Blessings....

You kids should know, that I have moments of sheer hell.  I hate it when you chomp in my ear, I hate it when you bicker, I hate it when you scream at a high pitch.
However, I am so blessed.  We are all blessed.  I go to bed each night, and I think "Thank you God for keeping each of us healthy, for being able to go to bed each night climbing in with our own two feet, closing our eyes, and breathing deep, fresh air.  We are so fortunate to have each other,... I wouldn't trade this life for anything."

Some people struggle every day.  We should not forget these people.  We should be aware of those who need our support and help.  But when we can home together, at the end of the day, and be good with our choices and find happiness in each other, it's a good day.

I hope in your lives, you will each find simple abundance and happiness in the little things.  In the end, this is all that matters.

Now, I'm going to sit on the patio, listen to some good music, drink a margarita, and hope that all the little people that are still making noise up their rooms go to sleep and know how much I love them.

regrets and mistakes,...they're all memories made

Such a hard mommy day,... Charlie, you were such a trooper.  You had a visit to the burn clinic at Children's Hospital where they dressed your back again and gave you some physical therapy to help as your skin grows back.  You were so brave and we had an important talk about my faults in this incidence and yours.  I have such a belief in you guys learning from your mistakes as opposed to me telling you that you could, for example, hurt yourself.  I know as a child myself, I would've always been curious if my mom or dad told me I couldn't do something.  They told me no for a good reason, but still I wondered.  I believe that I can tell you kids no over and over again, but until you see for yourselves, what could happen, you won't get it.   But I learned my lesson today, that we have to tell our kids no for their own sake and safety - if you persist, and you hurt yourself, at least I won't have a guilty heart.

Parenting is tough.  It's exhausting, it's redundant, it's draining, but it's also the best thing you'll ever do.  Through all this, I have heard from Charlie over and over again, how much he loves me.  Charlie - today you said, "You know mom, you are one of the most precious things in my life."  How many times do you get to hear that?

We got you set up with lots of Star Wars Lego ships to build and play with, so the next few days won't be so terrible.  For you anyway....

The Mummy Charlie

Why is Charlie dressed like a mummy you ask?  No, it's not Halloween, Charlie just has second degree burns on his back from falling on the treadmill!  I'm having one of those nights where I'm hanging my head low and feeling that everyone would say, "DUH!".  For the record, I didn't know he was on the treadmill, but apparently, he wanted to "exercise".  He must've gotten going too fast and took a layer of skin off most of his back.  A trip to the Urgent Care, a roll or two of gauze, and a check up at the Burn Clinic down at Children's tomorrow.  This is right up there with Henry's broken leg on the trampoline and Will's broken hip from falling from the tree!  Those are stories for another day....

My sad little mommy heart....

Bridget and Henry, back together again!

When you two were little, you were together in your cribs, and then together in your toddler beds.  Then Bridget, you weren't sleeping as well (and I mean less naps) than Henry, so you got your own room and Henry, you went to share a room with Charlie.  We made a Star Wars room for you Charlie, complete with a huge "window" into outerspace with fighter jets in the distance.  Charlie, you were up in the full size loft bed and Henry, you were in a twin underneath.  Really, you were both happy in there.  However, Charlie, you got so many Star Wars things and Lego stuff for your birthday, that we hit a turning point with not knowing where to put it all.  You were invading my dining room!!!

So, today, I moved your bed Henry, into Bridget's room.  You were SO excited.  You were asking me at 11:00 in the morning when we got it set up, if you could get your jammies on and go to bed!  There's not much room in there for anything else but the beds and a nightstand in the middle, but you two seem very happy to be together again!  Now, hopefully, you 'll get a good night's sleep!!

To my Children on Mother's Day

May the good Lord be with you
Down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when you're far from home.
And may you grow to be proud
Dignified and true
And do unto others
As you'd have done to you.
Be courageous and be brave.
And in my heart you'll always stay
Forever young.

May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong.
Build a stairway to heaven
With a prince or a vagabond.
And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain,
Forever young.

And when you finally fly away
I'll be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell
But whatever road you choose
I'm right behind you, win or lose,
Forever young.

Mother's Day

What a wonderful day I had.  I slept until about 8:00 which was nice, because I was ready to get up and do my mom chores.  Got a load of laundry started and some bacon for Charlie.  Jim finished the breakfast prep with pancakes.   We had a yummy breakfast and I got ready to drive up to Pine Tree Barn with Oma to meet Molly and Megan for lunch.  This has been a tradition for about 4 years now and it's a good in between and a nice drive.  The second year we went, we decided to bring our girls and make it a girls day.  When Bridget and I got home, Dad was working on a delicious dinner for us - hamburgers, pasta salad and watermelon.  Grandma Mary and Grandpa Ken came over, as did Laura and Danielle.  We made our first pitcher of margaritas of the season!  When they left, I opened my card from Jim and found two Jimmy Buffet tickets!  WooHoo!

I also got the nicest cards and letters from Charlie - the dearest gifts of all.  A letter telling me all the great things I do for him and even a game or two he made.  Nothing better.  I am so proud to be the mother of you wonderful kids.  There is nothing more important than you guys.  I love you all dearly.

My Boys' Careers...

I might need to worry,...this week, Charlie told me he thought a good career for him would be a "corn peeler" because he is really good at it.  Charlie, you said, "See? I take a lot of time to get all the hairs off!"  I told you that you would be really poor and most often, out of a job, so you said, "Oh, then maybe not."

On Saturday, the day of the Kentucky Derby, Will, you informed me that you wanted a horse.  You have never in your life expressed an interest in even going riding, so this came as quite a shock.  It was easy to flat out say "No" and we talked very briefly about the time commitment and cost of a horse.  Then you tell me that when you grow up (because you're already 5'7"), you want to be a jockey!  I just had to laugh.  You're toes would be dragging on the track!  I told you that your chances of being a horse jockey were over when you were in second grade!

I guess this is fair,...when I was in second grade, I drew pictures of what I wanted to be when I grew up - a truck driver.  I thought they had the greatest job in the world, just getting to drive around the country, seeing the sights!  As a matter of fact, sounds pretty good right about now!