As I was telling you in my previous post, I had one of my proudest moments as a mother last night. My 13 year old son, Logan, won an essay contest about Martin Luther King Jr. His was one of 4 essays chosen from students throughout the entire city. He won a savings bond and was invited to attend the MLK banquet in our city last night and read his essay. He did NOT want to read in front of everyone because as you will hear when you see the clip, it was very personal. There were about 400 people in attendance, including the mayor, the chief of police, and many other dignitaries. When he saw this crowd he wanted to read his paper even less. We talked about things and decided it is good for each of us to do something that makes us a little uncomfortable and challenges us. This was such a stretch for him but I can tell you it was one of his most shining moments and he basked in the glow of it even this morning. I thank God for times like this, especially for Logan, when he can feel so good about himself. He really needed this.

Another Day Off

Outside its clearly winter, inside, it seems like summer. I think I have spent more time with my children in the last month than the entire year previous. With Christmas break and all these cold/snow days I know each of them intimately.

Here's what's going on...I was just thinking the other day that the weird factor is really high at my place. We have our Yorkipoo, Roxy, in heat so she's wearing this diaper and looks like an idiot. Her eyes tell me she feels like one too. Our new dog, Gigi, has been peeing ALL OVER so we took her to the vet only to find out she has kidney stones and has to have surgery tomorrow. My youngest child is back to wearing an eye patch to help with her lazy eye so if we have any neighbors looking in our windows, I wonder what they think.
I have to tell about our amazing experience last night but that will have to wait til I get back from Target.

Our Latest Addition

Here is a picture of our new dog Gigi. Isn't she adorable? She's pretty tuckered out from her day at the beauty salon but isn't she a cutie??

Lots of useless information racing around in my head

My husband says my mind is like a computer screen that battles to stay on task or topic due to numerous pop-ups. Its funny how I can be talking to him about something and instantly, without missing a beat, I am on to something else that just "popped up" in my head. Then I get mad and think he's an idiot because he can't follow along. Its not easy being me.
My husband also says I'm PMSing. (Is that a verb??) I really didn't think I had a problem with such things but, you know, I'm pretty sure he's on to something. These last few days I have been ON EDGE. It seems like my kids voices are akin to fingernails on a chalkboard and they are amplified times 4. I am snippy and sullen and VERY tired. Also, I can't seem to eat enough. If I told you what I had eaten before noon today it would shock you. It seems like I can't possibly get full today. Ladies, what is your verdict...PMS or just being mean?
Also, I was thinking about toilet paper today. I just came from Target and noticed my old brand was on sale. I used to buy Cottenelle 12 double rolls. Its usual price is $7.69. WHAT A RIP OFF! It's paper for heaven's sake. What kind of a mark up is that??? Anyway, my husband convinced me to try the Target Premium toilet paper, again 12 double rolls which is regularly priced $6.29. I was pretty sure it would be like sand paper and would certainly irritate our dainty behinds but it is excellent and I will save $1.50 every time I purchase TP for my family.
Speaking of family, 13 years ago tonight my hubby and I were at our friends home. It was a Sunday afternoon/evening and we were watching a football play off game I believe between the Packers and Bears but I digress. I was VERY pregnant with child #3. We left our friends home around 7:30 that night. By 9 pm I arrived at the hospital, which fortunately, was about 2 blocks away, and just 35 minutes later I had a baby. What a hoot! We called our friends about 10:20 that night and said, "Hey, guess what I just did?"
The first thing the nurse said after he was born was the usual, "Its a boy." The second thing was, "He's got dimples." He was a little spitfire but smart as a whip.
He didn't sleep all night until he was nearly a year old. I remember many, many nights I would just sit on the couch sobbing out of sheer exhaustion. I was SO tired. He was our 3rd child in just 4 1/2 years. At 18 months he already had the motor skills to work a mouse with ease. I remember one day we were stopped at an intersection and he said, "Look Momma, "No right turn on red." I was stunned that he was reading at 3 1/2. Now he's the king of computer games etc. and an absolute blessing to our family.
So we will venture out tonight to his favorite restaurant to celebrate him and remind him of how thankful we are for him.

What to say, What to say......

I feel a serious obligation to blog on a fairly regular basis. I enjoy it; its an outlet. So why have I not posted anything in a week and a half? I just don't have much to say, I guess.
What's going on here? HMMMM let me see. We are waiting to hear if my oldest has been accepted into the college of his choice. Letters will be sent out on the 15th of this month. Child #2 is busy with school work and has pep band about 2 nights per week. Also, she has a terrible fear of driving. She MUST! She MUST! She has zero confidence in herself and is afraid she will kill someone. What shall we do with her?
Child #3 got cast in a community theatre play which will deliver its performances the first weekend in March. This means from now until then we will be driving to rehearsals and performances 34 times. I'm tired already. By the way, he turns 13 next week which means I will have 3 teenagers in the house!!
Finally, child #4, my little spitfire, has a history of eye problems. We had an appointment today and it looks like we will be playing pirate with an eye patch again for a few weeks to see if we can get her lazy eye in check.
Also, sometime this week, we will be adopting a new dog. I still don't know exactly how this happened. Apparently a friend of my colleague has a mother who is moving into an assisted living situation and needs a home for her bichon or it will have to go to the Humane Society. (You know what can happen there.) Anyway, I'm not really a "dog person". I wouldn't swerve to hit one, mind you, but I just am not completely crazy about dogs. This will be our 3rd. At least none of our dogs will shed and that is of utmost importance to me. We had a German Shepard for several years. He was my husband's police K-9 and I promise you I vaccuumed (sp) at least 2 times per day. Hair was everywhere so I vowed not to have anymore shedders. We should be getting Gigi this week sometime. Just what I need, a little more action!

Foiled again

Alas, the wintry weather of NE Iowa has once again foiled my plans of spending Christmas with my family. Tuesday we had planned to visit my hubby's family near Des Moines but stayed home due to threatening weather. Now today, a long awaited trip to my sister's cabin to visit with family once again was thwarted by freezing rain, sleet and the possibility of snow. More time to spend with my children and husband which I don't get enough of. We have all had the week off but we thought with all the traveling we would be doing we would feel like we were on the run. God must have heard my worries since we got shut down in every attempt. Oh well, I can't say I mind. I love to be home and I feel like I'm getting some things done.

a sink with a view

A fellow blogging buddy, Little Sister, asked us to post a picture of what we see when we are at the kitchen sink. My hubby took this picture this morning as the sun was rising. Isn't it beautiful? It is not uncommon to see deer back there among other forms of wildlife. That's why I keep a pair of binoculars close by.