Kudos

Ok, I have to brag on 5 amazing kids!! They did an amazing job tonight and it's wonderful to see what these kids are doing!

Let me back up some. Tonight, 5 kids from Mrs. Long's third grade class did a computer project about planets and were able to do a presentation for the school board tonight. There were four boys and a girl who were all very nervous but very well prepared to demonstrate their power point presentation about planets. The kids were given resources to find out 9 facts about their planet. Each one of the kids knew more about their planet than I could have ever known in my lifetime. I was amazed at the information they had and impressed with how they presented the information. I feel that my kids are very lucky to be in a school system where the administration is willing to help our kids. Our educators are willing to help our kids. And our kids are willing, ready and able to take on new tasks with a little guidance. My hat is off to you all who are preparing my kids with as much knowledge, guidance and support to be the best they can be.

(By the way~don't tell Tanner I was bragging tonight....he gets embarrased and told me earlier they were just doing their project and having fun.)

Best Conversation

Last night after the kids and I said our prayers, well actually Tanner and I (Ella likes to pretend she can't!), we laid in bed and talked for a minute. I love laying in bed talking to the kids. You never know what really to expect from Ella and with Tanner, it is usually what ever is on his mind. For us, this is the best time to talk.
Tanner is ever so thoughtful and wants to know what to get everyone for Christmas. We have had this conversation before and he wants to buy something for everyone. Then he asks when my birthday is and what I want for my birthday. I tell him I just want him and his sister to make me a card and that is all I need. He says, "Oh come on mom, everyone wants to get a present for their birthday to unwrap." I told him that I unwrap the best present every morning when I wake him and his sister up to get ready for the day. He is very adamant that he and his sister get me something. I told him we would worry about that another day. Today is not that day. Then we start talking about how he has been good all year and Ella decides to chime in. She has finally figured it out that when she is good all year, Santa will come see her. He says that he has ideas for everyone that he has on his list. I said on your list? He said yea. Tanner started telling me what he is going to get for his dad, his sister, his friends, his teacher, his grandparents, his cousins, and even the cat!! He said, "You know mom, I really like giving gifts to people to see how happy they are!" Ella then told me she had a list and it sounded like everyone on her list was going to get some lick stick for Christmas!! Tanner also said that one day he will cook the meal at Christmas when his restaurant is big enough to hold everyone!! I'm wondering how big his restaurant will be and how many people he is inviting? Knowing him, he will feed the whole town and never bat an eye!!

Busy

It seems like last week flew by. The kids have been busy. Tanner loves playing flag football, loves being the center, and is trying so hard to be the best he can! He is not only playing flag football, but has started practicing for UIL. He is hoping for two more first place wins like last year. Tanner made the story telling team and creative writing team. He has a great imagination and has such a great memory, I think he will do well.

Ella had a pretty busy week too. She was super excited to be able to ride the firetruck!! Well, that is until Fire Pup showed up. They were all sitting around and listening to the fire fighters tell them what to do and watching Ms. Angie demonstrate what to do. Then it was time to go get on the firetruck. Ella came running to me and would not let me put her down. She was not getting on that truck without me. That is ok and I gladly rode with her while she had a death grip on me.

Yesterday, we rested and carved pumpkins. I cut the top off of Ella's and gave her a spoon to dig the guts out. Yea, she stuck the spoon in and said "Mom I'm trying so hard, they just aren't coming out." I got Tanner's top off and was showing Ella what to do. She tries one time and says "It's disgusting" That was the last I saw of her until the pumpkins were finished. She decided gut digging was not fun! I remember it being fun, but what do I know. Tanner dug most of his guts out. He flung pumpkin seeds all over the kitchen and last night, I was still finding seeds!! This morning, Ella decided she wanted to carve the little pumpkins and she would dig the guts out!! Oh sweet girl!

The Many Hats of....

Tanner!! He has now taken up a new interest. Tanner says that he is going to still keep his restaurant stand but he is going to take on a new venture as well. He is going to write a book and illustrate it and then get me to make copies for his book and sell it at his restaurant stand!!!

This all came about yesterday after school after he finished his homework. He made a book a few years ago about dinosaurs and now since he is older and wiser (his words) he is going to write a better book about dragons. He has started his research and is now beginning his writings. He drew the cover for his book at mom's after he finished his homework and when we got home, he started his writing. He finished page one and page two. Today he will start on page three and four. He told me that he can write a book better than others because he knows so much about dragons. Tanner likes doing so many things. He loves to cook, loves to draw and loves to write. His imagination is incredible. I hope that we give him enough encouragment to do what he wants to do. He still hasn't ruled out being an archeologist yet either!! Who knows what he will be, but I know he will be the best at what he does!!

Breaking Out the Padlocks and Deadbolts

Ugh! What is a mother to do? I think I am about to go insane. My wonderful, lovely, beautiful daughter, has decided that when we get home in the afternoon that she must change clothes. Not only just the clothes, but panties too! (I guess though you never know when an emergency is going to happen and it is always best to have on clean undergarments?!) She not only changes clothes once, but three or four times, before bath time and then sometimes after she gets her jammies on, she will even change those!! She thinks it is so much fun to change clothes and put them on by herself. She loves being independent, but my laundry piles have doubled in size just because I don't know what is clean and what is dirty!! I don't know if she had that mismatched outfit on for two seconds or two hours and how many times she has been in and out of the house with that outfit on. I caught her just a few days ago, after she had put on another outfit, admiring herself in the mirror. She has a full length mirror in her room and is already making sure she looks good!! Oh boy am I in trouble!!

Ella is bright and very smart. She has figured out how to reach things that I have purposely placed out of her reach. I have all of her clothes hanging in her closet. Since she has decided to change clothes so often, she figured out that she can turn the laundry basket upside down and stand on top of it to reach whatever outfit she so desires. I am seriously considering putting all of her clothes in my closet just so she can't find them!! It's either do that, or put a deadbolt or padlock on her closet and chest of drawers!! So, if you see us out and she is mismatched or a shirt on wrong side out or pants on backwards, know that I lost that battle on what I originally put on her!!

My Soon to Be Chef

After work today I went to pick up Tanner from my mom's house. As we were leaving he was telling me about his plan that he and two of his friends have come up with. Interesting and intriguing to say the least. As we were talking about it, I realized the three of them have thought it out well. I laughed to myself in amazement at the details that the three of these third graders have come up with. Tanner, Caleb, and Grayson have come up with a great idea to open a restaurant. Instead of a big restaurant, it will be a small stand until they can afford to buy some tables and chairs. As they make more money they will get a bigger place. There will be themed meals and if serving at night they will have flashlights instead of candles. They will take turns taking money, being the chef and the idea maker. They have decided that the first time they serve food it will be a rainforest theme. They will start off with a simple menu at first and then add more specialized foods. They will serve mashed potato sandwiches, potato salad sandwiches, tuna salad sandwiches. Their prices are going to be $3.59 per meal. Extras will be $.10, extras include cutting the crust off the bread, extra cheese, extra mayonaise, or extra potatoes. He asked if one night for his themed dinner if he could borrow my bread recipe. I told him he could. He knows what ingredients go in the spread for the bread and does a fabulous job making it himself. He knows I don't measure any of it and what it tastes like and can make it just like mine. Tanner said that in a few years, he figures they will have a franchise.
As I am sitting here typing this, I still sit in amazement as to what these three boys have thought up. They have an idea, a plan and the steps to take to get to where they want to be. I am also sitting in amazement as to why three boys at the age of 8 are planning on opening up a restaurant.

Blessings

Today I was reminded more than once how truly blessed I am. I am blessed with my two wonderful kids. I am blessed that I have a roof over my head. I am blessed by the food that is in my pantry. I am blessed with two wonderful, loving parents. I am loved beyond belief. Today, I thanked God for all of this and more. Because I realized today that some people don't have what I have been given. Even people whom I love dearly and whom are in my family.

You see, I have a cousin who is the youngest of three in her family. She is the only girl and was never wanted. I cannot imagine having the feeling and knowing that I was not wanted. The words were never said to me from a young age, but I knew that she was never wanted by the actions of her parents. My parents, have some of the biggest hearts. Every summer I remember my cousin coming and staying the entire summer with us. She would come as soon as school was out and never had clothes. My mom would go buy or make whatever she needed just as she did for my sister and I. When we went on summer vacation, she would go with us. My parents treated her as their daughter.

She has recently gone through some very difficult times. She has lived with her mom for the past two years and has lived out of her suitcase during that time. Her mom has not once moved clothes out of a closet or cleaned out a dresser drawer for her to temporarily put her belongings. Today, she and my mom talked. My cousin has no idea what to do. I talked to her for a while as well. She asked me point blank what she needed to do. To tell her what to do. I told her what my parents have taught me and still teach me. Do what is best for you and the rest will follow. She asked me what would I do in her situation. I told her that I would find some place where I had all the love and support I needed to put my life back together. Some place where I felt safe, some place that I knew would help me heal. She laughed and said, "Where? Home?" She and I both know she meant with my parents. They have been there for her when no one else is or has been. They have been her rock when her parents, her brothers, her uncles and grandparents weren't.

I can only hope to be half as good as my parents are. They have taught me so much about life. They are the best example I have and I hope that one day I will make them proud.