Everybody Loves the Laniers

I cannot believe....

2010-12-20T09:57:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe the end of the year is here already. Very cliche but true. 2010 has been an interesting year, that is for sure, and 2011 is promising to be much of the same. We wish you all the happiest of holidays and a fabulous new year! XOXOX The Laniers

1 week ago...

2010-10-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

1 week ago today I was half-way through the 1st day of the Susan G. Komen 3-day here in beautiful Atlanta. I was headed out with determination and had no idea what lay ahead of me. I also had no idea 2 HUGE blisters were forming on the side of my feet...

1 week later I have been trying to figure out how to explain the experience of the 3day. It isn't about walking, it isn't about blisters, it isn't about camping. Somehow through this event that seems to be about walking and blisters and camping there is this not so subtle metaphor for what I have heard my friends who have had to fight the breast cancer fight share. This is in no way to suggest that the experience means I understand what it is like to fight breast cancer in any way shape or form...please know that. What it means is that you hear about these women who keep on fighting and in their fight they learn how to take a break when they need to, how to nourish themselves, how to bandage themselves, how to keep on going when they don't think they can keep on going and how much they appreciate the love and support of family, friends and strangers as they are on their journey. Somehow the walk represents a very small lesson in all of those things...that would be the metaphor...during the walk there is this constant reminder of all things you have heard from these women that you admire and love that have just done what needed to be done once they were diagnosed.

Ashlee and I headed out with determination for the 30 wonderful women (and many many more) we had listed on the back of our team shirt we would walk this walk. I don't want to put words in Ashlee's mouth but for me it was more than that. It was almost more insight and a lesson into what they actually meant when they were sharing what they were going through. Not that I have been lacking respect for these fabulous women but after this experience and after listening to all the people on the walk and reading their shirts and signs and feeling the heartfelt thank you from the people who came out to cheer us on my respect somehow has grown or maybe it has just expanded to include more things I respect them for.

After the metaphor you also realize you are on the mend...quickly. My feet are healing quickly and yesterday I actually made it out for a short walk. Next year (minus the camping) I am ready to do it again. I appreciate all the kind words, the donations that were made so that I was able to participate in the first place. For all of the ladies who had to fight the fight...I will continue to walk the walk.

XOXOXOXOXOXXO

1 week to go!

2010-10-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

Ashlee and I are 1-week away from venturing out on our 60-mile trek through Atlanta for the Susan G. Komen 3-day for the Cure! I think we are both excited and nervous about what awaits us on this journey. Today I started fretting that I was overly prepared with my gear...why that would be a bad thing I do not know but I wasted a good 30 minutes today worrying about it!

Our team shirts hold the names of 30 women we know who have been affected by breast cancer. Now that the shirts are printed I keep thinking of others who I forgot to add to the back of the shirt. A sad, sad fact. Everytime I start worrying about the fact that we are 2 old ladies camping and that I am not allowed to bring my hair dryer with me which means I will most likely have a huge fro by the end of this walk I think about our fabulous friend Kristi who spent 2010 fighting this horrible disease and she was our motivation to get out there and get walking. That thought helps me remember that the experience and the cause itself will be what I have to take away from this event NOT good pictures of me having a good hair day in my pink get-up!

Getting to this point has been a very rewarding experience in itself. The training and fundrasing has kept this cause top of mind and heart all year. I was walking the other day listening to the fabulous Martina McBride (who we totally ripped off for our team name.) and it hit me that getting to the place where you have collected enough in donations means you have some pretty special people in your life. The help and support of family, friends, strangers and co-workers has given me this opportunity to participate in this amazing event! In closing the team of 2 that make up THIS ONE'S FOR THE GIRLS SAY THANK YOU for all the cheers, support and donations! 60 miles and camping...here we come!

Corny sayings...really do capture the moment

2010-08-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Bennett headed off to the 5th grade. I always get a serious case of the melancholies on the first day of school. Time flies, when you're having fun...where did the time go....don't blink...feel like life is passing us by...etc.
All those corny little saying pop through my head on the first day of school. This year's first day of school festivities were full of

Bennett letting me take his picture...Bennett caring if his hair was brushed...Bennett caring if his teeth were brushed and with the announcement that he would only be using one back pack strap :)
And this morning as he was farting loudly he declared..."saved another baby, oh an another one"...I have no idea what that means EXCEPT for the fact that growing in front of my eyes is my very own Bevis and Butthead episode!

Good luck to my sweet boy. Cheers to a fabulous last year in elementary school!

Happy Birthday to ME from my sweet lil minions

2010-07-29T10:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my 38th birthday. As many of you, who have to listen to me complain on a regular basis, know...my life has been full of costly repairs lately. Dishwashers, cars, air conditioning and fallen trees to give you the short list, I was feeling pretty ho-hum about another year. Kind of like Maxine on the hallmark cards...whatever another year another wrinkle another repair. It turned out to be a fabulous birthday. My fabulous friends and family sent me copious amounts of birthday wishes throughout the day. I was treated to lunch from the fabulous Lindsay Price co-worker and friend extrodinairre and when I got home my boys had put a lot of thought and love in to a simple but heartfelt birthday celebration. I was trying to figure out how I was going to get myself out of my Debbie Downer slump and it turned out all I had to do was turn 38.

Pictured in this blog post you will see the note that was written in the driveway for me when I got home yesterday and the little Mark and Bennett minions that I received as a gift. The minions look like those cute little guys from my favorite new movie, Despicable Me and in a few days they will be sprouting green grass hair :).

So thanks to you all for helping me turn my frown upside down. The 150 some odd facebook messages, email and phone calls were much appreciated by this old bag.

Total Slack Ass

2010-07-26T12:49:00.001-07:00

I have hit an all time low this summer. Oh I had such high hopes for myself when the summer started. First day of summer and I wake up and head out the door to walk. I feel like hey I can do this. I had approximately $900 in donations and I was rocking and rolling for the 3-day walk! Ok so here we are July 26th. I haven't been on many walks in the 1000 degree heat and I am still sitting at $900 in donations. I have let the fact that this summer, we have to pay to get everything we own either fixed or replaced work me into a serious funk. If you put that statement in the context of my fabulous friends who have fought or are fighting breast cancer you have to ask what the hell is wrong with you Jessica Lanier?

I watch my friends deal with this horrible disease. They are so vulnerable, which in my mind makes them strong, and I can't get my fat ass out the door to walk? A lot of the women I know who either have had breast cancer or are going through it now always talk about the lesson they must learn as they go through this. They are all these amazing people who go and go and go before they are sick and feel like the lesson is that they need to stop and smell the roses a bit...so is my lesson here and that I need to quit smelling the freaking roses and start going? I seriously keep asking myself WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM JESSICA?

Can I still do this if I start today? I have a lot of money to earn and a LOT of training to do. I sure hope so because that is all I can do at this point is to get on it and start (again) today.

Update

2010-07-07T06:42:00.000-07:00

Hello all...1 week after my surgery and I am stitch free. I now have these tiny little band aids glued to my face to help keep the incision together for a bit longer. The surgery part was not fun. They used the mohs method which means they took as much as the though they needed to...came back and had to cut some more and than stitched me up and sent me home. The painkillers and I were not friends. Made me sick to my stomach etc. The biggest issue was that I sleep with my hand on the left side of my face...so I ended up not being able to do that...not sleeping well...taking tylenol pm...and being all foggy for a couple days. So all in all I keep my status as MAJOR WIMP and am hoping that the cut on my face heals to a nice thin line. I am now lucky enough to get to stand in front of my dermatalogist in my underwear to get checked over on an annual basis. My guess is that will move to a frequency of every 6 months. So thank you for letting me be my dramatic self and sending all the well wishes. I am glad that is over and I am sure all of you are too :)

Squamos Cell Carcinoma

2010-06-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

So I have been pigmentally challenged my whole life. I guess you are or you aren't when it comes to that...To add to the lack of melanin in my skin I also have the red hair and freckles that accompany being high risk for skin cancer...but of course somehow it is still a shock now to be told that I have a skin cancer that I have to have surgery to remove. Not major surgery, of course...but any surgery is major to me. We have decided not to tell Bennett what is going on. I feel bad because when I go to get it removed on the 30th of the month I will come home with stitches. We originally thought the spot was a cyst and we have decided to stick with that story. Bennett has a touch of anxiety and Mark and I decided this wouldn't help ease him mind...

The type of skin cancer I have is called a squamos cell carcinoma. It is non-melonoma which I think means it doesn't spread to my organs or anything like that but only to my skin. It is very common and they will be using the mohs method to make sure they get it all during the minor surgery. Basically mohs method means, they cut, they check to make sure it is a clean cut...if it isn't clean, they cut some more.

So that is the news from the Lanier house at the moment. I will keep you posted if there is anything more to report.

END OF SCHOOL CELEBRATIONS!

2010-05-24T07:48:00.001-07:00

Thursday and Friday of last week were bitter sweet. Bennett had such a great school year, we didn't want it to end. Knowing he was going to be sad about the school year ending (for once) I did what any good mom would do....I PACKED IT FULL OF DISTRACTIONS! :) Thursday Bennett's class party was all day in the park. The kids had so much fun and you could really see how much fun they all had together this year. They came to the party with a schedule of games they would be playing throughout the day. It was really funny to see them so organized. They had team captains picked in advance and everything. I attemped to be the umpire in the baseball game...I didn't do that great of a job I was so distracted by everything go on around me. I definitely could never be a teacher. I am sure Bennett's teacher was shaking his head knowing that Bennett comes by his focus issues honestly! We had pizza in the park and the class ate 8 LARGE pizzas in a matter of minutes. It was quite amazing.

The last day of school I invited a good friend of Bennett's, Ethan (who is leaving LWE next year because his parents have moved a couple miles away in the wrong direction from our school district) to come with B on the bus for an afternoon of jumping on the trampoline, and for a cook out. Bennett and Ethan started LWE together in the same Kindergarten class and have been great friends ever since. They were hysterical. Ethan got picked up around 8pm and then we rushed into watching Avatar! So when the night came to an end we all layed down and Bennett shed some tears (so did I). The fabulous Dr. G is officially moving on and B will have to cross his fingers to get a teacher that is half the teacher to him that Dr. G has been. Bennett takes with him this year, the knowledge that he can do it. He did prove to himself what he is capable of and that he can be the person he strives to be. I believe that Bennett will look back at this year as the year that turned a page for him.

Saturday Bennett went to karate and because of his straight A report card was inducted in to the A-Team. He has a new patch for his uniform. This has been a goal of his all year long and he achieved it with flying colors!

Last night we ended the weekend hosting some fabulous friends for dinner. It was kind of magical because we tried a new recipe and it was fabulous (that can be risky as we all know) and all of the kids got along all night long. No arguing, no picking on the little girl who was over, they all just played and giggled. It was the great ending to a jam packed weekend.

Genius...of course!

2010-05-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

WARNING: BRAGGING PARENT STORY BELOW: If you don't want to hear me brag about my child...don't read this post.

Today, Bennett's teacher sent me Bennett's CRCT scores. I don't know if I have blogged about our history on standardized tests...it goes something like this...We tell Bennett's teachers how smart he is and that we hope that he will be challenged and that we know he can handle more advanced classes and we are told that his standardized test scores don't reflect that so too bad! This year I had Bennett put in Advanced Math. I had to go to the school and sign a paper saying that he didn't qualify for the advanced class but I was putting him in anyway. So I did. Bennett has done very well in the class. He has received 2 A's and a B so far this year on his report card in math. The grades have been there BUT he has also had some struggles. He was struggling with test taking, finishing his work in class and basically staying on task. This all really came to a head a month or so before the CRCT (standardized test here in GA). We were definitely moving in the wrong direction at the wrong time! After ALOT of back and forth and this and that...we ended up making a slight medication adjustment for his ADHD and putting some serious test strategy in place. Poor kid had to do CRCT practice testing over Spring Break. While we were dealing with the medication and focus issues, Bennett was also tested for TAG (talented and gifted). He didn't get in to the program. When he didn't get in to TAG he was crushed. Bennett scored very high on all of the academic testing they did, but scored low on the creativity testing...

I blog you all this so you understand this - Bennett knows he is smart and most likely, has been more frustrated than Mark and I to be left out of the programs for the more advanced kids. So as we were working on our test taking strategy with Bennett the conversation was about the fact that we know that he is smart, but we needed to figure out the tricks to help him capture those results on the CRCT. The other panic point about CRCT is that if they don't pass Math and Language Arts in 4th grade, than that means you repeat 4th grade. The kids know this fact and Bennett knows he hasn't been the best test taker in the past...

CRCT testing was over a 2 weeks time period and during that time they spread out 5 days of testing. He would come home after a day of testing and I would try to be all cool and casual and I would say "so how did it go today, did our plan help" and he would say "I didn't want to read all of the stories in the reading section so I didn't really follow our plan, sorry" I would say "oh" (keeping with the theme of being cool and casual and not freaking him out!) The night before science he had a complete panic meltdown because he couldn't remember anything he had learned. Now one side note...in years past Bennett has come home from the CRCT and told us he got all of the answers correct he was sure of it, so Mark and I just really had no idea what to think.

So my secret email from Bennett's teacher today told us that Bennett did extremely well this year on the CRCT. With his scores it looks like he will be in ALL advanced classes for 5th grade. Now in the end, we just want Bennett to be happy. I will tell you though, he has worked very hard to accomplish this goal. Just to give you some idea of what an issue this has been, when I got the results I cried...to be told over and over again that Bennett is smart but not TAG smart (a quote from the prinicpal by the way). So I guess I cried out of relief. I know what a dork. It felt like finally Bennett got the access into the advanced classes he wants to be in and Mark and I have the affirmation that we aren't crazy, psycho, my child can-do-no-wrong-and-by-the-way-he-is-a-genius-parents...he really is a genius! HA!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

2010-05-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

So this blog post should be all about Bennett...BUT lets face it...it is all about ME! There are 9 days left before Bennett is out of school for the summer and the shocking news that has hit me is that BENNETT IS GOING TO BE A FIFTH GRADER!!!!!! Bennett and Mommy at Disney 5 years ago.

What, how, seriously? What does this mean? Does it mean that I haven't enjoyed enough of his time in elementary school? It is possible that he turns to me next year and doesn't want me to come to school or chaperon a field trip or be his class mom...it is possible. Bennett has had such a great year, it is sad to see it come to an end. He had the best teacher EVER and he really learned how to live in his skin. We are very proud of him and feel more confident about the fifth grade then we have probably felt about any of them so far...BUT still have to wonder how did this happen?

Spring Break 2010!

2010-04-12T07:55:00.001-07:00

Spring Break photos scrolling above.

We had a wonderful time on our vacation. Quite a different experience from Spring Break 2009 (check out the post in the archives)

We ventured to Indian Pass (a peninsula away from Cape San Blas), we were looking for sand, sun and no crowds and we got it!

We relaxed, we played, we dug holes, we flew a kite, Bennett made some friends, we boogie boarded, we attempted to skim board, we ate some delicious seafood, I played in Apalachicola with Ashlee, we had a temporary pet peacock, we fed the wildlife, we layed around, we got sunburned, we packed up and then we came home. It was so nice to get away but as we all know that makes it even nicer to come home. Drake and Murphy were glad to see us and we were thrilled to see them.

This week we have a ridiculously high pollen count to deal with and Bennett starts taking the CRCT on Wednesday. CRCT=NO HOMEWORK! :)

Back to reality....
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April Fools?

2010-04-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

OMG! The Lanier family has seriously earned the vacation they are about to embark on. I am wondering if this week has been one big April Fools Joke! In 48 hours we will have our toes in the sand enjoying PERFECT beach weather!

Flag Football!

2010-03-31T13:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Bennett (#31) heading to the field to play some football! He absolutely loves this flag football program. He moves around so much I can't get a good picture of him so this will have to do for now. He scored 2 touchdowns last Sunday and removed many flags :) Go Colts!

Maestro!

2010-03-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

Bennett attended a county-wide elementary school band clinic this weekend. Mark and I were totally amazed. 91 4th grade clarinet players spent there Saturday at the band clinic. They learned new notes, techniques and 3 new songs (check out video for a sample). After that they performed for the parents. To think Bennett couldn't play the clarinet in September of 2009 and now he can do this is just amazing to us! The other part of this is that Bennett doesn't practice his clarinet. Mark and I decided not to harp on him about it, as long as he was keeping up with it in school. Hoping that he would just get an appreciation of the playing and instrument and learning to read music. Just think what he could do if he actually practiced! The greatest part of this whole experience has been that he really likes it! :) It appears next year this will become an after school activity for him (like he doesn't have enough of those!) because the lovely county we live in has cut the elementary band program....but you can read about that a few posts down in my blog :)

How To Train Your Dragon Widget

2010-03-27T03:03:00.001-07:00

Now that is a birthday with some meaning!

2010-03-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

Remember when your birthday meant something? Double digits, you could drive, you could vote, you could drink, you could rent a car and then all of a sudden all your birthdays mean is you are another year older...well this year we wanted to wish a very Happy Birthday to my mother-in-law, Mark's mom and Bennett's Nana-Marianne. This one is a BIG birthday that leaves the rest of us working schmucks jealous! With this birthday Marianne is retiring! WOO HOO!!! So Happy Birthday and an even happier retirement to you!

K is for Kristi!

2010-03-24T09:44:00.001-07:00

Today an old friend of mine, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, is having her surgery. I found a great quote this morning about breast cancer that said: Cancer is a word, not a sentence. I think that says it all. I am sending positive thoughts and love to Kristi and her family today, I hope you will too.

Flag Football Sundays!

2010-03-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

Flag football started yesterday in dreary, cold, rainy weather. I am actually home sick today with a sore throat and no energy...most likely because of my parental devotion as I stood outside and rooted on Bennett.

He is on the Colts and the team meets every Sunday for 2 hours. 1/2 practice and 1/2 game. Bennett, is not huge child, but kicked some bootie on defense. He definitely had some Neon Deon moments out there on the field, playing defense, and pulling flags from his opponents like a maniac. Defense? Hmmmm.

Hopefully we have gotten our horrible weather Sunday on the gridiron out of the way!

Welcome to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure:

2010-03-19T10:19:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure:

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STRAIGHT A's AGAIN!!!!

2010-03-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

Proud? I think so. Bennett got straight A's and S's on his report AGAIN! He has worked SO hard this year. Those A's represent some serious dedication. Sometimes it is hard for me to believe that Bennett is my child with his dedication to good grades and the results of achieving them! You can guarantee that wasn't the story for me! I guess every once in a while on this parenting roller coaster you get a glimpse into something you have done right :)

GO BENNETT!!!!!

Terabytes joins the Lanier Family

2010-03-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

Check out Mark's new baby...I mean RPG game that he is in the process of developing. Launching soon to a computer near you! Check out Terabytes! click here: Game Tag

The good, the bad and the ugly

2010-03-10T10:55:00.000-08:00

Let's start with the good! We are all set for our Cape San Blas vacation! Spring Break here we come. We are the proud owners of a skim board and have a kids metal detector on the way...what else could you need for a fun spring break! The house we are staying in is quite unusual. The house is called the barnacle and it is round of all things.

It turns out that we are going to have some good friends in the area during our stay which should add to the fun!

Seafood, sand and drinks with tiny umbrellas!

Ok now on to the bad! We moved to Fulton County because of the great schools. We have definitely had some struggles with our school and there have been many times I have questioned our sanity on keeping Bennett in public school. Most of the time it basically came down to a financial decision that we just couldn't put him in private school. Of course, we always have other concerns such as the affect of uprooting him, etc. Then it seems right when we thought it was as bad as it could ever get we would get a fabulous teacher who would change our year. All this to stay, we have a fantastic teacher this year so we were going to be nervous about next year anyway...So now our lovely county doesn't have enough tax revenue to support all the schools in the county...so the answer is CUT programs (band is officially being cut). Really we are cutting programs in education? It is such the typical American philosophy, they put caps on taxes when times are good...well guess what happens when times are bad?? You don't have enough money. DUH! We all seems to know this except politicians. What school is going to look like next year for Bennett scares me. Cramped classrooms, bare-bones education, teachers right out of college with no experience because they can't afford experienced teachers. It is bleak.

This leads to me the ugly. There is a politician who is running on the platform of getting our part of fulton county (North Fulton) out of Fulton County and into Milton County. This would mean that our tax dollars would go directly into our own community. So what could be ugly about that? This particular politician is a Republican. I try not to be completely closed minded. I don't vote just based on party. BUT with what is going on Washington at the moment. It scares me to death to think that I could cast a vote for a politician based on 1 issue!!! I will tell you that this particular makes such a difference to whether or not Bennett is thriving. I would do it. I guess my democratic brothers and sisters aren't going to win any elections in Fulton county right now talking about raising our taxes by 1 point. So I am stuck with the ugly truth that I may have to do what parenting is all about...sacrifice yourself for the betterment of your child.

Click this link for more info on the history and size of Fulton County: http://fultoncounty.georgia.gov/03/home/0,2230,8307511,00.html;jsessionid=05EE372023C8C353F005ACB4E37E8BCD

11 months? Where has the time gone?

2010-03-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

Can it really be 11 months since I have updated our blog. That doesn't seem possible. I have just booked our trip for Spring Break and it appears we are going to have a MUCH better time this year then last. We are heading to CApe San Blas for some R&R. I am looking forward to it more then I could have even imagined before I booked it!

4th grade is cruising by. Bennett just tested for his green belt and karate. Tonight we will be attending the belt ceremony. It is amazing that he started this summer. He has come along way!

When we return from Spring Break it will be standardized testing season (BOOO). We have just received our list of areas we need to work on for the CRCT. So we have a plan in place and poor Bennett will be doing practice tests until after Spring Break. He seems to be a freaking genius who doesn't test well. :)

2010 for the Lanier family is all about getting our act together so I am hoping keep our blog up will be part of that act :)

Spring time is here

2009-04-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

Spring Break is over. Bennett went back to school today on this very rainy Monday. We had such a great time over his time off. It was action packed.

A few higlights:

a 36 hour camping trip

saw Monsters vs. Aliens

played mini golf

went to a Braves game

Easter!

Back at school the CRCT (standardized testing) starts on Thursday and doesn't until next week. Back to business quickly at the Lanier house.

Happy Springtime!