the sacrificial mom

I 'got' to see the re-release of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in a 3-D double feature this week....twice. It was only going to be in theaters for two weeks. I promised the boys we would go. But on Sunday, our planned day to see this big ticket movie, one of my boys was sick - with mono. So I only took the two older boys promising the sickie that I would take him one day during the week while he was home from school anyway. So on Tuesday, I picked him up from school early (mono isn't as debilitating in a 9 y/o) and went and sat thru three hours of two movies-I-have-probably-seen-at-least-a-dozen-times-each.....again! I'm telling you, that is sacrificial love for you. The kind of sacrifice only a mother's love is willing to give.

I was looking forward to seeing the movies....once. They are definitely in my top favorite kid's movies - Pixar does it right! But twice in one week is just a little much. Although I did enjoy hearing each boy laugh during the movie - that makes it all worth it!

What's with the squirrels?

I have had so many squirrels run out in front of my car lately. Is it because its fall and they are all in "gathering" mode right now? I don't know but I think the squirrel population is going to go down soon since they keep running out in front of traffic.

I am always thinking, "Do I swerve to avoid it or hope it gets out of the way?" I don't want to hit the thing but its not worth causing an accident either. Jay has noticed them too and he would be traumatized if I hit one! (I'm not kidding.) So for now I guess I will do my best to avoid them.

And I thought we had dodged a bullet....er a button.

With boys ages 14, 12 and 9 I really thought I had avoided having a child get a small object stuck in his nose or ear. But today my 12 y/o let me check that off my parenting list. I was about to eat my lunch when I hear his panicked voice from downstairs saying, "Mom, I got a button stuck in my ear!" Then he says, "Am I going to die?"

I assured Jay that as far as I know, no one has died from getting a button stuck in his/her ear. At the same time I am wondering if my afternoon is going to be spent at the dr's office or urgent care to get it out. But fortunately it wasn't lodge too far in and Dr. Mom was able to extract it with a pair of tweezers.

Jay promised to never stick a button in his ear again. Glad to hear it!

Another note to self....

I'm not a big fan of Nicholas Sparks novels. I just listened to one while I was making a road trip. I chose it because nothing looked better at the Cracker Barrel but now I wish I had chosen the Bourne novel they had. Anything has to be better and more exciting that listening to the thoughts of the same man, who falls in love with the same woman who ends up tragically dying that are in every novel he writes!

Note to self....

Stephen King is not my cup of tea! I know you're wondering why I even have to make a mental note of this. If you know me, then you know I am not into horror movies, like Cujo, Carrie, The Shinning. But did you know that Stephen King wrote the Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and Stand By Me. Those are the kinds of Stephen King movies I may want to avoid. I really like the Shawshank Redemption but seeing The Green Mile was quite disturbing for me.

A couple of weeks ago James rented Stand By Me for us to watch. I wasn't really in the Stand By Me mood but I sat with my hubby and watched with him. He kept saying things like, "I don't remember this part." I would say, "You don't remember the leeches!?!" and "You don't remember the pie eating contest!?!" It is not a calm, happy-ending movie and I didn't remember that there were serveral emotionally wrenching scenes. I think each boy was weeping/wailing at some point in the movie. Although Vern's face when he was running on the train bridge was quite amusing!

My sweet boy

Jay has this crush on a girl who was in his class. He was talking about her last night so I asked him what it is about her that he likes. He said, "Her pretty face, the way she helps me in school, her curly hair.....oh but sometimes her pretty face makes me nervous."

He is just the sweetest boy I know!

Have some McCrack

So I go into McDonald's with my kids after their last day of school for the year to 'celebrate'. Now, McDonald's is not my favorite place to go for lunch and I often refuse, especially since seeing the documentary Super Size Me. (If you haven't seen it and like McD's, don't see it or you will never want to consume fast food again.) So the boys realized it was a treat. We walk in and the place is packed and there is someone walking around giving away small iced mochas - their new 'McCafe' drink for the summer.

I am not much of a coffee drinker but I did try one of their hot lattes once when I needed a little pick-me-up. My bff, Rhonda, raves about them. This experience was very funny and I won't go into it now but....I threw the thing out after only a few sips because it tasted something like gasoline and according to my kids who were in the car, it smelled much worse.

So as this employee (another rant I could go on but that would make this post super long) offers me a free iced mocha (or 'Frappe' as McD's is calling them), I am thinking I should say no because I don't like McD's coffee drinks but for some reason I say - "Okay, sure, I'll give it a try." I blame it on the whipped cream loaded on top. I'm a sucker for whipped cream.

I think they put some kind of addictive substance in these drinks because it is all I can think about the past couple of weeks. I found some coupons for free ones in the paper and I felt like I struck gold and have used them all up. I heard an ad for these iced coffees on the radio and there was a little disclaimer at the end that said something about not all restaurants are participating and this is for a limited time only. What do you mean a limited time only!!! You cannot take my McCrack away from me! They are like drug dealers who offer you some free stuff to try, knowing that once you try it you'll be hooked. And it worked! I'm hooked! Don't you dare discontinue to offer my "legal, addictive stimulant"* without consulting me first McDude!

My husband is a little worried about me and this whole McCrack....um, I mean McCafe thing. I don't think he has anything to worry about. I could stop at any time I want to. I just don't want to.

*from You've Got Mail