Dog-Gone It!

Today is New years Eve. Since I had awakened early and planned to stay up till midnight to see the New Year in, I had hoped for a little nap. My kids cooperated giving me space and relative quiet on the couch. Unfortunately COby, our CHocolate Lab, had other ideas. He wanted to play.

I kept getting toys shoved into me from his balls to other chew toys. I was expected to toss them so he could fetch them so I could toss them again. I told him to go away. He did. For about five minutes and then he was back.

Well, after awhile it was quiet but I had a queer feeling so I peeked out from under my lashes.....and saw a pair of brown eyes staring me down. His head was perched next to me on the sofa looking right at me. He realized I was watching and started inching closer to my face. "Dog! So help me, you better not be thinkinb' on kissin' me!"

I closed my eyes and settled back for some Zzzz's and was almost in dreamland floating on a cloud when my chin suddenly got wet....not just wet but slurped! I jumped up, "DOG!" He hightales it for his crate...preferrably the back where I can't reach him.

Decided to just get up and get things up but I swear I could almost read the dog's mind......Sounded a lot like, "Mission accomplished!"

Less For Christmas

When we were in our early stages of parenthood my husband and I would go gift crazy on holidays. Due to fertility issues our children our spread apart in ages so our oldest was five before she was blessed with a sibling. Back then when it came to gift buying we would go crazy. My daughter had every gift imaginable and then some gifts that could not even be imagined. Yet, even after she opened her tons of gifts, I would worry, "Did I buy her enough? Is she happy with everything?" And then there would be all that assembling that we spent most of Christmas Day doing! It just did not make for a fun Christmas.

Three children and ten years later we have wised up. The presents are far less due to economical reasons and far smarter as to need less assembly due to experience but along with that came an added bonus. Peace.

While I was worried the first year when I knew it would be a "slim" one, I learned to go for quality and pick a few things they would really love and play with. The result was more contentment and less stress, something I had not anticipated. In this day of consumerism and commercialism my family has learned to be content with what they have and it has just been such a blessing. While most kids have their Game Cubes, their super Nintentoes, their Wii's - my children have been content with their Game Boy advances. While most teens get their clothes from the Gap on a weekly basis, it seems, my teenage daughter does not even ask. Most of her clothes as well as her siblings, were given to us or bought at a garage sale and she has been content with that. She has friends who get rather generous weekly allowances of over twenty dollars while shedonly gets a fourth of that but we have discovered that there are kids in her circle of friendship who get nothing.

I am glad my children have learned to be content with what they have. The blessing of peace and contentment just makes it so much easier. I would advise anyone who buys their children loads of toys to one year set a limit. Children don't need all that stuff.And living with less with help them appreciate more and become better citizens in the long run.

Teenagers: And These Are The Days Of Their Lives

Having a teenager in the house is an experiment with insanity. My daughter hasn't been too bad thus far but some of the stories she brings home makes me think, "Man!" Teens nowadays have so much drama going on in their lives. It's just overwhelming!
My daughter, Nicole, is trying out for a duet for choir. Most of the boys did not want to try out. Two finally volunteered after much cajoling but neither had good voices. There is a boy with a good voice that would be nice to try out but singing with him would be a social trainwreck. This boy, "Alec", can't try out with Nicole! For Alec likes "Trina" who also likes Alec! Heaven forbid if Alec sang a romantic duet with Nicole! This is only eigth grade! Nicole has no romantic interest in Alec, whatsoever...She just wants to sing but she doesn't want Trina upset with her.
Now, tonight, she tells me that "Susan" is upset with her. Why? Well, Susan recently joined choir in the past two weeks. She never had sung with them before. And now, a week before the concert, Nicole found out from someone that she and Alec may have gotten another duet.....the female part which had been pursued by Susan who only joined the choir......
Makes one glad I am no longer a teenager! Do they give Emmy's for teenage real life drama?