Ugh I really am struggling with the heat and, most especially, the humidity this weekend!
I don't deal with it well. I get grouchy. I complain about it endlessly "This heat is killing me", "I'm hot", "I hate the heat" ... Just ask my poor husband! The poor guy had to listen to me complain all weekend. My toes are like sausages and my feet are all puffy. I had to take my rings off because they were too tight. Just last week my rings were looser than they'd been for a while (thank you Weight Watchers). I'm bloaty and grumpy and just plain hot.
I didn't realize how much I truly appreciated the central air conditioning in the last house we lived in. Well, yeah I did realize it, because when it broke I was an absolute BEAR until it got fixed. lol Now we don't have it. We have fans - yeah, fans... how freaking useless are those suckers when the humidity is this high!
I hate thunderstorms, but I'm actually hoping for one tonight to cool things down.
Thank you for tolerating my rant tonight ... I can't think of anything more to say but Damn! It's hot and humid!
Give me a few months and I'll be bitching about the cold again ... you know how it goes...
~ Hagatha the witch ~
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Sunday, May 28, 2006
6 Years Ago Yesterday ...
Honey and I got married in France. Six Years! It seems like forever ago and we have accomplished so much in that time...
I just want to say I love you more than I did that day, Honey...
*~* HAPPY ANNIVERSARY *~*
Saturday, May 27, 2006
BEARS!
OK I love bears... I do... I love them when they are at Clark's Trained Bears in Lincoln, NH. In fact, we made it a yearly ritual to go there Memorial Day weekend and see if there were any new babies born over the winter every year and would go a few times during the season to see the bear show, go on the crazy train ride or just visit for the day...
Bears in my yard is not my idea of fun. No, not fun.... rather scary. Sure, I had bears in my yard when I lived in NH, but they didn't come this close to the house (that I saw anyways) and we had the big open field in front of the house and the woodline around it - so they'd pretty much stay in the wooded areas ... We're too close to the woods here. Too close! Can you tell this is freaking me out?
I was just outside getting our turkey mignons off the grill when our youngest cat was sitting on the step with the hairs standing up on her back. I figured it was our little raccoon friend that tore apart the bird feeders and keeps getting into our trash area. but noooooooo, I get in the house and the cat comes in with me. I went to sit in the livingroom when the cat went FLYING through the house to hide at the other end. I figured it was the raccoon outside so I went to look and to ask the kids (they were in the office watching tv and playing at their table) what scared the cat. I looked outside and there it was... right behind the grill ... It started walking along the treeline and I called hubby to come see. He saw it. It is a young one, which means momma bear may not be far behind ... and she's a LOT bigger! OMG this is freaking me out!
Now I know why the landlord asked us if we had a gun.... we don't have one, but I'm tempted to get one tomorrow for our anniversary. I was wondering what we could get eachother for an anniversary gift. Really, I don't think I'd dare to shoot a gun, but I think having one might be comforting... We have a lot of glass on the house, including the side door on the porch.. one bump of the door by a good-sized bear and it'll be in the house... No sireeeeeee, I don't want to deal with that. We now can't move out of this house fast enough... and I'm thinking Holland is sounding like a great place to move - It didn't look like there would be any bears hanging around the houses I looked at online over there!
Shit! a bear - too close - I don't like it.
Now I know I'm going with hubby every time he has a business trip overnight. No siree I'm not going to be in the house alone with the kids when the sucker (the bear) gets into the house...
Do you think it'll get into the house? Why am I freaking out? I'm a country girl for goodness sakes!
So what's a good bear deterrent? Do they make bear repellent? I could perhaps spray that on the boundry line daily? Like cat repellent ... yeah, that'd be a good idea...
Bears! I don't like them this close... tell me what to do.... someone? anyone? tell me... please...
Bears in my yard is not my idea of fun. No, not fun.... rather scary. Sure, I had bears in my yard when I lived in NH, but they didn't come this close to the house (that I saw anyways) and we had the big open field in front of the house and the woodline around it - so they'd pretty much stay in the wooded areas ... We're too close to the woods here. Too close! Can you tell this is freaking me out?
I was just outside getting our turkey mignons off the grill when our youngest cat was sitting on the step with the hairs standing up on her back. I figured it was our little raccoon friend that tore apart the bird feeders and keeps getting into our trash area. but noooooooo, I get in the house and the cat comes in with me. I went to sit in the livingroom when the cat went FLYING through the house to hide at the other end. I figured it was the raccoon outside so I went to look and to ask the kids (they were in the office watching tv and playing at their table) what scared the cat. I looked outside and there it was... right behind the grill ... It started walking along the treeline and I called hubby to come see. He saw it. It is a young one, which means momma bear may not be far behind ... and she's a LOT bigger! OMG this is freaking me out!
Now I know why the landlord asked us if we had a gun.... we don't have one, but I'm tempted to get one tomorrow for our anniversary. I was wondering what we could get eachother for an anniversary gift. Really, I don't think I'd dare to shoot a gun, but I think having one might be comforting... We have a lot of glass on the house, including the side door on the porch.. one bump of the door by a good-sized bear and it'll be in the house... No sireeeeeee, I don't want to deal with that. We now can't move out of this house fast enough... and I'm thinking Holland is sounding like a great place to move - It didn't look like there would be any bears hanging around the houses I looked at online over there!
Shit! a bear - too close - I don't like it.
Now I know I'm going with hubby every time he has a business trip overnight. No siree I'm not going to be in the house alone with the kids when the sucker (the bear) gets into the house...
Do you think it'll get into the house? Why am I freaking out? I'm a country girl for goodness sakes!
So what's a good bear deterrent? Do they make bear repellent? I could perhaps spray that on the boundry line daily? Like cat repellent ... yeah, that'd be a good idea...
Bears! I don't like them this close... tell me what to do.... someone? anyone? tell me... please...
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Autism ...
How it has touched dear friends of mine and how well their son is doing with it... I received this article yesterday from my friend, Jayne ... I wanted to share. I 100% believe this boy has come so far because of the dedication of his parents and, of course, the community acceptance and assistance he's received since diagnosis. ~Hagatha
"Your Hometown News"
Arts & EntertainmentObituariesPhoto ReprintsContact Us
Bedford Bulletin - Bow Times - Goffstown News - Hooksett Banner - Manchester Mirror - Salem Observer
Updated: 5/11/06
Goffstown
Like a switch was turned off Goffstown family appreciates the joys and deals with disappointments of autism
By Rod HansenStaff Writer
Goffstown News/Rod HansenNeil Hiltz of Goffstown, a fourth-grader at Bartlett Elementary School, displays a vacuum from his vast personal collection. His autistic condition led him to be fascinated with vacuums of all kinds.
“Autism is a disorder in which a young child cannot develop normal social relationships,” according to the Merck Manual of Medical Information.
The definition continues, a typical autism patient “uses language abnormally or not at all, behaves in compulsive and ritualistic ways, and may fail to develop normal intelligence.”
It’s a condition Jayne Hiltz acknowledges can be difficult and sometimes frustrating.
While it may explain Neil’s endearing qualities such as his curiosity and innocence, it may also lie behind more confounding aspects of his personality.
For example, Neil is fascinated with vacuum cleaners – there are 21 of them tucked away in closets and odd spots throughout the house. He prizes the appliances, and eagerly shows off his collection. Relatives often send him vacuum cleaners as gifts.
Neil also loves shampoo. With all their different colors and fragrances, Neil keeps bottles of the hair care product by the dozen.
It’s a perplexing condition, which Jayne said probably started in Neil’s 13th month of life, when the boy abruptly withdrew into himself. Neil had been making normal childhood inroads toward walking and talking, when his progress came to a sudden and heartbreaking stop, Jayne Hiltz recalls.
“It was as if someone turned off a switch one day,” Jayne writes in a short narrative of her son’s life. “Our happy chatty boy did not talk any more.”
The fears of Jayne and C.J. Hiltz were confirmed when Neil was diagnosed with autism at the age of 28 months.
Jayne said this change in her son occurred right around the time of Neil’s first round of childhood vaccinations, and that the two events might be more than a coincidence.
The Hiltz family is part of a class action lawsuit filed in U.S. Federal Claims Court in 2002 claiming childhood vaccinations led to autism in many cases.
The suit, titled Various Petitioners vs. the Department of Health and Human Services, says the thimerosal used as a preservative in vaccinations contains dangerous levels of mercury and may act as a neurological toxin.
“It’s kind of a big topic in the autism community,” Jayne Hiltz said about the vaccination controversy. “I can say Neil’s autism isn’t a genetic condition – no one else on either side of our family has it.”
The Hiltz family is being represented by the law firm of Shaheen and Gordon of Durham in the lawsuit.
Jayne Hiltz said she hopes the lawsuit will provide answers to why her son, and thousands of other children, suddenly fell into the grip of this condition.
“As parents, we’re looking for answers,” Jayne Hiltz said. “My son’s doing very well, but as an adult we don’t know if he’s going to be independent.”
Although Neil’s future independence remains an open question, members of his family, his school community, and mental health professionals are working to ensure he gets the most out of life today.
Jayne Hiltz credits early efforts to help her child with his current progress. Neil was involved in a home-based schooling program from the time he was 3, went to preschool for socialization at the age of 4, and continues to see a psychologist, a neurologist and receives counseling through the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester.
Neil also has been partially integrated into the classroom at Bartlett, where he works with one-on-one aid Sue Ward and autistic program teacher Kathleen Birdsey.
“It’s a team effort,” Jayne Hiltz said, noting that she keeps open communication between herself and the school about Neil’s progress. She said Ward will continue to work with Neil when he goes to middle school.
Neil’s education is typical of the 14 students in the school district diagnosed with autism, said Assistant Superintendent Stacy Buckley. Each student has an individualized education plan in which students are assessed on academic and social goals, with progress reports generally sent home around the time of report cards, Buckley said.
The social aspects of the individualized education plans are often just as important as the academic goals, particularly as students grow older, Buckley said. This can be especially true among students with Asperger’s syndrome, a less severe form of autism in which the patient may not understand the finer points of social interaction.
“Sometimes, it’s just a matter of showing (the student) about the give-and-take of conversations,” Buckley said.
“You might have to teach them that another person might not be interested in talking about trains for an hour,” Buckley said.
Jayne Hiltz credits the social and academic network behind her son for much of the boy’s progress. She said he is making strides both socially and academically, and said everyone from school administrators to Neil’s own sister Elizabeth, 13, play important roles in his development.
This development can be seen in all areas of Neil’s life.
Events that used to be traumatic now pass nearly unnoticed, Jayne Hiltz said. For example, she said a recent trip to the dentist did not prove nearly as distressing as she might have expected. After the visit to the dentist was over, Jayne rewarded her son the best way she knew how.
She took him to Wal-Mart to look at vacuum cleaners.
What is autism? By Darrell Halen Staff Writer
Autism is a complex developmental disability that impacts a person’s brain functions and, therefore, his or her communication and social interactions.
This neurological disorder typically appears in a person’s first three years.
“Typically, between (the) ages of 2 and 3, you start to notice that the child is not communicating effectively or there’s uneven skill development,” said Marguerite Tompkins, a preschool services teacher for the Pelham and Windham school districts.
Autism is known as a spectrum disorder. It affects each person differently and traits vary from mild to severe.
According to the Autism Society of America, an autistic person may exhibit any combination of the following symptoms:
aggressive behavior, self-injurious behavior, resistance to change, difficulty expressing needs, repeating words or language instead of normal language, gesturing and pointing instead of speaking, throwing tantrums, wanting to be alone, showing little eye contact, dislike of cuddling, inappropriate attachment to objects, lack of fear of dangers, overactivity and underactivity, uneven gross/fine motor skills, unresponsiveness to verbal cues, laughing, crying and showing distress for no apparent reason, unresponsiveness to teaching methods, playing oddly, spinning objects, and apparent oversensivity and undersensitivity to pain.
Dr. Leo Kanner, a psychiatrist who observed children, officially identified autistic children in 1943.
Before Kanner’s work, such children would have been labeled as emotionally disturbed or mentally retarded. Society’s understanding of the disorder has grown since Kanner’s contributions but there are still many unanswered questions about it.
There is no single known cause of autism, according to ASA. No gene has been identified as being responsible but experts believe the disorder is due to abnormalities in brain function and structure.
Differences in brain shape and structure have been found when comparing autistic children and non-autistic kids.
Experts at the ASA believe children are born with autism or are born with the potential to develop it.
The role of genetics is also supported by research that many autistic people come from families with a history of autism or related disabilities.
A study by the Institute of Medicine in Washington, D.C., ruled out a relationship between the measles/mumps/rubella vaccine and autism. It also ruled out a link between thimerosal and autism. Thimerosal is the ingredient in the vaccine many suspect as the cause of autism.
Nevertheless, many people still believe the vaccine theory, and there is a class-action lawsuit in federal court regarding that theory.
As many as 1.5 million children and adults in the United States are believed to be autistic, said the institute.
The milder the symptoms, the likelihood is greater that it will take longer for the problem to be recognized, Tompkins said.
There is no medical test for diagnosing autism. Professionals make a diagnosis based on a person’s behavior, communication and development levels.
More children are being diagnosed with it, but Tompkins said there’s speculation as to why that is.
But just because a person has autism doesn’t mean they can’t learn and be productive. Kids don’t outgrow the disorder but their symptoms will lessen as receive treatment and develop.
"Your Hometown News"
Arts & EntertainmentObituariesPhoto ReprintsContact Us
Bedford Bulletin - Bow Times - Goffstown News - Hooksett Banner - Manchester Mirror - Salem Observer
Updated: 5/11/06
Goffstown
Like a switch was turned off Goffstown family appreciates the joys and deals with disappointments of autism
By Rod HansenStaff Writer
Goffstown News/Rod HansenNeil Hiltz of Goffstown, a fourth-grader at Bartlett Elementary School, displays a vacuum from his vast personal collection. His autistic condition led him to be fascinated with vacuums of all kinds.
Neil Hiltz likes to ask questions. Lots of them.
The 10-year-old Bartlett Elementary School fourth-grader might ask, in rapid-fire succession, the make, model and year of a visitor’s car; why the car has four doors rather than two, and how fast the car can go on the highway.
He might switch topics entirely, and ask if the visitor has any brothers or sisters. How old are they?
Neil Hiltz is polite and respectful, and touchingly affectionate toward his mother, Jayne, and his sister, Elizabeth.
However, despite his impressive vocabulary and gentle demeanor, something sets Neil apart from other 10-year-old boys.
Neil Hiltz is autistic.
“Autism is a disorder in which a young child cannot develop normal social relationships,” according to the Merck Manual of Medical Information.
The definition continues, a typical autism patient “uses language abnormally or not at all, behaves in compulsive and ritualistic ways, and may fail to develop normal intelligence.”
It’s a condition Jayne Hiltz acknowledges can be difficult and sometimes frustrating.
While it may explain Neil’s endearing qualities such as his curiosity and innocence, it may also lie behind more confounding aspects of his personality.
For example, Neil is fascinated with vacuum cleaners – there are 21 of them tucked away in closets and odd spots throughout the house. He prizes the appliances, and eagerly shows off his collection. Relatives often send him vacuum cleaners as gifts.
Neil also loves shampoo. With all their different colors and fragrances, Neil keeps bottles of the hair care product by the dozen.
It’s a perplexing condition, which Jayne said probably started in Neil’s 13th month of life, when the boy abruptly withdrew into himself. Neil had been making normal childhood inroads toward walking and talking, when his progress came to a sudden and heartbreaking stop, Jayne Hiltz recalls.
“It was as if someone turned off a switch one day,” Jayne writes in a short narrative of her son’s life. “Our happy chatty boy did not talk any more.”
The fears of Jayne and C.J. Hiltz were confirmed when Neil was diagnosed with autism at the age of 28 months.
Jayne said this change in her son occurred right around the time of Neil’s first round of childhood vaccinations, and that the two events might be more than a coincidence.
The Hiltz family is part of a class action lawsuit filed in U.S. Federal Claims Court in 2002 claiming childhood vaccinations led to autism in many cases.
The suit, titled Various Petitioners vs. the Department of Health and Human Services, says the thimerosal used as a preservative in vaccinations contains dangerous levels of mercury and may act as a neurological toxin.
“It’s kind of a big topic in the autism community,” Jayne Hiltz said about the vaccination controversy. “I can say Neil’s autism isn’t a genetic condition – no one else on either side of our family has it.”
The Hiltz family is being represented by the law firm of Shaheen and Gordon of Durham in the lawsuit.
Jayne Hiltz said she hopes the lawsuit will provide answers to why her son, and thousands of other children, suddenly fell into the grip of this condition.
“As parents, we’re looking for answers,” Jayne Hiltz said. “My son’s doing very well, but as an adult we don’t know if he’s going to be independent.”
Although Neil’s future independence remains an open question, members of his family, his school community, and mental health professionals are working to ensure he gets the most out of life today.
Jayne Hiltz credits early efforts to help her child with his current progress. Neil was involved in a home-based schooling program from the time he was 3, went to preschool for socialization at the age of 4, and continues to see a psychologist, a neurologist and receives counseling through the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester.
Neil also has been partially integrated into the classroom at Bartlett, where he works with one-on-one aid Sue Ward and autistic program teacher Kathleen Birdsey.
“It’s a team effort,” Jayne Hiltz said, noting that she keeps open communication between herself and the school about Neil’s progress. She said Ward will continue to work with Neil when he goes to middle school.
Neil’s education is typical of the 14 students in the school district diagnosed with autism, said Assistant Superintendent Stacy Buckley. Each student has an individualized education plan in which students are assessed on academic and social goals, with progress reports generally sent home around the time of report cards, Buckley said.
The social aspects of the individualized education plans are often just as important as the academic goals, particularly as students grow older, Buckley said. This can be especially true among students with Asperger’s syndrome, a less severe form of autism in which the patient may not understand the finer points of social interaction.
“Sometimes, it’s just a matter of showing (the student) about the give-and-take of conversations,” Buckley said.
“You might have to teach them that another person might not be interested in talking about trains for an hour,” Buckley said.
Jayne Hiltz credits the social and academic network behind her son for much of the boy’s progress. She said he is making strides both socially and academically, and said everyone from school administrators to Neil’s own sister Elizabeth, 13, play important roles in his development.
This development can be seen in all areas of Neil’s life.
Events that used to be traumatic now pass nearly unnoticed, Jayne Hiltz said. For example, she said a recent trip to the dentist did not prove nearly as distressing as she might have expected. After the visit to the dentist was over, Jayne rewarded her son the best way she knew how.
She took him to Wal-Mart to look at vacuum cleaners.
What is autism? By Darrell Halen Staff Writer
Autism is a complex developmental disability that impacts a person’s brain functions and, therefore, his or her communication and social interactions.
This neurological disorder typically appears in a person’s first three years.
“Typically, between (the) ages of 2 and 3, you start to notice that the child is not communicating effectively or there’s uneven skill development,” said Marguerite Tompkins, a preschool services teacher for the Pelham and Windham school districts.
Autism is known as a spectrum disorder. It affects each person differently and traits vary from mild to severe.
According to the Autism Society of America, an autistic person may exhibit any combination of the following symptoms:
aggressive behavior, self-injurious behavior, resistance to change, difficulty expressing needs, repeating words or language instead of normal language, gesturing and pointing instead of speaking, throwing tantrums, wanting to be alone, showing little eye contact, dislike of cuddling, inappropriate attachment to objects, lack of fear of dangers, overactivity and underactivity, uneven gross/fine motor skills, unresponsiveness to verbal cues, laughing, crying and showing distress for no apparent reason, unresponsiveness to teaching methods, playing oddly, spinning objects, and apparent oversensivity and undersensitivity to pain.
Dr. Leo Kanner, a psychiatrist who observed children, officially identified autistic children in 1943.
Before Kanner’s work, such children would have been labeled as emotionally disturbed or mentally retarded. Society’s understanding of the disorder has grown since Kanner’s contributions but there are still many unanswered questions about it.
There is no single known cause of autism, according to ASA. No gene has been identified as being responsible but experts believe the disorder is due to abnormalities in brain function and structure.
Differences in brain shape and structure have been found when comparing autistic children and non-autistic kids.
Experts at the ASA believe children are born with autism or are born with the potential to develop it.
The role of genetics is also supported by research that many autistic people come from families with a history of autism or related disabilities.
A study by the Institute of Medicine in Washington, D.C., ruled out a relationship between the measles/mumps/rubella vaccine and autism. It also ruled out a link between thimerosal and autism. Thimerosal is the ingredient in the vaccine many suspect as the cause of autism.
Nevertheless, many people still believe the vaccine theory, and there is a class-action lawsuit in federal court regarding that theory.
As many as 1.5 million children and adults in the United States are believed to be autistic, said the institute.
The milder the symptoms, the likelihood is greater that it will take longer for the problem to be recognized, Tompkins said.
There is no medical test for diagnosing autism. Professionals make a diagnosis based on a person’s behavior, communication and development levels.
More children are being diagnosed with it, but Tompkins said there’s speculation as to why that is.
But just because a person has autism doesn’t mean they can’t learn and be productive. Kids don’t outgrow the disorder but their symptoms will lessen as receive treatment and develop.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Patience ...
I once had patience ... now it's being tested
The first two choices of where we would want to settle in France has been scratched. Where oh where are we going to land ... The latest options are
Spain (Barcelona)
Holland
Italy
Before you say "those are great places to live", YOU go live there first ... ok?
All require learning another language. Give me a break! I said to my dear husband, "we might as well move to CHINA!" - and his reply, "that's an option too"
I've FESTERED all weekend over the latest choices ... and FESTERED is what I did, truly and completely...
I know we will find out something more concrete soon - but I want SOON to get here now so I can prepare emotionally and physically for the big move, the big change...
For the record, I will not move to Holland and I will not be smoking pot with a former friend that lives there... there, I said it! (for the record, I don't smoke pot anyways, but apparently it is legal there and the subject has been brought up via emails... lol ... That did make me laugh though - thanks ladies!)
Back to the move ... We'll be fine no matter where we go and as long as there are laws and procedures regarding peanut and other nut allergies in the schools, product labeling, etc... We won't go anywhere that our precious Little Miss would be in danger...
I know my hubby will look out for our happiness in the long run - he's always taking that into consideration .. and if it's a couple years in China, so be it .... OMG I didn't just say that, did I?
Pray for us ... I think we're going to need a lot of prayers over the next few months... but we'll be fine - yeah, if I can just convince myself of that, we're good...
Have a peaceful day ~Hagatha, the worried~
The first two choices of where we would want to settle in France has been scratched. Where oh where are we going to land ... The latest options are
Spain (Barcelona)
Holland
Italy
Before you say "those are great places to live", YOU go live there first ... ok?
All require learning another language. Give me a break! I said to my dear husband, "we might as well move to CHINA!" - and his reply, "that's an option too"
I've FESTERED all weekend over the latest choices ... and FESTERED is what I did, truly and completely...
I know we will find out something more concrete soon - but I want SOON to get here now so I can prepare emotionally and physically for the big move, the big change...
For the record, I will not move to Holland and I will not be smoking pot with a former friend that lives there... there, I said it! (for the record, I don't smoke pot anyways, but apparently it is legal there and the subject has been brought up via emails... lol ... That did make me laugh though - thanks ladies!)
Back to the move ... We'll be fine no matter where we go and as long as there are laws and procedures regarding peanut and other nut allergies in the schools, product labeling, etc... We won't go anywhere that our precious Little Miss would be in danger...
I know my hubby will look out for our happiness in the long run - he's always taking that into consideration .. and if it's a couple years in China, so be it .... OMG I didn't just say that, did I?
Pray for us ... I think we're going to need a lot of prayers over the next few months... but we'll be fine - yeah, if I can just convince myself of that, we're good...
Have a peaceful day ~Hagatha, the worried~
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Birthdays Celebrated
We've had two birthdays in the last few weeks. First it was little Man who turned three and wanted a race car theme...
Here's his cake
and the happy 3 yr old himself
Then Little Miss wanted a My Little Pony theme for her 5th birthday ... and she had it
Here's her cake
In her glory of FIVE!
Three and Five ... WOW! In the last several months we have celebrated loose teeth and then lost teeth - two gone and one still a wigglin'... potty training little man and riding scooters... rollerskating and bowling - bicycles and pumping feet on swings...
In March we celebrated C's 22nd Birthday ... and next month is N's turn to celebrate 19!
Where did high school go? Weren't they just in 4th and 7th grade? Now they have jobs, apartments, boyfriends and broken hearts... They drive their cars and go to Dunkin Donuts for coffee, call their mom for recipes and words that heal, for plant tickets and money for overdue bills... From kindergarten to concerts, tattoos & young adulthood, they've grown so quickly...
Miss C
Miss N
matching sister tattoos
Reflections, memories, laughter and love. Cherish every second - in a wink time has passed...
~hagatha the nostalgic~
Here's his cake
and the happy 3 yr old himself
Then Little Miss wanted a My Little Pony theme for her 5th birthday ... and she had it
Here's her cake
In her glory of FIVE!
Three and Five ... WOW! In the last several months we have celebrated loose teeth and then lost teeth - two gone and one still a wigglin'... potty training little man and riding scooters... rollerskating and bowling - bicycles and pumping feet on swings...
In March we celebrated C's 22nd Birthday ... and next month is N's turn to celebrate 19!
Where did high school go? Weren't they just in 4th and 7th grade? Now they have jobs, apartments, boyfriends and broken hearts... They drive their cars and go to Dunkin Donuts for coffee, call their mom for recipes and words that heal, for plant tickets and money for overdue bills... From kindergarten to concerts, tattoos & young adulthood, they've grown so quickly...
Miss C
Miss N
matching sister tattoos
Reflections, memories, laughter and love. Cherish every second - in a wink time has passed...
~hagatha the nostalgic~
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Calls in the middle of the night ...
There's nothing that can get a mom up on her feet and running in the wee hours of the morning like a phone call in the middle of her sleep. The heart is racing, the mind is racing and you wonder WHO could it be and are they alright! I had a call like that at 5:30 this morning. Moms know that 5:30 in the morning, for a 19 and 22 year old, is the middle of their night.
Thank God it was nothing serious - just a panicky call from the oldest daughter living in another State with a worrisome health question. All is okay - after one and a half hours of talking to Mom everything is fine in her head now. She knows what she needs to do and she knows I'm waiting for an update later in the day. Female issues that I won't post here because it isn't significant. All will be fine... but DAMN those calls scare me!
I'm very lucky that my girls will consult with me about ANYTHING. When I say anything, I mean ANYTHING... This is good. Sometimes it's way too much information, but I'd rather they ask me than someone that would/could mislead them.
The last two days have been full of the older kids needing advice and needing to vent ... They know I've got unlimited long distance so we hash over things for HOURS sometimes ... The problem with this is that the little one's take full advantage of mom being distracted on the telephone... and there's always - really, ALWAYS something that happens when mom is on the phone... It's a given. All I have to say is this: Thank God for cordless phones!
I remember when the older one's were little. The phone would ring and I'd would be literally stuck to the kitchen wall (oh we had a long cord on our phone, but never long enough). Mom on the phone was like a license to do ANYTHING they wanted ...It's funny how the girls knew just how far I could go with that cord and would stand just out of my reach and talk back, do dumb things that they know they shouldn't be doing... I'd be in the middle of conversation with someone on the phone and would have to give them "the look", threaten them silently with hand gestures and finger pointing, throwing a magazine in their direction, or huffing "NO" silently at them to get them to stop... No, they wouldn't stop and by the time I said goodbye to whomever I was conversing with on the phone they would have literally RUN like hell because they knew they were in big trouble. Finally, after much time of this crazy behavior I assured the child that I would put the phone down in the middle of any phone conversation, and I would, then run like hell to catch the little bugger! Yeah, those were the days before cordless.
Nowadays I can run after the little one's AND carry on a conversation with the person on the other end of the phone.... but the kids still test us, don't they? It's still a license to do whatever you want - no holds barred - party time for the 3 and 5 year old. The 5 year old is really good at this. I wonder if she's had pow-wow's with the older two to know exactly how it's done or if it just comes naturally... Whatever the case, it's annoying as hell. The phone rings and I just know something is going to happen ... someone is scheming on how to get into trouble right in front of Mom and get away with it...
Yet, the phone calls are good. They keep Momma sane. Oh yes they do. They allow her to escape into adult conversations, even just for a little bit... so don't you dare stop calling!
The one's in the middle of the night though, THOSE are the worst... Thank God it's usually just a frazzled older child learning the lessons of life and needing Mom to put it all into perspective in her dazed, sleepy way... I pray to God that I never get one of the BAD calls in the middle of the night. I think that is the one thing us Mom's dread the most.
Thank God it was nothing serious - just a panicky call from the oldest daughter living in another State with a worrisome health question. All is okay - after one and a half hours of talking to Mom everything is fine in her head now. She knows what she needs to do and she knows I'm waiting for an update later in the day. Female issues that I won't post here because it isn't significant. All will be fine... but DAMN those calls scare me!
I'm very lucky that my girls will consult with me about ANYTHING. When I say anything, I mean ANYTHING... This is good. Sometimes it's way too much information, but I'd rather they ask me than someone that would/could mislead them.
The last two days have been full of the older kids needing advice and needing to vent ... They know I've got unlimited long distance so we hash over things for HOURS sometimes ... The problem with this is that the little one's take full advantage of mom being distracted on the telephone... and there's always - really, ALWAYS something that happens when mom is on the phone... It's a given. All I have to say is this: Thank God for cordless phones!
I remember when the older one's were little. The phone would ring and I'd would be literally stuck to the kitchen wall (oh we had a long cord on our phone, but never long enough). Mom on the phone was like a license to do ANYTHING they wanted ...It's funny how the girls knew just how far I could go with that cord and would stand just out of my reach and talk back, do dumb things that they know they shouldn't be doing... I'd be in the middle of conversation with someone on the phone and would have to give them "the look", threaten them silently with hand gestures and finger pointing, throwing a magazine in their direction, or huffing "NO" silently at them to get them to stop... No, they wouldn't stop and by the time I said goodbye to whomever I was conversing with on the phone they would have literally RUN like hell because they knew they were in big trouble. Finally, after much time of this crazy behavior I assured the child that I would put the phone down in the middle of any phone conversation, and I would, then run like hell to catch the little bugger! Yeah, those were the days before cordless.
Nowadays I can run after the little one's AND carry on a conversation with the person on the other end of the phone.... but the kids still test us, don't they? It's still a license to do whatever you want - no holds barred - party time for the 3 and 5 year old. The 5 year old is really good at this. I wonder if she's had pow-wow's with the older two to know exactly how it's done or if it just comes naturally... Whatever the case, it's annoying as hell. The phone rings and I just know something is going to happen ... someone is scheming on how to get into trouble right in front of Mom and get away with it...
Yet, the phone calls are good. They keep Momma sane. Oh yes they do. They allow her to escape into adult conversations, even just for a little bit... so don't you dare stop calling!
The one's in the middle of the night though, THOSE are the worst... Thank God it's usually just a frazzled older child learning the lessons of life and needing Mom to put it all into perspective in her dazed, sleepy way... I pray to God that I never get one of the BAD calls in the middle of the night. I think that is the one thing us Mom's dread the most.
Monday, May 15, 2006
If being a mom was a paying job ....
I'd be calling in sick today! The little monsters are in full bratty speed ahead and I can't keep up with their antics today. Every five minutes there is someone screeching for help or crying because someone took someone else's toy or isn't sharing ... I really need to take a sick day!
I have a headache.
The 19yr old is mad because she can't move into her new apartment yet and keeps calling me to complain endlessly .. I hung up on her once when she started yelling at ME about it (I have no part in this apartment renting venture of hers - well aside from being there to help her move in when it's time, then she'll be sweet)...
I really have a headache.
The monsters are devouring pizza as I type and then they will go to this special mommy heaven called NAPTIME.... ahhh
Momma has a headache...
You know what my 5 year old just told me? Momma, stop whining!
Lord HELP me today!
Did I tell you I have a headache...?
I have a headache.
The 19yr old is mad because she can't move into her new apartment yet and keeps calling me to complain endlessly .. I hung up on her once when she started yelling at ME about it (I have no part in this apartment renting venture of hers - well aside from being there to help her move in when it's time, then she'll be sweet)...
I really have a headache.
The monsters are devouring pizza as I type and then they will go to this special mommy heaven called NAPTIME.... ahhh
Momma has a headache...
You know what my 5 year old just told me? Momma, stop whining!
Lord HELP me today!
Did I tell you I have a headache...?
*~* Happy Mother's Day *~*
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This is where I spent a good part of my Mother's Day... See the new white rocking chairs? Yeah, pretty sweet, huh... I got those as a present this morning.
Of course Mother's Day is not all about getting presents. It's a day to think back on the days before you had children - for me that's a stretch because I simply can't remember back that far, nor do I want to... I love being mommy...
I counted all my blessings today - including my sweet hubby, who took the kids over completely and played umpteen games to keep them quiet and happy while Momma had a day off. I got to shop for flowers for my window boxes all by my own self and then planted them with care. I had lots of help with the watering and you can see the remnants of the help on the porch floor - oh, and on the bathroom floor ... and the hallway floor ... the entranceway floor too. Why do they make children's watering pots so leaky, I wonder?
I hope that you had a mom to go visit and tell that you love her for all she does... I told my mom, who, I know was looking down on all her children today and also counting her blessings for each and every one of us. I wish I could wrap my arms around her and tell her how much I miss her, especially on these special days... I look forward to the day when we have our own plot of land to garden and plant in memory of her again and it shall be the most wonderful display of color and love to make up for the years that I have not had that luxury...
Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I love you more today than ever and I will rejoice the day I see you again in heaven. (I do hope I will go to heaven anyways).
This was not supposed to be a sad blog entry so I will wipe away those darned tears and move on...
I hope all you mommies out there had a wonderful day.... and Honey, even though I would have been perfectly happy without the presents... thank you so much ... and keep them coming!
I love you!
~hagatha the happy mommy~
Saturday, May 13, 2006
These Houses ....
Ever go hunting for a new house online? Seems simple enough - you look - you like - you call the realtor and you go see ... Not so easy when you are moving to another country. YES we are moving to another country this summer - France to be exact. Where in France? Your guess would be as good as mine right now. Hopefully we will know soon. We will not buy a house immediately, but it sure is nice to look and see what's available in the different areas so when we do know where we want to go, we have some direction.
I like all of these houses. The first one here is the one I love the best because it has such a lovely yard and lots of green and parennial/vegetable gardening potential... but what about an inground pool... oh yes, that's on the priority list too if we are where the weather is nice year 'round.
I'll certainly keep you posted on the whats and whens and the OMG it's really happening once I know something concrete.... the waiting and wondering is hell, I must say.
Renting houses sucks... plain and simple. You live in someone else's house and you can't do anything to alter it and make it your home... By altering I mean painting, stenciling, individualizing the kids' rooms or hanging large things that need large nails, for example. So we live in a home of white - or eggshell - or unfinished (as is the case with our current "home" ... and make the best of it. Outside you can't have a wrap-around deck or your choice of shrubbery (well, the last house we were in there was nothing so the homeowner was sure happy to have me plant shrubs, parennials, anything to my hearts content [and I did and it was quite beautiful if I do say so myself], but then when it was time to move the bastard kept most of our security deposit for reasons that didn't exist... Yeah, I should have gone to small claims court and fought for our sd, but the neighbors that knew the condition of the house when we left was in Florida for the winter months... so no witness.. Such is life... Now we are in a pretty decent house that remains in unfinishedness with all the promises beforehand that it would have been finished - but I'm not bitter (lol)...
So the move to France .. There were lots of concerns, but they've been relieved. Little Miss' peanut allergy will be taken seriously there in the schools and the packaging is labelled better than here in the good ol USA. PLUS we will be a back-to-basics kind of family when we get there because we'll have our vegetable garden(s) and outdoor markets to go to... The kind of markets where you can buy a live chicken and bring it home to prepare for dinner (I would NEVER do that), where there are tables of freshly killed, gutted and feathered whole ducks are lined up on a table and rows and rows of fresh produce of all kinds to be purchased at a good price ... ahhh I do love that kind of living! So the prepared foods in our pantry will be scarce.
Both of the little one's have been practicing their French speaking with their Papa. Little Miss(5) is very good at it and I'm surprised at her curiousness and willingness to learn all she can so she can "talk with her new friends when we move to France". Little Man(3) is asking how to say lots of English words in French and those little faces speaking another language I could look at and listen to all day! I imagine them speaking fluently in French at some point and it just tickles my heart ...
The older girls, C and N, are very supportive, although sad to see us move so far. They will remain in the US... C in NewEngland and N in NY to finish out her remaining 3 yrs in college. C is so willing to jump on a plane as she truly enjoys the big adventure of going abroad. She adapted so well when we lived in France 6yrs ago and is excited to go venture out again on her visits. N hates to fly. She is alright on the bigger planes, but it's those little one's that go this way and that way with the turbulence and on take-off & landing that she doesn't like so well. But she will do it, because she loves us...
Back to the houses ... our two choices of where to move are Tarbes, where we lived before, in the Pyreneese Mountains or in La Rochelle, near the ocean and long, sandy beaches (and of course we'd need a pool!) I'm thinking about no snow for the next many many years. While I enjoy the snow for a little while every winter, It'll be nice to not have to deal with it or the cold... We can CHOOSE to see the snow with a short drive to either the Pyreneese or Alps, depending on where we will settle... Eventually, and not too long after moving, we'd like to truly settle somewhere not too far from our French family. The little one's should grow up in the presence of their grandparents and the grandparents need to experience all the joy these two little monkeys can bring to them ... They have truly lost out on a lot with them already and it's important to us to make that up to them ....
So my heart is ready for this change ... I'm embracing the journey our family will be taking... but there's a big part of my heart that'll remain back "home" in the good ol USA with the older girls...
~enjoy your day and embrace each moment~
Hagatha
Friday, May 12, 2006
Eyeglass Sculpture
Ever wonder what your three year old could possibly want with your glasses? I used to...
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Hagatha LIVES
It's been a long time, hasn't it? I lost track of my previous blog info so have to start over. Sorry if you started out with me the last time and I deserted you. This time, I'm here to stay!
Let's start with a picture ... Tell me the first thing that comes to mind when you look at it...
Trust me, there's lots of blogging to be said about this subject ...
~link me~
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