To Facebook or Not to Facebook

My brother Chris recently closed his facebook account. I swore I would never, EVER, have one!!! SO what did I do last weekend, open a facebook account.

I made "friends" with Annie first, which linked me to my nieces, Chelsea and Veronica. I was happy to be "talking" to them again but by the end of the weekend I was so sad. My brother Mike is not well and doesn't talk to my folks and I haven't seen him or his family in 11 years. My younger sibs have gotten in touch with him over the years. I email him now and again but it can be so painful I stop after awhile. getting in touch with his kids just reminded me how much my kids and I were missing. I don't think I could handle opening them, or myself up to visiting him and being disappointed...again. They live in Missouri now so a visit would be a very long trip with unknown results? Jack and Kate already miss their NC cousins terribly. To have another set that they would have fun with and then not see for another 11 years...why expose yourself to that?? (See I am talking myself out of it)

On another note: I joined a St. John's group...my elementary school and there were pictures posted from some kids (they are 40+ now) who went to school with my brother Steven. They had been commenting about him and it was so cool to know how much people care after all these years. Seeing them and hearing their stories has been great. I will be sharing their stories and pics over my next few posts. It has been sad but wonderful. Half of my facebook friends are kids that Steven went to school with.

My brother Steven is the boy on the right, holding up the number one! He was the coolest.

The Right Stuff

"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies."

Mother Teresa

(I had to add a quote at the top. Cathy, I love your quotes and needed to add some depth to my existence and my blog!)

I know I brag about my kids a lot but I just have to write about something my son did yesterday. There was an assembly in our gymacafetorium for the PSSA's ending and each student received an award for attendance, behavior and working hard. It was an hour long and kids will pick at each other even with teachers in the room. I saw Jack sitting there with his friends, having fun laughing and joking on the top row. All is good, right? Well he told me later another 7th grader was getting picked on in front of him. The kid told them to stop but they kept on calling him names and trying to poke him. The kid was getting visibly upset and they kept it up and tried to get Jack involved. He wouldn't do it and told the kid move up by him so the others would leave him alone. A little act of kindness that probably meant a great deal to that kid. They tried to get the kid to tell the guidance counselor but he wouldn't. Of course, I try to make a big deal out of it and Jack gets mad. "It's no big deal mom." I guess that's the cool thing about Jack. He really didn't see it as a big deal because it is so much a part of him and who he is. How did I get such a great kid? If he knew I was writing this he would be annoyed.

Dear God,

Thank you for the gift of my children

Thank you for giving me the guidance to raise such

a sensitive loving person

Help keep them safe and continuing on the right path.

Help them continue to make good choices.

I feel like I need to say a dozen rosaries in thanksgiving for all that I have. I can be a catty, mean spirited person at times. Everyone thinks I'm this great Catholic or something. I don't always feel that way. I am grateful for what I have. Great family and friends and kids that want to hang out with me. I haven't been to confession in years. Maybe that's what I need to "clean" my soul!

Enough introspection. Yuck!
Enjoy the rest of your Saturday! I'm making homemade meatballs and sauce. Kate made homemade chicken salad earlier. Very yummy.

Copyright Infringement or Homemade Gift?

"It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how!"

Dr. Suess, "The Cat in the Hat"

I love simple fun. We were invited to my good friend's son's birthday, last Saturday. (what a mouthful!)He turned 4 and you would think my kids had been invited to a King's Palace. They hear Casey talk about her kids all the time and they love her nieces. Of course "no gift please, just come." but I love giving gifts so, the kids and I thought for awhile about what to make. Anyone that knows me, knows how I love books on tape. (I should start calling them audiobooks) My old SAAB only had a cassette player and we would go to the Mary S Beisecker library every Friday that I was on maternity leave with Kate and then Sat's when I went back to work. We would take out their books and cassettes. I would make copies of the tapes sometimes and mix songs with stories and it make our road trips so much fun. (This story is actually a separate blog, so I'll finish that another time)

Anyway, those cassettes are gone now (eaten by the player) and I upgraded to CD's. But I have no little kid books on CD. Well itunes does! For 95 cents to about 2.95 for the longer stories each we got Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, Green Eggs and Ham, Where the Wild Things Are, and two Curious George stories. I downloaded them on the computer and burned them to a CD. We made them two CD's for them. I did have Frog and Toad on CD so we burned that for them too.

Here is the "cover art" by Kate for the CD and Jack made the card( Above)





Remember: Have FUN!

Family Conversations

We have some insightful conversations at our dinner table, car rides, doing dishes, etc. I find myself not listening sometimes and feel guilty because what they have to say is important and some day, in the not so distant future, they will be away at school and I'll be...alone.

Anyway, sometimes I will pose a silly question, just to see what they think. Like, "who is your favorite Simpson character: Bart. (They live vicariously through him.) Who do you dislike the most: Marge "She's smart but she stays with Homer even though he is a bad parent/husband/alcoholic".....interesting thought children...I guess (hope) in their minds I have earned points for leaving their dad.

They are developing a healthier attitude towards alcohol. And not that I ever want them to drink but as little children, (5 & 6) they would get visibly upset if they saw it...I got a Christmas gift once ..a bottle of wine from our Superintendent..and the comment was made "That's not any kind of present! Why would someone give you that." Then the other day we got a promo card in the mail for a 'Murphy's Pub' I almost bought some until I saw the mug of beer on it and said they couldn't wear them to school. Comment: "Kids wear Hooters T-shirts and that's worse" True oh so true my little cherubs. Only 11 and 13 and they know the reference to Hooters on a t-shirt. We didn't buy them.

Kate took a career interest test and came out being an interior designer, Jack was a cop last year. The Moon project is completed after about 20 plus hours of work. In two weeks it's the state exams and some pressure will be relieved! If you don't watch the Simpsons, you missed a good one Sunday night. Springfield Elementary was getting ready for the VPAT's (Vice Presidential Aptitude Tests) as part of "No Child Left Alone" act and "how well you do on these will determine how much federal money this school gets" It was so appropriate for this time of year. I hate that so much rides on those exams. It is frustrating.

Hope you have a great weekend! Tomorrow is Friday and our Life Skills class is selling Starbucks coffee!! Yum!