Bret

Since I wrote about J, I really have to be fair and write about my sweet boy. My 7 year old, that makes me sound so old. He is going into 2nd grade and shortly after this picture was taken lost both of his front top teeth. He looks so different. I just love his smile and when he tells me he is having a "laugh attack". He had one tonight playing games with J and I. He is more like me, more serious and reserved. He isn't a big risk taker, but will do anything with guidance. He likes to know what is expected and what will happen and then he is game to try new things. He also loves to swim and can swim the length of a medium sized pool. He is a wrestler and baseball player. He is starting football tomorrow. Can you believe, football for 2nd graders? He looks so cute in all his pads. He thinks his "nut cup" is hilarious. He has a love/hate relationship with his sister. They get along great at times and she bugs him at times. I would like to see more love and less hate but in time I think that will come. I let them sleep together tonight in J's new big kid bed (full size). I haven't let them do that before so we will see how that goes. DH is out of town and they only have a couple weeks left of summer so I thought "what the heck". I better go check to see if they are sleeping. My boy is growing up so fast!!!!

Jenna

My daughter is a very big personality inside a little bitty body. I sometimes look at her and wonder how lucky I got, and sometimes I wonder what God saw in me that made him think I could handle her! I am challenged by this child daily. She has such a wild spirit, and is so unlike me that I sometimes do not know what to do. She just turned 5 years old and is ready to take on the world. She does not like anyone to help her do anything. She is fiercely independent but still wants me close by. She has emotions that run wild. Sometimes she will react in a way that is so unexpected that I am clueless. There are times that I can barely hold it together but I truly love this wild child more than I can imagine. I am a very introverted, shy and reserved person. As I child I rarely spoke unless spoken to. I was not very physical and I definately did not do anything risky. Jenna will do anything. She would do anything by herself. She gets downright mad when she is too short to ride on a carnival ride. She loves everything fast and scary. Loves rollercoasters, go carts, you name it she will try it. One thing she also loves is water. She has no fear of water whatsoever. She has had swimming lessons a number of times but still cannot really float or swim at all. She, however, has no problem jumping into water over her head and hoping someone will rescue her. This scares me to death. I fear that she will do this when someone is not around. We have told her countless times that she must be with an adult at all times. She must never just jump in a pool, even if we are there, unless she tells us she is jumping in. I don't know what to do about this problem. If we are in the boat, she has a life jacket on and has never jumped in alone. In pools she jumps in all over but we are always in the water. It only takes one time for her to choose to do something she shouldn't and with her personality it makes me scared that she could do this. We have also worked on her with her swimming and floating but she is far from knowing how to swim at all. I just pray we will always keep her safe from herself because she is my little firecracker. I have heard of 2 child drowings lately and so it makes me think about my little girl and how I don't know what I would do without her. Keep your babies close to you and hold them tight!

quickie

The 2 kids are in the bath together so this will be random and quick. I am done working, and gearing up for school. I start next weekend. The kids start after labor day. I got J's class list and the one kid who I would NOT want to be in her class is. Out of 4 classes, he is in hers, which sucks but what can ya do. I sure hope he is not going to cause problems. The nice thing about school is that they can send him to the office. In preschool, they didn't have that option. There are 2 girls she knows from preschool and I'm sure she will meet many new friends. We will get B's class assignment at open house next week. B starts football this week and DH is out of town. I don't have any big plans other than let the kids have some playdates here before school starts, got to football practice, and go to open lab at my school (make sure I know all my skills before the weekend when we do them in lab). I also have to buy a lab coat for our prep days, buy my books, look over my math conversions for our test next monday, and study up on my skills. I have to remember how to do a catheter, NG, IV, meds, injections, and vital signs. I did some of these during my internship but not all. I am kind of ready for the kids to be back at school. I probably should get J some new shoes (B's still fit from last year and look pretty good). I also need to get lunch stuff when it gets closer. Neither kid will eat hot lunch much so I will be busy making those darn lunches every morning. I think we got all the school supplies and backpacks. Kids are yelling for me, so gotta run!

Twin Cities Nightmare

I am still in shock about the terrible bridge collapse we had here in my home state. I do not live or drive that far into the city very often, but I have driven over this bridge and it is so scary just because it is one of those things that you never believe will happen. It is something you would never even think while you are driving over a bridge. Something I will think every time I drive over a bridge in the future. We have had 24 hr coverage here today, and I found out that even the TODAY show was in Minneapolis covering their story. I hope you all hug your loved ones a little bit longer today. 20-30 people are still missing, and many cars are in the river. Recovery efforts are going on right now, and my heart is with the families of the missing and those who are hurt or who have died due to this disaster.
http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2007/08/02/730092.html

HELLO!

I am alive. Yes, I am supposed to be having a relaxing summer but with work, kids, house, travelling, and trying to fit in summer fun at the beach we are out an about much of the day. We are busy this week with VBS and football camp. Signed J up for dance this fall, and we are busy shopping for school supplies for both kids. Very busy! Hope to get an update up soon.

So sorry.

Boy, I'm a great blogger huh? No wonder I don't have many readers! Ha! I am waking up right now at 2:30 pm, why you might ask? I worked the last 2 nights, overnight 12 hours, and I due to work again tonight. It is really tiring but I'm making it. This internship has changed our lives this summer and I'm learning a lot. It is hard to adjust and working again has it's ups and downs but overall, I really am learning so much and enjoying the patients and hospital. I am getting to do a lot of stuff and it will really help in clinicals next year. Plus, I am getting paid. I am actually making money, something I haven't done in almost 5 years. It feels good. I like contributing to our family. The kids are adjusting fine to daycare a couple days a week. They haven't complained once. I think they were actually ready to do something like this. It keeps things interesting and they have kids to play with their. Even my J, who is attached to my hip most days, is doing great and I'm so proud of both of them. I have 6 weeks left then I will be back to being a student rather than an employee, but this time next year I will probably be starting a new job (unless I take the summer off first - very tempting!)

Other than that, our summer is going fast and has been fun. We have been spending quality family time together and loving it. My kids are at such a great age. I love it. They are my little companions and my best buds. We have our moments but I really am so lucky.

I am off to get something to eat upstairs and wait for the rest of my family to get home. Sorry about the no posting lately!!

Tomorrow I enter the working mom world

Tomorrow I will be at WORK, can you believe it. It won't be a huge change as I've been a student forever and had to carve out time for that. This way I will go to work and not have homework when I get home! YAY! I have orientation for the first few days and one day of shadowing and then this coming weekend I will be working as an intern with my preceptor (nurse mentor/teacher). I am hoping that she is nice. I would think most preceptors would be, but that can make or break the whole experience. I am excited to do this, I know I will learn so much and be ahead of things starting next year in school. It will help me greatly in getting a great job after graduation. Our instructor told us that pretty much 100% of people who intern get a job before graduation. That was good to hear. Even if there are a ton of nursing jobs out there, any edge to get the job I want will help. I also ran into a nurse friend at a restaurant last night and she said she would precept me spring semester (as a 2nd year student we have an opportunity to do a preceptorship for a few weeks rather than clinicals if we find a nurse who will take us and we have the other qualifications). I am excited she said she would do it, since I get along with her, she has been a nurse for a long time and I think would be a great teacher, and she works in ICU = great experience to get before graduation. I will get to do a ton of things in ICU and unless I find another area I really want to do my preceptorship in, I will most likely do it with her. I do know some other nurses I could ask and may see what other options are out there but it is nice to have that in the back of my mind.

I am feeling like I am coming down with something so I'm going to put J to be (B is at baseball practice) and take a nice bath before bed.

Not another diet post

I won't make this about a diet or losing weight. Someone had posted a comment about getting an update, and well as you know I was all discouraged because throughout the school year I ended up gaining back the weight I had lost over last summer. It amounted to about 8-10 lb. From my very lowest last summer to what I was a couple weeks ago about 10 lb but I had a very hard time staying at my very lowest weight. Anyway, of course with the end of school and the start of nice weather I am again optimistic about fitting in my small clothes that I got last summer! The never ending roller coaster of my life. :) I am not upset. I am not mad. It is just how it is. I get stressed and I eat more. I don't exercise like I should and when it is cold and snowy and below zero degrees I do not walk outside. It's the facts. I wish I could say I'd never do it again (the roller coaster-ing) but I can't promise anything. I can only try my best. I am walking at least every other day, if not more. I am even JOGGING half of my 3 miles. Yes, me, jogging. I don't job. I hate it. I can't do it. At least that is what I told myself. But I did it, am doing it. I eat right. I don't binge eat hardly ever anymore. I limit sweets and try to drink a lot. I am doing my best and hopefully I can continue.

Dance vs. Gymnastics

J is almost 5. Her brother is active in wrestling, baseball (previously soccer), and will play football in the fall. We are always going to his activities and cheering him on. J has had her share of activities, but not too many. She is in soccer now once a week, and has done some community ed gymnastics classes that I haven't been overly fond of. So, I feel that it is time to sign her up for a real sport/activity. I feel like she doesn't get much out of the community ed classes, the teachers are basically high school kids who can't control the little kids. They do the same thing every time and it seems a little boring. She loves going, don't get me wrong, but I want her to get something out of it, and I think at this age she really could get something out of a class. So, I'm debating dance vs. gymnastics. I think if I asked her she would say both, and probably if she had to choose would have a hard time. Every part of me wants her to say gymnastics. I am so not a dance proponent, especially little girls in those crazy outfits, with the curlers and the makeup. Sure, I let my girl dress up and she has her fair share of lip gloss but I just would prefer she do gymnastics. I never did either as a kid (my parents weren't big fans of dance either) and I so want her to have that option. I think she would be really good at gymnastics. She is small and strong, and if she takes after her dad's side (which both kids seem to when it comes to growth) she will probably stay on the petite side. However, I did get a flyer about a dance studio in town which seems to have decent prices. She can take ballet and tap once a week. I'm thinking any gymnastics club around here will cost an arm and a leg to join and plus we don't have one in town. Convenience means a lot when you are as busy as we are! How did you decide?

Thankful

Did you know studies have shown that it is nearly impossible to be stressed and thankful at the same time? It's true. I have been focusing on being thankful for everything I have in my life. To cherish the little things. Be in the moment.

I am thankful for my 6:30 wakeup by J running in my room

I am thankful for my bedtime talks with B

I am thankful for my husband's hard work financially supporting our family, my school, the kids activities, and everything else that costs SO MUCH MONEY

I am thankful for the sun shining

I am thankful for my health, my family's health, my friend's health. So many do not have their health and so many take it for granted. It could be gone in an instant

I am thankful for the food that we have each meal

I am thankful for my beautiful home

I am thankful for our 2 cars that get us where we need to go

I am thankful for teachers to are second mothers to my kids

I want to wake up each day and feel thanks. Less than 1% of the world lives like I do. We have more food than we need each day, we have a home with a bedroom for each child. We have 2 cars. We have more clothes than we need. The kids have toys surrounding them. The majority of the world does not live this way. Children die every day from starvation and sickness. They do not get immunizations to protect them from deadly illnesses. They do not have a toy. They maybe get one meal a day, if that. Our society always wants more, needs more, buys more. We live in our little bubble and I hope that someday there will be enough food and toys for every child.

Are all self tanners created equal?

I have been known to be pretty tan in the summer. I have a darker complexion naturally so I am actually tan year round. But in the summer I get really tan. However, this summer I am determined to be better about using sunscreen on my entire body. I need to start protecting my skin, especially after my mole scare a few weeks back. I know I'm not at high risk for skin cancer, but it can happen and does happen a lot. It typically hits young people, and is a very unforgiving kind of cancer to get. So, in order to protect my skin, the only skin I have, I am going to use sunscreen. In the past I have been good about using it on my face, shoulders, chest, etc. Anything that is prone to burning. But usually not on my legs at all, or my arms. So, in order to keep a tan appearance I invested in some self tanner. I have used some in the past but not regularly once I get the natural sun tan. I have been using it this week, and seems to be working. They have come a long way from the orange dye type lotions. I am using a cheapy brand from Target, but what do you recommened? I have used Jergens and Neutrogena so far. I have also used Mary Kay in the past. Never used the expensive department store brands and not sure I want to spend that much money on lotion.

I got a few summer things for myself today. A pair of shorts and capris, 2 pairs of flip flops, 2 t-shirts. Nothing too exciting, just basics that I will use to exercise and go to the beach. I don't dress up in the summer. I like to wear sporty type outfits that I can go for a long walk in or take a bike ride in. I also like stuff I can wear over swim suits. I got a couple cotton knit dresses to wear over my swim suits also a few weeks ago. Those are always comfy.

DH is gone for a couple days so I'm home alone with the kids, it is dreary and cold today and J isn't feeling well so we may skip soccer tonight. She says her throat hurts. I have no homework (yay) so not sure what I'll do after kids are asleep. Don't even have a book to read. Not even sure what is on TV Tues nights. Maybe I'll organize scrapbook stuff, or try to find something on TV. I only watch TV Thur nights (Grey's Anatomy, Survivor, ER).

Better make dinner for the kiddos and get a glass of wine for me!

Relief!

I am done! YAY! I got a 94 on my last final, for a final grade of an A. I am really relieved about that. As much as you hear grades don't matter, I still want to get A's. This was supposedly the hardest semester so I am happy with the outcome. I have to say my first year of nursing school was unlike anything I Have ever done. It taught me so many thing about myself and about nursing. I am such a different person now. I know so much more. In some weird way I look forward to next year and finishing up my education (at least this part of it!) Some of us went out after class for a few drinks and then I came home and immediately checked my grade. I could miss 16 to still keep my A so I was pretty sure I did that, but I was still eager to see. I always leave tests not really sure how I did. I never have a good idea of what I got. I was really happy.

So, now on to summer and work and play and kid time and family time and all that jazz. I don't have to study for 3 months!!! Even if I'm working, I will have much more free time. No worrying about tests and papers and presentations. I hope to enjoy the moments of summer this year before they are gone.

10.25

My son ran the mile in 10.25 minutes yesterday. I'm almost positive that is faster than I could run a mile. He is 7 and about 4 feet tall. I have to say I'm proud of my little guy. I can't believe he ran a whole mile and did so well. He is my hero!

Garage sale season is here. Today I spent the whole day outside down the street helping my neighbor run the garage sale. We had 4 families in this sale, along with about 4 others in the neighborhood. Driving around, there are sale signs all over the city. Once May hits, the garage sales start up and the die hards start circling the expected sales around 7am (we didn't open until 9!) Pretty funny. The weather cooperated, it was in the 80's all day. Hot, even, if you can believe that. I was sweating!

Busy studying for my last final. I got 97% on my final last monday! Best score yet.

Went to the zoo with B's class Tuesday. Going to the farm with J's class monday.

Gotta go!

What your swimsuit says about you

I was thinking lately about summer, the beach, and of course swimming suits. I was at Target today and bought the kids some sunscreen, since I read you were supposed to replace it each year. I am on a big sunscreen kick this year as I got a mole removed that had some atypical cells. I am even going to use sunscreen on my legs this year (and I never do) since that is where I found the suspicious mole. Anyway, I got to thinking about the vast array of swimwear you see at the beach. I, like many women, am a little uncomfortable in a swimsuit. I am not embarassed, but I tend to like to hide the areas I don't like and show off the ones I do. I got 2 suits I like fairly well last year. Both are 2 piece BUT there is no stomach showing. One is really sporty, black and hot pink, tank style top and skirt bottom. Good for swimming with kids, and active water sports (I have been known to wakeboard). The other is more of a "cute" suit, orange and pink and white with low cut top and just more feminine looking. It shows off the cleavage a little better and the legs a little better.

I see a lot of people who are wearing small bikinis at the beach, and I sometimes wonder why they are wearing bikinis. I guess that means they are more confident than I am, more comfortable in their own body. Granted, some people look great in a bikini, but it really takes a pretty perfect body to pull one off. I am a little too saggy in places and a little too "chubby" in other places to feel I can pull one off. My husband wants me to wear a bikini but I won't do it, not in public. Maybe I wish I had the confidence to try it, just once, regardless of how I look or think I look.

What is your swimsuit style and what does it say about you???

The end is in sight

I have one more presentation and 2 finals and then I will no longer be a first year nursing student. I had my case study presentation today. A 25 min solo presentation on a client we had over clinicals. It was probably the longest presentation I have ever given by myself. It went fine. We also took the HESI test, which tests your nursing knowledge to this point. It is supposed to be an indicator of how you will do on the NCLEX next year. I did well, so I was happy to know I learned something this year. I was in school from 8am - 4:30pm and the weather was beautiful so it wasn't a good day to have school. I also had my instructor evaluation, in which she said I am doing well and that I will be in good shape going into 2nd/final year. Tomorrow we have a group presentation on complementary therapy. Our group is doing aromatherapy. Kinda boring but it will be over soon. We have to sit through 10 groups doing presentations so it will be a long, boring day. Then class is over except the 2 finals. I am excited and amazed it went so fast. Next year sounds like it will be fun. We get to do a lot more nursing and take on many more patients. There is also an opportunity to do a preceptorship so I am hoping to get one of those. Anything to get experience and help me get a job later. This time next year I will be looking for a job. Can't believe it.

B is a little under the weather today. He was up with a fever last night, but can't tell me what hurts. Just that he is tired and weak. Guess it isn't too serious as he is eating ice cream. He just seems tired and out of it.

The plan for the week isn't too exciting. I am hoping to work around the house, get garage sale stuff marked and packed up, study, and spend time with my family who I have been neglecting lately. I make time every day to spend time with the kids but it never seems to be enough. The days go by so fast and bedtime comes so quickly. With wrestling practice, baseball, soccer, preschool, 1st grade, my school, there just is never enough time. I know they know they are loved and that is the most important thing. I do little things like surprise B at lunchtime by showing up, taking J to the park while B is in school, and play games with them. I hope they always remember the little things.

I'm off to bathe kids and have a nice mixed drink to relax :)

Older and Wiser?

I am officially 33. My birthday happened to fall on Easter this year. I can remember a few years in the past in which my birthday has been on Easter. Not that it really changes much! I had a nice day. We went out the night before to a local family pizza place. Nothing fancy but I wanted to go out with the kids and it is a good place that everyone likes. Sunday we went and picked up my grandma and drove to my parents house and had a nice late lunch and cake. It was pretty laid back. I then dropped DH and B back at the house and J (who was sleeping) and I drove grandma home. It is nice to visit with her. She is losing her memory and repeats things a lot but she is doing well physically and seems to be happy. I worry about her, but she always claims to be fine. She has a man "friend" who she seems to see daily for dinner, but I don't think she does much as far as keeping busy with anything else.

I got a great gift, a camcorder that records directly onto DVD's, which I've wanted for so long. It also takes still pictures. I am so excited about this. I rarely ask or let DH buy me anything but this year we got a good tax return and bonus so I did hint around about it. I also got money from the in laws and my parents which will go towards my gift. I know I will use it a lot. I haven't been taping the kids much on our old recorder because it really was junk. It would eat the tapes and I didn't want to chance trying to record something then lose it. I was just taking still pictures. Now I will be able to record so much more and I will use it all the time. And the memories will be SO worth the money.

Easter itself was good. We went to good friday service and Easter morning service. The kids got to search the house for eggs in the morning. Unfortunately the weather was too cold to hide them outside. I don't recall ever hiding the eggs outside, which is too bad. April is really not a good month here. We usually get a really nice warm day and everyone thinks spring is here, and then we get snow (we have snow on the ground right now). And sometimes we get a lot of snow in April. Really, spring doesn't happen in MN. We go right from winter to mild winter to milder winter to summer. At least we get 2-3 months of sun/warm in summer. But other than that we get cold and snow!

I have my last clinical this weekend. Again I am dreading tomorrow night. But I can do it, one more for the year. I can do it. I will be exhausted come monday but the end of my first year is in sight. I have about 2 more weeks of actual class and then 2 finals in May. Then I am half way done with nursing school. I have been putting a lot of thought into future educational plans. I went into nursing school with thoughts of eventually getting a masters in midwifery. After this year, I have to say that maybe I don't want to put all my focus into OB/birth. I am now leaning more towards Nurse Practitioner. I would start working part time after graduating next year and then I would go to school and get my bachelors, and then on to masters as a NP. That way I can work with a broader range of patients. Not actually delivering babies (which I may change my mind on this later as it is still a passion of mine) but working with pregnant moms, children, babies, elderly, young adult. I do think I will eventually get a masters in something I just have to figure it out and find a job that will help pay for it. I know my career will be in this field. I have a love for it like I never thought I could for a career. I may even go into teaching someday.

Tonight I want to watch Survivor and get lots of sleep to be ready for the weekend. I want to play with the kids since I won't see them much Fri-Sun. I will post again early next week!

Snow

It snowed last night, and sad thing is that it is still sticking to the ground, meaning it is around freezing temps. Sad for April huh?? My wish is sun and above 50 degrees for Easter/birthday.

I have class tonight and then studying the rest of the week. I may take the kiddos swimming tomorrow morning.

Anyone have any good motivational books they recommend??? I want to read a few books in my 3 week break between school and work. I would love to find a great women's motivational book that helps someone find inner strength and the ability to be one's best. Any recommendations would be great. I am an avid fiction reader but can't seem to get into non-fiction books as much. I'd like to try.

Blog Roll

So, I FINALLY updated my blog roll (instead of studying like I should be tonight!)

Check it out and if you happen to read my blog and you have a blog yourself, PLEASE email me or leave me a comment so I can add you to my blog list and start reading your blog. I would love to add more blogs, and if you have any interesting ones I might like drop me a line. God knows I need to spend more time reading blogs right!? It is a good stress reliever and fun to read about others lives!

Thanks! I'm off to study, really!

another clinical weekend done

I had my 2nd to last clinical this past weekend! one left, then one more weekend doing presentations at school and then no more weekend classes. We are done with finals early May so it is coming up quickly. I can't believe I am almost done with my first year of nursing school. Only one year to go and I'll be an RN. Wow.

Clinicals went great. Like I've said, I have the hardest/most challenging instructor. She really makes you be on top of things. She checks what you are doing, checks your documentation, talks to the RN you are working with, probably talks with the patients. She asks questions and if you ask her a question she comes back to you with a question and never answers your questions. I have heard her really crack down on some people. She has almost made some people cry. For some reason she doesn't seem to do that to me, yet... I know it may be coming. She seems to be ok with me so far. Anyway, had a great patient, my first younger male. He was a little younger than my husband so it was a different dynamic. It was really interesting because he has a history similar to one of my brothers who has had past medical issues so I felt I really had something to offer him and it really was a good experience. As far as nursing stuff, I got to do another subQ injection in the abdomen. Those really aren't scary for me anymore because the needle is very short/thin and patients never seem to be hurt when I give them. I have yet to do a long/big IM injection though. I also got to pull out a NG tube (nasogastric - from nose to stomach) which can be really uncomfortable for the patient. You have to pull really fast and I think I did ok. It still was kind of traumatic for the patient. But it was good I got to do that.

The rest of the weekend I was either sleeping or up late working on paperwork. I have one weekend of hellish sleeping left. I always stay up late Fri night doing my paperwork and then I can't sleep because I am too nervous or excited or scared my alarm won't go off. For some reason I'm able to sleep much better Sat night. I am still making up for lost sleep. I have a test next monday so I will be busy studying for that. I also have 2 presentations to start and finish up in the next couple weeks.

My husband is out of town again Mon-Thur. The kids and I went to a big play area/indoor playground yesterday with a couple of my childhood friends and their kids. The loved it. I had a babysitter come last night since I had school. My parents will take the kids tomorrow while I have class. Both kids are on spring break and of course it is rainy and cold. I haven't seen the sun for about a week. How depressing. Today we are making some easter eggs and I have been hiding things around the house and they have been secret agents trying to find stuff. Simple but they love it. I also organized all of J's hair-do stuff, it was in about 3 different drawers and all mixed up. I have also been slowly going thru stuff for the garage sale I'm going to have with some neighbors in May. I come up with about 1-2 bags a week. I want to get the house cleaned out by summer. I will donate some to the preschool garage sale and church garages sales as well.

Other plans this week are wrestling practice tonight and Thurday, various church services (I think we'll try to go Thur night and Fri afternoon for good friday and of course Easter Sun). This year the kids have really been interested in the holy week. They learn about it at church school, and J's preschool is a christian preschool so they did a really fun storytelling of the week using plastic eggs with symbols inside of them. I think they are starting to understand what easter is really about. Of course, they still love the eggs and candy and the bunny and all that but they know about palm sunday, the last supper, and how Jesus rose again. It is interesting for me to see them learn this, I never was brought up with religion so this is all new for me. My parents never went to church or took us to church or even talked about religion with us. I really have never asked them why. I don't really bring it up, they have never been church going people or been interested in why we go so for some reason it is kind of a topic not talked about. One reason I bring my kids is not only for the religion aspect but for the social part of it. I see the older kids/teens and they seem to have a group of people and activities to do all the time. They go on trips, have bonfires, meet once a week, etc. When I was in junior and senior high I always kind of wished I had that church family some of my friends seemed to have. I think it is a safe place for them to hang out and find friends there. Not that all kids that go to church are good kids but at least most of the activites are supervised and safe. I want my kids to have that place where they belong. Maybe that is the wrong reason so be involved in church but that is one of mine.

My birthday is also on Easter so it will be nice to spend it with my family and have the day off from school and everything else. I will be 33 years old.

I better go get our eggs off the stove and start the coloring process!!! Have a great holiday !

the spoiled kid generation

Does anyone else notice how spoiled kids are these days?? It is crazy, how kids seem to run the show. It is my worst nightmare to have a kid that thinks they are the center of everything! I think that my kids are just as spoiled in some regards as others. However, I do try really hard to not let them run things and tell me what to do. Is see it all the time, kids yelling at their parents, hitting their parents, bossing their parents around. And thing is, some parents totally give in to the kids or else ignore them without any consequences. I don't know what has changed since my generation of kids, but it sure is different these days. When I was a kid, I was afraid to even ask my parents for something. I would never ask for something in a store, and I never even requested what I wanted in a restaurant. There was no way my dad was going to let us get the happy meal, no way. I never even asked. He always ordered plain hamburgers, and maybe a large fry to share. I ate what he ordered. Now kids assume they will get the big kids meal with toy (that ends up in the garage sale bag), and sometimes they even think they should get dessert. I am avoiding fast food places, and trying to wean my kids from their happy meals! :) Luckily they haven't even asked lately, probably because they are so used to it that it isn't even a treat anymore. They have pretty much realized that they aren't going to get something when we go to the store. I am trying my best to raise kids that are respectful of adults. In B's class, there are so many kids who have no respect for the teacher or any authority. It is really sad. These kids obviously run the show at home and expect the same at school. Those parents need to teach those kids how to behave and give them real consequences for acting out. It is really sad and makes me scared of what things will be like when all these kids grow up and expect everyone to cater to them.