Lovin' From the Oven...

For one December weekend every year, my kitchen looks something like this:

 

 

For one December weekend every year, I do almost nothing but bake.  And what comes from this weekend is literally "lovin' from the oven".  Baking is an expression of me.  It's an expression of my joy for life, my love for the people in my life, and the gratitude I have for the fact that I have people in my life to bake for.

 

This year, I went a little overboard.  I didn't want to cut anything from my gift boxes, but I wanted to add something new to the mix.  So my ordinary gift boxes weren't quite big enough this year.  I had to upgrade.  This year I made: 

      * 8 dozen butterscotch oatmeal cookies

      * 8 dozen snickerdoodles

      * 6 dozen candy cane snowballs

      * 5 dozen nutmeg logs

      * 5 dozen salted toffee chocolate squares

      * 8 dozen individually wrapped chocolate pecan caramels

      * 2 batches of caramel Crispix

      * 2 batches of peppermint popcorn

      * 2 batches of muddy buddies (puppy chow)

 

I baked from the moment I got home that Friday until Sunday night around 9:00.  I didn't stop for much (I did loads of laundry between batches, I washed dishes countless times, I monitored the kids' versions of "clean rooms", we went out to eat and had family time Saturday night, and we went to church Sunday morning).  But aside from those moments, it was all baking-all the time...and I loved it!  The kids helped with a few things, but they don't seem to enjoy helping as much as I did when I was a kid. They love the end result, but not so much the process. 

 

Sometimes you have those "bad baking days", where nothing you try quite works out.  But this year I did not have any of those days...everything worked out wonderfully.  I made the best two batches of Caramel Crispix that I've made in years, I put a little too much butter into the snickerdoodles (which just made them better), and I made 1 1/2 times the recipe for the nutmeg log frosting (which, again, just made them better)! 

 

Sometimes I feel bad when I bake for people.  I feel like maybe I'm forcing my treats upon them.  I don't ever want my stuff to be a burden (you know..."Great.  Now what am I going to do with all this...on top of what I make, and what I get from my students, and what I get when I get together with my family).  But this year, I tried not to focus on that.  I figured that whether people eat what I make, give it to someone else, or even throw it away...at least they would know that I was thinking of them.  As I was planning and baking, they were in my thoughts.  I was thinking of the kind, helpful things they've done for me and/or my family.  I was thinking of how hard they work and how much they deserve to treat themselves.  I was thinking of how blessed I am to have them in my life.  And as I was thinking of them, I was putting those thoughts, that love, that thankfulness right into everything that I was making.

 

So you could say that the goodies weren't even the real gift.  The real gift was in the thoughts, prayers, and warm wishes.  After all...it's the thought that counts, right?

 

And for those of you who didn't get to reap the benefits of my baking, please know that as I type this, I am thinking of you and being thankful for you.  May you all get a little lovin' from someone else's oven this Christmas.

 

 

 



Like a Good Neighbor...

 

 

I just love this commercial.  It makes me cry every time.  And yes, we all know that State Farm is there, but what the commercial is really saying is that we need to be there for each other.  We need to be "good neighbors".

 

My mom and sister have been participating in a ladies share group at their church.  One of their recent topics was about this very thing...how we are called to be neighbors...and to "love [our] neighbors as [ourselves]" (from Luke 10:27).

 

In discussing that concept, the ladies looked at the rest of that chapter in Luke, which is the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  How neither the priest nor the Levite stopped to help the man who had been beaten and robbed, but the Samaritan (who was usually looked down upon) did.  And how that Samaritan was far more of a neighbor to the injured man than either the priest or the Levite. 

 

The ladies in the share group discussed which character in the story they thought they would be.  They discussed "Good Samaritans" in their own lives.  They asked, "If you had to call on someone outside of your family at 3:00 in the morning, who would it be?"  "Would you be someone that others would say they would call?"

 

Those questions really got me thinking.  I could think of two people that I am pretty sure would be there in a heartbeat, no matter what time.  One of them, my friend Katie, was the first of my friends to come see me in the hospital when I was diagnosed with Leukemia.  She brought me dinner only moments after finding out that my medication had stopped working a couple of years later.  The other is my friend, Ashley.  She drove from Dallas to Abilene to be the only one of my bridesmaids that didn't know everyone else.  She has taken care of her aunt and her grandmother when they were sick.  I'm sure that there are others, too so I don't want to underestimate the rest of my besties.  But these 2 were the first ones I thought of.  I am very fortunate to have such good friends.  But I find myself wondering if I would be on their lists of who to call.  I don't know.  I certainly hope I'm that kind of friend.

 

My mom mentioned the Tracy Lawrence song,  "You Find Out Who Your Friends Are", and I think it's very fitting here.



 

So there you have it.  That's all for today.  I hope that I'm a "Good Neighbor", a "Good Samaritan" for you, and I hope you feel like you can call on me when you're in a bind.  I'll be there.

 



A Good Person...

At church on Sunday, our Deacon talked a lot about what it takes to be a good person.  In doing so, he also talked about the 10 Commandments.  The commandments, as we know, are the foundation, the basis for our behavior as Christians...as people.  Deacon John went on to ask, "If one 'just' follows the commandments, is that enough to be a 'good person'?  Is simply not doing bad things the same as doing good?" 

He asked us to think about what we have done for others.  I, of course, immediately had Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done For Me Lately" song going through my head with the lyrics changed to "What Have I Done For You Lately?"  (Singing Janet Jackson during mass, sacrilegious?  Maybe.  But no more so than quoting the movie, Airplane during the Passion readings during Lent.  You know, when Jesus tells his Disciples that they will betray him and they say "Surely, not I."?  You mean you don't picture Jesus saying, "Of course you will, but stop calling me Shirley"?!)

Anyway, it really got me thinking about how easy it is to be busy with our own lives and forget about the lives of others.  I know that I for one have been really busy being busy lately.  I usually like to think of myself as the kind of person who puts others first, but I don't know if I've done the best job of that lately.  I have not stopped to ask myself, "What have I done for you lately?"  And for that, I am truly sorry.

Deacon John also went on to tell a story about a raspberry bush.  How there was an old woman whose neighbor had a raspberry bush in his yard.  She had very sentimental memories attached to that plant.  When new neighbors moved in and cut it down, she was crushed.  When she asked the new neighbors about it, they apologized saying they just thought they were weeds.  Deacon John then gave other scenarios about things we think of as "weeds" actually being "raspberries": 

• getting stuck in line behind the woman with a hundred coupons...weed; a mother struggling to make ends meet and doing what she needs to do to get food for her family...raspberry
• being mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted...weed; having a good job and happy, well-rounded kids...raspberry
• the bully at school who was cruel and hurtful to your child...weed; the opportunity to forgive and to teach your child forgiveness...raspberry

He continued giving more examples, but those were the three that stuck with me.  (And yes, of course, every time he said "raspberry", I couldn't stop thinking of the movie, Spaceballs.  But clearly things like that don't keep me from paying attention.)

So, let's hear it for Janet Jackson and Spaceballs!  Let's ask, "What have I done for you lately?"  Let's focus on the raspberries in life.  And let's all try to get a little closer to that "good person" status.

Good Grief...

 



I hear ya', Charlie Brown.  I have said those 2 words so many times the last month or so.  Here's a little run-down of some of the things that have been causing me grief:

Coughing
I have been coughing for 9 weeks, now.  It all started at one of Mason's football practices before school started.  It was really windy, and dust was blowing.  I started sneezing, sneezing, sneezing.  And then I started coughing, coughing, coughing.  And I haven't really stopped coughing since.  After about a month, Kevin convinced me to go to the doctor (it's really pretty sweet how he worries about me).  After explaining the situation, my doctor said that it was probably allergies.  So, she prescribed some steroid pills and an allergy prevention nasal spray.  After I finished those and the cough was still there, I called the doctor again.  She had me come back in, and this time she prescribed an inhaler and told me to start taking Allegra every day.  I did all of that for about 2 weeks, but the cough stuck around.  So after 8 weeks, 2 doctor visits, and 4 allergy treatments I called the doctor again.  This time, though, she didn't make me come back in.  She has determined that it probably isn't allergies, because if it was, something would have worked by now.  So now I'm on a prescription for silent acid reflux.  Sounds crazy, but we'll see.  If it works, great.  If it doesn't, I'll go to a lung specialist. 

Good Grief.


Rangers
The kids and I got tickets to the final Friday night Rangers home game.  They each got to invite a friend to come with us and sleep over.  We were all super excited about the fireworks after the game...they're always super awesome.  So, the kids made a poster to hold up, we picked up their friends, and we headed on our way.  Due to an accident on our route (and due to me missing my exit and having to back track) it took almost 2 hours to get to the ballpark.  When finally get to the parking lot that we usually park in, it is full.  So I turn around again.  And right as I'm about to enter another parking lot, Mason's friend throws up all over himself in the car.  So I keep driving and go to a gas station.  I get him in the bathroom to clean himself up and change his clothes.  I buy some Spray 'n' Wash and try to clean up the car.  We get back in the car and go back to Denton to bring Mason's friend back to his house.  So that was a well spent $100 and 3 hours. 

Good Grief.


My Hair
It has been about 7-8 months since I've had my hair cut.  It had just gotten too long.  It was far too thick and took far too long for me to mess with fixing it.  But I didn't want to wear my hair up every day at school either, so fix it I would.  I knew I needed to get it cut, but with Kevin gone, I just didn't have time (or opportunity away from the kids) to do it.  So I bought a new shampoo in the hopes that it would tide me over until I found a way to get to the salon.  And the last couple of weeks, I was still fixing my hair (even though it took forever).  But it would just hang there.  It just always looked greasy and flat.  I figured that it was because it was just so long and so neglected.  Well when my parents came to visit last weekend, I finally took the chance to have them watch the kids while I got it cut.  I loved it.  I cut off 4-5 inches, it bounced, and just looked and felt great!  Well when the time came this week for me to wash and style it myself, it just wasn't the same.  I know it never is, but this time it was different.  Despite my efforts, it just hung there heavy and lifeless...so back to the pony-tail it was this weekend.  Well yesterday Kevin shouted at me from the shower, "Do we not have any shampoo?!"  I said, "Uh, yeah!  I just bought some a couple of weeks ago."  To which he replied, "Well, I just see 2 bottles of conditioner."  So I check and sure enough, the "shampoo" that I bought and had been using for the last 2 weeks was actually conditioner.  Yep, I have been double conditioning and not shampooing this whole time.  I guess that explains the greasy, lifeless hair.

Good Grief.


While I could go on and on (football and softball games/practices overlapping, needing a new tire, doing 38 parent-teacher conferences, having the garbage disposal clog, losing a fight with the weed-eater, etc.) I'll spare you the details.  That's just life, isn't it?  Sometimes you're Lucy, but sometimes you're Charlie Brown.  Here's to a few less of those "football being pulled out from under you" moments.

Distance...

Sometimes distance can be a good thing.  A necessary thing.  For instance, when your darling angel children are at each other's throats...put some distance between them...before they hurt each other...or you hurt them.  Or when your precious lamb students are drawn to each other like moths to a flame and will talk and play as if you're not even in the room...put some distance between them...so they can actually maintain some understanding...and you can actually maintain some sanity.  Or perhaps when your lovely job and your loving husband and children get to be just a little too much to handle...put some distance between them and you...so they can enjoy each other's company...and you can enjoy the company of good friends and a good drink.

But sometimes distance isn't really what you want.  And even though it might be what's best, it doesn't mean you're going to be happy about it.

For those of you who don't know, Kevin left on Wednesday to start a new job six hours away for 6 months.  No, he's not deployed for 3-18 months at a time without getting to come home.  (I don't know how military wives do it, by the way...mad props to you!)  But it is big for us.  The distance is enough to make it too expensive to drive or have him fly more than every 2 weeks or so.  The next time we get to see him will be the weekend of my twin nephews' birthday, which will make it 3 1/2 weeks for this first time.

In the 13 years that Kevin and I have been together, we've never been away from each other for more than a week.  And that was in 1999 and 2000.  Since then, it hasn't been more than 4 days.  And as for the kids, they've been lucky enough that Kevin's never not been there.  In fact, he even got to play stay-at-home-dad to each of them...at least for a little bit.  So this is WAY out of our comfort zone.

The only reason we're doing this is for some more financial stability.  In the last year, we have taken quite a hit between my change in insurance that resulted in a substantial pay cut and Kevin's unstable/irregular job at the Post Office.  So we are hoping that since he'll be getting paid substantially more than he was, that we can get caught up, build up some savings, and have him learn skills that he can apply to jobs back here in this area.  That is the goal.  We are NOT looking to move.

It's only been 3 days, and for the most part it's been business as usual.  I don't know that it will really start to hit us until next week, when it's been longer than it's ever been.  But I've already noticed how much less I've laughed.  And as most of you know, that's a big deal for me.  In fact, I've had a whole blog post devoted to the importance I give laughter in my life...and the fact that Kevin is the primary source of it.  So I'm pretty sure I'll be going through withdrawals soon.

I told the kids about the saying, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder".  They both said that it made sense.  They both figured, "That it's like when you don't have pizza for a while, and you really start to think about how good it is.  And then when you do have it, it's even yummier than you remember."  Of course they would relate it to food!  But then my sophisticated Hannah added, "Yeah, so maybe we'll appreciate each other more or something."  Yeah...fingers crossed.

Or something.


"Absence is to love as wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small and kindles the great." - Roger De Bussy-Rabutin

The New Girl...

No, I'm not talking about the hilarious TV show with Zooey Deschanel (which I do love, by the way).  I'm talking about me... 

Last year, I made a little blog post (here) about a change that was on the horizon.  For those of you who read it, or just know me, I'm not a big fan of change.  At all really.  But after 7 years teaching 2nd grade, I thought I was ready for a little bit of change in my life (in my career, anyway).  However, that change didn't end up happening.

But now, after 8 years of teaching 2nd grade, the change I thought was going to happen last year is finally happening.  I'm going to be teaching 3rd grade this year!  WOOHOO! 

As much as I don't like change, I'm actually pretty excited about this.  There are definite perks to this gig:  I will only be teaching Math and Science (as opposed to math, science, reading, writing, and social studies), I will only have to plan 2 lessons a day, I get to work with my friend Katie again, and the kids will be older and more capable (at least slightly, right?).

That being said, there are some parts that I'm a bit less excited about:  having 44 students (as opposed to 22) and thus 44 copies of each assignment/project/test to check, having 88+ parents/step-parents to worry about (and conference with), having to leave my 2nd grade teacher friends behind, and (of course) the STAAR test.

And considering all of those things, I'd say that the pro's outweigh the con's.  And overall, I'm more excited than I am anxious.

However....

Some of you may remember that in the past I've mentioned that I have some inadequacy issues.  That while logically I know that I am the bomb-diggity, I generally feel at least slightly inadequate in most areas of my life.  (I know that there are far better wives, mothers, teachers, friends, sisters, and daughters than me out there in the world.)

So, you could say I've got some new girl jitters.  I haven't been the new girl in 8 years.  It's hard (particularly for a wallflower like me) to join a well-established group.  And I just want my new team to like me.  We had our first team meeting the other day, and they were nothing but welcoming, supportive, and kind.  But my darn inadequate self couldn't shake the thought that:  I'm going to be the flabbiest, most out of shape, most poorly dressed one in the group!  I'm going to be "that fat unstylish girl".  I know it's ridiculous.  And it's ALL me...they did NOTHING to make me feel that way.  It's just my own insecurities.

Some of you might also know that I'm not a big fan of asking for help.  I love offering and giving help.  But asking for someone else to help me?  Not so much.  Maybe it's pride, but really I just think that I don't want to burden anyone else.  And in regards to my new team, I don't want to let them down.  I know that I'm going to have to get over this and ask for help from time-to-time.  But at the same time, I want to be able to hold my own and not be needy.

With all of my excitement and nervousness, along with the typical getting ready for school to start stress, I'm going to end with something positive that I might need to refer back to from time to time (which is why I got this for my desk area at school):

Leonid Afremov...

So I was just going to do a short little facebook blurb about this guy, Leonid Afremov.  I was just going to briefly let the world know, via a status update, that I found a painter that I adore.  And I was going to include a picture of one of his paintings.  But as I sat looking through the google images of his work, I found that I had already spent close to 45 minutes just looking at the paintings and was no closer to picking the one I wanted to post than I was when I got started.  I don't know...I couldn't just pick one.  So here I sit, an hour after having stumbled across one of his paintings on Pinterest, devoting an entire blog post to my new favorite artist.

For some reason, his paintings just speak to me.  What this guy does with light and color is just amazing to me.  And he does it all with just a pallet knife...no brush.  If you take the time to look through google images of his stuff like I did, you will see that his paintings are all very similar. 

However, the more you look at them, the more you notice the differences...the things that make each painting unique.

Most of what he does are landscapes and city scenes, like what I've already shown you.  But he's also got some amazing portraits...mostly of musicians.

...and even some still-lifes...

I've always been a big fan of the classic impressionists.  This guy is a modern-day impressionist, and I just can't get enough. 

Last year around this time I discovered and amazing photographer, Peter Lik.  Now, I've found an amazing painter.  Am I sophisticated, or what?!

Rules for Moms...

I've seen a few of these blog posts going around lately:  Rules for Mothers of Sons, Rules for Mothers of Daughters, etc.  Some of them have been super sweet and made me tear up.  Some of them have been super snarky and made me laugh.  What I'm aiming for today is a good mix of both.  Sincerity and sarcasm are not mutually exclusive, after all.  And since I am a mother of both a daughter and a son, I thought I'd combine them...while there may be some rules that are only for daughters or only for sons, most of these are just good for everyone. 

• (Now please keep in mind that I am by no means perfect...or anywhere near it.  So while I'm writing these "rules", please know that they're actually more like goals/reminders for myself.  Some of them I feel like I'm doing a pretty decent job with...some of them not so much...some of them not at all.  But hey, I'm a work in progress!)

1.  Be the cheerleader of their lives.  Go to the softball games and the football games.  Wear their jerseys.  Go to the band concerts and the piano recitals.  Wear buttons with pictures of them in their band uniforms.  Make photo albums, blogs, shutterfly books, trophy shelves, at-home art galleries.  Show their boyfriends/girlfriends the pictures, awards, trophies.  Learn the words to the songs they write and sing along with their garage band.

Sure, they will ask you to stop and tell you they're embarrassed.  But they will know that there is at least one person who is always rooting for them.

2.  Teach them to show respect...for themselves and for others.  They need to know and use their manners.  A well placed "yes ma'am"," no sir", "please", and or "thank you" can go a long way.  They need to be proud of themselves...and make sure they're doing things to be proud of.  And they need to know the difference between that good self-esteem and arrogance. 

•      2.a.  Teach your daughter modesty.  Now, I'm not a prude.  I'm not saying long sleeves, long pants, and turtle necks.  But I am saying that:  shorts should be shorts...not slightly bigger underwear, shirts and pants can be fitted without being painted on, cleavage (whether in the front or the back) is rarely necessary.  Her body is a temple, and it should be displayed as such. 
•      2.b.  Teach your son to be a gentleman.  Yes, women are independent, but I think even the most independent woman will still enjoy the occasional door being opened for them.  Gentlemen do not wear their pants half-way down their a$ses.  Gentlemen (while still being men who will look at the women who were not taught modesty as a child) want a woman who has enough respect for herself not to flaunt everything she's got all the time.  They want a woman who knows how to look sexy without looking trashy. 

3.  Read to them...read with them...read around them.  It has been said that "Children become readers on the laps of their parents".  So, yes, you will have to read the same book over and over...and listen to them read that same book over and over to you.  Yes, you will have to read (and listen to) books about bugs and robots, princesses and fairies, trucks and motorcycles, kittens and ponies, and LOTS of other things you don't care about. 

But it also means that you get to share books/stories that you loved as a child with your own children.  You get to share poems or song lyrics that have meant something to you.  You get to find a series that you both (you all) enjoy and share it together.  Let them see you read on your own (magazines, newspapers, books, blogs, etc).

4.  Teach them to be independent.  This means not doing everything with them/for them.  Let them play by themselves.  Let them clean their own rooms (no, it won't be perfect).  Teach them to do the laundry, vacuum the floor, do the dishes, cook, etc.  Yes, often times this will mean that you have to go back and do it again to get it done right, or that you have to leave well enough alone so that they can take pride in their work.  But practice makes perfect progress, so the more opportunities they have to be independent (in their play and in their work) the better they will get at it.

5.  Teach them to have a sense of humor.  Let them see you laugh at yourself so that they know they can laugh at themselves.  Teach them the difference between "jokes" that are usually contrived and not really all that funny and finding the humor in real life.  When they are old enough, start letting them watch some stand-up comics (starting with people like Bill Cosby, Ellen Degeneres, and/or Jerry Seinfeld) and they will see that they don't tell "jokes".  They tell stories and share scenarios, and relive parts of their own lives.  The more real it is, the funnier it is.  Teach them the difference between sarcasm and being mean. 

Laugh and laugh often.  To me there is nothing more appealing than a person with a good sense of humor...plus, they're just more fun to be around!

6.  Teach your daughter never to allow herself to be someone's property.  People abuse and mistreat their property.  They take it for granted.  They neglect it.  They control it.  That is not what you want for your daughter. 

•    6.a. Tell your daughter that you will disown her if she ever wears shorts that proclaim her to be someone's property. 

(Of course I'm kidding about the disowning part, but I couldn't resist stealing this from another blogger.)

7.  Teach them to TALK about their feelings...not eat them, starve them, purge them, bury them, or hurt other people with them.  Let them know that they can ALWAYS talk to you about how they are feeling.  Let them know that if they don't want to or can't talk to you, that they can ALWAYS let you help them find someone they feel like they can talk to.  Teach them that if it helps them, they can express their feelings through writing, art, dance, music, sports, etc.  

8.  Encourage them to dance.  Whether this is dance class (ballet, tap, hip-hop, etc.) or free-style, just get their bodies moving.  Whether they are "good" or not, just help them find the rhythm.  Whether they want to show you all of their sweet, sweet moves or dance in their rooms with the doors closed, just let it happen. 

Dance with them, and let them see you dance by yourself (while you're cooking, vacuuming, or just jamming).  It's good exercise.  It's self expression.  And it's down-right fun!

9.  Give them a love of music.  Yes, this may start by listening to things like Baby Einstein, The Imagination Movers, and Laurie Berkner.  Yes, this will morph into listening to things like Taylor Swift, Justin Beiber, and One Direction.  However, let's remember who's driving the car...thus, who's in control of the radio!  Listen to as wide of a variety as you can.  For me this includes:  rap, rock, pop, country, oldies, metal, hip-hop, ballads, classical, movie scores/soundtracks, music from my childhood, music that is popular now, etc.  How are kids going to know what they like and find the music that is "them", if all they're ever exposed to is the same 6 songs that are played over and over on the radio, nickelodeon, or the disney channel.  Variety, after all,  is the spice of life! 

•     9.a.  Encourage them to play an instrument.  Maybe this will just be something as simple as piano lessons or playing the recorder in elementary school.  Maybe this will be something as awesome as playing guitar or drums and being in a band/writing their own music.  Maybe this will be the slightly nerdier, but still hella-fun school marching band.  Whatever it is...it's another creative outlet and another form artistic self expression, which is important.
•     9.b.  Encourage them to sing.  Now, I know I'm not going to be the next American Idol or anything, but I certainly don't let that stop me from getting my Mariah Carey on in the car.  I'm pretty positive the kids love hearing me sing, as well!  So whether you have a voice like an angel or you can't carry a tune in a bucket, set an example that it just doesn't matter.  Sing with them and have them put on concerts and sing to you.  Music is such a powerful form of expression.  Sure, sometimes it's just fun.  But sometimes you can find that song that says what you're feeling better than you ever could have and it gives you a voice...it lets you know that someone else has felt the same way.  And I think that is very important for children.

10.  Foster their imaginations.  Let them play with Legos (and after they build what the directions say to build, throw them out)...you'll truly be amazed at what they can create.  Let them draw/color/paint...with coloring books and without (there is a time for creativity and originality, but there's nothing wrong with learning to color inside the lines). 

Give them junk (toilet paper rolls, popsicle stick, tissue boxes, tape, glue, cotton balls, etc.) and let them create/invent/solve problems.  Make up bed-time stories together.  Have arts & crafts time.  Let them and help them play house, play school, play vet, play astronaut gymnast monkeys...whatever!

11.  Teach your son what a skank is and how to avoid them.  Again, a little snarky here (and one that I stole)...but you can't tell me you would want your son to bring this girl home, can you? 

He can (and should...and had better) do better. 

12.  Learn to love sports...or at least learn how to fake it.  No, sports are not for everyone.  But I highly encourage you to introduce your children to as many different sports as you can so that they can maybe find one they enjoy.  It will be important for you to know a little bit about that sport, and seeing as how your baby will be playing it, it will be hard not to love (unless, of course, they choose soccer).  Exercise is so important, and they don't get nearly enough of it in school, so it's up to you.  Baseball, gymnastics, football, swimming, volleyball, dance, tennis, golf, whatever.  Just get them active and get excited about what they're excited about. 

13.  Teach them to love God and to know that God loves them.  Always.  No matter what.  It will help them live with integrity.  It will help their self-esteem.  It will help them do and stand up for what's right. 

And because there will be days when they will be afraid, or nervous, or heartbroken, or lost, or just need you, and you won't be able to be there...and this knowledge will let them know that even when they feel alone, God is there.  There is great comfort in that.

14.  Let them lose...and teach them HOW to lose.  Because they WILL lose.  That's life.  And losing sucks.  And sometimes so does life.  Let them lose when you play games, but teach them how to do it gracefully.  Let them feel crappy when their team loses the big game, but teach them sportsmanship.  Lift them up, but keep it real.  This practice will do him good later when he loses again (and again, and again, and again, and again.....)  Make sure they understand that - sometimes they will win - but sometimes (lots of times) they will lose...but that doesn't mean they ever give up.

15.  Give them a love of helping others.  There is a big difference in giving someone the opportunity to help and forcing someone to help. Giving the opportunity lights a flame in the heart and once the help is done the flame shines brighter and asks for more opportunities.

Be an example of helping others in your own actions and the way your family helps each other and helps others together.  Even in hard times, help them find the silver linings and to know that they are blessed...and they can share those blessings with others.

16.  Teach your daughter to avoid those teen magazines...or at least not take them too seriously.  There is just so much pressure on girls these days to look or act a certain way.  It's just too much.

 I mean, 859 Ways to Get Pretty for Summer and Look Hot in a Bikini?? Make him worship you??Really? How about 859 Tips to Ace the SATs! or 100 Books We Love! or 63 ways to get fit and be healthy! or 252 Ways to Succeed in Life Without Using Your Boobs! ??

17.  Teach your son that it's OK to cry...but let's not get carried away.  If he's really hurt (physically or emotionally) or intensely moved by something, cry away.  But crying over having to eat salad?!  Or crying about not being able to wear camouflage shorts and flip-flops to church?!  (Can you tell, I'm speaking from experience here?  I'm trying really hard to get the "cry-baby" out of him.)

18.  Let their Dad teach them how to do things.  Let him be the example to your son of how to be a gentleman.  Let him be the example to your daughter of how a lady should be treated.  (Sure, you might have to tell him what to do, or go back and give your two cents later, but the quality time will be well worth it in the end.)  Have him teach them how to build things and use tools.  Have him teach them how to fix things.  Have him teach them how to change a tire and check the oil.

19.  Show them what it means to be in a marriage...in a relationship.  Let them hear you tell each other, "I love you".  Let them hear you call each other your pet-names.  Let them see you disagree.  Let them see you apologize.  Let them see you kiss, hug, and flirt (as much as it will gross them out...besides, that's part of the fun of it).  Let them see you play and be silly.  Let them see you work together:  share some chores, say please and thank you, pay bills, and help each other out.  Let them see you do things on your own.  Let them see you do small things for each other. 

Let them see you laugh...a lot!  Teach them about monogamy.  Teach them that marriages and relationships take work.  Teach them that they are worth it.

20.  Play with them.  Play games.  Watch movies together.  Have private jokes.  Go for family bike rides or walks.  Have picnics at the park.  Build forts with them.  Teach them how to take turns and how to work as a team.  Be silly.  LAUGH!

21.  Hug them and kiss them.  Do this as much as you can for as long as you can.  Savor these moments.  There will be times when they don't want you to.  And that's fine.  Because there will be many more when they do.  There will be a time when they are "too old" or "too cool".  And it will be your job to go with it, but remind them (out of sight of their friends) that you are always older and cooler.  While they may get fewer and farther between, the hugs and kisses will never stop coming!

22.  Be their safe haven.  Home is where the heart is and you are home to them. When they learn to walk, they will wobble a away from you and then come back.  When they try something new, they will look for your proud smile.  When they are sick, they will call for you.  When they have their first date, they will look to you.  When they really screw things up, they will turn to you.  When they really do something great, they will be eager to share it with you.  When they are grown and away from home and they don't know what else to do, they will call you.  When they get married, get homes and children of their own, you will still be their mother; home base, a safe place, someone who has always and will always be there for them. 

A Decade...

I remember when I turned ten years old.  I thought it was so cool that I was a whole decade old...one-tenth of a century.  10 years is a lot.  It's a milestone measurement of time.  So much happens in the span of a decade.  If you think about every 10 year chunk of your life and really think about how much you changed...how much change you witnessed, it's pretty amazing.

Well, today I am celebrating a specific decade of my life.  The decade from June 15, 2002 to June 15, 2012.  Yes, that's right.  10 years ago today, I married my best friend.  I've already blogged about my wedding day here, so I won't do that again.  But I would like to share some thoughts on these last 10 years.

This last decade of our lives has seen us through many things, both good and bad.  We have gone from being apartment renters to being homeowners.  We have gone from being "just the two of us" to being the parents of 2 amazing kids.  We have had jobs, lost jobs, and changed jobs.  We've played games and listened to lots of great music.  We've seen each other through (and continue to help each other through) leukemia and diabetes.  We've mourned the losses of family and friends.  We've been to Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio (exotic?  no...but fun memories?  yes!).  We've enjoyed watching and mourned the losses of some amazing TV shows.  :)  And most importantly, we have loved each other and laughed at with each other every single day.

While doing this blog I discovered that Kevin and I have not had nearly enough pictures taken together over the last 10 year.  But I did manage to find 2 that are 10 years apart (December of '99 - December of '09)...not the decade of our marriage, but a decade nonetheless.  And I know the quality of the first picture isn't that great, but I dare say that we have gotten even better looking!

Now, I'd like to share a birthday card that my parents gave Kevin.  I think it's probably truer than they even know:

"Before you married you-know-who, her life was fairly sweet.
But something wasn't right somehow.  The gal was incomplete!

Then one day you came along and everything soon changed.
She looked so extra happy, people thought she was deranged!

At last she'd found her soul mate and she truly was elated.
The floating hearts above her head were ones that you created!

Once you tied the knot, it got much easier to see,
that you were what was missing from her family's family tree!

Your wife thinks you're really awesome, and the rest of us do, too.
It's plain to see, we all agree...there's no one quite like you!"

(Now, that last part may have been a bit of a back-handed compliment...but I'd agree.  There's just no one like my Cakes, and I'm so lucky to have been able to share this last decade with him.  Here's to many more.  Happy Anniversary, Cakes!)

Silver Linings...

I've always considered myself to be a pretty optimistic person.  I try to find the good in situations...all those silver linings.  That being said, it sure is easy to find things to gripe about.  And although I'm pretty positive, I find myself griping a bit too often.  I came across that poem, and it inspired me to be thankful for dirty dishes...and to find the silver linings in all of the other things that are usually so easy to gripe about.

**I'm thankful for my messy house.  Because although it never seems to stay clean, at least I have a safe haven for my family to live, laugh, play, and sleep in.  And even though it doesn't have a pool, a privacy fence, a game room, a side entry garage, or a guest room it has memories of holidays, birthdays, babies, and more!

**I'm thankful for wanting to pull my hair out.  My kids can drive me crazy and frustrate me like no one else on earth!  But they are such a blessing to me.  They provide so much joy and laughter to my life, and when I think about those couples who can't have kids, it makes me appreciate them that much more.

**I'm thankful for piles and piles of laundry.  Folding laundry is one of my least favorite chores.  It's just never ending!  But thankfully, the fact that it seems never ending means that my family not only has the clothes they "need" to be cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  But they also have the clothes that they "want" to play sports and fit in with their peers.

**I'm thankful for being exhausted and stressed out.  Inherent with being a teacher is 50+ hour work weeks, still having to bring work home, and the stress that comes with the classroom management of 20+ kids and their parents.  But this fatigue and stress is just a byproduct of a stable job with benefits that has helped to provide for my family...and has given me some wonderful friends, too.

**I'm thankful for having to roll my eyes and shake my head.  Any of you who know my husband know what I'm talking about.  :)  But as often as my eyes might roll, I'm smiling and laughing that much more.  I'm confident in knowing that I have someone to come home to who:  loves me, listens to me, thinks I'm funny, and thinks I'm pretty.

Now it's your turn to find those silver linings and be thankful for all of your gripes!



Birthday Blog...

Today is my 31st birthday.  Nothing too special about that (aside from me, of course).  31 is like turning 22.  21 was exciting.  It was a landmark age...an age that most of us look forward to (and for me, it marked 8 days until my wedding).  But 22 was really just another day (and for me, it was just 2 days before my daughter turned 1 month old).  Last year I turned 30.  I was not in a tizzy over it, but it was still a landmark thing.  I wrote one of my favorite blog posts (letters to myself) that day.  This year...not so much.  It's just another day (but for me, it marks 8 days until my 10 year anniversary).

All that being said, I figure why not have some birthday blogging fun?!  Below are some of my favorite birthday themed songs, skits, movie clips, etc. 

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rdVWEj1OQ8

http://www.hulu.com/watch/19280

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynmLdLwlgLI

Mothers' Day Wisdom...

The following list was an insert in the Mothers' Day card my mom gave me today.  I thought it was pretty great.  My favorites are numbers 1, 4, 9, and 10.


1)  The happiest families are those in which the children are properly spaced...about 10 feet apart.

2)  Raising a teenager is like nailing Jell-O to the wall

3)  The phrase "working mother" is redundant.

4)  Cleaning up with children around is like shoveling during a blizzard.

5)  All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage.  Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of them.

6)  Housework:  If the item doesn't multiply, smell, catch fire, or block the refrigerator door, let it be.  No one else cares.  Why should you?

7)  It is amazing how quickly the kids learn to operate the DVD player, yet are unable to understand the vacuum cleaner. (Or the dishwasher, the lawn mower, the washing machine...)

8)  Motherhood is a process.  Learn to love the process.

9)  A boy's best friend is his mother.

10)  Motherhood:  When doing it all feels like nothing is ever getting done.

11)  The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.  She never existed before.  A mother is something absolutely new.

12)  Take care of yourself.  If Mommy isn't happy, nobody's happy.


Just a simple post at the end of a wonderful Mothers' Day that I was able to spend with my wonderful family.      :)

Hey, Girl...

Ok, so I've seen a handful of these "Hey, Girl" things online before. The best of which, by far, are the Ryan Gosling ones. And of those, this is by far the best one. In fact, it may be one of the greatest things I've ever seen. Ever. Period. Of course, maybe I'm a little biased because he's talking directly to me this time. :)
So here you go. I'll let Ryan speak for himself:

So there you have it.  Wonderful words from "the most handsome man ever", and Kevin's best friend.  

Sports...

Ahhh, sports.  I've never been what you would describe as sporty.  Or particularly athletic, either.

I was not in sports as a kid.  I tried Gymnastics in Kindergarten.  I don't really remember much about it aside from quitting, because the other girls were mean to me (at least that's how I remember it).  But seeing as how I now know that I inherited my mother's grace, I might have just been terrible at it.  I played volleyball in middle school and really liked it...and was half-way decent at it (I remember one game where I scored 13 of the 15 points it took to win the game).  In fact, I wanted to play in High School, too.  That is, until I learned that in High School you had to wear biker shorts as part of the uniform.  And there aint no way my thunder thighs were going to be seen in those.  But I did do 4 years of marching band.  And I know, I know...it's not the same thing.  BUT that was the best shape I had/have ever been in.

All that to say...despite my own shortcomings, I've always been a fan.  I always kind of liked going to Josh's baseball games (in fact, I really liked it when I was in high school and could flirt with the older brothers).  As soon as Brad entered High School, we started going to Cooper football games, and I fell in love with the game.  I was one of the few band members who would actually watch the games we were at (yes, Mom, I could flirt and watch the game at the same time).  And apparently, (I have no recollection of this, but according to my fourth grade journal which I just found and gave to Hannah), I even liked basketball at one point.

But now, in addition to loving the Cowboys (even when they suck...which is more often than I'd like), the Longhorns, and the Rangers, I also get to start loving my kids' teams.  We are lucky to have found sports that our kids like and are actually pretty good at. 

• Mason's favorite (and mine) is football.  We got to watch his team win the championship and watch him play on the All Star team last fall.  He's getting geared up to play tackle this year...then we'll really get to see what he's made of.  Since there's no football in the spring, we've got him in baseball (coach pitch) now.  At first he wasn't thrilled, but once he started doing well he was a lot happier about it.  And somehow Kevin and I got roped into being the coaches for this Bad News Bears team.  It's not as bad as I thought it would be.  I actually don't dread it (at least not all the time).  :)  We learned quickly that Kevin should not be pitcher, and I needed to have the players' positions planned out for every inning in advance.  It's been much better since we figured all that out.
• Hannah found softball last fall and really blossomed.  She joined a team that had already been together for a season and caught up really quickly.  A couple of parents told me today how impressed they are with her...that if you didn't know it, you would never guess that this is only her 2nd season to play.  We got to watch her team win their championship last season, too!  This season they are playing kid-pitch in the 10 U league, which is harder...but she's playing catcher and kind of rocking it!  I put a little sample of her handy work up on facebook, so check it out.

Even though it causes life to be crazy hectic for a few months, these sports have really added a lot of fun to the last year.  Is it too early to start hoping for some scholarships?!?

Backwards...

One of my friends posted the following picture on facebook this morning.  Personally, I think it's brilliant.  It's right up there with Movie Mash-ups...super clever and a lot of fun.  Check it out:

I think the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory one is my favorite....although the last one is pretty hilarious. 

Anyway, I thought I'd give it a try and see if I can come up with some of my own.  I'd love for you to feel inspired to do the same.  Here goes nothing:

~ If you watch The Curious Life of Benjamin Button backwards, it's about a kid who grows old and dies while the rest of the people in his life get younger.

~ If you watch The Day After Tomorrow backwards, it's about the world being saved by an incredibly strong and fast acting heat wave.

~ If you watch Independence Day backwards, it's about getting aliens to help us repair our demolished cities with their laser-explosion-retractor ships.

~ If you watch Armageddon backwards, it's about a bunch of astronauts working to put a giant asteroid back together.  When they return home, they decide to turn in their space suits in order to work on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean.

~ If you watch The Little Mermaid backwards, it's about a woman who leaves her newlywed husband in order to save an octopus.  She then decides to give up her legs and spend the rest of her life as a mermaid.  But she is so haunted by her former human life that she collects human trinkets and tries to drown the man she once loved.

~ If you watch Pretty Woman backwards, it's about a man who turns the woman he loves into a prostitute.

~ If you watch Snow White backwards, it's a about a prince who kills his princess with a kiss.  She gets carried off to a cabin in the woods where she is brought back to life by an old lady's magic apple.  She then lives with the dwarf men than rescued her.

~ If you watch Spiderman backwards, it's about a superhero who loses his powers when he gets bitten by a spider.


There.  That's a start.  Now, it's your turn...ready, set, go!

Lessons Learned...

As I sit alone in my house, I am bored inspired enough to make another post.  A couple of weeks ago, I decided to take a day off of work to do absolutely nothing.  For the first time.  Usually when I've taken off, it's because: the kids or I am sick, doctor's appointments, traveling, catching up on things around the house, etc.  But this was a day of blissful nothingness.  And it was amazing.  I realized that day that I have not had more than 8 consecutive hours alone, actually by myself, since I got married nearly 10 years ago.  So this weekend, Kevin offered (out of guilt or maybe just good husbandry) to take the kids with him when he went out of town.  And here I am on my 22nd hour of alone time (including 10, yes 10 hours of sleep) feeling bloggy.  So here you go.

You know the saying, "If you're not learning, you're not living"?  Well, that should mean that if you are living, you are leaning.  That being said, here are some lessons I've learned (or been reminded of) while living this past week.

1) If left alone with 6 leftover cupcakes, I will eat them.  All of them.

2) I enjoy days alone far more than nights alone.

3) When you suddenly blurt out "I love you" to your students for no apparent reason, you are sicker than you think.

4) A well placed compliment can turn your whole day around.

5) My parents are the best grandparents any kid could ask for.

6) Kids really do grow up way too fast.  Really.

7) I'm either extraordinarily cheap, or really hate shopping (or both) if I can't find something to buy...with a gift card...by myself...without people waiting on me to get home. 

8) A couch looks much bigger when it's not covered with piles of laundry.

9) Much like school, birthday parties (as fun as they are) are best when they're over.

10) You know you're doing something right when your son can teach his church class about the Stations of the Cross and say "giving up video games for lent isn't a big sacrifice if Jesus can die on the cross for us".  And your daughter can do a beautiful retelling of the Parable of the Prodigal Son in her own wonderful 8 year old words and be able to understand that it represents God's love for us.