Day by Day

Keera was talking about school.  A girl made a boy cry because she said, "He was holding a girl toy."  So Keera said, "Stop with your mean comments." to the girl and then she cried. A friend of Keera's was sad because someone said that another girls' art work was good, but they didn't say anything to this girl.  So, Keera said, "Don't be sad Darla.  We all have our special talents and yours is that you are nice and have a lot of friends." Lessons from an eight year old.......

Keera had to come to a BOE meeting tonight with me because all teens decided to abandon ship with friends and Bob had a game with Brendan. So...she did very well and on the way out one of the other admins said, "Is this your daughter?"  I said, "yes, my youngest."  She said, "She will keep you young." Keera then said, "Well apparently I am not doing a very good job." The way she said it was really cute and the other woman laughed so hard...."A good sense of humor she has too", she said.

We were driving and Keera said to me, "Remember how you said that Alyssa and Mashal (her best friends) will probably get sick of each other because they are in the same class this year?  Well it isn't happening." I said, "Well it might over the year, but you guys can all be good friends still." She said, "Maybe God is trying to teach me a lesson." I said, "What do you mean?" She said, "Maybe he put Mashal and Alyssa together and me in a different class because he wants me to know that I can handle being on my own and make other friends." I said, "Maybe he is Keera...always best to make the best of your situation."

Keera enjoying taking "selfies", as they call them today, with the iphone.

Keera's cup mountain Keera decided to shave a watermelon Keera's skinless watermelon Keera with a new bubble blowing machine Bob brought home from Chicago baseball card show.

Brendan as a baby-cutie! Brendan turned 20 this year-friends had a small get together and we went-Keera watching as he blows out the cake! Throw back - Brendan-boyscouts, years ago.

Connor headed out the door-first day of school-no time for pictures. Connor driving to school - first day as a senior Keera and Elfie - first day of school..I think it was a security blanket for first day of school Keera-first day of school as a fourth grader. Katie - took off in her car before Bob could get her picture....teens....

There were three or four hot, sultry days this week.  Everything was sticking to everything.  It felt like we were breathing water, not air.  Finally by Thursday, the relief started to come....booming hits of thunder and piercing streaks of lightning.  Of course all three driving children were out when it hit. 1. Connor....ran into our steps a few months ago (cement) and lost his bumper.  THe guy next door saw it and helped put it back on.  During the storm, he hit a curb backing out of someone's driveway and off fell his bumper.  The van looks so silly without it and he claims it looks cool and is not getting it fixed....anyway...one car down. 2.  Brendan.....had a softball game with Bob.  Brendan went because the text said game still on.  Bob was on his way out when the storm really hit, so he stayed home.  The home phone rings (pouring buckets of rain, thunder, lightning, windy) and it is Brendan...."Mom, (sure-now I hear fro...

It has finally happened...number four...after 19 years of having an Easter Bunny....Keera talked a lot in front of me about it...."There isn't really an Easter bunny....why this and why would that be, if there was."  etc.... Finally she came out and asked if Brendan, C and K believed in the Easter Bunny.  I told her to ask them....how else do you handle that? She marched into Brendan's room and he said, "No".  I guess that wast he bottom line.....She came out and asked me and you get to that age when skirting the issue becomes a fine line between teaching them to trust you and trying to hold onto childhood a bit longer.  I decided to go with the trust thing this time, so I told her that Dad and I were the Easter Bunny.  She said, "Dad?" I said, "of course...who do you think hid the baskets...not me."  And she said, "So that is why  found my basket where I did last year." So you know if the Easter Bunny isn't real, there ...

In the first few years of high school Katie surely has proven her self academically.  She works hard and now has a job and works hard at that; however, until recently, I was surprised at her lack of self-advocacy, compared to Connor at least.  Connor would go to his guidance counselor and seek out help to things he wanted, whereas Katie would ask me how to get something fixed.  I would suggest it and she wouldn't want to do it because it involved her advocating for her self. Well.....I was wrong about that perception, or she changed a little. The other day we went to pick up her car.  It was only half done (but driveable), so as we were leaving (and I hate dealing with the mechanics....talk about sexist and rude.....the guy at the desk was on the phone with a personal phone call (didn't mean to eaves drop, but how could it be helped) while three other guys stood behind him and Katie and I waited five minutes before any of them asked if we needed to pick up a car-...

This seems to be my theme lately...child withdrawal.....Connor now has what is almost a girlfriend-is that possible???  I keep asking Katie and she says they are "talking", which isn't just friends and not quite girlfriends.  Anyway...just talking is defined by spending a lot of time in his room face timing, versus hanging out on the couch all of the time with laptop on lap and tv on, or arguing with Keera-which sounds like a dream for mom, but not so much.  It also includes spending time at her house :(.  I miss him sitting on the couch making comments and hanging out.  She is really cute (the girl he is "talking to"). So that one is a new one for me..... Next - Katie has a car that somewhat works now (although it needs more work...who buys a car for 1400 and ends up putting 1400 into it.....us....live and learn...no one said having kids and kids who can be independent was easy.  It might be better if we all went back to one income and had no extra car...

As I type away and hear the clitter clatter of the keys, I hear in the back ground a chirping.  I stop and listen because it is so neat.......It is that late August, early September sound of whatever bug it is...the crickets? not sure, but it happens every year and it is actually calming to listen to.  Don't you love how we can expect certain things throughout the year, every year?  And most of those have to do with nature....cool stuff.

I went to mass last week to be a Eucharistic Minister.  The lectors did not show up (and there was only one other EM with me), so I offered to read.  I told Father I had been a lector years ago.  So in the back of the church, I practiced real quick before I went up.  I guess when God calls....we answer.....and it was really fun to do it again.  So....if women can do all that in one mass, why is it they can't be deacons or priests?  I guess that is yet to come.

I always close the pool on Labor day weekend, but this summer was just too nice to do that.  I wanted to make it last one more weekend!  So, we closed it this weekend.  I hate that instead of looking out into blue water and an open space, I am looking out onto a dark green cover, but it is anticipation for next Spring to come, I guess.  All summer's must come to an end.

Golf....really like it....I hadn't golfed since the Spring of 2012.  In July, I decided it was time to pick it up again.  I went once a week with Dad and once with Bob (refer to post on that one).  Then I had to take two weeks off (school start up).  I was able to go this week again with Dad.  I am trying to get him out, so it kills two birds with one stone.  While it is one of the most frustrating things because I never know what I did when I have a good shot or what I did when I have a bad shot and yet I like the fact that on any given hit I can possibly have a good hit.  Anyway....will continue to improve, I expect because I am not giving it up. Back to Zumba and Yoga....my other two favorites.  Now that things are settling down, I am trying to get back into a routine of doing my zumba and yoga a few times a week. School start up - all went well.  Katie headed off in her car; Connor in his and Bob took Keera to the before Y program. ...