Don't Forget!

Yesterday BB had a swim party that he was excited about going to. It was a combined youth activity at a home about 10 minutes from us. He was so excited about going that he got a little OCD about it.

He got up yesterday morning and reminded me that he had a party tonight. I told him that I remembered. He got ready to go swimming with the family in the morning and reminded me that he had a swim party to go to tonight. I reminded him that I already knew about the party and that we would get him there for it. We got in the car on the way to the neighborhood pool and he reminded me again. Feeling a little exasperated with all the reminders, I told him a little crankily that I knew he had a party and I would really appreciate him not reminding me about it anymore since it was only 10:00 am and the party was that evening.

We swam for a couple of hours in the intense heat! At 1:00 we finally had to admit defeat to the high temperatures and go home to the air conditioning.

BB comes to me and reminds me about his party that night. I assure him that it is only 2:00 and he will be going.

BB comes to me and reminds me that the party starts at 7:00 pm. I tell him that we will get him there on time as it is only 2:05 pm.

BB comes to me and asks if I know where the pool is. I assure him that I know where the pool is and it only takes about 10 minutes to get there. I, again, assure him that we have plenty of time since it is only 2:10 pm.

BB sends YaYa to let me know that he wants her to let him know when it is 6:30 pm so he will not miss his party. I assure her that she has plenty of time and that we will get BB to his party since it is only 2:15 pm.

My entire afternoon was spent reassuring BB that he was going to get to go to this party! Do you think he was excited about it?

Guess what? BB got to go to his party and he was there on time!

Good Lips......

I really love my little BooBoo. He makes me laugh and fills my heart with love. On Monday he wanted to spend the night with me and play with my kids. I love having him around and couldn't say no to him. Even though it was a school night for all I decided to let him stay with me. He did great.....until bedtime. He couldn't make up his mind who he wanted to sleep with...YaYa or BB.....but wait.....Mimi! I think he just assumed that I would be up the latest and he could stay up longer if he chose me.
Well, he was right on the money. He could not settle down and he wanted to watch the news with me to see LiLi. She was chosen to ring the bell at school for the Governor. He visited their school that day. There were news cameras all around. Too bad we couldn't find the news station that carried the story.
When I wake up BooBoo to go to school the next morning he is just a little bit sleepy and doesn't want to get out of bed and get moving. He is soon persuaded because he wants to go with me to drop my kids off at their school.
After I drop off my kids I head to BooBoo's house. He has a mini GPS system in his little brain and always knows where he is and where anyone is going. He quickly determines that we are headed to his house and tells me that he is not ready to go home. We go back and forth for a while until he asks why I have to take him home. I say "Because...". He comes back with "Mimi, that is a wrong answer." (Apparently he likes to say because as an answer to his mom a lot and she tells him its the wrong answer.)
I promise him that I am staying at his house for a little while and he calms down. When we get to his house his Dad is about to leave for the day. He runs over to give his dad a kiss and a hug and then excitedly turns to me and says: " Mimi, come kiss my dad! He has good lips!"
How do you explain to a 4 year old that Mimi's don't kiss other peoples dads?
I just love my Boo!

What ever happened to the Abacus?

My three children started school last week and the rush was on to get all the needed school supplies. BB, my 13 yr old son, brought his match class supply list to me and I almost fainted! He needed to buy a super max, way too technical calculator. They range in price from $99 to $200. Has math really gotten that technical that we can't work without a mini computer in our backpack?

I thought about the needed item for a couple of days. I even went to the store twice to purchase it, but I just could not make myself do it! What happened to the days when you counted beads on an abacus? Or on your fingers? Or, dare I say, used scratch paper? Okay, maybe not scratch paper so I can help save a few more trees.

I realized I had no choice but to buy the little super duper handy dandy calculator. I brought it home to BB and helped him get the batteries in. It only takes about 400 batteries to run the darn thing (okay, maybe 4 batteries, but still.....). I showed him how to turn it on and after much practice I figured out how to turn it off. This is the point that he tells me he already knew how to do all this. Then he proceeds to tell me that you can text people on it, download games, and even brainwash teachers.....(he really didn't say the brainwash teachers but I want everyone to feel my emotion).

I have never felt so old and dusty in my life! Call me crazy, but how is texting or game playing going to help solve all those math equations? Again, the abacus may be a little outdated but it sure did the trick.

You can probably imagine all the alarm bells going off in my head when BB recounts all the million and one things this super machine can do.

• Is a 13yr old boy responsible enough for such a costly item? He tells me his Nintendo DS costs about the same and he has kept up with it....mostly. I have to remind him that the first week he had it, he took it outside and then laid it on the hood of his Dad's truck. He forgot to get it off before his Dad left at his usual speed of 90 to nothing. I spent 30 minutes going up and down the roadside looking for it!
• Can this same 13 yr old really figure out how to use it properly? Well, duh!!!!! He did show me how to turn it off when I tried this little task for at least 15 minutes.
• Is he going to text and play games on it so much that the batteries will need constant replacement? I wonder if 400 batteries every other day is really eco friendly?

I really start to chastise myself at this point. After all he is 13 yrs old, and as my sister keeps telling me, I need to loosen up with him a little. I need to let him experience a little freedom so he can learn to make good choices. (This is easy for her to say. Her daughter is 26 and as near perfect as you can get. Her son is 4 and she can exert all the control on him she wants. I think I will have to pull this post out for her to read in about 9 years.)

As I am taking the kids to school, I go over all the rules about the super max computer thingy with BB. (He says I went into my "wa wa wa wa wa wa" mode. I think he means I keep repeating myself and he stops hearing words and instead hears "wa wa wa wa wa wa".) I remind him several times to use the top secret computer only for his way too complicated math class and not to text anyone or play games. His reply is "Mimi, just trust me. I won't do anything I'm not supposed to do."

Now, lets fast forward to pick up time after school.....I ask all the kids how their day was. I get various replies but notice BB isn't saying much. I zero in on him. I ask him how things were going for him.

Mimi: Did you get to use that top secret machine in math class today?

BB: Yes, but the batteries that we put in must not be very good because they are already dead.

Mimi:Hmmmmm.(I actually thought this) Did you do a lot of texting today?

BB:No. I didn't text on it at all.

Mimi:Did you play any games on it today?

BB:(in a much quieter voice) Yes, but only in my free time.

Mimi: (in a much louder voice) What do you mean you played a game on it? Didn't I just talk to you this morning about not playing games on it? Didn't we agree that you were only going to use it to solve math problems? Why would you do this? Now you don't have batteries for your super machine so how are you going to solve all those math problems?

BB:Easy. I'll just stick them in the recharger.

Mimi: They aren't rechargeable. Didn't you pay any attention to what we talked about this morning?

BB: Yes, maam. I just saw everyone else playing games on theirs and this kid let me download some games onto mine.

Mimi: (going into orbit now) You did what? You downloaded something on the super max? That's how viruses get spread. What happens if you get a virus and your super max dies? Also, that tells me that you had plenty of time to think this through if you downloaded and then played games. When did you play these games? In your classes?

BB: Yes, maam. But it was during free time.

Mimi: What type of free time?

BB: In my science class during the teachers power point discussion.

Mimi: How is this free time?

BB: It was boring, so I just looked at the highlighted words and played my game during the rest of it.

I could go on and on (I actually did with him. He calls it nagging. I call it lengthy discussions.) with all the dialogue but BB says it really gets harder to listen to when I just keep repeating the same things over and over. I did tell him that I thought it would be very difficult to edit a power point display while playing a game. I have seen him with is Wii and his Nintendo. I doubt that he edited anything. At this point I really didn't want to hear anymore about what other classes he did this in. I am just glad that he didn't get caught. Now I have to come up with a way to let him use his calculator but not let it get him in trouble.

I've gotta tell ya, I really blame Texas Instrument for all the wrong in the world! Didn't they think this through when they were designing this super machine? Surely the knew that the teenagers wouldn't be able to resist the lures of texts and games and every other non math item these little jewels contained. What were they thinking????? Don't any of them have kids? Are they trying to compete with the Gameboys?

Again, I want to know.....What is wrong with the Abacus? I bet BB wouldn't try and use it improperly!

My Little Break

I am enjoying a much needed break from my family. I love them very much but the down time was needed. I am in Breckenridge, CO with my sister, aunt, and a friend of my aunt. My sister and aunt (70 yrs old but doesn't look or act like it) are enjoying some good skiing. I am enjoying some great leisure! I have read 3 books without being interupted to mediate an argument, answer 50 questions, clean, cook, etc. It is very selfish, but very wonderful.

Today I am going to do nothing more than visit a few shops (there is a yarn shop that I am excited to see), maybe get a manicure, walk in the snow, and just chill. That sounds pretty decadent to me. What a change my life has taken.....

Hey! I need to tell you something!

Well, today is the last day I will be watching BooBoo. He has been staying with me for a week while his mom has been in NYC visiting his older sister. The days have been a little (maybe a lot) stressful because he has been out of his routine. I also didn't have a car last week so we couldn't go to any fun places. My kids were home on Spring Break and LiLi had a difficult time with that little green monster on her back. She does not like to share my attention. The time wasn't all bad. In fact, most of the time was actually wonderful. I really am going to miss having him around all the time. So, to help me out every once in while, I am going to write down some of his most memorable lines. He is rather hilarious most of the time.

BooBooisms

Mimi: BooBoo it is time to go to sleep. You need to be quiet and close your eyes.

BooBoo: (as he is holding my face with both hands to ensure that I am looking right at him) Wait, Wait, Mimi, I need to tell you something!

Mimi: Okay, what do you need to tell me?

BooBoo: Ummmmm

"Mimi, can you hear my heart blinking? It's blinking really fast. It's going click, click, click."

"Mimi, can I hold the bunny now?" (This was said about 50 times a day)

"Don't you think that is a good idea Mimi?" (This was said whenever he wanted to do something he knew he shouldn't do)

"Mimi, look! Your dog really likes me! He's letting me pet him."

"I don't want to stay here anymore. I am really angry. I want to go home right now." (This was only said at nap time or at bed time)

BooBoo: Mimi, I am angry at you. I am going to kill you.

Mimi: Boo, don't say kill. That is a bad word.

BooBoo: Well, I'm going to dead you!

Mimi: LiLi, If you don't stop you are going to be in trouble.

BooBoo: Go, Mimi! Hurry, go get her in trouble.

Mimi: What should I do to her?

BooBoo: Spank her.....And then throw her in the trash can!

BooBoo: Mimi, I want to name your bunny Fluffy the bunny.

Mimi: BooBoo, he already has a name. It's Van Gogh!

BooBoo: I don't like Van Gogh. I want him to be Fluffy the bunny.

Mimi: Well, he's not.

BooBoo: Your bunny is going to be Van Gogh Fluffy the bunny! My daddy says I can have your bunny and he will be mine.

(Daddy did not say this)

I will certainly miss this little stinker....Oh, well.....it's not like I won't see him every other day.

Hippity Hoppity

Meet our newest family member, Van Gogh. We thought the name was cute and it fits him. He is just a little bunny, who, tragically had part of his ear nibbled off by his mother. He is very cute and trying to accustom himself to our rowdy crew. My girls have been great about caring for him. The clean his cage about 2-3 times a day, they make certain his water bottle is full, and they keep plenty of food for him. They love to cuddle with him. They are constantly asking to hold him. They get to hold him quite a bit but I also think he needs some down time so he doesn't stress too much.

BooBoo has been staying with me this week while his Mom is in NYC. He loves Vanny Go Gogh! He wants to hold him all the time! Vanny Go Gogh isn't so sure about this....Sometimes too much huggin' and squeezin' isn't a good thing. Vanny is happy each night when BooBoo goes home. You can see the relief as BooBoo walks out the door. He settles himself down and takes a well deserved nap.

When BooBoo is around we always have to be careful that he is not opening the cage and getting Vanny out by himself. Once I told him he couldn't hold Vanny because he was asleep. That didn't deter BooBoo. He walked over and banged on Vanny's cage, then pronounced," Vanny Go Gogh is awake! Now can I hold him?" He is constantly peering into the cage and letting us know how many times Vanny has "pooped" in his cage. He calls LiLi and YaYa to come clean it out. He knows we take Vanny out of the cage to clean it. BooBoo knows all the tricks to hold his beloved new friend.

So welcome to our clan, Van Gogh! May you be as happy and crazy as we are!

Skating in a Winter Wonderland

This wonderful March started with beautiful snow. We don't get a lot of snow in the south, so we were all pretty excited. I let the kids stay home from school to play in this white wonderland! Boo Boo was here to enjoy it with them. They had all kinds of fun making snowballs. This was great snowball snow. Typically we get more ice than powder. They froze while they were launching snowball attacks. It was wonderful! I brought them in after most of their visible body parts had turned a bright red. I stuck them under blankets and gave them hot chocolate. I love the snow!

By the next day, Wednesday, most of the snow had melted. There were only spots here and there. I walked the girls to the bus stop and we froze while we waited for the bus to come. It was all good! The cold was invigorating. I felt alive.......and at just about this point, as I was walking back home my foot slips on a piece of black ice.......Imagine a hippopatomas twirling and spinning and falling! I imagine that is what I looked like. I did a miniature version of the splits as one foot shot out in front of me and the other sort of stayed stationary. My sister likes to call it the "ground hurkey". Yea, I was in fine form. My knee slapped the pavement with such force.....and pain......and not one little bad word slipped out! I looked around to see how many people witnessed my skating spectacular. I didn't see anyone, but windows can sometimes hide those prying eyes.....I did my best to gather myself up with as much dignity as possible and hobbled back home. Who knew a knee could hurt so much? Thank goodness I did not throw my arms down to break my fall. I did that two years ago on roller skates and broke my wrist. It was no small thing. I had to have surgery to install a plate to hold the bones together. I broke a couple of fingers on the tips, and damaged some nerves and tendons. Hand therapy is not for the weak! It took three months to get my hand working semi well. Did I mention how much I hate skating? Did I mention how much I hate the snow? I mean, really, you would think we would be protected from the lethal, nasty white stuff living in the south as we do. Who gets snow in March anyway? Is someone out to get me?????????

Let me tell you 'bout the birds & the bees...

Well......this mother thing is fairly new to me and I am never quite sure if I am scarring the kids for life or helping to nurture greatness!
My middle child is turning 11 years old in April. This weekend it occurred to me that she has not asked me anything about growing up, where babies come from, changes to her body, etc. Now...am I supposed to wait for her to come to me so she gets information when she is ready? Or do I go to her and create an unstable child because I have told her things she is not ready for? Well, you know me. Why tip toe around something when I can just bull doze it? This weekend I started noticing little things going on with YaYa. She is starting to get oil zones on her face and one or two zits. Her hair gets really oily in spots if she does not wash it every day. So I think to myself (really, who else am I going to think to?) what if other major changes happen to her and she thinks she is seriously ill or dying because I have not had the "talk" with her. I think back to the "talk" that my mother had with me....that makes me jump start the action. My mother's talk was about 3 years too late. I cannot let that happen to my YaYa! I call YaYa to come in the room with me and not only do I get her company but LiLi and BooBoo come in the room with her. Okay, I'm just going to go for it even with the extras. I sit her down and start drawing a great graphic of the inner workings of a woman's body (I know this because my sister is here and she tells me this). The minute I start in on the "talk" YaYa sticks her fingers in her ears, LiLi is pointing to the diagram and asking questions, and Boo is doing his best to keep up. Well, it was a successful talk with LiLi! She will be prepared for the changes to come. Boo has a semi understanding of the human body (as well as a 4 year old can understand). YaYa caught sketches of the conversation when I kept pulling her fingers out of her ears. I'm not sure it will all make sense though.....So, will my baby be prepared? Or have I just grossed her out so much she will hate her body? Who knows. I did learn one thing though....I can see Boo's future now. He looked up at me and said "Mimi, can I squeeze your breasts?" My answer, of course, is "Why no, Boo, you may not squeeze my breasts!" His next remark is, "No, Mimi, I don't want to squeeze them. I want to squish them flat!" You realize what this means, don't you? I hope my sister is prepared for the path her son will take. I mean, is it normal for a 4 year old boy to want to squish boobs? No it is not. This can only mean one thing unless my sister can intervene. Boo is destined to become..........yep, you guessed it...............
a plastic surgeon who specializes in breast reductions!

Shhhhh.....It's a secret!

I really love my kids. I hope I am not doing anything that will screw them up forever....I can't believe how lucky I am that I have them in my life.

I have the flu....yuck! I risked spreading it to my kids elementary school so I could attend YaYa's honor roll ceremony. I snuck in, sat all by myself, and then snuck out. It was worth it! She was not expecting me because she knew I didn't feel good. She walked into the cafeteria just as casual as can be and then saw me out of the corner of her eye. She almost stopped the line! This gorgeous smile broke out on her face and she mouthed "You came!" I could have crawled across a desert for 2 days without water just to see that smile on her face.

The girls sort of enjoyed my being sick today because I did not have the stamina to enforce much of anything. I don't think they completed all their homework and they watched more tv than I generally allow. They basically had a fun afternoon. However, I know that I remained in their thoughts today.

Tonight when I was eating a little food, LiLi came into the kitchen with a picture of a beautiful "diamond" necklace from Kohls. She asked me if I liked the picture. I told her that it was very beautiful. (I thought she wanted me to get it for her!) She kept saying things like....." Don't you just want to have this necklace so bad? Would this be the best necklace ever?" So I'm thinking I'm wrong and I'm trying to figure out where this is going. Before now, every time they have wanted to buy presents for people it is generally for their absent mother and father (I think they were willing to do anything to make their parents happy and have their love). So I am gearing up for LiLi to tell me she wants to buy this necklace for her dad's new girlfriend. I can live with that. Their father has certainly been more attentive and fun since she has been in the picture. I am putting on my "oh, that is such a sweet thought" face when LiLi leans in close and whispers, "Can you keep a secret? This necklace is only $11.00 at Kohls. If YaYa and I put our money together, we will have just enough to buy this necklace for you as a Valentine's gift." My heart just melted. In spite of everything, I rate with my kids. I mean I really, really rate with my kids. They have been saving their money for some Hannah Montana stuff and they are willing to forgoe getting anything so they can buy me a gift. We all know how popular Hannah Montana is! That must put me way up at the top of the list.

I really love my kids........And for any of you interested in my new fame......I'll be happy to sign any autographs and sell my stuff to you!

Simon Says.......

I don't think I have ever talked about Simon before. Simon is the head of our household. How can he be the head of our household if I am single, you say? Because he is the Simonater! He is the ,shhhh, say it quietly.............CAT!

He is the most beautiful cat you will ever see. He almost looks like a Russian Blue. He isn't quite as fancy as that. Simon is quite the mystery to us. A few years ago he showed up at our door and politely asked for some food. He used his guest manners when he first met us. He loved the food. He came back the next day and asked for more. He did this for several days in a row. Then he politely invited himself into our home to dine. He stayed a while and would leave as any guest did. At some point in our relationship, Simon decided that he loved our home. He decided that we could use a good house leader so he graciously invited himself to stay and help us out.

What would we do without our little boy? He is always mindful of how slow humans are to catch onto things.....He practices supreme patience with us by repeating requests as many times as needed until the light bulb finally clicks on in our heads.

Take his food for example. He so lovingly meows to us if we should forget to refresh his bowl every hour. He is generally very loving about reminding us. He even uses his polite voice when he has to wake us at 3 or 4 in the morning that we forgot to refresh his bowl. Isn't he so sweet? Most people would use their annoying voice so early in the morning. But not our Simon! He is so polite at all hours.

He is even so sweet about his water bowl. He realizes it is so hard for us to see whether he has enough water, or even if it is fresh enough. He has found a way to help us out. He simply pushes his water bowl out in the middle of the kitchen floor for us whenever he wants it serviced. And Simon, in his good natured way, never gets upset with us when we accidentally trip over the water bowl and spill the "old" water all over the kitchen floor. He understands that we are so dense that sometimes we don't even see something that is so obviously placed right in front of our noses!

He is the sweetest when he plays with the kids. He realizes that all kids need to use their brains and create strategy! Isn't that what life is all about? He loves to get in the middle of their beds and let them try to figure out how to get him out without getting a scratch or a little nip. He wants them to learn to conquer pain and fear! Most people would laugh at the fear that Ya Ya displays whenever she has to confront Simon.....Not him.....He patiently teaches her to toughen up. Won't she be so ready for the world when she is grown?

Simon has even found an easy way to let us know when he wishes to go outside or to come in. If we happen to be sleeping the day away at 5am he simply jumps on us to get our attention. He, of course, knows he is helping us in two ways. First, he needs to let us know that it is time for his morning constitutional. I guess he can't understand how we forget this each day. I'm sure he wants to shout to us that it happens at the same time every day....How do you forget this. Are we like Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates or something??????? He also wants to make sure we are up and about to enjoy the day. Wouldn't it be so sad if we missed the best part of the day!

He even devised a way to alert us to let him in when we can't hear his precious little yowls. He simply launches himself at our front door and gives it a swift little karate kick with all fours. The sound sure gets our attention. (Last night Ya Ya thought someone was trying to break in.....I think Simon has a special little place in his heart for Ya Ya.)

He is even as conscientious about our bedtime as he is our awakening time. When it is time for bed he is always there to alert us. A nice stare and a few yowls are usually all it takes to let us know it is time to stop all our daily chores and rest in our beds. Of course no bedtime is complete until Simon has positioned himself right beside me so that I have no problems lending my palm to pillow his little head. Of course, this is only after he has been petted for at least 100 hundred strokes. And you thought this only applied to brush strokes to your hair!!!!

What would we do without our little Simonator? I guess we are pretty lucky he found us.

Oh Yeah! She Went There!

Well, I decided to start blogging again! I can't believe how long it has been. I went on quite the adventure today. I took care of BooBoo this afternoon while my sister, Dr. Mom, took the older brother to the doctor. BooBoo got out of his mom's car and whooped it up! He said, "Mom, Mimi is my little boy now!" I think he got a little mixed up and meant to say he was Mimi's boy for the afternoon. Life is quite the adventure with little BooBoo around. He has the most vivid imagination of any three year old I know. He sure brings out the kid in me.

We were driving down a pretty busy street when he informed me that I was driving a race car and we needed to go faster! I think the speed limit on the street was 35 mph. He then started pointing out cars for me to pass. So I indulged him and sped up to a whopping 37 mph and passed a few. He loved it! One of the cars, that I so speedily passed, turned right onto another street. I told BooBoo that the car was so embarrassed that we beat him so he left the race track. BooBoo loved this. He then started pointing out cars for me to "beat up"! I think some of the meaning of "beating" cars got a little mixed up in his 3 yr old mind. He started telling me to "fight that car" and "beat up this car, Mimi". What a tiger!

Well, being the adventurer that I am.......I told BooBoo that we were going to go on a new, faster race track and then proceeded to enter on the Interstate. He was beside himself looking for cars for me to "beat up". I pointed to a car that we had just passed and told him that the car was now eating our dust.......BooBoo then threw his little fist toward the back window and yelled, "Mimi, I threw dirt at him so he could eat dust!" We are quite the team, little Booboo and me.

After we exited the Interstate, he pointed behind us and said, "Look, Mimi, all the cars are behind us! We're good race car drivers!"

I think I'm going to bring him around every time my ego needs a little boost!

Jefferson Lives On!

During this Thanksgiving Holiday my mom, Nana Banana, and I started reminiscing about our younger years. Inevitably we compare ourselves and our kids to the traits of our parents. It tickles my heart every time I hear a new story about my parents as children. Everytime you think you've heard all that they have done, some random story brings about new musings.

Nana Banana and I were commenting on my younger brother and his many antics. Boy did he pull some stunts as a child. CB was forever roaming as a child. My mom would tell him to stay in the yard and he could play outside. After a few minutes she would check on him and he was nowhere to be found. I told her that she just didn't speak his language. To CB a yard was anyplace with grass. As long as there was grass under his feet he was in the yard! He just wasn't too concerned about who's yard it was. We laughed about how fearless this kid was except for one little phobia. CB was deathly afraid of the dark. He may have been quite the little roamer but you could always be sure that about 5 seconds before darkness fell he was running through the door.

Nana Banana told me that my dad, Jefferson, was quite the roamer as well. Apparently he enjoyed his own company and preferred to entertain himself. He would go off and hide in caves or in woods always eluding his brothers. He would also hide under his house and create an entire city for his little cars to go. There were times when he would find some money and decide that he needed to add to his car collection. He never let anything stop him from doing what he felt he needed to do, so he hitchhiked (he was about 6 or 7) into town and purchased his little car. I'm not sure if he even bothered to tell anyone where he was going or ask permission to do it.

I believe that same spirit lives on in each of his children. We do like to take charge and make things happen. I think he was always proud of our independant characters. He always told us not to let anything hold us back from what we wanted to do. He reminded us that hard times were just ways to build character.

We lost our adventuring Jefferson some time ago during his 11 year struggle with Alztheimers. Every once in a while a little glimmer of his true self would be able to make it through the fog of the disease. Jefferson left this life a year ago on September 30th but I believe his spirit carries on in his children and theirs. Everytime my little Li Li shows that mischevious streak I see her papa in her. Everytime I laugh till my sides hurt I feel that happy spirit of my papasan living on inside me.

Thank you Jefferson for the wonderful legacy.

Mirror, Mirror...I Want a New Me!

I certainly have learned a lot by interacting more with children in the last three years. What insights they give us.

Let's take Li Li for an example.....I've always thought she was a little bossy. She loves to tell people what to do and if they don't do things as she feels they should be done she can always run and tattle. I have since changed my mind about her. Perhaps bossy isn't the right word for her. I believe that in her 7 year old wisdom she sees things....decides she doesn't quite like what she sees.....and takes action to change that which she doesn't like. Now don't go thinking that she is changing her inner self. No, no, no. She is not quite there yet. She is changing her outer self!

Two years ago I began reading Junie B. Jones to her. The series is really delightful if you want an entertaining read. We read one book that captured her attention more than most. It was Junie B. Jones ...Is a Beauty Shop Guy. In the story (you guessed it) Junie B. decides to cut her hair with some disastrous results. Well, what is good enough for Junie B. is good enough for my little Li Li. She decides that the shoulder length bob (hair is all one length, no bangs) is not the right look for her. One evening while taking a bath she decides to change things. While her hair is nice and wet she cuts herself some bangs. Then with a little more bravery she snips a chunk of hair from her nape. I believe she let good judgement sway her and decided that since she couldn't really see the back of her head she should stop at this point.

When she finished her bath she came to me to comb out her hair and dry it for her before she went to bed. I start combing her hair and low and behold this long, clump of hair falls out of her head. Imagine my horror as I see that her hair is falling out just by combing. You would also need to know that her older sister, Ya Ya, has alopecia (auto immune disease that halts hair regrowth thus causing hair to fall out and leave bald spots on the scalp). A million things are running through my mind as I stare at this clump of hair that has fallen out. Does she, too, have alopecia? Is hair loss an indicator of childhood lukemia? Is this a precursor to some horrible and fatal disease? I jokingly ask Li Li if she's been playing with the scissors and cutting her hair. I think it was my one stab at allaying the fears of something ghastly being wrong with my baby, but knowing in my heart it couldn't be true. Imagine my surprise when Li Li drops her head and starts crying. Oh, no! My baby knows she has some fatal disease too! She is much too perceptive at her young age! How do I comfort her? I pick her up and put her in my lap and start telling her that everything is going to be okay. She tells me through her tears that it won't be okay because I'm going to be really mad at her for using the scissors on her hair without permission. I again start to let her know that all will be well when her words finally penetrate my brain......Oh, no she didn't!!!!! How could she cut her hair? I turn her to face me and then see the bangs that she cut (I must admit that these actually were cut quite well; I only had to do a little bit of evening out) and now I want to cry. My baby's beautiful, all one length, hair is ruined! Not really, but I felt that way at first. Well, imagine the little talk we had.....needless to say we stopped reading those horrible (they teach children bad, bad things) Junie B. Jones books! Li Li lost the right to use scissors without an adult watching her. She never really had the privelige to begin with but we made certain she understood that rule this time. As time went by her bangs grew out and now we are at middle of the back, one lenth hair.

Now, just a few days ago Li Li was once again taking a bath (Do you see a pattern here? If they weren't necessary I think I would forbid her to ever bathe or shower again.) and deciding that she wasn't happy with another physical feature. She has been blessed with a unibrow. It is the sad, much hated trademark of the women in our family. Li Li has commented a time or two that she does not like the way her eyebrows meet and form one long brow. I have offered to pluck the brow or even wax it to give her two nicely shaped brows. She wanted no part of this. It seemed far too painful for her to consider. I should have known that one day soon my take charge girl would correct this little problem. She didn't let me down. She came to me after her bath a few nights ago and told me that her eyebrows were falling out. I didn't fall into the fatal disease panic this time. I looked at her sternly and asked her what she meant. She broke under the pressure of my gaze. She started crying and let me get a good look at her eyebrows. She no longer had a unibrow. In fact the spot just above her nose looked very clean and smooth. Aha, I deduct she has used a razor! She admits to doing so and I start on my long spiel about how dangerous razors are and how she could cut herself when I notice her right eyebrow. Or at least what's left of it. While she did a great job between the eyes, she was a little heavy handed on the top part of her mid eyebrow. In fact, she almost looks like she was trying to shave the whole thing off. Now I am starting to come unglued!!! I do contain myself and try not to scar her for life with some wild tirade. She goes back to the mirror and bemoans the loss of half her brow and worries about how the kids will make fun of her. I am not feeling too sorry for her because she did it to herself but I realize that part of my role as parent is to boost self-esteem. I tell her to hold her head high and ignore anyone who says anything to her. I also tell her that it is really not that noticeable.....(why do people keep getting this funny look on their faces when they see her?) and rush her off to bed. Then I just can't help myself. I bury my head in my pillow so she can't hear me and burst into........yep..........laughter! I can't control it. My little girl is going to be a force to be reckoned with! I hope as she continues to grow up (and probably tries to alter her physical looks many more times) that I can always appreciate and nurture that take charge attitude. I want her to not be afraid to make decisions and stand up for herself. I just hope she uses wise judgement as she does this!

With Liberty and Justice for All

Well, I closed a pretty big chapter of my life last week. Maybe I should say almost closed. Three years ago I was a much different person with my priorities a little skewed......

I was working for The Big Bad Wolf Department Stores as a Buyer. I had been working with them for almost 18 years. In that time I saw many people come and go. Some left happily, some were asked to leave and sadly some of us were just not so happily stuck there. I am not sure if it was complacency or fear that kept us there. We really did work for the Big Bad Wolf. He was one of three owners: CEO - Bigger Badder Wolf, President - Big Bad Sometimes Rational Wolf, and the President of my Division - Big Bad Psycho Wolf.
We came in on a daily basis always listening to Big Bad Psycho Wolf huff and puff and threaten to blow our house down. When I was there in the moment he was the scariest monster I could ever dream up. I watched him paralyze grown men and women with fear. He took pleasure in the control he had over us. He commanded that we work 6 days a week during holidays with no extra compensation or days off in the future. He would send us on out of town trips with just a couple of hours notice. He watched when we came in each morning and blustered and spewed if we were one minute late. He eagle eyed us as we left each day and spit and fumed if we left one minute early. He loved to make women cry. He thought we were so weak and dumb. During the end of my sentence in this place he even grew to despise those who were not under 30 because apparently we could no longer think clearly or muster up enthusiasm.

During the last two years of my sentence there I watched great people belittled and fired for some silly reason and fumed at the injustice of it. Yet I still labored on, being loyal and true to this psycho wolf. I missed out on many family events because I was too busy bowing down to this ogre and doing his bidding. And then one day it was my turn to be dismissed without a second thought because my usefulness to them was at an end. I was given some flimsy excuse that really didn't ring true or make sense to me.

Little did I know that it would be the best thing to ever happen to me. So why is this the closing of a chapter in my life now when I was not so kindly asked to leave 2 1/2 years ago? Well, I left feeling that once again an injustice was done....to me!!!! I spoke to a very good friend of mine just a few days after my dismissal and she so wisely advised me to make a stand for justice. To let my voice be heard and stand up for what was right. I took her advice. I searched the city until I found the perfect attorney to represent me and I stood up to the Big Bad Psycho Wolf!

It has been a long 2 1/2 year battle with the Wolf Attorneys fighting us and postponing any attempt we made to seek justice. But, alas, last Wednesday I was able to sit before a judge and be heard. What is more important is that I was able to sit and watch while my attorney caught the Big Bad Psycho Wolf and two of his cronies, Liar Liar Pants on Fire Wild Dog and I Think I am so Wonderful Semi Wild Dog, in several lies and doctored documents meant to make me look bad. I enjoyed, sorry if it makes me a bad person, watching my attorney turn Big Bad Psycho Wolf into a sniveling, subserviant dingo. When he was taken out of his domain he wasn't nearly as powerful as I had remembered. It was a wonderful sight to see.

I now await the decision of the judge to know if my fight for justice will be accepted. The judge has thirty days to rule on this matter. I told my attorney that no matter the outcome I feel that I won on Wednesday. I learned, a little late in life, that nothing is more important than family. That no one should have so much power and command so much fear. That it really is okay to stand up for yourself. I purged so many bitter feelings, regret, and anger just by taking a stand.

I even started winning almost immediately after my dismissal. I became happier not serving a sentence to Wolf and friends. I was able to take in my three kids and give them a good home filled with love and encouragement (okay, sometimes a little disorder). I was able to start this wonderful venture to help bring the creative and performing arts to kids and adults. I am happy with myself and I am happy with life. That makes me the winner.

Go Justice!!!!! Yeah Liberty!!!!! WooHoo for those Founding Fathers who knew we would need it!!!!!!!

Tap Tap! Hooray!!!!!

I attended my first tap dance class last night. Wow! Who knew remembering all the different combinations could be so tough on such an old bird as I? And no one told me anything about having to be able to balance.....Did you know that you have to hop and jump in tap? I thought you just popped those little metal taps on the floor to make wonderful rhythym. What a workout! Boy did I feel great after the class. I was able to do a shuffle, hop, shuffle without falling on my great big behind. I even put a few combinations together and actually got to dance in time to music. Of course I had to slow the stuff down a little. How in the world do people actually move so fast. What silly person would actually write music with a tempo that would make me have to move like there was fire under my feet? I mean, really, I watched all the Shirley Temple movies and I swear I don't recall her feet moving that fast. Whew! And if having to move my feet fast and hop around wasn't enough......at the end of the class my girls, Li Li and Ya Ya, came in to observe. Well, you can imagine how that was. Ya Ya had to comment on my moves and tell me how easy it was to do a shuffle,ball,change or whatever the heck that combination was. Should 9 year olds be able to do this? I almost had to go tap on her toes! Well here is hoping that a new and healthier me can emerge from all this tapping, shuffling, and hopping. And by newer I don't mean any more titanium plates in my body from broken limbs. I have enough already, thank you!

Kids.....seen but not heard?????

Well don't kids say the darndest things? I wonder if we should allow them to speak sometimes because they reach a certain age (of course all three of mine are at that certain age!) where they seem to spout off smart aleck remarks at the drop of a hat. Where do they pick these things up? Surely not from their smarty mouth relatives (including me) or the television? I cannot believe their lovely little school mates would ever do such a thing!

However, if we only allowed them to be seen and not heard we would miss out on some of the funniest interactions that make us love them so much...right? We do love them so much????

Here are just a few of those interactions I have had lately:

Li Li (7 yr old) and I were going to an appointment one morning and we were talking and having a fun time. It is so rare that its just the two of us. Well, she decides she wants to watch a little TV as we are driving along. I warn her that the TV stations may not come in too clearly since we are moving through town. She flips through a few channels and then says, " Here's a sofa. I like those. I think I'll keep it on this channel." I have a pretty puzzled look on my face because I have no idea what she is talking about. I say, " A what?" and she replies, "A sofa. You know like Nana watches every day." "Oh", I say, " You mean a soap opera?". "Yeah", she says. I then ask her if she even likes soap operas. She replies, "Well, not really, but that's all Nana watches so I would rather have that on than nothing. It makes her happy.".

Boo Boo (2 yr old nephew) was in my room one morning as I was getting dressed. Now I haven't completely dressed yet so he walks up to me and pats my bare bottom with his hand and says, "Uggggghhhhh, Mimi!" Isn't that what everyone should start their day with? Then just when you want to ban him from your presence for life he says, "Hug, Mimi?" and "Kiss, Mimi?".

Li Li was playing with her dolls and dollhouse in my office one afternoon and she is speaking rather forcefully to her dolls. I get a little uncomfortable with the angry tone she is using so I ask her to be nice to her dolls. My sister, Dr. Mom, immediately tells me to let her express herself like this because it helps her work out her aggressions. She then tells me that I don't like hearing it because it is an echo of what I probably say to her and I'm feeling guilty. Li Li then pipes up with, "Actually, I'm saying things like you do Aunt Dr. Mom. That's not really how Mimi talks to us." Well, out of the mouths of babes and all that!!! You go Li Li.....she'll think twice before she offers me advice again.

I guess it all evens out at the end of the day, doesn't it? We love the kids and seconds later we want to stuff gags in their mouths. Do you think this is anything like freedom of speech? Surely we didn't do this to our Mothers.....

Rah Rah Ree! Kick 'Em In The Knee! Rah Rah Rass! Kick 'Em In The Other Knee!

Can you believe that I spent some great, fun, alone time with Li Li (really my 7 yr old daughter) on Friday night watching "The Making of a Dallas Cheerleader"? Who knew you could have so much fun watching such a wierd show? Li Li loved it! She was doing some of the dance steps and the kicks (she needs just a little more flexibility) and having the time of her life. She offered very insightful critiques of the rookies that were trying out for the squad/team. I never knew reality TV could be so fun. I bet most moms spend time teaching their kids something practical like baking cooks, how to sew, proper diction and poise.......Not me! I rock! My kid is going to know how to do the famous Cowgirl kick!

Now on to more serious things. We did spend the weekend doing some other things. The girls had an art lesson Saturday morning and their drawing is coming together. Now if I can just get them to sketch once a day as their teacher asks I might be in business. Ya Ya went to a birthday party and loved it. The party thrower was an older girl....she just turned 10! B.B. (my 11 yr old son) just sat around and sulked most of the weekend. He was bored. He wasn't having any fun! On and On and On. He hates my ideas of fun things to do when you are bored. I love to escape into a great book. He thinks books are evil. The idea of anyone opening one up for pleasure just freaks him out. He was grounded from his x-box so the whole world sucked as far as he was concerned. I would really like to have about 5 minutes alone with the inventor of the x-box. It would not be pretty. Couldn't he have just kept that little invention to himself? Why, oh why did he have to go and market the thing? I mean really, was the multi million dollar profit really worth putting all moms through this?

My mother went to visit my brother on Saturday. He is serving a 10 year sentence for manufacturing meth. He just found out that he has hepatitus C about 2 years ago. He just started a treatment of interferon a couple of weeks ago and he is so sick right now. He says he freezes all the time and he feels like he has the flu all the time. The guards are trying to help him out a little by allowing him to lay on his bed most of the day. They have a rule that you cannot be under the covers during the day so the guards have given him some coats to cover up with. He is hoping that the chemo will help slow down the disease if it doesn't kill him first. I think this has got to be horrible for my mom because there is nothing she can do to help him right now. He has to go through 48 weeks of this and she worries that he will not be strong enough to fight through it.

Well I am off to strip adhesive from concrete floors in the studio today. Sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it...... I will keep you all posted on my progress.

Working in a Crystal Mine

I can't believe how long it has been since I have posted anything. I'll just quickly say that putting together our studio and recruiting for classes has taken up almost all of my time!

Today I went with Li Li (my 9 yr old) to the Crystal Mines. It was a field trip for her class. Actually it was a field trip for the entire 3rd grade class. I know, I know, who would go on a trip with thousands (okay maybe a couple of hundred) kids to a crystal mine on Friday the 13th????? Me. Why? Because I am crazy!!

We did have fun. However, I wonder why I accompanied Li Li to this little trip to observe her digging for crystals and I ended up digging, carrying the crystals, and trying to talk her into digging? When did these kids get so smart? How do they know how to sucker us into these things? The best part was getting home from the mines and watching Li Li pour out her bag of crystals for everyone to see what "she" dug up and found! It's okay. I enjoyed the trip. We haven't had any alone time in quite a while. We listened to her music on the way back and had loads of fun.

Here a Book, There a Book, Everywhere a Book, Book

I spent the morning at the elementary school library helping out with Book Fair. This is the most wonderful event! We transformed the library into a wonderland of books and learning tools that each child and his family will be able to shop in next week. Oh the books we set up. I love books. I come from a family that loves books. If I weren't a human I would want to be a book! (At least a rare, treasured one) It was so fun working with the other moms that had volunteered. We spent the morning lifting heavy cartons of books and having an impromptu book club. We all talked about the pros and cons of books we had recently read. What a fun way to do service. Why can't all acts of service be this fun?
If I do nothing in life I hope that I can instill in my kids the love and joy of reading. Isn't it wonderful to be able to sit in a comfortable chair and travel all over the world in all sorts of decades? When I read I love to transport myself to all the neat places. I love inserting myself into their lives and feeling the emotions of the characters.
I was so happy working in the library that I forgot to be stressed over how much work there is to be done in the studio before we open up on Monday. Thankfully, a whole group of friends showed up this afternoon to move things along rather quickly. So.....does this mean that service begets service? Nah, things couldn't be that easy could they?

Why Do It Today When I Can Put It Off For Eternity?

I must confess that I am more of a procrastinator than I want to be!!! I have been putting off blogging for so long it is pitiful. I do have about 101 really good excuses, though.

Okay...here goes. My very first blog. I have worried so much about what to write that I have almost paralyzed myself. All I know is what I live so that is what will fill these pages.

For the past 3 weeks my sister and I have been consumed with putting together our performing and creative arts studio. We were supposed to have our first classes today. I have finally come to my senses and realized that it would not be prudent to open the doors today. Oh, I have good, sound reasons. Here are just a few:

1. Would parents sue us if their kids had an allergy attack or asthma attack from all the sheetrock dust floating and coating everything?

2. What are the probabilities that one could actually break bones if they tripped over the rolls of carpet that block the entrances?

3. Can ballet shoes withstand a concrete floor with 10 years of carpet glue piled on it? Are floating wood floors really all that important?

4. Do we really need instructors for two of our most important dance classes? Couldn't I just put a video in and they could teach themselves?

5. Are leotards a must have if I have promised all the students that I would provide them for their classes? Couldn't they just wear restricting street clothes and pray they don't rip, shred, or tear on our 10 year old glue piled concrete dance floor?

6. Is music really necessary in a dance class? Couldn't we all just hum?

7. Should the owners/staff be completely sane when greeting the public and introducing our new business? Do you think parents would mind dropping their children off if I am passed out on the 10 year old glue piled concrete floor with exhaustion?

Okay, you can see I have been in denial for some time now. My nephew and brother in law have been trying to tell me that it was going to take one more week and I just kept insisting that it had to be today. I think I just didn't want these two clowns to be right and me to be wrong.

They are probably going to show some great little dance moves when they hear that I have conceded that they were right and I was wrong. I am so glad things like me being wrong only occur about once a century!

Well, I am off to continue taping, mudding and painting!!