The no-dance dance.

Apparently there is a "pre-teen" dance next week, geared towards my son's age.  I asked him if he was interested in getting some friends together and going to the dance.

I was told the word "dance" made him feel funny.  I asked, "What should I call it?"   

He suggested:  "How about you say, 'Do you want to go have fun with your friends and hang out with a DJ?'  Then I may want to go."

Oh.  I see.  That sounds way cooler.

Clear as day.

When I was tucking my son in to bed tonight, he announced that tomorrow at at school he was planning on wearing his black athletic pants and his white soccer shirt.  "Okay," I said.  "That sounds like a plan."  "Do you know why, Mom?" he asked.  "I'm wearing it in honor of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.  Finally, black and white people are working together in the White House."  He said it so innocently and so proudly that it warmed my heart.  Of course, it also made me begin to hum "Ebony and Ivory".

What a historic day for our Nation.  There is energy and excitement in the air.  I feel proud and hopeful and so blessed to have seen this day.

Thirty-something

I received a nice birthday gift from Lucy.  She must have been confused.  I think she thought there was take-out Chinese food in the box.  She nicely gave it to me without a fight.

I honestly keep forgetting how old I am.  I had to do some subtraction to make sure.  I'm thinking that is not a good sign....

Not quiet grown up yet...

My kids like to act big.  No more babying them.  I get lots of eye rolls and hear "Mah-om!" more then I care to.

However, every once in awhile, especially when they are tired, the little kid inside of them will peek through.  They might lay their head on my shoulder.  They might accidently call me "Mommy", or if they are really tired, "Mama".  Or my favorite saying in the entire world:  "Fast Forward it Back".   It means the opposite of Fast Forward.  It means "Rewind".  It just melts my heart when I hear them say it.  I should probably correct them, but I can't do that...not yet.

All that for nothing.

A couple of weeks ago, my daughter tried some Broccoli Cheese soup at a restaurant and loved it. She is super-dooper pickey so the fact that it had broccoli in it and she ate it, gave me hope.

I searched and searched the internet trying to find the perfect Broccoli Cheese soup recipe.  I found one that had rave reviews, so I went for it....even though one of the main ingredients was processed cheese.

I headed to the store to gather my supplies.  I bought organic broccoli to offset the processed cheese.  I actually HID the block of Velveeta in my cart.  (I live in a small town, news travels fast.) 

I spent over an hour making a soup that finally, FINALLY, both kids would eat. I know it's full of non-nutritious ingredients but, hey, it has broccoli.

We sit down at the dinner table.  The kids take a bite.  No complaints.  They seem to like it.  I'm secretly rejoicing inside because I know I can eventually ween them off the Velveeta.  They take a second and a third bite...and then:

"Um, Mom.  It's really good.  I really like it but it makes my stomach make a gurguley sound."

"Yeah Mom, me too.  Plus it's really rich and salty."

"I'm full."

"Me too."

Why do I even bother?  I could have saved a trip to the store and an hour of my time.  Next time I get the hankering to be a good mom who makes "nutritious" meals, I am going to reread this post and pull out some cereal instead.

This still makes me laugh out loud.

This used to be on the sidebar of my blog.  I got tired of it and removed it. However, since then I've reconnected with some camp friends so wanted once again to display this prestigious award.

MOST IMPROVED--BIBLE STUDY--RUNNER UP

Are you kidding me?  We all know that "Most Improved" is like the "Miss Congeniality" of Miss America.  But I didn't get "Most Improved", did I?  I got "Most Improved Runner Up". How did they qualify my Bible study skills?  I wonder whatever happened to the girl who beat me, the winner of "Most Improved".....

I gave this award as a white elephant gift, so I no longer own it.  My dear friends have it and it is proudly displayed in their dinning room.  I can visit it whenever I wish.

Pneumonia still has a hold on me.

I just returned from the doctor for my post-pneumonia follow up.  Apparently, I still have a fever. I haven't been feeling feverish, but they took it twice and it said 99.6 (not really a fever in my book, but they acted concerned.  However, she stressed that I am no longer contagious).  The doctor said that I may begin to feel worse because the antibiotics stays in my system for 10 days and once it runs its course, I may feel rotten again.

The doctor was reading aloud what she was typing in my chart.  I found it funny.  "Patient seems well groomed and is speaking coherently.  Normal gait."  I knew I looked like death last week, but had no idea I looked ungroomed, and walked and spoke funny.  No wonder I received so many odd looks while waiting for my prescription at the pharmacy.  

It's weird where your mind wonders when you are really ill.  Last week I was pondering if I had to go to the hospital and if (for some reason) I had to go via ambulance, how would I get downstairs?  I had visions of the EMT's carrying me down on a stretcher.  My mind then jumped to:  "I hope they don't scratch the paint!"  Nice to see I have my priorities in line.

Sign of the times?

Took the kids to the movie today.  As we were leaving, I stopped by the bathroom.  I was so disappointed to see that they no longer had the disposable seat protectors.  My thigh muscles got a work out from squatting.  Is this a sign of the times?  How much money do they save?  This isn't the first time I've noticed the protectors missing from public bathrooms.....please don't skimp on this. It's hard for me, but almost impossible for little girls or elderly.  And, the toilet-paper-on-the-seat-trick doesn't quite do the job.  It's so hard to get the paper to stay put. It never works the first time.  One side always ends up falling off.  So by cutting out the disposable covers, it wastes toilet paper, which is an increase cost.  Didn't the management think this through?  Why didn't they consult me?

Things that make me cry.

I have a tendency to cry at inappropriate times.  It can be incredibly embarrassing. 

Scary stories...I cry.  When someone talks intently and looks in my eyes...I cry. Once I was at the library and was asking the librarian about book suggestions.  She had so much passion about her selections that it made me cry.  Try to explain that one.   

Sometimes when I read aloud to my kids....I cry.  It's obviously not all sad related, but more emotion-related.  It gets trying and I have to fake allergies to avoid odd looks.

When I was sick I remembered another thing that makes me cry...marching bands.  They always have.  There is something about the powerful music and the idea of all the musicians coming together.  I was watching an episode of the Ellen show and she had on a marching band who marched in the Rose Parade.  Big crocodile tears.

I'm nuts. 

Slowly but surely recovering.

I have been down and out...

It started last Friday when I felt achy all over, including my teeth.  I went to bed and woke up in the middle of the night with severe chills and a fever of 

103.8.  The kind of fever that makes you smell funny.  I started to worry that I was "cooking" my insides.

I felt terrible all weekend, but on Monday I thought I was improving because I no longer had a fever.  By Monday night the fever returned accommpied by it's friend "Pain when Coughing".  It was then that I decided I should

 see my doctor.

Sure enough, Tuesday morning my doctor confirmed what I feared...pneumonia.  I was sent away with many prescriptions and have started to feel better.  I still have severe coughing attacks, but no fever and my energy is slowing returning.

Brian was amazing during all of this.  He treated me so kindly and was a great nurse.  I felt well cared for and loved.  My kids?  Well, my daughter was concerned at first and was a great help. She would come ask me if I needed anything and sit on the bed and rub my arm.  We did a few Mad-libs together and she was sweet company.  How

ever, by Saturday afternoon, she had had enough.  She sent me an e-mail (remember, she expresses herself far better in writing than in speaking) that said:  

"Hi Mom!  I hope yo

u feel better but sometimes I feel like you always just boss me around and make me get stuff for you when you are sick and then just say thank you really quickly.  I also get mad when you need something and you ask Dad to bring it up to you, then he always asks me to do it when I'm busy.  I love you!"

When my son heard I was sick, he came to my room to say "hi" but pulled up his shirt to cover his mouth and nose and wouldn't completely face me.  Granted, I didn't want him to get sick either, but come on!  Show a little compassion!  However, as my sickness progressed he searched for a bell for me to use to call for him.  When he couldn't find one, he suggested that I "Clap two times really loud and I'll come help you."  Not a 

good choice when the patient has a splitting headache, 

but kind nonetheless.  

Our two cats have be

en so sweet to me.  Isn't it weird how cats can always tell when you are sick?  Obi, the bigger of the two, has laid by my feet practically the entire time I've been sick.

Lili will cuddle on my chest and lick my fingers.  

A plus side of my sickness has been that I have caught up on lots of late night infomercials. With my birthday just around the corner, I have many things to ask for.  High on my list will be the InStyler hair styling system, Strap Perfect and the Point and Paint.  You may think I'm kidding, but I'm not.  After reading the fine print, the InStyler is a bit pricey.  Their $14.99 trial price mislead me.  Might have to wait until next Christmas for that one. 

I'm sick.