Charity's Crazy Beautiful Life

For the love of -- Daziel

Two weekends ago my oldest child, my first born, my very first baby boy turned twelve.

 

As a parent, watching your children grow -- and grow -- and grow is a bit bittersweet. I would even venture to say it can be hard. I remember holding my babies, and watching them toddle around, and their first this and their first that...their first day of school. So having to endure my son's 12th Birthday when I still remember his 1st very vividly...yep, you got it! Hard. 

  

What made it even harder was that we were in the middle of this move to Japan.  So, my poor boy was away from his friends that he's had for the last four years.  And yes, as we always try to remember, 'tis the way of military life.  And we try not to complain. But sometimes it is hard. So, especially because of that -- because of being in transition, I didn't want the day to just come and go without a bang! We are in the middle of moving and I wanted to make it special. I wanted Daziel to know that our traditions and our family is what we make it, no matter where we go. 

So I asked Daziel what he wanted to do on his special day. He of course wanted his Birthday Breakfast -- because that is a tradition in our family.  No matter what day we celebrate your birthday and have your party, no matter if it's a big party or just dinner with a friend, we always, always, start your actual birthday out with a special Birthday Breakfast. Whatever you want it to be, whether that is pancakes with m&m's and cool whip... or what Daziel requested this year... eggs benedict perfected by Uncle Darold. 

When I was planning what else we'd do for the rest of Daziel's birthday, I was a bit surprised by his reaction. I offered to take him to Silverwood, a theme park not too far from here. I told him we could take him to play laser tag, or to go fishing...but my boy, he just nodded and with a ho-hum little voice he said "yeah, whichever will be ok".  So I thought, and I talked to my boy, and I thought some more. What was making him so glum? He finally told me he was bummed about not getting to spend his birthday with my husband, Craig. You see...Craig was gone last summer too -- he was deployed for four months.  So my boy was bumming about that...and who can blame him? This whole moving and being away from the ones you love kind of stinks. But, Craig's already in Japan, we're here, there wasn't much I could do about that.

So, I thought and thought some more...about my boy and what he was feeling. And I thought of another option for his birthday, an option I was a bit hesitant to suggest.

You see, we are staying with my sister Angela -- who just so happens to live in the same town as Daziel's father.  So, I worked up the courage and I set my feelings aside -- I asked Daziel if he'd like us to have a family barbecue with his dad and all his dad's family. His eyes lit up, he smiled and said "yeah!".  So, I went about planning it out. Daziel and I even sat down one evening to plan it out with his father.  Because even though his father and I aren't best buds, and even though we've had some very major disagreements that were/are being worked out... I thought it was still very important for us to wave a white flag, to call a truce, and to throw a party -- together -- for our son. So Daziel could see us working together for him.  We hadn't done a party together for Daziel since his 3rd Birthday. I wasn't so sure that I was up to it.  But I was sure it was what my boy wanted -- so that's what he got!

 

He got to spend the day with all of us (who could make it on such short notice) together...with his father...

 

with his beautiful grandma, who I love so much!  (And even though it's been 12 1/2 years since I've dated her son, I have a feeling she loves me too. As she walked into the backyard, she was carrying two huge trays of her homemade enchiladas. And as she was giving me a great big hug, she told me that she made them especially because she remembers that they were my favorite -- gosh, I really do love her!!)

 

He got to spend the day with his uncle -- who -- wow! Doesn't he look so much like!?!!

 

Daziel got to have his wonderful aunts there. It's funny, because I really love his father's family. I was a part of their family for the 2-ish years that we dated. And it was nice to see them and to visit with them for an afternoon. It was nice to see how we could all come together for the same goal ...

 

to play and have fun...

 

to slip and slide...

 

to do a pinata "the right way"...

  

to scramble for the candy (as I was showing my mom these pictures, she remarked about how much I look like Daz's grandma in these pictures -- weird)...

 

to enjoy the yummy mexican candies inside of it..

 

which was followed by a special cake made by Uncle Darold and decorated by Aunt Angie, and cousin, Bethany.

 

That day was all about making sure that a very special "little" boy felt very, very loved!!

12 years -- I can't believe it!

My oldest, Daziel, turned 12 today.

 

Twelve years ago, I was seventeen. Having him changed my life forever... and I would not change it for anything. Twelve years later, I hope I'm making as much of a difference in his life as he has made in mine.
I love you Daziel, Happy Birthday!!!

Haircuts and an Update

So...do you ever do something drastic when you need a change? Or when life gets too mundane? Or stressful? Or because you're tired and hot and PMSing? (Sorry guys!) Well, yesterday, my darling daughter, Allyssa, and I went and got haircuts. Not a trim, either. Like, newer, shorter cuts. Read into that what you will...

And because I knew you'd ask to see -- I went ahead and took some pictures. (Really, I'm ONLY showing you the pictures of me because my hubby will want to see them. You know I'm not a big fan of posting pictures of my big ole melon head on here.)

  

Ok, yeah, so...trying to take my own picture in the mirror -- yeah, not so good at that. On to Allyssa's cute new do.

 

Oh my GOSH doesn't this make her look grown up?? Why'd I let her talk me into it? Why?

 

Because she's turning ten this year, so I figure I'd better start letting her have a say in these types of decisions. But I won't let her have a say in how many pictures of her I will take.

 

Even when she covers her face and says "pleeeeaaaassssseee stop, I think you have plenty"...nope, not me. I don't stop taking pictures of my kiddos. Even when they beg! I like to torture them like that.

 

She does, however, get to have a say in what pretty little things she gets to put in her hair.

Ok, ok, I know you want a better shot of me and my new haircut. I knew you'd ask. So, I talked the kids into taking pictures for me. Here ya go.

 

Wowza!! So I wasn't even planning on getting it cut yesterday. But I was hot. And it was driving me nuts. And...look how dang short it is!?!!!?!! I think I'll like it much better when it grows out a bit. I might even decide to get it angled a little bit. Or...not. 

And just for good measure...not that the kids aren't good at taking pictures...I asked my sister, Ange, to take a picture of me when she got home from work.

 

So now, for the update. Yes, we FINALLY have Daziel's passport. (Woo hoo, woo hoo. I actually did a happy dance when we got it last Friday -- my sister's dog started howling because I was making such an uproar.) We had booked a flight for this week, but now we ARE NOT flying to Japan this Thursday, the 21st as originally planned. We have to take a flight that has room for our beloved, dog, Nicholas who is much a part of our family. That flight didn't have room and we found that shipping him unaccompanied is going to just be way too expensive. So, I'm looking into a flight date of next week that will have room for the dog. So, we won't get to spend Daziel's Birthday this weekend with Craig, but we will be able to spend it with family. The poor Daz man...he is going to have to fly back to the states in about a month for his summer visitation with his Dad. I hate flying!! I hope he doesn't mind it as much as I do. I guess he'll be a pretty seasoned international traveler at the end of this assignment to Japan.

So, that's that for now. I'll update more when I know more. We're at my sister, Ange's in Cheney, until then...enjoying our new haircuts, which really means, wondering "what the heck were we thinking!???!??"

Do You Know the Preamble??

Did you ever have to learn the Preamble in school? I don't know if I did -- but if I did -- I forgot it. Or...it was remembered in that part of my brain that only functions at 2am and wakes me from a dead sleep with a cobwebby grogginess...

(yes, I've got sleeping problems, people)...

So, Craig got home and was happy to be home and to see all of us. We were overjoyed to see him and the kids mauled him and tackled him and tickled him for about a day straight.   And then, they went back to school and we...SLEPT!  He was jetlagged and had sinus issues the first couple of days he was home. I got my sinus infection back and was running a fever then too. So, we basically slept for two and a half days. How romantic, hmnn?  But I'm still enjoying his all-day compay (he hasn't had to go back to work yet)...and we feel much better and very rested! 

Now we're all back to feeling somewhat normal and have been helping Daziel with his homework. I tell ya, 6th grade is really a family affair! Daz has WORLD HISTORY this year. He can earn extra credit tomorrow if he can recite the Preamble. So, for HOURS tonight (my son has a really hard time memorizing things) we listened to this and sang this song so he can recite it tomorrow. He NEEDS these extra credit points! 

And let me tell you -- the Preamble is NO LONGER in the cobwebby 2am parts of my brain.  Since I sang this School House Rock song about 50 million times tonight (no, I NEVER exaggerate) -- it's now in the "I'm stuck in your head and will still be stuck in your head when you wake at 2am, 6am, and will still be stuck next week" part of my brain.  With that said, we LOVED School House Rock the year I homeschooled, and we love it still.  If you haven't heard it, click on the links. It's worth a listen. And you never know...you might just learn the Preamble...

PREAMBLE

We the people of the United States,

in order to form a more perfect union,

establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,

provide for the common defense,

promote the general welfare and,

secure the blessings of liberty

to ourselves and our posterity,

do ordain and establish

this Constitution

for the

United States of America.

Can You Believe...

The new school year has begun already?  Can you believe that these kiddos are so stinkin' cute?  (*Please don't let them know that I called them cute. They'd totally gag, roll their eyes, and then moan, "Mommmmm!")

 

Can you believe they have such cute haircuts?  Can you believe they have such cute teachers?!?!

Can you believe I drove them to school and made asked them nicely to take a picture with their teacher in the doorway to their classroom? (To which they each replied "Sure, we'd love to!" *smile*) Can you believe that these kids look so grown up!?!? That they ARE so grown?  That I officially have a 6th, 4th and 1st grader?  I remember when I used to do home daycare and I'd take care of "School Agers"...and they seemed so big to me. So old.  That was back when I had a Kindergartner, a Preschooler and an Infant. Now, I'm the one with the School Agers that are so big. So old. Back then, when Daz started Kindergarten, I couldn't believe he was old enough.  That I already had a kid in school. And now, Colby, my youngest, is past Kindergarten.  It's kind of hard for me to wrap my brain around.  That my kids are getting so big. That summer flew by so fast and another school year is here already.  That my kids are growing up so fast. That...Wow. Sniff. Sniff. Pout. Tear. Breath. Sheesh! Can you believe I'm getting so sentimental over the first day of school? 

Makin' Momma Proud!

I mentioned that Daziel went to Boy Scout Camp for a week, right?  And boy oh boy did that boy have a blast!  He's been talking bout the stuff he got to do and the things he earned while he was there since he's been home. And maybe I'd be inclined to tell you about all those achievements that I'm so proud of, if something else that made me proud (proud?) hadn't caught my attention first. 

 

I must admit... I was really missing my boy and was completely ready for him to come home after being gone for an entire week!  But I was dreading the laundry I'd have to do when he got home.  You know -- boys, wilderness, dirt, sweat, boys, stinky, yuck!  I think you get the picture. 

So to my utter surprise, when I opened up his footlocker and started helping him unpack...

 

I saw that the 2 gallon zip lock bags that I had so neatly packed a pair of shorts, socks, underwear and t-shirt into for each day of the week (and labeled accordingly, of course) so he wouldn't be scrambling to get his stuff on the way to the shower (shower? yeah! right!) looked pretty much the same as they did when they went into that box. I was thinking, "Good Boy, Daz.  Way to keep your stuff together."  Then,  when I started taking everything out of bags, sniffed it a bit (only a crazy good mother would do that, right?) and thought, "Wait a minute, this stuff is clean."  So I asked,

"Daz, hey man, where are your dirty clothes?"

To which Daziel replied, "te he, he he, te he he he, um, I'm wearing them".

ONE WHOLE WEEK and he came home with CLEAN CLOTHES.  Ok, maybe you're not following me.  He was at camp for an entire week and he DIDN'T CHANGE WHAT HE WAS WEARING!!  Oh, wait, let me give the boy a little credit.  He had a dirty swim suit.  And a Dirty Boy Scout Shirt because he had to wear every night for dinner.

So, considering that he didn't change his clothes for the entire week; I'd say he doesn't look so shabby.  And that definitely explains why their troop t-shirt is dirt brown.  And...why he had flies swarming over him until I insisted that he peel his clothes off and put them in a hazardous waste bag while he took an hour long shower.  And yes, he did smell.  A lot! (I can't imagine what his bunk mate thought -- oh wait, yes I can.  He was another 11-year-old boy so he probably didn't change his clothes, either.) And the cute thing was, when I asked him why he didn't want to change,

"Hey Daz, now that you're showered and don't smell and I can actually stand to be within two feet of you, please tell me, why didn't you change your clothes at camp?  I mean, I made it pretty simple for you to change.  All you had to do was grab a bag and go.  Were you embarrassed to change in front of other guys?"

And Daziel answered, "No, I wasn't embarrassed.  I just wanted to be in Scout Uniform the whole time. I wanted to show I am a proud scout."

To which I smiled and hugged him.  And told him that he'd have to weed my flower bed to earn six more pairs of scout socks.  And that we'd have to think of something so he could do to earn a few more pairs of green scout shorts and troop t-shirts.  Oh, what a boy! 

Let the Punishment fit the Crime

 

Do you have fun loving kids who are goofy and make you laugh?  I do!  Do you have good kids that, for the most part, are really well behaved and make you very, very proud? I do too! 

Do those same kids ever do anything that annoys you, but that you feel cannot be warranted with a true punishment?  Well, mine do!  Like...all the time!!  And, I know that many of you already know that I'm pretty strict and try to run a "tight ship" with routines and chores.  But I also know that about myself and try my hardest to have patience, acceptance, and try not to let the little things ride under my skin too bad.  And I think that for the most part, for our family, it has worked.  I think our kids are great kids!!  But every once in a while, my kids will do something that is just SO darn annoying that I can't stand it any more, so I have to do something about it. This has happened several times as of lately. 

Example 1:  A certain child of mine decided that they would change their clothes six times a day, four days in a row.  What happened?  I didn't yell, I didn't scream, I didn't withhold dinner or even ground them.  I assigned "laundry duty" for a week where this child was responsible (with my help) for washing, drying, and folding all of our laundry for an entire week!.  True story, folks.  It just happened.  This said child is now much more aware of when to change out of filthy clothes, and when to let that little water spot dry and just go on with life.

Example 2:  Another one of my children had an issue with belching at the dinner table.  Now, I know that kids will be kids, and those types of things just slip out and happen every once in a while.  That I get.  But every single night for weeks?  Something is either going on with this child's stomach, or this said child has mastered the art of intentional burping.  So, what do I do?  At first, I thought that sending said child to his room and making him wait to eat dinner would work.  Kinda, maybe...not really.  The belching continued.  I had to get creative.  So, one night I made this lovely and spirited child of mine belch twenty-five times before he could eat his dinner.  I told him, "Lovely and spirited child of mine, since you so love to burp right as we're eating dinner, I have decided to let you do it.  And even better.  I have decided that you have to burp 25 times tonight before you can take one bite of your supper."  Now, mind you, this same child had been chomping at my heels for the past ten minutes as I was cooking.  So I knew he was hungry, and I knew he would not like burping tonight.  Not 25 times.  Not before he could eat.  Not while he sat and looked at his food, and smelled it, and watched the rest of us eating.  And...granted, I knew that this tactic was either going to work -- or really, really backfire because I was reinforcing that the burping was ok.  And really, I don't have that huge of a problem with it.  I'm a country girl at heart.  But at the dinner table?  Every night?  So I took the risk and went for it.  And, I was right.  And he hasn't belched at the dinner table since.

Example 3:  Another one of my children had been growing his hair out.  He wanted to let it grow out into a long, shaggy style -- as is the style for preteen and teen boys nowadays.  And, being the very cool Mom that I am, I said "ok".  No fight, no fuss, no issue at all.  I thought he'd actually look pretty cute!  But then, this same child took issues with washing his longer hair.  I had patience, knowing that learning to wash your hair correctly when you're not used to having much hair at all was probably going to be a process.  But then, he not only didn't want to wash it (which, yes, it got kind of stinky), he didn't want to do anything with it.  So, it just sat like a mop on top of his head.  But then again, who am I to judge ones hairstyle?  But the stink, I just couldn't get past the smell of his head when I'd walk by his sweaty, summer, not really washed, hairstyle!  I threatened and promised him that if he didn't take more time washing his hair that he'd have a nice "Colby Cut".  You know...a "one on the side, two on top" military cut.  He didn't want that.  But, I also don't think he thought I'd actually follow through with making him shave his head.  But here's the thing, even though I threatened, the problem persisted.  And since this said child is about to go to Boy Scout camp for a whole week (and I've already been forewarned by other parents that I'll be lucky if he changes his clothes and brushes his teeth once during that week), I thought, there is NO way he's going to camp with long hair.  He'd end up coming home looking like this!

(p.s.  Please do not mistake that just because I have posted a picture of Jason Castro on my blog that I  am Jason Castro fan.  I am a David Cook fan all the way!!)

So, to prevent an eleven-year-old from coming home from Boy Scout camp with a head full of dreadlocks...we went and did this today.

 

Long hair, short hair, no hair, I don't care -- he's still so darn cute!!!

Hired Help

It's getting late, I just finished rushing around my house pulling out things we don't use and haven't looked at in ages, because this weekend is the base yard sale.  And I, at the last minute (not at all a Charity thing to do, right, right, come on, be on my side) decided to start my spring cleaning with a rapid purge.  And oh, by golly, did it feel good!  I am now sitting in a computer room that has mountains of old books, games, toys, clothes, videos (yes, VHS, does anyone even own VCR's any more?), pictures, Tupperware (yes, REAL Tupperware), and tons more stuff.  And I decided to hire this little man to help me with the Yard Sale being that he doesn't have Saturday morning ball games -- but DOES have a $100 camp backpack he really, really wants to buy for his Boy Scout camp outs. What better way to earn it than helping his dear mother with a yard sale?  And, don't you think with this smile and charm he will help sell those VHS tapes to somebody?  Come on, you'd buy one from this smiling face -- I know, I know, you don't have a VCR anymore -- but with this lovely grin, it wouldn't even matter, would it?

He's so darn handsome!  And that smile usually helps his cause..

most days.  But today, when he asked for that backpack, I felt like I needed to do what a "scout mom" should do and make him earn it. 

And the reason I'm so last minute at pulling this yard sale together is that: 

1) The Base Yard Sale was originally supposed to be last weekend.  And due to Saturday morning ball obligations, I knew I would never get a yard sale done.  And you see, when you live on a very important Air Force Base, like this one, you are only allowed two weekends a year to put your junk in your yard and ask people to buy it.  Only two.

But, 2) it was canceled last weekend due to rain, and rescheduled for this weekend, where I still had too much going on to accomplish a yard sale - ya know - our Saturday ball lineup. 

However, 3) I have many summer guests coming to visit my house and I started walking around looking at all of our STUFF and almost hyperventilated.  Seriously folks!  I'm an organizational freak.  I think I've mentioned this before.  Very OCD -and the thought of adding one more person to my already full house started making my shoulders shudder, my eyes bulge and my heart beat rapidly. (Which, in all honesty, really makes NO sense, since Craig will be gone this summer and there will still be the same amount of people in my house). 

And, to you future house guests, please do not take offense to this.  This has NOTHING to do with you.  And EVERYTHING to do with me -- I have issues!!  And a little house.  And alot of stuff. (Well, hopefully not so much stuff after tomorrow!) And, my house will be very purged and you will never know that on this weekend before you came, I about had a heart attack because I couldn't walk by a room of my house without thinking "we have too much stuff".  Well, I guess, unless you're reading this blog. But then again, if you read this blog, you already know I'm CRAZY, so we're all good! 

So, with the help of my friend, Jamie, who would probably kill me if I posted any of the current pictures that I have of her (you know, the lovely poses you get of a friend who is unaware that you are taking her picture, te he he) and my lovely son, the morning should run fairly smoothly and I should rake in alot of cash!  Wait...now that I think of it, I'm not so sure that after letting Jamie have "first dibs" and paying Daziel for his back pack I'll make much at this Yard Sale.  But, I'll have all that STUFF out of my house, and to an OCD organizational nut like me, that's pretty priceless! No more heart palpitations, my home will be clutter free!  And, just because I can, one more of my "I can't believe he's growing so big and getting so cute" hired help...

What?  You want some of those VHS movies and you're willing to pay shipping?  His smile did it to ya, didn't it?  Can't beat that kind of hired help!

The Story of a Scout

You all remember, a couple of weeks ago, Daziel earned his arrow of light. The highest rank in Cub Scouts.  And he was so excited!  Tonight, he was just as excited as he was stripped of all things Cub Scout (hat, nekerchief, belt, brag vest) and gave them up...he ended his Cub Scout journey.

No bitter sweet in this, baby.  Just sheer joy and excitement as he crossed over the bridge and left his mark...

and was greeted by his new Troop.

who put on his new colors, and gave him his new guide, and...

greeted him, a fellow Boy Scout. We are so proud of all of his hard work and accomplishments.  This is a very big deal!!!  Being a Boy Scout will help him learn to be trustworty, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.  (Taken from the Scout Law)  All things I want my son to aspire to be.  All traits that he will be excited to be, as a scout!

He is so excited!!

It's been a great journey, Daziel. One you have worked hard at, one that you deserve!  Don't forget all that you learned in Cub Scouts...take those memories with you as you continue on the path to reaching your goal of Eagle Scout.  Don't forget that you've learned all about how to do your best.  I am proud of you, son!

THE STORY OF A SCOUT

He's Almost There...

His Blue and Gold Banquet was tonight.  He earned his Arrow of Light.  He was SO excited!!!

Have a lot to say, am so very, very proud.  But since I organized this event, and just finished my mid-terms and have an extra two kids staying here until Monday, it'll have to wait.  But can you believe him, he is so excited that he'll be a Boy Scout in a few weeks.