What A Hodgepodge!

Nothing like a Hodgepodge on a hot summery day! And just to keep you cool, we're starting out with something cool from the 80's. Hey, it just doesn't get any better than this! So leave a comment here, and then dash on over to Joyce's to see if anyone else remembers the 80's like you do.

1. What's something you miss about the 1980's? If you're too young to miss the 80's how about the 90's?
I miss big hair. Because then I'd be in style again. I also miss the A-Team. They were so cool. *Sigh*

2. Do you have a library card? If so, how often do you visit?

I have a library card, but it's not for the town I live in and so it does me no good. Interestingly enough, we've been to the library here in town once or twice. Is it bad that I prefer to look stuff up on computer? Then I don't have to worry about returning it on time. Which is a problem for me. Anything concerning "on time" is a problem for me.

3. What's the secret to success?

Don't aim too high and then you'll always hit the mark.

Just kidding! The real secret to success is found in Josua 1:8.  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

4. This is National Backyard Games week...what's your favorite backyard game?
I like lying in the shade in a hammock, reading a favorite book. Hey! That would too be a game! Or at least a challenge. Especially since we don't have any shade. Come to think of it, we don't have a hammock either. Okay, scratch that. I used to like playing football in the backyard until my mother told me I was getting too old to tackle boys.

5. If I dropped by today what would I find on your coffee table?

You would actually find my coffee table leaning up against the wall in the garage because someone recently got a little rowdy and broke it on one side. No one knows who did it, and I'm still seeking the culprit.

6. Do you own a bicycle? When was the last time you rode a bicycle? Is that something you enjoy?

I have one and I like riding as long as there's no going up and down hills and no dogs chasing me and stuff like that.

7. What's your favorite cheese?

The kind melted on top of a freshly baked pizza.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Why do guys put the back of the seat so far down that they almost seem to be lying down when they drive? That's very annoying, especially when I have to keep putting it back to normal every time I want to drive.

Growing Pains

Why is it that when my children are growing up, I'm the one having growing pains? It hardly seems fair.

Or maybe they're not growing pains. Maybe they're just pains.

Case #1: I mentioned to my husband last night that yet another one of our boys need to begin the wonderful rite of passage known as shaving. Although I probably really shouldn't worry about it. As soon as he's told to do so, he'll want to do anything other than shaving. Just like his older brothers.

Case #2: Three of the four that I'm homeschooling have finished their lessons for the year. And yet, they still must travel to work with me several times a week because, even though they're old enough to be left on their own, they don't necessarily do well when left unsupervised too many days in a row. So now I'm trying to find ways to keep them occupied five hours a day. One of them acts as though I'm killing him because I require that he read a chapter of a book each day. It's a fiction book that's geared to his age and lots of fun. You'd think I was making him read Scottish Chiefs.

I've got them doing a typing course, getting a head start on next year. They all love being on the computer, which is a privilege not often extended. But I've only got one laptop, and taking turns seems to tax their sharing abilities. Plus I repeatedly find them playing games on the computer instead of doing the typing.

I should explain, by the way, that my very gracious boss is a proponent of homeschooling, and has been wonderful in allowing me to bring the boys with me on the job. That way I supervise their schooling while completing my work at the same time.

Sort of. Some days it works better in theory than in practice.

Case #3: They all also have that end-of-the-schoolyear energy that is so detrimental to everyone's health and well-being. The boys sit in a conference room with a whole wall of windows to do their schoolwork. I can see them through the window from my office. Last week Son #2 brought a bag of candy with him to school. And no, I do not allow that. Son #3 began crawling under the conference room table to get to the candy. Son #4 started crawling over the top of the table to get to the candy. All of them began rolling around the table in their executive desk chairs, playing a form of candy keep-away. (Apparently I went longer than one minute checking on them through my window. My mistake.) I became aware of the problem when they slammed into a bookcase and sent a lamp crashing to the floor.

Who knew school was a contact sport? Lest you be confused, let me assure you that none of my sons are two years old. They are ages 12, 14, 16 and 18. They know better.

Case #4: Son #2--I'm not sure why I'm not using their names in this post, but live with it--is getting ready to graduate from high school. Among other things, I'm supposed to provide 20 pictures of him at various ages for a display that is being put together for the seniors. (A private school nearby is graciously allowing our homeschooled son to participate in their ceremony.) My problem is, I don't have that many pictures of just him. And the ones that I do have are awful, fuzzy and completely out of focus. I'm suffering major guilt that I have not done a better job of recording my children's lives through photography.

I think I'm signing up for a photography class this summer.

Case #5: Son #1 and Son #2 got into an argument recently. They brought the problem to me, mostly because each of them thought I would set the other one straight. Except that they were both right and they were both wrong. While I was trying to sort out the mess, they continued arguing, and I couldn't get a word in edgewise. I finally stepped between them--except that my head only comes to their chins. Their argument didn't even slow down as they continued talking over my head.

And that's when I struggled with the desire to share my growing pains. Or at least cause someone else some pain for a while. It's a good thing I'm going out of town for a few days because I definitely need the break.

I just hope at least some of my furniture is still intact when I get back.

Where Has the Time Gone?

With a title like that, you'd think this would be a nostalgic post.

You would be wrong.

I'll probably do nostalgic later this week, but right now I'm just shocked because I came on my blog and suddenly realized that it's been an entire month since I lasted posted. I'm ashamed. And quite frankly, I don't know why you put up with me.

(Crickets chirping)

I see. Apparently you don't. Well, whether anyone else still comes by or not, I'm blogging again. Although I can't say for how long. Life interruptus and all. Just to give a little picture of what's going on, right now I'm knee-deep in planning our church's annual ladies luncheon. That's this Saturday.

A week after that I'm going out of town.

A week after that our son is graduating from high school. (That will be several blogs-worth because I'm not dealing well with this at all.)

Two weeks later the boys all leave for camp. This is the first year that all of them are old enough to go. (I'm not dealing well with this at all.)

Two weeks after that we have Vacation Bible School. All of my children will be helpers because none of them are young enough to attend VBS anymore. (I'm not dealing well with this at all.)

It may be the month of May, but I'm really looking forward to July.

With that summary out of the way, I wanted to briefly write about Mother's Day. This year's holiday included a mediocre meal at Bob Evans (my first restaurant choice was too crowded and we would have had to wait too long), some nice cards and a computer program that I'd been wanting. I'm glad I spoke up and asked for it because my husband did the shopping for Mother's Day this year. He sent his mom something from Cabelas. I learned early in our married life to be specific about what I want.

I also got some fun cards and one that made me cry. This is the wording on my husband's card for me:

For my Wonderful Wife
You take on so many important roles in our family--wife, mother, stress reliever, referee, organizer ... I can't begin to name all the things you take on and do so well. But what I can do is recognize how hard you work and how much love you give.

For taking care of us, for being the heart of our home, for being the wonderful woman you just naturally are ... you are appreciated and loved so much.

When he signed it, he thanked me for being his best friend.

You're crying now, too, aren't you?

The boys gave me a card with a cartoon bear on the front that said they couldn't bear to watch me working so hard all the time. When you open up the card, the bear is covering his eyes and saying, "that's better!"

Matt and Kylee's card said, "Do you ever wonder how different life would be without us kids?"  Inside it said, "Mom, Mom ... stop smiling."

My life is always better when there's humor in it. How was your Mother's Day?