The Tooth Fairy wuz here...

Yes. She was here last night. First time for Shorty. I forgot how exciting it is at night, as you try to fall asleep waiting for her to come.

Although it may be a little nerve wracking. Shorty had a bit of a hard time falling asleep until most of his questions were answered. How does she get in? Will she wake me up? Is she going to touch me? "Leave my door open tonight, and if you hear her you can tell her I said thanks!"

Much to his delight he awoke to "fairy dust" on his window sill and all over his pillow...and even a few "dollars".

So yes she was here indeed. She will keep her fairy dust at the ready, just in case....

Did I mention I love summer?

I do. You're hearing my new favorite song again from my friend J.M. ( I can't find it on Itunes yet pal so you can listen here for now)

Yeah summer. Yeah flip flops even if they are bad for your feet. Yeah no bedtimes. Yeah beach at night.

I need to bottle this for February. Ick don't even want to say the "W" word. Yuck

Rock on JM

Know what's good?

Now don't get me wrong..I love diamonds, convertible BMW's, and pedicures as much as the next gal.

But what's really good? Being at the town beach at sunset, a stone's throw from my house, hearing a (quite large) bunch of kids playing football on the sand, swimming in the bay and making sand creations, while me and my girls (most of them anyway) sit on a beach blanket talking about chick flicks, songs that make us cry and hair color. And in the background the laughter of some of my favorite dads as they talk guy talk. Just being. Being a relaxed mom, caring friend, loving wife and all at the same time even!

Peaceful. Content. That's what's good. And I know someday I will miss this. But for now it's good.

This one's for you girls.....

Summer Time and The Living is Easy

Finally. It's Summer. Looking back at wintertime blogging I am surprised I made it to the summer..lol.

This is my week to breathe. Although school officially ended on Wed. I have had family staying here for a week so now the bed and breakfast is closed too.

So this week sleeping as late as you want everyday is allowed. Coming into Mom's bed after Daddy has left for work is strongly encouraged. (even the kids that are bigger than me). Coming downstairs before Mom and eating Oreo's for breakfast is really not allowed but is overlooked (this week only). Pool in place of a shower is ok maybe every other day. (chlorine kills germs). We have rekindled our friendship with the ice cream man who so nicely drives ever so s-l-o-w-l-y down our block so that in case you need to jump up and down 37 times to get your parent out in the front to buy ice cream, you won't miss him. Isn't that nice of him?

Deciding whats for dinner 30 minutes before we want to have dinner. And then maybe just going to the diner at like 7:00 (so late for dinner we are such rebels!) and then going down to the town beach 'til after it gets dark taking goofy pictures. It's wonderful. Then next week it's not like it will be back to the routine. VBS starts so we have to be up at a certain time. But our biggest worry will be when is water day so we remember to bring a towel. "Camp" is peppered in throughout July..but nothing major...just fun stuff for a few hours a day. August is open. One week in FI...with abundant sunshine this year and no burglars thank you very much.

Lazy mornings and even lazier evenings.

"Marshing mallows" on the fire pit,wet towels everywhere but no socks to wash! The smell of sunblock and bug spray, chlorine, salt water, warm air. Seagulls, sand on your feet, sand in your hand...little sanded kids that look like chicken cutlets, dogs and little boys with summer haircuts,spring planting finally coming to life, fresh cut lawns, kickball in the street 'til the street lights come on. Delicious. Normally I would NOT use that word to describe anything but food...but it's the first word that comes to mind when I think of all that. I plan to throw myself into it. Up to my eyeballs in it all even.

So when September comes I will be looking forward to new pencils, notebooks and school clothes. And some September solitude. But right now that seems light years aways...now it's Summer. Yipppeee!

Hubby

Yesterday was my DH's birthday. As usual he wanted nothing. Though he does want a GPS for his car which we will go buy in the near future. But as he is an avid reader of my blog and will eventually read this. So for your birthday...here are the top ten reasons why I love you. (there are of course much more but these are the top ten)

10. You can make me laugh like no one else. Especially when I am trying to fall asleep and you remember something you forgot to tell me when I was vertical.

9. You only know how to tell dirty jokes. And sometimes I even find them funny.

8. You are a great dad. No frills, no big show. Just honest, fair, generous (to a fault sometimes).

7. Everyone loves you. Really I don't know of many ( or any?) people that don't like you. It used to annoy me when I was younger but now it's something I admire

6. You give the BEST massages. And even though I hate to give them, you never turn me down. And yes I know you usually have ulterior motives but I'm easy.

5. You're a flirt and usually shamlessly flirt with other women who are unable to resist your charm. But I know at the end of the day who has your heart.

4. You're the real deal. The TP other people see is the one I know. No pretenses, no put on, just real.

3. You will help anyone. And I mean anyone. And even though sometimes in the past I would get mad because I felt someone was taking advantage of you, you assured me that it was ok and "it's what you do".

2. You have called me "hun" since we were 17 years old and it was really not cool to call your girlfriend that and even though your friends made fun of you (remember volleyball) you didn't care.

1. You love me in spite of my mood swings, times when I flip out, when I am afraid, when I am not a perfect mom. You always have my back, and won't hesitate to tell me when I am wrong even if I strongly disagree. You have made me a better person, let's face it I am much more easygoing than say ten years ago...and that's because of you.

So let cyberspace know my top ten. I am glad you are out playing golf today since you had to work all day on your birthday.

Happy Birthday. I love you.

P.S. I forgot to mention that yesterday was Barry Manilow's birthday as well. Yeah Fanilows!

Probably make a better Interior Decorator

I know what my profile and my music say...Pussycat Doll and all that.

But seriously what gets me "hot" is interior decorating. Not "Dont-cha hot" mind you. But still.

I know I have a knack as some people have told me. I know I really felt it when we remodeled our old house. To have a clean slate to work with, no one but me to decide what to buy, paint etc. was heaven. I took design classes and although they were at night during the week, I had a baby and two other kids home and some nights I was tired, but when I got to class I came alive. I could not get enough of it. I wanted to start my homework the minute I got home at 9:30 p.m. But then enter life...and I stopped taking classes. Put it on the back burner. Put all my A+ projects away along with my totally cool drafting tools and case.

We moved into this house and again a clean white (literally every wall) slate, and although 2 1/2 years later it's still a work in progress because I do have grand plans for this house I daydream about all I will do. It's like an addiction.

I am thrilled to be currently getting to use my friend's house as a guinea pig. We are painting every room, shopping for new stuff...I think I have died and went to heaven! It is my new obsession...this is what I want to do. I want to have a business like that helps everyday people who don't know where to begin when it comes to decorating their house. Not people who have unlimited budgets and aren't even involved in the process. So my friend C. is letting me pick her brain, get to know what she wants from her house. What her kids like and dislike. Her husband is even being a good sport. Although he has color-phobia he is sitting back and letting us go wild. I know they will love it. Well, I hope they will love it. Maybe they will be a first in a long line of "clients"...scary to say it out loud. (or write it as the case may be). Maybe I will grow up to be an interior decorator after all.

Music

If you are hearing the Pussycat Dolls right now...No I don't think that you wish your girlfriend was hot like me...I just may want to be a Pussycat Doll when I grow up...(see profile)...there are other songs added that are other aspects of my personality...there are many sides to me in case you didn't know.

Thanks to Mrs. P, when I heard Boy George (seriously though..why?) on her blog...I needed to investigate.

Rock on.

Parenting 101

LESSON #1 - "Give your kids EVERYTHING they need and MOST of what they want"

That has really been a parenting lesson that has continuously ran in the back of my mind throughout my 15 years so far of parenting. Sometimes it proves to be the hardest lesson to learn.

Sometimes I feel constantly bombarded with what "they" have and what "they" do that I second guess myself and think maybe I am not doing the right thing. It's not that my kids say "So and So has this and I want it too". There's not really any of that, mostly because my kids have heard "I don't care what so and so does/has" enough times to realize they need a better angle to ask for what they want. Not stupid kids by any means. It's the devil on my shoulder that says.."you need to get _______(fill in the blank) for Shorty(or Jr. or Herself) He needs that.

NO, HE DOES NOT! He needs me to love him. He needs positive reinforcement. He needs to read before bed. He needs to respect adults and his friends. He needs to not have that Kindergarten potty mouth the last few days.(poop this and fart that).

So for a little while I think he needs to have his own trampoline. He REALLY wants one. I try to talk myself into it. I will make sure they are safe. I will monitor all jumping. I will post signs. I will get out of having the huge kiddie party this time, buy a trampoline and have some pizza and pool for a few pals. Then I sit one night in my kitchen and watch Jr's 13 year old friend unwrap his seriously broken arm. Bones popped out, blood, pins...ugh. Did it on his trampoline. His mother is normal. She's a nurse. Nice responsible family. OK no trampoline. But in a moment of madness I told Shorty he could have one for his birthday. But in a moment of what I know was Divine Intervention..he tells me he really would rather have a karate party (he wanted one his WHOLE life didn't you know???) and maybe get a trampoline some other birthday. Whew. He wasn't going to get one but, I was not looking forward to that conversation. So I just look up and say "thanks". Sometimes God knocks you on the head (i.e. boy with broken arm) and if you still dont get it he gives you a free pass.

Fast forward to class trip. At the end the only way to escape is of course through the gift shop. Of course shop is full of sea creatures and the like that we do not need. I knew about it, and I knew that he would be allowed to get something. When his buddy picked up the largest stuffed sea creature available and announced "this is what I am getting". (priced close to $40..ugh) I think..great. We definitely do not need another stuffed animal. I brace myself for battle. But my parenting skills shine through. Shorty: "I do not need a stuffed animal...I have way too many...I think I like this, Mom."
He hands me a little package with a seashell fossill to dig out. I can be an archeologist. (reading at bedtime...) $5. Done. Kid's happy...he talks about all the sea creatures he saw today, what fun he had and how glad he was that it was me and him today. Score one for Mom.

So no to candy before dinner. (Well we did get the ice cream man before dinner the other day...we are allowed to break the rules sometimes) Inside voices a must. Cross the street only when parents are outside to watch you. Say please. Say thank you. And someday realize the times I said no, and it really made you upset, I did for you. I did it for your safety. Or maybe I did it because you really did not need anymore sugar. Or I did it because I don't want you to be a self centered person who thinks he is entitled to whatever he wants when he wants it. And that things cost money, and money is earned, not picked off trees. ( I am channeling my parents now..)And sometimes you don't get what you want. Or what you prayed for. Or what the other guy gets. But you do get parents who love you beyond measure and are proud of the boy you are and the man you will be.

I guess this parenting thing is forever a work in progress. But for all the times you may second guess yourself, it's nice to have the days that you can say...Yes! I am doing the right thing. But the right thing isn't usually the easier thing to do. That may be Lesson #2. For another day.