I'm a soccer mom, hear me whine

No one asks to be a soccer mom When people ask you what you want to be when you grow up, few little girls respond with ‘soccer mom’.
This year my son has begun his 7th soccer season in rec league. Do you know what this means? I’ve been a soccer mom for over four years!!! I love it but, it’s a new indoor soccer season at the moment, so here I am again with the soccer mom talk and yes, I’d love some cheese with this whine.
As Ethan’s biggest fan, we take soccer seriously now. No more joking around with the juice boxes and the snack sign-up sheets and let’s not keep score out loud so it doesn’t hurt the kids feelings, people. No more reading Cosmo on the sidelines. (Or wait, was that just me?)
Soccer means war. Stuff like,other teams with names and numbers embroidered on custom-made backpacks, and wearing matching shoes.....there is like body-checking, and slide kicking and jersey-grabbing and it’s apparently all legal and I’m just waiting for them to poke eyes out and go all “Three Stooges” on each other!
I'm scared. I’m the reluctant soccer mom, who’d rather be weeding the garden than sitting on a sideline trying to think of something to yell to my poor kid, who’s getting pushed around for two 20 minutes halfs on this big, big field.
Just SHOOT me!

A Thankful Moment

There are days when you just know that it is a good day, when your family is healthy, your friends make you laugh, and you have a warmth in your heart. Yeah, I know that i sound pretty cheesy but I am living in this moment.....and I must brag, for just a moment.
At this time: my family is healthy and happy, I have a beautiful home, wonderful neighbors, I am loving my job, my patients are loving me and I was offered a day shift position at work. Only a nurse that has worked 12 hour night shifts can truly appreciate this. It is a wonderful opportunity and it's my time.
ahhh, that's it now it's time to enjoy the rest of my day with my happy little family. ;)

Decaffeinated

I had a long list of things that I was giving up for Lent this year. Amongst those few things were coffee, coke, and wine. With the headaches that I suffered in the beginning and those everlasting days, I somehow managed to wean myself off of caffeine.....for good.

I never thought the day existed that I would ever pass up a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

Are you kidding me??? This is ridiculous.

Mike has been off of caffeine for almost two years now and he says that it is the best thing that he has ever done. He was my biggest support during this time, he kept me well supplied with headache medication, massages, and would not let me give in.

So, after I discovered that coffee was no longer a yummy drink, I went out and bought myself a Starbucks latte (because we all know that those lattes are irresistible) and still, YUCK!

I am amazed that this has happened. But, in a way, I am impressed that I have been able to do without it for all this time and that I feel good, very healthy. wow, and just think of the money that I will save by not going to Starbucks all the time.

I've decided to home school

I was informed a few of months ago that my sweet young son was struggling with reading.  After meeting with his teacher, and hearing her recommendations, I held it all together, smiled, and left.

The closer I got to the car…the tears filled my eyes and I completely lost it when I closed the car door. My little boy…..struggling…WHY? HOW? His older sisters are series book readers and have never been behind in any subject. Where did I go wrong with him? Was it because we moved schools? Was it because I went to nursing school? I felt a lot of guilt, and at that very moment I decided that I needed to do something. And I did.

I ordered home school materials and talked to all my friends. In just a few weeks of working with him, he improved so much! I won't lie and say that it was easy (for me) but, I CAN do this, I WILL do this, for my kids. Ethan is now reading chapter books and testing two grade levels higher in math (at times I feel like he is teaching me math…LOL!).

I’m not sure if the one-to-one instruction is just what he needed or if he is not getting the help that he needs at school but, whatever it is....it's working. 

I have enjoyed our teaching times and am considering to home school all the kids next year.  It will be a challenge but, I am looking forward to it. 

No meat, no problem

Over the years of celebrating the Lenten season, I have found ways to be creative with Friday night dinners.
At first, the thought of not eating meat was crazy.....how was I supposed to make dinner without meat? let alone all meals of the day and keep my kids satisfied.
But, I think I have mastered it.
My kids have remembered not to eat meat all on their own and they look forward to some creative but, very common meals such as pancakes, vegetable lasagna, and shrimp kabobs.
One of our favorite Friday night dinners is plain ole' cheese pizza. Although, pizza is already a Friday night tradition it is nice to see my family happily give up pepperoni and sausage. The kids have even picked it off their pizza at school.
Pinterest has been wonderful this year with helping me plan some of these meals that it has become a regular Friday occurrence.

Something that I thought was so difficult has become a great experience.