Do you remember the other day when I talked about how even bookworms need to get moving? It’s so true! It is just so easy, and so natural, for me to just sit around – devouring book after book! But, that is not good for me, especially if I’m not getting in enough physical activity. And all of that sitting around can sure make a bookworm sore! Sometimes we need some topical pain relief to help us out!
I was quite recently introduced to Freeze It and let me tell you – I love it! I had tried some sample packets, and they were great – but, Mark just bought me the roll-on version. And I think that is going to be so handy, quick, and best of all – mess-free! Freeze It seems to work better and faster than any other product that I’ve tried. And the smell is not so overwhelming as some of the others. In fact, I don’t know how they did it, but, they made it so that the smell fades as you’re wearing it. That is a great thing, especially for me, because, a strong smell like that up on my shoulders could easily give me a migraine. I am so happy to have found Freeze It, that’s for sure!
Now ya’ll go ‘get moving‘ and then…
Oh my! Two teenagers? What am I going to do with teenagers? Teenagers are trouble, right? There are so many things I need to talk to them about now, and so many things that my husband and I have to look out for in an effort to keep them safe and healthy. And they are often so hard to talk to – they get embarassed, or bored, or just plain shut down when we want to discuss something important. I found a book, though, that might help with some of this. Actually, it is a series of books. The first one I want to get, though, is called Ten Talks Parents Must Have With Their Children About Drugs and Choices by Xenia Becher and Dominic Cappello. So many kids these days wind up in drug rehab, so I think keeping the conversation flowing is a really good idea – before your kids get into any trouble! The reviews on this book at Amazon are very promising to me, because, the people mention that their teen just would not talk to them, but, using some of the conversation starters in the book, their children actually opened up to them! That book is definitely going in my wish list!
My kids are alway begging for allowance, but, they don’t have regular chores. And I think a child that’s not ‘pulling his weight’ should not have a regular allowance, either. We keep telling them that when they can show us some more responsibility and not be told every single day, every single thing that they need to do, then, we will reconsider. But we are not going to pay for performance, when there is little to no performance being done. We also are not happy with the grumpy performance of their little bitty jobs we give them. I know, Mom, if you’re reading – I was the grumpiest one of all! 
Payback, and all that, right? I think I just need to set up a chart and pick chores for each of them. So far, that always winds up uneven, so I guess they’ll have to do like my brothers and I did and swap weeks for certain chores. I mean, feeding the dog or getting the mail are considerably easier than cleaning the kitchen, or vacuuming the house. And I never wind up with ‘three easy chores’ and ‘three harder chores’ – it just never works out that way! So I guess week-swapping is the way to go. I just need to find a chart and decide what all we want done by them.
We have just recently brought the computer up from the basement and hooked it up to the internet. The kids have basically done without since we moved out here to Alabama. Having them off of the internet was just one less worry – so now I am back to worrying. Luckily, the other computer is right here in the room with me, and therefore, I can keep tabs on them while they surf. The internet can be a wealth of information and learning for them, but, it can also be a very scary place for them. So except for the fact that Patrick likes to close the Blinds sometimes to block the sun, I am really glad that we put the second computer in the same room with mine. I am going to try to do everything that I can to make the internet a fun and educational place for them, but, make sure they stay safe. They are just going to have to deal with “Nosey Mom” or completely give up internet time.
OH MY GOSH! Yes, my sweet little baby boy is starting to drive! Mark told me that he was going to take him across the street to the college, so that he could drive in the parking lot. Next thing I know, I see Patrick driving down our street! Hello! Our street – lined with houses! Little children, little kittens, etc. I gave Mark holy heck for that. I know Patrick is a boy, and did seem to have the ‘controlling the wheel’ part down better than I did my whole first year of driving, but, taking his first drive on a residential street was just not cool! I just can’t believe that my little baby boy (yes, I know he’s almost 14 – you be quiet!) is driving a car! And he is on the internet so much, he may start thinking he wants to look up some radar detector reviews – no way! Listen – if you need a radar detector, you’re not driving safely enough! Especially as a teenager! You can grow up and move out of my house, and then get a radar detector! Until then, you just drive by the laws! Got it? Grrrr!
My baby’s growing up…
Think I’ll make myself feel better and …
GO READ A BOOK!
