The Things You Will Do For Your Children

One of those things consisted of me hauling my butt out of bed at 4:15 A.M (yes that is am people) on the Friday after Thanksgiving (yes, I said the Friday after Thanksgiving) and heading to the death trap that is know as Wal-Mart! Yes, I did this to purchase a Thomas the Train Roundhouse, which is the only thing the boy has asked for this year for Christmas!

I worked retail for years, so I usually avoid the day after Thanksgiving sales like the plaque! I just find people to generally be a pain in the rear on that day. Yesterday was no different! I couldn't even push my cart through the aisle! It was nuts! Anyway I love my boy, I have the said Thomas set and it only cost me my pride and $15. It will be a Merry Christmas!

I am Blessed!

Tis the season to be thankful so in that light these are the things that I am thankful for this year. I am thankful for my 3 children and all the chaos they bring to me each day. There are some days where they literally have me to the point of pulling my hair out, but my life would be so incomplete without each of them in it. Alex in all her studiousness and seriousness. I am in awe of her tenacity everyday. She works so hard to accomplish the goals she sets forth for herself and tries so hard each day to make us proud of her, which we are EXTREMELY. Alex will go places on shear will alone, she is not afraid to work hard for her accomplishments, and I can see her accomplishing so many things. She is my learning curve and teaching me something new each day, my first baby girl, one of my greatest gifts.

My Meg the life of the party the encourager, but also a terribly hard worker. She has fun with anything she does, and never fails to bring a smile to my face at least once if not several times a day. She is well liked, she is funny, and she can light up a room in an instant. She is fearless nothing phases her. Meg will be one to ride the roller coasters with her eyes wide open and her arms raised high. When I went to her Halloween party the other day the aide for the building stopped me, she said we just love your daughter she keeps us going over here. Meg has figured out her purpose early in life, she just spreads joy where ever she goes. I can't wait to see where that takes her.

Cooper, oh my Cooper, my biggest surprise who has quiet frankly stolen my heart. There is not a day that goes by that I do not thank my heavenly father for bringing this little boy into my life, for my life would not be nearly as full without him in it. He is curious, he is loving, he is smart and in a way where I don't think he will ever have to work at things like Alex does it will just come easily to him. He warms my heart daily, he is compassionate and loving. He would be just perfect if he would use the toilet!

My other blessing is Bruce. He is the best husband and I hope he doesn't read this, I don't want all the good things I am saying about him to go to his head! LOL We have know each other since I was a junior in high school, we grew up together. We learned how to be couple. He is such a good provider for our family and he is truly my best friend. I am immensely proud of him and all he has accomplished. He is my soul mate and I am so glad that God had our paths cross those many years ago.

I am extremely thankful for my parents and all that they do to help my family. I couldn't ask for better parents. They have been there for us in so many ways over the years whether it be financial or emotional support. I am truly blessed to have them as parents.

I am thankful for my extended family and all each of them brings to my life.

I am thankful for friends new and old and all that they bring to my life and my family's life. I have been truly blessed in my life to have some really good friends and I am so thankful for that.

I am thankful for those blessings that are no longer with me namely my Poppa and Granny. There is not a day that goes by that I do not think about them and miss them terribly. I was so fortunate to get to live so close to them and fortunate that they played a huge role in my upbringing. I am thankful that as I got older that they were still there for me always encouraging and supporting me and the decisions I made. Those of you fortunate enough to still have grandparents living make sure you don't take them for granted. I am not sure I ever really fully conveyed how much they meant to me and how much I relied on the simple fact that they were always there until one day they weren't. OH how there are days that I wish I could have one more conversation with each of them, if only to tell them how much I loved and appreciated them.

I am thankful to live in American and for all the liberites and freedoms that affords me even typing this completely rambling litany of thoughts. I realize how truly blessed I am, and I am so thankful for all of my blessings even those that I didn't think to mention.

Happy Thanksgiving All, I hope you take time today to count your blessings as well!

Kindergarten Kicked My Butt Today!

And I only did half a day! I am so exhausted and I am headed back tomorrow to do music. I love subbing for the music teacher she always leaves a video! NICE! LOL I have to do high school in the afternoon and I am a bit apprehensive about that so wish me luck!

Other things going on this week are my mom's birthday tomorrow, Alex's birthday Wednesday, I am having a spa party Friday night, and I am so excited that we have all next week off! Bruce has to work Monday but other than that we will be free to do as we please. He and I are owed a date night so I am hopefully going to get dinner and a movie.

Oh and it is 10:30 and I am typing this from bed, I never go to bed before midnight, and I just about ready to hit the hay. I told you kindergarten kicked my butt!

Book Review- Tha Last Lecture

Okay first a warning about this book it is a 5 hankie book, unless you are completely cold hearted and devoid of emotion this book will make you cry. It will also make you reflect, appreciate what you have, take a long look at your life, and laugh out LOUD over and over again.

This book was written by Randy Pausch who was a computer science professor at Carnegie Melon University. They had a lecture series at the university that they called the Last Lecture, which professors were asked what knowledge they would impart to their students if they were giving their LAST lecture. The thing is for Randy Pausch it would be his last lecture as he had recently found out the he had terminal pancreatic cancer. I was so moved by this book. I laughed, I cried, and I laughed some more. The man was a born story teller and you see that in the book. I was moved by his courage, his love for his wife and three small children, plus he was pretty smart guy. I loved reading about all of the childhood dreams he was able to accomplish and even the ones that didn't quite turn out the way he expected.

In one part of the book he wrote about the scene from the Natural, where the ball player battered and wounded steps up to plate and knocks one out of the park. I couldn't help but find a striking similarity between him and Pausch, there he stood a defeated man, he knew what his destination was and that it was quickly approaching, and yet he faced it head on with dignity, heart, selflessness, and most importantly humor. Quite frankly Mr. Pausch you hit one out of the park!

Even if you don't read the book you can watch the lecture www.thelastlecture.com

Book Review-Eclipse

This is the 3rd book in the Twilight series and it was so much better than the last one. I love the whole love triangle going on and find myself wondering who Bella is going to pick. This and the first one are still in a toss up for my fave. It was just suspenseful enough not to be too overwhelming. I should be starting Breaking Dawn soon. I am taking a small break from Twilight to read some other things I had piling up.

I have been a Blog slacker!

I have a good excuse though! I have been BUSY! As most of you know or don't know since I became pregnant with my oldest I have been a stay at home wife and then mom. That was 10 years ago! I had a brief stint as a teacher's aid for an alternative education program, but other than that I have stayed home. That being said with Christmas approaching like most of the US we found ourselves in need of some extra cash, so I have been working. I am substituting at the girls school whenever and wherever they will have me. So far I have done 2nd grade twice 1st grade once (this one was ROUGH!) and Kindergarten (triple loved this!!) Anyway so that is how I have been spending my days and then when I get home or days that I don't have to go in I am frantically trying to stay on top of my house, which let's face it with 3 kids is pretty much a losing battle.

I will update when I can. Oh and thank you Tasha for the blog award, and as soon as I figure out how to put the pretty picture of it up on my computer I will get it put up. I hate being semi computer illiterate. When it comes to computer knowledge I know just enough to be dangerous. Also forthcoming is another book review. I am on a reading roll!!

Anyway I hope you all are doing well, and I will try not to be such a slacker while I am figuring out how to get into a routine!

Don't Forget to Vote Today!

Don't forget to go out and cast your vote today. Bruce and I will got together as soon as he gets home today. I am always a little disheartened voting as democrat in a republican state, but still feel that I should make my voice heard and hope to make it as tight a race as possible!

Book Review- Grace

One of my most favorite authors is Richard Paul Evans, he usually puts out a book every year at Christmas time. This year's book is called Grace. It is a 5 hankie book! It is about a young girl who is a runaway and the relationship she develops with the young boy who agrees to hide her. I really enjoyed this one, but like I said keep the Kleenex handy, it is a tear jerker! It was also a very quick read, I started it this morning and finished it a bit ago.

Book Review- New Moon

Finally finished the 2nd book in the Twilight series New Moon. This one took me forever to finish. It was not nearly as good as the first one, but hang on through the beginning because it does get better at the end. FINALLY! LOL I am trying to get all of them finished before the movie release. Bruce is listening to them on his IPOD, so he said he would take me to the movie as he felt it would be a mutally agreeable choice. We have this ongoing battle of movie choices. LOL I have the third book Eclipse, that I will be starting soon. I hope it doesn't start as slow as this last one did, if it does I don't know if I can hang in there!