Endless Pursuit for Mom of the Year

We've been playing games with each other. We've been trying to see who can outsmart each other.  ~ Sugar Minott --------------------------------------------------- We play lots of games in our house.  Anything from Monopoly Jr to garbage, Uno and the Fancy Nancy Posh Bedroom game.  We love playing games.  Recently, daughter of the year #2 took to playing hide and seek.  I'm not sure when it started but I'm guessing it is something her sister taught her.  However, she is sneaky!  Her amazing stealth mode and knack for being very quiet (obviously taught well by her sister) created a tiny panic for this mom of the year.  It went like most other nights when we all get home from work/school/daycare.  Partially through preparing dinner, dad of the year realizes that he hasn't heard daughter of the year #2.  That most often equates to trouble, or coloring on the wall.  I didn't panic until I heard him call her name a bit mor...

The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears. ~ Unknown ------------------------------------------------------- Daughter of the year #1 came home tonight and we had the typical "how was your day?" conversation.  I got the usual response.  But, today is Wednesday.  Ever since our troubles with bullying, she has been seeing the school's family resource counselor once a week, just to talk about how to use words to cope with the mean people we encounter in our lives.  Therefore, I probed a bit more about her meeting with the counselor as she looks forward to her time with her.  I'd had a tough week, perhaps she could teach me a few things.  Little did I know.  "We read a book today, mom," she said.  "What book did you read?"  I asked.  "It was about a rainbow fish," she said.  Now, when daughter of the year #1 talks about a book, you rarely get the feel of what the book is actually about.  We've heard lots about...

I guess I should warn you, if I turn out to be particularly clear, you've probably misunderstood what I've said.  ~ Alan Greenspan ------------------------------------------------------ A ritual in our house is for me to ask daughter of the year #1 how her day went at school.  Some days I get a lengthy explanation.  Most days I get very little.  A few days I get invited to a pitty party.  Other days I get more detailed information.  Perhaps I am too used to getting little, if anything from her, which could be the single reason for this very big misunderstanding.   "What did you do in school today?" I ask, prepared to get the most common response, nothing.  "We read stories and did math," she responds.  Hey, an actual response. "Yeah," I say back, knowing I'm only half paying attention. "And, we talked about the BFD," she concludes.  I don't know about you, but the BFD means something very different in my mind.  I...

Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. ~ Robert Fulghum ----------------------------------------------- We're going through a phase.  As daughter of the year #2 grows closer to two, she spends more and more time exploring her precociousness.  She loves to sing, and play with Barbies, pull her sister's hair and most of all, draw and color.  Let's see...she has colored on the carpet, on our leather sofa, on daughter of the year #1's coloring contest sheet - just about anywhere she can.  I had to work today.  When I returned home, dad of the year encouraged me to check out the stairwell to our basement.  That's when I saw it.  Two pencils, laid nearly perfect on the stairs and a wonderful "picture" on our wall.  It was left in pristine condition until I arrived home.  I think the last person who drew on the wall also did so unde...

Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them.  ~ Richard L. Evans -------------------------------------------------------- I love kids!  There is nothing more beautiful, loving and completely ready to soak up the world.  It's no secret that I love the funny things they say as they are trying to discover the world.  I feel like I should carry a notepad so I don't forget the spur-of-the-moment phrases that come out of their mouths.  Hey, I'm always looking for good material!  One of my life goals was to write a book.  I didn't think it would be a children's book, but I like to say that I happened to be, quite literally, in the right place at the right time.  It seems that was so long ago.  It was at a time there was no thought of a second daughter of the year.  We were simply basking in the glory of having survived the terrible twos.  I think the most exciting par...

Once you choose hope, anything's possible .  ~ Christopher Reeve ------------------------------------------------- I've been in what I refer to as a "funk."  It started about a week ago and hasn't left.  Each day seems to worsen.  Many times, I've felt I'm on a roller coaster where I'm in the final car and I can't see where we're going.  Is there a twist or a turn coming up?  I couldn't tell you.  Many thanks to those who have put up with me, especially dad of the year.  After all, we know he'd rather be subjected to rolling in a thorn bush naked and then forced to watch The Notebook over and over again than to deal with large amounts of estrogen.  Sorry, honey!  Today, I figured it out.  The funk is actually some strange form of grief.  According to Google, at about step number 4 of a 7 step process to be exact.  I swore I wouldn't get caught up in it.  I knew I couldn't identify with it in any way....