FINALLY!

Some of us will be taking a little break.



Stilts

I tried M's graduation shoes on, the shoes she picked out herself. As King Ralph and I stood in her room staring at the shoes before, I, tried them on, all we could say was "these are stilts!"  You can't even begin to imagine the difficulty it took for me to try to stand in the shoes, let alone think about taking a step. King Ralph helped me keep my balance as I teetered. 

When I look back at M's last 18 years, life has really been about walking on stilts, teetering through life.  If we aren't all walking on stilts then I'd venture to say we aren't really living, navigating and trying to keep balance as we all grow--parent and child. When I take the time to allow for reflection of every little stumble, trip, and wobble in M's growing year; its has been totally worth it.

Although I couldn't, wouldn't even attempt to try to balance in the shoes M wore last night...the shoes she wears most of the time...somehow she just knows how to work'em. Keeping balance. Just as she does in life.

So I say to my M, who was once the cutest little muncher and is now a gorgeous tall young lady... keep wearing those stilts through life and work'em!

Just remember: if you trip or fall while at Missouri State University, just like when you were little, we're here to help you stand up and catch your balance again.

Thank a Teacher

I SENT:
Ladies-
Often high school teachers are looked past by parents; appreciation goes unrecognized.

With that said I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for instilling, molding in Maddi passion and drive, creating for her-- a future goal. Favorite teachers have a special place forever in the heart of a student. Tomorrow as Maddi walks out the doors of LHS moving on with her future, please know you two are that mark on Maddi’s heart.

Thank you for adding to her successses at Lindbergh!


REPLIES:
Thank you for the sweet words. You have raised a lovely young woman who exemplifies what high school should be about. She enjoyed her experience, she tried hard, she was seriously involved...what more could you want. I have loved getting to know and work with Maddi over the last three years. She is a special young lady and will miss her bubbly personality.


Congratulations!

AND
 
Maddi was one of the most wonderful students I have had. She is so bright and has such a caring heart. I can't believe the amount of activities DECA accomplished this year under her leadership! I know she will be successful in her endeavors. I will miss her.

Melancholy, All Because of Monday's Last Lunch

I did it. I really did it. I just packed M’s last lunch for school on a Monday. Sure there is still Tuesday and Wednesday to go; but before I know it the school years will having me packing one lone lunch in a brown sack to send out the door. Sniffle, sniffle.

There will be a bitter sweetness in packing that very last lunch Wednesday morning. For years I have been schlepping around the kitchen early in the morning grabbing this and grabbing that to toss into sacks…well back in the days it was lunch boxes; when they were still cool to carry. Today however I packed a special bakery treat with a special note written on the label. Corny maybe, but that’s me and my girls like that. The world needs more corny. I often oblige and the girls love me for it!

Last lunches make the mind roll back into reflection mode, which is exactly where I aim to go. Bear with me if get a little kumbaya and melancholy.

M, so affectionately nicknamed Maddi Phyl by Princess A. Princess A’s sweet squeaky three year old voice singing out to her new infant sister and playmate--“no-no Maddi Phyl” and it stuck. By fourth grade Mrs. Kunze had nick named you Madders and that stuck too. My little Punky Brewster you came into this world with more hair than I have ever known your father to have. Your skin as red as a hot chili pepper. Your little eyes sunk to your nose. You were then and are still loveable. You could then and still can make me madder than hell, madder than any of your sisters. You let me kiss your cheeks a hundred times to heal your heart when needed and you let my sternness (and daddy’s) teach you life’s tough lessons. Even if it meant serving some time in, what did your friends call your long grounding? Ah, yes, “jail”. At three losing your glasses in a toy box and your wee person response to where the glasses were of, “I dunno” was minor in comparison to the teen shenanigans you tried to pull—but never got away with. Aaaahhh, growing up. Never Easy.

Why did my M need her heart healed with kisses? There were your three eye surgeries. Your last crushed me more than you ever knew and no matter how many times I told you that you God was merely perfecting you, it never helped. You needed that space to be alone to work through it during those formidable teen years, to realize you have the Gift of Mercy. Nothing, nothing I tell you was more heart wrenching then strapping that scoliosis back brace on you and sending you out the door into the world of hallways filled with judgment wearing that dam plastic beast. I smiled at you, encouraged you, hugged and kissed you and then walked to a room to cry my mother’s tears. So when you left for high school on that first day and we struck a deal that you didn’t have to wear that brace-- you referred to as “Helga” (because it must have felt like a stern German grandmother strapped to your back)-- for the day…a little relief was had, if only for a little while. While you left feeling like the ugly duckling I knew your swan-self was in there and you needed to find and believe what we all knew you had buried inside you. By the summer before tenth grade you shed the back brace, the braces on your teeth, your contacts were popped in your eyes and I could hear Paul McCartney singing: blackbird singing in the dead of night take these broken wings and learn to fly all your life you were only waiting for this moment to arise.


I have been your supporter through friendship woes—good and bad. I have been your shoulder to lean on when your heart was broken, reminding you how beautiful you are. I have been your cheerleader when you performed on the fields. I have been here for you as you struggle to say good-bye to high school and hello to the unknown that lies ahead. No matter how stressful it has been switching you back and forth from college choice one to college choice two and back to choice one again…the stress is always worth not allowing you to look back on life and have regret.

So while you left for your first day of high school “feeling” like the ugly duckling, you will walk out those doors of Lindbergh High School on Thursday morning knowing and believing that you are a beautiful swan. Our crowned princess. High school turned out to be …how did Mrs. Yancey put it… you have been very successful in high school and it has been good to you, so saying good-bye is difficult. You showed the world of green and gold your style, your leadership qualities, your loyal friendship, your beauty and your heart. For that it has been a pleasure and a joy watching you become a young woman.

It because of this that I love you unconditionally!

My Maddi Phyl, my Madders.

Love, Mom

Dear Princess A Sorry To Say But There Is New Royality Among Us (and her titled isn't self proclaimed)

Prom.

Finding THE dress on the sale rack of ShaleyBug $52
Dress alterations $30
The perfect shoes $60
Earrings, Necklace, bracelet and clutch $40
Vintage 1950's styled hair $15
Boutonniere with a peacock feather $12
Portion of the limo $56
My girlie looking like a million bucks PRICELESS!
Being crowned a Senior Prom Princess DOUBLE PRICELESS!!

Reason I Haven't Been Blogging

1. spending to much time seeking safety in the basement

2. drawing up plans to build an arc...5 days of rain and the mote around my house is about to overflow

3. menu planning: tea sandwiches, scones and English tea for the royal wedding watching party

4. busy mowing grass between rain drops while wearing wellies
(come to think of it I should probably think about planting a rice field on the side of my house)

5. can probably be found steaming the wrinkles from a prom gown and bedazzling an umbrella to match

I'll be back Sunday with fun prom picks and stories. Till then...  

Not So Much A Good Friday

Yesterday was a day I devoted to scrubbing my frig out, dusting and grocery shopping--dreaming of Ina Garten's Orange Glazed Ham that will grace my Easter feast table...

Most of the day was spent either beating the rain fall, glued to the TV watching "storm mode" or huddling...in of all places Walmart.

Yep huddling in Walmart is what I said!

 I have woke to realize there is no visual effects to being part of a "code black". Which means Walmart locks the doors and instructs its customers that a tornado has been spotted in the area and everyone must gather in the center of the store till an all clear is announced.  Huddling in the center of the store with Walmart mutants is really no fun. They allowed customers to continue shopping which was okay if you were in the market for Huggies diapers, an exersaucer or St. Louis Cardinal paraphernalia; because that is all that was in the center of the huddle zone.  Lucky me the restrooms were in the center cause I needed to pee like a race horse. When I entered the restroom I found around 20 mother and children seeking safety sitting on the nasty bathroom floor, ick! King Ralph moseyed over to electronics to see if the gazillion flat screen TV's were channeled to the weather. [They] "don't turn the TVs to weather in order not to panic the customers". Like a mandated center of the store huddle doesn't ensue panic. Dam, one pre-tween was crying before the wind even started to howl. I don't know about you but hearing my local weatherman tell me Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers came to town this week because they new our area was the hot storm mecca of the week and pointing out the deep red swirled areas on the map is more comforting than a Walmart "code black".  As I stood in the huddle listening to the storm grow in intensity, believing grapefruit size hail was turning my truck into Swiss cheese...turns out there was no hail just the fattest rain drops falling in gallon dumps along with roaring winds.  All this because I wanted some jelly beans.

While King Ralph and I huddled in Walmart we worried about Princess A who was in St. Charles on a party bus celebrating a friend's twenty-first birthday, M at work and D in the city at a restaurant celebrating one of her besties sixteenth birthday. When in "storm mode" mother hen and her rooster want their little chicks close by.  Turns out while our little chicks were fine our communities where hit yet again, neighbors crumbled, airport closed down....  When will this freaky wrath of weather stop? Dear God it's really enough now!  When you can walk away with your life it gives new meaning to Easter blessings.

While yesterday's non-stop storms have passed, birds seem to be singing their morning songs today, we wait...not just for Easter's blessings, its feast of ham, colored eggs and those treasured jelly beans, but MORE STORMS!

(the skies are darking as I type)      

Wordless Wednesday

Lately I've Been Passing The Time Watching The Eagle

Video streaming by Ustream

The Girl Who Changed My Name

Twenty-one years ago I gazed down at this beautiful face

and the beautiful face gazed back at me. 

In that moment I became "mom".

One of many of the happiest days of my life.

Happy Birthday Princess A! 

I love you!!  

Season: Sprinter

Who needs words when a picture tells the whole story--yuck!

Expecting 4 inches.

It's About Celebrating The Life That Was

While I Was Doing Laundry

While I was doing laundry my pilot nephew was busy having just another day at the office.

The best part of this first day of Spring, besides being proud of my nephew, is wearing my sunglasses and flip flops not just because but because the weather becons it.  Grilling ribs and chicken, listening to music on the deck and sipping ginger ale.

I forgot to mention there are 49 days in the school year for me and D. Five days less for M.  Is counting down wrong?  H-E-double-L, NO!   

Soon To Be In The Arms of God

Just like the weather has changed dramatically this week (snow on Monday, 83* today) so has the health of our beloved band director/teacher. The warrior fought a good battle. Sometimes you are called to lay down your weapon and make peace with the beast.   

And so we pray.

 

Throw Me a Roll And Pour on the Apple Butter While You're At It!

When I return to work next week I will hear stories of co-workers trips to Vegas and Disney. I am certain the stories will be filled with fun memories but can they say they went to Sikeston? Not just Sikeston but Lambert's--home of the throwed roll?

That's right, for my spring break the girls and I took a two hour drive southeast for lunch. We took D's bestie who had never been. Turns out catching rolls flying across a restaurant was not her strong point--as one clubbed her in the head. When a roll clubs your head it's kind of a killjoy for future roll catching. 


The idea was on a Wednesday the place would be empty; the wait lines short...where sharing the bowls of pass arounds--fried okra, fried potatoes, black eyed peas, macaroni and tomatoes--wouldn't be an issue. Ha! Not the case.  It seems everyone traveling the highway desires a throwed roll. Along with  a heaping plate of food...

Roast beef anyone? I moved the carrots to make space for the fried potatoes, 'cause mashed taters isn't enough startch.

Maybe you'd prefer chicken fried steak and a baked sweet potato? With a liter size cup of beverage?

To ease anyone's panic that we actually ate the ginormous portions of foods...we left with boxes, all of us.  Ate half of the leftovers for dinner with yet enough left for lunch again tomorrow.

Since this is spring break we decided to be spontaneous and take a side trip to the Trail of Tears State Park.

(the muddy Missippi River is earning her nickname with

 extra muddy waters from a harsh winter and tornadoes)

My letter to Jefferson City would go something like this:

Dear State of MO

First you messed with me by letting the bats hybernate a bit longer, keeping the cave closed with no warning posted on the park's website.  Now today you have the visitor center at the Trail of Tears closed.  Not to mention the roads to the campgrounds.  How's a girl to investigate if she wants to park her home on wheels on your turf?  Quit jerking us!

There was one campground open--yuck! That is all I have to say.  I am not crazy about trains blazing in my camping backyard.  Done it before.  Not a fond memory...or a good night's sleep! D's bestie who has never camped before looked at me and said seems like the camp spots are awful close together. She's right! You could reach out and snag a beer from your neighbors cooler, that's how close the sites are. In the end I have decided we can skip the idea of building a fire and roasting our marshmallows here.  

It was fun day. I think this might end up being the highlight adventure of our spring break.     

Before The Snow

Last Saturday was a beautiful day.  The kids were in shorts. The sun was shining and the camper was begging to meet the truck's hitch for the first time. So. Off a camping we went.

We picked our state park soley for the purpose of touring the cave.  Inside the visitor center the time line of the cave's history there was a line that read, "go gaga for Onondaga". Ha! Because close by was a sign that read "Bat Hybernation Cave closed till April 15".  Bologna I say. The cave always opens in March! Why couldn't the website have warned cave seekers of this batty non-sense.  Wake the bats. Tell them daylight saving time was about to kick in.  So what if they are battling white-nose bat syndrome. We wanted the chance to go gaga over Onondaga [Cave].

Nevertheless we had a good over night get away. In 2002 they shut this park down, gutted and rehabbed the entire campground. It is really nice. We had only the company of a couple from Iowa tenting and another family in their mongo fifth wheel.  We all spread far enough apart so not to feel one another's company.

Uli went on her first ever camping trip

since no one was around we defyed the park rules by letting our pouch go leashless

she did take the leash when I went for a run 

the girlies cranked up the music and danced

(we've decided to go one more season with the pop-up

before buying the big boy) 

As the sun was thinking of setting we played B-S

 King Ralph doesn't wear a bullshit face to well

hence all the cards in his hands

Later in the night when the cold night air grabbed hold

we took the cards inside; changed to Uno

and still

King Ralph's sausage fingers grasped the whole deck.

We slumbered.

We made a roaring morning fire.

Ate bratwurst for lunch.

Laughed.

Then came home.

Next Spring Break adventure....   

I Didn't Smell This One Coming

The words Spring-Break usually should include "spring"--

which is officially calendared to begin on March 20. 

Instead we have woke on the first day of break to this:

This photo was snapped at 830am

The snow stopped falling at 10am

All I have to say is...

THIS IS BULLS#*+!!!!!!!

*********

1145am snow coming down again

big-fat-flakes

MORE BULLS#*+!!!!!!!

Do you smell that?

I smell it alright.  It smells like spring break!  In just 7.5 hours--after a half day of work, a staff luncheon and a dreaded training class/test (required by the government) I will be free from scheduled obligation for one week.  YIPPEE!  YIPPEE!   

We aren't escaping town this year for sun and sand.  It is so much more fun to spend a spring break wearing winter coats and long underwear staring at brown grass in the yard.  However that doesn't mean we can't find an adventure or two to experience. At least that is what I am hoping for.

Modeling Vintage

The girls decided a few Friday evenings ago to unearth my treasured fashions: the senior prom dress and my wedding dress.

The prom dress has always been a favorite.  No matter how much I try to convince them to wear it to their own proms; I can't seem to get any takers.  Why I don't know?  It is gorgeous in its aqua cellophane like fabric, with its one sided trio of ruffles.  Believe it or not this circa 1980's piece of fashion could probably be pulled off in 2011.  Acutally the girls are softening to the idea.  The only thing that keeps M from going all vintage to prom is her height and the dress' lack of grace for high heals.  Everyone knows my 5'7 girlie loves to rock those 4 inchers.  (The only thing stopping me from wearing my gown around the house is cough-cough pounds)

My wedding dress has been sealed in a box on a high shelf in the basement storage room going on twenty-four years.  So when they suggested trying it on...I was like go for it!  The air tight seal broken and the pristine white dress with its Corpse Bride-esque vibe (or Beetle Juice-esque aura) popped to life. A wee bit crinkled and rumpled.

The girls danced around the living room modeling my preserved treasures.  M our minor league fashion designer began redesigning the dress...snip this off and that off, add more tulle, cut the sleeves off, rip the waist ruffle off....

switch-a-roo

In the end...why the heck did I save my wedding dress?  To remind me that I was once a skinny beotch. Ya? Maybe. Maybe not.  Actually when my wedding dress was boxed I thought it was the most BEE-U-TEE-FUL thing ever.  No daughter of mine in her right mind would come to me some day asking to walk down the isle in my white wedding frock.  I can envision David Tutera asking why while pouring Kerosine with a strike match in hand. Princess A told me "in fifty years [your dress] will be cool again." 

In fifty years I don't want to be around to find out.

Back in the box went the little white dress.

FLASHBACK

Prom:

My favorite part of this eeeek! picture is the photographer's

desire to create a background with a single fake tree plus the fact that

my date was a bad imitation of Fantasy Island's Mr. Roarke.

WEDDING DAY:

Aaaahhh, my dress looked pretty in 1987. 



Wordless Wednesday