Warning: This Mama is mad

I am kicking, screaming and throwing a major fit. Well not really, I'm trying to resemble some type of calm and sane mother. But I'm putting my foot down. Today at tumbling class, there is a list of 12.... count them 12 different Mary Kay cosmetics and color choices required for recital. Black eye liner, gold eye shadow, black mascara. chocolate rum for lip liner, passion gold for lip color and a certain color for blush and lip gloss. That's not even 12, but I'm so frustrated!!!!!! THIS IS FOR A 5 YEAR OLD! Who is just in tumbling and does cartwheels at the speed of light.

When we signed her up....no mention was made for recital until they wanted a large fee for the privilege. Partly out of principle.... I said no. I can see her do cartwheels in my living room daily for free. Ed helped me see how this is an achievement for Leah, lots of fun, a great way to learn poise and confidence.... ect. I finally agreed and paid the fees. Then instead of black leotard, tan tights and $50 black shoes...they decide pink leopard leotards would be pretty.... for $35 - thank you very much. That doesn't include the pink hair bow (and she still needs the $50 shoes), which this cheap mama isn't buying until I'm sure I'll know her correct size in June.

So today, I'm flabbergasted that 5 YEAR OLDS NEED MAKEUP. At least blush, lipstick, eye liner and mascara they said, as the stage lights are bright. Yada, Yada. I refuse!! Since day one....many people have commented that Leah will never need mascara as her lashes are so long and curly. Maybe a little lip gloss. I must have made a scene..... hopefully a professional calm impression. Anyway we aren't home for 10 minutes, when they call and said they spoke to another mother of dark skinned girls who suggested pink eye shadow, red blusher and red lipstick. All I can think of is conjunctivitis!!

Ed just shakes his head at me, but I will not do it all! I may make a compromise for my daughters sake, but I WILL NOT turn my daughter into a clown, or worse. I am so scared if this starts at 5....we'll be headed something down this road.

Jailed!!!!

Thanks to all of you that bailed my husband out of jail. The $1600 was a bit steep for a vicar's salary! Now the jail didn't exactly look like this one. The ground around it isn't white enough! Ed was quite comfortable in the ice cream parlor, but was burning up the blackberry calling for money. So were the other 6 "jail birds". I had a very worried 5 year old.... "not my daddy", even if it was just pretend for the MD association! He was granted visiting rights and she was much happier eating the pizza and chicken he was provided. He was let go 90 minutes later on good behavior. Thanks again! And I hope my mother in law has recovered from her mini heart attack getting the "Mom I'm in jail call!"

History has changed

Leah

I just wanted to explain why I recorded today's date in your baby book. I want you to recognize that history has been made today and does reflect hope for the future. Putting all politics aside (and that Malia or Maleah is a great name!) The human race has changed. A bi-racial man can and has become the leader of the free world. Last year, I feverishly read many books when you told me that you were black and everyone else at preschool was white. What I read about how past injustice continue to effect current racial issues scared me. I just kept praying that our love and parenting choices would help you focus and give you confidence. I pray for you that your future happens because of choices you'll make and using the blessings God gave you. It will probably take hard work and guts and won't always be easy. Dad and I will be behind you. God has such wonderful plans for both of my children. As your parent, I pray the obstacles will only be as hard as they need to be. I feel such tremendous hope that so many more avenues will be open if you chose to seek them. America has accepted change. The future is so much brighter! I LOVE you and am so proud to call you my daughter.

Love, Mom

Prayers

Our traditional night time prayers are "Jesus loves me" with a twist.

Jesus loves me this I know
For the bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak, but he is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves Leah,
Yes, Jesus loves Luke,
Yes, Jesus loves Mom and Dad.... (many others we love can and are added in this line)
For the bible tells me so.
THANKS FOR THE CROSS!!!!!

Tonight though Luke added:

And please God, help my Mom understand that just because I fight with Leah...it doesn't mean I don't love her! OK -- message received! It doesn't mean I will learn to like the fighting though!!!

Heat wave

No more negative temps. Well maybe the wind chills, but we stopped listening to the news. Especially after city's 10 to 15 degrees warmer cancelled school. But not our tough town. We want to belong....so are buckling down too!

Today Luke woke us up at 6 to not be late for 8:30 first basketball practice. Do you think he's excited? He sure didn't do this for football! It's fun to watch though....even if a little early. Warm gyms beat ice cold bleachers any day!

Right now I'm catching up on laundry and scrapbooking. You don't even have to guess which one excites me more! I can hear Luke upstairs having a blast with his good friend B. The amazing part is B still lives in Seminary City! That's right....they are playing a Pokemon DS game via WI FI over 500 miles away. Their voices come over the game boy and little annoying sister stills likes to bug B and Luke! Technology amazes me! I'd never dream of this in my childhood.....I never even dreamed of this when my baby was born!!! Just imagine the next decade!! Stay warm!

IF YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL IN THE 1970'S......

You had that Fisher Price Doctor's Kit with a stethoscope that actually worked.



You owned a bicycle with a banana seat and a plastic basket with flowers on it.



You learned to skate with actual skates (not roller blades) that had metal wheels.



You thought Gopher from Love Boat was cute (admit it!)



You had nightmares after watching Fantasy Island






You had rubber boots for rainy days and Moon boots for snowy days.




You owned 'Klick-Klacks' and smacked yourself in the face more than once !



Your Holly Hobbie sleeping bag was your most prized possession.


You wore a poncho, gauchos, and knickers.


You begged Santa for the electronic game, Simon.


You had the Donny and Marie dolls with those pink and purple satiny shredded outfits, or the sunshine family



You had a pair of Doctor Scholl's sandals (the ones with hard sole & the buckle). You also had a pair of salt-water sandals.





You wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder really bad; you wore that Little House on the
Prairie-inspired plaid, ruffle shirt with the high neck in at least one school picture;
and you despised Nellie Oleson!






PONG! ('video tennis' ) was the most remarkable futuristic game you've ever heard of !

Your hairstyle was described as having 'wings' or 'feathers' and you kept it 'pretty'
with the comb you kept in your back pocket.
When you walked, the 'wings' flapped up and down, looked like you were gonna 'take off'





You carried a Muppets lunch box to school and it was metal, not plastic.
With the thermos inside some were glass inside and broke the first time you dropped them.




You and your girlfriends would fight over which of the Dukes of Hazzard was your boyfriend.



YOU had Star Wars action figures, too!



It was a big event in your household each year when the 'Wizard of Oz' would come on TV.
Your mom would break out the popcorn and sleeping bags!



You often asked your Magic-8 ball the question: 'Who will I marry.
Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, or David Cassidy?'




You completely wore out your Grease, Saturday Night Fever, and Fame soundtrack record album.



You tried to do lots of arts and crafts, like yarn and Popsicle-stick God's eyes, decoupage,
or those weird potholders made on a plastic loom.




You used to tape record songs off the radio by holding your portable tape player up to the speaker.



You had subscriptions to Dynamite and T iger Beat.


You learned everything you needed to know about girl issues from Judy Blume books.
(Are you there God, It's Me, Margaret.)



You wore friendship pins on your tennis shoes, or shoelaces with heart or rain bow designs.

You wanted to be a Solid Gold dancer.


You drowned yourself in Love's Baby Soft - which was the first 'real' perfume you ever owned.


You glopped your lips in Strawberry Roll-on lip-gloss till it almost dripped off.



I would say at least 80 percent of these are true!!!! Including the Love's Baby soft perfume! Hope it brings back memories for you too!!

Cabin Fever

Today I drove home from work in a white out blizzard. PRAISE GOD it was only 6 miles! I am so thankful to have this job and not the first one I had accepted 27 miles away. A member of our church loaned Ed a snow blower for the winter!!! YEAH!!! Tomorrow is a least a 2 hour delay for school. Double YEAH!! (from my kids)!!!

I hear other lifelong Iowas complaining that there is too much snow! I am trying really hard not too.... but winters in Seminary City were so much easier. Today, all of us safe and warm at home, Leah looks out the window and jumps up and down shouting SNOW!!!!!! Ed and I began laughing hysterically. I guess it was one of those times, that you had to be there, but she was as excited as if she saw this.....

BRAIN FREEZE

YIKES!!! I think my brain is frozen. I just can't get things together since a week away from home and then a week of illness. (it might be a vitamin D deficiency too!!!) Everything is just hanging by a very slim thread. I am praying for a SNOW DAY...even a 2 hour delay tomorrow! I thought I'd relax a little and read some favorite blogs, but realized I can't type comments! If I commented and miss spelled...misphrased my entries....I'm sorry :-) OFF TO BED!

Happy New Year!

We are slowly returning to normal. Ed and Leah are sick. Ed has been sick for almost 2 weeks and is going to the Dr. today. Leah is showing similar symptoms, so she is going to. We had a wonderful Christmas, but missed Daddy (as he had 2 funerals to do.) It was probably best as he just slept in between services and preparations....but it definitely is not Christmas without Daddy. We saw lots of family.....and Baby H was new to the celebration. We missed Baby E and her Mom and Dad (but spent some time chatting on the web cam on Christmas) We spent lots of time with my sister and boys.... doing a little to get ready for a baby niece in a couple of months....but lots of playing too!


We came home on New Year's but brought Lightening Mc Queen and Snuggle Bug with us. Lightening Mc Queen is almost 5. Snuggle Bug is 21 months but needs a new name. Compare pics! I don't regret giving my crib away! Toddlers are hard when you aren't use to them. He is so lucky he is adorable... because he is messy and a Houdini!! On day one he figured out how to crawl through the cat door in the laundry room and loved pouring out their water bowls! He is so quick! Saturday, we met his Mom and Dad halfway and skated home on ice. The rest of the weekend was spent with laundry and trying not to get sick. I went back to work today. It's nice to be back, but the whole class....students, teachers and nurse are rusty at class routine! I'm sure we'll be back to normal tomorrow!