To make democracy work, we must be a notion of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.

I voted today. Midterm elections and I went and voted early. The feeling that voting gives me is wonderful. I walked in as an older man walked out and thought I am going to probably go cancel out your vote old man Withers. I love the push of the vote button and knowing that my opinion just was counted and my voice was heard. I grabbed my "I voted" sticker put it on my shirt and proudly walked out the door. Every time I vote I think of what women went though many years ago to give me the right to enter that polling site and let my opinion be known. I feel every time elections come up that I owe it to those women who fought so hard for this basic right to take time out of my day and cast my vote. I also think about the fact that I live in a country that listens to my one small voice and allows me to speak freely about the beliefs and opinions that I feel so passionate about. I feel that voting allows me to participate in discussions and debates with others about the politics that have an impact on my daily life. I also feel that people who do not take this privilege of voting do not get the benefit of complaining about how things are run after the election has passed. Make voting a priority, make your opinions be known, take part in the game. Even if the person you cheered loudest for loses, at least you know you put your two cents into the fight. It is your right and it is your duty. 10.28.10

You might be a martyr if...

Everyone knows this person, and some of us are lucky enough to have many martyrs in our daily lives. This is the person who constantly plays the "poor me" card. Everyone does this once in a while, it is just a human trait. However there are people who live by this, this is their credo. I can't stand these people. These are the people who constantly have to point out what they have done so that they feel their work is recognized. Usually the tasks that they have accomplished are something that people around them do on a daily basis and think nothing of it, but this person wants a pat on the back, or a cookie for doing the same thing. Annoying, super annoying. These fab individuals are also the ones who make a large ruckus when those of us not playing the oh poor me game don't play by their rules. To prove my point I will list some examples and I am certain that we all know someone who fits every scenario. Who wants to play you might be a martyr if:

-You come in early and stay late and accomplish the same amount of work as your co-workers, but you make it a point to tell everyone how many hours you have worked each week, every freakin week. Good for you, you have no life. I like to do my job and get home and enjoy the reason I work. These people always try to make you feel guilty by stating that they are dedicated to the work or the mission at hand. Suck it so am I, and I don't need to prove it any other way than doing a good job at what I do.

-You have more sick days than the year has work days. These people always make snide comments when someone is out sick and even better, when they are ill they come to work and get everyone else sick. Sick days are for when you are sick, use them and realize that germs exist and we don't want yours.

-You haven't taken a vacation in years. Mr. Poor Me is always quick to point out how he hasn't been away from doing his slavery for so long he can't even remember right before you are about to head out the door to catch a plane for some fun in the sun. Even better is when you get back to work these people are always the first to utter the phrase "must be nice" when you are talking about your R & R.

-You look ten years older than you are.

These people don't just exist in the work place though, they are all over the place. The husband who lets everyone think his wife is a controlling bitch and acts like a beaten slave when company is around. Little does everyone know what is really going on when no one is there and daily life is occurring.

So before you go feeling so sorry for this suffering individual, take a step back and look at the big picture. Are they really suffering because of their circumstances or are they creating the circumstances to suffer by.

Sundress with Dino Slippers, that's how we roll...

Oh the craziness that is our family. I am pretty sure that if ABC was to come in and watch us for a week they would be begging to do a sitcom based on our lives. It would have everything they needed for a hit, stressed and tired parents, check. Dramatic daughter, check, cute baby (every show needs a cute baby), check. Crazy sisters that live close by, check, production will begin immediately!
So the morning begins with a little boy full of farts that is way unhappy. Up at 4 am is one tired mom playing with his legs and tummy trying her best not to fall asleep right on top of him. He of course is wide awake and thinks most of this is pretty entertaining. At the same time all this is going on I also have a bitchy cat in the background screaming at me for no apparent reason at all, and two overly hyper dogs that think they need to comb the backyard for raccoons, skunks, or the neighbors cat, NOW! Am I the only one that knows what time it is? Yes, yes you are the only one that even cares what time it is, wahoo. Just when I think I have the tooter calmed down and ready for bed, I lay him down and he screams. I glance at the clock and can feel my nerves lighting up just knowing that climbing back into bed before my alarm goes off is just fluttering away minute by farting minute. Finally after an hour of bouncing and massaging he is out, and it is time for me to get going for the day. I turn around and longingly glance at the inviting pillow and pulled back covers in my bed and drag my tired ass to the bathroom instead. A hot shower brings me to life and I begin getting prepared for the day, not feeling to peppy though I decide today is a good day to wear scrubs. Who wouldn't wear basically pajamas to work if they were allowed, done. After I finish my morning routine I head upstairs to wake the drama queen. I am relieved when I open the door and notice she is awake and singing her dinosaur songs to the cast of characters that live in her room. These songs are great, each one is unique and I am determined to get them recorded by she won't perform when she knows there will be future evidence. I will have to hide a recorder (mental note, buy a recording device). She sees me and immediately smiles which of course makes my whole being smile. Her curly blond hair is in a mess all surrounding her little face and she looks up at me and says, I think I need to stay home today. This is daily argument and I can't say that I blame her, I want to stay home too. I explain once again mom has to go to work, but the weekend is here and it is three days this time! She squeals with delight and jumps off the bed still holding lavender lamb the standard choke hold. I ask her if she would like to wear a dress today and she says, "yeah, I think that would be nice." Her vocabulary cracks me up, she is growing up way too fast. We make it downstairs and I hand her the shoes I have picked to go with the dress and ask her to put them on while I get your brother ready. She snags the shoes and goes over to the couch, I scoop up the infant carrier and head to wake the beast. I come out and quickly grab my coffee off the counter and the three of us head out the door. As we walk down the stairs I look down to see two beady eyes staring up at me, frog in the garage again. This frog thinks he needs to take up residence in my garage and I am worried he is going to fry up and die, or that I may run him over one day. So I tell Havely go ahead and get in the car, and I set the carrier down and proceed to look like a fool chasing this frog around the garage floor. I finally catch him and take him over to the side of the house and gently place him on the lawn while I give him a lecture about how the garage is too hot for him and how dangerous it is. The frog just stares at me in awe, I am sure he is taking in every word I say. I quickly return to the garage, clutch the coffee mug in one hand and hoist the carrier up with an umph and head to the car. I get Grant in with all my might (kid is heavy) and I see the damn frog making a break for the entrance of the garage again. I quickly hop in the front seat and close the garage door and let out a sigh of relief, whew! Out of the neighborhood and onto daycare! We usually begin our day with Trains, Hey Soul Sister aka the school bus song and scout out the big yellow birds. This song makes me smile no matter what, and when I am with my kids I never get sick of hearing it. There is just something about that little voice coming out of my four year old singing this at the top of her lungs. We get to the stoplight at the top of the parkway and I turn back to sing along with her and look down and just crack up. She has decided to replace the shoes I gave her to wear with her dinosaur slippers. One hell of a fashion statement, but that is totally my daughter. Pretty sundress, beautiful blond curls, and some scary dinosaur slippers and all the wonderful war wounds on her legs. Total tom boy. I wouldn't have it any other way. It is Friday and I need my weekend, my three day weekend. I need to escape the chaos that work has been this week and I am so excited to enjoy my days off with my amazing family. It is loud, fun, crazy, tiring, fast paced, and completely unpredictable. I wouldn't give any of it up for anything, I love my life. 09.03.10

Summer 2009, no wait 2010

Things are changing fast, my kids are growing up and I can't slow it down, I can't slow life down although I would love to. It is nearing the end of the summer and I just can't seem to understand that it is even 2010. I have problems getting the year right almost weekly, and I feel like a dog chasing my tail! Grant has lost his gummy grin, he has three bottom teeth and is sitting up on his own. He is just about to crawl, gets up and wants to go just can't find the rhythm to get going. Havely just keeps growing taller and daily comes up with sayings that crack me up. We recently took our annual (and probably last) family trip to Wyoming. This trip excites me so much every year, it is a chance to escape the heat and hustle of San Antonio and we get to see family and catch up. We began this trip in Alpine as usual and this year we had a lunch party and played some family survivor. Our family is extremely competitive so any games and sporting always proves to be entertaining. That evening we just spent time with my grandparents and relaxed and enjoyed the mountain air. I love just taking it all in and allowing my roots to soak up what they need. The next day we headed into SLC to have a relaxing lunch party with the Walkenhorst clan. I miss being able to see everyone more and this time always goes by too quickly. We spent the remainder of the week in Green River and took time laying on the grass under a cloudless blue sky. Havely got to go riding a couple of times and has become quite the little cowgirl. This size of the horses doesn't threaten her at all and she takes the reins with forces and lets Clyde know who is the boss, all 34 pounds of her! Overall it was a great vacation and went by quickly, but was just about perfect. We headed home after 8 days and I don't think I have ever been so happy to get home. I love our life and our home here. Even Havely was excited to go to bed in her polka pot room. It is good to get a break from everyday life, but it is even better to have an everyday life that you love so much you are happy to come home. Life in Texas is good. 08.30.10

Children seldom misquote. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.

What a day for the Thomas Troop!!! We started off the day with Havely and I enjoying our cheerios together while Grant was still sleeping. We watched phineas and ferb on the disney channel and discussed the things in life that are important to a four year old. She wanted to know why for her fifth birthday party we couldn't build a roller coaster in the backyard like they do on TV, my explanation clearly wasn't good enough because the, "but why's" kept coming. Jaaron got home from work and Grant woke up and Havely and I kicked into high gear to get ready for the birthday party we were attending the morning at a local farm. I kissed my boys goodbye and we headed out the door, ready for some play with some petting zoo type animals. The farm was only 15 minutes from the house and by time we arrived the thermometer on my navigation system reported that it was a lovely 94 degrees already, awesome. We got out of the car and approached the party (we were late so of course things were already in full swing), and we had a glass of lemonade from some mason jars before the announcement came that it was time to embark upon the animals. As we got closer to the managerie of smelly mammals, Havely clung tighter to my side. She had made up her mind all of a sudden that she was scared and spent most of the "animal time" playing with the farm yard yellow lab with a stick, because of course it isn't like we do this at home all the time with a different lab and a tennis ball. Finally I get her to approach a Llama and pet it, mind you there is only an inch of this sucker that isn't covered in burs, so we pick that spot and scratch. She decides hey maybe they aren't all that bad and lets down her guard and takes turns petting various animals. After all the excitement we eat, open presents, and then the grand finale is the giant bull that all the kids get to take their picture on. This thing is HUGE. Everyone is waiting in line and we are all sweating like crazy. One of the horses we parked right by the picnic table that some of the kids were waiting at and decided that he was going to relieve himself. So the waterfall comes down and is splashing all over the kids and I quickly grab my child and the little man closest to her and rush them out of the way, whew crisis averted. Just when I think we are in the clear, Havely's new pooch pal saunders over behind the horse and the horse gives him a quick gut check with his hind hoof. The dog yelps and Havely looks at me and I can tell she is upset by all this. Then I see the I am going to make a statement look on her face and she says to me very loudly, "Mom, that horse is an asshole, isn't he?!" I just said yes he is Have, and we don't say that word...
We came home and immediately hit the showers, crazy dirty from the farm and very sleepy from being out in the sun for two plus hours, we decided that a nap was in order. The boys apparently had the same idea, so Jaaron put Grant down, I climbed into my bed with Havely and Jaaron crashed on the couch, these are the best Saturday afternoons! 08.07.10

Despicable Me, Good day

Havely has been dying to see the movie Despicable Me. They began playing the previews for this movie back in January and the movie was just released in July so we have been hearing about it for months. We enlisted Wa Wa as the babysitter for Grant and took Havely on a date. We went to lunch first and then filled mom's purse with some candy to sneak into the theater. As we sat in the theater and waited for the movie to begin I listened to Havely tell me these elaborate stories about how bad she has wanted to see this movie and how much her life will be better after seeing it. Oh the drama, cracks me up. Jaaron sweeps in right as the previews are beginning with a bucket of popcorn and a vat of soda, enough to feed a family of 8 basically. Finally after about 6 previews the movie begins. From the beginning this movie was great. I enjoyed every minute of it, but the movie was not the only thing I enjoyed for those two hours. The theater was filled with people of all ages. There were several families and there was even a couple there in their late 70's. The movie had so many great moments, and I loved listening to Havely's reaction as well as all the people around me. In a world where so many things are turning sour and kids are in such a hurry to grow up; it was refreshing to sit in a crowd of people and be entertained and enjoy some good clean family fun. 07.31.10

Melt my heart moment

This weekend Jaaron was on shift and I was hanging with the two cutest kids in the world. We were having a lazy day and all three of us were in our pajamas, Grant was on the blanket on the floor and Havely was playing with him, while I enjoyed my coffee on the couch. Havely would get down on the ground and play with his legs and arms and tickle him and he would let out his laughs and baby squeals that I love so much. I listened with my heart full of smiles as the two of them interacted and giggled together. She would jump up and run around him and he would watch her every move, and then she would plop down beside him again and they would laugh together. It has been so exciting watching them develop their relationship and seeing it grow daily. He is in love with his sister and smiles whenever he sees her. She loves to play with him and gets as much joy from his reaction as I do. Anyway, after about 20 minutes of playing and interacting, Havely is back on the floor beside him again and gets above him and her face is right by his and she looks him in the eyes and says, "I love you so much." It was the best feeling I have ever had and one of the sweetest things I have heard. I am so excited to watch my kids grow together and develop a bond as siblings. These are the moments that make it all worth it, I love being a mom. 07.30.10