ZUMBA!

My thought process while taking my first Zumba Class:

-Hey this isn’t so bad, the music is fun.

-How does she move that way?  Is she missing important bones?

-We’re moving NOW, oh yeah….I feel like a backup dancer!  I am AWESOME.

-I think I feel my heart elevating.

-Holy Mother of Love, I need air….

-I’m sorry, I can’t scream whooo!  AllRight!  Or Oh Yeah! Because I can’t breath.

-I think I’m dying.

-I hope the instructor knows CPR.

-Note to self- When starting, go with an instructor that looks like Roseanne Bar not this:

because its bad for your self esteem.

-Is that what I look like dancing!?!  Why is there a mirror?  Looks like a fat woman ate me. Why is there a mirror?

-Standard move:  act like my butt has gone into epileptic seizures (and then I will look sort of look like I know what I’m doing.).

-THANK YOU JESUS…3 MORE MINUTES INTO COOL DOWN.

-What the Freakazoid!?!?  There are women who are begging for more dances before cool down??  I will sneak into the night and steal your workout gear…ALL OF YOU BE DAMNED.

-The instructor just told me to ‘Hold your head above your heart?’  -Doesn’t she understand when I hold it like a turkey more air comes into my lungs?

-Why did we park across the gym, now I have to walk across three lanes of traffic fast enough that a car won’t hit me.  I can’t walk that fast right now.

Overall, I had fun and I’m really proud of myself for sticking with it and finishing! I think I have found a new challenge.

Love,

THE ZUMBA QUEEN

Alone Time?

The great part of summer is spending so much time with my family.

The downside of summer can be spending so much time with my family.

One indulgence I like to give myself (but never do) is to wait until dusk, get my iPod, shoes, and walk on the track above my house for about 30 minutes or so.  I like to lose myself in thought and listen to all my favorite songs.  This truly is an indulgence; because once I normally get off work, cook dinner, give baths, finish schoolwork (And soon homework)…I am dead on my feet.  So when summer comes, I like to take advantage.

I chose an opportune time; when no one is paying attention to me.  “I’m going for a walk” I half whispered and dash out the door…I get out of dodge ASAP.  I even snuck around the back of the houses so I wouldn’t be seen. 

Now before I go further, I know there are moms out there who I deem “Perfect Moms” who would say to me things like- ‘The time goes by quickly, take advantage of it’, ‘Soon you will wish your house was filled with family’, ‘I spend every waking minute with my family and love it’!  Can I just say I don’t need to hear that crap?  Yes I love my family dearly, but every person in the moment needs a little me time every once in a while.

Moving forward with my story, there I was fifteen minutes into my walk into a daydream…dancing backup with Paula Abdul, completing the winning triple axle on the ice and winning the gold, accepting the Emmy….

MOOOOOOMMMMMMM!  Hey MOOOOOMMMM!

I turn around and what do I see- 45 pounds of blue eyed powerhouse running toward me.

Hey Mom, did you miss us, we wanted to come see ya’, we was wondering where you was, me and dad come to get cha’, I was lookin’ for ya’……..

Behind C. was husband.  Envision if you will:  6’2’ man with size 13 plastic flip flops, a sleeveless shirt (with a farmers tan), glasses, and basketball shorts running toward me as awkward as can be with a kid’s bike under his arm.  I could hear his plastic flip flops a mile a way pounding the pavement.  Could he have worn less loud shoes?

Hey Honey, you want to go to the park and watch Connor ride his bike without training wheels!?

Selfish mom thinks- (heck no, I want to finish my walk and get back home and soak in a bubble bath while I read my trash magazines and see what trashy celebrities do while nannies watch the kids….besides there is no way in Hades Connor is riding that without training wheels).

Selfless mom says- ummm. Sure. Ok. Should be fun!

We all go to the park.  Before we are barely out of the car I hear….

I am NOT riding that bike.

I’ll hold on.

No you won’t!! You told a lied.  You won’t.

I will, don’t be a baby.  You don’t need training wheels.  Pretend you are in a race car.

I don’t want to race.  I don’t want to break my arm.

Just put your foot down if you fall.

I don’t want to put my foot down.  I don’t want to break my foot. I don't want to ride it.

Yes you do, pretend you are in a race and the trees are your fans.

Trees are not fans.  I’m not riding.

Connor get ON!

I tried to lose myself in Prince…You don’t have to be rich, to be my girl; You don’t have to be cool to rule my world….

MOOOMMMMMMM!  DADS TRYING TO MAKE ME RIDE MY BIKE!  MOOOMMMMM CAN YOU TELL HIM…LISTEN TO ME.

Selfish mother… (no I do not want to tell him, I want to go home and watch Drop Dead Diva on Lifetime for Women)

Selfless mom says- Maybe he isn’t ready to ride the bike without training wheels?

Yes, he is.

No, I’m not ready.

Connor you could be a good rider!

Maybe we can all try again later.  What’s that?  Look! Look lightening bugs!  

We all proceeded to catch lightening bugs for the next five minutes.  Then we ride home where Connor pretended our car was a horse and carriage and I was the princess.

Don’t worry princess we will be home soon, don’t be scared.  Giddy Up!  Giddy Up!

What's So Great About Summer?

Helping Wash the Dog 

(yes, I requested this be done outside)

Sunny Days, Blue Skies

Floating

Snowcones

Fast Lunch

Going off the Rope

Fried Squash

Summer Reading

This has been one of my favorite reads so far!  The Hunger Games is a young-adult science fiction novel written by Suzanne Collins.  The main character is sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world in the country of Panem.  A powerful government working in a central city called the Capitol holds power.  There are 12 districts and she is part of District 12.  Sadly, this evil Capital chooses both a boy and girl (from each district) to participate in the Hunger Games each year to remind all the districts to stay “in line”/ don’t rebel.  The Hunger Games is a televised, survivor type television show where children fight to the literal death.  The living survivor wins respect, wealth, and honor.  No one really wants to participate, but are required by law.  When Katniss’ sister's name is drawn, Katniss gives herself in place of her dear sister who she loves.  It seems Katniss doesn’t have a chance against the other districts…District 12 is poor and they never have a winner.  However, Katniss is a survivor!  She has had to take care of her family after her father dies and her mother falls into a depression.  You will be rooting for Katniss every step of the way.

I do not love Science Fiction, but this book is so well written you can really see it happening.  I think the author makes a lot of great underlying political statements as well- about government, war, and freedom.  I am in the middle of the second book- it isn’t going quite as fast, but I think you will LOVE this one.

Sandra Brown is known for writing romance novels with explicit romantic scenes; however Rainwater is not a typical Sandra Brown novel.  The setting takes place in 1934 Texas during the economic depression where racism is prevalent, the Dust Bowl/drought is an issue, and the setting portrays how one is perceived morally in a small town.  Ella Baron is the a young, single mother who owns a boarding house and is raising a mentally disabled child- one who we later discover has autism (termed 'idiot savant' in the late 30s).  Ella Baron is a survivor.  She isn’t a peppy, happy character like so many authors chose for their characters, Ella is more realistic.  She cares for those around her, and she does the best she can to make it work in hard times without complaint.  The town encourages Ella to put her ten year old son Solly in a mental facility for the weak minded, but Ella refuses knowing that there is more to Solly than what he shows.

Mr. Rainwater comes to her boarding house by request of the doctor.  Mr. Rainwater is dying and needs a comfortable place to stay the last days of his life.  Ella keeps her distance from Mr. Rainwater, not even wanting to talk to him. One day Mr. Rainwater unlocks Solly’s potential through a game of dominoes, and from that point on he is able to show Ella that Solly does have a brilliant mind and can communicate, count, and memorize. (This part in this story was so realistic and touching because I have seen it happen in my classroom).  Ella is so overcome and excited when she sees what Solly is beginning to do for Mr. Rainwater.  They eventually fall in love, and teach each other to live and love.   The book continues with other challenges and political issues of the time such as when Franklin D. Roosevelt's Drought Relief Program offers farmers financial help.  It's a program formed of honorable intentions, yet it is not executed well. Though it's saving many people, the fact remains that not all of the herds are taken. Large numbers are being slaughtered and wasted, sometimes even half the herd.   The main theme of this story is- If you ever get the chance to help someone in need or love someone in need, don't let it pass you by.   This story was a quick read and extremely touching tale.

Glutton for Punishment?

I think I must be one of these crazy people who likes to inflict pain upon myself.  I spent several hours cleaning Connor’s room…separating the little wrestling men from the big ones...separating the toy animals from the matchbox cars…and CARS II vehicles from the monster trucks..the coloring books from the golden books.

clean and shiny

This is the sight that greeted me this morning. 

what is all this crap?

all my hard work, down the drain

mountain of matchbox cars

  Did ask for this??  I guess so, but I made sure he knew that I was NEVER digging in the bottom of the toy box for the yellow Dale Earnhardt Junior CARS Movie Edition with attaching truck and hitch again!!!

(forgive my photography the flash is broke so NOW all my pictures are dark.  A new camera is on my wish list)

Top 15 Things God Taught Me As VBS Director

1.  Beg for Volunteers Early (use guilt tactics...like I have an ulcer and my Uncle Louey ran over my cat, please help me)

2.  Hoard hooks, double sided tape, and fake plants early on… (sneak double sided tape past the deacons)

3.  Recruit outside church for volunteers (Hold up a sign that says ‘Will Dance for VBS Workers’ on the side of the Highway).

4.  Don’t get too set about a vision, it isn’t going to look the way you want it… because God has a better plan and it will look better!

5.  Take the time and effort on decorations…it makes everyone more excited.

6.  Don’t stress…. Satan will tell you there isn’t enough money, people, and that you are doing a bad job.  The truth is there is enough and God takes care of all things.

7.  Pair yourself with someone to talk with when decorating and cleaning up (I made lots of NEW friends, I think. Hmmmm.  Maybe they were like ‘I don’t want to be rude, but shut the crap up’! but I'm SURE no one thought that of me :)).

8.  To (kind of) quote Blanche DuBois (street car named desire)...always depend on the kindness of strangers (at the Goodwill) …they might slip you some extra cloth.

9.  Kids LOVE live animals.

10.  Don’t leave REAL eggs lying around and grape juice can get tricky in the sanctuary.

11.  WATCH AND LEARN:  from the talents and skills of the people who volunteer their time, energy, and gifts for others.  It’s both awesome and amazing to watch people drive long distances, work long hours, and provide free items so that people can draw closer to Christ.

12.  When working with dye…makes sure the tin pan doesn’t have holes.

13.  Don’t serve flat bread until the END of a drama.

14.  Adults should worship like children…children don’t care who is beside them…they only care that God is listening.

15.  Take a picture of what the Sunday School Classrooms are like BEFORE you start moving and decorating, because I’m pretty sure Sunday morning people are going to think they are at the wrong church after our “cleanup”.
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We had a great Vacation Bible School week.  We will never know how many seeds we planted, but if feels good knowing we had a small role in teaching so many that ‘…nothing is impossible with God’.

ATTACK OF THE SMARTMOUTH

There is an evil lurking in my home.  It sneaks up when you least expect it.  It is quite surprising.  The evil is known as THE SMARTMOUTH.    While all is quiet and calm in the land, SMARTMOUTH arrives and attacks!  It takes over my sweet cherub, blue eyed, little boy.  He suddenly turns into a strong willed five year old.

Can I have a cookie, mom? No, you just had a…….SMARTMOUTH:  NO!!!  I WANT A COOKIE!

Connor clean up your toys.  SMARTMOUTH:  I’m BUSY!

Mom can I have a drink? After I fold the laundry.  SMARTMOUTH:  I’m thirsty NOW!

Connor sit down quietly.  SMARTMOUTH:  YOU sit quiet..it..ly!

Now my first instinct is to slap SMARTMOUTH silly, but I know that may not get us where I want to go.  I want SMARTMOUTH to understand how to take direction, be respectful, kind, considerate, and listen to his elders.  So begins the war with SMARTMOUTH…explaining right from wrong, taking away privileges, and using the good ole’ Evil Eye that warns I have power that can take on SMARTMOUTH (and I can inflict pain if needed)!

I sigh with relief when SMARTMOUTH is temporarily defeated and my child returns to normal:

I love you mom!

Thank you for reading the story.

Dad, I had a good day playing with you today.

I want to help animals that don’t have homes.

I love God!  He gives me a home, pets, and a family!

I can't wait to start kindergarten and make friends.

But every mom knows not to get too comfortable because.... ATTACK OF THE KNOW IT ALL…is lurking right behind SMARTMOUTH!