Encore, Encore!

I'm not an average parent when it comes to grades.  I don't reward my children for good grades.  They don't get a dollar for every "A" on their report card, they don't get twenty dollars for honor roll.  They get a "Good Job, kiddo and a pat on the back.  Well, I kind of reward them for good grades, I let them live (HA!)

I spank them for bad grades.  A bad grade in our house is less than 90%.  You may consider that too strict.  I consider it disciplined.  My children are privileged.  They have my unconditional love.  They don't "need" anything.  When they ask for something, they usually get it (as long as it's with in reason).  They are involved in every extra carricular activity they care to be involved in.

I ask very little in return - respect, clean rooms, and good grades.
.....

She's very respectful, her room is kind of clean, and her grades are OUTSTANDING!  Steven and I went to her award ceremony expecting her to receive an award for Literature and possibly one for the zillion AR points that she accumulated during the year, but we didn't expect her to receive one in every single subject!

She received an excellence award (top ten in her grade) in math, science, literature, and social studies.  One for having Straight A's on her report card all year.  A good citizenship award.  A t-shirt for being in the 100 point club.  She also got a certificate and metal for being in the top ten with AR points in her grade.

I have never been more proud!

Steven and I decided that works as astounding as this SHOULD be rewarded.  We got her the Toy Story 3 Ken and Barbie that she has been wanting for a while and some cupcakes.  We had a little "Yay, Devan" party and movie night.

I think she felt as special as she is!

She already planning to read the Harry Potter series this summer, so she can rack up tons of points next year!  I just love her!

Happy Saturday, Everyone!

Clementine

Big D's theme song when she was five was hands down "You're a grand ole' flag".  She learned it when  she first entered kindergarten and sang it the entire year.  Literally.

She sang it in the car, to company, to the grand parents, while she was outside playing, and she most definitely sang it in the bath tub. She didn't have a pause or a  mute button and she hadn't quite mastered her inside voice, so she sang it loud and proud all of the time.  And we let her because at first it was cute and sweet, and it eventually was just straight up hilarious.  She was the squeakiest child you would ever happen upon, and she had no clue that she sounded like a teenage chipmunk.  She was precious.

That was then and believe it or not, it brings me to now.

For the past six weeks or so, I've heard "Oh, My Darling Clementine" about a bazillion times.  In the beginning it was sang only by Big D, but later on it was picked up by the two smaller D's and so therefore I hear it all day long.  Someone is always singing it.  And that wouldn't be a bad thing except for the song is like the saddest song I've ever heard!

Clementine Lyrics found here

Here's Clementine a beautiful miner's daughter.  Her shoes were number 9.  Does that mean she was only about four years old when she slipped and fell into  the water and drown?  How messed up is that to sing a song about a little kid drowning?!  And with a catchy tune at that?!  Is there a lesson to be learned somewhere in this song?!  Or is it just cruel and unusual punishment for poor little Clementine's father?!

And before you tell me that I put too much thought into that song, you listen to it on repeat for about six weeks and then tell me that I put too much thought into it...

So we went to Big D's musical a couple of days ago and there I sat watching a whole slew of eight year old's singing about poor little Clementine.  I started looking around at other parents and they were sitting proud all wearing big smiles on their faces watching their little 3rd graders sing "Oh, My Darling Clementine"...and there I was crying (literally), trying to distract myself by taking pictures and fidgeting with my camera.  My mind went to Deanna.  She was almost Clementine.  'Nuff said.

I think I'm gonna teach the D's a brand new song or maybe encourage Big D to teach her brother and sister "You're a grand ole flag".  As catchy as "Clementine" is, it's really inappropriate for anyone to be walking around singing all the time.

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

Pigs

As I  sit here and write this post I can't help but be completely distracted by my surroundings.  There's an empty rockstar can, a dirty cereal bowl, two dirty spoons, a baking pan (that in my own defense 1.  doesn't belong to me and 2.  is clean), a thermometer, two sets of nail clippers, school pictures, a wisk (not mine either), and some dying mother's day plants.

Um, I'm in the living room.

I look to my left and notice the end table beside the couch.  Hello bottle of Listerine...?  Why are you on my end table?!  And how bout you there, bottle of excedrin?!  What?!  More dirty dishes?!

Should I be cleaning?  Probably.  Will I clean it tonight?  Probably not.

This Mama has been sick since Thursday morning, and our house is starting to show it.

I wanted to sit and write a post about Middle D's "Moosical".  I wanted to tell you how fablously wonderful it was and how he spoke so clearly and didn't put his mouth on the microphone when it was his turn to speak.  I wanted to tell you how good he looked in the color that I refused to buy for him because I thought it looked horrible on him (sorry MD). 

I wanted to tell you how laughed myself to tears lisnening to these singing chickens, pigs, and gourmet goats.  I wanted to tell you how I was so glad I decided to bundle up and take my sickness out into the rest of the world just because I was afraid I would miss something really special if I stayed home.  I wanted to tell you how I have no regrets what-so-ever about possibly spreading my germs, because my son was a rock star and was the cutest singing pig that I've ever seen.

I also wanted to tell you that these so called "pigs" were obsessive compulsive cleaning pigs, and they got their feelings hurt when someone called their home a pig sty!  That was MD's line.  He said it so sad and gloomy, like his feelings really were hurt.

I know, I know.  These chickens have nothing to do with my son, but aren't they the cutest chickens you've ever saw?!  Just sayin'.

That brings me to right now.  My house is a pig sty.  Where is that obsessive compulsive, sweeping, mopping, dusting, dish washing pig when I need him?!....Nah, not really.  But I am too distracted and medicated to write a post about my son's "Moosical"....or anything but my dirty house for that matter.

I'm pretty sure my fever is breaking as I am currently sweating like crazy!...and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna puke any minute now.  So on that note, I'm out!

Bleh...

Happy Sunday, Everyone!...I think.

Deanna's Home

Deanna Michelle Webster was released from the hospital yesterday.  She went home a full six weeks before the doctors predicted! Besides missing a few motor skills, she is perfectly her perfect little self! 

Thanks so much, to everyone who prayed for her!  Praise the Lord!  He said yes! Yes!  YES!

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!!!   Psalm 136:1

Happy Thursday, Everyone!!!

Wordless(ish) Wednesday: Rapunzel, Rapunzel!

 For anyone out there who has a daughter that kind of likes the movie, Tangled, but is kind-of-a-little-bit scared of the "mean lady" that "takes Dapunzel (Rapunzel) and or has beautiful golden blond hair that everyone gawks over.  Do me a favor.  THROW YOUR SCISSORS AWAY!!!

Little d cut her beautiful golden blond hair off last Friday!  She rocked a mullet all weekend.  I didn't take pictures because it was "that bad".

After I had her hair fixed today, she turned and said to me "Mommy, that mean lady wont take me now!" Uggh!  I am so upset!  It literally makes me sick that a simple movie would scare her into cutting her own hair.

We are going to put that movie and the scissors up for a while.  And maybe see a counselor! (HA!)

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

A Deanna Update

I wrote about the horrific event that happened on May 7, 2011 HERE.  If you are running a little behind and aren't familiar with Deanna's story, be sure to click on the link above and catch up!

Less than one week ago, our precious Deanna was in critical condition.  We wanted to believe that she was going to make it.  Actually, we did believe she was going to make it, but we were worried about how much of her brain would make it.

Yesterday, "in critical condition" version of Deanna woke up!  While she was still on a ventilator, she started communicating with her mother using sign language.  The first things she signed were "Navy" and "June 15th".  In case you didn't know, that is the day she is supposed to go to basic training.

A little while later, I was allowed in the room to witness this miracle.  I watched her "sign argue" with her mother.  I watched her feisty personality wake up!  She signed "no dress" and "t-shirt".  (In the previous weeks, Deanna had been back and forth about what she was wearing to graduation.)...Needless to say, her Mama found her a t-shirt to wear to her graduation.  Just a little while later, they turned off and took out her ventilator!  This girl is recovering at a miraculous rate!

I also got the privilege of watching the most special high school graduation ever!  Deanna attended her graduation via skype.  One of her teachers hand delivered her diploma at the appropriate time and every one at the high school gymnasium and in the PICU at Arkansas Children's Hospital applauded.  Lots of tears were shed and congratulations were given.  As we were all celebrating and chatting with one another, Deanna gave herself a graduation present by pulling her own feeding tube out!  Silly girl!

Deanna looks like she's gonna have a 100% recovery! Thanks Everyone!  Thanks so much for the bazillions of prayers that went up on her behalf!  

God is certainly saying YES! YES! YES!

Happy, Happy Friday, Everyone!

PS:  Congratulations Deanna!....I guess we can add a few more names to your list of many!  Miracle, survivor, fighter...( :

(Deanna: Steven, Myself and all the D's love you more than you could ever possibly comprehend!...And if you ever pull a stunt like this one again, I WILL use your last name!)  LOL!

May 7, 2011

She goes by many names, Dee, Deanna, Dee-monkey, Dee-Bear, first little d, company d, other little d.  Diamond call's her "De-adda", which is also what she calls bananas...hopefully that's just coincidence and she doesn't actually relate the two of them.

She is the most active member of our youth group.  She is beautiful and doesn't believe it.  She has the prettiest skin color.  She is quiet and shy.  She is stubborn and strong headed.  She is determined.  She is a fine christian example to the younger youth.  She is a senior in high school.  She is a Harry Potter fan.  She just finished the whole series for like the 50th time.  She is a little sister, to Victoria.

She is enlisted in the Navy.  She has painted black finger nails.  She has the voice of a Disney princess (but I would NEVER tell her that in person).  She is a volunteer at our local wild life center.  She is passionate about life.  She hates the color pink and hasn't worn it since she was twelve.  She has faithful christian parents and grand parents.

May 7, 2011.
She went on her senior canoeing trip.  She started her day like everyone else.  She spoke to her mother while on the trip and her mother reminded her to do the little things, like reapply sunblock so her fair, already pink complexion wouldn't burn.

She hit something and flipped over in her canoe.  She got stuck under water, between a canoe that had already sank and a fallen tree.  She was stuck in a vacum.  She was under water for over six minutes.  She medically drowned.  She had a possible cardiac arrest.  She was air lifted to the local hospital and "stabilized".  She was transported to a bigger hospital in Little Rock.

Today.
She is laying in a hospital bed in critical condition.  She is on a respirator because her lungs aren't strong enough sustain her life by themselves. She has a tear on the posterior part of her trachea.  She is on more than eight different I.V. medications.  She is chemically paralyzed and sedated.  She has a tube stuck in her chest to drain fluid and air. She has an additional tube in her lungs to suck out all of the river gunk she inhaled while under water. She, now has blood pressure problems.  She has a fever and they don't know why.  She is swollen and almost unrecognizable.

Deanna is struggling to survive! Our precious little Deanna needs our constant prayers!  Please pray!  Pray and pass this story along!  Please!  She is one of us!  She belongs to our "family".

Think of her as one of  "yours" and pray!

A few minutes with Middle d

Middle d lost ANOTHER tooth Monday night!  He's bringing a whole new meaning to the whole "toothless grin"  thing.  He's lost a total of six teeth.  Out of the six, he has managed to grow about one and a half of them back.  Poor guy, he can't open his mouth without sucking back the slobber that tries it's best to escape.

Anyway, we were waiting in the car riders line to pick up Big D the other day and we had the most interesting conversation.  It went something like this:

Me:  Whats the matter Md?

Md:  *long sigh*  I asked Sunshine (yes that's her real name) to be my girlfriend today and she said "Nooooo Waay!"  I think she thinks I'm gross.

I look in the rear view mirror to see my son sitting there wearing a blue and green striped shirt, khaki jeans, and glasses.  At first, I was like any mama.  I was just as offended as he was.  He was cute and dressed nice, why wouldn't she want to be his girlfriend (Lets completely forget the fact that they're seven here!)?  I smile at him while I think of something to say to comfort him.  He smiles back, goes to say something, and before he does, he sucks back that darn slobber that's desperately trying to escape.  That's when it hit me.

Me:  Well Md, how many teeth does Sunshine have missing?!

Md:  *thinks for a sec*  None, she already has her big teeth.

Me:  Silly, that's why she won't be your girlfriend.  A.  She thinks she's older and B. .....Well...Um...You're not exactly....um...

Md: Prince Charming?

Me:  *laughing*  Yes!  You're certainly a Prince!...But unfortunately, you're not the latest version of  "charming"!

Middle d has decided to wait until he has a more "permanent" situation going on with his teeth before asking her out again.

 
I mean, really, Who couldn't love this face?!  LOL!

Hehehe....

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Meet Me Monday

This looked like lots of fun, so I thought I'd give it a try.  It's five random questions about me.

1.  What is your favorite kind of muffin?
      Um, I don't like any kind of muffin!  "Muffins make me nervous..." ~Carl

2.  What was the first car you ever owned?
     A 1990 Toyota Corolla.  It only took 13 dollars to fill that baby up!  *sigh*  I miss her!

3.  Which T.V. show were you sad to see end?
     That requires no thought.  It's simple. LOST!


4.  What is your lucky number?
     Obviously, seven.  Steven says that I am constantly multiplying, adding, subtracting, and dividing multiples of seven in my sleep.

5.  Pretzels or potato chips?
     If I were asked this question a couple of months ago, I would have said hands down, chips.  But then I went to Disney World.  Disney has jalapeno cheddar stuffed pretzels!  So on that note, I'm gonna say pretzels.

Well, Did you learn anything new?  lol!

Happy Monday, Everyone!