Stop Pretending

During an exam at school, Cookie learns that "4-1=0."

This is my latest read: Stop Pretending: What Happened when My Big Sister Went Crazy, by Sonya Sones.  Published in 1999, this book takes on the issue of mental health, which whether discussed openly or not, is and will continue to be a hot topic in our culture.  Stop Pretending delves into what mental illness does to families and individuals.

Generally, I'm not fond of poetry.  However, this is well written, and by that I mean that it's readable and understandable, and written in such a way that anyone who reads it can relate.  And (bonus!) because it's not 149 pages topped off to overflowing with words, it's a relatively quick read~~depending on how much time you take to ponder things, and thought-provoking is a good description for this book.

I love the main character, Cookie.  I love how she is a realistic 13-year-old girl, who worries not only about her sister's condition but also about what the other kids will think.  I love how things aren't absolutely resolved, but how there is indeed hope for the future.  I love that the book is based on the author's own life experiences.

I love that Sones puts this out there, and gives us all something to think about.

November to Remember Spring Weather in the Fall

The title says it all.  Cuz I'm really enjoying this 75-degree weather.  Thanksgiving will be nice and Thanksgiving-y.  But I really like open window weather.  :)

Frugal? What's That?

Today's Writing Prompt: Frugal

Write about an area in which you don't want to be frugal.

Oh, dear.  My husband will LOVE this post.  He will say, "Tracy isn't frugal about anything, so really, what's the point of this little exercise?"

Oh, dear.  He might be right.  Frugal isn't really one of the words I would use to describe myself.  Not a strong point with me.

So how 'bout looking out my favorite areas to not be frugal in?

Hmm....  Chocolate.

Um.

Chocolate.  Eating out.  Library fines.

Yeah.  I'm that awesome.

November to Remember the Sabbath

I'm so thankful for a day of rest.

Okay, so I did and I didn't rest today.  For example, I got a very long nap (thank you, my wonderful husband), but when I woke up I chose to address some PTA things that I'd been putting off.

Which made me more grateful for the Sundays for which I've taken the time to prepare to spend the day with my family and that sort of thing.  I need to do that more often, ya know?

November to Remember Teamwork

We had a busy day today, but it was a good day.  We spent time as a family at Caleb's All-Star game, and then we came home and cleaned house.  So much got done because we all worked together as a team.  I'm so grateful for my family and their willingness to pitch in.  They are blessings to me in so many ways!

November to Remember Down Time

Sometimes you just need some time away from things.  That's what I've been working on this week.  Getting Sam into a regular nap schedule, and getting some things done around my house.  It's been really nice to not race around all over the place.

November to Remember Reading

If you know me, you know I read.  I read a lot.  It's one of my talents.  Can reading be a talent?  I have certainly made it into one.  It's a lot like breathing.  Breathing is a talent for me, largely because it's something I can't live without.  That's how reading is.

{I've probably also made it into a liability.  By which I mean that sometimes I become so obsessed with whatever I'm currently reading that I cease to function as a mother, wife, or decent citizen.  But that's neither here nor there.  Really.}

{And it's a good thing breathing generally isn't a liability.}

I'm thankful for this ... talent ... of mine.  I'm thankful for all the authors who put their hearts into what they write and create these fascinating characters and worlds and plots.  How do they think these things up?  It amazes me!  I'm thankful for new authors and I'm thankful for the old classics.  I'm thankful that my husband understands that we need lots o' bookshelves in our house.  I'm thankful that my kids read lots.  I'm even thankful for the library fines, of which there are many (but my husband's maybe not so thankful).

I'm thankful for snuggly warm flannel sheets and cold winter nights, and I'm thankful for lazy summer days.  Because they are good for reading.

I'm thankful for cereal boxes.  Because they'll do in a pinch.

Here is where I would list my favorite books of all time, for which I am thankful.  But they switch around on me sometimes.  And I could go on for awhile.  I'll spare you.  You know where to find my Shelfari page anyway.

Reading.  I'm grateful.  :)

The Imaginarium Chronicles

Since I originally was going to use this blog to record the books I've read, I thought I might actually start doing it.  I do have a Shelfari page here, but I want to try this out, too.

The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica: Here, There Be Dragons, by James A. Owen.

I initially picked this book up on a friend's recommendation.  Wasn't too sure about it at first.  It seemed kind of old-timey with old-timey interior illustrations, and I've somehow convinced myself that I don't like old-timey children's books.  Of course, this book was published in 2006 (translation: not so old-timey as I had judged).  And it's not in the children's section at the library; it's in the teen section.  Although in terms of appropriateness, it certainly could be in the chidlren's section.  And best of all, there's a reason for the old-timey-ness.  But I didn't really get that until the end.  Silly me!

This story is a curious blend of "real life" WWI Britishness and a multitude of fantasy of all sorts.  It reminds me some of Michael Scott's Alchemyst series with its cocktail of fantasy legends and myths.  But I also saw some Tolkien (Ring of Power, anyone?), and some Eddings, and some Llyod Alexander, and some dragons (of course), and the list could go on and on and on.  Which is why I really loved the book.  In fact, at the end (and don't skip to it, because the figuring it out is half the fun), when all sorts of things fell into place for me, I wanted to go back and reread to find all the nuances that I'm sure I missed.

I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

On Terrariums

Today's Writing Prompt: Broken

Write about a time you broke something.

Early elementary school.  Mom and Dad's bedroom.  The glass terrarium.  Maybe there was a plant in it.  Maybe not.  I'm not sure.

But I leaned back....  Leaned?  I'm thinking threw myself back might be a more apt description, seeing as how the terrarium broke.  And my head.  I was thinking, what's the big deal?

It was an ER visit to remember.  (Well, it was my only ER visit as a child.)  Something about nuns taking care of my little brother.  And I learned about the ... efficacy? of emergency rooms.  No stitches, no nothing, just go home and keep it clean.  I was still thinking, what's the big deal?

You know what?

What's the big deal?  ;)

November to Remember Vitamin D

That's right~~vitamin D~~the sunshine vitamin!  We recently added it to Rex's regimen of supplements.  It has been a little miracle just for us.

We read an article a little while back about vitamin D and kids with autism/asperger's.  While Rex doesn't have a diagnosis of either one of those things, with his sensory integration issues, he has some Asperger-ish tendencies.  So we tried out giving Rex some vitamin D.  Miracle!

Rex has had tics of one sort or another for most of his life.  Most of the time, they are fairly minor.  But he's getting to an age where his peers start to notice those sorts of things.  And I started to get a feeling that the Underwear-Adjustment-Tic-(Even-When-It-Doesn't-Need-to-Be-Adjusted) or the Scrunchy-Rabbit-Nose-Tic were really not going to set Rex up to not be made fun of.  The tics were becoming more noticeable, and I worried about him.  Especially after one of his doctors gave me a lecture about how tics can be neurologically bad.  It's scary for you as a mom on a variety of different levels~~for starters, you worry about your child socially, physiologically, and mentally.

But putting Rex on vitamin D has eased his tics.  (Knock on wood.)  You never know with a kid like Rex when something will work or when it will stop working.  But for now, the vitamin D is working wonders for his tics.  And not only that, but his muscles are developing.

He's a different kid.  And that's exciting for us!

November to Remember Friends

Every once in awhile, I ponder what great friends I have had over the course of my life, and I really can see how truly blessed I am.  I have always been provided with the right friends at the right times to get me through whatever needs to be gotten through.  And there haven't really been any lonely patches, because they've all overlapped each other.  I'm so grateful.

November to Remember Football

I've never really been that into football. I like to cheer, I guess. And I like to root for the underdog. But I've never really felt a need to stay up to watch my favorite team play, or that sort of thing.

And then I became an OU student, a Sooner. I got more into football. But (dare I admit this publicly), I could still go to bed in the middle of a game and not be too concerned about it.

And then...I became the mother of a football player.

And THEN I became a football mom.

And a coach's wife.  (And dang, that coach looks good in that shirt.  He'd better, darn it!)

Yeah, I'm THAT mom.  I bring my cowbells (even though they weren't originally my idea, they were a fabulous addition to my arsenal).  And I cheer even when no one else is cheering.  I've told my boy to man up and get out there and play for real.  (And I've flinched when he's gotten an ouchie.)

I've watched my kids play basketball and softball and baseball and soccer.  But there isn't anything as exciting as watching my son play football.  One of the other football moms was talking about it today, too.  Watching your kid play football is just different, more intense than the other sports.  It's crazy, really.

But it's not going to stop me, because he loves it, and I love watching him do something he's passionate about.

November to Remember That ONE of My Children Is Growing Up Right

I am ashamed to post this picture here, as it will reflect negatively on my parenting skills.  This is my daughter Lizzi's bedroom wall.

I know.

Ugh.
Ugh.
Ugh.

I have threatened to burn this poster, have actually held it over the burner in the kitchen.  I still have hope that she will repent of her evil ways.

I have more hope for Sariah, though.  She, bless her little heart, walked into Lizzi's room today and informed her sister that her poster was hanging upside down.  Now that's what I'm talking about.  At least one of my children is turning out right.  :)

There.  Much better.  Now, I guess I will just have to start praying for poor, misguided Lizzi.

November to Remember Lizzi

Some kids have personality.  Some kids have a sense of humor.

If you haven't guessed already, Lizzi has plenty of both.

I don't know what I would do without Lizzi's wit and creativity, or her ability to make me smile.  She's awesome!

November to Remember Babies

Most of you will have guessed this already, but I love babies.  I love how tiny and new and old they are at the same time.  Old as in straight from Heavenly Father.  And new that way, too.  :)

I can't believe how much Sam has grown!  And how little bitty he was just a few short months ago.  That was fun.

But now he smiles and laughs and rolls all over the place.  He is such a social little man.  He's happy as long as he's with somebody.  These are good times.

And I'm thankful for Amber for taking such great pictures.  I <3 u.

Never

.

Today's Writing Prompt: Never

Complete this thought:

I would never...

...say never.  Cuz when you do, it almost always comes to pass.  Murphy's Law of Motherhood number 1.

Okay, it really just applies to motherhood, because there are all sorts of things I think I would never do.  But still, that motherhood thing is pretty potent.

November to Remember This Amazing Girl of Mine

Have I mentioned how amazing Hannah is lately?  She is super talented, smart, beautiful, funny, and kind.  She is good-natured and helpful.  She's an awesome big sister, and a wonderful daughter.  She's forgiving and gorgeous, and I could go on and on forever about her general fabulousness.  I'm so thankful for you, Hannah!

Addendum

And by the way, I planned that last post 2 or 3 days ago, not knowing that Sam would sleep through the night.  Wahoo!!!  What a difference a good night's sleep makes, indeed.

Afraid

Today's Writing Prompt: Fear

What do you do when you're afraid?

I fret and then fret some more.  Then I pray and then pray some more.  And then I get busy.  Being proactive is the best cure for me.

November to Remember Sleep

What a difference a good night's sleep can make.

And what a difference a cute little girl can make, too.

We Interrupt Your Programming...

...to give me and Sariah some pats on the back.  We are now 3 consecutive days TV free!!  Not only does Sariah think she is dying, but so does Mommy.  I just keep telling myself that this is in everybody's best interests.  Right?

P.S.  I'll give you a ring when we're candy-free.  ROTFL

Worth It

Today's Writing Prompt: Worth it

Write about something in your life that's worth it.

Easy!  People are always worth it--it being the investment of time, love & energy.  You never know what Heavenly Father intends them to be, but I do know that He intends all of His children to be great.

November to Remember Siblings

Every day is a new adventure when you have siblings. It's not necessarily the adventure you expect to have, but it's always an adventure. I'm so glad that my kids have so many siblings to have so many wonderful memories with. It's awesome being their mom!

November to Remember My Favorite New Cookie Recipe

Mmm...mmm.  White chocolate macadamia nut cranberry cookies.  It's a mouthful, but they sure were yummy!  They made my entire day.  And then some.  And they even make you feel sort of virtuous with all those fruits and nuts in there....


Here's where I found the delicious and simple recipe.

Me

Today's Writing Prompt: Who

Who are you?

I am wife to Bob and mother to Hannah, Elisabeth, Caleb, Rex, Sariah, and Samuel; I am sister to Chad, daughter of Pat & Lyle.  I am a follower of Christ ... or I'm trying to be, anyway.  I have depression but I am conquering that mountain, one pebble at a time.  My most important priorities are family and being kind and compassionate, fostering cooperation among those around me and serving those who stand in need.  I am not perfect; I'm a work in progress.  And it's a lot of work.  I make mistakes, but mistakes are a part of how I learn, and their repair makes the future better.

November to Remember Promises

God keeps His word, and I love His reminders!

(And thanks to Hannah for the great pic!)

Tricky, Tracky

Today's Writing Prompt: Talk show

You're starting your own radio or TV talk show. What will it be called, and what will the theme/topics be?

Hmm.  Tricky.  For someone who can talk as much as I do, this shouldn't be nearly so hard to figure.  LOL!  The title would definitely have to involve "Tracky."  Maybe "Time with Tracky."  What would I talk about?  Kids, books, being kind to others.  I'd definitely want to talk uplifting things.  TV and the radio are filled with depressing stories, but I just don't believe they are the only thing out there.  I think good things happen every day, but we overlook them.  It's time to find them all.

November to Remember Halloween

I am thankful for Halloween!

And for cute little babies wearing carrots at Halloween.

For beautiful girls.

And for my favorite friends.

(And even for girls who avoid pictures.)

For scary costumes.

And for ninja dudes.

I am especially thankful for headless ... somethings.

And for prettified princesses.

I am blessed.

November to Remember

So, I am totally ripping this idea off from a friend of mine. But it's a good idea. And the most sincere form of flattery is imitation. Or something like that, right?

And to help me remember my attitude of gratitude, I acquired this great new decoration today, with the help of another very patient friend.

So, November is the season to remember the many blessings which the Lord has given me and my family.  And we are so very blessed every day!  This is my goal: to daily post something for which I am grateful.  And I'm NOT going to be perfectionistic about it.  I don't need a picture every day.  I just need a grateful heart and 30 seconds to say what's in it.  Don't let me forget.  :)