So Christmas has officially come and gone. I have pictures, not uploaded just yet, but I'll share soon. We've had a nice time playing games, figuring out all the techy-type gifts and eating fabulous food with delicious snacks BUT
I call this time the post-Christmas fall out. It's just a blah time for me. Ya know, kinda like laundry day after coming home from vacation; the vacation was great but settling back down is a bit of a buzz-kill. I guess it's the lack of insanity with all the hustle, bustle, excitement and the preparations/shopping/wrapping/etc. being done. It's the constant trash pick-up of packaging tidbits; small parts to games; and then the if-I-have-to-sweep-one-more-pine-needle craziness. Although I am looking forward to jumping onto the organization bandwagon and decluttering clothes & toys (again!), I can't wait to get the tree down! Tomorrow (Monday) I am going to work with the kids and get their bedrooms done so we can get the tree down during the Saints game. Does that make me a Scrooge? I just want a sense of peace and when my house is clean and mostly clutter-free I am at peace.

Maybe I should have asked for a cleaning fairy for Christmas???

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas; a Southern California Christmas --- beautiful clear skies about 65*, just perfect. Yesterday I was a wrapping fool and I managed to wrap w/o anyone sneaking in for a peek. Still have a few left but nothing that is overwhelming. I just wanted to share some pictures of the what it looks like around here........

 This is only 1/2 the house but it's a sample of the insanely tall tree that Collin decorates. You can't see the other tree; part of the yard; walkway. The rain has put a damper on him finishing the lights; makes for a grumpy Mr. Griswold.

 Grandma Hall's gifts; the kids can hardly keep their hands off even though I told them it was OK to eat the candy canes.

 The stockings are hung..........

 The cookies are made.............

 A Christmas with Scrooge has come to an end (our school 'family of friends' minus Skylar)

 but there remains more cookies to be made-- Chex Muddy Buddies; Chex Chili/Garlic Mix; and FUDGE!!! Ooooops, almost forgot to make the five cups/ambrosia salad for tomorrow. And coke-jello salad.

We'll head to church for Christmas Eve service; have some yummy homemade carnitas for dinner today and spend the evening playing games and watching 'It's A Wonderful Life'; tomorrow is the main event. Collin's prime rib, yorkshire pudding, garlic mashed potatoes, and more....

The only thing missing is extended family and SNOW.

BUT, in the words of Tiny Tim,

GOD BLESS US, EVERYONE!

Merry Christmas to you all

Can you feel the hustle bustle of the city???? Yes, It's Christmas Time (not yet, let's get through Thanksgiving) in Londontown again!!!!

Thanksgiving time means so many things these days. It's truly a hustle and bustle like no other. Maggie and I have Scrooge rehearsals, Sean/Amanda/Ian are playing basketball,  and OF COURSE the turkey is in the fridge thawing while I shop for the ingredients to my favorite meal. We are cooking and my friend Sandee will be joining us since her kids will be with their Dad.

It also means SHOPPING for me. In the past I have prided myself on being finished with Christmas shopping BY Thanksgiving; not giving in to the sales and tempting holiday releases. Times have changed with me working and our finances being stretched. So, besides grabbing a stocking stuffer here and there I haven't really gotten much accomplished. I'm going to make a good effort to peruse the sale papers and make a shopping list, but the thought of getting up at oh-dark-thirty and fighting people who are hyped up on Starbucks isn't exciting. I am a happy shopper who understands that parking will suck, lines will be long, and product is limited SO MERRY CHRISTMAS PEOPLE; be nice and is losing the spirit of Christmas worth a few dollars, I think not.

For Collin, it means his annual transformation into Clark Griswold. He started thinking about lights and strategies for electric cords weeks ago. He even trimmed the tree out front b/c he wanted to make sure the lights would show up nicely. The majestic pine-type tree that he has procariously decorated from our rooftop for years has grown at least 6 ft. this year so I'm not sure how he is going to do it. (at least I don't WANT to know how) I mentioned NOT decorating it this year and he took it as a challenge. Silly, man. Yes, we have insurance. The notes we get from people saying 'you made our Christmas' and 'thank you for bringing some sparkle to our holidays' makes it all worth it. I'll update when it's complete so if you live near by you can drive by and enjoy his masterpiece.

In the meantime, I'm going to practice my lines and make a couple of things for tomorrow. Sandee will make her famous deviled eggs; Collin will do 'most' of the cooking. I'll make cranberry sauce and a pecan pie later today. What is your must-have favorite on Thanksgiving?

However, even with the hustle and bustle, I will NEVER forget where we were last Thanksgiving. I will NEVER forget to be thankful for health; the miracle of medicine; and the many blessings that God has given our family.

And I thought I was doing so well with getting back onto the bloggin' train near the end of September. Then I blinked. And now it's almost mid-November.

Let's see --- Amanda celebrated her 9th birthday; I celebrated a birthday; we had our 15th anniversary; we had Halloween; we did school book reports; we had Scrooge auditions; we had football and we are transitioning to basketball. Our house came off the market. And, I got something called A JOB! And Jerry Brown is governor again (I wish I was kidding about the last part.)

And my world has been rocked.

Yes, I know, women have been working mothers for years. Well, I HAVEN'T. I have been unemployed for 12 years. I was Queen of my Household Kingdom or whatever crap you want to call it. I was just starting to hit a good routine with volunteering, grocery shopping, meal planning, homework help, and all that comes with keeping the house going/ being a wife and mother. And it all came tumbling down.

I LOVE MY JOB. It's the best of the school world w/o the added stress. I get to work with the kids; help the teachers and get paid :) BUT I have quickly figured out that going to sleep 'early' is mandatory to get up at 6:30am. (bye, bye TV time....already deleted Private Practice from the cue; will likely give up on another show soon). Errands and house cleaning take up the bulk of my time when I'm not doing all my other responsiblities. Egads; it's a crazy shuffle. I am SO grateful that I am able to work around my kids' school schedule but we are all adjusting.

So that's where I've been. Online time is RARE, but I do have Facebook on my new Blackberry so I try to read a little here and there when I'm in the carpool pick-up line or find myself with a few minutes at a sports practice.

Already thinking about the yummy food plans for Thanksgiving while I think of quick-and-easy breakfast for my kids on school days; while I think about the healthy snacks I need to bring for grab-and-go at work; while I about what's for dinner the rest of the week; while I think that I should probably make my kids some lunch.  Multi-tasking at it's finest.

I'll send pictures soon, but that requires more time so don't hold your breath.

Question: What is a hot commodity?
Answer: An umbrella in the Hall household (one that isn't broken)

See, in SoCal, umbrellas aren't really used very much. Well - they are if you count their use for sword-fights, battles in the hose and fort building while they play Survivor. Finding one that WORKS properly when it is actually needed is nearly impossible.

Now that means I have to set foot into Target. GAH.......I'm hoping they have a little display right up front b/c my budget does not permit browsing.

So, it's the first day of October.

• Thought I could like of something profound or at least entertaining, but I got nothing. Nothing but strange, red blood shot eyes......they don't hurt, I got good sleep the last few nights, not painful, only slightly itchy. Things that make ya go hmmmmmmmmmm.
• Worked Volunteered in the library for a few hours today. I think that puts me at 10hrs. in there for the week. I find myself wanting to read lots of random kids' chapter books now; I might even try the Kingdom Keepers series.
• Ian is about to lose one of his top middle teeth. Catch-22 for me -- PLEASE lose the tooth b/c it is so gross; please don't lose the tooth b/c it is all big teeth and growing too fast from here on out.
• Amanda's birthday is quickly approaching. She is difficult to shop for.....she IS Punky Brewster. Ugh.
• Sean survived his history test; hopefully he'll have the grade soon.
• Maggie isn't thrilled that after back-to-school night I now have met her teachers and I know how to retrieve assignments and grades. That girl. Ay-yi-yi. (shocker (not!): her music teacher thinks she's going great.)
• We are having the strangest weather...........it was 110 over the weekend; has cooled into the 80s and daily there are random thunderstorms in the area; YET, it hasn't rained at my house. Loving that fact that I actually have to check the weather.

Oh lookie, I just created a blog post, albeit boring. Maybe I need to give you my opinion of Survivor this year. Maybe not.

Let's call this post Fifth Grade, Third Time Around
I remember very little about fifth grade. I remember I had Mrs. Kleppner. I remember that I did my first social studies/fair project on the Pyramids at Giza and the horrible time my Dad had cutting the triangles so they would fit together properly. I remember fifth grade was hard; reading comprehension issues made every subject a challenge from word problems in math to class speed reading with a little machine thingie on the board. I always failed those reading this/answer questions sections b/c I could NEVER keep up much less comprehend what was going on. Somehow I managed b/c my Mom wasn't one to help me with school work. If my brother couldn't help me with math, I was screwed. (THANK YOU Dale for being a good brother!)

The state standards are getting pushed into younger age brackets; they are doing some pre-algebra stuff as far as I'm concerned. Here in CA, 5th grade is hard too. Maggie made it through 5th grade well enough. And here we go again - Sean is in 5th grade. His teacher is awesome and a guru about organization and responsibility. Sean gets the pre-algebra stuff and seems to 'get' math overall. (thank goodness!) BUT (you knew there was a but!) he struggles with reading comprehension as I once did. So I'm delving into US History once again. I'm learning that I certainly didn't truly learn a lot OR I've forgotten a ton (I'll wager a little of both, but I did remember the capital of Kansas!). Sean has his first history chapter test tomorrow. We've been going over his study guides, re-reading the chapter and reviewing vocabulary. He is allowed a notes page so I'm typing it for him. There is such a fine line between feeling like I'm doing too much and letting him handle it on his own. I'm just not one of those sink-or-swim kind of Moms I guess. (I had one of those.) He can sit in the pool and tread water forever but he can't learn to butterfly if he isn't helped along. kwim? I absolutely WILL NOT do the work for my children (book reports, dioramas, science fair projects, etc.) but I feel like it's my job to guide them and help them along. He has studied and written out his notes page but I offered to type it for him so he will have it more clearly written. He told me how he wants it laid-out and how to outline stuff. All I'm doing is typing it b/c he has sports commitments.

So tell me, is typing it for him wrong? It's a notes paper. It's not a state project that he has worked on for six weeks and was expected to type himself. He has studied; he has written notes. I sat with him and went over the chapter/sections to make sure he got the BIG PICTURE. ( he tends to have a hard time analyzing stuff)

Am I fretting over this because my Mom didn't do a thing for me academically? (especially as I struggled to even tread water sometimes) She didn't go to parent teacher conferences, ferpetesake.

I am untying some apron strings with Maggie now in middle school. I'm letting her spread her wings (even if they need to be clipped a little). I want my kids to be confident learners so I will continue to guide them academically.

Just for today, I will be grateful that we have groceries and healthy food to eat; many people go hungry.

Just for today, I will be grateful that I have an education and can help my kids with their homework; no matter how tedious it may be.

Just for today, I will be thankful for my home (that is STILL on the market); some people have no shelter.

Just for today, I will be appreciate my four healthy children; just one year ago, one was VERY UN-HEALTHY.

Just for today, I will enjoy the Monday Night Football game, even though the Saints aren't in it (and they lost yesterday).

Just for today, I will SAVOR and appreciate the fact that I have AIR-CONDITIONING; many folks don't have a/c and today is simply miserable w/o it.

I have a clever football post, but since Blogger is not letting me add the photos once again. I'll wait until I can add them.

For now, I'll post about Maggie. You don't hear about her much so I thought I would share a little about what she's been up to. two words = MIDDLE SCHOOL! She started 7th grade on Sept. 2nd; she walks to school with friends; I have yet to be at the school once (and we are starting week three). It's a whole new time of adjustment for all of us. Not knowing who her teachers are and what she is 'really' doing during the day is weird. I'm at the elementary school so much that I know who is where at any given time; now, she is just out there in some mysterious land called MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'm anxious for back-to-school night so I can meet her teachers/ put a face with a name/ learn about their expectations/ and find out where her locker is. (b/c it's ALL ABOUT THE LOCKER, ya know)

She has re-connected with many friends that she has had from different activities that she didn't attend elementary school with. She has switched from trumpet to french horn in music; and loves it. She just finished participating in Oklahoma at our local community theater. Overall, she is learning to appreciate sleeping in (that's MY girl!), probably watches too much tv, and loves junk food. (sounds pretty typical, huh?) We butt heads a lot but that's probably b/c she is such a carbon copy of me.

And now I would like to formally apologize to my Mother...........Mom, if I was half as difficult as Maggie is to shop with, please accept my apology. Store choices, style choices, color choices, fabric choices, texture choices, $$$ choices - it's enough to make your head spin. And don't forget the game of  'it's too tight; it itches; it feels weird' when Mom suggests something that the daughter hates. I'm so sorry for being a pain.

I think Maggie forgets that I was once 12-1/2 too! Little did I know that I was walking away with a piece of my Mom's heart when I walked off to the bus stop each day.

You know your house is on the market (and you have a showing) if:
1) you can clean for five hours and you still can find little things to nit-pick and never be DONE!

2) you put apples on the table as a decoration when you ALWAYS keep them in the fridge b/c I hate room temp. apples.

3) you consider clearing the kitchen counter a success by dumping the mail and school papers into a plastic grocery bag and stashing it into the pantry (for sorting during Monday night football).

4) you think 'mopping' the kitchen floor with a hot, soapy dishtowel is perfectly acceptable.

and THE BEST ONE YET:

5) you stash the CLEAN dry laundry waiting to be folded INTO THE EMPTY WASHING MACHINE b/c it's out of sight :)

Sssshhhhhhhh.........did you hear that? ....................it's the sound of QUIET. Beautiful, soft silence. No television, no radio, no washer, no dryer, and no bickering children. It's sorta weird, yet peaceful.

School started last Thursday, but today was the first real day with no one getting out early or having to be there for late start. I didn't speak to one person today (I'm not counting Collin on the phone) until I went out to get a key made for Maggie. I'm not really a hobbit or anti-social, but I've really tried to step back on volunteering and the opportunities I have said 'yes' to haven't started yet. Just trying to manage the household; run errands; meal plan; and be less frazzled for the kids in the afternoon.....I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts. I even walked to the dog! I know all of our days won't be like this when assignments and projects hit into high gear.

For now, I'm off to make dinner and pretend I have perfect clothes & hair like June Cleaver. I'm probably more on the level of Debra from Everybody Loves Raymond though. (disclaimer: my mother-in-law is awesome and has actually taught me how to cook!)

There is one thing you should know about me by now; I'm a BIG football fan. Have been for years, but with my boys in the game now too I love it even more. Today was our big day -- certification and the Pep Rally. We do it all: logo stickers, tattoos, hair paint, clothing; I had face paint but ran out of time. Here is Amanda = Super Fan in the stands, ready to cheer on her brothers.

Sean is on Clinic Gold this year -- he's #12 and apparently too cool to give me a real smile. I still got his dimples.

And Ian with his super cool head coach/ aka Dad.

After meeting the teams, the 8th graders saluting their parents, watching the cheerleaders, and listening to Derrick Mayes briefly talk, we watched a short Kenny Chesney video linked with his song, The Boys of Fall. It is excellent (and it's bonus that Sean Payton is in it!)

Saturday's might be filled with blue and gold lightning bolts. BUT make no mistake, Sunday's are all about black and gold and fleur-de-lis -- WHO DAT!

So ----
in case you were wondering:
1) yes, we are moving. The house is on the market. Where we will end up is unknown at this point? For today I am focusing on maintaining the house and just enjoying the rest of the summer.

2) Amanda's MRI is Monday (8/23) with doctor follow-up in the afternoon. THANKS to everyone who has been so supportive over this time.

3) Football is in full swing. It's all football all the time with some travel baseball and Oklahoma theatre stuff thrown in.

4) The Pacific Ocean was 59* yesterday. Cramp-your-feet kind of cold! But the beach was still awesome. Even better that Sean packed the food/drink bag and all the beach stuff while I finished getting the house ready for showing. Planning more beach time next week b/c that's how we roll.

5) Book suggestion --- Five Little Monkeys Go Shopping --- great little math problem solving book while still being about that silly monkey family. Fun read aloud.

6) Another trip to Goodwill today -- that's five in about two weeks. I feel ten pounds lighter. Why is my butt still big?

My darling girlie.......Miss Amanda has come so far. Her independent, fiesty spirit has gotten her through so much over the last year. This time last year she was having lots of headaches and I thought it was because she needed glasses, so I scheduled an eye exam. Oh, how wrong I was. Still don't forgive myself for waiting.

I recently made her a scrapbook detailing her journey. She doesn't remember some of it; it's really interesting to hear her perspective on some things (especially since she couldn't talk for a while). This season on So You Think You Can Dance there was a dance that was choreographed that represented the choreographer's journey with his mother's illness..........it moves me everytime I watch. My heart just melts b/c it brings me back to Amanda's bedside; watching her struggle; and the two-steps-forward-one-step-back that recovery brings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm6MidMyFe8

Soak in the amazing dance that it is and then go hug your loved ones.

Another brain dump.....it's all I have energy for........

we are moving. Don't know when or where to, but it's in the near future. Made another Goodwill drop off today. Collin put sod in the front and painted a lot this weekend. I added a lot of flowers here and there along with decluttering.

Had a productive weekend with beach time on Friday and Monday. Can't complain about the beach. Newport had a SUPER low tide while we were there and we wound up with a little lagoon and sandbar. It was surreal.

Maggie's room is done including the closet, dresser, and desk. Moving will be easy, keeping it neat is the hard part for Mag. Working on the boys room currently. Why don't I feel like I'm accomplishing much.

First Oklahoma dress rehearsal tonight. Need to get ribbon for a sash.

Amanda's MRI is scheduled for 8/23 with doctor follow-up the same day.

No news on the job front for me.

What should I make for dinner? Needs to be re-heating friendly b/c the boys need to eat after football and we'll be at theatre.

Hate living in limbo, but Balboa bars make me happy.

Random brain dump --
Maggie is cooking breakfast and dinner this week. She conquered pancakes this morning. Tonight is chicken alfredo and steamed green beans. She has a menu; we need to grocery shop. I'm hoping she learns cooking skills and a new appreciation for making dinner and keeping every happy about the meal in front of them.

Need to schedule Amanda's MRI.

De-clutter 2010 continues.

The kids are watching videos from when they were babies. Things they are learning --- Sean talked funny and loved his pacifier; Amanda cried a lot; visiting Ohio is always fun whether winter or summer; seeing the cousins in the clothes that came to us as hand-me-downs is weird; we miss Grandpa Hall :*(

School starts in a month; I don't know if I can afford to feed these children for that long b/c they eat CONSTANTLY if we are home.

Need to hit Target for school supplies sale. And socks. And underwear.

I need to take advantage of that free bowling thing I signed up for.

Need to call the district about my job search.

And

Must be football season......

END of the road.......our journey comes to a close --

On Tuesday, we hit the movies with the Caludas. Toy Story 3 --- go see it. Entertaining, funny, and touching all wrapped in one. Then we headed to Bud's Broiler; YUMMY FOOD once again. (although my kids didn't really like it, the heathens) If you ever get a chance to visit one, get a #4 with sauce :)

We returned to my brother's house and I got ready for an evening out with friends from high school. We went to a place called Corks n' Canvas where you paint while you enjoy appetizers and wine. Yes, I said paint. Me. The non-artistic one. It was a blast!!!!! Such good company and fun to catch up with old friends. My painting turned out pretty good. I think Collin & Ron need to add this service to the wine bar on Sunday afternoons.

Then, it was our last day....sob! I retrieved Sean from the Caludas even though he wants them to adopt him. Then we hit the Black & Gold Store.....or should I say, SAINTS FAN HEAVEN. THANK YOU Grandma Hall for the vacation money which helped off-set the cost of their goodies. It's a good thing we live so far away from this store (I know they have a web-site, but I'm not telling that info. to the kids). Then we headed to my Mom's for some Popeyes and a little family time before heading to the airport. We spent some time playing outside together and enjoying some watermelon.

Then, cue homesickness. We headed to the airport. Landed smoothly at LAX. And immediately felt the rat race of SoCal. The weather is the happy ending.

(pictures updated on facebook)

Day Five & Six--
A quiet morning (if you want to call it that with eight kids in the house) at my brother's house. We attended a b-day party with them and the kids had fun. After enjoying another afternoon thunderstorm we made our way across the Causeway to the Northshore......Mandeville to be exact. And then it was adventures in BOY-LAND. Boys everywhere -- Kathlynn's four, my two, and lots of assorted neighbors. How does the old saying go? "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt"......well, that someone would be Ian. He took a baseball bat to the head; scared the bejeeebers out of us, but he was just fine. With a nasty mark on his forehead. My homesick meter went up a few notches when I got to see the AMAZING homes in the area and the neighborhoods with tons of kids, no fences, and pick-up games galore. Just how it should be. Add in some sweat and a few bugs. Popeyes for dinner was the icing on the cake.

Sunday was more of the same but even better. Woke up to the kids sharing some Beatles RockBand. Add in some home cookin'--BLTs for lunch and Joe's awesome grilled burgers for dinner. Loads of soccer for the boys; Sean was even so busy he skipped dinner. Yes, skipped dinner. Maggie savored every moment at the piano that she could; we REALLY need to get her lessons; she is such a natural. After dinner we took the kids for a quick dip in the pool and then shared watermelon by moonlight.

Can you say perfect summer days! (except for Ian's sore head)

(side note: Sean has asked to move to New Orleans; he said he didn't even mind the humidity!)

Day Four - Part Deaux --

So we arrived at my brother's Sat. evening. My Mom was there and she was able to enjoy seeing all eight grandkids together for the first time. A little crazy, but mostly just plain fun. We got take out from R&O's; heaven on wrapped in white paper, I tell ya........R&O's special = roast beef, ham and swiss, DRESSED, lot's o' gravy. I was just a tad happy. It wasn't ALL about the food, but it was certainly a highlight.

Seeing the cousins together and spending time as a family was really nice. My brother and sister-in-law are so welcoming. That's not easy when you are adding four kids to their four -- kids ages 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 3, 2. So taking a picture was a little crazy.

See, the pictures on facebook b/c blogger is still being a PAIN.

Where was I? Oh, yeah -- Day FOUR, Part One

Cajun country continued -- we headed to Vermillionville near Lafayette, LA. It is a cultural center celebrating southern Louisiana history. It has quiant little buildings showing us what life was like many years ago from the kitchen to the schoolhouse to the church and more. (For all you CA folk, it's like doing a field trip about the gold rush.) We meandered the grounds and mid-way through a spectacular thunderstrom blew in. It was fantastic; complete with pouring rain ("it's raining side-ways") and loud, booming thunder. The kids didn't care. The water was warm and perfect to run in; jump in puddles; and try to catch a raindrop or two. My kids sampled fresh figs right off the tree and we were treated to an old-fashioned Cajun Jam on the way out. Lots of toe tappin' and hand clappin'; we absolutely loved it. Completely soaked, we headed to lunch at Prejean's (pronounced Pray-zhon) for the BEST LUNCH EVER. Sean tasted fried frog's legs and fried alligator; loved it! I had crawfish etoufee and a crawfish pie; holy cow, SO GOOD!

On the road again, Saturday afternoon we bid a fond farewell to the Poynot family and headed back to Metairie to visit my brother and his family. More cousin time. Day Four, part two to come soon.

(sorry Blogger isn't letting me add, yet again, GRRRR!) Check the Facebook album for pics ;)

Aaaahhhhh, SUMMER
What does it mean to you?
For me,
it's days at the beach and never-ending beach towel laundry.
it's beautiful summer fruit ESPECIALLY watermelon.
it's thinking about everything I eat b/c I have to fit into a bathing suit.
it's sleeping in and lazy mornings except for the much anticipated week of VBS.
it's finally de-cluttering random baskets, papers, mail, and such......even though it means passing the Disney videos to the Goodwill box.
it's washing cars in the evening so we can cool off and have water fights.
it's having a crazy expensive electric bill and a constantly running a/c.
it's Angels baseball, the Tour de France, and Irvine Chargers football (eight more days 'til it starts)!

What does summer mean to you...........

I think this cat is looking at me (but I only wear crocs for yard work) It's been a STUPID day ---well if you want to call it that. It's just that awful first day back from vacation. I don't have mounds of laundry; it's just the slap-in-the-face of reality in general. House needed to be cleaned; kids arguing over the Wii; I'm incredibly homesick for NOLA; Ian broke my painting frame; and then the container of freshly-made sweet tea decided to unload in my fridge and fill the door shelves and every other nook and crannie. Like I said a stooooopid day.

I'll get back to more daily pics. of our trip soon, but seeing the photos will likely just make me more homesick. So for now, I'm going to bed and hoping for a less stupid day tomorrow.

Day THREE -- Bayou Babes!
We arrived in Broussard Thursday evening so on Friday we had tons of time to just visit and FINALLY (as Mia says) be there at the Poynots' home. And what a fun time. Amanda and Mia are attached at the hip; we think they have the same brain b/c if Mia says 'hot cocoa' then Amanda must have 'hot cocoa'. etc., etc. It's really fantastic to see their bond --- they are pen pals and just adore each other.
Then there is TEAM TROUBLE aka Sean and Matthew. Both 10 yrs. old, goof balls, and sports fantatics. Sean was beyond thrilled to be introduced to air soft guns. They are basically so funny together b/c they are what you imagine to be 'typical little boys'....laughing, playing, and wrestling every minute. (and they eat a lot too!)

Here is my AMAZING, beautiful, talented and loving friend Kelda. She gave Maggie another quick lesson in knitting; now Maggie is really rolling on a scarf (or something) and she can even make basic corrections. Kelda's home-schooling store is incredible; she cooks & bakes from scratch; and she has the patience of a saint. I want to be her when I grow up.

Our fish fry was the PERFECT dinner before our evening swamp tour. Right in Breaux Bridge (pronounced bro-bridge for all you non-Cajun folk) we took off for an evening on the water --- tupelo and cypress trees, spanish moss, egrets, ibis, frogs and even a few gators. The sights and sounds of sunset in the swamp was breathtaking. I was so happy that my kids got to experience something that is so different from the SoCal way of life.

Sean had quite the keen eye and spied this 2yr. old gator that had just caught a fish next to our boat. Our guide did a little fake bait thing to get him moving; boy was it fast!

Then our guide scrambled over and grabbed this little thing out of nowhere. He said he 'saw the weeds moving' ......huh? OK, thanks ---the kids got to touch this one year old. And then we released it to the safety of its home.

We dodged a thunderstorm, but the thunder and lighting was quite spectacular. And we didn't melt, but it sure felt like we were going to.

Day Two -- It's COUSIN time!!!!!!
Did I mention it's HOT.....like sweat dripping down the back of your legs while you are sitting in the shade. Oh, sorry, too much information. I'll move on to the pictures.
the three girl cousins (on my side of the family).....absolutely precious bonding through City Park

this is Dominic, my brother's 7yr. old.......trying not to melt as we waited for the train.

the eight Moore cousins (ages 12,10,8,7,6,6,3,2)...the first time they have all been together. It was really cool to just watch them smoosh together and go with it; Maggie is wondering if we can fit 3yr. old Daphne into her backpack to take her home.

Beautiful City Park---lots of green trees, spanish moss, and a little breeze (well, from the train ride at least). We pretty much closed down the amusement park at 3pm but not without grabbing sno-balls first! Maggie's first cherry sno-ball.......she is already asking for a root beer one next.

We headed to Cajun Country aka Broussard; where the Poynots live. Kelda is my long lost Southern sister. I am so glad we made this trek. And so are the kids. Amanda and Mia are attached at the hip; the boys are in heaven.

Day Three photos to come soon.

THE BIG EASY - Day One

Well, typing this post would be Easier if my E wasn't sticking -- grrrr!

The kids and I are off on a vacation to visit family and friends in Southern Louisiana. It's humid, hot and sticky but nothing a little a/c can't resolve. We were busy with the Children's Museum (including an impromptu tour of the surrounding streets/Superdome/Tulane Med. center b/c I got lost!)

A walk around the Jackson Square/Moonwalk/Cafe Du Monde

and listening to the steam Calliope from the Natchez.

A great day topped off with fried crab claws, a warm bath and our friends' air-conditioned house.

I've really never really been an avid reader. When I was a kid, ready for pleasure was not something I would ever choose to do. My brother read a ton and I just never understood WHY he would enjoy it. Fast forward the college and reading for pleasure never happened b/c I was constantly reading for school and holy cow did that make my brain hurt. Then I discovered children's literature.....it was magical. I loved that class and I had a whole new appreciation for where stories could take you - Dear Mr. Henshaw and Bridge to Terabithia opened my world. And Charlotte's Web! Good stuff.

So, I thought I would try to expand my closed mind and READ for pleasure. I read a few true crime books and a couple from Iris Johansen. Not a bad start, but not really hooked. Then I had kids. I absolutely wanted them to learn to love books. We read a lot --- The Big Red Barn and Barnyard Dance are burned into my memory banks. We visited the library often and participated in storytimes, etc. It was just that having four different reading levels had made reading a chore again. I have always read to the kids but it really tapered off b/c I was burnt out, bedtime routine got SUPER LONG, and how many times can you really read Hop on Pop (same story, different kid)? Yet still made library trips b/c I wanted them to love books. We listen to books on CD when we travel, even. (you MUST listen to the Hank the Cowdog series, so funny and clever!)

Fast forward to school age.........and I feel defeated. All my elementary school struggles came raring back with having to READ for homework and read BECAUSE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO. Add in book reports.........boom, all the fun got sucked out. AND my kids feel the same way. They all love to be read to, but to read for pleasure or to get through an assignment is pure torture.

So, I made a conscious decision about a year ago, I need to set the example by reading for pleasure MYSELF. Bah, but who has the time??? I found the James Patterson 1,2,3,4 Women's murder club series at a garage sale---I snagged all four for a $1 total. I buzzed through the first three and then was introduced to the Twilight series. I read Twilight in a week, HUH, me??? I finished that series, read a few assorted chick lit. books, a true crime book, and now I'm back into the Women's Murder Club series. I started book 4 in February and now I'm up to book 8 -- how'd that happen??? AND I stopped and read The Time Traveler's Wife and Suzanne's Diary for Nicolas (while I was waiting for book 7 at the library).

I think my plan is working. The kids were stunned when I picked up book 8 this week. "Wow, Mom that was fast. What's happening in this one?" We all have been reading daily. I've been told that more practice will help with their reading struggles. I'm trying. Currently, Maggie is reading Dream Factory; Sean is reading Babe Ruth & the Baseball Curse; Amanda is reading Night of the Ninjas (Magic TreeHouse series); and Ian's two books from today were The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and Hot-Air Henry by Mary Calhoun. I read with Sean and Amanda so I can review comprehension with them. Ian is working on Dick and Jane stuff, too. BUT I am still working to find reading time for myself. I have become the creepy, book lady --- I carry my book in my purse all the time. I read during breaks at theatre, waiting for doctor appts., baseball practice, and occasionally when I have a few minutes and I'm not too sleepy.

Still waiting for the day when my kids become readers-for-pleasure. I can only keep trying. It only took me 40 years.

Where have I been? Well, I know where I haven't been -- exercising, but something had to be dropped from the schedule for a bit. A busy week and now we are heading into a busy summer, but it's all good. It started with dance recital for the girls on 6/17. Then on Sunday, Sean and his friends on the Blue Angels won the USSSA State Championship in baseball. It was spectacular to watch and even better that there snack bar has a/c and beer :) (Hey, I waited until after the game to cool off; give me some credit!) He's moving on to 5th grade; he's getting to big for my comfort zone.

Maggie had a busy week of 6th grade activities and then she had her promotion-to-middle-school ceremony on Wednesday. I was calm, settled, and happy UNTIL her amazing teacher got up to say a few words before giving the certificates. She began by singing to them; yes, singing to them. Ms. Hager is so talented and sang to them & with them often. You guessed it --- I lost it. Music is so important to me and to see how it connected her to her students was inspiring. What a great teacher; I'm thrilled that she 'got' Maggie and brought out the best in her.

So in seven months ---Amanda was able to get back onto the dance and theatre stage (currently in Wizard of Oz) and finish her school year strong by passing another speed/math quiz. She is going to do a reading clinic for a bit this summer and we have lots of library trips planned. She is going on to 3rd grade. She continues to amaze us.

and Ian.................he is officially a 1st grader.........sniff! He loves life and is pretty much up for anything. Especially if it involves water like swimming or the beach, but he'll settle for water guns or the sprinkler too. A true California boy!

We've only had a few 'real' summer days since they got out on last Wed. Just mostly hung out; swam a bit; did some errands. AND everyone is still alive. Even the fleas that are currently making me crazy.

(I've been saving this for days with hopes that blogger would let me add more pictures, but it won't. Grrrr!)

Stay tuned -- I might not be so chipper next time I post.

PERSPECTIVE........
I truly try to be a glass 'half-ful' kind of gal, the key word being try! It's not always easy and there some days when I'm done - I say I'm done - and the glass isn't just empty, it doesn't even have any lingering drops of water at the bottom.

We are finishing up school with tests and projects; heading into dress rehearsals for Wizard of Oz; prepping for dance recital next week; practicing for baseball and next week's tournament; going on field trips; and most importantly, GETTING READY FOR SUMMER! From my perspective, the kids are growing rapidly and next (school) year brings a new chapter to my life with having a middle-schooler and all of the other three in full-time. But for now, I'm reflecting on what this year has brought to our family......

Maggie --- she has grown so much (even though she's still short, lol!) and has taken her role as big sister to a new level. Her bond with Ian is incredible and she has really understood the severity of Amanda's hospital ordeal. She even spoke yesterday at an assembly promoting the KidsWhoCare club; and about how they came and sang Christmas carols to us and brought a card quilts and toys for Amanda in the hospital. She is still a fiesty 12yr. old, but I see such amazing things in her. She is ready to grab middle school by the horns (literally, too b/c she is switching from trumpet to french horn next year).

Sean -- he's my dude; he makes me laugh and gives me headaches all at the same time. He has worked hard on lots of things this year from reading to math and beyond. His writing has improved and he has started to discover that math is pretty cool. His true passion is sports (and not school), he works hard at whatever job he is given; including being deligent about taking the trash out b/c he has also discovered the beauty of an allowance. At 10yrs. old, he's as strong as an ox and he wears his heart on his sleeve.

Amanda -- my little miracle; a fighter; and independent soul. To say she is amazing just puts it so simply. It hit me yesterday! As I was curling her hair and putting makeup on her face for dance recital pictures, my heart lept. We've done this same routine for years with dance and theatre, but this year it's different. She has fought SO HARD to be where she is now. She is dancing on the stage (and getting ready to perform in theatre) when seven months ago she couldn't sit up unassisted; she couldn't talk; she couldn't eat. It takes my breath away. She got a 100% on her math quiz last week; it was combo add & subtract..........she is upset b/c most of the kids in her class are doing multiplication quizzes. Perspective, girlie ---one step at a time, my sweet one. She is spunky and stubborn and I love her to pieces.

And Ian -- he's the little dude. Kindergarten is bittersweet; they go in as little five year olds and come out as big thinking six year olds who have reading skills and new teeth! He has loved every minute of school from his friends to his teacher to big buddies (with Maggie). There is lots of talk about what first grade will bring and my heart melts a little. From my perspective, he will always be my baby; from his perspective, he's BIG but he loves being the baby. When I see him crash on the couch for a nap from the exhaustion of play/swim/life, it is a reminder of how much he is still growing and how so very soon he'll only nap when he's sick or old enough to be a teen-ager (ack!).

I'm writing this so on the days when my glass is empty (along with my wallet) I can get reach deep and change my perspective. To see, that I have a lot to be thankful for. To have a glass thats FULL or at least half-ful, especially if it contains a margarita.

Winning the war, one battle at a time........

well, that isn't the best way to think about food and kids, but you can understand where I'm coming from as a parent. I know, I know. Pick you battles. Food was never a battle I was fighting; I have always gone with the montra 'it's my job to feed you healthy food, it's your job to eat it' OR in simpler terms 'fine - don't eat. You don't get anything else.' They both work.

I have never made seperate meals for my kids. If we were eating something new or 'unusual', I always made sure that there was SOMETHING they would eat. Yes, that means they sometimes had fruit for dinner and nothing else. They have all survived; no one has starved. YET. I'm still trying lots of new recipes.

It seems that offering lots of things through the years is slowly paying off. Take the evolution of red beans and rice ---- it started out as red beans (in a small bowl so it didn't touch the other items on the plate), plain white rice, sausage bites on the side, carrot sticks, and a roll. And you can guess what got eaten. But I kept at it. No self-respecting Southern girl would have children who don't eat red beans and rice!!!!!!! I'm SO HAPPY to say that last night every single one of my kids ate red beans and rice together in a bowl (Sean even ventured into adding Tabasco). Now, they did only each eat ONE BITE of the creamed spinach and no one died......I'll keep working on that one. See, it's an evolution.

I'm learning to be happy and NOT complain about what my kids eat. Today for lunch Ian ate one leftover bbq chicken leg, some carrot sticks/cucumber slices/red bell pepper slices, strawberries and a cup of peach yogurt. Unless you think I'm being smug, I'm only happy he eats like this because it has to cancel out all the candy running through his veins.

For the record, I don't consider myself a Food Nazi. The kids usually eat ice cream after school every day. Home-made sweet tea is probably their favorite drink; and drinking milk means adding Nesquik. And you don't want to know about fast food/pizza/baseball snack bar junk. However, the big picture involves lots of home-cooking, new recipes, and an introduction to sno-balls in New Orleans this summer.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

So many people call me the Paparazzi of the family.....I consider it a compliment :) May is always a busy month for us, but this is a slideshow sample of a few things that the kids were up to. From My Fair Lady to Maggie's b-day (and her Day at Disney with Dad) to Amanda's first Communion (and then crazy broken arm). Also, the Junior Games, 4th grade play for Sean, and finishing up baseball. Add in state testing for the kids (not Ian) and Open House. I'm sure I missed something along the way, but as May comes to a close we are saluting the troops on this Memorial Day. Good ole' bbq, Collin's famous potato salad, watermelon and apple pie.

I really need to stop it with the 'what a difference 24hrs. makes' style posts. Remember this--

http://hall6inca.blogspot.com/2009/10/what-difference-day-makes.html Well, here it is only appropriate once again.

On Saturday, 5/15, Amanda made her First Holy Communion. She was just beautiful (even though she wasn't thrilled to have to wear a dress). We were so proud of her. After her evening Mass, some friends joined us at Dave & Buster's for dinner and arcade play. It was fun and a great way to celebrate Amanda's day.

Fast forward 24 hrs. ............after a fall down stairs at the the local high school during the Junior Games (kids' track meet), she was once again in the ER.

Two broken bones in her lower left arm ......nasty (can you see the warp?)

She was a champion patient. After sedation to set the bones we headed home with a splint. Hopefully she'll get a cast next week after confirmation that the swelling has gone down and it is healing well.

Aside from not being comfortable when she sleeps, she is handling it well. Never a dull moment.

Recently a few of my friends have posted Gratitude Lists on their blogs. Occasionally I just need to be a copy-cat b/c I'm all out of ideas or simply too tired to be creative. It's been a crazy (crazier than usual) week with no end in sight so I'm going to try to accentuate the positive and try to create a better mood..........

Gratitude List
1) I'm thankful for good friends, especially ones who share breakfast with me at Panera Bread.
2) I'm thankful that Maggie's camera came back to life after she dropped it within two hours of getting it as a b-day gift.
3) I'm thankful that Amanda is able to audition for Wizard of Oz and that today is the last day of auditions.
4) That Ian had a great baseball season and that his season is DONE!
5) That Sean's teacher pushed back his book report deadline b/c it's PowerPoint format AND I can't help him b/c I don't know how to so we have time to ask for help.
6) That Sandee and her kids are able to attend Amanda's First Communion this weekend.
7) That we have birthday cake! Cake makes everything better.

TIME
As the days roll by, I find myself measuring time in small increments all starting at Halloween 2009; I guess you could call it Tumor Time. I don't know. It's strange. There are so many things in life that are measured or recorded as milestones and people often refer to them on a regular basis. For example, dating "we've been dating six months" and then marriage "we've been married six months" and ESPECIALLY when you have children....."the baby is six days, six weeks, six months old".

And sometimes it seems surreal when you measure other things; like the fact that my Dad has been gone for almost 21 years. Longer than he was in my life.

I tend to think of this new 'tumor time' much like most people would a major life-changing occurence. I hear people all the time mention that they are 'five years sober' or 'two years cancer free'. It is a BIG DEAL! And the fact that six months ago, Amanda couldn't talk, walk, or swallow is nothing short of amazing. So today we are celebrating six months post-tumor for Amanda and all of the changes it has brought to our home. Six months that has made me appreciate being a Mom even more. Happy Mother's Day to me and all the amazing Moms out there!

It's May 5th.....Cinco De Mayo; Sean has a baseball game so that means about as mexican as my kids are going to get for dinner is Nachos from the snack bar. BUT -- I have been trying to continue in my cooking adventures overall. And I'm happy to say the family is actually consuming what I'm making so it's a good thing!

Last night, I made Spicy Chicken Shawarma -- from Cooking Light, April 2010. It was really easy (made easier by my neighbor who had ground ginger and coriander b/c I didn't!). And probably one of the best parts was that it was all from scratch and tasted so fresh. AND it didn't take very long to make.

While the chicken cooked, I cut the cucumber, tomato and onion; prepped the yogurt sauce. I also steamed the artichokes and prepped the fruit. THAT WAS IT!

Healthy, well-balanced meal :)

Well, if you don't count the butter that everyone dipped the steamed artichokes into.

Tomorrow is April 30th and then it's MAY!!!! Really? How'd that happen? Didn't we just start this school year? Wasn't it Halloween and Amanda was in the hospital, just yesterday? Nope. Time flies!

And that is apparent b/c today my niece, Sarah Lynne, turns 17. (that's her on the left) She's an awesome young lady. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Baseball is in full swing (no pun intended) with both of the boys' teams heading toward the playoffs. Amanda is ready to roll with her first Holy Communion on May 15th (my dad's birthday) and Maggie is currently in My Fair Lady at the local theatre.

May means state testing the kidlets, Maggie's b-day, and trying to finish up the school year. It also means registering Maggie for 7th grade at the middle school. YIKES, already? I went to a parent orientation this morning and I'm anxious to discuss electives and all the expectations that middle school brings. Organization isn't Mag's forte so we'll have to see how this goes.

I have a 6th grade beach party to plan and summer is looming. As usual, it will be a busy one, but I'm excited about sleeping in, beach days, camping, New Orleans, VBS, and flag football for Ian.

Before I know it will be September and the madness will start all over again.

This is a post in which I will stand on my soap box - you have been warned!

So, we are currently in the midst of a TV-free week. Well, let me re-phrase that.........MY CHILDREN are currently in the midst of a TV/electronics/screen-free week. Also known as the WEEK OF RIDICULOUSNESS!!!!

I know that kids in general watch too much TV (this includes video games, etc.); overall my kids probably do too. But combined with plenty of outside playtime and assorted activities, I think my kids are getting along just fine. Let me repeat I think my kids are getting along fine. And isn't that the bottom line. I don't think it's up to the school to really worry about this. I monitor what they watch (and even bicker with my husband about it) but that is MY job. I monitor how much they watch; and some days are best in pjs and mindless television. Who says ManTracker isn't physical when it gets your adrenaline flowing? Cooking shows --- hey, they all tried fried cauliflower and liked it, thanks Paula Deen!

My children aren't overweight; they aren't allowed food in the television area anyway (other than popcorn on family movie nights). They eat a balanced diet (including fast food, gasp!) and are all involved in physical activities.

I understand the whole idea ---- spend more time as a family; use your brain for creative activities; can you survive w/o television? But instead of saying how about you pick a day and do something special/different (and turn off the TV!) it becomes a challenge of miserable proportions where the kids are grumpy and playing family TV police b/c "it's the rule" and "I'll get in trouble!" We can't watch the Laker game on Sat. afternoon b/c of school - Really??? Seriously. I have bigger fish to fry.

Example --- Today, I played Lincoln logs and made cookies (for inquiring minds, oatmeal raisin choc. chip [with wheat germ, muhaha]) after school with Ian. After playing at the school playground for a few, we headed home with all of the kids for homework. Three of the kids are outside playing basketball while Mag finishes homework. Amanda has dance class. I'll have them help me make tacos for dinner; do dishes, etc. Why does the day finish on a grumpy note? B/c I have to say 'no you can't watch TV for 30min. to chill before bed.' Apparently you haven't seen the new LIFE series???? And don't even try to say "Well, they should be reading instead" because they already spend time routinely engaged with books at bedtime. So in the end, all of the other non-TV time of activities and being busy don't seem to count for much and it just makes me feel like a crappy parent.

I just don't buy this 'Turn off the TV Week' mumbo jumbo. And I refuse to do. After I tuck my kids in, you better believe I'll have the DVR rolling. How can I possibly fold laundry w/o catching up on Days of our Lives? Ok, fine. Maybe I could try no TV, but no email or Facebook. Please.

I'll happily bake a fresh batch of cookies (you pick!) to the first teacher who tells me that he/she hasn't checked her IPhone for seven days.

In case you out there in cyber-land are wondering, YES - my friends and I survived the 3.8mile Mud Run this past week. We laughed most of the way through it, encouraged each other, and got down and dirty! I'll post pictures at some point.

Today, I've got lots of questions rolling through my brain so I thought it would make an interesting review style post........
1) How is it that my 10yo son can never remember to bring his lunchbox home, but he knows exactly what the score was of Lakers game the other day?
2) Why does my 6yo son like grilled cheese but no other form of cheese on the planet (is he really my kid?)?
3) How can Maggie be SO EXHAUSTED after school that she can barely handle doing homework but when it comes to My Fair Lady rehearsal she can dance for hours?
4) Why did Amanda feel the need to behave like a 'Chinese Man' during her doctor's appt. today....and Why did everyone find it hilarious while I was mortified?
5) How many people are coming to my scrapbooking workshop tomorrow? How much food should I make?
6) Taxes? Really? Is today April 15th?
7) Is it true that Angie signed she and I up for a 10K in a few measly weeks? (answer, YES!)
8) How did I get myself into #7?
9) Why am I so incredibly blessed by the grace of God that he is sending his healing power to Amanda and she is doing so well? How did we get so lucky?

EASTER 2010.............a beautiful weekend filled with great food, fun, and friends. Collin managed to find some hot boiled crawfish; I was worried that they simply wouldn't be up to 'our' standards (ya know, the Southern spicy kind!). Well, my worries quickly disappeared when I got one whiff as he walked in the door. I danced around my kitchen as I got a sample of a few (or three, or ten!) We also made fried catfish. Literally, a Good Friday.


We spent a lot of time just being home --- cleaning, gardening, prepping food for Easter. The kids had fun with the egg hunt at church and then our family egg hunt on Easter morning at home. The eggs were actually more challenging this year; it was quite funny to tell the boys 'you are warm; you are HOT' and they still didn't see the purple egg in the tree. Easter breakfast of champions for me = coffee and a Reese's peanut butter egg followed up with a couple of Peeps! Maggie is quite fond of Peeps as well.


After church, we had our friend Ron and his family over for Easter dinner --- a fresh pork uncured ham on the grill; potato casserole; salad; baked macaroni; homemade baklava; cake; brownies......Ooooo, my. Add in an earthquake during dinner to shake things up and a good time was had by all.


Even Fritz was treated to nibbling on the pork leg bone for a little bit.


It's spring break this week for the kidlets. We have NO plans.

Well, I have plans of sleeping in daily.
(I've been trying to add pictures for two days but Blogger won't let me, ugh!)

GOOD STUFF

On Monday, I went with Ian's class to the local U-Pick strawberry (& produce) farm. To see the pure excitement in the kids' eyes about riding in a school bus, riding in the wagon pulled by a tractor, and picking strawberries just warms my heart so much. They just see the fun in the little things.......somewhere in adulthood this is lost. (probably when the reality of bills and responsibility takes hold, but it's still sad that most people don't appreciate the little things)We were able to taste FRESH organically grown spinach, sugar snap peas, celery, green onion, lettuce, and carrots as the guide told us about different parts of plants; irrigation; etc. I was shocked and amazed with how eagar Ian was to just eat everything (well, most of the kids did actually).

THEN it was time for the main event..............strawberry picking. After being instructed on how to properly pick the berries and that 'the redder, the better' is the way to decide, the kids were off. Eating to their hearts content while they filled their own basket.

I went with the 'one for me, one for you' philosophy on helping the kids. Of course, I didn't have a basket so my one for me simply went into my mouth. Ian was anxious to share his loot & have fresh strawberry/orange/banana smoothies after school.