I think I would make a great president...

OK, this isn't the kind of post you might be thinking it is. I, personally, don't think that I would make a great president...OK, maybe I would (ha ha!) but this is a post by my boy who wrote this in his first grade class today. They have been studying about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln since they both have birthday's in February.

Here is Cameron's writing essay...again understand his spelling errors...

I think I would make a great President.

I am a good leader.

I would make the laws like no fighting and being bad.

I will save the corunry from bad guys.

Being president would be fun!

The other night Mike was helping Cameron do a puzzle of national monuments and buildings. Cameron pointed to the White House and said, "Is that where President Obama lives?"

Wow.

He really is learning!

100's day...

Monday was a big deal in the life of a first grader and kindergartner.

It was 100's day!!!

That means that it was the 100th day of school. Cameron had to make a hat with 100 of something on it...

Additional view...

Molly had to take 100 of something food related to share with a class snack mix. We choose fruit loops!!

Cameron brought home a book that he had made in honor of the day.

I thought it was worth sharing...please understand some of our first grade spelling errors :)

My 100 Book

by Cameron

I wish that I had 100...brothers.

I would not want 100...sisthers.

I could eat 100...meat balls.

I could never eat 100...green beans.

I can lift 100...girls.

If I had $100 I would buy...a nurf gun.

On the first day of school I couldn't....read chapter books.

But on the 100th day of school I can...read chapter books.

I think not being able to eat 100 green beans is a direct shout out to Uncle Mark! Dudes have to stick together.

One fine day...

Not all that long ago, unless you are now seven, a beautiful baby boy was granted to Michael Robert and Mary Beth Shook. I can remember a lot of the details like they were yesterday. We were so green! I remember Cameron fussing as they wheeled me in a wheelchair from labor and delivery to my room at the hospital. As he was fussing we were discussing the ways to calm him. I remember us deciding that making shhhh-shhhh-shhhh sounds would be what we should try. What??!! I also clearly remember being discharged and Mr. Shook going to the parking garage to get the car. I sat in a chair in my lovely room a puddle of tears. I pulled myself together only to start the waterworks again as I gingerly got in to the back seat of the car. (Now be honest, how many of you rode in the backseat with your newborns? We all did. Not for very long at this house, though.) I was completely overwhelmed and couldn't believe that the nurse didn't hop right in with us and come home to personally take care of the new baby. We had NO idea what we were doing. Two college educated people had no business taking this on! But, low and behold it worked out just fine and I think we did and are still doing a pretty good job.

Look at this cutie...

To this cutie...

to this bigger cutie...

to the 7 year old that we all know and love...

It sure was one fine day when you arrived, Cameron. Happy birthday to you!! We love you very, very much!

A new blog to check out...

Hey Morton friends and those who are just lovers of reading blogs...
I have a new blog for you to check out...

http://www.acalltothefatherless.blogspot.com/


It's a new friends journey through the process of adoption from Ethiopia. Her writing is awesome and I think their story will be an awesome one to follow. So, check out Erin and her blog. I think you'll be glad you did!

Food war...

Eek. What happened to me? Not that I think many of you were concerned, but I am still here. I just was uninspired/too busy/running around with like a chicken with my head cut off to blog. All kinds of ideas have swirled around in this "pretty little head of mine" (direct Mr. Shook quote) but I haven't taken the time to listen to them.

Yes. We had the holidays.
No. They didn't go as planned. What does, really?

But tonight we had a food war. I will preface the story by saying this RARELY happens here. So when it does maybe I'm thrown for more of a loop than I expect.

Today I made crock pot macaroni and cheese. I will also step in and say that it was not one of my 5 star meals. I'll even say it wasn't 4 stars. 3 stars might still be a stretch. But, it was a meal. I will also say that I knew in it's anticipation that it might not be good. I will consider myself pre-warned. But, I still had to try it. It was a meal that tasted better than it looked. Have you ever had one of those? Unless your Martha Stewart, I really hope you can go along with me here. Can you relate??

Needless to say I was anticipating a few turned up noses here. I thought maybe we should have a plan B but Mr. Shook said No. Everyone will try it.

Ok I said...and waited for the groans. I might even say that there has been a time or two where our youngest will say something looks yucky. Yucky??!! What could one possibly mean?? Ha ha.

We have been instilling the courtesy bite idea for a while. It usually works and then they realize, hey that isn't so bad (i.e. meatloaf). But, our dearest, oldest child wasn't falling for the courtesy bite tonight. No can do. Without giving the nitty gritty details, because after all, you've all been there, right?, we held our ground and made him try it. I think he was even more upset after his 2 sisters stabbed him in the back and said that it was good. After all aren't siblings suppose to stick together??!! The food war has begun and it wasn't pretty. There may or may not have been a tear or two, there may or may not have been a threat or two, there may or may not have been a bite the side of my cheek so I don't burst out laughing at how ridiculous you are acting Mr. almost 7 year old moment. Ugh. Maybe not our best parenting moment but then again was is our best parenting moment I ask you.

Unless your name is Carter Jones and you eat EVERYTHING!! I hope you can related in just a tiny way to our food war. These are the moments that will give us really good family memories, right?

And because I'm completely JEALOUS of the Jones' and their stellar eating boy is the only reason I can use him as an example. xoxo

Just so you know....

I am totally making a Part 2 to my "Funny things people say at a very large retail giant store..." Mr. Shook doesn't love that I used the "K" word but I'm pretty sure I've protected the innocent. I already have some additions of new stories that will catch your funny bone AGAIN!!

In fact, today starts the big 15/20/30% scratch off sale so the crazys will be out! Stay tuned!

Funny things people tell you in the retail world...

Believe me when I say I may have heard it all being out in the (scary) retail world. I thought I might include a few of my faves since I really need to lighten my bloggy world.

Side note: Nothing I say provokes these comments. I am innocent. Allegedly.

Me: What cute girls you have. Are they twins?
Mom: Nope. They are 10 months apart.
Me: Vision jaw hitting the ground: Oh.
Mom: Our oldest we adopted and then I found out I was pregnant.
Me: Oh OK! Doesn't God have a funny sense of humor (as I'm thinking shouldn't she have told me the details first!!)

Me: Would you be interested in opening a credit card? I am able to offer you 15% off of your purchases today.
Customer: I would NEVER get approved. When my last loser of a husband left me I had to file bankruptcy and I got stuck with all the bills. My credit sucks.
Me: Oh, OK. Do you have another form of payment?

Co-worker: Well, I hope that I can buy some Christmas gifts for my kids this year.
Me: I know, things can get really tough around the holidays.
Co-worker: Oh, well not because of the money. I'm just hoping that I'm not in jail in 2 weeks.
Me: Oh. (Silence.)
Co-worker: Well, you know, I got a DUI last spring and I was on probation.
Me: Oh. (Silence.) Ummm, did you do something that violated your probation?
Co-worker: I gave a dirty dump a few weeks ago.
Me: Oh. I'm not sure what that means.
Co-worker: Oh, well I was using and had to give a drug test and it came back positive. I thought for sure it had been enough time. It had been at least 3 or 4 days since I had last used.
Me: (Imagine jaw scraping the floor.) Oh. I guess that could be a problem.

Same co-worker (she's quite infamous at Kohl's but for some reason is friendly to me.): I need to write a check for what I'm buying. The address is wrong, the account number is wrong, the bank has changed names but the checks always go through.
Me: Oh. (Thinking...I hope I don't get fired for this.)