Snow madness

I love snow. I love my children. I love days home. I love all the things I do with my children. But honestly, after having them home now for 10 days because of the blizzard prior to winter break...I think I'm about to break! Every second of every day, they want to do something and continue to ask "what's next"? I don't get it, any other time, they are complaining when I make them go do something. Those extra days home have definitely thrown us all off. Their sleeping and eating schedules are off and my mental well being is OFF! Thankfully, tomorrow sons #2 & #3 are heading off to ice skating camp for the day. All day! Whew! The older one is having a friend over to play hours of Wii....leaving me an entire day of quiet. I'm so excited I don't know if I can contain myself. I know that at the end of the week, I will be moaning about where the time went and I want more time home. No matter how much you love each other, you still need some time apart. Quiet. Peace. Can't wait to snuggle with my boys tomorrow night. I think I'm missing them already!

Resolutions

When I started this blog, its purpose was for me to vent and write about things off the top of my head. But then after I started writing...nothing was coming to me. Or if they did, by the time I had a chance to write about it, I was too burned out. This year, 2009, was overflowing with challenges. Though in years past, we have been challenged before but for some reason, I feel like so much has been drained from me. All of a sudden, when I enjoyed reading other blogs daily, writing and communicating on my own, I seem to have lost interest. Why? I don't know. Usually when there has been a crisis in the family, the focus has been on one or two things. This past year, it has been on many - money, jobs, kids, school, parents, etc...the list goes on. I think that instead of having all the emotional, physical and mental focus being on something specific, this year it has been scattered among many various things. Stretching my time, energy and brain in too many directions. I decided that it was time to settle back for a while. That it was too much to "pretend" that things were fine and keep up all the activities and involvements. I have kept to my word. Not volunteering as much, stepping back and letting someone else take the reigns for activities and projects. Its hard for me to do these things but I am proud of myself for actually doing so. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted and that I've learned, it's okay to not volunteer or to say no once in a while. I've put a little bit more focus on myself - okay, not alot but a little is better than nothing. Going to much needed dr appts, following up, taking medication. Now 2010 is just around the corner. Wow. What will it bring for me. Well, 2010 will start off slowly but try my very best to include about 20 minutes of exercise in each day. I will wake up each morning and think of one thing positive and write it in my notepad. I will also carry this over to my sons and give each of them a notepad and write something positive to them each day. That is it for my New Year things to accomplish. Keeping them simple, keeping them uncomplicated. If I do well with these, then I will have a back up list to add some a few months down the road. I don't think we should think of all our resolutions the first of the year, but maybe break them down to several times a year - quarterly maybe. Then you could spread them out, not feel so pressured. I like that. The less pressure the better. So on that note, I say, Happy New Year and may whatever resolutions you make at this time, may they be something that gives you a better quality of life and add a little happiness to each day!

Giveaways on Tech Savvy Mama

Go to www.techsavvymama.com for some amazing holiday giveaways! TechSavvyMama is giving away a HP TouchSmart 600 touchscreen computer. I could certainly use another computer as our old one is going on 6 years old and is now so slow, its like having dial up again! Unfortunately, the economy makes it impossible for us to buy a new one. So we would love a new computer because we need one that is fast, and doesn't take up alot of space and it would work well for my oldest son and his homework! Love TechSavvyMama!

Again?!

I must be a magnet for parents with bad behavior. Tonight, we decided to eat out at one of our favorite places. It's family night on Thursday so kids eat for really cheap and a clown comes to paint faces and do balloon animals. Our boys love going. So tonight, as it is on many Thursday nights, the second the clown walks in, the children get overly excited and mob the poor clown lady. But she is a trooper and doesn't seem to mind. She gets busy decorating faces and arms, working quite quickly but also maintaining a friendly smile and engaging the children. Now, if you don't want this kind of excitement, just sit back and wait about 15 minutes and let the clown finish her first round of face paintings and all will quiet down. Really, I promise you - it happens. Just give it 15 minutes, then children will disband and all will be quiet again. BUT as we sat there, one overly eager mother with her 2 year old carried her child over the clown. As the other children stood around and did their ooohs and ahhhhhs over the child getting painted, this MOM held her child up, as if he were an offering to the Gods, and said "HEY, there are smaller kids back here waiting to get their face painted too". I couldn't believe it. How rude can one be? The clown, without skipping a beat, looked up and said "yes I know and everyone will get a turn, when its their turn". She then pointed out several children that had been waiting. The woman then picked her kid back up and went back to her seat - she NEVER came back to get her child's face painted, even when no one was waiting anymore. So what was so important? All the children were excited and anxious but willing to wait their turn patiently. Obviously this mom missed that lesson in life. Exactly what lesson was she providing for her child that day? Gee, let's just be obnoxious in front of a bunch of kids and set proper examples on how to be a good human being. Come on people, straighten up - enjoy life a little!

It's only a game!

It truly freaks me out when I see parents with bad behavior, that these people were blessed with children, that they think they can actually be good parents...what were they thinking? Our family went to the Renaissance Festival a week ago. If you have ever gone, you know that its a grand time of costumes, face paintings and silly moments. You have to love it! We had a blast, the boys couldn't get enough. HOWEVER, some parents seem to come with a different agenda - not to have fun, not to bond with their child, not to even enjoy the moment or fact that they are alive. There are lots of games at this event, most of which require that you shoot something, whether a ball or arrow into a tiny (very tiny) hole a distance from where you are standing. The shooting device that you use, is not calibrated or refined - it is a crudely made wooden or metal object that only requires you to pull a string back and let it go. Where your arrow goes or lands is a total mystery. Yet, one father, standing next to us, as my 3 sons are shooting balls ALL OVER the place and we are laughing and cheering each other on, THIS father felt it necessary to snap at his son (probably age 6). When the "maid" on the other side of the game kindly said to the little boy "don't worry, everyone misses, its just a game", the father quips back "not him". He then snatches the bow out of the kids hand and marches off. The "maid" was quite annoyed and said a few choice words under her breath but still rather loudly. I asked her if this happened often? Her very sad and shocking answer was "yes, all the time". She proceeded to tell me how disturbing it was to her to witness this behavior. It's a GAME people!!! A GAME - you know, what you do to have fun and share with others? Doesn't it make you wonder what will happen to these children as they grow - will they suffer depression, mental illness, smokers, alcoholics, eating disorders? Will they grow up to be bullies like their dad? I just find this so very sad. Though I will say, it made me appreciate my day at the festival with the boys even more and just throw myself into enjoying every moment with them. So while I say "shame on you nasty bully dad", I also say "thanks nasty bully day for making me enjoy my day even more - sorry you missed out".

Girl Happy

After having a very rough day with news of my friend's passing, a friend pointed out to me (can't believe I forgot) that today's the 25th anniversary of Elvis' passing. All I have to say is with Elvis and Colin together - heaven is really shaking things up! In their honor - I'm watching "Girl Happy". Seems I missed most of the Elvis marathon, but "Girl Happy" is a favorite! If anyone can bring a smile on a day that has lots of tears, listening to Elvis sing and remembering Colin's incredible humor!

Refocus

Yesterday I was being petty, complaining about ribbons and winnings at the fair. Today life refocused and put into priority. Today I got the email from England that one of my dearest, lifelong and loving friends has passed after a year long struggle of cancer. The loss is enormous,the pain forever deep. Ribbons - what ribbons? I just want Colin back. We met in 1984, on a nude beach (him nude, me not) in Negril, Jamaica. It was a fun filled and forever life changing week. From that week, came over 20 years of friendship and vacations together. I have treasured those vacations with Colin and his amazing wife Jane in my memories as if they were only yesterday. That will never change. Heaven is such a better place now that the funniest, most entertaining guy I've known is there. I now know that I can look forward to my turn for heaven, knowing we will at least be together again. There are no exact words to describe the amazing wit, humor (not always tasteful but it just didn't seem wrong coming from him), driving skills (I would describe it along the lines of "Toad" in the "Wind in the Willows", his love for adventure and always having the time to just be a good friend. Good-bye my sweet, funny, loving, forever friend. The loss of you will change me forever.