I am a maniac mom.

So, with this big personality of mine comes a little drama. And a little over-exaggeration. And a smidge of crazy.
Although, I blame it all on the fact that I am raising a 12 year old girl and 13 year old boy.
THE BOY-
1. I can't understand what the heck he's saying. Mix mumbling with the fact that he won't look me in the eye to speak, and I have to ask him up to 4 times to repeat himself. I have determined from this that he is going to fail at job interviews and wont be able to support a family.
2. My boy is not very lovey. Hugs are like kryptonite to him, and when I text him I love him, he texts me back "k". I have already put him and his (hypothetical) wife in couples therapy because of his inability to be affectionate.
3. He's a slob. I imagine that his mission companion will hate him sorely (and write home about it) and Jordan's whole mission will be a battle of wills over who's towel is on the floor.

THE GIRL-
1. My daughter, who is a talented volleyball player, wants to quit. This burns me up to my very core, being that I was a latch key kid and would have LOVED to have the opportunities she has. I worry that she will quit when things get hard/boring, and will not follow through. That she won't have the benefit of accomplishing HARD things. So, I imagine she doesnt go to BYU like I want her to, quits her freshman year, and works at Walmart where she meets her stocker husband and they ask to live with us. Yeah, thats NOT gonna happen.

It is so HARD to not get all worked up about the decisions they are making! The ugly truth is much of the time I want them to be the people that I WANT THEM TO BE! Isn't that horrible?
I realize that I turned out fine without being a star athlete ( I was successful in cheerleading, but soooo badly wanted to be in softball, more respect). I think its because only now at 35, I am figuring out who I AM, who I want to BE, and I want to save them the work, and just give them all the answers.

And given the fact that I can't have caffine anymore, you can only imagine how much harder raising kids is going to be!

A modern day nursery rhyme...

There once was a mother who went coo-coo
Her husband was befuddled, he didnt know what to do
She gobbled up ding dongs and funyons in haste
And cried in her minivan, regretting the taste
She sent off mean texts, and regretted them after
For witchiness is easy to mistake for laughter
She spent 3 hours cursing her filthy shower stall
And cried again scrubbing mold, hard water and all
Her computer, so testy, would not pull up Word
Just short of smashing its screen, her hubby did cured
And when the day ended, she fell in a heap
And thanked the good Lord for her snuggly, little sheep
That lay snug in their beds, prayers said and tucked tight
" I think I can do this, and bid the moon a good night"

E. L. P. free.....for now, anyways

(ELP stands for excelled learning program I think...)
After we moved past the glorious first week of school with all of its excitement, we began to realize that Kennedy was feeling overwhelmed. Well, she actually VERBALIZED this through a series of dramatic expressions....SUPER fun.
This year, she is in choir, advanced math, piano, volleyball(starting soon), and church activites.
This has left little to no down time, which frankly, I would hate too.
She actually likes the teacher and spending time in class, its the big projects that turn our house upside down, complete with tears and misery.
So, I left it up to her. And she chose to give it up.
And I am NOT saying that ELP in itself is BAD, because its not. Just in the context of life right NOW, it just doesn't fit.
I didn't even have that "ohmygosh, now my child will become a slacker!" regret.
This child of mine, who makes her bed and basically lives independently in my house, will be just FINE.
Us Mormon's are pretty high achievers. We do it all, and expect our kids too also, which is a good thing to a certain extent.
BUT.....wouldn't it be a good lesson to teach our kids that they CAN say NO to the things that don't bring joy or promote growth anymore....
Goodness knows that I am 35 and am just learning the art of saying 'no' or 'I just can't'....

Moons Over My Hammy...and other thoughts...

I took a very long walk this morning...the trick is to walk REALLY far in one direction, because then you gotta get back SOMEHOW, right?!

And that gives me a lot of time to think....

-I really hope that I get below that certain "century" mark on the scale soon....

-I have 2 out of 3 kids gone overnight tomorrow....who can I pawn Drew off on.....

-If there was an academy awards for fitness, I would stand and thank the makers of the Enell bra...more than any other piece of equipment, it has changed my life!

-if someone was behind me, they could describe my backside as "moons over my hammies" (which bytheway, is Denny's BEST breakfast!)

-I was envisioning a dream sequence where I am in a race where my brother Matthew is rooting my on from the sidelines...and it made me choke up!

-I thought of my friend, Kris, who made a decision that she wanted something better for herself, got in rock-star shape, and is training as a triathlete...

-I really love Vail...our little town kisses the hills and mountains, Octotillo's stretch out green and beautiful, and the sky was clear and blue...

Walking, biking, or running gives you time to dream, calculate, and solve the world's problems....as Martha would say, "its a GOOD thing!"

Primary

Very recently, I was released from my calling in primary as the chorister. It has been bittersweet. I felt like it was time, and that the children needed someone new.

My throat gets a little tight when I think that I no longer GET to stand in front of those beautiful kids and sing songs about the Savior, "He Sent His Son" required me to sing despite that tight throat! The Holy Ghost really can put a hug on our heart through music!

I have been a chicken, a cowboy, a baby, a snowman among other things.

I have lead the children with a wand, a flower, a spatula, and flyswatter.

We have made cookies for the primary president, gone on an airplane ride, witnessed "magic water" and sung to unsuspecting members we just happen to snag from the hallway.

Favorite parts? Well, all of the above, in addition to...

-hearing kids whisper to their moms when they see me "thats my music teacher!"

-hugs!

-making teachers jump, hop chairs, spin around (and they were such good sports!)

-the bishoprich messages (just TRY not to cry when Brother L comes in, I dare ya!)

Here's my other faves....

Teachers! I feel so blessed to be in a room where people volunteer to teach children the gospel. Many don't even teach their own kids. Genuine love and appreciation are given to the kids from their teachers freely, and it has touched my heart and made me want to be a better teacher, too.

Leaders!....Allison T, Tina, Janelle, Michelle, Mindi, Tracy, Allison, Jillian, and Andrea.

One of the biggest blessings in my life are the women in it. I have felt the Holy Spirit during sharing times, and am so thankful that our kids are being taught by these amazing examples.

I love them ALL very much, and even though we all move on, I know that primary has changed us and bound us forever.

Game on!

Drew is starting Vail Viking tackle football next week and Shayne thought he better aquaint Drew with the basics of the game.

Drew started out using references such as"bad guys" (defense), "good guys"(offense) and the "guy who throws the football under his butt"(center)....

to knowing a little bit about positions, and what they are called.

He is determined to be on the line, and so hopefully he has a chance to be defense/offensive tackle.

I think he has a taste for blood, this one.

We joke that we can't wait to see him get tackled for the first time and how he will react.

And I can't wait to see his cute buns in football pants.

Good times.

Friends!

I feel so blessed that my KIDS have great friends, too. Drew and Paige have such fun together, and Kennedy and Cassidy are two peas in a pod. I am so glad that they have such good

buddies to have fun with!

(Drew and Paige thought this would make for a great picture...I agree!)
(Kennedy and Cassidy made these headbands for the first day of school)