Day by Day

Keera and I had a full day and it is only half over... We went to Lyman Orchards with the intention of picking blueberries.  I have been taking the kids for probably 13 years every summer to pick blueberries and every fall to pick pumpkins.  The sunflower maze was just opened so we did that too.  We went forward without a map and got lost, so we went back and then went through the exit, with a map.  We found our way.  Because it was the opening day, they had hot air balloon rides.  The hot air balloon was tethered but I have always been interested in hot air balloons, so I thought we would try to see if it was something I would want to do someday (without being tethered by a rope).  It was a five minute ride up and down, but it was fun. Then we went to the store and bought some goodies-whoopie pie is always Keera's favorite. Swimming when we got home-it was hot picking blueberries.  Katie, Keera and I are headed to a movie this afternoon....

It was a busy day yesterday.  Bob is in Ohio so Keera and I went mini-golfing, while Brendan worked and Katie and Connor slept.  When we got home we played cards, listened to music.  We hung out and went to church.  When we got home Keera found a good movie on tv, so she didn't even want to go into the pool when I came down in m suit and said I was going for a quick swim to cool off. I got in the pool and it was heavenly.  It was quiet and relaxing.  When I got out and sat in a chair, I felt like a new person.  There is something about the water cooling your whole body down and it was nice to just sit on a summer night.  Well... The back door opens and Keera comes out yelling, "Mom...Mom....Connor just pushed me for no reason."  Then Connor comes out, "I'm sure you are going to believe her and not listen to me."  So, I was in such a peaceful and tranquil state that I was able to very calmly say, "Keera, tell me what happened", and sh...

Connor comes across a fact and then he explores it to the farthest possibility.  He reads, goes on line, watches tv on it. Here is one of the latests facts that I started making fun of (not him, but the fact) but he made a believer out of me and I became obsessed with it. If a lion and a hippo were in a fight together, who would be the winner?  The answer is a hippo....yes a hippo.  I said, "Yeah, those cute little ears sticking out of the water and that huge body that can't move faster than mud...that is going to kill a wild cat?"  It turns out that hippos are really mean animals.  We watched a few youtube videos and a tv show on it.  One hippo scared off like 10 lions that were on its back by turning and biting the whole head of one of the lions that was jumping on it.  They have really thick skin and a huge mouth with very dangerous teeth, apparently.  They are very territorial and will attack.  Plus when they have a bowel movement, th...

Katie had a friend over the other day and we all ended up at the island in our kitchen.  Bob, me, Connor, Brendan, Keera, Katie and Becca.  It was the day before or after Bredan's birthday and someone said something about his birthday.  Becca said, "You are 18?  If I turned 18 I would be out of here and up in Canada or something.  I mean, not this house but my house."  (I don't think there is anything wrong with her house..I think it was a 14 year old adolescent, being an adolescent.)  Brendie turns to me, gives me this big hug and says something like, "Nahhhh, I'm not leaving, I love my mom", in a teasing like voice.  Of course we all know he isn't truly leaving because we provide food, shelter, etc.; however, it was so sweet and I think there is some truth to it that he and I have an okay relationship.  If we didn't, he probably would be out of here.  (Wait....does above the garage count as out of here because he keeps pushing for us t...

I taught a workshop (Hitting the Ground Running as a new administrator) with a fellow administrator this week-another blogging item because I loved it.  The 11 people who signed up are all teachers in our district (the school system we work in-Kindergarten-High School), who went through their 6th year program last year in administration and most are seeking administration jobs. When we first started, we talked about a trusting environment in a building as a new administrator.  We had found an ice breaking activity in which you ask them what was the best team you were on (anytime in your life) and why.  I sat there listening to what they were saying...sports, teaching teams, etc. and I began thinking what was my best team ever.  I went through all of the teams I have been on-Field Hockey, softball, co-ed softball, administrative, student/teacher committees, teacher/admin committees and all of a sudden it dawned on me what my best team ever was..... My marriage tea...

Bob has been working on the yard for about two years.  He has dug, sifted, planted and it looks really good.  However, in his process of digging and sifting, he came up with two huge rock piles.  One pile is just rocks,  and the other pile was pieces of cement and broken bricks that he had created the patio with.  The pile was truly an ugly pile of junk rocks.  Bob figured that some people like this type of junk rock to fill in holes, such as where a pool was or if they are pouring cement steps, they fill it with rock so not to have to use cement for the whole thing.  So....he figured people would take the rocks if he put the pile out front with a sign "free". Well, the very next day, the day Bob went to Ohio, Katie said, "Mom this is so embarassing.  Nicki and Becca were laughing at the "free" rock sign.  Kelly and Jenna were going to replace the free sign with 5.00.  Can't we get rid of this pile?"  I just said, "I know K...

Katie has her second day of captain's practice today for high school volleyball team.  She said yesterday wasn't bad but toda is supposed to be worse.  Tryouts are not until the end of August.  I just hope she makes it because I can't stand to see the kids disappointed and she does not share at all, so this would be a tough one.  Her friends and her cousin (friend also) are also trying out.  It could be rough in some make it and others don't.  Uggghhhh it's hard being a parent!

Brendan turns 18 today.  He is so excited.  He said he wants to smoke a cigar on the front porch....really????  Please don't!  And sometime this year he wants to get a tattoo.  I have been desperately trying to talk him out of that one from a medical point of view.  So 18 years ago at this time I was in a hospital bed feeling as big as I could get and just waiting for the unknown. It is funny how you forget all the pain involved in it...nature's way.   Eleven hours later......Brendan Edward Reed. Love ya Brendie!

Do we dare get excited?  On Friday Bob had 3 calls for 3 different interviews.  One was today.  One is tomorrow and one is in a week.  I am afraid to even think this could be the turn around we need, but what else is hope and faith for?  It's funny that I don't even feel a need to pray because I know God has a plan and when things fit, they will happen for whatever reason.  Maybe just a quick prayer that God's will be done.

I've discovered the secret...well, two secrets.... There are two secrets to having a discussion with your teenagers, who are rarely at home and when they are either have an electronic device in their ear, in front of their face or are watching TV.  One way is to text them a conversation...yes, even if you are in the house with them, although I try to promote face-to-face, so I avoid the in the house texting. The other way is to drive them somewhere (they are always requesting rides anyway...might as well get something out of it).  You ask one or two questions and before you know it, they are talking in whole sentences to you.  Of course you can't ask any probing questions because they clam right up. You start with the non-important questions and then as they start talking, they don't even realize you are asking other questions that any other time they would not answer.  The key to this is not to have two of your teenagers in the car at once because then it be...

Driving in the car the other day with Brendan and Keera, Keera asks, "Mom, is this a zit on my chin"?  She is 6 years old.  Even Bren laughed.  "No Keera.  You probably won't get zits until you are 11 or 12."  She obviously lives with teenagers and a 42 year old mother who still gets zits.

As I got out of the pool tonight (for the second time today....love that pool in 100 degree temperatures), Keera was begging me to stay in, and my savior came out the back door.  Brendan jumped in the pool and played with Keera for at least a half an hour.  She laughed and laughed.  I had to pry her out of the pool to go for ice cream. I was pleasantly surprised when Brendan wanted to go with us.  He even sat at the tiny table with Keera.  Brendan turns 18 next Wednesday and I hardly ever see him anymore, but this night I will cherish. 

What is it about the word fart that cracks kids up?  It has become more of a common word in our family as the years went on.  I probably started saying (when Brendan-18-was little), "now, we don't talk like that".  At this point, not only have I given up on that, but I actually enjoy using the word myself. For example in the pool today, Keera and I were trying to find fun things to do.  She has this huge red ball that we wanted to play volleyball with, so she brought it in the pool. I could not resist.  I put it under my belly (this thing is huge) and turned around, popped it out behind me-at Keera-and pretended it was a big old fart. We laughed hysterically....silliness at its best.

Bob was able to get Brendan on his Wallingford slow pitch softball team this year (even though he doesn't turn 18 until July).  Brendan has played baseball since he was five so he is a bit over qualified for the "old men" and their fun.  In other words, after the first game (I was in Spain-doggone it), Bob texted me and told me that all of these years and he never hit a homerun in softball...B got up his first time and hit a homerun.  At any rate, it has been really fun watching the the two of them play together.  Brendan's experienced obviously spoke for him because he plays shortstop and bats high up in the line up.  Tonight he hit a typical line drive to center field.  The fielder missed it, but it didn't go too far, since he was almost at the fence anyway, and Brendan ended up with a homerun.  He comes around third, guns it to home and walks off not even out of breath.  The other men on the team get a double and I can s...

I feel guilty over not blogging-how silly is that?  I think it's been a busy two months, but I also think part of me wants to hold everything to myself.  I have this intense feeling (which I can't seem to let go of) that my family is slowly moving away from me and I almost think that if I don't put everything they do and say that I love (or don't love) into writing, it will help keep them close.  The reality is that nothing will keep them with me because the older three are on their way to their lives ahead of them.  I guess I should just get over this and move on.  I am sure (hopefully) I will always have a role in those lives they are creating.  I guess it is time to make sure I keep blogging so years from now, I can look back and remember all of the memories we did create together (good and bad).