Co-Parenting 101

Coach: So yesterday at lunch with The Kid, they kept playing one country song after another at The Station.  The Kid was commenting on how many 'dumb' Country songs were being played.  But then he was also singing them, he knew every word. So after a few, I told him 'It's ok if you want to like Country music.  Just because mom and I don't like it, doesn't mean you can't listen to it..'

I sit up straight, flabbergasted I shout: WHAT?  You can't just go around passing out advice and making major parenting decisions like that, without consulting me first!!

Coach (laughs): I can't give him permission to like his own music??

Me (not laughing): NO.  You can not.  What's next?? Just tell him if it feels good he can try crack or crystal meth?!

Coach: Sorry, I didn't realize.  What should I have told him in that situation?

Me: The truth.  That I'm positive that at least half of today's popular Country music is to blame for the dumbing down of America.  Obviously.

House Hunting. Sorta but Not Really.

As mentioned, we've kinda discussed moving.  We've made our Dream List of essentials.  We've stalked online realty sites.  We've driven slowly and creepily down streets and alleys with homes for sale.  We fell In Luv with a home, (which had been on the market for ohhh I don't know... maybe 23 months...) and then it sold literally within hours of us viewing it. (Fingers crossed for a last minute miracle..)
But we do run into little problems, moments of logic, when we discuss available properties.
For example,

Me: I saw a great house across the street from the grocery store.  Brick ranch, fire place, two attached garages, large but simple yard...

Coach: Really?? 
(he immediately pulls out his phone to stalk it..)

Me: Yeah, it has most of our checklist.

Coach: Should we try and look at it?

Me: Well... it's right across the street from the store... Like RIGHT across the street... And you know, anytime there's a Zombie Apocalypse, deadly Contagion virus or Revolution like breakdown of resources... the grocery stores are ALWAYS the first location of mass chaos and frantic panicked showdowns...

Coach: Riiiiight.

Me: Soooo.. that's not gonna work.

End of discussion.
Ok.. so maybe we're not approaching our house hunting with rational thought...
Or ARE we???

Our World is a Better Place, When You're Around.

From The Kid:
"Remember when my Grammy called you Shelby, in Georgia? Happy Birthday, Shelby."

From Tink:
"Uhhh, I don't know.... uhhhh, hmmmm (giggle) delete that hmmmm! (giggle) I don't know.  Happy Birthday. I like it when you like me. I liked when we went in the hot tub in Florida."

From Coco:
"Happy Birthday, Galway Girl.  I like when you and Moni pick me up with one leg and pick me up like cheerleaders."

To our little Galway Girl-
We miss your bright smile, around our home and especially our town.  Almost every day I pick the kids up from school, I miss your little sparkly face and cheerful wave, racing around the curve.  Yours, is one of my most favorite laughs.  You are spunky, energetic and fiercely competitive.  A pistol to watch on any court or field.
Happy Birthday, pretty Galway.
I'm lucky to have so many great memories, from here and far, of your amazing smile.  We love you.

He did it!

By the start of the event on Saturday evening, The Kid had raised $1,620.00 for the St. Baldrick's Foundation.  And he was SO grateful and surprised by all the donations.  Thanks to everyone!

 

The 'Before' Picture

 



A picture of the very large crowd gathered to watch the volunteers getting shaved.  Kinda intimidating!

Getting started.  The Kid was a little nervous.

His Dad playing around with some Barber Artwork.

After watching several Shavees, Little Gipper said she wanted her Uncle to shave her... (no worries, he only pretended..)

Much later into the night, after all the participants had been shaved.  The Kid and the Barber took a picture with the Leprechaun.

The Kid.  Maybe he's embarrassed by his bald head and he plans on spending the next couple weeks in disguise??  Not at all.  Within hours he said he loves his shorter cut.
We are very proud of The Kid for taking this chance and trying something new, for a great cause.  It was an amazing lesson for him.  And hopefully the Giving Bug took a bite out of him, for good. 

Happy Shared Birthdays!

Grandpa and Gramma, have birthdays just 14 days apart.  And because I want to tell them essentially the same sentiment, I am grouping their birthday post...

To my In-Laws:
My most sincere compliment to pay to you both, would be to complement your children-
Your youngest son, my husband.. is honestly one of the very best men I have known.  He is the most adorable father, a respectful and loving husband. He is a kind and supportive sibling, an attentive and cheerful uncle.  Coach is a man of faith, an extremely hard worker, with an amazing sense of humour and a smile that lights up a room. And he is only one of five of your grown children, with all of the exact same exceptional traits. 
They are all the glowing result of your Love Story.  You have raised a family of amazing beauty and character.  Of all the great riches, medals and titles a person could achieve in nearly 70 years on this Earth... I can think of nothing greater, than to be a parent (and grandparent) of Tru-ly Good People. 
You care deeply for each other.  For your lives.  For your Faith and your land.  You are glad for what you have.  You simply appreciate what you have been given.  And are able to forgive, or understand, what you have lost. Your love really is: Patient and Kind.
You are a shining example for my children. I am so very proud of myself, for surrounding my children, with your people.  It was the best thing I have ever done.  Thank-you for doing such a stellar job of raising the man I love (not to mention, raising my very best friends.) 
Happy (almost shared) Birthdays to one of my Favorite Couples!  I wish you, many many more.  And HAVE FUN tonight.  You deserve it.
All of my Heart-felt Love.

The Weekly Text Message Post:

As previously mentioned, Flag Girl and Coach (and Coco) get a wee bit 'hangry'.  They are not mean, necessarily (but they are not nice either).  They just need to know when and what they are going to eat next.  And they'd like to know those details just as soon as they have finished their previous meal.  They're still adorable, just a little less sunshiny.

 

Text Message.
The Active Parties: Flag Girl, Coach and I

Flag Girl: Chili's home sick with the flu... watching Brain Games... learning way too much..
Also learned that when you are hungry the fight or flight syndrome switches to a separate part of the brain. Which makes you more aggressive. Which explains why you get angry.

Coach: Interesting

Me: It's really an issue for you guys.

Coach: Your an issue.

Flag Girl: THAT made my day.

Me: It would make my day if just once he wrote YOU apostrophe RE!!

Flag Girl: what you talk bout Jennifer?

Everybody's a comedian.

Spring Training.

Sunday evening, The Kid had his first Pitching Camp of the year. Monday afternoon, The Kid started Track. In 4 weeks, Coco starts her first week of Tball. Just after that, Tink begins her first week of Softball.

Soooo... Sunday morning, we went shopping with a very long and detailed list of Sporting supplies. "Have a Super Duper Time" was not written any where on the list.  For example, The Kid has grown five inches in just over a year.  He needed new pants, sweats, a new baseball glove and 3 pairs of shoes: Running shoes for track, spikes for track and baseball cleats.

At least 4 times, Coach repeated the phrase "But... didn't we JUST buy him pants??" "But didn't we JUST buy him new shoes??" "But didn't we JUST...."

Until I growled under my breath.. "He has grown 5 inches in 12 months... he needs new everything and will need new everything for the next 5 years.. STOP SAYING THAT!!!"

 

People got sweaty.  No one wanted to try on anything. And while her brother can't stop growing, mini Tinkerbell has hands too small to fit in any batting gloves any where.

Then, yesterday the temperatures finally reached the high 50's and ALL three kids were outside with their new equipment, working on catching grounders, running down the block to 'strengthen their legs'... and breathing the fresh air. Totally worth the trip.

 

Practice was pretty limited to simple games of catch.. as one side of our yard is a swamp of melted snow and the other side is a swamp of melted dog poo (at least the poo not yet eaten while in poopsicle form.)

Street Sweeper: this is what our yards look like.  And we're expecting 4-7 inches of snow tonight. Save yourselves and stay in Arizona until at least June.

The Kid's act of Kindness

Last week began the start of Lent.

At this age, they encourage the children to not only 'give up' something for Lent... but to also find ways to become a better person.  Perform an act of kindness. 

This Saturday, there is an event dedicated to the St. Baldrick's foundation, to help raise money for Childhood Cancer Research.  Participants are raising money and then shaving their heads to show solidarity. I saw the information and said to The Kid, "You would be great for this.."

Because:

A.) His hair grows very fast!

and B.) in The Kid's world of brand new track shoes, iPhones and American Eagle clothes... I'm afraid we are raising a brat. (actually 3 brats)  And I thought maybe he would find the value in doing something for a great cause.

The Kid accepted and he LOVES this journey.

 

He immediately wanted to set a goal of $1,000. 
I talked him down to $500, in hopes that he wouldn't be disappointed.  This morning, he has already raised $655 and is hoping to surpass $1,000.

The most adorable part:
The Kid has told me more than once, how great this makes him feel.  How he "really feels like he is just like his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.  That this is his first real act of charity."
It's heartwarming to know, I have surrounded my son with such great people and such a great example. If you would like to help The Kid reach his goal (or higher!) please use this link to donate by credit card: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/700654/2014
Or you may drop a check at the Barbershop before Saturday. It's for an amazing cause!
I promise to post After pics of the shaved head.

The Kitchen Remodel.

Arizona has been begging (annoying) me to post pictures of our recent kitchen remodel.  I've been waiting to post until after purchasing the perfect curtains.  Except, as any one driving past our home knows, I still have not covered the windows (Pier One and I are having a differing opinion on a reasonable price for statement making curtains...)
After yesterday's post on how we have been contemplating selling... it seemed fitting to follow that with pics on our recent huge project. (Designed to help us fall back in-love with our home.)

The Before Pictures:
(Prepare yourself.. It. Was. Hideous.)

 Sooooo much bad wood.

 Hellooooo, Yelloooow..

Big huge kitchen, teeny little sink..

 

The Construction:

We decided to follow a 'build your own bar' format to build our own counter and a new matching top to our hip-high kitchen table. We also did a million little things: new little built in shelves in the cabinets, new hard-ware, removing the swirly cabinet pieces over sink and store, new sink and faucet... we sanded, measured, cut, epoxied, moved outlets and then sanded again. Oh... and we cut a giant hole in one of our walls.

 

 

 We decided mid-project to just GO FOR open cabinets.  And I LOVE them!

 New trim, every where!

 

 Cutting open the wall.

 

The After Pictures:

(Disclaimer: I am not a DIY Blogger.  I do not know how to 'stage the scene'.  There are no fresh flowers or the perfect time of day soft lighting.)

 

 The Window (hole).

New Back Splash.

 

 New Table Top and recovered chairs.

 Open Cabinets, new wood floor and redone buffet. 

 

I bought the biggest sink I could find. (Love it) and the open cabinets are amazing.  So much easier to put away dishes. 

So there it is. 

It was NOT quick nor was it easy (nor was it cheap).  We spent many hours on this.  But it is so much better now.  We donated SEVEN bins of dishes, we never used. Which made the entire kitchen feel lighter.

Now...  if me and Pier One could just work out that statement-making curtain issue. 

 

Pretty great reasons...

We have been thinking about selling our home.
Which would come as a huge surprise to many people.
This is a family home.
It was our safe place.
The spot of our mystical wedding ceremony.

But we have a couple, small issues which seem to keep getting bigger with every year that passes. Especially, in our yard. 
1.) Our yard is too big. As mentioned (MANY times) Coach is not a tickering around in the yard, kinda guy.  I acutally love yard work but we have three children and ALL three will play baseball this year.  I want a smaller, fenced back yard, with raised vegetable garden boxes.  Maybe a quiet patio.  Possibly, one simple flower garden.
For example, with a fenced back yard.. maybe, just maybe.. I wouldn't have to stand on the porch anymore screaming at the dog, during an after school rush to stop eating frozen poopsiscles, where everyone and their mother can stand and watch.. (also, more importantly, people wouldn't see me check the mail at 4:00pm in my pajamas.)

2.) Our garage is large, nice, yellow (which actually makes me happy) but it is nothing less than 4 blocks away from our door.  And because my legs are delicate, I hate to park ALL THE WAY over there.  (Oh.. and we have two driveways, which have been TONS of fun to shovel this winter).  Therefore, I never... ever... pull my vehicle into the garage.  Which apparently has not gone unnoticed...

The above text was sent from The Bride's father to her.. He seems to be using my van as his own private weather channel..

3.) As I stated, our yard is very large.  It's beautiful.  Great trees, pretty flowers, perfect location... but our home sits on the back of the lot.  We have almost an acre of ALL front yard.  And all exits to our home are exposed (to the entire world).  Which maybe wouldn't be an issue, if your husband didn't repeatedly fail to notice this noise:

I sent the above picture and the following text, to a few people:

 

Me: This is why we need a new house with a back porch... this combo has been piled out for everyone to see, for days.

 

Warhol: Beer, margarita salt and a Blow j@*.... not seeing the problem...

 

Flag Girl: it looks like a happy home to me

 

Me: Shouldn't we be concerned about the beer freezing??

 

Warhol: I mean, it's not like you're still in Bloomington with your "fancy porches" and "indoor beer cabinets" with yard tool closets and stuff...

________________________________

 

What is most irritating to me, is that we honestly NEVER drink in our home.  We maybe have people over once, every few months.  But we'll then leave those cases sitting there for weeks and weeks..

Any way, if someone wants to buy our home.

Call me.