My 3 Obsessions

My 3 obsessions for this week are...........

#1

Pumpkin Choc. Chip Cookies

(I had some spice cake mix that was going to be expiring soon and so I made 2 batches of the yummy delicious cookies, the nice thing would have been for me to share with neighbors, friends, my children, but no I am pretty sure I ate most of them, and then to top it off I was having a rough day and my friend brought me a plate of, oh yes, pumpkin choc. chip cookies to be nice, and to let me know she was thinking of me!)

#2

Soccer

(and credit due to my boys, this was even before Sat. game!!!)

#3

My Piano

(if you ever want to know my mood, no need to ask or to even waste money on a mood ring, just simply listen to the songs I choose to play (or plunk out)!!!

Chapter 83: His Number

Dear Coach of the opposing team we played on Sat.,

You have said you want the name of player #10 on our team, you state that he was unsportsmanlike, and you have said that one of your players overheard this #10 player saying "punch, kick, and do whatever to take them out."

Let me answer you this:

His name is Bradley King, he is #10 and you, my friend, are sadly mistaken. Bradley's actions both on and off the field that day were nothing but as sportmanlike as any parent, coach, or teammate can ask of anyone else. I will also say that his actions on the field stand on their own two feet. He is not a co-captain for nothing, he is a leader, he is a team player, he is an up-lifter and he is a positive influence for his teammates both at games and practice. He is a respected player both on and off the field and he earns that respect. He is also lucky enough to have a Coach who expects nothing less than outstanding sportsmanlike conduct and shows that through his actions and not just his words, he is also lucky enough to have parents who do not accept or condone words or behavior that is hurtful to others. I leave you with these parting thoughts, don't bring it, unless you can back it up, because Bradley stands far and above those who just want to tear down others.

Sincerely yours,
Melanie King
#10's mother and biggest fan

Chapter 82: twelve

When my Mom turned 40 a friend of hers gave her a hand towel which had a cute saying on it about how she could use that towel to wipe off all her tears of sorrow for becoming "OLD", well Mom, I think I need that towel please, not because I am getting old, but because my kids keep getting older. I do NOT like birthdays, mine or my kids, because I really don't see it as a celebration, I see it as another year gone, another year closer to the time when they will leave the house, and this Birthday is no exception.

Bradley is 12 today, and this birthday not only marks the fact that both he and I have survived his childhood, but today marks the day where life as we know it will never be the same again. Bradley is now a Young Man, and I don't mean that just because he will now go to Young Mens, but I mean he will now start the phase in his life when he is preparing himself to leave our home. I see it as a tall playground slide, we have guided him up the slide, step by step and have been right behind him, and now it is his turn to navigate his way down with us cheering him on, until he reaches the bottom and slides out our doors into the world all on his own. I may sound a little sentimental or maybe I am just rambling for my own benefit, but I feel very sad and no where near prepared for him to be this grown up, to hold the priesthood and to be passing the sacrament.

Bradley somedays you drive me insane, but I wouldn't trade these last 12 years for anything, I love your smile, I love your laugh and I love your tender heart, Happy Birthday buddy!!!! (p.s. if you need me today, *sniff* I will be in my room *sniff, sniff* with your baby book. *sniff*)

Chapter 81: My 3 Obsessions...

So I watch this show where the "host" does a segment called "3 things I am obsessed with this week." I don't know why but it always makes me laugh, I love that he doesn't care what people think of his obsessions because they are simply the things he cares about that week. So I decided it might be fun to write about the things I am obsessed with, so I can remember how wacky, crazy and kooky I really am!!!

So here goes:

My 3 obsessions this week are...........

#1

Letters to Juliet DVD (I have already watched it 3 times and sometimes I just have it on for noise)

#2

Cooking Light Magazine - quick baking edition (the one with the Fresh Apple Cupcakes with Almond Strueusel pictured)

#3

Harry Potter audio book on my I-touch (I am on the 5th book, and believe me when I say that Scott will be overjoyed when this obsession is over, we might start talking normally again, instead of me needing to "pause" my book.)

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Scott with Justin Bieber???????

Holy Cow I hope he got his autograph!!!!

(so many people comment on how much Bradley looks like Justin Bieber, and now that he is back in school, the phone calls from girls have started back up again.................I am getting that "Holy Crap what are we in for" feeling again, can't he just be little Bradley forever)

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Chapter 80: Can you feel the love tonight?

Can you guess what we did last night???????

;)

Hakuna Mattata, what a wonderful phrase! Hakuna Matatta ain't no passin' craze.............it means no worries for the rest of your days, It's our problem frrreeeee, philosophy
Hakuna Mattata!!!!!

Scott and I, (but mostly I) decided that we would take our kids to see "The Lion King" when it came to the Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake. I was soooo excited to be able to watch my kids enjoying the show, and they did not disappoint me!!!

Our night started when we were at dinner and Scott was asking the kids if they were excited to be going to see "The Lion King" to which Kennadee promptly replied!!!
"I am just excited that I got to dress up!!!!" hahaha, Well said Kennadee well said!!! After dinner we quickly headed downtown and you would have thought we were somewhere foreign the way the kids acted, they were so impressed with all the tall buildings and all the people, and it reminded them of all sorts of stories about our time in Maryland so it was fun to listen to them reminisce. After we finally got there and found our seats the kids started really getting excited, good thing we didn't have to wait long!!! As the play started, you see these tall giraffes, an enormous elephant walking in, gazelles jumping and zebras strutting around, there was soooo much to look at, that the kids' eyes were just darting from animal to animal, it was sooo cool. They also really loved that their were young kids playing Simba and Nala (in the 1st half) and were impressed with their singing and dancing. After the intermission the 2nd Act began with birds flying around your head, it was so fun to see them swoop and dive around the audience but I doubt that anyody else there was as entranced as Lainee was with them, I finally just had to quit watching the birds because she was soooo into it, even Bradley and Kennadee loved watching her. Whenever a song started that Kennadee or Bradley recognized they would lean over and say;
"Oh Mom, this is my favorite song," and then when the next recognizable song came on; "Oh wait, this is my favorite song," so needless to say they had alot of favorites through out the play Overall it was a wonderful night and I thoroughly enjoyed our night, and when Zachary woke up this morning the first thing he said was "Mom, Lion King was soooo awesome, I am glad we got to go!!!" It made it all the more precious for me.

(some of us just got tuckered out from all the excitement)

Chapter 79: The power of a dollar

I think it has been said before and will be said again; that I love books, I love to read and with this love comes something I am not very good at:

Self-control (especially in book stores)

My kids know this and use it to their advantage, but never quite as "good" shall we say as Zachary yesterday!!!

Zachary, home from school comes bounding in and says "Mom, I have found this book (in the Scholastic book order) and it is only $2 dollars, so can I get it?"

Me of course being the wise one, "Well put in on your Christmas or Birthday list and we will see." (although in my head I have already bought it and he is sitting on a blanket in the frontyard with nose in book and glass of ice cold lemonade and a blue straw close by.)

"Hey Mom, how about if I pay for it, then can I get it now?" He pleads.

"Well maybe, let's talk about it later after your homework is done!"

He runs into his room, I am thinking to put his school stuff away and clean up a little, but when he comes out he says "Okay Mom, I will pay for 1/2 if you pay for the other 1/2."

"Why 1/2?" I question him.

"Because I only have 1 dollar, and the book is 2!!" he exclaims

"Okay, let me think about it and we will talk about it later." I tell him

to which he replies "Hey Mom."

"Yes"

"Can I have a dollar?"