The Groundhog completely missed the shadow

It is spring here in Georgia. The grass is growing, Lenna picked her first dandelion of the year, and the pollen is blowing! I love spring. It is like waking up after a long nap. The winter weather was a nice break from the Georgia heat, but I am done with gray skies and brown lawns and naked trees!

Andrew's homework is to collect twigs to decorate the letter T with tomorrow at school. We were out hunting through the grass- there is a few advantages to un-landscaped yards!- to pick up all the little sticks we could find when I noticed that two of our trees are starting to bud! Hooray! It won't be long before we can sing the popcorn song each day as we walk to the car.

I am going to bring in a branch or two to show my class and teach them "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree." One thing I really love about young children is their sense of wonder. Everything is new and exciting and completely fascinating to a young child. Give them a rock, a stick, and a magnifying glass, and they are set for hours. The months of March and April we are learning about spring- St. Patrick's Day, Easter, rainbows, clouds, bugs, flowers, etc. Those are my favorite things to teach about. I love presenting something new to the kids and then listening to them discover the amazing things nature (or Heavenly Father, depending on if they are my kids or school children) can do.

I took a picture of our first flower of the year. It popped up right next to our first fire ant nest of the year! Go figure. At least the blossoms are pretty!

Happy Birthday to Mike

Yesterday was Mike's birthday. A sadly uneventful one. No party, no cake, no presents, no phone calls from family wishing him well- except his mom at 5:30Am.

Don't worry, we did it on purpose. I knew he would be out of the house from 6AM to 8PM so we celebrated a day early on Sunday night. We had a nice family evening together. Mike chose to grill steaks and shrimp for dinner and we had an ice cream cake for dessert. During dinner we went around the table and took turns saying why we loved Mike/Daddy. The kids' answers were cute. Things like "Because he plays cars with me" or "Because he is silly" and "Because he gives good big hugs" and "Because he takes care of me and keeps me safe" After dinner the kids presented him with their gifts.

Start humming whatever redneck song you can think of now: A NASCAR hat (Andy picked it out), a Braves T-shirt, and a Jeff Foxworthy page-a-day calendar. It occurred to me that we might have been living in the south just a little too long and that it is time to start hunting out those Yankee job offers, just to save our family from a total conversion.

Anyway, Happy Birthday Mike! We love you!

Here are some pictures of the big day. Triscuit the cat loves Mike as much as any of us, as soon as he sat down the cat was in his lap and wouldn't budge for the rest of the night.

I'll take 2 to go, please

2 more of myself, that is. Today I am really being pulled in three directions. Lenna is home sick from school today with the flu and a double ear infection. Andrew would be home as well if he had school, he has the same flu minus the ear infection (so far) and a really nasty cough. So they are both here sick, and I am trying so hard to get through my to-do list on this last day of vacation. I have made very little progress with all that has been going on and spending the entire day yesterday at the clinic and pharmacy.
I need one of me to get through all of the busy work- load the dishawasher, keep the laundry going, mop the floors, get the towel racks up in the bathroom, put away mountains of laundry, and so forth.
I need a double to hang out with Lenna, who is feeling sick and needy and asks me every five minutes to go and play with her or paint with her, or do a craft with her. I know she is home and bored and needs some extra attention, so I feel guilty every time I have to tell her to wait. Which brings in the requirement for the thrid mom to keep a constant eye on Andrew. Who is also feeling sick and bored and needy, which translates into mischief! Not on purpose, it just seems to happen.
Yesterday Lenna wanted to paint, so I let her get out the watercolor pens. She made a very cute little book about a dream she had. Andrew painted blue streaks on every wall, counter, and door from the office to the kitchen table. He brought me a color and asked me to open it. After the third color he got tired of just walking, so he decided to paint the wall as he went. FYI, blue watercolors wipe off glossy painted door casings, counter tops, and chairs. They do NOT wash off matt finish textured walls.
This morning Lenna was coloring, I sat with her and we did a project. Andrew came to join us fresh off a detective show. He found a brown marker (the only one in the house not banned ot the top of the fridge, and he found it!) and procedded to make a trail leading in twists and turns and loops in a giant circle through every room of the house. The exchange went something like this:
Me, looking up from Lenna's paper "Andrew! What are you doing!"
Andy, looking completely innocent "Making a trail to follow. If you follow the clues, you will find the thing you lost!" He begins re-tracing his steps using a magnifying glass from and I-spy book.
Me- "You aren't supposed to put marker trails on the hardwood! You will have to help me clean it up." I hand him a MR Clean eraser and I follow with the mop. He gives up halfway through and then cries as his creation disappears under the mop strokes of his very mean mother.
If it wasn't cold and wet outside, and they both weren't fighting the flu, I would give them some sidewalk chalk and let them cover the driveway and deck and sidewalks with chalk trails. But what can I do until then? I found a yarn ball and let him wind it all over the house. You can barely walk, but at least it can be rolled up and won't require a trip to Home Depot to remove.
You see, I need three of me. One to be the housekeeper, one to entertain Lenna, and one to follow Andy around, who can entertain himself but needs a constant chaperone.

Hello? It's for you!

I just had to share this picture of Lenna. She is talking on the telephone to her Nana. They have a weekly phone date on Sunday evenings. Lenna really looks forward to this time and talks about everything- really. From what she learned in church to what she ate for lunch all week or what funny things happened on the playgroud. I even have learned some new things by listening in. I am so grateful for the relationship she is dveloping with her grandmother who lives far away, even though we don't see her very often. I hope it will continue into her teen years when she will desperately need guidance and a listening ear and will most likely be reluctant to come to me (I can hope not, but am preparing for the worst!). If you are one of those relatives whom we love and miss and also lives far away, let this be your motivation to call more often so you aren't missing out! We have lots of open phone date slots!

Pajama Jam!

Last night we had a pajama party. Lenna invited over several friends from church that she hasn't seen since school started. They used to have playdates nearly every week until they all started kindergarten at different schools and now have no time to play! This week was "Mid-winter break" and they had Mon-Wed off so we had a little party. What possessed me to think I could entertain 6 little girls for four hours? I have no idea. But we survivied, the house in still intact, and no one left in tears so I guess it was a success! They played for a while, decorated pillow cases, had a dress up fashion show, had dinner (hooray for mac and cheese and chicken nuggets), played games, had a pillow fight and jumped on the bed, frosted cupcakes, and watched Strawberry Shortcake while eating popcorn and I painted their nails. I think it was a success! And Lenna got to have a sleepover without actually having girls sleepover. I think they are all still too little to stay the night. I told Lenna when she could go a week without waking me up during the night, we would think about it.

Valentine's Day

Valentines Day this year was very exciting! I will start with the kids.

Lenna and Andrew had the typical card exchanges- Andy was funny. He picked out "Cars" valentines, but refused to give any of them away. He is still grasping the whole gift giving thing. He wouldn't trade presents duringthe class gift exchange at Christmas time either- he insisted on bringing home the one he wrapped. Lenna fared better, passing out princess Valentines with no reserve.

At home we celebrated by having a pink dinner- pink milk, pink mashed potatoes, ham, and pears. The next day we gave the kids their gifts- Lenna got a Strawberry shortcake movie and soem rainbow colored pencils. Andy got a new ball and two more "cars" cars. That is his new obsession. And from Gaga (Mike's grandma) they got a new red wagon, which we bought with some money she sent. It is their new favorite outside toy. It is spring weather here, so they have been able to play outside with it for a week. They pull eachother and their toys and fill it with pine cones and such. The only drawback- I founf some pretty big scratches on my car bumpers, filled with red paint! It is the perfect height for scraping along the bottom of the car as they do laps and learn to steer. I now move the car out of the driveway before they play to save it from any more mishaps.

And now for the good stuff- Mike and I had a good day, too!

We managed to find Andrew a play date on Thursday afternoon so were able to go to a movie and to lunch at the Olive Garden. That would have been a good enough day but Mike suprised me with a wonderful gift- a honeymoon! We never actually went on one when we got married, just a weekend between work and classes. Since then we have not had hte time off, or the money, or had a nursing baby, or something that kept us from going.

Mike has been sneaking around for about a month. He booked a timeshare in Virginia Beach for Master's week, coordinated with his mom and sisters to keep the kids for most of that time, and got his sister to bring the kids down to us the last few days so they could share our beach vacation too. He also got a great deal on the timeshare so we will have money to spend on dinners at kid-free resturants, a day at Busch Gardens, and stuff like that. I need a new dress! I am so very excited!

A little nervous to be away from the kids that long. I know they will be in good hands, though. And hopefully we will all be too busy to miss eachother! And even if that is the case, it is a short time, and they will survive!

It has been a very busy week!

Lenna's school concert

Lenna's school had a fundraiser night last week. The kindergarteners provided the entertainment. They sang four or five cute little songs. One was called "Funny Face" they were supposed to make a funny face as they sang, but Lenna stood there and giggled. Another one called "Guacamole" was about guacamole and dipping chips and featured a mini-macarena dance. Lenna stodd and twirled her pony tails. I think my little diva had stage fright! We were kind of far away so the pics aren't great, but here she is. She is surrounded by all of her little friends- Alex on the right and Makenzie and Tinsley on the left. She sang all the songs to me in the kitchen, complete with actions, the day before. I don't think she sang a single word up there that night. But she

looked cute anyway!

Made Over

Well, here it is! The picture you have all been waiting for! I am afraid I do not live up to all of the hype!

I had a very nice makeover day. I spent the morning at the spa and got my hair and eyebrows done. Then we went to Merle Norman to get make up done, then to Dillards to try on clothes

and get pictures taken. I had a fun day and was happy with the way it turned out. I was a little disappointed in that we didn't get ot keep anything- no makeup or clothes. So I had trouble looking made-over the next day since I didn't have any of that make up at home and had all of normal clothes to premere in. i hate to say that, though. It makes me sound ungrateful. I did get a free $40 haircut, so I can be happy for that and a gift card to Dillards to use at the time of a huge sale, since it is only for $20 and you can't even get socks for that much unless there is a sale. So anyway, here is my new hair!

Zoo Tales

A few weeks ago we took the kids to the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC. It was a fun day out! I am a big fan of going to the zoo in the winter instead of the summer. It was a much better experience. We spent the whole day outside without getting hot and sweaty and having to worry about sunburns and such. The animals liked it too- instead of hiding in shady spots taking naps they were moving around and out where we could see them. The crowds were smaller, too.

We walked around and saw all of the animals, rode the carosel, and rode the train to the botanical gardens. My only regret was not taking enough allergy medicine- Andrew and I were sneezing itching by the time we left. All of those exotic plants and animals did not agree with us.

We ended up buying a membership- it was the cost of two days admission for a year-long pass. So we are obligated to go at least two more times "to get our money's worth" and have some friend passes if anyone is interested. I didn't take a lot of animal pictures, since we got most of those the last time we went, but took a few.

Andrew Says "Yee- Haw!" As he rides the Elephant, Andy looks at the Zebra and Ostrich, Posing by the elephant statue, Mke and kids at the botanical gardens, Lenna and Andy peeking out of the hollow tree, Lenna milking a cow.

Mr Independent

Andrew is in that fun and frustrating stage of growing independence. If he had a byline, it would be "All by myself!" He tells me that at least ten times every day. Yesterday he made his own snack, popping his own popcorn and even putting it into a bowl to share with daddy. Don't worry I was lurking near by to supervise the microwaving.

Tonight, he has decided to get his own pajamas. He came out dressed not in pjs, but overalls and tee shirt. He did it for a reaction I am sure, so I under reacted by shrugging and putting him to bed fully dressed. Too bad he didn't insist on wearing his Sunday clothes, that would make things a little easier tomorrow.

Funny thing is, I bring him to school at least twice a week in pajamas because he doesn't want to put on clothes. So he wears pjs to school and sleeps in overalls!

I know this is the part where a picture would be great, but my camera has no batteries until they finish charging. Why? Because Andrew has the spare set of rechargables in his flashlight. You see, he is addicted to flashlights. He has run the batteries out of three this month. It was cheaper to just give him the rechargable ones.

Midnight musings

It is just after midnight here. I don't get to see the world this late very often. Usually, I am asleep seconds after my head hits the pillow, but not tonight. I just lay there listening to Mike snore, Andy cough (asthma at 3, ick!), the furnace hum, and the ceiling thump (I am sure something lives up there. I can hear it moving around at night. I am too chicken to open the trap door. I have visions of gross things falling on my head or crawling all over me. I know there is something up there!). So I am awake, and enjoying the time alone. I almost typed "enjoying the quiet" but realized that would be a lie. As you just read, it isn't really that quiet here.

It is an early spring here. It has been in the 70s most of the week. We have new soft green grass growing, the iris bulbs are shooting up (I think that is what they are, I didn't plant them so I am not sure), and the pollen is blowing. Yes, as the wide array of antihistamines on the kitchen counter will affirm, it is allergy season already here in the garden city. Lenna, Andy, and I all must be medicated before we venture outside into the nice weather. So to all of you still shoveling snow, take comfort in knowing at least you can breathe freely, even if it is through a scarf!

Chapters or posts?

I am kind of new to this blog thing. I have been reading other people's just to get some ideas of what to put here. One thing I have noticed is that my posts are more like novels than posts. Sorry about that. You see, I have so much to say and no one to say it to but cyberspace! Because I don't have time to write every day, I try to cram a whole week into one post! I am going to make an effort to post more frequent littel messages instead of a few long ones. So I will stop now and put the rest of the stuff into different posts.

Make Overs

A few weeks ago, just for fun, some friends and I entered a "mommy makeover" contest in a local parenting magazine. I had forgot about it until yesterday when I checked my messages. Guess who won? Yep, me! I am excited. Apparently, out of all the 20-somethings in Augusta, I am the one most in need of a makeover. Or the one who can write the most convincing plea in the "100 words or less" email. I am not sure if I should be flattered or offended. It is a local parenting magazine here in town called Augusta Family Magazine. They just put up a website this month, so I can't tell you how much of the articles will show up online. But it will be in the march issue and it is free, so I can just send you a copy-but only if I like the pictures, otherwise, I am keeping them all to myself. www.augustafamily.com is the link.

So next week I get to spend a day getting new hair, make up, and clothes then do a magazine photo shoot that will be published in March. Mike too the day off to be with Andy and do the drop offs and such and my boss, who was the one who encouraged me to enter the contest, had no problems giving me the day off. It should be interesting and fun and a little scary. I am not one who relinquishes control to strangers very easily. It will be hard for me to just shut my eyes and say "Do whatever you want! I trust you." But I will try. Wish me luck.

Here is the picture I used for my entry. I actually liked it. What do you think?

Kindergarten Stalker

It has been a very busy week. Funny, isn't it, that when I have time to write, I have nothing to write about but when I have lots of things to write about, I am too busy doing them to write it down.

I had a parent-teacher conference with Lenna's teachers today. She is doing great academically, but still struggles a little socially. She is very sensitive and is learning the hard way that not everyone in the world is as sweet as she is. We need to keep working hard at home to build up her self esteem so that she isn't crushed every time someone tells her that her hair is funny or calls her a playground name.

She reminds me a lot of myself as a kid. I see habits that I thought I had "grown out of" or at least pushed aside, coming back in her personality. I hope that I can remember what it was like to be on that end of things and use it to help her, especially as she gets older has to deal with the ups and downs of early adolescence (it took me three tires to spell that word right). Things like her shyness, her "one good friend at a time" social world, her need for other's approval, taking a long time to built up a trust with those around her, like her teachers, before she can talk with them about her feelings or things that are happening, being afraid "to tell on" other kids because of retaliation or being singled out, internalizing feelings and issues instead of talking to people about them. I have to pull little bits of info out of her each night to make sure nothing has been happening at school. It is a hard line to walk, trying to protect her versus helping her grow. Which brings me to the title of this post.

The previously mentioned John has been giving us all heartache! I never did arrange that play date, and I am glad that I didn't. He seems to be like a rubber band, bouncing from "I love you Lenna" to "I hate you Lenna" all in the course of a day. He started by telling Lenna she had to only play with him at recess, which she tolerated for about two days before she got tired of it. When she finally told him she had had enough, he told her hated her and said he was going home to cut off is his head because she had made him so sad. The next few days brought more name calling and emotional issues. The beginning of the week he threatened to stab her in the heart with his pocket knife if she didn't play with him at recess. Yesterday he threatened to kill her cat if she was mean to him. We of course have gone through all of the legal channels, with the classroom teacher and principals and guidance counselors. I am not concerned for her physical safety, just the emotional fallout.

I am very concerned about this little boy. He doesn't have a mother to love him and teach him right from wrong I guess, as Lenna put it. He lives with just his grandfather, who is trying his best to undo the damage of whatever happened to this little boy before we met him. The problem is he really likes Lenna. Who wouldn't? She is nice to everyone, even the odd ones, so as the only girl in the class who is nice to him, he really likes her. (Actually, that reminds me of myself in high school and college. Why do the "nice girls" have to be the ones to take out the odd balls?) Anyway, he just doesn't have the social skills to develop a healthy relationship the normal way, so he is using threats and jealousy and other ways to, I guess in a strange way, win her heart. He seems like a bad boyfriend in training! I have no problems with helping a troubled little boy- I would have him over every day for milk and cookies if I thought it would help- but not at the expense of my little girl!

Lenna normally loves school. The last few weeks have been different. She has been emotional in the mornings, I have to drag her into class every day, and she cries all the way home! All of the emotional turmoil of having to deal with this boy is just too much for her tender heart. I was reminded today that 6 year olds are fickle, and he will probably turn his attention to another girl soon enough. Let's hope that it is soon! Until then she is armed with ready phrases like "I can make my own choices" and "I can have lots of friends and still be yours" and her favorite "I have my own mind and I chose what to do and who to play with". Hopefully we can all ride it out. She told me today "I feel bad for John, he doesn't have a mommy to teach him how to be nice to girls!" I have encouraged her to stay close to her other friends and just ignore him, but to go straight to the teachers if she has any problems. I am hoping that eventually he will move on to someone else or learn to behave in a better way and get the help he obviously needs then he can be friends with my little girl. Or maybe I can just pull her out of school and keep her with me all the time and protect her from all the problems out there.

*sigh* makes me dread the teen years. Can I just keep them small and close a little longer?