If I were in Charge

     I'm starting a new category on my blog today and it will be called, "If I were in charge." The first thing I want to talk about is college classes. If I were in charge I would change all the stupid, time wasting classes you are required to take just to satisfy your general ed and move on the the classes you really need to get your degree of choice.
     I understand that the powers that be will say they want students to be well rounded when it comes to their education, but I suspect that it's more a matter of squeezing out more dollars from these students before they leave school forever. For example my son was required to take a class about classical music. His major is Bio-medical engineering. So what the heck does classical music have to do with that? This class is costing him six hundred dollars. SIX HUNDRED! And he hates it.
     If I was in charge I would require a few general ed things that were basic and more geared toward dealing with the day to day working world, like how about a psychology class that deals with co-workers, conflict resolution, dealing with the public, something you might actually use in the working world.
     There is so much wrong with this country and the way things are done that it drives me crazy. It seems we have lost our common sense.

No Baby Today

     I wanted to be able to share the joyous news of our new grand daughter's birth, but alas, the flu has reared its ugly head and they sent Karrah home last night because her midwife was sick. I don't know when she will be having this baby now because I'm not sure if they are going to try to induce her when the midwife is better, or just let nature take its course.
    I do know that I was all geared up and ready to kiss her little face about a million times and now I am going to have to kiss my little Liam's face instead, not that it's a problem for me, but at about 750,000 kisses he gets tired of me. Sorry kiddo, I have to have my fix of baby kisses and you are easier to keep in one place than Sofia is. She's two, and though I get to kiss her each and every day, she's mobile which makes it harder to chase her down.
     I do know for sure that some time in the next couple of weeks we will have a new grand baby and I can't wait.

The World Would Be a Better Place

     Tomorrow sometime, I will be a grandmother again. I like to think of myself as, Mom, the sequel, because Grandma sounds old and I don't feel old.
     This will be our tenth grandchild and we have not yet begun to procreate. I am aiming for an even fifty. I figure that years and years from now I will have hundreds of descendants. They will probably look back at my life and say why on earth would she have ten kids? I know because my own kids already say this.
     Karrah was complaining about how tired and uncomfortable she is and I asked her if now she could appreciate all that I have been through over the years and she replied, "I don't know what is up with you. You're crazy." I think her having four more my not happen, but that's okay.
     Every new baby is a blessing and I can't wait to kiss her little face, and hold her, and smell her. After her bath.
     I look forward to the day she smiles for the first time. I can't wait to hear her little voice say, "Monna and Coke." That's what our grand kids call us.
     I can't wait to see who else joins our family over the years and to watch them grow and turn into whoever they are going to be.You see, in our family it's all about the kids and it always has been. If more people would see children as the they blessing they are instead of a burden the world would be a better place.
 

I Love Routine

     It's been one of those mornings already. It was a fight to get my daughter out the door and to the bus before she missed it, and it was a fight to get my two boys out the door to school. I don't know why they think I'll believe their pathetic attempts to play sick. I mean really, I was a kid once too a long, long, long time ago. Of course I never pulled that stuff. (I can hear my mom's laughter right now.)
     I love the fact that they go to school. It's the only time I can think without the constant whine of little whiners in the background. You know what I mean, "I'm hungry and there's nothing to eat," or "He's had the computer for the whole day and it's my turn," or "She's been in the bathroom forever and I gotta go." Mind you we have seven bathrooms in this house, but they always want to use the one that's occupied. I totally blame their dad for this one.
     I am looking forward to the holidays, but I can promise you now that I will be looking forward to them going back to school in January just as much. There is something comforting about getting back into the routine of a routine. Ya know?

Happy Thanksgiving to All

     Well, the turkeys are in the ovens and the potatoes are being peeled, so I thought I would sneak away from the chaos for a minute to wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving.
     I hope this day finds you and those you love healthy and happy. May the rest of the year be filled with love and laughter and all the good things life has to offer.
     I am grateful for so many things I couldn't even begin to list them all, but I am grateful for all of you and the love, encouragement and support you have given me through the years with my blogging and with my books. I wouldn't be where I am now without all of you and I never forget that. Thanks again  and have a great day. Don't eat too much. hahahaha Like that's not going to happen.

The Thanksgiving Menu

     Here we are knocking on Thanksgiving's door. I'm often asked what and how much we cook for our Thanksgiving meal so I thought I would give you the run down. Be forewarned, we live in fear of not having enough to eat.
2-twenty pound turkey's
1-large ham
2-green bean casseroles
2-funeral potatoes
10 lbs mashed potatoes
gravy
rolls
2-jello salad with strawberries, pineapple, banana and sour cream. It's a family recipe that we all love.
1 pistachio salad
stuffing
and 7-8 pies
     I think that's about it. As of right now our count for tomorrow is around 20 with a few maybe's thrown in. Our largest crowd since we moved here was almost forty. We didn't have a whole lot of leftovers that year.
     We're always grateful we've made it through another year. We have so much to be thankful for.
      To you and yours, I hope the day finds you surrounds by loved ones, with much food and laughter, joy and happiness. I love you all and you have a special place in my heart. Happy Thanksgiving.

Maybe it's Just Me

     Here we go with the start of the holiday season. It's a mixed blessing to me. As much as I love this time of year and my family, having the kids home so much can be a pain in the neck.
      There are trade offs to be sure. You get to sleep in and you don't have to fight the homework thing, but then you have to feed them constantly and referee their fights. Whose turn is it on the computer and whose turn is it to empty the dishwasher? There are times I wish school would start at 9:00 am and get out at 5:00 pm. You know, get them ready for real life, toughen them up.
     I've now got my boys doing their own laundry and they have to clean their room. They're 9 and 11 so I think they're plenty old enough. Nothing like do your own laundry to make you realize it's not worth putting clean clothes in the hamper because you're too lazy to set them on a shelf. Haha, there's a method to my meanness. How's that for real life?
     The Christmas holiday is particularly hard when they are home. I start to go shopping and they want to go with me. How's that supposed to work? I can't buy them presents when they are right there. And they are too old for the, "That's for your cousin," trick. This is just another reason why the holidays are a mixed blessing for me, as far as school being out. Do you ever feel this way? .....Maybe it's just me. :)