These Kids!

PJ's for Free Ice Cream!

Elijah loving his dog Noah

This week was spring break for my kids (my break isn't until the end of April) and unlike the other awesome mom's, I went to work.  Other people at school were in the same boat as I was, but managed to take a day or two to spend with their kids.  Some left early to do something special, but my poor kids are stuck with me as their mom so, they played XBox, watched You Tube and just hung around the house.  I'm sure that they ate junk and screamed at each other, but I wasn't here to police it so it didn't really happen (right)?

I'm not a doting mother. Most days I feel pretty guilty in my mom skills after looking at Facebook, Twitter, Pinetrest.  Hell, just going to work and listening to all the wonderful things people are doing for their kids makes me want to cringe. I don't cut up their food, or clean their rooms, or buy all organic food for them.  I don't censor everything that they digest physically, or mentally. I do check their grades twice a day in part because there is no way that we will be able to afford to pay for their college.  All of them can cook, because some nights mom isn't.  These kids, my kids, are independent in part because they have to be.

Colin as Student of the Month

Josie in her chorus dress

While I spend a pretty good bit of time feeling guilty at how much I suck at being a mom, I have to admit it's not all bad not to be super mom.  Due to these kids independent nature, you never know what they are going to do, or what is going to come out of their mouths.  My oldest, Stephen, cusses like a sailor and calls me crazy lady (a title I'm sure I have earned over the years with the grey hairs that he has put on my head), but then will surprise you by taking a kid to the ground at school because he was trying to attack a teacher.  Zeke will have a dramatic fit over an XBox controller, then get up early on Saturday and make everyone cinnamon rolls.  Josie will scream how unfair it is that she has to wash the dishes to the entire neighborhood, but will patiently work with one of her brothers on a project.  Elijah will tell everyone in Wal-Mart that he's going to host People of Wal-Mart, live, on his You Tube channel, then blow my mind in the car when he recognizes Lindsey Stirling music and then goes on to discuss the merits of integrating classical violin with electronic music.  Colin will cry for thirty minutes because you told him he couldn't play electronics, then turn around and bring me a washcloth, coke and a kiss for my migraine.  These kids are independent, loud, fun, crazy, and silly.  These kids are a little lazy one day, then work their fingers to the bone the next.  These kids are sassy and confident that their opinion matters (even when their mother wishes they wouldn't share in the middle of Wal-Mart).  Despite their mother's lack of mom skills, these kids are pretty amazing (most days)!

Zeke bowling

Stephen trying to have a thought