Friday, June 27, 2008

Getting My Life on Track

So the past few months, for reasons beyond my control (yeah.... someone else's fault, I couldn't have got off my butt) I have been really lazy about school, housework, and my eating and exercise habits. This past week, I've been taking the bull by the horns and began to get this things back in order.

Since I've been doing next to nothing the past few months, cleaning has become a form of exercise. As I was "exercising" this week (in two hours stretches..pretty good eh?), I realized I had been "exercising" even less than I thought. I have a plan to get the house back in order. Included in this plan is the"no snacks in the playroom" mandate.

The kids are not happy about this plan. Its reasoning is two fold. I have one son, A, who is messy. If he spills a bowl of popcorn, he will walk through it before he will clean it up. Unfortunately his brother, although much neater than he, refuses to acknowledge messes that are not his.

The second reason for this mandate is to help N from snacking mindlessly in front of the tube. He is developing habits that could become an issue if we don't find a creative way to limit them. I figure this way, if he's really hungry, he'll take a break form the tube (without my intervening). I also don't have to put limits on the snacks....he will have to be willing to leave the program he is watching to munch. I think it will put natural limits on both sides of the issue.

I have also become very aware that my body has acquired some additional girth. Since I have about 3 outfits to wear and am longing to get into my cute jeans by fall, I have committed to eating better and exercising (almost) daily.

I feel that stating this commitment to the world gives me some accountability. I would post my weight and measurements, but it's just too ugly. Let's agree that I will update on how many inches and pounds I loose each week. No need for the embarrassment of the starting numbers!The final goal is somewhere around a size 6....so I guess I'm losing a good 3 dress sizes.

I do have a membership at a gym, but it's probably 10 miles away and between the gallon of gas and the fee for 2 at the Kids Club, the $11 a day is out of the question. I have a (dreaded)treadmill, so that will have to suffice. I plan to do a short yoga session 3 days a week and free weights the other 3 days along with 30 to 40 min of cardio. I think I should see results shortly.

And then there is school. We are back on track already, with a unit study on the Revolutionary War and the Constitution. We have math books to finish and some Latin to catch up on. I'm reading the Rats of NIMH to the boys, and I think we will read Narnia next. Although they are quite capable of reading these books themselves, they love having me read to them.

Yes, I make my kids do school in the summer. It's so dang hot here, it makes sense. I'd rather hang out in the spring and fall when the weather is great, and take a long break at Christmas. It's the beauty of homeschooling!

OK, so here is my commitment to get my stuff back on track. I have more plans for the fall including some art projects (hopefully to become a business) and to catch up on all that scrapbooking! But for now, the basics.

If you see me, I hope you will bug me about my progress. Embarrassment is a good motivator for me!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

New Blog

OK, it's done! I have a new blog for politics only. If you want to read it you can find the link on the right. I hope my politically inclined friends will join me there, whether you agree with me or not.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Change I Can Believe In

I'm thinking of starting a separate blog for politics. When I started this blog, I just didn't realize how often I would write and how much of that would be political.

And I'm sure there are people out there that would enjoy reading posts about the kids, but really don't give a rats ass about my political opinion!

So I need to come up with a title for a political blog. Once I think of something awesome, I will separate the homey family stuff from my wingnut rantings.

Be patient, sometime this week I will separate the two.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

School of Rock

For two summers we have been at A to get out of the shallow end of the pool and hit the deep waters. He can swim, but is reluctant to be anywhere he can't touch the bottom. Until last week. He finally swam across the pool and as a reward, I promised a trip to Gamestop, our favorite place for preowned video games.

The kids just got their first platform this past Christmas. Playstation 2: affordable, good selection of games, and decent graphics. Excellent choice for a 7 and 9 year old. They have been shooting Storm Troopers and kick boxing mutant centuars for months now.

To my delight, this trip to pick out a new game concluded with Guitar Hero as the selection du jour.

Later that day, I found the boys playing GH with Surrender as the song of choice

ME: your mommy's alright, your daddy's alright, they just seem a little wiiieeerrrrd.... surrender....... surrender......

THEM: When did you hear THAT song, Mom?

It just kills me that they think all these songs are new. Yes, kids, your mom know how to rock. And she did a damn good Joan Jett Airband performance in the day. And a decent Cindy Lauper, too.

A now bounces around the house singing "Fee Fi Cherry Pie" (I LOVE when they miss hear the lyrics....its' so adorable!)

N is really into Message in the Bottle. How happy was I to introduce my son to my all time favorite group in high school, The Police.

Although I listen to music often in the house and always in the car, they just haven't taken much interest in pop music. N usually asks me to turn it down (I'm tallying all the times I've "turned it down" to use on him when he's 15).

I'm excited to make this part of our summer curriculum. I think having a broad knowledge of music from classical to pop is important in being well rounded. This seems to be the perfect opportunity.

Or maybe it's just an an excuse to crank up all my old tunes and reminisce a bit........

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Friendship Legacies

I’ve been thinking lately about friendships. I’ve been feeling sentimental about people I have known through my life and I begin to wonder why is it certain people fall into our lives at certain times. Is it because we are looking for them and they were always there, or were they dropped into our lives at certain times by a higher power? Whether it be God, karma, or coincidence, it has become apparent to me that people are there when we need them.


This has happen to me many times over the years. Seems friends have fallen into my life just when I needed them time and time again. Then, there are those that I realize I have been passing by until finally fate puts us together just when it matters most. Only recently have I began to notice that I have been place in people’s lives when they have needed me. I am realizing that my friendship to others is also important (kind of a It‘s a Wonderful Life epiphany).

Let me begin with the first friend that some higher power insisted be in my life. In the summer of 1983, only a handful of freshman showed up at the SOSC orientation as a journalism major, but there was red head there that I couldn’t help but notice. She had a cool confidence about her. After the orientation she complimented me on my pink and white saddle shoes. September rolled around and I moved into the dorm. First morning there I step out of the bath and practically run face first into the cool red head that I met briefly two months earlier. She lived across the hall form me. Janet and I were immediate friends and have been for 25 years now. We found that there were other instances where we should have met. We hung out in at some of the same places and we knew some of the same people, yet never connected. It seems to me fate was insisting we meet. Although she and I see the world differently and our lives have gone in different directions, we were meant to be friends. We have always been there for each other, although I will say, I think the profound reason for our friendship has not yet arrived.


When I decided to home school, I didn’t know anyone who did. It was scary, but I was jumping in with both feet. A few weeks after the decision, the boys started soccer. The first day of practice as all the moms are getting to know one another, I find that one of the moms also home schools…her five boys! I feel Laura was put there at that place and time to help us through the initial process of home schooling. I had never met anyone who home schooled…how weird was it that I signed up late for soccer and ended up on a team with a veteran home schooler.

Five years ago I reconnected with a high school friend. She and I had been close for years but drifted apart late in high school. We were instrumental in planning our 20th reunion and ended up spending hours on the phone finding we were at the same place in our lives. I went through a couple of tough years after that. Although I didn’t hear from her everyday, it seemed that every time I had a really atrocious day, I’d get an email from her. Usually it was a simple forward with a cute joke or a spiritual word. Ronnette’s prayer and support helped me through a really tough few months. In turn, I nudged her to start home schooling and our friendship is full circle. I hope it continues.

I recently made a new friend. She and I hit it off quickly, which these day doesn’t happen the way it did when I was younger. As we spend hours talking we have found that I have been through some things she is experiencing today. This is the first time I really felt like I was dropped into someone’s life for a purpose (at least that I am realizing ). I think Shelly and I will be friends for a long time.

I have so many dear friends. Some are always there no matter the situation. That would be Tricia…we’ve been there for each other over 25 year, no matter what. We met in college and in many ways our lives have been parallel. She lives across the country and we don’t speak as often as we should, but we are there for each other at the drop of a hat, as it’s always been.

Then there is Kristen who’s words of faith helped me through a very difficult time that she wasn’t even aware of. Unbeknownst to me our kids had played together at the kids club in the gym and we had common friends. We were introduced through some mutual friends and would run into each other here and there. We didn’t really connect until a time when I needed her support.

I have a friend that influenced me to start this blog. You can all thank Tara. I feel she and I are kindred spirit. And although I’m old enough to be her mother (OK, a young mother) I admire her sense of self and she inspires me to see the world a little differently then I normally do. She gets me back to basics in many ways.

Friends of different cultures have come and gone that helped me appreciate the world (Ort, Tmira, Nur, Maggie, Alexandra, Haley, Susie, Rosie, and many more acquaintances from around the globe).
Also, in the past year or so I have shared a passion of mine by encouraging about a dozen people to knit.

And there are friends that are here, for some purpose I am unaware of. These are the people of whom I am suspicious. Am I missing the purpose of our friendship? These are people that I suspect God, karma, or coincidence have brought to me. How is it they need me, or will I need them?? Who will be the next person that will give me the words of wisdom I need? Who will be the next person I influence? Why is it we have met?

I wonder, what is my friendship legacy?? There are those who give words of faith, those who are relationship support, those who are there to just be a girl with. What kind of a friend am I??

Only time will give me these answers or maybe I will never know. In the mean time I am grateful for all my girlfriends; past, current and future. Thank you for all you’ve given me. I hope I am as good a friend to you.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Emmulating Daddy

As I stated in an earlier post, my oldest is trying real hard to grow up. Now his younger brother has decided that he wants to do big kid stuff, too.

I'm using the "if you are responsible, you may do more big kid things" line with him. He is my laid back child. I have to keep on him about picking up his toys, putting away his laundry, using a garbage can, etc. I figure this is a good way to get him to be more responsible.

The past few nights, A (as he will be known here) has taken to wearing just boxers to bed. My boys have been wearing the boxer/tshirt combo as jammies for a while, but they have never wanted to wear JUST the boxers.

So this morning I questioned him on why he want to only wear boxers...especially since he complains that he is cold.

His answer: It makes me LOOK more rethsponsible. {lisp intended, as his front teeth aren't all the way in yet}


I'm looking at my skinny little 7 year old in a pair of boxer briefs, shivering in the kitchen. The logic of it all escaped me.


I tried to explain that responsibility is an action, not the way you look. He wanted nothing of this explanation. He went on to inform me that since Daddy is a grown, responsible man and HE wears boxers to bed, A should too.

I love the simple logic of children.

I'm sure the boxers to bed will be a short lived thing....in the mean time I'll just throw another blanket on him at night.