Fries on Top??

Kind of feeling like an idiot.

2012-02-12T22:54:00.000-05:00

It seems that I had to learn a lesson the hard way. I should know better. I DID know better. I simply wasn't thinking. When I wrote my post about my meds not treating me well, I was deep inside of my head, going through it right then and there, feeling like crap as my body violently reacted to the introduction of new meds. It turns out I made a huge mistake and paid for it dearly.

You see, I am horrible about taking my meds when I am supposed to, and one of them needs to be taken twice a day, once in the morning, and once in the evening. I have always forgotten, so I always took them both at night before bed. No big deal. I never had any weird reaction.
So when I got the new medication, I just added it to my nightly ritual. Are you ready to smack me yet? I am.

In the wee hours of the morning, I woke messed up. Apparently I had overdosed. I was actually terrified. So was my entire family. I didn't realize that it was bad to take them all together. I should have. I am not used to this taking meds thing, period. I didn't think there would be a reaction. I feel so freaking stupid.

I couldn't leave the safety of my couch. After my eyes were finished bugging out of my head, I couldn't keep my eyes open, and yet I had to, because I had to take care of Bella. I couldn't get rid of the horrible headache, my teeth wouldn't unclench, I couldn't stop buzzing inside my body. It went from bad to worse throughout the morning.

My husband couldn't stay home, so he called me every hour to check on me. My boys helped immensely. Even Bella knew something was wrong, and was content to snuggle with me most of the day.

So, I screwed up royally. Even so, on a day when I am taking them properly I still have the same symptoms, just much milder. Buzzy, headachy, nauseous, teeth clenched. Just .... better. I still don't like how I feel right now, but I'm

Glenn found a free app for my phone (There's an App for that?) called RxmindMe, and he plugged in my meds, and the times to take them, so now it tells me when to take them, and I don't have to think about it.

So yeah. I figured I should probably tell you what happened, as I figured it out halfway through the day and have been kicking myself.

Thank you to everyone who sent their encouragement and support my way. It really DID make me feel better knowing you were there.
I will get on top of this eventually. I am going to feel better soon! And I promise to never ever do that again.

I had an ice cream sandwich. You didn't.

2012-02-11T15:45:00.000-05:00

Looking on the inside

2012-02-10T06:11:00.000-05:00

It seems that everyone I know is going through some kind of big stress/es right now, and I sit within my own life, wondering what's going in the Universe to turn so many people's life upside down? It's weird. I certainly wish I could do something to ease somebody's hurt, or their feelings over stress, and yet for right now I have to look in the mirror, and breathe.
"True wisdom comes to us when we realize how little we know about life, ourselves, and the universe.” Socrates

We are in month 3 of life being insane and upside down, and backwards. It's slowly starting to smooth itself out. We just have to go with the flow, and sometimes that is so hard. I find myself resisting on many levels.
A good friend and mentor once told me that in the spiral of life, we go through the same things again and again, but at different levels of our growth, so it becomes a layer peeled back for us to look at it in a different viewpoint. I like that, and I would like to think that I have grown enough to deal with all the stuff that has been happening in a more conscious way, but the truth is, my body isn't.

My body has been responding to certain situations as if I am reacting like I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which maybe I do. I have no idea. My body is screaming "NO! NOT AGAIN!", and yet my mind trudges forward, determined to get through it.

Anxiety, something I haven't had to deal with since I went through a divorce years ago, has reared it's ugly head and attacked my body in a way that I have never experienced before. Shivering, uncontrollable. As if I am trying to get warm, and my body is shivering to compensate for it. Add to it A pain in my chest, heart pounding, nausea, and irrationality, and you have a viewpoint of what's happening inside of me.

As that was the last straw for me, the straw that seemed to break the camel's back, I took myself to the doctor to tell him what was going on. After sharing with him my story of only ONE of the stress or's going on in our lives, he prescribed me some new meds to add to what I already have to take. In addition he gave me something to take when the shivering comes back.

SO far my body is not reacting well to additional medication, and I'm not liking how I feel. At All. My eyes are popping out of my head, my teeth are clenched, and my entire body is buzzing, intense nausea. I think I would almost prefer to have a shivering episode.

I know it's going to get better, and I know that it will take time, but it's not fun people. Not at all. I guess I am asking for support. I need a serious dose of funny, because that's the best prescription for healing what is my life.

Izzy-isms

2012-02-09T22:15:00.000-05:00

The teens and tweens have the best time teaching Isabella new phrases, and giggle when she says them in her tiny little 2 year old voice.

This week she said:

"Pwitty coooo" = pretty cool

"Ah-SUM" = Awesome!

"Wassup ohmie= What's up, homie?

"I eed you!" = I need you!

"I Lub you!" = I love you!

When we say " I Love you" to her, she automatically says "you too".

I simply die of cuteness overload.

She has been practicing perfecting learning how to jump with both feet off the floor. She works hard at it, with a wind up- bending low, little hands clenched into fists, face screwed up in concentration, annnnd Jump! She jumps all over the house now.. it's her favorite thing to do like a giant bunny. She jumps off of stacks of things, over things. The kid is invincible.

Isabella has started wrapping her little arms around my neck, when I hold her. She learned how to give a full hug complete with a squeeze. She randomly walks up with her face puckered, ready to give a kiss. I don't even have to ask for them. She GIVES them!

Her curiosity is peaked at all times. Investigations mode is on, she wants to know, she wants to see, she wants to try.

She makes her babies kiss each other. She asks them if they are crying, and if she thinks they are, she cuddles them, and loves on them. He make believe is REAL to her.

It's amazing to watch this little one grow.

I'm SO lucky.

Dr. Seuss' The Lorax Giveaway!

2012-02-08T22:03:00.000-05:00

I'm of the mind that pretty much every single book that Dr. Seuss ever wrote is genius. His books are the foundation of most children's start of learning to read. Each story has a moral, a lesson on how to be a better person. How to be nice, how not to judge, how to share, etc.

His Book "Dr. Seuss' The Lorax" is one of my all time favorites. It's a great insight for kids to learn about environmentalism,and shows how the industrialized cities are ruining our planet. About how to respect our planet. How to live in harmony with everything else. See why I love this story? For those that know me, know that it's pretty much right up my alley. When I heard about this movie coming out, I seriously called my husband at work and said "DR. SEUSS' THE LORAX IS COMING TO THE THEATERS!" and he said "Oh!...(pause) What the heck is a Lorax?" Ha. So when I got offered to do a promo for an advance screening, and didn't even hesitate to say yes. Because 1. It's Dr. Seuss, and 2. It's The Lorax.
So the synopsis:

From the creators of Despicable Me and the imagination of Dr. Seuss comes the much anticipated feature Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, a 3D-CG adaptation of the classic tale of a forest guardian who shares the enduring power of hope. The animated adventure follows the journey of a 12-year-old as he searches for a real Truffula Tree, the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To get it he must find the story of the Lorax, the acerbic yet charming character who fights to protect his world.

Lending their vocal talents to the project are Danny DeVito as the iconic title character of the Lorax and Ed Helms as the enigmatic Once-ler. Also bringing their voices to the adventure are global superstars Zac Efron as Ted, the idealistic youth who searches for the Lorax, and Grammy Award winner Taylor Swift as Audrey, the girl of Ted’s dreams. Rounding out the cast are Rob Riggle as the villain O’Hare, Jenny Slate as Ted’s protective mother and beloved actress Betty White as Ted’s wise Grammy Norma. Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax is the third feature created by Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment (Despicable Me, Hop). www.theloraxmovie.com

Now for the fun part! Do you want to go with me to the movies? Please say you do!
I really want you to come with me! I have several free family packs tickets to give out, along with some super cool promo stuff for your kidling.

Here's the details:
Date: February 25, 2012
Time: 10 AM
Place: The AMC Waterfront
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Admittance to the screening is first-come, first-served. Please arrive early. Seating is not guaranteed.

So, can you come to the movies with me? I hope you can. If you want to come, and you have the morning of the 25th available, then post a comment telling me what your favorite Dr. Seuss story is, and why. OR, tell me your favorite Dr. Seuss quote. Or both!
You can enter once per day. You can even tweet my blog post for an additional drawing. I will randomly pick several... (Maybe ALL OF YOU if I don't get enough comments) on February 18th, which gives me enough time to mail your tickets and promo stuff to you. :)
So cheers! I will see you at the movies!

Review of Big Miracle

2012-02-06T22:38:00.000-05:00

Before the movie:
A few weeks ago I ran a preview giveaway of the Universal Pictures movie Big Miracle. I love going to the movies. It's not something that I am able to do on a regular basis, because of how expensive it can be. I am pretty picky about the ones I choose to go to. They have to be AMAZING, in order for me to drop the $$$ and be willing to share my space with 100 other patrons and sit through an experience.
I was lucky enough to be able to go to the advance screening, and we had so many tickets, that we were able to give away 24 more seats, with leftovers. The promo also sent me a box of the most adorable soft fluffy velvety whales, which I brought to the theater, and gave out to the kids in the audience. I. Made.Their. Day! It was awesome.
The Movie:
The immediate draw to the characters didn't take long, and within moments, I was intrigued. Falling in love with the family of whales; Fred, Wilma, and Bam Bam was instant, along with my heart going out to them for the sad reality of the story.
This movie had all the elements you hope for in a movie. Inspiration, Hope, Comedy, romance, drama, suspense. It was all there. I laughed, I held my breath, I was frustrated at numerous characters, and I cried. It seemed that everyone else in the theater did as well.
The story was non fiction which to me always adds that richness, a depth to a story.

The story story begins in Point Barrow Alaska, where a family of California gray whales are trapped under the ice. They are miles from the open sea, with a giant wall of a thick mass of ice holding them in. Devastating, right? A small opening allows them to come up for air, and they all take turns. The baby really struggles, and it was awesome to see the parents take care of him, lifting him up to the surface, helping him to breathe. My heart broke when I saw him struggling. My heart cried when the native people sang Bam Bam "home", and I let tears stream down my cheeks, without bothering to hide them like I normally do.
The people all come together, to help the whales in whatever way they can, keeping the hole open, through temperatures down to -50.

I loved the tale of perseverance, of opposites coming together to work for a common cause, for effort, for love.
I learned a little more about our history, about our country's pride and stance on working with those they hated at the time, and how quickly a story could capture the heart of the world. I had no idea how it all had happened. All I remember are the whales, and the baby, and being so worried.
When the story reached it's climax in the theater, the people in the theater erupted with cheers and clapping. Tears were flowing. I am so glad I went.
That must mean something, right?
Fantastic story. Fantastic message. Go see it.

3 wishes

2012-02-02T09:14:00.000-05:00

As those of you who read my blog regularly know, my sons are both enrolled in a cyber school. One of the things I like about this school, is that I can see exactly what they do, what they say, and how they respond to imposed questions in a classroom setting. It's interesting to see the thought processes, and how they represent themselves.
Ryan's English lit teacher posed a question to her class : If you had 3 wishes, what would you wish for? Here is Ry's response:

"My first wish would be to live in a world where there is no need for violence or war, everyone would get along; there would be no need for religious arguments or cultural wars.

My second wish would be that we could have more intelligent people on this planet, because there seems to be a disturbing lack of common sense and intelligence in my opinion.

My third wish would be that our medical technology could be advanced enough to cure most diseases, but not so advanced that people are immortal."

Whenever I have doubts of whether or not I am doing OK as a parent,(hello, ego!) or whether he is going to be alright as part of our future, I guess maybe this soothes those worries a little. I think he's going to be OK after all.

Reflections

2012-02-01T23:01:00.001-05:00

"Mirror Mirror in my hand, who is the fairest in the land?"

Laugh, Play, Love Day One

2012-02-01T22:50:00.000-05:00

Twitter has some amazing people in there. If you look, you most always will find exactly what you are looking for. Sometimes the amazing people come by way of an introduction from other amazing people. I have had the luxury of finding some really cool people that have been fun to get to know, and one in particular that I want you to know about.

Her name is Shannon Kinney-Duh and her twitter handle is @AFreeSpiritLife. I absolutely love everything she stands for, and really think if she could rub off on more people, the world would be a little bit happier, brighter, and more lovely.

She suggested that we take on a challenge this month, to Laugh more, Play more, and Love more this month. To quit taking life so seriously, and to seriously play. To do less tugging and more hugging.
In my own personal goal to be more authentic, and live with my heart wide open, being more positive and happy, I decided to take on Shannon's challenge.

"You can't see me!"

So today, I packed up Isabella and took her to the play space at the mall and met up with some friends and their kids. Bella is a little shy, or maybe a lot shy. She becomes introverted when around other people, and doesn't warm up to them until we are done with the visit.

After the play date, Bella and I had a dance party in the kitchen. We ran in circles around the house. IN the house, until we were breathless. There was no one to tell us not to, because that's MY job, and I was encouraging bad behavior. Ahem. We had a picnic lunch on the living room floor. After nap time we went for a walk/run around the block, and then chased Bodhi-dog in the yard. We built a Lincoln Log castle and knocked it down. We jumped off rocks, stacked blocks, read books, sang songs, hugged, spun in circles until we were dizzy, gave each other kisses on our cheeks, and giggled. Julia joined in when she got home, and they giggled so much they were snorting. I love giggle snorting. It's a humbling experience to say the least.
I teased my boys. I made them laugh.

Kayce

It was a positive, happy day. One that I had needed for a long long time.
We played. We laughed. We LOVED.
Today was a very good day.

Look Out World.

2012-01-31T23:19:00.002-05:00

This afternoon I asked Izzy if she wanted to go outside for a walk. It was a balmy 56 outside, and it was time to escape the confines of the house. We got ready to go, and Bodhi begged to go with us. I asked Izzy if she would like to take him with us, and she literally screamed with delight. That's her thing these days. Squealing, screeching, and screaming with glee. Whenever she anticipates something that she deems as fun, our ears ring with her joy. The grocery store, Daddy's work, driving by a construction site with tractors, seeing her brothers and sister all have the same effect. SCREECH!

So we put a leash and Haltie on Bodhi, and together we walked him around the block. When we got home, she ran into our yard, and we played. And played. And played. OUTSIDE. In January. It was awesome. Yes she looks like she is bundled up. I didn't want to take any chances. She didn't seem to mind.

Depth? She's got it.

Thoughtful? She's got it

Mischievousness? She's got it.

Personality? She's got it.

Should we be worried? You got it.

You Caption It...

2012-01-27T21:25:00.000-05:00

The winner~ "You are going to pay dearly for this transgression... How would you like "30 minutes of screaming?" ~ By Bluzdude

The Art of Stalling

2012-01-26T22:16:00.001-05:00

Izzy has discovered the magical art of stalling. I don't know how she figured it out. I think it must be a natural instinct. We can see her little mind at work, trying to figure things out. When it's time to go down for a nap, or to bed at night, she goes into panic mode when those "things" aren't going her way. She will hide from you, twist, squirm, run, flatten herself on the floor, hide under blankies, want "nummies", or her cup. She even conveniently needs to go "potty", or needs a certain stuffed animal, or a parent that she knows isn't around.
17 years ago I might have been SO frustrated, because I needed to have things go my way, because I hadn't learned the art of picking my battles, and wasn't flexible... yet. Now, I find this whole bob and weave thing hilarious.
Tonight when I announced that it was bed time, she ran into my room and hid under my blankets, and PRETENDED TO SNORE. So damn cute. Then she popped up, smiled, and said "Mommy, I seeping!" Next she told me that I needed to "seep", and I needed to "sore" (snore). She said to "cose your eyes", and showed me how by closing hers.
I eventually got her diaper changed and into her pajamas, by transitioning her into being ready without her realizing it.
It's amazing how much your perspective changes in a decade. (or almost 2 decades!) I tried my best to be a good parent with the older ones, and now I see a completely different Mama emerging from the ashes of yesterday.
Don't get me wrong, I'm really good with the word "No", and I always get my way, but it's kinda fun playing cat and mouse with the Toddler.
She has brought out the more playful me, the more observant me, and more ME me. Not all the time, mind you, but more than before anyway.
I might have this parenting thing down. For today, anyway.

Photo Shoot

2012-01-24T21:48:00.001-05:00

Bella had her first photo shoot today with someone that was NOT ME. I love taking pictures of her, but I wanted to see Isabella through someone else's lens. She is two now, and her personality is blooming daily. So many facial expressions, so many moods. So I thought it would be a good time to get it done. I'm not really a studio kind of person, and Iz definitely isn't the kind of kid that would be willing to sit still long enough and strike a pose.

I had been thinking about this for months, and finally I decided to get it done. Who better to ask than someone that takes AMAZING photos?

I can't wait to see what she comes up with!

Stats

2012-01-23T21:05:00.001-05:00

I'm TWO!

I weigh 22 and 3/4 lbs!

I am 36 inches tall!

I had a flu shot AND a vaccine, and I DIDN'T EVEN FLINCH.

The Doctor said I am pretty perfect.

I am awesome.

That is all.

Simple joys

2012-01-22T20:49:00.001-05:00

How a 2 year old's birthday went down at our house

2012-01-21T22:05:00.003-05:00

First, we had to go outside and check out the snow. Which was pretty awesome, for a two year old.

"I'm not sure about it being so cold!"

Julia and Izzy, attempting to sled down our yard.

It was too cold to stay outside for very long, so we went inside, where Izzy and Julia helped make Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes.

After a super awesome day of playing, and snuggling, and Izzy's favorite dinner of Baked Mac and Cheese, and Yummy Green beans, It was time for Cupcakes!

Isabella REALLY wanted to blow out those candles, so Daddy had to hold the cupcake hostage until we were done singing Happy Birthday.

The cupcakes were delicious!

Kayce and Bella, Striking a pose

Grammy needed a hug, and Isabella is the BEST 2 year old hug giver ever!

A Perfect day.

Isabella is 2!

2012-01-21T14:01:00.003-05:00

It's pretty amazing to see this little girl grow up so fast, and so awesome. She is our joy, and we are so blessed to have her. Spunky, Feisty, Unpredictable, Incredibly Intelligent, Beautiful, Loving, and Determined. That's my girl.

What I find on my Camera, when I leave it at home alone with my boys.

2012-01-19T22:16:00.003-05:00

Trusting Each Other

2012-01-18T23:27:00.002-05:00

It turns out that raising teenagers is not such a fun thing all the time.. but you probably already knew that.
It's not fun when your kid tells you that he had to give a statement to a police officer regarding something he witnessed. "Oh and by the way, Mom, the Police man asked for your number and they may be calling you." Awesome.
So we asked for the whole story, so I wouldn't be caught off guard.
Back story:
I want to know where my kids are, and who they are with. I know all my kids friends, I know their parents, and I know where everyone lives. I have everyones phone number, even the friends of my kids. Kayce, however is quite a little popular young man. He has 847 friends on Facebook. While I doubt highly that he knows all of these people, He really truly does know every single kid that goes to the neighborhood middle/high-school. The girls LOVE him. I'm not even kidding. I have a Cassanova on my hands, and it worries me a little.

I don't know all of his friends. I don't know all of the parents, I don't have all his phone numbers. This worries me a lot. We live in such a small community that I have always felt safe with letting him roam on his bike, and not worry. He checks in, and makes a point to keep in touch. Letting me know who he is with, and where he is. I keep tabs on him.
BUT. But.
Back to the story:
So the story he told me was of a neighborhood "slow-minded Bully" who has the town officials thinking he is wonderful. Kayce said this boy was harassing his friends, and that it became unsafe.
When the Police officer called me this week, and asked if I could bring Kayce down to the station to give a written statement, and hinted to me about the "incident" as if I knew the whole story, I was more than a little taken back. The "incident" wasn't anywhere close to what I had heard. Like 2 different ends of the spectrum different.
I have never been in a police station before. I have only been in a few situations where I was asked to give statements. So I was nervous, to say the least. Nervous for my boy. All of a sudden, I realized that this was another layer of innocence stripped from my son.
The hard gritty truth of the matter was that he had to share something deeply personal and upsetting (don't worry, nothing happened to HIM)... that he NEVER told me about.
I asked why he didn't tell me, and he said he was scared. I was heart broken. Heart broken that he stopped trusting me as a confidant. That he didn't give me the opportunity to be his advocate. To be able to protect him. That's my job as a mother.
There was this deep silence after giving the statement. Like a rip of the bubble of trust between us.
His freedom leash became considerably shorter. He isn't in trouble for the statement, or the "incident". But in addition to other reasons, the red trust flag has been raised, and he will have to earn that trust back from me. But how do I earn it back from him? How do I help him to see that we as parents, (ALL 4 of us) are his biggest supporters, and will do whatever we can to keep him safe?
This is a hard patch of parenting. This isn't the fun part. Can I have the fun part back? Please?

I forgot the camera. Again.

2012-01-15T23:14:00.000-05:00

I forgot my camera when I took Izzy and my sister to the Children's Museum, so I had to settle for using my iPhone via Instagram. It was fun, and I actually enjoyed how the photos turned out after all.

Cousins

2012-01-14T22:25:00.000-05:00

Logan (right) and his hero Kayce (left)

Night and Day

2012-01-13T23:03:00.000-05:00

BEFORE.....

ALMOST....

FINISHED!

No one ever talks about it.

2012-01-13T22:53:00.003-05:00

It's one of those things that no one ever discusses in public. It's a private matter. It makes other people uncomfortable. It's there, lurking behind the people it affects, sucking them in, dragging them down, weighing on their hearts. For some people it happens because of circumstances. For others, it's a chemical imbalance. For me, it's both.
I have depression... or what's called Depressive Disorder. I have had it probably my entire adult life. It's manageable, with medication... most of the time. But when challenging circumstances arise, that everyone goes through, it gets harder to manage.
Right now, it's really hard to manage. You know those commercials that portray depression as a cloud lurking over the affected person? It's absolutely true. It has been lurking over me for the last few months to the point where I am ready to wage war on the dang cloud.
I haven't wanted to blog, or take photos, or meet with friends, or get dressed. I haven't wanted to do much of anything. I have been feeling sorry for myself. It gets worse when all sorts of crap hits the fan, and I am forced to deal with things that I would much rather stuff under the rug.
And yet. Life is amazing, and I recognize that. I have a beautiful family. I have an amazing partner. I love my job. I'm doing good things in the world.
I DO laugh every day. I do find reasons to be thankful and grateful every day.
But I know that I need to work harder and learn how to not let it get me down. I need to push it back. I need to get on with my life.
I need to think positive. I need a support network. I need to take more time for myself in a positive way.
So many needs!
I am so tired of being sad. I have been feeling really negative, and I hate it. My husband says it's a choice. But for me it's really hard to accept that. I'm working on it. One day at a time. A friend once told me "when you don't think you can make it a day, then make it an hour, or 5 minutes at a time."
On a positive note, this latest bout has helped me to realize and uncover some huge baggage issues from my past that has come forward and demands to be processed, and put away for good. Plus I am fighting the sadness surrounding it with asking for my needs to be met, and standing up for myself, and being stronger than I ever have been in my entire life. It's hard not to go and hide under my covers. But being a mother to a toddler won't let me. She demands me to play, and smile, and laugh, and sing, and be the Momma I have to be for her. For her AND my teens. They demand me to be strong, and steady. What a gift.
So I am putting it out there. I'm working on claiming it, acknowledging it, sending compassion to it and to myself, and then releasing it. Time to find my happy. Time to be the me that I need to be for my kids, my husband, my clients, and more importantly... for me.
What do you do for yourself to find your happy?

The Wow! Look.

2012-01-11T23:12:00.000-05:00

To go? Or not to go... That is the question.

2012-01-11T14:40:00.001-05:00

Throughout the years of raising my children, I have always instilled in them that they need and should think about attending college or university after high school. They have been brought up to think that it is important for their education, for their ability to land a decent job, to make a decent living, and to be able to do the things that they want to do.

As the high price of tuition has gone up, I have been cringing more and more at the numbers, realizing that if my children DO go, they are going to be paying off a hefty bill when they are finished. Unless of course, they get a scholarship.

I wasn't in a financial place when they were younger to set them up for a college savings, I was living hand to mouth as it was. Maybe a more responsible parent would have thought of all of this before having kids. Maybe it would have limited the amount of kids that I birthed. Who knows? I wasn't really thinking about their college years at the time I was having babies.

But now, we ARE talking about options with the kids. What do they want to do when they grow up? What would they like to explore? What seems interesting to them? When they share something particular that obviously needs a degree, we show them the educational direction they need to head towards if they want to meet their goals.

Is there anything wrong with that?
My boys have been struggling with high-school these past few years. My oldest has made it clear that he doesn't want to attend college, but may be more interested in a vocational school. I am completely fine with that as well. I just want them to know their options.

Recently one of my kids had a conversation with a role model who informed them that they needed to stop looking at college. That it wasn't a wise decision. That they needed to look at a trade, like electrician, welding, machinery, plumbing, etc. That this was a much smarter way, and that if they work hard they will eventually make a decent living. They were told that college would be a waste of their time and money, and they didn't need to go. The pressure was off of them.

I understand the thought process behind the thinking, and I honor your opinions, but I was personally really upset. Yes, college is expensive. Yes, my boys don't really don't make the grades that they will need to get into a good school. Yes, one of them doesn't even plan on going. But there is always community college. There are very few jobs that don't require a degree of some sort. Unless they look at a trade.
On a side note, I have an MBA, and my loans ARE astronomical. My job field as a minister is my passion, and nowhere near what I got my degree in. So I get it. But I don't want to shoot down hopes of anyone. And there may come a time when my degree comes in handy.

Anyway. Should we tell children to stop dreaming of their dream career, that might clearly be college oriented because they aren't good enough/ Because college is a waste, to settle for a trade? *And by settling, I mean to stop dreaming of a career that is college oriented, and ONLY look at a trade.* I am not knocking all of the hard working people out there that work in these jobs. Not at all. I appreciate every service person out there. But should my kids only look at this route, because they were told that's all they would be good at? Or simply because it was good enough for their role model to find his niche in a blue collar trade? (No question that he undoubtedly works his ass off). Should my boys stop thinking of going themselves because their role model suggests it? Mind you I am very aware that these trades make excellent money. The logic is there. It may be wiser than going to college. But if we take away the options, take away the dreaming, is that the right thing to do?

So, dear readers, I ask for your opinion. What do you think? Am I wrong to be upset? Should I just go with the flow, and let the kids think that trade school is the only avenue they should/can head towards?
I guess, even though I understand the thinking, I am mainly upset that someone told them to stop shooting for the moon.
It reminds me of when I was a kid, and all I ever wanted to be was a dancer on Broadway, until an aunt told me to stop dreaming of getting anywhere with it, because I would never make it, because I was too short, and because my parents would never be able to afford the kind of training I needed to be a decent dancer. (EVEN A DANCER GOES TO COLLEGE). Just saying.

To be fair to the role model, I am *assuming* that *he assumed* that I wasn't giving my children choices, and that I had told them that college was the only option. It's not. I never said it was the only option. I don't care where they go to school. Trade, vocational, college, University. I have however, been adamant with them that post high school education was a MUST. Whatever they decide to do is fine with me. I support them no matter what. But I don't want their options limited based on someone's opinion that my children highly value. I don't want the options taken away from them. It's NOT a waste in my opinion.
So, what would you do?