Choosy Moms

When I was pregnant with Lamb,for whatever reason, Big D & I were at the grocery store to buy peanut butter. I looked at all the choices available to me and felt overwhelmed. "Big D, what brand should we buy?????"

Big D looked at me and said: "Well, you are about to be a mom and choosy moms choose Jif."

So that's what we bought. And, to this day, it's the only peanut butter I'll buy because of Big D's words (and Jif's ad slogan).

I will also buy only Sunbeam bread. Living in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, we would drive by this billboard for Sunbeam. It is huge with a girl swinging across the sign. Sunbeam reminds me of home, of my youth.

What about you? Are there any brands you'll buy because of their slogans or sentimental value?

We Survived!

A few days after the end of 5th grade, Bear came to me late one night and whispered that he'd miss me, too.

A few weeks into summer vacation, Bear was excited about "starting his new life" and couldn't wait for it to begin.

A few days before the start of his new life, he was upset that his teacher didn't retain him.

The night we got his schedule and locker combination, he didn't have the confidence in himself. He struggled with the locker at first. I could see the tension in his shoulders and eyes. I wanted So Badly to step in and help him. But, of course, I couldn't. He had to learn that he could do things on his own.

And then there's Lamb. When we got her schedule, we saw that she was put into journalism instead of dance 2. I filled out the required paperwork to correct it. I told Lamb that if it wasn't correct, she had to take care of it. She told me that she'd rather keep it the same than try to figure out what she needs to do. ARGH!!!!! She LOVES dance and has never expressed an interest in journalism. I told her then that I would not be taking care of it for her. If that's the stance she was going to take,then sobeit.

The morning of the 1st day of school was the hardest I've had in four years. Leaving Bear with tears in his eyes was difficult. Unfortunately, with his school hours, I was unable to take him to school. For the first time ever. Fortunately, I have a brother who is able to transport him for me. I gave Bear a kiss in his hand and left with Lamb.

After I dropped Lamb off, it was the loneliest morning for me. No children in the car. No children at the school. Well, none of MY children. There were plenty of other people's children.

Both of them had a fabulous first day! Whew. Bear realized he could do this. He had no problems with his locker. The one time he got lost, he got a teacher to direct him. And he saw some familiar faces. He goes to a different intermediate school than the one his elementary classmates go to.

And then there's Lamb. She is taking journalism 1, not dance 2. Lucky for her, there is a good reason. Dance 2 is only offered during the same period that Production 2 is offered. Acting is more important to her than dancing. Plus, she thinks journalism sounded interesting.

Oh yeah, and there's a friend in that class. That's huge for shy, reserved Lamb. She also has a circle of friends to eat lunch with. That doesn't matter to her as much as it matters to me.

Yes, fabulous first days!

Bad News, Good News

I always like to start off with the bad news. That makes the good news even sweeter. Yesterday morning, we woke up to find Lamb's hedgehog, Charlotte (Charlie), had passed away. We were in complete and utter shock. She wasn't even a year old. We aren't sure what exactly happened. Needless to say, it was a sad day in our house.

Now for the good news. The beast that has kept me away this summer is finished! I can now cross off "make Bear's blanket" on my list. I am so happy to be done with it. But, I'm at a loss as to what do with myself now. ;)

I'm Alive!

Wow. I've done a horrible job of blogging this summer. I've done a tad bit better at commenting.

There really hasn't been much to talk about. I've been spending my days watching old shows & movies with the kids. Reading, reading, reading! Working on Bear's blanket. I scrapped the original one and started a new one on a knitting loom. Bear is ok with that. I will be finished before school starts. Oh yes, I will. I'll post a pic of it just for ya'll! ;) Oh yeah, and spending some time on that huge time waster, Facebook.

I've also caught up on some doctor's visits. Had some blood work done to check my thyroid. My thyroid is ok, my cholesterol is just over the high mark so I have to make some food changes. Never fun. Of course, with my thyroid ok, I have to wonder why I'm so tired and unmotivated a lot of the time. Maybe I'm just lazy. ;)

I will also have my very first mammogram next week. I'm not nervous about the results but I do have a lot of fibroids. I wonder how that will play out. We shall see. I am anxious about having it done only because it's an unknown world to me. Not sure what to expect. So, all in all, I'll be glad when it's over.

Last weekend, I went to Moms' Camp with Bubba's Sis. It was so nice to getaway. We went trail riding, skeet shooting (and I have the HUGE bruise to prove it), learned how to knit, and how to transfer a picture onto fabric for a photo quilt. We came away with some excellent ideas for Christmas presents. We were going to do archery but both of us decided that our arms just couldn't handle it after 25 rounds of skeet shooting. That gun was heavy!!

Back to the skeet shooting, I'm not sure why I bruised like that. I held the gun snug where the instructor told me. However, I bruised on the soft part of my upper arm. So weird. The gun wasn't even there. Sunday, I felt like I had been in a car accident. The kick of the gun really impacted me. It was fun, but I'm not sure I'd do it again. I didn't hit a one anyway. Hand-eye coordination is not my friend. Plus, with my astigmatism, moving objects aren't my friend either.

Cleo, our 8 year old cat, had to have minor surgery last week. She's recovering remarkably well. We've kept her separate from the boys for several days. Elvis can't stand it. For one thing, his man cave is under our bed. He sleeps under there All Day Long. Cleo has been recuperating in our bathroom/bedroom. Elvis doesn't like being denied. Today, we let Cleo free and have been keeping a sharp eye on all the animals. We don't want Cleo to have a set back. I'm pretty proud of her! She seems to be a healthy healer. Whew.

I've also been going to lunch, movies, & shopping with friends. That's always one of the highlights of summer for me. That and vacation but vacation didn't happen this summer. It's still been a good one!

I hope ya'll have been having a wonderful summer!

What Is Old Is New Again

Lamb is currently obsessed. With the tv show, Happy Days. It started when we took her to see the musical. I have been borrowing the series from the library (sadly, only up to season 4 is on dvd at this moment). She's like me in that she likes to watch things in order. So you can imagine her horror when season 4 came available before season 3.

She decided to be a rebel and watch it anyway. Because she's naughty like that.

Imagine my horror when she lamented that watching the show always makes her hungry. Mrs. C makes *the* best meals and they are always homecooked. There's always good food in the fridge and pantry.Poor Lamb. She grew up in the wrong era. Instead she got stuck with a mom who can't stand to be in the kitchen. There's not enough room with all the dirty dishes that Lamb hasn't taken care of yet. (I bet Joanie never neglected her chores.) It's hot. It's stressful. And I don't produce good meals.

Oh, happy days here in the 2000's.

I Worry Myself At Times

While at the Dr Pepper Museum, yes, yes, I know I have yet to share pictures. I plan to do that soon. Anyway, while there, I greatly embarrassed myself.

At the ticket counter, the lady told us there was a whale where you could guess how many Dr Peppers it could hold. At the end, I commented to the family that I didn't see the whale to guess. They looked at me dumbfounded. Then burst out laughing.

She said "well" not "whale" and I never even connected the dots.
Even though I took pictures of it.

Yes, It's Summer

We have been on summer break for almost a month. A month trying to entertain a high strung/high energy child.

My kids love each other, are best friends, in fact. But, they are kids. There's been a lot of bickering back & forth. Which means room time. Ahhh, room time.

When they were younger & were sent to their rooms, Lamb would get in her closet and Bear on his wall on the other side. They'd continue to talk back & forth using their imagination. Not so anymore.

One particular afternoon, they continued to fuss & argue even in their rooms. I had to demand no talking to each other. Lamb decided to be passive aggressive. She pulled out her recorder and started playing Hot Cross Buns. Over and Over again.

Bear could be heard in his room saying: "Bear wishes someone would kill the dead rat making horrific noises in Lamb's room." Over and Over again.

I have a lot of patience but even I reach my wit's end. I might have raised my voice. I might have been angry at Bear. The details are sketchy.

A few minutes later, I received this on my cell phone.Dang. He makes it hard to stay mad.

Ah, summer time.

That's NOT My Mama

You've seen this picture here and here before on my blog.

It's part of our history here in Houston and one thing I always look forward to seeing when we head downtown to an Astros game or whatnot.

So you can imagine my dismay when we headed to the Astros game Saturday night. I glanced to my left and let out an audible gasp. I scared the family, it was so loud.

Then I hear the words "That's NOT my Mama" uttered. I was so sad.

They painted her.

*I apologize for the quality of the picture. Big D was traveling fast and I had to snap it quick in the midst of my despair.

Photo Contest

Voting for photos begins today at Company Girl. The winners will have their photos published in a beautiful coffee table style book about friendship. My friend, forgetfulone, has two photos I'd love you to vote for: one of her daughter and her two friends waiting to get makeovers and one of Bubba's Sis, Forgetfulone, Kris, and me (blog/facebook/real life friends) when we met for the first time. They are numbers 310 and 311. Thank you for helping out my friend!

I Want These Chairs!

Last week, Big D was on vacation. We couldn't go on a big trip, but it was a nice week. On Wednesday, we drove to Waco to tour the Dr Pepper Museum (more on that later). Going back home, we drove through College Station to eat at Rosa's Cafe. Big D has eaten there before during his travels and wanted to share with us.

It was yummy food! But, I fell in love with the decor. Especially these chairs.
Big D found it all gaudy. What does he know? Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I'll be able to decorate our dining room like that. Sigh. It's hard to be me sometimes. ;)

Camera Critters #63

Playing with the laser is one of the things that Elvis loves to do.

It's hard work.

I Heart Faces - Sepia Edition

Sibling Love

Camera Critters #62

All three of those robes used to be mine. But, as each boy came into my life, he stole my robe.

Of course, the critters probably would have left them alone if I would have picked them up off the floor....

So Many Books

So Little Time...

You can't tell, but the books are stacked two deep. Thank goodness it's summer so I can get busy on my reading!

And I need to stop buying/borrowing books until I catch up!

Slap of Reality

Friday morning, as I was "whining" about Bear leaving me for another school, a mother I personally know was giving anything to have her oldest son just be alive.

When Lamb was in 1st grade, there was a sweet little boy who stumbled when he walked. Sometimes he'd fall for no apparent reason. As the school year went on & everyone got to know him & his family better, we learned that he had several disabilities. He would not live past his early twenties.

By the end of 2nd grade, he was in a wheelchair full time. His leg muscles ceased to work and there were times that his arms were too tired to function. Still, he remained cheerful & upbeat. He was embarrassed to have to ask for help and rarely complained of discomfort. If he did, you knew he meant it.

His mom would speak to the class while he was at a special class about what his disabilities were and to answer any questions. She only had to do that for a couple of years. Everyone knew him and everyone loved him. They accepted him.

When I became a faculty member, he was in 4th grade. I was fortunate enough to work with him & his best friend. I was able to get to know him & his mom better. As all children do, he moved on to his different schools. In his first year of high school, he became involved with the tech side of drama. The tech teacher really took him under his wing and helped tremendously.

Last Thursday, they were a family of five: two parents who loved their kids, the older brother who was Lamb's age, and two younger siblings. The mother is battling cancer while still doing everything possible to ease the comfort of her oldest and be there for the two youngest.

Last Friday, while I was sad, she was grieving. That sweet 15 yr. old boy passed away. He had been in the hospital for awhile. Complications from a surgery caused his heart to start to fail. Ever the sweet boy, he told his mother he would do it again in a heartbeat. Because the pain was gone. What a gift he gave the mother who was questioning the decision for the surgery.

And a special shout out to the wrestler, The Undertaker. The boy is a huge wrestling fan. I'm not sure how, but he ended up talking to The Undertaker on the phone for hours. The wrestler prayed with him, laughed with him, and listened. He's now all right in my book.

Yes, I'm still sad that our lives have changed. But I am so very grateful that I have a son who will come home to me at the end of the day.

Godspeed, Sweet Boy. I know you are running, jumping, dancing with the angels.

A Day of Good-Byes

The last day of school is always a bittersweet day for me. In my department, we tend to work with the kids all through out their elementary years. I always tend to form an emotional attachment to most of them.

There was the boy who reminded me of Bear. If I could have adopted him, I would. He had no reason being in our department, but because of emotional issues, he was.

There was the sweet girl who was so thoughtful and caring. She always remembered our birthdays. She would bring back gifts when she went on vacation. She even came back to the school this year to give us a Christmas treat.

And this year, oh this year. There's my boy who has autism. I have worked on & off with him since kindergarten. Always quick with a smile, offering his snack & chair to me. Some days I could get him to work hard and other days I had to give him a hard time about his work. I about lost it when saying good-bye, he looked me in the eye (and if you know anything about autism, you know that's huge) and told me that he'd miss me. I know that those are just words to him. But, I also know that that part of him that is aware, meant those words. He will be missed maybe a tad bit more than the other kids who have passed in and out of my life.

There was also a sweet girl I did not service. She was quirky, punky, but oh so caring. It never mattered to her if she was partnered with one of my kids. And she made them feel like they were equal partners. She never excluded any of them.

This year I also had to say good-bye to a special friend of mine. We were partners in crime when I first started working at the school. We worked side by side for three years until she moved into the general ed. side. She is a passionate teacher and Bear was lucky to have her in 4th grade. She has a new baby now and will stay home with him. It's not a forever good-bye as we will always be friends. But, it will be sad to not see her in the hallways next year.

Bear's 5th grade teacher is also moving on to bigger pastures. I'm not sure what it is about Bear that makes all his teachers leave. ;) His kindergarten teacher is the only teacher who remains. He was extremely quiet in her class. Maybe that's why.

The hardest good-bye was to my Bear. It was hard when Lamb left, but I knew I had many years left with Bear. It's been the two of us for four years now. Yes, yes, I know I live with him. I know I see him every day. But, I still get choked up thinking about not seeing him in the hallways. Not being a part of his world: knowing his curriculum, knowing his students, just knowing what exactly is going on, seeing him grow & thrive. We are close and part of the reason we are close is because when he talks to me, I know who & what he is talking about. I don't want to lose that. So, I'll have to work extra hard to remain part of his world.A hard day, indeed.

And then there is this morning. Bear has a wicked headache. He's laying on the couch and asked me to tuck him in with his blanket. Maybe things won't change too drastically....at first.