Proud Momma!

My Teen Drama Queen had a field trip this week to what as called a Teen Maze. My understanding is that the children are guided through a maze of different questions, real life situations, and given the the opportunity to make the 'right' decisions. Depending on the decisions made, some children returned with STD's, GED's vs. Diploma's, or a baby/pregnancy. My dtr returned with a Lei, meaning she made all the RIGHT decisions. I am so pround of her! I feel a little more trusting, and confident that I have taught her well in many ways, and hope that this is a huge example of what she really truly knows to be the right path.
I want nothing more than for my children to finish high school, and graduate without any distractions that might cause them to delay thier plans or dreams. I am feeling quite proud, and justified right now in the decisions I have made, such as not allowing a cell phone, or unsupervised computer/phone use, being sure to meet the parents of other children she wants to spend time with, and being sure to discourage certain relationships at times.
So, right now, I wanna say, 'Ba Ha Ha!' to those parents that have chastised me at times, saying I need to 'relax', give in a little. I think I'm doing just fine, THANKYOU!

Roadside Pic

I drive past this beautiful field everyday. I always wish I had my camera, and today I did. The kids thought I was crazy, and were convinced that I would get arrested for taking this picture, lol. I believe it is a mustard field, and I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing this looks in person, my camera could not even capture the entire field, but I love the contrast of the sky and clouds in this. You can still see how far this field goes. It's just breathtaking, and I wanted to send my kids out stomping through it to get a pic of them in the midst, however, I did not. I think the farmer might frown upon me doing that.

Untitled

If there is one thing that I am realizing as a Mother, Parent...it is that there is no extended family as I once thought there was. You have to rely on yourself, and do the best you can to make your children the priority so that you don't have to rely on anyone else to be there, just in case.
We are all so busy with our lives, and our own problems that we don't spend much time involved with others, and don't take the time to spend with family members as we perhaps should.
I can barely keep up with my home anymore, and I know that that is the least thing to be concerned about when children are involved, they need your attention. But, I feel like I am living in chaos at times.
I feel like once I think I might be catching up with one thing, something fall through, and I fall right back to the starting point again. It never fails. I can't handle it all, although I definitely try my damnest.
I don't know where I'm going with this, or what I might be getting at, but I am just frustrated, and sometimes, I just don't understand things. And, I guess it's not my place to understand, but to tolerate at times. However, sometimes, I get so frustrated that I have to drive my point as hard as I can to be sure that I am understood whether or not I understand, myself.
I'm sure this is making complete and utter nonsense, but it makes sense to me.
I'm just going to do the best to do what I have to do, and move on. I can't waste my precious time, and PRECIOUS, indeed it is...with trivial things.
But, I hope that sometime soon, it will be seen that some things are PRESENTLY much more important, and it is time to see that, time to move on just a little so that the joy can be seen.
There are people in my past that I miss, memories that NEVER fade, they are there, locked in a special spot for special times. If I didn't compartmentalize my mind, I could not function, and I certainly could not give of myself to be a Mother, Wife, Nurse. I guess we all just have to find a way to do that on our own.
Time, it passes quickly, little ones grow so fast, it would be shame to miss those moments that matter most.

Looooong Weekend, but BEAUTIFUL!

Kids had a 4 day weekend, which at times, I dread...to be honest.
But, the weather was amazing for all but one of those days, and it was enjoyable.
Me and D got some yard work done, worked outside all day thursday, got a large portion of weeding done, D burned the yard debris, and mowed. Kids played around us, and helped me weed.
Lulu ran around in her Lilo costume and froggy boots, it was hilarious, made me think of the book, "LADYBUG GIRL", the little girl is named Lulu, and plays in her ladybug costume and ladybug boots, it's so funny!
Anyway, I took some time out to snap some pics, and check on my flowers, see what lived and what died. The other day I had refilled the hummingbird feeder since it seemed they were coming around it, but it was empty. Lulu was standing right next to the flower bed where the hummingbird feeder hangs, and she suddenly began screaming, and running for her life! My eye glued into the camera, I didnt' see why. And, turns out, as the Boy came around the corner and noticed, it was just a hummingbird feeding, but somehow she didn't realize that's what it was, rather than a bee. Crazy girl!

Saturday was soccer day, Drew's team finally won, but I missed it, since D was off, he wanted to watch, and so he took her. Her game was 9am, and the small ones have had a cough, so I kept them home. And, I worked in the afternoon, wasting away a beautiful day...

But, on Sunday, even though D was working, I packed the van up and jetted over to the beach with the kids! Forecast was 63 and clear, my neighbor was so kind as to comment on my choice of activities stating, "63??? That's nothing! You better pack some pants and sweatshirts along!" Yeah, like I don't know to pack extra, plan ahead after 4 kids! I laughed back, and said, "63 is FINE with me!" And, as it turned out, entering the bayfront, temp was at 70, as I parked near the beach, it dropped to 64, but was clear, not a cloud in sight, warm, slight wind, AMAZING! I was so thrilled, I screamed, so pumped, and ready to run out there! We spent a few hours on the beach, exploring, playing in the sand.

The boy found a dead starfish, which he had wanted to find, and asked me all the way to the beach, "If I find a starfish, can I keep it?" Well, my answer was no, since he planned on taking any live starfish home for a pet, but as they were filling thier sand buckets with water from the outgoing tide, I spied a lone starfish up on the dry sand. I hollered at the Boy, and we looked it over, it was upside down, and dried out, so I figured, that one, he can keep, right? Even so, he kept trying to place in the water, and make it come back to life, but it was stiff, and not moving at all. Pure Luck I guess. Crazy, really, that boy is so in love with all things related to water. I just wonder what he will be when he grows up.

Like usual, we went to a little crafters mall, that has a big treasure chest full of 'pirate' treasures that kids can grab a handful of, and the boy grabbed many pirate coins, a few skull rings, and a gold bead neclace, Lulu grabbed 5 'diamond' rings, and some coins, while Drew grabbed small 'crystal' rocks. The Boy wore that neclace, and skull rings the rest of the day, proclaiming..."I'm gonna be a pirate when I grow up! I'm gonna be the captain." I said, "Oh, you mean your gonna drive the ship?" He said, "NO, the cabin boy drives the ship, and the captain sits in the cabin looking at his treasure!" Ofcourse, he makes his own rules about how things really are.

It was such a nice day, I hated to pack up and leave, but daily life pulls me back to the weekly drone of chores. Ugghh!

Redneck Lawn Chair

Just when I think there's nothing left to surprise me with, the boy decided to make his own lawn chair last weekend. He took a sand bucket, flipped it over, an intertube, and beach ball, then ran inside and grabbed his ear things, not sure what to call them, ( D got them for the monster truck show), and then his El Toro Loco hat to cover his face like Daddy does in the summertime. You gotta laugh at the imagination that boy has!