ABC's Instead

I was going to blog and list all the really crappy things that have happened in my life in the last week. Nobody wants to think about it- least of all me, so I decided to write a poem instead. I have been thinking of writing this particular poem for a while, but didn't until now.

The ABC's of What I Hate.... by Cheryl Citizen

A- Analog- I think it is a made up thing, but men LOVE to sing its praises.
B- Brussel Sprouts.
C- Cleaning Anything, Cockroaches
D- Dieting
E- Exercise, Emergency Rooms
F- Fords
G- Gross old food in the fridge
H- Health Insurance
I- Insurance- all kinds.
J- Junk I've purchased thinking it was going to last.
K- Killing Time-wasting my most precious resource at places like the DMV.
L- Losing Touch with Old Friends
M- Moving
N- No comments on people's blogs. It is selfish, but I wish everybody accepted comments.
O- Ordering at restaurants- it's stressful.
P- Pet Rocks- they are taking over. Pop up ads.
Q- Quitting things.
R- Risks
S- Socks
T- Telemarketing calls
U- Unfinished tasks- I have plenty.
V- Video tapes- I'm spoiled now with DVD. Rewinding is stupid.
W- Warranties, War
X- Trying to think of words that start with X. This letter is unnecessary in the English language.
(KS could easily replace it in most situations and Z in the others)
Y- Yo-yos- not fun.
Z- Zoos- especially the "Petting" kind.

If you order now you get an additional poem at absolutely no charge.

The ABC's of What I Love.... By Cheryl Citizen

A- Autumn
B- Baking, Backyard- ours. Blogs
C- Christmas, Candles, Cruises
D- Doug
E- Emma
F- flowers
G- Gardening (at least the idea)
H- Halloween
I- Ice Cream
J- Jack
K- Kissing
L- Loredana
M- Marriage
N- the Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (the book. I didn't see the movie.)
O- Open windows with the perfect breeze blowing through.
P- Pedicures
Q- Quiet hmmmmm...... a wonderful sound
R- Relaxing- I vaguely remember it.
S- Surveys- Who wants my opinion?
T- Thanksgiving, Turkey
U- Umbrellas- Rain is what I really love, but U is also a bad letter to start words with.
V- Vacations- especially road trips!!!
W- Wreaths on doors
X- seX
Y- Yellow walls
Z- zzzzzzzzzzzz I get too little.

My Life in Star Wars Years

1981 ? (Doug is going to kill me for getting the years wrong.) My mom took me to see Empire Strikes Back at the British Base close to us in Germany. I'm not sure why she did except there wasn't a lot of entertainment in Germany. We paid for tickets, but proceeded to see it another 11 times for free while we lived in Germany- free movies in a multi-purpose room. We sat on the floor. It was kind of like school film strips, except full length movies and no beeps at frame changes.
I also played a lot of Star wars at recess during 1- 3 grade. All the kids were seeing the movie 11 times- it was what we played. I was always Princess Leigha ( l-ay-ah) and my friend was Princess Leigha (l-ee-ah). My sister and I got some figures for Christmas from our aunt while we lived in Germany as well. My sister loved the Yoda figure with the snake around the neck.
1982 ? We came back from Germany. My aunt informed me that there would be another Star Wars movie. I couldn't believe it. I didn't know about Trilogies then.
1983 Return of the Jedi came out. My family went to see it. I couldn't figure out why I thought Luke Skywalker had been so attractive in the previous movies. I didn't like the movie. I didn't get it.
1987 I babysat for a family that had the old Star Wars figures.
1993 I married Doug. I don't need to explain the Star Wars connection there.
1994 ? They re-released the original Trilogy in the theaters. We were babysitting for the same family previously mentioned and we all went to see the movie.
1995 I took up a collection to buy Doug the original Trilogy on Laserdisc. It cost $200.00 and I had to buy it at a record store on Maryland Parkway.
1996 I started searching Antique Stores for the old figures for Doug. I never bought any, but I did buy a Dark Vader cake pan and an old Jedi bed sheet. We planned a surprise party for Doug's 24th birthday at Mark's house. The Jedi sheet was his favorite present.
1997 Doug had another Star Wars birthday. They released the new action figures. Doug bought them. All of them.
1999 The Phantom Menace was released in the theaters. We went to the 2 am showing and again in the morning 10 am. Emma had the preview memorized. She would stop playing and stare, glued to the TV until it was over. She was about nine months old.
2000 Emma had a Star Wars themed birthday party for her second birthday. She got a Jar Jar Binks stuffed animal.
2001 Doug won a Star Wars trivia contest at the San Diego Comic Con. Only serious fans go. He was OFFICIALLY the biggest Star Wars Nerd there to have won. I didn't go. I was nine months pregnant with Loredana.
2002 Attack of the Clones We took all the artists that worked for us to the midnight show. Hmmmmm- Hayden Christensen- yummy. Loredana had a Star Wars themed party for her first birthday.
Today The Special Edition Original Trilogy was released on DVD for the first time. It has been on in surround sound LOUD all day- just the special features.

In the Future Jack is supposed to be a Jedi for Halloween. I am sure he will have a Star Wars party- at least one in his lifetime. Maybe my girls will play Star Wars on the playground. Maybe they will marry a Star Wars fan. Maybe my kids will get as much pleasure and enjoyment out of it as Doug and I have. I doubt it. It is a special gift just for our generation.

What Color is Your Thumb?

Since before we moved into the Big House I have been planning to have a garden. I want to grow vegetables, fruit, herbs and some flowers. The first summer I had a corn stalk growing out of a planter in the front yard. Joe and Debbie made plenty of fun of me for that. Anyway, we are FINALLY getting the rest of the back yard put in. Including a very expensive (but beautiful) retaining wall so I can have my garden. We also going to have some fruit trees (apricot, peach, plum, pomegranate, pepper) and GRASS!! We have been wishing for grass all summer because the kids have been playing in the rocky dirt. Hopefully the whole thing will be done before next weekend. I am very excited. It will be nice to look out and see organic living things between our cinderblock walls.
My Great Grandfather on my dad's side grew fruit trees and orchids (including the one I carried for my wedding). My Grandfather (and a couple of generations before him) on my mother's side was a potato farmer. I hope I can summon the gardening gene and actually grow some food for our household. Hopefully my thumb is at least teal in color.

Daaaannnngggg....................

Check Jeremy out.

It's Not a Fashion Show..

I have this t-shirt I bought at Kohls. I like it. It is navy blue with a sunflower broken into boxes in red and white. (I bought it around the 4th of July). I wore it on the 4th and then I wear it around the house on lazy days. I have seen two other women with this particular shirt. One was an old lady- and I mean OLD- at Red Robin. The other is a mom at Emma's school. The shirt drew my attention to her. I did a quick judgemental assessment and- she' a nerd. The next day I noticed that the same woman had a Backpack Purse. Quess what?? SO DO I!!!!!
Time to go shopping-seriously.

Home School

I have debated with myself on whether or not to write a post on this subject. I have decided to do it and will probably regret it. I do not have one single homeschool workbook or "how to" guide, however I consider myself (and most other parents) a homeschool parent. We read, investigate, go on "field trips". They do "work" they ask for help with and advice on and approval of and what not. It's just plain parenting, which is a large responsibility.
I take my children to the doctor for well checks and when I think they are ill. I take primary care of their health and medical needs. I take primary care of their educational needs as well, but I am willing to consult the experts in the field on a regular basis- especially when they are offering their services to me with no copays expected. The schools my children attend supplement the education they receive at home. They are better equipped with supplies than I am home. They have "toys" we do not. They sing songs we do not know. They read books we have never heard of before. They have a variety of muscial instruments I do not have access to or the funds to purchase. (However, we do have instruments at home and they get played often-especially when Kenny busts out the guitar.) They have tumbling mats, basketball courts, baseball diamonds- I do not, nor do I have enough players to play these games. I am pretty sure that Emma would never actually play football, hockey, baseball and who knows what else if she did not attend school. She may not love those sports after she learns the basics of them, but she has been exposed to them. Exposure to multiple points of view and experiences helps to make a person "well rounded". I would say that that is one of my goals in sending them to school- to aid in their well roundedness.

I know- What about all the horrible, dreadful, terrible things they are exposed to? My basic answer to that question is 1. it's not as horrible, dreadful and terrible and you may want to believe and 2. bad things mold us, change us, and "round" us out as much or more than the good things. Last year, Emma was invited to a birthday party for a girl in her class. She said she did not want to go. I knew the little girl because I helped in her class in a regular basis. I knew that this particular little girl was loud and bossy. Emma had experienced her enough to make that determination. I think that is a good characteristic to have. I think she can't learn that from a book or by being around children on a limited basis (an hour or so a week). She is learning that there are many kinds of people in the world. Some she will enjoy and others she won't. I can take Emma to 7-11 with a dollar and let her chose something. It's not the same as giving her a dollar to keep safe and determine how to spend it at the "Snack Bar" at school-without me looking over her shoulder. She is in a controlled environment making personal decisions about the person she is. She takes what she has learned at home and has a "playground" to try it out on. She has other adults, besides her parents, responding to her in a positive way.
My final thought is this: whatever educational avenue you choose- be involved in it. Be active. Know what is going on.
Before you comment- and I welcome your comments- please do not lump me or anyone else in with parents who sit their kids in front of the TV 24-7 and send them to Kindergarten without a clue as to what a pair of scissors is. AND I will not lump you (home school parents) in with poor psychologically unstable women who drown their children in the bathtub.

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.................

(that is a good aaahhhhhh- so you know)

Aahhhhhhh....... Fall. If only it were true.