Lessons Learned!

Last week at school, Rachel got her first infraction!!! Even the word sounds bad.....



I-N-F-R-A-C-T-I-O-N

We are five months into the year and honestly, I have no idea what the heck it even means, other than signing your name in a different spot in the agenda book. And of course that it is not good, worse than "red bear" of course, which can't be good!



So I asked her what she had the infraction for. Here is the story I heard...at first!



Rachel---"I don't remember why I got an infraction!"



Me---"Rachel if you do not tell me, you are staying in your seat buckled in when we stop to see

Desiree in a few minutes....( had to drop Jomar off to his mom)"



Rachel---"Oh, wait I remember now mommy(funny how a five year old's memory returns at just the right time!)....Mrs. Berry only told me one time I needed to listen and then told me to get my agenda. She told the rest of the class five or six times"



Me---"Rachel, you were told one time and you had an infraction?...that does not make sense."



Soooo, after some going back and forth...and Rachel saying that is definately what happened, I figured out the real story. This was confirmed the next day at school when I spoke to Mrs. Berry....

The whole class was not listening...they were told a bunch of times to listen/follow directions. Most of them, decided enough was enough and decided to throw it in and LISTEN!!!! Most of them, remember is the key. My daughter and a couple of others had just a bit more to say and, well, the rest is history. Over to the cubbies they went, out came the agendas and in went the "infractions". (and of course the pretty green pen writing under her DOL for me to sign it!)

After being told the next day by her teacher, that Rachel apparently has "come out of her shell" since Thanksgiving, I now know that she is quickly becoming Miss Social in the class. That of course gives me mixed feelings....me being the child who literally did not say two words all day at school (when I decided to surprise everyone and go that is!) definately does not want my daughter to go through the same level of being shy. On the other hand, after having spent seven years in a public school as a teacher, and many hours listening to other teachers about the kids who would not "shutup" today (not my words of course!!!), I really want her to, well, listen!!! So I decided to just lay it on the line and tell her, pretty much what any mom would! And so started my mini-adult conversation with her.

On the way home....

Me: "Rach, I know that you have really come out of your shell at school and really started to get to know the other kids a lot more. I am really happy that you are talking and being friends with everyone. But, you have to remember there is a time to talk but when the teacher is talking, you need to listen to her. You need to be respectful. You need to follow directions. Do you understand?"

Rachel: "uh-huh" as she looks at me blankly!

So of course, I know best. I am the mom, that's what we do,right? In comes my OCD about the situation and I think to myself..."I can't believe she isn't taking me seriously. She is just brushing it off."

Me: "Rachel, do you know what I am telling you? Do you see my point about having to listen at school????? Are you listening to me NOW!?!?!?!?"

To which she answers in a very "matter of fact, I am now going to inform my mommy of something she obviously does not know" voice.

Rachel: "Yes, I understand, I need to listen....but mommy, I don't have a SHELL. What you said about coming out of my shell...I don't have one!"


And so, two important lessons learned ....she will listen more at school...and I...well... I will talk to her like a five year old minus all the fancy expressions!!!! :)

Merry Christmas!

Rachel very excited to open up one of Grammy's presents...her very own cupcake maker! She loved it...and now thinks "it will be very fun to make one every day after school!!!"

JT opening up one of his gifts from Santa....excited about it...saying after he opened it "I forgot I wanted that...a lot...I saw it on tv!"

From Sunday again at church, singing Away in a Manger...rocking Baby Jesus of course!

....And then we had this scene....after two songs, this is what JT decided to do instead of standing on his own. Rachel did great handling it....you could only hear her saying ("Joshua...stoooooop it.") a few times in between singing!

Hmmmmmm....does it look like he liked this one...score another one for Grammy. JT played with this ALL day. The plane light is flashing tonight....due to needing the batteries replaced already. (Guess I will be hitting up Target tomorrow for some more of my free batteries with my coupons...and I thought my stash I had would last at LEAST a week!!!)

He fell asleep tonight saying " I am going to keep my eyes open so I can watch my GeoTrax all night!"

The VSmile Motion.........they looved it...thanks Uncle Denny and Aunt Sylvia!!! Rachel is especially proud in this picture to be winning the race to the bottom of the ski slope and beating JT!!! That is okay, JT came back in the next round!!

SuperGirl...aka Rachel She is about to take off into the sky. She wore this all day...not bad for a three dollar find after Halloween........jeez I am really getting cheap!!!

Another present from Santa!!!! PIXOS....mommy already looooves picking these up off the floor...hmmm with 500 little, teeny tiny balls...they will be gone in a month is my bet!

JT loved is "cuttable" sandwich kit and Rachel loved her "cuttable" fruit and veggies kit from Aunt Donna and Uncle Louie....also they got some awesome Dr. Suess games from them!!!! So fun...Dr. Suess will always be our favorite

They are OFF....the gate was opened and they RAN to the presents. I think they were the most excited this year than any other year yet!!!

VMotion Game.....they were already excited and didn't even know what it was going to do yet!!!

Rachel modeling her purse from Santa!!!! Such a girl, my sweet, beautiful girl. We are blessed!

Santa Money from their stockings....Rachel really thought that was cool!

The picture that came before it all started.......at SIX AM this morning. They were bright eyed as always. I was picking my eyelids up off the floor...that is what I get for making our Elf video at two oclock in the morning.......exhaustion!!!

We had an awesome day. We played, and played, and fought a bit too over each others new toys and who would play with them first! We are so blessed in so many ways. The biggest of which is our family, both here and away.

Everyone was with us today...even though it was only the four of us at home, everyone else was here too...in our hearts!

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!!!!

Love from all of us!!!

Singing for God!

Rachel and JT (to the right kind of doing his own thing!) made us so proud on Sunday when they performed in the children's Christmas celebration at our church! Soon after this, JT inched his way over to behind his big sister and hid there for the rest of the songs. She was so good, just trying to ignore him while she kept on with singing and praising God!!! (of course later telling him what she really thought of it all!!!)

We feel blessed to have found our church home. The kids love it as much as we do. Can't wait to see what the future brings!!!

Things that make me happy!!!

Of course........the box is the fun part!!!! Never thought another boy would steal my heart after I married Gary!!! I was proven wrong on July 29th, 2005!!!!

Speaking of stealing my heart....our first baby. After waiting ten years to receive such an amazing gift...now we wonder how we ever could have decided to wait soooo long!!! She is our sweetheart always!

Things That Make Me Happy!!!!!

~Gary and the kids!

~That my family(here and away!) is always there for me when I need them

~When I see Gary come home every night

~When I hear our children call me mama or mommy

~When JT tells me "I love you ....lots and lots and lots and lots and lots Mama!"

~Going out for a Girls Night Out with friends

~Seeing our babies faces in the morning with their sleepy eyes

~Getting a date night with my hubby

~Having my family come to visit me from Arizona

~Sleeping in!!!!

~Watching a movie with Gary after the kids are in bed

~Hearing Rachel's "secrets" and keeping them just our little conversations

~Watching our children play and have fun with their friends

~Giving "just one more" kiss and hug after being asked at bedtime to Rachel and JT

~Knowing that all things are possible with God

Shopping for free....LOVE it!!!

Getting paid to shop. Getting something for free. Getting things with Extra Care Bucks .(ie....free money!!!) All of it translates into these three words.....

I LOVE CVS!!!

If it was not for my friend, Danyel....I would never know the joy of feeling giddy over free toothpaste, paper towels, shampoo, makeup and if I am REALLY lucky, a free DVD that put pictures of my sweet babies into a one of a kind movie!!! (Haven't seen that deal since the summer!)

But you have to know the right CVS to go to. I mean the outcome is the same, you still walk out with all your free stuff by rolling your CVS bucks. But, the atmosphere....that is important you know. The store by me....not good. Kind of rude, always out of stuff, ( I think they forgot the page on restocking in their employee manuals) and just kind of not good. The store five minutes in the other direction.....awesome. So pleasant, stuff on sale always on the shelf. Also, a lot times they have another special little area where all the good stuff from the entire week is at!

Especially helpful when you have a three year old whining, "Are we done yet...I am "boring"...mama, MaMa, MAMA!!!"

You get to the point where, if you cannot get it for free or so close to free, you feel like hmmmm should I really spend .25 on that tube of toothpaste...I mean it IS .25 out of pocket....no bucks back!!! (This is my dilemma for my Walgreens trip tomorrow!!!) Such difficult decisions to make!!!

So today, my bill came to 18.40. ...ended paying $2 out of pocket....used $5 in Extra Care Bucks of my own.....the rest was whittled away in coupons.......BUT (and this is the very best part!) I got back $7 in Extra Care Bucks....so I ended up getting it all for free in essence (and still got back what I put in for my ECB!!!!)

The little things that make a mom so happy!!! Now I have to go prepare for my Publix trip tomorrow. I have to find the Publix trucks on clearance that will cost me $.25 after the clearance and my coupon!

That will make JT happy on Christmas morning!!!

Say Cheese!!!

Rachel's "official" Kindergarten Picture!!! She looks so big to me!!! Where does the time go????

I cannot believe my baby is in Kindergarten....halfway through it as a matter of fact!! There are so many days I just want to keep her home with me. But then I don't want to create a mini-me with her not ever being there like I was. But I just want her here with me. I miss the days that she could stay in her pjs til whenever, we went out to a playdate if we felt like it (well mommy that is since she ALWAYS did!), and just being able to do things on our time. I think it is harder on me this whole growing up thing.

We drive through the car circle every morning, after playing our green light game all the way to school. Relieved we made it before the gate was locked, we hoot a little. I give her a big hug and kiss.

She looks at me and says, "love you mama".

I tell her I love her too. "Have a great day" I tell her.

"Ok, I will" "See you later mama" she says as she shuts her door.

I watch her get out of the car every morning, a smile on her face. She bounces along excited to see Grace and Kelsey and her other friends. Her pink Hello Kitty backpack on her back, almost as big as she is. Lunch box in her hand. Then she is off. Another day in Kindergarten, and another day closer to growing up...she will always be my baby though!!!

When they sleep!!!

It is late. Everyone here is asleep. I told myself an hour ago, I am going to sleep. Here I sit, typing, setting up my new blog. I really should be sleeping. In the morning, when everyone else is awake and happy, I will be wishing I could hit the snooze button for the fifteenth time. When everyone else is wanting to eat breakfast, I will be lucky to be whipping together some pancakes. Not homemade pancakes...microwave pancakes.

It is quiet in the house. A sound that is not heard very often around here. I can hear the fan whirling around. As well as about a billion thoughts about today and all the things to do tomorrow.

I watched them all in the car on the way home tonight from Christmas caroling. JT, slumped over in his carseat, snoring because his head could not seem to stay upright as he slept. I never knew how different it would be to have a son than a daughter. The way I feel when he calls me mama. How I love to tease him when he takes my kisses and wipes them off. I think about one day, how he will be a father. So many years from now. But with God's will, it will happen. Hopefully he will be over wiping off kisses, at least from his future wife!

Rachel and Gary were in the back of the van. She had asked him to sit next to her on the way home, now there she was, sleeping so peacefully leaning against him. I loved seeing it. Not just because it was so rare for her to actually sleep in the car, but more importantly anytime I see her with him I love it. She has one thing that I couldn't. What more can you ask for with your child. I wonder if she knows just how lucky she is to have him. Of course not, she shouldn't. It should be a given for her daddy to be there. One day, she will know. One day, maybe when she is watching her own daughter quietly sleep next to her husband. She will see that magic, that bond around them. Then she will realize the overwhelming blessing she has with him. Maybe she does realize...he was the one she asked to carry her to bed when we got home.

I carried JT inside, changed his clothes to his pajamas and put him in his bed. The whole time, he didn't wake once or even slumber from his sleep. Hopefully he will not dream of the the siren that awoke him way to early this morning from the alarm that went off when we let Brandi out....but didn't turn the alarm off first. He rolled over, tucked his legs up to make himself into little ball. I gave him one last kiss goodnight. And as I looked at him, I realized how blessed I am not only to have him, but that at least one kiss wouldn't get wiped off today.