The High School Musical Phase

My six and eight year olds are addicted High School Musical. Everytime it comes on television they are glued right there to watch it. They know every song by hard and can be seen on any given day practicing the dance moves from either the first or second movie. Don't get me wrong, I see nothing wrong with them watching High School Musical, I just don't understand why pre-teens and young girls in general go crazy over it. To me, and maybe because I am older and just don't understand kids today, but a great deal of it is boring and corny to me. No offense to the writers and stars of the show, it's making good money so carry on! I just don't understand the craze. On the other hand, I would much rather they be addicted to HSM than to some of these other programs on t.v.

That leads me to another subject, how much television is too much television for kids and do you carefully monitor what they watch? My kids are limited to no more than two hours of television during the week..no exceptions. When they are watching television, it is only the Disney channel or Nickoledeon. We started this practice a couple of years ago and actually still have the locks on all the other channels but find that we really don't need them anymore. They are perfectly content watching Disney and Nick. Under no circumstances are they allowed to watch videos...most are just too raunchy. Unfortunately for me, that means I can't watch them either...bummer!

I am going to be a Grandma!

Yes, that's right, me! With a 2, 6, and 8 year old at home, I found out recently that my 22 year old daughter is pregnant and due in April. Now I must tell you that at first I was just numb. I did not know what to feel about this. You see, I still see her as that little tiny baby I brought home from the hospital 22 years ago. In my eyes she never grew up. What's worse is that she is 600 miles away, I can't even give her a hug right now and tell her how proud I am of her for the type of woman she has turned out to be. I want to tell her to keep her head up and always look forward, don't look back. But I don't want to tell her on the phone, I want to tell her in person...isn't that a little silly? Anyway, I am excited about the birth of my first grandchild. I know that I am going to spoil it rotten and have already asked her to let me keep it for a month or so...of course she said, "No". My last resort is to try and talk her and her husband into moving up here. So far, no go, but this future grandma isn't done yet!

Long Absence. I Love Being a Mom

With school back in session and the many extracurricular activities my kids have been into, I apologize for not having the time to write sooner. But I'm sure most of you understand how it is, things can get really hectic really quick and everything you "planned" on doing just goes right out the window. As moms, we often put our needs and desires last to focus on our children and spouses first. I used to think that it was wrong to do that, that I should attempt to take at least an hour a day and just focus on me, nobody but me. That's what some of the top motivational gurus were saying.."Stop neglecting yourself. Take care of you. Put you first". Well, that just doesn't cut it for me. I put everybody else first (family I mean) and IF there is time at the end of my 18 hour day as mom, chauffeur, carpooler, wife, chef, housekeeper, etc..I try to catch at least 15 minutes of Nancy Grace. I love that show!

Before some of you start snickering and shaking your heads at me for putting everybody else first, let me explain why I do it. Very simply, I love being a mom. I really, truly, relish being a mom. I don't know if this is because I am a little more mature than probably the majority of you, I'm not ashamed to say, I am 40 years old with a 2 year old, 6 year old, and 8 year old, or if I have just come to the realization that this is the best possible job for someone as loving as me. Don't get me wrong, I ain't saying it is a bed of roses, there are times when I just want to go to my room and shut the whole world out, but there are absolutely more good moments than bad. I would not trade it for anything in the world. My goal is to be the best mom in the whole wide world! This includes sacraficing for my children. There is nothing I wouldn't do for them.

That said, I will try really hard to post more often here because I love blogging too. It is actually very calming and very therapeutic. Yes, I believe that is the one "something for me" other than reading the Bible, I will attempt to do every single day. :)

First Day of School Jitters

Today was the first day of school here. Because we were redistricted a few months ago, this was my little girls' first day at their new school. I spent the entire summer worrying about how they were going to do, how were they going to make new friends, would the people at the new school like them, etc. As they walked down the halls to their new classes, my stomach curled up in knots. I felt like I was the new girl in school! Turns out I did all of this worrying for nothing! My girls LOVED their new school, their new teachers, the new cafeteria, and even the new playground! My eight year old even commented on how the playground was "like a jungle".

I don't know why so many of us worry about our kids and their first day of school. We work ourselves into a frenzy and grow a few more grey hairs thinking it will be hard on them when nothing could be further from the truth. If your kids are anything like mine they make friends very easily and they know NO strangers. They don't have the same "clique" and "status" hangups that some adults and teen agers have. For this I am sooooooo grateful. That type of worry will come soon enough for them (unfortunately). For now I am just counting my blessings that I was the only one with tears in their eyes today. :)

How was your children's first day of school?

Laughing Children

There is nothing more precious to me than the sound of my children laughing together. Each time I hear it, it brings a wide smile to my lips. They truly enjoy playing with each other. The two girls (6 & 8) are finally at a point to where they don't need to depend on me or their father to keep them busy. It is very rare for me to hear my eight year old say, "I'm bored" anymore. She has her sister and her two year old little brother to occupy her time...but freely and at her own will.

I am not the kind of parent who forces their children to "not run in the house", or "stop playing in the tub"...I like to hear them have fun and as long as they are in no danger of hurting themselves or anyone else I let them carry on. I hope that one day when they are older they remember that and will think fondly of the mother who allowed them so much freedom.

Don't get me wrong, they fight and argue just like other children do...but they always make up on their own and they never stay mad for more than fifteen or twenty minutes with each other. Do they forget about what they were mad about or do they actually forgive the other person and shrug it off ? I'm not sure which...but I sure am glad they do. They don't hold grudges like grown ups do...and that is one thing that we can all take a lesson from them on.

Yes, I like to hear my children laughing, playing, and having a good time. These are the best years of their life and I want them to remember these years fondly.