...and they are off to school.

For Mom

I am betting my Mom isn't going to visit my blog today and thus I feel safe risking her seeing her Mother's Day gift early. She asked for something special this year, and I was very happy to oblige. Mom asked me to make a photo/frame collage with images of parts of the kids. Sounds strange at first, but she has held and loved them since birth and swears to know every inch of them by heart. She wanted something to capture the growth and their being right now.

Here are a few of the images I took and how the collage came out...

I think she'll like it! This really didn't take much time at all to make so there is still time to make one for your Mom. I bought the frame at Target and was able to use their Kodak kiosk to print the images. Makes for a wonderful keepsake, don't cha think?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY LADIES!!

Things To Remember To Tell Him

1. You are my rock. I have told you many times just how special you are to me, how much I need you and your strength, and I hope you never forget how much I love you.

2. You are a fiercely devoted friend. There isn't anything you wouldn't do for a friend in need. But, sadly, you think our house isn't cool enough for those friends right now. That's okay.

3. You are so intelligent. Your report card today reads Math - 95, English - 91, Science - 92, and Social Studies - 93, and you aren't even trying. You even warned me in August that since this year won't "count" for college, you weren't planning on putting in all that much effort.

4. You like to argue these days. You have ideas and opinions all your own and you fight for their value. Someday, I think you'll know a few of those ideas are a little backwards, but I am willing to wait for you to come around.

5. You are tall. This is the year you will pass me in height. Never forget that just because you are bigger than me, it doesn't mean I can't take you down, boy. 'Cuz I can so totally kick your ass if I need to.

6. You are kind to your sister and love her in a way that melts my heart. There is a connection between you two that shows me you will be her rock too someday.

7. Your brother frustrates you right now, but I know it is because you are scared for him. You don't want him to be different, you don't want him to be bullied, you don't want him to struggle... you want him to be strong like you and you think your tough love will make him stronger.

8. You are pretty lazy too these days, if I am being honest. You hate to help around the house and it is only with threats of taking away your Playstation that I can get you to empty the dishwasher for me. Helping is something I hope you come around to soon.

9. You take after me with your looks, but you are more like your Dad than you care to realize and you two are really butting heads at this stage. He expects so much from you because he knows how just how amazing you are inside, he wishes he had that in him... but you think he is too hard on you. He loves you so much.

10. You can laugh so hard you can't breathe and no one has to say a word. You are constantly snickering and bursting out with a laugh at moments you remember from your day. So and so did this in lunch today... so and so did that in gym. I can't help but laugh when you laugh, but half the time I can't understand what you are telling me through your fits of giggles.

11. You are shy with girls, or so you tell me. Your team mates in football also sit with you at lunch, you told me they take your books and put them at the girls' tables so that you have to go over and talk to them to get your books back. You don't mind though.

12. You are handsome, at least I think so. You have such strong features to your face and when you smile your face lights up (your Dad's face does the same thing and it is something I love about him too). You hate your freckles though and you think they make you ugly. I used to feel the same way about my freckles. You asked Dad to teach you to shave last week.

13. You, my boy, are thirteen. On a crisp fall day in 1997, I gave birth to a 9lb 13oz baby that has become a young man I am so honored and proud to be the Mother of. I love you Jacob. Happy Birthday.

Things My Kids Say

(haven't done one of these in a while)


Lauren: "Momma? In the olden days, was the world in black and white?"
Me: while trying not to giggle "No honey, just the pictures."

Busy Bees

This being Spring Break, with all three kids home from school all week, I have been making a very conscious effort to keep my brood entertained. Boredom breeds contempt in my house and all sorts of bad things start to happen. So, activity: good, boredom: bad. I always have to wrack my brain when trying to come up with "stuff" to do with the kids. This week though, it has been easy. I took a little lead, though she doesn't know it, from my friend Cindy. She is wonderful at being a "tourist", where she lives or where she goes. She takes her kids to all sorts of places introducing them to new things. I decided it was time we be tourists in our own city.

Rochester is a pretty amazing place. We have lots of museums: George Eastman House, National Museum of Play, Rochester Museum and Science Center, Memorial Art Gallery, Susan B. Anthony House, just to name a few. We have lots of parks, too, and beaches, and... a zoo. The zoo is where our adventures began this week. The weather this week has been nothing short of divine, sunny and in the sixties, wonderfully comfortable and perfect to outings as it isn't the sort of weather that leaves you completely drained. Nice. (Though today is a bit cloudy and it is barely going to break 50. I am not complaining! We need the balance of an inside day today.) And, um, spring was definitely in the air. Oh, you need more than my word? HA! The orangutans were making out (tongue and all, people) and the turtles were mating. Oh yes, there are pictures to prove it, lol. It was very informative.











There are lots more photos of the animals (both mine and the zoo's) in this Flickr set (go there to see the mating turtles, it is just too risky for this blog, LOL). SO many beautiful creatures and all just a 10min drive away.

The best part though? In the car, as we were getting ready to pull out of the parking lot, Andrew was the first to say "Mom, this was so awesome, thanks for bringing us."

Blueberry Bliss

Friday morning, the kids and I set out on our second blueberry picking adventure of the season. We tried to pick blueberries last year, but a small crop at a local farm and birds eating up what little berries they had led to no picking. The kids love blueberries. Love love love them. Everyone but Lauren that is. She continues to have an extreme aversion to fruit (and has since she was 6months old). So she is by far the best picker, unlike the boys who tend to eat their weight in berries rather than filling their berry baskets.



I, of course, had my new camera at my side. I got to play around with the depth of field (areas of focus). And I got to hear lots of "Mom, take a picture of this..." comments. I was very happy to oblige. Little outings like this, just a few hours out of the house after some hair raising days, are what save my nerves during summer. And I promise not to mention how many more days until school starts, Cindy ;)



By the end of the picking, in just about an hour, we had 7 1/2 pounds of berries. Some went to my Mom's house, some were eaten at a little picnic lunch at a playground on our ride home from the farm, some went right into a batch of yogurt muffins with some mini chocolate chips, and some more are being saved for Andrew's birthday on Wednesday. He has requested blueberry cake for his birthday cake. The boy, unlike his Momma, hates chocolate and only sorta cares for vanilla... makes a blueberry cake just right for him. Hopefully, I can keep Jacob from eating them all before then!!





I have lots of things to share this week. I finished Andrew's birthday quilt!! I made two pieces of jewelry and I am not so sure I like 'em, there will be birthday post of course, and I am working on round two of the lickety split beads. I hope you'll come back and check things out this week. (and oh yes, I am still running! I started week two of couch to 5k this morning.)

Things My Kids Say

(lol, haven't posted one of these in a while)

This morning while making breakfast... me, Jacob & Andrew in the kitchen.

Me: boys?... you gotta be better about closing the upper cabinet doors. Me and Dad have been finding Rusty in the cabinets in the middle of the night, knocking out glasses.

Andrew: This cabinet won't shut. (imaging his index finger poking the knob over and over and over and over and over)

Me: it would close if you quit poking it, just close it nicely.

Andrew continues poking the knob....

Me: dude, stop...

Jacob: God Andrew... you are so... perpetual.

Andrew: huh? what is that?

Jacob: you just go on and on and on and on...

Pucker Up

Sometimes I really like my kids. LOL. Most days, they have me quietly meditating to myself things like "he is just upset because he isn't getting his way, he is just upset because he isn't getting his way... be the adult, don't get mad, be the adult, don't get mad." Or, "take a deep breath... take a deep breath... she is only 5, she'll learn". They have me counting the hours until bed time ( or the days til the next therapy appointment when we can get some more advice on how to handle rotten situations ).

Then there are days like yesterday. It was a stressful couple of hours shortly after the bus arrived delivering my little terrors, I mean darlings, home. There were meltdowns and fits. There were arguments and tears.

But then...

There was a hula-hoop competition. Lauren and Andrew playing on the deck, together, no fighting, showing each other cool things a hula-hoop can do. Then they wandered into the woods and brought me back a little handful of flowers. I got to sit quietly and knit by the window, listening to there little kid conversations. (according to Andrew, you can't possibly know the future unless, of course, you had a time machine which is practically impossible... all his words, lol) And I got to cover my eyes, pretend I didn't see the fist full of flowers as they were coming inside, and get a few hugs and kisses.

And how perfectly my little glass of snow caps match what I was knitting on. The top is for the spring/summer, it is called "Pucker". The yarn is Seduce in the color Absinthe. I can't wait to get it done, and maybe I can wear it while doing some hula-hooping of my own.

Quarantine

This blog is officially under quarantine. In fact, I am putting my whole house and everyone in it under quarantine. Not contact with the outside world until every last germ in the house is gone. UGH!

Jacob came home from school on Friday with a weird grunt. Yeah, a grunt. It kept clearing his throat all through the movie we rented. It got rather annoying. He gets these weird coughing ticks from time to time. I think all kids do, I used to pop the corners of my mouth to the point of causing insanity in my Dad. It totally freaked him out, lol. Anyway, I figured he was probably coming down with a cold. Put him to bed early... lots of fluids... yada yada yada. The usual Mom things.

Saturday it was a sore throat and head ache and stomach ache. I know what those symptoms mean... strep throat. But, hey, I don't keep throat cultures for strep testing at home, so I could have been wrong. Since it was really only the first day of being sick, he spent the day lounging on the couch and resting.

Sunday he woke up in worse condition so into the local urgent care center we went. Do you guys have these near you? They are wonderful places!! Basically it is an emergency room without the hospital and long waits. Some of them have x-ray machines even. It is a place to go when your doctor's office is closed and you need to be seen but don't need to go to the er. Anyhoo... man did I get a scolding when I was there. The nurse took Jacob's temp and it was 102. She asked when the last time he had something for his fever and I said before bed. She told me there was "no need to withhold his meds to take him to the doctors".... excuse me? I was not withholding his meds! Grrr... they did the throat culture and the rapid test was negative. The doctor told me the rapid test only tests for strep 'a' and that she was confident it is probably one of the other 5 or so kinds of strep. She sent us off with a script for Zithromax (he is allergic to amoxicillian and duricef) and she said they would call on Wednesday with the results of the 2nd culture (the one they send away when the rapid one is negative).

Well here it is Tuesday... Jacob is miserable. Three days (of a very very strong antibiotic) and he isn't any better. He is still running a fever, his stomach is hurting, his throat is killing and to top it off.... yesterday afternoon... Lauren suddenly says he isn't feeling good. Her temp? 100. I am calling the pediatrician's office as soon as it opens this morning and both these kids are getting their bums in to be checked out.

As if that wasn't enough... Andrew pulled a I-have-a-stomach-ache on the school nurse yesterday so he 1)didn't have to deal with a boy that was getting him in trouble and 2)be home to hang out with Jacob. I ended up having to pick him up. It was quite amazing to watch. He came home all down and sullen. And miraculously at 3:00 (just about the time school let out) he was feeling all better and wanted to call friends and play on the computer. Sneaky little bas... lol. That won't happen again today! I informed him that I will no longer pick him up unless there is actual puke coming out of him or he has an honest to goodness fever. We don't stay home around here because you don't like the way someone treats you. I never got to stay home and I was tortured by bullies for years. Seriously, years.

The upside to all this illness? I have gotten to sit down and work on my February Lady sweater!! It is almost done. Body is complete and one sleeve is about a 1/3 of the way done. I am thinking another 2 days and it'll be ready to block. Hey, I gotta question... how do you block something and get the lace to open up but not change the size of it? I am worried about blocking and the sweater being too big. It fits just right as it is.

I am off to change sheets, sanitize door knobs, clean bathrooms, and otherwise save the house the forces of evil germs. LOL... you know, "germ fighting Momma" was not the superhero title I had in mind when I got my necklace a few weeks ago.

My Kid Creating

Lauren has all her ATCs in the mail for the swap I mentioned last week. It was wonderful sitting and watching her work out her ideas. I was ansy to work on something myself, but decided to just sit and be with her... to just enjoy the moments while she painted away. She was so excited to get to use Momma's paints, and Momma's brushes. I can't help but think that she was being influenced by the things she saw on my desk. Her cards turned out rather abstract and colorful. I like that :)

Old Friends

I would like to introduce you to Lammy, Pooh, and Dutch Girl. This trio has spent most of the my near 31yr life with my Mom. Yesterday, though, Mom thought it was time that they finally get to come back to living with me.

Lammy has been mine since birth. And look... my head still fits on her... just like it used to. Pooh is wearing a shirt I wore when I was a baby. Check out those stripes! And yes, he has had to have his mouth repairs a few times over the years. Dutch Girl is from my Great Grandmother, Cornelia. She (and my Great Grandfather) were off the boat immigrants from Holland. Great Grandma lived until I was in about 3rd grade. I remember spending the day with her before she passed away in her sleep later that night. My doll used to have a "dutch" inspired outfit but has long since lost them and some time ago she got dressed in one of Jacob's baby sleepers. No, I didn't cut her hair... it has always been like that. I can still remember the box she came in too.


I love having these three back with me. They are sitting in a chair and when my eyes fall on them I find it so comforting. It makes me stop and take a deep breath and then a little sigh. I am wondering what animals will be my kids' favorites? Is it just a girl thing? Lauren is attached at the hip to a monkey named "Gaston"... but the boys, not so much. Andrew has a whole pile of teddy bears that he lines up on his bed from time to time but no one is especially special. Jacob, nada.

Anyway... just a little childhood flashback for a minute. LOL... I like those.

Learning Lessons

Sorry, this isn't my regularly scheduled blog post. I thought I was going to post bracelets today, but I am putting it off until tomorrow. Something happened yesterday that I need to talk out. I know there is a wealth of motherly support available to me through you blog readers and I want to take advantage of it today.

Today is about Andrew (my 9year old). He is home today, and not because he is sick. He is home because he was given out of school suspension yesterday. My guess is you had no idea fourth graders could get suspended, let alone an out of school suspension.

I was torching yesterday afternoon when I got a phone call from the school. They asked if I could come in to talk about something that happened with Andrew during lunch. I asked if they could clue me in and they said they would talk more when I got there. I knew that couldn't be good. School is just a few miles from my house and my thoughts raced the whole way there. What could have happened? What could have set him off? Andrew is bi-polar and at home can have extremely violent tantrums but they have never seen the behaviors in school.

I love the vice principal at our school. She is so kind and understanding, warm and loving to the kids, and more helpful then every teacher I was ever exposed to at our old district combined. This is what she told me happened... in the lunch room yesterday, a boy named Jacob, who sits near Andrew, started talking about Santa Claus. The boy said he didn't believe and that he would never believe. He continued to push and tease Andrew about it and Andrew said "I am going to kill you." Their was a third boy, Anthony (a good friend of Andrew's), that heard all of this. Andrew's comment upset Anthony and he told an adult. Andrew was pulled out of lunch and sent to the office. The administrative intern (a former special ed teacher) interviewed the boys and no one denied anything. Andrew was very honest and said that was in fact what he said. He told them he knew it was wrong.

The school has a zero tolerance policy on threatening language and that is why Andrew has out of school suspension. I totally agree with the punishment and completely understand that children need to feel safe in their classrooms.

There are a lot of things going on with Andrew right now. We recently went through some IQ testing that reveled a very high level of depression. We have spent the past week weaning him off one medication and are getting ready to introduce a new one. He has little emotional control right now. He is swinging between manic behaviors and irate/agitated ones from moment to moment. This boy was attacking something that is a core belief to Andrew and with no filters or control over himself, he lashed out in this very hurtful way.

You might remember my post last year about whether or not we would have the "Santa Talk" with Andrew. When I discovered what had upset Andrew at lunch yesterday, I knew I had to have the talk with him. I was holding back tears the whole time. It is near impossible to talk with the lump I had in my throat while telling him the news. I started by talking to him about how it is okay that some people believe different things then we do. We talked about the Spirit of Christmas and what it means to give to others. I told him that Santa was a real person but that he died a very long time ago, but that he was such a special person that we keep his spirit alive in our hearts. I told him that this was a special secret and that it is his job now to help keep Santa's spirit alive for others, like Lauren. I told him that if anyone ever says "Santa isn't real" you tell them "he was once, and he is alive in your heart if you want him to be".

I can't tell you the shock that he was in. He thought it more unlikely that Mom and Dad went out, bought all the gifts, wrapped them, hid them, then snuck out on Christmas Eve and put them under the tree. I really don't think he understands. I think with time he'll start to understand, but it broke my heart yesterday having to take that magic away for him.

Today we have an appointment with his psychologist and we'll talk all about this then. I am having Andrew write an apology letter to the two other boys at lunch. I am not really sure what else to do. So... come on... give me some of that wonderful mom-to-mom support that I count on you gals for. I think there needs to be some cyber hugs all around.

Things My Kids Say

A conversation between Jacob (age 10), Pappy (my Dad), and Me.

Jacob: Hey Pap, would you say this country is a democracy?

Pappy: Yes, yes it is a democracy. Why, what would you call it?

Jacob: I say it is a Republic.

Insert ramblings about the difference between the two and comments about subborn elephants and jack asses.

Me (chimming in shaking my head knowing where this coversation is going): Wait till you hear who Jacob wants to have be president Pap.

Pappy: Who do you want Jacob?

Jacob: John McCain.

Pappy: And is John McCain a republican or a democrat?

Jacob: He's a democrat.

Me again: Wait I minute... I know why he thinks the country is a Republic... because Republicans are in power, lol... and when Democrats win, it is a Democracy.

Jacob: Well, yeah.

Iroquois Art Project

~By Andrew Bogert

For my topic I picked art because I love art. One kind of Iroquois art is woodworking. Woodworking is past down from generation to generation. For my art project I carved an Iroquois toy boat. My dad and I used a saw, carving tools, and sand paper. A saw is not a traditional tool but carving tools are like Iroquois tools. It is about 9 inches long and 2 inches wide. I located this wood in my back yard. It is nice and smooth and it looks like a small canoe. I loved working on this project and learning about Iroquois art.


A big chunk of the four-day weekend that the kids just had was spent on this project. It is all wrapped up and on it's way to school as I type. (Keep your fingers crossed that Andrew is able to keep it safe on the bus!) Fourth grade around here is the big "Native American" year. They learn a lot about their customs and culture. A few weeks back they visited a longhouse too. Andrew really seems to be enjoying it. His teacher's style of teaching has each kid picking a small subject with in the larger one they are learning about and has them become an expert on that topic. Andrew picked ART. (insert glowing artist Momma pride here) He read about beadwork, wampums, and woodworking. He got it in his head that he wanted to carve a toy boat/canoe. And no amount of negotiating would get him to let me help him make a beadworked belt, dang it. So, Ron rough cut it for him from a scrap of wood in the back yard, he sanded it, and used an old set of my sister's carving tools to whittle away at it. He is SUPER proud of this project!!

And I am SUPER proud of him... so I just had to share.

Do you think you can figure out which three words were newly learned vocabulary words that had to be included in the writing?

Things My Kids Say

While I was painting the dining room today...

Lauren: "Momma, when you a young girl and lived with Daddy at his house, did you ever see a werewolf?"

Me: "No Lauren, I never saw a werewolf before. What made you think of that?"

Lauren: "Cause Jacob says they live in Grandma's woods."

Things My Kids Say

Lauren: "Jacob, Pappy asked me what I want to be when I get bigger and I telled him I wanna be a ballerina and then a bike maker. And Pap telled me that his grandfather, our great uncle, made bikes."

Jacob: "Mom, do you know what the heck she is talking about?"

Me: "Yes I know exactly what she is talking about and if you listened, she was perfectly clear. Yesterday Pappy asked her what she wanted to be when she grows up and she said a bike maker. Then Pap told her about your great-great grandfather that worked in Henry Ford's bicycle shop."

Lauren: "Yeah, Jacob, see."

A few minutes later...

Lauren: " Momma, I would like to met Pappy's grandfather some day to see his bicycles."

Me: "Oh, honey, he died a long long time ago."

A few more minutes later...

Lauren: "Momma, do you think we could go to heaven... not like to live there, but just to visit... so I could see his bicycles."

Me: "Sweetie, heaven is a special place you go to when you die. I'm sorry, but you can't visit there. But some day you'll go to heaven too and you can meet great-great grandpa then. OKay?"

Lauren: "OKay."

Jacob: "I can't wait to go to heaven... then I'll finally get to find out who my ancestors are."

Pop Beads

I think I may have found the best "Future Beader" present EVER!! Lauren had her PreSchool Graduation last night and is having her tonsils out today. I was feeling sorry for the poor little thing so I picked her up a congratulations-on-preschool-graduation/please-be-a-brave-girl-for-surgery gift.

POP BEADS!! (at Target)

She spent hours making herself jewelry Monday afternoon and kept saying "I am a beader, I am a beader!" How cute is that? Now lets hope the surgery part goes well.

Things My Kids Say

Jacob (age 10): "Oompa Loompas used to freak me out when I was a kid."

Things Kids Say

Lauren: Momma, did you hear the timer go off?

Me: No Lauren, I didn't hear it. My ears aren't working good, remember?

Lauren: oh... well, it went off. Momma, I think you have an ear confection. Because when I get ear confections, my ears don't work good either.