What is this cold stuff?

What is this cold stuff? I am not used to these colder temps!

Beat St. X

What a weekend

Nothing poetic to say today, I just wanted to make note of what a great weekend it was.  Not much happened and on Friday I was worried it would rain all weekend.  I heard stories of yesterday being rainy and cold in Louisville, but it was a gorgeous weekend here, all weekend long.

Yesterday Brooke and Austin came over and we had tailgate food and watched football.  Today, we let the three girls play by themselves in the back yard today for the first time.  Brooke and I would go out the occasionally, play baseball or whatever, we even had lunch out there. For the most part, the girls were on their own.  Brooke and I kept a close watch on them through our windows but they didn't seem to notice.  They played, and played, and played some more.  After dinner we went out front to run around some more and Brooke gave the girls a "manny" and a "peddy" and I laughed about how covered in dirt, food, bruises, and filth the girls were.  They have never so desperately needed a shower as they did tonight. 

We did showers, teeth, books, and songs- and I think the girls were asleep before the lights got dark in their room.  We didn't really do much this weekend, but man was it a good one. 


Beat St. X.

The Circle of Life

Today after school Reagan had a birthday party to go to.  This was an invite from school and not from the Mom's group, meaning Reagan was the only one invited.  So, I had an afternoon with just Baylor Grace and Caroline.  Fridays are good days anyway because it allows BGA and Carolina time to play with each other while Reagan is at school.  I decided to take the girls to go see The Lion King at the movie theatre.  Now, we own this movie and I think I like it better than just about anyone else.  It isn't too high on the girls list.  They had seen this movie many times before, however this version was in 3D.  This would be their first 3D movie.  To see the animals fly across the screen, the grass move, etc. I knew it would be a great visual movie to see.  I figured Caroline would wear the glasses fine since she does already, I wasn't sure how Baylor Grace would do.  I knew that popcorn, maybe a twizzler or two, and being with Dad would be fine by them.

As we got there I was taken back by a memory of my mother taking me to see The Lion King in the movie theatre when it first came out.  I know we (as a family) went to the movies a lot,  but I don't remember going with just my Mom too often. This particular movie memory has always been a special memory tucked away in my mind.  I remember going to what was called Lowes Stonybrook and I can picture which particular theatre it was. I wondered how many times do parents get to do that? Take their own kids to a movie that their parents once took them to see.  While I was too big (probably too cool) to sit in my mothers lap during the movie, I did enjoy a wet Baylor Grace climbing on mine.  She was wet because she spilled her water all over her, then proceeded to spill her water all over the floor.  I couldn't help but think of Mufasa and his wife holding up the baby boy at the start of the movie in what I believe to be one of the better opening scenes of any movie (as seen above).  The music, the animation, everything is great.  Then the boy grows up, finds himself, finds some friends, finds a good wife, claims his throne, and has a baby at the end of the movie.  Turns out the baby is a girl.  Does this sound familiar?  I couldn't help but relate to a 17 year old Disney movie in ways I never thought possible when I saw it the first time, so long ago.  It was a shame Mom couldn't be there with us but I knew she would be proud.

We all shared popcorn, left our 3D glasses alone, Caroline sucked her thumb, and Baylor watched the movie.  It was a great time to spend with them while Reagan was at her friends birthday party. At their age they can't comprehend the fact that I was enjoying my circle of life moment with them, heck I just did at age 32.  My hope is that someday they have kids and think back to the times when their Daddy took them to see a movie.  A time when it was just them, no work, no distractions, a little bit of salt, and a little bit of sweet.  They had seen the movie lots of times before but never like this.   Truth be told, I guess the same could be said about me too.

It really is the circle of life. 

Just another day in paradise

A video blog or vlog for Friday.

Lets just say one of us in the Ayers Lexington house woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.  I'm not going to name names, but whoever this guy was, he was a holy terror as the day started.  It was a classic case of any point he might have had was totally destroyed because he decided to go nuclear on his entire family.  Again, I'm not naming names, I don't want to call him out directly.  I heard this song on the radio today when I was out driving somewhere and it made me think of this morning and the stupid way that man (who shall remain nameless) acted.

I love music and often feel it speaks for me, sometimes through me.  I always wonder if there isn't some Divine intervention with the set list on the radio because there are times when it seems particular songs are played for a very good reason.  Maybe I am over thinking it but it would be sort of cool if that really were the case.

9-11 Part II

So last night at dinner we all sat together, including Hadley. Finally we were complete. The topic of conversation turned to fire safety because at school, Caroline is learning "stop, drop, and roll." The natural progression in the conversation was about what amazing heroes fireman are. We told her to always run towards fireman, not away (even if they look scary). I then reminded her of the show we saw on TV where the airplane was flown into the building. She said,  "yeah (in a somber tone) lots of people died." I told her that was true but there were lots of people who were saved because of the brave heroes, the firemen. Many people were running out of the burning building while the firemen where running in. She says yeah, they are heroes, like Ironman. Yes Caroline, like Ironman. Caroline goes "you know the people who did that to the plane? They were bad men." That's right Caroline, they were bad men. Reagan then chimed in and says, "yeah those bad men did that because they don't like America."  The answer shocked Brooke and I but that's right Reagan, they don't like America.

The conversation ended when Caroline said that when she grows up she could be a fireman. I was very proud of her for even thinking about that after we had talked about the dangers of the job and that many of those brave men didn't make it home that day. She didn't care. It's funny to think of Caroline being a firefighter with her being such a little peanut.  I told her she could be firefighter if she wanted, in fact they all could do anything they wanted to do.

I was proud of my girls last night.  I think because there is something innate in Caroline to love and help others, she said wanted to be a fireman. Baylor Grace, who had been pretty quite the entire time, decided to chime in and say when she grows up that she wanted to be an Oompa Loompa. As a parent, you win some and lose some.

The 9/11 lesson I wasn't ready to give.

I, like most people, have watched almost everything I could with the build up of the 10 year anniversary of 9-11.  I wont go into details of my day, I remember that day exactly... as do most Americans.  Almost everyone remarks/remembers what a beautiful day it was that day.  They said on TV tonight that it was something like 3600 + days ago.  I can't believe all that I have personally done since then.  Thankfully almost all my loved ones are still with me. I have grown, my family has grown, I have changed a lot since that day.  Also, I have taught many lessons since that day.  In the classrooms, on the fields, courts, chapter houses, and in my own own house.  There was one last week I wasn't prepared to teach.

I was watching something on TV last week and was getting emotional about what I was watching.  Both Reagan and Carolina picked up on it and they knew to tread lightly around Daddy.  An aspect of 9-11 I had never thought of until that very moment was how would I explain it all to my children.  Unfortunately, something caught Caroline's eye on TV.  She has always had a strange obsession with fire and when she saw a plane, fly into a tower, and burst into flames.... she immediately began to ask questions about what she saw.  I looked at Brooke who was cooking the dinner and she looked back at me.  Both of us froze for a second.  What do you say? How do you describe the most horrific day in America's history to two little girls?  As a history teacher by training, I could explain exactly what happened in great detail.  I could even include the geo-political factors that contributed as well.  None of that would make sense to a 4 and 5 year old.  You also didnt want to terrify them of every plane or big building they saw.  Caroline is afraid of enough things already we didnt want to compound that issue.   Brooke can do so many things well, one of them is talking to and relating to younger minds.  She began to explain with the prefect amount of detail exactly what happened, and in the perfect tone of voice.  That the men didn't bring a fireball onto the plane (like Caroline assumed), it wasn't an accident, and many people didn't make it home that day.  In the end, those who did it were very bad men.  After the explanation you saw the girls shoulders...slump.  And when the gravity of what happened hit them, it made me sad all over again.  Brooke totally bailed me out that day.  I didn't know what to say, how to say, or if I should even say at all.  She handled it with as much grace as you possibly could. 

On 9-11 a nation lost it's innocence.  In a small way, 10 years later, my girls did as well.  They still don't all the way put 2 and 2 together but when they see videos of that day...they know what happened.  It bothers me that the girls live in that world that none of us grew up in.  Scary thoughts of what might happen when we go to the mall or when their Daddy goes to work, are thoughts that never crossed our minds before that day but are a reality in today's world.  We all think of that day often. We will struggle with how to teach our children about that day for all the years to come.  We will never be the same.  We will never forget.   

Never Forget.

 

Do me a favor, go to the link above and click play under

Listen to “Heaven 9-11″ the 2011 Remix.  They have followed a girl who lost her father in 9/11 from when she was 5, 10,  and 15.

Caroline O Caroline.

Those of us who are fortunate to have more than one kid understand what I mean when I say we all have that ONE kid.  That ONE kid is the one that will say anything.  They have no inner monolouge.  They are funny without trying to be funny, they are loving by nature, goofy, somewhat aloof, or perhaps even a space cadet.  They are smart when they want to be, sassy at times, they are all your other kids rolled up into one.  For us, that is our Caroline. 

Last night the girls has a long promised movie night, popcorn, and snuggle time.  Or as Baylor Grace called it  moooovieee night, popcone, and nuggle time.  The girls were watching the moive, BG and Reagan were nuggling with their mother, Caroline was off doing her own thing. She walks back into the room and says

Caroline:  Mom, I think I have popcorn in my nose.  (No explanation on how it got there- it was very matter of fact)

Brooke: Really? Did you put popcorn up your nose?

Caroline: I think so.  (probably something you would remember)

Brooke: Go get a tissue and I will help you

Caroline: goes and gets it, comes back and blows her nose- there was no popcorn

Caroline: There, all better.

So, I guess it is entirely possible that Caroline went to school today with popcorn up her nose but I don't think so.  We have never had anything shoved up a nose, nor flushed anything inappropriate down the toilet.  It would figure that Caroline would be the first to dip her toes in this pond and it would make even more sense that she did it to herself.

We are lucky to have our girls.  They are growing like weeds and I will miss the kid versions of them when they get bigger.  I hope they don't change, although I'm sure they will.  I pray that Caroline always keeps her happy go lucky attitude.  She is a true blessing and without question our Honey Bee. 

Kids say the darndest things....

So today Reagan goes to school with something VERY important to tell her class.  As they sit around in a circle, Reagan raises her hand as high is it will go.  This is odd because its not really the time for kids to tell stories.  They are actually supposed to just sit there and listen.  Mrs, Boaz calls on her and Reagan tells her that she has something "very important to say."  She then stands up and says its so important that she has to stand up to tell everyone.  Reagan then proceeds to her entire class that her Daddy has a birthday coming up and that she thinks they should all make him a birthday card. 

She has asked me a lot lately what I wanted for my birthday.  She wanted to spend some of her own money on my gift.  Despite me protesting, she insisted.  In fact I told her she needed to spend her money on something important (not me).  She told me "Daddy your birthday is important."  Reagan, you have done enough, you gave me the most perfect gift today at school.

Reagan, I love you more than all the stars in the sky and fish in the sea!