An open letter to my sons

Where should I start with you two?
The thousands of hairs pulled out daily by your tiny fingers?
My almost-scratched-way-too-many-times corneas?
The 1,0000 ER trips? The ER trip on Christmas day for Ace because of a certain someone who shall remain nameless? One hint- his name starts with a G and ends with an unner.
The emergency trip to the dentist for me because of the head butt that almost broke off my front two teeth?
The bajillion pieces of technology destroyed by your curiosity?
The screaming sessions at just the most inopportune moments?
The furniture we can't even give away on Craig's list now?
The new carpet that is now ruined from only 4 short months of your presence?
The peaceful mommy-time interrupted by your refusal to nap?
The times you practically kill each other when you get in your 'crazy modes'?
Hmmm, well I could go on... but this is starting to grow into a bit of a long list.

But I have a longer list, so you're gonna sit there and listen, you hear me!
I will start instead with this:
For every hair you pull, I am amazed and taken aback by the sweet smell and beautiful feel of each tiny strand on your heads.
For every eye almost gouged out, I'm reminded of the sheer beauty of those gorgeous peepers you both have.
For every ER trip I am reminded of the beautiful blessing of the health and well being of our little family when we could all be hurting so much more in so many ways.
For every piece of electronics destroyed, I am amazed by how brilliant you both are and how much you both have already grown in the short time you've graced us with your presence.
For every scream fest and tantrum you have, I'm reminded to count my blessings and be grateful for your strong and amazingly sweet voices and that you can scream your lungs out when you want.
For every piece of furniture ruined, I am grateful for your ability to ruin it- by jumping, coloring, ripping, hitting and everything else your little bodies can do.
For every stain on the carpet, I am grateful we had the money to give you the food and juice for which to spill and mush.
For every nap you didn't take, I am grateful that you are able to sleep, and sleep well, and wake up refreshed and beautiful, ready to play again.
For every time you almost kill each other, I thank the good Lord in Heaven for giving you each a brother to annoy and love.

You two are the most gorgeous, sweet, amazing, beautiful, wonderful blessings I have ever been giving by our almighty Father and Teacher. With out your pirate screams, your robot rampages, your creature-from-the-black-lagoon drools and messes, your amazing strength to reach out and grab (literally and figuratively :)) almost anything you want, your funny faces, your beautiful spirits, your exceeding baby patience for your parents and all of our screw ups, your bottomless love and affection, your kisses, your hugs, your baby laughter, and your little fish stick feet, I am nothing. I was nothing.

Till there was you.

I adore and love you both from the endless mommy love inside my mommy heart.
<3 and xoxo forever and ever.
Love, Mommy

Be like you

Asylum Street Spankers

You with your big blue eyes

You with your big surprise
You with your "I don't know"s
You with your mismatched clothes

Chasin the kitty cat
Tiptoe and pitter pat
Hiding 'neath the kitchen chair
Sleepin with a teddy bear

You sittin at the breakfast table wearing two different shoes
I, I wish that I could be like you

And when we're jumpin on the bed
Jump jump jumpin up and down
It seems like such great bliss
Makes me wonder if
A grownup like me could ever feel like this

You with your funny smile
You with your certain style
You when you play pretend
You know you're my best friend

You sing a bit off key
You say "Hey look at me!"
How I wish that this could last
But you're growing up so fast

And I love your silly expressions
And your different point of view
And I, I wish that I could be like you

And when we're walking down the street
Walk walk walkin hand in hand
We're having so much fun and when the day is done
I tell you I'm so glad you're my son

You're quite extraordinary and it's absolutely true that I,
I wish that I could be like you
I wish that I could be like you

I wish that I could be like you.

Where the music be at?

So you may be thinking, "If this is a 'punk rock mommy' blog, wheres the music? You say you're punk so music it up!"

Like I said before, I think punk is an attitude, but punk just wouldn't be what it is without the music!

Here is a great site called True Punk that has news, reviews, and interviews of and with punk bands from today and the days of yore. ;)

One interpretation of the punk rock philosophy can be found here. (It's from wikipedia, so take it with a grain of salt. I believe that attitudes and philosophies are always adapting and changing. So I really think it's up to the individual to decide what punk means to them.)

And here are some pretty neat-o quotes from musicians about punk and punk's perception these days and older days:

Even though we're not the most punk rock band, the way we've done things is pretty punk rock. Just kinda say it with a big middle finger to the record labels and do it ourselves.
Brandon Thomas

I can play punk rock, and I love playing punk rock, but I was into every other style of music before I played punk rock.
Travis Barker

I come from the home-grown punk ethic, where it doesn't matter if you can't play a note, it's how you communicate.
Siobhan Fahey

I've always been spiritual but I've never had a proper context, and it took me awhile to find the proper context. It's hard to realize you can have any kind of relationship with God you want... and so I now have a punk rock relationship with God.
Billy Corgan

It's all magic to me. Country to punk rock, all of it. Chopin to Kurt Cobain. But it always all comes back to punk for me, because that was the last time, punk rock or grunge rock, was the last time that passion ruled the airwaves.
James Marsters

Mozart was a punk, which people seem to forget. He was a naughty, naughty boy.
Shirley Manson

Punk has always been about doing things your own way. What it represents for me is ultimate freedom and a sense of individuality.
Billie Joe Armstrong

Punk is musical freedom. It's saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster's terms, 'nirvana' means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world, and that's pretty close to my definition of Punk Rock.
Kurt Cobain

Punk is not really a style of music. It was more like a state of mind.
Mike Watt

Some of my favorite bands range from the not-punk-at-all (Band of Horses) to pretty traditional punk (Minor Threat), from bubble gum (MxPx) to Oi (Dropkick Murphys), and from big-name-radio-friendly punk (Blink 182) to who-in-the-heck-is-this (Spud Gun)? I like my punk in all shapes and sizes, and plenty of other styles, too (rockabilly, grunge, Ben Folds Five-esque, etc).

And let me just say I'm not a music snob. I respect your choice to like what you like, even though I might think it's crap. I won't shove my opinion in your face, cause there's a pretty good chance you think a lot of what I listen to is crap. And I think music snobs are just so obnoxiously fake. Like, "Hey! Look at me! Look at all these weird, unknown bands I listen to! And here's a pic of me with Mr. Random McGuitarguy hanging BACKSTAGE at SXSW! Woah! I rock!"
LAME is all I have to say about that. :D And don't get me started on the ridiculous micro organizing of music genres these days! Also stupid.

So now I ask you dear punk ladies (and gents if you're out there :)) - What are your favorite bands, songs, and/ or thoughts about punk these days?