Class Assignments

The last few weeks has been a constant barrage of when are we going to find out who our teachers are.  Daily.  By each of the three younger kids.  Constant.  How many times in a day can you tell them x number of days?  Turns out a lot!  Good thing is that they have been so excited to go back to school and could not wait to find out who their teachers are. 

Today the class assignments, finally, came out.  Finally in my book as it means no more constant nagging from the kiddos.  They all got the teachers I was hoping for!  Yay!  Angel and Picasso both got teachers we've already had before.  Angel's 5th grade teacher was also Archer's teacher.  Picasso's 4th grade teacher was Angel and Archer's teacher also.  Good thing I LOVE those teachers!  For Princess she got the teacher I was leaning towards, but I would have been happy with any of our 2nd grade teachers.  The 2nd grade teacher is one that none of the older kids have had, which disappointed Princess briefly.  She really wanted the same teacher that both Picasso and Angel had. 

Now comes the next worry, friends.  We have already had our first major disappointment in that Picasso's best friends are not in his class.  He was devastated.  He is excited about who his teacher is, but I don't think he had stopped to think about the fact that the kids in the class change completely.  Knowing that a couple other friends are in class helped and he is looking forward to lunch and recess with his best friends.  Angel lucked out with her best friend in her class.  Princess, well we do not know anyone in her class yet.  That girl will make friends super fast though, so no worries there.

Archer is slightly curious about what pod (class grouping) he will be in, but being in middle school he is not quite so excited as his siblings. 

Another week and a half then back to school.  I am sure there will be something new for the kids to mom, mom, MOM me about.  For now I am so glad that this one is past and that my kids will have such awesome teachers. 

GI Joe: Retaliation

I have been finding myself sliding into depression lately.  It does not happen often, but every now and then it tries to creep back into my life.  After my last couple miscarriages I spiraled into a pretty bad funk.  The depression got bad enough that I tried counseling and meds.  Neither helped.  The doctor, mainly because we did not click, and the meds because meds and I tend to not be friends.  I was able to get out of that dark place.  It was a daily struggle for a time, but it got better.  Every so often I find myself trying to slide back into that place.  It is not a place I want to be! 

I believe that this time it is being caused, in part, by the frustration over my foot not healing as quickly as I hoped it would.  I overdid it and set myself back a bit.  It makes me feel as if it will never get better.   I am sure that it will.  It just takes time and patience.  I seem to be lacking in the patience at the moment. 

I have been doing a little better the past day or two.  Not great, but better.  Tonight I went to see GI Joe: Retaliation with one of my best friends.  It was just what I needed!  Something about a movie based on a childhood favorite cartoon just makes you smile.  I actually really enjoyed this one.  I think it was more serious than the first, but still just as fun.  I was sad that Chris Eccleston as Destro was not in it, however I can see him in Thor in a few months.  :)  My friend was disappointed there was not more Channing Tatum in it.  That did not bother me.  I did miss having Duke as a main character to a degree, but I missed Eccleston more.  Yes, I really like Chris Eccleston!  He is a great actor and has pretty eyes.  In regards to the movie and kids, I would let Archer see it, but would not let any of the younger kids see it.  There is no graphic violence and I do not recall a preponderance of bad language.  However it is very intense in a few parts and I feel, that for my family, it would not be appropriate for the younger kids.  At 13 years old, Archer would be okay with it.  The younger kids might be okay with it too, but I would rather they wait a few years to see it.  Same thing we did with the last Harry Potter movie.  The younger kids are still waiting anxiously to see that. 

So yay for a girl's night out with a good friend and a fun action flick!  Makes a girl feel better. 

Happy December!

Happy December!  So far no snow, which is a big bummer.  Still it is December and it should be a really good month. 

My bff of over 20 years is visiting this weekend.  He's actually here for a NFL game with his son, but they are staying at our place so it counts as a visit.  Funny enough he and my sweet husband have never met!  We've been married almost 14 years and he's never met one of my best friends ever.  They've met now and get along fine, so life is good.

I am having surgery on my left foot in a couple weeks.  Doesn't seem like a "really good month" thing, but I am hoping it is.  If all goes as expected the surgery will greatly reduce, if not elimate, the constant pain I am having in that foot.  So a good thing. 

My sister is coming to visit!  She is coming out for a few days after I have surgery to help out with the kids.  I am so excited!  I love her lots and miss her.  The kids are all really excited to see her also.  She won't be here long, but I'll take anything I can get. 
Disney on Ice is this week.  I can't wait to go and share in the magic of the show with my kids.  It will be a great night spent together as a family.

Christmas is coming!  We'll be getting our Christmas tree this weekend.  I love watching the kids all fan out to find the perfect tree.  The discussions about which one is best and why.  The smell of the pine and just the beauty it brings to my home.  It will be fabulous.

I will be wrapping presents soon.  I love wrapping up the presents to put under the tree.  The excitement that comes with the unwrapping.  The tape, the bows, the tags, the paper are all just so much fun.  Yes, I did just say that tape was fun!

Christmas Eve is always spent at my mom and step-dad's house with the family.  We eat yummy food, we put up the nativity while my step-dad reads from the scriptures, we sing Christmas carols until we can't sing anymore.  I love Christmas Eve at my parents!  Then we will head home where the Christmas jammies will be opened.

Christmas is Christmas.  It is wonderful and magical.  Full of love and wonder.  The Spirit that surrounds it is amazing.

Last, but not least by any means, is Archer's birthday.  That boy will be a teenager!

So HAPPY DECEMBER!  It is going to be a really great month!  I hope yours is too.

Fighting Over Nothing

My kids are normally the best of friends.  They truly do LIKE each other.  They hang out, they tell each other their secrets, they curl up together and watch a movie or read a book together, they are friends.  More than anything else, this tells me that I am doing an okay job at being a mom. 

Why is it that kids, well really people in general, fight over nothing?  With my kids it is at its worst in the car.  Something about being in a vehicle together brings out the worst in them.  They start arguing over the stupidest things.  Normally they fight over absolutely nothing.  Drives me absolutely bonkers!  Once it is pointed out to them and they stop, they go right back to being best friends.  Adults could learn something from that one.  How often do adults forgive the little grievances?  Probably not as often as we should.

For now I am going to enjoy watching my kids laying on the floor coloring and giggling together.  Soon enough I am sure they will start arguing over nothing again (like who gets to sit in a specific chair).  At the end of the day they love each other, more than that they like each other.  They are a good example of what it is to be friends to me.  Friends might not always agree, but you can always let that go and go on loving each other.

Not Just Siblings.....Friends

We went out to eat at a local fast food place tonight as a treat.  We ate in so the kids could play in the play area.  While we were there my children took some of the younger kids who were there under their wing and played with them.  My 7 year old son would take a little boy that couldn't have been more than 2 up to the slide and down it as he couldn't do it himself.  My daughters played with the toddlers sister.  The grandfather of those kids stood their watching and smiling.  The kids had a great time playing while we were there, joking with each other, helping each other, and just being themselves.  As we were leaving an older gentleman smiled at me and commented on the fact that it was so great that our kids liked each other.  He was so impressed by the fact that they were so kind to each other.  Not only each other, but others.  It really warmed my heart to hear this.

"Brothers and Sisters Share A Unique Blend Of Love, Comradery, and Friendship", Chuck Danes (I believe).  I believe that this is very true.  No friendship is quite like that of a sibling.  My children will make great friends throughout their lives, but their first friends and hopefully their best friends are their brothers and sisters.  This isn't to say that they get along at all times.  We have those moments where they are seperated and sent to their rooms or to sit on the stairs.  It never lasts long and the forgivenss is quickly given.  I can learn so much from how they interact with each other.  Thank you kids for not only being siblings, but being friends.

Facebook and a Soda

Sometimes Facebook is all you need to make someones day and in turn your own.  How often do we see a post from a friend asking for help or letting us know of a need.  It may be something as simple as a soda.  I had a friend earlier post that she could really use a cherry vanilla coke from Sonic.  I don't know about you, but I see posts like that on a fairly regular basis.  I've been known to post my desire for a Dr Pepper before.  That agency thing I talked about before comes into play here.  There is a choice to be made.  You can either act or not.  If you take no action nothing bad will happen.  However, if you choose to act on it you can lift someones day.  Something as small as a soda.  It's a lot bigger than just that soda though.  It's letting your friend know that you care.  That you heard them and that you acted upon that need.  Sometimes that need might be larger than a soda, but whether the need is small or large we have a choice to make.  Today I made the choice to pick up a soda for a couple friends who could use one while I was out.  It was a huge surprise to them and the smile on their faces made my whole day better.  Often helping another ends up helping you more than them.  It doesn't have to be something big, at times a smile is all that is needed.





Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped any one in need? 
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad? 
If not I have failed indeed.