Monday Musings

I bet my mostly nice older brother is shocked.  His little sister had nothing extra to say for an entire week.  Shocking?  Maybe.  But I've been a bit under the weather.  Nothing serious.  And the weather is fine.  Just a late-spring cold of all things.  If you're interested, you could come over and cough with me today.  Hoping some fresh air and sunshine scare it away for good.

Think I'll get some planting done in the flower beds and garden.  There's much to do and I have scarce begun.  Except for weeding.  I just go out and pluck here and there while playing with the kids or wrestling with the dog.

She's still killing.  The dog that is.  Mice mainly.  But she gave chase to a cat again with that look in her eyes.  I don't think she'd kill a cat though.  Or would she?  I think one good scratch on the nose would cure her zeal.

I've been missing my late sister-in-law this week.  It is soon five years since she left this earth.  I saw a lady last week that reminded me of her in looks and actions.  Then I came home and remembered a lot of different things she said or did.  And I missed her.  Again.  Yes, life goes on.  But the loss still lingers.

Daughter #2 informed me this morning that she was wishing her two front teeth would come in further.  And then proceeds to tell me that she isn't using them until they completely grow in.  I said, well your arms and legs aren't completely grown, and you use them!  I've enjoyed a deeper meaning in that thought...

And baseball season is in full swing (pun intended!).  Two games under our stretchy-black belts.  A tie and a win.  And can I be honest here?  Baseball is boring.  Well not that boring.  When your own kid is up to bat it is exciting.  When the snacks in the bag next to your camp chair are tasty, it is exciting.  When the person you are sitting next to is interesting or informative, it is exciting.  When the runs are coming in, it is exciting.  But otherwise?  Not so much.

I wrote a thank you card for each of the kids this week.  I thanked them for their birthday gifts and something about them that I love.  We preach to them about being kind and thankful and nice and yet after I wrote all my birthday thanks to others; I realized I didn't express thanks for those I'm closest to.  And really, I should be most thankful to them.  So I set them on their little pillows and funny thing, I got three verbal 'thanks mom for the card' comments the next morning and they are prominently displayed on their night stands.  It's the little things...

And just a couple weeks of school left.  Any great tips out there on motivating kids to do their jobs?  I don't want to get hoarse yelling for 12 weeks...  although I'm kinda good at it...  just sayin'...