~FOR SETH~

Our friends, Seth and Jane Anne Owen got Keith and I started on this whole blogging thing. And I'm not sure about Keith but I've really enjoyed it. I love opening up my email and seeing that someone has taken the time to read my blog and leave a comment. I also love checking out other peoples blogs because in this crazy life sometimes we just don't have the time to stay in touch with friends and family the way we would like too. So peoples blogs give you a brief glimpse into their lives.
The other day as we sat talking about our blogs, Seth asked me what "Hazy Views", the title of my blog, meant. Before I explain my blog title, lets get some background information. Both Seth and Jane Anne's blogs have interesting titles but they have "definitions". Jane Anne's blog Gravity of Motion means; the weight of constant activity. Seth's blog Popping Smoke means; the act of activating & throwing a smoke grenade, often to cover your movement out of an area. The idea of naming my blog gave me pause for a couple of days. I kept trying to figure out what I could name it, thinking I needed to have some great definition to explain my blog. But I finally realized that my blog would never get started if I waited for the perfect name to come to me. So I reflected a bit on what I would be blogging about. I would have to say that I'm a gal with a number of ideas and opinions but I'm too lazy (and busy, but mostly lazy) to "look up" supporting facts for my opinions. Case in point - I'm sure that on my post about driving, I could have looked up information on the Internet that would have given me some exact, factual figures on the number of traffic accidents that actually occur everyday. I also could have found out the exact weight of our Durango and the motor size without saying it was heavy and had a big motor. But that's just not who I am. I wish I were. But since I'm not, I knew that my posts would contain thoughts and opinions that didn't necessarily have facts to back them up, which would in turn make them very HAZY VIEWS.

~FOR JANEEN~

What time is it? Summertime!

I want FABULOUS!

When I hear my favorite song, I know that we belong . . .

We've got to work, work, to work this out

Hey batter batter, hey batter batter, swing

These are just a few of the lines in just a few of the songs in the new High School Musical 2. And at any given moment of the last 6 days you could probably hear one of my daughters or even myself singing snippets from one or more of these songs. We've gone HSM crazy. We LOVED the first one with sweet, shy Gabriella and cute boy named Troy. All the singing and dancing won us over completely, along with the G rating. We were SO excited for HSM2 to come out, so we had a HSM party weekend planned. We've now seen High School Musical 2 three times. And it hasn't even come out on DVD yet. And the kids already want to know when HSM3 will be in the movie theaters. WE CAN HARDLY WAIT!

What team? Wildcats! What team? Wildcats! Wildcats, GETCHA HEAD IN THE GAME! Right, Janeen?

The sincerest form of flattery.

As I was driving home the other day with my oldest daughter and niece, I was thinking about the actual act of driving. After having had my license for 18 years (and no, I'm not 34), driving just seems to come second nature. You kinda of do it without even thinking. I do admit when I get in my husbands SUV after not driving it for awhile I will try to push in the clutch and get nothing but air. And then I'll reach for the stick in between the seats and realize that I'm not driving a stick-shift. But beyond all that, driving is second nature. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be paying close attention while you are driving. Hundreds of accidents occur on the roads everyday. Some of them minor and some extremely serious. Most of those accidents are most likely caused by someone not paying attention or driving recklessly.
A couple of weeks ago I had to borrow my husbands vehicle because it fits more kids than mine does. I ended up having it four days. Now it is big and heavy with a larger motor, so you can look down at the speedometer and realize that you are going 70mph in a 55mph zone rather easily and not even feel like you are going that fast. But you get in my little Honda and as you are shifting through the gears you feel as though you are just racing down the road. So, anyway, the girls and I were going somewhere and Anah says from the back seat. "Momma, are we late?" I told her no. She said, "Well, you are scaring me." I asked her why and she said because I was going too fast. I looked down and I wasn't going quite 60mph in a 55mph. I told her that we weren't really going that fast, just a couple miles over the speed limit. She wanted me to slow down. I told her that I needed to be going the speed limit or the cars behind me would be very upset with me. I also told her that there was no need to be scared. I was in control of the car and wasn't driving recklessly and I would never purposely do something that would put her or her sister in any danger. Out of everything that God has given to me, they are the most precious "things" in my care.
So back to my car ride with my niece. As I pulled away from my sister-in-laws house, I reflected on that conversation with Anah. I know that most parents feel the same way I do about my children. They may drive you completely insane at times but when it comes right down to it they mean more than anything to you. So when someone else lets me take their kids in my car, or to my house or places their children in my care for any amount of time, they are placing a tremendous amount of trust in me. They are trusting me to care for their child(ren) as much as they do. And that has got to be one of the sincerest forms of flattery!

Ya just can't make me happy!

So after carting my girls back and forth to school all last year, by the end of the year I was tired. Tired of getting up five days a week and driving 18 minutes to take the girls to school. Tired of wanting to be in my house and not being. Just tired. I was excited for summer break and having the girls home.
Tonight I am tired. Tired of the girls' constant arguing, fighting and whining. I can't wait for school to start and I'll gladly get up five days a week and drive 18 minutes to get them to school so that I can have a couple of hours of peace and quiet.
HOW PATHETIC IS THAT!!! Now we will just have to wait and see how long it takes for me to once again be tired of driving the girls to school! Ha, Ha!

***EVERYTHING***

As I mentioned in my last post, I love music. Love it. It's a huge part of my life. We constantly have music playing, whether we are in our home or in our car. I have downloaded (legally) bunches of music to our computer. We have an IPod that goes with me many places. I LOVE MUSIC! I'm also a child of the '80's. So I have "mixed tapes (CD's) all over the place. I love them! I love getting them! I'm weird, I know. Anyway, because I am constantly listening to music I have many songs that I relate to situations in my life. Right now, my absolutely favorite song is by Michael Buble'. The song is called Everything. Even though it is written and sung by a man it says just what I feel for my husband. The best part is the second half of the second verse. When it gets to that part I turn the volume way up and just picture him (and of course, sing along). It makes me hope that he feels the same way for me. Here are the words:

You're a falling star

You're the getaway car

You're the line in the sand when I go too far

You're the swimming pool on an August day

You're the perfect thing to say

And you play it coy

But it's kind of cute

When you smile at me, you know exactly what you do

Baby, don't pretend that you don't know it's true

'Cause you can see it when I look at you

(chorus) And in this crazy life

And through these crazy times

It's you, it's you

Ya make me sing

Your every line

Your every word

You're everything

You're a carousel

You're a wishing well

And you light me up when you ring my bell

You're a mystery

You're from outerspace

You're every minute of my every day

And I can't believe that I'm your [wo]man

And I get to kiss you baby just because I can

Whatever comes our way

We'll see it through

'Cause you know that's what our love can do

chorus

(a bunch of la, la, la's)

chorus

Your every song

And I sing along

'Cause you're my everything

(more la, la, la's)

I'm one of those people!

It's true! I admit it! I am one of those people. One of those crazy, scary people. The ones you drive by (or should I say drive by you) that are the only person in the car and look like they are going into some sort of screaming rage. But they aren't. No, they are just singing at the top of their lungs with blind ambition. The funny thing is, though, I do it with my kids in the car. And they are learning to do it too! And I'm as proud as I can be!!!
I LOVE MUSIC!!! In all sorts of genre's. On any given day you could find Def Leppard, New Kids on the Block, Michael Buble', Steven Curtis Chapman, Phil Vassar, The Beach Boys and Hannah Montana all in my CD changer. My girls love music also. Even when they were brand new babies they loved music. When we were driving in the car they used to scream at the top of their lungs if the music wasn't turned up loud enough. And I would always indulge them. I mean really, who would rather hear a baby screaming than their favorite music cranked? As the girls grew up, they continued to listen to my music. I was a "mean" mom and didn't really listen to kiddie music. When Samantha was about 3 1/2, her favorite song was 'She thinks my tractors sexy' by Kenny Chesney. She called it HER SONG. But now that the girls are older I have to admit, I listen to their music. We have a couple Hannah Montana cds, a few Disney Mania cds, and our favorite High School Musical. I'm regressing!!!!!!
AND I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!!

*****IT'S A GIRL!!!!*****

I became an aunt again today. My sister gave birth this afternoon to a beautiful, healthy baby girl named Rylee Jaydon. She weighed in at 7lbs 6oz and is 18 1/2 inches long. Samantha and Savanah are SO EXCITED to have a baby girl cousin. They would hardly leave her alone.

HAPPY BIRTH-DAY RYLEE! Welcome to our family!

Baby steps

After my post about letting my children go and start to grow up, Keith commented that the easiest way to do this is by "baby steps". (I think he might have been quoting Bob. No, not the talking red tomato - the Bob of What About Bob?, fame.) So last night, we took our first "baby step". The girls got to have their very first sleep-out in the tent trailer all by themselves, chaperoned only by their "ferocious protector", Lacey, who is our yellow lab. Sam did great. After making sure they were all settled and tucked in and prayed with, I left them figuring I would see them both very shortly. Sam didn't come in once. Anah on the other hand just couldn't seem to keep herself in her sleeping bag. She was in and out at least 4 times. Then came in to say that Sam was asleep and she had to come in and sleep in her own bed. Me, being the meany that I am, informed her that they had been begging me for days to let them do this and she need to go get back in the trailer and go to sleep. Figuring this really wouldn't work and I would at some point in the middle of the night need to bring them back in and get them settled back in the house. BUT THEY DID IT!!!! We didn't see their happy, smiling little faces until after 8 am this morning! They were so proud of themselves for staying out all night and not being afraid. I guess Keith was right - baby steps! BABY STEPS!!!!