A Good Day...

Today was a really good day as far as the after work rush. I made it home by 6:15 (new record) after picking the kids up from their grandma's. Nikolas worked on homework while I made dinner and I was so proud of how he just kept at it and got it done right before dinner. We managed to eat dinner, get Stefan's homework done, have coffee ready for Darko when he came home for break, get baths, find a few silly jokes for Nik to use at school tomorrow and still had time to read everyone a book before bed at 9pm. Damien picked the book tonight and it was "If You Give a Pig a Pancake". I love that story, it sounds so much like our crazy life sometimes. That is a lot to cram into three short hours, but we did it and these are the nights that I just can't get enough of. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I am off to bed to start all over again tomorrow!

And One More Thing...

Boys--you know how much your mama loves to listen to Aretha Franklin. She did a wonderful job at the ceremony and I want you to watch it someday. I read somewhere once that "if you ever want to hear the voice of God, listen to Aretha Franklin." Just some advice from your mom, you used to listen to it all time time in the womb!

A New President...

I have gotten seriously behind in my effort to keep this up for my boys, and I am going to try to do much better. Take note, my boys, when you read this later, you will thank me for making you do your homework even if you hated it at the time. Life lessons, kiddos, life lessons.

So I wanted to put my thoughts down about the inauguration. I have mostly kept my political views confined to my household and a few friends. But I am absolutely thrilled that our new president is Barak Obama. And I am even more thrilled that so many others feel the same. Part of me gets a little bothered by all the anti-O stuff, but that's to be expected in American politics. What I didn't expect was for Nikolas to come home after school (before the election) and tell me that Obama kills babies in mommies tummies. Who teaches their children that? I am guessing it is the same people that still use racial slurs and tell all immigrants to "go back to their own country" without even stopping to think that unless their own family tree has Native American blood, then all of us are immigrants. My boys need to understand that yes, their dad was a refugee to this country. Not by choice, but because he was held prisoner in a concentration camp in Bosnia and that his home and all he had was ruined by a stupid hateful war. That he was beaten daily, had his teeth knocked out with a rifle butt, saw friends beheaded, saw his uncle shot straight to the head, nearly starved, burned with cigarettes, and stabbed. But they will also understand that their dad was brave enough to escape, and take four others with him, only to swim for six hours and cross into Serbia where he could be a little more safe. And most importantly, they will understand that it takes a heck of a man (and some help from God) not to wake up every day and be a bitter, ruined person because of it. Maybe my marriage has changed my views on things and has made me more accepting of people no matter who they are or where they come from. Maybe it was the hate mail I got right after we got married calling me a "foreigner-loving #$#%" and that I should be very scared. And that was only because he was a Bosnian Serb. Maybe it was the realization that there is a bigger power than me, because how else would I have met and married someone from halfway around the globe?

I have never been decidedly Republican or Democrat, I always waited to see what each candidate had to say, did my research, and made the decision that was right for me based on my own core values. It is tough to listen to all the bad things that are being said right now about our new President. It makes me wonder if it is because he is black? If it is because people are scared to change and do things a new way? How will they respond when a woman becomes president? I can't wait for the day. I will instill in my boys, though, to take their right to vote seriously. It is one way for their voice to be heard and for change to happen. Either way, no matter who wins, I will teach them to respect their president. And if their choice doesn't win, there will be another chance in four more years. Who can't love a democracy and a peaceful transfer of power? Sure beats civil war, boys, just ask your dad.

Falling Behind...

Wow--I can see now that the pace of life is keeping me from staying updating on my blogging thing. But I am determined to give it a good effort! So this past Saturday Nikolas and Stefan had appointments for haircuts. After joking around a little, Stefan goes first and decides he is going to try something new. Kind of cool like a "rock star" he says--and I have to admit he looked really cute when it was done--I loved it! When it was Nik's turned, he got a little shy and decided to stay with his same hair cut since he (quote) "wanted to look like a nice gentleman" and didn't think that rock n roll hair would do the trick. He too looked terribly handsome when he was done.

I am taking Damien to the dentist today for lots of work...that poor kid doesn't stand a chance, seems like he is going to have teeth just like his dad. Anyway, Damien is a tough little boy, so I think all should go well, but we'll see. Then we have to hurry home and get ready for Cub Scouts. Busy night tonight I think. Whew, I am tired already.

3rd Grade Recorder Concert

Last night we attended Nikolas and Stefan's 3rd grade recorder concert. What a cute group of kids and they all performed wonderfully! But let me tell you, the drama leading up to the concert was just crazy! I have now come to the understanding that while these two are twins, the whole "same thing" idea is not going to work anymore. I had to go find new dress clothes for them since they have grown out of what they had, so we went shopping. Needless to say, boys aren't that into shopping...or at least mine aren't. So here I am with three boys crammed into the dressing room with no room to move. Stefan decides that it would be best just to have Nik try everything on, so that only one kid has to get undressed. I (in all my infinite wisdom) think that's a great idea, surely what fits Nik will fit Stefan. So we find pants, shirts/ties, etc for them both, never bothering to try anything on further once we get home. So last night, I manage to get home from work, get three boys fed and bathed, and have them start getting dressed for the concert. Stefan comes into the living room and tells me his pants don't fit. So I take a look and sure enough, there is no way that those pants are going to get zipped, much less buttoned. At this point, we are about 30 minutes out from when the boys have to be at school. So as I am trying to shove this growing boy into too-small pants, I finally come to the understanding that this is just not going to work. OK, 20 minutes to go. In desparation, I call my neighbor, who happens to be one of the best women on this planet, and tell her we have a pants emergency and I need HELP! She makes a mad dash at the last minute to Wal-Mart and manages to snag the last pair of the size we need, and hurries back. 5 minutes to go. We manage to get Stefan dressed, bundle everyone up (31 degrees by this point), and make a sprint to the school, where I get both boys dropped off just in time to meet up with their class. After scrambling into the auditorium and finding a seat for Damien and I (and four winter coats) we are just in time for the program to start. Program goes great and both boys look wonderful. Program over, bundle everyone back up and head home. So I tell Stefan that the lesson we were supposed to learn from that fiasco is that no matter how prepared we think we are, it will always be the little things that trip us up. He agreed and told me from now on he thinks it's best that he tries on the clothes too, even if they are twins! Oh, how I love my boys! And Damien will have plenty of dress clothes for the future!

Behind Already

Well, my intention was to keep up with this daily, and I am already falling behind. Will have to work on that. So I wanted to put down my thoughts of how I spent this past weekend. I went deer hunting for the first time with Darko--he has been asking me to go for quite some time now. So I finally agreed and we went together on Saturday. It was really nice to just sit down, slow down, and enjoy the peace and quiet. There is not a lot of quiet in a house with three boys! So anyway, we just sat and watched. And before the day was out, I had taken my first deer ever, and apparently from a pretty good distance according to Darko (200 yards?). Anyway, it was a ton of work getting in there and set up, and double that coming out with deer in tow, but I have to say I really enjoyed it and would do it again. I never thought I would say that--I am surprised. The kids went wild over the fact that Mom went hunting with Dad and "caught" a deer...they thought I was pretty cool that day. I will take that. ;o)

A Day in the Life

Yesterday was such a busy day--somedays I just think the pace of life gets more overwhelming all the time. Up early to make the commute and get to work on time, with Darko waking up to get three sleepy boys dressed, fed, and ready for school. Full day of work, then mad dash to hit Sam's Club for household stuff and gas for the car ($1.92/gallon, amazing). Then commute home, pick up kids at MIL's home, take both in-laws to their part-time job, then on to the grocery store to buy two weeks worth of groceries (hopefully two-weeks). Home to unload groceries, feed kids, help with homework and baths, make dinner for myself and hubby, and have everyone ready for bed by 9pm to start it all again the next day. Why do I push so much into one day? This time the answer is because we are supposed to have 35mph wind all day with falling temps and snow on the way after 4pm. I would rather do it before the weather gets too bad and thankfully I was able to get it all done...this time ;o) Looking forward to pizza and family movie night--I am thinking "Kung Fu Panda" is going to the be the choice. Sounds good to me.