Going back in time.... (repost)

I'm always hearing from people with teenage daughters so I wanted to repost this. It is true for most moms and teens and I've read it a million times when my girls were teens, thanks mama!

Motherhood is not meant for the faint hearted, Dead frogs and the insults of teen-age girls are not for the wimpy-Danielle Steele

My 15 year old daughter came home last week after a 4 day trip to South Texas. I knew she was home because the air was suddenly full of criticism.
"Mom,you aren't wearing that to the store are you?"
"Mom can't you cook something I like?"
"Mom, you are the most over-protective parent on the planet!"
Lauren's comments on every move I make and every word I say have made me feel like I need to stand perfectly still and not utter a sound if I want to survive the remainder of her high school years with my self-esteem intact. Unfortunately, that's rather impractical as I have 3 other children and a boatload of responsibilities. I console myself by realizing that,if ever captured my an army of militants,I could probably survive any torture applied,as I've been so well primed by my daughter.

A good example of Lauren's uplifting technique came shortly after she returned from her trip. She took 30 minutes grilling her father and me about phone messages we had taken in her absence. She wanted to know how people sounded when they called,If we had explained what kind of trip she was on and if she had gotten any job offers for baby-sitting. She sounded,her father decided,like a journalist.
"I can't believe it," he said with a chuckle,"you sound just like your mother!"
"That's a horrible thing to say!" Lauren replied.
This was one of those Norman Rockwell moments a mother dreams of: The day her first born daughter begins to identify with her. Of course,I had thought the identification process would be alot more positive.
"Well I'm so thrilled your happy to be like me,"I said to Lauren as I hand my husband a tissue to dry his eyes."There are some folks who think I'm a great person."
"It's not like your awful or anything,"Lauren explained."It's just that I don't want to be like you.I'm sure you can understand."
Well,I wanted to say,actually I can't understand. I remember being mortified by my parents,but I had good reason-they were hopelessly out of step with the times.
On the other hand,I've taken great care to remain rather cool by teen-age standards. I listen to alternative rock music. I play basketball with the neighborhood kids. I drive groups of teens to the movies. I even play electric guitar off and on in a retro rock band. How much more cool can one mom be?
I've often reminded my angel that her friends have told her,and I quote,"Your mom's pretty OK,for a parent."
"That's because you aren't there mom!" she will explain,adding that she thinks that I talk to much,laugh to loud and ask to many questions.
"Can't you just be like other mother's?" she'll ask. "You know just watch television and ignore me and my friends?"
"But I think your friends are interesting."
"See? That's exactly what I mean-grown-ups aren't suppose to like teenagers! It's not normal!"
When my children were small, I thought I'd die from the physical exhaustion required by parenting preschoolers. I actually remember kneeling by my bed one night telling God I didn't think I could make it through one more day of scraping play dough off the carpet or changing diapers.
In retrospect, it is safe to say that in comparison to the emotional torment of trying to be acceptable to your teenager.the preschool years were the good old days Back in their preschool years,my children worshipped me,invited me to their tea parties and told me I was beautiful,even if I had hat hair and was dressed in flannel pjs.
These days,however, Lauren has decided I'm a fashion hazard,a social nerd and completely unworthy of her company unless I'm providing taxi service(and her 13 year old brother agrees). I'm left wondering where exactly I went wrong,when it was that I became a liability in the eyes of my teenagers.
Hard to say,really,and a moot point as well. What's getting me through right now is knowing that one day,my kids will probably have children of their own. And as every parent knows,what goes around,comes around-as well it should.
~ Renee Schafer Horton~ article from Arkansas Democrat-Gazette 08-26-98



**This article lived on my fridge for years. It is old and tattered and yellowed,I even have packing tape on it now to preserve it. They do apologize...at least mine did,for the hard times. 

Daughters, Toothsoap and Purses!

Kelly left last night around 6pm. I barely slept waiting on the phone calls letting me know she was ok and some pervert hadn't ran her off the road and taken her away. She got home at 4:30ish her time...she really has to start leaving earlier. I hate her driving by herself. That's a long 600 miles and when your with someone and it seems much longer alone.
I totally enjoyed her visit. I loved loved loved watching her with Nikki,she is going to make a great aunt....already is!
Friday we ran into Goodwill,I was looking for a cheap skirt to cover my BIG butt. (exercise started TODAY!) ANYWAY....I was on one side and the girls were on the other and I could hear them laughing....that was....is the greatest sound ever! Hearing your kids laugh...out loud....hard...never ever ever gets old.
If you didn't see the pic in the last post with Kelly lying on Nikkis stomach trying to hear Drex go look... I'll wait here while you go look........TOO CUTE!

I went to take a few pics and noticed they had hi-jacked my camera. I love surprises like that.

On a different note I won 2 giveaways!! I feel so lucky right now...maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket!
The first was some Toothsoap from Hair Bows and Guitar Picks. I recently became an affiliate of Toothsoap and now I get free toothsoap!! I love when things work out like that. Make sure and visit both places. They are great sites and if you purchase toothsoap click my link to do it!! (It's at the top of my blog)

The second giveaway win was from The Purse Blogger!!!! YES!! I won a purse...I love purses!!! I also won a cute flower! Click the link and say hello to Laura,she is a sweetie!

CUTE!!

I'm out...

Photobooth Saturday: Kelly through the years...

I'm joining Supah with her Photobooth Saturday!

Go check her out...participate and link up.

SUPAHMOMMY

My booth is titled KELLY: through the years.

Kelly is my hard-headed in your face child...who wears her heart on her sleeve. She will do without to help others but will also tell you what she thinks. Her signature is "Don't mistake my honesty for brutality" Or something close to that. 

Her sister calls her hardcore.

She is one of my heroes.

In the pics were going from baby to toddler to teenager (OMW!) to present day. 

...and then it was over.

The presents are unwrapped,paper still needs to go in the trash and the leftovers are almost gone. The tree is still up but I'll take care of that in the next day or so...looks sad to me once the presents are gone.
There is chocolate cake  on the island staring at me.....really really staring hard.... and I should eat some because I need to get serious about getting rid of this extra weight. That means soon...very soon I shall not be eating cake...chocolate cake...yummy moist chocolate cake.

I hate to be stared at......


Kelly left a couple hours ago to head back to KY. I hate...hate... HATE goodbyes. We had a wondeful Christmas and visit. Maybe tomorrow I'll get around to a longer blog but I'll leave you with a few pics and a reminder that I have 2 giveaways...4 winners and they are ending SOON! Go comment so you can get your chance in to win one of the fabulous prizes!!

Blog Spark giveaway

UPrinting giveaway

 Nikki and Kelly

 

 Shelby-Nikki-Klaun-Kelly

 

All my chillren

Nikki-Klaun-Kelly and Linzy

 

 I'm not sure what they were doing but it looks like the 2 on the left were praying while Kelly was singing.

I told them to get out of the pic so we could have one by ourself....they don't mind well.

 

The quilts were a hit! I was actually nervous they wouldn't like them but they did!!!

YAY!

 

Ty-Dad-Kelly

OH MOM! Daughters battle cry hard on moms self esteem.

This is for my friend.(you know who you are) My mom gave me this article on August 26,1998. At the time my daughters were 14 and 12 and they were driving me nuts!!! At the top of the article my mama wrote after the age of 18 they will become your friend! She was right,today they are 26 and  23 and my best friends! My mom highlighted some of the stuff in the article so I'll put that in italics. So my friend hang on and believe me when one of these days you'll blink and she'll be grown and you'll talk about these years and she might even apologize.




Motherhood is not meant for the faint hearted, Dead frogs and the insults of teen-age girls are not for the wimpy-Danielle Steele
My 15 year old daughter came home last week after a 4 day trip to South Texas. I knew she was home because the air was suddenly full of criticism.
"Mom,you aren't wearing that to the store are you?"
"Mom can't you cook something I like?"
"Mom, you are the most over-protective parent on the planet!"
Lauren's comments on every move I make and every word I say have made me feel like I need to stand perfectly still and not utter a sound if I want to survive the remainder of her high school years with my self-esteem intact. Unfortunately, that's rather impractical as I have 3 other children and a boatload of responsibilities. I console myself by realizing that,if ever captured my an army of militants,I could probably survive any torture applied,as I've been so well primed by my daughter.

A good example of Lauren's uplifting technique came shortly after she returned from her trip. She took 30 minutes grilling her father and me about phone messages we had taken in her absence. She wanted to know how people sounded when they called,If we had explained what kind of trip she was on and if she had gotten any job offers for baby-sitting. She sounded,her father decided,like a journalist.
"I can't believe it," he said with a chuckle,"you sound just like your mother!"
"That's a horrible thing to say!" Lauren replied.
This was one of those Norman Rockwell moments a mother dreams of: The day her first born daughter begins to identify with her. Of course,I had thought the identification process would be alot more positive.
"Well I'm so thrilled your happy to be like me,"I said to Lauren as I hand my husband a tissue to dry his eyes."There are some folks who think I'm a great person."
"It's not like your awful or anything,"Lauren explained."It's just that I don't want to be like you.I'm sure you can understand."
Well,I wanted to say,actually I can't understand. I remember being mortified by my parents,but I had good reason-they were hopelessly out of step with the times.
On the other hand,I've taken great care to remain rather cool by teen-age standards. I listen to alternative rock music. I play basketball with the neighborhood kids. I drive groups of teens to the movies. I even play electric guitar off and on in a retro rock band. How much more cool can one mom be?
I've often reminded my angel that her friends have told her,and I quote,"Your mom's pretty OK,for a parent."
"That's because you aren't there mom!" she will explain,adding that she thinks that I talk to much,laugh to loud and ask to many questions.
"Can't you just be like other mother's?" she'll ask. "You know just watch television and ignore me and my friends?"
"But I think your friends are interesting."
"See? That's exactly what I mean-grown-ups aren't suppose to like teenagers! It's not normal!"
When my children were small, I thought I'd die from the physical exhaustion required by parenting preschoolers. I actually remember kneeling by my bed one night telling God I didn't think I could make it through one more day of scraping play dough off the carpet or changing diapers.
In retrospect, it is safe to say that in comparison to the emotional torment of trying to be acceptable to your teenager.the preschool years were the good old days Back in their preschool years,my children worshipped me,invited me to their tea parties and told me I was beautiful,even if I had hat hair and was dressed in flannel pjs.
These days,however, Lauren has decided I'm a fashion hazard,a social nerd and completely unworthy of her company unless I'm providing taxi service(and her 13 year old brother agrees). I'm left wondering where exactly I went wrong,when it was that I became a liability in the eyes of my teenagers.
Hard to say,really,and a moot point as well. What's getting me through right now is knowing that one day,my kids will probably have children of their own. And as every parent knows,what goes around,comes around-as well it should.
~ Renee Schafer Horton~ article from Arkansas Democrat-Gazette 08-26-98



**This article lived on my fridge for years. It is old and tattered and yellowed,I even have packing tape on it now to preserve it. They do apologize...at least mine did,for the hard times. 

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A TALE OF TWO BRAS

DON"T FORGET TO COMMENT ON THE GIVEAWAY! IT ENDS AUGUST 23. CLICK HERE!


I was reading a new friends blog yesterday and she was relating a convo she was having with her children,it's very funny in a way only she can be. It got me to thinking about the 2 bra stories in my life and thought I would share them.

My first story starts back in the old days...better known as the early 70's. There was a great mom who was shopping with her sweet daughter at Sears. (I believe) The sweet daughter was around 4 years old...and wanted a bra. Mom kept saying no and sweet daughter was upset. Voices were raised and people were listening. Mom says "You don't have anything to put in a bra!" Sweet daughter says "Well you don't either."

Needless to say others heard and mom was embarrassed. (Mama I hope I got it right) Yep I was ...ummm AM the sweet daughter and must have been a brat that day to embarass my mama like that.

I apologize.

Fast forward about 20 years, I have a sweet daughter of my own and take her shopping in Target...where I worked...and was known. We pass by the lingerie dept and Kelly wants to go look. I tell her that's for women and we'll go look at the little girls. At this point because she's not getting her way (shame Kel) she is on the verge of throwing a fit and I'm threatening a spanking if she does. (yes I spanked my kids and they lived through them without being scarred for life.) The spanking scares her enough that our shopping experience is pleasant...until we get ready top check out and go back by the womens dept. At this point she's beggging to go look at the bras...loudly. I thought what can it hurt. As were in there she decides (again loudly) that she wants a bra. Of course I tell her no, I mean she is 4 years old. In her loud voice and if you know Kel she could and can be loud (I love ya baby) she yells "I want a bra and I want a red one!"
Now who's embarrased?
She cried for that red bra all the way to the car. "I wa wa want a re re re red br br br BRA!

KARMA people! Watch what ya say...it WILL come back and bite ya.

The red bra child, see she's still a brat!

PART 4 ~A WHOLE NEW WAY OF LIVING~

**originally posted 9-20-2006
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3

~~~Around Easter of 1988 Jim and my father in law went ahead to Reno to find a house and for jobs. The girls and I stayed behind with my mother in law. I had been married for almost 5 years and this was the first time I had been away from Jim for to long of a period. Harvey (my father in law) came back to get us sometime around July(I think) to move to Reno. Telling my mama goodbye was so hard! I remember driving off and having to stop around the curve cause I was crying so hard I couldn’t see.

We packed up the Uhaul and set off for Reno, with 2 babies. WHEW! That was a trip I’ll never forget. It doesn’t take kids long to get bored with riding. We stopped in Albuquerque for the night to sleep and got up early the next morning. I vaguely remember Kelly throwing a fit in Arizona at the place we stopped to eat. I’m sure she got a spanking although I don’t remember. That was a long trip and I was so happy to see Reno.

When we got to Reno Jim was at work and when he came home things seemed “different”. He had been in Reno for months more or less living the single life and catching up with old friends. (He grew up in Reno) I felt so alone but was determined to make our marriage work. We had a rough few months or so and I almost went home so many times but we worked it out.

We got our own place and was paying 600.00 dollars a month for a 2 bedroom apartment…they said condo but it was an apartment! Remember this is 1988 and we left Arkansas paying like 250.00 dollars for a 2 bedroom house! Nikki started kindergarten and Kelly and I would walk her to and from school every day. This was the first time Kelly and I actually had some one on one time and I was enjoying it.

Jim got hurt while we lived in Reno and had to have back surgery. We stayed in Reno for 3 years with a brief trip back to Arkansas for a few months. We finally moved back to Arkansas for good in 1991. I remember getting back home and mama had 2 little puppies waiting on the girls when we pulled up. They named them Cocoa and Pepper.

I have so many memories of the girls it is hard to decide which ones to share. I remember one where we had a swing from the Oak tree, it was just rope and a board to sit on. It was Nikki’s turn to swing and Kelly slung the swing at her and busted her eye BAD! I was so scared the school would think she was being abused and call SCAN. Nikki heard me telling mama this and when she came home from school the next day she said “ Mama don’t worry, I told the teacher you didn’t hit me in the eye with the swing.” Now did that sound like she was coached or what?

Kelly was always hardheaded! It got her into more trouble than any one child ought to get into! I have actually had to put cold water on her face to calm her screaming down. It was so loud and it cut through you like a knife. One time I put her in her bedroom for not minding and she screamed for so long and so loud. My brother ask me if I was gonna check on her and I told him NO, I’m scared her head will be spinning around and around!!!!!

Nikki almost never got in to trouble and usually if she did it was because she’d tell on herself. One time I heard a blood curling scream from Kelly and ran to see what was wrong. When I got in there Nikki looked at me terrified and said “mama I didn’t hit her in the head with that baby doll!” pointing at the doll. I knew exactly what had happened.

There’s a lot more stories when they got older but I’ll save them for later.

It’s around October of 1992, the girls are in school, Jim’s fighting for social security disability and life seems to be going on….

Stay tuned for ~ The Beginning of the End ~

HOLD ON! HERE COMES KELLY. (part 3)

*originally posted 09-19-2006* Read PART 1 and PART 2

~~1985, We moved so much that year, Back and forth between Rison, Pine Bluff and Sheridan. This is the year we decided to have another baby. We didn’t care what we had but we knew it was gonna be named Kelly either way. I still have the notebook(found it the other day) where Jim and I laid in bed and was trying to figure out names . You can see in the notebook where we decided on Kelly Lee-Ann but wasn’t sure on the spelling.

I remember the day of February 22, 1986, Jim, Nikki and I went to Nan’s and visited. I think Nikki went to sleep or something and Jim and I went riding around on the tractor. Oh what fun you have in Rison!! Well that ride must have upset the baby because she decided to come into the world that night, about 2 weeks early. I was glad! That child stayed on my rib for months!! This delivery was so different than the first. I got so paranoid with the epidural and just knew the hospital was gonna catch fire. I figured since I was dead from the waist down I’d be left in there! Funny how medication can affect you in different ways.

Jim was in the room when she was born also, Everyone said he came out and said “I got a white one this time!” Kelly was a little over 7 lbs. with light skin and blonde hair. She was also most beautiful! I always wanted two kids and now I had them. Kelly was not only different in skin and hair coloring than Nikki but they were totally different in every way.

It’s hard to think of memories of Kelly by herself because she always had Nikki. I do know she was always one up on Nikki, Kelly had her bluff in at an early age. She’s a very strong willed person even to this day. I don’t know if I’ve ever told her but I admire her for that. She can also be very passionate and loving.

I remember when she was around 2 she was eating a cookie and got choked, I was at work, Jim shook her til her color came back and the cookie flew across the floor. He then called Nan to come get her cause it scared him so bad. I had to go get her after I got home. She had long blonde hair on the sides and the back of her head and bald on top. LOL She looked like a little old man, bald mouth and head!!

Well were up to around late 1987, We were living in Rison and thinking about moving to Reno…

Stay tuned for ~A whole new way of living ~

Well were up to around late 1987, We were living in Rison and thinking about moving to Reno…

Stay tuned for ~A whole new way of living ~

My blogging?

It seems to get farther and farther apart. I actually do miss it but I just don't do it. *sigh*

Quick update! Kelly does not have to have surgery for the cyst! YAY!! She got a good report and dr. thinks they can treat it with meds. She's doing really good I think, she sounds like the old Kelly who grew up in my house. I don't like divorce...but some times some people are better off and I think Kel will be,I know she will. Her birthday is Monday,she'll be 23 so that means I'll be getting older. I never feel older on my birthday but twice a year I feel older when the girls have a birthday. That is not right!

Thanks to all the sweet comments and prayers for the girls.

Here we go again!

My internet speed is killing me! It's at 24.0 mbps and the signal strength is sloooow. I don't care what anyone says satellite is just NOT faster than cable modem.

All of my giveaway winners have contacted me and 2 want the books and one wants a C, So I'm going to get those out Monday...The C may take a bit longer...please have patience! :)

I received 2 swaps in the mail! One (forgive me I have lost who gave it) was in a big box and you would have thought it was Christmas when I seen it on the front step! It was so full of a lot of goodies!! It had 8 stamps that say things like Enjoy life,Inspire,achieve... It had some bird chimes and a bird welcome plaque, frames,mouse pad...lots of goodies!



I also got a package from Julie on a no spend swap, she sent a fantastic package. tags, threads,ribbon,a pair of socks..just to name a few things. I love swap-bot...if you haven't checked it out you should!

Oh and I won in a craft it forward giveaway at Jessica's place, The Pelkeys, You should stop by and say hi to her! So I will be crafting it forward probably Tuesday so stay tuned and be one of the first 3 to comment!

I would like to ask for prayer for my daughters... My oldest is sick and on antibiotics and a pill for congestion and my youngest found out today she has a big cyst on her one of her ovaries. She goes Thurs. to the dr. and will know more. She's also 600 miles from me so it's hard when you can't be there. It might as well be 2000 miles between AR and KY!!

A little bit of yakking.

Could it actually be here? I know the weather here was absolutely beautiful today. I wanted to rake and burn leaves but we don't have any yet. Soon...they will come. I have all my windows up, I love how it smells this time of year.

I got my phone bill...actually I got a text telling me they are going to shut me off if I don't pay the amount due. I don't know what has happened but I'm being charged for some online time I don't think I did. I'll wait til tomorrow and call them because all I do is get frustrated when I have to talk to sprint.

I talk to my youngest today....she seems down which of course I can understand with her and her husband going thru this "thing" ...whatever that may be. *sigh* It hurts when your the mom and can't fix the booboo.

The oldest has been sick, can't fix that booboo either. Maybe I'm just feeling like a failure in the mother department right now. Although the boy seems just fine, as he should. It's easy when your only 13 and have no problems.

I'll stop here and hope that one day I'll get friends over here at this blog. :)