(almost) WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

We call this the "VISUAL Packing List"

GOODBYE GLASSES!!!!!!

Just 1.5 years ago, this cute little girl was diagnosed with amblyopia. Her case was not an extreme one, but we did recognize it late. This explained some of the delays in her reading skills. Anyway, we were told with evening patching and glasses, that maybe in a few years there would be a possibility that she wouldn't need her glasses anymore.

She did look awfully cute in those purple glasses. Even the eye patch was dressed up a bit for some humorous laughs.

The pink glasses were fun too, but {m} much preferred the purple.

Just this past month, she failed her 'in school' eye exam (with her current glasses). Assuming that her prescription was just not working any longer, I took her to the eye doctor for a more accurate exam.

PROGNOSIS ... nearly perfect vision!

She can forget those cute purple or pink glasses and just go with the au natural look.

EVEN CUTER!!!!!!!

*Just a little funny ...

On the way out of the eye doctor, {m} put her glasses back on and I asked her why. She said she had no place to put them. Silly girl! They are in my possession now ;)

Making Friends ...

Growing up I had a mom who could talk

and talk

and TALK!

She came to all my field trips.

She knew all the neighbors and had coffee time after school several times a week.

She spoke at length with the lady/fella (her term) at the cash register.

She spoke to strangers like she knew them all her life.

This was my mom.

Her name is Geri.

And, there is no one quite like her.

*I'm fairly certain there was a cigarette inches from my head and my dad was drinking a beer ... oh the 70's!

There are things I got from my mom ...

• her need for a clean environment
• her inability to sit down and relax
• her energy and slim figure (although I am shorter in stature and tinier in build)
• her high expectations of others and outward disappointment (sigh ... a definite cross)
• her issues with self esteem (although I recognize mine and really do put forth effort to work through it)

What I didn't get ...

• outgoing personality
• her ability to be a chatty conversationalist (although MY husband may beg to differ when it comes to HIM ... I can talk his ear off)

Not having some of what my mom had, makes it harder ... especially in today's world. Neighborhoods and the times are just so different. I'm so incredibly grateful for internet friends. They make life with the absence of real life friends just a little easier. I can come to this screen and find my way to words and faces that are familiar to me.

It isn't that I don't have ANY FRIENDS. I have a lot of ladies that I would call acquaintances ... potential friends. It just all stops at a certain point and the relationship seems stuck ... never really moving further in the speed it should. I don't quite know what it is about me that makes building friendships hard. If I were to look at the qualities I would like in a friend, my own would not be too far off.

I could blame it on my shyness. We've moved around a lot and that is never an easy thing for someone who is quiet.

I could say it is due to fear. What if the "friend" isn't who I really think she is? Even worse, what if she doesn't quite get me and what I'm about?

I could also say it is laziness. Friendships take work and to really develop one you sometimes have to give in order to get. That could mean putting myself out there more.

It's terribly frustrating. Even now this is the one kind of post that I just can't seem to finish off properly. It's sort of the way I handle meeting new people ... an encouraging start with a weak follow up.

I'm not Geri.

She was always someone who knew what to say next.

I'm 38 and still haven't figured it all out.

Making friends. It's a constant pursuit of mine.

Without WATER there is no LIFE!

While it may be a most unusual day for me with the thousands of hits I am receiving on this here little blog ... thanks to the Pioneer Woman, I thought I would share this IDEA for Christmas.

Go check out Sarah's blog and then click on the link here to see what YOU could CHOOSE to do for LIFE this Christmas!

Today I MADE THE BIG TIME with my previous post ...

Check out some of the familiar faces at The Pioneer Woman's blog.

It has been a very good week for me. So much to be THANKFUL for!

Momto5minnies meets the Pioneer Woman!

I read her blog and knew that she was coming into town for her book signing and I thought about going, but I also knew it was the day that I was getting my braces off (MONDAY 11/9). On Sunday night before, my husband made a quick trip to Walmart and brought home a flyer saying how Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) was coming the next day. I'm not sure if my husband was more excited about me getting my braces off the next day or having me MEET THE PIONEER WOMAN.

I guess I really did want to go, but now I HAD TO GO!

Monday was a crazy day ...

• jitters in the am
• 4.6 mile run to make me feel relaxed (it was also my longest run yet)
• drop the 12 year old at her homeschool art class
• quick trip to Walmart (to see if there were Pioneer Woman cookbooks ... no luck, but my husband picked me up a few ... I'm gifting some for Christmas).
• home to throw a pot roast in the crockpot
• braces removal at 11:30am
• dentist visit at 1pm
• usual afterschool chaos of swim team
• home for a 30 minute rest
• wait on line in WALMART for 3 hours

ME, shortly after coming home from the dentist ...

I'm not wearing cowgirl boots ... just UGGS

The very long line I waited on ... starting in the Home Fashions section ...

The grumpy child who missed her chance to get a soda at MCD's

and as a result got stuck with me!

She was not really happy to have me take a photo of her ...

But, the big sister brought back some sodas ... all was well

Maybe too well ...

HELLO SUGAR!!!!!

Check us out on AISLE # ... Home Fashions (STILL after 1 hour)

Coloring, spinning, picking up random germs.

Good stuff!

This big sister was such a help ... can you tell?

Hey Mom, this is cool. Can I GET IT?

Oh ... so very close ...

Wait! What's that I see?

Could it be The Marlboro Man?

I recognize those boots ...

Ahhhhhhh YES, it is HE!

A very sweet, shy man, who doesn't quite seem ready for the "celebrity" stuff ... note the blushing cheeks. He was gracious and had very sparkly blue eyes.

FINALLY, it is THE PIONEER WOMAN herself. Amazing how she only started her blog in 2006.

Look where she has taken it!

Wait, I started my blog the same time.

((((SIGH))))

Guess not everyone gets to the

finish line at the same time ;)

THE BOOK ...

The autograph ...

Love that there was a page just made for The Marlboro Man to put his siggie ...

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ... Braces Gone Edition!

Finding my INNER STRENGTH and DETERMINATION

I know it isn't a HUGE deal to those MEGA runners out there, but I have been improving.

SUDDENLY, I feel like running further.

Running FASTER.

It's CONTAGIOUS!

How far will I go?

It REALLY STINKS when you drive to the perfect little spot

To take some pictures

Just scenery sort of shots.

'Cause I only had one child with me and things seemed easy enough.

Except ...

I only got about 10 pictures in, when the battery in my camera just shut down.

No, I do not have another spare battery in my camera bag.

No, 10 pictures is NEVER enough for someone who likes to take pictures.

To get 10 GOOD pictures, you may need to take 100. Well, maybe that is exaggerating a little.

Needless to say, I was bummed ... ((((SIGH)))))

Guess I need to find another perfect day to try ... with a fully powered up CAMERA ;)

Teaching our children ... helping them to form consciences for FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP

As much as my own mother did what she thought was enough with teaching me the Catholic faith, I'm not sure there was much of any emphasis placed on my Catholic call to political responsibility. In fact, I don't think I even thought much of it until a few years ago.

The mid 70's to the mid 80's were the years I was influenced by my faith. Unfortunately I don't think they were strong years. I only went to Catholic school for part of 1st grade before I moved to another state and went to public school. My religious education was called CCD and it was watered down ... weak! Of course this is MY experience and maybe there were plenty of good religious programs out there, but it wasn't part of my upbringing.

As a parent myself I really do try my best to know what my children are learning ... in school and in our parish religion program. Of course I know what I teach to my homeschoolers ;) Thinking back to years ago I don't recall my mom really KNOWING ALL that was going on in the school arena. She was a stay at home mom and did volunteer in my early elementary years, but after that I think she just assumed that since I was doing well in school and no problems were evident; she just left my education in the hands of the school. Some of this mindset was probably very common during this era.

I'm not sure I can talk for all parents, but from what I see, there are a lot of parents today that seem to be a little more knowledgeable about what is going on with their children's education. Technology, especially with the use of emails, makes news known (sometimes to the point of "not another one"). People are quicker to speak up and even make choices to switch schools or homeschool.

This leads me to my thoughts on teaching our children in the home ... whether they are homeschooled or attend public/private schools. Our responsibilities as parents to teach cannot be left up to JUST the teachers outside the home. For you see, the teachers are not only the ones in the schools or religious ed programs. They are the media, celebrities, and friends. If we as parents don't do our part, the individual consciences of our children can be influenced greatly by others ... some who don't necessarily live their lives in a morally right way.

This week I emailed Congress about health care reform and removing the potential for abortion funding . I'm not sure if I would have ever done that years ago. HECK, I KNOW I WOULD NEVER HAVE! Somehow in the last few years my conscience has led me to speak up ... not be silent and leave things alone. We all know that things don't just happen by themselves.

I want my children to know GOD, to know what is RIGHT and TRUE, to know that they have a VOICE, and to know that they have a MIND to do what they can to make their stay in this world the best they can. That takes a good upbringing with a lot of work on my part as a parent. After all, I am the primary educator of my children!

*Some great resources on helping to teach justice, peace, and human development comes from US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Go check it out!

Trying to prepare for the SPIRIT ...

"Thanks to Walmart, I can now give them a Christmas as big as their imagination"

as big as their imagination?

REALLY?

That quote is no joke. My ears really did hear that on television this morning ... in between the countless toy commercials my little ones witnessed.

I guess it shouldn't surprise me that a company so big wants us all to want more and give more. It just rubs me the wrong way when I see how commercialized Christmas has become. Over the years I know I have been guilty of buying too much, trying to even the score between girls, and overspending/overspoiling BIG TIME!

This year I want things to be different.

WAIT! Didn't I say that last year?

yeah ... I did

All over the internet I have read some great plans for Advent, but it seems in the real everyday world that I see and hear involves women talking great big plans for their Christmas. What insanely expensive and practically out of reach gift they will get their 7 year old ... yikes!

The "real" spirit of Christmas needs to be what we expose ourselves to and not the very contagious over-materialized Christmas.

Sure I love gifts and giving to others really does bring me great joy. It just seems that it's taken too far with a much greater scale each year. Besides giving more and spending more, I find that so many are getting "encouraged" to give to a much broader base ... the mail carrier, the lawn person(s), the hair stylist, the countless teachers and coaches, etc. , etc. etc.

Instead of being excited to shop, I often find myself dreading the whole experience. The sheer volume of gifts and $$$$ seem way to much for me to take in. So instead, I nearly shut down until the last minute. Sure, I get it done, but the joy is missing. I'm simply getting it done to check things off my list.

This year I want to be more thoughtful and really set limits. I want to put my family OUT THERE to do something for the good of others (in some capacity). My children are spoiled (as are so many children today). Hopefully they do know and recognize their blessings ... heck, I remind them enough ;)

Off to think ...

I got my run on ...