Sunday - Day 273 - Chuck E. Cheese

James' Birthday Party!!!  

Chuck E. Cheese may be a parent's nightmare, tons of chaotic children running around, being loud.  This is probably why they serve beer. 

When it comes to our kids we do almost anything to keep them happy and to put a smile on their face.

Although, I waited three years to have another Chuck E. Cheese birthday party for James, this year I finally gave in to his pleas.  

Chuck E. Cheese party packages are the best deals going for kids Birthday parties, so how could I say no?  Lots of party for nominal dollars and the party keeps on going and going.  

Pizza & Pop, cake & Ice cream, Ticket blasters & piñatas, Guitars & goodie bags, it is never ending.....

Goody Bags! 
(with entertaining goodies)

Rock Star piñata!
(filled with candy, coins & tickets)

Tons of tokens and more tokens and bonus tokens. And that's enough tokens, seriously no more tokens.  

These tokens transform into tickets, hundreds and thousand of tickets.  Tickets for prizes parents must wait in slow moving lines to claim.  Little girls take their time picking 10 and 15 ticket item prizes to claim 700 tickets. Only  645 more to go! NEXT please!!  

The party is everything a mom could want to over stimulate her child and all her guests' children.  Lets not forget the scary, large mouse who walks around throwing free tickets at all the kids. 

scary mouse - beware

Watch out or you'll get trampled by a stampede of children chasing tickets as they are thrown in the air.  Watch as they scramble to the floor in delight. 

And as soon as you think you've seen enough, it's over.  Everyone survived, a little shaken, but with enough energy to tote all the Rock Star party gear away. 

Rock Star Blow up Microphone
(One for each kid - because 
we all need one of these)

As we walk out the doors, the question all parents dread....

         "When can we come back again?" 

Mom Rocks!

Lucky for us, Chuck E. Cheese is currently being built in town.  We had to drive an hour to have James' party in Orlando.  We actually ran into an old friend (who doesn't even have small kids) and was attending a friend's child's party.  Another odd coincidence of all places to see someone you know an hour from home.  He was a smart one, taking advantage of the beer on draft. 

Guess even a big 'ol scary mouse can bring people together. 

 http://www.chuckecheese.com/plan/birthdays

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Monday - Day 274 - Pie Social

Pie! Who doesn't like pie? People have been baking and eating pie for generations. 

Many pies contain fruit or some form of healthy food that grows from the ground.  This makes a pie mostly healthy.  

They are easy to make homemade. Whether you make an easy pie crust from scratch and and fresh fruit with a few sweet spices or buy a preformed pie shell and use canned pie filling from the grocery store, it's ALL good!  It's all basic and easy to pull together.

Homemade Pie

These days you can buy any kind of pie at any grocery store already made and they all look super delicious. 

Pumpkin Pie

Pies are also great because they last a long time and they do not even need refrigeration.  This is probably why pies were invented in the first place.  Easy to store, easy to make.  Lovely to eat. 

James had a pie social at his school.  It was a pre Thanksgivng Day give back for the parents.  

Loved it!  I helped do some set up and served the students and parents. It was a lot of fun for all involved, because who doesn't like pie?  

There are so many types of pie. 

Apple crumb pie, pumpkin, Boston creme pie, key lime pie, pecan pie, peanut butter/fudge pie, lemon meringue pie, pudding pie.  My new favorite is cherry pie.  Everyone has a favorite, one pie they would choose over another. 

so many pies!

No to mention all the different crusts, traditional crust, graham cracker, Oreo, short bread, lots of delicious crusts. 

You can add whipped cream or ice cream to your pie and no one would ever think you were being greedy or over indulging. 

Pie A LA Mode

You can eat pie with a fork or your fingers.  And it's totally okay. 

Who doesn't like pie? 

I snagged what was left of the only homemade cherry pie at James pie social. It was tasty. (It still is)  

My Pie!

I decided my new thing is going to be making pies instead of cakes for any and all occasions.  I have made pies before, but I plan to perfect my pie making skills. 

Because who doesn't like pie?  

piece of pie anyone?

Saturday - Day 272 - Serendipity

Serendipity Defined:  a "happy accident" or "pleasant surprise"; a fortunate mistake. Specifically, the accident of finding something good or useful while not specifically searching for it.

 

When the most unusually coincidences 

happen and there is no rational way to 

explain it. 

John and I made a last minute decision to run 

to IKEA to do some window shopping and 

grab a few Swedish meatballs.  

Although, IKEA is an hour away in Orlando, 

we wanted to get a few home decorating 

ideas and it was cheap entertainment for the 

entire family.  

We were stuck in traffic for a while, 

but finally made it.  We waited less than a minute for a parking spot and pulled into a spot, in the very large parking lot.  John and I grabbed a few things and began to get the boys out of the car.  A gentleman was getting into his car, just as we were getting out of ours. 

John told James, "Let the man get into his car, don't get in his way."  John looked over at the man, did a double take and realized it was one of his law school professors.  The gentleman teaches John's contract class, the really hard one! 

What a surprise to run into his professor in the parking lot of IKEA.  I truly enjoyed meeting John's infamous professor who I have heard so much about, both good and bad.  He is an extremely nice man with a firm reputation.  He had a remarkable opinion of my husband, which he easily shared with me.  We also had the opportunity to meet his wife who was shopping with him. 

It was more than just a coincidence, it was serendipity.  What are the chances we would be arriving, just as the professor would be leaving and we parked right next to his car.  It was a pleasant, but unusual turn of events.  

I always feel the universe is aligned perfectly when these things happen.  I would guess these things happen more often than I realize, but normally I do not pay close attention to it. 

 

I'm going to start paying closer attention.  

Friday - Day 271 - dying young

How does life change when someone close to us dies young? 

How does our view of the world change? How do we carry on, when everything we believe about how things should be, makes no sense?

We question God. We question our purpose, here on earth.  Our life is forever altered with the profound experience of losing such a young soul.   

A friend of mine recently lost a dear friend.  She was only 39.  I consider this extremely young.  Ironically, my own (biological) mother had died when she was only a few years younger.  She was younger than I am today. 

The magnatide of this trategy truly hit when I stopped to think about how young deaths shatter hopes and destroy dreams.  

I have no memories of my mother, however, the impact of her death on my own family, would have been similar to my friend's experience.  A young death is never truly understood or reconciled for the family and friends of the person who has passed.

I long for clarity on this issue.  Whether  the death is tragic or due to sickness, it perplexes the heart, mind and soul.  

Life is short, but what if?  What if life was even shorter, cut short when we least expect it? 

Thursday - Day 270 - Diaper Biscuits

We left this evening to run a few errands.  We also left a large, white, drawstring bag of garbage by the door. We did not think much of it.

Without a care in the world we went about our business, came home, opened the camper door and what did we find? 

 

It was a horrendous sight, one I haven't feared in quite a while.  In fact, I have not seen such a sight in the camper since our early class C days. 

Our chaotic dog, even in his ripe old age of eight, is still getting into trouble.
All I could think was, "Why, why didn't we move the trash?"  Diapers, mixed with the previous night's dinner, empty food cans, and coffee grounds blanketed all of it.  

I am not sure what part of the scene was the worse.  Picking up the trash piece by piece, keeping the boys and dog from stepping in it, or vacuuming the cold, sticky coffee grounds as fast as possible. No!  Finding a 'diaper biscuit' in Ty's bed the next day was the icing on the cake.  

A diaper biscuit is a used pee-pee diaper Rabbit snags and hides under a pillow to save for later. 

The absolutely best part of our dog getting into the trash, was watching him poop out a mostly digested baby diaper that he did manage to eat.  The little absorbent jelly pellets always find their way back out...amazing!

My dog unsatisfied with his first round of gourmet, baby diaper, snack, began eating what was left of it surrounding his poop.

 

 

It was so disgusting, I felt a duty to share this with the world.  You can rest assure, I did not take photos. 

Life in our camper never gets old. 

Wednesday - Day 269 - Feelings

Why do we let our feelings get the best of us, even when we know what we feel and what is true to reality may be very different things? 

When I feel less than confident, I gauge my emotions.  Is this something I'm feeling internally or did someone say something to make me 'feel' this way.  I attempt to evaluate what is truly going on.  

There was a time in my life,  I could over think any situation.  I have adopted a 'new age' thinking, it's called getting older.  "New Age" meaning: with each new age we let go of outdated thought processes and bring a newness into our life which is always better than the old. 

I'm turning 29 (again) in a short few days and it is so fabulous to be one year short of a big new age again.  This thing called life gets better - more interesting - and easier to manage....with age.  

My idealistic world view may not be perfect - but the beauty is always in the imperfections.  I have embraced my own personal flaws and have worked on loving and caring for myself a little more with each passing year.   

If at times, I do not necessarily feel like number one or appreciated, in my heart, I know I am adored by my boys and that keeps me whole and thriving.  On the days when it is a vigrous go - go - go, caring for everyone else's needs, I stop for one moment and check in on my feelings.  No matter what they may be, I am cared for.   

This year, on my 'New Age Day', I'm going to continue to feel appreciated, exhilarated, accomplished, content, and loved. 

There will always be days I feel otherwise, but that's okay too, as long as I come full circle to all the good feelings.  

Our good feelings dress the day in bright, warm sediments. 

Tuesday - Day 268 - darkness

Ever since the time change, the camper has become darker and darker with each passing evening. 

Right around 5:30pm, I look outside and than at the clock, and I think, 'it looks like the middle of the night. It is pitch black outside.'

And then I wonder, 'how soon can I start getting the boys ready for bed? It's dark, they need to be sleeping.'  Meanwhile, James is out riding his bike without a care in the world.  He isn't scared, which is great, but I still like him home once that sun sets quickly down.  

James makes his way indoors, right around the time I'm ready to look for him.  Like clockwork, James comes home, eats dinner, takes a shower, reads bedtime books and he's in bed, ready to go to sleep by 7:30pm.  It's a wonderful little routine.  Some days he completes homework and practices piano, if he did not do it after school. 

My son is wise, "Mom, it'll get dark soon, can I go out to play?"  He will tell me this after we arrive home from school.  Some days I let him play to indulge in some downtime before homework.  Other days, he will get his homework done immediately, motivated to get it finished quickly.  

On frequent, tired afternoons, James may take a quick nap after falling asleep on the car ride home.  Other days he is a bear, roaring and cranky, his brain shuts down and there is no reasoning with a quiet brain and an emotionally, tired driven child. 

James on a bad afternoon

I love James and I am amazed how I have learned to cope and manage difficult afternoons without getting upset or emotional with him.  I can not control his feelings, allowing him to resolve his mood in his own time, it helps both of us immensely.  

James always finds his way and my sweet, loving son is back with me again.  

In the evenings, before I can blink an eye, the boys are both sleeping soundly, happy content and safe.  

It Is dark in the camper and my cubs are down for the night.   

Monday - Day 267 - The Essence of Time

Time is an interesting concept. There are days we feel we have too much time and not enough to do. Then there are other days, there seems to be less time in our day and too much to do.  How often do we feel like we are scrambling to get everything squeezed into one day?

The old saying,"Time flys when you're having fun"  holds true in many instances.

But doesn't "Time stands still when we're waiting on life to happen to us."  Also hold truth? 

Like a race, we are always working toward a goal, a finish line, an ending.  Looking forward to the next big thing.  

As kids, life seems to be one long waiting game.  Kids count the weeks and the days until Christmas, summers of freedom and their birthdays.  Impatience slows down time to a crawl.  

As teenagers, it is all about getting a break, a break from school and anticipation of high school graduation. We wait for spring break, Christmas break 
and summer breaks.  We long to get past finals and spend our time gossiping swirled in drama, locked in our rooms pondering our life and time. 

As young adults we push through college, wait on our careers to blossom, and wonder when we'll met our life long mate.

Life is moving along fast, with ease, but still we're waiting as there seems to something missing. 

  

As adults, we get married, wait for our children to be born, and then look forward to their diaper-less years.  We look towards vacations, the perfect home or maybe a raise to pay off the perfect home.   It is another waiting game, compounded with our children's life milestones.  "Mom, how many more days until Christmas??"

As older adults, we reflect on all those years we wished to hurry along to get to the next best thing.  We long to recapture our childhood moments, our children's younger years or a day when our hair was not falling out or gray.  However, life has slowed down.  We appreciate things in a whole new light.

We may or may not make changes to our lives as we age.  We will however, be appreciative of our days and weeks, as they are no longer endless.  A limit will have fallen upon our lives.  People we loved will have passed on and the days in our lives become sacred, cherished and less plentiful. 

No matter how we choose to live our lives, time is of the essence. It is the one thing we all have in common and the one thing we can never reclaim.  How we spend our time is unique.  Do we choose happiness to link our moments into days or something other than happiness?

The time in our life is like a chain link: 

Our thoughts link our days to create our life.  

If we are only as strong as our weakest link, 

which thoughts are needless, 

keeping our life chain strong and intact?