Halloween "Themed" Costumes

Parents work diligently to build strong sibling relationships while their children are in the home with the hopes of those bonds continuing into adulthood. With only 5 years in which to create a "complete" family bond, we were vigilant (sometimes obsessed) in providing circumstances to connect. Thus, Halloween family "themed" costumes began in our youngest's 1st year. One of our favorite family movies---Napoleon Dynamite--started us off. 

Teen drivers and BLACK ICE: a parent's Top Ten survival guide

Winter temperatures wax and wain from year to year in the region I live in. Vivid memories of gripping a Costco cart's ice-soaked push bar while trying to keep a baby's knit hat from blowing off it's head are now replaced with shoppers in flip-flops, Capri's and sunglasses.


Also seared in my mind is this image of our FIRST grey Honda Odyssey 2002 van.
Recent winter driving video's posted after Seattle's fluke weather pattern will lead you to learn how my beloved "friend" got to this state. (I was NOT THE DEMISE of this relationship)!


TEENAGE DRIVERS and BLACK ICE!
       ---Top Ten Rules for Parents---

1.  Registration papers in the glove compartment not only should be replaced yearly, but explained their purpose to teen drivers.
2.  When both spouses are "prompted" to get their kid from work instead of letting him drive home in questionable weather, DO NOT ignore.
3. After a parent receives a panicked call stating an accident has occurred and a ride home will be necessary, grab some winter weather accessories and load them in the car.
4.  Expect that if you offer the teen the above accessories he will deny that he is cold even though his lips are blue, his hands are stiff, and his hair has frozen icicles in it
5.  Expect that if approaching the scene of the accident that your teen will NEVER take blame even though it is obvious who was responsible.
6.  Whomever else is involved in the collision, even a professional NFL football player, will show up to give assistance even though said person was not driving.
7. Above said person will take the heat away from an intense situation and keep your teen occupied while you grapple with the police issuing a ticket. Person will also prevent parent from "hurting" responsible party in front of law enforcement.
8.  While retrieving the vehicles remaining valuables while stored at the insurance car lot, don't forget to google "how to retrieve a new $1,000 timing belt" before the vehicle is totaled.
9.  During the next available snow storm, encourage, motivate, force, bribe, threaten, etc. your second teen driver to get out and practice driving in ice and snow.
10.  MAKE your teen pay back the money used to replace the car and ticket issued for the accident just like you MADE your teen fix the hole in the bathroom wall the exact size of his fist.

If you are a detail reader, skip to the "jump" to get more of the end of my "friend".

Field Trips: to sign-up or not to sign-up?

Volunteering to attend a child's school field trip when you have youngsters is rarely met without a challenge. Inevitably,

   •  your carefully arranged babysitter gets PINK EYE the night before the trip

   •  a toddler's melt-down is conveniently timed directly before a morning shower

   •  a healthy baby poops "up her back" on the car ride to the sitter

Bumping along in a yellow box down the highway hearing the delighted screams of frenzied 1st graders releases brain toxins that can cause severe pain. A mother popping pills may not set a very good example, however, neither would popping a kids'  head! And then there are the SMELLS in the air that a bunch of elementary students invite-- never pleasant.


"The aim of this research is to observe the subject in its natural state and possibly collect samples". (from wiki)


For me, overcoming logistical set-backs were worth the one-on-one experience with my student and his peers. A parent can observe a child:

     •  interacting with friends (or not)!

     •  devoting oneself to an educational task (or not)!

     •  engaging in hands-on learning (or "licking" in the case of my third son on a 1st grade field trip!)

"The purpose of the trip is usually observation for education, non-experimental research or to provide students with experiences outside their everyday activities." (from wiki)

You tell me WHO is learning more by participating in the "Field Trip"---Mom or child?

--Do whatever you have to that is LEGAL to show up to "research" your kindergartener, 1st, 2nd, 3rd grader, etc! 


I guarantee you your teenager won't allow any "educational research" on his first date. 

I have plenty of photo evidence of my research observing my children in their natural habitat while on these trips. Behold my evolution as a Field (trip) researcher since the '90's:

What goes up, must come down!

Autumn colors are fading and being replaced with the dullness of winter's beginnings! This only means one thing to happy homeowners who enjoy a bit of shade on their property!  WORK WORK WORK! So we as parents combine a little "slave labor" mixed in with a value lesson on the importance of working hard and witnessing the fruits of one's labor------------------except raking leaves is NEVER ending here in the Midwest!  (Please do not report us for breaking any child-labor laws when you see our kids salivating with fatigue and hunger!)

Labor and Delivery: should it be a "family affair?"

"The Animals," referred to in my title, appear in this epic picture. March 3, 2005--the best thing about this day for the 3 "monkeys" was missing school and eating Wendy's hamburgers for lunch!


For their parents, it was welcoming their fourth child and ONLY daughter. For me, it was realizing that I would NEVER have to have this experience again!
Our family was complete on this day!


For readers, this picture might cause you to ask, "What were they thinking?"

Who knew Q-Tips, Oreos, Pipe Cleaners and a little "copy catting" could be so fun!

Fall conferences + Halloween weekend = kids home and amped up on candy and energy!

 Time to get out the crafts! I stole these ideas, but who is telling?

Halloween brings out the "Kraft" in me!

My only daughter is now 6 and holidays with her seem to bring out something in me that lay dormant with the three other boys.  Although I attempted to introduce crafts and decorating edible items to the boys, these events mostly left me abandon in the kitchen completing the task. My confidence in mothering shattered, I would pick up the pieces of my wounded heart and clean up the remnants of the project. Why did these three creatures not want to spend time creating something yummy and fun?

Revising an old space

Several years ago, my oldest marked his homework spot and was NEVER convinced that he should choose a different spot!

T   H   E         D   I   N   I   N   G      R   O   O   M

Amongst all the paper, pencils, books, fancy dishes, and silverware, he managed to perform well enough in this spot to get into college.

Halloween: a time for togetherness!

With only 4 Halloween's together as a complete family unit, we were compelled to make them memorable! 

(so we chose to "torture" the children)

Any guesses as to our method?

Is this GENDER bias?

Struggling to teach 3 boys the process of completing chores challenges me and often leads to battles I embarrassingly do not win. During the teen years, sometimes boys will revert to tantrums that mimic their toddler sister. I put myself in time-out on numerous occasions to prevent any REAL damage. I am sure my tactics will result in years of therapy for them when they become adults. Isn't that one of a mother's jobs--"driving" them to therapy?                           

Then, along came my only daughter!

Toddlers and Chimps

Drum Roll please!

The gentle fall breezes lead the way into the crisp evening air muffled with the sounds of.....

 ...bellowing fans and musical brass, woodwinds and percussion instruments...

High school football season thrills the amateur sporting enthusiast and awakens the teenage hormones as Friday night games between rivals commence.  Marching band members perform their perfected half-time show for their eager parents and friends and encourage the crowd to engage in cheer during the competition. Experiencing this "sporting" amplitude is a much look-forward-to event. 

Extreme Planking

plank·ing/ˈplaNGkiNG/Noun

          1. Planks collectively, esp. when used for flooring or as part of a boat.


2. The act or process of laying planks.


The art of planking is to lay horizontally across any object or the ground with their arms by their sides, aiming to occur in daring situations or a brotherly display of core-strength..

It all Began HERE:

with our cool Aunt Christina!

So we set out to have our own fun on the set of Extreme Home Make-over

---MidWest style---

Sam's Club and heels do not mix

It is not likely that I am wearing heels in the morning unless it is a Sunday. However, recently I attended a morning event where heels were required. After the service, I decided to dash through Sam's club to pick up milk, toilet paper, pretzel and Coke Zero. Thinking to myself, if other 40 + women can walk through this store looking all bedazzled, why can't I?

My feet are not OTHER WOMEN's.