Video Christmas Card

Here's a blast from the past--last Christmas, to be exact. Reagan and I had the opportunity to sing together at our church. Can you believe how much younger/smaller she is? So figity and wiggly, but so cute!

Merry Christmas!

Sibling Rivalry

Reagan simply refuses to be upstaged by Presley. (It gets a little ugly toward the end.)

Worst Mom Moment of the Year

To read all about my terrible "stage mom" moment, check out Reagan's blog: http://reagangibbs.blogspot.com/2008/12/reagans-big-finish.html.


Also, for fun, here's an "Ultimate Bucket List" that I found on Angie Hunt's blog. You're supposed to copy/paste it into your blog then put an * beside everything you've done. Finally, add one thing that you have done to the bottom of the list. I challenge my readers (all three of you) to post it on your blog!

*1. Started your own blog
*2. Slept under the stars
*3. Played in a band
*4. Visited Hawaii
*5. Watched a meteor shower
*6. Given more than you can afford to charity
*7. Been to Disneyworld
8. Climbed a mountain
*9. Held a praying mantis
*10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
*14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
*16. Had food poisoning (but my parents swear it was a virus)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
*18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
*21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
*23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill (can't specifically remember, but I'm sure I have)
*24. Built a snow fort
*25. Held a lamb
26. Run a marathon
*27. Gone skinny dipping (but only with girlfriends in the country)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (have seen a partial)
*30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run (does T-ball count?)
32. Been on a cruise (does the General Jackson count?)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
*35. Seen an Amish community
*36. Taught yourself a new language
*37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
*41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
*45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
*46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
*51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
*52. Kissed in the rain
*53. Played in the mud
*54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
*57. Started a business (sort of; I work for myself)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
*60. Served at a soup kitchen
*61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
*63. Got flowers for no reason
*64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
*69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
*70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
*71. Eaten Caviar
*72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades (I went canoeing in a swamp in FL with gators. Does that count?)
75. Been fired/laid off from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
*78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
*79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
*80. Published a book (contributor, not author)
81. Visited the Vatican
*82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
*84. Had your picture in the newspaper
*85. Read the entire Bible
*86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (my dad has MANY times)
*88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
*91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
*93. Lost a loved one
*94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
*98. Owned a cell phone
*99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
*101. Learned to play an instrument
102. Kissed the Blarney Stone
103. Ridden a camel
*104. Sung on and album/CD

Reagan's Big Finish

You may have already heard that Reagan had "walking" pneumonia this week. Apparently there's a contagious strain going around (one of Reagan's classmates had it). But after a couple of "sick" days at home and a snow day as well, Reagan had recuperated...or so we thought.

Saturday night was the be the culmination of all Reagan's rehearsals at church. She would be singing her duet in "Fear Not Factor." Both sets of grandparents were coming (one set drove over 3 hours to be there). We had pre-purchased a copy of the professional DVD. We were all eager to see Reagan do what she loves: perform!

But just minutes before she was to leave for church, she complained about her chest hurting. Scott and I kept telling her it was probably from all the coughing over the last week. Or it might have been the slice and a half of pizza she had just eaten. I gave her a Tums and sent her on her way with Daddy.

At church, Scott said she was still complaining. I found her and gave her another Tums and a cup of water. I told one of the youth to keep an eye on her and mentioned that she wasn't feeling well to one of the directors. Just as the kids were getting on stage, another parent brought her to us and said she wasn't feeling well. Ms. Sandy, our children's pastor, came by and said to let her go up on stage as soon as she felt ready.

We tried. We bribed, we threatened. We actually got her up there for a song...then she came back down. We guilted and coerced. She went up again but barely sang and did about half of her choreography. Then it was time for her song.

She was visibly upset. Scott went to get her off the stage...she was almost in tears. He got close but then stopped because she seemed to be trying to sing her duet. It was pretty bad. She was barely singing and nearly crying (and so was Mama, who felt bad for pushing her up there), but she got all the way through it...sort of.

At the end of the song, Reagan totally upstaged her duet partner by losing her dinner on the stage! Scott moved with lightening speed to get her out of there. I ran out to meet them in the bathroom, where Reagan threw up again and I cried some more, feeling like the worst mother on the planet for forcing her on stage.

The good news is that within minutes Reagan actually did feel better. It stuck with Mama much longer. (I put on a brave face for our friends at church, but I cried even more that night in bed. Really felt awful about the whole thing.)

Like a real trooper, on Sunday morning, Reagan woke up ready to sing again! She sang "Who Would Imagine a King" with Mama and a group of 6 kids in both services, and did a great job! So...she's not giving up her performing career just yet. But we've learned to listen to her when she says she doesn't feel well and can't perform.

And although we didn't take any pictures or tape it Saturday night, we did have these pics from last week's dress rehearsal. Oh, and there is the matter of the professional DVD. We'll have to wait and see if they cut out the throw-up scene. Should be interesting...

Away in a Manger

Presley had her first public performance today, as she sang "Away in a Manger" with her toddler class at church. Now, Presley sings at home all the time--just not on demand. In fact, if you ask her to sing, most often she will not. But if she doesn't think you're listening, she'll belt out any number of tunes at the top of her tiny lungs.

Today was hit & miss. In the first service, she sang most of the song and even did a few motions. But she also spent part of the song touching the baby Jesus in the manger. Being the only girl in a sea of boys, I guess no one else was that interested in the doll--but Presley sure was! In the second service, most of the kids were tired, and none of them really sang much. And again, Presley was more interested in the baby Jesus than singing.

Regardless, she was simply adorable in both services!

Joyland

This has been a busy week(end) for us, but we've got one big event now behind us: the Joyland mini-musical. Reagan was a hit as a Shirley Temple doll! (Isn't that wig outrageous? And adorable!) It was very cute to see her sing/dance/pose as ST. Scott also got in the act as a "shopper" who chose to buy her at the end of the show.

And just before Joyland, Presley's toddler class sang "Away in a Manger." She did a great job but was a little distracted by the baby Jesus (a doll). She kept trying to touch him and was shielding him from the other children. She's very greedy, er, protective like that.

Since Mama also sang "The Name" this morning, it was a busy day for us all!

Say What?

Presley is at such a fun age! If she thinks you're not listening, you can get a full concert of her singing anything from the ABC song to "Who Would Imagine a King." (Mama and Reagan have been practicing that one lately.

Presley also never ceases to amaze us with her vocabulary and the interesting way she says things. Here are a few of her current favorite sayings:

• "Dat not berry fair!" (That's not very fair.)


• "My tummy making me hungry."


• "I not a baby--I a big girl!" or "I a baby--not a big girl!" (whichever suits her needs at that moment)


• "I not pee-pee in the potty--just change my diaper!"(potty training isn't going so well)


• "I want you, Mama." (usually spoken when I'm seated at the computer)

ICE!!!

Before Thanksgiving, we took the girls to see ICE! at the old Gaslight Theatre, which used to be a part of Opryland. (The Gaslight was the home of one of my favorite Opryland shows, "For Me and My Gal." It was also the home of CMT's "Pop! Goes the Country." I went to a taping once to get a closer look at Bryan White, whom I had a huge crush on when I first moved to Nashville.)

But I digress...ICE! was lovely to look at--quite amazing, really, that they can do all that with ice. But it was extremely COLD! They give you big parkas to wear over your own coat. Fortunately, we also had gloves, hats, and scarves. The theme was "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," and it had all the expected elements of Whoville. The girls enjoyed it, although Presley said, "It scare me" a few times. (She has sinced asked to go back several times.) My only complaint is that there really just wasn't enough of it. In fact, we backtracked and saw everything twice.

Presley's favorite thing was the giant ice slide. She made Daddy and Mama take her down it several times. Reagan was content with once. We were all impressed that the final room was filled with sculptures of the nativity...Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, shepherds, angels, etc. And the real Christmas story was being played in that room. Not a watered-down "holiday" version...the real thing.

It was a fun outing for us all and a great start to the Christmas season.

Truer Than She Knows

I didn't hear the first part of the argument or what prompted these words, but here's what I overheard Reagan say today:

"Presley, I'm not your servant! Mama and Daddy are both of our servants."

Reagan's Busy Holiday Season

Now that Reagan's a big five-year-old, she really needs her own day planner to keep up with her schedule. Besides all her school activities (parties, reindeer day, gingerbread day, holidays around the world, etc.), she's involved in several Christmas programs at church. She's doing "Fear Not Factor" with the big kids. It's a musical--all the kids are angels--and Reagan has a duet with Reece (Curry's older brother). Then, because the Pre-K class is full of boys and no girls, Reagan was asked to be in their mini-musical, "Joyland." She gets to be a Shirley Temple doll--so cute! Finally, Mama is organizing a group of kids to do a nativity scene and sing "Who Would Imagine a King" with her, and Reagan is singing in that and will probably be an angel. And did I mention that she and I would be singing that song together at Grandma & Grandpa's church this weekend? Busy, busy!


Reagan got her performance season off to a great start Saturday night, when she danced at the Hanging of the Green at church. Reagan got to dance with her beloved teacher, Mrs. Donna, and her friend Gracie and another "big girl" Jacqueline. Reagan did such a great job, and she took the whole thing very seriously! Unfortunately, our video camera did not work. But, fortunately, Gracie's parents took photos. Here she is, our tiny dancer:

Half of Our Christmas Card

We spent a couple of hours at the Opryland Hotel on November 1. According to their calendar, the Christmas decorations should have been up at that time. And while some were, the really iconic ones (like the poinsettia tree and the big tree in the Delta section) were not. Nonetheless, we put Christmas sweaters on the girls and attempted to get a picture suitable for our Christmas card. My dad had his fabulous camera (I would compare it to a semi-automatic weapon, in terms of shutter speed) and took over 100 photos. It was pretty hard to tell what we had until we got home and uploaded them to the computer. But with that many shots, we were sure we had something that would work. But we were wrong.

Most of them looked like this:

Or this:

And not one of them was picture-perfect enough for our Christmas card. :(

If I were a master of PhotoShop, maybe I could cut/paste one together. This one of Scott and me isn't too bad. It was actually of all four of us--I cropped the children out. Think anyone will miss them on our card?

Reagan's Sweet, Sensitive Heart

I didn't get to witness this story (got it second-hand from Scott), but it made me tear up a little when I heard it.

Scott had planned to take Monday off work, and I mentioned to him that it might be a good chance for him to have lunch at Reagan's school since he had been wanting to. Her school encourages parents to come anytime they'd like. When your parent has lunch at school, you get to pick a friend and eat with your parent and friend up on the stage area of the cafeteria. A few weeks ago Reagan got to have lunch with Grandma, Grandpa, Presley, and Mama--and she invited her good friend Azur along.

Tonight when Scott took Reagan to bed, he asked if she'd like him to come have lunch with her on Monday. Of course she was excited. She said, "And I'm going to invite Drew up on the stage with me." Having been around Reagan's entire class on numerous occasions (including an all-day field trip), if there was one kid in the class that I would expect her to never want to be friends with, it would be Drew. The kid clearly has ADHD--and heavy on the H for hyperactivity. He's in trouble A LOT! He has bloodied a kid's nose on the playground (and this is Kindergarten!!!). Even Scott had heard a few Drew stories, so he asked, "Really? You want to invite Drew?" And Reagan said, "Well, nobody ever invites Drew up on the stage. So I'm going to invite him."

What a sweet, tender heart! Mama is so proud--and glad it's Daddy and not her who gets to have lunch with Drew.

Do You Mind?

I hated to make Presley's adorable JoJo pics drop down on the page, so I added another one to this unrelated post. But I just had to write about Presley's latest language development. For the last couple of weeks, Presley has been saying pretty much whatever she wants--and we can actually understand most of it. But she said something yesterday that cracked me up.

We were watching TV--specifically football--when Presley asked, "You mind changing the channel?" (No, I didn't. But apparently Daddy did.)

Then again this morning, as she had joined us in bed before 6:00 a.m., she asked, "You mind turning the TV on for me?"

I love her new "Do you mind?" way of asking for things! So cute!

TinkerBell

Reagan continued with her TinkerBell obsession by dressing as her for Halloween.






Apparently, her cousin Ashley likes Tink too!

JoJo the Clown

Here's Presley in her JoJo costume for Halloween. It was quite a hit!

And with her cousin Ashley and Reagan (both as TinkerBell).

Halloween

Aren't JoJo and Tink the cutest?

Slippery Slopes

It amazes me how desensitized to things I can become. When I was a kid, if you heard "crap" or some similar word on a TV show, it was the exception--not the norm. Now, you can say all manner of things on TV that I won't print here, because I like to keep my blog G-rated.

But there's a far more troubling area that our entire country seems to have become desensitized to: abortion. When I was in college, I remember wearing my "As a former fetus, I oppose abortion" shirt with pride and vigor. There certainly weren't many who openly supported abortion. It was more of an ugly little secret. I mean, nobody wanted to get an abortion, right?

Sadly, abortion is no longer shocking or even shunned in our society. Nope, regular early-term abortions are a mere fact of life, although still unpleasant. Now we've moved on to debate partial-birth abortion. If you've never researched what this is, and have merely heard the term on a newscast, you simply must Google it. This is heinous, by anyone's standards. And yet Barack Obama has refused to vote against it, instead voting "present." A "present" vote is a coward's retreat--a meaningless vote that allows him to continue to say that he hasn't supported partial-birth abortion. Obama has voted "present" 129 times in the senate on various issues.

So we see the slippery slope: We become "okay" with abortion--nobody likes it, but it's an unpleasant necessity. Then we accept partial-birth abortion--because apparently not everyone knows they want an abortion in the early stages of pregnancy. Now it has come to this: we are actually faced with the decision of what to do when a baby survives an abortion. (Yes, it does happen.)

How could that actually even be a question? If a live baby is born, how could any doctor who has pledged to "first do no harm" let that innocent child die? And yet, it would seem that Barack Obama would allow that to happen (http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=7030bd098cca768e72d111&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url).

We've all heard Obama say that nobody likes abortion...that he would take measures to limit abortion...but the truth is that his voting record does not back up those statements. He has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood, is openly lauded on the NARAL Pro-Choice America website, and his own words continue to reveal his stance:

• "Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade, it's never been more important to protect a woman's right to choose... I've been a consistent and strong supporter of reproductive justice, and have consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America."
• "I am pro-choice. I believe in Roe v. Wade..."
• "I've got two daughters...if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby. "

Here's a copy of his voting record:
http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=9490

Granted, the Republican candidate's stance on abortion isn't as strong as I would like. But at least it appears he hasn't gone down the same slippery slope as the Democratic frontrunner.

Is there anything more important to life as we know it than life itself?

Reagan is Out Standing in Her Field

Get it? Outstanding (out standing)? OK, bad joke. This is a pic of Reagan at Walden Farm.

Our Little Pumpkin

Presley got to visit Walden Farm last weekend. She saw lots of pumpkins and got her face painted--cute!

Pumpkin Patch

Now that I'm on Facebook, I sometimes upload photos or videos there and forget that I haven't posted to my blog. These photos are from last weekend at Walden Farms. The girls had a great time petting the animals, walking through the cornfield, getting their faces painted, and just enjoying the outdoors.

Celebrity Sighting

Scott and I had dinner for his birthday tonight at the Cheesecake Factory in Green Hills Mall. (Thanks, Sarah, for offering to watch the kids!) After dinner, Scott wanted to walk to the Apple store and check it out. I, personally, wanted to get back to the kids and had very little interest in the Apple store--or the mall on a Saturday night, for that matter. But we took the little detour and, after consulting a directory, finally found the Apple store. (It was totally geeked out, btw.)

On the way back through the mall, we both did a double-take as we spotted James Marsden. In our house, he is best known as Edward from Enchanted. He's also been in the X-Men movies as well as one of my favorite shows from a while back, Second Noah. He had a little girl, about two- or three-years-old on his shoulders (I assume that was his daughter), and absolutely no one seemed to be bothering him. You gotta love Nashville, perhaps the only place on earth where a bona fide movie star can walk through the mall on Saturday night and nobody seems to care.

Pumpkins!

Last week Scott and the girls carved the two pumpkins that Grandma & Grandpa brought us. Actually, I traced the patterns and Scott did the carving. The girls mostly watched. This year, we found Disney patterns--how perfect for our little princesses! Cinderella turned out beautifully:

but her castle actually looks like a "spooky" castle--not a "princessy" one. What can I say? I was working with a lopsided pumpkin!

Here's a pic of what Cinderella looks like all lit up (pretty--but maybe a little creepy, too):

She's Got the Right Attitude

This week we said good-bye to a dear friend, our former neighbor Ashley, who lost a six-year battle with cancer. (More details at: http://valsmomblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/ashley.html) Reagan has known Ashley since she was an infant, and Ashley was the only non-family babysitter Reagan had as a baby.

When I got the news on Monday that Ashley had passed, I was worried about how to tell Reagan. Reagan knows about death and heaven because she has lost three great-grandparents in the last few years, and we explained that their bodies were worn out and tired, and they were going to heaven to get new healthy bodies and be with God. But this is the first time Reagan has known a young person who died (Ashley was only 23). And, most recently, Reagan has been praying, "Thank You, God, that You are healing Ashley." I wondered how she would respond to God's choice of ultimate healing, rather than earthly healing, for Ashley.

I guess I underestimated her. When I told her Ashley had gone to heaven to be with Jesus, Reagan didn't get sad at all. In fact, she kept asking me why I was so sad. (Honestly, I found it a little disturbing that she wasn't more upset.) But then, as the day went by, she did say a few times that she was sad and would miss Ashley.

Then, last night as we were getting ready to go to Ashley's visitation, I was giving Reagan the behavior talk: "We need to be respectful. And quiet. There might be some very sad people. Some might be crying. We're not sad because Ashley went to heaven; we're just sad because we'll miss her."

Then Reagan said with earnest excitement and amazement, "I wish I was Miss Ashley! I want to go in heaven! They have streets of gold--that's metal!"

Wow, if we could all have that attitude.

Presley's New Skill

I have video of Presley demonstrating her latest skill, but since I try to keep this blog G-rated (or at least PG), I'll have to offer a description and keep the video for private viewing (but, wow, is it ever funny!).

So one morning when Scott was out of town, I was taking a shower when Presley burst in and said she needed to use the potty. I told her I couldn't help right now, but if she could get her shorts and diaper off, she could do it herself. She managed to do that, and within seconds she had used the little potty. I did the whole, "Good job, Presley!" routine and told her she'd have to wait a minute for me to help her. But she said, "I do it myself." She promptly pulled the removable bowl from the potty chair, opened the big potty, and dumped the contents in. (Good start!) She then stood on the step-stool and pulled herself up on the sink, balancing with her bear bottom in plain view. She then turned on the water and filled up the potty bowl, dumped it, filled it, dumped it, etc., to rinse it out. Then, she got some soap from the dispenser and washed her little hands!

This process was so amazing to me that I had her repeat it for Daddy that evening, and then for Grandma and Grandpa when they visited. In fact, Presley was so proud that she told Grandpa, "Get your camera!" so he could tape her doing it. If you're ever over to our house, we'll show it to you...we could probably win $10,000 from AFV with that one--but our daughter's modesty is worth more to us than that.

Ashley

Our dear, sweet friend Ashley went home to be with Jesus Sunday afternoon, surrounded by friends and family. Her last words were, "I love you" to those who had gathered to sing hymns and pray at her bedside. Her service will be this Wednesday at Judson Baptist Church.

If you are not familiar with Ashley's story, you can read about it in this post: http://valsmomblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/pray-for-ashley.html

Our hearts are breaking for her family, but we know that their hope is in Jesus too. Please pray as they continue to deal with this devastating loss.

My Little Cookies

A while back, I entered a contest to win a vacation to Disney World. Well, more like, I entered dozens of contests to win various Disney vacations or prizes. (I have a website I visit periodically and enter the ones that don't take up too much time or effort.) Anyhow, one of these contests was from Cookie magazine. I believe I had to write a fifty-word essay about my idea of a perfect day at Disney. Honestly, I couldn't have put much effort into it, because I forgot I had even entered it. But, I was chosen as a finalist! And, no, I didn't win a Disney vacation, but I did win a CD of children's music and t-shirts for me and the girls. Mine was just a red shirt with "Cookie" on it. The girls' shirts were considerably cuter. I didn't request any particular style--just gave them the sizes and they sent these:

Looks like they nailed their personalities! Presley is definitely the "tough cookie" while Reagan is more of a "smart cookie." Couldn't have chosen better myself! (BTW, these were taken just after the girls got out of the shower; thus, the wet-n-wild hair.)

Another Plea for Ashley

I just received the most recent update on my neighbor Ashley, and the news is very grim. While they still carry hope in their hearts, I believe the family is coming to terms with the notion that Ashley has very little time left on this earth. I'm no mind-reader or doctor, but from the last email, I would guess days, not weeks.

I'm asking those of you who have followed her story (or are simply prayer warriors who have stopped by) to bathe Ashley and her family in prayer at this time. I don't know what God's plan is. Certainly He could choose to heal Ashley, even now, for we know that with God all things are possible. But it would seem He has made another choice. Despite how sad that makes me, I know that even in Ashley's death, God will be glorified and lives will be blessed.

Specific things to pray for: Ashley's pain is great, and she struggles to breathe. Pray for physical relief and continued optimism. And pray that she'll be able to leave this world peacefully, if that is God's will. Many family and friends have gathered; pray for peace and comforting times and sweet memories to be shared among them. Pray especially for Ashley's mother Judy, who is dealing with unimaginable grief and has not completely healed from her own breast cancer surgery. And also for Alli, Ashley's sister, who has been an amazing nurse and confidant for Ashley. Then, finally, pray that God's hand would be evident in every step of this journey. Let everyone who came near be a witness to God's great power and mercy and strength, as displayed in this family. Amen.

Yet Another Reason...

...I will be voting Republican in this election.

Here's a new number I just heard on the Today show: $995. That's the MOST money Joe Biden has given to charity in the last ten years--the MOST!!! I won't go into specifics of my own numbers (not because I'm ashamed, but because I know my friends read this blog and it's tacky to talk about money among friends), but Scott and I give considerably more than that. . . considerably. (The bulk of it goes to our church, but we also support a number of local and national charities.) Now, I consider us a pretty average American couple. Certainly we have more than many, but we are by no means wealthy. Yet, when I compare our numbers to those of Joe Biden, I am astounded. The average family in America gives 2% of their income to charitable organizations. The Democratic nominee for Vice President gives less than one hundredth of one percent.

Here are the numbers (year, adjusted gross income, charitable donations, percentage of income):

1998--$215,432--$195--.0009%

1999--$210,797--$120--.00056%

2000--$219,953--$360--.0016%

2001--$220,712--$360--.0016%

2002--$227,811--$260--.0011%

2003--$231,375--$260--.0011%

2004--$234,271--$380--.0016%

2005--$321,379--$380--.0012%

2006--$248,459--$380--.0015%

2007--$319,853--$995--.0031%

(An aside: Republicans are often criticized for being greedy and Democrats are certainly on record as supporters of our welfare system. It strikes me as ironic that studies have shown that conservatives give more than liberals. Here's one story, but a simple Google search will yield dozens: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=2682730)

Here's another number: $15,000. That's how much Biden spends on train tickets each year, commuting between his $3 million home in Delaware and Washington, DC. But don't worry, he doesn't pay for those.

Do you think this man can really relate to the economic issues of middle America?

Oh, by the way, here's a report on John McCain's giving (a very different story): http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/4437/john-mccain-discloses-data-on-his-charity-giving

And here's the Obama info (better than Biden, but nowhere near McCain): http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2008/03/obama-releases.html

Here's Palin's (not as good as I had hoped, but still outshines Biden by a country mile): http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/5900/gov-palin-releases-tax-returns-reveals-charitable-giving

Can You Hear Me NOW!!!

Presley has developed an annoying habit of asking for something over and over and over...even after we have said no. Only, she doesn't just make her demand the same each time. She slows down, articulating each word as well as her little two-year-old language skills will permit, emphasizing then final word. It goes a little something like this:

Presley: I want treat.
Mama: Not right now.
Presley: I want treat!
Mama: No, you have to eat something healthy first.
Presley: I...want...treat...right...now.
Mama: You're not getting a treat.
Presley: I. Want. Treat. Right. NOW!!!

Obviously, this little tactic doesn't work (I'm tougher than that, people!), but it does keep us entertained.

Reagan's Crazy Costumes

Every day is Halloween around our house, as Reagan creates unique costumes from her existing wardrobe. And, boy, does she have an extensive dress-up wardrobe! Besides the many princess costumes and accessories that we have purchased for her, she was the beneficiary of a substantial collection of hand-me-down costumes from her cousin Camille. It's almost uncommon for Reagan to get through a whole day without putting on some sort of costume piece or accessory. Here's a pic of one of her latest creations:

The pants are part of her SSA (standard school attire). The top is half of an Ariel costume, and she has complemented it with fairy wings. Then we have the pink fuzzy slippers and the red Snow White purse. The tiara is generic and not associated with any particular princess. The necklace is also Ariel, and I believe it came from a Happy Meal. The piece de resistance is the Austin Powers sunglasses with yellow lenses. (Those were Mama's from oh-so-long ago.)

She has a fashion sense all her own!

It's the Little Things in Life

I'm trying to have an "attitude of gratitude" these days. I know I can fixate on the negative and let it take over, forgetting how much I have and how good I have it. So, here's a little list of things I enjoy, things that make my life a little bit better:

• Sugar cubes. Or "dots," as they're sometimes called. I remember these being in our church kitchen when I was a kid. I love them in my coffee or tea because they're just a bit more fun than the traditional spoonful of sugar. They make me feel more refined, more British.



• Nice pens. Many of you know I have an affinity for office supplies (don't even get me started on Sharpies!). But there's nothing quite like a pen that feels good in your hand and writes flawlessly and effortlessly. Pilot is a favorite brand of mine.



• Fun shoes. (See my earlier post.)



• A fresh, untouched Sunday newspaper. Now, lately I am most annoyed with the Tennessean. They are ever-so biased in their political reporting (in favor of the "opposing" team). But I do love to sit and read the paper slowly, and in whatever order I choose, without having to share it.



• Great songs. I don't mean fun songs that have a great beat (although I like those too). I mean a song that has clever, meaningful lyrics--a song that makes you wish you had written it. My favorite artists are also songwriters, and I'm a closet songwriter myself. As a copywriter, my job is to put the appropriate words together into sentences--words that convey my meaning and capture interest. But a songwriter has to do that PLUS put it into a specific rhythmic pattern and make it fit with the melodic line. Now that's talent.



• Photographs. In this digital age, we tend to take a lot of pics and hit the delete button more than we probably should. Many of these gems never get printed. But I still like holding a photo in my hand. I like to put them in albums and look at them in groups. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer flipping through old albums to clicking on thumbnails.



• Feather pillows. They're getting harder to find, but I have one that my mother had before me. It's probably as old as I am, if not older. Some of the feathers have come out, and the seams have been re-sewn many times, but I still love it.

This, of course, is just a partial list. And it doesn't begin to cover the "big" things I'm thankful for--my God and my family would top that list. So, what are you thankful for?

What I'm Learning About Single Parents

My dear husband, Scott, is out of town for five days--can you hear the screams coming from Magnolia Lane? It's actually quite rare that he has to be gone, but when he does, I usually call in the grandparents for reinforcement. (They will be arriving later this afternoon.) In the mean time, let me share a few things I have learned about single parents in the last twenty-four hours:

• Single parents need more time to do everything. Why? Because they only have one set of hands to comb all the hair, button all the buttons, and tie all the shoes. Admittedly, I handle most of the morning school rush. But if Reagan happens to finish breakfast before Presley, as she often does, I know I can send her upstairs and Scott will help facilitate the whole "use the bathroom and brush your teeth" process. (And it is a process, seriously.) When Scott isn't here, I find Reagan has fallen back to sleep on the stairway.
• Single parents can't possibly awaken early enough to have time to themselves. On a normal day, I get up around 5:30 or 5:45 (yes, that's a.m.) to read my Bible and have a twenty-minute workout. Then I grab a shower and am ready to get Reagan up by 6:30. But Presley inevitably wakes up sometime in the 6:00 range. No problem--I just put her in bed with Scott and continue with my plans. But when Scott's not here...you guessed it. I must halt mid-workout to fetch milk or turn on Elmo. And then I hear, "I want you, Mama." That means, "Come sit with me...I need attention!"
• Single parents are always indebted to someone, and that feeling stinks. Having friends that are willing to help is wonderful. But being on the receiving end of free childcare makes me uncomfortable. When it's an even trade, I don't mind. I do my stint in the church nursery on Sunday mornings, so I'm OK with dropping Presley at the door. But on Wednesday nights, while I'm at rehearsal, I feel a twinge of guilt at putting her in a nursery that I never help in...especially when she's the only child other than the nursery worker's son!!! But, when Daddy's not home, you do what you have to do.
• Single parents have to make all the decisions. OK, so some single parents actually have exes who help with major decisions, such as public vs. private school and whether to take dance lessons or play soccer. But when it comes to the day to day, the parent in possession of the kids has to make a LOT of decisions on her own: like whether to take the kid to the dr. or just wait it out, or what punishment is appropriate for a kid who sasses a teacher. (These are mere examples; my kid has never sassed a teacher!!!)

This is just a drop in the bucket. I didn't even go into the financial ramifications...whoah. I'm just so grateful I have a husband who is helpful and is almost always home with us! But, seriously, when are the grandparents getting here?!?

My B-day Shoes

For my birthday, I decided to buy some expensive, frivolous shoes. I wanted them to be fun first, and not necessarily functional. And I planned to spend more than I usually do on shoes...it was my birthday, after all. But when I went shopping, I was overwhelmed. It had been so long since I bought shoes just for fun that I didn't even know what I liked. DSW and Off Broadway had so many styles to choose from, but nothing jumped out at me. I left without new shoes.


But while shopping for Reagan at Ross, I decided to check out their shoes...and I found these:


You may not be able to tell from the photos, but they are fabulous--and ridiculous! They have a bit of a platform, about five inch heels, peep-toe, and they lace up the front. They are houndstooth plaid and black patent leather. Yet, here's the funny thing, they're actually rather practical. I've worn them several times already. They can be worn with jeans and dress pants or with dresses and opaque tights. And they're not terribly uncomfortable--not bad at all.


Here's the best part: they were cheap (about 1/3 of what I was planning to pay). Happy birthday to me! :)

When I Grow Up...

Recently at Awana, the kids got Fun Fair points for dressing as what they want to be when they grow up. I felt certain that Reagan would either say a princess or a ballerina, but no. I guess starting kindergarten has had an impression on her, because Reagan chose to dress as a teacher. She comes from a family of teachers (Grandma and both her sisters are teachers, as is Reagan's Aunt Sharon), so it's probably in her blood. In case you can't tell from the photos, she's holding a ruler and her grade book/lesson plans. She also has a very grown-up hairstyle--a low ponytail with a sort of French twist in the back.

Reagan has been playing teacher at home quite a bit too. She loves bossing Presley around. I've learned which kids in Reagan's class must get in trouble a lot, too, because Reagan calls on her imaginary students and has them "take a break" (time out) or put their names on the board. There are a few names that just keep coming up.

More Funny Things She Says

This morning on the ride home from dropping Reagan at school, Presley points out the window and says,"Look! Starbucks! Let's get coffee!" When I didn't go for it, she said, "There McDonalds. Go there." Do I need to remind you that this two-year-old can't read? Yet she knows every logo out there!
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Two nights ago, at the dinner table, Presley was having a slice of American cheese (seriously, the kid would live on cheese if we let her). She put the half-eaten slice of cheese flat in the palm of her hand and said, "Do you want to listen to my iPod?"
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Mama got her hair cut this week! When I came home from the salon, I asked Reagan if she liked it and she did. I asked Presley the same thing, and she said no. Later that evening, as I was getting Presley into her PJs, she said, "Haircut." So I said, "Yes, Mama got a haircut." She then said, "I don't like it. I don't like it. I don't like it," emphasizing the "don't" each time. The next morning, I got a repeat performance: "Haircut. I don't like it."

5 Things I Hate about the Car Rider Lane

1. Having to arrive 30 minutes before school gets out. Seriously, if I don't do this, I end up in the street...and Reagan panics and cries.
2. Parents who leave their cars in the lane unattended. This causes those of us behind you much grief. Do we pull around? Wait for you to return and then move up? Will you return before school dismisses? WHERE ARE YOU!!!
3. People who smoke. If I have to sit for 30 minutes with my windows down (because I can't afford to idle my engine for that long!), why must I breathe in your disgusting habit?
4. Entertaining the two-year-old. I usually bring snacks (which invariably end up all over the car seat) and let Presley watch a DVD while we wait, but she still gets rather restless.
5. The busy-body mom who thinks she's the traffic director. She will literally come to your window and ask you to start up your engine, put it in gear, and pull up exactly 17 inches. I am not even kidding. Hey, I appreciate the fact that there are people in the street--but I'm not willing to risk my bumper to see that they get in the parking lot. Furthermore, if everyone would stay by their cars (unlike you, who are at my window!--see #3) we could all pull up completely at the start, and this wouldn't be an issue.

Still, I just can't put my five-year-old on a bus. And so...I wait...

Ashley Update

I received another email update on my neighbor, Ashley. (If you're not familiar with her story, you can read this post http://valsmomblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/pray-for-ashley.html.) Today's update came from her sister Alli, rather than Judy, her mom. I think this is in part because Judy recently had her own cancer surgery, but mostly because she just isn't emotionally able to put everything into words right now. The situation is dire, to say the least. And yet, as always, Ashley's faith remains strong. They truly are an amazing family. I wish you could all know them personally!

In my last update, I mentioned that they were raising funds to send Ashley to Oasis of Hope in Mexico. The money came through with amazing speed, and Ashley was able to go and receive treatment. Certainly the doctors there were hopeful, but also realistic. Only time will tell if Ashley's body has enough fight left in it--although her spirit certainly does!

Here's sweet Alli's update:

Dearest Friends and Family,

When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blessed assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well with my soul.

I love the verses of this song…and I don’t think I could have come up with greater words than these to describe the spiritual condition of our family right now. Mom is usually the one to give these updates, but I (Alli) will do my best. As many of you know, Ashley has taken a physical turn for the worse. I say physical, because her spirit is still fighting this battle! Her tumors have increased in size and number in the past several weeks. he result of these increases is greater pain throughout her body. It’s as if a firing squad has been given random orders to fire merciless shots throughout her body. In addition to pain, she has almost completely lost the strength and feeling in her legs leaving her frustrated, immobile and in need of a great deal of assistance. After spending a week at Vanderbilt Hospital for pain control, Ashley’s doctors felt that it would be more comfortable for her to come home under Hospice care. On Friday they moved her home with a hospital bed, wheelchair, unbelievable amounts of pain medication, and around the clock nursing staff.

This has been a bittersweet transition for all of us. Bitter, because of the implication that exists with a move to Hospice care, and sweet because we are all here together and friends and family can come and go as they please. It will still take a little “getting used to.” Mom is still experiencing considerable pain from her own surgery, but I’m not sure that it can compare to the pain she is feeling in her heart right now. I suppose if God would just lay his hand right on her chest…it would pretty much cover all the right areas! She is having a hard time being physically weak when she wants to be strong. There is one thing she just can’t seem to get off of her mind though…Thank You Notes! I know…crazy huh? Every day I hear, “Alli, there are just so many people that have given so much. I need to thank them. I can’t forget to write!” So I figured I would just take care of that little job for her by writing to you.

This Paragraph is devoted to you “saints” that have been praying and serving our family for so many years… Someone asked me the other day, “Alli, how are YOU doing through all of this?” My answer was, “I think a lot of people must be praying, because I’m doing OK.” I hope you all know that your prayers are not hitting the ceiling! They are flowing straight up and into our home. I know for a fact that we would be falling apart without the spiritual support that we receive from you, our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. God is good! He always provides for us. I am convinced that every time you have whispered a prayer on our behalf, an action has been carried out in our lives. When you asked God to give me strength, I probably made it up the stairs one more time with a plate of food. When you asked God to give Mom rest, her best friend flew in from Illinois. When you prayed that Dad would be less stressed, he got a different job! You see! You are all warriors fighting this great battle right along side of us. Thank you notes just wouldn’t be sufficient. I think crowns would be much more appropriate! We have put in a large order to heaven, and you will all be receiving one when you get there!

God has blessed us with such wonderful support. He has kept us fed, clean, and emotionally stable through the hands of His children. Though our hearts are breaking right now as we find ourselves standing in our very own “Gethsemane” asking God if there is any other way, we can honestly say that it IS “well with our souls.” It is well because God is in control. It is well because He loves us more than we could ever know. It is well because He loves Ashley more than we do. It is well because His plan is perfect. It is well because He WILL BE GLORIFIED!

I love you and I am so blessed to have you in my life. Thank you for your prayers and support during this time. Please continue to pray for Ashley’s physical restoration, and Gods will to prevail!

In Christ Jesus,
Alli

Minimum Wage vs. Living Wage

Maybe once this election is over, I'll stop all these political posts. But right now I have the proverbial "bee in my bonnet," and I can't help myself.

We've all been hit by the tough economy. Gas reached the $4 mark in some areas, milk is hovering around $3.50 here in Nashville, and every time I visit my salon, it seems the price of a haircut has escalated. So, why don't I support Barack Obama's plan to raise minimum wage to $9.50/hr. by 2011?

First, let's look at the current minimum wage: $6.55 since July 2008. A person working 40 hours a week for a full 52 weeks (hopefully getting a week or two of that in paid vacation time), would earn $13, 624 before taxes. I certainly don't disagree that a family of four can't live on that wage! (But I will counter that in 1994, when I moved here, my first full-time job paid only $12,240/year, and within three years I was a homeowner--on my own and without financial support.) Still, Obama's plan would earn that same worker, working the same hours, only $19,760. And, of course, this will be in 2011--no telling what inflation will have done to us by then! My point is, this increase won't do much to help families being supported by one person earning minimum wage.

Minimum wage is just that: the minimum. And, I propose, it is designed for "minimum" employees. It is meant for low-commitment jobs with little or no training, where the expectations are low. And there's nothing wrong with that! If I were still a teenager and wanted some spending money for the weekends, I'd probably seek out a minimum wage job. Or if, say, I was retired and wanted something to keep me busy for a few hours each day without a lot of stress or commitment, that would be a great fit. And, hey, if I liked it, and I did it pretty well, I would expect to be compensated a bit more as I got some experience under my belt. But, still, I'd be in it for the short-term. When it stopped being fun or profitable, I would walk away.

Minimum wage jobs are not intended for the primary bread-winner of the family! It is not meant to provide the so-called "living wage." And if you're next counter-point is about those who can't afford an education, let me stop you right there. There are decent-paying jobs out there, even for the under-educated, if they're willing to work. And I don't necessarily mean tough labor, either. I mean, if they're willing to work on themselves--to smile, be friendly, use good manors, study, etc. For example, who makes more money, the server who grumbles about their station in life, is unwilling to make an extra effort, or the one who smiles and speaks warmly, and does whatever it takes to make his or her guests happy? Duh! If you're working for tips, this is a no-brainer.

Still, outside of restaurant service (which, by the way, IMHO is under-paid, as the federal minimum wage for servers has been stuck at $2.13/hr. since 1991), there are other industries that reward effort. Sales is a great example--and the US average income for a sales rep or manager is around $48,000/year! No degree needed. Food prep is another area where skill and ability can often trump education and experience (who cares, as long as it tastes good, right?). The national salary average for a food prep supervisor is a respectable $35, 964.

Here are some other jobs that don't require degrees (although some require training), but pay rather well:

• Air Traffic Controller ($102,030/year)
• Storage & Distribution Manager ($66,600)
• Sanitation Worker ($32,000-59,000, depending on experience; $65,000 in California)
• Funeral Director ($79,517)
• Police or Detective Supervisor ($64,430)
• Transportation Manager ($66,600)

And, as an aside, although I usually take advantage of free babysitting from family members, when I do pay a babysitter, I pay $10/hour--more than Obama's proposed change for 2011--because I don't want a "minimum" babysitter.

To sum up, if you want to earn a living wage, you need to be more than a minimum employee. Do your homework, make the effort, and seek gainful employment in a field that can provide for your needs. Even then, I know many families have financial struggles (I could go on and on about living within your means, but that's another post entirely). But struggle is the sign that someone is trying . . . trying really hard to get ahead. I can respect struggle. I can even support it.

Reagan's Prayers

Reagan has really taken an interest in saying her own prayers, both at meals and before bed. They can be quite simple or, at times, rather elaborate. But they are most certainly sincere and heartfelt. Here's a sampling:

"Dear Lord, thank you for our food. And thank you for our beautiful smiles . . . and our beautiful voices--our whisper voices and our calling voices and our singing voices . . . "

"Dear Lord, thank you for taking away my fear in the Halloween store . . . "

"Dear Lord, thank you for a great Thursday! And thank you that you are the best God!"

"Thank you that you gave us Jesus, for Him to die on the cross so that we could go to heaven."

As Reagan would say, it "just swells my heart to pieces" to hear those tiny prayers.

How Big Is Presley? Soooo Big!

Presley is now sleeping paci-free! That's right, folks. Presley has given up her paci, and I can't believe how easy it was! I meant to start weaning her from it last weekend, but I kinda forgot until it was already bedtime--and giving up an attachment like that needs a little mental/emotional preparation. So, I decided I'd try it on naps this week and then start doing it at night on the weekend. Of course, as things usually go around here, I put it off until Wednesday.

At around 9:00 a.m. (early, I know), Presley started saying she wanted a nap. Knowing that she has a habit of asking to nap just so she can have a few minutes with her paci (and then "wakes up" about ten minutes later), I told her she could nap, but she couldn't have her paci. She, of course, protested by repeatedly saying, "I want my paci!" I let her lay in my bed with me a few minutes, but she continued with her whining/crying. So, I put her in the crib and told her she could get up anytime she wanted, but she would not get her paci. After lots of crying, I finally convinced her to get up and have lunch and try again later.

After lunch, I started bribing. I told her she'd get a treat if she took a nap without a paci. And when she has been sleeping without her paci for a whole week, I promised to buy her a toy. After that brief discussion, she went down without the paci and without incident. Ten minutes later, "Mama, I wake up from my nap!" Put her back down. Ten minutes later, same thing. But on the third try (fourth, if you're counting the 9:00 attempt), she went down and stayed. . . for at least 45 minutes! (We're calling that a nap.)

Yesterday, she went down for her nap with no tears or complaining without her paci! She slept for two hours! We were so excited that we decided to ask if she wanted to sleep without it last night. At first, she said no, but then I offered her a treat in the morning and reminded her about the toy I had promised her, and she decided she would sleep without it. Again, she went down with no tears, and we didn't hear a peep out of her until morning!!!

But, of course, the first thing she said to me this morning was, "I want toy!" Hey, what can I say? Bribery works!

Why We Should All Vote

I think I'm finally excited about the presidential election! With the loss of Mike Huckabee (who would still win my vote in a second!) way back when, I couldn't really get behind the Republicans. Oh, believe me, I could still vote against the liberal left, but I just wasn't gung ho about it. Now, with the addition of Sarah Palin to the ticket, I'm finally at peace about my vote. (Say what you will about her family values and having a pregnant teen, but I've seen this happen to families that I respected and would never have thought it possible. The fact is, despite our best efforts, sometimes our kids don't follow our lead.)

And speaking of being excited about voting, my mom sent me an email this week about women's suffrage that reminded me how important it is for us to exercise that right. Most of us think of Susan B. Anthony when women's suffrage comes to mind. We probably think of women in those long, buttoned-up dresses and big hats giving speaches. But women's suffrage wasn't just about a few civic-minded women carrying signs, and it wasn't as civilized as most history lessons would have us believe. Women were wrongfully imprisoned in filthy cells; they were beaten, even tortured, and nearly starved. It's hard to believe that our right to vote is less than 100 years old, but in 1920 the state of Tennessee actually cast the tie-breaking vote in this historic decision.

So if you're looking at the candidates this year, and you're having a hard time committing to one or the other, take a closer look. Do the research and make the effort. Somebody paid a high price for you to have that right. (Cue the music, "And I'm proud to be an American . . .")

A Hannah Montana Kind of Day

So Reagan came home from school yesterday and told me that Oliver from "Hannah Montana" had been at her school. Of course, not believing her, I said, "Oh, you mean he was on TV or something? You watched something with him in it?" But she said, "No. For real! It was him! He was there!" Well, she did have some flyers with his picture on it (he's the spokesperson for the "Clean Hands are Cool Hands" initiative), so I thought it was possible...but I still kinda doubted it.

So, today I was at the school for a room parent meeting, and all the moms were talking about it. Sure enough, he had been there. In fact, it even made it on the news last night (but, of course, I missed it).

Then, on top of seeing an actual star in person, Reagan got a call from THE Hannah Montana last night to remind her that she had dance class! (This was a special "back to school" promotion by Wal-mart, where you could sign up for a phone call online.) We have saved the message and played and played and played it! Reagan was so excited. It says, "Hey, sweet niblets! This is Hannah Montana calling to remind you that you have dance. What would you do if you didn't have me to remind you? Have a great time..." etc. You get the point. Reagan thinks it's really funny that she calls her "sweet niblets."

All in all, it was a very Hannah Montana-filled day of fun!

The Funny Things She Says...

Presley is changing every day--learning new words and putting complete sentences together. Just yesterday, she was standing behind Reagan as big sis played a computer game. Apparently, the seating arrangement was not to her liking, because Presley said, "I can't see bery (very) well. Moob (move) a li'l bit."

Other favorite sayings:

• "Dat cool, Mama?" ("Is that cool, Mama?" This usually comes after some gymnastic stunt.)
• "I got it!"
• "I go wishoo." ("I'll go with you.")
• "I know." (This actually means "I don't know." Very confusing, but we figured it out.)
• "Help me, Mama!"
• "I go kin'garen wif Reagan." (Do I need to explain this? She wants to go everywhere Reagan does--including kindergarten.)
• "Dayee may me mad." ("Daddy made me mad." So she came running to Mama.)