Kindergarten!!!

My middle little boy started kindergarten today. And I haven't shed a tear. I remember when my oldest went to kindergarten three years ago — I was a nervous wreck. This year, I wasn't as frazzled. I didn't even take tissues in my pocket to school this morning. I stayed for the welcome festivities, gave my little one a big hug and I left without that sinking feeling I had three years ago.

When my oldest began kindergarten, I was completely unprepared. I didn't know what to expect. My sister, a kindergarten teacher, tried to allay my fears, but I still worried. It turns out, though, kindergarten was pretty amazing. That year was packed with more fun than I ever could have imagined. Field trips, parties, paper maché pigs and other clever crafts, stories and songs and creative learning. Believe me when I say that I loved it just as much, if not more, than my oldest little boy did. Selfishly, I actually was excited for my middle child to turn 5 so that I could experience kindergarten AGAIN!! Sure I'll miss him each day, but I know he is in good, capable, loving hands. And his journey has begun! He's on a non-stop path of learning. Soon he'll learn to read and research and discover so much. How could I be weepy or worried about THAT??

The only thing I'm sad about is that I can't go to kindergarten too! :-)

Avon calling!

In two days my oldest little boy starts the third grade. And my middle child will start kindergarten soon after. Two down, one to go! But all joking aside, I'll miss my little man. I cannot believe he's already in kindergarten! Seems like yesterday that I left my career so that I could stay at home full-time when he was born. Now he's off to kindergarten!

I am looking forward to enjoying some time with my littlest one — just the two of us. But I also miss the excitement of having a job to do. So I've decided to... wait for it... become an Avon lady!! I've always thought it would be fun. It seems so retro and exciting. And, let's face it, I love cosmetics and skincare, so it's right up my alley.

Problem is... I've no customers! So please support me in my venture to not be a desperately bored housewife this fall! I'd love to sell to you!

Check out my Avon Web site and place an order! I'd really appreciate it! And I promise this will be the last time I use my blog to hawk my goods! :-)

www.youravon.com/shasbrouck

Those lucky Calgon moments

Yesterday was one of those days. My oldest boys fought and fought and fought. They called each other stupid. They told each other to shut up. They professed their dislike for each other over and over. They concocted new and unusual insults for one another. They disagreed on everything just to be disagreeable. And as the day wore on, the louder their arguments became. It was one of those days that reminded me of the old Calgon commercials... You know the ones, where the mom screams, "Calgon, take me away!!!" I was ready for a mommy break when my husband got home. I handed over the kids and headed upstairs for my nightly workout. Whew, it was a rotten kid day.

Tonight, after tucking the kids into bed, my husband and I collapsed on the sofa to watch a movie. We had two from Netflix that we hadn't had time to watch. I won the coin toss and got to watch my "chick's flick," as my husband calls anything remotely sentimental. The movie, Extraordinary Measures, was extremely emotional. It was based on the true story of the efforts of John and Aileen Crowley to find a cure for their two children who suffer from Pompe disease, a tragic genetic disorder that kills children usually before their 10th birthday.

In tears throughout the movie, I suddenly felt very stupid and guilty for yesterday's Calgon moment. The movie reminded me of something that I often take for granted: I am so blessed to have three healthy kids. Who cares if they occasionally fight or make messes? They are healthy. They are perfect. And I am blessed beyond words.

I know all mommies have our moments. Stresses mount and some days can really wear us down. But it seems that the really bad days always are followed by better days. And when life becomes crazy hectic from now on, I'll think about how very lucky I am to have such a crazy, messy, insanely loud house with children running and jumping and yelling back and forth.

In fact, I don't think I'd have it any other way.

Summertime

A few things I love about summer...

• Watching my children's eyes light up at the sound of the ice cream truck's jingle

• The twinkle of fire flies at dusk

• Freckles

• Flushed, sweaty, dirty little boy faces at the end of a long day at play

• Afternoon thunderstorms and the smell of rain

• The farmer's market

• My beautifully overgrown, under-manicured, lovely smelling herb garden

• Fresh fruit and honey and popsicles

• Loooooooong days

• Sprinklers

• Sparklers

• No school or schedules

• Sleeping in

• Butterflies

• and Barefeet

Though fall is my favorite season, I appreciate all the whimsy and beauty of summer. Most of all, I enjoy sharing it with my little ones!! Happy summer!! :-)

One loooooong week

So I'm sitting at my computer, bored out of my mind. It's a quarter till midnight, and I'm wide awake. I'm missing my oldest little boy who is spending his first week away from home. And this week feels like a month.

About three years ago, my husband's parents asked if they could keep my oldest little boy for a week in the summer... It would be his chance to get away from his little brother and their chance to spend some one-on-one time with him. I said he was too little. He wasn't ready. Each year, they asked, each year I said he wasn't ready. Truth be told... I wasn't ready. This year, I decided I needed to quit being selfish and let him go see his grandparents all by himself for a week during the summer.

My in-laws, otherwise known as Nani and Papa, live in the mountains of North Georgia, AKA: little boy heaven. There are hiking trails, lots of bugs and dirt and the occasional bear. Of course my child was over-the-moon when he got the OK to go. It was all he talked about for weeks. The more excited he became, the more anxious I grew. Sunday we drove him to Chattanooga to meet his Nani and Papa to begin his week of little boy bliss. I cried on the way back home.

He's been gone almost three days, and we're both doing OK. He's baked cookies with his Nani, gone to baseball games with his Papa, played with his cousin, gone swimming and enjoyed the great outdoors. He's having a blast. I've enjoyed spending more time with my other two kids and giving them extra attention. And I've also enjoyed the peace from not having my two oldest constantly at each others' throats. This little break has been good for everyone, I suppose.

While I miss my little boy terribly, I've learned a valuable lesson... It's OK to let him grow up a little bit. I'm still the same over-protective, slightly obsessive mother that I always have been, but I'm learning to loosen my grip on them so that my boys can experience life just a little more freely. It's the hardest but very rewarding part of being a mom -- letting go a bit so that they can become individuals.

But I still cannot wait to see him Friday!! :-)

Graduation day!

Tonight my middle child will graduate from preschool. It's a momentous occasion. I'm a little bit nervous. I'm not quite sure how I'll react to seeing him in a tiny graduation cap marching across a stage. Tears will be shed. It will be a tough reminder that life is moving way too quickly. I'll be afraid to blink because I know that in an instant he'll be all grown up and marching across a bigger stage in another graduation ceremony. I'm so proud of my little guy, but I can't help being a little bit sad to see my baby becoming a boy. In a few short months he'll begin his big school adventure as a kindergartener. I'm sure I'll shed some tears then too. Happy and sad.... I guess what they say is true...

Time flies when you're having fun. :-)

Savor the Recipes and lend a helping hand!

My sweet friend Aimee is an amazing cook. I found this out when we both were in college and I visited her one summer in Knoxville. She made an amazing risotto. I had never had risotto, but after that, I was hooked! Since that time, Aimee has been sharing her recipes and wisdom with all who know her. Her cookbook Savor the Recipes is more than a cookbook. It's a collection of memories of friends and family who have gathered around the table to celebrate each other and great food. Through her stories, you feel as though you are in her kitchen as she cooks and reminisces. The book is packed with yummy recipes including my favorites: risotto (of course), Mexican grits, cantaloupe soup, zucchini bread, key lime pie, orange juice balls... The list goes on and on!

I thought I couldn't be any prouder of my friend until this past week when she announced that a portion of her cookbook proceeds will go toward helping the victims of the Nashville flood. I encourage you to purchase her cookbook so that you can "savor" the recipes and the stories behind them. And, in the process, you'll contribute to the great city of Nashville. Visit AimeeFortney.com for more information on how to purchase Savor the Recipes.

Aimee's (yummy, creamy, cheesy, lovely) Risotto

5 cups chicken broth (I use vegetable broth, though, because I'm currently vegetarian - I'll blog about this later)

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups arborio (risotto) rice

1 cup white wine (Chardonnay that you would drink)

salt and pepper

freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a saucepan, heat broth. In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter into the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about three to five minutes. Add garlic. Now add the rice, and stir to coat the rice. Cook for just a couple of minutes. Now add your wine, stir and let the rice absorb the wine. This will only take a minute or two. Add, one ladle at a time, the broth for the next 25 to 30 minutes. Each time you add the liquid, stir as it is absorbed, and repeat. The rice will absorb the broth, and you will be able to tell that it is time for the next ladle of broth. Use all of your broth, stirring constantly, or the rice will stick to the pan and burn. At the end, add the cheese and any salt and pepper needed.