anticipation

Tomorrow is a big day. We are taking our first trip with the kids on an airplane! As San Antonio is our destination of choice for Columbus Day weekend, we all have excitement growing for visiting a new city. Lucy is excited for the plane, for Sea World and for swimming in the hotel pool. Adam is excited for the plane, for "the desert" (Texas automatically becomes the desert for some reason), and for the adventure itself. Mark and I are both eager to see their reactions to flying on the airplane. We are looking forward to seeing our dear friends Bob and Julie. We are looking forward to exploring the Riverwalk, Alamo and all the area has to offer. Mostly it is anticipation of getting away with our family. More to come...can't wait!

perspective

Last weekend was a fabulous family wedding. (see next blog post) Throughout the day and evening, my eyes were open to all that was going on around me. Like many women, I took in the dresses, the styles, the wedding decorations, the cake etc. Like many women attending weddings, I thought back to my own wedding with a smile on my face. My own observations had me laughing at the kids, catching my family in strange animated conversations. My eyes were open to all that was going on around me. But I guess my eyes weren't the only ones making observations...Apples and Trees so they say. Here is a piece of paper I found on our table at the reception. It is Adam's handwriting. He was too embarrassed to dance on the dance floor, being 7 he is now into a bit of "what does everyone think of me" phase.

His observations include: Lucy dancing on stage, old people dancing, old people on stage, person picking me up on stage.

This short little list of the wedding through his eyes just got added to my List of Things I Love About Adam. I need to remember to ask him who the "old people" were.

top ten things I love about my husband this week

1. He cleaned the kitchen and did all the dishes.
2. He took the kids on errands with him while I went for a mani/pedi with my mother.
3. He didn't make fun of me while I was singing and dancing to Glee in the kitchen tonight.
4. He's finishing making the dinner while I'm blogging and Facebooking. :)
5. I'm pretty sure he's been praying for me to have a good school year...and of course God is listening to him.
6. He's got beautiful eyes and I love the way they smile at me.
7. He hasn't complained once about the time I've needed to spend at school these past several weeks.
8. He told my daughter that she was smart and strong...not just pretty or cute.
9. He answered the door for the Schwan's man so I wouldn't have to. We have 4 boxes of ice cream treats on sticks, but I didn't have to repeat myself 6 times that I don't need the special that's offered this week.
10. He's made time for each of us AND himself. Thanks honey...love you.

back to school

It's that time of the year. We've gone back to school.
Adam started 2nd grade this year. It's very difficult for me to see him as this "big kid" when truly what seems like just a few months ago we were learning letters, teaching him to write his name, and trying really hard to make sure he had matching clothes on. While we still work on matching the clothes, now he can read at about a 3rd grade level, has quite an imagination when he writes amazing stories, and really IS a big kid. Lucy also went back to her routine. But even that isn't quite the same. This year she started her pre-K program. She will go to kindergarten next year (shhh--I'm not ready for that blog yet) and she is loving it. The best part for her is that she has a new teacher, Miss Sara, and she gets to skip a nap after lunch most days. I also went back to school. You know that I teach 4th grade and moved to a new classroom this year. I am really enjoying my new batch of students, but I'm yearning to get home to my own kids. I miss their faces, their laughter, their stories and their words. (Most of them.)  I also really enjoy the summer because I get some extra time with Mark. We are able to have lunches together, Gmail chats, ice cream treats, and just more hours of the day together. Now that school has started, I'm feeling that nostalgia for the hours of daylight we all spent together. Of course it will feel better soon, but right now I'm feeling the back to school blues from schedules, paperwork, rushing and mostly.....time away from my family that I enjoyed so so much this summer.

sweet singing

My daughter is 110% girly. She dreams in pink I do believe. As well as dresses in pinks, purples, poofy twirling dresses. She also is in love with love. She watches the princess movies, and any other movies for that matter, with a soft, tender heart. She cries at the music. She wants to be "dipped" when she is hugged and kissed. She wants the "happily ever after" each and every time. And I love that about her. What I am loving right now is her sweet singing. She makes up these little songs about her toys, her hair, her mama, and currently: her cat Mable. She is singing in the kitchen to Mable the cat. She is singing to her about the sweet whiskers on her face and her soft fur. She is singing to her about how much she loves her. And...Mable is listening attentively. Of course, her attention drifts and now she is singing about Pop Tarts. But it's all sung with love and the occasional dance step.

summer fare

One thing to love about summer is the fresh fruits and veggies that can be found at local farm stands and farmers' markets. I'm finding that this summer my kids are more likely to try a new food if they can pick it or grow it themselves. We've gotten Lucy to eat lettuce, zucchini, yellow squash and fresh string beans! This is quite an accomplishment for such a picky eater!!  Adam chose to grow Brussels sprouts in our garden and has kept a close eye on their growth. So far this year, we've been able to pick 2 cucumbers from our own garden, that we quickly eaten up (mostly by Adam) but even Picky Picky ate a slice dipped in ranch dressing. One place we like to go is Wiltse's Farm in Maple Park. The kids are in love with the sweet black cat and the occasional family dog and I love the beautiful flowers I have gotten for our gardens. This year I've picked up a really pretty orange/yellow coneflower and a healthy butterfly weed. Gorgeous!  But we ALL love the produce. Today was the day we had to run up to pick up SWEET CORN.  Reading their Facebook post yesterday:  "sweetest sweet corn this year, just had an ear raw for breakfast"!!!!  Well, if that isn't tempting! So tonight we're having BLTs with pepper bacon, and Wiltse's white and bi-color sweet corn.  Yum!

common courtesy please (and thank you)

So on my mind today are some experiences that I've had out in the general public that haven't been very good. We've done quite a bit of eating out in restaurants, special programs for the kids, staying in hotels and in just being "out and about" this summer. I'm feeling particularly frustrated today at the lack of common courtesy and respect for others. (Disclaimer: if you haven't figured it out yet, this blog entry is going to be me venting and griping for awhile. Please disregard if  you're in a really happy place right now.) Today I took the kids to the movies for a $1 early special. The theater was filled with summer camp kids. We had to sit way in front because apparently the entire theater was being reserved for the camp kids. Only about 1/2 of the seats were filled and the movie was going to begin shortly. The kids were running and talking. They were out of their seats unsupervised by their leaders and totally knocked me over as we were coming into the theater. Leaving the show, they all came barreling out and knocked over my daughter. Both times I approached one of the counselors and was granted a blank stare and a mouth hanging open. Not only did they not "get it" they certainly didn't do anything about it. The people working at the counters don't even look at you when you approach to pay or order. My Facebook friends know that I've griped about my library experience this week as well. The mamas hung out at the coffee bar while the older kids participated in a program, but they let their little ones run laps and use the library furniture as ramps and jungle gyms. Last weekend we were traveling out of town and stopped for dinner at Friday's. Four young women all hanging out at the hostess station continued their chat with cell phones out while we stood in front of them waiting to be seated. Not busy in the restaurant. Just getting ignored. One takes us to a table that although is cleared of dishes, was clearly just used and covered in food, napkins and water. Lots of other empty tables and even a booth, but she tells us to "just wait here while I get this cleared off.".  A few minutes later we're greeted by a waitress who is either trying to sell us the frequent Friday's card or paying attention to the next table's conversation while standing at our table. Staying at a hotel, the Coach of a team that was also staying there, served as an EXCELLENT role model as he yelled across the entire breakfast room of other guests and made no attempt to quiet his players the night before while they played ball in the hallways.

I guess my thought is this: Whatever happened to common courtesy????  Why aren't parents teaching their kids how to behave in public places? Why are public places considered "anything goes" for behavior and language? Why don't waiters and waitresses act like their customers matter? AND....how about some manners? Is i really too much to ask for?

I'm not just wearing my teacher pants. I'm not just wearing my mom hat. I'm just trying to instill good values in my children and would like to be out in the world without having to put them in earmuffs!! Please. Thank you.