Charles' Sunset

Michelangelo did the clouds today.

I think, sometimes, when the angels need a day off, God lets the masters paint the skies.

Once, the heavens portrayed an unforgettable, violent panorama of twisted, angry clouds. I've never seen anything like it. I was driving to a doctor's appointment. On the way back we saw photographers out capturing the drama. I'd bet the farm it was Beethoven's turn.

Today we found out that Charles Loper, a friend of the family, sort of like a second father to Charlie and me, is in the hospital, and isn't doing very well. He's had Parkinson's for years now. The other day he fell, in the bathroom, while his wife was at work. He was stuck there for several hours, unable to get up or take his medication. Now he's just one step away from the ICU. Sigh. We hope he improves . . .

It's just bizarre how life throws these curve balls at you. One day you're buzzing along, living your life, fighting your battles. . . Time seems to drag, or race, and then the next moment everything screeches into perspective, sort of like the pictures on Picasa when you come to the end of an album. For me, life slows down, and I remember once again what's really important.

Right now, Laena is at the Choir banquet with her friend Andrew. The went to elementary school together. Clint's coming home from work at Pizza Hut. Eric is watching a documentary about tiger cubs. . . Tommy's making out his birthday list, Jaguar the cat aperch on his shoulder, Aleia and Jeffy are outside playing with Lecee over at the Burr's, two houses away, and Lincoln is asleep. Charlie was tilling up the garden earlier with our neighbor Steve. He wants to plant some tomatoes soon. . . 9 year old Hope across the street broke both her arms roller-blading this week. Ouch.

Tonight, the sun is that beautiful pinkish-orange color that lights up everything it touches, licks it with glowing fire, a gentle farewell from a peacefully departing sun. . .

As the years roll by, and you realize how fleeting life is, well, you learn to appreciate the moment. The now.

I think it's appropriate that Charles' wife is named after the Dawn. . . Hope is yet alive.

End of School Year Craziness

Monday we got back from Missouri, flew in from Kansas City after a 3 hour layover in Minneapolis. Thank Heaven the baby slept all the way home. We were chasing the sunset. It was pretty cool.

Tuesday we had preschool in the morning, Laena had a meeting at work in the afternoon, and a Choir Concert in the evening.

Wednesday, we were still trying to unpack. . . In the morning, we had a preschool field trip to Teacher Joy's farm, where the kids got to ride horses. It was loads of fun. Jeffy and his little buddies romped and played in the tall grass and wild flowers around the coral. Sigh. Sometimes I wish we lived outside of the city. Maybe on a farm. Things seem so much simpler there. Gorgeous day too. Last night we were privileged to go to Laena's Choir Concert, part 2, at the high school. It was pretty amazing. They have a great program over there. Laena's going to concentrate more on her singing next year.

Today I was exhausted. I've had a headache all afternoon. Seriously haven't had a decent night's sleep since last Tuesday. And I don't mean 2 days ago. Tonight was Jeffy's Preschool Graduation. It was really cute! We had a good time. I can't believe he's 5 years old, and heading off to Kindergarten in the fall. Sigh again. Sometimes you wonder if life is just passing by in the blink of an eye.

I guess it's all relative. . .

Here are some pix, because I'm too tired to write another thousand words. . .

Wedding Adventures

Where to begin. . .

Well, we had some fun flying with the baby, watching it rain, meeting our new relatives. . .

And because of all this, I am currently, unbelievably, exhausted. . . and will be required, I'm afraid, to take a nap.

So here we go. We're puttin' in the Goof Troop video, and we're gonna try to get some shut-eye. Well, I am, anyway. We'll see about the boys. . .

Pardon me while I curl up on the couch and pass out.

G'night!

More later! And I promise you, it will be wildly entertaining!  : )

Swamp Cooler Woes

2 weeks ago it was snowing here in Utah. . . Now it's 91 degrees outside, almost a record high. Charlie mercifully turned on the fan last night to see if we could cool the place down a bit. After an hour or so, he checked the thermostat to see how we were doing.

"Hey! We got it down to a chilly . . 84 degrees!" he remarked cheerfully.

A little while later it was a frosty 83.

Ugh. I LOVE the Spring, with it's cool, yet balmy breezes, and slightly brisk evenings. I DO NOT love the heat of the summer around these parts. It gets hot come June, July. . . Don't even talk to me about August. After the 4th of July, the heat sets in, and nothing good happens. There are no holidays. If you have red or blond hair, you can't go outside during the day. . . There's just not that much to look forward to. . except the long sweltering afternoons. . spent wishing Autumn would come and refresh us. The long hours trying to organize activities with the kids, wishing school would start sooner. 'Scuse me whilst I take a deep breath. I am not ready for summer.

I do love the anticipation of waiting for Independence Day. . Provo puts on The American Freedom Festival, the biggest parade this side of the Mississippi, complete with hot air balloons, art show, and fried ice cream. We can't wait for the barbeque at Grandma's! : )  I do love the strawberries and the watermelon, and the fabulous light that that we experience during the longest days of the year. . . I just don't like to sweat. This time of year, we go out at night, like vampires. It's the only time that we can venture forth out of the shadows without the sun searing our flesh. : ) We wait for the fireworks, for dusk. Giggle, chuckle, hee hee hee. It's kind of Twilight-esque, actually, the way we live our lives during the summer months. . . So much fun. So much sunscreen. So much wanting to charge the installation of central air. .

But the night life is a lot of fun. And since we're not pregnant this year, maybe we could even go dancing a time or two, and really rip it up!  : )  Here's to loud, chaotic, summer fun! NOT in the sun!

'West Coast Choppers . . Bedspread'?!

Well, Jaguar the cat has taken over our bedspread. We folded it up and let him sleep on it for a few days, and now he's kind of . . claimed it. We've had it for several years, so I'm thinkin' it's time to pick up a new one. . . Last time, Charlie got to pick the design, and as fond as I am of blue-gray paisley, I think it's time for a change.  Maybe a down comforter, maybe something . . dusty turquoise, or royal blue, or electric aquamarine. . . colors like you see on postcards from tropical Mexican beach-side resorts. . . Hmmmm. Sigh.

Charlie suggested Iron Man sheets. . . I did not agree.

"Do you think they make 'West Coast Choppers' bedspreads?" he queried, grinning.

Sadly enough, I believe they do. But blankets and quilts are my passion, and I will NOT be sleeping beneath a 6 foot image of somebody's black motorcycle for the next 5 years, thank you very much. I will humor him no longer! As everyone knows, the choice of linen in Mama's home. . . should be Mama's alone. For the most part, anyway. .  'Tis my domain, Baby!

I think many would agree. . .

: )

Spring Flowers and Jeffy's Preschool

Picasa Content

My Baby Sister!

My baby sister, Ann Marie, is getting married one week from today. Sigh. I can't believe it. Seems like she was born just a few months ago, maybe. . .

I remember our first meeting. I had come home from school by way of a friend's house, a little apprehensive about seeing the new baby for the first time. . . We hadn't had a new baby for over 4 years. . I sat on the edge of my parent's bed, and they gently placed her in my arms. A flood of emotion overtook my senses. I'd waited so long for a little sister, a fellow female among a sea of boys. . . Someone who would understand, to whom I could actually relate. I was bonded to her instantly, by blood, by spirit, and by love. She was meant to be . . my only sister.

Annie is 14 years my junior, and since she was probably about 5 years old, we have lived almost 1300 miles apart. She's grown up in Missouri, and I've lived in Utah. Over the years, we've become, if you will, consumed by our own personal worlds, and life has drawn us away from each other, rather than closer together, a circumstance which I regret.

Perhaps now that she's joining the ranks of those hitched up, we will be more on the same page, fate will draw us closer together, and we will be more inclined to get to know one another better, and share our daily experiences. . .

Love ya, Annie! Soon to be Mrs. Thomas Patrick LeCaque.  : )

Ultimate Frisbee 101

Last night there was a fight going on in the field behind the church. Not a serious, down and dirty, bloody battle necessarily, but a good-natured fight nevertheless. Charlie and some of the boys had started up a game of everyone's favorite - Ultimate Frisbee. It's very popular with the men of my acquaintance, be they young . . or old. Most everyone took part. As time went on, the competition became more serious. More intense. Charlie's never been one to give away a prize. . He prefers to emerge victorious. Plus, ya gotta teach these young kids how it's done. . .  : )

The orange light of the setting sun witnessed the carnage. . Soon it was down, more or less, to my Scout Master husband, and Clint's friend Morgan, who played football earlier this year for the high school. He's fast, but he ain't quite fast enough. Charlie ran a 49 second 400 hundred meter in high school, and I'm here to tell ya that he hasn't slowed down all that much. The competition was fierce. Guys getting 'out', and then a bunch of 'em back 'in'. . Finally, in a flying, daring leap of instinctive genius, Chaz caught the Frisbee, aimed hard at his gut. Game over.  : ) 

Pow, Ya'll! The Charlie Man has once again put the Fear of God back into the Young Men of our neighborhood. He did not walk away unscathed, mind you, but came home this morning sporting several scratches, which I doubt he gave even a second thought. He's just that kinda guy.

Yes, everyone, my Baby's still got it.  : ) The King reigns supreme, and undefeated, and will ever remain so in my book . . . while the stars still shine. Corny, but true. 

Campin' With The Boys!

Hi there. Yes, it's that time again. . It's Fathers and Sons Campout night. Every year our church hosts a big camping adventure for the men, and their boys. Yepola, tonight's the night. . . Sigh. So here I sit, really wishing that I was asleep, waiting up for our last 2 stragglers to call and let me know that it's time for me to play taxi service, and go pick them up. I think that's the thing I like the least about having teen-age kids. The waiting up. Pause. . . Well, it's definitely a close second. . What an eye-rolling pain in the tushie! I am so ready for a good night's sleep. Yawn.

Anyway, I think the boys have been enjoying themselves over there at the field behind the church. . . It's quite convenient really, just 3 or 4 blocks from our house. . . They had a 'real' campsite all set up, but it didn't end up working out, because it's still sitting under 3 feet of SNOW.  : )  The boys have been back to the house a time or two, as we knew they would be, even though their Dad discouraged it, for necessities such as footballs, the new Final Fantasy movie, Zippo lighters, (for campfires of course), and the like. Frown.

Which brings me to a gripe that I've had with the hubby man, (and all male role models who decide to take their children camping), for quite some time now. Isn't camping all about getting back to nature? About getting 'away from it all'? Leaving behind all the distractions of the modren day world? Well, what do you suppose those buggers are doing over there, right now, even as we speak? Yeah, you got it right! They're all huddled in front of somebody's laptop computer, sitting on picnic tables in their camping gear, watching the playoffs. They've got it all set up. Clint commented earlier - that "It's just not a campout unless you stay up and watch movies. . !"    Sure. That's teaching 'em, Boys! Way to slow down and get back to basics!  Grrrrr.

We'll be 'gettin' back to basics' tomorrow when they get home. . . Any bets?  : )

Cannibal's Chicken Noodle Soup

"Do Chicken Hawks eat chickens?"

"Yes, Tommy that's why they're called Chicken Hawks. . . "

"Are they birds?"

"Yes, Tommy. Hawks. . . are birds."

"And they eat chickens . . ?" He wrinkled his nose in disgust . . . "That's like . . cannibalism. . ."

I stopped typing, leaned back in my chair, and turned to look at him, suppressing a small sigh.

"Tommy, chickens just . . . They flap and they squawk. They don't even fly. . . "

He gave me a look, a look that only a 12 year old boy could pull off without laughing outright.

"I always thought it was Cannibal's Chicken Noodle Soup. . . "

Whaaaat?

Nice Job, Chicken Hawk

The other day, as I was cleaning off the table, I accidentally knocked a heavy plastic cup onto the floor. It bounced a couple of times and made a lot of unnecessary noise. Jeffy was still eating his lunch. "Nice . . job. . " he said deliberately, nodding his head slowly and pretending to be disgusted. I looked up at him and started laughing.  He was sitting there, at the head of the table, like some sort of miniature judge, holding a corn dog in one hand and a red Coca-Cola pen in the other. His 8 x 10 American flag that he'd gotten from the grocery store lay across the table in front of him. A few minutes later he was finished eating. As he was leaving the kitchen, he turned and asked "Mommy, what's a chicken hawk?" He loves to watch Looney Tunes. I think he spends a little too much time thinking about the show. . .

Then, last night, as we were walking across the grass on our way to Jeffy's last T-ball game, we happened to pass a Big Daddy baseball field, freshly scraped, and mostly mud, compliments of a recent Spring rain. Naturally, I steered us around the edge and tried to avoid the obvious mess. Jefferson, in true little boy fashion, yelled "Yay! Dirt!" and ran toward it with his face lit up and his arms outstretched. . . : )

Today, he was playing basketball indoors, using the plastic hoop that's set up against the coat closet door. It's really too high for him, totally out of his reach, but he wanted to give it a go nonetheless. . After a half hour or so of unrelenting effort and some success, he felt that he had conquered the game and met his goal. . .at least for the moment. Panting, clearly out of breath, my scrawny five-year-old boy walked triumphantly toward the hall. On his way there, he commented, feigning exhaustion, (because he's rarely ever actually tired), like he'd won the playoffs single-handedly: "I shooted. . . (staggering past) . . I scored." We couldn't help but grin . . .

Kids are so much fun. Laena got me a single yellow rose and a card for Mother's Day. . . Appropriate and tasteful. She is, as she loves to point out several times a day, almost grown, and therefore savvy in these areas . . Not to be outdone, Aleia ran outside, and brought me back a paper cup full of dirt, with 3 half-wilted dandelions gracing it's rim. . .  : ) She had 'planted' them for me. : ) Honestly, does it get any better than this. . . ? I think not. All you people in those pristine, organized offices, those high-uppety board rooms. . . You're really missing out. 

Jaguar

Well, we got a kitten over the weekend. . . We're not sure if it was a good idea or not. I think Charlie's regretting his decision even as we speak.
See, the thinking was . . that Aleia, and the little kids, have never had a baby animal around. . . We just have the 2 cats now, and we've had them both for about 8 years. Of course we forgot what it was like to take care of a baby . . . anything! Naturally, we had a bit of a rude awakening, discovering again all that's involved.

So now we're dealing with the antics of a new baby kitty, and trying to keep the older cats away from it. One's an outdoor cat, and Sneaker, the female, is about the most mellow feline you'll ever come in contact with. . . But they're both just a tad bit territorial. . . especially Tigger, our tomcat. Big shock there. Sigh. So we'll see what happens.

Yay! : )

So far the name Aleia has picked out . . is 'Jaguar', I'm assuming after the high school mascot. . . She wanted a black kitty with a pink ribbon. Problem is . . . Jaguar is most likely a boy, or at least that's what it's previous owner seems to think. I have no idea how he could possibly tell. I never can while they're still tiny kittens. . . Huh. Whatever. We'll see how it goes. . .
Here's to Jaguar the Kitty, and his new place in our home. : )

Incidentally, I think the cutest part about all this was Lincoln's reaction. He'll wave hysterically at the kitty whenever he sees it, and then he'll yell "Hi! Hi! Hi!" excitedly, hoping I guess, that the kitty will come play with him. . . Or maybe more to the point, come over close so he can grab it.  : )  Pure joy!

Father Time's Lookin' My Way

So, anyway, I just went shopping with Eric and Jeffy and Lincoln. It was fun. Also dropped by the post office and a book store. In the book store, I met a lady with a pair of twins in a side-by-side stroller. Is that called a tandom stroller? I can't remember. . . We got to chatting/ talking, and it came up that Charlie and I have 16 yr old twins. The girl in front of me in the line said . . what everybody always says. "You don't look old enough to have 16 yr old twins!" I said one of the things that I usually say. "I'm not.", or "Maybe for a couple more years. . ", or "Don't look too close!" Or "Wow, thanks!  : ) You just made my day. You're my new best friend!" It's always the same. . . However, this year, when I turned 36, I started really getting some wrinkles around my eyes, so I think those days are gonna be over pretty soon. . . Days of people thinking I'm younger than I really am. . . I guess Eddie Ellis from Idaho was right. It catches up to ya. . . Sigh.

So I guess it's 'no more magic potion for me', clean living or not. . .

Thank Goodness for camera tricks!  : )

Gardener Village Festivities, and The Stars Lined Up

Last night we went to a wedding. . A co-worker of Charlie's. I've had headaches off and on all week, and the loud rap music wasn't helping. Not so much your typical LDS wedding. The music was too loud, the dresses were too low-cut, and the groom stuck his head up the bride's skirt, so he could get the garter off with his teeth. I guess to each his own. . . We also went to Jeffy's next to last T-ball game. He was excited. While we were parking, Charlie got overconfident, or just forgot to look behind him, and backed into a minivan. He called the cops, but when they finally figured out whose van it was, the guy said he was pretty sure the dent had already been there, and not to worry about it. I don't know if they didn't have current insurance, or if they just didn't want to deal with the police and the insurance headache, but we were certainly blessed. . . Wow. He tagged it. And they didn't want us to fix it. Good thing we paid our tithing. Another testimony builder, if I ever saw one. . . I could tell so many stories. Boy, oh, boy, life can sure be unpredictable. . . and around here, certainly never boring. . .  : )

Our purple tulips are up, the leaves are on our trees, the kids are finishing up the last 3 weeks of school, and summer is on it's way. Here we go!  : )

Also, Tuesday, Charlie took Jeffy to scouts with him. The boys ran a mile race around the field behind the middle school. Jeffy came in second. Yep, he took second place. After running with all those 12 and 13 year olds. Wow. What a cute kid! : ) He even wore Tommy's old cub scout shirt. Jeffy is really hip into Scouting. He can't wait to be a real Cub Scout! : ) He's 5 years old. Kinda makes ya . . almost misty. . . Blink, blink. . . sniff, sniff. . Sigh, I can't wait until the pollen count evens out, and I can get over these fits of violent . . morning . . sneezing. . . Aaaaahh- chooo! The weather around here has finally shifted into Spring mode. : ) Big smile. Yeah, Baby. So, in spite of allergic fits, etc, the mood here in Salt Lake is upbeat and full of possibilities. Deep breath. . . Only 2 more weeks till we hop on the plane and head back east. To the Mid-West. I've gotta find a dress, and get my hair trimmed, and pack. . . Yike. Should be interesting. . . I am looking forward to seeing all the familia, however. . Should be fun!   : )

She's 8 Years Old, and I Never Got Sleep

Last Saturday Aleia was baptized. She is now an official member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  : ) I still can't believe she's eight. Anyway, things went well, we had a lot of family and friends show up, and the weather was perfect. We finally got the key to the 'Bowery' out back, behind our church, where we had quite a fun 'picnic' after the fact. . . except we weren't sitting on blankets spread over the grass. . . which is just fine with me! I love picnics, and warm Spring weather, but I also enjoy shade. Especially since all of us are so fair-skinned. Is that a word? Charlie's half Swedish, and my dad, at one time, had red hair also. We have 4 red-headed children, so we try to stay out of the sun as much as we can. . . We tend to fry like little. . . fried potatoes.  : ) Not so much fun. .

Then yesterday Lincoln had his 18 month check-up, which of course included shots. I hate shots. I'm usually the one crumpled in the corner, once again, sobbing, while Charlie holds the little guys. .  although there have been many times in the past when I've held them on my lap, while the nurse stabbed their chubby little legs. (Shudder) Not my idea of a good time. I suppose it's a necessary evil. . . Sigh. Actually, this time wasn't so bad. Binky only cried for a minute, and has been basically fine ever since. I'm SO glad that he's finally over this stinkin' virus. Five days of high-pitched screaming, and no sleep. . . Party, party! I'm really ready for some peace and quiet. . . Maybe a NAP. We'll see how things go. . Here's hoping! Whoo-hoo! A revelation! It's Mother's Day on Sunday, so I may get some shut-eye after all. . .    : )

 

It is incredibly frustrating, not so fulfilling, when you take your sick child to the doctor, sure that he has a raging ear infection. . You lay down the $20 co-pay, and they tell you that he's fine, that he's just picked up some virus that's going around. . . Then they suggest that maybe you should take him home and give him some Tylenol. Really? Kinda already did that. . . I think we took the Binky in 3X just in the past 2 weeks. My sense of humor has been waning fast, running out of batteries. Thank Heaven the little guy's finally starting to feel better. Our doctor has a script that he's memorized. It pretty much goes like this. "So Lincoln's the trouble-maker today. . ." Big grin, polite belly laugh. And then, a couple of minutes later. "Well, the good news is - it's just a virus. And the bad news is it's just a virus." Polite, amused chuckle. "He'll get better all by himself and won't need an anti-biotic." And we smile half-heartedly, groan inwardly, and head off to the store to pick up more juice.

'Grand Theft Auto' - Are You Kidding Me?

Thursday's Glenn Beck program. Fantastic. Right up my alley. Apparently he is concerned, as am I, about the new video game release, Grand Theft Auto. I still don't get it. I will never be okay with my son playing a game where the main objective is to steal cars, a felony punishable by prison time, to sleep with prostitutes, and then beat them to death if you feel like it. There's respect for women. . You've got to be kidding me! But there it is, in billboard sized 'glory?' in the window at Blockbuster. I wonder if it bothers anybody else. . Yeah. . Our boy has a friend who collects these types of 'games'. His grandparents seem to be okay with it. Evidently they 'didn't know just how bad it was until they'd already bought it. . .' So what do you do? You THROW IT AWAY. He still plays it. Clint doesn't hang out with him so much anymore.

The other day I was driving my teen-age son home from school. He was wanting to listen to some pretty hard music on the way home. I wasn't so hip on the idea. "Aw, 5 minutes won't kill you. . " he complained. "Everything you do influences you, one way or another." I told him. Influences the way you think, the way you speak, the way you act. Period. I've learned this from experience. I am appalled by the wave of rampant evil that is attacking our children today, without signs of letting up. And people everywhere are ignoring this phenomenon. I have great respect for Glenn Beck, and the fact that he is unafraid to speak his mind. So many people just wave it away, and go on with their lives, thinking "Oh, it's not so bad . ." or "What can I do, I'm just one person?". . I am so encouraged by Glenn's courage, and his ability, or decision rather, to speak the truth. Even his producer was giving him a hard time. Unbelievable. You'd have to be completely desensitized not to be able to see it, on some level. . Our kids face a great challenge, what with all the distractions they have to fill their impressionable minds. And these distractions are not usually good ones. I don't know how they do it. Some days it seems like they, and we, are being attacked unrelentingly, from all sides.

Our family doesn't watch prime time television anymore. We can't. Who'da thunk, 30 - 40 years ago, that television would have to have ratings? And if pornography is the literature of the devil, many of the video games out right now are evidence that he is branching out. I am afraid for our children. I am concerned about how will this affect their minds. . . and their spirits. It's an age old fact. Ya think it, ya say it, ya do it. And I ain't just whistlin' Dixie. After 36 years of watching our world not-so-slowly descend into moral oblivion, (living through more than a quarter century, a terribly colorful, and disturbing, I might add, quarter of a century), I think I have right of passage. We've gotta take our kids, and turn 'em around. We've got to fight the blatant evil that is surrounding them, and us. They have been desensitized, but it would be impossible, if a person had any feeling left at all, not to notice the craziness that is all around us. It's got to be close to impossible to be numbed up to this extent. You'd have to be spiritually . . . dead. . not to see it.

I think maybe that's the goal, that's where we're headed. I think we are living it, my friends. This is it, the time spoken of in the Bible, when 'evil will be called good, and good will be called evil.'

Can we fix it? I don't know. But we can fight it, one Mama at a time. We can vouch for good and for beautiful things. We can make our homes a safe haven for our children, for our families. We can establish decency and honor and all those other 'lovely intangibles' in the minds and hearts of our loved ones. I'd say that's a power . . for good. FYI, This is obviously not being underestimated by the destroyer, considering his constant attacks on those of us who want to claim the title of "Mother."

A couple a weeks ago I went into Game Crazy to get a game 'buffed' for my son, whatever that means. . and I was taken aback by the onslaught of blatant evil that assaulted my senses. Skulls everywhere, red and black everything, half-naked women, demons. . . Of course they throw a little Lego Star Wars in the mix to keep things from spontaneously bursting into flame. . . and the couple of kids working there seemed like nice enough young men, but I cannot, for one second, believe that all those hours spent in that . . store, looking at all those mind-bending propaganda, could have little or no effect on them, or on their minds. Things like a game slogan which advertises 'Deceiver, or Deceived?' I bet you can guess who they're sympathizing with, who they're referring to. . . Could it be any more obvious?! I didn't speculate. It was truly astounding. If this is what our young people today are dealing with, on a daily basis, then I'm incredibly concerned, and ever so grateful that I am not 15 years old . . at this time. . . I was blown away.

In our society today, evil is, according to tradition, rampant and unapologetic. It will take your children, if you let it. . . We've got to see it for what it is. And teach our children to see as well. And you do what you can. . . I make it a habit, every time I go to the grocery store, or Target, or where ever, to cover some of the more racy magazines in the checkout lines with more uplifting periodicals, such as Woman's Day, Ladies Home Journal, etc. I especially like Martha Stewart, or anything to do with Scrapbooking. : ) And then of course there's Everyday, with Rachael Ray! My kids think I'm nuts, or at least a little off base. . But they know when I've been there, because there ain't a Cosmo or a Maxim in sight! : ) And you know what they say. . . Out of sight, out of mind. At least while they're in the checkout line. . .

So you're welcome.

If, as he says, society is pushing in this direction. . Well. . . I'm pushing BACK.

p.s. Recently, I read that Stephenie Meyers has never seen an R-rated movie. I think her influence is fairly far-reaching. . . Go Mama! That's one for the team!

More Kid Quotes! : )

A few days ago, my second grader came home from school at the usual time. "I'm going to do Yoga!" she announced triumphantly. "How do you know about Yoga?" I queried. "They were teaching us today, in gym class!" she said. "Wow. I don't know much about Yoga. . ." I remarked casually. "Well, I could teach you," my cherub responded energetically, "about the stretches. . . " And then she paused. "But there's one that you might not be able to do. . ." : )

Last month sometime. . . "Hey, Aleia! Do you want to go scuba diving with Daddy and the boys?" Charlie takes the scouts every year. "No!" she said frowning. "Why ever not?' I asked patiently, slightly puzzled. "Because I don't want to!" she pouted. "You know I don't scoob!"

Our 8 yr old daughter loves to watch my brother's wedding video. He sings to his wife. . . "Aleia wants you to write me a song, Honey." I grinned at my husband. He was willing to accommodate. "All right, how bout a rap song: 'Yo, hip Mama! I want to get down . . with you!' How's that?"  : )  Some days I feel like I have eight kids. . . 

May Day!

Well, it's officially Spring, and it's officially still snowing. Just like on Christmas Eve. May Day! May Day! April showers . . bring May . . . flowers? If I were a flower, I'd be reluctant to show my face/look skyward.

On a different note, Aleia's baptism is in 2 days, and we're still not sure if we have the kitchen at the church. I tried to tackle Bro Keemer on Sunday, but he didn't give me much information. Should be interesting. . . Thankfully, Charlie has the day off!

If we can just hold out till Cinco De Mayo, wade through the craziness and keep our sanity, things'll be good. Nothing quite like a Mexican Fiesta, tacos 'n cheese, to spice up your week! : ) And nachos! I love nachos! There's no bigger nacho lover than I. : ) Perhaps Spring will have conquered Winter by that point, so we can relax, and enjoy the prospect of . . scheduling all the camps, wedding, reunions, and holidays that come with Summer. : )