Endless Energy

 

Those of you who know Josh, know his energy level. It's absurd how the man does not run out of steam. Great Grandpa was famous for seeing Josh play with Haley and or Ryan and turning to me and saying, "You've got 3 kids!"

As I sit here and write this, he is playing jail with the kids. This consists of running back and forth taking each kid and putting him/her in jail and then each one escapes and the process starts all over. The kids are screaming (ok, so is he) and everyone is huffing and puffing. I can only play these games for so long. Josh can outlast me any day of the week. He wrestles and chases and lifts and throws. I read and sing and paint and pretend. Josh will make up stories on the spot. I will need to recall a story I already know. The kids know that when he walks in the door, it's go time! He will have the kids cracking up at bath time doing some silly thing over and over. I think he gets his theater fix from the kids. 

Everyone ends up happy!

6

Yep. Six years ago our Haley was born into this world. She is pure joy, a ray of sunshine. She woke up this morning and yelled from her bed, "Mom? I'm 6!" She had a great day at school (I felt like such a mom making cupcakes for her class the night before) and we had a delightful family dinner. February 16, 2005...our lives changed forever. 

At preschool when she turned 5.

4

3

2

1

and just hours old.

GARTH

Yes, we saw Garth Brooks this weekend. Yes, he was unreal. This was a bucket list item for both of us. We saw he had a show in Vegas a year ago and looked into tickets. He was completely sold out as he only releases a bundle of shows at a time and on sporadic weekends. We promised ourselves that we would watch for new shows and hop on any chance we got. Well, we did, and last night was the night.

We went to Vegas Saturday night with 2 other couples. Had an awesome day by the pool yesterday in 75 degree weather (Josh got sunburned). Then it was time to get ready for the show. Excited is not the word to use because I was far beyond that. Most people who know me know that my musical likings have a huge range from show tunes to hip hop. Country music has never been at the top of my list, but Garth has. I've always loved his music and his energy.

We got to the theater at the Wynn and the venue was nice and intimate...1200 seats. We walked in and all that was onstage was a guitar under the spotlight. My heart was pounding. Courtney Kramer asked if we wanted to go get a drink. Ummm...and take the smallest chance of missing him come out?! That would be no.

The lights dimmed, my heart rate accelerated. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome GARTH BROOKS!" The whole place was on their feet clapping and cheering! Out he came in  jeans and a baseball cap. I couldn't believe he was there! The crowd finally calmed and found their seats. That is when the man in front of me turned around and asked, "Will you be screaming in my ear like that all night?" I replied, calmly, "this is a concert."

Now, let me digress for one moment. I am a very calm rational person. Not much gets to me. I can always find a reason to let people off the hook. But when I think someone else is in the wrong and they are approaching me, all bets are off with my coolness (just ask any of the girls who were with me about the bathroom incident on NYE in San Francisco 1999.) At the moment he said that, I wished I had my old high school high pitched scream. With teaching, that part of my voice is forever gone, but if I had had it last night I would have used it. What did he think I was going to do? Sing in the middle of a ballad? Be the only one to scream in the theater? I am someone who cheers, but not that person who interrupts music. GEEZ!!!!!

Anyway, back to the show. There may not be the words to describe what we saw. He played for over 2 hours. He basically gave a concert on his life and his influences. He played all the songs I wanted, especially "Unanswered Prayers." He sang with his guitar, he sang a capella. He was even in the middle of a tune when he heard someone sneeze in the front row. He stopped to say "bless you" and continued on.

The most surprising thing to me was just how beautiful his voice is. I have always loved his songs and his showmanship, but his voice is ranked at the top!

Josh and I both believe that his may have been the best concert we've ever seen. The experience was more than I expected and my expectations were high.

Unbelievable. UN. BE. LIEVABLE.

A Good Way to Look at It

I notice beautiful things...beautiful places, beautiful people, etc. Yesterday, at the track, I was admiring a woman who was running in front of me. She had a stunning physique. Lean, muscular, strong and she ran like a natural. I found myself envying her. I thought, "I would die to look like that and I bet anything she looks in the mirror and finds flaws."

When I got off the track and onto the bleachers I saw a woman who had been behind me on the track. She was probably about 100 lbs heavier than I am. Then I wondered if she had been looking at me the way I had looked at the woman ahead of me. She easily could have been thinking, "I would love to look like that. I bet that she looks in the mirror and sees all her flaws."

I keep this in mind as every woman has something that she wants to look better. In the past year or so I have gotten much better about looking at it a different way. I plan on keeping that perspective. :)

Haley's Party

Haley had her birthday party this past weekend.

She tumbled with her friends.

She enjoyed lunch and cupcakes.

And, of course, the girls found a way to chase and play with Josh at the end. And giggle, giggle, giggle.
This was the first party we had that was just a few girls and the parents had the option to drop off. My, oh, my. How fast they grow.

Mom Guilt

I am not someone who feels guilty often or tries to lay guilt on others. But there is something about Mom Guilt. Somehow, the other night, some girlfriends and I got onto the subject. I am sure someone shared a story and we rolled with it. The most interesting thing is that 2 of us were stay at home moms and 2 were working moms. We are all teachers. The Mom Guilt is there no matter what! Here is the list we talked/laughed about...
1. working moms have guilt about being away from their kids.
2. SAHMs have guilt about wanting alone time or wishing they could get away for just a little bit.
3. SAHMs have guilt about taking a nap in the middle of the day (not while they are doing it, but when they talk about what they did that day).
4. Working moms have guilt about wanting alone time when they have worked all day and only have so much time with their kids.
5. Working moms have guilt about missing any sort of "first" milestone.
6. Both have guilt about missing something that could have been prevented (a fall or boo boo of some sort).
7. Both have guilt over losing patience with their children.
8. Both have guilt anytime they feel like they'd like to freeze time and just be away from it for just a bit.

I think that all moms would feel less guilty if we just made it known and talked about it. One of the things that is the most baffling about motherhood is that it is made to seem that once you are a mother, life is bliss. But, when you actually get to talking to other moms (who you know and feel comfortable with) the truth about motherhood comes out. There is nothing like it in the world. It is the best adventure of your life. You have never felt a love like you have for these people you created. It is constant work. It is hard. It can be stressful. It is exhausting. It is extremely rewarding. It is fully entertaining.
If it was more acceptable to talk openly about the challenges of being a mom (and not worry about being judged) maybe we wouldn't have the Guilt.
I say we protest Mom Guilt!! GO AWAY!! BOOOOO!

The Mom

Ok. I know every parent has stories like this. Although this is not an outrageous story, it happens enough for me to write about.

Haley started a dance class at the community center a few weeks ago. Most of the moms/siblings wait in the little room off to the side while they dance away for 50 minutes. I am usually busy with Ryan but have found a few moments here and there to chat with some of the moms. Just like in any situation, there are people you click with and people you don't. And then there are the ones that annoy the crap out of you...

There is a woman who has bugged me from day one. She has opinions about everything, most unsolicited. She states everything as if it is fact. "____is the best school in the valley." "That grocery store is ____." "I would never allow my child to _____." I have simply avoided interaction with her as well as eye contact with anyone else.

There is a little boy around Ryan's age. He belongs to a different mom who is always chatting with the other said mom that she rarely pays attention to her son. He's fine and plays with the toys in the room. The other day he decided to start knocking down the towers that Ryan was building. I reminded Ryan to tell the boy that he didn't like that (the usual way i respond when a parent isn't stepping in). The boy stopped. Then it was the end of the class and time to clean up the blocks. Ryan started cleaning up the blocks he was playing with. The other little boy took the blocks out of the bin that Ryan had just put them in. Totally fine. I just wanted Ry to clean up his mess. The mom- the one who had NO CHILD INVOLVED IN THIS EXCHANGE- says to me, " you know. He is still playing with the blocks. Please do not clean them up." I responded calmly, "I am having my son clean up what he played with."

I was bothered. First of all, I really don't do well with people butting in when it comes to my kids unless there is something I am not seeing. I have realized this fact over the last 6 years of being a mom. I don't want people interjecting what i should be doing or what my children should be doing. Now, if my kids are doing something that I am not seeing (an exchange or hurting someones feelings, etc.) that is completely fine. But when I am right there, seeing it all, involved in what is happening...no thanks.  Add the fact that I find the woman completely obnoxious. Not a good mix. Your daughter is in dance class! You are not involved!

So, I have a few more months with this woman. I will make an effort to smile if we make eye contact, but really, I just want to scream, "PLEASE SHUT IT! No one is asking you about your opinions on mothering or schools or groceries. There are grey areas in life. You are not right about everything. Loosen up! Listen to other views. Why don't you actually watch your daughter dance a bit instead of spewing the whole time? How about you be concerned with your own self and your own child?"

Do you think she'd be enlightened?