The last days of summer....

Summer is coming to an end here in the good ol' US of A. No, in truth it lasts until the end of September, but you'd never guess that by the weather.

Am I looking forward to fall? Yes and no. Like most moms, I anticipate school starting back. I love Halloween -- it's one of my favorite holidays -- and this coming season is my favorite over-all.

But, unlike most moms, I can't look forward to my kids running off and leaving me alone for five or six hours a day. We home school. Yes, voluntarily. ;)

However, I do look forward to the new classes; to learning and re-learning new things along with my little brood. I enjoy watching their eyes light up when something 'clicks'. Most of the time I manage a silent chuckle when they ask the age-old question: "When will I EVER need this?!?!?!"

My answer? I usually say: "You won't, but do it anyway! You can torture your own kids with it someday."

Humor can soothe a lot of angst. ;)

Summertime blahs...

A fellow author was complaining recently about her teenage daughter's penchant for sitting around doing nothing. I started thinking about it, wondering how many other moms and dads out there have this problem?

I remember during my summers off of school. I would be so thrilled for about a week or two, then bored out of my mind. I'd spend most of my time reading and watching television, with the odd trip or two to a pool with friends. Summer vacations were few and being a typical teen, I was determined to NOT enjoy them. LOL!

How do you keep your kids busy when the excitement of "No school!" becomes the whine of "I'm Bored!" ??? Or maybe worse yet, they just sit there like lumps of modeling clay, baking in the glow of the television screen, refusing to do a blasted thing?

I make mine read. Well, the older two don't need any threats where that's concerned. We also have the blessing of a YMCA family membership, so many afternoons are spent at the pool. They also have sleepovers; the odd movie here and there; lazy days watching cartoons and bouncing on the trampoline. My children are pretty good at keeping themselves entertained. It's when they start arguing that I have to step in and give them something different to do.

Anyone want to share their tricks or secrets? Or you can just vent if you'd like. (GGG)

Cats, kids and mothering...

The kids have all been sick over the past two weeks to varying degrees. Anyone from a larger family knows the drill: if one gets it, the rest will. And if it's really bad, then it gets passed back through for an encore.

So we have three on antibiotics; one with a residual cough; and one who is basically just cranky. Oh, then there's the sick cat.

Everyone has been worried about the cat. Her personality and habits changed dramatically; she wasn't eating much or drinking any water; all she wanted to do was sleep. Yeah, I was worried about the pet food recall for a time -- wondering if somehow she got hold of some bad food. Seems it's just a virus or infection. Honestly, I think she caught the family cold. :P

One dose of antibiotic and she's already feeling a bit better. She's chasing the kids; batting at moths... getting back to her natural self. It's such a relief! Being a people mom is hard enough -- mothering an animal is one monster of a job! Especially when you don't speak the native tongue. ;)

Kids and pets are so similiar -- no uproar, they are! You worry about them when they're sick; feel helpless when you can't 'fix it'; and baby them when they don't feel good. Case in point: the cat wouldn't drink water, so I enticed her with milk. She wouldn't eat cat food, so I brought out the tuna. Real tuna, not the cat food variety. Yes. We have been spoiling her rotten.

Now I'm curious to see what she'll expect as she gets better. Will she wonder where the milk is? Why the tuna doesn't appear at meal time? Will she boycot her usual meal?

The kids know that once they get better, the babying stops. Well, for the most part. Animals aren't quite capable of such logic. But I have a feeling the cat will accept her fate -- and eat the kitty kibble.

Unless someone happens to get a hankering for a tuna sandwhich. ;)