First things first...I am digging some new music. Hoobastank's "The Reason" and Los Lonely Boys' "Heaven", also Toby Lightman's "Devils and Angels." Good stuff. My friend Jenni is a radio chick like I used to be and her station is playing some really good stuff lately. She and I have been talking back and forth about men and life and just general girlie girl crap. It feels good. Funny thing about radio people, they spend so much time being good on the air (by this I mean watching their language) that when they get off the air, most of them (us) have mouths like sailors. I left the 'biz five years ago and still fall into the habit. Good thing she and I know how to behave when we're out in public. Check Jenni out HERE.

Secondly, again a mixed bag in the sports department. Stretch continues to amaze me and not always in a good way. Lacrosse game on Friday night, she scored two goals! YAY Stretch! She was pumped and so was I. I still don't quite "get" the game yet, but we're working on it. I am ordering help from the good folks at Amazon. Stretch didn't have such a good soccer day on Sunday, she was just really off her game. The team tied a game they should have won. On the up side, at least it wasn't a loss, but she came off the pitch very emotional, knowing she didn't play well. She lashed out at her father and me, blaming us for "coaching" her from the sidelines. In reality, she was angry at herself and we knew it, so did she. She's not practicing as hard as she used to. Part of that is the new coach has a different philosophy, part of it is her schedule being so full, part of it is that she's nearly twelve and the hormones have kicked in. I don't know. As a mediocre athlete who got by on heart, I know you play the way you practice, and she's not playing well because she's not practicing well. She's going to have to want it. Dad and Mom can't do that for her.

Mads scored in her game on Saturday. She's now scored in all three of her games. Of course it's a little easier when you're six and there's no goalie. Stretch wasn't screamingly supportive.

On the behavior front... yeeeeeeeeesh. The teen is in yet another "dark and moody" phase. They apparently never end. She spends most of her time in her room in the basement, on the phone. She comes up for food and then disappears again. She flunked her German final, which means she will not graduate high school without re-taking it, passing, and then getting some scheduling help from the high school.

Stretch was in pre-teen PMS, with the weekend being an emotional rollercoaster ride. Friday night was one of those thrilling highs (thank you lacrosse!) then Saturday she was generally grumpy and abusive, yelling at her younger siblings, switching to sunny happiness, then back to sad and emotional ("you love Mads more than me"). It was exhausting. Sunday was more of the same, especially given the soccer game.

Speaking of Mads, she had selective hearing and spent quite a bit of time arguing with the boy. She also gave herself a haircut. Mom is NOT pleased. She whacked off a chunk on the very TOP of her head. It now sticks straight up. She also has decided that it's okay to not listen to her parents. Very dangerous habit, that.

And the boy is the boy. He's a three year old tazmanian devil who NEVER stops, and he argues with his sisters and then turns those big eyes on them and says "I love you!" He's also trying to get himself adopted by the neighbors at the end of the street. They took him to dinner on Friday night. He's hardheaded and busy and argumentative and sweet and cute and a general PITA. But, he's the boy.

Home is home. The new office is shaping up beautifully. Spouse got his hair cut. I just want some order back in the living areas of the house so we can actually....LIVE. And somewhere, the emotions need to start feeling more like a gentle flowing stream rather than the constant grade 3 rapids.