Teenagers and Cars

"Mom, can I sit in the driver's seat?" my oldest says to me.

After some consideration, torturing her during my silence, we switch seats. She eagerly gets behind the wheel, car running in the parking lot (we were waiting for my husband to return from picking up medication). "Can I press this button?" motioning for some radio doohickey.

"Sure," I blurb, peering at her, wondering what the next question will be.

She tries the seats, the windows, locking and unlocking them, asking questions about what this does, or what that does. I realize the days of childhood are slowly fading with her, she's showing just how old she's getting with her switch of interests, and sudden fascination with the family minivan. "How about the gas pedal, can I press down on it?"

Whoa nelly, here we go, I thought to myself. Ah, what harm could it do, the van is parked. "Sure honey, but just a little, don't overdo -"

VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

"-it..." I finally finish.

"WHOOPSIE," she giggles with that look on her face that screams MORE MORE MORE!

I think I just got grayer.

(originally published as Pre-teens and Cars on October 14h 2007)

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Surprise Baby

Peek-A-Boo through my desk chair, who's that? Uh oh! He's got me!


In so many more ways than one, he was a surprise, and boy oh boy does he ever "got me."

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Paint Today With Love

I suppose it doesn't take much for a mom, huh? We get all ooey gooey when our child mutters a syllable, or draws us a scribble with a half-broken crayon. We treat these gifts like gold, framing them on our fridge, pressing them into books, snapping away our cameras at their teeny faces, beaming with pride and accomplishment, for us to go back and pour over in amazement at how they've grown and changed with tears and wishes for more time before they're fully grown.

It doesn't take much to impress us, to get us hooked, because we marvel at their every move every day, studying every crevice, hair and speck of dirt, marveling at how perfect they are despite how different from each other they are, as we should. We created these beings from the depths of within us, out of love, miracles, and magical science. They were born to us filled with that same magic, to bless upon us joy beyond joys we couldn't ever imagine, every single one of these precious events helps us celebrate together our beautiful lives with one another.

Time is not on our side. We have to look at every day as a fresh canvas with which to paint each day filled with joyous color from love, and cherish them as we brush that canvas with our memories.

Today was a bit of wet orange, like dried peaches on his nose and drool hanging...


Mingled with some green, jumbled, depicting the wrestling match with daddy on the trampoline...


With some sweet yellow, so big yet so sad - sad by how much she looked like a big girl sitting there, eating snack on her big girl plate, and drinking with her baby hands out of a big girl cup...

(then proceeding to build a tower, and then giggle while trying to scheme to knock it down...)

Brushed with some romantically dark blue, handsomely strewn over in the corner, resembling how my husband looked up from his book long enough for me to snap a fabulous picture of him...


Flecked a bit by some wonderfully murky brown in a circle with spikes, kind of like my children's famous mud pie birthday cakes that are made lovingly for me (that I still think look like dog poop, despite how much I love my kids)...


With a big white heart in the center for my snuggle brother-babies.


Yup, these finer things are what makes this mom melt into one gigantic puddle of gratefulness, painting each day with joy, embracing the color from one day to the next.

You never know what each day is going to bring you, as a parent, but it'll always be filled with children, and colors, and memories.


Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

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Summer Family Fun

Every year we go out and buy some flimsy inflatable pool for our backyard.

Every. Friggin. Year.

Usually, we get the same pool and something inevitably happens to it.

Every. Friggin. Year.

(Never said we were smart.) So here we are again, getting hot, we need a pool. There we were, in the pool aisle, perusing the veritable choices for our backyard water activities this year, and lo and behold, there's our pool. Not again, not this year, pal. Once bitten, twice shy, three and four times? We're idiots. I won't lie.

There, next to it, is a kidney shaped one, similar, a tad smaller, $10CHEAPERHELLOILOVEYOU so we get that one. Plus, it's made from a different company, so we figure, it's gotta last longer. Or maybe not suck as bad. Or something.

Next to this over-abundance of pools are some cute, animal shaped puddles pools for kids. Okay, I kid, while they're not deep, they're not exactly small. We ended up getting the whale shaped one that you can hook up the hose to squirt the kids while they splash in a cute, not-so-deep wading pool, to keep cool. Seems awesome, right?

Oh. My. Goodness.

My kids love the whale so. super. much! Who knew? (Well, except my oldest, who's too cool to play with us in the pools, so she was hanging out with friends).

By the way, can you tell in this picture who's got mom's Italian skin, and who's got dad's pasty white Scottish skin? *cough*loveyouhoney*cough*


Mr. Pasty White himself, lookin' mighty fine with that red beard comin' in...


My ham, who always seems to have that tongue out. It's not easy getting good pictures of her.


This may seem like a sweet photo of my two older boys, but I guarantee you, this was the "Oh crap, mom's looking, better not rough him up too bad" look, 'cuz they were wrestling.


So I ask "Hey, show me your Dora baby-suit" (as she calls it). And this is the look I got in return. (Hey, at least the tongue wasn't out!) So, there's that...


My son who is still trying to get the perfect flying children picture for me. Ah, my little perfectionist. Or, he's trying to master his stage-diving technique. Not sure. Meanwhile, you see my daughter rockin' out all by herself in her own little flowery concert, alone, back there. Someone, for the love of whatever you consider holy, please tell me why is it, at this age, they think making these hand gestures make them look cool? (Note to self: must make another post of all the pictures they keep ruining by doing these.)


And my baby dude. Oh, let me tell you how much my baby dude loves him some water...

Can you not just eat up those baby fat rolls?


Eat him up with a spoon, you say? Yeah, I thought so...


Wait. What? Do you see what I see? (other than a funny face he's making)


Look closer!


Yup, baby dude got his first tooth, what we lovingly refer to at this stage called "toofers". (And mommy inadvertently got a picture of it. Way to go me and my awesome camera!)

Pictures of good, old fashioned family fun. Now pardon me while I go curl up into a ball and cry while rocking back and forth in a corner, because my youngest and last child just got his first tooth. Despite how hard I try, and how much I joke about raising my kids, it isn't.easy.at.all seeing them grow up. They're just gettin' too big...

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Cooking With Kids

Cooking with children can be a scary concept, isn't it?

Don't touch that!
Hot! Stay back!
Put that away, we're eating soon!
No, you can't eat peanut butter with your finger!

*ahem*

The kitchen is an attracting place for kids, chock-filled with loads of things they shouldn't play with, and appliances that can seriously hurt them. Of course, that doesn't stop them from being curious about them though, does it? Hot stove, oven, glass and such does not make for a safe place for children to play. At all. But oh, how they're enthralled with the food haven in our homes, aren't they?

What to do? Cuz ya can't banish them from it altogether, y'know?

Taking the proper precautions, it can be a beautiful experience made of memories. Really, there's nothing better than letting your child help you while preparing the family's dinner and spending quality time with your toddler, empowering her to make her feel like she's a huge help, even if it is in a small way.

And there's no cost involved, other than taking a few extra minutes to prepare something. Really, the cost of a few minutes of your time is priceless to their self-esteem. Go on, let them help, it's really easy. Look!

Let them help you make mashed potatoes, by putting the chopped potatoes into the pot.

Our toddler dove head first into her task, and proudly picked up every one to place carefully into the pot, except for the one she tried, after seeing her dad eat one raw...

Her baby fingers manipulating each potato piece, wrangling them into the pot one (or ten) at a time, like she was the cowboy corraling the animals in the right direction...

She took her job seriously, and diligently helped each piece in proudly. It took maybe 5 or so minutes extra, but the end result? A toddler who felt prouder than proud, chest out, smiling widely, and a parent thankful for the adoration by way of baby hugs in return.

You don't have to whip out all the gates, locks and gadgets-a-plenty, creating this huge kid-proofed experience to enable your child to help you. You can simply plop them on the counter beside you (perhaps a hand on their leg for protection), and in a span of five minutes, fill them with the ability that they are master and commanders of your kitchen, no matter how small the task may seem to you, it means the world to them.

And to you.

Because in that instant? You're teaching your child, and that is invaluable time spent.

For more Wednesday fun, visit Wordless Wednesday, 5MFM, MomDot, Ordinary and Awesome, Seven Clown Circus, and We Are THAT Family too!

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To Do Tuesday Week 16

If this is your first time reading and you're wondering what To-Do Tuesday is all about, click to check out the first post to find out more.

So how was your Memorial Day??? Ours was good, we bought pools for the kiddies and reorganized the play room. Not exactly grilling and all that, but there was a big chance for rain, so we grilled on Sunday. Well, okay, technically we grilled yesterday, too, with steak on the menu, but.. it wasn't the same. Um. Okay, I'll shut up now, because I sound like I need coffee, or rammed my head in a door, or something.

Wait.

Did I just say... Week 16!?! Holy ever-loving cow, 16 weeks with our to-do lists!? Wow! Way to go to all of us tackling our lists! {insert applause here}

What do you have on deck this week with the heat making it's way into the picture? It's beginning to alter our normal, everyday activities here, how about you? I've gotta start getting creative with dinners that won't heat up our house this summer. Any ideas?

My list this week:

Grocery shopping/coupons/list
Have fun with hubby and kids while on block leave!
Pool! Yeah!
Crafts (and perhaps capes for the other kids?)
Park/Walks
Pumpkin Bread
Homemade organic rice crispie treats (will blog about recipe, you lucky ones!)
Cookies
Bowling
Finish cleaning out the closets upstairs
clean out the van
Work out at least 30-60 minutes everyday checked="yes" type="checkbox">
Staying on my diet all week long!

I'm taking it light on myself this week, somewhere in there will be that doctor's appointment and I have no idea what'll come from that. Otherwise, I've been feeling just fine.

How about you? Would you like to join us this week for To-Do Tuesday? Start with just a few things. Don't over-do it your first couple of times. You'll grow to become a list-a-holic later, start small now, though, k?
Just so you know, you can join us at anytime, it doesn't have to be on Tuesdays - the list will go up every Tuesday for you to link to, but you can make your list and link to us at any point in the week!

Remember, with "To-Do Tuesday", we're attacking our to-do lists each week, blogging about our lists and what we've got going on, and sharing it with each other to help keep each other accountable. Everyone should come back here to link up in the Mister Linky as the central "To-Do Tuesday Hub" so we can visit who's participating and offer encouragement to each other throughout the week. Don't forget to add the "To-Do Tuesday" button to your post, linking back to this post!

Let's continue to cross items off our list as we go and help support each other in completing our lists! Don't forget my useful HTML tutorial on how to effectively "cross-out" or "check off" your items on your to-do list!


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Can You Help?

Meet Ezra.

Ezra just had his second birthday. For his birthday, instead of partying like normal two-year-old's get to, with cake, ice cream and games, he was bitten by a spider, taken to the doctor for tests for fear it was venomous, and ended up diagnosed with leukemia.

To say his mother is besides herself is an understatement.

There is a lot that will have to happen in order to take care of him, and Beth, his mother, needs our help.

Please visit her blog, read about Ezra, the diagnosis, and if you can, donate, blog, tweet, or whatever you can to help them.

We've lost too many babies to this disease this year, dammit. Let's help ensure we don't lose another.

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Sometimes You Need Bubbles

Pouting through the glass door, I approached cautiously when sliding it open. Immediately she pointed at me, "I c-yose (close) da door on my boo-boo!" she blurted out with her baby girl voice.

Doing my doctor-esque thorough check on her finger and finding no boo-boo to speak of, I suggested we wash her hands. She immediately brightened, yelling "Tuh'mon (Come on), mommy! Tuh'mon!" as she grabbed me by my pointer finger and pulled me as fast as her little body could take me.

Hand-washing is fascinating for her.

"Soap, mommy! Moyuh (more) soap!"

And then I went and did the bestest thing in the entire world - I made bubbles in the sink. Her eyes got big, her tongue stuck out, the edges of her mouth turned upward as she formulated a plan as to how she'd attack the bubbles first. Before she finished that thought, though, she was already into them, raising her fingers, marveling at the mound of bubbles she had perched on each hand.

"Mommy? Div (give) me yooah (your) hand!" she waves her hands, flapping soapy bubbles on the mirror.

I could've resisted her cute pleas to rub bubbles all up and down my forearm, but I didn't. Before me there stood my red-cheeked, green-eyed, curly-headed ball of girl squeaking in delight as she rubbed bubbles on my arm, and I couldn't do anything but stand there and love her and hope I'd remember this forever.

We played a little, in which she'd wipe off the bubbles, and I'd tease her as she put the towel down by slipping a few bubbles back into that same spot she wiped. And she'd wipe again, and we'd repeat our actions. She never once got angry. She just kept intently wiping, and fixing, and being 'the mom', cleaning up, while I, in turn, played the kid and tried her patience with all my might, smiling and laughing and secretly crying at how beautiful she was and how much fun I was having with such a simple task of washing hands. It was thought-provoking, at the very least, to try to do what they do and feel how it must feel for them, sometimes, supposing that it's not maliciousness, just playfulness, that causes them to do what they do.

I reveled in this reversal, and soaked up every second I could in that shoebox of a half-bathroom, not wanting the bubble supply to run out, not wanting her attention to waver. Ultimately, it did, but not before I snuck in a bubble or twenty onto her nose. She didn't like it that much, but liked it better on mine.

Boo-boo? What boo-boo? Bubbles win! I say, because of the beautiful moments spent between me and my daughter, that it is me who really won.


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Fun With Kids - Flying Children

Want an expensive way to entertain yourself and your children, that makes for some good blog fodder? Whip out your camera, and tell your kids to run or jump around and attempt to fly while you take a picture.

Put the straight jacket away, I'm totally serious here! Jeez!

I had entirely too much fun trying to capture my children mid-air, so that it would appear they were flying. You've got to try it, seriously! You remember the awesome flying picture from yesterday's post:


Here's a few more fun ones for ya:


This one makes me laugh. Hard! It looks like my son is about to crane kick my daughter {giggle} (he was actually behind her, but still, AWE-SOME!! haha)


And some trampoline fun, too

You should try this, good camera or no! So long as the camera has the capacity to switch to a "sports" shot, or "action" shot. Try this, and let me tell you, you will giggle, your children will giggle, and it'll be a great time all around. I promise!

Psst! Don't forget to share it with me when you do!

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