The family that eats grains together, abstains together.

I'm so glad that LG is almost always home for dinner. Hopefully it will make all the difference, because as you all know, we are on the brink of living the Suburbian dream! HA! And, surely, we will still be affable when we move from the inner-city.

And while I am posting about eating dinner, here is another link about how not to control your child's diet. And because Sophia and Abigail are in a normal weight range, I guess I am not as controlling as people would think.

Is it a Dad Strike?

Last week was a rough one for most of the girls at our house. As you know, there are four of us and my poor hubby is the only man. (Our cat is even a girl) I think God designed our family this way because he knew that LG would be the best dad ever!

LG is so patient, understanding, and a great listener. He is also the kind of dad that really enjoys spending time with his kids. (which makes all the difference to little girls) Look at Bella's happiness when being tickled by her dad. She's so happy she is almost crying!

Anyway, last week I was having a rather emotional week. (don't we all have to do that from time to time?) But, to add to the torture Abigail and Bella were both on one also. (Sophia seemed to be immune from the estrogen induced drama for some reason this time)

LG was getting an earful every direction he turned. I would keep him up late talking out my issues. The girls would start out early with their whining.

One night at dinner, LG had had enough. I was still in a yucky mood and two of the girls were pouting about something. I looked at LG and felt a twinge of pity. All I could say is, "We are just getting you ready for the teenage years." (We will have three teenage daughters at the same time)

LG surprised me as he actually raised his voice. He declared for all girls to hear, "That's it, I'm joining a bowling league."

We all just laughed. Later that night as we were sitting together enjoying all of the girls' better moods (this seems to happen to all of us automatically when we get some good daddy time), Bella looked at her dad so sweetly and said, "Daddy, can I join your bowling league, too?" LG and I held our laughter to wide understanding smiles. (Bella can be kind of sensitive and doesn't like us laughing at her, even though she is so cute and funny) Bella continued, "I am a really good bowler, dad."

LG replied like the sweet dad that he is, "Of course you can join my bowling league Bella, I don't think I could win without you."

Climbing Trees and A Nosy Mom

We were at soccer practice on Monday night and Sophia and Bella automatically started asking me to help them climb the tree. The girls all love the trees that line the fields. The trees are the perfect size for them to climb, they just need a boost up to the first branch.

I boost Sophia up and tell Bella that she can have her turn in five minutes. Meanwhile, I start chatting with the other soccer parents while simultaneously keeping my eye on Abigail in the field, Bella in her camp chair, and Phia in the tree.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a mom from the other field walking over in our team's direction. She walks right up to me and says in an ever so nosy way, "Um, your kids aren't supposed to climb the trees."

"Oh, really, according to whom?" I reply with a "leave me a alone" tone. "Well, the soccer board members will get on to you if they see your kids in the tree. They have made me get my kids down before." I reply again with a dual tone of you are really bugging combined with I am going to try and be nice, "Thanks for letting me know. I appreciate your concern. I will be sure to get a little more concerned when the soccer board is around." I smiled at her and she got the message and finally walked away.

HONESTLY! Do people just need to get a life or what? The other people around me agreed that my small kids climbing these trees are not a big deal. They are not going to do any damage and I have no plans to sue if they fall.

Meanwhile, LG shows up after work and I tell him about the annoying conversation. He, of course, reacts totally obediently and says to me, "Alice, we probably shouldn't let them climb. The soccer league probably has a contract with the school....blah blah blah...legal jargon, blah." I cut him off, "LG, you and the soccer league are ridiculous. They are trees. They are kids and this is a park." LG trails off with, "Well, they have to protect their liability....blah blah" I intentionally tune him out, go and get Sophia out of the tree and boost Bella up for her turn.

I got Bella down five minutes later and told LG that Sophia and I were going home to get dinner and a Family Home Evening lesson ready.

So, we get into the bath/dinner rush and then all sit down to eat. LG says ever so authoritarianish...."I have an announcement. Our family will no longer be climbing trees at the soccer field." I start into my nagging about the tree/kid thing. LG cuts me off and says, "Alice, a soccer league board member came over after you left and said that THAT lady had called him. The board member announced to our whole team, 'That lady (what he should have said is: THAT nosy mom) said that a woman was letting her two children climb the tree and that she DARED a board member to stop her. I am here to stop her.'

I started cracking up! I asked, "Did you tell Doug that it was me?" The board members all know us because we have coached for the past 3 years. LG sighed and said, "No, of course not. I am not taking the slack for you. In fact, at the next practice you need to thank all of the other parents, they didn't say a word."

I then said, "I can't believe that Doug came down there to get a kid out of the tree. C'mon, LG, you know you agree, that lady and the board members need to get a life. You guys should have all told him it was me, and you should have handed him your phone to call me, or better yet, brought him to the house. I am not afraid of them. In fact, if we have to quit the soccer league so that I can just go to the park and let my kids climb the trees, we will." Can you tell I am feisty? I then got even more fired up. "What is up with that lady. Seriously, she needs to get a life! What is she? Some wannabe hall monitor?"

LG nods towards the listening children and then repeats ever so calmly, "Like I said kids, our family will no longer be climbing the tree." And yes, if they end up in jail someday, whose fault is it going to be? Mr. Obedient or Mrs. Rule Breaker?

But, really, they are trees and kids...I just don't get people.

Max and Emme

I just read that JLo's twins names are Max and Emme.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are some of the most well known Hispanic celebrities in America, and so, knowing how the media is, their children Max and Emme are also automatically famous.

Here are some other well-known Hispanic celebrities named Max and Emme:

In case you have never seen it, they're characters from the cartoon Dragon Tales.

I am totally outing myself as a stay home mom to a toddler who watches PBS. (we only get 4 channels with our rabbit ears)

But, seriously, do you think they know about the Dragon Tale characters? Why would you name your kids after a cartoon?

Is America ready for a gay idol?

After last night's results, I guess the answer is no.

Hey, but what about Clay Aiken? It sounds here likeClay wants America to know that he is straight. Good for him.

Sorry to DW who doesn't like to read about AI. (Just a suggestion, you don' t have to read every post) Despite the AI haters (such as DW) I am very happy that my four faves are still in.

I haven't been feeling very good and it is really easy to throw up a post about Americal Idol. I will get back to a story, hopfully sooner rather than later.

Michelle and MaryKay

Michelle is one of these special moms that I just posted about. She is raising two children with autism and I am proud to call her my blogging friend. She is also doing a marykay give-away on her blog....go check it out.

The beauty of tulips

As I already mentioned, I was so touched by Lisa Leonard's last post about her special needs son, David. I just adore these special kids and have more admiration for their mothers than anyone else in this world. Those mothers (and fathers) are truly angels on an errand for God.

Abigail's teacher has a son with Downs Syndrome and I always tell Mrs. Webb how I am almost jealous. LG and I both think that Downs kids are the cutest in the world. Mrs. Webb, of course, feels the same way. She agreed with the following piece when referring to her experience with having her son:

I think that this little literary diddy can be applied to so many life experiences.

WELCOME TO HOLLAND

by Emily Perl Kingsley.

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel.

It's like this......When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go.

Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland.""Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy.

But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there.

And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland. c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved.

Fast Sunday

Mormons have a Fast Sunday every first Sunday of the month. We go without food and water for a 24 hour period as a way to gain greater spirituality, show our reliance on God, and give to the needy. (we give the money we would have used on the food to the poor)

Yesterday as we were driving home, Bella (my 4 year old) was telling me about primary. (Here is a photo of her leaving a typical church classroom)Bella loves her teacher, Sister Dennis. She had a great day and was especially happy for the chocolate chip cookies that her teacher had brought to share.

The teachers don't always bring treats and they rarely do on Fast Sunday. (because even though children don't usually fast, by not bringing treats it is a way to support the principle)

Bella says to me on the way home, "Mom, Sister Dennis must have forgotten that it is Fifth Sunday because she brought us cookies." So much for having taught the principle! I responded, "Do you mean Fast Sunday, not Fifth Sunday?" She said, "Yeah, I guess."

Tennessee Weather

Here is a picture of the girls in January at Grammy and Papa's. They were thrilled to have a 1/4" of snow. I had to let them go out at 10 PM to enjoy it...I knew the snow would be gone by morning.

Here are some photos I snapped around town last week when we got a good snow...as you can see it wasn't a whole lot.

I snapped these photos while I drove the kids to school. (yes, I did drive and take pics at the same time) LG was taking the bar, or I would have been glad to have him do the snow school commute. I guess they didn't close the schools down or at least start on a 2 hour delay because the weathermen predicted that this would be all we would get.

I am always a little afraid of TN icy roads. I went off the road into a ditch several years ago. When we get snow/ice conditions in TN everything shuts down. It only happens a few times a year and so they aren't equipped to handle it...everyone just stays home and waits for it to melt away. And it is true that our icy roads are totally more slick than those out in the dessert.

So, on my way home from dropping the kids off, I started getting really stressed. The kids school is a 20 minute drive away, and I was driving through a pretty good downpour on the way home. I would have to go back and get them later in the day, and I was worried about navigating through it all after it piled up all day.

I was listening to talk radio. (while driving, snapping photos, and talking to Bella) People were calling in to the show and reporting treacherous conditions in different parts of town while the talk jock kept saying repeatedly that he hates snow. One woman called in from the west side of town and reported blue skies...I thought she was kidding and trying to cheer up the talk show host...until I hit the interstate...here is what I saw...

And now you know why all Tennesseans know to constantly check the weather!