Monthly Archives: February 2009

Teenage Surprises and Success

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Life with a teen is, ummm, occasionally like a roller coaster ride that never ends!  It has dips and curves, highs and lows, tunnels and sunshine – and perhaps, if we’re really lucky, she might even TALK to us, too 🙂

A week ago, DD#1 was whining about not having any cookies for a treat after dinner.  Mind you, this was before the GS cookies arrived…so, I told her there was dough in the fridge, all she had to do was to read the instructions and bake a pan of them.  You’d think I told her to cut off her limbs for all of the heavy sighing, whining and stomping she did!  Needless to say, we didn’t have any cookies that night.

Last Saturday, JD and the son-man went on a Cub / Boy Scout adventure, and left the girls with me at home.  I don’t really know what aliens he left me with, but the kids were so quiet that I slept until 10 am!  Then, I told the little ones they could watch a movie, and told the big one I was going to my office shed to check emails, consume caffeine and wake up. 

What did I find when I came home?  Feast your eyes on this lovely sight!

Ah yes, the sweet smell of success.  All three girls helped, but the eldest was the one who did it in her own sweet time.  And they were good, too!

Then on Friday, DD#1 attended the Texas UIL (University Interscholastic League) district competition.  She competed in LISTENING SKILLS (go figure that one out) … and won FIRST PLACE in the district!!!  There’s still a few more competitions to go, to see if she makes it to state, but we’re so very proud of her nonetheless.  Wahooooo that she listens to someone at least!

And a Lovely Scottish Lass She Be: Ms. Mac

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I’m a shy commenter on blogs.  I never know what to say!  But, I’m a voracious reader, and spend an hour (at least) reading blogs and taking a voyerous view into the lives of others – mostly people who make me giggle — people who lead a different life than I do. 

One of those blogs that I have read daily for a couple of years is Ms. Mac – https://ms-mac.blogspot.com/

Do you know her?  Oh you should!  She’s perky, funny, narcissistic and a hoot-and-a-half, to this mom!  She and her family are ex-pats — she was born in Scotland, lived in Australia for about 12 years and is now planted (some days more than others) in the Village of the Damned in Swizlerland.  hmmm, reminds me of the feelings I had being of midwestern heritage, becoming a Texan (by marriage) and then moving off to the very different culture in Utah.

So, when DD#1 came home from school a week ago and told me she was learning all about Australia and their wildlife, I thought of Ms. Mac … and braved my stalker’s shyness to email her privately and ask her if she could write a letter to my darling daughter’s class, telling them about actually *living* amongst the Australian wildlife (the animals, not her family).

And she was lovely enough to comply!  Oh, wow, the look on DD#1’s face when she read that letter and saw the photos that Ms. Mac had sent along.  It melted this mom’s heart — and since Ms. Mac is raising a clan of testosterone-laden boys, I had wished I had captured that precious face on camera for her to share.  Nothing beats the thrill of a daughter’s reactions when she is so very excited and feeling all special.

I received Ms. Mac’s letter to DD#1’s class on Friday.  After a trying morning for DD#1 last Friday, I decided it was in my best MOM interest to head over to the school and deliver the letter to her teacher – hoping that it’d pick up the spirits of the youngest of our brood.

And today, I sent this absolutely adorable Thank You to Ms. Mac — because the letter was read not just in DD#1’s classroom, but also in the other 2nd grade classroom:

Ah, for the love of virtual friends.  Ms. Mac – THIS mom also thanks you – for your kindness gave me a very special smile that graced the face of my daughter.

Hilarious Doesn’t Begin to Describe this Moment!

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This one cannot go unsaid.  It’ll go down in history as one of those precious childhood moments that we’ll never let our daughter forget.

Since yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday, there was a few mentions of it in the children’s sermon and in the Pastor’s sermon at church.  Of course, we don’t have local or cable television and we’re not sports people – so, we could have cared less.  But, when the children were asked, during the children’s sermon, if they knew what important event was happening yesterday, son-man remembered that a mention of the Super Bowl was stated during the announcements, prior to service, by our pastor…so, he answered the question correctly.

Now, once the children were done, the man who delivered the children’s sermon not only gave each child a sticker that was in the SHAPE of a football and said “Jesus’ Team” on it … he also handed out tiny chocolate football treats to each child.

After church, we were driving to the store, in search of a new laptop for me, when one of the kids asked us just what Super Bowl Sunday was. 

And despite the football sticker and candy…

DD#2 (the most brunette blonde you have ever seen) interrupted my explanation by saying – “Oh my goodness!  I thought it had something to do with BOWLING!”