I just got finished reading a blog that I like to visit and today the topic was how she chose names for her children. It was mildly interesting, so for lack of a better topic, I thought that I would write about the same.
First I must say that I firmly believe a child should have a meaningful name. It makes me cringe when I hear a parent say, "Well I just liked that name." I know there are some lovely people out there who have no reason/purpose for giving their child a certain name, but for me personally (and this is MY blog, so if you don't want to hear MY opinion, please exit to the right) I just believe that if you have a name for ALL your life, you should at least have an interesting story about it. Secondly, I think that if children are given biblical or family names, it grounds them to some extent, it gives them a feeling of connection-I mean, there was a reason that you adored that person enough to give your child their name so it must be meaningful to you, right?
So, in the beginning, there was Sumsum ....Summer was born in July(hence, the middle of summertime). Also, when I was in college at WKU, I had a friend who's name was Summer and I always thought that was the coolest name! Now the truth comes out....toward the end of our friendship, Summer sorta "went off the deep end" and took up employment at a respectable establishment in Bowling Green called 'Tattle Tails' where she was schooled in the fine art of exotic dancing. However, I still always thought she had a really great name and so I gave it to my daughter. (I am now kicking myself in the butt for the stupid comment that I made in the above paragraph about giving your child a meaningful name!) So the joke among my sisters is that I named my child after a stripper...Ha,Ha! ANYWAYS! Summer's middle name is Mikala, she was named after my dad Michael.
In line to the throne is King James. My sweet son. He was named after the matriarchs in his family tree. JD's grandmother's (on his dad's side) maiden name was James and my maiden name was Davis, so he was given the name James Davis, ie: JD. Doesn't James Davis Taylor sound like a future president's name? Maybe a doctor of a medical foundation, or president and CEO of a large and successful corporation, ....or the name of a man who lives next door to his mother all his life and mows her yard and goes to the grocery for her at her beck and call. Doesn't it sound like the name of a gentleman who drives his mother to church every Sunday and to homemakers on Tuesday mornings? Scratch the whole president, doctor, and CEO thing. JD's never leaving his momma!
Then I gave birth to my third child which actually turned out to be a bear. From the beginning he was given the nick name 'Baby Bear' because he looks like a sweet angelic baby, but acts like a rowdy, destructive bear. Colton is unbelievably strong and constantly active. He is, by far, my most hard-headed child, which he undoubtedly gets from his father (for some reason people always roll their eyes and begin to whisper when I say that)! "Colton" is actually his middle name, his first name is Jeffrey and he was named after his dad-Jeff. Jeff is also the name of my husband so it worked out really well...JOKING people!
And bringin' up the rear is Sydney-poo. Sydney's middle name is Ellen and she was named after my mother. Some of my family calls her Little Sydel. (Sydney and Ellen combined). I have an uncle who calls her 'Ellie'. She'll probably grow up answering to anything...I can just hear Dede now, "Hopefully she won't be answering to the name *Cherry* or *Lady Diva*...didn't you have any other 'respectable' friends you could name your youngest daughter after?"
Shut up...Dede!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
This very moment...
Outside my window
It is raining and I see an empty swing set, and a wet dog that wants to come inside, but I won't let her because she'll stink up my house.
I am thinking
about how nice it would be to lose 30 lbs. and fit into my summer wardrobe.
I am thankful for
allrecipes.com. Why do I keep my recipe books? I never use them! This is probably one of my most favorite websites in the whole universe.
From the kitchen
for lunch...cheeseburgers and baked potatoes. For dinner...haven't thought that far ahead. I will probably have to go to the grocery for dinner stuff. Also, I need to wash my dishes, which I detest doing!
I am wearing
my frumpy PJ's
I am going
To my mom's house this afternoon to let her dog out to potty, to the grocery store, and to clean out my vehicle because "something" stinks and it is coming from the direction of JD's seat...probably wet socks or a dead pet cicada in his cupholder.
I am reading
the book of James in the bible. It is short and uncomplicated, and it gives great advise about the danger of "words". I find that I often need to show great self-control in this area.
" The tongue is the smallest part of the body but is the most dangerous. A great forest can be set on fire by just a spark. In the same way, the mouth also can be a fire...it can corrept the whole person and destroy the course of ones life with words." James 3:5 and 6 (paraphrased)
I am hoping
that Summer is having a wounderful time at camp. I hope she is safe and is learning about God and making lots of friends, and I hope that she is looking forward to coming home because I have missed her so much.
I am hearing
the crunch of Cheetos in my ear. I feel the pecking of a cheesy finger on my shoulder and the sweet little words of my son asking me if he can have an Ale81 to go along with the chips that he is eating at 10 in the morning. Excuse me a moment while I tell him no and wipe the cheese off my shirt.
Around the house
Both the little ones are sleeping, the kittens are playing in the house, the wet dog is still outside glaring at me thru the window, JD is watching Disney channel, and there is lots to be cleaning so I need to finish this up.
One of my favorite things
my porch swing that Jeff got me for my 29th birthday last year. This year for my 29th birthday I think I'll ask for a gift certificate to my new favorite clothing store, and next year for my 29th birthday, I am planning on asking for new paint in my bedroom.
*May you see the blessing in whatever it is that you are doing this very moment.*
It is raining and I see an empty swing set, and a wet dog that wants to come inside, but I won't let her because she'll stink up my house.
I am thinking
about how nice it would be to lose 30 lbs. and fit into my summer wardrobe.
I am thankful for
allrecipes.com. Why do I keep my recipe books? I never use them! This is probably one of my most favorite websites in the whole universe.
From the kitchen
for lunch...cheeseburgers and baked potatoes. For dinner...haven't thought that far ahead. I will probably have to go to the grocery for dinner stuff. Also, I need to wash my dishes, which I detest doing!
I am wearing
my frumpy PJ's
I am going
To my mom's house this afternoon to let her dog out to potty, to the grocery store, and to clean out my vehicle because "something" stinks and it is coming from the direction of JD's seat...probably wet socks or a dead pet cicada in his cupholder.
I am reading
the book of James in the bible. It is short and uncomplicated, and it gives great advise about the danger of "words". I find that I often need to show great self-control in this area.
" The tongue is the smallest part of the body but is the most dangerous. A great forest can be set on fire by just a spark. In the same way, the mouth also can be a fire...it can corrept the whole person and destroy the course of ones life with words." James 3:5 and 6 (paraphrased)
I am hoping
that Summer is having a wounderful time at camp. I hope she is safe and is learning about God and making lots of friends, and I hope that she is looking forward to coming home because I have missed her so much.
I am hearing
the crunch of Cheetos in my ear. I feel the pecking of a cheesy finger on my shoulder and the sweet little words of my son asking me if he can have an Ale81 to go along with the chips that he is eating at 10 in the morning. Excuse me a moment while I tell him no and wipe the cheese off my shirt.
Around the house
Both the little ones are sleeping, the kittens are playing in the house, the wet dog is still outside glaring at me thru the window, JD is watching Disney channel, and there is lots to be cleaning so I need to finish this up.
One of my favorite things
my porch swing that Jeff got me for my 29th birthday last year. This year for my 29th birthday I think I'll ask for a gift certificate to my new favorite clothing store, and next year for my 29th birthday, I am planning on asking for new paint in my bedroom.
*May you see the blessing in whatever it is that you are doing this very moment.*
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Stare Down
I have this rule in my house and among my family, no adult is to EVER be the first to look away when one of my children has initiated a stare down. You may be thinking, "Why does Gina care if she loses a staring contest with the kids?" Listen closely...as a parent of a toddler, two former toddlers and a soon to be toddler this is valuable advise!
There will come a time when your child understands what the word 'NO' means, he will understand what your 'mean face' looks like (if you don't have a mean face, get one immediately). Undoubtedly, there will also come a time when your precious toddler will test his limits to see how serious you are when you say 'NO'.
The other day, my sweet baby Colton was climbing on the dining room chair. I told him NO and removed him from the chair. No sooner had I turned to walk back into the kitchen, than the little bugger started pulling himself up on the chair again. I immediately turned around, abruptly pulled him away from the chair, knelt down and said in my stern mommy voice with my 'mean face', "Mommy said NO."
And the stare down began! Colton stood there still as a statue as if he were hoping that I might forget he was there...eyes dead locked on mine. I had a bazillion things to do but I knew that I had to let him know how serious I was and that meant not moving. No grinning, winking, standing up, speaking, hugging, looking away, negotiating, NOTHING. His face was as serious as mine and I wanted so badly to just pick him up and smother him in kisses but I couldn't...a lesson was being learned, and an important lesson at that...
"I have to do what Mommy tells me, period."
Now listen carefully parents...
We cannot always use redirection as a tool. We cannot remove from our homes every single potential hazard. We cannot always discipline by spanking (although I do spank my children when it's appropriate). At some point our little ones have to learn what NO means and they have to learn who is in charge (that would be the parent by the way, in case there is any confusion). And this lesson can be taught in the form of the stare down. It's really quite simple, if he wins he's in charge and will most likely return to whatever he was doing that got him in 'trouble' to begin with...if a passive sweet "No honey" is what you consider 'trouble'. But if you win, then your in charge and this is the goal.
Teaching your child to obey you is not taking away your child's individuality or curiosity. It's not being strict or unkind or demeaning to the child. It's not teaching them to fear you or any of that bull cah-cah that the world would have you to believe. It's teaching them to understand boundaries...often for there own safety. It's teaching them to respect and appreciate the material things that you are providing for your children by not destroying them. It's teaching them to respect you and in
turn receive respect and praise for good behavior, which will make them feel good about who they are and the decisions that they make.
Will Colton test his boundaries again? Most definitely, he tried to climb on the table again last night, but to my surprise Jeff handled to beautifully, stare down and all. The important thing is that Colton learns that we are in charge. And not just because we are the parents and we're trying to be mean by asserting our authority...because God has made us responsible for our children, and in the end God will hold us responsible for the way that we raised them.
He has given us these children and expects us to not only love and cuddle and play with them, but to also teach and instruct them about what is appropriate. To teach them to be generous,kind, humble, to be helpful and respectful to others. All of these lessons are taught by example, enforced by discipline, and encouraged with lots of praise.
Parents, do not be afraid to discipline your children in public, whether that be in church, a restaurant, at a friends house, the ball park, or anywhere else. Parenting does not stop just because you are in public. Many times I have told a waitress in the middle of ordering my food to please give me a few moments to help my children calm down. If my kids start acting up while I am speaking to someone that I have run into, I have no problem stopping the conversation for a moment to quickly tell my children what I expect of them and what the consequences will be if they continue to misbehave. My children know what I mean when I say, "Do we need to go to the bathroom and discuss this?" That has never been as empty threat, but rather a place to speak sternly and most likely to have their butt busted for continuing to be disobedient. I have NEVER left a public place because my children were misbehaving, and I won't. I will deal with bad behavior on the spot no matter where I am or who is around me. And my children will be better for it.
My mom was a strict parent, she had to be. With three daughters, the first time she let something slip by without it being corrected, we would have taken her out! It never occurred to me that she was out numbered, all I knew was that I had better do what I was told and do it the first time because the consequences were crystal clear. As we got older, she didn't even have to go over all the details of her expectations of us in public. All she would say is, "Girls, you know what I expect of you."
Sometimes I feel like I am too lenient on my children, I feel like there are things that I let slip out of pure exhaustion and I wonder if they notice or if it gives them the fuel to push the envelope a little further. However, the other day my (strict-never let them get one over on you) mom admitted something to me...she lost a stare down between her and Colton.
I have been a mother for almost 9 years now and I have NEVER lost a stare down...I feel redeemed!
There will come a time when your child understands what the word 'NO' means, he will understand what your 'mean face' looks like (if you don't have a mean face, get one immediately). Undoubtedly, there will also come a time when your precious toddler will test his limits to see how serious you are when you say 'NO'.
The other day, my sweet baby Colton was climbing on the dining room chair. I told him NO and removed him from the chair. No sooner had I turned to walk back into the kitchen, than the little bugger started pulling himself up on the chair again. I immediately turned around, abruptly pulled him away from the chair, knelt down and said in my stern mommy voice with my 'mean face', "Mommy said NO."
And the stare down began! Colton stood there still as a statue as if he were hoping that I might forget he was there...eyes dead locked on mine. I had a bazillion things to do but I knew that I had to let him know how serious I was and that meant not moving. No grinning, winking, standing up, speaking, hugging, looking away, negotiating, NOTHING. His face was as serious as mine and I wanted so badly to just pick him up and smother him in kisses but I couldn't...a lesson was being learned, and an important lesson at that...
"I have to do what Mommy tells me, period."
Now listen carefully parents...
We cannot always use redirection as a tool. We cannot remove from our homes every single potential hazard. We cannot always discipline by spanking (although I do spank my children when it's appropriate). At some point our little ones have to learn what NO means and they have to learn who is in charge (that would be the parent by the way, in case there is any confusion). And this lesson can be taught in the form of the stare down. It's really quite simple, if he wins he's in charge and will most likely return to whatever he was doing that got him in 'trouble' to begin with...if a passive sweet "No honey" is what you consider 'trouble'. But if you win, then your in charge and this is the goal.
Teaching your child to obey you is not taking away your child's individuality or curiosity. It's not being strict or unkind or demeaning to the child. It's not teaching them to fear you or any of that bull cah-cah that the world would have you to believe. It's teaching them to understand boundaries...often for there own safety. It's teaching them to respect and appreciate the material things that you are providing for your children by not destroying them. It's teaching them to respect you and in
turn receive respect and praise for good behavior, which will make them feel good about who they are and the decisions that they make.
Will Colton test his boundaries again? Most definitely, he tried to climb on the table again last night, but to my surprise Jeff handled to beautifully, stare down and all. The important thing is that Colton learns that we are in charge. And not just because we are the parents and we're trying to be mean by asserting our authority...because God has made us responsible for our children, and in the end God will hold us responsible for the way that we raised them.
He has given us these children and expects us to not only love and cuddle and play with them, but to also teach and instruct them about what is appropriate. To teach them to be generous,kind, humble, to be helpful and respectful to others. All of these lessons are taught by example, enforced by discipline, and encouraged with lots of praise.
Parents, do not be afraid to discipline your children in public, whether that be in church, a restaurant, at a friends house, the ball park, or anywhere else. Parenting does not stop just because you are in public. Many times I have told a waitress in the middle of ordering my food to please give me a few moments to help my children calm down. If my kids start acting up while I am speaking to someone that I have run into, I have no problem stopping the conversation for a moment to quickly tell my children what I expect of them and what the consequences will be if they continue to misbehave. My children know what I mean when I say, "Do we need to go to the bathroom and discuss this?" That has never been as empty threat, but rather a place to speak sternly and most likely to have their butt busted for continuing to be disobedient. I have NEVER left a public place because my children were misbehaving, and I won't. I will deal with bad behavior on the spot no matter where I am or who is around me. And my children will be better for it.
My mom was a strict parent, she had to be. With three daughters, the first time she let something slip by without it being corrected, we would have taken her out! It never occurred to me that she was out numbered, all I knew was that I had better do what I was told and do it the first time because the consequences were crystal clear. As we got older, she didn't even have to go over all the details of her expectations of us in public. All she would say is, "Girls, you know what I expect of you."
Sometimes I feel like I am too lenient on my children, I feel like there are things that I let slip out of pure exhaustion and I wonder if they notice or if it gives them the fuel to push the envelope a little further. However, the other day my (strict-never let them get one over on you) mom admitted something to me...she lost a stare down between her and Colton.
I have been a mother for almost 9 years now and I have NEVER lost a stare down...I feel redeemed!
Monday, June 2, 2008
This is not a democracy
Well, there are the rumblings of war on Sawmill Road. The citizens are being disobedient and think they are going to over turn their dictator...they think! Someone forgot to tell my sweet children that there are no child labor laws enforced on Sawmill Road.
"There is plenty to get done today and my job is to feed you, wash your laundry, and keep Sydney from screaming her head off. So hop to it!" (Cracking the whip.) I have momentarily allowed them to rest for an hour and a half, I may even let them run thru the water hose later. I have to give them something to work towards, right? I even made Colton pick up his toys earlier...however he thought it was a game and tossed them all back on the floor within moments of me saying, "GOOD JOB, Mommy is proud of you!"
In other news, Jeff and I have decided to keep Colton indoors for about a week for fear that someone will call the police and accuse us of abuse! No, but really, he has had a horrible 24 hours! Yesterday morning he pulled a plate off the counter and one of the broken pieces nicked his big toe, then he fell down 3 porch steps (because 'someone', who's name begins with a G and rhymes with 'ina', didn't latch the porch gate while she was dutifully retrieving a sippy cup out of the yard) and he landed face first into the concrete sidewalk. Lastly, this morning JD was trying to chase a wasp out of our house -because I am petrified of wasps and JD is so very brave-, when the wasp landed on the couch, Colton just pick it up as if he were going to hand the wasp to JD. Needless to say, Colton got stung. I suppose I should get out of the bed and supervise these children....(joking)!
In otherly news (is that even a word?) Meyers in Lexington has milk on sale for $2.50 a gallon! I am making a trip over there this week and am bringing back 10 gallons of whole milk, I read somewhere on-line that whole milk freezes well. I'll let ya know.
I hope all of my blog buddies have a wonderful, superific week. And stay *Cool*! (Hee, hee...I meant that in the literal sense, but when I said it, it made me sound really hip! I'm sure when my daughter reads this she will roll her eyes in disgust and embarrassment...I think I'll say it again!)
Stay *COOL*!!!
"There is plenty to get done today and my job is to feed you, wash your laundry, and keep Sydney from screaming her head off. So hop to it!" (Cracking the whip.) I have momentarily allowed them to rest for an hour and a half, I may even let them run thru the water hose later. I have to give them something to work towards, right? I even made Colton pick up his toys earlier...however he thought it was a game and tossed them all back on the floor within moments of me saying, "GOOD JOB, Mommy is proud of you!"
In other news, Jeff and I have decided to keep Colton indoors for about a week for fear that someone will call the police and accuse us of abuse! No, but really, he has had a horrible 24 hours! Yesterday morning he pulled a plate off the counter and one of the broken pieces nicked his big toe, then he fell down 3 porch steps (because 'someone', who's name begins with a G and rhymes with 'ina', didn't latch the porch gate while she was dutifully retrieving a sippy cup out of the yard) and he landed face first into the concrete sidewalk. Lastly, this morning JD was trying to chase a wasp out of our house -because I am petrified of wasps and JD is so very brave-, when the wasp landed on the couch, Colton just pick it up as if he were going to hand the wasp to JD. Needless to say, Colton got stung. I suppose I should get out of the bed and supervise these children....(joking)!
In otherly news (is that even a word?) Meyers in Lexington has milk on sale for $2.50 a gallon! I am making a trip over there this week and am bringing back 10 gallons of whole milk, I read somewhere on-line that whole milk freezes well. I'll let ya know.
I hope all of my blog buddies have a wonderful, superific week. And stay *Cool*! (Hee, hee...I meant that in the literal sense, but when I said it, it made me sound really hip! I'm sure when my daughter reads this she will roll her eyes in disgust and embarrassment...I think I'll say it again!)
Stay *COOL*!!!
Friday, May 30, 2008
This post is dedicated to the Wal-Mart associate who is having her third child by her third husband.
Summer break is finally here and I am so glad to have all of the kids at home (check with me in a week, I may feel differently?) I have lots planned and I have a "skeleton" schedule of how my day should go, just so I don't waste my summer days being lazy. I'm going to go over the schedule with the kids today so that Monday morning we will all be on track. Good Luck to me!
I hope you all got my email with the MSN video attachment, and I hope that you learned something about yourself and others as you watched it. I don't feel the need to discuss this much but, on a more personal note, I want you to know that my family is like any other. We have "issues" that we deal with that others don't, but likewise, you probably have something in your household that you deal with that your neighbors don't have to. It's not necessarily bad, it's just an "issue". Some families, may have a grandparent that lives with them, some families may only see their extended family once a year. Some may have a child with a disability, some may have a child who sleeps in the bed with mom and dad, some moms are raising their children without a father in the home, etc., etc. None of these are horrible scenarios, they are just issues that others deal with that I don't have to. Jeff and I are raising 4 children, two of them are bi-racial and two of them are white, that's our issue...one of them anyways! Our goal for all our children is to raise them to be educated, confident, independent, God-fearing, humble, successful, happy people. I tell Summer and JD all the time how special they are, I will tell Colton and Sydney the same things as they get older. The color of their skin is not the deciding factor of whether they have happy, successful lives. That happiness depends on how they feel about themselves and how resilient they are.
I would like to pose these questions to those of you who have children...Are you raising your children to feel good about who they are? Are you teaching your children to listen to their own inner voice, or do you encourage them to listen to others voices, to let others decide who they are, to let other people's words have power over their lives? So what if your child only has one parent who is active in their life, so what if your child has a learning disability, so what if they look different from the "norm", so what if they are not enrolled in every activity they want to be in and you don't buy them everything their classmates have, so what if they are adopted. Why should those factors, and many others, cripple your children emotionally? Why do we give the circumstances in our lives power to define who we are?
On the same note, but a little lighter...Wal-Mart is ALWAYS an adventure for me when I take my children in. Usually it's just the chaos of keeping up with everyone, but yesterday as I was going through the check-out, the lovely Wal-Mart associate made a comment that I hear a lot..."Boy, you've got your hands full!" I just politely nodded and then she asked me if I was a foster mom. What? I told her (again politely...against my initial reaction) that they were all mine. As if that explanation wasn't enough, she then makes a really inappropriate facial expression and asks, "Well, how'd that happen?" I simply said..."The oldest 2 are from my first marriage and the youngest 2 are from my second marriage."
I guess because of the uniqueness of my family, I NEVER raise my eyebrows when I see children who don't look like their parents. There are lots of scenarios and I really don't think twice about the hows and whys of blended or multi-racial families, so it shocks me when people ask me questions like that. I really wanted to say, "What do you think happened?"
Please, the next time you see a blended family, think of me and my children before you open your mouth and ask a stupid question. Just think about it silently and see if you can figure it out...if still you can't figure it out just leave it be...it really isn't any of your business to begin with.
I hope you all got my email with the MSN video attachment, and I hope that you learned something about yourself and others as you watched it. I don't feel the need to discuss this much but, on a more personal note, I want you to know that my family is like any other. We have "issues" that we deal with that others don't, but likewise, you probably have something in your household that you deal with that your neighbors don't have to. It's not necessarily bad, it's just an "issue". Some families, may have a grandparent that lives with them, some families may only see their extended family once a year. Some may have a child with a disability, some may have a child who sleeps in the bed with mom and dad, some moms are raising their children without a father in the home, etc., etc. None of these are horrible scenarios, they are just issues that others deal with that I don't have to. Jeff and I are raising 4 children, two of them are bi-racial and two of them are white, that's our issue...one of them anyways! Our goal for all our children is to raise them to be educated, confident, independent, God-fearing, humble, successful, happy people. I tell Summer and JD all the time how special they are, I will tell Colton and Sydney the same things as they get older. The color of their skin is not the deciding factor of whether they have happy, successful lives. That happiness depends on how they feel about themselves and how resilient they are.
I would like to pose these questions to those of you who have children...Are you raising your children to feel good about who they are? Are you teaching your children to listen to their own inner voice, or do you encourage them to listen to others voices, to let others decide who they are, to let other people's words have power over their lives? So what if your child only has one parent who is active in their life, so what if your child has a learning disability, so what if they look different from the "norm", so what if they are not enrolled in every activity they want to be in and you don't buy them everything their classmates have, so what if they are adopted. Why should those factors, and many others, cripple your children emotionally? Why do we give the circumstances in our lives power to define who we are?
On the same note, but a little lighter...Wal-Mart is ALWAYS an adventure for me when I take my children in. Usually it's just the chaos of keeping up with everyone, but yesterday as I was going through the check-out, the lovely Wal-Mart associate made a comment that I hear a lot..."Boy, you've got your hands full!" I just politely nodded and then she asked me if I was a foster mom. What? I told her (again politely...against my initial reaction) that they were all mine. As if that explanation wasn't enough, she then makes a really inappropriate facial expression and asks, "Well, how'd that happen?" I simply said..."The oldest 2 are from my first marriage and the youngest 2 are from my second marriage."
I guess because of the uniqueness of my family, I NEVER raise my eyebrows when I see children who don't look like their parents. There are lots of scenarios and I really don't think twice about the hows and whys of blended or multi-racial families, so it shocks me when people ask me questions like that. I really wanted to say, "What do you think happened?"
Please, the next time you see a blended family, think of me and my children before you open your mouth and ask a stupid question. Just think about it silently and see if you can figure it out...if still you can't figure it out just leave it be...it really isn't any of your business to begin with.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Why did the chicken cross the road?
I copied and pasted this from another blog, so feel free to do the same if you want to send this to someone. I have no idea who the author is. My favorites are Dr. Suess and Ernest Hemingway. Have a good laugh!
Why did the chicken cross the road?
BARACK OBAMA:The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE! The chicken wanted CHANGE!
JOHN MC CAIN:My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON:When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure -- right from Day One! -- that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.......
DR. PHIL:The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before adding 'NEW' problems.
OPRAH:Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.
GEORGE W. BUSH:We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.
COLIN POWELL:Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...
ANDERSON COOPER - CNN:We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
JOHN KERRY:Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
NANCY GRACE:That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN:To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART:No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS:Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY:To die in the rain. Alone.
GRANDPA:In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS:Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE:It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON:Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES:I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This new platform is much more stable and will never cra...#@&&^(C% .......... reboot.
ALBERT EINSTEIN:Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
BILL CLINTON:I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?
AL GORE:I invented the chicken!
COLONEL SANDERS:Did I miss one?
DICK CHENEY:Where's my gun?
Why did the chicken cross the road?
BARACK OBAMA:The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a CHANGE! The chicken wanted CHANGE!
JOHN MC CAIN:My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON:When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure -- right from Day One! -- that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.......
DR. PHIL:The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT' problems before adding 'NEW' problems.
OPRAH:Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.
GEORGE W. BUSH:We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.
COLIN POWELL:Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road...
ANDERSON COOPER - CNN:We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
JOHN KERRY:Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
NANCY GRACE:That chicken crossed the road because he's GUILTY! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN:To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART:No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS:Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY:To die in the rain. Alone.
GRANDPA:In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.
BARBARA WALTERS:Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE:It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
JOHN LENNON:Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.
BILL GATES:I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This new platform is much more stable and will never cra...#@&&^(C% .......... reboot.
ALBERT EINSTEIN:Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
BILL CLINTON:I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. What is your definition of chicken?
AL GORE:I invented the chicken!
COLONEL SANDERS:Did I miss one?
DICK CHENEY:Where's my gun?
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
He should have made me put my nose in the corner
I told my sister, Dede, I was going to write about this. I hope it's entertaining, but if not, read it anyway. There is something to be learned by someone else's mistakes.
Last Thursday was JD's preschool graduation. For the sake of convenience I decided that we should all get dressed at my mother's house...probably not real convenient for her...but never-the-less, that's what we did. So, me and my four children ate dinner and changed clothes AND miraculously, were fed, dressed, and ready to go by 5:45pm. I had decided that, in order to get good seats, have the camera and video recorder set up, and have JD in his classroom on time, we would need to leave my mother's house (that means pulling out of the driveway) by 6:05 for the 7pm program.
Now watch and see how my evening begins to unravel...
*Promptly at 6pm Summer comes to me and says that she wants to change her pants because they were wet from the rain. "Fine, just move fast." *6:o1, JD decides that he needs to use the bathroom. "OK, but go fast, we need to leave immediately, if not before."
*All of a sudden, Sydney starts screaming. "Alright little one, I will feed you but hurry it up or we're going to be late" Like she really know what I'm talking about!
*All the while, Colton is destroying my mother's living room as I begin to yell at the top of my lungs, "Quit, put it back, leave it alone, get away from there, stop it now, No no Colton, NO...NO!
Remember, at this point I have been confined to a chair by my nursing baby who will now only nurse from the right side during day light hours (odd!), even though I am engorged beyond belief and leaking from my left side (with no nursing pads within reach). At this point, and out of pure necessity, I have pushed our departure time back to 6:15. " We are leaving in 10 minutes, everybody move toward the vehicle!"
*Next, Summer tromps thru the living room in turquois capris,which match nothing she has on. "What are you wearing? No! Go change back into your other pants. I don't care if they are wet, suck it up!" She starts to cry, but goes to change.
*Then JD walks in the room with not only are his pants down and shirt untucked, but also his tie off and his shirt unbuttoned! "Why are you undressed? Was all this necessary just to use the bathroom?! Get over here now!" He starts to cry, but walks over and allows me to re-dress him as I continue to rant like a mad woman.
*All the while I am still redirecting Colton by telling him everything that he is NOT allowed to touch. Out of frustration, he starts crying.
*Then Sydney fills her pants. So I begin to ramble under my breath about how inconvenient a time it is for my 2 month old to take a poo. It would be nice if she could have waited until another time! Can't she see how irritated I am at the moment?
So, Summer changes, I get JD redressed, change Sydney's diaper, and quickly pick up mom's living room. We all get in the van and arrive at the church in plenty of time to get JD to his class and sit down...with time to spare.
As I sat watching my little boy graduate from preschool, I thought about my evening. I thought about what I jerk I was to my children, I thought about how God was so faithful to me and how very unfaithful I am to him. All I wanted were good seats...but I lost my cool and made my kids feel like it would be all their fault if I didn't get to sit where I wanted to. How stupid is that? And despite the way that I behaved, God provided my good seats anyways. He should have made me go sit in the corner...that's what I deserved.
Motherhood is HARD. I am not perfect. I did not read a book or take a class on how to raise children. I'm wingin' it just like everyone else. I want so badly to be the mom that my children need me to be. I want to be the kind of parent to them that God is to me...Gentle, loving, forgiving, slow to anger. The truth is I can't do this alone. I need His example and His forgivness everyday.
I apoligized to the kids later that night for the way that I had behaved. I want to be transparent to my children, I want them to know that I make mistakes...big ones and little ones, and that I will apoligize to them when I am wrong. I want them to know that I am not perfect, and if they are looking for perfection it's not in me, nor them, nor any person on this earth. They need to keep their eyes on Christ. As good a mommy as I try to be and as good a person as I try to be, there is one thing that I can guarantee my children, friends, and family...I will let you down.
That's why as parents we need to offer Christ to our children from an early age so that when parents, friends, future spouses, or just the world in general let's them down, they have someone to hold on to that will never let them down.
I am so blessed to be a child of God...He is a good Daddy.
Lord, help me to be a better Mommy, I want to be like you.
Last Thursday was JD's preschool graduation. For the sake of convenience I decided that we should all get dressed at my mother's house...probably not real convenient for her...but never-the-less, that's what we did. So, me and my four children ate dinner and changed clothes AND miraculously, were fed, dressed, and ready to go by 5:45pm. I had decided that, in order to get good seats, have the camera and video recorder set up, and have JD in his classroom on time, we would need to leave my mother's house (that means pulling out of the driveway) by 6:05 for the 7pm program.
Now watch and see how my evening begins to unravel...
*Promptly at 6pm Summer comes to me and says that she wants to change her pants because they were wet from the rain. "Fine, just move fast." *6:o1, JD decides that he needs to use the bathroom. "OK, but go fast, we need to leave immediately, if not before."
*All of a sudden, Sydney starts screaming. "Alright little one, I will feed you but hurry it up or we're going to be late" Like she really know what I'm talking about!
*All the while, Colton is destroying my mother's living room as I begin to yell at the top of my lungs, "Quit, put it back, leave it alone, get away from there, stop it now, No no Colton, NO...NO!
Remember, at this point I have been confined to a chair by my nursing baby who will now only nurse from the right side during day light hours (odd!), even though I am engorged beyond belief and leaking from my left side (with no nursing pads within reach). At this point, and out of pure necessity, I have pushed our departure time back to 6:15. " We are leaving in 10 minutes, everybody move toward the vehicle!"
*Next, Summer tromps thru the living room in turquois capris,which match nothing she has on. "What are you wearing? No! Go change back into your other pants. I don't care if they are wet, suck it up!" She starts to cry, but goes to change.
*Then JD walks in the room with not only are his pants down and shirt untucked, but also his tie off and his shirt unbuttoned! "Why are you undressed? Was all this necessary just to use the bathroom?! Get over here now!" He starts to cry, but walks over and allows me to re-dress him as I continue to rant like a mad woman.
*All the while I am still redirecting Colton by telling him everything that he is NOT allowed to touch. Out of frustration, he starts crying.
*Then Sydney fills her pants. So I begin to ramble under my breath about how inconvenient a time it is for my 2 month old to take a poo. It would be nice if she could have waited until another time! Can't she see how irritated I am at the moment?
So, Summer changes, I get JD redressed, change Sydney's diaper, and quickly pick up mom's living room. We all get in the van and arrive at the church in plenty of time to get JD to his class and sit down...with time to spare.
As I sat watching my little boy graduate from preschool, I thought about my evening. I thought about what I jerk I was to my children, I thought about how God was so faithful to me and how very unfaithful I am to him. All I wanted were good seats...but I lost my cool and made my kids feel like it would be all their fault if I didn't get to sit where I wanted to. How stupid is that? And despite the way that I behaved, God provided my good seats anyways. He should have made me go sit in the corner...that's what I deserved.
Motherhood is HARD. I am not perfect. I did not read a book or take a class on how to raise children. I'm wingin' it just like everyone else. I want so badly to be the mom that my children need me to be. I want to be the kind of parent to them that God is to me...Gentle, loving, forgiving, slow to anger. The truth is I can't do this alone. I need His example and His forgivness everyday.
I apoligized to the kids later that night for the way that I had behaved. I want to be transparent to my children, I want them to know that I make mistakes...big ones and little ones, and that I will apoligize to them when I am wrong. I want them to know that I am not perfect, and if they are looking for perfection it's not in me, nor them, nor any person on this earth. They need to keep their eyes on Christ. As good a mommy as I try to be and as good a person as I try to be, there is one thing that I can guarantee my children, friends, and family...I will let you down.
That's why as parents we need to offer Christ to our children from an early age so that when parents, friends, future spouses, or just the world in general let's them down, they have someone to hold on to that will never let them down.
I am so blessed to be a child of God...He is a good Daddy.
Lord, help me to be a better Mommy, I want to be like you.
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