Wednesday, May 27, 2015

When Life Comes Full Circle

In high school, I had a small core group of friends. There were mainly four of us, 2 girls and 2 boys. We weren't the popular kids or the jocks. We weren't the Holy Rollers or the Artsy ones. We were smart, but we weren't the nerds, either. J, the other girl, was definitely my BFF. We spent hours talking on the phone (back before texting was a thing), hung out on the weekends, had sleepovers, and helped each other through what we thought at the time were difficult situations. 

Once we graduated, all four of us went in different directions - 4 different colleges; 4 different career paths; eventually, we settled in 4 different cities. Sadly, during our college years, the friendships I thought would last forever simply faded away. I really only kept in touch with M, one of the guys, but even that was sporadic and, admittedly, he was the one who put in most of the effort to keep in touch. (M and I continue to keep in touch, by the way, and are still great friends. We live in different states and don't get to see each other often enough, but we do get together when we can and our families have a great time together!) Sadly, B, the other guy, soon fell off my radar completely and, today, I have no idea where he lives, if he has a family of his own, or if he is still following his original career path. 

J, on the other hand, moved back to the town where I grew up and where my parents and brother continue to live. Although I didn't talk to her directly, my mom would occasionally bump into her or hear things through the small town grapevine and pass them along to me once in a while. I knew where J was working and that she had had two little girls of her own. At times, I wondered how such a strong, beautiful friendship could just fade away the way ours did. It was nobody's fault, really. There was no big disagreement or falling out. At least as far as I remember, there was no one big thing that cased our friendship to split. Life just happened and took us in different directions. Our connection simply disappeared like a ship sailing off over the horizon.

Sometimes, though, that same life that happened and separated people has a way of bringing them back together. 
This past weekend, I headed back to my hometown to celebrate my brother's upcoming 40th birthday. I had no idea that J would be there, too, but, of course, I recognized her the minute I saw her. Like me, she looks that same as always with a few years added on. As it turns out, her husband and my brother work together and have become friends themselves, so they had been invited to the party. 

For a few hours, J and I stood by the pool watching our daughters - my three and her two - splashing and playing together in the pool. I asked about her family and she asked about my blog. We talked about our 20th high school reunion that is coming up in the fall and whether or not we planned to go. We talked about jobs, and mothering, and M. I won't say it was like we picked up right where we left off - after all, we left off 20 years ago - but, it was great and, maybe, just a little surreal. 

At one point, as J and I stood there talking, her youngest, 4, was jumping off the side of the pool into the arms of my oldest, 12. It was really very sweet. They were smiling and laughing; we were smiling and laughing. My mom came over and commented how strange yet wonderful it is when life comes full circle that way. 

Sometimes, there are people who come into our lives for just a short time. (High school feels like forever at the time, doesn't it?) Even though they don't always stay long for whatever the reasons my be, they make a mark on us. They share moments and memories that, perhaps, no one else can share. Although high school is a time that I would mostly rather forget, I will always remember my good friends fondly and I'm glad I had a chance to reconnect even for a just little while. 
J's girls and my girls all together!
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This post was part of the One Word Blog Linkup hosted by, Janine of Confessions of a Mommyholic, Marica of Blogitudes, and me! This week, the word prompt choices were Soon and SweetIf you would like to join the linkup you can find more information HERE, sign up for weekly emails HERE, and/or join our Facebook group HERE. Every Friday, two prompts are emailed. Choose one and write a post using that word as inspiration. Linkup up any time between 6:00am EST on Wednesday-9:00pm EST on Thursdays on any of the host sites.




Tuesday, May 26, 2015

2015 Summer Bucket List {#TuesdayTen}

Since the Memorial Day weekend is often considered the official start of summer, it seems fitting to post my Summer Bucket List today. This will be the third year that I have created alit like this. Some things on the list are the same from year to year, but I try to add in some different things, too. We actually put this on our refrigerator and check it off as we go along! It's always a lot of fun and gives us something to do on those lazy days of summer vacation!

What's on your "to-do" list this summer?


Your Tuesday Ten hostesses are:

TheLiebers


The Teacher Wife
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We hope you have enjoyed our #TuesdayTen lists! If so, please link up one of your own and share your post using #TuesdayTen!
RULES:
1) Link up a post, old or new, pertaining to the TuesdayTen topic for this week and add our TuesdayTen button to your post or sidebar.
2) Please do not link up contests, product reviews, or sponsored posts. Links not pertaining to the topic will be removed at the hosts' discretion.
3) Visit your hosts and follow them on social media.
4) Visit as many other linked posts as you can and show those bloggers some love by commenting and/or sharing.

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Come link up again next Tuesday, June 2, when we will celebrate National Repeat Day by sharing some of the life moments we would like to repeat! 
The Golden Spoons



Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Counting Down the Days

Nineteen. Including today, that's how many more days of school we have until summer break. NINETEEN!!!!!

Last week, I posted this on my Facebook Page:

According to the comments, most people are out of school by the end of May or at least the first week of June. We, on the other hand, will be going until the end of eternity. At least that's how it feels.

As you can probably tell, the last day of school simply cannot get here fast enough for me!

This year has been a tough one. It's not because of any one, overwhelming reason, but a multitude of smaller frustrations. My youngest has had ongoing issues with a class bully this year. My middle one constantly complains about how annoying some of her classmates are. My oldest has had a great year, but in the midst of it has had to adjust to three different Language Arts teachers. I've "had it up to here" with testing and assessments that are ridiculously unnecessary. This was the first time that I worked at my part time job during the entire school year and it is still up in the air as to how long that will continue. I've not been my best self for the last several months either - feeling fatigued, gaining weight unexplainably, and not getting any answers from doctors and blood tests. We've made some big decisions this year about my job as well as our girls' schooling for next year and beyond. Add to all that piano lessons, riding lessons, soccer, holidays, talent shows, church events, and the list goes on. Top it all off with the spice of every day life like laundry, meals, dishes, and cleaning. 

It's been a lot. Maybe no more than what would be considered "typical" for a modern family of five, but it has felt heavier than usual. I am tired. Actually, I am exhausted and more than ready summer vacation to begin. 

So, what are the things I am most looking forward to once school ends? Well, it's funny you should ask!
  1. No more packing lunches! Three kids with different tastes and different menu preferences means packing three different lunches every single day. Once summer comes, they can fix their own mac and cheese or grilled cheese sandwich.
  2. No more 5:30 wake ups! Yep, that's when my alarm goes off every morning Monday-Friday. There are some people who thrive in the morning - I'm not one of them. At this point, even 7:00am sounds heavenly.
  3. No more book bags, papers, and pencils everywhere! Once school is out, the book bags can go in the closet and I won't be bombarded by papers every Monday.
  4. No more juggling schedules! I can't even tell you how many times I've said "I don't/didn't have time for  . . . " in the last few months. Once summer gets here, there will be more time for all the things that need to be done. Truthfully, there will still be some juggling of schedules occasionally, but it will be much easier and less frequent for sure! 
  5. Maybe, just maybe, I'll actually have time to write. One of those things I haven't had sufficient time for is my writing. There are lots of sites I want to submit to and, hopefully, I won't be forced to crank out mediocre blogs posts (like this one) at 9:00pm the night before they are due. Better yet, maybe I'll have time to read some of my favorite blogs, too! 
Nineteen more days. Then, I can breathe a sigh of relief and it cannot get here fast enough for me! 

Do you have school age kids? When is their last day of school?
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This post was part of the One Word Blog Linkup hosted by, Janine of Confessions of a Mommyholic, Marica of Blogitudes, and me! This week, the word prompt choices were Voices and FastIf you would like to join the linkup you can find more information HERE, sign up for weekly emails HERE, and/or join our Facebook group HERE. Every Friday, two prompts are emailed. Choose one and write a post using that word as inspiration. Linkup up any time between 6:00am EST on Wednesday-9:00pm EST on Thursdays on any of the host sites.



Tuesday, May 19, 2015

How Parenting Sends My Blood Pressure Up and Down {#TuesdayTen}

I think most moms and dads would agree that becoming a parent makes you feel emotions on a level of intensity that you have never experienced before. The profound joy you feel the moment your child is born, the acute frustration you feel when your teething infant won't sleep or your picky toddler won't eat, and the powerful protectiveness you feel when your child is bullied are just some examples of how being a parent can make you feel all the feelings so much more strongly.

Unfortunately, one of those deep emotions we sometimes feel as parents is anger. Not exactly an "I want to punch you" kind of anger, but more of an "I'm so frustrated/exasperated/fed up I want to scream and pull my hair out" kind of anger. You know what I mean, right? The kind where you can feel your blood pressure rising. The kind where you can almost envision the mercury rising in the imaginary thermometer and you know that, when it reaches the top, you are going to lose it. 

Well, one of the best ways to address that anger is to vent! So, in honor of National Blood Pressure Month (and trying to keep mine in check), here are five things my kids do that make me go berserk:
  1. They Bicker - Sometimes, they argue over the most ridiculous things and in the most nonsensical ways. They can take the most mundane thing and turn it into a reason to fight.

  2. GIFSoup
  3. They Whine - Can I get a high five from all the parents our there on this one?? There are not many things on earth as annoying and anger inducing as an incessantly whiny child. 
  4. They think I'm their maid - My three daughters are 12, 10, and 7. Is it really to much to expect them to put their empty cups in the sink and their food wrappers in the trash? What about putting their shoes and book bags in the closet? Well, apparently it is because those are all things they only do when I nag them to death. And, don't even get me started on trying to get them to cooperate with chores!
  5. They are wasteful - Me: "If I buy this do you promise you will eat/use/take care of it? Them: "Yes, mom! I promise!"   Me: "Are you sure?" Them: "Yes, absolutely!"  Then, they take one bite and decide they don't like it or after one wash the new shirt is suddenly itchy. It's maddening.
  6. They complain about things nobody can change - We all complain - it's human nature. It really gets under my skin, though, when my kids complain about things I cannot control. They complain about the hot weather, or the rain, or the homework their teacher assigned, or how long we have to wait at the doctor's office. I didn't do any of those things and complaining to me about them doesn't solve anything.
Fortunately, despite all the angst they have created for me over the past (almost) 13 years, they also have ways of making all the anger, frustration, and stress of parenting totally worth it. Just as quickly as they make my blood pressure rise, they can bring it back down by . . . 
  1. Making Me Laugh - Why should you NEVER give Elsa a balloon? Answer: Because she'll "Let it go, Let it go!" (You must sing this part to get the full effect!) This is a joke that my middle daughter told me for no apparent reason on a day that was particularly stressful. I had to laugh. How could you not? 
  2. They Give Me Hugs - I don't think any parent can be mad when your kid comes up, wraps her arms around you, and gives you a hug.
  3. They Give Me Compliments - I know that I'm not always the best mommy in the world, but they think I am even when I don't and, once in a while, they tell me so.
  4. They Sleep - Mine aren't so little anymore, but they are still so peaceful when they sleep. Sometimes I watch them for just a minute or two and I can feel myself relax as I  take them in.
  5. They Love Me - It's true that nobody can make me quite as irritated as my kids, but when they tell me they love me or give me a super sweet Mother's Day note, I know they adore me despite all my flaws and mistakes. That makes every ounce of the frustration and exasperation more than worth it!
What do your kids do that drives you nuts? What do they do that melts your heart?

Your Tuesday Ten hostesses are:

TheLiebers


The Teacher Wife
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We hope you have enjoyed our #TuesdayTen lists! If so, please link up one of your own and share your post using #TuesdayTen!
RULES:
1) Link up a post, old or new, pertaining to the TuesdayTen topic for this week and add our TuesdayTen button to your post or sidebar.
2) Please do not link up contests, product reviews, or sponsored posts. Links not pertaining to the topic will be removed at the hosts' discretion.
3) Visit your hosts and follow them on social media.
4) Visit as many other linked posts as you can and show those bloggers some love by commenting and/or sharing.

If you would like to be added to the mailing list without linking up, click here.



Come link up again next Tuesday, May 26 when we will be sharing our Summer bucket Lists!

The Golden Spoons



Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Crocodiles Do Not Wear Panties!

There are lots of crazy moments in parenthood. There are moments that make us want to cry, moments that make us want to laugh, moments that make us want to pull our hair out, and some moments that make us want to do all of those at the same time!! Today, I am re-sharing a story that definitely made me want to do it all - laugh, cry, and lose my mind!! This was the 5th story I ever shared on my blog way back in May of 2010 hen my youngest little princess was not quite three.  I am happy to report that the little diva in this story is now a fully potty-trained 7 year old! 

We all know that kids say the darndest things and it seems these things often inspire me to post something on my blog. This is one I just had to share.

My youngest, Emily, is two and a half. She already has a very witty sense of humor. Last week, the other two girls were in school, so Emily and I were at home together. Emily had been having some toileting accidents so I was trying to focus on perfecting the pottying. At one point in the morning, Emily began crawling up to me, growling, and saying "I'm a Crocodile!" I, of course, would shriek in terror and say "Go away crocodile!" At which point she would crawl away and start all over. It was a super fun game. Then, this conversation happened:

Me: Emily, are your panties wet, again??

Emily: No.

Me: Yes they are.

Emily: No they are not.

Me: Yes they are. Now, go upstairs and get yourself some dry panties.

Emily: I don't want to.

Me: Too bad! You need to go get some dry panties.

Emily: (pause) Well, Crocodiles don't wear panties! 

(She then took off the wet panties and continued the game.)
Somewhere underneath my laughter, it hit me that I had just been out-reasoned by a two-year-old!!! I suppose I could have gotten angry and offended by her defiance. However, I didn't read it as defiance. Aside from finding it hysterical, I was actually quite impressed by her thought process. I mean, think about it; it really took a great deal of sophisticated logic on her part.

"I don't want to go upstairs because I am having fun playing Crocodile. Do Crocodiles wear panties?? No, crocodiles don't wear panties and since I am pretending to be a crocodile, I shouldn't have to wear panties either! I'll tell mom that and then I won't have to go get panties!"

So what is my point here?? I promise I am not just boasting about my super intelligent daughter! Rather, my point is that sometimes we have to "get inside" our children's thoughts to appreciate their comments or actions. Remember that movie "Look Who's Talking" where the narrator says out loud everything that is supposedly going through the baby's mind?? I could have just reacted to Emily's unwillingness to follow my directions. However, when I look under the surface I can see that there is much more to her comment - a much more complex thought process. Is this an excuse for not following instructions?? Of course not! Maybe, though, we can learn to see the lighter, brighter side of it sometimes. 

After all, crocodiles really don't wear panties, so who can argue with that?!?

What crazy things have your kids said lately???

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This post was part of the One Word Blog Linkup hosted by, Janine of Confessions of a Mommyholic, Marica of Blogitudes, and me! This week, the word prompt choices were Crazy & MomentIf you would like to join the linkup you can find more information HERE, sign up for weekly emails HERE, and/or join our Facebook group HERE. Every Friday, two prompts are emailed. Choose one and write a post using that word as inspiration. Linkup up any time between 6:00am EST on Wednesday-9:00pm EST on Thursdays on any of the host sites.




Tuesday, May 12, 2015

The Worst Holidays Ever {#TuesdayTen}

We have celebrated a lot of weird holidays in the name of Tuesday Ten. We have even created our own holidays! When we read that May 2 was another weird holiday, National Naked Gardening Day, our first thought was "Ewwwww! Gross!" Then, our second thought was "We need to use that for Tuesday Ten somehow!" Rabia thought it would be the perfect opportunity to list some holidays that we would NEVER actually celebrate! So, while I will happily honor National Chocolate Day, National Coffee Day, and even National Lazy Moms Day, here are some special days that I simply refuse to celebrate even though, believe it or not, they are actual holidays! 
  • According to www.daysoftheyear.com, this Friday, May 15 is Nylon Stocking Day to which I can only say "Whyyyyyy???" Obviously, the person who thought we needed a day to celebrate pantyhose has never actually worn pantyhose (especially in May!). I will not be wearing or celebrating these articles of discomfort and frustration on Friday or any other day.
  • Another May holiday that is celebrated in Bolivia is the Tinku Punch Your Neighbor Festival. This holiday dates back over 600 years and was supposedly begun to please an ancient goddess who demanded blood to ensure a good harvest, so the idea is to punch your neighbor hard enough (or multiple times) to actually draw blood. Well, aside from the fact that this holiday is incredibly bizarre and just plain awful, I am a very non violent person. Also, since my neighbors are actually my in-laws, celebrating this holiday would not be good for family relations.
  • On a more peaceful note, January 9 is Ballon Ascension Day. Back in 1793, when George Washington was president, a man named Jean Paul Blanchard made the first successful balloon flight in North America and this celebration was born. I, however, do not like heights and there are very few things that terrify me more than the idea of going hundreds of feet up in the air in a basket attached to a large balloon which is fueled by fire and hydrogen and only somewhat steerable. Thus, I have no plans to celebrate Balloon Ascension Day. Ever. 
  • Developed by a guy who simply wanted to disprove the superstition, March 13 is Open An Umbrella Indoors Day. (Seriously, y'all -I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.) This day is not particularly bothersome to me. It's my husband I would be concerned about. He is a very intelligent man, but is oddly superstitious and definitely has a thing about opening umbrellas indoors. If we celebrated this holiday in my house, it would not be pretty.
  • Hug Your Cat Day is June 4th. I am not a "cat person" which is good because I am highly allergic felines. I don't own a cat to hug and, if I was to hug someone else's cat, I would be creating for myself an allergy attack of epic proportions. No thanks.
  • When I was pregnant with my third child, I developed an aversion to seafood that, even more than seven years later, has not completely gone away. Any seafood served raw or cold truly makes nauseous. So, it's safe to say that I will not be celebrating International Sushi Day on June 18.
  • By July 5, summer will be in full swing, so I suppose that is a very fitting date for Bikini Day, a day to celebrate the invention of the bikini, but my midsection hasn't seen sunlight since high school. After three kids and a large handful of not-so-attractive stretch marks, it's pretty safe to say that I will never don a bikini ever again. Tankini Day? Maybe. Bikini? No way.
  • Some people are blessed with a "green thumb." I, on the other hand, have been cursed with the "Black Thumb of Death." Honestly, I just look at houseplants and they die, so it would probably best for all the housepants of the world for me to not celebrate Take Your Houseplant For a Walk Day on July 27. (I'm not kidding - that's really a day you guys!)
  • Other than my aforementioned seafood aversion, there are a few other foods I do not like including avocados, mushrooms, and tomatoes which is why I will not be participating in La Tomatina, a day celebrated on the last Wednesday of August in Buñol, Spain that basically consists of a 90 minute food fight - except the only food used is tomatoes. Yes, friends - on this day, Spaniards take joy in pummeling each other with tomatoes. Despite my best efforts at research, I could find no explanation for this odd "celebration." 
  • Finally, if any of you reading this blog post consider yourselves to be pyromainacs, you are more than welcome to take my place in Bolas de Fuego on the 31st of August in Nejada, El Salvador. This holiday dates back to 1685 and was originally meant to be a reenactment of a fight between San Geronimo and the devil which is how people of that time explained the eruption of a local volcano. How does a population celebrate the eruption of a volcano, you ask? Well, apparently, by throwing flaming, fuel soaked rags at one another. Suddenly, bikini day doesn't sound so bad, huh?
In doing research for this post - which was quite fun - I discovered that really anyone can create a holiday. Simply go HERE and to find out how to submit an entry. After reading this list of outlandish, ridiculous celebrations I'd say that your idea, no matter how crazy, stands a pretty good chance of becoming a reality! 


Would you participate in any of the special days I have listed here? What holiday would you create? (HERE are some of my ideas!)`


Your Tuesday Ten hostesses are:

TheLiebers


The Teacher Wife
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We hope you have enjoyed our #TuesdayTen lists! If so, please link up one of your own and share your post using #TuesdayTen!
RULES:
1) Link up a post, old or new, pertaining to the TuesdayTen topic for this week and add our TuesdayTen button to your post or sidebar.
2) Please do not link up contests, product reviews, or sponsored posts. Links not pertaining to the topic will be removed at the hosts' discretion.
3) Visit your hosts and follow them on social media.
4) Visit as many other linked posts as you can and show those bloggers some love by commenting and/or sharing.


 If you would like to be added to the mailing list without linking up, click here.



Come link up again next Tuesday, May 19. May is National Blood Pressure Month, so will will be sharing things that make your blood pressure rise! 

The Golden Spoons


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