Memorial Day

As we get to enjoy a three day weekend I wanted to be sure to post something saying, "THANK YOU!" to our soldiers that give so much to protect our way of life.

I really wanted to post a, "Thank you" after Mother's Day. I was watching Ellen DeGeneres for her special on mothers. Her audience included expecting wives of soldiers. Their gift on Mother's Day was a message form their husband serving across seas. I was brought to tears and gratitude! Missing the birth of their children!! What a sacrifice. The rest of us take this for granted. I was surely brought to my senses. When Bobby works long hours at the gym it is nothing I shouldn't be able to handle compared to these strong Army wives.

Bryce is still throwing the, "I want to stay home from school" bits, almost daily. I was excited to tell him about his extra day off this weekend. I told him ,"Guess what?!! You have three days off of school, so cool!"

He looked at me almost disgusted in my enthusiasm and lectured, "Mom! Do you even know why we have an extra day off?"

Knowing why, but wanting to hear his response I said, "No, why?"

He tells me, "It is to honor our soldiers who have fought for our country. That's why!!"

Very impressed by his patriotism and lack of excitement about missing school I asked him how he knows. He goes on to tell me that his class wrote messages to the soldiers thanking them. He said that the librarian's son is in Iraq and that they were sending them to him. What a sweet idea and great way to teach the kids about the importance of our military.

I was quite proud of Bryce and his understanding of why we get to swim and BBQ for an extra day this weekend!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How I Know Men have Selective Hearing

By my nature, I am a noise sensitive person. I like to mute commercials because the noise annoys me. I always try to play the silent game with my kids after hearing "Mom" for the hundredth time. Mellow music is my favorite. I can hear most noises in the background, which can get irritating. But not Bobby....

He can be watching TV and the kids will be asking him a question....doesn't hear a thing. Acts like no one is even talking to him. Doesn't break line of vision with the television at all. I ask, "Can you hear them talking to you?" He says, "No, what do they need?" Well, they needed it from you and I really was enjoying that.... but I guess I will just have to handle it. I think this is why being a Dad must be better. Selective hearing.

But the real reason I know men have selective hearing is because of ESPN. I HATE this network, and not because I don't like sports or because of the fact Bobby can tune us out whenever it is on. No, I HATE this network because of the completely unnecessary background music they play while reporting sports news. ''Dodo-dun, dodo dun!" And they keep playing it throughout the entire program. I don't know who they paid to make this music for them to play in the background, but I can guarantee it was a man. Never noticed it before? Consider yourself lucky to have selective hearing. Next time you are watching, listen for it, and then think about me, and how irritating this Network is to listen to non-stop during baseball highlight season!