40 and 5 - Big Day

 FEB. 28 - Now that we have 3 kids who head off to school early, we always try to cram in presents, singing and special birthday breakfast before 7:30.  It's tricky but can be done.

Little Man could hardly contain himself about his special day.

 My Man gave me a really hard time about taking my early morning photo.  I guess he sees through my vanity.  So for his sake, here's the dreaded photo - ah natural.  (See Babe, maybe I'm not as self-conscious as it appears.)

 Josiah was shocked to get a tool workbench...something he never asked for and didn't know he was getting, but loved.

 Loved so much he couldn't keep his tongue in his mouth.

 In my opinion one big plus of the kids growing up is that I never have to assemble ANYTHING!  I know you can't see this photo well but here they are, eating their eggs and bacon and each putting together a different toy that Little Man just opened.

 And for my big 40th birthday, Ruth gave me these beautiful weeds flowers to display.

 Lydia joined in on the gift idea and picked these that needed to be displayed in a bowl due to their lack of stems.

 AB was embarrassed to hand me this chunk of change.  She said she was sorry that it was money and not a gift but it's hard to shop without mom when you attend school every day.  She had to give me coins because she only had 2 twenties.  I told her twenties would have been fine.  :)

Caleb was broke so he washed my car for me - I enjoyed that labor of love.

 I always enjoy sharing my birthday with my Little Man.  He loves his birthday so much.

He wanted canned chicken noodle soup (ick) and watermelon for lunch.  I had to bite the bullet and spend $8 on a piddly, tasteless watermelon in February.  He couldn't have been happier.

 For dinner, My Man took us out to eat at Chili's.  (Thanks so much, Babe.)  We came home totally stuffed so I passed on the Toffee Truffle Cake but the Fish Sticks had their fill.

Thanks so much to My Man for making my 40th special.  Thanks to my 4 high school friends who called or emailed me.  Thanks to my college roommate for celebrating with me.  Thanks to my TN best friend who moved to my hometown but still makes huge efforts to show me distance doesn't matter in our friendship.  And thanks to my family for my cards, calls and presents.  Thanks to Grandma for baking me a cake and another one for Little Man.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family - by birth and by marriage.  I enter the "Middle Ages" with happiness and joy!

Blog Book 2011

 YEAH!  I'm so excited.  My 2011 blog book arrived this past week.  Like I've mentioned before, I blog so that I can print my blog yearly and for right now it's my scrapbooking substitute.  We love looking at our blog books and reading stories of our family.

 It's a nice hardback book and it literally took me 20 minutes to "make" and order.  I just chose the color of the cover (to match the family photo on the front), the photo for the front and back and the title and intro page.  It comes with an index and everything is put together for me.  I paid a little extra for the 2nd book that we made to have the captions and photos placed where they are in the blog instead of saving space.  It made more sense that way.

Our book was $130 with 317 pages.  Not bad considering what I used to spend on scrapbooking supplies and printed photos.  You can do the same at this link.  If you do, say that I referred you because they just started a referral program where you can earn points and help discount your next blog book purchase.

The Next Decade

This week a big event occurs in the Fish House.  Tomorrow I will spend my last day in my 30's because Tuesday I hit the big 4th decade of my life. 

Old is such a relative thing, isn't it?  I remember when I thought 30 was old.  I was a senior in high school when my mom hit 40 and I knew for sure that 40 was old...but here I am.  I think I'm o.k. with "old."  All my "older" friends have told me the 40's are great.  One friend even challenged me to do a Bible study on the number 40 because she said it has huge significance and blessings.  I plan on doing that and I'll get back with you on what I found.  But for now I've quit yanking the gray, course hairs from my head and praying over the Oil of Olay each morning.  It's all good.

My wonderful Man wanted to do something nice for me to mark this special occasion.  Not long ago he brought me into his office and in a disappointed voice explained to me that he had a surprise birthday party planned for 12 friends in our home complete with a massage therapist and caterer.  The problem was that his caterer fell through and he was hitting dead ends.  Just knowing that he had thought of such a sweet plan for me made my heart flutter.  We thought for a while and I made the suggestion that we stick with the plan, but downsize to just me and my best friend and roommate from college whom I rarely get to see.

So yesterday My TERRIFIC Man held down the fort here with the HUGE help of our eldest daughter (who orchestrated the Fish Sticks to make me cards and have the house picked up while I was gone) and he sent me first to shop for myself by myself.  This was such a huge treat for me and I enjoyed every minute of it.  Then I met Melissa at the massage therapist where we both enjoyed an hour long massage.  When we were 100% Jello and could barely walk to the truck, we headed to Amerigo's for a yummy Italian lunch.  It was PERFECT!!!  I returned to a tidy home, happy kids, a fabulous husband, having all my kinks and squeaks well-rubbed out, loaded with great deals on clothes and boots, a full tummy and just plain ole happy and blessed!

I have 2 more days until the actual date of my 40th but I also have a 4 year old Little Man who shares this special day with me and can't wait until he turns 5.  He told me that he wanted a "half princess half ninja Lego" birthday.  I looked at him with a "What kind of birthday is that?" kind of look and he said, "Mom, the princess half is for YOU!"  Oh yea.  Thanks, Little Man.  Isn't he so thoughtful?

Good Bye Basketball

Well basketball is officially over.  Both the big Fish Sticks had "totally defeated" seasons, as my eldest refers to it.  There were NOT any close games, nor any semi-close games.  They were all blow outs.  One game they quit adding to the score board and another the ref let us take our free throws half way between the free throw line and the goal.  (Sigh!)

In my non-competitive opinion, sometimes these kinds of seasons are just part of being a new school.  Like I've told you before, I was on the start up teams twice in soccer for high school and college.  I lost a soccer game 30 to 0!  I went an entire season with my team only scoring once.  About 6 years later, the same soccer team were champs.  It's just part of paving the way to success. 

The Fish Sticks never got down.  They never wanted to throw in the towel and quit.  They both started and played most of each game.  They improved greatly from last year and would tell anyone that they enjoyed playing.  That's what matters, right?

Next year, they better beat the socks off of everyone!  That's all I gotta say.

New Discoveries

When I was a teenager, I recall telling myself that I was going to be a cool mom.  I would know the trends, would be on top of the Top Ten Pop Music List and not do anything to embarrass my kids.  I can't tell you I've fulfilled my aspirations.  I have tried to weed my closet out of all my "Mom Jeans" that rose above my belly button although I accidentally called my "muffin top" a "mushroom top" once.  I can't sing the Top Ten Pops songs anymore.  I don't know if they even call it Pop music anymore, but I will say that I don't listen to elevator music nor tell my kids to turn "that blasted music down."  I haven't permed my hair in years and I just got my first pair of skinny jeans (which frankly reminded me quite a bit of my Guess pegged zip-up-the leg jeans from high school).

But on the other hand, sometimes I'm just really late on the latest trends.

For months I've heard the word Pandora thrown around in various circles.  I vaguely remember the story of Pandora's Box from high school but never took the effort to ask or explore what folks were raving about.

I regret not being more curious.  Yesterday I heard it again....Pandora.  I went to my computer and typed in www.pandora.com and I am in love!

My childhood years were filled with music, so much so that my Dad would yank my boom box plug out of the wall because I never turned my radio off when I left the room.  I am queen of Name That Tune, much to My Man's dismay.  It doesn't matter the genre.  I just seem to have filled my brain with countless lyrics that have found a place to sit in my long term memory.

And thanks to Pandora, the last 24 hours have been filled with 80's music, Classic Rock, Disney Soundtracks and Country Gospel Hymns.  At lunch I'm jammin' with Bon Jovi and right now I'm tapping my toes to Johnny Cash.  Go figure.  I'm happy and the Fish Sticks are too because my music is producing a ton of memories and stories - some they have never heard, not to mention dance moves they've never seen their mother perform.

Maybe I'm the only middle aged (yikes - I said it!) mom out there to just discover such a wonderful, free web site, but if not, don't put it off.  Crank it up, sing and dance!

Fat Tuesday

 Happy Mardi Gras From the Fish Family

(no one got the baby yet....maybe at breakfast)

Me Brush Your Teeth - You Brush Mine

I feel like I'm constantly looking for and trying new, creative ways to settle disagreements and petty nit-pickin' in the Fish House. 

The morning had just begun.  I was putting on my make-up and these 2 monkeys just wouldn't let up with the tattle tale, pestering, fussing and arguing.  Finally I had had enough.  Their punishment?  Brush each others teeth.

It proved to be a WONDERFUL way to make them serve one another, be gentle with each other (as it would be YOUR OWN turn next), and end up laughing lots and lots.

I like it and it's been officially added to the creative punishment list!

Lunch Love Notes

I thought mamas were supposed to leave sweet notes in their children's lunch boxes.

I was one happy Mama to be on the receiving end!!

Love Campaign

 Recently I read this article and decided to go on a "Love Campaign" for the month of February (and maybe longer), which seemed fitting with Valentine's.  I made this poster taken from I Cor 13:4-5.  Each supper after family devotions, we practice saying this verse from memory.  We have been talking about ways to show one another God's love and point out using this Scripture the times when we don't show love.  It's been great for ALL of us!

 For Valentine's Day I usually do some sort of little baggies for the Fish Sticks filled with Valentine trinkets.  This year we tried something new.  After school we headed to Dunkin Donuts for some heart shaped doughnuts.  Since doughnuts are few and far between in our house, the surprise was very welcome. 

 And then in keeping with family tradition that dates back to my childhood, I made Berry Cherries on a Cloud (recipe found here).  It's as delicious as it is pretty.  Hope your Valentine's was as sweet as ours!

Valentine's Parties

 Friday the school Fish Sticks had their class Valentine's parties.  At our school, they aren't your typical Valentine's parties.  Many of the classes took the opportunity to show love to others by making Valentine cards for children in an orphanage and studying what the Bible has to say about God's love and how we can show that love to others.  They were not permitted to exchange store bought cards, but make homemade cards that encouraged each other in the Lord.  They also were to create a box for their Valentines that would be judged on creativity and using God's Word as their theme.

Leah created a refrigerator out of a shoebox.

 Inside was the fruits of the Spirit.  She won the ribbon for most creative.

 Anna Blair made a school locker out of a Saltine cracker box.

 Her theme was the passage in Timothy to study to show yourself approved unto God.  She also won first place for most creative.  Way to go, girls!

And this Little Peanut didn't make valentines or a box but wanted her picture made with Maggie, her baby, since I had the camera out.

A Pirate Missionary

 If you got my Christmas newsletter (via email this year), you read that Little Man is very into his future occupation.  He changes it almost daily and with each change comes the phrase, "I promise.  I will never change my mind again.  This will be what I'm gonna be and I'M SERIOUS!"  It's become a little household joke around here.  He's been a fireman, police man, knight, face painter, and ninja.

The latest occupation is pirate.  He was very distraught when the older Fish Sticks informed him that pirates are bad guys.  He came to me almost in tears asking if ALL pirates were bad guys.  I hesitated to tell him the truth.  It's like asking me if all robbers are bad guys.  I told him that all the pirates I knew of were bad, but that didn't mean he couldn't be a good pirate...the FIRST good pirate. 

Later he asked me if pirates know Jesus.  I told him that I doubted it since they live to steal from others and cause a lot of ruckus.  He thought for a minute and then proclaimed, "Well, I am going to be a GOOD pirate and I'm going to tell them all about Jesus!"

So watch out world, possibly the first pirate missionary is in the making!!

5th Grade Basketball

 AB is in her 2nd year of basketball also.  Last year she was part of the middle school team as a 4th grader because there were not enough middle schoolers to make a team.  She didn't get to play much and really didn't know much about the game. 

This year a dad at school volunteered to take the 5th grade girls and coach them in a local rec league.  AB has learned so much about basketball this year and has thoroughly enjoyed it.  She has gone from passive and hesitant to down-right aggressive.  It's been fun to watch her transformation.  She gets to play quite a bit in the game and although they have not won a game yet either, she really has enjoyed this year.

 Despite the fact that the girls on the opposing team are probably taller than me, her little team has hung in there, kept their spirits high and played their hearts out.  And what we tell AB after her games is the same thing my soccer coach told us in high school when we got beat 30-0 (yes, soccer), "You girls sure are prettier!"  And they are.  :)

JV Basketball

 We are in the full swing of basketball season right now.  Last year as a 5th grader, Caleb was on the middle school team because the highest grade at our school was 7th grade.  This year is a bit different as our school has added 8th grade, putting Caleb on the JV team.  He doesn't have near the number of games he had last year, but he has made some big improvements in his skills, not to mention he gets tons more play time on the court than he did last year. 

 Although the boys haven't won any games, Caleb has been very aggressive and seems to really like the game.  Whoo Hoo - Go Fishy!

On another note, can anyone enlighten me on what to set my fancy camera on for taking indoor, gymnasium, action photos???  I take tons of photos at the games and they are all so blurry.  I tried the sports setting, with and without a flash and 99% look like a blur.  The other 1% look like the one above....not the best photo.  I'd appreciate any help I can get - from a girl who hates to read directions!