Overprotective moms....

got into a discussion the other day about bullies and hazing and protecting our kids from harm. i was listening to these moms say that any time their kid has an argument or a run in at school...they rush up there, rip the principal a new one and demand that something be done to protect their kid!! ranting and raving about the physical and psychological damage that bullying causes. now, i don't deny that it can cause damage...but, i don't think it has to.

we, as parents, can only do so much to protect our kids. we can't be there 100% of the time to watch over them, nor should we be. there are things we can't control and that stuff happens. bad things happen....they just do. if parents had the power to prevent bad things from happening to kids....they wouldn't happen. there wouldn't be any accidents, molestations, abductions, etc.... there wouldn't be a parent out there who would "let" any of these things happen to their kid.

the best way for us to protect our children is to teach them to protect themselves.there are most def circumstances where adults should intervene, but for the most part...teach your kid to stick up for himself.

how about teaching your kid at home about bullies and the sort...why they do what they do...that they should never let someone else influence how they feel about themselves...teach them to be more aware and not set themselves up in a situation where they could be bullied...teach them to use intelligence and wit to outsmart bullies...teach them to rally their friends and plan something to get the punks (not to hurt anyone) if they are being bullied. if taught these things at home to fight their own battles in the world, then these kinds of situations would build character instead of destroy it.

i know kids can get hurt when this stuff gets out of hand...that's the flip side...but, you can't control other people. no matter how hard we try, we can't stop people from being mean, or evil, or stupid....we have to teach our kids how to handle these situations.

losing my son didn't make me more protective...it showed me that no matter what...shit happens. all the "want to's" or "should have's" or "could have's" in the world wouldn't have saved my son...so, i've learned to lighten up and enjoy life a little...and let my kids enjoy theirs as well!!

Part of your nutritious breakfast...

So, we're out of groceries...and I mean we were out. Nothing of substance anywhere in the house. Busy weekend, we were hardly home, so I didn't make it to the store until this afternoon.

I had to feed my kids something so they wouldn't be miserable at school and this was the best I could come up with. In case you can't tell from the picture...that is an iced oatmeal cookie in his right hand and a shot of whipped cream in his mouth. The whipped cream was Dad's idea!!!

It could be worse, right? Oatmeal is a breakfast food and the whipped cream is dairy...I'm not SUCH a bad mom!!

A little scared of the dark...

This pic is hilarious! The kid is so afraid of the dark it's ridiculous! We go through the same thing every night...making sure that just enough lights are left on and the door is left cracked open just enough. It takes several attempts and usually about 30-45 minutes to achieve the perfect combination! Most nights, before I go to bed...I go in to check on him and he has shut his door and is sound asleep with the lights on. This particular night...I found him surrounded with weapons and "dudes" to protect him.

I don't worry so much...Lily was the same way. Then, one day...out of the blue, she said..."I'm not afraid of the dark anymore." And, that was it...she wasn't. She now turns out her light, shuts her door and complains if any light from Jack's many night lights seep under her door.

Until then, we'll keep him locked and loaded and ready to go...just in case there are things that go bump in the night!

Have you ever listened to yourself?

Ya know....you hear the words from your mouth after they were spoken and been a little shocked or surprised by what you said. This is what I heard myself say today, well, yell today....

"GET OUT OF MY FACE WITH THAT FACE...I'M TIRED OF SEEING KIDS WITH THAT FACE!!!"

Kinda weird, huh? Oh yeah...I've said some things that are much more foul and offensive, but these words just struck me as funny! This was in reference to 2 very pouty children approaching me consecutively within minutes of one another...hoping that their pouty lips and sad eyes might influence me into changing my mind about....whatever it was I had previously said "no" to.

Poor kids...I remember trying out those faces with my mom...what am I talking about...I still use those faces with Jake!!!

This time of year....

funny how just the change in weather can make u miss someone so terribly.

my son was born in december, was transplanted in late august and died in november. this time of year always stirs up so many emotions for me.

it's been 10 years since his death...every year i expect it to get easier and easier...but i wouldn't call it easier...just different. time heals all wounds....i don't think so. time stops the bleeding and forms a scab...but something as simple as cool breeze marking the change of a season can reopen the wound...bringing the realization that you are not healed and may never be.

So...I'm old!!!

Yeah...I used to always think my mom was so lame for griping about not being able to see at night while driving and holding papers at arms length to be able to read them.

Well, here I am at the ripe old age of 31...my eyesight is failing me! I guess starting school made me realize how bad it was...I was struggling to read and couldn't get the book far enough away to see. So, I swallowed my pride and went to the eye doctor.

So...I look forward to seeing what is next to go!!

A gunshot wound....

Here's a good one for you...

Let me back this story up....

Jack got an airsoft gun for his birthday..why we thought it was a good idea to arm this child...I'll never know and, yes, it was a grandma gift...Avery got one too and before we sent them out in the backyard to kill each other we thought we'd test it out to see how bad the bullets hurt. So, I volunteer...Jake's testosterone kicks in and he realizes he can't let his wife take one for the team...so he takes several steps across the yard, turns his back to me...and with just the slightest bit of glee...I shoot him right between the shoulder blades. Jake starts hollering, jumping up and down, swatting at his back like there's a swarm of bees after him and screams..."NEVER, EVER SHOOT EACH OTHER..." We check the site of impact and there is a whelp the size of a nickel and a bright purple/red blood blister the size of a pencil eraser right in the center....it continues to sting and the point is proven to the kids...they will never shoot one another.

Now...to yesterday...I was putting Jack's air rifle up and glanced down noticing the bright green bullet ready for fire...I thought I should empty it, but then thought, nah...they won't shoot it at anyone, it's fine...a thought I later regret...I check the safety, then put it on his shelf. The kids had just gotten home from school and I was lecturing about something...to all three of the kids...Jack, apparently sick of my ranting, grabs his rifle, points directly at me, says "Hey Mom" I turn and look, he fires....and....at point blank range, I was shot right in the ass!!!!! So, I start hollering, jumping up and down and swatting my ass like there's a swarm of bees after me. I remember glancing at the kids and the look of fear on their faces...was absolutely priceless. Jack was terrified, he ran and hid in his room...Avery and Lily ran as far from the scene as they could possibly be and my husband, my defender, my protector....sits on the couch hysterically laughing. In his defense...from his perspective, I'm sure it was HILARIOUS. I would've taken pix, but it was my ass...so, I thought I would spare you all!!!

Ahhhh, the joys of motherhood!!! Avery wants a .22 for Christmas...yeah...I DON'T THINK SO!!!