I am king of the castle! F x 4

These boys of mine each want to be king of the castle!
You have a few more years for that, boys!

Check out more Friday Fun at Candid Carrie!

Oh What A Night!

When I gave up teaching after Peter was born, I did a stint as a medical receptionist in my pediatrician's office in the evenings. I worked there for not quite 2 years until Drew was born. I noticed that about 4-6 weeks into the school year, the office would be packed with colds, stomach flu, ear infections. When my kids started school, it came as no surprise that around October one of them would have a cold.

Well, this year we made it until almost the end of 1st quarter. Drew came home coughing yesterday. I wasn't sure at that point whether he was sick or if it was his allergies. We went about the afternoon with the usual schedule of snack and homework.

Then, at dinner, as I had gotten up to go to the counter for something, I hear Andy jump up. I asked him what was going on-Michael threw up. Oh man, here we go. In retrospect, I don't think he was sick. I think he may have gagged on something (my boys have hyper gag reflexes!).

All seemed OK, but Drew. That cough. We got everyone in bed, and I was about to go to bed myself. Then I heard it. The barking. Yep. Croup. I called the doctor to see if I should take him in because Drew is my boy who gets into coughing jags and can't stop. Drew is my boy who coughs until he throws up (which he did). She said to try the shower and if it didn't help, to take him in. The shower helped enough to get him a little comfortable. We set him up in the recliner in their room so he'd be upright. I laid on his bed.

He coughed through the night but got some sleep. He's still barky. I think he may need an inhaler again. We will be off to the doctor later this morning for that. Oh yeah, I already had an appointment for Peter. Soccer has been causing him knee pain. Here we go!

Totally Random

I just realized I can type without looking at the keys...Big deal, I know, but you have to understand that I was too busy in high school with advanced classes and vocal classes to bother to take typing. I was just surprised to discover this today! Sorry for the mundane post, but I was excited...

Musings

I have to say that I have been posting these videos because they state the case for the election so much better than I can. The post I am writing right now has been turning around in my head for about 3 weeks. I am hoping that I can do it justice.

I have spent a lot of time on my blog stating the case for pro-life. I don't think that I need to say much more here than to say that the sanctity of life is in danger right now. As a Catholic, I cannot in good conscience vote for a pro-abortion, pro-infanticide candidate. Obama voted 4 times against the Born Alive Act which would protect babies born alive after an abortion. This IS infanticide. He has promised to sign into law the Freedom of Choice Act. I cannot condone this act. There is no reason to kill a baby at any point in a pregnancy. John McCain has been consistently pro-life.

Many people are worried about the economy. I am too. The Republicans are the only ones in recent years to give us a tax cut, and I am not among the wealthy. With Obama's economic plan, a family making $42,000 per year would have their taxes go up. People who do not pay taxes would get refunds every year-who would pay for it? We would!

This country's defense would be at risk as well under an Obama Presidency. Whether you are for or against the war in Iraq, we cannot pull out now. The surge did work. We need to finish what was started. John McCain has the experience to do this.

On the issue of health care, I do not want socialized health care. We would all be in long lines just to get our children in for a routine check-up.

As I have said, many others can say these things better than I can. I am asking you check out this link. It is filled with Obama's own words and records. Please take a look and give it some thought. I am praying for hearts to change.

He's at it again!

One of my new favorite conservatives is out with a new video. Check it out...he makes a lot of sense-if you are willing to keep an open mind!

Authentic Feminism

I have asked in the past for you to check out Hope Alexander's blog, Reflections of Hope. I am asking you to go over there to read her musings on what feminism means. Feminism is not about a woman's right to choose. To quote Hope, "True feminism celebrates the essence of woman and seeks to appreciate and work in accordance with her nature." Please check out this thoughtful piece!

School Pictures!

As long as I was posting, I thought I would add the boys school pictures.
I thought they turned out well this year!

Drew, age 5.

Peter, age 8.

What a stinker!

Truly-root canal would have been more fun! Saturday we had to go have pictures taken for my in-laws anniversary. My mother-in-law asked for a portrait of her 5 grandchildren together-this is easier than my side of the family which has 25 grandchildren, but it was still a feat nonetheless. My sister-in-law drove in with her two kids. We had an 8 year-old, 2 five year olds, and 2 three year olds, and it is my little Michael who was the problem child (the other 3 year old is a girl-enough said!).

So we arrive at the studio, and are ushered into a small room. The photographer starts to pose the kids-can I say here that they don't get paid enough? The first round goes off fine, then she tries another pose. Michael decided he was done. I threatened time out, Andy threatened no pizza for dinner. He wanted this huge pumpkin that was on a shelf. So we did the next shot with him sitting on a pumpkin. In the end, this was the one we went with (when I get the email link, I will post the picture). We have a huge plastic pumpkin in the picture.

I also wanted to try to get Michael's 3 year old shots done as well as a picture of just my 3 boys to use as a Christmas card photo. Although he was really naughty for the individual shots (he threw the pumpkin, and then tried to play chase behind the backdrop), she got a ton of really cute pictures! He is such a little stinker!

The picture of just my 3 boys? Never happened. We'll end up doing something ourselves probably on Thanksgiving.

As we were waiting for our photos, my sister-in-law said, "well, you could come back for the Christmas shot." Umm, no...I think I'll pass!

Fun with Leaves! FX4

Check out more Friday Fun at Candid Carrie!

How can I argue with that?

So, I am sitting and trying to get some work accomplished. This week has been a blur between my online teaching job in the evenings, and scoring essays for the most recent SATs. I have been fighting a migraine all day, and it has been a LONG afternoon. School is out, homework is done, and I have just pulled an apple pie out of the oven.

As I half-heartedly sat down to read what feels like the millionth essay, I heard Drew chanting, "Dirty underwear, dirty underwear!" I asked him to stop. He looked at me and changes to, "Fly on the wall, fly on the wall!" (Annoying Miley Cyrus song-thanks to my niece, Meghan!). Again, I asked him to stop. One last time, he looked at me and said, 'I'm John McCain and I approve this message!" He knew I wouldn't make him stop that one!

Gone to Africa!

My friend, Evy, has left on her journey to Africa. This trip has been planned for a really long time, and I am glad that she finally is going. Please keep her in your prayers over the next month as she is among the refugees in Central Africa. Be safe, Evy!

What it means to be a mother...

Grab your kleenex for this one!

I am worried...

Is this not cause for concern?

Busy Morning

I took Michael for a real haircut this morning. I am so glad I did. Normally I buzz his hair myself and he screams and cries. The lady was wonderful! He sat patiently, and was rewarded with a sucker when we were done. My hubby is going to say it is too short, but I love it!

Then we ran to the grocery store to pick up odds and ends. Grocery shopping is so much easier with just one child! Gas prices are really coming down around here ($2.85 per gallon), so I am hoping it will be reflected in groceries a bit as well. On the way out of the store, I asked Michael is he was ready. Creepy, middle-aged grocery bagger man replied, "I'm ready!" EWW! GROSS!

Odds and Ends

We were treated to a visit from my brother. Sal this weekend! He came in to see my nephew play football mainly, but then he also came to see my boys play soccer. This meant a lot to me, because of my siblings, he is the other soccer parent in the bunch of us. Drew scored a couple of goals, and Peter did pretty well as goalie. Michael, well, I think we only had to run onto the field to get him about 3 times!



I have had questions about the rally! We went to see McCain and Palin late last week. I went with friends, but took Peter with me to show him some history. We were in line for about 2 hours which meant we were seated behind the media! It didn't matter, though, because it just felt really good to be surrounded by people who want the same thing!



I would like to say that I got pictures of John McCain and Sarah Palin, but couldn't. I tried taking pictures of them from the big screens that were up in the overflow area, but Andy said that, well, they looked like I took them from a TV. Oh well!

I needed this...

Sorry I haven't been around much. It is SAT reading time, so I have been super busy. I went to a McCain/Palin rally last week, and I promise my thoughts are coming soon, but for now, enjoy!

Look at his character...

Please read this article by Charles Krauthammer about Barack Obama and his associations. I think it is important!

Indulge Me...

I have been feeling very disheartened in the past week or so because of the election. I remember feeling this way both in 1992 and 1996. I walked around with this feeling in the pit of my stomach fearful of what the outcome of the election would be. I do take my stance on faith and politics personally. I am not sure how a person-liberal or conservative-could not. I care about my country, I love my country. I am saddened and scared at the thought of what might occur in this country dependent on the outcome of the election, specifically if the Democrats win.

I want to thank those of you who have been so supportive of my speaking out in this forum. And to those of you who have either clicked off the page, chosen not to comment, or left a less than flattering comment, that is OK too. We are blessed to live in a land with freedom of speech.

I found this video posted on another blog. I am not sure who this man is, but wow, he gets the picture! What is interesting is that he is from a family of liberals but has the courage to make his case for the conservative movement. Enjoy!

Food for Thought

+JMJ+ has posted some videos from Fr. Corapi about the upcoming election. While he does not endorse a candidate by name, these reflections provide some important food for thought. I urge you to take the time to watch them. I decided to post them here because they are that good. Fr. Corapi also has an amazing life story, so you can check out his website here.

Baking Day

This...

became this...

Andy and I invested in a Meyer lemon tree 2 years ago. It was tiny!
Last year, we had two lemons (we shouldn't have had any).
This year, we had 8.
We could have had more, but by cutting back some of the blossoms, we should get better tasting, jucier fruit, and
next year even more fruit!
I love lemons!

I have a confession to make...

I hate Halloween. There. I said it. I have never liked the holiday, not even when I was little. My sister and I have talked about it. My parents weren't big on it. By the time I came around, I was walked down our block by whichever sibling of mine could be dragged into taking me.

As a mom, I put on a brave face every year. My boys usually have pretty good costumes, and we go all out on trick or treating. I am a little late this year, but I have begun the costume hunt. Peter wants to be a football player, and Drew wants to be Pikachu from Pokemon. Sounds simple, right? NOPE!

Every Pikachu costume online is out of stock. I have been placed on the we'll let you know if we get them list-I am not optimistic! I looked on eBay. Basically, unless I want to pay $170 for it, I am out of luck. I told Andy we could do it if we could get a yellow sweatsuit or footie pajamas. Oh, I live in a dream world...yellow is not an "in" color this year. At this point, I am not sure what I am going to do!

Then we move onto Peter. I know that JCPenney has football costumes every year. They have them and they are reasonable. Guess what? They are out-of-stock on both the Packers and the Badgers. Again, what's a girl to do?

Oh, and notice the absence of a costume for Michael. I was in Dallas last Halloween for my college reunion. I left with all of the boys' costumes ready-Peter was a doctor, Drew was Scooby Doo, and Michael was supposed to be a honey pot. Michael threw a fit, and so Andy dressed him in street clothes and dabbed red on his nose and cheeks. He calls that a clown-tell me what you think...

Assuming that he won't dress up this year, Andy wants to do the same thing...I want to throw him in his striped overalls and get a train engineer hat...Andy says he won't wear the hat.

Are you starting to see why I hate Halloween?

Musings...Changes

Life is full of peaks and valleys. I can see it in friendships. I can see it in my kids. I can see it in my faith. I have been a practicing Catholic my entire life, and am very happy to be one. I love my faith. I am saddened to see anyone, especially people I love, fall away from that faith. I have seen family members and friends leave the Church, sometimes very vocally, sometimes not, but when they leave, it fills me with sadness.



I notice in my life that my faith will hit these points where it is like I am hitting a wall. I get these reminders that I am not doing enough. I feel like I am getting that message with my blog. Slowly, but surely, I feel like I am being asked to do more. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy writing about my family and about the general rants and ravings I have going on, and those won't stop, but I feel like I am being called to write more things of substance. My faith and my beliefs are such an important part of who I am, and I feel like I need to write about that.



I think what worries me is that I feel like I have made friends out here in the blogosphere, but by cutting off this part of me, I am not being honest about myself. That is my fear. I can see it when I post about political or pro-life issues. I don't have as many comments. The silence speaks volumes. That being said, I feel that I need to share these things from time to time.



This is one of those times. I want to share a post I wrote last December. It speaks about me and it speaks about the pro-life issue. The reason I am re-posting this is because we are in another election year, and this is an important issue. Here it is:

Quite often I am pegged in the six pack (I admit sometimes I am the one who does the pegging) as the misfit, as the conservative one, the one who doesn't think the way everyone else does. I decided it is time to do some musings on what makes me, well, me.

When we decided to do some writing and see what we came up with, I did give some thought to how it is that the six of us have remained friends for so long when, quite often, in many ways, we are drastically different. I have always said that women are their own worst enemy. I truly believe this to be the case. Women are critical about everything: how we look, what we believe in, working mom vs. stay-at-home mom, breast-feeder vs. bottle-feeder just to name a few. I had never really thought I was so different as a female growing up, even in those difficult teen years. It was when I had just graduated from college that I really began to feel the pressure of how different we, as women, can be...

The year was 1992. I had just graduated from the University of Dallas, a very conservative Catholic school. I had spent most of my college years involved being involved in college politics. I was a member of College Republicans, Crusaders for Life, as well as co-chair of Young Conservatives of Texas, UD chapter. I went out praying in front of abortion clinics, even marched at the pro-life rally in D.C. in 1991 on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. It was an incredible experience, and I was surrounded by people, including many strong women who felt just like me. Then I came home after graduation and reconnected with my high school friends, and I discovered how it feels when people, particularly women, don't believe in what you do.

1992 was an election year. Bush (41) was up for re-election. A relative unknown named Bill Clinton was seeking the presidency as well. I was at dinner with friends, and the election came up. I said I was voting for Bush. It never occurred to me that these women I had known for so many years (8 at the time) could possibly vote any differently. "How can you not be voting pro-life?" I asked. (I do realize that this is not the only issue, but this was and is still a big one for me) "You're a woman! How can you not be pro-choice?" was the response I received. I was absolutely dumbfounded...how could this be? Why don't they think the way I do? How can I change their mind? How can they be my friends?

You see, I used to take politics very personally. I used to feel slighted if someone didn't feel the way I do. I came to realize that I would live a very anxiety ridden life if I continued to feel this way. I do, at this point in my life, feel both compelled and not at all apologetic for my beliefs. So, it is at this point that I can explain why I am not pro-abortion, but instead 100% pro-life. I am putting it all here in black and white for you to read. Not to start an argument, but to help explain who I am and what I believe.

I do believe that life begins at conception, that God gives each of us a soul from the moment that little sperm hooks up with an egg. That is the core of my belief, and because of it I feel there is no possible reason to end that life. There is always another option. There have been many experiences in my life that have solidified this thought for me.

When I was in college, I was diagnosed as rupturing ovarian cysts. This was very painful, but the more important issue was that there was a possibility that I could not have children due to the scarring that would occur from this. I would stand outside of abortion clinics on Saturday mornings praying the rosary for the women who would go there that day that they would have a change of heart. I knew that there were other women who definitely could not have children and would love the opportunity to adopt the baby they were carrying.

In my senior year of college, I decided to look at the abortion issue from another dimension. I was a psychology major and had to write a thesis on a given topic. I set out to study the psychological effect abortion has on a woman. This was a year long project that involved interviewing women who had had an abortion. These women suffered for years with the guilt of what they had done. Many turned to drugs and alcohol and hit rock bottom. It wasn't until they had gone through intensive counseling that they could deal with their pain. To me, this is one of the biggest disservices that the women's movement has done. They tell you it is your body, your choice, but they don't tell you you're going to feel like crap emotionally for a very long time, if not forever. A couple of years ago, I actually had a friend tell me about her abortion 20 years after she had it and about how bad she still felt. In the end, I never felt it was her choice, but one her parents and boyfriend foisted upon her.

Last, and probably most importantly, I think that becoming a mother made me pro-life in a way that no other experience could. I love these new commercials by the Veritas Society with the very early pictures of babies in the womb. I don't think I can begin to describe in words how carrying a baby makes me feel, but I will try. I, as a woman, as a mother, have been given such a special privilege to not only create life (with the help of God and my husband :) ), but to feel that baby develop and grow inside me. There is nothing like seeing the heart beat at that very early ultrasound, or even better, hearing it! There is nothing like feeling the baby kick for the first time. We are so blessed as women to be able to do this important job of carrying, and developing that new life in-utero. It is so special and so important that I do firmly believe that to end that life is not only detrimental to the baby, but also to the woman. There is always another option!So, ladies, this is where my entry ends. I was finally able to answer the question posed to me 15 years ago.

These are my beliefs, and I am proud of them. I also feel secure enough in myself and in our friendship to be able to explain to you.

A Message

A friend sent me an email today with the following video. It is directed at Catholics, however, I encourage you to check it out regardless of your religious affiliation. It provides some food for thought given the coming election!

Apple Farm! F x 4

We took a trip to the apple farm last weekend, and the boys had a blast! This was a part of the tractor train. Michael wasn't too sure about it, but Peter was a great big brother and sat with him through it. Drew was their caboose! Today should be the day I get to make an apple pie! YUM!

Check out more fun photos at Candid Carrie!

A plug for Hope Alexander!

I think it was a couple of weeks ago that I introduced a new blogger, Hope Alexander. If you haven't checked out her blog, Reflections of Hope, you really should-she is that good! She only posts once a week, and she really had a great one this week, so check her out!

The reason I am talking about her again-besides the fact that I think her writing is FABULOUS, and I am crazy about her (even though she won't let me tell you who she is!)-is because she has started a second blog aimed at kids and teens, particularly girls. She is a mom to 7 kids, and 5 are girls! It is called "Hey Hope...What do you think?" You know how Dear Abby will answer questions that kids/teens write in about the issues they are facing-this blog is the same concept except that Hope's thoughtful responses will include, well, a Christian perspective. (Dear Abby's responses to teens usually leave me screaming at the lack of faith in them). So, if you know a kid or teen who is looking for a solution to a problem, you might want to point her there! Hope also invites parents to check in, so check it out-you won't be disappointed!

Here I go again! Another political rant!

I just can't help myself...I heard an ad on the radio this morning that really made me angry!



The ad stated that John McCain doesn't support stem cell research. Once again, this is another example of the left twisting his position. The correct statement is that he does not support EMBRYONIC stem cell research and there is a HUGE difference! Stem cells can be harvested from many places-cord blood, amniotic fluid, adult fat and skin cells just to name a few! The best part of these types of stem cells is that they can be obtained without ending a life.



Of course, they had the mother of a child with type I diabetes saying how wrong it was to not support this research. This topic is one that really sets me off. My nephew also has type I diabetes. He will tell you that he does not want babies destroyed to cure his diabetes. There is promising research in the areas of amniotic fluid and adult stem cell research, and McCain supports these wholeheartedly!

I just wanted to set the record straight on this one!

An Award!

Evy over at Yes, they are all mine gave the this award. The meaning is something like this blog makes us close. I do feel close to Evy even though we have never met in real life. Her love of faith and family remind me of my Mom, and that makes me look forward to reading each and every post she writes! Thanks, Evy!

I am supposed to come up with 8 bloggers to send this to, but I am going to whittle down the list a little.

I am sending it out to Reflections of Hope, This Family of Ours, and A Blessed Life. These are new to me blogs, that I am really enjoying reading daily.

Again, Evy, thank you!!!

Educational Rants

Last week, in an act of sheer desperation, the school board for Milwaukee Public Schools voted in favor of inquiring what it would take to dissolve the district. Yes, you heard me right, dissolve, close the doors. Shut. I am still in shock over this one.

Let me be clear. I don't live in the district, nor would I send my kids there if we did. It is pretty bad. A majority of the schools are failing, many of the students come from impoverished, single parent households. I know that the teachers are frustrated. I know the district is asking for more money from the state (because $12,000 per student isn't enough). To say "let's dissolve the district," though, is tantamount to saying, "We give up. We're through. There isn't any reason to try." These kids hear they are failures from the get-go. They don't need to hear that the schools-the one place that some of these kids feel safe-are giving up on them as well.

So, what would happen? Some are calling for the mayor to take over, while some say the state should do it. I am not sure what I think should happen, but I will tell you that this has been the most unbelievable story coming from a school district in a while.

My son, the Goalie! F x 4

Soccer was rained out last week, but we are in the middle of the season. This was from the first game. Peter has been playing for 4 years now, and loves when soccer season rolls around! He got to play goalie last week-his favorite position!

For more Friday photos, check out Candid Carrie!

Tomato Season!

I thought I would dovetail Susie's post about tomatoes and salsa with one of my own. We didn't grow tomatoes this year due to some early summer craziness we had going on, but my mother-in-law brought me a bushel of tomatoes yesterday! I shared some with my sister, and am using the rest right now. Although some might think I use them to make my own pasta sauce due to my Italian roots, I actually don't because I prefer canned tomatoes, sauce, and paste for that. If you ever have money in the budget for the ones from San Marzano, I urge you to give them a try because the are that good!

Onto my tomato task-roasting! I prefer to roast my tomatoes. It makes taking the skin off very easy, and the roasting brings out great flavor in the tomatoes. After washing them, I halve them, and place them on a cookie sheet. Then, I drizzle them with olive oil, and add dried oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. I roast them in a 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes. After they cool, I slide the skin off. Then I bag them up and freeze them for use over the winter. I throw them into stew and soups for some great added flavor! I love the opportunity to add this taste of summer into my cooking during the winter!

I know, I am breaking my promise!

I know, I promised not to become a political blogger, but to me this woman's story is just amazing! Her name is Gianna Jessen, and she is an abortion survivor. That's right, I said survivor, as in she was the baby aborted! Her mother tried to have an abortion at 7 1/2 months, and Gianna was born alive. Because of the nurse on duty, Gianna was sent to the hospital. Because of the saline injection her mother received, Gianna has Cerebral Palsy. Gianna calls this a gift. This video is from her appearance on Hannity and Colmes the other night. What an absolute miracle this woman is, and what a testimony to life!

Happy Birthday to...

ME!

Yes, that's right...it is my birthday! I have to say that for a day that had few expectations, it has been pretty fabulous so far!

Andy and the boys woke me this morning with a present, and I have to say that it was one awesome gift! They gave me the Amazon Kindle. For those of you who don't know, it is a device that wirelessly allows you to download books to read. It is small, lightweight and holds up to 200 books! Add a memory card, and it holds even more. The problem? I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DOWNLOAD! I have 346 books on my to-read list on goodreads, and I can't narrow it down! I am very excited to get started reading on it!

I was also treated to lunch by my sisters, Mary and Margaret. We went to Houlihans-I love their stuffed mushrooms! It was nice being out with my sisters, and I hope we can do it soon! (OOH, wait, Mary's birthday is in 2 weeks!).

I came home to find flowers waiting for me-I think they are from my mother-in-law-she never signs the card! The birthday will continue this week-I am going out for Mexican food with my mother-in-law and her sister tomorrow, and I get to see my book buddies on Thursday! It's going to be a GREAT week!

Rainy Weekend!

We are in the midst of a rainy weekend here in Wisconsin. There is a low perched over us right now, and we are supposed to see some of the remnants of Ike tomorrow (hard to believe!). Soccer was canceled (darn!), so we are having a quiet day at home.

I thought I would share some of our newest Michael-isms. He is finally attaching endings to his words-very deliberately! So, we've been getting "Yessssssss!" from him all week! This morning though, he had Andy in stitches as he proclaimed, "Daddy, your shirt is gay!" (grey) He also told him that he wanted his "piss puzzle" (fish puzzle). Thank goodness these occurred at home!

Stay dry everyone!

F x 4 Soccer

Drew is taking a well-deserved break during his first soccer game! Soccer season is well underway! Four practices a week between the two boys and 2 games on Saturdays...Drew looks how I feel-TIRED!

For more great pictures, check out Candid Carrie!

Remembering 9/11

As many people are doing today, I am taking time to remember the tragedy of 9/11. Andy and I were still home when the news of the first tower being hit came on TV. Peter was our only child, and about 16 months old at the time. I had just gotten out of the shower, and walked into our room to see the image which by now is imprinted on our minds and hearts. Panic set in as I tried to remember whether or not my brother was in New York on business. Frantically, I called his house. He answered-thank God! He also reassured me that this was an accident-pilot error. After all, which of us could comprehend at that point that someone could intentionally do this? As we were talking, we saw the second plane hit the other tower. What the hell was happening?

Andy got ready and left for work. I remember hugging him a little longer that day, and telling him to be careful. For Peter and I, I decided we would go to my Mom's for the day. I just needed my Mama-my sister, Mary had the same idea. The three of us sat there that day in disbelief. We would see the Pentagon get hit, hear of the plane crash in Pennsylvania, and watch the towers fall. Mary and I held our babies-Tim was 16 months as well. The world as we knew it was about to change.

I remember being fearful for my father. He was a salesman, and had many clients who were from the middle-East. He went to work that day, even though my Mom asked him not to. There were some clients who had known my Dad for years who said that America was getting what it deserved. What a sad day. I am thankful he was safe.


So, seven years later, we remember. We pray for the families who lost loved ones, for the babies yet to be born that day who never knew their fathers, for the children who live with out a parent. I still am fearful as every anniversary approaches, and thankful when the day passes. My mama and my daddy may be gone as well, but I am so thankful that I had them to cling to that day and in the days and weeks to come. We will never forget.

Fireproof!

There is a new movie called, Fireproof, coming out on September 26th. I wanted to share the trailer because it looks really good, and really inspiring! Check it out!

And So It Begins...

We made it through the first week of school relatively unscathed. This week will be the first full week for all of us. Peter and Drew were so tired this morning-not a good sign for a Monday! We also overslept. Michael jumped in our bed at 5 AM, and I moved to the couch because I had a sinus headache. Andy and Michael slept through the alarm (the TV turns on), and the older boys alarm didn't go off. I woke up at 6:40 with a start-I had a dream that I was taking the boys late to school. Dreams turning into reality, I guess. My poor boys had to rush, as did we, but we got to school on time!

Then Drew's teacher called at 9:40...He had shut the door on his little finger, and had a cut. He wanted his Mama to put the band-aid on! So, I traipsed back up to school, put the band-aid on, gave him a hug, and told him that a.) he would be able to do his work despite the injury, and b.) if the band-aid came off, Mrs. K would be able to put on another. He is so tired from the full-day kindergarten, soccer, and has horrible allergies right now. It makes me feel bad for my little guy!

So, I picked up after school, thankful that soccer practice was cancelled due to rain. Peter is doing his homework, and we are definitely back in the swing of things!

Trying one on...

So I am trying on this template to see how it feels. My blog was looking so busy, I wanted something plainer. This may be too plain-I haven't decided yet...need to sit with it for a while...

In the meantime, check out this new blogger: Reflections of Hope. I have to admit that I know the writer, but I am not at liberty to say who she is...Enjoy! And if any of you figure out who she is, please keep it to yourself-she wants to remain ANONYMOUS!

Changes-They are a-coming!

I came to a decision today. My blog needs a makeover! It is looking too busy for my liking. So, over the next few days, be on the lookout for some changes...

F X 4

We took this picture while my niece and nephews were staying with us. It is so hard to get a picture off all of them, so I am glad we have this one. We had a really good week with them!

Peaks and Valleys

Today was definitely a day with highs and lows. It was Drew's first full day of Kindergarten (the first two were half days). He needed an extra snuggle this morning of reassurance, but then ran off to his day-and had a great one.

Michael had his first gymnastics class, and let's just say it didn't go so well. He followed his teacher up the stairs to the pre-school gym, and went in. He picked his "squishy square" (green), and went to sit down. Then the reality hit. Mama wasn't staying with him. He flipped out. There is a little half door at the entrance to the area. It has no lock. He walked right out. I walked him back and then proceeded to try to get him to stay. No go. He screamed, "Don't want to. I want to hold you Mama." Broke my heart. I tried to get him to stay for about 25 minutes, and then I kissed my 45 minutes of free time good-bye.

When we got to the van I mentioned my disappointment. He sobbed. I started to cry myself. I felt like the worst mother in the world. His brothers took this class at 3 1/2. He just turned 3. At this age, 6 months can make a huge difference. My baby boy is just not ready. And, lest you think I am just trying to hang on a bit more, I'm not. I just think that as a mother, I need to make sure he's ready. He's not, and that's OK.

I had another realization in the midst of this. He's not going to 4 year old kindergarten next year. I know a lot can happen between now and then, but I prayed for a sign, and it came to me pretty clearly. When I was in school the cut-off was November 30, now it is September 1. I know now that I need to honor that and not push him ahead just because he misses the cut off by one day. I feel at peace with this decision because I know it's what is best for Michael.

We had one other great moment today besides Drew's first full day. He had his annual eye exam which is a big deal. He has endothelial dystrophy. This means that he has tiny blisters on his corneas which may or may not remain stable. As long as they remain outside of his line of vision, we have nothing to worry about. If they develop in the center of his corneas, he would need a cornea transplant. We have to take him in every year for an eye exam for his glasses (separate, normal vision issue), and to have his corneas checked. I always get nervous when the appointment approaches. Fortunately, the news today was good. He is still stable, as is his vision. Definitely a day of highs and lows. Glad tomorrow is Friday!

I am flattered

Yesterday, my bloggy friend, Shannon at Welcome to the Nut House, gave me an award that has left me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. She is also one of my daily reads. If you have read her, you should check her out!

The three mommy blogs I am sending this to are:

Sydney at Diapers and Deadlines
Jennie at Far Beyond Pearls
Evy at Yes they are All Mine

These are also blogs you should check out. These women inspire me to want to be a better mother!

My Birthday Boy!

Today was my Michael's 3rd birthday!

He asked for cupcakes, and normally I would have made them myself, but he saw these at the store and wanted them. With the craziness of the first day of school, I relented.

Michael got 3 brand new puzzles to feed his obsession.

Happy Birthday, Michael!

First Day of School

Before we get onto the first day of school, I thought I would share what happened to my laptop. Here is a picture. The monitor cracked. Not one but two of my boys (who shall remain nameless) sat on it. on the end table. while it was closed.

The good news is that it is under warranty. The bad news is that it will be gone for a month. I need this computer for work-today. We ended up purchasing another laptop. Definitely not in the budget, but there was really no other viable solution. I am writing this on my new laptop.

Here are my boys!

They looked so handsome for the first day of school. Peter and Drew were both very excited to go back...

Here's Peter walking in-looks like the excitement has worn off!

In honor of labor day-wanna play?

In honor of Labor Day, there is a meme going around about, well, labor. I read it on Far Beyond Pearls, and decided to give it a go. If you have a chance, check out Jennie's blog-she is the mother of 6 with number 7 due in January, and one of my new favorite reads.

Now, the meme. And when you're done, go post a Mr. Linky over at Rocks in My Dryer, who apparently started the whole thing. :-)

1. How long were your labors?

Peter-12 hours
Drew-8 hours
Michael-4 hours

With Peter and Drew, I was induced, so I have no idea how long an actual labor would have been.

2. How did you know you were in labor?

Again, with Peter and Drew, I was induced. With Michael, I was nervous because I had not gone into labor on my own. All I wanted was to get my oldest through his first 2 days of Kindergarten. About 30 minutes after picking Peter up on that second day (the Friday before labor day), my water broke.

3. Where did you deliver?

Hospital

4. Drugs?

YES! YES! AND YES! Although, I almost didn't get my epidural with Michael because he came so quickly.

5. C-section?

No, although I was about 30 seconds away from one with Drew. He was big, and his arm was stuck.

Michael was breech until about 3 days before he was born. Thankfully, he turned.

6. Who delivered you?

My OB, Michael Lasser. He is a fabulous doctor, and even came in on his day off to deliver Michael. I hope that he delivers any other children we are blessed with.

That's the whole meme. If you play along, please tell me. I would love to read it.

GNO, Part 2

After dinner we went to Barnes and Noble. Clare and Meghan had some silliness in them!

One last picture of the girls. The all-elusive Maggie is in the back row. She is my birthday twin, and we will celebrate on September 16 (she'll be 15). Ladies, I had a great time with all of you! We'll have to do it again soon!

Back to School Kindergarten Night

Wednesday was Kindergarten Night.
The official start of school is Tuesday.
Think my Drew is ready?

Girls Night Out! Part 1

The evening began at Applebees.
From left to right are my nieces, Clare (13), Martha (9), Meghan (13), and Anne (11).
Maggie wouldn't pose in this picture.

Martha's enjoying our appetizers. We had the sampler and chips with queso.
YUM!

More yumminess!
I need to add that we had dessert shooters which were mini versions of dessert!
I thank that was everyone's favorite part!

I am so excited!

***WARNING**** The post you are about to read contains political musings of a conservative nature. I am not turning into a political blogger, but I cannot contain my excitement. I promise to return to my regularly scheduled blog after this one.

So, I have not been too enthused about this year's presidential election. I am a conservative. I make no apologies for that. It is who I am, and who I will always be. When looking at the candidates, I thought to myself, "Nothing great here this time around." Obama, although a dynamic speaker, is way too liberal in his views. He even makes Wisconsin's own Russ Feingold look not so liberal, and that's saying a lot. McCain is alright, but I wanted someone truly conservative. He has always held a hard line on the pro-life issue, but there have been other times where he has crossed the party lines. McCain is a moderate Republican, and I would like to see someone more conservative. All in all, things being what they are, I knew I would vote for McCain, but I wasn't enthused about it. But then it happened...

He picked Sarah Palin. I have to say that this was completely unexpected, and I am so excited about it! She is exactly what his campaign needs! As Governor of Alaska, she is the only one of the candidates (presidential and VP) that has executive experience in both the private and public sector. She is a hard line conservative, and has lived the example of pro-life through her experience of her Downs Syndrome child. I am just so ecstatic about this choice of a running mate! Go McCain/Palin!

F x 4 King of the Tube

These three are my niece and nephews that have been staying with us this week. As you can see, we have a tiny pool, but we've had a lot of fun! We're glad you stayed with us-Meghan, John and Tim. We still have the weekend...Can't wait for our GNO (Girls Night Out) with Meg and her cousins Saturday night! Applebee's here we come!

My head is swirling!

I am sitting here feeling a bit overwhelmed by my fall schedule. As I always do this time of year, I sit down with my calendar and try to get everything on it. I always joke about being a jack of all trades, but my work is definitely increasing.

My main part time job as an online instructor includes three separate positions: teacher, team leader, and substitute. I am happy to say that I now have off weekends, but it means having to cram more work time in during the week.

I also write my weekly re-cap for my beloved Guiding Light. This may not seem like a big deal but umm...I have to watch the show (so far I am 3 episodes behind this week). I am also writing some weekly re-caps for the archives that are missing from the website. There is job number 2.

I am also taking on a real life student this year that I am tutoring. Four hours a week. I am really excited to be doing this, but again, it means more scheduling, more planning.

Finally, I go back to SAT essay scoring come October. I am glad that this job is only 7 times per year because it is the least favorite of what I do.

So, there it is-my work at home life. Pretty busy, isn't it? Andy and I knew that day care was not going to be an option that we wanted to pursue. I support women who make that difficult choice, but it isn't for me or our family. I am glad I have found a way to use my degree and make it work for us. Most of my odd jobs take place at night leaving me the flexibility to tend to my boys, so I am happy about that. I am just a little apprehensive about working out the details of this schedule!

MIA

Sorry I have been MIA the past few days. The children in my household have increased from 3 to 6! I guess I should explain lest you all think I suddenly had triplets! My sister and brother-in-law are taking their older girls down to school, and I have the youngest three: Meghan, 13; John, 12; and Tim, 8. Tim is only 12 days younger than Peter, so I have a set of twins right now.

I have learned the key to a big family-SCHEDULE. We have a daily schedule right now-what I wanted to do with my three boys all summer. It really does help. The kids aren't constantly asking what is happening next-they just know! I'll have to remember this, and stick to it, next summer.

My niece and nephews are staying until next Monday. In the meantime, we have Kindergarten night tonight for Drew, and school supply drop-off day tomorrow for the rest (they all go to school together). Soccer has also started, so even though we have not had the official start of school yet, we are getting into the swing of things.

For those of you wondering, my plan is to get back into school mode, and have a time each day to read my favorite blogs (you know who you are). I know a couple of you have asked where I am-I am here and reading, but kind of on the fly this week...comment love is coming back-I promise!!!

Friday Foto Finish Fiesta

I took this picture a couple of weeks ago, and I am so glad I did. These two are thick as thieves, and in one more week, Drew will be in school full-time leaving Michael with his Mama. Michael is going to miss his "Drewsie".

For more great pictures, check out Candid Carrie!

We signed him up!

My darling Michael is all signed up for his first class. He will be taking Gymnastics on Thursday mornings. He has the same teacher that Drew had, and she is a wonderful woman with immense patience! Each of our boys does this the year before they start 4 year old Kindergarten to give them some time away from me. We are actually not sure if Michael will go next year because he misses the cut off by one day. Our principal has assured us that we could put him in next year, but we are still on the fence with this decision. He is extremely bright, but we do worry about him being a boy and the youngest in the class. On the other hand, Drew is also the youngest in his class (July birthday), and he is just fine...We will have to just wait and see...All I know is that come September 4th, I will have one glorious hour to myself! I don't ask for much, do I?

The Secret Came Out...

Andy and I took the kids out to lunch today. This was, of course, before we knew Drew was coming down with stomach flu-AGAIN, but I digress. So we are at lunch, and I feel like I have a stray hair on my nose. You know, one of the longish ones that won't seem to stay in place. I couldn't find it, so I ask Andy if there is something-on my nose. He reaches over and pulls at a hair-on my cheek!



Yes, ladies, the dreaded granny hair! I don't know what other regions call them, but that's what we call them here. Those hairs that seem to sprout overnight in places they are not supposed to-like my cheek. Andy looked quite surprised when he saw it, and kind of grossed out. I explained to him that I didn't have them before we had kids (like skin tags, but that is another post). I now have them sprout in 3 places: the aforementioned cheek, my forehead and my neck.

You know what I hate about them? They will be gone for a long time, and then I will wake up one morning, and BAM! There it is, and it is like 2 inches long! Only this time, I missed it. And I grossed out my husband. The secret's out, and it isn't pretty!

Hair

This is me. A rarely seen picture of me, but I am posting it here because I need advice. You see, I am in a hair funk. I have pretty much worn my hair the same way for at least 15 years. I flip between 2 styles-long with layers or bobbed. I don't do the bob anymore because it emphasizes my round face. So, now, I am here and looking for a change. My husband likes it long-as long as possible, but I usually cut it when it gets to about where it is now. I have moderately curly, really thick hair, but don't do a lot with it other than pull a bit of it back with clips as it is right now. So, what should I do?