The Night the Lights Went Out

As a mom, I sometimes find myself in amazement at all the energy young boys have. They are constantly on the go, running and jumping around. When music comes on, they love to move their bodies around in the funniest of ways. Any chance to play outside or ride their bike is usually thrilling and the Wii offers contant opportunities to wiggle, steer, kick and scream. It's actually exhausting to corale them. As they get older, it gets harder and harder for me to keep them near me. Even on Halloween, as they walked around dressed as Star Wars troopers, they didn't want to walk with me anymore, only their friends, running from house to house. So when I look at them sleeping peacefully, I gaze at their serene faces and breathe it all in, knowing when they wake up we are off to the races. That's why these days any chance they give me their willing positive attention (I am not referring to when they get hurt or need food), I cherish it.

I live for these moments:
-Evan said, "Sit here, mommy," when I went to use the computer in the kitchen and not at the table next to him.
-We had a snack outside on the back patio. They definitely requested my presence and asked me to make them fresh squeezed lemonade that we all could share and do "cheers."
-I came home from getting my hair done and Evan shouted "Mommy, you look beautiful. I love your hair that way!"

-Probably the most special moment recently was when the power went out one unusually chilly night. We came home from being out and they were super worried about entering the house with no power or lights. Both John and I were there to reassure them. We lit candles and had battery powered flashlights. I decided to sit in the living room by the fireplace and John got it cranking for us as a source of light. They thought it was funny how we were all using their DS's as a light source as well. Its portability came in handy when trying to get the fireplace working. But the best part of the night was when the fire was lit and the boys snuggled up next to me on the loveseat-sized couch and told me theyjust wanted to be near me. We all played the DS together and enjoyed our talks and the quiet around us.

Some cute words of the month from Evan: vamillia, (instead of vanilla)and skatue, (instead of statue). Jake's cute quote..."Talk to the booty cause the hands off duty!"

Ladies Man and the Comedian

Boys can break your heart in sooooo many ways, I am coming to find out. As moms we struggle to keep our kids protected and feel loved, giving them all their basic necessities and then some. Then we send them out into the world with their little or in my case, "big", personalities and hope for the best. Some kids have a tough exterior but are puppy dogs at home with mom, while others wear their hearts on their sleeve always. I have both types of personalities to deal with, so caring for them sometimes takes love, strategy and patience. Somehow I always wind up feeling their pain much worse I think.. must be a mother thing. When one has a bad day at school or is struggling, I feel frustrated and sad. I mostly feel helpless. So I read more and try more. They'll never realize it. One thing I can count on is comic relief and that is what I have been getting from both lately. Jake is perfecting his joke-telling skills. He commands a lot of attention with this. He has some good ones like "What do you call a witch who lives at the beach?...a sand witch (sandwich). He is keeping them in his memory bank and I just wish he would do the same with schoolwork. Maybe I need to tell his teachers to tell him jokes.

Evan takes hip-hop class, is now an everyday preschooler and has become quite the ladies man. Even the school's director shouts out "rock star" when he walks in. I came to find out that he still cares for the little girl from his class last year who is now in the room next to him, but has two other girls in his class who can't live without seeing him. Even the teacher has commented on this and the girls' mothers have made Evan the talk of the pre-k 4. They love his spiky hair and his big blue eyes. The teacher informed me that I am going to have lots of phone calls when he gets older and to get ready for broken hearts. The one little girl in his class won't leave him alone, when I arrive with him in the morning and the two sometimes get together and giggle when he walks in the room. Evan does not care for this behavior and seems very perterbed by it, as he clings to me. The teacher said even her granddaughter who attends the pre-k program in another class knows about him and likes him?! Yikes. Why can't they just stay babies?

Have to share this. A favorite funny author of mine writes in Parenting, "Things We Know We Shouldn't Do, But Do Anyway" - Say your out of mac'n' cheese to avoid having the fifth, "but you need your protein" fight that week; Set the clocks ahead an hour, so it's "bedtime" just because you need some silence; Give in and let the kids paint the dog's fingernails because you're too tired to come up with a reason not to; Funnel the kids birthday checks from the grandparents into their college fund without telling them- the kids need an education more than they need the latest Khan Zhu or Littlest Pet Shop toy; Lie to your 10 year-old about what Lady Gaga means when she sings that she wants to "take a ride on your disco stick"; Terrify expectant moms with life-as-you-know-it-is-over stories cause it's true and they'll find out soon enough; Tell each sibling that she is the special one and mean it.

Favorite quote by fellow mom and friend Lisa H- "You're a good mom 95% of the time and the other 5% you're human

Well it's here and I can't believe it. The first day of school has arrived. By now we have done everything we set out to do this summer. In the last few weeks they even got to try out golfing. Jake made some new friends in the community we live in. I even had a group of them in my pool. We learned some new Spanish words, Evan learned letter recognition and Jake reviewed math while keeping up with his reading. He got through one and a half Wimpy Kid books and I accomplished the unimagineable... I finished reading a book this summer! As I predicted though, the kids started to get a little cabin fever and I was starting to feel ready to get them back to the routine...however that day before always gets me. It's a feeling I get when the realization sets in that they are another grade higher and they are getting more independent. Maybe it's because I am home with them and kept them home for most of the summer. I get really attached to them. No matter how much I yell or get frustrated with them ( it's not their fault, it's my own temperment and ego I am dealing with)I'm never ready to let them go. Jake had an endless list of supplies and I'm used to his back-to-school routine by now. He was a good boy this morning and didn't complain one bit. But this year, my baby, Evan, has to go everyday and he is as happy as can be to learn. He has a big-boy classroom, is going to get to ride on a bus to the special trips to the library and wear a cap and gown at the end of this school year to graduate to kindergarten.

Although, I am happy for him, I am crushed inside. This is the one, two punch. Pre-K and then kindergarten. For a mom who primarily stays home, works part-time or works from home this is the killer year for the mom. This is the year where the child must attend everyday, not twice or three times a week... everyday. Something about that spits the reality of what's to come right in our faces. My baby is on his way to boyhood and things change. It's inevitable. Once they go to elementary school, they socialize differently they learn and grow at what seems to be an accelerated rate. They relate to their siblings and parents a little differently, not saying it's good or bad, just different. For example, when I leave Evan who has me hold him the whole way down the corridor to the classroom, he says, "just one more kiss mommy, oh yeah, and a hug...(turns around, comes back) wait, one more kiss and hug mommy, again." Jake who is 8, stopped doing that after kindergarten, and these days once they enter that building called elementary school, you, the mom or dad, are not even allowed to walk them to class. Usually, Jake likes to give me the kisses behind closed doors, where his peers can't see. I know it's inevitable with Evan now too. Those kisses and hugs are my heart's reward, my bonus and forever paycheck. As they get older it becomes less and less and that is sad. I felt it with Jake and soon Evan will turn that corner too. It is heartbreaking reality for me. I know they love me, but it's different. They are not babies anymore.

Some joke that motherhood is a job or a bunch of jobs rolled into one. And no matter what else is going on in my world, I always make this "job" number one and I try to execute from the heart, spirit and mind. I love my boys and this is a day that's all heart for me.

G-Force is in the House!

So Jake and Evan are doing most of what we set out to do this summer, except the golf. I am not going to obsess over it, especially since they haven't really asked about it. However, the one thing Jake did ask for at the end of the school year he finally received.
Jake has been asking for a dog for a while now. I also really want a dog but since we lost our dog, Beezer, John and I have just not been ready for that step. We still do also have a cat who is 13. Plus, I would only want to add a dog to the family when the kids are ready to help care for it since my plate is already full. It's a big responsibility. So I met Jake somewhat halfway and told him that if he finished out the year with all A's and B's on his report card, I would get him a hamster or a guinea pig, just like the ones in the movie G-Force. How bad could that be?
The way I always pictured it was that you get a fairly small cage that sits on a dresser and your child can feed it and watch it run around and play in the cage. I would probably never have to see it...I was way off base.

So as it turned out, Jake came home with almost straight A's and one B. I reiterated my promise but never heard anything about it- up until three weeks ago. Jake reminded me about it, so I told him "a promise is a promise." I researched it and John checked too. Then he called me to meet him at the pet store with the kids, almost immediately after I read internet research that suggested that guinea pigs get along well in pairs. So of course, we met John at the pet store and I insisted on getting two. Evan decided one will be his. How great! They were inexpensive and John decided to supply these two new darling boys with a three tier Barbie dream house of guinea pig cages (forget the idea of sitting the cage on the dresser). Oh and plenty of food. The boys had trouble naming them, but eventually settled on two names of the guinea pigs from the movie, "Blaster," and "Darwin."
Darwin is cute, brown and white and very feisty. Blaster is little, dark brown and relatively passive. We got them home and we let them be for the first day. By the second day we took them out of the cage and sat them on the floor near us to pet them. Fairly soon, I could see that Darwin was a bit on the nervous side because he pooped even when we were petting him. The bottom of the tray of their cage was filled up with Darwin's pellets almost as soon as we would clean it. They were messy and poop and pee was escaping the cage almost every time we turned around. I was making Jake clean it most of the time but I was too and it was ridiculous. I couldn't believe there would be this much maintenance. I couldn't even imagine how I would eventually move this cage into Jake's carpeted room if this was going to be the scenario. Then I was up late on a Saturday evening, about three or four nights after we got the guys, and I noticed that Darwin was just not acting right. He was jumping up the tiers of the cage, something neither of them had done or even tried. He was pecking at Blaster and hopping back and forth to his food and water. He was like a guinea pig on speed. Oh and pooping like crazy. Something was defintitely not right. We knew Darwin's ears were ragged and we were told one of the bigger pigs had attacked another one in the cages and had to be seperated. We realized Darwin may have been really effected by this. So the next day we discussed this with Jake and Evan. I anguished over making this decision, but we were going to return Darwin. We anticpated Evan might be upset but all he said was, "get better Darwin, we'll miss you," and then went back to playing his DS. We offered him a fish that he named "Darwin." Then we gave Jake a choice: either return Blaster too and get another fish, a pet we are used to and know the care is easy, but cannot pet, only look at; or keep the guinea pig with all the upkeep, but reap the reward of cuddling and petting him. It was a day of negotiations, but Jake made a choice to keep Blaster and that has made him and everyone happy, so far.

Mommy Camp Kicked Mommy's Butt

What a week it's been. A fantastic week with my boys. Every waking minute has been very rewarding, but obviously very exhausting for me since I now have a cold. I am pleased with the mixture of fun and education we experienced, all within a budget. I am also very proud that the money we did spend was spent right here in our own backyard... so we stimulated the south Florida economy a little.
Here is the breakdown of where we went:
Sunday- Toy Story 3 was a good time had by all. We brought out own snacks and sat in air-conditioned comfort to a wonderful family movie. The kids were mesmerized and my mom and I were very entertained. The end brough may tears to mine and mom's eyes. The kids asked me why I was crying and I told them that I will be crushed when they leave for college as does the boy in the movie. That's when they gave me some words of comfort. The little one said not to worry because maybe I will get him a cell phone by then and he will call me everyday. "I'll call you when I'm on the playground and doing fun stuff like that," he said. Then we went home and I copied the aliens from the movie into cupcakes and we devoured them.

Momday- we took the train to the Fishing Hall of Fame in Dania to meet Aunt Elsie. We went there last summer but this time the train added extra excitement. Jake was a little apprehensive at first but once we were on, he said, "Mommy, this is so much more relaxing than driving." I couldn't agree more. This was their first time on a train and I think it may have been the highlight of the week. At 5 bucks.. it's a bargain. The Fishing Hall of Fame is a great day because not only is there a museum and a nature preserve with lots of animals to greet you, but next door is a restaurant and then Bass Pro Shop. There are giant fish tanks in all three and lots to see and do. This is a great place especially for boys. When John arrived we took off to Jaxson's ice cream parlor... a glimpse into a simpler time for the adults but a refreshing treat for all.

Tuesday- We were bound for Peanut Island. I had never been there before and decided it might be fun. After researching which would be the best way to get there, we headed to Riviera Beach to catch the water taxi. The water taxi rid eis only 5 for kids and 10 for adults round-trip. This was a lot of fun but my mom was a little pensive about it. She was a trooper. When we got to the island we were met with a beautiful breeze and sunshine. The kids did some snorkeling and we ate our packed lunches. We ventured to walk to the museum, but it was closed and then we proceeded to walk the rest of the island - 1.25 miles. On the other side, the breeze was not blowing so we could not wait to get back to our starting point. There we saw a family snorkeling and their son was holding a giant seastar. It was amazing. We also saw a manatee swim by. We caught the water taxi back and stopped at the Tiki Bar for a snack. That's where the boys picked up handmade straw hats.

Wednesday- We got a little later start since we made dinner plans with some friends at the Rainforest Cafe ( on Wed. the kids eat for 2 bucks!) We spent the morning doing some "summer cleaning." We empited out and organized their closets. What an accomplishment. Then we ate lunch and headed out to Flamingo Gardens in Davie. This is a great way to spend an afternoon because there are lots of animal exhibits and lots of shade, especially if you take the tram tour. The tour guide told us about a lot of trees and plants and uses for them. There is an old house from the 1930's that sits on the grounds that has a lot of charm and is a museum. The kids got a kick out of how small the beds were. Then we were off to meet our friends at the RC. They all played in the gym area outside the cafe afterward. It is about a 40 minute car ride home...Evan was asleep within 5 minutes of the ride.

Thursday- We got out early to a local farm as I wanted to gather some fresh fruits and veggies for a 4th of July get together I was planning. We got an added treat of taking a tractor ride out to a sunflower patch. It was an awesome sight to stand in the middle of the field with such beauty surrounding us. Then we waited until the afternoon to head out to the Toy Exhibit at the Palm Beach Science Museum, this is so we could avoid the camps and morning crowds. I highly recommend waiting until the afternoon to do some of the more popular attractions since most camps clear out by then. The cost can sometimes be less also. If you go see Toy Story 3, save your tix cause that gets you a discount at the Palm Beach Science Museum.

Friday- I had promised Jake we would check out the shark feedings at Gumbo Limbo. This is an old standby. The shark feedings are always happening, every Friday at 2:30. Cost is free, they accept donations or a trip into the gift shop. They now have an added attraction of loggerhead turtle tanks. They rehab them and then set them out into their habitat. We took the scenic beach route home and I even took them for a ride over a "secret bridge." The boys were exhausted but full of curiosity and questions all week and I loved trying to answer all of them. This was my week vacation from work and although it was not "relaxing," it was fun and a great bonding experience. I hope the boys will look back fondly that I do this with them every year.

School is Out, Mommy Camp is in...

Yes, it's that wonderful time of year when we can all breathe a sigh of relief for a little while. The kids are not worrying about tests or projects or what I am gonna pack them for lunch. They can stay up a little later and I am not rushing them to read their books and get to bed. They are not so scheduled and I think that is what I love the most. Oh heck, who am I kidding... I get to sleep in an extra hour every morning! That's what I love the most!

Jake came off of a busy month of May. He made his Communion after two years of a hard commitment. He also finished big at school with mostly As and one B. He is testing tomorrow for his green belt in Tae Kwon Do. Evan is also testing for yellow and he is still in school three days a week for most of this month.... and not very happy with me about that. "I wanna stay home with Jakey," he tells me. They will both do two weeks of summer camp at Evan's school and that should be a fun time. Either way home or camp, Jake was definitely ready for a break from school. I do know that when it is time to get them back to that place, I will be ready to get them back into school again, mainly because they start getting cabin fever by August and I'm tired of being fun and interesting by then. However, now is when I am fresh with overzealous enthusism and positive intentions. I get all my magazine clippings of great ideas together and I get my wipe board out where I can post their expected chores and responsibilities and keep track with stars and checks. Stars mean pocket change for when we go on little excursions, ie. during the week of Mommy Camp, and checks mean extra DS time. Oh that little item was a Communion present, so thanks to all of you who contributed. That darling gadget has caused many arguments. That is because there is always one who is breaking the rules around the DS usage and then punishment or banishment has to occur. We are one month into this and I am still working out the kinks. Besides getting another one (not happening anytime soon) for my four year-old (going on 30) and using an egg timer to divide playtime, if anyone has any good solutions to this issue please feel free to comment.

Summer is also when we learn new things. I try to teach them Spanish and introduce them to different games, music, and intruments every summer. Today I took them for a one-mile walk. This was Evan's first time around the whole circle where I live and he ran half of it! I, of course, am still relegated to only walking since I tore the ligaments in my right foot at my birthday surprise...but that is another story. They also get to swim, almost everyday. This year they are also going to learn golf. Mommy Camp will be taking place the last week of this month and I have some new places to take them to... should be interesting.

What I love about being a mom...

Last week Evan, my youngest, came home and asked me if he could wear eyeliner and shave his head like his and his daddy's favorite band, Shinedown. I was a bit taken aback by this, as any mom could imagine. So I answered with mom speak, "we'll see," which means "heck no" in my reality. He loves to dance for anybody who will watch and wants to be a rock star. I should be glad he is so eager and determined, even if he is only 4.

On Saturday, Jake made his first Communion after two years of hard work and dedication. He attended mass every weekend and CCD classes once per week. He learned prayers and good principles. I was so proud of him. He is really growing up and it makes me sad but happy for him all at once.

Tonight I saw that a friend of mine posed a Mother's Day question to all her mom friends on Facebook.. "What do you love about being a mom?" Then I thought about these moments and thought... I love this... all these moments, not only the proud ones but the crazy and silly ones too.

Some things I love are these: I love the way they smell; I love to watch them sleep; I love when they sing and dance; I love when they try to make me laugh even though I am mad and trying to be serious; I love the way they say words like gawgeoous, O-pah-rah, Cheesus, chickmonks...; I love the way Jake shows such concern for me, as he did last week when my foot was put into a cast for torn ligaments; I love the way Evan still wants me to hold him and lay on my belly at night; I love when they stick their feet in my face to smell or kiss them( their feet are still cute and not smelly boy feet yet); I love to watch them swim and play with their friends;I love their hugs and kisses. I could seriously go on and on. I just love them!

Happy Mother's Day!