A book should follow soon after my death

I found an envelope sweetly decorated lying on the top of the stairs that said, 'Open right away!'. Inside was a colorful hand decorated card. Inside the card was a typed poem.

My Mom
Her hair is blond her eyes are blue
She is soft and kind only on the best of days
The other days she is a whirling twirling Major wind storm

She's a master at making you Guilty
Even if it's about the smallest thing
Maybe the reason for all her yelling is the treats she receives afterwards

It began with an Enormous heart shaped pillow
Next it was breakfast ready on the table
Which was quickly moved to the bed
Even a surprise mini party

We will never know exactly
but we do know that these special treats
usually only take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

I think the book about me written by my children will be on the shelves the day after I take my last breath.

April, be quiet.

This morning as I was driving my daughter to take her mid-term exams I was singing along with a Leann Rimes song. Just to make it more fun, I decided singing the song with a really bad Spanish accent.

"HOW WOULD I LEEEEEVE WIT-OUT CHOOOU? IF CHOOOOU ONLY KNEW. BABY I WOULD DO ANYSING. DA Da lee dooo laa la loooooo (this is where I insert my own little twist on the song because I don't know all the words).

I was having a really good time. It's a new day, the sun is shining, I was happy, what could possibly bring me down?

I glanced over at my daughter and noticed she was sitting up straight in her seat staring out the front window. Normally, she would be staring at me either laughing or rolling her eyes while shaking her head in amazement at how incredibly talented I am. I know she wishes she was even half as cool as me, but with her father's genes I don't think it's possible.

"So, are you ready? Huh? Ya ready? Ya ready?" I questioned her.

"I'm trying to study in my head, but you're being so loud! Sheesh!" was her exasperated reply.

"Oh, sorry." I turned off the music and deflated. The rays of colorful light that had been emitting from my inner being dissipated into a fine mist and were sucked out through the ventilation system.

"Do you know how to say, 'I love you Mom' in Latin?" I sheepishly asked.

"Yes. Te Amo Mater." she said smiling at me.

When we pulled into the parking lot she didn't want to go into the building quite yet. I asked her if she wanted to pray. So I held her hand and we asked God to help her remember everything she had been studying and thanked Him for the opportunity to learn and some other things. Then she gave me a few hugs and a kiss and off she went.

As I sped away I turned up the music and then decided it wasn't as much fun to sing really loud in a Spanish accent without an audience, so I turned off the radio and had a nice little chat with myself about an old dilapidated house that sits downtown. I must say, it was quite a nice conversation.

Little Stinky Monkey Head

I wanted to write a post about what a stubborn, skunk my two year old has been. I wanted to show you a bunch of pictures of him screaming and throwing his giants fits. I wanted you all to feel my pain, but all his pictures look a lot like this one. I think you all would think I was lying. Little poop-head.

Roar!

I am woman! Yesterday, after hours and hours and hours of raking and burning and hauling the woods in my front and back and side yards, I looked about and thought I could be raking and burning and hauling for the next twenty years and this place would still look like it was swallowed by a big leaf-belching-twig-barfing tree! That's when I decided I needed to cut down some trees!

I told my husband to teach me how to use his chainsaw and with reluctance, he did. I started out cutting small stumps off at the base that have been bugging me because I was certain that a child would be shish-ka-bobbed on them. My husband watched me from a distance. I don't know if he was more worried that I would decapitate myself or hurt his precious saw.

I cut down four trees all by myself. I had to hold one back from falling when my 5yo decided to run in front of it just as it started to fall. I think I screamed, "ISAAAAAAC MOOOOVE!!" loud enough for all of you to hear, next time I'll yell, "Timber" like every good woodswoman does.

I don't think I made a difference in the yard's appearance. Mostly; because I left the felled trees laying in the yard partially cut into logs. But, now that I know how to use the saw, look out!

Validation that I'm doing an okay job.

Ike-"Mom, do you know who I'm in love with?"

"No", geesh, isn't he too you for this?

Ike- "God"

"Do you know that you are the sweetest little boy in the whole wide world?"

Ike- "Yes"

I must be doing something right.