Happy 4th Birthday Maggie!

I will write more later... we are in the midst of selling our home, and trying to take an actual vacation!  More words to come on her party and how wonderful she is!

Maggie at her 4th Birthday party with BFF Emily and brother Ben.

Stranger Danger

I came across this great article at Modernmom.com that talked about the way we were educated on the dangers of child abduction versus the way we should be educating our own children.  One of the best points made was that we were taught to 'no talk to strangers', something I have found myself mindlessly saying to Maggie at least once already, yet as adults, we speak with strangers all day long.  The article gives some great advice on how to educate your children to not become targets.

It is scary to even think about, but you cannot let your fear keep you from discussing the subject and preparing even your youngest child.  The older they get, the more they are out from under your protective wing.  And it is up to us to provide them with this set of skills. I still clearly remember the day a van pulled in front of me and my sister when we were out on our 'Blue Angel' bikes.  A man and a woman asked me to get in and show them where something was down the road.  I said no and backed up.  But I remember feeling like I was being rude, but it was the right choice. 

So check the article out HERE.  And for your viewing pleasure- check out the video below.  It is how we were educated back in my day.  A classroom video usually on the day an Officer Friendly would come and speak to the school.  How did they find such creep actors to play these guys?

Happy Birthday Ben! Two Years Old and Growing!

You love to smooch
You are so enamored with your Papas, Uncles, and Dad...
You would follow your sister to the ends of the earth,
until you realized that earth could be yours and call it 'mine!'
And charge with furious determination, and possibly some canines,
to restore the balance between siblings

You resemble me, your mother, from bridge up...
How funny it is to recognize your own face in your son's
As a mother, I hope for so many things for you
Most of all, that you remain a gentle and kind soul

You are two years old today
not yet a boy, so far from a man...
yet, I know that in leaps and bounds you will grow
and I hope to see you shine

Happy Birthday my Biggie Ben.  I love you.  Your mom, always and always...

My Recent Life- Wax Poetic

Here it is...
The last forty days of my life,
And despite what I write...
Its isn't simply just tales of strife

Alas, no!  It tis not!  Well, at least, not a lot
In fact, its always so much more that I got

These last forty days are mixed with aggrevation
Something that has halted my recent blog-versation

I got sick, had a health scare, and conversely stopped running
And for lack of a better word...I started bumming

I gained back ten plus pounds of the 22 lost
I started my new job, an accomplishment with cost

I juggle, and struggle, to make my kids proud
To not yell, get frustrated, or overly loud

In the last 40 days, I got four reports about biting
That my terrible two-son likes playground fighting

Is it me?  Since I work?  Am I doing him harm?
I swear no kids bite, with stay-at-home moms

But guess what? Here it is...I love my career
And my husband likes his despite all our fears

Although he, just like me, I know he debates it
We can't afford to stay home or to work, so we fake it

I can't keep up with the laundry, and I never take pictures
I miss having friends to sit and and just be with

My son can't stop hitting, my daughter likes to whine
But on good days he's an angel, and she is divine

I love every little last thing that they do
Even when they wake up at a quarter till two

No matter what happens around each crazy corner
When they say I love you, I'm completely a goner

I have a husband who loves me, and tolerates all my ways
As I'll tolerate his, till the end of our days

And our kids are just beauties, wonders, delights
They are parts of us, and before I know it, they will have their own plights

So, there it is, all my rhyming attempts
The attempts to capture 40 days of defense

Defense of the bills, and sick days, and thrills
The fort of our family that stands up to all ails

I am proud of our stance
And our family of four
I would not change a thing
Except a guarantee, of 40,000 more....