Dogsledding!

We spent spring break, dogsledding. It was a fantastic experience for all. It was intimidating on day one, the dogs were howling with excitement waiting to be chosen. They knew as the guide approached with the harness in hand whether they were chosen or not. Such disapointment for the dogs that were not chosen. You couldn't help but feel bad. We wanted to take them all.

It was very empowering for our family of five. We all had the opportunity to manage our own or two person sled on a 30 mile trek across lakes, grass portage trails, and makeshift bridges that the guides built to get us over moving water. They had to handle the dogs, run along the sled if the dogs needed direction.

It was the "best vacation" according to the kids. My youngest cried as we said goodbye to the dogs on day four.

Learning Disabilities

My son has learning disabilities. He was diagnosed in second grade. I, as a mom, began to see signs in kindergarten but disregarded them. I didn't want to compare him to my other children.
I figured in time, it would all work out.

First signs, he did not like going to school. He was and is very social, beyond his years. He also was one of the younger kids in his class. He had a poor concept of time. I would always have to repeat our schedule of events, what happened when and at what time. Days of the week, months of the year, saying the alphabet was difficult. It was hard for him to get it in the right order.

First grade, he was placed in a reading program which was one on one with a reading specialist. The day before Christmas break, the reading specialist stopped me in the hallway at school to tell me that my son was not progressing as he should. I thought why is she telling me this now, right before break. My mind started wandering and I recalled the day he came home to tell me, "Mrs. C. gets her legs waxed, just like you , MOM!" I asked him how he knew this and he told me he read her "to do" list on her desk. I thought if he can't read at first grade level and having problems prgoress, then how can he read Mrs. C's to do list.

Life continued, some days it was very difficult to get him to go to school. Second grade was worse, he would happily go out the door with his siblings walk the two blocks, turn around and come into the backyard, stand on the deck or hide in the garage. I would then walk him to school, into the building, into the classroom.

Where Angels Go Trouble Follows

Rosalind Russell You scored 26% grit, 42% wit, 23% flair, and 28% class!

You are one wise-cracking lady, always quick with a clever remark and easily able to keep up with the quips and puns that come along with the nutty situations you find yourself in. You're usually able to talk your way out of any jam, and even if you can't, you at least make it more interesting with your biting wit. You can match the smartest guy around line for line, and you've got an open mind that allows you to get what you want, even if you don't recognize it at first. Your leading men include Cary Grant and Clark Gable, men who can keep up with you. Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the Classic Leading Man Test.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 99% on grit You scored higher than 99% on wit You scored higher than 99% on flair You scored higher than 99% on class

continue to OkCupid homescreen >
people I should see >

If you liked my test, send it to your friends!


I just took this test and when Rosalind Russell name popped up, I imediately thought of my favorite childhood movie, Where Angels Go Trouble Follows. I kind of hoped to more of a Katherine Hepburn but I'll settle forRosalind.

"The talk"

I was notified last week that my son would be having the "sex talk." at school. He is in sixth grade. It happened on Monday. He came home from school and after several hours decided to tell me about his day. A doctor was supposed to give the talk, but the principal filled in and gave the talk instead.

He asked the class if they knew who Anna Nicole Smith was and had they seen her on t.v. Two hands went up. He proceeded to use ANS as "the example"; for women being sexy, showing off their bodies and also informed the boys that some women have their breasts enlarged... and so it went.

I asked him did any of the boys ask questions, we couldn't Mom. He told us if we had any questions to ask our parents.

I was floored and had to hold back my laughter as my son, very animated, re-told his take on the "sex talk."

Life w/ teenagers!

My kids don't like when I blog about them. I yearn for the days when they were young and didn't pay attention to my extracurricular activities. The days when I could just gush about how cute they are, the cute things they say, the things other people say about my offspring.

Now, I have two teenagers, and one pre-teen who thinks he is a teen. I have two in junior high, one in high school. Need I say more. They are witty, and quick to comment. They are experts on all subjects. They are edgy. They are trying. They are insightful. They are intuitive. They have minds of there own. They are tech savvy. They liked to be plugged in. They younger ones watch Family Guy, South Park and Mind of Mencia, even when I block it from their viewing. They can watch it one youtube. They are cautious and adventurous.

I think the hardest part about this age is the emergence of their independence. You tell them to take a certain route home, they decide to take another. Your in the car, anyway, you see if you can spot them walking home, you can't find them, you circle, you re-take the pre-arranged route, no sigh of them, you panic, you run home, not there, you circle again, back home, shoes in the mudroom, they're home! Now, you try to remain cool, ask them where they were, and why they didn't take the route, and listen to them say , "O' Mom! I walked with a friend part of the way he had to go a different way!"

Be flexible, don't over react, listen, take a breather, think, then react!

Where was your husband last night?

Only in my family... Last night, my husband went out with the "produce guy" that he had met at the ethnic grocery store. The produce guy speaks limited english, and my husband speaks limited spanish. They met at the grocery store and went out to dinner at a mexican restaurant in the next town over.

The kids were worried about him when I told them where Dad was. They called him, he was fine, three hours later he came home. I had asked to pick up a gallon a milk on the way home, no milk, he did not remember the request.

The Party

Here are the photos I promised.

dem franchize boys - lean wit it rock wit it

I am adding to Movin' Mom's latest post. By sharing this video, that the majority of our husbands tried to learn. They were quite good, by the end of the evening! I'll post a few pictures tomorrow.