Particularly Funny

 I read this statement and found it particularly funny because my mother and I had just discussed this very thing earlier that day.  I guess, in my family, we do talk about it...

School This Year

I'm pretty sure the content for this clip was taken from a camera inside my home.

I am having trouble expressing how ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE this video is at what my husband and I are talking about on a DAILY basis.

We are supposed to make a commitment next week regarding our children's schooling... and we DO NOT KNOW what we are going to decide.  Furthermore, we do not know if we are going to stick to it once we decide.

Add to that are unknown factors about each of our jobs.

We LITERALLY have no idea what we are going to decide, what we can afford, and what we feel safe putting in place.

At least this video makes me laugh... a little.

Corsets

I started reading the Little House on the Prairie books to my children last summer.  We don't read it every night because some nights Hubby reads Magic Tree House books... but we are currently on "Little Town on the Prairie"

It is fun to re-read these as a grown woman, and as a mother.

Here was a excerpt from last night's reading that I enjoyed:

"I'm glad I don't have to wear corsets yet," said Carrie.

"Be glad while you can be," said Laura.  "You'll have to wear them pretty soon."  Her corsets were a sad affliction to her, from the time she put them on in the morning until she took them off at night.  But when girls pinned up their hair and wore skirts down to their shoetops, they must wear corsets.

"You should wear hem all night," Ma said.  Mary did, but Laura could not bear at night the torment of the steels that would not let her draw a deep breath.  Always before she could get to sleep, she had to take off her corsets.

"What your figure will be, goodness knows," Ma warned her.  "When I was married, your Pa could span my waist with his two hands."

"He can't now," Laura answered, a little saucily, "And he seems to like you."

"You must not be saucy, Laura," Ma reproved her, but Ma's cheeks flushed pink and she could not help smiling.

------------------

I'm very grateful to have a wonderful husband who "likes me" these 9 years later when my waist is not the same width as it was when we were married.  Through all the (literal) ins and outs of five children and four pregnancies and the fitness efforts in between, I am incredibly grateful for my Hubby who loves me through it all.

And I am grateful that I do not feel pressure to wear corsets to bed.

When Youth Are Young

Hubby went to the school board meeting last night where parents and community members where sharing their thoughts regarding the forthcoming school year with the school board.

Over 100 community members addressed the board and then emails were read aloud.

Hubby came home and told me about the meeting and some of the perspectives that were offered at the meeting.

He said one person who spoke is a rising high school senior.  Among other things, this student said something like, "My friends and I are seniors in high school and nearly 18 years old.  We don't need adults telling us what they think is best for us -- we know what is best for ourselves."

Hubby said, the entire room quietly chuckled when that passionate student shared his thoughts.

Hubby and I each probably would have said the same thing at age 18... but so many changes come with the passage of time... I certainly don't think of myself as being "old" -- but here I am, an adult, a mother responsible for five of my own children and chuckling at this high school senior who does not want the adults to tell him what is best for him.

Time marches on.

10 On The 10th

10 Pictures on the 10th of July...

It just so happens that we were holding a garage sale that day.

Here are some pictures from early in the day...

Tracey was very excited to sell popsicles and water... an enterprise which her younger siblings happily helped her with when she got tired of selling and all of them walked away with some extra money.

Howard and Caroline are awake.

This is the third garage sale Hubby and I have done in the past two years and this is the first time we did not hire a baby-sitter or the kids.  So they were outside with us most of the day... and playing with their old toys that we were trying to sell.

 

Little sisters manning the popsicle table... this was around the time that Caroline told a gentleman that the popsicles were $50.00 (they were $0.50) and Lee Lee asked a different gentleman if he would like to buy a popsicle and his wife answered that yes they would, and Lee Lee responded, "I was talking to him."

About five houses in our neighborhood held garage sales this weekend (a group of four wives got the word out for anyone who wanted to have one the same day) so our kiddos stayed together and went to check out other garage sales in the neighborhood.

We were not thrilled when Howard used $5 of his own money to bring home an entire TUB of hot wheel tracks.  We had been trying to get rid of things in our home...

They took the wagon to bring it home, but it was too big for the wagon, so thankfully, one of our favorite baby-sitters helped them walk it home.

It has been SOOO HOT the past few days (99 Friday, 101 Saturday), I have been worried about Hunter staying hydrated.  He doesnt' drink water like the other kiddos, and he is at an age where he gets really distracted when he nurses.  If there is anything exciting going on around us, he will stop nursing to watch the excitement... so I grabbed some frozen breastmilk out of the freezer to give him a bottle at lunch to make sure he's drinking enough... its very clear he has not had a bottle in months because he pretty much had no clue what to do with hit... but he drank some with help.

After we closed the garage sale, I took the kids for free snow cones at the police department.  They were hosting an event to help people stay cool and to get a free snow cone from a policeman.  We went to thank them for all they do, and to enjoy the free snow cones.

Chicken noodle soup for dinner.

I copied this quote from facebook before I went to bed because I want to try to keep this perspective.

For Adults

I found this on a friend's facebook page and I thought it was funny.

 

Here are 34 questions for adults:

1. What bill do you hate the most? 

I don't pay that many of the bills... but right now I'm struggling  when we pay baby-sitters.  It's just so hard being so far from family and anytime we need extra help with the kids, it costs us money.

2. What do you really want to be doing right now? 

Receiving a head-to-toe massage

 

3.  If you had a day off from work, what would you do?

Well, "work" has changed over the last few years... if I had a day off from work, I would spent it with our children and working around our house.  If I had a day off from children and housework, I would love to have a spa day, go shopping, and have a date with my hubby.

4. How many colleges did you attend? 

One undergraduate school, one study-abroad program, one graduate school, one post-graduate certification program... so four?

5. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now?  

Huge nightgown... it fits and is cool.

6. What are your thoughts on gas prices?  

I like that I remember when gas was less than a dollar a gallon (it was once in high school)...and I wish that was the case still.

7. First thought when the alarm goes off in the morning? 

By alarm, I'm assuming you mean my three-year-old.  My first thought is, "Yes, Sweetheart."

8. Last thought before going to sleep last night? 

Lord, please help tomorrow go smoothly... its going to be a big day.

9. Do you miss being a child?  

Not really.  I see my children playing together and how much they love each other, and I never had that in a sibling.  Some parts of childhood was nice, but I wouldn't go back if I had the choice.

10. What errand/chore do you despise the most? 

I don't like vacuuming.  I also don't like that when I vacuum, the floor is dirty again before I even put the vacuum away.

11. Get up early or sleep in?  

I prefer to sleep in, but it has a much earlier definition than it did when I was younger.

12. Have you found love yet?

Yes I have.

 

13. Favorite lunch meat? 

Ham

14. What do you get every time you go to Wal-Mart?  

Whole milk for the kids

15. Ocean or Lake?  

Both

16. Do you think Marriage is an outdated ritual?  

No way.  Marriage is one of my favorite parts of my life.

17. What famous person (past or present) would you like to have dinner with?  

My ancestors.  I would love to hear their stories and how their lives took shape.

18. Have you ever crashed your vehicle?  

Crashed is such a big word.  I have hit a deer (actually the deer hit me), and I have bounced off a guard-rail.  I really wouldn't call either one a "crash" but I was definitely very lucky in both.

19. Ever had to use a fire extinguisher for it's intended purpose? 

No.

20. Strangest place you ever brushed your teeth?  

I don't know... maybe in the shower?

21. Somewhere you have never been but want to go.

Australia and Asia

22. At this point in your life, would you rather start a new career or a new relationship? 

I would prefer not to, but I have learned to never say never because you never know what is coming around the bend.

23. How old are you? 

33

24. Do you have a go-to person? 

Yes

25. Are you where you want to be in life?  

I am happy with where I am, but I don't think about being "where I want to be."  I definitely have many of the things I've always dreamed of having, but I think life (and marriage) is an on-going journey, so there are many other things I want out of life.

26. Growing up, what were your favorite cartoons? 

Muppet Babies, and Sesame Street (I guess Sesame Street's not a cartoon)

27. What about you do you think has changed?  

I think I'm quicker to apologize than I used to be, and slower to respond when I'm upset.  I've learned to give it an hour to keep from responding in a rash manner.  I think it has also helped that I married a man who gets upset so rarely and usually makes me laugh when I'm upset.  I get over things much more quickly than I used to.

28. Looking back at high school, were they the best years of your life?  

No way.  They were fun and challenging, and impacted the person I became, but definitely not the best years of my life.

29. Are there times you still feel like a kid? 

Not often.  Sometimes I'm able to feel like I'm back in college, but again, not often.

30. Did you have a pager?  

No

31. Where was the hang out spot when you were a teenager?  

I have no idea.  I know where I hung out -- my house, my boyfriend's house, my friends' houses.  There you go.

32. Were you the type of kid you would want your children to hang out with? 

Depends on the age...

33. Was there a teacher or authority figure that stood out?  

Sure -- Miss Sunderhaft in middle school and Mr. Rose, Mr. DeVries and Mr. Green in high school.  Probably my harp teacher too, Mrs. Heger.

34. Do you tell stories that start with when I was your age?  

Yes I do.  I've earned it.

 

Her Mom

Some days, I surprise myself when I realize that I am a mom.

How can I be a mom?

I am so many things I don't plan to be when I'm a mom... and I'm so few things that I plan to be when I'm a mom.

I'm still a kid.  How can I be a mom?

Clearly there's been some mistake.  Don't you realize I'm still the same girl I was in high school?  Yeah, I know, "technically" I was in high school 15 years ago... but I'm still that same girl.

There is no way I am actually a mom.

***  ***  ***  ***

Then, I think of my daughter, and I breathe her in, and I feel her little body in my arms, and I see how she looks at me when she reaches up for me to carry her...

I am HER mom.

Of course, I am HER mom.

I make mistakes, and have a lot of learning to do... but she is so forgiving and she is the best thing in my life -- the biggest challenge, and the best thing.

When I think of being HER mom, it is the most natural, perfect thing that has ever been.  All is well, and all will be well when I am HER mom.

***  ***  ***  ***

I'm still a little too nutty to be A mom.

I guess its a good thing I am not A mom.  I am HER mom.

WICKEDly Awesome Night!

Last night Chris and my Miller family all went to go see WICKED the Musical!

Have you seen scenes for WICKED?  Are you familiar with the music?
You need to be!  Everyone needs to be!


We have been excited about this evening since last March and it was wonderful!

Dinner, Dressed Up, Family, Music, FABULOUS Entertainment, Memories...

Great Italian food... most of which I took home -- this was a huge plate of food!

Beautiful, Historical, FOX Theatre

Don't we look great?  Our outfits show what a special occasion it was!

We had great seats.  What a show!

The whole theatre was extra beautiful because it was decorated for Christmas.

It was a great night.

 My hubby made it happen!  I love him so much!

Adulthood

There are some events that catch me by surprise, when I realize, in no uncertain terms, I have entered adulthood.

Source: inspirationformoms.com via Leslie on Pinterest

I often hear older people make comments like, "I don't feel 60/75/90 (enter age here)"... I always figured those feelings came with age.  I feel 28... but I certainly don't feel like an adult.  Is that what these people are talking about when they say they don't feel their age?  Maybe this is what adulthood feels like -- fun?

I know I'm an adult, and for years I took great pride every month writing my month checks from my own hard-earned paycheck for rent, credit card, tithe, etc.  Now we have an automatic check sent from the bank... but for years paying those bills and writing those checks made me feel so grown up and responsible.  Like I was a kid, but I was remembering to complete my monthly adult responsibility.  That being said, there were still days I enjoyed staying in my pjs as long as possible and consciously deciding that the dishes in the sink could wait til morning... those choices don't seem like choices an adult would make.

Last night, Chris and I went to a city meeting regarding a new water plant they want to build in our city.  On the way home, I was astounded at the adult I've become.

I have been to City Council meetings before -- I remember going as young as age 6 or 7 because my parents didn't want me to stay home with a sitter, and so I went along to the meetings.  I remember attending the meetings in high school because by doing so I received extra credit in government class.  I remember not understanding what was going on -- maybe I'd understand an issue or two, but on the whole, I was clueless.

It is because I had attended city meetings as a child and adolescent that I noticed the amazing contrast between those meetings and the one I attended last night.  Last night... attending this meeting as an adult, I was interested in everything that was said -- from the presentation, to the discussion, to the questions, I was fulling invested in the topic, I paid attention for the entire 2+ hour event, I asked a few questions myself, and I understood everything that was said.  Those things certainly never happened when I attended meetings in as a child and adolescent.

I really am an adult.  There is no denying it.

Source: iwastesomuchtime.com via Liz on Pinterest

Well, there may be no denying it, but I can still treasure the joy of stopping for an ice cream cone with my hubby on the way home from the meeting, and laughing because the scoop of ice cream fell off of the cone and smeared all over my shirt.  That would never happen to an adult.

There's adulthood -- caring about taxes and community issues...

Then there's adulthood -- a homemade veggie dinner that you don't spill on your shirt...

Well, I've achieved one level of adulthood.  I plan on postponing that second part for as long as possible.