Random thoughts....

Its snowing again...no surprise though its Iowa. I actually love the snow, especially if I have no where to go, and nothing I really need to get done.
But please, tell me why my kids always feel they have to be doing something and doing it with someone? I was a good mommy though and I played a matching game about a million times with Claire. After a while I think she could tell my brain was oozing out my ears when I rolled over and played dead. "Mom, you don't want to play anymore do you?" I turned over and said, "maybe if I had more coffee then I could be persuaded!" She was a sweetie and let me sit down with a fresh cup of joe and my book. I got a Kindle for Christmas and I am reading "The Pact" by one of my favorite authors, Jodi Picoult, I just love her. Does anyone else out there read her? I have read several of her books, I think she is a great author.

Ok, totally digressing here but on another note, is it a bad thing when faced with having sex or reading a good book that you can't put down, that you would rather read then jump on the bike so to speak? (Maddie, my just 14 year old niece, if you are reading this, walk away from your computer!) Of course I enjoy sex but seriously, given the choice between the two, oooh, sometimes I like the later. If there is one thing I remember my mother saying, its this, "Honey, its like riding a bike up a hill, sometimes you don't want to do it but when you do, you realize how much you enjoy it and how energized you feel afterwards. Yes, its true my mother said that. I laugh because my sister and I often remind each other of what mom said when faced with an impending appointment!

My sister reminds me of my mom a lot. I know I often talk about my mom passing but talking about her helps me heal. She passed in 2002 and some days it feels like yesterday. When my sister comes to visit I swear she has mom's facial expressions and I often do a double take because I really feel like its "mom" looking at me, or Amy will do this goofy thing where she will sit with one hand on one knee and the other hand rubbing the other knee. My mother would often do that when we were having a deep conversation and she had to do some deep breathing. I laugh hysterically because my sister doesn't even realize she is doing it and we find comfort in that we have picked up mom's goofy traits.

So, back to while I was sitting and reading. I am reading my book and trying hard not to listen to my children fighting over what their favorite dog is. Remember, James is 10 and Claire is 5. James loves to tease Claire about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING! He starts naming dogs and says that she cannot pick the same dog he picks, why I ask myself? Well naturally Claire wants to pick what he said because she often likes what he picks. Do any of your kids bicker like this? It was so hard to bite my tongue. I want my kids to work things out on their own but inevitably, Claire shrieks, "Mom", ugh, sometimes I hate that name! Things always seem to erupt when my husband leaves. When do I get to leave? I don't mean that literally, but my hubby went off to kick boxing and the kids are bored!