April 16

IT'S OVER!!!

Yes, I am shouting. Tax season is over, and that means so many wonderful things around this house.

1. No more having to work on Sunday. We have always been able to attend Church on the Lord's Day as a family, but the afternoons were usually taken up with some kind of work thing for Rock. Now he can actually rest and focus fully on Sundays.

2. No more having to work on Saturday. That means that he can sleep in, and he and the kids can lay in our bed and watch cartoons until I call them to breakfast.

3. No more late night phone calls from employees who have an irate customer on their hands. This one is a loo loo as it usually results in someone threatening to picket Rock's business because Rock's store won't prepare a falsified return.

4. Getting to go out on a date knowing it won't end suddenly because some customer is complaining that they actually have to pay the person preparing their taxes. This one gets me all the time. People actually get mad because they have to pay for services rendered. Go figure!

and probably the most selfish of all...

5. I can get out of the house by myself without wondering if Rock will have to call me home because there is an emergency at one of the offices.

Yes, I know number five is very selfish, but hey lets face it folks, I'm human, and there are times when I really, really, really, need to have a couple of hours without someone calling for me to dress a Polly Pocket, ask for a snack, referee a fight, or suddenly need me urgently while I am in the bathroom (I think they have radar for this one). Rock does his best to make sure that I can get out every now and then during season, but I just never know if he will suddenly be called away.

Now don't get me wrong, I actually like the fact that Rock works in the tax business because it means that most of the year he is pretty much free to do and be with our family as he wishes. But, it also means that from January 1st to April 15 we are usually short one very important man in the house.

I usually take the onset of tax season with a smile knowing that it will be over in a few short months. By mid-season I am beginning to feel a little alone as Rock has to work late nights, and even if he is at home, may have to leave in the middle of a meal to take care of a problem at the stores. Then, by the end of tax season I am ready for it to be o-v-e-r, and to have my hubby back.

So, that whoopin' and hollerin' you hear coming from Texas.........................that would be me.

Gaps in Education

I am now making up for a severe deficiency in my children's life experience education. I had a craving for some real fried chicken. You know the kind you either eat out of a bucket, or you spend the rest of the evening cleaning grease from every horizontal surface in your kitchen. I'm talking the REAL thing in all its greasy fattening glory. Well, not being willing to spend my evening scrubbing counters, and having a few extra dollars in my back pocket we called upon the Colonel to provide said feast. As we were sitting down to eat, I began my feast as my children stared blankly at their plates.

"I thought we were having chicken?"

"That is chicken."

(puzzled look)

It was then that my three year old promptly picked up his drumstick by the eatin' end put the entire bone end in his mouth and tried to bite down. I was stupefied, mortified, aghast! I had neglected an integral part of my children's childhood experience. They didn't know how to eat chicken with a bone! When the shock from the realization that I had deprived my children subsided, I was able to give a quick lesson in proper fried chicken eating (i.e. Don't use a fork, and make sure you lick your fingers). They caught on pretty quick, and in no time became fried chicken fans doing justice to their southern heritage.

The moral of the story? You cannot avoid gaps in your children's education, but you can make up for them.

The Best Day EVER!!!

Professor had his third Little League game this past Saturday, and with it he scored his first run. Not only that, but he also brought in two other runs with his hit. It was so fun, everyone was jumping up and down and yelling at the top of their lungs. He was so happy and his Daddy couldn't have been prouder. Professor declared it

"The Best Day EVER!!!"

He swings and......CRACK!!!

Hey Momma!!! I hit the ball!!!

Rounding 2nd!

Almost Home

Now at this point you may be wondering why I don't have a picture of him rounding 3rd...well, he wasn't supposed to keep going. The 3rd base coach was signaling him to stop, but Professor was so excited that he just kept right on going. I've never seen him move with such purpose. Usually, he has the urgency of a napping cat.

Crossing Home Plate (You can see his knee just to the left of the coach)

Celebration! He was so excited he was completely jumping off the ground. Rock (in the white T-shirt) was so proud of Professor, and I'm glad there aren't buttons on T-shirts or I'd be sewing right now.

I wish you could see his whole face, but you can at least tell he is excited. I would have loved to have had the full shot of his face, but I can't be mad at someone who was telling my boy what a great job he did.

Here he is with that great big grin on his face. He was so excited, and I was just giggling with joy. I'll have to agree with the Professor on this one...this was a glorious day!

Oh yeah...CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!

They're Reading Folks

SUCCESS!!!

Yes, folks it is finally happening. My children are becoming lovers of books, and I am as thrilled as I can be. Yesterday afternoon, when we usually have a free time, Professor and Princess asked me to read some more out of Wizard of Oz. Usually, they ask me if they can play a video game, or watch a little TV, or play Wii, but yesterday they got out paper, crayons, and Legos and played quietly while I read three chapters. Then they wanted me to keep going, but the two littles got up from their naps and had to be taken care of.

Today, Professor had a breakthrough. He read an entire chapter book this morning. It was so funny, because he was just reading along (and I was letting him) and when he got to the end of the book he exclaimed, "Momma! I just read this whole book!" He was surprised at himself. Not only did he read the book, but he also gave me a synopsis of what he had read, and it was very accurate. Then he wanted to read another book. I promised him he could, but first he had to finish his math and take his spelling test.

Looks like I am going to be doing alot of reading to keep up with him. Whoopee!!!