Retaining Information

Two years ago I fell into becoming a "day care lady" and while I never dreamed of watching other peoples' kids as a source of income, here I am and I have to say I rather enjoy this vocation. However; today one of the downsides of doing such work poked its head when the little red headed, spit fire, yet bubbly little 1 year old girl said, "Good-bye," until August. Her mom is a school teacher and now with the summer here Mickale will be spending her time with mom. I am happy for them, but a little sad, it's kind of like watching one of your own go out the door; I didn't think I'd get attached to these kids when I started this two years ago by accident. Oh well, such is life, I know we'll see her during the summer and I know she'll have a blast with her mommy. Samuel is over at his friend Cara's house and I'm sure they are having a great time in the water park ala Fabian style and being a little more loud than Lisa would like, but summer fun is starting for everyone. Hopefully I'll be able to help Samuel retain the information he learned in kindergarten throughout the summer. I know when I was in kindergarten I don't remember keeping up with lessons during the summer with my mom, but I can tell you that I'm pretty sure I didn't learn what he did until the 1st, or 2nd grade either; WOW! For now, at least until June (yes, June, just a few days away) I think he'll be able to retain the information. ~

Good Memories

I love summer; the sound of the lawn mower and the smell of newly cut grass; the sun warming up our faces while giving us a little color; the breezes blowing through the house and the ability to take the kids to the park for something fun to do while I sit and read. Summer is also the time when me and my family travel up and down the I-70 corridor approximately five times and enjoy the cleaner mountain air and family. Samuel is finishing up school today with a field day and kindergarten continuation just in time for my sister and her family to come down and spend a few nice, quiet and relaxing days with us. There is a fabulous new park just down the road from our home that I'm sure we'll be spending lot of time at, but it's also time to drag out the plastic pool from under the porch and get the water park ala Iacovetto style prepped for the summer. Isaac has asked if we can go to the library again this summer to join in on the summer reading program and he can't wait until the "merry - go round opens" (meaning Lakeside). These are all memories my children are already storing up from past summers and I find it fulfilling that they are asking to do the same things again; makes me feel good that they look forward to the summer activities we've picked out for them. I'm extremely thankful for the good memories I'm developing with my children and family. ~

Financial Clearing

This is the year of financial clearing for us: no more automatic with drawls from the checking account for things we don't need; we only have one more credit card to pay down and then it's no more of those plastic traps; and than the decision to downsize on the car payment (really, I find it ridiculous to spend more than $300 on a car payment). This seems like easy, common sense ideas to slimming down our monthly finances and it is working, but I tell you what, this has been an eye opener to me with regards to all the items I have "EFT"ed out of my account....wow! My husband and I sat down and asked ourselves, "Is this something we really use, or need?" I have to say that's it's amazing how many things we have canceled due to lack of not only use, but we don't even need. There is something really wrong with our culture and the American way when it comes to money and debt. It's as if we are all trying our hardest to outdo each other materialistically without even caring, or realizing the effect it has on our kids, families and other relationships. I've often wondered, what are we teaching our children? Is there going to be anything left to leave them? I'm supposed to leave them an inheritance. I don't want their lives to be all about acquiring more stuff. We've even entertained the idea of downsizing our home and I really don't think we'll go that far, but why not? I'll tell you, because people would think we are nuts for wanting to save more (we are trying to rebuild savings after a trying year) and no one wants to be looked upon with a frown.... so we all tend to overspend and overextend ourselves so that we can keep the appearance up for everyone else (talk about ridiculous; it's nobody else's business). I personally find myself more at peace when I think of having very little in the way of material, but a good amount in savings for the "just in case" events that happen in life. So...why am I blogging this today? Because another "EFT" bit the dust this morning and I feel good about our progress; much like you feel good passing up on the chocolate donut when you're on a diet, but you still sometimes crave what you can't have; that's me - I'm happy with our progress, but if I'm honest with myself I do crave what I don't have any longer. However; the flip side is that just like you drop weight on a diet, we are dropping financial pounds and will be healthier in the long run for it. And that's something I can get behind. ~

I don't know how I'm not sick more often. After all, three of the four kids I have running through this house are sick and one with some sort of stomach bug on top of the cold. In any case, I'm glad I don't get sick to often (some say it's because all of the spicy food I eat), but I have to say that I get a ton done around the house when my kids are down. Samuel is one of those kids who will lay on the couch all day and you'll never hear a sound out of him until he spit vomits in the pan he insists on keeping next to him; he doesn't even moan or groan let alone cry. If he needs something he still politely asks for it and when I say, "I'm sorry you don't feel good, honey," he still says "That's okay mom." Then there is Isaac who doesn't complain either. He just runs around like he's fine and then hits the wall. The next thing I hear is, "Mom, I'm going to lay on the couch and take a rest." Then in about half an hour it's through the same cycle again. However, when he is feeling better it's as if he's trying to make up for lost time; it's as if the cold actually hypes him up; he gets so nuts! Then there are the men; the husbands, the ones that are supposed to be strong; the ones that claim they can do anything; anything......except a cold. You know what I mean, and you know who you are (you just won't admit it). So there it is....the mom who rarely gets a break even when she's dragging sick and those spouses who can't move, or get out of bed because they just used the last of their energy to blow their nose; they must have gotten something from the kids, and it's "really bad". Actually, I can't complain to much in this area, my husband doesn't complain either; where do you think the boys got there ill techniques from? You really didn't think it was from me did you? After all, listen to me, I'm a big complainer! ~

I am listening to the sound of book pages ripping from the upstairs play area and do you think at 5:00 p.m. I really care? Not really. Yeah I know, books are precious, but we have so many that I really don't go ballistic when I hear a few pages tearing; now hearing the upstairs toilet flush when I'm not up there is a different story (and all of you with boys know what I mean). My husband is up in the mountains today to attend a funeral and do business; nothing like writing off a trip when there is death involved, that's just not right to mix the two. Oh well, maybe he'll go to my sister's college graduation barbecue that we didn't think we'd make; that would be a nice surprise. In any case, my six year old is extremely excited that he only has three days of school left until he has "90 days off" as he tries to explain summer vacation. Today he came home with an empty homework folder and evidently the end of the year is making me slack a little also because I didn't even feel the need to ask him where his work was...kindergartenideous. HA! Isaac is driving me a little nuts; this is our morning conversation: "Where are we going today mommy?" Nowhere. "Who's coming over today?" Nobody. "Is Frank and Cara?" No. "Do we have Bible study today?" No. "Do we have MOPS?" No. "Do we have Club 3:16?" No. "Well than what are we going to do....(whine)?" Why do kids think we need to have a three ring circus at all times? Don't you think we do enough already? Oh well, at least his brother will be home to keep him company all day soon enough. Then I'm sure my days will be filled with bickering. Such is life. ~

I just finished mopping my hard wood floors and while I love the look of them, I find them to be harder to clean. I know, I know...everyone says they are easier, but I feel the need to vacuum over them with my floor sweeper before being able to mop them and sometimes I feel like that's harder work. Maybe it's the sheer volume of hard wood floor I have to clean that makes it feel like it takes forever; in any case I'm glad I'm done with that weekly chore/exercise. My husband is over at the store with my four year old buying our supply that usually lasts about a week or so, but with my six year old eating everything in sight these days it will probably last all of three days. Grocery store shopping is not my favorite thing to do, but my husband loves it; he likes to see what savings he can get, especially now with the price of food...so he goes and I get to unload all the bags when he gets home with him hoovering over me to see if I approve of his purchases and "prizes"; which I always do. Samuel is at school and he is all excited now that he only has six more days left before he is out for the summer. Let's face it, I'm excited for the fact that I won't have to help him with homework, more like ride his rear to get it done, for a couple of months. ~

I am enjoying a little piece and quiet while my boys are outside playing with their father in the nice day and the little girl I watch (Mrs. Mickale) is taking her afternoon siesta. I really should be doing some housework; it never ends, but I'd much rather sit on the couch and blog while I take a breather. My husband has been busy for most of the morning helping our neighbor with his new lawn statue/water fountain. If I have to hear one more time how much they spent on that thing (they don't realize it makes them look stupid, in my opinion) I think I'll just have to either walk away, or burst out laughing...it's ridiculous that they want everyone to know what they spend...oh well, to each his own.

I am watching my husband play hide and go seek with my 3 year old and laughing because Isaac keeps telling his dad where he is hiding. I think Isaac likes to tell us because he's afraid we won't find him; I hid from him one time so well that he started to cry and every since that time he has told us were he hides. My husband has been working from home today and is just now going to take a shower; I guess it's easy to work in pajamas when it's rainy outside. Tonight he has to go to his coaches meeting for little league; he is coaching two t-ball teams this year - one for 6 year olds and one for 4 year olds so he can coach his sons; which should be interesting. This morning I found my 6 year old, Samuel, on the couch when I came down to start the coffee pot. I have no idea what time he came down to the couch to sleep, but when I asked him why he was there he said, "I didn't want to miss school." He must have had a dream about being late; he's not once been late all year, but it was cute all the same to see him curled up with his own pillow and blanket he drug down from his room. Isaac is going a little nutty this morning as I let him dump out a big box of toys from the basement all over the living room floor. Now he keeps hiding in the box and the two little girls I watch are running away from his as he scoots along like a turtle; I'm not sure they like it that they can't see him.

I am sitting here looking at the load of laundry I need to put in the washer and wondering how many times I've seen the same t-shirt go through this cycle in a week. I really need some new clothes, but I really don't like to spend money and so to go shopping is a huge step for me. My husband is working feverishly downstairs on a mortgage loan he is doing for a client and so I chalk up another bad day for him as this particular industry has become such a monster now days that it's almost impossible for anyone to qualify for a loan anymore and the situation has created numerous headaches for my husband on any given day. I'm sure he's not the only HONEST mortgage broker trying to help people out of their ARM situations while still making a living, but he is having a heck of a time. My oldest son is getting a little restless with his little brother and he keeps bugging me to play on the computer. At six years old he is more computer savvy than me and I am afraid we may be raising a whole bunch of youngsters that have a better relationship with machines and computers than with people at the rate technology is going. My three year old turns four this week and I am a little freaked out that my baby is no longer so little. This time next year and I'll have two getting ready for school in the fall; nobody told me that time flies by faster when you have kids, but I think it does.

I love Mother's Day, but I hate my expectations of what I should receive; whether it be of time, or gifts. I envision a grandiose day with breakfast, lunch and dinner served to me from a restaurant menu; two - three hours of alone time to do whatever I want and than my Mother's Day fantasy ends with a fabulous spa treatment and movie. Instead, I get handmade gifts (which I do treasure) and a nice Sunday afternoon brunch (which I inhale); all of which I think are marvelous, but somehow never live up to my firework, parade throwing and royal idea of a day. Not to minimize what my husband, step-daughters and sons do for me on Mother's Day because I don't want to be selfish, or ungrateful --- I really don't! However, am I the only Mother who feels this way? For now I'll be grateful that I didn't have to cook this afternoon, use my new Bed and Bath Bodywork's hand towels and lotion set, frame the homemade poems and hand prints, read the book and write with the pen my step-daughter presented to me, and plant some flowers all while enjoying a cup of Starbucks coffee. Holy cow! I guess I am ungrateful...I need to call my mother again and tell her to be looking for a very big box; I need to make up for some lost time myself. Imagine that!

I am already stressing out about our summer schedule and here it is only the beginning of May; what's wrong with me? What's wrong with all of us? We are so over scheduled and over booked and we all think and say we're going to change it, but do we ever? UG! Well, maybe after all these graduations get over I'll have more time to myself on the weekends, and heaven forbid actually let my children have a childhood this summer instead of a schedule of forced entertainment.

I am listening to The Backyardigans at the moment while trying to figure out dinner at the same time. Actually, that's not true; I know what WAS going to be for dinner, how thawed do 1 1/2 inch steaks need to be to grill?...maybe I'll let my husband come up with plan B. Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to fight over what your going to put in your stomach; I guess I'll have to roll with this one.

I love the warm weather; I love the fact that I can make the boys go out and play in the backyard so that I can have a few minutes of peace and quiet. I have longed for my two rambunctious boys to get old enough were I felt comfortable to let them go out in the backyard by themselves (we have a 6 foot privacy fence) with the 5-7 minute occasional glance to make sure they're okay. For them to get to the age where if they needed something, they could themselves slide open the sliding glass to get something, rat on someone, or tell me they need help without me having to be outside at their beck and call. I am finally there. AAAHHH! While I love going outside with them most of the time, I am enjoying some peace and quiet and some much needed alone time with a rag and some Pledge.

I want to know why my six year old has such a hard time when it comes to reading; not that he can't, but that he really doesn't like to. UG! Getting him to read his books for school, his little paper books no less, is like trying to pull teeth; I'm not asking for much. Oh well....such is life.

I have to laugh at my husband; though I love him dearly he continues to bring loads of equipment into this house. I should rephrase that, not just equipment, but technology of the music type; he has a reel to reel, a great sound system with vinyl player and receiver and a little boom box all downstairs for his listening pleasure while he's working or playing pool...take your pick...HA! Right now he's outside on the front porch giving our two boys hair cuts and I can hear one yelling, "Don't cut my tail!" Undoubtedly that would be my three year old talking about the little v neck hair he has growing at the base of his head, but it sounds terrible. Hopefully everything turns out okay.

I have no real idea what I'm doing, but I think this is something I'm doing just because everyone else is. We'll see what happens with this...like I really have any time or this, but we'll see. There is a part of me that thinks, "How egotistical are we that we think we should all have our own page for anyone to see? How important do you think we are?" Just a thought, but still fun. I think I chose this title, "Just a little of everything" because that's what I think I will probably blog about; anything and everything I'm feeling at the time.