A cougar is seen at a zoo. Using nothing but her quick wit and ...

(AFP/File) - A cougar is seen at a zoo. Using nothing but her quick wit and bare hands, a Canadian mother fought off a cougar that had pinned down her three-year old daughter in a forest north of Vancouver, police said Wednesday.(AFP/File/Miguel Alvarez)

My kids were looking over my shoulder as I sat at the computer.  They wanted to know why there was a picture of a cougar (THIS picture... this mean, scary, terrifying looking picture).  I told them that a cougar had attacked a 3 year old and that a regular mom like me had fought the cougar to protect the little girl.  

Silence.

Then, "Mom, did the COUGAR die?"  

Perhaps I should dial it back on the "mean mom" routine, what do you think?  :-)

Counting our blessings

Just feeling grateful...

A friend I love is just starting her fight with cancer.  Yesterday was her surgery to remove both breasts and surrounding lymph nodes under one arm.   While she and her family are definitely being challenged by this new development in their lives, she remains optimistic and positive about the fight ahead of her.  Her two little girls are lucky to have such a strong, feisty mom with such a great sense of humor.  Anyone who can find something to laugh at under these circumstances has a pretty amazing sense of humor, wouldn't you agree? 

Her attitude of gratitude has rubbed off on me.  Perhaps the things I'm worried about really aren't that important?  (Gary has been telling me this for years, but I figured I should worry about his denial.)   I'm so grateful for my family, for great friends, for our home and country, for the really blessed life I'm privileged to live.   I don't express my thanks often enough.   Life is good!  

We're praying that she's going to soundly whip cancer's butt.  If anyone can it would be her.  

(cue HSM 2 music here)  

"What Time is It?  It's Summer Time... 

It's Our Vacation..."  

Yesterday was party day! School was only 3 hours long.  We

had treats at school, treats from the bus driver, treats at the bus 

stop and then went to a picnic at some friends' house. We left 

the picnic to run to a pedicure. Grace invited her friend and the 

moms tagged along for some toe time. This was Grace's first 

pedicure and she loved it (despite the massage chair that hit her 

on the neck rather than lumbar area and the fact that she scraped

off all the polish on one foot before we left the store.) Good 

times.  Today we have a primary activity, taekwondo, and a 

birthday party before my brother and his wife come to visit.  

When does the relaxing part happen?

  We've been counting down the days.   Sam said the morning prayer and asked that I'd be okay while they were gone for 3 hours on the last day, that I wouldn't be too sad without them.  Hmmm... let's just say that prayer was answered!  I took my last long bike ride by myself and got ready for the chaos and fun of summer. 

  School's out, school's out...  Grace made a card to thank the bus driver.  That girls thinks of everyone!  
  We brought M&M icecream treats to the bus stop to share with our friends.  One of the kids is just a tiny bit excited for summer.... that's Sam.
  Mmmmmmm....
  "Yahoo!"  (accompanying booty dance not pictured)
  Did I mention Sam was excited? 

  The aftermath of the icecream.  I swear this kid has no nerve endings in his face!   He was working on something else oblivious of the need to clean up!
  Everyone was happy to see this after a long count down!
  Sam brought home a few last-minute things he'd left at school... and then "left" them on the kitchen floor.   Mom not feeling warm and fuzzy about summer at this point. 
  Grace got her good reading award.  Both kids got Advanced Reader certificates.  They both did great.  They each got the highest marks they could get on their reportcards.  No room for improvement there.  We're proud of their hard work this year in school.  Good job, guys! 

When I casually mentioned to Sam the other day that he was going to have "homework" over the summer (to keep us reading and writing) he threw himself off of the bar stool, writhed on the floor in agony and moaned "I thought I was just going to the pool!!!!!"   I told him that we were going to the pool, but we would also have time to do other things.  More writhing in "pain" on the floor.    We may have to work the kinks out of this summer schedule for a bit.  

Happy summer everyone!