Saturday, May 30, 2009

9 days. That's all. 9 days of school left It seems like it was just yesterday that I took this......


It sure is bittersweet. I will be glad of the release of schedule and be able to have more freedom. Yet I cringe to lose the structure and schedule of it. We are already getting glimpses of what could be if we don't keep busy this summer. Lord, give me patience :)

And I need some input. We leave for camping just days after the kids get out of school and I need some help thinking of good camping meals. I usually pick things that are WAY impractical for the simplicity of camping. So any ideas? What do you guys take and make during camping trips??

Thursday, May 28, 2009

I will attempt to keep myself in check while posting this, although there are no promises that that will actually happen. But I will try.

My little boy got his heart broken. Not Thomas, thankfully he is still blissfully unaware of the opposite sex. I mean my BIG little boy. And all of the drama has left me a little LOT angry. Here's what happened....

Last year was our kid's first year in a new school district. Jonah was entering the third grade and was mad as a hornet that we had moved and hence, he had to switch schools. He's rather shy, my Jonah. Anyway, from the first day f school till the last, he had a crush. She was the prettiest girl in the third grade and ALL the boys liked her. I knew Jonah was smitten just by the way he said her name. I braced myself for this and all was well. Well, at the beginning of this his fourth grade year, I was informed that this girl had chosen my son as her "boyfriend". After I woke up from my fainting spell, I sat down with my son to inquire just what this meant. He was very forthcoming with the facts, which were that being her boyfriend meant nothing. They simply play at recess, with 4 other kids. I was very content with this arrangement. At Christmas, he asked if he could use some of his money and get her a gift and I complied. It was all very cute and innocent. Now fast forward to last night..........

There are a lot of kids in Jonah's school that have their own cell phones. Now, my position on this is that I think it is RIDICULOUS for 1o year old children to have cell phones, STUPID even. If you are reading this, and your young child has their own cell phone, that is YOUR decision. But my children will NOT have cell phones until they are in high school. PERIOD. So my cell phone rang and a sweet, young girl's voice asked if Jonah was home. After I woke up again from yet another fainting spell, I passed the phone to Jonah. The conversation went like this: "Um no." "Well, she is lying." "No." "Ok, bye." He handed me back my cell and walked away. I followed him and asked what was up. He replied, "That was her. She wanted to know if I cheated on her with another girl." He shrugged and walked away. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!??! Did we step into a black hole and somehow land in a parallel universe??? These are 10 YEAR OLDS!!!!! I was shocked, to say the very least. But it gets worse.

Jonah is in bed by 8 on school nights. At 8:05 my cell phone rings again and another girl's voice asks for Jonah. I snuck into his bedroom to see if he was still awake, of course he was :) I handed him the phone and stood and watched him have a conversation that lasted 5 minutes. After it was over, he was very quiet. I asked what was going on. He told me that the call was actually a three way call between his "girlfriend" and two other of her friends. And that she was calling to inform him that she was dumping him for someone else. I could tell that Jonah was not ok with this. I held his hand for a minute, kissed him goodnight, and left his room.

After sitting down for a few minutes, I got very angry. First of all, three way calling???!!! I didn't even do that until late high school!! And I sure as heck didn't do it on a cell phone. And what is with all this boy/girl DRAMA???? How ridiculous is it that this is happening in the fourth grade??? Poor Jonah, is just heartbroken. Does anyone else but me think this is just STUPID?????

Sunday, May 24, 2009

It's official. Summer is here. The camper is up and has been slept in. Smores have been made and eaten. Swimming is happening on a daily basis. Corn on the cob has been purchased. And at least one of us has gotten sunburned :) Bring it on!

Last night, we all slept in the camper. This summer is different and another chapter for us as Thomas is not in the Pack and Play. He gets to sleep on one of the big kid beds. It took him a while to settle down, but then he slept great. It was so awesome to snuggle with Matt while listening to the kids giggle and whisper to each other. It made me remember how much I love camping, it just means we get to be together.

Today we are celebrating my brother. My baby brother, Joshie, is 22. 22!!!!!!!!!!! Golly, I still think he is 12. He is an amazing guy, I am so glad he is my brother.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Time for an update post, although I keep looking at the pics of Jonah below and LOVING them!! Now if I could just get him to shower more than once every two weeks.....

I am going to vent about a pet peeve of mine. :) Because it's my blog and I can. So there.

A few weeks ago, I read the book Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. He also authored The Davinci Code. I loved Angels and Demons. Thought provoking, easy reading and an enjoyable tale. I also knew the movie was coming out and wanted to read it before I saw the film. My mother did the same, so as part of her Mother's Day gift, I gave her tickets to the movie opening night. And we went. And it STANK! Only about 20% of the book made it into the movie! They changed to story line, changed people's names....UGH!!!! Why do they do this??? I have similar experiences with other books turned movies....the Love Comes Softly series...they were my FAVORITE books when I was growing up and the movies are HORRIBLE!!! I just cannot imagine how an author can allow screen writers to change their work so drastically. But then I guess maybe my hopes are just too high.

There is an exception to this, however. Well two exceptions. The first is the Bridge to Terabithia. My mom read this to us when we were little and I loved the story. I boycotted the movie for fear that it too would end up the same, ruined for me in film version. But the movie was lovely, and very close to the book and I enjoyed it immensely. The other is Twilight. I refused to see the movie for the longest time because I knew (from various sources, thank you Misty!) that there were differences from the book. And also because I just had this perfect picture in my head of Edward, Bella and the Cullens and I was sure the actors would ruin those pictures. But here's what happened, I LOVED the movie! Not because of the book, though. I love them separately, if that makes sense. I treated the movie as if I'd never read the book, and in that light, I loved it. I realized I could not hold the standard of the book to the movie. So maybe this is the philosophy I need to hold whenever I see movies that were based on books. But I am still cheesed about Angels and Demons....grrrrr.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Most of you know that my son's hair has been a slight issue for me. I have been trying to let him have it long and do his own thing. We've cut it back a few times. He has such gorgeous, thick hair....but I reached my limit. I needed him to cut it. And cut it huge. Thankfully, his two good buddies at school shaved their heads for the summer so convincing him wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. So he climbed into the barber chair, grumbling and sticking his tongue out at me. I promised him that, if he hated it, I would give him five dollars :) I am not above bribery. Here are before and after shots.....

















HE LIKES IT!!! And I adore it. He looks so much older and so mature. When we got into the van, I burst into tears. I just cannot believe how different he looks!!! What do y'all think???

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

It's Wednesday and, typically on any given Wednesday, you would find Matt and I and assorted children doing our weekly library trip, or at Horrock's sampling cheeses or just snuggling watching a movie. But not today. Matt is working today and I must say that has deeply affected my routine for this day. Not to mention that it is gray and cool. Ick.

And to add serious insult to injury, Sydney only has 2 days left of school. Which means that my gloriously quiet afternoons will now have a 5 year old back in them. *sigh* I am glad that she'll be home, it just means more rearranging. And I am so great at that!

21 days left of school for the older kids which means only 23 days until we go camping!!! I am so excited to be at the campground and making tons of memories. We have promised the kids to camp a lot this summer. Even though the campground is only 15 minutes from home, it feels like we are away on vacation and that is awesome. The kids ride bikes non stop, we hang out at the beach, we get to have campfires, and we get to be together. Really looking forward to it!!

The science fair is tomorrow *gag* Pics to come!!!

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Today's weather was very appropriate to my emotions, gray and stormy. I don't know why I have such issues with Mother's Day, but it's safe to say that I will be so glad to go to bed Sunday night!!!

In other realms, it's science fair time. UGH. Last year, we were introduced to the "Purdy Science Fair". Oh boy. All the kids are encouraged to do a project, but only the third graders are graded on it. Emma was in kindergarten last year so we made a bird feeder out of a milk jug and she painted it. Molli did something with rice and water and Jonah studied goldfish. Well, as I went to deliver said projects, it quickly became evident that this is not simply a kid's science fair. This was a popularity contest. Some of the kindergarten projects could have been done in High School. And the project boards??? Oh don't even get me started. Clearly, many of these kids did NOT do their own projects. I made Jonah write all of his stuff out(bad handwriting and all),I helped some but he did most of the leg work. Isn't that how it's supposed to be?!?!?!? Not here. Not to mention, that if you do not have your child's project at the school AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, there's NO where to put them! Last year, both Emma and Molli's projects were on the GROUND!

So I enter this year's science fair with trepidation. The girls have picked cool experiments and we have documented and made their project boards. Not fancy, but THEY did the work. Well, with a little help from me. And I will be waiting at the gym door AS SOON as it opens to make sure they get a spot. After all, I have to play part of the game, right??

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Ok time for a whining post....aren't you glad you decided to stop by?? :)

This has been a tough week for Matt and I. There is too much history and too many gory details to go into, but it's been a tough week. I have felt isolated and alone for the first time in many years. It truly reminded me of when we lived in a place where I had no friends and no one to sob my heart out to. I have literally gotten NOTHING done this week. The house is a mess and I've been sleepy and groggy. I can sense the depression hovering. And even though it's been this way, God has given me glimpses of joy. Thomas potty training...who knew that could bring me joy? Sydney learning to ride her bike. Jonah's MEAP scores....silly little things like this that I feel God has given me to help remind me that I am NEVER really alone. And that He is in the small stuff too. That's good, because I've needed Him there this week.

Part of my depression is this coming Sunday. Mother's Day has been rough for me for many reasons. One of them is that I feel so inadequate in expressing my gratitude and love for my mother. It seems so silly to have a dinner, give a card and a gift and that that somehow encapsulates how I feel about her. I could give her all the gifts in the world and never come close to showing how much she means to me. And being a mother, it's a tough day. In my opinion, there should be a totally random "Mom Day" where we could shower our moms with celebration of who they are and what they've done for us. That would mean so much more than Hallmark cards and potted plants, in my opinion.

So there you have it, my whining post. Now please excuse me while I go and eat everything that isn't nailed down.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Man, I love this weather. It feels like it's been a long time since I've been able to send the kids to school in sweatshirts and flip flops. I've missed being able to play outside and have bonfires and ride bikes. Speaking of bike riding, I must brag on my Sydney girl. We really don't have anywhere to ride bikes at our house, no sidewalks, etc. Although, the bigger kids have made bike trails around the house, but it wasn't a good place to teach Syd to ride without her training wheels. So we hauled the bikes to a local park. Within a half an hour, she was off and riding!! Not only that, but Sunday she was so determined to ride on her own that she taught herself to get her bike going on her own! I'm so hugely proud of her. We took a very long bike ride yesterday and she was a pro..I am so glad to be done with training wheels!!

In other fantastic Kurtz news, Thomas is potty training!! He has gone two whole days with no accidents, even during naps! He woke up this morning with a dry diaper and asking to go to the bathroom. He even runs in from outside to go pee! I am so thrilled!! Just in time for Mother's Day, I couldn't think of a better gift!!

Today is also Cinco de Mayo. We are not Hispanic, too Irish for that :) But nevertheless, we are having a Cinco deMayo dinner celebration today! I am making chicken empandas and we're drinking Spanish soda. I can't believe how excited the kids are!

I've begun laying the groundwork for our summer plans. Matt doesn't get any vacation time in the summer so we have to plan things that are close by or that we can do on a Wednesday or Sunday. So far, we are going camping (we can do that because the campground is right near Matt's work so he can go to work from there), headed to Michigan Adventure, Craig's Cruisers, and a ton of fun stuff when my brother and his family are here for a few weeks in July. Can't wait!!