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.