And so it begins...

So...the time has come!
Homework time!
Elliette brought home some 'family participation' homework the other day from school. PRESCHOOL that is! Yes...homework in preschool!

To start,
let me announce,
the
"I've Been A
Bad, Slacker Mom
Today"

award

goes to yours truly,
ME!

The goal of this project was to work with your child to "disguise" this turkey so no one would want to gobble it up for Thanksgiving. Sure! Let's get started then! So, this working together thing, Elliette and I, started out alright, she was coloring the turkey in with crayons...I was helping, or trying to anyway... but, you know...she is 4 years old now, and made that fact well known by stating, "I no longer need your help because I am big now!" Well, Elliette...ok then! So I proceed by doing my wifely, housekeeping duties and carry on by washing the dishes. Within minutes, in true Ellie-esque fashion, like a butterfly never landing on one thing for very long, she fluttered away onto something else, promising she will come back to finish this dear, naked turkey later!

Meanwhile, John has begun a new family ritual that I am growing more and more fond of with each passing week. He relieves me of the kids on Sundays and takes them to his parents to watch football, and I go to Borders and study. This Sunday was no different, we went our merry separate ways. I studied til my brain was numb, finally returning home at 8:30pm. To my surprise, he even had the wee ones nestled in bed! So I take a little break by watching a little Dexter and Californication, then put in a little more study time. Before I knew it was the witching hour... 2 am. Getting ready to turn in for the night and put these old bones to rest I come across the half finished turkey, which is due tomorrow...of course! Well...someone's gotta finish this thing, so I bust out some of my artsy stuff and decide to turn this turkey into a ballerina because of another conversation I had had earlier that day with Elliette, which went something along the lines of this:
E: Mom, you know it was fine that I got to be Dorothy, the Wizard of Oz, at my school parade, but I really wanted to be a ballerina...So-can I be a ballerina for Halloween? I tell her that "she can be a ballerina next year for Halloween if she wants." She rants back that she "wants to be a ballerina for THIS Halloween." Me: Well, Halloween is over until next year, sweetie! E: But... And so the story goes! This conversation goes round and round until finally I told her to just go brush her teeth!

Anywhoooo...back to the turkey! Some how I managed to finish the turkey! I decided to call her 'Madame Turkeyfly'! And ain't she just the gaudiest turkey you have ever seen?!?!? She even has faux eyelashes! I'll tell you one thing- I wouldn't eat her! Mission accomplished I guess, but unfortunately with out my little partner Elliette!

I would like to send a huge, giant sized thank you out to my mom and dad...who ALWAYS sent me to school with the very best, most creative projects, bug collections, Valentine's Day boxes, Halloween costumes, etc... a kid could ask for! I will get it together and one day send Elliette and Griffin to school with projects they can be proud of too!

Character cannot be developed

in ease and quiet.

Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

Helen Keller
US blind & deaf educator (1880 - 1968)

New Hope!

I am not a political gal.
Never have been.
However...

For the very first time ever in my 32 years,
I actually put some thought into who I would like
to be our next President.
We have been given the hard-earned gift and right to vote, so I thought...maybe I should respect that, due my part, and vote!
Not just vote for who I am told to vote for, but actually form my own opinion on who I think is best suited for the job. And what a job to step into. I wouldn't want it! How about you?
Well, obviously...I voted for Obama!
I silently let my thoughts and the thoughts of other stew and brew in my noggin, until I came to my own conclusion. I went into the my designated polling station with unwavering confidence and left proudly, knowing I chose, in my own mind, the right man! And that I cared enough to pay attention to the details this election year.

Whether you are an Obama fan or a McCain fan...
you have to admit...
that was one excellent acceptance speech!
I watched it and felt giddy with hope!
I hope you did too!

So here is to a new future, filled with HOPE!
Yes we can!

Food for Thought

Daily Morsel: Living a juicier, zest filled life
Brio: (breee-o) n 1: quality of being active or spirited or alive and vigorous
[syn: animation, spiritedness, invigoration, brio, vivification]

This pretty much sums up my kids and their zest for life! Maybe instead of our children looking up to us, we should look up to them and try to add a little more brio to our lives, the way children effortlessly do it with even thinking about!

Life is good!

It was a double header birthday celebration last weekend!
Elliette , my budding artist, athlete, sassy pants... turned 4, & my little, all-boy, wild-man, Griffin turned 2!
Both completely embrace the their ages and stages of childhood.
Elliette-Little miss Elliette has a mind of her own, and isn't afraid to let you know it! She knows what she wants and how to get it. Typical of a 4 year old, going on 13, right! She is a smart little thing, on the cusp of being able to read! It's pretty exciting! She has this fascination with knowing how every word is spelled.
She has the memory of an elephant! Her thought process
and problem solving skills are well
thought out for a 4 year old.
She sure as hell did not get this from her foot-loose & fancy free mother, I will tell you that!
One of my favorite things about her right now is that she is a total rockstar on the monkey bars! She zips across them like it's a walk in the park. She has been very coordinated and athletic from very early on. It makes me very proud to watch her glide across the monkey bars at the park while others watch in awe! In my head I am thinking, Yep...that's my girl!
I can't wait to see what kind of person she becomes.

Griffin- Ah...and then there is Griff!

Well...mischeivious just might as well be his middle name! With boundless energy and zero inhibition, he is into EVERYTHING and does not stop! Turn your back for a second and his is onto exploring something else!
I would be lying if I told you this did not,at times, frustrate and exhaust me like all get out!
It is mind-boggling to think that I am not a thinner person,
because all I do is chase after this kid!
Oh, but I love him! His sweet nature magically washes the slate clean!
He is...after all, two...doing what 2 year olds' should be doing!
And he does it so well!

Now, on to the cake...
My sister, Jory, aka Jojo, made it!
Isn't it great! Isn't she talented!
It has become tradition in out family that
my mom and sister make these fantastic cakes for everyone's birthday!
Well...this year my mom had pneumonia and had to sit this one out.
It was up to Jory to keep the tradition alive, and that she did with this circus cake!
She even hand stitched the canopy! Now if this isn't a sign of love and dedication to my children then I don't know what is!
So, Jory, with all my heart...
Thank you!

A little food for thought...

Daily Morsel: Something More
If there were none who were discontented with what they have, the world would never reach for anything better. -Florence Nightingale

Crazy-ness!

Hello Gang!
Sorry for my lack of posts!
I know you all have just been waiting at the edge of your seat!
So..to explain the delay,
Let's just say...
for me, trying to find a balance between being an attentive, supportive wife- susy homemaker- a loving mother of 2 animated, & curious children- a housekeeper (which I am not good at by any means, and do not enjoy whatsoever)- chef-boy-r-dee- story teller- band aid applier- laundry mat worker-entertainer- peace keeper- and hungry student...
has been, well...a bit daunting.
As much as I try to serve each job equally, not putting one before another, it is hard!
The thing is, I am going beck to school! Have been for a year now!
And, I am absolutely loving every minute of it!
However... I feel guilty for the huge chunk of time it consumes.
It makes me feel SO good to go to school again and use the brain I never realized I had.
But at the same time I feel like I am committing some kind of crime wanting to be MORE.
All this school razz-ma-tazz and thoughts of a new career put a little extra bounce in my step. I know in the long run having something to call my own that I worked so hard to achieve will only make me a better wife, mom, friend, daughter. sister, etc...
It is hard to explain why it will, I just know it will!
So, enough rambling!
In a nutshell...
School keeps me busy!
Family keeps me busy!
I will try harder to keep up with this whole blogging gig!