Things to be Grateful For...in no particular order!

1. I have a husband who comes home and makes TWO loaves of bread which are DELICIOUS!!!!

2. I have a daughter who is FEARLESS and loves to win (but still knows how to have fun!)!

3. I have a son who laughs his way through a soccer game but doesn't let ANY goals in on his watch!!

4. We have good friends that made our Saturday evening at Stone Mountain AWESOME!

5. We have some pretty silly boys who LOVE dress up!

6. We have a son who lets big sister pull his tooth out and saves me from doing it!

7. This one has no picture...I have a pretty awesome Mum! She knows why.

The new Pledge of Allegiance I will use in school from now on:

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,

and to the Republic for which it stands,

One nation under Canada,

Indivisible, with some liberty and some justice for all, depending upon your race.

Since I don't own an American flag, I can't burn one on my lawn. Teaching my children the truth (for example that the US is on a level with countries like Iran and North Korea--all have the death penalty)--is the best I can do. I will not raise little racist, ignorant auto-bots.

My two older kids, at age 7, understand that when someone has hurt you, physically or emotionally, you don't hurt them back. I don't care what the crime is, killing is NOT the answer. It does not prevent crime, otherwise there would be no crime.

I truly think this country COULD be great if it followed what it set out to do...until then, I will teach the truth.

George: "I'm not into girls anymore...I'm just into Angry Birds."

Score one for video games!!!!!

Tell me why I changed my citizenship again because I have no idea!

I am ashamed of and disgusted with the state of Georgia.

Click to read the story:

Shame on you, state of GA.

Weekend Re-Cap:

We had a blast celebrating George's birthday with an Angry Birds party!

He declared it "the best day EVER!"

Angry Bird Cake Pops are delish!!!!

Thank you, Aunt Sa and Uncle Dwayne for the Legos--he's holding the helicopter here...

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George's other gift was attending his first organ recital today at St. Phillips Cathedral in Atlanta. The kids loved it and it was FREE--score! He met the organist afterwards and told him he wants to be an organist when he grows up--well, that and a superhero!!

I am not ashamed to admit that for both Mimi and George's 7th birthdays I was privately very sad...judge if you want. I love my kids--I loved them as babies, as toddlers, and even though I know they have to grow up, it doesn't make it easier on me!

A friend of mine is pregnant, and George asked, "So what kind of food did she eat to get the baby in her tummy?" If you know me at all, you know that we are a pretty open-minded family. We don't hide much from our kids, and they are pretty familiar with reality. So...they know where babies come from. I reminded George of two little things called sperm and egg and he said, "Oh yeah..." Mimi's contribution: "Oh, Georgie...we know that!"

I take a lot of criticism for the fact that we've always been open with our kids--they know good touch/bad touch and what to do in a bad touch situation, they know that babies are made in a scientific way involving sperm and egg, but that you can be born in one mom's tummy and live with a different family. Why hide that from your kids? It doesn't mess with their innocence...it may even help preserve it.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...please do not offer your unwanted opinions on our child rearing. They are OUR children, and we're doing what works for our family! Whether you agree or not is your problem, not our's.

Great morning at Panola yesterday, "hiking" through the Rock Outcrop--the kids stood patiently while I read off the information at each lettered stop--eyes glazed over, but I think they learned a little something! Natan pointed out all the chlorophyll around us (pointing at the green leaves)! Yay--I must be doing something right!

Rockin' the self-timer at Panola!

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Running errands yesterday after school and ended up in Target. While we were there, Vinny, aka Tinkerbell, picked up a bra as we were walking by the bra section (George runs through it due to his fear of big boobs!!), and announced (rather loudly), "Wook! Wet's get this bra for Sa Sa!!!!!" Since I almost always have my camera, I snapped the picture and assured him we would consider it for Christmas!! Although it may be a bigger hit with Uncle Dane!

Reason to Move #62:

We found our neighbor's dead cat in our front yard today...ewww. It is now in a bag in our garbage can, mainly because we try to avoid all contact with them.

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I asked George what he wanted for his birthday party menu, he told me, "Hot dogs, popcorn, but NO WINE." His explanation is a good one, but since I have been called out for a post in the past, I dare not say anything too incriminating! Let's just say this is one family that is choosing it's friends more wisely these days!!

So hot dogs, popcorn, and an angry birds cake it is!!

Flat Stanley is on the move!

I am so excited that some friends have agreed to help Mimi & George on their Flat Stanley project this year! I will update here whenever we hear back from folks. We have been writing one letter a week for three weeks...a slow process right now, but great practice for the kids! We will send them out to the people who have now responded and looking forward to more! An even better project would be to take our Flat Stanleys personally to these various places...wonder if there's an education grant for that...!!!

Sara and Nana...yours is coming. Like I said, these letters take time! George groans now when he sees the template (written in my pink pen!!). But they are excited! And that's enough for this teacher!

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Confessions: Teaching your own kids at home isn't always just sunny days filled with "Aha!" moments...today was kind of rough. I think it's caused by my seriously interrupted sleep the past few nights. Not by anyone,but by really bad/weird dreams which leave me wide awake in the middle of the night. Ugh. So, perhaps that makes me feel like no one is listening or that there are no quiet moments during the day. Normally it doesn't phase me. Today was just a little rough. Still wouldn't trade it for all the peace in the world!