Let me just brag about my smart boy who got his third quarter report card-all A's and At's and two B's.  Plus he has only missed three days so far (one for a funeral and two for a wedding).  We are just really proud of how well he does in class, and at home.  Right now he seems to be the "easy" child and the only thing he does that gets him in trouble is staying up too late at night to read.  

So I just burned Hannah a CD for her to listen to on her CD player from my iTunes, all songs she selected.  As she told me, "Mom I need some rock." Yes, there is her favorite songs from Taylor Swift ("You belong to me"-she sings it in the shower) and Miley Cyrus.  She heard them at her cousins house last summer and just loves them.  The CD wasn't complete without Queens: We will rock you and Joy to the World (rock version).  Let me just say I am one of those parents who won't let my kids listen to just any music and any lyrics. But Miley and Taylor are pretty wholesome and their lyrics are innocent so I let her pick two of those for the CD's.  Hannah was amazed my computer could "burn" her a CD, she kept waiting for some smoke to come out.  Sigh.  At least she is still naive about some things.  Now for her comment on how she doesn't really like Lady Gaga's music.  Are you kidding me?

I'll make it quick!  If you use Swagbucks as your search engine you get points and they accrue and you can get stuff.  In 6 weeks from normal use, I got enough swagbucks to earn 3-$5 gift cards to Amazon that I used on magazine subscriptions on sale.  You can save up and get other things but it's that easy!!  So here is my link to sign up: http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/casekristi


They even have Starbucks gift cards!

• House Rules by Jodi Picoult  EXCELLENT-I have enjoyed all her books and this one is really good about a boy with Aspbergers
• The Glass Castle by Jeanette Wells-a memoir so captivating-read it when you are feeling sorry for yourself
•  The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox-sad and strange-really excellent
• The Help by Katherine Stockett-wonderful
• Vegetable, Animal, Miracle
• Heaven is so Real by Choo Thomas-amazing is all I can say
• There is always enough  -amazing
• Dear John by Nicholas Sparks-what can I say? I am a sucker for a love story-the movie was better
• Brooklyn by Colm Toibin 
• Still Growing by Kirk Cameron-biography 
• Williams-Sonoma book of Baking-yummmm
• Riding the Bus with my sister by Rachel Simon-must read!
• The Doctor's Wife
• The Memory Keeper's Daughter-excellent
• While I was gone & The Good Mother by Sue Miller
• Firstborn and Sunrise series by Karen Kingsbury-family stories
• A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg-beautiful recipes and stories
• The Barefoot Contessa cookbook-my favorite food network chef
• The Bread Bible

Upcoming reads:

• Feeding the Whole Family -delicious, whole food recipes-it's been on my wish list for awhile
• Skeletons at the feast by Chris Bohjalian
• The forgotten garden by Kate Morton
• Bringing up Kids without tearing them down
• Imperfect Birds-Anne Lamott's latest-if you are a mom and have never read Operating Instructions by her, you must!
• Coop by Michael Perry-one man's qwest to live natural -biography
• Angels on Assignment by Roland Buck
• Connection Parenting by Pam Leo
• Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver

More to come later!  I have to say that I love my local library.  Whenever they don't have a book, they get it from another library or three times now, they have bought it!  I love that.

WARNING: NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN TO READ!

Let's just start with the fact that I feel like I am entering a new, um, phase in my life where I am being more honest.  More honest with myself, my kids, my family and etc etc.  Perfect timing since I have a daughter that is lying and stealing lately (see post below).  I am trying to be more open with my kiddos so they don't have as many problems I feel I do as an adult of 33 years.  I have always been taught to just suck it up (deny your true feelings ) and do what is "expected" and the "best way", while underneath you are feeling really conflicted with the true feelings you have been taught to stuff and stuff hard.  Well, that doesn't get you far in life and apparently one child is figuring that out. 

So I'm having a problem lying to my kids.  Yep, I lie to them every Christmas, every Easter, and every time they lose a tooth.  We are just taught to do that because our parents did the same for us.  Uh, excuse me, but I know everything my parents did for me wasn't really great.  It's okay, they were working on the best they knew how, but these are my kids and I get to choose (with the agreement of my husband).  Well Sunday I chose to stop lying to them about the Easter bunny.  Hello!  Do they really still believe a bunny comes through your house at night and brings candy?  My kids are 10 and 7 and they are pretty smart.  Besides the fact it COMPLETELY takes away from the meaning of Easter.  That's right, a big ANTI-CONSUMER FACT IS COMING-Easter is a religious holiday and egg hunts, easter baskets and candy have nothing to do with the fact we are celebrating the day that Jesus rose from the grave and completed his task, giving us eternal life. 

So here is the conversation (that Hannah already started for me):
Hannah: "Mom, I knew you bought me that shirt."

me-"Yes, I did and I have something to tell you.  Dad and I don't feel good about lying to you and there isn't an Easter bunny who brings you your basket, it's us.  I'm sorry I can't keep telling you that lie, it doesn't feel good."

Taylor: "Yeah I already knew that."

me: "It doesn't mean you won't get Easter baskets anymore, but they are going to be focused on celebrating what Easter is about, not a bunny, OK?"  "This doesn't mean you can go around telling other kids there is no Easter bunny, we have to respect what they believe and their family believes and we don't want to make them sad".
Hannah and Taylor: "Okay, can we eat more of our candy?"


Here I was worried about having to go into Santa talk, which we aren't ready for, but there you go.  They accepted it, no big deal and onwards we go.  I mean, come on, you know there is talk around school, they've already asked me about Santa before.
When I was little, nobody told me the truth, I stumbled upon it myself and didn't think so highly of my parents.  Now about the tooth fairy..........

It's spring break week here at the Case house. I had entertained ideas of fun activities, one on one time and lots of bonding. Kind of a much needed break for my kiddos and I and a chance to re-connect. Doesn't it just sound too good to be true? Exactly.
Prelude: Hannah has been a strong-willed, independent, keep-your-eyes on her every minute child from about 18 months and has not let up since then.

PROBLEM #1: Two weeks ago I get a call from hannah's principal. I'm about to die, since I have NEVER gotten a call from the principal for my kids. We'll just condense things to keep it moving: she had been stealing little boxes of cereal from the cafeteria after school to eat on the walk home. When confronted by principal she lied right to her face and said it was her second-grade friend. Principal questions friend, who said it was Hannah. Principal has to break out interrogation techniques to call hannah's bluff, who said her friend (our neighbor) had been 'making her do it". She get punishment from the school (no recess at lunch and cleans the lunch room),apologizes to lunch ladies, grounded from us, extra house chores given, she doesn't get to walk home or play with friend/neighbor and has to miss out on slumber party that weekend with friend.
We think we're behind it. Nope.

PROBLEM #2: Get a call from her teacher that Hannah stole a game piece during a class activity and she said she didn't do it and teacher had to line everyone up and pat pockets and it was in Hannah's pocket. WHAT?? Extra discipline, apology to teacher, #9 stern lecture about lying AND stealing. Lots of 'we're disappointed in you'. Teacher says "Hannah is such a smart little girl, I NEVER would have thought she would take it." By the way, we've had some class snacks missing.

PROBLEM #3: We really think we're done. Nope. She steals her cousins bunny and lies to her Grandma on the phone (who was asking if she had seen it) and her cousins. Has to apologize to all parties, give it back and LOTS of toys are taken out of her bedroom and grounding is longer.
It is at this point I say, spring break is about cancelled and you can't do any of the activities we had planned.

PROBLEM #4: I know this is ridiculous, right? Mike finds a huge barrel of animal crackers in her closet on Friday that she had STOLEN from her classroom (it was snacks the parents donate) and stuck in her backpack. We are in shock, angered and really sad at the choices our girl is making. We tell her that her room will now have daily inspections, as well as daily back-pack inspections and we wouldn't be surprised if she gets suspended from school.

So here we are spring break week. We have to wait a WEEK before talking to the school. I took Taylor bowling with the cousins yesterday and she had to stay at Grandma's and do worksheets. We are going to have to deal with her school on Monday. I'm ready to get a cop car out to my house and have an officer talk to her. Sometimes these kids of ours surprise you, but I think I like the good surprises, not this.

It's easy to think "I must have not parented her well." I'm not thinking that. I feel confident in knowing Mike and I have taught her right from wrong. Maybe I am in the minority but I am pretty pissed off at my kid right now and I have no problem letting her know that. I don't want to be around her and I am angry with her decisions. Maybe some would say that is childish, but if I filter all my emotions to her, how will she really understand or be able to show me her true emotions? So I am speechless, along with Mike, and we are just taking this one day at a time. We have been very careful to let her know all along the way that she is NOT a bad child, that her decisions and actions are what we are having the problem with. We really don't want her to feel ashamed at herself, but to know her choices are what has been wrong.

This blog is a good place to vent, so venting is done. I'll let you know what happens when we meet with her teacher and principal (and perhaps the police officer).

There is no way to candy coat it: parenting sometimes really sucks.

YEAH!! Dancing with the Stars is back and wow, did everyone suck or what? Pamela Anderson and Buzz need to go away. What is with the token old person every season? They get voted off first, can't dance and are really hard to watch. Not doubting their life accomplishments but really?

I am in desperate need of updating/overhauling my website. I found a couple companies that look good. I just hate giving out my website address when I haven't updated it for 4 years now. So now I have to figure out how I want it to look and that alone could take weeks.

I got a call from Hannah's principal and teacher in the last 3 days. Repeat offender. Now I just have to get to the real reason she is "acting" out. I tell ya, this parent thing is tough sometimes. Spring Break is next week and I am looking forward to time with the kids, just us and them and lots of fun. I think we all need to re-connect. They each get to pick one activity. Taylor's is ice-skating, I think that might take two adults.

Mike and I are pondering a trip to San Diego with the kids OR new hardwood floors. Tough decision. My frugal ways say blowing that much money in one week on a vacation is wasteful. Plus the driving. Oh the endless hours of driving. Don't know if I have that much stamina.

Signs of spring are popping up everywhere and we broke out the BBQ on Sunday for some hamburgers. I won't eat ground beef at fast food or restaurants anymore. Not after watching Food Inc. So I have to make them at home if I want them.

Taylor's class has a reading incentive: a free ticket to the waterpark if he reads 600 minutes. He has until April 9th and he's already at 900. Mike and I are throwing in an extra prize if he makes it to 1,000. He is loving the Warriors series right now. He reads at night and if we don't pay attention, he'll stay up until 11 reading in bed. Reminds me of me when I was young.

Now I can say I updated this blog.

PS. Albertsons had a huge cereal sale and we now have 50 boxes of it in our pantry. Like a little squirrel, I am. It is our favorite kind.