The pleasures of being a mom,

33 little things that we really love about it
Copied from an article printed in Redbook Magazine, May 2002.
By Veronique Vienne


Parenting can be a tough job, but the rewards are endless. In the spirit of Mother's Day, we thought we'd name just a few of the ways little people enrich your lives.
12 REASONS TO HAVE CHILDREN: Why go to the trouble of having kids? Consider the following:

1. You wish to pass on to posterity the best qualities of your mate.
2. You wish to pass on to posterity your sense of humor.
3. You need a good excuse for baking chocolate-chip cookies.
4. You need an excuse for being broke.
5. You love children.
6. You love major disruptions.
7. You'd like to give your parents a grandchild.
8. You'd like to give your in-laws a chance to treat you as their own child.
9. You want to be the mother of his children.
10. You are ready to settle down.
11. You are ready to learn to blow someone else's nose.
12. You are ready to experience pure joy in your lifetime.

MOM-ISMS THAT REALLY WORK: Your kids will respect you if you tell them the truth. When they ask you why you want them to behave a certain way, don't try to bribe, threaten, or deceive them, or lose your patience and declare, "Because I say so." Try these fresh answers instead:

1. Because we'll both feel better when it's over.
2. Because I'm running out of ideas for getting you to put your socks on.
3. Because I'm bigger than you are.
4. Because I really need you to help me get out of the house on time.
5. Because I don't want the lady across the street to think I'm a bad mom.
6. Because you don't have a better offer yet.
7. Because you I don't feel like getting mad at you right now.
8. Because you don't want to give people who don't like kids more reasons to be right.
9. Because you are my best friend on earth.

CUTE NAMES TO CALL YOUR KID: Kids are so cute, we sometimes say, "I love you so much, I could just eat you right up!" Need more inspiration for putting your love into words? Then in addition to the nicknames you already call your little one, try these sweet and silly terms of endearment. They will establish a delicious bond of affection between you and your child, bringing you even closer.

1. Angle Cake
2. Pumpkin
3. Gumdrop
4. Sweetie Pie
5. Dumplin'
6. Cupcake
7. Peanut
8. Honey Bun
9. Sugarplum
10. Sweet Pea
11. Muffin
12. Butter Bean

From the Art of Expecting by Veronique Vienne.

First Fall weekend

First of all, please accept my apologies if this post sounds like I'm rambling. I haven't been feeling too well this weekend.

Fortunately, I got to sleep late this morning.  This morning we all got up with intentions of going to Home Depot to make a Rescue Helicopter, but I got there too late and they had already put everything away. My girls were a bit disappointed but the customer service rep gave them each a balloon to help them smile. Next weekend we'll head to Lowe's to build a Monster Machine and I'll make it on time!

After our HD visit, we headed over to the local antique district to look at the sights and people watch. It was certainly a gorgeous day to do that. My girls rode a couple of the little kiddie rides and then we treated ourselved to our first ever gelato. The Teen had a "tie - dye" flavor with blue raspberry, lemon, and lime all mixed together. Roo had just blue raspberry that turned her lips, teeth, and tongue bright blue. Birdie had Lemon and declared that it tasted just like lemonade! I stuck with strawberry. It was very good! I was really surprised at the texture. I guess I was expecting a sherbet type feel or taste but I think it was more like soft serve mixed with sherbet. But that's still not quite it.

Anyway, it was a great way to spend the day with the kids and avoid doing any mundane household tasks .... though my house is sorely in need of it. Maybe I'll do some chores on Monday.....IF I can talk myself into it.

On Sunday, we got up and went to church where I ALMOST missed my cue to play for the benediction/invitation (How embarrassing! The MD gave me the stinky eye!). Following that, I chauffered my older kids to visit their grandma (from my previous marriage). She's 82, has been ill and is now at home on hospice care. After that visit, I took DD and Monkey home and then came to my own home where I popped a movie in the tube for the girls. The Teen agreed to keep an eye on the girls for me while I indulged in a short cat nap for some headache relief.

FOUR HOURS LATER I woke up to discover they had watched ANOTHER movie and were finally hungry for dinner. I KNEW I shoulda put that chicken chili in the crockpot! Oh well, thank goodness it was already cooked and I had the microwave available to get it good and hot. It just didn't quite taste like it had stewed in it's seasonings long enough though. Bottom line is, the girls got fed. If only I had planned ahead, the Teen could've had it hot and ready to serve when I woke up! That sure woulda been nice. :D

After dinner, I directed the girls to prepare for bed, at which point Birdie requested rag curls for a curly ponytail tomorrow for school. After their baths, I sat down to comb out her hair and proceed with the rag curls. Forty five minutes after that began, she was finally ready for bed. That child has way too much hair! ..... but I don't want to get it cut ..... yet. (still thinking about it though).

NOW, I sit here at the computer, in the beginning stages of planning The Teens's Eagle Scout COH ceremony. I'm looking up ideas on the internet and brainstorming. I asked him this morning what he had in mind for it and he replied, "I'd rather not do anything. Especially if I have to make a speech." Well, I don't think that will be an option. I briefly spoke with another Eagle mom yesterday who told me that she won't be able to plan anything until next summer even though her son has met all requirements. Summer seems so far away, but I guess for a nice ceremony to go off without a hitch, 8 or 9 months of planning will be needed.

Do any of my readers have Eagle experience and could you give me some pointers?  And now I sign off to briefly browse for ideas, get the girl's school uniforms laid out, decide what to offer for breakfast, read a chapter or two of my Bible (or have it read to me via my Bible narration app), and hopefully doze off to begin again tomorrow. When I get to heaven, one of the first questions on my list for God will be, "Why not create 8 arms for the woman and 48 hours in a day?"

Catching Up

Since my last post, (a month ago?) my family has endured a homemade German dinner (complete with paper alpine hats), and all sorts of other things. I also started running again using the Couch to 5K Running Plan (which is wonderful BTW!) until last Sunday when I attempted to step up on my husband's 4 wheeler and missed.....giving myself a concussion. Now, I'm not allowed to raise my blood pressure or get my heart rate elevated for 14 days (well, until Nov. 21 cuz that'll be the 14th day) when the doc will give me the okay (hopefully) to ease back into a routine. I can't believe how one week with no exercise has got me feeling so blah!

In the meantime, I'm trying to entertain myself with Christmas gift ideas. And since I'm drawing a blank right now....Well, I'll just leave you with a photo of my new grandson known here as Monkey as he attempts to decipher the newspaper comics. He's such a cutie pie!!!

Easter Sunday 2010

Happy Easter everyone! Christ is Risen - He's alive!! He is not dead or in the grave but ALIVE!!! Hallelujah!!!

We celebrated at our church today where my girls looked so pretty in their new little dresses.

Then we went to eat dinner with my mom and stepdad.

Now it's time for me to update some other posts.

Easter Dresses

I finally finished making the Easter dresses for my girls! Actually, I finished them last weekend before we left for our Spring Break vacation. Aren't they cute? I can't wait to see them on my girls in the morning.

Our New Family Member

Kangaroo and Buddy - the bobble headed beagle. He's only 6 weeks old and seems to be adjusting to Kangaroo's caresses.

Rockin' with Literacy - 50's Day

Last night at 7 p.m. I happened to go to my refridgerator to get a drink of juice. As I placed my hand on the door, I noticed a note that I had placed there last week. I had forgotten all about it. It was about tonight's Rockin' with Literacy Book Fair at my Little Bird's school. The children were encouraged to wear 50's garb instead of their uniforms to school.

After a brief panic attack, I dove under my bed for the box of fabric I have stored there. The creative juices started flowing and in less than 2 hours I had created a poodle skirt for my dahlin' girl.

Isn't she the cutest?

Here's a poodle closeup.

Am I good or what!!!!? Sometimes I amaze myself! :D

Questions from the Little Ones

Not long ago, my little ones began asking questions about babies, where they came from, and how they get out of where they are. Since that time, we learned that my oldest daughter, DQ, is expecting. Due to the many conversations that DQ and I have had, my little ones now have new questions that I honestly am not sure how to answer. I'm hoping that someone out there will be able to help me answer the questions of very inquistive little 4 y.o. and 6 y.o. girls.

A bit of background, our family is a blended family. My husband, DH, has 4 grown children from his previous marriage. They have blessed us with 8 grand babies. I was also married to another man many years ago and my DQ and The Teen came to us during that marriage. Then I met my husband, got married, and 5 years later welcomed our Little Bird and Kangaroo.

Now, I'm baffled by how quickly the questions have come. Here are a few:

1. Why did DQ's Daddy give them up? When I answered that he didn't GIVE them up, we had DIVORCED...that led to the What is divorce? question.

2. Mommy, Sissy has a baby in her tummy. Where's the baby's daddy?

4. Is the baby gonna come out AFTER Sissy's married?

5. You mean you don't HAVE to be married to have a baby?

6. Is the baby gonna live with us?

There are many more but I'll leave you with these for now. If you have any advice on how to answer my little ones questions, please help. Especially the ones dealing with morality.

100 Places to Take Your Kids....

....Before They Grow Up

Hubs and I had a date night tonight and ended up at our favorite place again....Target. :D When you walk into a Target store, there is usually a section of 3 or 4 small rows packed with $1.00 items. Tonight I found a real jewel. It's a little paperback book from Frommer's. I googled this title "100 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up" but all I'm finding is "500 Places..." I think THIS particular little paperback is just a watered down list but what a list it is! I'm not going to get into all the little tips and hints this little book contains but I figured it would be okay to provide you all with the list in the index. If anything, it will give you some summer vacation ideas!

Enjoy the list (in no particular order) and feel free to comment back if you have ever been to any of these places.

1. The Grand Canyon, AZ

2. The Redwood Forests of California, Crescent City, CA

3. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks,Visalia & Fresno, CA

4. Devil's Tower, WY

5. Arches National Park, Moab, UT

6. Petrified Forest & Painted Desert National Park, Holbrook, AZ

7. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, HI

8. Niagra Falls, NY

9. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Durango, CO

10. The Seattle-Victoria Ferry, Seattle, WA

11. Cruising the Mighty Mississippi, Various locations along the Mississippi River

12. Scouting Alaska's Inside Passage, Juneau, Alaska

13. Boston Common, Boston, MA

14. Escape to Alcatraz, San Francisco, CA

15. Mount Rushmore & Crazy Horse Memorial, Keystone & Custer, SD

16. The Corn Palace, Mitchell, SD

17. Wall Drug, Wall, SD

18. Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, CA

19. Carlsbad Caverns, Carlsbad, NM

20. Assateague Island, VA

21. El Yunque (Puerto Rico's Rainforest), Rio Grande, PR

Famous Bridges

22. Brooklyn Bridge, NY

23. Golden Gate Bridge, SF

Fantastic Aquariums & Zoos

24. Monteray Bay Aquarium, Monteray, CA

25. The San Diego Zoo, CA

26. The Bronx Zoo, NY

27. Dinosaur Valley, Glen Rose, TX

28. La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles, CA

29. Cahokia Mounds, Collinsville, IL

30. Canyon de Chelly, Chinie, AZ

31. Puako Petroglyphs, Big Island, HI

32. Concord, Lexington, & Lincoln, MA

33. Remembering the Alamo, San Antonio, TX

34. Gettysburg National Park, Gettysburg, PA

35. Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, HI

36. The International Spy Museum, Washington, DC

37. San Juan Fortress, San Juan, Puerto Rico

38. Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, MA

39. Williamsburg, Jamestown, & Yorktown, VA

40. Philadelphia, PA

41. The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, New York, NY

42. Amish Country, Lancaster, PA

43. Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT

44. Stockyards National Historic District, Fort Worth, TX

45. California Gold Rush Country, Hwy. 49 from Nevada City to Angels Camp

46. National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, DC

47. Black Heritage Trail, Boston, MA

48. Dr. King's Legacy, Atlanta, GA

49. Alabama's Civil Rights Trail, Montgomery, Birmingham, & Selma, AL

50. American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY

51. Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA

52. The Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA

53. Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, NC

54. National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC

55. Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, FL

56. Edison Historic Site, West Orange, NJ

57. Hoover Dam, Boulder City, NV

58. Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, CA

59. Mauna Kea, Hawaii

60. The Cable Car Hills of San Francisco, CA

61. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

62. The Art Institute of Chicago, IL

63. Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

64. Graceland, Memphis, TN

65. The Nashville Music Scene, Nashville, TN

66. Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, OH

67. Hollywood, CA

68. Newport's Mansions, Newport, RI

69. Hearst Castle, San Simeon, CA

70. Orchard House, Concord, MA

71. The Mark Twain Home, Hannibal, Missouri

Presidential Homesteads

72. Lincoln Trail, Hodgenville, KY

73. FDR Hyde Park, NY

74. Yosemite, CA

75. The Appalachian Trail, Jump on anywhere from GA to Maine

76. Yellowstone National Park, Cody, WY

77. Nantucket, MA

78. Mackinac Island, Michigan

79. Bicycle the Rim Road, Crater Lake, Oregon

80. Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, CO

81. Monument Valley, Kayenta, AZ

82. Canoe the Everglades, Everglades, FL

83. Sea Kayak in Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island, Maine

84. Apostle Island National Park, Bayfield, WI

85. Swim with a Million Tiny Lights, Vieques, Puerto Rico

86. Biscayne National Park, Homestead, FL

87. St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

88. Santa Monica Beach, Santa Monica, CA

89. Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY

90. Fenway Park, Boston, MA

91. Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL

92. Notre Dame, South Bend, IN

93. The Kentucky Derby, Louisville, KY

94. NASCAR Classic, Daytona, FL

95. Ballooning over the Great Red Rocks, Sedona, AZ

96. Denali National Park, Alaska

97. The Cyclone, Brooklyn, NY

98. Millenium Force, Sandusky, OH

99. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk, between Monteray & San Francisco, CA

100. The Mall of America, Bloomington, MN

Happy Traveling!!!

Where do babies come from?

My girls asked me that question last night while getting ready for bed!!! Can you believe it!!!? I was stunned. I'm not ready for this sort of "Facts of Life" lesson yet!

DQ (my 22 y.o.) was listening (i.e. eavesdropping) from another room as I explained to them that when Mommy and Daddy show each other how much they love each other, God gives them the gift of a baby and puts it in a special place inside Mommy's tummy. They seemed satisfied with that answer. They looked at me with their big eyes and this "Oh, OK!" look on their faces.

DQ laughed at me when she heard the explanation.

I shore wasn't prepared for the "so, how does the baby get out?" question, even though I knew that it was inevitable and would definitely be next in the line of questioning.

I chickened out. Changed the subject. Just decided it was bath and bedtime and who wanted to get in the shower first. They followed blindly and I was able to avoid it for the time being.

They're so sweet and innocent. Must they begin asking about the bird and the bees at such an early age? For I am NOT READY!