Holding hands

Graham and I went to the mall yesterday to Game Stop so he could get a new game. It was a beautiful day and I looked over at my youngest child and thought," My God, he's almost as big as I am." I was feeling kind of nostalgic and I said, "Graham, I miss holding your little hand sometimes." He said, "mom, you can hold my hand any time."

Awwww, so we held hands walking into the mall. Graham then said that he didn't care what other people thought, in fact he'd wear pink if it was his favorite color.

It made me think about the choices we've made as parents and I couldn't be more grateful then the choice to keep them home with us. I'm grateful for this choice more than ever since my kids are again choosing to go to school part time. As long as they are happy I am happy.

Bubble Gum

Sunday morning I woke up with a fever and a terrible sore throat so, I hit the couch and planned on staying there with the hopes that I would be better by the next day. About an hour later Graham comes downstairs with his sheets in hand and says "promise me you won't be mad mom". I say (because it hurts too bad to talk), "of course not." Then G proceeds to tell me he fell asleep with gum in his mouth and it got all over his bed. No problem, Daddy will wash your sheets. "You're sure you won't be mad at me mom?" "I'm sure."

Well, I wake up Monday not feeling much better and decide to head to the doc early in the AM. I go to say goodbye and I notice Grahams futon is pulled out and his bed still isn't made. I'm too sick to deal with it at this point. I come home and decide to make his bed...did I mention he has a loft bed and it really is a pain in the butt to make? So, I get up there and am putting on the mattress pad and see gum all over the mattress. How the heck did gum get under his mattress pad. I ask G, how much gum did you have? "5 pieces." WOW! What else can I say to that?

So, I scrub the mattress, put on the pad and the sheets and go to put the comforter on. More gum....lots more. UGH. At this point I'm still not mad. I keep hearing the Alexander book in my head, I went to bed with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair. I also wonder how the heck G fell asleep with 5 pieces of gum in his mouth...did I mention it was Hubba Bubba Watermelon...yea the puke green colored one? I can barely fit one of those pieces in my mouth. So, he managed to fall asleep but then how did he manage to get it everywhere (like under the mattress pad) except for on himself?? Amazing. Just like Graham...amazing.

I just had to write this down. This was one of those moments about motherhood where I should have been irritated at the least but I just had to laugh!

OBAMA!!

Why I voted for, canvassed for, fought with my father for... Obama? I havent' voted for a viable candidate for 2 elections (8 years) because in the last election I was against the war (and could not vote for anyone who helped authorize it) and in the previous election I just didn't feel that Gore represented me. Sure I could have voted against Bush, but I really couldn't. I can only cast my vote for someone I would want as president.

And this year was it! I actually stood in the camp of someone who was a viable candiadate! And who is now our President elect.

Yesterday Lydia and I were discussing the differences in the candidates and she said to me "But aren't we always at war Mom?" Wow...that stopped me in mid thought for a moment. For during her life time, yes the majority of it has been war. Scary.

But the reason I cast my vote for Obama was about his intelligence, his ability to inspire and unite people. I remember caucusing for him last winter (yea Iowa) , when I arrived Obama, Edwards, and Clinton were all pretty even in numbers. But as we sat there, we had to keep scooting over to make room for more Obama supporters, then it became so full we had to sit closer together and then it became standing room only. As I looked around the room I saw that Obama was representing old and young, men and women, as well as people of all different colors. I thought to myself...this is the U.S. This man is representing all of us. If you know me...I cried!

As I listened to his acceptance speech last night, again, I cried. My kids asked why so many people were crying. I can only say why I was so moved. It is because I was so proud to be an American last night, I was proud that in a land slide majority that Americans voted for a black man to represent them, not because he was black but because he is the best human for the job. We have changed as a country...changed for the better. The celebrations going on all over the world are amazing to me! Yes!

For the last 8 years I felt like we lived in a country that was about greed, preemtive strikes, and a right wing god fearing country. A country about hate, and control... it's just been ugly. But last night we the people all voted for a man that stands for just the opposite of all those things. I loved how during his speech he said this win was not about him, it was about us... those that voted for him and the people who didn't vote for him.

I thought McCains acceptance speech was good too. He had to run the worst campaign ever. Looking out over his crowd I noticed how it was mostly white, mostly male, kinda like a Father knows Best type crowd. Definitely not a crowd that represents the U.S. of 2008. I'm glad McCain ran the Republican machine (Palin) campaign... it's why he lost. Had he actually ran a bipartisan campaign (with Liberman on the ticket) it would have been a tougher win for Obama.

Last night when I was doing some last minute canvassing I went up to a house that had a couple living there that my paperwork showed hadn't voted yet. The husband came to the door and told me he just got back. I asked if his wife, Verhinda was there, she was. She didn't think she could vote, that she had voted in the last election but had not registered again. I assured her she was on the list and should go vote. She was soooo happy and her kids were all in the background chanting "Obama, Obama!" That's the reason I canvassed.

I am sad cause it looks like in CA the ban on gay marriage is going to hold. I don't understand that at all. My neighbors marriage (whether they're gay, straight, divorced or whatever) has no affect on my marriage. Why oh why can't everyone be treated equal in this country??

When are the conservatives going to stay out of my life? I could care less who you pray to, or why you pray. Just because gay marriage is legal doesn't mean you have to marry a person of the same sex...you're free to marry whomever you want!! Just because I have the freedom to chose what to do with my body doesn't mean you have to have an abortion! Just because you believe life starts at conception doesn't mean everyone else does! Just cause you want to pray in school doesn't mean I want to! School is only 6 or 7 hours a day, aren't the other 17 hours in your day enough to pray? Do you pray at work? Why make our kids pray? There are schools affiliated with churches, if you want your kids to pray all day, send them there!

Get off God being political...it's not. It's personal. But I am glad the Republicans haven't figured that out yet.

I'll get off my rant for today and put the smile back on my face for what the US did last night. A positive change really has come!

Lydia's b-day

Ok, so Lydia's birthday was in June but hey, I'm new to this whole blogging thing. If I was blogging in June, I would have put it here!!!!!
Lydia turned 11 this year and oh my, has she grown up soooo much! It's gone by in a blink and it seems like just yesterday we had her 1st birthday party! Of course that was a HUGE event (why did I have a huge party for a one year old??lol) and well her 11th was big as well. She just wanted an old fashioned slumber party so we did.
Eating, movies, hair, make-up and staying up alllll night!

15 heavenly years

Well, today is August 7th and I married Mark 15 years ago today! Wow...WOW! It's gone by in a blink! I can still remember our first date like it was last weekend! How he asked me out, well how I pretty much made him ask me out! I said what are you doing tonight? He said, "nothing." Then I said something like I'd really like to go listen to some live music somewhere do you know anywhere to go? LOL! He was so laid back, I think that's what I was so attracted to.

I'd like to say our marriage has been perfect, but I can't. Or can I, maybe it has been perfect for us? We went through a rough patch a few years ago but we came through with flying colors, closer than we were before the rough patch. So, perhaps it was a good place to go, even if it hurt going through it. When one of my dear friends (who dates his very good friend) heard we were having trouble, she said she was just going to go ahead and break up with J. She figured if we couldn't make it (Mark and I) no one could. It was sweet. Luckily we worked it out and they are still together too!!lol

People often ask me how we keep it so fresh and so good (the marriage). Mark's pretty easy, he just needs two things, food and well, you should be able to figure the other one out! But mostly, he and I are really good friends. We laugh a lot together, take things lightly and hang out together (go on dates or sit on our porch or deck together when the kids go up).

It's really been pretty easy. If it was a lot of work, I don't know if we'd still be married?

Tonight we're going on our favorite date. Sushi and cocktails! AHHHHH!! I'll see if I can get Lydia to take a pic of us before we go out and I'll post it later!

June, G's 9th

I've got to go back in time a bit this summer because I've got some great pics I want on here of the kids. I'll start with G $'s (that's what we call Graham sometimes) 9th birthday. He decided he wanted to have a guitar hero birthday. So we decided to have a guitar hero competition (with prizes) and sleepover! Whew it was quite a partay!!!!!

For the competition Lydia and I were judges and they were judged on style (which included costumes, moves and facials), and score. They each got to pick and song and we picked a song for them to perform. Here's Graham with painted on facial hair and skull hat! He was rockin! He even played behind his neck! Of course he chose to wear his Slash shirt!

Also, a picture of the cake he requested. I found one on line to copy. Mark cut it out! Pretty nice considering I NEVER make cakes!! FYI, black frosting stains face and everything it comes in contact with. If you don't mind that, the kids thought it was COOL!

Mark also put a firepit in the back yard for this special event. I hurried this project along thinking this would be the greatest addition to the party. The kids could really care less about it. They much preferred playing ghost in the graveyard with their dollar store flashlights all night! Isn't it funny how ya think they'll like one thing and it's alway another that they really dig!?? Don't get me wrong, we love the firepit and are glad Mark rushed around getting it in. It just didn't need to be done by this guitar hero party!

The next day Graham said "this was the best party ever, Mom!" That's pretty much what I go for every year...smiles for my babies (who aren't babies anymore!)!

Well, I'm finally blogging. I've been wanting to but never thought I had the time. Now I realized it's a great use of my time because I think it's a great way to capture memories!

My family has been unschooling the past 6 or 7 years and I wish I had all of it somewhere to look at, it has been a BLAST! Now Lydia and Graham have decided to give school a try. It's been a whirlwind of emotions for me, but I am going to be supportive of their decision! It's their life and they will enjoy the experience.

We are getting ready to go to Wisconsin for a vacation before school starts. We are all in need of some cabin time! A break from the doorbells, the computers, the activities!