Think I married MacGyver!!

OMG...I married my dream man from childhood.  Seriously, I married MacGyver!  So you saw the pictures I posted yesterday, of one unrepairable pair of glasses compliments of my little mini-me.  It was a long day yesterday...today...whatever.  Glasses broken, puppies being born, I went to sleep at 4:30 a.m., which if you know me wouldn't ordinarily be a problem, except last night I could've slept.....whew!  I am T-ired.

Oh....so back to the hunky hunk hunk I am married to.  You ladies remember MacGyver, I know you do.  And I know you are wondering how I snagged him.  Well, I am not sure.  He has been incognito all this time.  We have been married/together for like ever and I find out tonight that he is MacGyver????  WTH?  He has been holding out on me. Bastard!  All this time.....keeping a secret like that?!?  At least I think he is, or was....you tell me what you guys think.  Cause I have evidence.  I do not come empty handed.  I also watched Nancy Drew as a kid.

My husband, the brilliant man that he is, told me while we were at Target, getting new glasses for Kamden that we had to pick up a few things while we were there.  That was after we asked the nice optician lady if there was anything we could do with the two pieces of glasses we brought her.  She politely giggled and responded with a quaint, "Um...no."  Crap!  It will take a week to get a new pair.  What to do?  What to do?  Kamden is pretty blind without his spectacles.  So we went and picked up some paperclips, epoxy and paper tape, along with a few other essentials.

We get home and MacGyver takes a paperclip, breaks a piece off, and uses the epoxy to glue it across the top of the nose bridge.  He let's that dry and adds another piece of paperclip along the bottom of the nose bridge with epoxy, thus trapping the two pieces that were broken, back together.  The tape will be applied in the a.m. for comfort purposes.  Genius right?  So...you all can see how with basic deductive reasoning skills I concluded that after all this time, I am in fact married to MacGyver.

Oh...and I know you guys are wondering.  It wasn't as painful as I had anticipated.  We ended up with some more wire frames that are all bendable.  We tried on a couple of different types and the nice optician lady told us that the solid frames break more easily than the wire frames do.  She recommended the ones we got, which were less expensive anyway.  Kamden is happy with them, they are his "style" he said.  FYI-glasses at Target with their Kid Care program,  GREAT DEAL.  I paid $129 bucks for frames, lenses and protection plan out the door last time.  Because of the program, new glasses (frames, lenses and protection plan) $69.  Sweet!

I will post pictures of the pups in the a.m. for you guys.....they are so cute!  Finally, we got blue!!!

Think it's time for some new glasses....

Well....we tried to repair them, but there was little hope. 

Here is the before picture:

See how they sit nice on his face?

Well here is what they look like now:

He came out of the bathroom after his shower and said, and I quote, "Uh...Mom, I think we have a problem."  I looked up from the computer to see his glasses hanging on his face over each ear in two pieces.  Ay yay yay!  If the poor kid could quit with the constant ticks.  He is forever pursing and licking his lips (i keep Chapstick in business), he crunches his nose up when he is doing the lip moves, and then he arranges and rearranges his glasses on his face (there is a lot of eye and forehead movement too).  He must do those moves, in that order, at least 100 times a day.

So tomorrow will be a trek to get them replaced, which will take a few days but I have to take him to have them sized tomorrow.  He needed a new pair anyway, apparently they somehow managed to end up a dog chew toy at Gramma's over the summer.  So maybe that had something to do with the poor shape they were in.  But, I am thinking it had way more to do with my 52lb 7yr old than it did the 80lb lab puppy!

Pray for me cause I will need it.  My Momma chihuahua, Lola-Blu is in labor as I type, so I will be up with her all night (or the better part of it anyway).  Then it will be off to get glasses with Kamden.  The hubby and I discussed it and no more wire frames for Kamden, so I would imagine that there will be a major melt down in the eye department at Target tomorrow afternoon.  Kamden is quite particular about the way he looks, and I am guessing we will hear comments like "No those make me look like a geek."  "I wouldn't be caught dead in those."  "C'mon Mom seriously?  You wear them if they are so cute."

I will upload the pictures in tomorrows blog of the adventure.  Oh, and hopefully puppies too!

Thinking of the smells of Fall.........

Here we are at that time of year again, when the nights start to get longer and longer.  Not that they really are getting longer, just that it gets dark earlier.  Which suits me just fine.  I love the night.  Love it!  It feels longer to me when it gets dark early.  I feel like I spend more time with the family.  Maybe because we wind down much earlier, the boys seem to be in bed and sleeping earlier, and then I have time to myself and the hubby.

My favorite part of this time of the year is the smells of fall.  The crisp smell of cold air in the morning.  The smells of cinnamon and apples.  Thick soups and stews to warm you up because it is cool outside.  The smell of burning fires each time you walk outside.  Pumpkin spice candles from Yankee Candle (personal favorite scent).  Football and the tailgating food.  Golf championships (yes I watch golf!).

I love wearing long sleeves and sweatshirts and being able to hang outdoors without being burnt to a crispy critter.  It's rough for my little pasty white self in the FL sunshine.  And of course, I love the Holidays.  Halloween, and Thanksgiving, Black Friday(that's right I am calling it a holiday) and of course Christmas.  I love all the baking and giving and the sense of family togetherness fall brings.

Now that I have told you what I love....let's talk about what gets stuck in my craw.  What is with the retail market putting out Christmas stuff starting....um...NOW?  Seriously, first they didn't wait until Thanksgiving and it became like some forgotten holiday in the retail space.  Then they started creeping it back further and further.  Then they started putting stuff out for Christmas before Halloween.  Now they put out Halloween decorations and Christmas decorations at the same time?  It's September!!

I love to decorate for Christmas, and always wish I could have my tree up just a little longer, but this isn't what I mean by that.  I like fall decor.  What's wrong with scarecrows, pumpkins, multicolored leaves?  Give me time for my pilgrims and turkeys.  I promise Mr. Retail Giant, I will buy Christmas stuff too, but stop cramming it down my throat so early!  Let me enjoy my favorite season as it comes...that means, first some fall decor, next Halloween, then some more fall decor with Thanksgiving thrown in.  Then, as is tradition, I will purchase my REAL tree on the holiday I deemed so Black Friday.  Then I will decorate for Christmas Saturday and Sunday.

So raise your cup of mulled apple cider to fall!  I feel you coming like a long lost friend I haven't seen in forever!  I've missed you my friend.

Think....before you open that famous mouth

What is wrong with people?  I mean seriously.  And why do celebrities think that their bad behavior is excusable just because they say "I'm sorry".    First, Serena shows her "maturity" on the court, and then Kanye decides to take a microphone from Taylor Swift and basically says, you didn't deserve to win that award.  Both celebs have since issued public statements of apology.  Does that mean we should all say that we excuse your bad example?

I don't know about you, but my momma taught me better than that.  When we left the house, when we went anywhere, we were to be on our best behavior.  I have taught my children the same thing.  So why then, are celebrities, no matter what the forum, just saying whatever the hell is on their minds?  Didn't their mommas teach them any better?  My goodness, I would be so ashamed of myself if I did that in public, not to mention the disappointment and ass chewing I would get from my mother! 

I guess there is no backlash for the ridiculous behavior so why not?  I mean, if Michael Vick can kill and torture animals, go to prison, get out as a convicted felon and still work in the NFL, why not just do whatever you want and then say those infamous little words...."I'm sorry."

The thing is....I want to hold everyone accountable.  I am accountable for my actions.  I make sure my children know they are responsible for theirs [actions].  They know that saying "I'm sorry" doesn't mean that they get a free pass for hurting other peoples feelings.  AND....if all us REGULAR folks displayed any of the aforementioned behavior on the job, or at a party for our job, or committed felonies that required prison time, we would SO have a one way ticket to the unemployment line.

Well....anyway.  That's my two cents this evening.  On an evening when a celebrity who always showed class in public passed away, rest in peace Patrick Swayze, I would challenge others to try and show some restraint.  THINK about what comes out of your mouth.  Throw a fit when the cameras aren't on you.  Behave anyway you want when children are tucked away safe and sound in their beds.  BUT, never abuse animals and please..."if you don't have anything nice to say.....SHUT THE F$%* UP!"

Think I found a gem of a Series....

I am a big reader.  I always have been.  I remember getting in trouble as a small child, like 4 or 5, I was always up late.  I mean really late.......way past my bedtime.  I would get my flashlight out and hide underneath the covers so I could read.  I know my mom always let me read for a certain amount of time (when I was supposed to be sleeping) before she would really get on me, but I had to finish whatever it was I was reading.

I read to my daughter religiously when she was little.  But, with my boys, it has always been harder.  Kenna loved to listen to the stories.  I read them to her, and also made up my own, and added in the stories that my dad used to tell me.  The boys appreciated the made up stories, sometimes.  But reading, they were not found of, too much sitting still and concentrating for my little ADD campers.  I mean I guess that is why I always struggled to get them to listen.  It really has only been recently that Kamden has started to enjoy reading with me.  Kooper never really did get into it.

Kooper started reading more on his own and finding an enjoyment of fiction on his own.  Actually, it was his teacher in second grade that made that work.  His teacher was an older "grandpa" that was ready for retirement.  He retired the year after teaching Kooper.  When I found out who his teacher was going to be my heart sunk.  Kenna had had Mr. Weeks as a teacher in 5th grade, and he was a tough cookie.  I thought, oh THIS is gonna be terrible for Kooper.  BUT, I am not one to OVER react, well, not really.  Oh...who am I kidding, when it comes to my kiddos....I AM A CRAZED LUNATIC.  So, I tried not to run right down and have him moved immediately.  I asked why he moved from 5th grade to 2nd grade, and he explained that the school had asked several of the 5th and 6th grade teachers to move to 2nd and 3rd grade to teach some fundamentals in math and reading, whichever were their strong suits to prepare the kids for FCAT (FL standardize tests that are required to pass 3rd grade).  I tried to keep an open mind.

So hubby and I went to Open House.  We listened as Mr. Weeks explained his goals for our children.  The class size was small.  I mean really small, there were only 14 children at the start of the year.  I think at the end two had moved so there were only 12.  He said he was going to help us get our children to love reading.  Then, he imparted the best advice I have ever received from a teacher, to date.  And that includes EVERY teacher I have ever had, all the teachers Kenna has had, Kooper, and Kamden.  He told us to let our kids read, no, encourage them to read, whatever they WOULD read.  That's right.  It didn't matter if it was a book, a magazine, baseball cards, the comics, the back of the cereal box, it didn't matter.  As long as the material was something that would hold their attention, then let them read it.

Ding! Ding! Ding!  Novel concept I know.  I had been trying to get my boys to enjoy what I loved.  What Kenna had loved.  Not girlie stuff.  Neither Kenna, nor I have ever been girlie-girls.  But, I never let Kenna read anything that wasn't classics or had some kind of seal of approval by all those award winning whatever...blah! blah! blah!  So....off to the COMIC SHOP we went.  Kooper thought graphic novels and comics were AWESOME!  YEAH for me!!!!  He found a couple comic series he wanted to follow.  We started picking out books, that in the past I would have steered away from...like "The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby (Captain Underpants)" and other titles that referenced, butts, and boogers, and words we don't use like Stupid.  And we found "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" which Kooper now waits for each time a new one is released!

Now he reads for his 30 minutes every night, no problem.  I often find him reading to find out what happens next in his series on the weekends!?!  Yeah!  So Kamden, is at that golden age, same as Kooper, 2ND GRADE.  And the bug has bitten...the reading bug.  Kamden has been reading, or has been able to read since he was three, but it was only on his terms.  He is a bit of a computer junkie.  He learned to read playing picture in picture games on the computer with me. But that is a different story and I don't want to get too far off topic.

So...back to the series we are currently engrossed in.  It's probably too easy for Kamden's reading level, but, we are love, love, loving them.  I find as we are reading aloud every night, that the rest of the family is listening and getting into the stories too.  They are My Weird School Series by Dan Gutman.  The series follows a boy named A.J., who hates school.  He is in second grade.  He only likes things like football, skateboarding and trick bike riding.  His nemesis is a little girl named Andrea Young, he hates her, of course.  But here are a few of the titles....Book 1 Miss Daisy is Crazy, Book 2 Mr. Klutz is Nuts , Book 3 Mrs. Roopy is Loopy and we are currently reading Ms. Hannah is Bananas!  The books are clever, and funny.  The first introduces Miss daisy the teacher, Mr. Klutz is the principal, Miss Roopy is the librarian and Ms. Hannah is the ART teacher!  Kamden is really into this one.

If you are adverse to your children saying that they hate anything, these books are not for you.  A.J. certainly hates many things, and has no problem saying so.  They are written in first person from his point of view.  However, each of the faculty has a clever and unique way of teaching A.J. that he does like things he may not have before.  I won't give too much away, but Kamden has taken the first book to his teacher and is going to try to write his principal a letter to get him to agree to the storyline in the first book for his school!  OMG!

Anyway...these are some really cute chapter books for 1-3rd graders.  There are 20 something of them in the series.  If you have little boys, or girls, they are really fun!

Think I am one woman on an island by myself sometimes.....

I must be just as unique in my views and opinions as my little Kamden.  Let me explain.  I was FBing it today, that's short for Facebooking, and one of my long lost highschool-I want to be your friend now-but was never really your friend in highschool-but feel I need to keep up with you now because our 20 year highschool reunion is coming up posted something I was shocked about. 

She posted, and I quote "~ IF our schools take part in Obama addressing our students age Pre-K through 12...OUR KIDS will NOT be sent to school on Tuesday, Sept. 8th"  WHAT THE HECK?  Seriously?  It is an historic moment  for The President of The United States of America to address our children and you would deprive your children experiencing that piece of history because you don't agree with his politics.  Wow!  

Am I missing something?  When did it become a bad thing for ANY one, let alone the President of The United States of America to encourage children to stay in school, and try to achieve goals?  I realize that I am more progressive than many of my friends, many of my peers, and certainly my family members.  Progressive is also another word for "liberal" but I like progressive better.  It sounds "nicer".

I actually would consider myself more moderate than liberal, but most of my friends and family are so conservative that my moderate views are extreme to them.  I don't even agree with President OBama on many of his politics relative to education.  Having said that, I have NO misgivings about him addressing my children.  He is the elected leader of the free world.  Like it or not, he is, and there is something to be said for that achievement.  If he can inspire a love and drive in the children of this country to stay in school and set goals to help them achieve higher education everyone should appreciate that.  

We need something different in this nation relative to education because what we have been doing isn't getting in done at the end of the day.  And I just love that my state of FL has the loudest voice of them all in all the hoopla.  Jim Greer, the chairman of the Republican Party for FL had all sorts of kind words about the planned speech.  Not!

So...you can see how I would feel like a woman alone on an island.  I am one lone "progressive" mommy in a state full of haters.  I don't believe this has anything to do with politics.  I don't believe it's good for my children to hear all the Obama bashing on the news.  I think if my conservative public school doesn't allow my children to hear the address on September 8th, because of all the parental protests, I may keep my children at home and watch the address from here, with them.  It's history people, and IT IS IMPORTANT!

Think a little culture goes a long way....

Kamden is a very creative minded child.  He marches to the beat of his own drummer as I have mentioned before.   He is adament that he is going to be an artist when he grows up.  So this afternoon Kenna and I picked up Kooper and Kamden from school and headed down to historical Riverside to take in The Cummer Art Museum.  I had mentioned it to Kamden awhile back and he said that we just had to go so he could see "real" paintings.

We drove down St. John's Avenue and I pointed out all the historic old homes on the river.  Each one of us would point out our favorites and which of the large old oak trees we liked the best.  The drive through the most historic parts of Riverside are truly beautiful just along the St. John's River.  All of us enjoyed the houses and the scenary on the drive.  The most votes for favorite houses were the ones with the big white pillars in the front.

We arrived at the museum at 4:00 p.m.  In my quest to share some culture with my children, I did not forget that mommy is still unemployed.  I did some research on-line.  The Cummer Art Museum has free admission on Tuesday afternoons from 4:00 p.m. until close sponsored by The Players.  Points for me being frugal! :)  In my research I also found out that on Tuesday afternoons, there is a "drop-in" art class for youngsters ages 4-11.  The class has a nominal $5 fee to cover the cost of the art supplies, and I assume the teacher.  Both Kamden and Kooper wanted to take the class.  The class was an hour from 5-6:00 p.m.  Kenna and I dropped the boys at their class and enjoyed a quick sit in the cafe.  Then we went down to the gift shop and perused the wonderful handmade jewelry and hand painted glass.

To my surprise, Kamden enjoyed the bronze sculptures more than the paintings.  I never would have guessed it would inspire him more than the paintings.  He loved, loved The Diving Boy by Augusta Savage.  He stared at it for the longest time.  I watched him from across the gallery studying the little bronze boy.  He hunched his shoulders to mimic the stance of the sculpture.  He cocked his head to the right to peer up at the bronze boy's face.  He walked around admiring the craftsmanship of the sculpture.  I watched in awe.  I was proud.  My little artist in waiting was impressed by the work of a local legend. 

He admired many other pieces in the gallery as well, but nothing touched him the way that piece did.  He studied that one.  Up and down, side to side, he took it in, every bit of it.  Kenna, Kooper and I enjoyed many of the works.  I especially liked the Norman Rockwell painting Second Holiday.  Kenna and Kooper were more partial to the abstract artists.  We all had our own personal favorite pieces.  I enjoyed spending a quiet afternoon sharing my appreciation of art with my children.

After we finished our tour and the boys completed their art class.  (They made mini still water colors and placed them in a small booklet.)  We decided to get some dinner.  We made our way over to European Street Cafe.  It is a quaint sandwich shop near the art museum.  There are several art prints on the wall, and the cafe itself has an eclectic artsy feel to it.  We enjoyed our sandwiches and discussed the fun we had early at the museum.  We made sure to get Daddy some dessert on our way out and headed home.

When we arrived home all my children thanked me for the fun date with Mommy.  I thanked them for going with me and we quickly got homework done.  Well, as quickly as was possible.  Kamden's ADHD meds had worn off, and my patience was worn quite thin as we struggled to get 7 sentences completed with spelling words.  Kamden was having difficulty sitting still, and  "See Spot run." doesn't make the cut with him.  His sentences need at least 7 words.  Hand to God, I am not kidding, the child says his sentences must have at least 7 words.  Not his teacher's rule, it is his.  He says anything less is just too easy and he is smarter than that.  So we get the sentences completed and I am hoping to get him swiftly into bed.  He says we have to read for 20 minutes.  I tell him we can just skip it and use yesterday's chapters because tonight we had to start a log, which is new.  He tells me straight up, "Mommy, that is dishonest.  I cannot believe you would lie to my teacher."  I stutter out..."I..I...I was just kidding Kamee, Mommy wouldn't LIE to your teacher."

Four chapters later, we logged his reading of Mr. Klutz is Nuts and off he went to brush his teeth and get in bed.  Kenna had been there for at least 45 minutes and Kooper too.  Other than the painful homework hour, I had the best night with my children.  We made a memory together tonight that I hope will last a lifetime.