So Many People to Thank

But for today, I would like to thank the construction worker/electrician who was working on the house next door to my own. As I walked on my treadmill, I noticed him splicing wires and working hard at the edge of my driveway. Then, once he looked around to be sure no one was looking, he threw the trash from his special experiment on the sidewalk. The thank yous come in for the lesson I was able to show my son.
"See that man, Son? Do you see how he is doing his job, then looking around to make sure no one is looking? Do you know why he is doing it? He is throwing his trash on the ground because he thinks no one is looking." Then my husband went outside because I pointed this man out. My husband is good at this sly fox role so he mostly fiddled around but made himself seen by the worker. I made my son keep watching the man outside. And big surprise, the man put the rest of his trash back into his truck. Here is where I pointed out the man in the green Jeep Cherokee's integrity issues.
"See, Son, that man is only cleaning up his messes because he thinks Daddy is watching. THAT, Son, is low integrity. He isn't choosing not to litter because he thinks it is the right thing to do. He is doing it because he thinks he is going to get caught."
(My Son): Wow, Mommy. Is that why you punish me when I have bad integrity? So I will learn and not grow up to be that man?"
Me: Yes, Son.

You Had Me At Chapter One

Seriously, in addition to this guy making me laugh out loud, this book is one of the best I have read in a long time! My disclaimer includes the point that I have only made it through chapter one so far, but if I didn't have others to care for, I would not stop reading until the end. I got mine at Barnes and Noble in a three for one compilation including Through Painted Deserts and Searching for God Knows What. Some churchy books get you thinking but usually in an I-can't-believe-how-(fill in the name)-could-seriously-learn-a-lot-if-he/she-just-read-this-book way. This book is not like that. All arrows point to me on this one.

Home Alone

This weekend, The Man is gone with Papa Shaun and my brother, George, to visit the fish.

Translation: I am home alone with my children and grossly outnumbered! Never the less, I have shopped for a few new home things including a super cute lampshade and new kicks for Sam, Eli, and Addison, sanded, prepped, and painted my piano, stuck to my exercise schedule, shopped for scrap stuff to organize my scrapping area, read a book, read some great reminders in Acts, mastered a new song on the piano, eaten 12 cups of vegetables, vacuumed, cleaned, done some laundry, wrote a paper, created a Power Point presentation, drank 158 ounces of water, ran a mile in 11:30 (my last time was 16:02), and introduced Samuel (along with the others) to the drive in for a little Horton Hears a Who. AND, it is only Saturday. What did you do this weekend?

In case you wondered

The answer to my poll is a resounding "a cabin, books, movies, and mountains." (I think that was the fourth part?) The three of you who chose Hawaii must not know how unappealing sand in my nethers is to me. I absolutely LOVE Frenchman Lake only a quick jaunt of thirty minutes from my house. Just perfect. This picture is literally our view from our favorite campsite. We already have reservations for two trips this year. We have spent hours hiking for a Christmas tree, waiting on the fish to arrive, wandering with Moby Richard, camping, vegging, running early morning runs, and sometimes nothing. I love it. Especially when I forget something and running home to get it isn't really crazy!

Funny Questions

My Isabelle is going to be ten this coming week. I am only sort of ready for this. A couple weeks ago I committed to scrapbook the memory and pictures of her as a three year old learning to write her name. She was playing in her room for about 15 minute before she came out with a paper in her hand of her attempts to learn to write her name. I wrote it correctly at the top of the page. She returned to her room, and twenty minutes later came out having written successfully her full name of ISABELLE BREWER. I was a proud mamma. Luckily I hung onto that paper and was able to include it on my page.
This week I noted funny life lessons she is picking up. One conversation began with her asking how many feet a person uses while driving- odd, but funny to me. Another that spanned across three or four days was about the workings and usefulness of hazard lights. "What is that red triangle button for? What does it do when you push it?" I tried my usual smart response along the lines of "it is in case you get too mouthy. One push from me and you go flying out of the car. Two pushes and you end up with the rest of the builders of the Tower of Babel- wandering in a foreign land with no hope of return." I was met with an oh-please-I-so-don't-believe-you look, so i told her the truth. Sigh, my baby is getting so big. She was very excited a couple days later to witness hazard lights in action. I told her she was cruel to be excited over someones car troubles. Again, the look.
I like moments like these because I can take notice of the impact I have on my kids. I am the one teaching them. I am the biggest influence. I am responsible. I am the first. I am the one. I am Mommy. I am under qualified. :/
We all have to answer for our parenting skills when God replays the "video" of our lives. Are you ready for that? It isn't too late to be the one.

What is in store

There really isn't much happening around the Brewer Maxi Pad. We are keeping busy and preparing for the end of school.

MIKE-
is busy with his new job and loving it. He has picked up lots of overtime, and God is blessing us through that. He is also elbow deep in his EMT class at TMCC. Tuesdays and Thursdays. I will be happy when that is over.
ME-
I am in a Psychology class, my last class before I begin my upper division classes. I am also trying to get all of the curtains settled on each window. I really never realized how difficult this is. We have a LOT of windows. As previously posted, I am waiting on the weather to warm up so I can plant all of my veggies.
ISABELLE -
(who prefers everyone to call her Izzy only because she gets irritated when people spell her name wrong) has two months left of school. I am surprised she hasn't made one of those paper chain count downs. She is a munchkin named Curly in her schools upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz. I am extremely excited to watch it.
ELI & LAYLA-
are happy our school days are shorter which leaves time for the important stuff, like bike and scooter riding, sidewalk chalk, and new neighborhood friends. Layla Grace just finished her third box in her reading set and Elijah just started reading his first chapter book. I was thrilled with both of them.
THE SQUIRREL AND THE FISH-
Mostly run around the house and play/argue/scratch/bite/giggle. They give new depth to the meaning of a love/hate relationship. This morning Sam put together his first group of words. Luckily for me they were directed at me while I was getting dressed. He said, "you're ew," then laughed maniacally and ran away. Special. They don't know it yet, but this fall they will get me all to themselves between the hours of 8am and 2:30pm. Eli, Layla Grace, and Isabelle will be full time students at the Coral Academy of Science. We are all really looking forward to this new phase. And I am confident in my parenting skills to say "previous phase complete" with each of them.

Feeling Great in 2008

Okay, I will only say I have not been totally slacking on my goals for 2008, but I have not added any new ones. That isn't actually true; I have been eating a lot of veggies each day. But, mostly to counteract the other crap I eat. Like tonight- we had a late lunch so we let the kids (and we participated) in ice cream sundaes for dinner. I was beginning to get a complex that maybe I am not the cool mom I think I am because my kids would not believe me even when I was scooping the ice cream into their bowls. Why is this so far fetched? GASP! Maybe I am one of those lame moms that hangs around too much trying to convince her kids and her kids' friends she is cool! Argh.
Anyway, I got dressed to exercise many times this weekend, but only managed to do weights and push ups. I was too sore from the insane amount of gardening I did. Let me point out I had a teen age helper BUT completely lacked any man help. Ladies, listen up! This is over rated. Do NOT take on these sorts of projects on your husband's weekend away. My hands hurt so badly last night after three days of prepping my yard, I could not actually mash the mashed potatoes. Eli loved them. They were still yum, just a tad lumpy.
I DID manage to dig two holes-one for the tether ball pole, which I later sunk and buried, and the other for my new Granny Smith Apple tree. It is the perfect focal point outside of my kitchen window. I also cleared a 20x 20 section of Moby essence, rocks, and other oddities, tilled the dirt, laid a brick border, and laid 8 bags of topsoil. mm yummy. Plus, we met a really great gentleman at Home Depot to help load our car and wave hello to when we go back all summer long. He is at least 65, white hair, and the thickest German accent I have heard in a long time. His name is Milan and he made me recount my entire native history in hopes of finding a bit of German in me. He said Eli is a spitting image of me, only he looks very German. He was very accurate. And, my children love him.
NOW, I am exhausted. I must sleep.

What's the Answer?

I hate when people put up polls on their blogs but never give the answer. So, here you go. My favorite word from among the choices IS faggot. I DO so love the other words, but this one has such a naughty feel to it I get a rebel-dotty-a-loner sensation when I use it. It is the only bad word I holler to my husband when he is being obnoxious. I know it adds to the long list of reasons I am un PC but once again, if you love me you must love all of me. Plus, I don't care if I offend you. (hysterical malicious laughter)Plus, anyone who gets offended by things I write must not realize this world is less about them and more about me. Sigh. (demeaning head pat.) You will get it one day.

One of these things is not like the others..

Who can guess what is missing?

AAH Beautiful!

Dysfunctional Family

Now, I know you all want me to talk about the true dysfunction that stems from the Dahir side of my family, but I don't have that kind of time. I don't know that you can put that level of dysfunction into words. I will just focus on today's event where my husband took the kids on a bike ride around the block. He let me know, but because I am not the typical multi-tasker, being on the phone with the AmEx people caused me to not hear him clearly. He said something like- Addison is right here in front of you where I delivered her for he safety, and I am taking the other children on a bike ride around the block. I heard something like - kids will be gone, talk freely on the phone, bikes rock, block something or other. All this lead to Addison wandering aimlessly hunting for her daddy in tears throughout our neighborhood. Sigh. I am not sure I am ready for motherhood. Anyone need a good babysitter-keep looking.