Cameron's birthday

Cameron's birthday was March 22. I forgot that she was expecting breakfast in bed - the traditional "name in the shape of pancakes" breakfast. I remembered before she came downstairs, though. I thought, our social little Cameron, surely she would want to be with everyone. I sent the kids upstairs every ten minutes to check on her and after the second time she asked that we just leave her alone. It was "freaky" in her words, someone coming up that often.

We took her and Hazel out to lunch at Atlanta Bread Company. Then we picked up cupcakes at Custom Cakes and went to ballet. We added paper decorations to the cupcakes - swirly wrappers and ballet slippers. Adorable!

That night she wanted Chinese so she could have sweet and sour chicken and fortune cookies, and then it was gift time!

Go Fish, Lost Sock Style

During chore time, the kids were sitting in a circle, and it sounded like they were gambling. They turned the chore of folding socks into a game of Go Fish, lost sock style. Our socks usually don't get folded, they live in the bottom of the laundry basket, and get dug through frantically before walking out the door.

The next time I walked through the room, they came up with a proposition for me:

Mom, now that most of us wear the same size socks, what if we give away all of the socks that we have right now and buy all the same socks so we don't have random socks to sort through and fold. If all the socks were the same style and same size, this would be so much easier!

We've talked about it and we are all willing to throw in some money to buy new socks and we can give all these socks away to people who need them.

Brilliant, I tell you! Simple brilliance. Why have so many different kinds of socks? Trash em all and get all the same kind of sock. This could revolutionize the time between yelling (up the stairs, not at the kids - right?!!) "Everyone get in the car!" which my kids know means mom found her keys and her coffee's still warm, and the time when we actually get in the car.

For those households who already do this, SHUT UP and don't tell me. I don't care that you are already that much smarter than me.

So, that necessitated our run to Memphis to go to Target after I raided the kid's piggy banks. And guess what Target was running low on? Socks. And no, I really didn't take money from the kids. Their genius was enough for me. I love it when my kids are smarter than me.

Remember to always listen to your kids.

March 13

Today was Spring Forward day. I slept in so it was a mad dash to get ready, which we all did and arrived on time. And I didn't lose my temper. Rushing usually makes me do that. Great sermon on biblical manhood. Here's something for you to chew on: God told man to love his wife and woman to respect her husband.

Ephesians 5

²⁸ In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰ for we are members of his body. ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³ However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Women long to be loved and men long to be respected. Ask anyone: would you rather be loved or respected? See if they answer differently. Stop right now and go ask your husband: Would you rather be loved or respected? Women, are you respecting your man?

Typical day otherwise. I spent lots of time getting caught up on grading. Actually I did that yesterday too, sitting outside in the gorgeous weather.

Here's a fun thing I did today - I was saving egg shells to plant seeds into and today I used vegetables to dye the shells. Just for fun.

Jonathan cleaned the garage by himself. When I told the kids what needed to happen around the house, he headed to the garage. I so get that. He got to go in a room, shut the door, and clean without any of his siblings or his mom bothering him. Beats doing 5 other different things and having people get in your way.

Get Away March 10th

Live together, work together, sleep together, raise the kids together. I don’t feel like I spend too much time with Mark, (we are always together) but sometimes I feel I spend too much time immersed in work and my relationship with Mark becomes more of business partners and less of life partners. Then I start to not like him as much. Then home isn’t what home should be.

Then I know I need to get away. When I feel like that, we try to get away as soon as possible. We had a weekend trip planned with the kids, which fell through, so Mark set up for us to leave as quickly as we could. I am very thankful that Mark supports me when I know I need to get away.

We went to Memphis, just over an hour from Tupelo. We had a few errands to run there, and a mystery shop at a hotel, so the hotel room was free. I also wanted to do a little clothes shopping for me. That and a few restaurants are all we did, but it was great to enjoy some time alone with my husband, as my husband, not as my business partner. And we had a great time.

I must say, I have such great kids to be responsible enough for us to leave town for two days (not unattended, of course!) Robert cooked a great dinner Thursday night. I left plenty of school work to keep them busy because I knew after chores and school, it would be x box mania! Cameron wasn’t home much, and Raeley with her social schedule, didn’t let us not being home slow her down. I realize my goal is to do just that, slow down. Daily.

March 8

I slept in this morning until 7:30. Yesterday was a long work day in the Alabama clubs, so it is always nice when I can sleep in. I got up and went for a jog -2 miles. But I forgot to time myself. We started school a little late and I look back on today and think about all the things I didn't get done. Tomorrow is another day, so I am going to try diligently to fit it all in plus some! I did meet Mark at a coffee shop - we got away to actually plan a few vacations. That was fun - and one of the reasons I did not fit in all the kid's school work.

I learned something interesting today. Way back in the late 1880's when settlers were moving into Iowa, there were some agricultural consultants who convinced them to plant corn instead of wheat. Quaker Oats is from Iowa, so they must be able to grow grains well. Corn though? Wow- was that the beginning of the overplantation of corn which has led to the developement and overuse of (the chemically derived - not even natural sweetener) high fructose corn syrup? Boo Hiss.

Robert was funny today -cracking jokes during school and giving me a hard time about dinner. Jonathan was still too nice to Robert. He was gleaming, though, when I told him how great it was that he showed Cameron love in a way she could receive it by creating her a map on Halo.

And Raeley was really recognized at work today. I am very proud of her hard work -people are noticing it, and I am grateful they are letting her know.