Time flies

Wow, you know.. I'm on this computer every day for one reason or several... but I can't believe it's been over a week since I've written anything that wasn't a Meme. 

So the concert weekend went well. We met up with the BFF on Thursday afternoon.  The girls spent the rest of that day at the pool.  Friday morning I fed them, then took them to the concert.  They had a great time.  I went exploring once I got rid of the girls. Found a quilt store and bought a new quilt book.  Went back to the hotel and read. Very relaxing.

We had to cut the weekend short because BFF and her mom had to catch a "hop" back to Germany. That's a space available flight in a military aircraft. Way cheaper than a regular airline, but far less dependable too. The mission and the soldiers, equipment, etc have priority and family members don't always get a seat. So.. it's important to be there for all the possible flights you can grab.

glitter-graphics.comKim started back at school on Wednesday last week.  She likes all her teachers and was really excited to see that her French teacher was back (she had a baby shortly after school ended in June).  Kendra started college today. Sweet schedule she has..goes in at 10AM and is done by 3pm. No classes on Friday.  I see most of my morning struggles being finished.

Did I mention that we are homeschooling Mac again this year? Due to several misunderstandings with the H.S. registrar, it just became easier to keep him home (since we are moving mid-year anyway).  I'm still waiting for his books to show up, so he's still sleeping in a bit in the mornings.

Yesterday, I played "meals on wheels" for our newest new mommy (our group here has several pregnant women). I tried to make it a special meal so they could celebrate the birth of their son. I made Sweet Vermouth Chicken, Maple glazed carrots, steamed brocolli, mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, brownies and we chilled a nice Auslese wine.

Today, I'm experimenting with my own family.  I'm attempting to recreate the new mini-burgers that are showing up on so many menus these days.  I got all the fixings.. I'm just gonna fancy mine up a bit with bacon and cheddar cheese.... YUM!  I'll let you know how that all turns out.  And of course a nice salad and some cheddar-bacon fries on the side.

What I do that drives my people nuts

Courtesy of Heather @ from the infirmary

 

Here's a Meme for something fun to do today... make a list of the things you do that drive other people in your life crazy.... *smile*

1. Buy fabric for quilting projects when I clearly already own enough fabric.

2. When I'm losing an argument, I start laughing and smiling which completely disarms Paul (the only one I ever lose to), so he gets flustered and then I get a second wind and end up winning by default.  He REALLY hates that. LOL

3. Leave my shoes in the living room while insisting that everyone else puts theirs in their rooms immediately (HEY! I'm the one that's going to eventually have to put it all away anyway, right?)

4. The kids really hate it when I yell. I really hate it when they ask "why are you yelling?"... I'm not sure this counts.. but it's an aggravating thing for all involved.

I had to go take a poll because I couldn't think of anything I do that annoys other people.... but... this is what the group said:

Kim "I really hate it when you leave the lids off the jam and peanut butter." ( I do do this.. but in my defense.. it's because I'm not sure that just one sandwich is going to hold me over... she just manages to get into the kitchen before I have a chance to decide and put them away on my own).

Paul "I can't put it into words, but I hate that you always think that you are right when you clearly aren't." ( for the record... I AM always right, but on the few occasions that I am not I often concede to his point.  He on the other hand, NEVER thinks he's wrong.)

Mac (with a blank stare) "WHY are you asking me THIS?"

Kendra "zzzzzz"

So, there you have it.. I'm really not that annoying LOL... Now.. I do have habits that I hate, but this assignment was for the ones that annoy others.

Tags: annoying habits, meme

The Parent Meme

I ran across these questions in a recent Family Circle.  They were answered by Michael Chiklis.. but I thought the questions were pretty good, so here are my answers.  Hope some of you will choose to play along..

I parent three children, Kendra 18, freshman in college, Kim 15, sophmore in high school, Mac 14 freshman in high school (homeschooling)

I'm a huge fan of: my kids. I marvel on a daily basis how totally fun they are as people.  And that they are so clever and witty is a big plus too.

My parenting philosophy is a mix of: treating them as though they can understand the concepts we are trying to get across to them with equal parts of "flying by the seat of my pants".  I try to be proactive, but when I have to.. I'm very reactive.

Our siliest family ritual is: making cookie turkeys at Thanksgiving. These are three dimensional turkeys, out of cookies.

I feel like Super Mom when: I see one of my kids handle a "life lesson" with grace and humor.  Knowing that they have skills that will help them when they get out into the real world helps me to believe I've done a good job.

I feel like the worst parent in the world when: I can't get past my own issues to see theirs.

I don't want my kids to be spoiled, so I make sure they: do chores around the home that help out everyone (for example.. they don't just wash their clothes.. they wash everyone's clothes), they earn extra money for the big ticket items they want.  We all work on some sort of charity projects through out the year.  Recently, it's been packages to the troops...but prior to 9/11 we helped out with food to homeless shelters and the Salvation Army Angel trees.

I want to scream when my kids: fight with each other.

My kids know not to interrupt me when I'm: driving in tense situations.  They know I hate being distracted when I have to concentrate on the traffic around me.

My whole family sings along to: Linken Park, Evanescence, Skillet, Hilary Duff, Beatles, Toby Keith to name just a few.

My Ipod is loaded with: I don't have an Ipod... but I do have an MP3 player and I have the Beatles, plus two exercise music cd's that I had to ask Paul to put on it for me. I use it for my walks outside.

My children have taught me:  just how much my parents must have loved me.  I don't think that I could love my kids so very deeply if I hadn't received such love myself.  They have also taught me not to take myself too seriously.

 

 

Wrapping up the day

I think Paul had a good time today. (if you don't count the part where he had to go to school.) 

We took him to the mexican restaurant he likes for dinner.... considering where we are (middle of nowhere).. it's not too bad.  I respected his wish to not make a big fuss there and make everyone sing Happy Birthday to him (I'm so nice)

His request for a cake this year was a batch of Oreo brownies. Kimberly baked those up this afternoon.  She's so cute... she actually managed to break the Oreos into pieces that spelled Happy Birthday across the brownies...

His big gift this year is his leather jacket with a personally designed picture painted on the back.  We're in the process of having that work done.  He'll get that back in about 6-8 weeks.

We also picked up a book he's been wanting (though it will be a few months before he has time for pleasure reading again)..1776 by David McCullough.  And finally.. for a bit of fun.. we got him a copy of the movie "Clerks". 

I'm packing for our trip tomorrow.. and by "our" .. I mean the girls and I.  We leave early to trek over to Ohio for the big concert (Projekt Revolution) on Friday.  Our hotel looks pretty awesome, has an indoor pool and all the amenities we could ask for, so I think we'll be having a rocking weekend with Kim's best friend joining us there.

I should be back on Sunday.. and in the meantime, Paul says "Thanks so much for all the well wishes."

Happy Birthday, Paul

glitter-graphics.com

 The old man is 46 years old today. :)

List making

I have arrived at a point in my life where I need to make lists.  Anything beyond three things and I won't remember them.

Last week I thought to myself "I need one of those grocery lists with a magnet to stick it on my refrigerator door, so I can annotate those items we need on the next trip to the store. "  Then I thought "I've seen those down the aisle that the brooms, mops and such are on, I'll pick one up next time I'm at the store"

On Wednesday, Kim and I went shopping.  I stood in the aisle where the brooms, mops and such are... and thought "there was something I needed on this aisle." Out loud I said to Kim.. "I need something on this aisle...can you think of anything we need from here?"

She looked around and said, "nope."  (It's a cleaning aisle, of course she's going to say 'No')   I stood there for a good 3 or 4 minutes, running every thought I've had over the last few days, trying to remember what it was I needed from that aisle.  And I just couldn't remember... so .. we finished up the last few aisles and came home.

On Thursday I remembered I needed the grocery list pad from the broom aisle. <sigh>

Anyway.. I am making a list on some note paper I found of the things I need to do tomorrow.  The one thing I can't do is go buy my grocery list pad because the commissary is closed tomorrow.  Tuesday I need to remember to look back at this entry to remind me I need the pad.

In the meantime, my list for tomorrow includes

1. Call the school "bank" to deal with Kimberly's debt from last year. I think we haven't received her new schedule BECAUSE they think we have this outstanding book fee.  We don't.

2. Call Mrs. Moore and schedule driving lessons for the girls.  With the driving classes they took at the beginning of the summer, 6 hours of driving instruction is included.  We still need to schedule those hours.

I'm limited to tasks I can take care of either by phone or around the house because we dropped off my car this evening for an oil and filter change.  The girls and I leave on Thursday for our wild weekend in Ohio (remember the concert).  Paul wanted us to be in a recently serviced car for the trip.. which is sweet, but I'm the one that has to do without for a day.  

Tags: list making

Estela Needs

This is a meme that I picked up off Joann's journal http://journals.aol.com/preciousone25/JoannsWeightLossJourney

"All about you and your needs" Google 'your name' and 'needs' and print the first ten results in your journal.

Sounded kind of fun.. and I thought with the way I spell my first name, it might be a challenge for the internet to find my needs... but.. not so much.. here are the 10 I found first.

1. Estela needs your collaboration, and she thanks you for whatever support you can offer. (I always need help, and collaboration, and I do appreciate the help.)

2. Estela needs some money to cover the expense of her new skirt for dance class. (well, I guess the secret is out, I dance.)

3. Estela needs 10 dollars for folk dancing lessons. (And now we know the kind of dancing Im doing.)

4. Estela needs residence in Guadalajara. (Apparently to get a scholarship... maybe for dance?)

5. When the clinic needed a receptionist, Estela fit their needs. (Yet another way to earn that money for my skirt and my lessons)

6. Estela desperately needs to submit the finished dresses to the manufacturer so she can get paid. (I obviously have many irons in the fire to make that money.)

7. Estela desperately needs Ana's help. (hear that, Ana?)

8. Estela needs a falda, a colorful skirt. (aha, back to the skirt thing again)

9. Estela's restaurant needs help. (many, many irons....)

10. Estela needs prayer.  (between prayer and all the money making schemes, I may get my skirt and dance lessons yet.)

Miracle Treat Day

Caught this advertisement on TV in the wee hours this morning, first time I had seen it, so wanted to be sure as many people were aware of it as possible.

Children's Miracle Network - Miracle Treat Day sponsored by Dairy Queen

In a nut shell, today August 9, if you order a Blizzard at Dairy Queen ALL proceeds will go to the Children's Miracle Network. Frankly, I can't think of a better reason to go have a Blizzard! :)

I intend to take all three of my kids for blizzards today.  I hope that all of you get the chance to have a blizzard today, too.

 

Tags: Children's Miracle Network, Blizzards, Dairy Queen

What bad behavior do we own?

My dearest friend is struggling right now.  After a long and drawn out week of questions and denials, she has finally been told that her son committed a crime. He isn't going to be arrested because the crime was against another family member and he is going to pay restitution. He took something that wasn't his to take and used it to acquire something he thought he needed.

Initially, his mother believed his denials of the crime, but as she investigated the stories being told by all concerned, she began to think her son had indeed done the crime. 

Today she called me to tell me of the letter her son left her, admitting to the crime.  He apologized for doing it, for lying and he admitted that he doesn't know why he did it (seems that it was more about opportunity than any thoughtful intent, but I could be wrong).

She asked me "What did I do wrong, that he would do something like this?" She has been a single parent for a long time.  I hate that she is doubting herself and the way she raised this young man.

I told her the truth.  I don't think she did ANYTHING wrong. I think he is young.  I think we do many foolish things as we grow into maturity.  I don't think that there is anything she could have done differently to guarantee that he wouldn't stumble on his way to adulthood.  Bless her heart, she is so hurt and troubled.  

I have known this kid since he was two years old.  I don't think that this one incident is the total of his content. I was not any more prepared to believe that he did it than his mother was.  And I think I am a good judge of character. 

We stumble, it's part of growing up, it's part of maturing.  He made the wrong choice this time, but I believe that he will not make the same mistake again.

Boyfriends, immunizations and date books

This weekend Paul was in New Orleans.  The TPS felt it was very important that the rotary wing guys had X number of hours in some kind of aircraft (this is when you know I don't pay enough attention to Paul) and they needed an end point for the flight. 

Paul spent Saturday walking around the French Quarter, trying to find me a new Tarot deck that would kind of remind me of New Orleans.  Everything he could find, I already owned.. LOL.. so no gift for me.

The girls and I went up to the "big" mall to do a bit of school clothes shopping and to meet up with Kendra's "boyfriend".  He lives a couple of hours from us, so they don't get to see each other very often.

This mall has theatres with stadium seating (something we don't have in our small town), so I went to see Harry Potter for the second time.  I gave Kendra and Kim some money so they could BUY SCHOOL CLOTHES while I was at the movie and they were waiting for the BF to show up.

One great movie later, I'm catching up with the girls in Hot Topic and discovering that BF only just made it. Traffic. So I mention I want to head over to Borders and the girls say "Oh, we've already been there... we bought $45.00 worth of books"

I say... "with what money?" (I already know the answer, but somehow you just have to ask)

They say (looking appropriately guilty) "the money that you gave us."

I said.."give me what's left.. NOW!"

I take the money and go off to Borders... It took a lot of self control not to say more.  But these foolish girls (and the BF) follow me back to Borders.  Apparently they want to be lectured... maybe that helps them not feel so guilty?? UGH!

I found a few books I wanted, and I told the gal pals that's the last time I trust them to buy their clothes without me.

Kendra says "But I couldn't find anything HERE that I wanted!"

So.. I had to say "THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SPEND IT ON BOOKS INSTEAD!!!" (I didn't say that very nicely.)

Shortly after that, we drove home.  BF followed us home and stayed the weekend.  Kendra bunked in with Kim, BF used Kendra's room.  He FINALLY left this morning.

Kendra had her dr.'s appt today to do all that last minute "back to school" health fun. We had her immunized with the meningococcal vaccine.  Pretty startling statistics on that one.  1 in 10 people that contract meningococal disease die.  So.. she's covered now (hopefully.. the vaccine only works in 90% of the people that use it. )  Still, it helps her odds I think.

The girls and I are still debating the best time to get the Gardisil vaccine (if at all) since no one is sexually active at this point in time.  We're kind of playing that one by situation.

And last but not least... I have a date book.  I try to put the important dates in there (like dr's appt.).  Thankfully, the clinic called to remind us of Kendra's appt because IN MY HEAD I was thinking it wasn't until Friday.. but when I double checked my date book (before calling to double check), I saw that the appointment was indeed for today.  Poor datebook.. it must feel a bit like "Why am I here, if you are not going to reference me a bit more often?"

Tags: shopping, books, datebook, immunizations

When Journals go Private

People choose to keep public journals for a myriad of reasons... but realistically speaking most of us like feedback.  We kind of like that pat on the back, or the bit of cheering on that we receive from our readers.

(And just so you folks know.. I definitely appreciate the feedback I get here.. the positive, the negative.. It's nice to know someone reads me, even if you don't always GET me.)

Forgive my moment of meandering... When my sister was married to her first husband, we were all young and frankly, making a lot of mistakes in our marriages. Sis often chose to call me and share all the stupid things that her hubby had done to piss her off, or hurt her feelings, etc. during those first few months. Consequently, I came to not care for him too much. Yeah, he was a nice guy.. but he had personality quirks that really made it hard sometimes for me to forgive him the tears he caused my sister. Now mind you, I would definitely tell her when she caused herself her own sorrow (example... two marriage dates, one for convenience, one that the family was present for... they agreed to celebrate the public one and she was hurt when he forgot the first anniversary of the convenient one.... LOL... you really can't have it both ways if you agree together to celebrate just one.)  But when he hocked her wedding pearls because he wanted to have a little pocket money and didn't let her know until too late to buy them back... I had a hard time with that one.

At any rate, the reason I mention this is because I think that we all get disappointed by the people that we love.. it's inevitable.  We want them to be omniscient and know our wants and needs and desires without having to tell them such.  And when they let us down because we don't explain what we need, somehow they are at fault. And that's fine.. but when you share this with others.. you have to balance that with the good stuff too.  You can't just whine and expect anyone to see the good without you pointing it out.

And when a set of people become the recipient of only the bad behavior, it's impossible for you to later expect these same people to applaud for the continued relationship that seems so incredibly one-sided. 

And this is when a lot of people choose to go private in their journal.  Maybe the significant other reads the comments that people leave with respect to the dastardly deed and they can't quite handle the criticism. So maybe pressure is put on the journal writer to go private so that he/she doesn't have to read the negative thoughts people have about the relationship. Maybe the journaller just doesn't want to have to deal with the negative comments.  WHATEVER.  It's certainly their choice.

But somehow, I think that there should be some room there to just accept that people are commenting on one event.. an event you chose to share with the world at large.  Maybe some of these folks should recognize that negative comment is not necessarily the worst thing to read. Most of the negative comments are really just a different kind of cheer, and maybe one that we need to hear once in a while. 

At any rate, another journal that I used to read has gone private. I'm sorry that the journaller felt that privacy was needed, but I do sincerely hope that she finds peace in her private life.