can be scary.


• He's not perfect by any means (man, can he ANNOY me). But, he IS perfect for me and for our kids.

Sadly, it's not going to be the happiest of days for him. He'll come home and we'll be asleep. He'll wake up and we'll be gone. He has to take Lamb for her orthodontist appt. Hopefully, he'll come home in time for us to spend SOME time with him before he jets off to work.

Happy Birthday, Honey Bear! We love you so! Enjoy the sweet surprises we left for you.