HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers out there who are near and dear. I think about all the mothers that have been influental in my life including my own Mom. There was my best friends mom when I was a kid. They lived across the street from us in Calif. When I was 6 and my father passed away her father was there with us. Her Mom was always there for us. She would take me school clothes shopping with her own daughter and buy me clothes for school.
Then of course there was the mother of my hubby. She was raised in a boarding school in Canada. She had a very rough childhood and then married a very difficult man. They relocated to the U.S. and she did the best job she could to raise four children far from home and family. She has not had an easy life but continues to try and be cheerful and lift those around her.
Of course there are the mothers of my grandkids. My daughter-in-law is a saint. She endured the first five years of marriage and three kids with an alcoholic husband. There were times when she was the sole bread winner as well as trying to take care of my son. Now she is happily a stay at home mom and loving it.
My own daughter of course is awesome. they always say that you know you have done a good job of parenting if your children are a step above you. I think I must have done something right because she is a great Mom. Being the provider for her family, as well as the spiritual leader and going to school full-time. Lots on her plate and she keeps up with it all very well indeed.
And of course a happy day to my own cool mom. I have talked of her often and bragged about how cool, and totally awesome she is. I have decided she is and always will have to be the caregiver, but it is good because someone has to do it.
I just wish a happy and peaceful day to all on this special day.

MOMMY TIME

Here are Spongebob and Sandee at it again! I have never met a mom that could play with her kid so long, impressive! His favorite game is to pretend that mom is Sandee and he is Spongebob, funny. Kids are sure a joy that keep us young.
I remember when this sis was young, especially since she is the same age as my oldest. They had all kinds of fun together when they were little, will have to drag out the bathtub picture. Got into trouble together as teens and see each other occasionally. My how quickly they grow up.

MY MOM'S BETTER THAN YOUR MOM!

I just had to say that! Today is my Moms birthday and I came all the way to the U.S. and I am not spending her birthday with her! Better than that I am able to sister sit for a few days so she can get a much needed break to the beach. She is spending the week with a couple of brothers hanging out at Hilton Head and chillin.
When my mom was 26 she was widowed with four kids under 8. My dad died in two hours from a brain aneurysm. He was 32 and like I said they had four kids. My older brother was 8, I was 6, and one younger brother 3 one 6 months. Try to wrap your head around that kind of trial for a few minutes! I can't even imagine something like that. But it made Mom tough.
Not tough like mean tough, just tough like stand your ground never let anything get you down tough. Three years ago when she was 65 she graduated from NAU with a bachelors in counseling. It took about 10 years but she completed it. While she was working on it she was also nursing my step-dad who was dying of cancer, and actually passed away while she was finishing up her degree.
Oh and did I mention she also has five other kids from my step-dad? Now when you sign up for 9 kids you can pretty much count on just about every trial known to man to be sure.
You can imagine who I call when I am down in the dumps and feeling sorry for myself and my lot in life. She can talk to me and put things in perspective like no one else in the world. And of course it only takes a couple of days of walking in her shoes so to speak to realize I do not have it too bad after all.
She is one woman who when the going gets tough she gets more faithful! That has always amazed me that she just gets stronger with trials instead of letting them pull her under.
I guess if I would aspire to anything spiritual in my life it would be to be more like my Mom! Happy Birthday Mom if you ever get time to read this!

THE PARENT TEST

I think I may have failed the parent test for good this time! It began by being late for my daughters first day of school. Yesterday I almost forgot to pick her up on time! For some reason I got it in my mind that she got done a half hour later than she did. About ten minutes until three it hit me that she gets done at three not three thirty. I ran all the way to the school and made it in time to pick her up without a glich.

Today takes the cake though. She is in the fuscia class. That means that they have to buy two folders, with pinchers in the right side,a small notebook and wrap them in fuscia wrapping paper

then laminate them.

Now take a look at these folders and tell me you really thought my five year did them! I would think that too if I had not been on the other end of trying to wrap a freakin folder in wrapping paper, and laminating it! Have you ever messed with that stuff? They love it here and put it on everything.

So now everyday when my daughter comes home from school she brings her notebook with any notes or reminders from school glued into the pages. Then mom gets to spend about an hour figuring out what it says and fullfilling the assignment.

By the way if you are thinking it is just a language barrier, I did see two parents folders "rejected" today! I am obviously not the only learning impaired parent there, just the oldest and only one with blue eyes. I am not even kidding about that part either.

The cutest part of it was when I was getting Maleahs birth certificate to take for copies at school. She said "oh mom don't tell them I'm Cheena!" I guess she has not looked in the mirror for a while :)

HAPPY 25 BIRTHDAY

Today is my daughter Rebekahs' 25 birthday! It was fun and we had a great day celebrating. We took the girlies to the pool for the day, then it was out for ice-cream, then it was home to make her favorite dinner, salmon patties, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie for dessert.

It is hard for me to believe that 25 years have raced by so quickly. I was telling Rebekah while we were at the pool that the day was very similar on the day she was born. She was born in Wahiawa Hawaii, so the weather was pretty much like it was here in Costa Rica today. About 80 degrees with a slight breeze and beautiful.

Rebekah was one month early so she was only five pounds when she was born. She also was born with her thumb in her mouth! It took us about 10 years to pry that thing out of her mouth and that would explain why she is wearing braces now at 25.

I have to brag about her a little bit since it is her special day. She has always been very quiet and mellow. She is a super hard worker and a great mommy. I am very proud of the mom and woman and hotmom she has grown up to be. I am thankful for her and that we are best friends, running partners and partners in most crimes. She told me when we made our resolutions this year that like alcoholics that avoid friends that influence them to drink we influence each other to eat and should really not hang out if we really want to get skinny!

Forget that I will take the extra 10 lbs. and a great friend to hang out with. Happy Birthday Rebekah!

CANCER SUCKS!

My younger sister has cancer. She has had cancer for almost 20 years. When she was nine years old they took half of her stomach out. Six years later they took out the rest of her stomach. Presently she is at the doc. most days for pain management or chemo, or ct scans, mri's, or you name it. The latest was kidney stones.

I had not seen my sister for about four years and got a chance to see her when we were in the U.S. in Oct. It was quite a shock. I would not have recognized her if I had not known I was in her house. I think she was happy with the shock effect because she is just like that.

She has a four year old son, a dumb ex husband and a great mom that takes care of her. My mom lives with her and takes care of her, makes sure she takes all her meds, gets to all of her appts, and eats really good, mom is a great cook.

Every day when I run or work out I do it for my sister. I thank God that I have a strong body and am healthy and able to go out for a run. I talk to my sister while I run and tell her I am doing this because she can't, and I want to do something for her that she can't do for herself.

Of course if she had her choice of what she would do if she could I don't think running would be on the list! Sorry Sarah I can't dance.

MOMS

Half of the equation of being a hotmom is of course being a MOM. Both parts are a choice, but we do have a whole lot more control over the hot part than the mom part. Our children will be children and will do whatever it is children do, test and try us of course.

Having seven children makes me a little bit different than most moms. I don't think most moms get to have near as many experiences, good as well as bad, as I do. Now that can be good or it can be bad, depends on the experience we are in the middle of.

My oldest son will be 29 next year, whoa! I know I should probably just give up on the whole hot part at this point, but I refuse to give up! My youngest daughter is 5, and the saddest part of that one is that I gained more weight with her than I did with my oldest. Why is that so bad? She is adopted! Now that is sad. The premenopause thing was kicking in what can I say?

The thing about being a mom is to take control of all the aspects of motherhood that you can. That does not leave much, but you can take control of your body, mind and time. I have a quote that I love "your lack of preparation is not my crisis". Think about that for a few minutes and apply it to your children.

When your kid calls you from school because they forgot their football gear in the washer and you need to dry it and bring it to them within the next hour what will you do? If you are smart you will take it in stride, if it works do it, if not don't sweat it.

I know that is easier said than done, especially if you baby your boys like I do! The funny thing is all of my boys laugh about what mommas boys they are, all four of them! My youngest son says he is 300% mammas boy. I am trying to talk him out of the tatoo telling that to the world.

FEELING HOT YET?

You know there is a lot in a title. When I went to massage school I was a little timid about telling people I was a massage therapist once I got done. I think it just took a little time for me to realize I had a title other than mom!

I think sometimes we get so used to wearing our title of mom that we forget we are someone! I love being a mom and think it is pretty cool. But I can also use the title to hide behind. I can use it as an excuse for my weight, my frumpiness, my forgetfullness, my sloppiness, my whatever I want an excuse for.

If you give yourself a new title I believe it will help you look at yourself just a little differently. Just try it for a couple of days. Think to yourself " I am a hot Mom." See if it does not change the way you look at yourself.

Maybe you will take just a little more time getting dressed in the morning. Maybe you will stand just a little taller. Maybe you will even feel so excited you will go out and do that workout you have been avoiding for awhile.

Try it out and see what it does for you.