Rocks In My Dryer

Google Fun

In an effort to see if I have even a drop of blogging mojo left, here's a quick stab at my favorite blogging pasttime:  collecting the various Google searches that people use to find my site.  Lately I've had some good ones...

hamsters loose in the garage how do I catch them?  Step 1) Make sure the garage door is closed.  Step 2) Come back inside.  Step 3) Announce to your household that this is why you gave birth to sons.  Step 4) Hand them a bucket. 

if you'd eat more comfort food you wouldn't have to go around shooting people  It's a quote from Lost, just for the record, but there's some stellar wisdom there.

two year old not talking at all not even babbling  Yes, I've been there, twice, actually.  My best advice would be to schedule a consultation with a speech pathologist.  The minute she steps foot in the room, your taciturn child will open his mouth, quote Shakespeare, and diagram sentences.  You will sit there in shock, your mouth gaping open, uttering not a word, and the pathologist will wonder if you are the one in need of therapy.  Ask me how I know.

are my expectations realistic?  I'm not sure Google can help you with this.  You might try Dr. Phil.

gag clean out refrigerator  Me too, sister.  Me too.

cheesecake chimichangas  Me too, sister.  Me too.

i've tried everything to catch a mouse  Hey, me too.  What finally worked for me was beef jerky actually TIED ONTO a 99-cent mousetrap.  Not at all helpful were glue traps, poison traps, screaming, broom-whacking, a college degree and a houseful of strapping sons.  Good luck.

poop in dryer  Yes, it happened once, but how did you know?  I don't want to talk about it.

dog giveaway  Oh, I feel your pain.  Having to give away a dog is terribly painful.  Not as painful as carpet that perpetually smells of pee, but still painful.

curse upon thee  Rough day?

my baby ate my deoderant  True story:  When my oldest was about 20 months old, I was getting ready in my bathroom while he watched a show on TV.  I peeked around the corner to check on him.  To my horror, I saw that I had accidentally left out a squirt bottle of kitchen cleaner, and Adam was raising it to his mouth.  I shrieked and jerked it away, but I decided to call Poison Control anyway, just in case even a drop of the cleaner had touched his lips.  They assured me it was fine, and I hung up the phone.  I sat down on my bed to recover from my weak knees and racing heart, dropping my head into my hands.  And I looked up to see Adam walking out of my bathroom, carrying my deoderant--he had TAKEN A BITE OUT OF IT.  And in that moment, I learned the hard way that the only thing worse than having to call Poison Control before 9 a.m. is having to call Poison Control TWICE before 9 a.m.

compassion international please t-shirt  (Mom, is that you?  Because you are the only person I know who would actually say "please" to Google.) 

you are crazy if you think I would wait  Sorry.  I got nothin'.

sharpie kitchen cabinets  Try a dab of nail polish remover for the cabinets.  And maybe an equally strong liquid for the momma.  

rocks dryer blog dumplin recipe  I'm not sure what pleases me more:  the idea that someone specifically searched for a recipe of mine, or that they had the uncommon good sense to remember to leave the "g" off "dumplin".

is there really such a thing as potty training?  Oh, sister.  I feel your pain.

cat caught in dryer  Really, it's like I'm the Lifetime Television version of Google searches, what with all the drama.

should older women wear bows in their hair?  Please know I say this with all the kindess and goodwill in my heart:

No.

tocks in y dryer  And yet you still found me.

Over at Parenting...

...I'm blogging about the day I really became a mom, also known as The Day I Nearly Tackled the Boss's Wife.  You can read it here.

Turnabout

My middle son walked into my room after dressing for church; he was wearing the same dress shirt he's worn the last three Sundays.

"Hey, Stephen, why don't you wear something different?" I suggested.

"Why?" he asked.  "This one is my favorite, and it's clean." 

"Well," I explained, "you have several handsome shirts, but people are going to think that's the only one you own."

He looked at me squarely and did not miss a beat.  "Mom, what people think doesn't matter nearly as much as what I know to be true."

My first thought:  Well, I'll be darned.  The boy has been listening after all.

My second thought:  Well, I'll be darned.  I just got a smack-down from a ten year old.  

Happy March 28th...

....or, as my daughter squealed when she woke up this morning and saw this outside our front door, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

(Note: I realize there are parts of the country where snow on March 28th is not odd.  But I'm in Oklahoma, and I had my air conditioner on a few days ago.  Suffice it to say, this is ODD.)

Good Dreams

Last night I sat in a darkened gym with my family, while my fourth-grade son and his fourth-grade cohorts performed their annual musical.  It was a lyrical and poetic look at dreams--the good ones, the bad ones, the ones to which ten year olds hold tightly.  They performed their hearts out, complete with dancing trees, Native Americans, ballerinas with glittery hair, a pajama-clad chorus, even a spooky skeleton.  All ten year olds, of course.  Think A Midsummer Night's Dream meets Hannah Montana.

They meandered in and out of their songs, poetry, and choreography.  At one point, a group of six stepped up to the microphones. 

"I dream of people who are kind to each other," said the girl on the end. 

"I dream of a chance to make a difference," said another. 

A lanky but graceful boy in the middle stepped forward to speak his lines.  He towered a good 12 or 18 inches over his fellow fourth graders.  Hubs leaned over and whispered, "I dream of that kid's NBA contract." I swatted him and stifled laughter; our media cabinet is already too full of video tapes in which Hubs' wisecracks have made my arms jiggle.

In the aisle next to me, Corrie rolled around on the floor, occasionally hopping up to flash her on-stage brother a thumbs up (and he flashed back a look that said, "I'VE NEVER SEEN YOU BEFORE, I SWEAR.").  Joseph stood in the back of the gym, atop a pile of folded gymnast mats, laughing and sweating with a random collection of other little brothers.  The gym teacher tossed fruitless shushes in their direction every so often.  I shot her a look of apology; I shot Joseph a different look altogether. 

Stephen, who was, for tonight, a little blonde-haired Native American, delivered his poetic lines with great poise, though he wrapped it up with a curious gangsta pose.  I'm sometimes not sure I understand that boy, dawg.

I heard a gasp; I looked over to see Corrie staring, jaw open and eyes huge, into something I couldn't see.  I followed her gaze.  It turns out that she, sitting at the base of the spotlight, could look upwards and see all the dust particles bouncing around in the garish light.  I can't imagine what she must have thought of all that magic, but she spent the rest of the play in a state of bliss, laughing and pointing at the miracle happening right in front of her. 

When it was over, we all clapped and cheered.  The students, who had been on risers on the ground, took turns in rows walking across the stage.  Stephen's friend V, who is in a wheelchair, was gently lifted to the stage by some fine, strapping dads, and V had his curtain call too.  The crowd cheered louder.

It was a good night.  The only thing that could have possibly made it any better was ice cream.

So we went to get ice cream.

It was a great night.

Now If Only They'd Brought Along the Tater Tot Casserole

The Duggars were in our city this weekend for a book signing.  My boys and I are fascinated by their show, so we were eager to attend.  We were especially excited to learn that the camera crew for their Discovery Channel show would be along to film the signing.  NO ANTICS, I warned, lest we end up on a Discovery Channel special entitled See? Some Christian Families Act Like Hooligans.  Check your local listings.

They introduced their crew, sang a song, and then they opened up to the audience for questions.  My middle son (also known as The Loose Cannon) shot his hand straight up in the air.  My mind raced with possible scenarios:  Please-oh-please, son, do not tell Michelle Duggar a fart joke.  I managed to get his attention. 

"What do you want to ask?" I whispered.

He whispered back incredulously.  "How does she homeschool so many different ages all at the same time?"  Ah.  It's good to know that a mother with multi-tasking abilities is a foreign concept to the child.

He never got to ask his question, incidentally, but there were some good ones from the rest of the audience.  If you want to see the videos, I posted them at YouTube. Here was their answer to how they came up with all the "J" names, and here was their answer about whether or not their kids wanted to go to college.  I loved it that they were momentarily stumped when asked about all the kids' ages, because I am stumped by the ages (and, well, occasionally the names) of just my four.

It was a really fun afternoon--the Duggars were funny, gracious and humble (and, incidentally, I think Michelle may have the prettiest skin I've ever seen).  They made it clear that they are not a perfect family with all the answers, but they're doing what they're doing only by God's grace.  I can relate to that just fine.

My Journey Through Frostbite (Or, "Hi, I'm a Soccer Mom")

Two of my sons play soccer, and I am very pleased about that.  It's an interesting and fast-paced sport, with many opportunties for gentleman-like behavior.  I'm an enthusiastic soccer mom--a shin-guard-washing, Gatorade-mixing, uniform-bleaching, sideline-cheering soccer mom.

Except when it's cold.

One of the curious quirks of this sport is that, especially as kids get older and begin playing more competitively, it becomes essentially a year-round activity.  There are off-season practices and tournaments, which means you may have to get to watch your child play in blazing, subtropical heat, as well as frigid, arctic blasts.  It's the type of information they don't tell you during Lamaze classes, or you might just back out of the whole deal.

This weekend my middle son played in an out-of-town tournament.  The forecast was in the '20's, so we went prepared:  my son wore numerous layers under his uniform, and we brought along mounds of cold-weather gear and blankets for the rest of us.  I thought we'd be fine.

I was wrong, of course.  Even though I've lived in Oklahoma for nearly seven years, I can never quite get used to the wind.  It not only comes sweepin' down the plains, it also threatens to remove the top layer of your skin.  It makes a sunny day in the '20's feel like Everest Base Camp.

The first match started, and we all huddled under mounds of blankets for an endless amount of time.  And by "an endless amount of time" I mean "20 minutes", because that's how long it was before my daughter started complaining of the cold.  There are many huge reasons I am thankful that sweet child was unexpectedly born into our family: the laughter, the songs, the pure joy and delight.  And also the fact that having a preschooler buys a mom a free pass to sit in the car.  "Sorry," I shrugged at the other blue-lipped moms.  "Corrie is too cold."  They nodded in understanding, and I think a couple of them glanced around to see if they, too, could find any shivering four year olds.

Thankfully, we had a parking spot that offered a decent view of the game.  Corrie and I thawed out while we watched Stephen play on.  I slipped off my shoes and propped my feet up on the dash.  Outside the wind blew so fiercely that the car shook.  The howling was fierce, and I closed my eyes and thought to myself that this must surely be how Ma Ingalls felt on those cold nights in the cabin on the Minnesota prairie.  If, that is, Ma Ingalls' cabin had bucket seats, a dashboard, and a Leapster.

It was still a great game.  My brave Hubs never once left the sidelines, even dashing over to the huddle during halftime to drape a blanket over our son's shoulders.  "Wow," I thought to myself, watching him from the car.  "What a great dad he is.  I love that man."  Clearly not enough to get out and help him, mind you, but still a good bit.  When it was all over, he and Stephen headed to the car--Stephen's face glowed with the excitement of a well-played match (or maybe it was wind-burn).  Either way, he climbed into the car full of enthusiasm, his body shivering from his capped head to his multi-socked toe. 

"So," he said, his blue lips barely able to form words.  "Let's go get some ice cream."

And we did.

Brothers

They're brothers, ages 10 and 7.  They share a bedroom, a love for soccer, a penchant for skateboarding, and a tendency toward violence of the brotherly kind.  They are mortal enemies and the best of friends, the pendulum often swinging from friend to enemy and back to friend again within 60 seconds.

They're both athletic dynamos.  The older of the two is lean, small, and lightning-fast.  The younger is tall, thick, and strong as an ox. 

Last night, after an especially vigorous session of carpet wrestling, I heard them pause, breathless, to formulate impressive plans.  They determined that they would take the professional soccer world by storm someday, two feisty brothers who would team up to strike fear in opponents.  The oldest would be the speedy, agile Scorer Of Many Goals.  The youngest would be the brick-wall goalie around whom no ball would fly.

Then they went back to the floor for more wrestling, until I went in to interrupt and tell them it was time to head to bed.  We sat on the couch, mom in the middle, for bedtime prayers.  Their sweaty, smelly heads leaned in on my shoulders.  They were still out of breath.  It was the first moment of quiet that room had seen in hours.

The oldest said his prayer, and then I said mine.  And then the youngest, in a voice thick with sincerity, said softly, "Thank you, God, that my brother and I enjoy each other."

I caught my breath.  Yes, thank you, I thought.  Then--I couldn't help it--I peeked open my eyes at the two boys, still sitting at my side.  Something settled over them. 

They were struck by the moment, too. 

The oldest looked over at his little brother, affection unmistakably written on his face.  He gently, quietly nudged him with his elbow.  The youngest returned the glance, and the nudge. 

There was a perfect pause.

And then, at exactly the same moment, they erupted into grunts and laughter, diving for each other and heading straight for the carpet.  I think the .7 miliseconds of tenderness was all they could bear. 

I watched them, smiling, observing to myself that the moment had surely passed.

Or had it?  I'm inclined to think--to hope--that a moment like that settles deeply in the hearts of two sweaty boys.  It surely settles deeply in the heart of their mother. 

Rhett and Link and Other Culturally Significant Parenting Tools

A couple of weeks ago, I linked to a YouTube video by Rhett and Link in a Lost post.  It was the first time I had seen one of their videos, and I meandered over to their site and proceeded to spend about an hour laughing with my older kids.  Now, strangely, no one in our family can say the word "guacamole" without singing this song.  (And you might be surprised.  The subject of guacamole comes up a lot.)  But this one is my very, very favorite:

"The "e" in Flickr was given to me like the key to an Internet city of which I am king."  Don't you want to embroider that on something?  Anyway, check out their site for some good, clean fun.

(By the way, I'm working on a piece for BlogHer about watching YouTube with your kids--specifically finding safe and clean stuff you can enjoy together.  For example, my sons love this one, and this one has painfully embedded itself deep in my brain, threatening to emerge at socially inappropriate times.  If you've ever blogged about the subject of kid-friendly-You-Tubing, I'd love to see the link, or if you have a YouTube suggestion, I'd love that too.  Many thanks!)

Meema

Today was my grandmother's 83rd birthday.

Or so I thought.

Yesterday we made plans to spend a girly afternoon lunching and shopping, just Meema, Corrie and me. 

My phone rang at mid-morning today.  It was Meema, and her voice sparkled:  "Guess what I gave myself for my birthday?"

"What?" I asked, hoping that she (who never splurges on herself) had really tied one on.

"Another YEAR!" she giggled.  "I lay in bed this morning and realized I was born in 1927--it's my 82nd birthday, not my 83rd!  I gave myself a whole year!"

Armed with that kind of good news, we headed out for our celebration, driving through the bank and pharmacy, because we know how to party.  Then we headed to a little local bakery near my house.  It's a small, family-owned place, only open for a few months.  Their chocolate chip cookies make a girl's eyes roll back in her head, and this quaint place has quickly worked its way onto our list of favorites.

We ate and talked and laughed through our leisurely lunch.  After we had finished and paid, I slipped back to the restroom, while Corrie and Meema strolled toward the car. 

Or so I thought. 

I came out of the restroom to find my grandmother, always quiet and gentle in everything she does, talking softly with the hard-working owner of the bakery.  The woman smiled, and she reached out to touch my grandmother's arm.

As we walked on to the car, I asked her what it was all about. 

"I just told her I was praying for her," Meema said.  "I told her that every time I round this corner, I pray that her bakery will do well.  I think it would be a hard time to start a business.  I just wanted her to know I was praying for her."

She paused, and added quietly, "She said it meant a lot to her."

Of course it did.  It always does, to know that someone breathes your name in prayer.  I should know--Meema's prayers have carried me longer than I can remember.  During some times when I couldn't even speak my own, her prayers bore me up and kept my feet moving.  The bakery lady and I are blessed.

I helped Meema into the car and watched her gently pass a stick of gum to my little girl.  I smiled.  Meema may have found an extra year today, but I'm the one with the treasure.

Guess Who I Met Tonight?

Tarik.  My new little niece.  They're home. 

Reed, Lee Ann and Tarik flew into our city tonight, after spending a jaw-dropping 20 straight hours in planes and airports.  Tarik traveled like a champ.  Reed reported that she only had one major breakdown, and it was in the Houston airport, in a waiting lounge in which everyone was trying to watch the Super Bowl.  (Poor baby--I feel the same way about professional football.)

Hubs snapped this picture of the kids, my Dad and me, waiting like anxious maniacs eager loved ones at the airport for our first glimpse: 

They finally made it (For privacy's sake, I schmutzed out Tarik's face in this picture, which is really a shame, because oh my stars, it is a cute face.  But I think the look on Reed and Lee Ann's faces say it all):

Just after this photo, I got a chance to hold my new niece while her momma made a quick dash to the restroom.  She is absolutely scrumptious and she melted my heart, though even in her sleep, she was a little squirmy in my arms.  But the moment I passed her back to Lee Ann?  Every muscle in her body relaxed, and she nestled comfortably against the mother she's known for only six days.  That is a testament to the gentleness of my sister-in-law.  Even more, it's a testament to God's faithfulness to knit together hearts even across oceans.  I'd say He knows how to put together a family.

A fun little side note:  Lee Ann had e-mailed that Tarik is quite a spitter-upper, so I told her I'd have a stack of burp cloths laundered and waiting at the airport.  Thanks to all our fidgety at-home time during the ice storm, I even managed to embroider one with her name on it, because a name that pretty just begs to be written:

(I didn't make the actual cloth.  It's a dish towel, terry cloth on one side and waffle weave on the other, perfect for embroidering and extra-absorbent because of the terry.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out.)

Thank you so much for your prayers--so many of you sent sweet comments and e-mails that were profoundly moving and encouraging.  If it crosses your mind, I'd appreciate your continued prayers as this sweet family establishes its new rhythm, and as the two big sisters meet little Tarik first thing tomorrow (Monday) morning. 

Thank you again.

What I'd Like For You To Know: Alzheimer's

Welcome to another edition of What I'd Like For You To Know.  If you're new here, the idea behind this series is to ask women to share something about a specific life challenge or circumstance, addressing some of the misconceptions and (most importantly) telling us all how we can reach out better.

Today's guest poster is Carol of She Lives, one of the first blog friends I ever met in real life.  Carol has--not once, but twice--walked with a parent through the extraordinary difficulty of Alzheimer's disease, and I asked her if she'd share with us some of what she has learned.

January 21st marked the fifth anniversary of my father’s death.  He had just turned 65.  His was the rare type of Alzheimer’s, the hereditary type, found in less than five percent of cases, marked by early onset, directly traceable from child to parent to grandparent to great-grand. 

For the other 95%, Alzheimer’s strikes randomly.

A lot of people mistakenly think of Alzheimer’s as “loss of memory” and leave it at that.  Unfortunately, the disease progresses beyond the memory.   The victim regresses verbally, mentally and physically to the state of an infant.  Eventually, complications end their life. That’s the sugar-coated picture.  Each person’s journey through the disease process is different, usually taking years to reach its inevitable and tragic end.

There is no cure.  Nothing can prevent it. Nothing can stop it once it starts.  There are drugs on the market that can slow down the progression, postponing the inevitable, drawing the entire process out longer than it would otherwise take. 

There is no treatment. There is no surgery. There is no prevention. There is no cure.  Nobody recovers.  Nobody goes into remission.  Nobody!

Imagine the shock, the fear and the despair my brother, my sister and I felt this past fall, just a few short years after Dad’s death, when we were told our mother also has Alzheimer’s Disease.   What are the odds that we would face the horror twice?  

The odds, I’m afraid, are very high that you will have to face Alzheimer’s Disease at least once in your lifetime as well.  If not in a loved one, then in yourself.

Here are a few things you should know about Alzheimer’s Disease:
• It is the 6th leading cause of adult death in the United States.
• Someone develops Alzheimer’s every 71 seconds.
• Approximately 5.2 million people in the United States currently live with Alzheimer’s.
• Hereditary Alzheimer’s Disease can develop in persons as young as 30 years old.
• More women develop Alzheimer’s than men.
• By age 65 years, you have a 1 in 10 chance of getting Alzheimer’s.
• By age 80 years, that chance goes up to 50/50.
• More facts here.

Here's what you can do to help NOW:

Learn.  When dad was diagnosed, it took us a while to realize what was happening.  His doctor told us it wasn’t Alzheimer’s, it was depression.  By the time we got an accurate diagnosis and could legally intervene, Dad had been arrested twice on traffic violations (he’d never gotten a single ticket in his pre-Alzheimer’s life!) and was financially ruined (we had to file his bankruptcy papers).  

We were better prepared with Mother and obtained Durable Power of Attorney before things spun out of control.  Either way, attorneys are going to be involved.  Find a good one.  If you suspect Alzheimer’s in a loved one, do not settle for one medical opinion.  No matter what any doctor says, always get a second opinion, preferably from a good neuro-psychiatrist.

The more you know, the better equipped you will be to deal with the eventuality that someone you know will develop Alzheimer’s.  The Alzheimer’s Association is there to educate and support anyone directly or indirectly affected by this horrible disease. 

Become a Champion.  The Alzheimer’s Association is looking for five million people, one for each person who suffers from the disease, to champion the cause.  As of this writing, they were at the 1.7 million mark.   See the page of celebrity champions to get more information.

Grab a widget for your blog or other social network.  Spread the purple around!  Let others know you support the cause to end Alzheimer’s.  Everything you do to help moves us all closer to a cure.  When Dad got sick, I looked around and saw no purple.  Seeing more purple in the world can be so encouraging to those of us feeling isolated in our plight!

Take A Walk.  Each fall, there is an Alzheimer’s Memory Walk in a city near you.  Contact your chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association to get on board.  One year, my small team of six scrapbooking friends raised over $3,000 – more than any other team in our county! 

Donate.  Everyone has their hand out.   Everyone wants your money.  But nobody wants Alzheimer’s Disease.  Can you set aside a dime each day?   Just a dime a day.   Involve the kids. By the 2009 Memory Walk, you will have collected over $25.00 It’s tax-deductable and you won’t even miss it.  Follow up with a purple party that includes playing the Memory Game to celebrate how good it feels to help!

Create Awareness. This past fall, my rock band, Elixir, played at the local Memory Walk for free and donated our tips and earnings from the gig just prior to the Walk. In the workplace, at school, at church, on your blog, . . . Here are other ideas you can use to keep Alzheimer’s Disease at the forefront of people’s minds.  Some of these are actually quite fun!

Adopt a Caregiver

• Visit.  Caregivers cannot leave their loved one alone.  Ever.  They could use a little company from time to time.
• Light shopping.  On your way to the grocery store, pharmacy or post office?  Call to ask if you can pick anything up for them while you’re out. 
• Elder-sitting.  Offer to stay with their loved one while they go to the hair salon or run an errand or attend church.  This is absolutely the single biggest thing you can do to help.
• Reach out.  A card, a note,  email, a phone call.  They feel so isolated and just need to know someone cares.
• Light housekeeping.  Caring for an Alzheimer’s sufferer is physically and mentally exhausting.  Housekeeping is low on the priority list. Can you do a few chores to ease the burden? 
• Listen.  You have to be Job, Mother Theresa and Solomon all rolled into one just to make it through a day with an Alzheimer’s sufferer without wanting to scream.  Sometimes all the caregiver needs is someone to listen to them vent.

And please, spread the purple around.  It helps us so very much to see it!

To read more of Carol's posts, visit her blog, She Lives.

Birhane

My brother sent an e-mail update from Ethiopia this morning, with news of their visit to their Compassion child yesterday.  I'm re-printing an excerpt below (emphasis mine):

On Tuesday we got to meet our Compassion child (Birhane).  She is a wonderful young girl and it was a pleasure to meet her.  All of her information told us that she was six years old so we came with loaded with clothes, toys, etc.  Well, apparently, in the rural parts of Ethiopia age is not something they cling to very much because come to find out she is eleven!!!!  Needless to say, not a stitch of clothing fit, but I think her little sister will be well dressed for some time. Compassion was nice enough to let us arrange to send her bigger clothes when we get back to the states.

Birhane is incredibly shy and, of course, doesn’t speak English – so the conversation was pretty short.  She was SO sweet.  She spoke so gently and quietly that we probably could not have understood her even if we spoke her language.  One gift that was a hit was a little baby; I don’t think she put it down for the entirety of our visit.  Being so quiet and shy, it was hard to see if we really sparked her attention or curiosity, but one member of our family certainly did.  She LOVED Tarik.  She lit up when she would look at her and even did a great job holding her. 

She lives in a village where they don’t have electricity and they have to pump all their water from a well.  She is in her first year of schooling (even though she is older than most of her classmates).  The reason this is her first year is because this is our first year to sponsor her – as if we needed any evidence of our direct involvement.  It is amazing to see Compassion reach out, educate, clothe, and nurture these children.  We got proof of that when Birhane surprised us and burst into the English alphabet!  The Amharic alphabet has something like 260 characters, so to be working on a second version is pretty impressive.

Want to find out how your direct involvement can change a child's world?  Click here or here, and then go sponsor a child!

Works For Me: Sports Mom Tips

I'm a sports mom.  I have two soccer players and a swimmer.  And it's a little amusing to me that life has taken me down this path. I've never been much of a sports fan and certainly not a sports player--I have just enough physical coordination to pack Gatorade in the ice chest, and not a bit more.  But it's a different ballgame (no pun intended) to watch my sons play sports--after a lifetime of athletic indifference, I find myself throwing around words such as "off-sides" and "full volley" like a pro.

I'm glad we're on this path.  I know there are plenty of parents who aren't fond of competitive sports for their kids, but my husband and I aren't among them.  We've seen our kids develop self-confidence as a result of their sports involvement, and the fitness benefits are unmistakable.  They've had hands-on experience learning how to be a team member, how to push themselves and how to lose (and win) graciously.  It's been good.

With spring soccer season starting to gear up (and by the way, how is that already possible?), these issues have been on my mind lately.  I've learned a few things in my years as a sports mom, some of which I wish someone would've told me at the outset. 

1.  Be involved.  When you or your spouse are the coach, you generally have much more say in vitally important issues, such as making sure practice times don't conflict with Lost.  Best of all, you can set a tone for the entire team, a tone of positive attitudes and encouraging affirmation.  It's an excellent way to invest in a kid's life.  If coaching isn't a viable option for you, do remember to...

2.  ...Choose your coach carefully.  The coach's attitudes and methods set the tone for the entire season.  If you detect a win-at-all-costs attitude, this should be a red flag.  Steer your family toward coaches who are as interested in what kind of people these kids are, not just what kind of athletes they are.

3.  Avoid the drama.  As kids get older, and things get more competitive, a certain element of drama and politics can sometimes enter the sports parent scene.  My best advice?  Lay low.  Smiling and nodding politely goes a long way to diffuse drama (this is when being raised a Southern girl comes in handy), and when you continually deflect drama, you'll usually find that  less of it will come your way.

4.  Remember why you're doing this.  A wise parent will see competitive sports as a chance to build a kid's confidence and teach him or her some important life lessons.  It is rarely--I hate to break it to you--the springboard to a fabulous athletic career.  I think a lot of the bad wrap that comes with kids' sports could be avoided if parents involved their kids for the enjoyment of it, not because Junior is the next Michael Jordan, Mia Hamm, Michael Phelps or Kristy Yamaguchi.  Do it for the right reasons, and along those same lines...

5.  ...It's okay to take a break.  Kids get burn-out, too.  If you sense they're feeling too much pressure, there's nothing wrong with taking a breather.  An injury last fall forced my middle son to sit out of the winter indoor soccer season, and it has been a healthy break.  He remembered why he loves soccer, and he's more energized than ever to hit it in the spring.

So, all of those tips are pretty theoretical, but there are some more practical things I've learned, too:

1.  Bags, bags, bags.  In our house, every sport and every kid has its own backback or duffel bag.  That bag is the permanent repository of all the necessary equipment, which cuts down on mad dashes out the door on game day.  When I launder the soccer uniform, I put it in a large Ziploc bag (to avoid Gatorade spillage, trust me on this one!) and put it directly back in the soccer bag.  Everything stays together!

2.  The dishwasher is your friend.  A lot of smelly sports equipment can be sanitized in the dishwasher.  I regularly run swim goggles and shin guards through the top rack, but there are probably more uses you could find.  Check manufacturers instructions (and proceed at your own risk), but I'm a big fan of disinfecting that smelly gear however I can.

3.  Make the kids responsible!  In this family, a big part of sports involvement is being responsible for your own stuff.  If a kid is old enough to play sports, he's old enough to help gather the gear, get the water bottle in the dishwasher and fold the socks.  This takes a load off mom, and, even better, it gives kids a chance to be responsible.

There are bound to be plenty of sports moms reading this, and I'd love to hear your best tips too!

: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

Have a Works-For-Me Wednesday tip you'd like to share?  I'd love for you to join us!  First timers, check out the guidelines here.  Please note that the links will close down at 8 pm CST tonight, in order to keep away the spammers.

Was your link deleted?  CLICK HERE.

1. We are THAT family (Gotta try this) 2. Homemaker Barbi (How to Green Clean a Microwave) 3. Blue Castle (ugly lampshade) 4. Well-Rounded Woman (my fave new/old resource) 5. Amy @ Finer Things (an early start) 6. On your belly! 7. Carol (The ultimate green clean!) 8. Hooked on Houses (Laundry Room Solutions) 9. The Diaper Diaries (butt cream) 10. Sarah (pumpkin bread) 11. A Simple Walk (painless potty training) 12. Land of Lovings - Clean up the coats! 13. Lisa@ Elbows (Cheater\'s Salsa with a Squeeze) 14. Cooking During Stolen Moments (choc. chip breakfast biscuits) 15. EveryChapter (Cheap Date Night) 16. Working Mom (foaming soap) 17. kitchendoor (make at home salads) 18. Cindy (save the drapes from kids!) 19. The Happy Housewife (hot breakfast) 20. "Cents"able Momma (Cloth Shopping Bags) 21. Happy To Be At Home (CEO of the home) 22. Mother Hen (Always Remember) 23. Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers (The Coat Trick!) 24. Joy @ Five J\'s (Homeschooling with Dr. Seuss) 25. It Feels Like Chaos (Before They Leave Home) 26. Stretch Mark Mama (Applying Sticky Medicine To Kids) 27. Megan (Sleeping Through The Night!) 28. Lisa@BlessedwithGrace(music in home) 29. Laryssa @Heaven In The Home (homeschool freebies) 30. Christine (Spice up that marriage bed!) 31. From-My-Life (extra seating) 32. Raise Them Up (Valentines Idea for Grandmoms) 33. Homemade cards as gifts 34. Innkeeper Seely (curbing the munchies) 35. Memarie Lane (Book Nook) 36. Overwhelmed (extremely cheap movies) 37. Jerri @ Simply Sweet Home (easy filing solution) 38. $5 Dinners (New Grocery Carrier) 39. Kristie (keeping a $50 Budget) 40. Gretchen (Tag Blanket Tutorial) 41. Gluten Free, Casein Free, Soy Free (Popcorn) 42. Nicole (Baby shoes) 43. Lindsay @ Passionate Homemaking (homemade pregnancy tea) 44. Bible Memory & Copy Work Help 45. Smockity Frocks(Book Giveaway-Sacred Marriage) 46. HEALTHY SUPERBOWL SNACKS-Kelly the Kitchen Kop 47. Kristen (meeting resolutions) 48. "Molly" simple kitchen org. tip 49. Condo Blues (t shirt quilt) 50. 5 Tips For Waking Up Early (Kat) 51. Kirsty @ Momedy (Fun Culture for Kids) 52. Rachel (Bible reading and memorization) 53. Jen@Balancing Beauty and Bedlam(How could you?) 54. Hillary @ The Dunham Diaries (Painting Wannabe Murals) 55. Mom Of Faith (Make Feeding your child easier & GIVEAWAY) 56. Kat @ New England Saving (Late-After-Christmas Shopping) 57. Home School Dad (Awana) 58. Many Little Blessings (Getting Picky Eaters to Try Veggies) 59. Rachel (Baby Bath Time) 60. Sandra*Kid\'s Reading Motivators with Rewards 61. World\'sGreatestMommy (Game Closet Rescue) 62. Lisa @ The Owl\'s Nest (How to Make Sauces) 63. se7en (Things I wish I had known about babies) 64. So Thankful (cheap drain cleaner) 65. Mandi (7 SOCK Tips) 66. Beth (Cleaning the Tub) 67. Myrnie (Chocolate Box Tutorial) 68. Julie@TheClarkChronicles (developing handwriting skills) 69. MemeGRL (self-nourishing resolutions) 70. Amy @ A Day in the Life (Cooking with YouTube) 71. Karla | Looking Towards Heaven (Bringing New Life to OLD LAMPS) 72. Mommy Bee (waffles/pancakes 73. Cheri @ What is it NOW (Cuddl Duds) 74. Raquel (first time!) 75. Andrea (Diaper Revamp) 76. mom2my9 (Baby Twins Babysitting Each Other) 77. Mommy Bee (fast waffles/pancakes from scratch) (first one was wrong-sorry!) 78. Crystal (Diet Tip) 79. Sasha @ Cherished Moments (kids party tips) 80. Runningamuck (Aaakkkk! It\'s the flu!) 81. Margot (What Type Blogger Are You?) 82. Heidi @ Blue Eyed Blessings (creative ideas for your spouse) 83. Tara@NotSoPerfect(.99 organizer&giveaway) 84. Kim - Gift Preparedness 85. Upstatemomof3 86. Leanne - Organising for... 87. Broke Girl: How Postponing Saves Money 88. JenM (better bubble baths) 89. Krisi @ Mom & Dad to R Kids - Time: Mine, His, Family 90. Stephanie in France 91. momsfrugal (adding Bible verses to indiv. lessons) 92. Tara@NotSoPerfect(raisingkids) 93. Alice@supratentorial(reading practice) 94. exhale. return to center. (reintroducing fruit!) 95. BusyMom (Kid\'s Birthday Cakes) 96. Trixie @ Farmhomelife (FREE Magazine Sub) 97. Jolanthe (WW Reward Points) 98. Kate\'s Kitchen: Use the crock pot 99. Mary Ann(organized bulletin board) 100. Antenatal Depression at Drop the Baby Weight 101. Fairion -book review 102. Girls in White Dresses (a letter from the child you were) 103. Sarah (baby foot prints) 104. Michelle (Secret "personal" solution) 105. Amy (put your pic with your comments on blogs) 106. Bailey\'s Leaf (5-point Harness Booster) 107. flexible dreams (grape hack) 108. Momma & More (easy school mornings) 109. Hollie @ commonCentsMom (Lists) 110. Vicki Arnold (happy kids) 111. The Prepared Family (preparing on the cheap!) 112. Sonshine(cords with cable ties) 113. pinkcamojeep (Take Advantage of Quiet time while at practice) 114. Kerry@ramblings (dry skin relief) 115. mannequin( rotating storage) 116. Adventures in Teething (Faster Machine Drying) 117. Candace (Family Pizza Night) 118. Alison (Easy Silver Cleaner) 119. Stephanie @ The Coupon Game (Great Fun Spelling Website!) 120. Camian Academy (Magic Bullet Baby Food) 121. SortaCrunchy (NIP tip) 122. Mom\'s Marbles (Just Say No...If You Need To) 123. Chief Family Officer (Easier flossing) 124. Kay (JCrewcopy) 125. Carol ~ Keep Your Salad Fresh 126. Musings of a Housewife (Create a Press page) 127. Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet (Orange peeling and Giveaway!) 128. Sheila ~ To Love, Honor and Vacuum (Talking to your kids about sex) 129. Allyson @ A Heart For Home (Healthy Sweet Potato Fries) 130. Michelle 131. Lori (cracked heel relief) 132. Deni (Budgeting) 133. Jenny 867-5309 (Organizing boys) 134. Thia (refunds) 135. Lynn (another cooking with kids recipe) 136. BeyondJustMom (10 Commandments for Parenting Teens) 137. Carolina Mama (Communication 2009) 138. Aunt LoLo (Crafting on the Cheap) 139. Michelle @ Saving Some Green (Set the Timer!) 140. Eric Da Plumber! (kitchen smarts) 141. Farrah @ Wife & Mom of 3 (Financial Planning Programs) 142. Everything Mom (Under the bathroom sink organization)

143. TrentTribe (save online) 144. Sandra (felt board fun!) 145. Abbi @ Proverbs 31 Living (Schedules) 146. Amy@Clothesline Alley (An Indoor Sandbox) 147. Saving Money Ideas (fruit in the winter) 148. Janel@Dandelion Dayz(winter blues) 149. Tara (easier house cleaning) 150. Way More Homemade (The Baby Years - Cloth Diapering) 151. Laura (Scheduling housecleaning) 152. Andrea @ rAndom issues (Photo organization) 153. Christina Z (Husband Honey-Do) 154. Sarah @ Short Stop (The Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper) 155. jen (3 yo gift idea) 156. Photoqueen (cute and affordable bows) 157. Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers (Weekly Vocab. Words) 158. NJP (Breath of Fresh Air) 159. LANA (Personal Space) 160. *Michelle* @ random thoughts from a not so random mom (eczema relief) 161. Penny Raine giving away blessings 162. Amy (quilt backs) 163. Thrifty Ways and Ideas (Multi-Use Item - Business Cards) 164. heidi @ Sacred & Profane (occupying the littles) 165. Donnetta (room conversion) 166. Elizabeth (Removing Stains) 167. Organizing Mommy (decade goals) 168. songbirdtiff-creative photo storage 169. Kirstin: Free Magazine Subscriptions 170. Jennifer @ Lirazel 171. Kari (Re-runs of Old TV Shows) 172. Kendra @FamilyMgrKendra(extend the life of printer ink) 173. Laurie (7 spiritual laws for parents) 174. FishMama @ LifeasMOM (Number Birthday Candles) 175. Llama Momma (chapped hands) 176. Kari (upbeat mommy workout) 177. Heather Lessiter (Travel Snack Cup) 178. What\'s Cooking (store Christmas ornaments) 179. Rachel Anne (easy housekeeping schedule) 180. Suzie (Playroom Furniture) 181. JB ("Staying put") 182. so much shouting/laughter (unclog drains naturally) 183. Andrea (nonstick foil and cinnamon bun goo) 184. Julie Stiles Mills (strength training - for moms too) 185. Janet ( Natural Cleaning) 186. Houstonmom (wheat grinder) 187. Elizabeth (safe edible archery) 188. Daily Delights (Laundry Schedule) 189. PHOEBE @ CENTS TO GET DEBT FREE (WHAT TO DO W/LOADS OF VEGGIES) 190. His Girl (PMS Survival) 191. Kristen M. (toy storage) 192. Tidymom(frame tutorial) 193. Faith (Free Felt Food Pattern Doll Sized) 194. Gina (25-cent decorating) 195. Kenner Clan (cleaning the microwave) 196. Kara(Hand-me-Downs,Yes!) 197. Missy@Simply Red 198. Milehimama (discipline for boys) 199. Lizzie (Swagbucks tips~free gift certificates) 200. Missy@Simply Red(Foam Cookware Protectors) 201. Taylor at Houshold Management 101 (why you need a household inventory) 202. ilovemy5kids (Easy decorating tip.) 203. Frugal Fulfillment (Free Cat Litter!) 204. Reading Rosie (Rice Bags) 205. Heidi (healthier breakfast) 206. Sarah (why iron when you can sew) 207. Christy (staying warm) 208. Erin (Snow Day Box) 209. finding bright spots (getting paint out of carpet) 210. Counting Sprinkles (Free Dr. Pepper) 211. Amy (Sorting Laundry) 212. Miss Mommy (To Clean the Stove...) 213. Rebekah @Mundane Musings (Gtalk) 214. Amanda (how to get free stuff) 215. Crystal @ News from the Zoo (Stomach Flu Remedy) 216. Amy loves Bud (is it an ear infection?) 217. Veggiemomof2(Lice Prevention) 218. jen zug (trash reduction) 219. Lindsay @ The Ink Spot (icy sidewalks) 220. GiBee: Stomach Bug Hydration 221. Jennifer (save $ on activities) 222. Hotomom (Stuck Inside w/Hyper Kids) 223. Julie(Frugal Olive Garden at Home) 224. Headless Mom (Scheduling question-help me!) 225. Alicia @ CrazySubmarineLady 226. Alicia @ CrazySubmarineLady (zoo memberships) 227. Nichole (be forgetful) 228. Jenny Lynn 229. CcsMomma (free music) 230. Who Left The Light On? (Kitchen Face Cloths) 231. Garibay Soup (100 TIPS FOR HOUSEHOLD ITEMS!) 232. Suzanne :: Adventures in Daily Living :: (get organized - no more forgetting!) 233. simply catholic (kick the cereal habit) 234. Jessica (Cheap wall art) 235. Melissa Multitasking Mama (dryer sheets) 236. Kristin -The Goat (Personalized Sharpies) 237. Melissa @ Miss K Cooks (Super Bowl Menu) 238. Newlyweds (Special touch) 239. Natalie (Storing little parts to toys) 240. Miche @ Coordinated Chaos(info on FOCA ) 241. BooksnBoys (frugal decorating) 242. Jill (Boredom Buster) 243. Stephanie\'s Mommy Brain 244. Samantha (Sight Words) 245. Meshellyn (Toy Storage) 246. Denise @ Full Nest (Temple thermometer) 247. Cooking Up a Family (newbie!) 248. Katie (how to menu plan) 249. Catherine 250. \'Becca (furniture shopping steps) 251. Lynne(Prayer Works for Me-Need Yours) 252. TexasTanya (Storing Kid Dishes) 253. Having fun at Home (cheap winter fun idea) 254. Totallyscrappy (chocolate milk) 255. Ranee @ Arabian Knits (Keeping Track of Library Books) 256. Amy @ Living Locurto (meal planning ideas) 257. Susan @ Practicing Thrift (envelope system - back on the wagon) 258. Lisa @ Stop and Smell the Chocolates (Household Tips) 259. Joyfully Seeking (realistic housekeeping schedule) 260. Josie (parking lots) 261. Jill @ MoneySavinDiva (Makeover Your Leftovers week 2) 262. Jill (perfect tuna salad) 263. New Diva--Common Cold Help 264. Linda 265. Julie From Inmates (Preparing for deployment) 266. Dodge&Weave (under the sink) 267. REPURPOSED (on being a fool and a failure) 268. Heartfelt Homemaking (Thanks You Notes from Little Ones) 269. PolkadotMama 270. WLBA (Make-up buying tip) 271. Elena @ My Domestic Church 272. Shelley @ My Treasure Hunt (Cleaning with young kids) 273. Nichole @ A Call to Higher Places (Putting away meat!) 274. Recovering Noah (cheap communication devices for nonverbal kids) 275. Suburban Matron (we\'re totally using foil wrong) 276. Wani (teamwork) 277. mom_of2boys(monkey hooks) 278. Studio M Designs (gel stain treatment) 279. Kim @ Forever Wherever (Valentine\'s Day) 280. Heather (decluttering email inbox) 281. Linda\'s Lunacy(Appliance Cords) 282. Mozi Esme (kid crafts) 283. Jo Ann (Drying Wet Boots) 284. mombrud (control your garbage bags)

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Links are now closed.  Join us next week!

Our Snow/Ice Day, In Pictures, Because We're a Little Bored

Subtitled: And It Would Be a More Effective Narrative Tool If I Knew How To Take Decent Photos

 

  

  

(Because nothing says "Happy Almost Valentine's Day" like the good Christmas china.)  

  

(Yes.  He's playing Nintendo with his feet.  Did I mention we're a little stir crazy?  There's no school tomorrow, either, so by Thursday morning we may be bathing with our elbows for entertainment.)