Or cheap pencils with cheap erasers?

I found this bundle sitting on my counter early one morning. I thought, “Wow! My boy is some student! He is so dedicated to right answers!”

When he came downstairs for breakfast I held up the bunch, “Dude. You’ve been workin’ hard!”

He was all, “Oh yeah. Those erasers just broke off.”

Oh.

Well.

I still think he is a good student. I just think he may need to take a class on erasing. And I sent him to school with a big-ol eraser.

********

Get Jenny On the Spot’s newest posts in email or in your blog reader. Keep up on JOtS giveaways – get new giveaway updates via email by clicking here!

Follow: Twitter, Become a Facebook Fan keep-up via Networked Blogs!

Diligence? is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

I do not go into great detail here about my religio-politico bent.

Why? Well, for one, I don’t think religio-politico is a word.

And for two… if others don’t agree with me I think they are stupid.

We wish I was kidding.

Maybe that was a little harsh, but when it comes down to it, I don’t appreciate a good debate (I am an ENFJ – F for feeler and J for judger… it’s who I am… hitherhencetofore there is nothing not personal about a “friendly” debate)…

…and I am pretty sure my reasoning is infallible so why open things up for discussion?

There is no discussion when it comes to my political and religious views. I am always right.

Just ask my husband.

However, I do not detest those who hold other viewpoints. I just think they’re wrong. I don’t feel the need to save them from their wrong-ness. I just love them through it and hope my clear rightness is so lovely and clearly right… all will bend to my way of thinking.

Eventually.

Shhhh.

No one burst my bubble.

Aaaanywho.

Now I have a tween.

Blast.

*bubble burst*

This means there are countlesstitudes of issues that currently are and will soon be knocking at the door of my infallible convictions.

Unrelated, I may or may not have issues with control.

The big thing in our household right now is MUSIC –> Teens/tweens and parents and MUSIC.

*commence years of banging head against wall*

The song currently on the table: Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO

I will admit… it’s catchy… has some fun techno funk-ness happenin’. It seems benign…

And apparently *they* play it at the gym at school.

THANK YOU MIDDLE SCHOOL DECIDERS OF WHAT MUSIC MY 12 YEAR OLD LISTENS TO AT SCHOOL.

In my conservative defense, may I just copy/paste some key lyrics?

In the club party rock, lookin’ for your girl? She on my jock
Nonstop when we in the spot, booty movin’ weight like she on the block

Or how about…

Yo, I’m runnin’ through these ho’s like Drano

Or…

Step up fast and be the first girl to make me throw this cash

And/or…

One more shot for us, another round
Please fill up my cup, don’t mess around
We just wanna see you shake it now
Now you wanna be, you’re naked now…

Now… call me a prude, but… I don’t want this stuff feeding the mind of my 12 year old boy.

I. Just. Don’t.

My husband and I had a heart-to-heart … because my son wants the song on his iPod… because they play it at school… and friends at school have it… oh and can he have Eminem on his iPod too?

(Confession: I own a few Eminem songs … you may or may not have seen me sing lipsync a few bars… but he doesn’t get to listen to my music.)

Here’s the deal. We want him to feel like he’s relevant – can be in discussion with his peers… but…

But not if they runnin’ through they ho’s like Drano!

For him to have relevance, does he also have to adopt this life-philosophy? I am being a little dramatic…

But am I?

Why is it OK to play this music at school?

Why are 6th graders having dances?

What’s the benefit?

Are parents really OK with this stuff or are they ignorant… are they not Googling the lyrics?

Should I be googling the lyrics? I never listened to the lyrics…

We (the husband and I) struggle. We were both raised conservatively… and regard the protections we had. At 38, I can now see how I benefitted from not having access to all I really, really, really, really reaaaaaalllly wanted. I hated it then, but am so thankful now.

I truly believe I was spared some significant heartache and perhaps some natural consequence.

I know that I lied and sneaked. But not to to the extreme one might assume. But I lied and sneaked nonetheless. My defiance was limited mostly because I always got caught. So… I just stopped bothering.

But the question begs – was I more curious about some things because of restrictions or… without the restrictions would I have gone wild?

What is my son’s personality? What is the best way to help protect his innocence, yet allow him room to choose and not feel deprived… so he won’t feel the need to go wild?

I think no matter what, a “no” will leave any youth feeling deprived. I don’t think it is avoidable.

So. To some extend him feeling misunderstood and utterly bound is unavoidable.

Where do we go from there?

I suppose a focus on the bigger picture…. rebellion will happen along the way. It just will. Our struggle is dealing with each thing in a way that paints a bigger picture for him… so he receives protection from his parents… is allowed to feel like he has power to make some of his own choices… and in the long run raise him (and our girls) to desire to choose the high (or harder) road.

You see, this is not just about this one song… this is just one very important brick in the road we are building with our son. He is not our friend. He is our son… But someday we hope we will have that with our adult son.

We don’t want our rules to make him feel like he doesn’t fit in… Not that fitting-in is the end all be all. It’s just something that we feel should be weighed. We feel our son has great potential for positive impact on his peers and feel our actions as his parents can help or hinder that.

But above all — we don’t want him to fit in with a culture that sees fit the fellas run through ho’s like Drano.

Seriously.

Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

1 John 3:13

********

Get Jenny On the Spot’s newest posts in email or in your blog reader. Keep up on JOtS giveaways – get new giveaway updates via email by clicking here!

Follow: Twitter, Become a Facebook Fan keep-up via Networked Blogs!

In Which I Am THAT Parent: No You Cannot Download That Song. is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

Now that all the spawn are in school – all day… I have been asked, “So whatcha gonna do with all that free time?”

I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do…

In fact, it seems I have had so much time… I have become a regular photographer and master of text-on-photo!

Disclosure: My son’s favorite movie… that’s the Baby Daddy’s influence.

Admission: I call my husband Baby Daddy. Because IT’S FUNNY and that’s how we roll.

Lastly: I do make VERY good tacos. Well.. if you like really good tacos. If you don’t like really good tacos, then you wouldn’t like mine at all.

********

P.S. eBay? (you have to watch the video)… This post explains why!

********

Get Jenny On the Spot’s newest posts in email or in your blog reader. Keep up on JOtS giveaways – get new giveaway updates via email by clicking here!

Follow: Twitter, Become a Facebook Fan keep-up via Networked Blogs!

Back-to-School: What do moms do with all their “free” time? [vlog] is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

A local coffee house provides a green-alternative to those tiny black (and sometimes red) stirring straws… pasta noodles (linguini?)!

Recently, I took my children and a couple of their friends to the coffee shop with the pasta stir sticks. The kids started grabbing almost-handfuls full.

Of course they did.

I chided, “Kids. Stop. You’re wasting!”

My son challenged, “We’re not wasting… WE’RE SAVING TREES!”

********

I am improving my smile in two hours… I tell you why in this post here!

********

Get Jenny On the Spot’s newest posts in email or in your blog reader. Keep up on JOtS giveaways – get new giveaway updates via email by clicking here!

Follow: Twitter, Become a Facebook Fan keep-up via Networked Blogs!

We’re saving trees!!! (A.K.A. Pasta stir sticks) is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

I had to go run an errand.

We needed more milk. It was 6:45. At night. And I had pancakes to make for dinner.

They don’t call me Jenny On the Spot for nothin’…

*dead silence*

Aaanywho… The kids stayed home. Dad was home. Don’t judge.

Then I came back.

With milk. But not fabric softener.

I needed fabric softener more than I needed milk.

*kicks self*

When I drove up, my son (12) was standing on a rock doing this:

Let me explain what is going on here:

• I don’t know.

But now I do, because I rolled down the car window and I was all, “JOEL. !!!! JOEL. !!!!”

He rubbed his bulging, lumpy belly and half-moaned-half-giggled, “I ate too many corn dogs!”

My son has taken quite a fancy to the art of practical joking. So, in my errand-running absence my son stuffed his t-shirt with his sister’s Pillow Pet, put ketchup on the corners of his mouth, and filled his mouth with milk…

The REST of our milk. Good thing I forgot the fabric softener and not the milk afterall…

My son waited patiently for my return.

And as I drive up (literally, UP – we have a bit of a peak at the top of our country-like-drive) I see my son standing on a rock… spewing.

I drove the van onto the concrete pad. I opened the door and set my feet on the concrete.

And then my son “vomited” the rest of his milk at my feet as I stood up.

I gagged, though I knew it wasn’t vomit.

Then I yell-laughed at him to hose it off.

Because it was actually quite funny.

Horrible. Gross. And funny.

This little family I am nurturing. Oh people…

While some moms might be appalled and such… I will admit I felt a little gaggy, but I also felt a sense of pride. Math can be mastered — because there are rules. However… a good sense of humor – that’s a gift.

Also a gift? Hosing the fake vomit off the driveway. A gift to mom.

********

Do you like feeling pretty? Mary Kay is letting me give a $100 gift basket, but you have to go here to enter!

And also $100 Visa gift card. I have one of those too! But here… go here!

And this:

You can fool some of the people some of the time, but ya can’t fool MY KIDS — here.

********

Get Jenny On the Spot’s newest posts in email or in your blog reader. Keep up on JOtS giveaways – get new giveaway updates via email by clicking here!

Follow: Twitter, Become a Facebook Fan keep-up via Networked Blogs!

Boys. is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

They are all really one in the same. One AND the same?

How does the saying go?

In the last week (give or take a week) I have experienced some pretty big schtuff.

I did not sign with a record label.

I did not land a contract as a television talk show host.

Nor did I win my EGOT, Nobel Peace Prize, nor did I join the local Chamber of Commerce. But one of the kids did serve a suspension from school. A magnifying glass and a smoking leaf was involved. More on that later…

My YOUNGEST went from being a half-day kindergartener…

to being a FIRST GRADER!!!

She is most excited to be a 1st grader because she will be able to eat lunch at school!

My OLDEST went from elementary 5th gradeness… to MIDDLE SCHOOL PEOPLE. HE’S GOING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE FALL!!!

Oh, the boy. He’s ready…

My MIDDLEST passed to 4th grade.  She was worried she might not. Which is ridiculous. She is the least likely to NOT succeed around this house. But I remember those days… tearing into my report card at the end of every year too – worried… What if I didn’t pass afterall?

The look of passing from 3rd to 4th!

But, my MIDDLEST – she caused me the least amount of emotional grief this past week, though I did help her at market day. Face painting.

(The paper with the face painting ideas – done by Stacey! She’s my smart friend.)

I helped Olivia paint the face of what I was sure was the face of EVERY CHILD IN THAT SCHOOL. Particularly any kid that wanted a spider web or lightening bolt… I was DA MAN MOM.

Other things…

I redeemed my Mother’s Day gift…

I used it to get my hair did:

In other happenings… I wore colored, textured tights and boots. In June. Because it’s COLD HERE PEOPLE.

I put car lashes on my car.

I did forward rolls at choreography practice for the kids camp I am helping with. I seriously bruised that part of your neck/back that you don’t think you have until you ROLL ON IT. I showed my 9 year old and asked her if it was bruised. She stepped back and with concern answered, “I think it’s swollen, mom.”

I do not have a picture of my neck/back, but I do have a picture of that one time I tried to teach myself how to break-dance… Ewwww.

Aaaanywho. It’s been a full couple of weeks.

Plus I am prepping for my Ignite Keynote for Evo (of course I will be talking about sparkly things)… And I have been a window cleaning MACHINE.

I have a question… when life is running at max-capacity… and there is barely time to cook dinner… Do you start ridiculous projects like cleaning out the pantry or cleaning windows and screens or cleaning closets?

Recently, as life has become more and more, umm, FILLED, I have found myself walking in circles for all the doing that need to be done. And instead of doing the things that NEED to be done… I pull the window screens out, or I re-arrange my canned food. Or towels.

Is it just me? I am becoming a crazy cat lady who has no cats?

And one more heart-string-jerker. This is the last time FOR MY WHOLE LIFE that I dropped off my kids at the same school. Heaven help me… I love these 3 SO much.

{hold me}

********

Get Jenny On the Spot’s newest posts in email or in your blog reader. Keep up on JOtS giveaways – get new giveaway updates via email by clicking here!

Follow: Twitter, Become a Facebook Fan keep-up via Networked Blogs!

Motherhood, Transitions & The Art of Being Busy is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

She failed BIG back in Feb ’09. After 5 days of waiting, Olivia decided to leave a note:

Fast forward to oh… say… A MONTH AGO… When Olivia swallowed a tooth.

And the Tooth Fairy failed to come.

And then 2 weeks later (when we were in Orlando) another tooth fell out… and she dropped it on the rock-like ground in one of the cabanas at the Hard Rock Hotel. Gone forever.

And that Tooth Fairy? A no-show.

And then Sunday afternoon – yet another tooth.

I have good friends who know the Tooth Fairy track record around here. My friend Jennifer was at our house when Olivia lost her tooth. She (being a GOOD mom, ahem) sent me a text later in the day…

One would think.

Mother. Of. Pearl.

Olivia decided to leave a note for the Tooth Fairy Monday night… locked away safely in a ziploc baggie… with the lost tooth – TAPED TO HER BEDROOM DOOR.

Thank goodness the Tooth Fairy goes for an early run most Tuesday mornings, otherwise… This is the note she left:

So I lost a tooth as you can see, but I also accidentally ate one and I literally lost one in Florida. Thanks.

I know the Tooth Fairy probably owed her at least $20. But she only had $6.

The good news is, the oldest is done losing teeth, and Olivia is nearing the end of her baby teeth era. But Lucy. She is one of the only kindergarteners who has not yet lost a tooth. Which means – our Tooth Fairy HAS A WHOLE MOUTH OF TEETH LEFT.

********

Get Jenny On the Spot’s newest posts in email or in your blog reader. Keep up on JOtS giveaways – get new giveaway updates via email by clicking here!

Follow: Twitter, Become a Facebook Fan keep-up via Networked Blogs!

Our Tooth Fairy must have dementia… or a black heart. is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

I mean, my kids.

Because as much as they make me CRAZY…

They make my every day.

Do you remember our family photos of 2008?

No?

May I remind you?

3 time’s a charm?

Uh…

But I love them. I love the conversation I had with Lucy recently:

Lucy: Does the Easter Bunny have a car?

Me: Uh… pretty sure he hops.

Lu: He ONLY. HOPS. ???

Me: I think… yeah… pretty sure, baby…

Lu: Well does he WALK?

She is 6 now… and her understanding of the practical world is starting to collide with the lies we’ve told her imagination. It is SO much fun to watch her learn.

My Olivia. I love how I can tease Olivia and she “gets” it. She snorts when she laughs… Her little twisted sense of humor is awesome and far more developed than many adults I have had to endure…

And her cartwheels.

She exhausts me with her cartwheels. Yet, she amazes me… her energy. She reminds me of me when I was a little girl. I LOVED doing cartwheels too… so much power and freedom to fling one’s body, yet be in control. But she is stronger and more mature.

And Joel. I have less and less that I can write about him in this space. The age of Facebook and girls with crushes who express their emotions via snark, bite and teasing leaves me with a short story-telling leash. I remember chasing boys I had crushes on, but I do not remember being mean.

I am confused, a touch ticked, and also discouraged. I am fairly certain some of those girls read this blog for teasing ammo. Today I was grilled by a few of these girls… looking for ways to tease my boy. Young ladies… DON’T MESS WITH THE MAMA AND DON’T MESS WITH HER BOY.

I will take you down.

But my boy… again. Laughter. Humor. Wit. And charm.

One evening he was finishing up dishes and I asked him to shift gears and do something else. He said,

I want to finish this for you mom… I am practicing to be a good husband.

So girls, I hope your daddy is building up a good dowry, cuz this boy is worth a MINT.

One of my fondest childhood memories were the times around our dinner table. My parents have always been funny people… and we spent many-a-dinner-time laughing. As my kiddos get older, I am seeing those moments happen at our dinner table.

Or the time in the car recently where the kids were each showcasing their most obnoxious laugh… I had to beg them to stop or I’d have had to pull over. They had NEVER made me laugh so hard. Ever. And it almost killed me. It was awesome.

All of that to say this… I love them… the good, the hard, the everything… I love.

May your Easter be blessed, my friends.

********

• Speaking of kids… I am part of a video discussing tweens and stink right here…
• I am giving away a LOVELY Mom necklace here.
• I am giving away a Woogie (a stuffed toy in which to keep an iPod Touch safe) here.
• Lastly a Freschetta pizza and 3 storage containers are up for grabs here.
• All these giveaways wrap up the the next few days, so be sure to pop by!

********

Get Jenny On the Spot for free and with no effort in your blog reader or in email.

Follow: Twitter, Facebook Fan Page and/or Networked Blogs!

In Which I Go On A Little Bit About My Spawn is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

*Update! Winner! Trinity is our winner! Thank you all! And congratulations Trinity! Look for an email shortly!*

I am shameless people.

This is a SHAMELESS bragfest. Imma gonna tell you about the local children’s theatre – KCMT.org – the their current production 101 Dalmatians!

Look at these sweet pups:

There are 101 of these. Each costume – HANDMADE.

They are cute, it kinda makes you wanna die, huh?

Here’s Towser:

You died again, didn’t you?

And we all know, if there is no struggle, there is no story. Hitherhencetofore – our villain:

So eeeeevile… yet so CUTE!

I adore these kids…

I have to say – 101 Dalmatians is QUITE a production! Over 100 kids, teen staff and many, many parents and family have come together to make this not only a fabulous production, but an experience of a lifetime for these kids. Oh there’s this one part… You HAVE to go. You’ll cry, you’ll laugh, you’ll hear A LOT of barking…

{An aside: read my article here for more on how KCMT.org is making a difference in the lives of teens}

Here’s the deal – plain and simple. If you live within “being able to make it to a performance” distance – I have a family set of tickets to give away. Four in the family? Ok! 6? OK! If you have 20… we will have to question your honesty. Tickets are $12 at the door, so – winning this is like, a lot of lattes!

Alls ya gotta do is leave a comment, telling me how many people are in YOUR family and maybe a word or two about why children’s theatre is made out of awesome. Contest ends 9 a.m. Wednesday April 13th. I will choose a winner that morning. Tickets are for any showing the 2nd weekend of shows – the 15-17th! Opening night is tonight and runs all weekend.

I know, go this weekend, enter and then go again with your winning tickets. You’ll want to see it twice. YOU WILL.

Oh and one more pic, because, while this play is all about the kids, I have to try to make it a little about me and the fact that I am in it too – even if it is for only a minute. Beggars can’t be choosers… but we CAN be an 80′s dancer in the Park Walk…

Ready, set… comment!

********

Get Jenny On the Spot for free and with no effort in your blog reader or in email.

Follow: Twitter, Facebook Fan Page and/or Networked Blogs!

101 Dalmatians Ticket Giveaway is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...

If you know me, you know I love to dance.

If you DON’T know me, then know this – I LOVE TO DANCE.

See? LOVE.

So. Naturally. My spawn, has a particular knack for dancing as well. The following video was pulled from the archives. I was motivated by conversation over here to dig it out.

But a touch of background first. I was 18 months pregnant (or with Lucy. Joel was 5 1/2 and Livi was 2 1/2. Napoleon Dynamite was the recent hit in our home. So many of their moves are Napoleon inspired (view Napoleon’s famed dance here). And it is clear, they channeled Napoleon very well. Without further adieu… Flashback to 2005:

********

Keep up on the ridiculous, the insightful, the always digressive…

Get Jenny On The Spot by RSS or EMAIL or newsletter!

Follow JOTS on Twitter, join the Facebook Fan Page and/or Networked Blogs!

Flashback to 2005… is a post from: Jenny On the Spot * This is what I do...