13 years ago, today...I became a Mother:)

My baby is a teenager!! What a wonderful boy he has been..with the exception of a few growing pains (in my ass that is..) he is the best little (no longer little, wahhhh) boy I could have ever hoped for!

Him and I started our life together, in 1993. I was a single mother, just turned 21 and God blessed me with an easy child!! (twice, actually, they both are soo easy!) This boy is the most compassionate boy you will ever meet..He has the biggest heart ever...I love him to death and my heart normally (with the exception of the recent "pyro" incident, ahem) swells with pride!

When he was 2 he wanted to grow up to be a John Deere tractor, once he figured out, that would be nearly impossible, he decided to become a scientist and that has stuck since then...believe you me, this kid will become a scientist..and when I lecture him about spelling..no problem...he's got that under control..he will just have an assistant!

When he was about 6, and my ex outlaws were obsessive about saying a prayer before every meal snack or what have you...he asked me, why do they say a prayer?? I told him that some people thank God for their food...then the next month or so, we were driving down the street and the Autumn colors had just popped..and I said "oooh look at all the beautiful colors..doesn't it just look like God just painted each and every single one??" to which my boy said..with a question..."I thought God was the "food guy" you mean he does the colors too???"

In kindergarden he used to "handle" all the kids who had problems, he would walk them down to their special classes if they were afraid..he would talk a kid out of crying or screaming his head off, he would simply say..."Nicholas, I am talking to you...listen TO ME NOW" the kid would listen immediately, probably a bit shocked at another kid speaking to him that way...and Pickles would say "you don't have to cry in kindergarden, it's not a bad place..I'll admit it can be kinda boring at times, but nothing will hurt you here, and if you are sad, just think of going home to your mommy and baking rice krispy treats, and if your mommy won't do that, then my mommy will invite you over to bake them with you".....yeah, he's a special kid!

So today he turns 13, i cannot believe it..it went too quickly..have I snuggled him enough?? have I told him enough that I love him...have I tossled his hair enough or tickled him??? Time flies so quickly and I can't seem to slow it down. Soon he will be off to college...

Tonight is dinner at the japanese steak house...almost every year, we go for his b'day..and the first year when he was 4...and they did the fire trick...over and over he said..in his little boy cutey pie voice..."hey mister, can you do the fire trick again??" pweese??

Happy Birthday Dylan, I love you with all my heart, could ya just stop growing older for a little while??

We are having very important and very special visitors!!!

Hooooray, it is set in stone..the reservations have been made..and the planning in my head is already beginning!!!!

Thomas' little brother and his g'friend are coming and we are just happy happy happy!!! This will be soo wonderful and I cannot thank them enough for coming!!

Thomas has not seen his brother since he moved here 2 years ago, and previously when they talked about coming, they were talking about December of 2007. Although he accepted it and just dealt with it, I knew that was a long time for him to wait! These brothers are so close, and I think it's hard on both of them, but they are also very practical brothers. BUT when they chose partners that were both spontaneous and impatient to meet one another...they lose;) but really win in the end! ;) ;)

So Jenny and I are plan, planning and more planning and both boys are just rolling their eyes! Their only concern is to spend time with eachother..and If they ignore us, it's okay..we'll occupy ourselves just fine getting to know eachother:)

YAYAYAYAY, I'm so excited. My frog will be happy happpy!! And I cannot wait to see these two together, that will make my heart very content!

November the 5th is a great day!

Thomas is another year older! This year, (it is the first) we were able to spend the whole day with him!!! Hoorah! We made crepes for b'fast, we will have beet root salad and mache for lunch and lasagne and a fruit tart for his birthday dinner! We made him cards and Pickles wrote a very touching letter, I had so many tears in my eyes after reading that. He told him when he was with him that he felt safe, like how a kid feels safe with a parent when they are little. sniff sniff!

So if you can, wish my precious frog a happy birthday and I'll be sure to give him plenty of spanks for you all!!

Tell me , is it worth it to complain??? (by kim)

Okay here is the situation that has been eating at me for a couple of days, I would like anyones opinion, as I am trying to see it from different angles, but am having a hard time seeing it any other way than what it is!

Pickles the football player, practices every day from 3:10 until 5:30. There are 44 players on the team, consisting of 7th & 8th graders, some have played pop warner football, some have played one other year of modified football, and some (alot) like Pickles have never played in their lives.

So here is my complaint...every single game they alternate the first 4 quarters with the A team (their good players in their eyes, or the players who have fathers who were college f'ball players or better yet pro football players) and their B team (the ones who are still pretty good or in 8th grade and decent) THEN...we have the C team (the really crappy players who they don't give a damn about) Now I will give them, that the C team, or the Bad new's bears as we have dubbed them, are NOT the greatest players....BUT they deserve a chance, am I right??? SOOO they created the 5TH quarter, just for them... AND maybe if they are lucky...they get to play in the 5TH quarter that was created just for them....oops, I forgot to capitilize the MAYBE, and if I could figure out how to make it gigantic..i would!! You see, the stipulations for letting the C team play in the 5TH quarter is...they have to be losing or winning really badly, well and since we have not won very often....

Well let me tell you a little story that just about threw me over the edge.....the last and final hurrah, the last game for the season..these kids were psyched! Pickles had to pee during the game and was holding it for the 5th quarter because he just did not want to miss being called in...the 5th quarter came, and they put in their A team, ?????? WTF, okay..remain calm...this happened last time (coincidentally both games were close in points too) and the other coach (so our coach claims) told him that he was putting in HIS A team, and so our coach felt he needed to put his A team in too!!! The other team scored and for the last seconds, he threw the C team a bone and let a couple of them in...such a sweety pie! BUT this time for their last game, this was not the case...the game was very very close and the other team finally won, and our C team, and even some 8th graders, who should get some playing time, never NEVER got the chance to play in the game....ALL FOR THE WIN...that they did not get!!

I just can't believe it!! What is the message he is sending these kids????? Every parent of the C team was pissed, but no one will say a word..why??? ohhh, you know small town politics!!! and they justify it by saying...this is the weeding out process, the kids know that if they stick with it, and put up with this shit, and stay in till High School, they will get playing time, cause they will then be "dedicated"...(I mean, being dedicated wouldn't mean getting screamed and swoar at for 2 hours a day, would it???) Yes the coaches swear and scream, that is my other beef...I mean really would these coaches want teachers, who in my book are in the same level as coaches to be teaching their kids and when they get something wrong..swear and scream at them....NOOO I think that would be unacceptable!! BUT throw a pigskin in their and a jock strap and its A-ok!!!

My question is...if this is the weeding out process...how are these kids going to learn anything...correct me if I am wrong, as I have never played rough tough sports, but is it by doing sprints and passing the ball and practicing plays or is it by doing and experiencing the actual game, that they will learn, by experience and by getting hit???

Okay really, I need some good rhetorics of what to say to the stupid coach, I think I will write a letter, maybe to the local newspaper, this is ridiculous with a capitol R!!!

Oh and this is funny....two games before the score was 30 something to zero..they put the C team in for the 5TH, cause you know they were already being creamed...and the C team goes in....and hahahahha we get the final and only touchdown....do you think that kid played any extra time, like do you think he got bumped into the B team or maybe the A team???? nahhhhhhhhh....sigh....it's all political!!