Don't be a Tosser

Several weeks ago, we vacationed just outside Gatlinburg, TN. One morning, Madeline and I decided to go for a walk. She announced she was taking along her notebook and pencil to record all the interesting things we saw.

A few items on her list: were:
goats
Smokey Mountains
flowers
waterfall

At any rate, we turned to start walking down more of a main road. She quickly stopped and turned to me. Here is our conversation:
M: Mom, I don't think God would be happy with all this litter.
Me: (I look down and notice that she indeed has just recorded "litter" on her list) You're probably right babe.
M: I think He would be really sad that people are trashing up His earth.
Me: You're right. (what am I supposed to say? I'm the one learning at this point)
M: I think we need to go get a trash bag and clean it all up.
Me: (please tell me she didn't just say that?!? Its getting hotter by the minute -- supposed to be 105 today) Really, honey?
M: Yes, Mom. We need to.

And so we truck back up the huge hills to our cabin and retrieve a trash bag, then return to the road to begin retrieving
the trash that people have littered as they eat on the go and then dump their rubbish en route. Ick.
After about an eternity (ok, it was a mere 20 minutes, but still!), I announce that we should probably head back to the cabin to which Madeline responds, "I think we should continue."
And so we did.

Our Environment, Its a Living Thing.
For more information on litter prevention, go to www.environment.nsw.gov.au/litter
(Its what she would want me to do!)

First Grade Blues

So, last Thursday I sent my baby off to First Grade. Actually, she is not my baby, she is my oldest. But, all the same, she felt like my baby and it was a sad day.

Because I was the first to have a child among my college friends, they often call or email when something big happens in her life (I love the way they humor me!) and so they had all called and emailed to find out when she was going, etc.
Here is the email I sent shortly after the bus pulled away:
----------------------

Hey girls - She is on the bus for her first day of First Grade.
> And if it wasn't bad enough watching the bus pull away, I walked up
> the
> front porch to see her sign hanging on the door from last night:
>
> "Ballet classes, Madeline: teacher"
> (she taught me my first ballet step last night: tandu)
>
> I had no idea this would be so hard for me. I honestly could not have
> predicted in a million years that I would be this sad. Its hard to
> explain
> but I just feel like that time in my life is over....where I had
> all my
> babies "in the nest" so to speak.
> Its so cliché to say that "time flies" but it really, really does. I
> promise it was only yesterday that I was strapping her into her
> infant seat
> and jetting around town...dressing her in cute little baby
> clothes....listening to her say, "like a diaper in the sky" when
> she sang
> Twinkle Twinkle.
>
> Hug those babies tight. Thank you for your calls and emails the
> past couple
> days.
>
> Much love to all of you.
>
> Honored to be her Mommy,
> Cos
>

Computer Magic

Ok, so yesterday I decided to officially start a blog. See, I have these 4 journals in my kitchen drawer that I supposedly fish out every week or so and write down cute little stories about each of my kids. Only I don't. When I had one child, absolutely! When I had two, sometimes. When I got to 3, occasionally. When I reached 4....I haven't even recorded his "birth story" and he's nearly 6 months old. (Dear God, I pray he never reads Madeline's)

Anyway, this is my solution. I'll blog some cute stories, post a couple pictures and I'm still super-mom-of-the-year. Ok, well, at least I will have accomplished my goal.

So, yesterday's blog would have been titled "Computer Magic" and so I am starting there. Here is my conversation with Abigail, my 4 year old.

M: (typing away on my computer, returning emails)
A: (has just discovered old keyboard in the corner of the office and begins clacking away) Mom, Did "Party" just come up on the computer screen?
M: I'm sorry, what honey?
A: Did Party just show up on the screen?
M: Uh, no sweetheart.
A: Here, let me try again. (more clacking, this time very intense)
A: How about now Mom?
M: Uh, no.
A: Ugh! (very exasperated - runs out of office)

At this point I am FOTFL. Perhaps I am the only one that is amused at these children but it was shortly after this that I decided I simply can't forget all these stories. I guess sending Madeline off to 1st grade last week was my wake-up call. It goes way too quickly.