Megan is in NY

I know I have been negligent with my blog.... I am only cheating myself. We were on vacation and I have been trying to get my kitchen cleaned out to prepare for my new one (woo hoo). After our trip to Michigan, Megan left for NY with my mom. She is currently on day 4 of 13...but who is counting??? I miss her!! She is doing great. My mom seems to love having her and my sister is really spending a lot of time with her too. She is in the spotlight and sure is sucking it up while she can. I can't believe she is so confident and strong to do this at 8. I NEVER, NEVER would have went somewhere without my parents when I was 8. I think I cried every day of my entire school year when I was 8....or was that 7. Honestly, Dutch and I don't know where her strength comes from. Joshua is missing her. He does well with most things, but talking to her on the phone is really tough. Megan's agenda is chock full with trips to the mall, swimming pool, bike riding, she even has a trip to the American Girl store in NY city for Tea! I am so jealous!
I can not tell you how proud I am of her. She is such a big girl. She calls me every day about 3 times a day... and I LOVE it. I love her voice on the phone and I miss her.

Meeting Dutch

I promised during the creation of this blog to write about how Dutch and I met. Picture it... (any golden girl fans in the audience)... SlipperyRock, April 1995, I was on my way home from a night out at my usual dance joint... Friscos. I was the designated driver. I was going to graduate school full time, working a full time job and living on my own. My friend (honest to God, I can't even remember her name now... blonde curly hair.. soccer player....) wanted to stop at THE SHED on the way home. The Shed was a local hick bar that the "guy of the week" was going to be. She wanted to see him and moreover... let him see her. I was tired. In those days, I could go out 3-4 nights a week, hold a full time job and go to school without passing out... but I was still tired. I told her we would stop, but only for 5 minutes. AGREED. No more than 5 minutes after we walked in... here come 3 local "country" boys. 1 was super shy... 1 was super mad... 1 was outgoing and adorable. (let's see... can you pick which one was Dutch??). There I sat, waiting for my friend to decide if her man was there or not when this guy starts talking to me. I was so DONE with men by this point in my life... The only guys interested in me were either foreign, a different race, or married. I said to him... "you know... I only talk to nice guys... are you a nice guy?" What a STUPID question!!! Yes.. I'm nice... really nice... just ask anyone in here...They will tell you. Why didn't I see the obvious... why does everyone in here know you??? So... I obliged and asked around. Everyone did think he was nice. Even my landlord who happened to be there for his nightly liquid dessert. On my way to the bathroom a few minutes later, I hear him talk to his buddies about me. Something about my legs... I was much cuter and thinner then. When I got back to my seat, he asked me if I would like to borrow his pants. You see it was April... I was in shorts (shorty shorts) and I was cold. He had shorts under his pants. He then asked me to go out sometime... I said, "Sure, call me.". His shy friend then went on about how he would never call because he was too much of a chicken. How he was going away for the weekend (it was Easter) and he would never call on Monday like he said... Balk, Balk Chicken Man. So, there it ended...
I went to NY to see my family for Easter... he went trout fishing. Monday came. NO CALL.
8:30.. NO CALL. Well. I have his number, I called him.
A woman answered. Said she would have him call back. I hung up thinking, GREAT, He's married.
An hour later... I got a call. It was Dutch. We talked for so long. He asked me out on 2 dates right then and there. One for Tuesday (the next day) and one for Wednesday. Gosh... how would I get out of this one.
We saw Pulp Fiction on our first date and then he took me to see some friends fishing on the way home (I KNOW.... Why didn't I realize).
That is how we met...

Joshua's 4th Birthday

How awful of a mom am I?? My son's birthday was 3 days ago and I let it come and go without writing a wonderful, glowing post about him, just like I did for his sister a month ago. I know, I know, second child syndrome. Good think I don't have more kids, because not only would their post be late, but it wouldn't exist at all... what blog...what kid?

My Joshua turned 4 years old on June 17!!! FOUR!!! I can not believe he is already 4 years old. As I sit here writing this, I have a few pictures in front of me that have covered his life span. He was....is so adorable at every stage. He is so different than Megan. He has an equally warm and kind heart, but he is a class clown in the making. He is hilarious and he knows it. He DOES think of his sister no matter where he is. The other day he came home from daycare with a picture he drew. It is a picture of Megan if she were a Ladybug....How cute is that. If we go through a bank drive thu and a Megan is not with us... He asks for a sticker for her too. That is his kind heart. But difficult... YES!! In order to get him to get his jammies on, you have to beg, borrow, steal, threaten...etc. If you ask him to let you help him brush his teeth... he generally replies.. NO.. DADDY Helps me. (UGH!!!) He is the king of manipulation through simple little demands or comands like that. C'mon Josh, I'll buckle your seat belt. no... DADDY does it. You would think this makes my life easy. Daddy can just do it all while I sit back. But it is not that easy. If daddy isn't around...It is a five minute fight to buckle up (believe me I win). If daddy isn't home the tooth brushing can go on and on. I just love him, but he has definately given me LOTS of gray hair. He loves sports of all kinds. He is in baseball. He is the youngest player and just loves the running and batting. He wants to play hockey... he wants to dirt bike, he wants to play football... He is going to be a jock. With his glasses, he has really gained more self confidence and coordination. He is famous for his glasses. Josh has gotten to the point where he asks for them at times of need. That is awesome. His babysitter laughs that he doesn't want them for lesson, but asks for them with legos. Ah, the priorities of a 4 year old. This weekend we are having his buddies over for a fishing birthday party. He is so excited and can hardly wait... except for one thing. He is mad that girls are coming. WHAT? Oh.. it is ok if his "girlfriend" Jenna comes, but doesn't want his girl daycare buddies to come. We had to have the graciousness discussion. I can't wait to see how he interacts with the kids and see if he is as great a host as Megan always is. Here are a few pics to show Josh's progression.

Vegas Baby!!

Well... I finally did it. I made it to Las Vegas. You know the place where everybody lets their hair down, where carefree is the ONLY state of mind.. where you do stuff to honor the phrase "whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas". Well.... My friends, I don't believe Vegas ever saw someone like me. First of all, I was on travel alone. How much trouble could one get in by themselves?? Second of all, I work REALLY, REALLY hard for every penny I make. I was there for a course and I stayed in a Hotel/casino about 6 miles outside of the strip. It was a cheesy smoke tinted casino with all the bells and whistles. I am currently sitting in the airport in a far off corner by a window enjoying the PEACE and QUIET of....yes, the airport. That ought to give you a perspective on the noise. My course was excellent. Way better than I thought it would be. I had a great deal of personal introspection that was necessary for me to go to another level of professionalism. But...back to Vegas. I am lucky enough to have a friend in Vegas. She met me on Wednesday night and took me to the strip area. Then we proceeded down to "downtown" where the ol time Vegas district began. I saw the home of the World Series of Poker (Binions), I hung out on Freemont street (where the big lit up cowboy from the movies lives), My friend Marianne somehow managed to have me there on a night when there was a spontaneous street party. I saw acrobates (let me just tell you... one of them was YUMMY. I think my words initially were... YEA BABY!!), I saw street painters that used spraypaints to make gorgeous artful paintings, and I saw lights above me enacted to the famous band QUEEN's greatest hit... we will rock you. There was so much to look at, this NYer had a hard time keeping up. I must have been in PA too long. We ate at the most superb restaurant. We both received roses... our salad was made at table side with such options as artichokes, pine nuts, hearts of palm, anchovies etc. We then received a sorbet to cleanse our palate, you know, in case it was dirty...hee hee. And then our amazing entrees came. Best of all, we received chocolate covered strawberries, figs, and apricots as a complimentary treat with warm washclothes to clean our hands. It was amazing!! Dutch will be glad I had this opportunity. I have been after him for 3 years to go to Vegas with me. He would have hated it. I tolerated it. I enjoyed my experience, but don't think I will be back. I am not free spirited enough to deserve to be in Vegas. I put $1o in slots and lost $10.... Vegas made very little on me. I miss my green grass, my green mountains and most of all my family.... It will be great to be home.

Mean Girls

I know how wrong it is to interfere. I know it is important that kids learn to settle their own arguments, fight for their own reputation. I struggle sitting back and watching as girls beat each other up through words and attitude. I am about to make a statement that will really age me....but..... Kids today are just plain mean. Especially girls. I sat this weekend and watched as Megan had her spirit broken time after time. She had a girlfriend over. This was our first time and I think it will be a while before I try again. Megan was told to shut up... called retarded....told she looked like a dork because she laughed too much and.... was described as "over the edge" with friendship. This was all in the first few hours. and it was "a friend". It really acted as a spring board for a conversation about friendship, personal strength, self confidence and patience. At 8 years old and in a rural community like ours your only "friends" are the ones in your class. Each year you get a new set of "friends" when you are assigned to a new teacher. My only hope is that this year is a lesson year. Hopefully next year will be better. I don't understand why girls today are so mean. Have we come SO far as a gender that we now find it necessary to beat each other down to get ahead? Or is it that us mothers are seeing our own weaknesses in our daughters and over compensate by teaching them arrogance and ignorance? It is heart breaking to see my little girls spirit be crushed. She seems to understand that this is incorrect behavior and I can only hope and pray that she does not treat each others the way she has been treated....but rather follows the "golden rule" that is perhaps ancient and out dated to some...but to me is the most valuable lesson in life.... Treat Others as you Wish to be Treated.

Grandma, can you hear me?

Ok, I know it is wrong to make fun. I especially know it is wrong to make fun of your mother... but, something hilarious happened the other day. My mom has a hard time hearing. For some people this is annoying. People do not like to repeat themselves. I don't mind. I generally have a higher level of patience with these kinds of things. Megan must take after me. The other day, we were in the van listening to Megan read. She was reading us a Pet Fairies book. She is doing really well with her reading and my mom and I told her so. She was very appreciative of our compliments and began talking about her favorite subjects in school.
Megan said: Do you want to know what my favorite subjects are in school, Grandma?
My mom: Sure...
Megan: my favorite subjects are Grammar, English, and Writing.
My mom: Aw... Thank you!
Megan: Grandma... Did you hear me?
My mom: Yes... Your favorite subject is GRANDMA.
Megan: No Grandma, my favorite subject is Grammar... not Grandma, But... If you were a subject, you would be my favorite....

My Eight Year Old

I remember the day she was born. 6 lbs, 6 oz, 21 inches and the pinkest skin I ever saw. Her hair was curly brown, her skin just hung on her like an old lady's extra tricep flab. Her size 0 clothes were all too big... her dad had to go buy Preemie clothes. She was precious. I remember holding her while sitting on the couch and wishing I could freeze that moment. I wanted to remember her that little. I wanted to remember her skin that soft. I wanted to remember the gassy smile she would give me. Now she is 8. 8 years old. 8 years old. 8 years old.

She is still precious. She is SO smart. She is SO beautiful. I can't believe the stuff she knows. She knows beginning fractions. BEGINNING FRACTIONS.... She knows how to take a joke. She knows how to write in cursive. She knows how to tease me. She knows how to push my buttons. She knows when to say "I love you mom". I still try to hold her on my lap. All 85 pounds of her. We squirm and fight for space... but she will ALWAYS fit. The crook of my arm and the round of my waist is built to fit her perfectly. I look at her and see me... then I see her dad...then I see MY dad... But when I really look closely, I see something different. When I really inspect her and study her... I see Megan. She is such a perfect combination of personalities. She is so well rounded. Today, I told her about one of my favorite memories. There she was at age 3. She was ready to go down to the pond or go minnow trapping. SHe was dressed in blue jeans, tiny little work boots, a gray and white camo jacket and there, hanging from her right shoulder... a pink, silk purse. That is Megan...