Beach Ball Belly

It rained this morning - hurrah! There are a couple of things Bob misses living here in the desert and rain is number one. We are in a drought situation here so when we do have a few raindrops I do a dance hoping it rains all day. Maybe I should stop dancing because we haven't had a all day rain in years at least not in our neighborhood.

We've talked about moving to areas of the country where there are four seasons. When that melancholy mood comes over him I like to remind him of those rainy and snowy days we experienced on the farm - not that we would raise crops again but the thought provokes the desired effect I strive for in our discussion. Mud and shoveling! I remember many occasions of him saying "I don't want to shovel snow" and he couldn't wait to move out west. Are some people never happy? Truce, compromise, solution. After we sell our big home and move into a tiny place easier to keep clean and tidy, we'll travel, and stay weeks on end in those places that have snow and rain, then we'll come home to the desert and enjoy the dry air.

Not much happening here today - all is quiet on our home front since everyone is still sleeping. Bob and I got up early to watch our CBS Sunday Morning program which we have watched for years. We'll just hang around and I may pack boxes to ship off to Soldier Tom for the holidays. He wrote last night and mentioned he is working on another promotion. He's got it in him - I am glad he has found his place - you know sometimes we don't know what will bring out the best in us. We're all challenged differently. We're proud of him and he's doing a great job serving with the U. S. Army in Iraq.

Ms. Alexandra has moved into a new phase of childhood - the era of makeup. Suz gave Alex some mascara and Alex already had some eye shadow. She came out her room a couple of days ago and I was shocked to see her with make up on - she looked too grown up for me!!! I told her that her dad wouldn't like it. Although I didn't quite approve, I know it was a day she would be inside, I didn't have her take it off, but we did have a talk about the proper time to wear makeup and how much is acceptable at her age. Well, yesterday since it was Kevin's day off, they were going to the big park on the other side of town. Alex has great taste in fashion and usually wants to wear inappropriate clothes to casual events so when her dad raised his voice as they were getting ready to leave I thought that was the reason. I was reading the newspaper at the kitchen table and raised my head to ask what was going on and Kev explained about the too much makeup and the over dressed look. It's all just beginning. He said she was only seven but she said "I'm eight!' although that's not really true - she has a couple more weeks for that. She did leave the house without makeup on and none too happy.

Too soon!!! Everything is too soon for the children today - they have too much too soon. Back in the day when we were raising our kids the competition wasn't as strong as it is today. I don't understand why today's parents strive to make their kids grow up so fast and give them things they should either earn or receive when they are old enough to be responsible for what they receive. Isn't this an age old question? I could say I am glad I don't have to raise anymore children as a 64 year old grandmom, but actually, I am responsible on some days when my son is at work and I have to care for her. I know a lot of grandparents are in the same place today as I am and that's a whole other blog.

Hope you have a blessed Sunday.