Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tidings

Happy Tuesday to you! The last Tuesday in the month of April!

Does it seem possible that the month is nearly over? That a third of 2008 is nearly finished? Wow!

Okay, okay. Enough with the rushing through life...moving right along.

I was chuckling at my Monday blog post yesterday. It was meant to be all tongue-in-cheek, but I guess I need to work on my humor skills...since my frustrations seemed to come out more than my mirth. *wink*

I'm in a slighter happier mood this morning, though I have to admit to a bit of sadness due to the fact that we went car "looking" last night -- with no intentions whatsoever to buy one -- and nearly got talked into driving one off the lot. When we came home and ran the numbers, it was way above our budget. A bit disappointing, but it was fun to drive around in one. Now to break the news to the salesman when he calls this morning...

Only 8 1/2 months until our show returns. We keep getting little snippets of info to tell us what's going to happen next season, and I'll tell you what...it sounds goooo-oood! The 2-hour prequel will air sometime in November. Something to whet our appetites maybe? Mmm-hmm!

Emily went to work with Stuart last Thursday for National Take Your Child to Work Day. She has a wonderful time and made lots of new friends in the various departments around Stuart's company. The customer service department even sent an e-mail to Stuart at the end of the day, informing him that they were keeping her. Edward was still too young to go this year (but next year!), so he and I had our own TYCWD...and celebrated his hard work at school by going to Barnes & Noble to use our giftcards.

Edward's soccer team won its third game this past Sunday afternoon. We saw a lot of good teamwork and determination, especially from Edward. It's fun to watch them improve each week.

Emily and I have been spending a good deal of time at a shop called Motherhood Maternity, having girl "dates." It's fun sharing this time together. She has a "passion for fashion" and loves to pick out outfits for me to try on. Her latest grouping included some very wide flare-legged maternity jeans paired with a nice stripey shirt. Very trendy. Of course, I couldn't see my feet under all the cloth. She was most excited by the jeans, which she said were "her kind of jeans." I chuckled and was reminded of how different our "eras" are. I grew up wanting to wear pegged-leg jeans. I even folded them so that they were peg closer at the bottom. My daughter likes the flared-leg jeans, mostly because she says they make her feet look smaller. Yes, that's true...if you can see them. *wink*

I saw some disappointing news from the Miley Cyrus crew recently. Apparently, she posed for a Vanity Fair photo spread and was "embarrassed" by the one topless photo of her showing her shoulders and back. If it was a painting from the 1800s, what could we say to it? The artist isn't around to chide. But it's a 15-year-old girl posing for an adult magazine in 2008. Pathetic.

Why, oh, why do we have to rob these girls of their innocence so young? She claimed she didn't know what it would look like. Hmm... Well, the other photos were taken digitally -- and I'd assume this one was, too -- and had to be approved. She certainly knows what dollar-signs look like, having grossed $18 million last year. She's no dummy, but I worry about the fame going to her pretty little head. And this is a "role model" for little girls under 10, who should really be enjoying little girls around their same age?

Hmm...on that note, I'll bid you adieu until next week...

Musing on MondAAAAAAAAAAA!

As anyone who knows me or has been reading my blog knows, I love Mondays...usually.

It's a fresh start to the week...a time when I can catch up and begin again...a way to happily start out a new week....usually.

I'm not sure if my pregnancy hormones are out-of-whack or the lack of sleep is catching up with me...but today didn't start that way.

Emily had strep throat. We got her to the doctor and on an antibiotic and all was going swimmingly. She was definitely improving. Until...Friday night when she broke out in hives. Hmm... It could be a simple diagnosis of an allergic reaction to the antibiotics, except that she had the same exact sort of reaction this time of year two years ago...when the pollen was exceptionally high like it has been for the last week or so.

So it was not as easy as it seemed, though I immediately took her off the antibiotic, which she'd nearly finished, and began giving her Benadryl.

Our doctors are not available on weekends -- well, they may be but it changes so often I don't bother checking anymore -- so it would have meant a trip to the ER which could have lasted an entire day only to find out that no one knew the exact cause of the hives -- there are so many possibilities -- and we'd need to make an appointment with the allergist.

We've been down this road before, you see. Only last time, Emily wasn't on an antibiotic.

So today, I called the allergist's office only to find out we had to see our family doctor to get a "history" sent to the allergist. And then the allergist could do testing but not for the antibiotic since they only do that one day a month, and she has to be off the antibiotic for 6 weeks...and...and...and...

In my mind, I'm trying to juggle all of our other already-existing appointments with new-ones-yet-to-be-scheduled...plus, figure in dance class, soccer practice, homeschool learning group which ends next week with an end-of-year program.

Add to the scheduling headaches, cost factors. We just found out our insurance coverage changed from co-pays to deductible/co-insurances. Each family member has a deductible of $250 before the insurance pays for anything. AAAAAAAAAAA! Another visit to the doctor and a trip to the allergist and Emily will have definitely met her deductible.

Okay, so we've returned from the doctor's office with the diagnosis I knew we'd get: mostly likely a reaction to the high pollen count. And we've scheduled an appointment to the allergist to verify this in mid-May. And we'll cross the allergic-reaction-to-the-antibiotic bridge only if the allergist thinks it's necessary.

Phewf....

I think all my duckies are finally in a row...

A blinking light on the answering machine shows a missed call. It's our midwife calling to confirm the time and place of our ultrasound appointment... Next Wednesday, May 7th, at 9:45.... The very same day as our end of year program......the very same week that Stuart's out of town.

Back to the drawing board, right?

Sigh.

I'll be back tomorrow with more musings...until then, I think I'll take two aspirins and see you in the morning. Ooops! No, wait. I can't take aspirin...I'm pregnant.

Ugh.

*wink*

Sweet Sunday

"For All the Saints" was a song that was requested to be sung at my 11th-grade English teacher's funeral. I'd never sung it before and was quite moved by the words and tune when we sang it that day.

The church where the funeral was held was small, but the people's voices filled it so that it sounded as if the angels in Heaven had joined in our singing. I never forgot that moment and still get chills when I think of it.

I particularly like this version sung by a British choir for the BBC's program, Songs of Praise. My teacher Mrs. Bullock loved England with her entire being, and it seems a fitting tribute to play this in memory of her.

Enjoy, and have a sweet Sunday! (Remember to turn off the sidebar music video player.)

Friday Funnies

No explanation necessary for these two sillies. Those of with children can say, "Been there, done that." Those without can laugh at with us. *wink*

Enjoy! And have a funny Friday!

Word Power

"Sticks and stones can break my bones...but names can never hurt me..."

Well, it was bound to happen...

*Sigh.*

But I thought for some reason the boy was immune to the hurtful words of other kids...

Very naive of me, I know. I guess I was wrong.

It's not so much the boy who did it or what was said that made me so sad (kids are kids). It was more the hurt I saw on Edward's face as he tried to process it out loud. He'd obviously been mulling it around in his head for awhile.

But how do you explain what the child meant or might have meant when he said what he said? How do you explain that it probably wasn't meant the way Edward took it without excusing away the other boy's actions? Hmm...

Since kids lack maturity/discernment, they lack the ability to made wise judgements in what they should or shouldn't say. They forget (sometimes) that their words have power and that particular power isn't always a good thing.

I know that Edward has been equally guilty of blurting out hurtful things -- especially to his sister -- but it doesn't dampen the pain he experiences when falling prey to it. Though hopefully it will help him think a little the next time he wants to impulsively blurt out something without thinking.

It's as I told him, everyone is different. Being "weird" (as he was called) isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I think kids forget that. Different (a.k.a. weird) is just that: different. There's nothing wrong with standing out in the crowd. No one should be made to feel bad about that. We should celebrate it.

And true friends always see that.

Ah, the lessons of childhood...filled with little bumps and twists.

Thursday Thought...

Savor the moment!

St. George's Day Update

Well, I decided to follow Stuart's Legend of St. George's Day Food (see post below) and make "hot" wings for all of us. I added in "chips and beans" to make it as authentically English as possible...

With excitement, we declared the meal a new tradition for St. George's Day every year -- to follow in the footsteps of green eggs and ham on St. Patrick's Day.

(Let's just say we may have been a bit hasty...food tastes are very individual in our house...as they are in most households, I'm guessing.)

The kids have been coveting the idea of wings since we first started making them to eat during our Monday night 24 viewing 2 years ago. So today I rushed out when Stuart was home for lunch to get a bag of chicken wings so we could all enjoy them for dinner...

(I meant to pick up some nuggets, too...)

The idea of wings sounded good in their heads, but in reality neither kid was eager to eat them...after only one bite. Even with the chosen wing sauces of Ranch and Honey Mustard the wings were less than appealing to them.

Edward declared them to "taste like rubber chicken flavored with chicken taste."

Ah, well. Note to self: Next year, remember the nuggets.

St. George's Day Food (and Fun)

Happy St. George's Day!

In case you don't know anything about the patron saint of England, you can go here, or keep reading...

According to my born-and-raised-in-England-and-veritable-St.-George's-Day-food-expert husband:

Did you know that as well as slaying the dragon and being patron saint of England, he also invented hot wings?

Well, the first hot wings were dragon wings, of course, and each one would feed a village! (The hot pepper sauce was to commemorate the dragon's fiery breath). Unfortunately, as time went on, dragon meat was seldom available at Saensburryes, Tesscoes, or even AszDah/Wallemaerte, and so chicken wings were substituted.

Incredible, huh?

*wink*

Cry God for Harry, England, and St. George!

And the Oscar Goes to...

We started a tradition with our bunnies...

Every Saturday, they get to "go to the movies."

Well, not really, of course.

They get to experience the movies in the form of "movie carrots."

What exactly are "movie carrots" you might wonder?

In our house, these are the organic carrots found in our local Giant grocery store that come in a bright orange bunch, complete with the greens. (See this to understand the origin of the term.) You know, they actually look like carrots instead of those little stubby finger-shaped orange sticks you buy in a bag.

Since they look like something you might see Bugs Bunny munching on TV, the kids have dubbed them "movie carrots."

Not sure the rabbits care about the significance of their Saturday snack...but they do enjoy them.

Maybe once their snack receives an Oscar nomination?

Hmm... Maybe not.

But the whole tradition brought to mind a memory from when I was about Emily's age.

I used to play with a neighbor girl and her siblings. They had a huge garden in their backyard, and we used to pretend we were animals, racing through the rows of veggies, escaping entrapment from the neighbor boy who was the "hunter."

It was great fun and even better exercise for us.

When we tired, we were allowed to go into the garden and pick some of the veggies to eat. We often snacked on carrots or radishes that we plucked straight from the ground and washed off with the garden hose. It wasn't unusual to us to see "bright orange carrots complete with greens."

We'd never heard of "baby carrots."

The times...they are a-changing.

More Musings on Monday

Promo shot from Mirrors
Happy Monday to you!

Is it really a new week? I can't believe it. The weekend literally "whooshed" by in all our fun and busyness.

The kids and I planted flowers in our gardens and hanging pots on Saturday afternoon. We wanted to surprise Stuart who'd been away all day at a conference. Funny thing was the poor man is so tall he didn't notice the flowers in the gardens at his feet and stood dumbfounded at what we were so excited about. *grin* We finally pointed to the newly planted gardens and had a good laugh about it in the end.

Edward had his second game of the season yesterday afternoon, and it rained cats and dogs on us. We were drenched! Stuart said we experienced a real English football match. Hmm...considering how wet my bum was afterwards, I'd have preferred to miss the authenticity of such an experience. Still, the kids had a great time and won 5-0, with Edward scoring his first goal of the season!

I joined the "contact-lens-wearing" world last Tuesday, and after wearing them the prescribed 4 hours that day, I found out I couldn't get them in again until...today! I was ready to throw in the towel (and a few other choice items, the heavier and louder the better...darned pregnancy hormones!) but decided to keep trying. So I'll wear them for 6 hours today and see how it goes tomorrow.

Emily is finally getting over strep throat. The poor girl had been feeling pretty poorly on and off for several weeks, and finally the symptoms progressed enough for me to tell there was definitely something wrong. And after she napped for a second day in a row (you know how popular naps are with older children who have deemed them only for babies), we went to the doctor's office on Thursday night. He could see that her throat culture was positive from across the room. Hmm.... She's on the mend now.

We got to visit with some friends from New York yesterday after the game. They're getting married this summer, and it was fun to catch up with them. I'll post more tomorrow about an interesting item they discovered in an attic. I think this item is going "on tour." It might even make it on Antiques Roadshow.... *wink*

Let's see...only 8 1/2 months until the debut of 24's Season 7...will we make it? Of course. But it seems like such a long time to wait again. I think I was posting the same thing all last summer... *grrr* Still, there always Mirrors and the Season 7 prequel to enjoy, and that will whet our appetites, right?

I celebrate "Year 2" of my blog next month. I cannot believe that I've kept this thing going for so long. I've never been very good at journaling, but I prefer to see this blog as a way to empty my very cluttered brain...instead of an actual diary. *grin*

I'll end today's post with a 5 photos instead of my usual "5 Things."

Our front porch with newly planted gardens and hanging pots

One of the newly planted gardens...I can't wait for the flowers to grow and take over!


Our pink dogwood tree, just beginning to bloom

An "arty" shot of one of the hanging pots and the dogwood tree

Our weeping cherry tree at the end of its flowering time

A Bonus Friday Funny

Edward had to write a limerick for school today, using the first line that was prewritten for him.

Here is his finished product:

There was an old lion named Lou,
Who lived far away in Peru.
He snoozed in the sun,
Sipped milk just for fun,
And wished he was in Timbuktu.

Friday Funnies

Cats and printers. I'm not sure whether the cats or their owners are more fascinated by the printers. But either way it makes for some funny viewing.

Enjoy and have a funny Friday!

Show and Tell-All

Clemmie at 6 weeks old
So our 7-year-old had "show-n-tell" in his class at our homeschool learning group yesterday, and he wanted to take several of our rabbits.

It's never a problem to take our furry bun-kids with us on outings like this since it's great fun to share them with others.

Yesterday was a bit different though.

The church were our group meets decided that yesterday was the perfect day to repave the main parking lot...which meant that all of us had to park in the upper lot and traipse through the main doors of the church to the auditorium and classrooms which are on the complete other side of the building.

It wouldn't have been a problem sans bunnies in a cage. And it wouldn't have been such a problem if it hadn't been such a beautiful, warm Spring day -- too warm for the bunnies to stay in the car for long.

But traipse we did (four times), and it was well-worth it when the kids' eyes lit up as they saw Clementine and Jack.

Edward chatted a bit about bunnies, sharing the information he remembered (with only the teensiest bit of coaching from Mommy, of course) and listening diligently to the "questions-turned-horror-stories" the kids each had for him.

In response to one student's question about whether or not our bunnies would have more babies anytime soon, he said, "Well, they probably should 'cuz we're having a baby and need lots of money for that."

Hmm... "Lttle pitchers (do indeed) have big ears," as my parents would say. *wink*

Worded Wednesday

THERE was a child went forth every day;
And the first object he look’d upon, that object he became;
And that object became part of him for the day, or a certain part of the day, or for many years, or stretching cycles of years.

The early lilacs became part of this child,
And grass, and white and red morning-glories, and white and red clover, and the song of the phoebe-bird,
And the Third-month lambs, and the sow’s pink-faint litter, and the mare’s foal, and the cow’s calf,
And the noisy brood of the barn-yard, or by the mire of the pond-side,
And the fish suspending themselves so curiously below there—and the beautiful curious liquid,
And the water-plants with their graceful flat heads—all became part of him.

The field-sprouts of Fourth-month and Fifth-month became part of him;
Winter-grain sprouts, and those of the light-yellow corn, and the esculent roots of the garden,
And the apple-trees cover’d with blossoms, and the fruit afterward, and wood-berries, and the commonest weeds by the road;
And the old drunkard staggering home from the out-house of the tavern, whence he had lately risen,
And the school-mistress that pass’d on her way to the school,
And the friendly boys that pass’d—and the quarrelsome boys,
And the tidy and fresh-cheek’d girls—and the barefoot negro boy and girl,
And all the changes of city and country, wherever he went.

His own parents,
He that had father’d him, and she that had conceiv’d him in her womb, and birth’d him,
They gave this child more of themselves than that;
They gave him afterward every day—they became part of him.

The mother at home, quietly placing the dishes on the supper-table;
The mother with mild words—clean her cap and gown, a wholesome odor falling off her person and clothes as she walks by;
The father, strong, self-sufficient, manly, mean, anger’d, unjust;
The blow, the quick loud word, the tight bargain, the crafty lure,
The family usages, the language, the company, the furniture—the yearning and swelling heart,
Affection that will not be gainsay’d—the sense of what is real—the thought if, after all, it should prove unreal,

The doubts of day-time and the doubts of night-time—the curious whether and how,
Whether that which appears so is so, or is it all flashes and specks?
Men and women crowding fast in the streets—if they are not flashes and specks, what are they?

The streets themselves, and the façades of houses, and goods in the windows,
Vehicles, teams, the heavy-plank’d wharves—the huge crossing at the ferries,
The village on the highland, seen from afar at sunset—the river between,
Shadows, aureola and mist, the light falling on roofs and gables of white or brown, three miles off,
The schooner near by, sleepily dropping down the tide—the little boat slack-tow’d astern,
The hurrying tumbling waves, quick-broken crests, slapping,
The strata of color’d clouds, the long bar of maroon-tint, away solitary by itself—the spread of purity it lies motionless in,
The horizon’s edge, the flying sea-crow, the fragrance of salt marsh and shore mud;

These became part of that child who went forth every day, and who now goes, and will always go forth every day.

~Walt Whitman

Half-Birthday, Busyness, and Fun!

Well, our 10-year-old turns 10-and-a-half today.

Wow!!

It doesn't seem possible that it's only another half a year until she's 11. Not sure I'm ready to be Mommy to a palindrome-aged child.

We started our little silly tradition when each of the kids turned 6 months old. But since it was such a fun tradition, we didn't want to give it up. I guess we will at some point.

And since Emily and I share a birthday, I decided that this might give her a day that's WHOLLY her own.

(I know. I know. Technically, it's my "half-birthday," too. But who wants to rush growing older when you're already past the fun ages? *wink*)

So after doing schoolwork all day -- interrupted by a visit to the eye doctor to have my contact lens training -- and a quick trip to the post office to drop off our local taxes, a pizza dinner, and soccer practice, we went out to Baskin Robbins for an ice cream cone and then home for some fun, simple prezzies.

Phew...

Hopefully, Emily enjoyed the day...even if it was a rather busy one.

Musing on Monday

Happy Monday to you! My favorite-most day of the week.

Strange, I know, but I like the feeling of getting restarted after the weekend.

So another soccer season started for us last week. Our little "football" player had his first game yesterday after only one practice. They won 5-1. It was quite entertaining since most of the players were clueless. But they did their best -- on both sides -- and you could see they were definitely learning...and having fun.

We go to see our midwife tonight -- a highlight of the month. I'm about 18 weeks or so and beginning to feel little "Leech stirrings" in my growing bump. I know the sweet flutterings will eventually turn into all-out kicks before long, so I'm enjoying this time.

Tomorrow is Tax Day in our fair land. We've already filed our federal income taxes, but I have to finish the state and local ones. When we still lived in Reading, Stuart used to drive the local taxes to the main post office just before midnight. They had a parade of cars driving through the parking lot, all the drivers in a celebratory mood from having finally finished and mailed their taxes. We didn't have to wait until the last minute to do this, but he enjoyed it the few times he did it.

It's also Emily's "half-birthday" -- something fun we started with each of the children when they turned 6 months old to "prepare" them for the Big ONE. It's just something silly that we've continued that helps break up the year between birthdays. She'll be 10 1/2...already. Egads.

Our weekend was split between a beautiful sunny day with warm temperatures on Saturday and a cool, blustery day with crisp temperatures on Sunday. The kids enjoyed the warm weather and even went outside -- briefly. The problem with warmer weather is that the bugs wake up. And in the springtime they wake up looking for "love"...making them much more numerous. *grin*

I think Kiefer finally headed back to L.A. We're hoping this means that filming will soon begin again for 24's Season 7. I finished watching all six seasons. I'd been plodding through them, watching several episodes while I folded my laundry. Only nine months to go...*sigh*

Speaking of shows though, we've been enjoying a new drama called New Amsterdam. It has its season finale tonight...already. It's another cop show but with a different twist. Check it out here. We realized that we haven't finished the second season of The Closer yet. We still have to watch the season finale...but since it's a two-parter and I tend to fall asleep quite early/easily these days, we've been holding off. Hmm...maybe I need some No-Doze? *wink*

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• a shy child gaining confidence

• exploring a new part of town

• dignity

• budding trees

• a cheeseburger with bacon

* * *

It's wonderful to see the trees all abloom in the last few days.

It's remind me of the line in that song: "Spring is bursting out all over."

And while the temperatures are still a bit "nippy," we know it's only a matter of weeks until the sun stays out and the thermometers show higher numbers.

Then Winter will be a distant memory as thoughts of Summer crowd our minds.

For us, summertime thoughts bring with them lots of preparation for the newest member of our family....who should debut at Summer's end.

It's weird to feel daunted and excited at the same time...

Sweet Sunday

We sang this song today, and I was shocked to find out that it was the final song on the American Idol "Idol Gives Back" show last week. I guess even they recognized the power in this wonderful song. And, while I'm no fan of this show, I have to admit I think the finalists did a fantastic job on it.



SHOUT TO THE LORD

My Jesus, my Savior, Lord, there is none like You;
All of my days I want to praise the wonders of Your mighty love.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing
Power and Majesty, praise to the King;
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands,
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength;
Let every breath, all that I am, never cease to worship You.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing
Power and Majesty, praise to the King;
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands,
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing
Power and Majesty, praise to the King;
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of your hands,
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have...
Nothing compares to the promise I have...
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.
~Darlene Zschech

And the Weather Will Be...

Edward informed us that a hurricane blew through several weeks ago, but he mostly missed it because he was sitting on the toilet. And it sounded a lot like a truck running into something...

Think he has a career awaiting him at The Weather Channel?

Friday Funnies

Here's a fantastic "historical film" done completely with LEGO. I think the fixed smiles on the little men's faces add to the humor, considering it's supposed to depict a battle scene. Thanks to Elizabeth for this gem!


Here's another one we discovered on the website listed below. Very, very funny and well-worth the viewing.


Have a funny Friday!

More from this very talented group: http://www.brickfilms.com/films.php

Live from Leech Headquarters...

Well, I'm beginning to really "show" in this pregnancy, so I thought it might be time to post a few insider photos of our beloved "leech's" headquarters.

As I pointed out to my daughter, I thought this picture makes me look fat. She laughed and said, "Mommy, you are pregnant."

Sigh. I guess she's right.

(You have to love this kid's honesty. I guess I won't ask her how my butt looks in my jeans after I give birth...)

Here's one that's too revealing to post... Click here.

*grin*

Heart on My Sleeve

Emily at 6 weeks old














"I wear my heart on my sleeve,
I'm not afraid to say what I mean,
Mean what I say.
I set myself up, let myself down,
I may be a fool to spread it around.
But I just wanna let you know,
Sometimes I find it so hard not to show,
So I sigh and I let my feelings go."
~Ringo Starr

There are times in a mother's life when she wants to take her kids and wrap them in cotton and rock them close to her heart to protect them from the harshness of the world.

I have to say that today I experienced one of those times.

Why is it when you watch your children from afar, they seem so close-up, like you're right next to them, experiencing what they're experiencing?

Perhaps because they dwelled safely inside you for nine months and you bonded? And then suddenly they're out, and you can no longer protect them so completely? I always think that having a child is like having a piece of your own heart walking around in the world.

I hate...okay, okay...strongly dislike 10- to 12-year-old girls. There's not much redeeming about them, unless, of course, it's your own 10-year-old girl.

We've been watching for about two years as our daughter has struggled to sprout her pre-adolescent wings and enter this new phase of her life with girls of her own age...and it's been painful at times.

Why do some girls seem to glide into this phase, while others bump and cough along like a rickety old car about to spring a leak in its radiator? And why is it that the ones who glide are often the ones who throw rocks or dig potholes for the other type of girl to rumble into?

I've tried to put myself on both sides of the equation, to make sure I'm not being completely partial to my daughter.

But when you watch her being excluded from activities time and again, or being ignored or taunted by the other girls... you begin to feel that urge to cotton-wool her again...or kick some "little-girl" butt...

Ahem...

It's like my dad used to warn me: Be careful not to wear your heart on your sleeve.

But I thought that saying had to do with boys... I never realized it would apply to having children, too.

As always, easier said than done, Dad.

Another Confessional...

Edward in his less-discerning days of eating

So as I scraped the bits of rolled oats off the top of the bread for my son's sandwich, I thought: At what point is not saying something the same as lying?

Hmm...

Edward can be a picky eater. That's not to say he gets away with it. I'm not a short-order cook so he eats what the rest of us eat. And he is a good eater...as long as he doesn't always know the name of what we're eating.

Enter another "confessional," of sorts...

We had a lovely salad for dinner on Sunday evening. It was made with baby spinach, red leaf lettuce, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, and all sorts of sliced up veggies. Edward doesn't like spinach -- at all. But he loved this salad and had two helpings. So did I tell him it was spinach? Nah. It was a special type of "lettuce" as far as he was concerned.

Then take today's bread. He's been opposed to the idea of "oatmeal bread," thinking that it's made with cooked oatmeal mashed into the bread. He wouldn't touch it on Sunday when we had it toasted with our eggs. But it's very good. (We got it from a local market where it was baked from scratch.) So I scraped off the few pieces of rolled oats, and voila! Yummy bread, right?

So far so good.

I've found the less he knows about what he's eating, the more likely he is to try it...though our household's "one-bite" rule helps in that regard, too.

We made Chinese cabbage for dinner once. He didn't like the look of it, even though he loves cooked cabbage. One bite later and he was hooked...enough to want three helpings. This is how he discovered he loves leeks, Brussels sprouts, and lots of other goodies.

Just one bite and a considerable lack of knowledge concerning what he's eating...

I guess that's why Dr. Seuss wrote his book Green Eggs and Ham.

So back to my quandary.

Do I change my ways? Confess what the food is really?

Hmm...

Well, if he asks...yes, I guess.

But otherwise? Nah.

We parents have to keeps some "weapons" in our armory.

Besides, his tongue knows the truth...and I'm okay with that. *wink*

Still More Amusing Monday Musings

Thanks to Bennyblog for this funny photo.
Happy Monday to you! The first Monday of April -- and a chilly one at that.

Couldn't resist posting this "Jack Bauer" photo since I realized I hadn't posted one in awhile...and this one took the prize.

Our weekend was semi-productive with Stuart working in the basement and me in the attic. We have a ways to go, but I know we'll get there...and all the hard work will be worth it.

Having "leech" debut in our family come September means making some adjustments family-wise...and around the house. It should be interesting since we haven't ever had a baby while living in this house.

We're planning to use our "school room" as a nursery and then a bedroom for this newest family member. It's not ideal in the "what-are-we-going-to-do-with-all-our-school-stuff" way, but Stuart has some great plans for reorganizing that part of our life.
Exciting times! Stay tuned. *grin*

The kids begged for a sleepover on Friday night. It's funny (and wonderful) since they spend most of their time together and still want to spend some part of the night together, too. They managed to stay up until nearly 11 p.m., talking and giggling. Stuart and I conked out in the living room several hours before them. I awoke to still hear them and called up the stairs that it was time to go to sleep. Even with their late night fun, they managed to wake up early on Saturday...before Stuart and me. Sheesh! We must be getting old. *wink*

We had several silly kidisms from our PreK/K Sunday School class yesterday...

While we were enjoying our coloring time at the end of class, one little 6-year-old was explaining his prayer request for a cobra to our helper. "Wouldn't you rather have a kitten?" she asked him. "No way," he said. "I don't like them." "Well, how about a dinosaur then?" He pondered this idea and then said, "No, I don't think that would work out too well."

Another 6-year-old who'd just been baptised last Sunday told us on our way out of Sunday School that he was going to have his first "period" in church today. Stuart and I exchanged glances, wondering if we'd heard him correctly. "I'm not sure I heard you correctly," I told him. "You know, that stuff you drink in church," he explained. "Oh," I laughed. "You mean communion." He smiled a big smile. "Yeah."

So let's see...nearly 9 months until the debut of our beloved show's Season 7. It's not far, right? It's coming sooner than you think, right? *Sigh.* Still, Kiefer is involved in tons of other projects between now and then, so we'll get our fill. In addition to filming 24 and the prequel and eventually promoting the movie Mirrors, we just heard that he's doing a voice in a new animated movie called Monsters vs. Aliens. That sounds fun! He's also lending his voice to narrate a documentary for the British band, The Feeling. And he's appearing this Wednesday in the American Idol show, Idol Gives Back. (I'm a little less thrilled about that since it's not really a big deal and I'm not much of an Idol fan. But, still...) There's talk, as well, that he might take a role in another movie to start filming in the autumn. But that's TBA at the moment.

Soccer starts tomorrow for our little "footie fan." This will be Edward's second season playing, and we bought some new cleats today to be ready for it. In our area, he's in the U-8 division. We love it because there's no pressure, and it's really all about having fun. We're hoping he isn't too shy though since he has a new coach and there will probably be lots of new kids on his team. We'll see. He certainly loves the sport.

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• clothes still warm from the dryer

• Tibetan dragons

• homemade guacamole

• birds nesting

• “Pomp and Circumstance”

* * *

I've discovered a fun way to fold laundry these days.

I know. I know. Fun and laundry.

Hmmm...the two words don't seem to go together.

But I assure you this method is failproof and makes the folding go even quicker.

Awhile back I wanted to watch all the seasons of 24 in row. Of course, I don't have over 100 hours free to watch them all at once, without pausing.

So instead, I began to watch an episode or two while I folded my laundry.

It was perfect.

I got to do something enjoyable -- guilt-free -- because I was also doing something necessary.

And if it's "change the blankets/sheets/towels" day, you can take finish with a nap among the newly-washed, fresh-from-the-dryer blankets.

Well, maybe that defeats the purpose...

Sweet Sunday

We sang this in church today, and I was reminded of our dear English "auntie" who recently "flew" away. I remembered singing it at the church we attended, with her at the piano, singing her heart out.

I know she is singing it on God's celestial shores and that makes me so glad.

Friday Funnies

Continuing a theme from last Friday, here are three more segments of laughing cuties. Try to keep from giggling with these guys...I dare you! *wink*

Have a happy and funny Friday!

Mind the Birds

A little Mensa brainteaser for you from our daily calendar:

If a bird can lay one egg in six weeks, how many peacocks will it take to produce a dozen eggs in two years?

Where Have All the Young Girls Gone?

I'm on a roll...forgive my "soapbox posts" in recent days, but this stuff is burdening my heart at the moment... blame it on the pregnancy hormones... I do. *wink*

* * *

Who decides when a girl should pass from girlhood into "preteen" into "teen?"

In a lot of cases, it's not the girl...it's the world of advertising and merchandising. In essence, the world.

Take a look at girls' clothing or girls' toys, and you'll see that the more mature styles are being aimed at younger and younger girls. I've seen the infamous half-sweater and flared jeans in sizes as small as 12 months.

Why??

Does a 12-month-old really want to be fashionable? Does she know what the word fashion means? And better yet can she even say the word yet?

Then look at Barbie dolls. I don't know if you've noticed, but Barbie has a nice curvy shape with very well-developed appendages. She wears the latest fashions, including makeup and jewelry, that make her rival any Super Model on a catwalk in Paris or Milan or New York.

Do you know what age group she is marketed for? Three- to five-year-olds.

Umm...last time I checked, wasn't she supposed to be a mature teenager or older? Does this age group really need to be playing with dolls with a storyline that involves teenagers?

Shouldn't she be aimed at the 10- to 12-year-olds instead?

According to Mattel, this age group is beyond playing with dolls. They're bored with her.

Okay, Mattel, my question is: Why?

Then my next question is to the parents: Why?

Perhaps because we encourage such play at a young age...an age when girls should be playing with Little People and baby dolls and mimicking Mommy...not some teenage doll with boy troubles.

Why does the world push kids to grow up so fast? And even more curious, why do parents allow it? Why aren't they putting the brakes on their girls, telling them to wait awhile before wanting to be all grown up, that there's plenty of time for thinking about boys and dating and wearing makeup?

They can always grow up...but they can never "grow down." You cannot recapture this time period with them...a time when they should be enjoying girlhood and innocence and imagination.

We let them wear the older fashions because it's "so darned cute." We let them play with dolls that should be on the runway of a Victoria's Secret fashion show because "they're going to do it anyway."

Instead of rock bands, they should be listening to nursery rhymes and children's songs that encourage them to stay little and innocent...and sweet.

It's such a short period of time in their lives...and they have all the rest of their lives to "be big."

* * *

Okay. Okay. I humbly yield my "box," and go back to my ramblings and photos and recipes. *wink*

Birth, Breasts, and Books

It was a funny thing to me when I gave birth to Emily and became part of the "parenting realm."
I entered a world completely different than any I'd ever been in before.

Of course there were similarities in the "keeping up with the Joneses" sort of way. I'd already experienced that most of my life, and especially so in getting married.

I avoided reading bridal magazines so that I wouldn't build my wedding into something bigger than my imagination -- and our empty wallets -- could handle.

Now it was time to avoid the parenting magazines. Only I found it harder to keep myself from them since I was such a novice at this parenting thing.

We gave birth at home. It wasn't necessarily by choice. It was all mostly due to money. We lived off of my part-time journalist salary and had to buy our own insurance. By the time Stuart got a full-time job with benefits, my pregnancy was already a "pre-existing condition"...therefore not covered under his plan.

What were we supposed to do? I hadn't ever considered homebirths before. I always thought you did that sort of thing as a hippie in '60s or some sort of environmentalist. I wasn't exactly a "bra-burning, freedom-fighting" lady, or even a "granola, tree-hugging" sort of woman. I was an '80s girl. I'd grown up with the "preppies" in the Reagan years.

But I was completely wrong and enjoyed the experience very much -- being blessed with a very normal pregnancy and delivery and having a wonderful, experienced midwife.

Hmm...

I was already an "odd duck" in the mommy realm.

So now I had a baby, and it was off to meet new moms and allow our babies to grow up together in perfect harmony, playing beside the streams filled with little singing trouts and swinging on the tire swings in the backyard. Right? Right??

Well, the first thing I found out is that my new baby didn't want to breastfeed. And given the difficulty of being a new mom and "fighting" with her for two days without success (and realizing that it hurt so much it made my toes curl), I opted to bottlefeed instead.

I can hear the collective, deep inhalation of shock as you read this. What? What?? You didn't breastfeed your baby? What was the matter with you? Were you trying to abuse your baby?

The arguments for it were endless and amazing. But breastfeeding makes babies smarter...and have less allergies...and less illness...blah...blah...blah. Didn't I want my daughter to recognize the various Sonatas by Bach and Beethoven and be able to hum them on cue?

I never ever doubted that breastfeeding was a better choice in feeding my baby. It was free, for goodness sakes. Besides my sister did it, and my nephew was a beautiful, roly-poly guy who grew wonderfully.

But it didn't work for me. I didn't pass judgment on those who chose to do it. But, boy, the stares of horror I got when I hesitatingly whispered that I didn't.

Funny that both my kids were healthy and grew up to be quite quick in the learning department. (Shhh....don't tell the breastfeeding faction.)

Hmm....

I soon became aware that the parenting world was full of many, many little battles over which way was better...lots and lots of competition over what would make our children into little stage divas or "athletes of the year." If your baby walked and talked before age "X" and began to feed himself and potty-trained and slept through the night and ate only natural organic foods and spoke three languages and...and...

But I also soon realized that every child develops at his or her own rate. As the doctor pointed out, just because a child walks by nine months doesn't mean he'll be a track star at age 8. Given the proper exposure and patience to do it for themselves, children will develop naturally -- without the pressures of the world.

Besides, I knew that as soon as their little legs gained stable footing, I was doomed to a life of running after them. And being that both of my kids were early talkers, my ears began to hurt from the constant chattering.

Hmm...

Then came preschool and public school versus private school versus homeschool.

We chose not to send the kids to preschool. The first reason stemmed from the fact that we just didn't have the money to do it. The second? They had already advanced past preschool skills and would have gained nothing except the social aspect of going.

Again, the stares of horrors...

And then we decided to homeschool them....

(Insert scary organ music with blood-curdling screams.)

Okay. From what you've already read, you know what we faced on that decision, too. *grin*

What was interesting to me as we made all these choices for our children was the amount of pressure placed on us by the world around us.

Instead of supporting each other and marveling at the way we choose to love our kids with the different avenues we take, parents begin to see it as a competition. They think, "If they're doing it that way then they must think what I'm doing is wrong.

I personally have never felt that there is only ONE way of raising kids. That's a silly thought and wouldn't work in the world we live in, not with the multitudes of personalities and styles out there. My motto has always been: There is more than one way to get to 4.

So support each other, Moms and Dads, and love your children...and each other. That's the bottom line.

No one votes for a president based on whether or not he was birthed at home or a hospital, breastfed or bottlefed, and home educated or not.

It's what we put into our kids that we'll one day reap in the way of rewards.

And how we choose to do that is up to us. It's not a competition.