Mother of Two Teenagers

Almost Legal!

2010-11-15T20:15:00.002-05:00

My son's 18th birthday is just days away--and then he will be a "legal adult." He will probably just spend time at Disney with his girlfriend and then have cake with his family. I have been preparing for this day for a long time--my job of raising my son is almost finished. I can hardly believe it! So...Happy Birthday son!! I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday--and I have had 18 wonderful years of being your mother--and now you are "fully grown" and my job is almost over--but I will ALWAYS be your mother! :) Happy Birthday! :)

Sweet Sixteen!

2010-11-15T20:09:00.004-05:00

My daughter turned Sweet Sixteen this year!! :) We spent her birthday at Disney World, of course! Presents, cake, and fun at Disney--she was happy! No big party--she didn't want one! No car--she still isn't ready to drive yet! Just fun with friends and family--my daughter is easy to please! Happy Birthday, Baby Girl! No matter how old you are, you will always be MY "baby girl"! :)

Toy Story 3

2010-11-15T19:51:00.003-05:00

Toy Story is a sentimental favorite in our family. It was the first movie my son ever saw in a theater. He collected toys and things from the movie: especially Buzz Lightyear! He saw Toy Story 2 when it came out, too--and collected more toys! In some ways, my son is a lot like Andy and is right about the same age: playing with the toys as Andy did in the first movie and beginning to play with them less as in the second one. And, in Toy Story 3, Andy is almost grown and is about to leave for college--and it is time for him to get rid of all of his childhood toys. I have to admit that I shed a few tears during some of the scenes that "hit home"! My son even seemed to enjoy it--he said it was "nostalgic" to watch it! Working for Disney definitely has its perks: all employees received a free Toy Story 3 DVD! Thanks, Disney! We loved it! :)

Microsoft Zune HD

2010-11-15T19:45:00.002-05:00

My teens are very "pro-Microsoft" and "anti-Apple"--sorry, Apple, but being over-priced might have something to do with it. When it comes to Zune vs. I-Pod Touch, they chose Zune hands down. If for no other reason, a 16 GB Zune is less expensive than a 8GB I-Pod Touch! And I think they like the features on Zune better, too! SO...in our family, Zune wins! Both of my teens have one now! :)

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

2010-11-15T19:31:00.002-05:00

We had a lot of fun at Disney World during October--especially at the Halloween Parties! The Boo to You Parade is the best! The fireworks and special castle shows are awesome, too! My teens enjoyed riding all of the rides--and we were eating leftover candy for weeks!! Halloween at Disney World is so much fun!! :)

Homecoming 2010

2010-11-15T19:16:00.003-05:00

My teens both enjoyed Homecoming events this year--dressing up in themes during the week, going to pep rallies, going to the game and the dance...lots of fun! Since it was my son's LAST high school Homecoming Week, it was a bit more emotional...he really enjoyed fully participating in events that he had skipped in previous years. As Homecoming events and football season ended, he knew that things would never be the same...and so did I. Just one more "last time" to check off the list--and a little bit closer to a completely new and different kind of life. For now...both of my teens are enjoying every moment of high school as each day unfolds. Homecoming 2010 was full of lots of good memories!

Her Sophomore Year

2010-11-15T19:05:00.003-05:00

My daughter began her Sophomore Year of high school this year. She is enjoying moving up the ranks--she's no longer a rookie freshman! It seems like just yesterday her brother was this age...and now he is about to graduate!...my daughter will be graduating in no time, too! Sometimes I just have to pinch myself to believe that we are really at this stage already! I am really enjoying every minute with my teenagers--I just can't imagine life after this stage!

His Senior Year!

2010-11-15T18:55:00.002-05:00

My son began his Senior Year of high school this year! I am already getting emotional about it all--Senior Portraits, Class Rings, ordering things for Graduation...it all brings tears to my eyes! I hope he has a wonderful Senior Year--I just look at EVERYTHING as "his last time"--I just cannot believe it is here already!! In December he will turn 18 and be a legal adult, then a few months later and he will finish high school--then on to the rest of his life! I sure am trying to enjoying every last minute that he is here!

Disney Quest

2010-11-15T18:49:00.004-05:00

My daughter also went to Disney Quest with her boyfriend and his family. They played lots of cool virtual reality games there. I haven't been yet, but I plan to go soon--it sounds like a lot of fun! I also want to go to the Disney Waterparks, the Disney Mini-Golf Parks, and other things like the Cirque du Soleil show at Downtown Disney. I love everything Disney! :)

Busch Gardens

2010-11-15T18:37:00.002-05:00

Even though we are loyal Disney fans, we sometimes get opportunities to go to some of the "other parks" around here as well. This summer, my daughter went to Busch Gardens a few times with her boyfriend's family. They had annual passes for Sea World/Busch Gardens and were able to get her discounted tickets. She had a lot of fun and compared it to Disney's Animal Kingdom. She especially enjoyed riding the roller coasters(and sitting close together!) with her boyfriend! :)

First Traffic Ticket!

2010-11-15T18:31:00.003-05:00

I guess it is kind of a "rite of passage," getting a traffic ticket...my son did not come to a complete stop at a neighborhood stop sign, and an undercover policeman gave him a ticket. He was NOT happy about having to use his own money from his summer job to pay it, but it seemed like the right thing to do--besides, I really couldn't afford to cover it for him anyway. Luckily, he was able to attend traffic school to get it expunged from his record--no points against him and no issues with car insurance. Still, no one likes to get a ticket! He definitely makes sure to come to a complete stop at each and every stop sign now, that's for sure!

Summer Jobs

2010-11-15T18:21:00.003-05:00

My son was determined to get a job this summer--he applied for many things hoping at least one thing would work out. Finally, he ended up landing not one, but two, summer jobs! YAY! He worked weekdays with a landscaping business, and he worked at a restaurant on the weekends. He really enjoyed earning his own money! He framed his first dollar and bought a few things--then he began saving the rest. He had a nice nest-egg by the end of the summer! It really was nice to let him buy his own cell phone minutes and things like that--I LOVE the fact that he is becoming more independent and self-sufficient now! As the summer ended and the school year began, he decided not to juggle work and school since he was taking a full load of classes. I think his first summer of REALLY working and earning a paycheck was a big success! He developed a great work ethic and learned a lot about being in the working world. That will definitely serve him well in the future!

Summer Nightastic!

2010-11-15T18:04:00.002-05:00

We really enjoyed spending time at Disney World during Summer Nightastic! Disney World is always a fun place to be, but the added features made it even better! A new parade, bigger and better fireworks, and other cool changes at all of the parks--it was amazing! My teens enjoyed bringing their friends and family with them many times during the summer. Summer at Disney World really was "Summer Night-tastic!"

My Daughter's New Glasses

2010-11-15T17:28:00.002-05:00

My daughter recently wanted new glasses frames, and I was very surprised that she picked this style! To me, it reminds me of the glasses that people wore in the 60s and 70s--including my brother and myself! I was so relieved to get contact lenses when I was a teenager because I hated what was available when it came to glasses frames back then. Apparently, this retro look is back in style--I do see lots of young people wearing them now. So my daughter chose black-framed glasses--the kind I hated when I was a teenager!--and she loves them! She is a beautiful girl and would look beautiful in anything! :)

Prom Night 2010

2010-11-15T17:17:00.002-05:00

My son and his girlfriend went to the prom together: his Junior prom/her Senior prom. They looked SO good all dressed up! They ate at Olive Garden beforehand, took beautiful prom portraits, and then enjoyed dancing the night away. They had a great time! If they are still dating when my son's Senior prom arrives, they will go together again--so far, graduating before him hasn't put a damper on their relationship. In fact, my son's girlfriend still enjoys hanging out at her alma mater--she still has friends there and considers some of the teachers to be her mentors. Prom 2010 was a night to remember, and Prom 2011 is sure to be one, too!

Spring Break 2010

2010-11-15T17:06:00.002-05:00

My teens enjoyed Spring Break this year! They especially enjoyed sleeping late all week! They spent some time just hanging out at home, and they went to Disney World several times. They watched a space shuttle launch that week, too! They went swimming in the pool and even spent a day at the beach--being in Florida for Spring Break was great!

Teenage Love

2010-11-15T16:05:00.003-05:00

This year has been a good one for both of my teenagers regarding their love lives. Both reached the one-year mark of dating the same people since we moved to Florida. On the one hand, they may be missing out on the fun of dating lots of people in high school to get to know what they really like in a person--a good learning experience for adult relationships, I think. But on the other hand, they are learning about being in committed relationships and weathering the ups and downs within that relationship--also a good learning experience for adulthood. Both couples say they LOVE each other, but who knows if these will be long-term relationships or not. I just worry about them getting too serious at too young of an age--there will be plenty of time for serious relationships in the future...why rush it? They occasionally go out on dates with their loved ones, but they usually just hang out together...and usually they hang out here(in supervised situations). All-in-all, both my son and daughter seem very happy--they are both glad that we moved to Florida and they are especially glad that they met their current love interests. Dealing with teenage love and dating has been okay lately--I've had the chance to get to know the people who love my teens ALMOST as much as I do! :)

2010--Our Family's Year of Disney!! :)

2010-11-15T15:29:00.003-05:00

There is a reason that I have once again fallen behind on this blog: I now am a WORKING mother of two teenagers, and I work for the Walt Disney Company. Even though I am very busy balancing work and family these days, my family is thrilled about our new connection with Disney. Now we can go to Disney World for free--and we do go a lot! Our favorite ride: Rock 'n Roller Coaster. Our favorite park: Hollywood Studios. Our favorite fireworks show: Wishes at Magic Kingdom. When family and friends come to visit us, we take them to Disney World. We celebrated Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Fourth of July, Halloween, and our birthdays at Disney World. We went to the Flower and Garden Festival, Star Wars Weekend, Summer Nightastic, Halloween Party, and Food and Wine Festival. We shop at Downtown Disney and eat at Disney restaurants and get discounts. We love being part of the Disney family! :)

My Daughter's Boyfriend's Birthday

2010-02-09T09:37:00.002-05:00

I was surprised when my daughter said that she wanted to give her boyfriend a teddy bear for his 16th birthday...she said he wanted one to remind him of her(he had given one to her for Christmas). It was a challenge to find something masculine! Finally, we saw this camouflage bear at Build-a-Bear and thought it would be a good choice. She added sound effects that said Happy Birthday and I Love You. She was pleased, but she felt a little embarrassed about the big box they put it in! She ended up just giving him the bear, minus the box...and he seemed to really like it! They really are a cute couple! :) Happy Birthday!

Mustang Cologne

2010-02-09T09:26:00.003-05:00

My son had a special event recently where he had to dress up and escort his girlfriend. She helped him get all fixed up for this event: she chose the hairstyle, the clothes, and even the cologne! When she was finished working her magic, my son looked so good! He no longer looked like the shaggy-haired teen that has been living here lately...he looked like a professional businessman! I was thrilled! Of course I embarrassed him by insisting that he pose for pictures, but I am so glad that I did. Everyone in the family was impressed! Now I can see what is just around the corner...my son is almost a full-grown man. He will turn 18 this year and will reach legal adulthood. Soon after that, he will graduate from high school and go off to college and/or the military. When he was all dressed up, I saw a glimpse of the future: my son as a young man, not as a teenage boy. I am so proud of him! :)

Happy 2010!

2010-02-09T09:21:00.003-05:00

I hope 2010 turns out to be a really good year for my teenagers! And I think each year will continue to be better and better for them: my son is in the Class of 2011 and my daughter is in the Class of 2013. A new decade...a new generation of high school graduates...things are looking good for the future! :)

New Year's Eve Kisses

2010-02-06T14:54:00.002-05:00

For the first time ever, both my son and daughter had dates for New Year's Eve! My son spent the evening with his girlfriend at a friend's party--he definitely received a good-luck kiss at midnight! :) And he also was very responsible and came home earlier than I had expected--he was tired once the midnight hour finally arrived! And my daughter ended up attending an event with her boyfriend--with both of their families in attendance as well! :) I enjoyed getting to know my daughter's boyfriend's family a little better as we rang in the new year together. At midnight, I saw my daughter and her boyfriend sneak a quick kiss, so they hopefully will have good luck all year long! :) Now it is 2010--and we live in Florida--and we are happy! Happy New Year! :)

High-Tech Gifts

2010-02-06T14:40:00.003-05:00

As my teenagers' birthdays and Christmas arrived, their wish lists contained lots of new high-tech gifts and gadgets. We couldn't completely check off everything on their lists, but they did receive a lot of really cool things. My son's gifts: LCD tv, laptop computer, X-Box 360 and Rockband, and a GPS for the car. My daughter's gifts: LCD tv, Sidekick cell phone, DVDs and CDs, and webcam. They ended the year saying that they had almost everything they wanted--a good feeling when you know that you cannot buy them EVERYTHING they truly wanted! I really wish that I could afford to trade in my minivan for a nice car for me and a used car for my son, but that just isn't doable right now. Oh, well--it isn't killing him to drive my minivan around--it isn't "cool" of course, but he isn't slinking around in shame, either. Maybe one day soon he will begin working part-time somewhere and we can work on a plan to buy an inexpensive used car for him--but for now, the minivan will just have to do! Both my son and daughter immensely enjoy using their new high-tech gifts. It really is a cool time to be a teenager! I could never have dreamed of some of these things when I was a teen!

Birthdays at Disney World

2010-02-06T14:28:00.003-05:00

Living in Florida during 2009 turned out to be a really cool thing as my teenagers' birthdays arrived. Disney World offered free admission to one park on their birthdays! My daughter turned 15 in September, and she chose to spend the day at Animal Kingdom. My son turned 17 in December, and he chose to spend the day at Epcot. I even was able to spend MY birthday in October at Disney World--I chose Hollywood Studios. And my parents were able to visit during their April birthdays--they chose Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Sometimes other family members purchased tickets to join the birthday honoree, and sometimes they went alone. I went with my daughter to Animal Kingdom, but my son went alone to Epcot and I went alone to Hollywood Studios. My son, daughter, and myself joined my parents when they went to the Magic Kingdom but not to Epcot. In 2007, we had all visited all four parks together--it was fun to return to our favorite ones on our birthdays! Everyone had a great time! It really made for some special birthdays, that's for sure! My teenagers LOVED going to Disney World on their birthdays!! It was so much fun!! It would have been more difficult to do this if we weren't living here--living in Florida has turned out to be SUCH a great thing for us!! :)

High School Holidays and Events

2010-02-06T14:05:00.004-05:00

Both my son and daughter had a lot of fun participating in school events in the fall. Homecoming was a special week for both of them: dances, parades, pep rallies, dressing in themes...and, of course, the big games! It was my daughter's first time to participate in these events--her freshmen class won the spirit award at the pep rally! She also enjoyed spending time with her boyfriend and friends at the Homecoming Dance(although it was quite casual--apparently the "dress up event" only applies to Juniors and Seniors at her school(same with Prom). My son was chosen to represent one of his clubs in the Homecoming Parade--he had a lot fun doing that! He also was chosen as an escort for the Homecoming Court(his girlfriend's friend was in the Court and she was fine with lending him for the event!) As for the actual Homecoming Games, my daughter's school lost their game, but my son's school continued their winning streak and moved on to further playoff games. Win or lose, I think both my son and daughter enjoyed Homecoming Week! :)

Halloween was fun for both my son and daughter as well. My daughter and her boyfriend dressed as vampires and attended a school-sponsored Halloween Dance. My son and his girlfriend dressed as video game characters(some I had never heard of before!) and attended a Halloween Party with several of their friends from school. Everyone had a great time and I just sat back and watched as our Halloween traditions moved into a different realm. No more Trick-or-Treating for our family--now Halloween meant parties and dances with friends and dates, not walking around the neighborhood with parents. It is hard for me to let go of traditions, but I have lots of pictures to look at when I feel nostalgic. The days of cute Halloween costumes with cute little kids is gone--but that is okay. Halloween was still lots of fun for my teenagers! :)

Both in High School Now!

2010-02-06T13:11:00.003-05:00

My teens enjoyed a nice summer in Florida...going to the beach, going to waterparks, and just hanging out and relaxing...unfortunately, summer jobs just did not materialize in this economy! I have mixed feelings about that: summer jobs are great life experiences for teenagers and they really need the extra spending money, but it is also nice to enjoy a little more time just being young and free before entering the "real world" of working every day. I think my son REALLY wanted to work this summer and I would have been very supportive of that, but it just did not work out. He tried though...I saw him apply for many things, but nothing ever came of it. Anyway...summer seemed to FLY by...it always does, doesn't it?!

My son started his junior year of high school full of confidence. He is now beginning to focus on the future, and he was able to choose some electives that may help him begin a lifelong career path someday. He fit right in because he had already found his "group" at school. He signed up for several clubs and extracurricular activities. He has become quite active in his new school--much more so than he was in his old school. I really think that moving was an EXCELLENT thing for him...yes, he would have LOVED to have moved before beginning his freshman year, but amazingly he has smoothly transitioned into a new school even though the timing of the switch was less than perfect. Being at a large high school with lots of students who move in and out of the system and transfer to different schools that have programs that interest them seems to have helped. In other words, he was definitely not the only "new guy" coming in...he quickly met people that he had a lot in common with and immediately became part of several school groups. I was proud to see him come out of his shell a bit and participate in lots of activities...it didn't take him long at all to "find his place" and decide that he was very happy in his new high school. That made me feel SO much better about the bad timing of the move!!

Because of the numerous choices of school programs in our school district, my daughter chose to attend a different high school than her brother did. She had already made some friends and met her boyfriend when she moved at the end of 8th grade...she wanted to continue going to school with them, plus she really liked the high school that they would be attending. So, when school began, my daughter was part of the freshman class...the class of 2013..and she was very excited about it! She also became part of some school groups and began to participate in extracurricular activities with her friends. She is a bit shy, so she sometimes just sits back and cheers on her friends in some activities...she is a very good volleyball player, but she just couldn't muster up enough courage to try out for the team--but she attends all of the games and roots for the team and for her friends who are on the team. She says that MAYBE she will try out next year, but I won't push this on her. I was REALLY shy in high school and I was too scared to try out for ANYTHING...I KNOW how she feels!! It is totally up to her--if she wants to do it, great...if not, that's fine, too. Even though she sometimes is quietly on the sidelines instead of being in the middle of everything, she is VERY happy. She is making excellent grades and is on the honor roll! She has lots of new friends...she has a very nice boyfriend..and she is participating in a lot of fun school activities. She is SO happy with her life in Florida! :)

So now I am the mother of TWO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!! Wow... I feel old!!! The days of being a PTA Mom at an elementary school are over...the awkward days of puberty and adjustment to teen life during the middle school years are over...now I have arrived at the final stage: mothering two teenagers through high school and preparing them for graduation/adulthood/real life away from home. Sometimes I can hardly believe that this stage has arrived. Even more mind-blowing is the fact that the high school years are so brief, and in just a short amount of time, my teenagers will be moving on to adulthood and moving out of my home and into the real world. I am enjoying every minute of this time with them that I can! I am preparing myself for "life after kids"--it will be SO different! But I am relishing the bittersweet moments that will take place over the next few years. I have already begun the countdown: the "last times" that my teenagers will do this or that. I can only imagine what I will be like during their Senior Year!! My son will become a Senior this year when school starts in the fall...I am already thinking about his "last" summer/school events/Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years/Valentines Day/Easter/Mothers Day/etc. before graduation. And I get teary-eyed just thinking about all of those special Senior events leading up to the final big day: Graduation Day! I think I am adjusting to these changes and events quite well--my son is really maturing and I can see the young adult that he is becoming--he truly is almost a full-grown man. Letting go of him will not be easy for me, but I think I am nearly prepared to do so when the time comes. I will be proud to see him follow his dreams and make his own way in the world. Then I will have two more years to adjust to my daughter's final moments of high school. This may be harder for me to accept...she is my youngest, my "baby girl," my female counterpart. But I do not want to keep her as my "little girl"--she is becoming a beautiful young woman with dreams of her own. I will savor each and every moment of her transition from teenage girl to mature young woman. I am actually looking forward to seeing her blossom! So, that is my life now: not only mother of two teenagers, but mother of two teenagers in high school who are rapidly heading toward adulthood. It has been and will continue to be an amazing ride! :)

Getting a Florida Driver's License!

2010-02-06T12:37:00.002-05:00

My son spent a LONG time preparing to get his driver's license! When he was 15, he studied the driver's manual from our former state and took the written part of the exam soon after his 15th birthday. He received his learner's permit and began driving around town with me in the passenger seat...I doled out a LOT of advice and instruction to him during this time(he often called it nagging, but I don't see it that way!) and I was always ready to take over as soon as I felt he had driven enough for the day. He also practiced night driving and driving in the rain and other situations...with me sitting nervously next to him and hoping and praying that all went well each time! He continued this learning/practicing routine throughout the year, then he turned 16. I assumed that he would be ready right away to take his driving test and become a fully licensed driver soon after his 16th birthday, but this was not the case. He had to complete a lengthy online driver's education course, and I was surprised that he took so much time to complete that...it wasn't very hard, but it was very time consuming. Procrastination and finding other things that he would rather do with his time often took precedent over completing the coursework. I tried not to push him, though...if he wanted to take his own sweet time to become a solo driver, it was fine with me! So time went on, and he spent most of the year continuing to prepare for the big day of taking his driving test and getting his official license. Once we moved to Florida, he wanted to spend some time getting to know the new roads and routes around town. I have to say that driving and road conditions were MUCH better in our area of Florida than they were before we moved here...I felt MUCH better about letting my son drive ALONE on these roads than on our previous roads. Finally, after several weeks of driving around town with me as a passenger, my son announced that he was ready to take his driving test. He went online and signed up for an appointment, found out what paperwork he needed, and asked me to take him to the DMV at the allotted time. When we went, I was both excited and nervous for him...he seemed quite calm and confident about the process. I watched from afar as he completed the official Florida driving test...he did very well! He passed his driving test, and became a fully licensed driver!! :) Oh boy...here we go!! He drove me home and dropped me off, then, for the first time ever, he drove off without me to pick up his girlfriend and take her on his first real car date! That was one scary moment for me, watching him drive off alone!!! But I took a deep breath, said a silent prayer, and decided to accept the fact that time is moving on, he is growing up, and things are just as they should be. Still...it is REALLY hard on parents when their teenagers are off driving around town without parental supervision!! I immediately thought about my own parents and what it was like for them when I first began driving alone...AH!, so THAT was what THEY felt like!!! I suddenly had a new appreciation for the "other side"--the PARENTS' perspective--the side that I am now on!! My son really enjoyed being able to pick up his girlfriend, drive her to the mall, and take her out to dinner...she already had her driver's license, so she had been the driver in the relationship up to this point...but now he could finally be the one to pick HER up and take HER out on a date...he LOVED that! So now life is moving on...my son is now driving and dating...and that is actually fine with me! :)

Eighth Grade Graduation and Field Trip

2010-02-06T12:26:00.002-05:00

Although our timing of the move was less than perfect(my son was nearing the end of 10th grade and my daughter was finishing 8th grade), it all turned out just fine. My son was able to transfer his credits to a new high school without any problems and pick right up where he left off. And things really turned out great for my daughter...there wasn't really any kind of big transition from middle school to high school at her old school, but at her new school, they had a very special 8th Grade Graduation Ceremony and a really fun field trip to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure! She was thrilled! Although my son was a bit jealous about her field trip, he had already been to Universal on a band field trip when he was in the 6th grade...his sister had always been a bit jealous about THAT, so she was happy to finally get HER chance to go, too! By the time the school year ended, both my son and daughter were already feeling right at home in Florida...and LOVING it! :)

Mother's Day in Florida

2010-02-06T12:10:00.002-05:00

I enjoyed spending time with my son and daughter doing lots of fun things once we moved to Florida. We enjoyed checking out all of the local sights...this time seeing them as "locals" instead of as "tourists"! Easter was nice...we went to a Passion Play and enjoyed a dinner of fresh seafood. And Mother's Day was extra special this year...I talked my teens into a quick photo session at a local tropical garden(awesome photos with my teens!) and we enjoyed a nice meal at a local dinner theater(not at all boring, even to my teenagers!). We were all so happy to finally be Florida residents! And I was especially happy to spend time with my teenagers, watching them settle into their new routines and new lifestyle. Our life in Florida was turning out just right! :)

New Love in Florida

2010-02-06T04:16:00.002-05:00

My daughter ended up meeting a really nice guy soon after we moved here. They began "dating" by talking, text messaging, and spending time together at school events. Every now and then, his parents drop him off at our house for a "date"--completely supervised, of course! They order pizza, watch movies, and hang out in the living room--I usually watch the movies with them! :) They have attended a few school dances together...and they have enjoyed being together during school field trips, too. They are both freshmen in high school so the level of seriousness is debatable, but they have been "dating" for several months now. I am not sure if they will continue to be "high school sweethearts" or if they will eventually date other people, but for now, it is a good situation. On the one hand, I thought that "dating around" and not getting serious with just one person was a good idea--but on the other hand, my daughter seems very happy and her boyfriend really is a nice person who respects her. I just know that serious issues CAN come up when you get too serious too soon---and I am hoping to avoid that situation. For now, my daughter has lots of new friends and a very nice boyfriend--I'd say that things are going very well for her! :)

My son took a little longer to get fully adjusted to his new environment, but it all eventually worked out. He made some friends here early on by joining several extracurricular activities and clubs at his new school. At one point, I noticed a really sweet girl that he seemed to be hanging around quite a bit at club meetings and events. I think they started out as friends through club activities, and things slowly evolved from there. A few months ago, he started referring to her as his girlfriend and they began seeing each other more and more. Now they are definitely a couple and they really seem to care a lot about each other. Even though they are almost the same age, their birthdays fall on different sides of the cut-off date way back when they started school...because of that, my son is a junior and his girlfriend is a senior. I can see this lasting all school year, but I am not sure what will happen when his girlfriend's graduation date arrives. Yes, they are approximately the same age, but post-graduate plans may take her in a different direction. She may not want to hang around the high school for an extra year while waiting for him to graduate. For now, she is talking about attending a local college. Not moving away next year may help keep them together...OR she could still decide that dating someone still in high school once she has moved on is not for her. Only time will tell...for now, my son is very happy and he is dating a very sweet girl who I really like, too. The potential for a serious relationship is definitely there even though I wish they would slow down a bit and NOT get so serious just yet. But I know that MY opinion doesn't count much in these situations--especially not with two people who are nearing their 18th birthdays and full legal adulthood. I am just glad to see my son happy! :)

We FINALLY Moved to Florida!!

2010-02-06T04:01:00.002-05:00

Life has been extremely busy for us and I have neglected this poor blog--but hey: we are SO happy to be living in Florida after trying to move for so long!! It was a gradual move and it took us a while to completely settle in, but we began the transition in March 2009. We are nearing our first year as Floridians, and we absolutely LOVE it here! My two teenagers have settled into their new schools, made new friends, and found new love, too! Believe it or not, the reality of moving has turned out to be about as good as we had dreamed it would be. There are still a few details here and there that need to be ironed out completely, but all-in-all, we are very happy here. I have really enjoyed watching my son and daughter adjust to their new lives in Florida...moving with teenagers turned out to be a wonderful decision! Everything worked out just fine! :)

Timing is Everything

2009-02-05T15:07:00.003-05:00

Both of my teens recently brought home paperwork about classes for next school year. This brought up issues related to our hopefully upcoming move to Florida. For now, I told them to go ahead and fill out the paperwork, just in case they were still here. BUT--we are all certainly HOPING to be in Florida by then! My son will be a Junior next year--no matter where he goes to school, he will have to take his basic courses and will have about two electives. If he doesn't choose those electives now, he may not be able to get into them in the fall. If we stay, he will get the electives he wanted. If we go, he may have a hard time choosing the electives he wants at a new school. I think he will be okay--but still, he REALLY wants to hurry up and get to Florida! Why do they make them choose their electives so early?! I hope he will be able to get the electives he wants if we move late in the summer! And my daughter--let's just say that she is NOT thrilled about starting high school here!! She is DYING to move before school starts in the fall!! They told her to go ahead and choose some electives here just in case. She cannot even begin to face that possibility! And when we move, she says that she doesn't care WHAT electives she gets because she will just be so glad to FINALLY be there! Oh, well--I just hope that everything will work out good for both of them. I WISH we could have moved earlier so this would not even be an issue. Timing really IS everything!

More Break-Ups and Broken Hearts

2009-02-05T14:59:00.002-05:00

I don't know all of the details, but it seems that both my son and daughter are dealing with broken hearts right now. My son and his girlfriend broke up recently--and I think the ex has moved on to another guy now, and my son is heartbroken. My daughter broke up with her "school boyfriend" the other day--it seems that there were some jealousy issues, but I'm not sure. It was all so casual an innocent anyway--she wasn't really "in love"--she was a bit sad, but not too heartbroken. Now, they need some time to reflect, learn from the experience, and move on. I don't think there are any real serious issues--neither one of them were in serious relationships--thank GOD at this age!! NO--14 and 16 seems to be the stage where they are just beginning to dabble in like/love/dating/breaking-up issues. I know the tougher times are ahead, though. I hope they give themselves plenty of time to figure this out as they continue to mature. I hope they realize that they just aren't emotionally ready for REAL love and REAL relationships yet. I think they are going to be just fine!

Inauguration Day

2009-02-05T14:55:00.003-05:00

What a beautiful day it was! I couldn't be there, but I watched every moment of it on television: AWESOME! Unfortunately, my teens were not allowed the opportunity to watch it while at school. They may have missed it as it was actually happening, but they did see a lot of news coverage about it when they returned home. My daughter and I enjoyed watching the Inauguration Balls--especially when Beyonce sang "At Last." What a special moment! What a special day!

Embarrassing Moments

2009-02-05T13:17:00.002-05:00

My daughter has had a few embarrassing moments lately. I don't want to embarrass her further by discussing the details, so let's just say that nothing happened that would scar her for life or anything--just general, mild embarrassment. And I certainly remember how amplified and exaggerated embarrassment can be for teenagers! The best advice I can give her is to just walk back into the situation with her head held high--and sometimes laughing about it can help, too. Other than that, I guess being embarrassed every now and then is just a fact of life that everyone has to learn to live with eventually. A few days have passed since the embarrassing moments occurred--she seems to be "over it" at this point. Hallelujah! I can see that she is becoming quite resilient about these kind of things. That means that she is beginning to mature into a strong and confident young woman. I am proud of her! :)

Doctor's Appointment

2009-02-05T12:57:00.002-05:00

My daughter needed to go to the doctor the other day, and the only doctor's office that she has been to for years is the pediatrician's office. Over the past few years, it has become increasingly clear to me that both of my teenagers have really outgrown going there--but finding new doctors is not a fun or easy task. Unless there was a problem that meant they needed to see a specialist, most visits were quick and they remained dressed--just needed to have ears/nose/throat examined or something like that. As they measured and weighed her, I realized that she is fully grown physically--and my son is, too. They may not quite be emotionally mature as adults should be, but their bodies have almost completed growing. My daughter is a half inch taller than I am--she may grow another inch or so(she is 14). My son is about as tall as his father--may grow more, too(he is 16). But they look like full grown adults! It does seem funny to see them sitting there in the waiting room with all of the little kids--and the exam rooms are decorated with cute characters--they DO look way out of place there! I will probably wait until we move and have to choose new doctors anyway--but I think our time at the pediatrician's office is just about up! Time to move on! :)

Get a Haircut!!

2009-02-05T12:35:00.003-05:00

Have you noticed what the popular look for teenage boys is these days? SHAGGY!! Not long all over, not mullet style, not afro style--just messy/shaggy mop-top style! You remember that from the 70s, right? Like "Shaggy" on Scooby Doo? THAT is the "in" style now!! It's funny how I am suddenly feeling conservative about these things: every time I see that style(EVERYWHERE!), I cannot help it--my immediate thought is: GET A HAIRCUT!!! The fact that I am a chld of the 60s and 70s makes this ironic! I watched in horror as crew-cut fathers told their long-haired sons to: GET A HAIRCUT! Hey--I was a teenager in the 80s--I know all about the "hair bands" of that day! I don't know--I just haven't seen many teenage boys lately that I think have "good hair"--and I am HIGHLY aware that it doesn't matter what I think!--that is WHY they like it the way they do: if parents like short hair, they are going to like longer hair! Still: I may bite my tongue and not say a word, but I cannot get the words "Get a haircut" out of my mind when I see the shaggy styles worn today! And my son--he actually BELIEVES that his hair looks better with the longer shaggy style!! I showed him some of his photos from just a few months ago when he had a nice short hair cut--I HONESTLY think he looks SO much better with shorter hair! He cringed and he actually thought he looked worse with the shorter hair--he says he likes it much better like it is now(shaggy!). He also said that everyone agrees with him EXCEPT his parents!--surprise, surprise!! Oh, well! I will just bite my tongue and keep my opinion to myself I guess--this is a "pick your battles" issue--I am not worried about it (even though I think he looks SO much better with the shorter hair!!) :)

Yes Man

2009-02-05T12:29:00.002-05:00

My son went to see "Yes Man " with his friends the other day. He said that it was funny--not the best Jim Carrey movie, but pretty funny. He had watched "Liar, Liar" on tv not long ago, and he said that it was VERY similar. I guess the idea behind both movies really are similar--kind of like "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" and "Honey, I Blew Up the Kids"--slight differences but many similarities. Even if they were "clone movies," if it is funny, then go for it, right? Jim Carrey is brilliant in his ability to morph into these bizarre characters! Just watching his face can get most of us laughing! :)

His Teenage "Toy Store"

2009-01-13T14:06:00.002-05:00

My son spent a long time in a really awesome music store the other day: Guitar Center. We have a few smaller music stores near our house, but we drove into the city and went to this one: it is huge! Watching him check out all of the cool stuff there reminded me of when he was little and I would take him to a toy store: the "toys" have changed, but he still gets just as excited about being surrounded by it all! Now I know that "boys and their toys" never really changes: the "toys" just get bigger and more expensive! I really enjoyed watching him "ooh" and "ahh" about things like amps, effects pedals, and other guitar accessories. They have more than just guitars there, too, so he checked out a LOT of cool things that he would like to have: he ALSO kept saying that he would LOVE to work there and maybe get a discount on some things! Since this place is far from where we live now, I don't think that would work out--but maybe we can find something just as good when we move. If my son could work in a big music store like this one, he would LOVE working!! He is really anxious to get a job soon, but transportation is definitely an issue. I keep thinking that he can do that once we move--we plan to live in an area where everything is either in walking distance or public transportation is available. Until then, an occassional trip to Guitar Center will suffice! :)

She Chose School Boy!

2009-01-13T13:58:00.002-05:00

When my daughter returned to school, she resumed her "relationship" with the boy that she liked before the holidays. She did not mention the other boy--she does not talk to him or about him now. So, "school boy" is back! They still only seem to communicate briefly during the school day: in the morning, at lunch, between classes, and after school(they do not have any classes together this semester). It still seems very sweet and innocent: pass notes in the hall, sit together at lunch and hold hands, quick kiss goodbye at the end of the day, etc. I don't know what to expect next: who knows when the NEXT boy will come along and catch her eye! But, for now, the "school boyfriend" is back in her life. She gushes every day when she comes home from school--she can't wait to tell me every detail about what he said or if he held her hand! :) I am SO glad that she is confiding in me about this stuff! The day may come in the future when she stops doing that, so I am enjoying every minute of this sweet and innocent stage right now. Valentine's Day is around the corner--I predict sweet cards, some chocolates, and maybe even a stuffed teddy bear! :) Ah, young love is adorable! (At least when it is still in this very innocent stage!)

Being Average

2009-01-13T13:20:00.002-05:00

When my teens returned to school, they received their report cards from the previous semester. They both had a few Bs, but they also both had several Cs. Some were high Cs, almost Bs--all-in-all, I would say that they both had "average grades" this time--not honor roll and not failing. How did they feel about it? Just fine, really. They seem to be perfectly happy scoring in "the average ranges." They were just grateful to be passing! How do I feel about it? Well, at their age, I was a high achiever--usually straight As and HATED getting Bs! BUT--I worked very hard at my school work--I put in the effort it took to make As. They work hard, but I do not think they are self-motivated enough to "go the extra mile"--and I think that is a totally inner self quality that you either have or you do not have. No one pushed me--I pushed myself--I think that is the only way it works, really. So, I do not think that there is anything I could do to "push" them into being "high achievers." If they WERE high achievers, it would be because their inner drive made them want to be that way. I honestly do not think students are high achievers because their parents or others pushed them--without that inner drive and ambition, it just would not do any good! SO--I know my teens: they are good people and they work fairly hard, but they are NOT highly ambitious and highly driven to achieve and be the best. I have talked to them about "the real world" and work ethics: the high achievers often get to the top and become the CEOs and bosses, the "average Joes" work for the CEOs but never really push hard enough to break through to the top, and the "lazy goof offs" find themselves struggling to provide the basic neccessities in life. Sometimes people can be one way in school and change later in life, but a pattern is often set during these formative years. So, my "average Joe and Jane" may go through life being "average"--and that's okay with me! Sure, it would be NICE to see them "at the top," but they don't HAVE to be that way. And, it would be tough to see them struggling "at the bottom," that's for sure. All of this is really their choice, though--nothing I can do to motivate them to be highly ambitious and driven if they are not. So, I guess they may go into adulthood as "Average Joe and Jane"--they may not get the top honors and top awards--hopefully they won't fall into a lower category and find themselves struggling just to survive--but if they go into adulthood swimming right along in the middle of the stream, I guess that is fine with me. I will love them and be proud of them no matter what they do! :) Still, I have to admit: when someone else's Joe or Jane gets top honors, it makes you wonder: could mine have done that if they had just worked harder? Maybe--but I still say that, at this point in their lives, it is ALL about THEM--if they put the work and effort into it, they can achieve. It really has very little to do with me at this point. I will always be a "proud mama" no matter what! :)

Second Semester

2009-01-13T12:34:00.003-05:00

My son and daughter finally returned to school after a long winter break. They began a new semester when they returned. They were hoping to choose some new electives, but that apparently didn't work out. At big public schools, it isn't always easy to get into the classes that you want to take because there isn't enough room--the list fills up quickly and then you have to choose something else. So, once again, my teens are back in school but not really very happy about it. We may or may not be here through the entire semester--who knows?! But they aren't exactly begging to stay here all semester because of their classes! If we DO move mid-semester, they probably wouldn't have a lot of choices of electives in Florida right away, either. Either way, second semester is underway. Now the countdown begins: either until moving day or until the end of the school year. Change is on the horizon and we are looking forward to a new way of life!

Welcome 2009!

2009-01-01T00:35:00.003-05:00

A quiet night at home--good food--a few fireworks--and Dick Clark on tv: Happy New Year!! My son was complaining about these kind of glasses--we are wondering if this may be the last year for them, or will they figure out how to make 2010 glasses? He thinks they will put a 1 on the bridge of the nose and make it work--and 2010 will be the last ones(hard to make 2011 work!). I think that it won't work without the double 00's--2009 will be the last ones. I guess we will see!! Happy New Year, and Welcome 2009!!

New Years Eve

2008-12-31T18:01:00.003-05:00

When the clock strikes midnight tonight, 2008 will be over and 2009 will be here. How do I feel about that? Well, as far as I am concerned, 2008 was a really bad year for us and it will be good to have that all behind us. I don't know if 2009 will be better or worse, but I sure do hope for things to get MUCH better--things just HAVE to begin looking up for us!! I will list some resolutions/hopes for 2009:

1. SELL THE HOUSE!!!!
2. GOOD EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN FLORIDA!!
3. MOVE TO FLORIDA!!!!!!!!!
4. GOOD HIGH SCHOOLS FOR BOTH TEENS!!(freshman and junior in the fall)
5. GOOD HEALTH CARE(and affordable!)
6. STABLE FINANCES WITH A LITTLE EXTRA TO SPEND(reduce struggling!)
7. TRADE IN MINIVAN(10 years old!) FOR RED CONVERTIBLE MUSTANG!! :)

I'll stop here--pretty much the same thing I hoped that would happen in 2008--none of it happened and I am rolling it all into 2009's wishes. I sure do hope that 2009 will end up being a GOOD year for us!!!!!!

Happy New Year! Goodbye(and good riddance) 2008!! Welcome 2009--hopefully full of good things for our family! Please, 2009--please be good to us!!!!!!

Torn Between Two Lovers

2008-12-31T16:57:00.003-05:00

Oh, my! My daughter has a dilemma now! Just before Christmas break, she had a "boyfriend" at school and she was pretty crazy about him. However, he does not have a cell phone or a MySpace, so they really only talked in school, not outside of school--and even then, they had different schedules and barely saw each other during the day. Still, they would pass notes or leave notes in each other's lockers, sit together at lunch, and sometimes sit together at school functions(but not often). A few things have occurred: a few times they have been able to sit together and hold hands, a few times they have stood together and he put his arm around her, once he kissed her on the cheek, and, on the day before Christmas break, he gave her a quick kiss goodbye on the lips. As far as she was concerned, that was her boyfriend and all was well! She was very excited about her goodbye kiss, and she was going to miss him during the holidays. He never calls her--not sure what's up with that, he can't text her(no cell phone), he can't instant message her or leave messages on MySpace(no access). Basically, if they are not at school or at a school function, they do not communicate. So, she has "missed him" during winter break and has not been able to have any contact with him at all.

Enter the dilemma: she went skating with her friend the other day. Her friend brought her cousin--a cute 14 year old boy. They hit it off, and my daughter now likes THAT boy. Apparently they skated together and held hands--and talked about "breaking up" with their significant others when they returned to school. Later, my daughter went to a movie with her friend and this boy--and my daughter and this boy kissed several times! For a few days after that, there was a lot of text messaging back and forth between my daughter and this new boy. They both seemed to really like each other, and it seemed that THEY were a new item and the "old loves" were out. My daughter said that she would tell her "school boyfriend" that she was moving on--as soon as they got back to school and they could talk again! This new boy said that he would do the same thing with HIS "school girlfriend." I think my daughter liked that this new boy could text message her and leave her messages on MySpace--they seemed a hot item--for a few days, anyway.

Well, now it seems that things have changed--just a few days later! At first, my daughter was all confused--should I "break up" with the old guy and pick this new one? Nothing was said to the first guy since there is no communication during the holidays with him. Then, she was SURE that she was going to pick the new guy--she took things off her MySpace page about the old guy and put the new guy on there--a sure sign of a break up in the teen world! Things were going good, then BOOM--suddenly, this new guy says that he might NOT break up with the other girl! Oh, boy! So...my daughter then decides that she wants to continue her"relationship" with the old guy! Now, she and the new guy say that they will just be friends!

So, when she returns to school, she has no plans to tell the old guy anything about the new guy. Only problem is, her friend kind of has a big mouth(the new guy's cousin). Now she is wondering what she should do. Oh, boy--the love lives of 14 year olds! There have already been issues with things like "cheating" and "breaking up" and "dating my best friend's ex" among my daughter's friends. But, are those issues REALLY important at this stage of the game? If an 8th grade boy and girl pass notes, hold hands, and grab a quick kiss--does that really mean that they are "a couple"? If one or both of them hold hands with and kiss someone else, is it really "cheating"? If one of them tells the other that they are "moving on," is that really a "break up"? And, is it really terrible if 14 year olds end up "dating" several different people--many of which end up being "a friend's ex"? Oh, boy--we have now entered the REAL world of teen dating, haven't we? Maybe not as serious as it will be in a few years, but still...it is a scary thing!

Here is what I told my daughter--and I was drawing on MY experience as a 14 year old girl: I had a "first boyfriend" who gave me my first kiss(first make out session, really!)--a few days later, he was over it and we "broke up." I felt kind of used, but then again, maybe I used him, too--to get that first kiss! Later, a guy at school sat by me and held my hand a few times--it was kind of developing into a thing, but just starting. Then, another guy who knew my friend from a different school called me, came to visit, and we kissed a few times. For a few weeks, I "dated" both guys--the saying was, "I just want to date around and not get serious." After a few weeks, one guy(not the one at school) asked me to "go with him"--the equivalent of "going steady." I said yes, then I told the guy at school about it--basically, "breaking up" with him and then "going with" the other guy. A few months passed, and we "broke up"--I dated other guys again--a different guy every few weeks. The next school year, I ended up "going with" the original school guy--I also ended up "going out with" the guy who gave me my first kiss! It all ended eventually--and then, my junior year, I started dating my high school sweetheart--we stayed together throughout high school.

OK--so I told all of that to show something: teens, at this age, are very very fickle! They say they "love" someone--they kiss and make out--and then, a few weeks later, they are in the same situation with someone else. And--it is ok!! Actually, this is probably how it should be, because getting too serious too young can definitely lead to more problems. So, I told my daughter(and I tell my son, too)--for now, just relax and be casual about dating--do what used to be called "dating around." It is perfectly fine to like lots of different people--it is fine to go on dates with different people--it is fine to holds hands with/cuddle with/kiss different people--keep it casual! I don't see my daughter's dilemma as "cheating"--it isn't even in the same ball park as grown-up love and cheating. I think it would even be okay to have a "school boyfriend," a "neighborhood boyfriend," a "sometimes get together boyfriend," and even a "vacation boyfriend"--at least in this stage of the dating game. They should probably avoid the "going together"/"going steady" stage at this age anyway. They may say, "that's my boyfriend/girlfriend"--but that is a very casual bond at this stage. My daughter's crush last year(never even kissed) still flirts with her--she tells him to leave her alone because she has a boyfriend. Yet, when a cute guy at the skating rink holds her hand or kisses her at a movie, she quickly tosses the old guy out and welcomes the new guy. And when the new guy calls a halt to things, she goes back to the old guy. Who knows--maybe the old guy had a new girl over the holidays, too! Considering the fact that they ONLY communicate during school, he may even have other girls in other situations, too! And that would be ok!

So, we will see what happens when they go back to school. I think old guy is very shy--much more so than new guy. Maybe the note passing, hand holding, and occasional kiss will continue--or maybe not. And, who knows--there could be yet ANOTHER new guy come along in the next few weeks or months! OMG--this is making me, her mother, very nervous! I mean, my "baby girl" now knows what it is like to kiss and make out during a movie!! OMG!! We are now past the very innocent crush stage--and past the "will he hold my hand" stage--we are now in the "you wanna make out" stage!!!! Oh, please stay in THAT stage a LONG LONG time!!!!!!! I hope we don't move forward to the NEXT stage for a very long time!!!! I will continue to talk to my daughter about these issues--I remember quite well how persistent teenage boys can be about pushing girls into things!! I want her to be strong and stand up for herself--it is HER call, not the boys!! I hope she will be strong about these issues!! I did a pretty good job about that at her age--boys knew what they could and could NOT get me to do!!!! Oh my lord--I cannot believe that I am now the parent of a teenager going through these issues!!!! And this is my "baby girl" we are talking about--my son is ahead of her in this game. Isn't is ironic--when we are teenagers going through these things, we often give NO thought to what our parents would say--and when we are the parents, we want to be SO involved in the issue at hand!! Just let us survive this intact with no serious consequences--that is our biggest goal! Learn about love, experience heartbreak, but please don't do anything that would seriously affect you for the rest of your life! So, here we go--the innocence is over and the scary ride is REALLY beginning!! Hang on for dear life!!!!!

Marley and Me

2008-12-31T15:42:00.004-05:00

My daughter and I went to see the movie Marley and Me the other day. I LOVED it! She liked it a lot, too! It is NOT just about a dog--it is about marriage, family, career, midlife crisis, etc. I absolutely recommend it--it was really good! :) Only thing is: it made me think about OUR family dog.

Oh, boy--what are we going to do about our dog! On the one hand, our lab is very calm and is NOTHING like Marley. I even came home and gave her a bit of attention and praise because I realized that she really IS a good dog! BUT--we didn't get her when the kids were little. They were about 10 and 12 when she was born and we brought her home. The dog was NOT our "first child," as Marley seemed to be for the Grogans. I had years of motherhood under my belt before becoming a dog owner. Honestly, I was NOT so thrilled about having a dog in the house! I mean, my kids were finally getting old enough to do lots of things on their own, and here comes a puppy who needs almost as much care as a baby does! So, looking back--if we were going to have a family dog, we should have done it sooner--or NOT do it at all. When my husband brought the dog home, all I could think is: Just when I get the kids almost raised, here we go again! No--here I go again...it would all fall on MY shoulders! And, sure enough, the kids went to school, the husband traveled on business, and guess who got stuck with pet care? Yep--me, the one who really did NOT want to have a dog! I am just not a pet person! I don't want to stop what I am doing to care for an animal! I am not cruel-I just don't want the responsibility. I LOVE caring for my kids, but they are growing up. I resent the times that I have to be the caretaker for the dog that THEY wanted, not me. I do it, but I resent it--and I never really bonded with the dog as they did(at least my husband and son). When they are home, the dog is THEIR responsibility, not mine. And when they are gone, I do what needs to be done, but I do NOT enjoy it. I know I have written about this before, but the movie made me think about it again. Basically, the dog was their first "child", the kids grew up with the dog, and...SPOILER ALERT: the dog dies when the kids are still young. Even though I am not a dog person, I admit that I cried about the dog! But this scene won't be happening the same way in our family. We had two kids for over a decade before we had a dog--the dog grew up during our kids' adolescence--and, if the dog lives a long and healthy life, our two teens will grow up and move away when the dog is about 6 to 8 years old. PROBLEM: I do not want to continue to take care of a dog for 5 to 7 years after my kids leave home! When I am living child-free, I also want to be living pet-free! SO...this is going to be a REAL problem in the future! ALSO: when we finally DO move to Florida, the dog will only be about 4 or 5 years old--and we are going to be living in a small apartment(one that does NOT allow dogs!)--so there is definitely a problem there, too. Since we didn't have a dog when the kids were little, since the dog's life span isn't coinciding with their early childhood and ending during that time, and since we have all of those other issues--we won't be having the same situation as the Grogans did. Basically, our story is VERY different: while our dog is GOOD and NOT like Marley, her life span is NOT following our family timeline in the same way.

So, Marley and Me was good because it tied the life of a dog into the timeline of a marriage and family. It made me think about OUR dog and OUR family timeline. As good as our dog is, I cannot change the fact that her lifespan is not going to fit so perfectly into our family timeline as Marley did with the Grogans. Life in a house with a big yard, young kids, and a stay-at-home-mother: often that is a great place for a dog! Life in an small apartment with no yard, teenagers or grown children who move away, a busy career woman who travels and has no time to care for a pet--that is NOT so ideal! This is a looming crisis in our family--it is going to "hit the fan" one day soon! Either when we move into an apartment that will not allow dogs, or maybe later when the kids grow up and leave home--at some point, the day of reckoning will occur. I am determined to make sure that the dog is loved and goes to a good home--I have some ideas, but nothing is certain right now. For now, my son and my husband will NOT even consider this idea, but they will HAVE to figure something out in the near future. One possibility in our moving plans: I go to Florida and get an apartment while my husband stays here(and the dog stays with him). This is not a long-term plan, but it may be the way we HAVE to do it. And if we do, then maybe my husband will have to figure it all out and I won't have to be "the bad guy." If he has to continue to travel a lot and I am not there to care for the dog while he is gone, he will realize that there is a problem. He will also realize that the dog cannot come stay with me in a small apartment in Florida while I am working full-time. He knows the family that owns the farm where our dog was born--there are "dog relatives" of our dog there. He also knows some of his relatives that might can take the dog. Maybe I can just move to Florida and get our apartment set up while the dog stays with him, and then he can figure it all out. That would be a big relief for me! Well, we will see what the future holds. Our dog is not Marley, and her story is not the same story--we will have to wait and see what OUR story looks like!

My Gift To Myself!

2008-12-31T15:24:00.002-05:00

While I was out shopping, I found a great deal on a new digital camera for myself, too! I did a lot of research, and I decided that I wanted a Canon. I couldn't afford most of them, but I found some that were reasonably priced and had received great reviews. Maybe one day I can get the Rebel, but for now, the PowerShot will do! My purpose for upgrading MY camera was two-fold: one, my Sony Cybershot is from 2003 and was only 3 mp and two, my son said that he would be happy with my Sony if I ever upgraded to a new camera for myself. This kind of rounded out everything: between birthdays, Christmases, and other occasions, my teens have now received just about everything they think they need regarding "teen technology." Now they both have good cell phones(with cameras), good digital cameras, good mp3 players, portable dvd players, stereos, cd players, etc. They have access to our two family computers. They have access to things like PS2, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo Wii. They have access to satellite television. Basically, they have almost everything that they THINK they need! They will always WANT more, but they are doing pretty good right now! Maybe in the future, things like laptops, cars, and other more expensive items will be on their list--and MAYBE they will get some of them--but, for now, they are doing pretty well. So, getting a better camera for me meant giving my son my Sony Cybershot--he is happy about that, and so am I! And my daughter is perfectly happy with her new camera, too, so all is well. Now, if they don't want ME to take their picture, hopefully they will take pictures of themselves and I can copy them from the computer! :) I have had pretty good luck documenting their teen years this way. If I get out my camera, they go running--they don't want to pose for me! BUT--they seem to LOVE to take photos of themselves and their friends--and they upload them onto the family computer--and I copy and paste them into MY picture folders! THAT is how you can get good photos of your teens! :) Still, I may sneak a few in when they aren't looking, and I do take a LOT of photos of all of their teen stuff around the house. I just LOVE documenting their lives this way--I think ONE day that they will appreciate it(far into the future!).

His and Her Gifts

2008-12-31T15:13:00.002-05:00

Although these weren't their only presents, these two things were their MAIN presents this year. My son requested a Sansa since I-pods were too expensive. To be honest, I really LIKE the Sansa BETTER than the I-pod! It has more features and costs a LOT less!! And I was able to find him an 8 gb Sansa for almost half of what an 8 gb I-pod costs! My daughter had already spotted a camera that she wanted when we were shopping one day. I also lucked up and found a great price on it, too! I had to fight traffic, weed my way through crowds, wait for what seemed like an eternity for a salesperson to help me, go through the same process at several different stores around town, finally find the right things at the right price, and wait in long lines to purchase them. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it! And they both seemed VERY happy with their gifts! :) Merry Christmas to my teens! :) I am glad to see that you both are happy with your presents! :)

Christmas On A Small Scale

2008-12-31T15:02:00.005-05:00

Everything was on a small scale this year, including our Christmas tree. We had packed most of our ornaments and decorations away last year because we were certain that we were moving soon. When it turned out that we would be here for yet another Christmas, we couldn't bear to unpack everything. So we decided to choose a small tree and put a few small ornaments on it that were on the top of the box. It wasn't so bad, really--it did the job, I guess. We just didn't have a lot of Christmas spirit this year--a small tree with a few decorations seemed appropriate. We almost skipped having a tree, but it just didn't feel right to do that--so we got a small tree at the last minute. We didn't even water it because we put it up just a day or two before Christmas--no need to try to prolong it! Anyway--everything was on a smaller scale this year, but it still seemed to turn out okay anyway. Still, we couldn't help looking to the future a bit and imagining a bigger and better Christmas NEXT year--HOPEFULLY in Florida!! We thought that THIS year we were going to be there having a Florida Christmas--I cannot believe that we are STILL here!!! But...maybe next year...we HOPE!!!

Christmas Stress

2008-12-31T14:39:00.002-05:00

I felt my own sense of stress during the week before Christmas. Even though I was determined to keep things low key, I still found myself in the midst of the craziness of Christmas. Mostly, I got caught in Christmas traffic(it was CRAZY!) and I got caught in Christmas crowds(also CRAZY!). By the time I finished shopping, I felt quite stressed and I certainly did not feel "in the Christmas spirit." One good thing, though--even though it took a LONG time to complete my shopping, I did find some good sales and bargains. I think I did quite well keeping within our small budget this year. My teens may not have had a huge spread under the tree, but they were happy with the things that I found for them. I am sure that MANY families had to have small Christmases this year--hopefully everyone found a way to make the holidays special even if they had to be on a very small scale. Maybe next year things will be better--I certainly hope so! For us, there are only 2 more Christmases left with my son before he leaves home--and 4 more with my daughter: I want to make those last few holidays special ones for them. I know that the way to do that is NOT to spoil them rotten with material things, but to make the last holidays at home with family special ones. Still, they don't want to be treated as children as they prepare to leave home, so there are many things we did for years that they absolutely do not want to do now. I will try to do some things in the next few years during the holidays that will give them good closure on their years at home. Hopefully we will still get together for the holidays when they are grown and on their own, but it will never be the same as it is now. Christmas in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 won't look anything like it did for us when they were young children, but I hope we can make some wonderful memories as they enjoy their last Christmases from the perspective of living at home. I have some good ideas that I hope to implement during this time--hopefully I can pull them off! And then, once they are grown and on their own, I have some ideas on how to enjoy the holidays together during that time, too--and they won't be traditional holidays at all! So, even though things are changing, I hope to make it through the Christmas stress each year to make things special for my teens during the holidays. It can be a challenge, but I think I am doing okay so far!

Exam Stress

2008-12-31T14:35:00.001-05:00

My son and daughter both had to complete exams and projects before beginning Christmas break. Although it was a stressful time, they both seem to feel confident about their grades and are just happy to complete the semester. Once exam week was over, they both felt a lot of relief and were anxious to begin their long Christmas break. It finally arrived, and they were very glad!

Nothing Like The Holidays

2008-12-15T15:18:00.003-05:00

While my daughter and her friend were watching Twilight, I went to see Nothing Like The Holidays. I had expected it to be similar to Four Christmases, but it was actually quite different. There were some funny moments, but it was definitely a drama, not a comedy. And I actually liked it even better than Four Christmases! Of course, that's just my opinion--I like movies that make me cry a lot more than movies that make me laugh! :) And I did find myself wiping tears away a bit during this movie--to me, that is the measure of a good film: if it makes me cry! :)

Earlier, I had written about family traditions and the holidays. I am ready to leave most of the old traditions behind and begin new and very different ones. A challenging holiday, to me, is one where I am having to stand up to outdated traditions and explain my reasons for not wanting to do things "the way we used to do them." This movie was all about traditions, and many family members were upset about the possibility of changing them. It was an interesting perspective to see the views expressed in this film. For the most part, tradition and roots won out and the family in the film was happy about it. It made me think about my own family--we are very different from the family in the film, but my older family members are steeped in tradition as this family was. Their family was large and of Puerto Rican descent--my family is small and Anglo. I imagined what my family would be like if there were more of us--maybe family traditions would mean more, or maybe not. But the overriding theme of the movie seemed to be about family, tradition, roots, home, etc.--the very things that I am kind of rebelling from and moving away from lately. Even though this movie was essentially pulling the audience in a different direction than I wanted to go, I still really enjoyed it. It was interesting to see a very different kind of family portrayed, and it was a nice change from the typical "traditional" family seen in most holiday movies. I really like the movie even though I don't want to continue the old family traditions as they did! :)

Twilight

2008-12-15T15:10:00.002-05:00

My daughter and her friend went to see Twilight this weekend. It was my daughter's frst time to see it and her friend's third time to see it. I think that my daughter's friend is a really big fan of the book series. They both ranted and raved about it--mostly about the romance aspect! I get the idea that teenage girls love watching movies about teen love, but the vampire part...not so much! But apparently this movie makes that part seem less important when compared to the love story that guides the plot. Not my type of movie, but teenage girls seem to really like it! :)

The Dark Knight

2008-12-15T15:02:00.002-05:00

My son went to his friend's house and they watched The Dark Knight on blueray DVD. My son said that it was very good, although his friend is a much bigger fan of that genre. Even though they both liked it, I think the James Bond movie ranked higher in my son's opinion. At this age, they don't exactly give you complete movie reviews and evaluations--I just have to go by the few statements he made when he returned home! :) He seemed to like the movie, but I wouldn't say that it was one of his favorites. I guess it all depends on what kind of movies you like the best! :)

Peppermint Chocolate Chip MIlkshake

2008-12-09T11:26:00.003-05:00

After shoe shopping, my daughter and I went to lunch at Chick-fil-A. We both like their chicken sandwiches--and we LOVE their milkshakes! She stuck with her traditional chocolate milkshake, but I tried their holiday specialty--a peppermint chocolate chip milkshake. MMM...MMM...GOOD!!!! It was delicious!!!!! They won't last past the holidays, so I recommend getting one as soon as you can--they are SOOOOO good!!!!!

Payless Shoes

2008-12-09T11:17:00.002-05:00

My daughter and I went shopping the other day and found some really cute shoes at Payless. We managed to hit their "Bo-Go" Sale (Buy one, get one half off)--and we found some really good deals. We also looked at WalMart and Target, but we found our best deals at Payless this time. My daughter needed some new shoes for school and we found some cute and inexpensive choices there. I have been to several Payless stores over the years--some are larger than others. This one was medium-sized, I guess. I would like to find where the largest one in our area is located--we might can find even MORE choices there! :)

Guitars Can Be Better Than Cars!

2008-12-09T10:26:00.005-05:00

So, now that my son is 16, many people think that it is time to go car shopping. But the reality is, we just cannot afford to do so right now. Hopefully in the future, but not any time soon. I have to admit that I felt bad about that--not guilty, because it is what it is...money is very tight right now, but I had a hard time deciding what would make a really good present for a very important birthday--and not break the bank! My son kind of guided me in the direction he wanted to go in--he made a list of things that he liked. There were some things on the list such as video games and consoles that I did not want to do--he has enough of those already. That didn't seem special enough. He also wanted to upgrade his cell phone and mp3 player--but he wanted the top of the line stuff! And, he would like to have his own computer, but I am still using a laptop with a broken screen hooked up to an old monitor--um...if anyone needs a new computer, it would be me! So there were a lot of things on his list that were just way over budget and we just can not get them right now. And the idea of a car--we put that out of his mind months ago and told him bluntly that we just cannot afford to do that right now--so he didn't even ask.

BUT--one thing that was on his list was a new electric guitar. He had one from when he was younger, but it was very small and simple. Last year, he bought a bass guitar with his birthday and Christmas money. He plays that thing constantly, and he is really getting pretty good on it. This year, he wanted to upgrade his electric guitar(not the bass)--he wanted to learn to play some of the songs that he really likes, and what he had was just not working. We looked through a catalog and he showed me some things that he liked. We also went to a music store and he showed me some things--it reminded me a lot of when he was young and in the toy store, but this time he was oohing and aahing over instruments. His taste in "toys" have definitely changed--and so have the pricetags!! But I learned a bit about the world of musical instruments--there are the big name brands that cost a lot of money, and there are off brands that are made cheaply and cost less--and then there is a group of instruments in the middle that are made by the same big name companies as the expensive brands, but are made under a different name and cost a lot less. Apparently, in the world of guitars, the most expensive guitars are under the brand name Gibson. I think many professional musicians have Gibsons. We cannot affford a Gibson. Then, I think Gibson makes a brand named Les Paul--also over our budget. Finally, Gibson makes a brand named Epiphone. The name may not be as well known, but it is made by the famous parent company, Gibson. So, buying an Epiphone is essentially buying a Gibson, although I am sure that the materials and handiwork are not as high of quality as a true Gibson. My son knows that we cannot afford a true Gibson, but we can swing an Epiphone. It isn't cheap, but it is MUCH less expensive than a true Gibson guitar--and especially less expensive than a car or many other things that could have been on his list!

So, that is what we bought our son for his birthday: an Epiphone electric guitar. The one we bought him comes with an amp and other accessories. The guitar, plus some cell phone minutes, were all we could afford--and it wasn't cheap! While I was feeling a bit down because I am used to buying lots of birthday presents instead of just one, my son was thrilled to death with his one present! I kept telling him, if love were money I would buy you everything on your list AND a car, but reality made that impossible. I don't know what I was worried about--he was truly on cloud nine about his guitar!! I know, I know--it's the thought that counts and all of that. And there are many families who are having a tougher time than we are--I know that for certain. And we never were the kind of family who could throw expensive elaborate parties and buy luxury cars for our teens like they do on MTV--that has ALWAYS been way above OUR heads!! But still--I was hoping to at least purchase an inexpensive used car for my son to drive--just as my parents had done for me when I was 16--but we just can't. Times are tough right now--for almost everyone. As we watch my son's friends turn 16 this year, I wonder who will get their kids a car, and who will not. Many of his friends come from families who seem to be doing better than we are through this recession--but you never know. And it really doesn't matter what "they" are doing--We are doing what WE can during these tough times--that really is all that matters.

My son was VERY VERY appreciative of his new guitar! He told me that he really didn't care about getting a car--that this is what he REALLY wanted! He used his birthday money from relatives to buy some accessories, and he played his heart out! And he is really good! It will take some time for him to really get it all down, but he is a fast learner. One of the things he bought to go with the guitar adds special effects sounds to it--it sounds really awesome! Listening to him play reminds me a lot of the rock bands I liked when I was his age! I know--he still has a long way to go, but he is really quite talented! He has ALWAYS been very interested and talented in music, and he is really beginning to express himself a lot through music. I can't wait to see/hear what he does next! Happy birthday, son! I am very glad that your new guitar makes you so happy! :)

Happy 16th Birthday!!!

2008-12-01T14:08:00.003-05:00

My son is 16 today!! OMG!! Sixteen years old!! He still has to complete his online drivers education course before he can take his driving test, so he won't be going to do that today. But soon...very soon! Maybe in a week or two--and then he will have to go through that awful stressful situation of driving for an examiner and getting rated on his every move. Aahh! Remember that? I don't envy him! I do know that he should practice parallel parking a lot more before he goes--one of his friends failed that more than once! I will write about it all, and I will especially write about how I feel when I give him the keys and he drives alone for the very first time. OMG! I cannot believe that this day has arrived!!! He says that he wants to take a "road trip" alone once he gets his license. I am leaning more toward a day out alone, or a few hours out alone! But it does remind me of that awesome feeling of freedom when you first drive alone. Those of us who have driven for years sometimes get bogged down in the drudgery of it all. Sometimes we groan and complain if we have to drive somewhere, don't we? But remember that feeling, when getting in the car ALONE and driving to the store ALONE was about the BEST feeling in the whole wide world?!! My son is just days away from experiencing this feeling for the first time. It is both scary AND exciting, coming from a parental point-of-view. And I know that every minute that he is out on the road, I will be sitting at home worrying and watching the clock. I still cannot believe that I am on the OTHER side of this whole equation!! Mom and Dad, now I FINALLY am beginning to understand how you felt when I was this age!! It is a very different feeling when you are waiting at home for a teenager to return safely, and I know that the thought will never even cross his mind--he will be having so much fun enjoying his new freedom that he won't give a single thought to how I feel about it all!! And that, my friends, is the whole ball game: we remember what it was like to be their age, but they have NO clue what it is like to be us!! Happy Birthday, Son!! Even though I may embarrass you by saying it, I love you and hope that you have a wonderful day!! :)

Starbucks Holiday Drinks

2008-12-01T14:04:00.002-05:00

I enjoyed a few of Starbucks Holiday Drinks this weekend, and they are delicious! I tried the Gingersnap Latte and the Peppermint Mocha Twist. Both were very yummy! My son had the Caramel Truffle, I think. He said that it was good. My daughter stuck to just plain hot chocolate--she is not really a fan of coffee like her brother and I are. I know that we can't indulge in these too often, but we did enjoy them very much! Way to go, Starbucks! Two thumbs up! :)

James Bond Movie: Quantum of Solace

2008-12-01T14:00:00.003-05:00

When my daughter and I went to see "Four Christmases," my son decided to go to the latest James Bond movie. He really enjoyed "Casino Royale," and this was the sequel to that one. He said that the plot continued just a few minutes after the other one had ended. He liked it and was glad to have seen it, but I couldn't get much more of a critique from him beyond that. If you like Bond movies, I am sure that you will like this one, too! :)

Holiday Movie: Four Christmases

2008-12-01T13:46:00.002-05:00

My daughter and I went to see "Four Christmases" over the weekend. It was funny! Maybe not the absolutely BEST holiday movie, but it was cute. It kind of reminded me a bit of "Christmas with the Kranks"--a lot of "slapstick comedy" and overall silliness. I guess the main thing I liked about it was seeing how UN-traditional holidays can be for many people today! In this story, both sets of parents are divorced, so they visit each parent separately--and much mayhem ensues at each house. If each family and household could be described in one word, it might be something like this: young couple--non-traditional, his dad--redneck, his mom--hippie, her mom--cougar, her dad--doting. Interestingly enough, there really didn't seem to be any "traditional families" in the bunch! So, even though this young couple had to deal with many issues, one issue they seemed to escape was traditionalism! Everyone has their own axe to grind, I guess. For me, my holidays used to be spent trying to explain why I did not want to be "just like them" or do things "just like they do." As time went on, though, it seems that NON-traditionalism has won out, at least in my family! Maybe that is why I liked the movie--a bunch of people doing things VERY differently than "how we've always done it." It was fun to see the craziness that ensued when everyone "did their own thing'! :)

Thanksgiving: Image vs. Reality

2008-12-01T11:54:00.002-05:00

Did your Thanksgiving look anything like this? I know that mine certainly did not! The funny thing is, some of my older family members tried very hard to have that "Norman Rockwell image" during the holidays when I was growing up. We would all gather at my grandmother's house--we were expected to wear our "Sunday best"--we sat around the formal dining room table(although there WAS a "kid's table" in the kitchen!)--all of our table manners were used and critiqued--and the older adults usually set the tone and conversation for the day. In some ways, this image was very similar to the way things went when I was younger. But time moves on--people change--older generations pass on and younger generations take their place. Now, in my family, there are no longer any "Norman Rockwell holidays." This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. That particular image was created around the middle of the 20th century--a bit earlier than that, really. Now that we are deep into the 21st century, it seems a bit silly to try to make our holidays look ANYTHING like this severely outdated image! Sometimes advertisements try to hold on to those images, though--they try to tweak our sentimental side and get us to thinking that it "should" look like that--and if it doesn't, maybe WE did something wrong. But the truth is, the only thing "wrong" with not "living up to the image" is the image itself. America needs to move on. This can apply to many things that may fall into the categories of "the American dream" or "an American tradition." That was then, this is now. Life is not going to look the same, nor should it.

When I am the age of the grandmother in the portrait, my holidays aren't going to look anything like that--heck, I don't plan on looking anything like she does, either! I want to LOOK like a "modern grandmother"--not a "traditional" one. And I don't plan on having traditional holiday celebrations, either. I plan on living in a small apartment or condo, so I won't be inviting all of my relatives over to my place. If my grown children want to host the holidays in their homes, I would love to visit them and do things THEIR way--not mine!--and NOT my ancestors traditional ways. If they do come to visit me, I would love to take them out for a nice dinner at a nice restaurant--no cooking for me, thank you! There won't be any "family recipes" because they died with the people who created them--and no one in my generation wanted to keep the tradition. Either store-bought, ready-made, or catered for us! And that's ok! No--I don't think that I will EVER again be part of that scene--no more traditional "Norman Rockwell holidays"--and that's fine with me. And my teens are even more accepting of this than I am because they have never really done things that way. The whole idea of "1950s traditional" is beyond their comprehension--never lived it, why start now? We are starting our own new traditions in the new century--and the next generation will probably toss it all aside and create THEIR own way of doing things. That is how life should be--moving forward into the next generation. So happy Thanksgiving, however you celebrated it!

Basketball Season Begins

2008-11-19T13:14:00.002-05:00

It sure does seem like high school football season ends just as soon as it begins! Since my son's school did not have a very good football season, there were no play-off games or anything that would extend the season a few more weeks. So now it is over--and basketball season has begun! My daughter's middle school does not have a football team, but they do have a basketball team--actually, they have both girl's and boy's teams. My son's high school has both boy's and girl's basketball teams as well. my son really isn't much of a basketball fan, she he rarely attends a game. My daughter often has crushes on the players at her school--or she at least gets an opportunity to sit with a boy that she likes while watching the games--so she likes to go to her games. She stayed after school for the first one, and I think there will be many more in the weeks ahead. Apparently, there was a pep rally before the first game--her "boyfriend" sat by her and held her hand! She is SO excited about it!! Oh, sweet girl--if only it could stay just as sweet and innocent as that!! So basketball games mean "dates" to my innocent daughter if her "boyfriend" sits by her and holds her hand--how adorable! If only things ALWAYS were as adorable as that!! I am enjoying watching her in these sweet and innocent days--she is 14 and it seems to be lasting longer than I thought it would--hallelujah! But I know that life is about to get much more challenging as far as teen dating is concerned, so I will enjoy these last few days of sweet innocence. And when things get much tougher regarding my daughter and boys, I will remember these days with fondness. And then: I will have to GET REAL!! Oh, boy!!

Veterans Day

2008-11-19T13:06:00.002-05:00

Since my teens just had a day off for Election Day, they were not out of school for Veterans Day. They did do things at school to honor soldiers and veterans, though. All I can think of is this: my son will soon turn 16--he is really showing a lot of interest in joining the military in the future--in just 2 years he will have to register for the Selective Service--he may decide then to go ahead and enlist--I have mixed feelings about it all. I have the utmost respect and honor for our soldiers--they are awesome!! I would be VERY proud to be the mother of a soldier!! Many men in my family have served--they all recommend it highly. There is no money available to my son for his college education--he will have to find a way to support himself. Serving in the military would be a great way to do that. Still--our country is still at war. Of course I am scared about the idea of my son going off to war! I love him so much--and if this is what HE wants to do, then I will stand behind him with pride bursting from my heart. But I will worry about him--what mother wouldn't, right? So, every time I think of our soldiers serving our country, I wonder if my son will be among them in the near future. God Bless Our Soldiers!!

Online Drivers Education

2008-11-19T12:57:00.003-05:00

My son recently signed up for an online drivers education course. It is a requirement in our state that they take drivers ed before getting their license. Since they don't offer drivers ed at his school, and since the private driving schools cost so much, we felt that this was a good option. It costs $55 and takes about 30 hours to complete. He turns 16 next month, so he better get busy! Surprisingly, he isn't pushing to get everything done by his birthday--he says he can wait for a few weeks afterward if needed. We aren't going to be able to purchase a car for him anytime soon--he will have to borrow my mini-van for a while!!--so there seems to be less of a rush--if he was getting a new car, he might feel differently!! I WISH I could buy him a car, but it just is way beyond our budget right now! Who knows what will happen in the future! For now, he just needs to become a licensed driver--we will take each step one day at a time. I will admit that I am very nervous about letting him drive alone even when he has his license. The day I just hand him the keys and let him go--oh my! And that day is coming soon!!! Teenagers and driving--it is a scary thing for parents!!!

High School Musical 3

2008-11-19T12:39:00.003-05:00

My daughter and I went to see High School Musical 3 last weekend. It was pretty good! We have the DVDs of the first 2--kind of wish they had done one more to make it a "true" 4 year experience! But this was a good way to end the series--they graduated, and it also seems that the cast is now ready to move on to new things. Remember when Hairspray came out and they called it "the Grease for today's generation"? I knew that was wrong! I knew that THIS was the "new Grease"--if we are talking about a really popular musical that young teen girls just LOVE LOVE LOVE!! I guess it depends on what you use to compare, but Grease came out when I was a young teen--I went to it over and over, I memorized the songs, I had the album, I had the scrapbook, etc. Hairspray was good, but THIS is the one that teen girls REALLY love!! They will go over and over(although now they know that one day they can own the DVD so that may keep multiple viewings at the theater down)(we only WISH that we could have OWNED the movie Grease and watch it at home when we were their age!!!)--they will own the soundtracks and memorize the songs, they will download the videos and anything they can find about it on the internet--THIS is today's generation's Grease!! While it is true that, in the late 70s, we were fascinated by teen life in the 50s(not sure why!!), I don't think teens today are really into "teen life in the 60s" that was represented in Hairspray. No--they are MUCH more concerned with teen life today!! SO, they really seem to enjoy watching the High School Musical movies--it gives them ideas of how things REALLY can be for them now!! As for part 3, the storyline followed some of the tough decisions that have to be made during Senior Year as teens prepare for adult life in the real world after high school. Yeah, it was a bit sappy--but it was still really cute! Having two teens who are just a few years from this life stage, I actually got teary eyed at some of those "what should I do with the rest of my life" moments!! I know--high school is FAR from perfect for most teens--many go through those years HATING school and DYING to GET OUT!! But I HOPE that my teens are having and will have SOME of the good experiences that can ONLY be experienced in high school! They will be grown adults soon enough--enjoy the end of childhood and have a great time being young! I know--there are a lot of things about adolescence that are NOT fun--I really wouldn't want to experience some of those things again. Still--when will they EVER have such freedom to choose their paths in life? High school, college, young adulthood--so many decisions to be made during these years, and so much fun to be had!! Enjoy being young and free!! i am having a wonderful time watching life through the eyes of young people!! It is really a joy!!

Election Day!

2008-11-09T14:58:00.002-05:00

What a day! Yes, I voted! Yes, I am happy! But I won't talk about it in my house very much! I am an independent voter who doesn't identify with either party, but there are a lot of Republicans in my family! As I watch the coverage of the election, I feel a smile emerging, but I look at the scowls on the faces of others in the family--and I hold back my reaction. We need change! Change is good! But not everyone agrees...what do you do when family members disagree politically? I go back to the saying, "Never discuss politics or religion with family members." So, I am secretly happy, but I am surrounded by people who are moping around feeling disappointed. oh, well--they need to wake up and smell the changes happening around them. Change is a good thing!!!! :) Change is a WONDERFUL thing!!! :)

Halloween

2008-11-09T14:51:00.003-05:00

Halloween just isn't the same around here anymore! We used to really be into it--carving pumpkins and all! Now, my daughter spent the night with a friend and went to a party, and my son just stayed home and did nothing. I was a bit melancholy about it all since my "kids" were no longer participating. I even debated whether or not to pass out candy to the neighborhood kids...I just wasn't into this year! I decided to get some candy as backup just in case I decided to participate. When it began to get dark, I got out the candy and turned on the porch lights. We really have had a lot of people move out of our neighborhood lately, so there really aren't a lot of kids left for times like this. But we did get some trick-or-treaters--each one tiny and cute! All I could think of as I looked at their precious faces was how my kids USED to be at Halloween! These adorable kids reminded me of "what used to be"--but I know that is is time to move on and not look back. I just sometimes feel a tug of nostalgia on my heart! I am truly glad to be moving into the future, but it is times like this that remind of of "the good old days"! :)

Unlimited Texting

2008-11-09T14:43:00.002-05:00

This really is a good deal, at least for us!! My teens now get $25 a month to put on their cell phones. They use $19.99 of that for a month of unlimited text messaging. Yes, UNLIMITED text messaging!! They are mostly into texting anyway--they only talk a little bit. This is perfect for them! They have about $5 left for talk if they need it, but they rarely use it. But they text all the time!! They no longer have to keep up with their text messaging--they can go crazy with it if they want to do so!! And I am only out $50 a month($25 each)! With the other pay-as-you-go plan through T-Mobile, we were spending about $100 a month($50 each) for 500 minutes each--they were using that up quickly through text messaging! Yay for unlimited text! Yay for $25 a month each! Most of all, yay for continuing the pay-as-you-go concept--if needed, the monthly refill can be withheld and filled when I think they have earned it. No monthly bills! I like this plan!! :)

Better Cell Phones

2008-11-09T14:37:00.003-05:00

Last year, we bought both of our teens basic Nokia cell phones(no cameras!) and gave them pay-as-you-go plans through T-Mobile. They burned through their minutes very quickly! They really used text messaging much more than talking, but every text message cost them cell phone minutes. It was getting ridiculous! SO--we discovered something new and better for them! First of all, we found better pay-as-you-go phones through AT&T--my daughter bought a Motorola Razr phone with her birthday money. My son ended up getting a phone given to him from a friend who was upgrading. SO, now both of my teens have pretty good phones that have cameras in them. They are MUCH happier with their new cell phones than with the old and plain ones! Now, the next thing was to find better plans for them!

Sansa

2008-11-09T14:32:00.002-05:00

My daughter had asked for an I-pod Nano. I looked at them, but I was not impressed with the features considering the price! Then I looked at the I-pod Shuffle--better price, but not very many features! Then I looked at other brands--Sansa seemed to be the best buy: more features at a good price! So she now has a Sansa Fuze--she loves it! I was so impressed that I bought a Sansa for myself--I went with the Sansa Clip(smaller, no video)--it is just what I needed! Sorry, Apple--the price of I-pods just was out of my price range!! We are all about Sansa now!!

My Daughter's 14th Birthday!

2008-11-09T14:27:00.002-05:00

My daughter just turned 14 years old!! My son will turn 16 years old in December! I feel old!! My daughter had a friend come over and spend the night--they went to a movie later. We ate dinner at HER favorite place (Ryan's Steakhouse!), she opened her presents, we had cake and ice cream, and she spent time just hanging out with her friend. Fourteen...that was quite a year for me! Wonder how it will go for her? I hope it is a wonderful year for my lovely daughter! :) Happy Birthday! :)

Young Love

2008-11-09T14:11:00.002-05:00

My daughter has a new "boyfriend" at school. It is still in a very innocent stage--I think he just held her hand for a second the other day. They write cute notes to each other and put them in each other's lockers. It is so cute! Even though my daughter is still ready to move to Florida, she says that she won't "cheat on her boyfriend" when she moves! Oh, my! My son is already continuing a long distance relationship through the internet, and now I guess that she will try to do the same for a while. I don't know--which is better, watching your teens date many different people and worrying about things that could happen, or watching them "commit" to people who live many miles away(less chance of things happening but their hearts are on the line). When teens are dating and one moves away, what usually happens? I guess that sometimes they break up and decide to date other people, but sometimes they decide to "stay together" through long distance. Most of the time, this doesn't last long. Someone ends up dating someone else, and it all falls apart. For now, my son is still committed to a girl who moved halfway across the country from him--they talk on line, they text message, they talk on the phone, they write letters to each other. When I suggest that he maybe think about dating other girls in the future, he balks at the idea--he loves her and wouldn't cheat on her! While, on the one hand, at least there is less worry about what is happening between them long distance...still, I worry about him one day regretting that he closed off so many options at such a young age. I think that one day soon, it will all fall apart--I cannot imagine it will go on and on forever--but it sure has lasted a LONG time long distance!! And I really hope that my daughter doesn't follow the same pattern! What's up with this? I thought teenagers were less serious and more casual about dating these days? I guarantee this: if they stay "committed" to these long distance relationships and miss out on a healthy and normal dating life in their teens, I think they will one day regret it. You are only young once--enjoy it while you can!! But, they don't listen to their mother about these things--they are going to make up their own minds about "matters of the heart." I hope that I can write in the near future that they are "back on the dating scene"--although, there are many things to worry about when that is the case!!

Football Games

2008-11-09T14:06:00.002-05:00

Both my daughter and son went to a few football games this year. Still, the team lost every game and there really wasn't much of a "team spirit" going on! I had hoped that my teens would be part of a school with a strong "team spirit" atmosphere--maybe their new schools in Florida will be better about that. I know, there is MUCH more to life than high school football, but it does have a certain feel to it--the atmosphere was fun during my teen years, and I would like for my teens to be able to experience that, too. They will survive just fine if they don't, but I think they would enjoy it if they could have just a taste of it. Go Team! :)

Gas Shortage

2008-11-09T13:59:00.002-05:00

After the latest hurricane, we experienced the gas shortage around here, as many did. It was really scary--watching the gas gauge go below E and hoping there would be gas to fill it up again, driving around town looking for gas stations that were not completely out of gas, paying very high prices when you could find some gas, only getting a few gallons before the pump stopped because there wasn't any gas left, and waiting in long gas lines only to get to the pump and realize that the person in front of you just emptied the pump. Not fun! Not fun at all! At least it DID get better a few weeks later, but we will always remember how scary this situation was! It definitely made me want to move to a place where I wouldn't have to drive as many miles in a car each day! I plan to use public transportation and walk more once we move to Florida--I can't wait to get away from where we are now--completely reliant on fuel and car use! I would love to not have to be so dependent upon cars and gasoline!

Hurricanes

2008-11-09T13:53:00.002-05:00

We used to live in Texas, so when the latest hurricane hit that area, we felt it vicariously through people who are still there. It also reminded us that we WILL have to deal with hurricanes again once we move to Florida! We remembered all about the warnings, the trips to the store to buy supplies, the routine of putting things away and sometimes boarding up windows--it isn't fun, but it is part of living on the coast. And we think that we are ready to do it all again--hurricanes and all! When there aren't any threatening storms, we still love the idea of Florida living. No, this latest hurricane did not make us change our minds. We still are ready to become full-time Florida residents!

Digital School Portraits

2008-11-09T13:48:00.003-05:00

I just thought it was interesting that we can now get school portraits in digital form. I used to scan their portraits to make them digital, but this is even better--better quality, anyway. Anyone ever go to get digital copies of something that was "blocked" because of the photographer's rights? I guess this is one way to get around all of that. Still, I paid for the pictures and I am not going to resell them--I want to be able to copy them as many times as I want! Welcome to the "digital age"!

Contact Lenses

2008-11-09T13:39:00.002-05:00

My son has been wanting to get contact lenses for a while, so we finally let him. He used to wear glasses only occassionally. Lately, he seems to need them more often. He hates wearing them and really wanted to try something different. Everything seems to be going well so far--he says that he sees SO much better with contact lenses than he did with glasses! When I was a teenager, getting contact lenses changed my life! I had really goofy glasses, though--his weren't bad at all! Still, for a teenager, it can really boost self-confidence if you can look your best, and for us, contact lenses helped a lot! He has had a few problems--once he lost one and didn't know if it was stuck in his eye(it wasn't!), and once he needed replacements while at school(and learned about keeping back-up lenses handy). But I would say that it has been an overall positive experience for him. My daughter only wears her glasses occassionally, but she is thinking about trying contact lenses, too. She is watching how her brother deals with them first before actually taking the plunge. Oh, and today's disposable contact lenses are so inexpensive that it isn't such a big deal to lose one like when I was a teenager! I would have to give the teen and contact lenses experience an A plus! :)

Back to School Again

2008-11-09T13:35:00.002-05:00

Well, since we didn't move yet, my teens had to return to their old middle and high schools. They weren't too thrilled about it! My daughter is in the 8th grade. My son is in the 10th grade. They are just hanging in there until they can change their lives--new home, new schools, new lives. I feel really bad that I wasn't able to make the changes that they need. Hopefully we can make these changes really soon!

Ending Friendships

2008-11-09T13:26:00.003-05:00

My teens have been experiencing a lot of broken or ended friendships lately. More friends moved away. Some friendships were irreparably broken. My teens are preparing to move and make new friends in their new hometown. And, in just a few years, my teens will graduate from high school and move on to make new friends in new places once again. That is life in the 21st century! Our society is very mobile--no one stays in one place for very long. Still, technology has helped keep people connected even if they live many miles apart. Some of my teens' old friends still keep in touch through the internet and text messaging. I guess the saddest situations are when friendships end for reasons other than moving--a few of those situations have occurred lately. In some ways, it can be seen as a good thing--some not so good influences are no longer in the daily lives of my teens. Still, ending friendships is never an easy thing to do, even if it is the right thing to do. For now, my teens are not very happy--their friendship base is shrinking fast. They are SO ready to move to a new place and start fresh. I hope they will make some good friends when they move! I know these friends may not be lifelong, but it would help my teens get through the rest of their teen years if they had some friends going through the same things. You know the saying: "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold." Well, it is beginning to look like NEW friends may be about all there is sometimes! Here's to NEW friendships in the future!

Out With The Old

2008-11-09T13:16:00.002-05:00

Even though we have no idea when our move to Florida will take place, we are still in "moving mode." We have taken down all decorations and put away anything that we do not use on a daily basis. We participated in our neighborhood garage sale, and we dumped whatever didn't sell at the local Goodwill. We are packed and ready--we are just waiting for the word, "GO"! We are experiencing closure in many ways, although we won't feel total closure until we can leave our lives behind here and move forward into our new lives. Until then, we will do everything we can to close old doors and prepare to open new ones. Ready...Set...(someone please say Go)!

Summer Staycation

2008-11-09T13:03:00.002-05:00

With everything that was going on with us during the summer, we did not get to go on our annual summer vacation. At one point, we had some relatives visit us and we showed them around town. I guess you could say that we had a "staycation." With the cost of gas and the bad economy, I think many people did the same thing! We still hope to move to Florida in the future, we just don't know when--at that point, we wouldn't mind "staycations" at all! :)

Closure

2008-11-09T12:26:00.002-05:00

I think closure is a very important part of life. As we move on through different life stages, we have to close the door of the past behind us so that we can successfully move forward to the next one. Attending the funerals and memorials of loved ones, and meeting with many family members through these events, has brought a lot of closure to my immediately family. We saw where some generations were born, lived, died, and were buried. We saw where parts of our family began and ended. We saw where one generation ended and another began. We felt the moment where the older generation passed the torch down to the next generation--it is time for the younger people to "run the family." You know the moments: when all grandparents die and their children become elderly--the torch is passed from "caring for grandma" to "caring for mom"--or when there are no longer any living relatives living anywhere near "the old homestead"--it is sold and no one in the younger generation has any desire to live anywhere near there. We saw several of these "moments" take place. Going to see where great-great grandparents, great-grandparents, grandparents, etc. are all buried--seeing their old houses and land but having no desire to follow their path in any way--being glad to leave and never looking back: that is the true passing of the torch--that is true closure. We love them and we learned from them, but we do not want to emulate them or continue to live as they did. They lived in the 19th and 20th century--life was much different then, and they lived simple lives on farms and in rural communities. We live in the 21st century--we have busy lives and want to live in big cities and have urban, contemporary lives. We know that they LOVED their roots--they talked about "the old days" all the time and longed to return to "the good old days." As we laid them to rest in the places that they so loved, it felt right--but it also felt good to close the door on THEIR version of "the good old days." In our family, we have moved on to the next generation--and the younger generations are now "heads of the family." We felt like there was good closure on the past generations--we love them and will remember them, but now we are moving forward. Now we are going to do things OUR way in the future--this applies to many areas such as holidays, funerals, and other family gatherings. Maybe we USED to all gather at grandma's and do things her way, but now it is time to do things very differently. There just aren't many "traditional" people left in the family--no one really enjoys cooking grandma's recipes, no one really wants everyone to gather at their house for the holidays, and no one is the "family gathering coordinator" who knows how to reach everyone. Maybe some of us will find ways to get together every now and then, but many of us feel like complete strangers to each other and have no idea how to get in touch with each other even if we tried. We may have all been there when we heard about the passing of our loved ones, but we didn't really make an effort to "keep in touch" afterward. We truly may never see each other again! It is kind of sad, but I guess it is also all part of closure. Why get together just because the older members wanted us to, even though we really are strangers to each other? Know what I mean? Well, we had a lot of closure take place--my teens really do not feel connected to very many people that they are related to by blood. There aren't many left in the immediate circle--there are a few that we will see in the future, but not many. Aunts, uncles, cousins--for my son, he has one uncle that he may keep in touch with, but no cousins(first cousins are much younger, second/third cousins are very distant)--for my daughter, she may keep in touch with the same uncle, and she has one first cousin her age that she may keep up with, but not really anyone else. I just don't see them looking up relatives that they barely know through the years! I think we may have experienced a complete closure of extended family bonds. Now it is time to move forward--maybe MY future grandchildren will be close to each other, but maybe they won't be--who knows. I think we just saw our small extended family just shrink to an even smaller size--I think my teens will contact us(their parents) and each other in their adult lives, but that may be about it. Any extended family growth will begin from my teenagers as they grow up, marry and take on their spouses' families, and have children of their own. Family ties will begin from there--family gatherings will probably include that group, but no one from the further extensions will be part of each other's gatherings. My first cousins(second cousins to my teens) will probably not be getting together with my teens' future families--there is just too much distance there. Closure has occurred--and closure CAN be a good thing. I think we have seen the closure of generations occur in our family. All we can do now is to move forward from where we are and not look back. We have closed the door to the past, and it can never again be opened.

Family Funerals and Memorials

2008-11-09T12:11:00.002-05:00

We have attended several family funerals and memorials lately. Wow! This can really cause both bonding and conflict, can't it? Oh, boy! First, there is the argument about HOW to remember loved ones, then there is the WHERE and WHEN, as well. Here are some of the arguments that ensued: cremation or burial, location of funeral, location of burial, types of headstones/memorials/etc., open or closed casket, wardrobe/hair/make-up of the deceased(or not!), type of service(religious or not), choosing people to lead/participate in the service, type of music to use during the service, what day/time to have the service, whether or not to have more than one service in more than one location, who is invited to the service(and who is NOT), where everyone will stay, what everyone will eat, etc. These "discussions" went on and on sometimes! For the most part, compromises were made and everything eventually came to fruition. Some things were left out, some things were changed, and some things never took place--but all in all, the loved ones were honored and everyone seemed to think that the higher purpose was achieved. It may not have been the way THEY would have done it, but they still all felt that the loved ones were given honorable memorials. In some cases, they did it one way with some family members, and turned around and did it another way with others.

We will miss our lost loved ones! We hope that we gave them all honorable exits from this world. We will always remember the lives that they lived while in our presence. We will try to hold on to the good memories and think of them often in the context of those memories. R. I. P.

Family Crisis

2008-11-09T11:50:00.002-05:00

Oh, boy! Did we EVER get an inside look into family dynamics during all of these family crisis situations. Some of the things that we learned about each other was good--in the end, family really did come through for each other--for the most part. BUT--we also learned a lot about those old skeletons in the closet that no one ever wants to talk about! There were moments of kindness where family divisiveness was repaired, but there were also moments where we wondered if some family members would ever speak to each other again! My teenagers met some of their extended family members that they had never met before--it was a bit strange: "Hey, I don't know these people but I guess we are all related to each other" kind of moments. I did not see any new bonds forming, really--I don't think my teens are going to make any kind of effort to stay in touch with these distant relatives. I really don't expect them to, either--if we never got together before, why do so later just because they are "related." I guess I developed a very different view of "family ties" through all of this--sometimes, just because you are "related" is NOT enough of a reason to try to bond together. I pretty much apply that to younger family members who have never really connected with each other or older family members--in some cases, it is really a matter of "why start now." However, I DID see some of the older family members, who have been out of touch for years but once had a close bond, become somewhat reunited through tragedy. I DO see the good in that--mend the fences before it is too late kind of stuff. It WAS good to see that happen, and the loved ones who passed on would be glad to see this reuniting of family happening through them. So, some old bonds were repaired, some rifts were solved, some old wounds were reopened, some feuds continued, some connections were made, some untied connections remained untied, and many family members gathered together in honor of lost loved ones--we realized that, while "We Are Family" is true, it isn't always the picture-perfect 1950s television sitcom version of a family. We also noticed the HUGE generation gap between older and younger generations! The older group knew each other "way back when"--they were usually nostalgic and talked on and on about "the good old days." The younger group really did not know each other at all--they were just there in honor of the older family members--they do not have any shared stories or experiences--they do not understand the "family bond" that the older family members seem to have together. I honestly doubt that the younger family members will be getting together anytime in the future. Once all of the older family members are gone, the younger family members may never see each other again. It was the older family members who encouraged family gatherings--the younger ones probably won't continue that tradition--mostly because they REALLY don't know each other! So, that is what we learned about our family dynamics--we are family, but what does that mean anymore?

Hospital Visits

2008-11-09T11:43:00.003-05:00

We have become regular visitors of hospitals recently. Sometimes it was a quick visit with positive results, other times it was long visits with everyone sleeping in the waiting room chairs--only to hear bad news in the end. After days on end inside the walls of a hospital, we've decided that we don't like hospitals very much! Yes, we are very thankful for the medical staff that helped us and our loved ones--we are very appreciative of their skills. But the whole "hospital atmosphere"--ICK! The sights, sounds, smells, feel, and yes, even taste(of hospital food!)--it just doesn't ever "feel like home." Is there anyone who would RATHER be at a hospital instead of resting comfortably at home? I guess there can be exceptions to this, but to us, we REALLY were glad to get home and climb into our own beds(when we were finally able to do so!). Oh, hospitals--we love you for helping us, but we hate being within those cold, sterile walls!

The Rollercoaster of Life

2008-11-08T13:56:00.003-05:00

WOW! So much has happened, and so much that we WANTED to happen did NOT happen--our family has been on quite a rollercoaster ride for the past few months! NO, we still have not made the move to Florida--things have happened to make that dream an uphill battle that never seems to end. We have been dealing with things like serious illnesses and medical emergencies, several deaths in the family(yes, more than one!), some major financial issues, academic and social upheaval, and lingering emotional distress. While I know that we will survive the tough times and they will make us stronger, I just wish that things would stabilize a bit for a while. It is getting tough to handle so many things happening at once. We are definitely experiencing the concept of "When it rains, it pours!" Sometimes it seems that NOTHING is going right for us these days and EVERYTHING is going wrong! As a mother, I cannot help but feel "motherly guilt"--mostly because I wish my teens didn't have to suffer through this stuff. I WISH I could make things better right now--I WISH I could make the rest of their time "under my wing" as good as I want it to be. In just a few years, they will leave me and fly away on their own. Yes, I am doing everything I can to prepare them for "the real world"--and life in the real world IS full of ups and downs--still, I wish I could make these last few years some of their best! Right now, I don't think they will look back on 2008 as a very good year for us! There have been SOME good things--it hasn't been ALL bad--but it does feel that the bad is outweighing the good lately. Well, I guess I am back here for now--I just wanted to explain where I have been and why. I still love raising two teenagers! :) I love them very much and I enjoy spending time with them! :) I just wish I could make their lives better in the near future. It has been a wild ride around here lately!!

Father-Son Talk

2008-06-04T15:09:00.002-04:00

My son and his father had a long talk about my son's summer plans. Some of it was about working, some about chores, some about dating, etc. Most of it was between just the two of them, so I don't know exactly what was said. After they talked, they seemed to be getting along fairly well. I think it went ok. I just cannot believe that there are only about 3 summers left with my son at home--then he will be going of to college or whatever he plans to do. I am glad they had this "man to man" talk--my son is getting closer and closer to manhood, and he needs to be prepared for it. I am so proud of him!

Let's Go To Florida--NOW!

2008-06-04T15:06:00.002-04:00

Now that school is out and summer is here, my daughter has a one-track mind about moving to Florida. She wants to go NOW--she wants to enjoy summer THERE--she hates it here and is so bored HERE--can't we just go NOW, she asks! I am trying--but money is a BIG issue. I sure hope we can get everything in place soon! I want to go, too--and I want to go NOW! :)

Hot Topic

2008-06-04T15:03:00.002-04:00

My son went to the mall this weekend with his friends. Apparently, one of their favorite stores at the mall is Hot Topic. He says that they can find cool "band shirts" there. He often wears t-shirts with names of bands that I've never heard of--and he got them from there. I guess this is what is cool to them. As long as there isn't anything offensive on the shirts, I guess it's okay with me. Teeangers have their own sense of style, don't they?

Skating Party

2008-06-04T14:58:00.002-04:00

My daughter went to a skating party this weekend. When I dropped her off, her friends were outside and I didn't go in the skating rink. When it was time for me to pick her up, I ended up going inside to find her. Boy, was that a trip back in time for me! OMG--the 70s were THE days of skating rinks, weren't they? Remember things like: couples skates, roller disco, speed skating, and doing the hokey-pokey? What fun!! For a while, I spent every weekend during my teens going to the skating rink! That was the place to be back then! Now, teens are less likely to go very much--I was surprised when my daughter told me about this skating party. It seemed to be mostly girls--not a lot of the "couples skating" and things like that. They had fun, though. And I enjoyed getting a taste of my youth by being in the skating rink--it was cool!

Summer Vacation Begins!

2008-06-04T14:55:00.003-04:00

So now my teens are officially on their "Summer Vacation"--they are so happy!! I don't know exactly what the summer holds for them--summer jobs, moving, summer love, etc.--but they are happy about having the whole summer ahead of them. Thye may just spend some lazy summer days sleeping in and doing things around the house--but I hope to see them do some productive things, too. I am working as hard as I can to get this move to Florida underway--wish us luck!!

Celebration Dinner

2008-06-04T14:48:00.002-04:00

We went out to dinner to celebrate the end of the school year and the beginning of summer vacation. We ate at Olive Garden--it was delicious!! We had a very nice time together as a family--I can't believe how soon our family of four will begin to shrink! I want us to enjoy as much family time together as my teens can stand! I know, they would rather be with their friends--but these nights out as a family are really special. I love them! :)

Freshman to Sophomore

2008-06-04T14:45:00.003-04:00

My son was so happy about moving up from the "Freshman Class" to the "Sophomore Class"! I remember those feelings from my own teen years! It gets even better when you move up to the "Junior Class"--and NOTHING is as good in high school as being in the "Senior Class"!! Just 3 more years of high school for him--it is so hard to believe. In just 3 years, he will be in the "Graduating Class of 2011"!! WOW!

Last Day of School

2008-06-04T14:44:00.001-04:00

HOORAY! It finally arrived! My teens finally completed their last day of school! Summer has arrived and they could not be happier!! :)

Pizza Party

2008-06-04T14:39:00.002-04:00

My daughter's class had a Pizza Party when they finished their final exams. They had fun and listened to music--it was nice to just "chill out" after all of that stress. My son didn't have a party at school, but he was so glad to get out early and to be finished that he didn't care. Instead of being jealous of his sister's party, he was glad that he was able to come home early instead of having to stay at school the entire day!

Last Exam

2008-06-04T14:36:00.001-04:00

My teens were so glad to finish those last final exams! My son was able to leave early--around 10 am--after his last exam. They are SO glad that those exams are behind them now!! :)

Last Bus Ride

2008-06-04T14:32:00.002-04:00

Since their schedules were a bit different during the last week of school, my teens didn't ride the bus every day. Eventually, they had their last bus rides to their schools--and possibly the last time they will ever have to ride those buses to those schools ever again. There is also a big boundary change around here--if we stay, they may have to change schools and bus routes anyway. They say that they won't miss riding the buses here--not such a great experience. Maybe next year my son will get his license and not have to ride any bus ever again once he can drive to school!

Last Lunch

2008-06-04T14:27:00.002-04:00

My teens began counting down all of the "lasts" this week. While we HOPE our move to Florida works out this summer and they won't be going back to their schools here, we still aren't absolutely sure about that. In their minds, they were finishing the year at schools they don't plan to return to in the fall. They both seemed quite happy about that--not much sadness at all. Several things have happened this year to make them dislike living here even more than they did before--and they are now, more than ever, BEGGING us to get moved this summer so that they don't have to return. We are trying very hard--we really are! Anyway--my son had his last lunch at the high school--he had half days after that for the rest of his exams. He says he won't miss the food--it was not very good! He is convinced that EVERYTHING is made with soy--no real meat in anytthing served there. Not sure if it is true, but he is glad to say goodbye to the lunchroom food!

Test Anxiety

2008-06-04T14:24:00.002-04:00

Both of my teens had to take final exams during the last week of school. They did not enjoy doing this at all. My son felt that his exams were easier than he expected. My daughter thought hers were harder. They were so glad to get these final exams behind them--it was a stressful week!