If we had a dollar...

...If we had a dollar for every time we said, "Leave your sister alone," or "Share with your brother," or "Hurry up!" or "How do you ask for that?" or "Settle down!" or "No video games on weeknights," or if we had a dollar for the countless loads of dirty socks and muddy jeans and spaghetti stained tshirts that are thrown into the wash day after day, I bet we'd have enough money to buy the lofty Beckham mansion in L.A...and still have money left over to hire a nanny to say all those repetitive phrases to our kids! But years from now, as we gaze proudly upon our successful and ambitious children (cough, cough), we wouldn't have the joy and satisfaction of knowing that it was our relentless teaching and investing into our kids that will have molded them into who they become. So, I will continue to repeat those same monotonous words, and wash those same miniature clothes day after day, in hopes that someday it will result in something as valuable as a posh L.A. mansion.

Thank You!

A big thanks to all who read and posted a reply to my recent opinion poll.
In my original post, I admit I struggled to find the most effective words to form my question. Perhaps my choice of words was not the best, and I fear it turned into a heated debate over the wrong issue. I apologize. Even tho I don't typically shy away from a good discussion with opposing views, I've deleted the entire thread, so that no one gets the wrong idea or becomes offended by my own poor choice of words. Love you guys! Keep thinking!

"Courage"

The Road Not Taken
Robert Frost (1874–1963)

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

***I stole this from a friend's website 2day. I remember reading it years ago, and thought it was a good reminder that whatever it is you do in life, be courageous in it!

Silly Reese

Reese runs out of the room to grab his juice box, but not before instructing me, "Mommy! Don't touch my game! I be right back!"

Yeah. As if I'm gonna grab up his controller and start playing his video game. A boy's gotta make sure, I guess. lol.

Christian School Kid...

Mark told me that a kid wasn't being very nice out on the basketball court at recess. He kept bugging Mark and his friends.

Mark's response?? He told his friends: "The Bible says that being nice to an enemy is like pouring hot coals on his head. So, let's be real nice to him when he comes back."

Hmm...I hope his kindness what out of the right motivation...
But, this story makes me chuckle. At his age, I wouldn't be caught dead telling my friends, "The Bible says...." LOL! So, that part makes me really proud of my son!

Season Opener=Major Upset

It was the 2008 season opener last night. BEARS v COLTS.

We invited friends over to watch the game. And being the only Colts fans in the house, Ryan and I proudly wore our Manning jerseys. We ate a lasagna dinner (thanks Heather!) and ate some football and helmet shaped sugar cookies that were frosted with each team's emblem (thanks Kristi!) But, after all the festivities, the final score was more than disappointing. (For Ryan and me, anyway). The Bears played an outstanding game! I'm interested in watching all their games this season. They seem to be on fire this year! Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know I live in Chicago...so I should be a Bears fan anyway. But, as much as I love my Colts and will forever be a faithful fan, I am very proud to be a Chicago-Bears fan at the moment. They deserved that win last night. Regardless of how upsetting it was for me....and poor depressed Ryan. :(

A New Fascination

I have a new fascination. And her name is Governor Sarah Palin from Alaska. Like many, I never heard of her until she was added to the ticket as John McCain's presidential running mate. Until she appeared...I had become frustrated with this entire presidential campaign. I was pretty sure I would not vote for either candidate. I'd rather sit this one out than try to decide between a man with lofty words but no substance and a man with substance that I didn't always agree with. But now, with Sarah Palin by John McCain's side, I have a renewed excitement for this election. FINALLY! Someone with hardcore, conservative views like my own. Someone who has not been tarnished by Washington rhetoric. But who has actually accomplished something worthwhile in her short time in office. I missed her speech last night, since my evenings are filled with football practice, homework, dinner and bedtime. But I caught the bulk of it today online. And boy, was I blown away! I got goosebumps several times throughout her speech. Tonight McCain speaks. I'll probably have to catch this online tomorrow, as well as Juliani's speech that I also missed. Then, in order to have a well balanced viewpoint, I will try to catch up on some of the democratic speeches. I've heard bits and pieces along with commentaries on the radio, but I want to hear them straight through for myself. I'm back in the game, so to speak, with renewed excitement about this election. And, I admit, I'm fascinated with this lady called Gov. Sarah Palin. I've even spent an hour or so, looking up family photos and past news stories online, just to feed my sudden interest in this spitfire woman!