Google Me

Remember the post about my rants (11/20/08)? I mentioned a letter that I had sent to People magazine about Lisa Marie Presley.

Yesterday, in a fit of narcissism, I decided to Google myself. The first and only significant entry was my letter to People. I really believe that I have achieved more in my life. I gave birth to an 11 pound baby. I had a fairly successful career before I went on an extended maternity leave. I have been married to the same man for 20 years. While I still agree with my rant, I shudder to think that my greatest accomplishment is a letter to People!

It makes me wonder…do you think I can get within 20 miles of Graceland?

Season 4 Episode 96

In this episode, Denise comes home from college for the weekend and spends most of her time with her high school friends. Her family had been looking forward to seeing her and are disappointed by her lack of attention.

Our family spends each weekend together…like a clump. We go shopping together, to sporting events together, to the gym together. If we have nothing going on, we stay home together. There are times when I would rather we each go our separate ways, but I realize that this season will pass all too quickly. The time will come when I will wish that the boys would spend their weekends with us. Sometimes I would prefer to take a nap instead of going to a basketball game, but I am trying to make the most of every moment that we have together.

Season 4 Episode 94

While it was not the primary plot of this episode, we found it relevant nevertheless. Clair was very upset to find that Theo has a collection of car and motorcycle magazines filled with pictures of scantily clad women. She insists that he throws them away.

Raising boys is a challenge. As my boys are getting older, I am becoming more aware of the provocative images on billboards and the sides of buses. We TIVO football games so that we don’t have to watch all of the questionable advertisements. MTV is not even an option in our home right now. I realize that we cannot protect them forever and hide them under a rock, but I also want to prepare them to make wise choices. To choose their vehicles without relying on pictures of scantily clad women. To choose their sports teams without considering the sexy cheerleaders. I fear it is an uphill battle…but a battle worth fighting!

My Favorite Kids

I went shopping and bought Son #1 a t-shirt that says…”I’m Mom’s Favorite.” I also bought one for Son #2. They wore them with great pride to school the next day. They did not seem to be embarrassed that their clothes matched. They were just so happy to know that they were both my favorite.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Zoo

For the past year, Son #2 has kept a zoo in his bed!! He has had about 50 stuffed animals in his loft. As long as his sleep was not disrupted and he did not play throughout the night, we did not make him remove the animals. He had them all organized and it was very important to him to have “his friends” sleep with him. Until one night, I caught him playing into the wee hours with “his friends” and I had reached my limit on the sheets…they HAD to be washed. I spent four hours one day cleaning his room…it was unbelievable. I think he must have had one of every animal known to man.

I knew he was going to be devastated when he saw that his animals had been evicted. I was able to keep him from his room until bedtime and then the sobbing began. He went through all of the steps of grief and, when I told him he could only sleep with three friends, he quickly began negotiating. It was exhausting...fortunately, Husband was there for back-up. Son #2 is a really good negotiator!

The next AM, there were 12 animals in his bed! What a stinker. It was now or never…it was time to show him who was boss! Effective immediately, he could have two animals in his bed. For every night he fell asleep without messing around, he could add an animal up to ten. The total zoo would never again exceed ten. So far, so good. Some nights, it has been like Sophie’s Choice as he chooses who will be among the chosen few, but he is respecting the rule and everyone is taking it very seriously. The best part is that now I can wash his sheets again.

The Suggestion Box

Son #2 goes to the school office every day at noon to take some medication. I learned this week that, when he leaves the office, he has started writing notes and putting them in the school’s suggestion box. Apparently, he has a lot of opinions…I wonder where he gets that from??

Rants

From time to time, I suffer from “rant-itis.” I will hear, see or experience something that will get me so irritated that I just have to do something.

A few years ago, it was Lisa Marie Presley. She had been asked to testify before Congress about children and psychotropic medication. Her only expertise was her involvement with the Church of Scientology and its campaign to spread misinformation. I wrote to every member of the Congressional committee, corresponded with a local radio show host who was preparing a show on the topic, and even got a letter printed in People magazine. I still get the shakes when I see her on a talk show.

Now, I have a new rant. Last weekend, we took the boys to a Bulls game. Son #1 has started playing in the jr. NBA this fall and they played games on the United Center floor prior to the game. It was a great day until…the Luvabulls started dancing. Definitely not family-friendly entertainment! Son #2 called them “the icky girls in their underwear.” They basically performed a pole dance (sans pole) and gave the entire stadium a lap dance. I was horrified that I was exposing my boys to something so provocative and sexually explicit. Throughout the game, I felt a rant building. I went home and wrote a letter to the Chicago Bulls organization. I am also going to send a copy to a variety of media outlets, as well as the Illinois Attorney General.

The irony of the situation is that on Saturday AM, Husband and I had been researching Internet filters. The boys have started using their computer more and we want to limit the type of the information that they can access, as well as monitor the people with whom they can communicate. The images that they were exposed to at the Bulls game were a perfect example of something that we would seek to block by the Internet filter.

I am not sure if my letters will do any good, but I sure felt better after I wrote them!

Boys vs. Girls

Location: Son #1 Basketball Game

Girl: Delicately opens a bag of M&Ms and eats them one by one.

Boy: Rips open a 3-pack of Reese’s peanut butter cups. Holds them in one (melting!) while shoving another in his mouth.

Girl: Sweetly says, “Daddy, can I go throw my garbage in the trash and wash my hands?”

Boy: Stuffs the wrapper in my purse and wipes his hands on his jeans while licking his lips.

I would not trade my boy for anything!

Life Skills from the PT73

As I have mentioned, our family has been watching episodes of McHale’s Navy. We have enjoyed watching the antics of the crew of PT73 as they protect the South Pacific while driving their commanding officer crazy.

The other day, Son #1 asked his dad if he would teach him how to play poker. A bit unexpected I will admit, but Husband thought perhaps the boys at school were playing over lunch and he wanted to be able to play as well. Son #1 said, “No, Daddy, I saw it on McHale’s Navy.” I suggested to Husband that once they master poker, perhaps they could move on to blackjack, craps and chasing nurses. You never know what life skills we will be able to pass on to our children when we watch the old shows with them!

My Baby!

You know those frames where you can keep all of your kids’ school pictures? I have one for each of my boys hanging at the top of the stairs. They are quite tasteful…black frames with an ivory matte. Not the cheesy schoolhouse cutout I have seen in magazines. Anyway, there is a space for each year through high school in two rows. Today, I was putting in this year's pictures and I had to move to the 2nd row for Son #1! My baby is over halfway there. Where has the time gone??

The Morning After

I woke up this morning with hives on my feet…it felt like I was walking on tennis balls all day. I thought about any new food or medications I might have tried yesterday. I knew I had not tried any new soaps or lotions. There was only one big change yesterday… I sure hope that I don’t have to take Benedryl for four years.

So, I was getting the boys ready for school. I rattled off a list of what they needed to do…eat, brush, pack, shoes, jacket, etc. I told them to put everything by the backdoor because I had parked in our garage off the alley last night…something I do infrequently. Son #2 was quietly complying and I was surprised when he even remembered to put his things by the backdoor. I told him, “I really appreciate that you are being such a good listener!” He responded, “I was not listening, Mommy. I just got lucky!”

Obamapalooza

It is crazy in the big city tonight. I heard that they may petition to change the Illinois motto from the “Land of Lincoln” to the “Land of Obama.” There is even talk of putting his face on the penny. Who knows…maybe they will even add him to Mt. Rushmore. The way people are talking and acting…nothing would surprise me.

I had so many mixed feelings today. Anxious of the outcome regardless of the results. I did experience a sense of peace though while I was helping the boys with their homework (an uncommon occurrence!) when I heard the following song…

This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world:
the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

AMEN!

Trick or Treat!

Last night, we celebrated the annual ritual of dressing up and begging our neighbors for candy. My boys were so excited to dress up as Clone Troopers. The Star Wars magic continues! The weather was beautiful and we had a fun night walking around the neighborhood. We strategically ended up at the corner pizza restaurant and no one was able to finish their slice since we had been munching along the way. (So much for candy safety!)

We have one family rule when it comes to trick or treating. All Snickers and banana Laffy Taffy belong to Mommy. One of my boys’ friends joined us for trick or treating and, before we left the house, without prompting, they informed her that she forfeits all rights to Snickers and Laffy Taffy. I was so proud! Until…we got to a house and Son #2 yells from the top of the stairs, “Hey Mommy, good news, I got TWO Snickers for you!” On the outside, I wished I had a mask; on the inside, I was doing a Snoopy dance.