It was a rather exciting weekend around here - exciting in a not-so-great way, unfortunately. My friend’s 14 year old son (who is a friend of Second Son’s) stole a car Saturday night.
Yeah.
This is a kid who historically has always been an honor roll student, active in the youth group at church and always the [...]

Second Son had a friend over for the weekend (a friend who’ll likely get nicknamed Adopted Son because he’s pretty much campaigning for me to take him in and finish raising him, but that’s for another post) and Prima Donna Daughter was feeling very Prima-Donna-ish due to lack of attention and being deemed the pest, [...]

It’s important to be recognized for your accomplishments. It’s even more important to be there when your kids are being recognized.

2007 was a banner year for Second Son. Back in January, he made the homepage of the school district’s website for being nominated and selected as a People to People Student Ambassador.
In May, he and his girlfriend (pictured here) went to the 8th grade prom (their first dress up affair) and then graduated to High [...]

…but, Oldest Son called me at 1am. I answer, feigning sleep (I was right here, reading blogs, but he doesn’t need to know that.)
Immediately, I hear him let out a string of expletives that would make even a sailor blush.
No, not at me. At the girl with whom he spent the weekend (with whom he [...]

Today I woke in a grateful mood. Ironic since that is so NOT the mood I went to sleep in last night. I got up to find Prima Donna Daughter at her computer playing/singing Christmas songs. When she saw me coming into the living room, she jumped up, ran to me and hugged me and [...]

Strange title, I know, but ’twas my response to OldestSon when he asked why SecondSon was having a friend spend the night tonight.
OldestSon moved back ‘home’ three weeks ago (which goes about 60% of the way toward explaining my absence of late), so now, on top of all the drama he brings with him, I [...]

Before I say anything else, let me state clearly that I am a firm believer in the idea that once one reaches adulthood, one can no longer blame things (the state of one’s life, the quality of one’s life, how one “turned out” or damn near anything else) on one’s parents and one’s upbringing.
That was [...]

Oldest Son turned 20 Saturday, the 1st. I called him as soon as I woke - it was 7:15am. He, of course, didn’t answer (no one but mom gets up that early on a Saturday!) so I sang him “Happy Birthday” and told him I loved him and to call me later when he woke.
He [...]

My darling daughter has the capacity to push me to the very limits of my sanity. And push, push, push was she last night. Talking back, overtly ignoring directions, throwing attitude like the most unruly of teens - at 8.
She knows ‘the rules’. She knows what she can get away with and what will [...]