Don't Stop Believing

Yes, it's such a cliche post title. Yes, I am a huge Journey fan, from 1981, when I discovered my mother's "Escape" album in her collection, and after that, I found departure, and then bought Frontiers with my own allowance money.
Yes, that now infamous song title was my Senior quote printed in the year book in class of '94. Of course, in '94, not too many people we're familiar with that particular lyric as everyone is today (thanks Glee!).

I grew up with lot's of Classic rock in the background, along with what was trending in the '80's, such as U2, Bruce Springsteen, Duran Duran and the Hooters. I loved it all, didn't know any different. I could recognize any song within before the first lyric was sung, it's like photographic memory for the ears, (does that exist? I'll have to google it later), none the less, a strange & useless talent.

I did not enjoy all of it the music I heard, but found it all comforting, it was the closet thing to home to me. Music is my on main source of comfort.  One artist I did not care for was Eric Clapton. My mother loved this man, and would constantly turn the volume up everytime his music was aired. I did not care for him. I think my dislike stemmed from her love.  I didn't want to like everything she liked, be an individual. Although I did think it was cool that I was the only child in my school that was just as familiar with Kansas and Asia songs as the teachers, but I drew the line at Clapton.
When I was 12, my mother babysat my 1 year old cousin, every weekday. During those days she expose him to lots of Mellencamp videos that were airing on MTV at that time, and would force him to dance. He got excited, moved his limbs, but only by her example, and only to what she deemed was good music.  Like a typical budding teenager I rolled my eyes to this and insisted it was brainwashing and swore I would not do this to my own children.

Fast forward to know.  During my daughter's early years, I worked and she was with my Sister-In-Law during the days.  My Sister-In-Law is a HUGE fan of Micheal Buble.  Guess what, my now 7 year old daughter is a huge fan of Micheal Buble.  It just figures I myself am not a fan, oh well.  My son like top 40, whatever is currently playing on the radio while we drive.  He was home with me from infancy on.  But, I did not force him to like type of music, try to get him excited about anything in particular.  I just expose both of them, and he likes what he hears, and I noticed he also has the knack for knowing a song from it's first note, that's my boy :)

Wondering when I'm coming around to the Journey again?  here it is.  I listen to Journey still today, but i play it the kitchen, for my own ears, while the kids are watching TV.  I don't play it much in the car, unless it comes across a "Classic Rock" or "'80's" station.  My daughter does not recognize Journey if you threw it at her, nor would my son, or so I thought. A couple days ago, my 4 year old son & I were shopping and as I was pushing the cart, I was barely able to hear him mindlessly singing, "Don't Stop Believing, Hold Onto That Feeling" and in perfect melody.  I am surprised.  This means he overheard me listening to it and that easily he can recall it's lyrics and tune.  I was surprised, and hearing him sing this on his own will made me smile, (normally he sings anything Katy Perry or Kesha).  :)

Footloose

I received a pass to view a screening of Footloose (the new remake) last night. Since I'm about music and movies of the 80's, this was great. I took my 17 year old niece, she was excited to go because her high school performed it as their spring musical last year. Gawd, that alone makes me feel old.
Going in I was nervous about it being all country-like. I know the story takes place in the country, but I didn't want to listen to country music all night. I was relieved.
First, three original songs were kept in the film, one was even kept to the original scene, and same exact song (Let's Hear For My Boy) original artist, recording, etc. Another was in it's original scene, but sung by different artists (Almost Paradise). The third is the iconic theme, also redone by different artists, but was placed in different scenes. Thierry was one or two country sings played, but there were also a rsp sing or two and a Quiet Riot, nice mix.
Even iconic scenes were reproduced just right. Instead of the iconic "barn solo dance" it was an abandoned factory, complete with a pulley to dangle from and wall slats, you guessed it, where the sunlight provided that striped background. Even some dance moves were recreated, in keeping it as the original, but mixed in lots of more modern dance steps and a more modern song.
Remember the scene where his friend remembers to dance? Still there. Again updated with some newer steps, but some original moves were there and the original song still played perfectly.
Lastly the "Prom" scene. This made me laugh. The character playing Kevin Bacon's roll had his hair pouffed like Kevin's throughout the movie, but that last scene, he was dressed in the same dark red dinner jacket and big goofy black bow-tie. Of course they had confetti shoot overhead as they did that iconic dance where everyone copied his moves behind him, like you saw in old Kevin Bacon movie posters.

It was a great homage to an iconic 80's movie. That's my take on it :)

Stretching thin

This school year, I am Room Mom not only to Mad's 2nd grade class, but to Nic's pre-school class as well.  Luckily I share the responsibility with other mothers.  I have a co-mom in Mad's room, one that I volunteered with last year and we work well together, and two new co-mom's in Nic's class.

The and only conflict is Halloween day, of course they are both scheduled to have parties that same day, and almost nearly the same time.  This is wehn it would of been helpful to of had him in a morning class so his party would be out of the way before her's started after lunch. 

First thought, I want to attend his, since his food allergies are more sever then Mad's, I like to be on board so I can help him navigate the treats and to help the volunteer parent to understand his allergy as well.  Mad will be OK with this, she had me in the class room for the past 4 years.

But I'm thinking I still want to be present in her room party.  A recent event of a class "bully" has arisen with Mad as her target, so now I want to be a presence in this class, A) to see this girl as she interacts, and B) to show her that Mad's Momma is around, watch-out, lol!

Here is my current thinking:

12:30 pre-school drop off.  Pics taken of the pre-schoolers, introductions mad, instructions given to Nic of what he can and can not touch/eat.

1:15 Report to elementary school to assist Mad with her costume, and see parade. Assist other volunteer moms with party set-up.

2pm Run back to pre-school to wrap-up party there. Bring Nic home at 3pm dismissal. Return to elementary school for Mad's 3:30 dismissal.  Try to re-enter classroom.

Yes, I know, it's a crazy thought, but I am gonna discuss this with the other co-mom's.  i really don't feel an overwhelming need to be at Nic's as I do want to be at Mad's because of this potential class bully in the works.  Im confident that Nic knows not to eat anything he cant at the party, he's very good about it at his age.  i know there will be a lot of questions form other volunteer moms wanting to know more about his condition, but i will be available for future parties  :)

Recent thing Mad has said to Nic:
Mad: "When you grow up you will be a daddy, and your lucky, because mommy's have the baby's and I bet that hurts, right Mommy?
Me: "uhmm, yes"

Catching up.

I'm Baaack!

It's been brought to my attentions that I should continue again. So, I will :)

First of all, eldest, aka, Girl child, is now 7, and youngest, boy child, is 4. The boy continues to have EOE, or Eosinophilic esophagitis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eosinophilic_esophagitis), and in fact has yet another scope next Wednesday. We recently took oatmeal out of his diet. He ate tons of it everyday and his last scope proved his levels were still too high. Let's pray he passes this test with normal levels, pretty please!

The girl child has been, as she calls it, "I see Black" or "I feel dizzy" for the last year, inconsistantly. First we blamed the heat of summer when she would "black out" and be pale as a a sheet at summer day camp. Then when she had a "moment" and was all clammy & white disembarking a plane, we blamed anxiety of being on vacation. Then we it happened in the doctors office, while having her blood pressure taken, which was 43 over something, we knew it was low blood pressure. Her EKG was fine. She has Vasovagal Syncope,http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vasovagal-syncope/DS00806) ( a condition more commonly found in pre-teens or teenagers. Yes, we will be dealing with this condition of hers till she grows out of it, out of her teen years. Yay, my 7 year old is a teenager already, not funny. She will pass out if she stands too quickly, (she moves about slowly as it is already), sees blood or anything she considers gross, or is overheated. Doctor's cure: add more table salt too all her meals. She has been loving the salt. One night recently after eating dinner she told me she was still feeling dizzy, so i showed her to lick her wrist, add salt and lick again for a quick pick-me-up. Was that bad?

Besides the kids, I myself have had major surgery this past spring. I experienced great weakness in my arms/wrists and lots of achy-ness form my shoulders down. Turning my head form side to side was not negotiable and that made it uncomfortable for me to drive. I saw a new specialty MD about having injections in my neck, to kill the pain. They sent me for an MRI, how I loath small, long, tight spaces. The results were two herniated disks in my neck were pinching my spine. Apparently the surgery to fix this is not performed on anyone my age, they really emphasized this to me while still pressing taht I was not in a position to wait too long to surgically correct the problem. So I had the surgery to remove & replace the two disks and also have my neck re-aligned. Fun stuff.

Thngs Madeline has said

Recently Madeline has said a few things that were really interesting. she is a 4 year old that has an answer for everything. Here are two examples:

Example One
Aunt: "Madeline, can i write a list for santa, will he bring me things too?"
Mad: "Yes"
Aunt: "But I want really big things, will he bring them?"
Mad: "Yes, u just need really big paper to write on!"

Example Two
Mad talking to Santa: "I want a Jetplane, new barbies, playdoh"
Santa "Ok, make sure you listen to your mommy and daddy"

Me: "Mad, do u think santa will bring u a full size jetplane, or do u think he will figure out that you really ment a barbie size jetplane?"
Mad: Laughes, "He can't bring me a real one mommy, he doesn't have enough wrapping paper on his roll for that!"
Me: "Good point, he must be a smart man"

Gotta love a child's reasoning

So, Tom, my bff, tagged me in this blog-related thing, and sicne i haven't typed anything since september, why not, right?

directions:
Link to the person who tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Write 6 random things about yourself. Tag 6-ish people at the end of your post. Let each person know he/she has been tagged. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

1) I love music, it is teh best mood inducer, and mood lifter for me. I turn "into" waht ever i currently listen to, be it dance R&B as of lately, or more grunge rock to classic rock, or the ultimate, 80's! Currently it is Charolett Church and enya holiday stuff :)

2) I am very spritual. Not many people pick up on it becasue I am not very forward with it nor pratice it in convential forms, but I am.

3) I have a gift of being a receiver. Only a few people know this. I've had the gift all me life but early on as a young girl, i tried all i could to surpress my "receptors". In recent years, that has not worked. I've had many visitors. some i have mentioned to freinds, and others I've always kept to myself. In this past year, i've had so many visitations. Most recetly I've been able to actully use this "gift" to help send a message from a dearly departed to my cousin, the messager was his aunt (no relation to me). When i gave him her message he was so happy and revelaed that it was what had needed to hear, so now he can complete his greaiving. It was moving for me to actully help and do good with waht i always considered a burden of mine.

4)I have become very addicted to a game on both facebooka nd myspace called YoVille. Not sure why it's captured me so much, but it has.

5) My favorite season is Summer, I relish in heat and can't bear the cold.

6) My favorite holiday season is now till mid Jan. I love the whole christmas in the air feeling, Startign this week, the week of thanksgiving, I am filled with such joy that I can not explain. i also have impressive patiance to wait in line and traffic along with teh "complainers" who act upset and surpried thsi smae time of year every year. The rest of the year my patience are low, lol!

Cindy: A friend in college that i keep regular contact thru our family forum.

Tom: Who had tagged me with doing this. He's my bff from college, plus the godfather to my son. His blog is great, it' sa mix of things to ponder and hear a bout his family.

Laura: She is actully my hihg school friend's college friend, get that? Anywho we keep in contact via the same forum as Cindy and Tom's wife, Erin. Her children are adorable. She, Tom, and I have son's taht are clsoe in age, all three in a row!

Diane: I dont have a link to her blog yet, but i will work on that. She is my bff from high school and her blog is about homeschooling preschoolers.

-: This blog i've been following ever since i vacationed in Sint Maartin 2 years ago, it pretty cool about life on teh island
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Hurley: The big guy form LOST, i love his blog. most of it is non-lost related, but he is cool and funny to read about. He had a lot of travels between seasons and likes to goof around :)