Skirts

Today I want to remember that Mimi told me this morning that Cocoa Puffs wants to sell all of her pants and only wear skirts. So, to give her her hearts desires I have spent the afternoon looking for skirts for little girls on the internet and thinking of where we may be able to find some when we take Trix back to school shopping next weekend.

Every Time...

Trix and Cocoa Puffs can't be around the most sedate fireworks without being injured in some way. Last year Trix got hit on the thumb by a sparkler spark and wants nothing to do with fireworks now. This year, Cocoa Puffs accidentally spilled a bag of poppers and it sounded like a machine gun and then she touched a finger to one of the lighter sticks fireworks stands give you and she screamed like her whole body had touched it, instead of the one little area on her finger that actually made contact with it. I wonder if next year will be Kix's turn to have a war wound or will we escape the next 4th all in one piece? These kids are unlucky with the most preschool friendly version of fireworks and still get hurt, when stupidly Mimi and I used to hold roman candles in our hands as they shot upwards. Of course, we also delighted in bottle rocket wars and firecrackers strategically placed in cow manure.

24 hours

Dreading a 24 hour period can make you wish to be like Rip Van Winkle and sleep straight through. At least if you are sleeping you aren't conscious of a date on a calendar or of the activities of the world around you. Or avoiding crowds can help because then you don't have to pretend or hide your feelings. There are so many people that dread the next 24-36 hours. Children without mothers. Non mothers. Mothers who are without their children. There are many who will celebrate a first day in the club they have longed to belong to for so long, but there are many who are just surviving another day they will dread for the next 364 until it comes back to once again remind them of what they just don't have.

The Contest

I am using this picture of Cocoa Puff's flip flops from the last tball game to remember that in this part of the deep south it has already been summer for a couple of weeks. The temperatures and humidity are climbing together. The contest developed as a bet between Grandaddy and M over who could wait the longest before turning on the air conditioner. I am sort of just tagging along because if I cave first I'm not buying dinner for everyone (which is the punishment for the loser). As of today, no one has confessed to caving but the funnies are that J-dog raved about how good the air feels in the car and that it gets talked about everytime we are together. Grandaddy is determined to win and thinks he will because M will cave for the sake of the children, but I have an iron will and since it's just me and the mutt I will be victorious. She can't complain about sweating and I like to win.

A family of Rocky's

Here is my squirrel family...Trix focused all the babies on what the mama is saying to them.

The Wildlife Preserve

I haven't revealed this detail about my life yet, but I live in a wildlife preserve and the other night as I was walking the mutt, I took some pictures of my favorite animals.


This is my bullfrog. He is stoic and I've never seen him with a different expression.

The truth is that the previous owner of my house was an older lady who apparently, took lots of time in the yard and enjoyed adding animals to the yard. I haven't moved any of the critters yet, partly because they are my way of honoring her (even though I don't know her) and because Trix and Cocoa Puffs like to play with the critters when they are here.

I want to add these pictures so I can remember what the yard my have looked like 10-15 years ago. Neglect is apparent and changes will have to be made but I want to remember the before as I start to build the after.

The Funnies

I forgot to write last night that B, on Trix's team, said "You're old" to Grandaddy instead of "thank you" when he told her she'd had a good season. Also, Cocoa Puffs asked me during the game "What are those little white lines on your feet?" Guess I need to do some moisturizing and exfoliating.

The Last Inning

The last inning of the last tball game of the year just concluded and I believe it was a successful season for Trix. Friends were made, cheers filled the air, skills were honed/dirt was thrown and fun was had by all.
I can't help but wonder, what's next?

Today I...

Today I finished painting my flower pots and got my herbs planted. They have been in the pots for 8 hours and are still green, so here's hoping. Trix has kindergarten evaluation tomorrow and the last t-ball game tomorrow night. I'm nervous for the first and am going to miss the last.

Here are my herbs and my azaleas I planted a couple of weeks ago. If I keep going at this rate I may not be a wannabe forever.

Photo Test

Testing to see if I can put in pictures since my sister is using having three kids as a reason not to help me get a great blog that will develop into an epic adventure and make me enough money I can stay home with the mutt...she needs me!

I love a rainy night...

Short and sweet because I'm about to curl up in my chair and sort jigsaw pieces and watch tv, but wanted to document that I think my favorite feature in this house is that I have 2 screen doors. I love to leave my doors open to let air in, but really love that I can have my doors open when it's raining (like tonight) and still have the screen doors closed so the mutt can't get out.

Concerns of children

Last night Trix and Cocoa Puffs spent the night with their grandparents and I got to visit with them because it was American Idol night and no t.v. for me means I have to go visiting when I want to watch live t.v. While sitting on the couch both said their favorite part of the day was watching t.v. Trix's favorite show was American Idol and Cocoa Puffs voted for Handy Manny. A little bit later I went and laid down with Trix until she fell asleep. I love that she held my hand until she fell asleep. I made it a point to focus on that little thing because while brushing teeth I commented on how tall she's getting and her reply was, "Well, I'm almost a grownup." It is coming so fast and even though I don't want it to happen too quickly I do want it to happen because I love watching them at this age for clues as to who they will be in 20 years. While I was watching her fall asleep I love that the only concerns they had in their life at that time was who was going to get to wear the pink nightgown and who was going to sleep in which bed. There are so many children with much bigger issues on their minds when they lay down at night and while there are no guarantees of a life of only little issues, I am thankful that last night's were little concerns.

The Cheering Section

Tonight Trix had quite a few guests in the cheering section at Tball and the attention was well deserved and appreciated. Everyone loves adoration and cheers but most of life is the opposite. Everyday life is full of monotony and "nothing special" moments, but I guess that is what makes the adoration and cheers bring such smiles to the faces of the recipients. And to have "nothing special" moments is wonderful too, because yes, the big moments are remembered but little moments make big memories too. I hope Trix and the littles have lots of both big moments with cheering sections and little everyday moments where they were made to feel special just because they were being themselves. For today I want to remember that being themselves currently consists of one that grins big when I question the lack of hair growth, one that likes participating in activities that lead to smelling like a barn, and one that is well suited for any career that will require wearing up and down shoes.

Gratitude

It is funny to watch a child be handed a great gift and be so excited and then see their sibling receive 2 cheaper gifts and see the look of "why didn't I get two? one good gift is always trumped by two crummy ones because two is always more than one". The grass is always greener and we often do covet what others have. For today I want to try to have more gratitude about the gifts I get, whether it's what I would have picked for myself or not. Today I didn't get anything, so I didn't have to make sure to be appreciative, I had to make sure not to covet a plastic horse and plastic shoes. I bet they would've fit me too.

No Fear

I think since the middle child is called Cocoa Puffs, for obvious reasons, I will stick with the General Mills theme and hereby christen the older child "Trix" and the youngest child "Kix". Too bad all three names don't rhyme, but I had already decided on Kix for the younger due to the whole baldness thing, and out of the list, Trix seemed the best fit for the oldest.

So, back to my thoughts for today. Trix tried something she thought she would like today and even though there was hesitancy, there wasn't fear. Trix doesn't fear stepping out of the comfort zone and is not a person who I believe would be fearless enough to try anything, but will step out and test the waters. I appreciate Trix not staying inside a nice little self limiting box but for pursuing an interest with enthusiasm. Even if Trix never rides a horse again, that's okay too, because at least it was tried. Plus, horses are a little scary. As a young girl, I sat on the back of a horse that refused to follow all the other horses in the line at camp as the cowboy in charge slapped the horse in the face two times. The horse complied but my cowgirl dreams died.

Lost Time

Tonight my little Cocoa Puffs lost time watching the tball game because she refused to say she was sorry to me for being rude. She used excuses like she lost the plug in her ear and that she was too sleepy and too shy to say it. She eventually caved and said it because she is only three, and at that age chances are they will when you find out what will sway them. I guess my lesson for today is that the time lost being stubborn, even if you are right is still time lost that you could have been doing something you wanted or spending time with someone instead of isolating yourself, whether self imposed or imposed upon you. I doubt she learned a lesson from the episode, but I have been trying to reach out to others lately instead of letting time pass. Even if you know you are right, be the one that takes the first step and initiate contact. It doesn't mean you were wrong and are conceding to the other person. Maybe it just means that the difference between you is so minimal and not worth the effort it takes to stand your ground. Maybe the lost time is not worth the price of being the one who's always right. I hated the isolation that was imposed on her and walked up the hill to her, even though she was the one that had to say sorry because I knew she wouldn't let herself take the first step. She is only three.

My Needs

For today I want to recall that I am putting the needs of my plants before myself. This may be a fleeting interest, but on my lunch break today when I came home to let the mutt out I sat out a can of water to water my azaleas when I got home. I always feed the mutt and take her out to potty before feeding myself, but today I came in third and water the plants before I started on my dinner. I am thinking about buying a hat to wear while I garden, but I may have to have a pair of overalls too.

Canine Choice

My remembrance for today is that I honestly did not care what I wore to work so I held up two shirts, asked the mutt to pick one and the first one she touched with her nose was the one I wore. Thank goodness her nose wasn't wet and runny when she touched it.

Doubt

It makes me sad that the thought could enter that 4 year old mind that anything could change how I feel about her. Especially a trivial non-matter. So for today I want to remember that I need to make a mental note to reinforce that idea. I think I took a baby step forward when the last thing I said before I left to get in my own car to go home was the answer to the question she asked. "You are my favorite player on your team." She may have already forgotten her doubt, whether it was real or not, but I haven't.

Rage against the Monkey Grass!

I guess this is the inaugural post for this blog. Maybe I can remember to write things I want to remember on here. There won't be any pictures of cute kids with food on their faces but I can put up pictures of the mutt before she shakes the water off her muzzle, I guess. For today I want to remember that this weekend I mowed half of my yard, cleaned out my shed, won the first round in the great Monkey Grass War of 2010, and planted three azaleas in my front yard. I am finishing this day with calluses on my hands and dirt under my nails and the knowledge that I did every bit of it by myself (except for JDog, who dug the holes).