I Would Like to Thank...

Having turned the big "40" a few weeks ago, I have begun to face that facts that certain things I may have dreamed about doing will have to remain solely in my dreams. One of those things is saying the following phrase, "I would like to thank the Academy." I am 99.99% certain (if I learned just one thing from Justin Bieber, it was to never say never) that those words will never be spoken out of my mouth while addressing a crowd of celebrities at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. Still, I plan on using part of that phrase to address some events over the past few weeks. So here it goes-

I would like to thank...

1. All of the people who visited my blog over the last several days and played the game 2 truths and a lie. It was fun participating in the "Blog Hop Game" and visiting new blogs I might never have known about otherwise. And for those of you waiting...I am not related to Ellen Degeneres. I was surprised by how many people thought having been to see Elton John in the 1st row was the lie. Thanks to a local radio station about 13 years ago, that was indeed a truth. And also something I will never forget! I was pregnant with Harry at the time and sometimes wonder if the event played even a tiny role in the music talent he displays today. I am guessing, probably not...

2. Becca for making me a proud mom with her Minnetonka High School on stage debut as "Rebecca" in the play, "Our Town". It was fun to see her shine and be in her element.

3. My loving husband who sat with me watching the Disney movie "Secretariat" on the couch for 2 hours last weekend, even though there was a lot of other things he needed to do.

4. Bella who put her heart and soul into the final race club competition for the Fall/Winter season of swimming. Good job! Look how proud she is of her trophy!

5. Harry who finished up a successful first year of snowboarding. I am pretty sure his motto is, "no fear". Perhaps he can get out another time or two, but the snowboarding club is over at school, and I myself am hoping for no more snow.

6. My fabulous parents who gifted me with a device for my birthday that I have officially ranked as a "life changing gadget". Not many devices make that distinction, but my new GPS system has joined my microwave, ipad and DVR as "can't live without electronics." Erick thinks I'm crazy that I have the voice set to an English woman, but I feel it makes hearing the directions more exciting. I just love how she pronounces local streets!

7. My fitness instructor for my Wednesday CRT class (Cardio Resistance Training). She works my butt (literally) every week at 1:15pm with her punishing squats and lunges, always shouting out about how this will pay off for my Spring Break plans. I joke with her and tell her that when I have to make an appointment (Dr, Dentist, hair, etc) I am always hoping they offer me a Wednesday afternoon option so I can skip class. Still I keep coming back because she is awesome and evil at the same time...

And I could go on with this list for quite awhile, but I think I hear the music playing and they are telling me to wrap it up. I better hurry before they get the hook and pull me offstage...

2 Truths and a Lie...

As I am always up for new challenges, I have decided to post a fun game that was started by a fellow blogger friend. Here's the deal...I have posted three things about myself. Two are true and one is a  lie. Can you find the fib?

1. I was once in a play directed by "The Ancient Booer lady" from the "Princess Bride" movie.

2. I am distantly related to Ellen Degeneres.

3. I have been in the 1st row at an Elton John concert.

Go ahead take a guess and leave it in the comments section. I will post the answer on Monday. Also if you have a blog and want to play the Blog Hop game, go ahead. Have fun checking out the other blogs listed below. Be sure to stop by them and say "hello". If you like what you see on my blog, go ahead and click "like" on the Rowe Family Adventures Facebook badge!

Sally the Camel Has No Humps...

Still fighting my way through some difficult parenting times, but overall the week has been much smoother.  In an effort to "stay ahead of the storm", I am reading yet another parenting book which I pray will have the ultimate answer/solution/saving grace to counteract any difficult situation I may encounter along my parenting journey. And so here is a brief story for your reading pleasure...

Camels are difficult animals. It is said that they are motivated by no one. If they want to do something they will, if not, they simply won't. They are hard to train because unlike a horse they are not motivated by treats, ie. a carrot dangling in front of their nose on a string. In fact it has been said that camel riders are well aware of the camel personality and when preparing for a ride they bring firewood, matches, and a shovel. Why you ask? Well often a camel will simply sit down in the sand and refuse to continue the rider's journey. The rider gets off the camel, digs a hole under the behind of the camel, and lights a small fire with the wood and matches. In time, the camel becomes uncomfortable from the heat of the fire and begins to proceed on its journey once again.

I learned the above information from the parenting book. It was told with regard to defiant children and how to better understand their motivations. Here's the scary realization I made...I'm kind of a camel. I have to tell you that reading the not so flattering description of the camel's personality struck a chord. Stubborn, unpredictable? Check, check. Camels build resentment up more than horses. Yep! 

So in an effort to better understand my children (a horse, a camel, and sort of a hybrid if you will "hamel") I began to dig deeper into my research of camels and horses. Horses are more responsive to cues and are more sensitive than camels. Camels tend to be more emotional, but are also affectionate and inquisitive. Horses are said to be easier to train, but in the end, training a camel is a little more rewarding due to the extreme effort and dedication it requires. Another interesting fact? Camels don't like to leave their own turf, but when they do, they often become more horse-like in their responses.

And so it turns out their are pros and cons to being a camel or a horse. Both horses and camels have their own unique appeal and their own challenges. Something I already knew...

40 is the New 18...

So it has happened. I am now 40 years old. I have spent the last few weeks prepping myself. I even filled out a survey and filled in the bubble marked 40-45 for age. I have to admit it feels weird. I can remember when I turned 18 and I was so happy to be a "real adult". But you know what? 40 is when you turn into a "real adult". No more excuses, no more childish mistakes. Before 40 you can make mistakes and those older will still say, "she's young and still learning." I don't think many people think of 40 as "young". Another thing I don't think you hear from people after 40, "you have your whole life ahead of you." Well maybe it can be changed to, "you have 1/2 your life ahead of you." You know, glass half full and all of that.

I have to say that getting my butt in gear and getting into shape over the past year has made today much better. In fact, last week I was setting up my stuff for a barbell strength class at the gym and I heard someone say to the instructor, "I want to look like her." I turned around and found out she was talking about me. It was really just what I needed to hear at that moment. I know looks can be fleeting (especially after 40), but I am really proud of myself right now. I am in the best shape I have ever been in. I did tell Erick that my upkeep costs are going to be going up exponentially over the next few years, just so he is prepared...

So onto tomorrow. Another thing I thought of today (and told my father); it is better to be 40 than have a child who is 40. Although that day will come soon enough, too...

Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This...

Realization of the week: I am not a fan of raising teenagers. I used to laugh when I heard parents say they just wanted to ship their teenagers off from age 13-18 and then meet up again at 19 or 20. Now I am just wanting to know the address of where they wanted to send their children. And next year I will have two teenagers in the house. I can tell you now, I am worried for my sanity. I'm not going to go into specifics on individual issues, just know that I called my Dad and apologized for any bad behavior during my teen years and I can only hope to receive a similar phone call 20-25 years from now...

Over the past week there has been a lot of events centering around "getting older" and "growing up." Last Friday, Harry had his well check at the pediatrician's office and it was made official that he is indeed taller than me. He has actually shot up to the 85th percentile in height and is now 5'2". The Dr. estimates that he will probably get to 6'0. I think it is kind of funny when people say things like, "It looks like you are taller than your Mom," and then give me an apologetic glance. I am more than happy that my kids will all be taller than me! I am 4'11 and have filled my closet with 3-4 inch heeled shoes in order to just blend in. When I married someone 6'0, it was not without giving some thought to the height of future generations.

Last Saturday, Bella celebrated her 9th birthday. On Friday, she went to get her hair and nails done with her cousin. After that, the fun continued and Grandma brought them out to dinner and guess what? They got their nails done again. One downfall to having your nails done when you are 9 is that it is very tempting to scratch the paint off if a chip happens. The pretty doesn't last very long. Bella and her cousin spent the night at Grandma's and her actual birthday became a little bit of a recovery day. Too much fun can be hard. I did explain to Bella that I was capping her at 9 years old and that I would not allow her to turn 10 next year. I mean, come on, she's my baby...10 years old is just too old.

So speaking of growing older, I am now in the single digit countdown before the big "40". I have to say, I am having more trouble with the idea as it grows closer. Our upcoming trip to Mexico makes it a little more bearable, but only a little. It looks like neither Bella or I will be celebrating birthdays after this year...