December 2010. The End.

Apparently tonight is the night life will end in Minnesota.  I just wanted to post a final entry for my non-Minnesotan friends & family - so you-all will know how much you are (were?) loved.  In the remote chance I survive this "Blizzard of a Lifetime", I'll just come back with a BIG "JUST KIDDING, Ya'll!"

For 3 days all we've heard is "snow snow snow.  Blizzard, Blizzard, Blizzard.  Cold, Cold, Cold."
Okay - we get it.  It IS mid-December in Minnesota, after all.  I expected my friend in Warner-Robbins, GA (Hi Jennie!!) to go on & on & on & on & on about the coating of snow they received since it is Georgia... but she briefly mentioned it happened... AND THEN MOVED ON WITH HER DAY. 
Minnesotan's - TAKE NOTE.

I must say - the forecasts were SO grim & gloomy that the Osseo-(MN) District schools cancelled all weekend activities and closed all district buildings.  THAT, my friends, is why I am guessing life will cease after tonight.  In my 13 years with the Osseo School District, I remember one snow-day & one "wind-chill/cold/the Govenor made us do it" closure.  Their philosophy was... "It's Minnesota.  Deal with it."

The funny thing is sitting at work listening to all the precious ladies sitting around chatting about how cold, how windy, how trecherous... whatever it is outside.  & then I turn around and say "Actually - it was really nice this morning - not windy at all! I didn't have to scrape my windshield & the roads were plowed down to the pavement!"  So evil.  I take away their bad-weather-thunder.  They look at each other... Shoot! Now what do we talk about?!

Today, Hayley was sick.  She peaked at a 102* fever and took a 4 hour nap.  So, at 10:30pm, she is wide awake, fever-free and bouncing off the ceiling.  We went outside to move the car and ran into a neighbor... - also out walking his Kindergartener at 10:30pm! SO funny.  I said, "Wow, I guess this IS a good time to be walking the kids..."  At first he didn't see Hayley & was a little defensive... but then laughed.  His son, Jackson, recognized Hayley from the bus.  Whole point of the story - no one can say "Every other Kindergartener is in bed by now" to Hayley.   Actually that wasn't the point of the story.  Have I EVER really had a point to any story I've ever told?  Today I had lunch with my Bestie, Noelle.  I built up a story SO much... I forgot what I was talking about.

I am just blogging to blog right now.  I'm exhausted.  I was keeping Hayley company, but she just announced  "I'm done being awake now.  The nap wore off." & marched to bed.  I love her.

Even though my eyes are crossing, I think I'll go write a Christmas Letter - for those who don't have internet (i.e. My Grandma Harder and ... I wonder if Grampa B has a computer...).

Remember - if I don't survive the Blizzard to end all Blizzards... I really did appreciate every one of you for your unique roll in keeping me who I am! :) *loves*!

November 3, 2010. The Day After.

Okay, what I refer to in the title is the day after Hayley Anne's 6th Birthday!

Happy Birthday Pumpkin!

An Irreconcilable Force.

We have a somewhat supernatural force in our home. 

It has the power of the strongest wind.
It has the strength of one-hundred horses (The Big Clydesdales, not the mini-ponies).
It is silent like Carbon Monoxide (really? I couldn't think of anything else deadly & silent).
Stealth ... like something really really sneaky.
It causes damage in the blink of an eye.

It is my daughter.  Her name is Hannah.


Now, I've heard many people say "If I had this child first, I would NOT have had anymore children."  No matter how damaging that child is - I love her.  I would love 10 more just like her. I am so blessed by her spirit and her... well... creativity and imagination.  Think: "Harold & the Purple Crayon".  So creative.  So imaginative.  But how do you think Harold's mom reacted to purple crayon all over the walls, ceiling, floor...

The latest chapter in "Hanzilla the Destroyer" was a pile of golden cornsilk hair laying on her floor last night.  I knew it wasn't human hair - definitely of the plastic-hair variety. 
Let's take a poll. 
Do you think the hair was from:
A. The $2 thrift-store Barbie that we bought just for the dress she was wearing?
B. The doll we have had since she was a baby - of unknown origin?
C. The tail of a horse we got at Build A Bear Workshop?
D. The hair from her most recent birthday-present, Rapunzel "barbie".

If you said "D" you're right.  Rapunzel now has a very Avant-Garde, NY Runway model hair "don't".  What is the point of a Rapunzel doll if she has short, zig-zag hair do?  "Rapunzel, Rapunzel... let down your fire-escape ladder..."??? Not quite the same ring.

Mommy kept her cool (mark it on the calendar).  I undressed Rapunzel, handed her to Hannah & said "You may go throw her in the garbage."  Tears.  Wails of protest. Nashing of teeth. "MY PRESENT!"
Some might think I was a little dramatic throwing the doll away.  Maybe a little over-the-top.  But seriously.  I do NOT want her thinking her destructive actions are cute or acceptable.  I can't think of punishments to fit these crimes (& Dr. Spock, Dr. Phil, Oprah, Dr. Dobson... none of them have a chapter on "What to do with the doll post hair-cut".)
Plus - I don't want a wonky-looking doll laying around.  I am trying to simplify my life & having broken toys laying around will not achieve that goal.  I still wonder if I can try styling her hair into a short bob...  (I'm also one step away from filling out the application for TLC's Hoarders...)

Then as I was about to tuck her in for the night, I notice a small pile of darker-golden cornsilk hair.  This time it was of the human variety. 
Reason's why I love Hannah:
I asked her "where" she cut her hair (clearly meaning: where is your bald-spot)... & she said "By the desk".
I asked her... "No - WHERE is your hair cut?"  & She pointed to my hand full of hair & said "there!"
Once again, I ask... "On your head. What part of your head did you cut off hair?"
Then she rubbed her head & said "kind of all over, just like Grandpa does."

Next Chapter: Why I wish my father was NOT a barber...

Happy Birthday My DARLING Hannah Jase!

FOUR YEARS OLD!
The very idea of Hannah having a twin makes me want to scream!

My little Mermaids

She's such a little silly kid.  I *heart* her So Much!

This was one of the first times we got her hair up in 2 pig-tails.

Some other adorable pictures of our little baby...

This is Hannah's little boyfriend, Aiden.

And just to remember how it all started:

 Cutting the already-cut Cord. Traditions are funny. 

What is the big deal with that cord cutting stuff?

The Very Best Buy

So a while back, my work bought a 47" flat screen television for our community/rec room.  Because all the 80-year olds were asking for us to pimp-out their rec room.  Riiiiiiight.

Anyway, we used my Best Buy "reward zone" card for the purchase.  That means I earned points!  It also means that it bumped me up to Premier Silver Status. (Impressive, right?)  I only explain this in detail because if you know anything about Best Buy, you know it takes A LOT of $purchases$ to acheive the "Premier Silver" status. I don't want anyone to be jealous of our 1992 - 30" JVC "Hand Me Down from Grandma Harder" Television.

So, one of the Best Buy perks was free subscription to Napster (the music down-load site) as well as 15-free credits to down load songs every 3 months.  (That is equal to one album plus a song or two extra...)

Today my 3-month cycle restarted & I went to request my new activation code from Best Buy.

Sadly, the customer service rep said that at this time their Napster codes aren't working.  They are looking into it but don't really have a solution at this point.  Except they could send me a code for a free $15 iTunes gift card... or issue me a $20 Best Buy Rewards certificate.  "Which one would you like?"

Well, I might not have gotten better than Cs in high-school math ... And I might have taken the "alternative" math class in college, but even I know that 20 is greater than 15.
So I will be receiving a $20 gift card to Best Buy for doing... NOTHING (except spending 2 minutes on the phone with "Jimmy").

Too bad everything we NEED costs over $1000, but whatever.  Maybe I can get a couple movies for Christmas presents.

All About ME!

I never wanted to be the person that could only EVER talk about her children.
So this post is all about me. Little Sara Lou Harriger.

Last night, I did something for myself! I "joined" the Gospel Choir at my church.  I'm so proud of me on many levels.  I love singing. I love being in a choir.  I've been avoiding it because "I don't know anyone". I was nervous & shy.

You might think, "Oh, Sara - That's silly. You're so outgoing and SO not shy... I just can't believe you would have a problem like this."

I do!  I suffer from extreme lack of self confidence.  If I know you - of course I'm comfortable.  If I know the environment or "situation" (like being at Camp Lebanon, or going to the church I grew up in) I am totally comfortable because it is a part of ME.  I belong there - even if I don't know anyone. 
But if I walk into a room of strangers - especially if THEY all know each-other, I feel light headed & want to puke... I get a case of the "What-ifs"...
What if no one talks to me? What if they are mean? What if they don't have a joking-spirit or a sense of humor?! (You know musicians can be quite serious...). What if they don't WANT new choir members? (well, they shouldn't advertise for them, I guess!).  What if the lady next to me doesn't like my shirt?

What if What if What if!!!

However, the MOMENT I walked into the worship center for choir practice, all my What ifs were so quickly blown away that I found myself spinning in circles trying to shake everyone's hand & still find my way to the Alto section! Then the best thing happened... one lady said "Sit there - next to me!" 

It was funny - I felt VERY welcomed.  VERY wanted.  And yet - so nervous I picked all the nail polish off my fingers.  I sat next to one of the "Main" singing ladies - she's always in the choir, on stage singing Praise & Worship, etc.
I had SO much fun. At the end of practice, the "main lady" (her name is Karen) even said, "Oh, I KNEW I'd like you the minute I met you."

Not only do I get to sing again, but maybe my self confidence was boosted up a notch last night.

Ladies & Gentlemen... Introducing....

A Bona-fide Kindergartener!

Let's Take a vote:

If you think Hayley should go to Kindergarten, raise your hand!
If you think Hayley should stay a teeny tiny baby, raise your hand!

I didn't think I would, but as the day gets closer & I say "Hayley's going to Kindergarten"... I get a little weepy. I don't think it is sadness.  I am not sad.  I don't stay-home with her, so I'm not going to miss her any differently as I do now during the day. It isn't like a part of my day will be ripped away from me.
I think the tears are of pride, of joy & anticipation.  And a little nervous. I am nervous, because my elementary school experienced... well, it sucked. (forgive the language - it could have been worse).
I fear that my daughter will have the same experience and I hope that doesn't keep me from allowing her to enjoy it.  I also hope & pray that she will be a ray of sunshine and a blessing to the teacher - as she is to me (us).  I pray the kids fall in love with her.  She is such a sweet friend.  I also hope & pray SHE isn't the mean-girl.  We witnessed a bit of it this summer and it isn't fun to see.

Tim and I decided she will not be riding the bus this year.  (We'll see how long that lasts).  Why did we make this decision?  We have a combined 25 years of school-bus riding experience.  Only 3 of those years were "okay".  It isn't like anything ever happened to me on the bus, but I remember sitting right behind the driver, so people wouldn't be mean to me.  I feared the stoners in the back seat, I feared the "popular girls/boys" in the middle & I was okay with the geeks & nerds and the driver. (I am in denial, possibly, that I WAS one of the geeky nerds?).  I also have heard 2 or 3 horror stories from friends' kids experience.
I know I know... she'll be fine.  She will actually be mad at me if I don't let her ride the bus.  We'll see.

For now, we asked for her to be in PM kindergarten.  This means Tim will drive her to school & either I will pick her up, or she could take the bus home.  (I have a sinking feeling that come the first snow fall, I will opt for the bus-ride).

But mainly - I am SO overwhelmed with pride.  I love my Hayley Anne.  She is so brilliant and beautiful.

(I love Hannah, too.  But this isn't about her today.)

And then there was one...

This story might make my parents a little bummed that I shared it with the world, but it has a good outcome and is actually funny to me.  If any of you have spent more than an hour with Hannah, you'll know it is 99% her "fault" - if fault were to be given.
My parents took H&H this weekend to the Butterfield Thresherman's Association's Annual Threshing Bee.
We went every summer when I was a kid and it was the best weekend of the summer.  SO much fun.  Very Little House on the Prairie - (only with tractors).

They have an old-fashioned village where you can churn butter, make candles, etc... Petting zoo, antique tractors, old one-room school house, hay balers, etc.

They were at the play-area and mom tells dad she has to go to the ladies room & leaves.
When she returns, she asks dad... "Where's Hannah?".
"I thought Hannah went to the bathroom with you. You always take one with you."
"No... I didn't."

They were about to split up to find her when they hear: "Attention guests, we have Hannah in the office.  She's 4 years old and she's looking for her grandma Elaine."

Want to know how i found out about this? 
When they returned, Hannah says "Mommy, when we were at the farmers' market, I couldn't find grandma and grandpa and went to the food ladies and they brought me to the office and gave me a YUMMY sucker."

I think her whole point was to tell me that she got a yummy sucker.

I turn to my mom and say...
"Elaine"
~ silence ~
"Mother"
~ silence ~
"Mother, did you loose my daughter at the Threshing Bee?" 
 
~ silence ~"Hannah, we don't have to tell mommy EVERYthing we did!".

Apparently Hannah followed my mom for a while, got distracted, & lost her. 

So she did what we have taught her to do!! (Tim & I get credit for SOMETHING good!) 

We have always told the girls if they get lost to find a "worker" or a "policeman" or else a mommy that has little kids with her.  Hannah walked up to the "food ladies" at a booth where they just bought lunch & said "I am looking for Grandma."

I can't get mad at my mom & dad because, like I said, I know Hannah.  

And, I lost Hayley at Target once.

And at Cub once.

T minus 2-pounds

What does that mean? "T Minus..."  You hear it a lot when people are counting down, right? "T minus 10, 9, 8..."

OF COURSE I had to look it up.

Side note, my friend & coworker, Noelle (HI NOELLIE!) calls me Lil' Claven.  As in Cliff Claven.  As in the mail-man on Cheers (if you need me to explain Cheers, just never mind.)... He's the one who knows random facts about random things & always feels like everyone cares to hear those facts... So, apparently I have a reputation?  Sorry.  But would you have EVER found out why they are called "Spare Ribs" if not for lil' Claven!?

So forgive my Claven moment here.

When launching a rocket or shuttle, they say "T minus 3 minutes"  the T stands for "Time"... Time stands for the moment of launch.  So that means "in 3 minutes we'll be hitting this shiny red button over here". 
I also learned that after launch it turns to "T plus..." meaning the time the rocket is in the air.  (You are welcome)

So TECHNICALLY my title today should be "W minus 2 pounds" because since Tuesday, that is the Weight I've lost! YAY ME.  (It is Thursday - 2 pounds, 2 days.  Good Bye water-weight!).

(Seriously? It took me 209 words to say "I lost 2 pounds"?)

I think my goal is to loose 100 pounds before either of my children hit 100 pounds.

But this isn't a weight-loss blog.  Nope it isn't.

And to prove this, I want to share a super fun blog/website with you. 

I think I saw this on one of Yahoo!'s top 30 stories today.  A woman lost her job, she was inspired by the movie Julie/Julia and apparently Eat, Pray, Love... anyway she was feeling blue & blah at this point in her life and wanted to do something fun.  She went on a mission to take 365 "ugly dresses" & each day convert one dress into something beautiful, lovely and wearable.  We're talking - MuMus, Old woman's house-coats, Mother-of-the Bride frocks from 1984... And she set her budget for the entire project for $365.  I am not clear if that includes the price of the garments, or just the amount she's allowed to spend on thread, beads, needles, or apparently alchohol & food as she eats out & parties each night to celebrate.  Whatever - I judge not.  (well, just a little, maybe).

http://newdressaday.wordpress.com/

She is approximately half way through her journey.  Her "Before" pictures are enough to make me a little bit ill, but the "After" pictures are awesome. Makes me want to go through the thrift store a little slower!

Enjoy her blog.  I did. 
(I tried to throw a sample/teaser photo at you, but couldn't.  I fail.)

Holy Moley Rocky.

I don't want this to be a weight loss blog.  It will HOPEFULLY contain some of that, but it is about our family, our adventures and occassionally pictures of the 2 cutest girls I have ever made.

One of my residents keeps telling me how good I look and how much weight I must be loosing...
So out of curiosity, I got on the scale.

SHE IS A STINKING LIAR.

My OBGYN said WHEN I loose 100 pounds, she'll throw me a party.  In my attempts to start weight-loss since my annual physical, I have gained 10 freakin' pounds.  (& did I mention that Tim lost 15 pounds in TWO WEEKS).

My appointment was approximately 6 weeks ago.  At this rate, by my 2011 appointment, I will weigh 4,950 pounds.  I BET she won't throw me a party, but indeed an intervention & a trip to Jillian Michael's Fat Camp.

Unless Tim turns into a frog, I don't think I will be very fashionable.

So, It is ON.

Tonight, I took the girls to the exercise room tonight. 
Screw the RULES.  (#1, NO CHILDREN ALLOWED IN EXERCISE ROOM). 
I'm going to interpret that as - do not send your 13 year old grandson up here alone because you don't want to entertain him.  I also read that as "if any other resident comes to use the room, pack up and  leave as fast as you can."

The girls sat quietly watching me jiggle on the treadmill for 1 minute and 29 seconds before whining about being bored, wanting to exercise with me and why can't we ride on the Tony Little's Gazelle?!?!
(apparently the 5 books and 4 Barbies weren't enough to keep them busy).
Thankfully, someone left some free weights in the corner.  So I had them lifting weights over their head and count to 20.  Then had them do sit ups and push-ups. Hayley tried to teach Hannah how to do a "proper bridge".  But Hannah assumed the "Crab-walk position" and declared "I will do NEW push-ups."

Our exercise room is about the size of most people's bathrooms.  It is TINY.  There is a very nice bike and treadmill.  There is a rinky-dink bike, a crunch/row machine thing...

There is also a Gazelle! You KNOW you have seen the infomercials for these... a superly mis-proportioned, long-curly blonde hair "Ken" doll, wearing a baseball hat - skin-tight tank-top and biker shorts...

The gazelle is like an eliptical machine.  Whatever.  We have one. I almost successfully tipped it over.

Did I mention that this little closet-of-an-exercise-room has no air conditioning? There is a ceiling fan (that is approximately 2 inches from the top of my head when I'm on the treadmill).
BRING ON THE SWEAT!

So, tonight I walked for 12 minutes.  I Gazelled for 5 minutes & rode the nice bike for 5 minutes.  Then the girls were getting a bit antsy, I was sweating my butt off, so we left.

Tomorrow I hope to get up to 30 minutes.  I will bring the girls' DVD player.

I don't feel like anyone needs to know the number I weigh, so I'll just say I weigh 110 pounds.  When that number gets to zero, we'll have a party at the OBGYN office.

(I have 110 pounds to work on a different location...)

The Great "Barbie" Challenge ...or... To Make a Short Story Long...

My girls recently asked me, "When do we get to play with Barbies?".

Let me explain something.  When I turned 15, I decided it was socially unacceptable for me to continue playing Barbie.  I was forced to box them up & stick them in the basement.  Under the guise of "getting rid of a few things" I would go to mom's house, pull the box down & "sort through" - ALWAYS ending up brushing out all the Barbies' hair, switching their clothes around, making sure they were rotated so not one Barbie got too much time with one of the Kens...

Coinciding with "Barbie" fever has been "Disney Princess Fever".  Not long after that question, I was at the thrift store and I found all the Disney Princess "barbies" - Belle, Ariel, Aurora, Snow White, Cinderella and even the newest Princess, Tiana.  For $2 each.  (The package of those same dolls @ Target = $60.)  Then the girls got on this crusade: "Mommy.  The Princesses miss their friends Jasmine, Mulan and Pocahontas."  Thanks to Once Upon a Child & Ebay The Princesses are all reunited.  We even found Giselle from "Enchanted".
I decided that the standard Princess dresses are a bit non-practical for daily wear (reserved only for Grande Balls and Prince-getting Parties).  Plus, Belle & Jasmine arrived naked. I started shopping for Barbie clothes.  Those suckers are EXPENSIVE and not so nice.  Barbie has become quite the Hoochie since I was a girl.

(this is the part where you can start to get nervous for me):
One night, I was at JoAnn Fabrics & saw "ALL PATTERNS $1". 
So I found the pattern pack for Barbie clothes.
I spent $15 on remants and quarter-yard cuts of fancy Prom-dress fabrics.
I embarked to clothe the Princesses myself.
Here is how my first dress-making adventure went:

1. Didn't read pattern where it said "Cut Two pieces".
2. Sewed one piece to the bodice before realizing, I needed 2...  & of course I used 120 stitches per inch and didn't have a seam ripper.
3. Figured that out, cut the 2nd piece, re-sewed to bodice.
4. As I'm sewing the skirt pieces, the fabric rests itself on the mini-iron my mom lent me for this project.
The bottom of the fancy prom-dress fabric melted into pretty little scallop-shapes.
5. While trying to iron a seam, the side of the iron rests on a piece of the bodice & melts a small hole up there.
6. As I try to readjust the position of the iron to be far away from my fabric, I drop it on the bag of bread that Hannah brought me... melting the bag & coating the iron with plastic.  Which smells delicious.
7. I turn off the iron, but before it cooled down I set my middle finger down & burn myself.
8. I think some bad thoughts about my situation, but persevere.
9. I get to the hem!  I'm almost there!!!

10. Then the bobbin strikes. 
For those who don't know sewing machines: The bobbin (on my machine) is hidden within the machine and you don't see it.  It provides half of your stitch & without it, you get nothing but little holes in your fabric where the needle went in & out... You forget about the bobbin. At some point, it runs out of thread.  The curse: as you are sewing/quilting... it runs out of thread approximately 45 minutes before you realize it.


So, unaware of the bobbin bailing on me - I proudly pull the dress off the machine!!!! And 1/2 the hem is missing. Really?  So, there is a partly completed, kind of burned purple sparkly dress behind my couch right now.


Would you like to hear a cooking story next?

14 Little Known Facts About Sara Lou

I tend to be an open book.  Sometimes more open than you might wish, but ... that is me! Love me or leave me.  You might have seen the phone-commercial lately that says "This is *Sara*. It takes her an hour to tell a 5 minute story..." Yup! That's me!

However, every open book has something in it that you never read!  Something you might have missed the first time. Tonight I'd like to share a few of those "hidden" things about myself!

ONE
In elementary school, I had a BeeGees Thermos in my lunch box. It was Yellow and the picture of the 3 brothers was black & white in an Andy-Worhol/Pop-Art style.
Did I have a CLUE who the Bee Gees were? No. 
Did I feel weird drinking from it? Yes.
Did most of my teachers laugh everyday at me drinking red Kool Aid from the Gibbs Brothers' Chalice? Probably.
I can't remember what my lunch box was.  But I remember (was traumatized?) by the BeeGees.

Tonight, they took the stage on American Idol & I was like... Dudes! you were in my lunch-box every day!  You-all haven't aged a bit! (then I laughed pretty hard).

It makes me second guess everything I do for my children as they are entering the next phase of life.  Should I run out & find a New Kids on the Block lunch box? Heck-Yeah I should - but not for Hayley!!!

TWO
The first cassette tape I ever bought was Bobby Brown's "Don't Be Cruel".  I remember being at the Crystal Target store with Grandpa Bormes.  He said "Would your mom let you have that?" and I said "oh, probably."  I bought it with the money I made on my paper-route.

THREE
Which brings me to - I had a paper route.  I was never "Paper Carrier of the Month" like my big brother was. I remember helping Don when I was in 4th or 5th grade.  When he was old enough for a real job, I took over.  It was so much fun sitting on the tail-gate of the old station-wagon & running up & down the streets, or up & down the stairs of the "ghetto" apartments we lived by.  (When I say fun, I mean I totally hated it).

FOUR
We also collected aluminum cans as we delivered papers.  My first (& really the only) experiences with beer... are the warm, squooshed cans in the parking lot of the apartments.  This is probably why I was 30 before I actually tasted beer. (& it tasted just like those warm squooshed cans smelled).

FIVE
I think the second album I bought was Tiffany & the third was Debbie Gibson's Electric Youth.  I DARE you to guess what the fourth - sixth tapes were!!  Number Seven was either Pray for Rain or DC Talk's Nu Thang.

SIX
I secretly snuck my brother's "Jungle Music" when he wasn't home.  My favorite was Primus? Something about sailing a sea of cheese.  When he was home, I yelled at him to turn it down because I couldn't hear the New Kids.  But when he was listening to Metallica or Van Halen, I secretly listened through the floor vents for a while, first.  Ken, Ken & Malibu Ken used to dance to "JUMP".  (WHAT A FREAKIN' DORK!)

SEVEN
Speaking of dorks.  That was me!  I didn't really have friends in elementary school (Oh, boo hoo, right?).  The kids were really cruel to me.  WELL LAH-DEE-FREAKIN-DAH!  I never cared!  Take THAT!  NEVER. CARED.  The name you-all taunted me with... REALLY original, geniuses. 

(HA!)

EIGHT
Since I'm on THAT subject.  Around mid-sixth-grade, my mom finally said, "Sara - why don't you stand up for yourself?" I asked what that meant.  She said "I don't know, but you will.  If you hit him (Coley), you might get in trouble at school, but you won't get in trouble at home."
So one day, Coley did something really creepy to me.  I walked up to him, squared up to him &... BOOM he hit the ground.  Yup! The biggest girl in class knocked over the biggest (nastiest) boy in class.
It was after that day, this girl got a little respect.  (oh, and p.s.  I never got in trouble at school.  In fact, the 6th grade teacher confided in me... She was SO happy that I stood up for myself, she almost clapped for me.  AND she sent HIM to the office and HE got sent home!)

NINE
Ahhh How cleansing.  I beat up a boy in sixth grade.  Sometime ... maybe during our junior year... that boy walked past me in our high-school and smiled and said "Hi Sara".  I just stared at him and said... "hi."
What I WANTED to say was... HOW DARE YOU SAY HI TO ME??!?!! You have NO right to say HI to ME! Then I wanted to push him over.  BUT by this time, he was the linebacker on the football team and was at least 4 inches taller than me... I didn't go there.

It is hard to stray from that topic! LOL.

TEN
How about we switch to the fact that I really failed my driver's test when I was 16.  The guy gave me my exam paper, said "Congrats you pass." wrote "Pass" on the top in a red marker & then walked away.  I filled out the paper for my license & went home. 

The next day I was sitting in math class, super excited about my new freedom... and pulled out my calculator.  I THINK you needed 65 points to pass.  I added them up for an hour & each time got 62.

ELEVEN
When I was really young - maybe 4 or 5 years old?  My dad had a motorcycle.  We used to go for rides together (maybe I was older?).  One time, I fell asleep on the back.  To this day I think that is why dad got rid of it. 

TWELVE
When I was about 18 months old, my brother "pushed" me into the coffee table & I needed a stitch or 2 in my face.  When I was about 2, Don and I were jumping on the bed and I fell off and broke my collar bone.  I also broke my collar bone at birth.  Actually MOM broke my collar bone.  Those were the only injuries I had until 6th grade.  Then my finger met the sharp end of the apple-peeler-corer-slicer... 'Nuff Said.

THIRTEEN
I have attended a NKOTB concert at every major venue in Minneapolis/St. Paul except the Metrodome.  Harriet Island, the Met Center, the Target Center and Excel Energy Center (Thanks Becky!).

FOURTEEN
In 8th Grade, I entered a dance contest with 4 friends to win tickets to the NKOTB concert.  We made it to the semi-finals! GO US!  Then we turned into these 5 freakishly 14-year-old girls and blew our routine.

Is anyone bored yet?

Hannah Jase Harriger

Since this is "Mother's Day Week", I decided to write letters to my girls!  I think I might just write one for my mom & Tim's mom, too.

Hannah Jase Harriger

My dearest Hannah,
Where in the world do I start with you.  You are an AMAZING gift from God.  God knows what we need before we need it and He knew I needed you.  I'm sure by now you have heard the story a million times about how you came to join our family.  If not, ask me now! I do love telling it.

From the SECOND you were born, I was madly and deeply in love with you.  Almost immediately you were taken away from me because you weren't breathing very well on your own.  You need just a little help.  It was in those moments I realized how lucky we were to have you.  To have the possibility exist that you would be sick - or taken away - broke my heart.  The nurses kept saying you were doing better and that was the one thing I held on to.  Daddy was allowed to bring a visitor to see you in your bubble, but I was the only one not allowed to see you.  I cried.

You fit right into our family.  From the beginning, your big sister LOVED you to pieces.  She wanted to sit next to me & hold your feet when I fed you.  She wanted to sit right next to you in the swing (well, she wanted to push you in the swing...).  She was (and is) the best big sister I could have hoped for for you.

You had a rough few months.  You cried.  All.  The.  Time.  Not just cry, but "Oh My Goodness, someone do SOMETHING because the world is ending" kind of crying (just ask Grandma Harder... she'll tell you).  However, everytime I held you, or fed you... you were quiet.  You loved me. You were MY girl.

You were such a darling baby. You were also fiercely independent from day one.  You WILL do what YOU want to do ... WHEN you want to do it.  If Mommy asked you to jump, you'd lay down.  If I asked you to pick up a book, you'd bring over 3 beanie babies.  Grandma said your ears must be broken, but we both know... You were just marching to your own little band.

You are SUCH a silly girl.  You always are goofing around, making funny faces, telling funny jokes.  When you were about 3 years old, you came to me & said... "Why did the Banana go to the doctor?" ... "Because He wasn't Peeling Very Well!!!" You make me laugh.  You make me smile.

You are also a very dramatic girl.  You will run to me and say "awwwwwwww mommy! I LOVE you!" and give me a bear-hug.  If you see something you like or get something you want... You stare at it & then fall over.  then you say "HOW DID YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU!"

On the flip-side: If you are corrected or disciplined - you completely melt down into a little puddle of Hannah.  You have always cried until your lips turned blue.  You cry... 'BUT MOMMY!!! I LOOOOOOOOOVE YOU!' if I put you in time out or tell you now.  I LOVE it.  Everytime you do it, I want to scoop you up & give you loves and hugs and kisses.  HOWEVER, mommy must stay strong.

As you grow up and turn into a little lady, I wish the very best for you.  You are so tender, so sweet.  I can see you helping others - either as a nurse, a teacher or a circus clown!

Hannah, you are such a bright light in my life.  I love you forever.

My Darling, Hayley Anne. My First Born.

So, my friend Jennie (who lives in my computer) inspired this. 

In honor of what allows me to celebrate "Mother's Day", I will be writing a little letter to my children.

Since she was first... she gets to be first.

Hayley Anne Harriger

My whole life, I dreamt about being a mom. 

A veterinarian, a teacher, a missionary in Hoochie-HulaLand (just a bit south from Singapore, I think) and a mom. You made this dream possible.  (The others didn't work so well for me).

You were no surprise to me.  I knew it was the right time for daddy and I to become parents.  I knew I was pregnant *almost* the moment it happened.  When I was pregnant, I knew you'd be a strong individual.  I knew you'd have a fiery spirit that would eventually get you in trouble.  You would kick daddy in the head when he tried to "listen" to you in my belly.

You showed your stubborn personality even before you were born.  You didn't WANT to come into this world, and no one could make you.  You were 2 weeks late.  All the begging & pleading I did couldn't convince you it was nice "out here".  Every night I cried "please PLEASE come out! I'll be super nice! I promise"  One night I *think* I bribed you with a pony & some ice cream.  But since you refused... Sorry - no pony.  I would watch birth-shows on Cable & say "Doesn't that look easy, baby?  You can do it!"

Toward the end, daddy was even begging you... "PLEASE MAKE IT END!" (I wasn't very nice to be around... I'll admit it).

This picture was 2 days before you came out!

Even when the doctors gave me medicine to get you out - you stayed your ground.  They had to go in after you & you were NOT happy that someone found a way around your determination.

As daddy has told you MANY times - you came out SCREAMING.

When we were in the hospital, many nurses commented about how you were an "old soul" - meaning someone who has been here before.  Of course we don't believe *that* way, but there was a look in your eye that said "Mom, don't try anything funny- I have my eye on you..."

You were determined to do things your way.  Mommy wanted to exclusively nurse you until you were about a year old.  You allowed me to try for 5 months before you made it PERFECTLY clear you were done.  There were way too many things to look at to be bothered by such trivialities as "eating".

You MUST have been reading through my belly button at all the development books.  You rolled over at 4 months, you sat up at 6 months, you broke your first teeth at 6 months.  9-months standing & trying to step.  12 months - running as fast and as far as you desired.  You like to do things by the book. 

You don't like things to be different from the way they're supposed to be.  You yell at daddy when he changes words to songs, you asked me not to sing along with songs because you like it the way it is supposed to be heard. I pray that isn't a reference to my singing ability (which I think is pretty awesome).

You are a rule-enforcer.  Always telling me when Hannah is getting into trouble, or correcting a child at the playground when he is doing something he shouldn't (even if it is something you just did yourself).

You are determined to make everything "right" in your world.  If I call grandpa "Dad" on accident, you say "Oh! I get it! You called him DAD because my grandpa is YOUR daddy! Right?"

When you see a dog, you make sure we all know that at one time, he used to be a puppy.

Silly? Yes you've been silly since day 1 (or maybe day 3.)

You LOVE making silly faces.  You love to laugh & giggle.  Your giggle could run the world... (if we  lived inside "Monsters, Inc", that is).

You are probably the most friendly child I've ever met.  Everyone is your new best friend.  You always say hi to the cashier, the lady behind us, the man sitting alone.  You walk right up to people & say "Hi! My name is Hayley, what is your name?"  Most grown ups don't know what to do with you!

You are a tender, sweet soul.  You can't go to sleep without approximately 853 hugs & 2593 kisses.  Oh.  And you MUST cuddle.  Since you came home from the hospital, dad put you to bed with me.

(I didn't say YOU fell asleep everytime - I said you must cuddle)

I can't say I really really minded the company.  (Shhhh don't tell. I love it).

You are extremely sensitive.  If you are corrected or disciplined, it is all about the emotions.  You feel remorse, but mostly I think you are bummed out that you were caught.

You are now Five years old.  "Five and a Half". Excuse me.  I love watching you grow taller.  I love hearing you read words from books, signs, windows, bumper-stickers on cars.  I love seeing you become a little lady.  You have definitely rocked my world. 

Next year comes the first "big" milestone in a child's life.  Kindergarten.  It puts into perspective all the little milestones I thought were important.  At this stage, I don't remember specifically when you started crawling, I think your first words were Apple & Puppy, but I'm not sure.  I remember you ate Sweet Potatoes first, but I don't know when.  I know I will remember the day you walk into that big school all by yourself. (well, I get to walk you to your classroom the first day, but still...). 

Of course, you'll probably run into the building & beg me not to come with.  You have been waiting for this moment for YEARS.

I love you Hayley Anne.  You light up my life with everything you do.  Even when you are grumpy and not listening, when you stomp your feet and run to your room.  Sometimes I just smile & say... "I got my girl."  You are like me in just about every way.  We have VERY similar personalities, which I believe is why I allow you to stomp and run.  I allow you to yell "THAT IS NOT FAIR".  Because you're right!  (Mom-ism coming) "LIFE IS NOT FAIR!" HA! Now we just have to learn how to deal with it.

I pray for you.  Everyday I pray that God will mold you into the perfect Hayley you can be.  I pray that God will guide and lead you in your life.  That you will ultimately decide to allow Him to lead your life.  I also pray that someday you will grow to be a strong, independent woman.  A woman who knows what she wants.  A woman who is determined to get it - whatever "it" is.

BY POPULAR DEMAND

...And when I say "Popular", I mean 100% of those who commented on my last post requested these.

Thanks Auntie for wanting to see your great-nieces  Grand nieces? How about we change it to "Awesome"... That would make you "Awesome Aunt Renee".  I like that MUCH better than "Great-Aunt".  You are Waaaaay too young to be a great-aunt!

These are from a couple weeks ago when the girls decided it was a good time to go swimming in the lake (yes, the water was approximately 35-degrees!)

Okay the last 2 are from Easter (which would explain the Easter baskets and unusually neat & tidy kids!

I hope that satisfies!