Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all fathers. Hopefully everyone will get a chance to wish this to their fathers today. John is wearing a tie that Anna painted for him in school. He is wearing it with a black T-shirt. The tie is a regular tie that her teacher brought to school, and then each child got to design (paint) their own for their father. What a good Dad that John can be!
My dad just worked his last day on Friday. He is officially retired. Anna wanted to get a retirement card for him, but they were all so sappy. I told her she should make one for him. She told me what it is going to say, "Since you are getting kind of old, you might want to think about retiring"! I laughed and told her that was great! Not at ALL sappy!
Well we must go on a bike ride on the bike trail as John and the boys have picked that for our activity this afternoon. High in the mid-eighties!

Puberty

Yesterday, I took James, Daniel, and Abby to garage sales with me. That is quite possibly the stupidest thing that I have done all week, but there was a funny little moment when we were walking over a little bridge and up a path to one house. Abby kept saying "This is NOT our puberty. It's not our puberty!" I said "Not our puberty? What do you mean?" She said, "We do not live here. It's not our puberty."! Oh, I get it! Not our PROPERTY! I had a hard time trying to keep a straight face as I explained these terms to her. Silly, sweet little girl!

The Back 40

Today as I was washing clothes, helping mom use the computer, and making reservations over the phone for a hotel for a baseball tournament this weekend, I happened to look out the front window. Very cloudy and ominous looking out there. Right in my front yard stood 2 coyote! Mom's little dog was lying on the bench on the porch, and our Charlie I did not see. These animals got up and just came closer to the house! All of the sudden, Charlie came flying around from the back of the house, and was off like a shot after them. That set mom's dog off yipping after them too. Charlie got nipped a few times on the backside, and there I went in my longjohns after the BB gun- the ONLY gun that I will allow at my house. I knew how to shoot a BB gun a long time ago, but this one has a scope on it, and I am not so steady as I was at age 14. Anyhow I did get a few shots off, and they ran "down in the hills". Never a dull moment out here in the back 40!
I just told the kids last night that we would put the tent up in the back yard soon so that they could camp out. I may rethink that thought.

One Boy Missing

One would think that when one has 4 children, one would not be so full of anxiety when a child is away.
Daniel is away at 6th grade camp this week -Mon thru Fri- and everything just feels "off". My friends make fun and call me a Mother Hen, but I miss them when they are gone. Even when they are just down the driveway at Grandma's. No offense Mom, you understand don't you?
I am not a parent who gladly sends the kids off to friends' houses on the weekends. I am sure that I am doing a disservice to them by not letting them go, but I don't care. Maybe this feeling is why Dad never let us stay away? Maybe I am neurotic. There is nothing specific that I worry about, I know that he is safe, there is just a void here-- in my heart of hearts.

Happy Mother's Day!

A very Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers, and Mother-type people out there. It's a job, but somebody's got to do it! I think that I prefer it to any other job, even though I sometimes want to proclaim loudly that "I don't want to be the Mom any more!" It is just a passing urge. Last night after James' baseball game, we had pizza, and went shopping for Mother's Day gifts. John told me that I would have to go somewhere else while he and that kids shopped. I told him that I wanted shoes, and he said I had better come in and pick them out. Just what I hoped! I know it is a rather unusual gift, but it is "just what I wanted"! I'm all about practical gifts.
Happy Mother's Day!

Juvie or Jail?

Today we went to James' baseball game in Willard. We were suppose to meet at Northmor and follow everyone there, but John decided that we would just drive ther ourselves. "It's right across from Willard High School". I mapquested Willard High School, and off we flew because we were running a little late! We found our way to Willard, but darned if there was any park that we could see across from the school, and the school had a front and back entrance. After driving around in some questionable areas of town looking for a "train that is in front of the park"- (there were train tracks all over the place), John made ME call the coach. We finally found the place, and James had to warm up by himself. The game was a disappointment. We were glad that it was the last one.
On the way home, we passed the Reformatory in Mansfield. I pointed it out to Abby who said "Is it Juvie or Jail?" I nearly lost it. I asked her what she said, and she repeated it. She is SIX! Where does she GET this? I asked. "A movie", she informed me. Way too much T.V. We really should pull the plug!

More Music

Tonight James had his last band concert for the year. First he had a baseball game and then we met him and John at the High School for the concert. This concert was a bit longer than last week's because the High School band also played. It was nice, and there is a HUGE difference between 6th grade and Jr. High band. The Jr. High has band every day, and 6th grade only twice a week. Again, I never hear James practice. He leaves his trumpet in the bandroom at school. Oh well, you can only do what you can do. I'm sure that John is planning on him quitting in High School, but the band geek in me kind of hopes that he plays in the Marching Band. It probably wouldn't help his image any, but it sure is a lot of fun!