so, grandparenting...

yesterday someone told/asked me if I am spoiling Adriana...As he grandma, I don't want to end up spoiling her...but I do absolutely adore her. I kinda feel like its my job to make her feel like she is 'the reason God created people'...does that make sense? But I want to pass that line and have her end up 'full of herself' and a brat.

So, what is spoiling? Can it be with attention?

I was also told by a close friend that I 'spoiled' my kids. I don't see that. They did not get 'everything' they wanted. They are good, compassionate, responsible people; they don't have an attitude of entitlement...however, I was involved. I went to all their 'events'...I am close to them, even as adults. I basically treated them like they were 'the reason God created kids'...but also was one of those 'mean' moms when it came to character. They will tell you I was a 'nag'...I did not see it that way, I thought I was a 'consistent reminderer'..teehee

So, what is the boundary? I listen to my kids when they say, 'don't buy anymore clothes'...teehee I do tell Adriana, 'no' when she is doing something potentially harmful to herself or others. But I don't tell her 'no' if she wants to be picked up or carry her 'ki ki'

I dunno, but I did wake up with these thoughts in my brain.

been a while, but its been a while for a lot of stuff

feel real busy and feel like I've been on 'hold'. kinda odd.

my exercise has been 'paused', but yesterday, I 'restarted'. Nyki wants me to join her for a Couch to 5k group (C25k)..but I don't know. I know, one of my 2011 goals is to run a 5k and I should be jumping at it...but...I don't know...

Looking so forward to Friday, though. I pick up dd and her hubs on Friday. Then we are having a family 'reunion' the following week. DH's extended family, except one bro and wife...I'm hoping to get in a trip to Reno to see my long-lost uncle, Uncle Duck. We'll have about a dozen people with several 'in and out's.

Got Wii's Just Dance 2, so I'll bring that to the reunion and hope to get the family 'dancing'...we'll see...ha!!!

So, my days off have been spent prepping the house for company...today's concentration...floors. Not looking forward to that, oh well! Better to do that stuff in the morning, right?

Also, a trip to the post office, to send off our ballots. We are 'zoned' for absentee ballots...its kinda 'eh'...cuz I understand absentees are only counted if there is something 'close'. So, in a way, I do feel 'gipped'...that my vote does not count.

But we send them anyways.

correction

correction: my Uncle and new Aunt are from Latvia...well, my uncle is from Indiana, but lives in Latvia

We had a nice visit...my 69 year old uncle got an age '57' on my Wii fit plus, my new Aunt also scored 12 years younger and my cousin at age 32, got a '26'...guess the program was feeling 'nice'...ha!!! So, according to it, my 69 year old uncle is only 3 years older than me! poooey!!

We also did the Broadway Dance on the Wii. No videos, BUT the sight of my Uncle dancing to Hairspray's Good Morning Baltimore was so fun! (I told my son he has no excuses when we take the Wii to Tahoe for the family reunion)

AND my Aunt and Cousin danced to Timewarp from the Rocky Horror Picture Show! I was out of breath just watching them! okay, just laughing with them!

I got to see Adriana three times this weekend. I babysat yesterday morning, while her mom coached basketball then she joined us for dinner last night and she and her parents joined us for lunch this afternoon.

overall, a wonderful way to spend the weekend. Next weekend will be good too! got a crop!!

So sleepy, working tomorrow...gotta make up for my day off last week. ha!!!

what an interesting week...

had a little 'episode'...I'm fine...but it was scary.

so, for the past couple of days I have not been doing any exercising, just taking it easy, and boy do my muscles miss it! I hope to do something, aerobics, wii stuff, yoga tonight.

I've got family visiting, they arrived late last night. Its really only for today, as they will leave Sunday morning. My Uncle Phil and his new wife, my new aunt, Irina from Slovakia and my cousin Aimee, who lives in So Cal. NICE to get the chance to visit, though they are all sleeping in right now.

I got to spend the afternoon with Adriana yesterday. Went shopping with her and her mom. OOOOH, she missed her nap, and boy did she get g r u m p y toward the end...but even grumpy she was still ADORABLE!

here's a pic at Baja Fresh, she HAD a white shirt under the coveralls BUT we had a li'l incident with a slurpee at Walmart...I can highly endorse bleach pens!! But as Nyki said, without her shirt, and just her overalls...she really did look like an "Indiana" baby..ha!!




she did not care for the black beans...they'd go in her mouth, get mushed a bit and then came right back out!





"uh-ooh" as the beans went down her clothes! teehee

"oh happy day!, oh happy dayayayayaaaa"

I go to the airport and pick up the kids today! A whole week without my 'sweetpie'...ugh! No Bueno.

Been a busy week, worked Tues and Weds..for my 2 days and even did (gasp) overtime yesterday. 30 whole minutes! I know, I was traumatized, but don't worry, I had a li'l Baskin Robbins waiting for me. I called my sis to sympathize and she said she would finish her Orange Sherbet as an act of solidarity. ha!



But, happy, happy day...gonna do lots of happy dancing...my sweetpie comes home today!!!

Lazy weekend so far...

Don't get me wrong, I did do my exercising Friday and Saturday. But, I've been house sitting this weekend, so had access to a dvd player. (our tv is not working and our dvd is 'hooked' to it)...so, Friday and Saturday, I watched the 2nd season of The Tudors. I know its 'known' for the s#x scenes...but I found myself fascinated by the battle between the Catholic church and the 'reformation'. Now, of course the show concentrated on the political 'reformers' who were not truly motivated by the Bible and their conscience. BUT as an evangelical Christian, born of the ideals of the reformation, I was fascinated.

And GLAD that this country's forefathers had the foresight to give us Freedom of Religion, and that our country cannot make laws telling us who/what/how to worship.

I looked at the scenes of the Pope in Rome...and the phrase "Power corrupts, Absolute Power corrupts absolutely" came to mind. Not a slam against the Pope in particular, but that is just human nature and why we need accountability. Power is a drug...another reason I'm glad our forefathers created the built in accountability of the three branches of government..and a freedom of the press. (though all that seems a bit 'broken' these days)

I looked at the martyrdom of Thomas More. Though I don't agree with him dying for the 'Catholic church'...I can't help but admire his convictions. By saying an 'oath', he could have saved himself. He told Cromwell, "We are both dying, me now, you later" or something close to that. powerful.

BUT what if, what if we lived in that era, where most people were illiterate and all we knew about Christ was what the priests were telling us. Would I have been against the reformers? How those Catholics must have thought that Henry VIII was the antichrist and that it was the 'end times'.

Did you see how Cromwell used "the printing press and plays' to sway the masses? How like our modern media that is. Propaganda is certainly a powerful tool. Really saw this in action in our previous election. How SNL was able to shape the perception of Sarah Palin.

Another thing this made me think, how human nature has not changed at all. We all struggle with the same needs/desires/sins. We are surrounded by our modern technology, more comfortable homes, we are now 'literate'...we women have 'rights' that women in the past did not have...but the essential human nature has not changed. We are not 'evolved' in any sense.

And of course those thoughts lead to our absolute need for a Saviour. And how thankful I am to be an 'evangelical Christian' who can read His word and have a personal relationship with Him. This is THE essential, now, do I have the strength to die for that? Cuz Thomas More and I may disagree on particulars...but can we agree on dying for our convictions?

So, this has been a fascinating weekend watching the Tudors. Giving me a lot to think about.