ZZZZZZzzzzzzzz...

It is late in the night and the children are asleep. Stillness is a state that this house rarely partakes in so I am taking pleasure in its mute respite. As I lie in bed, I am serenaded with the rhythmic rotation of the ceiling fan, the distant hum of the refrigerator and hurgs...snort...snorf..snorf ... aughs...hurrrhh. My dear husband is sleeping quite well and is snoring loud enough to wake the little darlings upstairs. Although this is an exaggeration of merely trifle proportions, the fact of the matter is that his noisy slumber is irrelevant. He could be huffing and puffing like the Big, Bad Wolf, making all sorts of raucous and I would be quite content lying beside him, listening to his nasal cavity orchestra. You see, this man is the love of my life. He has transformed my world and has given me the best experiences I could ever imagine. He challenges me to grow as a person and despite my flaws, he loves me completely and the feeling is overwhelmingly mutual. Although our relationship is not in a perpetual state of bliss because we are, in fact, human, we love each other and we make sacrifices each day to ensure that we keep our marriage and our family as our top priority in life. What many would see as imperfections in their mates, we see as tiny character enhancements that work together to form the big picture that we are so in love with. So you see, this snoring isn't an annoyance--it's just another instrument in the symphony that is peacefully playing my bedtime lullaby...and what a joy it is to hear.

Choices, Choices, Choices!

I am working on my Master's Degree and part of the discussion this week deals with student choice and how giving students the freedom to have some choice in the classroom can be beneficial. Our discussion board has stayed primarily in the realms of choices in the classroom, but some of the posts have ventured into life choices which is yielding a somewhat philosophical tone...and that got me thinking. One of my reply posts said something to the effect that the choices we make in life direct the path in which we travel and I almost said that we "choose our own adventure." From that thought, the nostalgia kicked into high gear and I took a walk down memory lane. Does anyone remember the Choose Your Own Adventure series of books? These books allow the reader to determine the protagonists next course of action by choosing what happens next in the story. At the end of the page/ section of the book, the reader is prompted to select one of two options then turn to the page that is listed (which is super awesome for a kid because the book does not read in order.) Anyway, the books were out of print for several years and just recently they have started republishing them. I am going to buy some for my son because I think he will enjoy reading them. I wish I had mine still from childhood, however, which included about 100 titles (thanks in most part to my Aunt Nair-Nair...she gave me the books when she grew out of them.) Anyway, one thought leads to another and from a discussion board post I threaded myself to a children's book. Well, even if you don't have any children, buy one and read it. It's good, wholesome fun!

Look How They've Grown!

Check out this picture of the kids on the first day of school in August of 2007. Look at those smiling faces--they were so eager to begin the school year!

Now look at this picture that was taken today--the last day of school. Notice how each of them have changed and matured...and look at the height difference! I think they are growing too fast!

My Pride and Joy

Yesterday Jon and I went to each of our three school-aged children's Award's Day program. I can't express how proud I was to see all three of them being honored for all of their accomplishments this school year. Being a teacher myself, I know that students grow, mature, and learn so much throughout the year, but seeing my own children from the perspective as a mother during these ceremonies was touching.

Jaden's end of the year celebration was first and each student in her class recited a nursery rhyme. Jaden was Little Bo Peep and this is her sporting the costume I made for her to wear. I had big plans on making the dress but instead I just made the hat and pantaloons and used a dress we already had. During the ceremony, Jaden recited her poem verbatim and we were so proud of her. Her class also sung an alphabet song and each student received a certificate. It was absolutely adorable!

Noah's Honor's Day was next and he received the "A" Honor Roll Award and the Voracious Reader Award. The "A" Honor Roll is given to those students who an "A" average for all subjects for the entire year. His teacher gave him the Voracious Reader Award because she said that he is an avid reader and took a lot of Accelerated Reader tests based upon books he had read. We smiled in delight when seeing him receive his awards and he was bubbling with excitement as well.

Last but not least was Gracie's Honor's Day program. She received the Superientendent's Award and the Best Storyteller Award. The Superientendent's Award is given to students who have made all A's every nine weeks in every subject on their report card. This is the most prestigious award given! The Best Storyteller Award was given to Gracie because her teacher said that everyday Gracie would come in sharing a story with her about something that had happened the night before or over the weekend. Instead of simply listening to the stories, Gracie's teacher would encourage her to write her story down in her journal. Yes, Gracie is a little chatterbox and her teacher used this trait for good by doing this. :-) I didn't get a good picture of Gracie and her teacher so the one of them together is from the beginning of school.

Vrooooooomm....

I had this dog when I was growing up whose name was Flash. My brother named him this because he was a fast runner (although I swear he named him after the basset hound off of the Dukes of Hazzard but he denies that.) Anyway, Flash was one of those dreadful dogs that chases cars. Whenever a vehicle was approaching we always knew it because Flash would jump up and begin racing the car as it sped down the street. The cars would always win, but Flash was a tenacious dog and never let that stop him from trying to achieve the goal of fastest dog in the neighborhood. Anyway, I thought about poor 'ol Flash (who had gone on to doggie heaven a few years ago after 18 long years of life) when I was vacuuming the floor yesterday. Eve, my nine month old, was on the floor crawling around as I was cleaning up the kitchen after dinner. As I took out the vacuum to sweep the area rug, I noticed she kept following behind me. With each pass of the vacuum, Eve would change her direction and I started to get choked up thinking that she loves her mommy that much that she's acting like my shadow following me here and there. Well, to my dismay, I found out that it wasn't me she was following, it was the vacuum. Just like Flash, Eve races after the vacuum in an effort to catch the carpet light that is attached to the bottom. Humph! I guess I am in competition with Mr. Hoover for the cooings and droolings of a baby girl...well, that's okay. At the end of the day, it's not a chase after the vacuum this little girl wants, it's a snuggle with mommy. For now, she can chase the vacuum…several years down the road, I know that’s not the only thing she’s going to be chasing!

Whadda Mom!

This past weekend my family and I went to Fort Myers to spend some time with my mom and step dad for the Mother's Day holiday. My two aunts, Dana and Lynare, were also there with Dana's two boys, Joey and Jonathan. We had a fabulous time and reminisced about the good 'ole days while the kids played in the pool and enjoyed each other's company.

About a month ago, my grandmother who was very dear to my heart passed away so this Mother's Day was bittersweet for all of us. My granny was a feisty lady who had strong opinions about matters and was more than willing to share these with others if provoked. She was one of those people with whom you always knew where you stood because she was so blatantly honest (which is a good thing!) So this weekend was a bonding time that my two aunts, my mother, and I had with one another and we relished in the time we had together.

This past Mother's Day, I cried when I left my mother's home. I hadn't done this since I was a teenager. Being with everyone this past weekend was one of the most fulfilling times I have had in my life. When I hugged my mother good bye, I began weeping and I couldn't control my emotions. She just hugged me and patted me like she always did when I was little and for a moment I felt that safety and security like I had felt as a child...the comfort and warmth of being in a mother's arms...my mother's arms. There isn't a sweeter, more welcoming place to be.

The older I get, the more I understand that the time we have on this earth is very limited. You never know when the people whom you love will no longer be there to talk to or laugh with so take my advice--love your family with wreckless abandon, take the time out of your busy day to make that phone call you've been wanting to make, and let the ones you care about know how you feel. You'll never regret taking that step to spend time with the ones you love.

My children love playing with their siblings, but they also love spending time with their cousins, aunts, and uncles. Looking back on my childhood, the things I remember most were not the presents I received for birthdays or the lavish Christmas gifts-- it was spending time with family, camping out on a sleeping bag with my cousins at my Aunt Anita's house, and making silly commercials. These are the things that cannot be purchased and have the most meaning for children. I just hope that as a mother, I am giving my own children these experiences so that they can have a fulfilling childhood like I did. Thanks, Mom.

The Queen of Clean

I have this thing for aprons...I don't know why, but I probably have about 15 aprons that I wear while cooking. I've always loved wearing an apron, not so much for the functionality, but rather for the feeling it gives me of being a wife, mother, and a happy homemaker. I kind of feel like June Cleaver when I wear them and I like the wholesome persona. Anyway, my mother-in-law purchased this one for me that has "Mrs. Hatten" embroidered on the front. I love this apron, not only because it has my name on it, but check out the little ruffle at the bottom. Isn't it cute? In this picture, I was sporting my "I'm too sexy for this apron" look and was getting ready to scrub the toilet and clean the bathroom. I wore it so I wouldn't get a bleach stain on my clothes. Glamorous, huh?