Birthdays

We headed to Grandpa John's house tonight for a birthday celebration for him. Grandpa John, Jeff's grandpa, turned 91 today. Can you imagine all of the things that that man has seen in his life time?!?!? Wow! I feel old when I talk to people who graduated high school in 2003. (Yes, I am talking about you! You know who you are!) I am just a young whipper snapper compared to John.
His wife, Pauline, passed away last year at the young age of 100. Can you even wrap your brain around it? I sure can't! She was so feisty and always spoke her mind. People would say, "She's 100. She can say whatever she wants." But in all actuality, she just didn't give a damn about anything. If it hurt your feelings, it hurt your feelings, she was just saying it like it was. I was absolutely terrified the first time I was going to meet her.
I guess I don't really know where I am going with this entry. I just wanted to stop and think about all the things that I have seen so far in my lifetime, of almost 34 years. AAH! I can't believe I just told you all that! So far, I have seen cell phones go from this phone in a bag thing to a big ole honker that you had to pull an antenna out to a small sleek flip phone to a phone that you just touch the screen and you can get anything you want on it. Anything! Amazing! Or what about television?! Now granted, I lived out in the boonies, and I still do, but I only had three channels when I was little. Now, I have no idea how many channels I have and I don't hardly watch any of them. MTV actually played music videos and the TV went off of broadcasting at 1 am. We rarely locked our doors and now, as soon as I get home, they are locked behind me.
Maybe these things are all supposed to happen, but I can't even imagine what my kids will have witnessed when they are my age. Do you remember when we would watch the space shuttle take off on TV, now, does anyone ever even know when it is going into space? That was a huge event in my school....we always got to go to the cafeteria and watch it on TV. AWESOME!
I don't know, I just feel as if sometimes the things that we are watching happen are actually hurting us in the process of moving forward. It seems that the more technology we have, the more scared we are, the more alone we are, the more we miss out on.
These past few weeks I have had to kick my kids outside to play. Literally! They just want to hang out inside while they are on summer vacation. When it was summer for me, I don't ever remember being inside the house. Mom would get mad at Johnny and me for running in and out of the house all day long. We would sit on the front porch and watch storms roll in and we were always exploring something. But we were always outside!
I am just rambling and I don't know how the heck I got off subject of birthdays, but Grandpa John, I just want to wish you a very, very happy 91st birthday! (He has no idea about this because he has no computer.) But we love you anyway!

Super Cute Invitations

Well, I have been busy getting things ready for Sis's first big kids birthday party. She will be 4 and is wanting to have a sleep over so bad she can hardly see straight! Seriously! I keep telling her "No", that she and her friends aren't quite ready for that yet. I can just see it now, 8:30 at night they will all be wanting to go home or crying because they miss their mom. They are just so young, and I don't know that many parents that would let their youngster spend the night anyway.

So, we have compromised, we are going to have a "pretend" slumber party. Everyone is supposed to come in their pajama's with a stuffed animal. We are going to have the party in the evening so that once the party is over, mom can take the kiddo straight home and tuck them in for the night. I think it is a good compromise.

So then come all the little details, cake, decorations, invitations, who to invite, etc. We have found an adorable cake online that is a bed with little kiddos snuggled underneath the blankets at http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50198. The decorations are going to be pretty easy, pillows and more pillows. Invitations, well, I found the cutest idea online at http://www.parents.com/fun/birthdays/themes/pajama-birthday-bash/. I was a little scared at first to make them, but then once I got it, it was a piece of cake and they turned out so super cute!

On the website they had a little brunette, so I decided to make Sis's a little blonde in cute little night gowns with all the party information on them. Then, I didn't get a picture of this, but I made directions to our house on a different sheet of paper and tucked that underneath the arms, like a bed sheet. I was rather impressed with myself. Now, I just have to come up with something for CX's party!

To Tell the Tooth

Well, it is official....my baby boy is becoming a man, slowly but surely. He finally lost his first tooth on Saturday morning. He was eating a pop-tart, (I know, the breakfast of champions!) and came running up to Jeff and me screaming "I almost ate it!" Thank goodness he didn't. I was not looking forward to having to watch for it, if he had.

That boy is such a tender little one. He babied that tooth for over a month! Never wanting anyone to wiggle it, never wanting to bite into an apple, or even a sticky piece of candy. He was kind of nervous about what was actually happening, I think.

Anyway, that evening we put the tooth under his pillow for the tooth fairy. By the way, does anyone know what those things go for now?! Jeff and I were clueless, 50 cents, a dollar maybe? One mom I know gave her son 5 bucks for one! Are you kidding me?!?!??! When I was little, I remember getting a quarter or if it was one that really hurt coming out, I got a 50 cent piece. Of course, that was a few years back. Well, we decided on a dollar and that Sunday morning, you would have thought that he had found a 100 dollar bill under that pillow!

He is so stinking cute with his little hole in his smile! It just makes it all the more clear, just how fast he is growing up. I am happy that I get to experience this process, but it also makes me sad to see my sweet little boy disappear. I am truly blessed to watch him turn into a young man right before me eyes. God blesses us in so many ways everyday that sometimes I forget just how lucky I am to be a mom, to be CX and Sis's mom.

How sad is this....

How sad is this....I shipped my daughter off to her great-grandparents for the day because I needed a break from my precious little girl. I feel like an awful mom admitting that, but I suppose it is the truth. I kept telling myself I just needed some "me" time, but the truth is, I needed "no Sis" time. Don't get me wrong, I love her dearly, but man are we butting heads badly right now. She keeps thinking that she is the boss and I am the child. She is not liking that MOMMY is the BOSS! And I make her say it also! That really makes her boil!

How sad is this....I not only shipped Sis off to Mimi & Papa's, but they also picked up CX from summer school today so that I could clean my house. I can't seem to get caught up with them here so my house becomes a cluttered disaster and it stresses me out. I like to have things in their places, it makes me feel at peace in my home.

Okay, how sad is this.....Not only were my children gone all day long, and I cleaned my house (the majority of it) that I went grocery shopping and actually enjoyed it! I was so excited to walk into that store without my little ones. That was the actual high-light of my day. I know, I know, sad aren't I?

Actually, it was a very productive day, I got a lot accomplished, even had time to blog, wow! I am now very tired and ready for my bed. I also was very refreshed from my break with no children and I was ready to face the music again. Until the screaming in the back seat started up! AH!!! I will survive through this and so shall they.....I think! ;)

So far so good....

Well, it is two days in a row that I have blogged. Maybe I might get the hang of this thing, I sure hope so for those few of you that actually keep up to date with me.

I went to the store today to pick out father's day cards for my kids to send to daddy and grandpas and all the other dads we know. I ended up buying 10 cards and spending over $26.00! Outrageous! Man, whoever decided to make holiday cards is a freaking genius and I sure hope is reaping the rewards or their offspring are. In all actuality, I guess it isn't that bad. I only spent an average of $2.60 per card, but still! YIKES! Then I have to pay for postage! Goodness, what the heck has that risen up to by now?!?!? 43 cents or something? I remember when I was a kid, now this will show my age, I would walk to the mailbox and put a letter and a quarter in and get back change for the postage for my letter. That has probably been a few years ago, but who's counting?

So, as you all start to stress out about what to get those dads in your life for father's day, don't forget that small fortune that you will be forking over to send them a little something special in the mail. No wonder everyone is emailing cards now!

I know I complain, but I still love to get a letter in the mail. It makes me feel as if someone actually cares about me. And if it makes me feel so special, then I am sure that is might make those guys feel a little extra special as well.

I AM A BAD BLOGGER!!

Okay, so for the record, I am the worst at this type of thing. I so want to keep up with it, but it seems like my life is so crazy right now, but I know if I placed my priorities in the right order, I would have plenty of time to write every day and keep you all up to date.
And, I need to be honest, I am having a time with my kiddos right now. I love them more than words, you moms know that you can't even describe the love for your little ones, but at the moment, I am really wanting to pop some cute little heads off!!! They try me and try me til I am in such a rage that I have to walk away from them and then as I walk off I hear them giggle! AGH!
I don't know if any of you have ever watched the show, "Worlds Strictest Parents", on CMT (no comments about the channel!), but it is really good. It is kind of like "Nanny 911" or "Super Nanny", but it is for teenagers and they get shipped off to this other house to live with this family for a week. Anyway, I keep seeing how these little things that my kids are doing now, how they can progress and become these unruly teenagers. The mouthiness, the disrespect, the ignoring, the messiness, the lack of motivation. It seriously scares me! I don't want my children to be like that. I know that they will be teenagers and that they will still be trying my patience, but the uncontrollable part of it is what scares me the most!
I just keep telling myself, "You have to nip it in the bud!" Sorry, I'm a country girl! I figure if I can get them lined out now, it won't be so bad later down the road because they will know what is expected of them.
Soooo....I am needing some input from you mommas out there. Any ideas of ways to curb the bossiness, the talking back and the lack of caring about their stuff? I actually just bagged up toys tonight because they had been on the floor for a week and no one wanted to take responsibility, so I got to pick them up, but now I get to do with them what I want. I am thinking Goodwill or Salvation Army!
Sorry, I needed to get that off of my chest. It is always better to let things out than hold them in. You might actually explode one day! Thanks for listening.