Crunchitized Capitulation

(Or Another "Never" Bites the Dust)

I've said it before, there are a million-in-one things I said I would never do as a mother.

If I have any advice for a young mom it's this: Never say never.

Case in point...

I never buy sugary cereal.

My kids learned early on that if they wanted sugar-in-a-bowl they better go see their Granny (who will have the Coco Puffs and Lucky Charms ready and waiting upon our visits.)

I have been known to occasionally buy Cinnamon Toast Crunch for road trips, but thats about it.

Last weekend, The Boy celebrated the birthday of a friend at a sleep-over.

He came home singing the praises of Captain Crunch.

I spent the next 72 hours flashing back to the good-ole-days growing up in Southern Arizona.

I'm talkin' way back... when I had to walk to and from school, in the scorching desert, without any shoes, up-hill both ways, through a cactus field. This was in the time when dinosaurs roamed the earth and we had to actually get up from the couch to turn the channel-knob on the TV, and had feathered/permed hair held together with purple cans of AquaNet.

But I digress.....

You see, when I was a kid I had a cereal secret. Occasionally my mom would buy the sugary boxed goodness, but I didn't care for them. Well, I didn't care for parts of them.

For instance, I loved the marshmallows in Lucky Charms, and I loved the berries in Captain Crunch Berries, so I ate them. Yes, I shook the box all around and reached my mitts into that box until every last crunchy marshmallow and berry was found.

To make matters worse, when someone else opened the box to find it void of the better parts, I blamed my two younger brothers.

I know you cannot believe that I would stoop to such deception. It's true that I was a perfect child, with exception of that whole cereal-liar part.

Cereal liar....I crack myself up.

Anyway, when The Boy came home asking if I would buy Captain Crunch, I told him no.

However...upon further thought, this simple inquiry flooded me with nostalgia. I wouldn't buy Captain Crunch, but Captain Crunch Berries? Well, that's a different story.

We got ourselves a box.

His first bowl of Captain Crunch Berries

I ate them in a most civilized matter...in a bowl, with a very sophisticated cup of coffee, with my pinky-finger waving in the air. Actually, I guess the most civilized way would have been to use a spoon...some habits are hard to break.

Back in the day, the only berries were the red ones, and the berry-to-crunch ratio was a lot lower. Now there are multiple colored berrries, and much more of them. At first I wasn't sure I liked it.

But for the record, I do. 

Thirteen

To my newly-turned Teenager,

I cannot believe we've come to this place.

But I'm glad.

You've gone from a sweet, loving, friendly baby boy and child, to a smart, gracious, friendly, kind young man.

I wish your dad and I could take some credit for who you are, and who you will become.

But we can't.

For in all the parenting, and time, and love, and discipline we try to impart, we do/will fail.

And yet...

We see Great Work being done in you.

Sometimes that work isn't easy.

Your tender heart often carries burdens that seem too heavy for your years...continue to pursue Truth, my son. When you do you encourage those around you.

You encourage me.

I'm thankful for your love of laughter. Your gift of conversation. Your love for family.

I am so grateful you're my boy. I wouldn't want any son but you.

With love,
Mom

Weekend Recap in Pictures

Good morning y'all!

I have to post quick this morning because we are down to one mouse in this house.

Computer mouse, that is.

And the kids will need to take the mouse to the other computer to do their math.

We had a good weekend....

It started with a "No School" pass, and birthday bagels at Brueggars:

Where he got to open the gift from his sister.

Then I went home and started to put together my first ever Lego cake.

Uh, blue frosting?  It looked good but I just couldn't eat it...I have the same problem with blue m&m's.

Later that evening he had the dinner of his choice: homemade waffles with whipped cream, and "real" bacon...(as opposed to turkey bacon...I don't often dig on swine...Its just not my thing.)

On Saturday as it drizzled and rained all day The Mister prepared the fire pit and I got all the fixin's prepared for the big party.

I worried a bit about the weather, which was completely wasted time...I had forgotten that fire is the love language of man. Rain or shine.

Not only did we have cake and ice cream, but then we had smores.

So the short story? We invited 13 children over to stand in the rain and play with fire. Then I filled them up with junk food, jacked them up with soda, cake and roasted sugar...and sent them home smelling of smoke and dripping wet.

Life is good when you're twelve!

Happy Monday!

Twelve Years Ago

Dear First Child,

You were the biggest surprise of our young marriage.

The gift I didn't know that I needed.

Twelve years ago from this very moment, I was fast asleep. Tucked in bed and unaware that in two and a half hours I would wake up, and my water would break.

I would call your dad and tell him to come home.

It was time.

By 6:30 that evening, after a day full of labor, you would arrive by c-section, with an adorable black eye to match your black hair.

Nine and a half pounds, and you were hungry.

Your dad and I were awestruck, as we held you; a dream come sooner than we had planned, but fulfilled in Perfect Timing.

Twelve short years ago...

Yesterday, as we walked through the piney woods of North Carolina, I was so proud of the young man you are becoming.

You wanted Kona the Wondermutt to come with us...just in case we might need protection.

You walked, with Kona, ahead of us, to swipe at cobwebs, so your sister and I wouldn't have to walk through them.

You patiently, carefully, taught your little sister how to cross the stream without falling in, or getting her new sneakers wet.

You held overgrown branches back so we wouldn't have to touch them.

You called out the muddy spots, and the dangerous spots; the places of beauty.

Some might pessimistically shake their heads and claim chivalry is dead.

They haven't met you.

Chivalry is defined as:

1. 
   
   1. 
      
      The qualities idealized by knighthood, such as bravery, courtesy, honor, and gallantry toward women.
      
      
      
   2. 
      
      A manifestation of any of these qualities.
      
      
      
   
   

You are all these things, but your humble spirit makes all these qualities a hundred-fold more valuable.

Sweet Boy, you will always be my first born.

I'm tough on you.

I've learned from you.

I've made mistakes with you, but I will never forget that you are the surprise gift I am privileged to be given. 

You make me proud, though I can take no credit for who you are, or who you are becoming.

Today my prayer for you is the one I prayed for you over a decade ago:


"May the God who has been my shepherd
       all my life to this day,
 ¹⁶ the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
       —may he bless (this) boy. "
          ~Genesis 48: 15-16



I love you,
Mom

(I was thinking about closing comments today, but instead I will leave them open...just in case you wanted to wish The Boy a Happy Birthday...)

This Good Day!

The Mister has been gone for six days. 

I cannot wait for him to get home tonight. 

When he is gone, I cannot sleep. I do not cook. I am generally good for nothing. 

Put I've posted about this before. So I won't repeat myself.

Today is going to be fun. We have one last day of beautiful weather until winter comes back. 

I actually wore capris yesterday. Which reminds me, I shaved. Capris call for drastic measures.

You know, it amazes me how a little warm weather can change my outlook on almost everything. Just when I thought I might go a little crazy with cold weather, it turned around for a bit. The daffodil buds are starting to pop-up and fill my heart with anticipation for spring. 

Hope. 

It's life changing. Isn't it?

I am not the only one excited about The Mister's return. The Girl has been practicing her bike riding skills every afternoon. She asked last night if she could show her daddy how she can ride RIGHT when he gets home. Unfortunately, by the time we get him home from the airport it will be dark, so it will have to wait until Saturday morning. I have tried several times to upload video, but Blogger is being funny...grrr.

The Boy has been able to ride a bike for years, but the bike he is currently riding is The Mister's childhood bike: a Mongoose. When we were living in AZ my father-in-law gave it to The Boy, and he thinks its so cool to be able to ride the bike his Dad rode all over that southern Arizona town.

I've sort bounced all over the place today haven't I...so I'll bounce one more time. I finally caved to peer pressure. I opened a Twitter account: @LaVidaCoffeeGal. I am in the process of getting a new phone. We still have our Texas cell phones from three moves (and six years) ago! But hopefully within the next week or so that will change!

Happy Friday!