Writing Workshop/Pour Your Heart Out--Letting Go

The Prompts:

1.) Your childhood neighborhood.
2.) I was holding on tight but…
3.) “It was as if an invisible thread hooked her to her boy. The thread could go taut or slack but it could never come undone, it could never reach the end of its spool because there was no end; it bound them forever.” What does unconditional love mean to you?
(inpired when a mother is forced to give her baby up in The Seamstress by Frances De Pontas Peebles)
4.) Can it be saved? Think of something that is ruined when it’s totally wet: like a newspaper or a piece of cheese. Write a scene (truth or fiction) that involves you and a soaked item.
(inspired by writingfix.com)
5.) What five images paint a perfect picture of summer to you? Put those five images together in a piece of writing.
(inspired by writingfix.com)

Prompt 2:
I was holding on tight but... I learned that letting go can be the best thing you can do. 
I would be a helicopter mom if I could.  I like to be in control and make sure everything turns out the way it should (according to me).  Letting go with Turbo has been difficult.  It's hard to let him grow up and be independent.  And it starts as soon as they can crawl.  Little boys (and girls, I've heard) start moving away from you and being their own person. 
If I let go I lose control and he may be able to do things that would make me look like a bad mother.  But I have to let go and let him be himself.  He always surprises me and acts way better than I expect him to.  I have to remember my job is not to control him but to teach him, let him try and sometimes fail and pick himself back up and try again.  That's what life is all about.  But it is oh, so hard to do. 
The first time this was really brought to my attention was at kindergarten screening. I had to sit there and watch with out guiding or warning or really helping Turbo as he moved through the stations and answered questions and did activities with the various testers that were there.  He did well and passed but it was so hard for me to not tell him to settle down and answer the questions and not mess around. You know, be Mom the Warner and Guardian of Good Behavior. 
Turbo did fine and still is doing fine, away from me and my wannabe controlling ways.  It gives me a thrill when I get  report from a teacher or aide at Turbo's school at how well Turbo does or how much they like him.  I gotta be doing something right--even if it is just letting go so Turbo can be himself.  Now I just have to let go again with Bruiser--but he seems to be holdiong on a bit tighter than Turbo ever did.
I was holding on tight, but...letting go of my boy made him stronger and a better person--even if he's still a work in progress.
I'm also linking this with Shell's Pour Your Heart Out Thursdays.

Wordless Wednesday--Back to School

Had to get the first day of school picture, Turbo lookin' good..

And because he would not be left out, Bruiser got his picture with Turbo.

Random Dozen

OK, it's Wednesday so that means it's time to post your answers to yesterdays random dozen questions.  Go link with Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee.






1. What is your favorite Mexican dish?  I love Chimichangas, but will go for good tacos anytime.

2. When you were a kid, did you get started on your homework right away after school, or did you procrastinate? I was a total procrastinator, still am.  I work well under pressure.  I am trying to instill better practices in my son though--homework when he gets home from school, then play.
3. What is your favorite store for home furnishings?  I don't really have one.  I don't get to shop for that kind of stuff very often.
4. When you were young, did you like school lunches? There were certain things that I liked--Cowboy Hats(chili on Frito's with shredded cheese topping), hamburger gravy, rectangle pizza to name a few. 
5. Is religion a crutch? I think religion works well for many people.  I have my own doubts about organized religion though--I've seen entirely too many hypocrites to feel comfortable going to church.
6. In your region, what is the "big" (most popular in the community or state) high school sport?  Our state is large in territory, but small on people.  High school sports of all kinds get lots of attention except in my town.  We have the only four year university in the state here and the high school gets over shadowed by the college all the time. 
7. Do you consider yourself rich?  Not in money, but in family and love you bet.
8. Which of these would you have the best chance for success in administering:
A) CPR
B) Heimlich Maneuver
C) Changing a flat tire
A, but I know B as well.  I could probably succeed in changing a tire but it wouldn't be pretty.
9. Which dance would you prefer to learn & why:
A) Salsa
B) Hip Hop
C) Waltz
D) Swing
D, Swing most definitely.  It just looks so fun.
10. What's the worst news you've ever delivered to someone?  I had to tell my mom her dad had died when I was 15.  She was out of town with my brother who was in the hospital(another story) and when she called to check in I got to relay the news my aunt had passed to me about my grandfather.
11. Name something you learned in college that had nothing to do with classes or academics.  A smile will get you much farther than not smiling and it's very easy to do.
12. New variation on an old question: If there's a song in your head that just won't get out, what is your favorite (or most repeated) line in that song?  The song that is stuck in my head today is the new one from The Band Perry  If I Die Young  And the line that sticks the most is "if I die young..."  that's the only one I can remember of the song.  I don't particularly like the song and don't really think it is really country but the singer's voice is nice.  But that one line is just stuck in my head.

Random Tuesday Thoughts

Tuesday--yep.
Random--yep.
Thoughts--we got lots of thoughts so yep.
Keely--yep that's her button below.


Here we go:

• I am getting a netbook!  It is being virus protected and all that good stuff then that baby is mine.  Woo hoo!  It's an HP and don't ask me anything more about it because I don't really know.
• Alex had a great first day at school.  He has good friends in his class and he likes his teacher.  He already earned a blue ticket(what they give for good behavior--the kids earn them and then get prizes) for raising his hand to talk.  He was the first to raise his hand and the first to get a blue ticket.  He was so thrilled today.  I am so relieved.  After last year, anything would be an improvment but he is happy so far.
• Bruiser has new friends--a stuffed bunny named Rutabaga and a little teddy bear called Mr. Bear.  He picked them out himself to be his very own special friends.  They go to bed at night and come upstairs in the morning.  (Bruiser's bedroom is in the basement, so is ours.)  He looks so cute with them clutched in his arms.
• I'm not sure how we did it but we are on the donation call list for every one in our great state.  I think Nick was suckered in to saying yes about three years ago and we ended up on every list out there.  And they don't take no for an answer.  If I don't got the money, I don't got the money.  Asking for less won't help.  I don't have the money.  And if I did, I'd do something else with it that would benefit me, not you.

OK, that about covers my random so go see Keely, she is the keeper of the random.  She also has new digs, go check them out.

Monday Minute

Monday, you come again and again.  That means that Monday Minute comes again and again.  Answer the questions, then head over and link up with Heather and Melissa and the co host for this week is SingleMomma from Not your Average Single Momma.


And the questions are
Favorite 80s flick?  My favorite movie from when I was growing up--I'd have to go with The Goonies.  Love that one then and now.

One genre of music needs to be banned.  Which Genre?  There are genres I don't listen to but that does not mean that no one does, so I really can't say--just don't make me listen to it and I won't force you to listen to mine.

All time favorite candy?  Dark Chocolate Turtles--the very best thing that can be done with chocolate, caramel and pecans.  Yum!

How "flawed" is your driving record?  I had a few moving violations--resulted in a couple of accidents when I was younger but really pretty good recently.

What was your high school mascot?  We were the Buffalo Bison. No really, I'm not kidding.

And finally:
What color socks are you wearing?  I'm not wearing socks today--it's just too hot for socks yet.  Socks will come soon enough.

Friday Confessional

Time to confess all, or some of it, or really what I can remember.  Glamazon is hosting this little party,so go confess and link up with her.


I confess:

• I'm super happy about Turbo going to visit family this weekend.
• I'm super happy he goes back to school Monday.
• I also kind of sad that summer vacation is over, it went by way too quick.
• I get older this weekend--Sunday to be exact.
• 37 is beautiful--right?  Right?!
• I only feel 30 at most.
• I wonder who the adult in the mirror is some days.
• I sure don't feel grown up.
• I'm ridiculously guilty thrilled that Nick swept and mopped the kitchen and bathroom yesterday.
• I'm hoping we have enough money to get me a netbook for my birthday.
• I left the clean sheets in the dryer.  They've been there for a week now. 
• But my towels are folded.
• And still in the basket.

I think that's all I can remember to confess for now.  Go link with Glamazon and confess all, or maybe just a little bit--what ever works for you.

Dear Someone

Linking up with Shortmama for her Dear Someone letters today.

Dear Bruiser,
Now that you have figured out how to sleep most of the night, you think you could let daddy put you to bed sometimes, hmmm?  Mommy might not always be there and It would be a great help to let do this one thing with you.  Pretty please?  Kay.
And also, lets keep our feet on the floor.  This climbing up on anything high is going to give mom a heart attack.  Dad is just going to keel over one of these time when he sees you on top of the couch.  I know you're shorter than the rest of us but that's no reason to scale everything in sight.  Let's try to stay a bit closer to the floor.  Mom and Dad would appreciate it lots.
Love,
Your worried Momma

Dear Nick,
So glad to have you home!  Missed you so much while you were gone.  Looking forward to my birthday this weekend.  I know you will make it fun!
Love,
Wifey

Dear Turbo,
Let's make this the best year yet at school.  Work hard, get along with your teacher, and have fun.  A positive attitude is the best thing to have for school.  Remember it is your job, make the most of it.  Second grade will rock like kindergarten did.
Rooting for you,
Mom

Random Dozen--On Life, Love and Lying

Wednesday--Random Dozen time with Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee.  Answer the questions she posts and then link up with her.



This week's Questions:
1. What is your favorite fair/carnival food?  I love , love , love the kettle corn.  So sweet and salty and just great.  It is my one indulgence during our fair days.

2. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?No, not really.  Nick is quite the cleaner out of things--he's a tosser, so I don't get the chance to keep that much.
3. What is your favorite gift to receive?  Jewelry, of course--especially if it's from my hubby, or sons.
4. When was the last time you tried something new?  This summer I drove a four wheeler for the first time.  I did crash but got back on and drove again.  I had fun, not counting the crash.
5. What is your favorite and least favorite book genre? 
Memoir, Mystery, Political Intrigue, Romance, Humor, Historical Fiction, Historical nonfiction, Chick Lit, Self-Help, Other   Favorite genre--Romance, there is such variety in romance-romantic mystery, romantic comedy, supernatural romance, historical romance, etc.

My least favorite would have to be horror. I can read it better than I can watch it but still, some of those images I just don't need.
6.Silver or Gold?  It depends on how I'm feeling.  I like gold and I like silver.  I have more silver because it is less expensive, but I'm working on getting more gold--for presents you know.
7. What makes you sigh?  Exasperated sigh--my boys both big and little and the antics they get into.  Contented sigh--having all my boys together and hearing laughter form them. 
8. If you didn't know how old you are, how old would you claim you are?  About 30.  Old enough to know better but still young enough to enjoy it.
9. Would you break a law to save a loved one? To protect a loved one?  It would depend on the law.  Murder maybe not so much, but something less you bet.
10. If you had to teach something, what would it be?  I make a lousy teacher--I don't have lots of patience, but I'm always teaching things to my boys so there's that.  I did teach swim lessons to little kids once upon a time and long long ago so maybe that.
11. You're having lunch with 3 people whom you respect and admire. They begin to criticize a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. What do you do?  Speak up and say that the person they are bashing is a friend of mine and could we change the subject?
12. Which of the 5 Love Languages is your prominent means of experiencing love?


Quality Time  I scored the most here but
Physical Touch
Acts of Service
Gifts
Words of Affirmation  I got almost as much here.
So I think that my Love language is Quality time and Words of Affirmation.  Works for me.

Random on Tuesday

These random thoughts are brought to you by me,with the kind support of Keely.  She'll be happy to support your random too.

I'm a single mom, Nick is in the field again.  He gets to check out an abandoned gold mine that the state just acquired the rights to.  It will be part of a historical site.  I'm kind of jealous.  He's having a great time and I'm home with the boys.  Of course I got to go school shopping today.  But I didn't shop for me(much).  And I can't drag Nick to the store without lots of kicking and screaming--some of it mine, most of it his.

Turbo starts school next Monday.  (Mom jumping up and down quietly in her room.)  He's less than excited.  I'm just hoping he gets on better with his teacher than last year. 

We succeeded in our wood hunt on Saturday.  Got five trees and a good half cord of wood.  Now we just have to do the same thing three more times.  Turbo was a great help and Bruiser loved being outside.  A friend went with us and watched Bruiser while I helped stack the wood in the trailer that Nick cut.  It all worked out really well.

The other big news is that I get officially older on Sunday.  Yep, it's my birthday.  According to my mother's math I'm 21.  I get to have two parties too.  One with friends and one with family.  Aren't I special?  Don't answer that.

We have been watching the Fraggles of Fraggle Rock.  I think I have about reached my limit with them.  I know the theme song by heart and the yesterday I was singing it while I was in the kitchen--Turbo said"Mom, you have been watching too much of the Fraggles I think."  Tell me about it kid.  But regular TV--nothing I want to watch with kids, that's for sure.  I may have to turn to Scooby Doo for something different.

 Go see Keely for other random to enjoy.  You like it I promise!

Monday Minute

Time once again for the Monday Minute with Ian from The Daily Dose of Reality and his co-host Kimber.  So answer the questions he has posed and link up.

Here goes:

1. If you could have plastic surgery, would you?  If so, what would you get done?  I'd get my bewbs done.  There was never lots there and nursing two kids has not been really kind to them.  Yeah, I'd get 'em lifted at least.
2. What laws have you broken?  Well, there was that time I....Hmm, in thinking about it I'm going to plead the fifth, on the grounds that admitting anything would incriminate me.
3. What is your quirkiest habit?  I tie knots in my hair.  I twist it until it is knots I can't get undone sometimes.  I'm always twisting my hair around my fingers.  I've done it since I was little and now Bruiser plays with his hair too.  We know exactly where he got that from.
4. If you only had three songs to listen to for the rest of your life what would they be?             Kid Rock--All Summer Long       Kenny Chesney---Don't Blink      Sugarland--All I Want to Do
5. How often do you have sex?  As often as the kids allow and we have the energy for--around twice a week on average.  Sometimes more, sometimes less.  We be healthy adults here.