Ohhhh, I'm good!

Yes, I realize that you all know how good I am and that the title of this post isn't a surprise! LOL But even I have reached a new level of goodness. Listen to this:
My 4 sweet angels are sitting here next to me watching "UnderDog" and eating dinner. Now this really doesn't sound good especially since they are watching TV while eating BUT listen to what they are eating...
noodles, cheese, wheat bread, cauliflower, zucchini, and even boiled collard greens! Yep, you heard correctly! Now this will surprise some of you - and I mean REALLY surprise!!!!! Mom, don't pass out or anything. Elijah (my non-veggie kid) is having his second helping of dinner!
It's a new recipe book that I got called "The Sneaky Chef."
I LOVE this book! It has all these recipes and ways to "sneak" veggies and fruits and whole grains into your food. So far the kids are liking the food. Today the special new recipe we tried was "Earth Day" shake (in honor of Earth Day). The shake had vanilla ice cream and milk and boil collard green juice. The juice is a concentrated version of the nutrients. They LOVED it!!!!! The cauliflower and zucchini was in the baked noodle casserole.
Anyway, I need to go dish up 2nds and 3rds! I just wanted everyone to hear about this awesome book.
BTW, the prep on these recipes take a little time. But you can make up batches of the puree's and juices to use more than once.
I'll post the Earth Day Shake once I get the kids in bed.

I've been misunderstood! :(

I've been musing this over in my head about how some took my comments about parents and PTA. I normally would leave it alone, but I think I'd like to clear up my meaning.
In my previous post, I mentioned how frustrated I was about parents who didn't help with PTA I also mentioned in the same sentence that the parents then complain about things with the school or things going on there. I think some people missed the second part of that sentence. My frustration isn't with parents who don't support the PTA, but with the ones who don't support and THEN complain! I don't care if all or none of the parents are at the PTA meetings or selling things for Fundraisers. I also HATE the cookie dough selling and won't let my kids sell them. My point is that we had only myself and one other parent volunteer to help at the Book Fair. And yeah, that's a little frustrating. But my biggest problem is that then we have parents and teachers wondering why the PTA isn't doing things a certain way. Or they are wanting PTA to do these big huge events. That's just not possible! Can't do much with only 2 parent volunteers. :) I really DO get angry/frustrated with people who want things done at the schools or don't like how the schools are running and complain and whine. If you want to see changes or don't agree with things, join the PTA, be in the classroom, or talk with the teacher. Heck, make a pest of yourself if need be. And be willing to put work into the changes. I guess my feeling is that you really don't have room to complain if you aren't working to make a change. So sue me. :)

I WILL agree with being a pro-active parent at school! I have had a lot of eye-opening experiences since being in the PTA. I encourage others to be active in anyway they feel possible. It may not be joining PTA, that's ok. So if you want to debate THAT topic, we can. And I surely will win! :P By the way, if you were part of the PTA you could voice your opinion of the cookie fundraising! LOL

Now as asidenote, it needs to be understood that being "in" the PTA does NOT mean being the President, Vice, or anything like that. I am just a little parent that gets to vote on the issues of the PTA. When I go to the meetings, I hear the things going on at school.
Do you sometimes wonder WHAT the PTA really does? Well, they put on events at the school like carnivals, dances, Book Fairs, and yes - Fundraisers. The money that the PTA gets from different things is used on things the school/students/teachers need. For example, we have been raising money for a Kinder playground and also coverings for the playgrounds.

When it Rains.....

Well, it sure is pouring over here today and I don't mean literally.
It all started last night. I was busy until 1am watching Jane Austen movies. I know - not a very smart choice! I had to get up early to get ready to go to school and help with the Book Fair. :(
So we get up and get ready for school. We are running a few minutes late and the kids notice that the pool we put up on Saturday was low. The water was running out somehow (a slow leak or something). I didn't have time to figure it out. We get in the car and drive off. Jake pipes up from the back seat, "Mommy, my tummy doesn't feel well." I figure he's just needing a BM so I tell him he'll be fine in a little bit.
We get to school and I find out that I'm the only one running the Book Fair all this week. Don't even get me started on STUPID-PAIN-IN-THE-***-PARENTS-THAT-THINK-THEIR-LIVES-ARE-TOO-IMPORTANT-TO-HELP-BUT-ARE-WILLING-TO-COMPLAIN-ABOUT-HOW-SUCKY-THINGS-ARE!!!! (oops, I guess I got started). The other women (wives of the PTA Pres. and VP) actually work @ the school and have a busy day so they won't be available to help very much.
Did I mention that I have to have Livvy with me all day?! No?! Well, yes, I did have her with me all day at the Book Fair.
So I had a TON of stuff to carry in just to keep her entertained and even a blanket and pillow in case I needed to give her a nap.
So I'm doing the "Book Fair" thing and the "Mommy" thing and even the "trying to be cool" thing because I have 2 6th graders helping me all day. It takes a LOT of effort (and even more Mt. Dew) for me to be cool but these kids have it in their minds that I'm so fun from my last Book Fair experience. So I still have to impress. ARGH!!
Suddenly the nurse comes in and tells me that I have to go to the nurses office. I giggled and said, "oh, there's no way I can do your job too!" She laughed and just shook her head. Then - light bulb - I said, "who's sick? Is it Jake?"
Sure enough, Jake had puked in the middle of the hallway on his way to the bathroom! I feel SOOOOO bad for him. It's bad enough to be sick, but even worse for others to see. When I went to see him, he stunk! :) I changed his clothes (the nurse has extra - we found this out last Book Fair) and had him come and lay down in this area I had blocked off for Livvy. He seemed to be doing ok later on so we stayed at the Book Fair. Because they really didn't have anyone else who could do it.
Jake finally falls asleep watching TMNT. YEAH!!! Well, when school ends and we get packed up and ready to leave, I wake him up. And within minutes, he is spewing all over the place. I mean the gut-retching, dry-heaving, painful type of barf. My poor boy. Nobody could see him (a big counter blocking the way), but everyone could hear him. I heard some kid say (really loud), "whats that yucky noise?!" My poor, poor boy.
So, I get him done and cleaned (and the carpet cleaned) and we get out to the car. Suddenly, RALPH!!!!!!!!!!!! (again)
Long story Long, Jake is sick as a stinkin dog!!!
I had to laugh because as I was cleaning him up at home he asks me, "Mom.... Do I have to go to school tomorrow?" LOL At least his priorities are straight.

And now as I am sitting here (having had a bit of a cry) I can actually laugh at the situation. Picture in your mind:
Me
4 kids (one holding a Dora pony house and without any shoes cause I was just trying to get her out to the darn car)
5 backpacks (3 of them bulging out of their seams)
2 large blankets
2 pillows (one pink and one camo - for a more visual image)
2 largish rubbermaids full of toys
a carrying case of DVDs
a 64 oz. mug with my Mt. Dew (sorry to let some of you down - I tried)
and a partridge in a pear tree

Well, maybe tomorrow will be better - one can only hope!

Quite the Day

I have had quite the day today! I am helping at the kids' school for the Book Fair this week, starting tomorrow. I wanted to get the house in order and clean so that I didn't have to worry about it this week while I'm helping at the school.
But amongst the busyness, I had a sweet tender moment with Livvy. We both sat at the table eating lunch - cucumber and tomato sandwiches; and she started talking. Because that's what she does best! She often tells me, "Mom, I'm a talker!" Anyway, she spent 20 minutes talking to me about Jesus. We talked about what Jesus loves (which of course is dogs and music and us), and we talked about how Jesus feels when we do different things (did you know, that He would have fun playing in the pool with us?). I hope it wasn't blasphemous, but it really was so sweet and fun to discuss the Lord as if he were some special playmate. I like listening to a 4 year old's idea of Jesus! So much simplier than we sometimes make it.
At one point she looked at a picture we have of Christ looking over Jeruslem and she told me, "That's a picture of Jesus holding me!"

"And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought.
So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him...
... and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.
And when he had done this he wept again;
And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.
And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them."

Dear Jen (A post just for you)!

I fixed it smarty pants!!! :)
How's the e-coli?
Love you!