Woohoo! All three of my kiddos are now in the high school marching band! Together! How freaking cool is that? See, people think we’re crazy to have had our kids so close together, but, seriously! How neat is it that they all get to march together – for two years! I just love that!

And last Friday was our first official football game and the first time that Sammie marched on the field with the band. If I tell you that I didn’t dissolve into a MESS of tears and sobs in the bathroom – would you believe me?

Seriously – these kids are just amazing! I guess I never really thought about the level of difficulty of marching in a band. I’m so amazed and impressed – by all of them. It’s funny, you see them when they’re not marching – and they’re just goofy, silly, run-around, regular kids. But then you hear the director or the drum majors say ‘the thing’* and they all STOP! what they’re doing and holler “BLUE!” and stand at attention – and then it’s game time! And it’s ON! All business – it really just blows me away!

So the other night was our very first game and we’re not exactly totally ready yet. And even if we were ready, for the first few games, our director always has the band in their shorts and t-shirts because of the heat. But they didn’t get to do all of their songs yet. They’re almost there with them, but, not quite yet.

And a big, major prop was missing – the pirate ship! My husband, Mark – builder extraordinaire – built a pirate ship for them that is so amazingly cool! I can’t wait to see them incorporate it into the show! It has a ramp off of one side of it and at different times during the show, kids will stand on top of it and on the ramp. It’s gonna be so awesome. I think all it is lacking is the sail and the pirate flag – and those should be ready soon.

So now that I’ve blabbed and blabbed, would you like to see the image that sent me to the little girls’ room crying? I suppose I should let you in on that! Just follow me over here….
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A local friend of mine was on Facebook today posting pictures of a recent bridal luncheon she’d been to and I realized that I haven’t been to a baby shower in a very long time. At one point in my life, that would have been an extremely comforting thought – a long time span with NO baby showers. I used to really detest them. They were so freaking boring! A bunch of women, or even just a few, heck – a group of women, sitting around politely, speaking quietly, being all super polite and demure and whatnot. Ya’ll gotta know me better than that, right? Demure??? Come on!!

Baby showers have really changed over the years, though, and many of them are actually quite fun – even for scalliwags such as myself! People get very creative with their baby shower themes ideas and host what turn out to be fun parties filled with laughter and all kinds of chaos! There are lots of different hilarious games that people play and some people even invite not only the menfolk, but, the kids, too! And then it is really a wild shindig! Practically just like a regular party – except you get to ooh! and aah! over a bunch of hip, new baby gear and gadgets!

A lot of people theme their baby showers according the colors of the baby’s room and/or the baby’s gender – I know my first one was all in primary colors, as that’s what Patrick’s room was decorated in. All of that kid’s stuff, from the bedding to the blinds, from the stroller to all the clothing – was all in primary colors. I just loved it. It was such an exciting time! Now, though, some people are using sweet kid movies for their themes, like princess and the frog baby shower decorations. That sure would make for a really cute nursery. And I imagine if that was the theme of your shower, you could base the games on that, too. And who knows – maybe even the prizes, too. If the winners had kids, that is.

So I mean, I do like cutesy stuff, don’t get me wrong! And I love babies and munchkins – and you will hear me positively gushing over new baby outfits, etc…. It’s just when it gets all prim and proper and quiet and all that – that’s when I can’t stand it! People are really getting a lot more entertaining with the showers they throw – and that’s definitely a plus in my book!

What do you think? Do you like baby showers?

I absolutely love this article – it really backs me up on my way of thinking for how I feel about my children and I parting in the morning. It makes me soooooo bummed and sad if they leave for school sad or mad. If I’ve had to yell at them in the morning, I try to make things nice between us before they leave. It doesn’t always work and so then I will usually go light a candle for them. I’m kind of kooky like that. But this super groovylicious article backs me up!!

From my friend, Ellen, over at RaisingSmallSouls.com:
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My oldest child was a crazy, super-psycho acrobat in the womb and we’ve always tried to explain to him how crazy it was to see him moving around in there like that! It just is one of those things that you have to see to really get, though, you know? Well, tonight, I headed over to YouTube looking for Clint Eastwood clips and somehow wound up on baby videos! LOL! I think there was a suggested video for me of a cute, giggly baby or something and one thing led to another….

And I wound up on some totally awesome ‘Crazy Kickin’ Babies’ videos! I’m so happy to have found them, because, now I can show Patrick how nutty it truly was! Seriously! There was one day I was lying on the couch and it was freaking me out so much and the little monster just wouldn’t stick that foot back in there and I had to holler for Mark to come from the kitchen and ‘make him’ go back! I’ll never, ever forget that moment! I laugh about it now, it absolutely cracks me up – but, I can tell you that I was more than a little freaked at the time!

Ok, on to the videos! Here’s a little short one that is really cute, the mom says, ‘it’s actually kind of creepy’. Little does she know it can get MUCH worse! Ha!

There’s more after the jump! Read the rest of this entry »

It’s so nice to have all three of my kiddos at the same school again. It is the first time since we have lived here in Alabama. When we got here, Patrick went to seventh grade – at the high school, while Shawn and Sam went to the elementary school. Then the next two years, Pat and Shawn were both at the high school while Sam was the only one at the elementary school. Now they are back together and they will be for three years. And they are all in band. Next year, Sam will be in the marching (advanced) band with her brothers. That will be totally and completely amazing. Except for all of the crying I know that I’ll be doing. And all of the laughing at me the kids will be doing for the aforementioned crying. Creeps. I can’t help it that I love them so much and that I’m so proud of them I can’t even physically stand it sometimes. They could have just been horrible, rotten kids – but, no! They had to go and be wonderful, smart, and amazing kids – so the way I see it – it’s all their fault! They can just mock themselves. So there!

Shawn, Sammie, Patrick

Some of that crying happened on Monday night. Read the rest of this entry »

Ok, so the weekend itself is not actually going to turn me into a mom of three teens. Well, I suppose one could look at it that way. Let’s just go over the run-down of events, shall we? That way maybe, just by reading, you can feel some of the tired with me – misery loves company, after all, right?

Today, so far, this is what has transpired – monsters went to school, oldest monster (Patrick) called me as school was getting out to ask if he could go to his friend’s house. I just love it when he does this, as it means the other end of the line is going to be VERY LOUD – all those hootin’ and hollerin’ kids, you know. Add to that the fact that it’s Friday and yeah – hootin’ and hollerin’ is on MAX VOLUME!! And there is a RUSH to the whole thing – as it means he has to catch a different bus if I’m nice enough to say yes – or run to catch his own bus, because, he’s been goofing off making phone calls, instead of making his way to the bus. He got lucky this time. I said yes.

So two monsters came home. They both had all kinds of things to tell me about. It, at least, wasn’t as overwhelming as yesterday – all three of them had all kinds of things to tell me about the very second they walked in the door — and they were all hovering over me — and I swear I almost passed out! So yeah, it wasn’t at all that bad.

Next thing on the agenda – neighborhood girl coming over to hang out with girl monster (Sammie). Girl gets here. She is alone this time (yesterday she had her adorable pug, Puggles, with her) so Lucky doesn’t really go crazy. Bonus. I love her little dog, but, it gets hectic around here when she’s here. LOL

So we’ve got two girls hanging out – not too hyper, that’s good.

Next thing up is second boy monster (Shawn) is going to a birthday party. Whew – I got big monster (Mark) to take him. Wooohooo for me!! And while he’s out he can pick up oldest monster, too! Score 2 for Momma!

And BONUS – Mark brought me home a cappuccino! It’s so delicious! I think it’s white chocolate caramel – mmmmm……

Moving on to Saturday, Sammie has an orthodontist appointment in Birmingham (one hour away) pretty early in the morning (9:30). Mark and I will be taking her. She has to get another mold of her mouth, for the 'screw in' retainer. Ack! She's totally freaked out about the retainer. It's going to be a trial getting her to comply with (Number 1) Getting it on. and (Number 2) Letting Momma (me - aren't I lucky?) widen it every night. Oh lawdy!! But - tomorrow, we are just getting the mold done. Whew!

And Saturday night - Sammie is having her birthday party - a sleepover. Yippeee! All I have to say is -

THANK GOD FOR BASEMENTS!!!!

And while we’re at it – can I get an “Amen!!” I think she’s invited six girls. Oh me, oh my – will they all show up? So far, it sounds like they will. Wish me well. Wish me peace. I hope I get through it.

And then Sunday – dun dun dun…

SAMMIE TURNS THIRTEEN YEARS OLD!!!

Holy mackerel – my little itty bitty baby girl – a teenager! What on earth? How did that happen? Now we already went over this Lisa is so old thing this week – we may just have to go over it all over again.

I will be the mother of three teenagers.

Whoa.

That right there’s some CRAZY SAUCE.

Ok, and while I’m over here reeling from that reality – my home will be invaded by countless in-laws. Well, ok, not countless – talk to me after Thanksgiving, we will have a whole crapload of people that day! LOL But – we are having a family party here Sunday. We’ll be celebrating Sammie’s birthday and Danny’s birthday. Danny is Mark’s cousin’s husband. We do ‘monthly parties’ – whoever has a birthday that month gets celebrated. Right before we moved here they were doing them all separately. They decided then that that was just crazy sauce. LOL

Danny’s turning 40. I told his wife, Kim, that we better not give him too much crap, because, in the spring – she and I will both be turning 40. And gosh knows he’ll probably get us back and then some!

So yeah, busy weekend – by the time it’s done, I’ll be old. Mom of three teens? What the hell? Goofy!

I’m in the middle of reading a series of awesome young adult vampire books – I think I’ll go read a little and get myself to sleep – rest up for the chaos that awaits…..